Ok, maybe you didn't always want to know them but you have for quite some time, right? Fine, you don't really care to know but as a kind friend you'll humor me anyways.
I know that most of you who read my blog are not familiar with the extended world of bloggers but a common practice in blogosphere is to list 100 things about yourself for your 100th post. I know, how boring, right?! I thought I'd be kind and list 50 things now (I'm a little past 50 posts) and 50 later (at my 100th post) so that you can more quickly get through this and get back to things in your life that really matter!
1. I am frugal [read: cheap]. (The amen! chorus is provided by my dear sister Daniele!) It's not that I never buy anything, it's just that I only buy things on clearance, at garage sales, with coupons, at the dollar store and outlets and I always remember exactly how much it cost. My secret pleasure? When someone comments on how gorgeous my furniture, shirt, shoes, artwork, etc. are, I can spout off how little we paid for it! And it's not that I'm not generous, it's just that now you'll always know that no matter how expensive that gift looks that I bought you...it was a really good deal!
2. I am a closet dancer, not a good one mind you, just a fanatic about shaking my thang! You'll never catch me dancing in public but if you see my kids dance you'll know they inherited my unfortunate inability to dance.
3. My best friends are my family, both the one I share with my husband and my extended one. I love you guys!
4. I was home schooled in 7th grade and did so much in only 3 hours a day that when I registered to rejoin the public school they wanted to put me up 2 grades.
5. In kindergarten, my IQ was tested as I was apparently very proficient in my ABC's and 123's. My results were so high that I was put into a gifted program.
6. My IQ has continued to fall since that day.
7. I know what 5 star hotel the NHL hockey teams stay at when playing against the Sens and have seen many of them in living color while visiting there.
8. I am a huge Suns fan! That's a basketball team.
9. I am a huge sun fan! Love being tan!
10. It's not easy being the only pale face in a family of a brown hubby and mocha skinned kids.
11. I have had my picture in the city newspaper many times in my highschool volleyball career.
12. My coach always used those pictures to remind my teammates how not to block, or hit, or pass.
13. In 1st grade I won a local contest to be Fire Chief for the Day. I got to tour the city's fire houses, ride in a limo, lunch with the real chief at Mc Donald's, and take a ride up the ladder.
14. I received spankings twice from my principal during 6th grade at my fundamental baptist gradeschool. Once for my characteristic foolishness and the next time for my trademark sarcasm.
15. Before Jars of Clay made it big, I met them all in a private concert where they played to a 30 people large crowd. Within the next few months they became super well known with their single 'Flood'. The next concert I saw of theirs was to 10,000 people.
16. The person I most respect is my husband. What I used to think of as craziness (he wanted to marry me!), I now find endearing. Whoever can put up with me deserves everyone's respect and awe. Plus, he is the world's best father.
17. I have traveled to every continent that sits exclusively on this side of the globe. For those of you not so familiar with geography, that is the continents of North and South America.
18. I always seem to learn the hard way that religion and politics do not make good dinner conversation when you have just met someone.
19. My health and how my intestinal system is or isn't working doesn't seem to be a favored topic either.
20. I love, love the water! I dream of owning a waterfront property someday. Or I'll just move in with my friends Lisa or Jen!
21. I'm only 27 and yet I have 4 children. Just wanted to clarify that my wrinkles make me look older than I am and my children are probably the greatest contributor to those wrinkles.
22. I honeymooned in Cancun but can tell you little of my surroundings outside of our honeymoon suite.
23. Also, helps to explain how our first child was born 9 months to the day of our wedding.
24. We were smarter for the next child, planning 19 months in between the two.
25. Three months later we realized the whole 'nursing prevents pregnancy' thing didn't apply to me.
26. Therefore, my second and third children share the same birthday 12 months apart.
27. It's probably important to tell you that I never dated or kissed another boy before my husband. I thought that might explain #22.
28. That does not mean I didn't have my share of crushes! I was so in love with my highschool history teacher and felt for sure that I had a future with Christian Bale after I saw 'Little Women'.
29. 'Little Women' still remains one of my favorite books/movies of all time.
30. Also, love the Elsie Dinsmore series, a series of stories about a young girl in the early 1900s. Most of the fan base is 8-13 years old but since I only read them during my first and second pregnancies, I'm probably her oldest fan.
31. I was an avid reader as a kid (still am when I get the chance). Sneaking books under my comforter and trying to read there, by moonlight, probably explains why I have the worst eyesight in my family.
32. I have read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy series.
33. As a kid I always kept a running list in my head of things that my mother did to me that I would never do to my own children. Good thing I still remember that list...I do all those same things to my own kids!
34. My favorite color is blue, as is my husband's. Therefore the symbolism in my engagement ring means so much. It's two sapphires with a diamond in between, symbolic of God in the center of myself and my husband.
35. Unlike most women, my engagement ring is not my favorite piece of jewelry. My star necklace given to me by my husband during our courting days is. It reminds us of my email address 'morningstarr', as emails were a major mode of communication for us.
36. I lost the diamond in the star early on and had it replaced. When I later found the fallen diamond, I had it embedded in my husband's wedding ring. Sweet memories!
37. Most girls dream of their Prince Charming being tall, dark, and handsome. Mine actually is!
38. All our children's names are from the Bible: Eliana (female derivative of Elijah), Eden (the Garden of), Jacob (prince with power with God), and Emmanuelle ("God with us").
39. My music tastes most closely resemble those of someone suffering from bipolar disorder. Love the classic hymns, but am also a huge fan of contemporary stuff as varied as Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay but love the crazy mix of hip hop and rap in groups such as Grouponecrew.
40. All time favorite group is probably U2.
41. Not even a fan but have been to concerts of Barry Manilow (a gift, how kind!, from my employer) and Elton John (winner of a restaurant's mandatory draw), both while a teenager. Fun times!
42. I love sweating! It solidifies my tom-boyishness.
43. As a kid and even into early adulthood I was accused of being stuck-up. The truth was I was painfully shy.
44. I have obviously gotten over that!
45. I received stitches in my head while in 2nd grade. The dr. who performed the service (a family friend) recently admitted he probably allowed a little of my brain to seep out and that it undoubtedly had something to do with the way my brain only sometimes works today. My husband thanked him.
46. I've also had knee surgery and have the beautiful scars to prove it. That was the day my career as a leg model ended. Too bad it had never begun.
47. When I first visited Disneyland, I was blown away! To see all my fairytales come to life and cartoons alive and walking around, I felt this must surely be the waiting room of heaven. Being 17 years old did little to convince me that what I was seeing wasn't real.
48. My favorite vacation of all time was with my siblings and parents to Hilton Head Island, SC.
49. Your favorite vacation could be visiting us in Canada!
50. I know, that last one really isn't about me but I'm getting exhausted thinking about myself. So to make this one official...I get exhausted thinking about myself. There. Fair and square.
