Sunshine Award: Part I

I have been nominated not once, but twice, for the Sunshine Award!  I am going to honor both these nominations in two separate posts, as it will take some time for me to answer the questions.  I must admit, I get a little giddy when I get a nomination for these recognition awards.  It feels a little like winning an Oscar in the blogging world, and I LOVE being able to recognize other great bloggie friends in return.  In addition to that, I really enjoy all the answers to the questions. A lot of times, they are things that would never be blogged about, so the answers give us insight to who that person really is.  This award is for writers that brighten the days of fellow bloggers/readers, and I am honored to be in this category for Amie at Is It Time Yet and Melissa at Ask an Infertile.

The Rules:

1. Include the Sunshine Award icon in your post.

2. Link to the person who nominated you.

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award.

5. Link your nominees and let them know they've been nominated.

First, I will start with Amie's questions:

1. Do you prefer the beach or the lake?  I actually really like both the beach AND the lake!  For swimming, I would choose a lake any day over the beach though, especially if you are in Oregon where the Pacific Ocean water is absolutely frigid!  However, for a vacation, I would happily go to either one.

2. Favorite sitcom, new or old?  You can never go wrong with Friends.

3. Do you watch sports on TV? Favorite Team?  Mostly college football or softball.  Favorite team is the Oregon State Beavers!

4. How many kids do you wish you had?  I always wanted 4 kids by the time I was 30.  That dream is long gone, but it looks like we may just have 2 kids by the time I'm 40!  Hallelujah for that!

5. What has been your favorite age up to this point?  Oh now this is a tough question.  I would have to say.... maybe when I was around 32ish?  I was the most fit and ripped I've ever been and it felt wonderful!  It lasted for a couple years anyways...

6. Which candy is your most favorite?  I have to choose!?!!?  Hmmm, when I was in college it was most definitely Gobstoppers.  I stopped eating them though because they were ruining my teeth!  Favorite candies: Pretzel M&M's, Junior Mints, red Licorice, and Skittles to name a few.  Sweets are my weakness, but I very rarely will give in to eating them because I tend to go overboard.

7. If you use bath and body works products which fragrance do you love?  Anything food smelling, lol.  I really can't handle any floral fragrances. 

8. How long have you been married?  16 years!

9. If you could change one thing about your life what would it be?  If I could change anything about my life, I wouldn't be the person I am today.  I'd love to say that I wish I didn't have trouble having kids, but then I wouldn't be sitting here with two babies in my belly right now.  I'd love to say that I wish I grew up without my Mom being a drug addict, but then I probably would have made other choices growing up and wouldn't be as strong as I am today.  I suppose the one thing I WOULD change is to be more financially secure.  I would love to not be in so much debt and have been able to pay for fertility treatments without taking out loans.

10. What DIY project would you like to do?  I wish I was talented in the DIY area.  There are lots of things I would like to do, but will probably never get to.  We do have two antique dressers that need redone, but I've recruited a couple friends to come do that for us, as we have no clue how to go about it!

 Now for my 10 Nominees:

1. Jane at Mine to Command.  She always has so many great stories to share and has such an eloquent way of writing.  It never ceases to put a smile on my face when I see a post from Jane in my blog reader.  She is about to undergo her first IVF.  Stop by and wish her luck if you have a chance!

2.  Candi at Putter Pie.  I think I have laughed at every single post she has ever written.  She has such a wonderful sense of humor and an amazing gift at putting it in writing.  I always get excited when I see she has written a new post!

3.  Amanda at Our Grisworld.  Amanda has been through the trenches of IF and come out on the other side with two absolutely adorable girls that are now 3 months old!  She has shared her journey with such a positive attitude, even when things were difficult.  I admire her tremendously and how she has managed the transition into being a parent of twins, balancing time for herself, work, and her family.

4.  Stacie at Life As I Know It.  Stacie is another twin Momma, and also has a younger son.  She has had a difficult journey to parenthood, and is currently struggling with transitioning the older boys into Kindergarten.  She has been an incredible source of support to me over the past year, and I can only hope that I am the same for her.  She handles the stress in her life with grace and a great sense of humor that I thoroughly enjoy.

5.  Liz at Compromised Fertility.  She has 5 week old twins that entered this world in dramatic fashion at 34 weeks.  She has had a rough IF journey that has finally led to her two adorable baby girls.  She has been blogging for a long time, but I just found her blog a year ago.  She has been a great source of inspiration for me.

6. Amanda at Beloved Burnt Toast.  Amanda is one of those writers that is brutally honest, but has a natural gift at being funny at the same time.  I absolutely love reading her blog.  She has struggled with repeat pregnancy loss this past year, but is once again pregnant.  She could use all the prayers and support she can get right now, so don't hesitate to stop by her blog and check out her story!

7. Aramis at It Only Takes One.  She is another one of those writers that has such a gift for just saying what's on her mind.  She has a dry sense of humor which I enjoy, and has been as source of support for me even though she is still in the trenches of her own IF struggle.

8.  Lentil at Lamenting the Lentil.  She is newly pregnant with twins on the way.  Lentil has a gift for being hilarious without even trying to be.  She shares her most intense fears in a way that we can all relate too.

9.  Em at Teach Me to Braid.  She has been quiet on the blog front lately, but she is one of my most favorite bloggers ever.  She is incredibly sweet and another one that I get so excited about when I see she has a new post.  Em also always leaves the nicest comments that simply make my heart happy.

10.  Kimberly at No Good Eggs.  Another newly pregnant infertile among us!  Like me, she has used donor eggs in her quest to have children.  She provides a lot of research on her blog, in addition to sharing about her everyday life.  She is a great source of information and also incredibly supportive of others in this blogging community.

My Questions For These Nominees (and anyone else who would like to answer them!):

1.  What has been your favorite vacation in your lifetime so far?

2.  What is your dream vacation destination?

3.  Most embarrassing moment?

4.  How did you and your spouse meet?

5.  What accomplishment are you most proud of?  (don't be shy!  This is your chance to brag about yourself!)

6.  Who has been the most influential person in your life?

7.  What is your most prized possession/keepsake?

8.  Exercise - Love it or Hate it?

9.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

10.  What is your best quality?

Okay.  Now GO!  I'm excited to read all your answers and look forward to any new bloggers that you might introduce me too :)