Friday Five Favs (x2)

Well, this past week Katy @ A Few More Pages gave me a lovely bloggy award which I'm posting for you below. The only thing about it is is that you have to mention 10 Honest Things About Yourself and then pass along the award to 10 other bloggers.

I've been meaning to write up a blog post pointing out various bloggers who, in my opinion, are fantastic and whose blogs I very much enjoy following. I could break this up into two weeks for Friday Five Favs but instead I think I'll just double it and hope that it's ok for just this one week?! I'll be more wordy with how much I appreciate the other 10 bloggers, than I will be where it concerns myself. So if you want to find out who delights me through their blogs and who I feel appreciative towards, scroll down past the info about myself. The other people are more interesting anyway!



1. I hate talking about books in person. I don't feel like I do a very good verbalizing my thoughts. I do a much better job writing them out.
2. I am harder on myself than I am on anyone else.
3. I pre-schedule most of my posts around here to publish. I tweak them mercilessly before they actually end up online. (Amazingly, you still see typos!)
4. I miss Chick fil A.
5. I listen to any new music album that I get over and over again until I have it memorized, more or less.
6. I have more books around here than I really know what to do with.
7. I am a total planner. At the same time, there are certain things in life that I HATE to have planned. I confuse myself.
8. I fill the void that Chick fil A has left behind with Starbucks.
9. I love being organized but I hate cleaning house.
10. My favorite easy food to make is taco salad.

Now - for who I follow in bloggy land and why:

1. Stephanie's Mommy Brain - Stephanie is a brutally honest mother of five and I love her for it. Her family has stood with mine in prayer and that makes her more than just a bloggy friend, even though that's what we are. Who knows if we'll have a chance to meet up someday, but I'd certainly like that!

2. I'd also love to spend an afternoon sometime with Amy at Hope is in the Word. I'm thrilled to pieces that she is expecting a new little boy into her home! I love her devotion and dedication both to her family and to others. I just think she's pretty cool stuff.

3. Lisa Writes . . . is my fellow team member at 5 Minutes for Books and that's how we met up. She's a mom to four boys so I feel rather content to just sit at her feet and learn. A more honest and humble blogger you'd be hard pressed to find. She encourages my spirit and she beats me to some really good books sometimes. Lisa will be traveling to Nicaragua for a mission trip in February and I'm excited FOR her as she goes on this journey.

4. My "real life" (actually, that's meant in SO many ways!) friend Sky encourages me through her prayer life in which she prays for her brother, Bowe Bergdahl. It's easy to forget to pray but she faithfully upholds him prayer and that just motivates and inspires me like nobody's business.

5. Barbara H. at Stray Thoughts provides plenty of food for thought. She makes me think about the "why" of what I believe. I love that she opens up her personal life to us on her blog and it's been a joy to watch her family grow and change, celebrate anniversaries, etc. I just really, really enjoy her. (She's actually the motivating reason behind my participating in this Friday Five meme. I kept seeing it on her site and was thinking that it would be a good exercise in thankfulness for me - and that's something I need the motivation to do at times!)

6. My managing editor at 5 Minutes for Books, Jennifer Donovan, is more than just a manager. I mean, we give her some pretty crazy stuff to work with at times but I really enjoy her frank honesty and the life she lives for us on her site, Snapshot. I've loved getting to know her kids. I enjoy Amanda especially (because she's read some books I've recommended and so naturally I think she's an awesome tween and all that). One day maybe Amanda will have her own blog and I will follow it if the invitation is out there. Ha! At any rate, "watching" Jennifer parent and being encouraged by her own actions to be more generous of my time and resources is a good thing. I am inspired by her.

7. Lately, no one has made me laugh harder than Elisabeth at Mildly Amusing Musings. We shot a bridal session with Elisabeth when she was getting married (she has a WAY COOL style!) and now she's expecting her first baby and I'm reliving pregnancy through her (and laughing hysterically because I'm not personally suffering from any of her symptoms). I realize that's cruel but I think she'll forgive me for it. One of her friends said of her that she is a "classy and phenomenal woman" and I really have to agree. I wish her a solid night's sleep tonight.

8. I participated in the Noel Christmas Sister Swap hosted by sisters Carrie and Monica. I follow both of their blogs and find both encouraging and inspiring. Monica at The Homespun Heart has been very motivating and encouraging to me lately to just relax in the beauty of who God is and what He is working in individual lives. Monica is a lover of beauty and a creator of it also! I absolutely LOVE reading her blog for encouragement, inspiration and peaceful, homey feelings.

9. Tim Challies. He's not even an acquaintance but I really love the way the man thinks and encourages other people to think. He doesn't set himself up above others, presenting himself as the Be All, End All of anything. He wants to continue learning and seeking after God but he earnestly and graciously invites other people to journey with him. In doing so, I am inspired to deepen my walk with God - and chose wise books to read to help me to so! Love his blog.

10. Stephanie at Olive Tree makes me think creatively about raising children. She comes up with the coolest ideas for her kids. I love the fact that she is an engaged mom and she uses her talents to bless her kids. Notice: she does not ignore her talents. She utilizes them to bring the most benefit and blessing to her family. Whenever I read her blog, I think about that and how I can use my own gifts and talents to engage with my kids, relate with them and, ultimately, bless them.

Thank you to all of you who put forth "stuff" for me to read, think and chew on long after my Google Reader has been clicked off. I appreciate your efforts and how you bless me and others through what you chose to write.

And with that, I'll close for the week.

Have an awesome weekend!

Blessings,
Carrie