Friend Makin' Monday: Back to the Basics

Friend Makin' Monday is back! YAY! I've missed this one. It's always been a lot of fun. This week it is hosted at All the Weigh. To participate, just copy and paste, then insert your own answers. Don't forget to add yourself to the linky in this week's post!

I like...so many things. The first thing that comes to mind won't shock any of you: reading. ;-)

I don't like...Mondays, even when Makin' Friends. Getting back into the routine can be brutal. If only I had the discipline to maintain the schedule even on the weekends ...

I love...my family, God and Jesus, music, reading, etc.

I dream of...Genie ... hee hee! ;-) I dunno. Of my children coming to Christ, that's for sure.

I wonder...when (or should I say if?) I will ever feel rested again!

I know...that God placed me on this earth for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was ...

I went...to Europe when I was 10 weeks pregnant with my son. Early in pregnancy is not the time to travel to new places. I was miserable, unable to enjoy the food (Germany and France), and too tired to do much!

I have...a wonderful husband. God has really blessed me.

I think...that I need to get off my arse and get myself – and the kids – out of PJs and into our clothes for the day. :oops:

I plan...on the number of books I read for review so I can enjoy books I wanna read just because.

I regret...too much. I need to learn to let go of the past, to forgive myself for mistakes I've made. Regret doesn't get me anywhere but depressed.

I do...not know if I should blog about life issues here or on an anonymous blog. I want to work through some things, and I want to be able to talk about whomever/whatever I choose without worrying about repercussions. I suppose that means it should be anonymous – or not at all ...

I drink...too much Dr Pepper. If I stopped drinking it, I'd lose a lot of this weight ... but, I don't drink coffee, and often need the caffeine.

I wish...I was a better person.

I am...struggling.

I am not...happy with myself lately. I'm still fat. I'm almost constantly tired. I'm just sick of this.

I need...to go outside and cover the sandbox before it starts raining.

I graduated...from college a few months after getting married. Mr. Ham and I spent the first few months of our marriage apart. (He was working in Chicago, and I was in school 3 hours away.)

I hope...to bring all of my children to Christ. Abby has accepted Christ into her heart, so I have one down and two left to go.

I want...a bigger house. I want a playroom, so the toys aren't all over the place. I want a second bathroom and a master suite.

I sometimes...wonder if I'm bipolar like my grandmother was.

I always...trust God and know that He will guide and protect me.

I can...read quite fast. I've already read over 60 books this year.

I work...around the house, as a SAHM.

I cannot...control everything I wish I could. I need to accept this, and learn to give it to God.

I avoid...conflict like the plague. It's pathetic, really.

I will...not give up. I will give things to God and allow Him to work.

Friend Makin' Monday: Favorite Things

This week's task: Name five things (aside from the obvious, meaning other than your kids/family) that you love.

1. Dr Pepper

2. Unicorns

Oksana - Fotolia.com

3. Skillet

4. Spring

5. Reading

Wanna play? Visit Amber for the rules and this week's links! :-)

Friend Makin' Monday

This one looked like fun, so here I go! For those who aren't familiar, Amber hosts this every week. Join on in, it's lots of fun! :-)

I am.... still adjusting to daylight savings.

I think.... a lot. About everything.

I should.... exercise more - a LOT more - and get back into counting calories.

I dream.... vividly almost every night.

I want.... to find a freelance editing job that would allow me to work as much or as little as I want. I want a freelance editing (or not freelance - that would work, too) job that is editing novels.

I know.... that I need to get back to going to church. But, where? That is the question.

I don't like.... PMS. I hate how it makes me so friggin' irritable!

I smell.... nothing right now, which is a good thing with two kids in diapers! ;-)

I hear.... Natalie talking to herself about something. Not sure what, as she's still mostly difficult to understand. The one word I keep hearing is "car" - not sure why.

I fear.... too much.

I usually.... try to stick to a pretty predictable routine, as that's how I function best.

