Joan Rivers would have a field day...

Hey-O friends. I hope you're doing well. This is a long post. Stick with me, please!

Over the last few weeks months, I've been lucky enough to receive some new awards for the blog. The wonderful thing about getting them, is that someone is acknowledging admitting they've been reading or checking in to see if I'm still alive. They are kind enough to pass on some blog love.

The awards, which are very much appreciated because they are given by our peer-bloggers are  blessings, but they are also a lot of work. Much research to link and pass on the accolades are involved, which is time consuming. That said, I accept every one of them with the most humbleness. It's been the blog-land lately, that I've turned to when things were difficult in my world. There is something wonderful about people who only know you by your words, understand your surface issues and are still willing to give you advice and kind words.

To you, my readers and commenters, I thank you for making it worth typing out my thoughts. Your comments are so welcomed. Sometimes, it's the only chance I get to keep up on your worlds; sometimes you are my outlet when I'm dealing with real world things. I'd much rather keep up with my friends online than say, grocery shop, rake the leaves, or finish the 187 pressing things I have to do...

Pardon all of the cut and paste..there were a lot of topics to cover!

I happily accept the Liebster Awards from Leslie @ Proud Mama's Corner

and from Vicki@ The Greek Housewife Vicki was kind enough to offer up the award even after knowing I had previously received one, but hers is pink and round and who am I to give up some love???

Okay, the rules of the awards:

1. Link back to the Nominators. You can reach their blogs by clicking on their blog names.
2. Write 11 facts about yourself.
3. Answer 11 questions given to you.
4. Pass on the award to 11 deserving bloggers (preferably those with under 200 fans) and give them 11 new questions.
5. Post your award, Link back to the person who gave it to you! Congrats!

2 awards= 22 facts.

Holy Hannah. 22 things you probably don't need to know:

1. I am 5'5"
2. I can't remember my real hair color.
3. My father was born in Tokyo, Japan.
4. My middle name is Lynn.
5. I hyphenate my last name.
6. I'm not a fan of helicopter moms.
7. I love school lunch corn dogs.
8. and sloppy Joe's
9. My favorite ice cream is Pralines and Cream
10. I'm afraid of fire.
11. I love microwave popcorn.
12. I could win an award (if there was one) at burping. Classy, I know
13. I don't think you should have to rake your leaves until they have all fallen.
14. I can twirl a baton.
15. I miss snow days.
16 I love dill pickles.
17. and olives. (and their juice).
18. I make my bed every day.
19. Okay, not every day...
20. I don't understand why vendors set up food samples at Costco.
21. I don't understand why they do it on the end caps of aisles. On Saturdays.
22. I love cinnamon dental floss. Yeah. 22 things are hard!

Here are my answers to Leslie's questions:

1. What is the most unforgettable moment in your life?

The births of my children.

2. To whom are you dedicating every post you do?

Anyone who can take something from it and smile or relate.

3. Given a chance to write about someone, who would it be? Why?

My blog is all about my family. I am working on a second project about...ahem, me.

4. What is your greatest fear?

Losing the ones that I love.

5. What is your best asset?

My empathy.

6. If you are to rate yourself as a writer, what would it be from 1 to 10? 10 is the highest.

On the blog? 7

7. Can you imagine yourself performing on stage play?

Not live on stage, but I would rock the world playing some one's evil twin on a soap opera.

8. What made you cry easily?

Seeing children hurt.

9. Have you tried to write a song? What title did you give to it?

Always wrote songs/lyrics/poetry...they were sad little "woe is me" teenage-love drivel.

10. Are you a romantic person?

Yes.

11. Have you been to the Philippines before? What can you say about the Filipino people?

I've never been to the Philippines. What can I say? Someone from the Philippines gave me an award! They rock :)

Here are my answers to Vicki's questions!!

1.  Why do you blog? 
To keep in contact with the ones I love or to document things I won't remember tomorrow.


2.  What can't you live without?
  My family


3.  What's your star sign?
  I think horoscope sign? Virgo


4.  If you were stranded at a deserted island who and what (one item) would you like to have with you?
  My family and my laptop.


5.  What is your favorite pastime?
  Sewing/ Writing


6.  What is the silliest thing you've ever done?

  My college roommates and I would throw big parties and collect all the leftover cans to recycle. I believe those parties paid for the electric bill more than once.


7.  Where in the world would you like to travel to? (Pretend money is not an issue)  Anywhere that I could hear the waves at from my bedroom.


8.  Describe yourself in 3 words.  
I can't do it. (See?)


9.  What is your favorite sport? (to play or watch)
 Football


10. Which is your all time favorite song?

  "I ain't missing you" by John Waite





11. What is your favorite love story?

  I fell in love with the Time Traveler's wife. Not so much the movie, but definitely the book. Movie: "An Affair to Remember"

Thanks once again to Leslie and Vickie

Here are my 11 Questions for the next nominees.  If you're nominated, choose the "Leibster" that you like :)

The 11 Questions are short and sweet!

1.What was your Kindergarten teacher's name?

