Thursday, April 28, 2011

Day 1 - 15 Facts by Johnny

Day 1 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.

Since I just barely did this, I'm taking an idea from my friend Mariana and having Johnny think of these 15 facts and pick out the picture. :) Let's hope I don't regret it =D





15 Facts about Brin:


1) She's deathly afraid of mice.
2) She has a passion for killing bugs...in her home.
3) Her second toe is longer than her big toe (and quite sexy, too!).
4) She hates it when the air conditioner is on, and it's cold outside.  It sends her into a fit of rage.
5) She loves the smell of lilacs, and is constantly upset that stores carry only lavendar fragrances.
6) She loves to do paperwork (and general organizing).
7) She speaks Spanish at a middle-school level.
8) Her favorite brand of pizza is Little Caesar's...go figure.
9) She loves to make waffles or pancakes on Saturdays.
10) One of her favorite weekly activities is grocery shopping.
11) She prefers to stay clear of politics.
12) She has an irrational fear of knives; she gets very cross when someone points a knife at her, even 10 ft away!
13) She's had the same pair of glasses since 8th grade, even though she's had to use a twisty-tie to hold them together.
14) She sings (more like hums, I guess) and dances in her seat when she eats something delicious.
15) She's absolutely adorable!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

30 Day Challenge Take Two!

Okay, so I just did the Blogger 30 Day Challenge Thing. Now I'm doing the 30 day Facebook Photo Challenge. I feel like I should wait and space them out but, meh. I wanna keep going :) Every day was really a challenge this last time though, so I think I'm going to modify it. Whoever said it had to be 30 consecutive days? Every week is a LONG time, especially since this expands into 60 days. Twice a week? Is that fair? That's still a long time. I think I'll do it. Ready?

Change: Three times a week. Twice was just too slow. :)




Facebook Photo 30 Day Challenge
Day 1 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.
Day 2 - A picture of you and the person you have been close with for the longest.
Day 3 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 4 - A picture of your night.
Day 5 - A picture of your favorite memory.
Day 6 - A picture of a person you’d love to trade places with for a day.
Day 7 - A picture of your most treasured item.
Day 8 - A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 9 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate.
Day 12 - A picture of something you love.
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.
Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel.
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 25 - A picture of your day.
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 28 - A picture of something you’re afraid of.
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Day 30 - 3 Good Things

The last one!!

Except I failed. Big time this time, I'm a week and a half late! Oh well. I'm getting so good at retroactive-ness :)

Sunday, April 17, 2011
Day 30 – A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the last 30 days.

Let's see, luckily there were pictures taken of me that day.


Haha, John took this while I wasn't looking. I say it works :)

Okay, three things that...oh I thought it was things I've learned. That's harder. Three good things that happened is easier. Maybe.

#1: We have almost bought a house.
#2: We've had two nephews born
#3: I got a job.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Day 29

Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.

Reading. :)

Friday, April 15, 2011

Day 28

Day 28 – Your favorite movie.

That is changing all the time. It used to be The Princess Bride
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Or Bugsy Malone

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But that was mostly because I liked them when I was little and they were nostalgic for me.

Nowadays it's usually just whatever movie I saw recently that appealed to me best.

Pirates of the Caribbean had its day

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And Ocean's Eleven has been the only movie I willingly watched over and over

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Lately I've practically worshiped Sherlock Holmes. Why not? It's freaking amazing!!!!!! And one of the few movies that lived up to its trailers.

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Who knows what will be next? :)

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Wordle!

I made a Wordle!

Day 27 - Not Much Changing...

Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?

Another one? Hmmmm


This was last April when we went to a park. We went to a park earlier this week so I think it's fitting.

But how have I changed?

Honestly, I don't think I've changed much at all. If we had done two years I could tell you a lot, and three years even more. But I'm told one year.

