"You're the meaning in my life ...

... you're the inspiration." No, I'm not talking about the lip gloss in the cashew cheesy pic above (I'll get back to that later). I was just singing the lyrics to that extra cheesy Chicago song (don't tell me you don't know the words to that one; admit it, you do).

Anyway, it's been in my head all day, probably due to all the inspiration I've had today (I think my head is spinning). To start things off, I bathed in a grapefruit-scented bath wash, and after drying off, I covered my body in a white chocolate and citrus body lotion. The smells reminded me of the Citrus Kicked White Chocolate with Ginger Mousse, I made in my last post (man, that was good).

So, before I headed off to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods (I needed more coconuts after indulging in that mousse), I whipped myself up my usual green smoothie. This time I started off with the banilla base (my trend for the week), and added pink grapefruit, raw cocoa butter and gingerade kombucha (a little strong, so if your not a kombucha fan, just use fresh ginger). The end result was rich and filling.

I sipped it slowly, as I checked my e-mail and the latest comments on my blog. What was this I found? It looks as though Kristen has nominated me for the Inspirational Blogger Award.

The Inspirational Blogger Award is, "For those bloggers who inspire others through their words and actions. With a positive attitude, and uplifting spirit these bloggers make the blogosphere a better place, and encourage others to do the same. This award is for bloggers who rise up to set an example but continue to reach out and support others.”

Wow, that's so cool. That means, "You like me, you really like me," as the misquoted Sally Field would say. In true Kristen form, I'm doing a happy dance, too (although I'm not sure you want to see it).

If I understand it correctly, it is now my turn to pass the torch on to five other worthy bloggers. This is a difficult task, considering that I've been inspired by so many of you. So first, to weed out some of the competition and make it fair, I'll try to eliminate those I already know and think may have received this honor already (that means I can't award Kristen again, Jenny, Philip, Anthony ... the list goes on).

After a lot of hard thought and consideration (now my head is doing cartwheels or something. "Can you stand on your head?" I can see the Cheshire Cat now), here are my finalists:

Carrie of Radical Living Laboratory: You can follow her juice feast, day to day. I wish I had the willpower to stick to her regime.

Alissa of raw.ivorylodge.net: One of the first fellow bloggers to start commenting on my blog. She inspires me to keep mine updated. She's also really good at maintaining hers. Have you checked out her garden inside her apartment?

Kathy of Raw Girl Too!: This mother of four has come so far since starting her blog, recognizing that even when you fall off the wagon (it's that darn sugar craving), you can get back on. She's even doing a much better job than yours truly when it comes to involving her kids.

Charissa of Raw Royalty: Your royal highness is actually very down-to-Earth and coincidently in sync with my blog on many occasions (earlier in the week she drank vanilla, while I was blending a smoothie I named banilla). She posts nearly everyday, too.

Last, but not least, is Raw Heathy of Raw Goddess Heathy (not to be confused with "Healthy"): Now, I wasn't sure if she had been bestowed this honor in the past (I'm sure Carmella has to have received it, and they inspire each other), but just in case she hasn't, I making sure she gets the recognition she deserves.

Congratulations to all five of you. Now, it's your turn to spread the inspiration. It's contagious (like this old You Tube video, I still love) :-)

In celebration of this honor, I treated myself to this new Perfect Organics lip gloss I mentioned at the top of this post. The shade is "D.C." (they are all named after cities, and that is the one I am closest to). I almost bought it at the Green Festival in Washington, D.C. last fall, but I thought it was a little frivolous at the time. However, today is a special occasion.

Matthew (my husband, for those of you who don't know), I posted this pic of me just for you. Actually, he always makes fun of me for taking mugshots and putting them on my site. So, I guess it is more of an inside joke. Ha ha :-)

Gotta go finalize tonight's dinner plans. It is Thursday night (when my hubby has agreed to eat raw for the evening). TTFN!