Interview with my children

You can learn a lot about yourself when you interview your child(ren). It gives you a whole new perspective.....theirs. And sometimes that isn't a nice thing. *sigh*

Here are the questions (something I found on Pinterest) and the answers for my oldest three kiddos:
#1 = 11yo boy
#2 = 9yo girl
#3 = 7yo boy

1. Something mom always says to you?

#1 - Do your chores.

#2 - Get Joe! (the baby)

#3 - Do your chores.

2. What makes mom happy?

#1 - Me being happy.

#2 - Obedience.

#3 - When I do my chores.

3. What makes mom sad?

#1 - When someone dies.

#2 - Disobedience.

#3 - When I'm gone for a while.

4. How does mom make you laugh?

#1 - When you burp really loud unexpectedly. (Gee, thanks!)

#2 - When you tickle me.

#3 - When you tickle me.

5. What was mom like as a child?

#1 - A tomboy.

#2 - Friendly? I have no clue. (haha!)

#3 - Happy.

6. How old is mom?

#1 - 37 (the winner!)

#2 - Um, how old ARE you?

#3 - 40

7. How tall is mom?

#1 - 5'6" (smarty pants)

#2 - Probably 4 1/2 feet. (I know she's smarter than this.)

#3 - 6'

8. What is mom’s favorite thing to do?

#1 - Computer.

#2 - Play with us.

#3 - Computer.

9. What does mom do when you’re not around?

#1 - Computer.

#2 - Hang out with your friends.

#3 - Computer. (I see a theme here.)

10. If mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

#1 - Singing and dancing. (I have no idea where the dancing came from!)

#2 - The biggest zoo.

#3 - Singing.

11. What is mom really good at?

#1 - Typing really fast.

#2 - Bossing us around.

#3 - Computer.

12. What is mom not very good at?

#1 - Shooting diapers into the trash can. (Haha! So true!)

#2 - Writing with a broken pencil. (I had just tried to use one.)

#3 - Shooting BB guns. (I'm actually a good shot, he just never sees me shoot!)

13. What does mom do for her job?

#1 - Feed me, take Daddy's money.

#2 - Clean rooms, drive us places, cook food, give Jack and Joe a bath. (See, it's not all computers!)

#3 - Help us.

14. What is mom’s favorite food?

#1 - Italian Shells.

#2 - Italian Shells. (I like it, but it's actually everyone else's favorite.)

#3 - Nutella. (This kid KNOWS his mother.)

15. What makes you proud of mom?

#1 - You're famous on Facebook. (I have no idea why he thinks this or why in the world it would make him proud!)

#2 - Cause you're my mom! (((HUG))) -- (Special moment!)

#3 - Cause you take care of me.

16. What cartoon character would mom be?

#1 - Foghorn Leghorn. (Why on earth???)

#2 - Willa's teacher. (From Willa's Wild Life)

#3 - A lady on Mighty Machines. (Not exactly a cartoon.....does this mean he things I am strong and can tear stuff up?)

17. What do you and mom do together?

#1 - Laugh, raise our eyebrows. (He noticed one day that when we look at each other, we both raise our eyebrows, so now we do it on purpose and laugh every time!)

#2 - Sing, go to Panera Bread.

#3 - Eat out.

18. How are you and mom the same?

#1 - We both have freckles.

#2 - We're both girls.

#3 - We both like Farkle. (A dice game.)

19. How are you and mom different?

#1 - Length of hair.

#2 - You're bigger and I'm smaller.

#3 - You don't play the Wii. (I do, just not often.)

20. How do you know mom loves you?

#1 - When you give me food and kiss me.

#2 - You make food for me.

#3 - You give me hugs and kisses.

21. Where is mom’s favorite place to go?

#1 - Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles....YES!)

#2 - Panera Bread

#3 - Italian Restaurant

And there you have it, what my kids think of me! That was very enlightening and quite humorous, at times! Apparently I really like the computer and eating out more than I realized. :)

52 Weeks meme

Here is a meme that I think all moms should do, even if you don't have a blog! It is simply a challenge to get out from behind the camera and get in some pictures at least once a week! I don't like to be in pictures, but my husband will appreciate this since he is always telling me that I am not in enough pictures. I can't argue with him.....I wish my parents had been in more pictures when I was a kid!

So, even though it is not Thursday, I am going to post a picture from last week. I probably won't do this on Thursdays necessarily, but I will try to be in new pictures every week. Sorry it's not the best picture, but this is the most recent. Isn't Jack a cutie? :)

47 Things meme from Facebook

I don't usually do all the memes that go around on Facebook, but I succumbed to this one. (sigh) So here ya go. Some of these questions are really silly, of course, but some are good. Enjoy! And if you put this on your blog (because everyone who reads this is tagged!), leave the link here so I can read yours too!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not that I know of, but my real name is Lucinda. My mom and I have the same initials (or had, before I was married), and my 3 brothers and dad have the same initials. It worked out that my nickname starts with the same letter as all the guys!

