Day 1-Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

9 months prego, taken by my 4 year old daughter

1.  I love being a mother from the day my child turns 1 years old and on, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE EACH phase of life.... after they turn one :)  yes that means, I do not enjoy being pregnant and I do not enjoy the first year of life.  I would be happy with a one month pregnancy, feeling the movement is VERY COOL and one month of holding a brand new baby, priceless.

2.  I have an alter ego, my husband has named her Shanae-nae.  She is the "mean" me.  Sadly, more people have met her than I would like to admit.

3.  I absolutely love overpriced restaurants and overpriced chocolates.  I don't mind going to an expensive restaurant that gives you a plate with a small portion for $50.00 a plate if it tastes like HEAVEN.  (Sadly, this is one of my husbands BIGGEST pet-peaves, so if this is my desire, this is a girls night out;) With chocolate I am spoiled because my father owns the Country Mercantile land of HEAVENLY chocolates and gourmet products.

4.  I have a LOVE-HATE relationship with these before mentioned Country Mercantile Chocolates.

When I was a Jr. in high school I spent the summer working at the Mercantile, devouring these decedent chocolates and when I went in for my sports physical, they put me on a strict diet because I had too much FAT IN MY BLOOD.  I was very active playing summer basketball and in great shape but apparently a pound of gourmet chocolates a day is unhealthy for you no matter how active you are.

I learned a life lesson that summer, moderation in all things:)

5.  Since I am on the subject of high school I was a cheerleader for football, then I played basketball and ran track.  I know, it is a shocker to some that I was a cheerleader, however, I chose to do that so I could keep up on my gymnastics abilities since I spent about 3 years of my life traveling and competing in gymnastics. 

6.  Coaches have always noticed my "potential"  I never played on a c-squad, just J.V. and Varsity.  Even in Jr. High I didn't play in 7th grade because of gymnastics, when I tried out for my 8th grade year they put me on the A team which I was shocked, but once again, noticed my "potential":)  In college after choosing not to play b-ball for any local Jr. College (since I only had offers from all the local colleges) I just played intramurals and any pick-up games I knew of.  After about 3 years of college I ended up back in the Tri-Cities and decided to try out for the local college team and made it, another case of noticing my "potential."  (shortly after making the team, I moved and didn't play for the college, but that is a completely different story.)

7.  Growing up I was very shy and really didn't have my own opinions about anything.  I was one of those annoying people who if you asked what I wanted to eat or where I wanted to go, I was like, I don't care, whereever you want to go, or whatever you want to eat.  One day I decided I was tired of being shy and not having opinions of my own so I taught myself to be more outgoing and tried to find out who I was and what I liked.  It was time for me to start making some decisions:)

8.  I was voted best dressed my senior year in high school.  (big shocker, I know)  I did come from a small school, and our graduating class was 140, so maybe that explains somethings:)

9.  When ever I sleep I HAVE to have a blanket covering me, NO MATTER how hot or cold it is, I can't sleep with out a blanket.  When I wake up in the morning first thing I have to do after going to the bathroom of course is brush my teeth.  Even before I eat or anything else, I can not the stand the feeling in my mouth when my teeth are not brushed.

10.  I grew up on a farm, in the country.  My closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away.  I had to change water before I went to school in the morning and at night when I got home from sports practice.  In the summer I worked on a potato digger, swathed hay, pulled weeds out of asparagus and beans, picked cherries and apples.  I am sure there are other things I did, but they have been erased from my ever fading memory.

11.  Memory, something I use to have.  Before children, I could have a list of things in my mind and not forget a thing.  I hardly wrote anything down, I didn't have to, I was like an elephant, I NEVER FORGOT! :)  Now after having children, I HAVE TO WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN, and after I do that I still forget things, maybe I can't read very well either.  It drives me crazy, how I cannot rely on my memory for anything these days.  I guess that is part of getting older.  I just have to learn how to write everything down and not forget where I put it :)  See, I really need one of those recorders that I can just talk into every time I have a thought, then I can just play it back.  

12.  I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TRAVELING!!!  I am glad I have a little daughter who wants to be a world traveler with me.  Places I have visited:  Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Cancun, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, and 4 of the 8 Hawaiian islands, Oahu, Big Island, Kauai and Maui.  I have lived in 8 of these different places.
Places on the top of my list to visit are New York, and D.C., Canada, Australia, Figi, and back to Europe.

13.  I LOVE ART - I have always been so jealous of people who could draw or paint.  I even took an art class in high school thinking I could improve my artistic ability, I LOVED THE CLASS, but can't say my drawings or painting won any awards.  I think that is why I was so drawn to photography, it was a form of art that I could do.  I can draw with light:)

14.   I don't like to use the word HATE, it is such a strong word, but I can pretty safely say, I HATE gaming and television.  They are both time wasters, time suckers and they drive me crazy.  I like movies, you watch one and it is over, there seams to be no end to gaming and television, they can go on and on and on and the next thing you know the day is over and you accomplished, NOTHING!

15.  I LOVE TO BE PAMPERED.  I don't necessarily see myself as a high maintenance women, but I do love a good spa day at least once a year.  I have received enough massages in my life, I have become kind of picky about them.  I have decided from now on I will give them my list before hand so I can get the perfect massage each time.  I know you are dying to hear my list so here you go.

When giving a massage,  the room must be warm, have essential oils burning, nice soothing music playing and the lights dimmed very, very low.  Now that our ambiance is set, when performing the massage only ask if the pressure is right as soon as that is established no others words should be spoken through out the duration of the massage.  Anything that needs to be asked should be done before the massage, like knowing if there are any trouble areas you would like more time spent on, and when you are given information DO AS THEY ASK.  During the massage DO NOT, drink water every two seconds making a loud slurping noise through your straw.  DO have your massage oil strapped to a belt on your body so you can smoothly add oil as needed with out stopping the massage and turning to put some one your hands.  ALWAYS have one hand on the body and all times!  OK that is all that comes to mind right now, so if you can do all of those things, I am pretty sure I will be a satisfied client and not be laying there wanting to correct your massage.

There you go. 15 things about me that you may or may not have already known.