100 cont..

61. I worked at a daycare center for 8 years.
62. I have taught every elementary grade except first grade.
63. My best friend from 4th-7th grade was named Tammie.
64. I was a bridesmaid for Tammie and she was one of mine.
65. My best friend in high school was named Liz.
66. I went to a Christian College in Colorado for one semester after high school.
67. I prefer taking classes from the community college over UNLV.
68. I have a master's degree in Creative Arts in Education from Lesley (now University).
69. I can't stand crumbs in the butter!

Are you bored yet?
70. I like to cry at movies.
71. I don't like to cry in front of people.
72. My favorite pizza is "Supreme" used to be from Papa John's but I think I prefer Sam's Club now.
73. The "Good Old Days" to me were probably the 1890-1920 or 1940-1960. I think I would have fit in well then.
74. "Glass is half empty."
75. I lived in Germany for four years in elementary school.
76. I had real culture shock when we came back to the USA.
77. I won several bowling trophies in my youth.
78. I am afraid of cancer.
79. The Challenger Disaster affected me deeply. I wrote a poem about it. I was in the seventh grade.

80. I am a procrastinator.
81. I had all four wisdom teeth pulled out at once. I slept that whole weekend.
82. I wore braces.
83. I like to eat cookie dough more than cookies.
84. I like to read books aloud to children.
85. It is easier for me to talk to children I don't know than adults I don't know.
86. I don't like unanswered questions. Therefore, I hate movies with open endings and everytime there is construction on what looks like a fast food place, I wonder and think and puzzle together the pieces to try and guess what it will be. This habit drives Doug CRAZY!
87. I almost never get 8 hours of sleep.
88. I almost always drink more than 8 glasses of water a day.
89. People do not see me for who I really am.

90. I have had the following posters on my bedroom wall at some point in my life: CHiPS, the Village People, Kirk Cameron, the Perfect Man (gingerbread man), and Darth Maul.
91. There were bugs floating in the cold water I was baptized in.
92. Doug and I once owned a red 1981 Ford Escort. It was our only car. It had no air conditioning, but it had a moon roof; it had black interior; it had an AM radio; the seatbelt on the driver's side didn't buckle, but if you were in the car by yourself you could buckle it into the passenger side; it would stall so you always had to press the gas even if you were trying to stop and it was a stick shift-tricky to keep it alive while coming to a stop; the lights were always on, but if you turned them on only ONE got brighter. We traded it in for a light blue 1991 Chevy Cavalier Z24-which was the coolest car we ever owned. Not super cool, but we still have hope that someday........
93. I like the Madonna- "Immaculate Collection" CD.
94. If I watch TV alone, I usually watch the Home and Garden network.
95. The only magazine I read regularly is FamilyFun-good ideas.
96. I was in girl scouts as a kid and one of our neighbors wouldn't buy cookies from me because my mom didn't buy something her kid had been selling. I got very angry at my mom over that.
97. I will be 32 on May 17. I still think that 26-28 is my age group, but it's really not. How did that happen?
98. I played the clarinet in the high school band, but to call myself a clarinet player is an insult to clarinet players. I finally sold my clarinet at a yard sale for $10 before we moved in to the big house.
99. I admired Lady/Princess Diana very much. I was upset when she died.
100. My boss from the daycare died the same year (1997) I was pregnant with Emma.

This self reflection and memory trip was fun for me. Glimpes of Who I Am.

100 cont...

41. I like the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack.
42. I'm not an animal person.
43. My favorite cartoon animal is a turtle.
44. I played with baby dolls not Barbie dolls as a child.
45. My sister and I played the Love Boat as kids. We taught all the kids (school on the Love Boat) and were married to Greg and Bobby (anyone, anyone?). My name was Kate and hers was Robison. We also put on dance shows in the living room for the Love Boat guests.
46. I like cruises!
47. Doug and I both only have one sister each and both their names are Kristi (spelled the same way).
48. I clogged for about 4 years. I was good.
49. I square danced for about 2-3 years.
50. I was most rebellious in the 7th grade.

