Tag: The Natalie Diares

Favorite Things

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Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel!

I’m stopping there, despite the fact that (like Andy Bernard) I hate NOT to resolve the melody.

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Lately, I have stopped to take note of my favorite things that are not things.

Maybe it’s the start of a new year and I am feeling inspired, maybe it’s the fact that I just turned 30. Or maybe, just maybe, I have turned over a new leaf, and no longer care for Jo Malone products, vodka martinis and the splendor that is a new tube of lipstick.

or NOT.

More than likely, I have simply stopped for 5 seconds to stop and smell the damn roses. We are all well aware that I could never fully let go of my hearty, good ol’ American materialism.

So here they are. Favorite things that are not things.

  1. Taking off my bra and my socks

(I feel like this deserves a little explanation)

Even better than removing my unmentionables is my SOCKS. Oh yes. As many of you may or may not know, I suffer from a mild case of cankles (where the ankle and calf blend together). Coffee cans, Grecian columns, tree trunks. Unfortunately, they run in the family and no amount of calf raises remedies the thickness.

This time of year, I enjoy wearing boots and obviously I pair them with socks. Over the course of o day, the upper band of the sock slowly digs in to my leg, and due to my condition, becomes quite the annoyance. By 4:45 I am DYING to rip my boots off and peel the sausage casings garments from my ailing lower legs. I then begin the process of kneading the deep sock imprints from my skin, which, as it happens, is seriously the best feeling in the world.

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Socks on

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You can see the bow pattern…

2.  Finding one more string cheese in the bag when I thought they were all gone

3. Beating a level of Candy Crush that I have been on for almost 6 days running

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4. Realizing just how much I love my fiance, like everyday (I had to have a sappy one)

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5.  When it only takes one try to parallel park and people are watching so I feel like a badass

6. Giving awesome Christmas presents, like a Doug Baldwin jersey for sister Amy

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7.  Listening to Phone Taps and Second Date Updates on Movin 92.5 on my drive to work in the morning

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8. The feeling of the heating pad against my lower back (I am 84)

9. A good hair day

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Oooooh

10. Breaking Bad. I know this could be classified as a “thing” but I don’t care. I freaking love this show, b*itch!! <- True fans will understand that.

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All for now! BYE.

The Liebster Award

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Well color me purple, there’s a sofa in here for two I got nominated for a Liebster Award!

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What the heck is a Liebster Award, you may ask?

“The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.”

I was kindly nominated by the lovely and talented Paige! Merci beacoup 🙂

And the rules…

  • You must link the person who has nominated you.
  • You must share 11 random facts about yourself.
  • You must answer the 11 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee.
  • You must pick 11 bloggers under 200 followers to be nominated for the award.
  • You must come up with 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
  • You must go to their blogs and notify them that you nominated them!

Here are my 11 Random Facts. FEAST YOUR EYES!

  1. My elbows hyper-extend. I don’t think is terribly uncommon but it looks pretty gnarly because my arms are quite veiny and white.
  2. I used to play the clarinet in high school and was also in choir. I can still play a little and sing in the car on the daily.
  3. One of my biggest pet peeves are check-writers. You know the type. Lug out their GIANT wallet and painstakingly balance their checkbooks while standing in line. WHO balances their checkbook anymore?! Hat tip if you balance your checkbook NOT standing in line at the grocery store.
  4. I am a die hard Lord of the Rings fangirl and wore a shirt that says “FRODO LIVES” to the openings. Nerd Alert!
  5. The first makeup item I can remember buying (besides bubblegum Lip Smacker) was a pressed powder from Maybelline.
  6. I was 5’10” in 8th grade. Read: NOBODY asked me to dance.
  7. I am attracted to all things cotton candy, coconut and birthday cake scented.
  8. I am not a natural blonde. I KNOW. I know.
  9. The largest amount of money I have ever spent at once was paying off my student loans.
  10. I can walk very fast.  Like Michael Flately Lord of the Dance fast.
  11. When I was little, I was bow-legged, had a killa pot-belly and a MULLET.

