Blog Everyday in April #30

Today's the last day!  Today I get to tell you 3 random facts about me.

1. I can touch my nose with my tongue.  I think the only thing this proves is that my tongue is abnormally long or something.  
2. I'm not sure I believe in having favorites.  When I was little my favorite animal changed all the time.  Seals, dogs, wombats, whales, and all kinds of other animals held the position of "favorite" at one time or another.  And my favorite color changed a lot too.  Purple, pink, blue, green, even yellow and orange.  Instead of favorites, I think I just find certain things more interesting and compelling at one time or another.  It's more flexible than being tied to a single "FAVORITE."
3. Seeing "The Sound of Music" as a child inspired me to learn the notes forward and backward.  I would practice.  Do re mi fa so la ti do, do ti la so fa mi re do.  It's second nature now!  I also tried to learn the alphabet backwards fluidly, but haven't quite mastered it yet.  I may or may not still hope to be able to spit out a backwards alphabet as easily as reciting it a-z...

Anyone have any tricks for a backwards alphabet?  Do you have favorites?  And can you reach your tongue to your nose?

Blog Everyday in April #29

Today the prompt is to write a letter to your readers

Dear hypothetical readers,
Who are you?  Do you exist?

Anyway, I'm writing today to say thanks and I'm sorry for the infrequent content!  I'm trying to be more consistent, and to add more photos to make it more exciting.

What would you like to see more of?  I will also try not to ramble quite as much.

I am not fully committed to this whole blog thing.  It makes me a little uncomfortable to think about strangers reading about my thoughts and life.  But I love reading about others' lives, so I'm just throwing my voice out into the void of the internet as well.

I'm hoping as my life changes, this space will too.  Once I have kids and all that jazz, it will be nice to direct people I know to the blog space to see updates, rather than spamming them on social media.  But I hope that doesn't cause you to desert me (whoever you are)!

Please keep in touch, and leave me a comment now and again.

Love,
Cara

Blog Everyday in April #28

Today I'm looking waaaay back...  Share a favorite childhood memory.

Do most people have a bank of childhood memories they just draw upon at will?  I feel like I remember things that are related to what is currently going on, and it's tough to think of something on the spot like this.

One random memory I have is when I was about 8 or so, I put on a winter jacket and found like, $5 in the pocket!  It was a winter day, but for some reason the ice cream man was driving through the neighborhood.  I used my $5 to buy some ice cream, ate it outside, and stuffed the wrapper down the storm drain so my parents wouldn't know!  Totally weird, and I am pretty confident it actually happened, though it seems pretty unlikely.

I also have lots of wonderful memories of going to Disneyland with my family.  One trip we ran into our neighbors who lived behind us, and we went on Splash Mountain together.  Another time my brother and I tried to ride Pirates of the Caribbean as many times as possible; I think we rode it about 15 times.  And we also were there right after the Indiana Jones ride opened, and the line stretched all the way out of Adventureland and into Main Street.  It was crazy!

I don't really have any long and complicated memories, apparently!  What are some of your favorite childhood memories?  Do you want some ice cream and to go to Disneyland as much as I do now?

Blog Everyday in April #27

As an avid blog reader... this is pretty easy!  What are your favorite 5 blogs, other than mine of course, that you follow?

1. Weddingbee.  Yes, I've been married for over 8 months.  And yes, I still read a LOT of wedding blogs.  Weddingbee is one of my favorites, just because you can see so many different peoples' weddings from start to finish.
2. Emmaline Bride.  Another wedding blog I can't quit!  This one focuses on handmade items, and has lots of really cool ideas.  And the giveaways are awesome!  
3. Young House Love.  Now that we own a house and are always finding new projects to work on, it's really cool to read about how another couple has been improving and upgrading their house(s).  It's inspiring!
4. Pioneer Woman.  I just love Ree.  Her writing is funny, she talks about all kinds of subjects, and her recipes are always so amazing looking.  Dino will try anything if it's from one of her recipes!
5. Cliff Mass Weather Blog.  Cliff Mass is a local meteorology professor, and has so much interesting insight into the weather.  It's fascinating to see why certain weather predictions are made.  He also compares the current weather patterns to past years, and provides his own predictions.  Love it!

This is just a tiny fraction of the blogs I read...  What other blogs should I be reading?  

