Even when I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to be two things. I knew I wanted to be a teacher and I knew I wanted to be a Mom.

I grew up with two brothers and lots (and lots) of cousins. I was no stranger to big families and kids running around the house. When my friends started having babies, I would always go gaga over their kids. I love, love, LOVE babies and couldn't wait to be a Mom myself.

It was quite fitting that Karen tagged me in a Motherhood Meme that was launched at Her Bad Mother, because I was just thinking about motherhood and what it means to me. Since I'm a new mom, I've got lots to celebrate this coming Mother's Day. What better way to mark next month's special occasion than participate in this meme? Here are five things that I love about being a mother:

1) I love waking up every morning and looking at my little sweetpea in total awe and wonderment. "I cannot believe we made you!!!"
I've said this countless times before, but making a human being is not like making a cake!! It's amazing to see that Hubby + C = Little One! I've been a mom for almost five months now, and I'm still always amazed by our sweet Little One!

2) I love the feeling in my heart when she looks at me. 3) I love that I'm the one she looks for when she cries. That sounds kind of warped, doesn't it? Sounds kind of needy on my part, but it does feel good knowing that I'm the one she wants and that I'm the one who can make her troubles go away. Ask me that when she's a teenager! I wonder if I'll still be the person she looks for when she's cranky, sleepy, hungry, tired, not feeling well, sad, hurt, or upset.

IF I *WAS IN A ROCK BAND, THIS WOULD BE MY ALBUM COVER.

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

5 - Post it with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in. I'm not tagging anyone, but try it out if you want to. It's hilarious what you can come up with...and it's so random!

*The original meme has "If I was in a rock band". Grrrrr! It should be "If I were in a rock band"!!! C'mon people! Please! Correct usage of Type 2 Conditionals!!!
Aside from my annoyance at that horrible grammar gaffe, isn't this a fun meme? How funny is it that my band name is Doodle and my album name is Slave to Pen and Ink!?!?

...on a Tuesday.

Trish @ My Little Drummer Boys tagged me for this a few days ago. It's been a while since I've done a meme, so here goes! :)

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
Each player answers the questions about themselves.
At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago, I was teaching and living in Japan. It was the most exciting time of my life. What an experience! I fell in love with the culture, the history, the art, the language and I made some really great friends along the way.

What are 6 things on my to-do list for today (tomorrow)?
1. Vacuum the entire house.
2. Do two loads of laundry.
3. Mop the kitchen floor.
4. Clean the kitchen.
5. Clean the bathroom.
6. Weed the garden.

Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest, but it never really is. *sigh*


Snacks I enjoy?
-Baked multi-grain Tortilla chips with homemade salsa
-Brie or Camembert cheese with red pepper jelly on multi-grain crackers (though I just read somewhere that pregnant women shouldn't eat soft cheeses! GAH! No Brie or Camembert for 7 more months???)
-fruit (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, pineapple, red grapes, strawberries...)

Things I would do if I were a billionaire?
I'd invest half the money and give some of the money to my parents, my mother-in-law, my siblings and Hubby's siblings. I'd also donate some of the money to various charities (the Heart and Stroke Foundation is a charity that is important to me because my father had both a heart attack and a stroke and the Canadian Cancer Society is another charity that is close to home because my aunt and Hubby's father died of cancer. Any money we have left over, I'd use to build a new house or completely renovate the one we have now and I'd give the rest of the money to Hubby so that he can continue farming.

Places I have lived?
*UPDATED on June 23rd* I've moved 18 times, but have decided to delete the names of the places I have lived in due to something interesting Autumn's Mom mentioned to me. Like Autumn's Mom, I have always worried about some of the answers on memes being used for identity theft.

How did you name your blog?
Originally, the blog was named "Life on Manitoulin", but too many people were typing those words into search engines to find information about living on the Island and ended up finding my blog. I had wanted this to be a fairly low key blog, but more and more people were discovering it. It got to the point where people I didn't know were coming up to me in the grocery store and telling me how much they enjoy reading my blog. I then changed the title to "Random Thoughts and Musings from the Island" because I didn't want to have "Manitoulin" in the title and I thought the new title was just fitting.

