2OnTuesday: Christmas Songs and Movie

 

Today, Andrea asked:

What are your two favorite Christmas songs? What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Well, we all know I'm odd, so my choices shouldn't surprise too many people. My two favorites Christmas songs are:

Penguin, James Penguin by Brad Paisley

And, Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey

 

Now, my favorite Christmas movie is:

 

 

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Photo Challenge: Day Seven: Macro

Yes, I know. I've skipped quite a few days inbetween these posts. Sorry. Sick children take precedence over this blog challenge. Both Alvin and Erin ended up sick.

Macro is a closeup of whatever our subject is. This is the tiny little flower of a blooming catcus I have.

2onTuesday: Pet Peeves

So today, Andrea asked:

What are your pet peeves?

Wow.... Where do I begin?

People who check out with a buggy full of catfood cans and think that because it's all the same type, that it's ok to make the cashier scan their 120 cans of cat food in the 20 items or less lane. Seriously, you aren't a super special snowflake.

Dressing animals up in costumes. I hate, hate, hate it. Seriously, your Rotti doesn't need to be dressed up like a ballerina. A chihuahua wearing a sweater in the winter, ok fine. But most of the time, I just think it's unbelievably silly and it drives me nuts. Especially when I take Charley somewhere and people try to force me to put said silly outfit on him. Look, I'm not telling you to take the costume off your dog, quit telling me to put one on mine. But, hey, it's your money. You want to spend it on some biker jacket for your Daschaund, go for it.

The fact that the little girls clothing section mostly looks like a stripper store. Why on Earth do 5-10 year old girls need miniskirts, thigh-high boots, and fishnet stockings? No, I am not talking about during Halloween either. Do you know how hard it is to find age appropriate clothing for young girls???? Leave them alone. They are little girls who don't need screwed up body images at the age of 5.

When waiters lie to me: "Yes mam, that's the fat free dressing", only to find out a few bites in that it totally isn't. Yes, I can tell. After being on a limited fat diet for 8 months, I can tell when I'm being given the full fat version of things. It's not pretty either. Ruins my whole night and it's why I'm terrified of eating out.

The improper use of words like: their, there, and they're or to, too, and two. It's English people learn the difference. It's really not that hard. Oh, and while on this tangent, it's before. B-E-F-O-R-E, not B4. There is no reason to use 'textspeak' anywhere other than texts to people you know. Oh, and quit adding random z's to things. Grr. No wonder other countries think we're a bunch of morons.

My biggest pet peeve of all though has to be the slang usage of the word 'retard'. There is no appropriate time it should ever be used to describe a person, event, etc. I hate that it's been turned into what it has and it pisses me off when people use it the way modern society uses it.

I have many other pet peeves, but if I don't stop now, you'll be reading for the next 5 days. 

Photo Challenge: Day Six: Shadow

2onTuesday (on a Wednesday): Christmas Wish List

Tuesday, Andrea asked us:

What’s your Christmas wish list? What do you hope to receive from Santa?

Well, I'm gonna be a bit sneaky and have 3. Yes, three! My dream list, my hope list, and my actuality list. So...

The Dream List:

Farmhouse with wrap-around porch



Josh Turner (Please?)

Candy apple red Mustang convertible 1950's model

The Hope List:

Dyson Animal DC25

Iphone 4s

The Acuality List:





Yes, I realize it's blank. Eric has only bought me a Christmas present once. That was our first year together. So, it's very likely I'll get nada. Love that man, but he just doesn't care about holidays or birthdays.

Photo Challenge: Day 5: Trees

Sunrise on a line of trees near my house.

Photo Challenge: Day Four: Water

A leaf falling on my parents' pond.

Photo Challenge: Day Three: Fire

Once again, I'm using an older photo. We are not allowed to have open flame in the town I live in, unless it's a BBQ grill. So, I'm using a photo I took at the wonderful Jackie's house in 2010.

Photo Challenge: Day Two: Flying

Ok. I admit freely that this picture wasn't taken today. However, it was taken by me back in 2009. It's a photo of some flowers with the US Flag flying in the background. I just love the way this photo turned out. I just couldn't find something flying today worthy of a photo.

Photo Challenge: Day One: Self Portrait

Yep. That's me! This might be the hardest one out of the 30 for me. I -hate- my picture being taken. I love being beind the camera, but not in front of it. I could have taken time to style my hair, put on makeup, etc, but none of that is me. My hair is worn up in a ponytail or hanging around my shoulders. There are few days where I do more than brush it. Makeup? I've worn it 3 times in the last 4 years. So, there I am. How you're most likely to see me on a day-to-day basis.

