An Award

Thank you Tara over at "Just One Moment In Forever" for the blog award. Here are the rules for accepting:

•Copy the award image into a post
•List 10 things that make you happy
•Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day
•Put a link to their blogs
•Notify the award receivers
•Recipients should link back to the sender's blog

10 Things That Make Me Happy (Not in any particular order):

1. Having A Clean House Which is something I really need to get done some time this morning! I REALLY like a clean house, but I don't like the actual act of cleaning...I am okay once I get started - but it's a discipline, for sure! Not that I don't do it, but I don't like it! The finished product does make me quite happy, though. :) A genie in a bottle that would clean my house would make me REALLY HAPPY, but alas! I haven't found one of those yet! My house is trashed from the weekend (my usual Monday predicament) and I have my friend Jocelyn coming over with her baby Timothy tomorrow. We're making 4 centerpieces for a big Valentine's shindig at SAMmy's on Wednesday. We're dipping strawberries in pink chocolate to emulate pink roses and putting them in vases...I'll have to post the finished product for you. I'm also going to have her help me make mocha lattes for the girls, and I'll post the Valentine's ornament crafts we're doing. But, I need to get this place tidied up today first!!!!

2. Long Car Rides With Mike are great, because they are usually accompanied by a good cup of coffee and unrushed, quality couple time. We are usually in the mindset that we have a chunk of time ahead of us, so we are relaxed and we tend to have wonderful conversation. And, if the kids are elsewhere...we have privacy - you can't get that kind of privacy even at a restaurant!

3. Girl's Night Out or day out (I'm not choosey)! I am blessed to have a bunch of really good girlfriends who are really fun to spend time with - whether we're doing dinner and a movie, shopping or meeting at the coffee shop. Sometimes nothing else will do - I need time spent talking and having fun with a girlfriend or two or more!

4. Morning Quiet Time is a favorite time for me. I have a zip up blankie (NOT a snuggie - it is lined with a fuzzy material and is made out of cotton with a zipper in the front and snaps...NOT a snuggie) :) and my LAMO slippers that are Morning Quiet Time wear. I grab my Bible, my journal and favorite pen and a cup of coffee and head for my favorite leather overstuffed chair and ottoman and spend time journalling, reading the Word and praying. I get a lot of insight that way.

5. My Loved Ones covers a large group of people, starting with God and my family, (both immediate and extended) and my large circle of friends.

6. Girls Weeks/Weekends are times that my sisters, my mom, my daughter and I plan to get together every once in a while. A few of my nieces usually show up, too. (They're college age.) This summer we're going to the North Shore of Lake Superior for about 5 days and then heading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My sisters and I have a ton of fun when we're together. I doubt we'll be sleeping much. It's going to be SO MUCH FUN. Definitely a favorite.

7. Back Massages Not giving them - getting them!

8. Words I am a wordsmith and I love when I can put words together to make a smashing sentence that really drives a point home or paints a beautiful word picture. I love meaningful quotes. I'd rather get a heartfelt note than a beautiful store-bought card with just the person's signature at the bottom - even if they mean every sentiment the card has provided for them. Boggle and Scrabble are WONDERFUL games that my sisters and I love to play for hours when we get together. I enjoy listening to all types of music, because it's the lyrics that really capture me - whether it be silly and light, deep and meaningful, all about love and passion or expressing hurt and sadness. What can I say? I'm a sap!

9. When People Leave Comments On My Blog That's always so great! Isn't it amazing how that can make your day? That somebody is checking in on you to say hi? I love that!

10. Laughing A good, clean comedy sketch or a really FUNNY story or silly experience is priceless! I value a good sense of humor. That is one thing I want my children to experience in our home - laughter. I try to make sure that is something they hear and enjoy.

Well, now it's time to hand out the awards to 10 bloggers who brighten my day. Well, now...here goes:

1. To Kris Ann of Moms On Fire, because she is an awesome writer...you should check out her blog! (And she has great pictures, to boot!)
2. To Maura of Fostering Awareness - again, check out those pictures - they surely brighten my day (and inspired me to purchase the camera I recently purchased!)
3. T0 Helga of My World, who won't be reading this post until probably the 11th because she won't have internet access until then...she just moved to Illinois...but I miss her dearly and her blog is a great read - you all should check her out. Her blog brightens my day and I MISS HER!!!!
4. To Kami of My Beautiful Day, who is my Sister from another Mister, even though we never met...but will someday! :) She brightens my day.
5. To Jen of 3 Little Monkeys, my bloggy buddy who always has something fun going on. She's a great mom, and if you start visiting her, guaranteed you'll keep coming back to see what she's up to!
6. To Laura of The Bignells, another bloggy buddy who brightens my day and empathizes with me whenever we continue to get snow here like we are right now!!!
7. To Shelly K of Kurtzhals 3-6-5 (and her crafty blog I Like The Way You Do), my bloggy buddy and real life buddy. Of course, Shelly - you brighten my day!
8. To Stacey at Bloggin It Like It Is. I am really enjoying getting to know Stacey better - her blog rocks...you should check it out!
9. To J at Smile, Laugh or Die brightens my day with stories from her classroom. She is somebody I would be proud to have teaching my children!
10. And, just for fun, I'm picking Jenn at Siezing My Day - because she's a new follower of mine, and new followers brighten my day!!!!

Thanks again, Tara, for the accolade! It brightened my day!