A Liebster Award (Times Two!)

I am so excited to have been nominated for a Liebster Award. And not only once, but twice. My blog friend Sherry who is raising two boys, including Rachel's boy twin, Brody, blogs at The Sweet Life of the Reeses. And Sherry is expecting Baby Mattie who might just turn out to be Rachel's birthday twin :) My blog friend Tracy, who is a mom of four (!!!), including sweet Karsyn who is just a few weeks younger than Rachel, blogs over at Our Little Family of 6.

Here are the Liebster rules:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.

3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.

4. Choose 11 blogs you love (with less than 200 followers) and link them in your post.

5. No tag back (but please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster post so I can learn more about you)!

11 Random Things About Me

1. I got my nose slammed in the trunk of a car when I was three. I have an interesting scar on my nose which is a lot smaller than it used to be. The scar that is, not my nose!
2. I have my nose pierced. It's been pierced for about twelve years and I don't even really notice it anymore.
3. We don't have a TV. We watch TV on DVD on our computer sometimes and Sam watches DVDs once in awhile but I have not lived with a TV that gets channels since about 1995.
4. I am usually reading anywhere between two and five books at any one time. I absolutely love to read.
5. I absolutely love my church. I don't think I can fully express how happy I am at church. Sometimes it makes me feel like a big nerd but most of the time I don't care!
6. I had two unassisted home births. Neither one was planned to be that way but the total time for both of my labours is three hours and thirty nine minutes. Because of that I don't really feel like I know what childbirth is about.
7. I have loved Coke ever since Pepsi put out a commercial about Pepsi being "cool" and Coke being for "fuddy-duddies." I thought Pepsi was so mean and started drinking only Coke because I felt bad for it.
8. I am really bad at interior decorating. I have no idea what looks good. I just know what I like!
9. I didn't get my driver's licence until I was thirty-five.
10. I have been vegetarian since I gave up meat for Lent in 2000. I eat fish and seafood (and very rarely hormone free Farmer's Sausage) but that's about it.
11. I am not an animal person so we will never own a pet. Well maybe a fish eventually, but that's it!

The Questions Sherry Asked Me
1.  What do you love most about yourself? Everyone should love something about themselves!
I love my smile and my eyes. And the fact that I bake yummy cookies :)
2.  What is your favorite place you have ever been and why?
My favourite place I have ever been is any library in the world. I love libraries. I love the possibilities of new friends awaiting you on the shelves. I have worked in many libraries and borrowed books from many more. And I love the fact that money is no object for being a part of a library.
3.  What do you enjoy doing most for fun?
I really like to read. I know it's kind of boring but I really feel like I can have almost any adventure right from the comfort of my own bed!
4.  Why did you start blogging and how long have you been doing it?
I started blogging because my then boyfriend (he later became my husband) and I were moving halfway across the country from our friends and his family. I started blogging more regularly after reading Kelly's Korner and admiring how she had scrapbooked/journaled her life and her daughter's life through her blog. I was determined to do the same thing for my own family. So we've had our blog for almost six years (June 2007) but I've only been blogging really regularly for a little under two and a half years.
5.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years we will be living in our own home, both my kids will be in school and I will have some sort of part-time job. But a lot of my life will likely look just like it does right now with hopefully fewer diapers and temper tantrums -- ha ha ha!!!
6.  What was your first job?
I think my first job was working for my dad in his tree nursery -- probably making cuttings or doing something in the greenhouse. My first non-family job was babysitting and then working at McDonald's.
7.  What is your favorite holiday memory?
My favourite holiday memory is Christmas from when I was a kid. My family would have a Christmas Eve party with chips and pop and chip dip and it was one of the few times in the year when we were all together and not fighting. (I didn't get along well with my siblings.)
8.  What is your favorite season of the year and why?
My favourite season of the year is either Spring or Fall. I love the more temperate weather. I think Spring wins out slightly only because it is so needed after Winter and my birthday is in the Spring!
9.  What person has inspired you the most?
My mom. She went back to school when I was ten and pursued her dreams even though her kids didn't always agree with her or support her. She isn't afraid to speak her mind and she gardens, bakes bread and buns and pies, makes her own wine and is a wonderful hostess. Plus she loves me unconditionally and I know it. I want to be just like her when I grow up :)
10.  What is your favorite vacation memory?
I think our trip to Vienna with our friends, Tim and Janice. I'd heard so much about that trip before we went on it (it was a tour Janice's dad did for years) and being able to go with Dave and Sam and Tim and Janice and their kids was just amazing. My only regret is that we couldn't go with Rachel too.
11.  What is your favorite sweet treat?
Chocolate chip cookies.

