I received my first blog award!! I am so beyond excited! This award is given to blogs to show support and encouragement from other bloggers, basically saying they love your blog and to keep it up!! Which honestly is exactly what I needed this week!!  I was just starting to doubt myself, wondering if this blogging world was for me. It can be pretty lonely out there!! LOL. It’s hard to have a “one-sided” conversation.. and sometimes with blogging that’s how it feels.. You lay it all out there and then have to wait and wonder if anyone liked it or relates to it. Its hard!! Much harder than I had anticipated.  Every single “Like” on fb, or on the blog is like someone saying “I hear you, I get you, I understand you, I feel you!” Every comment is so exciting because its someone responding to something you have “put out there” and they care enough or like it enough to let you know!! And each person who takes the time to subscribe to my actual blog.. Well truthfully that means the most to me, because I know they are in it for the long haul with me. They are waiting to get the next email notification to read some more!! I love that!! But on the days that those things don’t happen.. Its tough. Its stressful. I started this journey for me, and I haven’t forgotten that. But I also love when people join me along the way! After all we all need some encouragement once in a while right?? So receiving this today, well it meant so much to me. Especially coming from someone who is such a wonderful blogger herself!! Check out the fabulous Innovated Mama at http://theinnovativemama.com/2015/02/25/liebster-award. I can’t say enough good things about her. I could see us being friends in “real life” not just in the blogging world.

⇐mY AWARD! ♥

There are six simple rules for accepting the Liebster Award;

• Acknowledge the person who nominated you, link to their blog, and display the award
• Answer 11 questions that the nominating blogger gave you
• List 11 random facts about yourself
• Nominate 11 blogs that you think are deserving of the award (sometimes a limited social following is stipulated but I’ll say to do whatever your heart desires)
• Let the 11 bloggers know you’ve nominated them via social media. Shhh…surprise them!
• Give them 11 questions of your own to answer

 

My questions I have to answer from Innovated Mama:

1.  Who is your favorite musician and what is your favorite song of theirs? My Favorite musician is Dave Matthews. I love him!! I have for almost 20 years!! Steady as we go is my favorite song of his because it was our wedding song.

2.  If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would it be? I would say a panda bear. They look so cute and cuddly 🙂

3.  What is your favorite movie from your teenage years? Share what you love most about it, why it’s your favorite. This ones a tough one, I loved a few… Dirty Dancing, Greece, Breakfast club, Days of Thunder and honestly Little Mermaid!! 🙂

4.  What inspired you to start blogging? A lot has happened in my life the last few years, and through it all I started writing again. Mostly on paper.. sometimes just in my head or in the notes section of my phone… eventually I knew I wanted to take it a step farther so I started my blog. I guess as an outlet of sorts. A way to feel more in-tuned with myself, while also reaching others.

5.  What is an experience in your life that you feel defines you as a person? (it can be good, or bad, just something that you feel shaped who you are now) Losing my best friend to cancer 3 1/2 years ago definitely shaped or maybe more changed me as a person. It made me live my life completely differently then how I had been, mostly for the good, but some for the bad. But that could be a whole blog post in its own

6.  What is your greatest accomplishment? Being a mom. There is nothing in this world that compares to being mom. It has been the most rewarding yet hardest thing I have ever done.

7.  What is your favorite character from your favorite TV show, and why? (I was going to narrow this down to Friends but I thought that would be unfair if anyone was one of the rare few who didn’t watch Friends. 😉 ) – Well you had me at FRIENDS!!! FRIENDS of course!! I mean really is there a better show out there?!! And Rachel. I love her!!

8.  Where is the coolest place you have traveled? Describe it. Well unfortunately I am not well-traveled. I would LOVE to travel more but I have never had the money, and now isn’t the right time (with three little ones in tow) soo I will talk about one of my favorite places to go: Cape Cod!! Ahhhh I just LOVE it there. It’s so beautiful and peaceful. I love all the little restaurants and shops, and the beaches. Oh what I would do to be there right now!!

