Thursday, October 18, 2007

I originally read this on Jenni's blog, then on Katri's. Real life has gotten in the way of blogging life recently, so I'm a little behind!

If you are reading this right now, consider yourself tagged. I'll be checking your blog. (No pressure, though!)
1. Three biggest fears? (besides anything bad happening to a family member/child)
-bridges
-heights w/kids around
-I know this doesn't count, but I had a WICKED, awful dream the other night where I watched hubby die. I woke up shaking and cried all day. Yuck.
2. When was the last time you danced? This morning with baby.
3. Do you creep on stranger's blogs? Yeppers.
4. If you could go back to be any age for a day, what age would you be and why? 18-21 when I was at BYU.
5. Are you a good liar? No, cause I don't do it.
6. Do you judge someone when you can tell they've had elective cosmetic surgery? Can I abstain from this question? Respectfully?
7. If you have children, what's one thing that you always told yourself you'd never do when you had kids? If you don't have children, what's one thing you tell yourself you'll never do. (Psst! You. Yah, you. The one without kids. Guess what? You'll probably do it.)
OK, this is totally weird, but when I was in high school, I always swore that I would buy a house close to the high school when I was a Mom. I hated it when I forgot something and it would take forever to go back and get it. I'm proud to say that I totally did it. My house is just down the street!
8. What's something that totally grosses you out? Watching non-cleanly people make-out.
9. Do you ever delete forwards without reading them? Yesh.
10. Do you ever lie to get out of obligations? No.
11. Consider your body weight and your yearly income at their present states. Would you rather be 200 pounds heavier and $200,000 richer or stay at your present states? 200 pounds?!?! Holy cow! Who would take the money? Now, if the question had been 20 pounds, that's a different story.
12. When was the last time you bought a pair of shoes and what were they? For myself? A few weeks ago. Cute green open-toed slip ons.
13. The Olympics. Take them or leave them? Leave em.
14. What's your favorite accent? Considering I went around all of England PRETENDING that I had an English accent, then that must be my choice.
15. What's your favorite scent? Something sweet.
16. Gum or breath mints? Gum
17. If you could look like any celebrity, who would it be? Rachel Bilson. I've always had a thing for dark hair and skin. That being said, I would never change myself. I like the way I am.
18. If you had the chance of looking like said celebrity in exchange for your thumbs would you do it? What a weird question. Um...no.
19. Do you religiously wear sun screen? Yes.
20. Do you generally trust people/their motives or doubt people/their motives? With a frustrated hubby in the background, I always trust. He doesn't. I'm just truly an optimist at heart and you have to prove to me that your not trust-worthy. And even then, it takes alot.
21. Would you describe yourself as a complicated person or is what you see what you get? Absolutely, what you see is what you get. Much to the detriment of my heart when I was younger. Poor me. ;)
22. Do you watch what you eat? Recently, yes. When I'm pregnant, no.
23. Do you watch what other people eat? Why would I do that? What if they chewed with their mouth open? Eww.
24. Do you judge how other people raise their kids? Only a couple of people I know. And only because they are making what I consider such colosal mistakes that it's hard not to.
25. Do you judge people who dress poorly? I know no one is going to believe this, but I don't. I watch what others wear, and sometimes even critique it in my head, but not as a judgement, just observations. I know people could critique my wardrobe, as well.
26. Do you judge people who are homely? No, but I feel sorry for them that they're not as pretty as me. Wait. Is that a judgement?
27. Do you judge people who are overweight? Probably, in the fact that I put them into a certain category that they might not actually belong in.
28. Your interest in politics: High, Medium-High, Medium, Medium-Low, Low, Obsolete? Low. I hate politics and think shows like Hannity and Colmes brings contenion into the home. Hubby, however, disagrees. <_<
29. Favorite song of all time? I could absolutely never just choose one. But fav genre of all time is Indie-Alternative.
30. Acoustic or electric? Either
31. If you were a hermit, would you shave? Nope. If I'm not shaved now, does that make me a hermit by default? :O
32. If you could shave your head without your significant other throwing a complete hissy, would you? And give up my luscious long locks? Never!
33. What was your least favorite age? 10, just an all around bad year for me.
35. Are you in a tiff with anyone right now? Why? Has someone said something?
This was a blast! Hope to see some of y'alls posts soon!

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Happy Happy Birthday, Baby!


So, our little one turned two this past weekend! We had a great time going to Six Flags on Friday night and then having a party with the fam on Sunday. I always get a little nostalgic during my girls' birthdays! I'll admit, I have an addiction to babies that I'm trying to kick! But can you blame me? They come into the world so perfect. And I don't mean physically perfect (I'm 0 for 3 on that one) but so innocent and sweet. It truly is miraculous that God would entrust me with three of his children to rear.

We got her this cute little lamb rocker. Thanks, Katri, for the idea that you didn't know I stole!


