thirty-one

In honor of my birthday {yesterday}, here's 31 randomish things about me.

1. I love Chai. The spicier the better.

2. At one point as a child, our family had a dog, a cat, a bird, and some fish. I think might explain why I am a NO-pet household.

3. I have a thing about spoons and forks. I like the smaller ones, not the dinner sized ones. If the spoon is rounder, as opposed to elongated and pointy, that's a bonus. I always go for those first in my utensil drawer.

4. My mom's due date with me was Valentine's Day.

5. I've never tried Brussel Sprouts.

6. I've visited 5 different countries, including this one.

7. I can be very forgetful. This is why re-runs are perfect for me. I can never remember who-dunnit.

8. My first car was a silver Toyota Corolla.

9. It's been 8 years since I've flown anywhere.

10. I love being near the water, as in big lakes or the ocean. There's just something that makes me feel so small & God feel so big that is both energizing & calming at the same time.

11. There's a spot in my quadriceps muscle that has been twitching while I'm writing this. It's driving me crazy.

12. I *heart* berries. Strawberries. Blueberries {semi-frozen with sugar & cinnamon}. Blackberries {with vanilla ice cream}. Raspberries {my grandma used to grow red & orange ones}. I've even had gooseberries {grandma grew those too}!

13. There were 13 steps leading to the basement in my childhood home. I'd always skip one. Something about 13 being unlucky.

14. I got my first speeding ticket at 29, even though I'd gotten pulled over about 6 times before that {different reasons}. I guess the po-pos can only let you slide so many times.

15. I wrecked my first car {see #8} when I was 17. Then I got my beloved red Pontiac Sunbird. It was a two door coupe with a spoiler & a neon license plate holder. Golly, how I miss that car.

16. I almost got stuck in a booth at Red Lobster once. I was probably about 8 months pregnant. Thought I was gonna have to use some of that lobster butter to slide myself out....

17. I've never been TP'ing.

18. I've never smoked a cigarette. Not a one.

19. I learned how to cashier when I was about 8 years old. My great-aunt owned a White Hen Pantry {convenient store} where my mom worked. I had to stand on a milk crate to reach the buttons.

20. I've broken one bone, my collarbone {see #15}. Coincidentally, Hubs broke the opposite collarbone in a bike accident, so we have semi-matching lumps from where the breaks healed.

21. I used to love eating raw instant oatmeal. Cinnamon & Spice. When I was a kid, I just started using less & less water to intensify the flavor, until I was eating it dry. Weird, I know.

22. When I was in 4th grade, my private school went on a "field trip" to visit historical sites. We went to Independence Hall, the Smithsonian, Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial, the Capitol Building, and the White House. I missed meeting President Reagan by one day.

23. My maiden name is CANARY. {It felt really weird to type that.}

24. I used to be a figure skater. It's something I wished I wouldn't have given up. I was even asked to join a precision team. Why I didn't want to is beyond me.

25. I'm a gift card saver. I get them for holidays or special occasions & wait months and months til the perfect time to use them. I still have a gift card from two Christmases ago waiting for its perfect moment.....

26. I hate driving at night. I think it has something to do with not having binocular vision. Add rain or snow to the mix and I'm just a nervous wreck.

27. Romance by Ralph Lauren is my signature scent. It was my "something borrowed" on my wedding day & I've been wearing it ever since.

28. After getting married, I had 5 permanent addresses before having what I now call home. I hated moving so much.

29. I used to be a night owl, especially when I was learning to knit. I would knit until 12 or 1 am. Now I go to bed before 9 pm. Hopefully once my nausea goes away, I'll be able to stay up longer to have more time with Hubs or for crafting.

30. I love checking the mail. Some days that's the only time I ever leave the house. I especially like getting sales ads, greeting cards, and magazines.

31. I never in a million years thought I'd have 4 kids at age 31. I never even imagined having 4 kids. Guess God had other plans.

And since it's not too often that I post pictures of myself, here is one of the girls and I doing some pre-birthday baking: