Organization!

I've really been in the mood lately to get my apartment all organized. Organization makes me happy. I organized all my books on the bookshelf in the living room. I put all my gift wrap stuff in my new storage bag. I've also been getting all my laundry done. I'm going through all the clothes and packing up all the ones that don't fit or aren't worn. I'm trying to get everything ready to rearrange our closet situation.

I've decided I want to turn my laundry room into a family closet. Well...it's likely just going to be the girls' closet because I don't think there's going to be enough room for all three of us to keep our clothes in there. But...I think just getting the girls' clothes all in one spot will help a lot.

I absolutely loathe doing the laundry. I really have no problem putting them in the washer and dryer. But then it's a matter of sorting them all, taking them upstairs, putting all the clothes in three separate bedrooms...putting them away neatly knowing that as soon as the girls look to find something to wear, they will get all messed up again. When they dig through the drawers or the closet, it always seems lots of clothes end up on the floor. And it's a huge fight to get them to put their own clothes away...and it's definitely not organized when they do it.

So when I'm sitting in front of a pile of laundry...I stare at it with dread and think of all the other things I'd rather be doing instead. :P I know this is all very normal stuff but it's just one of my least favorite chores around the house.

My laundry room is about 10x9 but shaped rather oddly. I came across this website on pinterest awhile back. I put in all the measurements of my laundry room and played around. Here's what I came up with:

The space across from the dryer is where I will put the girls' clothes. The square area at the left is where I store everything. I would utilize that part too...but it's under the stairs which means the ceiling is short and slanted there so it would make getting in and out of there rather difficult. It's hard enough getting all my holiday decorations out of there once or twice a year. So even though I'd love to have ALL the clothes in there, I don't think I'm going to be able to swing it. There's just not enough room.

I was going to build a shelving unit to put in the closet area but I'm starting to rethink that plan. When I was at Walmart with mom the other day, I found some modular storage units with drawers...there are several different sizes. I think if I use those on the floor and then hang a bar over them, there will be enough room for all of their clothes.

This way I can just take their clothes straight from the dryer and put them away. Hopefully it will all work out the way I'm hoping it will!

YouCapture: Color

I am all about organizing my house lately. Especially since finding pinterest...it has just gotten me in the mood to organize. I had to get a new external hard drive on amazon.com the other day and I ran across this gift wrap organizer and thought it would be handy to have. Mom and I got a lot of gift wrap stuff on clearance after Christmas and it was mostly just thrown on a shelf above my washer and dryer...and it kept falling off. So...voila! Now it stays in the bag!

Anyway...I was taking some pictures for my 366days project and I thought all the wrapping paper and bows made for good "color" photos.

(Disclaimer: This isn't a review...and I bought the bag myself).

I hate you!

I finally reached that point in motherhood. I was hoping that it would wait a few years...maybe when she was a teenager instead of just nine years old. :P But the other day those words came out of my daughter's mouth: "I hate you!"

It doesn't bother me. I know she doesn't hate me. I said the same thing to my own mom when I didn't get my way or I had to do something I didn't like. Just like my daughter did. Of course I was a teenager when I did it. :P I had a rocky relationship with my mom during my teenage years but we have an amazing relationship now. So I know this phase means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

So why did Aubry say it? Because I told her that she couldn't get another bottle of water until she cleaned up all the trash out of her room...which was mostly empty water bottles. She stomped her feet and cried "I hate you!" as she went upstairs. Then she pouted for a few minutes, brought the trash down to the trashcan, and stormed off with her new bottle of water.

And then, of course, there was the fighting about cleaning the rest of her room. I told the girls last week that if their rooms were not clean by the time they went to their dad's house, I was going to get a box and anything that wasn't put away was going in the box and they wouldn't get it back until they earned it...by showing that they can clean up after themselves. Ashlyn cried at the thought of all her stuff being boxed up...which led her to go upstairs and clean her room. Aubry on the other hand...she went and cried on her bed. I reminded her that I was going to box everything up and she yelled "fine take away all my stuff!" That's how she reacts to any negative consequences. "Fine!" and then she still doesn't do what she's supposed to. She was also told that she doesn't get to go anywhere until her room was cleaned and that included going to my grandparents' house (which is something the girls REALLY enjoy). She still yelled "fine!" of course.

