From Dena

How does your parenting style mimic that of your parents?  And how is it different?
My parents were strict enough to keep us straight, gave us plenty of room to grow on our own and be independent, and instilled in us a great sense of humor.  I feel that I am the same in many ways.  My kids are given plenty of room to be independent, without being allowed to cross the line.  And of course we laugh all the time at my house.

As far as being different, I would have to say that the only major difference would be that we consistantly have two parents in the house.  My dad was a military pilot and was out to sea for six months evey year, so my mom had to do a lot of the parenting herself to three children, which was hard because it was easy for us to walk all over her when dad was away.  My kids aren’t so lucky…Daddy will be home shortly to deal with them!

How long did you know Todd before you gave it up?
About four months.  Todd and I met through my ex-boyfriend.  My ex-boyfriend and I had been friends since Kindergarten and although things did not work out after our four year relationship, I still loved and cared for him as a person and as a friend that I had had since grade school.  Todd also thought very highly of him.  But there was a connection between Todd and I instantly.  We spent a lot of time talking on the phone, and setting up “accidental” meetings - which ate up some major time.  We did not want to risk hurting my ex until we were 100% certain it was meant to be!  After about four months…we could not stand it any longer!

What three words would Todd use to describe you?
funny, nurturing, high-maintenance
(I called and asked him)

From LC

What is your biggest fear?
BEING ALONE.  As much as I beg for some alone time… I do not need that much!  I need companionship to survive.

Are you & Todd gonna have more babies or stop with the two cutest kiddos I’ve ever seen? (Not counting my own, of course.)
How should I put this?  HELL NO!!  In fact, I was begging the doctor to gut me half way through Ashton’s birth.  I know I am at my limit and do not have the patience that would be required to be a good mom to anymore!  I am very happy with my two, I got one of each, what more do you need?  Oh, and thanks for the compliment!

If you had to move somewhere else in the United States, where would you want to live?
It would have to either be San Diego or Hawaii.  We lived in San Diego when I was small, and I have family that lives there.  It is a beautiful place, with great weather!  I have never been to Hawaii, but Todd grew up there and could not possible say more good things about his experiences there.  From what he has told me, it is a happy place to raise a family.

From TJ

What is your favorite thing to do during your “ME” time?
Is there such a thing?  I love to lay around like a vegetable in my favorite pair of sweatpants and my flip flops!  I’ll watch a little t.v., play around on the computer, read a little and chit chat on the phone with friends.  If I have enough “ME” time, I will usually end up organizing something in the house.

What is your most sinful indulgence?
COOKIES!  I could eat homemade cookies ALL DAY LONG!  Those Tollhouse packages in the grocery store next to the eggs, the ones that are chocolate chip and caramel…hello? I could eat the whole pack!  I am really bad with sweets in general.

If you could take your kids on the greatest vacation all expenses paid, where would it be?
Well because of their ages and because we have not done it yet, it would have to be Disney.  But I would opt for the Disney Cruise.  We could do two days at Disney World and then hop on the Disney cruise ship and head for an island for seven days!  That way, we all win!

From Tracey

If you could change ONE thing in your life, what would it be?
That would have to be my eating and exercise habits.  I used to be a committed runner and ever since the kids, I have lost the energy, drive and commitment to get back to that.  It is my biggest dissappointment in myself.

What do you think is the key to a successful marriage?
Communication, Trust, Friendship, Patience and Respect - without these, you have nothing.  It also would not hurt to have some money, cause if your anything like us, you will argue more when money is tight!

What is your NUMBER ONE pet peeve? What pisses you off more than anything else?
When I ask you to do something, then you do not do it, then you tell me I am bitching when I ask about it again, then you say “I was going to do that” once I have decided to just do it myself!  If I wanted it done in two weeks, I would have asked you in two weeks!

From Michele

What is the one thing you like most about yourself?
I would have to say my sense of humor and ability to keep those around me laughing all the time!

The least?
Lately it would have to be my lack of drive and lack of committment to getting back into shape after Ashton’s birth.

What makes you happy on an ordinary day?
Sitting on my deck, when there is a cool breeze, the kids are behaving and blowing bubbles and the house is clean with all the laundry caught up!

From Mouthy Mom

How do you get your pictures to swtich out like that in your sidebar?
You have to create an animated .gif file in an animation program, or at least that is what I did.  I am pretty sure there is also a java script that will do it too, but that is not what I did.

How has blogging changed or become a part of your daily routine?
It has become too much of my daily routine (according to my husband)!  But I would have to say that I would not change that, because I have made some good friends doing it!

What’s something you’ve never written about because you are too embarrassed?
Nothing that I can think of.  I am usually the first person in line to laugh at myself.  If I have not blogged about it, it is not because I am embarrassed, it is just because I have not gotten around to it yet!  But I will!

From Curator

What exactly do you do on that sweet computer setup of yours?
I am a project manager for a construction consulting firm.  I create and maintain the construction schedules for many of the major construction projects going on in the Virginia Beach/Tidewater area, along with several in North Carolina and Maryland.  I have also been dubbed the corporate Marketing Mama!  So I get to create the quarterly newsletter (both HTML and Print) and keep up all our other marketing materials, including our website and some of our client’s websites.

What was your most embarrasing moment that you would do again in a heartbeat?
I would have to say that one of the most embarrassing things would be when I was pregnant with Kaiden and I fell down the stairs at work.  I was wearing a little black maternity dress with some big old granny panty maternity underwear underneath.  I came tumbling down the stairs with my dress up around my waist.  Everyone in the lobby got quite a show, along with the security camera.  The whole incident was caught on tape, and after making sure that me and the baby were okay, my boss got a kick out of replaying the tape over and over for all that wanted to watch, making sure to pause it when there was a good shot of the granny panties.

Now, I would not want to do this over again, but I could not think of any embarrasing moment that I WOULD want to do over again!

Name the last curse word you used and why you used it.
That would definately have to be Motherf—ker!  And I can without a doubt say that it has been used both in the car today and towards my husband.

From Chatty

Have you at any time considered cheating on your husband?
Never.  I can honestly say that this has not been a thought that has ever entered my mind since we have been married.  My husband is a pretty good looking, funny guy, that gets along with just about everyone that meets him.  He also has enough “bad boy” in him to make him interesting.  Now don’t get me wrong, he pisses me off on a daily basis and gets on my last damn nerve, but I do love him ALOT, and could not see myself with anyone else.

Do you *play the game* or do you let people know what you really think of them?
It really depends on the situation.  Sometimes it is just not worth it to say anything at all,  But when it does warrant a discussion, I am pretty damn straight forward—ask my husband, I am a stubborn, hard head that does not back down.

What is the relationship with your parents?
My relationship with my parents is good.  We have our ups and downs, but for the most part, we get along well.  I think my mom has a heart attack when she hears my mouth, but such is life.  I also think that I am “one up” on my sister and brother as I have actually married and produced offspring, making them grandparents.  It was not always this way, I was the “bad seed” - but ended up turning out okay, and making them proud.

From Holli

What was the one gift you wanted from Santa that you didn’t get?
Nothing.  We were spoiled rotten, which started a bad trend.  Every Christmas the house was FILLED with presents, everything we wanted and then some.  My mom did a great job of making sure that every Christmas was the best one ever!  That is a hard habit to keep up year after year, but now that I have kids, its hard not to be like that.  I love seeing the look on Kaiden’s face when she opens presents - pure joy!

If you were convinced someone was a vampire - would you kill them with a wooden stake through the heart?
I would wait to kill the person until a Friday, because Vampires are weakest on Friday’s.  Then, I would use garlic, hawthorn branches, or a cross to trap the vampire in a corner (you know, whatever I had handy), then I would fire a silver bullet that was blessed by a priest with holy water into his heart.  When all that was done, I would remove the Vampire’s head and heart and then burn his body to ash!

Define love.
I do not think that I could define it any better than Khalil Gibran did in “The Prophet”

ON LOVE
“When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.”

For more Khalil Gibran click here.

From T~

What is the most risque thing you’ve ever done in public?
Well that would definately be having sex.

How old were you when you lost your virginity?
I was thirteen years old and it was not consensual.  Looking back, it really screwed me up emotionally for a long time.  I never said anything or made a huge deal out of it, cause I really did not want anyone to know. 

What is the one thing in the world you would like to accomplish more than anything else (other than hoping to raise happy, well-adjusted & healthy kids)?
I want to run in and finish a marathon.

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