Small Talk Six - The Strange Things I Have Eaten

It's time for Small Talk Six and this week it took a second to figure out what on earth I was going to list for my 6 of the most exotic or the strangest things you’ve ever eaten.  I really do not feel that I have eaten that many strange or crazy things but once you read my list - you can let me know.

1.  Eel Soup - I went to a Japanese restaurant with several friends (while I was still single) and no one wanted to try the eclectic things on the list.  I am not afraid to try new things so I gave it a try.  While it was strange looking, it was actually quite good. 

2. Toad in the Hole - I think the name is stranger than the actual food.  I have quite a few relatives that live in England because that was where my mom was born and raised.  I was also born there so when I go back there, I have the opportunity to try many yummy but eclectic sounding dishes. 

3.  Raw Calamari - my Uncle Sean dared me to eat this with him when we were in Brighton, England.  Always up for the challenge - I tried it.  It was bad but I had braces on so I literally chewed the calamari for hours as it is very much like a rubber band and kept getting stuck in my braces. 

4.  Beans on Toast - another very yummy while not so good sounding English dish.

5.  French Fries in Mayonnaise - this is delicious.  If you haven't tried, you really should but it must be Real Mayonnaise.

6.  Ants - my dad came back from Survival School with the Air Force and taught us bugs can actually be eaten when you are starving.  He dared me to try one and I never turn done a dare.  (Just so you know, if you are thinking of daring me to do something - I am now a mother.  It is not wimpy or weak of me to turn them down.)  Ants really aren't that bad.

Do you have any strange or exotic foods that you have tried?

Small Talk Six - My Heros

This week's Small Talk Six is all about the “6 celebrities you had a crush on when you were a tween or teen.”  Because I did not grow up with a TV and know the name of very few celebrities, I have changed the question - "6 people that you had as a hero growing up."  This question was easy for me because I was an avid reader and also grew up in church so there were quite a few people that I could admire.  Some were book characters and others were people I knew.

1.  My parents.  My parents had some struggles when we were growing up but they stayed together and raised us well.  I prayed that I would marry a man similar to my dad and could have the strong character that my mom has.  My mom is one of the hardest working women I know.

2.  Elsie Dinsmore.  These books are some of the most excellent character building books I know for young girls.  I loved the stories and adventures that Elsie encountered but I so badly wanted the character and love for God that Elsie had.  I still do.

3.  Sheryl Shaffer.  This sweet lady is my Pastor's wife and has been since I was 7 years old.  Her daughter is the same age as me so I spent some time at their house.  She has the character that I have always wanted in my life and what I am striving for. 

4.  Esther.  As a young girl, Esther's story was always a favorite.

5.  Ruth.  I love the fact that she sacrificed all that she had to take care of her mother in law and to follow the God of her husband.


6.  Ginger.  This is one of the sweetest ladies I know and someone that I greatly admire.  She is the one that had the opportunity to lead me to the Lord and she has always been special to my heart.  She is a blessing with the character that she has.

Those were the people I admired growing up.  Who did you admire or want to be like as you grew up?

Small Talk Six - Online Friends vs Real Life Friends

I was thinking about friends just yesterday and feeling very lonely; so, it was ironic that MomDot's Small Talk Six is all about the 6 reasons why your online friends are better than your real life ones.  

I do have some great friends online - they are bloggers as well as friends.  I personally think they are great bloggers so when you have a chance, check out Abby, Kristin, and Shan's blogs.  If you visit them, let them know Rachael over at EmpoweringMommy.com sent you.  :-) 

1.  Your online friends don't care if you are still in your pajamas and aren't dressed for the day.   I highly doubt that you would show up at a real life friend's house in your pajamas, without your teeth brushed, and your hair looking crazy.  If you do, you are braver than me!

2.  They don't care about what time of day you answer them back.  They understand that you might not be by your computer at that time and that if you can, you might answer them back at 3:00 in the morning and they'll get it the next day.

