An Award! Wahooo!

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Oooooo . . . I love awards! There is something so awesomely special about someone taking time out of their day, their life, their moment . . . to share a little happy-goodness with you. It's been a long time since I was involved in a little blogland sort of celebration, but my dearest Nat over at "Just Nat" was incredibly kind to share a "Liebster Award" with me last week. And Nat . . . I am forever grateful!!

Just Nat!

I adore Nat . . . she is my adventure sister, a photographer extraordinaire, my worldliest of friends, and one of my longest running blog buddies. I don't know how long we have been in each others blog lives (years, I tell you . . . it has been years) . . . but I do know that just months ago I saw my very first photo of HER (the beautiful photos on her blog are usually of her travels and other subjects along her journey) . . . but when I saw my very first photo of HER - her face, her smile - happy tears came to my eyes. I've known her for YEARS, and when I finally SAW her face, it was like an awesome present on Christmas morning!

So, here we are. A Liebster Award!! When I started blogging (those many many moons ago), I worked really hard at trying to build up my followers - joining a number of social networking groups and participating in a number of blogland parties. But then, life sort of took over . . . and I got away from all of it. Since then, my blog has been stuck right around 200 followers for YEARS, and it seems almost an impossible to grow. That being said . . . I am loving what the Liebster Award is all about . . .

"The Liebster Award is for bloggers with under 200 followers and the rules of the award are that the nominee must link back to whoever awarded them, write 11 random facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then nominate another 11 bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer. It's a great way for new and undiscovered bloggers to meet new people, get more followers and find some blogs that they want to follow."

Coming up with 11 random facts about myself was harder than I thought. I mean, I've probably written about all of my randomness before . . . but I guess I should be a good sport and go along with it!!! So, without further ado . . .

Here are 11 random facts . . . about . . . me:

1. I watch reality television. The Real Housewives, to be exact. New York, Orange County, Beverly Hills, and New Jersey. I'm addicted. There is something about seeing the dysfunctional state of people who appear to have everything, that makes me feel good about myself. I know that sounds like a horrible reason to watch a television show, but it is my Smut TV, and I love it!

2. I am addicted to Canfield's Seltzer Water. Seriously. This stuff . . .

When I am nervous about something, or feeling particularly anxious, I have to drink one. It totally calms me down and makes everything better. No, I don't add anything to my seltzer water. Just the plain ol'seltzer does the trick. And I have to have at least a few cans in the fridge at all times. If I know I am out of it . . . I get really anxious. Yes, I think I am a tad crazy. That's just how I roll.


3. I used to have a crush on Paul Simon (from Simon and Garfunkel). Yes. But I liked him not so much as he is, now . . . it's more like he was is in this picture . . .

Oh, and Michael McDonald . . . The Doobie Brother dude. I liked him a lot, too. I used to think that if ONE of them would just meet me, they would immediately fall in love with me and would marry me, and sing to me all of the time. If BOTH of them met me, they would have to have a major sing-off and I would get to decide which one I would marry. Yes. This is true. But now . . . I don't have crush on either of them. I still like them, but I don't really day-dream about them any more. ;)

4. I started going to church again. Just this year. A born, raised, and Catholic grade school girl . . . church was always in my life growing up. At some point in my adult years, I got away from it. This year . . . some time back in March . . . I started going again. I feel like I found my faith again, and it has been a pretty amazing thing for my spirit and my soul. Sometimes I kneel in church and put my hands up to my face and find myself crying at the whole thought of God. It blows my mind.

5. I am addicted to books. All different kinds, all different subjects, all different authors. Although I don't spend as much time reading as I would really like to. But I get this major giddy feeling in my tummy when I walk into a book store, and I love nothing more than grabbing a stack of about 10 books and sitting at a table in the book store and looking through them.  My night stand currently has a stack of at least 10 or 15 books on it that I plan on reading. Right now, I am reading "While We Were Watching Downton Abbey" by Wendy Wax. I'm enjoying it - a pretty easy read, and I am enjoying the characters.