Who am I tagging and do I want to know more about ?
I have no idea if anyone is actually going to do the meme, but I'm tagging
Karen
Deb
Uncivil
Jeanna
Sandy
Beachmama

I don't mind if you don't do the meme. I hope you do though! I'm interested in seeing what your answers are! :)

This will probably be my last blog post for a while (for at least two weeks). It has been a crazy few weeks and hopefully little by little I will be able to share with you tiny tidbits of news when the time is right. I am of the belief that if I talk about things before they happen, I'll jinx myself. I don't want to jinx myself, people!

I will divulge just a wee bit of good news at the end of this post. You'll have to read through until you get to the end to find out though. But, first...

Deb, you will be super proud of me. I don't know what happened, but Hubby was laughing because I've been in turbo mode for the past two days. I took on "Project Organize Bedroom" and worked tirelessly at organizing our master bedroom! Thank you, thank you! You are amazing!Beach Mama participated in the "What's on your fridge?" meme and in turn, she asked other bloggers what was on their fridges. Here's what our fridge looks like. My mom always makes fun of me and says it looks like Hubby and I have a zillion kids just by looking at our fridge! It's a far cry from my mom's pristine, uncluttered (I call it "naked") fridge!
We've got dozens and dozens of photos of family and friends. If you look closely, you'll see about a dozen babies on the fridge, as it seems that almost everyone I know has recently had a baby! We're averaging about six in the summer and six in the winter. My friends have been busy! On the front I've also got a few favourite recipes, some art work, magnets from all over the place and a note pad. On the side I've got a calendar, a few more recipes, a few other odds and ends and some kid art. The kid art includes: a painting by Niece #1 of Hubby (aka Uncle J) on his tractor and tiny hand prints in paint by Niece #2. Our nieces were just teeny tiny when they made those for Hubby and he has kept them on the fridge all these years later. Isn't he sweet?
Finally, on top of our fridge is my chocolate orchid and a pot of parsley. I have to re-pot my basil, chives and oregano because they're not looking too happy at the moment.

I was actually going to take all the photos and everything off the fridge and make it all sparkly white and naked. I decided against it though. It's got so much character and I love seeing everyone's photos every morning!

Ms.Mamma, if you take a good look, you will see the cute photo you sent us of Snowflake that accompanied my beloved Neti Pot! Snowflake is totally stylin' in those shades!

Canine tagged me for the "5 Random Things about Me" meme. Here goes!
1) I have extra-sensory powers. I kid you not! This only works with people I am very close to though. I sometimes get these "feelings" or sometimes even premonition dreams. Once, when I was in elementary school, Middle Bro and I got off the bus and went home. We were "latch key" kids, meaning that we used to let ourselves into the house and just do our homework and hang out until our parents came home from work. This was before we had a nanny/housekeeper. Anyway, my grandparents used to babysit Baby Bro and my cousin, Jey. They lived about a ten minute drive from us, but in a different city. When I got home from school that day, I could have sworn that I heard Baby Bro crying. It was like he was in the same room as me and he was crying loudly. Not just any baby cry...It sounded like he was hurt. I knew it was impossible because he was in the next city at my grandparents'. Moments later, the phone rang. My grandmother was in hysterics and told me to call my mom at work. Baby Bro had ran into something and busted his head open. Okay, it wasn't that gory, but there was a lot of blood.

2) I have turned into my mom. I used to give her a rough time about being obsessed with cleaning her house. I find myself doing the same things as she does sometimes. I need to line my canned goods up with the labels in the same direction. I even bought a bunch of containers to put inside my bedroom closet and organize things according to function, frequent use, etc.
Trust me, I didn't used to be this way all the time. I grew up with a mother who did everything for us and then a nanny who did the same. I didn't learn how to cook or clean until I moved to Japan to teach! Ask my friend, Dina. She and I used to live together and she will tell you how "tidy" my room "looked". Under my bed and inside my closet was where I stuffed everything! Dina made me laugh the first year I moved to the Island when she sent me a package. The present was a photo album of a girl (who ironically, looked much like me!) trying to keep her closet closed. The funny part was that the girl on the album had all sorts of things jammed in her closet and it looked like it was going to burst open! That was what I was like. Thank you for the laughs, Dina!

