And the Liebster Blog Award Goes To... Belle Vierge!

Y'all.

The funny and colorful Kristen over at Mama Winkle's Blog nominated me for a blog award!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It is a way to acknowledge each other and say “You're all sorts of awesome." It's only for blogs with 200 or less followers, so it’s also a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs and get them more readers and followers! When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person(s) who nominated you. You pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions. You’re not allowed to nominate the blog(s) who nominated you!

My 11 Random Facts:

1. Harry Potter is my favorite book series, hands down, but Philippa Gregory is my all-time favorite author.
 

2. I love pretty much any beverage or food with lime. Diet Coke with Lime, gin & tonic, Bud Light Lime. I haven't bought them in ages, but the tortilla chips with lime. Yummy.
 

3. Before last summer, I thought koozies were the most stupid thing ever. But now I have at least one in my purse at any given point in time, and I rarely drink canned beverages without one.

From @SrattyStyle

4. I started questioning my sexuality in middle school. I finally realized I was bisexual halfway through my senior year of high school. I never told a soul until one fateful evening in London, many many years after I'd graduated high school.
 

5. I like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, but I don't like to prepare them.
 

6. I miss being paid to cook dinner for myself and three kids. I ate so healthily last year. I'm already struggling to maintain a good diet cooking for one. =/ 

Roast beef with roasted carrots and potatoes.

7. I have a thing for elves. I think Legolas is the sexiest Orlando Bloom has ever been.
 

8. I am so blessed to have the friends that I do, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of good friends I have. I worry that I'm not a good enough friend to them. I wish I could spend more time with each of them.
 

9. I don't understand people who carry a balance on their credit card unless it was for an unexpected emergency expense. Example: when I had to pay for six cavities all at once. Or for a gap in income. I get paid this week for the first time in seven weeks. I'll pay off my Visa in full easily, but I'll have to carry a balance for a while on my American Express (but I currently have 0% APR). And this wouldn't be an issue at all if I hadn't needed to spend about $500 in medical expenses. It's just not that hard to spend only what you earn.
 

10. Sometimes the boyfriend and I skype, but don't really talk. We each do our own thing and just comment if we feel like sharing something. I just like seeing the little video of him in the corner of my screen. #lesigh
 

11. I calculate my gas mileage every time I fill up. Lately it's been really good, about 28-31 MPG, but today it was only 25 MPG. To quote my bestie: boo hiss!

These are the questions Kristen asked me: 

1) What is your age? 20-something ;)

2) Where did you grow up? A small town in the South. I miss it, but I could never live there as an adult. I was the only self-declared feminist in my graduating class...

3) Where is your favorite place to go out to dinner? I usually prefer eating out for lunch than for dinner. It's usually cheaper and more casual. Plus, I like cooking dinner with my friends, family, and/or boyfriend! If I'm going to a chain restaurant, I love Applebee's, IHOP, O'Charley's, Outback, etc. But I prefer going to local eateries whenever possible!

4) What is your "go to" meal...that one meal you love to make on the fly and is really easy for you? Does a peanut butter and jelly sandwich count? No? What about a bowl of cereal? No? Okay, then. I made this for lunch yesterday. I make two pieces of French toast (crack an egg into a bowl, mix in some soy milk, sprinkle some cinnamon; dip sliced whole wheat bread into the mixture; fry in butter), but then I use the French toast bread to make a peanut butter and honey sandwich. I also drizzle a little extra honey on top. If I have a banana, I slice half into the sandwich.

5) What's your biggest pet peeve about your significant other? The boyfriend is perfect. I don't know what you're talking about... Except for his aversion to vegetables... But at least we present a united front against onions!

6) What's your most proudest parenting moment? (If you don't have children, then name your own proudest moment) I'll meet you halfway! My proudest moment as an au pair was when Sam* stopped making gender generalizations. At the beginning of the year, he would make comments like, "I hate how girls don't like sports." After a few months, Sam carefully worded his statements like this, "In my experience, with the girls in the 5th grade at my school, I'm not speaking for all girls everywhere..." So proud.

7) Do you have any goals you are working towards? If yes, what are they? As the boyfriend so eloquently put it "Get hitched." But that's been a lifelong goal, and I see no point in rushing things just because we're at the age when everyone else is tying the knot. My other lifelong goal has been to become an internationally-renowned author. I'm slowly working on that... My three sets of memoirs (high school, college, two years in France) will probably come out first, and writing this blog helps me examine my life thematically, as opposed to just chronologically. From there, I'll publish my fiction. Feminist young adult retold fairy tales, most likely...

8) When you sleep in, what time constitutes "sleeping in"? On a weekday, sleeping in is til 10am or later. On the weekend, I didn't sleep in if I wake up before noon.

9) What is your daily make-up routine? Most of the time I don't wear make-up. If I do, I usually dab a little mineral foundation underneath my eyes, blend two mineral eyeshadow shades on my lids, and swipe on some lip gloss. The full routine is rare. Mineral foundation, mineral blush, three eyeshadow shades (usually mineral, but not always), mascara, lipstick, lip gloss.

10) What drinks are in your refrigerator right this very moment? Soy milk (for mac&cheese and hot cereal), Diet Coke with Lime, iced green tea lightly sweetened with honey, Mountain Dew (for the boyfriend).

11) And finally, what do you love the most about blogging? Connecting with people across the globe.

I'm passing this award onto:

1) Pearl at The Rarest Pearl, obviously. One of my online best friends.
2) Ashley Marie at Chickadette. I've promised her a guest post twice now, but I've barely had time (til this week) to write in my own blog... Soon, I swear!
3) Christina Ruth Johnson, a blog of all things beautiful to us artsy fantasy nerds. 
4) Classy in K.C. She wrote a guest post for me!
5) Dr. Juris at Eventual Lawyer. A feminist law blog? Yes!
6) Shoshanah at From L.A. to LA. Nerdy bibliophile blogging about wedding planning. So many creative posts! 
7) Lo at Our Crazy Ever After. I'm cheating here. She has over 200 followers. I don't care. She's wonderful. 
8) Katie at Read.Write.Love. I confess, I only skim her dog posts when I read her blog, but I enjoy everything else! 
9) Michelle at Southern Ambition. Honest, colorful, southern! 
10) Blass at Southern Love. One of my favorite people from twitter. Love her to pieces. 
11) Four awesome ladies at Victorian Swag. History, romance, and FEELINGS. 

I know at least one of these people in real life... But I'll never reveal who! #anonproblems

Questions for my fellow bloggers:

1) Why did you start blogging?
2) What is your favorite city in the world?
3) If you could relive one 24-hour period, what would it be and why?
4) What is your greatest triumph thus far?
5) What is your guilty pleasure?
6) How many of your real life friends read your blog?
7) Which Harry Potter novel is your favorite?
8) Beach or mountains?
9) Which celebrity should be your best friend?
10) Who is your favorite Disney princess?
11) What is your Halloween costume going to be this year? 

*Not his real name. Obviously.