Steph and I are TIGHT like that.

As some of you know, Stephenie Meyer did a book signing tour that included visits to only four cities; Seattle being one of them. She filled Benaroya Hall with 2000 Twilighters. Every here and there would be some poor dude sitting by his wife wearing a Tshirt that said "I'M HER EDWARD", but mostly it was a total estrogen fest. Justin Furstenfeld, the lead singer of Blue October, opened for Stephenie with an acoustic set. He sounded exactly the same live as he does recorded, with only a little less accuracy in his pitch. I was very impressed. Then, he introduced Ms. Meyer. If I'd closed my eyes and focused on the screams, I would have had myself convinced I was about the see The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan show! Stephenie was a delightful person. She answered each question eloquently and with a great deal of charm. Almost all of the beef I laid out in my last post was addressed. I still maintain that MY ending would have been better, but at least now I understand what she was thinking.

After answering a handful of questions, she brought Justin back out on stage. He sat across from her and we watched them banter back & forth for a while. They had an adorable friendship. I could tell he was censoring his language for her, which was cute. And BOY was he workin the girl crowd! He told a story about woman he met several years ago who had completely flattened him; took his breath away. He'd never had such a strong reaction to a girl before. He was with her every minute of the day for as long as he was in her city, but eventually he had to go home and the pain of that was debilitating. He called his mom to get her advice. "How can I make this work when our lives are on opposite ends of the country?" She said to him, "Oh Honey, you can't. It's OK. She's your Never Girl." That night he wrote the song My Never. He finished the story by saying, "I wrote it for my Never girl." *dramatic pause* "And now she's my wife." The reaction was priceless. A combination of awww's and cheers and hopeful squeals of delight. *snort* WOMEN.

OK, I cheered too.



As Stephenie stood and delivered a heartfelt Thank You to her fans, my friends and I made a MAD DASH for the door! It doesn't take much imagination to estimate how long it will take one woman to sign two thousand books, and we didn't want to be at the end of THAT line! We ran for the other side of the building like we were being chased by the Volturi. Got pretty close to the front too! We spent our time in line rehearsing the many possibilities of what we could say to her in two seconds. The comments ranged from, "a MENTAL BATTLE?! How the HELL is that better than a rumble?!" ...to... "OMG, will you please write my wedding vows? Here's my number." We only stood in line for about 20 minutes before she was there, close enough to SLAP for that dumbass name! Kristen told her she was AMAZING, and Stephenie told Kristen she was SO AWESOME and thanked her. I made a little joke by counting up as she signed. "501, 502, 503..." I must have been in her head, cuz she busted up laughing. I'm sure she'll recognize me next time we meet. Julia said "I love you!" and Stephenie stood up and said, "OMG I want to BE you!" Well, maybe that didn't happen, but that's what Julia's going to tell everyone.


We went out to dinner and analyzed every moment of the evening. A woman walking past our table caught pieces of the conversation and jumped in with her thoughts as well. Twilighters everywhere. Almost two hours later we walked past Benaroya again, and the line was still FILLING THE ROOM, not even half way gone! People must have been there for HOURS. Better them than me.

I'm a little sad to be writing this, because it means the end of a wonderful obsession. On the flip side, I'm glad Stephenie is ending the story now or she'll find a way to make a Mormon sized family out of this, and Renesmee will have a brother named Bellard. Perhaps a sister named Edwella? Rosalice? Jassett! I better stop now before my gag reflex kicks in again. Thank you for Twilight, Stephenie. It was a great ride!

Breaking Down Breaking Dawn

Alright Twilighters... Let's discuss.

There were quite a few things about this book that I loved, and quite a few that I hated. I'll vent my angst first so we can end on a positive note.

First of all: RENESMEE?!
What.
The.
HELL.
I could not say that name without laughing out loud. RIDICULOUS. I am, therefore, boycotting the name and will henceforth refer to her as 'Carlie'.

Secondly, I was a little weirded out by the pregnancy angle. I got used to the idea and ultimately liked the story, but I find it strange that Edward can't so much as squeeze out a tear, but he's got the fluid to impregnate a woman? Riiiiight. I'm not asking for a 'realistic Vampire story', but a make-believe world has to be consistent. That's why we buy it.

