Nominated – Liebster Award 2017

SEO, affiliate links, backlinks, widgets, plugins.  Following me so far?!  Ha!  This whole blogging thing is a tad out of my comfort zone – I am a ‘commoner’ trying her darndest to learn a new language (blogging), a new way of thinking (techie), a new way of communicating (writing) that others are doing much more eloquently and seamlessly out here in the wide world of the web.  But man, I’m having fun!  So much so, that someone else noticed!

Vessy from Feel Good and Travel, a new blogger herself, sent me a message one day in November informing me that she nominated A Traveling Tribe for the oh so famous Liebster Award for New Bloggers!  Vessy shared with me that this nomination is a way for new bloggers to get some exposure and recognition for their work – and she chose A Traveling Tribe as one of her nominations!!!!  Another blogger nominated Vessy, who nominated me, who will nominate others…you get the idea.  The bloggin’ love just keeps getting spread…and now it’s my turn to return the favor to a few other newbies (see below)!  What a great honor to have received this nomination only 2-3 months after starting this blog.  Thanks for finding our tales, Vessy – I have truly enjoyed getting to ‘know’ you by reading yours!!! 

Seriously, check out Feel Good and Travel – Vessy is honest, raw, talented, and a very engaging writer who has traveled the world and loves sharing about all she has experienced!  

To learn more about the Liebster Award, check out their site and Official Rules at:

https://theglobalaussie.com/blog/liebster-award-2017/

With this being an official award, there are a few rules/steps I need to follow/complete and my nominees will do the same – check out the official rules here: The Global Aussie’s Official Rules for the Liebster Award…

 My Nomination Questions from Vessy –

Name the most beautiful beach you have ever visited. Why did you love it so much?

• Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia – the beach is literally white as snow, secluded and serene, and the water is every shade of teal, blue, and turquoise you can imagine!  Untouched beauty!  Unfortunately, I do not have any personal photos of this beach as I haven’t been there since 2001, long before a digital camera came into my possession!

What was the most memorable road trip you took, and why?

• Depends on how far back I can go for this question!  Probably my most epic road trip was during my sophomore year of college.  A friend asked if I would be up for an adventure for spring break.  I agreed without question.  (Seriously, I should have questioned!)  To make a very long story short, we ended up sleeping in a Bruderhof Community in Pennsylvania where we had agreed to spend three days serving and working and learning from their community.  After the first night, they thought we were lesbians – we slept in the same bed to stay warm as it was FREEZING and there were no heat sources other than each other!!!!!  They proceeded to try to “save” us through intense interrogation and judgment – not once stopping to actually listen and hear our story.  This was an incredibly important life experience for me as a young Christian, as it opened my eyes to the absolute importance to not pass judgment on others’ points of view.  We stayed to complete our assigned tasks that day but snuck away before we could be accused of anything else ‘sinful’.  We raced for the wild streets of NYC (a much safer place than the community we had just fled) where we met up with some college friends for a night, got lost on the bus, and slept on the floor of my friend’s Brooklyn apartment.  Everything else about the road trip was uneventful compared to how it began!

If you could go anywhere for a month, what would be your top choice, and why?

• Currently, it would be Germany.  Both my husband and I have deep German roots and we are both fascinated with our ancestry, our story.  Living in the same towns as our extended tribe once did, walking the same streets they walked, and uncovering a few family mysteries along the way sounds absolutely magical!

What do you feel is the most extreme thing you have ever done?

• By nature and definition, I am not very extreme.  However, my husband and I took a trip to Aruba with some friends 9 years ago and while there we chose to head to a water park – not very extreme, except that the place was not well maintained, it had water slides that never would fly in the States, and was simply a frightening place.  Most people would have walked up, taken one look, and ran the other way.  Instead, we all ran for the scariest looking ride – I am not sure I can even describe it!  The 6 of us hopped on the round tube, the attendant gave a huge shove and off we went, flying to our (almost) death.  There were NO sides, not a single one – it was in the shape of a huge funnel-like bowl. Technically, the tube should go around in circles and slowly get closer and closer to the center where you basically fell to the ground.  Well, our tube had a mind of its own and decided to head straight for the edge of the slide that had NO BARRIER.  We were screaming for our lives.  Luckily our lives were somehow spared!  We chose to ride that one only once!  NOTE:  Said water park is NO LONGER IN BUSINESS.  (I wonder why?!)

What in your opinion is the most beautiful thing in nature you have seen (a waterfall, a mountain…)? Why did you love it?

• There are too many things to list or describe that cause my heart to leap or my soul to soar or my mouth to drop in awe.  I can find beauty in the smallest of wonders and the largest of sights – nature is the place I feel closest to our Creator and where I feel most alive.  It’s all beautiful!

Out of all the countries, you have visited, which one did you like the most?

• Another tough one!  Australia probably is my #1.  There is such diversity in the flora and fauna, such beauty in the landscapes, such kindness in the people, and so many adventures to cross off my endless list of ‘must see’!  Plus my hubby is an Aussie and my kids are now too!

  

Would you rather explore the deep ocean or outer space?

• Outer space, without a doubt.  I have a fascination with the stars, space, planets, and the unknown and have since I was 12!

When you decide to take a trip to an unfamiliar place, do you plan out your itinerary in detail, or do you play it by ear? 

