About Me

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I grew up in Small Town, Nebraska, feeling sheltered by the 'safety' of it all. When I moved to Big City, Nebraska, I felt like the world was my oyster. However, I soon felt like there was much more for me Out There... I moved to Chicago, thinking I was done with this 'little' state. It took living in a true big city to realize that Lincoln is just an oversized small town... and it's where I belong! I'm blessed to have a wonderful husband who understands me and all my oddities. My kids are young enough to still think I'm cool. Beyond that, who cares, right?

Friday, February 16, 2007

100 Things About My Husband

I got this idea from Jeana, who borrowed it from someone else. Mine is a belated Valentine's Day gift, but I don't think he'll mind, will you Jim?

100 Things About Jim

1. He's even hotter today than he was when I met him, eleven years ago.
2. He's very funny.
3. He's affectionate--I love holding hands with him, he hugs me all the time, etc.
4. He "gets" me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. I "get" him!!!!!
6. He is a wonderful father.
7. He's very sexy.
8. He has great values.
9. He has an awesome work ethic.
10. He is a wonderful provider.
11. He is wise with money.
12. He also knows how to cut loose and buy something silly now and then.
13. He is very smart.
14. He's well read.
15. He's traveled to lots of different places.
16. He doesn't have any unhealthy habits (like drinking to excess, smoking, shooting up herroine, snorting ants, etc.).
17. His obsession with the Nebraska Cornhuskers has apparently abated some over time.
18. He gets along with everyone.
19. He sees the best in people.
20. Jim makes me want to be a better person.
21. He brought me back to my Faith (Roman Catholic).
22. He has a lovely singing voice.
23. He sings ALL the time!
24. Jim is always willing to help someone in need.
25. His family is fantastic.
26. He is a great writer, though he rarely shows off his skills in this area.
27. He always finds the most delicate, thoughtful way of presenting someone with criticism.
28. He is his own worst critic.
29. He knows when not to speak, when ANYTHING he could say would be the wrong thing.
30. Jim can always come up with something fun to do.
31. He's not the kind of man who won't change diapers.
32. He does a pretty mean ponytail on his daughters when his wife is sick or otherwise unable to do their hair!
33. He volunteers.
34. He's got a very loud voice--comes in great when you need a "Go Big Red!" cheer.
35. He can be very quiet when he needs to be.
36. Jim always seems to understand just what bothers me when someone else has hurt my feelings--he knows just what to say to make me feel at least a little bit better.