Blog Everyday in April #26

Tell us things you've learned about life that school didn't teach you.

Ah yes, learning in the real world.  I am really good at school.  Always was, got good grades, did my homework...  Funnily, that doesn't necessarily translate to being good at life.  That was the first thing I learned.  There isn't a syllabus, no instructions or guidelines to follow, no way to ace life.

I have also learned that growing up doesn't mean you change who you are.  I'm older than I ever thought about being when I was younger, but don't feel like I'm old.  It's hard for me to remember that other people are the same way too!  I still treat people older than me like they have it all figured out, like they have all the answers just because they are older, when that likely isn't the case.

Another thing is that you care so much more about yourself and what you are doing than anyone else in the world.  I care about how I appear and come across WAY more than even Dino cares about me.  I find myself constantly wondering what other people think of me, which is crazy self-centered and almost 100% exactly what other people are thinking (as in, wondering what other people think about them).  It's hard to ignore that sometimes, but I want to try to concern myself with doing good things or nice things for others, rather than trying to appear like a good or nice person.

Finally, health is so fickle and so important.  My mom has shown me that.  I knew it was important to eat right and exercise, but it really isn't up to you sometimes.  No matter what you do, sometimes your body betrays you.

What has the real world taught you that school didn't?

Another hurdle

Just when it feels like life can start getting back to normal, another curveball hits.  My mom finished her radiation treatments on Wednesday!  It was great!  Except...  she started having this awful pain on Tuesday, pain that kept her up and was making it so it hurt to sit.  We visited last night, and she was just not feeling okay.  It was really quite scary.  Thankfully my dad took her in to the hospital, and they did an MRI on her spine (which was scheduled for Monday, but she wasn't going to last through the weekend with that pain).   We're waiting for the results, but it sounds like it could be a tumor on her spine.

WHY?  How is this at all fair??  My mom is a wonderful person, but she is getting so beat down by all of this.  The pain, the frustration, the lack of control she has on the situation.  She doesn't want to have to be strong anymore, and I don't want her to have to be!  I want her to be happy and healthy, not fighting this never ending battle.

And I am so so scared.  I don't want to lose her.  I hate seeing her like this, knowing that she's going through such a terribly tough time.  It's not okay.  I thought the breast cancer was enough.  And then the tumor in her brain was even harder to handle.  And now this?  I just don't know what to do.  There isn't much I can do to help.  I just want her to be better.

This situation sucks.  It's awful.  I am so mad that this keeps happening.  She doesn't deserve this, and my dad, brother and I (and Dino) are all doing our best to hold it together and do what we can, but it's hard.  And I'm at work, trying not to lose it, but it's hard to keep on pretending like nothing's wrong, when the world is starting to unravel again.

This sucks.

Blog Everyday in April #25

Getting gifts is my love language (not really).  Giving gifts, well, I'm terrible at giving gifts.  Today's question is better for me: What is one of the best presents you’ve ever received?

Honestly, the best gift ever was from Christmas 2012.  My then-fiance bought me the coolest gift ever, something I hadn't actually asked for, but something he listened and remembered (which is half of why it is so cool!)...  He gave me a Hot Air Balloon Ride!!!  Okay, so we didn't go then, and we actually still haven't gone, but it was the best gift ever.  My parents decorated my room as a child with hot air balloons, and I think they are so pretty and cool, but have never been on a ride.  So the fact that he remembered me mentioning it, and then went ahead to try to make that happen, well...  it was the best.  Plus I'm still looking forward to the ride, especially since we were so busy last summer with the wedding stuff that we couldn't find a time to go, so now I still have something to look forward to!  I will be taking SO many pictures too.

That's going to be us, in that little basket!  Photo via GoMighty.com

What great gifts have you received?  I probably could also have talked about my engagement ring, or my Emily C necklace from my friends, or even the alcohol and chocolates from a friend the other day after hearing about my mom.  Pretty lucky!

Blog Everyday in April #24

Um... Share your blog with us and let us know why you started blogging.

Well, here it is!  I started blogging to kind of distract myself while thinking about weddings and getting married, but not actually being engaged.  Then I had a goal of becoming a Weddingbee blogger, since I'd been reading that site for years and wanted to contribute.  That didn't work out, and now I'm blogging because it is fun, interesting, and I keep seeing other blogs hiring that want to see your past blogging experience, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try to keep it up.

