Triple crown.

Gold stars on my homework!

Two of my regular followers blogosphere friends have been kind enough to nominate me for three- count ‘em, three!– awards! What a way to start my day!

A huge THANK YOU to Tracy at momoftwosalums and Nikki at Diary of a Mad Crafter. You guys rock! Take a look at their blogs- full of crafty goodness and inspiration.

Each of these nominations has its own little list of rules, but they’re all pretty similar.

• Display the award.
• Acknowledge the person who nominated you.
• Give blogland some new information about yourself.
• Nominate multiple other bloggers you find deserving of the award.

When I was nominated for this other award, I asked my readers to come up with questions for me to answer. Only two questions came out of that (FAIL), which I’ll include below. I’ll steal borrow a few from my nominators. To round it out, I googled “questions to ask a girl” and ended up on a dating advice site that provided questions that in no way would lead to a lasting relationship.

(For the sake of interesting Q&A, I’ll throw it out again to readers: Got a fun question you want answered?)

From Tim at Get Second Lunch: What was the driving force behind starting your blog? Last year when my life turned into an incredible adventure, I thought, I should write this down! I wanted to remember this chapter in my life that would surely end at some point. Doing that online would give me a place to include the many, MANY photos I was taking along the way. A blog didn’t happen then, but the seed was planted. Earlier this year, I decided to revisit the idea after an ‘A-ha!’ moment when I realized every tiny thing in my life has something good in it. Read more here. And now I just love it!

From Tori at The Ramblings: If your house was on fire and I was in your house (in a totally invited kind of way, creep) and also a cake was in your house (something covered in frosting), who do you save? Tori was kind enough to give me the answer. Cake. Always the cake. I countered that it seemed clear that SHE would save the cake, so I would grab a bottle of wine on my way out the door. Then we’d have a drink and dessert by firelight.

Favorite quote? I’ve been collecting quotes I like for a little project (on this list). But one that’s been on my mind since I started this blog comes from the Dalai Lama:

‘Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.’

I like being reminded that it’s my choice to be happy… or not.

Chore you hate? I kind of think there are boy jobs and girl jobs. I admit I don’t deal with taking out the trash/recycling or cleaning up after the dog at home. I do, however, like a tidy home and folding mountains of laundry. That evens it out, right?

Sounds you love?  Rain on the metal roof. A message from my nieces. A crackling campfire. John singing to Cholula. The pop of a champagne cork.

Celebrity crush? Unfortunately, I tend to gravitate toward the boys with a less-than-shiny reputation- the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp (before he was too pirate-y).

Perfect age? The one I’m at now. (29 plus 8.)

First memory of excitement? On my third birthday, I got a little record player. I remember asking my Dad if it was my birthday and clapping as he set it up to play mini-records. My love of music (and albums) started young!

Three phrases to describe you?  Big-hearted, growing/learning, and happy.

Ever broken any bones? I broke my leg when I was two (running in the kitchen with my socks on, slid into the stove), my arm in 2^nd grade (slipped during an amazing roller-skating twirl in a puddle of water), cracked my heel in high school (sliding down a VERY long stair banister and jumping off too early due to speed concerns). I got stitches under my chin when face-planting into my grandmother’s coffee table corner (I was under 2 years old), and over my left eyebrow at 4 when face-planting into a tree stump. I wouldn’t call myself clumsy- just adventurous.

What is/was your least favorite subject in school?  I was great at all things English/literature and horrible at all things math/science. I do wish I’d taken more history classes though. I’ve learned that I really enjoy learning about the past of a person/place.

Are you a dog or a cat person, or rather prefer a Komodo dragon? This is an actual question on the dating advice website, by the way. I clearly love dogs, but also LOVE cats and would love to have one join the family. I have mentioned (repeatedly) my desire to live on a farm with lots of baby animals, and hope we can figure out a chicken coop in the backyard soon. I love all animals. Probably even a Komodo dragon. Do they bite?

Are you a morning person?  Really?

Name your most favorite part of day? I love hearing John’s voice yell to me as soon as he walks in the door from being out, whatever time of day. I love being in the kitchen with a glass of wine and a new recipe, whatever time of day. I love the ears-back, slinky, whole-body wag I get when I’ve been away from Cholula, whatever time of day.

Unless these occur before coffee.

What are your turn-ons and turn-offs? Obviously another gem from the dating advice website, I included this question because I’m fascinated about how the answer changes as I get older. At this stage in my life, there’s nothing much more attractive than a man who can cook or a good daddy! Things I have no patience for are men who show disrespect to their partners or who don’t love their Mamas. (Ladies, the saying is true.)

You can find more random facts about me here and here.

Now, for the BLOG LOVEFEST. Please take a look at the blogs that I listed HERE and HERE. There are 20 awesome blogs listed there that I read daily! Below I’ll add 5 of my favorites- that I’ve followed for awhile, and some newly discovered. (Note to the Big Five- I’ve listed which award I’m nominating you for so you can deal with ONE instead of THREE.)

Take a gander.

Somethingville– Her current masthead says, BE SOMETHING AMAZING. Love! Her “Re-discovery of Happiness” series is so refreshing. (Beautiful Blogger)

Charming Trinity– Simply a daily collection of 3-4 stunning photos on a particular topic. Sometimes a little perspective is all we need. (Beautiful Blogger)

Pretty Girls Cook– Pretty girls can also take amazing photos. Currently, she’s in Tuscany on a food and wine excursion. Daydream… (Very Inspiring Blogger)

Blinks of Bliss– “Life is made up of little moments of bliss that go by in a blink.” Each post is a reminder of the little things that are the good stuff in life. Right up my alley! (Very Inspiring Blogger)

Shut Up Dad– Andrew absolutely cracks me up. I just scrolled through the first page of posts to find an especially funny one and couldn’t choose one. Go laugh out loud. (Kreativ Blogger)

Whew! Once again, thank you to my lovely nominators. You’ve made my week!

I do love a gold star.