10 about Christmas

I got this fun little meme from Minnesota Mom.

1. Best childhood gift from Santa: We didn't do Santa at our house. However, my best gift on Christmas was a wooden 2-story dollhouse that my dad made for me when I was in kindergarten. I still have it, and hopefully I'll be able to pass it on to a daughter someday.

2. Best childhood memories: the Christmas parties at school, listening to favorite Christmas albums (on a record player!), re-enacting the Christmas story each year with my family (keep in mind, I was an only child)

3. Favorite Christmas cookies: the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss in the middle.

4. Icky Christmas memory: the Christmas I was pregnant with BB, because I couldn't keep anything down. Not a fun way to spend Christmas!

5. It’s not Christmas without: Jesus.

6. Our Church Service: (at my former church) takes place Christmas Eve. There is a Christmas solo, some congregational singing, a short message from the pastor, and it ends with everyone passing around the flame to light individual luminaries. Then we all sing "Silent Night."

7. Christmas Pet Peeve: the "gimme" attitude of people in stores, and the increased traffic in town.

8. Favorite Christmas CD: how about album? Hands down, it has to be Amy Grant's "A Christmas Album." I can listen to this nonstop, all year long. I'm also very fond of Evie's "Come On Ring Those Bells."

9. Real or Fake: fake. I like the look and smell of real, but I hate the cleanup and the watering.

10. I spend Christmas Eve: at my parent's house. We eat a late lunch there, and open up our presents from them. We spend Christmas Day with DH's family.

If you play along, leave a link in the comments section—I’d love to read!

One Word Challenge

The Gamer's Wife was lovely enough to award me with this. Don't you just love the pic? As part of this award, I have to play -
The One Word Challenge!

1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Your hair? SHORT!

3. Your mother? conscientious

4. Your father? honorable

5. Your favorite food? Italian

6. Your dream last night? forgettable

7. Your favorite drink? hot

8. Your dream/goal? Christ-like

9. What room are you in? living

10. Your hobby? internet

11. Your fear? abandonment

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren’t? disciplined

15. Muffins? Yes!

16. Wish list item? child

17. Where did you grow up? Georgia

18. Last thing you did? typed

19. What are you wearing? clothes

20. Your TV? old

21. Your pets? none

22. Friends? busy

23. Your life? interesting

24. Your mood? anticipating

25. Missing someone? yes

26. Vehicle? SUV

27. Something you’re not wearing? shoes

28. Your favorite store? Target

29. Your favorite color? purple

30. When was the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? yesterday

32. Your best friend? working?

33. One place that I go to over and over? Danville

34. One person who emails me regularly? Z

35. Favorite place to eat? Outback

I know the beginning of the school year is hectic for many people. Plus, I just tagged people last week for an award. So I am passing this award onto everyone on my blog reading list. If I read you, you're awesome! And if you're not on the list, comment on this post and let me know that I'm missing out on a great blog - yours! :)

What Does Google Know About Me?

I saw this meme over at Katie's, and I just had to give it a try!

Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search
Luke 8:15 - Heather needs...
Well, that's interesting. A better result than I thought it would say. For those who are wondering, Luke 8:15 - "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
Now that sounds like something we all need!

"[your name] looks like"
Heather looks like a drag-queen Michael Jackson impersonator - that's a new one! I thought drag-queens only impersonated women?

"[your name] wants"
Whatever Heather wants, Heather gets - I can see this result for Lola, but for Heather? Eh, I'll take it. It's true, anyway! ;)

"[your name] does"
Heather does the cinnamon trick challenge - this turned out to be a You Tube video. The girl eats a spoonful of cinnamon. Now, I like cinnamon, but only in moderation. Yuck!

"[your name] hates"
Heather Hates You - Math Class Lyrics - Sounds like a Heather after my own heart! The link wouldn't let me look up the actual lyrics, so I'm left wondering if she really hates math, or just someone in math class.

"[your name] asks"
AllMediocre strange questions Heather asks - I'll take their word for it.

"[your name] likes"
Heather's Likes and Dislikes - this is from a site dedicated to the memory of a Heather that passed on. How sad.

"[your name] eats"
Heather eats almond butter - actually, I don't. I only like almonds when covered in dark chocolate. And since BB is allergic to peanuts, I don't chance any nuts in the house.

"[your name] wears"
Heather wears her sunglasses - you better believe it! This Georgia sun is BRIGHT!

"[your name] was arrested for"
Heather was arrested for having s#x with underage student - no, no, nope! Gross!

"[your name] loves"
Heather (Mills) loves freedom after divorce - I bet she does! She was nothing but a money grubber, if you ask me.

If you give this one a try, I'd love to read it. Leave me a link in the comments.

iPod Meme

Sarah tagged everyone who read this with this meme. As I love memes, this way fun. Ironic in some places... I should note that I skipped the song whenever a classical song came up. And I really have a lot of Amy Grant on my iPod (like 50% of the songs), so I skipped some of her songs. Okay, but other than that, this really is what came up.


A Meme for your iPod

Instructions:
1. Put your iPod (or MP3 player) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN AS YOUR ANSWER, NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag some Moms you admire who could use a laugh and a song.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A MOM?
I Can't Give You Anything but Love (Dean Martin) that's a little TMI if you ask me...

WHAT DID YOU THINK THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW YOUR BABY?
Baby, Baby (Amy Grant) I couldn't have made up a better song for this question!

WHAT DID YOU DO THE FIRST MORNING AFTER A SLEEPLESS NIGHT?
Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Ricky Van Shelton)

WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN SOMEONE COLORS ON THE WALL?
There You Were (Jessica Simpson) and with a crayon in your hand...

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A TODDLER’S BODILY FLUID ISSUES?
Alien (Third Day)

IF SOMEONE SAYS “Can I have a snack?” YOU SAY?
One for My Baby (and one more for the road) (Frank Sinatra)

IF SOMEONE LEAVES THEIR STUFF ON THE FLOOR, YOU SAY?
I Can't Wait to be King (Disney) because it'd be off to the dungeon for you...

IF SOMEONE ISN’T SICK TODAY, YOU SAY?
Something About that Name (Sonic Flood)

HOW DO YOUR KIDS ENJOY YOUR COOKING?
If I Were a Carpenter (Bobby Darin) I'd build you a drive-in restaurant instead of your kitchen...

