Google has decided that at the end of February, Google Friend Connect will be available only on Google blogs. Which means unless your blog is on blogspot.com, you can’t have a Google Friend Connect Widget anymore.  I think that sucks, but hey, it’s Google’s choice. What was great about GFC was that it was both a way to read new posts and a way to display your number of blog followers.

I’ve decided to follow in the footsteps of one of the bloggers I was following on GFC, Adventures of a Wee Mason Man, and claim my blogs on Bloglovin’ instead.  Bloglovin’ is a feed reader system that lets you follow blogs on your computer as well as on your mobile device using their apps.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin and you’ll see a thumbnail image and excerpt from all my new posts, just click through to come here to leave comments or enter giveaways.

You know what else I like about Bloglovin’? It’s a chance to start over with my feed reader. You should see my Google Reader, it’s a freaking mess. I have over 1,000 subscriptions and it’s so cluttered, I end up just marking everything read. With Bloglovin’ I can start over with the feeds to blogs and sites I’m actually reading now and hopefully be able to actually keep up with them!

I really hope those of you who have been following MomReviews on Google Friend Connect will consider following on Bloglovin’ instead.  I’ve got lots of great reviews and giveaways coming up that I wouldn’t want you to miss!

Longtime MomReviews readers know I get bored easily with my blog theme, and today was no exception. I decided I needed a fresh, clean look to go with the New Year.  This is the free theme Econature, which I found on Ericulous.com.

I also made a new badge to match the site, if you have a link love section on your blog or website, I’d love to have you grab it! Put your cursor inside the code box and click, then type CTRL-C to copy all the code, and then CTRL-A to paste the code where you want it on your site.

If you do post my blog badge, please let me know in a comment. If you have a badge as well, I’ll put yours on my link love page!
I’m also going to be putting together a Blogroll of my favorite review blogs and when I do, I’ll let you guys know so you can send me URLs of blogs I should be linking to.

2012 is going to be the year I concentrate more on interacting with the product review blog community, including more commenting, linking, and figuring out how to reward regular readers, including everybody whose been reading my blog from their mobile devices – thanks!

I mean come on, I LOVE blogging! I’m nuts about blogging and bloggers, about great blog designs and really well-written posts. After four years as a product review blogger, I want 2012 to be the year I figure out how to give back. I love my readers!

I’m nominated in the Top 25 Product Review Parents contest on Circle of Moms!  It’s such an honor for me to be recognized. I need the help of all of my fantastic readers to stay in the top, though! You don’t need to have an account with Circle of Moms to vote, and voting is super easy! Just click the badge below, and you’ll get taken to my page on Circle of Moms. You’ll see the word “votes”, a number, and a thumbs up logo – just click the thumbs up and you’ve voted for me! There’s also a badge in the sidebar, and it’s a bonus entry in my giveaways as well.

Thanks so much in advance for voting for me!