3.  They understand what Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other social media are all about and don't think you are strange when you "tweet" that you had bad customer service at a particular store.  Tell that to your real life friends and they look at you like you lost your mind!

4.  Online, you are able to find at least one if not hundreds of people that relate to you or who are going through the same times of life as you.  None of my real life friends have two children as close together as I do nor is blogging their part time job.  I know lots of friends online though that understand me and can laugh with me at the crazy things that happen or feel sympathy for me because they are having the same issues at the same time.

5.  I can become friends with someone on the other side of the world and the time difference not affect our friendship.  I have a few friends that live in England, China, and other countries and I don't even remember that they live in another country.  Sometimes I haven't even known until later!  Try that in real life!


6.  If I need to spell a word right, need to know a date, or need a particular product idea - I can tweet it out and get at least one person to answer my question.  That can happen in seconds versus the minutes maybe hours it might take to get the answer from a real life friend. 

What makes your online friends better than your real life friends?  I'd love to hear them!  :-)

Small Talk Six - Things I Can't Live Without!

Time for a Small Talk Six started over at MomDot  and this week it is on the 6 items that are on your grocery/shopping list every single week.  This one was pretty easy and kind of fun.  (Don't judge me now though when you read my list - it might not be as healthy as yours.  :-))

1.  Bananas - these are normally gone in about 2 days in my house with both my husband and daughter consuming them quickly.

2.  Dr. Pepper - my husband's death drink - I'm sure if it is nothing else it will be the Dr. Pepper that kills him (no, I didn't drug or put rat poison in it!  Doesn't need my help.)

3.  Sour cream - this goes into quite a few recipes or else the two monkeys in my house mix it with ranch dressing and eat it with the veggies in the house.

4. Yogurt - this is my breakfast of Champions 

5.  Chocolate - something, just anything, always changes from week to week

6.  Something free - there have been lots of free coupons out there lately and it seems that every week I'm getting to put one of those items on my list.  (Today was Double Stuffed Cakesters - did I mention that this was free and chocolate!)

What are some things that your family can not live without or that goes on your list every week? 

Small Talk Six - Wouldn't Matter How Much Money I Had

It's time for Small Talk Six again!  I love doing Small Talk Six and if you are a blogger you can participate too.  Just check out MomDot for more details.

This week's Small Talk Six is about 6 things you would rather do yourself, even if you could pay someone else to do them.  This one was fairly easy for me as I tend to be Obsessive Compulsive and like things done a certain way.  Things don't have to be perfect but it has to be done my way.  (I take after one of my parents, what can I say?)

1.  Clean my bathroom.  I don't like other people cleaning my house but definitely not my bathroom.  I don't know but bathrooms seem personal.  And if I paid someone to clean my bathroom, they might put the toilet paper roll over instead of under like it should be!  

2.  Watch my children.  I had always planned on being a stay at home but it really would have been impossible for me to leave them anyway after they gave me their first smiles.  I have a hard enough time leaving them with my family.  I think we have had only one non family member babysit Gracie one time.  

3.  Cook for my family.  We rarely even buy ready to eat meals, let alone let someone else cook my dinner.  I love cooking and so it would take away the fun I have cooking.  Menu planning - that is another thing altogether.  I would love someone to menu plan for me.  

4.  Blogging.  I love what I do.  I know it can be time consuming, hard work at times, and just plain work - but I love it.  I love the relationship I have built with you, my readers, and just the time I get to write.  It may be scatterbrained at times but it's still my thoughts and I love writing them down.

5.  Clothes Shopping - I'd pay you to go grocery shopping for me but not clothes shopping.  I do not do it very often but when I do it is mostly for my children and I love those cute little clothes and shoes.  (Off topic, but adult clothing is just not nearly as cute!)  No one can pick cute clothes like I can for my kids.  :-)

6.  Party Plan - I love every aspect of entertaining so this is one I would never hand over.  I like things a certain way and have fun implementing them.  Kid's parties are especially fun!

Now you know me, so what things do you prefer to do yourself?  If you blog about it, be sure to link up over at MomDot so that I can read and comment!

Small Talk Six: Greatest Love Songs Of All Time

 

It's time for Small Talk Six again!  I love doing Small Talk Six and if you are a blogger you can participate too.  Just check out MomDot for more details.

This week's Small Talk Six is about 6 love songs that make you melt.  I am a huge fan of love songs and many have such strong meanings that my eyes quickly fill with tears.  Now I didn't pick love songs that only pertain to a couple - I took many that talk about the love between a father and a daughter, husband and wife, and even a few very different ones.  (Some of my links take you right to the song so if you have your volume on, these songs will play)

1.  "Whither Thou Goest" - I sang this at my wedding and it is also inscribed in my husband's wedding band.

2.  "I Do" by Bruce Frye

3.  "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle - I played this song while preparing this list and my husband started tearing up.  

4.  In the Garden

5.  Christmas Shoes by NewSong - I know this song is a Christmas song but I could listen to it all year long.

6.  An Old Rugged Cross - To me, this is the greatest love song of all time because it speaks of the greatest sacrifice every made. 

I have now been banned from playing any of these on my computer with my husband sitting across from me.

What are your favorites?  I would love to hear them.  If you have blogged about them, feel free to link up in the linky below.  I will be by to visit and comment sometime today.

Small Talk Six: Things My Husband Doesn't Touch

This week's Small Talk Six is all about the 6 of your favorite things that are pink.  Now I love the color pink and I have learned that if I buy something in that color, my husband will leave them alone and they are mine.  I am not an incredible girly girl but I do like girly things everyone else in a while so I have just the right amount of things in pink.  :-)

1.  My iPod Touch Case - my iPod Touch is already my favorite item so to add my pink case - makes it just perfect!  It also keeps my husband from stealing it which he is prone to do.

2.  The HP Netbook I'm thinking of getting - it's pink, it's cute, it has a flower on the cover, and my dear husband will leave it alone - need I say more.  :-)  I am sure it's a need.  :-)

3.  My Built Laptop Sleeve - it is the perfect blend of lots of girly colors with lots of pink blended through it.

4.  My North Dakota Hoody I am currently wearing.  It is soft, warm, and comfy.  :-)

5.  My daughter's almost entire wardrobe!  While there is a mix of red, green, purple, and blue; there is the perfect amount of girly pink stuff!  Pink shoes, pink pants, pink dresses, pink tights, pink hairbows - we love pink!

6.  My daughter's broom and mop.  I love these two items because she helps me around the house with cleaning due to these very cute pink things.

Pink adds just that perfect touch of femininity.  I'm drawn to it and tend to buy it over other colors.  What are your favorite things that are pink?  Or do you absolutely hate the color pink?  I would love to hear your thoughts! 

Also if you are blogger, feel free to link up in linky below:

Small Talk Six: Movies I Refuse To Watch Again

This week's Small Talk Six, as seen here, is all about the 6 Worst Films You Have Ever Seen.

Over the last few years, I haven't been a huge movie watcher - just too busy and normally some child needs my attention so I don't think I fully watched an entire movie since my daughter has been born.

But there are several movies over my lifetime that standout as horrible!

1.  The Grudge.  This is one my sister said was good (she had it heard from someone else).  Turns out it is a horror film and was the worst movie ever.  I still can not get the terrible noises that was made in this movie.  How can you have a movie where no one talks.  My sister is banned from suggesting movies.


2.  Rocketman.  My husband, father, and brother love this movie.  For what reason, I shall never get.  Someone with that much flatulence on television should find another job.  I broke down and bought this movie for my husband for Christmas but I refuse to watch it - Julie can.

3.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  My husband made me watch this with him even at my begging to be released.  I'm still trying to get my brain cells back that I lost because of this movie.

4.  The Last Samurai.  I just couldn't make it through all the blood and guts.  To be honest, I didn't make it through the whole movie - I went to bed or else I was going to be sick.