• I plan it out in GREAT detail, but then allow the trip to unfold as it needs to once we actually begin our travels.  I control it all at first and then attempt to breathe deeply!

Is there a movie or series that you have seen that features a place you would LOVE to visit but haven’t yet?

• Hmmm…nothing is coming to mind at the moment, but I am sure there are many!  I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of exploring our great world!

When you go to a foreign country, do you like to try as many of the local dishes as possible, or do you stick to more familiar foods?

• Try as many new dishes as possible!  Food is one of the best ways to truly connect with people and their culture.

How much time per week on average would you say you spend on your blog?

• Not enough!  Being a mama to four, attempting to school at home this year, etc, I do not have as much time as I had hoped for blogging.  I probably am clocking only about 6 hours a week, which isn’t getting me very far.  My goal was three posts a week…I am barely posting one!  

My Favorite Blog –

Mackinaw Road – Marta has an absolute eye for creative design and simple luxury.  She incorporates both into her blog, mackinawroad.com while adding her sweet sense of humor and kind-hearted voice into each post.  Not only does she share posts about her family’s journeys across the USA and around the world, but she also provides practical tips, special travel-related finds, and unique travel-inspired home decor ideas along the way!  She resides in Michigan, my home state, so I am kinda biased that her blog is one of the best around!  Marta has a deep love for island travel and collaborative work on her blog.  Be sure to check out her series on island travel where she has guest bloggers share about their adventures!  Hearing about her journey of becoming a blogger was the inspiration I needed to begin A Traveling Tribe!  Thanks, Marta!  Keep the posts a coming!

10 Random Facts About ME –

1. My husband and I met over a Michael W. Smith song (can’t remember which one now) back in 2001 at Central Queensland University, where I was studying abroad.  He was blaring it out of his dorm room and I was absent-mindedly singing along! “Oi!” Was the first word he spoke to me as I walked past his open door…and my heart melted when I turned to see the face behind the “Oi!”…
2. I LOVE the beach, could leave the ocean, but swoon over a crystal clear freshwater lake! 
3. I once was a State Park Ranger at South Higgins Lake State Park – cleaning the bathrooms after campers was the WORST part of the job.  Yes, even worse than the lovely uniform!
4. By day, I am typically mentoring, observing, and teaching student teachers in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI.
5. My heart aches for an end to human trafficking – if you haven’t heard of IJM, check out their site to learn more about their mission.  I have several other organizations that are worth supporting as well…maybe I will do a post about this sometime soon!
6. I am a night owl – so much so that I am writing this at 12:30 am and have no plans of falling asleep anytime soon!
7. Chips are my ABSOLUTE vice – the salty, oily, crunchy goodness!  YUM!  I do not have a favorite chip, although the Kirkland kettle potato chips from Costco are divine!
8. I love to read, but struggle to find the time or motivation.  I have a book I have attempted to read for 3 months sitting on my bedside table.  I think I have 4 chapters to go…
9. I am obsessed with essential oils – I am a believer in their benefits and have been for a long time, but now I am truly seeing and experiencing their power to heal.
10. I am a control freak, especially when it comes to travel.  I stress over every detail and plan for every possible scenario.  This does wonders for my marriage to the Aussie “Oi” man!  🙂

Drum Roll Please…My Nominations for The Liebster Award Are…

Tisa from Faith Led Family– I have truly enjoyed Faith Led Family‘s Insta feeds and reading their blog posts about living in Mexico, but most importantly I have a deep respect for WHY they are blogging.  This family of four packed up their lives in the States and decided, through prayer, to start a new life elsewhere – what faith it takes to leave the norm and to jump into the unknown!  Tisa’s family is simply adorable and their stories are honest and real.  I cannot wait to continue learning from their faith as they journey!

Stacy from Family of Six Travels – Traveling is incredibly expensive.  Flights alone can deter people from traveling, but now that Stacy from Family of Six Travels is blogging, we all can learn how to travel for a lot less!  She has created a very informative, easy to follow, and delightful blog about how to use miles and points for free or inexpensive travel!  I am already starting to take notes!

Clay and Hannah from Our Trippy Tribe – An absolutely enjoyable family to follow, Our Trippy Tribe is living out a dream only others talk about.  They are creative, unique, and simply awesome humans who love to share about their wild adventures about traveling with three of the cutest little boys (and all that entails)!  I have thoroughly enjoyed reading their blog, and I know you will too!

Julie from Creative Travel Connections – Julie has an absolute passion for connecting people (especially women) with following their dreams of traveling the world!  She leads groups all over the world with Creative Travel Connections, provides wonderful travel advice, and works to help you organize the best possible adventures for you and yours.  Julie has a great sense of humor, has traveled extensively herself and has a few funny stories to share along the way.  And she is a friend of mine from Michigan, whom I love supporting as she gets her business off the ground!  Be sure to check out her planned 2018 trips!

And last, but certainly NOT least….

Jamie from Fly By The Seat of Our Pants – Jamie is a mama, a blogger, and a “jack of all trades”!  She shares great travel-related tips, especially ones for traveling with kids.  Her posts are full of relatable information and I love her creative way of writing!  I appreciate her desire to share budget-friendly ways to travel (we all need help with this).  I cannot wait to put some of her tips into practice in our future travels.  Thanks for creating Fly By the Seat of Our Pants!

Congratulations New Bloggers!
You all deserve this nomination!!!!

Questions for My Nominees –