So that was on Friday. My dad came over to see the girls before they went to their dad's house for the weekend. He made a deal with Aubry that if she cleaned her room when she got back, he would take her out to fly her new helicopter that she got for Christmas. So I told her I would wait until Tuesday, but if she didn't get her room clean by then...no helicopter and her stuff would be in a box. She said okay.

Sunday I wasn't feeling well and we all went to bed early. So she didn't get it clean on Sunday night but she didn't throw a fit, either. And she did take out the trash (which is specifically her chore) so that was good.

Then came Monday. She had talked to her great-grandpa at school (he works for the schools...along with both my mom and my dad) about coming over. When I picked the girls up after school, she said papa was going to call after work to ask if they could come over and play for awhile. I reminded her that she couldn't go anywhere until her room was clean. I was pleasantly surprised when there was no whining and she said "I know. I'm going to clean my room now and then we can go." And she went upstairs and cleaned her room. Then she called papa to tell him that she was finished. SO much easier than fighting with her over it.

I'm a fairly strict parent. I take parenting very seriously. I believe it is my job to raise these kids to be good people and I want them to be self-sufficient adults. I want to instill good values and break them of bad habits. I won't clean the girls' rooms for them. They need to know that they have to clean up after themselves because no one is going to do it for them when they grow up. I won't buy them new things if they can't take care of what they already have. I won't let them get their way just because they whine, throw a fit, or tell me that they hate me. Because trust me...I know adults who still behave that way and it's not pretty.

I was raised very well by a good and honest woman. I have much respect for my mother (even if I didn't when I was a teenager). I believe that the way I was raised has been an incredible influence when it comes to raising my own kids. And I want my own children to feel that way, too. Even if they don't always grasp the reasons why I do things NOW...I am confident that when they have their own children, they'll understand just as I did when I became a mother. The way that I was raised, the mistakes that I've made, the things I've experienced...it leads to the "wisdom" I need when raising my kids. I want my girls to realize that for themselves, too.

It's really hard when it comes to shared custody. My children have two separate homes with two separate sets of rules and ways of life. There are things they can get away with on their dad's side of the family that I won't allow them to get away with here. So going back and forth does make it a little more challenging. But...that's life.

And I've seen a lot of people handle shared parenting much differently. I've known many parents who try to be the "good parent" just because they want their children to like them better than their ex-spouse. They hope that their kids will "choose" them over the other parent. I don't like it...and I won't do it. Just like parents who try to be their kids' friend instead of doing their job as a parent. I think it doesn't serve their children well. Kids are essentially a blank slate. We as parents are the ones who have to teach them about life and pave the way for what kind of adults they are going to be. I think that's important.

So if my young children think I'm "mean" because I make them clean their rooms or I won't let them eat snacks all day...I can accept that. Because I'm secure in my reasons...I know that I'm making the right decision for them. Even if they don't understand that now...I believe that one day they'll get it.

Where I ramble about continuing my education...

I've been thinking about this subject for a long time...before I even graduated with my bachelor degree. And now that I'm done with undergraduate studies, it seems to be all I can think about. I've been scouring the internet looking at different programs and trying to decide what I want to do.

I just wish getting a college education wasn't SO expensive! I was able to accomplish getting my undergraduate degree without incurring any student loans. And right now, I have zero debt. So taking on student loans at this point in my life is very nerve-wracking to me. If money wasn't an obstacle, I wouldn't have any problem deciding to go to graduate school. But I still really, really want to. I love to learn. Actually let me clarify...I love to learn about topics I'm passionate about and things I find interesting.

For example, the books in my personal library include: The Anatomy of Motive, Criminal Psychology, Slipping through the Cracks (Intervention Strategies for Clients with Multiple Addictions and Disorders), The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice, Investigative Psychology, Correctional Counseling and Treatment, The Strengths Model, etc. These are my leisurely reading books that I've started reading now that I'm not bogged down with homework. I'm sure it seems pretty strange...but it's what I find interesting. I've always been kind of a nerd who likes to read textbooks...ever since I was a kid. I'd go to the library a lot and most of my time was spent in the nonfiction section.

