Random Dozen 10/20/10

1. Do you prefer to read the book or see the movie?

I prefer to start with the book and then see the movie.  That way, I can criticize the way Hollywood decided to portray it.  LOL  Seriously, though, we try to make that a rule in our house – not the criticizing part – the book first part.

2. What is your favorite holiday and why?

Probably Christmas.  I like preparing for it and spending time with family and friends.  Oh, and I like buying gifts (as long as I do it before the crazy after-Thanksgiving rush!)

3. Which do you like better - the mountains or the beach?

Well, I’d always say the beach.  But, the thing is, I HATE sand. So, when I say “the beach” I’m really meaning the whole atmosphere at the beach – the boardwalk, etc.  The  truth of the matter is, I would probably prefer the mountains, it’s just that we never go there!

4. If money were no consideration, what vehicle would you drive?

A Toyota Camry

5. What is your favorite cold-weather beverage?

Spiced Cider
 
6. How do you communicate most often with your friends: phone, email, text, face-to-face, or Facebook?

Depends on the friend.  With my friend Sue I was on the phone ALL THE TIME.  She was a major phone person.  With most of my friends now, it’s usually via IM or e-mail.  If you’re reading this and you’re someone who communicates with me, please note that I much prefer e-mail to FB private messages.  :)

7. How do you receive your mail? Mailbox on the porch, at the end of the driveway, down the street, or post office box?

Post office, which just happens to be right down the street – so I guess the last 2 on this list both qualify!

8. Of the four basic personality types - sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic, and choleric - which is your strongest? Which is your least evident?

I’d say I’m probably strongest in Melancholic, with Phlegmatic running a close 2nd.  Least = Sanguine. 
 
9. What do you miss the most about being 20?

Nothing that I can think of.  20 wasn’t my best year.  LOL

10. How long from the time you get up, does it take you to get ready to walk out the door in the morning?

Well, considering as how, most mornings, I don’t need to actually walk out the door, it takes hours!  For example, it’s 9:30am, and though my hair is washed and I drank my daily dose of caffeine, I’m still not dressed.  I could be, though, if I had to be.

11. Who handles the car maintenance and pays the bills in your family?

My husband.  He likes working with numbers and finances depress me – so it works!

12. For those in the US, how many states have you visited? For those outside the US, how many provinces/other countries have you visited?

Hmmm . . . I’m not 100% sure.  I remember filling out one of those maps one time, but I don’t even remember the results.  I just did a search and found one.  So, here goes (notice a trend?  it’s all east coast states!) - - -

Make your visited states map

Flex charts

Random Dozen 10/13/10

First order of random business this week - - - Linda needs some inspiration for a new Random Dozen button.  If you’ve got a good idea, head over to her blog and share!

Now, on to this week’s questions - - -

1. Is there a word which you initially mispronounced? Were the circumstances in which you made the faux pas embarrassing? By the way, that's not "foax pass." (I know you know that. Just jokin' with ya.)

Not words so much as names.  I work with tons of people on a daily basis – and most of them I’ve only ever met “online” – so I often get it into my head how I think their name (first and/or last) is pronounced – only to find out later that I’ve been saying it wrong all along.  Then, it’s hard to change your mindset to reflect the correct pronunciation. 

This is an area that bugs me though – like for example, those people who call that yummy orange frozen stuff “sherbeRt”.  It’s “sher-bet”, people!  There is no second “R” in that word – check the container if you don’t believe me!

2. How do you feel about the use of texting shortcuts and trends? (ex: "I've got ur notes. Get them 2 u 2morow.")

I think it’s just another classic example of the laziness that people display nowadays.  I mean, how much harder is it to type “see you tomorrow” than “c u 2morrow”?!  Seriously, the 2nd option requires more  thought on my part.  Plus, I’m a perfectionist – I like things capitalized and punctuated correctly.  This text speak is so dumbed down!
 