Not thrilling, but hey!  I'm learning as I go, and trying to improve my writing style.  I need to work on editing (related to my post on worst traits, along with non-perseverance I've never been good at revising work.  I used to snap at my poor mom if she tried to help me with school work, and almost always thought my first draft was perfectly fine...  And now I still do that!), and want to work on incorporating more pictures, but mostly I'm just enjoying writing more often.

Share your blog with me!  I'd love to read more blogs!

Blog Everyday in April #23

I'm not sure I like the negative slant, but here we go! What are your top three worst traits?

1. I have a terrible habit of picking on things.  Most notably, the skin on my face.  I can't restrain myself!  But I also pick on labels, my nail polish, and basically anything possible.  It's awful, and I've tried to stop, but can't seem to leave things alone!
2. Procrastination is another bad habit.  I tend to put off things until the last possible second, even stupid things like filing.  Stuff I know would take only a couple minutes.  I need to work on becoming better at this.  I will say that I am good at hitting deadlines and working quickly and efficiently, so it isn't always a huge problem, but still needs to change.
3. I've never been good at perseverance.  I give up sometimes, fairly quickly.  When I used to play the saxophone in school, I hardly ever practiced!  I have this weird mindset where if it doesn't come easily to me, it's not worth it.  Totally not true, and I have gotten slightly better about it, but still find myself gravitating towards things I know I can do or letting things go that I fail at.  

Can you relate?  I need to think of some positive things now so I'm not too down on myself!

Blog Everyday in April #22

I think my answer today might be either in line with, or totally against what I was saying yesterday...  I'm not sure.  What do you hope your life will be like in 3 years?

In three years...  I think I hope to have a kid.  It'll certainly be different!  I hope to either not be working or to be working part time from home.  It's weird, especially since 3 years ago wasn't that much different from now.  I wasn't engaged yet, but ready to be, and I had just quit my job and started my current one.  So to imagine so many big changes in 3 years from now is a little mind boggling.  I imagine we'll either still be living in the same house or be looking for a new, bigger house.  And I hope to have a sweet puppy, and be completely happy in my marriage as well.  But really, the biggest change will be being a mother and having a child (in my imagined future... assuming all goes well!).  So really, I have no idea what it will be like!

It seems like that part of life where everything is changing pretty quickly.  Will your life be relatively the same or completely different in 3 years?

Home Improvements

Dino and I bought our cute little 1925 house almost two years ago.  We loved the floorplan with tons of open entertaining space, and we liked the neighborhood and location quite a bit.  We didn't love that it didn't have a garage, but it has plenty of parking area, so we're making due, and the basement houses all our stuff that would live in a garage.  It's a super cute house, and I love it so much!  But it's really really small.  In addition to having no garage, it's like a 1 1/2 bedroom (the second bedroom is so small, it only maybe could hold a queen sized bed), and only 1 bathroom.  Right now, it works for us.  But it won't always.

The house right after we bought it.  Personal Photo

The house after removing all the wisteria and doing some work outside!  Personal Photo

After we bought it, we dove into home improvements.  First thing we did was paint.  Goodbye beige, hello gray!

Inside beige with carpet and orangey floors.  Personal Photo

Oh look!  Now it's gray!  Much improved...  Personal Photo

We also replaced the aging roof and had the hardwood floors sanded and redone (in the process, realized that half of the floor was not original nice oak hardwoods like we thought, but instead just crappy boards, so we had to replace those - cha-ching!).

Here's the crazy floor we found under most of the carpet.  Personal Photo

And here is all the new hardwood laid in!  It isn't finished yet, though.  Personal Photo

We painted the chimney a dark gray to act as an accent, and here you see where the old and new floors meet.  Personal Photo

Lovely dark stain.  It's darker and less reddish/orangeish in real life, but super pretty.  Personal Photo

And some new appliances were basically necessities.

The kitchen "before" (but it is pretty similar still...)  Personal Photo

The other side of the kitchen, "before."  Please note the amazing grape vines painted up above.  Those are still there, but hidden.  Personal Photo.

Our gorgeous new fridge!  Such an upgrade.  Personal Photo

And we replaced the icky dishwasher (the supports on the rack inside were rusting.  It was time.)  Personal Photo

Beyond that, we've done very little.  We replaced the furnace when it died the Friday before a long, cold, winter weekend (it was around 40° inside for about 5 or 6 days).  We've done some minor work outside.  We had the chimney re-capped and tuck pointed (it's amazing the terms you start to learn as a homeowner).  But the list of what we want to do is HUGE.

