Walking on Beautiful Sunshine...Award

I was going to post this over a week ago but I am just getting to it today. I have received this very awesome Sunshine Award from La Licenciada

12 bloggers that spread the happiness and light:

A Lot of Loves

Sweet Peas & Sassafrass

One Love Mama

And Baby Makes Two

A Page in My Book

The Hip Single Mama

Airforce Wife Life
Tatter Scoops
Miss Madison's Charmed Life
Stuff Could Always be Worse
Is There a Bathroom on This Ship?

Wonderfully Dysfunctional

The Sunshine Award is given with the following rules:

1. Put the award on your blog and/or within your post.

2. Pass the award on to twelve (12) bloggers.

3. Link to the nominees within your post.

4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and the link to the person from whom you received the award.

 

I also received the beautiful blogger award from The Scoop on Poop

Thanks!

& I am sharing it with 8 amazing bloggers who make their blogs a beautiful place.

Momma May Be Mad

Chi of Life

An American Girl in Bristol
Suburban Rebel Mom

I Forgot What I Was Doing

Hello Sneakers, Goodbye Heels

Gerber Days

Woman Uncensored

 

I am not sure of the 'rules' on this one. But, I assume it is similar to the Sunshine award?


* * *

I know these awards really get around, so I am sorry if I am re-giving a previously given person one of these awards. Just think of it as making you extra awesome! Also, I promise, more updates very soon!!!

A Weeks Worth

It has been a whole week since my last post. I have not been feeling well (that's right all week. Yay me.) and have had internet issues to boot! In between those two setbacks I have been working on my blog awards post in draft. It was a lot more work than it seemed like it would be (at least being sick and battling my on and off internet)

Try to get that posted in the next couple days. For now here is a cute picture to tide you over. Went to the library yesterday to return books and Illusia ran around the place (trying to pull all the books off the shelf of course) and tired herself out so much that by the time we hit the park next door she was exhausted and kept falling asleep. 

But here is one picture that turned out :)

Hope that I feel better and can update soon-ish

Chasing Dusk

Someone turns 15 months old today! WOW. I was just getting use to the fact she was already 14 months and then she has to go and get older on me!

We made a visit to a park last night for for a few minutes at sun down. See her very last photos as a 14 month old:

She has continued to make leaps and bounds this month in her small motor development. Just learned a few days ago how to blow a kiss. ADORABLE. ^_^



 I know what you are thinking, cutest polka-dotty dress ever. And you are right.

 & have I told you how curly gorgeous her hair is lately? Because, yeah it is. Also, I won two more awards lately so I will be posting about them very soon!

more pretty pictures here

Delicate Light

I've never really liked the color yellow. It is so cheery and overwhelmingly happy looking. Like a creepy mannequin painted with a huge fake smile. Or a clown. Not like a cool really-an-evil-werewolf-pretending-to-be-a-clown clown either...more like a super hyper bozo with a high, annoying voice. That's how yellow makes me feel. Though, Illusia makes it tolerable. She makes most things tolerable.

being still, for just one moment.

I could go on and on about the ginormous ways having a child changes ones life. I am sure most parents could, but sometimes it is the little things that really gives us perspective. Life is made up of little things.

being a big girl with her rockstar straw sippy cup

It is in the way she, in the middle of playing, gets up and comes over and hugs me for no reason other than to do it. It nearly knocks me for a loop every time, makes my heart a puddle of warm goo. It is in the way she leans back against me and lets out a little sigh when I watch yet another silly cartoon with her. It is in the way she sometimes turns to me and touches my face like she is seeing it for the first time.

being full of love

And sometimes I see her like it is the first time. I forgot how gorgeous and miraculous and special she is. Then I catch a glimpse of her with the sun in her eyes, a goofy expression on her face, just being sooo her and I remember. I remember that it is not the messes, the whining, the tantrums, the refusing to nap, the being into everything all day. Those are just actions they are not her. She is so much more, she can make anything tolerable.

being her

So, like I said, it's the little things.

P.S.

SQUEEE ducklings!!

How to Make a Mess

A pictorial brought to you by cranky-pajama-Illusia:

P.S. don't ask me why she put her dolly in a homemade torture rack, I really don't know...

Blog Crush X's 5

Wow, this last week has been so hot and miserable. It was 100 degrees most of today and still in the 90's at evening time! We have been going nowhere lately because the last time we ventured out Illusia was acting really over-heated and upset even with my best attempts at keeping her cool. Myself, I have felt stir-crazy and really depressed lately being cooped up. I (and this might sound silly) have also been really stressed out that I do not have many pictures of her this month, I like to have at least a few different occasions to commemorate her growing and I feel our recent lack of outings have been leaving a hole in my memory trail. Which adds to me feeling more like crap. Like I said, silly!

I hate the empty ache of depression. The loneliness and gloominess of it, the general constant tiredness and pessimism. It is something I deal with quite regularly but it also dissipates every once in a while only to come back with  a vengeance, As if to remind me 'No, you are not normal! Your life is a mess and hey just look at all these other people being happy like you are..so totally not! NANANANA!' Yes, my inner depressed voice sounds like a middle school valley girl, really.

Anyway enough of my whining... with no pictures I decided to do something a little different today by paying homage to just a few of the blogs I know, love and read. I stole this idea from Marvelous Kiddo, so mucho thanks to that blog! My theft is feeling pretty darn good right about now.

Drum Roll....

5 random--- okay slightly alphabetical, blog crushes:

Alabaster Cow

Aside from the awesome tag-line, it is always such a fun visit when I go to this blog. I can always count on Ericka's sense of humor and sarcasm to make me forget the pains of life and remember to smile because even if it isn't all one big joke, you can make it one!

