All you need is love

You know how your mom always tells you how smart and beautiful you are but you don't really believe it because she's your mom?
"Mom, you have to say that because I'm your daughter."

It means so much more when the cute guy who sits beside you in science class tells you how he could melt in your eyes. For some reason the same affirmation means so much more when it comes from a relative stranger.

Which is why I am so completely and utterly touched that not one, but two bloggers who I have never met have given me the "I love you this much award." Both Jaime and Nicole have opened their arms and my response is the same as I so often reply to Thatboy when he professes his love to me - "Not as much as I love you." (and then of course I begin crying hysterically when he doesn't challenge that statement meaning he doesn't love me as much as I love him - Ladies, it works and it gets you the NICEST jewelery)

Jaime is gonna be a mommy any day now (or in a couple months) and even though we've never met and she lives almost across the country completely, the warmth and patience of her blog makes me convinced she's going to be an excellent mom.

Nicole on the other hand lives much much closer and is already a mother! She is truly an artist in the kitchen, and outside of the kitchen and I seriously have sour cream rotting in the fridge JUST so I can try her cookie recipe.

Now I get to tag 10 (10??!!) other blogs I love!

1) Jen at Dinner a Deux. Has anyone been keeping track of how many times I've tagged Jen in the hopes of her restarting her blog? What's it going to take Jen? You were always one of my faves and Thatboy and I used to act out your posts. Well, not really, because Thatboy caters to some of my whims, but not the crazy ones.

2) Elly of Elly Says Opa. Well this one should also not be a big surprise. Everyone knows I love Elly. Everyone. Especially if you hang out in Chicago bathrooms where it is written on almost every stall. She's funny, smart, and one heck of an amazing cook. And since the San Diego Greek Festival is coming up, I think of her almost every day I drive past the banners.

3&4) I promise I'm not cheating, but there's no way I can award this to only have of a culinary team. Just like Siskle and Ebert, Regis and Kelly, Watson and Crick, some duos can't be separated. Tthere would be no Equal Opportunity Kitchen without Giz and Psychgrad. Giz brings the wisdom that only a mother can bring, and Psychgrad brings the wisdom that we all have when dealing with our mothers.

5) PatsyK of Family, Friends, and Food is a blogger after my own heart because she too is always looking for quick weeknight meals. She's like Rachael Ray, but better (not that it takes much). She has totally convinced me to pick up an Ellie Krieger cookbook.

6) Nina of Nina's Kitchen blogs ALL the way from South Africa. I think Nina knows how much I love her - I tell her almost daily, but its time I shared my love with all of you. I love how Nina uses ingredients I've never heard of. I love how Nina makes everything look gorgeous. I love how Nina says how easy everything is to make (yet it looks like it must have taken hours).

7) When I pulled up Good Things Catered to get the url, I accidentally let Thatboy see it over my shoulder. I have purposely been keeping this blog from him because its okay for me to love Katie (or as we affectionately call her, Katie Numbers), but it is NOT OKAY for Thatboy to love her. Thankfully he only saw a picture of the cake and not Katie herself or I would have lost him for sure. The problem with Katie is that she's gorgeous, talented, and ridiculously kind and sweet. Which means you can only hate her for about .2 seconds before you too fall in love. Go ahead, try to resist. I dare you.

8) I have to admit, one of the reasons I was amped about living in San Diego was because that's where Bubbie of It's Just Me lives. In my head I have already made us best friends. We go on fabulous shopping trips together, and hang out at Target on our lunch breaks. However, this makes me sound creepy and stalkerish so I'm going to pretend like I never said that. The "in my head Bubbie" is insanely flattered and hasn't told security at the front desk of her building about the weird girl who's not allowed inside.

9) Melissa of It's Melissa's Kitchen probably won't be as touched by this award because I'm hardly a stranger. In fact, I only started reading Melissa's blog because, well, I like to support people I know. However, I have a VERY short span of attention, so Melissa, you should know I wouldn't have stuck around this long if you were boring. So you should be VERY touched. In fact, I've even clicked on some ads every now and again so Mr. Melissa would be happy. By the way, even if YOU don't love Melissa, show your love for me by going and clicking on an ad or too.

10) You know how there are people who live lives you've only dreamed of? Well one of those people for me is Joelen of Joelen's Culinary Adventures. First I adore her new place. I wish I lived somewhere nearly as cute (except for the fridge in the pantry, but hey, even Joelen thought that was a little strange at first). Second, even though she has a normal person job (for the time) she finds the time to host about 300 million foodie groups. There's her bookclub, her fieldtrips throughout Chicago, and the classes she runs out of her home that fill up so quickly that people have been catty and cutthroat to get a spot or gripe about not getting spots. She's been featured on television and in print!