I search.... using Google only. Haven't even tried Bing. I'm just too loyal to Google! LOL

I miss.... my family. I hate being far away from them. :-(

I always.... kick myself for taking on too much.

I regret.... allowing myself to get so deeply into debt during college - and not working seriously to pay it off ASAP.

I wonder.... if I'll ever get to where I feel like myself again - the me I was before PPD and getting fat.

I crave.... time all alone in my own home. I'd like to just read in the comfort of my own home, watch whatever I want whenever it strikes my fancy, sleep in my own bed as long as I feel like I need to, not have company when I pee in my own toilet.

I remember.... the layout of the apartment I lived in when I was 2, as well as many other things that surprise me.

I need.... Jesus.

I forget.... what it's like to feel well-rested.

I feel.... physically exhausted and emotionally conflicted.

I can.... do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I can't.... seem to find the motivation I need to get myself exercising more. Nor can I find the perfect type of exercise for me.

I am happy.... when I am with my family, while playing with my children, while reading a good book.

I lose.... peace when I'm not following God's plan.

I sing.... along to every song I know the words to - I LOVE to sing!

I listen.... mostly to Christian music. I'd say at least 90% of what I listen to is Christian. As you likely know already, SKILLET is my FAVORITE. But I also love Tenth Avenue North, Amy Grant, Third Day, Switchfoot - to name a few ...

I shop.... too much.

I eat.... too much junk.

I love.... God, Jesus, my family (husband, kids, extended family), music, reading, animals.

Friend Making Monday ... on Tuesday

Yep, I'm late - again. Sorry. I saw yesterday's post, and thought it looked like fun. But, last night while we were cleaning up after dinner, Grant split his forehead open! So, I spent the night (well, a few hours) at the emergency room with him. They were able to glue it together, so I was happy we were able to avoid stitches! Today has subsequently been nuts - I kept him home just to make sure he wasn't going to pick at it or anything. I finally have a chance to post!

Amber wants to know what home decor style we gravitate to. There's a quiz on Sproost that she'd like us to take. If you wanna take the quiz, go here.

According to the style quiz, my personal design style is:

57% Classic (I LOVE this picture!)

 

29% French Eclectic

 14% Modern Elegance (I must admit this one surprises me a little)

And here's the description to go with it:

Classic

What's old is new again! The beauty of Classic Style is how well it takes all of the beautiful forms, colors and textures of the past and reinvents them in a way that feels both fresh and inspired. The style itself is a mix of European influences and French, English and Italian antiques and replicas are often used together. Furniture is well proportioned and comfortable and the rooms give off an air of sophistication and grace. Oil paintings depicting a still life or nature scenes and emphasizing symmetry of pairs helps maintain the Classic nature of the room. Windows are often covered with opulent fabric shades and/or drapery. Classic rooms give off an air of history that seems to say: "I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone." And yet, even with this level of sophistication, the rooms are soft and inviting.

More >

Materials

Classic rooms are filled with texture and deep color. Walls are often saturated in color and many times have an old-world faux finish to hint of days gone by. Dark stained wood is very common and is often distressed. Additionally, gold, bronze and silvers have a natural-looking patina to them that softens their shine. Maps and animal prints are common, and fringe and tassels are often used to trim pillows, drapery and cushions. Genuine antiques are mixed with replicas and found objects become sculptural elements in the room. Wallpaper is a very popular way to bring additional color and texture to the room, and the patterns are usually reminiscent of traditional European styling.

Colors

Common colors are creams, and rich versions of traditional colors such as burgundy, dark green and navy blue. Golds and yellows are also popular as many Classic rooms have a very warm tone to them. That being said, greens and blues can also be tailored to take on the Classic feel. The color, whatever it may be, almost always has a regal air to it and many times you will see faux finishing to highlight the aged feel of the color.

Now, if only I could afford to remodel so my house looks like that first pic! LOL

So, what's YOUR personal design style? Head on over to Sproost to find out! Don't forget to share your results!

