Award Season!

I am really terrible about these blog awards. I've received a few, and appreciated them, but never really remember to acknowledge them or remember the "rules" I need to do to accept and give them out again . . . some of them remind me of those chain letters. . . but two of my favorite bloggers recently awarded me some lovely, thoughtful awards and I appreciate them immensely! I wanted to take the time to thank them, and award some of my own favorite bloggers!

This past week I received the Octamom Award from the lovely Jessica of Shower of Roses! Before I post the rules, for The Octamom Award, grab your chocolates!

1) You must eat a piece of chocolate in honor of accepting The Octamom Award.
2) You must eat yet another piece of chocolate when you put the award on your blog.
3) Try to go by and see the other good folks I'm going to put a link up for.
4) Feel free to add or subtract from the rules as suits your fancy...except that chocolate one...I must insist on that.

I can't really tell if there are any other "rules" for selecting other Octamom Award winners, other than perhaps being a mom, an inspiring blogger, and perhaps a little too busy at times to remember to acknowledge said thoughtful blog awards (maybe this is just a problem that I have. If you quickly send both a thoughtful comment and personalized thank you note upon receiving said awards, please disregard that last sentence. It may not apply. I'm sincerely awarding it to you because I'm inspired by you as a mom blogger!) so without further adieu, here's a little hit parade of Octamom buddies, just to get you started on a web session that will take you deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of Blog World. Be sure and leave a trail of chocolate wrappers so that you can find your way out again.....

And my nominees for the Octamom Award are . . .

• Michele of Frugal Granola
• Hannah of Cultivating Home
• Kristi of Da Baums
• Anne of Under Her Starry Mantle
• Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight
• Kari from Kari and Steven and our Abundant Blessings
• Carol of Pure Sugar
• Kayla of Kayla Said (who is mama to several pets and just has a fun blog in general. So I deem she gets the Octamom award anyway!)
  
• Jen of Conversion Diary
  

And then in July (yes, July of last year. i.e. Six months ago) Michele of Frugal Granola kindly bestowed on me the Arte y Pico award. And I regret to admit that I never acknowledged it on my blog. I am such a bad blogging buddy. And the thing is, Michele and I correspond via comment on one another's blog or e-mail almost once a week! We've even discovered we went to the same church . . . lived in adjoining cities . . . in ALASKA . . . when we were younger! Which makes not acknowledging it even more heinous. I apologize Michele! Thank you for honoring me with this award!

The Arte y Pico Award rules . . .

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award, be it through creativity, design, or interesting material, and that also contributes to the blogger community, no matter the language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4) Award winners and the one who has given the award have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) Show these rules.

So without further adieu, here are my Arte y Pico award nominees!

• Melissa from Chasing Cheerios
• Kimi of The Nourishing Gourmet
• Pink Wallpaper (which I discovered, pretty much, yesterday)
• Anna Spiro from Absolutely Beautiful Things
• Beach Bungalow 8

and, because this is my blog and I feel like it, I'm giving one more . . . so the sixth nominee is

• Jessica of Shower of Roses (whom I read all the time!)
  

And for some reason, I feel that someone else gave me an award once, sometime in the past year, and I've scoured my comments, but can't find it. If you did, and if I never acknowledged it, please remind me and I will thank you again!

There, that should do it. I think this is a great annual exercise for me!