We Want To Know Wednesday

{1} How was your Valentine's Day?

It started out rough but got much better! J's car battery died and wouldn't jump start. So he had to take my car and I managed to be able to get myself to work and E to daycare. After work, we went and bough a new battery. This evening J gave me flowers, some chocolate, and some bubble bath! :-)  I gave J an Ipod Shuffle. He is notorious for breaking things .... he better not break this! My parents brought us some Panda Express for dinner. It was a great night! Oh, and to wrap it up, I went grocery shopping after the kids went to bed. La-dee-freakin-da!  ;-)

{2} What is your favorite flower? Did your honey get them for you?

My favorite flowers are petunias and pansies. Not really in season yet. So J gave me a variety of colors of daisy's. They smell divine!

{3} Was Valentine's Day a big deal when you were a kid?

I liked it. It was fun to give out Valentine's cards at school and received a truck load of sugar. :-) I was always jealous of the girls who got flowers or balloons delivered to school. I never got that.

{4} Did you put up any Valentine's Day decorations? (bonus points for a picture)

I had great expectations of making a really cute V.D. wreath for my door but I never got it done. Oh, Pinterest, how you entice me and make me drool on a daily basis! Are you following me? I have a button on the left if you aren't!

{5} Do you have any Valentine's Day traditions?

Not really. J and I usually exchange a small gift (we were a tad more spendy this year) and go out to dinner. We went to Texas Roadhouse last night. YUM!

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A

Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama

{1} What is for dinner tonight (bonus for sharing the recipe)?Um. Still trying to decide that one. I'm bad. I am usually trying to figure that out at 5 o'clock. I was thinking of putting some chicken in the crock pot. I put two cans of cream of chicken soup1 package of cream cheese1 package of Italian seasoning4-5 frozen chicken breasts.I let that cook all day and then serve it over rice. Extremely fattening but mighty yummy! 
{2} Share something you are currently looking forward to.Getting our tax returns. Unfortunately, we aren't doing anything too exciting with it but we will be paying off debt and cutting up that darn credit card. 
{3} What are your thoughts on re-gifting?I'll be the first to admit it. I've re-gifted and I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. If you aren't going to use it (and it is a good gift), I don't see why not. When J and I got married, we received duplicates and triplicates of several items. Some we kept, some we returned to the store for cash, and some we re-gifted. Being a young LDS couple, we had several friends getting married over the next few years.
{4} How often do you rearrange your furniture?Me? Never. I like it where it is. J on the other hand, he'll rearrange once or twice a year. 
{5} Share a picture from your cellphone or camera. 
(There were all taken with my cellphone. I just had fun with them on Photobucket!)

E helping me get my taxes done the last 2 years! :-)

My sweet boys love each other. So stinkin' cute!

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!

Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama

First of all I want to apologize for my unexpected hiatus from blogging. I wasn't planning it and really didn't even need to take it. If you want to read a little family update and see our family pictures click HERE.

{1} What is your most commonly used word or phrase when you are frustrated?

I say OH CRAP a lot and FRICK! Those are my usual ones. Every once in a while I will utter a random, weird one like SNIZZLE. 

{2} What random question do you usually get from strangers or casual acquaintances?

I work in retail and have a name tag. Those most often asked question is how do you pronounce your name?  Also, where does it originate from? Seeing as I don't share my name on here I won't say. However, if you go back into my history, you'll find a Vlog (Video Blog) where I discuss it. :-)

{3} Did you ever correspond by mail with anyone, who? Do you still have the letters?

I had a pen pal who lived in Pennsylvania. I think I was around ten-years-old. We wrote quite frequently for a couple of years and then it died off. I cannot remember her name or anything now. I wonder what ever happened to her.

{4} Do you dance in public?  Why or why not?

Absolutely .... NOT! I am a terrible dancer and I feel so self conscious when I do. I'll sway back and forth  when in a group but I'm too embarrassed to try and bust a move. 

