Awards Time!

I'm a slacker, and am so humbled right now!
I've been awarded many times over, and have been putting off doing the post, my bad.

We'll start with the Vespa Award, given to me by The Girl in Stiletto @ .musings of the corybantic painted nails. She's got a great sense of humor, and is working her way through med school. Los of fun to read :o)
There don't seem to be a set of rules for this one, just receive & pass it on, Yay!
I pass the Vespa Award on to:
1. Jodi @ Moody Blue - cause she love Elvis, and ya can't go wrong with that!
2. Deb @ Through Thick N Thin - Cause she likes Smirnoff as much as I do :o)
3. Sue @ Coffee Slut - Like I said the first time I passed an award on to her, I admire her for being a slut for coffee!
4. Kimber @ Life In A Zoo - Cause you have to admire her ability to home-school her older kids and manage her younger ones at the same time!
5. Berleen @ A Straight Jacket & A Padded Room - I love that she calls her kids Demons.


My next one is the Premios Dardos Award, given to me by Jack @ silghtly off-center. This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his or her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.

The rules to follow are:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

If you like it, take it!

My next award is the Sexy Blogger Award given to me by Carina @ a Blogette. The award requires you to list 5 sexy things about yourself. Sounds good to me...
1. My mouth. There are so many good things about a mouth, lots you can do with it, and it's appeal in general just to look at it.
2. My amazing sense of humor. I love to joke about sex at length.
3. My calves...always been a fav part of my body.
4. My hair, beautiful, dark, and filled with natural highlights
5. My eyes, without my glasses I don't think they'd amount to much, which is why I'll never get rid of them (my glasses, that is).

It's always a lot of fun to compliment ones self, and even better when you don't need to feel guilty doing so!
I pass this Sexy Blogger Award on to:
1. Ric @ My Expressions Live - cause he's smokin hot.
2. Southern Sage @ Welsome to Sageville - who can resist a smart man with a southern drawl in a cowboy hat?
3. Lois @ No Sympathy For The Devil - cause I drool everytime I read her latest post. Seriously, if anyone could turn me to the other side, it's her!
4. Bud @ WTIT The Blog - I love a man with a good sense of humor.

Next I've recieved the Honest Scrap award from The Girl In Stilleto again @ .musings of the corybantic painted nails.
"The HonestScrap award comes with a caveat or two. Firstly, you have to tell your readers ten things about you they may not know, but that are true. Secondly, you have to tag 10 people with the award."
1. I wear a size 14
2. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old.
3. I met my first husband on the internet
4. I love Rollercoasters, and am not afraid to ride even the most extreme ones, even if it is just once to say that I did.
5. I look exactly like my mother
6. I'm the second tallest woman in my family @ 5'2 1/2" (the half is what makes me taller!)
7. I can't knit or crochet for the life of me
8. I love to travel
9. I've never had a ticket in 12 years of driving
10. This is the first year of my adult life where I feel like a respected member of the community, and an actual adult...other years I've always felt rather juvenile, young, and inexperienced.

I don't think I can tag 10 people, that feels like a whole lot...but let's see what we can come up with.
1. Aimie @ My Favorite Munchkins - Her kids are adorable, and she's one of the most thoughtful people that I've ever had the pleasure to read about!
2. Billy Rhythm @ The Philosophy Of Chairs - Cause he plays the drums & he's cool ;oD

And Finally I have the Sisterhood Award taken from Kitten @ The Bookkitten. She writes some truly in-depth reviews of the books she reads. I admire her choice of books, and the choices she makes for herself in life.
If you like it, take it!
So there you have it, a fabulous list to accompany some fabulous awards. thank you ladies for passing them my way, it's always nice to know my readers appreciate what I have to say in my blog.

I'm One Hot Mama

Yup, it's true. I fit the criteria as a Hot Mama.
I'm doing a Hot Mama dance right now, but you don't need to see that. ;o)
My thanks to Sage & the guys over at Hot Dads.
You hear that everyone? Hot Dads, go visit it, it's funny, and insightful. You know you're dying to read life from a dad's point of view, or heck, even life from a man's point of view. Go visit them!

Lemonade, My Fav!

Last week I cruised by Jack's place, and discovered she had awarded me this fabulous bit of Blog-o-sphere greatness.

The "When Life Gives You Lemons" Award.

Rules for the Lemonade Award:

Post the logo on your blog.

Nominate blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.

Link to the nominees within your blog post.

Notify the recipients of the award by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link back to the person from whom you received your award.

