Liebster Award

Whew! I’m taking a breather in the midst of a very busy (and very sweet) season of life to participate in a really fun blog award.  My friend Ashley, who regularly cracks me up as she writes over at Pencilled Daydream, nominated me for the Liebster Award.

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions the taggers have set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose up to 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.

Eleven Things About Me:

1.  I genuinely enjoy running. I trained for and ran a half marathon after I had Brant (he was 9 mos old), and I plan to start training this December to run another one in the spring.

2. I live on 40 acres.

3.  My birthday is one day before (and two years later) than Blane’s.  It’s fun to celebrate together!

4.  I really love chocolate, but not milk chocolate. Dark chocolate, all the way.

5.  I love trying new recipes. This week, every dinner was new to our family’s palate.

6.  My house is by no means immaculate, but I really like order.  I am not a collector of knick-knacks and I like a “clean” look.

7.  I am almost always funny when I don’t mean to be.  Which means people are usually laughing at me rather than with me.

8.  I have had three babies over 9lbs at home (two just shy of 10lbs).  I am still amazed that something so big can, well, come out of a very small place.

9.  I met my closest friend in real life at her house (nearly 800 miles from mine) for the first time after having only emailed one another for roughly a year. Nope, we had never talked on the phone.  Neither of us had any fear of meeting an axe murderer due to the content of our emails.

10.   I make my own chapstick.

11.  I LOVE to read.

Questions from Ashley at Pencilled Daydream:

1. Why did you start blogging? I originally began blogging at Domestic by Design with aspirations of generating extra income a few years ago, but stopped and began this blog out of a desire to share testimonies of who the Lord is and what He’s done in my life/heart.
   
2. If you had $1,000 to spend on you (no one else) what would you do with it? Hmm…Scripture for my walls (I love Fruitful Vine Creationsand Emily Burger Designs), books, running gear, a new watch, a plane ticket. I may swing by Starbucks, too.
   
3. What is your favorite flower? I don’t know!
   
4. Which is your favorite, shoes or jewelry? has been shoes…I’m learning to wear jewelry 🙂
   
5. What is your funniest memory? It’s between me and Blane and it’s also my most embarrassing one.  🙂
   
6. Are you a night owl or early riser? early riser! (when I don’t have an infant!!)
   
7. What is your favorite character or book? Hands down, the Zion Covenant and Zion Chronicles series by Brock & Bodie Thoene.
   
8. Sunny, sandy beach or snow-covered mountain vacation? I’m not much of a water-bug, but perhaps a mix of sunny and mountain.
   
9. What is your least favorite food? Probably mushrooms. It’s a texture thing, mostly.And any other slippery, slimy thing.
   
10. What is your favorite post from my blog? This is hard, there are several.  But, I was most recently cracking up reading “A Swift Breakdown.”
    
11. What is your favorite comfort food? Not really “food,” but I’d go for Teecino mixed with hot chocolate…or a Starbucks Mocha. I love oatmeal.

My nominees :
(please don’t be offended by my thinking you may have less than 200 readers! I have no idea!)

The Accidental Okie – Sarah and I spent a semester together in Colorado ten (wow!) years ago.

Grace Looking Back – I don’t know Mrs. Challies personally, but I have enjoyed reading her new blog.  It’s refreshing to hear from wise, older women online!

Intentional By Grace – I met Leigh Ann through a mutual friend and I appreciate her heart’s desire to be transparent and to earnestly seek the Lord. (And I’m pretty sure you have more than 200 readers!)

Migonis Home – Jen was one of my roomies when I was in Colorado ten years ago and she is so fun!  I am inspired by her blog, but will probably never attempt half of what she does…it overwhelms me to think of the size of some of the projects she and her husband do. (And I’m pretty sure you have more than 200 readers, also!)

My questions for you:

1. What has your favorite book been this year?

2.  What has been the most challenging part of parenting?

3.  What kind of car do you drive?

4.  What is your favorite season?

5. What is your favorite thing about your favorite season?

6.  Do you have a go-to dinner recipe? If so, what is it?

7.  Is there a hobby that you’ve desired to pursue, but haven’t? What is it?

8.  If ever given the opportunity, would you participate in a flash mob (dancing)?

9.  What is one place in the US that you’d like to visit (that you’ve never visited)?

10.  What’s your favorite (or one of your favorite) blogs to read?

11.  What inspired you to begin blogging?

Ashley, this was really fun!  Thank you for thinking of me.  Ladies, if you’ve not stopped by her blog, I’d encourage you to check it out!