Rock on!

I'm running a little low on blog fodder today...time for a MEME!!


1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Missy Santa Fe


2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Mint Chocolate Chip Thin Mint (I'm telling ya, I'll have the freshest breath on the block)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)T-Rud

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Blue Horse

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Ann Columbus (with a name like that, I have to be the walk on character at the coffee shop. How boring!)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Rudthe (to be a Star Wars name, it would have to be pronounced Roodthay...otherwise it just sounds like you've got a lisp)

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Green Kahlua and Cream

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Dominic Christ (this is not a misprint, my grandfather's name is actually pronounced "Chris". Teachers always thought I was trying to be clever whenever I had to write my grandfather's name)

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) Juniper Breeze Butterfinger (Um, no)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names) Rose Hedegard


11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Strati Sacramento


12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Fall Tulip

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)Orange Shorty


14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Cream of Wheat Weeping Willow (that's actually an excellent hippy name)


15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Scrapbooking Snow Tour


Wanna play along? Leave me a comment and I'll come visit!

The tag - part 2: Me & My Hubby

This is the 2nd meme that Sue at Living My Dream tagged me with: The Me & My Hubby Meme. Here are 8 random facts about Dave and I:

1. While Dave will try any food once (shirako, anyone?), he prefers a single scoop of vanilla ice cream as dessert. I'm the exact opposite. I'm a very picky eater when it comes to entrees, but I will eat just about any dessert you put in front of me.
2. We own a treadmill. Dave has logged 421 miles on it. I have logged 19 miles on it. We've had it for nearly 2 years.
3. We both really like the comics turned into movies: X-Men, Spiderman, Superman, Fantastic Four. We're basically big geeks.
4. I am one inch taller than he is and I wear bigger shoes.
5. He has lived in 3 different states and I have never lived more than 20 miles from the house I grew up in.
6. We met during a community theatre production of Grease. I became his dance partner after another girl broke her foot 2 weeks before the show.
7. We balance each other out very well. Things that stress him out (usually) roll right off my back and he isn't phased by things that tend to make me flip out.
8. We both sing in our church choir.

Exciting stuff, I KNOW!! If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged! Leave me a comment to let me know your list is up.

The tag so nice, she did it twice!

Sue at Living My Dream tagged me for two memes last week. This is the first one, I'll do the 2nd one next week!

The first is the Moaning Meme...and I'm just too cynical a person to pass this one up!

4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth.

-Emma's scream (Not Emma herself, just the screech that comes out of her mouth when she's mad)
-Thongs (and I don't mean the shoes)
-Barney
-Rude people at the grocery

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently.

-People who don't acknowledge that I was doing a nice thing when I let them merge into traffic. Hello? Can I at least get a wave??
-Refuse to see more than their own point of view.
-Open up crinkly wrappers or packages during live theatre performances. Can you really not make it through Act I without that piece of hard candy?

2 things you find yourself moaning about.

-Cleaning the house
-Dave's travel schedule

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself.

-That I have not tried hard enough to bend the world to my control.

RULES:

-Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so people know what it's all about!
-Be as honest as possible, This is about letting people get to know the real you!
-Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly!
-Post these rules at the end of every meme!

The smallest bedroom

Mary at Owlhaven is hosting a carnival today called My Childhood Home. As soon as I read about it, memories I hadn't dug up in years came flooding back. Some of the bad, but (thankfully) most of them are good.

I could write about the whole house...the ledge in the kitchen that I used to climb on the counter to get to so I could help Mom with the dusting...the chain link fence in the front yard that got knocked down by a car...the sandbox in back that the neighbor cat used as a litter box...my brother's art studio in the basement that used to amaze and scare me at the same time...

But what I remember most is the smallest bedroom. Being the youngest of six kids meant an awful lot of room shuffling as the older ones moved out, and the smallest bedroom was mine for a while. But it was the last occupant that makes the smallest bedroom special for me. It was the first (and only) door on the right at the top of the stairs, and it was his.

In a different life, the room belonged to my sister. It was the only room in the house with cable, which she paid for. Subsequently, she charged us to watch the TV in her room. I remember the little rate sheet and coin box that lived next to the TV. I also remember laughing at her infatuation with Tom Selleck in his Magnum, P.I. days and her obsession with the royal wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, both of which were memorialized in that room.

