I have heard that for your monumentous 100th post, you are supposed to write 100 facts about yourself. Because I know everyone out there is soooo interested in my life, I figured I would go ahead and do it! (More, I think my kids may enjoy reading this later... if you feel like reading it, go for it!)
1. I LOVE horses (duh)
2. I started riding horses when I was 13. I had been bugging my parents for a horse since I could talk, and finally my parents thought if they at least got me lessons, I might grow out of the horse craze. I am SO grateful now that my parents got me those lessons!
3. I got my first horse when I was 24 years old and I am glad now that I didn't have a horse as a child - they take ALOT of care and ALOT of money to be properly taken care of!
4. I went to BYU for 3 semesters and am proud of it!
5. I went to BYU to be a Special Education teacher, but I am very happy I didn't finish because when I came back to Ohio and got married I worked in a Special Ed class as an Aide and learned very quickly that I LOVE the kids, but could never be a teacher.
6. Now I am intrested in someday becoming either a speech therapist or American Sign Language interpreter.
7. I will probably start back to school in a year or two when Savanna is a bit older and we have a little more $.
8. I was in the color guard of my high school's marching band for 4 years, the last 2 of which I was captain. I was also in BYU's color guard my freshman year.
9. I kick myself often for not being in BYU's color guard my sophomore year.
10. I secretly want to be a color guard instructor at a high school.
11. I really don't like teen age girls, so I'm not sure how well #10 would work out. ;)
12. I have been married nearly 7 years now.
13. I was Kris' high school sweetheart, but I couldn't stand him in high school. I don't think I can tell you how many times I turned him down and made fun of him in hs. And now we're married - how did that happen?
14. Before we had kids, I wanted a large family. Then, after we had Joey, I found that I'm more suited to be a mother to only a couple children. I am quite content and feel our family is pretty much complete with just Joey and Savanna.
15. Kris and I have talked about becoming foster parents in a couple years, which I am excited about!
16. Although I don't act as such, I am actually fairly shy and very insecure.
17. I am OCD when it comes to reading books, which is why I don't read all that often. Once I start a book I HAVE TO finish it and usually finish it within a couple days - but nothing else gets done. This even happens if I don't particularly like the book.
18. I have been babysitting in my home for 4 years now - and I love it! Best job ever.
19. I have always known that I wanted to be a stay-at-home mother and wouldn't change it for the world.
20. Because I have been babysitting in my home for so long, I really don't play with children well - I am so used to the kids entertaining each other that when it's just Joey and I, he gets bored pretty fast and asks for a 'friend'. This has actually surpised me.
21. Sometimes being a stay-at-home-mom and babysitter requires a referee shirt. LOL
22. We tried to cancel our TV service once and it only lasted 48 hours. Yup - we're addicted to the boob tube.
23. One of my favorite smells is the early morning air.
24. As much as I love the early morning air, I am NOT a morning person - I would much prefer to stay up late and sleep most of the morning.
25. Now that I have been getting up at 6 a.m. for 4 years now, I automatically wake up at that time even if I don't have to. Thankfully I can usually go back to sleep on the days I don't have to get up.
26. I seriously stress when I'm running late, even if it's something that doesn't matter if I'm late to or not.
27. My dream car is a dark green ford mustang convertable - SOMEDAY I'll have one.
28. My dream horse is a large gray gelding with black mane and tail.
29. My dream house has a horse barn and pastures with it. :)
30. My favorite holiday is Christmas.
31. I have a thing for the color green - to say it is my favorite color is to put it lightly. I have dreamed of having an all green bathroom - seriously.
32. I wish my eyes were greener and have considered getting green contacts just for that reason.
33. I hate grocery shopping.
34. I'm not a very good housekeeper, but know that I have certainly improved in the past 7 years.
35. I would love to move out west (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming) but know I could never leave my family!
36. I never realized what a blessing it would be to live so close to my parents, siblings, and in-laws until I had children.
37. I mentioned earlier that I didn't like Kris in hs. The first thing about him that impressed me was our senior year he had a nice shiny Chevy Blazer. I thought maybe he wasn't so bad if he had a car like that. LOL
38. I have since learned that my husband has a thing for big shiny cars and likes to spend $ on them. Doesn't really impress me any more!
39. Since we have been married (7 years!), we have owned (I'm sad to admit it) 9 cars. I have vowed that Kris will have his current suburban until it is a hunk of metal on the side of the road!!