51. I am a teacher.
52. If I wasn't a teacher, (and I needed to work) I'd like to be a florist.
53. If I were rich, my splurges would be a housekeeper and fresh flowers all the time.
54. I have a scar on my chest/neck from miniature golf-it's true. No stitches or anything.
55. I played Star Wars on the school playground. I was Princess Leah (lay-ah) and my friend was Princess Leah (lee-ah)- see the difference there?
56. My sister and I watched Grease and Footloose every summer, nearly every day from 5th-8th grade. How great is that?
57. I am a little afraid of heights and very claustrophobic.
58. I've never been to Hawaii.
59. I've never been to the Grand Canyon even though I have lived within several hundred miles of it for more than 20 years.
60. I have been to Disneyland, Disney World, Circus World, Six Flags Over Texas, Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Marineland, Sea World, Universal Studios, and the MGM theme Park in Las Vegas (which is now closed).


To Be Continued.....

100 Things

Here's an idea I got from Bryan Sherwood's blog http://bryansherwood.blogspot.com/ . I will list 100 facts about myself in no particular order. I'll see if I learn anything about myself.

1. I like Dr. Pepper.
2. I like to eat at the Outback.
3. I usually order the same thing each time I go to a restaurant because I am "afraid" that if I order something new I'll wish I had ordered the thing I already know I like.
4. I don't like change.
5. I like to have an empty seat in front of me at the movie theater so I can put my feet on the seat in front of me-unsophisticated, I know.
6. I only wear nylons at weddings (sometimes) and with formal gowns. I really, REALLY hate the way they feel on my feet.
7. I was the catcher on my t-ball team.
8. I played on a girls' basketball team in 6th and 7th grade-I sucked.
9. I played volleyball in 7th grade.
10. I played the clarinet in the high school band.

11. I was in the high school band because if you took marching band, you didn't have to take PE.
12. I always rode the school bus until the 8th grade.
13. My first car was an 81 Honda Accord hatchback. It was blue.
14. I married my high school sweetheart at the old age of 19.
15. We are still married 12 years later.
16. I don't really know anything about computers.
17. I only like movies if I have to feel something about the characters.
18. I can't draw a straight line WITH a ruler, but I'm married to an artist.
19. I have the best mother in law in the world-ask anyone who knows her!
20. When I was 10 years old, my criteria for a husband was that he could not be in the military, not have a mustache and not smoke.

21. My dad was in Air Force for 20 years, had a mustache my whole life-until Amway, still smokes even though it is killing him.
22. Doug and I were in Amway for two years. We now own a traditional business.
23. My favorite color used to be green, but changed to purple about two years ago. I'm not sure why.
24. I had a pet parakeet from the time I was 9 until 19. He was an awesome bird!
25. I am not a good swimmer.
26. I like the mountains more than the beach.
27. I only like alchohol that doesn't taste like alchohol.
28. I was in a beauty pageant when I was 18. I was a finalist.
29. I have a Star Wars bedroom right now. It was my idea.
30. All four of my biological grandparents are still living.

31. My father's parents divorced in the 60's; both remarried; their spouses both died of cancer within 2 years of each other and my grandfather's third wife passed away about 2 weeks ago.
32. I like to stay up late and sleep in. My kids like to stay up late and still get up at 7:00.
33. I like to travel.
34. I've never owned a brand new car.
35. I've been the first person to live in 4 homes: an apartment in Germany, my parents house in Las Vegas, our last house in North Las Vegas, and the Big House.
36. I live in a 6000 sq ft house with 5 other adults, 8 kids (3 of them born in the last 14 months), 3 cats and 1 dog.
37. My favorite drink at Starbucks is a Java Chip Frappaccino.
38. I don't know how to spell Frappaccino. Is that right?
39. I like to feed people-mostly cookies.
40. My mother's parents live in Maine and read my blog. Hi, Nannie and Papa! I love you!

To Be Continued......

