Five Question Friday

1.  Is there a dish that you prepare that you are famous for?

No.  I usually fix whatever.  I sometimes will fix the more fattening dishes, since my parents tend to eat healthy!  But who wants to eat healthy on a holiday?!?!

2.  Did you go Black Friday Shopping?

Yes, I went Black Friday shopping.

3.  What are your strangest holiday traditions?

I always thought it was a little different that my family eats their big Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.  We also go one at a time opening presents on Christmas morning (at my parents house) which can get a little frustrating when somebody opens a gift out of line! 

4.  Pecan or pumpkin pie?

Mmmm...pie.  I like any pie!  It really depends on my mood.  These two pies have such different flavors that it is so hard for me to decide which I like better!

5.  When will you put up your Christmas tree?

We will put up our tree as soon as we go out and chop it down.  We live in Southwest Virginia, in the mountains, so we are going out to a Christmas tree farm to cut our own.  We have not done this yet as a family, so I envision the Griswald Family Christmas Tree being picked out and dragged home! 

Five Question Friday (on Sunday)

1.  What was the last thing you spent too much money on?

Gas for the vehicles.  Electricity for our house.  Food for our family.  Oh wait...that is probably not what this question was referring to!  :)

This is a very hard question.  We are very tight with our money (since we don't have that much with four kids).  We usually spend too much money on our children's birthdays with all the toys, the party, and supplies we buy them.  My last "big" purchase, besides groceries, was a Kindle for my husband's birthday.  I wouldn't say I spent too much money on it, but it was something that he really wanted, so I got that for him.

2.  What celebrity chef would you like to cook you dinner?

Gordon Ramsey.  I love his shows.  He makes me laugh and his food looks amazing!  I wish you could smell through your TV.  I can only imagine what his food smells like, much less tastes like!  If he wasn't available, I would like Emeril Lagasse, Paula Dean, or any other "old-timer" from the Food Network Channel.

3.  Where do you hide things when visitors pop in?

I usually don't hide anything from my visitors.  If you are not my friend and would not accept me for who I am and how I live, then I probably wouldn't let you in my house to begin with!  I try and tidy up my house every evening.  We spend 10 minutes (we set the timer) of clean-up time in the evenings.  Everyone that is old enough to help, is required to do so.  This helps tremendously with the mess in our house!

4.  Who is your oldest living family member?

I am not sure, but if my grandfather was alive today, he would be getting ready to turn 90 on December 2.  My grandfather passed away last January, four months to the day, after my family moved out.  We had lived with my grandfather for 3.5 years, but became pregnant with our forth child and needed our own space.  I miss him greatly.  He was such a generous man to let us live with him and to put up with five extra people in his house!  I cannot wait until the day that I get to see him again in heaven!

5.  What is your favorite DQ or Sonic treat?

I enjoy any kind of Blizzard or a Hot Fudge (cake if they have it) Sundae.

Five Question Friday: 10/28/2011

This Five Question Friday is a fun game I've picked up from My Little Life. 

1.  Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets?

For us (my husband and I) it depends on the season.  We enjoy cotton sheets in the summer and flannel sheets in the winter.

2.  What time zone are you in?

I live in Virginia, so we are in the EST.  I am so excited, because I believe we fall back next weekend, so I get an extra hour of sleep at night! 

3.  What is your favorite part of the holidays?

Did you know Wal-Mart has their Christmas decorations up?  It isn't even Halloween!!!  I guess the birth of Christ is a big celebration, so we should start celebrating...heck, we should be celebrating all year long! 

My most favorite part of the holidays is the food.  I enjoy the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, casseroles, etc.  I also love the holiday decorations, the holiday music, and wonderful smells of cinnamon and cloves.

I hope to fix a pumpkin roll to get a kick on the holiday season this weekend!

4.  What is your favorite "wintry" drink?

Wassail is one of my favorites, but I also enjoy hot chocolate on a cold winter's day.

5.  In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

Hmmm...probably being the President of the United States.  You will always be criticised for things you do (or don't do) whether they are for the good or for the bad of the people.   

Five Question Friday

1.  Do you prefer your ice cream in a bowl or a cone?

I prefer my ice cream in a bowl.  A cone is too messy for me!  If I were to have a cone, it would need to be a waffle cone!

2.  What three things do you love to smell?

I love to smell the scentsy plug ins, in my home.  I also love the smell of the ocean.  The third thing I love to smell is food baking in the oven, especially cookies!

3. Do you like to give gift cards?

No, I would prefer not to give gift cards, but if I'm running out of time or I cannot find a gift for that person, I will get a gift card.