I hope to eventually have a lot more books on similar topics. Oh and by the way...I am in love with finding used books online. One I just got was only 1 cent and less than $3 shipping. Amazon.com also has a LOT of free kindle books. That list above doesn't even count my Kindle books (I don't have a Kindle but I have the app on my phone and I read them that way)...but there are a lot of similar things in psychology, psychotherapy, forensics, criminal sociology, and several books about lies/deception...and a dream analysis book just for some variety. ;)

ANYWAY...I got sidetracked.

When I started community college in 2000, I decided to get my AA in Psychology. This was my plan throughout my last 3 years of high school and I was even approved to do an independent study in psychology during my senior year. While I wanted to be a psychologist, I hadn't really looked into what all was required in the profession and the education to get there. And then about a year later, I got pregnant and decided to take a break to raise my kids. So I stopped thinking about it.

In 2007, my oldest child was starting Kindergarten. And I was also thinking a lot about going back to school, myself. I talked with my mom about it in great length and she helped me sort things out so I could go back. I went back to the same community college. While I wasn't as passionate about general psychology as I had been in the past, I wanted to finish that degree.

One of the last classes I took before graduating was intro to criminal justice. I realized that it was so much more interesting to me than just focusing on psychology. So I had begun to start rethinking my goals. When I started at WSU in 2008, I intended to combine the psychology and sociology by completing courses for substance abuse certification. However, that year the program was cancelled at WSU. Since I enjoyed the criminal justice classes so much, I decided to go that route. Of course, then I realized that NO prior classes in Spanish made it even more difficult for me to learn a foreign language and it really stressed me out. Unfortunately, most of the programs required 15 credit hours of foreign language.

SO. I continued searching and found the Bachelor of General Studies program. I could still study criminal justice but didn't require all the foreign language credits. It wasn't perfect, though, because there were limits on how many classes I could take in the different concentrations. Since all the classes I really enjoyed were social and behavioral sciences, I quickly filled up the number of classes allowed and there were a lot of classes I would have enjoyed taking but couldn't because of the limits. On the plus side, I did get to take some oil painting classes which I really enjoyed.

I graduated in December 2011 with a degree heavy in criminal justice, psychology, and sociology classes. I found that I have a real passion for psychology as it relates to criminal behavior. I didn't start watching Criminal Minds until 2010 but it quickly became one of my favorite shows. In another life (one where I wasn't a single mom), I would have loved to work in the behavioral analysis unit of the FBI. It's absolutely fascinating to me and I do think I would be good at it. But...I'm a single mom and I'm not going to join the FBI while I have little ones to raise.

I still love it though. I love reading about it. I love reading people. And I really want to continue my education. I want to get my master degree just as much as I wanted to finish my undergraduate degree. Honestly, I think I've been thinking about graduate school even more than I thought about my bachelor degree. At that point, it was just "I want to do this; I'm going to do this" and I applied, got accepted, and started. I kinda just went with it and made all my decisions fairly easily. I knew where I wanted to go. There were only three local choices and two of them were private colleges which were way too expensive for me. Plus my grandpa--who is an alumni of WSU--would have been highly disappointed if I hadn't gone to WSU. There weren't a lot of requirements concerning getting into WSU and it all just sort fell into place for me.

Graduate school? Not so much. Money is a HUGE factor. Pell grants aren't available for graduate school. I'm also wanting an online program...taking classes online is just much easier for me. There are more requirements and they vary by university as well as by program. Most of them have a minimum GPA, varying numbers of reference letters, personal statements, and some of them stipulate certain GRE scores (which I haven't taken).

And--of course--there's the matter of what degree program I want to complete. I know I don't want strictly a Criminal/Administrative Justice program, but certain psychology and/or social work programs would be good. Then there's the question of licensing. In order to become licensed to practice, you have to meet certain qualifications and not all programs at all schools offer that. But, if I just wanted to be a case manager or parole officer, I wouldn't need to be licensed and I could find a forensic psychology program...which is basically THE course of study that I love. It combines criminal justice and psychology which is perfect for me. There's also the option to try for positions as an adjunct professor...and I do think I'd enjoy teaching college classes in these subjects (and doing it online would be even better!). But...I just don't know.

There are so many variables...so many things that I need to decide. And if I'm going to pursue my goal in the fall of this year, I need to start deciding. I don't know why it's SO hard for me to pin down exactly what I want to do. It is though. I've been thinking about it constantly and I still feel so unsure. My goal by the end of January is to figure it out!

