25 Random Things About Me

So, if you're on Facebook you've probably seen the "25 Random Things About Me" note going around. You post your 25 things and tag 25 people to do the same. I first got tagged by this girl I fittingly met at a VERY random time and place. (Remember the post about the kids skating at FBC? That's where it was.) So I made my list...only I kept thinking of more random stuff. Of course, some of it is not random to some of you, as you may know me better than others. Anyway, I went well beyond 25. I'm bad about that (not being concise and all). Well, lucky for you, I finally whittled my list down to the required number, so I'm going to post my 25 things right here for your reading pleasure:

1. I love punch and will not leave a wedding or a shower without first trying the punch. In fact, I am utterly disappointed when I attend a function where normally there would be punch but for some reason punch is not served. It's true.

2. I'm deathly afraid of spiders. Deathly. Like if one was ON me for some horrific reason, I just might DIE from the shock. I truly think they sense my fear and are out to get me. They are most definitely always up to no good, the devious things. Curiously, I am a fan of Charlotte's Web. (I do, however, have to look away when Charlotte is on the screen because my skin will start crawling if I don't.)

3. Headphones annoy me.

4. I do not enjoy ironing--at all. If you do, then something is wrong with you. I WILL do it; it just may take me a while to get around to it. I certainly don't want my husband going to work all rumpled, so I do my best to take care of him. But just so you know, if I don't have clothes ready for him, he's perfectly capable of doing it himself and often DOES just so I can sleep a little longer. Isn't that sweet?

5. I used to have a ferret.

This is Siggy, my baby for 8 years.

6. My biggest pet peeve is companies calling my home (especially the automated-message kind...because I can't tell them to take us off their list). That whole "Do Not Call" list thing isn't working anymore. Am I the only one who's noticed this?! Ugh!!

7. For the most part, I abhor carpet.

8. I spend at least 75% of my time involved in the stain removal process. If you saw my children eat, you'd know why.

9. I am very attached to my heavy, memory foam-type pillow. (I'm not even sure what brand it is because my mother-in-law gave it to me to try, and it doesn't have a tag.) I've become so used to it that I'll end up with a sore neck and shoulders if I sleep on a regular pillow. In other words, I will fight you if you get my pillow!

10. I often find myself reading the blogs of perfect strangers and feeling/acting like I know them. Drives Paul crazy because I like to share their stories with HIM.

11. I'm not a fan of the pacifier for my children, though I've been known to use one in a pinch (church, etc.) Instead, I train my babies to self-soothe with a thumb, using a soft blanket as a cue. So far it has worked twice (didn't try it with Noah, doggone it), and we're working on a third now. Go thumb suckers, unite!!

Atticus in Training

12. I think vomit is horrible. It just is.

13. Once upon a time, I could kayak (yes, and even flip all the way around). My dear husband bought me a kayak years ago, which I never got to use, mostly because I've either been pregnant or too busy with tiny people (naps, nursing, etc.) for the past almost 8 years. It's for sale now--I give up.

14. I can't help it, I think Facebook Flair is AWESOME!! (Mind you, I HATE so-called "flair" in real life and have thrown away many a "button" when no one was looking. It's just clutter for your clothes.) I've decided to share my flair with you, my faithful blog readers. Consider yourself blessed. :)

This one just cracked me up. I like this kind of humor.

15. I used to be an obsessed elementary school teacher, and it was not uncommon for me to be IN my classroom working from 7:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. Oh! And I used to think homeschooling meant that parents just let their kids stay home and grow stupider by the minute. Now I homeschool my children. Go figure!

16. I can't stand to see those Strong Man competitions where guys with gross muscles pull airplanes and lift trees and stuff. That's messed up.

17. I am suspicious of the chemicals used in household cleaners, insect repellents, sunscreens, etc. Because of this, I try to be very careful about what I buy to use in our home. (That's right, I'm a label-reader.) I'm the same way with food. Beans, grains & granola are good! (That's for my friend Kitty.)

18. I LOVE the anticipation of packages being delivered to my home or mailbox. (You know you do, too.) That's one big reason why I think shopping online is the best!

19. I don't understand many of the commercials on television--just don't get them. Paul says that means I'm not their targeted audience. Well...fine then.

20. I YEARN for my Mamaw's blackberry cobbler (not to mention the blackberry jam) ALL THE TIME. I'm sort of a cobbler snob. I go around trying all the restaurant cobblers in town (because I like cobbler a lot), but I always have something to say about how it's not sweet enough or it's too sweet or it has the wrong kind of crust or there are no dumplings (there MUST be dumplings); I know it's cliche, but they just aren't like [Mamaw] makes.

This is my cute Mamaw with Atticus at 1 month

21. Italian food. Need I say more?

22. I'm afraid of heights even when I'm the one on the ground and someone else is up high. I just KNOW I'm going to see someone fall to their death one day. The irony is that I used to be the cheerleader at the top of the pyramid--and loved it! Probably another example of something that happens to you as you get older...

23. I have a weird affinity for teeny, tiny things. Like miniature tea sets, tiny dolls with itty-bitty clothes, newborn diapers, toy dog breeds, really small containers of play dough, party bubbles like you get at weddings, cute paper clips, Legos (yes, Legos), and those scaled-down versions of tents on display at Sam's. (Aren't those the cutest?) I generally try to keep this under wraps or else I'll end up with a bunch of junk.

24. I have two babies in cloth diapers right now.

Gabe's very late birth announcement

(I'm determined to get one out for Atticus BEFORE he turns one.)

25. I'm not concise (we've been over this), but this time I really think I might be done (with THIS list anyway). I'm so proud of myself...