IMG_2555

My husband required me to title my post by that name if I was going to show this picture.

So there you have it.

(And no. That is a completely legit breathing treatment.)

Last week, I got the pleasure of visiting many doctor’s offices. Besides still struggling with my eyes, I’ve had some other somewhat scary symptoms and happenings, and so I’ve been trying to track down the root cause.

(All while not barraging you all with vaguely dramatic tweets and statuses. You’re welcome.)

Last Sunday, I had my first visit, where I saw a lovely foreign doctor who ended up being a worse decision than looking up my own symptoms on WebMD. After doing blood work and giving me an EKG, he ended our time together with,

“I am not certain what is to be wrong with you. But the number of tests we can be allowed to do on the weekends are limited. So if you get worse, you should go to the emergency room…Eet coold be Pulmonary Embolism – you know, a clot in your lung? Or perhaps Hyperthyroidism. Or something else. Okay? I would call our office tomorrow and get an appointment with another doctor.”

Yes, he actually recommended I see someone OTHER THAN HIMSELF.

So I did.

On Wednesday, I spent a fantastic two hours at the doctor.

(The fantastic in this visit was brought to you by the presence of my two year old.)

IMG_2552

We watched a lot of tractor videos on my phone, I tried to keep him off the floor (Praying that no one with tuberculosis had been in the room) and out of the drawers (praying that there were no sharp objects housed within), and of course, we played with the stirrups.

IMG_2563

Why do general practitioners have stirrups? Nevermind.

On Friday, I saw a specialist, where I found some fantastic signs, such as this one left over from 1986,

IMG_2649

(Ah, the good old days of Custom Conversions…)

And this one.

IMG_2650

(But feel free to block the elevator button with anything else.)

I also discovered that you can actually check a box for “Belching.”

Belching

Which is when I considered donating my appointment to my husband.

At the moment, I’ve been diagnosed with Adult Onset Asthma, and am still having some other tests run (I get to stick electrodes to myself and wear a heart monitor this week – yay!), but I’m okay. I’m nearly positive that nothing is horribly wrong with me. Most of the time.

But because of all that, I got like…oh, at least a week behind in writing.

Which is why you’re getting this pitiful excuse for a post.

So as I try to get caught up on my writing and my inbox and my dishes and find my train of thought somewhere around here, it’s your turn to tell me about you.

I attempt to have a “your turn” post at least once a year, because I absolutely adore getting to know each and every one of you.

After all, what’s the fun of blogging if it’s not two-way?

So today, whether you’ve never commented, commented once in 2008, or comment every week, I want you to tell me the following – answer whichever questions you want (or all of them if you’re feeling especially jolly.)

1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?

Here I am now. Entertain me.

97 thoughts on “Snoop Mommy-Mom.

  1. Well GOOD MORNING GLORY!!! I hope you feel better soon! You wanted answers, so here you go:

    1. I live in the awesome state of GA! Just north of you, up Hwy. 59…..come by and set a spell when you can!

    2. Most bizarre…hmmmm…well, hmmmm…..Let me come back to this one.

    3. Best TV show – DEFINATELY NCIS / CSI…it’s a tie for me!, Bookwise, anything by John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell with some Patterson thrown in there! And my all time most favorite movie ever – Gone With The Wind..

    4. Least favorite subject in all of school is still my least favorite today – MATH! In the words of the great Jimmy Buffett who penned these lyrics, “Math Suks, Math Suks, Math Suks a big one”! (I am not kidding on these lines)

    5. Name I regret not getting to use, “Gabriel”. I was named for my paternal grandfather, Trudeau Gabriel, and wanted to name my child, (my one and only) something using Gabrielle….my ex-nixed it and she got Megan Louise instead….but it totally fits her!!!

    Have a great week!!!

    1. Oh, Gone With the Wind… We need to have a blog watching party! It’s been too long since I’ve watched.

      Thanks for saying hi!

