Liebster Award 2017

Liebster Award?  You’re probably wondering what that is.  We’ll get to that.

But first, a huge thank you to Ashley B, who blogs at  Live Whilst You’re Alive, for nominating me for this award that helps discover new bloggers. The Liebster Award is given to bloggers from bloggers.  It originated in Germany, and the word “liebster” translates to sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.  I thought this was fitting for Ashley, who nominated me, as her blog even has the tag line “If you love life, life will love you back.”  What a beautiful sentiment — and perfectly in line with the translation of Liebster.

The Liebster Award is an online award, and I’m excited to be putting its symbol on my own blog.  Starting a blog, trying to find a niche in the daunting cyber universe, and trying to connect with readers and other bloggers can be quite a difficult journey.  This award is a great way for new bloggers to recognize and — maybe more importantly, to encourage — other new bloggers.

Before I can officially include the seal on my site and say I’ve earned the Liebster Award, I need to complete a few tasks that Ashley assigned to me.  The tasks:

10 facts about me:

1. My middle name is Leigh.  When I was learning how to spell it, my mom told me “It’s the fancy spelling” since it clearly made no phonetic sense.
2. I am colorblind, which is incredibly rare for a female.  The way the genetics work, this means my three sons are also colorblind.
3. Because of Fact #2, we actually need to rely on my husband for decor advice in the house.  Gulp.
4. I won my hometown’s town-wide Spanish spelling bee in 5th grade.  I came in 3rd place in the English spelling bee!  Maybe because English has strange spellings like “Leigh” pronounced as “Lee.”
5. I cannot say no to milk chocolate.  It can’t be done.
6. I co-founded my university’s first-ever tap dance troupe during my freshman year, and it’s still going strong today (24 years later!).
7. I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain, during college and learned firsthand that the saying is true:  “Sevilla es pura maravilla.”
8. I always thought I’d be a mom to girls, but I’m a mom to THREE BOYS.  It’s quite an adventure — it’s why the blog was born! — and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
9. I once met Robert Plant in an elevator.
10. I run into people I know almost everywhere, and I LOVE it.  (this includes finding an old friend in Grand Central Station, running into someone from high school who arrived in London the very day that I traveled there from Spain to see my college roommate, and sitting at a table next to two long lost friends from college — who were on their honeymoon — just hours after I arrived for a 2-week vacation in Greece.  It also means running into my ex-fiance at a car dealership.  But that’s a story for another blog post.  😉

Answer these 6 short interview questions:

1.  What is one place you haven’t been that is on the top of your bucket list?

Italy!!!  During my semester in Spain, I took the opportunity to travel around Spain, visit London, Paris, The Rock of Gibraltar . . . but I ran out of time to visit Italy!  I would love to go see the beautiful countrysides, the quaint cities, and of course to enjoy the food and wine!  Someday . . .

2. What is the most daring experience you’ve ever had? (For example: sky diving)

Well, let’s see . . . I am the mother of three boys.  THREE BOYS!!!  That’s pretty daring!!!  Or how about riding Space Mountain at Disney World for the first time when I was 23 years old, and screaming the entire way?    (I’m not big on roller coasters).  But, seriously, my answer is actually similar to Ashley’s:  zip-lining over trees in Costa Rica.  It was so invigorating, but scary!  Definitely very daring for me, especially since I don’t like heights!

3. What is your biggest accomplishment?

Did I mention I’m raising three boys?  I’m doing my best to be a strong, loving, joyful role model for them, and so far, I think I’m doing pretty well with it!  I try my best to make sure each of my sons knows how much he is loved, and how special he is to this world, all while balancing being a wife, having a full-time corporate job, and basically being pulled in a zillion directions every day.  I know, that’s the same story for most moms.  We all should be proud of it.  We all should celebrate it.

4. What’s your biggest fear?

Being forgotten.  It’s that simple.  I have fear of people not remembering me now (like when someone says “Nice to meet you,” even though I’ve met them before!) and fear of being forgotten when I’m gone from this world.  Kind of sad to think about.  And another great reason to try to be such a good role model for the kids, so they carry me in their heart and pass along who I am to the generations beyond me.

5. What’s a hidden talent you have?

I’m a tap dancer!  One of my favorite quotes from the movie tap is “Sometimes, no matter what, you just can’t escape the rhythm.”  It’s true!

6. What’s an activity, craft or sport that you want to learn how to do?

Photography.  I got my first camera when I was 6 years old — it was the old kind with a rotating flash cube and film.  It was my dad‘s, and he gave it to me when he got a new camera.  I was known for always having a camera with me from that day onward, through college, always capturing moments from events, candids to catch memories in the making, and simple pictures that document the course of my life.  I think I often have a good eye for cool angles or subjects for the pictures, but I’ve never actually taken a photography class, and I’d LOVE to!  I have a DSLR camera that I love with multiple lenses, but I’ve gotten lazy in the last year or so and typically just take pics on my iphone instead.  If I could find time for a photography class, I’d be so excited!

Nominate 5 Bloggers:

I nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

• Katelynne, at The Disguised Supermom
• Blair, at Just Being Blair
• Amy, at Two Little Rippers
• Steph, at This is Our Life
• Aly, at Raising the Ronans

Tasks for the Nominees:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you, and link back to her blog in your post.
• Upload the award seal to your blog (in your post or on your blog page or both)
• Share 10 facts about yourself
• Answer these questions:
  • Why did you start a blog?
  • If you could swap places with one celebrity for a day, who would it be, and why?
  • If you could shadow one of your friends in his/her occupation for a day, who would it be, and why?
  • Beer or wine?  Coffee or tea?  Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?  Morning person or night owl?
  • What is your biggest fear?
  • If readers could sum up your blog in one word, what would you want that word to be?
• Nominate 5 other bloggers for the Liebster Award.
• Notify the nominees so they can write their post and accept the award.

Happy blogging, y’all!  🙂