The Leibster Award

Shari of Writing is Communication was gracious enough to nominate me for a Liebster Award. I was gracious enough to accept it but not gracious enough to complete it. Until now. April 15 was exactly one month ago so it’s about time I saddle up the horse and ride.

On a side note completely unrelated to the Liebster: it’s currently raining a good spring rain. While there’s no hope of it growing hair on my head, it will grow the seeds in my garden. 

Okay, back to the Liebster. Thanks a million Shari. It’s an honor to be thought of for  an award.

Next up: Answer some questions. 

1. Do you think that a writer has to be defined by one genre?

Hell yeah! I love Terry Brooks’s fantasy novels. If I were to buy a Terry Brooks book I expect it to be fantasy/sci-fi. It would be like buying a can of corn and opening it up and finding it filled with brussels sprouts. However, as an author I would want to be free to write whatever genre I want. Historical fiction today, thriller tomorrow, and romantic comedy the day after that. In conclusion, I shouldn’t be defined by one genre but my favorite authors should be.

2. What is your favourite writing topic?

I’ll have to go with my blog topic on this one, parenting and kids. Sometimes it’s about what to do. Sometimes it’s an example of what not to do. Most of the time my kids are great, but sometimes they can be assholes. I like to write about both.

3. Do you have a book that you recommend to other readers on a regular occasion? What and why?

For kids I always ask if they’ve read “The Book With No Pictures”. It’s the perfect read aloud book sure to have every laughing so hard the tears will run down your leg. To normal adults I always recommend “The Book Thief” by Markus Suzak. I’ve mentioned it several times on my blog, too.

4. Book version or movie version?

Really? The book is always better, isn’t it? Have you ever watched a movie that was better than the book?

5. If I gave you the word “vellichor” as a writing jump off point where might you jump?

I would jump into a story about a kid who accidentally wanders into the world’s oldest bookstore and finds a portal to a world where they become supreme ruler.

6. What would be your dream setting to write in?

I think I would love to be in a log cabin deep in the rainforest away from civilization. Of course, I’d be by myself because DW’s dream spot is on the beach. I bet there’s somewhere in the world that has a rainforest next door to a beach so we don’t have to divorce.

7. What is your favourite season?

Baseball.

8. Who is your favourite villain? Why?

My kids are 2 of them. They’re always out to get me. I don’t know if she counts as a villain or not, but I’m going to name Dolores Umbridge. God, I hated that woman. She was so well written and so easy to hate. She created some outstanding obstacles for the trioo.

9. Who is your favourite hero? Why?

I’m not sure she’s the hero, but she is the protagonist of her story. Liesle Meminger. She learns to read, hides a Jew, cheats death, and steals books. I think that makes her a hero in my book.

10. What does writing mean to you?

Writing means I get to be creative. I get to try to make people laugh with my weird sense of humor. It also means this stupid little blog gets to connect with people around the world.

11. How would you respond to this quote from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you are going any road h take you there”.

Hell yeah! I would respond with “Not all who wander are lost.” The license plate of our first car was “GET OUT”. Now go explore, see what’s around that next bend, and discover something new.

Now to nominate a few blogger friends from around the world…

1. A Momma’s View
2. Dorky Mom Doodles
3. Snoozing On the Sofa

Feel free to participate, or not. The choice is yours. If you participate, don’t forget to nominate a few or more!

For the three I nominated, here are my 11 questions for you.

1. What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
2. If you became a travel blogger where would you go first?
3. Which antagonist is easiest for you to hate?
4. Do you have a favorite board game?
5. Which fictional character would like to have a lunch date with?
6. Assuming you live through the book’s entirety, which book would you not mind finding yourself within?
7. Spring rain or winter snow?
8. You’ve been invited to do a TED talk. What are you going to talk about?
9. What song/artist do you consistently listen to?
10. What’s one of your favorite quotes?

Now give your nominations some questions to answer and thanks for playing along!

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The Liebstering Liebsters…

Liebster: German for dearest, darling, liked or loved above all others.

So you can imagine my surprise when my little space was nominated for this award from across the globe. Here I am just writing some random thoughts for The World to read if they want. Then someone comes along and says “Hey, darling. I love what you write. Have this award.”

Maybe not in those words, exactly.

But I’m equally honored. A Momma’s View had me listed with other blogs that I read, too. Blogs that my blog look up to as if they were an older, wiser sibling. As if my blog were just a toddling toddler. I suppose it’s equivalent to someone dreaming then finding themselves playing next to those who they have pinned on their bedroom wall.

