Category: AWARDS

Joy of Desserts and Sherrie honored me with this lovely award for my blog. This was certainly an awesome welcome home. Thanks Joy and Sherrie! It’s taking me a while to play catch up from my time away!

When I sign on and see a new comment sitting there, well it makes my day! A pretty wrapped gift handed just to me amongst all those other options out there in blog land. Comments truly are the jewels of the blog land. Leaving a comment is like walking up to a new friend IRL and introducing yourself. It is how we make friends in the blogland.

How can we thank our loyal friends and readers for giving us these bloggy treasures? First and foremost, we can return the favor! We can visit their blogs and leave them comments. “The golden rule of blogging – do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. It makes the blogosphere go round.”

I love the idea of a pay it forward anything. I think anything positive is a good thing. So it really made my day when I signed on and sat down to google reader and found Diana’s wonderful comment. Stop by Forgetfulone and say hello, she’s become a good friend and I know if we lived closer we would be great IRL friends. So in the spirit of this SAY IT FORWARD I start with Diana. I too can’t remember how we met, it probably was Pay it Forward book exchange over at Overwhelmed with Joy, but we’ve been great friends since.

There are so many wonderful bloggers that come to mind when I think of passing this on. I think I’ll do one every week or so versus all at once. So I won’t start with the obvious (at least to some) and mix it up a bit by starting with Jen from Tatertots and Jello and adding her to this list today. I’m not sure how we met, whether it was a meme or something else, but she pops by regularly and offers great positive thoughts to my day.

1. Quilt Patterns – I always have a new project in my mind and when I see a piece of fabric that fits, I have to stash it away. Hey they may discontinue it before I get around to that project.
2. Writing ~ I keep writing cookbooks. I just need to find a publisher. I still have a novel or two running around my brain too. I just need the time to get them onto paper.
3. Coffee ~ I love my coffee and really love Starbucks Caramel Mocha Cappucinnos. Thank goodness there isn’t one within 125 miles.
4. Blogging – I just love the creative process. I have always kept some form of a journal, but this is better, it’s interactive with comments and constructive ideas with a sisterhood of special women and it is constantly being updated and improved.
5. Cooking/Recipes – I love to cook and I just adore creating new recipes or modernizing old ones to eliminate preservative full foods.

And now on to my addictive blogs. This is the second time I have received this which is great because now can pass it on to 5 more wonderful bloggers. There are so many blogs that I love to visit. but these are some more like when I met Jen, just chatting over coffee at the kitchen table like long lost friends. ~ There is always something new to see or a special ‘trip’ to virtually take over at Sandra’s. I can’t wait to see each day what she has going on.

1. Shannon at Shannon’s Moments of Introspection ~ She always has something new and fun going on.
   
2. Tammy at Queen Size Funny Bone ~ She always has something brewing over there and I love how she speaks her mind, it’s so refreshing.
3. Mimi at Screaming Mimi~ She has well thought out posts on day to day life and how to have some fun too.
4. Kiy at Rocking Chairs and a Tricycle ~ There is always something creative going on and I love how she wears her heart openly.
5. Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven ~ She also has well thought out posts on day to day life and how to have some fun too. And with all the kids I love how she answers every single comment. I try very hard to emulate her.

There are sooooooooooo many more I’d like to list…

1. Fabric – I always have a new project in my mind and when I see a piece of fabric that fits, I have to stash it away. Hey they may discontinue it before I get around to that project.
2. Blogging – I just love the creative process. I have always kept some form of a journal, but this is better, it’s interactive with comments and constructive ideas with a sisterhood of special women and it is constantly being updated and improved.
3. Candles – I just love candles and to have one burning most evenings! I especially love the warm colored ones with food scents (I know many of you are LYAO, but it’s true – I love the smell of apple pie and pumpkin and vanilla…
4. Photography – I take my camera with me everywhere. There are just so many pictures to be taken! I’m always hoping for that next great shot.
5. Cooking/Recipes – I love to cook and I just adore creating new recipes or modernizing old ones to eliminate preservative full foods.

And now on to my addictive blogs. There are so many blogs that I love to visit. but these are like when I met Jen, just chatting over coffee at the kitchen table like long lost friends.

1. Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom ~ There is always something new to see or a special ‘trip’ to virtually take over at Sandra’s. I can’t wait to see each day what she has going on.
2. Lucy at Lulu’s Petals ~ She always has something brewing over there and I love how she speaks her mind, it’s so refreshing.
3. Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers ~ She has well thought out posts on day to day life and how to have some fun too. While I know she has had so little time due to work lately and doesn’t post as often, she does post quality that I love.
4. Diana at Forgetfulone ~ There is always something creative going on and I love how she wears her heart openly.
5. Michelle at Scribbit a Blog About Motherhood in Alaska ~ She also has well thought out posts on day to day life and how to have some fun too. I love how she answers every single comment. I try very hard to emulate her.

