Pass It On

Two very kind childhood friends gave me blogging "awards" last week and I didn't want to leave them hanging without mentioning it here. Most of the time I view these as the grown-up version of a chain letter, but I'm still honored and it's a nice way to bring new viewers around, which I'm never against! So, thanks Erika and Rachel!

If you haven't visited Always Better Together, you should. Erika and Daniel are currently living in the great state of Texas while Daniel completes his medical residency and they await the arrival of their son. She's got a great sense of humor, a lifelong love of all things sweet, and a fairly recent interest in running, which makes for a fun combo! Rachel blogs about her hectic life as a P.A., her new love affair with running, the amazingly sweet treats that pour forth from her kitchen, and her latest craft endeavours over at The Keyter. I've known both Erika and Rachel for, oh, longer than I can remember not knowing them. Ironically, we've been out of touch for many of those years, but thanks to Facebook and our respective blogs, we've reconnected and it has been fun to play catch up.

The specifics of the award are that you pass it on to bloggers who have less than 200 followers (that's me, for sure!), but in the spirit of the award, I'm going to list five blogs that I've either recently discovered or really enjoy visiting on a regular basis. No need to join in, but I'm always up for sharing blog love and fun sites, so if you choose to participate, all the better! Apparently there are some rules, so...

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you. (Done - thanks again, Erika & Rachel!)
2. Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog. (OK, if I have to...)
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog. (Done)
4. Wait around and see if it dies like the chain letter it is, or if it lives on...

And now for my blog selections...

1. I first found Lexi at Vessel Unto Honour through another blogger's sidebar. Actually, choice #2's sidebar. At any rate, I enjoy popping over to VUH from time to time and seeing what Lexi is sharing - many times it's convicting or simply leaves me laughing. And she's a fellow reader, so what's not to love?!

2. I may have mentioned Molly at A Foreign Land a few hundred times on Busy Nothings. I totally blame her for getting me hooked on Pinterest, and I appreciate the fact that she tried reading Agatha Christie and Jane Austen (even if she didn't become a die-hard fan). Molly and her hubby are currently in the process of moving to an awesome condo in one of my favorite cities, Chicago, and I can't wait to see more photos of their new adventure!

3. One of the things that I love about blogging is the opportunity to meet people all over the world. Sometimes it's because they start leaving comments on blog posts, like Irish Carter over at Dedicated 2 Life. Irish has become a firm encourager here at Busy Nothings, and I'm more than happy for an opportunity to share the love. Make sure you check out her Weekly Wisdom posts.

4. I don't even remember how I first found Sophie at Little Gumnut, but I'm so glad I did! We connected through mutual experiences - she's an M.K. and I'm married to one. Sophie and her husband and beautiful daughters live "Down Under", and she's a lovely and talented woman who is in the process of starting her own business and working towards her goals. A visit to her blog is always a pleasant experience.

5. Last but not least, Kaysi at A Kaleidoscopic Life is still relatively new to the blogging community, but she has certainly come in with a bang! I've already been encouraged by her posts and I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll come up with in the future. As children, we were acquainted through a mutual friend, but it has been fun to reconnect as adults and watch how the Lord works in both of our lives.

And there you have it - now go check them out! And have a good Wednesday while you're at it, okay?