I haven’t been on the computer much this week.  And it’s nice.  Except, of course, that I miss my cyber-peeps.  But I’m guessing that everybody is in a bit of vacation mode, so at least I’m not alone.

Jo-Lynne {Musings of a Housewife} did this meme.  I hesitated to follow suit because she wittingly referred to memes as the “blogging equivalent of wearing pleated pants or shoulder pads.”

Ouch.

But I’m doing it anyway.  And if I can dig up a photo from my 8th grade graduation I’d fit Jo-Lynne’s description to a tee.  So why not?

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Rode a Segway.  Made a fondant cake.  Ate swordfish.  Parasailed.  Held (yes, held) a stingray.  Drank a margarita on a white-sand Mexican beach.  Cruised aboard the glorious Disney Magic!

2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

For the most part, yes.  I kept them.  Am I making more?  Absolutely.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.  :(

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.  :)

5. What countries did you visit?

Mexico.  The Bahamas.  And the Cayman Islands. (Yes.  Those count as countries in my book!).

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

The ability to think before I speak.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory?  Why?

July 16th.  Though I wish I could erase it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Sending a partial manuscript to an agent and having her follow-up with a request to see the whole thing!

9. What was your biggest failure?

The cumulative events of July 16th.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not unless hangnails and minor burns count.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Just this week we bought a new setting/stone for my lost wedding set.  I’ve yet to put it on my finger, but once it arrives I’m sure it will qualify as the best thing we’ve bought all year.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My three girls.  Cassidy for her behavioral strides.  Kennedy for making honor roll (again!).  Torri for trying something new (cross-country) and being asked to join the Yearbook staff as a freshman!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Hmmm…someone who continued to say and do hurtful things.  But I’m not naming names.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Into putting a roof over our heads, keeping our bellies full, and ensuring that we’ll be taken care of tomorrow.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Our surf ‘n’turf 16-night Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise vacation.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

This one.  It is absolutely beautiful.

17. Compared to this same time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
b) thinner or fatter?
c) richer or poorer?

a) holdin’ steady
b) thinner! (one of those successful resolutions from last year).
c) richer, in more ways than one

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Scrapbooking.  Reading.  Sipping.  Baking with Kennedy.  Exhaling.  Playing with Cass.  Strolling.  Duck-duck-goosing.  Laughing with Torri.  Unwinding with my husband.  Kicking rocks with Jayce.  Picnicking.  Praying.  Listening.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Facebooking.  Hurrying.  Stressing.  Dusting.  Polishing.  Refereeing.  Paying.  Balancing.  Taxiing.  Scrubbing.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Mostly in my PJ’s.  With some (though definitely not all) of the people I love most.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

All over again.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Just one?  Fine then.  LOST.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.  What an awful question.

24. What was the best book you read?

Sliding 4 in under the cover of a series: Twilight.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

How encouraging and inspirational the Christian station is.

26. What did you want – and get?

Besides a happy, healthy family?  Some material things: stainless steel cookware, nice knives, a high-quality food processor, an apron.  (I spend a lot of time in the kitchen).  Oh, and a cute green polka-dot dress.  And then there were other things.  Things that carry more weight.  Namely answered prayers.  For those I’d have traded in all that other stuff.

27. What did you want – and not get?

Light fixtures.  Maybe next year?

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

My Sister’s Keeper.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

It was only two months ago and already I’ve forgotten.  What I did I mean, not how old I am.  I’m 32.  Too young to have already forgotten what I did two months ago.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeausurably more satisfying?

Having signed with a literary agent.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

It’s all about accessorizing.  I’m learning.

32. What kept you sane?

On the big things?  Trusting in God.  And wise words from my grams (who always says exactly what I need to hear).  On the little things?  Wine.  And girlfriends.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Sarah Palin I suppose.  I relate with her for many reasons, including teenage pregnancy and Down syndrome.  But then I saw her on Oprah and I wasn’t entirely impressed with the way she handled the Levi discussion.  I’m sort of up in the air on her now.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

You had to ask, didn’t you?  This was big for me.  HUGE.

