11 things

Sweet miss Mandy from A Sorta Fairytale tagged me to participate in this little 11 things game, and even though it took me a few days, I'm going to play along.

Here are the rules:
1.  Post the rules.
2.  Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3.  Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4.  Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5.  Go to their blog/twitter/facebook and tell them that you've tagged them.

I took entirely too many self portraits yesterday to wind up with one that I'm relatively happy with.  It was ridiculous.  Oh well.  And wow.  My arms are pasty!  And I need my hair colored.  Whatever.

11 Random Things About Me

1.  In her nearly two years of life, I have not gone a day without seeing Ryann, or spent an entire overnight away from her.  Is that crazy?

2.  I pretty much hate going to movies at the movie theater.  In general I don't watch a ton of movies, but I would much rather curl up on my couch in my sweats and watch, than be stuck sitting in a theater.  My legs get all restless and I can never get comfortable.

3.  I've gotten stitches once in my life.  I had over 300.  In my forehead.  I was in a car accident with my friend and my head went through the side window.  I was the only one who got hurt so that is good, especially since some stitches were the only thing needed to fix me back up.  It happened around the time when Harry Potter started getting popular (I think, I was 14, I don't know), so some kids joked I had the lightening bolt scar.

4.  Speaking of that car accident, ever since then I've pretty much had an irrational (sorta) fear of being in cars and driving.  Driving somewhere that I'm not 100% confident where I'm going, or that has heavy traffic can give me an anxiety attack.  Or if I think for a split second we are going to hit someone or someone is going to hit us my body goes all nuts and I get short of breath.  I was really hoping I'd grow out of it, but, well, I haven't.

5.  I really want to go to some sort of blogging conference (BlogHer, Blissdom, Alt), but I haven't had the guts to figure out how to make it work or what I need to do to make it happen.

6.  My sweet tooth is going to be the death of me.  M&M's, dark chocolate chips... they are calling to me a lot lately.  I'm trying to avoid buying a bag of Mini Cadbury Eggs, but I don't know how much longer I can do it.

7.  I'm ready for another baby.  I want to give Ryann a sibling and I want to snuggle on a newborn so bad.  All you bloggers popping out cute little nuggets are not helping the baby fever.  Thanks.

8.  As soon as we have the funds for it I am hiring someone to clean my house.  I HATE cleaning.

9.  I had glasses when I was little and absolutely hated them.  I grew out of my prescription and no longer need glasses, but sometimes I wish I did.  There are some seriously cute frames now.

10.  I'm incredibly unorganized and lose things (important pieces of paper and documents, you know) on the regular.  It is a trait I am definitely not proud of.  Good thing I fake organized pretty well.

11.  I'm a hopeless romantic.  I love reading novels with super sappy love stories, and little acts of love and romantic gestures go a long way in my world.   

Questions from Mandy

1.  What's the most interesting thing you have ever done?
Starting it off with an easy one now aren't you?  I'm not all that adventurous, so I can't say that anything I've done is all that interesting.  I traveled to Germany and Italy for two weeks while I was in college for a photography class, and Venice was probably the most interesting and cool place I've ever been.

2.  How much time every day do you spend on the internet?  (be honest people!)
Oh Mandy.  How I hate you for this question :o).  Honestly?  Anywhere from 3-5 hours, I'm guessing.  I'm pretty sure I've said it before, I get easily distracted by the internet, especially because most of my work it based on the computer.  I'll be working on an invitation set and need to look up something, or want to take a five minute break, that always turns into at least a 20 minute break, if not more.  Or I'll say I'm going to read blogs and then get started working, and then I'll get distracted doing this or that, or I'll find a new blog and get lost reading their archives.  Oops.  But I always get my design projects done!

3.  What are some of your favorite blogs?
Oh wow, that is a tough one.  I love so many blogs for several different reasons.  I'll try and make a short list though... StyleBerry Blog, Bringing Up Bug & Bee, from the nato's, adventures in pinksugarland...  Really just check out my daily reads in the sidebar.  I love them all for one reason or another.

4.  If you had to eat at the same restaurant every day for a month, where would you choose?
Jenni totally beat me to it on this one, but even though it isn't my favorite restaurant, I would definitely pick Cheesecake Factory.  They have a pretty wide variety on their menu so I would never get board, and for the most part everything I've had there is tasty.  I would probably gain a few pounds though...

5.  Who do you look up to and admire?
My parents and Christopher's mom.  All of them love for us so deeply, and would do anything for my little family.  Anita raised one heck of a son.  And my Dad has worked hard his entire life to get to where he is, and I am so proud of him, and thankful for him.  He has taught me a lot about life.

6.  If you could life anywhere in the world besides your current location, where would that be?
I would LOVE to move somewhere warmer, and within driving distance of the beach.  In reality we could have tried to pick up and move for Christopher's residency, just for a bit, but I am also very attached to my friends and my family, and very much a creature of habit, so in Kansas we stay.

7.  How do you feel about reality shows?
Some of them I could most definitely live without (The Bachelor/Bachelorette and all of the Real Housewives?  Gag.  Gasp, I know, how could I?).  But I still avidly watch The Biggest Loser and So You Think You Can Dance.  So You Think You Can Dance is quite possibly my favorite show.  Can't wait for the summer!  :o)

8.  How would you describe your style?
What style?  Do I have any?  Ha.  For the most part I am in sweats or workout gear.  I wish I got dressed up more, but the reality is we go to the gym in the morning, I maybe squeeze in a shower while Ryann is napping, and at that point unless we are going somewhere in the afternoon or evening I just want to be comfortable.  My wardrobe consists of a lot of jeans and nicer t-shirts.  Maybe someday I'll be better about having some style and dressing cuter...

9.  Where do you see yourself & your family in 10 years?
Probably still living in the Kansas City area.  In a bigger newer house.  Christopher having a real job with regular normal hours.  Hopefully a couple more kids.  Me carting said children around to various activities and such.  Just trying to be your textbook happy little family :o).

10.  Favorite dessert?
Gosh really?  I have to pick just one?  Ummm...  I can't.  I can't do it!  I can't pick a favorite.  It would definitely have chocolate.  And probably some raspberry.  Something with a little crunch, I love nuts in my dessert.  And ice cream would be included.  I love a little hot/cold factor in my desserts.

11.  What is your most valued possession?
I guess probably my computer or my external hard drive.  I've lost all my pictures once and I don't want to go through that again.  Scrolling back through all the photos brings up so many memories.  You just can't replace that.  Which is why I should back up online, get another hard drive, AND actually print some stupid photo books.  My blog might also be on this list but I don't know if it is a possession?  There are just so many memories recounted in my little space on the web.  I love being able to go back and read them.

My questions for the bloggers I tag:

1.  When and why did you start blogging?
2.  What does your perfect Saturday look like?
3.  What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
4.  If you won the lottery, what would you do first (besides paying off any debts)?
5.  What is your biggest pet peeve?
6.  What is your favorite childhood memory?
7.  What is your dream job?
8.  What is your guilty pleasure?
9.  What do you hope your life looks like 5 years from now?
10.  If you got to go on a weekend getaway with 3 other bloggers, who would you invite?
11.  Post your favorite photo you've taken from the last month.

I know not everyone likes to participate in these things, but I'm hoping Meredith, Kristal, Meaghan, Jami, Mandie and Michelle will play along.