* Favorite Post: dear extended family (except you uncle ted, you’re just creepy)
It made me laugh so hard I almost woke my daughter! Luckily I didn't, or I might be suing.

Breastfeeding Moms Unite

As you could guess most of the posts revolve around breastfeeding. It is a very good, supportive place to go when you start to feel like a isolated breastfeeding mom in a formula feeding world. I really find it exhilarating to read about the struggles and triumphs of modern breastfeeding women.

*Favorite Post: Actually has nothing to do with breastfeeding and is actually a series of posts called Vegetarian Foodie Fridays. I am a vegetarian and love seeing new recipes!! An example of one I want to try by Melodie is Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad, yum!

Hobo Mama

A wonderful blog focusing on gentle, natural parenting. Everything is always well researched, articulate and informative. A definite resource for all parents looking for advice and insight into raising a happy child outside of society's depictions of 'normal'.

* Favorite Post: Assuming the best intentions
This is a true, observational gem from Lauren on how us (silly) adults often ascribe false motives to very young children. Creating issues and stress for both us and the child where we could avoid them.

Love Imagine Create

First the name rocks. Second, Holly Renee's posts are always so real, deep and introspective. They manage to tackle squeamish personal issues gracefully and never sound gritty or pretentious. I always leave this blog asking myself meaningful questions and daydreaming.

* Favorite Post: The Humblebird post fills me with delight. It made my heart a little warmer, seeming so silly, innocent and imaginative like something a child would do. And I mean that as the highest compliment! Children have some of the brightest, most expressive minds in the world.

One Starry Night

I have not been following this amazing blog for long, but I have become quickly smitten with it. I admit the first things that drew me here were the gorgeous layout and the amazing pictures. If you go a bit deeper though, underneath the beauty it boasts are some truly outstanding posts by Sarah that are full of emotion and splendor.

Favorite Post:

 Who Am I? is so deep and heart-wrenching that it makes you want to do something but you are not sure what. I think the post title is a question most of us ask ourselves at one point or another in our lives. Now add to that a lot of confusing and traumatic moments and it is far too easy to see how one can become lost.

***

Okay, I have stated my crushes, Now who is going to ask me to prom???

Maximum Overdrive II

Haven't been around the blogging world for a few days now.... Either writing or reading, I hope to change that soon and was going to make a post on Wednesday as I planned to go somewhere with Illusia but I ended up getting hurt trying to install a new video card in an old computer and spent the rest of the day laying down.

Now, I was smart enough to unplug everything to install it but when I did and it still did not work I thought I might just jiggle it a little bit to see if the connection was loose and BAM cut my finger on the fan blade and zapped myself on something next to it. Apparently it was idiot proof! I went into the bathroom to clean up my finger and suddenly felt dizzy and apparently passed out on the bathroom floor and hit my head, which is where I woke up, face down on the bathroom floor.

I am still not sure if I passed out from seeing the blood (as I have seen much more without much thought, I am a clumsy mess and always injuring myself) or if it had more to do with the electricity that coursed through me. Either way....my head hurt and I felt tingly and woozy all day. The worst part of it all is that I still did not get the darn computer to work! I feel like I am a huge moron for doing something so totally off-the-wall stupid like sticking my finger inside a running computer (so why am I posting this again?) and also ashamed for loosing a fight with a giant hunk of metal that no longer even works.

I hope tomorrow is better. I know I am taking the computer apart and selling it for parts, that'll show it! Just to make it legal here is a cute image of Illusia from the 3rd. Getting SO big and yeah also tinted pink.

Miss Independence

 a day of fireworks, little steps, laughter, love & independence

Moving Pictures

Gearing up for the 

tomorrow. 

We are going to spend some time with family and try to catch a good fireworks show. Last year, little Illusia was only 2 months old and not really too excited about the decorations blasting in the sky. She was even less enthused with the sound. So, I am hoping this year is a real treat for her.

She is a lot of fun and trouble lately. Being a real patience tester and is into everything, totally ignoring me and then giving kisses and hugs when she gets in trouble...what a little stinker! On the flip side she has really been blossoming in her small motor control and baby signs have come easy to her and in the last few days she has learned 'all done', 'diaper' and 'bath.' She can also point to her head, ears, nose and feet when asked (& if she feels like it) and has graduated to a straw sippy cup.

I finally purchased the memory card I needed, am currently charging up two batteries for my camera and cannot wait to start this amazing weekend with Illusia. Because of the whole camera fiasco I do not have any recent pictures. I do, however, have something to share...

 

Moving Pictures from S a r a h ♥ on Vimeo.

It is a series of webcam shots of Illusia and I watching a Netflix movie on my laptop (Tuck Everlasting if you're curious) She was being restless and bouncy and went up and somehow pushed some random keys that made the webcam pop up and just out of curiosity I did not turn it off and instead took some random stills (with the webcam running in the background) of us watching the movie and interacting. Then I made it into a short, silent 'film', how is that for coming full circle? :D

Awarded

YAY ME, I got an award! It is my very first award and I am super excited about it. Thanks to Mom of all Trades, who says I have substance....But, I swear there were no open bottles in my vehicle! Oh, wait I got confused there for a moment. Ahem.

I knight you all with this award. May it serve you well and give you peace and prettify your blog.
* Curvy Ladies Rule  * Being Tazim * A Lot of Loves *A Mother's Earth
* Being Alison * The Mahogany Way * My Story is Not Over
* Momma May Be Mad * Mama Notes

Once you pick up this award you are suppose to:

A. Give me ice cream thank me

& B. Spread the joy of award giving by sharing it with 10 honorable blogs that show substance.

 P.S.
Check out my entry for IHF's Pet's week.

It is spunky little Dazzle after giving Blaze (twice her size) the 'beat down'...Aren't they adorable? :)