35. Who did you miss?

My family.  The way they used to be.  It’s a grieving process I think.  A tough one.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Taylor ranks right up there.  But I’d have to say that the common folk I met were even more important.  Allison and  Becca. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

That bad things don’t always happen to other people.  They sometimes hit a lot closer to home.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“I guess we’re all one phone call from our knees…” -Matt Kearney.  Love that.  So very true.  It reminds me to cherish each and every moment because you never know what lies in wait.  An important lesson indeed.

I haven’t done one of these in a long time.

One of what, you ask?

A meme.  With a summer theme to boot.

A themed meme.  If you will. (Okay Darcie, kindly step away from the computer now, so say the gentleman in white suits as they come at me with sinister smiles)

This one comes courtesy of Misty {Rainy Day In May}.  I started reading Misty’s blog a few months back and although I’ve been seriously weak in my blog reading as of late, I love her stuff.  She’s a great writer.

Okay.  On to the rules:
I have to tag the person who tagged me (although I can’t see Misty wanting to do this again seeing as how she just did it so I’ll leave that up to her.  Maybe they mean link to, which would make more sense), complete a list or 8, and then tag 8 other people (and let them know I tagged them). So here goes:

8 Things I’m Looking Forward To:

1. Hands down – Our annual WDW trip (and subsequent Disney Cruise!)
2. Visiting Geoff, Kelly & Adam in San Antonio!!!
3. Successfully finishing my book revisions (once and for all damn it!)
4. Beginning (writing not reading) a new book
5. The girls coming home from Dad camp
6. Going to see UP this weekend with my two favorite boys
7. Running another Disney 5K in March of next year
8. Finding a recipe for the yummy cilantro hummus we discovered at Zona 78 tonight

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Signed Jayce up for swimming lessons
2. Got tore up by mosquitoes
3. Worked out with Jillian Michaels (the devil incarnate)
4. Shucked corn
5. Tweeted
6. Went on a lizard hunt with Jayce – not a difficult task around here
7. Enjoyed Jamocha Almond Fudge in a cup at Baskin Robbins’ $1 scoop night
8. Tried (in vain) to find a decent rate for a September minivan rental

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Land a really sweet book deal, followed by an amazingly successful career (zoinked this word for word from Misty)
2. Go to BlogHer ’09
3. Take my family on a Mediterranean Disney Cruise
4. Find a decent rate for a September minivan rental
5. Speak computerese and not have to rely on Jeff’s help in the geek department
6. Afford more Disney trips to travel more
7. Pick out clothes that my teenage daughter won’t roll her eyes at or turn her nose up to
8. Kick Jeff’s arse at something completely unexpected.  Like arm wrestling.  Or a foot race.  Beer guzzling.  Anything.

8 Shows I Watch:

1. Little People Big World
2. Jon and Kate Plus 8
3. Lost
4. Survivor
5. The Closer
6. Oprah
7. Law and Order
8. Today Show (is it just me or have they seriously increased the number of commercials they show?)

8 Favorite Fruits:

1. Strawberries
2. Blackberries
3. Honeydew
4. Dulcinea watermelon (has to be Dulcinea)
5. Nectarines
6. Kiwi
7. Grape Tomatoes
8. Blueberries

8 Places I’d Like To Travel To:

1. Israel
2. Yellowstone/Grand Tetons
3. Mount Rushmore
4. The Summer Olympics (doesn’t matter where)
5. The Great Wall of China
6. Walt Disney World at Christmas with my family
7. A secluded tropical beach.  Just Jeff and I.
8. Costa Rica with Adventures by Disney.  Mostly to get Torri off my nutz.

8 Places I’ve Lived:

1. Paso Robles, California (if it sounds familiar check your wine label)
2. Hendersonville, Tenessee (home of Miss Taylor Swift herself)
3. Augusta, Georgia.  Otherwise known as the butt crack of the south.
4. Colorado Springs, Colorado.
5. Tucson, Arizona
6. In an extended stay “resort” for far longer than anyone should ever have to
7. In a 900 sq. ft. house with my family of 5 for far longer than anyone should ever have to
8. In the closest thing to my dream house as I’ve come yet

