Personal Experiences Meme

This one's from Jacki.
Play along - it's easy. Just highlight what you've done on this list.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (I've sung in lots of choirs, though)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (probably ot the whole thing, though)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (just tomatoes)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I think it's attitude not quantity)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (I've been drawn by my husband, though)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (just teaching piano - the IRS considers this a business)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (I might have , but sadly, never in order. Although I've read the entire New Testament multiple times, as well as many other Old Testament books multiple times - it's those major prophets!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I was pleased that I've actually done three of these for the first time this year!

I like

my family together
watching my kids run in the rain
french toast
lilacs and gardenias
pineapple lotion
parties with friends
I Corinthians 15
butterflies
bluebirds
wisteria
hummingbirds
photographs
poetry
love letters
romantic movies
Colorado
flip-flops
the ocean
books
candlelight
smelling
candles at a candle shop
thunderstorms
rose gardens
travelling
fresh blueberries
salads
chocolate
Mozart
track 3 on the new Pirates soundtrack
twilight that lingers
lightning bugs


Thanks to Mrs. B at Cherish the Home for the inspiration. What do you like?

The 7 Meme

Leslie tagged me for this over a month ago. I'm supposed to write seven random facts or habits about myself. I'm also supposed to tag seven more people, but I'll bend the rules a bit and just tag whoever hasn't done it yet and would like to join in. I'm not sure what to write, so I'm just going to wing it. Here goes-

1. I can't get rid of books unless I really don't like them. And I hardly ever have a book that I really don't like. And I really like to buy books (at thrift stores, of course). So now you have a mental image of my house. :^)


2. I get wicked morning sickness. I've had days where I pretty much threw up every 15-20 minutes all day long.


3. I don't trust doctors at all. I believe that most of them are well-intentioned, but that they are generally of very little use for serious ailments beyond surgeries and signing prescriptions.


4. I have a habit of staying up too late that I'm always working on, and my kids have a habit of getting up too early, even when they get to bed late that I wish they'd work on!


5. I have a portrait of my mother and I on my wall that was done when I was about 2 and she was about 23. My friends usually think that it is Anna Kate and myself at first glance.


6. I don't like ice in my drinks. I don't even drink water from the refrigerator; I drink it at tap temperature.


7. I have a serious addiction to chocolate. Serious.

Well that was random, all right.

Inadequate

I look around and see laundry piled up and toys scattered around. Inadequate.

I try to fit errands and homeschooling and naps into the same day and still try to make supper before it's bedtime. Inadequate.

I seek to satisfy all four people who want something from me at the same time. Inadequate.

I search for words of wisdom for a friend in crisis, but I haven't been drinking from the Source of wisdom. Inadequate.

I am so grateful that He is more than adequate. That He pours out His grace and mercy on my undeserving self and lets me see how inadequate I am.

How without Him I am nothing.

Survey says...

When I do these for my friends outside the blogisphere, it seems a shame not to pass them on. Especially considering the fact that I'm a lousy typist, so it just took me an hour. :^) Let me know if you do it.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:30
2. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls, and Brian just brought me two strands a few days ago
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Amazing Grace
4. What is your favorite TV show? 24
5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? raisin and spice oatmeal and chocolate milk
6. What is your middle name? Marie
7. What is your favorite meal? breakfast. I love breads. And potatoes. pancakes, French toast, danishes, hash browns, English muffins, waffles, poptarts...
8. What foods do you dislike? Strawberry flavored stuff, but I love strawberries. Raw bananas, but they're fine in bread, cake, muffins,etc.
9. Favorite chips? Salt and Vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Valley of Vision - if I could find it...
11. What kind of car do you drive? Ford Winstar minivan
12 What is your favorite sandwich? a Rueben on pumpernickel
13. What characteristics do you despise? stupidity and complacency, especially in myself
14. What are your favorite clothes? beautiful dresses, girly clothes
15. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation where would you go?Tuscany, Salzburg, and Prague
16. Favorite brand of clothing? I'm not a brand girl.
17. Where would you want to retire? somewhere where I can be useful and hopefully close to grandkids and old friends
18. Favorite time of day? when it's just Brian and I
19. Where were you born? PA
20. What is your favorite sport to watch? I don't watch sports, but if I did, it would be football.
21. Who do you think will not send this back? Not going there. Remember, how I don't like stupidity?
22. Person you expect to send it back first? Terri
23. Pepsi or Coke? Vanilla Coke
24. Beavers or ducks? My gut reaction was to say ducks. I love to feed ducks. But if I could actually have the chance to watch beavers sometime, they might win. The real answer though is otters. I can watch them play indefinitely.
25. Are you a morning person or a night owl? night owl
26. Pedicure or manicure? I guess a pedicure, but I wouldn't pay for one.
27. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Brian was well three weekends in a row and on my birthday! (He's feeling awful today, but we think we know why.)
28. What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher, a missionary, or a concert pianist (the latter was mostly so that I could travel around Europe while wearing beautiful clothes)
29. What is your best childhood memory? riding bikes with Terri and Lisa, exploring the creek with Jen, Pap's Christmas trains, rambles to the fairy tree or Wonder Lane with the littles, Mama pulling me down the street in a sled, Daddy carrying me on his shoulders...Thank you, Jesus, this girl had a happy childhood.
30. Piercing? ears
31. Ever been to Africa? I wish
32. Ever been toilet papering? no
33. Been in a car accident? yes
34. Favorite day of the week? The days I spend with Brian
35. Favorite restaurant? Italian Market and Grill
36. Favorite Flower? roses, wisteria, lilacs, gardenia
37. Favorite ice cream? Hershey's black raspberry, Edy's mint chocolate chip
38. Favorite fast food restaurant? Hardees. Their burgers are unreal.
39. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none
40. From whom did you get your last e-mail? Leslie
41. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? The thought of maxing out my credit card horrifies me. I can't even think of a store where I'd want to spend that much money; I'd rather travel.
42. Bedtime? I try to get to bed before...2AM
43. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Everyone. These questions are so unique that I'm excited to learn more about all of my friends.
44. Last person you went to dinner with? Josh, Dara, Brian, and the kids if fast food counts. Mom, Dad, Brian and the kids if it doesn't.
45. What are you listening to right now? the hum of the CPU
46. What is your favorite color? the colors of the ocean, lilac
47. How many tattoos do you have? 0
48. Who are you sending this e-mail to? Friends and family
49. What time did you finish this e-mail? 11:30 pm
50. Favorite magazine? Family Fun

