No Tricks, Just Treats!

WOW! In just a little over two weeks now, it will be that big event, second only to Christmas, for candies and other goodies little kids - and lots of big ones too - look forward to.

Halloween! Who doesn't love the fun of this day - getting dressed up in a costume, going to homes of friends and neighbors and "begging" for treats of candies and sweets; trying to be our scariest character ever at times too to shoo the ghosts and ghoulies all away.

This year, Halloween will be just a bit more special here at our house because if all goes well, this will be the first year little Princess Maya will be able to go "trick or treating." It will also be a switch for me over the past two years because I will be home and hopefully, healthy for this event. Two years ago on Halloween, I was just coming out of recovery from surgery on my abdominal tract - done down at one of the large hospitals in Pittsburgh. Both my daughters were there with me at that time too, so Maya had no one to take her out "trick or treating" and last year, I'd just come home from yet another visit to a Pittsburgh hospital, having had more surgery the week before Halloween, so I wasn't really up to par to greeting the trick or treaters and that made it so no one was really able then to man the home fort and still take Maya out for her first experience of this fun day. She was able to go to three, maybe four homes - neighbors close to us. Here's a picture of Maya, all dressed up last year, ready to roll.

She's all excited this year to think she will be able to go out and gather up lots and lots of treats. Because she is really engrossed in the Princess dolls - anything Cinderella or Snow White or Belle from Beauty and the Beast - as well as the Bratz dolls or just plain Barbie anything really makes her happy, very excited. So Mandy hunted all over trying to find her a princess costume but the closest she could come was to find a genie type costume. Sorry, no pictures yet available of that one but I'm sure we'll get some of her all dressed up for her big day - or night -along with her little brother decked out in his little green dragon outfit too.

And, can you believe this but I received a gift too just in time for this big event - a really nifty "sweet treat" blogger award from not just one fellow blogger but from two! I'm impressed.

Bloggers Theresa and also Hootin' Anni, both passed this special TREAT on to me today.

The stipulations of this award are that you pass it on to a fellow new blogger that was a TREAT to discover. And, my goodness, there are just so many folks that have been an absolute joy for me to "discover" in my blog travels. I'm going to try to pass this TREAT on every day between now and Halloween.

So tonight, here's who get a TREAT award from me - to share as they see fit with others between now and Halloween.

A fairly new addition to my favorites list is this lady up in Minnesota with her Random Thoughts - Minnesota Blue. Stop by and say hello to her, get acquainted a bit. I'm quite sure she'll welcome you with open arms, make you comfy while you read.

Next TREAT goes to another really new blogger to my humble online abode. This lady though has not one, but TWO blogs - one, she shares with another lady information about crochet, crafts, yarns and such - a blog after MY heart for sure because I too have oodles of containers of yarns - and fabrics too - just waiting for me to get some spare time and dig into. The other blog is about her life, her family and something she and I share there too -learning all we can about autism and how to best help those around us, those we love dearly, with this disorder. So please, check out Snoop Murph at either of these to places - here, for her crafts and here for her work and family. I know there are lots and lots of folks in the blogosphere who also have a deep understanding of autism -several who are among my favorite bloggers here too and who can share plenty of blogger love and caring for her and her son as they embark on a whole new adventure of learning and the excitement that comes from seeing the accomplishments shine through too.

My third TREAT tonight goes to Terry, of Terry's Playpen, with a big thank you and wishes for lots and lots of treats to come to him for all his help this past week in making the changes to my blog's appearance - from the beautiful banner at the top - to the nice, clean and crisp look to my sidebar. Great job, Terry!

And, finally tonight, I'd like to present a big TREAT to Walks For Woman and her blog, Kissing the Dogwood. Be sure to check out her post for today Believe in Yourself which is so beautiful, so poignant and also, so true. Don't believe me? You'll just have to go there and read it - see the picture and understand for yourself, the truth in my advice there. You won't regret it!

So there's my first four TREATS - more to come in days ahead to remind every one of all the great blogs out there, just waiting for each of us to stop by and visit, share a cup of coffee or tea and a sweet treat!