Liebster Award! + 11 Random Danica Facts

My sweet friend Tayler from my study abroad/teaching tagged me in the Liebster Award. Like a year ago and I'm finally getting around to it. Thanks/sorry Tayler!

"Liebster" means dearest in German, and it's awarded, blogger to blogger, to up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers.  The rules for accepting and giving the award are pretty simple.  Once you accept the award, you just have to do the following in a blog entry:

Answer the 11 questions posted by the nominator on her blog

Give 11 facts about yourself

Nominate 5-11 other new, up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers

Make up 11 more questions to pass on to the bloggers you choose to nominate

Thank your nominator by linking back to her blog

Upon your post going live, contact your nominees about your nomination for them

1) What made you start blogging?

I had to create my blog for my Instructional Technology class at BYU, and kept it because I was going to Wales that summer and wanted to share my pics/adventures with family and friends at home. I'm so glad I did because I go back and re-read those posts all the time for fun!

2) What is your blogging dream?

Blogging dream.... I'm not sure.  I like fashion blogging, but I'm not really aiming to BE a fashion blogger. I like new readers but I'm not really trying too hard to get new readers. What I really love my blog for is writing - I love to write and I think it's a strength of mine.  I guess I'd just really love to be able to reach a lot of people (What constitutes "a lot"? 300? 500? 1000? Idk) and have people laugh and enjoy it. I'd even like to land a writing job with my blog. 

3) What is your dream job, and do you have it/are you working toward it? 

As listed above - writing. Particularly about Utah culture/trends/observation/fashion. I would also quit my job on the spot to become a personal shopper or stylist. Need a new change? Take me shopping with you for a day and let me take you to all the stores and choose stuff for you. PLEASE. I want to. So bad. 

4) What are you a junkie of?

The Office. Diet Coke. Popcorn. Pinterest. 

5) Since I'm a teacher, what was your favorite subject in school? Why?

English or History depending on the year. Figures right? I love reading, writing and learning about other people. 

6) What is your favorite book? Why?

Obviously Harry Potter (all of them). But I think that kind of can't count because they are everyone's favorites. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is probably my other favorite. I love P&P like any woman, but the zombie addition is literally the greatest, most Danica combination that exists, ever.

7) Name a country you want to visit from every continent.

North/Central America - Mexico
South America - Brazil
Europe - Italy
Asia - Japan, since my baby bro will be in Fukuoka for 2 years!!
Australia - duh. 
Africa - Morocco
Antarctica - I'd rather not.  

 8) What are all the languages you speak (real or fake, fluent or not)

I took 4 years of Spanish. Loved it. Don't remember much.

9) What is the most annoying thing people do?

Just a few weeks ago my students had to turn in their final projects, and I had some CRAZY freaking moms defending their children for cheating and doing their projects for them. So I think I'd have to say coddling and ignoring children. They need you so bad parents! They need you to be good examples. They need you to let them grow and learn from their own mistakes. But they also need you to step in and correct their behavior when it is bad. The most annoying thing people do is act selfishly as parents.

10) What are three interesting things in your house?

Baby Buddha - The Beard and Glen hate it. They both bark at it routinely. 

Storm Trooper Steve - My Valentine's Day present

Apollo  - Blog post to explain this is forthcoming.  

11) What is your favorite post that you've done in the past year?

Probably my post about Finals. Or my post about the high school teacher who lied to the whole school about my brother having an ecstasy party. Both super snarky and angry. I guess that's kind of my thing.

And now.... 11 facts about me:

1. I love sports and played soccer/softball/basketball pretty much always, but I'm really a girly girl. I love makeup. Birchbox is my new favorite thing - each month they send you a bunch of beauty product samples and it's like a mini-Christmas. I love it so much I signed up for the makeup counterpart Ipsy and I'm waiting for my first box now!

2. I've got zombies on the brain especially now because I am signed up to run the Zombie Chase 5k in Eureka on Saturday! The Zombies Run! app is how I'm training. :)

3. The Beard says everyone has their "gospel hobby" where they feel comfortable in the church. Mine is the scriptures.

4. I'm a side sleeper.

5. Glen is also a side sleeper and he likes for me to be the little spoon so he can be the big spoon. We cuddle all night. You're dying of the cuteness right now, aren't you?

6. Everyone thinks because I play sports I must be outdoors-y. I hate camping.

7. I forget about my blog for weeks at a time. Like I literally don't think about it.

8. I'm a really happy person, generally. My moods don't swing too much. But when I finally allow myself to be really sad about things, I spend way too many hours in bed with the Office and I wallow. I'm a wallower.

9. I'm a Pinterest whore. And I mean that in a good way. I actually use all of my boards on Pinterest, believe it or not. And I have several categories. Check it out. Be impressed.

10. I almost died when I was born. The doctors told my mom I was probably going to be slow. It's also why my eye does the crazy things it does beyond my control.

11. I used to tell people my name was Vanessa when I was little because I thought my name was weird and Vanessa was a pretty name for pretty little brunette girls. Grass is always greener, right?

Ok so here are my friends that I've tagged.

Eliesa from BE Here and There (to get her back into blogging - we've all been waiting patiently!)
Katie from Silver Linings. She's a big fancy NY girl now.
Katie from These are the Days - gym buddy and puppy mama like me.
Nichole from The Keeles - a fellow Office lover and blog friend that I've never met. Let's fix that.
Karlie from The Mitchell Family - soon to be mama of twins!

Alright ladies. Answer these questions or else.

1. Who is your favorite Office character?
2. What are you the most proud of in your life?
3. What books should all of us be reading at the pool this summer?
4. What beauty product can you not live without?
5. Where is your favorite secret place to shop (physical or online store)?
6. What is your best piece of marriage advice?
7. When you are stressed and just want to fast forward life to happier times, what do you do?
8. What is your favorite blog that you HAVE to read every day?
9. I finally have an iPhone. What are your favorite apps that I should go for?
10. What is your favorite workout to get in shape?
11. Favorite obscure YouTube videos... Go!