1. What are your nicknames? What do you prefer to be called?

My nickname since my first friend & still today naturally comes up with new friends without even having to tell them is Shelbs…sometimes spelled Shelbz if my friends are feeling frisky. Now that I’ve been blogging my nickname also turned to Ddotts. I sometimes get asked where that name came from. It’s actually a really funny story: when I was creating my Instagram account I first went with stodd- my first initial and new married last name – Todd. That was taken so I just flipped it backwards. One night at the bar I seen a friend from grade school. She introduced me to her husband as “D-dots from Instagram!!” It was then that I actually realized it made a word. When I decided to make a blog I thought up 100+ blog names. Nothing felt right. I decided to just use my Instagram name. I went to make my URL for my website and ddots -with one t- was taken. That’s when I added a second t. I liked the symmetry it gave the word & my maiden name starts with t! Sooo all of that for the perfect little Ddotts that I love today. I don’t have a preference, but Shelbs does make me feel at home 🙂

2. What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep? Toss and Turn? Try to get up and do something productive?

I usually sleep pretty well. I have had some insomnia spurts in life though. It’s typically self induced: I go down a YouTube make up tutorial black hole or I start a season on Netflix that I just can’t stop watching. Sometimes I pull all nighters to blog, but do it from bed. I never get up once I’m in bed.

3. What was the most recent compliment you’ve received and savored?

My mom is a chef at a Nursing home. She had to work Thanksgiving making dinner for her residents. This meant that I was to make Thanksgiving for our entire family & have it ready when she got off work. My mom and dad both ate dinner and kept saying how amazing it was. This made me so proud. My mom is THE best cook in the world! They both agreed my dinner was just as good as her cooking if not better!! This is the equivalent to me winning TopChef!

4. What do you think about more than anything else?

My children! My boys are on my mind 24/7. When they’re with me I’m thinking about how much I love the way they play, snuggle, laugh. When they’re at school I’m praying they have a good day and thinking how I can’t wait til I get home to see them. I’m a mom obsessed and I don’t really care. Life is too short. I wanna soak up every minute with them while I can.

5. What’s one thing you’d rather pay someone to do than do yourself? Why?

I’m pretty cheap so I do it all. The first thing I can think of is getting an oil change? Except the last time I went it was like $60! I might be doing it myself next time ?

6. If you could restore one broken relationship, which would it be?

I’m not sure I have any “broken” relationships. But I’m also a big believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason, so I believe people have to separate to grow.

7. How difficult is it for you to be honest, even when your words may be hurtful or unpopular?

I’m an honest person and very true to myself. Also though…Yea, I’m too nice to a fault. I’ll save face until I absolutely can’t.

8. What is my ideal definition of success?

Happiness. True, deep down, smile so hard, jump up and down, dab, call your mom and tell her, celebrate with ice cream, tingles in your toes – happiness. The more of those moments – the more successful I think I am. I also celebrate the little things – Trevor lost a tooth, I scored a collab, I got a $5 off Fusian email, Derrek got a new sweat suit, Jax rocked it at speech therapy, etc. I think when you stop and dab with your kids over a great week…you’ll be happier….and therefor more successful!

9. What is the single, most significant change I can make in 2019?

Focus. Hyper focus. This is my time to hone in on my craft, on my parenting, on my relationships, on my finances, on my ideas – and totally knock them out of the park!!!

10. Do I feel guilty about not spending enough time with those who are important to me?

I do. It’s crippling. Death scares me and I’m afraid it will steal the ones I love and leave me with regret. After Jax’s birth and us both almost seeing death…it left me overly sensitive when it comes to my loved ones. Yes…I’ll cry at the bar with the girls talking about dads!! So, is there anything you are surprised to know about me? Comment below! Feel free to copy/paste these questions and answer them in the comments. I would love to know more about you.