Friday, April 1, 2011

A my name is Anna and I come from Alabama

...and I sell apples.

Actually none of that is true. I stumbled across an April blog challenge while reading Sheila's blog yesterday and thought, why not? The challenge starts today so I'm not quite at the top of my game but since I added my link I guess I'm in. For the record, I don't think I've ever been at the top of my game...still sort of waiting for that to happen.

The challenge is called A-Z and the idea is to post every day (except Sundays) during the month of April. This means participants will write 26 posts and those posts can be on any topic. Or no topic as is often the case here but, there is one catch...remember the challenge title? A letter a day-that's the catch.

Since I am the queen of random I initially thought I'd just carry on with my usual nonsense and work the letter in somehow. The more I've thought about it though the more I've decided I need a theme. I love to travel and I've moved umpteen times and I enjoy taking pictures even if I'm not very good at it so here's my plan-I'm going to choose a photo from our very large and still mostly unorganized collection and blog about it. Something about the photo's location will meet the letter of the day requirement. It's still pretty random but I have a jumping off point which helps. Since there's no time like the present, here we go~

A is for Annapolis
circa 2000


This picture says everything I feel when I think about the years we spent living in Maryland. My girls were 4 and 6 when we moved to the Annapolis area and 13 and 15 when we left. They lived out their childhood beside the water and the pinks and purples of this sunset photo taken from the back of our boat makes my heart happy.

Annapolis was the decade of little girls in our house. Little girls who learned to roller blade and water ski, subtract and write cursive, play the violin, tickle the ivories, perform an arabesque and sing on a stage. Little girls who floated innocently into their tweens...who thought they knew what the teenage years held but were surprised by life and the twist it took, carrying them across another sea and into something new and unexpected and scary and wonderful.

The years we spent in Annapolis were happy years, crammed with music and memory...dance and dreams...growing up and getting ready. I think each stage of life helps prepare us for the next. Annapolis is where we planted roots...it's also where we grew our wings.

If you'd like to join the party visit one of the host blogs for information, linking and button codes.

21 comments:

  1. I am doing something like this today. its alittle different from yours. Beautiful family picture.

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  2. WOW what a challenge - you go girl! love the photo of you and your family. Remembering is fun.

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  3. Wow...I'm so excited to follow along as your write from A-Z!! What a beautiful family...you were looking good...just like that picture your husband carries in his wallet but with shorter hair!!

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  4. Love the picture wow it's beautiful! Such a cool challenge almost 1000 bloggers doing it. Hope your weekend is dryer and snow free!

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  5. With all your fun adventures, this is going to be a fun theme.

    What a beautiful photo - it deserves all the happy memories attached to it.

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  6. Hello, fellow transplanted Jersey girl/woman.

    Beautiful picture! We've moved around/traveled a lot too, but I'm not sure if we could fill a whole alphabet. Look forward to seeing/reading more.

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  7. Returning the favour and stopping by from the challenge! Plus, I'm follower 200 for you! I love hitting and helping to hit milestones!

    Grace & Peace

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  8. I've been to Annapolis a few times. Lovely place. Fond memories are the best memories.

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  9. Awesome picture, it's really pretty. I'm doing the challenge as well, but..lol..mine will be pretty willy-nilly. I can never stay organized! Nice first post!

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  10. Beautiful post; I love the path memories can take us on! Such wonderful journeys back wards to those times of magic! Nice to meet you~

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  11. would love to do this, but we'll be gone for about ten days on our anniversary trip and i probably won't be on the computer much. look forward to reading your posts though!

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  12. I love your family photo idea for this challenge. The one you picked for A is beautiful. What a great memory. :) Happy A-Z!

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  13. Welcome to the A to Z Challenge! Really looking forward to reading your posts.

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  14. Great beginning; only 25 more to go. All the best to you!

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  15. Looks fun. I look forward to reading you every day.

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  16. You really have a great looking family! Nothing better than wonderful family memories!

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  17. Talked me into it and I've just signed up!! I'm # 1059 :-O

    I think I'll start now thinking of something for X and Z!!

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  18. The queen of random, eh? Clearly this is a blog up my alley. lol

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  19. This post makes me somewhat nostalgic as we are planning a move-- empty nest, leaving home of 20 years, wondering what will the future hold?

    KarenG

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  20. Ah so you were one of the latest to push the numbers over 1000+. Lots of As here. I followed your blog while I was here.

    Denise<3

    L'Aussie Travel Blog A - Z Challenge

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  21. We got to visit Annapolis either two or three years ago. Time flies. I, too, am so random in subject matter on my blog, but also started this challenge. Such a good idea.

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