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KaraLyn's Been Tagged

Okay, so Alison tagged me on her blog and then encouraged me to get a blogspot. Well, I just don't think I will be getting around to that soon, but I did especially like this tag so I thought I would add it to our family web journal. I feel bad that this is only about me, so I will go ahead and tag Richard, Thomas, Marianne, William, and Sarah. (Of course, I will have to help the kids with theirs!) But, I think it is fun information that we will enjoy down the road. So, for those who have way too much time on your hands, feel free to learn a little bit more about me. Here is the game: List 5 fears, 5 joys, 5 obsessions/collections, and 5 interesting facts about you. Tag five people. I tagged my family, but I would love to see this on my family and friends blogs, so go for it if you want!

Five fears

 

1. One of my children being kidnapped. This thought horrifies me beyond imagination!

 

2. Speaking in public, or in front of group of people. I just can’t do it. My whole body shakes and my brain freezes. I hate doing it and almost nothing makes me more nervous. I hope to overcome this weakness through the course of my life. Any suggestions?  

 

3. Being in a car accident.

 

4. Although I will ride on an elevator, I have always had this recurring nightmare that I am falling in one, or that it just goes down terrifyingly fast. These nightmares always seem so realistic too, like I can feel myself falling. It’s freaky. In fact, in the new movie “Get Smart” when he went down the elevator and then commented on how fast it fell, it totally gave me a sick feeling. Richard doesn’t even remember that part, and probably not many people do who have seen the movie because it is quite insignificant, but I do. Needless to say, I am a little wary whenever I get in an elevator.  

 

5. Having to drive on icy roads – given my #3 fear, this probably comes as no surprise. So, why do I live in Rexburg???

 

 

Five Joys (My family and the Gospel are my two greatest joys - duh, but I will stray from the obvious here and list a few simple things that bring me joy.)

 

1.  My nightly backrubs from Richard.

 

2. Being with and laughing with siblings and parents. (Both sides of the family.)  

 

3. Listening to one of my children hum or sing a primary song while they play. (Just one of the many things my children do that bring me joy.) 

 

4. Eating a really yummy dessert – anything chocolate can usually suffice.

 

5. Hearing Richard laugh hysterically.    

 

 

Five Obsessions/Collections

 

1. There are only a handful of items I will buy for full price at the grocery store such as: eggs, bananas, bread, and an occasional tub of Chiz’s Ranch Dressing. Pretty much everything else has to be on sale or I will pass. I pride myself in buying groceries that are on sale AND that I have coupons for, and then I stock up. For example, just yesterday I bought 8 boxes of Ritz crackers for $1.00 each. They were advertised as being on sale for $2.50 each. (Regular price $4.00ish) There is one drawback to this particular obsession: I end up settling for less sometimes. In fact, as I am writing this, I am spitting grape seeds into a bowl. “But, the grapes WITH seeds were on sale for only $.88 a pound!” And who is the only one that will eat them? You guessed it….ME!

 

2. I think I am obsessed with food. First, I can eat just about anything and enjoy it, except for raw fish. (Actually, I have never tried it, but I am pretty sure it’s gross. Oh, and walnuts – yuck! They are so bitter – I just don’t understand why you would want to make a perfectly good batch of cookies or brownies bitter!) I love to eat. I also love growing food. Gardening is a huge hobby of mine, despite the fact that I don’t have the time I need to put into it. Someday, I am going to have a great garden, I just know it! I also love to prepare food. I am always trying new recipes. Last year our oven broke so we splurged and got a nice convection oven with a gas range. Love it. Last but not least, I enjoy canning. (I will not go quite as far as “love” on this one.) A few weeks ago I canned 25 quarts of peaches. I was hoping to do more, but ran out of time. The past couple years I have canned applesauce with my sister-in-law Nicole, but this year she up and had a baby. My parent’s once again have a TON of apples on their tree again this year – anyone want to can applesauce?

 

3. Richard and I have, over the years, collected all the Star Trek episodes (Generations), and are now currently collecting the Little House on the Prairie episodes. I look forward to Sunday afternoon’s when we (attempt to) watch these as a family. We also buy a season of The Simpson’s every once in a while for laughs. I know, we are nerds, but we can’t seem to do much about it.

 

4. Board games. Richard and I get together with Melissa and Kevin at least twice a month for date nights to play games. However, for me and Melissa, it isn’t JUST about the games, which sometimes annoys the men. We also like to chat which apparently slows the game down. I suppose this might get annoying, but we don’t care because we are girls and we like to talk. I don’t know if this is an obsession, but we have collected a lot of board games through the years.    

 

 5. Classical music. This one just tops off the nerd-ism, but I must say, Richard has me totally converted. (However, I do still have a few non-classical songs that I listen to occasionally.) He came into our marriage with a huge collection, and since that is all he would listen to, that’s all I listened to, and I began to fall in love. I remember laying on the couch in one of our first apartments, pregnant, and listening to Beethoven’s symphonies. I remember thinking, “Wow, I really love this music!” I’m hooked.

 

 

Five Surprising (or not so depending on how well you know me) Facts About Me

 

1. I have never had my hair colored or highlighted. I have also never had a manicure or pedicure. It’s not that I think these things are bad, I just don’t think they are worth the money. I suppose #1 in Obsessions/Collections and this one can sum me up in one word; Cheapskate! Yes, I will admit I have a problem, I am a total cheapskate. (Did I ever mention that I can’t stand cheapskates?) :)

 

2. This fact may eventually cause me to change my mind on the hair coloring. I am going gray! Actually, it’s more like stark white! When I saw my first one (sometime around my 30th birthday) I called my Mom in a depressed-type panic, “Mom, when did you start turning gray?” She laughed and said, “Sometime in my 30’s.” Waaaaah! At first I was just yanking them out, but then my mom said that only makes them grow in faster, so now I just cut them as short as I can. However, I am pretty sure this doesn’t keep them from growing faster either so….  

 

3. I have an extra long tongue. I don’t actually think this is very interesting, but other people seem to. I’m embarrassed when I am asked to show it. Yes, I can touch my nose with it. Yes, I know, it’s gross.

 

4. I have written to Dear Abby a couple times when I completely disagreed with her, but so far she has never posted what I have written. :( (Keep an eye out for one from Idaho – I have not yet given up!)

 

5. I get on kicks. I have been on many, many kicks that last anywhere from a day to months. (Food kicks, health kicks, home business kicks, mini-project kicks, cleaning kicks, etc.) I will go all gung-ho over something and tell everybody about it and how excited I am to be doing it, and then I lose interest and move on to something else. I guess I just need to learn what will realistically stick and what won’t. Hey, maybe my new motto will be, “Kicks that Stick!” Oh, Oh, I know!  Maybe I will start some kind of self-help business and show people how to think of a plan and follow through. I could even write a book………