Coming to November: A New 30 Day Challenge

Well, since I seem to be lacking severely in blog posts lately, I found another 30 Day Challenge that peaked my interest. It's a complete photography challenge. I'll be listing the days and the topic for that day. I hope others want to join in, but if not, I hope people at least enjoy mine.( Btw, if you do decide to play along, all photos must be taken by you. ) So, starting November 1, I will have one post a day for you!

30 Day Photography Challenge:

 1.Self Portrait
 2.Flight
 3.Fire
 4.Water
 5.Trees
 6.Shadows
 7.Macro
 8.Where I Live
 9.Texture
 10.Technology
 11.Household Item
 12.Motion
 13.Food
 14.Architecture
 15.Vintage
 16.Toys
 17.Emotions
 18.Reflections
 19.Insects
 20.Books
 21.Church
 22.Fashion
 23.Color
 24.Season
 25.Rocks, Stones, Pebbles
 26.Looking Up
 27.Abandoned
 28.Furry Friends
 29.Accidental Letters
 30.Free Choice

Have you ever...

1.Taken a picture completely naked? No

2.Had a relationship with a friend on your MySpace/Facebook page? I'm in one currently. Actually, I'm with Eric because of MySpace. It was a message from him through MS that got us together. Life's interesting how it works.

3.Danced in front of your mirror naked? Can't say that I have. I try not to look at the mirror sans clothes.

4.Told a lie? Who hasn't? White lies are told for a reason. Bold faced lie though? Not in the recent past. I'm sure I did when I was younger.

5.Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back? Oh my, yes. The feeling sucks too.

6.Been arrested? No. We have enough of that with my brother. Don't need to add me to that list.

7.Stolen something from a store? When I was a kid, sure.

8.Seen someone/something die? I watched a kitten of mine die in my arms because we were too poor to afford the vet care.

9.Slept until after noon? I'm sure I have. Most recently, when I was in the hospital after surgery.

10.Had sex at work? Um, ewww.

11.Fallen asleep at work/school? Both actually. Slept a good portion of business management class away in college. Fell asleep one day while working as a hotel maid.

12.Held a snake? Yep. Several of them.

13.Ran a red light? Yep. Luckily I wasn't caught when I did.

14.Been suspended from school? No, I left that up to my brother, who was suspended religiously.

15.Totaled your car in an accident? My car? No. My Dad's car when I was 16, yes.

16.Danced in the rain? Danced, not that I can recall. I have marched in the rain though.

17.Smoked? Other than Cigarettes? Yes, I smoked cigarettes off and on from the time I was 18 until I was 27. And yes, I smoked the 'other' too when I was a teenager.

18.Been fired from a job? Only once. It was my first job when I was 16. I had just started working there when I had to take a week's vacation to go with the marching band to Florida. I was fired after returning.

19.Sang karaoke? No. I have sang in front of an audience though. I was in my high school's show choir.

20.Done something you told yourself you never would? Yes. After my first relationship with a Navy man, I swore I'd never do it again. Good thing I did though. I love Eric to death.

21.Laughed until a drink came out your nose? This actually happens a lot more than I ever thought it would. This is a regular occurence for me.

22.Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes! I've also ate snow directly from the ground and had snowcream too.

23.Kissed in the rain? I don't believe so. Not that I can remember anyway. So if I have, it wasn't very memorable.

24.Sang in the shower? No. For some reason I only seem to sing in the car.

25.Been given a nickname unrelated to your given name? Yep. Dink. It's my alter ego and was bestowed upon me many moons ago when I played softball. The girls all called me Dink which stood for "Doesn't Think". This was because I have a habit of saying things without thinking prior.

26.Ever gone out without underwear? Not willingly.

27.Sat on a roof top? Again, not willingly. Sometimes, life makes you do stupid things.

28.Played chicken? No. Cars aren't toys.

29.Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? No, but I have been thrown into a lake with all my clothes on.

30.Broken a bone? Several of them. Most memorable is both of the bones in my left forearm when I was a child.

31.Mooned/flashed someone? Sadly, yes. I was that person who rode shotgun and mooned people as the car drove by.

32.Shaved your head? No. I've thought about it time and time again though. My hair drives me insane sometimes.

33.Slept naked? I do occasionally. It's rare though.

34.Played a prank on someone? Like funny, ha-ha prank? Sure. A mean, malicious one? Never.

35.Had a gym membership? Nope. It'd just be wasted money.

36.Felt like killing someone? Oh yeah. I've thought about it when I get pissed off. But, I have to be REALLY angry.

37.Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? No idea. I'm sure I have.

38.Cried over someone you were in love with? Yep. Sometimes out of fear of loss, sometimes out of frustration, sometimes out of joy.

39.Told a lie about someone else just to hurt them? Oh, I'm sure I did back in high school. High school is hell people.

40.Had exotics for pets? Depends on what you mean as exotic. Other than cat/dog/fish? Then yes. I had a hamster.

41.Been in a band? Does Marching Band and Concert Band count?

42.Gotten away with a lie? Yep.

43.Taken more than 10 shots of alcohol? In one night? Never. Came close.

44.Shot a gun? Yes! M16-A2 in boot camp. Beretta 9mm at a friend's.

45.Kissed someone today? Only the kids. Eric gets up and heads to work long before I'm awake.

46.Played strip poker? Yes.

47.Visited a foreign country? Only Canada.

48.Donated blood? Only once and I've been put on the blacklist. Apparently, chronically anemic people are prohibited from donation.

49.Jumped out of an airplane? No, but dammit I want to! Sort of.

50.Eaten something exotic, ie frog legs? I've had ostrich when I was younger. Oh, and chocolate covered ants.

2 on Tuesday: Toys

 

Yes, I fully admit I skipped last weeks 2 on Tuesday post. Sorry Andrea, we're just not big TV watchers. Well, unless you count Sprout, Nick Jr, and HLN. Yeah, we're more movie watchers.

So, moving on into this week, Andrea asked:

What were your two favorite childhood toys?

Now, let me warn you: I'm sharing three. Why? Because I can and Andrea doesn't mind if we bend the rules. That's why this girl is awesome. So, here we go!

My two favorite toys growing up were my:

 Rainbow Brite doll WITH Twink. I went through a totally hardcore stage where I was obsessed with Rainbow Brite. I know I had these dolls, other Color Kids dolls, the bedding, a kite and who knows what else. I carried this doll everywhere with me.

The other favorite thing was:

Yes, Pound Puppies (and Kitties). I had all breeds, all kinds. The ones that had puppies. The ones that didn't. The kitties. The puppies. You name it. I had it. These things were AWESOME!



I mean, come on. What kid mid-1980s wouldn't have foamed at the mouth after that commercial?

Now, because I said I was doing three, I'm going to branch off from toys. Seriously, I actually spent more time with my nose buried in books than I did playing. I was obsessed with the Nancy Drew series. Hardy Boys had NOTHING on Miss Drew. I'd read the book, then reread it. See if I missed anything. Nancy Drew truly started my love for the mystery novel.

2 on Tuesday: Cleaning Products

So, Andrea asked today:

What two cleaning products make your life easier?

Well, that's simple!

Emali and Erin!!! Oh wait...Maybe Andrea meant actual cleaning products. Hrm....Well, okay then. *think* *think*. Got it!

I used to scrub floors on my hands and knees with a bucket of soapy water and a washrag. Then I discovered Swiffer wetpads, but those leave a weird film that I cant stand. That's when I came across this beauty:

A Shark Steam Mop! Love this thing. All it uses is water! No chemicals, no films. I dont even have to wait for things to dry, because it's steam and it's pretty much already dry seconds after I mop. I really dont know what I'm going to do when this one dies. Cry, most likely.

The second product I couldnt see myself living without is:

My Bissell Little Green Machine Pet! Ya'll, I have 3 kids, a dog and 3 cats. My carpet gets messy, quickly. With this I dont have to lug out a full size machine everytime someone/something makes a mess on the carpet. Just whip this little baby out and BLAM! spot is taken care of easy peasy.

However, like Andrea, I despise cleaning. I do it, but I dont like it. In fact, most of the time, my house looks like a toy bomb exploded. Or, in the case of the girls' room, like a clothes bomb exploded. But, hey, who cares?

2 On Tuesday: Island Essentials

Today is another installment of "2 on Tuesday" hosted by Andrea over at My Chihuahua Bites! Today's topic is:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what two items would you wish to have with you? (I know you’ll have more than two. I would have one million. It’s ok if you share more than two.)

Well, I'm only going to share two. I'll start by saying, my family wasnt involved in the plane crash that led to being stranded. They stayed home. So, with that said, I'd bring:

A hammock with a canopy so I have a shaded place to sleep comfortably. I dont plan on being on this island all that long. As you'll see by my next item:

A satellite phone. Yep. I went uber geek and went for the satellite phone. Guaranteed signal on this bad boy! So, I'll make my phone call SOS and chill on my hammock while waiting for my rescue. :)

2 on Tuesday: Fall!

Today I'm participating in "2 on Tuesday" on Andrea's blog over at My Chihuahua Bites! Today's topic is:

What are your two favorite things about fall?


Well, I love fall because it means cooler weather. Cooler weather means boots! I love boots! Tall boots, short boots, ankle boots, moto boots, etc. Just boots.

My newest pair of ankle boots!

The second thing I love about fall is the changing leaf colors. The true beauty of trees gets to be displayed in a gorgeous array of colors. How can you not love fall?



Q&A - A MeMe

Stolen from Andrea @My Chihuhua Bites!

MAKEUP
Blush or bronzer? Neither. I dont normally do the whole makeup thing. Plus, I have naturally rosy cheeks.

