100th Post and a Tribute to Some of My Favorite Blogs…

So… I can’t believe this is my 100th post!  It seems like just yesterday, I was beginning this blog.  I remember when I started it, I was blogging in secret.  I didn’t even tell my husband at first.  Now, it has certainly evolved over time.  I was thinking about what to write for my 100th post.  I had a couple of lame ideas… like a list of 100 of my favorite foods (Blah!).  But in the end, I decided the best thing to do would be to pay tribute to some of the people who have inspired me along my journey!
First, I need to talk about the first time I ever even heard of Blogs.  I was at a seminar in 2003 for teachers when Kathleen Yancy, professional author and professor at Clemson University, mentioned them.  They sounded interesting!  The next week, I was busy setting up my very first blog for my students.  Take a peek by clicking here!  I just couldn’t delete this first blog.  Sometimes I see my former students and they say, “Hey remember when we used to do that blog thing?”  And then I tell them, “Hey, that ‘blog thing’ is still online!”  They like to go back and look at what they wrote as a seventh grader.  These students are actually out of high school now and in the working world!  I kept a blog every year with each of my classes after that.  One year I let the students set up THEIR own blogs!
Now I want to talk about some fellow bloggers.  Before I mention a few special blogs, I want to say that I read a ridiculous amount of blogs every day.  Google Reader has made it possible for me to regularly keep up with about 30 blogs in just about 20 minutes a day. 
My friend Jenn (who was actually my roommate in college and my partner in crime for many years) has been keeping blogs about as long as I have.  Cool story… when she was pregnant with her son, Sam, she started a secret blog for him.  Then when he was born, she revealed it to everyone.  I always thought that was so cool.  Now she has a very eclectic blog: re{de}fining.  She writes about everything under the sun: cooking, her children, religion, politics… it’s funny, serious, moving, and inspirational.  Check it out.
My sorority sister, Diana, also keeps an amazing blog called The Chic Life.  Her blog has been a huge inspiration to me.  Diana puts together amazing recipes with even more amazing photos.  You’ve seen me mention some of them here, like Cookie Dough Balls.
 

This week, she has written about brussels sprouts and for the first time, I want to cook them… she made them look so easy and tasty!
Lauren Zabaneh writes Foodie House.  Lauren was my very first follower, so of course I will always remember her.  Her blog is inspiring and hilarious.  Lauren is very real.  She is a mom who tells it like it is.  She will make you laugh at her stories about realizing her pants were on backwards or about poop disasters (with her kids).  But she also posts creative recipes.  I was hoping she would win Project Food Blog!
And one more…
Lisa Orgler writes The Lunch Box Project.  People, this is one of the most creative blogs I have ever seen.  Lisa loves to cook, but she’s an amazing illustrator.  She draws illustrations of her foods and posts them on her blog.  And all the illustrations are done on the back of playing cards!  She inspired me to make Joy Cupcakes. 

And she is doing a cool cupcake illustrations (from other blogger recipes) all through December.  If you love cupcakes, you have to check it out.  You can even submit one of your own recipes!
There are so many more of you who inspire me every day!  And I have to say thanks to all of you who read my blog and give me such nice compliments on it!  It’s been a fun journey and I have learned so much about photography and food and all kinds of other things!

Cheers!  Here’s to another 100 posts!
Liz