Now, I can't recall whom out of all my bloggy friends I've given awards to. Truly, I do try and place the most fitting & deserving ones in the slots provided because timing it everything, right? So...

1. Jodi @ Moody Blue. I do realize she's already received this award from someone else, but this is one of those times where it's a terrific reminder of what great friends we make online, and what a wonder it is to smile.

2. Kimber @ Life In A Zoo. It's truly amazing what mother's are capable of. I don't know how she manages, but she homeschools her children, and I know from experience how much devotion that must take. I admire that she has the ability to stay relatively sane during those rough times that I've witnessed being a frequent visitor to her blog for the last few months. She's a special kind of lady :o)

3. John @ Curdled - I haven't been a reader for long, actually the first time I can remember reading I was instantly sucked into his world, and how different his was, from mine. I'm intensely curious about him, and I love the snippits he provides about his world when he blogs.

4. my MIL Ronnie @ Certifiable. We've been family for nearly 8 years and I keep finding new reasons to love her each and every day. It will never fail to amaze me how she can be such a pillar of strength when we start to fail each other.

Friends Award

*gasp* they do exist!
(picture the M&M's Christmas commercial....*snicker*)
Kitten @ The Bookkitten has nominated me for this fabulous Friends award! Yay! Now I do need to mention that even though I did notice she had gotten it, I somehow managed to let it slip my mind, and I didn't congratulate her on getting it to begin with (not very friend-like of me), so WTG! lol
Sorry it was so long in the posting, but it takes time to think these things through, ya know?

Here's what this award is all about:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

1. Carina - I found her blog-hopping a while back, and had forgotten about her site until she popped up in a respond comment on my site. That's when I perked up a bit and started heading over there regularly. It's good to have a girly friend who isn't submerged in Motherhood, it's a nice reminder to pay attention to who I am and what I want, as a woman, not a mother or wife.

2. Janet - She broke my meme cherry ;oD (Oh so crude, I know) LOL I happened onto her blog from a surfing the photos on Vox, and when I visited her Vox blog I noticed a link to her main blog. I loved layout, and as I kept reading I becamse addicted to What Is It Wednesday, and Friday Fill-Ins. She takes some really great photos of everyday things that I don't even think of looking at twice. A new perspective is always nice to see.

3. 4streegrrl - I hopped over there one day because I say her name on Friday Fill_ins, and once i seen she was from my home province, well, it just kept drawing me back. I admire her athleticism (read:she can make it to the gym), I also appreciate that though we have some of the same views on things, it's ok to not go to any degree that I'm not comfortable with. I've met plenty of people who think like I do over the years, but take it so seriously that I won't ever meet up to their criteria, leaving me wondering why.

4. Chester Field - I hopped over there on the recommendation of sweetcopswife one day, and was hooked from the get go. He does some fantastic writing, of which I'm envious. I have no imagination what-so-ever when it comes to erotica, and lack any ability to be creative with it at all. He's given me an insight into the horn-dogs that are men (though not all of them) :oD

5. Diamond - it's always nice view other perspectives on parenting, marriage, and work. There really aren't a whole lot of sites that I visit just because of the parenting, each one I go to contains a certain amount of the person who's responsible for writing it, and a certain amount about being a parent. I really admire the balance, and that's why I go there.

6. Billy Rhythym - I started reading here because the name caught my eye. I love his kids, they're absolutely adorable. He also shows a great perspective of marriage from a mans point of view, and it's damned near poetic. I really admire the balance of family, work, leisure, and faith that he has integrated in his life.

That's where I'm going to cut my list short. I have to admit I admire all of those who frequent my blog, that's why I'm always there! I comment as much as I possibly can, and I really appreciate those of you who pop on over every once and a while as well. So, if I missed you, please take this one home with you tonight :o)

Look What I Got!

Diamond @ My Pretty Pink Blogette, and Aimie @ My Favorite Munchkins saw fit to bestow me this amazing award. I feel very honored, and special, and all warm and gooey inside. Thanks ladies, I needed a pick me up!

1) Admit that ONE thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are NO LONGER allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!
2)To remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list SEVEN things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself of EVERY DAY that you rock!
3)Send this to FIVE other Moms of the Year that deserve forgiveness and a reminder that they, too, are the best moms they can be!!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you!"

1. I despise having to explain to my kids our rules about being generous (donating things that we're lucky to have), different (we don't let our kids drink pop etc), and sometimes being the odd members out (it's always been a difficult road to manage friends for us & the kids). I've always felt guilty that D didn't have more playmates around, or over as often as you see in sitcoms & the like. I've felt even worse about the fact that most of his friends, are our adult friends and he's perfectly content with that...

