It's All About The Trophy Case Smile!

Shana gave me a job to do the other day. I get to accept a very happy award, the You Make Me Smile! award. Merci, Shana! Vous me faites sourire aussi, la petite amie! The other day when I read this, I snapped a quick acceptance shot. As you can see, I'm not at all prideful about it. And as always quite excited to build up the trophy case humbled by this award!

I adore the looks of this little fella, HE makes me smile. He's colorful, he's retro, he's happy, he's all that. So, little smiley-faced happy guy, I lift my tiny little blue cocktail in honor of you!

I'm going to send this onto Angelawd because I laughed a little louder than even I'm comfortable in the room with when I read I'm A Gym Dork. She and I could be dear gym-sisters, I need to go back through my history and see if I've shared my "Stacey can't talk and walk on a treadmill" story. I'm sure my little sister wouldn't mind reliving it again!

Also, giving our happy fellow to Ms. Can't Be Wrong, the Ode to Jen/Gi tickled me all day long! I'm not sure if you didn't know Jen/Gi it'd be funny, but a song about a girl who grew up in travelling missionary world, who sports a hillbilly twang, who enjoys the word Heyhoo (I don't think her def of heyhoo and mine are the same, so I let it slide), and who says at least three time in any given conversation "Okay, here's the deal" or "Okay, here's the deal-io" is a good little song.

Jen/Gi, formerly GiGi, used to blog at Girl Gone Wild Biblestyle. But being the good girl she is, she figured some people may not get that she's not wild. (You're not?) She didn't want to be considered wild (no coal-throwing girl would be!) so she switched it over to 86753oh9 in honor of the Tommy Tutone song of our 80s past. And I play the song in my head. Much better, JenGi. For A Good Time, Call......When I hear that, I think thoughts of Monopoly with Jen/Gi. Laughter, sledding, linking arms and skipping along a trail. That's what I think of when I hear For A Good Time Call. And Jen/Gi I've got your number.

*There's a part two of this award, a tag meme. But I figure because I took so long spreading smiles and toasting my friends, I'll come back to it tomorrow or Friday. Thanks, Shana, again. I think you're one amazing woman. If I'd known you when I myself was a young mom, I'm thinking my kids might have had more fun--more days with paints and more days with play-doh, more days riding bikes up and down the sidewalk. You'll never be sorry you went to the trouble. This I am certain of. xo

**Updated on John...thanks so very much for your prayers, they are working. I saw him last night along with Cody. He was still hurting but much better. Good enough to try to make me jealous of another guy who comes to visit him, Bob. He loves to tell me when Bob was there. So apparently Bob showed up yesterday and John said "I gave Bob a hug" and he looks up at me with what Cody so accurately described as his "smiling face" and waited for me to feign jealousy. And of course I didn't let him down. He loves that game. I love that man. And I don't know why this is yellow, but you know, it works for me!

No You Make ME Smile....All Y'all Do!

Edit: I'm in the process of updating my blog template and have lost all my links and awards, etc. I'm rebuilding them--but it takes time. If you're not there yet, I still love ya, I just got tired.

I have been fortunate enough to make a new blogger friend this week, Trinity. She's a beautiful wife, mom and much much more over in Indonesia. This is the gal I was talking about who was hosting the giveaway in honor of all the family celebrations coming up! I'm certain she'll make sure I receive the top prize, right Trinity? Right?

Ahh, well, even better than the prospect of winning a prize, she says I make her smile. It amazes me when I read all my friends blogs, all of you, and you lift me up so high, I enjoy every single one of you, and then one of you tells me you noticed something about me. It's humbling, indeed, and I never get used to that. Listen to me, I'm sounding like a movie star accepting an award--but it's the truth. Okay, okay, I'll get on with the award (and Trinity, I'll do my tag next week, thanks for the post idea!!).

And I have the pleasure of passing this along....I think you've all met my friend Cat--you know we met online in another website for Christian moms and turned out we were practically neighbors. I met Cat for lunch, then a movie, then from that point on, she's been a dear friend of mine. She and her family have blessed our church by becoming members, and we couldn't love them more. How does Cat make me smile? Cat makes me smile mostly in our little Wednesday study we're doing with our pastor. We sit on the couch together and it's hard not to just burst out with laughter sometimes. Ask her how she spent last week sucking up to the pastor, all intellectual and stuff! Cat, you make me smile.

Another goes to a new friend I've made--Karen. Karen is new to our church family as well and what a welcome addition she is. It isn't always easy to come into a new church and slide right in, I know this, but Karen and her family have done that. She's got a blog too, couldn't believe it! It's used mostly to update friends and family on her family, and if you want to peek inside a beautiful, giving family's life, go check out Casting Crumbs.

Next, Kathleen (Coffee Mom) who STILL patiently awaits the DD coffee I have promised her--Kathleen, it is here, I promise I have not drank YOUR coffee although I'm out and I'm tempted. I will get it mailed and you will be very surprised. Kathleen lives in Canada and homeschools her children too. I can't tell you how many giggles and flat out laugh-till-I-cry moments I've had on her blog--she doesn't take herself too seriously. I like that. If I start taking myself seriously, I read her and remember I'm not all that!

Everyone I know knows Sharon. Sharon Sews--in fact, she's been so busy sewing up my pink jacket she forgot to get my mailing address to mail it to me. Email me, Sharon, I'll send it right over. Sharon is not ONLY a seamstress to be reckoned with but she's also a supermodel now (her modeling post is HILARIOUS! She's beautiful & funny.)

One more blogger has been on my mind of late. My friend Cheryl at Word Quilter. Cheryl is a beautiful person inside and out. Of late, her life's been quite jumbled with ups and downs and looks like on the uppp side of life right now, and I just adore her. She makes me smile because I've never known someone who can have so much dumped on her plate and turn around and indicate she knows for certain this will all be alright. Cheryl, love your curtains, but you need to update that blog. So here ya go!

