Bruise took a nap.

Sacked out on the floor while watching a movie this afternoon. I had to ask Bucket if he was asleep.
She leaned over her and affirmed, "[Bruise]-y asleep."

Bucket, however, has NOT had a nap. And is heading toward being hyper.

And since I've been up since 5 this morning (Just couldn't sleep any longer. Oh well.), it's a miracle that I haven't yelled more.

We made it to storytime. That was nice. I found a book that I've been meaning to read for a while. And an armful of manga sequals in series that I wanted to continue. So, a GOOD book day.

I also have been terribly sucked into some Facebook games. And I've found some more people I know on Facebook. Strangely enough, ANOTHER of my friends from theater in high school (graduated before I did) is living in my town. How funny is that!

Dinner is on the stove ... It would be done already if I hadn't spaced putting the lid on the rice cooker. (Oops.)

Picked up the living room and the kids' room. Still need to vacuum and take out garbage and such before Mom and Dad C get into town tomorrow.

No Bones on tonight, so Michael informs me. Darn that American Idol. Too bad it's AI instead of QI ("Quite Interesting" ... on the BBC. Stephen Fry is so smart and droll and I heart him.)

I'm tired. And I've been tired for a few days. 

At least today I didn't nearly give myself a coronary yelling at my little children ... like after Bruise peed in the hallway.
(And Bucket peed next to the couch today. She didn't want to miss any of "The Little Mermaid." *rolls eyes* )

The kids were excited to see the dusting of snow this morning. And Bucket is REALLY excited that "Grandma and Grandpa" are coming into town.

I am tired of being tired. 
I should go see if the rice is (finally) done.

And, after the kids go to bed, I should read copious volumes of manga. Because it makes me happy.

Oy. Vey.

There I was, my dears, sitting at the computer ... the kidlets are watching their morning shows ... and suddenly there's SCREAMING and WAILING and BLOOD!!

From what I can piece together, Bucket was sitting on the arm of the couch and fell/slipped/laid down onto Bruise's FACE.

All I know is that I run over to the boy and he's sporting a double nosebleed (you know, bleeding from BOTH nostrils) and his mouth is full of blood and he's CRYING and so I take him to the bathroom and dig out the DARK PINK washcloth (since it doesn't show blood. See? I have a system here.) and clean him up.

All that blood was just from his nose. Nothing was cut or split in his mouth. I'm trying to to gag thinking about blood. from his NOSE. in his MOUTH. *Ughhh*

And the nosebleed stopped pretty quickly once he stopped screaming and let me get him cleaned up. There was barely more than a drop on the couch. Only a few drops on his jammies. Some smeared on my robe.

Once he was cleaned up, he wanted me to hold him. And, of course, I did. Then he didn't want to open his eyes. Which freaked me out. So I called the clinic ... just for confirmation on what to do.

He didn't show any signs of a concussion ... and after giving him a dose of children's ibuprofen, he seemed fine. The nurse verified that it sounded like I did everything right (Yay for those umpteen first aid classes that I took with Mom!) and to call back if anything changed. She agreed that, yeah, the adreniline rush probably ran its course and that, yes, the endorphins had probably kicked into his system. (Go me, being able to recall Biology lectures from YEARS ago. Yup, I'm that geeked out to ask if it could be endorphins.)

She even called back later to just check in. I love our clinic.

Besides that, I'm feeling lots better. Napped and read a lot yesterday. Had VERY strange Ny-quil-induced dreams. Now I'm trying to get motivated to do a load of dishes and get the garbage cans from the driveway and fold and wash some laundry.

But I DID make my kids French Toast for lunch. I know, I know. Hold your applause. No, really. You're just trying to flatter me.

But, really, I NEEEEEEED a shower. And I'm going to read at least two books. At least.
And maybe take a nap.

Dishes be dashed. I'm going to be all pampering today. Well, kinda. I think it's called LAZY, which should make it no different than, say, EVERY OTHER DAY. *rolls eyes*

*sniffles*

My little drug-cocktail from last night has worn off.