3. Tell me about your high school senior picture. Please feel free to post.

Well, I just went to my Photobucket account to share the actual picture, and it started a series of events that included infecting my computer with a virus that I needed to disinfect.  Ugh!  So, I guess we’ll just let this question go this time around.  It was the late 80’s – enough said!

Edited to add:  I wrote this post yesterday.  Since I had a little extra time this morning, I thought I’d attempt this again.  So, I’m adding my senior picture after all.  I’m not sure why I was always so somber in pictures.  I do have a few senior pictures that I’m actually smiling in; but, for the most part, I never smiled in pictures.  Nowadays, I always try to smile.  I don’t want people looking back on me and thinking I was always unhappy – I don’t think I was an unhappy teen, but it sure appears that way! 

5. Share a high school or college homecoming memory.

I attended a private Christian school and we did not have homecoming.  (They do now, but didn’t when I attended.)
 
6. Linda at Mocha with Linda wants to know: "Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?"

Sunsets – only because I’m really not much of a morning person.  Plus, I think the colors in the sunsets (at least where I live) are much more vibrant and beautiful.

7. Lea at Cici's Corner asks, "What is something you have not done that you desire to do?"

Travel to England (maybe even all of Europe)!
 
8. Carol at Wanderings of an Elusive Mind ponders, "If you could come back [in another life] as an animal, which would it be?"

Maybe a cat.  They seem to have life pretty easy.

9. Joyce from The Other Side of the Pond is curious: "Where were you 10 years ago?" Please feel free to elaborate more than just your physical location.

10 years ago I was packing and planning for our trip to Vietnam to adopt our daughter Gracie.  We’ll be celebrating her 10th anniversary on the 23rd of this month!  There was an awful lot of excitement and preparation going on around here, mixed in with some fear of the unknown, among other emotions.  Now, 10 years later, I can’t imagine our lives without her!

10. When you are proven to be correct in any contentious discussion, do you gloat?

Maybe inside, a little, but not outwardly.  LOL

11. What is your favorite food which includes the ingredient "caramel?"

Ummm . . . I pretty much love anything with caramel!  But, a hot caramel sundae with nuts at McDonald’s pops into my head right now.

12. From my 17 year-old daughter to you: "If you could be part of any fictional family, which family would you choose and why?"

This one is a bit hard.  My answer to this one could change by the day, according to what we’re studying or reading around here.  Right now, though, I’m going to say the Merriman family from the Felicity, an American Girl book series (probably because we recently visited Williamsburg!)

Random Dozen 8/11/10

Random Dozen is back!

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried?
I can’t pin it down, but I do this a lot lately.

2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it?
Take the kids for lunch.  (It wouldn’t cover it, unless we get $1 items from the McDonald’s drive-through – my kids are easy to please!)

3. Do you volunteer anywhere?
At home!  Isn’t that enough?
Seriously, though, at this stage in my life I don’t have any extra time to volunteer outside the home.

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it?
I like all summertime fruits – strawberries, blackberries, peaches, watermelon, cantelope, etc.  I love making shortcakes and cobblers for the berries and peaches.  We made peach ice cream topping this year that was super yummy too.  Brian has cantelopes in his garden this year that are THE BEST – super sweet!

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large?
Small “in real life”, but large in the sense that I have daily contact and interaction with lots of people

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go?
School => never.  I attended a private Christian school that doesn’t have reunions and Brian’s are always held at bars and are expensive to attend. 
Family => just a few weeks ago and it went great.  We held the reunion at my grandparents’ home (they are both deceased and the house is empty).  It rained, so we moved all the tables inside.  It was cozy and fun.  Later in the day, the kids enjoyed playing in the stream and toasting marshmallows.

7. When you're feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up?
Call me up and chat with me (about something to get my mind off the sadness), go out with me for coffee and/or ice cream!

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer?
Not this summer, but we did go to Florida in May.

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time?
Hmmm . . . that’s a tough one.  Most of what I take with me is necessary.  I guess hand sanitizer.

