Kreativ Blogger Award...

One of my good friends and fellow bloggers, Kristen Mae, from the blog Abandoning Pretense (so funny and well written...a must read!) chose myself and two other bloggers to pass along the nomination for the Kreativ Blogger Award to.  From what I can gather the whole idea originated in Norway, several years back and is passed along through a nomination (chainmailish) system.  Nevertheless, I think it's sweet and a great compliment to be nominated (for anything, really) and to nominate others.

{since it is a 'kreativ blogger award', I thought it was only appropriate to be creative and create my own award logo...the one that's going around isn't the original anyways.  maybe this should be part of the award rules...design your own logo?  I just made it really fast, nothing fancy.}

Here's what happens:
1. Thank and link back to the awarding blog.
2. Answer seven questions.
3. Provide 10 random factoids about yourself.
4. Hand the award on to 7 deserving others. (I'm having trouble with this, since I'm pretty shy and Kristen is the only blogger I know, personally, and would be who I would have nominated.  Kristen, sorry, but you may have to think of 10 more random facts).

The Questions:
1. What is your favorite song? I love all types of music, but some of my favorites are Flies on the Butter by Wynonna Judd (played at my Granny's funeral), the entire Acoustic Soul album by John Cruz (Island Style, Sitting in Limbo, Shine On ....seriously, every song on the album is wonderful.  If you're not familiar with John Cruz you should check him out! LOVE! I've seen him live a couple times in Hawaii...), and Jack Johnson Holes to Heaven.
2.  What is your favorite Dessert?  Again, several...those cherry Hostess Fruit Pies, for those of us with a more discerning palette ;o) (so bad, but so good! Really miss them, since they don't sell them in Australia), Homemade chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing, chocolate and mint ice cream, and this Mississippi Mud cheesecake from The Cheesecake Shop (which is, literally, two doors down from my house...we live right on the historic main street of our town...just a little dangerous, since they bake fresh every morning and my whole house smells of pastries)....oh, what the heck, why not add root beer floats to the list too.
3.  What do you do when you are upset?  It depends on what type of upset...sometimes I can't eat at all and throw up constantly or I want to eat desserts all day (see above list).
4.  What is your favorite pet?  Right now we're between pets, but my favorite type of pet would be a dog.  The same week I found out I was pregnant, our Cocker Spaniel, Skittles, passed away.  It was one of the best and worst weeks of our lives.  We've been a bit pet shy since, but our son really wants a puppy....perhaps in a few more years.
5.  Which do you prefer, White or Whole Wheat?  I have to agree with Kristen on this one...very silly question!  I don't eat bread very often.  I prefer white, but I buy whole wheat when I shop.  If I do eat bread my preference is a freshly baked French baguette.
6.  What is your biggest fear?  Of course, anything bad happening to my family.  Outside of that, perhaps being stuck...either stuck in a town, a state, or even one country for the rest of my life.  Or not realizing some of my bigger dreams in my lifetime. Oh, one more thing...I have an irrational and overwhelming fear of chinchillas...they totally freak me out. My husband finds this hilarious.
7.  What is your attitude mostly?  Mostly, I'm a pretty optimistic person, but I'm also a big worrier, which seems to have gotten worse with age.  Recently, I've become very aware of how much I worry about every tiny little thing and have tried to reign it in a bit and my day to day life has been much happier for it. 

Ten Random Facts About Me:
1. I'll be married for 16 years in September....yes, I was married at a very young age and I never share that with anyone...people love to judge.  It's really the only rebellious thing I've ever done in my life. It was a pretty big deal at the time, but in the big scheme of things not so much.  Of course it's not something I'd recommend for just anyone.  It made sense and worked for my situation and life at the time and I had the level of maturity needed and married the perfect person.
2.  I had a pretty rough childhood, but I've had a pretty great adult life.
3.  I was married for almost eleven years when our first (and only) child was born.  We tried for seven years and gave up and then, surprise, got pregnant.  Yes, it's one of those annoying stories...stop trying and it will happen, buy the convertible sports car and it will happen (yes, we did that too).  Everyone said that to us and it just happened to work out that way, but I wouldn't say it to someone going through fertility issues.
4.  Yes, I'm from the south and yes I named my son Grant...get over it!  My father was beside himself, so I asked him if naming him Grant Lee would help and he said it would....oops, I named him Grant Liam.
5.  I spent a combined total of six years living in Hawaii, I've lived in Korea for a year and am currently living in Australia.  
6.  I attended 10 different schools growing up.  I went to a different school every year from K-5th grade, one middle school and three high schools.  This combined with all the moving around I've done as an adult could explain the above fear of being stuck.
7.  I went to college in Hawaii.
8.  I make Dream Boards.  I paste images and words from magazines all over a poster board that reflect my future dreams and goals.  I've done two of them over the years and almost everything on both boards has happened.  I'm a big believer in putting things out into the universe.  My husband and I also sit down together every year and make our yearly goals and review the goals from the previous year and check-off each thing we accomplished, which is usually everything.  We also have five and ten year goals.
9.  I've never done drugs, smoked or have been drunk (a little tipsy, but never drunk).  Told you marrying young was my most rebellious act.  I had a father who did enough of those things to make me never desire them.
10.  My husband and I have never had a huge argument.  I know that sounds far fetched, after almost 16 years of marriage and 17 years together as a couple, but it's true.  Now, don't get me wrong, I've been annoyed as all heck with him many, many, many times (cursing him out in my mind and walking behind him pretending to strangle him), but we've never said that stuff out loud to each other and voices have never been raised.  We just have discussions about things when they get to a point of making either of us angry or upset.  Once something is said it can only be forgiven, but never forgotten.  We can go from six months to a year without getting upset with each other, which is pretty nice! Plus I hate the idea of hurting someones feelings.

Now for the last step: Hand the award on to seven deserving others. 
Sorry, but I'm going to play my rebel card and break this rule.  I know my blog isn't always the most personal, so this was a nice way of allowing my readers to get to know me a little better.  However, I'm too shy and am willing to be cursed or have bad luck or whatever happens when one breaks a chain letter. 

Now, don't forget to check out my friends blog Abandoning Pretense.