So...bon voyage

I will be checking out of blogland for awhile because tomorrow morning, Husband and I are leaving for a 5 day, 4 night cruise to Cabo and Ensenada, Mexico.
Yay!

And get this...
No kids.

Most of the time I feel like this: (!!!!!!!!)
But saying goodnight to my sweet girls tonight, I admit I was a bit weepy thinking about leaving them in the morning.

Tonight our hugs were extra long.

So...
Goodbye for now friends.
Excuse me why I go cruisin' on down to Mexico.

{picture}

WSMGS Pick of the Week

"Come Sail Away" - Styx
Bon Voyage!

So...ensalada

Tonight I did NOT feel like cooking.
There's something about being sick and not having Husband home that makes me not want to do anything. Especially cook.
I haven't eaten much in the past couple of days.

Tonight I was really craving a big yummy salad, from Cafe Rio or Rumbi - you get the idea.
As I was looking up the phone number to Rumbi to place my takeout order, my conscience got the better of me. I realized that I could buy a salad from Rumbi and spend about $9, or I could take a trip to the grocery store and buy the ingredients for somewhere around $6 (I already had the chicken) and have enough for more than one meal.

So, we went to the store.

We started by making homemade tortilla strips.
This is how we did it:
- bought corn tortillas
- cut them in strips
- sprayed them with cooking spray
- sprinkled them with salt
- cooked in a 450 oven for 8 minutes

Yum!
The kiddos LOVED them.
I'm thinking about making a big batch, storing them in a Ziploc, and serving them instead of chips.

Then we made the dressing.
This was our attempt at a Lime Cilantro Ranch:


Then we grilled the chicken.
Yes, I grilled. By myself.
I even figured out how to turn on our malfunctioning grill without lighting my hair on fire.

I marinated the chicken in a Lime Vinagerette that I LOVE.
I definitely could've used that as the dressing the lighten up on the caloric intake, but what's a Cafe Rio style salad without the Ranch?!

Now here's the salad:

1.) start with a bed of beautiful romaine lettuce. yum.


2.) add black or pinto beans. I always go with black.

3.) then comes the corn.

4.) fresh cucumber from our garden. double yum. (someday the black beans and corn will come from our garden too!)

5.) grilled chicken

6.) garnish with cilantro

7.) top with tortilla strips.

8.) of course, add more lime. I can never have enough.

9.) top with dressing.

10.) devour.

Oh, and I did.

This was delish.
And my craving was more than satisfied.
Plus I felt better about the money I saved.
I think I might just need to make another one of these babies tomorrow.

Oh, and by the way - the kiddos LOVED it.
I put all the ingredients in bowls on the table and let them serve up their own plates (which I hardly ever do). They gobbled everything right up!


First Daughter even asked if we could have this for dinner again another night.
(??!!!!!)
OF COURSE!!!! Is what I said.

So...seriously?!

I have strep again.
Seriously?! Seriously.
This is lame.

All I have to say is I better be better by Monday.
I'm going on that cruise either way - I would just prefer to be feeling well.

So...Let's Start Over

Let's start over
and talk
about something
that's hard
for you.


Wednesday Prompt:
starting over

So...200 Buttons

Get ready.
This is a LONG one.

In celebration of my 200th post, I've been compiling a list of 200 Buttons - things that are one my mind and/or things about me.

You can read, or you can pass.
Either way, take a deep breath.
Here we go...

