Turning the Page, Part 2

Okay, it's taken me exactly one month to turn the second page. And no, my new site is not finished. (My fault solely -- it's taken me some time to get my vision together but we are on our way!) I was also waiting on some announcements which I can now make. So let's start there.

In my previous Turning the Page post, I alluded to an exciting opportunity. Well, now I can tell you that if you aren't sick of me yet, you can find me over at Doctorsmiths.com. I am writing as a Premium Parent for them and my first post goes up today. I am amongst some amazing bloggy ladies so I hope that you will check us out.

I am also now an affiliate for eShakti. You may have noticed my pretty banner on the left. I was lucky enough to review a dress of theirs a few months ago and I loved it so much that I agreed to be affiliated with them. They make beautiful dresses that can be customized and I have personally worn my dress several times and I am complimented EVERY time. So check them out, as well.

And for the record, in the case of both eShakti and Dr. Smith's, I am only working with them because I use and believe in their products. I am truly excited by both opportunities!

Now there are many a thank you outstanding. First off, (and she has no idea that I am doing this) -- I owe an ENORMOUS thank you to Unknown Mami. She is not unknown to me so I can attest to her brilliance and beauty in person. Think that she is lovely and funny on-line, triple that plus one and you've got her. She has been a constant source of support and friendship to me as a blogger and I would not know many of you had she not introduced me. I love her on-line and in real life. No way I could turn this page without her.

Next to the way overdue awards. I am terrible with awards. Not because I don't care but because I do. I am so honored that you shared a little love that I toss and turn on forwarding them properly. So I start a post that day and then I stop as I ponder what fabulous blog to award. I love so many of you guys so I keep this detailed list of who I have already awarded and when I did and then I look through those I haven't and I agonize. So I put it off. And then time starts to pass. and the guilt starts. And then more time passes and then I am embarrassed and UGH!!! So to those of you who have been gracious enough to pass them on, please forgive my lack of graciousness. As this moment inside my head has demonstrated, I mean well. But I am biting the bullet and acknowledging all of you. This may take a while.

Doreen over at They Say Everyone Has a Story, This is Mine gave me the Versatile Blogger award. Now I must share 7 things about myself that you may not know. I'm not sure if I have left anything to mystery, but we'll see.


1) My eyes change colors -- the center of my eye is dark blue and they are surrounded by an amber color which causes them to look green at times, light brown at times, and dark blue at times (especially when I cry)
2) I love old TV shows -- Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Maude, etc.
3) I have three fake teeth -- when I was 16, I had a terrible car accident in which I smacked my face into a steering wheel. I smashed all the bone under my nose and knocked out the top front three teeth. Since then I have worn a bridge.
4) My daughter is named after a David Sylvian song.
5) I watch way too much TV though I am seriously considering cancelling cable to break free of the bondage of my addiction
6) I love carbs -- not the complex kind, but the very, very simple kind -- like brand, new soft white bread. I can't stand healthy bread. I don't want to work that hard. Sorry, healthy friends!
7) I have read "The Secret Garden" at least twenty times, including several times as an adult

Now I must bestow this honor onto 15 newly discovered blogs and they must share 7 things about them selves and pass it on. These are a mix of very different blogs -- some Mommies, some artists, and some giveaways. All are great.

1) Tracie from From Tracie
2) Mum in Flip Flops from MuminFlipFlops
3) Lemony Renee from Of Lemons and Honey
4) Templeton's Fury from Circling the Cuckoo's Nest
5) Leiah from A Southern Belle Trying Not to Rust
6) Ericka from Alabaster Cow
7) mathet zin from Myanmar (Burma) -- a beautiful love letter to a country
8) Michele Chastain from Fake It Til You Make It
9) Jane from Adoption of Jane
10) E.L.M.Dyck from Let Me Think -- she also gave me an award as you will see below
11) Dana Chabino from Daily Paintings -- Abstract - Impressionist Painter -- gorgeous artwork shared (almost) daily
12) Connie from The Young and the Relentless
13) Bridget from Readaholic
14) Kelly from Kelly's Lucky You
15) Jeanette Huston from Mommy Blessings in Small Bundles -- Giveaways and Reviews

A fabulous man around town and a globe trotter, as well, Subu.PS over at Passion for Road Trips and E.L.M.Dyck from Let Me Thinkgave me the Beautiful Blogger Award.

