Ten on Tuesday-Favorite Things

1. Growing up, what was one favorite item that you had to have with you at all times?
Well, I had a Lady from Disney's Lady and the Tramp movie that I became fond of and yes, it did go with me everywhere. In high school and college, to Mexico and on a cruise. I'm going to go ahead and be honest here, I still have it and for the most part, it still goes with me everywhere. Moving on.

2. Being an adult, what is one favorite item that you have to have with you at all times, and what happens if you do not have it with you? Do you lose your sanity or just go back home to get it?
My best friend Renee called herself a "phone whore" this week after dropping her iphone in the toilet. She wouldn't want to get too far away from it. I have to admit, I am the same way (minus the toilet part). I take it everywhere and panic a few times a day when I can't locate it. A close second in this lifestyle we live would be the military ID card. Without it, you can't get on or off post and to get a new one would require an act of congress, a trip to "the big white building", a parking travesty and some DD form #10o3029483902309438.

3. Where is your favorite place to be to just hide away from everything and breathe for a moment? Every Saturday morning in the warmer months, Mari and I try to go out to local garage sales. There may or may not be anything we are looking for but we never forget our coffee and breakfasts. We sometimes drive around for an hour and never stop but we are in the car, conversating about things and USUALLY there are NO children that need our attention. It's the best frozen waffle I eat all week.

4. What is your favorite thing about your partner? (If you don’t have a partner, then someone who is very close and will always be in your life)
Can we all say confidence. Jason always has the utmost confidence in himself and it has led him to succeed in life. It's what I found attractive about him in college and I still find it attractive today. I've always said, I love that he's "the life of the party". It's just that now days, it's sometimes a different kind of party!

5. What is your favorite thing about your job? (If you don’t have a job, then what is your favorite thing that you do during your day?)
What's not to love. I shop, I cook, and I take care of the sweetest 16 month old while playing bus driver to my newly independent 4 year old.



6. What is your favorite lesson that your parents taught you growing up? Looking back, is it something that you want to use to teach your children when they reach that age?
Social graces. Social graces are skills used to interact politely in social situations. My mom always taught us by example how to be polite and respond to different social situations with grace an poise. In many way's she's still teaching us. She also taught us to be friendly to everyone. I remember her always saying "Hi" to older people, less fortunate and even the animals we passed in the woods. Being friendly requires confidence in oneself and I think that is also a lesson learned.

7. What is your favorite song, that will always bring a smile to your face and make you think of something happy?
This may be getting ahead of myself but for me, it's Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American". From childhood I always teared up (in happiness) while listening to this song.

8. What is your favorite thing about being an American? (If you not American, what are you proud of in regards to your country)
There was no way for me to have known I would have had a role in fostering America's freedom and safety. I never even considered marrying a soldier. Until I met him. Now, being an American will forever have a new meaning to me. I know the price of freedom. I live among the facilitators and those they have left behind.

9. What is your favorite meal that reminds you of being a child?
Ok, this is a strange one to some. Hands down, mine is a concoction called Mac-ky soup. It's simply beef stew that my grandmother made with elbow macaroni (hence the Mac) It was what we begged for as kids and could always depend on a pot of it on the stove when we came home on college weekends. It was also frozen in bags for the 4 hour trip back to college. It was a delicacy I tell you.

10. Name 3 things that other people would say are their favorite thing about you.
I am a loyal friend.
I am southern girl through and through.
I love to accessorize!

Where the WILD things are! -a day at the Atlanta Zoo

I can't figure out for the life of me, where he gets it. "Make me a silly picture!"
Our long lost cousin Willie B!

Come over here brother and give me a KISS like you mean it!
Tawny Scrawny Lion.

Ok, look closely, the mama in the back has a tiny baby gorilla across her neck. It was only about 3 months old and as tiny as a newborn! It was fun to get to see the baby from this view. That momma never let that baby go.
He was intrigued that in college, my roommates and I had a bird like this that would sit around on our shoulder all the time. He met an untimely death with a cabinet door closing. Poor Azul, RIP.


