Blog Botox and Awards!!

You may have noticed my blog got some botox.  It got infused with my favorite color, a new header and a cute as a button, button.  It is all thanks to one of my best-bloggy-sista-friends, Jackie at House of Sarager.  She has awesome links on her blog to great how-to-sites and if you are a blog moron like myself, word on the street is, she will work to support her Amazon habit.  Thank you Jackie!!

I have been putting off an award ceremony for awhile.  I was hoping to lose a few pounds before I walked down the red carpet again.  But those dang Lindor chocolates are just too good.  So I am accepting these awards in a dress I borrowed from Kirstie Alley.  She seemed to have lots of different sizes and they already had chocolate stains.

First thanks goes to Sarah at No, Don't and Stop!...The shenanigans of a single mom... who bestowed me with The Versatile Blogger award.  Sarah is a cute mom and awesome blogger.  Thank you Sarah!!

And to inflate my already over inflated bloggy ego, Lourie at CA Girl gave the Sunshine Award!  She is a Calif. mama, and a bloggy sista from another mother.

So I guess I am a "Versitile-Ray-of-Sunshine"  Bwahahahaha.  Almost got that out without laughing.    

Awards usually come with rules but being the Kayne West of awards that I am, I will make up my own rules.  I am supposed to share some things you may not know about me.  Hmmmmmm.....Not much I have not spilled to my readers...

1. I am kind of a "granola" when it comes to childbirth.  One epidural in six births and 

that was a c-secion.  Last one I had at home with a midwife.  But yes, I shave my armpits. 

2. I want to be a contestant on "So You Think You Could Dance."  

My speciallty would be 80's line dances.  

3.  I love my dog.  His love is unconditional.   

Okay, that's all you are getting from me right now.  Now I get to bestow these awards onto some of my favorite bloggers.  Yea there are two awards, so you can choose which one you like best or the one that matches your blog.  Whatever.  Just take it and run before I change my mind.  So in no particular order...

Cheeseboy at Blog O' Cheese.  He was the first man not related to me, to comment on my blog.  He is a dad and teacher.  And he is funny for a boy, that also blogs. 

Lisa at Blue and Shoe.  She is cute, funny and you NEVER know what is going to come out of her mouth.  She is an awesome blogging friend and we hope to get drunk on Dr. Pepper together at CBC. 

Leanne at From Chaos Comes Hapiness (love the name).  A mommy blogger with a cute as heck disposition and blog.  

Lisa at Reasonably Chubby.  The name says it all about her sense of self and humor!  You never know what you're going to get!

Serene at Serene is my name, Not my life!  She was one of my first followers that was not related to me and gave me my first award.  She is not only the cutest mommy and blogger AND an amazing artist.  Poke around her blog a bit!

Okay, I am tired (which in this case means I don't want to type up anymore links!).  Please go give all these blogs a look-see. 

I am going to take off my gown and go work out with Kristie.  

Linda

Not Your Mama's Spring Musical

The "Nine in the Afternoon" boys.  My TanMan is the far right.  

Last night was my kids spring musical.  We are fortunate enough have our 3 youngest boys in a small Christian private school.  It has been home to our pre-school through 8^th graders for the last 7 years.  The “music” department has been through a lot of changes.  Our spring musical has consisted of everything from traditional choir music  to “Mice from Outer Space” (I so wish I was joking).  I had  heard rumblings that with our new music teacher this year, things were going to be different.  And those rumblings were correct. 

There were no kindergarteners dressed in spring dresses with flowers around their heads.  There was no welcoming in spring with a song about birds and honeybees.  There were no 8^th grade boys in the back sulking being too cool for school.  There were 80 kids in red shirts and jeans and smiling faces. 

The music selection was straight from the top of the charts. 

The kindergarten and 1^st grade sang “New Soul” by Yael Naim (a singer/songwriter from Israel and shot to the charts with the Mac commercials) My daughter and I could not takes our eyes of these 5 and 6 year olds singing their “new souls” out.

The 2^nd through 6^th grade sang “The Show” by Lenka  “I’m just a little bit caught in the middle…” (has been heard in Old Navy commercials and Parenthood promos).  The song was complete with choreography and enthusiasm. 