5.  Ten Things I Hate About You.  I only made it through 15 minutes of this and I only got that far because I was suppose to be reviewing it.  As a parent, I absolutely would not let my child watch this series on TV.

6.  Napoleon Dynamite.  I still haven't figured out this movie and why it is suppose to be so funny.  Please don't tell me I have to waste my perfectly good brain cells watching it again to find the humor.  Anything I have to watch more than once to think is great - is not great!  :-)

So, what are your least favorite movies of all time?  I want to hear them - they just might be my favorite.  :-)

Small Talk Six: Laugher Instead of Tears

I think this week's Small Talk Six was more than appropriate for me.  We are in the full blown age of two and while I love all the new words, phrases, and new level of curiosity - I don't love the discipline that we have to put into practice everyday to ensure that Gracie grows into the godly young woman with character and integrity.

This week's topic is 6 ways your children tested you this week. 
I'll try to keep it at 6. :-)

1.  Gabriel started teething this week so we had some sleepless nights.  No tooth but red cheeks, rashes, diarrhea, chewing on everything, drooling, and up every two hours at night.  Definitely teething!


2.  An hour spent teaching that if mommy and daddy says pick up your toys - you pick up your toys.  It was Dylan's lunch break and he came home for the first time since moving here and then spent the whole hour dealing with her stubbornness.

3.  Hearing "mommy, I helping youGe" and turn around to see Gracie adding more garlic powder to the already finished lasagna!  We had guests coming in an hour and there was nothing I could do to undo the damage.  We just didn't serve from that side of the pan.  Thankfully, we didn't need the whole lasagna - the rest is saved is leftovers and I think I'll make sure Dylan gets the "garlicky" side.

4.  Getting Gabriel ready to go to church - new outfit, new diaper - and him exploding the diaper out 5 minutes after being changed and as he is being laid in the car seat.  Seriously, why didn't that happen 5 minutes earlier?

5.  Walking into Gracie's room after her nap and hear - "Mommy, I peed pup-pup".  She has this terribly bad habit of taking off her diaper and then doing her business.  I have never washing so many sheets in my life.

6.  The impatience of a two-year old who thinks that when she says she wants a drink that it needs to be right that second.  We are working on this princess attitude and she is slowly being taught that she is not the center of our home.

We have moments all day long where I wonder if God has a sense of humor when He decided that every child should go through the age of two.  It is a fun time of excitement, cute things, and learning but it is also a frustrating time of the battle of the wills, directing that curiosity at good things, and dealing with pure selfishness.  I have learned to laugh at most of it (not always in the moment because that is not always appropriate) and remember that her tenacity and curiosity can be used for great things someday.

And everyone needs a little extra garlic in their life, right?

Are you joining in Small Talk Six - feel free to link up!

Small Talk Six: Hair Scrunchies, Tie Dye Shirts, and Furry Socks

This week's Small Talk Six is all about the sixpieces of clothing or accessories you’ve owned, loved, and wished would come back in style.  This one was hard for me this week because I really do not miss much of the styles that I grew up.  Huge bangs and hair are definitely not something I would like that back.  I have noticed though that most of what I grew up with is coming back - which can be a wee bit scary!

So what I miss:

1.  The furry, striped socks that kept your feet so warm!  They were such crazy, funky colors.  I actually do have a few leftover and love them.  Just don't tell anyone!

2.  Hair scrunchies - my daughter actually received a few for Christmas from my grandma.  I am sure that they are leftover from the 80s.  I have been using the one pictured on the right to hold my hair back while I am doing it.  BIG MISTAKE!!  A friend who is on bedrest sent her husband over to pick up the dinner I had made for them and I forgot all about the fact that I was in the middle of doing my hair.  (I had gotten distracted and was doing something else.)  I wondered why he kept giving me these strange looks until I went into the bathroom to fix my hair!

3.  Big comfy sweatshirts.  Oftentimes now, sweathshirts are so snug that you feel that you might smother in it.  I'm not wearing it to show off my curves (or lack thereof), I'm wearing it to keep warm and hide those hideous curves!

