November 2, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

I know most blog hoppers come to my blog via the hosting blogs which link directly to this post. So, I just wanted to bring it up once again that NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo started yesterday and run for the month of November. I'm participating in NaNoWriMo and maybe, possibly NaBloPoMo. If I do, I'll be using the prompts from 30 Days Hath November for most days which is a totally fantastic way of coming up with 30 blog posts for November. I'm also participating in #FMSphotoaday / #novphotoaday on Instagram. I hope that some of you will join in on at least one of these challenges. They're fun and a great way of building an online community. Links to these challenges which will take you to more info can be found on my post from yesterday. If you decide to participate in one or all, leave me a comment somewhere and let me know!!

 Now on to the show.

1. Something I swore I'd never do, but have ended up doing anyway is buy a Coach purse. I've always said that they were the go to purse for military wives and I would never have one but I like them and now I have three. Well, four. Anyway...
2. Something I've always wanted to do is write a novel, travel to Europe, get my degree. Blah blah.
3. Something I have absolutely no desire to do is be on television or radio.
4. The best thing I've ever done was marry my husband.
5. When it comes to trying new things I am usually hesitant. I'm a creature of habit and trying new things intimidates me. I really hate that about me.
6. One thing I've never done is beat other people's kids. No matter how much they've deserved it or how much I've been tempted.
7. My favorite thing to do is read a book.

1. What terrifies you the most? My kids or my husband getting sick or hurt.
2. Favorite fall/winter drink? Hot apple cider. I'm going to try mulled wine this year though. I already have the spices, I just need a bottle of wine.
3. Do you and your spouse have the same political views? For the most part. I'm a left leaning centrist and he's a right leaning centrist so we do have some difference of opinions occasionally. I support PBS, lol. 
4. What was the last book you read? Was it any good? Yesterday, I finished reading The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. It's the first book in the Heroes of Olympus series. I really enjoyed it. I loved the mythology. I only wish it had more character interaction instead of so much internal dialogue. I also wish I had realized that Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series came first and this next series has a lot of the same characters. Instead of reading book two, I am now reading book one of the Olympians series. :D
5. Do you look forward to the snow each winter? Why or why not? A big gigantic NO! I can't be emphatic enough about how much I hate the snow. I lived in Vermont for 37 months. It snowed for 28 of those months. A lot. The nine months it didn't snow, there was mud everywhere. Unless you've lived in Canada or Alaska or the U.P. of Michigan, or freaking Vermont or someplace similar, you cannot imagine how much snow it snows in Vermont. You just can't.

1. Growing up in Ohio was boring. Although, we did have Cedar Point, Kings Island, The Columbus Zoo, and Seaworld (which is closed now) so that was good. But other than that, it was boring.
2. Wouldn't having a housekeeper be wonderful? 
3. If I hadn't graduated early and moved back to my birth town, then I never would have met and married my husband. If he hadn't been six weeks premature, we also would never have met and gotten married because he would have been a year behind me in high school if he had been born on time. Fate, huh???
4. When I clean house I like to listen to music.

October 26, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

It's been a dull week. I have no dumb stories to tell about myself. So, getting right to it... 

 

1. My favorite feeling in all the world is heartfelt hugs from my husband and my kids.
2. My favorite smell is the ocean, rain, freshly cut grass, humid piney air, clean baby smell, and sage when it comes in off the canyon.
3. My favorite taste is salty/savory. I'm not a sweet snacker most of the time. I like savory foods and chips.
4. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen was the ocean for the first time.
5. The best sound ever is a baby's laughter. You know, when they laugh so hard their entire body shakes? That makes me laugh no matter what mood I'm in.
6. A smell that reminds me of my childhood is chlorine from a pool. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners cooking. 
7. My favorite of all the senses is probably hearing. I don't know what I'd do without music. Sight and smell would tie for #2.

1. Who wakes up with the kids in the morning? I do seeing as how the Mister leaves for work before any of the rest of us have to get up. 
2. Do you watch the World Series even if your team isn't in it? Sure. I like baseball. I like hearing it on the TV. It makes me think of summer time and fun. 
3. What is the best compliment you have received? When people tell me I've raised good kids. 
4. Do/did you dress up to take your kids trick or treating? Nope. Least favorite holiday people.
5. Do you have a favorite Bible verse? What is it and why? What an ironic question for me to have to answer. Actually, I do. I like the one about judge not lest ye be judged yourself (and I can't say that without hearing Metallica blare it in my head). I like it because it's the ultimate in ironies. It's impossible not to judge, for good or for bad, and people hardly ever take into account judging something for good. People who say they never judge something for bad are the ultimate liars/hypocrites. Bottom line, I like it because it makes for a good argument.

