Tell Me Tuesday: What kind of shopper are you?

Do you prefer to get your shopping/errands done in the morning, afternoon or evening?

Do you always go to the grocery store on the same day of the week?

Q1: I am a morning shopper all the way. It just seems the cashiers are a little more friendly and the traffic a little smaller (both on the street and in the stores). I love getting all of my errands finished before lunch. And some stores, if I dont make it there before lunch then I wait until the next day because I dont want to fight the crowds (like the grocery store on certain days).

Q2: Yes, I usually try to go on Thursday morning.

Pinterest: Pretty Pretty Pictures

I had a friend on facebook ask what all the new fun toys were so I thought I'd do a little blog post about them. Today's installment will be Pinterest. (Look for Rockmelt and Google + coming later.)

Basically it's a beautiful collection of things you like. The pictures link back to webpages so it's like favoriting things or adding quicklinks or bookmarks only the layout is pretty instead of like on your toolbar.

Here's a little what's what.

Click on the images to make them bigger (in case you can't see the small print).

+ Create boards to reflect your own personal style, interest, and activities.
+ Just like so many other pages, you can follow your friends (you can even pick and choose what boards you follow so if you dont care about a specific board you dont have to follow it, or have it show up in your stream.)
+You can set it up to email you when people add you or repin your things. If you turn off that feature you still have a stream you can see if you're interested.

+

+re-pinning is super easy. You can go to your friends pages and repin straight from the picture by just hovering over the picture and finding the option pop up. Or you can repin it straight from your main stream page.

+you can see what your friends have said about their pins and also go straight to the webpage where they pinned it from (if you need to go back to get details or more information).

Do you Pinterest?

What things do you like or not like about it?

Let me know if you want an invite!

Tell me Tuesday: 30 for 30

My 29th birthday is coming up and I've been toying with the idea of coming up with a list of

30 things before 30.

I like to think I try new things but it's always fun to get ideas from other places since I'm sure many of them would be things I haven't thought of before.

What do you say? Will you help me out? Throw out a few ideas for me in the comments and I'll try to make my list up here in the next couple of weeks.

Edit: Here's my current list of 30 Things to do before I'm 30.

Tell Me Tuesday: A Pat On The Back

It's always nice to share fun things with friends. And it's always nice to remember all the great things you've done.

Tell me something you've done this week that you are proud of yourself for!

Here's mine. This week I coached my daughters last soccer game. It was my first time coaching and even though I was very nervous, I did it, and survived.

Tell Me Tuesday: Tricky Speedometer

We own two cars. I forget how nice that is until one of my friends talks about how they have to share their car with the spouse (we sill live in 'College County' where it's generally more the case than not).

Since I have the kids most of the time, my car of choice is the roomier minivan, while hubby opts for the sedan. A few times over the summer though I foundnd myself driving 'hubby's car'.

And not just driving it, but driving it faster. It made me wonder if it was just the size of the car, the fact that I was alone, or just that I felt a rush when driving a little sporty thing with the wind in my hair.

What do you think??

My Car

Dodge Caravan ('03)

Hubby's Car

Honda Accord ('98)

Anyone notice that? What is the purpose of setting up the speedometers like that? My first guess was that the newer cars are set up to possibly 'discourage' speeding. But I haven't been in other cars to test this out.

How do you think this compares to your car(s)?

Tell Me: Gather until Full

I like to collect random things. I'm sure there are lots of you out there that do. There are the handful of things I've collected forever like my shot glasses or postcards, but then there is that other category of the things that I collect for a while until I get my fill.

This summer I've noticed all my flashlights have disappeared (I have three short culprits in this house who I'm pointing my finger at). I used to have three in my purse and at least one or two on my nightstand. You think thats silly? I'll tell ya what though I used those flashlights ALL the time. Like once when this cute little 10 year old in front of me at the movie theater with her friends lost her ring. Wala! I had my flashlight. I've been trying to gather more but it's been a slow process. I've now acquired two, but I think I need at least two more.

One other random thing is that this year I've been given three water bottles (one as a gift, one I won at my family reunion and one that came with a gym bag I won online). Add those to the one I've had for over 4 years (the one they give you in the hospital when you have a baby, I just love how big it is) and the one I saw at the store and just had to have and now, hopefully, I'll never go thirsty. I love having a variety though because then I can grab one that fits my mood (handle, top/drink feature, decoration, size).

Tell Me: Do you collect things for a time? What are some of your collections?

Tell Me: Does the word 'organize' exist in your dictionary?

It seems I've been totally out of sorts lately. There was once a time I used to have things ready to go weeks in advance.

My kids have a doctors appointment. Our insurance card is in my bag, their growth chart books are in the car ready to go, I know ahead of time whether today is a day they get immunizations or not so I can be prepared ahead of time and I used to show up at least 5 minutes early. This last time I was just lucky to get there on time AND bring the appropriate child to the visit. Sheesh.

