The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world.  The rules for accepting this award are:-

• Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
• Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
• Link the nominees within your post.
• Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
• Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

I’ve never been really good at following instructions, so here are a few of favorite follows / great blog posts I read this week.

• DuchessMama - It’s her birthday today (Happy Birthday love!!) AND she’s about to have a baby any day now.  Double win!  Oh, and she’s stuck putting up with my sorry ass as a roomie at BlogHer this year.  Poor thing.
• Jennscrzy - Has a great post on facing the frustration and the feeling of failure that comes with being an at-home mom, some days
• pocklock - Brought up a really good point in one of her posts this week – Are you more forgiving and tolerant of people on the interwebz than in real life?
• Messponential - I know she was on my Follow Friday list just a couple of weeks ago, but her Girl Talk Thursday post this week spoke to me.  Her and I tend to be of the same mind on a lot of things.  And only Colleen could do a ‘bitch rant’ and have it still come off as classy.
• Chibi Jeebs - If you need a good laugh today, go read about the time she burned her cooter. Seriously.  I was rolling on the floor laughing.

If you’d like to play along on Follow Friday, than link up, and if you’re so inclined, grab a badge.

*smooches*

<a href="http://www.princessjenn.com/?cat=114" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Princess Jenn’s ‘Follow Friday’" src="http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx353/designsbyprincessjenn/Followfriday.jpg" /></a>

I hate to say it, but I’m just insecure enough that little things like this make me feel validated.  And I need that boost some days.  Otherwise I fall into the ‘why am I bothering to blog’ trap.  And I’ve been feeling that way quite a bit lately.  Which is why I haven’t been as active on here or on Twitter.

I find myself on the brink of unplugging and walking away.

And it’s not that I don’t enjoy blogging, because I love having a place to vent and mull and share.  And I love the support and friendship I get from Twitter.

But the past few weeks…  I don’t know.  I couldn’t even say what it is that’s making me feel like this.  Maybe I’m just burnt out from real life stuff.

Anyway, that’s my really long winded, whiny way of saying ‘Thanks Nic.  I needed the pick me up’

So, the ‘rules’ of this award:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award  (Thanks Nic!)
2. Copy the award & place it on my blog. (see the pretty picture up above?)
3. Link to the person who nominated me for this award.  (linky love…right here!)
4. Share 7 interesting things about myself  (oh gawd…really?  Well, fine.  Feel free to skip it and look at the pretty blog award up top instead, though)
5. Nominate 7 other beautiful bloggers  (think, think, think… who do I want to know more about….)

Seven things you always wanted to know about me, but were afraid to ask:
(aka. seven random things because I’m lacking creativity)

1. Part of me really wants to go back to work, at least part time.  But putting Vista in  daycare is totally out of the question right now. And working evenings after a full-on day with her isn’t really realistic.  Nor is leaving Bil to watch her after he’s worked all day.  So, that whole working thing?  Not gonna happen any time soon.  Guess that means I’ll just have to force people to let me redesign their blogs instead.
2. I think we’ve pretty much decided not to expand our family.  When Bil and I were out shopping the other day we saw some adorable baby clothes and our reaction was ‘Wouldn’t this have looked cute on Vista… we should get a doll for her that she can dress in these clothes’, not ‘OMG, I wish I had a baby so I could buy these clothes’.   I almost feel like I should feel some sadness at the thought of not having anymore kids, but all I get is a sense of relief.  But I still want babies to hug and snuggle, so y’all better get on popping a few out for me.
3. We have a huge backyard at our house (think a quarter acre – about 3 normal city lots) that is wide open right now.  I know exactly what I’d like to do to it, but I’m landscaping inept and don’t know where to start.  I also kill plants just by looking at them.  It’s true.
4. I think it’s important for kids to grow up with pets.  I see the difference in the way Vista approaches animals compared to children who don’t have animals in the house.  I like that she understands not to rush up to a dog (that’s not hers), and is gentle petting other cats (even though she insists on loving her cat practically to death)
5. Bil and I are toying with the idea of pulling Vista out of school for a year when she’s older and spending it traveling across North America and Europe.  The ultimate first-hand learning experience.
6. I love to craft.  It’s a creative outlet for me.  Cross stitching, crocheting, scrapbooking… love them all.
7. I crave change sometimes.  Rearranging furniture makes me happy.  I want to repaint our house  (it’s been the same colors for 5 years.  That’s about 3 years too long).  And I’m dying to redo Vista’s room but I’m looking for inspiration.  I think it’ll be a pink and brown stripes or polka dot theme, but haven’t found exactly the right look yet (any interior decorators want a project?  lol)

Now, to stress 7 of my friends into having to come up with 7 things about themselves…

• First on the list is Ally.  Sweet and sensitive, she’s beautiful inside and out.  And also because I think I have a right to know all her dirty little secrets before I snuggle with her in August.
• Next up is Lu.  I’ve suckered her and her gimp ankle into taking over BlogHer@Home bandwagon (watch for her to launch it in early March!), so I figure, at the very least, I owe her an award for that.  The fact that she still manages to make us all laugh (painkillers not withstanding) about her physical therapy trials and tribulations is a bonus.
• And I can’t leave out my other BlogHer@Home bitch (yeah, I managed to sucker more than one person into taking this over while I party in NYC!  Can you believe it?).  So ThePsychobabble definitely has to be on this list.  Passionate and opinionated.  And her name is Jennifer too.  *love*
• Someone who’s been making me smile a lot lately is Ashlee over at Brain of a Mommy.  She as a cool new camera that she’s taking pretty pictures with.  But I’m not jealous (much).
• For not being afraid to tell it like it is and stand up for her opinions, I send love, awards, and accolades over to Kim at Beautiful Wreck.
• One mom I totally look up to, who continually awes me with her perseverance and endurance in the face of adversity, is Heather from Our Incredible Journey.  I don’t know how she’s still awake most days, never mind sane.
• And last, but never least, she brightens my days with her friendship.   My beautiful blogger list would never be complete without my friend Colleen.

