Red Van Ramblings: Favorite Lists

8 Things About Me

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:28:11 GMT

So, I've been tagged by my friend, Bill. Seems like I was tagged not all that long ago. That time I had to come up with 12 things. I don't know if I can come up with anything else, but, just because it's Bill, I'll give it a go. I'll already tell you, though, A) it will probably be boring and B) I ain't taggin' anybody else...I did that last time.

Here are the rules:

Each person posts the rules before their lists, then lists 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post that person lists 8 other people they want to tag, then visits each of their sites leaving a comment that they have been tagged & to come to your space & read the post so they will know what to do.

1. I used to wear a size 8 1/2 shoe. I had two babies, now I wear a size 9 shoe. Random, I know.

2. If I could manage somehow to live on the beach, I would...there's always hope.

3. I just drank 2 Bud Light Limes. They were pretty tasty.

4. I am not one of those moms who can't wait for school to start back in the fall. I love having my kids home in the summer. Wish. summer. could. go. on. for. ever. SIGH.

5. I have moved 19 times and have lived in 6 different states in my life--that I can recall at this moment. Oh yeah, and I would like to stop moving. No, we were/are not military.

6. I have a Bachelor's degree in social work. Haven't used it since 1995.

7. I lied about my weight on my driver's license...now there's a SHOCKER!

8. My favorite word right now is DANG. Sad, but true. I say it a lot. Dang.

There you have it. Eight fascinating things about me that you didn't really care to know. Peace out.

Dang, I'm IT.

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:55:52 GMT

Well, it has finally happened. I've been tagged. One of my myspace friends, Sarah, did it to me. SO here's what I'm supposed to do:

Write a blog containing 12 weird, random facts, habits or goals about yourself. Then, at the end, choose 10 people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave a comment (tag, you're it!) to come read your blog. You can't tag the person who tagged you, so make sure you leave me a comment after you play so I can check yours out.

This is going to be hard, and probably very boring, but I'll do my best.

1. I am a terrible liar. I can't even lie at the museum and say my kid is 12 instead of 13 just to get the discount. It just goes against everything in me. My husband tells me I am "too honest"...He says it like it's a bad thing. <insert incredulous look here>

2. When I was a kid, I liked to eat croutons with dressing on them...forget the salad. Just give me the crunchy stuff. Looks like my carb addiction started at an early age. (I am an avid salad eater now.)

3. I love it when things are symmetrical.

4. Rules were made to be followed. If the road sign says "No Left Turn", it's there for a reason.

5. I enjoy mowing the grass. Of course we do only have a very tiny yard. My opinion might change if we had some acreage.

6. I am a Preacher's Kid.

7. I wrote poetry as a kid/teenager...still dabble occasionally.

8. I enjoy using the words "rock on", "sketchy" and "coolio" in conversation.

9. When I was about 4, the rear window of our family's station wagon was busted out by a rock, circa 1974, and my older brother had me convinced that I had done it. When, in fact, HE was the guilty party all along. I believed it until I was probably about, well, let's just say I was grown. Can you feel the love?? OH yeah, AND he often told me I was adopted. But I'm not bitter or anything.

10. I am completely and totally obsessed with the Outlander series of books. Well, let's just say I'm probably obsessed with books in general...The way they smell. The way they feel in my hands. They way they look all lined up on the shelf. Let's face it. I'm a book-a-holic. Lock me up at a Barnes and Noble and just leave me there.

11. I secretly dream of doing something arty in life--photographer, singer or novelist.

12. I was a child bride. Married my high school sweetheart a month after my 20th birthday.

The lucky ~~victims~~ winners (who should feel free NOT to comply if it's not their thing):

Kristi - cause she's my bff.

Amy - cause she's my SIL.

Toni - cause if she does it, it will be something HILARIOUS.

Bill - cause I know he'll read this and at least think about it.

Jim - cause I tagged Bill and they go together like "rama lama lama ya dingity dingy dong." Or like bread and butter, if you prefer. They both sound wrong, but you know what I mean. ;-)

Cindy - cause she is also hilarious.

Sarah S - cause she's my other myspace buddy named Sarah--and just my BUDDY in general.

Jordan - cause she's my niece and she might actually do this.

