My turn

Everyone else has done the 100 list, so here's my feeble attempt. I'll start out by saying, I am boring. Especially compared to Pam. This list is dull and those of you who know me well, all ready know this stuff. So I apologize to you in advance for the boring-ness of this post. Here goes:

1. I was born in Illinois

2. I am a typical oldest child

3. I have 2 younger brothers

4. Josh is 29

5. Eric is 27

6. They are both single (see picture below)

7. I wish they were married

8. Then I'd have sister-in-laws closer to my age (I still love you Donna, June, Cathy and Janet!)

9. I grew up in Iowa

10. My mom is a medical transcriptionist

11. My dad is a signal maintainer for the Union Pacific Railroad

12. They own a Bed and Breakfast in southern Iowa. Click here: Foxwood Bed and Breakfast

13. I went to the same school K-10th grade

14. The town (Russell) only had 500 people

15. If I would have stayed, I would have graduated with 18 people

16. My dad got transferred and we had to move before my Jr. Year of HS

17. I was sad at first, but so glad later. I loved my new school and friends

18. We moved to Colo- a town of 1,000 people

19. I graduated with 53. (It was a consolidated school- 3 little towns in one HS)

20. I took dance lessons (ballet, tap and jazz) for 6 years

21. I had to quit because sports became a bigger part of my life

22. I played basketball through my Jr. Year in HS (then they changed from half court bball to 5 on 5- Iowa was one of the last places to change over)

23. I played varsity volleyball through my Sr. Year

24. I ran track (hurdles) through my sophomore year

25. I had to quit because I had blown out my knee playing basketball and had to wear a brace

26. I was on the drill (dance) team my Jr. Year

27. I was in swing choir my Sr. Year

28. I was in many plays and musicals

29. I was on the student counsel my Sr. Year

30. I was even a football cheerleader one year (Mel-this was only so I could go to the away games)

31. I played the clarinet up through my freshman year of HS.

32. I worked as a waitress my Jr and Sr years

33. I had the coolest prom dress ever my Sr. Year
A sequined American flag!

34. My mom made it

35. I loved HS and wish I could do it over again

36. I went to the University of Iowa my freshman year

37. My roommate was my best friend, Carrie from HS.

38. I met Russ 2 weeks before starting at the U of I

39. We met at Bible Camp in Iowa

40. I got quite the education at Iowa

41. Most of it was not in a classroom

42. I transferred to Harding my sophomore year

43. Russ convinced me we needed to be in the same state if we were going to date

44. So site-unseen, I transferred to OC in Jan. of my sophomore year

45. We got engaged that August

46. We were married 4 mo. later in December

47. My mom made my wedding dress, 5 bridesmaid's dresses and a flower girl dress in just 4 mo.

48. My mom is very talented

49. I was just 21 when we got married

50. Russ was 26.

51. We've now been married 11 1/2 years

52. Russ was in grad. school at OU

53. I was a Jr. at OC

54. I got my degree in Early Childhood Education

Look what I found Jenny!

55. My first teaching job was a morning Kindergarten teacher

56. After one semester of that, I was moved to First grade

57. I loved teaching 1st grade

58. I taught for 4 years

59. Then I had Maddie

60. We decided I should stay at home with her

61. It was really hard at first

62. Now I can't imagine working

63. I always hoped I would have a daughter (since I didn't get that sister I wanted)

64. I NEVER thought I would have 2 daughters

65. Maddie is just like me

66. We are both extremely stubborn

67. Just ask Russ

68. I started working in the church benevolence office when Maddie was about 6 mo. old

69. I enjoyed having something to do and being around grown-ups again

70. I became a Creative Memories Consultant 5 years ago

71. I love scrapbooking

72. I think it's really important for a kid to see "their story"

73. I love to take pictures

74. I secretly wish I was a professional photographer

75. But I'll go back to teaching someday

76. I would like to teach 2nd grade

77. I love to travel

78. I have been to about 35 of US states, and 11 foreign countries

The Colosseum in Rome

Swimming with Sting Rays in Grand Cayman

Traversing through the jungle in Jamaica

79. I do NOT have a green thumb

80. I don't enjoy yard work

81. Neither does Russ

82. That's not a good thing for our yard and house

83. We built our house 9 years ago (May '99)

84. Less than a week after moving in, while building a dog run, Russ hit me in the head with a sledge hammer

85. My brother, Josh was here and he thought I was going to die

86. The sledge hammer head actually broke off of the handle

87. I had to have 4 staples in the back of my head

88. This was all the day before we were to drive to Ohio for my cousin's wedding

89. I am ready to build a new house

90. I look at house plans all of the time

91. It used to drive Russ crazy

92. He's gotten used to it now

93. The older I get, the more comfortable I become in who I am

94. I have a great family and I married in to a great family who has become my own

95. Russ is the youngest of 5

Russ (#5), Donna (#2), Russ' Mom-Inez, Russ' Dad- Ray, June (#3), John (#4) and Rex (#1)

96. His closest sibling (John) is 18 years older than him

97. All of his siblings and spouses are older than my mom (that's why I said #8)

98. I have life long friends

99. I love my church of over 600 people (I grew up in a church of less than 20)

100. I am extremely blessed

I hope you weren't too bored. I threw in pictures to break up the boredom of it all! :)

Plus-sized???

