100,000th Visitor Giveaway
(This post will stay on top until the end of the giveaway on October 31st. Please scroll down for new posts.)
Sometime on Sunday, October 5th, Mommy Brain received its 100,000th visitor! I had been watching my stats, but missed the exact moment. That doesn’t make it any less exciting, though!
I started blogging in January of 2005. I originally started at LiveJournal, and that’s all I thought it was going to be: a journal. But sometime around then, I heard of blogging. I can’t remember for sure which blog was the very first one I read, but it was probably Andrea‘s or Guilt-Free Homeschooling, since I was still a fairly new homeschooler looking for as much advice as I could get. I moved my blog to Blogger, where I learned a little bit about HTML. When Ron and Andrea announced Homeschool Journal, I was happy to be one of the first to hop on board, and imported my entire blog over here.
I recently started a paid blog, but Mommy Brain here at Homeschool Journal is my personal blog, the place where my online friends come to “visit” me, and the place where I record what’s going on in my life and my scattered thoughts. And doing so has enriched my life in so many ways.
I live in a small, rural community and had no idea how to connect with other homeschoolers. The fellowship and information I found in the homeschool blogging community were absolutely indispensable to me in encouraging me and helping me to become a more organized, confident homeschooling mom.
I now have a few women who I met through blogging that I consider close personal friends – in spite of the fact that I’ve never met them face to face! We are separated by geography, but geography doesn’t dictate friendships anymore, thanks to the internet. (Or should I say “internets,” Andrea?)
My library has expanded – and my to-be-read list has grown exponentially! There are so many wonderful book bloggers out there, and they write brilliant reviews that make me want to buy easily ten to fifteen books a week. Of course, I can’t actually do that – not if I want to stay married. Thanks to book bloggers, I also started reading the classics that I had resisted in college – and found out that they are called classics for a reason.
I have kept much better records of my kids’ growing up years and experiences than I would have without blogging. I am not a scrapbooker or a photo-taker, but I love to write about the funny, smart, and poignant things my kids say. I like to write about what we do together, and about the kind of human beings my kids are growing up to be.
After almost four years of blogging, I am so grateful for all of the people who have visited and added so much to this experience. In honor of my 100,000th visitor, I wanted to say “thank you.” And what better way to show my gratitude than by giving away books, right? Some of these books are books I’ve been sent to review. Others are books from my own library. Some I’ve loved, some were just okay, some I didn’t like. I know that doesn’t mean they’re not any good, though, so I’ve linked to other people’s thoughts on the books I didn’t care for.
So, here’s what you can win:
How to Be Good by Nick Hornsby – my review
The Bookman’s Promise by John Dunning – my review of the first book in the series. You don’t need to read these in sequence in order to enjoy them.
Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell – my review. Mine has a different cover.
The Radiation Sonnets by Jane Yolen. I never reviewed this, but it’s a wonderful collection of sonnets that the brilliant Jane Yolen wrote – one for each day of her husband’s radiation treatments for cancer.
Ain’t No River by Sharon Ewell Foster. I read this years ago and remember liking it very much. The Amazon page has some good reviews, too.
Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy by Sergio Esposito. I was sent this to review, but never got around to it. Here’s a rave review at BlogCritics.
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition by C.S. Lewis. We love Narnia, and already own the entire series.
Stealing Athena by Karen Essex – my review. Wonderful book for lovers of historical novels and art history.
Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley. Sherry at Semicolon sent me this as a “pass-the-book book,” but I could never get Natalie interested in it. So I’m passing it along to one of you.
I’m going to keep this post at the top of Mommy Brain until the end of the month. Here are the rules to enter:
~ Leave a comment on this post before 11:59 pm PST, October 31, 2008. In your comment, name four favorites of the books listed above that you would like to win. There are nine books; there will be nine winners. I will try to match the winners with one of their top four choices.
~ Blog about this contest for another entry. Come back and leave an additional comment on this post with the link to your post mentioning the contest. This comment must come in before the same deadline as above.
~ I know I have readers outside the US and Canada, but I can’t afford to pay shipping to ship books internationally. I’m very sorry for this, but I’ll have to limit the contest to readers in the US and Canada.
~ On Saturday, November 1st, I will use Random.org to draw nine winners and then contact them for mailing info.
Again, thank you to everyone who has visited my blog and left comments and enriched my life. I’m looking forward to many more years of great fellowship and conversation here at Mommy Brain.
