25 Things

Nell over at Casual Friday Everyday tagged me to share 25 things about myself, so here goes:

1. I love the colors blue and green, and I'm obsessed with Shamrocks. I spend a lot of my summer time gardening and searching for a four leaf clover-haven't found one yet, but surely my odds are getting better...

2. I have never had a good relationship with my parents, and that makes me sad. My mom hasn't spoken to me since Christmas.

3. There are things in my life I wish I could go back and "re-do"; however, there are not any outcomes I would change. I love where my life is, how it has turned out, all the things I have gotten to experience, and I am so excited about my future with my hubby and children.

4. I started working at the age of 14 with a worker's permit, and beyond being at home with my first son, I have never been without a job (or two..or three). In high school I saved up money for over a year to go to Italy. It was totally worth it.

5. I try my hardest to be really dependable, and it kills me if I let anyone down.

6. I really struggled in high school and have a hard time learning and remembering new things. (I swear my cal. teacher, Mr. Smith, wanted to strangle me for all the times he had so show me functions...) I'm also a defeated perfectionist, so if I can't get something perfect I get really upset and quit. That is a trait I am fighting hard to fix

7. I have two little sisters that I adore, two brother in laws that are wonderful, 4 sister in laws that are super fun, 3 cute nephews, 2 beautiful nieces, 2 loving father in laws, 1 amazing mother in law, 1 wonderful aunt, 1 terrific uncle, 2 great cousins, and a first cousin once removed lovely little baby angel in heaven.

8. I play the French horn, flute and taught myself a little piano, but really wish I had time to practice. With two kids and working from home, time just disappears... but I'll always be a band geek.

9. My sister in law taught me to knit, and I am pretty good at making scarves. I'd love to try something harder, but haven't had the time to look into classes

10. I was an extra in the movie "My Fellow Americans". I was in one of the gay parade marching bands and during shooting one day James Garner ran me down. He was super nice and came back after the "take" to apologize and make sure I was OK. The band I was in caused a horse to freak out when we started playing and it stepped on Jack Lemmon. It was super hot, but also super fun to skip school with my high school friends to be in a movie! My parents didn't know I skipped school to do it.

11. I worked my way through college with three jobs and got out in 4 years with very little loan debt. I had it all paid off within a few years of graduating too. I get really annoyed with people who say they can't afford school.

12. I have a degree in English from NC State University. My concentration was in Medieval English and I would LOVE to someday teach it at the college level. I'm hoping to finish a Master's in English after the kids start school

13. I have played with the idea of homeschooling, simply because of the horror stories of public education all my teacher friends share with me.

14. I love seeing how cheap I can get our groceries to be yet still get healthy items. I will sit and plan out from the grocery sale fliers what meals to have for a few weeks, then search for coupons online. Yea, I'm a housewife, that's what I do.

15. I hate driving places I don't know, but I'm really good with maps-there is always one in my car along with emergency supplies of water, food, clothes and blankets in case the car breaks down. I'm a little OCD because as a kid our cars were always breaking down. I stole the Garmin from my husband a few weeks ago and hope he doesn't ask for it back...I think I love Garmin :)

16. I worked as an Intern for Disney when I didn't have money for one semester of school; it was the greatest. I worked all over the park doing all kinds of jobs and loved every min. Later I worked during school as a recruiter for the program. Bill and I spent our honeymoon there almost for free because of all the discounts and free tickets I had earned. I can't wait to take my kids there. I am a huge Disney freak and I would totally work there for free if I could. I loved it.

17. I would love to adopt a child someday, and I think it would be wonderful to go to my husband's family's home country of Lithuania for him/her.

18. I volunteered at Give Kids The World while I lived in Florida; that was such an eye opening experience. I would love to do that again.I would love to nurse children with terminal illnesses, but I don't think I would be able to keep my emotions in check. I would probably cry all the time.

19. I LOVE yoga, it is such a great "time out" for me. And it gets me to the gym, so I feel obligated to run and work out more, too. (and there is "day care" for the kids!) It is also a great way to focus on what is important in life; I really believe that only you can determine the level of your happiness.

20. I'm pretty good at making friends and staying in touch, though I tend to be shy in the beginning. Even with meeting all the awesome moms I've met online, I tended to "lurk" for awhile, just reading their posts before I started commenting and carrying on conversations.

21. I always wanted to be a cheerleader, but never made the team.

22. I took ballet up through high school; I loved it and was in the nutcracker a few times.

23. In high school I lettered in soccer all four years, was on the math team, in band and in the winter guard (yes, I can twirl a flag).

24. I LOVE camping and am really good at building a fire. I got lots of practice growing up in a house with a wood burning stove as the source of heat for winter.

25. I love the beach and want to live near the water someday. I hate being cold and really despise more than a couple of days of snow.

At first this list seemed a little hard, but once I got going I found I had a pretty long list of things about me to share! In the future, I will have to do another one; it was pretty fun reflecting on the top 25 things I'd like for all of you to know about me. Some of them are things that I no longer do but am proud I once had the skills to do (like math team...last time I multiplied I messed up the zeros, much to the amusement of my husband and brother in law; I am blaming being preggo with JR for that glitch in my brain....)

Anyways, I am going to tag some people I haven't tagged before, all great reads that I have finally stopped lurking at: Mostly Natural Momma, Musings of a Mommy Bee, and Mom 4 Life. And one friend that I love dearly (and know in real life) but would love to learn more about: Miss Priss Does A Blog