OK, so I've been "tagged" by Yvonne. I'm really glad that she posted what that meant, to be "tagged" because I had no idea what it meant either. So, I have to list 8 interesting things about myself...
1. I'm a twin. Many know this already but I'll list it just because. I have a twin sister. We were born 1 minute apart. She is currently living in Portland, Oregon and is a high school English teacher. She's cute, fun and single! Many people ask me what it was like growing up with a twin...I like to say that it was like having your best friend and your worst enemy all rolled into one. You grow up sharing everything, even your birthday, so when I got older and went my own way (across the country a couple of times) it was strange for me to be the center of attention on my birthday because we always shared the limelight on OUR special day.
2. I love to read. I have a few pictures of books that either I'm reading, my husband is reading or we are reading together on my blog. I'm always into a couple different types of books at the same time. Whatever I'm in the mood for reading on a particular day, I'll just pick it up and read a bit. My mom used to come home from shopping and bring my sister and I a couple new books to SHARE between us and i really think that is one major thing that fostered my love of reading. Not only that but when my sister and I were really little my dad would read to us and do all the voices. I enjoy reading a variety of different types of books; self-help books (especially LDS ones that are spiritually-based) and historical fiction are my favorite type of what I call "mindless" reading material (I mean "mindless" in that like watching a movie you just get to sit back and enjoy), I also enjoy reading LDS religious commentary and inspirational books.
3. I was painfully shy as a child. I remember in 2nd grade (I think), my teacher posed a question to the class regarding a particular topic that we were discussing and hands went up all around me, everyone, it seemed, had their hand raised to eagerly answer the question...everyone BUT me. So who do you suppose was called on to answer the question? Yup, ME! Do you have any idea what a smart albeit painfully shy 2nd grader does when the teacher calls on her to answer a question (that she knows the answer to) in front of the ENTIRE class? She lays her head down on her desk and CRIES! Somehow that is less humiliating than just answering the question. In middle school I decided it was stupid to let my fears dictate my actions and limit my experiences so I've been battling shyness ever since. I don't always win, but I do most of the time and I never regret those moments nor the things I've learned in the moments that my fears don't overpower me.
4. I served a mission in the Washington D.C. North Mission, Spanish-speaking. This is incredibly close-minded of me, but I used to believe that I'd learn all that I needed to learn in this life (book-learning excluded) from the people I could communicate with in the English language. I was so wrong. Love, honor, family, hard work, faith in God, and the ability to party are all concepts that I didn't even begin to grasp until my mission. I would say that I'd served them, but it was really the other way around. Yes I taught many the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they taught me how to really live it.
5. I LOVE the Autumn season! I absolutely love feeling the crispness in the air, watching the trees change into beautiful bright oranges, reds and yellows. I love "sweater weather". I love the rain (duh, I'm from Washington). I call Autumn and Spring the "transitional" seasons, they are ever changing. I don't handle big changes as seamlessly as I did when I was young, single and carefree but with the transitional seasons I get to practice with smaller changes. I love hot apple cider, hot cocoa, pumpkin patches, and hayrides. I love Thanksgiving and families together. I love the first snow that doesn't stick but just lets you know that winter, and the start of a new year is not far ahead. I love Autumn.
6. I love Arepas! Yummy! I thoroughly enjoyed MOST ( umm, yeah, still not a fan of tongue...I don't care if it is a delicacy in Bolivia) of the food I ate on my mission but my absolute favorite was Arepas. Arepas are a staple in the Venezuelan diet. They are, in essence, a type of heavy biscuit made from finely ground, white cornmeal lightly fried on the outside, then baked to cook the inside. To eat them you cut them open and stuff filling inside (similar to a pita pocket but thicker and heavier), like seasoned, shredded meats, beans, cheese, scrambled egg, crema (a three cheese white sauce that I can't find anywhere but on the east coast)...YUM!
7. I love being a mommy! It's hands down the toughest thing I've ever done, but I absolutely love it. I will never be the quintessential Mormon mom that has dinner on the table at 5:30 every night and sacrifices her own needs, desires and interests to her children. My children's needs will be met, hopefully many of their wants will be fulfilled as well, but I'm learning that in order for me to be a patient, happy mommy, I need to be able topursue my own interests, meet my own goals, and develop my own talents and skills; this in addition to fostering the same desires in my children, to pursue their own interests. All in moderation though...I will not miss my children's soccer games or be late picking them up from school, I only mean that I may work a couple days a week if I can find something flexible that will allow me to be home when my kids get home from school, I may take more classes for personal enrichment and maybe even get my Bachelor's Degree...that kind of thing.
8. I hate working out. I love the benefits, feeling good, having more energy, and eventually loosing weight (still trying to lose that last 20 lbs of baby weight), not to mention the fewer allergy and stress problems. I think a big part of the "hating" working out is that they have pretty lousy facilities here. I miss my old gym....ok, they're not THAT bad but they don't have much room to work with and they keep cramming more and more ellipticalmachines in the space, the layout is not conducive to having a good circuit training session...I just miss my old gym. I love ice cream too much not to work out so I'll keep going, but so far I don't like it much...of course I've only been back at it for 2 weeks now, I suppose when I get used to waking up at 6:30 in the morning I may like it a bit better but for now, I have to peel myself out of bed in the morning.
