We all need some SUNSHINE in our lives!

The lovely Johlet of Our Journey to Everywhere awarded me with the beautiful Sunshine Award.

I met Johlet through my friend Claudz when Johlet started planning to JHB Blogger Meet-up taking place on 9 November. Her and I share a love of travel, so I am looking forward to meeting her in real life... along with all the other lovely ladies out there.

There are a few simple rules for the Sunshine Award:

Include award logo in or on your blog post.
Link to the person who nominated you.
Answer 10 questions about yourself.
Nominate other bloggers to give this award to.

1. If you won a million dollars (let’s say R 10 million for our South African bloggers), what would be the first thing you would buy and why?
I would buy a house for my parents closer to me and in a safer area.

Then:

1. I would buy a huge farm to house all the abused and neglected animals. I would pay staff to look after them and I would work there as well.
2. I would put money aside for my nephew's education
3. Plan a round the world holiday for myself and my friends
4. Buy my brother & his wife a house

2. Do you have any pets and if so, what are they? And their names?
I have 1 cat. A beautiful boy named Squeaky (real name is Galileo)

3. Who is your favourite beauty guru and why?
Mmmh I am not really into the whole beauty thing... I would like to go see Bobbi Brown to get her to teach me how to do make-up nicely... and love doing it.

4. What kind of blog posts do you like to write the most?
Travel posts. I love looking back through my photographs and re-living the memories.

5. Name a few of your favourite bloggers and what you like about their blog.

• Kate from The Cow Jumped Over the Moon. I have said it many times... Kate is a lady. She is real. Kate is gorgeous without realising it and hilariously funny. And her blog name is really cool
• Claudz from Purple Lips and Perfect Smiles. Being a fellow Gemini, wine lover & cradle snatcher, Claudz seems to write about many things that are relevant to my life. I feel like she 'gets' me. Claudz started out as a bloging friend and has become a real life friend, making her very special indeed.
• Gae from Heart Of Iron. This is an inspirational lady of note! Driven, courageous and with such a positive outlook on life, you cannot help but feel inspired.
• Megan from Meghan Silva's Lifestyle Blog Meghan's blog is a wonderful mix of fashion, make-up and real life (lifestyle) and I love that she caters for every person's interests. Meghan is the perfect example of what a blogger should be: Varied content, regular poster, Wise words. (She puts me to shame! I can't only aspire to be as dedicated as her 1 day!)

6. If you could take a 2 week vacation to anywhere in the world, where would you go, and who would you take with you?
I would take my boyfriend, or my mom, as she has never been overseas before.

With BF: Machu Picchu

Mom: Italy

7. If you could only wear one brand of makeup for the rest of your life, what would it be?
MAC

8. Describe your favourite casual outfit?
My coloured jeans, some pretty flip flops and a strappy top layered under a pretty top (chiffon, lace etc)

9. What is your favourite holiday?
I love relaxing-on-the-beach-sipping-cocktails but I also love "tourist" holidays - exploring the cities of a different city every few days.

10. What TV series are you looking forward to watching?
The new series of Suits and Dexter

I nominate the following bloggers:
The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

Purple Lips and Perfect Smiles
Heart of Iron
Meghan Silva's Lifestyle Blog

Join in the fun and let me know who you have nominated.

Kate Middleton... the other one

Blog everyday in May - Day 5: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them?

I don't even remember how I met Kate, but from the moment I did, I felt as if we should be friends.

I used to do a feature called Uniquely Me where I did blog interviews in an attempt to introduce other bloggers to each other.

I featured Kate in September 2010 (boy time flies!), to read her interview, click here

Over the years Kate has disappeared from the blogoshere, much to my distress. Happily she is currently back online again and blogging quite regularly! (I threaten her often not to disappear again, I hope I may be scary enough that is is listening to me!)

I go for stretches at a time here I don't have time to read or post any blogs, but the moment I can find the time, I read Kate's blog first. Irrespective of whether her posts are sad or funny, I feel like I have caught up with a good friend. My soul feels soothed after reading her blog. 

Kate is a lady. Her maiden name was Middleton, which is a funny coincidence because even though I have never seen her walking, I imagine Kate to have the same style and poise as Princess Kate.

My Kate is beautiful inside and out. (apart from her funny knees apparently) 

She is gentle and kind and has a heart of gold. I adore her sense of humour and it is on my bucket list to 1 day meet up with her (I think I should commit to the next 5 years - I give you fair warning Kate) and drink some wine, cocktails / both.

Before I sound like total stalker - let me sign off by saying this:

You are one of my favourite people Kate, never doubt the impact you have on people - as far as across the ocean!

Challenges remaining:

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn’t answer with your job, how would you answer the question, ‘what do you do’?
Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you’re most afraid of
Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill.
Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life…)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day – this could be “a photo an hour” if you’d like)
Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your “lot in life” and how you’re working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you’re struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you’ve learned that school won’t teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you’ll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you’d like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures
Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. UseGrooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory