Getting To Know You Thursday.......I Am A Pajama Girl

So, the thing is, I am a pajama girl.  I love my jammies!  When I say I love my pajamas, I don't mean that I love them so much that I wear them out in public.  I have seen tons of young girls, and some not so young, that proudly wear their pajamas to Wal-Mart.

Photo Courtesy of www.peopleofwalmart.com

Oh my word!  Really?  I didn't even like to take my kids to Wal-Mart first thing in the morning in their jammies.  I'm sure not going to be guilty of doing it myself.  No way, Hosea!  Anyway, I am slightly addicted to my flannel jammies. 

No, not that kind!  More like this:

I also have plaid and polka dots and some with unicorns too.  I'm a little pajama obsessed.  I know some people who get up early, get ready, get dressed and stay that way until it's time to go to bed.  Some people even wear their shoes all day, in the house.  I put my shoes on about ten seconds before I leave the house and they come off right when I walk in the door.  I am definitely NOT a stay dressed all day kind of girl, at least not when I am at home.

My favorite Friday night thing to do is to get Mexican food (tacos, rice and beans and white cheese dip and salsa), get in my jammies and watch movies with my Hubby on the couch while eating my fabulous Mexican food.  What else do I love?  Sleepy, rainy days on the couch, in my jammies, with my Hubby, in my jammies and watching movies.  It seems like most of my favorite activities involve me in my pajamas. 

Even my television BFF, Tori Spelling, loves her pajamas.  Yes, she has a fabulous wardrobe, but if you watch her hour long show, you will see her and her Hubby piled up in bed with Tori in her jammies.  Tori and I have so much in common.  Hee Hee. 

So, what about you?  Do you come home and immediately change in to your jammies or are you a stay dressed in your clothes until bedtime kind of girl?  Yes, I am aware that this is a strange topic, but what can I say?  I am a nosy girl.  Okay, so maybe I just want to think that I'm not the only pajama obsessed girl in the world. 

Getting To Know You, Celebrity BFF

So, have you ever found yourself watching your favorite television show or caught an interview with a celebrity and thought, "He/she is so cool.  I know we would totally be friends in real life"?  Don't worry.  I'm not some creepy celebrity stalker or something.  I have met a few celebrities in my day.  I was fortunate enough to meet Kirstie Alley, Patrick Swayze and a few others (you can read about that here), but I'm talking about someone you could hang out with and be friends with. 

I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but one of my favorite reality TV shows is Keeping Up With the Kardashians. 

I know those Kardashian girls are a little wild and sometimes have severe cases of potty mouth, but there is just something about them.  I love how they are running all over God's green earth and stepdad, Bruce Jenner, is home holding down the fort and trying to keep everyone grounded.  Underneath all the crazy, they actually seem like a normal family.  Okay, somewhat normal.  But would I want to hang out with them?  Hmmm.  I think I might for a day or so, but I would get tired of picking my jaw up off the floor constantly.  They are an outlandish group after all.  Not to mention that I can't fathom spending the money they do on a daily basis.  I mean, any girl who wears her $75,000 diamond earrings swimming in the ocean is probably not in the same league with the girl who usually forgets to even put on earrings, ya know?

My next favorite reality star would be, Giuiliana Rancic.  For those of you who don't know her, she is a reporter for E! News..  She is married to former The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic.  Their show is called Giuliana and Bill. 

Giuiliana seems to be very down to earth and has a great sense of humor.  She's a little sarcastic, which I love and she doesn't take herself to seriously.  I enjoy watching Bill and Giuiliana on TV.  Their couple antics are very entertaining, but would we ge along in person?  Probably.  Giuiliana loves to shop.  I, too, love to shop.  The problem is, I don't have tons of $$ to spend.  Shopping isn't nearly as much fun when you have no $$ to spend, ya know?

So, wanna hear my absolute top pick for the star I would want to be friends with?  Well, here are a few hints.  She was on a hit TV drama in the early 90's.  She grew up in a huge mansion in Holmby Hills, California.  She and her husband have had three seperate reality shows and I have loved them all.  Any guesses? 