  2. 1. NJ
    2. Hmm, I’ve lived on my own in China, and do things like renaissance faires, so it’s hard to pick one bizarre event that makes a good blogging blurb. But here: on our way up to Maine for a family vaca last Monday, I left my wallet on the roof of our car, and wound up getting picked up by a State Trooper as I was foraging for wallety bits along the highway. Que disastro!
    3. Currently into Mad Men, Breaking Bad., Orphan Black.
    4. least favorite subjects were any sort of math, and chem and physics; mostly because of the teachers. I think that I would love to re-learn those subjects as an adult, especially chem or any science.
    5. We’ve only just had our first, but I really like the names Kirk (m), Wyatt (m), and Ripley (f).
    great pic of the elevator sign, hope they figure out what’s wrong and that you feel better! good luck with the medical industrial complex.

    1. I somehow made it through all of high school and college without ever taking chemistry. My husband tries to explain the periodic table to me and I completely go blank.
      I would like to understand, too. I guess I will when Ali makes it to high school!

  3. 1. Alabama

    2. I know I have something, but every time someone asks me what my most unusual/memorable experience, my mind immediately goes blank. If it unblanks, I’ll let you know.

    3. How about best mini-series, which was also a book series – “Anne of Green Gables” of course.

    4. Least favorite subject – Math. However, it’s now one of my most favorite subjects to teach to my kids, ironically.

    5. I don’t really have one, but I do know what name your husband would like to name another girl if you ever have one…..wait, does that count as something bizarre about me? No, I guess it doesn’t, really.
    And just so I don’t drive everyone who reads these crazy, the name he suggested is Avonlea.

  4. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Ontario

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? Joshua Jackson (who will always be Pacey on Dawson’s Creek to me) repeatedly fell down the stairs and stripped off his pants in front of me. (And a bunch of other people.)

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? The Wedding Singer. Although, I’m watching Lost right now, and that’s pretty good too. People tell me I’ll be mad at the last season though.

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Math. But not until grade 11, when my teacher was super mean.

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? William :( I’m still hoping though.

    I hope you’re feeling right soon, Rach! *hug*

  5. Maybe you’d be better entertained by my recent letter to my pet hermit crab.
    Dear Bob

    I’ve been watching you. You know, when we bought you I imagined you’d have the intellect and entertainment value of a goldfish. But your something else. Not just because the 13.99 crab shack and kit you came with proved worthless and I spent $100 getting you new supplies. Nope. You’ve opened my eyes. I’ve become obsessed with helping you live because you are teaching me so much about my life. You’ll start to see that soon enough.
    First lets talk about how “simple” it is to have you as a pet. You need access to salt dechlorinated water and regular dechlorinated. You need fresh food every day and don’t like the same thing in a row. You need your glass tank full of coconut fiber kept between 70-80 degrees and above 70% humidity. You need two extra change of shells. You need things to entertain yourself with. You need company. Lack of any of these things and you die a long slow painful death. We aren’t so different you and I. I too have a long list of requirements that prevent me from a long slow painful death. Chocolate, So You Think You Can Dance, phone calls from my mom, a date with my husband a couple times a year etc.
    I think we both know something is wrong with your new companion Eva. It’s pretty obvious. Its hard not to notice when someones missing a leg. Whether she pulled it out herself or someone else did it we may never know. I admire you so much for the way you’ve reacted. She comes into your space walking weird and acting dramatic when you go to say hello. You could have got defensive, but you didn’t. You showed her you weren’t a threat. You stood by while she needed space. You gave her your cave and you kept her company from the entrance. I was so happy to see she finally let you in. I have to tell ya Bob. I’m a bit more like Eva that I am you. You are a good crabby.
    I’ve noticed that you are not interested in me. I get close and you pull into your shell. That’s fine. I do the same thing when big obstacles show up in my way. I hope you realize one day my big scary hand is arranging all the pieces that will get you to your next molt. Molting is pretty stressful I hear. You lose your hard exterior and become a newer better crab. But you’re all sensitive for awhile and need to be treated gently. I get that. I’m going through a sorta molt right now. I’m still in the part where you hide and cry for weeks. But it’s all for the better. I can’t see it now but someone is keeping an eye on my humidity and temperature too. I hear he can’t wait to see me emerge bigger and better. So don’t stress too much Bob because at least you can see me. You know when I’m around. But I guess I know He is around too.
    I love you Bob.
    Sincerely, Melanie
    P.s. I hope you’ll understand when I tell you there’s a likelihood we will move in a year or two so get all you can outa life now because your not coming with us. Xoxo

  6. 1. Alabama
    2. I had a female stalker in college. That was bizarre. I had to pretend I wasn’t home and then sneak out of my apartment because she would follow me to work and then stare at me from across the lobby when I worked at the campus bookstore. It was so strange.
    3. Friends, Dirty Dancing, and Charlotte’s Webb
    4. Math. Always math.
    5. Charlotte for a little girl and Jameson for a little boy. Jameson would be a mix of Jeremy’s granddad’s name (James) and my obsession with using “son” names for little boys (Jackson, Anderson).