1. my middle name is Bonita, after my grandmother.
2. the exact meaning of my full maiden name is “Great Mighty One, Pretty, Son of Robert” – I find it very appropriate. (I guess my married name is the same, except now I’m the son of Jen.)
3. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I’m a Mormon.
4. the Book of Mormon has changed my life.
5. I can’t snap.
6. I prefer to brush and rinse with warm water.
7. I love taking really long, really hot showers.
8. I have a really hard time waking up in the morning, regardless of how much sleep I got the night before.
9. On the same note, I can sleep anytime, anywhere – regardless of how much sleep I got the night before.
10. I love Dr. Pepper, from a can, on ice, in a glass.
11. I have always been an extremely picky eater.
12. One of my life goals was to eat salad – and I have done it! In fact, I love it now.
13. Another life goal is to become a morning person. Not quite there yet.
14. I’m extremely left handed.
15. I met Husband in a dance club.
16. He is also left-handed.
17. I have no desire to go sky diving, or bungee jumping.
18. I am terrified even thinking about scuba diving.
19. I have been married for six years.
20. I have three daughters.
21. I was married in the Boston Temple for time and all eternity.
22. I believe that my family can be together forever – through Heavenly Father’s plan.
23. I have lived in three places – Needham, MA; Orem, UT; Provo, UT
24. I love to run. This is a recent development.
25. I love silence. This is also a recent development.
26. I love movies.
27. I hated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Hellboy.
28. my favorite book is Catcher in the Rye.
29. I have extremely vivid dreams.
30. I play the violin and piano.
31. When I was 15 I became the organist in my church and was until I graduated high school. I had never touched an organ before then, and I haven’t touched one since.
32. Very few things about being a mother/homemaker/housewife come naturally to me. It all is hard work to me.
33. I am extremely competitive.
34. My jaw pops. All the time, but especially when I’m eating.
35. My nose runs when I eat.
36. For some reason I don’t close drawers all the way. I try to, but I always seem to leave them slightly open. I didn’t realize this until Husband pointed it out.
37. I enjoy gardening.
38. I will always plant zucchini in my garden because it makes me feel like a successful gardener.
39. I believe in family
40. I laugh at my own jokes.
41. I love rainy days.
42. I love rainy nights even more.
43. I love the smell of Autumn – rain, leaves, cool air, fires
44. I am inspired by and strive for excellence.
45. I love baking bread.
46. I love NyQuil
47. I believe in honesty.
48. Oh, how I love chocolate.
49. If I could have any candy bar of my choice, it would be a strawberry Charleston Chew. Or a Caramello. Or a Milky Way Dark.
50. I wait all year for Thanksgiving Dinner.
51. My top five favorite people in the world are my four siblings and my husband.
52. I really miss my younger brother who’s serving a mission. A lot.
53. I watch way too much TV and spend way too much time analyzing the shows I watch. Especially LOST.
54. I’m practically pro at Guitar Hero and Rockband.
55. I can eat ice cream, any kind, any place, any time.
56. I believe in hard work.
57. I love to cook.
58. I especially love to cook for other people.
59. Girls’ Nights are a necessity.
60. I believe in sweat pants.
61. I thrive when I have a tight schedule and a long to-do list.
62. I love giving the perfect gift.
63. I’m very sentimental.
64. I really enjoy grocery shopping.
65. I like to be organized. The problem is, I keep coming up with new systems and I can never remember what they are.
66. I hate ketchup. Everything about it.
67. I love trees. Everything about them.
68. I love to take naps at the park on a blanket or at the beach on a towel.
69. I love staying in hotels.
70. My biggest fear is having one of children get lost or be taken.
71. I love brand new notebooks, notepads, journals, and post-its.
72. I love being pregnant, even though Husband would claim otherwise.
73. I am learning to be punctual. It's very rewarding.
74. My absolute favorite food is Mongolian Beef from P.F. Chang’s.
75. I find satisfaction in building our food storage. I know, that’s weird.
76. I am not a very good dancer. Husband told me so.
77. I love lacrosse. It is, and always will be, my first love.
78. I can sing almost the entire score of Les Miserables, for memory.
79. I love Russian composers. Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff are my favs.
80. I believe in music and art.
81. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about aliens. They might exist.
82. Thinking about the universe, eternity, and infinity stress me out.
83. I believe in finding and being yourself.
84. I think rivalries are awesome. Wellesley sucks. Yankees suck.
85. I believe in mix tapes. MP3 players are weak.
86. I believe in education.
87. I love Dave Matthews Band. With a passion.
88. There’s nothing better than hearing one of your favorite songs from start to finish on the radio.
89. I think movies are better watched and appreciated on TV. No idea why, I just do.
90. I believe in family dinner.
91. I love trying new recipes and getting it right the first time.
92. I love hot chocolate and toast after playing in the snow.
93. I believe in forgiveness.
94. I believe in acceptance.
95. I believe in understanding.
96. I think life is pretty awesome.
97. I bite my nails and have no problem with that.
98. I have sweaty hands and feet, and Husband loves me anyway.
99. I think Ziploc bags are genius.
100. I think every date should end with ice cream.
101. I love falling asleep to movies.
102. I love warm, after naps, squishy, chubby, baby cheeks. I can’t stop kissing them.
103. When it comes to ice cream, I choose vanilla – preferably with some kind of chocolate in it or on it.