Long week...

Well it's been a long week without any posts from me. It's kinda ironic since my last post talked about how I didn't want to be such a slacker when it comes to blogging. :P

I haven't been feeling well, though. My doctor thinks I've been having problems with my gallbladder so I go in Friday to have a scan for that. I also had a headache that lasted about three weeks. I got some medicine for that on Monday and it's been helping, thank goodness! And now I'm getting over a bad cold. Hopefully it will be gone soon, too.

I am loving pinterest. I usually browse through it every once in awhile. I've found so many great ideas. Sometimes I even do something with all those ideas! ;) It gets me in the mood to be organized and creative.

This is one of the first things I did...organized all the kids' school papers inspired by this pin:

Source: mommyminded.blogspot.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

I started doing this with my girls after Christmas:

Source: mama-jenn.blogspot.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

I'm in the process of doing this with all the girls' artwork:

Source: jengrantmorris.blogspot.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

I'm going to be doing this soon if the girls don't get in the habit of putting their things away:

Source: madsmemories.blogspot.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

I even went to pinterest to find ideas before I got my hair done...decided on something kinda like this:

Source: google.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

Pinterest even inspired me to come up with something all on my own! This was an old DVD stand that I repurposed to hold the girls' shoes by the front door. :)

Source: flickr.com via tinycandi on Pinterest

And...now I should probably get busy and actually do some things around here instead of looking for more ideas to stockpile. ;)

Slacker-ness!

I don't think slackerness is actually a word. Actually I did google it...I found it on urbandictionary.com but I don't think that counts. But anyway...it's been about 4 days since I wrote in here and I was hoping to be a little more consistent.

I've been feeling like crap the last 2-3 weeks. I've had a constant headache. Sometimes it's better and sometimes it's unbearable. It's definitely wearing me out, though. It's also messing with my sleep. I was all excited because I actually got to bed at like 8:30pm...except then I woke up at 11:30pm and now I can't sleep. :P At the moment my head doesn't hurt very bad though so I'm putting that in the plus column.

Right now I'm trying to work on some photo-editing. My mom took some photos for me and I've been working on getting the finished product done. I'm also watching Dawson's Creek while I work. Did anyone else watch that show in the 90s? I was in high school at that time so it was rather pertinent to my life. I spent every week during the first several seasons watching the show with a friend of mine. It's funny to go back and watch it now that my life has experienced a lot more things. Of course, it does make me a little terrified of the fact that my own children will be teenagers before I know it.

But for right now they're still my little girls. And they're doing really well in school! We just got report cards back from this quarter and I'm so proud of them! Aubry got all As including 100% in Science, Health/PE, and Music. She didn't get lower than 95% in any of her subjects. And Ashlyn got all As and 1 B! She is reading 3 levels ahead and her teacher says she is "an absolute joy to have in class." I have such good kids. :)

I'm contemplating school, too. I just graduated in December and I'm already thinking about going back. I really do want to become licensed...either as a social worker or psychologist. I could get my Substance Abuse certification and become licensed and start practicing without my Master's degree but it's limiting. And it would be almost 30 credits to get all the required coursework...but with about 15 more, I could actually have my Master's degree. But there's so many issues about going back to school...what program, where, how much, etc. So...trying to figure it all out.

But for now...back to editing photos.

You Capture: Top 10 of 2011

You Capture is a weekly blog meme centered around photography. It's one of my favorite to participate in. This week's theme is top photos of 2011. Since I'm just getting back to blogging I think this is a perfect one right now.





So here are the photos I chose for my top 10 of 2011:

My grandparents' dog, Gizmo:


Visiting our friend's ducks:


Feeding the chickens:


My niece at her first birthday party:


My beautiful girls:


My dad blowing bubbles with my niece during (a very HOT) family fun day:


I love these eyes:


I hate that my baby looks so grown up:


Aubry is the natural athlete:


And this is just absolutely adorable:


It was so hard to choose just ten. Some of them I chose just because I thought they looked like good photographs...most of them I chose because the people in them are just darn cute. :)

Introduction: 100 things

When I visit blogs, I like to know about the people behind the words...who they are and where they come from. It makes me feel more connected...like I'm not just reading random words. Maybe you feel the same? Here is a list of 100 random facts about me:

1. When I was a kid I went by my nickname: Candi. Now people usually call me Candace.
2. I got the nickname "tiny" during summer cheerleading practice when I was in 7th grade.
3. I started using "tinycandi" online when I was 15 and it just stuck.
4. My birthday is in October. I LOVE the fall. The weather, colors, smells, back to school excitement...I love it all. I got married in the fall and had a beautiful wedding.
5. I turned 30 in 2011. It seems so weird that 30 years have gone by already but I'm alright with it. Most people don't believe that I'm 30. I've had people guess as young as 16. :P My mom and grandma both look younger than they are, too.
6. I have 2 daughters who are amazing kids. Aubry is 9 and Ashlyn is 7.
7. I love being a mother. I love watching my children grow and showing them the world. Most of all...I love that they show me the world.
8. My arm span is 3in longer than my height. It's likely because of my scoliosis...the curve in my spine makes me shorter.
9. My favorite TV shows are Criminal Minds, Burn Notice, NCIS, Greys Anatomy, Private Practice, House, Law & Order SVU, and CSI Miami. I liked Smallvile when it was on.
10. I don't have cable so I watch all my shows online.
11. I also LOVE watching old episodes of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. I watched it growing up and now my kids love watching it. We have the series on DVD and it's been great.
12. I am a night owl. I've always had trouble sleeping.
13. I like to read textbooks about things that interest me...anything related to criminal justice, psychology, sociology, etc.
14. I'm a feminist.
15. I was married once...I already had my dream wedding. I don't plan to ever get married again. I'm far too independent now.
16. I'm not really that friendly. I'm nice when I meet new people but I don't really set out to meet people. I'm really close with my friends and like to stick with the people I know.
17. I'm easily annoyed.
18. I have OCD. Mine is centered around patterns and things being in order and matching. I can't always explain it...when I see something it just needs to be in a certain way otherwise it makes me feel uneasy. It's not something that's really affected me too seriously. It has just made me very organized. Everything has to be in it's place.
19. I suffer the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. I also have Hemiplegic Migrains, Scolisos, Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome, IBS, and Adhesive Disease. My body is a lemon...my mom didn't check my carfax report before she brought me home from the hospital. ;)
20. I have a thing for several celebrities...Andy Garcia, Bruce Willis, Joe Lando, Sean Connery, and Joe Mantegna. And it seems they are all happily married so...I'm out of luck. Thus I will never be getting married. Just kidding. ;)
21. I have also been inspired by Mariska Hargitay. I started watching SVU in 2004 and was really touched. I emailed her in 2005 (back when she was still answering her own emails) and she actually emailed me back: Dear Candace, Thank you so, so much for writing me. Your email is very sweet and I am touched by your generosity. Your daughters are beautiful. I hope that your year is filled with lots of love, light, and happiness. God bless, Mariska
22. I also have a weak spot for dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin. :)
23. I've always liked buying and selling on ebay. There are some new rules that I don't like though.
24. I usually do most of my shopping on amazon.com. That's where I got all the girls Christmas presents the last two years. And I really, really like Amazon Prime!
25. My kitchen table tends to be a "catch all" of sorts. Papers and mail and the girls stuff...it all just seems to collect on the table. I hate the clutter and it overwhelms me...but it always seems to collect crap again.
26. I'm obsessed with planners and calendars....have been ever since I was little. Sometimes I even have more than one each year.
27. I love the "between you and me" Hallmark cards. It just amazes me how they can be so appropriate at certain times/situations in life. They're my favorite.
28. I really love my Dr. Pepper. If it's not around I'll drink Pepsi. I will not drink Diet Pop of any kind...don't like the taste at all. If I stop drinking pop I end up getting a headache.
29. My dad drinks Diet Coke all the time. He always gives me his codes for mycokerewards.com and I've gotten a lot of awesome things "for free" from there. I've gotten a lot of snapfish stuff (prints, photobooks, and ornaments), magazine subscriptions, a set of 3 Farberware pans, an entire cookware set, a $50 Nike gift card, and I just got an ice cream scoop. The pans, cookware, gift card, and Christmas ornaments I actually gave as Christmas presents to my boyfriend and our parents. Worked out really nicely!
30. I participated in a 365day self-portrait project...one photo everyday from August 1, 2007-July 31, 2008. I've tried a couple times but haven't gotten another complete set. This year I'm trying it again. It's just a photo a day...not just self-portraits.
31. I love filling out surveys. I always have...I guess I just have an obsession with answering personal questions about myself. ;)
32. I'm a very open person. I have no problem saying anything. And I don't do well with secrets.
33. I've always loved quotes, movie lines, and song lyrics. I will often randomly recite things I’ve heard in conversation, etc. I tend to pick up on other little things people say as well.
34. I was married to a compulsive liar...and that really helped shape my opinions about lies and liars. I realized how absolutely disrespectful and frustrating it was to deal with...and I did not want to be that kind of person. So while I won’t say I never lie…I do try not to. and if I get caught in a lie...I fess up. Because I find it obnoxious to assume that someone who already knows/questions the validity of a lie...should actually believe the next lie that you tell to try to cover up the first. Which is another reason why I think lies are stupid. It turns into lie after lie and worries about getting caught. I'd prefer to just ignore the inevitable fallout.
35. I'm very loyal to my friends, family, and boyfriends.
