Forty-Three!

It's midnight, straight up...which means it's officially my birthday! I'm grateful for so many things that I thought I'd make a random list of 43 of them. First, a quote I like:

My cake from 2010. So pretty!

There is always room for more gratitude in your life - more room for you to express it, and more room for you to receive it from others. Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. ~ Cicero Roman.

So, in no particular order:

1. Doc took a vacation day on Friday so he'd have some time to spend with me. HOTY*
2. Gator sets his alarm 30 minutes early every day, so he can come upstairs and snuggle with me for half an hour before he gets ready for school.
3. Bunch being such a great example for me. Since her thirteenth birthday over two years ago, she has never missed a single day of reading her scriptures (three chapters a night; two in the Old Testiment and one in The Book of Mormon) and writing in what she calls her Hand of God journal--a record she keeps to take note of the ways God has touched her life that day. She's inspiring.
4. I have so many really ridiculously wonderful friends. I mean, WHO HAS BETTER FRIENDS THAN ME? No one, that's who! Sorry to lump you all in together, friends. But seriously, if we're friends, you should just know you are amazing and I love you.
5. How cold and crisp the tap water is in the winter here. It's one of the things I love about winter (which, btw, is not a long list. #heatlover).
6. My neighbors are finally all lovely people and I don't hate going outside any longer.
7. The internet. It is a blessing and a time sink that I often mismanage, but I love it.
8. People who are truly charitable. And I don't mean in the "giving to charities" sense, rather in the 1 Corinthians 13 sense. I want to be like them.
9. Dear Really Good Books, I love to read and get lost in you. Please thank your authors on my behalf!
10. If anyone can share a better perk than my (paid) job comes with, I'll make you a batch of toffee. Those flight benefits are a thing I will ever be grateful for. NOTE: as of Nov. 28th this year, I have been a flight attendant for exactly one-quarter of my life.  That is crazy!
11. Music. Nothing else in this world has ever reached out and grabbed my soul and helped me just feel the way beautiful music does. I'm kind of particular about music because it affects me so much...can't handle stuff that doesn't have a good spirit about it. Kind of moronic in a way, but that's how I roll.
12. Hope. I'm grateful for hope's ability to help me and others carry on when things are hard or sad.  So hope, you deserve a gold star today! Thanks!
13. Health. Really Really REalLY! Is there anything worse than not having it?! You might think not having money is worse, but you'd be wrong.
14. Christmas cards. I am grateful for the mail every day right now, because so far we've gotten at least one card every time the mail arrives. So great to hear from people near and far. I feel all special and loved.
15. My sisters. They are my dearest friends. I miss them both pretty much every day of my life. There is simply nothing else like a sister.
16. My piano. It dominates 42.093581% of our livable space, but I couldn't live without it. Plus, bonus delight when my daughter and husband play it.
17. Random acts of kindness. I was the recipient of a generous one last month. What a lovely thing to be able to do something for someone that changes their life for the better! I hope someday I can really make a difference for someone else!
18. I just learned how to make caramel. It's beyond.
19. I still make amazing toffee. And cakes. This is a fun thing to do for others.
20. Hot running water. Okay, I like drinking cold tap water, but can you imaging if you had never experienced the luxury of bathing in hot water?  I feel so spoiled every time I'm in the shower or a hot bath, and think about the billions of people who've lived and died without ever having that amazing experience. I am a hot water LOVER! And hogger.
21. 24-hour Fitness gym membership. Somehow, even though I only go like once a month and am horrible about fitness, just knowing that it's always open and there for me if when I DO get off my duff and make it there is a great comfort to me. And they have a hot tub, too. (see #20)  I tried Yoga this week...3rd time in my life doing that. #feltgood
22. My therapist. Okay guys, seriously? What was I paying every other person I've seen in the past 20 years for? She has been helping me in so many ways. What a gift. I'm grateful she uses her time and talents to help people like me who have had hard things to sort through and heal from. Tender mercy of the Lord, indeed.
23. Blogging. I don't do it much these days, and I know Commenting Is So 2007! (for the most part).  But I still feel grateful for the people who read my patch of cyberspace, for the love and support and the friendships and insights I've gained from others, and how blogging has edified my life Lo These Many Years! 
24. Speaking of...I won a prize on a blog last month. I'm not telling what it is, but it was a good one and I intend to share it in 10 days! So yay! Grateful!
25. Libraries. I can't buy books...really, just almost none right now. So not in the budget. But I love reading and so do my kids. It's my favorite tax-supported thing.  Whoever invented libraries is a hero. I wish I were talented enough to do something like this to express my appreciation.
26. That color that the sky turns during sunrise or sunset. PinkyOrangishPurpley Gloriousness. Fills me with awe. Every time. (Okay, mostly sunset. See #36)
27. Gator's note thanking me for "Making his Kidhood such a happy one".
28. The mountains just east of my home have such a beautiful silhouette and shape. They're majestic!
29. Airplanes. Uncle Orville and Wilbur--I know that they'd have eventually been invented if you hadn't done it, but I just want to tell you that you guys are total rock ✰★✰★s!!!
30. Knowing how to make fun shapes with the keyboard like ✿.•*¨`*•✿.•*¨`*•✿ and  ♥
31. Opportunities to help other people in small, meaningful ways that they appreciate. As fun as it is to receive, it really is more rewarding to give than to receive for some reason. Seems like the joy lasts longer or something. I really do feel grateful when I make a difference for someone else in my own little way.
32. Opportunities to learn and grow. Sometimes these "opportunities" are really painful, but I do appreciate how they make me stronger. If they'd killed me, then I probably wouldn't be so grateful. But so far so good!
33. Cars that run. They're not fancy, but they're paid for and pretty reliable. And such a luxury, really. #canyouimaginewalkingeverywhere?
34. My faith. I know many people have little or no use for faith, religion, etc. in their lives. But I am who I am today because of the truth that I've learned (and am still trying to incorporate.) It is the greatest source of peace, hope and happiness in my life. Without it, I'd have destroyed my life a thousand times over with the idiotic choices and decisions I'd have made through the years. And when I HAVE made a mess of things, my faith has taught me how to turn things around again, and find that peace and happiness we all want. I believe in Christ, and I know he is our Savior, even for those of us who don't believe or understand why we needed one. And I'm very grateful for this.
35. The lights everywhere this time of year. Can't we all just agree to leave them up the entire winter?! Because I could probably learn to like the colddarkdreary months more if we did. They make me happy and make everything seem better. So thank you to everyone who puts lights on their homes. It's a sweet gift to strangers and friends alike.
36. Every morning, even if I'm still sounds asleep (which has been the case 94.3729% of the time), Doc and Bunch both come hug me before they leave for the day. Sometimes I know they're in a rush, but they do it anyway. (Bunch has her first class at 6am, so she leaves in the dark before the dawn). I'm an owl by nature, but wish I were a lark!
37. Good teachers for my kids. If someone gets to spend all that waking time with my darlings instead of me, then you can bet that I'm completely grateful for teachers who care about and nurture their minds and souls with wisdom, kindness, patience, creativity, beauty, inspiration and general niceness. Just being NICE to kids can make such a difference in a life! And mine both have great teachers this year.  #Winning
38. Things that make me laugh. Don't you love a good belly laugh?!
39. Discovering that a new food that I previously didn't like is now something I enjoy. Latest addition to my palate? Butternut Squash Soup. Who knew?!
40. Frienships with older people. Tonight my 89 year old cousin (okay, her mother and my grandfather were siblings...so,1st cousin once removed?) called me. She is such a darling, and we talk every 2-3 months. It's been one of the delights of my adult life to have a few dear older women "adopt" me and reach out. A year ago this week I lost my darling Alice, who was a grandmotherly figure for me my whole life. I'm excited to attend Georgiana's 90th birthday celebration next summer because I haven't seen her in 14 years. What a gem of a person. I want to be like these dears ladies in many ways.
41. Travel. Wait, you think I already mentioned this? It's different than flight benefits. I want to see SO many places. It makes me so happy to ponder the things I've yet to experience in this great big, amazingbeautifulwonderful world.
42. Rocks, Trees, and Water. Am I weird because I just love these things? Whatever. I have simply been enchanted by the colors, patterns, scent, shapes, majesty and power of them, and all they provide for us. I am RT&W Fan #1. (Yes, I am weird.)
43. Here I am at 43. What should this final slot contain after this random list of stuff? Really, I think I must end with my gratitude for gratitude. Meaning, that feeling that fills you up to the tippy top of you, all cozyhappywarmandlovely when you allow yourself to really be grateful and quiet inside. It's the best feeling I know, and makes me want to try harder to be a better me. You get that, too, right?!

