Tuesday, March 6, 2012

YAY--The Sunshine Award!






When I was in school, only one person won each game. Only those who truly excelled received trophies and only the top echelon won awards. That said, I did not ever get an award. Or a trophy. Or win. Heck, I was just happy not to get picked LAST every game!  I was your average awkward tween/teen and just wanted people to like me. I tried to 
blend in because A. From the time I was in kindergarten, I was a giant 
and 2. Whenever I was noticed, trouble followed. I was ALWAYS at the wrong place at the wrong time.

WELL, my friends in the blogosphere, that gangly girl of the 80s has now received her THIRD award. Yes, that's right--THIRD. She was completely taken by surprise when she got the first, was convinced that the second would most definitely be her last, but she has now been given A THIRD. Why is said girl speaking in the THIRD person, you ask? I don't know really--and it IS annoying, so I will stop.

I feel a little weird "...thanking my fans..." for making all of this possible (because who do I really think I am, anyway?!), but it always makes me feel so honored to know that 
1. Someone (ANYONE besides a blood-relative or in-law) is actually READING my material and B. Said person actually LIKES what I've written. THIS even tops getting picked first in kickball (not that I would know)!

Check out Melissa Gardener at My Unpublished Life as she was nice enough to nominate me for The Sunshine Award and I am so thrilled to accept it--thank you, Melissa! You will definitely not regret checking out Melissa's page and sharing the love!

There are five rules that go along with accepting The Sunshine Award and they are:
1. Include the award's logo in a post or on your blog.
2. Answer ten questions about yourself.
3. Nominate ten to twelve other fabulous bloggers.
4. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know that they have been nominated.
5. Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Now, those of you who have been doing your homework and reading my posts for these last few months know how I feel about LISTS, but I already knocked out two of the listed items, so I may be able to accomplish this before I lose it (which is HUGE for me)!

Now for the questions (for the record, I am the worst question anwerer (yes it IS now a word) EVER, so bare with me...
What is your favorite color?
REALLY? My FAVORITE color? Of what? Car? Bedroom? House? Dog? I have never been able to accurately answer this question. I KNOW that "normal" people have "favorites," but I've never really been good at it. I like warm browns, oranges, and reds for my clothing and my walls, yet my FAVORITE VEHICLE OF ALL TIME was royal blue. I generally choose red Skittles and Starburst, but love a green Jolly Rancher. I find yellow very cheerful and love it paired with teal or hot pink. I will pretty much like ANY color if it is presented nicely.
What is your favorite animal?

Again, it is hard for me to have a favorite, but recently I seem to be partial to this:
...and THIS...









Although, THIS is too cute for words...



...and THIS!














Of course, we watched Mr. Popper's penguins and I was quite convinced (as were my children...husband, not-so-much) that we could make the whole penguin thing happen. Maybe if we were still in Montana...
Favorite non-alcoholic drink
I am SO VERY BORING. ANYONE who has had the (dis)pleasure of dining out with me knows how VERY ANNOYING I am when it comes to my beverage. I ALWAYS drink a large ice water (no lemon because I waited tables and it cured me of EVER wanting fruit in my beverage...) with extra ice. Often times I will ask for ANOTHER glass of just ice because few people really believe me when I say I want extra. If you ever come to my house you will find that we have alcoholic drinks, milk, and water. Not the BEST hosts...
I do have to say that my time in Montana introduced me to yummy coffee drinks--or dessert in a cup as I like to call it. Some of my former students will attest to the fact that I should RARELY partake in coffee drinking as I am already hyper enough!
Favorite number
Again, REALLY?! My whole life I have made up "favorite" numbers and colors because it seems like people ALWAYS have a favorite, but I rarely have a favorite ANYTHING! I guess thirteen was my "number" for a while because it was the number I used to type in orders when I waited tables. Then, 2 and 19 were the numbers I used when I lost all of the money that I earned waiting on those tables on Keno. Now...three? Five? I honestly don't know, but if I ever win the lottery, I am certain that my feelings will change!
Facebook or Twitter
This should probably read, "Facebook or...anything else..." because it seems I love facebook a little too much. Maybe I can start a support group on facebook...
My passion 
my family...blogging...teacher's rights...human rights...(that should probably be in a different order...) I am quite certain that my husband and son (it must be a weird male thing, because my daughters could care less) would say, "The computer, facebook, blogging, Words With Friends..."
Prefer getting or giving presents...
Giving, definitely...especially now that I am older. I always did love giving presents more than getting them, but now it is even more so because I know the value of things and I would much rather spend the money on someone else. Unless my husband wanted to buy me a pair of great boots. you know--a pair of, "Wow, Melissa nominated me for the Sunshine Award and I am so happy to have  that AND new boots!" boots
Favorite pattern
Hmmm. I guess it depends on what colors are used and if it is for clothing or house decor, adult or child... I like plaids and stripes and polka dots...hmmm...
Favorite day of the week
Saturday. I love having my family together (when my girls aren't trapped in their room "cleaning" all day!) and knowing that we have one more day together before everyone is back at work and school.
Favorite flower
Well, Melissa posted this:
 

and I LOVE it! It's a Frangipani and this is the first time we've met. If I HADN'T "met" her flower, I would have said sunflower or gerbera daisies. Sunflowers are just so happy and bright and cheerful...did I mention happy? Gerbera daisies are so pretty--one of my (awesome and amazing)students watched our cats for us when we went to Buffalo (TWELVE years ago!) for my grandmother's funeral (which happened to be on my birthday). When we returned from the trip there was a bouquet of multi-colored Gerbera daisies waiting for me in a vase on the table. So now they remind me of my grandmother and I have LOVED them ever since.


