The Liebster Sunshine Award

I must be living under a rock because I did not know that there were two awards doing the rounds in blogging circles. I’m actually embarrassed by this fact. The Libster Award and the Sunshine Award are the two awards I am referring to. These have been combined by the last nominee and now we have the Liebster Sunshine Award.

Blogging awards like this are nominations from other bloggers who think that there is something special about your blog. It’s a real compliment. In turn I then nominate some bloggers who I think are great.

In this post you’ll learn some new things about me as I have to answer 11 questions and you’ll also find some links to bloggers I love, including the incredible Elizabeth Brico who nominated me.

Thank you for the Nomination, Elizabeth

I would have continued in blissful ignorance had my dear blogging friend Elizabeth Brico not been nominated for both. These were well deserved nominations. Elizabeth deserves every nomination she receives and award she wins. She is brave, courageous and every week puts her past hurt out in the world to help others deal with their trauma and pain.

Elizabeth suffered awful personal pain and trauma as a result of a relationship. This caused her to suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Through her blog, Betty’s Battleground, she helps others face PTSD and mental illness. Not only are her writings raw and true but she is a brilliant writer. I would encourage you to head over and check out some of her posts. You can find Elizabeth over at Betty’s Battleground.

I’m so grateful that she has allowed me to share two of her articles on my site. Thank you Elizabeth for teaching me about PTSD and helping me understand the reality of it.

The Liebster Sunshine Award Rules

What sets these awards apart from one another is that the nominating blogger gets to craft their own set of 11 questions to ask their nominees.

Once you’ve acknowledge/linkback the blogger who nominated you and answered the questions posed to you, you can create your own and nominate bloggers that you enjoy following. Oh and don’t forget you have to display the badge. There are a couple of badges doing the rounds because of the two awards existing separately and now being conjoined to become the Liebster Sunshine Award. Elizabeth also gave it the name LiebShine Blaargh Award. She is a little crazy like that, in a good way!

The Liebster Sunshine Questions

Now I get to answer the questions that Elizabeth posed to me.

1. How did the prestigious Liebshine Blaargh Award get separated into two distinct awards-the Sunshine Award and the Liebster Award?

Maybe someone decided to call it by their own name.

I wonder if a blogger could do that to another blogger.

We all work so hard on trying to get through the demands that being a blogger places on us that we get it that other people are there too. Other people are trying as hard as they can and working their butt off to make their blog great.

2. What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome in this life of yours?

There are so many obstacles that you face daily that you think are normal but then when you look back you realise how difficult they actually were to overcome.

For me, the hardest thing I have had to do was deal with a scar ectopic. Very depressing. So much so I am yet to write about it because I can’t delve into it too much. A scar ectopic is where a foetus develops in your c-section scar. The foetus developed in my muscle scar and so it had to be ended and I had to undergo chemotherapy. The whole experience was awful and no one really knew what to do or how to treat it. It was physically and emotionally traumatic but all in all, I am alive and gratefully so.

3. What do you still struggle with?

We immigrated to Australia from South Africa 2 years ago and we are still finding our feet completely and learning to raise our kids without any support or family.

4. How have your blogging goals changed or adapted since you first started blogging?

The purpose of the blog was to share information and to give other families ideas on what to do with the kids. In the back of my mind I thought maybe we would get to do some of our activities for free. Well this happened and a lot quicker than I thought it would, granted we’re not sponsored all that often.

My goals are completely different now. I want to use the blog as a platform to create awareness and appreciation. Yes, the main component is still to get families to see and experience Sydney but I want to there to be a clear thread of kindness and understanding that underpins everything.

I also want to work up to a point where I can have contributors that I can pay but that seems so far off. Almost impossible 🙂

5. What are your favorite methods of self-care or self-love?

There are a few things I love doing to hide out and relax, I love reading a book and taking a nap. If I could I think I would have pedicures all the time. It makes me feel so much better.

6. What’s your favorite inner or outer attribute?

My favourite inner attribute has to be that I am a giver not a taker. I always focus on how I can contribute and make a situation better.

