My "bee", Skinny Dipping & Scrabble

DJ Kirby tagged me.

Instructions:
A) Answer the questions below, do a Google Image search with your answer, take a picture from the first page of results, and do it with minimal words of explanation.
B) Tag 5 other people to do the same once you’ve finished answering every question.

1) The age you will be on your next birthday: Thirty Six!
2. Your Favourite Place where you want to travel to: Disney World!
3. Your favourite Place: My bed with my favorite blanket. 4. Your Favourite Food: Pink Lady Apples. 5. Your Favourite Pet: Darwin, my dog. Darwin is a star! He was all over the Google page.6. Your Favourite Colour Combination: Red & Black. 7. Your Favourite Piece of Clothing: Thigh high stockings.8. Your Favourite TV Show: Mad Men. 9. First Name of Your Significant Other: Joseph. 10. The Town in which you Live: Fort Wayne.
11. Your First Job: Babysitter.
12. Your Dream Job: Advocate. 13. A Bad Habit You Have: Cracking my neck.
14. Your Worst Fear: Being trapped under ice. 15. What you would like to do before you die: Skinny dip some more.
I was tagged by Pregnantly Plump for the How Random Can I Get? Seven Things About Me List. I did this tag last January but there is always more to say!
1. I don't eat candy or drink sodas anymore. I am so over those sugary obsessions.
2. Sometimes I miss my "bee" (blankie) from when I was a little kiddo.
3. I have started to run and I love it.
4. We don't have any house plants...I always kill them.
5. My favorite game is Scrabble.
6. I am allergic to smoke and get super sick when exposed. It sucks.
7. I require a lot of alone time to function well.

I am going to tag seven people and feel free to do both tags or choose one or do none at all. As always, anyone can do these tags if you feel so inclined. Have fun!
Meljo
Day in the Life of a Disabled Mom
Easily Confused
Is this what you do all day?
Stuff in my Brain
The House that Osh Built
Wishing and Discovering

Gems, Canonization, Chanel Lipstick, Urban Exploring and Webkinz..Five Things Meme

I was tagged by Niksmom at Maternal Instincts...Flying By the Seat of My Pants.
I am way behind on tags. I don't think I will be able to catch up so I am starting fresh. Please don't be upset if you tagged me and I never accomplished the tag. Some are more appealing to me than others and once I start procrastinating...well, you know how it goes.

Five things found in your bag: An adorable note I found where Maizie was figuring out how many gems she had left to find. I put it in my purse and enjoy looking at it when I am bored.Above: A canonization card for Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto. They were said to have seen an angel three times and Mary six times. I picked this up somewhere and loved the picture. Below: Maizie's I.D. bracelet that needs to be updated again. I have got to get that done!

Above: My lovely tube of Chanel lipstick. Color is Santa Barbara. Melissa gave me this in return for some portraits I took of Alex.

Below: Saf-T-Pops sucker put in my purse by Maizie. She gets these at Pizza Hut and always wants to save them for later. They sit in my purse and get all nasty and then I throw them out.

Five favorite things in your room.

A family portrait Maizie drew spontaneously at about age four. Guess who is in the middle.

My "Surrender" rock that I bought myself when Maizie was placed into foster care at age three months due to an adoption reversal risk. It reminds me that God is in control.

My Bunnykins mug. I had this since I was a child. I was always fascinated with the image. Inside the mug I keep a picture of my Grandfather, his brother and their German Shepherd.

Need I even explain? I love Joe and this apple was a gift I gave him when we were dating back in 1992.

My antique Alice in Wonderland books given to me by my Mom.

Five things you have always wanted to do.
*Go on an artist's retreat somewhere warm and beautiful.

*Urban Exploring On a grander scale than I have done in the past.

*Visit Africa

* Spend at least one full hour watching an animal of interest at the zoo.

* Go to Israel with Joe.

Five things you are currently into.
*Playing Webkinz with Maizie

*Lost

*Planning a Weekend Away

*Reorganizing/Decorating House

*Photography

Five people you’d like to tag.Meljo, Pregnantly Plump, Gathering Up the Pebbles, Is This What You Do All Day?, Autism Blog

Cool Awards and A Book Tag Help me Escape A Bit!

