One Lovely Blog Award

I want to thank The Veggie Cooker for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog Award.  She has an amazing blog that is packed full of some AMAZING vegetarian recipes!  Make sure that you venture over her way and have a look for yourself…

The Rules:

•Thank the person that nominated you and give a link to their blog.

•List the rules.

•Display the award on your post of the award.

•List seven facts about yourself.

•Nominate (up to) 15 bloggers for this award and comment on one of their posts to let them know you have nominated them

 

7 Facts About Me

Fact # 1: Despite these insane rumors that have been circulating about me, I’ve got a bit of a confession to make. I…CANNOT dance. My baby girl and my sister, however, can move and groove with the best of them. Me, forget about it! I look like a frog with its foot caught in a mouse trap.

Fact # 2: My absolute favorite perfume is Calvin Klein’s Euphoria. It’s clean, subtle, sweet, and musky all at the same time. The perfect combination for me!

Fact # 3: My mama surprised me with a Cricut machine (years ago for my birthday) after I had mentioned during a casual conversation that I would like to have one. I absolutely love my machine, and have used it for a ton of different projects, but I’ve recently found myself longing for a Sizzix machine. The majority of the YouTubers that I watch use theirs for spreads, and they have some of the cutest die cuts! This will be one of my next big investments.

Fact # 4: Despite my many efforts over the years, I have realized that I just was not blessed with a green thumb. I have always wanted a garden filled with my favorite vegetables, but am realizing now that this will most likely never come to pass. I somehow manage to over water every time I try to grow something. Perhaps I’ll just put hubby in charge of the gardening.

Fact # 5: Do you remember this old jingle?

“Comet…It makes your teeth turn green.
Comet…It takes like Listerine.
Comet…It makes you vomit.
So have some comet…and vomit…today.”

When I was a little girl, I remember sitting in the bathroom watching my mama clean the tub. She would sprinkle her green bottle of comet all over the basin of the tub, and would then scrub the entire thing, inside and out. I remember telling her that one day, “I was going to be SO rich, that I wasn’t going to have to USE comet!” I’m surprised she didn’t smack me; I would have! Well, here I am (20 years later) following in her footsteps. I am a proud user of comet (the smell of Ajax reminds me of the concentration camp) and I follow her cleaning “steps” down to a T. I’d be in hog heaven if I could just get to the point financially, where I could hire someone in to do the cleaning; I’ve officially had my fill. But, know this, I will ALWAYS have a bottle of comet in my cleaning closet.

Fact # 6: I decided forever and a day ago, that when I finally had a home with a craft room, that I was going to paint the walls Fire Engine Red. I want vertical stripes that alternate between a matte and a glossy finish, as red entices my creative juices. I also want an “island” in the center of the room with a flat surface on top and a ton of cubby holes and drawers underneath for craft supplies. In addition to that, I want a giant (double door) walk in closet that’s floor to ceiling craft supplies organized in tidy little labeled boxes. I love getting messy with my projects, but at the end of the day, I need a clean and organized area.

Fact # 7: When my mom divorced my first step-dad, we moved into a house without a microwave. Oh, gracious! A teen without a nuke box! Good thing I knew how to cook. At that time, I had an obsession with making a batch of Spaghettios after school, but had never up to that point prepared them on a stove top. But there’s a first time for everything. I threw a can into a pot, sprinkled a nice layer of Tony’s on top and brought it to a boil. Ah! The best bowl of Spaghettios ever! If you’ve never tried it, make it a point…SO good!

So, there you have it.  7 new facts about me, Krista Kemp.

My Nominees:

SusieShy45

Psychedelic Bay

Unique Love Harmoney

Roswitha over at Skizzenbuch/Blog

Tookii

Akshay over at Blog Buster

And I Didn’t Look Back

Scrapbook House

Magny over at A Journey into the Magic of Creativity

The Daddy Blitz

Literally Nataly

Kelzbelz Photography-My Journey-The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

Life as Christine

Pattern$ oF R@nD0mNEsS

Saints West-Just my thoughts for all to behold

Thank you again for the nomination!  This award is greatly appreciated!

