Do you ever wonder where these blog awards begin or who is behind them?  I sure do.  This lovely award was gracefully passed to me by a new lovely friend, Vicki, from Here In My World.  Of course I was surprised and honored, but mostly, just so grateful for her introducing me to her incredible blog.  So go ahead, hop on over and enjoy Vicki…her strength and creativity is in abundance.  She is a survivor and has wisdom to share. 

As a recipient of this wonderful award, I am to share 7 things about me you might find interesting:

1. In high-school I was the mascot for two years, a Trojan Warrior and could be found chasing and fighting swords with the other team’s chicken, rooster, and other pathetic head-covered and hot mascot you can think of.  During our water-polo half times, my team mates (all boys but 2), would call for the warrior.  I would hop out of the pool, throw my costume over my suit, and run round the pool, waving my sword, like a deranged lunatic with too much spirit.  My buddies would cheer and laugh. 
2. My Senior Year, they made me Homecoming Queen.  Believe me.  It wasn’t because I was the smartest, most beautiful or any other wonderful thing you could think of.  Somehow I made the students laugh and went to every sporting event that were usually ignored: cross country, badminton, tennis, etc.  thanks to my partner, Andy, (a tennis player).  I made more friends in high school than I could have imagined.  I felt like a queen just for that reason.  I didn’t need a crown, though the dancer does enjoy wearing it these days during dress-up. 
3. In college I was known for my “Buns of Steel.”  My girlfriends and I, the Steel Ladies, would randomly yell it out the window at exercising strangers and leave chalk messages for our friends…there are now signs at the MTC that prohibit chalk messages on the sidewalk directed at missionaries walking to the temple.  I have no idea why…
4. My roomies and I shared our school spirit during sporting events at the Y by wearing our “naked suits.” We each had a skin colored leotard with a B, Y, or U painted in cougar blue.
5. After studying abroad with the architecture program in Italy for the Summer, I flew to Denmark to enjoy my older Swiss sis, Anne-Mette and her now hubby Reto.  When they had to get back to work, I toured Jutland and Odense on my own for a week, took a train to Lyon, France, and rented a car to visitProvence (one of my favs from my last study abroad) and the French Alps.  I had no idea most, if not all, rental cars in France were manual.  It was raining, but after an hour, I managed to get out of the parking lot and on to the highway.  When I didn’t know where to go, I just kept going around the round-a-bout.  I parked where I could pull through, as I hadn’t figured out the reverse.  When stuck on a traffic filled hill in Moustiers, the car stalled.  After a few tries I begged the man behind me to drive the car up the hill for me.  His girlfriend was livid, as I kept trying to convince her that I just needed help, oh please, nothing more!  At the top the man was very concerned for me.  I assured him I would coast to the bottom, park, and hike into town.  I made many more friends on my solo journey, slept in the car nearly the entire time, sketched, spoke better French, as I had to, and had a wonderful time. 
6. I fell for the designer at Lake Tahoe but felt rejected when he spoke of wanting to fall in love with a friend.   I erected a tall wall and went on with life; my new job working as a City of Las Vegas Planner, and finishing my Landscape Architecture degree.  The designer gradually took down each brick of my wall as he helped me study for my plant ID class, colored my presentation drawings, and helped me re-learn the Auto CAD I had forgotten.  He followed me to my beloved art museums, swam with me at Caesar’s Palace, hiked through the desert, bought us tickets to an Irish Dance show, and took me to the top of the Eiffle Tower (the miniature one in Vegas…one day I’ll take him to the real one).  He gave me three beautiful children for whom I’ll be eternally grateful.
7. I’m currently undergoing NAET: an allergy elimination treatment.  My osteoporosis is improving (I know, I’m only 32), the kiddos phosphorous disease is no more, my seasonal allergies are gone, and I hope to soon be rid of the rest of my food allergies.  Not to worry, you’ll still find bizarre and healthy recipes on this blog.  The food won’t change too much.  Just the reactions!  🙂

And now for the fun part…I get to pass on this delightful award to 7 kreativ bloggers:

1. Moments by Julie
2. The Greenhouse by Kerri
3. My Digital Clutter by Teri
4. Wonder Woman taking on the World by Alyssa
5. Think Pink by Alison
6. Apples to Oranges by Amber
7. Simon Says by Camille

Awardees, here are the instructions at Just Be.

I could nominate so many more…I’ve mentioned so many already in my discovery posts if you want to see some more kreativ blogs!