The Happy, Over the Top, Superior Scribbler Awards!

I have had the honor of receiving some blogging awards from two blogging friends recently and now it's my turn to spread the blogging love. And oh my goodness, it has taken me distraction and interruption filled days to put this post together. Days!

Most of us blog because we have fun doing it and we continue to do so because we enjoy the interaction we have with our readers. Why not let your favorite bloggers know that you love what they have to share by sending one of these fine awards their way?

Over The Top Award:

Michelle of The RedHeaded Book Child blog awarded me not one, but TWO blogging awards back in November. Okay, I admit that's not really so recent. The first is the Over The Top Award and is given to blogging friends whose blogs you consider over the top, in a complimentary way, of course. As in, they are "far more than usual or expected; extraordinary." Thanks, Michelle! :)

Before passing on the award, there is a fun survey I am supposed to do using single word answers only. I tried my best, but couldn't answer them all with single words.

Your cell phone? iPhone, lifeline <--pathetic, but true.
Your hair? curly
Your mother?
Your father?
Your favorite food? desserts
Your dream last night? forgotten
Your favorite drink? coffee
Your dream/goal? to be love and be loved forever
What room are you in? family room
Your hobby? reading
Your fear? losing my husband and kids
Where do you want to be in 6 years? anywhere my husband is (awww...)
Where were you last night? home
Something that you aren't? even tempered
Muffins? yes, please.
Wish list item? new wardrobe
Where did you grow up? New Jersey, USA
Last thing you did? made coffee
What are you wearing? jeans, a comfy long sleeved t-shirt, (fake) fur lined scuffs
Your TV? home theater
Your pets? 4 cats
Friends? diverse
Your life? memoir-worthy
Your mood? roller coaster
Missing someone? my mom
Vehicle? minivan
Something you're not wearing? makeup
Your favorite store? bookstore
Your favorite color? blue ... No, red! ... I mean, green? Definitely pink. Although, lavender is nice, too ... ;)
When was the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? today
Your best friend? supportive
One place that you go to over and over? grocery store
Facebook? rarely
Favorite place to eat? local asian fusion place

I'm passing the Over the Top Award to the following bloggers whom I think have blogs that are over the top in an extraordinary way:

1. J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog
For all the amazing and wonderful events and giveaways she offers the book blogging community. In fact, this week I was supposed to join her and another book blogger on Twitter as we did an online read along to Megan Hart's novel Deeper. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to reading the book on time, but if you've read the book and are on twitter, check out the tagline #DEEPER and join in on the discussion.

2. Kwana of Kwana Writes
Because she always has something interesting and thought worthy to share. She's smart, sassy, very creative and makes me think and sometimes laugh.

3. KIKA of KIKA.LA
Because she's sweet, upbeat and she writes such honest and passionate reviews and other posts about books. Her exuberance is contagious!

4. Tracy of Tracy's Place, the DIK (Desert Island Keeper) blog, AND Book Binge
Yes, she really does blog at all three of these blogs. Tracy's capacity to read so much, so fast and then write book reviews for both her blog and Book Binge is way over the top to me! And she's even recruited her mom into the world of book blogging and reviewing. How cool is that?

5. Jill D. of Romance Rookie.
Because Jill consistently writes succinct, informative, reviews for almost every single book she reads. And she reads a lot. Plus she's got great taste in romance novels.

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Superior Scribbler Award:

The second award that Michelle so kindly awarded me is the Superior Scribbler Award. Thanks, Michelle!

The rules are as follows:
Post the award on your blog, linking back to the blogger who gave it to you. Pass the award onto 5 of your blogging friends who you consider superior scribblers.

I'm passing this award to the following bloggers who are superior scribblers. They have a natural way with words that is informative and smart, but also fun and friendly.

1. Brandy of Book Mom
I don't know if Brandy is going to like me putting her and her blog in the spotlight here as she's quite shy, but she's definitely a superior scribbler in my book, so I couldn't not award her this fun award. Truthfully, I only know Brandy is panic attack shy because she tells me she is, but you'd never know that by visiting her blog. She's so friendly, warm, and so kind. Brandy posts daily on her blog that she keeps like a daily journal, as she shares the goings on in her world... her cats, her family, homeschooling her kids, daily little ups and downs, what she's reading, where she shopped, what she (or her husband) made for dinner, that sort of thing. I feel like I'm a real life friend with Brandy after just a few short months of following her blog and like a friend, I come back again and again to find out what she's up to and how she's been.

2. orannia of Walkabout.
orannia is another friendly blogger who posts mostly about bookish things on her blog. She always has something interesting to discuss and she's very smart, articulate and insightful. I love when bloggers make me think.

3. Shawn of doodle thoughts
Shawn is a new blogging friend who is a superior scribbler for REAL. She scribbles and doodles for a living creating really cool graphics. But that's not how we met. Shawn and I are relatively new blogging friends brought together by our mutual new found passion for running. Her posts on running are both fun and inspiring.

4. Angie of Angieville.
Another friendly blogger (like there's any other kind?) whose book reviews constantly expand my TBR and book wish list. Angie reads young adult fiction, fantasy fiction, general fiction as well as many classics. Every now and then she even reads romance! Angie's reviews are well written informative, but are splashed with her personal voice that I never tire of hearing. Even her rare posts about her personal world and her family are well written and have this ... flourish that I love to read.