Tomorrow my daughter has a clogging recital. It's her year end dance and we get to invite all of our friends and family. Did I have her costume out and ready to go? Nope. In fact I've been thinking all week, "I really should try to look for that again." FINALLY tonight after the kids were in bed I set out to look for it again (to be fair I had tried a handful of times) and after several hiding spots actually found it. Good thing my daughter didnt know the extent of my stress. I'm just glad she'll be able to dance tomorrow matching all her friends instead of being the only one up there in a very obvious non-matching outfit.

When did I start to loose my mind? When did I stop remembering things? Where did all my old tricks go? What happened to my organizing?

I know this is awful timing, seeing as how the kids are going to be home from school for the next three months, and it may be a bit tricker trying to keep to a general schedule but it's my (now public) goal to get and stay organized!

Tell me Tuesday (yes it still counts, there are still a few minutes left of the day): Do you have any great organizing tips? What works at your house? What have you heard that you might like to try?

Tell Me: Try a job for a day?

Have you ever seen that show Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel? I dont know what it is about him but that Mike Rowe just fascinates me. Have you seen that mans resume? Have you heard him sing? Always something new with him. Any who thats not what this post is about. Back on track.

Whenever I get to watching it, it makes me wonder about jobs I think would be interesting to try. Not to have forever, but just to try once. I just wonder what goes on in some of these jobs. Not even just the dirty ones on that show. But any job. Driving around town I start looking around the streets thinking about the different shops. Hairstylist, plumber, actor, travel agent, artist, teacher, author, cashier, newspaper reporter, repairman, delivery driver, nurse, flower arranger, police officer, cake decorator, news anchor, broadway star.

Tell Me: What job would you like to try for a day?

*I made the above image using Wordle http://www.wordle.net/

Gotta love Facebook! Thanks Evonne for helping me remember what it was called!

Tell Me: How do you party?

For my 10th birthday we had a big baseball game.
My 7th was a surprise party. I still remember being scared when I came in the door and everyone shouted.
For my 3rd birthday we had a home made carnival in the backyard.
For my 12th birthday I remember really wanting to rent a limo.
My 6th was a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. (I remember having to follow a web of yarn around the house and I think at the end was a few goldfish.)
My 16th started with a trip to the DMV (I think I was 2nd in line) and ended with my very first date with the cute guy I was crushing on (and we doubled with my best friend and her date!).

Tell me: What was your favorite birthday party ever?
(And/or did you ever attend any that you thought were out of this world?)

PS The entrys are closed for the Photography package giveaway, and I'll be announcing the winners in the next day or two. Thanks for your patience.

Tell Me: Taters for you?

I like my taters. A lot. At least when using the good ol' Russet. I mean seeing as how there are over 4000 varieties I really had to narrow it down for ya.

Baked, fried, mashed, au gratin , chips, scalloped, hash browned, etc and so on. There's a huge one out there that I just dont care for. Perhaps I just have never tried a good recipe. Potato salad and I just aren't friends. I think it has to do with the texture thing.

Tell Me: What's your favorite way to eat potatoes?

Tell Me (cause it's Tuesday): Sick day for fun!

My poor daughter got strep throat a few weeks ago. Although she wasn't too dissapointed because she got that really yummy bubble gum tasting medicine. Did you ever have that as a kid? Oh I can still remember it! So a few days she was doing ok and then again with the symptoms.

So the weekend passes and I run all three of my kids into the doctor. Turns out, the doctor thinks she gave it to her siblings who in turn gave it right back to her. I've been lining them up at night for medicine shots. At least it's good tasting though.

Oh and then hubby says his throat tickles. He's got what they had plus a few other obnoxious symptoms so he spent the week sleeping and hacking up all sorts of lungs.

Miraculously I steered clear of getting anything at all and was just able to take care of them all without feeling cruddy myself. (Isn't it the worst when you still have to be 'normal' when you feel like junk?)

Whenever anyone checked in to see how we were all doing I kept saying, "It's the best sick days I've ever had." Not that it was crazy fun mind you, I actually didn't go or do a whole lot last week, but at least I didnt feel sick. So I gots me to wonderin'...

Tell Me: If you had a 'sick day' but really you didnt feel miserable, what would you do with your day? No normal responsibilities folks. C'mon pull out the big guns.

Tell Me: Old Television

So if you know me, you might know that my favorite old show is hands down Boy Meets World. Although last time I talked about it was quite a while ago so if you're new around here this may be news.

There is a special place in my heart for this show. Seriously the other day my hubby put this in the DVD player and I just got the biggest smile on my face. Fun cast, cute story line, plus the characters were my age so I sorta felt like I was growing up along side them. Good times.


Tell Me: What's your favorite old (as in when you were growing up) television show?

Tell Me: Your Happy Job?

I've been applying for more jobs (like crazy!) again today. Took a break for about two weeks banking on the idea that a job I interviewed for, and who called all my references was going to offer me a shiny, sparkly new job. I called to check in today and they said they aren't deciding for another two weeks. So back to applying and filling out papers and all that good stuff. So I got to wondering,


Did you ever have a job you loved?


I've had some fun ones! Some really good ones.

