I'm Unplugged, but wanted to leave you with a little hour of reading.

I AM lifting this directly from Carpoolqueen...who lifted it directly from NC Gretchen’s page.
I AM NOT doing my housework at this moment in time.
I KNOW I tweaked my back doing exercise.
I THINK that proves my theory of exercise being bad for me.
I DON’T THINK my dog likes going potty in the rain any more than I like cleaning up his "I don't want to go outside" messes.
I WANT a good wife. OR personal organizer. Either one.
I HAVE distractibility issues. I prefer to call them personality nuances.
I LIKE this warm green tea, infused with peach and ginger.
I DISLIKE getting out of a warm bed after a nap or overnight slumber.
I HATE that things I really lurve to do or acquire take effort (usually on my part). For I am shamefully lazy at heart.
I FEAR that Simon Cowell's hairline will always remind me of Frankenstein. With all due respect.
I’M ANNOYED with others on the road/in line/on the phone who don't realize that.I'm.in.a.hurry! And am very important, folks. Very.
I CRAVE Taco Bell. Every day.
I USUALLY speak better than I listen. But I'm working on this.
I SEARCH for ways to keep motivated with the healthy, balanced lifestyle thang in mind, body, and spirit.
I HIDE the Oreos from David. But usually he finds them. As Mer knows...sometimes the cookies are in my craft bags. The better for me to eat them later, too. Alas, yesterday's hiding spot was found. Bye-bye oreos. Don't worry--I do give David some, but the rest of us like them, too.
I WONDER why I even bother to buy them. Oh, I know! Lack of discipline.
I REGRET wasting time. But alas...I do it faithfully.
I LOVE the fact that I have truly made some friends in this blogosphere.
I CAN be a real encouragement to others, but not always to myself.
I CAN’T do simple (or complex) math. Beyond counting, I mean.
I TRY to put at least one green vegetable on the table for dinner each night.
I ENJOY a warm drink in my cold hands. And seeing bald eagles.
I DON’T CARE for foods with the texture of dirt, snot, or rubber.
I ALWAYS take a cuppa tea up to bed.
I NEVER begin a sentence with "and". :)
I’D RATHER be in Maui or in bed, reading. Or watching DVRd episodes of Greys or PP.
I RELY on a little help from my friends.
I BELIEVE that popcorn laced with bacon grease and homemade fudge were the undoing of me. Those delectables were dating treats that my grandma made me and Big for our movie nights at home when we started dating--in 1984.
I DANCE like a really uncoordinated, overbiting white girl. But I don't care. I lurve to dance.
I SING a lot of the time. Loud and proud. Tho not always on key.
I ARGUE with the good sense God gave me. All the time. But usually, I get a mulligan. Or at least new mercies.
I WRITE because I am a verbal processor to the nth degree. So if I'm not talkin', I'm writin'.
I WIN the Entertainment Pies in Trivial Pursuit...sometimes.
I LOSE my patience with my sweet daughter when I wish she'd just make her point already and not just ummm and wellllll and hmmmmm. Because I have not finished my devo on Patience: A fruit of the Spirit. I am a speech therapist with the world's shortest pause time. Ouch.
I WISH I could just slow down my brain sometimes and just.be.
I LISTEN to my son's musings on Star Wars, though I must confess...I don't understand much.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND politics. I mean, I try...but most of it evades my whole way of thinking.
I’M SCARED of trying new things. I can be very rut-oriented. Going to China this fall is exciting and terrifying for me.
I FORGOT how long this meme was and that people might want to do other things today rather than camp out here and read this list. Amen!
I AM HAPPY with simple pleasures.

5 Things I Lurve About Spring & Dishrags

My friend Cheryl tagged us all for 5 things we love about spring...Since I've long been a joiner in such frolic, and there were only 5 things to think of, I am participating. BTW, if you do nothing else at Cheryl's blog, please note her darling header picture. Lurve pictures of bloggers as wee ones. Of course, you should read her posts, too. Just sayin.





Also, for those (carpoolqueen) who are interested...my dishrags are posted. Rag 1 is "gigantor". I wanted to do a larger one to see if I liked it, since I happen to shrink the regular ones. Rag 2 is "oops I dropped a stitch, but nobody's perfect". Is there nothing i won't share? I wonder...

1. I lurve spring because it's NOT WINTER. Even if the weather pattern repeats, the days are longer, and we have "sun breaks". No lie: I'd never heard of a sun break until moving here. Who knew?


