I got the "Versatile Blogger Award"!

Rules
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Answer 10 questions
3. Pass it along to 7 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy
4. Leave your recipients a note, telling them about the award

First of all, I really MUST thank AubrieAnne over at Who's Your Editor? for the award. For her to say that I'm 'versatile' may be an underscore of the truer word for my blogging (lol). Seeing as I'm known to be "all over the place" in my thoughts, feelings and life experiences when it comes to my writings and ramblings.

AubrieAnne, in some ways, I find us to have become kindred spirits of sorts. Books, being strong in our convictions and our views of what's "right" when it comes to civility and tact in the art of Blogging. Thank you also for your new-found friendship, not just this lovely award.

My 10 Questions...

1. Why did you create this blog?

My main objective with this particular blog was just to talk about my everyday life as a Stay-At-Home Mom of my three children. Also as an outlet to let off steam about things in the home or my thoughts and views on top headlines. It was a connection for me to the outside world, really.

2. What kind of blogs do you follow?

I mainly follow "Mommy Blogs", seeing as I can relate to them and even bounce ideas off of them or get advice. But I'm also in to parents who blog about having Special Needs children, being my son is disabled by many different mental disorders. I love AubrieAnne's blog being she writes about books and poetry. And I am myself an avid reader, mainly of sci-fi, comical romance and the Paranormal. Plus I also follow a few Paranormal blogs as well.

3.  Favorite makeup brand?

This is simple lol.. I can't wear makeup. At least not on my eyes, due to having a Corneal Transplant until otherwise told I can. With chronic dry eye it would be hard to wear it on my bad eye. So I just forgo the makeup altogether.


4. Favorite clothing brand?

Honestly, I don't have one. I'm an easy going gal that just wears whatever is comfortable.

5. Your indispensable makeup product?

Read answer to question # 3. (=

6. Favorite color?

Purple!! Because to me is signifies passion. Not as in love type passion. But that you are a passionate person and are strong in your convictions and are bold enough to take a stand for yourself or the proverbial underdog when you feel injustice has been rendered.

7. Favorite Perfume?

I'm in to the Dove Body Mists. Mainly peach, rain and berry scented.


8.  Favorite film?

If you REALLY know me well enough, then you know for a FACT that I cannot for the life of me, keep to just one movie. I'm an avid fan(atic) of Nicolas Cage's work. I have most of his movies in my DVD collection. So my answer will be "Nic Cage movies".

9.  What country would you like to visit and why?

Ireland! Most of both sides of my family are Irish. Primarily my father's side, who's grandparents immigrated from the country at the turn of the century. They went on to have seven children. My grandmother was the baby of the family who was born in 1915. One of my Great-Uncles was even being born DURING the 1908 San Fransisco earthquake that devastated the city. So, there is certainly a lot of rich heritage and history there in Ireland for me.

10.  Would you rather forget to put mascara on one eye or forget blush on one side of your face?

Again, refer to question # 3's answers. (=

Now to pass on this esteemed award...


Narragansett No. 7

Just Hide the Dishes in the Dryer...

Dave's Buttoned-Up Mind

Adoption of Jane UG-Lbc

Carrie with Children

Letters For Lucas

Randomness with Rachel

Fab Friend Friday, Award Ceremony & New Blog To Share (passing it on!)!!

Grab a cup of coffee, tea or your fave soda and get ready! Lots going on with this one today.

First of all, it's FAB FRIENDS FRIDAY over at For The Love Of Blogs, where you can link up with them and find new blogs to read.





Now as I was going over to one of my good friend's pages to see what was up with her posts on BOTH of her blogs, I noticed that she gave me an {drum roll please}... An AWARD!

Thanks, Donna over at Write Now, Write Later!! Now, I must do these things to get the award..

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Haha! And I unknowingly already did the first one. Go me!!

My 7 things..

1) I have mild OCD.
2) I still listen to a lot of 80's and 90's music cuz today's is mostly crap.
3) I crave Subway subs around "that" time of the month and don't rest til I get it.
4) My Dad calls me his Rat. When I sign cards to him, I try to incorporate my second name.
5) I've been on anti-depressants in the past due to Clinical and Post-Partum Depression.
6) There is such a fear in me of spiders, I refuse to get in the shower even if it's TINY.
7) Sometimes I think my name should be "Cinderella".

Now I shall pass the award on to...

1) Dez at Discordant Lullabye
2) Jimmy at Life Is Like A Box Of Smaller Boxes
3) Vic at Freckles & Fudge
4) Ashley at Ashley Plus 3
5) AubrieAnne at Who's Your Editor?
6) {Simply} BC at {Simply} BC
7) Diana at Welcome to My World
8) Tough Cookie Mommy at Tough Cookie Mommy
9) Shell at Things I Can't Say
10) One Cluttered Brain at One Cluttered Brain
11) Eschelle at Mumfection
12) Tonya at Letters For Lucas
13) Kay at Just Hide the Dishes in the Dryer...
14) Facing50Blog at FACING 50 WITH HUMOUR
15) Jane at Adoption of Jane UG-Lbc

Now, I also have a NEW BLOG UP!! It will be where I chronicle my life as a mom with a child with "Silent" Disabilities, what his life is like with having multiple mental disorders and life in general as a family and out in the community.

