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And...here we go!

1. I'd really like more strength and will power right now.

2. Dammit!! is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.

3. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. (No, I don't know what that means, it's just something everyone in my family says. Mostly to justify that they've taken your seat when you forgot to call dibs.)

4. Yessir, I lurve me some Captain Jack Sparrow.

5. Marshmallows and fire go together like peas and carrots, Jenny.

6. Like one, two, three. The world keeps turnin'. Oh, on and on. And on and on...

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to date night, tomorrow my plans include a day with my Girls and Sunday, I want to chill!

what i am is what i am. are you what you are or what?

It seems there is quite the Facebook trend going around right now to post "25 Random Things About Me." So, I thought I'd take it over here.
Here ya go!

1. I have the worst sleeping habits of anyone I know. I am writing this at 1am, and I have to work in the morning.
2. When I do sleep, I have the most horrific nightmares. I wake up more tired from them than when I went to sleep.
3. I love junkie reality tv.
4. I am an all or nothing kind of person. I don't really like that about myself.
5. I analyze, analyze, analyze everything to death.
6. I have a nervous laugh I can't control. But I love to laugh. Funny's my favorite.
7. I never wore makeup until I was in my late twenties. Now I feel weird going out without it.
8. I don't like ketchup.
9. I don't think linearly and I brainstorm out loud. It is sometimes hard to convey my thoughts in a way that makes sense to others.
10. My eyes water all the time. People always think I am crying when I'm not.
11. I am a super private person. Twenty-five things is about twenty-four more things than I am usually comfortable sharing.
12. I am a Gemini, and I live up to it. I run very hot and cold.
13. My faith is very strong, but I am not a good Christian.
14. I am bossy, loud, and mouthy, but I am not very good at asking for what I want and getting what I need.
15. I was a surrogate, and it was the best and worst thing I have ever done.
16. I would do it again in a heartbeat if they need me to do it. In fact, I hope they do.
17. I am a picker. I pick, pick, pick, at things (scabs and such). My kids are pickers too. My hubby is not a picker, and thinks the need in the rest of us to do this is disgusting.
18. I used to get separated from my friends in school for talking too much. And ummmm..... some things never change.
19. I am a perfectionist. As soon as I identify that something cannot be done perfectly I am quick to abandon it. This is one of my worst qualities.
20. I have a niece and a nephew that I love so much that I would take them in and raise them if I could. But I can't because my sisters won't let me. :)
21. I love to cook when I am in the mood to do so. I hate to have to cook on a daily basis.
22. My favorite meal to make (and eat) is turkey dinner. I make it for every holiday.
23. My family and friends are all too far away. It is lonely and I don't like it.
24. My girls are really cool chicks, and I am proud of who they are as people.
25. My husband and I always have fun together no matter where we go or what we do. Time spent with him makes my heart glow.

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What gives you hope?
Seeing my children find their passions and succeed. Knowing that they have the whole world in front of them and that they can do anything they want to do.

How often do you get your haircut? Describe your worst haircut.
It ranges from every couple of months to every couple of years. Lately, it's been every other month. I go with a friend and we make a day of it. So much fun!
My worst cuts usually are because one side of my hair grows different than the other, so it often comes out looking uneven. Or, when someone cuts it who doesn't understand my hair type. With recent pics showing up of my middle school years, I'm starting to think those had to be the worst haircuts of my life! :)

What's your most treasured piece of jewelry? Why?
My wedding ring. It is a replacement - I lost the original set and it was very traumatic for me. My sweet sweet husband surprised me with a replacement.

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And...here we go!



1. Oh, I am so much more organized lately! It feels great, but weird.

2. Sometimes it seems like everything changes, big and little.

3. During my twenties, I wasted too much time.

4. OMG - Did he just throw me under the bus???; are you kidding me??? (Too bad for him it made him look bad and I came out looking good!)

5. Right now I'd like to be snuggled up next to my honey.

6. Tivo. No, iPod. No, the Crackberry is my favorite gadget. (You can't make a gadget geek choose just one. It's like picking your favorite child!)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a dinner party, tomorrow my plans include redocorating and Sunday, I want to make memories with my girls!

a letter to myself at seventeen

Dear Me at 17:

Listen sweetie - you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't waste it. You have some serious issues you are going to need to work through in order to get on with it and be successful. The sooner you can do it, the better.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to get out of that town. Look around you - are you seeing an environment that fosters your drive and ambition? Find one that does. Trust that you are still capable of so much more than what you are doing now. Remember to spread your wings and fly.

