You Are My Sunshine...

A while back, in the midst of all my puking and crying, Jamie at You Gotta Have Hart nominated me for the Sunshine Award! It totally brightened my day, but before I could do anything about it I either fell asleep or dissolved into tears or something. Anyway, if you haven't checked out Jamie's blog before, you should. She actually lives in the Sunshine State with her fiancé and fur baby, and her blog is funny, completely honest, and full of heart. Stop on by...

And now, on with the award!

The idea of the award is to nominate bloggers whose posts brighten your day.

The Rules

1. Include the award logo in your post.

2. Link to the person who nominated you - You Gotta Have Hart.

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award. Link the nominees to your post and notify them!

Jamie's Questions

1. Win the lotto or find your perfect job? And why?

Of course, win the lottery! Assuming I'd win enough to live off for the rest of my life, that is. Because let's face it; I really only work to support my "real" life. I do get some professional satisfaction out of my job, but it's nothing life-altering, and if it were up to me I'd spend the rest of my days with my family, traveling the world, without any cares or worries about my next paycheck.

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Actually, my company offers a three month paid sabbatical after ten years of employment, and five years from now will be just about that time for me! So if everything goes as planned, Stew and I will have had our second child by then, and both kiddos will be old enough to leave with my parents for a couple months while we knock off some of our bucket list items... hopefully that trip to Australia/New Zealand, and maybe South Africa, too. We also need to get back to Europe.

3. What's your idea of an awesome girl's name?

Well I can't really spill the beans about my favorite girl names here, because someone might steal what I want to name MY baby (if she turns out to be a girl)! However, have you guys heard of Malala Yousafzai? At 16 years old, she is the youngest woman ever to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala is an education activist from Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban at point-blank range for her beliefs. I am dying to read her book about her miraculous recovery and extraordinary journey. Talk about awesome.

4. Your favorite teenage memory?

This is so dumb, and kind of embarrassing to admit, making Varsity Cheerstaff in high school is probably one of my very favorite memories. When you make cheerleading at my high school (at least back in the late '90s) the current senior cheerleaders let you know by kidnapping you from your house in the middle of the night, sometime after tryouts have been held. Then, following a night of bonding/hazing at the coach's house, the new, mortified cheerleaders are forced to attend a day of high school in their pajamas, sans makeup, hair products, or dignity. But we still felt like we were pretty special, and let's face, it we loved the attention. Some of my favorite high school memories for the next few years involve that group of girls, and it's a time I'll never forget!

5. What's the one thing that made you laugh the hardest this month?

Oh jeez... probably this text message exchange on Halloween with my father-in-law. What a goofball!

6. Are you the kind of person who wants to be the big fish in a little pond or the little fish in the big pond? Why?

Honestly, I think I'd rather be a little fish in a big pond. I don't generally like a lot of attention or fanfare (in fact, it makes me super uncomfortable). Instead, I prefer to just keep my head down, do my job, and live my quiet little life. I like to blend in with the crowd, not stand out from it... surround myself with people who have intelligence, abilities, wisdom, and talents that can support and supplement my own. Plus, I'm claustrophobic, so the alternative just kind of gives me anxiety.

7. What bad habit would you be willing to give up if it guaranteed you would live to be 100?

I am a chronic snoozer. Honestly, my snooze alarm habits might have caused the worst fights Stew and I have ever had. I know it's a terrible habit to press the snooze button two five times every morning, but I just can't help it! Although I would, if it really guaranteed I would live to be 100. In that case, I'd jump up bright eyed and bushy tailed when the first alarm went off every morning. Maybe...

8. If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?

I know I talk a lot of smack about her, but let's be honest: the first thing I would grab is my cat, Jasmine. I do adore that annoying ball of fur, and we've really developed quite a bond over the past 10 years of living together. Even though she does love Stewart more than me.

9. What is your greatest strength?

Thinking about your own best qualities is hard, so I did what I usually do when I'm in a pickle... I asked my sister. Her answer came back almost immediately: LOYALTY. She's right. I am loyal to a fault. My people are MY PEOPLE, and I will bend over backward to support them, love them, make them smile, catch them when they fall, listen to them, laugh and cry with them. Honestly, if you become an important person in my life, I'll stick with you through thick and thin. Just don't stab me in the back, 'cause in that case you're dead to me.

10. What makes you unique?

I have genetic Heterochromia Iridium, which means that my eyes are totally different colors. One is blue, and the other is mostly green (but about a quarter of it’s brown). Having different colored eyes is classified as “very rare” by the National Institutes of Health; it affects only one in a million people, or less than 200,000 in the U.S. population. So I guess I'm truly "one in a million!"

MY Fabulous Nominees

I'm a cheater and did more than 10, but there were just too many to pick from!

Deidre @ Decoy Betty

Elizabeth @ E is Random

Meg @ Henning Love

Laura @ Oh Laura Darling

Kenzie @ Life and Lemons

Kristine @ Living Barefoot and Crazy

Betty @ Northwest Betty

Becky @ Rebeckann's Random Thoughts & Recipes

Susannah @ Simple Moments Stick

Sue @ As It Seems

Jenny @ Love Jenny xoxo

Rachel @ Trying for Sighs

 And My Questions

1. What's the nicest thing someone else has done for you?

2. What is one thing you always wanted as a kid, but never got?

3. What is your most impressive skill?

4. What would you refuse to do for one million dollars?

5. If you were home on a rainy Sunday afternoon, what movie would you like to watch on TV?

6. If fat, calories, cholesterol, etc. were not an issue, what two foods would you feast on?

7. Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

8. What is the greatest pain you have ever suffered?

9. If you could be a member of any TV-sitcom family, which would it be?

10. How do you like to relax?

I know that these posts can be involved and time-consuming, but I love reading them, so I hope everyone plays along. Either way, thanks for blogging, and for bringing a little sunshine into my day!