Liebster Award

*Crawls out of a dark cave of blankets*

*Shakes off a coat of text books, notes, highlighters, and pencil shavings*
*Turns up the shades*
*Jumps onto the porch, arms spread wide in the 80 degree weather*
“It is SUMMER!”

Perhaps I shouldn’t be rejoicing so much, because in less than two days I start my summer semester. Currently, though, I’m not focusing on that. I’m focusing on warm weather. I’m focusing on having finished my first novel of the summer – in one sitting. I’m focusing on the fact that I just spent an entire, very busy weekend having fun and doing absolutely nothing homework related. Give me a minute, just a minute, to revel in it.

…

Okay – back to business.

 A few weeks ago I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Alex over at Moonbeams and Moss. However, things have been so busy as of recent (woes of a college junior) that I have only just been able to sit down and focus, giving this the attention it deserves. So here it goes! First off, if you get the chance, go visit my lovely nominator’s blog – it deserves some lovin’.

Second, the award: the Liebster Award is a blogger award given by bloggers to new bloggers, or bloggers with under 200 followers. It is a fun way for readers to learn more about you while at the same time gaining exposure in the Blog World. (That’s a thing, right?) Here’s how it goes – I answer 11 questions, I post 11 facts about myself, and then I choose 11 bloggers to nominate and 11 questions for them to answer.

Questions from my Alex at Moonbeams and Moss:

1. What/Who inspired you to start blogging?
I have been blogging on and off for so many years. It’s crazy. I cannot entirely remember how I got started on this path. Somehow I kind of stumbled onto it. A few of my favorite authors write blogs (Kristin Cashore and John Green, for instance) that I follow and read. That progressed to a lot of my favorite Youtubers. That progressed to a few friends and I having an online writing blog where we shared our writing, posted challenges, and encouraged each other. From there a few fanfiction blogs were started (no judge-y) and, ultimately, a few on again, off again blogs for my own personal experience.

This time around I was re-inspired by my real life friend, Miss ALK over at SouthernBelle in Training. She is in love with blogging, in every sense. She has had such a good experience with it and done so much because of it, that I finally restarted! She’s been a huge help to me. She pointed me in the direction of HCBN and Bloglovin’, both of them have been amazing! The funny thing is: I was one of the ones who originally inspired her to start blogging. (Talk about paying it forward. Go give her a little love.)
2. If you could use only one makeup product for the rest of your life, what would you use (blush, eyeliner, foundation, etc.)? Mascara. Without a doubt, hands-down definitely mascara. As much as I hate when blemishes appear on my skin (I’m still self-conscious from years of overactive acne), I find eyes to be the most beautiful part of the human body. They are so expressive! They’re the first thing I notice. Maybe I love the “eyes are the windows to the soul” thing a bit too much.


3. What is your favorite book from childhood? As a book addict, I loved a lot of books during my childhood. Heck, I love a lot of books now. One of my absolute favorites was Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. Its anti-bullying, love yourself message spoke to me. I have always had self-esteem issues and faced bouts of bullying while I was growing up. In those moments, the book served as a source of strength.
4. Have you watched any of the Oscar movie winners and/or nominees from this past year and what is your verdict? If not, what Oscar movie and/or nominee movies from this past year do you want to see? Frozen was amazing! Maybe I am a bit bias because I tend to love Disney movies, but Frozen lived up to every expectation I had. Best of all, I love that the focus was on familial love, not romance, and that one of the heroines had a mental illness that was not glossed over.

Oh! Also...It wasn’t a nominated movie, but I have to admit: I really, really want to see Saving Mr. Banks because I have heard so many mixed reviews on it. I want to judge for myself! Have any of you seen it? What were your thoughts? Share them in the comments!
5.  What word makes it the most into your personal vocab?

Awesome. Without a doubt, hands down: awesome. It is my number one go-to to expression when I think something is the bees-knees. “That’s awesome!” “Awesome!” “This is AWESOME!!” “Awwwesoooome!”I really need to come up with more creative ways.

6. What are your top five favorite clothing stores to shop at?
Honestly: I really only shop at two stores as of late, because they’re local and have great deals when paired with coupons. But I will include the other three that I also shop at most often.
Khols – clearance, clearance, clearance.
Target – also often on clearance and sale.
Old Navy – I love, love, love their pajamas.
dELiA*s – jeans.
J.C. Penny – sweaters, some shirts, winter jackets.
  

7. What is your most loved health food and green beauty product?
Most loved green beauty product: Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Lash boosting Mascara. (Their blush is also amazing.) -- I told you I was addicted to mascara. I just cannot help myself!

Most loved health food: organic, gluten-free azuki and black bean angel hair pastas.
8. The Voice or American Idol?
I actually watch neither, but based on reviews: The Voice. I like the sound of the way the show works, where it is harder to judge by looks in the beginning.

9. Where do you want your next vacation spot to be?
Planning a trip for this summer is on my bucket list. It’d preferably be out of state. The last time I was out of state my family and I went to Gettysburg (unintentionally) on our way to see my brother during his cancer treatment. Ever since then I’ve realized that I have had a thirst for travel inside of me. I just don’t know where yet. Maybe Niagara Falls. Maybe Washington, D.C.. Maybe we’d visit Gettysburg, again. Or maybe a few trips all over my large state; I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve only seen a small fraction of it. That seems like a shame.