OK, this huge snake consumed not one but 2 rabbits while we watched. It only eats about every 2 months. I should take dieting tips.

the "not so perfect" picnic spot

This is what the Smith Family looks like right before an outdoor group shower. While in ATL we were visiting Stone Mountain and had picked the perfect (slightly wet from rain) spot for our picnic. We made a way to stay somewhat dry and began to watch the laser light show. We were equipped with glow sticks (dollar store) from head to toe and had some fabulous bacon and, well, bacon sandwiches. HA! We left the lettuce and tomato in the fridge at the condo. The laser show was as great as I had remembered from 25 years ago. Slightly more impressive I'm guessing at age 5 than 30 but nonetheless really cool. About the time we noticed a few raindrops, people started leaving by the droves. We all made a pact, we weren't scared of a little rain. This meant better seats and less traffic. Then Wyatt checked his good for nothing weather bug on his phone and noted "it's only going to get worse!." That was about 20 seconds before the lightening started, the thunder rolled and the bottom FELL OUT of the sky. It poured buckets and buckets of rain. There was NO sitting thorough this one, we might get washed away. We all gathered our things and held tight to the kids and started the mass exit to the car. It poured so hard, we could hardly see because of the rain running down our face, our hair was soaked, our clothes, ha, we were soaked to our undergarments. Wyatt and I tried desperately to shield our cell phones from the fierce weather. We had stopped running, there was no use, and started laughing about it. We walked through gushing rivers of flowing water. Someone yelled "wet T-shirt contest", everyone was IN! We all noted that showers were no longer necessary tonight, it was a group shower. We finally arrived at the car to count heads and attempt a slight dry off and wring our clothes out. We were down two. Daddy and Lincoln (stroller) were no where to be found. He calls and says he is lost and in the wrong parking lot. He is eventually found and we begin the long cold wet ride home. Jackson and Lincoln were lucky, they had dry clothes to don. The only thing funnier that a soaking wet family of 7 in an SUV is the 2 men sitting shirtless in the front as we drive on 75/85 and into downtown ATL. I'm pretty sure they got some looks, both FOR and against their shirtless choice!

More, More, More

For the last 15 months we've vaguely been trying to teach Lincoln to sign for what he wants. We all know how very much Lincoln loves to eat and you can imagine the uproar when the food runs out. We tried relentlessly to teach him to sign "more" rather than just point (the famous Lincoln point) or squeal. I never once thought it was sinking in as he continued to scream when the food ran out. Last week, as we were eating our daily breakfast on the go to take Jackson to school. Jackson and I both noticed that Lincoln was adamantly signing and saying "Mo, mo, mo" at the same time. That is exactly how Jackson learned to say it. He spoke and signed it at the same time. So as I drove down Hwy 87, we discovered our efforts were not in vein and Lincoln does in fact know how to sign. He can now sign "more", "milk" and "all done." Now if we can keep this up, we might begin to have a better understanding of each other. Or at least I'll know when to keep it coming!

Somebody call 9-1-1

Today, Jackson and I were discussing emergencies and calling 911. His daddy let him dial it with the phone turned off to practice. He told me today he wanted to call 911 and I told him we only do so if it is a real emergency. He said he wanted to do it with the phone off. It sparked a thought. Does he know what qualifies as a real emergency? So I asked him:
"Jackson, what would be an example of a reason to call 911?"

He says, "Monsters!"

I was already giggling while trying to explain that it is a very real outlet for emergencies.

I asked him if he could think of another example of an emergency.

He then says, "well, a fire(ok, good start) or if I was DEAD."

Ok, so we have some work to do on legitimate emergencies. He did clear up the fact that if he was dead, someone else would have to call 911 for him.

Under the sea...in HOTLANTA!

