Day 6 - A fun fact about me? Maybe not...

Earlier, I know I prechose the topics I'd blog about for my 30 day challenge. All I have to say about that is I'm a woman and as a woman, it is my prerogative to change my mind. The topic just didn't...well, I wasn't feelin' it.

The focus of this challenge is to actually make the time to post every day - to get back in the habit - to actually do something for myself.

Since this is the week before Thanksgiving, I felt the need to focus more on that, since, to me, this holiday is about giving thanks to God, showing thanks to those I cherish and I'd like to post my gratitude. So, for this week before turkey day, I'd like to talk about gratitude, giving thanks and talk about what's most important.

Today, I'm thankful for many things, but what comes to the front of my mind is love. Love and family. For without it, there would be no reason to go on. It's what makes the world go 'round. I met the love of my life when my daughter was born. I got the greatest gift from God out of that marriage. I'd marry him a million times again to get that little girl. The sun rises and sets with her kiss of a smile. She's such a little nut. The kid cracks me up until I have milk coming out my nose!

Mama is my rock. She keeps me grounded. This woman is gentle and kind, yet she makes me strong - Strong-willed and strong-minded. Some people would call this stubborn. They'd be right. I've watched this woman come into herself, growing more independent and strong - where do you think I got my stubbornness? She has a very sarcastic humor. It's probably one of the reasons we get along so well. She's my moonlight shining in the darkest of nights. Together with Hallie, they are the air that I breathe.

The three of us - peas in a pod.

In no particular order - For love, Hallie, Mama, for family near and far that we hold in our hearts, friends that are considered family, our furry babies, for God, Jesus and an endless supply of blessings, people, places and things we love, I give thanks.

Yeah, so, I'm a big mush ball. Don't tell anyone.

Day 04 — A favorite book

Hallie and I both enjoy making time for reading together. She’ll choose a book and we’ll take turns reading to each other. As far as kids’ books go, my favorites, I would have to say, would be any SkippyJon Jones book or Junie B. Jones. Both series are friggin’ hilarious. With SkippyJon, Hallie likes for me to read it with a Chihuahua mui mui soft voice (he’s actually a leetle kitty boy with an identity crisis). The books are so hysterical, we are both sore afterwards from long bouts of belly laughter.

I’ve got several favorites myself that I’ve had for many years. I’ve got mostly sci-fi titles on that list – Go figure. But I’d have to say Anne of Green Gables is my favorite of all time. Really? Hmmm. It’s a toss up. I like many books for different reasons – the places they bring you to with your mind and your heart. I do love an adventure, too. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe comes to mind. The Hobbit. The Time Machine. All favorites. Lord of the Rings. Oh, don’t get me started… I think it’s time to pick one of these books up and read it again. ;)

If you are ever in need of some good ole’ bust a gut belly laughter, I highly recommend SkippyJon Jones but yoooo must reeed eeet weet yo’d mui mui soft leetle Chihuahua voice. Oh, dat sweet leetle kitty boy! Even if you don’t have kids, read it out loud to yourself. We had taken it over to Mama’s to see what she thought of the book, and, of course, I had to read it in SkippyJon’s leetle Chihuahua voice. She laughed so hard, I’m not sure if it was really good for her. She became an instant fan and recommends the books to her friends that have kids and grandkids. I’m just sayin’, even if ya don’t have kids, you should read one of the books. Or maybe I’m just a kid at heart. Ok, yeah, I admit it. Neva grow up! Not completely, anyway. That’s my motto.

Photos courtesy of Judy Schachner (Skippyjon Jones); Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables); and C. S. Lewis (The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe).

Day 3 - A favorite tv show

I record our tv shows via DVR. We catch up on Hallie's shows on the weekend, usually, or on a night when we don't have an activity (such as studying for a test, basketball, etc.). I catch up on mine when I can drag my 'dragon' zombie butt out of bed early, before I have to get ready for work. Grab a pot o' coffee to pry my eyelids open and sit for an hour, or 45 minutes (I fast forward thru the commercials). I watch them early, because they're too old for Hallie, so I have to sneak 'em when she's asleep. She doesn't watch violence. I don't want her to be desensitized. Not only that - she doesn't like watching violence. I even had to mute and fast forward thru a couple of violent scenes in Twilight, while she had her eyes closed.

Well, there are about 7 tv shows that I love and some of these, the family watches together on Girls Night. On Friday nights, I get take out for the 3 of us (Hallie, Mama and me). Mama comes over and we watch something that we've recorded that we all like, I will have rented a chick flick, or sometimes Mama will bring over Seventh Heaven DVDs and we'll watch some of those episodes. We all love it!

There I go, rambling again.

The topic is "a favorite tv show", so I suppose that would be between The Event and Vampire Diaries. I am a big time fan of sci-fi! I'm a geek, I know. I don't care. I love science fiction! Always have! Ok, you probably already know what I'm going to say, if you read yesterday's post. Yup, Vampire Diaries it is. The writers are quite talented at developing the story line and keeping me on the edge of my seat. The show stays interesting throughout and I cannot zoom through those commercials fast enough! When it's all over, I'm left longing for the next episode. What I love about that is if we've had a really busy week and I could not manage to get up early for a while, I'll have 2 episodes taped and then I don't have to wait for the next one! Ha! Between seasons, I was seriously going into withdrawals. Yes, I realize I have a problem - cannot help myself. I'm past help. You might think this is another teeny bopper flick, and perhaps it is focused for 16-24ishes but I am fascinated with vampires and the show is really great, so there ya have it. That's my favorite.

Photos courtesy of (The Event) NBC; (Seventh Heaven) the WB; and (Vampire Diaries) the CW.