The rules state that I need to thank the person who nominated me. I did, and I thank you again! Then I need to answer some questions, give some facts, nominate some others and give them some questions to answer. So here goes with the questions given to me…

1. IF YOU COULD ERASE A MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE, WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

   All the moments of my life have led me to writing this, just as every moment of your life has led you to reading this. If we remove one of those moments, what would happen to the others? Would the butterfly effect change them all? If that’s the case, I’d remove none. I like where I am. If removing one didn’t alter the rest though, I’d remove the day I got my head stuck in a cinder block. 38 years later and I still haven’t lived that one down…

2. WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE LITERARY HEROINE?

   Just one? I think one is Hermione from the Harry Potter series. No, not because it’s Emma Watson. I liked her before the movies ever came out. Hermione is smart, works hard, and is a loyal friend. More importantly, she knows when she needs to break the rules. J.K. Rowling did a fantastic job writing her character. If it weren’t for her, chances are good Harry wouldn’t have defeated You-Know-Who. My other favorite is Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief. Liesel loves books (as the title infers) and while everyone else in WWII German is stealing food, she is stealing books. She learns to read and then learns the power of words.

3. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

   If I got to take all my family with me, we’d move to Hawaii where there is lots of hiking and lots of water. My Dad’s sister lives in Belize so perhaps that would be fun, too. The Caribbean out the front door and Mayan ruins out the back. Again, lots of hiking and lots of water. Notice a theme? I’m part camel, part fish. A camish.

4. DO YOU LIKE TO COOK? AND WHAT IS YOUR GO TO DISH?

   I love to cook. I think my go to dish is that quick and easy one we call hamburger slop. It’s just burger, a packet of brown gravy, smashed potatoes and a can of corn. My favorite dish to cook though is lasagna soup.

5. WHO WOULD YOU CHANGE LIVES WITH IF GIVEN THE CHANCE? WHY?

   Wow. That’s a hard one. I think I would change lives with an astronaut. I would love to spend 6 months on the ISS. Mom always called me a space cadet, anyway…

6. WHAT WOULD YOU NEVER CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF?

   I would never change my hair style. It’s easy to manage. No bedhead.

7. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

   I would tell my younger self to study harder and stay on track.

8. IF YOU COULD FAST FORWARD 20 YEARS, WOULD YOU? WHY OR WHY NOT?

   Nope. There would be so much I miss. Birthdays and graduations and vacations… Like Van Halen sang, Right Now.

9. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE, MIND READING OR STRENGTH?

   I pick strength. I don’t want to know what everyone else is thinking.

10. WHO IS YOUR HERO?

    DW, for tolerating me. My parents, for making me who I am even though sometimes it probably didn’t seem like it was working. My brother, for all his tours serving our country overseas. All my teachers, too.

11. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU INSTANTLY AND WHY?

    I would want people to know that in groups, I’m quiet and listening. If you’re patient, I’ll jump into the conversation when I’m ready.

Next step: 11 “interesting” facts about myself…

1. I’m an extroverted introvert
2. I have the smartest, most beautifulest wifey ever. Sorry guys.
3. I’m good at sucking up.
4. If I had a super power it would be the ability to talk to animals.
5. I once went sledding off my neighbors garage roof.
6. I have an idea for a children’s book. I just haven’t written it, yet.
7. I co-wrote a children’s book that we haven’t published yet. It has been turned down by a dozen publishers, though.
8. Crash learned to play Hot Cross Buns on his recorder. I want to stab my ear drums and now understand how my parents must have felt when I was learning to play the trumpet when I was his age.
9. I sound like I’m eating sandwiches in my sleep. I smack my lips like I’m chewing. I’ve never heard it so they could be lying, but I doubt it.
10. I grew up an Orioles fan and am still an Orioles fan.
11. I can roll my tongue and I can flip it both directions.

Now to nominate 11 bloggers. I know some of you might not accept rainbows up the arse these nomination awards, so consider this a virtual high five. A proverbial tip of the hat for doing what you do…

Ipuna Black whom I just discovered
Dorky Mom Doodles
Niki’s Thoughts
Welcome to the Nursery
Fatty McCupcakes
Grubbs n Critters
J.A. Allen
A Nene’s Life

Meh… close enough…

Here are your questions should you choose to accept…

1. How do you re-energize?
2. What yearly salary would you consider “living comfortably”?
3. If you met Mother Theresa, what would you ask her?
4. What ice cream flavor do you think your personality is like?
5. If your car had a super power, what super power would you like it to have?
6. Do you have a plan for your blog for the long run? 
7. Is there a word you avoid using? A word you don’t like?
8. Do you have a favorite word?
9. If we communicated by playing musical instruments, what instrument would you communicate with?
10. Is there a time when something didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to, but in the end you were glad that it didn’t?
11. What’s the best piece of advice you would give a new blogger?

Liebstering It!