Share 7 things you find to be beautiful around you.

1) My husband -- enough said
2) My son's crooked smile
3) My daughter's chocolate eyes
4) The sun coming up through my window
5) My growing grapevine
6) Steam coming off of a cup of coffee brought to me by my husband
7) The sound of my children's laughter

Nominate 7 bloggers or more.

1) Doreen from They Say Everyone Has a Story, This is Mine -- I would have listed her above but she was kind enough to pass that award to me, so here is my opportunity to spotlight her
2) Living Our Dash
3) Alicia from A Beautiful Mess
4) Anastasia from Sweet Butter Bliss
5) Aging Mommy from Aging Mommy -- she is a gift giver, as well; see below
6) Holly from 504 Main
7) Francesca and Kacey from Mayhem and Moxie

And in my embarassment of riches, The Improbable Housewife and Aging Mommy gave me the Honest Scrap Award.

As I was supposed to tell ten things about me, I will simply add three to the seven above. Because really, I'm not sure you can stand to know much more!

8) I think that if the choice was between Heaven and Mint Chocolate Ice Cream, it would be a very hard decision
9) Though I don't share them here, I have very strong political views which are very often in opposition to most people I am related. I am something of a black sheep.
10) I am a serial hobbyist -- by this I mean, I pick up hobbies, get completely obsessed with them and then allow them to gather dust amongst other lost pastimes. This happened a little with blogging. I was visiting 50-60 blogs a day until my family cried "Uncle". I then ran out of steam and blogging lost a little luster. I think I have found a happy balance now, however. I still love visiting and blogging but I have to remember sunshine, sleep, and oh yeah -- my kids!!! :-)

And I will round out the group to ten more beloved blogs:
8) Confessions of a Fitness Instructor
9) Serena and Brandon's Playhouse
10) Shelley's swag


Finally, my good friend, Andrea over at Good Girl Gone Redneck gave me this award.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Well, after this time away, I definitely see myself living at the ocean. I just feel more alive there. And seeing my children and how comfortable they are in the water has inspired me. In fact, I have really spent the last week visualizing how I can get myself and my family living seaside all the time. (I'll be writing more on that soon.) So I see myself there. I also see myself writing professionally and hopefully performing on-stage at least once a year. Also, frighteningly, in ten years I will be the parent to two teenagers -- one of them driving. ARGH! So I see myself even more sleep deprived. But all in all, I see myself living my vision board! Here's hoping!

There are probably a million other thank yous owed. I have made the greatest friends through this blog. Mostly, I want to say thanks for sticking around this year and especially this summer. It has been a crazy one. I'm looking forward to school starting and life resuming some routine. Then I should be able to get back to my passion -- reading and writing. Blogs, that is.

Day 234 or It's Coming... I promise

Okay. Big assignment due tonight so this will be quick. I have received a few awards lately and I want to say thank you. Later this week I shall do a proper post but I am so appreciative that you guys thought of me enough to pass along some love. So Mommy Living the Life of Riley, Betty over at Cut and Dry, Aging Mommy, the Improbable Housewife, and Tami at Hearts Make Families -- I have NOT forgotten you. It's coming... I promise!
:-)

Day 203 or Dancing Queen Pt. 2 & Friday Follow

Well, I am going to spare you all the very ugly details of the last few days but basically Spring Break was a nasty detour into Sickville for all of us. It was Montezuma's Revenge without the sun, surf, and/or Pina Coladas. In other words, a complete wash out. I don't, however, want to become a bummer of a blog full of whining (occasionally snarky, yes. whiny, no!) so I am going to plow ahead into happier times. But please forgive me if I have become like that cousin who only calls on holidays and birthdays rather than a friend who drops by regularly for coffee. I'll be working my way back around the neighborhood again.

So as I mentioned yesterday, despite my bloggy blahs, you ladies keep being kind to me. So here is another round of thanks. Heather over at Acting Balanced Mom had a giveaway of Rainbow Brite CDs and one is on the way to me. Thanks, Heather! What a fun fashback for me and something to share with my daughter!

