Blog of the Year 2012 - Perfect Way To End The Year

In the blogging world we get awards. But it isn't like these awards are just handed out randomly. The are recognition for doing something good. They are because someone out there thought you were memorable.

Well obviously I did something right. This year I got nominated for the Blog of the Year 2012 Award twice.

The first nomination was from Kelly at The Real Housewife. Kelly is my bud. We have known each other for almost a couple of years already, which is funny because it seems like we have known each other our entire life. While we originally met online, she is the first writer I have met in the real world. And I am also excited because I will be seeing her and her family again in a short couple of weeks. Thank you Kelly so much - you can throw awards at me anytime!

The second nomination was from Melanie over at Scribbles and Smiles. This girl is pure awesomeness! She is so dedicated with everything she does and she has a heart that is filled with kindness. She is a go-getter and she is filled with determination. She was one of my biggest pushes during NaNoWriMo because we both set a very similar goal. I can say that I am so excited that we both made it and I look forward to the day we both publish our manuscripts.

So here's the deal...

When you receive this award this is what you need to do.
1. Humbly accept it - throw a party - and then revel in your awesomeness! (Yes - it is ok to be proud of yourself!)
2. Tell those people who gave you the award how much you appreciate them thinking of you by thanking them. Thank you both Kelly and Melanie! You two both totally made my day!
3. Tell the world 7 of your deepest darkest secrets. (Come on people - we want the juicy details here!)
4. Pass the award on to another deserving blogger!

Well, since I have already received a few other awards (and people are probably sick of hearing about my little secrets) (and I have run out of secrets), I am going to take a different approach. I am going to tell you the 7 things that I can't live without. This is a little different and something I thought would be a little fun. Now you will notice I will not be mentioning family, friends or blogging buddies. These are a given. These people I can't live without.

1. My laptop. It is my connection to the world and seriously, I would be lost without it. In fact, there was times when I have contemplated whether or not I should bring it with me when I go visit people for a short visit. You just never know when the urge to write might take over you.
2. Internet Connection. It is an odd thing to think about not being able to live without Internet. When I was younger, we barely had a computer, much less an internet connection. And it was dial-up. Now-a-days, if it takes longer than a couple seconds to load a page, I am about to call customer service. And if there is a disconnection in my services (even if it is natural disaster related), I can barely get through the rest of the day. It is sick and sad - isn't it?
3. My combat boots. Ok - so they really aren't combat boots anymore, I am out of the military. But, my go to shoe for just about every occasion is my black boots. Believe me when I tell you the world does stop if these boots suddenly meet their maker and need to be thrown out. I will go out that day and buy a new pair.
4. As Seen On TV crap. It is a sad reality when I can justify the need for every "As Seen on TV" product out there. I need them all and I have about half of them. I am just fortunate that I don't live next to the physical store that sells these products otherwise I would probably go broke. But honestly, more often than not, I use these products and will tell you that I can't live without them.
5. My snuggie blanket. I know what you are all thinking... Isn't she an adult? Damn straight, but if you ask my husband, my snuggie goes every place I do. I absolutely love it. In fact, I have used it so much it is almost time to retire it and get a new one. Who knows... maybe my next one will be the Wonder Woman variety. It really does not matter the temperature, I am always cuddled up with my blankie. I know - I am so mature!
6. My sweater. This sucker goes with me wherever I go. It could be 100 degrees or it could be negative 20. I am bringing my sweater with me. My husband says it is my crutch. Whatever - but at least I know I am prepared if I get cold! It was a sad day when my first sweater... a long black one... had to be retired to the trash. It was so worn, I could no longer be seen in public for fear of having someone taking a picture of me and posting it on "People of Walmart" dot com.
7. My workout DVDs. Yes... everybody knows that I am an exercisaholic. I probably should go to support groups or something.  But truth be told, I have a harder time passing by a workout DVD when I go the store than any other item I find in there. My biggest obsession is the Beachbody workouts like P90X, TurboFire and 10 Minute Trainer. However, I won't pass up Taebo or Jillian Michael's 30 Day shred. My husband thinks it's funny because I actually do collect workout gear. And no - I don't do it because I am trying to lose weight. I do it because I love the feeling I get after a good sweat!

Now for the hard part....

This is the part where I get to nominate others. Now, since I have already nominated some great people for The Versatile Blogger, The Beautiful Blogger Award, and The Sisterhood of Bloggers Award, I am going to say that these recipients are very well deserved for the Blog of the Year 2012 as well, but I am going to try and pass the love on to someone I haven't already given a Bloggy Award to...

So here are my choices for Blog of the Year 2012:

Amy from Adorable Chaos: Right now she is my main choice for this award because she has been so close in my thoughts after all the tragedy happening in her area. That being said, I don't want to dwell on that. I want to raise her up and give her something that will hopefully give her something to smile about. Amy is a wonderful mother and a wonderful writer. I look forward to reading her blog posts whether they are about projects she is doing with her children or just life in general. She is kind at heart and a great supporter and friend. Check her out, I am sure once you get there you will see why I choose her for the Blog of the Year 2012.

Cari from I Have a Full-Time Job... Meet My Husband: I absolutely love this blog. It kind of brings me back down memory lane when my husband and I were first newlyweds. Cari is a newlywed and most of her posts revolve around the life of a newlywed. Her writing is easy to read and will have you laughing and shaking your head. Don't forget to check her out and see why she deserves this award!

Stephanie from Mommy, for Real: She is another mom and I can totally relate to just about everything she puts into words. One of my favorites was when she wrote out, "When Will I Be a Real Grownup?" The funny thing about that was I was wondering the same thing a few weeks earlier. Her writing is refreshing and touches on a little of everything. She is a well deserving recipient of this award as well.

Katherine from Can I Get Another Bottle of Whine: First off, I just have to say how much I enjoy the title of her blog, as any parent can probably relate to it. Katherine is another great member of the blogging community I belong to and I enjoy her writings as well. Her caption contests are fun to participate in and she makes you feel good about your overdue library books. She touches a little bit on every subject and has posted so many topics that I can relate to. Check her out - I am sure you will love what she has to offer.

Chris from I Work Off The Clock: He is my final nomination. I just recently got to know him when I caught his blog post on bringing "Playtime" back into the marriage. Not only do I enjoy his writing, but he also has some clear cut goals for his future in blogging. He too touches on a variety of different topics whether it is about money or clearing clutter or setting goals. I can already tell he is going to go far in the blogging world and I wish him the best of luck.

To all those that got the award, I can't wait to see how you nominate. But overall, this is just a fun way to spread some blogging love. It truly is what makes blogging so much fun and worthwhile. There is a lot of work that goes behind the scenes in blogging, and only those that do it truly can relate!