Sunshine Blogger Award

Guess what!  I was nominated not only once but three times for the Sunshine Blogger Award all within a 2 day period.  Friday morning I was checking my emails and I received an email from In The Olive Groves notifying me I have been nominated.  A couple of hours later I was tagged in a Facebook post by Meals and Miles Marker of the nomination. The very next day, I was tagged in another Facebook post notifying me of my third nomination by Our USA Adventures. 

This is huge for me because it means someone out there not only read my blog but connected with it on some level to think of me for this award.  It made all my hard work and time that I put into my blog a bit sweeter and encouraged me to keep on striving. 

Thank you so much for nominating me this award!

What is the Sunshine Blogger Award

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers by other bloggers who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

There are some rules for being nominated:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you in your blog post and link back to his/her blog.
• Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
• Nominate 11 new bloggers to receive the award and write them 11 questions.
• List these rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo in your post and on your blog.

So let start with me answering the questions asked of me!

Questions from In The Olive Groves:

1. What was the inspiration for you to start your blog?  I started my blog as a way to document our family life, adventures, and travels.  I have always loved writing but not in the sense of APA style for all those lovely college papers.  I really do not miss those days 🙂  and really wanted to get back into it.  Life has been hectic and in recent years, I feel that it has slowed down a bit for me to be able to start on this new adventure.  In high school, I took part in journalism and the high school newsletter.  I had thought during that time in my life I would be a reporter.  I guess it didn’t go as plan 🙂 
2. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?  As long as my travels involve my kids, anywhere is fine.  People use to ask me why I go on vacation with my kids.  While I love taking breaks from my kids and is much needed to keep me sane, vacationing with the kids are the best and the only way for us.  
3. What is your favorite holiday and why?  I love Thanksgiving!  Every year we have a huge Thanksgiving gathering with my husband’s family.  We used to alternate hosting at each other’s home but as the years went by and the family grew, no house was able to hold us comfortably.  We have decided to rent a room at a local community center and will be going on year three of this new tradition.  We also hold this gathering a couple of weeks prior to Thanksgiving.  This allowed us all to be able to make it as most of us had either travel arrangements or other family commitment during the actual Thanksgiving day/ weekend.   
4. What is your favorite drink? Also, do you prefer tea or coffee?  I typically look at the menu for inspirations and how I am feeling that moment.  Most of the time it’s a sweet and fruity drink.  As far as tea or coffee, I drink both but I love drinking black coffee!  
5. What is the 1 book that has inspired you?  I was in nursing leadership for a few years and one of the best books that were ever recommended to me was “The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter” by Michael D. Watkins.  I still refer to this book often as while it speaks to leadership in the workforce, it can also be applied anywhere in my life.  
6. Do you prefer the mountains or the beach?  I love both but since I have to choose, I would say the beach.  
7. What season is your favorite and why?  I am fortunate to live in Minnesota where I am able to experience all four seasons.  I love the fall right as the season changes from summer.  The crisp clean air and the colors on the leaves start to change.  We love doing for drives just to watch the colors changes.  
8. Are you a morning person or night owl?  100% morning person.   
9. If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?  I would love to meet my father in law.  He passed away when my husband was only 13 years old.  From what I understand, he was the most generous person that anyone knows.    
10. Do you prefer to read or watch TV?  I prefer to watch TV. Usually, by the time I have any free time, I just turn on the TV then end up dozing off. 🙁
11. What do you do for exercise? I work out 3-5 days a week at my local gym.  It consists of group class of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). 

Questions from Meals and Mile Markers

1. Why did you start a blog?  I started my blog as a way to document our family life, adventures, and travels.  I have always loved writing but not in the sense of APA style for all those lovely college papers.  I really do not miss those days 🙂  and really wanted to get back into it.  Life has been hectic and in recent years, I feel that it has slowed down a bit for me to be able to start on this new adventure.  In high school, I took part in journalism and the high school newsletter.  I had thought during that time in my life I would be a reporter.  I guess it didn’t go as plan 🙂 
2. What is your dream for your blog?  My dream for my blog is to provide inspiration to others.  
3. What is the best piece of general life advice you’ve ever received?  The best piece of advice I have ever received was “just do it!”.  Um… was that by Nike?  But seriously, I have lived my whole life that way. I feel I have accomplished so much in my life and I love pushing myself out of my comfort zone. 
4. Of all the places you’ve visited, where would you suggest everyone visit at least once?  France – check out our vacation here
5. If you could only eat one food for an entire month, which food would you choose?  Wow, this is cruel 🙂 I don’t even know where to begin… Food is life!
6. What’s a life hack that you’ve mastered and think everyone should try?  I don’t think I have mastered any life hacks… Maybe mastering Pinterest to search for life hacks 🙂
7. Which animal (of all the animals) would you most like to have for a pet?  A goldfish because I don’t like animals and if I don’t have to touch them to take care of them this would be it.  
8. What is your favorite quote?  “Strive for progress not perfection”  
9. What was your first job?  My first job was a summer job at age 13 years old working at a summer camp helping with the younger kids. 
10. If you could share a piece of advice with the bloggers you nominate, what would you say?  One piece of advice I received and will pass on is keep on going.  Even if it feels like you are not getting anything in return yet, keep on going and the rewards will be there.  It is not an overnight success or a get rich scheme.  It takes hard work and perseverance. 
11. What is a surprising fact about yourself?  I am an introvert so people just assume I am quiet…. Until I am not quiet anymore 🙂