That's right!   I love Tori Spelling!  She is so normal and friendly to everyone, and I do mean everyone.  She was even friendly to the semi-stalkery guy that showed up at her booksigning.  She is accepting and generous to those around her.  She is adorable, slightly klutzy (kind of like me) and funny.  She spends real time with her kids and is a hands on mom, just like the rest of us.  What else do we have in common?  Well, Tori is crafty.  I saw a show about ten years ago that was about several celebrities that were auctioning off their handmade artwork and or crafts for charity.  If I remember correctly, Tori's contribution was a collection of wooden boxes she had handpainted.  Love that!  Also, did you know Tori has her own craft blog?  That's right!  Find it here.  Also, on her style blog, she did a little Emmy fashion highlight and we even picked the same dresses.  Tori is now expecting her third child.  She just needs one more to be caught up with me.  We have so much in common.  So, Tori and I, we're BFF's, in my imagination anyway. 

Who would your celebrity BFF be?  Not a fan of realiy TV?  What about a favorite TV character that you see yourself being friends with?

Getting To Know You......Kid Advice, Good and Bad

Do you remember what it's like to be a new mom, or even a soon to be new mom?

This is my cousin's new baby.  Isn't he precious? 

 It's been a long time since I was a new mom, almost fourteen years.  Man!  Time flies because it seems like just yesterday.  Have you ever noticed how when you're pregnant, people always feel free to put there hands on your belly and spout advice, whether you ask for it or not?  Your baby could be crying while you're shopping in Wal-Mart and suddenly you are surrounded by women telling you to try everything from stick your finger in his/her mouth to give him/her a drop of honey to make them take a pacifier (and babies aren't even supposed to have honey because of the risk of botulism).  Anyway, new moms are surrounded by advice, good and bad.

Seeing my cousin's new bundle of joy got me thinking about all of the advice she must be getting.  It got me to thinking about the best piece of advice I got.  You see, with my first baby, I was a total freak.  I worked in a pediatric clinic for several years.  While it was good for me in some ways, like not FREAKING out about holding the kids down for shots, it freaked me out to see 3 day old babies having to have spinal taps.  Yikes!  So, I was a bit of a germaphobe when my first one was born.  Nobody got to touch her until they used Purell on their handsl.  I was downright FREAKY about it and carried a bottle with me everywhere I went. 

Funny how things change.  By that fourth kid, she could play in the mud, drop her pacifier and put it right back in her mouth, basically eat dirt and it didn't phase me much. 

Seriously, this kid never met a mud puddle she didn't like.

Anyway, the best advice I got was that God was watching over them and babies had been surviving for hundreds of years before mine got here.  It's one thing to be careful and protective.  It's another thing to be a complete crazy lunatic germaphobe mom. 

Like I said, lots of advice, both good and bad.  BUT, what was the one thing NOBODY told you about being a mom?  I read tons of books to prepare me for pregnanacy, delivery and rasing a baby.  I got tons of advice, but nobody EVER told me how HARD it s to deal with feeding your kids.  I'm not talking about breastfeeding/bottle feeding, etc.  That's a whole different issue and don't even get me started on the whole lactation specialist chick.  Every single lactation nurse I had was weird!  Do they got a special class that teaches them to be so hard core that they know how to turn you off of breastfeeding?  Yes, all of mine were breastfed (which is why my boobs look like jersey socks instead of half cantelopes, by the way), but I'm not hardcore and all up in somebody elses's business about it.  Okay, stepping down off my soapbox.  Anyway, nobody ever told me that trying to get a child to eat healthy food was so time consuming - that getting them to eat vegetables and fruits and have a well rounded diet is so HARD!  I guess for some it comes easy.  It's a little better now that I can bribe them (I know, bad mom) to eat their veggies. 

My girls are pretty good eaters.  My boys, not so much.  It's so frustrating!  UGH! 

So, I wonder, what your best piece of advice?  What did NOBODY tell you about being a mom?  If you're not a mom, I want to know what kind of crazy advice you've heard or what you hear moms complains about?  Or if you're a teacher, what about kids surprised you?

Getting To Know You Thursday....I Am A Big Ole Crybaby

So, when was the last time you had a good cry?  For me, it was yesterday.  You see, I am a very emotional kind of girl.  Remember this scene from Sleepless in Seattle?

Yep, that is pretty much me.  I'm a big ole crying mess.  I watched An Affair to Remember the other day and I cried like a baby.  Last night, I watched The Blind Side and boy were my eyes swelled up this morning from all the crying.  I literally cried through the entire movie.  Seriously, when Michael Oher said he'd never had a bed before, I LOST IT! 
Commercials also make me cry.  I've mentioned before my love of Hallmark commercials.  There are also several "regular" commercials that make me just break down.

