Taking Care of Business (Finally!)

Burgh Baby's Mom was kind enough to share the love long, long ago. And, I've completely slacked on all things related to bloggy love. Better late than never, eh? So, BBM, my freakily similar bloggy buddy, thank you.

I'm sending Nap Warden's award on to Veronica at Sleepless Nights, cause well, I can't stop reading her blog. And it's a really happy time over there right now, so it deserves some celebration!

The Blog Buddies Award I'm sending on to Confessions of a Coal Miner's Granddaughter, cause, again, I can't stop reading her blog. And I love when she pops up over here.

And now, knocking all this tag-you're-it stuff out of the way at once . . . on to Burgh Baby's Mom's tag for a meme.

5 things I want my kid to know:
1. It's better to be happy with yourself, than to be like everyone else.
2. Appreciate rainbows, fresh cut grass, glittering icicles and all the gifts of nature.
3. That money doesn't grow on trees, and things in life are rarely free, so learn to save.
4. Never hide intelligence or creativity.
5. Sometimes life's problems can be solved with milk and cookies and a good snuggle.

5 things you want to tell your child when she is grown up:
1. You are not defined by your relationship status. One plus one still makes two, and you should never change who you are for a man.
2. Explore the world at every chance you get.
3. About grandma, and great grandma, and why you need to know yourself.
4. It really is okay to start with dessert.
5. Work where you're happy, not where you're paid the most.

5 things you want to tell your child before you die:
1. You changed my life in ways you'll never know.
2. As much about your great grandpa as I can.
3. Why I fell in love with your father.
4. Always take pride in yourself and what you do. Do not settle for 'good enough'.
5. Secrets. My deep, dark, oldest secrets.

5 things you want your child to know before she dies:
1. Satisfaction, with anything - love, family, work, yourself.
2. Why baby hugs are so special.
3. How the mist of a waterfall feels, how wind on top of a mountain feels, and how ocean waves feel.
4. Devotion. Old fashioned devotion to something that draws you deeply.
5. More than me. If I can share as much as I know, then you can know so much more.

Tag-you're-it to Jenn at Life on the Roof, and anyone else who wants it.

Christmas Past, Present and Future

Burgh Baby's Mom has requested my participation in her very own meme. Again, I'm honored that I'm that interesting. So, in accordance with rule number one, here is the list of my favorite childhood Christmas gift, my favorite gift that I received as an adult, and a gift that I would like to receive in the future. As for the rest of the rules, I'll only partly follow them. I hate tagging people, so I'll just do two, instead of the requested three. Colleen at A Madison Mom and Jenn at Life on the Roof.

Christmas Past:
I was (and admittedly still am) very spoiled. I got a pony for Christmas one year. Seriously. A pony. Kinda hard to top that, but something did. Long, long ago I used to dream that I would be a hockey player. I must have been 8 or 9, and couldn't skate to save my life. But, oh, I was going to learn. That year my parents surprised me with a set of hockey sticks and some pucks. As my mom and stick-in-the-mud sister stayed inside, my dad and I spent hours on the frozen driveway. We had a make-shift goal and everything. I still can't skate to save my life, but I cried a little inside when we sold those sticks at a garage sale recently.

Christmas Present:
I'd love to be sappy on this one and claim some heartfelt, romantic gift from my husband is my favorite, but I can't. I can't pull myself away (or my feet out of) my boots. Nothing romantic about boots. Practical. Yes, very, very practical. And they were all M's idea, so that makes them even better. He suggested, I said "sure honey" and they arrived at my doorstep. That's the kind of Christmas presents we do. Two months in advance and picked out together.

A good second runner up would be each of the ornaments my mother has given me. Each year we both try to find a few special and unique ornaments to give each other. Sure, she may have crazy taste, and may leave me wondering what she was thinking . . . but I can always get her back the next year.

Christmas Future:
This is the section I have reserved to be sappy. All I want for Christmas is my husband, my daughter and our home, wherever it may be. Waking up on Christmas morning and making waffles and watching the parade while E rips open presents. No staying at a relatives house, no planning three different locations in one day. Maybe some day . . .

However, a super awesome photo printer that would allow me to never have to rely on Target or Walmart for my prints would be just excellent. :-D

7 things about me meme . . . meme me me . . .

So many exciting things in one day! (yes, my life really is that dull that I do get excited about things like this). Burgh Baby's Mom tagged me for 7 random things about me. So, here we go.

1. I cannot go to bed at night without crossing the day off my calendar.

I will actually get up from my warm, cozy bed to go do that. Each day crossed off is another day closer to the end of this longest year.

2. This one time, at band camp . . .

I met a boy, but he was dating my best friend. Well, I married that boy, and that best friend is a wonderful lady that I still love to talk to.

3. I will eat that entire super-size box of cereal.

So rarely do I have milk in the fridge that isn't spoiled or iffy, that when I do get cereal and milk, I'll eat the whole box in just a few days (or less). That way I don't have to worry about the milk spoiling before I eat the cereal.

4. As a teenager, I spent my Friday nights in a marching band uniform and the rest of the weekend at horse shows.

I showed competitively in the American Quarter Horse Association shows in this state and the next one over. Some years I kicked ass, and some years I got my ass kicked. I'm glad I stopped showing and took time for myself once I graduated high school, but I always kind of miss that lifestyle.

5. I went clubbing in Russia when I was 16.

Bookworm, dorky, boring, never-do-wrong . . . and there I went. With my school's popular' girls and everything. Of course, they never talked to me again after that night (I think they asked me to go because I knew more of the language than all of them put together), but still. There I was, attempting to dance to funky techno in St. Peterburg's biggest nightclub. That is also the night we crammed 8 people into a Lada to get us back to our host families. Who had all encouraged us to go out. Ahh, Russia.

6. I got my first job when I was 13.

The family run, local ice cream and drive-in joint. Labor laws? Pshaw, who cares about those. That was one of the most fun jobs I've ever held (well, actually, I think all of my jobs have been fun - B&BW, hotels, nursery - they've all been fun in their own ways). Probably the fact that two of my best friends worked there as well boosted the fun-ness.

7. I am 7 pounds lighter than I was 10 years ago.

That's right. You can hate me. My driver's license has had the same weight on it since I got it, and here I am, wedding ring so loose I have to wear it on my middle finger and fitting into clothes I never thought I'd see again. All but one pair of my pants can be taken on and off without unbuttoning. I think I need to go shopping.

So. There's that. And now, I tag everyone who reads this :-) (Yes, I'm actually just that lazy that I don't want to have to single someone out - so tag! You're all it!)