Kat - cause she's my cafemom friend, and a fellow South Carolinian.

Lastcrazyhorn - cause she is a very cool chick and I'd love to read what she has say.

(I was going to tag Lena, but she got tagged recently, so she is off the hook.)

Things I'm Thankful For

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:49:07 GMT

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~Thornton Wilder

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Here's stuff you may or may not wish to know about me, but I am writing this on the heels of my recent blog, A Few of My Favorite Things, at the suggestion of fellow Spacer gord. I also write it in honor of my second favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, which I think gets a bum wrap. Mainly because Halloween gets so much hype and now, pretty much before Halloween all the stores start putting out Christmas decorations (It annoys me to no end!). I mean, what appreciation does poor ol' Thanksgiving get?? None, I tell you! Thanksgiving gets TOTALLY dissed, and it just ain't fair, y'all! So, Thanksgiving, my friend, this one's for you! Enjoy.

What I'm Thankful For:

1. Laughter. I love to laugh...till my face hurts, till I can't breathe, till I think I'm going to pee my pants. (Who's bringing the Depends??) I thoroughly love hearing my kids laugh deliriously. I think it would be fair to say that my children's laughter is my favorite sound. I am a firm believer in the saying that "laughter is the best medicine". I cannot enumerate the times I have said "It's laugh or cry, and I choose laugh!" "Laughter is an instant vacation." ~Milton Berle

2. My hubby. He is an amazing man. A father who loves his kids and would rather spend time with us than do anything else. A man who loves his wife and kids above all else. A rare gem indeed.

3. The grace of God. There but for the grace of God go I. Without Him I am nothing.

4. People who "get" me. You know who you are. Thank you for loving the dork that is ME.

5. Days at the beach. Light breeze. Beach chair and book. In the late afternoon sun when most people are leaving to go in to clean up and eat dinner. Breathing in deep lungfulls of that healing salt air.

6. Cake. I love cake. Must have icing, or it isn't cake. So I guess I'm thankful for icing too. 'Nuff said.

7. Freedom...to speak. to worship. to create. to vote. to love. to live. I am grateful to have been born in America.

8. Jacob. My awesome son. I love who he is. Funny, brilliant, tender-hearted. He has made me a better mother, a better person and I am in awe of him everyday.

9.People who "get" my son. As the parent of a child with special needs, this means more to me than ~~cake~~ anything...It's HUGE.

10. Emma. My wonderful daughter. She is an incredible person. I marvel at her humor, her creativity and her sassiness (don't tell her I love her sassiness...I don't want to "encourage" her! lol).

11. Watching my kids....period. I just sit back and smile when I watch them playing in the ocean, as they sleep, as they interact with other people, watching them do something for the first time, watching them being funny or silly, as they feel successful, or as they love and take care of each other. Watching with joy the sheer innocence of being a child.

12. My parents. They are mostly to blame for who I am today! Ha ha. Two unbelievably cool people who have supported me unquestioningly, loved me unconditionally, and prayed for me constantly. I couldn't have asked for better.

13. Seeing a rainbow. I know it sounds cheesy, but it never gets old to me. I get so excited when I look up and see a rainbow in the sky. It always reminds me that God keeps His promises. I've even had the good fortune of seeing a complete double rainbow before. It was amazing.

14. Books. Especially the fictional kind which allow the mind to completely dissociate from reality and drift along through a well-written story. Ahhh, sweet oblivion!

15. Having a sense of smell. Freshly laundered towels. Gardenias. That baby smell (not the poopy one). Coffee. Just cut grass. Ocean breeze. My hubby's aftershave. Fall.

16. Going to my parents or my in-laws for the weekend. This is something I do NOT take for granted. Having lived more than 1100 miles away from "my people" at times, and now being able to decide on a Thursday "HEY, I've got a great idea, let's go to Grandma's this weekend" is pretty cool.

17. Music. It pains me to think what life would be like without it. Physically, pains me. I suffer from what my girlfriend's 14 year old daughter has termed "Lyric Compulsive Disorder" (LCD) and it compels me to sing lyrics to whatever songs I may hear on the radio or iPod or that pop in my head completely on their own, whether I want to or not. It's a problem. You say something, I automatically think of a song and may very well burst out singing. I just can't help it.