Friend Makin Monday: All I Want for Christmas

It's been too long since I last participated in Friend Makin Monday! This week's topic is somewhat easy, so I decided to dive back in.

What I want for Christmas:

• For my kids to really enjoy themselves and that they create memories to last a lifetime.
• Peace.

So far as things under the Christmas tree:

• A new winter coat.
• iTunes gift card.
• Anything off my Amazon Wish List.

And that's about it. So, what about you? What do you want for Christmas?

Friend Makin' Mondays: Hobbies

This week's Friend Makin' Monday is all about hobbies! We have two questions this week:

1. What are your hobbies?
2. What do you wish you knew how to do?

These are pretty thought-provoking! Firstly, what do I enjoy enough to even consider calling a hobby? Then, what else would I like to be able to do? And, yes, I'm probably over thinking this. Just remember I have a degree in English - analytical thinking is what I do! ;-) I have decided to add a third question to the mix: What have I done that I'd like to get back into?

What are your hobbies?

1. Reading.
2. Singing/listening to music.
3. Watching TV.
4. Computer-related stuff, including running my own Web site.

What do you wish you could do?

1. Web and graphic design.
2. Creative writing, but I'm no good at it! LOL
3. Play piano.
4. Knitting.
5. Sewing. (I have VERY basic knowledge, but not enough to make much of anything!)
   

What would I like to get back into?

1.  Baking.
2.  Playing the violin. (I developed tendinitis in my left wrist, so I'm not sure how feasible this is!)
3. Scrapbooking.
4. Yoga.
   

I'm sure I could fill out the second and third lists if I sat here long enough! LOL There are so many things I'd love to be able to do.

So, how about you? What are your hobbies? Please share!

It's that time again

Time for Friend Makin' Monday! Well, it was yesterday. Mondays are too busy for me most of the time, but I figure better late than never, right? That said, Amber once again hosted it, and this week's is regarding fall TV.

What are some of your favorite fall shows?

I actually don't have a lot fall shows that are favorites. A few of mine (E.R., Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone) have been canceled. There are many new shows I'm excited about, but I can't call them favorites without having seen them! Then there are the shows that won't start until winter (24, Lost). So, my list of fall shows is short. But, here it is:

1. Private Practice ~ I cannot wait to see what happens with Violet!
2. The Mentalist ~ I'm not sure what it is, but I just love this show! I'm bummed that it's at the same time as PP, but that's what TiVo is for, right?
3. The Office ~ My husband watches this one more than I do, but I occasionally will watch with him.
4. 30 Rock ~ Another one of my hubby's favorites. While it can be hilarious, it just doesn't usually do anything for me. I could take it or leave it. But, since I sometimes watch it with him - and since it's the last fall "favorite" - I'll leave it on the list!

And that's all! There are several new shows (The Forgotten, FlashForward, Modern Family, The Good Wife) that I'm looking forward to. Gotta fill the void left by my old - and now GONE - favorites! ;-)

So, how about you? What are YOUR favorite fall TV shows?

Friend Makin' Monday: Fall Favorites

Friend Makin' Monday is again hosted by Amber. This week's question is all about fall. 

What are your favorite things about fall?

First and foremost for me is football! Both on the professional and college level. LOVE me some football!

Second for me is the beautiful fall foliage - especially where I live. By the Mississippi River, where there are bluffs and hills galore. The scenery is GORGEOUS!

Also, I really enjoy Halloween. I don't dress up, but it's fun to dress up the kiddos and see them have a blast! Plus, what's not to love about free candy! LOL

And Thanksgiving! Can't leave that one out. It's one of my favorite holidays.

Finally, the end portion of fall brings two of my favorite days: my birthday and my son's birthday! While we're both December babies, both days occur before the technical first day of winter (December 21 or 22).

So, what about you? What are your favorite things about fall? If you blog about it, please post a link in the comments here so we can find you!

