Overdue Gratitude

Anyone else's Reader effed up today?  It has been HOURS since I've had any new posts, PLUS my morning post hasn't shown up yet on my Reader.  Thoughts?  Comments?  Feelings of distress?  

Anyway!  Reader angst aside, I have received a few awards 

this week and have been remiss in posting about them.  Jenny from Lucky in Love and Jennifer from Not Just Another Jennifer have both gifted me with the Queen of all things Awe-summmm award.

Thanks, ladies!!!  Sidenote:  several of my bloggie and real-life friends are named Jennifer.  Any thoughts to you Jennifers out there about why y'all are so fabulous?  

Anyway...I'm supposed to:

1.  List seven things that make me awe-summm.

2. Pass this award on to seven awe-summm bloggers.

3. Tag those bloggers so that they know they are now queens, too (and link back to the queen who tagged you).  

True to form, I'm going to violate the rules of this award.  I don't really want to talk about how awesome I am.  So instead, I'm going to tag seven bloggers and say why I think THEY'RE awesome!  Just...plain...awesome.  Not awe-summm.  Please refer to this post, under the letter "p." 

1.  Jenn from Jeans Friday - because she is my original blog twin.  She also has been traveling like CRAZY but still manages to blog.  

2.  Mrs. Molly Lou from Molly Lou Gifts - because she is my most recent blog twin.  Plus, she makes gorgeous stationery!  

3.  Julie from Wearing Mascara - because she just finished school!  Yay!  

4.  Jennifer from Crazy Shenanigans - because she has been dealing with lots of stuff during her boyfriend's deployment.  

5.  Kim from ilaxstudio.com - because she recently ran her first half marathon!  And she totally kicked it's ass!  She is always motivating me to do my best.

6.  Brittany from Living in the Moment - because she works in the school system as well, and is counting down the days to summer just like I am!

7.  Jackie from The Northerner - because she just graduated with her master's degree!  Congrats, Jackie!!!

Whew!  That took a lot of work!  In reality, all of the bloggers I read daily are awesome.  Otherwise...I wouldn't be reading your blog!  :)

Pretty Personal Gifts gave me One Lovely Blog award.  Thank you!!!

For this award, I'm supposed to:

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 you’ve newly discovered. Contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. 

Oh, wow.  This is hard.  Actually, it's too hard.  I have started reading several new blogs lately - and y'all know who you are!  I am tagging whoever would like to receive this!

Thanks so much everyone for the awards.  They truly give me warm fuzzies!

Fancypants!

Look at this fancypants blog award that the lovely Jennifer from Lucky in Love gave me!!!

The award is for:

Dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging AND
To seek the reasons why we all love blogging

*Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it

*Don't forget to mention the person who gives you the award

*Answer the award's question by writing the reason why you love blogging

*Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like*Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post

So! Why do I love blogging? I think that it's a really great way to meet new people, learn new things, see new places, and just find a community. Since moving to Indiana, I have felt very alone - it has been extremely difficult for me to meet people and make friends. Blogging has been a great outlet for me, and also a way to feel connected to people - a connection I am really lacking in "real life."

Sidenote: do you live in Bloomington? Would you like to be my real-life friend? If so, let me know. :)

Anyway. I would like to give this award to some girls that, much like Lucky in Love, I wish I could have as real-life friends - and one, Lisa, who IS my real-life friend. Am I not fabulously lucky?

d.a.r.

Katie

Erin

Lisa

Jackie

Yay!

Awards!!!!!!!

Well, I have finally made it through my Google Reader. I now officially have ZERO unread posts! I am sooo super impressed with myself. And...I read almost everything! Well, okay, I skimmed. I read my faves (i.e. any of you who are reading this...I likely read your blog!)...and deleted Perez and some other stuff.

So! I discovered that I have received two bloggie awards! I'm so excited! Meagan from The Life of Me awarded me with the Cute Blogger Award!

