Drum Roll, Please . . .

m a m a :: m i l i e u has been given its first blogger award, and I must say it feels pretty darn good!

I really enjoy blogging. Not only does m a m a :: m i l i e u keep our family and friends both near and far informed about everything Noah Finn, it also provides me with an outlet for writing (which I do so much enjoy), a place for venting, ranting and seeking baby advice, and hopefully it provides a helpful and insightful forum where other mothers can come for the same types of things. To receive an award for all of it, is just icing on the bloggy cake.

Fellow super mommy blogger, former early childhood teacher and Aussie mom Christie, over at Childhood 101, included me on a list seven mommy blogs that she admires. As part of receiving the award, I must do the following: 1) List seven interesting tid bits about me, the author of m a m a :: m i l i e u and, 2) name seven other blogs/bloggers that I admire.

So here we go . . .

Seven Non-Mommy Related Tids Bits About Me:

1. I ran the San Diego Marathon when I was 24 years old. My father has run more than 5 marathons in his mid 50's--he beats my finish line time every single time he runs one . . . without even trying.
2. I didn't truly fully understand English grammar until I was in grad school receiving my M.A. in Literature--English, essentially--and teaching composition at the University. And, this is of course is after receiving a B.A. in English. I still struggle at times. To compensate, I have simply stylized my flaws so that I do not have learn how to correct them.
3. I studied in Sundsvall, Sweden as an undergrad. When I arrived, I thought that the soft boiled egg cups that the University had furnished my apartment kitchen with were shot glasses (hey, give me a break--I was coming from North Carolina where they drink moonshine out of boots). My roommates and fellow students have never let me forget it.
4. Before pregnancy, despite my healthful eating and living habits, I could not go a single weekday morning without a cup of coffee--with no sugar and lots of half and half.
5. As a child, I played the french horn, the trumpet, the flute and the guitar. Unfortunately, I never stuck with any one long enough to become really good.
6. If I had to choose another profession aside from teaching, I would choose to be an Archeologist. I love history. I love digging around in the mud. I love old finds. I love traveling.
   
7. The topic of my Master's Thesis was based upon two books by two authors. One of which was a late 17th and early 18th century controversial French pornographer, novelist, activist, politician and philosopher, and the other, a controversial and revolutionary 19th century gay French activist, philosopher, linguist, historian and sociologist who died of AIDS in 1984 . . . and my degree was in English Literature. This will be a must-read on Noah's childhood bookshelf for sure. Tee, hee, hee.

Seven Mommy Blogs I Admire:
(This was an incredibly hard list to put together--as there are so many incredible mommy blogs that I follow. I hope that I have not hurt anyoe's feelings by leaving anyone out . . .)

1. Salt and Chocolate--Mary Beth over at Salt and Chocolate writes an amazingly inspirational blog for any mom interested in natural parenting. She includes recipes for everything from making your own natural deodorant to delicious homemade desserts, as well as, inspirations for crafts, activities, and design. This was one of my first mommy blog finds and I have been an avid reader ever since.
2. Our Unschooled Family--Earth mama Gina and her nest of three keep a beautiful blog detailing their life and times in the UK. Gina writes a great once-a-week post called, "Book Sharing Mondays", where she features great children books that they are currently reading.
   
3. DosFamily--This stunning visually captivating family blog is run by Jenny, Steffan and Isabelle--a sort of Swedish collective. Their life capturing photos are absolutely enviable and the places where they capture them at is the stuff that fairytales are made of. This blog will make your aesthetic senses salivate.
4. HeartFelt--A New Zealand based mama blog that truly captures the beauty of raising a family in a truly beautiful place. Nature abounds in this mama of two's blog--and one more is on the way! Congratulations mama!
   
5. JJustKidding--Friend and fellow Los Angeles mommy of beautiful baby Bea, blogs about everything that you've always wanted to ask, say, complain, or rejoice about as a mom but just haven't. She's blunt, honest and astutely on the mark with all issues baby. She's certainly one of the best of my blogging nest.
6. Domestic Dork--Meet my blogging neighbor to the north, Holly Noelle, mother of little Lucy. Holly is a Canadian super mom and a super blogger--she's a motivational inspiration for me as a fellow blogging mom. She has her stuff together and it shows in her own custom detailed blog design. She offers tips, tricks and advice for moms looking to start their own blogs, and she very recently has launched her own graphic design "business" just for blogs called Coffee Graphic Design. Check it out!
7. Of Grateful Praise--As most of my closet friends know, I am not a religious person. But, fellow Los Angeles mama Jennifer's blog provides a beautiful glimpse of the spiritual side of mommying that I cannot help but seek inspiration from. She is a spiritual mom who embraces the natural way of living in the big city with her amazing little guys, Ezra and Isaak.

So, there it is . . . if the mommies above choose to play along, they will need to . . .

• Post the logo of the blog love token
• Thank and link to the person who passed it on to them
• List seven things about themselves
• Pass the token on to seven other bloggers (and leave comments on their blogs to let them know they have been loved)

Happy Blogging,
Joni, at m a m a :: m i l i e u