Moving on... I almost lost all affection for Edward when he tried to whore out his wife to his rival. I can forgive him for hating his "monster" child, but volunteering Bella for conjugal visits to a man she had rejected? What a douche bag! Then Bella guesses what he did and isn't upset about it? That would be a deal breaker in a healthy relationship.

I would have liked to've seen Edward as a father. If he's capable of the kind of love he has for Bella, he should have made a ROCK STAR daddy. But his relationship with his daughter wasn't given any warmth or attention. That was a shame cuz nothing is sexier than a good dad and it might have helped me forgive his stint as a pimp. I also felt like he was just a secondary character in this book. He no longer dominated Bella's thoughts, so we didn't see or hear as much from him. Where was my Edward, the hero? I know the point was to make BELLA the hero this time, and the feminist in me rejoices at that, but I missed the old Edward.

While the JACOB section was interesting and I enjoyed being in his head, what was with the Leah thing? Why take the time to develop her character and then just leave her storyline hanging in the wind? I think maybe it was an attempted fake out for Jacob's love life so we wouldn't suspect how it was really heading (which didn't work as we had it figured out LONG before it happened) but ultimately, most that section was a distraction from the heart of the story.

After Bella's transformation, a lot of time was spent while they basked in their happy situation. While I LOVED seeing them happy, I was a bit eager to see what was going to happen next. So I found myself getting bored with it. I would have eaten it up if she'd gone into that detail AFTER the Volturi trouble had passed. As it was, I found the pace of the last half of the book to be very irritating.

And what the HELL is with the 300 page build up to a war that never took place! And not once, but TWICE. The first being the scrimmage between the vampires and the werewolves that got dropped like a rock. After all that build up, she just spent a few paragraphs explaining that everything was OK now. I would have liked to have SEEN things resolve! And don't even GET me started on the final battle. This was how things ended with the Volturi in book 2 AND in book 3... in LIMBO. You can't finish a series in limbo!!! I wanted closure there! Those betches needed to go DOWN. I wanted a RUMBLE! Here's how it goes in my head:

Tensions are high, the war is about to begin, the other halfling is presented to the Volturi, Aro declares peace and they try to turn tail, but Jane (who Bella has been goading with smirks) can't take it and lunges for 'Carlie' as soon as The Guard begins to retreat. Bella can't defend her without dropping her sheild and putting everyone else at risk, so Roselie (who never really redeemed herself) leaps between them and sacrifices herself to save 'Carlie'. Then the war breaks out. Emmett destroys Jane to avenge Rose, so Alec destroy Emmett *sob*, Jasper destroys Alec, Carlisle and Alice destroy Marcus, Edward and Jacob destroy Aro, and the rest go down as all the witnesses and werewolves join the Cullens. The two vampires that were there to see the Volturi fall had formed a secret alliance with Caius -the bored one- to overthrow Aro and Marcus, who had perverted their cause and become obsessed with power. They take up the Volturi's position as guardians of the Vampire world, and order is restored.

That way, we get our war and our happy ending without the feeling that no sacrifices were made. That's the other thing that left me a bit cold at the end. Everything got sewed up almost too neatly, with nothing in the end but the mere threat of opposition. After all, the joy in a happy ending is always in proportion to the threat of a sad ending. If the threat isn't big enough, the joy isn't as full. And the oppostiton in this book left me wanting.

Now, for the things I LOVED! I was thrilled that the wedding took place first thing. I felt like the wedding should have been the end of the LAST book, so I was relieved that she didn't drag that out. It also left me with no idea what was going to happen next, since we all predicted that she wouldn't get married and/or changed until the end. Lovely surprise.

I liked that Bella grew up and got over her annoying self esteem issues. I wish she would have started that growing process in Eclipse, so it wouldn't have felt quite so much like a personality transplant, but it made sense to me that she would find complete confidence and peace as a vampire. She was born to become one, and she really found herself when it happened. I LOVED reading about her first experiences as a vampire. That was the best writing in the series, I thought. I also LOVED LOVED LOVED Bella's Vampire Power! Very appropriate for her character and just generally badazz.

I loved the sexual release in this book. As a fan of sex in general, I was always a bit irritated by Edward's cold shouldering, though I understood it. I did miss elements of their prior relationship (such as all the sappy one liners that made my estrogen cup runneth over), but they had MAD chemistry. It was a natural evolution for their relationship and about bloody time. The 'sex scenes' were very tastefully done and fun to watch. (a little mormon porn?)