8 People I’m Tagging:

1. The fabulously funny Wendy {Weight… What?}
2. Contagiously sweet and optimistic Allison {Slice of Heaven}
3. The tell-it-like-it-is (gotta love that) Susanne {The Sky is Bigger Here}
4. My sistah from anotha motha Erin {School teacher by day Superhero by Night}
5. The perpetual pixie dust filled Kim {Stop A Moment}
6. Shelle {Block Thoughts} because she’ll find a way to crack me up with her answers
7. My nicest-girl-you’ll-ever-meet friend and neighbor Stephanie {Metropolitan Mama}
8. And last, but certainly not least, my own personal momento (and forever friend) from the Disney Moms Panel, Heather {Hopelessly Flawed}.  Even if she is tired of me tagging her in these things. :)

I don’t usually tag because I don’t like to be openly bossy so if my tag makes you want to throw a heavy object through your computer at me then feel free to ignore it.  Otherwise, it provides some fun and light blogging fodder so dig in!

Pssst.  I’ve got something to show you.

It’s my purse.  Or handbag, as slightly more sophisticated people than I choose to call it.

I suppose that if I spent slightly more on my purses they could be referred to as handbags.

I’m one of those who has never paid more than $25 for a purse.

If the day comes when ever I spend upwards of a hundred bucks on a bag, (oh dear Lord knock me upside the head) then I suppose I will refer to it as my haundbag. Spoken just like that, fancy accent and all.

I have nothing against haundbags.  If you’re in a giving mood feel free to give my way.  I’d gladly carry a designer bag.  Only I refuse to gladly fork over the big bucks for one.

That’s just me though.

I can tell you for sure that I will be entering into Jo-Lynne’s contest next week in which she’ll be giving away an Orla Kiely haundbag.

And speaking of Jo-Lynne {Musings of a Housewife} , she’s tagged me for a meme.  A fun one at that.  One in which haundbags play a starring role actually.

First things first, here are the rules:

1) Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you cannot go up to your closet and pull out that cute little purse you used back before you had kids. I want to know what you carried today.

2) I want to know how much it cost And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I’d love to hear it.

3) Tag some chicks. And link back to this post (Beth @ Total Mom Haircut) so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your diaper bag/non-diaper bag.

You with me still?  Simple enough right?  So here goes…

This is what currently rests on my shoulder.  It’s red.  It’s big enough for all my stuff.  I like it.  But the factor that pushed me over the edge in purchasing it was its price.  I paid a whopping $13.78 for it.  I know.  It’s a wonder I can still pay the mortgage.

Okay, so I’ve checked off rules 1 and 2.  That leaves me in the tagging department.  Jo-Lynne tagged me because I was pictured in a photo with her and the haundbag (hers totally qualifies as a haundbag) she posted about.  Since nobody is pictured with my purse, I guess I’ll have to be creative.  I tag:

Stephanie {Metropolitan Mama} and Nicole {Apron Strings Aflutter} because I’ll be getting together with them next week and I’ll have the chance to verify that they didn’t run and pull out something cute just for the meme.  No fair cheating.

Of course, I’d love to see your purse (or haundbag as the case may be) too if you’d like to play along.  Just be sure to let me know in the comments so I can come by and have a looksee.

Merrie at Sleepless Mornings has the best memes.  She should totally be your new go to girl for memes.  I’ve recently declared her mine.  My go to girl for memes that is.  She’s not mine-mine.  You know what I mean.  Anyway…

She did this one the other day and I thought it looked like a ton of fun.  Basically you grab your iPod and you put your music on to shuffle.  This part works out well for me seeing as how I don’t have a regular iPod, but I do have the Shuffle.  You copy down the questions.  To answer them, you just jot down the title and artist of the song that plays.  She had some more specific instructions but I’m paraphrasing.  You get the idea right?

So here’s what I came up with:

If someone says, “Is this okay?” you say?  Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson

What best describes your personality?  Free fallin’ (the John Mayer version)

What do you look for in a guy?  The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson (excuse the commentary but Oh. My. Goodness.  you have no idea how true that is).

How do you feel today?  Fire and Rain by James Taylor

What is your life’s purpose?  I Don’t Trust Myself by John Mayer

What is your motto?  Pocket Full of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield

What do your friends think of you?  I Sure Can Smell the Rain by Blackhawk

What do you think about often?  Picture by Kid Rock/Sheryl Crow

What do you think of your best friend?  Stop This Train by John Mayer

What do you think of the person you like (in my case I’m assuming this refers to the person I married)?  White Flag by Dido

What is your life story?  Stupid Boy by Keith Urban (More commentary: I’m not one but I’ve sure come across my fair share!)