Messy Mommy was kind enough to pass on the Sunshine Award and I am going to follow her lead. The rule is to pass it on to 12 blogs and she chose to give it to her most recent 12 followers. I thought that was a nice twist so I am going to do the same.

1. Quirkyloon (http://www.quirkyloon.com/)
2. Not Worth Mentioning (http://jesseacohen.blogspot.com/)
3. Kitty Tells It All (http://kittymoore.blogspot.com/)
4. Frugal Mom Knows Best (http://www.frugalmomknowsbest.com/)
5. Notes from a Thirty-Something Mom (http://midwesmomma.net/)
6.Turning the Clock Back (http://turning-the-clock-back.blogspot.com/)
7. Kentucky Heart Strings (http://kentuckyheartstrings.blogspot.com/)
8. The Non-Review (http://www.thenonreview.com/)
9. 3 Pugs and a Baby (http://www.threepugsandababy.com/)
10. The Husailey Bunch (http://thehusaileybunch.com/)
11. Just a Night Owl (http://justanightowl.com/)
12. The Groschen Goblins (http://www.groschengoblins.com/)

This is my little way of saying thanks for being awesome followers! You make me smile! And speaking of followers, there is a fun meme called Friday Follow hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families, and Midday Escapades. This is how I have met a lot of great new bloggers, so if you want to join the fun, link up!

Kindly sponsored by:

And Tami at Hearts Make Families and Betty at Cut and Dry, I haven't forgotten you. I am swimming in generosity and love and will be paying forward your kindnesses very soon!
:-)

Day 202 or Dancing Queen, Pt. 1

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you have me dancing again. Over the last couple of weeks, I have gotten FOUR awards and won another giveaway. So in honor of my 202nd day as a blogger, I want to thank these ladies and start to pass along some awards.

First off, I want to belatedly thank Hil'Lesha and Messy Mommy who both gave me awards on the same day. What a great day that was! Sorry it's taken me so long!!!

Hil'Lesha over at Welcome to the Motherhood gave me the One Lovely Blog which awards newly discovered blogs.

The rule is to pass it on to fifteen blogs that I have recently found. They are:

1. Shelley's Swag (http://shelleysswag.blogspot.com/)
2. The Stroller Ballet (http://www.thestrollerballet.com/)
3. A Lot of Loves (http://www.alotofloves.com/)
4. Alygater's Everywhere (http://alygatr.blogspot.com/)
5. B Sparkly (http://bsparkly.blogspot.com/)
6. The Peterson Family (http://www.petersonstlouis.com/)
7. I am Harriet (http://harrietandfriends.com/)
8. One Loopy Life (http://ryleegrace.blogspot.com/)
9. Aging Mommy (http://agingmommyblog.blogspot.com/)
10. Generation X Mom (http://www.thegenerationxmomblog.com/)
11. Loving My Children's Gift (http://gifts2love.blogspot.com/)
12. Mom et al (http://mom-et-al.com/)
13. Feeding a Family of Five (http://feedingfiveforfifty.blogspot.com/)
14. Big Teeth and Clouds (http://bigteethclouds.blogspot.com/)
15. The Fourth Frog Blog (http://4thfrog.blogspot.com/)

Lots more love to give out but I am having to ration my time between blogging (yay!) and vomiting family (boo!). My apologies to those for whom I just walked into TMI territory. Just life in my crazy world of perfection pie!

Day 176 or I'm Still Dancing

Well, I have won two more giveaways and an award. How lucky am I!

First, my lovely new Bloggy friend B. Sparkly at (http://bsparkly.blogspot.com/) awarded me the Sunshine Award.

