Put on Your Party Shoes and Come Get Your Bling!

Yes, friends, it's the first Mommy Learn to Blog awards ceremony.

A couple of months ago, I was honored and astounded to received a lovely award from the fabulous McMommy.

I won't lie, I was a fairly new blogger (and yes, I am oh so seasoned now that I've been at it for almost 3 months - not! But in Bloggywood, we all know that 3 months is almost a lifetime!), and I felt like a complete Rock Star! Especially since it came from my blog Idol!

At the time, I was just delving into the blogging world, and discovering just how many fabulous blogs there are out there.

So, I didn't feel well prepared to pass on the Bloggity Bling until I got to know some of these blogs and their owners a bit better!

Now that I do have so many faves, it's incredibly hard to choose just 5 blogs to pass this award on to, but I will try my best, and hope that the recipients will feel just as special as I did.

I now present to you the Arte y Pico award:

Would each of you wonderful ladies please step forward to accept your award?

Dana @ Supernanny, Where Are You
Dana and I met over 4 years ago in a BabyCenter discussion board called February Sweethearts. We all found each other by way of the fact that we were to become first time moms sometime in February of 2005. Although we've known each other for a long time, I feel like I've only really just gotten to know her over the past few months through her blog, our emails, and our chats. Her blog is full of funny anecdotes from her job as a mail carrier, life as a mom of 2, and other daily musings. I always look forward to seeing what she'll post about next! More than anything, I love her because when I emailed her to tell her I had started a blog of my own, her response was something like "Finally! I was just thinking to myself, I wonder when that girl is finally going to start a blog!" Thanks for being such a great friend and encouragement, Dana!

Rae @ My Life on the East Coast
I met Rae through the blog of a friend of a friend. She is mom to 3 (let me make that SUPERMOM to 3), has a fabulous sense for interior decorating, and her love for life and her family just comes shining through in everything she posts about. She is one of the sweetest women I've ever met - she, too, encouraged me to start blogging and was thrilled to hear that I finally did. I always enjoy hearing about her latest adventures with the fam, and seeing what new thing she's done to her house! I also aspire to someday own even a quarter of her amazing organizational and housekeeping skills! Rae, you're the best!

Carol @ Siswick Construction Zone
Carol and I also met through February Sweethearts, and I always knew she was funny, but her personality just comes shining through over and over through her blog. Of course I love hearing the trials and tribs of raising Thomas and Eli, but she never fails to make me laugh out loud with her adventures, and honest and frank retelling of her daily mommy moments. I love the fact that she would choose afternoon preschool over morning mainly because she'd rather lounge around in her jammies all morning, and besides, who wants to get up and out in the freezing cold so early in the day? I love the fact that she's not afraid to show her budding Picasso's poop art to the whole blogosphere. And I just love her dry humor, as well as her "gift" for sensing impending doom (i.e. accidents) when there are children involved. Carol, you never fail to make me smile!

Shannon @ Simply Shannon
You guessed it, Shannon is another fellow February Sweetheart buddy. However, she is always so busy with work that I did not get to know her nearly as well through our online group as I have through her blog. She originally started her blog with a different name and purpose, and I couldn't have been more thrilled the day I logged on and saw a new name and design! Her new blog purpose makes me happy - taking some time for herself, and discovering the things that make HER happy - and she deserves happiness, that's for sure! I love hearing all about Ciara's adventures, and can always identify with what she's going through. It's not easy being the mom of an only child, and a 3 1/2 year old girl at that! I've watched Shannon really come out of her shell these past few months and I think she's a great writer. I love to hear stories about when she travels home - her love for her family is so strong and clear, I almost feel like I'm a part of their time together. I even feel like I was there the day where she (at 10 years old) got horribly ill from motion sickness on the luggage of a fellow train rider who did not move out of the way when she so politely asked! Shannon, I'm proud of where you started, and the person you're becoming here in Bloggeritaville!

Wendi @ Because Wendi Said So!
What can I say besides I LOVE WENDI! She found my blog shortly after I started it, and has always taken the time to leave me a comment. These comments led to email exchanges, that has led to some fabulous (and never-ending) online chats. We're convinced we might share a brain. And that's fine with me - her blog always makes me smile and usually laugh out loud. I make her snort and spew Crystal Light at her computer screen. We're a match made in heaven. She writes with a very distinct style, though she refuses to believe that she has her own "style". Her compassion and kindness come through every time I see her interact with someone in Bloggywood, but she's also not afraid to show us her sometimes extremly dry and to the point sense of humor. Wendi, I love you because I said so!

Normally I'm a fan of throwing rules out the window, but this award does come with a few:

1) You must pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award, based upon creativity, design, interesting material, and that also contribute to the blogger community.
2) Each award must have the name of the author with a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Award-winners must show the award and put the name and link to the blog that awarded it.
4) Award-winners and the one who has given the prize must show the link to the Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) These rules must be included in your post.

Before you leave, I've got some celebratory Patron Silver shots (only the best for my gals), as well as some ice cold Bud Light with Lime. If you haven't tried it yet, it's delish!

Now, go forth and spread the bloggy love!

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My girl Lindsey over here tried to tell me how to put the accent mark over a letter while posting, but sadly it doesn't seem to work here! Please envision a lovely accent over the "O" in PatrOn!