The 7 things I love most about my kids are:
1. I love that Darius always rushes to make someone feel better when they are feeling bad, and that he's the first to apologize in any accidental situation.
2. I love that I can get multiple hugs & smoochies from my boys whenever I request them, and that they offer them to me when I'm not feeling 100%
3. I love that my boys use their manners in public (most of the time).
4. I'm very proud that D has taken an interest in Ice Skating, it's a requirement to consider yourself Canadian.
5. I'm very proud that I'm raising a reader, and fostering an amazing imagination that can make me giggle at the worst of times.
6. I love that my children are opening doors to get closer to my parents, and in-laws, and any other relatives who have kids.
7. I makes my life worthwhile knowing that my children love me unconditionally.

The five lucky moms to recieve this award from me are:
1. Deb @ Through Thick N Thin - you know you've earned it!
2. Berleen @ A Straight Jacket & A Padded Room - cause you're doing a pretty good job surviving your demons so far, a little boost would help you along nicely ;o)
3. Ragtop Day - cause she's an amazing parent with terrific ideas
4. only a movie - cause you know she works hard
5. Jack @ slightly off-center - her kids made it to their teens (and adulthood!), you know she's doing something right.

Butterfly Award & Hitting The Pavement

Diamond at My Pretty Pink Blogette was kind enough to bestow me the Butterfly award, for having a "beautifully simple blog". My Mr. has been mentioning that I should be getting paid to blog, then we'd have no worries, LOL. I like it without ads or anything, and it makes me feel good to know that others appreciate it as well, Thanks Diamond!


"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer"
George Thorogood - 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer

I hit the pavement this morning to do a bit of fund raising. I finally got my letters sent out, thanks in part to my MIL who was kind enough to stuff and (return)address the envelopes for me yesterday. So, I decided that rather than wait for a "good" time (cause who am I kidding, it's never a good time), I'd just get it over an done with. Now, my committee members have been doing their fare share for sure, hitting the downtown local businesses...After I was finished this morning I think they got the easy ones, LOL.

"Why don't you call me back no more?
Why on earth can't you just pick up the phone?
You know I don't like to be alone."
Alicia Keys - How Come You Don't Call Me?

I got the old "we have a procedure" at most places I stopped at (yes, I looked on all of their websites and found no info on it, so I had no choice but to go in and talk to them in person, which was kind of awkward with a little one in tow). Along with that speech, I was allowed to leave letters at most places who didn't have a manager or owner available. In any event, I managed to knock down two small strip malls, and got halfway through a third before H decided he wanted to come home and nap. On the bright side, I did get a promise of a gift basket from Bob Evans.
Hopefully I can get more done tonight and still leave a bit of time to put together the Santa costume for tomorrow night.

"You see these shackles?
Baby I'm your slave"
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

I'm pushing it...I know. Thank god for caffeine.
I love a challenge I suppose.

"Here in some strangers room
It's late in the afternoon,
What am I doing here at all?"
Colin James - I'm Losing You

H was so friendly today, he said hello and goodbye to everyone who acknowledged him, freely gave me smoochies anytime I asked for them, and even fed me raisins by hand. *sigh* Thank goodness for moral support ;o)

"You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better"
The Beatles - Hey Jude

I got most of my stuff cut out last night, and even went out for a bit of midnight shopping (once again, I gave up on the "good" time). I finished the shopping for the boys finally. I'm hoping I can finish their PJ's before Christmas now, LOL.
I also looked up some Christmas games online, and am having trouble narrowing it down to one I want the kids to play on Friday. :oP Maybe I'll take another look, usually one just jumps out at me and I go with it, not this time. hmm.

I talked to my Gramma the other day as well, first time in forever. I haven't talked to her since we figured out we're headed back to BC. She was in tears when I told her of our decision, and I haven't had the heart to call back cause I know it won't be until June. I guess it feels like the more I chat with her the more homesick I feel, especially around the holidays...which is weird, cause she's so full os idiosyncrisis. She's one of those Gramma's who you just love to chuckle at because she has so many antics it's hard to pick one to be annoyed at. It's not that she tries to be annoying, it's just that she works so differently from me in some ways, and we're so alike in others it's almost scary.
Oh my god, I'd give anything to be with my family this Christmas.

"Miss you miss you all my soul
Miss you miss you can't feel whole"
54-40 - Miss You

I'm Kreativ!

