And I Nominate....

It's been an interesting week or so for Time with A & N. I had three big posts last week that hit its first 100 pageviews in record time. It's normal for my popular posts to hit triple digit page views, but for my little blog to hit 100 as quick as they did and to have three hit like that in one week is honestly not the norm around here. I was also selected as the feature of the week for the fifth or sixth time. I think I've been selected by one twice, and I was nominated for two blog awards this week. As I said on my facebook page last night, "I do this whole blogging thing with really no clear purpose in mind but as someone who didn't share anything she wrote for years for fear of ridicule and judgment, it never ceases to amaze me when someone tells me how my writing inspired or helped them in some way. I have faced some behind the back ridicule but it was totally worth it for all the positives I've gained from it." And I got my first royalty check to make my first PACI Fund Project donation from my Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas book sales this week to the I ROK Foundation for childhood cancer.

I think some completely misunderstand my intentions. This is about connecting with people. I've read two other great blog posts the other day written by bloggers and now I wish I could go back and find them to share them with you. One was by The Deliberate Mom , who is also one of my very inspiring blogger nominations, in which she talked about how blogging is a journey that allows us to connect and impact one another. It's not about how many readers we have but connecting with the ones we do have. Even if we form just a deep connection with a few it truly is worth more than having a thousand we have no connection to.


Carly at the Blossoming Bump left me a message saying, "Hello there! I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I so enjoy your site... I really feel like I've found some tips from here that have made new mom life that little but more manageable and humorous, not to mention some insights that have given me pause for thought, so thank you for sharing those with your readers! :)  I can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring in content @ Time with A & N!   " and nominated me for this blogging award. To accept I have to answer her eleven questions below and then nominate ten more blogs.

1. What’s the inspiration behind the title of your blog?
I am actually in the process of reconsidering the name of my blog. When I  started this I pretty much had no clue what I was doing or purpose in mind. I've always loved to write but my handwriting sucks so I figured this would be a good way to make my writing legible so I moved from notebooks to online. Time with A & N actually was named by a friend that told me she was in need of some A & N time when she was wanting to spend time with my daughters. My husband and I are also A & N so Time with A & N covers all four of us. However, as I said I think I will be changing my blog name in the next few months.

2. What did you hope to be when you grew up?
I am doing everything I wanted to do. Some may not think it's very exciting, but all I ever wanted was marriage and a family, I wanted my own house, I wanted to travel, I wanted to teach, and I wanted to write. I have all of that. Sure, I would always love to travel more and hopefully over time I'll see all the things on mine and my husband's list. But in the first grade I wrote in my school journal that I wanted four kids and no husband (the teacher kind of giggled and told me having all that with no husband might be kind of hard) but back then I thought boys had cooties or something. Teacher was the only occupation I ever envisioned myself in. As for writing sure I sometimes imagined that for myself, but I was very realistic even as a child so for me I never saw that as a career option anymore than being a singer or actress. My mom did try to persuade me to look into journalism for a bit, and if there is anything I would change it would be taking journalism classes throughout high school and looking more into that when I got into college. I am content with my little space in the online writing community, and now I do have a book I sell a few copies from here and there so I've even make a little extra monthly money from it.

3. What kind of animal best represents you/your family?


4. Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog for several reasons. Two of my coworking friends were having their first babies as I was having my second and since I had always journaled in notebooks my whole life I just figured I'd switch to an online journal. Plus I have family that lives far away so figured it'd be a great way for them to keep up with our lives. However, as time went on I started writing more and more as I found it therapeutic.

5. Name one item near the top of your bucket list.
Travel, travel, travel. I would like to visit every National Park and all 50 states and more of Canada. Then I'd like to visit Italy and Greece, Africa, and Australia sometime and maybe even the Middle East.

6. Describe your ideal summer evening?
Sitting around the firepit with my husband, our girls, and friends.

7. Who inspires you the most, outside of your family?
Wow this is a hard one. There are so many. I know lots of people get critical of social media and how we get too hung up on it. How it's an illusion to the reality of the lives we live, but many of the people I follow share their struggles with their truimphs and so many of them inspire me with their stories. I want to write so many people's stories for them because I really think they have something to teach the world.

8. Finish this sentence: After a long day, it makes me happiest to…
Last night I laid on the couch with both of my girls while they watched a movie and I read a book. Just laying there together getting and giving "lovey" as my oldest calls it always makes my day feel complete.

9. If you could have any super hero power, what would it be? Why?



10. Why do you write about what you write about?
The question of whether we're living our lives or existing in them has plagued me for much longer than I've had this blog. Life in the end no matter how much time we truly get is too short, and I just want to inspire people to live their best life. Make every day count and be happy. I also want people to understand we're all going to do this differently. What my idea of living the best life and happiness is won't be the same as someone else's, and I want people to know that's okay.  


11. What is your favorite season and why?
I love the seasons. They all offer something great. Lately spring is maybe my favorite but I'm always ready for the next one either way.




Me and My Mini Me nominated for the "Very Inspiring Blogger" Award. In order to accept this one I have to share seven facts about myself. I'm a pretty open book on here. I've either already shared everything and what I haven't is buried way too deep in the closest to dig out on here (possibly ever).


1. My parents will love this one. I was conceived before my parents were married. They were engaged but just had to move up the wedding for little ole me.

2. My husband and I both had high school sweethearts that weren't each other. We were actually talking the other day how when our girls are old enough to start dating how we'd talk to them about this because we've seen too many of our little cousins and students think their life is over when high school love ends. My sister however is married to her high school sweetheart so I'm not saying that high school love is not the one. Just him and I had a cool conversation about it the other day we plan to share with the girls when they're older and ready to embark on their first love.

3. Nate and I want to get either a Great Dane or Mastiff. Know any good deals on one?

4. Nate and I both talk about going back to school to get our PhDs to teach at a university in our old age which in our plans would be our mid 40s to mid 50s for 10-15 years.  I would want to study and teach Family Studies and Human Development, in which case I could get from the University of Delaware.

5. Nate and I are going to be one of those old married motorcycle couples. (One of our retirement dreams :)  )

6. My kids end up in our bed by morning probably six out of seven nights.

7. I am currently obssessed with reading romance novels again. I'm pretty sure I've read over a dozen since the summer started. I probably haven't read this many books in one year since college.

 

 

Please check out these blogggers that I love to read. Bloggers, to accept the nomination you have to answer the eleven questions and link your post back to my blog. I can't wait to read your responses. The bloggers I nominate are...

 

The Deliberate Mom

 

 A Perfect Extra Chromosome

 

Crazy Little Lovebirds

 

A Day in the Life of Kat

 

A Brown Eyed Girl

 

The Noise of Boys

 

Home on Deranged

 

Dreams to Do

 

Create with Joy