Who knew I had 6 months of toddler-related Travel stories and tips in me?
I would not have guessed that I would have another 6-12 months (or more, not to bore you) of even more kid-adapted travel tips. I would not have believed 6 months ago how much I would enjoy nurturing this tiny small blog. It’s funny how things like this creep up on you.
So here are some things I’ve learned in this short/long 6 months.

1. Blogging is like having a newborn. Neither sleep. But you love both, so you just decide that sleep will happen sometime 20 years down the road.
2. It is best to do this with friends. I’ve really enjoyed meeting some “blogging buddies” along the way. I’d like to single out minivan adventures, travel plus family, love laugh caribbean and tread lightly, retire early.
3. It is apparently entirely normal to wake up at 3 am in a panic because you realize you misspelled “Ensenada” and you forgot to seo-optimize your photos.
4. Your family will be both in awe of you and perplexed by your new all-encompassing hobby. I think my husband still doesn’t quite get it.
5. My social media before blog: crickets. Pinterest, what? My phone before blogging acted more as a paperweight/sudoku tool. I took photos…once in a looooong while. Now I have four different photo apps, and an unused Vero account. Go figure.
6. As a blogger, you need to anticipate all of the randomly invented holidays so you can target your hashtags appropriately (I’m rubbish at this BTW). #nationalnappingday? #nationalpeanutbutterday? Really?
7. I apparently tend to bury the lede. Which brings me to…

Liebster

I got nominated for an award! This was completely a surprise, as I rarely win anything. First of all, I need to thank Kat of Califf Creations for the nomination. You should definitely check out her blog for great tips on diy and great recipes. I wish I were as crafty as she is!

What is the Liebster award?

Apparently, the Liebster award is given to bloggers by bloggers. I did a bit of research (as is my modus operandi) and found a great post by The Global Aussie. I don’t think they invented this award as it’s been around since 2011, but it gives a good description of the rules. Basically, it seems sort of like a chain letter, and I’ve never been one to break the chain.

Here is how I generally feel about this award, minus the brown sweater.

General Rules

1. Thank the person who nominated you and leave a link to their blog. Once again, thank you Califf Creations!
2. Display the award on your blog. I found that Global Aussie had a number of really pretty badges to include, so check out the post at the link above.
3. Write a small post about what makes you passionate about blog posting. More of that to come.
4. Provide 10 Random Facts about Yourself. I’m always terrible at this but I’ll give it a go.
5. Answer 11 questions from the blog that nominated you.
6. Nominate 5-11 blogs. I chose 10, just because.
7. Give the new nominees 11 questions to answer. Apparently, I need to be creative.
8. Inform the people who have been nominated regarding their nomination.

Why I love Blogging

Well, to be honest, I never thought I would. I started Blogging as a way to work out my thoughts about parenting and life. I wanted to put something positive out in the world. Naturally, I got very easily frustrated when no one immediately flocked to read my musings about goat tours in Kauai or the best indoor playgrounds in Pasadena. But then I found friends. As is often the case, friends make everything a bit easier. Thanks to Travel Plus Family, Minivan Adventures, Love Laugh Caribbean and Tread Lightly, Retire Early I feel like writing because they are all so inspirational.

10 Random Facts About Myself

1. My grandfather owned racehorses, so I learned statistics from the Daily Racing Form.
2. I’ve never been to Antarctica.
3. My husband and I always move away from a place right as the food scene is starting to explode. DC, Milwaukee, central Pennsylvania… We seem to be unintentional trendsetters.
4. I have a secret love for Nora Roberts novels. I promise I read more weighty material, but every so often when I just need a little literary hug, Nora’s the girl. But I can’t buy her books based on some bizarre principal concocted by my psyche, so I always borrow them from a library.
5. When I was growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian for exotic animals like elephants and caribou.
6. I’ve lived in most time zones in the United States except for mountain time.
7. I’m half Canadian.
8. My favorite ice cream flavor is peppermint hot fudge.
9. I love buying toys for my daughter that I always wanted when I was a kid (like a Matchbox garage).
10. I cannot garden to save my life. Plants run from me in fear.

The 11 Questions I Was Given

1. What is your favorite genre of music? Broadway. Definitely. Sirius XM on Broadway helps me get through the day.
2. What is your favorite book? I don’t really have just one. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre both about 8 times. Then again, I also love Where the Heart Is (I read it 4 times when I spent a month in Germany), and pretty much any mystery novel. So it changes day by day.
3. What is your motivation when you get into a blogging rut? I look outside. Los Angeles has so many things to do and being outdoors clears my head.
4. Does your family support your blogging? Yes. My husband doesn’t understand it, and my daughter’s too young, but everyone has been very proud of me for writing.
5. What do you hate about blogging? Social media promotion. It’s exhausting.
6. What is your favorite outdoor activity and why? I used to love horseback riding, but now I only get the rare trail ride. We hike mostly. Easier for the 3-year-old.
7. Describe your perfect vacation. Hmm…I’d have my entire family with me: parents, sisters, brother, daughter, spouse. We would stay in a house somewhere near a beach or a mountain and play board games and watch movies.
8. What is your favorite memory from school? This is a tricky one. When we moved to Pennsylvania, my sister and I joined the school talent show. We sang “Moses Supposes” from Singin’ in the Rain and won. That’s the first thing I can recall right now.
9. What did you dream of becoming when you were a child? A large animal vet.
10. How do you drink your coffee? I am not a coffee drinker. I drink tea, black tea, no herbals. A speck of sugar.
11. What is your ultimate goal in life? No idea, I’m just taking it day by day.

Nominated Blogs: The Fun Part–I came up with 10

• Dad’s Vacation Guide: He has great tips, especially for families with young kids and Disney-lovers.
• A Wanderful Life: A fellow Angeleno! She has the most beautiful photos.
• Cassie the Mom: A great “mom blog.” She is another super-crafty woman, and I wish I could be like her.
• Still Orphans: A wonderful blog dedicated to foster parents, education, and more. Inspiring.
• Imps and Ramblers: A travel blog with a wry humor. I love it.
• Traveling Jess: A blog for moms who travel, per her slogan. She has great ideas about Central America and Costa Rica (I’ve always wanted to go).
• Gritty Momma: I agree with her. “With enough grit, you can make something beautiful.”
• Intentional Traveler: Great trip ideas.
• Do You Salut? I love her posts on travel and also her Instagram account.
• Tadpoles and Mud Puddles: Besides the awesome name, this is really a wonderful blog.

Questions for You, New Nominees!

1. What’s one thing you didn’t know about blogging that surprised you?
2. What is your least favorite thing about blogging?
3. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
4. What is your “last meal” meal, i.e. what would you eat if you knew it would be your last meal?
5. Plane, train, or automobile?
6. What’s your favorite “cocktail party” story?
7. Tell me a joke (PG, please, there are little ears around).
8. What was your worst vacation and why?
9. Let’s say you could travel with your favorite Disney character. Who would you travel with and why?
10. If you could invent one tool to make your life easier, what would it be?
11. What is your favorite kind of candy?

Final Thoughts

Well, I think that’s enough for me. That was enough of an opus for one 6-month blogiversary. I’m going to kick back, relax, and maybe finally finish season 1 of Stranger Things. Yup, still haven’t made it past episode 2. I’ll get there…

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