But as I said before, this is a small house.  It's not a place I can see raising kids (although, funny story, the people who owned it before us had 4 children.  A total of 6 people living in this 1 1/2 bedroom house.  SIX.  I can't even fathom.), not because of the neighborhood, but because it's just so small.  We plan to move at some point, to something a little bigger with a garage.  But at the same time, we're living here now.  It's functional, but not the prettiest in some areas.

So do we keep doing work?  Do we invest the time and money to redo the rest of the kitchen, fix up the bathroom, improve the basement, replace the electrical system, etc. etc. etc.?  It's a tough call.  Sure redoing the kitchen would be nice, but would it be worth it?  What we've done has been mostly necessary or cosmetic, and I believe we've increased the value of the home some.

What would you do, keep putting money into fixing up the house (which couldn't happen immediately, it'd have to be a slow process!), or stop worrying about this house to save money to improve the next one we end up living in someday?

Blog Everyday in April #21

Today's prompt is something I've been thinking about a lot lately.  Do you have kids; if yes tell us about them, if not do you plan to one day?

We don't have kids.  Yet?  Yet.  It's a big decision, and will certainly alter our life significantly to procreate.  Dino definitely wants kids.  I am somewhat on the fence, but feel like I do want to have kids.  Someday.

I was recently thinking about how our friends who are about our age and have two kids, aged 6 and 3, will be empty nesters long before we will!

As soon as my mom's brain tumor was diagnosed I had a crazy thought that we had to have kids RIGHT THAT SECOND so I could make sure my mom knew her grandkids, and my kids knew their grandma.  She's doing better, so it doesn't feel quite as urgent, but it makes me wonder what we're waiting for.  I also had awhile there where the only justifiable way I could quit my job would be if I had a kid, so that seemed like a good idea.

But then there are the reasons I'm not ready.  My #1 biggest fear in the world is throwing up.  Awful.  And I hear that while pregnant, the chances of vomiting are much higher.  And then once you have kids, they do get sick and puke once in awhile.  And they bring home germs that not only can get them sick, but everyone else in the family.  Seeing my friends with kids and how much they all get sick makes me really nervous.  (I was told by another friend with kids that while it's not pleasant, after morning sickness and all that, she's really good at throwing up now, so it's not as big of a deal.  But...  do I want that?).

And there's all the responsibility (having a dog is so much more responsibility than I'm used to already!) and I'm worried about that, and I don't want Dino's and my marriage to be strained, and I hate missing sleep (though I hear your body can cope with that), and it's expensive, and what if they are disabled or something tragic happens...  So there are still a lot of cons on the top of my list.

But I definitely want to have kids when I'm older, I think.  Like, I don't want to grow old and not have someone to visit me, or not have someone to call and live vicariously through!  Plus babies are so darn cute.  I mean, not when they're wailing and spitting up, but the rest of the time...  I get these urges to want to take care of another being, but it's a pretty full time job, so I'm not sure I really want that.

So my answer is...  I'll probably have kids.  Like, 95% yes.  But I'm still definitely hesitant and nervous about it...

Blog Everyday in April #20

Hmm, lots of different ways to go with this one...  Describe your perfect day

First of all, it'd be a nice 60° when I woke up naturally at 9am, only to get up to about 77­° at the highest temperature of the day, and wouldn't get below 60° at night...  And it would be clear skies and sunny all day long!  Yes, weather is the #1 factor in my perfect day, I'm a Washingtonian, and a dreary day would put a damper on an otherwise perfect day!

So I'd wake up at 9, roll out of bed and take a nice shower.  Someone would do my hair and makeup so I wouldn't have to think about it, and I would get a Grande Cafe Vanilla Frappuccino Light brought to me while it was being done.  Then Dino and I would go to Portage Bay Cafe for breakfast, where I would get a corned beef hash or biscuits and gravy (or something similar that was seasonal on their menu).

From there, we would go to Pike Place Market, where it would miraculously not be very crowded, and I wouldn't have to rage as people meander and stop suddenly in my path...  We'd get some Hum Bao and take it down to the waterfront, and sit and enjoy the sun and view.  Then we'd ride the Great Wheel (because we haven't yet!), then go to the aquarium.