And I'm taking the day off from church. I'll still be at my meeting tonight (Yeah, I know! I had a meeting yesterday for my OTHER calling. But, hey, at least I will have a nap before this meeting).

But right now, I'm watching the kids while Michael's in his Sunday morning meetings ... and, after Sacrament meeting, he'll come home and pick up the kids (who are dressed and ready) and take them to Nursery. And I'm going to try and sleep off my cold.

I've been sicker ... but I'm just TIRED of being sick this time. I'm never going to be known for my patience and long-suffering. So I'm just going to whine right now and, hopefully, get it over with: My nose is alternatingly stuffy or runny. Sometimes both. My voice ... doesn't sound great. If I HAD decided to go to church, I wouldn't be making Bucket cover hear ears (which she does do to volume, not to my singing abilities, I'll have you know), because I wouldn't be singing today. I'm just tired.

----

My kids are funny. 

This morning, as I did Bucket's hair, she was telling me about being baby-sat last night:
"And the girl said that we had to go to bed after the show. And then she left at night."
Sister D has a daughter in high school ... and I think it's sweet that Bucket seems to be like me in referring to any lady as a "girl" ... Well, I do call my group from my home ward "my Relief Society Ladies" since they are all old enough to be my moms or grandmothers ... Oh, I miss my RS ladies. I really do.

Also this morning:
I had given the kids some fruit snacks (Hey, they've already eaten breakfast and are dressed in church clothes.) ... they finished them and asked for "some more food"... so I gave them more snacks, telling them "Well, here are more fruit snacks. They've got Vitamin C, which is very important right now." 

And Bruise squints up at me, as he's taken the little bag of snacks and chirps, "AGAIN?"
And Bucket, echoes him emphatically, "AGAIN?!?!?"
I affirm, "Yes. Again."
And they both trot off to the couch to watch Anastacia and eat their snacks.

Last night:

Bruise, as I had mentioned, wasn't sleeping well. I finally just picked him up, changed his diaper (which woke him a little, so he was crying a little more), and was just walking the bedroom with him.
He whimpered, "It bedtime."
"Yes, " I soothed. "It is bedtime."
"It dark outside," he murmered. "It time to be in bed."
So I just laid him back down, pulled up his blanket, and he was fine.

It made me roll my eyes a little that after he and his sister tried to be awake at 6 that morning, that he was telling me he needed to be in bed. 

At least I think he's gotten the point that when it's dark outside, it's time to be in bed and asleep.

Heaven help me once Daylight Savings comes around.

----

Also, Bruise has a big scratch on the bottom of his foot from stepping on one of his toys. So he's got a band-aid on it. Bucket cut her wrist on the tub-stopper in the bath this morning. So she's got a band-aid on that. I have finally taken off my band-aid that was covering my blister (on my foot, of all places) where I got burned from the manicotti boiling on the stove (No, seriously. It sounds like science fiction -- the water teleporting itself -- But, really. It's insane.) ... Yeah, we're a little accident-prone right now. Crazy, huh?

Okay, I'm about ready to take my coughing, sneezing, stuffy, sniffling self back to bed. 
You think the kids will be fine if I just let them watch videos until Michael gets back?

A first

I have now been a chaperone for a church dance.

I would feel OLD ... except that over half the music played was songs that Michael and I danced to back when we were in our respective high schools, in our respective youth.

I also was a total nerd and accosted Bri's brother, Ian. Okay, that's strong wording. I told him that I had texted Bri to brag that I saw him from across the room. And he totally let me take a picture with him and send it to her. (Even better, he was totally into it. I LOVE Bri's family, let me tell you.)

Best of all was that she was actually awake and received my messages and she texted back.

Awesome.

