IslandRoar

Passing It On

I will still be in sunny Florida when you read this. At least, it better be sunny or I will be one cranky cupcake when I return this weekend.

Several of my blogging buddies have given me marvelous awards the last few weeks. I'd like to beg your indulgence while I take this opportunity to say thank you and give them a shout-out.

I got this Beautiful Blogger award from Peggy at Square Peg in a Round Hole. I found Peggy because she's SuziCate's sister, but I keep coming back for her wonderful stories and her obvious warmth. If you haven't  been over there yet, now's the time.

 

I'm supposed to state 7 things about myself before passing this on to up to 15 bloggers. Clearly you already know pretty much all there is to know about me, but I'll give it a try.

• I discovered I was a writer at 8 and never looked back.
• I have the habit of combining 2 or more beauty products at a time (scent, blush, etc) to make the perfect personal combination.
• When I was young I wanted 8 children. For about 5 minutes.

I would like to pass this award on to Michelle at Musings of a Midlife Mama and Other Stories. She is a very recent discovery and I adore her way with words. You need to add her to your reader. Now.

 

 

The Blogger Buddy Award was given to me by SuziCate of The Water Witch's Daughter. SuziCate writes about many things, all of them with an open mind and a poet's heart. I certainly hope you know her by now!

 

I'm going to pass this award along to Erica at Pines Lake Redhead. She lives in Florida now, but she grew up in my  home state of New Jersey, and she's a fellow ginger. As well as my newly adopted little sister. Go tell her I said hi.

 

 

I got this Happy Blog Award from Poindexter at Diary Of A Technophobe. I am so happy to have found her blog. Her observations and reflections are honest and straightforward. I often find myself leaving her site with an innate sense of peace.

I am supposed to list up to 10 things that make me happy. I'll start with these:

• My cats
• Sunny weather
• Seeing the ocean
• Good conversation
• Friends, real life and virtual

I pass this onto a new friend, also from New England, Corinne of Trains, Tutus and Tea time. Corinne writes about motherhood and life and I soak up every word. Believe me, you need to check her out.

 

 

Peggy also gifted me with this Circle of Friends Award as well as an Honest Scrap Award. I am supposed to name 5 things that make me happy and do one of them every day.

Okay, in no particular order they are:

• Read
• Write
• Talk to more than one of my 3 children
• Eat something chocolate

I would like to pass this Circle of Friends award on to Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla. She is also more of a recent find, yet I feel like I've known her all my life. Her writing is clever, generous and lots of fun. Go visit and you'll see what I mean.

 

 

I have just one last shout-out, and that's to Geri over at FaboverFifty who recently very generously named IslandRoar one of her fave blogs. Geri's blog celebrates the middle-aged woman, but she's really talking about every woman I know. I stop in frequently for a dose of empowerment.

 

If you're still with me by now, all I can say is thanks, you're the best! I'll be back soon.

 

More Bloggy Bling

 

A new bloggy pal of mine over at Gone Bananas was kind enough to bestow this award on me, or, as she so cleverly put it, Bloggy Bling. Her blog is lots of fun, and it doesn't hurt that she posts great photos of her cute-as-a-button daughter.

Before I pass it on, I am supposed to list 7 traits about myself. Aw, hell. I'll try 5:

-I'm artistic. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging; it's just the way my brain works.

-I'm competitive. Not in a bad way, but if you're going to do something you might as well do it right.

-I'm loyal.

-I'm fierce. Don't mess with me when it comes to my family or a cause I believe in.

-I'm optimistic. I'm good at finding that silver lining. Life's a lot less draining that way.

 

I'd like to pass this award on to the following blogs. Whether they make me laugh or reach for the tissues, they're always a good read:

1) SuziCate at The Water Witch's Daughter: She tells a great story. She was kind enough to give me an award a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say Right back at you!

2) Jen at Jen on the Edge: Her thoughts on motherhood and chocolate make me think we're kindred spirits.