6. I never met a Cheesecake that I didn't love. True fact. Oh . . . except . . . perhaps . . . I think a health conscious relative once made a vegan cheesecake for a gathering. I don't think I cared for it one bit. But honestly . . . if it's vegan, than it's not really CHEESE, right? So, I don't really consider it a cheesecake. Other than that . . . I love all cheesecakes. For real.

7. I would move in a minute . . . if I could. I should probably clarify that a bit. I absolutely love our home, but I often wish I had the courage to pack up this house and move someplace different. Really different. Even a different country. I sometimes look at realty listings at far away places and wonder if Phil and I could ever do it. I think that showing my daughters the world, and teaching them about accepting different people and different lives, is one of the best things I can do for them. My mother would die if we ever did this . . . but deep down inside, I wish I had the courage to do it.

8. I have olive skin and I never (rarely) burn in the sun. Unlike my beloved husband, who thinks he has olive skin, but actually is a fair as fair can be.

9. I refold the laundry after my darling husband does it. I am so grateful that Phil takes the initiative to do so many things around the house. He cooks, he cleans, he does laundry. BUT, his laundry skills leave much to be desired. My own father was the laundry guy in our house, and we used to joke that you could bounce a quarter off of the sheets that he folded. But Phil Guy . . . if you want to call what he does actual "folding" . . . I'd be surprised. Again, I am SO GRATEFUL for him, and all that he does. But I often re-fold the whole basket of clothes before putting them away.

10.  I used to name my cars. I've owned Maxine (my blue Nissan Maxima), Phoebe (my purple Dodge Neon) and Buffy (my black Honda CRV). Although I never named my current car (my mini-van.) Must be because I'm still in shock that I actually drive a MINI-VAN (since I NEVER thought I would), that I just couldn't bring myself to name it!

11. I've lost my words since I had my kids. I remember reading this at some point during my pregnancies, but I totally feel like I lost my words when I had my kids. I used to tell Katie and Ella that I gave all my words to them when they were in my belly . . . and even now, when I am looking at something and can't remember the word for it, the girls will say, "It's ok Mom . . . remember? You gave your words to me." I totally did. I'm sure of it.

Whew . . . I am glad that is over.

Now, onto the next part of this lovely award ceremony. The questions and answer time. Here I will answer 11 questions that have been presented to me by my dearest Nat. There are some great things in here . . . I hope you enjoy them!

1. What is your earliest memory? One of my earliest memories is being in my bedroom at my parents home and hearing my Dad come home and running down the hallway towards my dad. I remember my Dad picking me up and giving me a big hug. I had to have been really young - maybe four or five  - for my Dad to pick me up. I remember him saying I was getting so big and he didn't know how much longer he could pick me up like that. It truly is one of my very first memories. 

2. If you had to eat just one type of food for a week, what would it be? Cheesecake . . . but I think I already hinted at that in my "random facts" above, don't you think? That . . . or pasta. Love them BOTH, big time! 

3. Which place do you absolutely have to see before you die? Italy. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, to be exact. Michelangelo . . . I remember studying him and his work when I was a child. To see it would be a dream . . . and this September . . . I'm DOING IT!!!!

4. What is your favourite film of all time? Yikes . . . this is SUCH a hard one for me! I have quite a few . . . but I guess I have to honestly say "Singing in the Rain." I could pat my lap along with every single tap of Gene Kelly's shoes for that whole movie . . . must have watched it at least 100 times in my life (and I am not kidding, either!) Second runner up . . . "Moonstruck". For real.

5. And favourite book? Ok . . . so this is an answer that, even a year ago, I never would have given. But I have to honestly say . . . the Bible. I am not one of those holy roller people (you know who they are . . . not that there is anything wrong with them . . . but I am clearly not a religious preacher or anything of the sort). But when I sit and read just a few of the readings in the bible . . . it is an amazing story, isn't it? All of the stories are all pretty amazing, actually. And while I have read lots of non-bible books that are incredible and have moved me . . . I have to be honest and say that the Bible is my very favorite. Truly.