104. I do not enjoy hiking the Y. I would be okay if I never did it again.
105. I love being outside, except when it’s snowing. Then I need to be inside.
106. I love hearing Pink Floyd on the radio.
107. I practiced saying the alphabet backward in case I ever got pulled over and tested for drunk driving. Not because I thought I would ever be driving drunk, but because I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it and the officer would think I was drunk. Now I’m safe. I can even sing it backward.
108. I love Disney movies.
109. I love to go to the symphony.
110. I would love to play in the symphony even more.
111. I am not a huge fan of change.
112. I overanalyze pretty much everything.
113. I loathe telemarketers. And door-to-door salesmen. They always ring the doorbell…
114. I feel incredibly blessed to have three happy, healthy daughters. And I’m really not just saying that. I am so blessed.
115. I have a hard time knowing what to say in difficult circumstances.
116. Most of the time I don’t say anything when I’m worried I might say something wrong. I always regret it.
117. I need my friends more than I ever thought I would.
118. I used to think sarcasm was funny. Now I think it’s rude.
119. I am inspired by Remember the Titans, Rocky, and Cool Runnings.
120. I love Husband more everyday. I really do.
121. I admire Husband for so many things. Mostly because he is so many of the things I want to be. That is why he is perfect for me.
122. I never thought I would live in Utah, yet here I am and here I’ll stay.
123. I really worry about offending people. Probably more than I should.
124. I believe in the good in people.
125. I fell asleep while taking the ACTs. Oops.
126. My favorite class at BYU was Writing About Humanities. Combination of two of my favorite things – writing and art.
127. I believe “Free Falling” can only be listened to in the car, with the windows down, at full blast, while singing as loud as you can. I have yet to resist the opportunity under any circumstances.
128. paper grocery bags remind me of Roche Bro’s and textbook covers.
129. I love spending one-on-one time with my children.
130. I am really good at starting things.
131. I wish I were better at finishing things.
132. I have a dog named Baxter who chews on wood and plastic, but not bones.
133. I have used a single pen all the way until the ink ran out.
134. I have also used a single hair elastic for an entire school year.
135. I have really good veins. Or so I’ve been told.
136. I am not a perfectionist.
137. I believe in finding the beauty in imperfection.
138. I worry about my relationship with my daughters. All the time.
139. Movies about the end of the world stress me out.
140. I will not be seeing “2012”
141. I don’t like scary movies.
142. I don’t like movies about vampires and/or zombies.
143. I do not speak another language.
144. I took synchronized swimming classes at the NPRC.
145. I love being at the beach, but I don’t love swimming in the ocean.
146. I worked at Hogi Yogi and hated it.
147. I really love my maiden name and had a hard time giving it up.
148. I think kickball is one of the greatest games every invented.
149. I am realizing that 200 is a lot of things and probably nobody is even reading this…
150. I don’t really care.
151. Stairway to Heaven is one of the best songs ever written.
152. So is Fool In the Rain.
153. Basically, Led Zeppelin is awesome.
154. I have seen Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in concert. Awesome.
155. I am terrified of drowning.
156. I believe in taking responsibility for your actions.
157. I really think I’m going to be tired for the rest of my life.
158. I am very task oriented.
159. I love setting goals and making plans.
160. I write poems
161. My motto is “If you love the life you live, then you will live a life of love.”
162. I actually love broccoli.
163. I don't believe that anyone is perfect, even if they seem to be.
164. I did dance at my wedding and had a blast.
165. Someday I want to take my family on a road trip across the country.
166. I want to see Mt. Rushmore.
167. I want a wood-burning fireplace and I want to heat my house with it. Seriously.
168. I love pushing my kids on the swing.
169. I live in a cul-de-sac and hope I always do.
170. I miss my Jeep Cherokee.
171. I own a beach cruiser and love it, even though I don't live near a beach.
172. I love going on family bike rides.
173. I have a different bag for almost everywhere I go – purse, church bag, gym bag, shopping bags, diaper bag, etc...
174. I really don’t like transferring purse items from bag to bag. I have separate items in each bag.
175. I love IKEA.
176. I always feel like I need chapstick. Probably because I live in the desert.
177. Writing is how I deal with life.
178. I have suffered from post-partum depression. Writing helped.
179. I spend too much time on the computer.
180. So does Husband.
181. My daughters are very smart and I secretly wish I had something to do with it. But seriously, they were born that way.
182. I am a fan of slideshows put to music.
183. I get five Sunday newspapers for the coupons.
184. I have a hard time forgiving myself.
185. I don’t have a hard time forgiving others.
186. I like playing games. Husband does not.
187. The only thing I’ve ever beat Husband in is HORSE. Booyah.
188. I’ve learned that being happy is more important than being exceptional.
189. My kids’ happiness and confidence is more important to me than anything.
190. I don’t believe in “training” husbands.
191. I’m not Husband’s mom and I refuse to be. He’s a big boy.
192. I’m pretty sure I have the best Husband ever. (No offense)
193. I don't know how I got so lucky.
194. I am incredibly blessed.
195. I love being an American.
196. I love being from Boston.
197. I love being LDS.
198. I love being a mom.
199. I love being a wife.
200. I love being me. (Most days)

