Ten on Tuesday

1. How do you take your coffee on an average day? How do you like your coffee if you’re splurging?
I don't drink coffee everyday.  When I do drink it I get fancy smancy stuff from Starbucks or a local coffee house call Port City Java.  I usually go with a skim Caramel Macchiato or a carmello leche, they are basically the same drink just a different name at each place.  If I am desperate I will drink regular drip coffee with cream and sugar.  My splurge would be to get the drink with whole milk or 2% instead of skim.

2. What is your genre of books to read?
I read stuff all over the map.  I used to read mainly best selling fiction and science fiction but the last few years have been all about what ever catches my eye.  I have read best sellers (The Help), science fiction (The Host, The Sookie Stackhouse books, Twilight), autobiographies (Scar Tissue - autobiography of Anthony Kiedis lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers and sTori Telling- Tori Spelling autobiography), Historical fiction (Centennial by James Michener), and true crime/story type books (Under the Banner of Heaven and Into Thin Air).


3. Where do you want to retire, if you could go anywhere?
I have no idea.  I am thinking where ever my grandchildren are and hopefully that will be here near the beach.  And of course this is if I ever work long enough to make the money to retire.

4. The 17-year-old you is told to write a 10-minute speech. What topic would you have picked?
Ummmm.. well I have no clue.  I would have been petrified that I had to get up and give a speech in front of  people, I was really shy.  I most likely would have picked something to do with music or maybe my favorite artist Henri Matisse.

5. What word describes you best?
Eclectic

6. What is the next “event” that you are looking forward to? (ex.: vacation, moving, date, job change, etc)
My family reunion/vacation next week.  I will get to see a lot of my family, who I only get to see once a year.  Plus it's a vacation so it's all good.

7. Do you like to discuss controversial topics or do you prefer to avoid those types of conversations?
I love to discuss controversial topics!!  I like to see how people react and what their take on them is.

8. Would you rather add 4 free hours to each day, or add 1 extra day to the week?
I think 1 extra day but one that I didn't have to go work on.  So it would be like a 3 day weekend.

9. If you created a sports team; what would your colors and mascot be?
Blue and silver and the mascot would be a kangaroo.  Random I know.

10. If you had to be a teacher, what subject would you teach?
Ha ha!  I was a teacher and I was a special education teacher.   I taught both elementary and high school.  I like both and would teach both again if I had to (long hours and waaaayyy too much paperwork has made me want to find something else).  But I think being an art teacher would be fun too.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is the worst movie you have ever seen?
Only one?!?!?  My husband and I have a running joke/tally about who owes who for making the other watch the worst movies ever.  So far it's 3-0 in MY favor.  He made me sit through Virus in the movie theater!!  And most recently Transylmania and Land of the Lost.  At least the last two were rentals on Netflix!!  All of these were terrible!!! 

2. Do you have a favorite Disney/Pixar film?
I am just not sure I can pick just one! For the most part all the Disney/Pixar are so good.  But if I had to pick one I would have to say Finding Nemo or Cars ... wait or The Incredibles.  See I can't pick just one!

3. Do you have a favorite movie from the 80′s?
Again I can't pick just one!  I LOVE 80's movies!  I personally own Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and The Goonies.  So I have to go with those.

4. Are there any movies you saw more than once in the theater?
Yes, I saw Twilight twice but only because I went to see it first on a date with James and then again with my friend and movie buddy Ivy.  But I did like it enough to see it twice.  And mostly I have seen kids movies more than once, like Cars which my son saw 3 times!!

5. What is one city/area of the US (or country you live if you do not live in the US) that you have not seen but would like to see?
Las Vegas.  I have been all over Europe and even to London 3 times but I have yet to make it Vegas.

6. What are your favorite toppings on an Ice Cream Sundae?
Hot fudge and caramel sauce.

7. How many proms did you go to? What color was your prom dress? If you went to multiple proms, what color was your favorite prom dress?
I went twice with the same guy.  I had the same boyfriend for 3 years in high school (4 total) and he was a year older than me so I went as a sophomore and then again as a Senior (we skipped his senior/my junior for some reason).  I wore a black dress both times!

8. Is there a sport or extra-curricular activity that you didn’t get to try as a child that you wish you would have? (e.g. gymnastics, piano lessons, ballet, etc.)
I really would have liked to have learned piano or any instrument for that matter.  Not sure I would have cared back then but now I do.  I did take singing lessons and played softball and basketball so I was pretty well rounded.