5. Carolyn Crane of The ThrillionthPage
Carolyn is smart, sassy, very creative and has a great sense of humor. She's one of the first bloggers I ever started to follow way back in early 2007 and now I'd follow her anywhere. She has a debut urban fantasy novel coming out in March 2010! Go, Carolyn!

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Happy 101 Award:

The last and most recent award I received is the Happy 101 Award from Tracy at Sugarcrafter blog. Thank you, Tracy!!!

If you haven't visited her blog before, you HAVE GOT to pop over and visit Tracy at her blog. She has the most amazing food blog, where as you might have guessed from her blog name, her blog focus is on sweet stuff! Gorgeous photos, clear instructions, delicious recipes--everything she does is so inspiring. If only we were neighbors, I would so be one of her official taste testers. And then have to run an extra 10 miles every day, for sure! ;)

I lurked at Tracy's blog for a couple of months last year and found myself visiting more and more frequently. I didn't really think about it at the time, but now I wonder if I was a lurker because I felt I came from the book blogging world and Tracy and her visitors are almost all from the food blogging world and I felt out of my league or something. Eventually, though, I couldn't resist commenting on her mouth watering, creative recipes and so I started commenting. Now Tracy's blog is a regular stop for me. I guess that's how Tracy started visiting me. It turns out she likes me and my blog, too! :)

The rules for the Happy 101 Award are:

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

Ten things that make me happy:
1. My husband
2. Our children
3. Our four cats <-- when they're not throwing up somewhere or missing the litter box or trying to bolt out the door. *sigh*

4. Being healthy.

5. Having a comfortable, welcoming home.

6. Reading!

7. Running <-- I know. I can't believe it, either.

8. Growing things. <--Children, flowers, vegetables... Not mold in the bathroom.

9. Creating things. <--cooking, baking, photography, crafts, etc...

10. Visiting National Parks <--Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon...

This is crazy hard to do, because I subscribe to upwards of 150 blogs via RSS feeds and visiting each and every one of you is special and makes me happy. Just want to make that clear. ;)

I'm passing this award to the following bloggers whose blogs I probably visit most frequently these days. In no particular order,

1. Leslie of Leslie's Psyche
She reads a lot of the same books I'm interested in, writes honest reviews, occasionally throws in a personal post here and there, and she has actually tried one of my recipes that I posted on my blog! And no one in her family got sick. Well, at least she didn't tell me they did. LOL.

2. Hilcia of Impressions of a Reader
Hilcia had been a regular commenter in romance book blogging for a while, and finally started her own blog last year. Yay! She's reads books across several very diverse genres (not just romance) and blogs about them.

3. nath of Books, Books and more Books
Nath is a sweetheart. Always upbeat, even when she's ranting--gotta love that-- and I love the way she almost always includes a smattering of tidbits from her personal life in her posts. I like getting to know my fellow book bloggers like that.

4. Lori of Living in the House of Testosterone
With a blog title like that, you know you're going to be entertained, right? Lori blogs about living with her three boys (including husband) and her male dog! Poor Lori. LOL. Lots of funny anecdotes from her family life that will make you laugh and sometimes go "awwww..."!

5. Amy of Romance Bookwyrm
Amy has eased up on the frequency of her blog posts and even her blog hopping and commenting in recent months, but I'm always happy when I see she has posted on her blog. Amy's an avid fan of romance and fantasy fiction, and you can't help but 'catch' her passion and enthusiasm for the books she reads.

6. Lisa of Books, Lists, Life
I think Lisa and I found each other's blogs way back when we were both participating in Keishon's 2008 TBR Challenge, exchanging an occasional comment here and there. Then last fall, I don't know, we just started paying closer attention to each other. Now I visit Lisa's blog a few times a week and sometimes chat via email.

7. Natalie of Reading 2 Learn
Natalie started her blog just a few short weeks ago, inspired to do so upon joining the In Death Reading Challenge. She has already read the first few In Death books and has written some very insightful posts about the series. Stop by her blog and say hello to this enthusiastic newcomer to the book blogging world.

8. Michelle of Read Headed Book Child
Michelle commented on my blog one day last fall, we clicked and the rest, they say, is history. We're both love books, organic fruits and vegetables and the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. LOL That's the foundation of our friendship, but we just clicked in a way like we've been friends for a long time.

9. azteclady of Karen Knows Best
When I see the an email from azteclady in my Inbox, it makes me happy. If it's an email notification for comment she's left on my blog, it makes me happy. If it's a personal email? Ecstatic. She's smart, kind, funny, and so supportive. She's a kind friend who always seems to know exactly what to say to make me smile, encourage me, or feel good about something.

10. Lea of Closetwriter
Not only does Lea write some of the best romance reviews out there (especially for paranormal, romantic suspense and erotic romance genres), but she is definitely one of the kindest and most generous bloggers I know. Generous with her time to help bloggers with their html code, generous with her time leaving comments on posts even if the topic is not her cup of tea, and generous with sharing books through giveaways. She's also one of the first ones likely to send me an email just to say "Hi, how are you," if (when) I drop out of the blogosphere for a spell. She's a sweetheart.

I could seriously keep listing bloggers who deserve the Happy 101 Award, but this post will turn into the post that never ends if I do that, so ....

The end. :)