My Real Life

March 2, 2012

Five Question AND Frugal Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 6:00 am
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1. Where is your favorite vacation spot and why?
I’d have to go anywhere other than the Jersey Shore to have a different vacation spot.
Wait!  I’ve got one!
One summer, we took the kids to North Carolina for a week.  Topsail Island.
It was fantastic.
Quiet, hot, deserted.
Perfect.
2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
Oh, there are so many.
Must I pick one?
Um…The Vampire Diaries.
Dipping a Hersey bar in a jar of peanut butter.
My awesome yoga pants that have never seen a yoga class, but are well, well-worn.
3. What is your favorite fashion trend right now? Or, in the past?
 Uh, I’ve kind of always been a big fashion don’t, so I’m not even really sure what the fashion trends today are.
And, since that last sentence had the word “always” in it, it’s safe to say I didn’t know much about the fashion trends of any time.
So, I think I’ll just go with yoga pants.
Again.
4. What are your spring break plans?
Not a thing.
I’m hoping to spontaneously do things like the museum, the park, etc.
But, plans?
Spring break isn’t for plans.
5. What baby names do you hate?
Aw, I don’t want to answer that, because, undoubtedly someone who named their baby those names will read the blog and be offended.
I will say that I don’t understand why so many celebrities feel the need to name their children names that aren’t really people names, but they aren’t my kids so I don’t really worry too much about it.
Baby names I love?
Alas, I have no children named Emma, Olivia, Sara, Jack, Sam, or Max.
Those are 6 of my favorite baby names.
Now…as for the Frugal Friday portion of the post…
My friend, Jen, shared this article with me.
I absolutely love stories like this.
I’d love to think we could do this, but I have my doubts.
Happy Friday, everyone!

February 24, 2012

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday,Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am
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1. What’s your favorite way to spend down time (alone or with a significant other)?
Alone, I like to read or write.
With Real Man, I like to hang out and talk, because we rarely have time alone to sit and chat with each other without getting interrupted.
 
2. Are you the kind of person that wants things more as soon as you know you can’t have it?
To some extent, I think everyone is.
I want it, I can’t have it, so I’m upset that I can’t have it which makes it seem like I want it more, whether I do or not.
So, while my gut says “No…I’m not that kind of person,” my guess is that we all are.
 
3. If you were given $1000 to spend on yourself, what would you buy?
This question is harder than you know.
I am phenomenal at spending money on other people.
Especially money that is meant for me.
If I get money for a birthday or for Christmas, whether it is cash or a gift card, you can bet I’ll spend at least half of it on Real Man or the monkeys.
It’s like a sickness.
Probably because I don’t like to shop.
Also, I’ve got pretty much everything I want, so there’s nothing I really need or want.
I guess I’d go to Old Navy and get some clothes, go buy myself some shoes, maybe get an iPhone4, buy a bunch of books, get an iPad3 (assuming this was in the future and not today) and then give the kids my iPad (see, I can work them in somehow), go to a few movies with the monkeys, go to a few movies with Real Man, and for both of those trips, eat all the popcorn we want without worrying that it costs $43 for snacks…
Okay, perhaps I’ve spent more than $1000 here, and perhaps it wouldn’t be as hard as I thought to spend $1000 on myself.
 
4. Do you ever go out to eat by yourself?
I haven’t, and it makes me very sad to see other people eating out by themselves, but, to be honest, I think I would do it.
I ate by myself once.
I went to the mall, about 2 years ago, and got hungry while I was there.
So, I went to the bookstore, bought a book, then went to the Popeye’s at the food court, got some fried chicken fingers, mashed potatoes and a biscuit, found a table and ate and read alone.
It was kind of nice.
Because, (and my friends might argue this point, but it is the absolute truth), I don’t like to talk very much.
 
5. What company would you want to do a blog review for?
Well, I am currently doing blog reviews for Hip Mountain Mama and enjoying it immensely.
However, if it meant I could get a discount on the products, (or get them for free), I’d love to do blog reviews for Apple.
With regards to clothing, I’d like to do blog reviews for Old Navy.
If you were talking food, I’d love to do blog reviews for Hershey or Coca-Cola.
Ah, who am I kidding?  I’d pretty much review anything.
I love to write and I like stuff.