3) I can eat something at a restaurant once and then come home and reproduce the dish I tried.

4) I'm quite self-conscious about the way I look wearing my glasses. I don't wear my glasses often enough because I look like a nerd in them. I need to wear glasses for distance. I need them to drive and to see things that are far. To me, glasses in general are just too cumbersome. I just feel so odd having to wear them. Of course, I always wear them to drive! I'm not stupid! I'm getting better though. I do wear them more than I used to. I got new frames that I actually like now. So, if you see me on the street and I don't wave back when you wave to me, don't feel like I'm being a snob. I just can't see you. Don't even ask about contacts! I'm scared to put anything near my eyes! I have a hard time putting mascara on!

5) I live in the countryside but I am afraid of insects. The bigger the insect and the more legs, the scarier! Oh, I am scared of snakes too! My doggy, Chance is my defender when I hang the laundry out to dry. I know...very sad. Between my ESL students and myself, Hubby's got his hands full! Last summer, my students had Hubby go on "spider patrol" before bedtime every night! He had to go to their rooms and check for spiders! LOL!

Oh, okay! Since I won't be able to post a proper blog entry for a while, I'll give you two more random things about me:
6) I have a weird thing for eyebrows. Oddly, one of the things I notice first about a person (apart from their eyes, their teeth and their wonderful personality) is their eyebrows!!! As a teenager, I grew up in the 80's and 90's, when thick, natural, 'Brooke Shields' eyebrows were 'in'. To this day, the sight of unruly, scraggly brows really get my attention. I remember the first time I ever attempted to tweeze my own eyebrows, I went overboard and had these two very thin barely there lines where my eyebrows once were. Freaky. I thought they'd never grow back! Thank goodness they did! Funny how something like eyebrows can totally change a person's appearance. I won't even go into the waxing of the eyebrows story!!

For now, I tweeze, groom and use this product recommended by another eyebrow grooming fan (my gal pal, Fancy):7) I get car-sick. I do. It is really bad. If I ride in your car, I need to sit in the front or else I get really, really sick. I need to either drive or be in the front passenger seat. I discovered a few years ago that I always fall asleep in the car when on long road trips. This is a method I think I've developed (not consciously) to help me from being sick. I just sleep it off. I used to go on lots of family road trips with my brothers and parents and I find that my motion sickness is worse now that I'm older. That won't stop me from my road trips though!

Now for some news: Hubby and I will be leaving for the Dominican Republic in but a few short days! I probably won't be posting anything new over the next few days, but will try to check in and comment! My wonderful hubby surprised me with an all-inclusive vacation in Puerto Plata. No work, no housework, no cooking, no cleaning, no laundry, no telephones, no replying to work related e-mail...no more slipping and sliding on icy lane ways!!! Well, at least for a week!

The only thing I'll miss is our fur babies, but they will be in the capable hands of my parents.

I'll be back with lots of photos. In the meantime, we'll be here.

He's the sweetest, kindest, most compassionate man I've ever met.
He is fantastic with our nieces and with my students.

He loves our little nephew.

He's super hardworking (and makes amazing maple syrup)!

For a farm boy, he cleans up pretty well!
He even entertains me by going along with all my wacky ideas.

He'll do anything for our family members...including wearing his bunker gear and playing baseball left-handed against the kids (in the middle of WINTER)!

No wonder I love him so much!!!

I borrowed this meme from Karen at A Day in the Life.
It was just too cute to resist. Plus, we're nearing the end of NaBloPoMo and I am running out of things to post!