Ummm...I've learned to be a better wife, I guess. I'm still nowhere near perfect but John and I have worked so hard because we want the perfect marriage. It's partly why we haven't had kids yet, even though I've been baby hungry my whole life. We want as solid of a marriage as possible, and that takes SO much work!! But I'm grateful that he pushes me instead of just ignoring things like I tend to do. I don't want to be like my parents, where their marriage seems more like a working partnership instead of a friendship. Of course, we don't expect to achieve perfection anytime soon...or at all, in this life. But we are working out butts off to get as close as we can.

Um...I have lost and gained almost again my drive and motivation for living life. Doing nothing for over a year is very draining. My life disappeared into John's and I had very little otherwise to live my life for. It's funny because I've always looked forward to being a housewife but without kids it's actually pretty hard to keep busy. But I've gotten past that and now I have a part-time job that gets me out of the house and into my sanity again. :)

I've gotten better at pool :) I now consider myself at a Jr. High level of Spanish, and I've lived in another country.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Day 26 - Teotihuacan

Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.

Right now John and I are reading Tennis Shoes among the Nephites together, for many reasons. One is because we recently went to Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, and Quetzalcoatl's Temple...in Mexico) and it's talked about (briefly...but I associate them) in one of the later books. Teotihuacan is also probably the coolest place I've been to...

Yeah, that's going to be my life thanks to my Mexican-obsessed hubby. The coolest places I'll have visited for the next 50 years are all going to be in Central America and therefore not as awesome as incredible places like Europe! *sigh* but at least I get to go places...and I probably will get to go to New York and such sometime soon, at least :) Yay for family living on the other side of the country =D

But we're not here to talk about how John and I differ in vacation preferences. :) Teotihuacan was still amazing.


That's me, on TOP of the Pyramid of the Sun, with the Pyramid of the Moon next to my face (perspectively, not actually, sillies). It was really really windy, if you can't tell :)

Despite my best efforts, John's enthusiasm for this history was and kind of still is rubbing off on me. I mean, I do like history and a good story, and being there, seeing all this ancient stuff was rather awe-inspiring. :)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Day 25 - Purse Belongings

Okay, so can I just say that blogger is awesome? I had these on a scheduled post, and they still tell my blog that it was posted on that day even though that day is past! I know that's quite confusing, so if you don't get it just know that blogger rocks! :)

Day 25 – What’s in your purse?

Ugh...my purse is in hectic shape right now...but I guess that's normal so I'll go ahead and take a picture and tell you about it anyway :)



Yay! That was a great opportunity to clean it out :)

Okay, so in my purse:

First is the normal wallet. I love my big fatty leather wallet. It's so great! It has more pockets than I can keep track of. It is a little inconvenient when I just want to take the essentials, but I make it work :)

Next are my glasses in their case. I am a little blind. :)

The thing that has been most making my purse a little hectic is the ridiculous amount of receipts just stuck in there...I should work on that habit, probably :)

I have my little black book...which is just used for notes, thoughts, scheduling...stuff like that :)

Two USB drives and a pocket knife...

Check book...that is hardly used.

An assortment of pens, some batteries, the blue thing, headband, my puppy's name tag that had the phone number mixed up, souvenirs from a play we went to and a baby shower I went to...

Paint spots because the house we're buying has horrible wall color right now so I went a little crazy and picked out my color scheme even though we don't officially have the house yet and it will be a little while before we can paint... :)

Candy and gum

And the prettiest, classiest purse on the block. =D

Monday, April 11, 2011

Day 24 - Marriage Rocks!

So I managed to get the weekend done on time but then I missed out on half the week. Haha...life is so funny! :) I blame this on the 15 facts one. It was SO hard to think of distinct 15 facts! I am quite proud that I was able to come up with a list that quite satisfied me. But now it's time to move on. Less than a week and I'm done with these 30 days! :) I can make it!

Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.

Wow this is hard. Means...a lot...to me. My wedding ring is what's popping up in my mind, and coincidentally (or maybe it's why) I just took some awesome pictures of my ring...with John's. :)



Our camera, though it has many other faults, takes incredible macro shots! I'd like to see you get that clear that close! :P


My ring is the prettiest ring in the universe and, I'm sorry ladies, none of yours can compete!

Okay, so some of you have awesome rings and you are perfectly allowed to love yours more than mine. Just know in the back of your mind that mine totally rocks!!!!

