Virtual Friends Become Reality

If you've ever read Sonja's blog, The Wonder Years, you might wonder if her life is really as idyllic and magical as her poetic words and stunning photos convey.

It is.
Sonja and I discovered that we were kindred spirits through blogging over two years ago. We share a love of motherhood, of learning and teaching our children, of the Savior, of reading, and a desire to be better for our families. On this trip through Utah, I finally got to meet Sonja and her family. It was surreal to be entering their home and feel like I was seeing old friends. I knew the kids well, but they didn't know me at all!

Sonja and I fell into comfortable chatting immediately and the kids became fast friends in a home that clearly welcomed them to be children.

You may remember that I have been ogling The Sweet Tooth Fairy bakery from afar for ages, and when I found that there was a new one on the way to Sonja's, I decided it was the perfect excuse to try their cupcakes.
The most wonderful thing about the afternoon was the fact that it felt just the way she conveys it. Nothing fancy or posh. Lots of love, learning, and laughter. It just felt like a happy place to live and be. And I really, really, really want to be her next door neighbor.

The time went by too quickly and soon it was time to say good-bye. Anna and Bronwen exchanged love gifts as if they were life-long BFFs.

I found myself tearing up a little as we drove away, like I used to when I left my sister's or mom's house knowing I wouldn't see them again for a long time. I knew it was silly, and yet you cannot convince me that our friendship, although more virtual than face-t0-face, is anything but real.

Thank you, Sonja, for your example to me of a wonderful mother. I want my home to feel like yours does and pray that my children will be as happy and comfortable in their own skin as yours clearly are.

I'm grateful that if we can't be next-door neighbors, I can still be touched by your life in the virtual world.

Stephanie Nielsen: My New Life

Have you see this yet? I love reading Stephanie's story because she has such an amazing, grateful, inspiring perspective on motherhood. Here she tells her story, speaks of her blessings, her trials, and of her testimony of Jesus Christ. Prepare to be inspired and feel grateful for the life you've been given.

Three Favorite Cupcakes

You know me and food! Here are a few things I'm nibbling on lately:

1. My newest nephew, Colin Joseph F.
This sweet little cupcake was born early in the AM of June 16th. He is just perfect and beautiful and tiny and so fresh from heaven.Don't you just want to eat him up? His mom, dad, and big brother are so happy to have him here and his aunt is also quite pleased. The only thing that matches the birth of your own babies is the birth of your SISTER'S babies. My only regret is that I can't be there at the house with them 24/7, but both grandmas are staying there and my kids and I would probably not be the best addition to that tiny house. Sigh.

2. Icing on the Cupcake
This little cupcake bakery nearby-ish is irresistible. I'm just grateful that they aren't around the corner or the temptation would be greater. Here's their menu--each day they have some featured flavors as well as their daily goodness. I've already fallen head over heels for their Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Macaroon. I think when I head back in this week, I'll ask them if they will offer a discount, promotion, or giveaway for my local readers. Anyone interested? Yummy yum yummy!

3. Conversations with a Cupcake
I discovered this blog via Nienie's. She created a special chocolate cake in honor of Nienie (which will be my birthday cake next week, I promise you.) Her blog is both beautiful and choc full of delicious-looking recipes. I'll admit that I haven't made any of them yet, but just reading this blog makes me happy. So go check it out!

What makes you happy today?

Of Love and Romance

Just a quick post to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day.

This month I have been loving the blog 31 Dates in 31 Days. I have been meaning to post about it so that you could follow Tamara's adventures with me, but haven't ever gotten around to it. And then yesterday Good Morning America beat me to the punch and featured her in the 8 o'clock hour.

Here's the deal with her blog: she just turned 31 and is single in NYC. She decided to take on a challenge to go out with 30 different guys, 30 days in a row, and then to take out one of them on a second date on Valentine's Day (the 31st date.) The dates are completely wholesome--in fact, one of the rules is that there is no alcohol consumed. You might just be able to guess her religious affiliation, even though she isn't broadcasting it. What's really fun is that she blogs about each date and you can see that she is looking for the good in each man--giving each one the chance to be her One and Only. She never tears down the guy or complains about it being the worst date she's ever been on--and I think, because of her attitude, she is going to have a hard time choosing one for a second date. She is finding that there are lots of great guys out there, lots of men whom she could click with. I have a favorite, myself. Read about her dates and leave me a comment if you think you can guess whom I like best.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a yummy treat-for-two. If the state of the economy has made you turn to more date-night-at-home weekends (as it has us), try out this delicious dessert that is worthy of any restaurant. In fact, it's copied from a popular restaurant dessert. My SIL, Myrissa, gave us some personal-sized cast iron skillets for Christmas so that we could make our own Pizookies at home.

