Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank you so much Amethyst from love.inspire.learn for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! It is truly humbling and an honor to be recognized by other bloggers. 😊Amethyst is an aspiring artist and graphic designer with a passion for reading, learning, and writing, as well as inspiring others. Please follow this amazing blogger and artist here.

Rules:

1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.

2. Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.

3. Nominate up to 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Questions from Amethyst:

1. Who inspires you and why? I have been inspired by my grandmother since I was a child. Throughout my life I have watched her love her family unconditionally, go out of her way to help those in the community, and suffer the terrible tragedy of her oldest son passing away on Mother’s day. When things went wrong she didn’t complain. Instead she found ways to handle them with a level of grace and strength that is truly admirable.

2. What does your morning routine look like? I wake up around 7am, pee, do my breathing treatments, eat breakfast, take my morning meds, clean myself up, and throw on some clothes. Usually by this time the cats have had their breakfast too so I get a few giggles in as I watch them zoom around upstairs while I either read or throw in laundry.

3. What is your favorite book and why? “People I want to punch in the throat” by Jen Mann. This book just makes me laugh so hard my cheeks hurt. I think all of us have met certain people and asked ourselves “WTF is wrong with you?” These ninnies infuriate you so much you just wish you could punch them (whether you want to openly admit that or not.) Jen Mann’s writing style is very informal and she drops F bombs throughout the book which adds a spiciness that I personally enjoy. 😁

4. What is your dream job? I don’t really have a dream job. I can’t work anymore because of my medical conditions so I don’t really think about “dream jobs” anymore. But I do hope and dream about other things like being able to travel again, staying out of the hospital, and dressing up to go out to eat at our favorite restaurants. 😊

5. What do you want to learn this year? I would like to become fluent in French this year. I learned quite a bit of French in 2020 and can read it pretty well but I haven’t practiced speaking it enough. I would also like to start learning Russian this year.

6. What is your writing routine like? I typically write over the weekend and post every Sunday evening. If I have several different ideas hit me at once, I will write a few drafts and save the editing for the weekend.

7. Are you a lark, owl or hummingbird? I don’t give a hoot about this question so I will choose owl.

8. If you had to rename yourself, what would it be and why? I wouldn’t voluntarily choose to change my name because it’s part of what makes me…well…me. But say I HAD to change it for life or death reasons or to get a lifetime supply of free chicken nuggets, fries, and milkshakes. Or I needed a fake passport and a bug out bag. Then I would change it to Savina. Yes that’s what I named our cat. But the name Savina in Russian has a meaning of providing comfort. And I like that.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go? It’s a toss up between Norway and Italy. Norway is so clean and friendly but it is cold and expensive. G and I just loved our trip to Norway-it was easy to see why people loved living there. Italy is on my list because of its proximity to traveling to other European countries, its weather and cost of living are similar to where I currently live, and the food is awesome. Good food is a priority for me! 😄 I would either want to live in the Naples area or nothern Italy around Genoa.

10. What do you want to be remembered for? For being me. I don’t pretend to be anyone else.

11. What is your happiest memory? Traveling with G. My two favorite trips have been to Norway and Costa Rica. Both are beautiful countries with friendly people and lots of things to do. Cruising the Norwegian fjords and kayaking in the Gerainger fjord were very memorable experiences. Staying in a villa in the Costa Rican rainforest with a view of the Arenal Volcano was relaxing and unforgettable. Zip lining through the rain forest was so much fun and something I will never forget!

I think every blogger spreads a little sunshine! So if you want to answer the same questions above and spread a little more sunshine across the blogging community, I would love to read your answers and learn more about you. 😀🌻

Outstanding Blogger Award 2021

I was surprised and honored to be nominated by Helen from crispy confessions for the Outstanding Blogger Award. 🤗 It is such a huge compliment for a fellow blogger to like my posts! 😀 If you don’t already have the pleasure of following crispyconfessions, she is a lifestyle blogger who writes about books, parenting, multilingualism, and has a strong social media presence on Instagram and Twitter. You can follow her blog here.