I'm not sure who had it after she moved out, but eventually it fell into my hands. I remember sitting on the floor, listening to tapes of songs I recorded off the radio and being so mad that the DJs voice is all over the opening instrumental of the song. I would play and rewind a song 100 times trying to write down all the lyrics so I could look cool by knowing all the words.

I remember being allowed to have a TV in my room, an old black and white one that you had to use a pair of needle nose pliers to change the channels. I would feel so grownup as I watched episodes of V and then be too scared to go to sleep.

I remember marveling at the little whole in the floor that the cable for my sister's TV used to run out of. I used to wonder where it led to (nowhere) and if I could tunnel into my sister's neighboring room (I couldn't).

Years later, long after I had claimed another bedroom as my own, my grandfather moved into that room. He had lived in Florida for as long as I could remember but could no longer take care of himself. He wasn't with us for long; he needed assistance in almost everything and it just wasn't something Mom and Dad could handle anymore. But it was how the room looked after his short time there that stays with me.

While he lived with us, I didn't go into his room very often. It seemed disrespectful, although I know he wouldn't have minded. It wasn't until after he died that I really went in there to look around. All I remember is pictures: pictures of him and my grandmother when they were growing up in Denmark, pictures of all the grandkids, pictures of my dad and uncle, old pictures of people I didn't know but were obviously important to him. And the photo albums. They were the old fashioned kind with the black paper pages where the photos were held in with white photo corners. The pages were worn and the pictures faded and to me they were beautiful.

Mom and Dad eventually moved out of that house and took all of my grandfather's things with them. As far as I know, they still have all the pictures and photo albums. To me, that's all that's left of my grandfather.

And on the rare occasion I drive past that old house, the first window I look at is that small bedroom, first door on the right at the top of the stairs.

I'd like to thank the academy...

Two weeks ago, my friend Christine over at Fruit in Season awarded me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger. At the risk of sounding trite, that rocks! But like most things lately, I forgot about it! How's that for appreciation?? My sincerest apologies to Christine! Thank you, I love it!

And in keeping with blog award tradition, I will now pass this award on to others who deserve it more than I do! I am going to honor some participants of the May Day Weight Loss Challenge over at Tales from the Scales. These ladies are doing some amazing work and, well, they rock.

1. Katiebod at Roses are Red, Violets are Violet - Talk about keeping humor in all things! Katiebod's specialty is leaving encouraging comments in the form of poems and altered song lyrics. She's got a quite an imagination!
2. Jan at Just a Mom, That's More Than Enough - Jan's success is just amazing and quite an inspiration! You gotta love a woman who's brave enough to post before and after pictures of herself!
3. Lou at Rattling Around - She's doing the Challenge (like me). She lives in Ohio (like me). She openly confesses her love for Pez dispensers (like me). What more do you need??
4. Denise at Shortybears Place - Denise is such a faithful comment-leaver, if her name isn't in one of the top 3 comments, I begin to worry that something is wrong! She's an awesome cheerleader, which is evidenced by what she had on her post on Tuesday. Sing it with me! "Lean to the left, lean to the right, peel your banana, and then take a bite!!!"
5. Robin at Robinznest - She's got her eye on the ball, this one. She has such a great attitude and is another awesome cheerleader on our journey.

So there you have it! I hope everyone is having an awesome day!

"100 Things" - a post in 3 acts - Act 3

Because I know you are dying to access the first 66 things, please check out Act 1 and Act 2...

