Happies & Crappies: March 28, 2014

As part of my effort to start revitalizing and breathing some new life into this little blog of mine, I’m planning to participate in more linkups throughout the coming weeks. Connecting with other bloggers and making new friends has truly been the best part of this experience so far, from way back when I was a bride blogging about my upcoming wedding to today, as I’m continuing to live and love life both here in DC and in my home state of California while visiting family and friends.

Today, I'm joining Stephanie, Amber and some other lovely ladies for their weekly Happies and Crappies linkup, where bloggers can come together to share the highs and lows of the previous week. Check out my happies and crappies below, and feel free to join in the fun yourself! 

Happies

1. OK, so this "happy" technically took place last week, but since I didn’t link up then, I’ve decided to mention it here anyway. Stephen and I headed to the Kennedy Center last Thursday night to see Washington National Opera’s production of The Elixir of Love, which we both really enjoyed. Husband and wife duo Ailyn Pérez and Stephen Costello were spectacular, and this was quite possibly my favorite opera I've seen thus far. If you've never been to the opera or don't think you would like it, I definitely recommend giving it a try. The themes and stories are timeless, the music and singing are beautiful, and you just might find yourself being pleasantly swept away as you watch the action unfold! 

2. Speaking of the Kennedy Center, we’ll be heading back there again tonight for One Mic: NSO Pops: Nas with the 20th Anniversary Celebration of ILLMATIC, which I recently won free tickets to! I don’t usually listen to a lot of hip-hop music, but since I enjoyed another similar performance we saw a few weeks ago through the Kennedy Center's free Millennium Stage program, I'm excited to check this one out, too! 

3. As if winning tickets to the Kennedy Center Pops show wasn’t already awesome enough, I was also thrilled to win a Kindle Paperwhite and Mac lipstick thanks to a fun blog giveaway hosted in conjunction with Ayesha at The Other Side of Paradise and Faith at Life.Love&Marriage. Woo hoo!

Crappies

1. Despite the fact that it is now officially spring, we got hit with yet another blast of snow on Tuesday. Luckily, things are starting to warm up again now, and will hopefully continue on that way throughout the rest of the season!

2. Even with all of the progress that has been made in terms of cancer research and treatment options, there are still far too many people of all ages being impacted by this horrible disease, including those who don't have access to affordable insurance or treatment plans, or access to educational resources providing information about the risks and signs to watch out for. 

Of course, every little bit of funding and raising of awareness helps, and I try to support those who are working to make a difference. If you'd like to help, too, and donate on behalf of a good cause, please consider supporting my friend Diana at The World Around Her in her effort to raise $250 for the Philadelphia Race for the Cure. Certainly, making a donation to one of the many other reputable organizations working to fight cancer, or signing up for a walk or fundraising event yourself,  is always a positive thing, too. I know I definitely need to be more active and involved, and I'm grateful to people like Diana for their inspiration. 

Have a safe, fun and healthy weekend, everyone! See you next week!