I made ours with a fabulous oatmeal chocolate chip recipe that I found here. The only change I made to the recipe is that I reversed the chocolates, using chopped bittersweet and milk chocolate chips. The cookies were heavenly, but were even better baked in our cast-iron skillet and served hot with vanilla ice cream. Jared & I split one and it was almost too much. Almost.

Friday Favorites

My dear friend Heidi, has been posting these on her family blog the past few weeks and I decided to steal the idea. I'm always interested in a post idea that is quick!

Please keep in mind that I have a terrible time picking a single favorite of anything. I am both too fickle and too indecisive to stick to one favorite ice cream flavor, song, book, or color. This means that I should be able to post lots of these Friday favorites over the weeks or months to come, because my favorites are vast and somewhat changing.

Anyhow, without further ado, here are a few of my favorites today:

Ice Cream? I don't want it this week unless it is vanilla bean, paired with my current favorite fruit in a pie, cider, turnover, crisp:


Favorite thing to curl up with this weekend (since my other favorite thing to curl up with will be in Tahoe):


As my eyebrows are ridiculously blond, this is my favorite item in my make-up bag (LM brow definer):


Favorite photo I've recently snapped (Isaac on his first birthday, eating a cupcake his aunt Michal made for him):

Favorite blog post I read this week: Suldog's Where I'm From. Read it and be touched and inspired to compose your own. Well done, Suldog!

Favorite thing I made this week: Whole Wheat Banana Bread. I really really adore this recipe and hadn't made it for a while. It is so very yummy. Here's the 4 loaf version (since I have a new/old mixer now). You can cut it in half for two loaves, but I recommend making the larger batch and freezing or giving away what you don't scarf down immediately.

• 5 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 cups smashed ripe bananas (about 6-8)
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans, optional (I left them out because I wanted my kids to eat it this time. When I don't want to share with them, I always opt for the pecans.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 Celsius). Spray 4 loaf pans liberally.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Stir and toss together, then set aside.

In your stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer), combine the butter and sugar and beat well. Beat in the banana, then the eggs. The mixture will look curdled. Stir in the nuts, if using. Add the dry ingredients and mix lightly in mixer or stir in just till blended.

Spread evenly into loaf pans. Bake for about 55 minutes, until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Try not to eat the entire loaf in one sitting.

What are your favorites this week?

Wordfull Wednesday: This is Me

Cocoa over at Chocolate on My Cranium sponsors a twice monthly bloggy writing series called "Wordfull Wednesdays". Cruise on over and check it out!

The Wordfull Wednesday topic this week is "This is Me." As I mused over the many different directions I could go with such a theme, I finally decided to share with you a few foods that are much like me. If you know me well, you know that food and I are close pals; we go way back. And I just can't seem to break up with food no matter how many times I think it might be good for me. So here goes:

Who am I? I am a piping hot dish of homemade mac n cheese. (Never, never the kind made with powdered cheese--how dare you!) I am the one you can come to when you need comfort. I have always been the shoulder to cry on, the friend who hears your ranting and venting, the one you tell all of your secrets. I love to help people feel better about themselves, about their lives, and to assure them that everything will be okay. I'm not usually the one who will kick you when you're down by listing all the things you did to get yourself into this predicament--I'm there to catch you and to pick you up and dust you off.

Who am I? I am the big pot of soup on the stove, always ready to stretch to feed a few more. If you stop by my house hungry, you can be sure that you won't leave that way. My husband (and a couple of my kids who overload easily) would surely function just fine if there were fewer people around, but I love having friends and family in our home, eating and laughing and talking.