Jacob cracked me up. It was nice to have a bit of comic relief. I also really liked 'Carlie'. I wonder if Stephenie will write a series from her perspective? I could see her running with the storyline about the guy who is trying to breed a half vampire army. I bet the Volturi tracks that guy down, not to destroy him, but to join forces with him. Can you imagine?! The Volturi using their resources to find and kidnap human women with 'gifts' they could pass on to vampire children... CREEPY!

All in all, I loved the book, because I got the happy ending I was hoping for. But I was disappointed with the journey that got us to that ending.

What's YOU'RE break down of the book? I'm going to meet Stephenie Meyer this week! Anything you want me to ask her?

Standing Where Edward Stood

Quotable: "How can he give Bella what she wants? What about that ice cold Super Sperm?!" ~M

I've just spent the weekend in a place where reality and mythology coexist in the same dimension. A place where an average girl can find love that spans the eternities and adventures that captivate the world. I've just spend the weekend in Forks, Washington.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then it will be news to you that the 4th and final installment of the Twilight Saga was released on Saturday. My friends and I are always on the lookout for a reason to have a big party, and since we count ourselves among the Twilighters of the world, what better excuse is there than THIS!

Quotable: "I don't see why we should spend money when we can just steal what we need." ~M

It started with the book release party in the U-District. There were costumes, games, food, contests and live music... We were definitely Standouts with our rockin costumes. We didn't participate in the contest, but we got prizes anyway! How's THAT for impressive! Our plan was to get the book, drive to Forks, and camp there while we read the end of our favorite love story. When we got our books, at about 12:15am, we promptly locked them in the trunk to keep temptation at bay, and went back to my BFF's house for a little giggling sleep before the journey.

Quotable:
M~ "It's Clair de Lune!"
K~ "I LOVE them!"

The ever extravagant Kristen had a gift for me and Julia that morning; 4 hours of music that was hand selected by her with the Twilight story in mind. She presented it to us in a 5 disc set, with pictures from the upcoming movie, and quotes from the book. It's pretty much the coolest thing EVER. Several songs on those discs will forever remind me of Edward, Bella and this trip with my friends. It wasn't easy, but I chose a theme song for each book:
Heaven on Earth by Britney Spears (Twilight),
Stay With Me by Danity Kane (New Moon),
Congratulations by Blue October (Jacob's Song)
Keep Holding On(Eclipse) and
I Will Be by Avril Lavigne (Breaking Dawn) .
I put several of my favorites on a playlist to get you in the mood...

Quotable:
K~ "There's the Forks Women's Clinic!"
J~ "Let's all go get pap smears!"
M~ "That'd make a great Piece of Flare for Facebook."
K~ "I Got A Pap In Forks."

Forks is a total hole in the ground. It would be easy to drive through the town while looking for the town. None the less, we were ridiculously excited to be there. Our imaginations created a magic that hung in the air like static. And boy are they milking it for all it's worth! They have a parking spot at the hospital reserved for Carlisle Cullen. They have Bella's red truck parked outside the Chamber of Commerce. Their local restaurants have Twilight titled entrees, like the Bella Burger at Sully's. We visited Olympic Sporting Goods, the store Bella works in through New Moon. We dropped by the Elks Lodge, the location of Bella and Edward's graduation dinner. We even went to Port Angeles and found Bella Vino Italia, the place Bella and Edward had their first date. Each place we saw had us squealing in unison, "EDWARD WAS HERE!" I don't need you to remind me that this was a fictional story. I'm fully aware of how retarded we are. But I LOVE it.

Quotable: "Vampires don't eat french fries, dumbass!" ~M

Our camp sight was right on the border of Forks and LaPush, which means we were sleeping where Jacob and Edward used to drop off Bella during Eclipse. *tehe* We systematically went through our books, reading a chapter and then discussing it before we moved on to the next. It slowed me way down, but it was tons of fun that way. We read until the wee small hours of the morning. I tied a flashlight around my hair like a rubber band so I could continue reading in the dark. We took a few breaks for smores and illegal sparklers, of course. But mostly we read. And read. And read some more.