Happy Birthday, Air-Dee! May you grow as cute this year as you did the last!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Fast Car, Second Verse



It didn't turn out how I thought originally, but it's better than I was expecting! We finally bought our new car...a Nissan Pathfinder. I'm so excited, I can hardly contain it! I love driving now. It actually reminds me alot of the Jeep Cherokee that I had in high school. It's high, but skinny. It feels alot smaller than my mini-van. So, I might not be posting alot, but I'll see you on the road! ;)

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

On the Road Again

I checked this book out of the library last week. It was on the shelf across from some fiction I was picking up. It's been fun to thumb through and see the places that I've been and the places I would love to go. One of the places was right here in Dallas: The Mansion at Turtle Creek, which is a five-star hotel and restaurant. So, I'm thinking next anniversary? Hopefully!




By my count, I've been to 43 places listed in the book! Only 957 places to go. So, let's see...if it took 30 years to get 43, then it will only take me (957 divided by 43 times 30) 667.67 more years to hit them all! Well, that's totally doable! What was I worried about. <_<




Some of the places listed that I've been to were:

The Oregon Coast:

Monticello:

And Neuschwanstein:


But imagine my surprise, when my beloved Butchart Gardens did not make the list! So, I decide to make my own list. Now, of course, I don't have 1000 places to list, but I do have 10 places that took my breath away. Some, because of the beauty and some because of the history. But all these places hold a special spot in my heart, because the day I visited them, I truly understood the phrase, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praise worthy, we seek after these things."

10. Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Daviees County, Missouri


This picture doesn't do it justice, but it is close to the place where I went when I was 15. It was here that I had one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of my life. My testimony has truly never been the same since visiting this site.


9. World Trade Center, Ground Zero
This picture was taken just a few months after we visited New York. We actually rode the train into the World Trade Center Station everyday. It was very emotional to start our day this way. I'm sure y'all can appreciate this.


8. Gettysburg National Military Park and Cemetary, Pennsylvania

My sister used to live about 1 1/2 hours from Gettysburg. Once, when visiting her, she took us to it. At the end of a long, lovely, and fascinating driving tour, you come to the large field where the final battle took place. It was very easy to picture the soldiers marching towards each other, and I remember getting emotional about the ridiculousness of war. Of course, the Civil War was completely necessary in order to abolish slavery, but the fact that it had to come to that was so disheartening at that moment. I pictured all these young men marching toward their death and completely realizing that while doing it. It still moves me when I remember it.


7. Windsor, England

Though Hubby and I spent less than a day here, we both LOVED it! It's my dream to rent a summer home near here. Ahh...that would be the life! Of course, all of you would be invited, too! ;)

6. The Statue of David and The Pieta by Michaelangelo Florence and The Vatican, respectively


The first time I saw a picture of The Pieta was in a text book when I was 13. I was blown away by the small image. My mother told me what it was and that it was in Italy. I said to myself, "Someday, I'm gonna see that!" If I thought the small picture was a masterpiece, well, that was nothing compared to the real thing! I have such loving feelings toward Mary and I think this sums up every feeling a mother would have if they suffered as Christ had. I loved being there.


The Statue of David blew me away, as well. Hubby and I went to see it, because we felt obligated, being in Florence and all. But, seriously, if you have a chance, DO NOT MISS IT! I had no idea why it was such a big deal until I saw it myself. It's truly amazing what Michaelangelo accomplished in his life!


5. Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada


What can I say about this place except, "Omigosh! It's the most beautiful place that I've ever been to in my entire life!!!! SQUEEE!!!!"? I was totally inspired by this place. I'm still a little shocked that it's not listed in the book!


4. Stourhead Gardens, England




This makes my list because it was such a dream to be there! As many of you know, or have read on blogs, I was one of the lucky girls that went to England this past May. While sitting in the grotto writing in my journal overlooking this lake, I was swelled with emotion at the blessing of taking this trip. It was truly a dream come true! When the idea was first put out there, in the back of my mind I kept asking, "Is this REALLY gonna happen?" Sitting there, after having re-enacted my fav scene in the movie, I was overcome by the fact that yes, it had happened. Stourhead was also listed in the book. Yes, it's THAT beautiful!



3. Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
Being in Berlin was surreal. But seeing this site, took the cake! We walked through it, coming from the formerly Russian side of Berlin. To the left of this picture is the government building where they elected Hitler and next to that is a walkway that has monuments of those who had died trying to cross the wall. The last deaths were early in the year 1989. It's truly heartbreaking to stand infront of this gate a realize what atrocities people had lived through.




2. Washington, D.C. Monuments at night

One of the many great things about having a sister that lived in the DC area, was that she really, REALLY knew her way around that town! So, one of the days that we spent in DC, we hit the monuments at night. I was particularly moved by the Korean Memorial. The memorial itself is statues of soldiers marching along. At night, they look like ghosts. It's breathtaking. Seriously, check it out, if you can!


1. Jane Austen House and Museum
Jane is one of my best friends....she just doesn't know it, yet! So, there really are no words for my joy while being at her house! She was truly a remarkable sister, daughter, friend and author. The world has been made better because of her pen.



So, I hope you all enjoyed my extremely long post! I hope that you all have as many wonderful travel memories as I have made. I'm sure you do!



Also, I would like to thank Google Images. Without it, this post could not have been made.