America's Next Top Model crowned their winner last week. Now I didn't watch this show at all, but it has been all over tv about the winner. Her name is Whitney and she is the first "plus-sized" winner of the show.

Here are a few of her pictures. You tell me if she is "plus-sized".

Whitney is 5'10" and is a size 8-10. A size 8 on a shorter woman is normal. So for someone who is as tall as her, a size 8 would be "small". Not in the modeling business. I saw some pictures of her standing next to other models from the show- the "regular-sized models", and she looked like an Amazon woman.

What has this world come to? A size 8 is plus-sized? I always thought size 16 was the start of the plus-sized section. They say the average American woman is a size 12. So to me, Whitney is much smaller than the average woman. But she is still considered plus-sized.

I think we need to be more careful with our wording. We can give little girls the wrong impression of themselves. Russ and I have tried to be really careful in not using the word "fat" in front of the girls. We use the terms "getting in shape" or "being fit". Somewhere though, Becca has picked up "Chubba Bubba". So we try to explain to her that's not nice. We just need to eat better and exercise. Maddie has been really good at picking up on our language. Becca just mentioned the other day that she had a big belly. Maddie told her to stop eating candy and to exercise and she would be fit. Not skinny. I don't like that term. Skinny is for the super-models, not for real people.

If they must label this girl, then call her a full-figured model, not plus-sized. Maybe after this baby is born, I can get down to being a plus-sized, or full-figured woman. I would LOVE to be a size 8!

Mother's Day

I had a great Mother's Day weekend. I left Friday afternoon for a scrapbook retreat and didn't get back until Sunday afternoon. It was wonderful!

Not only did I get 104 pages scrapbooked, I got a massage and a pedicure while there. When I got back on Sunday, I was so relaxed. I really needed a weekend away.

Some people said, "I can't believe you're going on Mother's Day! You should be with your children on Mother's Day." What I have to say to that is: I am with my children every day. I love them very much and am blessed to be a stay at home mom. But some times you just need a break. You need to rejuvenate yourself. You need "me" time. I think that is really important. Plus, shouldn't EVERY day be Mother's Day?

I was excited to get home to see Russ and the girls and show my family all of the work I did in our albums. They were excited to give me my presents and flowers. Maddie had made some really cute cards and made a picture at school that had all of my "information" on it: My mom weighs 50 Pounds. My mom's favorite food is Frito chili pie. My mom is best at cleaning. Now that one is funny. There were a bunch of cute sentences on there and a great picture of me.

Here are a few pictures of my weekend. I had 5 friends there and we had a lot of fun. It's sad I won't be able to go back for a while (having a baby and all). But they are all going back in the fall. I'm so jealous! :)

This is a view from the living room looking into the scrapbook room. It is such an awesome house. And decorated so cute!

Me staring at a blank page. I do that a lot!

Our group: Patti, Cindy, Amy, me and Cheryl. Barbara had all ready left when we took this.

Dumb Drivers

Is it just me or does every driver around me need to go back to driver's ed? I'm getting tired of being surrounded by people who don't know how to drive. Here's my top 10 things that drive me crazy about other drivers:

1. Not turning right on red. It's legal, really! Don't just sit there until the light turns green. If it's clear- GO!

2. People who think they "know" how to drive in the rain or in the snow. Guess who I see in the ditches in Iowa during a snow storm? Big trucks who think they are good enough drivers to still drive 60 mph on the interstate. DUH!

3. Forgetting to turn off your blinker. Mine makes noise if it's on too long. Do other cars not do this?

4. When it is raining, you should drive with your lights on. Especially grey and white cars- you are hard to see!

5. People who drive with their parking lights on. They are called PARKING LIGHTS for a reason. Not driving lights. What's the point? Do you think you are saving gas by not turning on your headlights?

6. People who let their 3 year old sit up front. It's illegal. Aren't you supposed to be like 10 or 12 before you can sit in the front seat?

7. Along with #6- People who don't buckle their kids in, and let them run around in the back. They are just asking for an accident. How sad.

8. People who pull out in front of you and stay in your lane. If you MUST pull out in front of me, move to the other lane!

9. People who don't pay attention to the lights. You know it is going to turn green soon. Pay attention!

10. People who are getting on to the interstate from an access road. They just assume it's their right to get on the interstate (going 40 mph) and don't yield to the cars going 70 mph. There is a yield sign there for a reason!

And...
Only in Oklahoma. I was driving the other day when a big truck pulled up on my right. I looked over and started laughing. The side mirror had been broken, but they fixed it. They put a hand mirror (handle and all) in it's place, held on by rubber bands. I wish I would have had my camera. I tried getting out my cell phone to take a picture, but I wasn't quick enough and they turned. Clever of them. You do what you must do, I guess.

Do you have any driver pet peeves?