Friday, February 24, 2012

11 Random Things

Nicole tagged me in random facts about you post. I am so inconsistent on posting so I thought I would definitely follow along.

There are some rules:

1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in the post you were tagged in
4. Create 11 new questions for your tagees to answer
5. Tag them on Twitter, Facebook or your blog

Eleven random things about me:

1. I played a ton of sports as a kid. I was mediocre at them all, never really excelling at any one sport. I did cheer leading, soccer, track and field (short distances, like 100 meter and such), swimming, rowing, and volleyball. Truthfully told, I sucked at volleyball, no real hand/eye coordination. The other sports I was good enough. In high school I lettered in soccer and we had a pretty decent team, I was second string. I rowed in college. It didn't bother me that I wasn't a star athlete and I want that for my kids, I want them to play sports but they don't have to be super stars. They can be, but they don't have to be as long as they have fun.

2. I over-schedule myself and my kids. I know I shouldn't and the hubs complains about it, but still I do. Between birthday parties, sports, tumbling, play dates, etc. We always seem to be on the go. I am trying to be more mindful and at least once a month have a day where we don't go anywhere.

3. I love, love, love sweets, especially pie. I found this awesome apple pie recipe last year and twice I've made it for no special occasion just to be eaten by me and Hubs. I think on my birthday I'd almost prefer pie to cake.

4. I majored in Political Science thinking I'd go to Law School. My mom wanted me to go nursing or pre-med and I wanted to do the opposite of what my mom wanted me to do. I sometimes wish I had gone into Health Science or at least gotten a BS instead of a BA and I have worked in pharmaceuticals since I graduated and a Science degree would have probably helped a lot. Especially when I was out auditing Doctor Offices and hospitals that were participating in clinical trials and reviewing patient charts. Luckily I was a fast learner.

5. To spin off the topic above, I was a bad kid. From losing shoes and jackets when I was really young and wandering off without telling my parents to being pretty intolerable as a teen. Even sneaking the car out and getting in an accident. I wish I hadn't given my parents (especially my mom) such a hard time. I really hope that my kids aren't even half as difficult as me. Their dad is the strict one so I think we may be alright. I always did well in school; it was just outside of school that I caused issues. I think the only reason I did well in school was that as long as I heard the info one time I aced the tests. I never really studied until college and even then it was pretty minimal. I wonder how well I would have done if I had applied myself.

6. I pick up languages pretty easily. I was an exchange student in Germany in high school and spoke extremely fluent German by the end of the year. I also had a pretty decent working knowledge of Spanish and took AP Spanish in high school. I almost went into the military Defense Language Institute but missed by one point. I am sure I would have had a much different life had I chosen that path or took the test again. I will say the test was pretty cool, it was a made up language and you had to try and decipher it. I now hardly speak/understand, it is true if you don't use it, you lose it.

7. I've always wanted a bigger family and am really happy with my three kids. Hubs is pretty sure we are done and I still wonder, are we really done. I think once the baby gets a little bigger I will either really want another or feel complete.

8. I love vacations! I spend a lot of time exploring different places that I want to go and trying to plan out vacations. It's a little different now with kids, but vacation is still very important to me and Hubs. We spend a bulk of our extra money on vacations and not things. If we were thinking of a new couch, I think oh, we could go to X, Y, or Z instead with the money. Two of the three kids have been out of the country already and I can't wait to take the kids to Disney and Europe. Costa Rica is on my short list, too. I'd love to go to Tahiti and Australia, but that will have to be much later in life. I don't think kids are ever too young to vacation and don't understand the people that say it is too hard to travel with kids. Maybe mine are just more adaptable.

9. I have lived in three states, California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Sometimes I miss Cali, but I think NC will be my home for a long time.

10. The hubs and I suffered several years of infertility and once in a while I still get bitter towards people that have it so easy having kids. I hate that I feel that way, it just sneaks up on me sometimes. I know my kids are the kids I was meant to have and am so happy with them and my life. It just doesn't erase the the pain that I experienced over several years of trying and multiple miscarriages. The pain rears its' ugly head sometimes.

11. I am sometimes a really lousy friend and don't reciprocate the way I feel like I should. I know I should call people more and reach out more.

There you have it, 11 random things about me, some good, some not so flattering.

Now for the eleven questions Nicole asked:

Eleven questions from Nicole:

  1. Breakfast? Most important meal or skip it? I almost always eat breakfast. I usually wake up hungry.
  2. If you had a TARDIS, where would you go? I thought about this and thought about how I should say some great moment in history. I'd love to have met Martin Luther King, JFK, etc. But really I would love to go back to the first few weeks after C was born. It was such a blur and I'd like to go back and tell myself just relax and enjoy it. You don't have to stress or do everything right.
  3. Favorite fruit? Bananas, especially with peanut butter on them.
  4. Flats, heels, or barefoot? Flats, really Crocs, Danskos, or Uggs
  5. BooBerry or Count Chocula? Neither, I usually eat boring cereal like cinnamon cheerios. If I had to choose I think BooBerry.
  6. First car? My mom let me drive her Ford Taurus, it was decent when she gave it to me, but I junked it up. My next was a Honda Civic Si hatchback, I loved that car.
  7. Pick a superpower? I'd love to be able to fly, so we could go anywhere in the world.
  8. What’s your last meal? Bagel
  9. Cat, dog, or other? Why? I love my dogs. They are so cute and loyal and sweet and annoying.
  10. You’re having a crappy day, what’s the thing that always cheers you up? A hug from my husband and my smiling kids. (Maybe a glass of wine after kid's bedtime, too.
  11. What’s your dream job? A doctor.

Eleven questions for my tagees:

1. What’s your favorite meal of the day?

2. Who do you talk to most in your extended family?

3. What was your last New Years Resolution?

4. What is your favorite pet?

5. Have you ever travelled outside of the country?

6. Ideal Vacation?

7. If you have kids, do you regret the names you chose for them?

8. What kind of music do you listen to?

9. Favorite drink?

10. What kind of books do you read?

11. Hobby? If so, what?

Eleven Bloggers (not quite)

Mama P

Megan

Clover

Christie

Patience - Kent Family

Monique

Allison

Nakira

And that's it.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Electronics Restriction

The dude was on electronics restriction this week for some bad choices at school. Nothing too major, but we need to keep his behavior in the positive direction. It turned out to be a good weekend. He was tuned out of electronics so he played a lot. He also decided that he was going to play more with the girls.
Friday, he did get TV because he had a babysitter. Saturday he ran errands with me and helped me clean the house. He wiped down the stair banister (his idea) and cleaned the blinds (my idea) and then emptied all the trashes and took recycling out (one of his chores). He got out his race cars and built a complex track in his room and played cars. Saturday night we had friends over for dinner and made home-made Valentine Cards that I found on Pinterest. We made some for the girls and some for him that he picked.
Sunday, he went grocery shopping with Hubs while I did M's hair. Then he read, went to the store with me, helped me make dinner, and then played more with the girls.
He was playing a dodge ball game with them. They would run and giggle and he'd throw the ball. He said, "Mom, I am missing them on purpose cause they are babies but when they are older and I'm like 16 and they're 10 I am not going to miss on purpose." They were so cute giggling and running from him while he threw the ball at them. Of course, a few times M dragged the baby while she was running away from him, but no tears were shed.
I like the idea of tuning out of electronics some and letting them just play, may have to do it more often. Not on Friday though, he has plans this Friday to come home and watch TV to celebrate being able to watch TV again.