Congrats! How exciting!
October 6th, 2008 at 5:14 pmHow to be Good
Narnia
The Bookman’s Promise
Presumed Guilty
Congrats! We are so glad to have been a part of it
October 6th, 2008 at 6:06 pmCongrats on 100,000! I love blogs that encourage reading. Here’s my list:
How to Be Good
October 6th, 2008 at 6:16 pmPassion on the Vine
Ain’t No River
Narnia
Many congratulations on your 100,000th post. What a milestone! Thanks for such a marvelous book giveaway contest in honor of your posts. I would be very interested in the following books: “The Bookman’s Promise”, “Presumed
October 6th, 2008 at 8:26 pmGuilty”, “Narnia”, “Stealing Athena” and “Elvie Dinsmore!” Please enter my name in your delightful drawing. Many thanks and I wish you many more happy and healthy posts. Cindi
Congratulations!! 100,000 is amazing!!
I’ve added your giveaway under my giveaways at http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com (thanks for leaving a comment and letting me know you were having it!)
My choices would be:
1. Stealing Athena by Karen Essex
2. The Bookman’s Promise by John Dunning
3. How to Be Good by Nick Hornby
4. The Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (read this as a family when I was a child – we took turns reading a chapter or two out loud each night)
~ Thanks for the great giveaway!
Wendi
October 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pmhttp://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com
What a wonderful giveaway! 100,000 visitors is quite impressive!
The books I would like are:
Presumed Guilty
October 6th, 2008 at 8:43 pmStealing Athena
How to be Good
The Bookman’s Promise
Congrats! Don’t enter me in the contest because I’m having a hard enough time clearing my TBR but wanted to tell you how awesome that is!
October 6th, 2008 at 8:51 pm100,000 visitors-great! My choices would be:
October 6th, 2008 at 9:00 pmThe Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition
Elsie Dinsmore
Stealing Athena
The Radiation Sonnets
WOW!!! You hit the big 100,000 visitors! That’s awesome! Way to go…keep up the great blogging!
The books I would like are:
Narnia
How to Be Good
The Radiation Sonnets
Thanks,
Evan
October 6th, 2008 at 9:28 pm1) The Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition by C.S. Lewis
2) Elsie Dinsmore
3)How to Be Good
4) Stealing Athena
All of these books sound great. Congrats on your blogging milestone!
October 6th, 2008 at 9:41 pmCongratulations Carrie!! I have to say ever since I found your blog, I’ve gotten back into reading in a very big way. I think I’m in the middle of reading 4 books at the moment!! YAY. What a great little contest too!
October 7th, 2008 at 3:29 amMy picks are:
1) Narnia
2) Ain’t No River
3) Stealing Athena
4) How to be Good
Whoooo! And we couldn’t have made this place great without you.
October 7th, 2008 at 3:48 amOooh,
Stealing Athena looks good, or How to be good, Elsie Dinsmore and Ain’t no river.
Thanks!
October 7th, 2008 at 5:19 amMe! Me! Me!
)
Thank you for encouraging me to take time for reading. Sweetums keeps me so busy that I had forgotten the pleasure that it brings.
)
I’ll take anything!
October 7th, 2008 at 5:40 amI never knew Jane Yolen wrote sonnets–my kids loved her “How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight” book though.
Stealing Athena would be the one I’m most interested in–I don’t know if I could commit to more than than, my reading time has been so limited
COngratulations on 100,000 visitors!
October 7th, 2008 at 5:48 amAnd we are all so glad that you blog Carrie!! I have found more good books through you than anywhere else!!
So I will pick:
How to be good
October 7th, 2008 at 5:57 amThe Bookman’s Promise
Stealing Athena
and.. Elsie!
Congratulations on 10,000 visitors.
Ain’t No river
October 7th, 2008 at 6:55 amStealing Athena
The Bookman’s promise
Passion On The Vine
Congrats on the 100,000th visitor! Like you, I would love to buy a zillion new books each month…but not only would it kill our budget, but my husband and child would be wildly neglected.
All these books sound great! But if I have to pick a top 4, here they are:
Narnia
Stealing Athena
How to Be Good
Passion on the Vine
Thanks for hosting this awesome giveaway!
October 7th, 2008 at 6:58 amGreat contest!
