Getting to Know You - 2/28/10

Today is Sunday...and that means it is Getting to Know You Day!

I just want to say before I begin, Keely, you do an amazing job with this meme...and the women who participate are truly wonderful.  I can tell you that I have received the most comments on these memes than any other post I write.  So, all you ladies ROCK!

Ok, on with the show...

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1. Would you rather bungee jump or sky dive?

Ummm, now I will confess, I am a total thrill seeker, but I am so TERRIFIED of heights...so while I will definitely never do EITHER...I still like to pick ONE...and that would be...ok, I guess skydiving...I mean, if I am going to go out, I better go ALL out, right?

2. When using a public restroom do you squat over the seat or sit?
It really depends on which public restroom I am using...the ones at my office, I just sit down, they are REALLY clean...but, if I go into another 'unknown' bathroom, YES, I cover it with toilet paper and hover over it praying my bottom doesn't touch any part of the seat.

3. Favorite flower?
Well, it is more of a bush, I guess, but it has flowers.  It is the Lilac bush!

4. Pedicure or manicure?
Pedicure...although, I do them myself...I have had bad experiences with nail salons...but, I used to go to them quite often

5. How many siblings do you have?
1...a sister who is almost 8 years older than me....she used to torture me by curling my hair, doing my makeup and making me get all dressed up...I guess this explains my fear of mascara and curling irons.

6. Do you pee in the shower? (gasp!)
Really? Really?  Even if I did pee in the shower, I would lie RIGHT NOW!

7. Bikini, tankini, or one piece?
Haha, one piece with a t shirt over it...No, I have a one piece...but it does have a skirt type bottom on it (I mean, I do have to cover myself a little bit, right? 

8. Where do you hate to shop at, but go there anyway?
Nowhere really!  I don't go places I 'hate' to shop!  We are fortunate to have a GREAT grocery store with wonderful people working there...although I do HATE shopping in their bakery section...I mean, it is such a tease for a bread lover like me!!!!

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So, go, go now to Keely's blog to link up to participate in Getting to Know You...she has a specific goal to reach today...Let's see if we can break her record.

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Would You Look For Her?

A few months ago, during one of my drives to see my dad when he was in the hospital, I began having this innate desire to find someone.  It was such a strong desire that as soon as I got to the hospital and settled in to the chair by my dad's bedside, I began to tell him of my desire to find this person.  I was so excited...it seemed so right...it was as if this HAD to be done...I thought his reaction would be the same...but, it wasn't...he wasn't really big on the idea.  So, being that I am kind of a daddy's girl, I took his advice and 'called off the search.'
Well, today, I am revisiting the idea of looking for this person.  So, I want your advice on whether or not you would try to...given the situation...to find this person. 

Of course, for you to answer that question, I kind of have to tell you what the situation is, don't I?

So, let's go back...Hmmm...almost 15 years ago...when I was the young age of 15.  The date is August 20, 1995.  It is a Sunday.  I was living with my mother, 'stepfather,' and my 'setpbrothers' in Northern VA.  Lee, the oldest of my two step brothers (and the one I was closer to), decided we were going to go swimming with a friend of ours, Patrick (who had just returned from Basketball camp), at a local swimming hole in a nearby resevoir.  I remember while we were walking towards the swimming hole...about a mile away...we were eating a package of coconut cookies.

The area we were swimming in was a branch off the main resevoir and was about 20 feet wide...on the other side of the 'branch' was a huge rock that went out into the water...we decided to swim to the other side and jump off of the rock into the water.  So, Lee went first, then Patrick, then me.

About halfway across, Patrick stopped.  I know he stopped because I caught up to him.  I was confused and I looked at him.  His face looked completely blank...his eyes got big...in that split second he began frantically splashing and waving his arms...and, in the only way I know how to describe it, he began trying to 'climb me like a ladder'...pushing me down into the water as if he were trying to climb out of the water.

I remember coming up...SCREAMING for my brother...All I remember is trying to keep myself up while trying to hold onto Patrick...I could feel myself taking in a lot of water...and I was becoming weak...as my brother swam back out to us, he told me to go back...he was worried I would drown.  So, I did...I left...I went to the rock.