I cannot watch this commercial without crying.  Maybe it's because mine is at the age to get her learner's permit and I still see her like this little girl.

This commercial makes me cry too.  It's just people being kind to eachother.  That's it.  Something so simple shouldn't necessarily bring tears to my eyes, but it does.  It reminds me that there are lots of good people with kind hearts in this word regardless of what the news tell us every single day.

At our school, every morning, all of our kids gather in the gym for "Rise and Shine" where we say the Pledge of Allegiance (including "one nation under God"), do announcements, etc.  Last week while I was subbing a third grade class, our principal recognized a 5th grade student for what she called a "good deed".  She went on to say that on his way home, he came across a lost Kindergarten student in his neighborhood.  He made the choice to sit on the curb with this Kindergarten student until the student's mother came to find him when he didn't show up at home.  Well, of course, I'm standing there with all the teachers and students and I'm just bawling and sniffling and carrying on.  Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to put on makeup. 

I, of course, am a proud mama.  I can't seem to make it through any of the kids' awards assemblies, band concerts or dance recitals without crying.  I cry when I look at old pictures of them and realze how fast they are growing up.  I cry when I hear E whisper to her big brother, "J, I love you". 

Ummmm, nice lipstick.

I don't really mind being emotional and a big crybaby most of the time.  I think it's okay to be in touch with your emotions, but there is one thing I HATE about being a crybaby.  I cry when I'm mad.  I'm not an argumentative kind of girl.  I hate conflict and I avoid it all costs.  I'm one of those people who just keeps it all bottled up inside and eventually explodes into a big puddle of tears and sobs.  Yep, even when I'm mad, I'm a big ole crybaby.  When my boss yelled at me and I didn't deserve it, I cried like a big ole baby, right in front of him.  It's so embarassing!

So, what about you?  Are you a big ole cry baby like me or are you able to control yourself? 

Getting To Know You Thursday.....Free Time!

So, school starts in eleven days.  While I am very excited about things getting back to "normal" around here, I have mixed feelings about my youngest starting school.  I'm excited because I love watching her grow up, but it breaks my heart that she's not gonna be home with me every day.  The thought of dropping her little sweet/sassy self off at that big ole school is just killing me! 

Hope she doesn't try this pouty look on her teacher. 

Another problem, what in the world am I gonna do all by myself all day?  It's gonna take some getting used to.  I will be working a few days a week, but that leaves several days a week all by my lonesome. 

One thing I'm hoping to do with my alone time, is to get my house somewhat organized and cleaned up.  I'm no June Cleaver.  My house isn't spotless at all times (the people who know me in real life are cracking up right now).  Let's just be honest, shall we?  My house is a PIT right now.  It' AWFUL!  I have so much STUFF.  When you have six people living in 1500 square feet, organization is a must.  I didn't get that organization gene from my mom and the thought of organizing it all is a little overwhelming to me at times.  I'm an EXCELLENT procrastinator which makes the organization even more necessary.  I mean, why go through the mail EVERY day when you can do it once a week and let it pile up on the kitchen counter, right?  Okay, I gotta get a handle on that!  Once I get oganized, I need to clean.  So, I have a date with this guy:

I kind of have a thing for bald guys!

Speaking of dates with bald guys (or balding), I am extremely excited about sharing some of my "alone time" wih Hubby.  My Hubby has to work on the weekends at least twice a month, therefore, he sometimes has days off during the week.  We can get up and get the kids ready, drop them off at school and have date day.  We can go to lunch and hit the early movie or just hang out together all day.  Sounds FABULOUS!  We'll be able to have an entire conversation without stopping forty-seven times in the middle.  WOO HOO!  I can't wait!

I haven't had much time to work out lately either.  L has been out of summer school and I can't take him to the gym nursery so the only workout I've had was helping my BIL and SIL move the other night.  I've GOT to get back to the gym or I'm never gonna look like this:

Okay, I'll never look like Fergie unless there is plastic surgery involved, but you get what I am saying, right? 

The other thing I need to do is work on the projects I've got planned around the house.  I've got to work on the redoing the girls' room.  I've had the fabric for the girls' bedskirts for a month and haven't sewn them up yet.  Gotta get on that!

So, what I wonder is, what do you do with your alone time?  Do you work and get projects done?  Do you hit the spa?  Do you stay at home and relax?  What do you do?