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Probably yesterday. Life is tough right now. The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD! I'll leave this world the same way I came (with nothing), so we are still VERY blessed! :)

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Um, sure. It's not great, but it's legible.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
I'm a vegetarian. Myles is the only one in this family that eats meat now. I think ham is his favorite. (YUCK)

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
We have been blessed with four beautiful children so far. We would love another girl but will be happy with any more.....or no more, as God chooses the size of our family!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU
Probably not just because I am such a non-conformist. I tend to offend others easily simply because of my lifestyle choices, but I like my personality! :) :) :)

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Never.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Not now but I have before. I loved it, but after having kids, my body chemistry has changed big time. I just have no desire to plunge toward the ground from 100' in the air with only a big puff of air to catch me (and it had a chalk outline of a body on the top of it).

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I don't eat cereal much, but I like Grape Nuts and granola cereals.....maybe because I'm "crunchy" too? LOL!

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
frozen

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
The face. Not really one specific thing, just the face and some kind of emotion.

15. RED OR PINK?
Red, I am not a big fan of pink.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My lack of discipline in certain areas of life!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My grandpa, Mom's dad, who died when I was just 13. I always wished I could have had more time with him. He was incredible.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
Um, if they want.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Who makes these things up?

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
My daughter sitting next to me singing. She's being silly. :)

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Probably either green, blue or brown. All of the colors are found in nature, but these are the most common and don't stand out much. Oddly enough, I don't like to stand out even though I am a non-conformist! Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? LOL! I guess I like to be my own person and think for myself, but I don't like attention drawn to me......it just tends to happen. (sigh)

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Fresh flowers! I love the smell of wildflowers still growing in the field. :)

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My sister-in-law, Kathy.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU
Definitely, and I haven't seen her in years so I miss her dearly!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Definitely NOT football, basketball, hockey, baseball......because everyone else likes those. LOL! I don't really like to watch sports very much. I'd rather be playing, but I am so out of shape right now.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Dark blond

28. EYE COLOR?
blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Just about anything. I'm not too picky, but I do HATE vinegar.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
I don't like scary movies. Suspense I can handle, but not the creepy stuff. Happy endings it is!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Time Changer and Fireproof.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Who really cares?

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
In the summer I prefer winter, and in the winter (now) I prefer summer. :)

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs, but kisses are great too!

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Someone.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Someone else.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Bible, 20 Signs of a Healthy Church (I think that's the name), Still Growing (Kirk Cameron), Desiring God.....I like to read but usually don't have much time. When I do I usually like fiction books like Frank Peretti, but I just happen to be reading some really great non-fiction books right now. I recommend them all, especially that first one! :)

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
People still use these? I just put the mouse on the desk and create scratches all over it!

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
I didn't. I don't watch much TV. There's nothing worth watching!

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
A baby "talking" to someone, wind chimes, a gentle breeze blowing over tall grass/wheat, my kids playing nicely together, people praising God together.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Is it a law that everyone must like one of these groups? I don't like this kind of music, so neither for me!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Brasil. I went with my youth group on a 2 week mission trip when I was 15. What's really cool is that I lived in VA at the time, and years later I found out that Myles went to Brasil the same year as me, only two weeks later, from Oklahoma! How cool is that? :)

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can make my chin move like a frog's!

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Muskogee, OK

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Anyone who takes the time to fill it out!

The James Challenge

Memorizing Scripture is very important for many reasons. I am excited about taking on this challenge from a fellow blogger to memorize the entire book of James this year, which is not very big, but it is a great book! Click on the image above for more details.

8 Random Things meme

I've been tagged by Christy! So, 8 random things about myself. Let's see.

1. I am not a picky eater, but I cannot STAND vinegar! If it is covered up with a lot of sugar, I might like it, but if I can tell that there is vinegar in it, BLECH! I've tried to make myself like it before because I know there are health benefits, but I just can't take it! YUCK!
2. I've only had two cups of coffee in my entire life. The first was with my friend Sara on the plane to Brazil when I was 15. The second was with the same Sara just this past September on vacation. :) I'm thinking I need some more coffee, so she needs to come for a visit soon!
3. I have been to/through 20 different states and out of the country once, but I have never been west of Oklahoma.
4. I just took my very first train ride earlier this year! And so did all four of my kids, each at different times. Jacob went to visit my brother and his family in Texas back in May with my parents, I went with Jack to pick up Jayla in August and then Jayla rode back with us, then Jonathan took a trip with my mom a few weeks ago. Myles has ridden a train in Mexico before, but it was nothing like the Amtrak that we rode on!
5. I can play the flute, but I never really enjoyed it much. There was one church orchestra that was a blast to be in (because of the people), but otherwise I really only enjoyed marching band. And we were AWESOME too!
6. I'm not really sure why we moved around a lot, but I can count a total of (that I know of/remember) 11 different houses, at least 5 different churches and 4 different schools before I was 18 years old. And because of this, at least in part, I accept change pretty well but I have a hard time being content! We have been in this same house for over 9 years now, the longest I've ever been in one place, and I was ready to leave about 7 years ago! Myles is the opposite.
7. I love cob houses and underground houses and want to build one of these someday and actually live in it! I would love to own a whole section of land (640 acres, which is one square mile) with ponds and a creek and have my kids raise their own families on the same land someday. :) I would love a cob community. How cool would that be?! We could meet together for church each week (or every day!), have our own water and power system and of course have a community garden. Our children would take care of us and also each other, then the next generation and so on....In a perfect world.
8. I was in Kung Fu in high school (it was a ministry team, and the same Sara I had coffee with was also on this team) for two years. I earned my second sash before we moved away. In my college years I took Tae Kwon Do for two years and earned my 2nd belt. A couple of years ago I was in Karate for several months and, even at my age and weight and general lack of "being in shape", earned my 2nd belt.....and then I got pregnant again. I haven't been back in it since then, but I totally love the martial arts and plan to get back into it when I can!

