the dearest of the dear.

We're baaaack! We took a couple days off from blogging while my cousin Caroline came to visit, and both of us are very sad that she had to return to Boston. But what better way to raise our spirits than to see that we got another blog award! YAY!!

According to my pal Katie who passed this award onto us, liebster means "dearest" in German. I have to take her word for it because... well... I don't speak German. This award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve, so in accepting this award, I now have the honor of passing it on to five other blogs who have less than 200 followers!

1. The Giving Paw - Neely's organization is amazing. It is a wish list service that allows your family and friends to give cash gifts to help pay for pet care - including food, toys and treats, unexpected emergency medical expenses, etc. In addition to helping you put together a wish list for your pet, this site is also the home of Neely's blog. Check out both!

2. Ours for a Lifetime - Cabana was placed with Mimi for training, as the intent was for her to be a guide dog for the blind. However, Cabana decided on a career change and is now happily enjoying life as Mimi's playful pup instead.

3. Live Bark Love - Kas has FIVE dogs - Evee, Bailey, Diesel Wayne, Kylie Anne, and Cinco - and they are all incredible at agility. Her blog has a variety of pictures and videos, which are sure to keep you entertained for hours on end!

4. Smart Dog - Laurie's blog has the best of both worlds - informative posts and funny posts. Her style of writing pulls you in and keeps you hooked, and you'll be checking back daily to see if there's an update. I feel like I know her and her dogs personally, so giving her this blog award is the least I can do!

5. Ossian and Koda - I met Ossian and Koda (and their parents) at BarkWorld 2011, and I fell in love with them instantly. I think I can safely say that Ossian fell in love with me too, but Koda was a little wary. I'm hoping that I'll see them again at BarkWorld 2012 so that I can sneak Koda some treats to get into her good graces. Anyway, one one of the things that I love about this blog is that some of the posts are written from their point of view!

So there you have it: five up-and-coming blogs. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!