Another awesome thing was that Bruise and Bucket (as she tells me that she is now to be called. *rolls eyes* At least you know who I'm talking about.) were very good for Sister D, who baby-sat them (In church, we call each other "Brother So-and-so" and Sister What's-her-head" ... you know what I mean. And I'm getting used to being called "Sister C" by my Young Women ... I mean, I don't look around for Michael's mom or sisters or aunt or something. But, really, they could just call me by my first name. I'm cool with that.).

Also good: Once Michael and I were at the dance, all the drugs that I took (RELAX. I took some Day-Quil, a couple snorts of Afrin, and a dose of ibuprofen. Yup, that's me hitting the HARD stuff. :P) finally kicked in and I was able to have a good time instead of feeling like Plague on a Stick. (As my nose starts pulling its Niagra-act again. *sigh*)

Okay, it's late. Bruise isn't sleeping well. I'm going to figure out what's wrong, fix it (I hope) and go to bed. And take off my shoes. My feet hurt.

Does It Make Me a Bad Mom

That I'm leaving the kids (mostly) to their own devices while I let Michael sleep off this cold, read through my mountain of books, and blow my nose and clear my throat?

Does it make it bett or worse that my sweet daughter runs up to me and declares, "I wearin' a SILLY HAT" ... and shows me that she's wearing a pair of her brother's underpants on her head?

How about when Bruise starts screeching about how those are HIS Bumblebee (Transformer) underpants, that I appease her by giving her a pair of Elmo underpants to wear on her head?

Okay, now I'm going to make myself some hot apple cider to heopfully make my throat feel less like I have a package of alternating cotton balls and sandpaper stuck in my throat.

My Day in List Form ... not quite in order. Oops.

• Michael came home sick
• Got lots of scripture story videos from my dear, shiney, lovely Dianne
• Mom went home
• She and I stocked the freezer with about five weeks' worth of dinners.
• Now I have no excuse for not having a hot dinner ready for my breadwinner when he comes home.
• Well, not until we eat up all the dinners.
• Went to the library.
• We bought Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day at Costco. WOOT!!
• Dianne also gave me a DVD of So I Married an Axe Murderer, which is an excellent movie. (Yeah, I know, you all are jeaaaaaalous. If only you all had a Dianne of your own. ... Because I don't know if I can bring myself to share her with all of you. She's just so pretty and shiney and wonderful ... and she's MY friend. MINE. But if she wants to be your friend, too, I SUPPOSE that I can share her with you.)
• I finished Dearly Devoted Dexter ... and, dude, I know that you're not supposed to LOVE a sociopathic muderer ... but, you know what? If loving this series and REALLY LIKING the main character is wrong? I don't want to be right. Because these are SO GOOD.
• Mom and I folded my laundry. (Yes, my mom is excellent. She might adopt you, too. If you're extra-nice. ^_^)
• I went to the library. Picked up LOTS of books. Now I just need to finish reading all the ones that I have.
• Mom and I went to the two bread stores in town. Mom's jealous that we have TWO bread stores in town. At the first one, I got two free bread things (opted for one loaf of bread and one bag of mini-bagels). At the second, since another lady didn't want her free stuff, I got FOUR free bread products (a bag of dinner rolls, two loaves of bread ... and Bruise chose a package of oatmeal cookies. Hey, I wasn't about to argue. The boy's got some good taste.)

Okay, that's the big part of what's gone on. Now to get the kids in bed, watch Bones, and take some Ny-Quil (yeah, I'm a little snuffy, too), and get through the mountain of books. ^_^

What would you suggest?

There I was, my dears, surfing my usual array of blogs ... and the phone rings.

So I answer it.

Now, usually I have a decent ear for voices ... I'll KNOW that I know who you are ... and I'll chat with you until I can make sure that I really can put your name with your voice.

And I'm a chatty-type of person.

So, I pick up the phone ... no one speaks, but I can hear stuff going on, so I stay on the line and say, "Helloooooooo? Hello??" and start singing the Jeopardy theme ... and I'm about to give it up, when a guy's voice says, "Allanna?"

"Hi! Yes, this is she."
"Hi"
"Um ..." I say, "What's up?"