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Take Care of You by Billy Dean

What do you think when you see the person you like?  Belief by John Mayer

What do your parents think of you?  The Long Way Around the Dixie Chicks

What will you dance to at your wedding?  Clarity by John Mayer

What will they play at your funeral?  Lullaby by The Dixie Chicks

What is your biggest secret?  Rock & Roll by Eric Hutchinson

What do you think of your friends?  Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie

What is the worst thing that could happen?  Stitched Up Herbie Hancock/John Mayer

How will you die?  Hotel California by The Eagles

What is the one thing you regret?  Take It Easy The Eagles

What makes you laugh?  Boys With Girlfriends by Meiko

What makes you cry?  Say by John Mayer

Will you ever get married?  Love Remains The Same by Gavin Rosdale

What scares you the most?  Good Directions by Billy Currington

Does anyone like you?  Wave on Wave by Pat Green

If you could go back in time what would you change?  Everybody Knows by the Dixie Chicks

What hurts right now?  Say Hey by Michael Franti

What will you post this as?  Something Good This Way Comes by Jakob Dylan

See?!  Wasn’t that fun?  You should try it.

Stephanie at Metropolitan Mama recently tagged me for a meme.  A holiday meme at that.  Here’s the scoop: I get to tell you seven things about me (as related to the holidays) and then you can play along if you like.  A perfect meme for the beginning of November don’t you think?  So let’s get started.

1.  Ever since we moved into this house I’ve wanted to host a HUGE Thanksgiving.  In a perfect world both my family and Jeff’s would come together and have a beautiful meal followed by a leisurely walk through the neighborhood and an evening of Black Friday strategizing.  Then we’d all settle in for a few rounds of Taboo or Cranium and lick the last bit of pumpkin pie from our plates.  Bailey’s Irish Cream and hot toddies would flow freely as would the laughter and tidings of good joy.  Idyllic isn’t it?  Unfortunately there are a number of reasons why my little fantasy will likely never work out.  Probably for the best though really.  Want to know why?  Read on.

2.  I have a terrible aversion to raw meat.  Especially raw meat that is still attached to the carcass of an animal.  Namely turkey.  I love cooking.  I do.  But there are few things I hate more than preparing a bird.  You know that little bag inside the cavity of the turkey that contains the neck and gizzards and other parts that should have long since been thrown away?  Yeah, that repulses me.  And reaching my hand inside the cavity to retrieve that bag ‘o goodies?  I vomit in my mouth every time.  And by every time I mean both times that I’ve done it.  When I lived closer to home my mom or grandma would do it for me.  When Jeff was away in Iraq and his family came to spend Thanksgiving with the girls and I, my mother-in-law had the honors.  I think Jeff did it last year.  Really, any other capable body in close proximity is better for the job than I.  See.  Now you understand why God didn’t mean for me to host a huge meal which would likely require the roasting of not one, but two turkeys.  My stomach is turning just typing that.

3.  We have an elf.  Our own personal elf.  His name is Doogan and he comes to visit us each and every year.  The exact date of his visit is never known ahead of time but it has always happened after Thanksgiving sometime.  He sneaks into the house while we’re away (elves are well-versed in sneaking don’t ya know) and leaves behind ornaments for the kids along with notes telling them how they’re coming with regard to the naughty/nice list.  He’s a silly elf.  After all these years he still can’t spell the kids’ names right.  They do get a kick out of that though.

4.  One tradition we haven’t been very traditional with is the singing of happy birthday over a candlelit birthday cake on Christmas Eve, before or after church.  It’s something we started doing years ago when the kids were itty bitty so as to instill in them the awareness that the holiday is, and should always be, about Jesus, not so much about Santa and Rudolph and Doogan.  I wish I could say we’ve done it every year.  It’s something I really was fond of though and I’d like to be better at keeping the tradition as Jayce grows up.

5.  I’ve never had a white Christmas.  Not a single time.  I’d like to remedy that though.

6.  There are certain foods that make the Christmas season complete.  I can’t imagine a Christmas morning without homemade cinnamon rolls, egg casserole, and hot cocoa.  Oh, and of course “the smell of Christmas” as Torri calls it, brewing on the stovetop.  It’s just orange juice, cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange slices brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer.  But without it, Christmas doesn’t smell nearly as sweet.