The Questions Tracy Asked Me
1. Who makes you laugh the most and why?
Probably my son Sam because he is just so funny!
2. Where is your favorite place to shop and why?
My favourite place to shop is Chapters because I love books. I especially love buying kids' books.
3. How many trips a week to you make to the grocery store?
We try to do a big trip every so often and then pick up produce as we need it. We probably go 1-2 times a week.
4. Did you go to your high school prom?  Did you enjoy it?
Our high school didn't have a prom. We had a dance after our grad party and I did go. Everyone who went to my small high school did.
5. What are some of your hobbies?
I like to read, blog and I'm trying to finish making a quilt.
6. Where do you order pizza the most from?
Papa John's. We order pizza way too much!
7. What is your favorite thing about being a blogger?
I really love that I've been able to preserve our family's memories. I also love all the people I have "met" through blogging and the support I feel from reading other people's blogs on a daily basis.
8. What is a song that has a special place in your heart and why?
"When You Say Nothing At All" by Ronan Keating from Notting Hill. It's the song Dave and I fell in love to.
9. What's your favorite thing about your church?
My favourite thing about my church is the people. They are like my huge extended family. I love that Sam and Rachel can run around and everyone is looking out for them. Just like I'm looking out for other people's kids too.
10. Where's the funnest place you've been on vacation?
The funnest place I've ever been on vacation was Disneyland when I was eight! Other than that it was probably New Brunswick last year -- we got to go whale watching and see an amazing garden.
11. What's a normal meal that you make for your family?
Casserole of some sort -- either a tuna noodle casserole or a lasagne one. We're kind of boring that way.

My Questions For My Nominees
1. What is one of the best books you have read lately?
2. What is your favourite thing to do outside?
3. What is your favourite hymn/praise song?
4. What do you do to keep yourself sane?
5. What is something you like which other people find weird?
6. What is your biggest accomplishment?
7. What is something you wouldn't write for Question 6 but you are proud of anyways?
8. Since I have tagged no Canadians, what is your biggest question about Canada or Canadians?
9. Since I have tagged only Americans, what part of the US do I most need to visit and why? (And you ahve to answer something besides "The city where I live and to come visit me!")
10. What is your favourite thing to drink?
11. What is your biggest indulgence?

My Nominees:
(I don't have eleven nominees and one of my nominees has 216 followers but I nominated her anyways!)

1. Erika at Something Beautiful. I love Erika's blog and she often make me laugh and cry in the same post. Plus hers is the first blog I ever won something from.

2. Amy at George Party of Four. Amy and I often live the exact same lives in two different countries. I love reading her stories about Kate and Lincoln and sometimes I just think I should copy her posts to my blog and write "Me too!"

3. Tiffany at No Faint Hearts. Tiffany is working on her PhD and her daughter, C, is adorable. I can't wait to meet her new little one this Spring sometime.

4. Allison at The Blogivers. Allison is another blogger who just makes me think and laugh at the same time. Her son Davis is so cute and I love how Allison writes openly and honestly about her life.

5. Kelly from Kelly-Belly. I like that Kelly is an "older" mom like me. Her son Lance is so sweet and Kelly often posts good books to read. In fact I discovered a new favourite through her blog.

An honourable mention goes to Amanda at Money Family Musings. Tracy already nominated her or I would have. I love reading about Amanda's family and their adventures.