2. Lurve me some Easter decoratin' and celebratin'. I must say, this hails from long before I discovered the true meaning of Easter. I happen to heart anything bunny, and my grandma (Grum) collected egg cups for me from the time I was born. I really enjoy the sweet, gentle, happy colors, too. Easter brunch with friends on the Saturday before Easter is a favorite activity for me to host. I don't even mind the annual cleaning fest which accompanies said soiree.


3. Open-toed shoes and pedicures! Even if they're home pedis, they're cheerful. I will be carried cold and stiff to my grave with pink, red, or coral toes, because HONEY, toenail polish always fits. Can I have an Amen?


4. Daffodils and Tulips. I bought myself (I'm a great date, btw...) a 5 stem bouquet of tulips from my grocery store with a $2.00 off coupon (off $3.50). Every time I look at my table, I smile and think of the amazing tulip festival we are so lucky to have each year in Mt. Vernon, WA/La Conner, WA. We haven't been for a couple of years, but the Netherlands has nothin' on this, baby. Tons and tons and row upon row of (mostly) tulips in April. There are a few fields of daffodils, too. It's worth every scrap and morsel of mud we carry home on our shoes. This picture taken about 3 years ago. See all the mud...squishy!

5. I would be remiss if I didn't say that spring meant Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.
Y.U.M. I'll try to limit myself to one six pack this year. For I do not heart the elliptical

machine.

Gigantor:

Oops:

Heck, they were fun to make, and I know I'll be better by say...dishrag 5 or 10 or so. Plus, knitting keeps me from my nemesis: mindless TV eating. So...I can enjoy my mindless tripe, but without the calories. All good. :)

Am I the last on the bandwagon?

I saw this type of meme at Jenster's, Tiffani's, and Meredith's. Time for my fam to have a go. I was surprised by some of the answers, and think that perhaps this type of "interview" is useful for staying on the same page. It's amazing what we perceive about ourselves, and what others perceive about us.

1. What's something I always say to you:
Big: Put on your snorkel-00 (his c-pap--when he falls asleep watching TV, he snores too loudly)
Son: Do your homework.
Dtr: Did you take a shower?

2. What makes me happy?
Big: Respect (you'll see a theme here--the kids had recently been lectured...)
Son: chocolate
Dtr: massages

3. What makes me sad?
Big: Sass
Son: When you see dead animals
Dtr: When kids fight.

4. How do I make you laugh?
Big: Amateur dermatology (going after zits. Guilty. On everyone. Blushing)
Son: When you point out stuff that is very funny
Dtr: When you poke fun at us (nice...)

5. What was I like as a child?
Big: I hear you were stubborn
Son: Chubby. (thank you!)
Dtr: A girly girl.

6. How old am I? This one was easy, since I just turned 40. I'm probably 40 ad nauseum to them by now.

7. How tall am I?
Big: I believe the answer is 5'5". (the real answer? 5'5 or 5'6, I've had both measures in the last year. I'll spot it at 5'5 and 1/2)
Son: Short. 5'8"--no 5'6"
Dtr: Average. 5'8"...no 5'6" ...I don't remember.

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
Big: Blog and quilt.
Son: Yeah...quilt...or scrapbook
Dtr: Quilt

9. What do I do when you're not around?
Big: You work very hard...or should I say...lay in bed and eat bon bons?
Son: Get botox (he noticed! right)
Dtr: You work.

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
Big: (first response) For being my wife. no...no...no...for your humanitarian causes
Son: Winning the lottery, I guess
Dtr: singing (really? oh, I get it...reality show. or singing TV jingles. That IS a talent)

11. What am I really good at?
Big: Providing the emotional/loving foundation of our home.
Son: Talking on the phone.
Dtr: Quilting

12. What am I not very good at?
Big: organization. (ouch)
Son: Giving money to her son. Cooking.
Dtr: patience (sucking in air very quickly)

13. What do I do for a job?
Big: she blogs
Son: lie in bed eating bon bons
Dtr: nothing
(Can you feel the love tonight???)

14. What's my favorite food: We have a trifecta: Chocolate. This is sort of correct. Though I like my chocolate best after a good Mexican or Italian meal. Oh, I kid. In between meals is groovy, as well.

15. What makes you proud of me?
Big: The fact that you get these 2 rascals moving in the right direction
Son: You brought me into the world. (and here I thought his self esteem might be suffering)
Dtr: You're my mom and only mine...successful and special.

