Wednesday, June 4, 2014
The Liebster Award
I was recently nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by another blogger, Marie, of Normal Everyday Life. I hope you'll go check out her blog. You won't be sorry! Marie has been very encouraging to me and I appreciate her so much. Starting a new blog is kind of an intimidating venture and Marie and other bloggers like her have been very faithful to spur me onward! I really appreciate that more than they realize.
Receiving the award requires me to tell you more about myself by answering a list of questions from Marie and then listing 11 random facts about myself, so here goes....
* Why did you start blogging?
I've always loved to write. I was shy as a little kid, so I quickly realized that writing was the most comfortable way for me to express myself. Cards, letters, newsletters, notes......through the years, I've found many different ways....and excuses to do what I love. I wrote notes with Boo Mama and many other friends in high school. We wrote long, descriptive, humorous masterpieces to each other on a daily basis. If I'd spent as much time on my school work as I did on composing those notes, I would've most likely been valedictorian, but as it was, I was just a couple of.......hundred spots down from that. Most recently, before I started "Motherhood and Muffin Tops", my friends would comment on my Facebook statuses and encourage me to blog. Now that I think about it, perhaps it was all a ploy to get me off of their newsfeeds. Hmmmm.
*Are you an early bird or a night owl?
This is the easiest question ever. Resoundingly, I am a night owl. I feel and look like someone has beaten me with a baseball bat until around 11:00 am. After lunch, the blood finally reaches my head and I start to feel human. If I go by my body's natural clock, I go to bed around 12:45 am and get up around 9:45 am. I hear that sunrises are so beautiful, but I'll just have to take your word for that. The pictures are really lovely though.
*What is your guilty pleasure?
That would have to be donuts. I've heard that they are quite possibly the most unhealthy food in existence, but you put some out in front of me with some ice cold milk from the frig and I lose all sense of restraint and decorum. If they're warm, don't get between them and me. I may also need to add the second most unhealthy food in existence....the hot dog. Yes, I, Joni Miller, love the pink paste made from all manner of animal parts which is injected into natural casings. A hot dog from the ballpark or a grilled hot dog....mmmm. Don't judge.
*What is your all time favorite tv show?
That's hard to say, but when I was young it was definitely "The Carol Burnett Show". Through the years, I've also enjoyed the wit of "Designing Women", "Murphy Brown", and "Frasier"....I guess all of those shows appeal to my sense of humor.
*Name three things on your bucket list.
1)To go to the Holy Land.
2)To travel across the country, from coast to coast. Like Louis and Clark only, you know.......with a car and hotels.
3)To have a vacation home sitting either right on the beach or on the side of a mountain.
*What is your favorite way to relax?
Sitting on a beach at dusk with my iPod shuffling 70's and 80's.
*Do you collect anything?
I don't know if you'd call it collecting, but I have acquired a lot of things that I treasure from people that are no longer here. My grandparents' Bibles, my grandmother's wedding band and purse, handwritten recipes, letters, tablecloths, the drawing tools my Daddy used in his work. I'm the polar opposite of a hoarder, but when it comes to sentimental things, I've always had a weakness for those.
*What is your favorite blog post and why?
I enjoyed writing "The Mammogram". It's just pure silliness and I have the best time writing pure silliness.
*Do you enjoy appetizers or dessert more?
Appetizers....hands down. Even as a child, I would pick salty snacks over sweet. You can eat ice cream and chocolate in front of me all day long and I won't tempted, but bring out some chips and dips and we've got a problem. Definitely an appetizer girl......with a donut weakness.
*What is your favorite season?
Fall. The oppressive, humid Mississippi summers are so brutal that after you've had 5+ months of that nonsense, the first sign of fall is the most welcomed thing you've ever seen or felt. Add in SEC football and the wardrobe change and what's not to love?
Eleven random facts about myself.....
1) Saturday is my least favorite day of the week. Don't ask me why. Even as a kid, I never liked Saturday.
2) People think that I'm really laid back and relaxed. I'm always getting comments like, "I wish I could be as calm as you....Do you ever get stressed about anything?" Funny, I don't always feel that way.
3) I love to sleep. My mother even went to the doctor when she was carrying me, because I never moved and she was worried. I'm pretty sure I was just napping.
4) I hate salad.....green salad, taco salad, chicken salad, potato salad, pasta salad. To me, salty foods should not be eaten cold. Ever.
