Liebster Award

Firstly, a big thank you to the lovely Jenna from Love from Jenna for nominating me for the Liebster Award.

What is the Leibster Award you might ask? Well, it's an award that is given to new blogs with fewer than 200 followers. It allows bloggers to promote their blog and to meet lovely fellow bloggers along the way.

The rules for the award are the following:

• Nominees must link back to the person who nominated them. 
• Nominee must list 11 facts about themselves. 
• Nominee must answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated them. 
• Nominee must than choose 11 people/blogs to nominate that have less than 200 GFC followers. Nominee must provide 11 questions to be answered by the people they choose to nominate.

So to get started, here are 11 facts about me!

1. I've been blogging since January 2002 (in various locations...started way back on Xanga), but you'd never know it, lol.  I mainly have used my blog as a journal for myself...never promoted it or anything.
2. I taught preschool for 10 years, but left my job this year to return to college to study Surgical Technology.
3. Due to my dad's health, my parents live with us.
4. I love Hello Kitty and Snoopy.
5. I'm a big procrastinator...but I'll tell you more about that later. ;-)
6. I have five tattoos. (left foot, right "index" toe, outside of right ankle, right hip, and left ring finger)
7. I'm married to my high school sweetheart.  We've been together for 26 years, and married for 22-1/2 years.
8. I'm a big baby when I'm sick, and love to be taken care of.
9. My house is never spotless.  I keep a lived-in, and very comfortable home.  (It's not dirty either...but I don't stress on everything being just-so.)
10. I've spent about 16 years addicted to Diet Coke, but have given up keeping it in the house. I only drink it if we go out to dinner now.
11. Three things I want to see before I die are the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, and the Eiffel Tower.

Next...here are my answers to the 11 questions posted by Jenna.

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? On one hand, I'd love to say something like New Zealand! But more realistically...I'll say Myrtle Beach, SC.
2. Are you a Facebook or Twitter person? Definitely Facebook
3. What is your all-time favorite movie? Oh man.  That is tough.  We are movie people, and watch them all the time...usually rather than TV.  But if I have to pick ONE...I guess I'll go with Apollo 13.
4. Sweet or savory? Sweet, please!
5. Who is your favorite person in the entire world? What a question!  Do I choose hubby or my daughter?  My parents or my siblings?  What about my best friends? Oh my.  I can't narrow it down through those folks...so I'm going to choose a celebrity, lol.  Tom Hanks! I love Tom Hanks.
6. How do you like to spend your spare time? I like to hike. I like to play games. I like to watch movies.  I like to sleep.
7. Are you a Mac or PC person?  I've always been a PC person, but when I went back to college, I bought a Mac, and I LOVE it.
8. If you could change the world in one way, what would it be? I would figure out how to provide healthy food and water to all.
9. What is your favorite animal? Dolphins and meerkats
10. Tea or coffee? For the longest time, it was neither...I only drank Diet Coke.  But now I like coffee. Thank you, college!
11. What do you enjoy most about blogging? I enjoy having a record of my life, and I enjoy reading about other people's family situations.

Here are the blogs I nominate for the Liebster Award.  I have only 6 to nominate...but I love to read each of them.

1. Hannah at Our Journey
2. Annie at The House that Jade Built
3. Tracey at A Dozen Reasons and More
4. Tricia at Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries
5. Andrea at The Simmons Family
6. Staci at The Skinny on Staci

Finally, here are the 11 questions for my nominees to answer!

1. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
2. What is your dream vacation?
3. What is your favorite dessert?
4. Do you wear make-up every day?
5. If you could meet one famous person, who would it be, and why?
6. What's your go-to comfort food?
7. Are you close with your extended family?
8. Are you hoping to add more children to your family at some point? If so, do you have any names chosen?
9. Do you like to cook? What's your favorite meal to prepare?
10. I give you a box.  Inside it is your most prized possession.  What is it?
11. Do you have any "stupid human tricks?" (Funny skills that are kind of odd and random)

OK! That's it!!! Go forth and spread the love! I can't wait to read your responses!

