MEMORIAL DAY ~ Remember the Fallen...

As we enjoy this beautiful Memorial Day weekend, think for a moment about those who fought and gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure and protect our freedoms...

Reflections From My First A - Z Challenge

I SURVIVED!  

This was my first A - Z Challenge.  I had considered it the prior two years, but didn't think I would have been able to complete the challenge.  This year, on March 31, I decided I would give it a shot.  I registered my blog, changed the settings, then wrote my first post A is for Autism Awareness Month.  Being a personal, lifestyle type blog, I picked my A topic because it applied to me and my family.  I began jotting down ideas for the rest of the letters, and figured my theme would be whatever grabbed my attention.  However, one of the A to Z admins visited my blog and left a comment that autism was a great topic and she was glad I chose it.  So I my theme morphed from a little of everything, to autism and I revisited and revised my list.  

I read many blogs over the course of the challenge.  I picked some from the list of participants, visited those that commented on my blog and also some that commented on blogs I also commented on.  I picked up some new followers and am likewise following over a dozen more.  

There are just too many to list as favorites.  I enjoyed a variety of different blogs from food, pottery, music and movies to supernatural, fairy tales, and several writers' blogs.  Several of the A-Z Challenge admins visited my blog with words of encouragement and I appreciated that greatly.  A special shoutout to my friend Courtney over at Maui Jungalow who had tried to get me started in the previous years.  I really enjoyed her challenge theme of living on Maui.  It really opened my eyes to the fact that the grass is always greener...

I know it got crazy, especially towards the end.  I was excited to meet some of you via comments and the time constraints made me that much more grateful for the time you took to comment on my posts and visit my blog.  

I have to admit the challenge was more fun than I thought and I look forward to participating next year.  

xoxo,
judi