1.  My eyes are my favorite feature.
2. Thinking about cuddles with my dog and cat makes me happy.
3. It's been a long time since we've gone away anywhere. We haven't taken a road trip as a family since we moved out here. The Mister and I are thinking of planning something.
4. I just don't understand cheating. If you're so unhappy, have the balls to say something and get out of the relationship. Cheaters are weak and pathetic.

October 19, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

I have to share this before we get started. It half makes me look bad, but it makes me laugh hysterically nonetheless.

The other day, I was taking the Oldest to the hair salon. On the way, this total jack rabbit was tail gaiting me. Now, I tolerate a certain amount of tail gaiting here in San Diego. It's just a way of life and I've been known to do it myself from time to time. However, I sped up to 45 in a 35 to see if he'd back off and he didn't. Not one jot. So, I slowed down to 35 and kept pace with a city bus in the lane to the right of me. Being a two lane road (two lanes in each direction), this meant that when he swerved around trying to pass me, recklessly I might add, he couldn't. We get up to a point in the road where a turn lane opens in the lane to my left. The turn light is green and the straight lane lights were red. So I slow down even further and wait for the turn light to turn red, then I pull up to the stop light. He toots his horn at me as he gets into the turn lane to which I respond with a stiff middle finger. I roll down my window, my light turns green, and I stick my hand out the window giving him a little finger wave (not a euphemism. I didn't flip him off again) cackling the whole way while he waits for his turn light. This prompts him to totally blare his horn at me which only serves to make me laugh harder. I know this is totally childish and how people get shot at red lights, but I felt very righteous. I'm pretty sure the driver was a teenager and I was merely doing my civic duty by giving him a driving lesson. ;)

Now that I've shared how totally shallow, idiotic, and easily entertained that I am, back to the show...

1. Where do you hide junk when people come over? People don't visit me. When they do, it's either with lots of notice so that I have time to clean, or it's totally unexpected so I talk to them at the door. If I actually have to let them in for whatever reason, they get to see whatever is out and about. What really pisses me off if when someone says they're coming and I go on a cleaning frenzy only to have them cancel for whatever reason.
2. Do political ads help you to decide who you are going to vote for? Not really. I don't believe anything that I hear in a political ad. It's all biased propaganda. You'd have to be a fool to base your vote on ads. No offense.
3. What's your favorite holiday party to host? I don't host parties. I don't go to them either unless I'm backed into a corner. Social anxiety people.
4. You go to an island with your husband. You can only take one personal item. What is it? Soap.
5. If you found out that your spouse was a Dexter-style serial killer, would you rat him out? Being a huge Dexter fan, I often ask myself this question. Does killing killers make killing right? Our justice system definitely has holes in it which Dexter fills. I really don't know. I think this is the type of thing that you would only really know what you'd do when faced with the actual situation. Any other serial killer, I'd worry that I'd be next. However, Dexter lives and kills by a code so unless I started committing heinous crimes myself, I wouldn't have to worry about being next. Still, I just don't know.

1.  One thing I plan on doing this weekend to relax is reading and gaming. My semester starts on Monday and after looking at the class schedules for my classes, I'm going to be swamped with reading, papers, and projects. I plan on shoving in as much "reading for fun" as I can this weekend and gaming with the husband.
2. A big pet peeve of mine is bullying. There's just no excuse to belittle and harass other people.
3. I am really loving my new PC and my new iPad. Yes. I sound spoiled. My husband spoils me! I'm really loving him too. ;)
4. The rain is tropical. We got some rain the other day that was from the remnants of a Pacific tropical storm. Today and the last couple days have been humid. It's really weird weather for us but I like it!
5. My favorite girly indulgence is purses/bags and makeup. I spend too much money on both. Oh. And fingernail polish. LOVE fingernail polish.
6. A song I always get stuck in my head is varied. It just depends. Right now, I have Grouplove's song Spun stuck in my head but that's just because it was what was playing on my iPhone when I got out of the car this morning. 
7. The best cure for stress is dinner out with the husband ALONE with a fun cocktail. I was majorly PMS'ing yesterday and to contain my wrath, the Mister took me out to dinner so that I wouldn't be harassed by the kids. Isn't he lovely??? I had a Peach Bellini if you were wondering.