Here's to another 43 years!

*Husband Of The Year. In recent polls, he is the frontrunner for the title.  

Wait, you're STILL HERE?  You mean you read that entire list? Wow. You are even MORE amazing than I even realized! #fivestarblogbuddy

 

And on the lighter side of life...

Welcome to the 2009 edition of
Getting to Know Your Friends
If, indeed, that is what we are. Otherwise, it could be called the 2009 edition of
Useless Information About Someone You’ve Never Met

Let’s begin!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 9:30 a.m. (hey, it's the day of rest! And my kids came and cuddled up on either side of me...which never happens so I took advantage of the snuggs.)

2. Diamonds or pearls Prefer Sapphires and Diamonds. This is a picture of my favorite ring...maybe someday I'll have it made.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? 9 (it was so LAME!)

4. What is your favorite TV show? General Conference (ahh, life in Utah) is the only one I watch

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Cereal. Or eggs and a bagel.

6. What is your middle name? I’ve actually been researching how to legally change it to “Blue". Yes, I like my nickname that much.

7. What food do you dislike? Anything that lived in the sea or on it’s shore. It is, after all, "See" Food.

8. What is your favorite CD at moment? Any that is earning money v. losing it. Oh, you meant the other kind?

9. Favortie Color? Blue. (naturally)

10. Favorite sandwich? The Vermonster...roasted Tuscan bread with pestomayo, thinly-sliced apples, melted hard cheese, sprouts, tomatoes, and shaved smoked turkey

11. What characteristic do you despise? Lack of integrity

12. Favorite item of clothing? I don’t currently like any of my clothing because none of them fit properly. (I just joined a gym last week to help with this situation.) Unless you count shoes, and in that case, any of the three pairs Joni has given me. They still fit and I like 'em.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Europe. Specifically the Greek Islands.

14 . Favorite brand of clothing? This is a lame question. How about "article"? Cause I could tell you that I like cute shirts and sweaters, and that I have a thing for coats and jackets too.

15. Where would you retire to? Hard to choose. It'd be fun to live in the tropics, but I also want to be near my kids.

16.What was your most recent memorable birthday? Thirty. Had a surprise party and lots of favorite people attended. Don't know if that counts as "recent" though.

17. What is your favorite sport to watch? Women's gymnastics

18. Furthest place you are sending this? Leave a comment and let's see who wins for farthest away. I’m guessing Le or Fe will take it, but give them a run for their money.

19. Person you expect to send it back first? I'm not tagging anyone

20. When is your birthday? December 15. Too soon.

21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night. I’m practically a bat.

21.What Shoe Size do you wear? Eight. or eight and a half. Big Foot my daughter passed me up last year.

23. Pets? None.

24. Any new and exciting news you' d like to share with us? Only 115 days left till Doc finds out where he matched for Transitional Year and Residency. But who's counting?

25. What did you want to be when you were little? The Best Wife and Mommy In The World. And I wanted at least 6 kids. I laugh now when I consider my suitability to mother that many souls.

26. How are you today? I'm grand, thanks. You?

27. What is your favorite candy? Common: Love them Peanut M&M's. Rare: Hand-picked box of See's Chocolates. Yummy!

28. What is your favorite flower? Any flowers given to me are my favorites...till they die. I like the ones that are the color of the perfect orangy-pinkish-yellow sunset best.

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? There are so many good ones coming up…

30. What's your full name? Blue Jeuls. But you can call me Blue :-)

31. What are you listening to right now? The sound of silence. There's a hush because of the falling snow.

32. What was the last thing you ate? Peanut Butter Crunchberries cereal. Dry.

33. Do you wish on stars? Sometimes.

34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Blue, of course.

