The Leibster Award

The Liebster Award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers as a way to spread the word about smaller blogs who deserve a bigger audience. This award is an honor, but once nominated you must earn it:

• You must list 11 things about yourself
• Answer 11 questions put to you by the person who nominated you
• Choose up to 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate and post 11 questions for them to answer
• Visit your nominee's pages to inform them of their award

My Questions from Aubrey:

1. What do you do when you have time to yourself? There isn't a lot of that these days with an almost 3 month old baby. but mostly I grocery shop and sleep.. yup the glamorous life of a mom!
2. What's your favorite thing to do with your kids?     Teach him new sounds. He's starting to mimic and its the cutest freaking thing I've ever seen in my whole life!
3. Does the toilet paper go over the roll, or under the roll?    OVER, I HATE when it gets put on backwards and its the middle of the night, I'm far too tired to figure it out at that point. 
4. When it comes to your blog, what is your ultimate goal? It's a place for me to vent and share my opinion.  Sometimes it gets me into a lot of trouble because I have a lot of those opinions. I never really expect anyone to read my blog so its fun and surprising when I get comments:)
5. Would you rather swim in a pool or an ocean?   I'd have to say pool.  Oceans always seem like a good idea until you're all itchy from the salt water.
6. What is your favorite holiday, and why? Holidays are rough for me because I typically work every single one. but I love Thanksgiving.  The parade on TV the awesome food and family.  It doesn't get much better than that.
7. What is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you? I'm constantly doing embarrassing things. I'd have to say the one I do the most is I'm bad with names and things like that.  So I always call people by the wrong names. Maybe that's dumb but I always get so embarrassed.
8. What is your favorite book? I have so many.  My newest favorite is Everneath by Brodi Ashton.  I love it to pieces and can't wait to get my hands on the next one. but give me anything Richelle Mead and I'll finish it in a day, even if I've already read it.
9. What are you currently most addicted to?   Pinterest and anything that can keep me awake while I feed my son at 3am. I also have been doing a lot of reading on my nook app. So maybe I should just say my iPhone.
10. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?  I have to pick just one?? Have you seen my travel board on Pinterest? Oh man, probably the 311 day cruise, that counts right?
11. What is your favorite thing about blogging?   Connecting with other bloggers. And the feeling I get letting out my craziness.

 

 

Eleven things about me

 

1. I love the band 311.  My first date with the hubs was to a 311 concert, in fact we met because we both love 311.  We were married on 3/11. We named our son after a 311 song.  Okay we might be a little crazy about it.
2. My son was born on Pnuts birthday. Who is Pnut you ask? he's the bass player in 311. Should I come up with facts that don't involve 311? Okay Okay I'm thinking.
3. I'm an assistant manager. I work for a growing theater company in Utah.  I've been doing it for 10 years now. 5 with a national company and 5 with the company I'm with now.
4. I'm surrounded by boys in my house. We have a boy dog, the hubs and my son.  And I LOVE it! I wouldn't trade it for anything.  In fact I'd be perfectly happy only having boys.
5. I'm terrible at keeping secrets. I always need to tell at least tell one person.  I usually tell the hubs. he's good at keeping secrets.
6. My favorite food is my Grandma's Strogonoff. It's literally the best ever!
7. I've seen all the HIMYM episodes a million times. Okay maybe its not THAT many but its close okay!
8. My Husband is my bestest bestest friend. he's my bbf! I couldn't live my life without him. I really never ever want to.
9. I'm LDS and proud of it. This doesn't mean I'm perfect. I'm no where near.  I try really hard to be a good a Mormon but I am who I am.  It also doesn't mean I hate gays, have horns or a tail. Or any of those other crazy rumors.
10. When I see sales at stores that say 3 for 11 dollars I always feel like I need to do it! I know I said I wouldn't use 311 anymore but its a truth fact.
11. I never thought I'd be strong enough to have a baby.  I'm super proud of myself. Pregnancy sucks but I did it.  and Labor was easier than I thought it would be. I love being a mom!

My Nominees for The Leibster Award are:

 

1. Illuminated
2. Daily Dose of Nutrition
3. Being 50ish and taking on life my way.

 

I'm only nominating 3 because there are so many 11's I have to.. Told you! CRAZY!!...

 

My questions are:

 

1. Why do you blog?
2. If you had a million (tax free) dollars to spend what would you use it for?
3. If you were to go on any reality TV show which would it be? and why?
4. If you could have dinner with any one person alive or dead who would it be? and why?
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?
6. If you had a super power what would it be? and what would you use it for?
7. What is your favorite movie?
8. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
9. What is your favorite book?
10. If you could tell your 15 year old self one thing what would it be?
11. What is your favorite band/artist?

 

 

 

 

  

You don't get an opinion

Here lies one of a few issues I've been having. We all know how I ramble and end up spilling everything when I get going but I'll try to just stick to this one thing.

Just because I had a baby and (maybe) you know what it's like (some of you don't) doesn't give you a right to voice your opinion to me. I don't care. Twitter has been witnessing a bit of a break down on my part and I'm sure tomorrow I'll feel dumb for the whole thing. But my brain is on over load.

Here's the thing. I have been sharing my body with a tiny human for a year. A year? You say. But you were only pregnant for 9 months, You say. Well newsflash says I.. Since I'm breastfeeding I'm STILL sharing my body with my tiny human.

I'm a little tired of everyone telling me how, when, and/or where I can feed my son. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with a real say in the matter. I'll give a vote to my son since he's the one I'm sharing my body with. And I'll give a vote to the hubs since he's the one I'm sharing my life with. My vote still has more weight behind it, it's like that episode of greys anatomy where she gives her vagina a vote too. I give one to each boob and my vagina since i pushed this baby out. But the rest of the world needs shove their opinions and 'advice' in a very dark hole. Whether that hole is attached to your body is up to you, it's your body I don't get a vote. See how that works?