A quartet of 7^th grade boys, which included my TanMan sang “Nine in the Afternoon” by Panic at the Disco.  They sported blazer’s and ties and all the pubescent coolness they could muster.  Girls were screaming and I think I saw them giving autograph’s afterwards.

Also performed by the entire student body was “Don’t Stop Believing”  by Journey and “Fireflies” by Owl City.  Yea, our school is cool like that. 

The finale was “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay (yes, Coldplay) and the Beatles “Hey Jude” with more “na, na, na, na, na, na, nas” than you could count.  The kids were having a blast and the parents were not checking their watches so they could go home and watch The Office. 

A new standard was set and I am hoping to never have to see mice from outer space again.

On a completely different but deserving note, I am the recipient of another award!  This one was from AmandaK at Blogger Towne.  This is a new blog about all things blogging.  There are great links and help available to blogging neophytes like myself.  Please go check them out. 

I was not prepapared for another award ceremony and my dress is not back from the cleaners (still trying to get Sandra’s tear stains out).  So I decided to go a different route and cover my body in tattoos.  And speaking from simply a minimalist perspective, I now have to wear less clothes.  Can’t wait for the weather to warm up.    

I would like to pass on this award to some more of my beautiful blogging friends

 Lourie at CA Girl.  She a California girl like me, except she still gets to live there and I don't.  

My Friend at Fat, Female and 40 because hey, who isn't?

Lisa at Blue and Shoe.  She is a not so reformed 80's girl like myself.  We have to stick together or Pretty in Pink will simply be a distant memory.  

Amy at I Wish I Was in Dixie.  I wish I knew where Dixie was.  But I know where her blog is so I am good.  

Saimi at Three Days a Week.  She is a preschool teacher and wrights about her little cherubs.  It makes me glad I am not a teacher and that there are women like her that are!

So I need to go add antother tat.  Have a great weekend. 

Linda

Sandy Needs to Blog

It is AWARD DAY!  I was honored enough to receive an award this week.  It is from my bloggy friend Leanne at My Home and My Hips Are Both Double Wide.  Her humor and wit is also Double Wide! She is a breath of fresh air when you are having a hard day.  She makes me laugh, smile and think and I am usually not such a multi-tasker. We both started blogging very recently and she was one of my first virtual friends.  We with the warped brains have got to stick together. 

I would like to accept this award in honor of Sandra Bullock who I think could use virtual sunshine today. She is the Best Actress with the worse husband.  But Sandy, dear Sandy,  there were a few surgically enhanced red flags in the form of Jesse’s first two wives, who happen to be porn stars.  So where you show awesome judgment in your movie choices, your husband picking skills, not so much. Just saying.  But I am not saying that I still would not want Sandra to play me in my life story.  Though I have no large black children, I think she could do me justice.    

The dress I am wearing today for my award ceremony is very similar to Sandra’s Oscar dress, except it looks a little more like pajamas. I have no make-up on and my hair is blonde, not brunette, and in a pony.  Other than that our resemblance is uncanny.  

This award did not come with any rules (whew) so I am going to do what I want with it.  And I have decided to keep it all to myself.  I deserve it.  

Okay just kidding  (not really, but I think I am supposed to say that).  I really would like to pass this award on to some bloggy friends that I have grown to adore.  I think we could all sit down together and immediately be BBF’s  (best blog friends).  Now please don't feel bad if I left you out.  There is only so much of me to go around.

So with out further adieu...

Evelyn Perkins at the The Perks of Life.  Great taste in music, cute kids and we both find Utah mom's to be an interesting species.  

Krista at Shades of Blonde.   We have a lot in common besides the chemically enhanced blonde hair. We both have teenagers.  Enough said.  

Jackie at House of Sarager.  She is the adorable young mom I used to be until I got old and cranky.  Jackie, sorry but I am your future. 

Rosie at Reading Rosie.  She is a mom and a librarian.  And everyone knows I love me a librarian.  Especially one as off kilter as myself.  You all need to get to her blog and tell her what day it is.  

Charlotte at Memories for Later.  She has six kids like me and she has that touch of insanity that I like in a mom and a blogger.

Cyndi at 6 Ring Circus.  She has four boys.  Yea, I can relate to that. 

Please take time to meet my friends.  But don't get too comfy.  Because as my daughter sang when she was three, 

The more we get together, together, together,

The more we get together the happier we'll be.