5) I often become a blubbering idiot when I try to express myself verbally. Many times, I leave a conversation with a nagging, "I hope they didn't think I meant....." or " I shouldn't have said...." or "I forgot to tell them....". I'd do better to walk around with a pad and pen to communicate. I love the second chances of the eraser and backspace and delete keys.
6) I love classical music. My favorite part of a wedding is all of the music before it even starts. I could sit there and listen for hours. I also have an unusual affection for the pipe organ and harbor a secret desire to learn to play one. I'm pretty sure the large swath of pedals and buttons and I would not do well together. Surely, God will let me be the "first chair" organist in heaven though. Listen for me.
7) I was an English Education major until I changed to Horticulture with an emphasis in Florist Management. For 17 years, I worked as a freelance floral designer and was able to stay home with my kids during the week and do weddings on the weekend. I'm still not exactly sure what I want to be when I grow up though.
8) My biggest fears are public speaking....and flying....oh, and enclosed spaces and snakes. Heavy medication required for any of that. I guess heavy medication really wouldn't make for very good public speaking, but would, however, numb the anxiety if ever plummeting to the ground from 30,000 feet while trapped in the airplane lavatory with a water moccasin and no circulating, cold air. I'm breaking a sweat just thinking about that. Ok....moving on.
9) I don't have any idea what I'm doing with this blog thing. It's not like I had a long history of following blogs and dreamed, for years, of the day when I'd have my own. No, my eyes cross when I see the seemingly foreign words....blog feeds, referring URLs, and pageviews, but I'm having the best time. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.
10) I could watch "House Hunters" and "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" all day long. I don't know why, but I receive enjoyment from watching other people buy houses and food.
11) Last, but not least.....I'm a Christian and my faith is very important to me. I believe that this life is not all there is and no matter what I face in it, my Savior will never leave me. My favorite Bible verse is....
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God." Isaiah 43:2
My Nominee is....Crib Notes Mommy Blog.
I just found this blog yesterday, but have really enjoyed reading through their posts. It's a mixture of hilarious, practical, and touching entries about parenting and is especially helpful for mothers of babies and younger children.
The Rules:
1) Link back to the blog that nominated you.
2) Post 11 random facts about yourselves and answer the questions listed in my post.
3) Nominate up to 11 blogs, link your nominees to your post, and let them know.
This was fun! Thanks for the nominating me, Marie!
This was fun! Thanks for the nominating me, Marie!
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i really enjoyed getting to know you better with this list. i can so relate to the flying thing too...we've been planning a trip to europe for 2 years now but i just can't imagine myself on a plane that long! the first time we flew to las vegas we drove up to b'ham and flew out of that airport nonstop....i had a Rx for ativan and we met a couple there from millbrook (just up the road from montgomery) who also had a fear of flying...he had a Rx for Valium and gave me one to take in case the ativan didn't kick in...my husband still teases me to this day that i made a drug deal in the airport!
ReplyDeletesnakes and spiders....oh my....just the thought make my teeth itch (my daughter used to say this all the time so i'm adopting it too)
and your favorite scripture....one of mine too joni!
Hahaha! Judy, I love your drug deal. Be prepared....as the scouts say. Sounds like we have a lot in common. :)
DeleteOh my goodness--this was awesome! Like I was interviewing you in your kitchen with a box of donuts and a glass of icy milk (both of which are VERY safe around me so their would be no fighting). Such fun getting to hear more about you. What a great line: “I love the second chances of the eraser, backspace and delete keys.” Perfect! I love that you could never be in an airplane bathroom with no air and a snake! Hahahaha! I’m with you on that (not literally--there would seriously be no room for 2 in an airplane bathroom!) Love this post!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karmen! I appreciate all your encouragement, too. It means a lot.
DeleteI loved reading this, Joni! It's always fun to learn more about the author behind the blog. Fall is my favorite season, too and I could definitely watch House Hunters all day long! :) So interesting about your background in Horticulture and Florist Management. Thanks so much for the shout out! Can't wait to check out Crib Notes Mommy Blog!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this so much! Thanks for the nomination and the encouragement!
DeleteI enjoy reading your blog so much! Just keep writing for all of us!
ReplyDeleteAwwww.....thank you so much, April! :)
DeleteI so enjoyed learning so much about you.
ReplyDeleteNumber 11 - I feel like that too and love that verse!! It has gotten me through some tough times.
Thanks, Happy One! Yeah, that's a good one for sure.
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