And this guy is a soft talker ... so I can't quite figure out who he is. Almost sounds like my Ty-bro ... but not quite, because Ty would be making me nearly pee my pants with his jokes and conversation.

Also, Bruise comes over and is trying to get me to give him certain papers and things from my desk, which is NOT GONNA HAPPEN, so I ask soft-talker-dude-on-the-phone to speak up. MORE THAN ONCE.

"Your voice is sexy," he tells me. 

WHAaaa?? Seriously, what the H?!? WHERE in Hades or otherwhere does it seem like an appropriate or smart or whatever thing to do to tell some person (who's happily MARRIED and SURROUNDED BY HER CHILDREN) this??

Point: It's NOT.

FACT: I have a semi-healthy amount of self-esteem. However, there are not many people (especially guys) that I would feel comfortable with telling me that I am/sound/look/smell/whatever "sexy." ... I think that Michael's 90% of that list. I have some guy friends who are wonderfully platonic and decent that would not be ... WEIRD/PERVY/WHATEVER by telling me this. ... I can only think of ... well, maybe two. Three -- two that are practically my brothers (through our own adoption of each other) and one who is gay.

Yeah, completely weird-making. 

So I told this soft-talker that I thought he had the wrong phone number, GOODBYE. *click!*

I'm thinking that it was this magazine sales-guy who had called back (this was MONTHS ago) the next day, just to chat ... and it promptly got strange. And I told him that it wasn't appropriate and I thought it was a good idea if he didn't call back. Like, EVER. (Which, for me, is rather mean.)

It did sound like him. And he did seem to have this problem with me feeling weirded out. 
(The conversation went like this:
Me:Um, I really don't think that my husband would be comfortable with us having this conversation. [Meaning: Dude, you're weirding me out. I don't like it. And Michael wouldn't like it ... especially because it's weirding me out.]
Him: Do you have to tell him?
Me: [Thinking: Oh HELLS, YES, since you said THAT.] Yes, I tell him just about everything. I see no reason to hide anything from him. He's my husband.
[And, yes, I DO tell Michael just about everything. He's my bestest besty-friend])

So, yeah. I don't have Caller ID on the line that this soft-talker guy called on. I think he may have called again after I went to the shower. 

... Yes, I did what any normal woman would to after being phone-accosted:

I scrubbed out the shower stall and got dressed for my mother to come over.
Completely normal.

I also texted my husband and told him that I missed him. Because, dude, if he were here, he'd have told that soft-talker-stalker-dude what for.

Gosh, I wish Michael were here.

SO, my dears, what should I do? I'm hoping that soft-talker-dude NEVER calls again.
If he does, I'm going to tell him that this is entirely inappropriate and to never call here again.
I might try to get his name and information so that I can get the police involved if I have to ... but I worry that asking for that would only encourage him.
Maybe I could tell him that I died. And that this is her twin sister. The bounty hunter. Who's a double black belt in Judo and specializes in armed combat. Who served time for disembowling a dude, years ago, who called her sister a lightskirt. And who wouldn't have any issues taking out a hit on the guy who called her previously and propositioned her for phone sex. (Okay, it wasn't phone sex ... but it didn't feel like he was just making an innocent observation.)

INNOCENT OBSERVATIONS that wouldn't make me feel all yucky --

"Your voice sounds:"

• melifluous
• lilting
• husky
• raspy
• angellic
• fluting
• mild
• well-modulated

ANYTHING like that would be acceptable.

Anything sounding like flirting? Not quite so welcome.

Ew.

*shudders* 

I don't know WHY I get so freaked out by this. 
I'm just hoping that being firm about my version of "these are not the droids you're looking for," might have given him a little wake-up call that this is not any kind of attention that I'd welcome.

I think I'm going to curl up in a ball and pet my hair, okay?

Or, since my mom'll be here anytime, maybe I should do a load of laundry and finish up the dishes.

