I am so flattered to be able to say that I’ve been nominated for a Liebster Award! The oh so sweet Megan over at The Walker Fireside Chats showed some love for my little corner of the internet, and I am so grateful. It’s so nice to have a fellow blogger think to recognize me in this way – the award is for up-and-coming bloggers (I’d like to think that’s me haha), given by other bloggers.

So how does this award work? A little like this:

1. Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you and display the award.
2. Answer eleven questions the blogger gives you.
3. Give eleven random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate eleven blogs you think are deserving of the award (see the note below about the number of my selections). Try to make sure they have 200 followers or less.
5. Let the bloggers know you nominated them.
6. Give them eleven questions to answer.

So what did Megan want to know???

– What made you start a blog?

I (re)started my blog to challenge myself and not give in to fear (read all about that here). But specifically, I wanted to be able to share more of myself – wether that was through images from recent photo shoots I’ve done, or through posts about my family and what’s going on in my life.

– Who is your blogging mentor?

I have to be honest and say that I don’t really have one… I would say I have a lot of bloggers who are inspirations to me, but none of them would count as a mentor in my opinion. Maybe I should work on that??

– Talk about a favorite piece in your wardrobe.

For this one I’d have to go with my pair of Cult of Individuality jeans… I am a very tall person, so finding jeans that are not only long enough but actually fit me well is TOUGH. The struggle is real, y’all. But these fit perfectly AND I got them at 75% off. Makes my little bargain shopping heart all warm and fuzzy.

– What is one tip you would offer to a new blogger?

I don’t know that I have a lot of advice to give so early on, but if I could say one thing, it would be this: JUST. DO. IT. If you sit and second guess yourself, you’ll never be able to build what you want to build or meet whatever purpose/goal you have for your blog. And remember that while stats are great, you have to be content to blog for yourself in addition to blogging for others. Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.

– If you had to go your whole life eating only one meal, what would it be?

Chicken Enchiladas. HANDS DOWN. And thank you for making me crave those… I know what’s going to be in next week’s dinner lineup!

– Are you a morning person? Why or why not?

Pretty sure my husband would say that I am not. I would say that I am… I’m just a quiet morning person until I’ve had my coffee. Unless I wake up late. Then I’m NOT a morning person.

– In your opinion, what makes a successful blogger?

Like I mentioned earlier, I think this depends on what each blogger’s goals are. I think someone who writes what they feel and can impact at least one other person in some way is a success. I think those bloggers who truly share who they are tend to be the most successful because it is real.

– What is your favorite color and why?

Red and black. (As a Texas Tech alumna it’s hard to not say both colors. Wreck ’em!).

– What is your favorite animal and why?

Elephants. Watch the episode of BBC’s Planet Earth that has the elephants playing in water, and you’ll understand why!

– Who is your best friend and why?

Gina, Adrian and Meghan because they know me so well, and it doesn’t matter how long it is between seeing each other – we always just go right to feeling like we’ve never been apart. They make me laugh, and they are all just amazing women. And I have to add in my mom too!

– What is the most unusual pet you have ever had?

I had a potbelly pig named Bubba.

My 11 random facts:

1. I love Blue Bell ice cream. We always have at least two containers in the freezer so there’s never a chance of running out.
2. I am a HUGE fan of college football!
3. I can make some darn good chicken enchiladas.
4. I can also make some darn good chocolate chip pancakes.
5. One of my favorite things is climbing into a bed made with freshly washed sheets.
6. I am a total bargain shopper. Clothes, home decor, you name it.
7. I am a photographer, but I am absolutely terrible at remembering to get photos of me and my husband when we go do things. I’m working on this though.
8. I hate mayonnaise. Gross.
9. I am incredibly blessed to have the best family in the whole wide world.
10. I really wish I could sing well.
11. I am a fairly competitive person, and I really miss playing volleyball.

The blogs I’d like to nominate:

I’ll be honest and say this has held me up a little bit since a lot of the blogs I read have THOUSANDS of followers. I’m sure these blogs probably have more than 200, but I’ve decided to just go with it anyway and nominate! That being said, I didn’t hit the suggested 11 nominations, but I do love the ones I did pick! (Insert begging for forgiveness here – ha! For real though y’all, I could totally GO OFF on a list of so many additional amazing blogs if the amount of readers wasn’t supposed to be a consideration.)

1. A Month Without Makeup – A great reminder about what really matters. (Although this blog wrapped up a while ago, it’s worth reading through the posts!)
2. Anticipation – Beautiful photography!
3. The Mischievous Mommy – Just amazing. AMAZING.
4. View From The Fridge – Definitely more than 200 followers (see her stats), but I love all the great ideas she shares! And her kids – too cute.
5. Lindsay Elizabeth Photography – Lindsay and I went to school together at Texas Tech, and I love keeping up with her gorgeous work!
6. Chelsea Davis Photography – Again, another Tech grad with some darn good photography skills! Great mix of beautiful work and what’s going on in the life of her sweet family.
7. Enjoying This Life – Love the motivational posts!
8. Faith & Follies – Only a few posts so far, but they are GOOD! It’s always amazing to see student leaders outside of the realm I usually see them, and I love the way Olivia writes. Good life lessons and great writing.

Questions for my nominees:

1. What goals do you have for your blog?
2. Where do you find your inspiration from?
3. Will you share an embarrassing moment with us?
4. Who is your most favorite person?
5. What is your “go-to” when you need to make a bad day better?
6. Favorite movie & why?
7. What is one place you’ve always wanted to travel & why?
8. What does your perfect Saturday look like?
9. Share with us your most favorite blog post you’ve ever posted – and tell us why it’s your favorite!
10. What is one of the most important things you’ve ever learned?
11. What is one of your favorite childhood memories?