Liebster Award!

My friend, Chaney recently did me the honor of giving this new little blog of mine an award!  I am so touched!  It's called a Liebster Award, and apparently it's given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  I'm told that  "Liebster" is a German word meaning: sweetest, kindest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. 

How very fitting for the month of love, right?

In order to receive the award, recipients are supposed to:
-share 11 things about themselves
-answer the 11 questions asked of them by their tagger
-create 11 new questions to ask of the blogs they choose to tag
-choose and link to 11 bloggers
-go to their page and tell them
-no tagbacks!

So, if you are interested in learning all of these random bits of information as they apply to me, then read on.  If not, you may want to bow out now :)

1.  In my former life (aka. pre-children) I was a pharmaceutical sales representative.  It was really fun.

2. I love cities.  I love their energy, their architecture, their people, their sense of history.

3. Being a stay-at-home mom is more challenging to me than I expected it to be.  While I'm grateful for the opportunity to be home with my children, I've found that I like the structure and rhythm of having other types of things built into my life each week.  Still figuring this out.

Apparently, I really liked this shirt back in the fall of 2011. {photo by Amy Robinson}

4. I love all four seasons.  And I prefer that the weather be appropriate for each season.  I think a really warm day in the winter is fun once in a while, but I'd rather have a cold winter, so that I truly appreciate the warm spring (and the hot summer, and the cool fall of course.)

5.  I'm passionate about natural birth.  My daughter was born at home, and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

6. My husband and I like to watch tv shows together.  I have a tendency to become obsessed with whatever our current show is.  Right now, it's Downton Abbey.  This is what I have learned to repeat to myself (in my head, of course), "Anne, this is a tv show.  There are cameras all around.  These people are actors and they have real lives.  It's not 1920.  Get a grip."  

source

7.  My youngest brother has a rare chromosome disorder called Ring 10, which basically means he's developmentally delayed and has autistic tendencies.  He is sweet (and stubborn!) and no doubt shaped my childhood in a very unique way.

My brothers, Taylor, Graham, and Andrew (June 2011).  Aren't they a handsome bunch?

8.  I love reading interior design blogs.  I gave it up for Lent several years ago and swore I'd never do something so crazy again :)

9.  I have exercise-induced urticaria.  What this means is that if I don't take a zyrtec every couple days, I will begin to itch to the point that I have to stop exercising.  It's really annoying, and I know it sounds completely bizarre.

10.  Growing up, I was a competitive swimmer until I left for college.  I still really love to push myself physically, and I've realized I actually require this, if for no other reason than to preserve my mental health!

11. I love sweets and I find it nearly impossible to turn down a free sample.

These were consumed very quickly.  And alarmingly, my husband and I were the only ones to blame.  

My answers to Chaney's questions:

1.  Why did you start blogging?

After my kids were born, I blogged off and on, mostly about my life as a mom.  It took me a while to realize that this didn't totally do it for me.  What I mean is, blogging about motherhood didn't fully represent where my heart is.  I wanted a creative outlet that might help me understand other (new?) parts of myself I hadn't really considered before.  Is that answer too deep?  Here's a shorter version--I really love decorating and thinking about interior design, so I thought, why not try writing about it :)  

2. What's your favorite song to blast on the radio right now?

I'm loving the new releases from the band 'Fun' as well as the new stuff from Mumford & Sons.

3.  Most embarrassing moment.

I don't know if this is my most embarrasing moment ever, but it's pretty classic.  Once, while at the beach, I was waiting with my family outside of a restaurant for a table to come open for us.  Windows lined the area where we were waiting and because there was a glare, it didn't occur to me that the people sitting right inside eating dinner would get a clear view of me checking to see if I had food in my teeth in the reflection!  Awesome.

4. Chocolate or fruity desserts?

Chocolate, hands down.  Though Ina's Raspberry Crumble Bars are off the chain.  (maybe we should classify them as breakfast since they have fruit, oatmeal, and nuts in them?!)

5.  What's your go to weeknight recipe?

Lately, I have been tearing through Ina's latest cookbook, Foolproof.  I've been pleasantly surprised at how many of the recipes are relatively simple and don't take hours to make.  With that said, during winter I am digging soups.  I love that they are one dish meals.  My son is allergic to about 18 foods, but I've found that a chicken broth base + beans + veggies + (chicken) sausage works for all of us.  Easy, filling, and flavorful!

6.  What's your dream vacation?

Six years ago, my husband and I took a ten day trip to Italy and France.  We saw lots of beautiful places, and I'd really like to go back.  I'd love to pick one place this time and just do day trips nearby.  Also, this vacation would not involve my children :)

Ah, youth.  

7.  What do you wish you had more time to do right now?

I've started helping a couple friends with decorating their homes, and I'd love to have more time to develop this.  I'm a perfectionist, so if I'm going to do something I want to do it right, and this of course takes time.

Fabrics for my neighbor's living room.  

8.  What's your favorite place you've lived?

I have to say Charlottesville during college.  Would I love it as much as an adult far removed from college life?  One can hope.  We really loved the four years we spent in Richmond, Va too.

9.  Dogs or cats?

I'm torn on this.  I grew up loving cats (I once took in an orphaned cat and named her "Ness" because of her "Friendliness".  Don't you love that creativity?  It was actually my grandmother's idea.  My husband thinks this is ridiculous), but then we got a dog when I was in high school, and I love her.

10.  Describe yourself in five words.

Yikes. This seems daunting.  Hmm. Let's see.  Passionate.  Honest.  Driven.  Extroverted.  Resourceful.  (Full disclosure:  I asked my husband and two close friends what they thought.  My five words are a combination of their responses :)

11.  What's your biggest pet peeve?

Can I give two? (because that's charming, right?)

1.  When people park their cars with no regard for how much unnecessary space they are taking.  Specifically, with parallel parking, I'm like, "come on, pull all the way up to the car in front of you!"
2.  Blinds that are closed during the day.  Unless there is a legitimate reason why you need your privacy, I think it feels depressing to be in the house with the blinds closed, and you look like a shut-in from the outside.

Finally, I'm tagging these blogs.

The Fife Family
The Reppard Crew
Tidbits of My Life
To Be Loved by You
Boots & Totty
Not My Own
Made In Richmond
Far East Street

Here are their questions:

1. If you had $250 to spend on whatever you like (paying off bills does not count) how would you spend it?

2.  What is one thing about your life that you hope is the same in five years as it is now?

3.  What is one thing about your life that you hope will be different five years from now?

4.  Books or magazines?

5.  Favorite way to spend an evening?

6.  Who (or what) inspires you and why.

7.  The last movie you saw?

8.  Tell us the thing about which you're most sentimental.

9.  What's your favorite season?

10.  Share a hidden talent you have.

11.  What's one of the scariest things you've ever done?

I can't wait to read your answers :)