HOW DID YOUR KIDS DO IN SCHOOL TODAY?
Sweet Will of God (Amy Grant)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHILE SITTING IN CARPOOL LINE?
Held (Natalie Grant)

HOMESCHOOLERS, WHAT IS THE FIRST SUBJECT TAUGHT OF THE DAY?
Never Been Unloved (Michael W. Smith) kinda makes sense if your day starts out with Bible class...

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS WANT TO BE WHEN THEY GROW UP?
Don't Know Much (Aaron Nelville) oh, great, an idiot...

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY AS A MOM?
I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE AS A MOM?
I Will Be Here (Steven Curtis Chapman)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO AS A MOM?
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Amy Grant) Amen!

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE REALLY A MOM?
Cruella De Ville (Bill Lee) gee, I hope not...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MOST OFTEN AS A MOM?

O Love that Will Not Let Me Go (Amy Grant) well I do think about how much I love BB...

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY AS A MOM?
What if I Stumble (DC Talk)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET AS A MOM?
In the Garden (Billy Dean) this one is hard since I don't even have a yard...

WHAT IS THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE AS A MOM?
Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble (Passion) hmm - me walking 9 months pregnant?

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS DO THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Pink Elephants on Parade (Disney)

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS DO THAT MAKES YOU CRY?
They Can't Take That Away from Me (Frank Sinatra) because it's mine! all mine! mine! mine!

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS DO THAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
I Wan'na Be Like You (Disney)

HOW DO YOUR KIDS DESCRIBE YOU AS THEIR MOM?
Come Fly With Me (Frank Sinatra)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Your Love Endures (Third Day) I actually don't think I'd change that...

WHAT WILL YOUR MOM OF THE YEAR CERTIFICATE SAY?
Heigh Ho The Dwarf Chorus (Disney) how true!

If you read this and you have an iPod or MP3 - TAG! - You're it!

7 Little Things that Make Me Disproportionally Happy

The "other Heather" at Want What You Have tagged her blogroll for this meme. I just love memes!
In no particular order, here at my seven:
1) Knowing the answer to a question that the teacher asks. I don't know why I enjoy this, other than I'm prideful and I like to show off how much I know. Not a good character trait, but who doesn't like knowing the right answer?
2) Finding the perfect something for a room in my house. I am perpetually working on decorating my house. I don't usually have a set something in my mind, I just know it when I see it, or when I think of it. I get especially happy if I can find the right thing for cheap!
3) Getting or giving presents. Everyone likes getting presents, but I also really like giving presents to someone if I know I've done particularly well on finding their present. I recently finished a scrapbook for my sister, who is due with her first baby in June. I kinda wanted to wait to give it to her when I see her for her baby's birth, but I couldn't wait that long.
4) In most cases, pregnancy. I get super excited when I think I might be pregnant (at least I do nowadays). I also get really happy when I find out that a friend is expecting.
5) Organizing something that was really messy. I don't know why, I just like this. I think it's the rush of the before/after comparing.
6) Having free time that's truly free. One day a week my mom watches BB so that I can go run errands. I do look forward to that time, but when I happen to have a bonus day, I get really excited. I like to piddle around at different stores and "waste" time.
7) Diamonds. Need I say more? I love my engagement/wedding/anniversary set. It's not frugal, it's not practical, but when it's clean, it's sparkly! Sparkly is good...
If you have read this, consider yourself tagged!

Book Meme

I got this list from Debbie at Stop Her She's Knitting. She scored an impressive 59 out of 100. I know I won't do nearly as well. I have started to read many of these, but found them uninteresting. I don't understand how most classics came to be classics. The rules:

1)Look at the list and bold those you have read (films don't count).
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Tag somebody if you like.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible (I can never get through the begots)
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 1984 - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet – Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Wow - only 25. For someone who thinks of herself as a reader, these results are pretty sad. I think I shall find a longer, more broader list!
Notice that I didn't italicize any of these titles; are there any books that I haven't read on this list that are actually enjoyable? I have no intention of reading something just to say that I have read it.
I'm not going to tag anyone, but please feel free to tell me what books you love/hate on this list!

99 Experiences

I got this from Jenni, who got this from Mama Hen...

"If you like it, please feel free to copy it at your own place and let me know so I can come and compare my own eventful (*cough*) life with yours!"

Just boldface the items that you HAVE done, and leave the rest normal….

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I’m throwing this question out because I don’t like it)

7. Been to Disneyland/world (I've been to both)

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29 Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33 Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41 Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60 Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67 Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Cavier

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby (lol)

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

8 Things

Jennifer has this up on her blog and she invited others to play along. I'm not one to pass up easy post ideas, so here's my list of 8's:

8 Things I Love:
my family
coffee
reading a good book
hanging out with friends
going to yard sales/thrift stores
finding a radio station that's playing my favorite songs in a row
watching movies
planning events/organizing large-scale things

8 Things that give me the Heebie-Jeebies:
roaches
public bathrooms
being out by myself at night
joints being popped
someone repeatedly coughing
buffet-style food, either at restaurants or family events
having my blood drawn/IVs
vomit

8 Places I Have Been:
New York City, New York (Brooklyn)
San Diego, California
San Antonio, Texas
Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
Eolia, Kentucky
Hamilton, Ohio
Washington, D.C.
Huntsville, Alabama
*DH - you really need to expand my travel horizons! :)

8 Random Facts:
I've played piano for 21 years, but I'm not as good as that statement implies
I like the idea of skating, but I don't actually enjoy the act of skating
I wanted to get my doctorate in psychology and work at Covenant House in NYC
I told my classmates the truth about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy
I wanted to be a nurse until I realized that I would have to touch dead people
the number of names I have for future kids exceed the number of kids I want to have
I miss being a teenager, although I don't want to repeat my teenage years
I really enjoy volunteer work

8 TV Shows I Love:
The Avengers (only the ones with Emma)
The Wonder Years
House
Grey's Anatomy
Law and Order: SVU
Beauty and the Beast (I won't make fun of your shows if you don't make fun of mine)
MacGuyver
Star Trek: TNG and DS9

A Baby Meme

I've seen this at several other blogs, most recently at Bits and Pieces From My Life. I've debated doing BB's birth story for a while, but this is a lot easier! Not to say that I won't write his birth story at some point...