Getting To Know You Thursday...Code Words and Catch Phrases

So, when I was in middle school, my friend Paula and I spent many hours hanging out together.  We would get ready at eachother's houses, borrow eachother's clothes, do eachother's hair and makeup to get ready to go out and chase boys.  Okay, so we didn't literally go out and chase boys, but we'd hang out in a big group and flirt and make googly eyes at eachother and stuff. 

Sometimes after the movies, we would walk over to Pizza Hut and hang out some more.  After sitting in the dark for two hours with our friends, and the bathroom at the movies being full of people, sometimes you had to depend on your best friend to "check you" and make sure that you didn't have a big ole popcorn kernel in your teeth or something gross hanging out of your nose.  We had one friend in particular who always asked, "Do I have anything in my nose?"  Her name was Monica.  Therefore, "Monica" became our code word we used for "Check me and make sure I'm okay" before this group of cute boys comes up to us.  You see, boys are still immature at that age and they tend to make fun of girls whether they like them or not.  So, if you were caught with spinich in your teeth or something hanging out of your nose, you were doomed for your high school career.  Poor Terry wet her pants in 7th grade and was tortured for it until her family moved a year later.   

Ummm, Monica?

So, my other question for the day is about catch phrases.  What do you think of when you hear "Eh, what's up, doc?"  Bugs Bunny, right?  Here's a few more:

"Kiss my grits!"  Flo from Alice
"I pity da fool"  Mr. T, from The A Team
"Shazam" Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffth Show
"ughr?"  Tim the Tool Man Taylor from Home Improvement
"Zoiks"  Shaggy from Scooby Doo 

When you hear these catch phrases you pretty much know who's talking, right?  Well, I've noticed when my bloggy friends amaze me with their latest creative projects or post something really funny, I catch myself typing/saying the same thing.  "Oh my gracious!"  Y'all may have noticed that I use that phrase A LOT!  Another thing I say a lot is, "Seriously?"  I didn't even realize how much I said it until a friend pointed it out to me.  I often tell my Hubby, "I love you and I like you a real lot!" and I'm known for calling my son "Dude" a lot.  So, I just wondered if it's just me or do y'all have certain code words or catch phrases you're known for?  I'd love to hear them.  Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Getting To Know You Thursday....Conservative or Adventurous Risk Taker?

It seems this week I have been bombarded by adventurous stories on the news and on TV.  Hubby was telling me about an article on the biggest roller coastersin the world he read on the internet.  I watched Kate Gosselin walk along the edge of a skyscraper on her show the other day. 

After the skywalk came the skyjump.  She was fully harnassed and was supposed to "step off" the ledge of the building, but was screaming and crying out of fear.  I've seen countless people on Amazing Race who bungee jump, repel down the sides of buildings and go down zip lines that are hundreds of feet in the air.  So, this got me thinking about my adventurous side and how I compare. 

My dad tells me that when I was a little girl, about five years old, we stopped at one of those little carnivals that had set up in a store parking lot.  I begged my dad to take me on the squirrel cages.  Ya know the one?  It's like a ferris wheel, but instead of cars, there are cages that spin end over end.  I don't remember it, but he says that I had a great time, while he was sick as a dog. 

I grew up going to Six Flags in Dallas/Ft. Worth at least once a summer for my entire life.  We had many family trips and youth group trips there.  I was always afraid of the roller coasters, but gave in to peer pressure, rode it and loved it.  There were several to choose from.  I loved the big steel one that had two big loops in it.  It was sooo much fun!  I don't think it's even there anymore. 

I vaguely remember flying on an airplane when I was about seven.  Mom said I loved it.  I didn't fly again until I was 30.  I was terrified!  Hubby and I flew to Dallas for the weekend when we were first dating.  I was a nervous wreck!  It was only a 45 minute flight.  I was crying and would NOT let go of my then boyfriend.  I don't know how I thought he was going to save me from falling out of the sky, but if I was going down, I was taking him with me!  I did better on the flight back to Arkansas. 

I had adventurous friends in college.  The loved to go rock climbing and repelling. 

Hmmmm.  Let's see.  A huge cliff, with a tiny little rope holding me?  MMMM.  No thanks.  You see, riding a roller coaster is about as adventurous as I get.  One big reason is my fear of heights.  I am terrified of heights.  Actually, I'm afraid of falling from heights.  I do okay on things that move really quickly and that aren't physically demanding, like roller coasters.  But, I don't have it in me to jump off of a perfectly good sturdy structure into the air, even with a harness.  I'd have a heart attack for sure.  You'll NEVER catch me skydiving.  WHY would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?  No way! 