Quotable: "I'm like the Quasimodo of Vampires! ... I take it back... YOU'RE the Quasimodo!" ~K

In the morning we went to breakfast, still reading, and then drove to LaPush to look for Jacob. The sun had the audacity to show itself for a brief moment, but most of the time there was a reliable sheath of clouds, just like Bella said there was. That was nice for pictures, but NOT so nice for beach time in LaPush. We ran around on the beach for as long as we could stand the cold before we bailed. As we drove away from Forks, the clouds lifted almost as though there was an invisible barrier trapping the clouds there. Indeed, Forks is an excellent place for sun sensitive vampires to call home.

Quotable:
K~ "If I lived here, I'd TOTALLY take up drugs."
J~ "You'd probably sell them, let's be honest."

It's too early to give my opinion of the book. I don't want to be a spoiler. But I CAN tell you that this trip was AMAZING. I wish I could do it again THIS weekend. And the one after that too, if you please. Until then, these memories have me falling asleep smiling, which is JUST what I needed.

My Celebrity Look-alikes

Well, it's official. I look like absolutely NO ONE but ME. I ran 4 pictures of myself through this thing before they finally produced results, NON of which are accurate, in my opinion. I mean, Cindy Crawford? Vanna White? Lynda friggin Carter?! These women are GODDESSES! I look NOTHING like them. But it's an improvement on the previous picture attempts. Those results: "Sorry, no faces were detected" for every single one.

MyHeritage: Family trees - Celebs - Collage - Morph

I've seen My Heritage produce amazing results with other people, like Marni's celebrity transformation. That was incredible! I did a celebrity transformation too. They tried to turn me into Angelina Fug-lie, but we don't share a single feature (thank GOD) so it was an extremely unimpressive morph.

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

I guess, all in all, this is good news. That way, when I become a world famous basket weaver, I'll be 100 percent original. Just how I like it.

Who are YOUR celebrity look-alikes?

Man Candy

I've always been pretty boy crazy. I was told it would curb a bit after puberty. Ya, not so much for me. The only difference between then and now is the age of the man that gives me butterflies. In REAL life, I have extremely high standards for what turns my head, and the biggest factor is personality. In the land of Celebrity Lovers, however, most of that stuff just doesn't matter to me. I don't care if he's a chain smoking philanderer with an Oedipus complex. If he smolders, he's got me. It's all in the abs eyes. The only thing that could turn me off is EXTREME arrogance. If it oozes at me from every movie and photograph, then the beauty won't compensate. (Can you say Colin Farrell?!) Some of my crushes, I've been faithful to for YEARS. A few are relatively new to the ranks. That said, allow me to introduce you to my current Top 5 Celebrity Crushes!


JULIAN McMAHON
Meet the most recent addition to my list of fantasy lovers. I met Julian as the sumptuous Christian Troy on Nip Tuck. His character is a misogynistic, egocentric sex maniac with deep seeded psychological issues. But he has such incredible sexual presence, he literally makes my heart skip a beat sometimes! I hope he has a long career. Maybe his next character will be a bit more likable. Either way the man is MAD sexy and he has my devoted admiration.

HENRY CAVILL
This is the stunning face that I came to associate with the name Edward Cullen. My BFF and I cast Henry as Edward from Twilight before we even knew there was a movie in the works. So you can imagine my outrage when they cast the captain of Team Ugly instead. But I digress. Edward is repeatedly described as flawless. Inhumanly beautiful. Breathtaking perfection. That's a tall order, but I think Henry could've pulled it off.

I'm not exactly sure what it is about Christian Bale that makes me unconsciously suck on my bottom lip. He isn't a classic beauty, but his unique features come together incredibly well! As I've watched his movies over the years, I've felt a slow burn growing for him. Now I can hardly even read his name without releasing an involuntary moan.

BRAD PITT
Those eyes. Those lips. That hair. That BODY. Somebody HOLD ME! This man is absolutely divine and was my #1 celebrity crush for about 6 years. Having 20 kids in the last 9 months, however, has taken its tole on his timeless beauty. Which is why he has been dethroned by the insatiably sexy...

