An Award!

The last two awards I received, I totally spaced and didn't do anything--other than feel really, really touched. It's hard for me to believe that people actually read my blog, let alone like it. And I was and am honored, even if I suck at the whole remembering to post thing. : )


So when Kaily Hart told me I received this award, I knew, before I did anything else, I needed to jump on it.

And here I am. I need to list 10 things that make me happy. And you know, it's my belief that this is an excellent thing to do daily, especially on Mondays. So here goes:

1. Coffee. Coffee makes me happy. Waking up to already brewed coffee? Sigh. Thank the Lord above for programmable coffee makers and when I receive a Starbucks card, well, I'm a very happy girl.

2. Flowers. At this time of the year, I go out in my garden every morning, with a cup of coffee to warm my hands, and walk around looking at the new flowers. Today, the Japanese irises bloomed. They are so elegant and beautiful. The crocuses are done but the daffodils are still blooming away and so are the grape hyacinths and they look awesome together. I do this every day until winter.

3. Ladybugs. These little critters fly in every year to lay eggs on my plum tree. I love to take the kids out there and watch the eggs mature into ugly little bugs and the we start finding the cocoons and then voila! A tree full of ladybugs. I don't spray pesticides in my garden at all just to encourage these little guys to come back every year.

4. A clean house. I just can't relax in a dirty house. When the house is dirty, I'm tense. It sucks.

5. Cuddling. I love to cuddle. Thankfully most of my kids still cuddle with me.

6. My kids. Oh they drive me crazy on occasion, but they make me happy... of course they also stand in the way of #4.

7. Sunlight. Sometimes, when I'm feeling blue, I will just go stand in a ray of sunshine and close my eyes. Always makes me smile.

8. The ocean. I know they say that the ocean makes you feel good because of the increased amount of oxygen at the water's edge, but I think it's because the ocean is so big and constant (and constantly moving)... and I'm not. And that's okay. It's one of the main reasons I don't think I could leave California.

9. Baking. I love to bake. I love the smell of it, experimenting with recipes and ingredients... and quite frankly, I love eating it. Although I tend to give away as much as possible, or I'd be twice my size.

10. A good book. When I bring home books from a library, I imagine I act very much like a pirate with a chest of gold. The delicious anticipation. *Sigh* I love books.

I think you all now know why my dream job is to own a bookstore by the ocean where I would sell home-made, baked goodies and fresh, gourmet coffee and have a lot of writer events and book signings. (Because you all make me happy too!)

Well, that's it. Now to nominate 10 blogs that make me smile. Oh, this is going to be difficult because there are so many. These women make me happy, they're encouraging, challenging (when I need it)... these are the blogs I read first on my blog reader. I could say many, many more wonderful things about them but just go check out their blogs. In no order:

JA Saare
Cari Quinn
Kaily Hart
Lia Slater
Helen Hardt
Catherine Bybee
Jennifer Leeland
Mrs. Cecile Smutty Hussy (that's what she asks us to call her. Swear!)
Emma Lai
Maisey Yates

Here are the rules.

1. Copy the award image into a post
2. List 10 things that make you happy
3. Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day.
4. Link to their blogs.
5. Notify the award recipients.
6. Award recipients link back to sender’s blog

And because I'm just a generous kind of girl, here's something else that makes me happy: Your Monday-pick-me-up.



Perfection.