Obsessions & Revelations

Tamy gave me an award awhile ago, but I didn't realize it (oops). I really need to pay attention better! I thought it was so sweet what she said about me, and I wanted to share it.

There is always something creative going on and I love how she wears her heart openly.

Awfully darned sweet of her, and you know, I didn't know that about me. I guess I am a soft-hearted sap, and I am okay with that! :)

For this award, I am supposed to list 5 things I am addicted to, and 5 blogs I am addicted to. I thought this would be difficult but I found I have a list a mile long. But, since I am just supposed to list five, I will stick to that.

1. Counted Cross-Stitch - No big surprise there. What's surprising is my total lack of time to work on my projects. It is something I am working on now that Emi is older. I miss it and so completely enjoy my time when I am stitching.
2. My cell phone - I didn't realize quite so much until this happened. I talk to my mom at least every couple of days. Some weeks, it's every day. Let's just say, I miss unlimited calling - good thing she has it and can call me back! But really, what it has is just about every number I need - Emi's doc, Max's vet and groomer, phone numbers of folks I don't call as much as I should, etc.
3. Travel - I tend to get this itch and then start twitching if I don't have something going, something planned, something at least brewing in the back of my mind. It doesn't have to be elaborate say like that little trip we took to China, it can be something as little as taking Emi to the aquarium in Seattle. I have a few things brewing now, one of which will be happening soon I just haven't decided which one (Seattle Pier, Tacoma Zoo or ... Yellowstone!)
4. Good Friends - I truly feel that good friends, really really great friends in fact, are the family that you choose. I am close to the little bit of family I have left, and always thought I'd have a big family. So, I am making that family! I have a small circle of people that I can call seriously wonderful friends. The kind that would drop anything and come running if I asked, the kind that could and would talk for hours on the phone if I needed/wanted, the kind I can bear my soul to. Strangely enough, few of these friends know each other as they live all over the place. But, it's so great to have these people in my life.
5. Ice Cream - There, I've said it. Out loud. I really am. I need to not be, but I just can't help myself. My mom recently told me about Edy's (Dreyer's) Yogurt Blends Ice Cream (well, not really ice cream but it tastes like it!). It rocks, and I don't feel completely guilty having a bit every single day. Because I eat this, I have to ride my recumbent bike more. Well, I should ride it more. I think about riding it more! Sadly, the bike is not on my obsessions list.