4.  Thick heeled shoes (I can't remember their names) - as a short person I love heels and loved that these didn't make me feel like I was going to land on my head at any given moment.

5.  A-line skirts - I love this because you look slim on top and it tapers off to make you look tall.  (Maybe I'm just obsessed with being short.)

6.  Tie Dye Shirts - well, I don't actually miss them but I must admit some of them looked like someone had quite the imagination or possibly had a promising career in graffiti!

Those are my six things!  Do you have some that you would love to share?  Link up or just leave a comment.  I love hearing from you all!  Thanks, Trisha and Karen for sharing this great idea! 

Small Talk Six: Precious Childhood Memories

This week's Small Talk Six is all about the six most vivid memories that you have from childhood.  This one took a little bit because I have so many memories from growing up that it was hard to pick just six. 

I grew in a larger family - there were five of us kids and due to growing up military, we moved around a lot.  We were close as siblings because besides my parents, we were all each other had.  We were each other's best friends and worst enemies.  Life was never boring with the five of us and because of that - I have a ton of memories.  Who wouldn't growing up three redheads as siblings?  Everything they say about redheads is true and then some.  :-)

1.  First Memory - went boating (kayaking, canoing - I don't remember what it was, it just seemed small) with my dad when I was two, almost three in the Mediterranean Sea.  I had a life jacket on but the boat tipped and we were tossed into the sea.  I remember thinking I was going to drown and yelling it over and over again to my dad.  He kept saying you are fine - you won't drown - you have a life jacket on.  The life jacket didn't mean a whole lot to me at the time because I still felt this overwhelming feeling of drowning.  A "big boat" came and "rescued" us.  That was my 2-year old mind thinking here.  Later, I found out that it was a fishing boat and it wasn't large but it sure felt that way.  It was traumatic and that's all that matters.  :-)

2.  Days spent under the lilac bushes.  Between 7 - 13 years old, we lived in a small town in North Dakota that had a great group of lilac bushes.  Being an avid reader, I didn't really care to be outside during the summer time - I wanted to be inside reading.  When my mom would kick me outside to play, I would take my books and crawl under the lilac bushes and read there.

3.  Late nights with my sister.  This isn't one memory but a group of memories of times, my sister and I would talk all night long.  Just talk about everything and anything.  We weren't the best room mates - we are so different but are definitely best friends who could still talk for hours on end.  Good thing we both have Verizon!

4.  Our first Disneyland trip.  My dad was a boom operator in the military and so he was gone at least 256 days out of the year.  It was hard growing up not to have my dad around much but he tried so hard to make up for that during vacations and trying not to miss the important events.  He missed several Christmases and birthdays but we knew he never forgot us.  Our first trip to Disneyland trip was a great experience for all of us.  It was a great family time and since we all love animated rides - it was definitely a blast.

5.  My dad and mom's devotion.  I grew up in a Christian family and the one thing that I remember vividly is the mornings when I would walk downstairs and always see my parents reading their Bibles, praying, and preparing their days with the Lord before they prepared anything else.  This instilled in me the importance of putting the important things in your life first, everything else comes behind that.


6.  The day three of us girls got stung by wasps all because of my brother!  My brother had great ideas as we were growing up and one of them was to stick a crab apple in a wasp's nest in the ground.  After he did so, he felt bad and removed the crab apple.  Does anyone know what happens when you do that?  Run for the hills and don't stop to find out.  Three of us were covered with stings and my brother remained unscathed.

I have so many memories that I would love to share and maybe someday I will but until then, feel free to link up your Small Talk Six or your six precious childhood memories. 

Small Talk Six: 6 Gifts That You Regifted

I really enjoyed joining Small Talk Six last week so I going to keep this meme going for awhile.

This week's topic is 6 gifts you or someone in your house received that you’ve regifted or donated in the past.