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far?
I think I’ve only seen one – Ramona & Beezus – it was really cute!

11. Describe a perfect summer day.
Sunny, temps in the mid-70’s to low 80’s, a nice breeze going.
Maybe sitting on my front porch with a good book, or hanging out with my family doing something fun.

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far!

It’s a beetle of some sort on the hydrangea bush at my grandma’s house – taken during our family reunion. 

To read more Random Dozen answers, click the button at the top of this post.

Random Dozen ONE 5/19/10

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?

Most of what I make is know-by-heart meals, but if I need something really quick because we’re desperate, I’d probably through together some sort of breakfast-type dish or beef BBQ.
 
2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)

My credit card (I never carry cash and you just never know when you’re going to find a great deal!)
 
3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

Duh! Disney World (my regular blog readers know this is true!)

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.

I don’t know that we have anything all that interesting in our family tree.  Something I’ve always found sad is that my grandfather’s mother died when he was just a baby.  He was raised by an aunt.  My great-grandmother’s name was Lucy.  I had that name picked out as a “maybe” for Gracie.  I wish we would have had opportunity to use the name.
 
5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."

. . . thought I could do it all.  LOL
 
6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?

Frozen blended coffees (frappes) from Sheetz.  The addiction is costly, so if I could get them for free, well . . . I’d drink them daily!
 
7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."

. . . I like my berry jam WITH seeds.  I think this must be quirky because it’s becoming very hard to find it with the seeds in stores. I always buy it when we’re at Cracker Barrel!  But, this summer, I’m going to attempt to make my own.  I’ll let you know how that works out!
 
8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

Not much!  Depending on the day (salty or sweet fascination), it would either be a candy bar or a small bag of chips!
 
9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."

. . . Ian.  He always puts a smile on my face.

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Turn off my computer. 

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

Send our Crew selection announcements. :)
 
12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?

Going to Florida (we leave Friday)!

Click the button above for more Random Dozen!
Psalm 84:10a: Better is ONE day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere!

Random Dozen 5/12/10

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!

I remember being a nervous wreck because I had to give a speech! I hated the last day of school every year because it meant leaving my friends behind for the summer months (plus, weird but true, I actually liked school!) So, graduation was much worse because it was so permanent. No pictures to share today – I was all red-eyed on the pictures!
 
2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times?

Baby wipes. We don’t have a baby in diapers anymore, but those things are very multi-purpose. Did you know they’re great on stains?
 
3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar?

We have graduation parties.  Would you believe that I don’t have any party/shower plans on my calendar in the upcoming months?  Not yet, anyway. We do have a niece who graduates this year, so we shall see.

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.

It is a gift from God.
 
5. What was the last thing you broke?

A picture frame. I had it laying on the table to take to the CHAP convention for our advertising posters – I leaned over my computer and put my elbow on the frames, by accident, and the glass in the top one just shattered.  Oops!
 
6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?

2-5.  I hate junk mail!  What’s really bad is when I go to the p.o. and all that’s in the box is junk mail – that’s depressing!
 
7. Do you like to shop by catalog?

I like to shop by any means that gives me the best deal!

Really, though, it depends on what I’m shopping for.  Some things are fine by catalog; others – like clothes – no way!
 
8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job?

Definitely a “his job”. Brian does all the mowing, most of the gardening, and he takes orders quite well for the landscaping.  If I were in charge, I guarantee our yard wouldn’t look nearly as nice.
 
9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?

My bedroom!  It is the worst! But, Gracie’s room is next on the list.  We’ve decided on a theme – Asian – and think we’re going with a deep red and/or dark orangy-gold – and we bought the bedding set (dragon) – but that’s as far as we got. 

Once her room is completed though, I’m definitely next on the list!
 
10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?