JOHNNY DEPP
No matter how hard he tries to be average, raw sex appeal just seeps off of him. He epitomizes my idea of the perfect man. Beautiful, but unaware of it. Devoted, but independent. Complicated, but without the drama. A bad boy, but a good man. Add that to the fact that his smolder makes my hips quiver, and he annihilates the competition the same way he does everything else; effortlessly.


*Honorable Mentions: Heath Leger (Rest In Peace), James Marsden, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Colin Firth, Kelly Carlson and Megan Fox.*
Oh come on, you know you have a girl crush too.

So tell me, who is YOUR celebrity crush?

I'd like to thank the Academy...

So there I was, gazing at myself in the mirror and thinking, "DANG my kids have a hot mom." ...when it happened.

OK, maybe I was watching Nip Tuck and wishing I could afford plastic surgery, but let's not quibble over the details.

My awesome Sister in Law has seen fit to honor me with a nomination for a Hottest Mommy Blogger award! Thus, through my blog, I am bestowed with yet another fatty slice of validation that I don't deserve, but am incredibly grateful for. I wasn't going to mention this in a post, but then I thought, "How can I effectively Nurture my Narcissism without a brag badge that says I'M HOT!

So my interpeeps, look into my eyes and tell me... am I a hot mommy blogger? You decide. Vote for me here!

Instant Gratification

Speaking of desserts, I have a confession to make. I have been plowing through the sweets like there's an impending Apocalypse that will reduce my pantry to nothing but pinto beans for the next half century.


"But Melain!" You all cry in unison, "What about your dietary resolution?!"

"What INDEED." I respond flatly, with frighteningly dead eyes.

I have a serious problem. Maybe you fellow rebels can relate to this, and maybe you'll all think I'm an absolute nutter, but here's the thing: I don't like people telling me what to do. And that includes ME. If I start trying to control myself too rigidly, it doesn't take long before my inner wild child beats the militant voice of reason within me to a bloody pulp. The final scene of that beating is often startlingly similar to THIS one...



Does anyone else have this problem? I'm really not sure what to do about it at this point. I believe it's rooted in the fact that I LOVE my body! I love what it's capable of and what it can experience. A perfect day for me will always involve an over indulgence of my senses. Beautiful scenery, inspiring music, warm sun on my skin, delicious food, and sex for hours. There are a lot of healthy ways for me to appease my desire for stimulus, but decadent desserts always win out in the end, due to practicality. It takes minimal effort, requires no one else's cooperation, and is instant gratification every time.

So tell me dear ones, have you conquered your need for instant gratification? Do you have the solution? Or perhaps a healthy way to satisfy it? Do share. My waistline can only take so much.

Dessert Psychiatry

I had a bunch of friends and family take this test a while back, and I could not believe how consistantly accurate the result were! I'm curious to see how accurate it is in a wider audience. So if all of the desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose (sorry, you can only pick one!).


Here are your choices:


1. Angel Food Cake

2. Brownies

3. Lemon Meringue Pie

4. Vanilla Cake With Chocolate Icing

5. Strawberry Short Cake

6. Chocolate on Chocolate

7. Ice Cream

8. Carrot Cake



OK, now that you've made your choice, let's see what your psychiatric analysis is! This is what the research says about you:




1. ANGEL FOOD CAKE -- Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature, but you can always be depended upon to listen and never judge.



2. BROWNIES -- You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.



3. LEMON MERINGUE -- Smooth, sexy, & articulate, you are very good with your hands. You are an excellent performer and a good teacher. But with your one track mind, don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A flare for drama and a love of glamour, you are a bit of a diva at times, but you have many friends.


4. VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING -- Fun-loving, sassy, and humorous, everyone enjoys being around you. You are a practical joker. Though very guarded, you are fiercly loyal to those who get past your walls. Once a friend, you're a friend for life. You have a quick temper, but aren't one to hold a grudge.


5. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE -- Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. You are intuitively keen and an excellent judge of character. You can be very emotional and sensitive.



6. CHOCOLATE ON CHOCOLATE -- Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. You love to laugh.




7. ICE CREAM -- You love sports, whether watching or participating. You work very hard to get ahead in life. Extremely intelligent. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance but you're honest and will always keep your word. You enjoy a well ordered life. You don't like to give up the remote control.



8. CARROT CAKE -- You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends, but few that you trust with the 'real you'.