    1. I kinda want more details about your female stalker. Did you ever find out why she stalked you? What happened to her? Are y’all friends on Facebook?

  7. 1- Florida (somewhere around the middle)
    2- I was very tiny as a child, and once got stuck in a Pic-n-Save because I wasn’t heavy enough at 6 or 7 to activate the automatic doors. It was scary at the time, but I understand now why my mom was laughing at me while I was furiously jumping up and down (crying, of course) on the pressure sensitive doormat.
    3- Book? To Kill a Mockingbird, but I also love John Green. Movie? Legends of the Fall.
    4- PE/Recess/Anything involving group activity and/or coordination.
    5- Vaden. I tried with my last two (girl & boy), but I was vetoed. It may be because I found the name on an office park near our old babysitter. He still owes me for that one.

  8. Sorry you are not feeling well. Hope you get bette soon. I hate doctor’s offices. BTW I think some GP’s have stirrups because they give female annuals. I know mine always asks and I have to tell them I go to the women’s health center.
    Anyway to answer your questions:
    1. Born and raised in Florida, orginally Brandon (Near Tampa) currently reside in High Springs (near Gainesville)
    2.I lead a pretty boring life (to me anyway) but when I was about 6 or so I did meet and get the autograph of the Lone Ranger. It is my only celebrity autograph. I am sure there is something more interesting but I can’t think on my feet.
    3. Best TV show: Too many to name but I love the Big Bang Theory, NCIS, and Lost. Best Movie: Tie between Gone with the Wind, Braveheart, and The Searchers, Best Book: The Bible (of course), Count of Monte Cristo, and Anne of Green Gables.
    4. Least Favorite Subject: Math, I am just not a math person numbers and I are not friends. Always had to have a tutor.
    5. Well I don’t have children so I am still holding out a small bit of hope (I am 37 1/2 so I am realist and know time is running out) but here are the top names on my list: Boys: Aiden Levi, Andrew Jackson, Colin Raymond, Riley Albert (The last 2 are combinations of family names) Girls: Abigail (Abby) Josephine, Clara Elizabeth (Stolen from my sister who is done having children), Ryley Anna Belle

    1. Riley is my oldest’s middle name, and the name he goes by. I hate that it’s become equally common as a girl’s name, even though I would’ve named a daughter Riley too.

      1. The Searchers is an old John Wayne Western. Your Dad would probably know it. I should have added Gone With the Wind since I can pretty much say it by heart.

  9. First of all, that sucks. It’s scary to not know what’s wrong, and I hope it’s all figured out and treated soon.
    Now,
    1. Middle Georgia (I’m actually about 7 miles from the “geographical center” of the state, whoo!)
    2. I’m afraid I have the most boring life ever.
    3. If it’s British, I will probably watch/read it. My favorite tv show is Doctor Who. My favorite books are the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. And my favoite movie is Love Actually. See? Total Anglophile.
    4. I hated science. Particularly chemisry. Now I’m a nurse, after surviving two college level chemistry classes. So I guess wonders never cease.
    5. I regret not naming my firstborn after his father, because they are exactly alike! I was afraid that people would call him JJ (he’d be Jason Jr), and that was just not gonna fly.

    1. I agree – British have the best literature/television/movies. That’s why we steal all of their shows.

      If there’s an American version of Downton Abbey in a couple of years, I will be irritated.

  10. 1. Alabama
    2. bizarre-daily conversations with my children, and that is no exaggeration.
    3. The Cosby Show ;)
    4. MATH-ugh
    5. Not sure I’m done, but I love the name Ridge and probably won’t get to use it.

