Friday, October 22, 2010

A Great Idea!

Thanks to all of you who have weighed in on the poll so far. (The poll can be found in the right column, just below the BlogHer ad.) It’s been so much fun seeing your responses.

I got a great suggestion today from a reader from England named Leece; she asked if I would ask where everyone is from. Since that’s sort of hard to do with the usual types of polls I post, why don’t we instead just have everyone just go to the comment area and give your city and state (if in the United States) or your region/country if outside the U.S.

There could be a Smithellaneous reader living within a few miles of you. You just never know!

So if you’d take a minute or two to leave your info, I’ll compile it all in a week or so and we’ll see which states (and countries) have the most readers.

(And by the way, when you leave a comment, I have it set up so that you don’t have to have an official account. Just write your comment in the box and then choose the “anonymous” option from the selections below. Although if you’d like to put your name at the end of your comment, that would be lovely, too!)

And one more thing. Since I’m always braggin’ about my little city, if you have an extra minute or two, go ahead and leave a little comment about what you like best about the place where you live. (Or maybe there are five or six things you like best—let’s hear them all!) This is your chance to be a Goodwill Ambassador!

And since a post just isn’t quite complete without a picture or two, here ya go.

I ran across a couple older pictures of Steve and me; this is from about 2003.

2004 A Feb 005

This is a couple years ago.

IMG_6276-Edit

And this one?

Well, this one has been included so that you can see our family at its absolute finest. Don’t you just love it?

Family Shots for Newsletter 002

182 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Anonymous said...

Postcard Cindy from Sonoma, CA. What I like best about Sonoma is the small town feel and great neighbors. What I like the least is the need to travel 1/2 hour to get to decent shopping.

Anonymous said...

Stefanie in St. Louis, Missouri.

I love the availability of FREE things to do here: St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Science Center, Missouri History Museum, Museum of Westward Expansion (under the Arch), the Zoo, Grant's Farm...

It's centrally located - easy to get to anywhere from here. :)

Anonymous said...

Becky from West Monroe Louisiana. Love your blog!

Anonymous said...

Cair from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. What I love about where I live is that it's a beautiful, diverse, community. All kinds of people families live here. The diversity spreads to restaurants - a world of choices, unless of course you want McD's - there isn't one here in our city of 50,000 people. And Arts. We are blessed with incredible arts opportunities. And our schools, they are a secret gem.

Amanda J said...

I'm out in Avondale, Ariz. (In the Phoenix area)

Best part about it? Well..it certainly wouldn't be the summer heat. Heh. I like the fact that we have all the major sports teams here, since I enjoy going to games on occasion.

Anonymous said...

Martha from Belle Vernon, PA (about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh)

GO STEELERS!

MaryH said...

Mary H from Webster Groves (St. Louis), Missouri -

I love Webster (and Kirkwood-which are arch rivals in a sports, especially football and have the oldest high school rivalry west of the Mississippi and that is played out every year on Thanksgiving Day at the Turkey Day Game - great fun, great spirit - Go Pioneers). Webster is like a small town - my daughter compares our neighborhood to Sesame Street (she is 27!). I echo Stefanie's message here in the guestbook as to all the great things St. Louis has to offer - including good sports teams - the only thing lacking in my neck of the woods (the Midwest) is an OCEAN and BEACH! I so miss the shore. Guess I will just have to travel to enjoy those. Thanks, Becky, this is fun.

Anonymous said...

Mona from Brookings, SD.
What I like best is that most of my family is still in the area, low crime rate and beautiful spring, summer and fall. I won't even try to tell you my feelings about winter! (snow is in next weeks forecast) :-(
Brookings also recently opened "Children's museum of South Dakota" which has a full size dino - only in the U.S. - check it out! www.prairieplay.org

Anonymous said...

Representing Trumbull, Connecticut!!- Jackie

(I like almost everything about Trumbull. Close enough to the big cities, small enough that we still bake home made pies to welcome new neighbors!)

Anonymous said...

Jennifer from Wenatchee, Washington. Most of the fruit that arrives in the grocery store is grown here. :)

I grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. Only five minutes from Washington, D.C.!

Anonymous said...

Jennifer from Wenatchee - I was born in Falls Church. :)

(Stefanie in St. Louis)

Anonymous said...

York, Pennsylvania

Anonymous said...

Duh - well actually, I was born in DC, but lived the first few months of my life in Falls Church, on Cofer Road. :)

(Stefanie-the-ditz in St. Louis)

Anonymous said...

Racine, WI

I love that I have the best of both worlds here, close enough to Milwaukee & Chicago if I want to spend time in the city, a couple miles from the beaches of Lake Michigan and enough farm fields around to seem pretty rural around here!

The Valdez Family said...

We live in castle pines, colorado. Love your blog.

Anonymous said...

Bismarck, North Dakota
I like the low crime rates - the variety of seasons and the friendliness of the people.

Heidi

Anonymous said...

Deann from Brewster, MN.
I love the small town we live near because everyone knows everyone and is willing to help each other out.

lesley said...

Lesley from Cape Cod, MA.

What I love is it is somewhat removed from the mainstream. we are over a bridge and surrounded by water, much like Becky's town. Lots of vacationers here in the summer, and tourists.

I grew up 6 years, in McLean, VA, not far from DC or Falls Church :)

Anonymous said...

Traci from Mt. Pleasant, PA. (about 45 min southeast of Pittsburgh).