Or I could finish reading "Dearly Devoted Dexter" and imagine that Dexter would take this guy out if I needed him to. Yup, I do really like that sociopath. Something about how he TRIES to act like a normal person and how he LIKES and PROTECTS children ... and he tries to take care of his foster-sister and his girlfriend ... I just like it.

I don't watch the show, since we don't get that channel ... and we watched the premiere online (well-done, really ... but I don't care to hear that much cussing. Or else I'd probably watch Deadwood or something. Firefly is really about my speed, as far as language goes. ... However, for some reason, I can READ it and it doesn't seem to have such the impact. Why is this? ... Probably because I can edit it a little as I go. Whereas, when other people are SAYING it, it's a little jarring. Why is that?), but I do like the books better. Judging by the premiere, the television series stays pretty faithful to the books. Hard to judge from just one episode. You'll have to ask someone else, really.), but the books are good. I'm reading the second one right now. The first was EXCELLENT.

Talked to my mom. She says that I handled the soft-talker-dude well. *whew*

Hopefully this is the last time. I really hope so.

Any advice?

Catching up ...

I'm sory that I've been like the SUCKIEST blogger-friend in the universe. 

It's not that I don't love you. You KNOW that I do (happy belated heart day, btw). I'm just SO VERY unmotivated.

I did get most of the house cleaned before my folks-in-law came to spend the night. Cut Michael's hair a little (they showed up as I was changing to the second guard for the razor). Mom C did some of my dishes Saturday morning (Slightly enbarassing, but I was still glad that SOMEONE was doing them. ^_^).

V-day saw Michael coaching the YW basketball game. Then we met up with family in Portland for a little family Valentine's Day party. Which I spent most of the time playing with K's (T1's husband) Wii. (Yes, Jenny, I said it out loud there. JUST FOR YOU. ^_^ Still hilarious.)

C, Michael's brother spent hours playing with K's Wii with me. :P

Bruise and I (and then Bunny and I) (and then me by myself ... then Michael) tried playing Guitar Hero.
Let's just say that, "hitting it with my best shot"  ... Well, I really suck at it. And I couldn't blame it on having a toddler on my lap that time. Of course, Michael, who CAN play the bass well (when, he'd say he can play it, when he's been practicing. But, ehy! He's performed in public! More than once!) didn't do fantabulously ... Solely to make me feel better, I'm sure.

K, though ... He rocked it.

(note to self: work on my timing. With practice, I could rock, too.)

Then after some family rounds of "The Price is Right" (Hey! I actually one a showcase! Woot! Didn't think I would! ... Also, what would I DO with a Hovercraft?), C and I played, for ... oh,  about FOUR HOURS, the Lego Star Wars game.
... Maybe I should invest in the DS version. It was pretty fun. I did have K take over for me a few times (like I said, my timing sucks, so my jumps were often ill-timed. But I'm more than deadly with a light saber. And I prefer to play as Qui-Gon Jinn, since his hair is the most easily recognizable. ... Oh, and I SUCK MUCHLY at the pod-racing. Without Keith, we never would have passed that part. *sigh*). We got through the first episode. 

So, yeah, if I ever get a Wii of my own (heh heh ... I'm a GIRL! I don't have a Wii!! LOLZ), I think I'd want to get Boom Blox, since I'm okay at that ... and the Star Wars game, and Wii Fit ... so that I might actually, you know, have some motivation to work out. (And being told that I'm obese? Not news to me, darlings. So I could just glower at it in a not-at-all self-righteous way.

And I'd have to get a Disney Princess game for Bunny. And something Transformers for Bruise. Or maybe a racing game ... Bruise did over 100-grand of damage on one round of an auto-racing game. Heh heh. I've told C that maybe HE'll be the one to take my kids out driving.

Also, Bruise was reminiscing last night about how he "dwove DADDY twuck. And beeped da HORN!" ... And I was really amazed at this because (1) Bruise is not a HUGE talker very often (I mean, hey, he has to compete with VERY VERBAL Bunny and me) and (2) the event he's talking about was nearly a YEAR ago. As I put it, "Wow [Bruise]! I'm amazed that you remember all this! You were just a BABY back then!" And he just nodded.