Alright off to do housework now. I finally took the weekend off from typing--I feel so free! Tonight is bunco night for the women at church and I'm sooo gonna win prizes there. And of course, you know I'll have someone take my picture so I can post me there winning.

I'm Cooled Off, I'm Reminiscing and Lovin My Friends Silly!

Edit: Thanks, Dawn, I hyper-linked and collaged so much last night I plum forgot to uppp the awards so you can grab 'em! Here ya go:

Okay okay I've soo enjoyed the heat-related sympathy. So much so (blogger friends are better than snickerdoodles & coffee) that I hate to fess up: when Alex and I arrived home from our museum field trip, the air was fixed. So truth be told, it was only overnight and up until 10 am that I was home 'melting'. Wimp. I know, I know.

The museum was such fun. The pics on the grid down there are mostly from the American Indian part, but some of what we got to go see was part of the Glore Psychiatric museum. We saw a lot of funky contraptions there, even a morgue (see pic with a chagrinned Alex, lol). It was definitely sobering, thinking about what these patients lived all those years. I recall driving down that stretch of road and looking over at that big building, we called it the insane assylum. And as a kid and a teenager, it didn't matter to my life. If I could turn time back a bit (alright, a lot) I'd have said prayers for the people behind those barred windows, not cracked jokes with my friends.

If you look closely (I think you can click and enlarge this) you'll see a bear in the picture. I remember seeing t his as a child--it brought back fun memories! And cracks me up if you look at pic with Alex and the bear--I think he'd better run before that bear bites his behind! This trip was more than interesting to Alex and myself--we got the opportunity to SEE the artifacts, and even feel some of them.

After the museum, went to Taco John's for a late lunch and so I could get a taco burger! I always had the taco burger and beans when I was growing up. Sitting there eating our food, a group of boys came into the restaurant to eat--wearing black football jerseys that said "Savages" on it. Oh, you know it! Those football boys were from Savannah and it was Friday. Pretty sure there was a game goin' down in old Joe Town! I don't remember our football team looking so young. Hmmm...guess they're letting them in school earlier, idk. That's me on the far right, my big sister, Jamee, bent down on the front row, left (note Savages on our tops).

Alex knows me so well...pleading "Please don't talk to them, Mom". Visions of me saying "Heyyy! Where's the game? You know, I lived in Savannah too! I was a football cheerleader, believe it or not!" Then they drop jaws and stare...they pick up their trays, move to the other side of the room and begin howling with laughter at the crazy 'old lady'!

So as I silently reminisced high school days, the old black & gold, the amazing freedom, that whole simplistic yet complex life, having a mid-life moment, guess what song came on the overhead system? Oh yeah, Don't You Forget About Me-Simple Minds. It was too much, I think my eyes were tearing up. I picked up my cell and called my high school friend, Tracy (seen below from last October). She still lives in Savannah and works in St. Joe. I described to her my surreal experience and waited for her to say "No Way!". She said "okayyy...so?" I guess never being away, you don't get the nostalgia everytime you go somewhere you used to, see things you used to, idk. Kelly was teaching class, else I'd have called her. She totally gets this, even though she lives in St. Joseph too. Niki, below, might think this photo is posted because she looks just so adorable in her red/white. While looks smashing, it's the little orange/pink box on the corner I'm focused on. That's right, I got my Dunkin Donuts. I was going to save my big surprise until next week, but okay okay, here goes: tonight when I was at the grocery store, lo and behold: sitting on the shelf right next to the Folgers, blah blah blah coffee....dum da da dahhhh! That's right, the rumors are fact! Hy-Vee will be carrying MY special coffee from now on--this time I really DID tear up. You can't imagine what this will do for my day--I have to limit it to only ONE pot per day (it's pricier than Folgers or Max House) but at about 2 o'clock when I need to feel the DD love, I never need to go without again. This is BIG!

As Prince would say: Not Done!

I'm far behind awards, and I've been giving it thought. I have two to hand off today and I love every single person on my list. Yet at the same time, it would completely wreak havoc on the credibility of the award if every blogger did that, I know, I know. So.....I want to give the I Heart Your Blog Award (thanks again, Misty Dawn) to these very special bloggers:

*My Three Wisemans (Shana)--she is the epitome of courage and strength!
*It's Cat's Life (Cat) --I heart her, I hope she keeps this new blog going!
*Coffee Mom (Kathleen)--She's funny, Here's Proof!
*Skimbaco (Katja) --Talented and beautiful--yet I still like her. Go figure!
*And Miles To Go...(Bridget)--But then, who DOESN'T heart her blog? Really?!

Now, Miss Bridget also saw fit to include me in a brand new one, which I'm quite stoked about! It's the You Make Me Smile Award. I'm thinking that if anything, this girl makes me smile (btw, Bridget, I did make it to the grocery store today--be ready for my results).

*Bubba's Sis (B/S)--Quickly become like a favorite blankie to me!

*USO Girl (D..)--She's the blankie's best friend--and I'd like to steal her away!

*Girl Gone Wild (GiGi) --My blog bff, and shoulda been my neighbor!

*And Island Life (Local Girl)--Whirlwind of a life, entertains me always!

*Coming To A Nursery Near You (Dawn)--I swear she's married to Leif Garrett!

And.....the fun doesn't end with this, no no no! I've got another round of Nice Matters coming up early next week. I just didn't want to be ribbed too hard so I didn't dare post that today. I know there are bajillions of talented bloggers, funnier bloggers, more interesting bloggers, and it humbles me (for real) that you amazing souls have rested here at JameeForever, and not only that, that you like me as much as I like you (ALL of you). xoxoxo