I completely missed Friday’s “Go Ask Your Father” post. I got this idea in my head and I ran with it and it had nothing to do with blogging. I had decided I wanted to see how many steps I could get in one day. I set my goal at 40,000. My previous record was 32,000. I documented my trip using my GoPro. I’ll post it at the bottom.

Thanks to fellow Nova Scotian, Momantics, for nominating me for a Liebster Award. It was her first time receiving the award and undoubtedly it won’t be her last. Check her out! I’m honored to be one of her 5 nominations…

So here’s how it works!

1. Thank the Blogger who nominated you. It’s the least you can do! (see above)

2. Share 11 random facts about yourself. (see directly below)

3. Answer the 11 questions given to you by the Blogger who nominated you.(see further below)

4. Nominate 5-11 Bloggers who you love and let them know you’ve nominated them.

5. Come up with 11 questions to ask the Bloggers you have nominated.

11 Facts About Myself

1. I want another tatoo for my kids.
2. I’ve got a sweet tooth the size of Hershey Park
3. I love Curious George.
4. I still don’t know if “Nightmare Before Christmas” is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie.
5. I’m hoping Grace Vanderwall wins America’s Got Talent.
6. I want to run the American Ninja Warrior course.
7. DW is my best friend.
8. I like helping others.
9. 9 is my favorite/lucky number. It’s also DW’s. It was also Crash’s number on his baseball team.
10. I like bending rules.

Questions

Are you a night owl or early to bed?

Right now I’m a bit of both. I’m up early (if 6 am counts as early) to start packing lunches and getting breakfast and getting everyone ready to head out the door in time for school. I also enjoy the quiet time after the kids go to bed. 11 pm seems to have become my bedtime. Sometimes a bit later.

EBooks, paperbacks or magazines?

All of the above. I’m kind of slutty in my reading material. I’ll read anything.

Are you a social media junkie?

Nope. Well I don’t think I am. I blog and Facebook and tweet and just recently started making YouTube videos. I don’t really spend any amount on any of it though. Perhaps more than I should, but the house hasn’t fallen down yet, so I’m still okay for now.

The farthest place you’ve ever traveled?

I’ve been down to Costa Rica to backpack around for two weeks. It was amazing. I’ve also been north/west to Calgary, Alberta to visit one of DW’s cousins.

Fall or Summer?

Fall, totally.

Do you still hand wash dishes or do you use a dishwasher?

Both. We have a dishwasher but we only use it for dishes (gee go figure). The pots and pans still get washed by hand.

Tattoos?

I’ve got two. A wolf on my leg and green tree frog on back, right shoulder. The wolf represents family the frog is for DW because a green tree frog stuffie was the first present I gave DW the first time I met her in real life (We met online)

Coffee or tea?

Coke! (tea is fine, though)

Marriage before kids or is that old school?

Old school, myself. If others aren’t old school, I’m okay with that.

Cold pizza for breakfast or am I the only weirdo?

Pizza is great for breakfast. Just nuke it first. I don’t like cold pizza or cold pasta.

How do you like your eggs?

In my belly. Fried, over easy, over hard. Scrambled. Hard boiled is okay, but I’d rather them fried then put on a toasted everything bagel with a slice of cheddar and some bacon.

My Questions
Would you go skydiving?
Would you consider “roughing it” sleeping in a tent or going without cell phone service?
What your dream car to drive?
Traveling to which country would put you farthest outside of your comfort zone?
If I were to come visit your town, what should I visit first?

My Nominations
Keen Life Blog
A Rum Kind of Mum
Homemakers United
Riddle from the Middle

Going Liebster

Thanks to Tiffany over at Sounds Like Life to Me for nominating me for the Liebster Award. High fives all around!

According to Eli,

It’s a little known fact that the Liebster originated in 1901, the brainchild of one American philosopher Anna Brackett, inspired by a lost text from the Book of Matthew, recently found buried in a time capsule found in Haverhill, N.H., during the Chowder Festival.

Sounds about right to me. Though, like Yoda, no one knows its true origins.

So the rules of acceptance are to share 11 mysterious things you may or may not already know about me. Followed by 11 more questions asked by my friend Tiffany. Followed by my own nominations in which I provide 11 of my own questions.

11 things about me

1. I used to hate mayonnaise and apple pie. Now I don’t mind a little mayo and I love apple pie.
2. I’m an extroverted introvert.
3. I enjoy cooking and my cooking enjoys music.
4. My kids don’t think I’m all that funny.
5. I’m not a gym teacher, but all the gym teachers think I am.
6. I’m an Orioles fan living in Blue Jay territory. I’ve lost one son to the Jays.
7. Nothing is quite as much fun as a giant box, empty wrapping paper tube and bubble wrap. Having the trifecta would be more fun than one person could have alone.
8. When I drink Gatorade after a run I drink blue Gatorade.
9. I’ve been playing the guitar for 15 years but still can’t play a whole song.
10. I dig holes just so I can fill them in again.
11. I wrote a whole post on stuff about me.