"BB"; July 10, 2006

1. How long had you been married at the time of the birth? 4 years, 2 weeks, 4 days

2. What were your reactions when you found out that you were pregnant? Really excited - and scared - but also calm.

3. How old were you? I was 24 when I found out and 25 when he was born.

4. How did you find out that you were pregnant? I took a home pregnancy test.

5. Who did you tell first? DH, then Z, my parents, my sister, DH's parents... this was the first time that I'd ever told any family that we were expecting. My family was aghast, but DH's family was happy.

6. Did you find out the sex? Yes! I joke that if a PG test could have an extra box on it for the gender, I would buy that test. I was thinking pink, but had a feeling I was having blue. Now after having BB, I love being a mom to a boy. I'd be perfectly fine with more boys (but I still want a girl).

7. Due date? June 30, 2006

8. Did you deliver early or late? Late! I was 10 days overdue! In fact, my OB had admitted me to the hospital to be induced on July 6th, and had sent me home late July 8th after all available methods for induction failed. I didn't respond to anything; I wouldn't even dilate.

9. Did you have morning sickness? Oh, yeah! Violent morning sickness from about 2 weeks into the pregnancy through labor. I threw up at least once every single day. I've prayed ever since then that if I do have another that I wouldn't have morning sickness!

10. What did you crave? Subway Cold Cut! It was the only food I never threw up. I couldn't stand to smell food cooking, so DH would go get food for me. Some foods, like salad, smelled like dirty feet to me.

11. Who irritated you most? The parents of my students. I had a really awful class my last year of teaching. I was tempted to recommend to several parents that they stop having children, because they obviously weren't any good at it.

12. What was your first child's sex? A boy, through and through!

13. How many pounds did you gain throughout your first pregnancy? Too much! Despite being sick constantly, I still gained weight. Although in my defense, a lot of it was swelling. My hands and legs were huge!

14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? Not unless you count the morning sickness, which freaked me out but my doc couldn't have cared less. Even when I started puking up blood...

15. Where did you give birth? in our local hospital that was only about a 10 minute drive away

16. How many hours were you in labor? I'd been sent home from my failed induction around 11 Saturday night. I went to bed after midnight (I hadn't been allowed to eat at the hospital and I was STARVING - DH went and got me Wendy's). I woke up around 6:00 Sunday morning with intermittent contractions. I called the hospital and my doctor, who said that I shouldn't go to the hospital until I had contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour. That never happened. They also said not to eat, in case my labor suddenly progressed. I did eat 1 more time, but Monday morning around 5:00 (?) DH and I went to the hospital. I'd had contractions consistently, so I hadn't slept. And I hadn't slept well in the hospital, so my last good night of sleep had been Wednesday of the week before. Factor in little sleep, 2 meals over 4 1/2 days, and I was 1 cranky pregnant lady! I was so mad at DH for sleeping soundly every night in the hospital and for people bringing him food!

17. Who drove you to the hospital? DH did.

18. Who watched? DH, my mom, and Z. Although if I'd known what my labor was going to be like, I wouldn't have made poor Z watch!

19. Was it vaginal or c-section? vaginal

20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? YES! I'd planned for a drug-free labor, but I was so tired from the past week that I asked for an epidural. It was wonderful during contractions. I slept for a couple of hours. Unfortunately, it ran out of juice while I was in actual labor, but at least I had a good nap!

21. How much did your baby weigh? He was 10 pounds, 5.2 ounces (and 22 1/2 inches). The doctor had to break his collarbone to get him out. He was blue, with an Apgar of 2, but he's perfectly fine now - thanks be to God!

22. What did you name your first born baby? *****, after DH's best childhood friend, and *****, which is a family name on my side.

23. How old is your baby today? He's 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 1 day.

What's YOUR story?

Food Meme

At this rate, I might as well convert this blog to nothing but blog quizzes and memes :) But hey, they're fun and easy!

Have you ever tried

• Venison? Yes. As jerky and as pot roast. Couldn't tell it wasn't beef (and since I hate deer, I kinda want to take up hunting them...)
  
  
• Nettle tea? No
  
  
• Huevos rancheros? Yes. Don't like.
  
  
• Steak tartare? No. I prefer my cow burnt, not still mooing.
  
  
• Crocodile? No.
  
  
• Black pudding? I just Googled this and I am now fighting back dry heaves.
  
  
• Cheese fondue? Isn't this just melted cheese? Um, yeah, I live in the south, people. We have crock pots full of melted cheese at every pot-luck.
  
  
• Carp? No. Hate seafood.
  
  
• Borscht? No. Hate beets.
  
  
• Baba ghanoush? No. After looking this up, I'm surprised my mother hasn't made this.
  
  
• Calamari? No. Again, hate seafood.
  
  
• Pho? I had to look this one up. I've had it, but I think it was called something else.
  
  
• PB&J sandwich? No. I am not from Earth. Take me to your leader.
• 
  
• Aloo gobi? No. Sounds gross.
  
  
• Hot dog from a street cart? Oh, yeah. Every time I visit my family in NY.
  
• 
  
• Epoisses? No. Nasty.
  
  
• Black truffle? No. Hate fungus.
  
  
• Fruit wine made from something other than grapes? No. Why drink wine when someone has invented whiskey?
  
  
• Steamed pork buns? I don't know.
  
  
• Pistachio ice cream? Yes. Not a big fan.
  
  
• Heirloom tomatoes? Yes. Yummy. Taste like a regular tomato.
  
  
• Fresh wild berries? Yes. But I washed them first :)
  
  
• Foie gras? NO!!! Do you know how this is made?
  
  
• Rice and beans? Yes. Wasn't impressed.
  
  
• Brawn, or head cheese? No. Fermenting milk in an animal skull seems like a bad idea to me for some reason.
  
  
• Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper? No. Never even heard of this.
  
  
• Dulce de leche? No, but I've had a pie that was made using heated, sweetened condensed milk, so it was very similar (and yummy!)
  
  
• Oysters? No. Hate seafood. Hate slimy food. Hate food that involves me having to forcibly break an animal open in order to eat the food.
  
  
• Baklava? Yes, please!
  
  
• Bagna cauda? No. Who comes up with these weird foods?
  
  
• Wasabi peas? Yes, sadly. My uncle told me they were candy. Imagine my dissapointment.
  
  
• Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl? No. Say it with me - HATE SEAFOOD!
  
  
• Salted lassi? No. Why would anyone want to salt and pepper their yogurt?
  
  
• Sauerkraut? Yes. My dad's German.
  
  
• Root beer float? Yes. Not a big fan.
  
  
• Cognac with a fat cigar? No. I imagine it would be hard to drink the cognac through the cigar, however.
  
  
• Clotted cream tea? No.
  
  
• Vodka jelly/Jell-O? No. Don't like Vodka.
  
  
• Gumbo? No. I prefer my soup to have a definite set of ingredients. And I hate seafood.
  
  
• Oxtail? No. Never been that hungry.
  
  
• Curried goat? No.
  
  
• Whole insects? No. Again, never been that hungry.
  
  
• Phaal? No. I don't do too well with spicy food.
  
  
• Goat's milk? Yes. Yummy.
  
  
• Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$130 or more? No. Not rich. And also not dumb enough to spend that much money on something I'm just going to pass through when I can't tell the taste difference between that and the cheap stuff.
  
  
• Fugu? No. Anyone care to guess why?
  
  
• Chicken tikka masala? No. Never had Indian food.
  
  
• Eel? No. I'm sticking with my "just say no" seafood policy.
  
  
• Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut? Yes. I live in Georgia.
  
  
• Sea urchin? No.
  
  
• Prickly pear? No. Don't eat cactus.
  
  
• Umeboshi? No. A quote from Wikepedia: "Umeboshi... taste salty, and are extremely sour due to high citric acid content – they have been known to corrode their way through aluminium lunch boxes if kept in the same spot every day." Does this sound like something good to eat?
  
  
• Abalone? No, no, no.
  
• 
  
• Paneer? Sounds disgusting. I'm going with no.
  
  
• McDonald's Big Mac Meal? No.
  
  
• Spaetzle? Yes. Anyone know of a good local German restaurant? I'm getting hungry.
  
  
• Dirty gin martini? No. Don't like gin.
  
  
• Beer above 8% ABV? I'm guessing no.
  
  
• Poutine? No. I think I'd starve if I moved to France.
  
  
• Carob chips? Yes. In tofu ice cream. I still don't think it taste "just like chocolate chip ice cream," mom.
  
  
• S'mores? Yes. Let's go camping!
  
  
• Sweetbreads? UGH! This is SO misnamed!
  
  
• Kaolin? No.
  
  
• Currywurst? Nope. Not a fan of the curry.
  
  
• Durian? No. Looks like alien food from "Star Trek"
  
  
• Frogs' legs? No, which is surprising, because the wasabi uncle loves to go frog giggin'.
  
  
• Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake? Yes! And hopefully, I'll have some again soon if I get to go to a certain Barnyard fair this fall.
  
  
• Haggis? No. Haggis makes me gaggis.
  
  
• Fried plantain? No. Don't like bananas very much.
  
  
• Chitterlings? No. I live in the south, I'm not southern.
  
• 
  
• Gazpacho? No.
  
  
• Caviar and blini? No. fish eggs and thin pancakes sound like a bad combination to me.
  
  
• Louche absinthe? No.
  
  
• Gjetost, or brunost? No.
  
  
• Roadkill? No.
  
  
• Baijiu? Wow, Google and Wikepedia are getting a workout tonight! My answer - no.
  
  
• Hostess Fruit Pie? Yes. Is this something that's rare in other parts of the States?
  
  
• Snail? No. No. No. No...
  
  
• Lapsang souchong? No. I'm starting to worry about the people who come up with these things...
  
  
• Bellini? Nope.
  
  
• Tom yum? No. Hate seafood (bet you didn't see that one coming, huh?)
  
  
• Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant? No. I don't think I've even been to a half star restaurant.
  
  
• Kobe beef? No, but I've wondered if it lives up to its reputation.
  
• 
  
• Hare? Only my own, I hope! (get it?)
  
  
• Goulash? Yes. My mom makes it. I don't like it.
  
  
• Flowers? No.
  
  
• Horse? Not to my knowledge.
  
• 
  
• Criollo chocolate? Nope.
  
  
• Spam? Yes. It's actually not bad.
  
  
• Soft shell crab? No. And guess why?
  
  
• Rose harissa? No.
  
  
• Catfish? Yes. My B-i-L fried some. It was good. But I also didn't know it was catfish at the time. I'd have a hard time knowingly eating something that ugly.
  
  
• Mole poblano? No. Who came up with that?
  
• 
  
• Bagel and lox? No. Fish no go on bread. Fish on bread bad idea.
  
  
• Lobster Thermidor? No. Gross. Why eat this?
  
  
• Polenta? Do grits count?
  
  
• Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee? No.
  
  
• Snake? No, but I've heard it taste just like chicken!

Aren't you glad you wasted this portion of your life to read all of this?

One Word Answers

The other Heather posted this on her blog and said that I'd be the one to repost. I can't very well let her down, now can I?

1. Cell phone? always
2. Significant other? engineer
3. Hair? weird
4. Mother? hypochondriac
5. Father? Godly
6. Favorite thing? reading
7. Dream last night? riveting
8. Favorite drink? Coke
9. Dream/goal? house
10. Room I'm in? living room
11. Church? baptist
12. Fear? burning
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. Where were you last night? Danna's
15. What I'm not? skinny
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. Wish list item? house
18. Where did you grow up? Georgia
19. Last thing I did? blog
20. What are you wearing? nightgown
21. TV? On
22. Pets? no
23. Computer? slow
24. Life? content
25. Mood? mellow
26. Missing someone? no
27. Car? red
28. Not wearing? shoes
29. Favorite store? Target
30. Summer? HOT!!!
31. Love someone? yes
32. Favorite color? lavender
33. Last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? idk
35. Who will repost? Z