The Rules:

1. Provide a link to the creator’s original award post.

2. Answer the questions provided.

3. Create 7 unique questions.

4. Nominate up to 10 bloggers.

5. Ensure that they are aware of their nomination.

6. Now let’s continue to support and cheer each other throughout 2021 for the Outstanding Blogger Award!

Questions by crispyconfessions:

1. Tell us your 2021 goals for your blog. My goal is just to keep blogging and sharing my story for those who want to read it. I blog as a hobby so there’s no pressure on myself. I don’t set or have any expectations for likes or followers on my blog. I just go with the flow and have enjoyed the ride so far. If I don’t have fun blogging then what would be the point?

2. How do you plan on implementing your goals for your blog in 2021? By doing just what I have been doing. I write a new post weekly about whatever tickles my fancy and publish it every Sunday evening.

3. What inspires you to write your blogs? Usually whatever personal or medical events that have occurred recently or are weighing on my mind. Sometimes I am inspired by an article I have read on a topic that I can relate to.

4. Why did you begin your blog? I have been told most of my adult life that I should write a book or go on Oprah to share my life story. 😄 Apparently the events of my life have been quite fascinating to those who know me. After much encouragement from G and some of my friends, I started blogging as an outlet for sharing my personal and medical experiences. And Voila! Delicate and Brutal was born.

5. What have you learned about yourself in writing your blogs? I never viewed myself as having any artistic talent of any kind. I can’t paint or draw to save my life. I always saw myself as this methodical, detailed, logical chick. But I have discovered a creative side in my writing that I never knew existed. I’m digging this artsy fartsy part of me! 😁😎

6. What would you change about your blog? I wouldn’t currently change anything about my blog. I write in my own voice, at a consistent schedule that works for me, and people actually read my blog. What more could I want?

7. How do you feel about collaborating on your blog? I usually don’t commit to collaborating with others on my blog mostly because my health is so unpredictable. I don’t think it would be fair to have to back out of a working commitment with another blogger at the last minute as frequently as I get sick or end up in the hospital. Plus my blog is very specific to my medical and personal experiences so that’s not really a niche that is conducive to collaboration.

I am leaving the same 7 questions for my nominees. Here they are:

giganticthoughtbubble

I also like to leave these award nominations open to any writer who wants to participate. I think every blogger is outstanding for sharing their story! So if you want to answer the same questions I answered above, I look forward to reading your answers and getting to know you more! 🙂

Blogger Recognition Award

I am so humbled and honored to be nominated by the lovely Brittany from mindbeautysimplicity for this Blogger Recognition Award. Brittany is an amazing blogger om minimalism and is currently participating in Blogmas. Her post Blogmas Day 2: Minimalism Holiday Gift Guide combines the two topics to provide some wonderful tips this holiday season. I am grateful for the opportunity to answer Brittany’s questions and share a little bit more about myself with the blogging world. If you are new to my blog and would like to know more about my delicate and brutal face, click here. 😀

The Rules:

Thank the blogger that nominated you & provide a link to their site.

Do a blog post about this award.

Give a brief summary about how you started your blog.

Give two pieces of advice for any new blogger.

How I Started My Blog:

I started my blog in March 2020 after a lot of encouragement from my husband and friends. I have been told most of my adult life that my life stories and experiences could fill a book! After my life took an unexpected turn due to several life altering medical conditions, I finally decided to start this blog as a creative outlet for sharing my personal and medical experiences with all of you. If you would like to read about my medical conditions, click here.

Two Pieces of Advice I Would Give New Bloggers:

1. Just try! There’s no right or wrong way to blog. You will surprise yourself if you just start somewhere and see where it takes you. Write about whatever feels right or what you know.

2. Don’t aim for perfection. Just do your best and that is good enough! You will stress yourself out and get discouraged if you try to perfect every detail of your blog.

Mindbeautysimplicity’s Questions:

What has been one of your most proudest moments in your blogging journey? Actually starting it! It took me a while to decide to start my blog because I kept telling myself “Who gives a shit about what I have to say?” But I am so glad that I took the plunge because I have received a lot of positive feedback and simultaneously gained a wonderful support community. 😀

What has been something you have had to overcome / learn in the blogging world? Trying to learn about tags has been a challenge for me. Figuring out how many to use, using them effectively, or categorizing them is something that I still am trying to learn.

