Liebster Award

Laura over at String of Pearls nominated my little blog for a Liebster Award. Which is very thoughtful and she asked 11 incredibly challenging questions. But I think I did them justice so we'll see! Here are the rules: 

Liebster Award Rules:

Acknowledge the blog that nominated you.

Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created.

List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that deserve some recognition.

Write 11 questions for them to answer.

Notify them they've been nominated.

My answers to her thought provoking questions: 

1. Do you have a favorite saint with whom you feel a special kinship? (Who is it, and why?)
I have always been very fond of St. Anthony. He has very rarely let me down on those pesky lost things! I would use his name to honor a baby but I don't love Anthony as a first name and because of the last initial we can't use any vowels for middle names. On the feminine side, I did my confirmation report on St. Barbara and while I am not likely to die a quick and violent death at work I do love her dearly.

2. Do you have a "bucket list"?  (And if so, what's the first item on the list?)
For the past few years I've had a list of "25 Things to Do When I'm 25" or whatever the age may be. Funny enough I didn't make one for 27 which would be this year's list. So now I am writing a "30 Things to Do Before I'm 30" list. That will give me about 2 years and 4 months... I can do that right?! 

3. Where is your favorite place to swim: a heated pool, a freshwater lake, or the ocean?
Heated pool. Yes. I like to look at the ocean. And I like boat in lakes. But swimming no question is the very best in a pool. 

4. What are three words that describe you?  (Sorry--I hate it when people ask me questions like that.) Passionate, Sensitive and Realistic. 

5. Are you fluent in a second language? Not even close. I took French 7-10 grade but I was HORRIBLE at it. Just terrible. My brothers for sure got that gene. They're really good at it. I took ASL in 11th grade and can finger spell quite fast. Otherwise I can basically ask people how they're doing, what their name is etc. Not super skilled at all. Then I also went to Danish immersion summer camp for 6 years the last of which was for high school credit (senior year) so I am about equal to my sign language skills in Danish. Which is a really useful language. (Not really)

6. Do you like to travel, or are you more of a homebody? Well I truthfully am a homebody. But I do like a good vacation--we just don't take them! I wish we would! We do travel to see family quite a bit but I mean like a no obligation to anyone kind of vacation is my ideal. The last one we took was our honeymoon. Hopefully we'll take one soon but it's not likely. 

7. What's your all-time favorite book (if you can name just one; if not, how about your three favorites)?

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards.  

Yes. That Julie Andrews. It was one of the read aloud books my fourth grade class read after lunch and it was magical. We had a scrappy cap party. I wanted to read it on my own and my mom took me to the library. The librarian couldn't find it for a while then we she did she asked me "Why didn't you just say it was by Julie Andrews?" I didn't know. I was 9. And Mrs. Hovland certainly didn't explain to us that the book was written by Mary Poppins and Maria. 

I still read it annually. I still think it's magical. One of my life's ambitions is to meet Julie Andrews and thank her for this book. She spoke at my high school (after I graduated obviously) and her children's book tours haven't come to my area and they also specifically say she only signs her new book that day. But I have faith I will meet her at some point. I really do. 

8. Do you love to cook (or would you rather eat out and have someone else do it)? I can cook. I don't love it. I love to bake sweet things, cookies, cakes and brownies. Husband does love to cook and he bakes bread so we split time in the kitchen. I do love going out to eat but with C we just don't often . I was able to go out to eat last weekend which was very fun and exciting for me! 

9. If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life (a horrible prospect, I know!), what would you choose? I really really love dessert. But if I have to pick, I would pick a fresh warm brownie right out the oven. You can dress a brownie up with ice cream, or frosting or just by itself with a glass of milk. I think I could be content with brownies fresh from the oven. 

10. Is there a particular work of Catholic art that is your favorite?  (Share the image with us, if you can.) I am a little ashamed that I don't have a favorite. Especially since I took AP Art History and enjoyed it. Certain images speak to me more than others. Pretty much any photograph of Blessed Pope John-Paul II warms my heart with good feelings. I just wish I had been able to hug him. He looks as though he would have given great hugs. What a kind and gentle spirit he had, with kindness in his eyes. There are also certain statues and icons that I love but I have no favorite. I am on a new quest to have one though!

11. What inspired you to begin your blog? We had just gotten married and I moved out-of-state and I didn't have a job yet. So I started a blog as something to do. The original blog is archived and gone now when I made my move over to A Dash of Snark. I moved because I wanted a different blog address! 

Okay now the rules state I am supposed to nominate 11 people... but I am a rule breaker. So what I am going to do is ask 11 questions and if you want to answer my questions and blog about it, consider yourself nominated. I know I felt all warm and fuzzy when Laura nominated me so this is a total cop out for you, but I just don't have that many people who read and comment regularly. 

Here are my 11 questions in case you are interested: 

1. What is your favorite color and why? 
2. What is your top baby name that you wouldn't ever use? (Either done having kids, rhymes with your last name or vetoed by your spouse.)
3. Why do you love your home? 
4. What modern convenience could you not live without?
5. Quick! You just won $100 to the store of your choice. Which store and what would you buy?
6. Would you rather travel by train, plane or automobile? Or boat? Let's throw boat in as an option. 
7. If you could pick a new hobby and be immediately skilled at it what would you pick? 
8. What's the best gift you've ever received? 
9. If someone asked you for a random piece of advice what would you say? 
10. What is the first thing you notice about people? 
11. Why do you like your church over others you've attended? What makes your faith home so special to you? 

So there we have it. My totally rule breaking Liebster Award. Ah well, I am going to own my rule breaking!