I have imaginary friends

I read blogs. A lot. I love them, I just do. It all started in 2006 when my cousin sent me a link to the blog she started and I was like, "what is this?" And we had just moved away from our families to go to school and I thought, "what a great way to keep in touch!" So I started one and then after about a year I realized it was the best (only) journal I had ever kept! There was/is no way I am going to stop that. Somewhere along the line I started reading other peoples blogs. I read blogs of friends and people I know, but then there are those that I don't know in the real world, but I have grown to really love them. I call them my imaginary friends. The first was...

Nie Nie

Before her plane crash I was introduced to her blog and being naive to the internet did not realize that there were blogs that thousands of people read without knowing them. I learned quickly. This gal taught me a lot, like it is okay to decorate and dress the way you like and not the way others do, that I can make healthier eating choices,  I can have a baby at home, I can buy an older home and make it just the way I want it. She also helped me remember that I love being a mom and to not let the stress get me down. Through her blog I found...

Kelly Mccaleb

 I was super drawn to her blog the moment I read it. She is real and honest and I love that. If I knew her in real life I know we would be friends, not because we are exactly a like, but because I appreciate and love the person she is. And the things she is into change all the time and that is the way that I am so I love it. Through her I found her sister...

Heather

I just love her. Her blog makes me excited to have teenagers rather than dread/fear it. I am not 100% sure why, but I have gotten teary eyed reading her blog quite a few times. She speaks my language, what can I say? Then they have another sister...

Coco

And Coco is like her sisters real, honest, and just cool. Plus she posts videos of MC Hammer.

Little Green Notebook

This gal is Jenny and she has a decorating blog. I have been following it for a long time and it has been fun to watch it grow. She has great taste and great tips.

Petite Mama

This is Marjorie and I got connected with her through the iPhone app, instagram. She is a mama that is a lot like me, but she is in France.sigh. I love communicating with her through pictures and seeing the parallel in our lives. It is like having a pen pal and I love it. And I love that google will translate her blog for me (though not always perfectly).

Playing House

My cousin introduced me to this blog and this girl is a young mama who is hip, but doesn't take herself too seriously.

Cakies

Then we have Ruby Ellen. she likes vintage (like me), she likes to craft (like me), she likes good food (like me), she loves her family (like me), and she loves god (like me). I feel better after reading her blog.

Shannon Hale

There was not a picture on the blog that I could see of Shannon, so I put the first book of her that I ever read. I love all her books and her blog. We have met in person and she called my sister and I her Arizona friends, but I think I will still call our friendship imaginary:)

Laini Taylor

The other authors blog that I follow is Laini Taylor's. I just adore this pink haired lady. Her daughter is so so cute and she is a wonderful mama and while her blog is mostly about writing her awesomeness as a mother, wife, friend, and artist cannot be contained. Her blog just makes me happy. And so do her books!

Kara Bagley

And this lady's blog is where I go if I want to take another step in eating healthier. She has wonderful information, tips, advice, and recipies. I love her passion and she makes me want to garden.

While scrolling through this list I noticed that most (if not all) of these ladies are spiritual. That is something that  I connect with. I am glad that these ladies do what they do and let me peek into their lives. It lets me know that I am not alone in my beliefs, passions, and style. I do read more blogs, but these are my favorites. And I just found another one last night (through Kelly).

Mara

I read the whole thing last night (luckily she has only been doing it for 3 weeks) and have felt so inspired to be  a better me (I hate to use the word "inspired" cause it seems so over used, but I don't know what else to say). She shares about her trials of infertility, divorce, remarriage (this was not a trial), and still struggling with infertility. I love it because she gives very simple, very real tips on how to be happy even though we all have trials. I think that everyone could benefit from reading this. This is part of her post today, 

"So, dear ones, I hope you will join me in this effort to become the best women we can be by finding happiness independent of our circumstances.

It is the most liberating, burden-lifting thing we could ever do (for ourselves).  And it will be the most noble and powerful act of love that we could ever offer our children or spouses."

I am joining her and I hope you do to. Lets all do this together (both fists in the air)!

So there you go. I hope someone appreciates this cause I had to do a lot of linking and such and it was not as easy as I thought it would be. Maybe someday I will let you know about my real friends blogs:) Those that post anyway. hint hint.

Oh yes I should also mentions a couple that used to be my imaginary friends, but have become my friends in real life!

Reachel Bagley

and 

Angela Hardison

And both are even cooler in real life so I assume it is that way with all my imaginary friends. 

The end.

whew!