liebster

So I was going through the many blogs I read, trying to catch up on all of them (mostly because I was avoiding doing my homework) and I was reading the beautiful, talented and lovely Michaela @ Our Dimond Life talk about a neato little thing called the Liebster Award.  Basically, a fun way for smaller scale bloggers to promote each other and get to know each other better.  As I read the post, I learned lots about Michaela and thought that this was such a cool thing.  As I reached the end of the post, I saw SHE NOMINATED ME!  AH!  Could life get any better?  I submit that it could not.   

My blog is pretty low key.  I created it as a newly wed, living and loving in Wyoming where all of my family lives in Utah, Nevada, Texas and a million other places.  I figured this would be a fun way to keep in touch with everyone.  As I've continued blogging, I've found that it is a wonderful way to express myself.  It has become much more important than I ever intended.  So, Thanks Micahela!  You're a doll and I'm so happy you love my blog enough to nominate me for such a cool honor!  

The Rules:

1. Thank and link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.

2. List 11 random facts about yourself

3. Answer the 11 questions you were asked.

4. Present/Nominate a Leibster blog award to 3-5 other bloggers with less than 200 followers.

11 Random Facts About Myself

1. I LOVE LEMON!  My love affair with citrus started early in my life and never ended.  I still cook with lemon or lime at least twice a week, have lemon/orange/lime/grapefruit scentsy bars melting at all times of the day and I even have the gosh darned cutest lemon shaped tea pot.  Once we finally purchase the house we want, I want a completely citrus themed kitchen.  Yeah, that is happening.  

2. The hubs and I were high school sweethearts.  And, I love him and I am so grateful that we met, but it SUCKED.  Being practicing members of the LDS faith, we knew we loved each other, we knew we wanted to get married, and there was literally nothing to do about it.  He had a mission to go on, I had school to go to.  It was basically a situation in which we just had to put our faith in the Lord and listen to what he needed us to do.  Eventually he got home, we dated for about two years and then got married.  It worked out perfectly for us, marriage is the best thing to ever happen to me.  However, I would never hope for anyone to go through that.  Because the five years (two of which were spent 3000 miles away) spent just waiting for the time to be right, was difficult.  The Lord knows what we need and as we follow His counsel, we'll always be in the place we need to be.  It just was not fun at the time, now I'm grateful for it. 

3. Ellen Degeneres will make me laugh no matter what is going on in my life.  She really is the best.  To quote my good friend, Cody, "You either love Ellen Degeneres or you let the terrorists win."  And if you think otherwise, feel free to watch the following clip that will, ultimately, change your mind.

You can also read this article, which will surely inspire you to love Mrs. Degeneres as much as I do.

4. I sang in Carnegie Hall when I was 18.  Seriously, one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life.  I absolutely love New York.  I can't wait to take my husband back to New York City someday and have him experience the east coast too.

  

5. My hubby and I spend most nights watching Doctor Who and The Big Bang Theory.  And I spend basically all of my other tv time watching Food Network.  LOVE IT!

6. Cooking is super relaxing for me.  I love to make up recipes as I go along, so I'm terrible at actually writing a recipe down to follow it.  Someday maybe I'll get good about writing my recipes down, but for now I just have them all up in my noggin. 

7. In addition to cooking, I LOVE BAKING!  I love baking cupcakes, cakes, and any other sweet concoctions.

8. I am obsessed with fun hair colors (i.e. putting purple/pink/other things) in hair.  Never have I been brave enough to do it myself, but I love how it looks on other people.  Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to put a little fun color in my hair somewhere.

9.  I love anything with mint in it.  If mint is anywhere related to the food, I will most likely eat it.  

10. I love to cross stitch.  I know, I'm basically an 80 year old woman in a 20 year old body.  Currently I'm working on a little cross stitch for our (hopefully) new home kitchen.  

11. Getting dressed up is one of my favorite things.  I like taking the time to pick out a cute outfit, wear skirts and dresses, do my hair and put on all of my make up.  Nothing makes me feel better on a rough day then just making myself look a little bit better.  

11 Questions Michaela Asked Me

1. What is your go to comfort food?
Oh. Em. GEE.  I freaking love my dad's homemade stroganoff.  He makes it with gluten-free condensed mushroom soup and ground turkey with gluten-free quinoa noodles, just for me! (Lots of food allergies, he's a champ and adjusted the recipe for me.  He makes the real stuff for the rest of the family.)  However, my mom's pasta salad is also a real winner. 

2. If you could be any animal in the safari, what would you be?
I have a thing for tigers and zebras.  Since I was young, I was obsessed with anything with stripes.  I even had an imaginary friend named Tina the Tiger.  I was an odd child...

3. What is one of your bad habits?
Ick, I bite my nails basically all the time.  Drives my poor hubby CRAZY! 

4. What is your favorite Snack?
I love popcorn.  Plain and simple.  It's my go to most of the time.

5. What is something you wish you knew more about?
I love psychology and would love to learn more about it.  I've taken a few psych classes in college, but I'm always up for absorbing more about how the mind works.

6. What are three things on your bucket list?
Own a house (in full, not just have a mortgage), Take my hubby to NYC, See Mt. Rushmore in real life (it sounds weird, but I've always wanted to go there!)

7. Name three things in your purse right now?
Wallet, Baby Lips Lip Balm, Favorite VS Lotion

8. Favorite beauty tip?
ALWAYS WASH YOUR FACE AT NIGHT.  No matter what.  Even if you're all cuddled up in bed, warm and cozy, ready to sleep.  Wash your face.  With whatever cleanser works best for your skin, just do it.  If you do nothing else, do that.  Your skin will THANK YOU! 

9. What is one thing we will never catch you doing?
Skydiving...or Rock Climbing....Or basically anything that will put me in mortal danger.  I'm not a risky girl, I like being alive far too much. 

10. What is the happiest moment of your life so far?
It sounds super cliché, but the day I got married was definitely the happiest.   As well as basically every day after that. (The day I finally beat Pokémon Ruby is a close second)

11. What is your favorite quote?
I am obsessed with quotes and my favorite changes basically every day.  I have journals FULL of quotes sitting on my bookshelf ranging from when I was 10 to the present.  I think the favorite that always seems to make me happy is simple:

"Choose your love, Love your choice." 

-Thomas S. Monson

I choose to nominate the following AMAZING blogs that I read ALL THE TIME!  You people make me laugh, occasionally cry, and always feel better about life after reading your lovely words.  Congrats to:

Kathryn @ Sentiments from the Support Staff
Summer @ Summer Simmons-Turpin
Jenni @ Jenni & Chauncey
Bree @ Scribbles & Snapshots
Alicia @ The Deyoung Life

And the 11 questions for you lovely ladies are:
1. What do you doodle when you let your mind wander?
2. What is your guilty pleasure?
3. Favorite Movie?
4. Are you a cat person or a dog person?
5. What is one of your pet peeves?
6. Would you rather go to a party or cuddle up at home?
7. What is the best advice you ever received?
8. What is the best advice you have ever given?
9. Are you a writer, a reader or both?
10. What is your favorite board/card game?
11. All time favorite recipe?