{5} What is your favorite kind of chapstick/lip balm?

You know, I really don't use it that often. When I do, I'll use Carmex. It seems to do the trick. :-)

We Want to Know Wednesday

Here are this week's questions from Queso:

1. Are you a party person? Or do you prefer an intimate gathering with just a few friends?

I don't mind a party with a few friends. 10-15 max. More than that and I get shy and have a hard time talking to people. I actually just went to a cookie exchange party last night! Perfect timing for these questions!

2. Would you rather be a guest at a party or the hostess with the mostess?

I totally want to be the guest. I don't like being the hostess. It is too stressful for me. I have panic attacks even thinking about hosting parties. Unfortunately, we are having a party at our house tomorrow. It is a family thing and I don't even have to be in charge. I just have to provide the place. I am still freaking out.

3. What is your favorite party food or drink? (I'd love to see the recipe!)

I'm a lover of a good shrimp cocktail. I don't drink alcohol so I like to have Diet Dr. Pepper or whatever caffeinated beverage they may have! For my cookie exchange that I went to yesterday, I brought pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. It is the easiest recipe I have EVER seen .... other than buying a box of cookies at the store.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box of Spiced Cake mix

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

1 cup of chocolate chips (or more) 

Mix ingredients together. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Seriously. Easy as that and SOOOOOO good!

4. What is the best party you've ever been to?

The first party that came to mind was one when I was young and single. I hung out with a large group of kids from my single's ward at church. We played a ton of games in the back yard and then all crammed into their living room and watched Rat Race. Only one or two people had seen it before, so we were pretty much watching it for the first time. I have never laughed so hard in my life! Love that movie! That was seriously one of the best summers of my single life! We did stuff every night of the week. How I managed to go to summer school full-time, work full-time, and party full-time, I will never know. :-)

5. What is your favorite party game?

I get a kick out of the game, I Never. The group sits in a circle with one less chair than people. The person in the middle shares something that they have never done. (Like, I have never gone deep sea fishing or I have never been to England.)  If anyone in the circle has done it, then they have to get up and switch seats. The person that was "it" can run and grab a chair. Whoever is left standing has to say the next I Never statement. It is pretty funny!

We played it at a ward party once. A guy said that he had never made-out with a man. Our bishop thought that he said, never made-out in a van. So the bishop got up and started running. We all nearly died laughing. He still hasn't lived it down! :-)

We Want To Know Wednesday

Here are this week's questions:

1.  What is your favorite cookie to eat?

That is tough. I actually have two. My mom and I make a really good No-Bake Cookie. I really love those. My mom makes a really good Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie. Sometimes she puts banana's in them too. They are yummy!

2.  Have you ever done a cookie exchange?

I went to one last December. It was pretty fun. It ended up just being a Girl's Night Out and munching on goodies. That was fun!

3.  How are you doing on your holiday shopping?

Um .... haven't even started. :-/  Actually, that isn't true. We got our family pictures taken and ordered so I guess I've done a little bit.

4.  What is your holiday shopping style? (A little at a time, or power shopper? Early in the season or last minute? Online or part of the crowd?)

I'm a little bit of everything. I start to freak out in the beginning of December and start to do my shopping. I do some online and some in the stores. I've never shopped on a Black Friday or anything like that. I don't do crowds because I get scared and claustrophobic.

And a random seasonal 3 part question...

5.  Light displays...do you put them on your house? What is your style and your fave kind to see? 

We're lazy and don't put lights up on the house. I am proud to say that I got my Christmas decor and tree up on December 1st. That is a record for me. I've never gotten it up that early!

As for my "type" of lights that I like? I don't know. I posted a video on Facebook of a house down our street. They are awesome! My boys love to drive by and look at their lights. Click HERE to go to my Facebook page and watch it! Might as well 'Like' my page while you're at it! ;-)

We Want to Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesday Q&A hosted by:

Impulsive Addict, Janette, Mamarazzi and Seriously Shawn

{1} What game show have you always thought you could be on and totally WIN!