37. He makes me feel beautiful, even when I know I can't possibly be (e.g. first thing in the morning with bed-head, smeared make-up and dragon-breath, etc.).
38. He never complains about doing "man things" around the house, like shoveling, mowing the lawn, grilling meat stuff, etc.
39. He doesn't miss a beat when I need him to do what might traditionally be considered "woman things" like cooking a non-grilled meal, getting the groceries, etc.
40. He's actually way better at cleaning the house and doing laundry than I am.
41. He can watch six different shows on TV at the same time, all while getting the laundry folded!
42. He's the master of the "clicker"... I barely know what to do with a regular remote control.
42. When we first started dating, I wouldn't let him drive my brand-new car, nor would I let him touch the buttons on my radio--he respected that (or at least, he let me get away with it for a while).
43. He is totally cool about "letting me" go out with girlfriends now and then--he encourages it, knowing I need that time away.
44. When I was working part-time in the evenings and on weekends, he was always taking the girls out to see a movie, to the zoo or swimming, or at least to the park.
45. He can't stand being cooped up in the house even for one day.
46. He always notices--and compliments me--when I color my hair or get it cut.
47. He brings me flowers now and then, for no reason at all.
48. He knows my favorite flowers are daisies.
49. He also knows that sometimes roses are called for.
50. He thinks the sun rises and sets on his daughters.
51. He is going to be completely fabulous with his new son.
52. He rarely complains, about anything at all!
53. He will eat anything I make, even if I myself think it sucks.
54. Jim is awesome about getting up with me in the middle of the night when the baby wakes up, so he can change the diaper and all I have to do is sit down and get ready to nurse.
55. He did this with our girls, too.
56. He wants what is best for his children.
57. He wants what is best for me.
58. He will do whatever he can to make us happy.
59. He often doesn't realize just his presence is what makes us happy.
60. He smells terrific without ever wearing cologne.
61. He's completely irresistable when he IS wearing cologne.
62. Jim dresses very nicely, even on Casual Fridays.
63. He is an absolute goof.
64. Everyone wants to hang out with Jim because of that.
65. He knows all kinds of sports stuff, but he respects that I don't get it.
66. He is very patient in teaching me the basics, and he commends me when I remember something much later.
67. He doesn't mind when I go to football games with him (or basketball games or baseball games, etc.) and make goofy comments.
68. He has terrific friends.
69. Jim plays a mean pitch game.
70. I am not so good at pitch--always forget the rules, too shy to bid, etc.--and he's very encouraging when I try it.
71. He makes it a priority for me to stay home with our kids.
72. He does a pretty good job with home repairs.
73. He gets a "high talker" voice during the process of these repairs.
74. He always gets the job done.
75. He knows when he might be in over his head and needs to call in a professional.
76. He is not foul mouthed (except when doing those home repairs).
77. He is very patient with our children.
78. Jim understands when I call him at work sometimes, on the verge of tears (for reasons I can't explain) and tell him I just needed to hear his voice.
79. He never seems too busy to talk to me, though I know he may be.
80. He loves to receive phone calls or messages from his daughters.
81. He does everything he can to encourage them to be the best they can be.
82. He recognizes that simply being pretty isn't enough for a girl in this day and age.
83. He is proud that his daughters aren't just pretty, but they're also bright, funny, kind, etc.
84. I think they get those things (including their good looks) from him.
85. Jim overlooked the fact that I smoked, when we first started dating. He didn't want to date a smoker, but lucky for me, it was something he accepted. I quit on my own, with absolutely no pushing from him. (It was the thought of having children with him that made me want to be healthy and strong and stick around to enjoy them with him.)
86. He doesn't make me feel bad when I "sneak" a smoke in social situations now and then.
87. He never makes me feel like I need to lie about that.
88. When I have had too much to drink, if I act in a way that would be embarrassing to most, he says I never embarrass him.
89. He thanks me over and over again when I "let him" go out with his friends, especially if HE has a little too much to drink.
90. He enjoys making chocolate chip cookies from scratch.
91. He made a totally rockin' turtle cheesecake this past Christmas!
92. Jim used to ask me, early on, if I was "almost ready" when I'd be in the bathroom getting ready... he finally realized this didn't make me move any faster and has stopped asking.
93. I think I try to move faster in the bathroom out of appreciation for that.
94. Jim gives great backrubs or footrubs, often without my asking for them.
95. He likes the way I scratch his back.
96. He always offers to eat the burnt grilled cheese sandwich (there's one every time, I can't help it!), and he says he LIKES them that way.
97. Jim sticks up for me to the kids, like when I make food they don't want to eat (which is 90% of the time).
98. He enjoys doing puzzles, playing games with me, sitting around watching movies, etc.
99. He has a kind heart.
100. He has a wife who loves him completely!!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

My 100 Things

I should totally not be spending time on this, but I've been wanting to since I saw Bridget's 100 Things.... I'll probably take a little time and chip away at it here and there. (These are in no particular order, of course.)

