A Battery-Operated Halo, and an Award or Two

~ Kana Smith
Grandy with Christian & Elena last summer, just after their river-rafting trip

We had a joyful houseful last week for the holidays–my parents visiting from northern Idaho AND our three youngest kids.  Last year at this time we had lost all custody rights to the kids due to our alcoholic relapse, so we’re fully cognizant of the blessings of having our 15-year-old with us full-time, and a joint schedule with the youngest two.  The best Christmas gifts can’t be found in any catalog!

My folks are known to the kids as “Grandy and Boboo”–Grandy because my mom said she wasn’t ready to be called “grandma” or “granny” or any of those old-lady-labels, and Boboo has stuck ever since two-year-old Christian invented the tag for  “Grandpa Bob.” So Grandy & Boboo brought “Santa” to our house–and in addition to science kits for Christian, doll clothes for Elena, and books for both, (and gift certificate for Kapena–because who can shop for a teenager?!) they got for us a pair of lights to install underneath the kitchen cabinets to illuminate the counter.

The little lamps are activated by touch–you just press on them to turn them on, which is super-convenient when I’m groggily fumbling for the coffee pot in the dark before starting on an early-morning writing assignment!  Just now, when I leaned across the counter in the pass-through from the living room to smooch my cooking hubby, I bonked one of them with my head and accidentally turned it on.  Contemplating the suddenly lit bulb above my head, Keoni politely asked if I’d just had an idea?  I told him this is the only way I’ll ever appear to have a halo…

Awesome Blog Content Award

I certainly don’t qualify for any halo that doesn’t come with batteries–and a better person than I might be trying to remedy that fact by making Resolutions regarding various Very Bad Habits.  I’m not a Resolutions kinda gal, though–if I’m honest about it, I like some of my Very Bad Habits (which is no doubt why they’ve become habits). Instead, I’d like to celebrate what is now my all-time favorite list of New Year’s Resolutions–posted this morning by Becoming Cliche–by passing along the Awesome Blog Content Award to her, and to some other Awesome Authors-of-Blogs.

First, I’d like to thank Restless Jo, who honored me with the award, and who is very deserving herself!  And I’m honored to forward the tribute to some of the (many!) bloggers who keep me smiling:

There’s some fine reading among those blogs–I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

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Candle Lighter Award

We had a massive hail-and-thunder storm the night before last…  Lightning so close the whole sky was ablaze, thunder shaking the house, hail blanketing the yard in a matter of minutes…  And of course the electricity down!  I was grateful for those battery-operated lights under the cabinets to help me find our supply of candles.

Along similar lines…  I’d like to pass along an award to some bloggers whose sharing-from-the-heart keeps me inspired, particularly given the various challenges they face.  When the “electricity of life” goes out for a while, these folks can keep a candle lit!  My thanks to Diabetic Redemption and  Time After Time, both of whom gave me the opportunity to pass along the Candle Lighter Award.  I’d like to convey my deepest respect to the following Candles of the Blogging World:

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Kreativ Blogger Award

This next award, the Kreative Blogger, was really bestowed on my cat, Suzy, who corresponds in Hawai’ian Pidgin with Pedro the Cat at Maru Can Kiss My Furry…  But since Suzy is currently consumed with the determined pursuit of a spider, I’ll do the honors myself…  I’d like to commend the creativity (sorry–Kreativity) of the following bloggers:

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And lastly, I’d like to give a grateful shout-out to several people who sent me the Versatile Blogger Award.  My “forwarding engine” is running dry for the day, but I’d like to acknowledge the bloggers whose own blogs are so worth reading: “M” is for Marriage and Motherhood, MacKenzie’s Dragonsnest, Southern Sea Muse, Life on Earth, Help for the Heart, Diabetic Redemption, and Memoirs of an Evil Stepmom.

My thanks to all–and happy reading!

35 thoughts on “A Battery-Operated Halo, and an Award or Two”

  8. Oh my Lord, I’m gonna need a week to get to grips with all these recommendations- whooppee!
    Please, please Kana- do you know anywhere I could get a battery-operated halo? It would be endless hours of entertainment for my husband.

    Glad you made it through and are so happy to share your life with us.

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  14. Kana, Thank you so much I am so honored that you chose my blog for the Awesome Blog Content Award. This year is starting out great and a large portion of it is because of you and your generosity – Thank you! You definitely Rock the Awesome, Kreativ,, Candle Lighter Bloginess blog stuff!
    :-) Peace

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  16. Kana, congratulations on awards and that BEST award–Christmas with your children! Your mom looks WAY too young! And you definitely look like her. Great bone structure! I am very pleased to get ideas about other blogs with which I am unfamiliar. I am NOT of the “let it all hang out” school, but I do enjoy any blog that includes such great details as “electronic haloes”. Absolutely LOVE that image! May your 2012 be totally glorious, and may all your times with your children be lit up by a whole host of “heart-haloes”! P.S., Back in the days of us boomers without telecommunications and the WWW, all caps was used to clarify what we thought was most important, also used to indicate how to read aloud, if one so chose. Now, I realize everyone thinks CAPS are “screaming”! Oh, well. We oldsters must continue to adjust!

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  17. Kana – Thank you so much I am honored beyond belief that you chose my blog for the Awesome Blog Content Award. My year has started out pretty darn good and a good part of that is because of your generosity and kindness. Congratulations on your awards as well – you most definitely Rock the Kreativ Candle Lighting Awesomeness.!!! Thanks again! ~ Lizzie Cracked :-)

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  19. Kana, thank you so much for the award. As Lizzie said (and why elaborate on perfect words?), I am honored beyond belief. Thank you for reading, for your support, for your faith. And thanks for shining your light in my life.

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  21. Thank you DEEPLY for the recognition. I seem to cry a lot lately, and this was one that got me all teared up. I’m happy to share my story with you. I’m glad it means something to someone other than me. HUGS of THANKS!!!

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  22. Pingback: Points of Light « A Mind Divided

  24. you sound like a person i’d like to know better ….. the pirate part of you that is…..I came across your blog via Divided Mind….I’ll be back soon as I can pull my nose out of the water.

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  26. It’s nice to hear you’ve got the kids back and had a lovely family affair over this holiday season.

    Thanks so much Kana for the honors of the ABC Award. Now I just have to figure out how to post it.

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  27. Congratulations for all those awards! You certainly deserve them all! Happy New Year, and many blessings for you and all your family.

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  31. Holy Cow! Kana! Thank you so much for this award! It’s my first ever blog award, and I’m so absolutely happy! You are an amazing writer – this is such an amazing thing to come from you!! I just got home from vacation and found this! Wow! So awesome! :)

    Cheers! Happy to you! Thank you!!

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  32. Pingback: Sharing From The Heart « The Curvy Spine

  33. Dearest Kana—I love your blog. I am thrilled that someone passed The Candle Lighter Award on to you. That is the award I created for wonderful blogs/bloggers that light up the world. If you want to read about why I created the award, etc here is the link back to my blog. http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/creation-of-new-blog-award-the-candle-lighter-award/
    I have added you to my list of awardees. So glad you have your children back. Keep up the great work. STay in touch–love, Kate

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  34. Hello and congratulations on your ABC award
    I was slightly confused by your badge which is different to the original badge – I set up the award and you can find out more here http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/abc-award/
    I’m not precious about the badge or the award – but I have had other bloggers down the line asking me about the different badges – so I thought you might like to know!!
    best wishes
    Alyson

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