I always wanted to do Double Dare on Nickelodeon as a kid. Do you remember that show? The kids would compete with parents and answer questions. Then they had to go through obstacle courses and get slimed and stuff. That is honestly what came to mind first.

{2} Do you have a tattoo(s)? What are they and what made you chose them? If not, would you get one, yes/no/why?
Nope, I don't have any tattoos. I won't ever get a tattoo because I really have no desire to go through that pain. Also, I'm afraid I would hate it in a year or two. Plus, once you get old and saggy, it won't look the same!

{3} What is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own?
I honestly don't own much jewelry. I'm pretty much a tomboy and don't wear any. The only thing I do wear is my wedding ring. I got to help pick it when J and I got engaged. I love it!

{4} What is your driving pet peeve(s)?
What ISN"T my driving pet peeve? LOL! I get annoyed at most anything. If a person sits at a light while it turns green, I get grumpy. If someone drives too slow, I get grumpy. If someone drives too fast for snowy/rainy conditions, I get grumpy. If someone doesn't use their turn signal, I get grumpy. I really could go on and on! 

{5} What was your favorite sitcom growing up that you wish was still on?
This is hard. I really liked a lot of shows. The first one that popped into my mind was Growing Pains. I loved to watch that show. It used to be on when I was at school. I remember seeing once when I home from school with the flu or something. I managed to be "sick" quite a bit before my mom caught on. Oops!


So, what are your answers? Why don't you play along?

We Want to Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama













Here are this week's questions, courtesy of Queso:

1. What is the worst job you have ever had?
I've only had 3 jobs in my lifetime. I worked for my dad for 11 years. The other two have been retail. I'd say the retail sucks. I'd really like to get out of it. I really enjoy getting to interact with people but working on holidays bites. (Hence the absence from my blog in the past week and a half.)


2. Have you ever been fired?
Nope. I've been laid-off though. That stinks.

3. What would your dream job be?
Figure out how to be a stay-at-home mom, bring in some income, and still remain a sane, calm mother. Yeah, I don't know if that is possible. I do enjoy the small break from the children when I go to work. I like to think it keeps me nicer.

4. What did you want to be when you "grew up"?
My first aspirations, as a very young child, was to be a waitress. I went to breakfast with my Grandma and Great Grandma every Saturday. We always had the nicest waitresses. That was my first big dream. :-)  I wanted to be a "doctor who delivered babies." As soon as I found out how much school that entailed, I quickly kicked that idea to the curb. I had a short-lived dream of becoming a track-and-field star. Um, yeah. I'm about as fast as a turtle and have asthma. My track career came to a screeching halt after junior high. All through high school and entering into college, I thought I'd go into television production. I actually started the program in college but realized that I wanted a family and family life more. So, I honestly don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

5. How old were you when you got your first job?

I got my first job with my dad when I was 16. He was a real estate appraiser and I became his assistant. I input data in the computer, researched information at the court house, compiled the reports, delivered the reports, took pictures, ran errands, etc. I was a busy girl. I'm glad he hired me though. It was a great learning opportunity and helped me grow closer to my dad! :-)

Hope you all have a fantabulous week!

We Want to Know Wednesday

Before I start, I wanted to apologize for my lack of presence on the blog front the past week and a half. 12 days ago my friend asked me if I wanted to attend the Breaking Dawn premiere with her. I told her I had never read the Twilight series or seen the movies and didn't plan on it. She was horrified shocked surprised. (I didn't want to get sucked into the Twi-hard craziness.) She begged me to read at least two chapters. I finally gave in to her request. A day later I was at her doorstep requesting book 2. She basked in her victory and gave me the rest of the books. So, for the past 12 days, I've been reading when I haven't been working or wrangling children. I've also watched all three movies with her in preparation for tomorrow night! :-) I'm 1/3 of the way through Breaking Dawn. Hopefully, I can finish before the movie. I know it is only the first half of the movie but I don't want anybody spoiling the ending for me while I'm there. 