67. I typically drink 96 ounces of water every day.
68. I love to bowl.
69. I bowl in a league on Wednesday mornings during the school year with my mom.
70. I was raised to address adults by Mr. and Mrs. _______
71. Anyone I met prior to turning 18, I still address this way (for example, my mom's teammates are Mrs. Young, Mrs. Kessler, and Paula).
72. When my mom uses her friends first names, I have to take a second to think who's she talking about because I'm not used to calling them that.
73. I've never bowled better in my life than when I was pregnant with Emma.
74. I refuse to get pregnant again to improve my bowling average.
75. I currently act as Secretary for the Performing Arts Council of my church.
76. The job makes me want to put my head throught a wall on most days.
77. I have been on 2 cruises in my life.
78. I would love to take a cruise of the Greek Isles.
79. Barbados and Grand Cayman were my two favorite ports of call.
80. I have been through only 1 earthquake in my life...well, I've only felt one earthquake in my life.
81. I was in Japan in our hotel room by myself because I decided I was going to lounge around and relax for the day when the earthquake hit.
82. I choose to never experience another earthquake. They are not relaxing. At all.
83. I do not like seafood or fish very much.
84. I had a little bit of a hard time eating while I was in Japan.
85. I can navigate the Tokyo subway system by myself without getting very lost.
86. I know how to use chopsticks.
87. I drink considerably less than the Japanese men that my husband Dave was doing business with.
88. I live by lists.
89. My brother laughed at me the first time he saw my Master Grocery list (it's a Word Document categorized by aisle)
90. Despite my love for lists, I find this one increasingly difficult.
91. I am slowly turning Jacob into a list lover.
92. I secretly love dressing Emma in pink and "girly" stuff.
93. I was not a girly girl when I was growing up.
94. My costume for the show I'm in right now consists of pink barettes, a pink t-shirt, a pink sleeveless blouse, pink plaid shorts and pink flip-flops.
95. I do not like pink on anything but other people.
96. I used to work for Abercrombie & Fitch.
97. I was not one of their models.
98. I have a shorter temper than people think.
99. I am officially out of things to tell you.
100. I need to go make dinner.

I cannot even tell you how happy I am that I'm all done with that!!

"100 Things" - a post in 3 acts - Act 2

Check out Act 1 here...


34. My wedding was completely theatre themed.
35. Our invitations were formatted like a program for a musical.
36. All the music during the ceremony was from muscials.
37. Our reception was in a restored theatre. The head table was on stage, and then the stage became the dance floor.
38. The favors for the guests were magnets that we made to look like tickets for the wedding.
39. I love to travel.
40. I'm one of 26 cousins...just on my Mom's side.
41. I would live in a vat of Dairy Queen's Butterfinger Blizzard if I could.
42. In my opinion, Quantum Leap is one of the best shows ever made.
43. I really, really like Phil Collins.
44. I'm going to see Genesis when they tour in September.
45. I paid way too much for the tickets.
46. I'm going with my sister who I think would kidnap Phil is she had the chance.
47. I played sports when I was in grade school but stopped when I learned that I actually had to play despite the fact that my whole body hurt from exertion.
48. My passport photo looks like a mugshot for one of the Manson Family girls.
49. I've only ever broken one bone in my body.
50. I've had a lot of x-rays proving that not only did i not break other bones, but that I'm actually a wimp.
51. My mom used to say that if she collected all the x-rays my sister and I have ever had taken, she could create a complete skeleton to use during Halloween.
52. I once drove myself to the ER while Dave was on travel because I (ahem) stubbed my toe.
53. I have a Hitchhiker's Thumb
54. I'm running out of things to tell you.
55. I have a scar right in the middle of my forehead from an accident I had when I was a kid.
56. The scar was caused by rocks (fine, pebbles) having to be removed from my head.
57. I would give my right arm to play Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.
58. When I was a kid, I wanted to legally change my name to Jessica.
59. I thought it sounded better than my actual name when paired with the last name of the guy I was sure I was going to marry.
60. Thankfully, I didn't marry that guy. No first name would have sounded good with his last name.
61. I have walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
62. I don't like bridges so much.
63. I don't like to walk over any kind of opening in the ground (sewer grates, for example).
64. Seriously running out of things to say.
65. When I was a kid, I nearly set my own pajamas on fire because I was trying to warm them on the space heater before going to bed.
66. I laugh like my mom. That's not always a good thing...

"100 Things" - a post in 3 acts - Act 1

Rumor has it that since I've done 100+ posts, that ya'll want to know 100 things about me. Or at least I get to pretend that ya'll want to know 100 things about me! But since that makes for one long post (and I want you to keep coming back), I'm going to split it up. How crafty am I?