Day one of Operation take on the ATL, Smith family style was a fun, interesting and exhausting day. We arrived in the 2AM hour to our VRBO condo in downtown Atlanta on peachtree street greeted by the local homeless, oh, and my parents and sister. It was a great 2 bedroom condo with good security and questionable parking. It was true urban style. We hauled 2 full cart loads of luggage up the elevator to the 20th story abode. The local tenants truly thought they had new neighbors. We all slept in a little later than expected and woke up in a hurry to get to the trip highlight, the Georgia Aquarium! Coolest thing was we could see it from our balcony!

We were close enough to walk a quick 5 minutes to the aquarium and we did just that. It wasn't until we got to the corner before the aquarium that I realized I left our printed tickets in the condo. Mom volunteered to accompany me on the uphill retrieval. While we were gone, the rest of the crew explored what may have been the "free" highlight of the trip. Centennial Park, used in the 1996 Olympic games held in Atlanta. It was used for many events including the opening ceremonies. It's a mini central park with lots of Olympic history and 2 great playgrounds and a splash pad. It wasn't our last visit to that park. The slide/conveyor belt was in instant hit for everyone!

We finally enter the wonderful world under the sea and it was as amazing as I had heard. It has 4 sections laid out as tropical water, freshwater, ocean water, arctic water. I most enjoyed the Tropical tanks, especially the room with a solid tank wall. I think I could stay there for days! The arctic was cooler than I had expected. I didn't realize colorful fish could live in cold water. The beluga whales were amazing animals to watch. No words can describe the experience but lucky for us, photographs can.





Naptime was in order after the aquarium so we put Lincoln, daddy and Tracie down for a nap and mom and I took Jackson back to Centennial Park for a romp in the splash pad. He was one of the only ones playing and he loved it. We also had a letterbox to be found. We followed the email directions and it led us through the park and used code letters to find the location. Jackson was thrilled to find the "treasure" and it was a cool Olympic stamp.

I noticed at the splash pad that we were only a few blocks away from one of my childhood memories. We lived in ATL when I was in K and 1st grade and I fondly remember mom and dad taking us to the top of the Westin Plaza. Back then it was the tallest building in the skyline and it's still the tallest hotel in the western hemisphere. We walked over and took the famous glass elevator up 73 stories to the top. On the way up, mom and I were getting a little jittery and Jackson noticed. When we asked him if he liked it, he said "Yes, but I don't want it to drop." Ha! He's ridden a free fall and the tower of terror and I guess he thought this was similar. Thank goodness it's not. We got out and it was exactly as I had remembered it 25 years ago. We got a good look at the Braves stadium and Stone Mountain. After we were back on solid ground, we started walking home when we passed another one of my childhood memories. This gigantic escalator. It just goes down to the MARTA station but I think it's pretty cool.


Our dinner plans were to walk a couple of blocks to a place I had heard about called Fresh to Order or F2O. With our fancy phone GPS's in hand, we take off on an 8 block voyage that included an I 75/85 overpass and a stroll through the "not so nice" part of town on our way to midtown. Once we were there, it was such a cute city area but the walk was a little longer than we all expected. And, also we would be walking back in the dark. Other than dad, our family tends to be a little fearless after Tracie spent that summer in Brooklyn, specifically Bedford/Stuyvesant. That is a story for another day. We didn't take into consideration that it was a LONG walk for a 4 year old. Lincoln dominated the stroller and it's not necessarily a double but we made it work. Jackson held Lincoln in his lap for a ride in the stoller on the walk back. We walked fast and arrived safely. And that was Day 1 in the ATL!

Here we go round the Blueberry Bush

For the second time this week, we visited Steve and Cindy's blueberry farm. After hearing of several friends going picking, I wanted to go. Actually, I'd wanted to go picking the whole 8 years we've lived here but the only places I knew of were a little far away. I was excited to hear about one just a few miles from where we lived and word had it they had LOTS of berries!
It was SO true. The first of the week, Linc and I ventured out after our workout while Jackson was in school and picked about a pound. Lincoln was far more concerned with chasing the geese that inhabit the farm in the morning than the blueberries. I knew those few wouldn't last long and I also knew we'd be in big trouble for doing something so fun while Jackson was at school. We promptly made plans to come back on Saturday.

