Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Janna from Thoughts from a Mommy, Wife, and Friend has generously awarded me with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!  I can't even tell you how surprised I was when she told me last week.  I feel very honored, and I have to pass it on to some of the bloggers who inspire me.  So here are the rules:

• Display the nomination logo on your blog
• Link back to the person who nominated you
• Tell us 7 things about yourself
• Nominate and link up with up to 15 bloggers for the award
•  Let your nominees know!

Seven Things About Myself

1. I want to go back to school when Lucas starts kindergarten or first grade and become a Certified Medical Assistant.
2.  I love gardening but when I had my own dirt I was unsuccessful at it (in my defense, it was a very shaded area) and now I can't because I don't have any space outside to call my own.
3. I don't dream about being rich or famous.  I just want to live a comfortable suburban life.
4. I love big thunderstorms.
5. My Kindle is my best friend.  The number of free books available in the Kindle store is overwhelming!  Sometimes I end up with duds, but usually I'm pretty happy just to have something new to read.
6. I'm more of a cat person than a dog person, but our current cat is the most boring feline I've ever owned.
7. Since losing my new camera, and then having it returned broken, I haven't taken one picture with our old functional-but-losing-steam camera.  I'm still depressed about the new one.

I'm sure I could pick any 15 blogs from the list I read and point out something about them that inspires me, but I want to make this a short list.   So here are just five bloggers I find inspiring, and why.  Please take a moment to visit each of them!

Monique of Razing Mayhem.  Monique is such an excellent writer and photographer, I always look forward to her blog posts.  She has this funky edge to her that I really admire.  She's never afraid to express her true self or feelings, but she's also very compassionate at the same time.  If I had to describe her in one word it would be: fierce.  She inspires me to be myself.

Nicole of Local Sugar Hawaii.  Nicole writes so sweetly and takes gorgeous photos of the natural beauty of her home.  She inspires me to slow down and take a minute to appreciate the the small things that make me happy everyday, and the beauty all around us.

Sarah, of Sarah Simply Me.  Sarah fills her blog with recipes, DIY, blog design tips, and more.  All along with her daily life!  Visiting Sarah's blog inspires me to try new things and to make a better attempt at the housewife thing.

Pam of Mom Does Reviews.  Pam inspires me because she's just so freakin successful!  She's always got multiple giveaways going on and reviewing cool things and she's got about a gazillion followers!  Who wouldn't want their products showcased on her blog? 

Melina of Frazzled Fran.  Frazzled Fran is a fictional blog.  I've always wanted to write fiction, but since high school I haven't finished a thing I've started.  Melina inspires me to pick up fiction again, even if it's just for myself.