Could Veggie Be Mommy of the Year?

DATELINE, NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN...THURSDAY, JUNE 25...This just in to our newsroom. Veggie Mom, she of POPrs Family Fame, has been nominated as the Mommy Blogger of the Year!

Yes, it's almost too much to imagine, but Melissa B., my BBBF (Best Blogging Bud Forever), has nominated moi to receive this awesome award.

Project Mommyhood plans to crown the Mommy Blog of the Year, and nominations are now open.

I realize that there are sooooooooo many Mommy Blogs out there that getting Little Ol' Veggie Mom's hopes up on this deal is a little like spitting in the ocean, but it's worth a shot, right-O?

I wanted to give my POPrs Pals a little taste of the past year at Eat Your Veggies! so that you might be inspired to pop on over to Project Mommyhood and second the nomination. Or "third" it, if ya want to!

• Let's see...where do we start? Well, what about my very First Post? I had no idea what I was doing, but I think I deserve some kudos for jumping into this Bloggy Business, don't you?
• Then, of course, there's that Patriotic Shot of The Wild One celebrating the 4th in style...
• And, lest we forget Blog Around the World, I brought you Moker's Guest Post about Wisconsin, and it wasn't the least bit cheesy...
• I've always been partial to my post about Empty Nesters. The photo alone is enough to bring me to tears...
• We've shared sooooooooo many super POPrs Family shots this past year, but Aunt Julie's rendering of Soccer Boy is more than a keeper...
• I've featured both giveaways and recipes, but combining the two? And featuring Beer Cheese Soup? Sheer genius...
• And then there was Aunt Julie's tale about the bad, BAD puppy...
• Veggie Mom kicked off the New Year with a poignant post, if I do say so myself, about family and making time for yourself...
• Since Eat Your Veggies! is still a work in progress, February brought bright new changes, c/o Susie's Homemade...
• And yes, Dr. Seuss probably grimaced from the grave, but I thought that poem was pretty darn good...
• Of course, I'd never leave Uncle Lynn, The POPrs King, out of the mix. Especially on his birthday...
• Hello...did someone say "gardening"? And "Mother's Day"? I featured both~at once~in May...
• What about some of the other pet posts? Does a playful Cat-and-Mouse Game count?

There you have it, POPrs Pals! Not to brag or anything, but these are only a few of my favorite things from one-year-plus of coming to you through the miracles of cyberspace. So if you have the time, please stop by Project Mommyhood and send some love my way. You'll be glad you did!

SWS: & My Fair Lady: Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

I'm featuring another award as my Six-Word Saturday post. BTW, make sure you stop by to visit Cate at Show My Face to see other six-word wonders this weekend!

Tori Z., from Torizworld, is my new friend from Wales (as in the UK~yup, Across the Pond!) She presented me with this loverly trinket. Well, just thought I should speak like Eliza Doolittle for the occasion!

Before I get to the bloggy particulars, wanted to share my Six Words:

Tori Z. is My Fair Lady!

And, no, I don't think I'm stretching the truth a bit!

Anyway, the One Lovely Blog Award is all about making new friends. So, I hearby bequeath this pretty to the following 15 newish bloggy friends. They, in turn, must give it to 15 new bloggers, and so on, and so forth. Have fun with this, and enjoy your Saturday!

More Than Words

The Zen of Motherhood

Hoosier Homemade

Tabi Rambles On

Jiggety Jigg

Our Life Upstate

Our Lil Kilowatts

Blue Monkey Butt

Sweet Serendipity

A Little Fun with Me and Lu

t rex tales

Tales from a Shopaholic Mommy

Tiaras & Tantrums

Daily Doses of Mama Drama

My Home Wellingtown

SWS: Queen for a Day?

The Lovely Mannequin from Fractured Toy is such an Awesome Bloggy Friend. She passed this shiny trinket along to me. I've always loved tiaras and crowns, you know!

First of all, though, my Six Words:

Thanks So Much, My Friend Mannequin!

I'm accepting this award with a Royal Decree, of course: I have been ordered by Queen Mannequin to tell you Seven Awesome Things about me, and told that I must pass this bling thing along to Seven Awesome Bloggers.

Hmmmmmmmm...Let's see.

1. When I was in high school, I received a "perfect" score on the verbal section of the SATs...twice. I'm an avid reader. I could spend all day with my nose in a book!