One Lovely Blog Award

The sweet Erika Kind nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award quite some time ago, and I am SO embarrassed that it has taken me so long to put this post together.  I had planned to work on it this past weekend, but I spent the entire weekend in bed sleeping.  Apparently I needed it.  Erika has a remarkable blog, is a fantastic singer, and just recently published her 5th book, now available on Amazon or on CreateSpace.  She is a remarkable woman, an inspiration to everyone that she interacts with, and a source of sunshine in this sometimes cruel world.  Her posts speak to my heart each and every day.  I am SO lucky to have run across such a genuine and loving soul!  Erika, thank you SO very much for this nomination!  It is GREATLY appreciated!

THE RULES:

• Thank the person that nominated you and give a link to their blog
• List the rules.
• Display the award on your post of the award.
• List seven facts about yourself.
• Nominate (up to) 15 bloggers for this award and comment on one of their posts to let them know you have nominated them.

7 Facts About Krista Kemp:

1: I have been pregnant 3 times, which has resulted in my 3 children who I wouldn’t trade for the world!
2: I have been married 2 times, and have decided that I will never marry again.  My husband is my perfect match, and no one will EVER be able to fill his shoes!
3: One of these days I am going to teach myself to play the violin.
4: I LOVE Mexican food!
5: My favorite colors are Purple and Kawasaki Green.
6: I USED to love kids!
7: I have always held extremely high aspirations, which have resulted in a substantial amount of disappointment over the years.  I refuse to give up though…

My Nominees:

April4June6: A Journal of Self-Transformation
Kerfe and Nina over at: Method Two Madness
Belinda over at Changing my World with Words
Life Experiment Blog
Getting Through Anxiety
Michelle over at: Michelle, Books and Movies Addict
Sally over at: Smorgasboard-Variety is the Spice of Life
Puppy Lovers’ Blog
Lillie-Put
Diya over at: Pen2Needle
A Frank Angle
Carl over at: I Know I Made You Smile
Pearls and Prose
Never Trust a Jellyfish
Spearfruit…it’s my life

Erika, I thank you again for this nomination!

One Lovely Blog Award

YouMeanMe from Saving Without Scrimping, has nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award.  She has a fantastic blog that focuses on living and loving life on a budget.  She has some very informative posts that are well worth the read!  Head on over and check her out; you just might learn something new…

One Lovely Blog Award Rules:

• Display the banner/sticker/logo on your blog.
• Share 7 facts or things about yourself.
• Nominate 5 bloggers that you admire and inform nominees by commenting on their blog.

7 Facts About Me:
1: Despite my nearly grown children, my wifely obligations, my full-time job, and my business ventures, I sometimes forget that I’m an adult!  While I realize that I’m a grown woman, and can go and do as I please, sometimes it just strikes me, and I’m like “Oh, yeah.”  Does anyone else experience these moments?

2: I read a blog post the other day, from Escape Adulthood, discussing our desire to become millionaires. (To see this post, click HERE) It was a fantastic read, and it got me thinking. I have never been obsessed with becoming a millionaire, nor having an abundance of wealth; my desire has always been to reach a “comfortable” status. I don’t want a BIG fancy mansion to live in (too much to clean!), I’m not concerned with a bright, flashy car (it’s just a means of transportation), and shopping sprees don’t interest me in the least. I only want to get to a point where there is more than enough to pay the bills each month, money to set aside for the children and their futures, and to be able to go to the grocery store and not have to tally up what each item costs. I want financial freedom (of sorts); relief from a lifetime of struggle, that’s all.

3: Since becoming an adult, and living out on my own, I have never made an attempt to get social with my neighbors. While I know hundreds of people around town, who each know me by name, I like to keep my life private.

4: The Twenty Something Social Recluse wrote a post last week about being a people pleaser (see post HERE). As much as I hate to admit it, I am a bit of a people pleaser. I always put the needs and wants of my family over my personal needs, and I try to keep the peace among my friends and co-workers, but I only allow others to push me up to a certain point. I detest being taken advantage of, and will eventually stand my ground if I feel it needs to be done. I know that I need to exercise a bit more authority, but I have always been taught not to rock the boat or burn the bridge, and to NEVER bite the hand that feeds you!

