I have been blogging now for 4 years and I'm celebrating! (It seems I'm always celebrating something, but that's not important right now.)
I started this blog on October 1st, 2006. I never pictured I'd still be going four years later. Four years, people! I thought by now I would have run out of stuff to write about. But, obviously, I haven't.
This surprises me, too. I sit down most days at my keyboard and wonder what I'm going to write about and the keyboard stares back at me and says nothing. But then, I start looking at my photos. And I remember that behind every photo I take there's a story.
Every day, no matter how ordinary, has a story.
And that, my friends, is the secret to blogging. Just tell your stories.(<–This bit of advice right there is like gold. You're welcome.)
So won't you celebrate with me? Here's to:
- My Happy New Year.
- My Blog Birthday.
- My New Beginning.
- The First Day of the Rest of My Blogging Life.
I'm celebrating that I get to tell my stories everyday. I love that you seem to enjoy them. I love that they are saved for posterity. (Win-win.)
To celebrate I'm giving stuff away. (You love this part, don't you?)
Since there are so many of you who tell me that you start the day with your coffee and MBFCF (this pleases me, by the way) and that you like cooking with me, and it's my 4th Bloggiversary, I'm inspired to give away 4 fabulous items:
1) A My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Mug
2) A Cafe Cubano Mug from CubaToGO!
3) A Marta's Cuban American Kitchen Apron
and of course,
4) A My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbook
To enter the drawing for a chance to win the above mentioned uber-cool MBFCF stuff, please leave a comment on this post and I'll do a random drawing on Monday, October 4th at 11 AM Pacific Time.
A big thank you to all of you who keep reading about and relating to the misadventures of my big, fat, Cuban family.
I look forward to many, many more bloggy years.
Mil gracias. De todo corazón.
[Disclaimer: That's not a real magazine cover. But you knew that, right? =D]
Congrats/Felicidades!!! What an achievement!!! 4 years is amazing!! I too start my day with coffee and your blog. You make me smile! Keep up the fantastic work.
Congrats!!! Love your blog and am sitting here right now having my morning coffee!
I *so* love reading your blog. Keep up the fun good work (Is it really work?)!
Like Ivis, I’m sitting here with my morning coffee! Felicidades, my friend.
I don’t know when i started reading but i sure know i havent stopped since! Not only did i get a whole new adventure, but also some amazing new friends (MArta + Kikita)…and friends of friends(Amanda)…So on your 4th anniversary…I want to Thank You! you’ve made my everyday better by letting me share your world.FELICIDADES AMIGA!
Here’s to 100 more!
I loooove my Marta cookbook! I was just thinking last night that it is cold enough to make ropa vieja.Don’t put me in the drawing: We have enough coffee cups and aprons chez nous. I just wanted to sing your praises and say hi.
Thanks for doing what you do. Just recently started reading your blog and enjoy it tremendously. The little peek of your life let’s me know how similar we all are.Felicidades!
Happy 4th Bloggy-Birthday, Marti! Thanks to God’s divine design, you and the rest of the Darbys are a part of my life, and I am so grateful for it. =)
Happy Blogabirthday! I remember your email to me 4 years ago with the subject line “I’m a blogger. I blog.” *I’m sure that was a nod to Bob Wiley…I love that movie too :o) Congratulations!
Cento di questi giorni!!! It’s the hope that we do in Italy, one hundred of these days on your Blog Birthday with joy and happiness! Love from Italy!
Dear Marta,Felicidades on your 4th anniversary. I am completely hooked on your blog, lol! I feel like I have known you and yours forever. As a fellow cubana, I can totally identify with you and find your stories very touching and real. Keep up the good work. Hopefully I’ll win something again. I so love the apron that I won awhile back. Here’s wishing you another 40 years of blogging bliss!!
Happy Anniversary, mi amiga! Thank you for sharing your beautiful family, and your time and talent, with us!Un beso from the boonies!