Ok, long rant over. Now on to the questions!


Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama







This week's questions come from the awesome Queso and she wants to know...

{1} Do you have any musical talents?
I play the piano. I took piano lessons for 12 years. I haven't kept on it like I should but I intend to start practicing again. I still play the piano nearly every Sunday at church. I'd like to start playing classical music again. It is my favorite. :-)

{2} What role, if any, does music play in your life?
Music plays a big role. Music can bring all sorts of emotions and I definitely let it. When I want angry/hard stuff I love to listen to Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory album. When I'm in a lovey dovey, sappy mood I like to listen to Christina Perri. Let's not even get me started on the Dixie Chicks  Taking The Long Way album. :-) LOVE!

{3} What is your all time favorite song?
The first song that comes to mind is (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams. I remember camping out by my radio waiting for it to play. I loved it.
 
{4} Do you sing in the shower?
Surprisingly, no. I sing everywhere else but not the shower. I have been known to serenade my coworkers. ;-)

{5} Has a song ever made you cry?
Several songs have made me cry but the one that comes to mind is the Return To Me soundtrack. Not so much the Dean Martin stuff but there are a couple instrumental tracks that are just gorgeous.

We Want to Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama







This week's questions are from Mamarazzi. A heads up, I'm not very girly especially in the makeup and hair department.

{1} What is your "can't go without it" beauty product/cosmetic?
The only thing I can't go without is hairspray. I usually wear at least eye shadow and mascara but some days I will go without, if I don't have time.

{2} Do you apply make-up before or after doing your hair?
That would totally depend on if the two-year-old has woken up or not. He is still sleeping in a crib and doesn't like hanging out in there if he's awake. So, if he is still sleeping, I'll take the time to do my make-up first. If he's screaming like a banshee, then I'll rush my hair, get him, and do my make-up while he eats breakfast.
 
{3} How would you describe your personal style?

Extremely laid back and, dare I say, lazy? I'm a t-shirt and jeans type of girl. The only time I dress up is for church or the very rare nice event. We don't have many black-tie events here in Eastern Idaho. :-)

{4} How long does it take you to get ready each day?
Not long at all. That is probably why I still rock the short hair. It seriously takes me 5 minutes, if that, to do my hair. My husband asks me to grow my hair out but I'm totally resisting. It is too easy to do! I don't want to spend 30-60 minutes getting ready.

{5} What is your one pamper, just for you, beauty splurge?
I have really sensitive skin and not a very good complexion so I splurge on a face wash. It doesn't have to be a specific brand but it has to be soap-free AND oil-free. I spend more than I like on it but it really helps my complexion out.

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama







This weeks questions are from Crazymama.

{1} How did you celebrate Halloween? Trick or treating? Adult party? Trunk or treat?

We went to a church party on Saturday evening. We let the kids run and have fun. Usually, on Halloween, we take the kids to our local mall to trick-or-treat around to the different stores. It is a pretty popular here thing to do here. It keeps the kid out of the cold weather and keeps them safer. Plenty of people still trick-or-treat around in neighborhoods too. We may start doing that once the boys get a little bigger.

{2} What candy is your favorite/the first thing you steal from the kids?

I usually steal the Snickers and the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Who am I kidding?!  I usually will steal most anything. ;-)

{3} What kind of candy do you give out, is it your favorite? or something you know you won't be tempted to eat?

It usually depends. The last couple years I have managed to buy the package with Laffy Taffy, Nerds, and Sweet Tarts. Weird. I usually purchase chocolate.

{4} How soon after Halloween do you take down decorations and put away costumes?