Nope, guess I'm not a risk taker.  I'm pretty much a big ole chicken butt!  And proud of it!  I know my limits.  You couldn't even get me up to the top of that skywalk building.  No thank you!  I think I'll stick to the Tilt-a-Whirl.  Rides that threaten to fling me through the air, I don't find amusing.  Nope.

I think I'm pretty conservative in other areas of my life too.  I'm not a big gambler.  I have been to a few casinos.  I take in about $25 and when it's gone, it's gone.  If I ever did win some $$, I'd be outta there with my winnings. 

Deal or No Deal had a big open casting call several years ago in Arkansas. 

I went and tried out, but didn't make it to the show.  Bummer!  I wouldn't have done very well anyway.  I probably would've taken the first deal Howie offered me.  $3,000?  DEAL!  Thanks Howie!  And back on the plane, clutching my Hubby, with my $3,000 check I would go.  I would't be willing to part with my $3,000 just for the chance to make a little more.  What if I ended up with nothing?  Nope.  I wouldn't be good at it at all!  I'm definitely conservative with money. 

I think the only area of my life where I would be considered a risk taker, would be in my relationships.  I've never been one to hold back.  If I love ya, I'm gonna let ya know no matter what.  If you don't love me back, then it wasn't meant to be.  All cards on the table, no game playing, no regrets.  You always gotta take a chance on love. 

Yep, he was definitely worth the gamble!

So, what about you?  Would you consider yourself conservative or a risk taker?

Getting To Know You Thursday......Snow Days, Best and Worst

I grew up in a small Arkansas town.  As the saying goes, "if you don't like the weather here in Arkansas, wait a day.  It's always changing."  It's been in the 50's all week, but today, it's snowing and sleeting outside. 

I remember as a child watching the weatherman on TV and hoping and praying for snow.  I would get up twenty times during the night and peek out the window to see if it was snowing. 

Photo from Google Images

Our school crossing guard told me the kids she grew up with used to turn their pajamas inside out because they thought it would bring snow.  I know many of you get TONS of snow and for y'all, I'm sure the excitement has worn off.  But here in Arkansas, we don't get snow very often so when we do, it's a BIG deal.  I am sure there are many excited kids who are hoping to be out of school Friday and Monday too as we are expecting more snow on Sunday and Monday.  All of this snow got me thinking about when I was little and what fun we would have in the snow. 

I was about twelve years old and school had been cancelled for the day.  Everything was covered in fluffy white snow.  We probably had about three inches on the ground, which is a lot for us.  Our yard was totally flat, as was our road.  There were no hills anywhere within walking distance either.  No hills and no sled equals no fun.  So, my family piled in my mom's car and all went over to our church to meet some of our friends.

This is our church.  This picture was taken from the bottom of the hill.  Nice hill, right?  But, we still didn't have a sled.  So what did we do?  We went into the church kitchen and hijacked a bunch of those HUGE restaurant grade cookie sheets to use as sleds.  We had such a great time sledding down that hill and hiking back up again.  My mom has pictures somewhere (actually they're in a big ole Rubbermaid tub still in the envelope.  Mom and I use the same photo storage system - HA!) of us all the bottom of the hill, in navy snowsuits clutching our cookie sheets, which were almost as big as we were.  That is my favorite snow day memory. 

Wanna here the worst snow day memory?  When I was about eight or nine, we lived in a VERY hilly neighborhood.  We had a huge hill right outside our house and I had one of these: 

Photo from Google Images

Sounds great right?  Bad thing was, I jumped the curb and ended up under my dad's van with a bloody face.  Luckily our neighbor heard me crying and carried me down the steps to our house.  NOT a good snow day memory. 

So, what's your favorite snow day memory?  What's your worst?  I know some of you get tons of snow and probably hate it now, but I know you have at least one great snow day memory to share!!  Let's here it!

Getting To Know You Thursday....Christmas Music

Hello Friends!  Wow, how I have missed you.  It's been one of those weeks!  As I mentioned, I am having computer problems.  I hijacked Hubby's work computer for a few days until he can figure out what's wrong with mine (say a little prayer, please), but then yesterday something else broke.  I was just about to finish my last Christmas present when my sewing machine broke.  BROKE!  As in, doesn't work anymore.  As in, it won't load my thread.  As in, B.R.O.K.E.  I seriously called my Hubby almost in tears.  I feel like I lost an arm.  UGH! 