This was SPOT ON for pretty much everyone I know!

Melain: Lemon Meringue
Jonathan and Monkey: Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting
Shiney: Strawberry Shortcake

My father-in-law (strawberry shortcake) My best friend (carrot cake) my dad (angel food cake) and my Sister (brownies) were also freakishly accurate! So which dessert did you chose, and did it describe you? I simply must know.

One Hundred and ME

This is my 100th post! So in the grand tradition of bloggers, I have written 100 Things About Me.


1. I am drawn to creative, dynamic people with extensive vocabularies.

2. There is not an ounce of “shy” in me.

3. I like pineapple, sharks, and fireworks; one equally as much as the other, but rarely in conjunction with each other.

4. One time I let an entire Airborne tablet dissolve on my tongue. The lesson: Always read the directions before you use a new med.

5. I would have 6 kids if it weren’t for pregnancy, potty training, whining and the fact that I have to feed them EVERY SINGLE DAY.

6. I tried not to be seen in public with almost every boyfriend I ever had, for fear of looking unavailable if someone better came along.

7. I don’t go for 'low fat' or ‘sugar free’ -- but I’m a sucker for ‘all natural’.

8. I have a great aptitude for the piano, but I dropped my lessons when I realized that if you know how to play, you don’t ever get to sing.

9. Every time I drive over a bridge at night I get scared.

10. My worst fear is being trapped in a sinking car with all 3 of my children.

11. I have had 3 unplanned pregnancies, on 3 different kinds of birth control. HELLO FERTILE!

12. I love the smell of white board markers and sharpies.

13. I have a knack for vocal impressions.

14. I am repulsed by nail biting. Fingernails are a festering hotbed of germyness. WHY ARE YOU EATING THEM?

15. I think I could pass for a Drag Queen. I’m tall with broad shoulders, strong features… People would totally buy it.

16. I have never had braces or cavities.

17. I still haven’t forgiven the world for the embarrassing failure in fashion & architecture that was the 70’s. (though its music lowers the deficit considerably)

18. I am not actually narcissistic, in case you missed the facetious tones...

19. I am extremely directionally challenged. I still have to hold up my hands to see which one makes the “L”.

20. My first car was a 1969 Fleetwood Cadillac Limousine with illegally tinted windows.

21. I tried to get a tattoo when I was 18, but they refused my business because they thought I was drunk. I still think my mom called them before I got there and made that crap up!

22. Somehow I forget EVERY YEAR how much I hate decorating the Christmas Tree.

23. I have not had television in my home since I left my parent’s house.

24. I resent restrictive scheduling.

25. When I was a kid I aspired to become a Voice-over Actor for Disney


26. On a recent political questionnaire, I quizzed out as 45% Liberal, 55% Conservative. Can we still be friends?

27. I hum in public places.

28. If my obsession with accessories escalates any further, my wardrobe will trump Imelda Marco's.

29. I LOVE water as long as it's moving (ocean, river, shower...) but stagnant water gives me the creeps.

30. Don't tell me what to do!

31. I hate sit coms and talk shows. (with very few exceptions)

32. My first love gave me a promise ring that matched his armband tattoo. Ya.

33. I rarely giggle. When something strikes me as funny, I laugh with gusto.

34. I quote movies and comedians all the time.

35. I still make wishes on stars, on candles, on eyelashes...

36. I loathe the term "Metrosexual". Let's not give guys another reason to avoid looking pulled together!

37. My mother unknowingly trained me to hate pets.

38. People think, by looking at me, that I have great athletic potential. They are wrong.

39. I have a sweet tooth that tries to control my existence. Sometimes it wins. Sometimes I win.

40. I lived alone for a year when I was 18 and I LOVED it.

41. I am a thrill seeker. Skydiving was a letdown. White water rafting was AMAZING.

42. I have a dream of my husband and I learning to dance together. Salsa, swing, waltz… But he wouldn’t be caught dead.

43. I love “period pieces.” I secretly wish I could wear a corset and drop all contractions from my vocabulary.

44. I want everything.

45. I have, more than once, laughed myself to TEARS when people trip or fall down.

46. I’ll know I’ve "made it" when I have no guilt about hiring out all my housekeeping.

47. I am a great cook if I make something from scratch, but I ALWAYS manage to screw up things like Minute Rice and Bisquick Pancakes.