3) Casey at Half As Good As You: For me, she is the ultimate definition of "LOL."

Whether you already know these rockin' bloggers or not, go show them some bloggy love. That's what it's all about, no?

 

 

A Little Sugar...

 

The South Dakota Cowgirl honored me with this blog award recently. If you don't know her, you definitely should. She lives on a huge ranch with her guy Zach, some cattle, and some of the prettiest horses I've ever seen. Her posts are fun and thoughtful, and I make sure to check in with her every day.

Before passing this award along, I''m supposed to share up to 10 fascinating things about myself. Which is pretty hard, because I think you all probably know everything there is to know about me already. Let's see...

-For a short time, around age 8, I wanted to be a nun (yeah, I know; tell me about it). My parents wisely humored me until the inclination passed.

-A couple of years ago I dated a guy, for over a year, who had no sense of smell (are you thinking Blog Post, because I certainly am).

-I have the tiniest wrists I've ever seen in an adult. Really, I'm 5'9" and I have these wrists smaller than most infants. I love bracelets, but finding ones small enough is a challenge.

-I've always been able to do a back-bend, and now that I'm fast approaching old age, I make sure to do one once a year, just to prove I still can. 

-I love long dangly earrings. Although again, as I get older, I have to choose ones that are more lightweight so my earlobes don't end up on my shoulders.

-At family gatherings when I was a kid, my parents had me do impressions for entertainment; I did a great Ed Sullivan and Richard Nixon (who didn't?), as well as two of Lily Tomlin's characters: her telephone operator ("One ringie-dingie"), and Edith Anne.

-I love my feet. Of course it's just my opinion, but I think they're really pretty.

-I had a dream when I was pregnant with all three of my kids that correctly predicted what sex they would be.

 

Okay that's only eight, but I think we can agree it's more than enough. I'd like to pass this award on to the following blogs:

1) Erin at The Locals Love It: She has some great posts about cool places by people who actually live there, as well as useful travel tips and her own very thoughtful reflections on life in general.

2) Lynn at For Love or Funny: She never fails to make me smile.

3) Jill at Stella's Roar: I've been following her for a while now, and she always posts photos of the most beautiful and interesting things, leaving me in a constant state of yearning.

Please take some time and go visit these lovely ladies. You'll be really glad you did.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am going to take the next few days off and be back on Monday.

 

 

Best Blog Award

 

SuziCate, a new bloggy friend of mine from over at The Water Witch's Daughter gave me this nifty award. If you don't know her blog you should definitely check it out. I find her observations and reflections on life straightforward and delightful.

The only rule is to pass it along to up to 5 bloggers. So here goes:

1) A Widow for One Year: I've been following her blog for a couple of months now. She's an awesome writer who has made me both laugh and cry on several occasions. 

2) Lynn at Allegria Images: She's in the process of taking and posting a photo a day for the next year, and she's quite entertaining along the way.

3) Deb at Menopausal New Mom: A very recent and fun discovery for me. The title of her blog in itself intrigued the heck out of me, and I'm really enjoying her writing.

Please check out these bloggers. Now would be a really good time.

 

 

Blog Award

A blogger I am very fond of, Jane, over at Theycallmejane's Blog, was kind enough to bestow this award on me a couple of weeks ago. Jane's blog is clever and honest, and I make sure to check in there every day.

Before passing this award on, I am supposed to share 7 random things about myself. I am so bad at this but here goes:

-I always wanted to be an actress. I have a secret hankering for the stage and plan on getting back to community theater when Daughter #2 goes off to college (I know, I've said that one before; I told you I was bad at this).

-In 5th grade I brought a baby picture of me to school and told everyone I had a baby sister. Wishful thinking I guess. I probably also wanted to see how many people I could get to believe me. I confessed the truth only days later.

-I wrote my first complete novel when I was 11 (and no, it's not available at Barnes & Noble).