I picked mine out. John figured I'd been thinking about this for years and years and it would be the only piece of jewelery I would wear all the time for the rest of my life...so I'd better be sure to like it, and his chances of picking the perfect ring were slim. Not that I don't trust him...but I didn't trust him :) He didn't either so it's all good. =D

I actually found this ring while looking online to get an idea of what I really liked. Danforth Diamonds are my friends! It made it especially nice for John because he loves online shopping so he got an especially pretty present when he ordered it =D

I fell in love with this piece. It's funny because I did not want a ring like every single other girl out there with the regular diamond in the middle...so boring! And yet that's what I ended up with anyway. It's surprisingly hard to find other choices...and most of those are...we'll say not my type. :) In any case, I wanted something different and I believe I found it here. It's curvy!!! I love it! And the wedding band fits right in with it! I am not as much a fan of the solitaire ring with a straight wedding band that don't match at all...I think they look kind of..or really...awkward. Sorry to those who have that...it's just not what I wanted.

I could go on and on about my story of how we picked out the ring (there is drama!)...but the point is, I love this ring...and what it represents. Yes, I've been married for over a year and I got engaged over a year and a half ago...and I still stare at the pretty rock on my finger and get all mushy inside. Not only is it gorgeous my Johnny gave it to me, and we're married because of it! (more or less)

Marriage rocks! And so does my ring :P

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Day 23 - 15 Facts

Day 23 – 15 facts about you.

This should be easy. As is, I think, very apparent here on this blog, I have no problem going on about myself. But 15 facts? What am I supposed to say? I guess it's because I want them to be epic, or at least meaningful, and not just the first things that pop in my head. More like "15 facts that define you" instead of "15 things you think about or that apply to you." I will do my best...

Oh, and these are not in any specific order...probably.

#1


These are all lilac-scented...but they are not all the lilac-scented things I own... =D
I think the smell of lilacs is the most heavenly thing on earth. Thus, they are my favorite flower by far and I go just a little crazy when I find things that smell like lilacs.


#2





I love children. My nieces and nephews are my favorite people. I wish I could spend more time with them. I miss the times I've had with them.



#3

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The thing I have looked forward to the very most for my entire life is to be a mother. I intend to give my absolute all to motherhood. I've worked very hard for years and years to change myself so that I can be a better future mother. It worries me a lot that I will fall beneath my expectations, but I do realize that every mother feels that way so I'll just do my best to understand that I will be doing my best.

#4







Friends mean a lot to me. I try to be the best friend I can be, but I don't succeed as much as I'd like. I don't think I'm an awkward person, but I'm realizing I can still be awkward in a way that drives people away. It's just the way I am and I don't feel like I should change, but it seems like everyone else thinks I should since I'm often losing friends. But, then again, that's simply part of life: losing friends, to something or another. In any case, those I hold dear I hold in high esteem, and it takes a lot for me to let go of a friend I've learned to love.


#5

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I hate the English language, but I love working with it. I read a lot growing up -- it's my most prominent hobby -- and so I got used to the way the English language worked. Somehow I missed out, probably just mentally, on the classes that taught the specifics of how sentences and phrases and words work together, but I still usually know when things are right. When I finally learned what they call sentences and phrases and words when they work, it thrilled me. Loads of people think English classes are boring. They are my favorite. In High School, even though I was in Mads and I loved it like mad (haha), secretly I loved working with the newspaper ever so slightly more, even though it was more work than play.
However, I am not a grammar Nazi...most of the time :P  Actually, John corrects me more than I correct him. I think that's funny. :) I am nowhere near perfect, though I do often write and say things wrong on purpose, on principle of style :)

#6




I am a narcissist...of sorts. I have gone through waves of minor self-confidence issues throughout my life, and one of the ways I've found that eases that stress is to take pictures of myself that I like. With things like myspace and facebook to give even glance-over views of people's lives, I've realized that I am so not alone in this practice. You go ahead and try to count how many profile pictures are taken in front of a bathroom mirror by the person themselves. I find it highly amusing.