Yeah, I know, it's Tuesday

But, the ONE week I stop looking for Friend Makin' Monday, it's back! LOL Figures, huh? But, I figure, better late than never, right?

Apparently, it's going to be hosted by Amber for a little bit, while Kasey takes a break. Lord knows I can understand that! Thank you, Amber, for taking it on! So, here I go.

1. Do you cook every night?
Nope. My wonderful husband cooks most nights.

2. What kind of laundry detergent do you use & why?
I use Tide HE. Because it's what my washer needs.

3. Do you do laundry every day or loads at a time?
LOL This is a loaded (pardon the unintentional pun) question! I often end up devoting a day or two to getting laundry done, but I'd like to do one load every day. Now that school's back in session, I think I can get that habit going - FINALLY!

4. How often do you eat out per week?
TOO much. It varies from week to week, but we definitely need to work on this!

5. Where do you usually eat out?
Drive-thru: McDonald's, Culver's, Sonic, Jimmy John's
Eat-in: Chili's, Village Inn, sometimes Culver's

6. What is your favorite retail store?
♥Target♥

7. What's your favorite thing to drink?
Dr Pepper, but I'm working on drinking it less and drinking more water.

8. Do you take vitamins? What kind?
I should, but generally don't. Occasionally, I'll take one or two of the kids' gummy vitamins when giving them theirs.

9. What percentage of the household chores to you do?
I'm honestly not sure. DH does cooking, washes dishes, vacuums (most of the time), and deals with the outside stuff. I generally do most of the rest of it.

10. Do your children do chores? {Or will they, did they, etc}
A little bit. Abby feeds the dog, helps feed the cats, helps us clean when we ask, puts away her own laundry. The other two, not so much.

11. Do you go to church?
No. It's been a LONG time. It's not that we don't want to go - it's getting there that's the problem.

12. Do you have a housework schedule?
No, but perhaps I should create one. Maybe I'd actually get stuff done around here!

13. Do you keep a working budget?
No. We're horrible about that. We keep saying we need to make one, but so far haven't.

14. What do you do at night as a family?
Dinner, hang out (outside when it's warm), watch TV when there's something we all like

15. How do you prepare yourself for a new week?
I don't really, except trying to get the laundry finished over the weekend.

16. What do your mornings look like?
Abby and Grant are getting up between 6 and 7 most mornings. I get up with them. Get myself dressed, tell Abby to get dressed, get Grant dressed. Make them breakfast. My husband drops Abby off at school on his way to work, and I drop Grant off at school about 45 minutes later. Natalie is our wild card. She sometimes wakes with the other two, sometimes wakes when we're eating, other times I have to wake her before leaving with Grant. Those times, she eats after we drop him off.

17. What time do you get up in the mornings?
By 7.

18. What time do you go to bed at night?
I'm working on getting to bed earlier. Nowadays, it seems to be between 10:30 and 11:30.

19. How do you manage all of the paperwork that floods into your household? {bills, school work, magazines, ads, etc}
I have a filing cabinet I use for school stuff and other such things. I have what I call my bill book for bills - it's a 3-ring binder with pocket folders inside. Each folder is for a month. There's a sheet of paper with a grid of due date, payee, amount due, amount paid, date paid, check number (or online transaction). Other papers - well, we're trying to figure out a good system for those.

20. How do you keep your household organized? {calendars, charts, etc}
Mostly calendars. I rely on Google's calendar - I would forget most things without the e-mail reminders!

Friend Makin' Monday: I Love Summer

It's that time again! Time for FMM! :-) I missed last week, but I'm back today. And what a good time to get back into it. This week's task is to share 10 things you love about summer!

1. Warm weather.
2. Summer rain. I love the rain - especially in the summer. It's so refreshing and I love to get wet in it! LOL
3. Wearing tank tops.
4. Being able to go out of the house without a coat or jacket.
5. Going to the swimming pool.
6. Green - grass, leaves on trees, etc.
7. S'mores.
8. No snow.
9. Going for ice cream.
10. Wearing flip-flops.