7.  I love the holidays.  I really do.  I love the cheery holiday tunes and I insist on playing them.  Even though Jeff could totally do without Christmas music because he is of the mindset that if Christmas music was really good they’d play it all year long.  I also love the sweet smells of holiday baking and the flicker of the lights on the tree.  I love the gold and the silver, the red and the green.  I love the holly-rimmed dishes you only pull out once a year.  I love the jingle of the bells and the chill in the air.  I love the childlike way I feel on Christmas morning.  I really do love all of it.  In spite of the love though, I can’t stand lingering Christmas decor.  Those same bells that invoke a sense of joy on Christmas Eve make my skin itch with anxiety the very morning after Christmas.  You know those people who leave their trees up well past New Years?  I’m not one of them.  I’m a do-er.  And seeing all those decorations that need to be dusted off and put away until next year gets me in a get ‘em up and out mode. 

Bah humbug yourself.

Okay, so there’s my list.  Where’s yours?

I’m spilling it.

No, not the beans.

The contents of my purse.

Merrie at Sleepless Mornings tagged for a meme in which I must dump my purse and answer a few related questions.  As far as memes go, this is one of the funner ones I’ve seen, so thanks Merrie, for giving me blogging fodder for the day.   Okay, okay.  In all honesty this post should have gone up last night but we had issues.  Seems our DVR resigned while we were away at Disney World, leaving Heroes to go unrecorded.  So we’re watching it via the internet.  That, btw, sucks.  You can’t fast forward through the commercials when you watch online.  Luckily we’re all caught up now and we can go back to vegging in front of the big screen instead of all crowding onto the couch around a little monitor and sitting in perfect stillness because every rustle drowns out the pitiful sound of aforementioned monitor.

Enough about that though.  On to the dumpage.

And here are the related questions:

Describe the contents of your purse.  It’s pretty self-explanatory, but okay.  I’ve got a wallet, a cell phone, hand sanitizer, a little leather pouch that I use to contain gift cards, store membership cards, etc.  You can see my handy-dandy camera, a little mirror, a tube of sunscreen (a necessity in Arizona), some lip gloss, two pens, a pencil, a barrette, and that white weapon looking thing with a cross on it is a nail file my Gram gave me.  Last but not least is a rain check for Foster Farms chicken breast at 1.77 a pound.  Score, huh?

What is the most important thing in your handbag?  My wallet.  Definitely.

What’s the most embarrassing thing in your handbag?  Actually, this meme caught me at a good time of the month so I’m not embarrassed by anything in there.

What’s the smallest thing in your handbag?  The barrette.

Is there anything illegal in your handbag?  Sheesh, who do they have in mind when they come up with these questions?  Sorry to disappoint but I don’t think I’m packing anything illegal.  Unless you count the fact that I have two other rain checks for the exact same thing in my wallet so perhaps it’s against the rules to get multiple rain checks for the same thing.  I totally live on the edge though.

Here is the fine print:
Find a safe quiet place free of significant others, nosey meme makers, priests, nuns, all things religious and men in general. (If you’re a guy just reverse this process to male and tell us about your wallet, tool box, briefcase or metro sexual accessory.) Don’t look at me, I just cut and paste.
1. Dump the contents of your handbag in a pile.
2. Take a photo of your handbag and the contents.
3. Be brave and explain to your fellow bloggers what lurks inside the handbag.
4. Tag others who might want to embarrass themselves.
5. Answer the above questions in your blog.

So, if you want to dump your own purse, please let me know that you’ll be playing along so I can come see what the rest of you are hiding.

I’m the proud recipient of a fabulous blog award and I just have to share.  It’s the I love your blog award and it was given to me by Michelle at Life With Three and Kalisha and Reneca at Mommy Lounge. 

I love to be loved.  Especially by these groovy gals.  And, you know what they say right?  What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  So I’m doing my part by passing it on!

Here are some blogs I’m loving lately…

Because I Said So (I’m not even holding the fact that she wants to put Obama in office against her. Isn’t that big of me?)

A Lucky Girl because she’s one creative chickadee and I just love her finds.