2. I love learning new things. Whether it's how to make the POPrs go POP! or how to get that sweet crown in this award to twinkle in the Blog Lights, I want to know!

3. I have visited six of the seven continents and have no interest in visiting Antarctica...although I do love Emperor Penguins!

4. I have been married longer than some of you have been alive. Seriously.

5. I have a tender heart. Lost kittens and puppies often come to know me well.

6. I'm an excellent cook, and pride myself on putting at least four "real" meals on the dinner table for my family each week.

7. I know how to say the alphabet backwards. My Nana taught me. I used to know how to sing it backwards, but have lost that skill with age.

Before I name the recipients of the Queen of All Things Awe-Summm! Award, let me first say that each and every one of you deserves this. But I must pick seven, so here goes:

Zander & Me

Art on a Limb

Holding Patterns

Honest and Truly!

The Journey

If Mom Says OK

Jeannie's Happy World

Oh, and forgot to tell you ~ I'm playing along today with Cate and Six-Word Saturday, hosted at Show My Face. Enjoy!

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

Been running around crazy all week, trying to tidy up things at work and launch a Great New Adventure over the weekend. Well, an adventure for ME, anyway! Going to visit my peeps at college for a few days. Buy them some groceries, take them out to eat, and generally do a little mothering, for a change.

In all the hustle and the bustle, though, I seem to have misplaced something. I was doing a little blog-hopping the other day, and noticed that a Dear Bloggy Friend had left me some bling. Of course, wanting to be supportive and all, I planned to post the bling this weekend. I even wrote the award down, with the link, so I could give proper credit. And then promptly recycled the sheet of paper on which I'd noted all this important info.

Went back to my desk last night, to prepare a pretty post. No note, no nothing. And my brain is so fried that I can't, at the moment, remember who blinged me with what.

So, if you're a giving person, as all my Bloggy Friends are, and you're reading this, please take pity on me! Leave me a comment, tell me of how much you love me, and remind me that I'm not such a bad person, after all. And if you decide to rescind my bling, so be it.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Bling

Thanks so much to Kally from A Little Bit of Life on the Side; she awarded Veggie Mom a little "pick-me-up," which helped a whole lot in getting rid of the Snot Monster.

Per the rules and regulations of The Sisterhood Award, which was originated, BTW, by Diana Rambles, I need to pass this Bit o' Bloggy Bling along to a well-deserving bunch. Here are the R&R, first off:

Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs, which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude! Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

That's it, folks! Please send out some Bloggy Love to the following Group o' Great Gals:

Susie's Homemade

Rhonda's Rants

Zander & Me

Holding Patterns

Mom Cooks & Reads Books

One Krazy Kat Lady

Writers, Witches & Words, Oh My!

Optimistic Cynicism

The Journey

Honest & Truly

Wear It Loud and Proud!

Thanks ever-so-much to Marrdy, a Pop'rs Veteran who resides over at One Krazy Kat Lady, and Caroline, over at Caroline's Crafts (one of our recent Pop'rs Giveaway winners) for granting me the Lemonade Award. Here's what Marrdy had to say about Ol' Veggie:

"Veggie Mom at Eat Your Veggies! is an awesome blogger and a great business woman. Plus things are poppin' over at her place all the time!"

Marrdy, you are such a doll! Although you have to remember that Uncle Lynn really is the Man Behind the Pop'rs. Nevertheless, you've expressed some pretty sweet sentiments. Plus, I love to see my name in print!

As you all well know, even tasty awards like this have rules. So, here goes:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great attitude or gratitude!!!
3. Be sure to link your nominees with your post.
4. Let them know they received the award by leaving a comment on their most recent post on their blog.
5. Share the love and link this post to the person that gave you the award!

And here, Dear Hearts, are Whose I Choose. Please have a glass of lemonade, on me!

1. Pak Adventures
2. Stitchin' By the Lake
3. Now Entering Momville
4. AnnOnAndOn
5. Deanna's Corner
6. A Little Bit Nutty
7. Just Lisa, No Filler
8. A Little Bit of Life on the Side
9. Don't Get Married...You Won't Like It
10. Let Me Think On It

Enjoy your Bloggy Bling, friends...Wear it Loud and Proud!

