My Real Life

June 17, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 10:19 pm
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1. What is your favorite summer time activity?
Early morning walks on the beach.  Hands down.
When we go to the beach, each summer, Monkey in the Middle is always the first up and he comes and gets me right away.
We get up before anyone else is stirring and we walk along the boardwalk.
We pass early morning joggers and get the first fruits and veggies as the farmers market stand opens for the day.
It’s quiet and still and it’s rare time alone with my guy.
Hands down…favorite summer activity.

2. Do you have one laundry soap you stick to, or do you buy whatever’s on sale?
I like Tide.
My kids are worse than the kids in commercials with the messes they make.
I can’t even identify all of the stains on their clothes.
I use Tide.

3. What is your favorite dinner to make in the summer?
Reservations!
Hahahaha…anyone else remember that commercial where the woman answers the question, “What’s for dinner” with her heavy Brooklyn accent saying “Reservations!”
Anyone?
Anyone?
Crickets.
Anywhoo…
Burgers and dogs on the grill are my favorite summer meal to make.
Because I don’t enjoy cooking.  That’s why.

4. Do you have any talents?
Everyone has talents.
It’s just a matter of finding them.

5. If you could instantly be an expert in something, what would it be? Why?
Parenting.
I’m always worried that I’m messing it all up.

April 22, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 9:34 am
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1. What is your favorite Easter tradition?
My favorite Easter tradition happens at my church.
Every year, at the end of the service, the choir sings the Hallelujah chorus.
My church choir ain’t your run of the mill church choir.
It is something to behold…with your ears.
Anyway, we sing the Hallelujah chorus and people in the congregation are welcome to sing along.
It gives me goosebumps every time and brings a tear to my eye.
Beautiful music does it to me every single time.

2. Are you a “shower” or a “long, hot bath” kind of person?
Long.
Hot.
Bath.
I bring in a book and soak away.
Love it.

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it?
Pleased to say I’m quite good at parallel parking, despite what my early years of driving may have foreshadowed.
I can fit that minivan into spots that defy reality.
Did it yesterday, as a matter of fact.
So, yes, I can.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy?
Uh, Reeses Peanut Butter eggs.
Ask me a hard one.

5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday?
About 50/50, I guess.
The monkeys head to their church with Real Man, I go to my church to sing in the choir and they all know the story of Easter and why we celebrate.
However, they love their Easter baskets, and the egg hunt at their cousins house and they fall asleep the night before with visions of chocolate bunnies and finding colored eggs.
It’s a good balance.

April 15, 2011

Five Question Friday – Not Today

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 5:12 pm
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I wasn’t inspired by today’s questions for Five Question Friday.

So, I’ve decided to skip it.

Writing something that doesn’t seem interesting to me doesn’t make sense.

Unless, of course, I’m being paid to do it.

Then, as long as I wasn’t morally opposed, I’d write it.

For the purposes of this blog, however, not happening.

So, I guess that’s that, for today!

April 8, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 9:44 pm
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1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I’m going to assume that the question is asking you to reflect on yourself as a human being…not a quick, physical fix for some perceived imperfection, so I really tried to think about this one and not go with the easy answer of my asthma or my diabetes, etc.
That being said, I think that I would want to be more patient.  In general, I am patient, but there is definite room for improvement.  I could be more patient with the monkeys.  They are only going to be little for so long, and right now, so many things are still new.  I am constantly trying to remind myself to slow down and let them explore and enjoy.  Even if it is just walking slower through a parking lot so Baby Monkey can comment on every single car we pass.

2. Write about a time when you got lost.
I don’t remember a time I’ve ever actually gotten lost, but I can tell you about the time I was a senior in high school and my handbell choir was on our summer tour.  We were driving to Michigan in two vans and we had CB’s to communicate with each other.  I was in charge of the CB for our van, and not happy just talking to the other van, I started to chat with the truckers on the road.  That was a good thing for our group, as I wound up making friends with a trucker named “Brain Damage” and he warned us of some heavy traffic due to an accident on the highway and gave us an alternate route.  Brain Damage saved us a few hours that day, and there have been many times since then I wish I still had a CB so I could have him navigate my route around other accidents.

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?
I love to camp.  I love it, I love it, I love it.
However, I think a 5 star hotel would be my answer.
Because, at the end of the day, I also really like comfort.