Okay, that's 8 things! I bet Sara, who I hadn't seen in 17 years before September, probably knew more of these things than anyone else in my current circles. So I'd better tag her. :) So here are the eight:

Sara
Christina
Misty
Laura
Hobo Mama
Paula
Bethany
Sasha

Wow, that was hard to pick eight because several of my blogging friends have already done this! I look forward to reading these! :)

Frolicky Friday

Whew! We had a blast today! I've made a point to play with the kids more this week, but part of our play time together was because I wanted to play too! We had fun! This week we've played Barbies, cars, matching games, read books together and hula hooped together. I'm still working on that last one. Jayla is a pro!

Specifically today, for Frolicky Friday, we played catch football together, did puzzles, played Barbies....I'm sure there was more. Bubbles! We played outside until it was almost dark. The weather was so great today! One of my favorite things to do with Jack, because his reaction is so cute, is to make funny faces or noises and see if he will imitate me. He just smiles or giggles and tries to do most anything I do. If he doesn't think he can, he just looks at me like I've totally lost it and starts laughing at me. If you could see me acting like a complete idiot, you'd probably think I'd lost it too! :)

They're such a blessing. I am so thankful for the opportunity to play with them any time I want!

Just FOUR fun :)

I rarely do these things, but I'm up late (again), so why not?

Here is a fun and quick way to stay in touch. Let's see how many of you answer these questions in the comments or on your own blog.

Four, Four, Four, Four...

A) Four places that I go to over and over: church, store, restaurants, YMCA

B) Four people who e-mail me (regularly): Sasha, Chrysinda, Mandie, Christy

C) Four of my favorite places to eat: CiCi's Pizza, Chili's, Panera
Bread, anywhere but home so I don't have to cook! LOL!

D) Four places I would rather be right now: Panera Bread (LOVE their
soups!), Chili's, New Jersey/beach(vacation coming up), HEAVEN

E) Four people I think will respond: Christy Z., Chrysinda, Sasha, Mrs. Troop??? 

F) Four TV shows I watch: Smallville....that's about it. I don't do
much TV. The computer on the other hand.....

Blog memes - Frolicky Friday

Do you ever get so caught up in your everyday life that eventually you just sit back and think, "I haven't played with my kids today!" (or this week?) Come on, let's be honest! When was the last time you actually sat down with your child(ren) and did a puzzle or game together, or played with dolls or cars, especially during the school year?

That doesn't make you a bad mom (or dad). I'm sure we all interact with our children everyday, all the time.....out of necessity.

But playing with them is different. We need to play with our kids not only for their sake, but it's good for us too! It keeps us young and from being too serious. Best of all though, we build memories with our children and really get to know them in the process.

Imaginative play. Really, you just can't beat that. Imagine you're a pirate who just found a treasure chest full of gold, and for just a few minutes, you don't have any financial worries! Or build a tall, tall Lego tower and knock it to smithereens! Oh, the exhilaration! Or you can be a superhero and save the world in 10 minutes. It's such an awesome feeling when you really get into it!

So I am starting a new blog meme called Frolicky Friday! All you bloggers out there, come join me in this new Friday ritual!

To Join Frolicky Friday

Please add the following banner to your post and/or the link back to this blog http://everydaylifetogether.blogspot.com so that others can join in the frolicky fun!

To use the banner, simply copy and paste the following code into your post:

<a href="http://everydaylifetogether.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-memes-frolicky-friday.html"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s262/cpinokc/cc4fbac3.jpg" alt="Frolicky Friday Meme" title="Frolicky Friday Meme" /></a><br />

Then just go play with your kids! Take pictures when you can, but focus on having fun with them. Then go post about it! Put a link in my comments so I can check out what you and your kids have been up to. Fun! Oh, and you don't have to wait until Friday to do this, just post about it on Friday....play with your children every chance you get! Time is too precious to waste.