40. If I had it to do over again, I would have bought an existing home unstead of having one built. I love our house but I don't enjoy being in a 'cookie cutter' neighborhood and know that w/ the same amount of $ we could have gotten an existing house already with a back deck and fenced in back yard and finished basement without having to pay extra.
41. My favorite subject in school was Math.
42. I LOVED Physics in hs.
43. I am a realist and am proud of it.
44. I am a liberal republican - if that's possible! I view on the side of republicans, but I am much more liberal in those views.
45. We have a flat screen TV that I hate.
46. I would LOVE to learn to play the piano and violin.
47. I love to sing, but am NOT good at it.
48. I love music - which I attribute to my dad who always had music playing as I was growing up.
49. My favorite number is 5.
50. I have tried to become a runner many times, but have learned that I just am not and never will be a runner.
51. I have discovered I love rollerblading!
52. I feel like time goes faster with every passing day.
53. I am a chocoholic.
54. I have a temper which I am learning to control.
55. I have a loose tounge and often say what I am thinking, and then regret it later.
56. I have a hard time 'minding my own business'. LOL (aka I tend to be kinda nosy)
57. When I was a child, I was playing with my brother and a big wooden sign fell on my head and cracked my skull. It was his fault because we were playing 'follow the leader' and he went under the sign and shook the pole it was hanging on and since he was the 'leader' I followed him and did it too - and down it came! Guess I was a strong kid..
58. Also when I was a child, my mom forgot me at church! She got half way home before she realized I wasn't in the car! Poor mom still hears it for that one.
59. I feel that I'm a very forgiving person - I really don't hold grudges for long and get over being mad fairly quickly.
60. I'm WAY too trusting and I know that it is a bad thing.
61. I'm seriously addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. It's not the caffiene because a different kind of pop really doesn't suffice, and I'm just as happy with caffiene free diet dr pepper. If I go too long without it I go a little nutso. :) I don't understand what it is about it, but I LOOOVE it.
62. I am a believer in liquid diets (slimfast, optifast, newlifestyle diet).
63. I LOVED being pregnant - I HATED labor/delivery/recovery. It didn't go well with either of my children, even though I didn't have to have c-sections, which is one of the reasons we are done having kids.
64. I don't like beans, cooked tomatoes, or soup, but I LOVE chili. Doesn't make sense does it?
65. You couldn't even pay me to eat seafood.
66. I once entered a local one day 'survivor' competition in town and took 5th place out of 200. I probably could have gone farther, but the last leg of the competition was eating nasty things and sardines and pig brains is where I draw the line.
67. I love red hair! I always hoped I would have a red head child but I guess Kris and I don't have enough red head genes. I love my little blonde kids just the same! ;)
68. There is an actress/dancer who's name is also Sara Haley and her website is
http://www.sarahaley.com/ I find it funny personally. Although, I do get jealous - she's everything I want to be - pretty, red head, dancer, singer, etc. LOL oh well. I found her website once just messing around and googling people - her site came up when I googled myself.
69. I LOVE the TV shows: So You Think You Can Dance, 24, Law and Order SVU, Biggest Loser, and The Big Bang Theory.
70. I dream of being a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance LOL but I know that if I was ever on that show, it would be to make fun of me.
71. I once considered auditioning for a spot on the Biggest Loser, but then I lost 85 lbs on my own. Of course then I got pregnant and gained some of it back, but I've lost 26 lbs of that - still have about 15 to go. I am currently 72 lbs lighter than my highest weight.
72. I do take pride in the fact I would no longer be eligable for the Biggest Loser show.
73. I'm a hard core country music fan.
74. I love accents - especially Indian and Austrailian! However, British ones get on my nerves.
75. I find it ironic that as children, we never want to eat or take naps, but when we're adults, we ALWAYS want to eat and take naps. doesn't make sense I tell you!
76. I get cold sores from hades - they are awful! But I take valtrex whenever I get one and I swear it's a miracle drug! (although I was once embarrassed at the dr's office because he mistakingly assumed that I took valtrex for genital herpes and not oral...)
77. I am a hopeless romantic
78. I love marching band music
79. My kids are my world! I am always amazed at how much I love them! I am surprised at how much of a 'mother bear' I have turned out to be.
80. Some of my best friends are my sisters, although we didn't get along at all as teenagers!
81. My sister Julie and I got in a fight once as kids and she threw my teddy bear out the 2nd story window so I was determined to throw HER out the window... my dad intercepted.