Five Favorite Things

The other Heather has tagged me for a Five Favorite Things meme. In no particular order, I present my top five - I have excluded people, because technically, people aren't things, and I would have to leave someone out if I listed just 5.
1. Hot drinks. Sometimes coffee, sometimes tea (Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. - quick! - who said that?), depending on my mood. Drinking a hot beverage, be it early morning or late at night calms me and prepares me to face the day or unwind after a day.
2. Going out. Whether to a movie, a coffee shop, or out to eat, I love going out with DH or my friends. Now that BB's here, I don't get to do this often, which makes it even more of a treat for me.
3. Reading. I will read anything, as long as it's not filthy or hard to understand. I love losing myself in what I am reading and looking up to find that hours have passed without me knowing. A well-written book can transport me and affect my mood for days.
4. Planning and/or organizing things. I love planning a big event or organizing a giant mess. That being said, you'd think that I would be a schedule person with a label maker - I'm not. I do things whenever, although I do have a place for everything. But I love mapping things out as to when they need to occur. I loved research papers in school and college (I even wrote papers for other people - I know, it was wrong). Digging through mounds of information and sorting it out can keep me up all hours of the night. Tackling a giant mess and seeing chaos turn into order is exciting to me. Like most things that have to do with me, however, there is a quirk - I don't like to attend the event that I've planned or write the paper that I've researched.
5. Music. I am constantly singing or trying to whistle a song. If it weren't for BB, I would have music playing constantly. I always have a song in my head. I like a wide variety of music. I play piano, and I would love to take college-level lessons again and really develop my technical playing abilities. I would like to play an orchestra instrument and be in an orchestra. I would love to take singing lessons. These all take time, though, time (and money) that is not currently available. When BB is older, I really hope to pursue these hobbies and perhaps even go back to college for a music degree.
Now, who am I going to tag? Let's see - I'm going to tag Z, Josh, Saige, Leah, and Steve.

Easy-Peasy Post

The other Heather did this meme on her blog, and I thought that I would fill it out as well. I've been having a tough time coming up with posts lately, and this is a pretty easy post!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I supposed to be. My birth mom had planned on naming me Laura Rose after Laura Ingalls Wilder ("Little House on the Prairie" was on TV back then). But I got stuck with the name Heather instead.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday. I was reading a sad book.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, even though I'm told it's illegible. I can also teacher print, but I write slowly that way.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Bologna or salami (but only kosher)

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 1 sweet little boy

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Hopefully.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Yes. Sadly, not everyone realizes I'm being sarcastic, which makes me feel bad about leading them on and then I have to explain that I was being sarcastic.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Pops or homemade granola.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not unless I have to.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, yes (considering I'm a girl). Emotionally, no.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Rocky Road.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their appearance. While I don't usually style my hair, wear makeup or fashionable clothes, I notice if other people do.

15. RED OR PINK? I'm told I look good wearing pink.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I could say how I look, but that's something I can change - since I don't do anything to change my appearance, it must not really bother me. I'm going to say my attitude - but I guess I can change that too, huh?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Hmm. Tough question. I've lost several babies, so I'm going to say that I miss all of them.

18. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I'm not wearing any shoes.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Blueberry muffin and coffee (nasty, nasty, homemade instant coffee!)

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My almost-2-year-old having a tantrum because DH is making him clean up his cheerios that he flung all over the floor.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Probably some neutral shade.

22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Lavender and heather (it's a flower that grows in Scotland).

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? DH. He called last night as he was running an errand to Target about renting a movie.

24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Definitely.

25. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Baseball (GO YANKEES!) or hockey (but only in person).
26. Hair Color? My natural color is medium brown. I dyed my hair light auburn 2 months ago, and the color faded a lot. I'm not sure what color of hair I have right now! I should note that my hair started turning gray at 15, so I also have a lot of gray in my hair.

27. EYE COLOR? Golden brown. I've been told that my eyes change hue based on my mood.

********** I must interrupt this - I just heard DH tell BB that sticking the cheerios under his butt is not the same as picking them up and throwing them away! ROFL...**********

28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No. LASIK is wonderful!

29. FAVORITE FOOD? It depends on my mood. A perfectly grilled hambuger, a great steak, a gyro, a cheesy slice of pizza... Most likely my favorite food would be some type of beef.

30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.

31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Rob Roy. I'd never seen it before and I'd just finished reading a trilogy of books that take place in 1700's Scotland, so I wanted to see something like that. I do like Liam Neeson, but there are some parts of him that I never wanted to see.

32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Pink. It's a really obvious Wal-Mart shirt that says "No Animal Testing" and it shows a mouse taking a test.

33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter.

34. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs, although you can't beat sweet little baby kisses.

35. FAVORITE DESSERT? I have to pick one? Only one? Just one?

36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? "A Woman's Place" by Lynn Austin. A good premise for a book, but not very well written. C.S. Lewis was right when he said that there didn't need to be more Christian authors, there needed to be more authors who are Christians.

37. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Georgia College and State University - The J. Whitney Bunting School of Business. I hate GC&SU - never go there!

38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? I watched Rob Roy. I rarely watch TV.

39. FAVORITE SOUND? BB's voice when he's talking to himself.

40. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I don't know much of the Rolling Stones other than their early work and "You'll Never Make a Saint of Me." I like the early Beatles.

41. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? San Diego, California.

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I'm going to copy the other Heather - I too, am a speed reader and I also have a good memory. I can't quote entire movies, but I'm good for useless trivia and when remembering when things happened.

A-Z Me Meme

Heather tagged me with this meme (actually, she tagged everybody on her blogroll).
A: Attached or single? Attached for 6 years as of tomorrow.
B: Best friends: DH is obviously one, as are Z and Kim
C: Cake or pie? depends on my mood. Apple pie is my favorite pie, and the mulit-layer yellow cake with chocolate icing that Kim's mom makes is my favorite cake.
D: Day of choice? Saturday. That's the day we tend to spend together as a family.
E: Essential item? I'm assuming this means an item that I don't need in order to live, like water or air, so I'll say money. With money, I can buy gas for my car, to take me to the coffee store, to buy coffee, to sip while I browse books to buy...
F: Favorite color? Lavender, with pink running a close second.
G: Gummy bears or worms? Bears, but I do love the sour worms.
H: Hometown? I was born in Homestead, FL
I: Favorite indulgence? coffee
J: January or July? I prefer the colder January weather, but BB's birthday is in July.
K: Kids? 1 sweet little boy
L: Life isn't complete without....? My family.
M: Marriage date? June 22, 2002
N: Number of brothers & sisters? I'm adopted, so my answer depends on how you look at it: my adopted parents didn't have any other children, so I'm technically an only child. However, my birth mom had another daughter, and my birth dad had two more daughters, so in a way, I have 3 sisters.
O: Oranges or apples? Apples.
P: Phobias? roaches, large crowds of people, fire
Q: Quotes: I have collected quotes in a journal for the past 11 years; it is impossible for me to pick my favorite.
R: Reason to smile? My little boy
S: Season? Fall
T: Tag 5 People: Z, Leah, Melissa, and Jason (Kim).
U: Unknown facts: This is known to those who know me personally, but I had Kawasaki's Syndrome as a kid. As a result, my aortic and my mitral valves don't close completely.
V: Veggie? Carrots.
W: Worst habit: I'm horribly indecisive.
X: X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound. Why would anyone pick an x-ray?
Y: Your favorite food? I really don't know. To me, favorite implies that you can eat it again and again without getting tired of it, and there is no food like that for me. I hate leftovers, and I don't want to eat something that I've eaten recently.
Z: Zinc or sunscreen? Sunscreen.