The rules are:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers. (Yes, 12!)
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So here goes... This list includes some long-time favorites and a few new bloggers I have discovered recently

1. Corrie Howe from Just Because My Pickle Talks Doesn't Make Me an Idiot (http://www.mypickletalksautism.com/)

2. Blue Violet from A Nut in a Nutshell (http://www.anutinanutshell.com/)

3. Tracy from Ascending Butterfly (http://ascendingbutterfly.blogspot.com/)

4. Le Gourou at Sandwich 365 (http://sandwich365.blogspot.com/)

5. Lee the Hot Flash Queen at Headaches, Hormones, and Hot Flashes (http://www.headacheshormonesandhotflashes.com/)

6. SubMom at The Absence of Alternatives (http://www.secretinnerlife.com/)

7. Elasta Mom at ElastaMom's Excerpts (http://elastamom.blogspot.com/)

8. Sami Joe at Peek Thru Our Window (http://peekthruourwindow.blogspot.com/)

9. Robin at Insights and Belly Laughs (http://insightsandbellylaughs.com/)

10. Momma Such at Raising My Four Sons (http://www.raisingmy4sons.com/)

11. Nezzy at Cow Patty Surprise (http://cowpattysurprise.blogspot.com/)

12. Menonewmom at Menopausal New Mom (http://menonewmom.blogspot.com/)

Next, Chrissy from Happy Mom of 5 (http://happymomof5.blogspot.com) had a giveaway of coupons for Swanson's chicken and I won. Yay, free chicken! Thanks, Chrissy.

And finally, Tired Mom Tesa from (http://www.2wired2tired.com) had a Jump Start preschool online membership and I won that too! Maybe I should play the lottery. Thanks, Tesa!

As always, I am amazed daily by the lovely blogs and bloggers I come across everyday. In fact, you guys may be too good -- my husband is starting to eye blogging pages with a glint of green in his beautiful chocolate brown eyes. :-)

Day 164 or A Reason to Smile

What a lovely way to return to the bloggy world. The terrific Sami Joe from Peek Through Our Window (http://peekthruourwindow.blogspot.com) dropped me a line while I was away and shared a little sunshine. So I thought that's how I would get back on my bloggy horse.



So I am so, so thankful. The award comes with only three rules. Acknowledge the lovely blogger that passed it on. Tell ten things that make me happy and share it with ten other happy bloggers.

Ten Things that Make Me Happy:
1. My fabulous family (even when they are less than fabulous -- which of course is never, really never -- my life is a piece of perfection pie)
2. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
3. Bubble Baths
4. Really good New York style pizza
5. Singing along to bad 70's mellow rock with my kids
6. The smell of my children's hair after a bath
7. Belly kisses
8. A book that whisks me away to another place or time
9. BLOGGING!!!!!
10. My wonderful circle of friends -- IRL and on-line :-)

Now the hard part -- what wonderful blogs to choose? I have been lucky enough to receive a few awards and I always agonize over sending a new one out because I am ALWAYS leaving out someone I love. But I looked back so I wouldn't repeat and here are ten blogs and bloggers that I love -- ten of many. (I wish I could award you all!) The following blogs are varied in focus and styles but they are all terrific.

1. Debbie at Suburb Sanity (http://www.suburbsanity.com)
2. Chitra at My Pilgrimage (http://chitra-mypilgrimage.blogspot.com)
3. Mary at Hurricane Riley and His Big Brother Riley (http://hurricaneriley.blogspot.com)
4. Bonnie K at Mama K (http://mamaksblog.blogspot.com)
5. Erin at The Mother Load (http://abbyandizzysmom.blogspot.com)
6. Joanna at The Fifty Factor (http://www.thefiftyfactor.com)
7. Melissa at Scholastic Scribe (http://scholastic-scribe.blogspot.com)
8. Lorenza at Pure Energy (http://lorenza-pureenergy.blogspot.com)
9. Audrey O at Parenting Tips (http://myparentingideas.blogspot.com)
10. TattyTiara at AAA1 Quality Blog (http://tattytiara.blogspot.com)

So thank you Sami Joe for giving me a reason to smile. Truth is if you hadn't given me this award, your name would be listed in the above ten. Lots of love to you and to all the winners.
:-)

Day 123 or Some Long Overdue Bloggy Love

Okay folks. I have been a lousy blogger this month and this is especially offensive because I have received some serious bloggy love.

First off, Mama-Face had a giveaway of beautiful hand-made Christmas cards and I won! Here they are and they are more beautiful in person. I even got them in time to share with my family, so thank you Mama-Face.

