I was so excited this weekend when I received an email from the lovely Shayla of Designing a Life awarding us the Versatile Blogger Award! Thank you Shayla for the sweet words you said about our blog:

I love the clean, colorful modern design of Derek & Catharine’s blog, but even more I love that is authored by a couple. Most blogs I come across are authored by one person (usually a woman) so it’s always refreshing to get a male perspective; and I think it’s just so adorable that this couple does this blog together.

I was so flattered to be listed with some other great bloggers while also learning more about Shayla, who’s blog I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember. As part of accepting this award I am asked to write 7 Things You Might Not Know About Me and mention 15 Blogs that I enjoy, so here we go!

ONE | I WEIGHED 10 LBS 7 OZ WHEN I WAS BORN

That’s right. You may not believe this looking at my frame now, but indeed I was a very large baby. I was so large, that people swore my mom was carrying twins. Don’t worry though, my mom had a C-section so we’re still friends. Also, all of those newborn clothes you get at baby showers? I couldn’t wear them. I could only fit into 6mos clothing. And that little knitted beanie they give you in the hospital that’s pink if you’re a girl? Mine sat right on top of my head like a beret.

Yes that IS a full head of hair.

TWO | DEREK AND I ARE BOTH ONLY CHILDREN

You may have noticed that neither of us ever mention our siblings or neices/nephews. That’s because we don’t have any. I will never be a sister or an aunt. Our children won’t have any aunts or uncles or cousins. Isn’t that weird? I find it very sad because I was always so close to my cousins growing up. But we’ve both decided to treat our friends as family and their children as our kids’ cousins. We’ve also decided that (God willing) we will have more than one child because neither of us liked being an only very much. It was fun as a kid, and we both like getting full attention from our parents, but as we get older once our parents are gone that’s it. We won’t have anyone in our immediate family left. So we’re always very intentional when we share stories about our childhoods so that our memories will live on even after our parents are gone.

This is my favorite photo of my family. 1. because we all look so happy and 2. because those glasses are back in style. Ask any hipster.

My cousins and I at 4, 6, and 8 (I’m the oldest)

Us again at 17, 19, and 21

THREE | I’M SEVERELY ALLERGIC TO METAL

My parents found this out at a young age when what they thought was ring worm, was actually a reaction to the snaps on my onesies. This progressed as I got older when I had to sit in those desks in school where the chair is connected to the desk by a metal bar, and I’d have a rash all down my arm. I quickly learned that I could only wear jewelry that was of silver grade or higher. But even sometimes if it’s hot out I can still react poorly. I can’t have any medicines that have metal in them, I have to use aluminum-free deodorant, and I used to wear a bandaid on my stomach to prevent my belt buckles from touching my skin. Yay for skinny belts being in style now!

If I wear this necklace for more than an hour, I’m about ready to rip it off of me. No lie.

FOUR | I USED TO WANT TO BE A SURGEON

And no, this has nothing to do with Grey’s Anatomy. I wanted to be a Surgeon back in middle school, and when we had to fill out our 4-year plans (schedules for high school) I was all signed up for lots of sciences and clinical rotation to get me on the right track to med school. I also took some art classes though and from then on I was done with being a doctor and obsessed with anything creative. I guess I always knew I wanted to do something with my hands, I just replaced a scalpel with an xacto. I continued taking art all through high school and immediately knew my passion was for Interior Design which caused me to declare my major before even starting college. When you know, you know!

My final portfolio senior year of college.

FIVE | I CAN NAME EVERY SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRY AND IT’S CAPITAL FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

This is just a random party trick of mine that I picked up in 8th grade Spanish class. We were taught a song to learn them all in order and that song has stuck with me ever since. Along with the Quadratic Equation.. which I never use.

Mexico D.F., Mexico – Guatemala, Guatemala – San Salvador, El Salvador – Tegucigalpa, Honduras – Managua, Nicaragua – San Jose, Costa Rica – Panama City, Panama – Caracas, Venezuela – Bogota, Columbia – Quito, Equador – Lima, Peru – La Pas, Bolivia – Asuncion, Paraguay – Santiago, Chile – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Montevideo, Uruguay [cue drum solo]

SIX | MY DAD HAD CANCER

Okay so this isn’t really about me, but it definitely affected me. Back in 2006 my dad was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma (which is fancy for a tumor on the base of your tongue/lymph nodes). That summer was spent driving my dad to his Chemo and Radiation treatments every afternoon, watching my mom feed him through a tube in his stomach, watching his hair fall out and his body deteriorate, and watching my family slowly lose all of our strength. Luckily though he beat it and has been in remission for almost 6 years. It’s not something I usually talk about, in fact that whole year was a total blur to me, but if you want to learn more about his story go here.

This is what he normally looks like.

This was after his last day of radiation. He’s holding the cage he had to lay under that they screwed to the table everyday for his 8 weeks of radiation treatments.

SEVEN | I STILL SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL

His name is Baby Bear, and Derek bought him for me on our first Valentine’s Day date to the Houston zoo. He’s very teeny and perfect to snuggle with. We’ve taken him on all of our road trips. I don’t know what it is about sleeping, but I’ve always had to have my arm around something and stuffed animals have always done the trick. Don’t judge me!

15 BLOGS I ADORE (in no particular order)

ONE | YOUNG HOUSE LOVE

Two DIYers, a 2 year old, and a chihuahua, what more do you need?

TWO | KENDI EVERYDAY

Fashion, styling, and sarcasm perfection.

THREE | LITTLE GREEN NOTEBOOK

Great DIY projects for apartment living.

FOUR | EM FOR MARVELOUS

Planning a wedding in the south.

FIVE | THE DAYBOOK

Fashion, babies, DC living.

SIX | RINSE REPEAT

A girl trapped in Kuwait and making the best of it one kitten at a time.

SEVEN | THE DAILY HAILY

My DIY twin who also happens to live here.

EIGHT | ASPIRING KENNEDY

A Dallas-ite living the dream in England and travels for a living.

NINE | CUPCAKES & CASHMERE

Fashion, food, styling, LA life.

TEN | ANNABEL VITA

A lovely blog in England chock full of sewing, apartment living, and crafting. She’s also planning a wedding.

ELEVEN | A CUP OF JO

Great insight into some major life issues, family, relationships, while raising a little one in the city.

TWELVE | THE LIVELY KITCHEN

Wonderful raw recipes, and hilarious anecdotes from her children.

THIRTEEN | MY MILK TOOF

This is just light hearted whimsy that brings out my inner child.

FOURTEEN | BRIGHT BAZAAR

A fellow color lover across the pond.

FIFTEEN | CAITLIN WILSON DESIGN

Her design is impeccable and she has her own textile line. Love.

If you don’t already read some of these blogs, I highly recommend them!