I love the beautiful countryside in this area, especially this time of year.

Anonymous said...

Tammy in Clayton, North Carolina!
What I love most is that I am but a short drive from both the beach and the mountains!

Anonymous said...

Laura from Sterling, CO. Population 13,000 that includes our 2,500 inmates in our Maximum Security Prison. We have a small museum, and we are about 2 hrs from Denver, out on the plains of NE Colorado. Have lived here all 33 years of my life, and am having a great time raising our son here. I can get to the grocery store to get milk in 5 minutes, I love that. We aren't in the mountains, no skiing here, but we aren't far from the Mountain Resorts, but we don't ski. Hot in the summer, cold in the winter.

Anonymous said...

LeeAnne in Hastings, Nebraska

I love that our town is small (pop.about 25,000) and friendly. You always run into someone you know and it's clean and realtively crime free. I least like that it's 400 miles from my parents and brother in Denver, CO. Also dislike that we really dont have any decent shopping and must go to Grand Island or even Lincoln for that. But hey! Its just a quick 100 mile drive to see both of my grown kids in Lincoln and that's awesome! Yay!! (Going tomorrow in fact!)

SuziQCat said...

Durham, North Carolina

I love my town because I am so close to several great Universities, including a phenomenal Vet School.

Anonymous said...

Jan from Toledo, Ohio, home of Danny Thomas, Jamie Farr, the Mudhens . . .

Anonymous said...

Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Mel

Anonymous said...

Seattle, WA - I live in the Pacific Northwest, what's not to love?

Anonymous said...

Williamsburg, VA

Anonymous said...

Awesome Stefanie,

I grew up on Hillwood Avenue. I moved out west after I got married a year and a half ago. :)

Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Beth, Gardena, California

Southern California has the best weather in the country!

Anonymous said...

Denmark,
What I like best about Denmark are our pretty castles ^^

Trine

Anonymous said...

I have been reading forever. Your family is such an inspiration.
Decatur, Illinois

Anonymous said...

Richmond, Virginia

What's there not to love about living here? Hour one way you are at the ocean, hour the other way you are in the mountains. History galore with Monticello and Historic Williamsburg - I love my state :)

Cindy

simplykristi said...

I live in Blue Springs, MO, which is a suburb of Kansas City.

Anonymous said...

Anne from Abbotsford, BC Canada

I am about an hour outside of Vancouver into the Fraser Valley. A really beautiful place to live with great access to Vancouver and the beaches.

They call Abbotsford the City in the Country and we are!

Anonymous said...

Box Elder South Dakota and we are right next to Ellsworth AFB. The planes annoy newcomers to me they sound like freedom. I read almost everyday and enjoy the recipes and the rest of the blog.
Debra

Anonymous said...

Fargo, North Dakota

Pros - Stable economy, slower pace of life, great schools, beautiful lakes (across the river in MN), family friendly, low crime rates

Cons - Too long of winters and too short of summers. Too far from the ocean. Too far from great attractions (Mpls is 3.5 hours away) - i hate driving so its too far!

Rachel

Anonymous said...

Hi Decatur, IL;

Palatine, IL here (though NOWHERE near each other)? At least 4 hours I beleive?

I actually think I am closer to Madison, WI so hello to you too.

Anonymous said...

I live in Lincoln NE its a wonderful city. clean safe and easy to get around . we have a lot of really nice parks, several colleges and of course theUniversity of NEbraska foot ball team. GO HUSKERS!!!

Sharon

Anonymous said...

Lori from Woodinville (Seattle), WA

Margie said...

Margie from Winter Springs FL. I love our weather & the fact that we're about an hour away from the beach & tourist attractions if we want them.

Anonymous said...

I'm Angie...from Newnan, GA. I've been a follower for several years and love reading your blog. What I love about Newnan is it's just close enough to Atlanta, but not too close!! I can be at the airport in 15 minutes...or downtown in about 20-25 depending on traffic. That gives us plenty of things to do (Brave's games, the zoo, GA Aquarium, etc.) without having to be right in the city. :)

Melissa Kenendy said...

Hey I am Melissa Kennedy from Potters Hill, North Carolina. Very small town where we all know each other. No stop lights. Just one store and one diner. Love reading the post on both sites. Have a great week.

Debbie said...

Debbie from Dayton, Ohio.

Anonymous said...

Linda in Lapeer, MI. Love the rural setting yet close enough to good shopping.

Anonymous said...

Kelly and Sarah Joy from Falls Church, VA!

Jennifer and Stefanie covered all the reasons why it's so great already!

Pam, Kaden and Skyler said...

Independence,Mo

Anonymous said...

Kaye Joyce
Mount Airy, NC

Aka: Mayberry, birthplace of Andy Griffith.

Anonymous said...

Charlotte, NC
In between the mountains and the coast.

Debbie

Anonymous said...

To Angie from Newnan, GA,

My name is Traci and I grew up in Newnan!! I live in Mt. Pleasant, PA now, but I try to make it back as often as I can. My family still lives there (Mapps and Duncans).

I agree that Newnan is nice in that you can get to Atlanta in no time. And all the shopping and restaurants that have popped up in the past few years are great.

bearie1 said...

Lynnwood, WA. North of Seattle. Like someone already said, I live in the Pacific Northwest. What's not to love. Elaine

Anonymous said...

Hi! This is Winter from from Groves, Texas!!

