Blog Challenge #1: Melinda

Consider the guilt and pressure applied, Julie! Here we go!

1. I love peanut butter, but it has to be Skippy.
2. Growing up, every New Year's Eve we would put down our predictions for the new year. Every year I wrote down that the price of peanut butter would go up. Not only was this hysterical, but it was true!
3. When I grow up, I want to be Mrs. Dr. Beach.
4. I have an equally large high heel and sneaker collection.
5. My nieces and nephews are cuter than yours.
6. There is nothing better than a Summer night, driving with my sun roof open, an ice cold Dr. Pepper in the cup holder, and a little Journey blasting from the radio.
7. I have a thing for drummers.
8. I love going out to lunch. One of my favorite memories is when mom would pull me out of school on my birthday and take me to lunch.
9. My first CD was the soundtrack to Pretty Woman.
10. I want to hang out with Oprah, Dolly Parton and Charo.

Blog Challenge #1: Kristen

1. I always breathe a sigh of contentment when I walk in my front door.

2. Pizza always sounds good to me. 

3. Mornings are my hardest time of the day. Like Julie, I also don't like to talk in the morning!  My boss now knows that I can respond to questions in the morning, but I will not initiate conversations until I am ready.  

4. I want to go everywhere.

5. I wear a lot of cardigans (see above).

6. Secret: I am more content in my 30s than I was in my 20s.

7. I like to challenge myself.

8. I say "That's nuts!" too much.

9. I don't like going from one thing to the next.  I like to have breaks.

10. I love getting my Entertainment Weekly on Fridays.

Blog Challenge #1 - Picture of Yourself with 10 Facts

I saw a cute idea on another blog that I read where you post a picture along with some information based on a weekly theme and thought it would be a fun way to write about some different things our blog.  I still like blogging.  I'm not into FB and haven't caught on to Instagram.  I just really like looking back on things we've done through the year with pictures and commentary.  So, here goes . . . and hopefully my sisters tag along . . . especially Melinda (with a little guilt and some pressure).

Blog Challenge #1 - A Picture of Yourself with 10 Facts

1.  I sure do love these Rampage boots!
2.  I don't like to talk in the morning. It takes me a while to ease into the day. 
3.  I love eating a lemon and cherry Starburst together.
4.  I love a classic cheeseburger from Hires Big H with fries, sauce and either a frosty mug of rootbeer or a cherry limeade.  As Jena would say. . . De-licious!
5.  My favorite button on the remote is the sleep function.  I like to fall asleep to noise, but don't want the TV on all night when I finally drift off.
6.  I love choosing whatever temperature I want for my home.  It's quite cold outside, so currently I'm enjoying 76 degrees.
7.  You know how some people have a hard time relaxing and just doing nothing?  I am not one of those people.
8.  I am easily distracted and equally forgetful.  Yet, I can also remember a lot of random things.  Go figure.
9.  My must-haves when traveling are my eyelash curler and mascara.
10.  My new favorite restaurant for lunch is Bambara. 

Weird Moments

Do you ever have those weird moments when you're driving on a road near your house, and you look at the car in front of you and you realize - I've sat behind this car before.

Exhibit A: This truck, with a license plate cover that says: "Ask me what I love the most." And the license plate says: "TOAST."  As soon as I saw that truck, I knew I had seen it before.  I mean, how can you forget such a strange/nonsensical license plate? (really, you like toast THAT much?  I mean it's good, but...)

It just gets you thinking, how many other cars do you sit behind every day that you've seen before and DON'T recognize?  And isn't it weird how paths cross like that, even though you've never met, and probably never will?

Chew On This!

