my duties for winning this award are as follows:
1. thank the person who nominated me for this award – check
2. copy the award & place it on my blog – check
3. link to the person who nominated me for this award – check
4. share 7 interesting things about myself – ooh boy, ok.
5. nominate 7 other beautiful bloggers – that i can do!

confession: i’m not all that interesting. no seriously. but i will try to regale you with some odd/weird/most likely boring information about myself that you don’t yet know (like what, right? i share pretty much everything here whether or not you want to know…).

1] i have been to disneyland over 30 times in my life. i’ve never lived in california. this means i am awesome. my first trip i was not even 2 years old. i cannot WAIT to take Harper someday.

2] i am terrified of clowns and moths. when i was 2, my mom dressed me up like a clown, but forgot to let me see what she was doing as she put my makeup on. after she was done, she showed me my face in the mirror and i FREAKED MY FREAK. i’m not scared of them because of things like modern clown movies and stuff – i am old school at being afraid of clowns. and moths? repulsive. i don’t care if they “aren’t scary” and “can’t hurt me” and all the other things my husband says. they should all GO DIE somewhere. [put a moth in my immediate area to see jumping, squealing and hiding beneath furniture. and then delete me from your phone/fb/twitter/life because I HATE YOU.]

3] i had shingles once. you know, that thing that only old people get? yeah, i had that. when i was 19. cause i’m just that special. it was awful, i recommend it to no one. it not only gives you owie, chickenpox-like stuff on your skin, but it attacks your nerves and can do permanent damage. which it did to me. boo on old people diseases.

4] i used to sell brick. and stone. and pavers and retaining walls. you know what? i was really good at it (toot toot! that’s mah horn!). it was hard at first, being a girl and all, and trying to convince dudes that i knew what i was talking about. but once i did, look out. if you ever need to know how to calculate how much sand you need to lay a patio, holler at your girl.

5] i mix up the words “scent” and “flavor”, and “itch” and “scratch”. i’m not stupid or anything, i just enjoy using them intermittently. examples include : “can you itch my foot? it scratches” and “what flavor is this candle?”. Scot thinks it’s hilarious. it *might* be annoying. file it under “mandy doesn’t care”.

6] i always wanted kids, but as an adult wasn’t good with them. i got weird when they’d talk to me, sort of like kenny from smonkyou, and would say “i like your shirt/hat/lollipop/pigtails”. after that? i was lost. it’s funny now that i’m a mom, that i used to be like that.

7] i like coloring. with crayons, in coloring books. i foresee an issue when Harper starts with art supplies. as in, mommy will have her coloring books and H will have hers. wow. i’m glad this is number 7 and i have to stop now. i’m sounding more bananas with each number.

now for the good part! new blog finds for you to go and fully stalk.

1] germama – gorgeous baby girl named Rory (love). Brittany is witty, sarcastic and plain awesome.

2] lady lucca – you will go all kinds of cannibalistic on this baby. good thing you can’t actually eat babies through a computer screen, or Lucca would have been a gonner some time ago.

3] lindsey ivory – love her. she’s expecting her first baby and i so enjoy reading her adventures. brings back memories and she has great style. win.

4] the 818 – this one time, i read her blog and followed her on twitter and generally stalked her hoping she’d be my friend. no seriously. i love her. then one day she started following me on twitter and stuff. i don’t think she knows how in love with her i am. but um, she does now.

5] mrs. priss – seriously? i die. anyone who’s twitter name is as brilliant as “Ohmorgosh” when their name is Morgan is my hero. check out her etsy store – amazing. and her posts always have me rolling.

6] molina baby steps – this? is my IRL friend from highschool. read: we did unmentionable things and caused a ridic amount of trouble. oh the STORIES. but now we’re all kinds of responsible and junk. i love roxanne SO much and her baby Sienna is gorgeous. i just wish we lived closer. sad face.

7] o my family – do not look directly at O Baby. you will regret it. i ell oh vee ee LOVE allison. rumor has it she will be out my way this summer and that we’re going to meet up. i mean, if my head doesn’t explode from the sheer idea of it all first.

so there you have it. seven things that make me a complete weirdo, as if you didn’t think so before, and seven superdooperawesome new blogs for you to peruse.

totally unrelated, i’d like to thank everyone who has donated to my BlogHer fund. i’ve teared up more than once in the last 24 hours over your generosity. it means more than i can say. you guys are the best – seriously.

my friend aliya has agreed to make the shirt that will include every one’s name who donates. RADICAL! (yes, it’s 1992). to see your name strewn across my lady parts, donate here:

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAYS OF OUR LIVES! BABY SWITCH! FINALLY! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAMI’S FACE! NICOLE’S STUPID LYING FACE! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! SO GOOOOOOD!!!!

::steps down off of chair and fixes hair::

sorry. i just…i’m a loser. i’m half hoping someone, anyone, will throw me a bone and say they watch it, too. ’cause one of you surely does, right? right?

[crickets].

check out gina’s blog if you get a chance, her little lady is SO cute. Gina, email me your address when you get a chance and the fawn/chihuahua pillow will be on her way!

i think it should be said that my pho/vietnamese noodle bowl problem is at level orange. this means i have had either pho or a vietnamese noodle bowl at least 5 times in the past week. i think this constitutes a severe problem and i should seek immediate counseling. unless of course a counseler would urge me not to eat said dishes, in which case i do NOT need counseling.

i’ll leave you with a pic of H and her new hair clippy, courtesy of my friend Rachel and her son Liam. so frigging cute.

so please bear with me as i navigate uncharted territory. i *think* i’m going to like it here, and i better, since i just spent the better part of an evening importing my old blogger blog. if you like us, you’ll save this new link to your favorites and keep playing with us. and if not, then get out! we didn’t want you here anyways! ::slams door::