Photo via dazzlingplaces.com

After that, we'd head home, to sit outside and drink some margaritas or bud light limes or white wine (depending on the mood).  Probably would turn on some music, maybe grab some snacks.

Once we got hungry again (hmmm...  might take awhile after all the snacking) we'd get dressed up and go to Five Bistro or Purple or somewhere nice (but not too crazy nice) to enjoy a nice, long dinner.  Afterwards, there would magically be cake or some kind of dessert at home that we could enjoy, while watching a good new movie that we've been excited to see.

Then we'd be in bed by like, 11.  Lovely day!

Would your day be kind of boringly nice like mine, or would your perfect day involve adventures or travelling?  It would be nice to be at a warm beach too, on the perfect day.  

Blog Everyday in April #19

I think today's post will be a basic list...  What is your typical beauty routine like (favorite products, how much time do you spend)

I spend about 10 minutes tops on my beauty routine, and that includes brushing my teeth and putting my contacts in, so it's not very intense.  But here's the order and what I use:

1. Put on eyeliner.  I like to use matte black powder as a liner, and recently have been using Make Up For Ever eyeshadow in black, applied with the Sephora Classic Precision Liner Brush #92.  
2. Because the eyeliner is more powdery than a liner pencil, it usually has a couple dots that fall on my cheeks, so I use Almay eye makeup remover pads (oil free) to clean that up and to clean up any old mascara smudges under my eyes.
3. Next I use Maybelline BB cream (in the palest possible color) all over as a sort of primer/skin tone evener (applied with my fingers).  Plus it has an SPF, so it is just a good base.
4. Then I use my finger to dot on some concealer, I like Benefit Bo-oing in 01 Light.  This just covers the acne and red spots on my face.
5. Next I set it with powder, I've been using Maybelline Matte Dream Powder, but they just changed it slightly so the name and package is a little different.  I usually use the color 4-5 Light ivory, but accidentally bought the new kind in 1 porcelain ivory (but really both work just about the same).  I use a big bronzer brush to apply it all over.
6. Lately I've started adding blush to my daily routine.  I have a new blush from Julep, the Glow Blush in Peach Bellini, and I really like it so far!  The color is nice on my pinkish pale skin.  I apply it on the cheekbone area with the same big bronzer brush.
7. And finally I end with lots of mascara!  I've been obsessed with mascara since at least high school.  I used to use CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume mascara (the orange tube) in black waterproof (always waterproof, you never know when it'll rain here...), but recently bought Maybelline's Volum' Express One by One waterproof mascara (the red tube).  I also really like Benefit's BADgal mascara (but only have a sample size of the non-waterproof, so I might need to get a big tube of waterproof someday!).
8. Then slick on some Burt's Bees chapstick, and I'm ready to go!

I don't know if hair counts, but I just wash and condition with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingler shampoo and conditioner, let it air dry overnight, and straighten it in the morning (about every other day).  

I never realized how many Maybelline products I use...  Are you brand loyal?  Am I doing this all wrong?  Give me some tips!

Blog Everyday in April #18

Today's prompt is: Tell me about your first love. (Age, how did you meet, how long were you together)

I'm not sure if it's lame or sweet, but my first love is truly my husband.  I never really dated before him, just had crushes but was too shy to pursue them, and was very hesitant to allow myself to fall in love and expose my heart like that.

I met my now-husband online at age 22 (he was an older man at 25).  I decided I needed to live a little, experience life, and meet some guys, really just wanting to date a couple guys to learn more about dating and stuff.  So I joined Match.com, made a profile, and proceeded to be too scared to meet anyone in person for a couple months.  I chatted via email, but wasn't sure how to take the next step.  Ended up going on a date with one guy (roller skating.  He didn't ask me a single question all night, and it was crazy awkward.) that didn't work out.   Then I went on two dates with another guy (I was starting to like him!  But I was a virgin, and his last girlfriend was a virgin, so apparently that wasn't going to work for him) that didn't end up working out (he kind of broke my heart a little to feel that rejection for the first time).