'Cause your friends are my friends and my friends are my friends...

Linda

You like me. You really like me.!

Well at least Serene does.  She gave me my FIRST blog award.  This was even after I called her beautiful little girl a boy.  So it must be blog love.   I am new to this whole awards thing.  I am assuming there will be some kind of official ceremony and a monetary prize.  So I am waiting for the fancy people to start calling me, asking me to wear their gowns and jewelry for my walk down the red blog carpet.  Guess I need to pull out my good Spanx.

This award comes with rules!  What kind of award has rules?!?!? Oh well, I will just graciously accept and will  not be a blog party pooper.

First I have to name 10 things that make me happy.  This is a tall order  for a Monday. So the list may be hanging out in the "shallow" end of the pool.   The only order these are in is the random order of my thoughts.

1. My washer and dryer.  As much as I do not like laundry I am glad I am not doing it in a stream and beating my clothes on a rock.  But I guess if I lived somewhere where I had to do that, we would not have so many clothes to wash. Hmmmm.....

2. The Amazing Race.  Just knowing it is on my Tivo to watch while I fold the above mentioned laundry, makes me happy.  This show  fulfills my every fantasy of seeing the world on someone elses dime, racing through streets in smelly taxi cabs and fighting with my husband in front  of millions of people.  Then we would actually be able to replay our arguments and prove that I am right.

3. Girls Night Out.  Movies, food, no kids, no leg shaving required.  What more can a girl ask for?

4. My iPhone.  I will soon have an entire post dedicated to this little piece of heaven I can hold in my hand.

5. My bed.  Small enough to share secrets and small talk with my hubby and big enough for two dogs, and a few kids to cuddle in.

6. Church.  It keeps our whole family busy and out of trouble.  It teaches me things to keep me from killing my children and divorcing my husband.  It gives me hope, peace and happiness that can't be found anywhere else.  Not even in a candy wrapper.

7.  When "it" sinks in.  We had a family discussion last night about living together forever and how I wanted all my kids with me in heaven and not one "empty chair."  Well, after five year old, Jared, blurted out a choice "Oh hell" this morning (see my blog on THAT kid) my 8 year old, Colton said "Mom, Jared's chair is going to be empty."  Precious, funny and sad all at the same time.

8. Gilmore Girls.  This will soon have it's own post too.  Obsessed much?  Yes, yes I am.

9. Girl Scout Cookies.  From the cute girls that sell them to the last bite of thin mints or Samoas (which is now called Carmel Delights. Don't get me started) these are truly happiness in a box.  And everyone knows that cookies bought to support a cause, do not have calories.

10. Blogging.  I have made lame attempts in the past to blog.  But since I decided this year to be consistent in my writing, it is like I have found a new best friend.  I love writing my thoughts, sending them out into the blogosphere and seeing what comes back.  Freakishly fun.


Okay rule number two.  Name and give the award to 10 other  bloggers.  Well I have only been active in the blog universe for over a month and feel like I don't even know 10 bloggers.  So I am  going to name five.  Oh yea, I am a rule breaker.  I am the Kanye West of bloggers.

  Makenzie's Blog.  Okay, yes i'ts my daughter (Award nepotism?  You bet!) She hasn't blogged forever but she is a great writer and it's one of the only ways I could keep tabs on her while she is away at school.  Maybe if a few bloggers stopped by and encouraged her, she would start again (but not at the sacrifice of your grades dear).

Five Carpenters.  My friend AB makes me smile and laugh and she once sent a present that I did not reciprocate.  So maybe this will  make up for it.  

Mary  I met her at Mormon Mommy Blogs.  Her last name is Darcy and she lives at Pemberley.  She makes me laugh and her photos are awesome.  

You are such a joy to me.  Okay, it's another family member but hey, my award is mine to give.  Valerie is an amazing, award winning photographer and mommy to 1 1/2 girls.   I am a very proud auntie.  

Yours Mine and Ours.  She is a very new friend from Mormon Mommy Blogs.  Meredith reminds me a lot of myself with little babies trying to support a professional student/husband/daddy.  

Whew. That was a lot of work. I may have to quash my talent a bit so I don't get too many awards!  Thanks again Serene.  Hope I do not disappoint.