Out of my window: it’s dark and I see the northwest city lights. So pretty.

I am wearing: jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

I am hearing: Joey turning pages of a book.

I am thinking: I could really use a back massage tonight.

I am thankful for: so many things but recently I have realized how thankful I am for a steady job, a wonderful husband and family and most recently the ability to pay for a dental implant.

I am going: to bed really soon!

I am hoping: my dad doesn’t lose his job. He finds out next week.

I am reading: Romans chapter 5 is on my list for tonight.

One of my favorite things: lately I have really enjoyed getting drinks at Starbucks. My new favorite: Decaf Peppermint Mocha Twist. Yum!

A few plans for the rest of the week: have dinner at Joey’s parent’s, work at the hospital, run a few errands, see a movie with some friends and hopefully get some laundry done.

So what are you doing right now?

I was tagged again. This time by my friend Erin. So here ya go:

A — Attached or Single: Attached

B — Best Friend: Joey

C — Cake or Pie: I would prefer to make a cake instead of a pie

D — Day of Choice: any day I can go shopping

E — Essential Item: I have so many essential items but I like Erin’s answer – Mary Kay Time Wise cleanser – that stuff is awesome!

F — Favorite Color: currently it is red

G — Greatest Accomplishment: Getting my master’s degree

H — Hometown: Utah

I — Indulgences: Back massages

J — January or July: January – it’s the start of new year and my anniversary is in January

K — Kids: 1 husband, 2 cats and 30 kids (on my caseload at work )

L— Life is incomplete without: Jesus

M — Marriage Date: New Year’s Day

N — Number of Siblings: 2 sisters and 1 sister- and brother-in-law

O — Oranges or Apples: depends on my mood

P — Phobias or fears: I sometimes fear the unknown

Q — Quotes: I’m not really a quote person

R — Reason to Smile: some of the things my 2-year-olds say in Sunday School

S — Season: My favorite season is spring

T — Tag 5 Friends: Kim W, Becky, Haley, Shilo and Jessie

U — Unknown fact about me: It can take me 10 hours to drink an entire can of soda. I have no idea why either!

V — Very favorite store: Depends on what I am buying. How’s that for an answer?

W — Worst habit: I am always in a hurry!

X — X-ray or Ultra Sound: I’ve had plenty of x-rays and only two ultra sounds (one of my heart and one of my eyes – that one was weird).

Y — Your favorite food: Any kind of wrap

Z — Zodiac: Taurus

I was tagged by my friend Becky earlier this month. So here ya go:

Five Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago:
1. Going to high school
2. Going to high school dances
3. Wearing a flipper retainer (a retainer that contained a front tooth) while I waited to complete the implant process
4. Chatting over instant messenger with friends after school
5. Growing out my bangs (man that was awful)

Five Things On My “To-Do” List Today:
1. Laundry
2. Install new faucets in the bathroom sinks (hopefully)
3. Clean the bathrooms
4. Make a salad for the family Christmas party
5. Go to the family Christmas party

Five Favorite Snacks:
1. Chocolate covered pretzels
2. Fruit
3. 3 Musketeers Mint with Dark Chocolate
4. Carmel Apple Spice drink from Starbucks
5. Whatever I’m in the mood for

Five Jobs I Have Had:
1. 5 Buck Pizza – assistant manager. When I go to a 5 Buck Pizza today the smell brings back so many memories!
2. MedUSA – I did medical billing and collections for several local clinics.
3. Olympus Clinic – I helped them prepare their clinic for HIPAA’s Privacy Rule that took effect in April 2003.
4. Speech aide at a local hospital – I assisted speech therapists in swallow studies, did lots paperwork and did newborn hearing screenings.
5. and currently I am a Speech-Language Pathologist at local school district and hospital

Five Things I Would Do With a Million Dollars:
1. Buy another car (or two or three – just kidding)
2. Buy a bigger house and lots of things to go in it
3. Travel the world!
4. Quit my job and be a stay-at-home mommy
5. Invest (good answer Becky)

Five People I Tag to Answer the Same Questions
1. Erin
2. Cindy
3. Shilo
4. Jenni
5. Angela

I’ve been tagged by my friend Kim (sorry it’s taken me so long to post this!).

