Liebster Award Take Two

My new friend Nina over at The Grand Adventures of Me nominated me for the Liebster Award! I promptly responded with a 'Thank you! Can I have it multiple times??" to which she said 'Le Duh!' So here you have it, Liebster #2! Thanks Nina!

Read Liebster #1 here.

The Rules of the Award

1. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you 
2) create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.

3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them or email them.

5. Remember, no tag backs.

Here are Nina's Questions for me:

1. If you could only celebrate one holiday a year, which would it be?

Sad day right? I love so many holidays.. but I would definitely pick Christmas. You just can't top the sparkle and glow of winter and lights. Everything about Christmas makes me happy; the food, family, giving gifts, decorated trees, the music (good, bad and in between!), candle light Christmas services... It's all so so good.

2. Which is better: the morning or the night?

I really want to be a morning person. So I'm going to say morning. Either way, morning has the feeling of 'I can conquer the world today!' whereas night or staying up late for 'more time' just leaves you with the feeling of 'How much can I do/finish before I have to go to bed?' See?

3. If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you want to be stranded with and what is the one item you would want to have?

I would definitely want to be stranded with KC (my husband) and I would need sunscreen... a lot of sunscreen.

4. Were you more interested in the Superbowl or the Bruno Mars half time show Sunday night? If you didn't watch either, what did you spend your Sunday evening doing?

I'm not particularly into football or Bruno Mars... but I did listen to/glance at every once in a while, both parts. I spent the evening updating my travel journal... because though I usually do ok and have good intentions let's face it.. I was only halfway through our summer cruise... So I had a bit to add. Luckily I got through everything but our last concert in December. Productive, no?

5. If you are a religious person, how does religion affect your life?

I grew up in church and loved it. Early in high school I had a pastor that really encouraged me and my friends to attend youth events and summer camps which was really good for me. After she left things changed some but I stayed really involved. I actually met KC at summer camp! At some point I started feeling like I was under a lot of pressure and extremely inadequate, not to mention a lot of friendships I'd made ended up being very surface level... so in college I took a step back. I made new friends and began bible studies with them and took a lot of time to think on my own. I'm definitely in a much better place and think that I might be ready to find the right church for me soon. :) 

Other than that I'm a pray-er. I pray a lot about decisions I want guidance on, things I'm worried about etc. I find that a crazy amount of the time I actually feel clearer after prayer. Like I'm lead to an option I was considering. And that's pretty amazing.

6. The last thing you bought was . . .

A huge Salvation Army haul! A vintage dress, sparkly tank top, a sweater dress, 20 books (some for preschool), a cameo pin, a faux pink pearl costume necklace, 3 gold picture frames, a 'boyfriend in a box' for a future white elephant, a coach belt, a huge frame from Target minus the glass, a pink crystal bowl, a hand painted pitcher, a silly Christmas mug, a giant firetruck puzzle and Eric Carle game for the kiddos at school!

7. Do you have any embarrassing stories you're willing to share with the internet world?

Typically when I prompt myself to be social with people I don't know... but I'm not actually feeling social ridiculousness comes out. I usually end up wishing I hadn't said anything.

Particularly when I met Brooke White at the GWG Event last spring in Phoenix, I asked her about flattering glasses for my face shape and when we were done asked if she would take a picture with me. She said yes and I apparently felt the need to tell her that 'she was my favorite on that season of idol, the only one I watched and I was so sad when she got kicked off.' To which she replied 'me too.' I think she understood the sentiment behind my very very poor wording, but I felt like such a dork when I realized what I had said, hours later. So... I'm probably never going to try to meet famous people again. :) 

Though later in the summer, she herself posted a similar feeling of silliness when she met Don Was, John Mayer's 'Born and Raised' producer. Which made me feel like she understood and I wasn't alone in feeling like a big nerd. :) 

8. What is your number one pet peeve?

It really bugs me when people don't recycle. It's second nature to me at this point and really pretty effortless, I wish more people would do it because it really does make a huge impact on our environment! I want my great-great-grandchildren to know the natural world that we do!

9. What do you prefer: movies, books, or the interwebz?

I'm a reader! I love books so so much. 

And I really really like TV too. We watch so many series... I like that the characters are more developed than in movies and that the plot can go on for seasons :)

10. What is your favorite season?

Winter. I love snow. I love the sparkle. I hate being hot, so it works out well. Though I am about ready for warmer weather and some green! :)

11. Why do you blog?

I blog mostly to keep an account of what's going on in my life. But I have gotten a lot more into sharing inspiration and ideas and networking with other bloggers. It's such an interesting world. I would love to blog for a living someday!

My 8 Nominees!- (I can never find 11 with under 200 that I follow)

Amanda from She's on the Square - she nominated me last time!

Sarah At Adventures With Your Plucky Picaroon

Becca At Ladyface

Hilde At Flat 3/6

Natalie at Good Girl Style

Nicole at Writes Like A Girl

Liz at Rustic Peach

Katherine at Katherine Nicole

My questions for my nominees!

1. What are your 3 favorite books?

2. What is the best meal you've ever had?

3. Where do you most want to travel to?

4. What is the best trip you've ever taken?

5. Are you a cat person? Dog person? Other? :)

6. What is your favorite item you've thrifted?

7. What song(s) get you pumped for your day in the morning?

8. What chore do you dread the most?

9. What is a classic or cult classic movie that you would recommend to anyone/everyone?

10. What is one thing you do to help the environment? Or want to start doing?

11. Why do you blog?

Thank you again Nina and to all of my nominees I am excited to see your posts! :)

Thank you for Reading!