  11. I am so glad nothing “serious” is wrong with you! Maybe you’ll get a cool-looking inhaler.

    1. I live in Brookfield, WI, a suburb of Milwaukee.
    2. I am a huge nerd so nothing interesting really ever happens to me. How big of a nerd am I? Well, one of the tragedies in my youth was my parents did NOT let me participate in the library summer reading program because I already read TOO MUCH and they wanted me to play outside instead.
    3. Can’t narrow that down! We watch Mad Men and I am drawn to historical novels.
    4. Has to be gym class. Again, I am a huge nerd!
    5. I don’t have a particular name …. I’m not 100% sure we’re done!

  12. 1. Washington State
    2. Bizarre or interesting? Nothing interesting is happening now because i am stuck in my house because i am allergic to the outside and if I go outside I have to wear a mask which makes me look like I am a paranoid germaphobe but really it is cause i dont want to throw my neck out again sneezing like a crazy woman.
    3. ER. Still miss that show. Loved it.
    4. I HATED PE.
    5. We are done, which I am sad about sometimes, but I always loved the name Emma. It was my great grandmothers name and I always wanted to use it. But if you look at my email address and see my last name, then say Emma with that name, you will see why I could never do that to a child.

    1. Oh no! I hope you get better soon – allergies to the outside sound intense.

      And yes, I suppose that would be a rough last name for Emma. ;-)

  13. I hope the breathing treatments are making you feel better!

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Massachusetts

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    I always think about the bizarre things that have happened to my dad in his life. Feel free to insert (and lived!) after each of these points:
    – 3 days old: Parents rolled their car down a ravine while bringin him home from the hospital.
    – 3 years old: Fell into an open septic pit and clung to a little plant to keep his head above water(not really water) until help came.
    – 7 years old: Fell out of a moving car due to the combination of a broken door and an older brother.
    – 12 years old: Was sucked into the propellers of a ferry boat while coin diving.
    – 18 years old: Crashed his motor cycle INTO THE HOSPITAL BUILDING and lost 3 days of memory.
    – Sometime in between: Was trampled by a herd of horses, causing some dental reconstruction.
    – 22 years old: Was on a tractor that was being towed by a car, tractor flipped over and landed on him, hospital missed the fact that he had fractured his neck, only found out 20 years later when a specialist told him his back problems were due to the fact that 10% of the muscles on one side were dystrophied away due to nerve damage.
    – 28 years old: Lost his spleen after a collision during a softball game, doctor also ripped a three inch hole in his intestine while putting the catheter in. Seriously, the hospital on our island sucked. My mom waited in line at the ferry boat, while in labor, just so she could go to an off island hospital to give birth to me.
    Lost track of the age:
    – Fell off a three story barn.
    – Flipped his pick up truck into a marsh.
    – Fell into a channel while clam digging and had his waders fillup with water. Saved by a random piece of drift wood he had picked up less than a minute before. Managed to wedge the driftwood on each side of the channel and keep his head above water while he screemed for help.
    – Was almost smothered when a trench he was digging collapsed about 5 seconds after he had climbed out of it.
    – Has had practically every tick borne disease known to man. Twice.
    – Was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy (in addition to the, y’know broken-neck-dystrophy).
    – Lost the brakes on his bigF450 (?) plow truck while going down a hill. (He used a stone wall, a bunch of mail boxes, and a tree to slow his speed to non-lethal levels apparently)

    And I know there are others I have forgotten…. Let’s face it. He is bizarre.

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    TV: 2006 BBC Jane Eyre with Ruth Wilson, Book(s): The Lord of the Rings, Movie: The Quest for the Holy Grail (okay, I admit, I couldn’t think of one for movies)

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    Maaaaaaaath. (sorry) /shame

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    Asa, Robin, Annelise

  14. Re: the stirrups, I see my GP for ob/gyn stuff too. I like having a one-stop shop. So to speak.

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Good ole Illinois. (near Chicago.)

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    Oh goodness. As a kid, while stopped at a light in a car, I witnessed a guy stomp out the back windshield of a car in front of us. That made a strong impression.
    Probably my favorite unexplained thing though was about a year into dating my now-husband, when his dad presented me with a clip he’d found, tucked in the back of a drawer in his business office for decades, that had MY (rather unusual) NAME ON IT.

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    TV show: LOST
    Book: The Time-Traveler’s Wife
    Movie: The Toy Story trilogy; Dark City

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    My most-hated college class was probably philosophy. Ugh.