Once I got there, I turned around to look to see what was happening.  What I saw was nothing..no one!  Not my brother, not Patrick...NOTHING BUT WATER and ripples.  Then, Lee came up...I saw him.  He said, "I got him, I got him."  Then, my brothers face turned as white as a ghost...'HE LET GO, HE LET GO...HELP!!!!!'...then Lee went under water again...up, and down, and up and down he went as I yelled and yelled for help!  It seemed like forever before someone came...I was running down the shore line to some boaters and a few people from their homes came out and called 911.

It seemed like forever...forever!

All I remember was an officer escorting us home...the road we went home on that daywas not the road we walked on to get to the swimming hole.  The road we were on would never be the same road we walked on again in life.

Our friend drowned that day.  It took over 40 minutes to recover his body.

His memorial in his family's South Carolina Southern Baptist Church was amazing to someone who had never sat through such a service (you know, the extent of religion in my house was a regular joke my Dad would tell)...During his memorial, the pastor spoke about how it was not our place to question God's will for calling Patrick home...he went on to say that for all we knew, God needed a new player on his Basketball team.

That day I found God...or rather, God found me.  Moreso, that day I accepted God's will into my life. 

It was an unbelieveable experience...one I can never tell, or write, with out shedding tears. 

However, there is something from that beautiful day that doesn't rest well with me.  I remember waking past the casket at his funeral and looking at his mother...I remember wanting her to reach out to me so we could comfort each other with an embrace.

I still want to hug her today!  I want her to know her son did not die in vain...that he is still thought of...that his death 'saved' me and brought me to God...I was certainly not in a position to ever know Him otherwise. 

I need to tell her how I feel...as a mother, if I lost my child, I would want to know something, anything, good came out of it.

So, that's my question...would you look for her?

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Do You Agree?

So, it's late...I was in DC ALL day...I am tired...I want to do a post today, but am lazy and want to go to bed...so...here it is!

I found this on the Libertarian Blog today:

Poll: Americans think the federal government poses a threat to our rights

posted by Staff on Feb 26, 2010

from CNN:

A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll.

Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government's become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Forty-four percent of those polled disagree.

DO YOU AGREE...WITH THE MAJORITY???

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A Few Sincere THANK YOU'S!

Despite only having been in the blog world for a little under 4 months, I have 'met' some wonderful people...intelligent, humorous, unique writers who are wonderful to interact with.  Among all the wonderful people I have 'met,' I have a few bloggy friends of mine who have definitely shown me some love the last few days, way above and beyond the 'call of bloggy duty.'

So, I really want to take my time today to really thank them for being AMAZING bloggy friends and for being an inspiration to me in many ways and for showing me the love they have.

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(**Insert - Music, Golden Girls theme song “Thank You For Being a Friend"**)

First, I want to thank Ian...for some reason, he has taken an interest in me and my blog (Why…I have no clue…I mean, I am an accountant and by far the most boring person I know)...he has also given me some useful advice and some really good laughs over the last few days. He has an awesome sense of humor and isn’t afraid to share his most in-depth thoughts with his readers (and the most in depth pictures…of himself... wearing fishnet stockings while...performing in the Rocky Horror Picture Show…I mean, you can’t get better than that, can you?).  He has also highlighted me on his blog (by stealing a meme from me that wasn't even mine...haha) and has asked me to do a guest post on his blog (MY FIRST GUEST POST...WOW!!!...I am sort of star struck over this)...it should be interesting (Here's a clue on what's to come of that guest post: Washington vs. Baltimore....Ian, I hope I am not violating any pre-guest-post-rules by doing this).

Next, I would like to thank Robin for being a fellow LOST-ie, hosting LOSTapalooza on her blog and being the instigating force behind many awesome LOSTie BlogFrog discussions. She also highlighted me and my blog today in her newsletter and I think that is just so nice of her. We are even in the discussion stages of possibly taking a family road trip to TX so Robin can show us around her neck of the woods (I do love the food in Texas....Mmmmmm).  Ok, back to Robin...she also does some really awesome giveaways on her blog!...and I have even won one of her giveaways myself! 

Finally, I want to thank Sam…yes, a fellow Sam in blog land…it is so nice to find someone you can relate to…and our similarities go beyond our name…she has faced many of the same situations in life as I have …and although she is still a youthful college girl, exploring life, she is wise beyond her years…she also spotlighted me on her blog and is also hosting an giveaway for 2 - $15 gift cards (one to Starbucks and one to Dunkin Donuts).

