That cool, refreshing drink.

Well, oh mah sta-a-a-hrs---I seem to have been given a lovely award in the form of lemonade! If I'm not mistaken, the Academy of Arts and Sciences bestows this miraculous honor, so my sincere gratitude goes to them, first and foremost. I'm so humbled and grateful, and I couldn't have done it without the help of my daily dose of psychotropic drugs, coffee, and my new best friend, Mama Bee, who nominated me. I thought the nomination process came through Cannes, but whatever! I'm not picky! I haven't won anything since 8th grade when I was home sick and called into a radio station to win ski lift tickets. Not being a skiier, that was somewhat anti-climactic.

Mama Bee is a very, very funny mom to a girl so cute you could literally bite her cheeks (not that I would, Mama Bee, not that I would), and possesses one of my favorite blogger qualities: she cusses like a sailor. Let's hear it for Mama Bee, everyone...let loose the general rejoicing!

[pause for applause]

Come to find out, this award is not all about me, which is a little troubling but I'll play along. The rules are (that there are no rules! HA!) you have to give props to the person who bestowed the award upon you in the first place, and you have to nominate 10 bloggers that you'd like to give the award to, something about them having attitude and gratitude. A little pay it forward, if you will. Dooce seems to have put my email address on spam alert, so here are ten other bloggers I find scintillating:

1) Holly at Nothing But Bonfires. She's a British girl living in San Francisco, newly engaged, world traveller, a great writer with top-notch fashion sense and who also offered great restaurant advice to me some months ago when I went to London. She's not afraid to share photos of herself from the 80s, and had her fiance design her blog in Tiffany Blue. What's not to like?

2) The Dad at Looky Daddy. He is one of the talented few with the ability to make you cramp up with laughter and well up with tears, sometimes in the same post. He's at home with his three daughters, two of whom are twins (TWINS.) and is an excellent writer. My first stop every morning. (after the afore-mentioned drugs and coffee. which I hope has nothing to do with why I like him. No. No, I'm pretty sure he's just as good when you're sober and sleepy.)

3) Danny at Dad Gone Mad is a reel ryter with a book deal now so probably way out of my wee little league, but this is about who I like, not who likes me. (However, if a small gift of cash or perhaps a lovely handbag will make one like me, I'm not necessarily opposed to a graft situation). If you delve into his archives, be sure to check out The Chronicle of Danny's Vasectomy. I'm quite sure I may have lost consciousness for a moment on account of the laughing.

4) Y at Joy Unexpected. Funny, moving, a fantastic writer and has a four-year-old girl (not that I have a four-year-old girl anymore because she's five now did I mention she's five oh god I need a valium but I digress...) whose antics are adorable and hilarious. Honest and talented, and did I mention funny? (I sense a theme developing here.)

5) C. Monks at Utter Wonder. Dry, hilarious, his Blogvent Calendar is not to be missed. Also has a real, published book on real paper and everything. Listing him here should increase his sales by at least 400%.

6) Linda at All & Sundry. Tales of life with her two boys and husband are absolutely adorable and hilarious, she's a great photographer and an even better writer. (Also? The things that come out of her husband's mouth reminds me so much of my husband's wit, it's scary.)

7) Nat at Marmite Breath. Another expat Brit married to a Naval Man (Purposely written to make him sound dashing, b/c he is. Naval Man.) Crafty (hands-on crafts, not sneaky), warm, hysterical, great story-teller. She has an special expression for photos that is unparalleled.

8) Kristin at Better Now. Why she does not have a book out yet is beyond me. Hands-down one of the best writers on the internet, in my humble opinion. She's a single mom of an adorable boy, and bares her soul daily for our edification. You owe it to yourself to stop by, and you will get hooked.

9) Donna at Spuddy Buddy. A real flesh and blood friend who moved away and took her adorable husband with her, then went and had a baby that I HAVE NOT HELD YET, which is unacceptable. Smart, funny, I laugh, I cry, I like her even better than Cats!

10) Ruth at Do WE Amuse You? Okay, I may or may not be related to her. She keeps claiming it's so on account of her marrying my brother, but I've yet to see proof. Reading her blog makes me alternate between wetting my pants and needing CPR. And she's got this groovy music function on her page playing "Faithfully" by Journey right now. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little verklempt.

So there you have it--my 10 Lemonade Awards. I had trouble choosing just ten, but what can I say? I'm a rules-girl.