owls & monsters: The Leibster Award

Last week a special lady in my life, Emily, nominated me for the Liebster Award. I honestly had to google what that was before realizing it's not actually an Award but simply a fun way for bloggers to connect and get to know one another a little bit better, a blogger chain mail so to speak. You can read a bit about the origin here.

These are the rules I was sent about the Liebster Award:

Tell 11 random facts about yourself.
Answer the 11 questions provided by the person who nominated you.
Choose 11 blogs you like and link them in your post.
Write 11 questions for these bloggers, so they can answer them.
Go to their page and let them know that you nominated them. No tag backs!

11 random facts…

1. I used to be a barista and I really love and miss making latte art! Monkeys, hearts, and ferns are my speciality.

2. I've never broken a bone and I've only ever had 3 stitches, in my tongue, after tripping UP the stairs.

3. I get really irritated when I have to repeat myself.

4. When I was a kid I wanted to be a figure skater when I grew up, clearly that didn't pan out.

5. I have eaten some really weird things in my travels... ex. bat, owl, ant larvae and things I'm sure I'll never know what they were.

6. I lived and worked at a Ski resort once upon a time.

7. I have been to Thailand 4 times, and 7 other countries as well (Malaysia, Laos, China, USA, Guatemala, Italy, and Greece), and 2 more if you count border towns (Myanmar and Cambodia).

8. I gave birth to Rylee in a bathtub.

9. I love new socks but I hate to wear socks. (Many things in my life don't make sense like this)

10. My mom was 25 when she had me, and I was 25 when I had Rylee. I hope this little tradition keeps going, its kinda neat.

11. Last year I taught myself how to sew, so much more to learn, but its something I've always wanted to learn how to do. Next up...mastering crochet.

These are my answers to the 11 question I was given...

1 // If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

This is a hard question to answer, I have a top 10 bucket list of countries I want to go. Since I am currently living in one of them (Thailand) and although those other places are appealing, I l think my heart is ready to go back to home, sweet home.

2 // What is your favourite dish to make?

Sushi! I love to make sushi, probably because it usually coincides with a girls night, and bonus Sevio doesn't like Sushi so more for me!

3 // What’s your favourite Dish to eat out at a restaurant?

Oh boy, how can one choose!? I think I have to go with Smoked Salmon Eggs Benny, its something I just can't replicate at home no matter how hard I try.

4 // What’s the scariest thing you have every done?

You would think giving birth in a foreign country would win this one, but I'm gonna say bungee jumping was about the scariest thing I've ever done.

5 // What inspires you the most?

Everyday inspires me, not one specific thing or person but lots of people and things. My kids inspired me to enjoy life more, my husband inspires me keep growing and bettering myself, my faith inspires me to love more, our experience abroad inspires me to appreciate difference, and good ol' pinterest inspires me to make beautiful things.

6 // What do you do in your down time… if you have any?

I don't have much "me" time these days but when I do get a spare moment you'll probably see me working on this blog. My real downtime would be going to the park as a family, sitting in the grass with my babe and hubs, sippin' on a Thai tea, watching Rylee run free having the time of her life.

7 // Do you have any favourite blog post subjects to write about?

I love to post anything the kids have done and fill it with pictures. They are constantly growing and learning new things and this is how I document their ever changing lives.

8 // Do you have any favourite blog post subjects to read?

I love to read DIY blogs, I'm constantly amazed and inspired by what people create. Food blogs are my next choice, gotta love new recipes that have been tried and tested.

9 // What was your first blog post about?

Good question, had to go back in the archives to remember! It was about Rylee, the inspiration for this blog and how the name Owls + Monsters originated.

10 // If you had one million dollars what would you do with it?

Well to be honest I wouldn't donate it all to charity or solve world hunger, I would first buy a house and a bigger car to fit our growing family. After that I would seriously consider putting my dream into action by buying a building big enough to house a fully functioning coffee shop and drop in centre for youth. If it was my dream building it would have extra floors where we could have a counselling office freely available for the youth, as well as additional rooms available for youth to stay in time of need or trouble.

11 // If you could travel back in time, what decade/era would you go to, and why?

I'm not sure I would go back in time, I'm quite content with the one I'm currently in. Maybe I would go back 10 years before technology was fully taking over, back to the time where people still used house phones and made eye contact.

Now my 11 questions for you...

1. What other bloggers inspire you?

2. Do you have any hidden talents?

3. What is one accomplishment in life you are most proud of?

4. Where have you travelled (countries), and which one was your favourite?

5. What did you want to be "when you grew up"?

6. What was your first blog post about?

7. What the best book you've ever read?

8. What is one thing you couldn't live without?

9. Do you have any siblings?

10. What is your favourite childhood memory?

11. How do you think your friends would describe you?

And these are the 11 people I am nominating...

Sunny With A Chance Of Sprinkles

A Time For Seasons

The Foley Fam

So there you have it. Nominee’s let me know via twitter, send me an e-mail, or comment below, if or when you post, I would love to read it. If I didn’t nominate you and would like to do this, please go ahead and write a post. There aren’t really any ‘rules’ just ‘guidelines’, it’s just a fun little post.

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