Always Here If You Need Me Award

Whenever I am feeling a little blue, my followers always have a way of cheering me up. There are quite a few of you awesome people who comment on my blog often, giving me support, encouraging me, inspiring me and being overall fantastic. I always try to return the favor. I love to give love and support as much as I like to receive it. Victoria at Victoriously went the extra loving mile and nominated me for the Always Here If You Need Me award. I felt so happy and special. It was wonderful of her to nominate me and let me know she noticed my comments 😀 I would definitely return the favor since she is always commenting on my blog as well but we don’t need all these nominations go to her head (which they would if she’s anything like me! haha!).

The rules of the award are:

• Post a picture of the award somewhere on your blog.
• List five things that make you happy.
• Nominate three people who have always been there for you, who have always provided support and enthusiasm for your efforts, and to whom you feel you could turn when you’re dealing with challenges. Comment on their blogs and let them know of the nomination.

Five things that make me happy

1. A relaxing hot bubble bath in a big tub with essential oils and Epsom salts.
2. My wonderful daughter who makes my day brighter
3. Goofing around with Hubby. Whether we are playing board games, going on a walk, having weird conversations or picking at each other, he always know how to make me laugh and goes out of his way (even acting silly just for me) to make me smile and laugh.
4. Reading a good book. I have always loved reading. It gives you time to escape reality and go on an adventure without all the work LOL
5. Spending time in the sunshine especially if it involves water like going to the beach, pool or lake

My Three Nominations

1. Christina at Day by Day. She was the first person to like and comment on my blog and she has been supportive ever since. I remember how excited I was to see her name as my first follower. I will always happily read her comments and visit her blog as well 🙂
2. Lori at Out of Hiding. She is always so supportive and encouraging. We have talked back and forth through comments on each other’s blog and I feel like we have a lot in common. I look forward to reading her blog and love reading her comments. She is always inspiring me to try harder and gives me pep talks when I’m feeling down.
3. Lissa at If Not for the Skinny Jeans. She has always been very supportive. Her blog makes me remember to focus on all indications of a healthy lifestyle, not just the scale. Being healthy is more than just a number and Lissa always reminds me of that whenever I forget. She is a wonderful person and very inspiring. I love reading her comments on my blog and reading her blog as well.

Liebster Award, Feeling Some Love

This has taken me forever but I am finally making this post. I was nominated for my first Liebster award by Letters to Chace & Harper. I was very honored and happy to be nominated. That same week I was nominated by Meagan at The 80/20 Mom. I was overwhelmed with happiness at being nominated twice in one week. Since I had just made the post about my first Liebster award, I wasn’t too keen on doing another. I was very happy and thanked her for the nomination. As if both of these nominations weren’t awesome enough, I was also nominated by Julie at WorkingUpTheCurve. I was overjoyed. It took me forever to make this post but it doesn’t lessen the honor I feel at being nominated.

I’ll combine my answers from both nominations into this blog and link to my first Liebster award post for my nominees and questions.

Okay so here are the rules for the Liebster award…

• post 11 random facts about myself
• answer the 11 questions posed by my nominator
• nominate other blogs
• ask them 11 questions

11 Random Facts about myself for Meagan’s Nomination

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read. I’ll read anything and everything. Science fiction, fantasy, romantic novels, nutrition/fitness, textbooks, research articles, just everything
2. I love to learn. I am always researching and learning something new. Although I read a lot, I don’t believe everything I read. I usually read a ton and make my own opinion of what I’ve read. This is definitely true about raising babies and all the confusing/conflicting information there is about it.
3. I’ve moved A LOT in my lifetime. A LOT. I have honestly lost count I’ve moved so many times but it’s well over 30 moves (I’m only 24).
4. Both of my parents have had cancer. My father died of lung cancer and my mother almost died of colon cancer. This is one of the reasons being healthy is so important to me.
5. Hubby and I met in high school during senior year(even went to prom together). We were each other’s first loves and are still madly in love with each other.
6. I lived in Florida for a couple years. I love it there.
7. I went to college for massage therapy and got my associates degree. I moved to Pennsylvania (where I now live) and got pregnant a few months after graduation. My license has expired while I have been living life. I would still love to do massage therapy but currently can’t afford to renew my license.
8. I love essential oils and use them a lot. My favorites are lavender and peppermint. I also love lemon and orange essential oils for cleaning.
9. I love cooking and baking from scratch. It is calming for me and I just love it. I just hate doing all the dishes!
10. I have many great friends but don’t really get to talk to them often. This makes me sad.
11. I have always loved animals and nature. I want to instill a love of animals and nature in Peanut as well.

11 Random Facts about myself for Julie’s Nomination

1. Peanut was a surprise. We weren’t preventing but we weren’t trying either. I would never ever call her a mistake though. When I think of the word mistake, it makes me think of something you wish didn’t happen or regret. She never has been or ever will be a mistake. She was a pleasant surprise 😀
2. I love watching cartoons and kids movies. Despicable Me, Shrek, Ice Age, Monster Inc. and Hercules are some of the kid movies I love to watch.
3. I was raised to believe dinosaurs don’t exist (as in they are make-believe). I don’t believe this anymore. haha!
4. I didn’t watch Star Wars until after I met Hubby.
5. I have book smarts. I graduated from college with a 97-98% grade point average (I can’t remember the exact number but it was in-between those LOL).
6. In school, I gave a massage to a Boston Red Sox player. They were in Fort Myers, FL for spring training and came to my school for massages. I have a baseball signed by the whole team 😀
7. I fart often when I workout. Thank goodness I’m not at the gym or in a class. haha!
8. I like watching nature documentaries.
9. I can’t hold my breath underwater without holding my nose. Don’t know why.
10. I listen to all sorts of music and am open to listening to anything.
11. I love a lot of things. haha!