In a weird place

Spent a bit of time "off the wagon" this weekend. Not sure what was up with me. I didn't feel all that great, and comfort food was just calling me. At any rate...I'm back on it now! Just got done riding the bike for 45 minutes, did some calisthenic work, etc.

I'm just in kind of a "meh" place.  I thought about doing Happies and Crappies on Friday, and just couldn't muster the oomph to care. That's not really like me.  I dunno.  

School is going ok. Home is going ok.  I'm just...treading water right now.  My inclination is to think that this is OK.  I've had a lot of big highs and lows over the past months, and if my body/mind needs some in-between time to get itself together, that's ok with me.

Happies and Crappies

Time for some Valentine's Week Happies and Crappies...hosted by the lovely Sarah and Stephanie. I have a good time each week, so I thought I'd participate again!

Happies

• Patrick and I hiked 14.4 miles last Saturday, and it was AWESOME! The trail was rated "difficult," and I can say "YES IT WAS!!!"  But I'm super proud of us, and super proud of ME!!! 
• Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and while we don't buy into the whole "Hallmark Holiday-ness" of it, we do show each other our love, buy little gifts, enjoy some sweet treats, etc.  Patrick and I each gave each other a backpacking gear item!  I gave him a Platypus 3L hydration system, and he gave me a head lamp.  ROMANTIC!  But actually it is, because it's things to move us closer to our dreams.  We gave Shannon an iTunes card and the DVD of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
• Today is my sweet mom's 77th birthday!  So happy she's here (literally, HERE...she and my dad live in our downstairs) and so healthy.  Happy Birthday, Mom...I love you!
• Started learning to take vital signs this week. I'm so stupid-excited about it.  It feels like the first, tangible health-care thing I'm doing.
• I ordered my first stethoscope and BP cuff yesterday, and I can pick them up TODAY.  Can't wait!
• Patrick is finally ordering the part we need to fix my Jeep.  It's been out of commission since BEFORE Christmas...we've just been waiting and waiting to be able to afford the part.  Every time I walk by "her" in the driveway, I pat her and tell her that I still love her and haven't forgotten about her.

Crappies

• Shannon's church youth group went to a big concert called Winter Jam last Sunday night. (Tickets were only available at the door.) They took our two church busses down to the arena in Atlanta, and the concert sold out when HALF of our group had gone in.  Can you believe that?  So, Shan didn't get to see the concert.  She DID get to hang out with her friends, and eat dinner in ATL, but still.  Not the same thing.
• Went through a grumpy spell this week...lasted about 3 days actually.  I'm wondering if it might be my body adjusting to a lower amount of carbs?  I'm not sure, but I think Patrick and Shannon are glad that I'm perking back up! LOL

Still continuing the trend of more Happy than Crappy.  Yay!

New recipe!

My friend Susan shared a recipe she found on the From Away blog. The recipe is for Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes. They are gluten and dairy free.  I raised my eyebrow at the notion of TWO ingredients making a tolerable pancake...but guess what?  They were great!

They prepped and cooked up just like the blog showed.  The flavor is delicious, and the texture reminded both Patrick and me of crepes.

I encourage you to try them!

Happies & Crappies

Friday snuck up on me this week!  It's time again for Happies and Crappies, hosted by Sarah and Stephanie. I have a good time each week, so I thought I'd participate again!

Happies

• Lame assignment done for school (it was a presentation in front of the class, but that's not what made it lame, lol) and I feel it went well.
• Still hiking! 
• Loved watched the Super Bowl with my family.  It was a great action packed game.  
• Today is my brother's 51st birthday...Happy Birthday, Dave!
• Shannon's piano recital piece is coming along well.  Love it when I remind her to practice, and she says "I already did!"  Love that girl.
• Was able to get enough of our backpacking gear purchased that we can go backpacking!!! Woot!
• Patrick and I were out last night running errands.  Traffic was bad, so we got hungry and stopped for dinner at a restaurant we'd never been to before.  It was Flip Burger Boutique, and Oh My Gosh it was GOOD!!! Ended up being a fun, unexpected date night!