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    I don’t have any kids, and probably never will, but we did have this hypothetical kid-name convo early in our relationship, and decided we liked Luke/Lucas, Leah, Lucia, Charlotte, Claire … (Leah was a compromise from Leia because I refused to name my hypothetical son and daughter Luke AND Leia…)

      1. It’s not the names, it’s that I would prefer not to die in childbirth and have my husband become an evil overlord…

        Oh, who am I kidding, I just wouldn’t want people to snicker everything I introduced my hypothetical kids ;)

  15. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Georgia

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? Caught water moccasins in order to tag them with trackers… during breeding season.

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? The Man Who Was Thursday (book).

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? Critical Theory (college), but now I love it. What gives?

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? We haven’t even started… mwahahahaa…

    1. It’s one thing to be bitten by a Water Moccasin, but trying to catch one seems like it would be quite difficult. Aren’t they kinda…slippery??

  16. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Florida – close enough to hear the Disney fireworks at 9:00 and 10:00!
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? HA! Really? On October 1, 1994 I was sexually assaulted in my home in WI at knifepoint; the responding officer is now my husband and we have two beautiful children! (the guy that did the assaulting was arrested by my now-husband and is serving 54 years at Waupon Correctional institution)
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? TV? I don’t watch much, but I recently started the Downton Abbey Series on Netflix and am enjoying it a great deal. Book? Harry Potter, hands down – yeah, I’m one of those crazy adults that LOVE Harry and his pals. I’ve read all seven books dozens upon dozens of times (yes, really — dozens upon dozens) Movie? I’m going old school… not one favorite, though – but I loved Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, etc. I also love me some Holy Grail, too.
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Math. Every. Single. Math class. Ever. Hate math.
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? Gerald. It’s my step-dad’s name and my step-dad is my Dad. He’s a great man and I love him beyond all “step’ anything. He has made my life and my kid’s lives better just by being part of us.

    1. Wow. That is quite a story. I would love to see new friend’s eyes widen after they casually asked, “so how did you two meet?” — that’s way better than most people’s “Oh, you know, school…”

  17. I had to go to a regular doctor when I thought my Mirena was broken and couldn’t get to my GYN (different city), so it’s a good thing they have stirrups.

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Kansas and I have for all except four yeas of my life, unfortunately.
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    Absolutely nothing comes to mind. Oh, I was almost arrested for trespassing on a train once even thought I wasn’t the one on it. It was my husband (just a friend at the time) but he had long hair.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    TOUGH QUESTION. Um. The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld is probably my favorite.
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    Science in all aspects. I’m bad at science, probably because I don’t care so much about it. And I’m not naturally good at it.
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    We may or may not be done, but because of our last name Arianna and Aria don’t sound good and I really like them.

  18. Wow, sorry about all that!!!

    Well, you know where I live:)

    Best TV show. The Andy Griffith Show, hands down!

    The name I regret not using is my maiden name, Fitzgerald. I was going to name my youngest Stephen James Fitzgerald Reeves but my dad said it was just too long of a name for such a little guy. I wish I had done it anyway because I have always loved the name and I wish he had it.

  19. 1. Southern California
    2. I did a 5 week mission trip to Bogota, Colombia to see if a certain school would be a good match for me to teach there. While traveling from the home where I was staying in the city to the school on the outskirts one morning I got seperated from the other person I was with when she quickly jumped on a bus and it took off immediately. I took the next bus not knowing that this one would bypass my stop. I ended up in a guerilla controlled village well outside of Bogota scared out of my gourd. Thankfully the bus driver helped me find the right bus to take back to the school and all was well in the end. This was when abductions of Americans by the FARC were rampant. The week after I got home the state department advised not traveling there at all. I learned I wasn’t a good match for the school because I couldn’t imagine dealing with that much insecurity on a daily basis. I left with a new level of respect for the people that do.
    3. If it’s Masterpiece Theatre I’ll probably love it. The Good Wife, West Wing, House Hunters International. I most like to read memoires and historical fiction. I’m trying to get a few pages of And The Mountains Echoed whenever we visit Barnes and Noble.
    4. Hated Math and science. Now I love science and the two years I taught 5th grade I got to teach math 3 x each day. I tried to make it better for them than it had been for me with some success, but it was still math.
    5. Asher… I really wanted to name a little boy that!