1. If only I had a car and driver then I wouldn't have to road rage on assholes.
   
2. When I was little I used to ride my bike, go swimming, and play with my friends all summer until it was dark and I had to come inside. Nowadays, kids expect to be entertained. What's up with that??
3. I think debating politics is for the birds.
4. I feel happiest when I'm either immersed in a hobby, working, or going to school. I like to have something to do with myself other than just being a house frau.
   

October 12, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

1. My favorite flowers are tulips and gerber daisies.
2. You should never talk about religion and politics. Two subjects wherein NOBODY wants to hear the opposite opinion and people DO NOT have an open mind despite what they may say. When a person acts like they actually want to discuss either subject, their actual agenda is only to try and persuade you to their way of thinking. I truly believe this.
3. My favorite discovery as of late is a certain new series of paranormal books that I'm currently reading. The writing is sub par, the storytelling is only half believable and the characters are typical but they're FUN.
4. This fall you will probably find me wearing jeans, sweaters, hoodies, and my favorite winter shoes. However, you'll still find me wearing my flip flops cuz you can do that in the winter when you live in SoCal.
5. I wish I were better able to let things go.
6. My favorite TV show currently is Dexter, The Big Bang Theory, Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood, and Flipping Out. All my other favorite shows are on hiatus right now. Well, The Walking Dead will be back on in a matter of days. Very excited.
7. This weekend I want to try this Mexican place that I read about from one of my local social media friends. We may go to the Miramar Air Show but that's not definite. The kids want to go but the Mister has no desire to go. His work is a daily air show. I could care less. I've been to so many over the years that they're not all that fun anymore. Still, the kids haven't been to one that they remember soooo...

1. Given the choice of eating breakfast or eating lunch for the day, I'd pick lunch because it's my favorite meal of the day.
2. If you told me that I'd be living in California when I was a little kid, I'd never have believed you.
3. The last time I cooked pork for pulled pork was yesterday and it came out perfectly delicious and totally made me miss North Carolina because they do pulled pork better than anyone else.
4. My favorite color is green.

1. Do you have any homecoming traditions? Ha! Yeah right. Not even. I didn't go to homecoming any of the years I was in high school. I wasn't even allowed to attend my senior year. The Mister and I decided that our daughters aren't allowed to go to the dance until they are juniors but the Oldest child will be going to the football game next Friday.
2. Do you ask your spouse before spending money? Not really. I'd discuss it with him before buying something like a car, but every day stuff, no. Same goes for him. Although, he did recently buy us both iPads as a surprise without telling me first. He likes to surprise me with new electronics though so I can't say anything bad about it, heheh.
3. If you could be famous for something, what would it be? Writing a novel. I'm not altruistic enough to say something trite like ending world hunger or curing cancer.
4. Have you ever seriously thought you were going crazy? No. I've seen crazy enough times to know what it looks like. I have anxiety, mild depression, insomnia, and anxiety (yes, I meant to say it twice) but I've never been close to crazy. However, if you were the one going crazy, would you actually be able to tell? Hmm...
5. How do you eat your steak? Burger? I like my steak medium well. To me, that means hot all the way through with just a hint of pink in the middle. I like my burgers well done. I hate the taste of undercooked hamburger meat. It tastes like it smells and I don't like the smell of raw burger.

October 5, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

Before we get started, I just want to say that the gas situation here in San Diego and California as a whole is outrageous. We went to the Navy Exchange yesterday to fill up and the lines made it look like a hurricane was coming. We paid $4.19 a gallon and overnight, it went up to $4.29 a gallon and that's before it went up nine cents the night before that. On Camp Pendleton, it's $5.14 a gallon. This is for regular too people. Gas on military bases tends to be the cheapest in the area too. AAA says that the average price of gas in the state is $4.49 a gallon which is the highest in the country. Some gas stations have already shut down their pumps. The way I understand it, suppliers didn't buy enough "summer" gas. That, combined with a power outage at one refinery and a fire at another, means that reserves are low. It's pretty crazy.

Anywho...

 

1. I am very judgmental. I have high standards. What can I say?
2. I am most comfy in sweatpants and an over-sized t-shirt. Glass of wine in one hand, book in the other.
3. You will never believe what I saw on my way I got nothing here. Well, a couple weeks ago, I saw a guy on a segway with a dog laying across the handle bars. I had never seen anything like that before. 
4. My mornings don't start until my alarm goes off. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a run follows the alarm. The other days, nagging the kids to get ready for school is what happens.

