A MeMe

My friend Lawana from Wani's World has tagged me for a meme!

The first thing you're supposed to do is:

post the rules:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.

3. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

4. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them.

*No stuff in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you are reading this."

So, 11 random things about me eh?

1. My favorite job was as a photographer with a rafting company. I sat at the front of the raft, facing backward and rode the rapids, taking pictures of the other rafters. fun, fun, fun!

2. We live in a teeny house and I have 40 houseplants. (maybe I should've been a florist...)

3. Due to circumstances beyond my control, my left pinky toe pokes up in the air. Hey, you! I'm here. Pay attention to me...

4. I can't remember the last time I watched a commercial on TV or a TV show actually. I watch movies on Netflix, but TV? yuck.

5. I habitually put things away for safe keeping and never see them again.

6. I read books backwards. Novels, mysteries, non-fiction...all of them. I read the last few pages first and then sometimes the middle, then, if I think the book's worth reading, I'll go to the beginning and read the whole thing through.

7. No matter where we go I always stick my husband on my right side. (unless he's driving)

8. I got asked out by 3 guys in one day in high school.

9. I'll discuss just about anything or everything. Just about.

10. I really enjoy pygmy goats.

11. I was a thief for a few weeks immediately following a mission's trip.

Number two-answer the questions the tagger set for you:

1. Who do you most admire and why?

My dad. He got it.

2. What did you want to be when you grew up?

a wife and momma-a few others things were thrown in there too, but mostly those 2

3.What is your favorite beverage?

water or green smoothies, if they count?

4. Dogs or cats?

It's a toss up. I've heard they both taste like chicken. :-)

5.What is your least favorite exercise to do?

sit ups, push ups, pull ups, anything that has to do with "up" I guess.:-)

6. What is one thing you have done that you aren't proud of?

see #11 up there

7. If you could do 3 things on your bucket list tomorrow, what would they be?

I don't really have a bucket list, but I really, really want to go to Canada and Alaska.

I want to see Mt. Everest up close and personal and I'd love to...to....that's a secret.

8.If you could go on a trip anywhere, where would you go?

Well, other than the two I just mentioned, I want to go to Maine and back to England. I love road trips where we just meander....

9.What is your favorite book?

Too many to list. Sea to Sea by James Alexander Thom, LOTR, The Hobbit, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

10. What is your favorite candy bar?

Dove Dark Chocolate

11.If you could tell someone from your past one thing, what would you say?

I'd like to ask my mom to forgive me. It wasn't all you mom.

Number three:

Here's the tough one. I don't know 11 bloggers anymore. I only know three that weren't already tagged. So....

I will tag:

My daughter-in-law :-)

my friend Rachel

and my new friend Ginger

This, That, Either or Neither

I found this little meme... somewhere. I couldn't find the blog again now if my life depended on it.
For each line, I have two choices, and I have to choose which I would prefer. However, being the person that I am, I decided to change the rules a bit and add "either or neither".

1. jog or walk: walk-I walk 17.5 miles a week. I know. I know. That's small potatoes for some people, but for now that's what I do.

2. coffee or tea: flavored coffee (much to my sons' disgust)

3. Pepsi or Coca Cola: Pepsi-especially when I have a migraine. Pepsi usually gets rid of those nasty little headaches for me.

4. flats or heels: flats. Especially nice, flat Nikes.

5. fries or onion rings: fries-I really like them when they're nearly burnt and crispy brown, drenched in juicy red catsup.

6. cats or dogs: either, as long as they come from Toys R Us

7. skim or whole: neither. I love soy milk!

8. small purses or large: neither. I like "medium".

9. van or SUV: a small, nail-polish red 2 door, thank you very much!

10. winter or summer: fall

11. 1 piece bathing suit or 2: Ha! How about cut offs and a sweatshirt?

12. sit down restaurant or fast food: be it ever so humble, home.

13. McDonalds or Burger King: Panera

14. white gold or yellow: shiny goldy gold

15. fish or chicken: chicken, as long as it's dead, de-feathered, cooked and served with some of those nearly burnt french fries.

16. Edward or Jacob: who?

17. pizza or burger: pizza-I have a strong, emotional attachment to Pizza Hut pizza.

