The Best of What's Around

400!!

Thanks so much for actually coming back and reading my random ramblings each day :o)  I have the best blog buddies ever!

Now for your questions...

Tia said... What is the absolute best book you have ever read?

This is a tough question because I love so many different books and so many different kinds of books!  If I were to pick my favorite non-fiction book, I would have to say A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas.  It is about a woman whose husband is hit by a car while out walking the dog.  He suffers severe brain damage and she has to go on living while taking care of him.  It is so emotional and raw.  SO good. 

My favorite fictional light read is actually a series; Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  She starts with One for the Money and is up to Sizzling Sixteen.  I've read 1-14 and have laughed out loud at every single one!  They are so hilarious!!  Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter and the situations she gets into are just crazy... read them, love them, you're welcome!

Now, if I could only pick one book to read over and over for the rest of my life, I would definitely, without a question, pick Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes.  This is a fictional story about bullying and a school shooting.  It goes through the trial of all involved.  I connected with each of the characters so much that I really had a hard time deciding whose side I was on.  I would say that if you have kids, are ever planning on having kids, or work in a school system, you HAVE to read this book.  It is so powerful.

Jenny said... What is your most memorable childhood memory?

When I started to think about this question, in almost all of the memories that popped into my head involved playing with friends outside.  Shane and I had friends that lived close by in the neighborhood.  We loved getting everyone together in the summers at night and playing Shock outside.  If you've never heard of Shock, it is basically hide & seek in the dark with a flashlight.  It was so much fun!

My favorite childhood memories involving my family are the times we went on family vacations.  One I remember in particular was our trip to Cincinnati to see a Reds game.  I remember feeling like we were in a HUGE city!  It was so exciting!  I also remember going shopping and going to Kings Island.  It was a lot of fun :o)

Angela said... Pick one or all 4!.... What is the thing you are most afraid of?

Death.  I am terrified of dying.  I don't want to miss out on anything and I never want to leave my girls.  In fact, I'm going to quit talking about this because it's making my tummy hurt...



What is one of the greatest goals you've accomplished?
This is a hard one!  I honestly can't think of a single thing!  I could say finish college, but to me, college never seemed optional so I don't really feel like it was an accomplished goal, you know?  I could say getting a job in my field, but that actually makes me laugh a little... then cry.  I really don't know!  You've stumped me :o)

What is something you'd like to accomplish but it seems to be filled with obstacles?
Finishing your prize from my 300th blog ;o) 

Actually, I would like to be 100% debt free.  Mike and I don't have a lot of debt, but we have two cars, a house, and a couple of loans.  My number one goal is to pay all of that off and be debt free!  I know it won't happen soon, but I really think we can do it someday.


If you were to create a mind-blowing performance on video, what would it look like? :)
Just you wait until my 500th post ;o)  How is that for suspense??

Max Teders said... What kind of dreams do you have for the girls?
For them to be happy!  They can do whatever they want and be whatever they want as long as they are healthy and happy.  I hope for them to always know how much they are loved. 

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
In 20 years, I hope to be helping Miss Jaden plan her wedding.  I hope to be getting ready to purchase Taylor's last bottle of wine for her 21 bottle collection. I hope to be taking weekend get-aways with Mike. I hope to be continuing to live a happy, healthy life on purpose!

Superjules said... How did you pick your kids' names?
With Jaden, I really liked the name Eden, Mike didn't.  We went back and forth over names... We finally decided to combine Jade and Eden and came up with Jaden.  At that time, I hadn't heard of Jaden.  It wasn't until after she was born and named that I found out about Will Smith's Jayden and Britney Spears's Jayden.  We had planned on calling her Jade after she was born but she has always been Jaden!  Her middle name is Claire.  She is named after Mike's grandma, Ina Claire.

For girls, I like names that can be either boy or girl.  We liked Taylor because it sounded good with Jaden.  They aren't too girly and are good for a little girl or an adult.  Before we found out that T was a girl, we had picked out Joe for a boy.  We wanted to name "him" Joseph Dean after my Dad, Max Joseph, and after Mike, Michael Dean.  Each time I've been pregnant (and any other pregnant woman that he knows), Dad had referred to my baby bump as little Max or little Maxine.  I remember joking with Mom once saying I should just name Taylor, Taylor Maxine.  After I said it out loud, I actually thought it sounded cute!  I mentioned it to Mike and he liked it too.  So that's how T got her name.  We usually just call her Taylor Max though :o)

Do you have a favorite easy craft?
I have so many crafty interests... I like sewing, painting, scrapbooking, I don't know if I have a favorite.  I like creating with the girls too.  It's fun to get paints out and let J go to town on a picture frame or something.  I guess that would have to be my favorite :o)

Lora said... When you found out you were pregnant, with each girl, how did you tell your family? Who did you tell 1st?
With Jaden, I actually found out while I was on the phone with a friend.  I was confused with the pregnancy test because one of the lines was a little faint.  I had called her and was telling her that I didn't know if it was a positive or a negative and was reading the instructions over the phone.  I then got to the part in the instructions that said, "one of the lines may be lighter than the other," and said, "holy crap.  I'm freakin' pregnant!"  To tell the family, I painted these mugs for everyone:

With Taylor, I think Mike and I kept it a secret until Jaden told her Grammas and Grampas with this "Big Sister" shirt:

 
Thanks again for reading, guys!!  How about that snake, huh?