A Dazzling, Fabulous Day

It's the first day of spring, and it's beautiful here in the Sunshine state.

The ex-clown is in town, and I'm preparing a family dinner tonight of Omaha steaks and a few sides.  My daughter is making croutons, and I'm making split-pea soup, which I've never made before.  All I can say is...the color of it is not that appealing.    

Luckily, it's darn tasty, so maybe we can eat it with our eyes closed.  

On this lovely day, I'd like thank a few people who have done some sweet things for me this week.

1.  An enthusiastic thank you to Lisa at ALL THINGS CAMPBELL for designing the new baseball links to your left.  They were exactly what I was looking for!  If you're looking for creative additions to your blog/website, drop her a line.  She was a peach to work with.

2.  A surprised thank you to Carri at SIMPLY DONE WRIGHT for featuring Adventures in the Ballpark as her Dazzling Blog for the week.  Carri has a beautiful blog and loves the camaraderie, linking, and networking that grows from blogging.  She's like the social director on planet Blogwarts.  Thank you, Carri!

3.  Danielle at SWEET TEA READS gave me this...

A heartfelt thank you to Danielle for thinking of me.

I'm feeling pretty fabulous and dazzled this week because of these kind women.  And, the ex-clown is providing pies for dessert tonight.  I'm telling ya', it's like Christmas around here. 

The Dazzling Blog feature doesn't require any self-revelations.  Carri did a write-up about Adventures on her blog and said some very nice things.  Click on her link above, if you'd like to see it.  It's just pure gift.  I'm humbled and appreciative, and I'd like to thank the members of the academy and my mom, who is really the English teacher/editor/writer in the family.   I share this badge with her.

The fabulous blog ribbon must be shared, which I'm happy to do.  First, though, the required self-revelations:  Name five things I've experienced in my life that were fabulous. 

I wonder how Streep would respond.  Hopefully, she's reading.  (Hi, Meryl!)

My fab five:

1. Holding my three slimy, wrinkly, perfect, fresh-from-heaven children on the days they were born.

2. Winning $1,000.00 at a church raffle.  Way fabulous.

3.  Receiving a letter of recognition from my congressman for my ten years of teaching character education to high-school students.

4.  Purchasing our first house, the one we're still in twenty years later.  The coolest feature was the loft, which is now where I write.

5.  Anytime I savor really good chocolate, it's fabulous.

List five things I hate:

1.  Brussell sprouts.  However, I like cabbage.  Go figure.
2.  Foul language.  It's unnecessary.  Raise the bar.
3.  People who blame their problems on someone else.
4.  Throwing up.  I can't begin to tell you how much I hate this. 
5.  Stubbing my toes.  I've broken two toes this way, and it's extremely painful.  If toes weren't necessary for balance, I'd have mine removed.  They're in the way.

Five things I love:

I created a page last year that covers this category.  This helps me on tough days when I need to remember there are fabulous and dazzling things in the world for which I'm grateful.  Scroll to the top of the blog and click on the tab that reads "Home Runs" for seventeen things I love.  You only have to read five.

Pass the award to five other bloggers (and leave a comment on their blog, so they know they are a recipient.)

1.  Cari at Bubblegum on my Shoe. She writes poignantly and witty-ly from the heart about life as a single mom.

2.  Tamera at Housekeeping, Down Syndrome, and Autism Stuff.  Enough said.  This girl has her hands full.

3.  Jen at We're Living a Full Life.  She is a sweetheart with a passion for all the right things.

4.  Marie at Women Talk About Life.  Otherwise known as Sweet Marie.  And she is.

5.  Laura and Falen at Upward not Inward.  This is a spiritually inspirational blog.  These girls have a heart for God.

Thanks to all these great fellow bloggers, whom I found through the A-Z Blogging Challenge in April.  Blogwarts is a wonderful place.

Non-bloggers suspect/think Blogwarts is a loony bin.

But hey, I say, drinkers bond over booze, quilters bond over fabrics, bakers over cupcakes, and football fans over a touchdown.  Writers bond over shared words inside a column that scrolls down forever.

It keeps us off the streets.