Me, A-Z

I saw this on Stacy Julian’s new blog and I thought it was an awesome idea. It’s a great way for you, the reader, to get to know me, the blogger, better. Very clever & fun for me!

A is for Alan Rickman.

And a resounding chorus of “REALLY???!?!” fills the air. Yes, I know you all know about my fascination with Mr. Rickman. And, yes, he’s old enough to be my father. He is not technically what one would consider “conventionally attractive”. He’s not “beautiful”. But I dare you to find anyone sexier. It’s the combination – the voice, which is like warm molasses dripping down your spine. The hands, which are strong and constantly expressive. The air of confidence & power. And, of course, the talent. Which is monumental. He’s the “Sexy Man” for the woman who wants more than just a pretty face.
A is for autumn

I adore autumn. I wish there was a way for me to live somewhere where it was autumn all the time. The colors are breathtaking, the weather is excellent, the air is crisp, the scents are soothing. I would love to spend all day just out & about with my camera, capturing all the colors from different angles. Golds, reds, greens, oranges. Yum.

B is for Bible

I love my Bible. I cannot begin to express how important my Bible is to me. This isn’t a picture of my actual Bible, though. I came to faith in Christ in 1995 and got my Bible that year. I’ve filled the margins with my thoughts & notes from sermons, underlined significant passages. When I think of how people in other countries have to hide the Word of God, I’m so blessed to be able to read mine whenever & wherever I wish.

C is for Carmex

Ahhhhh, Carmex. The bane of my husband’s existence. I’ve been using it since high school and I’m totally addicted to it. Nothing soothes my chapped lips like it. I always have a bunch of them stashed around for emergency use!

C is for chopped salad

Portillo’s chopped salad is the best thing ever. I love them desperately. I could eat one every day and not get bored, not even for a moment.

D is for Diet Coke

Diet Coke….ahhhhh. The elixir of life. I know it’s not terribly good for me and, while reports might say that I should just stop it already, I am well & truly addicted. I love it. Giving it up while pregnant was so hard. I totally prefer Diet Coke with lime in 2 liter bottles. I also like regular Diet Coke from the fountain. But, cans and small bottles don’t do it for me. There’s too much carbonation in those and I just don’t enjoy it as much.

D is for Dymo

I love my labelmaker! It feeds my organization-loving soul, even when I fail at the actual organization part of it. I love printing out the little labels and assigning them to areas and bins and supplies. And, most importantly, without my Dymo, this moment never would have happened.

E is for Eric Northman, Viking Vampire

I’ve been a fan of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie-verse for a couple of years now. When they made her books into a hit HBO series, True Blood, I wasn’t sure how well it would translate and if they’d be able to get the sexiness of it all on screen without blowing it. Especially the character of Eric – the 6’4″ blonde Viking vampire who’s over 1,000 years old, has a sarcastic sense of humor, is intimidating & scary, but still approachable enough to be very sexy. The minute Alexander Skarsgård appeared on screen, sitting boredly on his Fangtasia throne, surveying his minions and providing eye-candy for the patrons, I knew they’d nailed it. I cannot wait to see the Eric of book 4 who’s lost his memory and has the ability to show fond emotions as well.

F is for Frappuccino

Mmmm. It’s actually more of a dessert than a coffee, but I love them. My favorite is coffee-flavored with 2 pumps of hazelnut, but I also enjoy a good Pumpkin Spice, Caramel or Java Chip upon occasion. But, hold the whip, please.

G is for Gire, Ken

Ken Gire is one of my favorite authors. I was introduced to his work by my BFF, Camille. She recommended his “Moments With the Savior” and it blew my mind. It brought the life of Christ to a whole new level – one where I could see Him not only as Messiah, but also as a man. I’ve tried to read all of his books and, though I’m a little behind, each one blesses and challenges me.

G is for Glee

Oh my WORD, how I love this show! I’m an old-school swing/show choir geek, having been in both my high school’s jazz choir and my college’s show choir. No – it’s not realistic. No high school choir can be handed the sheet music for a new song and break into perfect 7 part harmony. No choir would give all the solos to the same 2 people. It’s all nit-picking, though. I adore the songs, the dancing, the snarky sense of humor and Jane Lynch is a treasure. Just an amazing, wonderful geek show.

H is for home

My home. I love my home. We moved here 2 years ago and it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made as a family. 2 blocks from my parents, 1 block from great-grandma. A house that’s twice the size of our old one with a basement (hallelujah!!). The best part is that I’m working hard to be a good homemaker and improving my ability to make & keep our home welcoming and serene.

I & J is for Isaacs, Jason

Yeah, big surprise there. Not only can I use up 2 letters with one obsession, I get to add a lovely picture of him. I jokingly call him “my pretend celebrity boyfriend” as he is my #1 celebrity crush. Has been since I “met” him in The Patriot. Everyone else in the world hated Col. Tavington, but he made me all wibbly. Of course, I have a bit of a thing for the villainous British brute in cinema, so my fancy for Jason is not too surprising. He holds the #1 spot on my list and I can’t imagine that ever changing.