Here are the 11 Questions that Paige asked:

1. Why did you start your blog?

I wanted to learn WordPress because of a job I was at. I was editing and moderating blogs all the live long day, so I figured I may as well learn this thing and get a little something out of it for myself . Originally, I wanted a way  to store all of my fiance and I’s stories and recipes while living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It has now become my sole creative outlet. I write what I want and basically…I love it.

2. What’s the one beauty thing you absolutely suck at or hate doing?

Oh law, I could name quite a few here. Blow drying my hair! I obviously don’t suck at this, but I just hate doing it. I usually overheat like a menopausal woman and end up with a mess of tangled hair. Second place would easily go to my arch nemesis: liquid eyeliner.

3. What is the one thing you have to have in your purse/handbag at all times?

For a little while I had a pair of disposable underwear in my purse from Victoria’s Secret. My sis gave it to me a while back with a look that said “You never know”. More seriously, I guess I always have to have anti-bacterial gel from BBW because again – you never know.

4. If you read fashion magazines, what’s your favorite & why?

VOGUE is always fun to read. Right now I am into Bridal Magazines because I am engaged! Gah!!

5. What’s your favorite animal & why?

Chihuahua. Don’t say you want to kick them. They are incredibly cute and funny-looking at the same time. They do really funny things and their BM’s are teensy. What’s not to love?

6. What’s your favorite hobby or pastime?

Reading! By far. I also enjoy hiking or walking…one can be the other, you know 🙂

7. If you had to read one book for the rest of your life what would it be & why?

Babysitter’s Club #7: Claudia and Mean Janine. Bahahahhaaaa. I kid. Probably Great Expectations or something classy like that.

8. Do you like YouTube beauty & fashion vloggers? If so who is your favorite & why?

I don’t just like them. I LOVE them. My favorite of all time is Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter. She is SO funny.

9. If you had to pick one person to be stuck with you on a desert island, who would you pick & why?

The fiance Bryan comes to mind first, because well, I love him so much. Secondly, Rainn Wilson. Or Dwight K. Shrute. Either/or. We would talk Battle Star Galactica  and solve math problems using our calculator watches.

10. Since it is almost Halloween, what’s your spookiest experience?

Spookiest? Well, a legit SCARY experience would have to be when someone broke into our house when I was in 5th grade. 3 cop cars came. It was maje.

What is one moment on your blog you are really proud of? It could be starting your blog or it could be that one photo in that one post…just one moment that made you said, “Damn self…you did good.”

I did the Slim Fast diet before our cruise in Mexico AND I posted a pic in my swim suit so I suppose I’m proud of that post. Please note: I am NOT a dieter. I eat carbs and drink beer. I just wanted to “tighten” a bit before a week in Mexico.  On the writing front,  I have yet to publish a post I have already written about being an “older” bride and once that goes live, I’ll be pretty darn proud of that one. It has been hard to write because I feel like to absolute last person on earth to get married. And no, I’m not being dramatic or unrealistic :).

sick of me yet?

11 blogs I Tag

Sorority Girl in the Real World

Coconut & Cotton

The Girl in the Little Black Dress

Pretty Wednesday

Patty’s Way

Arica’s Beauty Blog

Carrie Travel

A Duchess

Jax’s Mama

Anticipation

My Daily Toast

11 Questions For These Ladies

  1.  What is the one thing you never leave home without?
  2. Favorite holiday?
  3. What motivates you to blog?
  4. What would your last meal on earth be? (You can choose an entree, side, drink & dessert)
  5. What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?
  6. Would you rather have green teeth or no eyebrows or eyelashes? (you can’t whiten your teeth, pencil on eyebrows OR wear falsies. you just have to DEAL WITH who you are.)
  7. Most favorite breakfast cereal, or breakfast item?
  8. Lipgloss or lipstick? Why?
  9. Finish this sentence – On Saturday mornings you bet that I am…
  10. If you could have the body of any celebrity, who would you pick?
  11. What would you spend $100 on if you had to spend it in the next 30 minutes?

GO!