We managed to pick 5 pounds on Saturday. And even those didn't last over a week! We did freeze some, we made a blueberry pie and several smoothies. Jackson even came up with a new word while eating the blueberry pie. It is best served with vanilla ice cream so he deemed it "piescream". Now that is a dessert in our house. The blueberries are in season much later than they normally are and we are reaping the benefits. I thoroughly enjoyed eating the fresh blueberries. They are great right of the bush. I see a family tradition in the making!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What was/is your favorite live action (meaning not animated) kids movie?
Well, I always liked the Parent Trap, yes, the one with Lindsey Lohan.
I also like all the talking animal movies, Milo and Otis, Dr. Doolittle and Homeward bound.

2. What is a bad habit you have? Are you working on breaking it?
Facebooking would be at the top of that list. I have considered going a day of the week without it. That hasn't happened yet. Also, keeping my car trashed is a bad habit of mine. I try to corral the trash but when you spend as much time in there as I do, it tough. AND I have messy messy kids to transport.

3. Describe your father in 3 words.
Christian, Humble, Trustworthy

4. Which character in the Breakfast Club were you most like in the ’80s?
Don’t kill me… I’ve never seen The Breakfast Club. I KNOW I KNOW. I need to.

5. Name 5 songs you know ALL the lyrics to.
Ghostbusters, The Adams Family, Thriller, Nightmare on my Street, Werewolves of London, and Purple People Eater.
Do you see a theme there? Yes, my child is obsessed with Halloween. Year round. I also know a vast array of childrens rhymes and bible songs. I've known them my whole life and I'm still singing along.

6. Do you make pancakes from scratch or a box mix?
My first preference would be to get in the car and drive straight to Cracker Barrel for them. They make them the BEST, I don't know how they do it. But I may be attempting it this weekend with these yummy organic blueberries I picked today. When I do, it will be straight from the box.

7. What was your worst job ever? Why?
When I first moved to NC, the only job I could find in my field was working 2nd shift. I HATED second shift. I liked my job and what I did but I hated those hours. It was hard to eat decent meals, workout or get anything done. I hated getting home that late. Jason was deployed most of that time and I hated being at home alone. I knew that had to change when he returned so I found a 1st shift job by the time that deployment was over.

8. What was your favorite class in high school?
I liked biology, I liked chemistry, I just DIDN'T like physics. I'm a science kind of girl but that physics and I didn't agree. I like all the "exceptions" that most people hate about chemistry.

9. Favorite summer guilty pleasure?
Is this WITH kids or without? Because there is a vast difference. With the kids, it's all the quintessential things you do at the beach, ice cream, goofy golf, expensive souvenirs and late night pizza.
Without the kids, it's staying up late drinking something girly, fruity and frozen and dancing on a bar deck over the ocean with my husband.

10. Please share your best money saving tip!
Well, as of late, I've been doing some major coupon shopping at the drugstore chains to "stockpile" items that we always use. The main thing with coupon shopping is NOT buying things you don't need/won't use just becaue you have a coupon for it. It also helps to know your rock bottom price on items and to know the sale cycles so that you don't have to buy it unless it's on sale.

Jacksonisms: wise words of a four year old

Jackson always says the wisest things. He has always been articulate and he prefers to talk to adults, and like an adult. He uses hand gestures and adjectives that I don't see many kids his age using. I try to remember the significant things he says to put them down here forever in my blog. I never want to forget four year old Jackson!

-At church on Sunday we were walking over the gravel parking lot and he said, "Dad, you know what these rocks are?" Jason listened. "These rocks are dinosaur throw-up." (earlier that weekend, he'd had a virus and had been sick a few times. He was still thinking about it)

-That same Sunday morning, I found a dime in the parking lot and told him to pick it up. He grabbed it and says "Yeah!, I'm going to put it in the offer!" How sweet. And to think, some people have a hard time letting go of just 10% and that dime was ALL he had and he gave it ALL! Don't we all wish we could be as innocent as a 4 year old.

-In a late night attempt to stay up later, he came out of his room (for the5th time) and asked me, "Where are the robbers in our world? Why do they steal stuff from us?" Hmmm, maybe too much TV with daddy??

-We went to the NC Zoo on Monday with Jason. We'd been several times but we'd never been able to take him. We did and it was a great day! We saw tons of cool animals, Lemurs, Elephants and Monkeys. When asked what his favorite part of the zoo was, he said his was the Gila Monster (a lizard) in the Desert Building with the cactus. What's his deal with cactus and the desert?

-On the way home, I asked him what he'd like to be when he grows up. He said his usual: A Doctor, a football player and a space man.
I then asked him if he knew what a "space man" did. He says, "Yeah, they live up in space, go to the moon AND they fight the aliens!" Laughing, Jason asked him who wins? And of course, he says "The space man!" Haha! Only the child of a combat veteran knows all too much about fighting in war.

-The same day I had started a roast in the crock pot before the zoo. When we arrived home, Jason said it "wonder what smells so good in here?" Jackson replied, "I think Roxy has been cooking something while we were gone." {note: Roxy is our DOG!}

Jamie:Wife, Mother, Coupon Extraordinaire

What you see above is the results of countless hours of reading blogs/searching deals and about $1.18 which is basically tax on the above items. I guess you could say this is my latest hobby. Besides, raising these boys and being the ultimate (HA!) homemaker, I have been learning the art of coupon shopping. While at first I didn't think it would fit my personality, I soon realized I was born to do this. It's SHOPPING for things and although it's not diamond rings or designer jeans, it's things we'll actually use or I can easily donate (which I do!). It does require TIME and a bit of organization but I kind of look at it as my job. I spend most of the money so why not save some in the process. I had to learn a lot of lingo (ONYO, WYB, CAT, Q) all coupon terms and I also had to learn what I should be paying for things. That way you know when you're getting a good deal. In fact some things can even be a MM! That's money maker, if you have the right coupons with the right sale, you can make money on a transaction. The don't usually give you money back but that could mean free milk and we drink A LOT of milk in this house. My biggest secret is http://www.southersavers.com/ It's a great website and resource and every week, they match all the deals with all the coupons there are out there so I print what I want to buy, take it to the store with matching coupons and make my purchases. I also use the "store money" which is the "rewards programs" at the drugstore chains. My favorite are CVS , Walgreens and Target, in that order. They all allow "stacking" which is a store coupon on top of a manufacturer coupon which means better deals for me!
So, I get the Sunday paper. I have a few friends save their inserts for me (and mom!). I don't cut out the coupons though. I date the insert and when my shopping lists shows I need a coupon, it also tells me the insert and date to go to and find it. That's when I cut it out.
I've learned that sales come around about every 6 weeks. If I buy enough cereal when it's on sale, I won't need anymore until it goes on sale again. I've also learned that there are some things you should just never have to pay for. It will always go on sale and be free or nearly free with coupons. Some of those things are toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shave gel, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You think you are brand specific? Well, most of the things I buy are "name brand" because those are the companies who put out coupons on their product. So, if you enjoy the name brand things, you might just be in luck.
Interested? Questions? Ask me. I love to get others addicted. It is somewhat of an addiction but at least it benefits us and others. I can think of worse thing to be addicted to. I have already gotten about 5 boxes of things to donate for our "operation Christmas child" boxes thorough Samaritan's Purse at our church.
Now on to more "Are you kidding me?" or "Is she crazy?" photos.
This was my weekly trip to Walgreen's. I'll break it down for you to see the prices.
What I got:

6 airwick freshmatic imotion starter kits-3.39
2 pack of Pampers diapers- 7.49
2 packs of Pampers wipes-2.12

I used:
6- $4 off airwick Q
2-$1.50 off Pampers
2-FREE wipes wyb Pampers


My total was $9.09 and I received a $3 Q to use on my next purchase at Walgreen's (note: they also take these Q's at the commissary!!)


Ok, I admit this one looks a little crazy. This was my WEEKLY shopping. I did it all in one morning. It was also one of my best trips. If you care to read the details, they are below.