I don't have a blog button for it, seeing as I suck at doing those. But here is the link to the VERY FIRST post on the page (there's two others already as well for you to read)... The "Mental"-ist Mom. I urge EVERYONE here that stops in to join it and see what life is TRULY like for him and other kids like him. And for us parents of kids in his shoes.

One last thing... BEFORE YOU LEAVE HERE!!... Feel free to LINK UP (below) seeing as it's a 'blog hop' day and I like helping FTLOB out, and my fellow writers. READ BELOW FIRST *BEFORE* linking.. And have a great weekend.

The *ONLY* stipulation I have is to please LEAVE A *GENUINE* COMMENT here on my page to show that you have read it. Not a copy/paste thing or a "I followed you/follow me back" comment... I am okay with people stating if they came from another blog hop and found me. But I don't play the "followed you/follow me back" game.

**If you cannot abide by that one simple rule for linking on my page, I wish for you to NOT link it at all, nor even leave a COMMENT on my page.

If *anyone* is caught breaking the rules for MY BLOG PAGE and the way I wish to run MY blog hop/link up, then the comment and/or blog link and button will be DELETED.

I hope you understand. Thanks.. Now get hopping and linking, everyone!

Extreme Blog Makeover....Thanks to Angel and to Tamara.

First off, I need to thank my sweet friend, Angel over at Angel Believes (http://singedwingangel.blogspot.com/). She had apparently won a contest that gave her a new blog button and header from Tamara (Cheapskatemom over at http://proudtobecheap.blogspot.com/). And knowing she was already getting a set up from someone else, she decided to let me have the new blog button and header.

After Tamara and I had communicated (A LOT), she got to work. Not only did I get fitted with a new header and Blog Button, but a COMPLETE overhaul. Button, header, a feed, a counter and a whole new overall look (background and all). She decided that with the color schemes, and the way I was already set up, along with what I lacked (and really wanted, but didn't know how to get them), that she would entirely redo my page for me.

I've gone semi-retro, brighter and with more attractive colors, a "happy" looking header that is inviting (as is the blog button). And at the bottom of the posts, it says, "__ People Have Made Me Happy".

I LOVE IT!

Tamara is a true artist when it comes to blog page set-ups. She has a true gift. And I cannot thank her, or Angel enough for the opportunity to receive such a BEAUTIFUL page.,,,Again, thank you to BOTH LADIES! A million to infinity times over.

Pride...The seemingly IMPOSSIBLE became POSSIBLE.

As many of my readers know, my son has not had it easy. He has had to persevere over some huge hurdles, bumps and stub his toe here and there along his way in what we call 'life'.

This school year, he has been in the Third Grade. And because of that, Bryce had to take his very first SOL testing this year. The four primary subjects were covered. Math, Reading, Social Studies, and Science.

SOL stands for the Standards Of Learning test, that is Federally mandated for all PUBLIC schools, starting with third grade students to take. It shows their aptitude, their ability of general knowledge, and basis the individual school's Federal Grant money and accreditation.


On top of all of that, my oldest Hayley, who is getting ready to move on to the Fifth Grade, also had her second year of SOL Testing. I have yet to receive their scores. Most likely today, being it is the last day of school, and the scores are with the report cards.

Knowing both of my children's strengths and weaknesses, I can pretty much peg which ones that they did very well on. I know that both of them had passed ALL required SOL's. And I know that because they each were awarded a Hummer Limo ride (where *I* even rode with Hayley).

Hayley is very in tune with Social Studies, so I am quite sure that she is somewhere in the 550 range. Same with the Reading portion of the tests.

Bryce on the other hand, would have the scores mainly in Reading and in Science. He is very interested in Scientific methods, astronomy, animal biology, and how the world spins around (in general).

Yesterday, both of them had their last End-Of-6-Weeks Awards, plus the End-Of-The-Year awards. After seeing Bryce make the A/B Honor Roll for the last 6-week-period, and after seeing him gain other awards, one new award was added for the Third Grade Class this year, pertaining to the SOL's. Being that it is those student's first time, not knowing what to expect, certain students were awarded and recognized for a PERFECT score of the highest possible number...600 on any given subject area. It could have been in one area, or in all four.

Bryce's teacher went last with her portion of the awards for Grade Three, being it was all done by alphabetical order within each grade area. As I sat there, listening, I heard one or two subjects called out before the one. If no one had gotten a perfect 600 in a subject, it was skipped.