Phew!
Well, that was fun.
Happy 200!

So...Ahhh

I feel like I can breathe again.
Doesn't it feel nice to be here without all the clutter?
I don't feel so claustrophobic now that left sidebar is gone.

Excuse me while I take a deep breath.
Ahhhh.

Thank you Hannah yet again for helping me.


FYI - my next post will be my 200th.
I'm not sure what it will be yet, but it will be special.
And have something to do with the number 200.

So...family blogs

Clint & Mari
Amy & Arthur
Dan & MK
Andrew & Staci
Jen & Luis
Allison
Becky & Nathan
Julie
Matt
Hardesters
Pete & Whitney
Liz & Jason
Jason & Lili
Laugenours
Busaths

If any of you family members have blogs that I don't know about, email or comment me with the address. If you want :)

So...friends blogs

Please excuse me while I organize my friends' blogs.

Ginger
Lexi
Kelly S.
Kelly B.
Joy
Autumn
Katie
Maureen
Jennifer
Jessica
Terri
Jill
Kari
Erica
Becca
Hannah
Molly
Amber
Kristi
Taryn
Tami

Any more of you have blogs that I don't know about?
Email me or comment the address to your blog.

So...Saturday morning

I woke up this morning a little anxious.
I dreamt about an ex-boyfriend and stolen outgoing bills.
It stressed me out.

But then I got my lazy Saturday morning self out of bed and headed out to the trail.
I went running without babies and without headphones.
And the world was wonderful again.

I love September.
I can feel fall peeking around the corner and I'M LOVING IT.
There is nothing better than a sunny fall Saturday morning.
We even had a soccer game to go to.
That made this Saturday feel complete.

Now I'm off to a girls' lunch date.
Later we have a block party outside our front door.
Doesn't this Saturday sound just perfect?!
Oh, how I love today.

WSMGS Pick of the Week

"Halo" - Beyonce
I'm unsure if I'm a Beyonce fan or not. All I know is I am a fan of this song.

So...09-09-09

Yesterday's Wednesday Prompt from Poetic Asides was about numbers.
I just couldn't resist...

09-09-09

I dropped First Daughter off at preschool,
like I always do on Wednesdays,
and buckled the other two in the stroller
to go on a run.
The morning river trail was calling
and I couldn’t resist.
Calls and texts kept coming wishing me
Happy Birthday on this remarkable day.
Jessica asked me where I was,
how long I would be, and when I’d be home.
I suspected a surprise and was a bit giddy.
I picked up my pace a little,
anticipating and awaiting my prize.
I spotted the purple and white polka dotted gift bag
placed so nicely on the side of the trail.
It must be for me.
It looked like a treat
Probably chocolate.
Nothing says “Happy Birthday”
like a huge chocolate treat.
I picked up my treat and quickly realized
I was wrong.
It belonged to someone else.
A little treat left by someone’s dog
nicely gift wrapped and left there
on the side of the trail.

Just to be clear,
today I picked up gift wrapped dog poop.
On my birthday.

So...it happens

Today is my birthday.
I didn't realized it was 09-09-09 until yesterday.
I think I was the last person to figure that out.
I'm not telling you this in request for birthday wishes,
this is just important background information to the following story that has already made this birthday unforgettable.
Not that I'm slow...only that it is my birthday...

After I dropped First Daughter off at Preschool this morning, like I always do on Wednesdays, I got the other Daughters buckled in the stroller to go on a run. It is a gorgeous day and we live by an amazing river trail that was calling my name. Shortly after I started running a got a few phone calls & texts wishing me happy birthday. (Thank you everyone!) One of them was from a dear friend and neighbor. She asked me where I was, when I was going to be home, and all those types of questions that implied she had some sort of birthday surprise for me. I gave her all the info and returned to my run, a little excited about what she had planned.