CVS:

2 Herbal Essence Shampoo
2 Herbal Essence Conditioner

2 Aussie Hairspray
2 Herbal Essence Hairspray
2 glade Sense and Spray air fresheners
3 John Frieda Shampoo/Conditioners
2 Emerald Dark Cocoa Almonds
6 sobe life waters (used raincheck for bogo sale last week)
10 tubes of mini m&m's ( no, we can't eat all of these. I want to be the house on Halloween that gives "the good candy")
1 Purex Laundry Detergent Sheets

I used:

4- $2 off clairol products
4- Free styler wyb aussie/herbal shampoo or conditioner
2-$3 off Glade Sense and Spray
3-$3 off John Frieda
2-$1.50 Emerald nuts
3-bogo sobe life waters
2-.50 off m&m CVS coupon
1-$3 off Purex sheets

My total was 8.45 after I used up (9.50) of my ECB (reward bucks) but I received a $3, $5, and $3 rewards back to use next time.

Walgreens

16 small bags of Purina One dog food (roxy's brand!) -1.99 ea
3 Airwick imotion automatic air fresheners-3.99 ea
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup-1.50 ea

I used:
16 $2 off ANY size Purina One dog food
3 $4 off Airwick air fresheners
1 $3 RR (reward bucks)

My total was 3.36. That is tax only on these items!


Target was my biggest win, probably ever:

30 single load Tide Ultra 2x detergent packs-0.97
Goldfish smores-1.59
Campbells soup-1.50
2 Chef Boyardee mini bowls-1.07
2 Del Monte Fruit bowls-0.97
2 Sobe Life Waters-1.02
Yoplait Sundaes yogurt-2.00
3 small bathroom baskets by Target Home 8.99 ea
2 small bathroom bins by Re 5.99 ea
Torpedo swim toys (for Jackson) 3.48 clearance
2 pair of my fav undies (sorry for the TMI) 4.00 ea
2 Diet Dr. Pepper 2L

I used:

30 $1 off ANY tide
0.75 off Goldfish
$1.00 off Campbells soup-MQ(manufacturer coupon)
$0.50 off Campbells soup-TQ(target coupon)
2 $1 off Chef Boyardee-TQ
2 $1 off Del Monte fruit cups-TQ
2$0.50 Sobe-TQ
1 bogo Sobe -MQ
0.50 yoplait-TQ
0.50 yoplait-MQ
3 $10 off bath furniture Target Home
2 $5 off RE bath item
0.75 off 2 Diet Dr. Pepper-TQ

My Grand total before coupons was 100.41................

After Coupons I paid $10.41!!! My total savings today was 88.42.

That's about 90%!

Twas the first day of Preschool

Twas the first day of preschool
and on the way there,
Jackson coddled his mama
saying "it'll be just like daycare."
I said we would miss him and he said
it won't be very long.
I said "who'll watch Lincoln
and help him along?"
He said "You can watch him
and play with him too."
Then I asked "what'll we do all day
without you?"
He says "You can just do whatever makes you happy."
"Like crafts or something, you can make one for me"
{this is what he does when he's away from ME, ,like church class, etc.!}
What he doesn't know is I'm enjoying this BEAUTIFUL SILENCE, you see!


That was our preschool morning conversation. Jackson had no reservations about school. He was up getting dressed before I got him up. He was out the door with the backpack and ready to go. He's never been a shy one and he can be the sweetest kid to always try to find a "solution" to your questions. He wasn't going to miss me. I knew that. I thought I might miss him but I have to admit, this silence I hear is kind of nice. I know he's getting interaction he needs with other kids and I'm getting important stuff done (like blogging!). So for now, we both win! I can't wait to hear his stories when I pick him up this afternoon. Here are the photos of the guy who couldn't wait to get there!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is the worst movie you have ever seen?
Well until recently I would have rated Love Actually and Georgia Rule in my worst movie ever picks. I even went to blockbuster and asked for my money back (they had a like it guarantee)on the Georgia Rule movie. I felt I should have been warned a Lindsey Lohan movie was going to be so horrendous. Then Jason comes home with a movie called "World's Greatest Dad." It was a sure hit, I mean, Robin Williams was in it. Well about half way through the degrading and declining movie plot, I saw what was coming and asked him to turn it off. I refused to finish it and I'm still confident in my decision. The set of that movie should have caught fire.

