2014 Year in Review {Blog Style}

As you all know, 2014 saw some big changes in my blog. First, I joined the Schoolhouse Review Crew. This commitment has been really good for me in several ways. It helps to make sure I blog regularly. That’s not too hard, since I love sharing my thoughts and ideas on these pages, but knowing that it’s expected of me is a pretty good motivator on those “I just don’t want to” weeks. I’ve learned a lot about social media and blogging by being a part of that group of wonderful ladies. And let’s not forget the curriculum! I have the wonderful opportunity to try out different things and share them here with all of you.

Besides the Crew, you’ll remember that I also changed my blog name and platform earlier this month. That was probably the biggest change to “my space,” and it’s one I haven’t regretted for one second. I love the new name and URL!

As a year end wrapup, I thought it would be neat to share some of my 2014 stats with you guys. Because of the change so late in the year, these milestones will be for my old blog, Simplicity Breeds Happiness, but it’s all my thoughts and writings, and since all of those posts are now on this blog anyway, I think it all still applies. Posting these numbers here will also provide a record of things; it will be interesting to see how much/if I grow this blog in 2015!

• My blog had about 3,800 pageviews in 2014.
• I uploaded 207 pictures – about 4 per week.
• On May 7th, I had 131 pageviews. This was my busiest day, and the day I posted Simplicity: Wardrobe. I happen to know that someone shared this post on Facebook (it wasn’t me because I don’t use Facebook). I don’t know who, but I know that that share is the reason I hit so many views that day. So to whoever you are, thank you!
• I added 142 posts (including this one) to the blog in 2014. This is more than half of the total posts on the blog.
• The most consecutive days I’ve posted is 5, and I’ve done that twice (once in April and once in July).
• My most common posting day is Friday. There were 33 Friday posts in 2014.
• Of my top 5 posts in 2014, two of them were written in 2013. That’s some good staying power! (I will add links to the top 5 posts at the bottom of this list.)
• I have had site visitors from 68 countries, but mostly from the US. Canada and Brazil are my next biggest.
• My post with the most comments of 2014 was the recipe I posted for Jamaican Jerk Chicken. If you still haven’t tried that recipe, you really should. It’s to die for.
• Of my top 5 commenters this year, 3 of them are the same person. (Hi, Sanz!) The others are Kemi and Lisa.
• Special thanks belongs to Heather of Only Passionate Curiosity for being my best referrer this year. Because she linked to my review of Spelling You See, I regularly get views on that post, even now, almost a year later.
• Other top referrers are wendymrobertson.com (a domain I bought years ago and don’t really use except as a forward to my blog); Facebook (remember that wardrobe post?); Bloglovin’ (thanks to all my followers there. But would you please consider following Ladybug Daydreams, too?); and the Schoolhouse Review Crew forum (a private site for Review Crew members).

And now, the information from a year end post that everyone’s interested in: the top 5 posts. Feel free to click on these links and reread the posts. And if you haven’t commented on them before, take a minute to do so now!

5. The Tooth Fairy (and other mythical creatures) – written August 2013

4. Simplicity: Wardrobe – written May 2014

3. Summer Wardrobe – written May 2013

2. Homeschool Curriculum Review: Logic of English Rhythm of Handwriting – written May 2014

1. Homeschool Curriculum Review: Spelling You See – written March 2014

Thanks for sharing all these milestones with me!

God bless you all, and here’s to a great 2015!!