Living Montessori Now

Montessori Inspiration for Parents and Teachers

Versatile Blogger Award and Sunshine Award to Happily Pass On

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It’s been another exciting month of watching my blog grow and making lots of wonderful online friends! I keep discovering great, new sites as well!

Now for the most recent news: I’ve been listed as one of the top contributors for the #ECE Daily before, but last Friday, my “How to Make Your Own Montessori Materials” was the lead story. I think it just means that my post had the most #ece (early childhood education) retweets, but I think that’s great! I LOVE that people are reading and sharing my posts!

Also on Friday, I was given the Versatile Blogger Award by Mia at Online Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom. On Saturday, I was given the Sunshine Award by Natasa at Leptir. I’m SO grateful for the awards and excited to be able to pass them on to some great Montessori/homeschooling/parenting/education blogs!

First, for the Versatile Blogger Award, I must:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave me the award.

Thank you, Mia! You are very sweet, and I love visiting Online Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom. It feels like a vacation when I visit your blog in the Philippines.

2. Share 7 things about myself.

1. My husband is 8 years older than I am.

2. My children were born 5 years and 2 days apart (which was perfect for our family).

3. I’ve exercised for an hour 3 times each week since June 2006 (not because I always want to but because I don’t give myself the option not to exercise). I was very irregular in my exercise before that (except for when we were all obsessed with skiing, which is another story).

4. My daughter dragged me to Zumba and Nia classes (and made me fall in love with them). OK, so she didn’t drag me (I love to do things with her), but she did have to convince me that I could enjoy an exercise class in public!

5. I love exercising on the rebounder, Power Plate, and Pilates machine to audio book classics (especially Charles Dickens).

6. I typically sit on a fitness ball at my computer desk.

7. I turn 55 on Friday (shhh, don’t tell!). Now you know why I don’t give myself the option not to exercise!

3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who I have recently discovered and think are fabulous (also contact the bloggers I chose and let them know about the award).

It’s always hard for me to decide on just 15 fantastic bloggers because there are so many great blogs I love. Here are some of my favorite individual bloggers I discovered recently (in the last month or so). I’m passing on the Versatile Blogger Award (as alphabetized by my computer) to:

About a Girl

A Real Housewife of Atlanta with Mom Cents Online Magazine

Creative Kids Ideas

Förskoleburken

I Can Teach My Child

Joyful Mama’s Place

Little Hands, Big Work

Live, Learn, and Love Together

Percolating Practice

Silly Mom Thoughts

The Education of Ours

The Magic Onions

Two Little Seeds

Watkins Every Flavor Beans

Please check out the following posts for links to other great blogs I’ve passed on awards to previously:

Awards to Happily Pass On August 20, 2010

Outstanding Blogger Award July 26, 2010

Now, for this Sunshine Award I must

1. Write a post about the award.

2. Thank and link back to the person who gave me the award.

Thank you, Natasa! You are a wonderful Montessori blogger and I’m very thankful for Google translator which allows me to easily translate your ideas at Leptir from Croatian to English. 

3. Pass the award along to 12 bloggers (and let the bloggers know they have received the award by commenting on their blogs).

There are a number of great collaborative sites I regularly visit, such as Maria Montessori.com. Here, though, I want to award blogs run by one blogger that I regularly visit. Even so, it’s still difficult to choose among all the wonderful blogs out there! So here are 12 (as alphabetized by my computer): Updated to remove dead links

A Beautiful Mess

AP Freewriting 101

Beautiful Sun Montessori

Confessions of a Homeschooler

Homeschool Creations

Jennifer Janes

The Zen Mama Blog

And always, I am SO thankful to have you as a reader. To you, I happily pass on:

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Deb Chitwood says

      You’re welcome, Sherry! I love the homeschooling wisdom you share on your blog – and the Friday Funnies! I hope you have a blessed weekend, too!

    • Deb Chitwood says

      You’re welcome! I’m happy you’re enjoying my blog – I definitely enjoy reading about all your wonderful Montessori and Waldorf activities with your daughter!

  4. alicia says

    Thanks so much for the award. Sorry I’m so late to accept. I took a few days off. lol. I feel honored and can’t wait to add it to the trophy case. And I have 2 kids 2 yrs and 1 day apart. Too funny that it happens like that sometimes. Have a good one!
    alicia @ a beautiful mess

    • Deb Chitwood says

      You’re welcome, Lish! I hope everyone checks out your Project Smile! It is interesting having children with birthdays so close, isn’t it?! I always found it easy to do birthday shopping and party planning for two at the same time of year – and my kids even enjoyed doing their celebration together when they got older!

  5. Jessie says

    Thank you so much!! I can’t believe YOU gave ME this award. I just may call my Mom 🙂 A million thanks. I loved your post about making materials. I printed it for keeps!

    • Deb Chitwood says

      You’re welcome, Jessie! You definitely deserve it – I love your blog! It’s always fun to visit and see what lovely Montessori activities you’re doing at home!

    • Deb Chitwood says

      You’re welcome, Joelle! And thanks for your kind words! I always appreciate the encouragement you give both here and on your blog. Many blessings to you, too!

  12. The Magic Onions says

    Thank you, sweet Deb. I’m honored. So excited that I don’t recognize some of your favorites as there’s nothing nicer than finding new blog treasures.
    Blessings and magic to you.
    Donni