2. Do you have a favorite Disney/Pixar film?
Oh, for sure. I love The Little Mermaid. I have always loved it. There's not a time I've watched it that I don't tear up when she leaves her daddy. BONUS: I've even seen it on Broadway in NYC! It was just as amazing there.

3. Do you have a favorite movie from the 80′s?
Hmmm, I don't know about 80's but I liked the "Honey I shrunk the kids" movies and well, Dirty Dancing but I'm pretty sure it was the 90's before I was allowed to watch it.

4. Are there any movies you saw more than once in the theater?
I don't think so. I would have seen the second Twilight movie again if the opportunity presented it's self.

5. What is one city/area of the US (or country you live if you do not live in the US) that you have not seen but would like to see?
Oh, just one? I want to go to the Grand Canyon. I want to see Boston. I want to visit the vineyards in Northern California. And I want to go to Hawaii sometime to see the lush green mountains.

6. What are your favorite toppings on an Ice Cream Sundae?
If this is like a "coldstone" question where you get to choose your flavor then No toppings for me. My latest favorite flavors include key lime, watermelon and ANY type of frozen yogurt. I love the tangy flavor that yogurt provides.

7. How many proms did you go to? What color was your prom dress? If you went to multiple proms, what color was your favorite prom dress?
Six, yes, I went to six proms. One my freshman year(red), one my sophomore year(purple), two both junior(gold and pastel pink) and senior years(white and watermelon). I was going to look for photos but I decided, I didn't want bad hairstyles in my future blog book, so no dice.

8. Is there a sport or extra-curricular activity that you didn’t get to try as a child that you wish you would have? My mom religiously took us to dance (ballet and tap) until we decided to stop. WHY do kids do that? I wish I'd have kept it up. I often wish I'd have played some sports. I didn't play softball, soccer (we didn't have it) or volleyball. I almost wish I had cheered too but I don't think I missed out on all the drama. I had enough of that as it was.

9. How many siblings do you have? Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest?
I have one sister. I'm the oldest by 3 years. We are very close, always have been. I think it was the prefect age difference.

10. Do you feel like you fit in with your age group? Or do you feel younger/older than your age group?
The Army has a great way of providing us with a social group that fits our age/pay grade pretty well. Outside of that, our neighborhood also lends us friends that fall into our age group. I think at age 30, I fit in with people 10 years older or 5 years younger equally well. We're all on the same bumpy boat ride in the Army so it's easy to fit in well.

Lincoln's Lovies

I didn't think Lincoln had attached himself to anything besides ME. By this age, Jackson had his beloved bear bear and of course the paci. Well, Lincoln loves the paci and I knew he loved his bed. He will sometimes stay in there upwards of an hour "singing" or humming to himself and occasionally go back to sleep in there. That's how I discovered, Lincoln DOES have a lovie. It's just attached to the bed. I walked in a couple of times to check on him in the morning and found him laid ACROSS the crib with his head laying on the plush bumper pad. He had a FIRM grip on the strap that ties it to the crib. After I noticed, I saw that when I would lay him down, he would immediately turn and grasp the strap for comfort. I tried to entice him with one of the cute sea horse glow worms that sings and yes, he likes it. I also have he AND Jackson's favorite toy, the crib aquarium (that toy has been worth every dime, 10 times over). Now, not a night goes by without him turning it on at 2 or 3 am but we've decided now, he's doing it in his sleep while tossing about. He still turns it off and on every morning for about half an hour. Of all things, he loves a strap? I guess to each his own. One morning, I caught him drifting and got these pics of him and his bumper ties. You also see below just how endearing he feels about his sea horse. I find it on the floor every morning when I go into his room.