Secondly, my dear, dear blog friend, Betty from the fabulous blog,(http://cutand-dry.blogspot.com/) gave me two awards and I have had such a crazy couple of weeks that I am just now passing it along. Sorry, Betty. You know that I love you.

So the Heartfelt Blogger had no rules so she passed it along with the Kreativ Blogger so I am doing the same.

The rules for the Kreativ Blogger were as follows:

Tell 7 things that you don't know.

Name 7 blogs to tag.

Leave a comment with the other winners.

Leave a thank you to who gave the award. So here goes:

Seven thing you don't know about me:

1) My first apartment in San Francisco was in the Tenderloin. For those of you who do not know San Fran, it is the WORST neighborhood in the city. It is nick-named the Tenderloin because it supposedly was a higher paying shift for the police officers. I moved to the city from Houston and knew nothing and no-one. Everyone teased me at ACT (along with refusing to come to my apartment) with the name Tenderloin Traci.

2) I saw a person shot in the above neighborhood and it was the reason that I moved. I was a matter of feet from the man.

3) I had a deep wine color birthmark on my nose which people received the following responses: I was asked how I hurt my nose, I was asked if it was a Tilak (the red dot worn by Hindi women) even though it was off-center and on my nose rather than my forehead, and/or I was teased. One of the most offensive teases I have previously mentioned which was hickey nose. Worse than being called hickey nose incessantly by ten year old boys, was having to hear from my mother what a hickey was.

4) I said the word "vitamin" at nine months -- not kidding. You can ask my mom. I was also walking and potty-trained then. This unfortunately set up some rather unrealistic expectations of my future. Evidently this led people to believe that I was something of a wunderkind. I think I just peaked early -- LOL.

5) I broke my ankle when I was in sixth grade wearing my best friend's heels.

6) I love red lipstick, Chanel No. 5, and black underwear. Conveniently, these things can be combined in terrific fashion.

7) I have already acknowledged my love for bad 70's mellow rock (except for the Pina Colada song -- I don't get that one!) but I also love early 80's British Invasion -- The Fixx, Depeche Mode, The Cure, ABC, Thompson Twins, etc. and David Bowie through any era!

So Seven blogs to tag: (This is always the hardest part for me!)

1) Home Cooking With Sonya -- http://homecookingwithsonya.blogspot.com/

2) If Evolution Works -- http://ifevolutionworks.com/

3) Away We Go -- http://npoj.blogspot.com/

4) Currently on Tour -- http://damcfam.blogspot.com/

5) Good Girl Gone Redneck -- http://goodgirlgoneredneck.blogspot.com/

6) Pen and Paper -- http://pettywitter.blogspot.com/

7) 2Wired2Tired (formally 2 Toddlers and Me) -- http://www.2wired2tired.com/

Check out the above. They are all unique in their own way. I love acknowledging them, I just hate choosing from so many great blogs. So there its is, you've been tagged.

I will make my announcement tomorrow. 'Til then, all my best.

Day 107 or Wow! Am I Blushing

First, let me wish my Jewish friends and a blessed Festival of Lights. Shalom.

Now how lucky am I? Thursday I was showered with the Bloggy love.

First, the lovely and delightfully witty, Mama-Face (http://blogignoramus.blogspot.com/) had a give-away and I won. (And I never win!) Beautiful handmade Christmas cards. I love them and can't wait to see them in person. I promise to post pics when they come. Thank you, Mama-Face. You know I love you!

Then one of the sweetest bloggers on earth, Betty from Cut and Dry (http://cutand-dry.blogspot.com/) gave me two awards. a combo Kreativ Blogger/Heartfelt Blogger Award and the Circle of Friends award. As she gave me two (can you believe it -- two?), I will focus on Circle of Friends today and I will properly acknowledge the Kreativ Blogger/Heartfelt Blogger award very soon. Betty, you're amazing and it means so much that you honored me in such a way.

All this blogging love has almost driven me to wax rhapsodically about my love for the blogging community. But I have done that several times and sometimes, we diminish things by over thinking them (by we, I, of course, mean me). So, please know that I love you fellow bloggers. I love the way we celebrate each other and thank you for celebrating me.

So there are a few rules with Circle of Friends, so here goes...