4.  What sports did you play in high school?

I ran cross country three years.  I played soccer a few years in high school, which included indoor too.  I did not run track because I cannot stand to run in a circle, I just cannot do it!  I still play soccer as an adult.  I have started up a women's soccer group that gets together on Sundays at 3:00pm in the park.  It is so much fun to get together with other moms and play- some of which have never played before! 

5.  Were you in the band in high school?  What did you play?

I was in the band in high school.  Not many of my close friends were in band, but I still enjoyed it!  I played the tuba in marching band and the clarinet in concert band.  I started out on the sax, but changed it up!  I also played the piano growing up.

1. What is your go to comfort food or sweet?

My comfort food is anything that is homemade!  It is comforting to me to cook!  When I do need a pick-me-up, I choose to eat something salter, rather than sweet!

2. What is the most romantic place you've ever been to?

Anywhere that I can go with my husband, without the children in tow!


3. What is your favorite thing about fall/Halloween?

My favorite things about fall include the pumpkins, the cooler weather, Virginia Tech Football, the Redskins, and the all the stores already marketing the Christmas holiday!  I'm just kidding about Christmas!

4. How would you spend 24 hours alone?

Absolutely!  I'm not sure what I would do!  I know that I would spend a good amount of that time sleeping.  If I was at the beach and spent 24 hours by myself, I would probably wake up, eat, and go lay on the beach, come back and take a nap!  I would then prepare to go out to dinner to get some fresh seafood! 

5. Does you husband bring you flowers? Are you the bring-me-flowers type of girl?

My husband does not buy me flowers.  I would rather him spend that money on taking me out to dinner or buying me a nice bottle of wine!

Five Question Friday..that I'm doing on Wednesday

1. Do you apologize to your kids if you're wrong?

I try to appologize to my children when I'm wrong.  I want them to know how important it is to apologize when you have messed up!

2. Do you have a class ring, Letterman's jacket, or similar obscenely priced high school "must have"?

I do not have a class ring.  I did get a letter jacket that I still have somewhere....maybe at my parents house.

3. If you could be one age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose?

I would be 30.  I am not thirty, but I believe that will be a good year.  My children will be older, I will not have a baby anymore, just a 3, 5, 8, and 10 year old! 

4. What is your favorite (unused) baby name?

I used all the baby names I liked...and then ran out and then we let my daughter pick Wyatt's middle name, which is Elliott! Here are the names:

 

Alexandra Nicole

Christopher Owen

Lillian Elizabeth

Wyatt Elliott

All of our children's names spell a word!  I do like the name Jude, though.  It is very biblical.   

5. If you could make your child like something what would it be?

 

My children like almost everything.  They are not picky eaters, they love to be outside, they enjoy reading, etc.  I cannot name one thing....I like my children just the way they are!

Five Question Friday

1. Dream job...realistic and completely unrealistic.

My dream job is realistic if we can get our ducks in a row!  I want to be a stay at home wife and mom.  I am jealous all the moms I know that get to stay at home, volunteer at the school, take the children to their events, and prepare a homemade meal- without rushing around!  My husband works for the Rescue Squad in the city, so he may need to find another job before I can stay at home!

2. Do you fart in front of your significant other?

Absolutely tootin' right I do!  He farts in front of me, so why should I not fart in front of him?

3. What's the furthest you've ever traveled from home? How far and where was it?

  

I traveled a lot growing up.  That is one thing that I really want to do with my family, as they get older.  I love to see new places and taste new foods.  When I was young, probably 7 or 8, we went to Texas to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins.  We flew from Virginia to Texas.  I don't remember a lot of that trip, except I was not able to go to Mexico with my folks for a day trip because I had gotten sick and vomited the night before in a restaurant!

Another far away trip that I went on was to Europe.  The summer before I started my sophomore year in high school, my family took a two week trip to Europe with my best friend's family.  We visited Paris, France and London, England.  This was such a great trip.  Having my bff there made it great!

When I was a senior in high school, I took a cruise with 7 of my friends.  My parents didn't go, which I appreciated!  Two sets of parents went on the trip.  We drove to Florida to board our cruise.  We visited Jamaica, Grand Caymans, and Cozumel, Mexico.  I had a fabulous time on this trip and hope to one day take a cruise with my family!

4. How do you celebrate birthday for your kids? Family only or friends? ... Alternate for those without kiddos: How did you celebrate birthdays as a kid?

We have birthday parties that involve friends and family.  We do not have big birthday parties that involve the children's friends, until they have really made friends.  Wyatt will be turning 1 in October and we will have a small family get together, which will include dinner, to celebrate his big day. 

When I was a child, my family did the same.  I had a few birthday parties with friends at the house.  We always had a birthday party/dinner with my family, which included my grandparents.  This will be the first year I will not have any of my grandparents at my birthday dinner. 

