Chasing Moonlight and Roses: A Method in the Madness.

Friday, January 25, 2013

A Method in the Madness.

My blog friend, Ryanne, included me in the "Liebster Award" which is a way for the blog world to get to know one another! It's such a fabulous idea and I loved reading Ryanne's entry (which you can check out here) so I decided to take part as well. I filled out something similar (Sisterhood of the World) a few months ago, so I will try not to repeat myself!

The first part is telling 11 things about myself.

I grew up always thinking the more friends I had, the luckier I was - but over the last few years it's been proven that it is quality over quantity that's so important.
I never liked Led Zepplin until a few years ago. My husband (he was my boyfriend at the time) was pretty obsessed with them and for some reason it made me like the band even less and I refused to give them a chance. Now, I just love listening to their music.
The first concert I remember going to was Nsync. And Lance Bass waved to me and my little sister. I swear.
I've only gotten into one (physical) girl fight and it was in the 4th grade at recess. I'm not gonna say I won... but I'm pretty sure I won.
I am not only obsessed with Coca-Cola but I really, REALLY dislike Pepsi!
Tony and I started dating March 20 (2003), got married May 20 (2011), and Presley was born February 20 (2012) - so the 20th is a very special and meaningful day/number for us!
The most difficult time in my relationship with Tony was the time we were long distance. Not for the faint of heart!
At one point in my childhood I had a banana-seat bike and I loved it - it was pink and girly and different - and then people started making fun of me for it so I asked for a new bike. I wish I would have had the confidence back then to realize it didn't matter what anybody else thought because I really loved that freaking bike!
My sisters and I definitely played Barbies passed the age that it is socially acceptable.
I was so against the idea of a smartphone. Why do we need them when we already have iPods? (I mean, we paid a lot of money for our iPods and now they will basically be obsolete?) Why do you need a phone that does everything? I didn't like how consumed people were with them and especially didn't like the cost associated with them. But now that we have them and see exactly how resourceful they are, I couldn't be more happy with the switch!
I used to love staying in hotels as a kid... but now they gross me out. Who knows what kind of people have laid in that bed before you.... YUCK!

The second part is answering the following 11 questions.

Why did you decide to start a blog?
Well, I began writing in my first blog back in 2004 on a different website. At the time I started it, a few of my friends had blogs and I thought it was a pretty cool concept. I wanted to be able to keep up with their blogs and found journaling on the computer rather than on paper suited me well. It was a rough time in my life and blogging really helped me by giving me an outlet.

Then in 2010 I felt like I had outgrown my previous blog and that my life and taken a new turn away from the direction I was headed in years past - so I started this blog. My last one was more private and was centered around pain and anger; I wanted to move away from that and felt I had blessings to share with others and that's how I started my current blog!
How did you know your spouse was the one?
Well this is certainly going to be difficult to answer!

The way has always treated me and spoke to me - with respect and compassion and forgiveness that goes on and on forever. He is kind and respectful and carefree. He is easy on the eyes, has the best scent in the world, and no matter what we went through together I never got sick of him. He has been my comfort for so many years and my protector and he never holds me back. We have a connection that has always felt soul-deep.

Short answer: Everything.
Name 3 of the most important people in your life. Why are they so important?
Tony and Presley (my husband and daughter) are a given - so I am excluding them from this question since my blog is always centered around what they mean to me!

My big sister, Amanda. She's not only my sister but my best friend. We are 2.5 years apart and she has always been such a blessing - got me my first real job and watched my back at school and everywhere else we went. One of my favorite memories is in my first year of highschool, I realized I forgot my lunch at home that morning. Without a second thought, she gave me her lunch. Another one of my favorites was letting me borrow her locker - we went to a pretty huge highschool and if your locker wasn't near any of your other classes it meant having to carry heavy books around all day, which is exactly what happened to me - until she told me I could use her locker anytime I wanted (which was located by several of my classes). She's so giving and dances to the beat of her own drum and I love her. We talk almost every day and have kids 5 months apart and my life would be so empty without Amanda!
My little sister, Ashley. My little sister has always been one of my best friends. We are about two years apart and just had one grade between us in school and had a lot of the same friends - so we spent a ton of time together! We'd always say that we shared half a brain. Not sharing a whole brain, but half a brain, because we were so much alike and we made some pretty questionable choices back in the day - haha! She was literally always there for me and I have so many good memories of her and I - we would spend our summers together staying up late playing video games, eating snacks, watching movies, and listening to our favorite CDs. We butted heads a lot - and we still do to this day - but she still just understands me in a way that other people don't... not even my husband knows what I'm talking about sometimes and I'll say, "Well... must have been an inside joke with me and Ashley then..." :)
My best friend, Betsy. And one of the first real friends I had here in the Quad Cities. Went to high school with her, college with her, and we've worked together. She's been here through some of my worst days (dragging me to bed after I've had too much to drink) and through some of my best days (stood by me on my wedding day) and she is absolutely irreplaceable.
How do your personal beliefs (social/religious/philosophical) differ from your upbringing now that you are an adult? How have they stayed the same?
I think my personal beliefs reflect very well of my upbringing and I don't think they differ much at all. We've always been taught to treat others with respect and I feel that is still one of my top priorities today. I grew up in the Catholic Church and still consider myself a practicing Catholic today. It was also important in my family to do good for others and not just yourself (to be giving, to recycle/take care of our resources so that future generations could also reap the benefits, etc.) - which is even more important to me now than ever.
If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it?
On my family. First up would be a house. I would like to travel the United States with my family and possibly other parts of the world. Beyond that, we'd probably try to save as much as we could.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Great question. In ten years I would be 35 and Presley will be almost 11. I would like to live near family and have deep roots in our community, wherever that may be. I would LOVE to be out of the Midwest and possibly well out of the baby stage at that point - hopefully with at least two kiddos at home. I would love the opportunity to focus on myself and my career goals at that point in my life.
What is one way you are seeking to improve yourself this year?
Geez... these are really great questions! I would like to improve my temper - which is something I have been constantly working on over the past 4+ years. In addition to that, I need to get my body to a better place than it is right now and to make it a priority to become active every day!
What is the best book you have ever read?
I'm not sure if there is one book above all other books that is my favorite, per say, but the books that really sparked my love of reading as a young adult were the books written by Nicholas Sparks and Stephenie Meyer.
What song describes your mood today?
Mark Salling's "Lone Ranger"
Do you have any pets?
No, but one day we'd like to rescue a pup and add him into our family! We'd like to wait until we are living somewhere more permanent and possibly after the baby stage is over.
Do you have a bucket list?
Yep! Not only do I have an ongoing bucket list - but I have a family bucket list for 2013. I'm not obsessive over the lists, but they are nice reminders.

The third part is assigning 11 unique questions to the people I am asking to take part in this.

Did you grow up listening to music in your house? What are some of the albums/artists/songs you remember listening to and liking?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?
What is your favorite TV show?
When and why did you start your blog? What is the significance behind the title of your blog?
What song is fitting to the kind of day you've had so far?
What do you consider your worst trait? Your best?
What is one of your most embarrassing moments?
What do you look for in a significant other?
Do you have any regrets thus far in your life? If so, how have you tried to or hope to amend them?
What is one of your biggest hopes for 2013?
When you're having a bad day, what is it that helps you make it through the day?

And the fourth part is nominating 11 blog writers to take part if they so choose. I adore and respect and enjoy the opportunity of getting to know these ladies through blogging. I really encourage everybody to check each of them out!