9. How many siblings do you have? Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest?
I have one brother and I am the oldest.  But I also have 6 step siblings.  4 step brothers and 2 step sisters.  Both my parents are remarried and my stepfather has 2 sons and a daughter and my step mom has 2 sons and a daughter (my dad actually adopted 2 of the kids so I guess technically they are half siblings?!?!? I have no clue).  Oh and I am the oldest of ALL of them!

10. Do you feel like you fit in with your age group? Or do you feel younger/older than your age group?
I feel like I fit in.  I'm married and have kids which is pretty much what my age group is doing right now.

Ten on Tuesday

1. If given the opportunity, would you choose a mediocre job that paid well or your dream job that paid poorly?
Oooo good question!  Right now I would take just about any full time job.  But I would rather have my dream job even if it paid squat.  I would rather be fulfilled and happy than rich and miserable.

2. What is your favorite thing about the 4th of July? (For the foreigners: What is your impression of the 4th of July?)
Being with my family (aka having long weekends) and going to picnics and watching fireworks!

3. What’s the most random fact you know about American history?
Honestly it probably has to be that I know why and how the Morons ended up in Utah.  I have a slight obsession with Mormons and the FLDS church.  I have read a lot on the subject.  You too can know why they ended up in Utah if you read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer!

4. What is the best fireworks display you’ve ever seen?
I think it was in 2000 and I was on an Alaskan cruise with my family for a family reunion.  Our last port was Vancouver and it was the basically the world cup of fireworks (wish I knew the name of the event) that week.  Several countries were competing against each other and so there were fireworks every night by a different country.  I happened to see the Australia display and it was AMAZING!!  In fact I think they got runner up that year.

5. Who taught you how to put on makeup?
I'm sure my mom gave me tips but I just don't remember her sitting down with me and showing me.  I never was a huge makeup girl anyway.  I wear and have always worn it sporadically.  I always wear it for nice occasions and I go through phases where I will wear it more often but I just don't and have never worn it every day.  I like the freedom of not having to wear it everyday.

6. Have you ever gone through a financial planning process? Tell us about it.
Ummm no.  I wish I had.  I would have helped me tremendously about 14 years ago.  Oh well.....


7. What was your favorite outfit as a kid? Bonus points for pictures.
No clue. I do remember loving my Wonder Woman Underoos!!  I am sure my mom has pictures of that somewhere but I'm sure they aren't digital yet.

8. Do you prefer a beach, lake, swimming pool, or no water?
It used to be pool but now it's beach followed closely by pool.  I haven't swam in lake in years!!

9. Do you recycle? If not, why?
YES!!  I'm a tree hugger or at least try to be.

10. What are your thoughts and feelings about the Twilight Saga?
Oh well in case you missed it I did a little post about the newest movie in the saga, Eclipse here.  I happen to be a "TwiMom".  I have read all the books, seen (and own) all the movies, and was even interviewed for the local newspaper (Here it is ... oh and my really good friend Ivy is in the picture wearing the Team Jacob shirt ... some how I didn't get picked to be in the photo oh well) here about loving Twilight.  I know it's adolescent fiction but it's pure escapism for me and takes me back to a time when I too was overly obsessed with my high school boyfriend.

Random Thougths (aka no creativtity tonight for a title)

I am sitting here in pretty much a tired stupor.  I have spent the last two days in this state.  The cause of my sleeplessness you ask (maybe you didn't but it;s my blog & I'm gonna tell you anyway).... Eclipse.  Yes the newest Twilight Saga (vampire teenager fun for those of you living under a rock) installment.  My good friends and I went to the midnight showing on Tuesday night with all the tweens, teens, and fanatics.  My plan was to stay up late Monday night and then take a nap Tuesday while my daughter napped.  Well my little princess decided she didn't want to nap.  I made it through the movie and got to sleep about 3AM Wednesday morning.  Bad news was that I had to get up at 7AM to take my son to camp.  But I was going to get to nap when my daughter did and go to bed early.  Guess what neither one happened.  Yet again my dear darling daughter did NOT nap and I ended up having to work Wednesday night when I wasn't supposed to.  I worked until 9:30 and managed to get into bed by 10.  Again had to get up today at 7 to take my son to camp.  I then pretty much ran around all day working and taking my kids back and forth to all the different things going on today.  So anyway my point was it's all Eclipse's fault!  I am just too old to be doing opening night especially with young kids at home.

