Sunshine Award

Sarah over at Midwest Pillowtalk nominated me for the Sunshine Award! The Sunshine Award is given to bloggers whose posts brighten your day. 

Here are the rules: 

1. Include the Sunshine Award icon in your post

2. Link to the person who nominated you. 

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award

5. Link your nominees and let them know they've been nominated. 

Here are the questions Sarah asked me: 

1. What is your biggest joy? I'd say my biggest joy is my family, both my blood family and my family I've gained through marriage and close friends. Sure, there are tough times, but I'm the happiest when I'm around them. 

2. What is one of your favorite memories? This is a hard question! I can't choose between the memories of going back to Canada and seeing my extended family, or the first few months of getting to know Keegan and his group of friends who would eventually become like family to us. 

3. What is your biggest fear? Ugh, another hard question! I think my biggest fear is not being enough. I'm definitely a people pleaser, so knowing that I've failed someone in some way is a horrible feeling. Of course, infertility is a big part of this; the idea of not being able to provide Keegan with a child, our parents with grandchildren, our siblings with nieces/nephews is something that eats at me. 

The less emotional answer to this questions would be falling. I'm not scared of heights, in fact, I quite like them, but the idea of falling scares the daylights out of me. I told Keegan that if we ever go to the Grand Canyon, I'll have to belly crawl (army crawl?) to the edge, just to ensure that I won't trip and plummet to my death.

4. What is your favorite thing about fall? Well, back in Missouri, my favorite thing was the newness of the season. It was the beginning of a new school semester, the beginning of a new football season, the leaves changed color and fell off the trees, we got a break from the heat, it was honestly my favorite season. Living in Mississippi, we don't really get a fall, so I guess my favorite thing is the idea of getting a break from the summer heat...eventually.  

5. What is your favorite thing to wear/wardrobe staple? If you had asked me this last year, I probably would have said my jeans. I've always been a jeans girl and I still love them and wear them frequently, but lately, I've been loving maxi skirts and dresses. They still give me the coverage of jeans, but they're more feminine and certainly cooler in the Mississippi summers. 

6. You're on a road trip...what CD do you play? Even though my car comes with a CD player and I have CDs in my car, 99% of the time, my Ipod is plugged in and playing away. I love having it on shuffle and having the ability to listen to a range of music. My music tastes change all the time and I have everything from rap to country to pop to hard rock to Broadway numbers on my Ipod. 

If I had to choose a CD, I'd probably choose Old Man Markley. I discovered them when they opened for Dropkick Murphys in Atlanta in March and I fell in love. They're "punk bluegrass" with some kick ass instruments and put on one of the best shows I've ever seen.  

7. Favorite quote? I don't really have a favorite quote. Recently, however, I saw this quote as someone's signature on a message board and I absolutely love it. "Well, I looked my demons in the eyes, laid bare my chest, said, "Do your best, destroy me." The quote is from Ray LaMontagne's song, "Empty," and continues with, "You see, I've been to hell and back so many times, I must admit you kind of bore me." 

I love this quote because I think it speaks to what I'm going through at this time in my life. Looking my fears in the eyes and telling them that I'm strong and they can't break me. 

8. Favorite thing to buy? We honestly don't buy a whole lot besides the necessities. I'm not a big shopper and I don't wear makeup. Lately, we've been spending a lot on fixing Keegan's '71 Vette because we're taking it down to the coast in October for a huge car show. Hopefully in the next year or so, I'll get my dream car, a '69-'71 El Camino, so I'm sure I'll love spending money to fix that up. 

9. Dream vacation is... My dream vacation would be Ireland and Scotland. My family has so much history there and I'd love to see where my heritage came from. My dad's side of the family also has a house over there that's abandoned and I'd love to see if we could buy that one day. I'd also love to visit some extended family in New Zeland. 

10. What's your favorite piece of advice? Sheesh Sarah, way to ask the hard questions! When I was in middle school, I was trying to make friends and running into some teasing from the "popular" crowd. I came home and told my mom what was going on, and she told me to just be me and I would slowly acquire friends who liked me for who I am. Guess what? She was right! It took a while, and I didn't make a solid group of friends until college, but I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Most of them are guys, but they're slowly getting girlfriends and wives who are just as amazing. They mean everything to me and are a part of my family. 

It doesn't say in the instructions to add 10 more questions, but Sarah did, so here are mine: 

1. If you could only listen to one band for the rest of your life, who would it be? 

2. What is the scariest thing you've ever done? 

3. Do you have any piercings or tattoos? If so, show them off! 

4. What's the best concert you've ever been to? 

5. What is your dream concert (musicians can be dead or alive.)

6. If you could visit anywhere in the world for a month with money being no worry, where would you go?

7. What is your favorite food?

8. What is your favorite way to de-stress? 

9. What do you think your best physical asset is? What would your significant say is your best physical asset? 

10. If you could live in any other time period, when would you live? 

The ten bloggers I tag are, 

1. Barren Betty

2. Gypsy Mama

3. Jennifer at Jennifer Juniper 

4. Not Pregnant and Pissed!

5. Amber at Old Lady and No Baby 

6. Em at Teach Me To Braid

7. Audra at The Stumpy Giraffe

8. Mrs. E at TTCBabyE3

9. Aubrey at Two Hearts and One Dream

10. Waiting For Baby

I also tag anyone who wants to answer the questions! Let me know if you do, I'd love to read your answers.