25 random things about me

Ok...it's bad. REEally bad. I am turning into a blogging/facebook skitzo. I was "tagged" on facebook to write 25 random things about me and I did....and I spent so much dang time on the thing, I figured I might as well include them on my blog. I think I will have to stop turning on my computer. I have two wee ones, a house to run, places to go and things to do -- what the heck am I doing online every hour of every day? I need help.

Anyway, here are the 25 things....if you have all the time in the world to be reading this never-ending list....

1. I am obsessively compulsively frugal. I HATE to spend money. I hate shopping.
2. I really love to eat, especially at a good restaurant with friends.
3. I love chocolate more than is normal.
4. I love to cook and bake....a lot. I don't prefer one over the other.
5. I adore my children now more than I ever have since they were born. I just LOVE the ages/stages they are in right now (2 and 4). I think it is because I never left that age. I never wanted to grow up, and I'm starting to think I achieved that in a few too many ways....
6. I love snow. I think it is absolutely beautiful and I love to play in it (yes, even on days like today where it is keeping everyone home...although I don't like playing in icy wet snow...).
7. I love to snowboard...and I haven't done it in way too long (since my 4 y/o was born).
8. However, now that I have children, I don't love winter as much as I used to. I HATE dressing them up in all the layers...and layers and layers of stuff they have to wear...and they don't keep most of it on (esp. the mittens...and then the WHINING when their hands -- or feet -- are cold....oh man....).
9. I really hate whining. In any form and from both adults and children. I have very little patience for it. I think God wants me to learn patience with whiners because Anna Clara deserves an award for the amount, and quality, of whining she does. That girl sure knows how to whine. A lot.
10. I like doing pretty much any outdoor activity (ie: hiking, walking, sledding, swimming, etc.). I love fresh air and space.
11. I prefer being in the mountains over the beach, but that doesn't mean I don't love being at the beach....cuz I most definitely do. Especially tropical beaches. White sand. Clear water. I think I prefer beach over mountains right now since I haven't felt warm air in a reeeeeeally loooooooong time.
12. There are very few things I don't like about my parents. They are truly amazing people in every way.
13. I am a much less patient mom than I thought I would be.
14. The only thing I miss about life before motherhood is the freedom. And I do miss that. A lot.
15. I am not a girly girl at all...but I really stink at sports. All of them. I wish I didn't though. Name a sport, and I suck at it.
16. My favorite thing to do is spend quality time with old friends. I miss them. I'm hoping I will continually meet people who will become my "old friends".
17. The most difficult part of motherhood (at this stage of my mothering) is dealing with other mothers -- not all of them, just the ones who annoy the heck outta me and I feel incredibly sorry for their children. Luckily, none of my friends are these kind of moms.
18. I can easily eat a half gallon of ice cream (as long as it has chocolate or caramel in it) in a sitting....I don't do it, nor plan on doing it, but I've done it. Once. Or maybe twice.....
19. I was sent to an AA meeting for a "detention" in high school. Looooong story...and no, I hadn't been drinking....
20. If I haven't been there, done that or seen it, I want to go there, do that and see it.
21. I really hate to dust.
22. I like to do anything creative, but I'm not a crafty kinda gal.
23. I am having a really hard time thinking of 25 random things about me. I think it's because I am including about 3 or 4 things in each item. I'm realizing I have a problem with being concise.
24. I love to snuggle up in my bed at night with my hubby and/or two kidlings. It's my fave time of day....and it's just about here.....if I ever stop writing in this list....
25. My brain works very, very, very slowly (it's taken me all friggin' day to fill out these 25 random things about me....).

enough is enough

Ok so first I get into this blogging thing and now someone "invited" me to be a "friend" on Facebook and then more "friends" invited me and then more....and more....and more....and I'm finding that I am spending more time online than, well, doing anything else. Do I have this kinda time to be spending online?? I didn't think so, but apparently I've found the time. I keep going back...again and again....and again....

Which is why I am here. I needed an intervention so I'm blogging. Baby steps.....

Oh yeah, and one more thing -- I even got my hubby hooked last night. I will, going forward, refer to him as Mr. Incredible. He looks and acts just like Mr. Incredible, so therefore many people have said that about him. We both got a kick out of picking his Facebook profile pic:


Yes, I married Mr. Incredible. Believe me, he most definitely has super human powers.

laughing with tears

Something this funny simply had to be included in my blog....

JC Penney Catalog from 1977

I hope you laughed as hard as I did. My lil boy thought I was crying...but I was laughing so dang hard.

something to think about

I would really enjoy hearing what people have to say about this article my nephew just sent to me:
Novus Ordo Seclorum *

* I had to look up what this meant so I'm including the translation just in case you don't either... it is Latin for "New Order of the Ages" and appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, first designed in 1782 and printed on the back of the American dollar bill since 1935.

a joyful creation

Just a song...
that was turned into this joyful experience around the world...
by someone with incredible artistic passion...
for us to enjoy....
(click on this link...) a whole new "stand by me" experience
This kind of creativity and vision and passion and music makes my heart sing.

january white, january fresh

fake daisies I display every January to bring a touch of spring to our home during the loooong winter months....
It's a fresh new year. Here we all are in 2009...anticipating a year of.....??

As I reflect on the past year, as always... the word "change" comes to mind -- to the point where we all hope that we never have to hear that word again! There were countless changes in my world in 2008. The one I am most thankful for is the change that did NOT happen -- Jim losing his job. That was the biggest PHEW of the year!

The change that brought me more joy than I ever could have imagined, was how much more deeply I fell in love with my wee ones. I simply can't get enough of them and how much they are learning and growing. so. very. quickly. I truly love being around them. Not a day goes by that I don't appreciate their good health, their inquisitive minds and, most of all, that I get to be a part of their 2 and 4 year old worlds every single day. I feel so very, very lucky to be able to share in their daily joys.

Speaking of how fast they are growing, the biggest change so far in 2009 is that my wee girl is sleeping in a big girl bed -- and boy does she look cute in it.

(but then...doesn't every child look cute when they are sleeping....?)
The next big change will be that she wears undies instead of diapers. Yikes... my baby girl is not going to be a "baby" much longer. *sniff, sniff*
While I had my camera in the middle of the night, I took a picture of my boy. The flash doesn't make it seem like it's night time...but it was.

I hope 2009 is a year filled with many, many sweet dreams...and lots of them coming true.