The Liebster Award – 4

Thank you to my fellow blogger The Eclectic Contrarian. If you haven’t read his incredible poems or been to his blog for some lifting and motivational writing – pay him a visit! Thank you again for your support, I’m humbled.

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Here’s How It Works:

• Create a new blog post on your blog thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog and put in a graphic of the award.

• Answer the questions that were provided, and then share some facts about yourself.

• Create a new set of your own questions for others to answer.

• Nominate 5-11 others and share your blog post with them so they can accept their awards

I’ve Been Asked The Following:

-Whats a topic you love and don’t love to write about?

Always appreciate humor. And honesty. Or should I say honesty in form of humor.

I began this blog with Chiari Malformation + Syringomyelia in mind, however, I have my days when I just can’t get myself to speak on the subject. It just seems to drag me down at times, realty sometimes can get the best of me and I choose to not think on the matter.

-Who and what influences you to write?

Life itself, the brutal truths, the humor in life, my kids and what’s been on my mind at that particular time.

-What emotion gets your creative gears rolling?

Whichever emotion I am feeling at that moment is the best in getting me to write. Whether I’m feeling a bit low, happy or excited.

-Do you write from who you are? Or, who you wish you to be?

I like to go with who I am. I may not be everyone’s cup of ‘tea’ but being myself, authenticity is what will be the greatest in the long run. Those whom choose to stay, will and those who don’t, won’t. And that’s OK.

-Are you a city, country, foreign or even fantasy/sci-fi type of person?

Let’s go with foreign. I’m a little complex, but authentic.

Interesting Things About Me:

I’m a whopping 5′ feet tall!

I’m a righty and have two of my little girls that are lefty.

One of my favorite actresses is Julia Roberts and comedians Robin Williams†

I dislike talking on the phone – and texting

I will hold you to your word, which can be both a blessing and a curse.

I like to be punctual / on time to places. I believe firmly in respecting peoples time.

I think communication is key in any relationship, friendship or otherwise.

My family absolutely loves all things Disney World, including Walt Disney himself, his story, life, how it all began, etc.

Am very much looking forward to the movie ‘Toy Story 4’ being released later this year

As a stay at home mom, I like to work in an organized and clean house, otherwise it’s a no-go!

If I can learn how to do it, and do it myself, I will, for instance, painting walls, dying my own hair at home – been doing it for years, and just recently, cutting my boys hair at home because at $20 x3 boys = doing it myself! No offense to the professionals  🙂

I Nominate:

Simply Chronically Ill

Daily Grind Of A Stay At Home Mom

Bereaved Single Dad

Stubaby777

Gods Whispers Of Truth

My Questions To You Are:

• Do you feel your blog represents who you truly are?

• When in a rut, what motivates you to continue to write?

• Is there a topic that is off limits in your writing / blog?

• Was there any one person that motivated you in starting your blog?

Thank you to my nominees, I appreciate your time, so please take your time in responding.

Ana

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Get To Know Me Tag

This is so incredibly wonderful, thank you Kranti from Sparkkling Thoughts for this tag. If you haven’t read her tag, you definitely should – and while you’re there, check out her blog. Thank you so much again Kranti, I enjoyed reading through your tag!

get to know me

Rules:

  1. Thank the Person Who Nominated You
  2. Provide a Link to their Website
  3. Answer the “Get To Know Me” Questions
  4. Nominate 10-15 Bloggers.
  5. Pass on the Same 10 Questions ( With an additional of 2 of yours, if you wish )

The Questions:

1 What does your name mean?

Ana M – I was named after Mary’s mother, Ana, which means full of grace.

2. Are you scared of heights?

Yes, yes, yes, and yes! I am definitely scared of heights. I mean take me up a couple flights of stairs and I won’t look down. No, thank you!

3. What is your best physical feature?

My best physical feature, seeing how my body has changed after having allmy babies who would have thought?! I wouldn’t say any physical features. I’d say my sense of humor, I love to laugh and love a good joke – anyone has a good mommy joke?

4. What is your favorite Music Genre?

I love anything from classical to opera to Spanish – seems I’m all over the place.

5. Are you a good cook?

Yes, I am! I also know how to follow a recipe, just perfected the Spanish Flan – you could say it’s similar to the custard – just better! Just kidding not really!

6. What is your favorite Ice-cream flavor?

Vanilla with the “Smucker’s Magic Shell” in Chocolate Fudge – and I’m not even a much a chocolate fan, but this is good. If you haven’t tried the magic shell for ice cream, you absolutely must! You can’t place it in the refrigerator for storing, you pour it on top of your ice cream and it freezes into a hard shell in seconds! It’s delicious and the kids are obsessed. You can find it in your local super market, where you would find the toppings for ice cream, say ice cream cones. You’re welcome!