    1. And I need to add that I hope you find out what is making you feel poorly soon. And may it be something easily corrected! Sorry…feeling icky + tests + not knowing is not fun at all. Praying for you.

  20. I, too, have had bizarre medical things happening recently, that may be something or may be nothing. Does having children just screw up everything that was previously working fine in our bodies?

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Pennsylvania
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    As a new sorority chick freshman year, I crashed a wedding reception with some fellow sisters when we were bored at an alumni event and saw a rather happening dance party in the ballroom next door. A few of us got to Electric Slide with the bride until her dad kicked us out after some older sisters tried their luck at the open bar.
    Karma would come back around years later at my own wedding when my own dance floor cleared because Drew Carey was in the bar next door with his then-girlfriend. Even my own sister left. The husband and I were so utterly confused until my uncle came over and told me he used the urinal next to Drew Carey. Sigh.

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? Scooby Doo. Or at least that’s the best retro cartoon that my children are currently watching. A lot.

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Sociology

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? Proably not done, but Delaney. We wasted it on the dog.

    1. YES. My body is so different after kids. I gained AND lost maladies!

      And poor Drew Carey. I’m sure he really appreciated being mobbed by your entire wedding!

  21. 1. Alabama
    2. Of course I can’t think of anything. But I will about 2:13 am.
    3. I can’t narrow down a favorite book like I can’t narrow down a favorite child. They are all my favorites, but for different reasons. Shows-love Northern Exposure. About to start watching the re-runs with Mark at night again.
    4. My least favorite subject EVER and ALWAYS WILL BE is Math.
    5. I have too many names I did not get to use-Alaina, Evelyn, Ashley, Heather, Eva, Rebecca, Amanda, I could go on for days.

  22. Hi Rachel, I hope you get definitive answers and solutions soon. Sorry it’s been a rough week. In response to your questions:
    1. Still in Idaho, where we are to have over a week of over 100 degree temps. Currently on day 3. It’s not unusual for us to be that warm…at the end of July, not the beginning. Also, last week we had a day of 50 degrees. Quite the contrast.
    2. Recently on a family vacay to DC, we had to literally jump out of the way as a motorcycle cop rode past us on the sidewalk, lights flashing, sirens blaring. He was clearing traffic for a motorcade involving 9 more motorcycle cops, 2 limos, and three suburbans. Apparently, the President was in one of the limos.
    3. No way can I pick one best of ever book or movie or tv show. I will share some favorites, though. Mary Connealy writes great cowboy fiction, Lauraine Snelling writes great immigrant pioneer fiction; love watching Pride & Prejudice, Emma, National Treasure, Night at the Museum, A Christmas Carol (going to see Monsters U this afternoon); tv I like Castle, Covert affairs, Major Crimes, Duck Dynasty. Eclectic mix am I.
    4. My least favorite subject ever was in college, Econ. Didn’t like the teacher or the subject. Of course, this was my husbands favorite class.
    5. I would’ve like to have had another girl to name her Kami.

  23. I am not feeling especially jolly. I will answer your #1 question then make up 4 more of my own.

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Kentucky, all my life!

    2. What did you last eat?
    Nachos for lunch with a mini Reese’s cup for dessert.

    3. Did you have a nice weekend?
    Yes! We went to the VBS closing program at church on Friday evening, attended a local Comic Convention on Saturday (dressed up as Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach!), went to our community’s annual Concert on the Square with the Nashville Symphony on Saturday evening, made my Dad a big birthday lunch on Sunday, and moved my (beautiful, old, big, and heavy) piano from my Mom’s house to my Fiance’s house on Sunday afternoon! I am exhausted!

    4. What is your favorite app?
    Currently I am hopelessly addicted to Plants vs. Zombies, which I play on both my iPad and my Android smartphone.

    5. Do you have a new recipe to share?
    Certainly! Yesterday, I made Nana’s Apple Dumplings for my Dad’s birthday dessert!

