Efficient Procrastination: Art or Vice?

OK. So I'm behind. And it's my own fault. You see I have a bad habit: I tend to take the things most important to me, the things that I want to spend time with, and set them aside until I have the proper time and attention for them -- which I never have. This might explain, my dear friends, why it takes me so long to answer your e-mails. And why we have no pictures in our photo albums. I'm sorry. I'm working on this problem. (And trying not to set it aside until I can give it my full attention.)

The important blogging detail that I'm catching up on, though, is the acceptance and passing on of two very sweet awards. I have to admit I always feel a little self-conscious doing these awards posts; I know I'll trip up the steps as I'm coming to get the button. But this time, I'm going to try to be unselfconsciously gracious -- like Gabriel.

If you give him a gift or compliment, my five-year-old knows no shyness, just gratitude: he grins from ear to ear and says "Thanks!" And sometimes he'll say, "I'm so lucky!"

So, here goes:

I received a wonderful nomination from sweet Marcy at Blessings Each Day for the the buttonless Charming Award.

Thanks, Marcy! I'm so lucky!

"This is how the award works: This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

The award also asks that I tell 7 "random" things about myself.

OK, Random Things:

1) I love any shade of green and don't particularly like yellow, but I didn't realize how much I had been shunning this color until we were talking about colors with three-year-old William this spring and couldn't find anything to point out when we came to yellow. Not a yellow thing in the entire house. So, I got some silk sunflowers and made an arrangement for the top of the computer. There. Now we have yellow.

2) I love to write with the finest tip black pens I can find. They're the best for doodling.

3) My husband and I have been arguing about the color of my eyes since we first met. I say they're green, he says they're blue. Over the years, we've arrived at a compromise of sorts by saying they're either bluish-green or greenish-blue, depending on who has the upper hand on a given day. (His are soft golden brown and not up for debate.)

4) I rarely paint my fingernails. My hands are in water so much that it wears and chips off almost immediately. But, I paint my toenails every Wednesday night during sandal-season while I eat popcorn and watch Ghost Hunters in my room. Alone. Dan plays goalee outside the door every Wednesday night, deflecting would-be invaders of my night off. And on those nights he's allowed to say my eyes are blue if he wants to.

5) I've hit upon my non-coffee cuppa for the summer. In venerable Brown Betty (my teapot), I steep three English Breakfast teabags, and either one Celestial Seasons Tangerine Orange or one Celestial Seasons Country Peach teabag. This is good for three to four mugs of hot tea or one gallon pitcher of iced tea for the day. Yummy.

6) Another yummy thing I have no conscience about indulging in whatsoever whenever I get the chance... We learned this from Fr. G., one of the boys' most beloved friends, mentors, and teachers at school: When out to eat at a restaurant where there is soft serve ice cream available at the dessert bar, fill your coffee mug 1/2 -3/4 full of black coffee, then add vanilla ice cream to fill the cup. Scrumptious! We won't think about how many calories are in it, ok?

7) I wore a gold chain anklet to school once during the one year I spent at public school and was mortified when a boy in my art class pointed to it and said, "I didn't think you were that kind of girl." Oh my goodness! I didn't wear anklets for years and years after that, thinking they were a symbol of -- well, of a bad thing, let us just say. It wasn't until I was in my forties that I found out there is no stigma connected to them now, if there ever were -- and now I wear anklets all the time. I've got to make up time, I guess. Or maybe it's a midlife rebellion. Whichever, Dan says he likes them, and that's all that matters. Catholic modesty and Dan's taste are my only two fashion barometers -- which is a little scary when you know that Dan is obviously color blind.

NOW I get to share this award. I'd like to pass it along to:

Kim at A Dog and Pony Show

Sara at My Wonderlife Life

Abbey at Abbey's Road

Linda at Linda Lu's BTDT

Diana at Sunshine on My Shoulders

Aimee at The Mother Load

Alice at A Number of Things

Aubrey at Laughing All the Way

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This next award is from Cathy at a Bit of the Blarney and Squelly at The Dreamer's Day.

Thanks, you guys! I'm so lucky!

True Heart Award

"Those who receive this award are of the sweetest nature. They are kind, friendly, funny, loving, eager to share their love for Jesus with others, and brave in their efforts to reflect Him to this darkened world. They are the kind of folks you're blessed to know, even if it's only in the bloggy-sphere."

I'd like to pass this award on to:

Terrie, my real life friend at Mama To Much

Bia, one of my oldest blogging friends at La Dolce: the sweet life with three sons

Stephanie, another old real-life friend at La Vita e'Bella

Charlotte at Waltzing Matilda, whose was the first blog in my favorites list two years ago, when I first found out what a blog was.