30 Things

Another random Pinterest find, I thought it would be fun to try this blogging exercise.
The idea is to post something about myself each day (or in between my other posts....) according to the list I found on Hopes and Dreams blog. The invitation has been extended to play along and I'm taking it! You can too!
The perfect thing about this list is that it guarantees me at least 30 more blog ideas! Yay!

THE LIST:

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What is your love language?
29. What do you think people misundertand most about you?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

My First Memory

Strange as it may seem, my first solid memory is of a tree.

I only vaguely remember family pets, the snow during winter, siblings going to school before I was old enough to join them, the interior of our home and parts of the yard surrounding the house.

But, when I think of our home in Indiana, my first thought turns to the tree.

It was a crabapple tree on the west side of the house my family lived in when I was born.

I distinctly remember that tree because it took at least the course of one summer for me to learn how to climb it. There was a v-shaped crook between large branches low enough to the ground for my siblings to put their foot in and climb easily.

I remember struggling to find the strength and balance to reach that space as they did and use it to follow my elder brothers and sisters up that tree. I must have been very small indeed when I first attempted this because no matter how many times I tried jumping, clambering or pulling myself up, I was unsuccessful. I was five when we moved away from Indiana, so I could have been as young as three or four when I first tried.

The upper branches my siblings played in seemed a world away to me and I had to look up at them wistfully, incapable of joining them in their fun. I suppose one could say they were cruel for not offering a hand up so I could play with them, but the parent in me says it was wise for them to leave me out. If I was not strong enough to climb the tree, would I be strong enough to keep my footing or stop myself from an accidental fall?

So, I had to wait until I was capable of getting up there on my own. There was something mysterious and magical about those elusive branches. It was the tallest place I could imagine in my young mind. It was even taller than my father, who is not a short man, by any means.

You can imagine, I think, that moment when I realized that I could finally reach my foot up there and heft myself into the branches. I scrambled up joyfully, mounting branch after branch to get as high as I dared. I was suddenly on top of the world, ruler of everything I could see. It was a giddy feeling.

I was finally a part of the magic, standing amongst the branches that had eluded me for so long.

Just a little further west was a neighborhood road. We could sit in the tree, concealed from view, watching cars and people go by.

I never ate any of the crabapples in all the hours I played in that tree. I was under the impression that they were not good to eat. My siblings said they were sour, or something to that effect. Since I have never tried a crabapple, I don't know if that is true.

                                     

Instead, as they ripened, we discovered a new use for the seemingly useless fruit. They made excellent ammunition from our leafy fort. I remember, with some chagrin, throwing crabapples at anyone who passed by close enough. I don't know if any of my projectiles ever found its mark, but I thought it was great fun trying.

I do believe that I even threw them at my elder siblings as they walked by, whether on the way home from school or from a friend's house, I don't know.

Perhaps I was just caught up in the adventure of the heights and the bravery and mischievousness that comes from being hidden. Perhaps I was just looking to pay them back for all the hours I missed out on playing up in that tree with them.

2 Tag-arrific

2 Tag-arrific

2 secrets: (1) I'm writing a story with YOU in it... (2) I hate what a waste of time sleeping is.

2 regrets: (1) Not being 100% myself 100% of the time for fear that people wouldn't like me. (2) Never taking a photography class.

2 things you spend money on and probably shouldn't: (1) Eating out (2) Junk Food
2 things you don't like about your body: (1) I wish I was 2 inches taller. (2) My malfunctioning thyroid.
2 bad habits: (1) Trichotilomania (Compulsive hair puller.) (2) Clipping my nails and not caring where they go flying.
2 fears: (1) Not being included. (2) Dying painfully.
2 spiritual gifts: (1) Knowing the truth (or falsehood) when I hear it. (2) Charity

2 pet peeves: (1) People who exclude others for no valid reason. (2) Stubborn ignorance.
2 least favorite chores: (1) Bathroom.(2) Dishes.
2 favorite pastimes: (1) Writing (2) Playing games on the computer or other gaming console.
2 events that changed your life: (1) Marrying Ben. (2) My Kids.

