Appetizer

What is your favorite kind of pie?

Hmmm… probably coconut cream or key lime.

Soup
Name something that made you smile this week.

If you’ve read my blog this week you will know I have had a lot to smile about. Lots of fun mail, lots of sweet birthday wishes! All of these things along with some fun phone calls have caused me to smile.

Salad
What do you do to cool off when the weather is hot and humid?

Stay inside with air conditioning on! Occasionally jump in the pool if I’m out and really warm.

Main Course
You receive $1,000 in the mail with a letter that says you can only use the money to redecorate one room in your home. Which room do you pick, and what do you buy to spruce it up?

Easy. Den. New big leather chair & ottoman! and some accessories…

Dessert
Fill in the blank: My _________ says __________, but I __________.

My scale says I need to diet, but I plan to have birthday cake for breakfast!

Appetizer

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you?

Probably a 7 or 8. I think sometimes because I am in a hurry I forget to always be polite, but I do try.

Soup
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

My husband walking in from work singing, “Good morning Baltimore!” I should have never let him see Hairspray with us ).

Salad
Who is your favorite cartoon character?

Probably Winnie the Pooh. He is just adorable. Oh bother.

Main Course

Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had.

Funniest as in haha would probably be Mrs. Calhoun who was my seventh grade english teacher. She had a short song for every instruction she taught. She was one of those teachers you think, “Is she for real?” and then you find out… yes, she is.

Dessert
Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that Izzy will walk.

My good friend Gail thought I deserved the schmoozer award. She’s just the greatest gal in the words of a true schmoozer…

A schmooze award…….Schmoozing as defined by Dictionary.com is the ability to converse casually…. And I think with blogging it’s about making friends, being a friend, commenting and answering comments and having a welcoming blog. Thanks girls, y’all have all made me feel welcome.

I would definitely give this right back to Gail. She is a great bloggy friend who is quick to comment on my posts, and reply to my comments!

Her sister Stacy is quite the schmoozer as well!

Here’s a few more of the best schmoozers I know…
K.C.
Kat
Nancy
Lauren
Mandalyn
Jodi
& Kim!

Thanks Gail!

Karolee is hosting the Proverbs challenge!
I love when bloggers join together to study God’s word. All you have to do is read one chapter in Proverbs each day, by the end of August you will have read the whole book.

For those who have asked, Izzy’s nose is fine now. I think it was just dry but it happened several times but she is nosebleed free now!

The jury is still out on the hair issue. I’m taking Bailey to get his locks trimmed next week. He has been growing out his hair all summer and thinks it is pretty cool. I am hoping a little trim will go a long way. Although I think he is cute with any hair style!

I’m so proud of the kids! Amanda has been so sweet and helpful, not even mentioning the church issue once. Bailey went out and did yard work without asking him to this afternoon. He just noticed that the yard needed to be mowed. It helps I’m sure that he is rewarded for his efforts, but still… I didn’t even mention it!

I’m getting ready for our visitors tomorrow. I am making Pioneer woman’s lasagna for dinner, but want to make something really good for breakfast and I did my favorite breakfast casserole the last two times I’ve seen them… so any ideas for something different but easy would be good. I don’t want to stand in the kitchen cooking a big breakfast when we will be heading out for lunch pretty early. I may just zip over to Panera and get a bagel pack tomorrow. Good idea?

I went to bed earlier, started chapter one or lesson one of my new Beth Moore study “Believing God.” Jenny suggested it was a good one and I needed something new to read. I mentioned it to Matt and he happened to be near a Mardels so he picked up a copy of the study guide and book for me. I usually just like the study books because the are so interactive, but I’m noticing this one has things left out that must be on the dvd or teacher’s guide. I may have to read the book too… we’ll see. I do love it so far! Thank for suggesting it Jenny. I am up now because Miss Isabelle will not go back to sleep. She was asleep and woke up so we are on the couch me blogging and her awake! I sure hope she gets sleepy soon because it is almost midnight (11:55) and I’m sleepy! So, goodnight (I hope)!

**updated**
It’s 12:10 a.m. and guess who is snoring!!! So goodnight for real this time! YAY.

appetizer ~ describe a toy you remember from your childhood.
sit & spin! My bff Alicia had one of these babies and could I spin fast on it. Put us both on it and we would spin until we fell over. Fun times. I bought one for Amanda when she was little and somehow she wasn’t as impressed as I was. It was hard to find too… I guess the toys are just different now.OH! and my friend Mandy doll that I learned to french braid on…

soup ~ on a scale of 1-10, how observant are you?
2 or 10… depends what I’m observing. I can remember what I wore 20 years ago and yet can’t remember the drive I took when I arrive. Depends where my mind is at the time, but I wouldn’t say being observant is one of my strengths.

salad ~ where would you rather be at this very moment?
Asleep. It’s 11:36. Izzy is awake. Probably too much cake & ice cream… or too much partying ). I would rather be asleep and pray she goes to sleep very very soon.

main course ~ when was the last time you learned something new?
Today. Everyday. I am amazed at all the new things I learn. Like today for instance, when a new recipe called for refrigerated pie crust for these cheesy chicken empanadas and I used the frozen variety and it turned to mush. So, I used refrigerated and it worked. Lesson learned, frozen pie crust doesn’t work for empanadas!

desert ~ I have brothers, but I haven’t any sisters.