In an effort to divert my attention from our ongoing saga here I am going to show off a few of my awards. This awesome eagle attitude award reminds me of my favorite show The Colbert Report (yeah, I really think Colbert is hot...I can't help it) was given to me by Tulip Mom. Thank you so much. I don't always have the best attitude but I am certainly known as having "attitude". I am pleased to pass this award on to Pregnantly Plump. I can always visit lil' Elvis and his mama at Pregnantly Plump if I need to smile. Her videos are adorable and her positive and playful attitude towards motherhood is always inspiring.



My second award was given to me by Find Out What Jen Finds. I was given this, "chaste kiss given to say thank you for friendships and comments in the blogosphere." I am going to pass this one onto the first blogger who can leave a comment telling me what my most favoritest candy is!!!!!!! I have mentioned two types of candy in my posts. Either one will get you the award. Hurry! Comment now if you wanna kiss!

Lastly, I have a tag from Gathering Up the Pebbles. Okay....I admit it. I am behind on tags and have even lost track of some of the tags I need to be doing. Please forgive me. My memory has been having issues and these last four weeks have really made keeping up with blogging a challenge. I know...blah...blah...blah....cry me a river. But, this tag....now this tag I love. It is easy, quick and a tad bit weird.

The rules: Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!) Find Page 123. Find the first 5 sentences. Post the next 3 sentences. Tag 5 people.

The Book: Walking in Circles Before Lying Down by Merrill Markoe

The Five Sentences:

"I always know everything about someone in under three minutes."

"You don't know shit, 'I said. "That guy just stood me up.

Your 'under three minutes' thing is completely bogus. And

your instincts have been compromised by crackers."

Now for the five lucky ones to complete this tag. I was going to say some "bigger" words but Blogger seems to be still having trouble with the spell checker. Argh! So, I will keep my vocabulary simple because my spelling sucks.

1. I am Not Wrong

2. Find Out What Jen Finds

3. From Here to There and Back

4. Meljo

5. Is This What You Do All Day

Seven Interesting, True or Weird Things About Me!

I was tagged for the same tag by two of my favorite bloggers, Fragile What and Stuff in My Brain. Both blog about their lives. Personal blogs are my favorite.

I have to list seven unique things about myself that people may not know. They should be interesting, weird or true. Then, I tag seven more amazingly wonderful bloggers to do the same.

One: Stuff in My Brain was talking about how he does finger games and it reminded me of a weird thing I do. When I am driving or walking or thinking...okay I guess I do this a lot...I will use my pointer finger to write out words that I see or write out one word that has to do with something I am thinking. I trace the letters in a small fashion in the hopes that no one will notice what I am doing. Joe always notices and finds it kinda funny when I do this. He will ask, "What are you writing?!" Usually, I don't really realize I am doing it. I guess it helps me focus or not focus on something.

Two: I like urban decay. I do appreciate the homes near us that are kept up and nice looking but I also enjoy looking at the ones that are really run down. We have a lot of condemned houses in our neighborhood and I enjoy looking at them and wondering what brought them to their decrepit state. I enjoy driving under bridges that are practically falling apart, we have a few of these in our neighborhood. I like the way the stone is breaking apart from the wall and I see designs within the areas that are falling apart. I love alleys and seeing the backs of houses, mainly janky looking ones. It brings me great joy to drive through ghost towns and see any abandoned buildings. If I could I would be one of those people that breaks into abandoned buildings and photographically documents what they find. I believe they are called Urban Explorers. I have extensive photos of some places I have been but Joe would not allow me to go inside. He is the wise one in the family!
Three: I love wearing my hair in pig tails. I love it even more when Maizie and I both have our hair in pig tails.
Four: I love dry erase boards. If I had my own studio I would have one wall be a giant dry erase board. I think Maizie would like it too.Five: There are some days when I feel homesick for New Jersey. Despite my employment challenges and other mishaps there are certain days where I feel "itchy" and misplaced. It feels like I am not where I am supposed to be, even still. Which, to me...is just plain weird. Or maybe it is just a craving for Bachagaloops Pizza.

Six: Sometimes I miss my sister Melissa so much that it physically hurts.