Then this other boy (who I had been kind of messaging since Thanksgiving, and it was now January) and I made plans to meet up, but he had to cancel at the last minute because he wasn't feeling well.   We rescheduled for the next weekend, and met at the Parlor in Bellevue to play pool.  I remember so many nerves as I rode the escalator up, and saw this adorable guy casually leaning against the partition.  I couldn't believe I was meeting HIM!  (He remembers that I was crazy shy that night, he had to keep asking me questions to get me talking, but I maintain that I was fairly talkative, but since I was concentrating on playing pool I wasn't as good at keeping the conversation up.)  The date went really well, and we decided to see a movie too (Gran Torino, the most romantic movie of all time...  not).

The first photo of us, from our 3rd date (Winotines!  Wine/beer tasting after Valentine's day!)  Personal Photo

I was pretty intense about wanting to just have fun, not take it too seriously, so a couple dates later he mentioned that so many of his friends are married and he was hoping to get married soon too (which he denies saying, but I specifically remember him bringing it up!), and it kind of freaked me out!  But I really liked him, and we kept hanging out, and about a month after meeting he asked if he could call me his girlfriend.  It still took me awhile to really think he might be the one, I was resisting it quite a bit, but now I can't imagine not having him in my life.  And we've now been together for over 5 years, married for almost 8 months!  And I'm hoping we'll be together for many many many more years.

I'm kind of glad I haven't had to go through a ton of heartbreak and wasted time with other guys, and everything has worked out really well.

I mean, I'd say it's worked out pretty well so far!  Photo by Jenny GG

Sorry for the novel, but it's a fun topic to write about!  Tell me I'm not alone in marrying my first love...  

Crushing it!

While doing the Blog Everyday in April series, I noticed something funny.  The post I wrote that mentioned Candy Crush got a ton of views.  Way more than any other post ever.  I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that the mention of Candy Crush had something to do with that, considering most of the world seems to be addicted!

In that post, I mentioned that I was stuck on level 297, and I am pleased (maybe also ashamed?) to report I finally, finally, finally got 3 stars on that level.  So far I have 3 stars on every level through 320.  That is ridiculous, right?  What is the point?  That's something Dino asks me often, and I have no answer.  It's fun, but often aggravating.  It is something to do while waiting somewhere, but often I start playing it while doing other things and get distracted.

It's so funny how silly things like that game can connect people.  A friend asked if I was "crushin' it" while on my phone awhile back, and I thought that was funny.  Conversations start around the topic more frequently than I like to admit.

I know it's probably just a fad too, and all the time I've spent on that silly game (and some money, though I really try not to spend anything!) will be wasted, just like with other silly games of the past.  Yet I can't seem to stop pulling out my phone and trying get that third star on every level.

Do you play Candy Crush?  Are you addicted?  Or do you laugh at people like me who get so sucked in?

Blog Everyday in April #17

Hmm, this one brings me back to the book recommendation...  Share something you’ve read that really spoke to you and why.

Honestly, What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, the same book I mentioned on an earlier day's response, really spoke to me.  Just the idea of being thankful and aware of what you have and not taking your relationships for granted really resonated and felt like a big lesson to me.   But since I already talked about that, I'll bring up another book.

Photo via Amazon.com

We read another book in our Book Club that hit me pretty hard.  Me Before You by JoJo Moyes was a really lovely book.  It's the story of a regular girl, just trying to make it, who loses her job at a cafe and has to find work, so she ends up as a caretaker for a young man who was hit by a car and is now a quadriplegic.  He has closed himself off to the world, tried to commit suicide, and made a pact with his mom that he'd give her six more months, and then if he still wanted to die, she would take him to a place that helped with that.  So the girl comes in, finds out about the plot, and does her best to take his mind off of how kind of terrible his life is now.  And along the way, of course they fall in love.

The story is intense, really, well written and opened my eyes to what people go through who were active and independent, but now are dependent on someone else for everything and go through so much pain.  You start out really cheering for the girl, hoping she can change his mind, but then start questioning if that really is the best result.  I felt so conflicted for a long portion of the book.  The world isn't a black and white place, and this book eloquently shows how gray it can be.

So that is basically another book recommendation, but both really affected me (I bawled while reading both!) and taught me something!

Blog Everyday in April #16

This one doesn't 100% apply to me yet, but... What did your parents teach you about being a parent?

Since I'm not yet a parent, I have no idea what all goes into parenting.  I have ideas, but I'm sure my parents taught me much more than I realize.  That said, what I learned from them about parenting is random.  

