Beautiful Blogger Award....

an award.... from a 2nd fan! =) how exciting! especially because after i read her profile, i was pretty sure i just awarded myself this award.... with the exception that i'm not a granny yet, although my health (and husband) would tell you otherwise.... she is a coffee-drinking, wife, and mommy (and granny, which i find hard to believe).... she is overly sarcastic and hardly leaves the house.... Ms. Anthropy, are you SUUUURE you're not my clone? or vice versa?

Thank you, thank you for the "Beautiful Blogger Award"....

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 15 8 5 bloggers who you have recently discovered and you think are fantastic!

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Now, i'm supposed to tell you 7 things about myself.... you probably already know enough.... but let's see....

1. im addicted to starbucks.... i used to get a venti peppermint white mocha frap, but now just drink a tall (small) to cut down on the calories.... i get migraines.... and usually imitrex and coffee help cure my migraines.... however, i really don't like taking medicine, so i usually sit around until i can't take the migraine anymore, and then take half of the dose of medicine and sometimes even cry because they hurt so bad.... am i the only adult who cries? probably....

2. i never cooked until i married my husband.... i hated cooking and usually lost my appetite before i was done cooking.... and i really only started cooking to save money.... (and so our kids wouldn't grow up with type 2 diabetes and unhealthy) and i still don't have a lot of recipes, so i started a group on facebook called "recipes for all" so that i could get (and share) recipes with other people.... i didn't think very many people would join, but there are now about 100 people on there now, and a few good recipes.... i get these ideas that sound really great in my head, but getting them to actually play out the way i'd like them to, is a little bit harder.... nooooo way???!!!

3. i've never done a single drug in my life. i know, many of you who know me in person, won't believe that, because i'm so off the wall and rather nuts and addicted to coffee, and i'm loud and i have this weird thing with my corneas, so my eyes are red sometimes, but honest to goodness, i have NEVER done a drug in my life and i'm super proud of that. i don't know how to pass this on to my daughter, but i told her something like this.... "taylor, there are going to be people, maybe even friends, who will try to get you to do bad things, like smoking, drinking, drugs.... i remember people used to make fun of mommy for never even trying those things..."

she asked, "what did you say to them when they made fun of you, mom?"

"i'd ask them, 'why would i try something that isn't good for you? to see if i like it? and what if i like it? then i'm addicted to something that is bad for me, AND i have to PAY FOR IT?! that's just stupid!"

"that's a good answer mom."

4. i believe in God. i believe in doing good for the world and the people in it, whenever you are capable of doing so. (except giving money to gypsies who knock on your windows in a target parking lot).... there's a country song (yes i love country music) with the lyrics that go something like this "maybe he's an angel sent here from heaven, makin certain that you're doin your best, to take the time to help one another, brother are you gonna pass that test.... you can go on with your day to day, knowin good and well what you saw in his face...." and i think of those lyrics everytime i see someone who needs help.... "maybe they're an angel sent here from heaven, and God's testing me to see how I respond." just something to think about.... i also believe that "religion" is very much like "politics", which is probably why i've never really been good at it and understanding it... politics, i agree with some things on each side.... i can't say i'm 100% this or 100% that, and i don't want to start any political debates with anyone, cuz i'm pretty sure i'd lose. and that comment probably made me sound like i don't fully believe, or accept the Lord. no, no that's not it. i do. i believe in God. are you totally confused with what you were supposed to learn about me from number 4? good, cuz i'm confused too. moving on to number 5.

5. i believe there is a difference between "falling in love" and "Real love" and i think that "the road less traveled" defines and explains this the best way.... aside from my husband's stunningly good looks, he's also incredibly intelligent and respectable too!

6. i believe in therapy. i think everyone can benefit from it, no matter what.... and if you think you don't need help, you probably need it the most.

7. our son is 8 months old and about 25 lbs.... i think that's kind of big. don't you? he was born a month early by c-section (read full story here) and was still 6 lbs 14 oz. i'm pretty sure his head was like 6 of those pounds.

Now, I pass this award on to 5 other bloggers that i have recently discovered and think are fantastic.....

i don't usually pass this blog on to "big" bloggers.... meaning people with 5 bazillion followers, because i'm like an ant to them, and they probably don't even know someone like me exists in this world.... but there have been a few that have touched ME beyond words...

1. is Katie from Katie's Keepers. i couldn't tell you exactly how i came across her blog, but i did. and when i did, i was hooked.... for days, i read about her story.... her beautiful baby, Reese, was due within a few weeks of our son, Lewie.... her beautiful angel was born a few weeks early and was only with them for just around 50 hours.... i read SOOOO many of her posts and sat and cried for so long. Her blog reminds me (nearly every single day) that when i am on here venting about Lewie not sleeping through the night, there is a mother some where wishing she was waking up to her screaming baby.... it makes me feel horribly guilty for complaining and incredibly blessed to have what i do. she is an AMAZINGLY strong woman, whose family has endured SO much. she has a love for God that carried her through so much and is highly admirable! So here's to Katie!!!

2. Vodkamom, she is a teacher, brilliant writer, and lover of the small things in life.... and although she has a bazillion followers too, she is still a great story-teller.... i love the little things she comes across that brighten her day.... they usually brighten my day too! Thanks for the humor and love in your stories!!!

3. Allie, from Hyperbole and a Half .... again, another person with gangs of followers and fans.... i'm pretty sure every single one of her posts made me laugh.... the language may offend some ( don't go there if so,) but her art is fantastic. and she comes up with things that i'm not quite sure how she does it.... i especially like her music video/striptease for kyle, who said she's ugly and unfunny. she's pretty and VERY funny. if i had a bucket full of tennis balls to award her (to rid her of her bird problem), i totally would, but for now, the beautiful fantastic blogger award is going to have to do....

4. Ms. Anthropy, because although she just recently discovered me, i only recently discovered her too.... and i wish i'd discovered her sooner.... she is my clone. i'm telling everyone that. i love her blog and can't wait to catch up on all the past entries, as i've only read a tip of the iceburg and am already hooked. =) AND because no where in the rules did it say you couldn't give it to the person who gave it to you.... so here's to Ms. Anthropy, my fellow coffee drinking, wife and mommy, who never leaves the house, is hardly sarcastic and so not full of herself!!! i love that!!!!

5. Mainland Streel.... because she remembers being a nerd too.... and we both ended up snagging hot men! and she gives me high fives via the internet! =) she has a great blog and what seems to be a SUPER genuine heart! and if you have a super genuine heart, and it's a good one, i just love that.... she's got a great blog and she totally admits to rubbing her eyes after having eaten jalapenos.... i've TOTALLY done that!!!! so hmf! you should totally read her.

so there you have it folks.... even though i am SO not good at this kind of stuff, the award has been passed along.... =) thank you for the wonderful reads and the ongoing entertainment. i'm sure my husband thanks you all too, as he says, "honey, if blogging is your addiction, i'm okay with that.... there's far worse addictions you could have." =) thankfully, i'm not addicted to, like, cleaning the house or anything. that'd be far too boring.... haaaa! sorry honey. ;)