  24. 1. I live in Wisconsin.
    2. The weirdest thing that pops into my head was when I was at the grocery store with my oldest (she was like 9 months old at the time) and a woman STUCK HER FINGER in Leah’s mouth. How do you even respond to that?
    3. My favorite TV show of all times is ED. Not Mr. Ed, the horse. Ed the bowling alley lawyer…fun, quirky, sweet!
    4. Least favorite subject? Bio 2. I dropped it and took a cooking class.
    5. We have all girls, so I would have wanted a boy named Nate. I love the middle name Love for a girl, but I could never get my husband on board with that one. He has red hair and I always wanted an Annie, but the odds were too good that she might actually look like Annie from the movie…or like Anne of Green Gables. Annie Love would have been a pretty one :)

  25. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Alabama- Birmingham
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? Several 6′ folding tables and chairs fell on me when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. This happened at UAB of all places. I was told nothing was wrong with me. I had a concussion, a broken nose, and twisted vertebrae. All of this was discovered months later.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? Past TV Show- Friends or Sex and The City Current TV Show- 2 Broke Girls and Whitney. Whitney Cummings stars in and writes for Whitney and writes for 2 Broke Girls. Funniest. Shows. Ever! Book- To Kill a Mockingbird and Envy by Sandra Brown. Move- Dirty Dancing
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Math, any kind of math.
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? Fave name ever- Jasper. But I named a dog that so I couldn’t name my kid that. Love Harper, but I wanted my daughter to have her daddy’s initials, KLK. After we chose her name, we saw Kherington. Adorable. But…too late.

    1. I can only imagine the Mommy Guilt your Mom had over them not finding anything wrong with you! Then again, maybe I’m projecting my own overactive Mommy Guilt onto her.

  26. 1) living in Dublin Ireland for the moment.
    2) aaah. Too much pressure I can’t think if an answer for this…
    3) I don’t know why but I want to say providence fir past, but i might just be feeling nostgic. Current – modern family… Book: I loved the red tent. Movie – princess bride
    4) I hated math. Ugh
    5) I am done after 3 kids. I wish I could have used Enzo ( short for Lorenzo) for a boy, and I am kind of loving Aiobhinn for a girl ( it’s Irish. You pronounce it ayveen) or lucia..

  27. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Arizona :)

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Math.

    I don’t have any kids yet, and I don’t know what I’ll name them, so I can’t answer the last question. And I had a very long weekend of inlaw fun so my brain isn’t working enough to answer questions 2 and 3. Sorry!

  28. 1. eastern shore of Mobile Bay in Alabama – paradise
    2. can’t decide….my life is a series of bizarre events
    3. the book I’m writing, of course!
    4. PE, because we had to exercise….duh!
    5. Cletus – I say give your kids a legitimate reason to resent you and get it over with.

  29. 1. Central Texas!
    2. When I was 12, I was part of a military exercise and “robbed” a shoppette (think convenience store) at imaginary gunpoint?
    3. Book: Harry Potter
    TV: Covert Affairs, Warehouse 13
    Movie: Princess Bride, National Treasure 1&2, the Italian Job
    4. Algebra 1&2…didn’t get it, teacher was worthless. (Like she was not rehired the next year)
    5. James Bryan…ended up having all girls! (And we are donnity-done-done having new humans!)

    I have lifelong asthma, so I feel your pain. I pray your docs figure everything out soon and help you figure out your best course of treatment.

  30. If babies can grow out of childhood asthma, hopefully adults can outgrow adult onset asthma. :)

    I am from Oregon but have recently transplanted to Washington State. It’s pretty much the same thing minus the taxes and lack of family.
    Most bizarre thing has to be that I was born in a January snowstorm in a state that sees little snow, named Summer, and am completely intolerant to heat.
    Best show has to be Grey’s Anatomy.. love it!
    Was never very great at math, totally didn’t get it after pre-algebra.
    I really don’t have any names I wish I’d been able to use for my children. My husband and I both wanted to name our first daughter Naomi before we were even together. Our first son we named Ethan.. it was a strong name, and it fits. Our second son we named Jesse,he is a sweet, snuggly, adventurous boy. And our youngest daughter we named Annah. My grandmother’s name was Ann, plain Ann with no E. We added the H in her name so she wouldn’t feel cheated by having the shortest name in the bunch.. and being the baby she would’ve. I suppose knowing our “quiver” was full helped me not yearn for more and dream up their names. I do, however, thoroughly enjoy giving my opinions about what my nieces and nephews should be named. :)

    1. Sounds like a win/win move! And you are probably a rare breed, a Summer born in January. That’s like an April born in November.

