So yesterday afternoon, after enthusiastically posting about how December was going to be a fresh start for me, I dropped a kettle filled with boiling water on the floor, and burned my foot. Now, some other people may interpret that as a sign that it’s time to give up and hibernate until April, but not me! And part of the reason for my continued optimism can be attributed to the fact that my blog was nominated for a Liebster Award. For those of you unfamiliar with the Liebster Award (which I was until Sunday afternoon), it is a blogging award distributed throughout the blogging community. The way it works is, once nominated, you list 11 random facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you, and then create 11 questions of your own which you will then ask the 11 bloggers you nominate to answer. It is a great way to get know the blogging community, and to discover new and wonderful blogs to enjoy. I would like to give a huge thank you to Harmony over at Modern Mommy Madness for nominating me- she is an amazing writer; her blog is one of my absolute favourites, and it feels a little surreal that she thought enough of my blog to include me in this Liebster Award initiative.
So let’s do this! Here are 11 random facts about myself:
- I have worn glasses since I was seven years old.
- I have never bought the same mascara twice, probably because no mascara ever delivers what it promises.
- If I really love a book, I will often read it twice in a row.
- I make awesome chocolate chip cookies.
- I have great penmanship.
- I despise cruciferous vegetables.
- I have a scar on my right knee from when an older boy pushed me onto the sewer when I was six.
- My first pet was a black cat named Barney, and to this day, I can’t think about him without tearing up.
- I loathe intentionally vague Facebook status updates.
- When I was pregnant with my oldest, I craved ice cream. With my youngest, I craved Lucky Charms.
- I am right-handed but I bat left.
My answers to Harmony’s questions:
1. What one thing do you love about yourself?
I would probably consider my eyes to be my best physical feature (I chose to interpret this question to be about physical characteristics, as I think that the next question covers internal traits).
2. What is your greatest strength?
My ability to stay calm even when faced with a difficult situation has proven to be an invaluable trait, and it has served me well both at work and in my personal life.
3. Who do you draw energy from or enjoy being around?
I think it goes without saying that I enjoy being around my family and friends and that I draw energy from them, so I’m going to branch out here, and say that I really enjoy being around the parents and babies in the weekly group that Penelope and I attend. It is just such a wonderful atmosphere, and I love the energy in that group.
4. What types of activities drain you?
I find it incredibly draining when I am out with Penelope and she starts into a crying fit. She becomes inconsolable, and I am the only one who can hold her. This can last for hours, and it is completely draining.
5. What kind of person is your alter ego?
My alter ego is someone who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her, says whatever is on her mind- consequences be damned- and has a snappy retort for any given situation.
6. Name your favorite comfort food.
No contest- it’s ice cream. I actually can’t even keep it in the house, because if I know there is some in the freezer, I will eat it.
7. Favorite place to spend a rainy afternoon.
Baking chocolate chip cookies in my kitchen. Hmm, I’d kinda like for it to rain now, so that I can do this.
8. What do you do after the kids go to bed?
It varies- some nights after Penelope has gone to bed I will go to the gym. Some nights, I write; some nights, I fold laundry. But there is almost always Netflix involved.
9. What do you wish you could change about your life?
A year or so ago, I would have wished for more money, or a bigger house, or to lose weight. Now, I would wish for Penelope not to have this chromosome difference that has caused her to have so many problems. It’s not because I’m ashamed of her- I love her so much, just the way she is, but I know that she will struggle and that life will be harder for her; it may be much harder, and more painful, and potentially shorter than her life would be with normal chromosomes, and I just can’t stand the thought of her being in pain or of losing her.
10. Do you believe in prayer?
Yes. I am not religious, but I believe there is value in reaching out to a higher power for guidance, even if it is just the act itself that is helping. I am lucky to have had a lot of people that have prayed for Penelope’s well-being, and here she, doing as well as she’s ever done.
11. What beauty product has never failed you?
Well, this is embarrassing, but I have to admit to continued use of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers. I got my first Lip Smacker when I was about thirteen, and have never found another lip balm that will keep my lips as soft and smooth as Lip Smackers do. Go ahead and judge me, but I have very soft, kissable lips!
My questions to my nominees:
- If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?
- Describe your perfect day.
- Why did you start blogging?
- Do you currently have or have you ever had an archenemy?
- What’s your favourite song to sing in the shower?
- What talent do you wish you had?
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
- What is your favourite indulgence?
- Are you a morning person or a night owl?
- Are you a procrastinator?
- What’s your favourite holiday tradition?
And here are my nominees:
Wow, that was an exhaustive exercise! I am ready for bed now.
A Mom of Steel 
Wow, thanks, it is wonderful that you thought of us. We cannot thank you enough. We will not make a big deal out of it as we have had the honor but we will accept it in a following post as we do really think it is always great when someone picks us out for a pat on the back. Thanks again from the 3 of us.
oh, and you had boiling water, I bent a nail, half a nail backward to the growth point, this morning while preparing boeta’s food. Oh the fun, the fun….he he.
Ouch! I’ve done that before, too, and it is so painful!
YES! We have done our post and answered your questions to the best of our ability! Thanks again.
I have dropped kettle full of boiling water on myself- why can’t we drop it before the water boils!? Take time in any way you can to heal- burns are unpleasant, but anything foot related is worse, cause you need your feet…. but then as a nurse I suspect you know this better than most.
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It was one of those moments where I just wished I could turn the clock back ten seconds to ensure I had a good grip on the kettle and could avoiding sustaining that injury. I was wearing socks, so I peeled it off immediately and got it soaking in cold water. I think I minimized the damage, there’s only about three blisters, and it feels a lot better today. I’m so glad to hear that I am not the only one who has done this, I felt so stupid after it happened!
Congrats!
Thank you!
Congratulations, and thank you for the nomination! š