82. I still have that teddy bear - it's a 'Bingo' bear. I got him for christmas when I was 3 or 4. I really wanted a teddy ruxbin, but I fell in love with Bingo bear as soon as I saw him under the tree! I even bought another bingo bear on ebay when I was in college - yes - I still keep and cherish both.
83. We had a yellow lab named Mac when I was growing up - he was the best dog ever!
84. My cats were my babies before I had children - now I just find them extremely annoying and keep them only because I would feel awful giving them up since I've had them both since they were kittens.
85. I firmly believe it is important to raise children around animals - it's a great way to teach empathy and responsiblity I think.
86. I like watching to 'today' show in the morning, but never actually sit and 'watch' it - it's usually just on for noise or if something intrests me.
87. I have been a fan of the show 'the price is right' since I was a young child, but rarely watch it any more.
88. I don't like boats or being on the water.
89. I am not a fan of the beach at all. I don't like to eat fish, I don't like to swim with fish. I find the beach disgusting on so many levels.
90. I would, however, love to ride a horse along the beach.
91. My dream vacation is an equestrian vacation in Ireland - 8 days riding across the Irish country side. I've looked into it many times - it costs about $1200 (not including air fare). I am planning on doing it SOMEDAY though I'm sure it won't be for another 10 years! If I wait long enough, Joey and Savanna can go with me - I think kids have to be at least 12. I know for sure Kris would NEVER want to go with me!
92. I am more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of person and am not good at making plans.
93. I like to teach at church
94. I am sooo not good at interior design - I am often embarrassed that my house is so blah, but don't know where to start to change that! Also, I'm un willing to spend the $ it requires!
95. I am NOT a germ-a-phobe at all. I am a believer in the mantra 'if it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger'. I have, however, become more germ-conscience since having kids, but still think it's silly how far some parents go to be 'germ free'. Don't worry - we do practice good cleaning and hand washing techniques, I just don't tote hand sanitizer and neo-to-go in my bag!
96. If I had a million dollars, I would gladly hire a maid!
97. I find it funny I LOVE cleaning horse stalls, but dislike cleaning my own house.
98. I am a huge online stalker - facebook, blogs, I love 'stalking' people! LOL It's definately a guilty pleasure
99. There's nothing sweeter in the world than baby snuggles.
100. I'm shocked that I have been blogging for exactly a year now and have made 100 posts! I am excited to print this blog into a book and keep it for my children! This is the most sucessful I have ever been at journalling! Love it!
And there you have it - 100 facts about me! And if you actually read all 100, you get a cookie! Seriously! :)
Here is one place setting - I think it look so pretty!!
Here's the table - seats 14!
This year my friend Brandy from church let me use her Cricut machine to make these little name cards! SO CUTE!!! Thank you Brandy!!
Here's one close up. I did the programming of the Cricut to cut them out, Kris' sister Kara did all the gluing (not an easy job!!) and my sister Julie did the writing (she has such pretty hand writing!)
Can't wait for Christmas this year!! :) It's such a magical time of the year!!
Today was her 15 month appointment and it went great! We just started at a new pediatrician, which I was super nervous about, but the appointment today went really well and he was so easy to talk to, I think he'll be a great pediatrician for us. As for Savanna, here's her stats:
The pictures didn't turn out real great, but you can see here her speckled belly.
And her speckled neck!
Here is Joey on Saturday night at Boo-at-the-Zoo! It was fun! There were so many activities to do. Here he is sword fighting with a pirate - it really was the highlight of his night!
Here is Joey and Ethan at Boo-at-the-Zoo. Ethan's dad made his costume in 2 days! It is Plex from the show Yo Gabba Gabba. As much as I dislike the show, I was very impressed with the outfit!!
Here is Savanna ready for our church's Trunk-or-Treat Friday night. She was a penguin for trick-ot-treat on Thursday, but destroyed the outfit w/ suckers and Juice so she got to be an OSU cheerleader on Friday! Sooooo cute!
Here is Joey Friday at school - they got to have a halloween party! They got to wear thier costumes through school and trick-or-treat through the halls.
Here is Ethan and Carlie, 2 of the kids I babysit, waiting for Joey to trick-or-treat at his school.
Savanna - such a cutie! And Maggie is in the far L of the picture - another little one I babysit.
Here is Joey, Savanna, and their Aunt Kara ready for trick-or-treat. Joey is Lightning Mcqueen, Savanna is a chubby little penguin, and Kara is supposed to be a mail-person zombie, but I think she could have used a little more make up to pull off the zombie part.
My little Penguin
My little race car