December 30, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 11:29 am
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1. What’s the oldest piece of clothing in your closet?
I still have a t-shirt from college.
It says “College of Wooster Intramural Sports.”
Never played an intramural sport.
Or a mural sport.
Hmmm…don’t think that’s the right term, but I’m guessing you know what I mean.
At least, not one that was sanctioned by the college.
I was on the women’s rugby team, but the college didn’t approve, so we were, like, a rogue team of women’s rugby players.
Good times.
Until we played the Columbus Women’s League and they almost broke my back in the middle of a scrum.
Those were not good times.

2. How many random blog readers have you met?
Haven’t met any in real life.
I also don’t get many random blog readers.
People aren’t really sharing my blog, and most of the readers I have are people I know.
I’m working to get more readers, though, so perhaps if you ask me again in a few months, I might have a different answer!

3. Do you let your kids stay up till midnight on New Years Eve? (Or, if you don’t have kiddos yet, did you get to stay up until midnight as a child?)
We let them TRY to stay up ’til midnight on New Year’s.
Monkey Girl and Baby Monkey can usually do it, but Monkey in the Middle rarely lasts past 10:00.
The kid plays hard and when it’s nighttime, he sleeps hard.
Until around 4:50 am.

4. What are the gas prices where you live?
Ummmm…not sure.
Haven’t filled up in awhile.  I don’t drive long distances, so I do pretty well with gas.
Over $3.00, but less than $4.00.
That’s the best guess I’ve got.
5. What is one resolution that you know you should do but are too afraid to try?
Interesting question.
I’ll try anything, and I don’t really think I’m doing anything, in my life, that needs to be changed but that I’d be afraid to try.
My resolutions, as always, will probably be health and financially related, because I think I’m doing okay in other areas.
Those who know me may have different opinions, and if so, I’d love to hear them, because I’m always open to change.
Yet, as for something I should be doing but am afraid to do?
I got nothing.

December 16, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 1:31 am
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1. What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received?
Interestingly, I covered this in last week’s Five Question Friday.
It was an electric typewriter that I received when I was a kid, enjoying Christmas at my grandparents house in Ohio.
Sometimes, when I’m doing some writing, I still wish I had that typewriter.
There is something about the click, click, click of the keys on a typewriter that makes the writing seem that much more fascinating.
2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received?
I kinda take a White Elephant gift exchange for what it is.
You get what you get and you don’t get upset.
However, one year, I was at a holiday party and we were playing the gift exchange game.
One of the people at the party was a recent transport from down South and wasn’t really sure what to bring for a gift.
So, she brought a carved, wooden squirrel.
The woman who opened the squirrel had some very unkind things to say about it, and I remember watching as the giver just kinda slunk out of the room, got her coat, and went home.
I remember feeling sick to my stomach and so sad for her.
Someone had already reprimanded the woman who had made the remarks, but it put a fairly abrupt end to the game.
Again, I say…You get what you get and you don’t get upset.
3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)?
It’s a mix.
White lights and a mish-mosh of ornaments.
Handmade ornaments from the kids to handmade ornaments from my childhood and fancy ornaments we’ve been given over the years.
I have four kids.  I can’t imagine not having their ornaments displayed proudly right next to the fancy ones.
It makes them feel special and it shows the world that this is who we are.
Our tree is a good reflection of our lives.
Messy and complicated, inconsistent with lights that work some days and don’t others, and pretty and polished when we’re working at it, but basically, just a happy celebration of six lives lived together, for better or worse.
4. “How” do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc.
Ahahahahhahahahaha.
Oh, wait, that wasn’t a joke?
Now that I’m finally on top of the laundry situation around here (yes, you read that right…I’ve conquered my demon) I do my ironing like this:
When the dryer buzzes, I jump up from wherever I am, race to the dryer, fling open the door and pull out the still hot clothes.  I give them a good shake and hang them right on a hanger.
Viola!
Clothes ironed.
5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your “must make” items? (I’m looking for recipes here, peeps…)
I do about this much baking for Christmas.
What?
You can’t see that?
Exactly.
Okay, that’s an exaggeration.
I usually bake for the custodians and secretaries at my school.
I know the principal gets the big bucks, but let’s be honest…without the custodians and secretaries, the school doesn’t function.
Ask any teacher.
They know.
However, I usually just do chocolate chip or plain, old sugar cookies.
Last year, though, I took Rolo candies,  put them in the oven for a few minutes, then pressed them on top of pretzel squares.  (Google Rolo’s and pretzels for recipe)  Actually, they are probably in last year’s December blog posts.
Those were ridiculously delicious.
Other than that…not a holiday baker.
And thus ends another edition of Five Question Friday.