11 Questions by Meagan

1. Your favourite time waster:
   • Reading!
2. Book(s) you loved as a child:
   • I read A LOT as a child some of my favorites include the Dragonlance novels(more of a high school favorite), Billy Goats Gruff (all time favorite as a little kid),  Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Rainbow Fish and There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
3. Trait that you love most about yourself:
   • My smile and happy personality. I am very happy-go-lucky positive person. I have been told I radiate happiness. I have also been told I brighten a room when I walk in (I assume from my smile LOL). I have always been outgoing and friendly.
4. Trait that you would most like to change:
   • I have an annoying habit of interrupting people when they talk. I’ve been working on it for a couple years but have a long way to go. I also like to eat late at night which I need to change.
5. Facebook or Twitter:
   • Facebook
6. Bygone era that you’d like to experience:
   • That is so hard to answer. I love history and there are so many eras I’d love to visit including
     • American Revolution. I always found this time to be amazing and it was my favorite time in American history. Plus there were many awesome people during this time I’d love to meet
     • Ancient Egypt. I have found this time intriguing and would love to learn more about the people and culture in this era. I would love to ask questions about their beliefs and why they chose to build the monuments they did.
     • Ancient Aztecs. Another fascinating time in history I’d love to learn more about. Although being a woman in this era might make it less fun than if I were a man. LOL
7. Another country that you’d like to live in:
   • Australia or England. I love both of these countries and would at least love to visit them 😀
8. Messiest room in your house:
   • My bedroom. Company doesn’t go in our room so it’s the last place I usually clean which makes it the messiest.
9. Favourite physical activity:
   • Kickboxing. I just love everything about it.
10. Your last meal would be:
    • Wow… what a hard question… I’ve never thought about it…
11. What makes you unique?:
    • Ha! Where to start?!?!? I say whatever I’m thinking most of the time (including perverted comments). I only filter what I say at work or in front of religious people.

     

I figured this would also be a great way for you guys to get to know me better. There’s plenty of random information in this post. haha!

Liebster Award

I feel so honored! First, I was nominated by Letters to Chace & Harper for the Liebster Award. Then, I was nominated again for it a few days later by The 80/20 Mom. Its one thing to have one person like my blog enough to nominate me, but TWO??? I am feeling the love!!! Thanks Ladies!!!! Since Letters to Chace & Harper nominated me first, I will answer her questions.

Rules:

– Thank the person who nominated you
– Answer the 11 questions from your nominator
– Nominate the award to 11 new bloggers
– Ask 11 new questions to the nominated recipients

Letters to Chace & Harper’s Questions for me

1. What is your favorite post you have written?

My favorite post I’ve written so far is Where did my newborn go? because I loved reminiscing. I wrote from the heart in that post and you can tell when you read it. I cried through most of it. A mixture of happy and sad tears.

2. If you could meet one famous person, who would it be and what would you say?

I’d love to meet Pink. I have always enjoyed her music and I love her opinions on breastfeeding and parenting. I would ask her questions on parenting and how she feels about being judged by so many people for the way she parents. I would also tell her how awesome I think she is for standing up for herself and her beliefs.

3. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Staying up late at night watching wrestling with my dad when I was little. He yelled at the TV during wrestling like most football fans do during the superbowl. It always made me laugh.

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

I would pay off my husband’s school loans as well as mine. I would give some of it to my husband’s parents to say thank you for all of the love, support and financial help they have given me over the years. I would save the rest of it.

5. Do you believe in fate?

Yes. I believe my husband and I were meant to be together. He is my soulmate and I am his. We love each other deeply. No one understands me as well as he does and he loves me regardless.

6. Do your family members or people closest to you read your blog?

I invited some of my friends to read it but I don’t know if they do or not

7. Do you prefer scary movies or comedies?

I love laughing so I prefer comedies but I like watching scary movies as well.

8. One thing that you do to relieve stress or take time for yourself?

I like to make myself homemade body scrubs, facial masks, and bath salts. Then I take a nice relaxing bubble bath and use the scrubs, and facial masks.

9. What is your favorite day of the week?

Sunday is my favorite day. My husband and I both have off work and the day is designated family day.

10. If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go and why?

Australia. I loved Australia ever since I was a kid watching Steve Irwin on Crocodile Hunter. The wildlife, the landscape and the people have always amazed me. I would love to go there someday.

11. What is your favorite food?

My old favorite food was pizza. I just LOVED pizza. But I don’t eat it anymore due to the dairy and how unhealthy it is. So right now, I don’t really have a favorite food.

11 Blogger I nominated for this award:

Supernu

Finding My Onederland

Finding me, One Pound At A Time

Perpendicularpessimist

Day by Day

Fat2Fit2Fabulous

Moms-opinions

Fatness To Fitness

Mrs. Healthy Ever After

If Not For The Skinny Jeans…

Insatiable Thinker

11 Questions for the Nominees:

1. What/Who inspires you?
2. Why did you start your blog?
3. What is your favorite season?
4. Describe yourself in three words.
5. If you could change one thing about yourself, would you? What would it be?
6. Name one bad habit you would like to change.
7. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them? If so, do you want more?
8. What makes you laugh?
9. Favorite movie?
10. What chore do you hate doing the most?
11. What qualities do you like in a blog?