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So, go check out these wonderful bloggers and show them some love...you might even win yourself a giveaway in the process...or at the least, get a wonderful laugh (you know, at Ian's fishnet stockings...unless he took that post down...haha)!

THANKS guys!

P.S. it would only be fair to also recognize that EACH of the above mentioned people are also LOST craving maniacs in need of a local LOST support group, not just Robin! 

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LOSTapalooza - 2/24/10

The last 18 hours have been THE hardest 18 hours I have had to endure in a Very Long time...

Why, you ask? 

Well, because while attempting to download a new template for a blog design, I somehow managed to instead download a "Rogue Antivirus Virus."  Yes, despite decades of internet and computer knowledge (and even a couple college courses in IST), I downloaded my very FIRST virus!  So, to make a long (and very painful) story short I was without a computer almost 18 hours...and NO, Joe DID NOT let me borrow his laptop (yeah, I know, how RUDE!).

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Anyhow, now that I have tarnished my ego, yet again, I will move on to BIGGER and BETTER things...like LOST!  Yes, today is Wednesday, which means last night I watched a new episode of LOST...and for those of you who didn't see it, IT WAS WONDERFUL (hey, at least I got the virus on LOST night, right?...the only night I am dedicated to my TV)!...and today is LOSTapalooza (which, for those of you interested in linking up, is being hosted at Robin's Blog).

So, I'll start with this...I know everyone is worried that ALL their questions might not be answered.  But sorry guys, being the NUMBER-LOVING-GEEKY-ACCOUNTANT that I am, I only really care about 1 thing...4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42!  The lighthouse, oh the lighthouse just explained it all to me!!  The degrees are the numbers!  Yeah!  I love it!

Oh, and CLAIRE is CrAzY!!!!!  Yuppers, she has the 'infection' for sure!  I thought Jin was so dumb for lying at first, but I quickly realized...He so DID THE RIGHT THING!  Um, yup, cause she is cRaZy!!!!

And, well, Locke AKA smoke monster...he is scared of that boy...or something, for sure!!...after re-watching last week's episodes, he mirrors the SAME anger and fears Locke had!  "Don't tell me what I can or can't do!"  Yeah, I get it!  He's still a loser!  Sorry Locke-fans!  Then, of course, Peggy Bundy and her "Maybe it's Destiny"...which leads me back to this...some things can be altered...and some things are just meant to be!

But, I have to admit, most of you know, I am so a Team-Kate kind of girl...I know, she is so indecisive and was very broken, but I love progress...and I think she has done a great job with herself!  I am just so worried she may not be a part of the final 'team.'  I am hoping Sawyer is her soul-mate and they kind of get the 2-for-1 special going on...unfortunately, I think this is wishful thinking!  I think I saw her name last night on the compass/sundial thingy...and I think it was already scratched out.  ;( 

And, one final thought on where I think things are going...obviously, we know the candidates are there to 'replace' Jacob as the 'protector' of the island...I am now thinking Jacob is definitely good (I questioned this before)...I also think Jack will end up being 'the one' as Jacob stated he has to 'see it' on his own! "It" being that he is the chosen one...and thus his importance! And, I think Hurley will be a "Richard" of some sort...the go between...I am not sure so much about anyone else, but that's my take on where things are headed.

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Usually Robin has a few questions for us to answer...so, after writing most of this all out, I went to her place to check out the questions...and well, she just wanted to hear our views on the series (so, no questions this week)...well, Robin, I think we are on the same wave length, because I did that BEFORE I checked out your blog today!  ;)

I hope you all join in on the fun over at Robin's place!  I would sure love to read what everyone else thinks!

Happy LOSTapalooza-ing everyone!

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Not Me! Monday - 2/22/10

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival is hosted over at MckMama's blog! So, if you feel a little guilty because your child was playing in your toilet while you were running his bath water, then you really should head on over to MckMama's blog to let it all out (I DID NOT let Jr do that by the way)!

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Well, I must admit, I have been a GOOD girl this week, really! My laundry is done (and folded and put away...all of it)...dishes are done, floors are clean, beds have fresh sheets, carpets are vacuumed...so, as you see, I don't have much to complain about as far as I go...so, what do I do when I have been a GOOD girl? Well, if you guessed "throw my family under the bus" you are absolutely RIGHT! So, this Not Me! Monday is dedicated to Not My Family!

