Gotta love those bloggers...

The SPT challenge this month is to highlight one thing per week that you have been inspired to do "because of a blogger." maybe it is a blogger you know (an old friend, a neighbor). maybe it is a blogger who is on your RSS feed. or maybe your creativity was sparked by a "drive-by" - a link to a link to a link. (wherever you found your inspiration, please try to give a nod to the appropriate blogger.)
Lelly has broken the month into 5 "categories."

tuesday, september 2 home decor/tabletop
tuesday, september 9 entertaining/parties
tuesday, september 16 arts and crafts
tuesday, september 23 in the kitchen
tuesday, september 30 personal growth

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What a fun SPT! Y'all know how much I love my fellow bloggers. This is a great way to highlight some of the ways that others have helped to improve my life.
I have to admit that I feel a little inept to do this challenge because I have no idea how to post links with the cute little 'click here' and whatnot so I'll have to simply post the entire blog address when referring to those I love. Perhaps someday a fellow blogger will teach me how to properly post a link as well (hint, hint).

Now on to my post. While reading over the subjects in this challenge I continually had the same blog come to mind: nie nie dialogues ~ nie nie dialogues~ nie nie dialogues!
She has inspired me in all of these areas and so many more. I love her. But because there are also many others who have inspired me, I'll try to refer to them throughout the month as well.
For today's challenge though, home decor/ tabletop, it is nie nie all the way at: http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

I could go on and on and on about her decor and cute tabletops. Reading her blog gives me warm fuzzies. It reminds me of the days when I used to do cute, crafty, creative things all of the time. I showed Rick her blog and said, "do you remember when I used to do things like this?" He said yes and then asked what had happened to me. Why I had stopped. I couldn't answer that, but I do know that I miss it~ a lot.
Not only has nie nie's blog inspired me to get back to my authentic self, but it has also given me the desire to strive for domestic greatness.

As I mentioned before, she has some amazing tabletops pictured on her blog, but the pictures that really got me thinking were those of her yummy treats displayed beautifully on cute cake plates. I'm telling you I am itching for a collection of cake plates now! Her attention to detail reminds me that there is an art to homemaking. An art that I want so badly to perfect.

While thinking of how this attention to detail can show our families how much we love them I was reminded of how when my older children were little we had a fun fish shaped bowl that I would fill with a snack each day after school. The kids would get home and run to see what was in the fishy bowl. It was a cute little tradition and one that they still think of with fondness. Nie nie's blog helped me to remember this and it inspired me to start doing it again.

Because the fishy bowl has gone on to fish bowl heaven, I decided to take nie nie's so cute idea and have the kids' after school snack waiting for them on a covered cake plate. I also made a welcome home sign because I love it when my kids come home from school and I wanted them to know that.

My younger girls got home first and they were so excited to see the table. It was a fun surprise and a perfect time to sit and visit about their day.

When my older girls got home they were as equally pleased and Paige said, "Mom you are really getting good at organizing and stuff."

Isn't that what life is about? Improving, growing, getting better everyday?

Thank you fellow bloggers for helping me along this road of growth and change.

And thank you nie nie for your great example of womanhood. My prayers are continually with you and your dear Mr. Nielson. May you both recover soon.