Karo said...

I'm in Burnsville, NC. I'm a mountain girl and live within a few minutes of the Blue Ridge Parkway and fairly close to Mt. Mitchell state park (highest peak east of the Mississippi). One of the best things about where I live, aside from the beautiful mountain views, is the perfect swimming hole that's about 5 minutes from my front door. ;)I also spend a good deal of my time in Asheville for work (I remember you and Sarah came out a while back, right?)

Anonymous said...

Greenville SC

Love living on the East Coast. Greenville is far enough inland that I can take a mini vac. or quick drive up to Gatlinburg TN(3 hrs)and enjoy the mountains as well close enough to the beach, Myrtle of course(4 1/2hrs)to take my yearly vacations.

Dana H.

Anonymous said...

Jen from Schenectady, NY (Just north of Albany) Prnounced Skin-Neck-Ta-Dee.

Not much to do here at all actually. What I do like best of all here is the change of seasons. Pretty leaves! Although, sometimes the change can be a bit abrupt. Like this morning, when it snowed. and my sprinkler system was still going, on the front lawn. Oops?

Jen

Sheri Hawley said...

This is Sheri Hawley checking in from Winter Haven, FL. (Hey,isn't that first picture of you and Steve from when we met up at a restaurant with the Hollis Family?) I love WH because of our church family and because of the fabulous winter weather!

Anonymous said...

Christina from Milford, CT. Born & raised-for the most part. It's just home.

Anonymous said...

Saline, MI. Just south of Ann Arbor.

Saline is a small town of about 8500 people that's right next to the city of Ann Arbor. You get all the benefits of small-town living, with all the amenities of the big city nearby. Perfect!

Anonymous said...

I live in Coralville, Iowa. I love living close to a mall, grocery store,and a variety of restaurants. Also, I love the fact that I live very close to the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. -Richelle

Krista Labrensz said...

I currently live in Bismarck, ND. I just moved from BOise, ID 5 months ago, tho.

I like the variety of restaurants that are in Bismarck. For a smaller place, there sure are a lot!

Krista

Anonymous said...

Donna from Newark, Delaware. I like living here because it is not too far from the beach, Philly, Baltimore, and the University of Delaware. Also, I live a few miles from a homemade ice cream farm. Yum!

Melissa said...

Chiming in from Sebring, FL. Not much to do in Sebring itself, but we're only about an hour and a half from Orlando and all the theme parks, and only a couple hours away from the beaches. And, of great interest to Becky, we're only about 45 minutes from Lakeland!

Anonymous said...

Auburn, Alabama

It is a beautiful town that is great to raise a family.

Anonymous said...

Kim from Kingston TN

Go Vols!

Anonymous said...

I live in Harrah Oklahoma. I like it because its a small town and it is close to Okc.

Anonymous said...

Kellie from Tyler, Texas.
(aprox 100 miles East of Dallas)

Anonymous said...

I live on a farm in between the towns Ash Grove and Everton, Mo. We are 30 miles west of Springfield, MO. The farm that we live on was homestead by my husband great grandfather. Our farm is a Century Farm because someone in the family has owned it for over 100 years. John's (husband) Great grandfather built the house that we live in 108 yr ago. I have lived there for almost 43 years. I enjoy you blog. Becky

Anonymous said...

Tallahassee, FL

I enjoy being near Florida State University as my son is going there and my daughter probably will! I enjoy being near beaches and 4 hours from Disney! The weather is pretty decent too, though quite humid in the summer. Jill-FL

Carrie B said...

Happy Valley, Oregon. In the burbs of Portland.
Seasons, Seasons, Seasons! We are 45 to 90 minutes shy of the mountains or the ocean or the dessert!

Anonymous said...

From Northwood , NH

Guerrina said...

Noank/Ledyard, CT - I love the smell of the ocean through all the seasons in the Village of Noank and that I had a relative on most "main" streets while growing up (kept me out of trouble!). We all knew each other. Sledding down the hill on Main St all the way to the river's edge, ice skating for hours and hours at our little park, early morning swims before tourists arrived, the smell of honeysuckle, boat fuel and blacktop while walking by the boater's gas dock. Now a little inland and surrounded by trees and few street lamps, the full moon casts shadows through the night and the smell of leaves & pine floats through the air. Life is good!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the black & white photo!

Anonymous said...

Actually, I was just going to leave a message for Steve, but I see that I need to tell you why I like living in
St. Louis, Missouri.

1st... Steve, I discovered a new popcorn that I think is delicious! Orville Redenbacher's Lime + Salt.

St. Louis has the #1 Zoo in the country.
I love the Muny (largest outdoor theatre in the country)... 7 weeks in the summer of musical shows.
Fantastic museums!
Top-notch hospitals!
Superb colleges, universities, elementary schools, high schools and one outstanding PRESCHOOL!!!!! ...or, maybe more.

Great libraries!
Beautiful Botanical Garden (150 years old)
Super-duper restaurants
Wonderful symphony
Award winning Opera Theatre
Lots of small theaters (plays/musicals)
Fun places for children to visit.

and we have a Dog Museum (Snowy, you can visit it free of charge with your family.) Google it.

Mrs. Pam

Anonymous said...

Freezing cold Ashlee from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Unknown said...

I am from Verona, WI...just outside of Madison.

Unknown said...