 

1. The last thing I ate was an after dinner snack of Cheez-Its.
2. The last time I went to the beach was I'm thinking late August or early September. I'm not sure.
3. My last vacation was our 15th anniversary trip to Paso Robles last year. We don't vacation often.
4. The last place I drove was down the street to the high school to drop the oldest off this morning. With the gas situation the way that it is here in San Diego, she'll be walking next week.
5. The last song I listened to was Lily Allen's F**k You on my iPod. Heheh. It's a way funny song if you've never heard it before.
6. The last thing on TV I watched was I'm currently watching the Fresh Prince of Bel Air with the youngest before I take her to school.
7. The last time I said I love you was this morning to the Mister as he drove by the Oldest and I on our run.

1. What album/cd/download are you embarrassed to admit you have?  I really don't get too embarrassed about my music choices but if I had to pick, I suppose it would be Adam Lambert's Whataya Want From Me. I really liked it at the time but it's not even in my play rotation anymore.
2. What's the one thing your spouse does better than you? He's way better at keeping up with current events and understanding politics than I am. He's also better at math. 
3. When do you start buying Halloween candy? A week or two beforehand. I'm afraid if I buy it much sooner than that, people will eat it.
4. Family closets - Yay or nay? I had to look at another person's answer to even see what this meant and then I'm not even sure if I get it. Is this one closet for clothes that the entire family shares? What's the point of that? I don't even have a space that I could do that in my house. Each bedroom has it's own closet. We have a coat closet downstairs that gathers shoes, but other than that, we each have our own closet. This is weird.
5. Which home/cleaning chore do you hate the most and why? Laundry. Because unless you and your entire family is naked while doing laundry (and that's just a disturbing and messed up thought) it never ends. There is always dirty laundry. I also hate cleaning bathrooms.

September 28, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

I had to tell you this before we get started. I mentioned in a previous post that we swapped the Youngest child's room and the office last weekend. Aside from closets and bathrooms, the office is now the smallest room in our house. It's tiny. Anyway, last night our entire family was camped out in the office. The Mister and I were on our PCs, the Oldest child was on a laptop, the Youngest child was on an iPad, the cat was asleep on the Mister's desk, and the dog was asleep on the floor. I just thought that was so funny and I had to share. 

Anywhoooo....

1. My first memory is something I'd rather not remember and something I'd certainly rather not share. :)
2. My first love was my husband. He's also my bestest best friend and my partner.
3. My very first favorite color was probably pink or purple. It's kind of hard to remember back that far but I think that's a very safe guess.
4. The first time I really felt like a "grown up" was driving around Pensacola on my own trying to find furniture for our very empty apartment. Considering the fact that I was 20, married, and a mother by this time, I'm probably not remembering accurately. 
5. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is turn off my alarm and walk down the hall to wake up the Oldest child. I don't hit snooze.
6. The first CD (cassette tape, record, etc.) that I ever bought was...Ok. The first tape I ever bought was True Blue by Madonna. The first CD I ever bought was Metallica's Black Album. I never bought a record. That was just a bit before my time.
7. My first car was...This is kinda hard. When the Mister and got together, he was driving a 1993 Ford Tempo that was his parent's car but that they let us drive when we moved out on our own. The first car we ever bought was a 1997 Chevy Cavalier. The first car that we bought that was in my name was our 2006 Toyota Rav4.

1. Do you prefer to drive to your vacation spot or fly? It depends. When we went to San Francisco and to Paso Robles, I very much enjoyed the drive both times because I got to see parts of California I had never seen before. I also loved driving to the Outer Banks too. If it was more than a six hour drive though, I'd probably prefer to fly. Again, it would really depend on the location and what we would or wouldn't see on the way.
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Easy. The countryside in England. I want to see and experience the history that I've only read about, first hand. I also want a quieter, more laid-back lifestyle. San Diego's the best city and I love it and I'll probably always want to come back if I ever move away, but it's fast-paced and I'm tired of California drivers.
3. Should grown up women wear leggings? Why not? If that's the worst fashion faux pas a woman is committing, we're better off. I'm really tired of seeing butt cracks and boobs hanging out where they shouldn't be.
4. If you could change your name to any other name, would you? And what would it be? I really dislike my middle name but at this point in the game, I wouldn't bother changing it. I used to want to change the spelling of my first name from Trisha to Patrica because everyone misspells it but I've gotten over that too. Who cares? Nobody calls me by my name anyway. All I ever hear is Mom. And actually, I have two different aliases that I use online to avoid spam mail, junk mail, and sales calls.
5. What magazines do you have subscriptions to? I subscribe to San Diego Magazine, Readers Digest, and National Geographic. I've let my subscriptions to Allure and Cooking Light lapse but would like to get them back.