Weird Worship Meme

Steve recently tagged me with this meme that requires me to list 5 worship songs that I consider to be weird. This turned out to be more of a challenge than I originally thought it would be.

1. David Crowder Band - Here Is Our King: After complaining about this song to a friend of mine, it was explained to me that this song was written regarding the tsunami that hit Asia several years ago. After knowing the inspiration behind the song, it did make it easier to understand the lyrics, but I still have a hard time singing this song. For those unfamiliar with the song, here are the lyrics: From wherever spring arrives/To heal the ground/From wherever searching comes the look itself/A trace of what we’re looking for/So be quiet now and wait/The ocean is growing/The tide is coming in/Here it is/Here is our king, here is our love/Here is our God Who’s come/To bring us back to him/He is the one, he is Jesus, Jesus/And what was said to the rose/To make it unfold/Was said to me here in my chest/So be quiet now and rest/Majesty, finally/Majesty, finally here/Majesty, finally

On one hand, I can take the lyrics to mean that God is God in any circumstance. On the other hand, I pause at the “ Here is our God Who’s come/To bring us back to him;” does this mean that “Here is God to wipe us all out to take us to heaven?”

2. Charlie Hall – Marvelous Light: I understand this song just fine, but I have trouble with songs that instruct the singers to perform an action. This song, for example, says “Lift my hands and spin around.” When this song is sung, the congregation is typically divided into those that do, and those that do not perform the action. Typically at a singing of this song, the youth of the church will really get into this song to the point of being silly, spinning around and around throughout the song. This action will of course not go over too well with the older members, who view the youth's actions as being irreverent. Personally, I don't think action songs should be sung at a church unless the congregation as a whole typically participates in the action.

3. William Cowper - There is fountain filled with blood: I know this song is a classic, and I've sung it many time. Yet the imagery of a giant fountain of blood that sinners are plunged beneath has never quite escaped my mind whenever we sing this hymn. I personally am glad that the blood of Christ, while very real, is only encountered in the metaphoric sense by believers. [Although it could be pointed out that too many Christians lack true depth and sincerity nowadays because so much of our faith is metaphoric]

4. Martin Smith - I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever: I've sung this song countless times, but for a long time I never really thought about the words. Why, exactly, is it foolish to dance before God? Doesn't the Bible mention dancing multiple times? I'm not speaking of choreographed dancing in church, but true, honest-to-goodness dancing before God. Also, I'm pretty sure that the world isn't going to dance with joy when they see the light. Those who see the light kinda cease to be “the world.” To the best of my knowledge, the world as a whole isn't going to see the light until judgment day, which isn't going to be a happy time for the world.

5. Give me that old time religion: I don't have a problem with this song if it's being sung in regards to not changing the faith. We as believers aren't supposed to add to or subtract from the Gospel. But I've heard this song quoted many times by people who oppose any type of change in how the church corporately worships. The people who quote this song the most seem to believe that church should not change from how it was conducted in the 1800's. Yet I wonder if any of those church leaders ever think about how church in the 1800's had changed from church in the 100's. Yes, I agree that too many churches today rival secular events with their light shows, choreographed performances and feel-good messages. I also agree that some churches today seem to take pride in how untraditional they can be. But Jesus went to the tax collectors and prostitutes; He did not wait for them to conform to the legalistic Judaism of the day before He spoke to them. I object to the idea that a simple hymn that was probably well-intentioned being used as an argument for expecting the world to conform to the church's standards while the world is still lost.

Now for the fun: I'm tagging Jason, because I'm interested in what he considers weird; Restoring the Years, because I think she's very insightful when it comes to music; anyone who reads this post and has not been previously tagged for this meme – consider yourself tagged!

Ta Da! 100 Things about Me!

1. I have always (with the exception of college) lived in a town that has a military base.

2. I have 1 son and I am perfectly content with having only 1 child.

3. I would be ecstatic if I found out that I was going to have more children.

4. I want to adopt.

5. My favorite colors are lavender and pink.

6. I'm 5'4”, but when I was a kid, my pediatrician told my mom that based on the growth charts, I'd be around 6' when I was grown (think you missed that one, doc).

7. I would like to spend a spring or fall camping at all of the “great” national parks across the U.S.

8. I will freely admit that my worst fashion choice ever was a pair of purple suede high-top shoes. You gotta love the early 90's!

9. I used to have double holes in both ears, but my left 2^nd hole has closed up. I keep debating whether or not to get it re-pierced.

10. I'm adopted and was raised as an only child, although I have a biological sister that I'm in contact with.

11. My worst field trip ever was to a dairy farm when I was in pre-K. A cow pooped on me and when I was taken back to the school van for my extra clothes, I slammed my finger in the door.

12. I ideally like to read a book a day. Now that I'm a mom, I have to settle for 2-4 books a week.

13. I wanted to be a nurse until I realized that I'd have to deal with poop, pee, and dead people. My current profession requires me to deal with two of these things many times a day.

14. I love having short hair, although I am currently planning to let my hair grow until I'm 30. I've never had super-long hair and I figure now's my chance.