Take care of your health. Take care of your finances. Take care of your education. You are worthy.

Trust your instincts and tell doctors what you know to be true about yourself. Make them listen.

Find a best friend who will be your best friend back. You will yearn for this every day for the rest of your life.

Plant some roots. You will find great comfort in it. Then travel. You will find great comfort in that too.

You will enjoy motherhood more than you ever thought you would.

Remember - you can do anything you set your mind to. Find your passion, stick with it. Finish well. Fight for what makes you happy. Enjoy the little moments. They go quick, so take it slow and breathe them in.

Love,
Me at 32

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What do you do to make yourself feel better when you are sick?
Rest, watch tv, take some medicine, sleep, repeat.

What is the most amazing weather you've ever seen?
I have seen many types of extreme weather, but I think tornadoes are the most amazing. The stormy weather - rain, thunder, loud... and then that "calm before the storm." That phrase is so true of that eerily quiet stillness that happens right before the chaos. Then the clouds begin to swirl, the wind swells out of control, that sucking squealing noise of the twister as it tears through a neighborhood... there is absolutely nothing like it.

Do you listen to music or talk radio in the car?
I almost always have music on in the car. I like to sing along, and the kids do too!

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And...here we go!



1. Enough with the talk about the gym! Hasn't everyone given up on their New Year's Resolutions yet?

2. Knowing when to push and when to back down causes me to be conflicted.

3. I've been craving chocolate. Non-stop chocolate. Have any?

4. Late night chats make me laugh.

5. I wish I could go to someplace warm next week.

6. Connecting with friends old and new has been on my mind lately.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting organized and packed, tomorrow my plans include scrapbooking and roller derby and Sunday, I want to recover!

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And now for a very philosophical edition of..... the Manic Monday Meme...


If you were to name the most creative outlet that you have, what would it be?
Scrapbooking and writing. Neither of which I give enough attention to. Both of which always make me feel better about things. That's what creative outlets do, right? Anytime I can create something with my hands it makes me feel good. I was extremely gratified to create the handmade gifts I gave this Christmas.
Another creative outlet I used to have was playing music. I sold all of my instruments in a quiet moment of desperation to help my family's finances a few years ago, and it still haunts me to some degree. I know I did the right thing at the time, but it did leave a hole. I hope to bring music back into my life in some way someday.

What spot in your body would you say is the center of your emotional being?
I don't know about there being a spot in my body that is the center of my emotional being - if forced to choose I would say my gut. I have a fairly reliable intuition that has served me well in life.

What do you think is the secret to a tranquil soul?
A calm environment, a well-organized mind, self-control, and a clear conscious.

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And...here we go!



1. It's January; and it's damn cold to boot!

2. Chinese food is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like oil and water - why would we want to cork the wine?

4. A cold refreshing glass of water is so nourishing.

5. Let us dare to be our best selves.

6. Please stop by and visit my home.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing, tomorrow my plans include hibachi and Sunday, I want to stop and take a few breaths!

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Do you have any idiosyncrasies or unusual quirks when it comes to food and/or eating?
Goodness, more than I can count. I can only imagine how obnoxious it must be to share a meal with me. In fact, I feel much better if the person I'm eating with has their own meal quirks so I don't have to feel so weird about mine. :)

Have you ever written love letters? If so, do you still have any of them?
I am enamored with love letters. I respond well to the effort it takes to create for someone - a letter, song, piece of artwork, crafts... So I have definitely written love letters. As recently as today actually - although it was more of a love note that I left for him to find in his lunch.
I don't have the letters I've written - they are meant to be delivered, no? I do have ones that were written to me.

How easy or difficult is it for you to say you're sorry?
The more sorry I am, the harder it is for me to say it.

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1. The world is turning, turning, turning.

2. "I love you" was the last thing I said.

3. I wonder if I will ever be able to sleep normally.

4. Peace is at the end of all things.

5. There's something to be said for living with purpose.

6. Successful and happy is where I want to be.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting, relaxing, and cleaning, tomorrow my plans include date night and Sunday, I want to catch up on some things that need to get done!