36. I've never cheated on anyone and it's never crossed my mind. When I'm with someone I'm pretty devoted.
37. I really like being single. I like living alone and doing my own thing. I like having things in my life going my way. I've gotten used to that and I really like it.
38. That said, I am in love with someone. I have been for almost 6 years. We've always been close and even though we've never had a typical relationship...we've always found a way that it works for us and suits what we want out of life for ourselves.
39. It's really amazing to find a connection with someone who feels like your other half.
40. I'm very nosy and I am the kind of person who just kinda stores information. I just want to know everything.
41. I'm very good at reading people and analyzing behavior. I'd make a pretty good criminal profiler. I find people fascinating...and the patterns of behavior are intriguing.
42. I went to community college right after high school but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. I stopped when I got pregnant...but I decided to go back to school in 2007. In May 2008 I got my AA in Psychology and then in 2011 I got my BGS in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology.
43. I've recently applied for jobs in community support services such as case managers, crisis workers, and supervision roles in corrections (like parole officers).
44. I'm seriously considering continuing my education. I'm trying to find a master's program in social work, clinical psychology, or something as specific as substance abuse counseling.
45. I love breakfast food...any time of day.
46. Some of my favorite restaurants are Texas Roadhouse, Genghis Grill, Red Lobster, and Olive Garden.
47. I like fast food, too. I tend to cycle between Sonic, Taco Tico, Taco Bell, Arby's, Wendy's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and even McDonalds (love their fries).
48. My children and I were all three born on astrological cusps. Aubry was born on the 21st (Gemini/Cancer), Ashlyn was born on the 22nd (Virgo/Libra), and I was born on the 23rd (Libra/Scorpio). Also, Aubry was born on the first day of summer and Ashlyn was born on the first day of fall. I think it's really cool.
49. I dip my French fries in my chocolate shake. I tried it in 7th grade when my best friend also did it.
53. Every time I go for steak, I get house/garden salad (ranch dressing), steak (medium), baked potato (butter only), and a Dr. Pepper.
54. I don't really like to talk on the phone...I prefer to text.
55. I also hate group projects. I can be a team player...but my OCD makes me want to do it "right" all by myself. It's another one of those things where I just want to do it my way and not deal with anyone else.
56. I also don't like "mingling" or being forced to talk to people I don't know. I hate awkward silence and I don't always know what to say in situations like that. I'll talk to people who talk to me but I don't tend to just strike up conversations with people.
57. I believe the best teacher of life…is life itself. Watching and learning and just paying attention. Making mistakes, almost making mistakes, and not making mistakes…you learn a lesson no matter what happens and no matter what you do. I believe WANTING to learn…is what allows you to grow.
58. I love art and photography (and photo-editing). I have done oil painting, colored pencils, charcoal, scratchboard, pen stippling, etc. I do a little bit of freelance work here and there.
59. I started competitive dance and gymnastics when I was 3 years old. I stopped when I was about 10 years old because I was tired of missing out on things with my friends. Unfortunately, I quit right before my team went to nationals in Texas and won a huge trophy. :P
60. I don't like to learn new things in front of other people. And I don't like to be embarrassed. Those two things kind of go hand in hand for me.
61. I'm not really good at sports. When all my friends were learning sports I was busy with dance and gymnastics competitions and things. And once I got older, I was too embarrassed to try. I did enjoy swim team and track (mostly long jump and triple jump).
62. I grew up going to garage sales with my parents and grandparents all the time. We'd get up really early and go from garage sale to garage sale getting lots of things we didn't usually need. The one thing I remember getting was the game Girl Talk. I still love going to garage sales and so do my kids.
63. I’ve always loved jigsaw puzzles. When I was little, I used to have dozens of those wooden puzzles that were only 10-20 pieces. I used to dump all of them out and mix the pieces up...then put all the puzzles back together.
64. I was a nerd in school. I was in the gifted program and competed in scholar's bowl, odyssey of the mind, and things like that. I took my ACT several times starting in middle school.
65. I’ve always loved playing and making a “house” in spaces wherever I could find them: cardboard boxes, closets, the bathtub (filled with blankets instead of water), and “building” houses to play in outside with whatever I could find.
66. I am not the kind of person to sugarcoat things. I’m pretty blunt and just throw things out there the way they are (or the way I see them).
67. I am a very nostalgic person. I keep lots of papers and notes and letters and all sorts of things that remind me of the past.
68. I like mild weather…I don’t like to be too hot and I don’t like to be too cold. Of course…I live in Kansas...which is all about extreme weather. Heck we can have all four seasons in one day. It’s insane.
69. I dyed my hair for the first time in 2006. My stylist had never met someone who had never had their hair colored and she actually offered me a large discount if I would let her put highlights in my hair. In 2010 I actually decided to do something different. I dyed my hair an auburn color in the fall then added blonde highlights in the spring. Last summer I had both auburn and blonde. This winter I went back to a darker brown with a hint of auburn. I love it.
70. I love cake but I hate frosting. Ooh. But I do like red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. That’s my second favorite cake. My first favorite cake is strawberry chantilly. Mmmm. It has more of a whip cream icing and I actually eat that.
