{31 Day Blogging Challenge- Day 11}

The Last Book You Read

Technically I didn't read it. I had it read to me on audible. But it still counts!

It was Nick Carters "Facing the music and living to talk about it."

I know what you're thinking and you're right. I did only get it because it was Nick and I felt I needed to support my boys. But I ended up really liking it. And since its a self help book, this shocked me. I'm not a self help book type of person and I'll probably never read another one. But this one was really good. Probably because I "knew" him. I grew up with him. I have loved him since I was in 7th grade.

He talks about things I had no idea about, like his drug use and his binge drinking, and the fact that he almost got kicked out of BSB. He talks about things I did know about like his parents rocky marriage (if you want to call it that..it was more like disastrous) and the death of his sister Leslie.

He also talks about how he freed himself from that life. How he pulled his head out of his ass and got it together. He doesn't tell you his way is the only way or that any of it will definitely work for you. But he tells you how he did it so maybe you can get it together too.

By the end of the book..I loved him more. I always knew he wasn't perfect. No one is. And I knew about his DUIs and such. But to hear him talk about it made me feel closer. It also helped me to understand the mind of an alcoholic a little better. Since they run in my family.

I loved it. And I think everyone should read it. Addict or not. Fan or not. Its amazing.

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{31 Day Blogging Challenge- Day 10}

Your Daily Routine

So I've been getting back into going to the gym more regularly and then it started raining. And then the van broke down. So guess who doesn't have a car because D doesn't like to ride to work in the rain? Yep. So I'll just do this like if I was going to the gym lol.

6:30am: D wakes me up. Oh he doesn't just wake me up though, no, he makes me sit up and look at him so that he knows I woke up lol.

7:30am: My alarm goes off and I wake up for real ;)

7:45am: I walk out the door to the gym.

10:00am: I return from the gym and shower and eat breakfast. Usually an egg white omelet with salsa.

10:20am: I start the laundry and pick up the house. This lasts from anywhere between 15min to an hour depending on if I bothered to do it the day before or not lol.

Around 12pm: Lunch time!! Usually some fruit and a Smart Ones meal. My favorite is Fettuccine Alfredo.

After lunch I go about folding laundry and putting it away. Depending on if I've been keeping up with it or who brought their laundry in for me to wash (cause the kids don't often bring their clothes up/down until I yell at them for it), this can take all day. It's an on going process honestly.

Around 4:30pm I start thinking about what to make for dinner. Be it pizza or shepherds pie. I take out whatever I'm planning (unless it's pizza of course).

D gets home at 5pm. We have the foods. Then I finish putting away laundry. Aka, I fold it and put it on the stairs for the kids to put away lol. And we all kind of just hang out.

Around 7pm I start getting kids ready for bed. Showers/baths and jammies (should they choose to wear them) on.

We all just sit around some more. Nothing really happens in the evenings because I like to just chill before fighting kids to get to bed.

8:30pm: I start telling them it's time for bed.

9:00pm: Finally get them all in bed. Usually Owen is the one dragging his feet.

9:30pm: Tablets are off and children should have their eyes closed. Of course, this is my family so that's not how it actually goes. I end up telling them to turn them off only to go up there 15min later to see both of the boys still have them on. So I get mad and start threatening to take them away.

10:00pm: I'm in jammies and ready for bed.

10:30pm: There's usually a small child still fighting me to go to sleep. He ends up in my bedroom on the floor in a sleeping bag. Because I'm a serious push-over. Not my fault.

And that's my routine lol. Well for the summer anyway. In about a week school starts and then BOOM madness mornings commence. I'm looking forward to having my house back. I'm not looking forward to getting up and fighting with children to get them ready and out the door before the bus leaves. Blah.

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{31 Day Blogging Challenge- Day 9}

What's on your life/bucket list?

I'm only 31 so there are plenty of things I still want to do. With and without my family lol. So here we go!