9.  On the same note, if there was anywhere in the world you could go to, where would it be and why? (for the hypothetical money and logistics are no object! 🙂 ) My dream is to go on a European tour! I want to see France, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Germany. I will get to all those places one day. That is for sure.

10. What is a unique talent of yours? Hmm I am not really sure I have any unique talents unless you count cooking dinner while helping do homework, while rushing some one to the potty all while having a baby on your hip?! Does that count??

11. If you could share one piece of wisdom that you’ve learned in life, what would it be? If I had to give one piece of advice as a mom it would be to always remember that your children will only have one childhood. One. There’s no re-dos, or second chances. And trust me it goes quicker then you can ever prepare yourself for. It is beyond important to find the positive in every part of it. The messy, the disappointing, the exciting, the teachable moments, the life changing decisions, the sleepless nights, the wide-eyed adventures, the letting go, the peaceful cuddles, the heartbreaking truths, the fears, the cheerful smiles, the silly faces, and even the tears. If you look hard enough at any situation there will be something positive (even if it’s simply learning to never do something again) and each one of those truths will change you as a person. But more importantly in many ways it will define your child as a person. So I encourage you to make the most of every single moment. They are counting on you.

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11 Things you may not know about me:

1) I have 2 degrees. One in Psychology and one is Social Sciences with a concentration in early childhood. I am not using either one of them 😉

2) I love Giraffes! I used to have a ton of Giraffe things in my room because my grandma couldn’t resist buying all things giraffe for me 🙂

3) I love to organize but hardly ever get the time to do it anymore.

4) I love Chocolate. Especially dark chocolate, and brownies… ohhh and white cake with chocolate frosting… oh and don’t even get me started on ice cream. I guess its safe to say I love all things dessert 🙂

5) I love sweat pants  and flip flops. I would wear them every single day of my life, and every where I went if it were socially acceptable. I am probably pushing the limit on where I wear them as it is.

6) I am a total Daddy’s girl. Dont get me wrong, I adore my mom, she a wonderful woman, and I would be lost without her, but I am a pure daddy’s girl through and through.

7) I played soccer almost my whole childhood (age 4-18) I miss playing a lot.

8) I say I am a *slight* germaphobe.. but in actuality I am a huge germaphobe. I hate it. But it is who I am. Dont drink off my cup. I may hurt you. 😉

9) Ever since loosing my best friend and grandma to cancer I have a constant fear of loss.

10) In second grade my teacher had one of the stories I had written made into a hard covered book. I was the only one in class. I think she started my love for writing. I finally felt good at something.

11) My children and husband are my life. Okay you probably already knew this. But they make me the best version of myself. They are my world. I am thankful every single day for them.

 

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***MY NOMINATIONS!!!!***

(Drum roll please!!!)

1. https://rusupermom.wordpress.com (A dear friend of mine!!)

2. http://www.iamthatlady.com (Thank you for being one of the first bloggers to take the time to read my blog! You rock!!)

3. https://lovegrowsbestinatinycabin.wordpress.com

4. https://aspiritkissedsoul.wordpress.com

5. http://lezoemusings.com

6. http://www.smalltalkmama.com

7. https://ncdavis2003.wordpress.com

8. http://sweetspokenlove.com/

9.https://amagove.wordpress.com/

10. http://blessedmamasblurbs.net/

11.http://angiebenju.blogspot.com/

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The questions my Nominees have to answer:

1. What is your favorite thing about being a blogger?

2.What is your least favorite thing about being a blogger?

3. What is your biggest dream in life?

4. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

5. What is your favorite dessert?

6. What has been your biggest challenge in life?

7. Whats your favorite book?

8. If money were no object, what would you do all day?

9. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? and why?

10. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

11. What’s your favorite way to relax?

Thanks so much again for reading!!

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XO Nicole ♥