Total Mom Haircut because when Beth dishes, she gets down to the nitty gritty.  That’s my kind of girl.

Stinky John Jones Really honest and really funny.  Two things I love.

And Nicole at Apron Strings Aflutter tagged me for a meme in which I must tell confess to seven five weird things about me.  So here goes.

5.  I do not enjoy eating peaches because the fuzz gives me the heebie jeebies.
4.  I keep a calculator in my purse, in my bedroom and in the kitchen next to my laptop.  I tend to be sort of OCD about things involving numbers in spite of being really bad at math.
3.  I have a ton of virtual friends but in the town I live in I can’t even think of a single person who I can ask to drive us to the airport.
2.  I feel uncomfortable in situations where I am required to interact with adults.  I fear that my years of child-rearing have left me incapable of intelligent conversation.
1.  I think playgroups are for yuppies (oops, did i just say type that out loud?).

Yes, it was supposed to be seven.  So sue me.  If you’re weirder than me and can come up with seven things about yourself, then by all means, play along!

I was tagged by both Grace Comes By Hearing and Fractured Toy for a meme in which I have tell you six things about myself. 

Six things?!

After I just spilled the beans in my 100 things about me post?!  You might be wondering if one person really can have that many quirks.

Let me assure you that one person most certainly can.  And I do.

1.  I can’t bring myself to eat food meant for kids.  Kraft mac’n'cheese, Smucker’s uncrustables, dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.  Not my thang.  Purple ketchup, go-gurt, Push pops.  Nope, no thanks.  I have to pass.  It may be that the total and complete lack of nutritional value in those empty foods is what repels me.  But, along the same lines, I don’t drink from the plastic cups we keep in our cupboard for the kids to use.  Nor can I eat cereal from the plastic bowls we keep on hand for them. 

It’s okay.  You can tell me.  That’s weird isn’t it?

2.  Clutter stresses me out, but only if it’s in my  house.  The sight of dishes in the sink, paperwork scattered about the counter, and random objects strewn across the floor will put me in a bad mood faster than you can say Calgon take me away.  Perhaps that explains why the first hour after school is out, when the kids come home and almost instantly destroy any semblance of order that I’ve worked all day to establish, is one of my most tense hours of the day.  However, clutter in someone else’s house doesn’t affect me at all.  I guess it’s the knowledge that I don’t have to lift a finger, or find a place for all of it, that helps me keep my cool. 

3.  When people say “birfday”  it affects me the same way that, say, the sound of nails on a chalkboard might affect you.  My body instinctively stiffens and I have to fight off the urge to point out the differences in the words ‘birth day’ and ‘birfday’.  The latter just reminds me of the word barf, which brings me to number 4.

4.  I don’t use the word barf (click here for proof).  Likewise, I hardly ever say ‘throw up’ or hurl or use any other slang in reference to vomiting.  My husband and my children get seriously annoyed by the fact that, without fail, I say vomit or vomited.  They think it makes me sound like an old lady. 

5.  At the grocery store, I never choose the item at the front of the shelf.  If I’m buying shredded cheese from the dairy case, I remove the first two packages from the little hook thing before taking the third package and placing it into my cart (not buggy by the way, that’s another chalkboard word for me).  The exception is for items sold in hard packaging like canned goods or cereal in boxes.  I can take whatever is on the shelf when it comes to those things.  If it’s sold in a bag or squish-able container of any kind though, I can’t buy from the front.

6.  None of these last quirks seemed worthy of their own number, so I’m combining:  I require at least two napkins to be within reach before I can eat.  I need a straw when I drink because otherwise I make slurping sounds with my mouth.  I’d rather starve than eat food prepared by someone I don’t know (potlucks are a nightmare).  And yes, I realize that what I’ve just admitted to will leave you wondering what food related trauma I suffered in my childhood that clearly left me neurotic .  The answer, is none that I can think of.  Feel free to chime in on this one in the comments mom (or Me as she refers to herself).

Alrighty then.  If you had any questions about my status as a high-maintenance type of gal then at least I’ve cleared that right up for you.  I used to own a pair of pajamas that were pink with those “Hi, I’m __________” name-tags printed all over them.  Only the ________ was filled in with the words ‘high maintenance.’ 

At least I’m the first to admit it.

