Mancktastic’s first blog award! I feel like I’m back in the high school days of LiveJournal and Xanga again 🙂 I was nominated by the very funny and culinarily cool Warm Toasty Muffins. I love her wry and clever writing style on the blog plus, of course, her delicious recipes!
Now, this award comes with a price, you are required to list the entire alphabet with facts about yourself. Once you are finally done, you must end the madness by providing the reader with some fabulous blogs to read.
A is for Amelia. I was named after my great-aunt Emily, but after I was born my parents found out Emily was just her nickname! Her given name was Amelia, a name I’ve always loved. While I love being an Emily, I think Amelia is a really great name I’d love to bestow upon a pet or child someday : )
B is for Bill and Bueller. My husband, Bill, and our dog, Bueller, are just the best!
C is for cumin. As in cumin sensitivity, the very stupidest food issue ever of which I am an unfortunate sufferer. I love how cumin tastes, but boy oh boy does it hate my digestive tract.
D is for dance. From a wee one of just 2, all the way through college, I was always in some sort of dance. You’d think all of this training would’ve imparted me with some sort of grace, but you would be wrong 😉
E is for escalators. I’m slightly frightened of elevators, but I just love a good escalator! When I was little, I’d ride the one in our Sears over and over again while Mom paid bills and such.
F is for Fall. While we don’t really get seasons in Houston, I love Fall in Springfield, MO (where I went to college). We had the most beautiful leaves changing, plus the crisp temperatures and sweater season. What’s not to love!
G is for Gilmer. My hometown is small, quirky, and somewhere I never really want to live again, but it was a great hometown to grow up in.
H is for hope. Since I’m generally an optimist, hope is always a big part of my life. No matter what negative things occur, there is always faith and hope.
I is for Instagram. Right now, I think Instagram is my favorite social media site! I love getting little glimpses into folks’ lives and sharing bits of my own, especially when it’s motivating like being a Sharp Dressed Lady!
J is for junior varsity. While I’m very close to our older boys at school, there’s a special place in my heart for the younger boys we coach. I love the determination and growth inherent in JV teams.
K is for Kitchenaid. Just a few months after Bill and I started dating, his mom, Mercy, put a huge vote of confidence in our relationship by sending us her personal Kitchen-Aid mixer from New York since I love baking so much. I love my mixer and my mother-in-law!
L is for lacrosse. Through Bill I’ve gotten very involved with the lacrosse program at his school. I absolutely love it! Whether I’m cheering, ‘coaching’ or keeping the stats, I adore being part of this sport and its community.
M is for Manckwhite. For some reason, I just love my last name conglomeration! Sure, it’s not that way legally, but I love the solidification through name of Bill and I’s little family and all it entails.
N is for nibbles. The downfall of any baker or cook watching their figure is nibbles and tastes! I just can’t keep my fingers out of the bowl for taste tests, but nibbles are one of life’s little joys, don’t you think?
O is for octopi. They are delicious, but terrifying. The beaks, the suckers, the beady eyes. No, no, no. I don’t wanna see or think about ’em unless they are cooked (and all beaks are removed). Same goes for squid!
P is for Presbyterian. I was very blessed to grow up in a wonderful church community, from the local to the global scale. While I’m a little bit Catholic now, I’ll always be Presbyterian too, through the inquisitive, intellectual and loving nature I learned through the PC(USA).
Q is for quilt. I’ve only made one quilt in my life: a really janky t-shirt quilt that’s partially hand-sewn and crooked, but it encompasses many high school memories and I love it, even though Bueller gets peanut butter all over it constantly.
R is for reading. Most of my time, total, is spent reading in some fashion. Blogs, news, tutorials, and books fill in all of my free time! I have my wonderful librarian mother to thank for genetically implanting, then nurturing and feeding this habit : )
S is for Stanley. I really didn’t want to drive growing up for whatever reason, and I didn’t until Dad promised to teach me in our F-150. I’ve grown very attached to that truck, who I named Stanley. At this point, Stanley has his own personality and everyone in our family refers to him by name.
T is for theatre (and how I miss it). Starting in Junior High, I was involved in theatre on all sorts of levels. I was the lead in a musical in HS (why did they do that? I am so tone-deaf) and worked crew on almost every show. In college, theatre was basically my life; it provided friends, scholarships, and lots of creative work to do.
U is for upkeep. Whether it’s being a Sharp-Dressed Lady or striving for exercise consistency, I think 2013 is the year I’m focusing more on the upkeep of myself. Maybe I’m maturing or something…
V is for volunteer. Since I love being part of a community, volunteering is a great way for me to feel fulfilled and involved. I help out at Bill’s school any way I can, obviously, plus I am the volunteer graphic designer for the GiggleIT Project through the International Association of School Librarianship!
W is for watermelon. Much like Melisa, I cannot stand watermelon. I’m not sure if it’s a taste or texture thing, but it’s just so, so gross. I tend to be the sole abstainer at picnics and barbecues.
X is for xtra-pale. Sure, that might be a letter copout, but I’m definitely extra-pale. Just look at what the sun did to me! Don’t worry, I’m well stocked in sunscreen and sun hats, plus Bill’s summer lacrosse league is indoor 😉
Y is for yelling. They’ve got me on stat-keeping duty at games now, but I am a champion yeller. I’ve always had poor vocal volume control, but in combination with my theatre background, this leads to my echoing off the other bleachers…
Z is for zzzzz. Couldn’t we all use more sleep?
And now for some recommended blogs I’m nominating for this award! Each of these blogs has great writing and personality plus, of course, awesome recipes!
Mancktastic! 