December 9, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 8:56 pm
Tags: , , ,
1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Eh…I’m not really a cookie girl.
However…
Erin’s Mom used to make chocolate chip cookies that were uncommonly delicious and that I have never been able to duplicate.
Also, I was born in LaFayette, NY, and we used to always drive back to visit and stay with our friends, The Watsons.  They used to bake, and when I say bake I mean BAKE and every single one of their cookies were better than anything you could ever buy in a store.
So, holiday cookies?
No favorites.
All time cookies?
Erin’s Mom’s and The Watson’s.
Both should have their own brand.
2. What’s your favorite holiday movie & why?
White Christmas.
I love it, I love it, I love it.
When the soldiers all sing to send off the general, the song “Sisters,” the gorgeous dresses that Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen wear.
I love this movie.
3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadnt after they opened it?
Matthew’s first drum.
And, now we’re thinking of getting him an actual drum set for his birthday.
Thanks for the reminder.
4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment?
The office.
The basement ate up the money we were going to use on getting office furniture like a desk, shelves, etc.  So, we still have things in boxes, the computers and printer on a folding table, piles on the floor.
I try to stay out of there.
It makes me itch.
5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays?
There were a few Christmas’s in my youth where we drove out to Ohio to visit my Grandparents for the holidays.
Usually they came here, but every few years, we’d drive out there.
My favorite Christmas of my childhood took place in Ohio.
I got a typewriter.
A real typewriter.
I have such warm memories of laying on my grandparents floor in the backroom just looking at my typewriter, then typing page after page of stories and poems for days on end.
I loved that typewriter so much and loved being at my Grandma’s house for Christmas.

November 18, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 10:29 am
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Do you have a go to song that always puts you in a good mood?

As a matter of fact, I do.

I have two.

“Tub Thumping” by Chumbawumba.

You know, “I get knocked down, but I get up again, and you’re never gonna keep me down.”

Love it.

The other one is an oldie, but a goodie and it never fails to get me out of a funk.

“Ooh Child” by the Five Stairsteps.

“Ooh, child…things are gonna get easier. Ooh, child, things’ll get brighter…”

Good stuff.

Are you a real Christmas tree kinda person or do you go with a real fake one?

I’m a faker.

A real tree, while nice and yummy smelling, is just one more thing for me to feed and take care of and it doesn’t smile at me and tell me it loves me, so I don’t love it.

We have a fake tree and I love it.

What are you thankful for?
I’m thankful that I was born in 1972 and not 1872 or 1772, etc.

I’d be dead.

I would have been doomed from the get-go.

I was born with a dysplastic hip, I have asthma, terrible allergies, am legally blind in one eye.

There’s no way I would have made it.

So, thank goodness I was born when I was born so I could survive and have all these wonderful babies, for whom I am eternally grateful!

Which fashion fad from the past do you wish you could wear today?
The poodle skirt with a pair of black and white saddle shoes.

Cute. Cute. Cute.

If you want to go in the WAY past, I also really love the dresses women wore in the middle ages.

Like this:

So pretty.

I’ve always wanted to rock one of those.

Do you wait until the “low fuel” light comes on before you fill up the gas tank?
I do.

Usually.

Unless Monkey in the Middle has noticed that I’m getting low.

Then, he hounds me until I fill up because he is terrified we’ll run out of gas in the middle of some field somewhere and be left for dead.

You know, because there are all those fields in the Jersey suburbs.

October 28, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 11:24 am
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Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets?

Flannel.  I like to be warm and snuggly when I’m sleeping.  Even in the summer, I like being covered up and snuggling in.

