I consider myself a lucky person, I am surrounded by a great family, good friends, a wonderful man and two beautiful daughters but lucky enough to win an award for Inspiring Women, who knows?

As regular blog readers will know, our website has been recognised by Theo Paphitis, we work with Sainsburys, received a MumpreneurUK website award, we were a Gurgle Blog finalist last year, have been nominated for a MAD Blog award but that winning ticket for the blog has always remained elusive. I have never tried to be controversial, more conversational and there are many fantastic bloggers that open their hearts day after day about emotive subjects but the Lilypad blog has always been for parents by parents. Somewhere to hop onto, in this little corner of the internet, its a safe haven for parents to find information, anecdotes, recommendations and sometimes just plain rambling!

Awards are viewed differently by lots of people, some love them, whilst others detest them. I sit somewhere in the middle, being recognised for the work you do is without doubt gratifying but not at the risk of your dignity. This blog post isnt about touting for votes because then becomes a popularity contest which makes me then like the "competitive mum" in the playground, I am not the "slummy mummy" or indeed the "yummy mummy" and I am quite sure that I am not considered a "mummy blogger" but whether I am inspirational or not, I am just an ordinary mum finding my path and sharing it along the way.

So if this blog inspires one person to do something, anything, from engaging with their children, listening to their anecdotes, to trying something I have reviewed and recommended, then that is a accolade I can be proud of.

Thats it, no final link for voting, what will be will be! Fingers crossed.