The Liebster Award

Lisa from Lisa Loves John nominated me for the Liebster Award!  From what I understand, it's not really an award, but more a way to let other bloggers get to know you better.  Lisa received the award from a few bloggers and I absolutely loved getting to know her through that post, so you should stop by her blog, too!  You won't be disappointed.  She's so sweet!

The rules say I need to give 11 facts about me, answer the 11 questions Lisa gave me, and nominate 5 other bloggers for the award.  So, let's get started!

1. I am the only one in my family with blonde hair and blue eyes!  I do share my blue eyes with my Granddaddy..and now my daughter, too!  (At least for now!  I'm hoping her baby blues stay that way!)

 

2. I'm an only child.  But I grew up with my cousins so I basically consider them my brother and sister.  They are even known as "Uncle Scott" and "Aunt Amy"!



3. I love to travel,  There is absolutely no way to rank my favorites, but skiing in Beaver Creek, Colorado, honeymooning in Hawaii, studying abroad in Brussels, Belgium,  and a trip to Italy with my grandmother are definitely up there.

4. I have two Bachelor degrees.  I received my Bachelor degree in Psychology with a minor in Elementary Education from Clemson University (Go Tigers!) and my Bachelor degree in Nursing from Queens University.  I do plan to go back to school and become a Nurse Practitioner at some point in the future.



5. I'm super Type-A!  Everything has a list, everything is color-coded, and everything is labeled.  I'm not even gonna lie, it thrills me to no end.  Sometimes I even add things to my lists that I've already done...just so I can mark it off.



6. Friends is my all-time, favorite show.  I just love it!  I've turned my cousin Amy on to it, who has turned her boyfriend Tyler on to it!  We all use Friends quotes daily. :)  In Amy's toast to me at my rehearsal dinner, she even quoted Joey!  And when David and I first got engaged, my mom got us lobsters with our engagement date on them because David is my "lobster".  They sit on the dresser in our bedroom. :)

7. I was in the hospital the night before I took the NCLEX (exam you have to pass in order to get your nursing license.).  I had salmonella poisoning.  I told them they couldn't admit me because I had a huge test I had to take the next morning!



8. I have had major jaw surgery.  I had severe TMJ with headaches and my jaw would lock- the whole shebang.  So in 2008, I had a Le Forte 1 osteotomy done to my upper jaw (The Le Fort I osteotomy involves separating the maxilla and the palate from the skull above the roots of the upper teeth through an incision inside the upper lip. The maxilla is fixed in its new position with titanium screws and plates.)  I can feel the screws on both sides of my nose and I can see the scar on the inside of my mouth! 

via 

9. I have inherited my mom's love of Target.  It will probably be my financial downfall, ha!  I normally grab a Starbucks and walk around the store for about an hour.  It's amazing how I always find things I just "have to have". ;)  I do have to say though, that I've been pretty good about not over-spending lately!



10. I am deathly afraid of the ocean.  I love the beach, but can't stand the water!  On the east coast, our ocean water is murky and you can't see anything.  I'm petrified to think about what is swimming next to me and I don't even know it!  And David's cousins will go fishing and catch sharks of all sizes and I am not a fan.  In the bahamas and Hawaii, the water is crystal clear and while I'll venture into the water there, I still feel so uneasy because now I can see what is swimming towards me!  If something is going to attack, well, I'll see it coming...it's just awful to think about, haha!



11. Speaking of my hair, I am a serial hair twirler.  It started when I was a baby and at almost 27, I still do it.  My mom tried to get me to stop multiple times when I was little and my 12th grade teacher called me out during class one time for twirling my hair so much.  I can't help it.  I honestly don't know that I'm doing it.  I do it a lot more when I'm concentrating hard and when I'm tired.  And because of this, I constantly have split ends.  Whoops. 

The following are the questions Lisa asked:

1. How did you pick your blog name?
My last name is Bell and Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  Also, I talk a lot.  Sometimes too much... ;)  So as I tell our story, The Bell's are "ringing" so to speak.  I'm quite the poet, yes? :)

2. What is your favorite Starbucks drink?
Oh, do I have to pick one?!  I'll narrow it down to two.  My favorite coffee drink from Starbucks is a salted caramel white mocha...yum.  And my favorite non-coffee drink is a caramel apple spice.  Yum again.  I'm thanking the good Lord right now that Starbucks will be open tomorrow night when I work!

3. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate all the way!  I love chocolate, although I mostly like dark chocolate these days.  Dark chocolate is good for the heart.  Trust me, I'm a nurse. ;) 

4. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
It depends.  Before I had Hadley, if I was being quick, I could get through my whole routine in 30 minutes.  If I wasn't rushing, it took about an hour.  Now that my sweet girl is here, I haven't even thought about timing myself, ha!  I don't think I want to know the answer!  I don't usually even get a shower before her first nap of the day.

5. What is your dream vacation?
As I talked about above, I've been blessed to travel.  I've enjoyed all of my vacations, but I think it would be so much fun to take a month or two and backpack around Europe!

6. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
The last thing I watched on tv was Downton Abbey!!  Love that show!

7. Beach or mountains?
Oh y'all.  Like I said, I'm petrified of the ocean, but I love the beach.  But if I had to choose, I'm thinking mountains--specifically for skiing.  I haven't been in so many years and I'd love to go again!  

8. If you could have any super power for a day, what would it be?
I had to look up some different super powers because I just don't know that many and the ones I do know, I don't really care about having for a day.  Is that sad or what? Haha!  I didn't realize there were that many super powers out there.  But I like this one: biological manipulation--Ability to control all aspects of a living creature's biological make-up. This includes, but is not limited to, genetic alterations, physical distortion/augmentations, healing, disease, and biological functions.  How cool would it be to help those who are sick, diseased, etc. feel better?  I guess that's why I'm a nurse!

9. Coffee or Tea?
Coffee, coffee, coffee!  Coffee in the morning, coffee in the evening, coffee in the afternoon!  When I first got pregnant, the smell of coffee would send me running to the bathroom and it made me so incredibly sad that I couldn't have my beloved coffee anymore!  It was a joyous day when I realized I could have my coffee back.  I especially like the peppermint coffee mate I mix in... ;)



10. What is your dream job?
I am an incredibly blessed nurse and mother.  My dream job growing up was always to be a NICU nurse.  I worked hard and was blessed to land my dream job right out of college.  I love my sweet, little babies and I love helping them get a start in a world that is already hard for them.  Now that I'm a mommy, my dream job is to stay at home with her.  I want to teach her everything, I love watching her learn new things every day, and I don't want to miss all of her "firsts".  My husband is a wonderful man and provides for our family.  I have the ability to do both of my dream jobs.  I work PRN now in the NICU (1-2 nights a week, depending!) and the rest of the time I get to spend with my daughter.  Blessed is an understatement, really.



11. Essie or OPI?
I've been an OPI girl for a long time, but Essie has increasingly shown up on my radar!  They have so many colors and seems to go on so smooth.  Unfortunately, I can't wear nail polish in the NICU, so my nails go bare a lot of the time.  But when I do, Essie will be my go-to!

Here are my 11 questions:

• Dogs or cats?
• What is on the top of your bucket list?
• What are your three favorite books?
• What do you like most about yourself?
• If you could interview anyone past or present, who and why?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
• Yoga or zumba?
• What is your favorite meal?
• What do you wish to accomplish in the next year?
• Favorite piece of clothing?
• Favorite sport, to play or watch?

I'm nominating:

 Karen at From City Lights to Blue Skies 

 Mary at Mary from the Mitten

Maegen at The Modern Tulip 

If you girls have already done this, then my apologies!  Also, if anyone else would like to do this, please let me know!  I'd love to tag you in this post as well as read your own 11 facts and answers to the questions!!y done this, then my apologies!  Also, if anyone else would like to do this, please let me know!  I'd love to tag you in this post as well as read your own 11 facts and answers to the questions!!