SO...thank you again, Melissa--and I would like to nominate these amazing ladies and a pretty cool gentleman for The Sunshine Award. There are quite a few listed, but that is because of my whole "Can't pick a favorite" issue! PLUS--they are ALL AWESOME!


http://icouldhavebeenmotheroftheyearif.blogspot.com/


http://www.youknowithappensatyourhousetoo.blogspot.com/


http://www.perspectiveparenting.com/2012/03/03/college-planning-the-prerequisite-course/#comment-464


http://www.adoredbefore.com/


http://designherbrands.blogspot.com/


http://sweetmiasdesserts.com/


http://shopnserve.blogspot.com/


http://lilycontadino.blogspot.com/

http://yourdoctorswife.blogspot.com/2012/03/back-side-of-medicine-and-technology.html#comment-form


http://hollowtreeventures.blogspot.com/


http://couponqueensthrone.blogspot.com/


http://www.thepetiteyoungblonde.blogspot.com/


http://www.alittlelucidity.com/2012/02/humpday-caption-contest-229.html?showComment=1331082563214#c6576346142255523545
!

18 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. :o) I guess THAT can be your birthday present...unless you want to consider working on the next thing with me a "present..."Ha!

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  2. WOW...my first REAL award!!! I am humbled my friend :) So glad our paths have crossed and that we share this "virtual" world together! Many thanks, and I shall pass it on!

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    1. I am so honored to be the first to give you your first award of many! Wear it proudly...you deserve it! ;o)

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  3. Wow! Thank you so much for nominating me! Love it! This is so great!

    Do I pass it on now? Or do I wait? How do I get the button?

    I'm a new blogger and from what I can tell an older blogger. Help an old lady out? ;0)

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    1. Hahahaha! This is so funny to me because I cannot even believe I give the IMPRESSION of knowing what I am doing! THANK YOU for that! Here I thought that YOU were the experienced one!
      Okay...so follow the list of "questions" listed in the blog (your favorites and...I don't remember what else...!) for your post today or tomorrow. Find those blogs that you like and nominate them. To post your award, you probably want to ask someone who knows what she is doing, but I just hit right click, save picture URL, hit the "insert a picture" button, copy picture URL--pasted the URL into the space and that did it. Let me know if you need help--we can "chat" our way through it!

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  4. Thank you so much! My first award ever...how exciting!! Okay now I need to follow these instructions...okay I am on it!!

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    1. This is the second first award I gave and I feel so honored to have been the first one to discover [what may as well be] gold! The problem with awards with rules is they can be a bit stressful--at least my neurotic personality can MAKE them stressful--and it is supposed to be a GOOD thing--so don't worry if you don't get it out today (I about killed someone and my family about killed ME over this yesterday!)--it can be time consuming (especially if your computer hates you) getting all of the links (at least for me). Of course, I can't wait to read about everyone's "favorite" things so that I can change my mind on my choices! ;o)

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  5. this is so awesome. much much thanks! can't wait to check out all the others as well!!!

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    1. ANY time! And I know what you mean about checking out the others--there really are so many talented people doing this (including YOU!)and I feel like we should all be friends!

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  6. I like how decisive you are with your favorites! :-)

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    1. Ummm...yeah...I have a problem with that (and oh-so-many other things...)! And I am quite certain that after I read all of the responses I am going to change my mind with each post!

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  7. Thank you SO MUCH for the nomination, Nika! It's my very first blog award, and I'm totally honored, and so flattered that you picked me! I'm going to try to do you proud and post this ASAP - as you'll probably see on my blog I have a Perfect Storm of guest posts, family birthdays, and other craziness this month, but this is such a huge bright spot - I can't thank you enough and I can't wait to display my badge with pride!

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    1. You are so very welcome--I love your blog and think others should know about it! I SEE how busy you are (great post on BlogHer by the way!), so just post it when you have a second to breathe!

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  8. Aww shucks! Thanks for the reminder today, it was a crazy day yesterday and I got thrown off track all day. I will post this with my Silly Saturday. :) I appreciate your picking me!! Have a wonderful week.

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    1. That's okay...I couldn't remember if I had told you at all yet! I can't wait to read what you write on Silly Saturday! Enjoy your week!

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  9. Thanks, Nika! When my mind is right again, I will be getting back into blogging, if only to just distract myself. :)

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    1. Take your time, Lucy! I've been thinking of you...

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