Patty from Auburn Massachusetts

I love the 4 seasons in beautiful New England...and the History and rich traditions! Also that we are only an hour from the ocean in either Mass, or Rhode Island, or New Hampshire or Maine!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I live in Ketchikan, Alaska ~ if you don't mind the rain, it is a wonderful place to live with killer whales playing in my front yard, cruise ships passing by with fun party music, and crystal-clear water and fresh air. L.

memawof2 said...

I'm from Jacksonville, FL Been here over 50 years. It's too hot here and there are no real *seasons* but I like being close to the beach.

Anonymous said...

Mindy Barker from Lithia, FL. We are just south of Tampa - love being close enough to Tampa without having to LIVE there!

Sue G said...

Gilbert, AZ, formerly NW suburbs of Chicago.

Chicago trumps AZ any day. Lots to do. Lots to see. Lots to be a part of. The biggest thing AZ has going for it is dust...not necessarily a bad thing in the winter when the windows are open because it's 85 degrees.

Anonymous said...

Laurie checking in from North Haledon NJ. Looks like I am the first NJ girl here! We are about 30 minutes from NYC and love that we are close enough to be there but not right in the city all the time. So interesting to see where everyone is from.

Meredith said...

i am from the frozen land of the North - St. Louis Park, Minnesota (a suburb of Minneapolis). Four beautiful seasons and lots of lakes!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim from Kingston, TN I work in Kingston, but live in Knoxville, Tn.
Isn't the weather beautiful this week? The fall colors are just perfect. Anna

Anonymous said...

Jan from Toledo, Ohio. Pros: hometown of Jamie Farr,Danny Thomas and the Toledo Mudhens. We have a world- class art museum and zoo. There is lots of "greenspace", thanks to our great metro-park system. Our town is small enough to navigate easily, yet large enough so that everybody doesn't know everybody's business.
Cons: Toledoans have a very negative self-image. Crime seems to have increased, due at least partly to the rotten economy. Our public school system is not as good as it could be.

Anne said...

Kingston, Ontario, Canada!
Just moved back here after 26 years! Love the historical buildings, proximity to water, the university town feel... and that a lot of folks I knew back when...never left :)

Anonymous said...

I am from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

I was born at what is now Wake Forest University/Baptist Hospital, where Sarah was treated, but they don't deliver babies there anymore. They only deliver them at Forsyth, but have a neonatal ICU at Baptist.

I like that Winston Salem isn't too large or too small.

Anonymous said...

Jen Parnham in London, Ontario, Canada.

becky m said...

I live in Amherst,ny aka buffalo,ny land of snow and buffalo wings to most. i like my lil suburb town because there are tons of places i can just walk to when it warm and a lot of nice things to do with the kids. as well as nice places not to far away like the falls and cleveland.

Anonymous said...

Omaha, Nebraska!

jenwales said...

Jennifer from Silver Spring, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. I love living here. There's so much diversity, history, and opportunity. I'm a city girl at heart and although I officially live in suburbia, my county has about a million people so I get the best of both worlds - a tiny bit of distance with all of the perks of urban living.

Anonymous said...

Gail, Brampton Ontario Canada

Dianna in Louisiana said...

Dianna in Gonzales, Louisiana. Let's see, the thing I like most about the town I live in is the fact that I'm really close to family. It's right smack dab in the middle of two major metropolitan areas, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. So, we get to enjoy the benefits of these two cities, while living in the suburbs. (Believe it or not, New Orleans has some really great things for Christian families to do, like a world class zoo, aquarium, museums, etc.)

Anonymous said...

Cara here from Washington Depot, CT. Thing I love most about where I live? It's quintessential small-town New England, where many families have been here since the colonial days. And being in the foothills of the Berkshires, we're having some excellent leaf-peeping right now! What I like least? The winter weather that's coming our way! (For those of you familiar with the tv show "The Gilmore Girls", their town of Stars Hollow was based on Washington Depot!)

Anonymous said...

Linda from Menomonee Falls WI....I love the summer months of WI, and am sure missing them now! Also like that I can be just about anywhere in the US by lunch time out of Milwaukee...there are benefits to being from the middle of the country!

Love your blog and your family!

Anonymous said...

Ajax, Ontario Canada

Anonymous said...

Shelly from New Hope, Minnesota (suburb of Minneapolis). We have the Mall of America and more than 10,000 lakes!

Anonymous said...

Whitney from Washington, DC.

I love all of the free museums in DC. The Smithsonian Institution is a wonderful asset. I also enjoy being surrounded by people from all over America and the world. It makes for very interesting conversations!

Anonymous said...

GS from Nova Scotia, Canada.

While spring is usually pretty awful here, the other three seasons are wonderful. I love being so close to the ocean and living in an area where every road has a picture post card view. I live in a small town (less than 6000 people) which I love for the sense of community and for the simplicity.

Anonymous said...

Orofino, Idaho - we have deer and wild turkeys in our backyard and not a stoplight in the entire county... AND there is a granite carving of the Ten Commandments right outside our courthouse!

Anonymous said...

Minneapolis, MN

Anonymous said...

I'm from Naples, FL and I love it because it's warm here. Moved here 21 years ago from MA.

Karen said...

Hammond, Indiana here, near Chicago

Anonymous said...

Melissa G-Tonawanda, NY aka Buffalo...the waterways here are amazing.

Anonymous said...