No. As a matter of fact, when our subscription to our local weekly paper ran out, we chose not to renew. The paper was getting smaller and smaller – and essentially more boring.  All I read was the obituaries, yard sales, and real estate.  LOL
 
11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Most definitely.  And, for the ones that I don’t yet understand, I’m waiting to find out the reasons in heaven! Life, though, is very much a matter of trust. I learn that more each and every day.
 
12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

Both. I don’t think I can choose one of the other.  I’m very worried about doing things right – I’m a perfectionist in many ways.  But, I also want to be doing the right things. 

Would you like to participate in Random Dozen or read what others have to say?  Simply click the button at the top of this post to be taken to 2nd cup of coffee.

Random Dozen 5/5

1. What was the last thing about which you procrastinated?

I guess you could say that I’m procrastinating right now . . . I have 3 lasagnas to make today and I want to attempt to recreate another Italian dish. I should be working on them while my kids are still in bed!
 
2. How long does it take you to fall asleep, and do you sleep through the night?

It just depends --- I almost always read for awhile before even attempting to go to sleep.  Some nights I fall right to sleep, other nights I lay there thinking forever! Some nights I sleep straight through; others – probably directly dependant upon what and how much I’ve had to drink in the evening – I wake up having to go to the bathroom!

3. Which decade would you choose to exemplify your favorite fashion styles?

Well, I love the 1800’s – think Southern plantations. I can’t believe I’m saying this because I NEVER wear dresses – but they are just so beautiful.  However, I’m thinking that after about 2 hours in that world, I’d be ready to come back to now.  I just wanna wear my own (comfy) thing!

4. What is your personal best dish to feed a crowd?

It’s probably a toss-up between Lasagna and Stromboli.  They are my most requested dishes with MY family.  Brian’s family always picks my mac & cheese.  (The lasagnas I’m making today are to feed 2 crowds – 1 that my mom is hosting this Friday evening, and another when we go to Florida in a couple of weeks.)
 
5. Are you an impulse shopper? What was the last thing you bought on impulse?

No.  I’m always looking for a bargain, so I’m a more focused shopper, I think.
 
6. What is one wish you have for your own funeral?

That someone’s life will be touched in a positive way (even if just one life is changed, it’s all worth it!) 

I also agree with the other participants who have said “closed casket”. Here’s one area where I have to disagree with my friend Sue (in love, of course) --- she felt that viewings and open caskets were a necessary thing for closure. I can see her point; yet would prefer people to remember me alive.
 
7. If it's true that joy is in found in the simple things in life, what does your joy look like today?

Sunshine.  Getting my eyebrows waxed (in addition to Monday’s haircut, I’ll really be a new woman). Doing school with the girls – winding down our year. Seeing my great-grandmother’s irises blooming in my backyard (I’ll share pictures later).  And all the blossoms that are on my blackberry bush!

8. What is your favorite type of bread?

Any type of homemade or artisan bread.  I’m a bread snob – none of that storebought bread in a plastic bag with a twister for me – no way!
 
9. What trait do you fear developing the most? (Laziness, greediness, grumpiness, etc.)

Insincerity.

10. What trait would you like most to develop?

Well, I think I’ll refrain from putting it in print, because you just never know! :)
 
11. Which room in your house best reflects your personality? Why?

This sounds silly, but probably my bathroom! I love the color scheme in there and the old enamelware bowls that I have hanging on the walls.

12. How do you maintain balance in your life regarding, work, family, church, other organizations and activities, and blogging?

I don’t. ‘Nuff said.  I’m just not a good organizer of my time. What is that trait called?  Maybe I should have put that down for #10.

Random Dozen – April 28th, 2010

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?
I cannot recall myself having a very lost feeling. I do remember one time we lost Ashley at a local amusement park. I’m sure she was only missing for maybe 3 minutes, but it was a horrible feeling.

2. Have you ever been to an island?
Yes. I’ve even been to the Thousand Islands and to the Island of Elba (but I was so young that I don’t really remember).

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?
Ummm . . . maybe this sounds dumb, but the two seem to go hand-in-hand to me.  I totally over-think things; but I think that, as a result of that, I tend to be emotional. 