I don't usually decorate for Halloween actually. My decor is more "harvest" or just Fall stuff. I'm really bad about keeping up with the seasons. I actually forgot to take down some of my Spring decor until Summer was almost over. :-/  Oops!

{5} When do you decorate for the next holiday?

As I said before, I usually decorate with fall stuff so I don't start decorating for Winter or Christmas until one or two weeks into December.

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Wednesdays Q&A!
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama











This week's questions come from Mamarazzi....

{1} When was the last time you lost your temper?
Haha! Um, last night. I made chicken enchiladas last night and both kiddos totally threw screaming fits during dinner. "It looks yucky!", "I don't want to eat it!", and "Waaaaaaaaaaah!"  Ugh, it down right pissed me off. I try to not let it hurt my feelings but sometimes it just does. I gave myself a time-out and cooled down in my room. 

{2} What 3 words best describe you?
Funny - I'm not necessarily a comedian or anything but I enjoy all things funny.
Compassionate - I feel great compassion and love for my family and friends. Sometimes I wonder if I can have too much compassion.
Nerd - Yeah, I'll admit it. I'm a nerd and I'm finally able to be cool with that. I hated that "title" in school but I can embrace it now.

{3} What movie could you watch over and over again and never get tired of?
Oh man, I have a lot of them. It would actually have to be The Lord of The Rings trilogy. I totally LOVE those movies. I've had them put away for a while because they were scaring the kiddos. One day I'll be able to break them out again and  have a marathon.

{4} If you could do something dangerous, just once, with no risk, what would you do?
I'd like to say I'd go skydiving or bungee jumping. I'm a huge chicken and I don't know if I'd actually go through it. I know that when I have done things that get the adrenaline pumping, that I have always loved it ... afterward. Example: I really wanted to ride the blast-off ride at Lagoon in Utah. I was terrified and almost chickened out. The poor kid strapped in next to me must have thought I was a lunatic! It ended up be so fun! I was totally shaking when I got off the ride but I loved it!

{5} Which is more important intelligence or common sense?
I believe that there cannot be true intelligence without common sense. So, common sense is definitely the start to gaining great intelligence.

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi, Alicia aka Queso, and CrazyMama

With Fall upon us and seasonal allergies and colds going around...Crazymama wants to know:

{1} What is your feel better remedy when you are sick? 

I like to have a mug of hot chocolate. I also like to be alone when possible. I hate having kids hover over me when I'm sick. Sometimes I get to be a alone, sometimes I don't. Sometimes having my hubby there to let me cry or whine helps too. He's a good guy!

{2} When illness strikes, what is your policy on staying home from work, school or church with yourself and the family?

If the kids are feverish or puking, they are not allowed in daycare so I have to call in to work. I have no choice but it is completely understandable. I usually only call in sick for myself if I'm throwing up. P usually ends up going to church even if he has a little cold. E, on the other hand, gets kept home more often. Little ones like himself don't know how to keep their germs to themselves. I appreciate moms who keep their sick kids home so I try to reciprocate.

{3} What do you think is worse? Flu or cold?

That is a hard one. Usually the flu only lasts a few hours and then your done. But I hate throwing up! Colds can last several days. As much as I hate throwing up, I'll take flu because it leaves sooner.

{4} Flu shots? Do you get them? Have you yet?

I think I've only had one flu shot in my life. I really didn't see any difference. I do get my children the flu nasal mist though.

{5} When are are feeling down, what is your usual, go-to therapy? (retail therapy, exercise, comfort food, etc).

If I'm really down, all I want to do is sleep. It if is just minimal grumpiness or slightly depressed, I usually need to talk to either J or my mom. I do like to self-medicate with ice cream or sweets. I have to be careful with retail therapy because I can't afford to do that. :-)

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso

{1} If you had an extra hour to do ANYTHING for yourself each day what would you do?

I should say something like doing housework or reading my scriptures but what I really want is SLEEP. :-)  I like to sleep. Sleep and me are friends.