1. Hearing/singing the National Anthem gets me choked up every single time.
2. I spend way too much time on the Internet, even now that I have a little one. I'm completely addicted.
3. I write down new website addresses that I see in magazines or on TV, etc., all the time.
4. I hate forwards (e.g. "Fwd: Send this back to me, you won't regret it") and often delete them without reading them.
5. I love a good joke, even on e-mail, but there are so few new ones out there anymore... seems like I've seen them all already.
6. I love real e-mails, actual messages written to me from other people and written from me to other people.
7. I am very possessive about my reading time. I love to read books and if I don't get a little time to read every day, I get pretty frustrated.
8. I'm a big Stephen King fan, but I don't only read his stuff. I'm always looking for something new!
9. I do NOT like romance novels. I don't mind when a story has a little romance thrown in as part of a bigger storyline, but I don't enjoy the "fluff" type books that focus only on romance. Ick!
10. I do enjoy biographies, especially about celebrities, but I don't appreciate other non-fiction.
11. I'm a fairly fast typer and I love hearing myself clicking away at the keyboard.
12. I wish I could get paid for spending time on the computer (at home).
13. I believe in Powerball. It could happen. We had a group of winners here in Lincoln about six months ago, and I believe it could happen again--why not to me? (You can't win if you don't play.)
14. I've always wanted long hair--since my first haircut when I was four.
15. I MUST have short hair--it suits me perfectly, and besides, I have no patience for growing my hair out! (Not to mention that it doesn't look good on me when it starts getting long.)
16. I love to color my hair, but have never done it (yet) to cover gray hair... Just color it for fun now and then.
17. I'm afraid of going in for a manicure &/or pedicure. I have never had nice nails, and while other people feel this is a luxurious way to spoil themselves, something about it intimidates me.
18. However, I would like to try it sometime.
19. I am TERRIFIED of pigs. Not stuffed pigs or toy pigs, and I'll definitely eat pork. But I don't want to see live pigs on TV or in movies (think "Hannibal" and "The Wizard of Oz"), and I definitely don't want to see them in real life.
20. I don't mind snakes.
21. I can kill spiders myself, though I don't like it.
22. I love the sound of my feet crunching on snow.
23. I think the ultimate Christmas is when I can be with my family, not be too stressed out about anything in particular, AND have snow on the ground.
24. I used to be an extremely liberal-minded person (Jim's friends called me a Tree Hugger, which I took as a compliment, though they meant it as an insult).
25. I've become much more conservative over the past few years, as a result of being married to a conservative, being active in my Church, AND raising my own children.
26. I am grateful for the blessings I have in the shape of my husband and my three children.
27. I do not feel like I can make decisions for other people (e.g. regarding abortion, same sex marriage, etc.)
28. I would like to write at least one book -- and have it published.
29. I do not spend ANY time writing.....
30. I would rather go to the dentist than to the eye doctor. I'd even rather have work (minor work, like cleanings, fillings, etc.) done on my teeth than go for a regular eye exam.
31. I have been commended by multiple eye doctors for my ability to keep my eyes open without blinking when they check "inside" my eyese with that funky blue light.
32. I wish I could have more 'sexy' shoes, like pretty high heeled pumps and sandals.
33. I have no place to wear 'sexy' shoes.
34. I have not been comfortable in 'sexy' shoes for several years, as a result of minor frostbite on my toes. (They don't like to be squished into those kinds of shoes.)
35. I would like to have nice, dressy clothes.
36. I would like to have cool, flowing, "Stevie Nicks"-type hippie clothes.
37. I pretty much wear the same jeans and t-shirts for years at a time. And as a stay-at-home-mom, that's about all I need.
38. I LOVE being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM)!!!
39. I think the term "homemaker" is outdated. Doesn't the whole family make it a home? Doesn't the term imply that I spend my days cooking and cleaning? (Anyone who knows me knows I'm not doing that... as I sit here clicking away at my keyboard!)
40. It's important to me to be home for my children. I had a FABULOUS in-home daycare for the girls years ago, but Jim and I feel we're doing better for our kids by keeping me home with them.
41. I'm not the kind of person who "likes" to work (I've heard there are people out there like that, I'm just not one of them).
42. However, after sitting around for a month recovering from my C-Section, I've discovered I don't like just sitting around, either. I do need to get stuff done.
43. I don't like daytime TV.
44. I'm not a big fan of TV at night, either.
45. I AM becoming addicted to reality TV, though.
46. I'd much rather watch a movie on DVD.
47. I can watch most movies multiple times.
48. I can read many books multiple times, too.
49. My absolute favorite, FAVORITE food is Pizza Hut pan pizza with breadsticks. I love to go get a Personal Pan pizza at lunchtime with some 'sticks, but it rarely happens.
50. I also love Snickers Blizzards from Dairy Queen.
51. Cold Stone Creamery is excellent!
52. I could probably make a 100 list just for food and restaurants!
53. I wear contact lenses, but I'll probably never be able to have Lasik surgery. That's fine, though. (See #30)
54. I cry very easily. Just about everything makes me cry. (See #1) Commercials, books, pictures my children draw or stories they tell, movies, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, etc.
55. I used to hate it that I cried so easily, but now I accept it and appreciate that about myself.
56. I wish I could have a purple VW Bug with daisy decals all over it and a fuzzy rainbow steering wheel cover.
57. Some of my favorite shoes have been Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars (hi-tops AND low-tops... I actually like the low-tops better... various colors).
58. I love to Jazzercise!
59. I love to dance!
60. I'm not athletic at all... I don't like any organized sports because I'm not coordinated enough and agile enough to do them well. (That may even be why I'm not interested in watching them.)
61. I love to cook.