Who am I? I am the chocolate fountain just begging for a party to begin. Beckoning to everyone, tempting you from across the room to come on over. My family knows that I will always try to convince them to come to our house for any holiday or visit; I lure them with food, with grandkids or nephews, with promises of great weather or an afternoon at the pool, with anything that might tempt them to come. And if I had my way, I'd throw a party every month or so. I love parties, (although I haven't learned yet how to have a party without anxiety, which is one big reason why I don' t have them more often!)

Who am I? I am a bowl of Rice Krispys. Snap, Crackle, Pop! I rarely stop talking, unless it's to hear what you have to say (and I have a terrible habit of interrupting.) Always going a mile a minute, you are unlikely to have quiet when I'm in the room.

Who am I? I am a cold glass of limeade. Not content with being plain old lemonade, always the overachiever. Or at least the wannabe overachiever. And I try not to let on how much work it was to pick those limes and squeeze them all, then make the syrup . . . somehow appearing effortless is part of being an overachiever. And yet, limeade is unpretentious and old-fashioned, which I hope I am. For all of my perfectionism, I don't expect you to be perfect and I know deep down that I won't be, either.

And lest this makes you believe that I'm closer to perfect than the average girl . . .

Who am I? Most of the time, I am soft, pillowy, white marshmallow. I wish it wasn't true, but it is! I may be a regular at the gym, but I am generally soft and squishy. Especially my belly. Sigh.

Who am I? Sometimes I am a brittle egg, ready to crack at any moment and make a mess of things in the process! Those days, I feel sorry for my poor children and their fragile, tense mother.

Who am I? Occasionally I am the frenetic popcorn, popping away, running in every direction without taking the time to think, to breathe, to plan. Those days, I feel sorry for my cooler headed husband, who never seems to do anything without planning to do it first and who is rarely stressed out. (I feel sorry for him because he has to deal with me, not because he doesn't stress!)

Who am I? Some days I am the limp, over-cooked piece of lasagne, feeling worn out and unwilling to perk up much. I just want to be left alone and any little demand on me feels like enough to finish me off. Luckily, those days don't come around very often.

Who am I? I am a daughter of God. I know this first and foremost, and I know that on those days when I am struggling with the egg, the popcorn, the lasagne, or even the limeade, I can turn to Him and He will give me peace. Knowing that I am His daughter, knowing that He knows me personally and cares about my little life is what makes me who I am. It allows me to look outside of myself, to stretch myself (and allow myself to be stretched), to find peace in the midst of turmoil. I can put my trust in Him and He will lead me by the hand. He will love me with my faults. He will make of me a precious diamond if I will allow Him to. And I know that the same is true for you. He loves you. He knows you by name. And he wants to help you become the Ultimate You. Your Best You.

Writing Contest: The Results Show

Thank you to all of you who participated in my first writing contest. Each of you taught us (or reminded us about) something special about motherhood. There were so many wonderful essays submitted that I was glad that it was my marvelous mother-in-law's responsibility to choose the best, rather than mine! She spent a great deal of time poring over them and in the end chose a first, second, and third place winner. And they are simply wonderful.

Congratulations to Lei from My Many Colored Days, whose essay, "A-ha!" took first place. Her essay, if you haven't read it yet, was all about becoming the perfect mother through Christ, but letting go of the notion of being "the perfect mother." Myrna's (MIL/judge) comment on it was:

"This is a lesson that will stand you in good stead the rest of your life. We are all dependent on His grace and as women striving for perfection, we often get lost in the independence we think we have."

Lei has a beautiful and inspiring blog and I recommend that you meander over there and take a look. She has lots to say on the issues that affect mothers today.


Second place goes to Lizzy at My Ice Cream Diary for "Ah-ha!", which she amazingly wrote this when her newest baby, Cheeks, was less than one week old. Her epiphany had to do with appreciating her mother after all the years of criticizing her ways. It was funny, warm, and oh, so familiar. Here are Myrna's comments:

"I'm sorry. I have a little bias here as I am on now on the wise and wonderful side (even when I'm neither wise nor wonderful). But this is a time honored epiphany of motherhood. It's a safe bet that this time one generation ago your mother was calling your grandma and saying, 'She hates me!'"