48. My favorite swear word is *ass*. I think it’s hilarious.

49. I can laugh at the same movie countless times.

50. I am 80% good girl and 20% rebel, which leaves no room for indifference.


51. I read the first 5 Harry Potter books back to back in only 8 days.

52. Maybe I laugh at my own jokes.

53. I let my children jump on my bed.

54. I am a shameless quality snob.

55. I love to swim, but I can't dive. And don't try to teach me, I'm scared.

56. Music on a blog annoys me. Sorry my loves, but it distracts from the story you’ve written!

57. I resent sleep. I WANT THAT THIRD OF MY LIFE BACK!!!

58. I could go for DAYS without showering and still not smell bad. I don’t know why! *important note: I shower anyways*

59. I use sarcasm very selectively. Too much of it bores me.

60. Unless your kid is still in the New Baby Lizard stage, I don't want to hear your birth story.

61. I have about 60 Original Film Score Albums and I'm always looking for more.

62. I tend to repeat myself. And I blame my children that I tend to repeat myself.

63. I can’t make it through a good music concert without crying. Not because the music moves me, but because I ache to be the one on stage.

64. I am terrible at making decisions.

65. I have no talent whatsoever for arranging flowers.

66. My imagination is extremely overactive.

67. The hardest part about raising kids is telling them to say “marshmallows” instead of just saying “marshmarllers” like they do. OK, maybe not the hardest part, but it’s right up there.

68. I would give anything to have a British accent.

69. I don’t see the appeal of the Brat Pack movies.

70. I can't remember the last time I felt self-conscious.

71. Feather dusters make me angry.

72. I detest confrontation and go to great lengths to avoid it.

73. Unless I’m at a traffic light, I am terrified of turning left into a busy street.

74. I am extremely easily amused, and tend to burst into uncontained laughter at the most random times.

75. I lived in a haunted apartment for over a year. No kidding.


76. If I could snap my fingers and acquire a talent, I would be a Frampton-esque guitarist.

77. I can't tolerate negative, judgemental people.

78. I have a terrible memory.

79. I spend money freely. There’s always more where that came from.

80. Most everything I do, I do on purpose.

81. My natural hair color is very pretty, but I'm too restless to leave it that way.

82. When I was homeless I slept in a tent that I pitched in the back of the woods on a stranger’s property.

83. I don't care for the taste of Cola. And I don't really taste any difference between Coke and Pepsi. Stop screaming at me. I can't hear you anyways.

84. I once picked a fist fight with a boy who was 3 years older than me and a foot taller, because he was picking on my little brother.

85. I would love to be multi-lingual, but I’m intimidated by the learning process.

86. I have been in six car accidents and am hyper-aware of my mortality.

87. When I'm home alone, I crank my music up like a teenager and run around dancing.

88. I was the 1st Chair Clarinetist all through junior high and high school.

89. I love getting wet and dirty. Car washes, food fights, mud angels... bring it.

90. If I like a song the first time I hear it, I will NEVER EVER get tired of it.

91. Almost every single person I love has their own nickname for me.

92. I am at peace with the fact that my kids will hurt themselves with their stupidity. But if some one else tries to hurt them, then the Mamma Claws are comin out.

93. I dislike potpourri, incense and most other artificially scented products.

94. I adore all the home improvement shows on HGTV.

95. If I start reading a good book at bedtime, you can bet I'll be up all night saying, "Just one more chapter..." until I've devoured the entire novel.

96. My husband legally adopted my daughter when she was 2 ½ years old.

97. I don’t have favorites. (food, songs, movies…) They change with the winds.

98. When I’m forced to sit still, I often practice writing cursive in the air with my finger.

99. I hate hand sanitizer. I don’t think it works.

100. I get a huge kick out of quietly humming a few lines of a catchy song and then watching people around me get it stuck in their heads, unable to figure out why. Mmmwwwaahaahaaaaa!

My Favorite People

My in-laws are the shiz. And so are my shoes.
The biggest heart in the history of hearts.
My precious...es.
I didn't know brothers could be so tender and sweet with each other.
He has the softest lips. Ymmmmm.
They make me better than I am. I owe all the best parts of me to them.*screen credit to Melissa for the amazing photos*