In five years of blogging I received one award, and now suddenly I seem to have another one every week.  Like I said in my last award post, that’s what’s known as an embarrassment of riches, folks, because I really am starting to feel embarrassed and hope you aren’t bored with another “about me” post.  I will try to make it as entertaining as possible for you. 🙂
And actually, I have TWO awards to write about this week.  So first of all . . .

Rules for Accepting the One Lovely Blog Award:
1) Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
I am delighted to thank Jacquelyn Ward of DIY Design Mom for nominating me.  Jackie is a blogging colleague who has become a friend.  She’s currently working on an upgrade for my blog which I hope to share with you soon!
2) Add the One Lovely Blog badge to your post.
See above. 😉
3) Share seven facts about yourself.

• I have TWO mercury thermometers.  I don’t trust digital thermometers.  I always shake them down over the bed and am very, very careful. (Now I should probably expect calls from the EPA, or possibly my mother.)
• I have bitten my nails since I was about 8 years old and my ugly fingers embarrass me.
• I have never had a cavity.
• Interior decorating paralyzes me.  We have lived here almost four years and haven’t hung a picture since the first week or so.
• Springtime makes me giddy.  I could totally throw myself down in a bed of daffodils and lie there for hours.
• I’m quite friendly and like getting up in front of the public, but I find interacting with people exhausting and I love to spend time alone.
• My husband was my first real boyfriend.

4) Nominate about 15 bloggers you admire by posting a comment on their blog.  I’m cheating here by doing fewer.  It does say ABOUT, after all.
Thomasina of Three Lives of Me
Agatha of Green Issues by Agy
Gunjan of KiipFit
Randi of Poppies and Pinot
Jen of Breastfeeding Needs
Jane of Limeade Gal
Kim of The Lemon Daisy
So y’all see the rules, right?  But if it will stress you out to play, no hard feelings. 🙂
And now for Award #2:  I’ve received it before, but this one comes with a new set of questions, so I’m in!

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their site.
I would like to thank Jen Brenan of Breastfeeding Needs for nominating me.  Jen is the mother of two little ones and writes about parenting and breastfeeding.  As a former long-time breastfeeding mother myself (approximately 13 years, all told), I love her blog.
2. Answer the 10 questions sent to you.
1. How long have you been blogging?
Just over FIVE years.  That makes me an old-timer, y’all.  But I didn’t really start putting much (or the right kind) of effort into blogging until recently.
2. What are your long term goals for your blog?
I want to write more regularly–with an actual editorial calendar, and predictable types of content on different days of the week!  I want to have more of my work featured on other sites, and hope that someday I will be compensated for my work.  Although I won’t stop writing regardless!
3. What do you love about blogging?
The friends I’ve made, and the nice things people say to me about what I write, especially if I make a connection with them or help them in some way through my writing.
4. And what do you hate, or at least just dislike?
It can be a source of stress if I am not writing as much as I think I should or would like to.
5. Do you have children and do they influence your blog?
I have five kids.  They provide subject matter, for sure.  And no doubt being a mother has affected some of what I am interested in writing about–although I do have interests outside my kids!
6. What is one thing you have learned about blogging that you never would have thought of before hand?
I was completely clueless about blogging when I started.  I mean I knew NOTHING.
7. What are your hobbies outside of your blog?
Gardening, hiking, genealogy, poking around cemeteries (all of which I manage to incorporate into this extremely eclectic blog!).
8. Do you work outside of the home, stay home or do a bit of both?
I have been at home for around 21 years now.  Before that I worked part-time.  For many years I did a little grant writing and editing on the side for my mother’s non-profit, and then about five years ago I became my husband’s legal assistant.  He works from home and therefore so do I.  At first all I was going to do was answer the phone, but the job has grown.  So I do the billing, write letters, create and organize the files, do legal research, and even draft pleadings.  I probably work at least 20 hours a week. (And I still do that grant writing and editing too!)
9. How do you juggle it all?
Being able to work from home is key.  I keep all my social media open all the time and sprinkle that in throughout my work day.  I also homeschool my daughter in the middle of all that.  I control my work schedule so if I really need to I can take a day off, or work at night and weekends so I can do family things when I need to.  I never have time to blog, and I don’t clean my house.
10. Tell me one thing about yourself that most of your readers do not know?
I’m going to refer y’all up to my seven random facts above for this question, having exhausted my supply of interesting trivia for the moment.
3. Make up 10 new questions for your nominees to answer.
I’m going to cheat a little here and recycle some questions I made up for some other nominations that not many nominees responded to.
1. How did you choose the name for your blog?
2. What kind of writing did you do in your pre-blogging life?
3. How do you define blogging in YOUR life?  A job, a vocation, a hobby?
4. Provide a link to your favorite blog post.
5. Provide a link to the post you think is the most popular.
6. What was your very first job and what did you learn from that experience?
7. Does your family read your blog and if so does this affect what you say or how you say it?
8. Have you made virtual friends because of blogging?
9. What is your dream job?
10. What do you do to take care of yourself?
4. Nominate 8 other bloggers, link them in your post and notify them of their nomination.
Again, if any of y’all have already received this award and don’t want to play along again, you won’t hurt my feelings.  🙂
Jacquelyn of DIY Design Mom
Kim of This Ole Mom
Louisa of Ice Cream off Paper Plates
Hannah of Miss Nicklin
Stephanie of Six Pack Mommy
Kathleen of Lifestyle Building Blocks
Brandi of Supergirl Savings
I am so flattered to have been nominated for these two awards, and now y’all know (almost) all there is to know about me.