4. Have you donated blood?
I have, many times.
I have CMV- blood and I don’t know what that means, but they always get all a-twitter and excited when I donate.
I don’t donate anymore, however, due to anemia.  When they started turning me down every time, I eventually stopped offering.

5. Do you have a budget or do you ‘fly by’ most months?
We don’t have a budget.
However, we are very careful with our money.  We don’t buy frivolously and don’t spend more than we make.
We don’t carry any debt, other than the mortgage to our house, and don’t plan to, until we eventually buy new cars.
So, we do okay without a budget.  We just make sure we are very conscious of where our money goes.

April 1, 2011

Five Question Friday!

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 10:42 am
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1. Have you ever had surgery?
I have.
6 times, although I’m not sure two of them really count.
The first two were to remove dysplastic nevi from my skin.  Too many hours in the sun with too little protection led to some scary moles that needed to be removed.
After that, I had 3 c-sections which produced three wonderful babies!
Then, I had surgery on my neck to remove a lymph node which had grown to epic proportions.  Turns out, I have something called Kikuchi Fujimoto disease.  Go figure.
Finally, I had my last c-section and had a tubal ligation at the same time.  This last surgery produced my sweet, little Tiny Monkey.
So, yes, I’ve had surgeries, but the majority have been for fantabulous reasons, and the others, not really such a big deal.

2. Ever ride in an ambulance?
Nope, and I hope I never have to.

3. How are you in a medical emergency? Panicked? Calm?
Calm.  Mainly because everyone else is panicking (not Real Man, but kids, parents, etc.) and so the crazier they get, the calmer I get.
Someone’s gotta keep a cool head!

4. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies?
Perhaps I haven’t mentioned my brown thumb?
The answer is a resounding NO.

5. When did you move out of your parents house?
When I was 23.
Graduated college at 22.
Came home for awhile.
Decided to move out for everyone’s sake.
It was a hard adjustment to move back after living on my own, 9 hours away (6 if I was driving) for 4 years.
I moved into a large house with two roommates, Nita and Mike.  Not sure where either of them are today, but I lived there until Real Man and I got married when I was 26.  Loved it.
Well, except for the arguments over who would mow the lawn, or Mike’s dirty dishes in the sink, or…okay, maybe LOVED isn’t the right word.  Still, I think everyone should live “on their own” for awhile.
That’s my wisdom for the day.

March 18, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 8:27 am
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1. Have you ever testified in court? For what?
Nope.  Hoping never to have to!

2. Do you still have your wedding dress?
Yep!  In a special box at my parents house.

3. Is there a special place you like to go when you’re happy, sad, stressed, etc.?
Chocolate-ville.

4. If you have kids, do they sleep with you? If you don’t have kids…will you let your kids sleep with you when/if you have them?
Only when they have had a bad dream, want an early morning snuggle, or if they are sick.

5. Do you watch late night TV?
Didn’t used to, but if Tiny Monkey is up and wanting to be fed, then I watch!

March 11, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 10:37 am
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It’s been a busy week, and so I’ve been slack on the updates around here.

I’ll be better next week.

I promise.

So, here’s today’s installment of Five Question Friday!

1. Do you know what your REAL hair color is?
It’s blonde.
Albeit, a darker blonde than when I was a kid and it was actually white, but it’s still blonde.
I admit to highlights to make it a little blond-er, but blonde it is.
Blonde.
What a weird word.
Now that I’ve written it all these times, it’s just strange.
Blonde.
Huh.

2. Do you plan ahead for summer, or fly by the seat of your pants?

We have to plan ahead so Real Man can get vacation time off.
However, our daily routine is pretty much by the seat of our pants, excluding getting Monkey Girl to Summer Music Camp.

3. What is your favorite meal to cook?
Cookies.

4. Do you get offended by not receiving thank yous?
Not at all.
Look, we all have lives.
If someone says thank you when they receive whatever it is, that’s thanks enough for me.
My neighbor, across the street, gave us a delicious chocolate chip banana bread when I had Tiny Monkey.
She brought it to the bus stop one morning and said, “I don’t do thank you’s, so please don’t write me one.”
I said, “Okay, here’s your thank you – thanks!”
Done.
Excellent.

