10 Things You NEED to Know

Ha...yeah, right.  These are just 10 random things about myself that I decided to share on my blog because the always hilarious Elle from This Is Mommyhood tagged me.  And I give in to peer pressure...and surveys...and over-sharing. 

Besides, this is the perfect excuse to write a blog without including any pictures.  Oh, I have pictures.  I have a whole back-log of them just waiting to be edited and shared, complete with the story-telling that comes with them.  But right now, the night before I have to go back to work after a full and wonderful summer off...I just don't have the time or energy to edit them all.  So you will have to wait!

Alright, let's get on with it, shall we?


10 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me

1.  When I was in late elementary school - either 4th or 5th grade, I think it was, I got this harebrained idea to jump off the roof of our house.  Out of my bedroom window was a small, flat area which then slowly sloped down to the gutter.  Underneath was a thick bed of tall bushes, so really, it wasn't a long way down.  I'm not sure why I wanted to do this, but I had a plan in my head.  I waited until my parents were asleep, then I crawled out of my window, sat in the freezing night air - in my nightgown - and waited for the courage to jump.  And...I did it.  It really didn't hurt too badly and I only suffered minor scrapes and cuts from the bushes.  But there was a flaw in my plan: how was I supposed to get back into the house?  I ended up ringing the doorbell and convincing my parents that I had been walking in my sleep.  Sorry, Mom...

2.  I have a sleeping disorder.  Nothing diagnosed, because I am convinced I'm the only person in the world with this problem: I cannot stand the sound of someone breathing/snoring while asleep.  It has caused me so many issues throughout my life as I've struggled to find places to sleep alone on vacations or at sleepovers.  I have slept in bathrooms and closets, I've used fans and earplugs...a lot of people don't understand this problem because like I said, I feel as though I'm the only one!  Thankfully I have a supportive husband who tolerates us sleeping in separate bedrooms.  He doesn't like it, but he does it for me.  Otherwise he'd have to deal with the wrath of a sleep-deprived wife...  And I can't even tell you all the comments I've gotten over this, but the worst was when my OB-GYN chuckled and put his head down when I told him that Jeremy and I don't share a bedroom.  One of a few reasons I switched doctors...

3.  I went through what I call a "rebellious" stage in high school, not in the form of drinking and drugs, but shoplifting and sneaking out.  It was "trendy" in my high school to steal clothes; we even had a name for it - Free 99.  I got a lot of free stuff, got caught twice, grounded twice, and then those stealing days ended.  As for sneaking out, my friends and I just didn't want to stop hanging out after curfew...so we found ways to get back together just to watch movies, chat, and enjoy our teenage "nightlife."  We often hung out in someone's basement or drove around or went to the park or grabbed milkshakes at Steak 'n Shake.  I have to admit, I miss those days!  Sneaking out was fun. 

4.  I had horrible strep throats as a child, and therefore had to get my tonsils taken out at age 9.  Everyone promised me popsicles and milkshakes when it was over, but instead I was puking blood and had a scab on my throat.  It was not as awesome as all the doctors said it was going to be...

5.  Childbirth was one of the best experiences of my life.  I absolutely loved my labor and delivery experience.  My water broke while we were at childbirth prep class, my contractions were easy to get through before my doctor urged me to get an epidural, and I only pushed for about 20-30 minutes.  The nurses were wonderful and the entire time seemed to fly by - well, it was only 6 hours from water breaking to Ava arriving!  I am hoping for another great experience, but not expecting it...you can't get that lucky twice, right?  (and let's just forget about the 3rd degree episiotomy, shall we?  no, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows...)

6.  I long to be a stay-at-home-mom who does educational activities with her kids, who keeps her house clean, who is super creative and is constantly making new things, who cooks healthy meals each night, who maintains a positive attitude in almost every situation.  Oh wait, this woman doesn't exist.  Well, I still want to be her.

7.  I am addicted to Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook. 

8.  I read every single night before I go to sleep...this is why I have to be in bed an hour before I want to start trying to fall asleep.  So when people give me grief for going to bed during the school year at 8:00pm, what I should say is, "Well, I start getting ready for bed at 8pm, read for about an hour, toss and turn and finally fall asleep around 10-10:30."  Have I mentioned I have issues with sleep?

9.  I'm a very nostalgic person.  I wish I could time travel or re-live some of the great moments of my childhood and teenage years.  I still have boyfriend boxes in the closet of my childhood bedroom, for pete's sake.

10.  I was a good student and made mostly A's and B's, but senior year second semester pre-calculus did me in.  I was already accepted to Butler University and my grade in that class was falling uncontrollably, so, on the final, I admitted that I had no idea what I was doing, had already been accepted to the college of my choice and that I was sorry.  And I turned the test in with no math problems worked out.  Needless to say, it was the only F I ever received in my life for a class.  But...I don't regret it.  Sometimes, a grade is just a grade and it's NOT going to hold you back, nor does it really matter in the grand scheme of things. 

I know a lot of people don't have time for these, and really, I follow a lot of blogs but the blogger probably will never read this, so...I am only tagging two friends.  Don't feel bad if you don't have time to do it!

1.  The Ring Family

2.  Go Long! Go Green!