Appetizer – What was the first job you ever had?
I went to work with my dad and ‘helped’ him. He did construction/contracting and was/is self employed..

Soup – (Taken from Bravo’s Inside the Actor’s Studio) – Name a profession you have always wanted to try.
We covered this in the profession meme… Oprah’s dogs! Any one of them ).

Salad (also from the Actor’s Studio) – Name a profession you would NEVER want to try.
Trash collector. I have a severe aversion to trash. I cannot even walk by a trash can with out feeling ill…

Entree – (also from the Actor’s Studio) – What is your favorite sound in the world?
I love the absence of sound… or the sound of night… I especially love the sound of praise music.

Dessert – (and from the Actor’s Studio) – If there is a Heaven, what would you like to hear from God when you arrive?
There is a heaven, that’s for sure! I would love to hear God say, “Great job Annie, enter my gates!”

The “chef” is away today so Michael has given us this feast! Thanks Michael.

Appetizer
Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is seeing my daddy walking up the road to visit the kiddos, or like tonight seeing him coming with a bucket full of fresh potatoes he just dug up for me, or watching him walk to meet Emelia half way so she can play with him…

Soup
Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).

okay, weird one…. um… “sweet sweat?”

Salad
What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?

gimp…

Main Course
If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?

“Most likely to break immersion blenders” or “Most likely to believe God!”

Dessert
What two colors do you like to wear together?

I like to wear a white t-shirt with almost everything and under most things… I have a bunch of them and love them, but probably lime green with black or pink & black… Maybe anything with black.

Appetizer
Name a sound you like to hear.
silence. I think that is a mom thing, but it doesn’t get much better than the late nights when everyone is asleep in their little beds and the house is peaceful and quiet… or early mornings when you are the only one up and it is so quiet. I love hearing their conversations, laughter… all the good noises don’t get me wrong, but the silence is music to my ears.

Soup
What is your favorite kind of cheese?
parmigiano reggiano. Love it. I could eat it plain or on so many different things from eggs to pasta. yum!

Salad
Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
No. Matt is an early riser even on the weekends and if Matt is up I am usually up too. Besides, Izzy is usually ready to get out of her bed and be fed. Sometimes I can get away with an extra few minutes if I let her snuggle with me on Saturday mornings, that’s always nice!

Main Course
When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
Wow, thats hard to remember… I forgot the blender at Jane Ann’s house in Dallas! It took me from Dallas to over the Oklahoma state line before I realized it and I sure wasn’t driving back.
It turned out good though because now I have my lovely wonderfully convenient immersion blender from kitchen aid. I have used that thing for so much more than just Izzy’s food!

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when ___________.
I notice Matt’s faults when I’m trying to ignore my own.

Appetizer

List 3 emotions you experienced this week.

I’m not a very ‘emotional’ person… you can ask any of my ‘friends’ who actually have voiced concern that I don’t show much emotion… but here are three I can think of:

Joy-I have felt very joyful at my walk with Christ and the revelations I have recieved.

Sadness-I read a post at another blog (I think Jill’s) anyway, she was talking about weaning her baby from his bottle. I lost it. It was the day after the three year anniversary and I had a good day on ‘the’ day, but I was typing a comment about how when Izzy’s accident happened she still took a nightly bottle and how she would knock on her wall from her crib and call out ‘baba.’ As soon as she had a bottle in hand she would dismiss me and be happy with her bottle. I had breastfed her until she was about 10 or 11 months but wanted to wean her because I waited too long with Emelia and it was hard. Anyway, I had several bottles made up in the fridge and I came home to get clothes and saw those bottles. I stood and poured out the milk, washed them, and put them away while crying. It all came back typing it and I was very sad, but only for a moment and then I snapped out of it.

thankfulness-I have been thankful this week for all the wonderful blessings that I have received and continue to receive. I am thankful to God and know that He is good, all the time.

Soup

Name a car you’d love to have.

I like my suburban fine. It’s big, so maybe a suburban that gets good gas mileage…

Salad

Describe your typical morning routine.

Wake up… pray … bathroom… teeth… make Matt’s breakfast… get Izzy up… get Emelia up… say bye to Bailey & Amanda… fix Izzy & Emelia’s breakfast… get a coke!…check email…feed Izzy… say bye to Matt… get Emelia ready for school… watch for Emelia’s bus…get Izzy ready for school… get dressed… take Izzy to school. (I do a lot of things the night before to make our mornings go smooth. Like lay out clothes for Matt Emelia and Izzy, program coffee maker, make lunches if needed, etc.)

