Tiny Dancers wins Liebster Blog Award!

I took a long hiatus from blogging in the midst of a tough year. I needed a good reason to come back and what do you know? I won an award!

My friend Keesha, author of the hilarious Mom's New Stage, nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. Keesha is a fellow mommy and fellow dance teacher who is really dedicated to blogging. I am grateful to her for encouraging me to keep it up. Here's more about the Liebster Award:

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have 200 followers or less. That's me, alright. I have 3 followers: my mom, Lala, my aunt Susie Christmas, and my cousin Sonja. The word Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. 

Here are the Rules:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves.

2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you tagged.

3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.*     

4. Tell them you've tagged them.

5. Remember, no tag backs.

11 random facts about me:

1.   I am currently on day 17 of a 40 class yoga challenge.

2.    I grew up in Upstate NY. Utica is my hometown. You should visit Utica and get yourself some tomato pie

3.   I am the parent of a special needs child. My son has autism spectrum disorder, the discovery of which, was a major force in deciding to commit to blogging.

4.    I suffer from horrible, debilitating cluster headaches. I have been getting clusters since I was 17 and they do not suck any less. Basically a cluster is a series of migraines (mine come complete with vomiting, not sleeping and horrible pain above my left eye) that happen over a period of time. Mine happen every 1.5-2 years for about 6 weeks. I am on a journey through exercise and chiropractics to get to the bottom of them.

5.   I toured to Brazil with a modern dance company in 2000. It was amazing to travel to another part of the world to dance. Drinking out of a coconut and hearing live bossa nova was not bad either.

6.    My dad is a retired minister of the Lutheran variety. I like that I grew up as a “PK” and I wrote a lot of funny performance pieces about it. If you spent anytime at Links Hall in the late 90s, you might have seen one.

7.  I have a subscription to Bon Appettit and I read it cover to cover when it comes in the mail. I actually make recipes from it. Roasted Chicken with panko crust is my go to Monday night dinner.

8.   My husband is from Nashville, Tennessee and loves country music. He looks adorable in a cowboy shirt with pearl buttons. Our wedding song is “Take Me,” by George Jones and Tammy Wynette. I can’t believe you have never heard it.

9.   I got to meet one of my writer heroes, David Sedaris, in person at a bookstore reading in 2000. He signed my book, “To MK, a working prostitute in Chicago.” It’s not accurate, but I don’t care.

110.My favorite movie is the rockumentary This is Spinal Tap.

111.  can sing/rap along to Young MC’s “Bust a Move.” I know every single word cuz I bought the cassette single when it first appeared in the local record store. Yes. I said “cassette single” and “record store.”

1.  What's your favorite vacation you have taken? To the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY with my family. Gorgeous green mountains, cold sparkly lakes, stores filled with antiques and raccoon t-shirts and maple syrup.

2.  Name a historical figure you'd like to be able to interview. I would like to interview Martha Graham. I imagine she would be very entertaining and gossipy and show me her personal vault of stretchy suits.

3.  What is your favorite holiday? Mother’s Day

4.  Store where you'd bankrupt yourself if there were no consequences? Athleta—I wear yoga pants for my job and I would like them to come decorated with pockets and classy embroidery.

5.  Favorite room in your home? My bedroom because I have a big cozy bed that can accommodate snuggly, sleeping children.

6.  How do high heels make you feel? High heels make me feel more slender. After about an hour, they make me long for orthopedic Swedish sandals.

7.  Most overrated celebrity? Snooki

8.  Favorite 80s song?

Everybody’s Workin for the Weekend, by Loverboy

9.  Thing you would do monthly if time/money allowed? Buy super chic, orthopedic Swedish sandals. And go out to dinner with my husband, sans kids. Superdawg does not count.

10.  Your go-to drink? (If you're wondering about alcoholic or not, your call...) Iced tea, black, unsweetened, with lemon. Everyday. Sometimes twice.

11.  Your current favorite TV show? True Blood. A cashier at Whole Foods asked me if I liked Bill or Eric better and my answer is Terry the war vet. He’s my favorite.

Excellent blogs that you should visit right now:

1. SoMi Speaks

2.  Weaver Girl Guz
3.  Pop Culture Casualty




*Um, yeah. I am supposed to tag eleven blogs and I didn't. I clearly need to become a more worldly, social blogger. Working on that. Luckily, I have friends like Keesha to show me how it's done.


My questions: 

1.      What is the last good book you read?

2.      If you could learn to cook one thing, what would it be?

3.      Please describe any exciting travel plans in your future.

4.      Where would you most like to travel to?

5.      What important items are you out of in your house right now?

6.      Name three songs on your exercise/clean the house playlist?

7.      What is your favorite form of internet procrastination?

8.      What other writing project would you like to tackle beyond (or within) your blog? A novel? Memoir?

9.      What is your idea of happiness?

10.  If you could have any job, what would it be?

11.  What would you do if you had the house to yourself tonight?