Then, the teacher says, "In Science, we have ONE perfect score in the subject of Science. That 600 goes to...BRYCE C.!!". At first I honestly could NOT believe that I just heard my son's name being called for a PERFECT score of a 600 in Science. I can guarantee that I must have stood there, with my jaw dropped and a look of pure shock on my face.

After all was said and done, I went to the Principal's office and just sat there and cried. The shock wore off. And right then, I realized that all the struggling, all of the battling, all of the HARD work from both myself and Bryce himself were showing in a HUGE way, that it has all paid off. And it has shown me that I had indeed picked the right teacher for the job of teaching him this year.

She has been NOTHING short of kind, cooperative, caring, patient and had a wonderful willingness to work with Bryce, and with us (or his doctors). She is of a (now) rare breed of teachers. She CARES about the kids that she is teaching. She CARES about the parents. She most of all, LOVES those kids, and what she does. You don't find many like that anymore.

Both his teacher and I have NOT had the easiest year when it came to Bryce. We both struggled and did the best we could. But ultimately, it was up to him in the end, as to succeeding or not. And with the two of us working together, we pulled off a miracle...

My baby got top honors in a subject no other 3rd Grade Student pulled it off. That alone speaks for its self.

My 10 Fave Things/Blogs...And an award to boot!

First of all, thank you...a B-I-G THANK YOU to Bill for my purty award (and to Mike as well)!

Let's see here, I got some work to do. First of all, I think I will start with my ten favorite things/people in my life....

1) My husband and children. If it weren't for them, I would be lost. They bring new adventures and renewed joy to my life on a daily basis. Even if I do at times want to shove them off to a far away land and have a vacation from their wackiness once in a while.

2) My Cornea Donor. Without him/her, I would most likely not even have my eye at all, let alone the vision in it. They literally gave me back the window to the world. They are my hero, along side my husband and kids. My Donor's gift will never be forgotten.

3) Beauty of nature. I love going up to the Blue Ridge and watching the wildlife. I love seeing land that is unscathed by today's need for industrialization.

4) Coffee....The staple of my morning. Without my daily java fix, my mornings would be unbearable. I need to wake up to Breakfast Blend in my cup! 'Nuff said.

5) The Transplant Experience Community Group (TEC) on Facebook. They are my "lifeline" and "home" where I can get advice and support from others in the Transplant Community.

6) Volunteering. I do volunteer work at my childrens' school. It is a great feeling and warms my heart to know that I am able to touch such impressionable young lives and help them see that learning is fun. And they also see that people DO care about them and their education.

7) Reading. I have always been a "book lover" and can read an over 200 page novel within about 3 or 4 days if it's REALLY good.

8) Blogging. Writing is my passion. It always has been. And it's my form of personal therapy, helping others see that they are not alone in situations and is a wonderful outlet tool.

9) Talking to friends. Not just on the internet. Not just on the phone. But face-to-face.

10) Last, but certainly NOT least... Coffee! Oh wait. I already mentioned that, didn't I? My bad. Eh...


Now for the following 10 Blogs that are MUST READS according to yours truly! (In no particular order, mind you)....

                                                     And the "Happy-101" Award goes to....

1) Angel Believes (http://singedwingangel.blogspot.com/)....This woman can make you laugh, get angry, and cry (most of the time from the laughter) all in a single post. And she does NOT sugar-coat.

2) I Like To Fish (http://fisherofstories.blogspot.com/)....You want funny with a side of warped? You can get it right here!!

3) Sugar Pies (http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/)... This man has the most delectable sweet treats you could ever feast your eyes on! Too bad I'm scared to try the recipes in fear of burning down my house.

4) Leigh vs. Laundry (http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/)... A fellow Stay-At-Home Mom who is just way funnier than moi. She will have you in stitches when you are done reading her.

5) Journey To Joy (http://journeytojoy-timberwolf123.blogspot.com/)... What can I say? This blog is a really inspirational "eye opener". Bill takes you in to yourself and makes you think in a different direction.

6) Coffee With Marty (http://coffeewithmarty.blogspot.com/)... Marty is a Christian. And he is a Coffee lover (to the tenth power!). Need I really say more?

7) I am lotus (http://sarcasticmom.com/)... She takes motherhood AND sarcasm/snark to a whole other level.

8) Busted Plumbing (http://www.bustedplumbing.com/)... The tales, trials and tribulations of a woman fighting infertility. Most of the time, with humor!

9) Donate Life Organ & Tissue (http://donatelife-organdonation.blogspot.com/)... Need I say more?

10) (Hiding from the Kids) (http://ina9linebind.blogspot.com/)... A funny take/look for a working mom with kids.


BLOG AWARD WINNERS!!!.....Your turn to name your 10 favorite things and blogs. Pass it on, people. That is, unless you have ALREADY RECIEVED/PASSED ON the award!