Goodness.Gracious.Me – Kreativ Blogger Award

I must admit I’ve been a “lurker” in the blog world.  I have spent many hours reading about the lives of others.  People who I would never “know” if it wasn’t for blogland.  It never ceases to amaze me that people from all over the world can connect.  And become friends.

Today when I checked my blog, I had a “comment” from one such friend.  Someone who, quite frankly, I’ve come to like a lot.  We’ve never met.  We’ve never talked.  But I know that I like her.  I’ve read her words and I just know, she’s a good doobie.  But wait a minute.  Kreativ Blogger award?  She wants me to do what?  Tell the world 7 things about me?  Oy vey.  I can only think of one thing.  I’m Canadian.  Whoop-de-do!   Now what?  I panicked for about 5 minutes.  And then my brain turned on…..and wouldn’t stop.  So without further ado, let me introduce you to Cindy of Living It Up At Lakewood.   So folks, you have Cindy to thank for creating a monster! 

The rules of Kreativ Blogger ask that I dish 7 things about me so here we go.

1.  I am Canadian.  Moved to the US from Montreal in 1999.  I speak French.  As do my kids because they went to French school until we moved here.  I have been asked many times where I prefer living.  They really aren’t comparable though.  There I was a city girl and here I live midway between Boston and Providence in suburbia.  It’s like anything else though, there are things you like and things you don’t - no matter where you are.   The people here are much warmer and friendlier than back home.  It still freaks me out that I can hop in my car and be at a horse farm in 5 minutes or so.  

2.  I am very decisive.  When I say no, I mean no.   So don’t ask me again.  That kind of worked out well with my kids.  They know!

I can be ambivalent from time to time but when that happens I ask myself “Will it change my life?” and if the answer is no, I tend to go along if it will make a difference to someone else.

3.  I like the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  Makes for much better relationships.  Dishonesty is an absolute deal breaker.

4.  I have been working on an issue that has plagued me all my life – perfectionism.  Fear of failure.   I remember as a child coming home with my report cards and having straight “A’s” and one “B” and my father would ask why I got a “B”.    I guess it affected me enough as a young girl that I still remember it after all these years. 

My father passed away suddenly in 2006 and I had an awakening I guess you would call it.   A few months after he died, I was listening to a self-help tape while driving around Cape Cod.   At one point it said that if you have issues with your parent(s), you need to remember that they were once innocent babies too.  It continued to say that around age 3 or so, life started “happening” and they started bearing the hurts of their parents.  That was so profound to me that the tears were streaming down my face.  Instantly I forgave him because I knew that he did the best he could.   He never meant to be hurtful.  As an adult he was always there when I needed him.  He would come visit (all of my family still lives in Canada) and he was always game to tag along on my little adventures.    And he was always a wonderful grandfather.  (He let my kids spray his hair green one night!)

5.  I love the outdoors.  Especially water.  It can be a pool or the ocean.  I would be the 50 year old, overweight oddball that you see at the beach on a boogey board.  Riding the waves – for real!  I’ve had a few stares – haha!  There have been times when my kids are at the shoreline waving the cell phone telling me to get out of the water because daddy was calling for the fifth time!

6.  I am an Oprah junkie.  Always have been, always will be.

7.  I choose to live life positively.  Definitely the glass half-full kind of girl.  I smile at people, hold doors, compliment when suitable.   If you’re doing a good job, I say so.    Positive vibes are infectious.
My mom always told me, if you don’t have something good to say, say nothing.  Gossip is poison.  

And that’s it for me!   Now to the 7 people that I would like to share this with.  People whose blogs I read and love.

1. Tracey @ The Crazy Suburban Mom
2. Suzanne @ Colorado Lady
3. Tootsie @ Tootsie Time
4. Holly @ Girls at Heart
5. Carol @ Old Glory Cottage
6. Robin @ Gifts You Can Feel Good About
7. Lisa @ Molti di Moda Designs

And here are the "official" rules of the Kreativ Blogger Award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Blogs.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each.