What’s something that helps you keep going during these pandemic times? I look forward to traveling again one day. The next trip G and I would love to take is to Iceland. I want to swim in the Blue Lagoon, see puffins and whales, and walk on black sand beaches.. I want to explore the waterfalls and volcanoes, see the Midnight Sun, hike across a glacier, and explore the caves. I am hoping my health improves enough and coronavirus travel restrictions are lifted to make a vacation possible. 🙂

What’s your favorite form of self care? A massage! 😊😍 When I can’t get a massage from my favorite massage therapist, I enjoy a long hot shower, eating comfort food, or taking a nap with my kitties.

What is one misconception people have about you? There are people who feel that I have this hard exterior shell that is difficult to break through in order to get to know me. But I am an open book unless you are disrespectful to me or cross a boundry. Then I distance myself from you because I don’t tolerate that shit.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? Be more patient. Lordy I would get so impatient about EVERY. DAMN. THING. The drive thru line not moving fast enough? Come the fuck on people! My package hasn’t arrived in the mail yet? Jesus where’s my stuff?! My friend said they’ll pick me up at 5pm. It’s 5:05pm. I was ready on time. Why on earth aren’t you here yet? I had zero patience and would get frustrated so easily when things didn’t go as I expected. Now I know it’s not worth getting my panties in a bunch over the small stuff.

Instead of selecting a few bloggers to nominate for this award, I am going to leave this as an open invitation to anyone who would like to share why they started their blog and any advice they would like to share with both new and experienced bloggers. So please feel free to post your story and blogging advice in the comments section or create your own post and I will be happy to read it. 😀 Below are a few of my favorite bloggers I follow. So if you are not familiar with them, please check them out and show them some love!

chasingthemaximumlife

giganticthoughtbubble

The Small Joys Tag

I want to thank my sweet blogger friend Brittany from mindbeautysimplicity for nominating me in this tag. 😊 She is a minimalism blogger who is also passionate about supporting other bloggers expand their network. I have really enjoyed getting to know her and her posts are filled with great nuggets of advice on decluttering and living a minimalist lifestyle. You can read her newest post “I Can’t Believe Owning Less Would Lead Me To This” here.

Finding joy in small things is something I have really tried to focus on over the last couple of years. With so much chaos, division, and negativity in the world, it’s easy to lose sight of the precious gifts surrounding us. This time of year is often a time of reflection and gratitude so I think the timing of this tag is just perfect. 😊

Here Are 25 of My Small Joys:

1. Squirrels nut butter It has a funny name but it’s a damn good product! It is mostly used by runners to help prevent chafing. But it also makes my nails grow and helps heal my cuticles and small cuts. It’s made with coconut oil, vitamin E oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax. There is also a vegan option that is made with candelilla wax instead of beeswax.

2. Hearing the smile in someone’s voice 😊

3. A glowing lantern

4. Kitty teef

5. The word Dookie 💩 You can’t say it without smiling. Go ahead try it. I’ll wait… See what I mean? 😂🤣

6. Being warm and toasty

7. The smell of fresh baked cookies

8. Corny sayings 😏🤓

9. When the car ride music is on point 🎶🎵

10. Watching my orchids bloom

11. Chicken and Waffles 🤤🤗🍗

12. Juicy buttcrack peaches 🍊😂

13. Pickle Rick! How can that silly face not bring you joy?!

Pooltime with G and our inflatable Pickle Rick 😄

14. Watching the sunrise on the beach

15. Drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows from my cupcake poot mug 1. Because I am a weirdo who doesn’t drink coffee 🤪 Yet I like the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Go figure 🤷‍♀️ 2. Because anything fart related makes me laugh 😆

16. The look of a freshly made bed

17. The ability to tie my own shoes For years I wasn’t able to bend over and tie my shoes due to hip arthritis pain. After both of my hips were replaced in 2019, I can now bend over and tie my own shoes 🤗

18. Pretty gift wrap

19. Nutella I ❤ Nutella! I put it on my waffles with fresh blueberries and strawberries, dip pretzels in it, or slather it on toast with sliced almonds and bananas 😍

20. Funny names of port a potties 😂🤣 A flush away, Don’s Johns, Bobby’s Pottys, Skid-o-can, Gotugo

If I HAD to use a port a potty, I would choose the pink one 😄

21. Completing my Duolingo French lessons for the day 😃

22. Watching Tilly look at the falling leaves outside

23. My eyelash serum Taking high doses of prednisone daily has caused a lot of my hair to thin and fall out-including my eyelashes. I started using this hypoallergenic eyelash serum a month ago and love how much my eyelashes have grown!

