Exfoliation

It is late. The 11:00 news person is droning on and on about all of the bad news in the world. My hubby is snoring away in his recliner. I need toothpicks in my eyelids - but I can't sleep. Our oldest daughter is flying home and her plane lands in one hour. I will be there to meet her plane, to hug her and kiss her and welcome her home. This is the last time she will be flying home as an unmarried woman. Yes, she did get married in India in February but no one seems to know if that marriage is 'legal' here. In sixteen days she will be a married woman and life will change for her and for me. I have not been able to post much lately because I am preparing for the BIG day. I probably won't be posting much until after the BIG day. And that is okay. Because I want to enjoy every minute with my girl.

The last few days I have been exfoliating. A real deep cleaning...scrubbing, scouring, polishing of... my house. I do not enjoy doing housework and I can be the queen of procrastination. More on that later...for now suffice it to say that this house is ready to party. And party we will...

As I clean I make decisions about what I need to keep and what items can go to our local swap shop. As I clean I think about my blog and possible posts. That helps me forget how much I hate to clean. I try to organize my thoughts and file ideas neatly away until I need them. But I find that there is a little bit of this and a little bit of that which can't be categorized so I am going to put them all together in this post. We'll see what we end up with.

In the blogging world I consider myself to be the new kid on the block. I am reminded of when we moved when I was in the seventh grade and I had to make new friends. Not an easy task but a task made easier when some kind soul decides to reach out to you. I have found many such people in blogland but one woman in particular has truly welcomed me into this community. Akelamalu is my blogging mentor. When you stop by her blog be prepared to stay for awhile. She has the music ready, her little butterfly flits around to greet you and her writing will pull you right in - and sometimes scare you! :) She doodles, she rants and she creates - but more importantly, she cares. Akelamalu awarded me with this award a while ago and I am just getting around to acknowledging it. I truly appreciate her kindness and once again I find myself not knowing what to wear while accepting this award. Please stop by for a visit to Akelamalu's - I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

~ The Arte Y Pico Award ~

Isn't she lovely? I just hope that Akelamalu didn't award it to me because she thinks I am a little angel! Guess I fooled her, didn't I?

The rules of Arte Y Pico are that it is passed onto five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting comment, or for contributing to the blogging community, whatever language. Each award winner has to show the award on their blog and link their blog to the blog that has given them the award.

So now I have to pass this award onto five fellow bloggers. How do I choose just five? I have tossed this around in my mind for a few days now. If you read my blog I thank you and feel free to grab this award as your own. I am sure that you have earned it. There are five blogs that I would like to mention and hope you get a chance to stop by for a visit.

1. Andrea with the Flipflops ~ I love the name of her blog. She writes with refreshing honesty about her life. Some of her stories remind me of myself, in a past life, when I was running around taking care of my four little ones. Now I just sit back, read Andrea's blog and laugh!

2. Liebfraumilch and Lipstick ~ You never know what to expect when you stop here for a visit. Elaine writes with emotion and passion. She seems like she has a fun loving spirit and would be a fabulous addition to any girls night out.

3. Louise at Potted Frog ~ This blog has it all. Incredible photographs, writing from the heart, creativity, and wonderful humor are always plentiful. I find it hard to believe that National Geographic has not hired this talented photographer!

4. Dreamlight ~ Her writing is honest, clear and to the point. She talks about being mindful of moments. She talks about appreciating the small stuff. She is not afraid to discuss her emotions. I often leave her blog feeling at peace. Sometimes I leave worried and wondering. I appreciate the humanness of her blog, written with sensitivity and clarity.

5. Liquid Illuzion ~ The first time I stopped in for a visit I spent a long time just looking at the 'header' on this blog. It certainly made me stop and wonder. Her writing and her photos keep you coming back for more. She has created a blog which is a combination of sometimes fun, sometimes flirty but always real. Her focus this month has been to raise awareness and money to help the fight against breast cancer. Last year I walked with five friends in the Susan G Koman 3 Day Walk. Our team, Melons with Moxie, walked sixty miles in Boston and raised over $15,000. Thank you Liquid for using your blog to educate and for helping this cause. Clicking here will give you more info about breast cancer - education and awareness are part of the battle plan to help fight this disease!