"Them Whores was Great People"

a quote from NPR "The Las Vegas I Remember" March 28th edition


The Weaning Chronicles

So, Jack is extremely reluctant to wean. I am currently trying to eliminate the afternoon feeding. I am facing fierce opposition. Jack pulls on me all afternoon and when I offer him a cup, he CHUCKS it over his shoulder and returns to the shirt pulling. This is a tough adjustment for both of us, but necessary as he is almost 14 months. Right now, he is sucking on a suction cup that came with a little basketball game in his Easter basket. Maybe he should rethink the binky.


A Loredana Story

In the car the other day Loredana asked for some of Emma's sucker. Emma agreed but said, "You have to give me something." Loredana quickly handed over a stuffed monkey. A few minutes later Loredana said, " Mom, Emma isn't sharing her sucker." I said, " Loredana, she already shared with you and you can't get your monkey back. You have to stick to your original deal." Loredana said, " MY deal was my sister would share her sucker with me!"

Later that day she said, "If you weren't being such a Wuss" and "Mom, it's not a joke."


Apex Friends: Thank you for your phone calls, I am fine.

What a Great Day!

I hardly talked to anybody! I went to a "Celebrate Spring" thing at the Garden Preserve, then a little school shopping, came home for a bit, then I did the grocery shopping for the house. I basically spent the whole day by myself. I am an introvert by nature. But I can't remember the last time I spent a day by myself-probably 7 years ago some time.
I did talk to a lady at the Garden Preserve about how to start a worm farm (just composting, I won't be entering the worm rodeo or anything). I am actually excited about it. I talked to my kids while I was home and the people in the house, but other than that I hardly talked today.
I feel great! It is almost 10:00 and I am wide awake ready to go! I have definately got to do this more often!

Remember When You Used to "Dig to China" as a kid?


Yeah, that's not fun.

Kids' Pizza Joint

So I took my kids to the local kids' pizza joint today for a birthday party. Thankfully it wasn't UpChuck E. Cheese, but rather it's slightly quieter, at least edible Pickled comPetitor. So, for a kid's birthday party at a loud pizza place it was pretty good. I actually didn't get a headache until it was time to leave.

Of course we could not leave until the kids cashed in their tickets. (Doug usually handles this task because I can't even form a coherent sentence by this point.) I was actually SHOCKED at the robbery taking place in the ticket currency world. You see, when I was a kid I LOVED playing skeeball. My rational was that I could enjoy the game while I was playing and then I could save my tickets and enjoy my game at a later point too(unlike traditional video games), when I get the coveted stuffed animal. (I'm a nerd. I know.) That's right. My sister and I SAVED THE TICKETS!! We were saving up for a giant 5 foot stuffed bear. No, we never got it because we never got the 2500 tickets needed. But, we saved and saved until we moved to Vegas. We didn't know if there would be a Pistol Pete's Pizza here, so before we moved we cashed in our over 700 tickets for stuffed animals and stuff. We never traded them in for rings and crap.

Then when Doug and I were in Amway (keep laughing) we would go to Pistol Pete's after seminars sometimes. Doug figured out that if you moved the decimal point over in the ticket requirement you would have a logical dollar amount to pay for the ticket prize. For example, if a bear is 2500 tickets its approximate value is $25.00. If a ring is 5 tickets, its approximate value is $0.05. Okay, whatever. Reasonable, considering there is fun involved on some level in acquiring the tickets. Well, not anymore. You see the 5 foot bear I had been saving for as a kid has been replaced by a stuffed Spongebob. The "ticket price" 50,000 tickets or $500.00!!!!!!!!!! That makes a 60 ticket ($0.60) Laffy Taffy- yeah, ONE PIECE, a pretty good deal.

The Joke's on Me...

I was out hand digging about 475 rocks today. I came across an especially large difficult "rock". During the HOUR I spent digging around and under it I could hear a whir in the background. The whir?- the jack hammer digging our neighbor's pool. One of their kids told Kenny that the pool was going to be shallower than originally planned because they came across some caliche they couldn't break- and I'm out there digging with a plastic garden shovel!