2. Coffee or tea?

3. Do you watch much TV? Favorite show?

4. What is your favorite holiday?

5. Do you use Twitter or FB?

6. What was the make/model of your very first car?

7. Can you drive a stick shift?

8. Pie. What is your favorite kind?

9. What was your first job?

10. Mac or PC?

11. What's for dinner?

The questions may seem short, but people will learn a bit about you from them! Good Luck friends! 

1. http://www.thedivvyspot.com

2. http://happydays-mary.blogspot.com

3. http://alishakaydesigns.blogspot.com

4. http://stacysrandomthoughts.com

5. http://footprints-earth.blogspot.com

6. http://matthew634noworries.blogspot.com

7. http://momlifelessons.com

8. http://www.whenthesuncomes.com

9. http://chatterbusy.blogspot.com

10.http://nannahbreadknots.blogspot.com

11. http://shantalhiatt.blogspot.com

That cute Vicki from The Greek Housewife also awarded me with the Sunshine Award! Woo Hoo! I didn't read about this one until later....but, Yay!!! IF you haven't checked out Vicki, click on the link. She is a funny mom living a Greek Goddess life. (She'll love that!)

How cute is that?

The rules for accepting the Sunshine Blogger Award are:

1.Thank the Award giver.

2. Post the award.

3. Link the Award giver

4. List 10 facts (Oh dear..)

5. Give away to 10 bloggers.

10 Facts

1.This is the part where I think you've stopped reading..

2.I love smelly candles.

3. I have just enough of everything.

4. I wish I had more energy.

5. I love my phone more than I ever thought I would.

6. Very few people know all of the parts of my life. I like it that way.

7. I wish I was a better mom. (cue energy)

9. I truly enjoy reading other's blogs.

10. I will never have a clean garage.

Nominees

1. JaeMac@ http://imjustsayindamn.blogspot.com

2. Slu @http://slusworld.blogspot.com

3. Dawn @ http://www.wordsofdeliciousness.com

4. Leslie @ http://proudmomscorner.blogspot.com

5. http://bhindthesmile.blogspot.com

About 2 weeks ago, I received the "Sisterhood of the World Bloggers" award from an awesome lady who writes a hilarious blog with a hilarious name Menopausal Mother. Now yes, I have a few bloggy boys that I love to read, but the women that I'm most in contact with, have given me a whole new circle of "girlfriends" to enjoy and look up to. I have learned, laughed and cried when reading what these bloggers share. Some posts are raw, some make me want to say, "hey, I've been there too". There are even a few I can give my own advice to. I'm telling you, if You're thinking of blogging about ANYTHING, someone will find you and make you feel like you count. I love that.

Rules for the Sisterhood Award:
1. Post award.
2. Thank the giver /link back
3. List seven interesting facts.
4. Pass on to 7 deserving bloggers.

Instead of facts, I'm going to write seven things I'm grateful for. Hopefully by reading them, you'll learn even more about me (I know, I know. What else is there?) Don't ask, just play along.

7 things I'm grateful for:

1. My husband makes me coffee every single morning. Even on the days he'd like to poison it, my coffee is always waiting for me.

2. I am beyond grateful to all the bloggers who give these silly, but meaningful awards. 

3. I'm grateful my soon to be 19 year old daughter decided to come along on our latest family vacation. It ended up being one of my very favorite trips.

4. I'm grateful to have sold all of my latest bags. It couldn't have been done without my friends sharing/tweeting/FB forwarding...any of it. 

5. My mother in law made a beautiful comment about the kind of teacher I was. I was humbled and proud. It meant everything to me.

6. I'm grateful for the ridiculously fun time we had carving pumpkins last night.

7. I'm grateful my family doesn't shake their heads in disgust when I ask them to pull out the pumpkin guts for me.

Nominees: (I'm using my first Swap Sisters)
1. http://happy-little-feet.blogspot.ca/
2. http://stacysewsandschool.wordpress.com/
3. http://sorrykid.blogspot.com/
4. http://www.peanutlayne.com/
5. http://dinoheromommy.com/
6. http://mybrainonkids.net/
7. http://momofbigalittlea.blogspot.com/
8. http://bakinginatornado.blogspot.com  



I appreciate the chance to even write a post like this. I'm not an every day blogger. I don't always have a lot to say (unlike today). But it's become a happy part of my life. Thanks for checking in.

Oh, and Joan Rivers. When accepting these awards, a normal person might have on their custom dresses and high heel shoes. They may be wearing jewels borrowed from Harry Winston or be carrying decked-out clutches shellybean bags.

But not me. Eat your heart out Angelina,
 you cute little thing. I'm accepting these awards at home AND>>>>>>

Oh yeah.  I BROUGHT it.

Shoes: Lavender Fluffy slippers by Target

Ducky Robe from the now defunct Mervyn's

Pajama bottoms- purchased after the birth of my second child (now 14)

Hairstyle by "Hey, it's been a hard day!"

Handbag replaced by 2 pound jar of Gingersnaps from Costco. (They were on an end cap)!

Happy Spread-the-Blog-Love Day, friends!

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