18. Riding in the car with the windows down. It's just fun. You can't care what your hair looks like. And you've gotta love all that fresh air!

19. Chick flicks. Beaches, The Color Purple, Spanglish, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Thelma and Louise, Bridget Jones's Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Big Chill, Footloose, Pretty In Pink, Sixteen Candles, Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride, Say Anything, Steel Magnolias, Ghost, Fried Green Tomatoes, Sleepless in Seattle, Waiting to Exhale, My Best Friend's Wedding, Never Been Kissed, 50 First Dates, The Wedding Planner, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I could go on, but won't.

20. Summers spent at youth camp. Many summers. Some of the most amazing experiences of my life were at camp. Made some good friends. Good times!

21. The ability to talk. This dawned on me as I watched a recent episode of Grey's Anatomy. Nothing like a little profound Grey's to make you do some soul searching, eh?? Anyway, a woman who LOVED to talk had cancer of the tongue and the possibility of her losing her ability to talk was great as a result. I was sitting there thinking, "Oh man! What if I couldn't talk anymore???!" Just the thought made me incredibly sad and just a little freaked out.

22. Digital cameras. Seriously, this was an amazing invention. I love capturing my babies in all their cuteness!

23. Out of the blue phone calls from people you haven't talked to in a while. "I just callllled to saaaay I loooove you" Those pleasant surprises rock!

24. Cooking out on the grill. The whole experience. Yum. The smell. The taste. Nice weather. Eating out on the porch.

25. Family dinners. Be it Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter. The chaos. People talking over each other. The oohs and ahhhs over Grandma's Sour Cream Pound Cake. "The kids' table." The eating. The cleaning up. The eating again. It's all good.

26. Purses, shoes and earrings. Because their size never has to change, even when YOURS does!

27. Seeing people I haven't seen in a long time. I just love that. Nothing like reminiscing with folks from "back in the day"...20th reunion, part 2 coming up soon!

28. Getting mail. Not bills, magazines or junk, Duh. But personal, handwritten mail. Addressed to MOI! Love it.

29. Quotes. I love them. I collect them. I learn from them. They inspire me, encourage me and spur me on.

30. Hugs. I confess. I am a hugger. And like being a hugee. Just ask my kids.

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day." ~Robert Caspar Lintner

More Favorite Things

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:19:46 GMT

Man, I have to give you a few more of my faves. I couldn't stop at just 6...

7. No Panty Line Promise® Modal Hip Brief by Jockey.

Must, I repeat, must, say "soft as cotton" on the tag to be the "right" ones. Maybe this is too personal, but these panties are the best dang panties I've ever owned. Bar none! I will never purchase anything else. That is, unless and until they decide to discontinue them. Which is what generally happens when I profess my undying love for a certain product. SIGH. We'll see how this goes...I may have just given them the kiss of death. And no that isn't me modeling the drawers! Ladies, get some of your own!

8. Croc Flops

These are shoes made by the Crocs people. The shoes that have swept the nation!! These shoes have hardly been off my feet since I got them this spring. They are so comfortable and they go with everything. LOVE them! We all have a pair at my house. There are many styles of Crocs, and they don't all have this same squishy footbed, though. Be warned.

9. Jenni K Jewelry

This lady makes the coolest jewelry. I have loads of it and it's pretty much all I wear. Love it. Mostly geometric. Comes in two-tone or not. Comes with gems stones or not. Earrings, bracelets, rings. You name it. I could be a walking commercial for Jenni K. (Call me, girl. We should talk.) You can visit her store in Greenville, NC or check her out online. Don't forget about the amazing annual half price sale every August. Love me some Jenni!

10. Chef'n Palm Peeler

This is THE coolest vegetable peeler ever! I love this thing. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when you peel a lot of carrots and you are a lefty, a coolio tool like this one is very handy to have. You can probably pick it up at your local "kitchen stuff" store for about 5 dollars. Love it. It's the little things in life, ya know?