• Eva did not wear her school clothes from Friday morning until Sunday morning...Eeewww! She didn't totally love her outfit so much that it ended up smelling like God knows what once I finally made her take it off!


• Jr is not now pulling the chairs out from under the table, climbing up on said chairs and then on to the table! Nope, and certainly if he was, he wouldn't have been on top of the table long enough for him to scare the crap out of me when I turned the corner to find him up there! Certainly, I would never take my eyes off of him long enough for him to climb up on our table. (yeah, and again, he DID NOT play in the toilet before his bath this week)


• Vic did not end up going to World Thinking day to participate in a mock fashion show (they were representing Italy)...being the conservative mom I am I did not make vic weare a jean/jean jacket/sparkly shirt outfit that covered ALL skin so that she wouldn't bee too skimpy for the show....well, she was not deemed the "BAD GIRL" of the show as she looked, I guess, like a BAD-As* biker chick...honestly, I was trying to be GOOD mom! ;)


• Ummm, well, let's just say I DID NOT have my 4th deer related vehicle accident...Nope, because this has been my Good Girl week, so I wouldn't tarnish my reputation by hitting my 4th deer in the last 4 years! (No, that is not an average of 1 deer related vehicle accident per year since I have lived in the country...you know, just in case you did the math)!

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So, what did your family (or you) Not Do this week?

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Getting to Know You - 2/21/10

Welcome to Getting To Know You...this fun meme is hosted by Keely. You can head on over to her blog to play along in this fun fest.

Here are this weeks questions...

1. How often do you wash/change your sheets?

Once a week at least...you know, when you have kids, they tend to track tons of stuff in your bed during snuggle time.

2. When is your birthday?

I was born on Labor Day 1979...you will have to do some research if you want to know my actual birth date....

3. Have you ever met a bloggy friend in real life?

No, not yet, but there are a few that I would really LOVE to meet IRL!...and have mentioned it to some length, even in a joking manner! ;)

4. Brad Pitt or George Clooney?

George Clooney all the way...there is something so attractive about gray hair! I have a few 'older man' attractions (Richard Gere and Sean Connery are two)

5. If you could change one thing about your body what would it be?

My Breasts...I had developmental issues and had surgery...I am 'reformed' up there...literally!

6. How often do you wash your hair?

Every other day...

7. Do you have pets?

Yes, all dogs and all are now outside (I no longer have puppies in my closet).

8. How many social networks do you belong to..if you had to give up one, what would it be?

Baby Center, Twitter, BlogFrog...are those all social networking? If so, then 3...I would give up BabyCenter if I had to...only because I can find the same things somewhere else and I haven't made quite the number of connections with people that I have made on the other two.

Happy Sunday!

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Giveaway Winners - Announcement!!!

Ok, so my first official giveaway ended Friday night at 11:59pm....although, not even I remembered that, so needless to say, I had a select group of entries (5 TOTAL to be exact - 4 for the Samantha and 1 for the Payton).

The winner of the Payton is Michele for her grandson (yes, she is brave enough to put Burgundy and Gold on her Grandson...but, apparently she is the only one brave enough...haha)...Next year 'Skins, next year...right?

And, using a Random Integer Generator (RIG) (and no, the RIG wasn't one of my children, altough I thought about that) the winner of the Samantha is.....drumroll please.....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:4
Timestamp: 2010-02-21 12:30:38 UTC

Ok, so I know that means NOTHING to you guys, so I will just tell you...entrant #4 was my dear friend and co-LOST-ie, ROBIN at Lolidots!!!! Way to go Robin (and I swear, I did not rig this NOR did I do the RIG more than once...honesty is a HUGE virtue of mine, you know, being that I am accountant and NOT a politician).

Thanks to Alexis for making such beautiful hats....and thanks for all the lovely riddles from eveyone who participated...and thanks to Krystena for the inspiration for the fun giveaway!

Congrats to the winners (or veiners as I call them in my not-so-good-German accent). ;)

Happy Sunday Everyone!

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"It's Official"

I woke up with a keen sense this morning that there was something I had to do...and then I thought about what that was...well, I realized, It's Official...my giveaway ended last night...oops, well, at least those of you who entered have a GREAT chance of winning. I will announce the winner tomorrow before Getting To Know You!

Ok, so just a few points about life right now:

• I spent 14 hours away from home at the office yesterday (yes, I left at 6am and returned home right before 9pm)! It was so nice to go into the office (you know, I hadn't been there in over 3 weeks due to the snow)...I really do love my days in the office... being around colleagues, away from laundry, and in a different setting! I did miss my babes though...
• TODAY is World Thinking Day for Girl Scouts...Our troop chose Italy as our country and we are doing a fashion show...Victoria will get all dressed up and have her hair and make up done like a fashion model.
• Eva Got her SECOND report card...She has mastered her alphabet and a few other things...She is definitely ONE SMART COOKIE (just like her mama...haha)
• Jr is now just a talking and a walking and getting into EVERYTHING!!! He has figured out how to pull the chair out from under the table and climb up on said table...Do all BOYS do THIS???? My girls certainly didn't!
• I hit another deer last night! Fortunately, I was paying attention and slammed on my brakes and only caught the 'tail end' (no pun intended) of said deer! For the record, this is my FOURTH deer accident since I have lived in the country!
• I am going to select a winner for my giveaway! Stay tuned...it just might be you!
• I have some really neat new readers (for some reason, I don't like the word 'follower', but hey)....HELLO and WELCOME New Readers! Thanks!
• I officially feel like a blogger today...Why, you ask? Well, I feel guilty for not posting yesterday, I have comments I need to respond to, and I wrote this post before had my cup of coffee for the morning (certainly, if I can do this without coffee, it must be official).

And now, off to get a cup of coffee...I REALLY need it!

Happy Saturday!

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Wanna Know What I Watch?

Joining in on Elizabeth's Meme...Top 3 Thursday!

This week's Top 3...Television Shows!!!

Here I go....

Coming in at #3: Cheaters! Ok, I know, let me have it...I don't know what my fascination is with this show, but it just intrigues me...of course, I have to make sure no children are around when I watch it....ahem!

In at #2: Yup, you guessed it (you know I am a NERD!!)..."It's Jeopardy"

And, as if you EVEN had to ask what my #1, most favorite show of ALL TIME is...Drum Roll, please......LOST! Duhhhhh!

So, what are your favorite shows? Head on over to Elizabeth's Place to play along in Top 3 Thursday!

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LOSTapalooza - 2/17/10

Ok, so here's the deal...Every Wednesday, us fellow LOST-ies all gather around over at Robin's Blog to ponder, analyze and interpret LOST...and I am pretty sure we eventually come to the conclusion that we really won't know anything for certain until it is all over.

So, to start this fun fest off, here my responses to this week's LOSTapalooza questions...

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1. Do you believe in Destiny?

Yes, but I also believe one can change their destiny through free-will...I know, I love circular philosophy! It is never short and sweet though is it...ok, ok, so, yes, some things are meant to be...but some things you can change...it's sort of like the Serenity Prayer...you just have to know the difference. ;)

2. Kate's story is very much laden with the theme of running from things. Have you ever been someone who ran from something?

Um, yeah, I ran away quite a few times as a child...once I ran away to NY and then was stealing gas at a Newark NJ gas station (yeah, ever seen NJ Drive...the movie)...well, needless to say, I don't run from much of anything anymore as an adult...really.

3. In the seasons there were "filler episodes". The episodes that didn't answer or ask any questions. The episodes that have a tendency to infuriate those who are wanting every episode to go somewhere. But, they sure are entertaining. What was your favorite "filler episode"?

Hmmmm....Hmmmmm.....Ok, well I love, all the episodes of Hurley's bad luck...I mean, his house catches on fire, the asteroid hits his restaurant...not to mention Cheech...But, after seeing Peggy Bundy again last night (yeah, I have to call her Peggy), I really also liked all John Locke's history with her and his father. I didn't think either of those were question/answer giving episodes. This is a hard one though...

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Ok, off find Robin so we can chat on BlogFrog about last night's episode...head on over to Robin's place to grab the questions, play along and link up!

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From a Cell Phone's Perspective...

So, my new phone arrived yesterday...Before I programmed the new phone, I had to get all the pictures and videos off the old phone. So, I decided to share some shots, completely unedited (not even cropped), from my cell phone over the last year or so...

A Visiting Turtle!

A Tea Party at Church!

Summer Fun!

BUB...

Cupcakes!!!

Are You Awake?

