55 Questions

55 Questions
Tired of those same old 55 questions about me surveys?
Well here are 55 I guarantee you've never answered. (Or so they say!)

1. Are you taller than your best friend?
no- he’s taller than me

2. Do you have a favorite type of pen?
The clear one with the black and white spiral finger cushion part

3. Look at your planner for May 9th, what are you doing?
Meredith Mother's Group, Oliver is 6 months old!

4. What color are your toe nails usually?
nail colored

5. What was the last thing you highlighted?
Probably college...Anthro Theory or Gender Nutrition homework probably

6. What color are the curtains in your bedroom?
Southwest Themed

7. What color are the seats in your vehicle?
Tan

8. Have you ever had a black and white cat?
Yes, his name was Smawg (like from the Hobbit)

9. What is the last thing you put a stamp on?
A note to my landlord

10.Do you know anyone who lives in Wyoming?
Hallams!

11. Why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time?
Fee for Oliver's birth certificate

12. Who was the last baby you held?
I'm holding Oliver right now

13. Can you spell well?
Not since the invention of Spell Check

14. Do you like Cinnamon toothpaste?
Sick. No.

15. What kind of car were you driving 2 years ago?
My Subaru, sniff sniff :(

16. Pick one: Cubs or Sox:
Neither.

17. Last time you went to Six Flags?
Senior year of high school on the band trip

18. Do you have any wallpaper in your house?
No
19. Closest thing to you that is yellow?
"Mom's Family Desk Planner"

20. Last person you gave a business card to?
I don't have business cards

21. Who is the last person you wrote a check to?
Uhhh, I don't really write checks...Oh! The car's registration

22. Closest framed picture to you?
Jesus, the one where he is surrounded by angels

23. Last time you had someone cook for you?
Mom made chicken curry last night

25. How many emails do you get in your inbox daily (excluding spam)?
About 3

26. Last time you received flowers?
2 weeks ago from Caty

28. Do you play air guitar?
Never

29. Has anyone ever proposed to you?
Yes, my husband

30. Do you take anything in your coffee?
Coffee, whats that?

31. Do you own any Willow Tree figurines?
No, although I love giving them as gifts

32. What is/was your high school's mascot?
We were the Lakers, so technically it was a fish, but really we didn't have one

33. Last person you spoke to from high school?
Megan Baggins! (aka Wichland)

34. Last time you used hand sanitizer?
I rarely use it. I used it a month ago when I had a cold and didnt want Oliver to get it

35. Would you like to learn to play the drums?
No, too noisy

36. What color are the blinds in your living room?
Off-white

38. Last thing you read in the newspaper?
About the presidential candidates campaigning to WWE viewers

39. What was the last pageant you attended?
Um, never

40. Where is the last place you bought pizza from?
Frozen- Wal Mart Baked- Taste of Tuscany (sausage and onions!)

41. Have you ever worn a crown?
When playing dress up and when I was Elfrida the Elf Queen in the musical rendition of The Hobbit in High school, and of course Burger King crowns whenever I get a chance!

42. What is the last thing you stapled?
Noooo clue, probably something for church

43. Did you ever drink clear Pepsi?
I've never even heard of it.

44. Are you ticklish?
Yes, but don't even think about it

45. Last time you saw fireworks?
Last 4th of July

46. Last time you had a Krispy Kreme doughnut?
Last year in Florida. I think in the week that we were there we ate uhhh 4 or 5 dozen!

47. Last person that im'd you, and you actually responded?
It's been so long since I've been on my own computer! I'd have to guess it would be Marisa

48. Last time you parked under a carport?
I'm not even quite sure I know what that is

49. Do you have a black dog?
No

51. Are you an aunt or uncle?
I am an Aunt to Melody, Judah, Miranda and Delilah

52. Who has the prettiest eyes that you know of?
My first thought was Megan. Although I do love Shane's

53. Last time you saw a semi truck?
Today when I was strolling downtown Meredith

54. What is the last song you belted out in the car?
"Parting Gift" by Fiona Apple (Oh you silly stupid past time of mine! You were always good for a rhyme...) also my new fave. "Lip Gloss" by Lil Mama

55. Do you have a little black dress?
No. Dresses and breastfeeding do not mix.

Tagged...finally!