18. apple or orange: neither- I need blueberries

19. spend or save: save

20. 1 story or 2 story house: 2, or 3, or 4. I'll take all the exercise I can get running up and down all those stairs.

Friday's Fave 5

It's Friday! I can't believe another week has gone by, nor can I believe we are well into March already!
This has been a good week overall and I'm thankful for so many things. I have no idea how I found this blog, but I'm so glad I did. I really need to focus on the many blessings in my life and Friday's Fave 5 is a fun way to do that. Five of my favorite things this week have been:

1. Coffee! But not really. I've managed to sneak out of the house 3 times this week for coffee with friends! It is so fun to be able to get together with friends and talk until we actually want to go home. It's not very often, especially in a family full of men/boys, that I have the chance to do that.

2. Apologia Science. I love their curriculum! My 7 year old son and I have been using their book Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day this year for science and have been having a blast with it! I'm learning as much as he is and have even started my own nature journal as a result.

3. Philippians 1:6 I've been feeling very discouraged lately with where I'm at spiritually and who I am. I've been praying that the Lord would "revive my heart" and my passion for Him. This morning I decided to read the book of Philippians. It is a book filled with reminders of what our thoughts should be on and where our focus should be. Philippians 1:6 encouraged me because it reminded me that my spiritual growth is not dependent on me or my efforts. Jesus is working in my life (and boy does He have His work cut out for Him) and won't ever quit. In case you're not familiar with what that verse says, here it is:

....being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

4. Good cook books. Yesterday I found a short clip on Youtube by a 93 year woman who had lived through the great depression. She had made a series of videos in which she shared her depression era recipes and how to prepare them. I watched a few and then thought, pffft! I've been cooking like that for years! I'm so thankful for the cookbooks I've collected over the years. I've learned how to feed our family without spending a fortune on groceries-healthy, tasty meals that are even cheerfully consumed by our 7 year old. I wouldn't be able to cook like that on my own. I have to "follow the recipes" or else.

5. Hungry deer. No, I'm not really glad the deer were hungry. I'm just glad they were hungry enough to find our yard and our bird feeders! The other day 6 deer meandered into our back yard and proceeded to consume all the birdseed they could sink their little teeth into. It was so fun to see them standing there in the softly falling snow....I wanted them to "freeze" so I could get out a pencil and sketch a picture. I had to satisfy myself with a photo.

Here's the link again if you'd like to participate in Friday's Fave 5.

An Interview With Mom

I found this idea for a post over at:

http://bloggerfriendschool.com/

Our 16 year old son finished his "interview" first. The second set of answers came from our 7 year old.
I think I'm going to have to have a chat with him......


WHAT DOES MOM ALWAYS SAY TO YOU? You’re eating again?!

WHAT MAKES MOM HAPPY? When I give her a hug. Chocolate Doves.

WHAT MAKES MOM SAD? Grey skies, economy level. When she doesn’t hear from Ben and James for a long time. When we’re sick.

HOW DOES MOM MAKE YOU LAUGH? Dry, Rinella humor with a sarcastic twinge.

HOW OLD IS MOM? Barrett says older than dirt.

HOW TALL IS MOM? A little shorter than me. ;)

WHAT DOES MOM LIKE TO DO? Scrapbook, get outside, go hiking, read and cook.

WHAT IS MOM’S JOB? What doesn’t she do?

WHAT IS MOM’S FAVORITE FOOD? Pizza Hut pizza.

HOW DO YOU KNOW MOM LOVES YOU? Constant care. Hugs. She tells me to that she misses me and to crawl out of my hole. My “hole” as she so endearingly calls it, happens to be my bedroom. Plus, she tells me that she loves me often.



WHAT DOES MOM ALWAYS SAY TO YOU? I love you.

WHAT MAKES MOM HAPPY? Me cuddling.

WHAT MAKES MOM SAD? When Daddy doesn’t bring Chocolate home.

HOW DOES MOM MAKE YOU LAUGH? Tickling.

HOW OLD IS MOM? Older then dirt.

HOW TALL IS MOM? This big *

WHAT DOES MOM LIKE TO DO? Eat chocolate.

WHAT IS MOM’S JOB? She doesn’t have one.

WHAT IS MOM’S FAVORITE FOOD? Chocolate.

