Liebster Award

Thank you Thank you to Ms. Jenna over at the Three Little Birdies for nominating me for a Liebster award! Right after Liam was born, someone else nominated me, but I didn't have the time to do it with a newborn. SO THANKS Jenna! How fun!!

The Rules:

1.  Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2.  Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers your pass the award to next.

3.  Choose new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4.  Go back to their page and tell than about the award.

5.  No tag backs. 

11 Random Facts about myself;

 1. I am pigeon-toed. It was much worse when I was a child, but sometimes, if I'm tired or in a hurry, I trip over my own feet. YES. I . Trip. Over. My. Own. Feet. Thus the reason you won't ever catch me wearing high-heels. Pigeon-toed + not coordinated anyway = not a very graceful combo for sexy shoes.

2. I could hula-hoop for hours. I mean, literally, hours and never drop the hoop. I'm that kinda awesome.

3. I met my husband in a bar. Yep. A bar called The Thirsty Parrot. So my friend and I had gone to the gym and then a movie after, and then she suggested going out for a drink. I really didn't want to because I hadn't done myself up after the gym, I was tired, and wasn't really a huge bar person to begin with. But I gave in, and to the bar we went. I normally never, and I mean never, gave my number to guys in a bar. I mean...how sleazy right? Perhaps it was his charming southern drawl, the fact that he'd been to war, his bulging biceps, his hunky tattoo, a combination of them all...or maybe it was the alcohol, but I gave him my number. And look at us now.

4. I worked at McDonald's for five years. Five years, you guys. I definitely should get like, a trophy or something. And here's the kicker...I actually really liked it! I started when I was a freshman, literally the youngest age you could be to get a job back then (14 I think..?) and didn't quit until I moved away. 

5. I am from a tiny town. Not just small. Tiny. That McDonald's I mentioned? Only one there. Two stoplights, population when I lived there was about 2000. I graduated in a class of 45, and I'll bet at least half of them I also went to preschool with. Yes, my parents still live there.

6. I went to The Art Institute for 6 years to get a degree in Graphic Design, but didn't take a single art class in high school. 

7. Why didn't I take a single art class in high school, you ask? Band nerd walking! (Go Clarinets!) Choir too. We were only allowed two electives, and I was in both band and choir for eight years. EIGHT YEARS! Grade 5 until graduation. I even wore a marching band uniform for several of those years. AND I played Annie in Annie. The Musical Annie. I was the little orphan girl. Annie is her name. Wore a red curly wig too! I loved band and choir, truly. No shame!

8. I'm not one of those people who 'always wanted to be a mother'. In fact, there was a time in my life when I wasn't sure I wanted kids. I had been around children a lot--worked in childcare & had nieces & nephews, but I wasn't sure I wanted that responsibility for myself. So I waited a while (I was 28 when I had Liam) but I sure am glad I changed my mind!

9. I got married for money. Kind of. :) My husband and I got engaged New Year's Eve, 2009, and he was scheduled to be deployed 6 months later. We didn't have the time nor the funds to plan a wedding, and I definitely didn't want to just throw something together, so we decided we'd have our wedding when he got back (the deployment was a year long). In the military, you actually get paid more when you're married, and when you're deployed, it's even more. So we decided it would almost be dumb not to get married before he left. Why not get married on paper and then I'd use the time and extra money to plan our wedding? So two weeks after we got engaged, we went to the courthouse alone--didn't tell a single soul, not even our parents--signed a paper, and were officially married. And yes...I did still get my dream wedding when he got back.

10. Getting mail is like, my favorite thing in the world! Like, I'm bummed if I don't get anything that day, even if it's just junk or bills. And if it's packages/fun cards, I'm especially excited!

11. I know the words (like ALL the words) to several Eminem songs, and can rap them like nobody's biz-ness.

11 questions from Jenna:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory

I'd have to say looking at Christmas lights, all crammed into the car.

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Actually...Hawaii!! I remember getting a phone call from my husband almost exactly 2 years ago, March, 2011. I was in the shower, but my phone was literally arms reach away because he was deployed to Afghanistan. He was calling to tell me he had a choice to make regarding his next duty station: we could either go to Pearl Harbor, where he would be a strategic unit and not be deployed (!!!) or go to Germany, where he likely would be deployed. While living in Europe is another dream of mine, this was an easy choice to make.