200 Posts & A Great Giveaway!

Veggie Mom's celebrating an Anniversary of sorts today. This is my~count 'em!~200th Post! To Commemorate and All That Jazz, I'm hosting a Giveaway, and sharing some Bloggy Bling, too!

First off, to The Great New Pop'rs New Years Giveaway. The rules are simple:

• We're picking Five Grand Prize Winners. Each winner scores a complete set of Pop'rs...All Eight Flavors! ...and T-Shirts for the family!
• All you have to do for one entry is leave a comment on my blog. The more comments, the more entries! Comment on every post this week! Comment multiple times on one post! Comment about anything...the weather, your family, my family, Pop'rs. The sky's the limit!
• For an Extra 10 Entries, post about this contest on your blog, and send me the link.
• The contest runs until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 11, 2009.
• Uncle Lynn will pick our Five Grand Prize Winners by Random Drawing, and I'll make The Big Announcement right here on Monday, January 12!

Next up, I'd like to award some Bloggy Bling to commemorate my 200th Post. Sure didn't know what I was headed for when I started this Blogging Business, way back in June. Do you realize that I've posted Every. Single. Day since June 16, 2008? That's some Mighty Prodigious Posting! Hey, maybe I should be getting the bling, instead of you? There must be an award for this kind of enjoyable insanity out there, somewhere!

Anyway, I'd like to continue a tradition I started Way Back in November, with my 150th Post. For that milestone, I created the My Blog is Pop-tastic Award. It's sort of modeled after the great Pop Artists of the '50s and '60s. They were Innovators. They were Cutting Edge. And I pretty much feel that way about many of you, too!

As with all Bloggy Bling, the My Blog is Pop-tastic Award comes with a couple of Rules and Regs:

• When you receive The Award, please post it on your blog, linking back to the person who gave it to you.
• In addition, please link to This Post and This Post, which explains the origins of The Award.
• Please visit Veggie Mom's November Post, which explains the origins of The Award, and Sign Mr. Linky, so we'll be able to keep a record of all whose Blogs are Pop-tastic! Feel free to leave a comment, too!!
• Pass The Award along to SIX Bloggy Friends, whose creativity merits inclusion in this circle. Link to their blogs in your Awards Post, and notify them that they've received The Award!

That's it, kids. Except for the Awarding of The Bling, I guess. I know all of my Bloggy Friends deserve this, but I'm forced to name just six. I hereby present the My Blog Is Pop-tastic award to the Following Friends, who've made Eat Your Veggies! such a fun and fulfilling journey:

1. Annie. She comments every day, and is almost always the first one out there!
2. Vicki. She's generous, she's creative, and she's also up for another Pretty Impressive Blog Award. For more info on that, Click Here.
3. Rachael. She's another prolific~and quite creative~blogger, and the Mom of three boys. She deserves the award on that basis, alone!
4. Mannequin. She's been with me almost since the beginning. And her Frankie and Cupid are two of my Best Blogging Buddies!
5. Anonymom. She has so much to say! And seriously believes in Sharing the Comment Love!
6. Gombojav. She got Pop'rs for Christmas...What a present! To read more about that, Click Here!

So, there you have it. 200 Posts, A Great Giveaway, and some Bloggy Bling to celebrate! So, what are ya waiting for? Let's Get Poppin'!

Bloggy Bling and a Great New Pop'rs New Years Giveaway!

More Presents! Greedy Grace and Margi recently bestowed some Bloggy Bling on Veggie Mom's head, so I'd like to show some appropriate gratitude today, if you don't mind.

We're gearing up for tomorrow's start of our Great New Pop'rs New Years Giveaway, so you might detect a theme going on here. Make sure you drop by tomorrow...we have Pop'rs and T-Shirts Galore!

First off, Greedy Grace, over at Just Lisa, No Filler (don't ask why~her name is Lisa, but she goes by Greedy Grace), awarded me The Brillante Award. "Veggie Mom is a nut for these things called Pop’rs," GG, a previous Pop'rs Giveaway Winner, writes. "They’re pretty cool. Go to her site and buy some, and send her some comment love!" BTW, Veggie Mom also was one of GG's Pay It Forward Contest Winners. Can't wait to see what nifty homemade gizmo she comes up with!