     Sweet Miss Kellie at La Vida Dulce has bestowed upon me my very first bloggy award because I make her day!  As the mom of a teenager I rarely hear that I’ve made somebody’s day so Kellie’s award is a special one  to receive.

     When I started my own blog four months ago Kellie’s was one of the first blogs I started reading.  I quickly discovered that she and I had a lot in common but I was very surprised to learn that she lived mere miles from me.  We’ve hung out a couple of times since then and I just love that girl.  She is honest and real and a whole lot of fun.  Her blog makes me laugh out loud some days and other days I find myself hollering “Amen sister” to my monitor as I read her posts. 

     I’m paying this award forward my friends.  Who makes my day?  I thought you’d never ask. 

     Heather at A Day In The Life because we have so much in common I have to wonder if we were seperated at birth.  I’m always excited to see a new post from her in my bloglines and I look forward the the witty comments she always leaves.  She’s just an all around groovy girl.

     Givinya De Elba at Killing a Fly With A Ukelele Is Probably The Wrong Thing To Do.  Phew.  That was a mouthful.  She’s an Aussie from down under.  I love that she is a glass half-full kind of girl.  I think we’d get along swimmingly if we met but I don’t foresee myself making it to Australia anytime soon so our little online friendship will have to do!

     Amy at One Mom’s Memos totally makes my day too.  She is thoughtful and genuine and I love getting emails from her because she always has something interesting to say. 

     Okay, last but not least is The Queen B because she cracks. me. up.  Hilarious I tell ya.  She’s the go-to girl when you need a laugh.  Love her.

Heather tagged for a meme.  I rather enjoy memes. 

What is the worst meal you ever had?  We had Whataburger one year on Mother’s Day.  Does that count?

Name one place you could vacation every year?  I’m stealing Heather’s answer.  Disney World – Duh.

5 things that drive you crazy? 
-I’m stealing another one from Heather because she and I basically lead parallel lives.  My husband neglects to replace the bag in the trash can once he’s taken it out.  There are few things more frustrating than having, oh I don’t know, dripping egg shells let’s say, in your hands and getting to the trash can without having dripped a single bit of egg goo onto the floor only to find that there is no bag.
-When Jayce wants my attention and I’m doing something that involves me standing up against a counter (dishes, washing my face, brushing my teeth, food prep) he inches his way in between my legs and the counter and uses his body as a wedge to push me further and further away.  Invariably I’m left bending at a 90 degree angle trying to finish up whatever it was I was doing.
-My ex-husband calls the house and lets it ring three, and only three times, before hanging up.  Why?  I honestly don’t know but it drives me batty.  Thankfully I get a short reprieve from that during the summer while the girls are at Dad camp.
- People who are so afraid of conflict that they simply refuse to acknowledge or talk about problems.  I’m a straight shooter and I believe that issues should be addressed and communicated in order to be worked through.  I’ve come to understand that not many people agree with me on that.
- Getting almost all the way through a recipe only to find that I don’t have enough of the last ingredient.  We live about 15 miles from a grocery store so if I don’t have a substitute I have to put everything on hold until I can get to the store. 

Name 3 people from your past that make you stop and think, “Hey, I wonder what ever happened to…” 
- My best friend from kindergarten, Krissy Borkey
- The parents of a girl on my cheerleading team in high school.  She was killed in a car accident on her way to school one morning.  She was 15, and their only child.  I often wonder if they are okay.
- I can’t really think of a third.

Kids TV show you might actually enjoy more than your kids do?  Um, yeah, not so much.

Worst movie you’ve ever seen?  Napoleon Dynamite.  Oh, and Elf ranks right up there too.

Most under-rated TV show you watch regularly?  The Closer

Most popular TV show you never watch?  Lost.  Or Grey’s Anatomy.

Celebrity whose looks you’d like to have?  Kiera Knightley

Celeb you can’t stand?  Tom Cruise.  Freak.

What did you do today?  Blogged, exercised with my Wii fit, talked to my girls on the phone, made a homemade strawberry topping for our homemade vanilla ice cream, played the chasing game with Jayce, helped strangers plan their Disney World vacations, worked on custom t-shirts for our own Disney trip, cooked and cleaned, and finished the book I was reading.

Who are you tagging?  Anybody who wants to play along.