Leibster Blog Award

So, I know I've taken quite a bit of a break from this ole blog, and am way behind on my goal of blog posts for the year.  Despite my infrequency in posting, however, my blog friend over at Phenomenal Lass recently nominated me for a Leibster Blog Award!  I had heard of this award, but was not entirely familiar with the origins, and what it meant.  After a little bit of research, I found out that it is awarded to new bloggers with under 200 followers, by other new bloggers with under 200 followers.  According to Phenomenal Lass, "Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome."   It's really cool to be nominated for this, especially by a blogger I have never met in person, yet whose blog I have enjoyed reading.  The blogosphere is cool in that respect, people who live hundreds of miles away can be a part of each others lives and encourage each other through Leibster Award nominations.  I was quite honored. :)

So here are the rules for the nominees:
1. The Liebster is given by bloggers to other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
2. Each blogger should post eleven facts about himself or herself.
3. Each blogger should answer the eleven questions that are asked by the person doing the nominating.
4. Choose eleven new bloggers to nominate for the Award and link to them in the post.
5. Create eleven new questions for your nominees.
6. Go back to their pages and tell them they’ve been nominated.
7. No tag backs.

So here we go guys!
11 Things you may not know about me:
1.  I can write backwards.  Actually, when I was learning to write I automatically wrote the text in mirror image and have been able to write that way since then, just as fast as I can write forwards.  I've done a little research and it's technically called "mirror writing," I probably write that way because I'm left handed, and Leonard Da Vinci wrote that way (so I'm in good company).

Some of my notes for my certification test

2.  I have an outie belly button.  It sort of looks like a curly pigs tail.  And no, I will not be sharing a picture of that.

3.  I just started collecting pie birds.  You put these little guys down in pies to help the air escape so your crust doesn't puff up and then bust from the pressure of escaping air.  

4.  Mine and Husband's first "date" was at a fast food chicken restaurant.  That is one of the places he hid my proposal scavenger hunt clues.  

Our first Valentine's Day

5.  I broke my left wrist in 5th grade.  I kicked a girl and was running away from her when I fell and broke it.  Karma, huh?

6.  I played basketball for 8 years.  My dad was my coach when I was younger and it was awesome!  Also, it helped that I was the awkward tall one at that age.  

#20, hellooooo awkward stage.  Dad is in the kickin purple sweatshirt on the left. :)

7.  I grew up in a house that was built in 1897.  It was really cold in the winter and really hot in the summer but I wouldn't change growing up there for anything in the world.  It was a wonderful house and will always hold fond memories of growing up. 

Christmas in our old house

8.  I went to public school through 1st grade, was homeschooled 2nd-4th grade, private school 5th-9th grade, and back to public for 10th-12th grade.  Each of those schools offered unique experiences and had their positives and negatives and were the perfect place for me to be at those ages in my life.  Again, wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.    

Our lovely uniforms at the private school.

9.  I took horseback riding lessons for two years starting in ninth grade, and got my own horse in 10th grade which was a complete dream come true.  

Me and Apache

10.  I had awesome birthday parties growing up.  My parents were so creative and made us feel so special on our birthdays.  My favorite was probably the sock hop party.  Also, there for a couple of years, I would get hurt every year on my bday.  Stung by wasps, busting it on concrete...it was like a horrible birthday curse!

This year was my 101 Dalmation Party.  This was also the year the wasp flew down my shirt. 

I'm in the middle with the bangs. 

11.  I eat the chocolate around the outside of a 3 Muskateers bar first, and then after it has been skinned of its chocolate, I eat the nougat inside "like a weird rabbit"(as my husband says).

And now for my answers to Phenomenal Lass' Questions

1. What is your favorite thing about blogging?  My favorite thing has to be the sense of community it brings.  It takes two seconds to write an encouraging comment on someone's blog, but can absolutely make their day.  
2. If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Oh, this is a tough one, I love watching movies.  Probably Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley.  It never gets old, and she did an excellent job portraying Elizabeth in my opinion.  
3. What is your greatest strength?  I think my greatest strength would probably be my ability to retain information and organize it all in my head and on paper.  
4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?  Paris, of course.  I haven't even been able to visit, but would love to some day.  So much history and romance packed into that little city.  
5. What’s your favorite song (of the moment)?  My favorite song right now would probably be "Down in the Valley" by The Head and the Heart, but that changes daily.   
6. Are you what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Definitely not.  When I was young, I wanted to be a Taco Bell Manager.  And then in high school and college I wanted to work for the Secret Service.  
7. If you had to retake one class from school, what would it be and why?  I would want to take French again, and push myself harder to be fluent.  My teacher had a wealth of knowledge on the language and I don't think I took advantage of that.  
8. If you had to commit one of the Seven Deadly Sins, which one would you choose and why?  Oh man, gluttony in a heartbeat.  Hahaha!
9. Your new best friend is a character from a book. Who do you pick? Katniss from the Hunger Games.  She don't play, and could teach me a thing or two about kicking butt.  
10. What’s the best thing you ate this week?  Cinnamon apple filled doughnut from Dunkin Donuts.  Most delicious doughnut ever.    
11. What are your plans for the weekend?  Going up to Henry County for mine and my grandmother's birthday celebration with my family. 

And now for my nominees!  It's kind of funny because I don't personally know a majority of these bloggers, but enjoy reading their blogs.

1. Catrina Bradley

2.  A Story of Paris

3.  Controlled Chaos

4.  Hope for More Than a Name

5.  Akin Bits

6.  Butler Diaries

7.  The Goal of Living is to Grow

8. From Ashes to Beauty

9.  Little Things Bring Smiles

10.  Found the Route

11.  The Joyous Cookbook

And now for my questions for the nominees!

1.  If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
2.  If you had to choose one reality show to be on, what show would you chose?
3.  What is the favorite birthday gift you received as a child?
4.  Would you rather bungee jump or skydive, and why?
5.  If you could chose a celebrity chef to be your personal chef, who would you chose?
6.  If you could have a different career for a day, which profession would you chose?  
7.  If you could choose an instrument to miraculously be excellent at, which instrument would you chose? 
8.  What is your least favorite movie?
9.  What is the first thing you notice about people?
10.  What word do you think people would most likely use to describe you?
11.  What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date?