1. Who is your man?
"J", Hubby, The Hubster, Honey, Daddy (to the felines and the canine)

2. How long have you been together?
Since 2005.

3. How long did you date?
We dated for 13 months and 2 days before we got married. It was a whirlwind romance, but when you've found the right person, you just know it! :)

4. How old is your man?
6 years older than me. That would make him in his 30's still :)

5. Who eats more?
Hubby, of course! He's a farm boy...need you ask more? LOL!

6. Who said "I love you" first?
We said it at the same time.

7. Who is taller?
I'm taller...when I'm standing on a stool!

8. Who sings better?
Me, of course! LOL! That doesn't say much though!

9. Who is smarter?
It's a toss up for this one. Hubby is the most intelligent man I know. He knows a lot about many different things. When it comes to science, agriculture, nature, animals, forestry, silviculture, and things of that nature, Hubby is a genius! When it comes to subjects like English grammar, languages, linguistics, culture, art and literature, Hubby says I beat him hands down.

10. Whose temper is worse?
Uh...That would be mine. My husband doesn't have a bad temper at all. He's got a very cool, calm and collected disposition.

11. Who does the laundry?
It's 98/2...with me doing the laundry 98% of the time.

12. Who takes out the garbage?
Hubby.

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Hubby does. Does this mean I sleep on the wrong side of the bed? Do you mean right when you are facing the bed or when you are on it?

14. Who pays the bills?
We both do, though Hubby takes care of the bigger bills.

15. Who is better with the computer?
That would be me (even though my PhotoShop skills leave a lot to be desired)!

16. Who mows the lawn?
Hubby and the cows. Hahaha! That's over 200 acres to mow!

17. Who cooks dinner?
I cook all our meals most of the time. Sometimes Hubby will surprise me and make supper. He's the king of the grill.

18. Who drives when you are together?
It depends on whose vehicle we're using. I can't drive Hubby's truck. I still don't know how to drive standard. My vehicle is automatic, so we both drive mine. Most of the time Hubby drives when we're together, especially if we're driving to Toronto or Montreal from the Island. I drive when we're going to parties or running errands. I love driving my vehicle.

19. Who pays when you go out?
Usually I'm the one with the household money. Hubby does treat me to special dates sometimes though.

20. Who is the most stubborn?
Hahaha...That would be me.

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
Me...Only because Hubby is rarely wrong. It's true.

22. Whose parents do you see the most?
We see both equally. Hubby's mom lives on the farm next to ours and my parents live just around the corner.

23. Who kissed who first?
I believe that would be Hubby.

24. Who asked who out?
We met on a blind date and our follow up date was mutually arranged.

25. Who proposed?
Hubby did...and it was so romantic!!! I think I posted our engagement story on our wedding site.

26. Who is more sensitive?
Me.

27. Who has more friends?
I do.

28. Who has more siblings?
We both have two siblings each. I've got two younger brothers and Hubby has two younger sisters.

29. Who wears the pants in the family?
Hahahaha! I think Hubby does, but apparently he (and my students) think I do! LOL! Hmph!

I'm still away from home right now. We just dropped British Lion off so he could catch his flight back to the UK today. Booo hoo! British Lion has been with us for nearly a month! I'm going to miss that Brummie friend of mine and his crazy British humour!

Highlights of our trip so far:

* Seeing Nathanial's Mom (and her two adorable kiddies!), Gavie's Gal, and KarenMEG and her adorable Little G in TO. So sad I didn't get to see Fancy Pantsy Momma, but next time I'm in TO, we'll get together :)
* Having supper with my aunt, my uncle, my maid of honour and her hubby in TO.
* Meeting up with my two college/university friends in TO.
* Visiting my grandmother :)
* Hanging out with my cousins and family
* Downtown Montreal and really good sushi!!!
* Montreal at night. This city is gorgeous! Montreal...c'est ma ville!
* Shopping, shopping, shopping. Did I mention shopping yet?
* Cool cafes and restaurants.

Our next stop before returning to the island is Kingston. I can't wait to see my little nephew. He is growing way too fast!!!

Before I sign off, Curiosity Killer tagged me for the 'Everyone's Weird' meme.

1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now? Olay Body Wash, Kiwi-Passionfruit body wash from Gavie's Gal, oatmeal-milk-honey soap from the Manitoulin Soap Factory and lemongrass soap also from the Soap Factory.

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? Not at the moment. It's out of season.