When I was on my home, about 1 mile from my house, I spotted a little purple and white polka-dotted gift bag sitting on the side of the trail. I thought "Oh she's so sweet! She ran down the trail to leave me a little surprise." I admit, I was a bit giddy.

I picked up the pace a little to reach my prize faster. I couldn't tell what it was, but thought it was a treat of some sorts. Probably chocolate.

On closer inspection, when I picked up my little prize, I realized that this treat was not from my friend at all, but was actually a nice little treat someone's dog had left on the side of the trail that the owner so nicely gift wrapped and left there.

Gross.

Seriously, who does that? Who picks up their dog's business in a gift bag?
Who knows, maybe it was a birthday gift to me from someone who doesn't like me very much.
I guess that's a possibility.
But again, who does that?

Just to be clear - today I picked up gift wrapped dog poop.

Happy Birthday to me.

So...just to be clear

I was rereading old posts and I want to make one thing clear.
It is important that I do.

In this post I said:

It seems like it would be easy.
It really does seem that way.
But it isn't so easy for me.

I was talking about being a mom.
I was talking about being patient.
I was talking about enjoying each and every moment.
I was not talking about loving and adoring my kiddos.
There is nothing that is more easy for me, than to love these sweet, precious angels.

Just wanted to make that clear.

So...work

And for my Labor Day assignment...

Today it's all about work.
It being Labor Day and all.
I spent more time thinking about work, than actually working.
Don't get me wrong, I did work today.
I cleaned the heck out of my kitchen and some.
And then I quickly realized my house looks pretty much the same whether I've cleaned it or not.
And so I stopped.
I guess the only difference now is that I know it has been cleaned.
Even though nobody could tell by looking at it.
But it's the thought that counts...right???

While I was cleaning my kitchen and such, I was thinking a whole lot about work - why it is important, how to teach my kids how to work, how to motivate myself to work, what work means to me, and how I'm pretty sure Labor Day is meant to give us all a break from work. Right??? So why do I feel like I should be working...?

I don't think I came to any grand conclusions, but I did have some thoughts on the matter.

- work is important
- work is the means to growth
- it is important to teach my kids how to work
- I teach them work through my example
- I teach them how to work by letting them help me
- working together as a family is some of the best family time
- I appreciate how hard-working Husband is - especially at his job, but also at home
- anything that requires hard work is worth it, so work hard.
- being a mom is hard work - sometimes the hardest - and the most worth it.
- the harder and longer you work, the better it feels to relax.
- this kept coming to mind, and how not to create more, unnecessary work.

Hope you all had a great Labor Day and were able to not labor.
Tomorrow we can all get back to work, and working hard.

So...links I love

Where I go to read:
At Full Capacity
Ginger Unplugged
m.writes
Sherbet Blossom
TravelinOma
FlyLady Blog
The Jet Set
The Pioneer Woman

Where I go to participate:
Write Club
School Days
Poetic Asides

Where I go for ideas:
Make & Takes
No Time For Flashcards
Let's Explore
The Artful Parent
The Crafty Crow
Wonderfully Wordy
Not Too Shabby
say YES to hoboken

Where I go for inspiration:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Daily Gems
Family Gems
NieNie Dialogues

Where I go just because:
Simplicity Photography

So...Potter Puppets

This made me chuckle.
And it made me think of my cousin.

Hope it's good for a giggle or two!

WSMGS Pick of the Week

"Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith
One of my all time favorite songs (that I have dubbed my life's theme song) by one of my all time favorite bands.

So...H

Letter H

H is for House

my kids LOVE to paint, so we use any excuse to do so

I drew extra things on First Daughters to spark imagination.
She loved that.

H is for Hat
Grandma sents Do-a-Dot Paints and we had to try them out.
We used the left over paper from our houses to make hats.








Heart H
We started by covering the H with dots.
(see above)

So...words of wisdom

I have this hanging in my room:

and I love it.
My Grandma Joy made it for my mom when she was a young mother like me. I don't know how I lucked out, but this gem is now mine.

These words scroll through my mind every time I feel like I need to get away or feel like my kiddos are driving me crazy. Which they do. Why is being a momma so hard? Why is it so hard to adore and cherish each and every moment with these sweet little angels? And that's what they are - angels (that sometimes drive me crazy).

It seems like it would be easy.
It really does seem that way.
But it isn't so easy for me.

I need something like this on my wall to remind me.
It's my own personal pep talk everyday,
reminding me what really is important.

