"Best Of"

Dear Readers:
I have been, for the past three days, in South Bend, Indiana, where we closed on our home and began the minor work that needs to be done. John and his parents (bless them for helping us) are still there, working up a storm, painting themselves into a frenzy, and fixing all those tiny little problems that can blossom into full-blown disasters if left to themselves. (Just ask Shelly).

Because my camera is in parts unknown, preparing to be packed with the rest of this apartment, I am going to do something a little different today. I have read so many fabulous posts from those in my links lately that I wanted to share them with the rest of my enormous readership. Friends in Toledo don't know friends from Monticello (now in Hawaii or Alaska!), but I know, if you did, that you would all love each other. So here's your chance.

*Brittani recently met up with TV's real Andy Baldwin, of Bachelor fame. I didn't ever see him on the show, but the pictures are pretty darn impressive.
*Michelle wrote a hysterical report of the perils of babysitting two-year olds.
*Lindsay's pictures of Sam with a huge bruise, but contentedly sucking his thumb made my heart both happy and sad. He is really one of my favorites in nursery. I love how he has to get that thumb fix in between songs.
* Renae and Avery are both home! I was trying to find a post where you all could see pictures of Avery, since she is a gorgeous baby, but you will just have to find those for yourselves.
*Lyndsay and Erik write the funniest blog ever. I think every post of theirs is a highlight, so I can't pick just one, even of the recent ones, although I think Erik's description of the aforementioned "Bachelor" Andy Baldwin is a real winner.
*Jill and Glen are having a girl. Matthew is so cute that I'm not sure they should have strayed from a winning formula, but I'm always happy for people to have girls.
*Rindi's post about chasing down a mouse and shooing it out the door with an elaborate system designed by her and Greg made me laugh so hard I nearly. . . well, you know, with a weak pregnant bladder.
*Jake took some fantastic pictures of Jenny and lovely Baby Madison at the 577 foundation. (Don't you think they could come up with a better name for that?)
*April is taking a blogging break, but you should see this cake she made for her son's "Lava Girl and Shark Boy" (Is that right?) birthday party. So awesome.
*Keriann braved the den of iniquity :) that is HALO night and survived. Pretty darn impressive.
*Aimee and Justin have finished residency and will be moving into a gorgeous house in Idaho. I'm so happy for them! She also has an impressive stock of moving boxes stored up. (I wish I could figure out how to link directly to the posts.)
*Julie, besides being the home decorating and vinyl lettering genius that she is, has also shown her gardening skills. If you want to plant more flowers, Julie, and you don't mind a two-hour drive, my house needs your help.
*Shelly wrote a post on spring--I love Spring!!--and included our recent geocaching expedition which nearly ended in disaster. The pictures don't do justice to Jordan's crash. She literally headbutted the pavement from standing on a retaining wall. I thought she'd cracked her skull. However, that girl is tough as nails. Mimi got a little scrape in the same incident, and was crying a sniffling long after Jordan had recovered.
*Leisy organized a ward dance for last night (is there anything you can't do, Leisy), and I hear it was a roaring success. She is also, by far, the most regular poster of any of the blogs I read. Her post on Dumbledore (couldn't find it) was the epicenter of the controversy here in Toledo.
*Beth shows duplicate pictures of Kiersten and tries to pretend that she is also showing pictures of Baby Audrey. This I simply cannot believe. (Toledo is so lucky to get you back, Beth!)
*Marc describes Tanner's creative application of Calvin's transmogrifiers. And in the picture, Sarah peeks out of a box, which is cute enough for comment. (Plus, go back one post, and get a load of their new house!! Gorgeous and WELL-deserved, Kenna!)
*Kate's dog has a new haircut, and he looks very ashamed of his baldness. However, the cuteness of the kids more than makes up for it.
*Candace (along with many others) documents the deal of the century that I missed by leaving for just a couple days---$0.23 pizza at Papa John's!! $0.23!!!! And there's Jack, another nursery favorite. (It sounds like they are all my favorites, doesn't it?)
*What!!?!! Cynthia is pregnant? Man, I miss everything!
*Katie writes about a crazy peanut-allergy experience with her daughter, Rachel, complete with pictures. Poor kid!
*Trisdan now has only two days to go before she can expel her parasite. Good luck with that, Tris!
*Mags documents two minutes from a mother's life. More true than I wish. She also (two posts earlier) write the sweetest ode for her sister's birthday. I love those Boyle girls!
*Kellie is starting up just what we are leaving off. Her husband, Scott, has been accepted to medical school, and they are leaving Hawaii--beautiful Hawaii--for Maryland, where I know for a fact that the weather is not as good. Good luck, Kell!
*Amy and her cute girls went to the Kentucky Derby, in all their dresses and enormous hats glory. Or something close to it!
*Chris and Krista have the second cutest pair of Wells kids in the world.
*Katie (my cousin) names her electronic devices after deceased ancestors? What is that, Kathleen? And this post, documenting her mother's texts is so funny, especially if you know Aunt Rachel.

And there you go, an update on practically everyone I know, except those darn private blogs. :) How fun is it to get to share in so much happy news?!