Questions from Our USA Adventures

1. Where is your Happy Place and why?  To be quite honest, my happy place is going to workout at my gym usually at the 5:30 am session.  I am an early bird and usually awake even before my alarm goes off at 4:30 am.  That is my time to care for myself and be with like-minded people.  There is so much energy at the 5:30 am session, I would not trade it for anything else.
2. Why did you start your blog? I started my blog as a way to document our family life, adventures, and travels.  I have always loved writing but not in the sense of APA style for all those lovely college papers.  I really do not miss those days 🙂  and really wanted to get back into it.  Life has been hectic and in recent years, I feel that it has slowed down a bit for me to be able to start on this new adventure.  In high school, I took part in journalism and the high school newsletter.  I had thought during that time in my life I would be a reporter.  I guess it didn’t go as plan 🙂 
3. Do you have a favorite vacation spot and why do you love it so much?  My favorite vacation spot would have to be Treasure Cay in the Abacos Islands, Bahamas.  There are just so many reasons why this is my favorite. The sun, the beach, and awesome weather… But most importantly we went with our best friends and their boys during the Christmas break.  You can check out our Treasure Cay vacation here.  
4. What is your favorite song?  I really do not have one favorite song.  It depends on the mood I am in. 
5. What locations are on your bucket list? Oh, there is just too many to list but for sure Montreal and Quebec, Canada; Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and all those National Parks in Canada looks truly awesome.  We are currently talking about a road trip to Canada and cannot decide if we should check out the east side or the west side.  Oh the struggle…  Our little guy wants to go to New York City so he may win for the east side of Canada.
6. What is your favorite article that you blogged about so far?  Treasure Cay Family Vacation would have to be my favorite article I have blogged.  
7. How did you decide on which niche to blog about?  Family life is my life and for many.  So it just naturally made sense to niche on that 🙂
8. What is your favorite meal to cook?  I typically do not cook mainly because just looking at ingredients in my fridge scares the heck out of me.  I envy those people that can gather whatever is in the fridge and come out with a delicious meal.  Fortunately for me, my husband is such.  
9. What is the craziest thing you ever did?  The craziest thing I ever did was when we were on a deep-sea fishing excursion in the Bahamas our captain says if anyone would like to jump in for a swim, I will stop the boat.  Sure enough, I jumped in.  I quickly realized I was not a strong of a swimmer as I thought I was.  It is so much different than swimming in a lap pool.
10. What was the most interesting documentary you ever watched?  I don’t believe I have watched any documentary lately.  Too busy to even sit down to turn the TV on 🙁
11. What task of blogging do you like? Which one do you hate doing?  I love the writing part, finding the images and getting it posted.   I wouldn’t say I hate doing it but more of a time issue is promoting the post.  But the plus side to all this is being able to meet and connect with so many wonderful bloggers out there.

My nominees for the Sunshine Blogger Award

It’s really hard to choose only 11 blogs to nominate because there are so many excellent sites out there. Here are some of the blogs that are not only creative, positive and inspiring but continues to be my support and others in our blogging journey.   Be sure to check them out.

1. Wrong Kind Of Christian
2. My Average Life as a Nurse
3. Perfect Day to Play
4. Sirius Sunshine State of Mind
5. Planning Away
6. Nan’s Daily Dose of Life
7. Born To Be Boomers
8. Roads on the Rode
9. Nurturing Tamra
10. Mean Green Chef
11. Nyxie’s Nook

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Why did you decide to start blogging?
2. How did you decide on your blog name?
3. How did you decide on which niche to blog about?
4. What is your favorite article that you blogged about so far?
5. Do you have a favorite vacation spot and why do you love it so much?
6. If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why? 
7. Are you a morning person or night owl?
8. What is the best piece of general life advice you’ve ever received?
9. What is your favorite quote?
10. If you were to write a letter to your 18-year-old self, what would you say?
11. What is your most favorite part about blogging?  Least favorite? 

Thank you to my fellow bloggers for your support and inspiration.  Keep on striving!

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