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?
Well, as much as I’d love to see shades of gray, life really is quite black and white.  I mean, something is either right or wrong, up or down, in or out, right? 

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)
Anne of Green Gables – because it would be like having a “kindred spirit” along with me
 
6. What are you most afraid of?
Please see my answers to yesterday’s meme!

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?
Considering as how my old memories are slowly slipping away as I age anyway, I guess I’d let them go. Not being able to make memories now would be a seemingly boring existence, don’t you think?

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?
Probably a picture of me as a child, a wedding picture, and a current family picture. Basically, they’d cover the expanse of my life.

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)
Well, considering as how I’m barely in touch with any of the attendants these days, I’d probably change that.  The ceremony and reception were fine – I don’t think I’d change a thing.  I remember people really complimenting the way we did things.

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.
It’s healing.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?
Read.

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?
I’d hope she’d be thinner, but then I’d probably be jealous of her! LOL

Random Dozen – Really, Really Random

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay? Truthfully, I don’t like them. I think they’re kinda ugly and they look uncomfortable. I used to wear shoes for style – no more! I dress for comfort now!

2. What is your favorite pizza?  Ashley and I have a favorite, tried-and-true pizza crust recipe that we’ve perfected. We like it best with Ragu pizza sauce and pepperoni and ham as toppings.  It’s a family favorite at our house!

3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could? I’d love the Walton’s house.  My daughter, Ashley, would love the General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard!
  
4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.  I live in central PA, in the heart of Amish country.  We’re famous for Pennsylvania Dutch food here – things like pork & sauer kraut and pot pie (which is not like the meat pie you eat in other parts of the US, but actually more like what a lot of people call dumplings).  Also, snitz & kneff and 1/2 moon pies (which are like an individual apple pie, but the filling is apple butter – yum!)

5. What is your current favorite snack? I really like to snack on nuts and trail mix type things.

6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")
A. Dancing with the Stars
B. Biggest Loser
C. Survivor
Definitely B – Biggest Loser. I’ve got weight to lose anyway and, from what I hear, you wouldn’t have much choice but to lose on that show! I’m not a dancer and I wouldn’t survive 5 minutes on Survivor!

7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?  Thanks to my husband, probably about a 7.

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until I start to see green outside and the weather gets warmer.

9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is hanging out with my assistant Brenda and her family after the Midwest Convention.  It struck me, all of a sudden, that her husband bears a striking resemblance to one of my old heartthrobs of the 70’s – Shawn Cassidy. We spent quite a bit of time laughing over that!

10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward. Getting my children all successfully through school.  Oh, and selling out of TOS totes at the next convention! :)

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.
"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"
— L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you. I’m always trying to plan fun things for us to do – I think they enjoy that.  I also like to find things for them to get involved in and school curriculum that fit their interests and various needs.

Random Dozen – 4/6/10

1. Define a great relationship.  To me, a great relationship is one in which you have complete trust in and comfort with someone else.  You feel comfortable to share anything with this person; yet times of silence are also welcome (and understood).

2. Why is it called a "drive-through" if you have to stop? (Real question: What was the last food/drink you purchased at a drive-through?) Good question! Allow me to interject here how frustrated I get when they ask you to “pull up and wait” too!  Anyway, our last drive-through experience was probably at McDonald’s and I got an iced coffee (love the Hazelnut).  Has anyone tried their new frozen blended coffees?

3. As I type this, the Butler Bulldogs are getting ready to play in the NCAA championship game. Every Hoosier is hysterical about this except me. So in honor of the Bulldogs ... what is your favorite breed of dog? (I tried.)  Hmmm… probably Golden Retrievers – they’re so pretty and docile. But, since we have a Pug, I have to recognize them too – they’re pretty darned cute.  I love our friend’s Boston Terrier (though others I’ve seen aren’t nearly as cute as Eddiee) and I think Huskies are gorgeous too (though we had one once and they’re way too hairy to be housedogs).