1. I am the youngest of 6 kids - but please don't call me the baby.
2. I'm 50% Danish, 50% Italian, and 50% Irish.
3. I was a surprise baby.
4. My birthday is in the summertime.
5. I've never celebrated a birthday at school.
6. I spent the summer before 1st grade on crutches.
7. I scared my mom whenever I would use the crutches.
8. I used to collect Pez dispenser (200+ at the height of my collection)
9. My husband and I met during a production of Grease.
10. Before we started dating, I set my husband up with my sister.
11. I have been involved in over 20 plays (either onstage or backstage)
12. I have directed one show (our church's production of Godspell)
13. I will never direct a full size show again.
14. I don't have a Bachelor's Degree, Associate's was as far as I got.
15. I had 2 more classes left in a self-designed major to get my Bachelor's.
16. I was 8.5 months pregnant with Emma when the class ended. I never went back (and I have no plans to)
17. I hiked up a mountain once.
18. I had jaw surgery the summer before my senior year in high school and spent my 17th birthday with my jaw wired shut.
19. I had braces for nearly 5 years.
20. I never wore my retainer.
21. My teeth are crooked again and my dentist is bugging me about braces.
22. As part of a tooth implant, I had bone extracted from my him and inserted into my jaw.
23. I remember the pain of the days after the bone extraction more than I remember the pain of childbirth.
24. My boyfriend in high school asked me out after he (accidentally) walked in on me changing for a play.
25. I once considered modeling as a career.
26. I laugh out loud at the notion of me as a model. For anything. Except for maybe pajamas.
27. I would love to be a DJ. Performance without being seen.
28. I'm horribly afraid of the dark.
29. I have a lot of fears actually.
30. When I go to the reptile house at the zoo, I don't like to stand too close to the glass in case one gets out.
31. I also don't like to lean against the walls in case one already got out and is about to nest in my hair.
32. I don't like to swim in un-chlorinated water for fear that some other species will think my toes make a good snack.
33. I don't want my kids to inherit my fears.

Stay tuned in the days to come for Acts 2 and 3!

Here a meme, there a meme...

O.K. So I've been totally slacking off with my posting. To be truthful, my brain hurts. There's a lot (and I mean A LOT) going on in our house over the next few months and my brain is on overload trying to get everything ready/done/finished up.

And Emma is starting to potty train. Which is at the same time great and horrifying...

Anyway, I got tagged about a week ago by both Sue and Gumby so I'm going to do something crazy and COMBINE them (who says I can't multitask?). Gumby asks for 5 reasons for why I blog about what I blog about on my blog, and Sue asks for my 5 favorite restaurants and why they are, well, my favorite. This should be interesting...

1. BD's Mongolian BBQ - This place rocks because you can (mostly) control what goes into your own food. You pick the ingredients along this long buffet line. You have a choice of everything from raw meat to vegetables to spices and sauces, then you take it up to this huge open air cooktop and they cook it for you. It gives Dave and I a chance to talk about the kids which provide a lot of my blog fodder. I love my kids. They are both a source of frustration and daily hilarious antics, which is why I love blogging about them.
2. Wendy's - Gotta love any place with a drive thru that's close to almost everything you do in the world. It really helps me stay on schedule when I'm rushing around. Since having kids, I have found a new appreciation for scheduling and organization which is why I like to participate in those kind of challenges.
3. Bob Evans - I love breakfast food. I would eat breakfast food all the time if I was allowed. I especially love their cinnamon hotcakes. Jake loves pancakes, too, and we eat the frozen variety a lot while Dave is on business travel. Dave travels a lot for work and I love to travel, too, which is why I post about our travel experiences.
4. King's Garden - This is a local chinese place that has an awesome tofu and veggie dish. YUM! It's as pretty as a picture. I love pictures and photography which is why I love taking part in Wordless Wednesdays. (alright, that one was especially lame)
5. Applebee's - They have great food and a whole menu that includes points values for those on Weight Watchers. I'm on Weight Watchers and participate in an online weight loss challenge. I struggle with making good food choices and I love the support I get from others in the same boat!

I did it! And in my defense, I didn't say it was going to be GOOD, I just said I was going to do it. I'm supposed to tag 5 people for each meme, but I'm just going to do 5 people total. Do one, do both, combine them, ignore me...The choice is yours!!