Kings Dominion Trip.....

Bub....

He took this photo himself!

Big Blue Eyes!!!

Chuck E Cheese's...Eva Style!

Got Pumpkins??

Bub Turned 1 ... at Red Lobster!

And, I have a few post it notes to share!

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Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday…this is a collaborative effort to be brutally honest about the things we HAVE NOT done throughout this past week! So, if you are feeling a little bit guilty for sending your 4YO to school with her 10YO sister’s socks on, head on over to MckMama’s Blog to play along!
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So, here we go…

…This morning was NOT the first day back to school for the girls in over 2 weeks due to the snowy Mid Atlantic Tundra we live in.

…I did NOT neglect, once again, to fold and put away this weekend’s laundry…thus, having to search for a pair of socks for Eva, only to first find a pair of her sister’s socks and put them on her…nope, surely, I would have ALL laundry washed, folded and put away by Monday morning.

...Joe did NOT make my Valentine’s Day gifts…one of them being a card…the other being
a make-shift battery cover for my cell phone (ummm, yeah, using metal duct-work tape) to hold me off until my new one arrives today via UPS!!!

…I did NOT take the following picture with said, beat-up-on-its-last-leg-waiting-to-be-put-in-its-final-resting-place phone of mine!


…No, that is NOT Jr Covered in Chocolate in my bed…at 8am this morning….He is not crying because I would not give him the other half of the mini-Hershey-bar!

Happy Not Me!-ing Everyone!

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Getting to Know You - Happy V Day!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

I am playing along on Keely's meme Getting to Know You! You can head over to her blog to grab the questions and to play along!

Also, before I get to my answers, I just announced my first official giveaway earlier this morning...there are two prizes and the entry is very simple...if you are interested click here for more details.

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Getting to Know You!

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1. Favorite Valentine's candy?

Reese's PB Cup Hearts!!!! The big ones!!!! Umm, my ultimate favorite for ANY holiday!

2. Pink or red?

PINK!!!! Any shade of PINK...But-Please-No-Red!

3. Will you be doing anything to celebrate today?

Yup, baking a cake with the girls, giving them gifts, relaxing....so NO! ;)

4. Do you put up Valentine's decorations?

Only on my AOL Toolbar and Homepage! It will go back to a snow scene (I guess, you know, since I live in a Mid-Atlantic Tundra)!

5. What does Valentine's Day mean to you?

Well, it is a holiday to celebrate love...although, IMO, it has turned mostly into a marketable holiday for purposes of selling LOTS of candy and other stuff....

6. Would you rather get..flowers, candy, or a night out?

How about a quiet night home...I really like being home with my kids as long as they aren't going crazy. I guess flowers...unless, of course, Joe will buy me a HUGE bag of Reese's PB Cup Hearts and let me eat them all...but, I imagine, if he did I would end up with a huge stomach ache....So, I will say FLOWERS!!!!!

7. Sexy lingerie or nothing.at.all?

Yeah, I am just going to say yoga pants and a tank top! I mean, sorry, but that's me! ;)

8. Do you say Valentine's Day or Valentime's Day?

'Valentime's' DRIVES ME NUTS! My oldest says it! Ughh.....Definitely ValentiNe's Day

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It's Official - My First Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!!!!

....and Happy Valentine's Day!

That's right! It's here! I have been planning this giveaway for quite some time...actually, since right after I won Krystena's Ale8 Giveaway that I blogged about here...

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First, the prizes (yes, there are two):

This hat and flower are called The Samantha (no, it wasn't named after me, *sigh*)! It is available for purchase here at Alexis's Etsy shop (Threads of Hope). I bought one for Eva for her 5th Birthday, which is coming up very soon...Eva looks amazing in natural colors...however, I wanted to give you all the opportunity to win one for yourself a special little girl in your life today...

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This next hat was designed by Alexis just for me...I wanted to give away a 'non-girlie' hat...I decided it was going to be a football theme (well, because when I started planning this giveaway, it was right when NFL playoffs began and I LOVE football...[some have said I had a son JUST so he could play football]...)...and, of course, when deciding on the color, the very clear choice was Burgundy and Gold (Go 'Skins...Next Year, Right?)...and, if you dare to sport these colors on your son, or daughter, then you can win one TODAY! However, if you like the hat, but hate burgundy and gold like another team's colors better, you can also buy this hat, named The Payton, here, in your choice of colors, at Alexis's Etsy Shop (Threads of Hope).