We are Washington state natives now living in Enterprise, AL. Love the small southern town we live in. And we're only about 90 miles from the Florida panhandle!!

Gayle

Lori said...

I am from near Pittsburgh, PA but will be moving to the Charlotte, NC area if our house ever sells. I know you are all too experienced with that problem, Becky!

I love that we are near or within driving distance of family and that we have a small town feel with big city things close by. I'm sure going to miss being near family once we move.

janice said...

Ft.Worth, Texas What I love about Ft.Worth is we the Texas Rangers just won the American Championship Series and are headed for the World Series for the first time

janice said...

Ft.Worth, Texas What I love about Ft.Worth is we the Texas Rangers just won the American Championship Series and are headed for the World Series for the first time

Anonymous said...

Western Massachusetts.. Beautiful in the fall.. Dreadful in the winter!

Ann Martin said...

I live in Roanoke Rapids, NC. We are not far from the "big" cities and have most everything in our area. Would like to have some competition for Walmart, though.

Stephanie said...

Stephanie from Washington, DC.

What I like most about my city is that it is the Nation's Capitol and President Barack Obama resides here.

Anonymous said...

Live in Marshall NC. A small town in Western NC. A beautiful small friendly town. I am in the mountains but yet can get to the coast in a day. I also love that we are so close to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, a true treasure.

Anonymous said...

Kristin from Peoria, AZ.

I was born and raised in AZ. I love it here! There is always something for everyone. Lots of sports events and outdoor activities. There is hiking, rock climbing, swimming for 9 months of the year, snowboarding/skiing, etc, etc. You can always find something to do. If the Phoenix area is too hot you can head up north and enjoy the high country
(7,000- 10,000 feet above sea level). Here is where you can enjoy the snow (lived up here for 4 years) and last winter Flagstaff was in the top five cities that received the most snow (five feet in just a few hours). It is absolutely beautiful up there in the middle of the forest, lots of cabins. You can enjoy snow or heat and all of the outdoor activities. You don't have to worry about it being too cold. If you are up north in AZ and craving heat, drive 2 hours south and you can warm right back up. The only thing missing is the ocean, but CA will break off eventually anyway ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Smith Family,
I'm Lauren from Newcastle, Australia.
I love it here because I attend a world class University, its famous for being the largest coal exporter in Australia (so you can watch the huge coal ships come in and out of the harbour), the beaches are amazing with great walking paths all along the coast (you can walk for hours with spectacular views!) - but also when there were floods in 2007 we had a 738 ft long bulk carrier ship become stranded on the beach (it was amazing to see and it took 24 days to refloat!). Throughout the year there are multiple festivals- and i think your favourite would be the coffee & chocolate festival!

Jackietex said...

I live in Cedar Park, Texas, a suburb of Austin.

I love where I live! I enjoy the feel of a small town but with the nearby benefits of a large, university town. We have lakes and the hill country. A nice mixture of old and new. And we don't have a real winter. I really like that my home, our kids' school, and my husband's office are all within a mile of each other.

Anonymous said...

Kim Cook
Concord NC. Faithful reader

Anonymous said...

Sharon from Selma, North Carolina
Live in the country but close enough to the small town feeling that I love.

Anonymous said...

I live in Texas!

Vickie

Anonymous said...

Becky from Manchester in England! Looks like I am the only person from UK so far

whiterecluse said...

I live in Mill Spring, NC, which is a tiny little township in Western NC. What I love about where I live is that it's so nice and spread out-- you don't have to be crowded up next to your neighbors so they can see everything you do. Plus we're in the foothills of the mountains, so the view is gorgeous! I work in Asheville, NC, which is also a beautiful place. I guess we have several WNC people here! :-)

Rachel said...

Rachel here :O) From Lexington, Kentucky. What I love about Lexington... well the two greatest things are Keeneland and of course the Kentucky Wildcats!

Anonymous said...

Sugar Land TX - Several times voted as one of the top 10 cities to live in in the US!

LizW said...

Liz from Northfield, MN. Beautiful small college (two of them) town close to the Twin Cities.

Anonymous said...

I live in Sioux Falls, SD. SD is a wonderful place to live with the change of seasons and the beautiful wide open spaces. Sometimes winter leaves a bit to be desired but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Anonymous said...

Debbie H. from Sacramento, CA.

Sacramento is a city that is spread out, but the downtown area has lots and lots of trees! Sacramento is a great place to live as it is about 2 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area and 2 hours the other way to beautiful Lake Tahoe!
Sacramento is a very diverse city -in fact, the high school that my older son attends was named the 2nd most diverse HS in country!
I have lived here for 20 years. I grew up in the Bay Area city of Cupertino, home of Apple Computer!

Anonymous said...

Your cousin Sandy from Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix)
What I love about AZ is 75 degrees in January.
What I don't like is no snow and sometimes 75 degree for Christmas.

Jenn said...

Oak Grove, MN.

Jan said...

Jan Reuther, living in Vancouver, WA, for the last three years. Before that I lived in Tonawanda, NY (Hi, Melissa G.!), grew up in NE New Jersey, looking out my bedroom window at the Empire State Building.

What I love about living here is that my grandson lives nearby, love the mountain views, my grandson lives nearby, love that there's a glass studio in Portland where I can learn and make new things, my grandson lives nearby, flowers and leaves on trees survive much longer than they do in Buffalo, my grandson lives nearby, local produce is amazing, my grandson lives nearby.