So, how about you? What are your favorite things about summer? Please leave me a comment so I can check out your post, too! :-)

Friend Makin' Monday ~ Better Late than Never

I almost forgot this week! For those who aren't familiar, this is a fun thing created by Kasey over at All That Is Good. For the basic Friend Makin' Monday rules, read here.

This week's object: Copy and paste these questions to your blog and give them your own answers.

You wouldn't be caught dead where? In any reptile house anywhere. Ever.

Do you have any hidden talents? Not really.

What are two things you consider yourself to be very good at? I hate to admit this, but video games is the first thing that comes to mind. As for something else, I'm getting hung up on the word "very" here. There are plenty of things I'm just good at. But very good is another story.

What are two things you consider yourself to be very bad at? Cooking, lying.

Have you ever won a trophy? I don't think so, but I have MANY ribbons (with medals) from competitions with my violin and/or orchestra.

What is one thing not many people know about you? I played the violin from 4th through 9th grades. I quit because I developed tendinitis in my left wrist. I went from that to choir. Oh, and even lesser-known is that I played the clarinet for two years - 4th and 5th grades. I quit in the 6th grade because I wanted to be a crossing guard.

What is your earliest memory? I honestly don't remember a lot from my childhood. However, I do remember the layout of the apartment I lived in when I was 2 until I was 4.

What was your favorite musical group in jr. high? I'm thinking New Kids on the Block, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

What was something the worst roommate you ever had did? I was lucky - never really had a bad roommate.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A lawyer, like my great-grandfather.

What was your worst dating experience? Dating a pathological liar in high school.

If you were about to die what would your last meal be? Alaskan king crab legs. Not sure what else. And not entirely sure what dessert would be - too many choices! LOL

Who is the most important person in you life? My husband.

If your house was on fire, what 3 things would you grab on your way out? Assuming the people and pets were safe, I'd grab my laptop (assuming DH grabs his own), our wedding album, and our back-up external hard drive.

Now it's your turn! Don't forget to share your post! :-)

Friend Makin' Monday

It's that time again! While I've fallen behind on almost all other aspects of my goals with my blog, I have managed to remember Friend Makin' Monday! That's just how much I enjoy it, I guess! LOL Kasey over at All That Is Good made the theme for this the five senses. List five things for each of the five senses - for you love, and one you don't. So, here are mine:

Sight
Love:
1. My husband. He's a hottie, if I don't say so myself! ;-) (The fact that we haven't seen each other since April 2 probably has nothing to do with this being the first thing to come to mind! LOL)
2. Beautiful sunsets.
3. My kids' smiling faces.
4. Purple. In case you couldn't tell, it's my favorite color!
Don't:
1. Snakes. I'm pretty sure it's a bona fide phobia. I can't even handle things that resemble snakes or could (out of the corner of my eye, perhaps) be mistaken for one! Example: I wouldn't let my husband purchase a green or black garden hose!

Smell
Love:
1. Lilacs. They are by far my favorite flower, because of their beautiful scent.
2. My husband. I just love his scent.
3. Rain in the spring - especially right before the rain starts to fall.
4. Baking bread.
Don't:
1. Vomit. I'll take the nastiest stinky diapers any day. Just don't make me handle vomit - I'll just add to it!

Touch
Love:
1. Zeus, my gray cat. His fur is the softest fur I've ever felt on a REAL cat.
2. My husband's freshly shaved face.
3. Hugs from my kids.
4. Massage. LOVE it!
Don't:
1. Raw meat.

Taste
Like:
1. Chocolate and peanut butter. Especially Hershey's or Nestle Crunch dipped in Jif!
2. White cake batter.
3. Sharp cheddar cheese. I have no idea why, but I LOVE it. Can't get enough!
4. Alaskan king crab legs. I don't get them very often at all, but I SAVOR them when I do!
Don't:
1. There are so many, many things I don't like. I'm picky - and it sucks. Top of the list: tomatoes - they make me gag!