Main Course

Have you ever emailed someone famous? If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?

Not that I can remember.

Dessert

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones?

I don’t listen to ‘podcasts,’ but, I listen to different lessons available on the internet.

Appetizer
Name something you would not want to own.

A mean dog! At the end of my senior year in high school, I went to a friend’s house one evening… I was walking up the sidewalk and heard someone say, “watch out for the dog.” I looked down and noticed that their guard dog (usually in the back fence) was in the path and was showing his teeth. I wasn’t afraid of dogs so I just smiled and kept walking, that’s when it happened! He locked his pit bull jaws around the front of my leg. The owner came and ripped him off me taking part of my flesh with him. The next few hours were a blur… I remember looking down at my white ked and it was red, and then being in the ER. I am now terrified of dogs and will climb buildings or scale fences if I feel threatened by one.

Soup
Describe your hair (texture, color, length, etc.).

fine, curly/wavy, medium long (needs a trim)… I don’t know how I ever grew up without a chi. I just got a new pink one in the mail yesterday! yea! But, when I get my hair done the stylists always want to maximize my curls and I come out to quickly tuck it into a ponytail. I really wish it was naturally straight, but have learned a few techniques that keep it from looking frizzy when I straighten it so it’s not so bad and I have a lot more things to be concerned about than my hair texture…

Salad
Finish this sentence: I’ll never forget ___________.

I’ll never forget May 16, 2004.

Main Course
Which famous person would you like to be for one day? Why?

I can’t think of anyone… It would be fun to be a great singer for a day and enjoy the ability to sing beautifully, it would be fun to be a young beautiful model for a day and be able to look in the mirror at near perfection, it would be great to be someone like Oprah who has $$ at her disposal and is recognized everywhere she goes, or to be a political leader and have influence in national government, but overall I don’t think I would want to be anyone else famous or not for even a day because there are strings attached.

Dessert
Write one sentence about yourself that includes one thing that is true and another thing that is not.

I am a tall gorgeous blond woman.

Appetizer

What is your favorite kind of bread?

Wow, that’s tough… I love bread! Probably sour dough from Panera & mom’s hot rolls! I love dipping those sour dough rolls in their balsamic dressing~yum!

Soup
When was the last time you bought a new pillow?

Probably about six months ago. I need to replace the pillows again, I’m a germphobe and not a fan of old pillows. I spray them and my mattress with disinfectant each time I change sheets & vacuum the mattress…

Salad
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net?

Surfing the net~probably none… Blogging, reading blog entries, posting blog entries, commenting… that’s a different story. And reading emails… It just doesn’t feel like pointless searching the internet, these are my friends and I am simply checking on them. It really fills the time I am locked into sitting on the sofa, feeding Izzy or doing things with her. It’s nice to do that and also spend time with friends. Let me tell you too, my friends are good people and they really encourage me and lift my faith, so the reward is two-fold.

Main Course
What’s the highest you remember your temperature being?

I don’t remember, maybe 104.

Dessert
Fill in the blanks:

When I pray, I believe.

Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. Mark 11:24 NLT

Appetizer

When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite?

I didn’t have a ‘favorite’ crayon. I liked all the colors and remember drawing and coloring trees, brown trunks, green tops with red dots for apples. The trees always had apples.

Soup

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move?

Considering I am a stay at home mom, I wouldn’t really change jobs even if I did move. My job goes everywhere I go, this includes the bathroom, the kitchen, even the bedroom. Being a stay at home mom is a full time job but one that I would not trade for any other at this point.

Salad

Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total?

Okay, I was a math major for a while and I am going to have to read this one again, s l o w l y … 84…

Main Course
Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to?

I was given a picture in a frame from my friend Melody shortly after Izzy’s accident that said something like “a friend is praying for you” and I noticed it had a little card tucked in the back to write who it was from and to and from and to and so on… so one day I went to a friend’s house whose husband had just left her and she and her little boy moved into an apartment. She wasn’t into decorating so I offered to spend the morning while Izzy was in school hanging her pictures and rearranging her furniture (she was at work). I sat that picture on a shelf and don’t know if she ever found it, but I wrote that it was from Melody to me and the from me to Amy. She was really pleased with her apartment and we planned to do some shopping for a few items I thought she ‘needed,’ but life has been too busy so far.

Dessert
Name something you need from the store.

Nothing. I’m thinking really hard… but, I went to the store today and spent a lot of time there while my car was being serviced/oil changed. I walked down every aisle and got everything I could think of… OH wait there is one thing! I saw on someone’s WFMW post that they used bleach tablets and I want (need) some of those! I couldn’t find them today so the search continues! Oh and spongebob fleece for the blanket I’m going to make for Carrie’s daughter Sadie (I hope to take pics and do a tutorial Barb style on how to make this…). I’ve looked a couple of places and have yet to find it which really surprises me considering how popular SB is!!!