Here are the rules for this meme:

• Post the rules on your blog
• Write 6 random things about yourself
• Tag 6 people at the end of your post
• If you’re tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. I tend to get very passionate about things and/or blow things way out of proportion. Lately at work people have been telling me to “just relax”. Who are they kidding? I am in the middle of closing on a town house, packing up the apartment AND working full-time.
2. I am a list person. I love to make lists and cross things off. I am still looking for a good “moving checklist”. (I am sure Joey is shaking his head as he reads this. He’d be fine just throwing everything in boxes and figuring things out THE DAY WE MOVE and I just can’t handle that.)
3. One of my life goals is to run a half-marathon. Last month I was thinking I would run in a local half-marathon in April but I am not sure that will happen. My nights and weekends having been filling up fast and I have no time (or energy) to train right now. Maybe I’ll run the 5K or 10K in April. I can do it!
4. Milk, caffeine, garlic and FIBER ONE bars make me sick to my stomach. I am sometimes stupid and consume these products only to pay for it later.
5. I do not like to touch ketchup. If it accidentally gets on me, wiping my finger with a napkin will not do. I have to go to the sink and wash my hands with soap and water. (I think it has something to do with the vinegar. I hate the smell of vinegar.) Weird. I know.
6. I have a pretty good memory for dates. I can recall the date we bought our car, the date we saw a certain movie, the date I left a certain job, etc. Joey makes fun of me but I think it’s because he’s jealous.

Now you know more about me than you probably wanted to.

I am not sure who to tag so I tag anybody who wants to participate.

I’ve been tagged to participate in another meme. So here ya go:

1. Where is your cell phone?
   • In my purse
2. Your significant other?
   • Has a new girlfriend – just teasing. He got a mac computer yesterday from work. Enough said.
3. Your hair color?
   • Brown with blonde highlights
4. Your mother?
   • A full-time mom, full-time caregiver for my grandmother and a part-time RN
5. Your father?
   • The “knows everything” handyman
6. Your favorite thing?
   • Right now it’s time off from work
7. Your dream last night?
   • Was about work
8. Your favorite drink?
   • Water or sweetened iced tea
9. Your dream/goal?
   • Right now it would be to exercise more frequently
10. The room you’re in?
    • The bedroom/office
11. Your hobby?
    • Cooking, blogging and reading blogs, and shopping
12. Your fear?
    • Gas prices going over $5 per gallon
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
    • I would like to have kids and a house
14. Where were you last night?
    • Spaghetti Mama’s with Bible Study friends
15. What you’re not?
    • Tall
16. Muffins?
    • Cinnamon Apple or one with fresh fruit
17. One of your wish items?
    • Lower gas prices!
18. Where you grew up?
    • Born and raised in Utah
19. The last thing you did?
    • Called a billing company re $1,000 bill for my surgery in April
20. What are you wearing?
    • A yellow shirt and jeans
21. Your TV?
    • Sometimes it’s on too much
22. Your pets?
    • Pumpkin (cat) and Odgy (bird)
23. Your computer?
    • Where I spend too much time after work
24. Your life?
    • Busy
25. Your mood?
    • Good
26. Your car?
    • Hyundai Sonata
27. Something you are not wearing?
    • Shoes
28. Favorite store?
    • Maurices
29. Your summer?
    • Busy
30. Your favorite color? Black – just kidding. I like lots of colors but I don’t know what my favorite color is

That was a long meme but kind of fun. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

I now tag: Jessie and Erin.

I’ve been tagged. The rules for the tag are:

1. Find the nearest book
2. Open to page 123
3. Record sentence 5

There are a couple of books close to my computer. The book on the top of the pile is Ask Supernanny – What Every Parent Wants to Know and page 123, sentence 5 states:

“It’s just the constant bickering and squabbling that is getting me down”

Doesn’t that just make you want to read this book? Just kidding. I know I don’t have any kids of my own (yet) but I’ve really enjoyed reading this book. It’s been a great resource for some of the common questions I get asked from the parents I work with. I also enjoy watching her show for ideas on behavior management and other parenting issues. I’m weird. I know.

I now tag: Joey (I’m interested to see what book happens to be near him when he reads this) and anybody else who wants to participate in this fun, quick meme.