Also, good news: I applied for health insurance again. ACCEPTED!!!!!!!! WOOT!!! Now I can not worry about breaking my HEAD or something!! YAY!! ... Now, hopefully we can afford it. *grim smile*

But, yay! Not every company is going to HATE me for having had a high-rish pregnancy!

Other good news: My cousin had her baby. He's healthy and they should be back at home.

Bad news: My mom's stove gave up the ghost.

Good news: She got a new one. With a 10-year waranty.

Really bad news: One of my friends, who was pregnant with twins, lost both her babies.
I feel SO terrible for her. Any advice on what might help her? Or just put her and her family in your prayers, meditations, wishes for good karma, whatever. Don't worry about naming her by name -- the Lord (Higher power, etc, etc, whatever you believe/don't believe in) knows who she is.

Sorry for including something so sad ... but it's been in my thoughts.

Well, it's about time to get the kidlets ready and in the car for church.

Oh, other good news: the boy is using the toilet. For both eliminations (to be tactful)! So we've graduated up to Pull-Ups. There are still some mistakes ... but we're SO much further. Phew!!

I have about a bazillion links to share. I'll try and do that sometime this week. Wish me luck!

stuff ...

So, I'm tired.

Big surprise there, huh? :P

I should get a few loads of laundry folded. I should make dinner. I should tell my dear hellions beloved loinspawn that it's not crying/whining/screaming time, it's NAPtime. Emphasis (BIG EMPHASIS) on N.A.P.time.

I should finish the load of dishes (hey, only ONE load, mind you! I've made some wild headway).

I should vacuum.

What am I going to do instead?

I'm going to run a warm bath and read a book that's due tomorrow. And I'm going to make dinner after that.

Because I need that bath. And I WANT to finish this book SO badly.
And I'm also going to watch the video that's due as well.

And I'm not going to worry my little head at all about the three DVDs that I haven't watched and will be turning in. Because I'm going to be okay. It's going to be cool. No one's going to judge me.

Right?

Here ye, Hear ye ...

Let it be known that I am, and will forever be known as 


SO, yeah.

And here's another meme:

-What time did you get up this morning? Around 7.

-Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. I can't hurt them as easily.

-What was the last film you saw at the cinema?  ... Oh!! The Dark Knight!! That's right!

-What is your favorite TV show? Jeopardy, House, Bones, Lie to Me, Fringe, Firefly (Shut up. I don't care if it hasn't been syndicated for YEARS. Still counts.), Daria (ditto.) ... VH1's Pop-up Videos ...

-What do you usually have for breakfast? ... That assumes that I really eat in the mornings. Sometimes I do.

-What is you middle name? Lee ... hence my blog's address ...

-What food do you dislike? I'm not a fan of seafood. And I think that corned beef hash is dog food marketed to humans (Sorry, honey. It's true.)

-What is your favorite CD at the moment? ... CDs?... I've been using my iPod for years.

-What kind of car do you drive? Honda Odyssey

-Favorite Sandwich? My mom's tuna salad sandwich (has minced carrots and dill pickles in there. I modified it by adding some cracked black pepper). Or turkey with cheese and dill pickles.

-What characteristic do you despise? Probably hypocrisy. Or maliciousness.

-Favorite item of clothing? Um ... Right now I really don't have one. Maybe my light-teal jacket that's in the wash right now.

-If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? How about a tour of the world? I mean, why not? I'd love to travel.

-Favorite brand of clothing? I don't really shop by brands. ... I do like the George line, though, at Wal-Mart.

-Where would you retire to? Michael likes the idea of a houseboat. I'm thinking about it.

-What was your most memorable birthday? It could be my 15th ... when I decided that I didn't really care for my birthdays so much after all. ... However, Dave singing to me in the cafeteria on my 18th was entertaining. It's nice to have talented/hilarious friends. :P

-Favorite sport to watch? I don't often watch sports. 

