Real World Mom

Tim, the mucho-talented author of The Inflatable Soapbox™ (and my ‘other half’) honored me with the Excellent Blog Award! He said some cool things about me, you can read it all here, “First Blog Award!”

Thank you, Tim, for introducing me to the world of blogging, and for your continued encouragement in my efforts to grow and learn. I love you!The rules state that after receiving the Excellent Blog Award, you must pass it on to 10 more excellent bloggers.

Here are the 10 newest recipients of the Excellent Blog Award:

1. Melinda at Musings by Melinda
2. Maria at Immoral Matriarch: Catechizer
3. Misty at My Dogs Keep Me Sane
4. Misty at Misty’s Words (Because both of her blogs ROCK!)
5. Candi at Bittersweet
6. Caroline at The Bingham Diaries
7. Jill at Caffeine Court
8. Zoeyjane at Mommy is Moody
9. Becca at BeccA’s Buzz
10. Colin at Life

Keep up the great work!! I love you guys!!

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I also wanted to take this opportunity to offer the Real World Mom “You Light Up My Life” award to another blogger buddy who has made a difference to me.

As my humble way of thanking you for your friendship, your support and the way you always make time to keep in touch–as well as the enjoyment I get from reading your blog everyday–today’s “You Light Up My Life” award goes to Kim at Jogging in Circles. If she’s not already on your daily reading list, please go visit her blog and see why she should be!

 

It’s snowing again in New Jersey. In fact, the “s word” is in the forecast for the next several days!

It was 65 degrees on Monday–just two days ago! And now I look out the back door and see this:

 

Misty Dawn at My Dogs Keep Me Sane tagged me with the Message in a Bottle Meme, started by the talented Mimi from Mimi Writes.

Here are the rules:
You are about to send a virtual Message In a Bottle across the Blog Ocean. Leave a message in the sand or on the bottle. Write anything you wish. Be a pirate or a poet. Serious or silly. Anonymous or not. What message would you like to send out to the universe?

Message In A Bottle Meme
1. Compose a message to place in your virtual bottle.
2. Right click and SAVE the blank graphic below.

3. Use a graphics program of your choice to place the message on the picture.
4. Post the Message In a Bottle meme and your creation on your blog along with these rules.
5. Tag a minimum of 5 bloggers – or your entire blogroll – to do the same. Notify them of the tag. Your virtual bottle will remain afloat in the blogosphere ocean for all blogernity (That’s a Mimism for blog + eternity.)

So, if you are tagged by me, go over to Mimi’s and ADD your site to her Mr. Linky list and place your blog’s name and url in a comment HERE to let Mimi know you’ve completed the meme. Mimi will add it to the master list of message bottles. Email mimiwrites2005 at yahoo.com if you have questions. Participation is optional. Just remember she has a dungeon….and some of you are STILL there from the Band Meme. Have fun!

This phrase has been repeating itself in my mind over the last several days, so maybe if I share it here, there will be an exorcism-like effect:

I tag anyone on my blogroll who would like to participate!

 

I’m borrowing this idea from Jill at Caffeine Court–how I love that name–and her blog, so please be sure to stop by and say hello! What a great way to get to know a little more about each other!

Jill wrote:
“I’d like to do a little roll call. If you don’t mind would you please state your first name and the state you live in. You can give more information if you want.”

Some info about me:

• My name is Stacey and I live in Ocean County, NJ, but I’m originally from PA.
• I have four wonderful children–three boys, ages 20, 18 and 16, and one daughter who will be 13 in only five weeks.
• We have a dog, Madison (you can see her here, here, and here), who is almost six years old, and the sweetest ‘puppy’ ever!
• I’m currently going through the “wonderful” process known as divorce, which is a real pain in the ass quite educational (more info on that here, here and here)!
• I met the love of my life (“T”) in June of 2006, and we’ve been together ever since (tidbits on him here, here, here, and here)!

I’m really looking forward to reading the responses to this post! Have fun, kids!

A fun meme by Becca at BeccA’s Buzz! Check her out!

The ‘Give Me Five’ Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple, short list! Here’s how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn’t have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.

Sign up for weekly reminder emails at beccagirl@charter.net.

This week’s assignment: Give Me 5 positive traits or accomplishments you admired in a person or persons that you aren’t getting along with or have hurt or offended you in the past.

1- My soon-to-be (said hopefully)ex: He has always been a very hard worker.

2- “K”, someone I was best friends with for over 20 years (we are no longer friends): She had a good eye for decorating.

3- My Mom: Her wicked sense of humor. Her strong will and determination, even in the worst of times.

4- My Dad: His intelligence.

5- A previous boss, “I”: She was usually very fair.

I really like this week’s theme. I think it’s healthy to take some of the focus off of the negative by remembering something positive!