3. What would you change about your living room? I'd get hardwood floors and maybe a new window.

4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? We don't have a dishwasher (unless you count me as the dishwasher! LOL!) Oh, and since I am currently out of town and Hubby's at home alone this week, I have a feeling there are dishes in the sink...and they're probably dirty. LOL!

5. What is in your fridge? Uhhh...leftovers from Thanksgiving, milk, spinach salad, pomegranate-blueberry juice, leftover birthday cake from Hubby's surprise party last week, brie, camembert, Korean hot pepper paste, kefir, homemade jams and pickes...need I go on?

6. White or wheat bread? Cracked wheat.

7. What is on top of your refrigerator? My chocolate orchid (yay! It's in full bloom right now and the house smells chocolatey!) and a ceramic aromatherapy thingy with cranberry scented oil in it.

8. What color or design is on your shower curtain? Tee hee! Everyone always comments on this one. My shower curtain has frogs and lilypads on it. My bathroom has a frog motif.

9. How many plants are in your home? Hmmm. 1 ivy, 2 aloe, 1 gigantic spider plant, 1 palm, 1 huge Buddha bamboo (a few feet high), 2 African violet plants, 1 miniature geranium plant, 1 chocolate orchid, 2 cacti, 1 Christmas cactus, 1 Easter cactus, 1 amaryllis (in the dark for the winter). I lost count! I've got about 20 house plants.

10. Is your bed made right now? Hahaha! I have no idea, since I'm out of town. It probably is though, since Hubby always makes the bed in the morning :)

11. Comet or Soft Scrub? Neither.

12. Is your closet organized? Yes.

13. Can you describe your flashlight? It's sort of a transparent blue thingy. It's the type of flashlight that has reusable energy. I love that I don't need batteries! You have to shake it to generate power/light. It's kinda neat, especially since I never seem to know where I leave the spare batteries! Hubby's flashlight is a super duper powerful one. Mine looks like a toy next to his.


14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Glass.

15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? Nope.

16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? Hubby keeps the garage pretty tidy. He's organized with his tools and such.

17. Curtains or blinds? Curtains...the light, billowy, airy, flowing type.

18. How many pillows do you sleep with? 5. Don't laugh at me, but Hubby calls me 'The Princess and the Pea' because I sleep with so many pillows.

19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No way. Must have complete darkness to fall asleep.

20. How often do you vacuum? As needed. Once or twice a week.

21. Standard toothbrush or electric? Totally old school--standard. I don't know why I'm scared of electric toothbrushes! LOL!

22. What color is your toothbrush? Fuschia. I wanted blue, but the dentist gave us a blue one and a fuschia one during our recent visit, and Hubby refused to take the fuschia one! Grrr.

23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? Yes, and the barn kittens have started sleeping there. They are no longer 'barn kittens'. They are now 'front step kittens'. *sigh*

24. What is in your oven right now? Nada.

25. Is there anything under your bed? Nope. My bed is on the floor.

26. Chore you hate doing the most? Laundry, laundry laundry.

27. What retro items are in your home? The curtains in the kitchen, a few light fixtures...

28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? Yes.

29. How many mirrors are in your home? 4.

30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? No. I've got a jar that reads 'inheritance fund', but I've only got pennies and a few American dollars in there. Boo hoo!

31. What color are your walls? Most of the house is wood, but I've painted the living room "Vanilla Ice Cream", the bathroom "Jack Frost", and the foyer a sort of textured grey. It's got sand granules in the paint. It's really cool.

32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? I'm not sure. Do kittens, two mama cats, and a dog count as weapons?

33. What does your home smell like right now? I'm hoping it still smells like my chocolate orchid.

34. Favorite candle scent? Cranberry.

35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? My homemade dill pickles, homemade bread and butter pickles, and homemade pickled beets.

36. What color is your favorite Bible? I'm not sure.

37. Ever been on your roof? Yes! Hubby and I did some roofing work last fall. Actually, he did the roofing work and I passed him the shingles and tried not to faint (I'm scared of heights)!