We keep our bedroom window cracked in the winter so the air is cold and we can bundle up, and in the summer, we like the air on or a ceiling fan going so we can bundle up.

I think I’d do well in a cabin out in the woods with lots of flannel and a wood stove for warmth.  Sounds divine!

What time zone are you in?

Really?

Kind of a boring question.

Anyway.

Eastern Standard.

What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

The excitement of kids.

It is absolutely contagious and it is just so magical.

Makes you believe again, just a little.

What is your favorite “wintry” drink? (It doesn’t have to be an “alcoholic” drink!)

Dunkin Donuts is completely rockin’ my socks with the hot apple cider.

Although, I’m completely down with a cup of hot cocoa with a bunch of whipped cream on top.

Both of these send my blood sugar through the roof, but I gotta say…I think it’s worth it.

In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

A job is a job is a job and anyone is lucky to have a job, so it’s hard to say any job would be the worst.

So, from a personal standpoint, I would think that an awful job for me would be working in a slaughterhouse.

I just couldn’t stomach it.  I would cry every day, vomit every day, and be miserable.

I consider myself lucky that I have other options.

October 21, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 11:08 pm
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1. Where do you escape to when you’ve had enough?

This is actually the last question that I am answering today.

I started this Five Question Friday this morning, but I was stumped by this question, and so I skipped it and moved to the others.

I’ve been thinking about this question all day.

I don’t really know how to answer it.

I don’t really “escape” to anywhere.

I like to curl up in my “reading room” with a good book while the baby naps, but to be honest, I don’t think I’d call it an “escape” because I feel guilty the whole time that I should be doing laundry or doing dishes or one of the hundreds of other things that don’t go away without getting done.

Also, I’m not sure I ever really feel the need to “escape.”

Do I like to experience moments of peace?  Where no one is asking for something or telling on someone?

Absolutely.

Do I consider it an “escape?”

I’m not so sure.

So, I’ll answer with this…

I really enjoy going to get my hair done.

I sit in the chair and someone says “What can I do for you today?”

I say “Just a trim and even out my roots.”

I sit in that chair for about 30 minutes while she wraps my roots in foil.

I close my eyes and I don’t speak.

(I go to the same woman every time and she knows I’m not a chatter.  We’ve discussed it and she said it’s actually liberating not to have to make small talk.  It works for us.)

Then, she moves me to the dryer and I pull out my book.

I read while the dryer warms my neck and drowns out any sounds.

I am completely in my own world, lost in my book, completely and utterly relaxed.

30 minutes later, she brings me back to the chair where she unwraps the foils and leans back my chair.

She washes my hair and massages my scalp.

She conditions my hair and rinses it with steaming hot water.

I sit up and after she dries it with a towel, she starts to blow dry my hair.

My hair only meets the hair dryer at the hairdressers, as it’s a luxury I don’t have time for in the mornings.

When she’s done, she hands me my glasses, spins me around in the chair and shows me what she’s done.

I’m rarely disappointed, as I have the same thing done every time, and I leave feeling relaxed which is good for my emotional self and I feel good about my physical self and I go home after an hour and a half and am thrilled to see my babies who act like I’ve been gone for eons.

It’s pretty darn good stuff.

2. What shows are you watching this fall?

Oh Lord.

A shorter response would be to the question “What shows are you  NOT watching this fall?”

I’m watching Modern Family, The Middle, House, Gossip Girl, Criminal Minds,  Vampire Diaries, The Mentalist, Revenge, Whitney, Suburgatory, Up All Night, Castle, Prime Suspect, Unforgettable and am ridiculously excited for Once Upon a Time to start on Sunday night.

I’ve been wonderfully surprised by Whitney and horribly disappointed by Glee this season.

I DVR everything and then watch at random times while I fold laundry or do other chores that are made bearable with a good show in the background.

Just realized that’s about 12 and a half hours of tv a week.

Wow.

I gotta quit doing chores.

3. What was the longest road trip you’ve ever taken and where did you go?

The longest road trip I’ve ever taken was the summer after my senior year of high school.

My church handbell choir drove out to Michigan for our summer tour.

We had a blast.

Van broke down and the guy fixing it had a heart attack while under the hood.