Seven: If I could take my dog Darwin with me everywhere I go, I would.

Now I will tag seven others. If you have time please do the above tag and have fun with it! Hopefully none of you have all ready done this particular tag! Can't wait to see what you all come up with!

1. Pregnantly Plump

2. Kelly Miller

3. Mejo

4. Why Cats Are Better Than Dogs

5. Autista

6. Grace Under Autism

7. I'm Not Wrong

Looking Up and My Sister's Weird Tag

Things have been going much better. Maizie had the ECHO of her heart today and she did a great job. She cried just a little bit but I don't think the technician even noticed. She was very proud of herself when we came home and said she did not like the cold "goo".

Maizie has been on a homeschooling work binge. Just goes to show me....once again that Maizie works when she is ready to work. Like she has said to me many times before, "I will do it when my brain wants to do it." We did homeschooling pretty much all day today and yesterday. Except for the nice nap I was able to fit in while she played quietly in her room. Wonderful!

My little sister Melissa tagged me. Melissa has a way of asking lots of strange questions for the fun of it. She finds great joy in the, "Would you rather do this or that?" sort of questions. So.....hold on because some of them are sure to be a tad....ummm....odd. They start out simple enough.

Favorite sound? Waves while sitting on a boat or the beach. Being snuggled in bed when it is super windy, rainy and thundering out. I love listening to storms.

movie? Annie Hall

childhood memory?
playing hide and go seek with my neighborhood friends till late at night

childhood crush? I am assuming this should be a famous person. This is totally embarrassing. Corey Haim

adult crush? Corey Haim. Just kidding. However, I was addicted to the show The Two Coreys.No, seriously.....ummmm.....Leonardo Di Caprio, John Tuturro, Edward Norton


indulgences? Estee Lauder, Clarins, in a nut shell...expensive skin care

biggest irrational fear? I have too many real fears to worry about irrational ones. :) I don't know if it means anything but I always have dreams about drowning. I love swimming so who knows what that means.

Would you rather………eat one small roach or 100 ants? A roach. One bite and it would be done. No problem. Yummy! I would try not to pick one this big though!
compulsively toot in front of others or make loud siren noises with your mouth in the middle of conversations with others without explaining or saying excuse me after either act?
Melissa! Are you trying to tell me something? You know I love making those siren noises!

have ALL your walls painted FUSCIA and baby poop green for five years or live in a tent for three months and have to continue with your daily lives?

If I had to choose it would be the poop green walls. I could not live in a tent for three months. Not with my current life, doing my daily things, not with my child. No way. Never. Unless a natural disaster made it necessary, but that would in no way be my normal daily life.

have your family missing for one year but returned unharmed, healthy, and happy, life returns to normal, or have to go without seeing them for 3 years but you know where they are you just can’t talk to them or see them?
Melissa, you are one weird cookie and that is why I love you so much. Well, this is a terrible question to have to answer. Would I know they would be returned healthy after a year, if I knew it I would go with the first option. If I did not know where they were or if they would be returned I would choose the second option. A year of not knowing would probably kill me.

I am going to pass this tag on to.....Drama Mama at Like A Shark

Christmas Memories

I was tagged by Mother of Many at Autism-A Blog on the Spectrum.

"When people say 'Christmas' you immediately think..." I can't wait for Christmas!

"Favourite Christmas memory..."Bringing Maizie home from the hospital on Christmas Eve! Even though her adoption was very difficult this night was special.

"Favourite Christmas song/carol..."Let It Snow! I enjoy being snow bound, eating popcorn and all that lovey stuff.

"Favourite Christmas movie..." The Bells of Saint Mary "Favourite Christmas character..." Mr. Magoo "Favourite Christmas ornament/object..." This nun that belonged to my Grandmother Mercedes Fauchier.
"Plans for this Christmas..." This year we will go to church, have a few friends over for Christmas Eve, eat lots of food and play games. The next morning we will open presents from Santa and then go to my parent's house for dinner. We try to keep it low key.

"Is Christmas your favourite holiday?" I do love Christmas but I think I like my birthday more.