Ok, so how interesting is that? Now, I'm supposed to tag someone else..Ok, I'll tag Sam and Brittany. Your turn!
1. I'm a twin. Many know this already but I'll list it just because. I have a twin sister. We were born 1 minute apart. She is currently living in Portland, Oregon and is a high school English teacher. She's cute, fun and single! Many people ask me what it was like growing up with a twin...I like to say that it was like having your best friend and your worst enemy all rolled into one. You grow up sharing everything, even your birthday, so when I got older and went my own way (across the country a couple of times) it was strange for me to be the center of attention on my birthday because we always shared the limelight on OUR special day.
2. I love to read. I have a few pictures of books that either I'm reading, my husband is reading or we are reading together on my blog. I'm always into a couple different types of books at the same time. Whatever I'm in the mood for reading on a particular day, I'll just pick it up and read a bit. My mom used to come home from shopping and bring my sister and I a couple new books to SHARE between us and i really think that is one major thing that fostered my love of reading. Not only that but when my sister and I were really little my dad would read to us and do all the voices. I enjoy reading a variety of different types of books; self-help books (especially LDS ones that are spiritually-based) and historical fiction are my favorite type of what I call "mindless" reading material (I mean "mindless" in that like watching a movie you just get to sit back and enjoy), I also enjoy reading LDS religious commentary and inspirational books.
3. I was painfully shy as a child. I remember in 2nd grade (I think), my teacher posed a question to the class regarding a particular topic that we were discussing and hands went up all around me, everyone, it seemed, had their hand raised to eagerly answer the question...everyone BUT me. So who do you suppose was called on to answer the question? Yup, ME! Do you have any idea what a smart albeit painfully shy 2nd grader does when the teacher calls on her to answer a question (that she knows the answer to) in front of the ENTIRE class? She lays her head down on her desk and CRIES! Somehow that is less humiliating than just answering the question. In middle school I decided it was stupid to let my fears dictate my actions and limit my experiences so I've been battling shyness ever since. I don't always win, but I do most of the time and I never regret those moments nor the things I've learned in the moments that my fears don't overpower me.
4. I served a mission in the Washington D.C. North Mission, Spanish-speaking. This is incredibly close-minded of me, but I used to believe that I'd learn all that I needed to learn in this life (book-learning excluded) from the people I could communicate with in the English language. I was so wrong. Love, honor, family, hard work, faith in God, and the ability to party are all concepts that I didn't even begin to grasp until my mission. I would say that I'd served them, but it was really the other way around. Yes I taught many the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they taught me how to really live it.
5. I LOVE the Autumn season! I absolutely love feeling the crispness in the air, watching the trees change into beautiful bright oranges, reds and yellows. I love "sweater weather". I love the rain (duh, I'm from Washington). I call Autumn and Spring the "transitional" seasons, they are ever changing. I don't handle big changes as seamlessly as I did when I was young, single and carefree but with the transitional seasons I get to practice with smaller changes. I love hot apple cider, hot cocoa, pumpkin patches, and hayrides. I love Thanksgiving and families together. I love the first snow that doesn't stick but just lets you know that winter, and the start of a new year is not far ahead. I love Autumn.
6. I love Arepas! Yummy! I thoroughly enjoyed MOST ( umm, yeah, still not a fan of tongue...I don't care if it is a delicacy in Bolivia) of the food I ate on my mission but my absolute favorite was Arepas. Arepas are a staple in the Venezuelan diet. They are, in essence, a type of heavy biscuit made from finely ground, white cornmeal lightly fried on the outside, then baked to cook the inside. To eat them you cut them open and stuff filling inside (similar to a pita pocket but thicker and heavier), like seasoned, shredded meats, beans, cheese, scrambled egg, crema (a three cheese white sauce that I can't find anywhere but on the east coast)...YUM!
7. I love being a mommy! It's hands down the toughest thing I've ever done, but I absolutely love it. I will never be the quintessential Mormon mom that has dinner on the table at 5:30 every night and sacrifices her own needs, desires and interests to her children. My children's needs will be met, hopefully many of their wants will be fulfilled as well, but I'm learning that in order for me to be a patient, happy mommy, I need to be able topursue my own interests, meet my own goals, and develop my own talents and skills; this in addition to fostering the same desires in my children, to pursue their own interests. All in moderation though...I will not miss my children's soccer games or be late picking them up from school, I only mean that I may work a couple days a week if I can find something flexible that will allow me to be home when my kids get home from school, I may take more classes for personal enrichment and maybe even get my Bachelor's Degree...that kind of thing.
8. I hate working out. I love the benefits, feeling good, having more energy, and eventually loosing weight (still trying to lose that last 20 lbs of baby weight), not to mention the fewer allergy and stress problems. I think a big part of the "hating" working out is that they have pretty lousy facilities here. I miss my old gym....ok, they're not THAT bad but they don't have much room to work with and they keep cramming more and more ellipticalmachines in the space, the layout is not conducive to having a good circuit training session...I just miss my old gym. I love ice cream too much not to work out so I'll keep going, but so far I don't like it much...of course I've only been back at it for 2 weeks now, I suppose when I get used to waking up at 6:30 in the morning I may like it a bit better but for now, I have to peel myself out of bed in the morning.
Ok, so how interesting is that? Now, I'm supposed to tag someone else..Ok, I'll tag Sam and Brittany. Your turn!