I never get tagged! Thanks Erica for the tag! I love doing these things! (maybe I shouldn't admit that? You can add that to #7)

1. Where was I 20 and 10 years ago?

20 years ago: I was 2. This is a journal entry from my baby journal of that year (May 24, 1988)
"Well my speech has improved incredibly in the last 3 months. I can say almost everything now and all the kids names except Aaron. I call him "Raina". We have lots of fun playing now. I go to Tumbleweeds one day a week to burn oup some excess energy. I am also toilet trained now and have VERY few accidents. My best friend right now is Nicole Hayes. She and Mom are having babies at the same time so they go to swim aerobics and we go to the creche. I can count to six by myself just from hearing Aaron doing it over and over. We just got a new piano and Mom spends more time with it than with me so I take down the music while she plays. I have lots of energy and I am up at 530am looking for someone to play with. Mom always ends up being the one to get stuck with me."

10 years ago: I was 12. I was in seventh grade. I had a crush on Jason Brown. I loved social studies and got second place in the Geography Bee. I can still remember the question I got wrong. What is the name of the major highway that goes through Germany? I had never heard of the Audobon!!

2. Five things on my to do list for today:

1. Pack Shane's lunch
2. Go to the Meredith Mother's Group at the Village Perk
3. Make dinner...I'm thinking Chicken Parm...
4. Vacuum the bedroom
5. Pack for Connecticut

3. Five snacks I enjoy:

1. Man, everyone has such healthy things! Not me! I just made these delicious peanut butter cookies with peanut butter cups in the middle, so thats #1 right now
2. Cheese Doodles (crunchy, not puffed)
3. Australian Chocolate (Cherry Ripe, Crunchies, Flakes, Jaffas, Caramello Koalas, etc)
4. Corn Dogs
5. OK, I'll throw in something healthy...sugar snap peas and fresh from the garden tomatoes and corn!

4. What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire:

I try not to even think about it.

5. Four of my bad habits:
( I agree with Erica on most of these)
1. Having too much to do and not knowing where to start so I stand there in limbo and nothing gets done.
2. Whining about dumb stuff I can't change.
3. Being critical of Shane when I know he does the best he can
4. Gossiping!!!!

6. Five jobs I have had:

1. Squam Lakes Ice Cream
2. Convenience Store Clerk
3. Waitress at a Retirement Community
4. Lifeguard
5.Parking Lot Attendant at Loon Mountain

7. Five things people don't know about me:

1. Broadway Musicals I have seen: Les Miserables (what an amazing way to be introduced to Broadway!!), Miss Saigon, Rent (2x), Mary Poppins (loved it!) and I saw The Phantom of the Opera in Madrid and The Lion King in Toronto (if you have not seen it, buy tickets. now. go.)
2. My roommate had a crush on Shane, told me to come check him out, we both dumped our significant others, and started dating!
3. I volunteered for something called Radio Reading when I was in Idaho. I would read the local newspapers over the air for the blind population. I loved it so much!
4. I LOVE my in-laws. Most people whine and complain about theirs, but I have fantastic in-laws that are so generous and loving. Its awesome to have them and my parents so close by!
5. Shane and I realized that we had met before we met (if that makes sense). When I was in high school Shane managed the Meredith Theater and remembers when my class came to watch Pearl Harbor. So we had SEEN eachother before but didn't KNOW eachother! It turns out he had worked with one of my best friends! We were very connected before we had even met! I love it!

I tag Jen H. and Ariane!

Walking Group

I love LRGH, and this is why. They have a breast feeding support group every Wednesday. Its an easy way to find other mothers in the area that are going though the same things that you are! Most of the girls in the group have now created a walking group as well. We walk for an hour before going to the hospital to get our babies weighed! (we do this because it is harder to tell how much breast fed babies are eating and weighing is a good gauge...obviously Oliver is getting enough to eat!)

Aaannndddd they're off!

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Oliver and Lily(she likes to eat her feet)
Babies EVERYWHERE!
Oliver is getting sick of his picture being taken!