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Here's How to Enter:

You must leave a comment on THIS post with your favorite RIDDLE (click here for ideas)...along with the answer (Jess, you are pardoned, although I am curious to know who they are looking for...Note to self, pay more attention to small details)

You must also specify which prize you would like to enter to win (either The Samantha or The Payton)...

You can enter to win BOTH prizes!!!! If you want to enter to win BOTH prizes, you must leave two separate comments, with two different riddles, and still note which hat each entry is for.

*****The deadline for entry is Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time)...the winners will be selected (using Random # Generator) and announced before noon Sunday, February 21, 2010.

*****This giveaway is open to everyone, HOWEVER, the prizes can only be shipped to locations within the US.

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I can't wait to read all the riddles!

Happy Riddling Everyone and Happy Valentine's Day!

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An Acknowledgement, an Award and an Announcement!!

This morning, when I woke up, I checked my blog roll to see what all my bloggy friends had written over the course of the night (yes, I enjoy Saturday mornings before the kids wake up drinking coffee and reading blogs)...anyhow, I never know what I am going to find when I read a post! However, today, I read something on Robin's Blog that struck me in such a way, I felt very compelled to share it with you all.

Robin, while discussing how we sometimes judge others (yes, even I, someone who really, really tries not to judge others, do find myself judging sometimes) said this:

"...as little as I know about what I'm doing, it's massive knowledge compared to what I know about someone else's situation." - Robin

...so, please allow this to resonate within you, as I think Robin has hit the 'proverbial' nail on the head with this one comment.

Robin, you should be like a modern day philosopher or something! Really!

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Moving on, I have recently been given a VERY cool award from Sam at 'Life is Beautiful' (yes, I found another Sam in Blog-Land and she is a business major, a Lover of LOST and a very cool person...all JUST like me)...She gave me this:

"This award means you're really going places, Baby. You'll still be blogging about your great adventures 10 years from now, and I'll still be reading them."

In order to accept this award, I first have to express where I think my life will be in 10 years....

In 10 years, my oldest will be approaching her junior year of COLLEGE!!! We will probably be sending in her application to MY JOB so she can study abroad (yes, I work for a non-profit organization that promotes diversity through college study abroad programs and SO FAR, both of my daughters have expressed an interest in studying abroad...yeah!)...Eva will be getting ready to go to high school (I can only imagine)...Jr will be getting ready for 5th grade! WOW!

As for me, I hope to be someone who raises most of her own meats...someone who grows, harvests and cans her own veggies...and someone who raises chickens to lay her own eggs. YES!!!! I want to be more self sufficient in life...I want to cut out processed, store bought foods as much as I can...I want to be more like my Grandma, my uncles and my aunt...THEY are so inspiring and I can't wait to watch my Nana can her tomatoes this summer!

Second, in addition to telling you where I think I will be in 10 years, I also must select 10 wonderful fellow-bloggy-friends to share in this award. So, in no particular order, here are the people I think know I will be reading them blog about their amazing adventures in 10 years:

1. Robin at Lolidots
2. Melissa at The Marsh Family Blogs
3. Krystena at Baby Peas
4. Kylee at In My Life
5. Alexis at Where He Leads Me...
6. Laura at Blogging From Bolivia
7. Deborah at Mom's Sanity is Making a Comeback
8. Darla at Hissy Fits and Halos
9. Chasity at Better Known as Mommy
10. Elizabeth at Our Journey Through Life

These ladies definitely have some interesting things to say, pictures to share and stories to tell...So, go check them all out and see where they are in life NOW!

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And, FINALLY, last but not least, I will soon be announcing a giveaway (yea, this is sort of a pre-announcement) for two really neat prizes (that I bough from Alexis' wonderful Etsy Shop Threads of Hope). Here's a preview of the prizes:

The entry requirements will be REALLY easy (well, I think so anyways!)...All you will have to do, when the time comes (sometime early tomorrow...before Getting to Know You time), is leave a comment with your MOST FAVORITE RIDDLE! Yeah, fun, I know! I got the idea from Krystena's Giveaway that just happened to be the FIRST giveaway I ever won...She asked for Knock-Knock Jokes for her very cute son! I thought it was fun to read all the jokes and a great way to show love to her son! Thanks for the idea, Krystena!

