1st Annual Birthday Trivia Post

My friend, Susan from Cheerios in my Shorts, a inspired this post. She celebrated her birthday a few days ago and I think her annual useless trivia is just the thing I should post on my 35th birthday. So here goes! 35 useless things that you didn't need to know about me.

1. I love to travel. My passport as dust on it. I really am dying to dust it off, but am afraid it is going to expire before I get a chance. Guess I'll have to apply for another one!

2. I can't use a pen if the cap is missing.

3. My first car was a 1984 Dodge Omni. I paid 200 dollars for the car and 200 dollars for a transmission to put in it. I paid for it with money that I earned at my first real job.

4. My first real job was working at McDonald's. I was 16 and I was saving money for a trip to France.

5. In college when I was desperate for money, I took a job telemarketing cemetery plots. You haven't had a job as bad as this. No one likes to be interrupted to be talked to about death, especially during dinner time.

6. I drove myself to the hospital when I went into labor with Ian. My husband was out doing field exercises and I was scared. When the hospital staff finally decided to check me, I was dilated to 8cm already.

7. I love to host playdates, but I loathe the nerves that come trying to make sure everything is great.

8. I have a very melancholy side to my personality that most people don't know about. My sensitive side gets the better of me more than I care to admit.

9. I am super competitive and love to "smack talk." I especially love going to work on the days after the Cowboys lose! LOL

10. Motherhood is by far the most humbling experience in my life.

11. I only dislike 2 foods. Olives and beet roots. I'll try anything else.

12. I love shoes and handbags. Forget the jewelry. Bring me a new handbag and shoes and I'll love you forever.

13. I met my best friend in kindergarten. Nothing beats a lifelong friendship and we can pick up right where we left off every single time.

14. I would rather have a pumpkin pie for my birthday over a birthday cake even as a little girl. My mother has plenty of pictures to prove this fact.

15. I can speak enough Hebrew to get around Israel pretty well, understand enough Arabic to be dangerous and can speak French well enough to make some believe that I know what I am talking about. LOL. I get rusty, so I like to brush up these skills occasionally.

16. I am a girl who loves math and science. It thrills me when I see girls pursue careers in these areas.

17. I grew up in a very small town in Indiana. The sign outside the town really says this. "Welcome to Hillsboro, the town of 600 Happy People and a Few Old Soreheads." 600 people don't even live there anymore.

18. I am a Bulldog. A Butler Bulldog.

19. I met my husband via the internet though not in the conventional way. I like to say it was seredipity. He randomly instant messaged me and I had a lapse in judgment and responded. The rest is history.

20. My outloud voice has a name. It's Frank. If you know me, you know why.

21. I hate to be told that I can't. I will do just about anything to prove you wrong if you say it to me.

22. My shoe size has increased with each pregnancy. I wore an 8 before Ian. And 8.5 after Ian and now am the proud owner of size 9 shoes. UGH.

23. I sing in the car to the radio and know that people have to think I am nuts when they pull up next to me.

24. I only had 3 wisdom teeth. I wonder what else is missing sometimes!

25. You will never get me to skydive or bungee jump. Quit asking. It's NOT happening!

26. I sometimes wish I had just gone on to medical school and then I have someone show me their nasty boob rash and thank God that HE kept me from pursuing that path.

27. I have an uncanny eye for details. My mom used to get so annoyed with me when I would point out something new in the house that she hadn't told my father about yet. My grandmother had that same knack.

28. I love witty puns.

29. I snore and talk/eat in my sleep. Fair warning if we ever have to share a hotel room!

30. I hate when I don't have the complete "set" of something and it drives me insane until I find every piece.

31. I do not like sugary cereal at all. Blech.

32. I hate having my toes touched. My feet are just way too ticklish.

33. I ran a half marathon when I was 9 weeks pregnant with Ian.

34. I was the first girl from my high school to run cross country.

35. I can't believe I am 35. I feel like I'm about 25!

He's Home!

My husband completed his journey home to us today! He even got in 4 hours before he was originally scheduled and I was thrilled to meet him at the airport along with Aaron. Aaron was a little hesitant about his daddy, but he's starting to warm up. I was able to bring Bill home for a nice shower while Aaron took a nap before heading to Logan's for lunch. We then hit up Walmart before going to Ian's school to pick him up.

Ian was sitting at the table working on his "E" worksheet when Aaron and I walked in. Bill followed, but stood in the doorway. Sweet Ian looked up at him in disbelief and said very hesitantly "Daddy?" He then asked again looking for a little more reassurance, "DADDY?" Bill then smiled at him and Ian's face lit up and he screamed "DAAAADDDDYYYYY!!!" It was so awesome! He ran over to him and gave him a big hug and then all the boys in the class proceeded to do the dance of joy as Bill chased them around the class. I'm sure the teacher appreciated that one. (She's a military wife so she understands!)