I do have a tendency to regift often.  Sometimes the gift is perfect for my family but we have more than one or we just don't need it right then. I have the tendency to not like to waste space so if it is still in the box and hasn't been used in a year, I regift.  It's the frugal thing to do, you know?  :-)


1.  Barbecue Grill Fan - this was a neat gift but unfortunately for my husband who received it, he could never use it.  We have a very tiny grill that sits close to the ground so he never gets hot while grilling for our family.  My brother received it for his birthday because he can use it and likes eclectic gifts like that.

2.  Photo Albums - it often seems like I get tons of photo albums as gifts.  I have more than what I can use so I often fill these with pictures of my children and send them off to my in-laws for Christmas.

3.  Children's Clothing - on rare occasions, I receive clothes that I just won't put my kids in.  Sometimes it is 1970's plaids and stripes or what looks my sister-in-laws tablecloth.  These are often donated to thrift store in hopes that someone else can use them.

4.  Toys - I have two very large boxes of unopened toys that I have received over the years from my grandmother, as swag, and other places.  This year each one of this kids that work with me in the children's Christmas program will receive one of these toys.

5.  Cereal or Other Food - once in awhile we receive food from others or free coupons and I love to drop these off with families in our church that really need these items.  These are things that we have plenty of and know that other families could benefit from.

6.  Candles and Blankets - My mother-in-law once told me that we could never have too many blankets.  She came to my house this last month and changed her mind.  Every time we receive a brand-new blanket, we look to see if any room needs it and if it isn't handmade by a special family member we regift it.

It is not that we do not appreciate any of the above gifts, there are just people that could use them more than we can.  If an item is handmade for our family, those items are not regifted because they have special meaning and time invested into them.  The other items also have much thought and meaning but there is also only so much my house can hold so I have found that going through my items we have saved on birthday, Christmas, and other gifts due to regifting. 

It is also fun to be a blessing to another family or person by giving of the items that we can not use.  This Christmas season, go through your closets and see if you have anything that can be regifted or donated.  You never know - it might help someone else out this holiday season. 

Would you like to participate in Small Talk Six?  Take a look at MomDot to find out more information! 

Feel free to link to your Small Talk Six link below:

My Family Tree: This Nut Doesn't Fall From The Tree

So I decided to join MomDot and join Karen in her Small Talk Six.  It is just six easy questions to keep things fun and entertaining on the weekends.  It also makes it fun to write about something different. 

This week's Small Talk Six is about what you love or hate about spending time with your or yours husband's family. 

I thought this was a fun topic and I am interested to see what other bloggers wrote but here are my six things. 

1.  I LOVE that my mother in law and my mother get along so well.  Most in-laws fight when they get together but I absolutely love that both families are so accepting of each other.  We don't see my husband's family often but when we do it is always a memorable experience.

2. I LOVE how much fun every one seems to have with my children.  My kids are showered with love and affection by both sides of the family.  While this only increases the fact that they know that they are cute, it shows them how much they are loved.

3.  I HATE having to discipline my children in front of family.  Both sides completely support our disciplining but there are times it can be hard for everyone to have to go through those times.  I just wish the kids would act like angels at all times!  :-)

4.  I LOVE watching movies with my family.  Every year at Thanksgiving, it is tradition to watch the last cartoon.  This year is was UP.  My mother-in-law didn't understand the excitement over a "kid's" cartoon but after seeing it, she saw why we loved this family tradition.

5.  I LOVE how my mother is so caring about all her grandchildren.  She has made so many blankets, dresses, and other things for my children.  It is so wonderful to know that my mother cares enough to spend that time on my children. 

6.  I HATE the rubber mouse that my father brought to Thanksgiving dinner.  No explanation needed on this one. 

I love our families and couldn't ask for better in-laws or parents.  My sisters are my best friends besides my husband and my brother still shows love for all of us girls in way we still trying to figure out.  I should very shortly even not tonight get a new addition to my family - I'm finally going to be an aunt! - and I can't wait to show her how special her family really is.

To see more Small Talk Six blog posts, see Karen's post over at MomDot!