There are sooooooooooo many more I’d like to list…

Here are the rules for the recipients:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

I would like to pass this award to:
Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers
Kiy at Rocking Chairs and a Tricycle
Jenjen at Tatertots and Jello
Diana at Forgetfulone
Misty Dawn at Misty’s Words
Mimi at Screaming Mimi
Michelle at Scribbit
Janet at Fond of Snape
Storyteller at Sacred Ruminations

2. Christmas Baking – I start baking the week before. I always make a plate for all the neighbors of our family favorites. You know Christmas wreaths, rum balls, fudge and peanut brittle. Hubby always pops his head in so he can be a taste tester. The house always smells sooooooooooooo good and we never lack for yummies!

3. Christmas Snow – One of the things I don’t lack for at Christmas time is snow. But I look forward to seeing the flakes actually fall ON Christmas Day night with the Christmas lights in the foreground and the deer eating their dinner of cracked corn in the front yard nose to nose with the rabbits.

4. Christmas Movies – It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street the original & the remake too), White Christmas, Holiday Inn, The Santa Clause and all the wonderful ones on Hallmark and Lifetime too.

5. Christmas Mail – I try to make my own cards every year, a true labor of love and I really appreciate receiving handmade cards. I have such an awe and respect for those. I just love hearing about everyone’s year and seeing the new pictures of kids as they grow and grow.

I’m passing this Spirit of Christmas Award/Meme Combo to the following wonderful ladies who have made blogging such a joy to me and have such beautiful spirits year round as well as Christmas.

• Barbara who I know is too busy to participate, but has one of the biggest Christmas spirits I know.
• Diana who has become such a dear blogging buddy and has a HUGE Christmas spirit.
• Anni who has sooooooooooooo much holiday spirit for every holiday!
• Jen who is awe inspiring with her ability to manage 9 kids and have such a beautiful spirit too.
• Michelle who manages to inspire me ALL the time.
• Jenn who (though I’m a bit biased) has been filling me with the Christmas spirit since her Christmas eve birth – Happy Birthday sweetie
• Janet and her ability to find the fun and joy in everything.
• Kiy who has such a beautiful spirit and wants to make everything perfect for her family.

I know there are sooooooooooo many more, but my baking timer just went off and I must go! LOL

• Put the logo on your blog or post.
• Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
• Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
• Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
• Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.
• Each of the women listed below has impressed me in lots of different ways. All of them are truly deserving of the Lemonade Award for having a great attitude and have become dear blogging friends and inspirations!

• Here are the ones I’ve selected to start with ~

1. Barbara at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers
2. Diana at Forgetfulone
3. Janet at Fond of Snape
4. Jenn at What I did at School Today
5. Joy at Joy of Desserts
6. Kiy at Rocking chairs and a Tricycle
7. Lucy at Lulu’s Petals
8. Michelle at Scribbit
9. Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
10. Shannon at Shannon’s Moments of Introspection
11. Tammy at Queen-Size Funny Bone
12. …and the list goes on and on… Everyone feel free to help yourself and pass this along to anyone who needs a positive attitude!

Once you receive this award then you are to pass it on to 8 others.
Today I am going to pass this along to…..

• Barbara @ Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers
• Michelle @ Michelle’s Family Life
• Diana @ Forgetfulone
• Lucy @ Lulu’s Petals
• Anni @ Hootin’ Anni’s
• Michelle @ Scribbit: A Blog About Motherhood in Alaska
• Shannon @ Shannon’s Moments of Introspection
• Lisa @ Confessions of an Apron Queen
• Stephanie @ Mississipi Songbird
• Martha @ Menagerie
• Joy @ Joy of Desserts
• and I can go on and on…

♥

• God and my faith
• My family and friends
• My education and all that I learn new each day
• A positive attitude, a smile and graciousness (they do tend to go hand in hand)
• Time which there is never, never enough if anymore
• Contentment with myself, without it I’m all out of sync

6 Things I DO NOT support

• Narrow, close minded people who believe their way is the only way to accomplish things
• Today’s media and their biased reporting policies
• Automated phone systems for businesses. I expect customer service to be personal
• Irresponsible parents
• Violence towards anyone, but especially women, children & animals
• American Businesses outsourcing their jobs and especially their customer service

6 people I am passing this award to

• Sandra
• Penelope
• Diana
• Martha
• Lucy
• Lisa