Sound
Like:
1. Thunder.
2. My children's laughter.
3. Music. I like a wide, wide range. From classical to Christian rock and everything in between. Current favorites include Skillet, Jars of Clay, Swan Lake, and Evanescence. I'm also a HUGE fan of movie soundtracks, such as Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, and other such theatrical scores!
4. Cats purring.
Don't:
1. My kids crying or whining.

This list was actually hard for me to come up with. It required me to actually THINK about this, rather than just noting it when I come across it! LOL But, it's fun! So, please, share yours! I can't wait to see what your list is! :-)

Friend Makin' Monday

Andrea over at My Chihuahua Bites! is hosting FMM this week, and she chose a GOOD topic!

Who are your top 5 celebrity crushes? I am so glad I didn't miss this week! LMAO Here's my list, in no particular order.

1. Johnny Depp ~ Need I say more?


2. James Marsden ~ The role I discovered him in is Prince Edward in Enchanted. He is quite yummy!


3. Matt Damon ~ Especially in the Jason Bourne movies! YUMMY!


4. Sawyer ~ It's sad. I don't know the actor's name. Josh Holloway? Is that it? Or something like that? Poor guy'll probably never be known - at least not by the ladies - as anything other than Sawyer! LOL But, hey, is that really such a bad thing?


5. Aragorn ~ I know the dude who plays him is Viggo Mortensen. The role of Aragorn is the only one in which I find him HOT. But, I'll take it. Each of those movies in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is quite long - more time to enjoy some eye candy! ;-)

Those are mine - at least for now. Only the first three are pretty consistently on my list. The last two are interchangeable with other actors. But, this is my list this time! LOL

So, what about you? Who are your top 5 celebrity crushes? I showed you mine - now it's your turn to show me yours! ;-) (Don't forget to post a link so I know to come check it out!)

Friend Makin' Monday

This week's mission on All That is Good is to post 10 things that really get you fuzzed up - as in mad. So, here I go! (I used to be an editor, and I have a degree in English, so a few of these are related to that.)

1. Not using its and it's correctly. Possessive is its. If you wanna say it is, you need that apostrophe! It's that simple, folks!
2. Improper use of there, their, and they're. The first, there, is the place, as in "Go over there." The second, their, is possessive, as in "That is their new car." The easiest one to remember is the third. They + are = They're
   
3. People not using turn signals when driving.
   
4. Overuse of shorthand (or whatever it's called) when typing somewhere. I will admit, I use it sometimes - DH for my husband, GMTA for great minds think alike, etc. But, I do not do the numbers-and-words combos.I h8 when I have 2 stop and dcy4 what someone's saying - especially when it's directed at me. If you're writing to me on Facebook or whatever, please be so kind as to spell everything out.
   
5. My wonderful husband seems to fear the consequences of putting his dirty clothes inside the hamper, rather than on top of it.
   
6. Along the same lines, after showering, my wonderful husband tends to leave his wet towel in our bedroom - haphazardly tossed on top of my clothes or my side of the bed.
   
7. Misuse of the apostrophe ('). Do NOT use it to denote plurals. Apostrophes are used for POSSESSIVES or contractions (i.e. turning cannot into can't).
   
8. Speaking of cannot - it's one word.
9. When people show blatant favoritism for one branch of the family tree.
   
10. People who abuse the system - any system, but especially any sort of help. Like, yes, Welfare. While there are a good many of people out there who need it and who are honestly trying to better themselves, there are way too many freeloaders. You are entitled to the pursuit of happiness - that means you can do what you need to make yourself happy. Stop expecting others to do that for you. And off the soapbox I go ...
    

And there you go. Lists like these are hard for me - take forever to write. But, I'm always happy to have done it. Let me know if you participate in this, too, so I can come read your list!