** I TAG DARA, JENN A. AND BEN!! **
Tagged by Jennifer

Album Cover

I did this on my Facebook account too. It was so much fun, I decided to put it up on my blog. Try it out and blog it! It's easier than it sounds.

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

Run - Gotta Love This Tag!! Thanks Jessie!

1. Put your iTunes (or whatever you play your music on) on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the same as well as the person you got the note from.

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY...
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson

2) WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Shine - Collective Soul

3) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Discombobulated Cheese Balls - Brak

4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Alive & Kicking - Simple Minds

5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
The Rainbow Connection - Kirmit the Frog

6) WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister

7) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Porcelain - Moby

8) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Cuts you Up - Peter Murphy

9) WHAT IS 2+2?
The Magic Flute - Mozart

10) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
I Can't Get Behind That - William Shatner & Henry Rollins

11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Nitro - Dick Dale

12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
O Holy Night - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Lowrider - Korn

14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Shoots & Ladders - Korn

15) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Under Pressure - Queen

16) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Unvisible Zedd - Gogol Bordello

17) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Hit That - Offspring

18) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Always - Erasure

19) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Blasphemous Rumors - Depeche Mode

20) WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
I Can't Get to You - J.P. LeGrande

21) HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Midnight - Trans Siberian Orchestra

22) WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Our House - Madness

23) WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Praise You - Fat Boy Slim

24) WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Song to the Siren - Chemical Brothers

25) WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens

26) WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
The Game of Love - Santana

27) DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin

29) WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Oh Yeah - Yello

30) WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Run - Collective Soul

Tagging All Mommies!

1. What time do you wake up? Anywhere between 7 and 9am. It all depends on how well I slept and how sick I've been.

2. On a good night, what time are your kids in bed? 7pm is bedtime. If we've been at Nanny's or Grandpa's, it's usually later than that.

3. How long have you been a mommy? It's been 19 months since Audrey was born.

4. How old were you when you became a mom? 28 1/2

5. What is your favorite chore? Favorite? Err.. If I had to pick, I'd say vacuuming, but only if someone else cleans things up.

6. What is your favorite meal to cook? Fastest: Frito Pie... Yummiest: Grilled Hamburgers with sauteed pineapple on top.. mmm.

7. What meal do you cook most often? Er... these days I'm all about Souper Salad.

8. What are 5 things about being a mom that make you smile?
1. Watching Audrey slowly become a big girl every day.
2. Asking Audrey if I can pinch/tickle/poke/etc her and she screams and tries to run away laughing.
3. Audrey dancing.
4. Audrey saying "Mom?" from the backseat of the car and after I say "Yes?" she goes into a long garbled babble story that I can pick one or two words out of. (Usually ending with "happy?")
5. Audrey's fake laugh: Hee Hee Hee! (like a witch) or Ha Ha Ha! (like some sort of villain)

9. If you could take your kids anywhere, where would it be? I would like to travel the world with my family.

10. When was the last time you went out without your kids? I want to say it was our anniversary in June...

11. What is your most heartbreaking moment as a mom? Two days after we brought her home and she couldn't sleep in her bassinet anymore. She had to sleep in a special bed because she was jaundiced. I was terrified that she was going to get worse and have to go back to the hospital.

12. When was the last time you told one of your kids I love you? When I put her to bed last night.
13. When was the last time you were told I love you? When Ben and I were lying in bed last night talking about our hopes and fears.

A New Kind of Tag!!

Here's how it works:
1. Leave a comment on this post about a memory you have with me, whether it seems significant or not. (Sometimes the most insignificant memories are the best!) Seriously. ANY memory.

2. If you have a blog, do the same on yours. (TAG!)

3. You can leave a memory about Ben or Audrey too.

(Thanks, Dara!)

About Us

Found another one at Lacey's blog!

