I'm one!

Check out today's give away and yesterday's winners at the bottom of this post! Go!

Today's the day! The actual birthday of my blog! I got it a new outfit, so if you're checking me out through a reader, you need to click over and tell me what you think. I lurrrrrrves it. Thank you, Mom Babe!

So this is where I tell you what I've learned in the last year, right?

Uh....basic HTML. Thank you, blogging.

Just kidding. The truth is, I started my blog because I read all these articles on writing that said you MUST have an internet presence and if you don't THEN YOU'LL NEVER GET PUBLISHED and the munchkins who run Kristina P.'s blog commenting sweatshop will mock you because you don't have a blog, you BIG DUMMY.

I freaked out and started a blog even though as of the first day I had mine, I had never even read one. I was just scared. I was peer pressured into blogging, stupid how-to articles.

I didn't even know what my blog would be about. I had this vague notion I'd write about my writing journey and hobnob with other people taking the same trip. I didn't really have fun writing those posts. Then I thought I'd use this as a place to develop my voice as a writer, experiment with different styles. But I'm too needy for that.

Because as I started wandering around other people's blogs and making friends, blogging evolved into a whole new thing for me. Let me tell you a little story. It's like one paragraph little.

There was this pretty princess named Melanie (okay, it was me) and she married her handsome prince and moved to a condo, er, castle by the ocean and she was so excited to stay at home with their babies and make lots of new friends. The princess always had lots and lots of friends, mainly because she talked a lot and got it into her head to go do fun stuff all the time and bewitched people into doing them with her, so she was excited for the new friends she would make in this new kingdom. And a year went by and she was losing heart because she wasn't making friends. She accepted every invitation she got, mourned the ones she didn't, kept a cheerful face and showed up at every activity. But the other princesses already had their princess friends and sort of overlooked our princess. A lot. And it made her sad. Then one day, our princess discovered a magic key to a magic room, that when turned, transported her to a place full of other princesses who were funny and smart and talented and liked it when our princess babbled. And she began to hang out with them and get to know them and look forward to seeing them each day. The big old hole where her missing friends used to be was filled and she was happy and her husband was relieved.

So blogging became something totally different than what it started as for me. This has become the place I go to hang out with like-minded people, to take a break from my cares, to be a part of a sisterhood, to laugh, and to think.

And for that, I owe so many of you a huge thank you. I could pick ten blogs a day for weeks that resonate with me for one reason or another, but that might get a little old for all of us, so I'm going to pick a few today and just know that I love YOU, okay? The blogs I want to highlight today are just happy places for me, for very different reasons from each other. But these are all smart, insightful ladies that I would call up to go get manis and pedis any time. (There are some of you who are going to be surprised you're not in today's list but that's because I'm putting you in Friday's spotlight of blogs that make me hurt myself laughing).

Heather of the EO really needs no introduction. Most of you read her and I'm not going to tell you anything you didn't already know when I say that she is smart, and compassionate, and generous and so relateable. And that word never looks right to me. Anyway, she's a heck of a writer and I often find a little bit of peace when I visit her blog. So go.

Lisa at Away From It All is one of the very first blogs I found and that found me. She has fascinating insights about life outside of the U.S. She's thoughtful, sure of her beliefs, has a great sense of humor, and is a great cheerleader. She hasn't been blogging nearly enough for my tastes lately, but it turns out she has a REALLY good excuse, so I'm going to give her a pass on that. Anyway, she's just such a level headed, cool girl and I might get to meet her this month. (Right, Lisa?)

Charrette at Divergent Pathways is simply amazing. She doesn't write often, but everything she produces is this perfectly polished gem, rich and colorful and life affirming. I always feel like a slightly better person after reading one of her posts. I can't do her justice with my own words; you'll have to read her yourself.

Stephanie at Diapers and Divinity inspires me with how incredibly well she stays on message. Her blog name is perfect. She seeks to find the goodness in motherhood and studies diligently in the scriptures and words of modern revelation for direction and clarity. She really does inspire me. It's that simple. I also like her humility in admitting that she struggles too, but she always tries to find a sense of humor about it.

Kimberly at Temporary? Insanity is another blogger I found early on. She's a fellow writer, so I relate to her that way, but her complete transparency about her triumphs and failings is so familiar to me. Sometimes her honesty makes me wince, but I can only respect someone who is so determined to peel back the layers in search of her best self. She's also incredibly generous with her blog knowledge and has helped me out many times.

I'll stop right there although I could go on. I'm always sad when I'm not on other people's lists because I'm a raving ego maniac, but I follow about 150 different feeds and I can't just pick everybody. I mean, I guess I could, but remember what I said about having to go on for days? Yeah...

I'll point out some more blogs I've found along the way tomorrow and Friday, but these were just some I've been hanging around for almost the whole year I've been blogging and they're part of the fabric of my everyday life.

Now, that the suck up section of this blog is over, it's time to move to the bribery section. Just kidding. But it's give away time!

You'll notice I kept the notebook in my template. It's very me. I love a fresh, clean notebook. You may even remember my ode to office supplies and the famous comment from the American Folder Company Troll. I collect notebooks. It's unintentional. I just see a cute one I love, buy it with every intention of filling it up, and then I desert it within a couple of months for a fresher, tartier upstart. So I have lots of partially filled cute notebooks at my house.

In honor of my new blog template and as a shout out to the original intent of this blog to be about me as a writer (oh, HA HA! It's about Me the Princess now!), I'm giving away a super cute notebook I bought yesterday at Staples (because I love Staples and want to marry it) and a package of my favorite pens and THEY ARE PURPLE and I don't care if that's cheesy. I like them. I can't find my camera for the moment so I have no picture for you. But it's 9.5" x 6" with a yellow cover and gray flowers and it sounds hideous but I love it. It even says "Fashion Notebook" on it in case you aren't sure if it's trendy or not.

Anyway, you can enter with just a comment as usual. I think my blog wouldn't mind if you wished it Happy Blog Birthday if you can't think of what else to say. Tell it you like it's new outfit, if you like.

And lastly but not leastly (Annette is readying her wet noodle for the whupping on that one), yesterday's winners!

Hershey's Chocolate Pretzel bars: Stephanie from Everyone's Excited and Confused (they're only 100 calories!)
Pecan praline fudge: Stephanie from Diapers and Divinity
Mint chocolate fudge: Aubrey (and no, I didn't rig it!)
Tony Chachere's seasoning: Caroly V.