My instructions are to list 6 things that I am thankful for and pass the award on to 6 other bloggers. So, here we go…

I Am Thankful For:

1. Andy – my best friend and new husband. As cliché as it sounds, I truly feel my life is a modern day fairytale. The lyrics to Rascal Flatt’s “Bless the Broken Road ” pretty much sums it up for me. I’ve never felt more loved, cared for, and respected. Andy is amazing. He can finish my sentences before I even open my mouth to speak. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for me, my dogs, or my family. He’s everything I never knew I always wanted.

2. Friends, Family & Dogs – I have been blessed with wonderful friends and family, both old and new, near and far. And, of course my boys Max, Putter & Tiger are included as family; ornery but loveable, they are my babies.

3. Home – Andy & I have been fortunate enough to buy a beautiful home that we absolutely adore. Having a house that you enjoy coming home to after a long day really makes life so much nicer.

Notice the shiny new last name!

4. Job – It has its ups and downs but I appreciate having a steady paycheck during such an unstable time in the economy; I have everything I need, a good majority of anything I want, and the ability to give to those less fortunate. Plus, it’s nice to have an employer that provides the flexibility and a good portion of the funds to get my MBA and even study abroad!

5. My Workshop – Maybe something silly to mention, but it’s my very own creative space with LOTS of fun (and expensive) tools, equipment, and supplies. This space allows me to make and do things for fun and every once in awhile for profit. J

6. Internet – Hello my name is Laura and I am an Internet Junkie. Seriously, I really am. I go crazy when I don’t have immediate online access. It is a lifeline to me. I know that may sound silly to some, but consider for a moment how intertwined it is with all the abovementioned things I am thankful for…without the internet I would have never met Andy (thank you match.com yep, believe it or not!), or be able to meet new friends online & keep in touch so easily with other friends and family via e-mail and keep them updated through this blog, we may not have found our dream home (thank you qcfsbo.com), I couldn’t perform in depth research for my job, or find and share great ideas or inspiration, or get supplies to run my small business, etc. while working in my awesome workshop. Makes perfect sense now, doesn’t it?!

Now, I would like to pass the award along to:

1. Laurie at Tip Junkie – Laurie has a couple wonderful sites geared towards creative women; I check Tip Junkie almost daily for great ideas and inspiration. She’s addicting…don’t say I didn’t warn you!

2. Stephanie at Crockpot365 – This girl is amazing! I can’t think of anything I could do for 365 days straight (but it sounds like an interesting project!) I’ve found lots of great crockpot recipes on her site.

3. Angie at Visions of Nothing – My friend Angie is a wonderful up and coming photographer in the Colorado area. She flew back to do some photography for our wedding and I can’t wait to see the photos! (She promised me by the end of next week so stay tuned; you know I’ll be sharing with the world!) Angie is a busy girl these days and hasn’t had as much time to blog, but I think she still deserves to be on my list. J

4. Amber at The Sweeneys – Amber is also a newlywed that I blog-stalked while she was blogging on Trip to the Altar. She had some great wedding ideas, also used black & pink in her wedding, and I am still jealous that I never stole her idea and bought my own wedding Chuck Taylors. J Amber is going to be a mommy again next year and I enjoy reading her posts on her new blog.

5. Laura at Sparkly to Single – I haven’t been keeping up with Laura ’s blog much lately (school REALLY cuts into my internet time!) but I enjoy catching up with I can. I am in awe of Laura ’s strength and independence…her profile states, “I got engaged at 26 and spent a year planning my wedding, but then my fiance and I split up before tying the knot. A month later, I got laid off, and decided that my newly single and unemployed state was the perfect excuse for a trip abroad. I spent three months traveling solo through Europe and figuring out what I wanted to do when I got home. Now back home in Vancouver , I’m building the life I want for myself from the ground up.” WOW. And I thought I was Miss Independent!

6. Cindy at Skip to my Lou – Another creative soul that encourages her readers to Craft, Create, & Celebrate. Cindy shares lots of crafty ideas and yummy recipes!