8. What is your favorite festival?

Festival, I’ve been to one when I was young, it was the Jingle Ball and I was there to see Hanson – don’t judge! However, I love concerts, although in today’s world, don’t know if I’d risk my life that way. So sad. I’ve been to many concerts, I’ve seen Mariah Carey and Spanish artists like Marc Anthony (Jennifer Lopez’ baby daddy), Alejandro Fernandez, Aventura. I’ve also seen my share of plays/musicals like Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha) to Les Misérables and Fiddler on The Roof.

7. Do you have any allergies?

Ugh! Don’t remind me, I’m allergic to almost everything under the sun – from carpet, to dust, to pollen, to everything!

9. Which of your parents do you look like?

Mom but have my facial features, my eyes are like my dads – he has Korean background.

10. Who is your favorite Musician?

I’m so behind on my music, I feel like I haven’t heard music in ages! My oldest will take over the radio and she’s currently into Kelly Clarkson – she’s so good though, love her – amazing voice. And then when I’m home, I’m listening to Peppa Pig, Elmo and Minecraft! Haha, how mommy hood brings to you to the kids hood.

My Nominees:

Four Jordans

My Li’l Place

Simply Chronically Ill

Dorky Mom Doodles

Wonky Brain Blog

All In A Dads Work

Ms Graceful Not

Magic In The Everyday

A Life Less Ordinary With Saurabhavna

To my nominees, I absolutely love your writing, your posts and can not wait to read your answers!

Have a great Saturday!

A-

The Liebster Award – 2

confetti.Liebster Award.2018

Among the greatest things blogging can do for you, one thing is for sure it’s the people you come across with and the comments that you read  that allow you to get a glimpse into someones life. You read into the bloggers/writers life, their struggles, their families, their joys, their illnesses and their most precious moments, it’s amazing. It’s incredibly humbling to be thought in such a manner that another fellow blogger can think of you for such awards and nominations. I know many can think it’s a bit of a drag, however, I like to think it’s someone thinking you are so unique, they’d like to know more of you in form of their own unique questions.

And for this one in particular, I want to thank Stuart over at Something to Stu Over. His blog is filled with authenticity and pure honesty. And I appreciate you for that! He writes about his journey to finding his way to Christ and filled with encouraging words about the truths that life can have us go through. If I can finish with this, I have noticed he also, calls his fellows bloggers by their name :: I’m speechless :: YES! He calls me by my name! I appreciate that. Often times and I won’t name any names, ahem, but at times I get called, Chiari. LOL. No my dear and amazing friends, I am not Chiari, rather I have Chiari. Or, or, or let’s call each other by our blog names! Yes, no, maybe?! I’ll let that simmer. So, now let’s keep this train moving along …..

Here’s a little history on The Liebster Award:

Recognizing bloggers for their efforts is the greatest compliment. The Liebster Award is an opportunity for bloggers to recognize and support other bloggers for their achievements. It’s geared towards blogs with smaller viewership.

The Liebster Award is available from January 1 – December 31, 2018. All nominations are voluntary and if the blogger chooses to accept nomination, I will list the rules at the bottom of this post and the official rules can be found HERE

Here are the rules:

Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.

Answer the questions you were asked.

Share 10 random facts about yourself.

Nominate at least 3 blogs for the award.

Ask your nominees 10 questions and inform them of the nomination.

Here are Stuarts questions for his nominees:

1. Besides the Bible what is your favorite book you have ever read?

I would have to say, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. This book in a nutshell, is about a young boy whom struggles in life and believes to be an outsider in this world. I read it when I was young and when I was going through a period of time when I trying to find myself and wanting to fit in. Ironically enough, S.E. Hinton wrote this book when she was about 16 years old and still in high school, just around the age when I fell in love with the novel.

2. What, in your opinion, is your greatest achievement in life?

My children, my kids, my babies, mis niños, etc. etc.?! Yes! As much as they drive me off and on the wall, as much as they scream, as much as there are times, many, many, many times where I may or may not want to pull each one of my hairs out, as much as they have to be told twenty times to go back to bed, they are my pride and most highest of joys. I was told at 15 years old that due to some complications with my uterus that I would not conceive. HA! Look at me now doc?! Boy OH boy, was he wrong! I most definitely didn’t think or ‘plan’ to have six babies and by societies standards, a bus load of ’em, but God had a different plan for me, all I did was say, YES! And am thankful that aside from them being high risk due to my illness, they are here! I trusted in Him and He followed through with His promise.