• I learned that family units are flexible.  My dad stayed home with me during the day when I was little, and my mom has always always worked.  My dad worked nights for awhile, which I'm sure was really tough, but they both made it work.  My dad has always been the chef too, and my mom can barely cook, which goes to show the gender stereotypes don't always apply.  So I've learned that you make it work for you, no matter what the norm is.
• Always eat dinner as a family at the dinner table.  We sat down every night to a meal at the table.  It was a nice chance to reconnect, talk about our days, and decompress.  It was really nice!
• Love is the most important thing.  My mom always greets me with a hug and a kiss, and is always so happy to see me!  And it's always been like that!  It makes me feel like I'm so important and loved.
• Support your kids no matter what.  My parents fought for me to get a specific kindergarten teacher because she was a better fit for me.  They fought for me to take the gifted test over when I failed it on purpose (I know...).  The were always there for my sport events, plays, concerts, whatever else I was involved in.  They took my crazy whims seriously, and encouraged me to follow my heart.  I never felt like I had to disobey them, because they gave me a good amount of freedom and wanted the best for me, and I knew it.

That's what comes to mind now, but I know I've learned a lot more from them.  And if/when I someday have my own kid(s), I'll probably realize so many other things they taught me!  

Did it take becoming a parent to reveal all that your parents taught you?  

Blog Everyday in April #15

What advice would you give the teenage you?

Hooo, man.  I would give teenage me a lot of advice!

• Play sports!  Stay active!  Take PE even though you got out of it!  Get in the habit of being active and healthy!
• Eat healthier!  Rice and cookies does not a healthy lunch make.  I don't know how often my lunch at school was pop tarts.  Get in the habit of eating well early!
• You aren't fat.  You think you are (um, you're eating crap and hardly exercising), but you really aren't.  Embrace your body early.
• It's okay to put yourself out there.  Take risks, you'll learn more about yourself.
• Trust your instincts about people.  If they seem weird and like they aren't good people, they probably won't make good friends.
• When you go to college, go to learn.  Find subjects that truly interest you, and learn.  Don't just do the work to get good grades.
• Try to not get so angry at your mom.  She's trying to help, and it's your own fault that you didn't finish earlier.  Accept her critiques, improve your work, and don't lose your cool.  She's pretty darn cool.
• It's okay to revise stuff you've written.  I've never gotten in the habit of making drafts and editing, and this goes way back.  Take time to do good work, not just to finish.
• Don't worry that you don't date anyone.  You're not ready.  You're saving your heart lots of unnecessary pain, and saving yourself from awkward situations.  Love will find you, you don't have to rush it.

Teenage me was pretty chill, honestly.  I wasn't wild and crazy, and was pretty much a homebody.  I wouldn't really change much about my teenage years, except to maybe set myself up for more success as a grown up.  

What would you tell your younger self?

Blog Everyday in April #14

This one is a pretty common question... If there was a fire, other than people and pets what two things would you run and save?

I think the two things I would save are the two things I keep with me at almost all times.  My cell phone and my water bottle.  Cell phone would be pretty helpful to call 911, and I can't go very long without drinking water and my water bottle is somewhat of a safety blanket for me.  Boring?  Yes.  Yes indeed.  But as I was dashing out the door, these are the two things my hands would gravitate towards!

Do you have any more exciting items you'd save?  I bet a lot of people would save their phones...

Blog Everyday in April #13

Do you have any tattoos? If so where and what of?

I do not have any tattoos.  I've always kind of wanted some.  First I wanted the southern cross because I loved stars and Australia.  Then I wanted a dragonfly, because it is the state insect of Washington, and I went to one of the schools that worked to make it the state insect.  I also would like a hot air balloon and an owl.

My biggest hold up is where to get them.  I don't want them too obvious, I don't want them to be on my flab, and I don't want it to hurt too much!  I also am nervous about choosing an artist to put something so permanent on me.  And Dino isn't thrilled by the idea, so it doesn't make me want to rush out and get them.

I do think it would be cool to get a tattoo someday, but I'm not too concerned.  If I don't?  No worries!

Do you have a great tattoo artist you keep going to?  Are you addicted to them?  It sounds like it's easy to get a lot of tattoos!

