To be tagged and awarded - and then cheat!

I've always had a hard time following rules. I usually read chain letter emails and then promptly discard them without forwarding, putting myself at risk of missing out on eternal love, friendship, luck and what have you. Bloggy-awards are different, I feel honored and special whenever someone hands me one but then utter laziness hits me and I struggle to answer the questions that come with it and to forward said award to any of my many blogging heroines.
So I've decided to cheat!
I'll thank all the wonderful ladies that have given me awards, try to answer all the questions, and then simply create and forward my own special little award - with no strings attached other than to pass it on!

Here goes:
1. -Thank you irrationalexuberance at So much for simple and easy for tagging me in the "let's learn more about each other instead of about our periods and hormones" game :)
What's the best dish you can cook?
I make a mean artichoke and crab dip that has people licking the hot dish when they run out of chips.
Have you ever been mentioned in the newspaper? What for?
Yes, a few times actually, for reasons ranging from getting married, having parties that went out of control and receiving awards in my field of business.
What's the worst/most memorable job you have had?
Strawberry picking as a teen during a very wet season in Sweden. Every morning that summer I got up before five, rode my bike five miles in the rain and then spent all day on my knees in the mud picking berries. The smell of ripe, moist strawberries still makes my muscles ache and my stomach turn.
When you were a teenager, at what age did you envision getting married?
In my early teens I dreamt of a fairy tale wedding but never had a specific age in mind, as I grew older and turned feminist I decided that getting married was archaic and not for me. Until I met Diver Dude.
What's your most hated household chore? What's your favorite?
Most hated is cleaning toilets, emptying the cat's litter box (fortunately I'm relieved of both those duties right now) and picking up dog poo in the yard. My favorite is vacuuming with my ipod and ironing either outside on a sunny day or in front of a good classic movie.
What's your earliest memory?
I fell off the toilet when I was three and had to get stitches. Only I screamed bloody murder so my parents decided it was best the doc just taped me up instead. Still have a nice horizontal scar on my forehead.

2. -Thank you PunkRockMom for the awesome Cherry on Top Award
If you had the chance to go back and change one thing in your life, would you and what would it be?
I firmly believe that every event in my life - good, bad, beautiful and ugly - has led me to where I am today and changing it would turn me in to a different person in a different kind of life. So. I wouldn't change a thing.


3. -Thank you Journey Girl and HopeSprings for the Beautiful Blogger Award
Tell us 7 interesting things about you:
• I dream of writing and illustrating a children's book about different kinds of family building - It's still in the idea/sketch stage...
• I was born with a strawberry mark on my left shoulder - now it looks more like a pale raisin
• I've been accused of being "too nice" more times in my life than anything else - but I secretly wish I could be nicer and more honest - I know, yuck!
• I love the smell of raspberries - my grandpa used to grow them on his farm and one of the few memories I have of him is picking and eating berries off the bushes, his big warm hand holding mine
• I pick my nose. A lot. Even in front of Diver Dude. I know, it's disgusting
• I'm really scared of horses. They're too big to squish with a swatter when they show up in, or around your house...
• I used to drink double cream every day as a child because I thought my legs were too skinny. They still are, the rest of me, not so much

4. -Thank you to the lovely Mrs. Farmer for the Gorgeous Blogger Award
5 Things About Me: 
-I just listed seven above, that counts right?

5. -Thank you Sass for the Happy 101 Award - you make me smile :)
List 10 things that make you happy:
• When Diver Dude brings me flowers for no reason at all
• The way Kona grunts and sighs happily when he's all stretched out in the couch
• When Athena paws my hair in the morning while I'm half asleep on the toilet
• The tiny flicker of Bubba letting me know s/he's there
• Sunday mornings in bed with no immediate plans
• The sun warming my skin
• The warm ocean caressing my body
• Nephew yelling -Mama Sann! when he sees me and throws his little chubby arms around me
• My family. I love them to pieces. If you could choose your family, I so would've chosen mine
• Snow. It's white, and cold, and you can build stuff with it

6. -Thank you again Mrs. Farmer for the Valued Blogger Award :)
How did your journey into blogging begin?
When we were getting close to beginning our first performance in this circus a little over a year ago I needed a place to talk openly and honestly about my experiences and all the thoughts, hopes and fears that came with it. I had found Mel at Stirrup Queens and realized there was a whole community out here going through similar things and wanted to be part of that.

7. -I'm totally embarrased but I can't remember who gave me the Versatile Blogger Award, I need to be slapped!
List seven things about yourself:
- Again, I'll refer to the list above but adding to it:
• I have a really short memory and have to write down everything on little post-it notes. And when I can't remember where a specific note is, I'm fudged. I lost the sticky-note about this award.

8. -The fabulous Kakunaa at Spermination Station just reminded me that she tagged me in Blog Tag - thank you, with friends like that who needs sticky-notes?
What's your perfect date night?
Dinner and a movie - weather it be take-out-indian-food-curled-up-with-critters-on-the-couch-with-DVD or fancy-restaurant-three-meal-course-and-VIP-seats-at-the-movies-too-full-to-eat-popcorn style.
What was the last new food you tried?
Fried chicken feet - not a fan!
What hobby would you like to start but it seems to keep getting pushed to the back burner?
Playing the piano. And reading music.
Favorite vacation destination?
Hmmm, it's a toss-up between Maui, HI and Rome, Italy. Both awesome in different ways!
What are you most looking forward over the next month?
Bubba growing and feeling him/her move. The anatomy scan in week 21.
Which fall TV show are you most looking forward to?
Grey's Anatomy and Sons of Anarchy - so different and yet so similarly supreme!
Your favorite holiday tradition?
In Sweden Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, with Santa coming to your house around six in the evening to deliver presents. Mamma would decorate our home the night before and to get to sleep in the morning of, she'd have us count all the little Santas around the house and open special morning presents. Just me and my sister tip-toeing around the house lit only by the lights of the Christmas tree, counting Santas, makes me all warm inside. I'm looking forward to reviving this Christmas tradition when Bubba is old enough.
Are you a morning or a night person?
I used to be a night owl, but then I married a morning star, and now it seems I'm just tired all the time :)
- And I answered all these questions before I read the questions at the end of the post that we were actually supposed to answer and now I'm pooped so screw it, I'll just stick with these. Please love me anyway Kakunaa?

And now, I present to you The Super Duper Special Award that comes with no other rules than this:

Give it to someone that is super duper special, tell them why, and ask them to pass it along!

You know you're all wonderful special women that rock my world on a daily basis but today I'd like to give this award to Robin at Looking for My Keys because she just found out that instead of her first IVF resulting in the first word of PUPO it's ended up being the last - Robin, you're a beautiful woman with an honestly positive outlook on life even through times that would knock most people on their butt. Your words never fail to move me in their simplicity when describing complex emotions. Kisses to you Robin!