Happy Birthday, Williams Family Blog! Or Is It Happy Anniversary?

It’s official!  The Williams Family Blog had its 3 year Birthday/Anniversary—I can’t decide which.  Birthday?  Well, the blog was “born” so to speak; created, and continues to be a labor of love.  Anniversary?  Seems I do have a significant relationship with the blog and a regular date with my computer.  So, either way you look at it, we have some celebrating to do!  Celebrating and reflecting. . .

The Williams Family Blog was created three years ago based a confluence of events.  Our family wanted some way to share about, what started out as swimming pools and water parks, in our part of the state.  We were thinking newspaper articles, an e-book, but nothing seemed quite right or immediate enough.  My dad at one point, after rambling on about Disney, had suggested I write a blog.  That was a few months prior and then along came a colleague who gave me more information—blogging was free and easy.  Hence, the Williams Family Blog was born.  And, we were able to combine our love for Disney and all our Disney adventures along with our swimming pool and water park reviews.  That is a marriage!

Components have been added over time, like “Where in the World. . .” and a comprehensive list of Walt Disney World dining reviews.  Parts have been added and then later removed, reflecting the changeability of the blog and the writer.

As I sit here writing with our cat on my lap, my son slumbering away in the early morning, and the husband snow blowing the driveway after the umpteenth snow shower, I am wondering what is next; for the Williams Family Blog and the Williams family as the reality of our life becomes the life in the pages and posts on-line.  While 2013 and 2014 have some firm plans, 2015 and beyond are blank slates.  Will there be another Adventures by Disney trip in our future?  Hope so!  What if I make it further in the Disney Mom’s Panel contest next year?  What if the Williams Family Blog captures the heart of a sponsor?  Only time will tell this evolving story.

Now for some celebrating!  Three years, some 800 posts, over 200,000 page views (we started out slow—I can remember the first external hits—it blew me away), and now we get 350-500 hits daily with comments and questions.  Many follow us by email and some just drop by.   We have readers from across the continent and across the globe.  Some readers say they “stumbled” upon the blog; we are happy for that trip and fall!  The Williams Family Blog has been referenced by others in newspaper articles, message boards, and by travel agents.

I bumped into someone planning a Disney trip in the grocery store the other day and the mere sight of me prompted them to tell me about their upcoming trip and recall that we had a blog that featured all things Disney.  The person then inquired about why I do this; is it a labor of love?  Yes, definitely, a labor of love and also a way to maintain sanity.  With having so many wonderful experiences, getting them on “paper” gets them out of my head.  Yet, the most important reason is for you, the reader.  I write for you with information and in a style that I would want.  When I take my family to an unfamiliar place, be it 30 miles away or 3000, I want to have some information—what is it like, what would be helpful to know before I get there, where is the bathroom!  So, I write for me and for you.  Win-win in my opinion!