-Narnia
-Passion on the Vine
-Elsie
-Bookman’s Promise
(Andrea sent me!
)
October 7th, 2008 at 7:24 amYay, Carrie!!! Congrats on such a great blog, with lots of eager readers!! I will trust your judgment and let you surprise me should I win a book. But I will say I have read (and loved) How to Be Good. Bless you!!
October 7th, 2008 at 7:24 amCongratulations, Carrie! Yours was one of the first blogs I tuned into as well. We have a lot in common, especially our avid love for reading! May you have many more happy years of blogging, and many more visitors to your site.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:06 amCongratulations! 100,000 is an amazing number abd feat!
I would love to be entered in your contest.
My choices are:
1. Ain’t No River
2. Stealing Athena
3. Presumed Guilty
4.The Bookman’s Promise
Thank you so much
October 7th, 2008 at 10:17 amCongrats on your 100,000 visitor!!
1. The Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition
2. Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy
3. Ain’t No River
4. Stealing Athena
Thank you for the giveaway!
October 7th, 2008 at 3:05 pmI blogged about it here:
http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/weekly-giveaway-roundup_08.html
October 8th, 2008 at 9:02 pm[...] 2008 If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Where: Mommy BrainWhat: Choice of 9 booksHow To Enter: Leave a comment on the giveaway/contest postDeadline: October [...]
October 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm1. How to Be Good
2. Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy
3. The Bookman’s Promise
4. The Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition
Thank you!
October 10th, 2008 at 9:06 pmWow, what a wonderful giveaway!
1. Stealing Athena
October 11th, 2008 at 5:53 pm2. Passion on the Vine
3. How To Be Good
4. Elsie Dinmore
The Bookman’s promise
October 13th, 2008 at 11:46 amAin’t no river
Narnia
Stealing Athena
Congrats on 100,000 visitors. That’s incredible!
How to Be Good
October 13th, 2008 at 3:54 pmThe Bookman’s Promise
Presumed Guilty
Ain’t No River
I’d pick:
-Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy
-Ain’t No River
-Stealing Athena
-Presumed Guilty
Thank you!
October 14th, 2008 at 4:29 amHere are my top choices! Thanks for entering me and congrats!
The Radiation Sonnets by Jane Yolen
Ain’t No River by Sharon Ewell Foster
How to Be Good by Nick Hornsby
Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy by Sergio Esposito
October 14th, 2008 at 1:35 pmCongratulations on receiving your 100,000 visitor!
I am interested in winning:
~ The Bookman’s Promise (Dunning)
~ How to Be Good (Hornby)
Thank you for offering and celebrating with us.
I am posting this Giveaway on the sidebar of my blog HERE.
October 16th, 2008 at 3:31 amPassion On the vine! Looks good!!!
October 16th, 2008 at 7:19 amNaria and Stealing Athena for me please~
October 16th, 2008 at 3:04 pmCongrats on 100k, very impressive! Here’s to many more!
October 16th, 2008 at 3:17 pmAs for me I’d say..
1. Passion on the vine
2. Narnia
3. Presumed Guilty
4. How to be Good
Stealing Athena
Chronicles of Narnia
How to be Good
Presumed Guilty
Thanks for the contest!
October 16th, 2008 at 8:43 pmCongratulations!
Presumed Guilty
Stealing Athena
The Bookman’s Promise
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia
mittens0831 AT aol.com
October 17th, 2008 at 7:33 am1. How to Be good
October 17th, 2008 at 5:59 pm2. Stealing Athena
3. The Radiation Sonnets
4. Passion on the Vine
jceko77@yahoo.com
my faves in order are:
1)how to be good
October 18th, 2008 at 5:13 am2)stealing athena
3)presumed guilty
4)the bookman’s promise
Narnia
Ain’t No River
How to be Good
Stealing Athena
Congrats on 100,000+ visitors!!!
seeryusfam@msn.com
October 18th, 2008 at 11:23 amStealing Athena
October 20th, 2008 at 11:37 amAin’t No River
Narnia
Else Dinsmore
I blogged about your giveaway: Here
October 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am[...] Don’t forget to enter my 100,000th visitor giveaway – it’s open until the end of the [...]
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:13 pmAin’t No River by Sharon Ewell Foster
How to Be Good by Nick Hornsby
Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition by C.S. Lewis.
CONGRATS!
hawkes (at) citlink.net
October 31st, 2008 at 5:12 am