As I mentioned in a recent post (recent in terms of my characteristically unprolific output, rather than time-wise ), I’m a finalist in the BIB awards, organised by Brit Mums, a wonderful website which brings British (and Britain-dwelling) blogging mums together to give them a voice, offer inspiration, and provide support and a sense of community.
I am incredibly happy to have made it into the final of the travel section, along with seven other brilliant mummy travel bloggers (I’m not bigging myself up here – BIB stands for brilliance in blogging). The awards are being given out this very Friday – cleverly timed to avoid any England Euro 2012 matches.
However since I live here in Spain, and the Brit Mums Live event, which includes the award ceremony, is in London, I can’t go. We’ve just been over for the Jubilee, and will be back again in a month for our long summer visit, so it wasn’t feasible to hop on yet another super-luxe, all-the-hand-luggage-you-can-carry budget flight to London, much as I’d have loved to.
So this is my I-hope-I-win-but-won’t-be-surprised-if-I-don’t blog post. I wasn’t even going to do one, but a Spanish friend and blog-reader insisted that I acknowledge/reiterate that the awards are in a few days, I can’t attend, etc etc. They’re all for blowing your own trumpet out here. I think it’s an English trait, avoiding that. An English travel blogger friend recently “confessed” to being listed as Essential Reading in a respected travel magazine. I bet she didn’t feel guilty.
Getting nominated, and then shortlisted, and then becoming a finalist, for a blogging award was a very pleasant experience. I have to admit, my heart was racing as I clicked on the link to the finalists and scrolled down the lists of blog names – and yelped when I saw mine.
Sneak preview of son’s “graduation” T shirt, to be worn at tomorrow’s ceremony.
I’ll be following Twitter very closely this Friday, though I will have to be discreet, since the other reason I can’t go is because it’s my son’s end of school year (and educational era) show and party – he’s moving up from Infantil (3-5 years) to Primaria (6-12 years). Tomorrow is his year’s graduation ceremony, complete with outfits and two special songs. It’s a big week when you’re a five-year-old in Spain.
Not to mention the fact that his class is performing the Beatles’ Twist and Shout on Friday. Much more fun for me when I know all the words – at last, an advantage to being the only freak English mum. My anglo-andaluz boy hates dressing up, although it’s an easy outfit, so as a bribe, he’s been allowed to play the keyboard (yes, I know there wasn’t one. Artistic licence). And I have to be there to remind him not to sing in Eeeengleesh: “Tweeest and shout! (Tweeest and shout!)”. The three-year-old has it taped too now. And, of course, to immortalise the event for posterity and grandparents – between myself and my husband, we’ll shooting video and still images. I couldn’t rely on him to do it, could I?
Good luck to all the BIBS finalists for this Friday – I’ll be with you in spirit, if not in body. At least I get to wear a nice frock for the show; you’re not allowed to dress down at your child’s end-of-term performance in Spain. All the mums look super-guapa, so you have to make the effort. Time to start browsing in the wardrobe…
Good luck! Will be watching out for the results on Friday… Very selfish of them not to make the event coincide with the Jubilee so you could have gone.
Thanks, Annie! The hot favourite (in my opinion) is, bizarrely enough, an ex-schoolmate from 25 years ago – we were two of 100 pupils! What are the chances, eh?
That’s amazing!
CONGRATS to you for being nominated! I agree, this post was absolutely REQUIRED! We Moms/Mums have a lot on our plate, and when you’re nominated for ANY kind of reward and/or get recognized for doing something other than making the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich or showing up for a meeting at your kids’ school and what have you, it’s definitely a moment to be celebrated!
I’ve only read a couple of your posts, but I’ve always enjoyed them and thought they were well-written. I HOPE YOU WIN!
All the best,
TenaciousBitch/KS
Thank you, TenaciousBitch, for your kind words. Let’s hope I can either be a gracious winner, or an unsore loser.
Welcome! Good Luck!
TenaciousBitch/KS
¡Hola super-guapa! Good luck for Friday. I will be rooting for you, natch! xxx
Thanks, Bibsey. You was robbed.
Such a shame you can’t be there for the awards but the graduation sounds like it will be great fun. Picking your outfit for that will probably be even more stressful than it would have been for the awards ceremony though. (I could just be projecting my own insecurities here!) Will have fingers crossed for you.
Apparently everyone cries at the graduation, AD, which is this morning. The show is on Friday, and no doubt I’ll cry there too, behind my camera!
Aww your boy is the same age as mine. I (bad mum), have taken him out of school for his last few days of infants. Thankfully, all the mamas decided to do the whole present giving thing today while we were still around.
Good luck in the BIBs, I sadly didn;t make it to the knock out stage but will be cheering on my fellow Brit in Spain. xx
Thanks wordtied – so is your boy missing his show and graduation? Or are they less fancy-bragas in your part of Spain?
Congratulations on the nomination and good luck!
Thanks MD. I’ve had to make food for the post-graduation picnic today. If I’m judged on that by other Spanish mums, I’m in big trouble!!
Well done fiona for being nominated. If they have any sense at all they will choose you.Enjoy your son’s day!
Being shortlisted is an honor. So happy for you!