1. When I was little, I was called Trisha. I didn't have nicknames.
2. Chewy Sweettarts, Runts, Chewy Sprees, Gummy worms, and Starburst are my favorite candies. I'm a sour candy kinda gal.
3. If I could have one magical power it would be the ability to fly so I could travel more.
4. If I could go back to school, it would be to become a dunno. I'm in school now getting my BA in English. I plan on following that up with a Master's in Library Sciences. We'll see what happens if and when.

September 21, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

Before we get started, I have to acknowledge the importance of this day to my family. 15 years ago today, my husband began his enlistment in the Marine Corps. It's been quite a journey...and that's the most massive understatement I've ever made. We've lived in four different states and three different coasts:  Florida on the gulf coast, California (twice) on the Pacific coast, Vermont, and North Carolina on the Atlantic coast. We've moved nine different times. The oldest child has attended nine different schools, four of those were elementary schools. The youngest child has attended six different schools, four of those were elementary schools. The Mister has deployed to Japan and Afghanistan (we've been extremely lucky that he's only deployed twice in 15 years). Our experience with the Marine Corps has been, and probably will continue to be, the biggest love/hate relationship of our lives. I don't regret the bad times though, because they have only served to make us a stronger both as individuals and as a family. The Marine Corps is my little brother and it's best if everyone remembered that. I may dog on it, pick on it, and call it names, but unless it's your little brother too, you'd best keep your mouth shut about it or I might have to pound on you a bit. ;)

And now to our regularly scheduled Friday program.

 1. What is one grammar issue you cannot let go without correction? I always correct my kids on grammatical errors. When it comes to texts, I ignore most of them because texting seems to equal ignorance of the English language. Basically, I don't correct people because it's been my experience that nobody likes to be corrected.

2. What's your favorite thing about fall? Thanksgiving without a doubt.

3. What's your favorite dish to take to a potluck? I've never been to a potluck that I haven't been told what to bring ahead of time.

4. When do you start Christmas (Holiday) shopping? Whenever I get to it. I'm already storing up ideas in my head though.

5. Did you move homes a lot growing up?  If I remember correctly, I lived in six different houses/apartments growing up. I don't count the houses that either my mom or dad lived in when I wasn't living with them though. 

 

1. The last time I was on vacation I went to Paso Robles, CA with the Mister to celebrate our 15th anniversary. It was fantastic.
2. For Thanksgiving I like to eat turkey and for Christmas I like to eat ham. Anything else is just being a communist. :)
3. My heart hurts when I see the Youngest struggling with school work or being picked on by other kids because she has the kindest heart and the most generous soul I've ever known and doesn't deserve the hard hand she's been dealt in life.
4. Why must people degrade, bully, insult, and intimidate just to make themselves feel or look better?

 

1. Something I am very proud of is persevering to get my undergrad. It's taking me an epic amount of time, but I'm still plodding along. It would have been easy to give up on it over the years and I've come close a couple times. 
2. My favorite thing about myself is my honesty. I answer honestly and I want honest answers.
3. My favorite color for fall is cranberry. I just bought a cranberry colored case for my iPad. ;)
4. Something I've learned lately is red lights are just suggestions. Kidding. I learned what the steam punk genre of novels is.
5. A book I am reading now is The Strange Case of Finley Jayne. It's a steam punk prequel to a series. I downloaded it for free on Kindle ages ago and just pulled it out this week. It's not too bad so far. Being a steam punk novel, it definitely takes some getting used to.
6. My favorite Pandora Station is I don't have one. I listen to Pandora but I create my own stations. I really like my Of Monsters & Men Radio if that counts.
7. This weekend I will attempt to relax and get a decent night's sleep. I'd also like to get a hike and geocaching in but it's supposed to be hot again this weekend. 

That's it for this week. If you'd like to play along, and you SHOULD!!, click on any of the accompanying pictures to go to the hosting blog. Have a fab weekend.

September 14, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

 1. How long did it take for you to find your wedding dress? (Wedding dress pics anyone?) Doesn't apply.

2. Someone in your general vicinity releases a NASTY smelling fart. Do you say anything or blow it off? Ignore and walk away.

3. What is the scariest thing that happened to you or scared you recently?  I can't think of anything off the top of my head besides having nightmares almost every night for the past few weeks.