Third place goes to Lucy at An Ordinary Mom, with "The Duck Pond." She writes about learning to live in the moment and not always rushing on to the next thing. The judge said:

"This speaks to me even as a woman who is no longer focused on the busy-ness of motherhood anymore. I like the duck pond and I suspect there is another lesson in the distractions that made the rest of the walk peaceful. Hmmmm."

If you haven't already, go on over to their blogs and read them for yourself. You'll feel inspired, you'll enjoy a good laugh, and you may just decide to set a new goal for your mothering self.

To all who participated, please please send me an email with your postal address so that I can mail out these cookbooks. (Truth be told, I have yet to burn them for you--but I've only gotten two emails with addresses so far.) I will get them out to you very soon.

I am still out of town and busy with my family, but I have been receiving the most marvelous entries for the writing contest that I am sponsoring that I wanted to share with you. I encourage you to take the time to read these submissions. Each one tells of an epiphany on motherhood. Each is uplifting and genuine and teaches an important principle. And because they rescued my contest from being a dismal failure, I adore each and every one of them!:)

As I extended the date for submissions, you have until this Wednesday (July 15th) at 11:59 pm PDT to join the fun. Every contributor will receive a copy of my CD cookbook, which holds some original recipes, some old favorites that I've found other places, and basically the recipes that I consider to be my standbys-- those that I turn to time and again, year after year. So if you haven't yet, jump on board and tell us about an Ah-ha Moment that you've had on motherhood.

Here are the submissions so far, in no particular order:

My Ice Cream Diary, with "Ah-Ha!"

Terrors in Tiaras with "Different is Great"

Finding the Happy in Today with "One of the many Ah-ha Moments"

Wonder Years with "Little Drops of Water"

An Ordinary Mom with "The Duck Pond: A Lesson About Living in the Moment"

Life is Not a Final with "Ah-ha!"

Note to Self with "Out of Small Things"

Howe Thoughts with "I Really Don't Know How To Tie This One"

My Many Colored Days with "A-ha"

A Mother Heart with "There Are Angels Among Us"

The Spices of Life with "A Wonder Woman's Bad Day Turned Right"

Happy Reading! And don't give up on me. I'll be back from vacation soon with lots of posts. I promise.

Awards Show

I recently was given my first blog award by my dear friend and most excellent food blogger, Prudence Pennywise. Who, me? I'm not worthy-- especially with the sluggish pace I've had lately when it comes to posting. I will pass along the award, however, as it gives me a chance to praise other bloggers who are more deserving. (And if you haven't checked out Prudy's blog, you should. I have tried three or four of her recipes in the past week and have found each of them to be phenomenal. Then again, I have been using many of her recipes for years, because everything she touches is bound to be delicious.)

One of my favorite bloggers is a fellow classical homeschooler. I love reading her blog and feel like we have been friends for years even though we've never met. Sonja at the Wonder Years has lots of wonderful ideas, a gift at bringing images to life through words (and with her new SLR camera,) and has such an uplifting attitude toward motherhood. I always feel better for having read her blog.

Another blog whose posts I look forward to is Mindyluwho. Her posts have not been very frequent lately, but they are always meaty and inspiring. She has an entire series of posts on the writings of Isaiah with the insights she gained as she studied Isaiah chapter by chapter in 2007. I definitely think you should take a gander at her blog if you want to be spiritually fed.

My last "E for excellent award" goes to Daring Young Mom, who never fails to crack me up. Her blog has far more readers than this humble little blog of mine, and she may not want to even post this award--chances are she has received it before. But I wanted my readers to wander over and fall in love with her wit. She is easy to relate to and finds the humor in everyday mothering situations.

So go forth and read. You won't be disappointed.

Introducing . . .

Ladies and Gentlemen (are there at least two of you boys out there?), I am pleased to introduce Prudence Pennywise, the alter ego and blog of one of my dearest friends, former roommates, and cooking mentors. She just launched this amazing blog featuring delicious food for a great price. I will vouch for each and every recipe, even if I haven't tried them yet. But I will be getting busy to make some of the Nantucket Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies as soon as I locate the ingredients (I'm at my mom's, whose pantry is not as prepared for spur-of-the-moment cookie baking.)
You simply must check out Prudy, leave her a comment telling her I sent you (so she knows who loves her best,) and try a recipe today.