3. What is your reason for blogging?

My main goal was and still is to spread awareness of Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia. They are rare illnesses that have no cure today. The best way to alleviate pain is through decompression surgery for Chiari and laminectomy for Syringomyelia – I’ve had both. These surgeries are not a cure, they’re are simply to alleviate pain.

4. What is the best advice you have for newer bloggers?

Relax. Just relax and be yourself. And I will tell you another great one that was given to me by Stuart and that is to stop looking at the numbers! Yes, simple yet, so difficult! But yes, stop looking at the numbers, relax and allow yourself to be your most authentic self and the numbers will be there in due time on their own. Your amazing writing will drive readers to your site every single time.

5. If you could change anything in the world, what would it be?

I would say to have more humility in the world and less pride. I see so much pride in people today that it prevents us from being thoughtful and compassionate towards one another. I am no more or less than anyone and God didn’t create us to be that way with one another, He created us to be brothers and sisters through Him and to be a unit.

6. Do you color with crayons or markers?

Crayons. Markers tend to bleed on the back of the paper and I quickly make a mountain out of a molehill.

7. Besides Jesus, who is your favorite biblical figure?

Hannah, she was the wife of Elkanah and was infertile. However, after a blessing from Eli, she finally became pregnant with Samuel. It reminds me of my initial diagnosis at a young age. It’s also a testament to ask, ask you shall receive!

8. Who or what makes you yearn to be a better person than you were yesterday?

My family. They help me and show me daily who I truly am. I’m not a perfect mother, much less wife and they’ve shown me that. My children remind me of how little patience I have and how I still need to learn to love. They help me be able to work on myself daily, so that I can grow to be a better mom than I was yesterday.

9. When you go out on the town, what is your attire?

Anything that equals comfort, I want to be comfortable. I can’t wear heels since 2013 because of my Chiari, with my dizziness and vertigo, having heels just raises my chances to falling to an all time high. Besides I have babies to run after at any given moment so, I’ll go with comfort – or maybe cute shoes and then comfort.

10. If you have children, where is your favorite place to take them?

Out for dessert, yes, out for helado (ice cream in Spanish)! Have you seen/read our outing to Sweet Weekend With Whip N’ Dip + Raspados Loly’s – the pictures alone make me hungry! There’s something about going out for ice cream that gets people feeling happy and giddy inside. You get to try new locations, visit new neighborhoods and try different flavors! I love it, they love it, it’s a win win all around!

10 Random Facts About Myself:

1. I’m impatient, I’m impatient, I’m impatient.

2. As they say, ‘if you didn’t know’ well … you didn’t know, I have six babies.

3. My husband is a Marine Veteran.

4. I love, love, love watching 20/20

5. I was going to school for criminal justice, still love it! If you’re curious as to the why, I couldn’t, didn’t (coulda, woulda, shoulda) because I became pregnant with my oldest and time just wasn’t on my side! Yes, excuses, stay in school kids!

6. I love art! To draw, to color, to do school projects with my kiddies, DIY, crafting, you name it! I love!

7. I love maternity pants AND wait for it …. I’m NOT even pregnant. I know, but they’re so comfortable!

8. The only series in a long time that recently caught my undivided attention was the show, ‘The Crossing” – sadly it will not return for season 2.

9. My guilty ‘television’ pleasure, watching reality television, like RHONY because of one name, Bethenny and Bethenny and Fredrick, AND finally, yes, I’m going to say it, I do Keep Up With The Kardashians – when kids aren’t looking of course! I know! It’s horrible and sad and a waste of precious time and great all in one!

10. I don’t drink but when I do, Jack Daniel’s with coke, yes please!

Here are my nominees:

4 Spatulas

Chiari Conversations

Kate Days A Week

Here are my questions for my nominees:

1. What’s your advice to a person thinking about blogging?

2. When and why did you begin to blog?

3. Do you think there is a line to be drawn with blogging, when do you keep your personal life personal?

4. What have you recently done and loved because it made you feel ‘young at hear’?

5. It’s summer time, what plans do you have?

6. What’s your favorite color and why?

7. What do you most struggle with?

8. What does it mean to be ‘in love’ for you?

9. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

10. Do you like tea or coffee?

Hello ladies, please know that I think you and your blog are amazing! I’m nominating you because you are deserving and hope you think that too – have fun and I can’t wait to read your answers! 🙂

Blessing to all!

A-