The Liebster Award!

Super excited to share that my bloggy friend Samantha from Designer in Teal nominated me for The Liebster Award! Samantha and I found each others blogs through Virginia is for Bloggers, and she always has great things to share!

The Liebster award is given to an up and coming blogger who has less than 200 followers. Blogs are nominated by fellow bloggers, and while there is not an official organization that runs this or chooses a winner, it is a fun way for bloggers to get to know each other and discover new blogs. I have to say this motivates me to get off my tooshie and be better about updating this blog. Poor little thing has been ignored in the last few weeks.

Here are the rules:
1. Post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator sets for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
4. Nominate 11 blogs that you love (also with less than 200 followers). Link them to your post and let them know they have been nominated.
5. No tag backs!

11 random things about me:

1. I am an only child.
2. I am always cold. Brrr even right this second as I am typing this.
3. I am a kindergarten teacher, but my bachelor's is in business and economics--weird quarter life crisis thing happened there...
4. I love sweets!
5. I took a class in college called the Chemistry of Winemaking (it was also a travel course to Napa). Best.college.credits.ever. Also the start of my total appreciation for wine. Yum!
6. I joined Delta Zeta sorority in college.
7. I love to read and sometimes on the weekend or in the summer I will sit and read an entire book in a day.
8. I love to be outside. I like hiking, being at the beach, being in the mountains, sitting on my deck, laying in my hammock, eating outside, etc.
9. I am super sensitive and will cry or get sad over the smallest things: a sad commercial, something on the radio or tv, movies, books, a animal on the side of the road (squished), etc. It doesn't take much.
10. I have a thing for statement necklaces and love to spice up an outfit with a big gob-o-something necklace.
11. I do not like sports. At all. Ick. Call me an extreme girly girl if you'd like. ;)

Questions from Samantha:

1. Where is the coolest place you have ever vacationed/visited? Definitely Austria. Hubby and I went there with my parents the summer before last and it was amazing. It was so beautiful. We spent a lot of time exploring smaller cities and towns and everything was so charming. I cannot even begin to list everything I loved about this trip.

2. What is your favorite meal? Well in my family we call it a "pick-up". Basically it is just lots of little appetizers and yummies. The ideal pick-up includes different cheeses and meats, crusty bread, olives and other goodies from the olive bar (pickled veggies, olive tapenade, etc), and a good bottle of wine! Oh dear, I'm drooling...

3. What season do you enjoy most and why? Fall, fall, fall! I love everything about it! I love the cooler crisp air (I've always been a jeans and sweater kind of girl), being cozy, fires in the fire place, making soups and stews, baking, colored leaves, hot apple cider, apple picking, pumpkins, yummy fallish scents, and a million more things.

4. What is the best gift you have ever received? Hmmm for some reason that is tough for me to answer. I will go with my engagement ring because it represents the love and commitment between me and my hubby (Too mushy? Sorry friends.)

5. Do you prefer coffee, tea, or neither? I am going to go with tea. I have loved tea since I was little and can remember picking out a {decaf} tea bag from my Grammie's tea jar when we would go to visit her.  I went through a coffee phase last year, and while I still enjoy it, I am back to tea which has always been my fave anyway.

6. Are you an early bird or night owl? Neither. I need a good night's sleep to function and for me that means going to bed at a decent time and sleeping until a normal time (not the 5:30 time that my alarm goes off every morning). My hubby can attest to the seriousness of this! :)

7. What was your favorite subject in grade school? Science. I still love science and it is one of my favorite things to teach my students.

8. How did you come up with your blog name and style? I have always been a classic pearl kind of girl, but I also love a t-shirt and jeans. My family used to tease me about wearing pearls with everything, so the name was fitting. For the style I like cute preppy colors and designs plus I thought they matched the name well.

9. Cat person or dog person? Dog. I don't have any pets, but my preference is dogs. My dream is to have a male Yorkie that I will name Scooter. One day!

10. What does an ideal weekend look like for you? In my dreams...a weekend get away in an exotic place. In reality, relaxing at home. I am a homebody and love to be cozy at home reading, relaxing with hubby, watching a movie, or having friends over. The perfect weekend will also include spending time in the kitchen baking up a yummy treat and making a good meal that I wouldn't normally take the time for during the week. Some people may consider it boring, but I consider it perfection!

11. If you could live in any other era, what would it be? The 1920's. I love the fashion and culture of this time period.

The 11 {awesome} blogs I nominate!

1. Dory @ The Doyle Dispatch
2. Meggan @ Lila Grace
3. Luisa @LaBelleMadeleine
4. Anna @ My Semi-Charmed Life
5. Robin @ Our Semi-Organic Life
6. Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
7. The ladies @ RVA Brunch Club
8. Kristin @ Vignettes

Well I didn't quite follow the rules. :( Many of the blogs I follow have more than 200 followers and while I am still discovering new blogs every day this is all I could come up with right now.

Questions for the nominees:

1. What is one wish you have for your blog?
2. What is your favorite ice cream topping?
3. What is your dream vacation?
4. Cake or cupcakes?
5. What is your favorite accessory and why?
6. Windows down or air conditioning in the car?
7. What is your favorite holiday and why?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What are two things you carry in your purse at all times?
10. Wine, beer, or neither?
11. What is your favorite style of food (Mexican, Italian, Asian, etc...)?

Well thanks for reading friends! I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me. Take some time to check out these fabulous other blogs I have nominated!