5. Fave thing about fall?

Redskins football is my most favorite part of fall.  I do enjoy the weather, eating soups and chili, going to the pumpkin patch, and the preparing myself for the holiday season!

Five Question Friday

Thanks for the Questions!

1. If you had a weekly newspaper column, what would you name it?

This is a good question and I'm not sure that I have the answer to it at this time.  I would have to think on this.  Maybe I would call it, "And the Dunn's go on" or "The Daily Dew's (instead of News)" since I change so many diapers each day!

2. Who is your mentor/inspiration?
My family is my inspiration.  I will do most anything for them, to provide for them, and to keep them safe.  I do not know if I have a mentor that I look up to, other than God. 

3. What is your wake up beverage of choice?

My favorite beverage would be some type of soda, but we do not buy soda.  We make a lot of tea and lemonade.  I enjoy having a beer or a glass of wine in the evenings too, but I would not say this is my wake time beverage of choice.  I try to drink a lot of water during the day to keep my system cleaned out and to stay hydrated.  My husband and I have pushed our kids to drink more water, too!  But, if I had a choice I would drink soda!

4. Would you wear your mom's clothes?

I would wear some of them.  I actually have worn some of them.  I remember interviewing at the Department of Social Services and I borrowed one of my mom's blazers for the interview.  I must have looked good since I got the job!  I would not wear her bras, underwear, or bathing suits though!  That is too personal.

5. When you were a kid, did you put posters on your wall? If so, what were they of?

When I was a child I did have a few posters on my wall.  I cannot remember exactly what the posters were, but I want to say they were posters of the teen sinsation JTT.  I can't remember who that even stood for now!  Is it Justin Tyler Thomas or Justin Thomas Tyler?  I had more pictures of friends and family decorating my room than I did posters!

Five Question Friday

Thanks to My Little Life for some of the questions!

1. What ring tone do you have on your cell phone?

I use the normal ring tones that come with my phone.  When I had my blackberry before advancing to a HTC Evo Shift Touch Screen, I had the Weeds theme song, Little Boxes.  My life is too busy now to worry about downloading ring tones for my cell phone! 

2. What is your favorite memory from this summer?

Going to the beach twice, once with our friends and once with my family.  Most all of my great summertime memories involve some body of water!

3. Paper books or ebooks?

I like reading paper books, if I were to read a book. 

4. If you could have one home upgrade what would it be and why?

New windows.  I would love to have new windows to help keep the cool in and the warm out or vise verse, depending on the season.

5. What type of drinks are in your refrigerator?

 

My husband just got done fixing a pitcher of sweet tea.  I have a Maison jar of grape juice thawing out from my first juice making experience, and milk.  This is usually all the drinks we have on hand at any given time.  Some days we may make lemonade, but we usually just have juice, milk, and tea. 

 

We make our children drink lots of water during the day.  When we sit down for a meal, they get to drink either milk or juice with it.   

 

Five Question Friday

Questions from http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

1. Did you make any fun purchases this week?

No, I did not make any fun purchases this week.  Could I place my groceries in the category of fun?  I did save $40.00 at Kroger and only spent $98.00.  We went back to school shopping the week before last and bought some "fun" back to school items. 

Our family does not usually buy "fun" items.  At one point in our life- before 4 children- we would buy fun stuff, but our financial priorities have changed.  We usually only spend money on fun stuff for birthdays and Christmas.

2. If you could go to any musical concert, what would it be?

It would be Jimmy Buffett.  My husband and I love Jimmy Buffett and enjoy attending his concerts.  We had tickets to go see him this weekend, but had to back out a few days ago. 

3. What is your least fav/ most fav house chore?

Hmmm...my most favorite chores would be laundry, vacuuming, cooking, and straightening up the house.  My least favorites would be cleaning the bathrooms, deep cleaning, and taking the trash out.  I seem to always get stuck cleaning the bathrooms and my husband seems to always clean the floors (vacuum and mop).  I also enjoy changing the sheets on the bed too, since I love sleeping in clean sheets!   

4. Would you prefer new appliances or clothes?

It has been a long time since we have gotten either.  I would probably say appliances since I'm not into having a bunch of new clothes.

5. Miracle Whip or Mayo?

Miracle Whip!  This is a flavor from my childhood.  My husband hates Miracle Whip, so I always buy mayo.  I have not introduced it to my children yet, but I'm certain they will love it's great flavor too!

Five Question Friday

1. Tube socks, calf socks, crew, ankle, none?

Ankle socks for me!  The last time I wore long, white tube socks was either in soccer or volleyball in high school.  That was 10 years ago!