71. I pretty much refuse to cry in front of people. I can cry pretty easily when I’m alone…but it takes a LOT for me to cry in front of anyone else.
72. I'm anti-apple products. I just don't like them. I think they're far too expensive and not as expandable as PCs nor are they as compatible.
73. I refuse to own an iphone. I have an android and love it. I love that it's cheaper and has an open market. Plus, I can essentially rebuild my phone to do more things I want. With an iphone, you pretty much get what comes out of the box and the "approved" apps with "approved" prices. There's just a lot more freedom and customization with android.
74. I look a lot like my mom (fair skin, nose, hands). I'm built a lot like my grandma (thin and lanky). And my attitude is just like my dad's.
75. I never tried Chinese food until I was a senior in high school. I’ve loved it ever since. In 2006 I learned how to eat with chopsticks. Now I never eat Chinese food without them.
76. When I was a kid, one of my favorite things eat was cheese sandwiches...with slices cut from a block of cheddar cheese. To this day I still like them every once in awhile. They actually make sliced cheddar cheese now...makes it a lot more convenient.
77. I have never had anything to do with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the vampire movies, or anything books/movies that seem to become a "fad."
78. My first daughter was born after 28 hours of labor and pushing for only 3 sets. My second daughter was born after 38 hours of labor and only pushing one time. Both of them were born about 4 hours after I got my epidural.
79. I always thought I would have three children. But I had several miscarriage and health problems come up. And now that my kids are both in school all day, I don't want to start all over with a baby in daycare. I got my tubes tied last year...well one of them, anyway. I have a lot of scar tissue that has done some damage in my abdomen from a previous surgery and one of my fallopian tubes is lost in the scar tissue. Leave it to me to complicate something simple. :P
80. I'm very glad that I have two healthy children. They've had bumps and bruises and regular sickness but we've never had any major problems. My youngest went to the hospital by ambulance when she was 3 weeks old because she aspirated and stopped breathing...but she was fine and we've had no ER visits with the kids ever since! Thank goodness!
81. I've never had a broken bone.
82. I tend to get nervous easily...especially when it comes to public speaking. I get a stomachache and I start shaking really bad. I hate it but so far I haven't found a way to make it stop. :P
83. When I graduated from WSU, a friend of mine was also graduating. Our mothers were in lamaze together while pregnant with us, we graduated high school together, and then 11 years after our high school graduation we were able to graduate college together. We walked in together but then were separated because it ended up that the new row started with me. But I ended up staying where I was and sat right behind her for the ceremony. Then when it was time to walk across the stage, I jumped in line behind her and we were able to walk together across the stage as well. It was really neat.
84. I really, really love lists. It goes with the OCD thing.
85. Most of my furniture is hand-me-down. My awesome sectional sofa came from my sister and brother-in-law as well as the entertainment center. My dressers and bedside tables came from my grandma (who also bought my new bed for me). The girls' beds were from my mom's house and garage sales. Ashlyn's dresser was the same one I had growing up and Aubry's was from a garage sale. All the TVs in our house were from garage sales (and all under $10). I have several bookcases that my dad found and fixed up for us. My desk came from my sister. The DVD stand in the living room we got for $5 at a garage sale. The only thing I have that I purchased was the $100 dining set from Walmart that I bought after we got married.
86. I was raised to respect people and respect the things you have...to understand values. If you didn't take care of your things...you didn't have them. If you broke something of someone else's...you replaced it.
87. I was also raised to respect the law. And if you made a mistake, you faced the consequences. There was no "how can I get out of this" in my life. If you were caught doing something wrong, you owned up to your mistakes and paid the price and you didn't do it again (or you suffered the consequences again).
88. I've really, really been enjoying pinterest. I've pinned a LOT of things and actually did a few pinterest inspired things. One day I hope to actually try some more things.
89. I'm very long-winded. I also have a bad habit of always wanting to have the last word.
90. I am tech-savvy and shiny new electronics make me happy. I always get giddy when I get a new computer, cell phone, camera...anything like that. It doesn't happen that often but I get all happy when it does.
91. I love arts and crafts and so do my kids.
92. I collect Cherished Teddy, Boyd's Bears, and Willow Tree figurines.
93. I love big cats like tigers, leopards, panters, etc. I really love going to the zoo and wild animal parks.
94. I love taking my kids to museums and botanical gardens and other local attractions.
95. I take after my mom and consider a lot of moments "scrapbook moments." I take pictures of pretty much everything my kids do. And eventually I hope to ACTUALLY scrapbook...though I've rarely made time for it. I really like virtual scrapbooking (doing it all on the computer) but mom prefers old fashion paper and scissors kind.
96. My favorite kinds of movies are action movies and dramas.
97. I own almost every movie Andy Garcia has ever made...and I have a lot of the ones Bruce Willis and Joe Lando have made.
98. I absolutely love swimming.
99. I tend to swear and yell a lot. It's one of my bad habits. :P
100. I'm very resourceful. With the help of the internet, I can pretty much do anything. ;) I don't know anything about cars but I look stuff up on the internet and suddenly I know how to fix stuff. ;)

