Tag? Liebster?

Jen AND Jennine (a great friend IRL who just joined the blogosphere! welcome chica!) 'tagged' me? I am unsure what this means, but I believe it is another variation of the Liebster award, which dear Laura nominated me for. Thus I will combine posts and this is a Tag-Liebster Blog Post. Edited: Because I worked on this post between Zuzu's 20 minute napping sessions, I totally forgot that my good friend Colleen nominated me for a Liebster award as well. In case you wondered just how much I could write about myself, I have added more to the bottom of this post. You can go ahead and not read - I really do understand! 


Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a pic of yourself and then write 11 things about you/your life.
3. Answer the questions for you set in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tagged people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/Twitter to tell them you tagged them.

(I am not tagging anyone else, but instead, if you are reading this and are interested, I tag YOU)
Picture:

Me, Zuzu, Grandma Jean

11 Things About Me...

1. The Bar results will be given out in October. This time, I promise to tell you all before...the new year?
2. There are a lot of aspects of my life I used to enjoy, but now cannot because of a baby (like airports or car trips). On the up side, there is much more to enjoy, like just cleaning the house - because she's so funny to be around.
3. My husband and I have one car, and we prefer it. After a friend generously loaned us her car for some time, I realized we communicate better with one vehicle.  
4. There was a book that moved me to become a Christian back when I was twelve, but after reading it, I lost it and I can't remember what it was. Now I wonder if this book even exists or if I just had some sort of mystical experience? No, really!
5. Despite #4, I am logical to a fault. Sometimes it crowds out emotion.
6. My FIL told me that I was "very flexible" in terms of scheduling and I was really proud of that as a compliment. It bugs me when others freak out because plans change - just go with the flow, people.
7. I don't understand why pure facts don't convince people to do things; it seems to me most people live their lives based on how they feel, not on reality. See #5. 
8. I vastly prefer cloth napkins to paper and rags to paper towels. I hate buying items over and over again if it's possible to have a reusable option. 
9. I don't "get" reality TV, gross pop music, and trashy books. It just seems like a big waste of time.
10. I adore tea. Even in hot weather. I'm like the idiot Britons in India who insisted on keeping tea time.
11. I would be a better gardner if I wasn't battling potato vine. 

Jen's questions to me:

1. If you could go to ANY country RIGHT NOW, where would you go? Ah, so hard. Greece, I suppose. 
2. Are you a toilet paper up or down kinda person? I am indifferent.
3. Fave Catholic speaker? I really enjoyed Pam Stenzel, but I could listen to Fr. John Ricardo aaaaall day long. Oh, also Scott Hahn. And his wife. And Peter Kreeft was incredible. And...well, maybe I'm not the best person to ask.
4. Do you like Facebook or Twitter better? Twitter hands down. I don't know why I'm even still on FB.
5. What is one or two pieces of jewelry you wear everyday? Wedding rings (when I don't forget them in my apron pockets) and I try to wear earrings. They always make me feel put-together. Lately I've been sporting some super cute studs, a gift from my dear friend Jen Fisher.
6. Describe your perfect sandwich. Bread toasted for sure, with avocado and bacon...beyond that, it could go in several directions, so long as it's NOT cold cuts. Chicken breast maybe? Stone ground mustard? Miracle whip? So many options.
7. Would you rather drive, fly or take a train somewhere? At this point in my life, I'd rather go nowhere. Zuzu hates the car and every other form of transportation is just me keeping track of three people's crap stuff. I would really just rather stay home. Unless we're talking about traveling sans baby. In which case, fly.
8. Beach or snow? Snow hands down. The beach is overrated - too hot, too much sand going bad places, and besides, I have skin cancer to worry about so I park myself under the umbrella anyway. BUT if a pool is an option I'll take the pool. Love pools and water parks. 
9. Fave thing about your home? How small it is. What a blessing to have a small house! Helps me to focus on what is essential and what needs to go. My husband can (usually) hear me when I call. Also, no room for walking away and pouting - we're always running into each other. Can't stay mad when you really cannot avoid one another!
10. What do you think about tattoos? Would you get one? I have some and I wouldn't get anymore. I like mine, but they belong to a different part of my life. 
11. If you were going to go out with your girlfriends... what would you want to do?  Dinner? Drinks? Dancing? Ah, out with girlfriends. Hopefully dinner and drinks, after a day of maybe lounging by the pool. Just a lot of time to talk and relax! Some time with kids, some time without. I love the company of great women, sharing each other's burdens and relating. I draw strength so much from that! 

And since Jennine also tagged me with questions, I'll answer her 11 as well...

1. Favorite book? Yikes! This is HARD. I'd have to say two right now, one light hearted and one serious, although both funny (because no book should be without humor). Corelli's Mandolin is more serious and The Florence King Reader is...well, just fabulous.

2. Favorite vacation spot? Chautauqua. Welcome Valley. Any place with peace and quiet, a body of water, cool breezes, hammocks, plenty of nature. 

3. Best childhood memory? So many! Go-Kart riding on Christmas morning, shopping for a Christmas tree with my dad, meeting my nieces and nephews for the first time, having a 'shaving cream fight' birthday party, living with my Grammy, vacation to Welcome Valley to see K and E.