#7

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I am petrified of needles. The fact that the above picture (let alone the other pictures that came up in my search) and simply the word "needles' makes me squirm and get a little light headed should be testament enough of that. Ugh. So I will probably never give blood unless absolutely necessary. I've avoided for as long as possible getting shots that have been needed and promptly blocked out any memories of those I couldn't get out of. This last time, over a year ago, I decided that my fear, though common, is irrational and surely just a little *prick* is really not that bad. So I tried to brave it up. It is utterly disgusting how much that prick, the only one I have not successfully blocked out, haunts me...to the point where saying or typing "prick" in that context makes me want to puke. Luckily I am not so bad as some who faint when they get shots...but I've never fainted for anything so maybe that's just a different issue. If you try to talk about shots or needles or giving blood around me for more than a few seconds, I will leave, if possible, or close my eyes and start humming in the attempt to block you out. Don't take my tears and pale face personally, it's just not a reaction I'm good at controlling.

#8


I have long fingers and nail beds that some girls would kill for. And I love them. Very, very much.
Once I got fake nails. Teresa was majoring in cosmetology and needed someone to practice on. I will never ever do them again. It took forever for my nails to be strong enough to grow past the bed without breaking immediately.
I don't get manicures all that often...or ever. Haha...maybe someday when I'm rich :P
I very rarely put colored polish on my fingernails. They chip off within a day, even the nicer brands, and I don't want the damage they do, and I simply don't like the way it looks. However, I almost always have colors on my toes. They're begging for it, and I'm happy to oblige :)

#9


All our junk packed and getting packed...not the best representation but good enough.


I am a pack-rat who likes to organize. I have strong nostalgic attachments to just about everything I own, but it bothers me if my stuff overwhelms me. Note that I did not say I'm an organized pack-rat, but that I like to organize. I'm not always organized, as my husband can attest. But I find that a strength rather than a weakness. I don't want to be one of those women who can't function when her house is a mess. I'm realistic and I know that having kids and having a life is going to make it difficult to have everything always in its place, so I'm very glad that I can function almost as well when everything is piled up as I can when it's put away. And yet I do love the feeling that comes when everything is clean and organized. But what's best: I love the process of organizing the most. 

#10

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I have never tasted alcohol or tobacco or experienced any illegal drug. And I never will. My Daddy is to thank for that. No, he never sat me down and talked about the dangers of drugs and warned me what it would do to my life if I tried them. He simply never shut up about how completely ridiculous and utterly stupid they are. I've always believed him and have happily formed an opinion of my own to accompany his. It's funny to me because they always tell you in school that "you will be" tempted or asked or whatever. Me? Never. I've even had close friends involved in drugs, but it's never been an issue. I've never even had to say no, even though, or possibly because, it would be so easy for me to. 

#11



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You people like this stuff????


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I'll admit it's pretty...just don't ask me to smell or taste it.


I am a very picky eater. Among things I avoid eating are beef, casseroles, cooked fruits (and often cooked veggies), nuts mixed into things, anything with too many ingredients...it's almost like I'm a little kid with my taste buds, really. Except I am willing to try most things at least once...and I almost always still don't like it. Oh, and coconut is the most disgusting thing the world has ever produced. :) Even the smell of it makes me want to puke. 



#12






I don't care much for chocolate. This deserves it's own fact-ship separate from other food simply because everyone in the world loves chocolate...except me and weirdos like me. :)
I don't hate it...I will eat it, and often do. But given the choice I will generally choose something other than chocolate. Like lemon :)
Dark chocolate I do hate and do not eat. In fact, "real" chocolate I won't eat...I must like wax because Hershey's is the chocolate I can best stand :)

#13





I've never had a dog until two months ago, and now she is my biggest fan (almost).

#14





I love to sing.

#15

Haha...I look like a deformed creeper :)
Sorry for the gross foot picture...feet are so weird-looking!!!

I can raise each of my eyebrows (one better than the other), wiggle my ears together and individually, and shake my eyes. Also, my toes are double-jointed so I can stand on my tip toes like a ballerina without the shoes!! :)