The Liebster Award

The photo prompt for today is Space and I really wasn’t sure how to approach it today.  I decided to go with a very messy picture of my writing space. The place I sit everyday as I write my blog.  It is cluttered and it is crowded but I know where everything is, (usually.) Since I chose to show my writing space, I decided to share the blog I have been working on for a few days now.

I was recently nominated for a Liebster Award.  What is a Liebster Award you might ask????

The Liebster Award is given from one blogger to another in appreciation of what they offer to readers and the blogging community. If the blogger has less than 200 followers, they fit the criteria. It’s a great way to discover new blogs and give your favorite bloggers a virtual hug.

Here are some background and rules.

Step One: You’re nominated.

Step Two: You decide whether or not you’d like to accept the award.

Step Three: You follow the nomination rules.

Step Four: Enjoy your victory! It’s so nice to be acknowledged!

Here are the Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you. (Thank you so much, MaryBeth at Maple Brown Sugar, for the award! It’s  a wonderful way to start my 2015 blog.)

• Answer the 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.

• List 11 Random Facts about yourself.

• Nominate up to 11 bloggers if possible.

• Provide your nominees with a list of 11 questions.

• Remember to check with the nominees first to make sure they would like to participate. (Some are pending and will be added if necessary.)

All of these blogs are ones I read and enjoy regularly. I think you will, too! Please give them a try and a big round of cyber applause.

And here are the questions that were posed to me:

1. What kind of music do you listen to? I like all sorts of music.  Pretty much everything except heavy metal.  I have a soft spot for Barry Manilow (and right after I wrote this, I saw that he is coming to our area in June!!!)
2. What books and/or movies have stuck with you and affected you personally? I am not sure if I would say that it affected my personally, but I read “The Help” before seeing the movie and it was one of those books that i never wanted to end.  “Sarah’s Key” was another.
3. Why did you decide to start blogging? I started blogging January 1, 2013 with the goal to spread kindness by writing every single day for a year.  Shortly after, my mom and sister both died unexpectedly within 4 weeks of each other and my blog changed becoming more of a personal journey for me. I still write every single day – two years later.
4. What activities, besides blogging, do you participate in? I am a pretty busy person. I am a mom and wife. I teach Kindergarten full time, do photography part time, (very part time) and have just begun a new business as a merchandiser for Chloe and Isabel Jewelry – shop with me!! http://www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/clairesinclair   Their jewelry is gorgeous and you don’t even have to live nearby since we can do it all online 🙂
5. What would your 16-year old self say about what your life is like now? Well, since I met my husband at the age of 17, I am going to cheat a bit on this one and use that age instead.  I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was in the 4th grade so that is not a surprise.  Dave, (my husband) became my best friend as soon as we met, so I could not have imagined my life without him.  I did expect to have more than two children – and never the mom to two boys.  I was always such a girly girl! I wanted to live in the same town I grew up in and teach there too and I do, so, really, I didn’t expect it to be much different than it actually is.
6. What’s a typical day in your life like?  Wake up 6 am.  Leave for my 3 minute drive to work at 7:15. Teach until 3:30 stay at school till 4:30 then home.  Usually an exercise class 2 or 3 days a week, dinner with the family, television, write my blog and bed by 10pm only to start all over the next day.
7. What celebrity, athlete and/or cultural figure, dead or alive, famous or infamous, would you want to invite over for dinner and talk to? Tough one.  So many but I think I would like to spend time with Prince William and Duchess Kate.  They have such a wonderful perspective on life and their charitable endeavors make me wish that I could do so much more.
8. If you could change one thing about your life, what would that be? To be a bit more financially stable.  I  wish we didn’t have to worry about money but we do, but we still do things we love with the people we love and that is what is most important.
9. What dreams do you plan to conquer next? I don’t have a lot of “dreams.” I have a great husband, terrific kids, amazing friends.  I love my job, love working with children.  I am pretty content with the way things are. I guess if I am going to ‘conquer’ something, it would be to rock my new business with chloe + isabel.
10. Name five pet peeves. 1. Hearing people eat/chew/slurp.  2. Wet socks. 3. Wet sleeves. 4. The “R” word 5. Selfies with “fish lips.”
11. What place would you most like to travel to? I would like to go back to Italy and spend more time there.  Dave and I were there on a cruise before our kids were born and I’d love to choose a few of the favorite places that we visited and go back – especially Venice!

11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

Not to much is a secret – especially after writing this blog, but here goes…

1. My first car out of college was a Toyota Celica convertible, light blue with a dark blue top.  My dad finally sold that car last year! TWENTY years later!

2. My father, brother, sister and I, all went to American University in Washington, DC.

3. I am terrified of horror films especially Nightmare on Elm Street and the first day of college, my roommate had a life size poster of Freddy Kreuger hanging over my bed when I got there!

4. My mother-in-law gave me an Ab-Roller for my birthday THE DAY AFTER I gave birth to my first child.

5. One of my guilty pleasures is mixing movie theater, buttered popcorn with a box of Snowcaps.

6. I hate being cold and will often sleep with my sweatpants tucked into my socks – not the most attractive look but functional and warm in our cold house!

7. I have more than one tattoo.

8. I was not chosen for the cheerleading team in high-school because I was told I “was not peppy enough” which is quite ironic if you know me today!!

9. I had Lasik eye surgery almost 10 years ago and still have 20/20 vision, although I need to wear reading glasses since I turned 40.

10. I take 14 vitamins and supplements every single day.

11. Once, while at a Best Buddies of America fundraiser, I tripped over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s foot, (totally my fault) but he did help me up. 🙂

And finally….questions for my nominees:

1. What do you rant most over?

2. Why did you start blogging?

3. Do you have an idol, who is it and why?

4. What is the best advice you have ever received?

5. Where is the farthest you have traveled?

6. If you could be living anywhere in the world, where would it be?

7. What is your favorite indulgence?

8. What are your pet peeves?

9. What are your favorite television shows?

10. Do you have any tattoos and if so, what are they?

11. Do you have any regrets?

Thanks again to MaryBeth for nominating me.  I can’t wait to hear from my own nominees.  And here they are….more will be added as I get permission from them.

1. Life Stories, by Tammy Palazzo Dandino

2. How to Overthink Almost Everything by Kim Miller

3. Five Plus Banana Splits by Julia Jones

Have fun!

Tagged: #cy365, ab-roller, American University, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Best Buddies of America, chloe and isabel, Liebster Award, maple brown sugar, Nightmare on Elm Street, nominated, pet peeves, Snowcaps, Toyota Celica convertible