Oh and yah, I am addicted to my sweet hubby who is so amazing (and patient) and my ever-wonderful daughter (with her quick smile, quirky sense of humor and the fact that she loves giving kisses).

~~~~~

Now I am to list my addictive blogs. HA! My following list is uncontrollable! I can't seem to not add blogs because there is always something to like on (most) blogs. I have posted something similar before, so I am going to try to talk about different blogs this time (remember my Valentine's Friends Menu Plan?). These five are great reads for very different reasons, and it was so very hard to limit this list to just five.

1. Rumor Queen - it's not for everyone, as it's specifically geared to the Chinese Adoption community. It's not even for everyone in that community. Some folks live for it (me) and some it's just not their cup of tea. But I know that when we were waiting for Miss Emi I lived on that blog. I met some of my best friends there, and we still are close today. Even though we are home now with Emi, I still continue to read RQ and cheer when families receive their referral.
2. Fiddledeedee (hmmm, I still have her listed on my blog as It Coulda' Been Worse, how is it I can't get through a morning without reading her and I didn't notice the change?) - As I said, I read this blog every day. She makes me laugh, I can see exactly what is happening as I am reading, and makes me eternally grateful that Emi was not born a boy. Can you imagine? The amount of chaos now is staggering, add a Y chromosome ... nope, I can't even go there. Read her, she's laugh-out-loud funny. Just, put down the coffee first. You've been warned, I wasn't.
3. Blogs are Stupid - I have a pretty eclectic reading list. They are all over the spectrum but if they make my list they must have certain things going for them. Good writing is a must (not that folks read my blog for that, but I aspire to greatness - someday!). She makes me think, really think. She loves her boys, and roots for them, and sticks up for them, and goes to bat for them. I hope that I am her someday, a mom doing her best in a hard world of teenage mommyhood. I take away something every time I read her. I don't always agree with her, but then, I don't always agree with what everyone writes. If I wanted that, I'd read my own blog and call it a day.
4. Controlling My Chaos - I just can't get enough of Jill. She fun, has a great sense of humor, makes the coolest recipe cards ever (no really, she does, they rock!). I would love to sit with her and have a cup of coffee (in her kitchen, as she bakes too!). I know that we'd be fast friends.
5. Meredith Teagarden at The Days of You and The Things We Carried - I started reading her at first because she also had a sweetie from China. But then, her writing caught me and I had to start reading both of her blogs simply because, oh my goodness, she can WRITE! I get pulled into her stories so easily I don't realize time has gone by. This is the kind of writing I buy books for!

And there is my list. Now, considering I follow over 70 blogs (yeah, a bit overwhelming) it was hard to decide on just five. That number does not include the folks that I have on my sidebar (that I have just plain been too lazy to move to my following list). I think I am also addicted to blogging, or rather, blog reading! :)

Six Things That Make Me Happy

Karen tagged me the other day for this meme. Now, usually I am pretty bad about these things. Oh, my intentions are always good but then, I forget. I'd blame it on mama-mush brain but I was like this before. Maybe I should have asked Santa for a new memory chip.

Or ten.

I thought I'd have a hard time coming up with six things that make me happy. I didn't feel I could use the obvious - being Emi's mama, being married to the most wonderful man in the world (hands off gals, he's ALL mine!), etc. I thought I should do the un-obvious. Thus, my dilemma.

But, as I was wandered around the house picking up the toys, books, clothes, small animals (just kidding) that follows a young child, I came up with six that make me so happy. This was much easier than I thought.

In no particular order:

1. Feeling little Emi breaths on my neck when she’s fallen asleep in my arms. I savor these times.

2. Finding time to stitch

3. Watching Max-the-Wonder-Doglet snooze in the sun, and soak all that warmth into his old bones

4. Snuggling with Jeff (something that comes few and far between, old folks + toddler = exhaustion)

5. Travel, all kinds. Oh, and planning it. I love love love to plan our trips. And put our packing lists on excel. It’s a sickness.

6. On a rainy day, gathering some books and a cozy quilt and settling in for a nice quiet read

It was hard to limit myself to just six to tag! I am purposely trying for folks that I haven’t tagged before. Here is my list of victim’s tagee's: Gina, Barbara, TheSinger, Lythrum, Wendy, and ahorne. And, because I am a rule breaker and just could not whittle my list down any farther, my mom. Because she is a new blogger and has yet to learn the art/fun of stalking following she gets a pass on the tagging of folks. This time. Have at it ladies, I am dying to read your lists!

The rules…Link to the person who gave you the award. If you want. Post the rules on your blog. List six things that make you happy. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. Let the person who awarded you know when your entry is up.

Stuff I've Done

Something fun for the Day of Craziness (which is what I am officially calling today). I have too much cooking, baking and cleaning to do today. Mainly as I want to do almost nothing tomorrow but enjoy the day with Jeff, Miss Emi and Max (who, I am sure, will be guarding the oven with all the yummy smells).

