I'm Gonna Be Famous!!!!

Not really. But maybe.

Probably not.

You see, in addition to the throngs of people that read the blog via my mother's email distribution, there are exactly maybe 5 non-family members that read this blog. And one of them, Meghan, has nominated me for a blog award.

It's called a Liebster award (not to be confused with the Biebster). I would post the cute little graphic of the award, but I am such a budget blogger that I don't even know how to do that. Here's a description (copied from Meghan's website, who copied it from Jen, the gal who nominated her):
In Jen's words, it's "a networking tool for new bloggers, to recognize 'up and coming' bloggers with less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word meaning: sweetest, kindest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome." I love that this little award recognizes the small blogger, the little stay-at-home mom who doesn't have a giant following, the writer who hasn't made it "big" in the blog world.

The rules are as follows:
1. Answer 11 questions that were posted by the person that nominated me.
2. List 11 random facts about myself.
3. Nominate 11 other bloggers with under 200 followers.
4. Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

Ok, here goes!

1. What makes you read a blog and/or follow?
They have to post things fairly regularly. And they have to be funny. Or amusing. Or post cool pics that make me feel bad about myself or my home. Isn't that what blogging is all about?
2. How long have you been blogging?
My goodness, this is strange to think about but it will be 3 years this summer. I started in July 2010 when I decided I no longer wanted to be a productive member of society. I have 15 legitimate followers to show for the three years of pouring my heart out here. Totally worth it.
3. What is your favorite dinner to make? Please post the recipe if you know it off the top of your head.
Um yeah. The only thing less impressive than my fabulous blog design skills is my prowess in the kitchen. So saying something is my favorite dinner to make is a bit of a stretch. But the thing that is my "go to" is pita pizza. You cut a pita in half (circular-wise, so it makes two circles. i feel dumber just typing this). Then you put marinara sauce on it, preferrably something that has been in the fridge for so long that the expiration date is no longer visible. Then you top with cheese. And bake until the cheese is melted. Or if you don't have cheese, you still bake it but then dip it in ranch dressing, also of questionable age. If you are having the President of the United States over for dinner, you can put veggies or pepperoni on it to class it up a bit.

Too bad Meghan didn't ask about what's the most embarrassing thing I ever wrote about on my blog, because that would be it.

4. Do you know - or have you met anyone famous?
My husband is kind of famous. Or he's a pretty big deal to me. He's the Director of City Museum and gets asked to speak at things and is in the news and paper every so often. But as far as real famous people, like US Weekly famous, I met Steven Tyler once. And I saw Ann Hathaway in the airport, though I tried to play it cool and didn't talk to her. We ran into Dave Chapelle in a bar in Miami.

This is starting to feel like a cry for help.

5. Do you get along with your parents? One better then the other?
I am what some would think is a little too close with my mom and dad. I talk to my mother pretty much every morning on my way to work. My Dad picks up some mornings and we chat as well. They know more about me than they should.

6. Besides your spouse and kids, what is one of the biggest blessings in your life?
Yeeps. This is hard to quantify. I think I have lived a blessed life. I had/have parents who were loving, caring, and provided for us. I have four siblings that are all hilarious and crazy in their own wonderful ways. I have travelled and lived in tons of different places and met lots of interesting people (not famous, see #4) and made lots of friends. I had a wonderful education, I have a good job, and I can't think of a whole lot of things I really want that I don't already have. I have blessings coming out the butt.


7. Do you have any pets? Give 'em some love, tell us about them.
My dog died, Meghan. While I was pregnant. His name was Bexar (pronounced Bear). Thanks for bringing it up. Just when I was starting to feel good about myself after #7.

8. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Somewhere by the ocean. I would even settle for a lake or large body of water. I have this vision of spending evenings with my family on the beach, eating dinner and running in the ocean until the sun sets and heading home, tired and a little sunburned with sand in our hair. Annie would learn to surf and could ride a skateboard without cracking her head open and life would be grand. You know, not so different from life in St. Louis.

9. When was the last time you peed the bed?
I actually have dreams that I pee the bed quite frequently, if you must know. But I would have to ask my mom the last time it happened. I think I resolved this issue fairly quickly, so maybe when I was 3-4?

10. List 5 of your biggest pet peeves.
1). People that hold grudges
2). People that don't use their blinker
3). People that high-five all the time
4). Movies about time travel
5). The woman in my office building that insists on placing toilet paper on the seat of the toilet and then leaves it there when she finishes her business. I will find you.

11. List 5 of your favorite bloggers.
1). Debbie with Team Botanical
2). Meghan with Better Late than Never
3). Petunia Face
4). sKIDmarks
5). Hyperbole and a Half (i don't think she posts any more but she is freaking hilarious)

Ok, now I think I am supposed to list 11 random facts about myself:
1). I hate pulling cotton balls apart. Rick has to fish them out of new medicine bottles for me.
2). At any given point I have bruises or tender spots on my face from Annie head butting me.
3). All four of my front teeth are fake and I still have one baby tooth.
4). Rick and I knew each other (and flirted) in college but didn't date until 6 years after we graduated.
5). I move my feet so much in my sleep that I wear a hole in the sheets about every 18 months.
6). I eat at least one apple a day.
7). I cannot stress how much I hate movies with time travel. They make no sense. And I also hate My Cousin Vinny. Seriously, how could they not figure out those dudes weren't the murderers? I walked out of the theater. I also walked out of Phenomenon, but for different reasons. Those are the only two movies I have ever walked out of on my own accord.
8). I love going to movies by myself.
9). I swore I would never get a Kindle, but then I won one (see, so blessed!) and now I am addicted.
10). I have never smoked a cigarette.
11). I hate pumpkin and pecan pies.

Now for the 11 questions:
1). Why did you start blogging?
2). If you could do any job other than the one you currently have, what would you do?
3). You can travel anywhere, regardless of expense, without your kids, where would you go?
4). Same as #3, but with the kids.
5). What's the most embarassing thing you have written about on your blog?
6). To which Sesame Street character do you most relate?
7). What is your favorite holiday and why?
8). What is one food you will never eat?
9). Tell us a little bit about your family (siblings, parents, in-laws, etc).
10). If you could spend 48 hours with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
11). Would you rather have to shop only at 7-11 for the next six months, or relive a socially awkward moment every day for the next month?

And I am nominating TEAM BOTANICAL!
(I would nominate more, but I am a bit of a blog shut-in and wouldn't even know who else to nominate)