4. Favorite brand and flavor of ice cream.  Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch.

5. Are you able to sleep well in hotels? It depends. I'm not sleeping all that well in my own bed these days soooo...

1. Right now, the weather where I live is  HOT. And it's been mildly humid. The humid part is actually kind of ok because it keeps the fire hazard lower but we're not used to humidity so we complain, lol.
2. The best piece of advice I've been given is only you can decide when enough is enough.
3. My most favorite person in all the world is Bailey. My dog.
4. If I were to have a "mission statement" for my life it would be I'm drawing a blank here.
5. My most favorite item in my closet is my Michael Kors clogs, lol. I love them. I also like this sweater/cardigan thing I have made out of alpaca. It's like wrapping myself in a hug it's so soft.
6. The best cure for a bad day is go to bed early and try again the next day.
7. Today is going to be better than my morning has been so far. 

1. I like to drink tea and have soup when I am not feeling well.
2. Roasted potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower are my favorite vegetables. 
3. I get happy when I have had a pitcher of sangria with the Mister. 
4. I'm surprised by cat when he attacks my hand when I'm leaning on a wall or walking up the stairs and it usually makes me laugh because he doesn't use a lot of claw when he does it.
   

September 7, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

 

1. What is your favorite fall family tradition?  We don't really have a specific fall tradition. I do love putting out my fall decorations though. I suppose you could say that we do up the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game pretty big every year though. I think that's still in the Fall or maybe that's in the winter. I don't know.

2. If money weren't an issue, how many kids would you have?  Just the two that I have. The Mister and I made a conscious decision not to have any more children and money didn't have a thing to do with that decision.

3. If you were to get a tattoo, what would it be and where would you put it?  I wouldn't.

4. What condiment is a must in your house?  A variety of mustards.

5. How did your spouse/fiance propose?  Ha! He was sitting next to me while we were awaiting the results of a home pregnancy test. He wanted to make sure that he asked me to marry him before we knew one way or the other if I was pregnant so that there would never be any doubt as to why he proposed. He simply asked and I said yes. It wasn't terribly romantic but it was very us.

1. I wish I had more ideas for new authors to read because I'm out. I've read all the books currently published by my favorite authors. I'm re-reading the Outlander series because I have nothing else and they're HUGE!
2. I stopped wearing my old running shoes that were the wrong size, didn't support my high arches and killed my shins. I LOVE my new running shoes that I got last night. 
3. My favorite new song right now is Little Talks by Of Monster and Men because I love the rhythm, lyrics, and sound of the singers voices. I also love that I've never heard it on the radio. I like just about every song on their CD.
4. I always sing while driving. I would say that always is a strong word though. But I very often sing while driving in the car by myself. I wouldn't want to kill anyone's ears by making them listen to me, lol.

1. My favorite grade in school was second grade. I loved my teacher. 
2. My favorite teacher was my high school government teacher. He really made me think and out of all my teachers, he made the biggest impression on me.
3. The highest level of education I have complete is high school but I'm 12 credits away from my bachelors. If my classes don't keep getting cancelled, I'll have my degree in the spring. May'ish I think it is.
4. School lunches for me were varied. There were times in elementary and junior high when they were painful for me. High school, for the most part, was ok. 
5. The amount of money you'd have to pay me to go back to high school would be a lot. Being a high school student is a lot simpler than being married with kids, but it's not something I'd care to repeat and I couldn't graduate fast enough. That's saying something considering I graduated a semester early, lol. 
6. A few things that will always remind me of going back to school are buying loose leaf paper, binders, folders, pens, pencils, etc. I loved buying back to school supplies and still do for my kids.
7. The first day of school was always scary. I always worry about my kids' first day back to school but they seem to take it much more in stride than I ever did.

That's it for this week. If you'd like to have fun (and an easy Friday post) and participate, click on any or all of the accompanying pictures to go to the host blog. 

August 31, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

1. What do you enjoy doing the most with your spouse?  I'm not going for the obvious here. ;) What I like best is when we have quiet time to talk. I love our conversations.

2. How do you eat your taco? From the top or from the side?  A little of both. I start off from the side and then when it gets too tall for my mouth, I whittle away at it from the top.

3. Have you ever shut off the basement light and ran like a fool because you knew someone was down there and would get you?  Not the basement light, but other stairway lights. We had the creepiest stairs in the house that we lived in while I was in high school. I hated those stairs.

4. If you could change one thing about you what would it be and why?  If I could turn it off like a switch, I'd get rid of my anxiety. I think the why of it is obvious.

5. What age do you think is appropriate to have the "bird and the bees" talk with your children?  I don't think there's an exact appropriate age for that talk. I had that talk when I could tell that it was time and it was different for each kid.

1. I love to travel but I hate to drive.

2. Naps make a day better.

3. They didn't think I could stay married and raise great kids but I did and I'm doing it better than most of the people that were vocal about telling me what a huge mistake they thought I was making. Take that and shove it where the sun don't shine.