24. Funny memes (Especially F bomb memes 🤬😅)

25. My Toms Owl Shoes How freakin’ cute are these owls?!

What small joys are in your life? Share them with me in the comments below 😃 Let’s spread joy not germs this season!

Inspiring Bloggers Tag

I am honored and grateful to be tagged by Anjali from chasingthemaximumlife for the Inspiring bloggers tag. Anjali is a lifestyle, inspiration, and fashion blogger who also writes about her monthly favorites in her blog. Her positive attitude and support for people are so infectious! If you do not already have the pleasure of following her, you can find her blog here.

Rules

Thank the person who chose you
Include the logo in your post
Answer the questions asked to you
Choose the bloggers who’ve inspired you (maximum 10)
Add a feature of their blog which you admire

Questions by chasingthemaximumlife:

1. If you weren’t into blogging, what’s the one thing you would probably be doing instead? Starting to learn how to read and speak Russian.

2. What do you do when you feel unmotivated to write? I don’t force anything. I wait until the words or thoughts come naturally to me. Often times the words and ideas will flow for me when I am taking a hot shower. Of course it’s at a time when I don’t have pen and paper or my phone to jot down my ideas. 🙄 So then I make a mad dash for those when I get out of the shower before I lose my train of thought. 🙂

3. An inspiring quote you live by. “Complacency is the enemy of progress.”

4. What is your favorite type of food? CHOCOLATE! 🍫 My world is a much happier place with chocolate 😀

5. What inspiring message would you like to pass on to other people/bloggers? I have selected a few messages below that can apply to anyone-blogger or not.

I believe all bloggers inspire their readers in one way or another. But there are two bloggers that hold a special place in my heart and have really inspired me as a blogger and a person. 🤗❤

Brittany from mindbeautysimplicity

Brittany is a minimalist blogger with a heart of gold. 😊 She writes about how living with less gives her more to live for. She is currently working on project 333. This is a minimalist fashion challenge where she chooses 33 pieces of clothing and accessories to wear for 3 months. Her participation in this project has inspired me to start decluttering my own wardrobe. She is also such a kind, thoughtful, and supportive lady who truly cares about people. Thank you Brittany for being such an inspiration to me and the blogging community! You can follow her blog here. 😊💕

Shreya from blogwithshreya

Shreya is a lovely inspiration to everyone! She is a lifestyle blogger with a focus on happiness and peace. Her warm caring energy is infectious to all who have the pleasure of knowing her. Her positivity and blog posts about self acceptance are truly inspiring to me. Thank you Shreya for being such a great support to me and the blogging community! 😊💕 You can follow Shreya’s blog here.

Blogger Recognition Award

I am humbled and honored to be nominated twice for The Blogger Recognition Award by chasingthemaximumlife and mindbeautysimplicity. Chasingthemaximumlife is a lifestyle, inspiration, and fashion blogger. She has such an infectious positive attitude that radiates in everything she writes. 😊 Mindbeautysimplicity is a blogger on minimalism and does makeup tutorials. She is so creative and has such a beautiful spirit! 😊 If you aren’t already familiar with these lovely ladies, please follow them on instagram at @chasingthemaximumlife and @mindbeautysimplicity or follow their blogs on wordpress!

I am truly amazed and grateful for the wonderful support of my blogging community and all of my readers! All of you help me to keep growing and spread the love. 💕 You all seriously rock! 😎

The Rules:

Thank the blogger that nominated you and give a link to their site.
Do a post to show your award.
Give a summary of how your blog started.
Give two pieces of advice for any new bloggers.
Select at least 15 other bloggers for this award.
Let each nominee know you’ve nominated them and give a link to your post.

How My Blog Started:

For most of my adult life I have been told that I should write about my life stories and experiences. Apparently my life is both entertaining and shocking to people. After my health took an unexpected turn and I could no longer work, I decided to try this blog as a creative outlet.

