Awards, Features, Memes and Friends

I've been such a bad friend lately. Tons of cool cats and kittens have featured my posts and given me blog awards and I have been rotten about posting them. So here goes ~ 


You can see my Arroz con Pollo at:

 

My Paper Towel and Burlap Wreath at:

 
The Whiteboard to Magnetic Chalkboard Makeover was featured at Craft Gossip and at: 

Heather from Me Making Do passed on this cool Trendy award. She's so sweet.

I'm passing it on to:

Dana @ She Walks Softly

Jenn @ Redberry Barn

Brandy @ Parties and Cupcakes

Katie @ Paisley and Polkadots

Kami @ Sweet Charli

Michelle @ Dilly Dally and Flitter


These are all blogs I've come to really look forward to reading each morning. Girls, you can get your award button HERE .

Bec at The I Heart Blog (she's a total sweetheart and does the coolest things) gave me this award:

10 Things About Me:

1. We paid off all our non-mortgage debt yesterday. We thought it would take a year or two but we've been fierce and now we have no credit card, no second mortgage, no car payments, no landscaping bills - zilch! Woo-hoo!

2. My favorite movie is the Replacements. And yes, an R rated football movie with strippers seems like an odd choice but it's so romantic and it makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. I've watched it oodles of times.

3. I won an award once for being able to take apart, reassemble, and shoot a rifle faster than those around me. Kinda funny for this granola chick, no?

4. I plan to be vegan again once I'm done healing. I know the vegans in the world just let out a collective groan of horror but I'm trying to follow my bodies signals right now and meat is on my menu about twice a week.

5. Fight Club is my favorite book but I think it is an unsafe book for men under 30... no, maybe 40 to read. I don't think their testosterone flooded brains can handle the content responsibly.

 

6. I have a hard time reconciling how deeply the writings of Joseph Campbell resonate with my impression of the world, life and faith. That said, it bugs the heck out of me when people describe him as a "Men's Movement" guy. So missing the point (says this Christian Feminist).

 

7. I've written 5 novels. I've submitted 0 novels.

8. I love  Neil Gaimen His writing is the hot sauce on my burrito. Love to have a tenth of his talent.

Cute story: Avery and I were talking and I told him he was the hot sauce on our families burrito. He thought about it for awhile and told me I was his ghost chili. I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

9. I'm going to Europe for the first time in my life later this year. All that's holding us back now is my health. So Lord, please fix my back. Thank you.

10. Women in my family suffer really bad health until about 50 and run big-breasted and a little fat. Sometime around 50 their health works itself out, they get skinny and live into their 90's. How backwards is that? I do look forward to being a foxy (healthy) old bird.

And I pass on my versatile blogger award to:

Felecia

Laura

Cathy

Jenna

Carmen

Cheryl of The Ink Trap is frankly one of the most talented and amazing card makers I've ever seen. I have no ideas why she isn't publishing books and being famous for her super portion of creative awesomeness. Seriously. You can even ask my family, they know her work by sight. Love it. She gave me this Sunshine Award and I thank her.

I'm sharing it with:

Mary C @ Something About Mary C

Tara @ Two Sheep Greetings

Maggi @ Just Add Glitter and Stir and Circle 7-2099

Speaking of Tara and Mary; they tagged me on a ten questions meme.

Tara's Questions 

1) What is your favorite food that you can cook really well?

Beef Burgundy or Arroz con Pollo

2) If you could DATE a movie star, just once, who would it be?

Craig Ferguson - because Chris has my whole heart, if I had to spend an evening without him I'd want it to be with someone hilarious!

3) If you hit the lottery, what is something you'd do FOR SOMEONE ELSE?

I have a few friends who are in school or are pursuing continuing ed. I am so proud of them an would want to pay their tuition.

4) What is your musical guilty pleasure? (rap? country? show tunes?)

Rap... the nastier the better.

5) Do you have any nicknames (or did you growing up)?

Niki niki tambo nosurambo uma moochi gama gama goochie,

Niksterudle, Niki...

6) What is your dream vacation?

Bora Bora  with my honey.

7) What will they carve on your headstone?

" I told you I was sick!"  

or

"“While on earth my back was lame, I had to nurse and heed it. But now I’ve gone to a better place, where I don’t even need it.”

More practically:

Loving wife, dedicated mother, chid of God. 

8) What is something you splurge on at the supermarket?

Good dark chocolate. It helps my medication work faster so I have a piece several times a day.

9) Share a memory that makes you laugh every time you think of it.

Chris caught his hair on fire with the candles around the tub on our wedding night. It was hilarious - not scary as all he had to do is dunk under the water. He was barely singed but it let off a lot of nervous pressure.

or

When Avery was little he discovered trash talking. While beating me at cards he blurted, "So who's your butt now?" 

10) What speed do you drive at when the speed limit is 55?

I don't drive, but if I did, 55.

Mary's Questions:

1) What is your favorite pie?

Chocolate Pecan followed closely by Pecan and Key Lime. I don't really like fruit pie but I'll eat apple pie if I have to. 

2) If you could be a movie star, which one would you be?

Mary is going to hate this answer, but I'd pick Angelina Jolie. She's gorgeous, tough, maternal, philanthropic, a citizen of the world, several shades of awesome and she can totally kick ass. I wish she'd gain a little weight though as she looked better before she got so thin. Otherwise, she's my first choice. 

3) What is your dream job and why? 

Motherhood. Sorry to not be more interesting. I used to want to be a writer but that dream is dying a slow and painful, writhing death. 

4) What talent do you have that most people don't know about? 

Tough question! I really have no idea. I never think of myself as all that talented. I'm best at being a mom but it's not like I'm a secret mom so... I don't know. 

5) What is the nicest thing anyone ever said to you?

My friend MaryEllen has said a number of incredibly nice things about my parenting skills. Can't quote them verbatim but it has meant a lot over the years.

6) Besides world peace, what do you wish for?

I know this is really selfish, but I would really love to have great health, specifically, a healed back. But if I was actually faced with a genie, I'd want a long, happy life for my boys. 

7) What is the most important thing your parents taught you?

Be polite. Respect your elders. Take care of those less fortunate than you. 

8) What is your favorite herb?

Tarlek! Ha! 

For cooking, fennel. 

9) What is your favorite Dr. Seuss character?

The Lorax

10) How ticked are you that I tagged you with these questions? LOL.

Somewhat tickled :-)

I'm tagging:

MaryEllen

Jason

Lisa

Claudette

Nina

Michelle

Sarah

Kristen

Shawnna

And my Questions Are:

1. What decade is your favorite (you don't need to have lived through it)?

2. Do you subscribe to any particular philosophic views or doctrines?

3. How many kids did you want? How many do you have?

4. Do you watch TV? What's your favorite show(s)?

5. What song lifts your spirits when you're in a bad mood?

6. What's your favorite body part and why?

7. Do you dance?

8. Cake, cupcakes or pie? Why?

9. What's your favorite quote?

10. Do you like to read? What books have you read lately and recommend?

Now pass on your questions to your friends.

Whew!

Sorry if I missed anyone. Thanks for all the love :-)