Feliz Aniversario!!!!!!!!!!!You know that I love you, don’t you? For the blogging inspiration, for the Cuban cooking inspiration, por los pastelitos de guayaba, for the future dreams, for the peace of mind of knowing that you will always be there… and for everything else.
Yup, I still want you to adopt me 😉
Congratulations! I love your Cuban recipes.
Congratulations Martica! Your family, recipes, political views, stories, etc. have blessed my life! May you have many, many more blogging years:)
In English (because, its my native language) CONGRATULTIONS, MBFCF!!!! I will add some dulce de leche to my coffee in your honor!!!! MUAH!!! LOVE YOU♥
Congratulations! May you (and we) enjoy many more years of the adventures of Marta!
Ooh ooh pick me, pick me!!!! LOL!!!!Happy Anniversary!!!
I’ve been reading your blog for three years, but technically four if you count the day I met your blog, I took the whole day and read all of YEAR ONE!!!! 🙂
Thank you Marta for sharing your life with us. With one blog, I’ve made too wonderful friends!!!!
Besos!!!!
Ody
Congratulations! I love having a ‘window’ to what goes on in your very interesting life! Can you imagine how uber-cool I would look walking into Porto’s each morning for my cortadito with a MBFCF mug for them to fill? “Un refugio y un cortadito por favor!” That’s me… that’s how I roll. Happy blogero cumpleanos Martica!! Keep it up!!!
Just came across your blog…read a few postings and I’m hooked already! Congrats!
congratulations pal – these 4 years sure flew by, eh?
Thank you so much for the laughs, smiles and a few of those special “misty eyes” moments reading your blog. You and your family are wonderful and I am so thankful for the day I happened upon this site.Felicidades!!!
Love you and your blog, Marta! I’ve had you bookmarked for about 3 years now, and you are a daily “must click” for me. Thank you for all the wonderful stories, insights, inspirations, and of course your delicious recipes (especially that magnificent guava glazed turkey recipe, which was a hit at my house last Thanksgiving!)Carinos,
Angie G.
and may I also congratulate your occasional guest blogger, Kikita? Her Cuba entries made me cry, laugh and steal photos;)
Although i’m one of your newer stalkers, i mean FOLLOWERS, i have had such a nice time going through your older posts. I love your photos, and of course, your recipes. I use to cook with my Mama growing up (we lived in Madrid at that time) so being here is like having her with me.May you have many, many more happy years of blogging and making people smile!
Four years already? Wow. I not only try to read your blog everyday (some days I have to double up to see what I missed), but your blog was the inspiration for mine – and my husband thanks you very much for the Ropa Vieja.
Congratulations, Marta. You and your blog are treasures. Thank you for your friendship, and may you shine always. God bless you!
Congratulations on 4 great years, just a sidenote: I mastered Arroz con Pollo thanks to your
recipe. Thanks for the recipes and the storys
Carinos tu tocaya, Marta
Dear Marta Maria V de D,Happy Bloggiversary! I love you and I love your family and I love you blog! I was so sad we couldn’t meet up during our whirlwind week in SoCal. 🙁
I have to tell you that last night I was flipping through a travel magazine from a travel agency called Trailfinders here in the UK and what did I see but a photo of Varadero Beach! I could scarcely believe my eyes. You can find it in the brochures on their website (www.trailfinders.com). Love you!
I had commented over the weekend, guess it didn’t post…Anway, the summary is CONGRATS, you are my inspiration, and Alan thanks you for the Ropa Vieja.
Hola, Maria,I just discovered you and I am doing the Cuban happy dance.
Congrats on Year Four!
Carmen Agra Deedy
P.S. I just bought 4 (!) of your cook books, sight unseen.Fool or uncannily prescient? I’m betting the later, and that it’s an awesome book (okay some of the wonderful comments about the book helped–I’m giving one to each of my girls).
Hi Carmen,Welcome to the family! Thanks for supporting the cause of Cuban food in the world. LOL!
Besos,
Marta