Zany Mama
Beth
Christine
Kimberly
Laura

Memeology

Zany Mama tagged me for this wicked long meme, like, 100 years ago (1 week, 100 years...who's really counting?) and I am just now getting around to doing it. It's kinda cool. But only kinda.

FOODOLOGY

Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. I've always been a ranch kind of girl but red wine vinagrette has been growing on me.

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Wendy's, no question. Well, maybe a little question b/c I really like Subway, too.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Ooh, that's a tough one. I like food. Alot. So as long as they serve that I'm pretty happy.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 20%

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A. Doritos or Ice cream or Butterfinger or...

Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Anything minty, but not so minty that it hurts my tastebuds.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A.

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 2

BIOLOGY

Q. What’s your best feature?
A. I hate these types of questions...umm, my hair? I hate it but everyone else seems to like it so I'll go with that.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. If you allow me to get creative, quite a lot, actually. When I was a kid, I fell on my driveway which resulted in rocks in my head which were removed. I had a tooth extracted. I had a piece of bone taken out of my hip , but that was put back into my jaw so it might not count. Two kids. And blood. Lots of blood.

Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?

A. Definitely smell. I get queasy very easily as a result.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?

A. Gosh, I don't even remember. 2 or 3 years ago?

Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?

A. My "97th percentile for his weight" son, Jacob, weighing in at 47 lbs.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?

A. Never knocked unconscious, but I've been under anesthesia and it sucked waking up.

BULLSHITOLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?

A. Absolutely not. I worry about it enough already.

Q. Is love for real?

A. Unbelievably so.

Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?

A. When I was a kid, I always wanted to change it to Jessica. I kind of like it now, I'm never confused with anybody...which I guess could be a bad thing, too.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?

A. Muted shades of green.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?

A. I nearly ate a slug once. And I used to eat paper and glue on purpose. But I can't think of anything by mistake.

Q. Have you ever saved someone’s life?

A. No.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?

A. No.

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?

A. Depends on how rural of an area we are talking about, but I would consider it.

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?

A. Yes. As long as she bought me dinner first.

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?

A. Um, no. I've grown quite attached to them.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?

A. Never EVER? How would I explain that to the masses? But yes, in a heartbeat.

Q. Would you pose nude in a magazine for $250,000?

A. How many people subscribe? More than 1? Then, no.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000?

A. That makes me want to vomit just thinking about it. No.

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?

A. Absolutely not.

Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?

A. Wow, to be honest, I'm not sure I could. I do love me some boob tube.

Q. Give up MySpace forever for $30,000?

A. Don't have an account so does that mean I should be getting a check in the mail from someone for $30k?

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?

A. Lint.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?

A. I've never seen it and I have no ambition to.

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?

A. Carpet, ceramic tile, and wood laminate.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?

A. I have been known to do both.

Q: Could you live with roommates?

A. Yes.

Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?

A. Zilch. I don't like the feeling of stuff between my toes.

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?

A. I used to be bad when I was a kid. But ever since then I've gone straight, as I can prove by my record - 33 arrests and no convictions. (Not really, that's just a line from a show)

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A. Still happy

LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to?

A. Dave

Q: Last person you called?

A. Dave

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?

A. The pediatrician

Q: What can you not wait to do?

A. Eat dinner.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw?

A. Disturbia. I actually liked it!

Q: Are you a friendly person?

A. For the most part always, but I have a mean streak.

And with that, I tag Dave and Gumby (the show is over so you have time to do a post this, long, right? RIGHT?).

Ready, Set, GO!

Exciting stuff, folks!

Beth tagged me for the handbag meme and I finally got around to taking pictures of my bag, which was a little weird. I've never been much of a purse carrier so please try not to fall asleep while you reading this.

This is the bag I carry when I don't need the diaper bag. It's my reminder to myself that I deserve to carry something other than a receptacle for other people's poo. I take it whenever I don't have the kids or if I'm just running a short errand or something. I got it at Target for like, $15 or something like that. And I am so cheap that I hesitated even paying that much.

Drumroll, please...

Front view

Aerial view

Contents

Yes, this is the entire contents of my purse: wallet, phone, chapstick, notebook, pens, WW Membership book, tissues, ponytail holder, pictures of the kids and an empty film canister. I use the film canister to transport my sugar free hazelnut creamer when I know I'll be having coffee someplace other than my kitchen. And when I drive, my keys go in the purse, too.