So I need to list five things I love to do and then pass it on to five blogs I love.

So I love...

1. Reading. -- I don't get to read as much as I used to (i.e. before kids) but it is such a refuge for me. I will read almost anything but I especially love a great mystery that grips me from moment one and historical fictions that sweep me into a different world.

2. Taking baths -- I love hot baths. Preferably with salts or bubbles (adding a magazine and a glass of wine doesn't hurt). I have long argued that this is my drug of choice. I don't smoke. I rarely drink but when things get rough I will take several baths a day.

3. Thrift shopping -- I have a passion for fashion but no budget. I have come to love my "treasure hunts". I go to Savers and Goodwill and find Bebe, Banana Republic, etc. for practically no money and I'm helping a charity. How great is that!!! Some days I find nothing. Some days I hit the mother lode. I'm like a Fashion Indiana Jones.

4. Writing -- this is an old passion found anew. I used to write a lot as a teen but at some point, it fell by the wayside. But now, I have this blog. I'm dabbling with a couple of others and I'm studying screenwriting. It has become a huge and important outlet in my life.

5. Hanging out with my family -- whether it's taking a drive to see Christmas lights, watching a DVD, or taking a walk, I love being a part of our little group.

Now here's the tough part -- choosing five blogs. (And with the knowledge that I will be choosing seven more shortly). Also, Betty and I like several of the same blogs, but here goes...

1. I have to throw love at Unknown Mami who gave me my first award and too much advice to list here (http://www.unknownmami.com/). She's tops, baby. Tops!

2. Tammy at Keep in Touch with Mommakin (http://randomthoughts-tammy.blogspot.com/) --funny, great taste in music, a daily read

3. Mama-Face at Blog-Ignoramus -- (see above) not because I won her giveaway, either, but because she makes me smile or think or smile and think

4. Frau at West Family Adventures (http://fraukmwest.blogspot.com/) -- she's sharing her family's European adventure and is a very supportive blogger

5. When Did I Become Mother (http://www.when-did-i-become-my-mom.com/ ) -- the title says so much (we have a lot in common) but her blog is so much more. A frank and often funny look at parenting with poignant attention paid to special needs.

I love all of the above blogs and so many more. Thanks again, Betty, I will share the love!

P.S. Today is the 22nd anniversary of my first date with my husband. I still love you, babe!

Day Eighty - Two

Wow!!!! I feel like a rock star!!!

Yesterday, I was given a lemonade stand and today I got tagged! From one of my favorite blogs -- Keep in Touch with Mommakin (randomthoughts-tammy.blogspot.com). Tammy is uber-cool, funny, and shares a distinctively varied love of music with me. (We both love to rock and yet we can totally groove the Manilow and the Carpenters.)

So here's the rules...

I have to share five experiences that shaped me as a Theta Mom - THE True Authentic Mom and to tag five other THETAs.

Here we go...

1. First, and foremost -- my mom. Everything that I am is a reflection of her (well, I'm sure that my Dad had a hand, too, but we are focusing on the mommas right now!). I often think about what she would do in any given situation. I guess that you would say I think about WWMD? Mostly, she shaped my integrity. She told me (untold numbers of times) that the one thing I truly owned was my word. It was also the one thing that I couldn't take back. She stressed that I not speak frivolously or viciously because the repercussions would far outlast any momentary satisfaction.

2. Growing up being bullied. I was bullied for many years. It fundamentally shaped who I am. I had a birthmark on my nose and I was teased incessantly, called names ("hickey nose" -- I had to ask my mom what a hickey was?!?!) I always knew that I would be a mom and I decided way back then that my children would NEVER be bullies. I hope to raise them with such solid self-esteems that they would be bully-proof but also that they would be strong enough that they would never need to push someone down to feel lifted.

3. Seeing the ultrasound of my son at 14 weeks. While I was profoundly affected by seeing all of the ultrasounds of both of my children, this was the first moment that I truly felt that I was responsible for another human being. That was so profound and so life-altering. I will never be the person I was before.

