Liebster Award

Exciting news! Molly from Heart, Sole & Cereal nominated me for a Liebster Award! I tried to do some research about the award, and it turns out that "liebster" means "favorite" in German; needless to say, I'm quite flattered! Thanks, Molly!

The rules are:

• Tell 11 facts about yourself
• Answer your nominator's 11 questions
• Write 11 questions of your own, and nominate more people
• Those nominated must have fewer than 200 followers

Molly's Questions for Me

1. what is your favorite season and why?

I love certain aspects of all seasons, but my favorite is summer. It's when we got married and will always celebrate our anniversary, it's ideal for little getaways, it's when I go waterskiing with my family. And since I grew up and still live in California, the weather's not humid--it's perfect!

2. who was your favorite teacher growing up and what did they do that you loved (looking for tips!)?

One of my favorite teachers was Mr. Richards, who taught tons of life lessons, like how to Empty Your Cup. I remember his lessons almost daily!

3. if you could only do one form of exercise for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If it wasn't so expensive and painful, I would dance! I danced most of my life, but after my foot surgery I really can't risk doing what I used to do. So now I would choose circuit training, which keeps me entertained and provides tons of variety.

4. do you run with music? watching tv? in silence? 

I like chatting with Terry, but at the end of a long run I turn on the tunes to get myself going.

5. if your place of business required their employees to wear a uniform, would you love it or hate it?

I think I would love it at first, because I don't think I'm very good at assembling cute outfits. But I know I'd get sick of it after just a little while--unless we got to wear scrubs. They just look SO comfy!

6. sweet breakfasts or savory? no breakfast is not an option :)

Sweet! I love sweet breakfasts, but I do prefer to balance them with some eggs or something. 

7. smoothies vs. milkshakes - which do you like better? or do you not like either? if so, are you diagnosed insane?

Milkshakes! Even though I like smoothies (with peanut butter!), you know I'll always choose sweet over tart. 

8. what is your favorite thing about blogging in the healthy living blog community?

Molly and I have talked about this before, but I love how everyone is incredibly encouraging, friendly, generous, and kind. I still consider myself a newbie, but I feel welcomed and respected. 

9. did you play sports in high school? what sport was your best?

I only danced, because it took up all of my free time, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wouldn't have been good at anything else. 

10. how much water do you drink everyday?

I drink at least 88 ounces before I get home, and then anything beyond that is a bonus. I also drink milk and tea, so I generally feel pretty hydrated. Except lately it's been CRAZY hot so I'm drinking a little more to make up for it.

11. what grammatical error irks you the most? (i'm a you're/your too/to/two type of girl) or are you the type who doesn't care about grammar?

I spot grammar errors immediately, and they all bug me, but I know that I'm just hyper aware of them because I teach English. If I had to pick one that bothers me most...I'd choose unnecessary commas and apostrophes. 

My 11 Facts About Myself

1. When I was little, I had a toy chalkboard easel, and I would come home and teach whatever my class had learned that day.
2. I've always been a dog person, and I still am, but Terry convinced me to get a cat a few years ago. He is the greatest little fur ball in the world. 

   

   Who, me?

   
   
3. If I were to live aboard, I'd move to London. 
4. I'm seriously good at Dr. Mario, and I'm fiercely competitive about it--but only when I play against Terry.
5. One of my biggest food weaknesses that I actually try to avoid (unlike ice cream, which is a weakness I gladly indulge) is Cheez-Its. I don't allow them in the house.
6. My favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck; my favorite play is Othello by Shakespeare.
7. Lake Lanier in Georgia is named after my great-great-grandfather, a famous poet and--unfortunately--confederate soldier. Once, while in Florida, I gave a woman my name and she said, "Y'all are famous down here!"
8. I love HGTV. I feel pretty confident that I know how to buy a home, renovate it, decorate it, and resell it. All you have to do is watch 100,000 hours of HGTV, right?
9. I grew up waterskiing and snow skiing, and I'm better at the former, but, given the choice, I'd say I prefer the latter. With snow skiing, you spend the whole day on the slopes, but with water skiing you really only ski for a few minutes out of the day.
10. I'm claustrophobic, and I get anxious even thinking about the possibility of being in an enclosed space.
11. In fourth grade, I played the role of Simba in a musical. This wasn't The Lion King, though; the acting teacher wrote a musical that included Simba, Mickey Mouse, and the von Trapp children. Obviously.

My Questions for My Nominees

1. What world landmark would you most like to visit? 
2. Which Olympic sport would you compete in (you would automatically possess the necessary skills)?
3. What is your favorite news source? (online, print, cable, satire, etc.)
4. What is your favorite or most effective way to relieve stress?
5. What's your best high school memory?
6. If you could only have access to one social media site, what would you choose?
7. What's your favorite holiday and why?
8. What's your dream date?
9. How do you motivate yourself to work out after a long day?
10. If you could have any pet, what would it be? 
11. If you could travel back in time, when would you go and what would you do?

My Nominees

• Katie @ Talk Less, Say More
• Sarah @ Sarah Learns
• Jessica @ My Healthy Passion

I'd love to hear your answer to a question above! And who would you nominate for a Liebster?