11 Questions

I've recently found some cool mommy blogs which I've been reading, and a bunch of them had this fun little game that I thought was neat, so I figured I'd give it a whirl with my group of mommy blogging friends. :)

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules.

2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.

3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.

4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.

5. Go to their blog/twitter/FB and tell them that you’ve tagged them.

Fun, right??

Here goes....Eleven random things about me:

1. I am absolutely petrified of spiders and still have flashbacks from when my uncle took my brother and I to see Arachnophobia when it was out in the theaters (geesh, I must have been 11 or 12 at the time?). I've gotten braver over the years and can manage to kill the small ones I come across, but I still always scream and jump away whenever I see one.

2. I played water polo all four years of college, but only ever scored a goal or two. I was never very good at the sport, but enjoyed the exercise that came from 2 hours in a pool four days a week year-round, and met my best friends for life by being a part of the team.

3. Art has always been a passion of mine, but something I never have had much formal training to improve on what skills or natural talent I may have. My favorite subjects in school were always Art and Home Economics, and I kindof regret not studying graphic design or photography in college.

4. My favorite vacation we ever took was when Ben and I went to St Thomas to celebrate our 27th birthdays. We found an adorable little bed and breakfast with the sweetest owner who was an amazing breakfast chef. I've been wanting to go back ever since, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm sure we'll get back there someday though.

5. I have a habit of buying the same fruits and veggies at the grocery store every week: bananas, blueberries/raspberries/blackberries - whichever is on sale, grapes, pears, red peppers, broccoli, cucumber, carrots and zucchini. I need to branch out and try others, but whenever I look at the other produce items I get overwhelmed with trying to come up with ways to cook them. Stupid, I know. Need to work on this.

6. I am super cheap, but I love to shop. I hardly ever buy a clothing item that isn't on sale. If it's not on sale, I tell myself I must have a coupon for it, but usually it's more than I am willing to spend even after the coupon savings is factored in, so I won't buy it. My favorite times of year are spring and fall - 3 words: kids' consignment sales!

7. I don't watch much TV (we gave up cable about 6 months ago to save $$$ and now just use Netflix or hulu to watch shows, and basic cable for the news), but I do love reality shows like The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Dance Moms, and the new (non-reality) series SMASH about a Marilyn Monroe Broadway show in production.

8. I LOVE reading mommy blogs. I can spend hours engrossed in blog posts on what other moms go through on a daily basis and see their pictures of their little ones. I secretly wish all my friends would blog, but I know it's not everyone's thing. I guess I just like the attention. {no surprise there}

9. I often wonder how I got so lucky to have ended up with Ben. He is my best friend and the love of my life and there is no way I would be as happy as I am today if it weren't for us getting married and having kids. The 3 of them are my world.

10. I love baths. My favorite time of day is after the kids are in bed, the dishes are done, coffee maker is set for the morning, and my bubble bath {with a glass of wine and book} is waiting for me. Sometimes I almost fall asleep in the tub. It's totally relaxing, but I probably only do this once a week. Wish I had enough energy to do a bath every night.

11. I love Thai and Indian food, but always order the same things when we get it: Chicken Pad Thai or Tom Kha Gia soup, and Chicken Tiki Masala. I should probably branch out a bit. {see #5}

Here are the questions I pulled from the mommy blog where I found this fun game:

1. Is it soda or pop? And what is your favorite? Soda. Coke Zero, but I'm trying to break the habit by not buying it anymore. It's helping.
2. What is your go to outfit when you need one? I am so fashion-challenged, it's not even funny. If I had to attempt to answer this question, I'd probably say that my new favorite outfit is my skinny jeans, a grey tee layered over a long-sleeved black tee, my knee-high brown boots and a cute floral print scarf (see pics from yesterday's playdate, below). It's all from Old Navy; I swear, I think half of my wardrobe is from there lately.
3. Tell me what you are reading and why? A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. It was recommended by a blogger I love (see #5 below) and I'm really enjoying it. It's about how to edit your own life basically.
4. Name a reality TV show you would like to go on? My mom never misses an opportunity to tell me how I should submit photos of our home to be chosen for an HGTV makeover. I got tired of hearing her say this, so I did it. Needless to say, I'm still waiting for a call to go on the show.
5. Tell me the best blog you read that you think I should start reading. Easy: MOMASTERY. GO AND READ IT NOW - from the beginning - and you will probably be a follower for life. She has a Facebook fanpage too. I'm in LOVE with Glennon's writing - so honest, raw, and inspirational. I will probably be one of the first fans in line with her book in hand to be signed. I'm a Monkee and I have the hoodie to prove it. :)
6. If you had to move out of your current state where would you go? Probably Florida since my parents and my brother, sister-in-law and nephew are there. I dislike snow very much too, so sunny FL would be a nice change.
7. Tell me one rule you had growing up that you will never impose on your own kids. Ha! This one is easy: clean your room before the cleaning lady comes to clean our house. No kidding. My mom had a cleaning lady that came once every 2 weeks and we always had to pick up our rooms before she came. I will never have this rule for my kids because we will never have a cleaning lady. We don't need one {READ: cannot squeeze one into the budget} because I am so talented at keeping my house perfectly clean. LOL.
8. What is one thing you could not live without? (It can’t be a person) Easy - coffee. I actually go to bed at night thinking about how I'm going to enjoy my next cup of joe. Probably an unhealthy addiction, but then again, there are a bunch of studies saying drinking 2-3 cups of coffee is beneficial to your health, right?
9. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Drink coffee.
10. What would your final meal consist of? Melting Pot's Great Night Out. All four courses: cheese, salad, steak/chicken/shrimp/pasta/veggies, and the best for last - chocolate!
11. If you had to pick a song as the “soundtrack of your life what would it be?” Not that the verses are like my life, but I just love the lyrics - how they emphasize that we shouldn't be afraid of dying because we're going to go someplace much more beautiful and peaceful than earth - Carrie Underwood's Temporary Home.

Questions for my Tag-ees …

1. What is your most favorite place on Earth?
2. If you woke up with an extra $10,000 tomorrow, what’s the first thing you would buy? {and DON’T say ‘pay off debt’. Let's all assume we'd do that second.}
3. Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest?
4. What’s your favorite book?
5. If you could go back and do one thing differently THIS WEEK, what would it be?
6. What’s one thing you wish you knew how to do really well?
7. How well do you remember your first kiss? Details, please.
8. If you were stranded on a deserted island tomorrow, who would you want to be stranded with? {ONE person only!}
9. What are the baby names you used to LOVE but haven't/wouldn't ever use?
10. What do you love/hate about blogging?
11. What is the worst job you've ever had?

I am tagging these lovely gals {if they think I'm a complete dork and don't respond, I promise I won't be offended}:

Lindsey {Killi Baby}

Andrea {Hertel News}

Erin {Hawks Nest}

Katie {our little chickadee*}

Sarah {Baby Bradby}

Amanda {Johnson Bundle of Joy}

Hope {Baby In A One Bedroom}

Maureen {Liddy Cakes}

Aimee {Our Baby Bump}

Cara {in the moment}

Denise {Ava's Blog}

And now I think I'll try to chase away the Sunday Blues with some couch cuddling with my favorite guy and two kiddos. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, folks!