16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
Big: Charlie Brown's Sally or Cathy (comic strip)
Son: Donald Duck
Dtr: Minnie Mouse

17. What do we do together?
Big: Pretty much everything
Son: Argue. No...wait...we talk...we talk...I was joking about arguing, Mom.
Dtr: We talk, and watch TV, and cuddle.

18. How are we the same?
Big: We both...celebrate with food (ouch. he's right. yum)
Son: We look a lot alike, except for the obvious
Dtr: We're both strong-willed. (Amen.)

19. How are we different?
Big: You're more emotional. I'm more analytical
Son: I know a lot about Star Wars, and you don't.
Dtr: You are a woman and I am a child.

20. How do you know I lurve you?
Big: Through your actions (can you guess his love language?)
Son: You give me money...hint...hint
Dtr: You hug me...say you love me...kiss me good night...you're nice...

21. What do I like most about Dad?
Big: I'm your best friend. (so true)
Son: He gives YOU money so you can shop
Dtr: He stands by you in your decisions (I'm so glad she sees that)

22. Where is my favorite place to go? Another trifecta...Maui!

Oh, Isn't it Time for a Meme?

Okay, kids: one-word-answers. Can you dig? Anyone is invited to play, as usual.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? supercalifragelisticexpealedocious.
3. Your hair? messy
4. Your mother? Heavenly
5. Your Father? curmudgeon
6.. Your favorite thing? quilting
7.Your dream last night? forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? c.o.f.f.e.e.
9. Your dream/goal? peace
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your fear? loss
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? wiser
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? shy
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? contentment
17. Where you grew up? CO
18. The last thing you did? read
19. What are you wearing? scruffies
20. Your TV? beloved
21. Your Pets? expensive
22. Your Computer? communicating
23.Your life? incredible
24. Your mood? content
25. Missing someone? indeed!
26. Your car? cluttered
27. Something you're not wearing? shoes
28. Favorite Store? T.A.R.G.E.T.
29. Your summer? gone
30. Your favorite color? depends
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. Last time you cried? recently
33. FOUR PLACES I GO OVER AND OVER: Fred Meyer's, School, Target, Pharmacy
34. FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS: Mexican, Chocolate, Cheese, Bread
35. FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW: Shanghai, Maui, CO, Whidbey

Quirks: A meme

I was tagged about 800 years ago by Laura to do this meme about quirks. I found it incredibly difficult to find only six quirks because I'm so "normal" and "trend setting". However, here you go.


Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag six fellow bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the six blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Quirk 1: I have a drinking schedule to my day that I typically follow.

1. coffee in the a.m.
2. water throughout the day and at lunch
3. Diet coke in the afternoon (or at lunch at times)
4. tea at nap time (if I get a nap)
5. water for dinner
6. occasional not often enough glass of white wine at about 7
7. herbal "bedtime" tea for, oddly enough, bed time.

Quirk 2: I'm hypersensitive to noise and don't filter well. However, I like to sing in choir, in worship team and to the blasting radio. My biggest problems are conflicting noise (e.g. instruments tuning all at once and people talking over the din), noise while reading blogs (you know who you are, and I love you, but I turn my sound OFF), and sudden loud noises.

Quirk 3: I love being the Shell Answer Man. Truly. Yes, this is a prideful quirk. So I'll just leave it right like that.

Quirk 4: Big's favorite (NOT)...I heart watching QVC. I do. I know...you're all seeing l.o.s.e.r. stamped across my forehead, but I don't even buy that often. It's for company. It all started with Big's travel. He'd be gone all the time except for weekends, and before kids, I was lonely. Gosh, as I type, I realize how pathetic this sounds!!! Oh, well. I'm outed now. And...I can go months without doing a Q-check, and then I'm watching/having it on for background. Kinda funny for a quirky chick who can't stand noise, huh! :)

Quirk 5: S4J can relate to this one...I'm a craft hoarder. Big time. I have more fabric than I'll ever make quilts from. More scrapbooking supplies than I'll ever use. I know it's time to get rid of it all. Maybe this isn't a quirk so much as a state of arrested development: poor kid gets enough money to buy herself things, and she needs to keep buying because she never knows when she just might be poor again. Ah, mental health. It's a glorious thing. I hear that to be the case, anyway...

Quirk 6: I'm an extrovert who needs a lot of time to myself to regroup and re-energize. You would not know this to know me. But I've never lost the need for my own space--it's as if the only child in me really needs that "room of her own". I think that's one reason I don't respond well to my "little interrupters". It's not an excuse--I know that. But, it's a quirk.

