Thoughts on this blog…

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and praying lately about this blog. For a while it hasn’t felt right with me to share so many personal things about my family. I realize that this blog had started as a way to have a personal journal of what’s going on in the family, and it would be a fun thing to look back on some day in the future. It’s like keeping a diary in a way. Not so much about private thoughts…but about what we did and thought and experienced on a day to day basis. I still think that’s a valuable asset for a family…but how much am I willing to share with strangers?

And PLEASE don’t get me wrong…all the ‘strangers’ I’ve met through this blog, and everyone who comments on this blog…I appreciate each and every one of you for visiting and chatting. I don’t think of YOU as strangers…you are the fellow moms/bloggers who make blogging into a fun and caring community. I value you. But it’s the ones that DON’T comment…the ones who I’m not sure what they want or why they’re here looking at photos of my family that make me very uncomfortable. For example, not too long ago I saw some searches on my blog that had me EXTREMELY nervous. I’m not going to go into it here…but suffice to say it was something that is absolutely NONE of anyone’s business…let alone a stranger’s.

So where am I going with this? After much thought/prayer, I’ve decided that I’m cutting down on the personal posts. As you may have noticed, I’ve only been posting the 52 projects lately. That’s partially because of what I’m feeling now, and partially because of LACK OF TIME, ha ha. But I’ve decided that I will continue the 52 project to the end of the year. I want to see it to completion, and I want Gabriel to get to be a part of it after he’s joined us this summer! I will do Lillian’s final monthly post when she’s 24 months. I will do weekly/monthly posts of Gabriel when he’s born. But will I keep them private? I haven’t fully decided that yet.

But the important part is, I’m taking the focus of this blog off of us PERSONALLY as a family. I will be eventually steering it into the direction of a helpful parenting/family/homemaking blog. I know there are a ton out there like that, and mine won’t particularly stand out, but I’m not out to be in the limelight. I just enjoy writing and sharing ideas. I enjoy meeting other like-minded mamas/wives.

The funny thing is, my decision is coming at a time when I’ve just been honored by couponaudit.com. They listed Our Havenhill as one of the top 100 baby related blogs to follow in 2013! So thanks, folks at couponaudit, for your vote of confidence 😉 Below is a screencap of their infographic:

So the bottom line? Expect to see a gradual shift on post direction. Less posts about just “us” and what we’re doing. More on things like healthy eating, good food for kids, fun things to do with a family, etc. More things like that. Expect to see most of my previous posts turn private. I will of course keep the recipes and things like that public. This will be a slow process, so bear with me. Of course, I might not make much progress at all, and this blog might just limp along for quite a while before either giving up the ghost or turning into something resourceful. After all, there’s only so much time I’ll have once I have a toddler AND a newborn! 😉

Thanks everyone for being a part of this journey with me. If you don’t want to stick around for the future changes, I understand. If you do want to, then I thank you for your support and understanding!

13 Responses to "Thoughts on this blog…"

Mom says:

17 May, 2013 at 2:34 PM

You always have my support of course Honey – whatever you end up doing with your blog. I know it’s painful for you to even have to change anything but I think you are being very wise. I know your loyal followers will still follow your blog – you are very good at writing and your blog is wonderful!! The photos in this entry are once again gorgeous and wonderful!!! xoxoxo
1. Rachel says:
  
  17 May, 2013 at 11:30 PM
  
  Thank you Mom, I appreciate that very much! And you’re right, it is painful to change it, and make so much of what I’ve written about Lillian for example, private – but it needs to be fine! Thank you for your support always! :):)xoxo
  1. Rachel says:
    
    17 May, 2013 at 11:31 PM
    
    “Done” not “fine” lol! I’m typing from my phone. Darn autocorrect! Lol
Jessica says:

31 May, 2013 at 2:42 PM

I keep an eye on who looks at my blog, and what searches are made as well. I can completely relate to being uncomfortable with a few I’ve found, and I’m quite personal on my blog. You have a beautiful family. I hope you find some way to share and create that makes you feel comfortable 🙂
1. Rachel says:
  
  7 June, 2013 at 8:41 PM
  
  Thank you Jessica! 🙂 That’s good you keep an eye on your blog too. I’m still figuring out just how to do this with a new comfort level…we will see!
laura says:

2 June, 2013 at 10:59 AM

Yeah what a scary thing ha? Glad you are choosing to shift paths for your comfort 🙂 We love and support you!!!! Congrats on making that list too for top blogs Ra!!!! 🙂
1. Rachel says:
  
  7 June, 2013 at 8:40 PM
  
  Thanks Laura; and yes, so scary! Thanks for the love and support! 🙂
Anna says:

10 June, 2013 at 3:50 PM

Hi Rachel!
I’m completely with you on that one! It’s been many months since I blogged myself, I didn’t have time to keep it up when I started studying again and then I fell out of it I guess. But I was going in the same direction as you are, thinking; Is this right? Should I be posting pictures of my little girl, my partner and about my house in the forest? And I kind of did a back-track and I realized that you could actually very easily find out where my house was, a thought that freaked me out! All you had to do was go in to my Pinterest account ( which I had linked to on my blog) and click on the link to my facebook page and you’d be able to see my facebookpage which, in it self, is secure and private but I never realised that you could click and see my coverpicture and the comments me and people had written on it and because I had taken it with my iPhone, it said where it was taken!
After that I’m extremely careful with what I put out, even on facebook. I think people forget sometimes that there are people out there reading their blog and you’re right; they’re Strangers, and you have no idea what their intentions are!
But however you choose to keep blogging, it’s been nice seeing your little girl growing up! My girl has got mad curly hair too ( red!) 🙂
Anna (sc.cottage)
1. Rachel says:
  
  10 June, 2013 at 7:13 PM
  
  Thank you so much Anna! I’m glad to hear your perspective too…and that’s sure scary you realized that about your house location!! Good for you to be on top of it though! Yes it’s hard to decide what exact direction to go in this blogging venture…but hopefully it works out. I’ll have to pop over to see how your little girl has grown too! 🙂
  1. Rachel says:
    
    10 June, 2013 at 7:15 PM
    
    Oh I can’t find your blog! Did you actually stop it then?
Anna says:

11 June, 2013 at 4:41 AM

Yeah, it’s gone 🙁 I forgot to update my dot com payment because I wasn’t blogging and then when I realized it I thought “oh well”, maybe I can update it now, but I’m not in a blogging mood anymore since I started gardening studies last fall. Still love reading them though so will pop by every now and then 🙂
Rachel says:

15 June, 2013 at 2:49 PM

Oh bummer! But you know that’s kinda freeing in a way 🙂 Thanks for popping in now and then to say hi though! 🙂
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