3. What is your favorite perfume?

Hard to pick! I like a few, but the Fresh Sugar line has two of my all-time faves: Brown Sugar & Lemon.

4. What is your go to beauty product? 

Lip anything. I'm kind of ashamed to say I have at least 100 lip products. Lipsticks, stains, chapsticks, etc., you name it. I usually have at least 6 in my purse on any given day.

5. What is the most challenging part of parenthood for you?

The time! I have so many things that I love to do, it's hard not having the free time I used to have before parenthood. I am a very independent person, and love having time to myself to just do whatever I want...That pretty much goes away when you become a parent. I'm lucky if I get two straight hours of 'alone' time, and that usually means staying up late after Liam has gone to bed. (currently he is sitting in my lap and I'm typing over him). It's hard and it's a sacrifice, but very much worth it!

6. Why did you start writing your blog?

I actually started my blog a few months before we moved to Hawaii in 2011. I knew we'd be thousands of miles from family with only a few visits over several years, and wanted some sort of way to communicate what was going on in our lives other than Facebook. At first, I typed maybe one blog post a month.  I didn't really have much to say, nor did I have a specific topic I wanted to blog about...and then I got pregnant and it just went from there!

7. What were you doing right before you wrote this post?

Shoot, I've been trying to type this for a few hours now (It's damn hard to think of eleven facts about yourself!) But literally right before I typed this answer, I was putting Liam to bed. It's now 9:56 PM and I get my short amount of 'alone' time during the day. After this, I'll watch some Hulu.

8. What is your favorite blog to read?

Gosh! Now that's hard. I follow...at least a hundred blogs. I'd have to say one of my new favorites was started by an IG/bloggy friend that I've had for awhile, along with several other friends of hers. It's a collaborative blog offering tons of blogging tips & things of the sort. I seriously feel like I learn something from every post! I love that this blog offers fresh content--I don't feel like I'm reading the same thing somewhere else. I can't tell you how much it bothers me when I see a post on one blog that looks exactly like a post from another blog.

Check out B.You.

9. If you had an entire day to yourself, with no responsibilities, what would you do?

OEMGEE I don't even knowwwwww!!! SO much, or NOTHING even. Ok. I'm getting a little too excited even thinking about the prospect of this!! Since we're already in dream-land with the whole 'entire day to yourself' notion, let's just take it one step further and say money isn't an object, shall we?

In that case, I would start the morning at the 'bucks in Target, getting whateevver drink I wanted, and probably a pastry or ten also. Then, I'd shop my heart out, starting in the bikini section, working my way through shoes, accessories, & of course, the baby section. Don't worry, I'll be sure not to skip home goods.

After Target, I'm off to some fancy resort on the island for a spa day! Mani/Pedi, Massage, Facial, followed by a few hours relaxing on the beach with some Marggss. After that, I would finish off my spa day with a Brazilian blowout and get ready for a yummy dinner date with my hunny, & of course, he has a few presents for me, just because. (It is my perfect day, right?)

10. What is your favorite Starbucks beverage? 

Shoot! Is it possible to choose? Probably a Mocha Coconut Frap.

11. What is your biggest fear?

Spiders, no doubt. I know I should probably put something more meaningful like, 'failure' or something...but, nope. Spiders win. Nasty Beastly little creatures.

12. Who is your celebrity crush?

mmm...so many men...my most recent celebrity crush is Chris Hemsworth. I mean, have you seen Thor? Move aside, Miley Cyrus.

(That was 12 questions Jenna!)

My questions for the next folks:

1. What's your favorite holiday and why?
2. What would you do with 10 million dollars?
3. If you could only shop at one store for baby clothes, what store would it be?
4. If you could visit one city in the world just for a day, which one would you visit?
5. What's your dream job?
6.  If your husband/significant other could nominate you for a 'senior superlative'-- you know, those things you voted for in High School, i.e. 'Best Dressed', 'Best Eyes', 'Most Likely to Succeed' etc, what do you think they'd pick?
7. Most addicting/Favorite Phone app?
8. Which food/drink do you always have in the house?
9. What do you love most about parenting?
10. You are stranded on a deserted island with 5 people. Which 5 would you want there and why?
11. What's your favorite thing about blogging?


And I nominate for the award my fellow bloggy buddies:
Samantha at Meet the Gills
Kurstin at Serenity and Bliss
Michaela at Our little sweet peas
Nikki at theBASICS