Ian has been on Cloud 9 all day. He can't get enough of Daddy and Aaron is starting to follow in his big brother's lead. We've spent most of the day resting and trying to let Bill just take it easy.

Tomorrow is my "mid life crisis" birthday. That's been the joke at work, at least. (It's only #35!) I have no big plans except to enjoy my complete family! It's been a long six months and I can't think of a better gift.

We did receive word today that our initial home study was accepted as passing and we are now ready to go for fingerprinting. They are forwarding the cards and we both should be able to get that done while Bill is home. I believe we both have to have physicals done, too.

Houston, We Have a Problem

Somehow I think you've got your signals switched and you've made us Seattle or London because "it never rains in Texas in the fall." Yeah, right! It's raining cats and dogs and has been for weeks on end it seems. CRAP. Are you sure that we aren't in England? I mean this is what I expected in London, but this is Central Texas! Did you hear me? CENTRAL TEXAS. We have an outdoor party planned for Thursday. I am formulating Plan B and it seems that it will likely become an indoor affair. ARGH. Oh the joys of the Mother Nature!

Messy Marvin *and his sidekick Messy Melvin!

Pumpkin Patches and Parties!

We've been busy the last couple of days!

On Friday evening, I rushed home from work and got the boys dressed in their costumes to go to a Halloween party for one of our playgroups. It was a fantastic time. There were all sorts of great treats, friends to play with and a pinata. The costumes that each child wore were adorable and the boys and I really had a good time!

Saturday we got up and went to the Silo Pumpkin patch. Well, it was okay, but the boys had a good time. It's times like these that I do wish I was back in the Midwest where the soil actually grows things like pumpkins, etc. Here it is more like a pumpkin pick because they truck in pumpkins and then just lay them around. I guess I should be thankful for that, but it's a total bummer when you know what a real patch is all about. This place was also overpriced, in my humble opinion and it was also one big sales pitch for their Christmas trees. Needless to say, I think we will skip this one next year. I am not going to pay 9 dollars for you to sell me a Christmas tree and I certainly think it's funny that I paid you 3 dollars to feed your animals. *shakes head* The kids had fun so I suppose that is really what counts.

Saturday evening we had a Halloween themed birthday party to attend. It was fun. It was going to be outside so I opted to dress the boys in their monster costumes. (I got them for a steal. I paid 5 dollars for Aaron's and Ian's was free with a coupon I had. This is the only reason they have 2 costumes each.) Anyway, Tommy the birthday boy is 4 days older than Ian and Tiffany, the birthday girl is a few months younger than Aaron. We have a great time when we are with them! Their party was super fun. They had all sorts of fun outdoor toys to play with, a cookout for dinner, cake and best of all a candy hunt! We came home with full bellies and were super tired!

I have a Headache

And for whatever reason. This Texas headache is worse than any I've had in a long time. So tonight when I got Aaron out of the tub and in his pajamas, I was stupid enough to put him down and think that in 1 hour my life would be all about the TV and the sounds of the dishwasher working its magic. I thought that for all of 2 seconds because before I could even get to the thoughts of the lovely snack that I would enjoy while watching my show, I heard a "THUNK" and then screams of rage. UGH. This is what I saw:




The 4 year old is banished to his room until tomorrow morning since he thought it would be funny to pull his brother into the water while clothed head first.

The baby is screaming his head off, mad as a hornet since he was dunked on top of cutting molars and all other number of things that kept him from napping today.

Did I mention that I have a headache?

Super, Secret Adventure!

I told Ian on Thursday that if he was good that we would go on a "super, secret adventure" on Saturday! He was so excited and had no idea what was up, but if he started to act up I would remind him and he would immediately straighten up his attitude.

So Saturday arrived and we drove over to Burnet, TX for A Day Out with Thomas! We met some good friends, the Moody Chipernos and we had a great time! We picked up a map from the ticket booth and went around to different stations collecting stamps so that we could get a prize. We started in the Imagination Station where Ian and Stevie got Thomas tattoos and colored some Thomas pictures. We walked around checking things out and stopped for a hotdog before going to the Storytime building. The boys got to hold the storybook for Mr Topham Hatt's assistant! How cool is that! There was also a petting zoo and a large inflatable slide to climb and slide down. Then we went and got in line to get our photo with Thomas before boarding the train for our 25 minute train ride. On the train we learned how trains operate and also had a little Thomas trivia thrown our way! Ian was in heaven! He was thrilled just to be out with a friend, but the icing on the cake was definitely riding on Thomas! He received his Jr Conductor certificate and talked nonstop on the way home about his super adventure!