K is for Keith Green

Keith Green is probably my favorite musical artist of all time. I had never heard of him until just after Steve & I got married. Steve bought a 4 CD set of his music and started playing it in the car. It was the most amazing music I’d ever heard. I was a new Christian and the lyrics were the most honest, challenging, in-your-face, no apologies lyrics I’d ever heard. It changed me. It still does. Just on a musical level, the man was the most amazing piano player I’ve ever experienced. Listening to him is a complete mind-boggle because there’s no way someone should be able to play like that and sing at the same time. He died in 1982 in a plane crash. It makes me sad that I never got to hear him live, but I look forward to the day when I can enter the heavenly worship room and lose myself in him playing for the Lord!

L is for lime green

This is one of my favorite colors. I love the brightness, the cheeriness, the slap-you-in-the-faceness of lime green. It can be neon or soothing, depending on how it’s used. I just love it so much.

L is for Lush

I discovered Lush a couple years ago – another one of those things that you’d never know about if it wasn’t for the internet! It’s a Canadian based soap company that has some of the most amazing soaps, hair products, lotions. The smells are everything from energetic to amazingly soothing and they make you feel so good. Most people love their bath bombs, but since I’m not a bath person, I don’t use those. But I love Angels on Bare Skin cleanser, Honey, I Washed the Kids soap, Trichomania solid shampoo, American Cream conditioner, & Snowcake soap.

M is for Mentha lip balm by C.O. Bigelow

This stuff is so good! I like the tinted one best – it provides a little lip color plus the mintyness freshens your breath a bit, so you feel attractive AND fresh! I’ve also loved the orange mint one a lot.

M is for Method cleaning products

Let me admit something here. I’m a sucker for packaging. All those merchandisers out there have a job because of people like me. That’s what originally drew me to the Method products – I loved their clean package design. Then I discovered their products are good for the environment, so that was another mark in the plus column. After trying them, I discovered they work really, really well and leave behind a gorgeous smell. I adore them – especially the wood products. The almond smell is amazing!

N is for napping

I think this is probably my favorite thing on this list. There simply is nothing that can compare to the deliciousness of sliding back into bed in the middle of the day and just napping for a while. It’s even more delicious when there’s a baby snuggled in next to me. ‘Nuff said.

N is for Nichole Nordeman

What a wonderful artist she is! Another fabulous example of lyrics that are heartfelt & truthful. So often, Christian music can be so perky & perfect – it’s awesome to have music out there that talks about what we’re all really going through. The struggles, the questioning, all of it. And Nichole does it brilliantly. I love listening to it and singing it.

O is for opals

I can’t remember a time when I haven’t loved opals. I think they’re miraculous the way they fire up when you turn them. They’re never the same when you look at them and that, to me, is amazing. My favorite opal I have is an opal ring that Steve gave me before we got engaged. It’s a gorgeous opal, filled with fire and it was a special, precious gift.

O is for office products

Love, love, LOOOOOVE them!! Most of them, I have no use for, but I still totally love them. I love going in Office Max or Staples and just walking up & down the aisles looking at all the cool things – especially the organizing products – and wanting to load up my cart with them. Paper clips, binders, post-its, pens, markers, all of it.

P is for Pioneer Woman

Talk about an awesome website! I love Ree’s site – filled with amazing pictures, funny stories, unbelievable recipes. Steve adores her recipes and actually made our 2008 Thanksgiving meal almost entirely from her website! I love reading about Charlie, her basset hound, and seeing pictures of her gorgeous kids. Her photography site knocks my socks off. And her generosity gave me pictures for my son’s bedroom! I printed out hi-res pictures from her site of cows and horses to hang in his room and he loves them! Keep it up, Ree. You’re getting famous and we all just love you!

P is for Pottery Barn

My favorite home design store! Of course, it’s all too expensive for me to buy, really, but I’d love to decorate my home with their furniture, decor and rugs. I adore the PB Kids stuff & PB Teen, too. Big, useful furniture pieces that are simply made for organization. Their color palettes are comforting while still being rich & filling.

S is for Sally Hansen Hand Repair

Hand’s down (bwahahahaaha!!), the best hand cream I’ve ever, ever used. Thick and creamy with a scent that is really pleasing without overwhelming anything, this cream makes my chronically dry hands feel great and nourishes nails & cuticles, too. Every time I use it in public, someone asks me about the great smell.

U is for Ugly Dolls

Do you love these or what?? I can’t remember which one I saw first, but I remember buying my first one for Maggie back in, like, 2000 or something. The first one we got was Babo, followed by Jeero, Tray, IceBat & Moxie. I even got a Babo keychain that I love. Maggie even has a Babo journal. After looking through the site again, I still want Wedgehead, Suntan Target & Fea Bea.

Y is for Yankee Candle

Yum! Love Yankee Candles and their fabulous scents. I’m partial to the food ones rather than the flowery scents. Citrus ones, the delicious autumn pumpkin and spice ones, vanilla, almond – they’re all great. I think my all time favorite is Autumn Wreath.

Y is for yellow

It’s happy, it’s bright, it’s fun, it’s optimistic. From buttery yellow to the color of the sun, I love yellow. Sunflowers and yellow gerbera daisies are my favorite flowers. I think every kitchen should be some shade of yellow, and that’s a fact.