I am going to tagMelissa (maybe this will get her back in the mood to blog:)

Maizie

Dakota Blue Eyes

Angie

8 Things Tag

Crystal Jigsaw was tagged and was generous enough to tag everyone who reads her blog. So, here I go. This is a long one. I like a challenge! I am going to tag my little sister Melissa at Meljo, Beth at Filling Our Quiver With Blessings, Angie at Gathering Up the Pebbles and Elizabeth at Screw Bronze. Enjoy or don't enjoy. It's up to you lovely ladies. Oh, and I can't believe I forgot to tag Stinking Billy!


8 Things I am Passionate About
*Joe & Maizie
*all of my wonderful extended family
*my daughter's education
*my dogs Darwin & Stella
*my spirituality
*education rights for children with learning difficulties/advocacy
*Candy of various sorts
*my camera


8 Things to do Before I Die
*Go to Disney World about four more times
*Parachute Jump out of plane
*Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
*Skinny Dipping in my OWN pool
*Visit the rest of the U.S. states
*Vacation in Australia
*get another tattoo
*have a country home with more animals


8 Things I Often Say
*Joe...why don't you______.
*Joe...I'm gonna let you drive.
*Lets blow this Popsicle stand.
*That movie with that one guy in it...you know? That one movie!
*Stellllllaaaaaa!
*Maizie....what are you doing?!
*Joe....will you do me a really big favor?
*Oh...shit! I just lost my blog post!


8 Books I've Read Recently
(I keep track of most on my blog so I will add a few I have not tracked recently)
*97 Ways to Make A Dog Smile by Jenny Langbehn
*The Well Adjusted Child-The Social Benefits of Homeschooling by Rachel Gathercole
*Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves by Alison McKee
*Snog: A Puppy's Guide to Love by Rachael Hale
*Arrogance Joanna Scott
*Astrid & Veronika Linda Olsson
*Best Friends Martha Moody


8 Songs/pieces of music I could listen to over and over
*This is Not a Love Song P.I.L./Public Image Ltd.
*You Can't Always Get What You Want Rolling Stones
*Close to Me The Cure
*Cuts You Up Peter Murphy
*Just Like Heaven The Cure
*My Darling Child Sinead O'Connor
*Go! Tones on Tail
*Go Your Own Way Fleetwood Mac


8 Qualities I Look for in a Best Friend
*fun
*honest
*giving
*intelligent
*listens
*positive more than negative
*striving to be better in their life
*comfortable to be with/I can be "me"

Tagged!

Angie tagged me! This is the first time I have been tagged so I am pretty excited! So, I need to write seven random things people might not know about me. Here goes!

1. When I was eight I took piano lessons at my Catholic School from a nun. She would hit my hands hard with a pencil whenever I made a mistake. I was always making mistakes and cried during every lesson.

2. My favorite thing is to eat candy in the bath tub, preferably...Swedish Fish. Then, crawl into bed with fresh clean bedding.
3. When Joe and I lived in Jersey we frequently went skinny dipping in our neighbors pool late at night. It was by far one of the best feelings I have ever had.

4. When I was a little kid I was trying to show off by swimming out to a dock in the lake with my best friend. I felt myself being pulled under while my friend was shouting, "Look at me! I did it!" My dad dove in and saved me. He was my hero forever after that.

5. I have lived in two houses that I am sure are haunted. One was my childhood house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where a tall old woman was repeatedly seen staring out the windows at us as we played in the yard. The second house was in the Knolls with Joe here in Indiana. Lights turned on after I turned them off. We often heard sounds like fists pounding on the walls and heavy footsteps running across the roof. Neither of us ever felt safe or comfy in that house.

6. I have a fascination with religious icons and saints. I am particularly fond of Saint Rita and Saint Marguerite.

7. I frequently reverse and mix up common sayings. I have difficulty pronouncing certain words. An example is when I say, "hut dog" instead of "hot dog".

Now, I am going to tag some fellow bloggers. Fun! I don't know if I can think of seven but I will try.

Joe (my supportive, funny and hot husband)
Tim (my brother in law who is busy buying a house and moving but hopefully he will have time)
Maizie (my adorable angel child)
Moreah (Maizie's homeschooling friend and neighbor)
Onika (Moreah's sister and Maizie's homeschooling friend and neighbor)