Sooo...to accurately follow the rules for this award, I have to list ten not-so-cute things about myself. Hmm. Perhaps I should let my husband write this post? Ha! Instead, I'll list 10 not-so-cute things I imagine he'd say about me:

1. I can never get comfortable - especially while sitting on the couch watching a movie. I move around and change positions constantly. This annoys both of us...but...I JUST CAN'T GET COMFY!

2. I giggle incessently when it's bedtime. I'm not sure if he thinks this is cute or not...but he definitely thinks it's a little weird. Say something not even remotely funny...and I die from hysterics. It's weird, I have to admit.

3. I'm messy. I leave my shoes all over the apartment. Periodically, I come home to find that they have all been placed in a pile in the bedroom. I wish I could put all my things away...but...I seem to be completely physically unable to do so.

4. I hate wearing bras. And...well...yeah. Usually undies too. As soon as I get home from work, I strip down and put on my pjs...no bra/panties. I feel awkward telling you this...but, what can I say. It's the truth.

5. I'm obsessed with pulling and poking at my belly fat. I keep thinking that one day, I'll just wake up and be super-skinny. When does this happen??? Anyone know?

6. I don't listen to voicemails. If you call me, don't bother leaving a message. Because I won't listen to it. Of course, if you call and DON'T leave a message, I won't call you back. So, leave a message. I guess. Or not. Your call, I suppose. I like to wait until I have 10 or 11 voicemails before I listen to them - it seems like I'm simplifying matters. You agree with me, right? Right???

7. I love my short hair, but desperately wish that I could still pull it back in a ponytail. Because then I could get away with not prettifying myself every. freaking. day. of. the. week.

8. I hate shaving my legs...it seems to take forever and it grows back so quickly. What's the point? Oh, right, I remember. Hairy legs = gross legs. I desperately wish that laser hair removal was cheaper.

9. I love to cook...but I hate doing the dishes. So, they'll likely sit there. Overnight. Which I hate, because I love having a clean kitchen. Oh well...you can't have it both ways, right?

10. I am totally, completely, 100% addicted to my Blackberry. LOVE IT.

Whew! That was hard. And embarrassing. Sigh. Oh well, get over it!

My next award is the Kreativ Blogger Award, which I received from my blog twin (and recent giveaway winner!) Jenn from Jeans Friday. Thanks, Jenn!

The rules for this bloggie award are MUCH simpler, thank goodness! I'm supposed to list seven things I love, and then pass this award on to seven bloggers. So! Here are seven things I absolutely love, adore, cherish, etc.:

1. Saying "my husband" seems cliche, so instead I'll say - date night with my husband. We don't have many going-out-to-eat date nights anymore, but when we do - I absolutely cherish them. And I will make pretty much ANYTHING a date night - a quick trip to Starbucks, a walk through the mall, etc. As long as we are going out and doing something together - I love it!

2. Walking my dog. Taking Oscar on a long walk is such a true, simple pleasure. There is just something about that human-animal bond that I find very real and very special. Sometimes, I really feel like he understand what I'm saying and feeling. Other times, he burps, farts, and licks his privates.

3. The perfect budget find. You know what I'm talking about, girls! When you find the perfect item at the perfect price. It just feels so good!

4. Being at the beach. I'm not a sun person - on the contrary, I burn the second I walk outside. But there is something about the ocean I find so calming. I'd love to live by water someday...

5. Starbucks. The perfect treat!

6. Sharpies. I LOVE extra fine point Sharpies, and have them in a variety of colors. They are the perfect writing utensil!

7. Kate Spade. This shouldn't surprise you! I love anything and everything Kate Spade. I own...shoes, paper products (thanks Lisa!), vases, china, sunglasses, toasting flutes, a small clutch...hmm. I think that's all. I can't wait to watch my collection grow!

WOW! Posting about these awards was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. So, now to pick some award recipients - I know that probably a lot of you have already received some of these awards. And that's okay! Here they are again, anyway!

I am sending both awards on to some fab bloggers I don't believe I've awarded before:

1. Casey at The Ever Changing Life of a Military Wife

2. Bianca at Isn't She Pretty in Pink

3. Taryn at The Colorado Desert

4. Jenny at Lucky in Love

5. Julie at Wearing Mascara

Yay!