35. How is the weather right now? Cloudy with a chance of snowballs. Alas, it's now Cloudy and loads of snowballs.

36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? Doc when he called from New Jersey.

37. Favorite soft drink? Not available anymore...Apple Slice

38. Favorite restaurant? Any place with good Gelato. I love frozen yogurt too. And Ice Cream. There seems to be a theme going on here...

39. Real hair color? Dark brown with about 17 grays. I pull 'em out when I find the suckers.

40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Spirograph, Light Bright, my Dawn Dolls.

41. Summer or winter? Fall please. But if not, definitely summer. Not a huge fan of the white stuff.

42. Hugs or kisses There is nothing better than an amazing kiss…which depends entirely on the giver.

43. Chocolate or Vanilla? For sure chocolate.

44. Coffee or tea? Neither. But if I were a coffee drinker, I'm sure I'd be obsessed with the stuff cause I love the smell. I have tried herbal teas and can't stand a single one. Tea just doesn't work for me.

45. Siblings? Two of each

46.When was the last time you cried? Pretty much every Monday

47. What is under your bed? Three bins of clothing: one for tee’s, one for sweaters, and a third one for all my flight attendant uniform items.

48. What did you do last night? Slept alone in my bed. Again.

49. What are you afraid of ? Roaches. Spiders. But mostly abandonment, as it turns out.

50. Sweet or Savory? Sweet for sure. Unfortunately.

51. How many keys on your key ring? 4

52. How many years at your current job? Almost nine. But I've worked less this whole year than most flight attendants work in a single month. It's pretty cush.

53. Favorite day of the week? Saturday. It's a special day...

54. How many towns have you lived in? 9

55. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert? Yes :-) (And a smart alec too).

25 Random Things...

So there's this thing floating around facebook that I kept getting tagged by people to do, so I finally did it. But since most of my bloggy friends aren't facebook friends, I'm co-opting it and posting it here too. Feel free to do this on your blog too if you like. I'm not going to tag anyone.

1. I just signed up to run my first full marathon...the San Diego Rock & Roll on May 31st. It's my dang sister's fault. She's always convincing me to do these crazy things (ran the Long Beach 1/2 marathon in October with her. Using the term "ran" extremely loosely.)

2. I've done some kind of exercise every day but Sunday since I turned 40, errr, "39 Forever", last year. Saying "last year" makes it sound a lot longer than it actually is.

3. I got pregnant with my first child on Valentines Day thirteen years ago. Yes, we know for sure it was that day. Probably the most expensive date we'll ever go on (factoring the cost of raising a child...).

4. I play the piano by ear, and enjoy improvising and making up little songs. But I'm nowhere close to being an excellent pianist, and rarely have a number polished enough to perform for an audience. But I could play for hours when it doesn't matter.

5. I chose my 2nd apartment in college because it had a piano in the living room. That seemed too good to pass up. I currently have two pianos at home, a grand and a digital upright for middle-of-the-night jamming (with headphones).

6. Doc and I have now been together longer than we were apart. I have only sketchy memories about life before we met.

7. I got the bends after my first real SCUBA diving excursion the first summer we spent in Bermuda. Spent 18 hours total in a very cramped recompression chamber staffed by volunteers. Had to pee the whole time.

8. I must have a fairly high pain tolerance. Gave birth twice without any pain relief. The second time it wasn't intentional. And Pitocin is the devil incarnate.

9. I love reading in bed. Curling up and getting lost in a good book is one of my all-time favorite things to do.

10. In my youth I was on the school track, volleyball, softball and gymnastics teams. I was never especially good at any of them, but they were beneficial activities to be involved in. My parents never attended a single meet or game.

11. In 7th grade I was cast as the Captain in Gilbert & Sullivan's "H.M.S. Pinafore"...which was the male lead. The script had the word "damn" in it repeatedly, which my mother insisted they change to "darn".

12. I won a prize at the last Halloween party I attended for my very unique uterus costume.

13. It's my intention to someday go on a "girl trip" with every one of my best friends. My fantasy would be to charter a nice yacht or tri-maran and have take all of them on a cruise together. That'd be a trip of a lifetime.

14. Two things I'd love to do which I never have are ride in a hot air balloon and ride in a helicopter (not as a patient). Just a matter of $ and scheduling.

15. If I ever see 12:15 on a clock, it makes me feel happy cause that's my birthday and I love that day!

16. One of my resolutions this year was to learn one new complicated piece of music...which requires reading music. So it'll take the full year to master for sure. Any suggestions on a song I should consider? (Not Johan Pachelbel's Cannon in D, because that's my all-time favorite song and I've played it thousands of times in thousands of ways.)

17. I sometimes write prose, and on rare occasions poems. I may have written about you, but you'll never get to read it.

18. I can't imagine a life without chocolate or hazelnuts. But it'd probably be better if they'd never been discovered. Interestingly, I really wasn't into chocolate till this decade. It's all Doc's fault for giving me one of these babies.That's what did it for me.

19. I make fabulous English Toffee. It's superior to Almond Roca candy which I used to love but not so much any more since my toffee is superior.

20. I had a water birth with my first child. She was the first water birth at the University of Chicago hospital. It was an amazing experience, and was written about in a front-page article in the Chicago Tribune.

21. I plan to write a memoir someday. Inspired by Jeanette Walls "The Glass Castle" because she showed me that anyone who is interesting has a past.

22. Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" changed my life. I read it while visiting my friend Ann in Paris, and the discussion we had was a major paradigm shift for me, and reframed my perceptions about much of my past.

23. I haven't ever traveled so long or far that I'm ready to go home again. I wonder at what point my wanderlust would be sated.

24. Nearly everything I've worn in my adult life has been purchased second-hand or given to me by someone else, which I appreciate, as does my eternal-student husband. I don't have much of a fashion sense, but very sweet friends have intervened in my life in an effort to keep me off the "What Not To Wear" show.

25. The only diploma I've ever gotten was at Junior High graduation. I dropped out of high school my senior year, enrolled in community college and then transferred to a four-year college. I walked through graduation while enrolled in my last course via independent study, but never finished the course and thus never got my diploma. So far this fact hasn't held me back.

