I'm Squirreltastic!

Apparently, I'm kinda squirreltastic. Or so says Menopausal Mother, who created an awesome Squirrely Blogger Award and presented me with one!

                                                                

Meno Mama loves squirrels because they're "ridiculously cute, nutty, and quirky".  I like to think that she gave me this award because I'm ridiculously cute, but I'm thinking the "nutty" part is probably more accurate. Whatever :)

The way it works is to list 7-10 quirky things about yourself, then pass on the award to 7-10 other squirrely bloggers.  So without further ado:

7 SQUIRRELY FACTS ABOUT BLACK SHEEP MOM:

1.  I have been pregnant 7 times, birthed 7 babies, and now also have 2 step-sons. Yet whenever I hold someone's newborn, my heart and my uterus try to brainwash my logic and whisper "one more...".

 

2. I must drink HOT coffee in the morning. Even in 101 degree July heat, I have to have hot coffee when I first wake up, not iced. It's not the same.

 

3.  I drove a minivan for 14 years. F-o-u-r-t-e-e-n. Recently I got an SUV and I feel 50 times cooler ;)

4.  I am terrified of a certain creature. Terrified to the level that I won't even type the word. Suffice it to say it lives outside, lots of times in gardens, or in the desert under rocks. Not a bug. Rhymes with rake.

5.  My least favorite chore is hand washing dishes. Loading or unloading the dishwasher isn't bad, but washing by hand I hate.

6.  I love to go out dancing, but unless I've imbibed in a few cocktails, my booty does not leave the chair. After a few margaritas though, watch out Michael Jackson!

7.  I firmly believe that a new pair of shoes makes everything better.

SQUIRRELY BLOGGERS I'M NOMINATING  FOR THIS AWARD:

I Like Beer and Babies
Momchalant
Sorry Kid, Your Mom Doesn't Get Along With Others
Crazy As Normal
Indian American Mom
The Plucky Procrastinator
Life on Peanut Layne
Evil Joy Speaks

August Secret Subject Swap - Take Two! A million smackeroos!

It's time for the second August Secret Subject Swap! This week, 13 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.

My secret subject is:  "You win $1,000,000 but can't keep 1 single penny of it. Who do you give it to and what do you hope for them to do with it?"   It was submitted by That Suburban Momma.  Check out her blog, she's got lots of good stuff to say and you'll enjoy it!

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I love this subject! Love love love.  I have actually thought about this many times. Ok, not the 'I can't keep 1 single penny part', but who I would share with if I was a millionaire.

Part of what sucks about being "low-income" for me, is not being able to give to all the places I want to, and help all the people I would like to help. And for some reason if we happen to have a little extra money, I'm scared of what 'might' happen down the road so maybe I shouldn't give it away. I hate feeling like that.

But let's imagine that tomorrow I win a million dollars! One m.i.l.l.i.o.n. dollars! Sahh-weeet!! Usually the first thing I would do if I got a bit of unexpected money would be to go to Dunkin Donuts and buy a coffee. BUT--- not this time. This time, it would go to:

*The Alzheimer's Association.  A big fat donation to help find a cure for this terrible, awful disease. I have lost 3 grandparents to this disease, and my ex-father-in-law was diagnosed with it before he passed away from a heart attack. I used to help take care of my maternal grandmother before she went into a nursing home, and this damn disease is just mean. It robs people of the thing most precious; themselves. Their memories, their thoughts, their connections to others. And it is something that I am terrified of inheriting.

*The American Cancer Society.  Who doesn't know somebody that has battled cancer? I heard once that everyone, if they live long enough, will get cancer. I don't know if it's true or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. My amazing, awesome uncle passed away from cancer not quite 2 years ago, only in his sixties. And my husband lost his father to cancer, at the age of 52, when my husband was only 28.

At our wedding reception, instead of those little favors at each place setting, the hubs and I decided to take the money we would have spent on chocolates or candles or personalized shot glasses and instead make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association and the American Cancer Society. We made up cards for each seat stating our plan.

 

 

*A pregnancy counseling center. I used to volunteer at one in my area, and it's staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It's a wonderful organization and I would love to give them a boost.

 

*Single moms. Either an organization that works with them, and/or some that I know personally. I was a single mom for about 6 or 7 years, after my divorce from my first husband, and that sh*t is hard! HARD. Not just financially, but every way you can imagine. Easing a single mom's financial burden though is at least one less thing she will have to worry about.

 

*Youth sports.  My kids have been involved in sports since about the age of 4. (If there were any programs for younger kids they would've joined earlier!) I can't say enough about the positive effect sports can have on kids. I know, I know, not always. The world is full of jack asses, and some of them make their way into the arena of athletics; but there are so many good, dedicated, unselfish people that give their time and energy to give kids a positive activity, and it has been a life saver in this household. Almost every athletic program costs money though, and we've been very blessed to be involved with a group that will not turn any child away due to lack of ability to pay. I'd love to be a part of that.

 

 

 

*Lastly, I would give money to family and friends that could use a hand. And people on the street. Did you ever hear about the guy that dressed as Santa at Christmastime and would walk down the street handing out hundred dollar bills from his own money? That sounds awesome to me.

 

Because giving IS better than receiving.

 

But can I at least get a coffee??

 

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Now hop on over to these other fabuloso bloggers and read what amazingness they have come up with!

 

http://BakingInATornado.com                            Baking In A Tornado

http://dawnsdisaster.blogspot.com                    Dawn’s Disaster

http://indianamericanmom.com                         Indian American Mom

http://www.homeonderanged.com                      Home on Deranged

http://coachdaddyblog.wordpress.com                  Coach Daddy

http://www.justalittlenutty.com/       Just A Little Nutty (Guest Post)           
http://www.itsyummi.com                                   It’s Yummilicious

http://dates2diapers2.blogspot.com                       Dates 2 Diapers

http://www.rocksnosaltmommy.com/                     Rocks, No Salt Mommy

http://crazyasnormal.com                                     Crazy As Normal

http://ibddaddyandme.blogspot.com/                    IBD, Daddy and Me!

www.thatsuburbanmomma.com                           That Suburban Momma