38. Do you own a stereo? Yes.

39. How many TVs do you have? Two. Our flat screen was a bridal shower gift. My wonderful maid of honour gathered up all the girls and they all pitched in to get us a new TV!!! D, you are the BEST! The other TV is in our games room. We use it to play games on our PS2. LOL!

40. How many house phones? 3

41. Do you have a housekeeper? Uhhh...I think that would be me.

42. What style do you decorate in? Hmmm...rustic, natural, country/cottage...lots of wood and cream colours.

43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? Solid colours.

44. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Ummmm...hello...Hubby's a firefighter, so yes.

45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip? The kittens, the cats, the dog...I'm assuming Hubby wouldn't need to be retrieved and that he'd be putting out the fire! The animals and Hubby are all that really matter. If I had some time, I'd try to rescue my photo albums, books, and art.



I'm going to tag Karen because I'm curious to see what she'll answer (and because she's doing that NoBloPoMo thingy and might need this should she ever run out of something to post). I'm also going to tag Jimmy just to see what kind of quirks he's got. Louann, Mama Doggy Love, and Cherry are also being tagged. If anyone else wants to do this meme, please leave me a note in my comments to I can check out your answers :)

The lovely Louann, from 3BoysandaLady tagged me for this really great meme. I haven't done any memes for a while now, and apparently everyone seems to think it's time for me to do more of them! The wonderful and most endearing 'UncivilOne' tagged me for a meme too. The students are back from baseball, have all taken their showers and brushed their teeth. They've all done their homework and are watching The Chronicles of Narnia. This means...I get to blog now! Yay!

FIVE people who will be annoyed you tagged them:

Mist1, DoggyMama, Curiosity, Dina, Louann.

FOUR things that should go into Room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth:

1) child pornography 2) nuclear weapons 3) animal abusers 4) child/women abusers 5) racists

THREE things people do that make you want to shake them violently:

1) make assumptions or judge people without even knowing the person or finding out the facts. I absolutely abhor any kind of injustice or arrogance. I find it hard to not speak up when I feel someone is being treated unjustly.

2) hurt animals or children. It infuriates me to no end if a person inflicts any kind of pain on an animal or a child who is defenseless against that person's power and authority.

3) drive wrecklessly. If you're going to endanger your life by driving like a maniac, then that's your prerogative. Just don't put other people's lives in danger because you can't drive like a normal human being. I really get angry when I see people cutting people off and weaving in and out of lanes to get a whole two spots ahead of where they were. It's ridiculous and dangerous.

TWO things you find yourself moaning about:

1) Never having enough hours in the day to get everything done. Eventhough I clean my house or try to tend to the gardens, everyting always seems to be in such disarray all the time. Even after I wash dishes, it seems that a million more seem to magically appear! :)

2) The price of gas! Although, I have stopped asking what the price of gas is now, since I have to buy gas anyway. I just remember back when gas was 64 cents a litre. I even remember a time when it was 39 cents (during the gas war in Montreal)!

ONE thing the above answers tell you about yourself:

I am getting old and my tolerance level for stupidity is not very high. Am I really this irritable? I didn't think I was that bad!

RULES• Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so people know what it's all about!• Be as honest as possible. This is about letting people get to know the real you!• Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly!• Post these rules at the end of every meme

Here's what you do: Google "your name + needs" and pick the first thirteen that make sense. This is hilarious! Thanks for posting this, Ms.Mamma! You sure made me laugh when I most needed it!

1. Christine needs only to cough and sneeze and then she could have a brain hemorrhage. Ummm...okay.

2. Christine needs to do something more than just fast sex and a roll in the hay. LOL!!!

3. Christine needs to stop looking at clothes. *sigh* Yes, this is true.

4. Christine needs to know where her inventory is located at all times. *sigh* True again.

5. Christine needs parents who will be patient, as she needs much repetition to develop. Unbelievably true!!!

6. Christine needs to go to sleep. Yes, I do!

7. Every three months, Christine needs to see her doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

8. Christine needs constant attention. I for one, do not think I need constant attention!

9. Christine needs a personal assistant twice a day to help her get out of bed and ready for the day and in the evening to help her get ready for bed. Hmmm...