Thanks to Wendy at Adoption & Fire for the list and great idea!

Stuff I've Done

So there is this list floating around and you are supposed to bold the things that you have done in your life. Should be fun! Feel free to play along!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis (This is *never* going to happen, I don't DO bugs!)

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning (In China, ouch!)

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in Arlington Cemetery

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Kiy Note: Funny, I thought there'd be 100. So, I am adding one!

100. Married your best friend

20 Favorite Things About Autumn

Melissa at The Inspired Room inspired Barbara (and probably countless others) over at Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers to share 20 Favorite Things About Autumn. (Read more details at Barbara's).

Barbara inspired me. Since fall is my ABSOLUTE favorite time of year, I thought I'd try to come up with a list of twenty myself. So, in no particular order:

1. Mahogany, yellow gold, maroon, forest green ... my favorite colors come from autumn
2. Fleece jackets, warm mittens
3. Flannel sheets
4. Tons and tons of blankets on the bed
5. Tons and tons of blankets on the sofa
6. Reading under those blankets, all cozy and warm
7. Hot tea, cider and cocoa
8. Pumpkins!
9. PJ's, all soft and flannel
10. Watching someone other than me rake our mountains of leaves (smile)
11. Apple pies fresh from the oven
12. Anything and everything made from pumpkin
13. Putting out all my fall and Halloween stuff (I can't wait to get these things out!)
14. Pumpkin patches with hay rides and hot apple cider
15. Watching the sun rise on crisp mornings
16. The smell of fall, it's just so wonderful and completely unexplainable
17. Crunching through the leaves on sidewalks
18. Fall Harvest Festivals
19. Driving through the mountains to see the beautiful colors
20. Wonderful cool days, no more 100+ weather!

Bonus: Knowing that on November 1st I can get out my Christmas music and play it all day long!

Wow, I was worried I'd never come up with 20. I actually had to whittle my list down to my ultimate favorites. Thanks Barbara for posting this. It made me take a few minutes to stop and smell the roses, or rather, the crisp autumn air.

Last year our autumn was caught up in our preparation for The Big China Trip. While that time is precious to me, I am looking forward to sharing my favorite season with Miss Emi.

Six Random Things

Angela over at The Testosterone Palace tagged me for a meme, Six Random Things. I am notoriously bad about these things. I get tagged, think 'wow, someone thought of me' and then ... poof, either I can't think of anything to say or I completely forget. The mind of a mom to a toddler, it's basically jello (or, at least mine is lately). But, I am going to do this now, before I have a chance to forget! Of course, that means that I will forget to do something else but life's about choices, right?

Oh, and I get to tag six more folks after I get done with my list ... hmmmm. :)


1. Many of my very best friends, I've never met in real life. Seriously.

2. I love and adore counted cross-stitch. I used to say it was my passion, then I found a new one ... Miss Emi. But, it ranks right up there! :) {And yes, I need to up-date my xcount photos. Time, precious time.} BTW, the photo is the most difficult piece I have ever stitched to date. At the time, it looked like a quick and easy project, it SO wasn't. But I stitched it for a very close friend (Mary, now in Memphis) and with every stitch, I thought of her. I think that's why I stitch so many gifts, I think of that person while stitching, and they think of me every time they see it.

3. I love coffee. I tend to add ... things, to my coffee. In fact, if Jeff makes me a cup of coffee he will bring it to me and say 'here a cup of what used to be coffee'. But really, I love coffee!

4. I love the water. I want to live on the water again some day. Funny enough, while I knew I liked to swim and thought water views were nice, I never gave them a serious thought until we lived in Japan. Our cute little apartment looked right over the bay. In fact, one whole side of our house was sliding glass doors so all you could see were the homes below us on the mountain, the water and the trees across the water from us. I want that kind of living again, but I doubt it will come soon. I also left a part of my heart in Japan. It was an amazing experience. (Not the best photo of our view, but I love this as it shows the rainbow, did you see it?)

5. I love to cook and bake, not that that is a whole big revelation as I have a recipe blog. I collect recipes and it is my goal to someday not have ONE cookbook in my house! I want all my recipes on my computer and also on my blog. Needless to say, with a toddler running around, that is going to take some time.

6. I can't write a simple list. See the above five things. Except for the first one (and yes, I could have gone on and on with that one too), I could have summed each up with one sentence. But, really, me being me, I just couldn't. (Making packing lists and grocery lists are the same way!)

Tagged folks: Serdic (see #1), Louanne, Sandra, Amy, Gina, Cristina, and Barbara. (Yes, I cheated. I couldn't decide ... and that should have been on my list - I can never make a decision!)


P.S. More on the Portland trip, coming soon.