Libester Award!

Hey internet... I recieved my first ever blog award!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers, and my mom and dad for loving me, and my husband for putting up with my annoying love for taking pictures and documenting our life...

BUT really.... I am so honored to have been nominated by the sweet Kelly Jo over at The Dr. and The Mrs.  If you haven't visited her blog before - you totally should!  She is a brand new momma and I love reading about her life adventures.

Anyway, the Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers.  Liebster is a German word meaning dearest. The award is given to up-and-coming bloggers who deserve recognition and support to keep on blogging.

Here are the "rules":

1. List 11 facts about yourself

2. Answer the 11 questions given to you

3. Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate for the award.

4. Choose 5 bloggers with 200 or less followers to nominate.

5. Go to each blogger's page and let them know about the award.

6. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog!

11 facts about me:

1. I'm in love with this guy

2. This Z-MAN sandwich is probably my favorite BBQ thing to eat - EVER

3. My hair is my favorite feature

4. Coffee dates are potentially some of my favorite things

     4a. Vanilla Chai is a way to my heart

     4b. This is one of my favorite coffee date spots... #WhistleStop #DowntownLS

5. Took a painting class last summer... and I secretly loved every second of it... and can't wait to do it again!

6. I have the best brother a girl could ever ask for...

7. I have a really unique... loud laugh... #sorrynotsorry

8. Before I started dating Scott... I was NOT a cat person... now I can't imagine these two furry babies not being a part of our family!

9.  Cards are my love language... the way to my heart

10. SOFT iced sugar cookies are my weakness

11. I seriously love snow... LOVE it.

Whew... that was tough!  Now onto answering the questions Kelly Jo had for me.

Her Questions for me:

1. What is your favorite article of clothing?

I'm thinking that I really REALLY like scarves...

2. If you could own any exotic animal what would it be?

TIGER... duh #MIZ-ZOU

3. What is your favorite book?

Wow... this is really hard - currently Crazy Love by Francis Chan is still rocking my world even a year later

4. What is your dream vacation?

A mixture of Hawaii and skiing at Copper Mt. in Colorado

5. What are some of your pet peeves?

People that don't know how to drive... by far my biggest!  
People texting while driving... the funny part is that I can always tell when someone around me is texting and driving b/c of how similar they look to a drunk driver on the road... #DontGetMeStarted

6. What was your favorite movie growing up?

Aladin, The Wedding Planner, and Sleepless in Seattle

7. What is your favorite recipe to cook?

Fajitas... funny it is my favorite one to eat too :)

8. If you could hang out with one celebrity for a day, who would it be?

The Pioneer Woman - I think we'd be friends in real life.  She is sassy and sweet - oh and I'd beg her to teach me everything she knows about cooking that day.

9. What is one of your family traditions?

Christmas tree forrest AND Christmas Eve service... 2 of my favorites!!

10. What is your favorite season and why?

Fall!  It used to be because my birthday is in the fall... and when I was little I thought the leaves changed colors JUST for my birthday.  I love everything about how the air smells, how the wood burns in the camp fire, the way the leaves sound in the wind.... and lets face it... the way my hair loves the perfect climate during fall

11. Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Hmmm... I hope to be a God-honoring momma... and I hope to be serving where the Lord desires me to serve... I plan to fall even deeper in love with my handsome hubby too ... 

Ok... so I tag the following bloggers:

1. Jen @ Confessions of Jenny

2. Jamie @ The Franzy Bunch

3. Laina @ The Life Is Beautiful Project

4. Candace @ Candace's Calling

5. Stacey @ Hope Handmade 

If you haven't visited their blogs- you totally should! These are some very talented ladies!!

My questions for these lovely bloggers to answer:

1. If you had a mission statement for your blog... what would it be?

2. What is your favorite feature about yourself?

3. If you could live in any decade... which would you live in and why?

4. What are your top 5 favorite things about your spouse?  If you're single... what are the top 5 qualities you are looking for in a future spouse?

5. If you could spend the day with a celebrity... who would it be and why?

6. Favorite disney movie?

7. What is your favorite hobby?

8. If you were given the chance... what 1 piece of advice would you give yourself at age 16?

9. What is your favorite thing about your christian community?

10. What is your favorite quote?

11. What is your biggest weakness and how do you embrace/deal with it?

Random Ray...

So I'm sitting here considering some new blog topics... and a perfect title comes to mind.. 'A Day at Work with Ray'.  Then it hit me...I work in a confidential information overload environment and I don't want to have to wipe out all of my readers, I like having you around (I really do!). #CorporateHRproblems

Then another, more realistic, idea came to me:  BLOG SPOTLIGHT.  But please be warned: I will NOT over commit myself by saying I will highlight some of my favorite blogs on a weekly basis.  But I do plan to add this topic to the blog mix.

I have several friends who blog and I love all of their blogs, so please don't be offended if you aren't listed today!

Well you've read an awful lot about Laina, here. I really think you'd be so encouraged by her blog.  Eventually we'll get her convinced to switch from the dark-side and join Blogger.  She is genuine, loves to love others, she loves others WELL, is in college, and loves Jesus- doesn't get much better than that!  I truly love this girl, we are kindred spirits!

So when I first started blogging a couple of years ago, I tried so hard to convince my dear friend, Candace to get started.  She has always been a great writer and she's artsy... which always helps.  So after some convincing-- she gave in--- I am pretty persuasive :)  Well, just as I expected, she has quite the following.  I'd like to ensure everyone takes note when she becomes blog-famous.  What can I say, I know talent when I see it :)  must be the HR coming out!  She has a beautiful little girl and blogs about yummy food that she tries and other random life experiences.

Also consider visiting Ashley's blog, she and I went to college together at good ol' Southwest Bridal Baptist University.  She has adorable kids, pregnant with another little girl, has a beautiful story to tell about being a mom.

So we'll stop there this time.  I have so many others that I love dearly... I'm currently waiting for a few of my dear friends to pick up the blogging memo and update more often... you know who you are! :)

I can't wait to share with you about my weekend- it has been a good one!

What all are you up to this long holiday weekend? What are some of your favorite blogs?