Anyway, please forgive my absence this week and tomorrow also.  We are heading to visit Hubby's dad and stepmom in Big D.  We are pretty excited to see everyone.  YEA!  Usually a car trip with six people is not a good time, but one good bonus at this time of year is that there will be no fighting over the radio.  Why?  Well, because it's Christmas time, which means Christmas music.  That's the kind of music we can all agree on. 

We love all kinds of Christmas music.  I think my favorite Christmas carol would be O Holy Night.  I love that song.  The kids love all the usual favorites....Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, Up On the Housetop, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, etc.  There are also tons of great old favorites such as, Bing Crosby's White Christmas, Brenda Lee's Rockin Around the Christmas Tree and Jingle Bell Rock.  I also love Gene Autry's version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  I played my Time Life Christmas Treasury so much that I literally wore it out. It had everything on it, including The Chipmunk Song, which is definitely one of their favorites.

Another one of my favorites is from my teenage years.  Yes, I grew up in the 80's.  One of my favorite songs is Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid.  I mean, Duran Duran, Bono and Bananarama - how could any self-respecting 80's kids not love that?





Then there is Amy Grant's Breath of Heaven, which is in a class all by itself.  The youtube video is below and it's amazing.  It's a wonderful partner to Mary Joy's study on Mary.  I don't think you can hear that song and watch that video and not celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. 



So, what's your favorite Christmas carol or song? 

Getting To Know Your Thursday......Concerts

So, bloggy friends, here we are again for another installment of Getting To Know You Thursday.  There have been plenty of Thursdays when I really have to think about what I want to share.  That is not the case this week.  I was reading my friend Xazmin's post from a few days ago about The New Kids On The Block and The Backstreet Boys going on tour and I got to thinking about my first concert and wondering about yours. 

Now, keep in mind that I am a child of the 70's and a teenager of the 80's. So, by the time I was in 6th or 7th grade, I was listening to music by Michael Jackson, Culture Club, Journey, Chicago, Stray Cats, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Men At Work, Air Supply and Duran Duran.  My walls were covered with posters of the guys from Duran Duran, John and Roger Taylor being my favorites.  Many of my friends were going to see Van Halen, Bryan Adams and The Police when they came in conert.  I remember being so jealous.  My parents would've NEVER let me go to a concert unsupervised.  N.E.V.E.R.  I know my friends must've thought I was the biggest nerd because my parents were so strict.  Little did I know that I would be too. 

So, when I was in 7th grade, my parents' friends from church, who we hung out with all the time, offered to take me to a concert with them.  They were a brother and sister in their 20's and were very responsible.  They babysat us often so mom and dad knew they were trustworthy.  So, off we went to my very first concert.  Wanna know who we went to see? 



Yes, people, Barry Manilow.  I love Barry Manilow.  My friends nearly laughed me out of school when I wore my Barry Manilow Paradise Cafe concert shirt to school, but I didn't care.  I love Barry Manilow and have seen him several more times.  I mean, girls, Barry writes the songs that make the whole world sing, ya know?  Not to mention the Band-Aid commercial jingle (I am stuck on Band-Aids, and a Band-Aid's stuck on me), the State Farm Song (Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there) and the classic McDonald's (You deserve a break today, at McDonald's).  I still love him.  As I've said before, I'm embracing my inner dork.

Yes, since then I have been to some more "typical" conerts.  My dad took my friend and me to see Huey Lewis and The News in high school.  I did see Chicago, REO Speedwagon, New Kids On The Block, NSYNC, Jim Brickman, and I even went to Lalapallooza in New Orleans many years ago and saw Red Hot Chili Peppers and several other alternative bands.  Boy, I didn't fit in AT ALL at that concert.  From Barry Manilow to Chili Peppers.  Wow, that's quite a range, isn't it? 

The last concert I went to was when my Hubby surprised me by taking my to see Rascal Flatts a few years ago.  We dropped off the kids at my aunt's house and got back in the car to go to dinner and a movie.  Hubby told me I had lipstick on my teeth or something so that I would pull down the visor mirror where he had stashed the concert tickets for me to find.  What a huge surprise and what a great concert.  Yep, he's a keeper! 