4. Warning: I'm not shy about speaking my mind. 

1. Over this Labor Day weekend I will be enjoying that last few days of summer vacation. So not looking forward to my kids starting back to school on Tuesday. Ugh! We're also going to try and make it to the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge in downtown San Diego.

2. With the political debates going on right now, my thoughts are I just wish it would be over and people would shut up. I think it's clear that nobody in this country is willing to make smart decisions and I'm tired of all the hot air.

3. Today I have to clean house. After a rather challenging run/walk this morning, I'm not looking forward to it. My left shin is throbbing.

4.  The best thing I've cooked recently is a kickass lasagna. I made that on Thursday. It was gooood.

5. The last thing I bought was hmmm. I can't say. It's supposed to be a surprise.

6. The best movie I saw this summer was nothing that I can think of off the top of my head. I didn't see any new movies. I watched a few DVDs and some old movies on TV but that's it.

7.  The best book I read this summer was A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It was a fun read.

That's it for this week. If you want to participate, click on any of the accompanying images to go to the hosting blog. I hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. 

August 24, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

 1. If you could have been (could be) any profession you wanted (brains and $$$ no problem) what would it be? Geez. This has changed so many times for me over the years. I still would like to work in the book publishing business, but I don't like the swing from print to e-books so much. I guess I would say historian.

2. How often do you clean out your car?  Clean as in, wash, wax, and vacuum? Not that often. Just when it starts to look really grubby. Clean out the trash? My car never has trash in it.

3. Do you wish there was such a thing as fashion police or are you deeply relieved?  It would be nice. I get so sick to death of seeing teenage girls walking around looking like hookers. What's up with that?  I also think it's pretty scandalous to see grown women wearing the same getups as hookers. And when will the droopy pants fad for boys/men be OVER?? Still, my wardrobe is drab and boring so I'd probably get arrested for that so I suppose I should be relieved there is no such thing as fashion police.

4. What's your go to food/drink/activity when stressed? I'm a savory snacker so I like things like chips and crackers. Pair it up with a vanilla Coke and I'm feeling soothed.

5. If you had twins, what would you name them? My sister is a nurse. During her rotation through maternity during her training, she saw a mother give birth to a pair of twins and name then Cinderella and Prince Charming. No joke. If I had twins, I would name them names that I like and not worry about them rhyming or matching.

1. My favorite thing to do on Friday is have a date night with the hubby. Barring that, a nice glass of wine and a book will suffice.
2. This Friday I am cleaning house (I always clean on Fridays), taking the oldest to and from sophomore orientation, and completing day five of the Couch to 5k program.
3. The best thing about a weekend is relaxing from the weekday stresses.
4. Now that summer is almost over, I'm feeling bummed. I love summer. I enjoy not having to worry about the kids and school. I love the freedoms that summer brings.
5. The best thing I did this summer was starting the Couch to 5k program. At least I did one thing that's sort of productive. Other than that, I didn't do a dang thing worth mentioning, lol.
6. The thing I'm looking forward to about Fall is Thanksgiving.
7. If I had to be stuck in one season for the rest of my life I would choose summer. I would like to say spring because of the blooming flowers & mild temperatures, but springs in California are dreary. We have May Gray, June Gloom, and July Whatever. But the clouds, rain, and morning drizzle don't clear out until mid-July.

1. I hate so many things and people, where would I start? On my mind right now as I listen to them banging around sounding like a herd of 20 elephants...noisy neighbors.
2. I have never been to any of the Six Flags theme parks. I fear that they won't measure up to Cedar Point.
3. The hobby I love most is reading and one day I will own a house with a library in it for all my many books.
4. My favorite store to shop at is Nordstrom Rack because of all the fabulous deals you can get on clothes, shoes, and accessories. Speaking of which, I could use a new pair of sunglasses. ;)

That's it for this week. If you want to play along, click on any of the accompanying pictures to go to the hosting blog. 

August 17, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

1. What's the one thing you buy every time you walk into the store? As in the grocery store? I'd have to say milk. We've gone through almost four gallons of milk in the last two weeks. What's up with that?

2. If you had a day all to yourself how would you spend it? If I stayed home, I would just enjoy the peace and quiet with my book or catching up with the DVR. Otherwise, I'd like to spend some time at the mall without people rushing me or making me go into stores full of clothes for today's goth/rebellious/slutty teenager.

3. Are you a speed limit driver? If not, over or under? No. Over. Almost all the time. Usually about ten over unless I'm on the freeway then it's about 15 over. I know. That's bad but if you drive the speed limit here, people run you off the road.