4. If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move? Duh – Florida!  I want to go where it’s warm!

5. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be? Honestly – I can’t think of a thing! I have great parents and I think they did a pretty good job in raising me.  However, there are a few things I’d change about myself – first, I’d kill the teenage attitude; and second, I’d have had a more personal relationship with both my parents as a teen.

6. Who's the funniest person you know? Tim Hawkins! (Can’t wait to see him in Cincinnati this weekend!)  Or, did you mean “personally”, probably my son Ian – he always makes me smile.  There are 2 honorable mentions here too (though I’ve not had opportunity to meet either of them face-to-face – yet) --- Sheri and Denise from the Crew – love them!  They both have a way with words that always puts a smile on my face (even in the darkest of times).

7. Did you get enough sleep last night? Yes.

8. What's the first thing you thought about this morning? Working and getting ready for our trip tomorrow.

9. Grilled or Fried? –HONESTLY Honestly, I’d prefer fried.

10. Are you afraid of the dark? Sometimes – it depends on the situation. In general, no.

11.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A mother, a hairdresser, and/or a teacher.  Now, I’m all 3, in my own way!

12. If you had one word to describe yourself , what would you choose? loyal

Random Dozen is hosted by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee (which, by the way, I am drinking as I post this!)  Visit Linda and find out how to play along.

Random Dozen

I saw this over at The Berry Patch and it looked like fun. So, I followed Lisa’s link to 2nd Cup of Coffee, so that I could play along!

1. How do you feel about the marshmallow Easter Peeps? I don’t like them. They are going and sugary and disgusting. Just sayin’ . . .

2. Chickens are notoriously nervous creatures. When you are nervous, what is the best way to calm down? Take a bubble bath, while reading a good book.  Other things that seem to work: talking it out with a friend, praying, drinking coffee (by the pot-full).

3. People say, "April showers bring May flowers." Do you enjoy Spring rains? Sometimes – when in moderation, that is. I don’t enjoy rain for several days in a row – I need my sunshine.  But, I do enjoy standing out in a warm, spring rain.

4. When I was randomly flipping through TV channels this week, I saw a show in which tattoo parlor employees received tattoos of a co-worker's face on their bodies. I can't imagine having a portrait of a colleague tattooed on me. But if someone forced you to receive a portrait tattoo (face only) of anyone, who would it be? Why? One of my kids, because I know I’ll always love them (no matter what).

5. Would you rather have a tattoo (any kind) or a nose ring? Nose ring, definitely. I’m not much for pain, and they say tattoos are pretty painful. I figure the nose ring is just a quick pain.  Mine would need to be a little diamond stud though (truth is, I think they’re rather  cute!)

6. Do you have any special plans for Easter? We have plans all Easter weekend – first is the Good Friday service at our church.  Gracie will be playing her violin. :)  Saturday, we plan to take Gracie and Ian to one or two local egg hunts. Then, Sunday morning we’ll go to church and follow that up with lunch at my parents’ house. 

7. Cadbury Eggs or Reese Eggs? Probably Reese, but it depends on my mood – every once in a blue moon, I might go for the Cadbury Egg.

8. What was the last thing/person you took a picture of? Ian.  Not only is he incredibly adorable, but he does some of the cutest things.  This picture was taken yesterday afternoon – after his nap – guess he wasn’t quite ready to wake up, because he laid down RIGHT IN FRONT OF the stove and fell back to sleep.

9. What book are you reading now, or what was the last one? Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze.  I guess you would call it a Christian Suspense.

10. What do you think is the most difficult task when it comes to Spring cleaning? All of it. 

11. How many pairs of flip-flops do you own? Well, I just bought 2 new pairs for this summer, and I have several old pairs.  Hmmm. . . I don’t know right off hand and I’m too lazy to go to my closet and count.  Love flip-flops!

12. Which color makes you happiest? Purple!