Alexandra 

The Liebster Award

Recently my blog was nominated for the Liebster Award by my friend Amanda over at On the Square!!  She has so many great posts where she shares some great fashion and beauty pictures and reviews among other things. She's extremely cool and she loves to read... so obviously her blog is going to be amazing! I really love her recent review on the Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette! So gorgeous! We actually met at our KU orientation back in 2008! Thanks so much for nominating me! :)

The Rules of the Award

1. Post eleven facts about yourself.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.

3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. Remember, no tag backs.

11 Facts about Me

1. I get real nerdy with board games. Seriously, Clue, Blokus, Farkle, Risk, Ticket to Ride... you name it.
2. I am a major foodie. I love to cook. I like trying unusual combinations like chicken and apricot. I also love to cook with wine. It adds so much depth to dishes!
3. I have some major wanderlust. It started early. So much I want to see. Being a travel blogger.. would be a dream job.
4. I have a magazine problem. It gets better from time to time. But I can't resist buying them!
5. I married my high school sweetheart and best friend. I'm not sure how we got so lucky at such a young age.. but I'm not questioning it!
6. I love love love hunting for vintage treasures. Brooches, handbags, pitchers, records... the list goes on.
7.  I am extremely goal-oriented. I am currently finishing up my list of 100 goals for the next 10 years. Check my goal setting tab for specific posts.
8. S'mores are my favorite food ever. And I'm a foodie. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to S'mores recipes.
9. I'm really into making the world  a greener place. I know that it's healthier for myself and for the earth. I love finding great new products and methods of doing things.
10. I love winter! I know that most people hate the cold, and don't enjoy the snow... but I do! I love the winter. It's beautiful, sparkly and serene. Plus I love all of the things that come with winter, cocoa, Christmas, scarves, cuddling. It's all good.
11. I LOVE Gilmore Girls. I live tweet it.. quote it at home.. it's the best show ever. It's witty and cute. I can't get enough.

Questions to answer from On the Square

1. Where are you from? - A tiny little town called Perry, Kansas. Now I call Lawrence home.
2. What was the last thing you bought? - I did a 3 store mini shopping spree. Here's what I bought: The Hobbit on DVD ($10, run to Target!), Daphne Oz's new book Relish, Jessica Alba's new book The Honest Life, Black slim velvet hangers, a full circle eco friendly dish wand, A clearance eco-friendly journal, Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company's White Cheddar Popcorn.
3. What do you do for a living? If you don’t work, what do you want to do for a living? - I just graduated in December, so for now I am subbing at the pre-school where I did my internship. My goal would be to work for a heath related non-profit where I am always on my toes, own my own business, or make a living doing part-time things that I love, like blogging and teaching yoga.
4. Name the last book you read, and did you like it? - I have 2 categories of books that I keep track of, classics and everything else. My last classic was Anna Karenina. I loved it! So much going on, it felt so great to finish such a huge book on my list right before graduation. My other book was The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. I started reading her books during our Midwestern snow storms and that was the last one that I finished. I really like her style of writing. It has magical touches added to the plot that really makes it so much more interesting than your average novel.
5. If you could have a meal/drink with anyone, living or dead, who would it be with and what would you eat/drink? - I would love to have dinner with Elizabeth Miller Watkins. She gave money to develop a lot of Lawrence and she founded my scholarship hall on campus. I would love to hear about her life from her, not just from stories. She ran away, married an older man, gave money to the town and built homes for women who were studying at the university so that they could succeed. Such a great woman!
6. Why did you start your blog? - I guess I just felt like I had a lot to say. I am really interested in the environment among other things and I wanted to share some of my beliefs on here.  This allows me to promote things I believe in, share inspiration and keep a record of my life for myself.
7. In three words, describe what springtime was for you in your childhood. - Floral, Kitten-filled, and Tea Parties.
8. Favorite scents? - Gosh, I'm a sucker for scents! I have become passionate about "green beauty" and therefore have been hunting for things free of artificial fragrance. It's hard to do! So currently I am in love with anything containing sweet orange, coconut and rose essential oils! :)
9. What was your favorite subject in school? - I was an artsy girl all the way! Literature was definitely a close second though. I love to read, and a lot of my Lit teachers were great.
10. Favorite decade? - Oh I love it all! I grew up on the American Girls books and other historical fiction. So it all fascinates me. I guess I would say right now that the 1940's have piqued my interest.
11. If you can escape anywhere, where would you go? - My wanderlust is insatiable. Too many to choose from. But right now, I'm thinking Ireland. Castles, green as far as the eye can see, cliffs near the ocean...

Questions for my nominated blogs

1. What is the best book you've read in the last year? All time favorite?
2. If you could visit any place in the world, all expenses paid. Where would you choose and why?
3. What is your favorite way to be "greener"?
4. What is your favorite food?
5. Would you rather instantly learn a language or how to play an instrument? Why?
6. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Any holiday.
7. What is a blogging tip that you have picked up that you want to share with other bloggers?
8. What is your favorite item that you have bough second-hand or vintage?
9. What TV show re-run do you love to watch?
10. What is your dream job?
11. What is your shopping weakness?

Nominated Blogs

I don't have 11 blogs to nominate, but I picked a few that have quality over quantity! I love following them and reading their posts! I definitely think that both of these blogs are on a higher caliber than mine! But I'm making big changes and improving it little by little, check out their blogs, linked below!

I nominate:

Natalie @ Good Girl Style

Sarah @ [ad-ven-cher]

Please follow me back! :)

I am pretty new to the networking part of blogging, so if you have tips or would like to collaborate... or if you want me to check out your blog leave a comment!

Thanks or reading!

All for now,

Alexandra