Seven things...

Alright, I was indirectly tagged by a friend's blog to list 7 random (not necessarily interesting) things about me. You pretty well know all there is to know about Fender, but here are a few things just in case you didn't:

1) Fender had only 3 ear infections total in his first two years. (I pray he has as good health or better for the rest of his life.)
2) Sadly he has hair like his mom in that you can do anything to style it (using tons of gel, hairspray whatever) and it looks great for a few minutes, but within an hour or two it all falls straight down and looks like we've done nothing to it.
3) He sleeps in the dark in his own room in his own bed every night.
4) He can and will sit through FINDING NEMO in its entirety.
5) He's most ticklish in his armpits.
6) Favorite color is definitely blue. Out of the entire box of crayons...that is the one he goes for first every time.
7) Fender will tell the dog "Dobby, come here, now." But when we ask him to "come here", he pretends he has know idea what those words mean.

Some pictures of artwork with Daddy this weekend...
 
 
 

And a Halloween preview of our little Yoda. Thanks for voting.
 

Okay...if you are interested here are seven random things about me...
1) I hate spending money, especially on myself. I mean…I loathe it. I’ve always been this way, it is just part of who I am. Whether we have lots of money or no money, I can’t make myself comfortable with any sort of frivolous spending, especially if it is for me. And even worse, I actually don’t like presents or anyone else spending money on me. Weird, huh? I would prefer all birthday celebrations and Christmas celebrations sans presents. That said…as much as I hate spending money, I typically have to hold myself back from buying something for Fender or Drew every time I’m at a store. Gifts are good when bought with joy and not as obligation.

Which brings us to numero 2: Keep the presents…let’s PARTY. I love celebrations…give me parties galore…celebrate the person’s life at a birthday, celebrate the birth of Christ at CHRISTmas…celebrate for days and weeks with family, friends, food (lots of sweets), fun, songs, games, whatever you want…presents just aren’t necessary. I love me a house filled with happy people!!! It is one of my favorite things!

And that segues into numero 3: I LOVE the holiday season, but you may not know that I start celebrating the holiday season as early as possible. Football on the tele every Sunday feels like the holidays to me. And this year we had a beautiful cloudy and cool Sept 1st, which really got my spirit soaring and looking forward to the fall! That’s all it takes…just a cool, cloudy day and some football and it may as well be Christmas! And who needs gifts when you have the holiday spirit floating around.

4) Charlie Brown and The Grinch: We don’t have a lot of traditions, so you probably don’t know this one. We watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” every year for Halloween and the original cartoon version of The Grinch every year at Christmastime. I couldn’t find Great Pumpkin on TV this year so I just went to youtube and Fender and I watched it a couple of nights ago. Ideally, we get to watch it on Halloween, but better safe than sorry… especially this year since we’ll be gone some for Fender’s first trick-or-treating experience. Oh how I love Halloween!!! Trick-or-treaters, candy, costumes, tons of ghastly Halloween specials on TV. And I say “I” because Daddy hasn’t quite been converted into the whole Halloween experience yet. But we're working on it. In his defense, until recently he’s had to study for an exam every Halloween so I suspect it won’t be long now that his time is free and Fender is getting old enough to enjoy the whole experience too.

5) I’m an artist…NOT. You may or may not find it interesting to note that I have zero artistic ability and I am not being hard on myself. Not one artistic gene in my body. I can draw stick figures…but not even the cool stick figures that do things like jump or swim or fly. My stick figures stand straight and still and the difference between a girl and a boy stick figure is a triangular skirt I put on a girl. I’m not kidding or exaggerating either! I can draw a patch of grass for them to stand on and sometimes a flower nearby. But that’s it.

6) Mildly OCD about a clean house. I actually like picking up things off the floor, doing dishes, and putting things away at the end of the day so that I wake up to a fairly organized house in the morning. (Well I don't have to be the one doing all the picking up, I just want the house picked up.) I’ve been told countless times not to “worry” myself or “stress” about having things picked up (especially when Fender was just born, and anytime I’m sick) but what I don’t think people realize is it really bothers me so much more to walk into a messy room and not do anything about it. I never “overdo” as anyone that has ever been to our house will attest. I certainly don’t stress about keeping it spotless, but the simple act of cleaning up a mess when we’re through with it (be it dishes in the sink after dinner or toys in a box after playing) goes a long way and makes me feel great too. Our house having clear tables and floors makes me smile…they can be disinfected and vacuumed later. Also, clutter in anyone else’s home doesn’t bother me in the least.

7) Used to be a gymnast. Yep. When I was a little girl I was in gymnastics at the Maverick Boys and Girls Club for a while. Could do back flips and such. I only ever competed in one competition and I took first place in tumbling...out of more than 50 gymnasts! Earlier that same day, however, I also competed on trampoline and half way through I got nervous and started doing my "optional" routine instead of "compulsory" and finished last...but the components were flawless. It was fun. Yea for first and last place. :)

And a bonus fact: Prefer ski trip in snow covered mountains over the beach every time!!!