Outta Town

We're at my mom's for the weekend, helping with some projects, visiting with her, and attending a continuing education course (okay, the last one is just Jared.) Anyhow, I won't spend time posting, but in the meantime, here are a few blogs and such that I've discovered recently for you to explore:

This blog by a homeschooling mom is one that I am so excited about. I can tell that she has a similar philosophy to homeschooling to mine and seems to be implementing the way I would like to be (notice that I'm not there yet.) Besides having some great pictures and thoughts, she posts once a week with a report on everything they've been doing for homeschool. Even if you are a parent whose kids are in public school, you still might enjoy some of the things she is doing with her kids as enrichment activities. Here's Sonja at The Wonder Years.

Also, my friend Christine just started a blog on cupcakes. If you are a fan of the single serving bliss-on-a-plate desserts, or if you are looking for an idea for an upcoming kid's party, look no further. Check out The Coolest Cupcakes. And tell her who sent you:)!

Since you already know what a cake lover I am, wander on over to the Charm City Cakes site and browse their amazing creations. Cakes start at $500 each, so you may just be window shopping, but it's still fun. You may already have seen many of their masterpieces on one of my favorite Food Network shows, Ace of Cakes.

Last but not least, last week I read A Thousand Splendid Suns (see the link for my full review on goodreads.com). A tremendously moving book that spoke to my heart about the plight of the women in Afghanistan. I have not stopped thinking about how I can help them. This non-profit aims to do just that. Check it out and think about ways that you can help women who were born into heart wrenching situations. The organization is the Women of Hope Project. And if you haven't read the book, I recommend it. It is not light reading, but I found it to be uplifting in spite of the heart breaking stories found therein.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Treats in the Mail

This has been a great week for me, postally speaking. Generally our mailbox only offers up bills, endless flyers or mailers touting pizza and greasy fast food coupons, and the occasional wedding announcement. The only time I get a package is when I shop online, which I have not been doing this year thus far. So when an unexpected package arrived on Saturday with my name on it, I was thrilled!
The return address was my dear friend and world-traveler, Neves. I was intrigued, since it surely meant treats from abroad. Indeed, the card inside said that she and hubby had made a last minute trip to Morocco recently, and I was the beneficiary of their generosity. Here's what she sent:(Darn, I wish my camera could handle these up close shots better. Maybe I just need a tutorial.)
It's a mini tagine. The large sized tagines are used for cooking delicious stews. This one will keep kosher salt on my dinner table. So fun!
My package from Neves also contained these:Again, the photo is disappointing, but these little packets with Arabic letters are full of saffron, one of the most expensive spices out there. And I love it. Break out the recipes with saffron! I'll post one soon. I immediately made an Indian chicken dish in honor of our newly acquired saffron. (You can sometimes find saffron at Trader Joe's at a great price. But not always.)
A mini tagine and some gourmet spices from Morocco are enough to make any girl feel loved!

Then, today, Jared brought in a package with the mail. I couldn't imagine what it was until I remembered that I had won a major award! Well, alright, it was actually a random drawing among readers of dkMommySpot, but I won it. And it is a book that looks delightful. Thanks, Diane!
I'll post a review of it as soon as I can . It looks like a wonderful book on parenting and I may find some great quotes to share with you.

All in all, the mailman has been good to me. Feel free to send me stuff in order to make it a trend!:)

Bewitched

Remember how Samantha on Bewitched could freeze time for everyone except herself? Hiro Nakamura and Peter Petrelli on Heroes have that same ability, and I want it. I'm officially putting it on my Christmas list. Think of all the things I could accomplish if I could stop time. My laundry would all be caught up. My Christmas cards would have been done a long time ago, and the large pile of presents in my bedroom which are cleverly covered with a queen size blanket, would have been wrapped and stashed a week ago. I would be posting every day with new things to enlighten, uplift, and entertain you.