Outer attributes… now you have me stumped. Post pregnancy I’m not a big fan of much but I don’t hate my feet 🙂

7. Favorite book?

I’m crazy about books so this is really hard to answer.

I think it would be “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” by John Le Carre.

8. Favorite vegetable? Include how you prepare it!

I love carrots. So strange. Just cut up in circles and cooked. I way prefer vegetables over fruit.

9. Tell me about a time you misjudged or misperceived a person, situation, or community, and what you learned from the experience?

When I started out blogging I was so sceptical of other bloggers, especially bloggers in my niche. I was so scared that there was a secret competition that I was participating in and losing.

I then applied to write for a fellow blogger and she came back to me and was so divine. She was lovely, engaging and helpful. She has since become almost a mentor to me and I feel so awful for assuming that everyone was going to be competitive or cold.

I’ve learnt that there is a community, a community made up of some really fantastic people. I’m really blown away by the relationships and friendships I have made within the blogging community.

10. What is a common misperception that you would like to dispel?

Mom bloggers aren’t boring know it alls trying to be funny. We are real people, with real life stories. We are writing and sharing our experiences in the hopes that someone else can benefit.

There may be quite a few out there but each one is unique in its approach and its reason for existence. For every type of parent there is a blog you would be able to identify with and in this crazy world of parenting the best feeling is knowing you are not alone.

11. What was your big dream when you were a kid?

When I was little I just wanted to stamp documents and I thought working in a bank would mean that I could fill in slips and stamp them. Shortly after that, still under 10 I decided I wanted to be a lawyer and now I am.

My Liebster Sunshine Award Nominees

Through the process of blogging I have discovered so many new friends and great people with such fantastic insights. Some of the blogs that I have come across are just fantastic and contribute so much to my life and my parenting.

I’m going to nominate the following blogs for the Liebster Sunshine Award because they people behind them are marvellous:

Blog of Dad

I recently came across Blog of Dad and I’m really in to it. I love getting to see more of Sydney though Blog of Dad and his images are just beautiful. I also eagerly anticipate his holidays so I can copy his ideas 🙂

By Breharne

I don’t know what I can say about Breharne that you can’t tell simply by reading one of her posts. She is beautiful and funny, genuine and completely honest. I love reading her posts and following all of her social media (borderline stalking) to see what she is up to.

Getting My Dad On

I love the way Chris writes. He’s so humble you’ve never know that he’s amazing.

Making Manzanita

This is one of my favourite DIY sites, the things that Chelsea makes are lovely lovely to look at.

Paul Jacobson

Paul has so much going on at his site, opinions cover a variety of topics but what I like most is his family. Paul and his equally cool wife are raising their kids really well.

Saharas Blog

Sahara’s Blog will get you thinking. Every reflective post has me lost in thought. I often find myself trying to find my own view point after every post.

SweetTeaBabyBrie

An American in France with the cutest little one. I love following her new adventures and discovering her “adopted home” with her.

The Light Breaks Through

I struggle with concepts like Grace and I love the way Rev. Keith makes me think through these things.

Tiny Fry

Samara has the best section on her site, which deals with parenting advice. It is really really a great place to read and read and read some more. The site on the whole is great though so definitely have a work through it!

Each of you are really great bloggers that I love hearing from and I love following your posts.

My 11 Liebster Sunshine Award Questions

1. What made you start your blog?

2. What is your favourite meal to make?

3. If you had to say one thing to your parents what would it be?

4. Where is your favourite place to write?

5. Post your favourite picture of yourself. We all post so many pictures of everything around us but not ourselves I would love to see everyone.

6. What is life’s hardest lesson?

7. Sum up your core values in three sentences.

8. What is the one product or experience you would love to receive for free.

9. If you had to give a potential blogger one tip and one great resource what would those be?

10. What do you love about your blog?

11. Which is your favourite City in the world and why?

Thank you

Thank you for reading this far and getting to know me. The blog is a reflection of me and this crazy life I lead with my family. While not everything is directly about me, you will see that who I am flows through every post.

Reading the posts and engaging with me is such a huge support and pushes me to continue writing and sharing with you.

Thank you again to the wonderful Elizabeth who challenges me to face the things I don’t want to talk about. You really are inspirational.