That is all. Thank you.

7 Things Meme

Sue tagged me yesterday for the 7 Things Meme. I'm going to tell you 7 random facts about myself and then tag 7 other people to do the same. Here we go!

1. I used to collect Pez dispensers. At the height of my collection, I had well over 200 pieces.
2. I hate Pez candy.
3. On the first day of my honeymoon, I got over 80 mosquito bites on my legs and ended up in a Dominican Republic clinic getting antibiotics.
4. I don't like swimming in the ocean (or lake, or river). I'm not too keen on swimming with other species. If it's not chlorinated, count me out.
5. I had jaw surgery the summer before my senior year of high school. I spent my 17th birthday with my jaw wired shut. My mom made me a "shake"; she blenderized my favorite Peanut Butter Cream Pie and vanilla ice cream.
6. I am REALLY afraid of the dark. I'm much better than I was growing up, but I still have a hard time walking from through my own house if all the lights are off.
7. I once took home top prize (the coveted Spirit Stick) during a weeklong cheerleading camp.

I tag Beth, ZanyMama (yes, you must now do 14!!), Michelle, Kimberly, Lara, Shannon, and DeeDee

If only...

At church on Sunday, one of the members played flute during service and I about died it was so good. Immediately, I wished I had never given up flute when I was younger. Which got me to thinking: if I had unlimited time and resources (don't all great questions start this way), what skills/hobbies would I like to pursue, new or revisited. And I came up with 4:

1. Photography - I would love to take a photography class. This is my favorite form of art and it always has been. I'm particularly drawn to landscape shots. I could seriously sit in a room for hours on end and look at shots of nature without getting up except to eat and use the bathroom. I just love it.
2. Flute (or Clarinet) - Once upon a time, I played each of these instruments. But then I got an attitude and decided it was much cooler to play sports. Once I realized this wasn't the case, I never thought to go back and pick up the instruments again. Every time I hear one of them playing, I imagine it's me and it makes me smile.
3. Piano - I can't really pinpoint an origin for this one, I just think it's way cool to watch someone who's playing. And it would help out a lot when Dave or I are trying to learn a new song for an audition.
4. Dancing - I guess I'm just all about performance stuff. I love shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. I think dancing is incredibly athletic and ballroom dancing in particular is a great reminder of a time in our history that was a little simpler and more romantic.

So that's just a little insight into my life. Nothing too crazy, just something I was thinking about over the weekend. What would you do/learn? I'd love to hear from you!!

Tagged again

My "big brother" Gumby tagged me for another meme. I get to name 7 songs/CDs that I've listened to recently and write a little bit about each one. Doesn't seem to hard, considering my new love affair with my iPod...

1. Dave Matthews Band - This is one of those nice combinations of angst and happiness. There are some songs that make me feel like I'm floating, and others that make me feel like a rebellious teenager. Always a good combo.

2. Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians - This is one of the first bands I remember getting into when I was younger. I don't remember whow introduced me to them, but it's just happy sometimes silly music where making sense is optional.

3. James Taylor - He's a master storyteller. Sweet Baby James always makes me smile.

4. Norah Jones - I am so glad I listen to her. She's bluesy and cool and she has great hair. Oh yeah, she has a beautiful voice and plays piano. Shoulda been me...

5. Pat Benatar - Really. Do I need to say anything about this one? She rocks and I always feel like a stronger woman when I listen to her.

6. Genesis - This was a musical hand me down from my brothers and sister. I'm just glad it fit so well. Oh yeah, I'm in love with Phil. And I'm going to see them in concert in September. I almost threw up when I bought the tickets.

7. Marvin Gaye - I love old stuff and Marvin Gaye just makes me want to dance. People working out on the treadmills behind me at the gym have got to wonder how I can dance and walk on a treadmill at the same time without hurting myself. He just makes me want to move.

And that is all. Again, I feel like I just tagged everyone I know so this is an open invitation to tag yourself. Leave me a comment, I always love reading about music!!

Real Moms Rock

O.K. So Zany Mama tagged me several days ago for this meme and I just plain forgot. I have read several others posts to get the gist of it, but mine won't be very poetic. Soooo, here we go...