Mayan Wrap

I LOVE my Mayan Wrap! My mom made it for me (she got the pattern from a website. Oliver loves hanging out in it, and can even fall asleep and have a little nap in it! Its so much easier to put on and put Oliver into it than any other baby carriers I've used. Oliver always wants to be held, so this is a way to keep my hands free while I am cooking, cleaning, or doing anything else. I love it! Thanks mom!

Yummy Breakfast!

Today Shane didn't have to go into work until 1:30 which means...breakfast for Jess! Hooray! We had corned beef hash, fried eggs, toast, and OJ. It was delicious. When we got married it was agreed that Shane would do breakfast and I would take care of all other meals. I am horrible with breakfast and Shane really can't cook anything else so it works out wonderfully. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful husband that likes making me breakfast! He even did the dishes too!


After breakfast we put Oliver into his new soccer outfit. He's our future Taylor Twellman!

Oliver the Giant!

Our friend's 8 year old daughter asked to hold Oliver a few weeks ago. With in minutes she admitted that her arm was about to fall off...

Caty's Visit

This Tuesday my good friend Caty (her name is Catriona, so it is Caty with a C) came up to FINALLY meet Oliver. She was, I think, the 3rd non-family member to find out that I was pregnant. It was right before our Current Issues in Anthropological Theory course. She was so excited, she announced it to the teacher. He didn't really know how to respond. It was pretty hilarious. She has been a great friend to me ever since I have known her and it was so good to see her again. She just makes me smile all the time. She even brought me flowers! But I can tell you this much, she has definitely made her way to the top of the kidnap list! If Oliver ever goes missing, I'm sending the authorities right to her house! Thanks again for a great visit Caty--I'll come see you soon!

April Fools!

We had a day filled with April Fools jokes.
Shane started out the day very convincingly telling me that he bought a box of Magic The Gathering cards at work (they cost about $60) Now anyone who knows our financial situation will know that we can not afford to buy him those costly toys. He had me going for about 5 minutes, I just kept saying "You'd better be joking or I am going to be so angry at you" and just really trying to control my temper. After a while he said to Oliver, "You ready bud? Tell Mommy...April Fools!" Needless to say I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

We had our friends the Flanders over for dinner. They were joking around asking us when we were having our next one, and I said "Well I guess we should just go ahead and tell you...we are pregnant!" Brian looked shocked while Mariluz looked very excited. They both said congrats and then I said "We should also tell you...April Fools!"

After they left I was talking to my mom and I said "Well we were going to wait and walk over to tell you, but, well, we're pregnant again" "Oh." "Its these genes you gave me, mom![my grandmother is an irish twin]" "Well I warned you about those! (pause) Well...congratulations!" "Thanks, oh, by the way, April Fools!"
She said that when I told her we were preggers she thought "Oh no, what have they gotten themselves into!?"

And then finally, Shane called his parents to tell them the happy news. He told them Oliver was going to have a little brother or sister. His dad yelled into the phone "Again!? Already!?" Although they didn't admit it, I knew there was a sigh of relief from them when Shane said April Fools.

It was a good gag for the day and we pulled a lot of peoples legs! I was impressed with our ability to convince so many people!

Theodore Albert Rees Cheney

This week a great man, my grandfather, Theodore Albert Rees Cheney, passed away. This picture was taken on his 80th birthday (January first of this year) I am so grateful that he had an opportunity to meet his great-grandson and that we were able to document it.
Grandpa Cheney was an amazing man that had great influence on all of his children and grandchildren's lives. He was an author, photographer, and professor. He was always happy to help me correct any papers I had written. Unfortunately by the end of correcting one essay, the pages were littered with his characteristic green pen. He was the ultimate proof reader, yet still let me proof read his books before he sent them to be published. He would take me out on photography trips with him. A picture I took with him even won first prize at the Sandwich Fair (a big deal to me at the time!) He loved to share his wealth of knowledge. He once told me that he first majored in psychology before majoring in geology, then for his masters he majored in geography then communication, and then he ended up being an English professor! In short, there was a lot of knowledge there to be spread around.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. I am grateful for the knowledge that I will see him again someday and that this was not "good bye" but a "see you soon"or as Grandpa would say "Good Ribbons!" (good riddance)