I was so pleasantly surprised to find in the midst of my hustle of Thursday that the wonderful Jack over at Slightly Off-Center, has awarded me this Kreativ Blogger Award. It made my day :o)

So, the rules are:

♥ List 6 things that make you happy.
♥ Pass the award onto 6 Bloggers you consider to be Kreativ.
♥ Link to the blogger who gave you the award.
♥ Link to the blogs receiving the award.
♥ Notify the recipients.

6 things that make me happy

1. My sons
   
2. Toe socks
   
3. Trampoline's
   
4. Blogging
   
5. Singing
   
6. Beating a Sudoku Puzzle
   

I would like to pass this award along to to following blogs:

1. BeccA from BeccA's Buzz, who is also known for Give Me Five Monday. I like the little pictures she find to go with her posts, and the fabulous background on her blog.

2. LarryG over at Yesterday, Today, and Forever. He's got some beautiful poetry that I enjoy reading. It makes me think, and it gives me that little bit of a vacation in the middle of a long day :o)

3. Ragtop Day. I can't recall how I came across her but it was through random blog hopping that I'm coming to really enjoy. Anyhow, I really got wrapped up reading her humorous and insightful posts in an everyday life as a single mother of two girls. I'm also jealous that I don't have two girls! lol

4. Diana from Diana's Little Corner in the Nutmeg State. I happened upon her blog through the Friday Fill-In meme that I take part in. I admire all of the posts devoted to social activism surrounding Trans-Gendered people and their rights. I found it very eye-opening the first time I read it, and I admit it...I'm hooked.

5. Yellow Rose from Yellow Roses Garden. I believe I happened upon her blog through the Friday Fill-In as well. I like her blog layout, and the fact that she calls herself Yellow Rose cause my name is Amber Rose. She also takes some great pictures :o)

6. Dorky Dad. I blog hopped over to his site one day and he had me in tears reading about his sons antics and his unique take of life as a father. I keep going back, and it's more of the same. It's safe to say he's been added to my usual read blog list.

I have to say, it wasn't long ago that I only had my family as faithful readers of my blog. One Meme changed that, and I feel honored to have ANYone think of me when considering handing out an award. So, thanks for making me feel so special because it's a terrific feeling to know that a) I'm not alone in the world, and b) people can actually relate to the everyday experiences I have, which is a saving grace on those days where I feel two strands away from pulling all of my hair out.
Now...if you'll excuse me, I hafta go tell those ppl that I've passed it on to them :o)

it's Snoopy Dance Time!

Thanks to Kimber, who game me my very first ever awards. Yep, that's right, my award cherry is broke.



For the Uber Amazing Award:
* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.


For The Sparkly Award:
Post this badge on your site and link back to Maternal Spark. Then award 5 of your blog friends who have sparked creativity, conversation, controversy and friendships with you!

For both awards I nominate:

Janet - she is where all my meme's began. It all started with the Friday Fill-Ins that I first read on her site, and then all my blogging really began. I'm also addicted to her What Is Is Wednesday's cause she takes amazing pictures...plus her "Why So Serious" tattoo is pretty freakin cool!

Helen - Originally I met her through my aunt, we went to a Concert together way back when, and I guess in the last 6 months or so I really got hooked on her blog as she was just getting ready to have her first baby, Lily. I love reading the highlights of being a new parent, and a wife, as well as the activist thoughts that inspire me to be a better person, though it may be through the small things I am able to do.

Canucklehead - Always good for a giggle or a "moment" as he's a terrific writer. I find it enjoyable to surf his site as he's got some great jokes, pictures, and some pretty cute kids. Plus I love the references to bacon.

Nietha - Ok, so I know we're related and that makes me biased, but she writes a really amazing game review when she wants to. It's updated sporadically , but it makes for an interesting read.

CoffeeSlut - Admittedly I haven't paid many visits to her site, but it's memorable simply because she's a slut. I look foreward to seeing her icon each week when I complete the Thursday Thunks.

The Junk Drawer - I've only been reading Kathy's blog for about a month now, but boy oh boy have I gotten a few giggles from it. I found her site through Canucklehead's site, actually, when he recieved an award last month from someone, he listed her as an award recepient.

I know I should probably do a list for both, but I honestly don't "read" that many blogs. I blog surf a bunch, but I'm not really that committed to too many out there. Also, I should state that these are in no particular order... :o)
*does Snoopy Dances* I like this award business, it makes me feel special :oD