What is his name? Benjamin (more often Ben, sometimes Banjo-Man)
How long have you been married? 9 years, 1 month
Who eats more? Depends. When he works normal hours, he does.. when he works overnights, I do. (I eat more junk food.)How long did you date? We dated for 2 1/2 months when he proposed. We were engaged (unwillingly) for six months.How old is he? 30 (and 11 months)
Who said I love you first? Ben. I wanted to make absolutely sure it was true before I said it.
Who is taller? BenWho sings better? Me. BUT, he can sing when he WANTS to.Who is smarter? According to the IQ tests, which I think are a load of hooey, Ben.Whose temper is worse? My temper fluctuates more frequently, but his is more passionate.Who does the laundry? Mostly Me
Who does the dishes? MeWho sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me, except during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, when I have to sleep on my left side and I can't stand to face the inside of the bed.Who mows the lawn? BenWho cooks dinner? Me. What Ben does when I don't cook doesn't classify as cooking.Who kissed who first? We met in the middle. (Here is the real question... WHEN did we first kiss... interesting story.. you'll have to ask me.)Who asked who out? There really wasn't any asking. We met, we had fun, we kept on doing it.Who proposed? He did. I was expecting him to do it, but not right at that moment, so I burst into tears.Who has more friends? He KNOWS more people... we're probably about the same on number of friends.Who is more sensitive? Me, I think. I definately cry more.Who has more siblings? Him (he has step-siblings, otherwise, we'd be exactly the same.)Who wears the pants? We trade off.. poor pants hardly get washed.

I danced with my mobile phone because I'm sexy and I do what I want!

Found this one at Lacey's blog. Leave me a comment when you figure out yours. Then, repost if you want!

Pick the month you were born:
January---------I kicked
February-------I loved
March-----------I karate chopped
April-------------I licked
May-------------I jumped on
June------------I smelled
July----------I did the Macarena With
August-------I had lunch with
September----I danced with
October--------I sang to
November-----I yelled at
December-------I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1----- --a birdbath
2-------a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a snowman
6-------a gangster
7-------my mobile phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbor
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16-------a pick Le
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19-------a smurf
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
2-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an ipod
29-------a surfer
30-------a llama
31-------A homeless guy

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White---------because I'm cool like that.
Black---------because that's how I roll.
Pink-----------because I'm NOT crazy.
Red----------because the voices told me to...
Blue-----------because I'm sexy and I do what I want.
Green---------because I think I need some serious help.
Purple---------because I'm AWESOME!
Gray-----------because Big Bird said to and he's my leader.
Yellow--------because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars.
Orange-------because my family thinks I'm stupid anyway.
Brown---------because I can.
Other----------because I'm a Ninja!
None-----------because I can't control myself.

MeMe

Found at Monique's blog. The rules? Answer each question with only one word....and ONLY one word.
1. Where is your cell phone? Hip
2. Your significant other? NASCAR
3. Your hair? Headband
4. Your mother? Cuddling
5. Your father? Typing
6. Your favorite thing? Sisters
7. Your dream last night? Bizaar
8. Your favorite drink? Milk
9. Your dream/goal? Novelist
10. The room you’re in? Entertainment
11. Your church? LDS
12. Your fear? Unloved
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Hawaii
14. Where were you last night? Couch
15. What you’re not? Perfect
16. Muffins? Blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? Graduation
18. Where you grew up? Marriage
19. The last thing you did? Flyff
20. What are you wearing? Cotton
21. Your TV? Luring
22. Your pets? Sleeping
23. Your computer? Consuming
24. Your life? Full
25. Your mood? Hopefull
26. Missing someone? Always
27. Your car? Mini-Van
28. Something you’re not wearing? Makeup
29. Favorite store? CoachHouse
30. Your summer? Short
31. Like(love) someone? Forever
32. Your favorite color? Blue
33. Last time you laughed? Dinner
34. Last time you cried? Dentist
35. Who will repost this? Dara?