Liebster Award

A huge thanks to Jenna over at The Three Little Birdies for choosing me for a Liebster Award! She's the super awesome momma to the incredibly adorable Kinsley. I love reading her blog and am over-the-moon ecstatic to know that she enjoys reading mine as well. It's kind of like getting a shout-out from your favorite celebrity. Thanks Jenna!

The Rules:

1.  Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2.  Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers your pass the award to next.

3.  Choose new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4.  Go back to their page and tell than about the award. 

5.  No tag backs.

11 random facts

1. I am pretty much addicted to buying books for Claire. Every where we go I have to purchase at least one. I would be exaggerating if I said Claire had well over 100 books thus far. I must admit that about half were handed down to her from when my little sister was growing up. Either way, "baby's got books".

2. I am a sucker for garage sales, consignment shops, antique, and secondhand stores. I love buying things that are previously loved. Claire's nursery is decorated 60% out of the kinds of store above. I do buy things new, but almost always are one sale when I do {or I have a coupon}.

3. While I'm super content {and feel beyond blessed} in our current home, Matt and I are secretly wishing that a the family who lives in a certain home, would move out so we can buy it. It's a rather large house on a giant piece of land, and even has a in-ground swimming pool. I'm seriously lusting after this house. Hey, a girl could always dream, right?

4. I love to cook and bake. Before Claire was born before I got pregnant,  I would cook meals and desserts and appetizers 100% from scratch. It was a lot of work, but the food was phenomenal and I loved spending time in my kitchen. 

5. Matt and I are high school sweethearts. We met in the winter of his junior {my freshman} year. We became friends and started hanging out. After about 5 months of being buddy-buddy, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I happily obliged. It was the cliche boy/girl friend relationship- he was the jock and I was the cheerleader. {though it would have made a better story if it were the other way around... j/k}

6. I can remember wanting to be a mommy since... well, forever. I'm slightly ashamed and kind of embarrassed to admit that I loved playing house until I was probably 12. Even after that I loved playing house with my little sister. Babies have always been "my thing". I am dying for Claire to be old enough to play house and have tea parties with. 

7. There's a part of me that wishes that we could sell our house, pack up, and move to the Big Apple or Maui. These are two of my most favorite places. Why? Well because I love the idea of having so many options for education for Claire, as well as the fact that she would grow up in a culture-rich area. There is zero diversity where we live and it really sucks. 

8. I desperately want to learn how to sew. I should say, sew well. Anyone can sit down at a sewing machine and make something, but I want to be damn good at it. I want to make all kinds of things for Claire and future babes. I just do.not.have.time. 

9. Even though I despise cheese, my favorite food & desert are pizza and cheesecake {with stawberries}. 

10. I would, ideally, like to have 4-5 children. I don't know if we will ever have that many, but in a perfect world, I definitely would. If money wasn't factor, I wouldn't bat an eye at 6, possibly 7. However, housing & food shortages may occur if we ever tried this on our current salaries. Forget transporting them anywhere... or buying them clothes. We would be naked, homebodies. Ha! That'd be cute, huh?

Jenna's 11 Questions

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Wow! This is a hard one right off the bat! Hmm... After thinking long and hard {I finished the rest and came back to this one}, I decided that there isn't one memory that sticks way out above the others, so I decided to go with... the overall relationship with my parents. They were able to find that delicate balance between parent & friend and stayed there throughout my life thus far. They were fun and silly but knew where to draw the line in order to raise polite & kind children. We may never had some of life's "finer things" like name brand clothes and other material items,  nor did we embark on annual summer vacations like a lot of families do. However, they gave us something so much more valuable and that was a loving & zany family who was always there whether we needed a shoulder to cry on or lend a tissue because we laughed so hard we cried {and maybe even peed our pants... ohh wait, there's more embarrassing stuff ahead}, I couldn't be more thankful for having those two people as parents.

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Like mentioned in #7 above, I would love to live in NYC or Maui. Two polar opposites but they both have so many great advantages. NYC is lively and exciting, offering a young child so many learning opportunities, while Maui is laid back and beautiful and comfy-cozy warm all year round.

3. What is your favorite perfume?

If there's on thing I love, it's perfume! I used to own around 10 different kinds of perfume, and therefor, I can't choose just one. It's a tie between Ja'dore by Dior and Chance by Chanel. I unfortunately cannot wear perfume anymore due to Matt's allergies, so baby lotion is my only perfume :(

4. What is your go to beauty product?

Definitely Clinique's Advanced Concealer. I don't really get breakouts or pimples {thank you pregnancy!} anymore, but dark circles from being sleep deprived has taken their place. This stuff works wonders! A little bit goes a looong way and it's reasonably priced.

4. What is the most challenging part of parenthood for you?

I think it's mostly just wondering about how to raise a young lady. I can deal with sleepless nights, but I am a want so badly for Claire to be a fun-loving, carefree, spirited, loving, and passionate individual. I want her to be a dream-chaser and hope she will love people and God like I do, if not more. How do I instill all of these qualities? Not sure yet, but stick around and over the next few years we'll see how she flourishes.

5. Why did you start writing your blog?

I started it as a way to share my life with my family {they all live 2.5 hours away}. Also as a place to write my thoughts. 

6. What were you doing right before you wrote this post?

I was feeding the lil miss! I love lazy Saturdays!!

7. What is your favorite blog to read?

I love Kelle Hampton's Enjoying the Small Things, but then again, who doesn't? She's an eloquent writer & an amazing photographer. Need I say more?

8. If you had an entire day to yourself, with no responsibilities, what would you do?

If that day were today, I would go skiing for a few hours, then head to the spa for an hour long massage followed by a mani & pedi. To top it off I would snuggle with the hubby and lil miss and then go to bed at 8pm.

9. What is your favorite Starbucks beverage? 

The closest Starbucks is over an hour away, so I don't get to enjoy it, like... ever. I do love their bottled Frappuccinos though.

10. What is your biggest fear?

It may seem dark but... Claire {or any of my future children} having an incurable childhood cancer. A childhood friend of mine died at the age of 18 due to Ewings Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer found mostly in children/adolescents.  Her death was one of the saddest things I've ever experienced.

11. Who is your celebrity crush?

I'm not really crushing on anyone lately but David Beckham is certainly easy on the eyes!

And if you hadn't noticed, there were 2 #4 questions. Thanks a lot Jenna for the extra work ;)

Okay, for my 3 favorite blogs:

Sierra from Us + One

Ashley from The Lite of Our Lives

Sadie from LuLu Love

You lovely ladies need to answer the following questions:

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?

2. How many children do you want to have? 

3. If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

4. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?

5. What is your biggest hope for your little one?

6. What are 2 things on your bucket list?

7. Favorite holiday?

8. If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

9. Biggest regret?

10. What is the one thing you are looking forward to most?

11. Favorite recipe?

Have fun lovies! 

Thanks again, Jenna!