5: I have been driving for 20 years now, and can honestly say that I have never been involved in a wreck that was deemed my fault.

• My first wreck, at the age of 16, was when a State Trooper flew in front of me before school and slammed on his breaks to avoid missing his morning stop at the awful Waffle House.
• The second, I was stopped at a red light after school, when two vehicles plowed into the back of me, causing me a painful case of whip lash.
• The third, was a Holier Than Thou, Private School mom, who side swiped me. She informed me that “she forgave me, but that she hoped that the Lord would do the same.” Really?!
• The fourth, I was coming home from work, going slowly through my ghetto apartment complex, when an attorney peeled out of his parking space, thus smashing into the side of my car. He never looked to see if anyone was coming, and was in too much of a rush to exchange insurance information with me.
• The fifth and final wreck, happened just a few years back. I was taking my son to the orthodontist when I was rear ended by a drunk who wasn’t paying attention to traffic.

I was not the cause of any of these accidents, but I AM responsible for every one of my speeding tickets over the years. I have a bit of a lead foot, and I am faced with too many tasks to tend to each day. I don’t have time to get behind the joy riders or the blue hairs that monopolize the road. I zip in and out of traffic, taking advantage of every “hole” that comes available. Just for the record though, my last ticket was in 2005. I am LOVING my “good driver” insurance rate!

6: I started collecting candles when I was 14 years old, and have obtained some really neat ones over the years. I also have an obsession with incense. I have been buying and burning them for as long as I can remember. My favorite scent is Patchouli.

7: While I was born cursed with these “Big Bones,” I was blessed with my tiny hands, feet, and stature. My engagement ring is a size 5 (and twirls around it is so loose), and I wear a size 4 in little kid shoes. I save a TON of money when it’s time to invest in a new pair, as kid’s shoes are generally half the price as their adult versions!

At my last doctor appointment, I measured in at 5’2. I haven’t grown an inch since 5th grade, and my oldest 2 have been taller than me for some time now. You win some, you lose some…

My Nominees:

Georgia over at Destined For Grace

Robyn over at Robyn Christi

Elle over at The Persistent Platypus

Deep Philosofi.

Ifrah over at My Frame of Mind

Thank you again YouMeanMe.  I really appreciate your nomination!

One Lovely Blog Award

I have been nominated for the “One Lovely Blog Award” by The 20 Something Social Recluse. Her blog is full of great writings and super useful and informative posts. Make sure to drop by and check her out. Thank you SO very much for this nomination! I am honored to receive it!

The Rules:

• Thank the nominator and link them.
• List the rules and display the award.
• Add 7 facts about yourself.
• Nominate 7 other bloggers and let them know via a comment.

7 Facts About Me:

Fact One: In the past 34 years, I have 5 hospital stays under my belt.

• Stay #1-Weeks shy of my very first birthday, I suffered from a severe (almost deadly) case of Salmonella. As per the story I have been told, my babysitter made me a sandwich with mayonnaise that had been out in the Florida elements for too long, thus causing a very sick and dehydrated baby.
• Stay #2-Giving birth to my baby boy, Kody. The typical 2-day stay.
• Stay #3-Giving birth to my sweet baby girl, Kayla. The standard “hospital stay” in Germany (based on what I was told) is 5 days, but after expressing to my doctor that my husband (ex) was incompetent and incapable of caring for my son that long, I was able to go home hours after giving birth.
• Stay #4-Emergency Cesarean with my youngest son, Kolin. I was doped up on morphine, but believe I was only there for a few days. Unfortunately, my premature miracle baby had to stay for a few days more in NICU. You’d never know it now!
• Stay #5-After being told it was “Just Allergies” by multiple doctors, I finally found a physician who took me seriously. We discovered that I had a massive amount of gall stones, and he suggested that we opt for gall bladder removal. Then I went to my OBGYN and discovered that I had a Teratoma (tumor that resembles a fetus in my ovary which was the size of an infant’s head). I made plans to have these two organs removed as well as a mole from my shoulder (that ended up being cancerous). They ended up taking both of my Fallopian tubes while I was under. I was there for 2 days.