1. Take a vacation with all 4 of my siblings. When I was a kid my grandparents often took trips with all my aunts and uncles and cousins. They did it twice during Christmas (we only went once...don't get me started). We also took a trip to Grants Farm with a large group and it was so fun! We each had a car and walkie talkies lol. Of course that was in '02 before everyone and their brother had a phone. But I'd love to do that someday. Even if its just to Grants Farm or Six Flags. Whatever.

2. Publish a book.

3. Redo my wedding. Not that mine wasn't great. But I would love to have one that I wasn't fat..ya know?

4. Visit Disney World.

5. Have a real paranormal experience. I think we all know how much I love that stuff.

6. Own an expensive handbag I didn't purchase at Ross. Preferably LV ;)

7. See all 3 of my kids graduate high school.

8. See at least 1 (would love to be more) of my kids graduate college.

9. Fly somewhere. I've never been on a plane. Ever. I'd like to at least once.

10. Have VIP passes to a Backstreet Boys concert ;).

11. Restore my grandparents motorhome. It has always been my plan to eventually have it in my yard and to restore it so that we could actually drive it.

12. Take my kids for a trip in the motorhome. So many of my best memories are from trips we took. Would love for my kids to experience this.

Alrighty, that's all I can really think of right now.

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 8}

Your Biggest Pet Peeve

I have several! Lol People annoy the piss out of me on a daily basis.

1. People who chew with their mouth open. For real this is like nails a on chalk board for me.

2. People who smack their lips when they eat.

3. People who have no common sense.

4. Kids throwing fits and parents doing nothing about it.

5. People who talk shit about people they don't know.

6. People who argue about everything. You know the type.

And that's just a few lol.

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 7}

What's Your Dream Job?

This one is easy. From the time I was a kid I have always wanted to be a writer. I used to what is now known as fan fiction, all the time. It was rare that I didn't have a pen and notebook in my hand at all times.

Which is probably why I loved Composition class so much in high school. My teacher often let us write about pretty much whatever we wanted. Or sometimes she would give us a topic and tell us to write a story about that. It was great!

Of course my problem was that I never thought my stories were very good so most of them never saw the light of day lol. Occasionally I would allow my cousin to read them, but it was rare. Another problem, I never finished one! I just don't know how!

Still to this day I begin a book with Chapter 1 and get to about Chapter 3 and don't know where to take the characters from there. Its slightly annoying lol.

Maybe someday I'll publish something. I doubt it though.

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 6}

Your Last Random Act of Kindness

I really don't remember the last random act of kindness I did.

Is that bad? I guess it kind of is. But to be honest I do nice things for people all the time. I just don't keep a running tab on what they are.

Do you remember yours?

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 5}

Sorry this one is late. We had quite the day yesterday and I was in no mood to blog. So I'll do to in 1 day ;)

Day 5- Favorite Movies You Never Get Sick of Watching

Ooh this is a hard one. From the time I was a kid I've been a movie watcher. I could sit all day long and watch movies, any kind. My cousin used to let me watch horror movies from the time I was about 5 or 6. I've grown to love them now. I'll try not to make this post super long..and I'm apologizing now for the movies on this list. Most of them are probably old lol.

 Jetsons the Movie

George Jetson is forced to uproot his family when Mr. Spacely promotes him to take charge of a new factory on a distant planet.

I've probably seen this movie a million times. I know every line of the dialogue and every lyric to every song. I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't watched it recently lol. Every time I see it on Streampix or a movie channel I make the kids sit and watch it with me. It really takes me back to a time when kids movies weren't pointless and full of violence.

The Breakfast Club

Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Another movie from long ago. Another movie that had a real story to tell. I think my mom introduced me to this one. Which would make sense because it came out in '85 when I was only 2yrs old. I fall in love with this one again and again every time I watch it.

 Coyote Ugly

Aspiring songwriter Violet Sanford, after getting a job at a women-run NYC bar that teases its male patrons, comes out of her shell.

My mom and I both love this movie! I don't even know what to say about it. It's just amazing and every girl should see it...more than once!

 Iron Man

When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil.