{2} Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I'm probably more of a morning person. Sometimes I have a hard time getting up in the morning but I really have a hard time staying up late. Ever since having kids, I've definitely become a morning person by FORCE and not by choice.

{3} How much sleep do you get on an average night?

I average between 6 and 7 hours per night. I realize that is pretty good. I definitely struggle when I have babies around. I'm not much of a happy camper when I don't get my sleep. 

{4} When do you find the time to blog/surf the ol' interweb?

I usually check my email and Facebook in the morning while I'm eating breakfast. I try to catch up on blogs in the evening after the kiddos go to bed. I've been known to have my laptop out and be surfing around while the kids watch a movie.

{5} What is the ONE thing you're never too busy for?

I'm never too busy to spend time with family. I'll do anything I can to make time for family. Whether it be my kids and husband or my cousins, I'll make the time. I love them too much to miss out!

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso

{1} What is one thing (food or drink) that you MUST have everyday?

Yummy in my tummy! I must have Diet Dr. Pepper. It is what keeps me a sane and reasonably happy mommy and wife. :-)

{2} What is your "go to" food when you don't feel well/need comfort?

The first thing that I thought of was my mom's chicken and dumplings. Just the thought of them comforts me. I don't get them very often, so I cherish them when I do. I usually try to keep ice cream in the house, preferably mint chocolate chip or cookies 'n cream. Ice cream definitely soothes my soul.

{3} Is there a dish that you make that people request when they visit your home/a family favorite?

That would definitely be my mom's famous caramel brownies ... heaven in a pan, I tell you! :-)  Another often requested favorite is my mom's fudge. My cute cousin used to request her fudge all the time but didn't know what it was called. He asked for the soft brown stuff. So, that is what we call it now. Do you see a pattern forming here? My mom is definitely the good cook. She is a great provider of comfort .... food and emotional support as well!

{4} What are 3 foods you have TRIED and do not like and will NEVER eat again?

1 --  I have tried tomatoes on their own and I just don't like them. I can stand tomato sauce on pizza if it is applied sparingly. I just can't stand the acidity of them.

2  --  Mushrooms are just plain nasty in my book. I don't like the flavor and the texture really bothers me too.

3  --  Pure venison meat. I used to like deer meat that my dad would bring home from a hunting trip. However, it has been a long time since he did that. My brother-in-law gave us some elk meat and I made a meatloaf out of some of the ground meat. Way too strong! Ugh. It kind of killed my desire to ever eat venison again.

and our final question comes from Dee@ HomesickCajun

{5} What's one thing that you love to eat that most people would think is weird and/or gross?

I am a major fan on frosty's and french fries. People used to think it was disgusting but it seems to be trending for the last few years. I've been a french fry dipper from early childhood. Another thing I can thank my mom for! :-)  

Ever had Cheetos dipped in caramel? Sounds gross and weird but it is GOOD! 

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso








We recently dropped our Satellite service. Finances just wouldn't allow it anymore. I thought I would die but I actually haven't. Thank heavens for Netflix. It fills the entertainment need. ;-) So my answers will be based on my current situation.


{1} What is your MUST SEE show?
My must see on Netflix, at the moment, is 24. I'm on Season 7!  When we had TV, my must see was Top Chef! I LURVE that show!

{2} What shows are you most excited to watch this season?
I wish that I could be watching America's Next Top Model .... hey, don't judge! ;-)  As soon as I finish up 24, I'm going to start watching Glee. I've seen a couple episodes and I like it so far!

{3} How many hours a week do you actually watch TV?
Way too much. I really need to get a life beyond the television. Ugh.

{4} Do you think TV has gotten too "racy" (vulgar, pushing the limit, etc) ?
Absolutely. It is frightening what you see on some shows. I'm not going to name any specifics though. Everyone has the right to watch what they want. My fear is my children stumbling upon these things. Not only are the shows vulgar or racy, they are becoming a lot more violent.

