Newest Blog Award & Paying It Forward

Wow! What a surprise I received this week!!!!
I received the Versatile Blog Award from Mrs. Claus!!
Thank you so much....I have to tell you guys...

When I receive a "Blog Award" it truly humbles
me.....knowing that there are so many more out
there that should get this....

I started this blog last July 4th & hoped to find a
place to share ideas & the "spirit" which resides in
most of us at Christmastime..I wanted to stretch it
out the whole year.

That Giving..Loving..Grateful feeling that has
most of us smiling more, giving more, being like little
children more, considerate more (I'm sure that could
be disputed!) to one another that often leaves after
Christmas & comes back the next Christmas.

I love Christmas yearlong (the spirit of it) & try to
keep it in my heart always. I love kindness..We do
not see that in our world (now-a-days very much)

HOWEVER, I am so happy to say that since
I have had this blog..the women out there have
shown so many kindnesses to me I could fill
a book..So with that in mind I am very grateful
to Mrs. Claus (of all people..we really did not rig this)
for giving me this award! Thank you again!!!

There were certain rules regarding this award:

1) Thank the person who gave you the award

2) Tell 7 things about yourself (in your blog)

3) Pass the award along to 15 other blogs who
you have recently discovered & you think are
fantastic.

4) Contact the bloggers you've picked & let
them know about the award.

SO...Here are 7 things about myself

1) I am from Norwegian & German descendants..
My father always told us we were Holland Dutch
& Norwegian. I wish I could have shown him
what we found doing Family History (after he
passed away)

2) On that same note..Family History is a
passion of mine..It has changed my life for the
better. It is so much easier than people think.
The rewards are unmeasurable. I love to help
people find out about their family heritage &
make scrapbooks about it. I have found some
family lines going back to 200AD.

3) Baking & crafting are necessities of my life.
I love making my house, a home, a refuge from
the world for my family & myself & these things
help me to accomplish that.

4) One of my best creative outlets is making
300 jars of 20 different kinds of jams (mostly
from our backyard fruit trees) I love to blend
2, 3, & even 4 kinds of fruits together..to get the
best kind of flavors..
Most have won a first place blue ribbon at our
County Fair.

5) I love to see the after effect of organizating
anything (closets, craft supplies, files, rooms)
I love a house of order (which I will be striving
my whole life probably to acheive)

6) I love old fashion values, considerations, &
manners & am proud of it.

7) I try to do things others would say no way..
My parents said I could do anything as I have told
my kids the same.. It is inspiring to live by the
words of my parents..And I live creatively..with
passion.. & always trying to do what I think I might
not be able to do..Surprising myself quite alot along
the way.

Wow..I thinks that's the most I've written about
myself in lots of years..

THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL BLOGS
TO CHOOSE FROM OUT THERE..but these are
the 15 I have chosen...

Go check them out & see if they inspire you...

THEY INSPIRE ME...
1) http://greensubmarinediydesign.blogspot.com/

2) http://cupcakeskissesncrumbs.blogspot.com/

3) http://songberries.blogspot.com/

4) http://thosenorthernskies.blogspot.com/

5) http://lipstickandlaundry.blogspot.com/

6) http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

7) http://diynewlyweds.com/

8) http://thewondersofdoing.blogspot.com/

9) http://allthingsrelated.blogspot.com/

10) http://barefeetonthedashboard.blogspot.com/

11) http://melaniescrafts.blogspot.com/

12) http://swiss-kin.blogspot.com/

13) http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/

14) http://growingyourgrassgreener.blogspot.com/

15) http://thefrostedbutton.blogspot.com/