New awards! Thanks so much!

Hope you're all having a great weekend. Believe it or not, I STILL have my cold. I normally have a strong immune system against these things and either don't get them or get a much milder version than what everyone else gets. I haven't been able to breathe through my nose since Monday and overall, feel pretty gross. Enough is enough already, so I hope I feel better tomorrow.

On a more cheerful note, several of my blogging buddies gave me awards this week. I just went through my comments and I THINK that I have accurately sorted out who gave me what. But if I missed you, please bring it to my attention, as I want to give everyone their props!




Kat over at FitMindBodyspirit and Patsy over at Musings of a 100-plus Weight Loss Journey both gave me the HAPPY 101 award. Thank you ladies!

As always, there are instructions that come along with this award:

1. Copy the image and display it on your blog.

2. List 10 things that make you happy.

3. Try to do at least one of them today.

4. Pass on the award to 10 bloggers who brighten your day.


First, the 10 Things that make me happy:

1) My husband. He really is a great guy.

2) Having a spiritual life.

3) Gardening! I love my garden. I promised you a virtual tour of it long time ago and have yet to do it; so I will get to that soon. Promise!

4) Music. I love music. Can't imagine life without it!

5) Books. It is amazing what having a written language enables you to record for the future. And I love to read. I totally enter the world of the book when I read a story and can "see" everything so vividly. When I meet people who don't like to read or who CAN'T read, I always feel so sorry for them.

6) My blogging friends. Sorta matches up with number 5. I honestly feel like some of you are such good writers that the essence of "you", the "youness" of you comes through in your blog, and that if I could sit with you and talk, you wouldn't be like a stranger to me at all.

7) Exercise. I can't believe I am putting this here, but it is true.

8) Dogs. I really love em'! If you came home late and woke people in the house, everyone would be angry with you except the dog. Day or night, they are overjoyed to see you no matter what the hour. It could be three in the morning but they will run up to you all sleepy-eyed and waggy saying, "OMG, OMG, I am so happy to see you." The humans say "You woke me up as*hole." So, we have a lot to learn from the furry kids. They know what's important.

9) Cooking. I am good at it. If I weren't, the way I need to eat from now on would get pretty boring. Lately, I have been trying to produce at least one restaurant-quality meal (in taste and presentation) at least once a week. I've been turning out some beautiful stuff and DH is lovin' it.

10) Food. Kinda matches number 9. Lately I have been trying to train myself to appreciate foods as they are given to us by God and nature, without being messed with by humans. How can we bite into a piece of fresh pineapple and not feel joy? Foods, as they are, are a gift to nourish us and bring us joy. We mess with perfection and ruin it with chemicals and processing. So I am trying to keep it simple and have some gratitude, and this makes me happier.

Now I must pass this award on to 10 people/blogs who have impacted my life in a positive way:

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Chris at A Deliberate Life

Helen at Doing a 180

Leslie at Something Brilliant is Brewing

Aubrey at High-Heeled Love

Kristina at Life Won't Weight

Cinci Mom at Losing the Baby Weight

Greta at Big Bottom Blogger

Ruth Anne at From Flab to Fab

Candace over at Believing in C, C is Me

Whew! That takes care of award number 1! Now on to award number 2.




The Beautiful Blogger award. This one was given to me by Ruth Anne, Candace and Helen. Thank you ladies!

The rules dictate that I tell you 7 things about me that you probably don't already know. Then, I have to pass it on to 7 recipients.

Here are the seven things you probably don't know about me:

1) I am the only daughter of an only daughter of an only daughter.

2) I had identicle triplet boys when I was only 20-years old

3) I became a widow when they were only three-years old

4) If I eat without drinking something with it, I get the hiccups, without fail! Even if it is a tiny bite.

5) I donated my breast milk to the neo natal intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital for about 6-months after the triplets were born. They fed it via tubes to the preemies whose mom's couldn't give their milk.

7) When I was still young, I offered to have a baby for a fertility-challenged
couple at my church. We actually went through counseling for it together. It didn't happen because they were afraid I'd have triplets again and they didn't want that. LOL

Now, the seven recipients:

Paula Wanna Crackern

Sandra over at My travels to Becoming a Better Me

Purple Moonflower over at It's not a diet, it's a WEIGH of life

The Sweet Tooth Obliteration Operation

Patsy at Musings on a 100-plus weight loss journey (right back at ya, sistah!)

Christy in Seattle

Tamzin at One Inch at a Time

Ok, so I think that covers it. Thanks you for giving these to me ladies. It was not an easy week and these brightened my day!

It is over 40 degrees today! If DH can get home from work early enough we are going for a walk! Enjoy your weekend!

xox