Liebster Award 2.0

Usually, the best surprises in life don't get repeated. Or, if they are, at least the person isn't surprised by them anymore. Luckily for me, I was nominated for the Liebster Award not once, but twice! And, as per typical, I was just as gobsmacked and excited the second time!

The rules of the Liebster Award are mostly the same. I give 11 facts about myself, answer 11 questions and then give 11 more questions to 11 nominees (preferably with less than 200 followers) to answer.

While Amber from Exercise and Eats nominated me the first time, We Laugh Anyway pulled me back into the questionnaire business a few weeks ago with more general questions. So, without further stalling, prepare to dive into the mind of Casey!

11 Facts

1. I've always wanted to have red hair and/or different colored eyes.
2. I can juggle a soccer ball into a basketball hoop. My record is 40 baskets in 30 minutes.
3. I could eat salmon and banana ice cream every day for the rest of my life.
4. I don't have a favorite season. I always say fall, but then I get too cold.
5. I hate perfume. It gives me a headache.
6. I have one younger sister, but always wanted an older brother too.

Hannah and I!

7. I'm addicted to Netflix.
8. I'm the first girl born in my extended family.
9. I have a miniature poodle named Sammi.
10. If I could, I would live in exercise clothes.
11. I'm usually quite shy until you get to know me - then the weirdness comes out!

My Answers

1. What's your favorite thing to do in a new city?

Walk around and explore the neighborhood. Usually, I have no idea where I'm going, but as long as I know how to get back to my (new) home, I'm up for an adventure! My favorite random walk was in North Carolina when my sister and I explored the abandoned beach behind our new house. We could walk for miles without running into anyone else, and find dozens of shark teeth littered on the shore! Talk about paradise!

Throwback to North Carolina!

2. What is the first thing you do when you get home from work?

I don't work, but when I get home (to my dorm) from college classes, I always take a moment to sit at my computer, check my blog feed and the news, and relax. Reading about the happenings of the rest of the world always gives me a moment of escape from my own obligations or worries. Not to mention that discovering a new recipe for gluten free apple bread pudding can brighten any one's day!

3. If you are reading the blog of someone you think you could be friends with, do you tell them?

I like to start out slow and first just write more comments on their blog posts. I'm not schooled in blogger etiquette, but I don't want to earn a stalker reputation for coming on too strong! Also, I like a friendship (even an online one!) to develop naturally. I'd rather become friends with someone through months of online conversations than by sending them a random email saying, "We should be friends!" If someone sent me one of those, though, I probably wouldn't say no!

4. What has been your biggest blogging headache?

My biggest headache is definitely balancing the need to keep my blogging honest and real, and the pressure to post on a regular schedule. Some of my favorite posts - like when I admitted my struggled with self-love, my journey with food, and my stay at the hospital - emerged organically from my personal experiences. I didn't think of those posts by asking, "What can I write about today?" I wrote them because circumstances in my life created a need to share - and therefore aid - my struggle.

I write out my feelings...

At the same time, though, I also want to keep my blog current for my readers. From everything I've read about running a successful blog, posting on a continual schedule is imperative. What works for everyone may not work for me, though, and I'm starting to realize that this rule may include a posting schedule. For now, I'm posting whenever my fingers feel the need to write, and I hope that will be enough!

5. What's your favorite Wes Anderson movie?

Umm…I don't know who Wes Anderson is. Awkward.

6. What's your favorite adjective to describe food?

Gooey. That word doesn't imply much maturity to my taste buds, but my favorite recipes can always be described using it! Pizza, brownies, overnight oats…yep, gooey it is!

Umm, YUM!!

7. When was the last time you laughed until you cried and why?

Yesterday, after I stepped on my bathroom scale. As I've shared, this past month - with the wisdom teeth removal, the infection and an allergic reaction to my meds - has not been an easy one. And, just as it has trashed my mouth, it has trashed my weight. When I left school in May, I was teetering around 88 lbs and was looking forward to passing the 90 mark like a boss! And then life knocked on the door.

These last few days, I've been eating like a horse and lowering my exercise, but the scale still pointed at 83. I laughed out of disbelief at first, then at the absurdity that while some people gain weight looking at cake, I lose it when eating apple pie for breakfast! And then I cried. Because I was frustrated, confused, pissed off and uncertain that this battle with the scale will ever end.

After a few minutes, though, I popped the pity-party-balloons and started cooking dinner with Mom. For the first time, we tried a turkey taquitos recipe from Sugar Free Mom. And when I tasted our finished product forty-five minutes later, I nearly cried again because it was just that good! (Nice and gooey, even!)

8. How and when did you meet your best friend?

I've had a lot of "friends" through the years, but I didn't really know the definition of a best friend until I met Kendall during my freshman year at Point Loma Nazarene University. We met first through yoga class, which I attended and she taught. Our friendship really blasted off, though, when she started receiving special meals from the cafeteria because of food allergies. Since we both waited in the cafeteria corner for the chefs to bring out our meals every lunch and dinner, we naturally started talking. And, even though she has (sadly!) graduated and moved back to Arizona, I'm excited to say that I doubt the talking will ever stop!

Besties!

9. Name the very first blog you followed.

The first blog I followed was probably College Student with Celiac. I was diagnosed with celiac disease the week of my Senior Prom in high school, so worries about how to deal with my new diet in college definitely dominated my mind. A few Internet searches later, I discovered Chynna's blog and instantly fell in love!

10. Name the title of the last book you read and one sentence to describe it.

If You Were Here by Alafair Burke. It was intense, complicated and satisfying.

11. Ryan Gosling?

I like him when he's featured in a gluten free meme!

I mean, can you really argue against that?

My Nominees
(And I kinda bent the rules and just nominated whoever because I'm awful at determining follower number!)

Cotter Crunch - Strength and Sunshine - Celiac Teen Dad - Freckled Nettles - Powercakes - The Almond Eater - The Curse of Gluten - The Little Honey Bee - Better with Sprinkles - Eating Out Without - Know Gluten

My Questions

1. If you could change one thing about your blog, what would it be?
2. What is your favorite pick-me-up song?

3. What time of day do you like to write your blog posts?

4. If you had to live off of three foods forever, what would they be? 

5. Name two pet peeves. 

6. What is your favorite blogging moment (a reader comment, Twitter retweet, etc) so far?
7. What is one lesson blogging has taught you?
8. If you had to live in another country, where would it be?
9. Name two businesses (restaurants, stores, etc) you can't live without.
10. What are you usually doing at 10 am on a Saturday?

11. How has blogging changed your everyday life?

I hope my nominees will take part in the fun surprise that is the Liebster Award, but if not, no worries! I've been fortunate enough to be involved two times and while the nominations surprised me, the amount of fun I had participating did not!


*This post is also found at Runningwithspoon's link party!*

What are some fun facts about you? Did anything I said surprise you? Comment below!