As always, there are rules with this Brillante Bling:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to these blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

So, here we go. I hereby bestow The Brillante Award on the following much-deserving folks:

1. Honest & Truly. Michelle's a Pop'rs Veteran, too. She's got a lot to say, and is really into Sharing the Comment Love!
2. Koo Koo for Cocoapuffs! Lynette was in on the ground floor of this Pop'rs Biz, as one of our first Giveaway Winners!
3. Not Your Average Soccer Mom. Brandy is in the same boat as Lynette. She's known about Pop'rs for the longest time, as one of our early Giveaway Winners.
4. Art on a Limb. Not only is Lynda a Pop'rs Giveaway Winner, but she's an artist, too. She always has something interesting to say...I stole the 50 Fabulous Facts Meme from her, too!
5. Buried With Children. Just like the blog title says, Jen is~and then some! Don't know how she does it with four boys underfoot, but this Previous Pop'rs Giveaway Winner has a lot of funny stuff to say!
6. Jeannie's Happy World. Yes, she's happy, and this Particular Pop'rs Giveaway Winner is random, too. Consider this post: People E-mail Me the Weirdest Stuff! Jeannie's having a swell contest, too, so go check it out!
7. A Day in Rhonda's Life. Rhonda, a Pop'rs Giveaway Winner and one of our Pay It Forward Winners in December, is pretty direct. Must be because she's Canadian. Bordering on blunt. Leaning toward speaking her mind, and we love her for it!

Moving right along. Margi, another one of our Canadian Cyberfriends, awarded us with this cool award. The Proprietress at Between Loads of Laundry hereby grants Veggie The Honest Scrap Award. Margi says it's her first Bloggy bit o' Bling, and I'm tickled that she would feel fit to pass it along to moi. AnyWho, the rules are as follows:

1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
2. Show the 7 winners' names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Scrap.” Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3. List at least ten honest things about yourself.

So happy to learn that at least one person in the Blogosphere thinks I'm brilliant! And I'm gonna pass this award on to seven more who are just as brilliant as I!

1. Boys Will B Boys. Rachael's got three young hombres at home (four, if you count Hubby!). One of her guys is going off to college next year, but says he's already learned how to make a Collegiate Mess of his room. She's a recent Pop'rs Giveaway Winner, and we can't wait to hear what she has to say!
2. Katydid and Kid. What can I say? I simply love the name of this gal's blog! This Previous Pop'rs Giveaway Winner also has a New Year's Giveaway goin' on, so do stop by!
3. Mommy from the Midwest. OK, Midwest Mommy is a Chicago Bears fan, and all, but we still love this Pop'rs Giveaway Winner's sense of humor. Who says Bears and Packers fans can't be friends?
4. My Dogumentary. This Past Pop'rs Winner has doggies on the brain. Well, so does Aunt Julie. Who can blame them~their critters are awfully cute!
5. Fractured Toy. What can I say? Mannequin has been with us almost since the start of this endeavor. Not only did she win a Pop'rs Giveway last summer, but she's a tireless Bloggy Friend and Supporter. Please drop by and read her Inspirational Post for the New Year!
6. Holding Patterns. Sandi has been a Bloggy Friend for some time. She is a Past Pop'rs Giveaway Winner, and loves it when we blog about critters, both big and small. I think I first *met* Sandi when I blogged about the pets who needed help in the wake of natural disasters.
7. Dawn of My Day. Dawn is such a genuine person! And yes, she's a Pop'rs Giveaway Winner, too! Dawn works with Special Needs Kids and has the biggest heart! And she always patiently answers my bloggy questions!

Do you really want to learn 10 things about moi? Well, I've got hazel eyes, as does Hubz, but the kiddos have dark, dark brown eyes; I'm a blonde who wished she had more fun; I'm a Cat Woman, but adore all animals; I'm partial to December because the Winter Solstice comes and goes, and we start getting longer days again; I'd eat Mexican food all day, every day, if I could.

Moving right along, I think I might be addicted to blogging (a good subject for a post, no?); I'm sad that Christmas Vay-cay is coming to an end; I'm tired of college football; I'm a huge college hoops fan, especially UNC and Georgetown, and I'M RUNNING THE GREAT NEW POP'RS NEW YEARS GIVEAWAY, which gets underway tomorrow. Please drop in, if you can!

A Dual Celebration: Post #150 and a Turkey Day Giveaway!

We're celebrating the kickoff of Uncle Lynn's Great New Thanksgiving Extravaganza and the advent of our Centennial-Point-Five Post by inaugurating a Very Special Bloggy Award.