There are many times I’m grateful I’m not the Relief Society President. A couple of weeks ago, I was conducting, and the President said told me that she needed to take a few minutes at the end of the meeting to make an announcement. So, the end of the meeting comes, and I sit down and wait to hear something about the new manuals, or visiting teaching. Instead, we got to hear this: “The Bishop has asked me to announce that there have been multiple complaints about excessive PDA in Sacrament Meeting…(insert awkward pause)…in particular, there has been a problem with ear biting. We know you are excited to see your husbands after a couple of hours, but please remember that there are other people around you, and we are here to worship.” Best.announcement.EVER! But the best part about this announcement was that the older sisters in the ward could not hear what she was saying, and she had to repeat it THREE times. This was followed by these same sisters whisper yelling, “What’s PDA?” and “Did she say ear biting? That doesn’t make any sense—I think she said how exciting.” And you thought the Singles wards had all the fun. We meet at 10:50 for anyone who wants to come over.

Irrational Fear

Is it just me, or does anyone else always fear that the doors are NOT going to open automatically like they say they will in the car wash?  I always picture myself becoming a wet and soggy mess trying to escape. 

It's just me, isn't it??

I Heart Amazon Prime!

Many friends were surprised that I was not already a subscriber to Amazon Prime.  So, after checking it out and committing to the annual fee . . . I can't believe that it took me so long.  I am in LOVE with this service and feel like I have already made my money back.  I haven't even touched the surface for the shows that are available through Prime as well.  What's a dream to this online shopper is the no minimum amount for 2-day shipping!  I always have lots of things in my Amazon cart just waiting . . . waiting for the right time to buy or waiting until I meet the minimum amount for the free shipping.  And even with the free shipping . . . it would take 5-9 days.  So I would purchase and then eagerly track my the arrival of my package.  Now, with no minimum, I can purchase and have things on my doorstep so quick.  I can always think of things I need - but it's often too late to go out, I don't want to trek the 7 miles to a store or I'm just not around to get some shopping done.  So far, I've ordered everything from toilet bowl cleaner to peanut butter and movies to computer accessories.  Remember when Amazon was just books?  I think this site is brilliant!

New Scriptures

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a new set of scriptures.  Believe it or not, the scriptures I have had since I was eight were wearing out.  I found this website: http://www.customldsscriptures.com/products/ that custom-binds LDS scriptures and got to choose what colors and leathers I wanted.

I was very pleased with the result (on the right).  I Santa went with a two-tone brown with green ribbons. Look how huuuge my old scriptures are compared to the new ones. 

Favorite Things Party

  Just after Christmas some of my neighborhood friends and I got together for a Favorite Things Party and dinner.  Turns out lots of other people had the same idea to eat at Texas Roadhouse that night as we had a long wait.  And then, once we got our seats, it was so noisy.  But, regardless of that, we always manage to have a great time together.

Camille, Mandy and Meredith

 Julie and Jimena

Each person brought a Favorite Thing that was $5 or less for each person.  Camille's was hilarious as she got us all different hair colors since she is constantly changing her hair color - from bleached blonde to purple and everything in between.  She also gave some Burt's Bees lip balm that had already made it to my purse instead of in the picture.  Meredith brought us the delicious brownies from Kneaders.  Jimena brought the lovely smelling Bath and Body soaps.  Mandy brought us a gift card to Costa Vida and peanut M&M's . . . plus a special photo of the RS Queens from our Christmas gift deliveries . . . so great!  I brought my favorite recipes for Pina Coladas and Guacamole as well as the pineapple juice and cream of coconut to make the yummy drink (forever thanks to Holli for that one!)

Family Night Fun

We got together on Sunday for our monthly Family Night.  Brian's family was in charge of the game and we played a classic Bird family activity that was lots of fun.  You gather around a table, preferably round, and blow a ping pong ball around.  No hands are allowed and you can't let it drop on your side of the table.  We used to play this at home with Mom at our New Year's Eve parties and it was hilarious as she had absolutely no wind power and would just laugh and laugh as the ball came towards her . . . so of course . . . everyone went for the kill with her weak spot.  I think I have inherited that laugh and lack of wind power.  I was no good at all . . . but what a hoot it was to watch everyone.  Grandpa Gary has quite the blowing strength!