5. How did you meet your best friend?
I believe we’ve been over this story.
It does not paint me in a flattering light.
There was me cutting gym and going to lunch with Kim and then going to gym with Kim and pretending like I hadn’t cut and weaseling my way out of about 100 gym cuts and still getting a B+/A- in gym for the year.
Anyway, long story short, we met at the lunch table.
Not to be 16 again, but, OMG, he was so cute!
Still is.
Love that Real Man of mine.

March 4, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 9:11 am
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1. Have you ever forgotten your child in a store or at school?
No.
In fact, it’s a huge fear of mine to lose track of a child, and so I’m like a freaking hawk when we go out.
I have nightmares about my children getting lost, and they fuel my anxiety when we’re out.
So, again, no.
2. Where did you go on your very first date? (Like…first first, not first with your spouse or current significant other!)
Um…I’m not really sure.
I guess if you truly mean first first, it would have been to meet some boy at the baseball field and sit together during a Little League game.  The field was right down the street from me, and my friend, Gail, and I would go down and sit in the stands and watch the games.  A few times we met a boy or two and sat with them in 6th or 7th grade.
If you mean with an actual boyfriend, again, I’m not sure, but I guess I’d have to say at that same park, I met up with a boy I was dating in 7th grade at the swings.  It was all quite innocent, but I’ve always remembered it as my “first date.”
3. What’s your “silly” fear? (We’re not talking water and heights.)
First of all, let’s be clear…
I don’t think it’s silly AT ALL.
However, many do.
I’m terrified of clowns and porcelain dolls.
And, I don’t want to talk about it.
4. Confrontation: do you cause it, deal with is as it comes, or run far far away?
I cause it.
I don’t like to let anything simmer.
Why be angry when you can work through it?
So, if there are upset feelings, I deal with them head on.
Makes those close to me uncomfortable, at times, but I’m all about confrontation.
Get it out in the open, deal with it, and move on.

5. Wood floors or carpet?
Wood floors.
Carpet is pretty, but achoo!

February 25, 2011

Five Question Friday!!!

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 1:17 pm
Tags:
1. Can you drive a stick shift?
I actually prefer it, however, they don’t make a lot of mini-vans in a stick.

2. What are two foods you just can’t eat?
Food allergies aside, I absolutely cannot eat liver or lamb.
When I was a kid, when my Dad would have to work late in the city, sometimes, my Mom’s best friend, Linda would come over.  I loved Linda, but dreaded those dinners, because it meant we were having liver and onions.  I told them EVERY SINGLE TIME it would make me throw up, but they made me try it every time, anyway.  And, every time, I puked.  Every single time.
Lamb just gives me the skivvies.
Maybe it’s because it is usually served with mint jelly.
Mint jelly?
No.

3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?
As if I could possibly stop myself.
I think my favorites are (in this order):
1.  Tagalongs  (Peanut butter and chocolate…need I say more?)
2.  Thin Mints  (Perfection)
3.  Samoas (Such an excellent texture)

4. How do you pamper yourself?
I really don’t.
I should, but seriously, working full-time and being a full-time Mom, who has the time?
Also…
I don’t do manis or pedis, don’t get invited on “Girl’s Night Out” outings, can’t seen spending the money on a massage, etc.
I guess it would be my bi-annual outings to the city with Kim, Erin and Michaela.
Love those.
So much.

5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?
My nickname is dependent upon who you are speaking to.
My Dad used to call me Beth, Bethy or Bethel, because Beth is my middle name.
Kim, Erin and Michaela call me Amer, which is an obvious derivative of Amy.
My work friends seem to call me Boz, which is an obvious derivative of my married last name, and a nickname that Dh (as well as his sister and brothers) have worn their entire lives.
I don’t have a nickname like “Scoop” or “Funky Pants,” but, that’s okay.
I’m good with Amy or Mama. 🙂

February 18, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 3:28 pm
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Not the most interesting set of question this week, but it’s what they had for me!
1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?
Yes, yes I have.  Not to work, but on weekends or over the summer, I certainly have.
And, I’m not ashamed to say it.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?
New York City.
I love that place.

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?
Hard to pick, as I’ve never flown with the kids, anywhere. 

4. What is your idea of “spring cleaning”?
Opening the windows, vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, and just starting over.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?
Um, seriously?
Perhaps I haven’t been clear about exactly how many books I’ve read over the course of my life.
I have no idea.
I’ve loved many of them in their own way.
However, books that have stayed with me are The Thirteenth Tale, Mystic River, and The Pillars of the Earth.
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