It's Nice to Be Loved...

I got my very first blog award this week!

My sweet Bunco playing blog friend Sherry nominated me. I have been around the blog world for a while and this is all new to me, so I will give it my best to live up to being 'Brillante'.

This is what Sherry said about me: "Caryn was nice enough to take all of us on her European cruise with her. I thoroughly enjoyed going to Greece, France, Italy, etc. Her pictures were even helpful in explaining the origins of the Olympics to Rachael. What a great trip! I get to play bunco with Caryn, and she is always good enough to liven things up. (yes, she is the one that started hitting the table and making the dice jump, adding a whole new element to the game.) Fun times!"

The award comes with these rules: 1. The winner can put the logo on their blog. 2. Link to the person you received your award from. 3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs. 4. Put links of those blogs on yours. 5. Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated. 6. Write an acceptance speech in the style of the Academy Awards, thanking every body’s mother, father, sister, brother, aunties and uncles and the kitchen staff at your favorite restaurant! So...I nominate the following great blogs (in no particular order)-

1. Alifinale- My first blogging experience was because of this chica. She and I got way back and I thought I had lost all track of her till one day in an email she mentioned this site where I could see photos of her sweet baby! Alifinale was bloggin' before bloggin' was cool, so my props to her. I really do credit you with getting all our girlfriends back in touch. Plus her blog cracks me up, and most importantly- She talks about all the TV shows I love. If you ever need a recap of your fav prime time show- she's your gal.

2.BAMSanFran- Although it seems I have know Addi forever, we really only met after she married Rusty's best friend. I love love love her blog because she is one of the few people I know that have thoroughly, extensively and thoughtfully explored the city she lives in. If you are ever moving to San Fransisco for school, a new job or just going for a weekend-be sure to look in the archives of her blog because she has been all over that city. And more impressively she has done it with a toddler and baby in tow. Honestly, when (and if) they leave that city she can know she has left NO stone unturned.

3. News from Nonna- Now this blog I love to read solely because of it's author. Verlinda is my good friend Janae's mom, and she is always there with a smile and a hug-and if I am really lucky a plate of something so high in calories -we know it's gonna be good. When we were in the middle of Braden's heart stuff she once came straight from the airport to see us, before she saw her own grand baby! Plus she reminds me that even if your body gets older you can still be amazing. And, if that's not enough once, while in town she just threw together the cutest 4th of July door wreath for me!

4. Life- Although we have been in the same ward with Shawni and her family for more than 5 years, I never got a chance to really get to know here until we were both blogging. I love her blog for 3 reasons. 1. The layout is simple and it makes the photos stand out 2. Her photos, she is an amazing photographer and more importantly she lets her kids get behind the lens too 3. She travels to places all over and I love to hear about their journeys. She makes me laugh and I love that she is not afraid to take a photo of a toilet in China, because frankly, if I ever went there, I would wanna know what they look like! I am so happy to watch her kids get more and more adorable as time goes by.

5. Pimp my Dinner- I know everyone struggles to find things for dinner, and this was one of the first blogs I used to get new recipes from. I know everyone has one now, but forever, this was a new idea. Yummy yummy.

6. The Brown Family- One of the greatest thing about blogs is reconnecting with people from our past. That is the case with this nominee. Kerryne and I grew up next door to each other in Sandy UT. I moved when I was 11 and lost all track of the only other girl who shared my name. I often wondered what happened to all the girls from my street and was delighted when I could find them all from her blog. Besides helping me see lots of long lost faces, she is currently living abroad in Cyprus. I just think it is crazy that two people who started off in the same place could land on the very opposite sides of the earth, literally. And what's funnier is finding out that along the way you have had friends in common. What a small world in deed.

7. The Poulson Pigeon (sorry it's private)- This last one is a very easy way of not having to chose a favorite blog from any one of my cousins 20 odd blogs. The 'Pigeon' is a way for my Mom's entire side of the family to keep tabs on each other. I know more about my first cousins now then I ever learned in years of family reunions. I truly look forward to when I actually get to the next reunion because I will not only know their spouses names, but their kids as well. It is nice to be friends with your family. If you don't already do a family newsletter this is the best way. We are all authors, readers and commenters and we look forward to every time a new baby is born, someone gets married, starts school ect so we can share it with the whole family -all 70 of us (is that a high enough estimate???).