Thursday ~ Awards + a Very Long Post

{because any post is better with a picture of brownies!}

 Well, well, well! Let's roll out the red carpet, folks! My growing-ever-dearer friend Kiki over at Paint Chip Madness has nominated me (yes, me!!) for a very special award and I'm here in all my fancy duds to accept it! Well...I suppose we'll just have to imagine the fancy duds...and the red carpet. And while we're imagining, I might even trip on the stairs if there was a chance that a tall, handsome man might rush to help me up.Wait, did I just say that out loud? *wink*

So, what I do is 1) list 11 random facts about me 2) answer the questions that Kiki posed for me to answer, 3) nominate a few of my own friends to receive the award and 4) ask 11 questions for them to answer.

Sounds pretty painless. And fun. 

1) when I was little, I decided that I wanted a candy wrapper collection. I think I collected two Jolly Rancher wrappers and then called it quits. It was almost a good idea....sort of.

2) I really like fire fighters. Not like "oh.my.word! look how strong and buff they are" liking of fire fighters, but like, I really, really admire, respect and appreciate everything that they do. Because they do a lot. And they see a lot. And they brave a lot for us. Running into burning buildings and prying shattered people (including little children) out of mutilated cars goes beyond my comprehension. And they have to live with those memories every day. And they get very little thanks for everything they do. So, thank a fire fighter today! Really.

And on a totally unrelated topic...if you know any single, godly fire-fighters around my age, put in a good word for me. *wink & a grin*

3) I almost never, ever, ever wear hats. This post chronicles basically the only time I've worn a hat in a very, very long time. My head and hats just don't really get along very well.

4) I didn't get my driver's license until I was eighteen and I took my test in our 12 passenger van. Boo-yah.

5) I have flown on an airplane over 30 times.

6) I play the guitar.

7) I can read a 400+ page book in a day. Need I say I'm a fast reader??

8) My secret ambition is to be a dancer. Of the good variety. ;)

9) I truly, madly, deeply love...teriyaki.

10) I'm addicted to white noise at night. Must have my fan on at all costs!

11) I have a thing for having my feet up - either crossing my legs, up on a coffee table, curled up under me, or even propped up on the dash board. People laugh at me for sitting cross-legged in my office chair or with my knee up under my chin. :)

1. What's your favorite Bible verse?

    That would be Psalms 16:11 - "He will show you the path of life; in His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forever." It's my life verse, specifically to learn to so dwell in His presence that all joy fills my life.

2. Who's your celebrity crush or best friend wannabe?
    I don't really have a celebrity crush. There are some guys I think are extremely attractive (not mentioning any names, but Chris Hemsworth and James McCavoy, I'm looking right at you), but I'm too much of a realist to actually dream anything out of it.

3. What's your dream vacation?
   Somewhere warm, but not hot, on a beach somewhere with palm trees, soft breezes and nobody else there. Well, I'd let one person join but we haven't met yet. ;)

4. What do you want to be when you grow up? This can include your current or dream job!
    I'd like to be a wife. I think I could make a pretty darn good wife. Mother, on the other hand? Not so sure I'd ever do well with that one. But my "realistic" dream job would be history teacher to a roomful of kids who'd actually like to learn. And then my dream-dream job? Pretty much I'd love to be a hostage negotiator.

5. How did you discover blogging?
   Once upon a time, in a far away land....there was a thing called xanga. *grin* Yes, I was a hard-core xangan for awhile back when that first came into popularity. That's how I got into what the concept of "blogging" was. I stepped back into blogging (with Blogger, this time) almost four years ago when I needed some place to dump all my emotions and questions about my life during a particularly rough patch of life. But I didn't tell anybody about it. I didn't begin seriously blogging until maybe two years ago, and by then, I was familiar with the blog scene.

6. What was the best or worst gift you've ever received?
    Worse: When I was about fifteen years old, my grandmother gave me a teddy bear for Christmas. It was so sweet of her and the teddy WAS very cute and cuddly, but at fifteen, I'd long been past teddy bears. I think it was about that time, though, that she did finally stop buying me yearly subscriptions to Highlights magazine. :)

7. What's your favorite TV show or movie?
   Loaded question! Favorite tv show right now is BBC's Merlin (haven't seen the last season yet!) and then after that I'd have to say Once Upon a Time.

8. Who are your daily blog reads?
    The ten or so people in my subscriptions list! If those people post everyday, then they're my daily read. :)

9. Do you have a nickname? If so, what is it?
   Do *I* have a nickname?? Wow...is there anything that I haven't been called? My repertoire consists of such lovelies as: Kell-Bell, Kellie Smellie, Kelloidal, Kellonial, Ki-ki-ko-Kellie, Keek, Leeanne, Killer Whale....okay, I'll stop there. 

10. What are your favorite and least favorite foods?
    Favorite food/s: pizza and ice cream. Least favorite food/s: onions, carrots and seafood.

11.What's the most played song on your iPod?
   I have to admit it to being A Thousand Years either by Christina Perri or Glee Cast. Or Piano Guys rendition. Yes...I have three different versions of it!

1) Can you do a cartwheel?
2) If you had to be a movie character at a costume party, who would you pick to dress as?
3) Would you rather go up in a hot air balloon or go kite surfing?
4) What was the FIRST and the last movie you've seen in theaters? What do you plan on seeing next?
5) Is there any color you won't wear?
6) If you were getting married right now, what song would you pick as your bridal recessional? Fun and petty? Meaningful and spiritual? Classical or pop? Live or canned?
7) What drink do you drink the most?
8) Do you wear sunglasses? If so, how many pairs do you own?
9) Would you rather run one mile or walk three?
10) Do you prefer the singing of Frank Sinatra or Fred Astaire?
11) Suppose you're a phenomenal singer and dancer - if you were to be in a musical, which musical would you want to be in and what character would you like to play?

 Now, I realize that not everybody likes to fill out these things on their blogs, so please do not feel any obligation to participate if I nominate you! Just know that I put your name down because I appreciate you, your blog and our bloggy friendship! Also - if I didn't nominate you but you're like, "Oh, I wish I could answer her questions!" - then please do! Just answer any of these questions down in my comment section. I'd LOVE to make this a big random facts/questions & answers post for anybody who wants to comment or participate!

*drum roll*

Micah, Meghan, Rissi, Kara, Elizabeth Mayberry, KatySue

& Brea (even though your blog is private, I still pick you because you're just amazing that way!)