Amidst the craziness of Christmas time, the disasters in western Washington put it all into perspective. How blessed I am to have clothes that need to be washed, dried, folded and put away, instead of just hauled to the dumpster because they have been destroyed by muddy flood waters. How blessed am I to have a bedroom floor, even if it has presents that need wrapping--still. How blessed am I to have a computer, from which I can occasionally post to my blog. So many people have lost everything.
Daring Young Mom has been working to mobilize people to help. Although I have never met her, I have long enjoyed her blog. I recently discovered as well that she is a former roommate of my sister-in-law, Erika. So I believe her to be completely trustworthy. Anyway, if you are interested in seeing more about what can be done to help, check out this link. She encourages us to donate through her blog or through the Red Cross. It is really humbling to see what the people in the path of destruction are dealing with. And if you want to do something for people closer to home, look around you. I guarantee that you will find people in need, people for whom you can make a difference this Christmas.
I just hope Santa brings me what I want--super powers. Is that too much to ask?

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones . . .

I was touched by Coconutannie's post today, which I discovered on David's post of the day. How often, as a mother, I consider the power of my words, for good or ill, on my children. That is not to say that I never say things to my children that I regret, sometimes instantly. I think that most of us struggle to curb our tongues, particularly in times of passion.
In April of this year, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave an amazing talk on the subject, which I have read and reread many times since. It helps me to remember the power of words and the responsibility that I have as a mother to use my words wisely and lovingly as I rear and nurture my children. This paragraph in particular emphasizes the influence of our words on our children:

• "We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don't say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child's view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child's faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that 'Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright,' but all Susan will remember is that she isn't bright and Sandra that she isn't pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture's obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are 'enough.'"

It is my daily prayer that the Lord will help me hold my tongue and think before I speak; that I will not lash out in anger at my children, nor snap at my husband; that I will be careful of the words that I speak about others.
Thank you, CoconutAnnie, for reminding us of this important principle. It pertains to all, but is even more critical for those of us with the blessed calling and responsibility of parenthood.

Friend, Mentor, Guru . . . Erin!

One of my dearest friends ever, Erin, (who has been mentioned in several past posts,) has been making a name for herself over the past few years by winning many, many recipe contests. She has been to the Pillsbury Cook-Off more than once and every time I talk to her she has just returned from another competition in a far off city.
Erin is doing a holiday entertaining blog for Rachael Ray this holiday season, and whether you love Ms. Ray or you love to hate her, you simply must frequent Erin's posts. She went live today and the first post is about her family's annual Halloween tradition, which is what inspired ours
(although we are crazy enough to invite nearly everyone we know, in addition to the random trick-or-treaters that come by). Wander over and see what she has to say.

Check this out!

My last post about struggling to lose weight and beat the cravings must have hit a chord. In less than 24 hours many of you have either commented or sent me an email, sharing how hard it is for you, too.
Big thanks to Deborah Gamble, whose blog I adore, for recommending this blog to me. I love it and have added her to my blogroll. I have poured over several of her recent posts and can't wait to go back and read more.
By the way, I resisted the poison and feel stronger today (although chocolate in any form is still calling my name, today I feel like I can beat it because I did yesterday.) Thanks for feeling my pain with me!

Michal's Post Picks

I have been internet impaired this week as our home computer died. Jared has been generously leaving his laptop at home for half a day each day, either leaving it until lunchtime or bringing it home to me at lunchtime (I love that he works one mile away. It is so much better than his previous 50 minute each way commute.) Anyway, I haven't had time to blog and the computer all at the same time.
I'm only slowly getting caught up on reading some of my favorite blogs, but I thought I'd give a few highlights to check out.
First, you have to see the video on Mahina's post about her younger brother. He's dancing on stage at a Bare Naked Ladies' concert in a green dress. What is most amazing is how long they let him stay on stage and sing along with him!
Next, check out the love story continued on the Pioneer Woman's blog. If you haven't been keeping up with it, you'll be tempted to go back and read the other installments. Trust me, folks, there is surely a bidding war going on over the movie rights to her story.
Then, there is a feast for the eyes on Vanessa's blog. She's Morgan's sister (of One More Moore) and she just got married. She posted some gorgeous bridal shots. The photography is breathtaking and the dress (made by her oh-so-talented mother) is fierce! And if you read down a few posts, you can also catch her story of meeting her husband. (Seems to be a recurring theme. Kimberly is also doing a soap opera version of her own love affair. Who needs chick flicks when you can read great blogs?)
Dawn over at Because I Said So shares her thoughts on love, forgiveness, and curse words. She's always good for a laugh.
Anyway, that should keep you busy until I have time to post something of substance.