That will do for now, but I would like to reserve the right to impose some more of my favorite stuff on y'all in the future!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:09:36 GMT

"When the dog bites. When the bee stings. When I'm feeling sad. I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad." ~Lyrics from My Favorite Things, by Rodgers and Hammerstein

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I was just sitting here sipping my delicious hot tea and it got me thinking about things in life that I really love. The little things. Things that make me feel good. Things that make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, you know? (Aside from the obvious things like the hubby and my amazing children. I mean, that's just a given.) Just thought I'd list them for you here, in no particular order...Sorry, this ain't the Oprah show and everyone will not be getting one of everything...

I know you're sad, but you'll be okay.

1. Aveda Comforting Tea.

The aforementioned stuff I am sipping. Warm, delicious, and yes, quite comforting actually. Can be found at Aveda salons/spas or ordered online at the Aveda website. Comes loose leaf or in individual tea bags. I like the bags, but to each her own. It is a must have, kinda pricey though. $14.00 for 20 teabags. But what an indulgence.

2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

This is the first in a series of books that I am currently obsessed with. I am now in the 4th book and I have loved every book as much as the first. It is a love story that spans 200 years, set in the Highlands of Scotland and involves a little time travel. I know it sounds crazy, but it will all make sense if you read it. This is true love, y'all! Romance, danger, some hot lovin' (It could be right up fellow Spacer, Noonie's alley!), suspense, you name it! It just leaves you wanting more of Claire and Jamie!!! Well, more Jamie for sure. If you've read it, you know what I mean. He he. All six books are in trade paperback. I found mine at a second hand book store, so this will cost you a little less than my tea.

3. Essence of Jerusalem.

This is a perfume that my parents brought me from Israel. They go on a tour of the Holy Land every year and lucky me, they always bring me presents!! Woohoo, I love presents. Two years ago, they brought me a little bottle of this. I love it! It's a little bit spicy, but also floral. It's made from plants growing around Jerusalem and in the desert there. I used it all and, though I have never asked for anything specific from their pilgrimage in the past, I said, "Do you think you could pick me up some of that perfume again this time?" They did, and it's a bigger bottle. Whenever I wear it, my Jacob says, "Mom, you smell good." That's the best recommendation I can give you--the word of a 12 year old!

4. The Java House.

This is my favorite coffee house. Unfortunately, it is in Iowa. Ohhh, the coffee house smell! You open the door and that wonderful aroma just engulfs you like an old friend. It says, "Come in. Relax. Have some fresh brewed Hazelnut Decaf. Or a Vanilla Latte. And a Raspberry Scone. Or some Chocolate Chip Biscotti (baked by my friend Diana! Miss you, girl. )" Hang out with the gals in your book club and chat the evening away on the comfy sofa. Read the paper or magazine of your choice. Aahhhhh, Java I miss you!

5. Ipod Nano.

Maybe y'all remember my nano I got for Mother's Day. Well let me just tell you it has gotten lots of use. Love it. Love it. Love it. I have my songs on there. I can play them while out walking, while house cleaning, while unpacking boxes. I can also "dock it" in its little boom box and play it that way. Oh the days of 8-tracks are loooong gone. My children don't even know what an "album" really is. It's pretty sad, but in this case, I'm glad for the new technology.

6. Southern Rock/Rock N Roll.

Peaceful Easy Feeling -- Eagles

Lights -- Journey

Seven Bridges Road -- The Eagles

Hook -- Blues Traveler

Tunnel -- Third Day

Peace Of Mind -- Boston

Run-Around -- Blues Traveler

A Long December -- Counting Crows

Hold On Loosely -- .38 Special

Go Your Own Way -- Fleetwood Mac

Rock & Roll Band -- Boston

Caught Up In You -- .38 Special

Mr. Jones -- Counting Crows

Until The Day I Die -- Third Day

Black Water -- The Doobie Brothers

Sweet Home Alabama -- Lynard Skynard

Can't You See -- The Marshall Tucker Band

Amie -- Pure Prairie League

Gimme Three Steps -- Lynyrd Skynyrd

Sing A Song -- Third Day

Yes, music makes me happy. I enjoy all kinds (Contemporary Christian, 70s, 80s, Old school rap/R&B, Southern Rock and on and on), but right now I'm on this current kick. Just in case you aren't having a musical flashback and hearing them all in your head, you can go listen to my playlist. Enjoy and ROCK ON!

And...I have more faves, but I reckon that'll do for now. What are some of YOUR favorite things?