Wherein I Express Gratitude and Inundate You With Lovely Reads

I love writing this blog. It's at times therapeutic, stress-relieving, fun, stressful (for those times when I'm entirely uninspired) and a great way to file away our memories, write down our stories, share our footprint with a world beyond our immediate circle. I typically give no thought to actual readers, because I think of this site as mostly being read by immediate family and a handful of close friends.

Imagine my surprise---and DELIGHT---to discover that the lovely Jen of State of Jen bestowed praise on Bopril in the form of an award recognition. I smiled from ear to ear when I read her post, and if you don't know her blog, you should head over there immediately and give it a good, long read. Her posts are honest and heart-felt, and knowing her as I do from work, they are very indicative of her in-real-life compassion, diligence, and intellect. So, first and foremost, THANK YOU, Jenn. I am truly humbled and beyond thrilled. :)

And now, the official rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.
4. Contact the bloggers and tell them about the award!

Having soundly accomplished the first, here is my best attempt at the second item on the to-do list:

1. I am less than two weeks away from my first trip to Italy, and I am over-the-moon excited. There will be much documentation in word and in photo, so stay tuned.
2. My empathy for and obsession with animals is truly spectacular. At times, the force of it surprises even me. Dogs in particular are a huge part of my world, and my fur babies are an endless source of joy. I will always have fur children. ALWAYS.
3. I adore the study of and adventure to explore style---whether fashion or home decor, I'm enthralled. I don't always strike the right tones, but I never tire of trying.
4. I'm a life-long reader, and at some point in my childhood I taught myself to speed read. Getting lost in a delicious novel is still one of my greatest pleasures.
5. Photography grabbed me by the heart a few years ago, and refuses to let go. I love exploring all the ways you can make an image in your head come to life on the screen. Next up, an actual photography course to back up the obsession with a little technique.
6. I am an introvert with extroverted tendencies and habits. Or perhaps the exact inverse of this. I am always struggling to determine which.
7. Family is of critical importance to me---the center of my life---and I'm blessed to have a large, full immediate and extended family, including the best Husband in the world (no question).

Wow, it's not easy to come up with seven things about yourself, or should I say to edit down to only seven! It's the tip of the iceberg, clearly, but hopefully gives at least a glimpse into what makes me tick.

As for bloggers, I've said many times that my reader is constantly on the verge of exploding, and some of my very favorite blogs certainly don't need recognition from me (but you should click those links anyway, because they're fabulous) and not all of these are "new" (I've been reading blogs for awhile now, and I'm constantly adding more to the list), but here's a list of 15 to check out when you can (I should also note that I am leaving out Household Affairs and La La Land, because Jenn already covered them, but they are spectacular and I enjoy reading both of them very much):

1. Down Emery Lane --- my fabulous girlfriend who is expecting her second little one this summer, and who is creative and lovely and ten million kinds of wonderful.
2. The Greatest Marathon --- Robin's sister, who beautifully chronicles her journey to find her beautiful son Beck, and who is now embarking on the journey again. I can't wait to follow along as this lovely family finds the perfect sibling for little Bek.
3. Cityretreat --- a lovely documentation of a colleague's adorable kids and adventures in Mommy-hood. As a bonus, she sometimes also shares fun recipes, running and gardening tips and photos. And of course, she doesn't leave her fur-baby, Stella, out of the mix which always makes me happy.
4. Nothing But Bonfires --- I don't know Holly directly, but I'd certainly like to! She's long been a huge blog crush, and her wit and English charm jump through every single post. I especially love the poignant documentation of her six-month trek through Southeast Asia with her then boyfriend (now husband) Sean. It's beautiful and makes me want to grab my backpack and head out to see the world.
5. Camels and Chocolate --- her life is one grand adventure after another, and following along is pure joy. The life-like photos are reason enough to stalk this blog. It's gorgeous, and you feel like you're right alongside her as she journeys to lands foreign and familiar.
6. Whoorl --- another much adored from afar blog crush. Her hair is amazing, any product I've purchased at her recommendation has become an instant favorite, and seriously---have you seen more gorgeous kids anywhere?!
7. Foodmomiac --- I love everything about Danielle, from her fierce haircut to her insightful posts on everything from social media to travel to fitness to cooking. Oh, and her kids are stunning too. This must be some sort of theme among my most beloved bloggers? :)
8. Keep the Ball Rolling --- a beautifully curated collection of interesting, intellectual, inspiring, yummy finds. MC is fabulous, and contributes many new gems to my ever growing collection of must-read sites.
9. Cupcakes and  Cashmere---everything about this blog is delicious. It's inspirational and lovely and a great way to start any day.
10. Sweet Salty --- hands down, one of my all-time favorite writers. Kate's story isn't always sunshine and roses, but she tells it in the most stunning, honest, kick-you-in-the-gut way and when my reader shows that she's updated, I can't click over and devour her words fast enough.
11. Hyperbole and a Half---this one needs no recognition from me either, but I can't help but include it. It's genius, and you'll laugh out loud as you read every post.
12. A Cup of Jo --- dreamy, lovely things, the best finds on the internet, and always plenty of inspiration.
13. Shutter Sisters --- a lovely community of women photographers at varying levels of expertise. All they need is a love of pictures, and they pair them with even lovelier words.
14. To My Wife --- this is a recent discovery, and I'm in love with it. A single guy writes witty little notes to his someday wife, and so far they've made me laugh out loud, cry, and think---sometimes all at once.
15. A Girl and a Boy --- this one is fairly recent for me, and I adore the way she makes a story out of any mundane detail of her day. Anyone can write about show-stopping events, but when you can turn your every day normal into a must-read, talent has officially found you. She's also perhaps the best grammar ninja I've ever encountered.

I think I've perhaps bent the rules somewhat in that I don't personally know all of these bloggers, but I'm still thrilled to share them here, and I hope that at least some of them will be inspiring new finds for you. It's literally the slightest sampling of amazing talent in the limitless blogosphere, and you can get lost in their archives and click to new finds via their blog-rolls for hours on end (I may or may not know this from personal experience). 

That was fun. Thanks again, Jenn, for the nod and the opportunity to pay it forward and shine the spotlight on amazing stories out there, all just waiting to be read (by you. and you, and you, and you).