What I don't like is that my younger son lives in NYC, and I miss him and his bride horribly. Also miss my friends in NY. But...my grandson lives near here (did I mention that already?)

Anonymous said...

nancy in toronto, ontario, canada - love living in this city, tons to do, subways and bus lines run everywhere, all the seasons are represented, and, close to the border so that if i want to go shopping in the u.s., it's only about 1 1/2 hours to get there. anyone in u.k. wishing to have a pen-pal or someone to email, would love to correspond. :)

Anonymous said...

oops, forgot to put my email address: nancy (in toronto, ontario, canada) irving - bnirving@sympatico.ca

Anonymous said...

Christina in Toms River, NJ

Toms River is a nice place to live, been here all my life. 10 minutes to the ocean, less than an hour to Philadelphia, Atlantic City and just over an hour to NYC. The downside....10 minutes to where the awful "Jersey Shore" show is taped, bringing not so upstanding people to my beach. Not exactly the role models you want for your kids.

Anonymous said...

I am from Moorhead, Mn. I love the 4 seasons, and the hard working friendly people! And the hotdish!

Anonymous said...

Shawn in Manhattan, Ks known as The Little Apple.

Anonymous said...

Gail from Kingsport, TN Love,love, love the mountains and the people. Born and raised in this little town

Anonymous said...

Linda R. from Farmington, MO, which is about 70 miles south of St. Louis. I've lived in MO all of my life 'cept for 3 years in northern IL. We live close enough to our town of 15,000 to not be considered rural, but far enough out in the country to not have to worry about the city noises! We are also close enough to St. Louis to enjoy what is offered there, too! If you don't like the weather here in MO, just wait a while, it will change quickly! I love spring, summer and fall, but the older I get, the less I like the MO winter!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Becky,
I live in Oskaloosa, Iowa which is 60 miles south and east from Des Moines which is the captial. There are 11,000 people who live her. My husband and I own and operate a floor covering and gift store. We have 4 seasons and have the most beautiful fall colors right now, but the cold winter is right around the corner.
Hugs from Iowa,
Marjie

Anonymous said...

Ronna from Kent, Washington, just southeast of Seattle. As other Seattle area commenters before me said, what's not to love about the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

Anonymous said...

Julie from New Baden, IL. I live on a farm between two "towns". They are small towns where it seems everyone knows each other and what they are doing. Close enough to St. Louis, MO to do the free stuff if we choose, but far enough away for it to be a "drive".

Anonymous said...

Republic, Ohio

Anonymous said...

Vancouver, Canada. Love your blog!

Anonymous said...

Hi Smith family,
Lucy here from Sydney Australia. (Hi Lauren from Newcastle!)
Do we get the prize for being the furthest from Manteo? :-)
What is not to love about Sydney? I love the opportunities to explore the outdoor life here, from bushwalking in the mountains to swimming at our gorgeous beaches!

Anonymous said...

I'm living in Berkeley, CA right now.
-Robin-

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm another one from Sydney, Australia! I love how full of life this city is. There is always some festival or another going on and hordes of people out soaking up the sunshine! There's also an endless supply of hidden treasures to discover...from random little cafes to amazing views of the ocean that you never noticed before.

Anonymous said...

Kathy from Jacksonville, FL

Anonymous said...

Deb from Green Bay, WI (actually I live in the village of Howard about 10 miles from down town GB but technically it is still considered GB as we have a GB zip code)

I love living in a place where when you mention where you are from people (who know foot ball)immediately say/ask "Oh! the PACKERS - do you live near the stadium? Do you have season tickets? Do you ever go to the games?" My response, "used to, yes and yes!" LOL

I also like that my parents are only about 50 miles away and all my children (at least for now) still live in the area. I like the smaller city atmosphere - yet you drive a few minutes out of town and there are farms and fields and much open space.

Jenn said...

Jennifer from Woodstock, GA. I love where I live because it feels like I am in the country with beautiful fields, but am a short distance to wonderful cities!

jbaj said...

Las Vegas, Nevada. Not a small town by any means! I grew up in Ojai, California which is a small town but the thing about any town is you become a part of your own small community whether it be the swim community(which my oldest son does)the flag football community(youngest son) or your church. As long as you are involved the big town will not swallow you up. Been following you for several years - love your blog!

Bethany said...

Bethany in Port Huron, Michigan.

What I like best about this town is that it sits at the point where the St Clair river meets Lake Huron and there are gorgeous views of the water, easy access to very small towns with all the charm, a public transportation system (I am not able to drive right now), and all four seasons.

Caroline said...

Ridgefield, CT

When we first moved here and family members came to visit for the first time, they said Main Street looked like a movie set for some small-town coming-of-age movie. :)

Sarah said...

I'm from Sheboygan, WI. I love it because its on the shores of Lake Michigan. I've grown up next to that my whole life. There are a lot of good restaurants too. My favorite is Il Ritrovo. They make authentic wood fire pizzas and most of their ingredients come from Italy. Delicious! I also love Sheboygan because its an hour away from both Green Bay and Milwaukee.

Anonymous said...

Hoffman Estates, IL -- northwest suburb of Chicago

I love it because we can enjoy a small-town-suburb feel, but we're just outside of Chicago which is a fantastic, beautiful city with so much to offer!!!

Mary

Anonymous said...

Ann O. from Louisville, KY.

What I like best about Louisville are the very interesting, unique restaurants.