15. It bothers me that Christmas and Easter aren't celebrated on their correct days.

16. I will not look into a mirror if the room is dark.

17. I can't read urban legends because I freak myself out.

18. My middle name is after my grandmother.

19. As a child, I longed for a name that could have a nickname.

20. I used to want to be named Cassandra.

21. I really wish that I could get into exercising.

22. I try to not be early to everything and to not let tardy people bug me, but it's hard.

23. I rarely iron, even if it's church clothes.

24. I am very impatient!

25. I like funny/sarcastic t-shirts.

26. I can't stand long fingernails. I keep mine cut as short as possible.

27. I could have eaten Subway's Cold Cut Trio and Joe Muggs' Rice Krispie treats everyday when I was pregnant with BB – those were the only two things I never threw up.

28. I had morning sickness the whole 9 months. I even threw up in between pushing when I was in labor.

29. BB weighed 10.5

30. I had post-partum depression after BB was born.

31. BB had colic every night from 11PM-2AM the first 6 months - DH worked nights at the time.

32. I love Boots No. 7 facial products.

33. I have the same birthday as Michael Jordan and Paris Hilton.

34. My birthday is a big deal to me. It really means a lot to me when people remember my birthday.

35. I go to Outback every year on my birthday and order Ribs on the Barbie with fries and apples.

36. I am left-handed.

37. Chanel No. 5 is my favorite perfume.

38. Baskin Robbins' Rocky Road is my favorite ice cream.

39. I am ¼ Native American.

40. I don't tan, I burn.

41. I can't really enjoy a movie unless I have movie theater popcorn with butter.

42. Queen and Aerosmith are probably my two favorite bands, followed by the Eagles. Yes, I know all three groups are awful. I try to not listen to them, but it's really hard.

43. If I'm walking on a sidewalk, each square has to have the same number of steps

44. I almost continuously try to whistle if I'm concentrating on something. You'd think by now I'd be able to whistle.

45. I like red M&Ms the best.

46. I have a continual soundtrack playing in my head that I usually dance and sing along with. Sadly, this happens even in public.

47. I met DH in college, where he was my biology class lab partner.

48. DH sat next to me in biology because he'd heard that I went to church with a girl that he liked. He figured that I could help him out.

49. I think I helped him out, but not the way that he originally planned.

50. I've always wanted to live in New England, and have never wanted to live in the South. I've spent my whole life in the South.

51. I love coffee, but only if it comes made from a coffee store.

52. I collect Currier and Ives dishes, and Cherry Ames books.

53. As a kid, I took piano, guitar, clarinet, gymnastics, ballet, ceramics, etiquette, voice, and sewing lessons. I only stayed with the piano.

54. I have a near obsession with Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

55. My dream car is a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500.

56. I have had 10 pets. I've since determined that I'm not a pet person.

57. I hate going to the eye doctor and dentist.

58. My dad's maternal side of the family came over on the Mayflower.

59. I wanted to be an astronaut until I saw the Challenger explode.

60. I HATE glitter! I won't keep a card if it has too much glitter on it. When I was a teacher, I never did craft projects that called for glitter.

61. I taught 2^nd grade for 3 years.

62. I don't think I'll ever go back to teaching public school.

63. I'm seriously considering home school.

64. I think that movies can never compare with books.

65. I can't stand to watch horror or suspense movies. My overactive imagination gets the best of me every time.

66. I had an imaginary friend named Kunga until I went to kindergarten. She was from Africa, and her dad was the chief of her village. When I was asked how she came to America, I would say the missionaries brought her back.

67. Shots don't bother me, but I get squeamish about having my blood taken. I think it's the fact that the needle stays in for so long.

68. I've often thought that I would like to have lived in the 1940's.

69. I was the chubby kid with braces and glasses in school who had to go to speech AND physical therapy.

70. I've been told that I don't have much of an accent, despite being from the South.

71. I've had LASIK surgery and it is great!

72. I adore trivia.

73. I think I totally rock at most trivia games.

74. I've always wanted to try karaoke but I don't know if I can sing.

75. I love to sing, but I hate embarrassing myself in public.

76. I think I know the words to every Amy Grant song.

77. My favorite actors are Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman.

78. Deep Blue Something's song “Breakfast at Tiffany's” got me interested in Audrey Hepburn.

79. I do my best writing on a yellow legal pad.

80. I want to visit Israel and England.

81. I can't stand to hear someone chew their food.

82. I have an irrational fear of butterflies and horses.

83. I am distantly related to both Ethan Allen (the Revolutionary war hero) and Al Capone (the gangster).

84. I have moved over 12 times.

85. DH and I took ballroom dance lessons in college, and I want to take more lessons.

86. My first favorite toy was a stuffed Snoopy that I took everywhere. I called him “Foofee.”

87. I collect vintage “Peanuts” books.

88. I think Unalaska is about the coolest name ever for a place and I want to go there.

89. Some kids play “Barbie gets married.” I reenacted history with my dolls. My favorite was the Spanish Inquisition and Joan of Arc. It's a good thing I wasn't allowed to play with matches.

90. Mountain Dew is my favorite drink when I'm having a bad day.

91. I love Broadway plays, but I've only seen “Phantom of the Opera.” I used to have it completely memorized.

92. I would eat out every meal if I could.

93. I don't like “The Princess Bride.”

94. My current house is 936 square feet and 7 rooms. I pray earnestly that my next house is bigger by at least 100%.

95. I love to plan and organize things.

96. I was a psych major in college until I met DH and decided that I'd rather have a bachelor's in education and a wedding ring than a doctorate in psych.

97. I'd like to participate in community theater, but I'll probably have to wait until BB is older.

98. I've wanted to get a tattoo for as long as I can remember. I don't have one.

99. I dislike wearing makeup and taking the time to fix my hair. I really do think that I could shave my head and be fine with it (although DH would NOT be okay with that!).

100. I have filled and decorated 8 scrapbooks to date. I might need a support group.

5 Things

1. I have 1 son and can't make up my mind about having another child.
2. I taught 2nd grade for 3 years.
3. I don't know what I'd do if I had to give up coffee and Classic Coke.
4. I live in a really small house.
5. I will have played piano for 20 years this September.