For father's day we all went to see Toy Story 3.  My son's favorite movies for the longest time were Toy Story and Toy Story 2.  He has a Buzz figure and Woody and Jessie dolls.  So we were all so excited to see the new movie.  I have confess that I think I liked it more than the kids did!  It was so good and par for the course during Pixar movies I cried.

Oh and FYI my one year anniversary on Etsy is coming up soon!!!  And I will be running a special to celebrate so be sure to keep an eye out for it!  I will announce it here in the next week.  AND I will be doing another giveaway in very near future as well!

And now I am going to bed!

Ten on Tuesday

1. If you could trade lives with another blogger for a day, who would it be and why?
Hmmmm ... I'm not sure. But I would have to say right now I would want to trade with a blogger who is making money blogging.  So that I could see how they do it and what it takes to make money doing it.  I am trying to figure out my new career and I am looking into anything and everything.  Especially home based things so that I can continue to be home with my kids.

2. Do you prefer receiving handmade or store bought gifts? Be honest!
I honestly like both.  My mom has made me several handmade things including aprons and quilts.  And I have loved all of them. I also love when my kids make me things, in fact I like it better when they make me things instead of buying store bought stuff.

3. Would you rather camp or stay in a hotel?
 Hotel but I have camped and do like to camp.  But right now with my kids at the ages they are and the miserable heat here the thought of camping makes me cringe but I would love to do it with them later in life.

4. What’s your favorite comfort food?
Macaroni and cheese.  Homemade is best but in a pinch I still love Kraft Mac & Cheese from the box.

5. You’re having a really bad day at work. How do you unwind when you come home?
Well since right now my work is at home with the kids I try to unwind by shutting myself in my craft room (once daddy is home of course) and working on stuff for my Etsy shop or just puttering around in there alone being creative.
When I was working outside the home I liked to come home and veg in front of the TV and not think.

6. What’s your favorite chore? (Or, the chore you hate the least)
I honestly don't mind doing laundry or vacuuming.  There is something satisfying about vacuuming and seeing dirt or really dog hair in my house disappear.

7. What got you interested in blogging?
I started out blogging on MySpace years ago.  It was really just a way to vent and for family and friends to keep up with what was going on in our lives.  But then Facebook came along and I pretty much abandoned MySpace (I still have a page but maybe log on to it once a month at most).  But I missed blogging (there really isn't a good blog tool on Facebook).  So I came across Blogger and the rest is history.

8. Are you currently reading a book? What is it?
Well I literally just started The Help by Kathryn Stockett yesterday.  So far it's good but I am only 50 some odd pages in.  But before that I read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer.  It's the latest in the Twilight Series which I love.  It was a good, easy, fun summer read.

9. Do you have a favorite artist?
Yes, I fell in love with Henri Matisse in 6th grade when my elementary school took a trip to Washington D.C.  We went to the national gallery and there were a few of his paintings which I liked just fine but I stumbled upon a copy of one of his cut outs in the gift shop and bought it on site.

 The original print I bought in 6th grade still on my wall

I LOVED it!!  It was bold and colorful and so unique.  I had never seen art like that before.  It inspired me to do research on him and I have several of his cut out prints hanging in my house. 

 3 of 4 Matisse prints I have hanging in my house.  This is the family room & my kids wanted to pose for the picture!

I have grown to love his paintings as well and one day I will make it back to France to see the church he designed with lots of beautiful stained glass in his cut out style.

10. Have you ever met someone famous?
Yes, several.  But that's because there is a movie studio here in Wilmington and One Tree Hill is currently filmed here and before that Dawson's Creek.  I met and waited on Katie Holmes (she was shy) when I worked in the Barnes & Noble Cafe during college.  I also saw many celebrities there including Burt Reynolds, Alfre Woodard, Joshua Jackson, Jerry O'Connell,  and Donald Sutherland.  I have also seen Chad Michael Murry around town (not very nice either).  I also met TC (Roger E. Mosley) from Magnum, P.I. at a track and field event I went to with my mom when I was a kid.  Oh and he was very nice!