Lipgloss or lipstick? Both have their place in my life. Though I rarely wear either, I do own them both.

Eyeliner or mascara? Neither. My eyes are way too sensitive to use them. Plus again, I dont normally do the whole makeup thing.

Foundation or concealer? When I do wear makeup, foundation. Concealer doesnt cover me like I like.

Neutral or colored eye shadow? Neither. Again, dont wear makeup often so it's usually only foundation, some powder, and some lipstick when I do.

Pressed or loose eye shadow? There's a difference????

Brushes or sponges? Fingertips? Again, can we tell I'm not a makeup professional?


NAILS
OPI or China Glaze? Huh? No clue what this is. I'm guessing brands.

Long or short? Varies. Depends on when I find time to cut them. :) Most of the time they are long.

Acrylic or natural? Natural all the way. Up until 5 years ago, I was a horrid nail biter. So, now that I've gotten over that, I love to show off my natural nails.

Brights or darks? Neither? I dont paint my nails.

Flower or no flower? If I was going to paint my nails, flower all the way. I like to do odd things, so having a flower design would rock.

BODY
Perfume or body splash? Neither. Eric's allergic to fragrences. Though, I used to wear perfume religiously.

Lotion or body butter? Again, neither. Eric's allergies cover this too. On the rare chances I get to use it (like when he'd go out to sea), it was always some fruity scented lotion.

Body wash or soap? Body wash all the way. I use the Dial Yogurts ones. Love them!

LUSH or other bath company? Yeah, again, no freaking clue what this is.

FASHION
Jeans or sweat pants? Sweats at home. Jeans if I'm going out in 'public'. Dress pants if the occasion calls for it.

Flip flops or sandals? Both! I would wear them all year if I could.

Scarves or hats? When it's cold, both. As a fashion statement? Scarves cause I wear them on my head.

Studs or dangly earrings? Due to a metal allergy, I dont wear earrings often. Cause my ears get horridly inflamed when I do. But I love the dangly ones!

Necklaces or bracelets? Necklaces! The only bracelet I wear often is my "Cure NF" bracelet.

Heels or flats? Flats. Though I'd love to wear heels.

Cowboy boots or riding boots? Riding boots. Moto boots. Knee high boots. I LOVE BOOTS!

Jacket or hoodie? Hoodie. Up until a few years ago, I didnt even own a jacket. :)

Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe? Yeah, I'm 31 years old. I dont think Forever 21 is a good place for me to be. No clue what Charlotte Russe is.

abercrombie or Hollister? Um. Neither. Not my style.

Saks 5th Avenue or Nordstrom? *sigh* I love to browse Nordstorm, but it's not my style. Pretty to look at though. Wish I had the kind of life to wear it. Stay at home mom of 3 doesnt exactly flow with their stuff though.


HAIR
Curly or straight? Ugh. Some random inbetween mess. Though, when I wear it down, I straighten it most of the time.

Bun or ponytail? Ponytail, or tucked ponytail, pretty much all day every day.

Bobby pins or butterfly clips? Butterfly clips! I use them after I wash my hair to pull it up so I dont break my hair with the normal hair ties.

Hairspray or hair gel? Neither. Ever.

Long or short? Depends on my mood. I've been both. Though currently it's down past my bra stap in the back. 

Light or dark? Dark, though I was born a natural blonde. Go figure.

Side sweep bangs or full bangs? Ha ha! I have full bangs! Yep. Full 5th grader bangs. Heart them!

Up or down? While I love the look of my hair down, I cant stand it that way for long. So up 98% of the time.

RANDOM
Rain or shine? Rain!!! Thunderstorms are the best!

Summer or winter? Winter. I love me some snow!

Fall or spring? Spring! Cause that means planting time is just around the corner. And I love to plant flowers.

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate.  Duh.

East or west coast? MidWest! Ohio baby. O-H! I-O! Go Buckeyes!

30 Day Challenge - Day Thirty

A picture of someone you miss

My Grandpa. This is the only picture I have of him. This is me and him when I was just under a year old. He used to do this all the time with us grandkids. I may not have many pictures of him, but I have millions of memories. He died when I was right before I was a teenager, and I still miss him fiercely. I'm tearing up right now thinking about him. I think that's how you know how wonderful of man he was. That it's been this many years and I still miss him. I remember the walks and the stories. Listening to his records. Reading the dictionary. Watching Mr Rogers Neighborhood with him.

30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Nine

A picture that can always make you smile

Alvin at a year old in his DOC band giving the stink-eye. I LOVE this picture. It makes me laugh every time I see it. No, not because of the DOC band. Because of the stink-eye he's giving.

30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Eight

A picture of something you’re afraid of

Spiders! Omg....*shudder* I hate hate hate hate hate spiders. Big ones. Small ones. Doesnt matter. Terrified of them all.