But before we get to The Bling, I wanna remind you about the Super-Cool Pop'rs Giveaway that's Underway. Right. Now! Click Here to get started. And remember: When you E-Mail Veggie Mom with a recipe, you get one entry in this latest Pop'rs Giveaway; when you comment on my posts between now and 11:59 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve, you get one more. And remember: The more entries, the merrier!

Back to The Matter At Hand. The My Blog is Pop-tastic! Award is routed in the tenets of the Pop Art Movement of the '50s and '60s; that cutting-edge tribute to creativity and imagination.

When I started this blogging project last June, at the behest of my BIL, Uncle Lynn, I was more than a little confused, and, I must admit, a tad bit intimidated by all those Creative Souls out there in Cyberspace. But as I've grown as a blogger, over these 150 posts, I've grown as a person, too. And it is largely due to all of you Bloggy Friends who helped me along the way that Veggie Mom has been able to Come. This. Far.

So, here's to all of you Creative Geniuses out there, who've helped me along, have offered encouragement, and have shown me that blogging is not only a way of communicating, but a channel for my creativity, too.

As with all Bloggy Bling, The My Blog is Pop-tastic Award comes with a couple of Rules and Regs:

1. When you receive The Award, please post it on your blog, linking back to the person who gave it to you.
2. In addition, please link to This Post, which explains the origins of The Award.
3. Please visit Veggie Mom's Post (that's This One!), which explains the origins of The Award, and Sign Mr. Linky, so we'll be able to keep a record of all whose Blogs are Pop-tastic! Feel free to leave a comment, too!!
4. Pass The Award along to SIX Bloggy Friends, whose creativity merits inclusion in this circle. Link to their blogs in your Awards Post, and notify them that they've received The Award!

Thanks again to Everyone Out There who's made blogging such a sweet ride! Without Further Ado, I present you with the Winners of The My Blog is Pop-tastic Award:

• Candid Carrie. CC's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta speaks for itself.
• Susie's Homemade. She's one of Veggie's Newest Bloggy Friends. Her Creations are The Best!
• The Journey to the Hot Tub. Have you noticed that Lizzy's Gone Pink? And I'm really feelin' the new little stick figures!
• The Scholastic Scribe. Melissa B. is so generous! She presented Veggie with the Superior Scribbler Award a while back. One good turn deserves another...
• Lulaville. This Gal Gets Me Goin'...Flashback Fridays and Twilight will do it every time!
• If Mom Says OK. Tara R. speaks her mind. And her pronouncements are always what We Need to Hear.
  
  
  

Bling and a Bloggy Giveaway

You know, don'tcha, that we're right in the middle of a 2-part Giveaway. You can read about it here. And here. You just need to remember to get your questions (the sky's the limit, and one question=one Giveaway entry!) in to moi by Friday at 11:59 EST. If you're reading this now, you can just leave a question or two in the comments section of this post. So, Get Poppin'!

I'd also like to give a quick but thoughtful Shout Out! to Blogstalker, who--and I'm sure we can all agree on this one--gives all our Bloggy Lives new meaning. With incisive--and sometimes mysterious--analysis, Blogstalker cuts through the Cyber Chatter and Gets. Right. To. The. Point.

Which brings me to my point, which is this. Blogstalker recently bestowed some Bloggy Bling on my little ol' head. And I'd like to thank my Bloggy Friend from the bottom of my Digital Heart!

The honor, deemed the Arte y Pico Award, literally translates to "Art Peak." The Stalker, it seems, thinks my little ol' place is "creative and interesting." Well, thank ya kindly! And in the tradition of all Good Things, I am required to pass this precious piece o' hardware along. Here first, though, are the rules:

1. Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award based on creativity, design, interesting material & overall contribution to the blogger community.
2. Post the name of the author & a link to his or her blog so everyone can view it.
3. Each award winner has to show the award & put the name & link to the blog that has given him or her the award
4. The award winner & presenter should post the link of the "Arte y pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of the award.

So, I choose:

• Channah, at Get a Grip, Mom!
• Mannequin, at Fractured Toy.
• Adiel, at It's Because I Think Too Much.
• Lynda, at Art on a Limb.
• Lula, at Lulaville.

Thanks for making my Bloggy Life, at least, both creative AND interesting!