2. Was your child's (children's) name a mutual decision or was it a debate? If you don't have children, do you plan on giving your spouse a say, or do you have a name you MUST have, regardless if your other half likes it or not?!

Our children's names were all a mutual decision.  My husband came up with the first (first) names for all our children.  I came up with our last son's name, Wyatt.  We both came up with the middle names.  We passed down a few family names, we did not feel obligated to use any name!

3. What is your favorite type of weather?

I love sunny, warm days!  I also love the wintertime when it is snowing! 

4. If left to your own devices, what time would you wake up every day?

Goodness, this is a hard question!  I have four children, so I'm sure I would be awakened by 7:30am if my alarm did not go off!  Some Saturday mornings our children decide to sleep in, so we get to stay in bed until 8 or so.  If I didn't have my kids, I would probably roll out of bed about 10:00am.  I love to sleep and have been a sleeper my whole life!

5. What type of vehicle do you drive?

I drive a mini van and love it!  It seats eight.

Five Question Friday

Here is my Five Question Friday on Sunday!  :)  I've been busy!

1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant what would your first reaction be? For the dudes, what would your first reaction be if your wife told you she was pregnant after the Big V?

I would be shocked!  We already have four kids and I don't think I could handle a 5th!  I would then wonder if the doctor messed up!
2. Best memory about this summer so far.

My best memory of the summer is going to the beach with my family, my parents, and my aunt, uncle, and cousin.  I love spending time with my aunt and uncle.  They are such great hostesses every time we visit!

3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids sheets?

My goal is to change the sheets weekly.  The crib sheets always get changed on a weekly (or daily) basis. 

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full-body scan or a pat-down?
I would much rather do the scan than have somebody putting their hands all over me!

5. Since it is fair time…what’s your favorite fair (county or state) memory?
I am not a fair person!  The fair usually comes around when it is 100+ degrees and I have no desire to go...I do not like the rides and I won't allow my kids to ride on rides (for fear of them collapsing!)at fairs.

Five Question Friday

1.  What is your favorite summertime activity?

My favorite summertime activity is going to the beach!  I love our vacations to the beach in the summer!  If we are not at the beach, then we love to go to the lake.  Our family friend has a lake house with a beach, so we spend many weekends up there in the sun!

2.  What is your favorite summertime dinner?

My favorite summertime dinner is either beef kabobs, steak, or beer can chicken.  I can never get enough of those three.  My husband smokes the beer can chickens and they are delish!  My grandmother passed down her beef kabob recipe and it is so yummy!  We seem to only eat that in the summertime.  I could just drink the marinade for it!  And for the steak, we always ate steak growing up.  My dad is a red meat kind of man, so he has passed his love for beef onto me.

3.  When is the last time you bought a new comforter for your bed?

This is sad to say, but my husband and I have never bought a new comforter.  Our first comforter was a Tommy Hilfiger that we got as a wedding present.  Our current comforter (or quilt) was given to use as a gift from my parents about 4 years ago.  It should probably be replaced since it is starting to rip, but it is still doing it's job!

4.  What is your favorite season?

I love summer only because we go to the beach.  I then love fall.  I love the cooler weather, football, the kids going back to school, and the leaves. 

5.  Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

No, but I did watched Dateline that evening and it recapped everything!

Five Question Friday

Thanks My Heart's Desire for the great idea!  I'm going to start a Five Question Friday and hope to keep up with it!  My life is so busy, but I thought this would be a fun way to end the work week!  Fell free to add these to your blog or answer here!  Here we go...

1.  If you could move anywhere, where would you go?

I would move to the beach!  I love the beach and everything about it.  My vacations to the beach are never long enough to satisfy my soul!  I enjoy the water, the seafood, the peace, and the atmosphere.  I would never move to a busy beach like Myrtle Beach, SC.  I would want to move to a quiet beach such as Holden Beach or Sandbridge Beach.

2.  Do you have one laundry soap you always use or do you get what is on sale?

I look for bargains.  I try and buy stuff we have used before, that I know will clean our clothes.  I was able to grab 2 All liquid soaps for $1.00/each last month!  We are using that at the moment.

3.  What color are your nails right now?

I have not painted my nails this summer!  I should be doing that instead of blogging!  When I get down time, I usually don't think about my nails.

4.  Have you ever had roommates?

No!  I got married the January after I graduated high school.  I went straight from living at home, to living with my husband.  My husband and I moved into a tiny 500 sq foot house together, two blocks from my parents!  :)  We now live a little farther away!

5.  Can you drive a stick shift?

Of course!  I started off driving my grandfather's old rusted S-10 pickup truck.  My brother and I shared this truck in high school.  I have fond memories of calling him to come help me up a hill because I couldn't get it up!