Blog Everyday in April #12

Hmm, this one will take some more effort...  Show us 5 of your favorite pictures.  (I'm interpreting this to be photos of me/photos I've taken, either one)

1. Obviously, a wedding photo has to be one of my favorites!  This is hanging in our home, and is so pretty with the light!

   

   Photo by Jenny GG

2. This photo I took on Stradbroke Island in Australia, one morning as the sun was just coming up.  The timing could have been a little better, and I've never processed it to it's full potential, but I do love it.  This is also hanging in our home.

   

   Personal Photo

3. This photo just makes me laugh!  It's ridiculous.  It was taken on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and this statue guy was always making us think he was a real dude pointing at something!  It was so weird that they put him up there...  So I decided to have some fun with it!

   

   Personal Photo

4. Here's another Australia photo - these are wild birds that just know that at this wildlife sanctuary at certain times, people will be holding out feed for them, so they swarm the area!  It's kind of amazing, and you can't even tell here how many birds were all around us, squaking.  Dino is so cute here too!  

   

   Personal Photo

5. And we'll round it out with another wedding photo.  Jumping photos are always kind of cool, but our people ROCKED them.  The guy on the far left was amazing, did some crazy cool ninja kicks and stuff.  This one isn't the best of everyone, but I look like I'm floating!  So funny.

   

   Photo by Jenny GG

I'm sure there are more, specifically baby photos and such, but these were already digital (lazy blogging!).  Wedding photos have to be in the favorites, right?

Blog Everyday in April #11

Oh boy, this is something I've thought a lot about and Dino and I have discussed quite a bit!  If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would that be?

Brisbane at sunset.  Personal Photo

Brisbane, QLD, Australia.  100%.  I've been there 3 times now, and Dino accompanied me on the most recent trip, and we both want to go back.  I love it because it reminds me a lot of home, but better weather and it feels more exciting.  It's easy to get around, people are nice, I love the shopping there, and it's beautiful.  And close to the beach!  Plus a certain friend of mine lives there, and I would love the opportunity to see her more.  

Surfer's Paradise, just a short train ride from Brisbane!  Personal Photo

Something about Australia has always drawn me in, it's just such a cool place.  The native plants and animals are so different from what I know in the US.  The food is slightly different, the weather is different, the seasons are different...  And yet since they speak English it's not hard to feel at home.

What's not to love about a place that has "Hungry Jack's" instead of "Burger King"?  Personal Photo

I want this guy to be my friend!  Wombats are my favorite animal!  Personal Photo

Seriously.  I am ready to pack my bags and go!  Now if we could only find jobs that would make it possible to live there...

How amazing is Australia, for reals?  Wouldn't you like to live there?

Blog Everyday in April #10

Today the question is: What are your favorite and least favorite household chores?

People have favorite chores?

Just kidding (kind of.  not really.).  I think my "favorite" chore is cooking, if that can be considered a chore.  I enjoy making something, and making something tasty is even better.  I guess another "favorite" chore would probably be laundry because half of the job is done for you (although our machines are in the basement, which makes it a little more difficult, and they are both front loaders that have doors that don't open the right way because of plugs and vents, so it's actually super annoying, so I guess I take that all back.  Plus folding is annoying too).  I also don't mind Swiffer-vac-ing, because it makes a huge difference and is so simple.

Yep.  Like this.  Image via Amazon.com

My least favorite chores are tidying, putting dishes in the dishwasher, and cleaning the tile in the shower.  Oh, and cleaning out old leftovers in the fridge - ugh, that is the most disgusting task, especially when I don't want to do it so I leave them in there for too long and they just get worse and worse.  And pretty much everything else.  I'm a terrible cleaner!

Does anyone have a chore they look forward to?  Do you leave your leftovers in the fridge until they are beyond recognition too?

Blog Everyday in April #9

Simple list today!:  Ten things that make you really happy.

Sitting under a palm tree in the sun makes me very happy!  Personal Photo

1) Sunshine!
2) Chocolate cake, no frosting, warm from the oven
3) 5pm on a Friday
4) Holding hands
5) Hugs from my momma
6) A good glass of wine
7) Getting 3 stars on a Candy Crush level that I've been stuck on forever...  I'm looking at you, level 297...  3 stars please...
8) New episodes of my favorite shows becoming available on Netflix!
9) When I feel like I look awesome (great outfit, hair cooperating)
10) Genuine compliments (especially from my husband!)

What makes you ridiculously happy?