HOW DO YOU KNOW MOM LOVES YOU? Don't ask me.
Barrett. January 2009

A Fun Meme

I woke up this morning feeling slightly more alert than usual. My brain normally takes about 3 hours to catch up with the rest of me once my feet hit the floor in the morning. However, I'm not awake enough to come up with any original ideas for a post-I had this idea set aside for a rainy day and since it's pouring, and my brain is only semi-alert, I thought I'd follow this meme I found at As A Parent, The Days Are Long.....

In your entire life, have you ever......

gone on a blind date? Yes, twice. Once when I was in high school I went out with a college student. He was already balding and he took me to the art museum. At the time those were two strikes against him. The next, and only other time I ventured into the world of blind dates I went out with a guy who was missing a few screws. He really gave me the creeps and boy howdy, was I happy when he dropped me off at my apartment. (I think my roommate set me up with him so she and her boyfriend could have our apartment to themselves for an evening.)

skipped school? Yes.

watched someone die ? Yes. I worked in a nursing home when I was 18. I was with one of the little grandmas when she died. I had to wash her body before the hospital staff could take it to the morgue. I also watched my mom die and was with my dad as he was dieing.

been to Canada? Yes, just once.

been to Mexico? No, but I peeked at it from across the border of New Mexico.

been to Florida? Yes, I actually spent an entire month there when I was 20.

been on a plane? More times than I can count....

been lost? Yes, but only one time was I really worried about it. I got lost in a nasty little area of London.

been on the opposite side of the country? Yes, up and down, east and west.

swam in the ocean? No. Does wadding count? I've done that...

had your booze taken away by the cops? No....

lettered in high school sport? Ha!

cried yourself to sleep? Definitely...

played cops and robbers? Not that I remember....

played dolls? Oh yes. That was my most favorite thing to play.

sung Karaoke? Are you kidding me?

done something you told yourself you wouldn't? More times than I can count.

cheated on an exam? Well, to be honest, yes.

made prank phone calls? Yep.

laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? Only once or twice.

caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes....

danced in the rain? No....but I've played in the rain and splashed in the mud with our sons.

written a letter to Santa Clause? not that I can remember

watched the sunrise with someone you care about? Oh yes....

been kissed under the mistletoe? Yes, but they weren't romantic kisses.

Ever been arrested? Nope....

blown bubbles? Yes....

gone ice-skating? Yes. Many times.

been skinny dipping outdoors? Another "Ha!"

had a nickname? Nutley and Jude

been to Africa? No....

eaten cookies for dinner? No, but I have 2 every morning with my coffee.

been on TV? Only if home movies count.

been in a car accident? Yes, but I was so young I don't remember them.

What is your Mother's name? Juanita Esther. How's that for a girl who was 100% German?

favorite drink? water

favorite alcohol? Well, when I was 9 or 10 my brother Jimmy used to take me to the bar with him so he could hang out with his friends and play pool. He would buy a Tequila Sunrise and plop me on a bar stool in front of it while he played. Is there a ten year old on the planet who wouldn't want to taste something so pretty? I loved them! Now the only alcohol I like is pink champagne.

birthplace? the windy city. (Chicago)

favorite vacation spot? road trips with my husband

favorite salad dressing? balsamic vinegar and olive oil

favorite pie? Apple or Derby. Derby pie is just a pecan pie with chocolate chips thrown in. It's so good I never make it because, well, I'd eat it.

favorite number? 18 or 22

favorite movie? A&E's version of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Master and Commander, Lord of the Rings Trilogy....probably others I can't think of right now

favorite holiday? Thanksgiving

favorite food? depends on the day but I do have an emotional attachment to Pizza Hut pizza

favorite day of the week? Monday

favorite brand of body wash? Prairieland Herbs Sugar Scrub-Rosemary and Mint. (Thank you sooooo much Rachel!)

favorite toothpaste? Crest

favorite smell? Baking bread, new babies, rain, mint, eucalyptus, patchouli, lavender, brownies baking, etc.

Do you have any tattoos? Ha!

body piercings? Only ears.

Do you drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4-door.

What do you do to relax? Read, blog, walk, hike, coffee with friends

How do you see yourself in 10 years? That's a gloomy picture. Our youngest son will be 17 and I'll be looking at a truly empty nest. I'm not going to go into all that right now.