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5 Things To Do Meme

Josh over at The Smoak House tagged me with this meme, in which I must list 5 non-work related things I have to do this week. Seeing how housekeeping and childcare are my work, it was tough to come up with a list. But here goes...
1. Finish quilting my quilt. I am currently working on a lap-size quilt. I'm almost done with the quilting part. I usually only work on the quilt when I'm watching something, which brings me to...
2. Go to the library and get some movies to watch. I'm trying to not watch actual TV programs, because there's really nothing that I can justify watching. We don't have cable, and what comes on network TV is, for the most part, trash. So I'll look at the library for some G or PG movies to watch while I quilt my quilt.
3. Find things for yard sale. My friend Z mentioned an upcoming yard sale at her house, so I'm going to try to find some things to part with. The annual book sale for the library is coming up, as is Mossy Creek (a local arts/crafts fair), so I want to come up with some spending money for those events.
4. Work on my Bible study assignment. I attend a Friday morning Bible study at Kim's church. The Bible study leader assigns an impossible amount of work to do. This week I have 11 pages of verses to look up and comment about. At times likes these, I really wish we had high-speed internet instead of dial-up. I could look up those verses fast at Bible Gateway.
5. Go to Gottwals books. There are several gift-giving occasions coming up, I'm strapped for cash, and I have a store credit at Gottwals. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! Good thing none of the people I have to buy for read this blog...
Now for the fun part - tagging. I'm tagging 152 Insights Into My Soul, because I'm tired of seeing "It's Official" as her most current post.

50 Things About Me

As this is my 50^th post, I thought I'd do a 50 Things About Me meme...

1. I'm adopted and was raised as an only child, although I have a sister that I'm in contact with.

2. My favorite colors are lavender and pink.

3. I'm 5'4”, but when I was a kid, my pediatrician told my mom that based on the growth charts, I'd be around 6' when I was grown (think you missed that one, doc).

4. I've always wanted to live in New England, and have never wanted to live in the South. I've spent my whole life in the South.

5. I love coffee, but only if it comes made from a coffee store.

6. Until I met DH, I wrote poetry, stories, and songs.

7. I collect Currier and Ives dishes, and Cherry Ames books.

8. As a kid, I took piano, guitar, clarinet, gymnastics, ballet, ceramics, etiquette, voice, and sewing lessons. I only stayed with the piano.

9. I have a near obsession with Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

10. My dream car is a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500.

11. I have had 10 pets. I've since determined that I'm not a pet person.

12. One of my first celebrity crushes was Mel Gibson (really embarrassing).

13. I hate going to the eye doctor and dentist.

14. My dad's maternal side of the family came over on the Mayflower.

15. I wanted to be an astronaut until I saw the Challenger explode.

16. I HATE glitter! I won't keep a card if it has too much glitter on it. When I was a teacher, I never did craft projects that called for glitter.

17. When I read a book that I like, it's like the movie of the book is playing in my mind. I rarely see movies based on books that I like because the movie can never compare with my mental movie.

18. I can't stand to watch horror or suspense movies. My overactive imagination gets the best of me every time.

19. Outback is my favorite restaurant. I've gone there every year for my birthday for the past 13 years.

20. I had an imaginary friend named Kunga until I went to kindergarten. She was from Africa, and her dad was the chief of her village. When I was asked how she came to America, I would say the missionaries brought her back.

21. Shots don't bother me, but I get squeamish about having my blood taken. I think it's the fact that the needle stays in for so long.

22. I've often thought that I would like to have lived in the 1940's.

23. I want to live in Ireland.

24. I was the chubby kid with braces and glasses in school who had to go to speech AND physical therapy.

25. I've met George Strait and Fred Durst (not at the same time).

26. I hate seafood. I'm from Florida.

27. Deep Blue Something's song “Breakfast at Tiffany's” got me interested in Audrey Hepburn.

28. I do my best writing on a yellow legal pad.

29. I want to visit Israel and England.

30. I can't stand to hear someone chew their food.

31. I have an irrational fear of butterflies and horses.

32. I am distantly related to both Ethan Allen (the Revolutionary war hero) and Al Capone (the gangster).

33. I have moved over 12 times.

34. My first favorite toy was a stuffed Snoopy that I took everywhere. I called him “Foofee.”

35. I think Unalaska is about the coolest name ever for a place and I want to go there.

36. Some kids play “Barbie gets married.” I reenacted history with my dolls. My favorite was the Spanish Inquisition and Joan of Arc. It's a good thing I wasn't allowed to play with matches.

37. Mountain Dew is my favorite drink when I'm having a bad day.

38. I love Broadway plays, but I've only seen “Phantom of the Opera.” I used to have it completely memorized.

39. I have had 2 volunteer jobs and 6 paid jobs.

40. I don't like “The Princess Bride.”

41. I have often wanted to attend church of a denomination that had more reverent and elaborate worship services. I think that the move towards casual in my denomination (and in others) takes something away from the set-apartness of going to church. I cannot, however, reconcile myself to the other denominational beliefs.

42. I met DH in biology class. Our anniversary is 9/11.

43. I prefer to only eat the red M&M's. They taste better.

44. My current house is 936 square feet and 7 rooms. I pray earnestly that my next house is bigger by at least 100%.

45. I love to plan and organize things.

46. I was a psych major in college until I met DH and decided that I'd rather have a bachelor's in education and a wedding ring than a doctorate in psych.

47. I'd like to participate in community theater, but I'll probably have to wait until BB is older.

48. I've wanted to get a tattoo for as long as I can remember. I don't have one.

49. I dislike wearing makeup and taking the time to fix my hair. I really do think that I could shave my head and be fine with it (although DH would NOT be okay with that!).

50. It is really hard coming up with 50 facts. I'm going to go ahead and start my 100 now...

Bible Meme

Josh over at The Smoak House tagged me with this meme.

1. What translation of the Bible do you like best? KJV usually, although I often reference NIV or The Amplified Bible when I am doing a Bible study and I'm having trouble with a verse.

2. Old or New Testament? New Testament

3. Favorite Book of the Bible? Proverbs, although I do like Ruth and Esther

4. Favorite Chapter? Luke 2, especially the first half

5. Favorite Verse? Psalm 37:4

6. Bible character you think you’re most like? No clue.

7. One thing from the Bible that confuses you? the verses concerning the election of the believers

8. Moses or Paul? Moses - who else has a passage written about him like in Deuteronomy 34?

9. A teaching from the Bible that you struggle with or don’t get? Paul's teachings about women

10. Coolest name in the Bible? Mephibosheth. Try to say it five times fast! I will admit that I'm also partial to my son's name.

Now I'm supposed to tag someone else who will do this. I pick Saige, because it's been a while since she's updated her blog (although with a pre-schooler and a baby, I certainly understand).