4. What's your favorite dessert to make, homemade or from a mix? I love to make tiramisu at home from scratch.

5. Would you rather have a spider or a mouse scurry across your face (no copping out and saying "neither!!")? I would definitely pick a mouse if I had to choose. I had a spider crawl across my legs the other day and I screamed like a little girl and dumped my laptop on the floor trying to get away from it.

1. The best thing to do on a hot day is either go to the beach or stay inside with the AC and a book.

2. The best place to be on a hot day is at the coast. In San Diego, it's almost always mild at the coast even if it's 90 inland.

3. The best thing to eat on a hot day is fresh fruits and veggies. Or a cold pasta salad. I really like watermelon in the summer.

4. Hot days are great. I love summer. In SoCal, I love when it's so hot outside that when you go out, your skin prickles with the heat. Back east, I love it when it's so humid that when you open the door it hits you in the face. I'm a summer person.

5. My go to uniform on a hot day is shorts and a tank top or t-shirt and flip flops. I don't care what care what Clinton Kelly says about flip flops. I love them.

6. The scent that reminds me of summer is fresh cut grass, sunblock, and the ocean.

7. My favorite thing about summer is the laziness of it. I don't feel pressure to have dinner done at a certain time. I just generally like not being on a schedule of any kind.

1. I read so many pages of my book in a day.

2. I don't like birds as pets but I love dogs, cats, rats, and rabbits.

3. When I watch Weeds, Dexter, or any of my other shows on Showtime and HBO, I like to have a glass of wine.

4. I have 2 IDs, some credit cards, a few pictures, membership cards, and stamps in my wallet.

That's it for this week. If you want to participate, click on any or all of the pictures to go to the hosting blog.

August 10, 2012: Blog Hopping Friday

1. Thunder storms- love them or hate them?

Love them. Storms are something that I truly miss when living in California. We hardly ever get a thunderstorm and when we do, they don't measure up to east coast storms at all. They're pitiful. And they usually also start brush fires so even if we get some lightning and thunder, it's just not worth the fire and smoke afterwards.

2. Do your kids get back to school clothes?

Definitely. It's the time of year when we stock up on new socks and underwear.

3. Do you golf? Do you watch it?

I don't golf. I've tried and I'm terrible but it was for gym class so I don't think that really counts. I bet I could golf if I really wanted to give it a go. I like to have golf on the TV but I don't really watch it. Hearing it reminds me of lazy days spent at my grandparents' house when I was a kid. The Mister golfs but he won't take me with him since his sister and I almost drove a golf cart into a tree SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO! And he says that I hold a grudge. 

4. Showers or baths? 

Showers. I've never been one to relax in a bath. I've tried and all I do is stare around the bathroom waiting until I can get out. 

5. What's the strangest meal you ever ate?

Hmm. Drawing a blank here. I've had buffalo chili once. Does that count?

1. The age that I will be on my upcoming birthday is 36. Thanks so much for making me say it out loud.
2. The best birthday present ever would be a two week vacation. Right now, the destination doesn't matter. I just need two weeks of no kids, no dogs, no house, and no stress. Thanks very much.
3. My favorite birthday to date was nothing that comes to mind. I never had big birthday bashes as a kid and none of my adult birthdays stick out in my mind. 
4. Birthdays make me feel more or less ambivalent. I complain about getting older every year but truthfully, I don't feel much different from year to year. Well, except for the fact that my anxiety gets worse the older that I get. And it's harder to lose weight. Okay. Birthdays suck.
5. The worst birthday I ever had was my thirteenth birthday. My uncle got remarried on my 13th birthday so on what I thought should have been a very momentous day for me, I was pretty much forgotten. I also didn't enjoy my 25th when my husband was in Japan. Or my 27th, 28th, or 29th when we lived in Vermont. 
6. When I was born I was the first girl grandchild on both sides of my family. 
7. So far my favorite age was my mid twenties. I don't really have a specific age. I just liked those years because I didn't feel like a young, dumb kid anymore (even though I still didn't know anything about anything) and I wasn't 30 yet which is the death year of all things young.
 

1. When I was little my mom used to watch cartoons with me every morning before I had to leave for school.

2. Spicy mustard is my favorite condiment.

3. I don't like to celebrate Halloween because my kids usually figure out a way to ruin it every year. It's a pita from beginning to end.

4. My books take up more space on my shelves, in closets, and in my house in general and I can never seems to stop myself from buying more. Although, I buy trade paperback books as ebooks mostly nowadays which helps a lot.

If you'd like to participate, click on any of the pictures above to go to the hosting blog so you can share your link.