I'm not big on spending a lot of $$ on concerts.  I know people who have flown across the country to "follow" a band to several cities on their tour.  Nope, not me.  I have to really love a group to pay good money to see them.  I would love to see Bon Jovi in concert though.  I've never seen them, but I've heard they are really good.  I would also pay to see Nickleback, Daughtry, Michael Buble and a few more. 

So, what was your first conert?  Who was your last concert?  Who are you dying to see in concert? 

Getting To Know You Thursday.....Nervous Giggles

Have you ever performed in front of a live audience?  Given a speech?  Sang a solo?  Done anything that makes you nervous?  I've spoken a few times about how I always wanted to be an actress.  My desire was to be a movie actress or maybe a TV actress, not a stage actress.  Why?  Because I get stage fright.  I tend to do okay with a group on stage, but the few times the spotlight was on me, it didn't go well.  I would do fine in rehearsal and I would do fine in front of strangers, but if I knew someone in the audience, it was never a good thing!  Did I get on stage and freeze?  Nope.  Did I pass out?  Nope.  Not me.  I get the giggles when I get nervous.  Not just on stage, but anything that makes me nervous, gives me the giggles. 

The first time I remember it happening is when my four year old brother got a motorcycle for Christmas.  It was the cutest little motorcycle EVER.  I was twelve years old and I barely fit on it.  I got on it, giggling and rode across the yard, laughing so hard I couldn't see straight and I ran straight into the fence.  Not good!  My brother was not happy that I wrecked his new motorcyle the day he got it. 

The next time I remember the giggling was when my older cousin, after years of my begging, finally agreed to let me drive his go-cart.  My grandparents lived in the country and there were lots of dirt roads around their house - dirt roads and bean fields.  I made it from their house about a fourth of a mile down the dirt road, pedal to the floor, giggling the whole time with my cousin beside me screaming at me to slow down, and then in a cloud of dust, we went off the road and into the bean field, where we got stuck.  He was not happy with me.  I don't think I ever got to drive his go cart again.

Same thing happened when my dad let me drive our go-cart and while teaching me to drive my mom's car.  Not good. 

Want to know the absolute worst time to get nervous and get the giggles?  When you're singing a duet, in church.  My friend Charlotte and I had a duet in the kids' program.  I was probably about 13 at the time.  We got up to sing our duet in front of the church and made it through the first verse, when the giggles started.  I could feel them creeping up and tickling my nose and I sniffed trying to get rid of them when all of a sudden, I exploded in nervous laughter.  I could see my mom from where I stood in front of the church and I will never forget the look of embarassment mixed with fury.  I knew I was in so much trouble, but I couldn't help it.  Unfortunately, this affliction seems to be contagious and soon Charlotte and I were giggling through the rest of the song.  After the music stopped and we walked backstage, I practically ran out of the church for fear of a beating.

When I was in high school, I made sure not to take speech.  I knew better.  But, when my World Drama teacher insisted on a project that had to be done in front of the class, I knew I was in trouble.  My partner, David, and I opted to do a puppet show so that we would be hidden from the class.  We were doing Romeo and Juliet, with puppets.  David was the class clown, one of my dearest friends and one of the funniest people I've ever known.  My dad helped us build our set.  We painted it and worked on our show for weeks.  We had our lines down.  We were ready.  The day of our presentation in front of the class, I was prepared and ready to get it over with.  We made it through about two pages of dialogue before I flubbed a line and the giggles overtook me.  Oh no.  Then David got started too.  We giggled so hard that we couldn't talk.  The giggles turned into a outrageous laughter between David and I behind our set and soon spilled into our classroom audience.  Finally, the teacher told us to please just leave the classroom.  We obliged as we stumbled, laughing so hard we had tears running down our cheeks, out into the hallway.  I think we got a D.  My parents were NOT happy.  They did not giggle.

So, what do you do when you get nervous?  Do you get the giggles too?  Do you freeze up?  Do you even get nervous in front of an audience? 

This post is dedicated to my dear friend David (on top), who passed away just over 13 years ago.  David, I still miss the sound of your giggles! 

