I’m so excited to announce that I received my first blog award.  As you may remember, I recently participated in the Ultimate Blog Party 2010 at 5 Minutes for Mom.  I had a great time that week, and met many new bloggers.  It was so fun visiting all the bloggers and seeing the different writing styles and topics.  And to get so many visitors at my own blog was so inspiring.  Hallee the Homemaker was one of those visitors and I am honored to received her I (Heart) Your Blog Award.  I know, I know, many of you think these types of award are silly, but I am truly honored to know that I have at least one fan!

Science Fiction Mommy who is a very talented and fun writer. From what I read on her site, I’m even more interested in reading her work when it gets published.

Frugal Challenge 2009 – What can I say? I have a family of 7 and I need to be frugal when I can. Tracey has some great ideas on how you can save money. Stop in and see her.

Busy Lil Homemaker has a great blog too. Since I’m a bit “homemaker-challenged” I find her blog refreshing and very useful. And please check out this yummy vegetable pizza recipe she has. It looks mahvelous!

I just can’t wait til next years Ultimate Blog Party, so now that my first blog party is complete, I’ll have to find other ones until next year comes….

Til the Next Chapter,

Deanna

Wow! The party has finally started. So my first party post will be an introduction to me since I’m fairly new on the blogging scene. I’ve been married to my husband Rob for 15 years this August. He was laid off from his desk job many years ago and decided to become a personal trainer because he loved working out. It has always been a major part of his life. He’s been very successful at it. I am a designer for a sports memorabilia auction house. It’s a small company and I work for a great boss with a bunch of great guys! I do most of my own design work depending on how much time I have on my personal projects.

Our family…..We have 5 amazing children. 4 girls and a boy, and yes, the boy is the last. He came to us when we had just given up on trying for a boy.

Ashley is the oldest. She’ll be 18 years old in July. She’s the athlete in the house, just like her Dad. Samantha is 14 and is a social butterfly who has been getting into a bit too much trouble for that in school lately. Dorothy is 11 years old, the smart, creative one of the family who loves to read, write and draw. (and the one most like her Mom). Madison is 7 years old, a smart independent girl who has lots of friends. And then finally is Brian, who is 2 1/2 and going through potty training. He is “The King” and boy! does he ever know it.

We are a reading family. From the time Ashley was a baby we started weekly trips to the library. I think my kids all know the Dewey Decimal System better than any kids I’ve ever met. When they need a book, they know the right aisle to go down. We love the library. Besides the books, libraries always have great programs for kids. And lately they have alot of programs for adults too! I recently participated in a library fundraiser and was able to donate $100 to my local library. What a great feeling!

There are so many cool prizes to be won at this year’s Ultimate Blog Party, but my top picks would be:

US11 – A $100 gift eCertificate to Restaurant.com, US18 – A Goodie Basket for Mom, or US20 – $50 in Cookie Lee Jewelry, US57 – A beginners yoga kit, US69 – The Itty Bitty Bookworm, US105 Get Fit Pack,
…
So this week, I’ll have a couple more posts and some fun giveaways, so stay tuned and come back soon

Fast forward 2 years, we are very settled into our new home and enjoying our lives started fresh. Yesterday, my husband and I rearranged our bedroom and created a cozy corner with book light, table, chair and sofa so that I can have a nice reading area! And of course, still having a box of books packed up, with a few taken out over the last year and laying bedside, I decided I finally needed a bookshelf to restart my collection. We excitedly went shopping and I picked out a 7 foot tall, 5 shelf bookshelf.  I assembled it all by myself (yay, me!!) and it is now sitting in my book nook with about a shelf filled.

It’s so exciting to see all those empty shelves! Because what that now means is that I can start collecting again.  Oh joyous day!!!  My husband cannot possibly realize the happiness he has brought me from a small 5×5 foot area he made for me that I can call my own. Thank you honey, you are my life, my happiness and my inspiration!