SHOW AND TELL: Awards and Memes

I can't remember where I answered this question, but recently someone asked what the word meme meant. According to dictionary.com, this is the proper definition

meme –noun- a cultural item that is transmitted by repetition in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes.

So, every time you participate in a meme or pass on one of these awards you can claim to be spreading culture (yeah, yeah, anything to justify this fun).

This week I was honored to be given a few awards (some with memes attached) and I want to pass them on.

I was given the Kreativ Blogger Award by both Velda and Meari. This award is to recognize bloggers who inspire you with their creativity. This creativity can be expressed through writing, crafts, or some other way. Thank you so very much ladies. Now I get to have the fun of passing it on to 7 other bloggers who inspire me.

1) Julie of a little pregnant...most people who know Julie think of her as a leader in the ALI community first and foremost. Julie is an incredible writer and has mad quilting skills.
2) Matt of matt, liz, and madeline...I know Matt is probably too busy to display this award and that is ok. Matt's story is inspiring all by itself and his photos are breathtaking...such talent. Head on over and offer your support and scope out his pictures.
3) Bean of Coyote Craft...I've known Bean for many years now and she is such a fabulous person. In addition to being a great friend, she crochets, sews, and creates all kinds of cool things.
4) Jen of In One Ear...Jen is incredible. Jen stitches beautifully, sews, creates the videos from the pics her husband takes, and folds the cutest origami figures from money. Jen is a great friend and an incredible mom.
5) Henny of Henny's Happenings...Henny is a really neat lady. I treasure her friendship and admire her stitching.
6)MiPa of Miriam Pauline's Monologue...MiPa is such a generous giving lady. She creates lovely stitched pieces and amazing quilts. She also has a deep and biding faith that truly inspires me to try and do better.
7)Margaret of Margaret's Musings...Margaret has been a friend for years and is someone I always feel close to even when we haven't talked in a while. She claims she is one of the slowest stitcher's around but it doesn't matter because she creates such lovely pieces.

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I received the Sisterhood Award from Gina over at On the Road to Baby. The rules for this award are simple...
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude.
Be sure to link to your nominees in your post
Let your nominees know they have received the award by leaving them a comment on their blog
And be sure to link this post to the person who nominated you for the award.

Here are some of the ladies whose support and sisterhood mean the world to me...
1) All the ladies from the Cross Stitch Crazy board...these ladies were truly a lifeline to me when I was stuck in the hell of infertility. I don't know what I would have done without them. I chose to list them as a group rather than individually because they would take up the whole list if I named them individually.
2) Kym of I'm a Smart One...this is one amazing woman. She raise her family, educates our kids, educates the world through her blog, and is giving enough to try and help others build their family through surrogacy. I wanna be like her when I grow up.
3) Cara of Building Heavenly Bridges...Cara not only talks about helping people, she gets out in the world and does it (hint...see the Support Share Southern Vermont button on the left). I see Cara's mark all over the blogosphere as she is trying to support people who are struggling. Cara rocks!
4) Mel of Stirrup Queens...I honestly don't know how she does everything that she does. She is a big reason the ALI community has the cohesiveness it has and she is a wonderful person.
5) Monnie of Rantings of a Creole Princess...Monnie goes above and beyond the call of duty for her friends. While she doesn't suffer fools gladly (but then, neither do I), she is always willing to encourage people, answer questions, and offer tips for improving your life.
6) Rys of Confessions of a Clutter Queen...Rys is more than a friend. We've gone to hell and back with each other and I know she'll always be there for me.
7) Pam of Pam's Ponderings...Just like Rys, Pam is more than a friend. We've gone to hell and back with each other and I know she'll always be there for me.
8) Cecily from Uppercase Woman...Cecily is the cool, ass-kicking big sis we all wish we had. She is out there fighting the good fight and educating people about infertility...and, Cecily always, always lets people know she hears what they say.
9) Tanyetta of Days Like These!...Tanyetta is a wonderful mom and a great friend. She always drops by with a comment or an encouraging word.
10) Dora of ISO the Golden Egg...Dora is incredible. Wile in the midst of planning for an FET with donor embryos, she still had time to particpate in a secret ongoing project (EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO KNOW...see the email link in my sidebar) and even included a wonderful set of fuzzy socks for me when she mailed her contribution to me.


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Erica from Parenthood for Me, Inc nominated me for the Honest Scrap award.

Here are the rules:
1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Since I've received this award (and passed it on) one other time and since I have seen so very many people passing on this award and doing the meme, I am not going to name names to pass it on. I will however do the 10 honest things (scraps) about me part...
1) I am addicted to Disney's Toontown Online. I have 3 different toons and I love it that two of my best friends also play the game.
2) I once had enough speeding tickets on my record that I had to go to traffic school to get points taken off my license. I would love to be turned loose on a NASCAR track and take a car up to full speed.
3) I have only ever truly been scared by one book. I was home alone at night when I read James Patterson's book, Kiss the Girls. That book is set in the area I lived and worked in when I was reading it. It was VERY accurate in its description of the area. It scared me enough that I carried my pistol with me everywhere that night (no worries...it was pre-kids).
4) I love to target shoot and am quite good at it.
5) I have 2 tattoos and multiple ear piercings. I want more tatoos and would maybe like another hole in each ear.
6) Even though I read voraciously, I rarely have more than one book going at a time. I don't know why but thats just how it is.
7) I never thought I would grow up to be a SAHM. In fact, when I was younger I was vehemently against it (I once had a boyfriend ask me if we would fight if we were married and he asked me to stay home and I said Hell yes). I can't imagine raising my kids any other way now and I love my life.
8) In some ways, I am prouder of being a paramedic than I am of graduating from Duke. Becoming a paramedic is something I pursued entirely on my own. I did it because I wanted to not because I was expected to and, unlike college, I actually worked hard at it.
9) My wedding reception was a PARTAY. Everyone was having such a good time that we actually paid the DJ for an extra hour so we could keep dancing.
10) My parents think I was a good girl all through high school. Little do they know what effect the summer programs I went to had on me...bwahahahahaha.


To see what everyone else in class is bringing to SHOW AND TELL, take a trip to visit the Miss Mel, Goddess of the Infertility Blogosphere.

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BOOK CHALLENGE AND CONTEST FOR 2009

I am hosting a year long contest dealing with a reading challenge. Check out the details here and sign up in the comments section of that post. The ultimate winner will get a fabulous prize from me at the end of the year.