Sharing your body with a tiny human isn't easy. In fact it's mostly frustrating. A quarter of my day I have someone else attached to my boob. I love him and would do anything for him, hence why I do it, but it's not easy. Nursing babies are the cutest thing I've ever seen. The bonding attached to it is amazing. But it's MY bonding time and if you want to see how cute a nursing baby is have your own baby!! Don't try to get a peek of mine while he's nursing!! What is wrong with you people! Do I have a flashing red light above my head and a guy in a white suit with a fedora with a feather in it standing behind me? I didn't think so! Or if I do I'm not seeing any profits from this and maybe I should find a new guy with a white suit and feathered fedora. But I'm betting you haven't paid a dime. And I'm not for sale.

I'm also pretty sure I know my son best and I know when he last ate. Not you. So zip your lips.

I'm sure I'm putting more focus into this one issue backed by the other million on my mind. With front runner being I return to work waaaay too soon but it's one of the things I've kept my mouth shut about, that I've wanted to share my opinion on and have not. I feel like if I say how I truly feel everyone will turn on me and blame me when all I want to do is be honest and talk. Instead we all walk on egg shells pretending everything is okay when it's not. I HATE it. I'd rather just be honest. But it won't ever happen so I've now been honest about one thing at least. Get over it.

lessons

As my return to work gets closer and closer and I've been thinking a lot about things work related. Things like what I'd really like to do, and ways to improve what I now do.  I had an interview today for another Job with in my company. Its the first time I've really gone for something like this so I was looking at it as more of an opportunity to learn and grow and possibly bring up the job I'd love love love to do, which by they way didn't happen as I couldn't really find an opening for it.

I did however get some good feedback that has been helping me think more about how to improve my current job. (on a side note... I always think of awesome things to say after an interview.  If I could interview over email or text message I'd get any job I wanted.  *Add to list of things to work on coming up with responses quicker.*)

Anyway I currently work in a very Guest *Customer* related field. One of my Favorite quotes reads "Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"  I think this is especially important for customer service people to remember.  Why? Because you have no idea what that Guest who is yelling and screaming at you over a seemingly small issue is going through.  This current issue may be the last straw in a line of terrible horrible things.  And the greatest part about working in a customer service field is that you and only you have an opportunity with this one person to make their day just a tiny bit better. My goal is always to have a guest leave in a better mood than when they first arrived.  I luckily work in an industry where most the time that is what happens.  Most people come to my place of business as an escape from the real world. A place to relax and enjoy some free time.  As a new mom I appreciate this concept even more.  This makes it a little easier for people to leave a little bit happier than when they came. It can also make people more upset if something goes wrong.

My new goal is teach my team that their goal is to do exactly what the aforementioned quote says, and help every guest to leave at least a little happier than when they arrived. I love my team and want them to feel like I support them, and by training them that EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. is important to us, better yet to them as an individual, I think this goal can easily co-exist with making each guest happy. A lot of times I feel like we look at the numbers as a whole instead of each individual person.  This isn't going to result in the best guest service out there. Each of those people deserve to feel like they're important. So as I head back to work this is what I want to focus on.  In doing so I think it will solve more than one problem I've recently learned of. I've always been a big believer in writing down your goals and this is the closest I get to journals so thanks for bearing with me and helping get what I need done.

Let's talk TV!

I haven't been blogging much because I feel like all I'd talk about is my sweet Darth Baby, as he shall be called here. I mean he is pretty freaking cute!

But let's talk TV. It's what I do for all these baby feeding times and I've realized I've yet to share my Big Brother thoughts this season! But first... Wanna hear my How I Met Your Mother theory? Have I shared this before? If I have I'm sharing again:)

I've watched HIMYM probably 20 times, I tend to finish it and start it over sometimes cycling between FRIENDS and The Big Bang Theory. Oh! And sometimes The Office, I love Jim. Anyway I think I know who the mother is.. Are you ready for this? It's Barney's, wait for it, SISTER! yes I said sister! But why do I think this?

We first hear of Barney's sister in the episode where we meet Barney's dad. In fact this is the only time we've heard about her so far, I believe. But what do we know of her? Her name is Carly and she's away at school. And there friends is clue number one. We KNOW Teds future wife is in college.. In fact she's in the same school he now teaches in.

Remember the car accident episode that changes his life, yeah the one where he proposes to Stella. (who by the way I'm glad is NOT the mother. I love Sarah chalk but couldn't like Stella at all.) The whole episode he talks about how that car accident changed his life and the whole time you're thinking, well because he got back together with Stella! Which yes has a little bit to do with it, it's a part of how he gets his job where his future wife, let's just call her Carly because it's easier to type out, is going to school. BUT who else does it bring back into his life? That's right BARNEY! MIRACLE! And where does he meet Carly? Barney's wedding!

Still not convinced. What about the episode where they made a big deal about Barney dating Ted's sister? You know that's going to come back to bite him in the ass.

Okay I'll leave it at that and let you watch for other clues on your own:) Big Brother? I feel like its taken me a bit longer to get in to this one. Even though they've brought back a few previous players that I really like, they are getting on my nerves. Okay I never liked Brittney. But I loved Janelle and I was excited to see her go. I feel like she was playing way too hard. I LOVE Ashley. I think she's adorable and I think Frank is a good guy.. But boogie is ruining his game. I'd love to see Ashley win but I know she won't. Jenn is never shown I'm not sure she's even there most the time. I'm hoping boogie doesn't make it the end, but he seems to have this house by the balls.

What are your HIMYM theories? What did you do during 3 am feedings with your little ones?