Okay...well after airing my dirty laundry all this sharing, I'd like to take the pressure off myself and give it to you. Anyone who would like to play is welcome. Thanks for your patience, Laura. :)

Soli Deo Gloria

It Must Be Time for a Meme...

I saw this little ditty at Boomama's, and I felt like boring you with all my trivia playing along, so voila! Feel free to play along. I won't tag anyone though.

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I had a 1 month old and a 2 year old. Enough said? ;) We were living in Castle Rock, CO and were enjoying the 90+ degree heat w/o air conditioning. But it's a dry heat. Really. We also had 2 rabbits and one crazy lab/span/ret. mix dog named Sara.
Favorite Snacks

rice crackers and hummus with lots of garlic

diet Coke over ice

a scoop of peanut butter with either choc. chips or raisins in it

pretty much any form of cheese--especially from the farmer's market

milk chocolate--okay, Reeses Fast Break. I can't call it a favorite snack because I have a t.i.n.y modicum of control (thank you Jesus!), but if I could eat them all day, I would.

To Do List
My to-do list is the biggest farce! I have a word doc of my day in 15 minute increments, which I sometimes fill out completely. I like a sense of accomplishment. However, 2 things work against the scratching out of items on said list:

• I lose time/misjudge how long something will take to complete.
• I'm sorta d.i.s.t.r.a.c.t.i.b.l.e.

Sometimes, when I'm really desperate, I write down an item I've completed just so I can have something to cross off. I know. Pathetic.

Jobs I Have Had

• babysitter (oh, kill me now), receptionist, baker at Cindy's Cinnamon Rolls, cashier and peon at Daylight Donuts, English comp. tutor, speech-language therapist specializing in the neuro population of patients (e.g. folks who have had brain injuries or strokes), full time mom and volunteer (e.g. school, Girl Scout leader, choir/worship team)

Places I Have Lived

• Born: Iowa City, IA
• Lived: Iowa City; Camarillo, CA; Tucson, AZ; Porterville, CA; Boone, IA; Ft. Collins, CO; Boulder, CO; Castle Rock, CO; Mill Creek, WA

Bad Habits

• procrastination, worry, caffeine, eating too much--especially spicy food which gives me reflux, but I don't care and eat it anyway..., impatience, too quick to speak

Random Things People May Not Know

• My parents divorced when I was five. I went years w/o seeing my dad.
• My mom died 2 weeks before I turned 30, and it was a blessing to both of us. She was a tortured soul, whom I loved so very much. But I would've loved to hate her, too. I'm so glad she's in heaven where God can take care of her. My biggest relief was her salvation.
• I moved around a ton until 4th grade. Then we stayed in the same school district (despite little moves here and there) until I graduated high school.
• I was not a church-goer at all until 7 years ago. God waited so patiently and faithfully for me, and I have n.e.v.e.r. looked back.
• I was resentful for a time re: taking my kids to church by myself. But I got over it. It was hard though.
• I bit my nails until I was 19, and now they're thin--the only thing on me that is!--and sharp, and I have to keep them short. I don't bite tho. Unless, you know, I have to, given a snag or something.
• My ears are hypersensitive to sound, but I love to sing in my choir and on the worship team at my church
• It wears me out though. I usually need a nap after all that praisin'.
• I only wanted one child. But I was so enamored with David that even whilst sitting on my donut for (ahem) my tender hindquarters, I told Big, "We have to do this again! He's a miracle!" And he is. And so is she.
• I'm left handed.
• I love movies. Especially ones like "Love Actually"

CDs I would want if stranded on an island

• Billy Joel "Stranger" or "Piano Man", or "Turnstiles". Mercy Me, John Mayer, Michael Buble, some random 70's K-Tel mix.

What I’d Do if I Were a Billionaire
1) Pay off anything that needed to be paid off.
2) Buy a place on Maui and a beach front place on Whidbey or Camano or in B.C. somewhere--small compounds actually, so our guests could stay forevah...

3) Put aside a chunk-o-money for the kids' college / mission trips / grad school / whathaveyou. 4) Refuse to live extravagantly. Well, beyond having some sweet massages and pedis, mind you.
5) Donate generously to my church and other organizations my husband and I support, like World Vision.
6) Take lessons on guitar, piano, and own one of each. Maybe 2 guitars.

There you have it.