I’m not a huge fan of hospital stays! Been there, done that just a few too many times.

Fact Two: My favorite flower has always been a daisy. I love the simplistic beauty of it! It ties in with my inner hippie spirit.

Fact Three: I have always enjoyed coloring. It is super therapeutic (for me at least) and it reminds me of my one-on-one days with Mama when I was a little girl. Mama always bought my sister and I Precious Moments coloring books (she collected the figurines and has the most impressive collection today). She would color one side and I would color the other. I was always amazed by how much prettier her pictures turned out than mine. She always took it a step further and added little details like polka dots, swirls, and hearts. By doing this, she motivated me (without realizing) to keep working harder and to never give up until I had reached my desired outcome. Its mind blowing how such an innocent activity can elicit such profound growth!

As the years passed, I discovered that I enjoyed the super detailed pictures, and found that my preferred coloring utensil was Prismacolor Colored Pencils. It is because of these years of coloring that I have morphed into such a detail oriented artist.

Fact Four: When I was in Pre-K, there was a little girl in my class that had double jointed fingers. I thought it was so cool how she could bend her fingers, so I started to emulate what I saw. I’m not sure if I was double jointed prior to my experimentation, or whether I created them, but I now have double jointed fingers. While it is a cool party trick, it can be embarrassing at times, and painful at others. Every so often they lock up. It will be a miracle if I have the use of my fingers when I grow old. I believe that carpal tunnel will eventually seize them.

Fact Five: When I was growing up, I was a chunky girl. I had a larger build (you know, the “I’m not fat, I’m big boned” dilemma) like my daddy, while my sister was super skinny like my mama. I battled with my weight for years, and finally decided in 6th grade to do something about it. Of course I went about it the wrong way, but ended up a size 4 by the age of 17. While I had a slim waistline, my heart shaped ghetto bootie and these childbearing hips made it damn near impossible to find clothes that I liked and that would fit. If they fit over my ass, they were super loose in the waist. So, after years of disgruntled and frustrating clothes shopping sessions, I have grown to despise it! Unfortunately, now my clothing issues don’t revolve around my super skinny waist and ghetto bootie. Those days are LONG gone! I find it easiest just to stick with a good pair of blue jeans (I love my Silver’s!) and a band T-shirt. I stay so cold that I wear a hoodie year round, so why waste the effort trying to look cute? It’s all about comfort these days! And shoes…what girl do you know that’s NOT a fanatic over shoes? Well, you’re looking at one. I have 2 pairs of tennis shoes, 2 pairs of flip flops, 1 sandal, and 2 pairs of house shoes. That’s enough for me!

Fact Six: All my life, my favorite color has been purple; that deep, dark, rich Royal Purple/Indigo shade. Over the past few years, Kawasaki (neon) green has been added to my list. Those 2 colors together are absolutely gorgeous!

Fact Seven: One fact that fascinates me is that I have gone 34 years without breaking one single bone. This blows my mind because I am SUPER klutzy! I have boogered myself up pretty bad over the years (me being the daredevil that I was), but I have never once broken anything. Sometimes my feet get twisted in the sheets/blankets at the end of the bed and I go stumbling through the room trying to regain my balance. All the while my loving hubby is rolling his eyes under cupped hands, shaking his head, snickering, and enjoying the show. AND, sometimes, I forget how big my hips are that I slam into tables, chairs, shelves, desks, really anything and everything within walking distance. My nickname at home is “Grace,” and my lower region is covered with bruises. I couldn’t begin to tell you the cause for any of them!

Well, there you have it; 7 new facts about me, Krista Kemp. Thank you again, The 20 Something Social Recluse, for this wonderful award! I have had a wonderful time sharing these little tidbits from my life.

My Nominees for the One Lovely Blog Award:

Glitchy Artist

Bora Blog

Heena Rathore P.

Through Open Lens

Souldier Girl

Impacted By Life

Joann’s Food For Thought