35

Yesterday I turned 35.  It was honestly one of the best birthdays I have ever had.  I am truly blessed to be able to list 35 great things about my day.  Just as a side note....this list is really for me to remember how great my life really is.  I plan on coming back to it when I might be having "one of those days."  After seeing the list, it is clear that the little things are the creators of amazing things.

1. 4:30 a.m. "Happy Birthday" from my sweet little girl.
2. "35" Lego build waiting on my nightstand from my precious boy.
3. Breakfast (homemade donuts and cinnamon rolls.)
4. Coffee
5. Jewelry stamping hammer
6. Jewelry stamping metal plate
7. Jewelry stamping letter set
8. Laminating machine
9. Excitement of the kids to show me my "big" gift.
10. My new hammock.  I have had an obsession with hammocks since childhood.  One of my many dreams has come true.
11. Joe proudly telling me that they got my hammock on sale.
12. Snuggling in the hammock with Lynn.
13. "Telling secrets" with Lynn while we were wrapped up in the hammock.   Her secret was, "You are the best mommy in the whole world."
14. A generally calm trip to Costco.  I love Chocolate Covered Pomegranates. 
15. Oak Park Mall  American Girl Store
16. Lego Store- I wanted to go, and I got a set for myself.  (3 in 1 House.  I will be building the Windmill version.)
17. We happend to go into the Disney Store just as they were beginning "Scare School" for the kids  as a promotion for Monsters University.  Joe and Lynn can officially roar!  As if we didn't know that.
18. Chick-Fil-A lunch
19. Surprise order of a gallon of sweet tea from Dan.  He knows the way to my heart.
20. Facebook birthday messages
21. Texts from my brother, my sister-in-laws, and from my new nephew.
22. Texts from friends.
23. Picture texts of my Birthday shot at Bar Louie the night before.
24. Phone call from my Uncle Dennis.  He always calls on my birthday, and I treasure that.
25. Phone call from my mom and dad.
26. Dad singing "Happy Birthday" in the background in his beautiful voice.
27. Joe's T-Ball Team Party
28. New friends made through T-Ball
29. Wine spritzers
30. We didn't have to cook dinner or clean up.
31. Cupcakes from Hy-Vee
32. Hearing my family say "Happy Birthday" randomly all day long
33. Lynn falling asleep on the couch
34. Reading Dinosaur vs. Bedtime with Joe
35. Ending the day on the deck in my hammock, listening to Dave Matthews, while playing Words With Friends with my best friend, Dan

Liebster Award

My friend and fellow blogger, Julie, nominated me for the Liebster Award.  Of course, I had to google to find out a bit about the award.  The origins are elusive, but I found one blogger who seems to have done her research.  Here is her take.  The current rules, as they stand, follow.  The rules can change because that is one of the rules.  Cool!  Just FYI, no one actually wins anything:)

After being nominated, you have to do the following:

• Acknowledge the blog that nominated you in a post.
• Tell 11 facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created.
• List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition.
• Post 11 questions for them to answer.
• Notify all the bloggers selected that they have been nominated.
• And finally, you can’t nominate the blog who nominated you.

11 facts about me:

1. Coffee became an addiction after I had my kids.

2. I really love teaching, but I'm finding it harder to love the students.

3. Books are an escape for me.  There aren't too many things that I would rather do than read.  I get a little anxious/slightly depressed when I don't have a book in progress.

4.  My parents and my brother are awesome people.  I love them, of course, but more importantly, I like them.

5.  I teach English, but I don't know any grammar rules beyond the basics.

6. My son putting on an old DeKalb hat of my grandfather's made me cry.  

7. I treasure old things that belonged to my family.  Old pictures and cards are my favorite links to the past.

8. I would choose a Thrift Store over a mall any day of the week, even if I had all the money in the world.

9. The beach is on my mind constantly.

10.  My family is my reason for doing everything I do.

11. I volunteer to wash coffee cups at my church.  I have to go do that now...

...and I'm back.

Answers to 11 questions:

1. If you could relocate anywhere in the world, would you?  If I had money to  pay for private school for my kids and could pay for my retirement with no problems, I would go to a beach in South Carolina tomorrow.  I would also need movers....I hate the actual act of moving.
2. Are you happy?  In general yes.  I have everything I could really want.  I only feel a little less than happy when I'm not able to be creative, or when I feel like I'm not giving enough back to everyone that I have.
3. What are you passionate about?  The things I think about the most are reading, writing, sewing, my family, and coffee.  I guess those are my passions.
4. Who is your favorite author?  Diana Gabaldon  Her Outlander series is amazing!  I can't explain it because it has everything.  Just go get Outlander and start reading.
5. Is the movie ever better than the book?  If you answered yes, give an example. NEVER!!! 
6. Dog or cat?  I have a cat, and I love dogs so much that I don't have one.  I know it wouldn't get the care it deserves from my busy family.  There isn't a dog out there that could replace Trudy anyway.
7. What is a typical Friday night for you?  Pizza from Hy-Vee and a Redbox movie with the kids. Baseball on TV to go to sleep to.  
8. Do you believe in God? Yes!  
9. If you could go back in time and change one thing in your life that would rechart your life, would you?  And if so, what would it be?  There are things that I wish I had or hadn't done, but I wouldn't change anything.  I am here in this place that I love being, and I would hate to be missing this "big picture" just to change something that I probably learned from.
10. What was your favorite high school subject?  I loved all of my English classes.  Novels, my senior year, was my favorite of all time.  I also really liked History.
11. iPhone or Android?  Have an Android, want an iPhone.

11 Questions for you:
 
1.  What was your major in college?
2. Did you ever, or are you still using it in your current career?
3. What was the best vacation you ever went on?
4. What is your dream vacation of the future?
5. Guilty pleasure?  (Mine is Pop-Tarts.)
6. Who or what has influenced your feelings about the role of women in society?
7. What do you worry about the most?
8. What writing do you do other than blogging?
9. If there was no way to fail, what would you try?
10.  Were you a girly-girl or a tom-boy as a kid?
And most importantly.....
11. Toilet paper- over or under?

Now I am supposed to nominate 11 bloggers.  Ummm....I don't follow that many blogs, but I do follow these two, so I am nominating them.  (Breakin' the rules, woohoo!)  One is very established and cracks me up with nearly every post, and one is brand new and very promising.  Both ladies are excellent writers.  Go check out Karen and Almeda.