6. You are about to be stranded on a desert island for 6 months. What three things would you take with you? Ok, assuming that there would be water and food on the island available for me . . . I'd have to say 1) my family (Phil and the girls), because I couldn't imagine being there without them, 2) A camera, to take photos of all the adventures we would go on and 3) a sketch book and some writing materials to journal and draw and create with. I am certain there would be more valuable and important items to bring along with me . . . but as of this moment, those are the first three things that come to mind. 

7. If you were hosting a dinner party and could invite any four guests (famous or not), who would you invite and why? My Dad and my Grandma Josephine (both of whom I have so many questions for them about their life that I never got a chance to ask them when they were here), my Mom (who I know would love to sit with both of them again), and God . . . because I think He would provide the best answers to all of us.

8. What was your first blog post about? I actually had to go back and review to confirm. My first blog post was on July 21, 2009 . . . and it was about (of course), starting this blog. It was called "Here We Go" and was 164 words (unlike this post . . . which has my fingers cramping as I type!) You can read it by clicking the title link, if you want. ;)

9. What inspires you to blog? My kids, my husband, my life. I can be inspired by a drive down a favorite road (as I have often written about), or while in line at Target. Inspiration surrounds us all . . . you just have to be open enough to receive it. And for me . .  .it's everywhere.

10. What one thing will you never, ever do again? Drive straight through to New York City from Chicago at 9pm on a Tuesday night with a car full of kids, spend one day there, and drive straight back. We did this last August . . . and I still don't think I have recovered yet.

11. What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you? Wow. This one is hard. People are always doing nice things for me. Seriously. I am surrounded by kind hearted souls who give so much to me and my family . . . it's mind blowing. I am blessed. To label one of them as the "nicest" is impossible. Really. I've received notes from friends telling me that I have a made a difference in their life, I have been supported in my creative endeavors by so many that I can't even count, I have been watched over by a sister who refuses to let anyone hurt me, I have been financially saved by this same sister during countless moments in life, I have been given flowers by friends and loved ones for no reason at all, had dinner made for us out of love by others, been allowed to be someones friend, been worried about, protected and probably prayed for more than I even know. Yes, identifying one thing is impossible. Identifying thousands of things . . . much more possible. 

 

So there you have it, my friends. 11 random things about me, followed by my answers to 11 cool questions from my friend Nat. You have probably learned much more about me than you ever wanted to know, and I thank you for sitting by for all of that. 

 

Now . . . the fun part. I get to choose some friends to pass this award on to, and to give 11 questions to. This is hard for me, as I haven't been really good keeping up with my blog friends in days of late. So while I won't be passing it on to 11 people . . . I gladly will pass on this Liebster Award to the following awesome bloggers, and hope they will share some randomness and answer some questions from me. 

 

I hereby pass on the Liebster Award to . . .

 

Destination: Unknown and my friend, Nicole
{Words of Me Project} and my friend, Leslie
My Very Educated Mother and my friend, Erin
Opened Door and my friend, Jodene
Small Steps to Giant Leaps and my friend, Peggy (who hasn't blogged in a while, but will hopefully play along just to humor me!)

Now, my beloved friends . . . here are your 11 questions from me. I am really interested in YOUR answers . . . from the people I really respect and admire. So I do hope you will play along.

1. What advice would your younger self give to your now self?
2. What is in your happiness jar?
3. What's for dinner tonight?
4. What would you do if you were not afraid?
5. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you really are? (or - how old do you feel?)
6. What would the theme song of your life be?
7. What is your favorite day of the week?
8. How do you relax?
9. What is your best advice for living a happy life?
10. If able to go on a shopping spree, what is the first thing you would purchase?
11. What is the color of your life?

Thanks, friends. I appreciate everyone reading through the post, and look forward to reading all of my friends answers in their own posts! Don't forget to visit each others blogs!!!

Peace!