Anonymous said...

To Traci from Mt. Pleasant, PA:

My name is Martha, and I'm from Belle Vernon, PA. I travel to Mt. Pleasant quite a bit. My doctor's office is there, friends live there, and we travel through there to go to Somerset for camping. Small world isn't it?

michele(nurse in ny) said...

I live near Syracuse, NY.
Hate the weather...way too much snow! Like the friendly people, local foods (salt potatoes, great Italian bread). I do like the change of seasons, the beautiful fall foliage... just not the winter... 4 ft of snow over 1 night a few years ago!

Anonymous said...

Haley Albertario from Oceanside, NY
I love where I live because I can drive 5 minutes to enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches, or I can hop on a train and get to Manhattan in 25 minutes. NYC is the melting pot of the world. Food is fantastic, and people are so interesting.

Anonymous said...

Diane in Wake County NC. I say Wake County because we have an Apex mailing address, a Garner phone exchange, and the kids in our neighborhood went to Fuquay Varina to high school until a couple of years ago. I love this area because we are close enough to Raleigh to be able to go into town easily but still in a relatively rural area.

Anonymous said...

Smithfield, NC

Anonymous said...

Susie from Greeley, Colorado: Beautiful plains of Colorado, but only an hour from Rocky Mountain National Park! Long time follower - you are a great role model and I love reading about the "southern" way you do things :).

jmckemie said...

Fun to see others from my home town of St. Louis. While it would be perfect if it were an hours drive to both the beach and the mountains, my favorite places, it does have lots of positive things to offer - my grandbabies being two of them!

Kelly Dunn said...

I live in Grove City, PA....one hour north of Pittsburgh and one hour south of Erie! I have lived here since I was 3 yrs old and that is now 30 yrs ago!! last yr my husband and I bought the house I grew up in and are now raising our family here....we love it!! God has blessed us and we are thankful!!

Anonymous said...

Hello from Boni in North Platte, NE

Home of Buffalo Bill, NebraskaLand Days, largest railyard in the US, Golden Spike, etc! Farming and ranching all around us. Worst part is shopping (none)!! It's a couple hours to Grand Island and 3 hours to Lincoln. We are half-way between Omaha and Denver (4 hrs. to either). It's easy to find us since we're right on Interstate 80!

Anonymous said...

I grew up in Pamlico County (which is not that far from you right now!)..I couldn't wait to get away from "down the county" when I went to College...now, some 30 some years later....miss the sounds, rivers, creeks, ocean, my family, tall pine trees...have lived in Carmel, IN for 25ish years now...hubby is a pastor here..if you love sports, which we do, we are in a perfect spot! Colts, Pacers, NCAA, IHSAA (where I happen to work), Brickyard, Indy 500...I can go on and on with the sports thing.. :).. our kids are close and our two grandsons, age 4 and (as of today) 1 are close by..
Carmel is a beautiful suburb of Indpls, a wealthy city, actually. We are blessed to have wonderful friends and church family. Still missing the beach though! :)
That is why we go to OBX a couple times a year for our fix!
Buff (in Carmel, IN)

Cindy in Walla Walla said...

Walla Walla, Washington. The town so nice, they named it twice! This is the type of town, where children return to raise their families, neighbors have keys to your home, and children pull their parents down the streets for Halloween because Mom or Dad just stopped for the umpteenth time to chat. Focus parents, focus!

Shannon said...

Lincoln, Nebraska

Rated Top 5 city to raise a family! We love it here, clean, easy to get around (except Husker Football Saturdays!!) large enough to have nice shopping, small enough you run into people you know all the time!
Weather is pretty unpredictable, but other than that, it's wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Centre of the Oil and Gas business and sometimes called "Texas North" ! (Not our hometown but have lived here off and on for nearly 33 years)

Little factoid: Calgary has the highest concentration of Americans living in a city, outside of the USA.

Half an hour's drive from the beautiful Rocky Mtns, home of the World Famous Calgary Stampede, great place to raise kids!

And great for shopping! No provincial sales tax! ;)

Harriet said...

I am from Macon, GA. While I don't love everything about it, I do like that we can have the conveniences of Atlanta in about an hour and a half, but don't have the headaches that go along with living there. We are a small city, but I can still get to almost everywhere I want to go in ten minutes or less.

Anonymous said...

I was born and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. Nearly everyone I've met disparages North Dakota without ever having visited, so I'm always keen to defend it. Fargo is a really interesting city for its size, its residents are uniformly friendly, and it has four distinct seasons. Within 15 minutes driving distance from the city, one can enjoy miles and miles of emptiness, which I think is great. Lest you find the prospect of so much vastness daunting, I ought to state that both Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Minneapolis-St. Paul are within a reasonable driving distance.

I moved 1200 miles away from Fargo when I started college, and I was unprepared for how much I'd miss it. Now that I'm done with school, I live in Center City Philadelphia. I LOVE this city! My favorite part is the vibrant history. I can walk five blocks from my front door and be on the site where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia is such a unique city, and I don't think I could grow tired of living right in the thick of it.

-M.

Anonymous said...

To the reader who lives in Nova Scotia: I am sooo envious! I just returned from a two-week visit to the Maritimes and I'd move there in a heartbeat!

Anonymous said...

Kingston Ontario Canda

Whats not to like? Has everthing you need in a small city.

Vicky Elder said...