4. Best piece of advice? Do not just respond to situations based on emotions; assess things rationally and then decide how you'll respond. You have free will and should make good use of it; you look foolish when your emotions rule you. Also, ignore everything and I say and do what God asks of you.

5. What qualities are important to you in a friend? Kindness, optimism, benefit of the doubt, Faith, not too sensitive, and lack of idiocy. 

6. Describe your happy place. Tom, Zuzu, our families, water, good food, music and prayer. What else do I need?

7. What is the one meal or food that is worth going "off" for? Off? Off what? Like a diet? I don't think I diet. If food is good, I eat it. But I'll say, I'm willing to spend the money for local food - I want to support local farmers. 

8. Describe your style? What do you think it says about you? My style is...classy nursing friendly? haha. I like a more tailored buttoned up style. I own one pair of jeans that I rarely wear. I like patterned shorts and bright tops, cardigans and dresses. In general, I am not a fan of pants on me.

9. Do you prefer small town life or city life? Small town for sure. Cities are overrated - except for DC, which is amazing and doesn't feel like a big city. 

10. Which Saint do you identify with the most and why? Yikes. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, probs.

11. Share a great healthy recipe or product. Coconut rice...make rice normally but with coconut milk instead of water. Add pinch of salt and agave. Very good. OR, collard greens are very good and easy and healthy. Put greens in a big pot, cover with equal parts water and chicken broth (preferably homemade). Season liberally with salt and pepper, add some bacon or a ham hock. Bring to boil, then let it simmer for about an hour but it can go much longer. You can also fix kale this way. It's a great side for steak. OR (look at me I'm a roll) sweet potato fries. Cut up a sweet potato. Toss it in some coconut oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Bake at 400 until done (they'll be easily pierced by a fork, but crispy on the outside) - probably turn 'em over after 10 or 15 min to get both sides even. I burn them all the time and they're still delicious.

From Laura, a looong time ago! Who graciously nominated me for a Liebster award! 

1. Favorite book: See above

2. Favorite movie: Open Range? Pride and Prejudice? 300? For Greater Glory? So many...but ultimately, it would be - Arranged.

3. Finish this sentence: “What I really want to know is - what do I have to do today to be holy? 

4. Big influence (person, event, thing, situation, etc.) on you while growing up: My mom. Hands down.

5. If money were no object, what kind of house would you live in? Big big big big big house, maybe French Colonial, a farmhouse, even American Craftsman? Georgian, Victorian - I'm not picky. BIG. Enough for all the people I want to host. Big formal living and dining, fireplaces, great room, big huge kitchen, tons of beds and baths. Big enough for my whole family and all our friends. (I realize this stands in stark contrast to the 'what do you like most about your house' question, but I never said it would be good for me to get what I want!).

6. Name a book on your shelf that you can’t get around to reading (or finishing): Flippin' Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena. I can never quite close it.

7. Favorite quote: "Disciples of the Lord, hold close those who are near and seek out those who are lost." (originally in Spanish, in the chapel in Banica, DR)

8. Something you could do over differently if you could: My whole life before I was Catholic? :) summer of 2006. Law school.

9. Something you would never do differently: My year at CUA, senior year of college, my pregnant with Zuzu, Zuzu's first 6-8 weeks.

10. Blog you’ve recently started following: In the Heart of My Home 

11. Blog you’ve been following the longest: Enjoying the Small Things

Colleen's questions: 

1. What was your dream job as a child? Are you living it out now? Hm...y'know, I don't know that I really had a dream job. I was actually remarkably unambitious. But I know I always wanted to be a mom, so yes, I am definitely living out my dream. 

2. What was your favorite game/toy to play with as a child? Why? I was not the biggest fan of games. I like Scrabble and Monopoly, I liked acting, but really, I just liked reading. By myself. With some cheese and crackers.

3. If you had $1 Million, and only 30 days to spend it, how would you? Oh man...okay, I would pay off my student loans, pay off our house, pay off my parents' house and any of their debts, buy a new car, do everything I want to for the home (driveway, fenced backyard, paint, decorate, new AC, new furniture, maybe even a second story). After that, I'd discern the greatest needs in my area or where God wanted me to send the money. 

4.  What's your favorite room in your house? The guest room? These days it's the only one that's half way clean.

5. How do you unwind after a long day? Reading a Southern Living magazine, quilting, planning my next sewing project. 

6. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I have been blessed to travel a lot, so the only remaining places that I REALLY want to go are Greece, Spain, and the Pacific Northwest United States. 

7. What's the best birthday you have ever had? My 21st birthday was so incredibly special! But I also really loved my 23rd, when a whole bunch of my friends and my family all stayed at the beach together! Such a great time, and I was so thrilled that so many people came. Jen, Colleen, and I were all living in DC and we flew down to Florida together. What a blast!! 

8. Craziest thing you've ever done that you would never do again? Skinny dipping. 'Nuff said.

9. Favorite way to pray. Praise and worship adoration.

10. What's the wildest dream you can still recall? Uuuuh probably my zombie dream when I was pregnant with Zuzu. Whoa, so intense! But that's a whole blog post...

11. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? My paternal grandmother, Dorothy Gosnell Rogers. I never got to meet her, but everyone says I look like her. I want to hear about her and her life growing up poor in rural Georgia. I feel like she would have a lot to say and she could explain so much about me that sometimes feels out of place. 

And now I'm done!