Randomness

Random facts are good!! It's these little things that makes us each, well, unique! Here are 15 unique ones from me... and once you've read them, write 15 of your own so I can read random things about each of you!

1. I always dreamed about being a concert pianist when I was young. I'm lucky if I get to play the piano once a week these days. :P (Although I still LOVE to play)

2. Rob and I have been married for almost 9 years. I still get butterflies...

3. I am a peacemaker...and avoid confrontation at almost all costs. I don't do well being put on the spot...especially if it's something emotional because...quite frankly...i cry ugly. Yes, ugly. I get a hysterical breathing pattern going (we've dubbed it the Mealey-cry as most of my sisters I believe have this horrible ugly cry too) and no one can understand me anyway, so I can't get what I want to say, to come out right. It's really sad. You don't want to see that. (No, really....you don't)

4. I tried sushi once and hated it. (yee-uck)

5. I still think it would be amazing to be a surrogate. And still think about the possibility of being one one day...

6. I really don't think I'm a very good cook. BUT, I have made great strides of improvement from when we were first married.

7. I love to sing, although I don't think I'm very good. It doesn't stop me tho. I usually have a song of some kind on my mind.

8. I want to be a nurse when I grow up (and am thinking about starting back to school).

9. I am not a morning person. I try really hard, but yeah...it doesn't happen.

10. My favorite color is green. I pink puffy heart olive greens especially.

11. I can crochet, knit (a very basic stitch), and sew. I just wish I had time to do them more...

12. I am pretty patient. Except when I'm not. :D

13. I love photoshop. Love love love it. I can get sucked into playing around in photoshop for hours.

14. I think texting is fun

15. I love my blackberry. Love it.

Becoming old?

There's nothing like another birthday to make you feel older, right? Actually though, age really has never bothered me. As I creep closer towards 30, I keep thinking that maybe I'll suddenly feel old or I don't know, something! But I don't. I suppose that's a good thing.

But you know what IS a big fat slap in the face that you ARE getting old?? Finding your first gray hair. It downright sucks. Old people are grey. Not me. I'm still young and lively and young. Such injustice to look in the mirror and see it. But I pulled it out. So does that technically mean I am young again? Sheesh

Going through the courses of thinking about old-ness, I do realize, however, that despite the eternal youth thing I have going on, I have not taken care of my body as best as I should. I've never been particularly thin. I was, I would say, "average" back in high school. Then after graduating and getting married, I crossed over into the overweight club. 5 kids later, and well, I'm well past that line now.

Now that we're beyond the having babies part, I can't chalk it up to "I just had a baby" or anything like that. My baby is almost 18 months. *cries* And I know every year I let it go, it'll be that much harder to come off.

So, I've begun (once again--but this time with more determination maybe?) implementing changes. I wish I could afford a gym membership, but it's just not a possibility right now. (Though I have thought about looking into maybe a trade-out working in the daycare thing that I guess some gyms offer) I do have an elliptical machine here at the house, and I've been going for walks more often. I'll just have to make do with what I have! I want to work my way towards a 5K. (And seriously, I've never liked running, so I have no idea where this is coming from ROFL)

All I know is I'm unhappy with my body and I want to change. I'm trying to read up more on fitness and health so that I can make the right changes so that I can succeed. I've never been good at sticking with diet and exercise, but I want to so badly. I want to have a good self-image, which I'm lacking right now.

I'm out of excuses. I've let myself get into this shape, and it's going to take work and perseverance to get fit. I really really want to succeed.

belated birthday

Or at least a belated post about it! LOL

Monday was my 28th birthday! Another year older, another year feeling exactly the same as I did around oh--13 or so. I'm beginning to think I will always feel like an awkward teenage girl. :D



I've been fortunate enough to be able to share every birthday (and everything else growing up, for that matter) with my twin sister. She is the older twin (which means she will get "old" before me haha!)by two minutes. Sometimes those pesky two minutes were infuriating...when I had to, yet again, do something last because she was older. Of course now, I wouldn't change our order for anything! The baby's got it gooooood!

Growing up, we were always pretty much polar opposites. She had dark brown hair and brown eyes, and I had bright blonde hair (especially in the summer in Arizona) and hazel eyes. And she was always about a whole head taller than me. She was also more the shy one and I the bolder of the two.

We fought like any sisters do. I seem to remember blaming our messy room on her an awful lot. And on one occasion when confronted as to what, out of the whole disaster, was hers, I could only find one thing (although I didn't openly admit that! HA!).

Still, even as we entered junior high and high school, we were still very much opposites. She was into running long distances and playing soccer and those things. I also enjoyed sports, tho none that required so much running. Volleyball and softball were my choices. Eventually she did cross over to the dark side and played volleyball with me. :) Our choices in friends were pretty different too, although our school was so small that we did have some of the same friends as well.

Then, half way through our junior year, we had to move. Not just move to a new city, but to a whole new country. Growing up, we lived mainly overseas. We lived a few years in Arizona but we were little and I think neither of us have any memories of it. We were moving back to the States. More specifically, to Georgia.

We went from our very small high school (around 80 kids per grade), to a huge one with 400-500 kids PER grade. To say it was a bit of culture shock was an understatement. Volleyball wasn't even in the schools system in Georgia yet, so I didn't even that familiarity to lean on as a crutch. But I did have my sister!

What a huge blessing she has been my entire life (even when I didn't realize it). I am so thankful for her constant companionship. For the strength and love she always has brought to me.