Real Moms...
...forget things.
...always check the temperature of their kids food (even if it takes several bites to be sure).
...break promises sometimes.
...get angry and yell sometimes.
...run around the house as fast as they can to get away from monsters.
...sleep in.
...sing real loud and then urge their kids to use their "inside voice".
...take midday naps.
...maked boxed dinners.

I don't know many people that blog and I just tagged them all a couple of days ago, so if you read this and want to post your own Real Moms list, leave me a comment so I can come check you out. Well, not "check you out", but you know what I mean. Right?

My first meme, woohoo!! (Be prepared, it's long)

Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry tagged me for this (my first ever) meme. Thanks, man!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:06am, 8:00am, 8:15am

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Music and Lyrics

4. What is your favorite TV show? There are so many, really. Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Brothers & Sisters, Amazing Race, Survivor.

5. What did you have for breakfast? A combo bowl of Cheerios and Grapenuts. And half an apple.

6. What is your middle name? Ann

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican or Italian. Or breakfast food...is that considered a cuisine?

8. What foods do you dislike? All seafood, most fish, mushrooms, anything that smells funky.

9. What are your favorite chips? Baked doritos or Sunchips

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I just downloaded a bunch of music to the iPod so I'm all over the place on music. Norah Jones, Marvin Gaye, Weezer are some of the highlights.

11. What kind of car do you drive? Hyundai Santa Fe

12. Favorite sandwich? Peanut Butter, Butter, and Jelly

13. What are characteristics you can't stand? Egotistical and rude

14. What are your favorite clothes? Jeans long sleeve tees & tennis shoes.

15. If you could go anywhere on vacation where would you go? Anywhere with my husband.

16. There was no sixteen in this little questionnaire so I'll just give you a randow fact about myself: I used to collect Pez dispensers. It was very hard to throw most of them away.

17. Where would you want to retire? Someplace that is within driving distance to different climates and terrains (like North Carolina or something)

18. Favorite time of day? 7:42pm

19. Where were you born? Columbus, Ohio. Exciting, I know.

20. What is your favorite sport to watch? Tennis or live basketball

21. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke, I guess, but I prefer Diet Rite. Can't go wrong with fruity!

22. Beavers or ducks? Ducks. I played one in a play once. As an adult. It was fun. I'm actually wearing the shirt from that show right now. It has little ducks all the way up the sleeve.

23. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I prefer the night time because that's when I get to veg. But being a mom necessitates morning time functioning so I'm adapting. Slowly.

24. Pedicure or manicure? Don't know. I've never had one.

25. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher or a secretary.

26. What is your best childhood memory? Definitely being at the pool every waking hour.

27. Ever been to Africa? Nope, but I know people who have.

28. Ever been toilet papering? Oh yeah.

29. Been in a car accident? A few. Some were even my fault.

30. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday. I bowl in a league on Wednesday mornings.

31. Favorite restaurant? Without question, Bob Evans.

32. Favorite flower? I used to like daisies, but lately I've been pretty partial to tulips.

33. Favorite ice-cream? Mint chocolate chip. Or Butter Pecan

34. Favorite fast food restaurant? Wendy's.

35. How many times did you fail your driver's test? once

36. From whom did you get your last e-mail? someone from church

37. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Several, none of which I actively shop at. Pier 1 Imports might be number 1, though.

38. Last person you went to dinner with? My friends Ellen and Jessica.

39. What are you listening to right now? nothing, but the TV is on upstairs

40. What is your favorite color? I'm pretty partial to blues and greens.

41. How many tattoos do you have? none.

42. How many are you sending this Email to? Just blogging, not sending via e-mail.

43. What time did you finish this e-mail blog entry? 12:13pm.

44. Favorite magazine: Parents, Parenting, any scrabooking mag

45. Coffee or tea? Coffee

46. Do you tan easily or burn easily? I don't tan. At all. I have pictures.

47. Do you color your hair? If so, how often? nope

48. What was the first car you ever purchased without the help of your parents? Wow, I don't remember. Obviously it meant a lot.

49. What is your most dreaded household chore? Household chores. Hence the blogging!

O.K. I'm going to go ahead and tag Christine, Sue, Zany Mama, and Dave. Tag, you're it!