A different kind of meme

This is kind of fun. Find out about your visual DNA by answering a series of questions about yourself through pictures. Sometimes it was really hard for me to choose just one (eg: I was torn between the hairy back guy, Botox lip injection, and cigarettes for the "This is gross" question), but it's a fun little peek into myself. Some of it is pretty revealing (yikes!)

100 Things

Yowza! It's my 100th post on this blog!

To celebrate, I'm going to share 100 tidbits about me. Cause I know you're all real curious. I don't blame you, so here goes:

1. It may not be obvious to some, but I don't really like shopping, and am a complete ignoramus about brands, what's cool, what's hip and fashionable. For this reason, I prefer thrift stores over malls when shopping is necessary. I get way more excited about finding a deal than I do at the thought of spending money on retail.
2. My 1st born was born underwater....and she was the 1st waterbirth at the University of Chicago Hospital. The water was my only "pain relief" and it was an amazing experience.
3. My second child was in distress, so the planned waterbirth was nixed. I was induced with pitocin, and expected an epidural but ended up going through the entire L&D without pain relief meds because of the baby's condition. It was mindblowingly painful.
   
4. I was the pickiest eater on the planet growing up. I've worked really had to overcome that, and have been pretty successful. Most people wouldn't guess it seeing me these days.
5. The first time I ever saw snow fall, I was in college on my second date with Doc.
   
6. I have secret karaoke fantasies...coupled with secret mortification about my solo vocal abilities.
7. I want to go in a hot air balloon and also fly over the grand canyon in a helicopter.
8. I struggle with my weight all the time. I'm inclined to be considerably larger than I am.
9. I haven't ever "gotten my fill" of travel, and envy people who've seen so much of the world.
10. I don't watch tv as a rule. Exceptions are when I'm on a plane with tv in my seat.
    
11. I spend too much time on blogs.
12. Most of my friends my age don't blog, and many of them don't even really email. In fact, the majority of my favorite people in this world don't even read my blog (at least as far as I know)
    
13. I used to ballroom dance. I was really into it. Loved the competitions, the dresses, the music, the elegance of it all.
14. My least favorite household chore is vacuuming the carpeted stairs. Just no way to do that job easily!
15. I cherish my close friendships, and have a hard time when life pulls us apart.
16. I am a HUGE fan of pie. All kinds of pie. Except meringue or rhubarb. I love chocolaty pies, fruit pies, cream pies, cheesecake pies, yogurt pies and peanut butter pies. I have a fantasy of going to some pie bakery for a party, and having one bite of every kind of pie on the menu (hmmm. Maybe I should do 40 pies for my 40th birthday!). My long-standing favorites are homemade warm apple crumble pie with melting vanilla ice cream and cold pumpkin pie with sweet whipped cream. So of course I♥Thanksgiving!
    
17. I have a black thumb when it comes to plants. Surprisingly, the four (oops...we've suffered a casualty since I first wrote this), three plants that have ended up at our house starting last fall haven't died (yet). I generally kill them by neglect, too much attention or bad karma.
18. I love sweets. I used to not like chocolate and I don't know why that changed and my body wishes it hadn't but there it is. This is one of my favorites, and is partly responsible for my shift into a chocoholic. Darn them!
19. My housekeeping abilities run in fits and spurts. I rarely slide into utter chaos, but the fastidious cleaning that was the hallmark of June Clever's era has never been part of my make-up.
20. I grew up the child of pack rats, and have made conscious, deliberate efforts to shake off the effects of those years. I'm by no means where I'd like to be, but I doubt anyone would come in and think "hmm, pack rat" either. (well, maybe Doc!)
21. From age 12 until I left home, I lived in the garage.
22. I've never played tennis. A couple years ago I asked a member of my extended family who is an avid tennis player if they'd teach me how, and they looked at me like I was crazy and responded that my request was akin to them asking me to teach them how to play piano.
    
23. I went out with Jimmy Osmond twice.
24. I am fine being alone, but am a major extrovert.
25. I adore reading in bed.
26. I procrastinate.
27. I am not a scrapbooky kinda gal. I've often wished I was, and admire those who are.
    
28. I have a knack for being resourceful. I find ways to get things done. Sometimes not till the very last minute, but I get them done.
    
29. I always make my kids really cool themed birthday cakes, generally based on whatever they're interested in at the time (fish, StarWars, Fairies, Trains, Bunnies, Trucks, SpiderMan, etc.)
30. I love to eat raw dough and batter (biscuit, bread, cake, brownie, cookie etc) and would routinely snitch if my mom ever made biscuits growing up.
    
31. Nothing tastes as amazing as the perfect peach or mango.
32. I only make my bed "all the way" (including decorative pillows) every now and then...but I'm trying to make a better habit of this. Perhaps a simpler bed setup would aid me in this effort, but for now we're stuck with an elaborate 14 pillow, 4 blanket arrangement. It's a lot of work!
    
33. Speaking of beds, I've been sleeping in the same bed since I was 14 years old, with the exception of my time away at college. I purchased it with my own money at a rummage sale during Jr. High. It's only a full-size. Someday we'll upgrade.
    
34. Speaking of sleep (sort of), I wear ear plugs to bed every night. I discovered them a couple years ago and have never looked back since. I finally wake up feeling rested now, as opposed to passing the hours micro-sleeping and never getting into REM (Doc snores).
35. I never graduated from high school.
    
36. I never actually graduated from college either. I was taking my final course...a zero-credit basic math class...via independent study when Doc and I walked through graduation. They were going to mail my actual diploma to me when I finished it the math class, but I let it expire and never got the diploma.
37. I used to be a web developer. I've forgotten almost everything I used to know, and the field has changed dramatically in the past 8 years since I "retired".
38. I love being a part-time flight attendant. Being cooped up in a plane with 150 passengers and traipsing across the country a few days a month is the best job I've ever had.
39. Once upon a time I worked in a lingerie store. I had no idea what most of that stuff was for.
40. There are almost no baked goods that I'm not a fan of. Bread pudding and rye bread are the only ones that come to mind.
    
41. I almost never sit still. I am one of those annoying people who bounces their foot or swings their leg back and forth at the knee. I don't tap my foot, so at least I'm not making noise.
    
42. I play the piano by ear, and enjoy improvising on my favorite songs for fun.
43. I can be annoyingly frugal. But it's a skill that has certainly been useful through the years.
    
44. I'm often beset with a vast sense of gratitude for my life, relationships and faith.
45. I love the smell of concord grapes on the vine.
46. Water with lemons and Splenda is my favorite beverage.
47. I spent 18 hours in a recompression chamber after getting "the bends" while diving in Bermuda.
48. As a nursing mom, my milk production was excessive! I could pump 24 oz. (2 full-size bottles) with my dinky free hand pump in the "new mom" kit from the hospital in every sitting. It was insane.
49. I am not much of a leader.
50. I developed an allergy to cats as an adult.
51. I'm allergic to bee stings. My last serious sting was when I was in 2nd grade, when I stepped on a bee and my foot swelled up to elephantitis sized proportions.
    
52. I was way into roller skating as a kid. There were a number of times when my siblings and I would roller skate on our (single story) roof, and then roll off the edge into a big mulch pile. We took our 3 yr. old brother up with us when we were supposed to be watching him. To keep him safe we tethered him on a rope to the chimney so he couldn't fall off. As an adult, I prefer roller blading, but rarely do it any more (miss you Kar & Zu!)
53. I don't like any kind of seafood. And not for lack of trying. I worked in a gourmet seafood restaurant, and nightly the chefs would assure me "this will convert you". It's a texture thing more than anything else now...though the thought of some seafood just makes my stomach clench.
54. I'm a yeast flunkie. Almost everything I attempt that has yeast in it flops. My behind is very grateful for this fact (see # 40).
    
55. I count painting with water colors among my hobbies of the past. Maybe I'll do more in the future. I'd love to try oil and acrylic paints someday.
    
56. Like most people on planet earth, sometimes it seems impossible that I will ever not have money worries. I've been scrimping and living by the "waste not want not" mantra for all of my almost 40 years. It's a good way to live, but I could happily embrace losing the money stress part of life.
    
57. I am the kind of person that seems to be easy to ask for help from. I guess that means I'm approachable, and I'm glad others feel comfortable with me like that.
58. If I could have any one superpower, I'd choose flying.
59. My fingernails have never grown past the ends of my fingers. They get close to having a free edge visible from the other side, and then tear really high. I don't bite them, though I would as a child.
    
60. I think my little family is terrific, and I love their guts.
61. I don't know anything about cameras, lighting, lenses, apprature, F-stops etc...and I haven't developed a roll of print film since 1999. But I wish I was a better photographer. My little pointNshoot digi camera is great, and most of the time I am content with it. Perhaps photography will be a future hobby.
62. If it weren't for my stylish friends who began to intervene on my behalf when I was just a teen, I would be a top candidate on the "What Not To Wear" reality tv show. But I have these darling friends in my life who give me clothes. For this reason, I don't look like this and I'm really grateful.
    
63. I was a very accident prone child...but my injuries were mostly of the "She needs stitches. Again." type. I've never broken an arm or a leg, but do have a crooked right thumb from catching a fast-pitch baseball in high school. Broke it through my mitt (coach said it was just a sprain, and it healed crooked).
64. Because of the aforementioned crooked thumb, I am an utter waste of good money when it comes to bowling. The thumb hole on the balls for my size hand are too small so my thumb doesn't come out easily when releasing the ball. After a bowl or two it hurts so much I just start rolling it between my legs, and anyone I'm playing with usually pretends I just wandered into their lane.
65. I am trapped in the 80's and 90's musically-speaking. I rarely listen to the radio these days, but if I did, that's where I'd find the most appealing music. It's pitiful.
66. I make awesome english toffee and peanut butter fudge.
    
67. I don't like my hair, but feel guilty about my feelings because at least I have hair, and I'd feel even worse if I didn't have any. And it's not that bad, but trying to make it look good is the bane of daily life. Every person in my immediate family has fanfreakintastic hair. Ahh, genetics!
    
68. My mouth only ever grew two wisdom teeth. I ate chips and pizza at a party I went to the day they were removed.
69. I have lived in five states: Utah, California, Texas, Illinois, & Vermont.
70. I've been in the following countries in my life (actually walked on terra firma...not counting just being in the airport): Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, England, France, Ireland.
71. If I could go on a dream vacation, I'd take a Greek Islands cruise and see the Mediterranean
72. I hate MLMs. All of them.
73. I love the area where I live right now. It feels like home. I've never felt that way about any place I've ever lived before.
74. I grew up honestly believing I was the ugliest girl in the world.
75. I'm trying to become a runner, but my knees sure aren't cooperating.
    
76. Doc knows me better than anyone else in this world. I'm so lucky that way!
77. I'm shamelessly in love with my kids, and think they're the greatest. I wish I had 2 or 3 more. Did I already mention that I adore my kids? It's worth repeating.
    
78. If I had to pick only one food to eat for the rest of my life, I'm embarrassed to admit that I'd probably choose pizza.
    
79. I'm trying to become a better person all the time and I feel like my life is generally moving upward...a few steps forward and a setback here and there.
    
80. When I'm actually being organized and productive, I make lists. And yes, I'm one of those people who will add something to it after I've done it already, just for the satisfaction of checking it off my list.
81. I have a huge, negative response to large roaches. They simply freak me out.
    
82. I constantly wonder what's around the bend in life.
83. Some have observed that I am a great cheerleader for other people in their lives and endeavors. I think there's some truth to that because I just love people. I really value giving others the benefit of the doubt and think tolerance is a trait commonly wanting when it comes to how we view others. I think most people are generally good, and doing their best.
    
84. I don't have a favorite flower.
85. Glorious sunsets remind me of God. Every time.
    
86. I'm not really into jewelery, though I appreciate cute earrings when they come into my life. Unfortunately they often pass out of my life all too soon.
87. I am cold a disproportionately large amount of the time. For this reason alone, I'm glad to be living in a place that's blazing hot part of the year.
88. I have personally done the following home improvements in my lifetime: replaced toilets, removed popcorn ceilings, blacked a driveway, built rock walls, removed layers upon layers of wallpaper interspersed with paint, skip-troweled walls, installed a dishwasher, range, over-range microwave and new kitchen faucets, dug up sod to plant a garden, purchased, cut, installed and painted molding in rooms, replaced light fixtures, and assembled assorted furniture pieces.
89. I am positively enchanted by the sound of the creek near us. I mean, it's almost an obsession. I don't know anything that gives me the peaceful feeling that I get when I stand near it and just listen. To say nothing of how beautiful it is.
90. I'd rather pull weeds than try to find a new swimsuit or bra. Those are two items I loathe shopping for!
91. I had a school teacher once comment that I lacked tact and grace. Even though in hindsight it was a bit tacky of her to say so, there was probably a lot of truth to her statement and I still struggle with moments of gracelessness and tackiness.
    
92. The chore I fail at most often is putting away my clothes when I take them off. I tend to pile them on a chair till I dig in and clean the whole room. Which isn't often enough.
    
93. Politically, I care less about a persons stated position on something than I do about what kind of person they are. Their integrity matters more than almost anything else to me. This is why I'm so disillusioned by the 2008 presidential race.
    
94. My favorite teacher ever was in 5th grade. Claire Ryan was the first grown up in my life who seemed to care specifically about my happiness and how I was feeling. She changed my life.
95. I played the male lead in the school musical H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert & Sullivan in 7th grade. I was the Captain of the Pinafore. I was in plays during most years of my childhood, but haven't been on stage since 10th grade.
96. Once upon a time I went to Texas as a missionary, but I came home because of family problems after six months. I was a Spanish speaking missionary...theoretically at least.
    
97. I don't eat fast food. Almost ever. For years now. Even though within a 3 minute walk from my front door we have the following eating establishments: KFC, Taco Bell, New York Pizza, Subway, a Chinese restaurant, 3 Mexican Restaurants, a Sushi place, Shivers (old fashioned fast food place), Citrus Grill (nicer sit-down), EggWorks (sit down cafe), Cafe Express, McDonalds, Wendy's, a bakery and 7-11. It's really insane!
    
98. Holy cow 100 things is a lot and I can't believe I'm not done. Okay. I used to think I wanted 14 kids, and would tell people this. I don't know why I picked 14. I stopped this when I met a guy who actually did want 14 kids ("at least"). He thought he'd found his soul mate in me, and I had to do some fancy back peddling to get out of that spot. I was 18 at the time.
    
99. I used to be a fan of Krispy Kreme donuts. I also used to have a gall bladder. Thanks to a late-night "Hot Ones" donut eating fest with my friend America when I was pregnant with Gator, I had my 1st attack and learned that I had gall stones. Now I'm stone and gall bladder free. But I still don't get donuts very often.
    
100. Finally! My last tidbit is that my goal in life is to always continue growing and becoming a better person. I don't ever want to plateau out. I also hope that I become someone who is charitable in the true sense of the world. I have a friend who stated that their goal is to become a holy man. I don't know if I'll ever be a holy woman in this life. But I'm trying to be the kind of person that I know God wants me to be. And I'm grateful for the people along my path who help me in this effort every day. Especially Doc!
     

You can only type one word

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Your significant other? Doc
3. Your children? Priceless
4. Your mother? Fringe
5. Your father? Lost
6. Favorite thing? Love
7. Your dream last night? Dreamless
8. Your favorite drink? Smoothies
9. Your dream/goal? Charity
10. The room you're in? Bed
11. Your fear? Plateauing
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Together
13. Where were you last night? Serving
14. What you're not? Rested
15. Muffins? Sure
16. Where you grew up? Garage
17. The last thing you did? Listen
18. What are you wearing? Jammies
19. Your TV? Dusty
20. Your pets? Borrowed
21. Your computer? Lightweight
22. Your life? Blessed
23. Your favorite day? Today
24. Missing someone? Friends
25. Your car? Runs!
26. Something you're not wearing? XS
27. Favorite Store? Thrift
28. Your summer? Free
29. Who will win the presidential race? Unqualified
30. Your favorite color? Blue :-)
31. When is the last time you laughed? Today
32. Last time you cried? Today
33. Who will/would re-post this? Bloggers
    
    

I'm Back!

ahhhh love...

If it weren't leap year it would already be March, so my hiatus from the blogging world is officially ended, and I have to say it...I MISSED YOU! It was literally torture to know that just a click or two away were nearly a hundred posts written by my peeps! And I couldn't read them. Oh the agony.

But tonight my blogging fast ended, and as I plowed my way through the many posts, I read this on a friend's blog and thought that for the final post of February, the month of love, I'd do this little meme.

I'm going to be working for the next week, but may be able to write again while away. I can't believe my 12 month hiatus from flying is over...it's back into the wild blue yonder for me. Hope I haven't forgotten everything!

What is your Hubby's name?: Doc. Not really, but for this blog it is.

How long have you been together? We're well into our 21st year of couplehood.

Who said I love you first?: I did. He made me. He practically begged me. I told him that it wasn't right for the girl to say it first, that it was probably even against The Law! But he got me to say it first anyway, (and amazingly he didn't even have to spring me out of the clink!)

Who is smarter?: Hmmm. Without question Doc is a FAR better student, which is what most people gauge intelligence by. But I have my own special, different kind of smarts and they come in handy from time to time. Mostly in the realm of people skillz.

Who does the housework?: Primarily Me. But he does most of the studying for medical school, so it all evens out I guess :-)

Who sleeps on the right?: If you are facing the bed, me. If you are in the bed, then it's him.

Who pays the bills?: Generally speaking we have them all set up on auto pay. But for the few that aren't, I try to stay up on them. As of July '08 it's all me, all the time (yay for 3rd year hospital rotations!)

Who cooks dinner?: hmmm. "cooks" might be a stretch most days. We're pretty unsophisticated about food round these parts. I generally make food a couple days a week, and we work through the leftovers the rest of the nights. It's been tricky to figure out how to cook for two adults and one great eater, one "selective" eater...nothing pleases the selective one. BunchNGator's favorite food is macNcheese of course, but they love grilled cheese, quesadillas or hot cereal (and on rare occasions, cold cereal). It's nights like those that I give myself the "mother of the year" award.

Who drives when you are together?: Me. It's a thing.

Who is more stubborn?: It's a toss-up. We are both pretty darn stubborn. But thankfully we only disagree on the big stuff ;-)

Who kissed who first?: I'm pleased to report that at least in this matter, he took the reigns and did the kissing. No way would I have done that!

Who asked who out first?: He mustered all the courage possible and asked me out. We went to "Christmas Around The World" which is a folk-dance performance. Our second date was to see "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in a theater. That was the night I started to fall for him...but he fell for me the moment he spied my slick table-wiping skillz at our cafeteria where I worked. I've always been able to wipe tables well...it's one of my special knacks.

Who proposed?: He did. He got me up in the pitch black of night before the sun had even considered rising for the day, drove me to the beach on the shore of Lake Michigan, and made small talk till the sun finally peaked through a hole in the clouds. As soon as Mr. Sun showed it's shiny face, he popped the big one. He'd been home from his mission for 72 hours, and we were married 35 days later. Insane!

Who has more siblings?: Same. He's the oldest of five and I'm the second of five. We both have two brothers and two sisters, and both have a David and a Kimberly. It's really random.

Who wears the pants?: Well, we like to pretend that neither one of us is the boss, but really, I am. Except on the big stuff...when he gets his way and no manner of persuasion has ever made him budge. No exercise of my considerable feminine wiles has had any impact on him. I feel like Scarlett trying to persuade Rhett to give into one of her wishes at these times, but to no avail. So maybe that means he's more stubborn and he's the boss. Maybe all this time I've just deluded myself that I'm the boss! I'm going to have to give this some thought! ;-)

I tag: k-slimb, angela, betsy and kirst...4 of my faithful readers

So who do I look most like?

There is an entertaining site that you can upload a photo to, and it will scan your face and tell you who your celebrity look-alikes are. I previously tried it with a whole bunch of photos...but decided that it was overkill, so I deleted them and decided to just keep this one. A diverting waste of time ♥

Starting with a Meme

Katie G. Tagged Me!
So, in honor of this, I am launching my new blog. Welcome. I'm Blue, and here's a little intro to me in the form of this meme.

Jobs I’ve had: I earned money various ways as a young child. Pulling out teeth for the fairy offered too little job security, so I moved on to more lucrative pursuits. Lemonade stands aside, like many of my generation, I had a bicycle paper route delivering about 200-300 papers every week. Ironically, I also collected used newspapers to raise money for our school paper drive. When I was nine, I started working in the school cafeteria. At age 10 I started to babysit, and have been working almost non-stop since that time in my life. But for tax purposes, here's a sample of jobs I've held:

1. Grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants (never fast food!) and a variety of Temp Agency jobs. These experiences taught me to work hard, and exposed me to many different kinds of people and opportunities, and helped me learn more about my interests and aptitudes.
   
2. Deseret Towers Cafeteria Hostess: Noted for it's significance insomuch as it's where my DH, whom I'll refer to on this blog as "Doc", first laid eyes on me. My table-wiping skills were simply mesmerizing. He saw me holding that rancid dishrag across the room and said to himself, "that's the woman for me".
   
3. Teaching: In college I worked as a TA. Recently I became a substitute teacher. I homeschooled my kids for a year, and have spent most of my adult life teaching kids and teens at church. Interestingly, I never considered how much teaching has been part of my life.
   
4. Web Developer. AKA: WebMaster, WebMistress, Web Designer. Your choice. I spent the majority of our years in Chicago doing web dev, working and teaching all members of the university community about the internet, creating their first account, and introducing them to this new technology that would change the world. Years after we left Chicago my old boss, whom I remained friends with, informed me that, though he quickly came to appreciate my skills, work ethic, dependability etc., the reason I got the job was because his boss made him hire me because he "thought I was hot and wanted me around". Sheesh!
   
5. Manager of the ID Center for University of Chicago. I switched gears for a couple years to manage the transition from the antiquated poloroid/laminated, quarterly-validation sticker ID card system, to a SmartCard system with digital pix, magnetic strip and cash stripe technology. A crazy, long-hours process, but it was a valuable experience that taught me a ton and I enjoyed it. Good times.
   
6. Which brings me to my present employment as a flight attendant. The best perks of any job I've had. It's been an amazing experience for me. (see guilty pleasure #1 below)
7. Finally, most rewarding work of my life though, is that of raising my darlin' kids. Bunch & Gator are simply beyond comparison. They provide a framework for every decision I make, and the experience of parenting them is the thing I'm most grateful for in my life.
   

Movies I can watch over and over again;
Since I subscribe to the philosophy that life's too short to re-read or re-watch most books/shows, something has to REALLY resonate with me for me to sit through it more than once. So, a couple favorites have been:

1. The Scarlett Pimpernell with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour...if you haven't seen it, it's one I enjoyed a lot. Sink me!
   
2. There have been a couple times I wanted something to mostly listen to while I did a task (like ironing), in which I can't watch the screen much. So action movies are out. Doc gave me Ever After a long time ago and I enjoy it. I've also loved Anne of Green Gables since I was a child.
   
3. I've enjoyed some of the quality blockbuster movies, (the Harry Potters & Lord of the Rings types). Don't watch them over and over though.
   

Guilty pleasures:

1. #1 would have to be Travel. I'm sure I spend much more time traveling than a lot of people, but I have no idea if it's something I'd ever get tired of, because I haven't ever been sated. It's a guilty pleasure for me because it's not "real life"...and it's means being away from my community and commitments, including (during particularly guilty pleasure get-aways) Bunch, Gator and Doc. I love visiting friends, seeing places I haven't been, sleeping in hotels, eating out, driving rental cars, exploring and adventure. It's a beautiful world.
2. A day of reading...especially just-for-fun books. Like yesterday. I knew I'd need to just plow through it, so I waited till then to pick up the last Harry Potter book. I committed to taking breaks to feed the kids, and I did answer the phone twice, but from the moment I woke up till I finished it late last night, I didn't do anything but read. Good thing books like that don't come out too often.
3. Treats. They're awful. They don't do your body any good. They mess with your insulin levels, give you a false high followed by a hard crash, cause bloating, make you fat, make you gassy and probably take years off our lives. Darn they're awesome! Especially baked treats.
   

Places I have lived:

1. Provo, Utah--for the first couple weeks of my life.
2. Costa Mesa, CA--till I went to college
   
3. Provo, Utah--College years
4. Socorro, TX--When I was a missionary
   
5. Chicago, IL--Whilst Doc did his Ph.D.
   
6. Colchester, VT--Life after graduate school
7. Salt Lake City, UT--Present--whilst Doc gets his MD.
   

Shows I enjoy:
The only time I've watched tv in the past 4 years has been on JetBlue when not working. During those times, I try to find the decorating and home/garden-type shows. At home we have rabbit ears on our set downstairs, and only get PBS and KBYU, which is fine for us.

What were the things I thought of when I first saw my husband?

1. The first time I met Doc, he was in my oldest friend CJ's dorm room the day after the dance she'd invited him to. Not being the type to scope out friend's dates, the encounter didn't dent my consciousness at that moment. Different story for Doc, because, as you know, he'd seen my superb table-wiping skills in the cafeteria we ate at (see #2 Jobs I've Had above). Poor CJ. It was all over for her and Doc (they'd had one date). If only she'd had her own rancid, dingy dishrag in hand when he first saw her, she might've had a hope.
   
2. The second time I saw Doc, was when I got off the elevator in the lobby of my dorm to meet him for our first date. Not having any memory of what he looked like (see meeting #1 above), I suavely meandered out, hoping he'd step forward to claim me, which, thankfully, he did. We went to the Folk Dance Christmas Around the World performance at the Marriott Center, and he had me home by 8:30 pm. I didn't know what to think of Doc yet.
   
3. The third time I saw Doc was for our 2nd date...which had me slightly worried because I was a complete loon at that point in my life, but knew enough to realize that if he asked me out twice in quick succession, it probably meant he was interested. This was a bad thing, because I didn't want an 18 year old boy to fall in love with me. How AWKWARD it would be, when I, an almost 19 year old who was mature far beyond her years, had to break his poor heart! I avoid awkward. So I did my best to be a silly, frivolous nincompoop, so that he'd lose interest. To this day I have no idea why it didn't work.
4. Our fourth meeting was our 3rd date. He asked me if I wanted to go to a movie with him. "Sure", I said, unimpressed by the lack of originality (I was a real git!) And then this good-hearted 18 year old boy, took the girl he was trying to impress to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the campus theater. It worked. I thought it was sweet and genuine of him. I started to be sweet and genuine in return. That night we ran into The Bumpler, a good friend of Doc's, on our way back to our dorm, and the three of us went and had a massive snowball fight. My first ever (I was a California girl all the way. They grew up in northern Illinois). It was wonderful. The rest is history. (Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of a good snowball fight!)
   

Places I have been on Vacation (my favorite topic!)

1. London, England
2. Paris, France
3. Bermuda. I ♥ Bermuda!
   
4. Cozumel, Mexico
5. The islands of Oahu and Hawaii, Hawaii
6. Florida Keys
7. Puerto Rico, and particularly the island Culebra off the south-east coast.
   
8. I've been to almost all of the 50 states; still need to make it to Alaska, Oklahoma Arkansas, and the Dakota's...at least I don't remember being in these five states.
9. Fun cities: Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, San Diego, Salt Lake City.
   

Favorite foods:

1. Really good grilled steak or chicken. I almost NEVER have grilled meat. Maybe once a year. But YUM! Whenever I do (like 2 weeks ago, my friend's fiancé made the most amazing steak for us!) I am reminded of how tasty meat is.
2. Baked goods. I loved the baked goods. Nearly any kind of baked good.
   
3. Pizza. Really great pizza. I'm still a teenager at heart I guess.
4. Ice Cream. I'm a sucker for ice cream. Especially home-made...oh torture! But I'm also a big fan of The Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt chain in California. I'm even a card-carrying member...I get some every time I visit. It's healthier than ice cream, so less guilt!
   
5. Smoothies. I ♥ smoothies! I aim to own a VitaMix before year's end, and will be using it to mix up delicious smoothies and soups and other healthy treats.
6. Delish salads. I like eating but loathe making salads. Any salad made by someone else is a favorite with me. A great salad has lots of toppings, and a good dressing. Poppyseed is a favorite. Yum!
   

Note: though I love all the foods above, I'm a fairly healthy eater these days. Developing discipline in my eating habits has been a conscious choice. Most of the time I eat simply, and try to use fresh ingredients. Which is why I want the VitaMix.


Websites I visit daily:

1. Blogs. I use Bloglines to subscribe to blogs I read (there are 30 of them), and any time they've been updated, Bloglines lets me know. It's free and so useful!
2. Funny, other than blogs, there aren't any sites that I visit every day intentionally. I use Google Maps, Dictionary.Com, Wikipedia and our County Library sites regularly though.
   

Body parts I have injured:

• I've been pretty fortunate as an adult really. Growing up I was "Bruised up Blue". I had an adverse relationship to glass, and had to have stitches a number of times. I cut open my leg with a hoe, have the ubiquitous chin scar so many of us sport, and a crooked thumb from a fast-pitch ball my coach pitched at me during softball practice in High School. I missed so much school after a car accident when I was 16 that I wasn't eligible to graduated from High School (so I ended up dropping out and went to college). I've had a number of sprained ankles, torn ligaments, broken toes. I spent 18 hours in a decompression chamber after my first open-water dive in Bermuda. Memories!

Nicknames I have had:
Ahh nicknames. Terms of derision and endearment! For therapy purposes, we'll be excluding all the monikers from my childhood:

1. Blue
2. Jeuls
   
3. JB
4. J-Sweetest
   
5. Hota (pronounced "Ho-tuh")
6. Hota Bay
7. J-squeebs
8. Spleebs
   

My nicknames deteriorate the more time passes, as you can see.

TAG, You are it:

1. Melanie B.
2. Lisa Loves Butter
3. The Kirstenator
4. Betsy the blogger