Year in Review! Part IV

Last post reviewing the year. This one will have LOTS of pictures! It's been a busy end of the year!



OCTOBER 2011
Aubry's class had a zoo field trip...I went along and took a few pictures.

Fall Festival! Aubry was in the parade on the cheer float and Ashlyn sang in the K-3 Program:

The girls had fun trick-or-treating...I painted their faces before we left:

Oh and I turned THIRTY. :P

NOVEMBER 2011
Pictures of us on Thanksgiving:



DECEMBER 2011
I finally graduated with my BGS in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology!


We had a great Christmas...it was spread out over several days.
We made cookies inspired by things I found on pinterest:






We went to Exploration Place during winter break:




And then Genghis Grill and a late night movie on Christmas Eve!

Year in Review! Part III

More pictures!



JULY 2011
We didn't do a whole lot in the month of July. The girls spent a week at the lake with their dad. We did go to the CSI Experience though. My mom and grandma went with us so I actually some pictures of me with the girls!



AUGUST 2011
The girls first music theater: The Little Merimaid!

Back to school shopping!

First day of 4th and 1st grade!

I also started my last semester at WSU. My last classes were: Medieval Art History, Theater: Mirror of Today, Profiling, and Women Children & Poverty.

SEPTEMBER 2011
Aubry decided to try cheerleading this year.

We went to the zoo with my parents:

Pinterest inspired me to organize my apartment:

We had Ashlyn's cupcake-themed birthday party at Paint the Towne!