So...you should do this too

As I have mentioned, I am particpating in School Days over at TravelinOma.
This is only the first week and I'm already loving it.
Today's assignment is one that you all should do, whether you're enrolled or not.
It is worth it. I promise.

One thing I know about myself is I need a little reassurance now and then.
Ok, I admit...sometimes I need a lot of reassurance...
Most of the time that happens when I'm being overly critical or flat out being mean and/or neglectful of myself.
Sometimes I just need to know I'm ok.
Really, the ONLY thing that gets me out of those silly funks is to take a second and appreciate little things about me, reflect on my smally accomplishments (and maybe some big ones), and try and refocus on what really is important. NOT whether or not I can keep my house sparkling clean or whether I can wake up at 6 am to go running every morning...

Anyway...
You should try it.
Why should you look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you're amazing and beautiful?
In the words of my cousin, WHY NOT?!

So...I think we have a winner

I guess this week's Pick of the Week was a hit.
Last Friday I had a whopping 10 visitors to WSMGS!
That's right, you read correctly. TEN!!!
That blew the record right out of the water.
I've never had more than 5 readers on any given day - and that's usually on a Friday.

And get this...

People have actually been checking back on other days of the week.
I guess to hear the song.
I don't blame them, or you if you're one of the ten.
It's a good one.

So...Vanilla and Banana

Vanilla and Banana

We thought we were so sneaky
and so funny. Our special treat
for the day of celebration was TCBY
yogurt. The vanilla and the banana
were the same shade of off-white.
We switched the lids and he didn't know.

My dad hates banana. Anything banana.
Even the smell or the sound of the word
makes him cringe. We watched him
dash for the vanilla to avoid the banana
at all cost. He didn’t know what we had done.

Happy Fathers’ Day Dad.


Wednesday Prompt:
mislabelling

So...the places you'll go

For my second assignment:
(I'm a day behind...hence the double post today)

Ten places I would like to go someday:
1.) Italy - with Husband this time
2.) Paris, France
3.) Austria - Saltzburg & Vienna (music history sites)
4.) Pyramids at Giza, Egypt
5.) Australia - mostly for the accent, I must admit
6.) Mt. Rushmore
7.) Stonehenge
8.) Great Wall of China
9.) Jerusalem
10.) New Orleans

Obviously I have an eclectic taste of travel destinations.
I have a thing about world wonders.
To make it on that list they must be worth seeing.
I also have a thing for all things breathtaking.
I also have a thing for lists.
Have I told you that before?

My ideal vacation would without a doubt be anywhere with Husband. Preferrably without kids, only because at this stage in our lives we don't get very much time alone, but I know we would have a blast with our kids too.
Like I said, anywhere with Husband would be ideal, regardless of the circumstances.

But if I had to be picky, which I think is the whole point of this assignment...

I love seeing things. I love going to special places and having experienes that I can't have anywhere but at that destination. Like feeling and smelling the mist of Niagra Falls and the overwhelming inferiority you feel as you peek over the edge. Or the nostalgic feeling you get when you're drowning in history in a place like Rome, or London, or even Boston, even though you weren't there when the historic events occurred. Those are the types of unique feelings I like to have when I visit a place. I want feelings that belong only to those places.

I like to explore. I like to eat yummy food. I like to people watch.
I like to find treasures - little shops and hole in the wall restaurants or cafes.
I like to visit places that I get excited about.
Place that I get equally excited about remembering.
But of course, I have to be there with Husband.
Only then would it be ideal.

So...I write

I enrolled in this class, mostly because I'm always up for a challenge and I work better under deadlines.

The first assignment was tricky for me.
I was lacking inspiration.
Ok, the truth is, I still am...

The prompts that first stuck out to me were things I have already written about.
I even thought "maybe I can just submit something I have already written." (Sadly, this was a trend of mine during my school days.)
I have this post about why I blog,
and this one about me -
both would count for my first homework assignment.

I quickly snapped myself out of it and firmly responded to myself,
"No. You can't do that. There's no point to that."

So here I am...
I have no idea what to write about.
I'll guess opt for the list of writing projects.
Because that's what I do...
I write lists.

1.) compile a book of poetry
2.) short essays and/or chapter book on surviving teenage years (barely)
3.) childrens' book. Maybe I can talk my mom into illustrating it.
4.) personal history - perhaps through poetry
5.) write about the people & experiences at White Mt. Creamery
6.) continue to keep up journal letters for Daughters
7.) write all the letters on my list

I think that's enough for now.
I think that will keep my pretty busy for quite a while.