Yeah, this one surprised me as much as you. I'm not a "super hero" movie kind of girl. I didn't read the comics and I hadn't really watched the cartoons. So I was new to all of it. But I figured anything RDJ in it was gonna be good right? ;) I'm glad I took the chance and watched it cause I'm in love with it! I have seen all 3 of these, both Thor's, both Avengers, and of course Captain America. But Iron Man is my favorite. I love how they tie them all together. I'm gonna say that I'm not as in love with the 3rd one as I am the first 2. But they're all good!

 Howard the Duck

A sarcastic humanoid duck is pulled from his homeworld to Earth where he must stop an alien invader.

I don't know why I like this movie lol. It's so cheezy and stupid. But I love it. I've seen it far too many times.

 Memoirs of a Geisha

Nitta Sayuri reveals how she transcended her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

Another movie I'm not completely sure why I like, but I do.

I think I'll end it there. That's enough right? What are some of your favorite movies?

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 4}

Best Childhood Memory

More than a few of my best memories are centered around one common thing.

That is my grandparents '66 Dodge motor-home. This is where more than a few of my childhood memories are held. This thing has been all over the U.S. We took a trip every summer of my childhood. No matter if it was just to Galena to go camping with family or if we were heading to TN to see my grandparents friends. We were in this thing so much in the summer that my grandma just kept certain foods in the cupboard lol. One year we even had Easter morning it. I believe we were on our way home from Ark after visiting my aunt and cousins. It was sure memorable :).

I don't have a ton of pictures of the inside of this amazing vehicle because my grandma didn't have a camera permanently attached to her hand like I do lol, but I do have a few from our trips over the years.

 My brother sitting in one of front chairs. I coveted spot among us kids. I don't know where we were at or where we were going with this trip. Neither does my grandmother lol.

 Camping. I don't know where. 

The best memories aren't just about the motor-home though. They're also about the trips we took. 

Pictured: (L-R) My grandpa, Grandma, Mickey, my sister, youngest brother, oldest brother, Me (at 15), and my great-grandma (grandmas mom).

Like the summer we took a month off school to drive my uncles massive van to California for my cousins Marines graduation. We visited Disneyland, the Grand Canyon, Flintstone camp ground, and Planet Hollywood. Those are just the ones I remember right off the top of my head though, I know we stopped at random places along the way too.

We took 2 trips to Canada. I believe this one was for some marriage thing or something. I don't really remember it but that's what my grandma said. Look at how little we all were lol. 

Pictured: (L-R) My mom, sister, oldest brother, youngest brother, Me (8mo pregnant with Gaige)

This trip was obviously quite a bit later on, but we took it anyway. And this time my mom actually came with us. She didn't go on too many trips with us when we were kids. My dad didn't want to go..and blah. Anyway- this was to Grants Farm. It was us, my grandparent, great grandma I think, my aunt & uncle plus their 2 kids, my brothers friend, and our other cousin. It was good times :)

But those are my best memories. 

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 3}

What Makes You Happy?

 These 3 yahoo's.

 Not just the Backstreet Boys, but music and concerts in general make me happy :).

 

This guy <3 i="">

 

 Working out. Even though I haven't been keeping up on it lately. Going to the gym is probably one of my favorite things to do ever! Such a release. Especially when I stressed.

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{31 Day Blog Challenge- Day 2}

Favorite Quote(s)

"The couples who are meant to be are the ones who go through everything designed to tear them apart; and come out stronger"

This is very much D and I. I feel like we've gone through so much in our 11yrs together, and the fact that we're still just as much in love as when we started dating means this is meant to be.We are meant to be. Someone somewhere said "these two belong together". And I agree :).

"Be a Hepburn in a Hilton world."

In another words be classy not trashy. In a time when girls seem to have less and less class, or maybe it's less self worth, I find myself wanting to embroider this on a pillow for Dawn. To remind her that even though the girls around her might be wearing shorts that are too small and taking suggestive selfies constantly, she doesn't need to be one of them. She can choose to leave a little to the imagination. She can choose to be a Hepburn and not a Hilton.

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