-I am addicted to the TV shows Lost and Friday Night Lights. Okay, and America's Next Top Model, but that is secret info that is not to be shared beyond this page.

-One of my dreams is to go live in Ireland for at least 6 months one day and work on a novel.

That's it. Only 5, I know. Just deal with it.

 

The 3 bloggers I would like to pass this award on to are:

-Mama Badger over at out of the boondocks and into the burbs... : Been following her blog for a while now. She never fails to make me smile.

-Ocean Girl at Live High: A fairly new discovery. Her world couldn't be more different than mine, and I am intrigued by everything she has to say.

-Heather at Welch Happenings: Also a new discovery. She has a friendly, open style of writing that always leaves me feeling like we've just sat down together for a cup of coffee.

Okay. Now go check out these women, and say hi from me.

 

I'm Fabulous!

 

My friend over at F8HASIt recently bestowed this award on me. I read her blog every day, enjoying her cleverly written thoughts and observations. She makes me feel sane.

She wrote she wishes "we were sisters from different mothers," which I consider a great compliment. And who knows? Stranger things have happened.

I am supposed to reveal five obsessions I have and pass this award on to five other worthy bloggers.

The blogger part is easy; I read so many wonderful blogs. These five are some of the ones I make sure to check out every day. I enjoy everything they post.

-...A Mom on Spin: she blogs about her adventures working in a rectory and raising three teen daughters. She is absolutely hysterical.

-Privilege: writes about fashion, career, and life, all from the point of view of the High WASP, in a cool, sophisticated manner, sprinkled throughout with warmth and humor.

-Gloria's Spanish View: this is a newer blog whose author upended her life and moved to Spain. She's got fascinating stories and amazing photos to share.

-Life and Times of a Wicked Step Mom: this blogger is stepmom to 3 daughters. Her tales of life show both the frustrating and poignant moments.

-only a movie: I just discovered this blogger recently. Her words are honest and funny, and she is a fellow New Englander to boot.

Now for the harder part. I'd like to claim I'm not obsessive about anything, but who am I kidding?

1-My writing: this has been my life's passion since I was eight. Can't add anything to that.

2-Gardening: I need to have flowers blooming spring through fall. This summer I was so busy working (and blogging) that I slacked off, which makes me feel guilty, which proves my obsession.

3-Taking photos: I'm not sure why. Maybe some part of me feels that if there's no picture of it, it didn't happen. I actually went and bought a new camera two weeks ago when my very good one suddenly died and I had to bring it in to be fixed. Daughter #1 was going off to school; I obviously had to have photos.

4-Shoes: enough said.

5-Daughter #2 says I should put "my kids," but even though that may be true, it doesn't mean I have to own up to it. 

The blogs I listed are so fabulous that at least a couple of them probably already have this award. But I wanted them to know, anyway, how very much I enjoy reading what they write.

Now you need to go check them out, even if you already know them.

Go on. I'm serious!

 

Splash Award

I got the nicest news yesterday. My new pal from Forever A Jersey Girl has "splashed" me with the above award. Apparently the Splash Award is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs. Sounds good to me! When you receive it you must:
            -put the logo on your blog/post
            -nominate up to 9 blogs that allure, amuse, bewitch, impress,
            or inspire you
            -be sure to link to your nominees in your post
            -let them know they have been Splashed by commenting on their
                blog
            -remember to link to the person from whom you received your
            Splash Award

Well, being so new at this, it's a pretty difficult decision; I've been enjoying so many fine blogs. But here goes...

            1-nightlight confessions-written poignantly by a single mom

            2-Emergiblog- written by a nurse, but interesting to everyone
            3-Dancing Backwards In Heels-smart and feminist
            4-manic mariah-a funny mom
            5-The-F-Word.org-about women and society's conflicting
                                        relationship with body image and food
            6-Tangerine Times-reflections and info on raising teens

There could be so many more, but I'll stop there. Check these out and let me know what you think.