62. I love to bake, too, though I often "cheat" and do box mixes or things like "break-apart cookies".
63. I am always searching for new recipes, for anything (main meal, desserts, appetizers, etc.), though I rarely make anything other than the same 7-10 meals.
64. I hate talking on the phone.
65. I communicate with most people by e-mail.
66. I could easily stay home for several days (as long as there's food in the house and internet connection).
67. I enjoy doing surveys.
68. I use more foul language than I would like--this is something I am trying to stop doing.
69. Scrapbooking is not for me--I tried it once and was irritated at how much time it took just to put one page together. I'm all about instant gratification.
70. Photo albums are great, though I rarely take the time to put pictures in them. (I have a huge box full of loose pictures.)
71. I love having a digital camera and having my pictures on the computer, though it is nice to have an actual print of a picture that I can hold (and then put in my box to someday put in an album... yeah, right!).
72. I don't take very good pictures, which is another reason to love having a digital camera.
73. I absolutely love trivia, but especially trivia about 'pop culture' (i.e. stuff about movie stars, TV stars, musicians, etc.).
74. I love playing games, especially Cranium, Catch Phrase, Monopoly, Balderdash, Bunco, etc.
75. I am easily intimidated.
76. Living in Nebraska, it's just about mandatory that you be a Husker fan. I am now, but only as a mode of self-preservation. I went through a period of "hating" the Huskers, and that took much more energy. I don't care about sports one way or another, but it's a lot easier saying I'm for the Nebraska Cornhuskers than saying I'm against them.
77. I do, however, love to tailgate! The food, the drinks, the festive mood!
78. I still like to party (i.e. have my share of 'adult beverages').
79. Although I would strongly state that I do not like guacamole, the guacamole at Chipotle is absolutely TDF!
80. The fajita burritos and rice at Chipotle are also TDF!!!
81. My husband is my very best friend in the world--I often feel, especially after having my youngest child and watching him run the house single-handedly for so long, that I don't deserve him! I love you, Jim!!!
82. I have been in a number of fender-bender type accidents... at least two of which were my fault.
83. I have never been in a major accident, where anyone got hurt. (Thank God.)
84. I have never gotten a speeding ticket.
85. I used to speed all the time, but I don't anymore--becoming a mother has made me overly cautious.
86. Worlds of Fun in Kansas City and Knotts Berry Farm in California are my favorite amusement parks.
87. I used to love super scary rides (mostly roller coasters), but I'm a little too nervous about the really scary ones now. (See #85)
88. I have a ton of freckles. I used to hate them, but now I realize they're part of what makes me who I am.
89. Someday, I'd like to go to Europe--London, Paris, Dublin, Rome... all places I'd like to see.
90. I was 21 before I started watching "the classics" like "The Sound of Music", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "It's a Wonderful Life", etc. Now those are some of my favorite movies. I want to see more!
91. I never carved a jack-o-lantern until I was married with children. Now I enjoy it almost more than the kids!
92. I love "having coffee" with my friends.
93. Some of the greatest people I've met--some of my closest friends--are people I've met because of my children!
94. I think the food at the hospital where I had my kids (St. Elizabeth's) is FANTASTIC! And I love their tea cart!!!
95. I'm a picky eater.
96. There are only a handful of fruits and vegetables that I like--I wish I liked more of both.
97. I feel like I'm to blame for my children being picky eaters.
98. I have hope that my children will overcome many obstacles in their lives, especially those they may have inherited from me (like being picky eaters, being overly sensative, being impatient).
99. I love everything about my children and am blessed for the gift of each of them in my life.
100. I love everything about my husband and am blessed for the gift of him in my life!