Crappies

• Nothing too crappy this week! 
• My favorite class was canceled this week because the professor was ill.
• Backpacking gear isn't cheap, so while it's a THRILL to finally have it, making the decision to spend the money is a little hard.

Still continuing the trend of more Happy than Crappy.  Yay!

Got gear!!!

We got our backpacks! (and tent)...we've pretty much got enough gear now that we CAN go backpacking! Squeal! (We're using tax refund money to get us started gear-wise.) I guess that doesn't really matter...I wonder why I always feel like I need to explain things. 

ANYWAY. 

I got a Deuter ACT Lite 65+10 pack. And Patrick got an Osprey Aether 60 pack. Mine's blue, his is green. 

Our tent is a Marmot Limelight 2P. It's Orange...I mean "Alpenglow." Patrick ultimately wants to sleep in a hammock, since we're pretty sure that will be most comfortable for his neck/back issues...but those are MUCHO spendy, so we're going to get started in a tent, and see how he does. If he's OK, then great. If not, we'll get him a hammock down the line a bit.

Easy-peasy

The Psychology course I'm taking is online only...meaning the only time I will have to go to campus for this class is to take the final.  I had a quiz I needed to take today.  The study guide simply said to watch the "Dog Video" and then take the quiz.

We'd been studying behavior, so I assumed the video would be about Pavlov's Dogs or something similar. Turns out it was a 3 minute video on this dog with narcolepsy, and the quiz was to write a paragraph summarizing the video.  ::::blink blink::::  That's it?  Boom!  Done with that!

Moving on!

Patrick and I were going to hike/walk today, but he's not feeling great.  He has a doctor appointment this afternoon to get checked out.  I think I'll ride the exercise bike instead.  We did a great 5.39 mile hike yesterday in the WIND and hoo-boy, that took it out of us!  We've done that same exact hike a dozen (or more) times before, but the wind added SO much resistance that we were WIPED out, and seriously thirsty for the rest of the day.

We had fun watching the Super Bowl last night and didn't *really* care who won.  Patrick is a big Ravens fan, but we all are from the SF Bay Area, so we're Niners fans too.  It was an exciting game to watch! There were a few fun commercials but I couldn't help but feel they were mostly lack-luster.  I enjoyed the Clydesdale one, the "God Made a Farmer" one, and the Taco Bell/senior citizen one.  The Doritos screaming goat one made me giggle, and the GoDaddy one made me throw up in my mouth.

Happies and Crappies

It's Friday again...know what that means??? It's time for Happies and Crappies! This fun link-up is hosted by Sarah and Stephanie. I had such a good time last week, I thought I'd participate again!

Happies

• Since it was the end of the month, I checked my weight...and I'm down 7 pounds since 1/4! Yay!
• In the last 10 days, I've hiked 20 miles...so much fun!
• I got my CPR certification renewed today...done again for 2 years!  Are you CPR certified?  If not, please consider it!
• My dad has been enjoying bird-watching this week. (Back story for any newish readers.  My parents live with us, and my dad has terminal cancer.  Something he LOVES to do is birdwatch, and we've set up a new patio and feeders for him to enjoy.)

Crappies

• I got a migraine on Wednesday and had to miss school, and now my neck is out of whack. Ugh.
• Not super crappy, but I have what I consider a lame assignment due for school next week.  NOT looking forward to it.
• Scary weather in GA this week, including a devastating tornado in Adairsville, GA...about an hour from here.  We were lucky to just have torrential rain and heavy wind...but it's hard to hear about deadly weather so close to home.

Still continuing the trend of more Happy than Crappy.  Yay!