10. Christine needs your help! LOL! For what?

11. Christine needs to go back and read some of her earlier books and remember what made
them great. Yes, again.

12. Christine needs her own reality show. I probably do!

13. Christine needs someone to help make it click in her head! Make what click in my head?

Thanks again, Ms. Mamma (and J). This was fun. Jimmy, I swear I'll finish your meme soon!!!

*Just added*
I thought it would be funny to see what would happen if I put Hubby's name + needs into the Google search. His "needs" are MUCH funnier than mine! LOL!

1. John needs operation after hooker bites penis for non-payment. HAHAHA!

2. John needs a matched donor.

3. John needs to get his patootie back here.

4. John needs to embrace family values.

5. John needs help.

6. John needs more paper.

7. John needs our votes.

8. John needs our presence.

9. John needs to go.

10. John needs a band.

11. John needs an iron.

12. John needs a new phone.

13. John needs to clean up his act soon.

Thanks to CK, here is yet another meme for you to read (and participate in) :)

INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.

1) So a Blonde Walks Into a Blog
2) Pointless Drivel
3) Shelli’s Sentiments
4) Curiosity Killer
5) Chrissy

Next select five people to tag: (if you haven’t done it already)
1) Hubby
2) Kimmie
2) Conne
3) Sharky
5) Minotte

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was finishing university and working as a supply teacher in Newmarket, Ontario. Little did I know, I would soon be leaving for one of the biggest adventures of my life! I'd be leaving to teach overseas :)

What were you doing 1 year ago?
This time last year, I was preparing all the last minute details for my wedding. Being engaged was such a fun and exciting time. All the planning and prepping for the biggest day of my life was so fun! For the most part, all the wedding planning went smoothly and perfectly. It was only the extra 'help' (okay, unsolicited advice) from outside sources that drove me bonkers. Near the end, I have to admit that I turned into Bridezilla!! I remember crying and getting upset when other people tried to tell me what to do, how to do things...when it was my (okay, our) wedding. Anyway, this time last year, I was going in for my wedding dress fittings and finalizing little details.

Five snacks you enjoy
1) applesauce
2) tortilla chips and salsa
3) trail mix
4) pineapple wedges
5) crackers and cheese

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
1) I'll be there for you (Bon Jovi)
2) Dust in the Wind (Kansas)
3) I'll be there (Jackson5)
4) Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
5) Material Girl (Madonna)

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1) Give some of my money to my parents and brothers
2) Give some of my money to a few charities of my choice
3) Go on a trip around the world with my husband
4) Throw a big party for all my friends and family
5) Buy my husband some new farm equipment! (LOL! Yes, we'd still keep the farm even if we were millionaires!)

Five bad habits:
1) I sometimes don't think before I talk
2) I sometimes don't put things back where I got them from :(
3) I sometimes don't open my mail for days...or even weeks!
4) I go on Facebook way too much!
5) I sometimes don't eat breakfast, but make sure everyone else does!

Five things you like doing:
1) spending time with hubby
2) visiting friends and family/traveling
3) gardening
4) grooming Chance (he loves being brushed and groomed, though you couldn't tell by the way he looks!)
5) blogging

Five things you would never wear again:
1) anything fluorescent!
2) jelly shoes
3) banana clips
4) goomy bracelets
5) blue eyeshadow and red lipstick (Hey, Madonna and Jem and the Holograms were cool in the 80s!)

Five favorite toys:
1) my computer
2) my cell phone
3) my PS2
4) wood splitter (not ours, but I want one!)
5) Flat screen TV given to us at my bridal shower! My maid of honor and all the gals at the shower are the BEST!

Conne tagged me via e-mail on this one. Of course, I couldn't say no to a good meme! :)

...tagged by the fun, funny, cool, hip, Karen -thanks!

FOODOLOGY
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. My homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It's deeeeelish!

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Don't hate me...but I really don't like fast food :(

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. The Garden's Gate Restaurant on beautiful Manitoulin Island ;)

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. Usually around 15% but more if service is excellent. I tend to be generous with tipping though.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A. Lasagna!! I'm with Karen on this one!

Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Excel Peppermint (again, same as Karen)

TECHNOLOGY
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. It was a wedding pic of ours, then a pic of my pup, then a pic of my 5 week old nephew. Now it's back to the original, generic Microsoft scene of the green hills and blue sky...because someone told me that a pic as my wallpaper would take up too much room and slow down my pc. I don't know if this is true, but I will be the first to admit that I am technologically challenged!!!

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. Two. One for watching TV and movies and one in the games room for our PS2.

BIOLOGY
Q. What’s your best feature?
A. Probably my lips? I have no idea!

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. HAHA! I once had an allergic reaction to earrings (hence the reason I cannot wear anything that is not 100% silver or 100% gold- no cheap cosmetic jewelry for this girl, unfortunately), so I had developped keloids on both ears. They were like little cysts and they had to be removed by cosmetic surgery. I think I was more horrified because I had to walk around with my ears bandaged for a few days! LOL!

Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. Smell. It's a curse. I am very sensitive when it comes to smell.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Probably in high school. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so it helps.

Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. Probably 60 + lbs. of wood! I had to lift some wood onto the splitter so I could split it and then pile it.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. I can't remember! I once fell down the stairs at college and ended up with a huge egg shaped bump on my forehead. I smacked my head since I fell head first. I remember blackness, bells ringing in my ears, my head hurting and then there was this awfully white light. Then I had to write an exam...Don't remember much else!

BULLSHITOLOGY
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. No.

Q. Is love for real?
A. Very real.

Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A. Hmm...I used to think I'd like to have been named Crystal Erika or Amber. I've grown accustomed to my name though, so regardless of how boring and common it is, I don't think I'd change it.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. Turquoise.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Probably, but I likely not on purpose!

Q. Have you ever saved someone’s life?
A. Yes.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. No.

DAREOLOGY
Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Possibly, but I'd have to have a few martinis just before...and it would have to be a street where no one knows me! LOL!

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. Oh sure. Why not?

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. NO.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. That's a toughie. Maybe. Maybe not.

Q. Would you pose nude in a magazine for $250,000?
A. Nope.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A: I would try, but it's doubtful that I'd be able to finish it.

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
A. Never. That is such a creepy question!!

Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. Sure. I don't watch much TV except for Grey's Anatomy. I'd only do it if Grey's Anatomy were cancelled.

Q. Give up MySpace forever for $30,000?
A. Sure. Never been on it.

DUMBOLOGY:
Q. What is in your left pocket?
A. Right now, nothing. Wearing pyjamas now.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A. Haven't seen it yet. Should I see it?

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A. Both. The only rooms with carpet are the games room and the guest room.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A. Stand.

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A. I guess I already do.

Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A. Way too many. Dressy, beach, casual, expensive, cheap...you name it.

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. Years ago, when I was in Montreal. It was Christmas time, I was in university, the roads were blocked for the parade and I went down a side street. There were cars parked on both sides of the road and then when I was making a right turn, some guy pulls out without signalling and then hits me as I'm turning. I was young and had never gotten in trouble with the police and didn't know what to do, so I kept driving! Minutes later, the police were chasing me with their sirens and lights going! I kept driving. Hey! I was nervous! When I did pull over, they told me in French, that a hit and run is a criminal offense. I explained my story and they saw that I was sort of in the right but I shouldn't have kept driving! LOL! By the damage, the insurance could see that the other driver hit me. I still don't know why I was the one who was nervous though! I still can't believe I kept driving!!!

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A. Awwww...do I have to grow up?

LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to?
A. My student's mom.

Q: Last person you called?
A. My sister-in-law in Kingston. I called to check in on my little nephew and to wish my SIL a happy birthday. Turns out her b-day is in 2 days. I'm a dummy.

RANDOMOLOGY:
Q. First place you went this morning?
A. Kitchen.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Have some quality time with just my Hubby. We're so gosh darn busy all the time.

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. Hubby wanted to watch it :)

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: I sure am!!!

I tag Ms. Mamma, Curiosity Killer, and Doggie Mama. Have fun!