I decided to openly share some very personal and medical experiences on my blog. Over the last two years, I was admitted to the hospital every couple of months asking myself “What fresh hell is this?“

I want my blog to be a raw and authentic reflection of who I am. I share my life story with all of you hoping that you see what makes me delicate and brutal. 😀

My Advice for New Bloggers:

Just try! You will amaze yourself at what you can create. 😊
Write whatever comes naturally to you.
Don’t give up. Take breaks when you need to, but don’t quit.
Don’t worry about doing everything perfectly right. Just do your best! That is enough. 🙂

My Nominees

I feel a connection to all of these bloggers I nominated. 🙂 Their writing speaks to me on many different levels. I have developed some wonderful relationships with several of these writers and am thankful for their influence in my life and my blog. 😊💕

giganticthoughtbubble

smellysocksandgardenpeas

Pointless overthinking

3am thoughts

Liebster Award [Second Nomination 🙂]

I am blown away to be nominated for this award twice in one week! Many thanks to blogwithshreya for this nomination 😊 When I started blogging, I figured I would just write my story, share my thoughts, and see what pops off. To my surprise, people were reading my posts and even coming back each week to read more 🙂 So I am sending high fives across the internet to all my readers and the blogging community for your continued support! You all amaze me!

Since I nominated 11 people in my previous post, and I am a fairly new blogger, I don’t even know 11 additional bloggers I could nominate for this award. So I am going to go off on a tangent and tag 11 new people on my Instagram that I hope will share one or more things they love about themselves. We gotta spread love not germs! If you’d like, you can follow me on Instagram @delicate.and.brutal.

Questions blogwithshreya Would Like to Know About Me:

1. Who is your biggest inspiration and why? My grandmother. I have always seen her as a woman full of grace and dignity and I strongly admire that about her. I can only hope to one day live up to a fraction of the grace and dignity she exemplifies.

2. What are the three things you can’t live without? My nivea lip balm, my Epipens, and clean underwear. I can’t stand to have dry or cracked lips and there’s no substitute for Nivea’s moisture lip balm in my opinion. I literally need my Epipens to save my life during a severe allergic reaction so that has to make the list. And NO ONE needs to smell dirty drawers! I gotta feel fresh and clean down there!

3. Which is your favorite book and why? People I Want to Punch in the Throat by Jenn Mann. Her writing style, use of F bombs, and humor are right up my ally! Let’s face it, all of us have someone in mind we wish we could punch in the throat. 😏

4. What would you do if you get a chance to become invisible for one day? I would go places that I otherwise wouldn’t have access to if I weren’t invisible. I would start off in the kitchen of a restaurant to make sure no one did anything gross to my food. And if they did, I’d shove their face in it. Next I would go to a trauma hospital operating room to watch a trauma surgery, then to the morgue to watch an autopsy (hopefully not of the person I just watched the operation on.) And just for shits and giggles, I would end my day by knocking the snacks I wanted out of a vending machine at a car dealership and eating them as people watched.

5. What is your favorite time of the day and why? Dusk. The sky is painted in vibrant colors, my belly is full of food, and my ass is clean after taking a shower. This is usually the time of day I try to slow down and relax. What’s not to love about all of that?!

6. What would you tell your younger self? Let go of the notion that everything in life will be fair. Not everyone in life gets what they deserve and not everyone deserves what they get.

7. What is your favorite food? Chocolate! I love sniffing it, licking it, fondling it, and looking at it! Hell I was potty trained with chocolate! Sounds like I have a perverse fixation with chocolate. 🤣 I would slather myself in chocolate if it were socially acceptable! Did I mention how much I ❤ chocolate?!

8. What according to you, are the three qualities a person should possess and why? Honesty, Gratitude, and Respectfulness. I don’t think any relationship can exist without these three traits. We have all been in some type of relationship that has ended due to lies or disrespect. We were all taught manners as children so showing a little gratitude when people help you or support you shouldn’t be difficult to continue as adults. If we all told the truth, said “thank you”, and treated everyone we meet with a little respect, our world could be a much better place.

9. Why did you start blogging? For most of my adult life I have been told that I should write about my life stories and experiences. Apparently my life is both entertaining and shocking to people. After my health took an unexpected turn and I could no longer work, I decided to try this blog as a creative outlet.

10. What are you passionate about? Safety! I know what a dork. 😜🤓 But everyone needs to feel safe-both physically and emotionally. It burns me up when people and/or animals get hurt because someone was callous in not taking their safety seriously.

11. If you had to live anywhere in the world, where would it be? In my previous post I mentioned Norway. This time around I am going to go with Italy. More specifically, either Genoa or Naples in Italy. The climate there is similar to what I am already used to, healthcare is excellent, the food is mmm mmm good, and the ability to travel quickly to other European countries would be the icing on the cake 😀

Liebster Award

I would sincerely like to thank mindbeautysimplicity for nominating me for the Liebster Award! I am so honored and humbled to be nominated for an award. 😊 When I set out on my blogging journey, I never had the expectation of my posts reaching very many people. Many thanks to my readers and the blogging community for your support! You all rock! 😎💕

Here are the Rules:

🍑 Thank the blogger who nominated you & provide a link to their blog.

🍉 Answer the 11 questions given to you.

🍍Nominate 11 bloggers.

🍓 Ask your nominees 11 questions.

🍊 Notify your nominees once you have uploaded your post.

Questions mindbeautysimplicity Would Like to Know:

1.What made you start blogging? For most of my adult life I have been told that I should write about my life stories and experiences. Apparently my life is both entertaining and shocking to people. After my life took an unexpected turn and I could no longer work due to my health, I decided to try this blog as a creative outlet.

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be & why? Norway! After taking a cruise there in 2011 G and I fell in love with it. The country is clean and beautiful, the people are friendly and happy, and the fjords are spectacular! My husband and I also love to travel, so Norway’s proximity to other European countries makes it nice for that reason too 😀

3. What’s your favorite possession & why? My Nivea moisture lip balm. I can’t go ANYWHERE without it and there’s no substitute for it in my opinion! I can’t stand to have dry or cracked lips. Whether I’m going on vacation, running errands, or going to the hospital, I gotta have my Nivea lip balm. 👄

4. What’s your favorite season & why? Summer because I love bright colors and summertime is full of bright colors! From the turquoise color of the pool, ocean, or sea to the bright red and deep blue seen in fireworks. You can find flowerbeds full of hot pink and purple flowers with green leaves as well as the flaming orange of a firepit, bonfire, or campfire. To sweeten the pot, my birthday and wedding anniversary are in the summer! 😍🎈🎉 This is also the time of year G and I usually travel.

5. Where would you travel next once Covid is over? Iceland! G and I want to visit the Blue Lagoon, snowmobile across a glacier, and explore the Golden circle with its waterfalls, cliffs, and geysers. We have been wanting to travel to Iceland for a few years now, but my health issues prevented us from traveling. Hopefully by the time COVID is over, my health will have improved enough that we can go to Iceland.

6. What is your favorite food & why? Chocolate! I love smelling it, eating it, touching it, and baking it! Chocolate just makes me happy 🤗 I would cover myself in chocolate if it were socially acceptable 😄

7. If you could eat dinner with anyone (famous, dead, etc…) who would it be & why? Author Jen Mann. She has written a few books in the series “People I Want to Punch in the Throat,” as well as several books in the series “I Just Want to Pee Alone.” I love her writing style, humor, and candor! I enjoy a good bullshit conversation over dinner (just ask G!) 😁 I can just see us laughing so hard that my cheeks hurt and I’m smacking the table because I can’t breathe. 😄

8.What’s one thing you do to save money? We only have Hulu for our television service. And not that Hulu Live shit with a bunch of other streaming services added on to it. No cable, satellite, Netflix, or any other streaming service. Just basic Hulu because that has all our favorite shows to watch. I have too much crap to do to waste money on television that I don’t watch!

9. What do you wish to study or pursue career wise & why? Since I am no longer able to work, I wanted to become fluent in a foreign language. I took French in high school but haven’t used it in umpteen thirty leven years so I have been relearning that to start. Next I plan on learning Russian. I have Russian heritage and if I can become fluent enough to help translate for others, then that’s a great way for me to help people. 🙂

10. What is your favorite childhood memory? Family dinners at my grandmother’s house. The smell of the food, the cackling laugh of my uncle, sitting at the “grownup” table instead of the “kids” table, being called “punkin” by my grandfather and uncle, and the way my father and uncles would playfully pick on their mom.

11. If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be & why? Not everything someone says or does requires a reaction out of you. When I was younger I thought it was important to prove my point of view-particularly when I felt wronged by another person. This created a lot of stress, anger, and hurt feelings in me. Now I realize it’s more important and more peaceful to just let things go and not respond to everything.

I nominate these 11 wonderful bloggers:

Not all of these bloggers are new, but they have all been a great support to me along my blogging journey. Their writing style speaks to me and I hope will speak to you as well 😊

Here is my list of questions for you nominees:

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