Cherry Bomb

Well Thursday sucks today in Halifax - the sky is a gross, muddy gray colour and it's raining; supposed to get thunder showers later. Today is, in a word, BLECH.

But thankfully a little sunshine was brought into my morning by a great new blogger I've been following: Tasha @ Random Musings gave me a Blog Award!

Isn't is pretty?! I love pink and cupcakes so it's perfect for me! I've said this before but I still feel like I'm a beginner in this "world" and there are so many wonderful blogs out there nowadays I'm always surprised when people pick mine out as worth reading and recognizing. Thanks so much Tasha!

Of course, as always with these awards, I can't just sit back and solitarily (is this a word?) revel in the awesomeness; I have to pass it on - pay it forward, if you will. Here's my assignment:

#1 Answer this question: if you had the chance to go back and change one thing in your life, would you and what would it be? > Ooooo I love this question - quite the brain-burner - thankfully I don't have too many specific regrets but generally speaking, if I had it to do over again, I would have been more brave and confident in the past. I've always been a shy person and it's something I still struggle with, but I've literally done a 360 turn in that department since Jr High/High School. I'm much more confident now than I ever have been and I get more and more so every year. But there was a time where I was very timid and unfortunately I missed out on many things because of it. There are many times when I should have stood up for myself, made my feelings and thoughts known, and taken more chances. I played it very "safe" in a lot of ways, and I always wonder, if I hadn't, if my life would be different today. For the most part though, I'm glad for my history as it's taught me a lot and made me into the person I am today, so it's hard to regret that too much! If we never make mistakes in life we never learn anything and grow as human beings, so what's the point in doing everything right all the time?

 #2 The second thing you have to do is, pick 6 people and give them this award. You then have to inform the person that they have gotten this award > This is also tough - I love so many bloggers it will be really hard to choose only 6, but here goes:

1 - This might seem like a cop-out, but 1st I choose...well, the very person who gave me this award - Tasha! Since she wasn't actually awarded this in the first place, I felt I could pass it onto her. What I love about her blog is how genuine it is - she writes directly from her heart and sometimes about things that must be tough for her to write about/reveal to the world. I appreciate that - plus she just writes interesting posts!

2 - Jill @ Couchtime: This is a blog I've only started following about a week ago, but I love it already! It's a TV blog, so it really stands apart from the sea of "general interest" blogs (like mine, hah!) out there. I love TV and many of the shows she writes about on a regular basis so it's great to hear insights from someone who loves TV as much as I do. Even better, she's a local (she blogs out of Halifax, NS - my home) and we are both participating in a neat challenge being put on here in our city. Can't wait to see what she plans for her big day!

3 - Bree @ .simply.girly: All I can say about this girl is that she's completely adorable! She's another Canadian blogger (Cdn gals kick ass, what can I say) and reading her posts always puts a smile on my face. Mainly because her and her bf Dylan are like the cutest, most in-love couple ever. Dylan has his own blog called 100 Km Love Letter where he writes little love notes to her (they live an hour apart) - how cute and such a great idea for keeping in touch. So, I guess this award is just as much for Dylan's blog as for hers. Bree has such a positive attitude and just seems like someone you would love to be friends with because you would always have fun and she would always be there for you.

4 - Heather @ Boyfriend Challenged: Heather's musings about single life (and the fabulous fun of working as an au pair in Germany!) are hilarious and right on the money. I don't have many single girlfriends and sometimes it seems like there aren't many single bloggers out there, so it's nice to know there in fact is someone that can relate to my dating issues and the challenges/advantages to living the single life. I wish I could be as bold as her sometimes when it comes to guys (and I also wish I could have her hair).

5 - AubreyRose @ My Simple Everyday: This is another new blog discovery I've made recently. Besides being very pretty to look at, it's also fun to read. I loved her recent post about being short because I can completely relate, and she has the cutest pair of dogs ever (the recent photo she posted of them sleeping together was TOO funny - you know me, anyone who loves animals is a great person in my book). The title is right - this blog is simple, it's everyday, but it's clear that she's very proud of her life and the people in it and that really shines through when reading. (Not to mention she's a fellow "30 before 30" lister!).

6 - Kim @ Say What?!: This is yet another local blogger AND another blog I've recently discovered. We have the same name so that's really enough of a reason right there to give her this award, but on top of that she has a really funny, thought-provoking blog. Plus she has shown me real love by commenting regularly on my posts, and that means a lot. I love her blog title, and feel as though she's a kindred spirit since she writes (in her words) "all the outrageous things I wish I could say out loud" - there are many outrageous things I'd love to say out loud too, but am too chicken, so I can completely relate.

#3 The third and final thing is, thank the person who gave you the award > DONE!

So, there you have it! Another bright spot in my day is that tomorrow is Friday and then it's a long weekend! Can't wait to spend some time with my brother and his wife who are visiting from Vancouver (fingers crossed for good weather!). And of course I can't wait to continue following all the lovely ladies above, as well as the other great blogs I've been privileged enough to come across. Happy Weekend, all!