{5} How many TVs do you have in your house?
We only have one and I plan on leaving it that way. However, I've been watching Netflix on my laptop so I guess you could say we have two. Darn, I just broke my rule!

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso







{1} What are 3 must haves for a long road trip?

{2} What was the destination of your most recent road trip?
Our last road trip was Sunday. My nephew was receiving his Eagle Scout award. If you are talking about a trip that last longer than a day, then our last trip was to Denver, CO last summer. ..... yeah, we don't get out much.

{3} What do you miss most about home when on a trip?
I definitely miss my bed and my pillow. I also miss my mom. Yes, I'm a mama's girl and I'm proud of it! :-)

{4} What is the furthest you have traveled on a road trip?
I believe I had been out of high school for a year. My parents and I drove from Eastern Idaho to Northern Indiana. We drove all the way to the Mississippi River. We stayed the night in a hotel and continued our drive to Indiana with a short detour to Nauvoo, Illinois! It was a long trip trip but it was great! I was so excited to see my family who lived there. We also got to tour around Chicago too. It was awesome!

{5} Will you "stop for the largest ball of twine, etc" or are you a "hurry and get there" road tripper?
Before kids, I would have stopped and smelled the roses along the way. Since I've had kids, I just want to get there and NOW! The best investment I ever made was a duel screen portable DVD player. We used that to keep the kids occupied on our trip to Denver last summer. If it weren't for that little bit of heaven, I don't think any of us would have survived the trip. ;-)

We Want To Know Wednesday

Welcome to We Want to Know Q&A Wednesday
Hosted by Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso







This week's questions are from Queso


1. What is your favorite holiday?
I've always loved Christmas. Even though I work retail and every other holiday, I get Christmas day off! It is nice. I love the chance to be with family and eat yummy food. I, of course, enjoy receiving presents but I really enjoy giving them too!

2. Do you have any fun holiday traditions? What are they?
When I was young, my parents and I would go for a drive on Christmas Eve and look at all the Christmas lights. I really enjoyed it. J and I don't really have traditions that we've set it place. We still spend time with our families and I really enjoy it!

3. When do you start Christmas shopping?
I'd like to say that I am very organized and start shopping in February but that is a complete lie. I usually start around the end of November and scramble all the way until the week before Christmas. I at least finish a week before Christmas because I REFUSE to go shopping the week before. It is too crazy and, honestly, the crowds scare me to death.

4. What is your favorite holiday food?
I have to pick JUST one?!?! My mom makes a divine fudge that I really enjoy. She has pictures of me licking the pan on Christmas morning .... from a couple of years ago. :-)  Yes, I'm a big kid at heart.  My mother-in-law makes a mean twice baked potato that I really look forward too. My aunt, Jenny, makes an awesome potato salad that I love too. Once we were having a morning brunch for a celebration of the birth of P and I totally requested that she bring her potato salad. It didn't really fit into the scheme of brunch but I didn't care. It is THAT good!

5. Share a favorite childhood holiday memory.
I'm going to switch gears and talk about Halloween. My parents and I used to grow a large garden. One year, my parents and I decided to see how big of a pumpkin we could grow. Once there were about four pumpkin blooms, we removed any others that formed. That way all the water and nutrients went to those four pumpkins. Once fully grown they weighed 70-90 pounds! We entered them into the Eastern Idaho State Fair and won some ribbons! It was fun!  When we brought them home from the fair we decorated them. Instead of carving them, we painted cool pictures on them. We lived on a very busy street and our pumpkins would always get smashed by idiotic, stupid thugs kids. We felt fairly safe putting the large pumpkins out because they were too heavy. Those awesome pumpkins survived their time on the porch! It was fun.

6. Have you ever actually tried fruitcake?
Um, I think I may have taken a nibble of some but not really. I was and still kind of am a picky eater. Just looking at bread with chunks of dried fruit made me squirm.