10. When was your first concert?
This is a tie between two. I cannot remember which concert actually came first: Kelly Clarkson or American Idol. They were both in 2005 and both chaperoned by my dad. And they were amazing. Just one concert and I was forever hooked on concerts. There is nothing like experiencing music live, with screaming fans, dancing around in your seat, clapping and yelling out the lyrics as much as you can.

I have pictures from both!

American Idol tour! (Really, really blurry picture of Carrie Underwood. 
A few years later - after this picture - I would go see a concert just for Carrie
Underwood.)

All dressed up and ready to go to Kelly Clarkson with my date, my dad!

Same year.

11. What accent can do you the best besides your own?
Ahhh, eh-heh...accents...right. How about I am an expert in Made-up? Made-up includes random squealing, giggling, exaggerated facial expressions, turning non-verbs into verbage, and random sound effects.


Itsy Bitsy Me:
1. Every year until I was in 8^th grade I participated in chorus, drama, and acting. I was the ½ of the magic mirror in a chorus production of Snow White, a narrator in the Emperor’s New Clothes, Violet in It’s a Wonderful Life, and Marilla in Anne of Green Gables. Theater and music have a large part of my heart. I only got out of it because of my downturn in health. A few years later I returned to one of the drama groups I was part of to help out with the productions.

To this day I miss acting and singing as part of a chorus. When I was younger, I never feared auditioning. I was calm and natural. Line memorization was a breeze. Being on stage was as natural as walking. But with my current illness, my constant enemy is anxiety. The mere thought of memorizing lines is suffocating; I cannot fathom auditioning in front of anyone. Someday I hope to move past this again, because I cannot watch a live production without my heart leaping, wishing to be on stage.

2.  I hated Girl Scout camp when I went with my troop. I only went once as a kid and never again. The only other time I went I returned as a Junior Camp Counselor to earn my Bronze award. That time I loved it! I made friends with a few of the international college students (who were official counselors) and even kept in touch with them for a few years. The rest of my troop was not there, it was just me. The kids were great. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

3. I have seen two Broadway productions, Mama Mia and Beauty & the Beast, but neither were presented on Broadway. They were both seen during their National Broadway Tours. (And they were both amazing.)

4. SPARKLES. I am such a girl. I love sparkly things, things that look like real diamonds, but I am cheap. I have some amazing quality costume jewelry that I would never trade for the life of me. My future husband has it so easy: all he’s got to do is make sure it sparkles and doesn’t turn my hand green – I don’t need the real diamond.

5. Speaking of boyfriends...I’ve only ever had one. And he wasn’t even much of a boyfriend. We were young and had never dated before; it was my freshman year of high school and his sophomore year of high school. He was a friend I had for a few years. We’d known each other from all of the acting I’d done, so we weren’t strangers. We went on a few dates (some quite awkward). We went to a dance or two together. We kissed once. But ultimately I did not care for him in that romantic sense and I had to be true to the both of us (plus, I was just too young). We’ve remained friends ever since. I went with him to his junior prom.

6. I can quote, almost verbatim, the entirety of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

7. Back when I wasn’t so busy, I used to read 4 books at a time. Four?! How’d I ever do that!

8. My feet are often my handy picker-uppers when my hands are full. I have used my toes to open doors, pick up pencils, clean, and gather other items from the ground when my hands are full. I get this from my mother, who can use her pinky toe and her big toe the same way as I can. Mother and I have even sat in the living room and practiced writing and drawing with our toes.

9. I used to dress Peaches up in my doll clothes, which is really funny because she absolutely hates being dressed up in her jacket now. (Bless her; she’s got such patience when it comes to me.)

10. Every year I volunteer once a month with a local 4-H club that focuses on gardening. I help teach kiddos how to build and maintain a square-foot garden. Spreading my green thumb!

11. I am not a night person. I will stay up with friends and go out for a rare, special late night. But on an average night, I prefer to be home in pajamas, with tea in hand and a good book or movie to keep my busy.

Nominees Questions:
1. Funniest and/or craziest thing that has ever happened to you – GO!
2. Favorite movie and why?
3. Were you named after anyone?
4. Favorite guilty pleasure (desert, movie, hobby, what-have-you)?
5. Do you have a special – or unusual – talent? Tell us!
6. We all need to practice more self-love. So, what do you love most about yourself? (Not physical!)
7. What is one of your favorite memories?
8. What was your last dream about?
9. What is the biggest thing on your bucket list?
10. If you could go back in time, anywhere, and change one thing, any one thing at all, what would you chose?
11. If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?


Nominees:
(Made my way up to 9! Thank you for all of your help!)

Qwendolyn over at http://gbshortcake.blogspot.com/
Orly over at http://coffeebeansandhighheels.weebly.com
Amelia over at http://bittytidbits.blogspot.com/
Katherine over at http://www.thesenestedthoughts.blogspot.com
Madeleine over at http://www.smalltownrootsandcowboyboots.com/
Beth over at http://wanderingforevermore.blogspot.com/
Emma over at http://lifesbetterontheroad.com
Rebeka over at http://southernervinliving.blogspot.com
Samantha over at http://collegebeautybuff.blogspot.com