The very prestigious Liebster Award

My friend nominated me for the Liebster Award.  I have no idea what that is (I think I'll google it really quick. . .)  Apparently it is an award for up and coming bloggers.  Sweet!  Thanks Megan!  I feel quite honored. :)

Although I haven't posted anything in about 5 months or so. . . I'm choosing to start right now with this very post.  Why?  Because I don't have to add any pictures.  I think no matter how many other great excuses I find for putting my blog aside, when it comes down to it, I don't because I hate the time it takes to upload pictures and I feel pressured to always include pictures.  Does anyone else share this problem?

Anyway, here are the rules for the Liebster award, as copied and pasted from Megan Swinford's blog:

1. Each person awarded must post 11 facts about themselves.
2. Answer the 11 questions the nominator has set for them.
3. Choose five bloggers to nominate.
4. Create 11 more questions for the bloggers they will nominate.
5. Let the lucky bloggers know.


So here we go. . .

1.  I was born on. . . a holiday.  I guess I shouldn't say exactly which holiday that is because that's dangerous to do on the internet.  Most of you (or should I say both of you) who read this probably know already anyway.  This is usually the fact I share about myself whenever I play that ridiculous "share something unique about yourself" getting-to-know-you game.  I can never think of anything more interesting.  (That should make you feel really excited for the 10 facts that will follow. . .)

2.  I love to eat, and therefore, I love to cook.  I feel it is worth putting forth a bit of effort to eat something delicious.  Because of this fact, I think we usually have pretty good meals around here.  I'm pretty sure for the first year of my married life I fell asleep thinking about what I would cook for dinner the next night every single night.

3.  Because of aforementioned fact, I also love to run and do so regularly.  I wish I could say I began because of a great ambition to become an olympic runner or something like that, but the truth is I started because I knew I ate more than I should and somehow I needed to compensate.  Fortunately, I really do enjoy it and have come to appreciate it for more reasons than the calories burnt.

4.  I am very intimidated by computers and people who know lots about politics.  Ironically, I married a computer programmer.  Luckily, he follows politics about as much as I do.

5.  I took figure skating lessons for about 3 years.  I couldn't do anything too impressive, but I could do a little jumpy turn that I felt quite proud of.  This was one of the funnest things I did growing up, so if you're thinking of something for your kids to do. . . perhaps an idea you haven't thought of?

6.  I feel very disturbed by the sight of stuck in black dots.  (Sorry, that's the only way I know to describe it.  Think watermelon seeds. . .)  This sight gives me chills and makes me shutter.  I'm not sure why this is, but my theory is that it stemmed from an intense fear of ticks I had as a child.

7.  I have never bought shortening.  I already mentioned that I love to eat, but the truth is I wish I didn't love it so much.  I day dream of being a healthy eating freak but lack the self-control to be one.  I took a few nutrition classes in college and learned a few great things to live by.  One of those was to avoid trans fats.  That is one thing I decided I could do.  So no shortening here!  I like to tell myself that my made-with-canola-oil chocolate chip cookies are practically good for you.

8.  I somehow managed to snag the most amazing husband out there.  Rather than bore you with all the details of how I know this to be true, just trust me.  It's true.

9.  My favorite color has been purple since I was a young child.  I remember looking at a newborn picture of myself taken in the hospital and asking my mom if we were assigned favorite colors because my hospital bracelet was purple.  It made sense to me.

10.  I don't only sing in the shower, sometimes I give talks or teach lessons.  I realize that this is kind of weird but oh well.  I just kind of start doing it without thinking about it.  I think it may be my strange way of sorting through my knowledge and experiences.

11.  There are few things that stress me out as much as a messy house.  I think I am somewhat OCD and can't stand to see things out of their place.  Deep down I don't believe that a clean and orderly house is the most important thing in the world but I have to remind myself of this very thing daily so I don't completely ignore my children.

And now for the questions Megan asked. . .

1.  What's the scariest thing you've ever done?

   I think it must have been singing a solo, for the first time mind you, in front of a group of about 100 peers.  In high school.

2.  Name a book you've read that you've hated.  Then name one you've loved.

  Megan, I'm sure you've heard enough about this, but I can think of no book I've hated quite as much as "The Red Tent".  A book that I loved. . . "The Robe".

3.  Tell me your favorite food.  Then tell me one you hate.

   My favorite food has always been spaghetti.  Nothing beats the robust tomato-iness over long skinny noodles. . . I love it.  And I'm pretty sure I will always hate most fish.

(All the sudden it became much easier to copy and paste and I don't know how to make the black go away. . . and my computer savvy husband isn't here.  Sorry.)

4.  If you could go back in time and tell anyone (or any group of people) one sentence or question (and receive an answer, probably), what would it be?

   
5. Would you rather have to dress like a princess or a lumberjack for the rest of your life?

   Definitely a princess.

6.  Tell me about a favorite vacation.

   I think going to Disneyland is the vacation of all vacations.  I can't wait to take my kiddos there some day.

7.  What time do you usually go to bed?

   It's usually between 10:30 and 11:00.  Sometimes a little earlier, but rarely later.

8.If you lived in a post-apocalyptic world, would you rather live in orderly society (but under the thumb of a tyrannical reigning dictator) or live in the ungoverned wild, fending for yourself and your family with no guarantee of stability?  Note: there are no zombies in this scenario, but sometimes vigilantes are worse.  Actually, they're always worse, since zombies aren't real.

   Megan, it's because of questions like this question that I enjoy being your friend so much.  Hard to say. . . I did mention that I am somewhat of an order freak.  In fact, I'd probably be the dictator in this world.  Hopefully I would choose the second option though.

9.  Singing or dancing?

   Can they be separated?

10.Train A left the coastal station at 8 am and is going 25 miles an hour.  On the same track, Train B left the mountain station at 9 am but is going 50 miles an hour.  How long will it take for you to bring me more rice pudding from my kitchen downstairs?

   I would probably feel really awkward breaking into your kitchen.  Especially if Jared was home and watching TV in the living room or something.  But if you really wanted me too, I would do it. . . in about one hour.

11Tell me a story, please.  It can be real or made-up.

   I really don't like making up stories.  Occasionally my children ask me to tell them a story instead of read one and sometimes I try, but I really hate doing it.  So here's a real one that my children love.
   Once, while on a camping trip in Arches National Park, (I was about 4 by the way) I cracked my head open while jumping off a retaining wall.  Later in the trip, while on a hike, I hit my head on a rock and reopened the wound.  The only thing my parents had to stop the blood flow was a diaper.  So I wore a diaper on my head.  The end.

Bonus:  The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.


And I choose. . .because of your dedicated and admirable blogging skills. . .

1. Anna
2. Caitlin
3. Amber and Tiffany (They can count as one choice because they're sisters.)
4. Jana
5. Keira
(Do any of you still read my blog?)

And your 11 questions are:

1.  What movie would you recommend to me that I probably haven't seen?
2.  If you could go back to college, or just start over if you're there, what would you major in?
3.  What's your favorite recipe that you'd like to share with me?
4.  What's the funniest thing you've heard a child say?  Naturally, it could be your own.
5.  How much time do you spend on the computer each day?
6.  If you had to be lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant, which would you choose?
7.  Tell me about the funnest date you've been on.
8.  In what ways have you changed since childhood?  I'm not talking physically. . .
9.  If there was one thing you'd change about yourself, what would it be?
10.  What would you do if you were given one million dollars tomorrow?
11.  Did you make it clear to the end?