As we've gotten older, we are probably more alike now that we ever have been. My hair has long since gotten dark and we evened up in height a long time ago. Although now I think I am more the shy one and she isn't.

We dated together, married a year apart. We've been pregnant together and have shared many stories together as we raise our families and live our lives. Even tho we may not get to talk everyday anymore (although there are weeks that we are glued to the phone giggling like 13 year-olds again) she is still a huge source of strength to me. I guess you can call it that twin bond or something. Sometimes we can even just look at each other and know what we're thinking.

Thanks for sharing every birthday with me, Jenn. I love you and am so glad that you're my twin.
Happy Birthday, old woman!

Interview with the kids

1. What is something mom always says to you?
A-Stop Fighting
R-Clean up
H-Go play outside
D-Eat yow dinner

2. What makes mom happy?
A-When I listen
R-When we listen
H-When we play with you
D-Wisten (listen)

3. What makes mom sad?
A-Not listening
R-When we don't clean up our rooms
H-When we tell on people
D- Chocolate (NOT TRUE!!)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
A-Tickling me
R-Playing funny
H-Tickle me
D-Tickle

5. What was your mom like as a child?
A-I have no idea!
R-Nice
H-Little
D-Small....like dis (crouches down)

6. How old is your mom?
A-28
R-27
H-40
D-13

7. How tall is your mom?
A-5 feet
R-Tall
H-Little
D-Bigger

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
A-Spend time with family
R-Shop
H-Clean up (uhhh no)
D-Jump rope

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
A-Read
R-Sleep
H-Read a book
D-Jump Rope (aparently I'm a closet jump roper)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
A-World's famous cleaner
R-Pictures
H-Sing
D-Medicine (the boy is obsessed with medicine)

11. What is your mom really good at?
A-Loving me
R-Taking Pictures
H-Feeding Lindsey
D-Singing

12. What is your mom not very good at?
A-Jump Roping (at least someone recognizes!)
R-Cartwheeling (huh...little does HE know!)
H-Playing soccer
D-Not twampoween (not trampoline)

13. What does your mom do for a job?
A-Love us
R-Take care of us
H-Your job is to work
D-Race car dw-iving (driving)

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
A-Cake
R-Brownies
H-Carrots
D-Cake
*for the record, chocolate is my favorite...incase you didn't get that LOL*

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
A-Caring for me
R-Taking care of us
H-When we need help
D-Hellfy (healthy---i guess)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A-Snow White because she likes to sing and she's very nice
R-Cinderella
H-Police Man--girl
D-Mommy

17. What do you and your mom do together?
A-Hug
R-Read
H-Play with each other
D-Exercise (well i do the exercising and he does the watching...)

18. How are you and your mom the same?
A-Both love each other
R-Same skin
H-By wearing the same clothes
D-"Diff-went!" (different!)

19. How are you and your mom different?
A-My hair is long, yours is short
R-Our voices aren't the same
H-By not wearing the same clothes
D- um light!

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
A-By trying not to yell
R-Because you kiss and hug me
H-When we hug each other
D-Start together

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
A-To dinner
R-To the Movies
H-To McDonalds
D-To the doctor

I tag you all (yes you, and you, and yes even you) to all do this as well with your kids. And leave me a comment when you do so I can read the funnies from your kiddos! (or even borrowed kids haha!)

great to be 8

Right before my very eyes, my girl is not little anymore. Everyone tells you that "kids grow up so fast", and "don't blink", but nothing really prepares you. Then suddenly you wake up and struggle to figure out how it seems she was just a baby YESTERDAY!!

Alexis is turning 8 in August. This marks a pretty big milestone in our religion. 8 is the age of accountability, when we know basic right from wrong. It's the age you have to be to be baptized. Last week they had a "Great to be 8" night at the church for all the kids turning 8 this year. It was a night to basically answer any questions the kids might have about their baptism day. Alexis and I were asked to sing a song for it. I must admit, I've never considered myself a singer. I'm usually the one behind the piano. But I was excited for the opportunity, and excited for Alexis to have the opportunity. She LOVES to sing, but does get nervous in front of people. I thought it would be a good chance to overcome some of that. She was excited about it too, and we practiced everyday.
It ended up fabulous (although no thanks to me, as I ended up with a cold and had a crunky voice). I was so proud of Alexis overcoming her fears. She is amazing.

As we talked about baptism, I couldn't help but think back to my own day. I remember Jenn being scared and wanting me to go first. I was all excited that finally I got to do SOMETHING first (sometimes being the younger twin stinks!), and wouldn't you know it, they wanted to go in birth order, so she did go first. It's funny the things you remember.
I can't believe that Alexis is just about there. Suddenly I feel myself asking if we've taught her enough, does she know the things she needs to, is she READY for baptism??!!

And then I just sat back and watched. I don't get many opportunities to see her "in action" since she's the oldest and I've usually got my eyes on 4 others as well. But it was a treat to be able to sit back and just watch her. She is so confident and sure of herself. And so ready. When in the world did all that happen? I am amazed at her simple faith and unconditional love.

And so, as she is nearing her 8th birthday, I've found myself doing a lot of reflecting. These 8 years have gone by so quickly. No doubt the next 8 will go by even more. Slow down, baby girl. I'm not ready!!!!

A give away!! A give away!!

So, here's how it works: the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or copy and paste like I did). Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift!