100 things you might not know about me

1. I detest the color mint green.
2. I'm a bit afraid that I'll get cancer.
3. I really like stormy weather.
4. Fall is my favorite season of the year.
5. I'm proud of my family.
6. People with big egos get on my nerves.
7. I don't like to mess up.
8. I am beginning to understand what having a mid-life crisis means.
9. Cheap chocolate doesn't taste good anymore.
10. When I was a kid, I remember a specific time my dad demonstrated amazing patience - I try to model that to my kids.
11. I think the way my mom handled the whole sex talk was perfect.
12. Snakes are not good.
13. I say yes sometimes and regret it.
14. I wonder a lot about the women my boys will marry.
15. I love to swim laps.
16. I'm really good at estimating how long something will take.
17. My experiences in church had a huge impact on me as a child growing up.
18. My experiences in church as an adult have had a very different impact on me.
19. I like having a diverse group of friends.
20. Mark is perfect for me.
21. I like to listen to really loud music.
22. I suck at math.
23. I have never cared that I suck at math.
24. Sucking at math has not really negatively impacted my life.
25. I want to go to a winery some day.
26. I want to train for and finish a marathon.
27. I like my house to be really clean.
28. I don't care if your house isn't clean.
29. I could have very easily married the wrong person and ended up divorced.
30. I appreciate the friendships I have.
31. I will speak up sooner next time I'm involved in a conflict.
32. I used to work in marketing at Disneyland, the Mighty Ducks and Angels.
33. My hair is almost all gray.
34. I don't feel as old as I am.
35. Mark is the only person who I let see the very worst in me.
36. I won a gold medal in academic decathlon in high school.
37. I get impatient when listening to long winded explanations.
38. Every week I read my Newsweek cover to cover.
39. I really like to read.
40. I wish I had a huge, gourmet kitchen with two ovens and a 6 burner gas range.
41. I don't care how much money I spend.
42. It bugs me sometimes that Mark cares how much money I spend.
43. I will gladly spend money if it makes something easier.
44. When I was a kid, I liked playing with boys more than girls.
45. I like my space.
46. I like to eat at expensive restaurants.
47. I think Viggo is hot.
48. I vote republican but have democratic tendencies.
49. Certain songs strike me as excellent striptease music.
50. I love the show Rescue Me.
51. Watching my kids experience fireworks on the 4th of July is the best.
52. I don't watch movies more than once. (Exception: The Thornbirds)
53. If my car is clean - all is well with my soul.
54. Minor regret - tanning and burning too often in teens and 20's and working full time and going to college full time at the same time.
55. My favorite vacation growing up - my parents rented a beach house and let me and my brother invite all of our friends.
56. Sometimes I question the decision to move to KY.
57. Going to the movies is one of my favorite things to do.
58. My very first job was at a frozen yogurt store - I ate frozen yogurt ALL day.
59. I love to cook and bake. Someday, I'd like to take lessons.
60. I'm not really interested in making conversation with people I'll never see again. (i.e. - cruise ship dinner companions)
61. I'd rather hang out with 10 really good friends than 50 acquaintances.
62. Mark and I only dated three months before we got engaged. I reserved the church for our wedding six weeks after meeting Mark. I gave a false name so nobody would know.
63. I am always ready to leave before anybody else.
64. One of the most embarrassing things I can remember happening to me occurred at my sister's wedding. As I stood to give a toast, the DJ introduced me as "wearing the largest bridesmaid dress ever made" (I was 8 months pregnant)
65. I do not have one completed baby or childhood photo album for any of my kids.
66. I really like jewelry - the real stuff.
67. I'm usually not early or late - I'm exactly on time.
68. Being on staff at church was the hardest job I ever had.
69. I don't think that people can change themselves very much.
70. Our first child was conceived 20 feet from my parents on a family vacation in Hawaii.
72. I was on my high school swim team with Olympic swimmer Janet Evans. We set the women's relay record at C.I.F.
73. My first boyfriend was four years older than me. We dated for three years.
74. I left at the break in every one of my college classes. I still got decent grades.
75. A few of my closest friends are males.
76. I wish I was more educated in the arts.
77. I read the opinion section of the newspaper first every day.
78. I'm good in the midst of a crisis and then fall apart way after it's over. (My emotions or feelings about something are usually experienced well after an event takes place.
79. When I get mad I stew.
80. I want to be considered a giver not a taker.
81. I would work almost any job before running an in-home day care.
82. Someday I will take my close friends on an exotic vacation (no kids).
83. I do not like sushi.
84. Chapstick is a necessity.
85. I don't like long rides in the car.
86. I like new houses not old ones with "character"
87. I have to work really hard to not cuss.
88. My middle name is Christine.
89. I do not like the names cindy, pam, doug, or duane.
90. I would have a dog if it didn't shed or poop. I'd get a big dog, no silly little purse kind.
91. I hope my boys will want to hang out with me sometimes when they are adults.
92. I wonder what my boys will say that I do that annoys them.
93. I wonder what a good psychological therapist would say is my big problem.
94. One thing that is still the same about me is the fact that I like everything neat and clean.
95. One thing that is different about me now - I am definitely not as judgmental as I used to be.
96. I think character matters most.
97. I try to do what I say I'm going to do. I don't like it when others don't follow through.
98. I will never think toilet humor is funny.
99. I'm like Schrek, I have lots of layers.
100. I have several questions for God.

Dichotomy - illustrated as follows...

Three Things I have done this week:

1. Attempted to deal with the hair removal wax that mysteriously got dumped over in my bathroom cabinet and oozed over and under approximately 33 different items in said cabinet. Have you ever tried this and not cussed?

2. Sponged up and scrubbed the approximately 12 ounces of Suave Kids Blueberry Blitz shampoo that mysteriously tipped over and spilled into my cream carpet.

3. Removed approximately half a pound of playground bark that was mysteriously put into the pocket of my son's pants and placed in the dryer (by him) so that he could "get his pants nice and toasty"

Three Things Mark has done this week:

1. Had a massage poolside at a hotel on Coronado island in San Diego, California

2. Joined other "co-workers" in a limo complete with multiple pitchers of martini's and was shuttled off to a four star dining experience.

3. Played beach volleyball

It's a horse people!

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (AP) -- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is making progress from surgery on his broken leg, even showing an interest in mares, but the colt still faces a long and perilous road to recovery, his surgeon said Monday.

Dr. Dean Richardson, who performed the intricate five-hour operation, was satisfied with the result, but blunt about the future for a horse that put together an unbeaten record until he broke down in the Preakness Stakes.

"There's some mares there, and he's extremely interested in the mares," Richardson told ABC's Good Morning America.

"We're salvaging him as a breeding animal."

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a couple thoughts about the above headline news item:

1. I have read and heard about this on CNN, the radio, local newspaper, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and countless other online news resources. This is BIG news for those of you intent on following frivolous details about gunfights in Gaza City, the senate immigration debate and civil war in the Sudan.

2. Provided he recovers from his injuries, Barbaro faces the pleasant prospect of humping unsuspecting mares multiple times a day in an effort to pass on his magic DNA. (Mark is trying to figure out how he can break his leg.)

A Mother's Day Tale

In the beginning God created the world and populated it with CHILDREN... and after a time, he looked down and said "Heavens! This place is a zoo!" So he created PETS... and after a time he looked down and said: "What an ungodly mess! You kids need a shepherd!" So He created DADS... and after a time He looked down and was astonished to see the whole works going straight to hell in a handbasket! So He created MOMS... and after a time the Lord looked down and said "This is good!"

Happy Mother's Day to all the girls who are fantastic MOMS.

Interview Me...

Julia, at How Did I Get Here? is doing this fun little exercise.

(I don't know how to create a link to her so go to http://juliajuliabohemian.blogspot.com) and check out her "Interview Me" post.

The deal is I answer her questions below and offer to interview anybody who visits my blog and wants to be asked five questions that I come up with. I'm callin' out Mary, Glyn and Logan. You know and I know you want to be interviewed...

Julia asked:
1. You just found out that an important person is coming over for dinner and you only have one hour to prepare something suitable. What do you do?

I responded:
I always have ingredients for mexican food on hand. I whip up enchiladas, fajitas, corn cake, refried beans etc. and dip into my stash of mexican themed paper napkins for good measure.

Julia asked:
2.Would you ever go to a clothing optional beach?

I responded:
Yes, for research purposes... I'd wear clothing and check out all the others who consider it optional.

Julia asked:
3.Have you ever shoplifted and if so, what was it?

I responded:
Yes, age 13, I stole mascara from K-mart. Got caught, got severely scolded and warned that if I did it again, they'd call the police. That was nothing compared to what consequences I faced when I got home... I've never gone back into a K-mart again.

Julia asked:
4. You won a contest and have been given the chance to donate $10,000 to any specific cause. what is it and why?

I responded:
I would donate it to an organization that helps abused children. Since I've had children of my own, nothing breaks my heart, or makes me angrier. I can accept that lots of bad things happen, their is wickedness in the world, etc. but NOT when innocent children are abused. I definitely struggle with God about this.

Julia asked:
5. Describe your worst haircut ever.

I responded:
Short, round bobbed diddy that would look good on almost anybody but me.

I'm working on your questions. Logan...

I'll have another Lilly please...

Lemons Forever became the longest shot ever to win in the Oaks 132-year history. That's about all I've got to say about the horses.

I really wasn't there to watch the ponies.

Mark and I attended Oaks yesterday and just finished watching the "two most exciting minutes in sports" on TV. Did you catch it? After today, Kentucky once again slips into relative obscurity for the next 365 days.

My Takeaways:

After two ill fated attempts at slathering on flash bronzer, I finally succeeded at not looking like an adobe brick. I was just trying to mitigate my abominable snowman legs

Do a better job at hiding the hat receipt from Accounting Control (Mark)

Silent Auction and Brunch at The Brown Hotel downtown - People will pay a lot of money for really ugly artwork

I never knew lox, toast points, bibb lettuce, benedictine, egg and red onion chive vinaigrette could be so beautifully presented on a plate and taste like cat food.

It is amazing how many people are legally drunk by 11:15 AM

It is important to pace oneself upon arrival at Churchill Downs. There are 11 races approximately 45 minutes apart. A mint julep or in my case "Lilly" between every race will render any lady completely senseless by the end of the day. (Happily, I was not rendered senseless at the end of the day)

Apparently, John Elway is some guy who used to play football.

While everyone at my table poured over their program to figure out which horse to bet on in the next race, I was pouring over the buffet choices.

You have to bet big to win big. The Lagestee's wagered (and lost) a grand total of $14.00.

Walking on the ball of your foot for nine hours in 3 inch heels results in me taking my shoes off and not giving a crap if I step in squished mint sprigs, beer and God only knows what else. Note for next year, bring flip flops to walk back to the car.

While in attendance at a YUM party, be prepared to do the YUM Chant led by David Novak. It doesn't matter who you are - the CEO of McDonald's would be forced to participate if he were there. Give me a "Y" - crowd chants "Y" and makes a Y with their arms. Give me a "U" and so on. "What's that spell?" crowd: YUM "What's that spell?" crowd (louder) YUM! It's like a cult.

Hootie and the Blowfish (they were the entertainment) still have it goin on after all these years. Brought me back to the happy days when Mark and I were first married and blasting the CD in our apartment and making trips back and forth to the laundry room. (Remember doing your laundry at an apartment?)

That about sums it up. Anybody need to borrow a hat?

Apparently Blondes DO Have More Fun

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A 63-year-old hospital consultant is set to become Britain's oldest mother after undergoing fertility treatment, the Italian doctor who treated her said.

He said Rashbrook, whom he last saw in November, was "perfect" for the treatment, because although she was 62 at the time, she had a biological age of about 45.

"She came here with her husband, the couple love each other, she is very slim, blonde and in perfect condition, she fits all the criteria for maternity."

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Apparently, the color of your hair helps to predetermine the success of fertility treatment. I have unwittingly given birth (as a brunette) to genetically inferior children. Your prayers are solicited.