I was struggling with answering that question.

Why do I blog?  I know it’s not for glory.  It’s certainly not for money.  I do use my blog as a place to vent, a place to update friends and family on my life.  But that’s still not the ‘why’ behind the blogging.

Well tonight it hit me full in the face.

PB and Jazz wrote this post:  Learning from others.

That right there.  That is why I blog, why I share, why I write.

Because if I can help one person expand their point of view, understand people a little more deeply, be not so quick to judge, then all the time I spend putting my words down is worth it.  If I can help one parent advocate for their child, find new ways of dealing with their issues, or offer them solace in the knowledge that they aren’t alone, then I will continue to write and share.

So back to the award.

A big thanks to The Psychobabble for giving it to me and making me pause to consider this.  Sometimes it’s good to stop and remember the why behind the what.

The aims of this award:

• As a dedication for those who love blogging activity and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
• To seek the reasons why we all love blogging!

Here are the rules of the award:

• 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.

And so I am choosing to tag the following people:

• PB and Jazz for writing a post that warmed my heart (and made me cry a little)
• Messponential for being real and telling it like it is
• Heart My Chloe for being brave and strong. And hawt. Can’t forget hawt.
• The Mommy Tsunami for her Intentional Happiness 365 project. We should all be so inspired

And for everyone reading, what makes you blog?  What inspires your passion for writing?

So when Heather, over at The Adventures of Crazy Mum told me she was giving me this award, it just made my day!

Here are the rules for receiving the award:

1. Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you
2. Tell those 7 people they’ve been awarded the HONEST SCRAP AWARD and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.
3. Share “10 Honest Things” about yourself.

Here are “10 Honest Things” about myself

1. I’m terrified of moths.  I have no problem with butterflies.  Yes, I know they’re essentially the same thing.  But a moth in my house is cause for a complete freak out.  (it’s funny to watch, trust me)
2. I know how to cross stitch, and actually enjoy doing it.  (don’t judge)
3. I used to really like my nose, but ever since a training accident involving the top of my dogs very hard skull connecting with (and crushing) all the lower cartilage in my nose, it’s just not the same.  I’ve even considered a nose job just to correct it because I am that vain.  But then I’d end up getting lipo, and a boob lift, and maybe a bit of a neck lift, and, and, and, …. yeah, so I’m not getting my nose done.  But I still blame the dog.
4. I have held my daughter down while she screamed through all sorts of medical procedures.  Even though I know they’re necessary, I makes me feel like an awful mom and I often wonder if it’ll effect her trust in me.
5. I’ve never been on a cruise or to Europe.  I really want to do both.
6. I have, however, traveled past the Arctic Circle.  I’d rather go on a cruise.
7. I love the taste of kiwi’s but never eat them because the texture grosses me out.
8. I prefer game meat to beef.  A vegetarian I will never be.
9. I’m honest to a fault.  I will always tell people what I think.  This has lost me friends.  I can’t (wont) change who I am though.  If you really don’t want to know how I feel, then don’t ask.
10. I know I come across as a complete bitch some a lot most all the time.  I know I’m intimidating to a lot of people.  Really?  My bark is worse than my bite.

Now to pass this on…  I choose to torture honor:

1. Colleen at Messponential.  She amazes me how she stands by her convictions
2. Lu of Jaded Perspective.  I hope one day my writing is as raw and inspiring as hers.
3. PsychMama.  Because she understands what it is to have a daughter with developmental delays (and because, dude, you really need to update your blog.  lol)
4. Becky of Life out of Focus.  I love watching her photography evolve as she does
5. Ali of My Life With Them.  Because she’s having a craptastic day, and I know getting this award made my day.
6. Cara of Momma Says.  Her stories about her kids make me snort out loud in a really unattractive way, but I still love her
7. Kate of Tati Kate.  I’m hoping I can learn sensitivity from her as I learn how to knit.

• Answer the questions below using only one word
• Thank the blogger who gave it to you
• Pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers

Now the questions:

1. Where is your cell phone? couch
2. Your hair? straight
   
3. Your mother? interesting
4. Your father? strict
5. Your favorite food? pizza
6. Your dream last night? didn’t
7. Your favorite drink? wine
8. Your dream/goal? royalty
9. What room are you in? family
10. Your hobby? scrapbooking (don’t judge)
    
11. Your fear? drowning
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? retired (it’s the freedom 40 plan)
    
13. Where were you last night? home (yeah, OK, I’m boring.  Deal)
    
14. Something you aren’t? skinny (and this smothered baked potato I’m eating isn’t helping that fact)
    
15. Muffins? chocolate
    
16. Wish list item? Ferrari
    
17. Where did you grow up? Calgary
18. Last thing you did? tweeted
19. What are you wearing? clothes (sorry to disappoint)
    
20. Your TV? big
    
21. Your pets? several
22. Your friends? geeks
23. Your life? busy
24. Your mood? happy
25. Missing someone? Always
26. Vehicle? truck (I am a redneck)
    
27. Something you’re not wearing? socks
28. Your favorite store? etsy
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When was the last time you laughed? morning
31. Last time you cried? September
    
32. Your best friend? Missy
    
33. One place that I go over and over? bed
    
34. One person who emails me regularly? mom
35. Favorite place to eat? Castiron
    

Now for the fun part – this is where I torture my friends and force them to play along:

My Life With Them

Messponential

Tati Kate

The McCammon’s

Leighish

Irishsamom

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