So, tomorrow, sometime in the wee hours of the morning, the OFFICIAL giveaway will be officially announced. Be on the lookout and start THINKING of your absolute favorite riddle to share with us all!

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So, that's the three A's for the day!...oh, and in case you made it this far, I just want you to know, it is SNOWING AGAIN HERE IN VIRGINIA!!!!!!!

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Do I Always Have to Prove Myself?

I have been thinking a great deal about proving myself in life...and why I sometimes feel the need to prove myself to some people because of their judgements of me.

It seems like no matter how long I am someone, or do something, or think a certain way, or feel a certain way, I sometimes still feel pressured to prove these things about myself to others.

Take my job for instance...in April, I will have been an employee at my company for 7 years...For almost 7 years I have dedicated myself to my company, just as I do with anything I take on in life, and I have worked hard. Most of the time, my colleagues make me feel appreciated, valued, trusted, and genuinely liked. However, I don't always get this vibe from my colleagues (usually 'newer' colleagues)...I don't know if it is because I work from home and am not in the office like a 'regular' employee, but regardless of why it happens, it does happen and will probably happen again sometime in the future.

However, I was really 'hurt' the first time this happened...it was actually close to when I first started blogging last October (I blogged about it here). That post wasn't about proving myself, because at the time I didn't realize that was what I was trying to do, but it is definitely relative to this long-winded-post.

As I look back on that incident, and others incidents that have occurred since then, I have realized I DON'T have to prove myself to anyone!!! That all I have to do is be consistent in WHOEVER I want to be and who I want others to KNOW I am. If I do this, even then those who question who I am will eventually see ME for themselves, just like that 'new colleague' of mine did!

Therefore, the answer to my own questions is NO, I don't have to prove myself, I just have to BE myself consistently!

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LOSTapalooza - Feb 10, 2010

Welcome to Lostapalooza!

Robin is hosting an awesome weekly LOSTapalooza meme over at her blog...head on over to Robin's Blog for instructions on how to play along...either have fun in her comment section or link up your blog post and join in all the LOST fun!

Here are this week's questions:
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1. What was the biggest "wow" moment for you in all the seasons?

I think I was shocked when I started getting the idea that Christian was also Claire's Dad...also when Claire left Aaron...really, the entire Claire story line is very interesting to me and EACH time I see Claire, it seems to be something of shock values involved.

Also, I was really shocked, back when the numbers were a BIG mystery (not that they have been totally solved) that Hurley WON the lottery with this numbers! That was crazy (and very interesting to someone who LOVES numbers as much as I do...I know, I am such a NERD!).

2. Who was your favorite guest star?

Ok, Robin....I LOVE CHEECH MARTIN! You stole my answer! Haha, I mean, how could you NOT go with CHEECH? Now, if we could just get them to let Chong do a little guest appearance...they might find some MJ on the island for SURE! ;)

3. Which girl on the island would be your bestie?

If you don't already know, I am a Team-Kate kind of girl...yeah, I know, judge her all you want, but the PROGRESS she has made given her background is AMAZING! Me and you, girl, me and you!!!!!

4. What was your favorite vision or dream?

I loved when Charlie had visions of people dying...and himself! Those were cool...but I wish Charlie didn't die!

5. Since it all began with a terrible flying experience, what was your worst flight (or most interesting)?

I-DON'T-FLY!!!! EVER!!!!! The last time I flew was was when I was 17 going to my cousin's wedding in Las Vegas! We were on a smaller 2 engine plane (transferring from Dulles to BWI) and it was PACKED with people...we hit turbulence and that was it!!! Then, I started having dreams about planes crashing...all the time. I know what it feels like to be on a plane crashing and the impending death that awaits...NOT FUN!!!!!!!!

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So, GO, GO NOW, to Robin's Place to play along.

Happy LOSTapalooza-ing!!!

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Not Me! Monday - I Admit Defeat!

This is NOT my neighbor plowing our drive...

He is NOT plowing our drive because I couldn't get out on my own...

I am NOT admitting that I am perhaps NOT ready to be an Ice Road Trucker...

Well, at least I am NOT admitting that I am NOT ready to be an Ice Road Trucker in a Dodge Grand Caravan!

Ok, so what are you not fessing up to today? Head on over to MckMama's Blog to confess your Not Me's!

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