Kreativ Blogger Award

I am very simply a blogging idiot. For those of you who stick by me and attempt to follow my haphazard, circuitous, awkward ramblings......y'all have the patience of saints :-) Five days ago, Margaret (The French Bear) graciously passed along the Kreativ Blogger award to me. I'm just acknowledging this now, for what reason??? The blogger poltergeist removed the link to Margaret's blog from my sidebar...that's why! Same poltergeist, by the way, that devours socks in the washing machine/ dryer...nasty bugger. Sooo, here I am, thinking Margaret is giving "us" the cold shoulder because she hasn't been posting. Not so much, folks. Fortunately, I went in search of Margaret's link, to thank her for the AMAZING "Pay it Forward" gifts (post on that to follow because my panties are in a bunch and I want to be appropriately thankful and sweet when I gush about the goodies she sent me!). It was then that I discovered that Margaret had gone M.I.A. from my list of favorite blogs AND that she had honored me with the award. This ranting is exhausting, so it's time to slow down.
:::deep breaths:::
Thank you, Margaret, for thinking of me and for passing along the Kreativ Blogger award. I am so truly touched and you know (I hope) how much it means to me, coming from a woman I hold in such high regard!
Seven things I love:
~God...who knows more about my haphazard, circuitous, awkward ramblings than anyone...and, still, He loves me for it!
~My children...being a single mom has encouraged (okay....at times, forced) me to connect on a different level with my kids. There are times, logistically, that I have to wear both the mom hat and the dad hat. Challenging? You bet, but it has helped me grow in ways I never thought possible.
~People....more and more, each day, I'm recognizing how much I enjoy people. Sound strange? Perhaps, but I truly love meeting new people whether it's via my blog, at the local convenience store or picking my daughter up from school. It drives my children crazy that I am always making a conscious effort to be outgoing and warm to complete strangers. Someday, I hope their perception will shift and they will recognize the benefit of approaching life with an outstretched hand and an open heart. Either that or I'm going to have huge therapy bills to cover in their future!
~The beach...anyone who knows me at all, knows I love the beach. With on and off snow flurries today, I'm especially longing for the warmth of the sand beneath my feet and the sweet/ salty smell of the ocean. Block Island sounds perfect right now!
~My pets...since Gretel's accident, I recognize how much a part of my family they are.
~Music...my taste in music varies widely, but it is always reflective of my mood/ state of mind.
~Creating...when I do not make time to express myself creatively, whether it's crafting, sewing, cooking or blogging, I am just "off" (more so than usual:-)
Time to "Pay it Forward"! This is the hard part for two reasons: 1.)there are so many blogs that have become an integral part of my day, so choosing seven is very difficult and 2.) many of you have already received this honor. I know you were as touched as I was, by the gesture of whomever thought so highly of you. That said, it must be challenging to come up with new friends to pass the award along to. Since Margaret has given me permission :::smiles::: to abide or break the "rules" as I see fit, I'm going to...can anyone guess?...BREAK THEM! Now, there's your shock for the day. I will mention 7 people whose blogs I follow regularly. I love all of them for very different reasons, which should be reflected in my choices. With that, ladies, you can opt in or opt out as far as whether to pass the baton.
~Margaret, The French Bear (and not just because she sent me really cool stuff today AND was thoughtful enough to flatter me in this way...Really!)
~Monica, The White Bench
~Kelly, A Girl Named Kelly Kelly
~Jen, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~Lynn, Lynn's Lovelies
~Stephenie: Just a Little Bit Pink
~Sue: Gossamer Creations