He died.

However, dead mechanics aside, it was fantastic.

4. Do you plan on taking your kids to Disney World?

I do.

I really, really do.

When?

I don’t know.

I’m aiming for next October, but we’ll see.

Braces and a basement are a bit draining at the moment.

Trips to Disney should be free.

Like, a right of every American.

Oh well…guess I’ll just have to live with free speech and all that.

5. What is something people would surprised to know about you?

After two years of writing this blog, I’m not entirely sure there is anything that people don’t already know about me.

I think that many of my colleagues would be surprised at what an utter goofball and mush I really am, and many of my closest friends would be surprised at how professional and business-like I can be.

Perspective.

October 14, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 6:38 am
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Hi all…

It’s been a long week, full of doctors and viruses and no sleep, and I’ll try to update you on all of that tomorrow.

However, for today…

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY!!!

So, enjoy!

Do you prefer your ice cream in a bowl or in a cone?

A good, old-fashioned sugar cone.  I love texture in my food, so a sugar cone it is!

What three things do you love the smell of?

A freshly cleaned baby.

Apple cider brewing on a stove.

A kitchen on Thanksgiving.

Giftcards or no? (In regards to gift giving…)

Absolutely.

There’s nothing worse than getting a gift you don’t really want.  So, when gift-giving, I love to give a gift card so people can get exactly what they want.

What sports did you play in high school if any and do you still play them?

Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Clearly, you’ve never seen me on the playing field.

Any playing field.

I played rugby in college for a season.

Almost died.

Not literally, but it sure felt like it after playing the Columbus Women’s League.

Sports + Amy = Mayhem

Were you in band in high school? What instrument did you play?

Yes, I was and I loved it.

LOVED it.

I played flute through junior high, and then was asked to switch to French Horn because there weren’t enough French Horn players.

Erin and I switched to French Horn and had an absolute blast.

Our band folder reeked of Reeses Peanut Butter cup wrappers and I think we laughed through most of our music.

Erin was really good.  I was okay.

It was fun.

October 7, 2011

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 12:22 pm
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1. What is your go to comfort food or sweet?
Hershey Bar that I break up and slather with peanut butter.
I love it more than a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup and I go to it every time.
If we aren’t talking sweets, then I’ll have to go with baked macaroni and cheese or a Stouffer’s chicken pot pie.
God, I love that stuff.

2. What is the most romantic place you’ve ever been to?
I’ve never really been anywhere where the location itself would be labeled”romantic.”
Even our honeymoon was at DisneyWorld.

However, Real Man manages to bring the romance to anyplace we go so that DisneyWorld or Salem or Ohio can become a romantic destination.

He loves me and I love him and we love being together, so taking a walk on Patriot’s Path, behind the kids who are skipping ahead can be romantic and sweet.

Maybe one day we’ll smooch on a gondola in Venice, but for now, we make the most of what we have.


3. What is your favorite thing about fall/Halloween?
I love the cooler weather, so that, right off the bat, is a winner for me.
However, to pin it down, it’s the feeling of home and family that fall brings.
Kids playing in the leaves, the magic of Halloween, the togetherness of Thanksgiving.
There is so much about fall that is beautiful, both visually and emotionally.

4. How would you spend 24 hours alone?
I’d sleep as late as my body would allow (probably 8 am, I’m so trained to wake with the kids), then would have a cup of tea with some wheat toast and sugar free raspberry jam and a book.
Then, I’d go for a rigorous hike, with my iPod playing in my ears.
After the hike, I’d take a long, hot bath with a book and I’d stay in until the water started to turn cold.
I’d lay around with my book, maybe watch some tv, maybe shut my eyes.
I’d write in my journal and work on my novels and just do a lot of thinking.
Nothing thrilling or exciting, but it’s what I’d do with my 24 hours of solitude.

5. Does you husband bring you flowers? Are you the bring-me-flowers type of girl?
No.
Never.
Because he loves me.
I am not a flowers girl.  I like treats and surprises, but flowers would not be the way to go.
They make my home smell like a funeral parlor and they are just one more thing for me to take care of.
They die.
Why give someone a gift that will die?
No thanks.
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