Yes, it's my birthday!

I'll be 31 at 10:59 PM. I am a Friday's child. The daughter of a sweet Daddy and fun-loving mother. The oldest of seven children. Destined to be married to Brian, my first and only true love. And now mother of three children that make sure that I feel my age. :^) And I am blessed with so many sweet friends like you.

Ramblings of a Guilty Mind

I've just set a new record for spending money on clothes in one day.

And it blows my mind.

Because I'm pretty much a tightwad. I like to get really cute clothes - at the Salvation army - for $3. But the situation was getting desperate. You know the drill. You have a baby and you think, "this will get better, I'll lose more weight soon, I don't want to spend money on clothes that won't fit next year..." But next year is here. And, unfortunately, they would have fit after all.

But Walmart had nothing. And Burlington Coat Factory had nothing. And the thrift stores I used to find things at aren't open in the evenings for child-free-hours-in-the-dressing-room-to-find-one-thing-that-fits.

So I had a closet of a few mostly fits, several almost fits, and a couple of actually fits and looks nice. But all of those were in the laundry. And it was Sunday morning. And that's when the straw broke the camel's back.

After some desperate searching and trying on of outfits, I said to Brian, "if you can find anything to match either of these two remaining tops in my closet, I'll be going to church, otherwise... " Well, he found the same outfit I'd had on a few minutes ago. The sweater I've had since high school (or was it junior high) and a very nice khaki skirt that was given to me and makes me look like a whale. A combination I usually wouldn't want to go out of the house in. (Do I sound as shallow, as I think I do?) And then, of course, I didn't have any tights or shoes that went with it. So I went to church in 50 degree weather in a sweater, khaki skirt, and birkenstock-type sandals hoping I didn't look as bad as I thought I did.

So sweet Brian took me shopping, and encouraged me to keep buying things, and tried to take such complete responsibility for it that I wouldn't even feel guilty. But I do anyway. I told my mother that I thought maybe I shouldn't wash them yet, because surely I should return some of them.

She told me not to. She said that sometimes mothers have to actually buy clothes for themselves.

And I did get some great deals at T.J. Maxx and they were having a huge sale at J.C.Penney's (yes, I actually went to the mall, it was that bad).
The upside is I don't think I'll have another day (at least before spring) when I'll say "I don't have anything to wear." And thanks to all the basics that I found, I think I'll be able to redeem virtually all of the matchless orphans in my closet.

And I still feel like I should take something back. But it's too late. I've washed them.

This Is The Day

It was raining here yesterday. All day long. It ranged from a drizzle to a downpour. Now I usually don't mind rain. It gives me a cozy feeling. However, I really hate running errands in the rain. Especially if any of the kids are with me. So I was mentally grumping at the rain. And this verse popped into my head. "This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." One usually sees this verse printed on notecards with a big green valley and a great big sun on the picture. But we're supposed to rejoice in rainy days too. And do you know what? The autumn colors were intensified in the mist and were so beautiful. And if I hadn't been running errands, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy them nearly as much. Thank you, Lord, for sending this rainy autumn day to rejoice and be glad in.