Getting To Know You Thursday....My First Car

My oldest child turned 13 last month.  C is....well, she's a lot like me and by this I mean, she's a little accident prone.  Hubby keeps reminding me that we only have three years until she starts driving.  EEK!  The thought of this terrifies me for several reasons, the first being my own history.  I have a little secret to reveal......I am not the best driver in the world, but don't tell my parents.  I used to hear, "You're following to close" every time they rode with me.  My sister applies her "imaginary passenger brake" everytime she's in  my car.  I have had a few accidents in my time, although not all of them were my fault and luckily none of them were serious.  Let me give you an example....the night before my driver's test, I begged my mom to let me take her car to the grocery store to pick up a few things for her so she wouldn't have to get out.  The store was about 2 miles from the house so she finally agreed (after 20 minutes of begging) to let me take her car.  I backed out of the garage and somehow crossed the driveway and backed into the side mirror on my dad's truck.  OOPS!  These are the kind of minor fender benders I have had my entire driving life.  I hope and pray C is a better driver than me.  BUT, the realization that her driving test is right around the corner, got me to thinking about my first car. 

Isn't this Jeep gorgeous?  This is what I wanted, but my parents said it was too dangerous. 

Ahhh, an '84 Toyota 4 x 4.  I'm a small town girl in Arkansas and I love muddin on four wheelers and big trucks!  My dad said girls didn't drive trucks.  Hmmm.  Shot down again. 

BUT, my Dad did take me with him to pick out my first car.  What did I end up with?

A 1979 (I think) Mercury Capri.  Since I picked it out, it wasn't a surprise, but that was okay.  I loved that car.  My dad insisted I got a standard, which this was, so I would know how to drive one in the future.  Very Smart!  Now, if I'm ever on The Amazing Race and in the backroads of Germany and race to my car and it's a standard, I'll know how to drive one.  Thanks Dad!

So, what was your first car?  Was it a big surprise or did you gete to pick it out?  Did you get surprised in some really cool way?  Did you walk outside and find it in the driveway with a big red bow?  Did you unwrap the keys in a gift box?  Did you pay for it yourself or was it purchased for you?  I'd love to hear about it!

Getting To Know You.....What Would You Do?

Do you ever get the "I wants"?  My kids get the "I wants"  a lot, everytime we go to the toy section in fact.  It seems like we never have extra money after bills, food, insurance, medical bills, etc.  If we do have extra money, something unexpected always seems to come up that we have to use the extra for, whether it's extra medical bills or fundraisers and field trips or new shoes for the kids.  While I am thankful that God always provides what we need, I love to dream about what I'd buy if I ever DID have extra money.  Truth be told, if I did have extra $$, it'd go to pay off E's broken arm or her trip to the clinic for a busted open chin ($500 for super glue on her chin, really?).  But, let's pretend for a moment, shall we?

It's 9:00 a.m. and the house is quiet, except for E singing along with Pinky Dinky Doo.  I am just putting the finishing touches on my makeup and hair and pulling on my size 8 jeans (yes, that's part of the dream), when the doorbell rings.  I peek out the window, as I always do before I unlock the door.  Low and behold, it's Publisher's Clearinghouse at my door with a big ole check made out to me.  I open the door and find out the check is for $1,000, but there are stipulations.  First of all, I am not allowed to pay bills with this money.  I am not allowed to spend the money on the kids.  I am to spend this money only on myself.  Wow, this is a dilemma.  I NEVER spend money on myself, or at least not often.  Let me give you an example of what I mean.  My kids always need new clothes because they outgrow them so quickly.  Wanna know what I bought myself this summer?  Two tank tops from Old Navy, and two $9.99 shirts from New York & Company, and two summer dresses with a grand total of about $65 for all of it and that's more than I ususally buy. 

So, how would I spend my $1,000?  Let's see......

So, this Cricut Expression and a few extras would be roughly $300. 

Next I would go to a salon and get my hair colored and cut. 

Love Ashlee Simpson's color.

and Emma Stone's color.  Cut and color would be around $125.

Now, I desperately need some cute clothes.  I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.  I love flannel and jeans and boots.  I have a bit of a boot obsession.  I love all of this:

Love this shirt for $33 from Maurice's.

 CUTE!  $75 from J.C.Penney's

$55 also from J.C. Penney's

Sad that I don't have a denim jacket, isn't it?  Gap $35

Cute VS jammies for $49.50.

That is a grand total of $672.50 plus tax leaves about $260.00, just enough for a night out with the Hubby and a little bit to save for when I need a few things for summer.

So, what would you buy with your $1000??  Remember, you're not allowed to pay bills or spend it on anybody but yourself!!