4. I'm a wackadoo! Anyone who has read more than one day knows that. I am silly, very often weird, and I love music (including my well-documented passion for all things corny and schmaltzy!) and am constantly singing or dancing. I have been caught in elevators or stairwells that I thought were empty blowing off the roof singing Elton John's "Levon". Embarrassing? Yes. But it doesn't stop me. I share this with my kids. Sometimes they love it -- "Do it again, Mommy" and sometimes they don't -- "Mommy, you no sing" (literally closing my lips!). But I hear them singing and it makes me smile. One day, their kids will love it or hate it but it will always be a part of who they are.

5. Five things, huh? I love God. I love my husband. I love my kids. What can I say? Everything I do is shaped by that.

Now here I get to tag five more mommas. Again, the choosing is the tough part. But I tag...

1. Mostly Flummoxed (http://geeneva.blogspot.com/)

2. Stir Fry Awesomeness (http://stirfryawesomeness.blogspot.com/)

3. That Girl Blogs (http://newthatgirlblogs.blogspot.com/)

4. Raising My 4 Sons (http://newthatgirlblogs.blogspot.com/)

5. Life Laugh Latte -- 2 Mommas, 1 Great Blog (http://lifelaughlatte.blogspot.com/)

Thanks for inspiring me!

Day Eighty - One

Well, on a day that I had to maneuver the bureaucracy of the Social Security Office, I came home to a lovely surprise! I got an award from 2 Toddlers and Me (2toddlersandme.blogspot.com)!





She has a great blog that Unknown Mami (unknownmami.com) introduced me to a couple of weeks ago. And she was kind enough to check me out. I'm smiling which you can't see so I will give you the traditional emoticon of :-)!

So here's the deal. It's the Lemonade Stand Award which goes to blogs that demonstrate great attitude or gratitude. Sooooo cool! That is certainly what I aspire to, so again, thanks!!!

Now this has the instruction: to pass it on to five blogs that I feel meet that criteria. That's the hard part -- choosing. I am constantly and consistently amazed by the blogs that I read, so choosing five is no easy task. But here goes....

1. Be yourself... everyone else is taken (moredoors.blogspot.com)

2. Blog-Ignoramus (blogignoramus.blogspot.com)

3. Decisionally Challenged (georgienba.blogspot.com)

4. Cut and Dry (cutand-dry.blogspot.com)

5. Life with Kaishon (kaishon.blogspot.com)

So I'm sharing the lemonade. Sharing the love. Love this blogging community. And to think I almost didn't turn on my laptop tonight.

Day Fifty - Seven

First off, how much do I love Unknown Mami? If you have somehow found me without finding her first...Stop reading. I mean it. Stop reading, scroll down to my blog list, and click on her link. You won't regret it. If you find your way back to me, terrific. If you get lost in her lovely blog, well, can't say as I blame you. She is insightful, funny, and darnit she likes me so I really can't do anything but adore her. In all seriousness, however, she is a dynamite lady in person and my blogging goddess. So go already... go.

Wow, did you come back? How amazing is that? Is it because she told you to? Gosh, do I love that woman.

So we are entering the weekend and my son has a playdate this afternoon. And two offers for next week. So my son is officially way more popular than me. And that is great. I love that he is a confident, together little boy with lots of friends.

I especially love that because I have never been confident and together. Hollywood is full of characters like Ally McBeal and Bridget Jones. In those versions, the women are far more attractive than their situation would otherwise suggest and despite everything, they are adored. Well, here in the land called Earth, men do not instantly fall in love with the clumsy, insecure, messes of the world. Employers do not appreciate inappropriate dress in the workplace. And doors don't fly open when you are the kind of person who throws herself full force into a door that clearly says "Pull". (Yes, I really did that. More than once. Okay. Okay. Lots more than once.)

So I confess. I am a mess. Though I did have a dear grad school friend who told me I wasn't clumsy, I was endearing. Really good friend. Really bad liar. But I love him anyways. If you're out there, AA, big kisses.

The good news, however, is that it is not a genetic condition. (My husband might suggest here that he had such a great pool that it counteracted my genes, but you haven't seen his closet!) I have managed to create and raise a great kid. Funny, bright, and best of all he likes himself. At the end of the day, this messy girl did something right. (At least for now....) And that makes me like myself.