Now on to the question portion…

1. Furthest place you have visited? The furthest north and west I’ve been is Calgary. The furthest south is Costa Rica.
2. What are some of your best memories? Wedding day and the birth of my two boys. Growing up I loved 4th of July trips to Harpers Ferry with my mom, dad, and brother and playing sport in high school. 
3. Dumbest thing you have ever done? Put my head in a cinder block. Went to a concert but left the tickets on the fridge. Tried to fly to Nova Scotia without my birth certificate (before the days of having to have a passport) Sledded off the neighbor’s garage roof. Rode my bike to the park and walked home. I could go on and on…
4. What has been your best job?  I loved working as Agricultural Scout. I got to be outside all summer. But I LOVE teaching.
5. Name your favorite movie soundtrack. Last of the Mohicans.

6. Tell us just ONE of your biggest pet peeves. Littering
7. If you could go back in time, would you? That would depend on how far. Maybe?
8. Do you sing in the car like no one is watching when that one song comes on? I do. I sing like no one is watching when it’s just the kids listen. One yells at me to stop.
9. Last time you sent a handwritten thank you note? Does the note I wrote about today in school count? I wrote to tell the teacher how the day went and thanked her for her detailed lesson plan. If it doesn’t count, then it’s been a hundred years give or take.
10. What is your favorite thing to do first thing in morning? Eat. And check email.
11. What inspires you? Nike commercials. DW and the kids are really good at inspiring me to do stuff.  Like cook supper.

Now to nominate some others. As always this is strictly a shout out because I enjoy your blog. HIGH FIVE, BRO! If you don’t want to partake, that’s cool. I’ll still enjoy your blog.

Admissions of A Working Mother
SuperMom Mentality
Grubbs-n-Critters
Anxious Mom

If you feel so inclined, here are my eleven questions for you.

1. Who is your favorite actor/actress.
2. How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
3. What’s something that your kids do to drive you crazy, but doesn’t make you angry?
4. Have you ever embarrassed yourself?
5. What’s your favorite meal to cook?
6. Which flavor of ice cream is most like your personality? Why?
7. What’s one of your kid’s shows that you don’t mind watching over and over?
8. If you take a week long vacation without kids to anywhere in your own country, where would you go?
9. Have you ever been pulled over by a police officer? Why?
10. You’re life now has a soundtrack. What’s its title?
11. Are you more hunter or gatherer?

If I didn’t name you personally but you want to participate, fill yer boots! Like Cards Against Humanity, all are welcome to play along.

Thanks again to Tiffany! Hop on over to see her. Her oldest is graduating high school!

My Liebster Award

Thank you to Manny over at The Greenwich Mummy for nominating me for this award. While I’m not one for praise and recognition and chain mail, it is nice to know my blog means something other than words on page. Plus, my blog appreciates the decorations.

Highlight of this year:
It hasn’t happened yet, but the highlight will be our trip to the States. It’s been 5 years since we’ve been as a family. Bang has never been!

Favourite Quote:
Never laugh at a live dragon. (Bonus points if you know the source)

Where do you source your inspiration from whether it be in life or writing?
It comes, of course, from our 2 kids Crash and Bang who are 4 and soon to be 8 years old

What is your favourite colour and how does it inspire you?
I have several favorites. Green. Black. Orange for the Orioles. Not sure how it inspires me.

Where were you born?
In a hospital somewhere on the East Coast of the U.S.A.

How many countries have you visited?
USA. Canada. Costa Rica.

Can you play an instrument?
I can play piano, violin, guitar, trumpet, and the drums. I can’t play ANY of them confidently, I know no songs on them and it’s usually painful to listen to. Just because I know how to play them doesn’t mean I should. The guitar is my best. I at least can play parts of songs and strum a few chords.

What one thing is guaranteed to make you cry?
BingBong getting left behind.

What would you say is your favourite restaurant?
Papa’s Pub here in town. I also really like Carrabba’s, Olive Garden and Applebees.

What is the word/phrase that you use way too much?
Actually, I use the words actually too much. I actually know this because Crash and Bang actually use it frequently, too actually.

Who do I nominate? All of you. If you’re reading this post, this award is for you. A few mentions of those who I read often are:

A Momma’s View
Terri @ Perspectives On
Hoda @ Loud Mama
Ah Dad
Eli @ Coach Daddy
E @ Strong Enough to Break
Tracey @ No Page Left Blank
Ann @ GrubbsnCritters

Happy reading!