Vicky Elder Hemingford NE Small rural town USA!
I grew up here, moved away for awhile and moved back. Guess it is just home. Great place to raise kids.

Anonymous said...

I live in Homerville, Georgia. My little town is in very southern Georgia right on the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River. When you enter Homerville, you could turn the clock back 50 years and that is how life is here.

We still "charge" at the local businesses, the mechanic will pick up my car at work and bring it back fixed, oil changed, etc. and send me the bill, the bank will call when my kids' accounts get low, and someone will also call when my kids aren't doing the "right" thing, we know all our policemen and firemen by first name, I go to church with the families of the kids I teach. We know each other in the grocery store, the pharmacist will open up after hours as will the doctor. We leave our keys in the car in case someone needs to move it.

There is one red light in town...actually not another one for over 20 miles any direction. So, under the red light is a place we all know. We have two chain restaurants and a handful of locally owned, one grocery store, a family pharmacy, and we have local accounts at all these businesses. The local owner of the gift shop calls to remind me of a shower coming up so I don't forget to send a gift. Everyone comes to the football games on Friday night.

Our biggest industry is farming with a few industrial manufacturers. Beekeeping is big business and we are considered a "honey of a place to live". I think it is totally fitting...how about you?

Lisa

Ericka said...

I'm from Central Pennsylvania. I live next to Penn State University.

Anonymous said...

SueEllen living in Mesquite, TX (Dallas suburb).

Grew up in southern WV, lived in NC, GA and AR before TX.

Jen said...

Hi, I am living in Columbus OH. My biggest complaint about OH is the LONG, very cold winters, but beyond that I would say it is wonderful. The leaves outside my window right now are so beautiful in shades of orange and red that at times it hurts to look. My parents live just two blocks away and my four kids run back and forth on a daily basis. The kids school is fantastic, the neighborhood is a privilege and our church is lovely. I have been reading Sarah's website since 2004 I think!!! You have a lovely family and you provide a great example to mother's everywhere.

Susan said...

Susan in Colorado Springs, CO. I love that we can be in the mountains in an hour or so and I love that we get at least 300 days of sunshine a year.

Anonymous said...

Blacksburg, VA

I love the small town feel with all the amenities of a suburban area (stores and restaurants!), the proximity to Virginia Tech's beautiful campus, and living in the mountains, especially in the fall!

Mommy! said...

RealMommyNow (Cheryl) from Warner Robins, GA. Our town's largest employer is our air force base, and I love how patriotic the town is and how we support our military. Also, we boast one of the best public school systems in the country!

Anonymous said...

Kissimmee, FL

Although our family has never done it (maybe during a school break), we are close enough to both coasts of Florida to be able to see sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean and sunset over the Gulf Coast in the same day. Also the diversity of things to do. We walk outside our front door to watch shuttle launches.

Anonymous said...

Rhonda from Kinderhook, IL. My little town has a population of 250....I think that includes all the pets too!

Anonymous said...

I live In Pittsburgh PA, I love it for lots of reasons! We have 4 distinct seasons, my family is here. People would be surprised to know that Pittsburgh is a very safe city, People are very friendly and very family orientated. Lots of traditions from all diffferent cultures! Great old buildings and Houses! No other place like it!! Shari

Anonymous said...

Hi Smith Family,

I am from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 3 hours North of Calgary. I love Edmonton because my family lives here, we have festivals year round, we have a history, and the First indoor roller-coaster (3 loops). On News Years Eve, we can either be out in the cold celebrating at Town Square or in Waterpark pretending it is a tropical beach.

There is a huge rivilary between Calgary and Edmonton, something to do with Hockey and American Football..... I think....
We are 4 hours away from the mountains. We can get -40C in the winter, and +30 in the Summer.

What I love the most is that the Sun shines even on those cold days, and I look out and see fluffy white clouds rolling across the plains, see the shadows they cast and can't even explain the beauty of the world.

I have been reading your blog regularly since Sarah's relapse and spardically before that.

Angela L

Kristina said...

I love pretty much everything about Fairbanks, Alaska. I've lived here for just over two years now. When I first moved here, the plan was to stay for just one year and then return to the lower-48, but after just a few months I knew I wouldn't leave.

I love the outdoor adventures that are almost always available, no matter the weather; I love the people, who are always ready to help you out or teach you new things; I love the northern lights; I love the way Fairbanks is a real town, but there is the emptiest wilderness in the country available just a few miles away. It's incredible, and everyone should live here -- but I love that they don't!

chenlina said...

pandora jewelry
michael kors handbags
rolex watches outlet
michael kors outlet
ugg boots
ray ban sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
michael kors outlet clearance
fitflops sale clearance
seattle seahawks jerseys
ugg boots
nike roshe run
uggs on sale
canada goose jackets
louboutin shoes
true religion jeans
oakley sunglasses
toms wedges
michael kors bags
uggs for men
uggs
oakley sunglasses
kate spade
ugg boots uk
louboutin shoes
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
gucci outlet
ugg uk
louis vuitton outlet
ralph lauren polo outlet
vans shoes outlet
jordans for sale
uggs outlet
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet
gucci outlet
timberland boots
ray ban wayfarer
chenlina20161031

zzyytt said...

pandora jewelry
adidas pure boost
nike roshe
yeezy boost
golden goose sneakers
ultra boost 3.0
nike dunk low
hermes birkin
fila
converse shoes