-When is your birthday? April 9

-What is your least favorite chore to do in the house? Dishes. And folding/putting away laundry. And vacuuming.

-Are you a morning or night person? I used to be a night owl. Now I don't know what I am. I'm too tired to figure it out.

-What is your shoe size? 8

-Pets? 1 cats -- Ginger and Diana

-What did you want to be when you were little? A doctor, a vet, a cheerleader, a detective, a writer, a world-famous pianist (but not enough to actually, you know, PRACTICE), an actress, a teacher, a cowgirl, a photographer, an artist ... What DIDN'T I want to be?

-How are you today? Tired. Lazy.

-What is your favorite candy? Chocolate, especially with caramel or peanut butter. Or sour things.

-What is your favorite flower? Roses, violets, carntions (not from the florists. I mean the ones that grew in the sun and wind and smell deliciously spicy).

-What day on the calender are you most looking forward to? "April 13. Because it's not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light sweater." (Yeah, I don't know. So you get a movie quote. Whee.)

-What was your maiden name if you are married? Dick. Stop laughing. I can show you my birth certificate and several student IDs to prove that I'm not pulling your leg on this.

-What are you listening to now? The Secret of NIHM, my typing, the kidlets (who are currently ENGROSSED in the movie. Phew!!)

-What was the last thing you ate? Toaster pastries from Costco.

-Do you wish on stars? Sometimes.

-What is your favorite color(s)? Teal, I think. Or baby-tea-rose pink. Or blue.

-How is the weather right now? As Bunny and Bruise would declare, "It FROGGY outside!" (Fog)

-The first person you spoke with on the phone today? T2 ... to recommend a doctor's office. Poor, sick girl.

-Favorite soft drink? Water. Or root beer. Or Raspberry Lemonade.

-Favorite restaurant? Probably Olive Garden.

-Real hair color? Dark blonde/light brown. What's on my head right now. Just about matches Bunny's hair. Weird.

-What was your favorite toy as a child? Books, My Little Ponies, Barbies

-Favorite season? They're all good. Especially when you have central air with a heat pump. SCORE!!!

-Hugs or kisses? Depends on who you are. If we're close, I can accept both. If we're not ... well, then hugs.

-Chocolate or vanilla? Yes.

-Coffee or tea? I drink herbal teas ... and HOT COCOA!!
But this video makes me laugh:

-When was the last time you cried? Yesterday. I was reading about the MissingAngelsBill.com (For families who've lost a baby through stillbirth. And how most states don't offer them a birth certificate, just a death certificate and a financial duty to bury their baby. Ouch. ... And there's also a group of volunteer photographers who, pro bono, take professional pictures of these babies for the families. I mean, this is a labor of love. It makes me proud of mankind ... and it starts to make up for all the crap that we, as a species, deal out on each other.)

-What is under your bed? Drawers. Full of stuff.
-What did you do last night? Went shopping at Costco, put the kids to bed, read blogs, went to bed, played Sukodu on my DS, went to sleep.

-What are you afraid of? Bad things happening. Debt. Spiders. "Carnies ... circus folk. Small hands. Smell like cabbage." (Can you name the movie?)

Sweet of salty? Yes. Sometimes at the same time!

How many keys on your key ring? LOTS. House (3, including the shop), mailbox, two for church, three for the cars (two are for the truck), a screwdriver, a Hello Kitty keychain ...

-How many years at your current job? Homemaker - since mid-December 2003. Mom --- well, do you include incubation time? If not, 3 years and 25 days.

-Favorite day of the week? Fridays and Saturdays

-How many towns have you lived in? 5 - My hometown (Canyonville), Seattle (1 year. Exactly), Monmouth (my college town), and two in the Willamette Valley.

-Do you make friends very easily? I seem to be able to make people feel comfortable. And I don't really mind reaching out, especially if it looks like someone feels out of place. You'll have to ask people that I've met recently, though, to get a really honest answer.