When I was 15 I worked housekeeping at Snowbird Ski Resort. We only went up the canyon on Saturdays. We'd be put into groups of 4-5. My first pay check, getting to hang out with other kids. Good job!

When I was 16 I got a job at a local skating rink. This wasn't just an ordinary one though. They had waterslides, laser tag and a skateboarding park too. Loud music, fun atmosphere. It felt like a party all the time.

Then when I went off to college I got my first 'grown up' job. A receptionist at an office that catered mostly to faculty. It was a lot of fun and as a little girl I had always dreamed of working as a receptionist.

Tell me: What was your most favorite (paid) job you had?

(Photo borrowed from eHow.com)

Tell Me Tuesday: Mornings or Nights

Tell Me: Do you stay up late or wake up early? Or are you crazy enough to do both?

It's much easier for me to stay up late. The kids go to bed, and mommy plays! :) Thats when I pull out my projects. Or read. Or catch up on a movie I've been wanting to see. Usually no matter what it is I'm doing I wind it up around midnight. I try to go bed earlier. I just can't do it captain.

I wish I was more of a morning person. I love getting a handful of chores done in the morning and still having the entire rest of my day. Alas I usually wake up like 30 minutes before my 1st grader has to go to school.

There are some things I have to do in the morning though. Like if I dont make it to the grocery store before 10am I'll wait and go the next day (collegetown gets busy around these parts and I try to avoid the crowds as much as possible). Or doctors appointments. I hate waiting in the waiting room for two hours. Those morning appointments are all I ever do.

What about you, are you a morning person or night owl?

Tell Me: Hired Out

If you could hire an assistant what would you hire? (maid, cook, chauffeur, etc)

Yesterday I asked it of my facebook friends and of the more than 30 responses here are some results:

Maid=16
Cook=11
Personal Trainer =2
Chauffeur=2
Nanny=1
Wife=1
Hair/Makeup=1

I enjoyed hearing the responses because some of them were super darn funny and others, well they made a lot of sense.

I'm pretty sure I'd pick a cook. I do so much better when I dont have to think about that area. Three times a day for five (who dont always eat the same thing or at the same time) sometimes gets a bit crazy. Plus if you've been following this blog for a while you may know that I'm not the biggest fan of vegetables. I have the cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" but no matter how hard I try I can't bring myself to eat those meals yet. I'M the one that needs to be deceived here, and how can that happen when I know what's happening in the kitchen, haha!

What do you think? If you hired someone what would you have them doing? Feel free to throw your own idea in there. Gardner? Launderer? (And no you can't have them take over all your responsibility, haha.)

Tell Me: Your Mom

Tell Me: What's a fun childhood memory you have of yourself with your parents?

When I think of childhood I think of California. My family lived there until I was 9 so my brain compartmentalizes all my memories in 9 year segments.

Often times on the weekend you'd find my family outside playing in the yard. I remember my dad giving us rides in the wheelbarrow. We'd all get to take our own turn being pushed around in the little bucket. While we waited for our turn mom would push us on the swingset or watch as we tried to cross the monkey bars. I love watching old family videos because it just so happens we have a little bit of all of us playing outside together.

Tell Me: Do you add a little A or P to that M?

Are you a morning person or night person?

I would classify myself as a night person. I enjoy putting the kids to bed, sticking in a movie and having time to do my own things. However I discovered recently, my husband would much rather run errands in the afternoon (any time after lunch), while I prefer to run errands in the morning (right after breakfast and be home by lunch). While I don't enjoy getting up really early in the morning, I do enjoy getting a lot of things done first thing in the morning.

Tell Me: Are you curious?

What would you like to know about me?

Ask your questions, any questions. Fun questions, silly questions, crazy questions, random questions. Ask away! And in advance, thanks for playing!


This post was inspired by my bloggy friend Evonne over at Sell Party Of.

Tell Me: Traditions

What kind of traditions does your family have for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas?


As a mother of three young children our family is still establishing our traditions and it's been fun to use ones from our past and create new ones together. What things do you remember or have you started?

My friend Brie asked her friends this question recently and it got me thinking about the fun things we do.

A few of my favorites for Thanksgiving includ:
Crafts (like the one over there-->) or making a leaf garland by letting the kids cut, color leaves and on the back writing what they're thankful for.
Board games with the family

For Christmas a few favorites include:
-Driving around on Christmas eve/Christmas night to look at all the beautiful lights and finding our favorite decorated houses.
-Make cookies and put out cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer
-Read/act out/film the bible story in Luke
-Read The Polar Express.
-PJ's on Christmas Eve
-Watch holiday movies the whole month!

Tell Me: Spend it Baby

If you got $10,000 today and HAD to spend it on something fun (aka anything besides bills, debt or the like) within 24 hours what would you spend it on? A big ticket item? A bunch of smaller things?



Without thinking about it for too long I think I'd spend it on a bunch of small things. I'd use $1000 on Christmas (or maybe less so my kids wouldn't think it's the new standard). I'd buy a dinning room table, a headboard and a handful of new clothes. I'd also buy a bunch of my favorite books to add to my bookshelf.

(I found this image on google images.)