I'd like to thank the Academy...

Why, yes, it is high time Bee and I won an award for our sporadic stellar blogging. And thanks to Mrs. Grey of With Wit, Not Leisure, we finally have our award. I think it's called a Lovely Award or something like that. I'm not too picky about details when people want to award me with things.

I'm accepting this award solo, however, since Bee is currently busy in her undisclosed location answering questions relating back to some scandals-leading-to-trials relating back to the drill sargeants from her basic training days. Since Bee commented that she doesn't even really remember the names of her Training Instructors, I think we can all assume she wasn't one of the victims. (But since she's being given the forum, I think she should try to remember the names of any-and-all who denied her cell phone use when her sister wanted to talk to her, and made it impossible for her to receive baked goods without having to share).

Anyway, back to our awesome loveliness and our award.

THE RULES

Thank the person/people who nominated you and link back to them in your post.
Share seven possibly unknown things about yourself.
Nominate fifteen or so bloggers you admire.
Contact the chosen bloggers to let them know and link back to them.

Not to be picky, but since I've won an award, I don't really think rules apply to me anymore. But whatever. I'll follow the ones that I want to.

Seven unknown things about myself...don't exist. It's part of the problem of being a chronic

over-sharer. So I'll just share seven lesser-known things.

1. I really wish I could wear high heels (as in sky high heels) everywhere. But I'm concerned that it will cause foot/knee/hip/back problems. And the one time I've worn heels for a wedding, I was crippled for an hour or two after the ceremony. So, I guess you won this round American Podiatric Medical Association.
2. I also don't wear heels because I feel like I may have to be able to run at any moment. Not just after a loose toddler in the parking lot (because I have a couple of those), but from a Bad Guy. Not necessarily a rapist or a mugger. It could be black ops special forces type person who is after me because I've unknowingly stumbled into uncovering a spy ring. And heels would impair my get-away.
3. I still like The Spice Girls music. And early Brittany Spears.
4. I still feel like the nerdy girl from high school (see Numbers One, Two, and Three , above), but I have come to the happy place where I'm good with that. Thanks to a little help from The New Girl who has made nerdy and naive its own kind of cool.
5. When I'm in Ethiopia, I feel like I'm home. And it's hard to get on a plane and go back to the place my passport says is home.
6. Follow-up to number Five: I really want to move out of country. Aquaman and I have talked about the Caribbean as an option (this discussion usually occurs most seriously during the months of November through March). But I would also take a warm African country as an option. Probably not Europe, though. Definitely would consider Australia.
7. I have a wildly over-active imagination. This is probably not news to, um, anyone, but paired with pessimistic tendencies, it affects my quality of life. In our moments of online house-hunting, I look at every house listed in Texas that has a picture of a porch or crawlspace and am 99% sure I can see a poisonous snake curled in the grainy-photographic shadows. And then envision myself living in that house and calling animal control while the kids and I huddle together on the roof, screaming bloody murder. All the houses in Florida that have their own private pond, I have visions of alligators lunging out of the water and grabbing a small child. While my kids and I huddle together on the roof, screaming bloody murder. The imagination/pessimism combo is exhausting.

Now I'm meandering into a shady area with these award "rules". Because I'm supposed to nominate 15 or so bloggers I admire, and then comment on their blogs that I've nominated them. I can nominate with the best of them, but the commenting part...I'm a professional lurker, people. I don't comment, I just creepily stand on the sidelines and read every part of these people's lives. So, I may or may not actually creep these people out by commenting that "I love you so much, and I'm a huge fan, and here's an award that's eerily similar to a chain letter." We'll see how much chutzpah I have.

1. Nelson Family of 7 My real-life friend's blog. (So, yes, I do comment on her blog without shame). We met in Target on a cold winter's day. I pushed my cart past her telling myself to be socially appropriate and not ask the white stranger with black kids where her kids were from. Thankfully Jess throws caution and social norms to the wind and asked me. She also went from 2 kids to 5 overnight.
2. Suri's Burn Book Do actual people have to write these blogs that I nominate?
3. Biblical Homemaking The name of this blog sounds kind of...dry? boring? But it's so pretty. And if you are obsessed interested in before and after room makeovers of the best kind, as well as DIY home decorating...well, just be prepared to spend hours online here.
4. The Pleated Poppy More DIY decorating. After reading this one, I find I have to wipe the drool off of my laptop.
5. Camp Patton I've linked to Grace over at Camp Patton before. So I figured I should do it again, just to be sure I come across as a real creeper.
6. House Unseen This family bought a house unseen off the internet for something like $27,000 so they could live debt free. And the house was in Michigan while they were in California (maybe? somewhere besides Michigan at any rate), so they moved with their four kids. More before and after pic fun. And right now, Dwija's in the middle of sharing her homebirth story. So that's a whole new set of fun. And squeamishness.
7. The Common Room Just so people know I do sometimes use the internet to better my mind (not just stare at decorating pictures). Lots of interesting news links/opinion pieces. Even if you don't agree with everything she says, there's usually some really interesting political history included.
8. This Mama Needs Coffee More opinion pieces/news links. With unabashed opinions to go with them.
9. Bean In Love Right now, this is the place to go for absolute cuteness. She just had twin girls and their smooshy little cheeks will have you checking back 2 or 19 times a day to see if she's posted any new pictures of them. And of course, more DIY home decorating and before and after pictures.
10. Rage Against the Minivan So, I confess, this blog has very little to do with my life, aside from transracial adoption. Kristen works outside the home. And travels. And has a nanny. And there are no before or after decorating pictures. But I keep coming back because she freely acknowledges how very first-world her problems are when she does have them. And she has darn good posts. And the most unique guest posts, possibly ever.
11. Large Family Mothering Homeschooling/homemaking advice, but of the gracious kind. And yet more opinion pieces/news links. But, like The Common Room, usually with some interesting social history tied in.
12. Emily Lane Style Oh look, someone else I know in real life. Perhaps I could leave a comment on her blog without embarrassment. This is the blog of The Fashionista, who has been mentioned before on this blog because she's dating my brother. Even if I didn't have that connection, I would be on her blog daily to see what she wore. While sitting in my pajamas at noon.
13. Simplee Photography Good, I can round out the list with one last blogger I know personally. Kelsea's photography is stunning....STUNNING. Looking at this blog may make you feel like your little family snapshots are slightly inadequate. Unless you happen to be friends with Kelsea and she patiently spends half an hour explaining to you how to use your camera so your little darker-skinned children can actually show up in photographs with actual facial features. (This blog may also make you want to find a newborn and squish it into various household items-large boots, buckets, etc-and take a picture. I don't recommend that, unless you are also a trained professional).

OK, I think that brings us up to "15 or so" blogs. Off the top of my head, I see...3 bloggers I feel comfortable contacting and letting them know they've won a Lovely Award. I'll let you know how I do on that. I'm pretty sure the blogs linked here won't even notice the whole two readers Bee and I send their way.

--Kae--