  31. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Ontario
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? When I was traveling/working in China I ended up stuck overnight in a small town, but unable to find a hotel room. I ended up renting a room at a brothel. I didn’t tell my mother until I’d been home for a while, and my grandmother still doesn’t know.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? Best book ever – The Ordinary Princess by M.M.Kaye
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Math
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? I’m 40 weeks with our last, a boy. If he’d been a girl I would have loved to use Charlotte, or Sabriel.

    1. Congratulations on your nearly-here little one!!

      And you might be the only person I know that’s stayed in a Chinese Brothel. Or at least I hope you are.

  32. Sending you best wishes that you are healthy the rest of the summer.

    I wish I’d had my girl, Beatrice after Shakespeare and Cleary. :)

  33. I hope they figure out what’s wrong and things get better quickly for you!

    1. I live in Texas
    2. I think it is really bizarre when I pick up the phone to call or text someone and they are calling or texting me at the EXACT SAME moment, it has happened repeatedly with one friend in particular
    3. show: Project Runway, book: My Side of the Mountain, movie: Peter Pan the Disney animated version
    4. It wasn’t technically a subject, but I HATED writing no matter how good I was at it
    5. I hope we aren’t done having kids since we just started, our first is 8 months old (Robert Jacob and he goes by Jake). But since it seems to take us a while to get pregnant, I hope that we are able to use these names: Lucas Emmanuel (and he will go by Luke), Sophia Grace (and she will go by Sophie), and Olivia Grace (she will go by Livy).
    thanks for asking!

  34. Oh dear. Asthma sucks but once you learn how to manage it things improve a lot!

    Sad to see your eyes still bothering you too. Hope things improve health wise soon as hanging out in doctors offices definitely no fun at all. We’ve done a bunch of that lately after Elizabeth’s surgery plus well baby stuff and I have been so thankful that Matthew isn’t mobile enough to wreak havoc. It’s bad enough asking Elizabeth to please refrain from jumping on the examining table!

    Anyway.

    1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Ontario, Canada
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    Good question! Hard to answer because I know from experience that some of the strangest stories I’ve read from other bloggers were not intended to be bizarre. We have a tendency to think our own lives are so boring but others don’t always think so! The most bizarre thing I can think of is kind of mundane but really freaked us out at the time. It was during a 30 hour famine event at our church. We were leading the youth group at the time & we printed up booklets for everyone. When we counted them, we were one short. I am absolutely certain there was no miscount. We prayed just before the kids arrived & I was still annoyed about being one short so we asked that the missing booklet wouldn’t negatively impact the weekend. When we handed out the booklets, we had one for everyone. I still cannot explain it.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    The Bible has some pretty amazing stories… Not what you meant I reckon. I’m partial to the Count of Monte Cristo (book!) Best movie ever might be one of the LOTRs. Favourite TV show is harder, though there was an episode of Star Trek Voyager where they used language to distinguish between species (“Do you fathom?”) – I really loved that!
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    Toss up between drama in high school or my critical thinking class in university. Drama: teacher went around in a circle every day naming each of us. Everyone else she named with their first name. I got both my first and last name, even though I was the only Mary. I was already “different” from everyone else. Never made a single friend or felt comfortable enough to actually try acting. Critical thinking- I have a choose your own adventure degree (Directed Interdisciplinary Studies: Technology & Business) and one of the few requirements was this course. They wanted all students in DIS to have a course together, so the topic was randomly chosen by the prof. My year it was “Power & Domination” and it was all about how we should be protesting the government for the bad things we Canadians let the Anericans do to the world (seriously!) Prof advocating teaching Kindergardeners passive resistance techniques when getting arrested. Also, I discovered that he only gave good marks if your essay agreed with his point of view. Gah!
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    I have no idea if we are “done having kids” but I would be okay with more :) I learned none of them will be Toby or Benjamin though (hubby veto). I like the name Cameron too, but can’t bring myself to name a child something that means “crooked nose”. Even if I think there should be an alternate meaning!

    1. That critical thinking class sounds scary!!

      Ali asked me what her name (Alana) meant last night. I was ashamed to tell her “The female version of Alan.”

      I need to do some googling today and find a better answer.

  35. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in? Tennessee, Nashville area, and have all my life.

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger? When I was around 9 years old, I was left at a Cracker Barrel by my parents ON PURPOSE because I had thrown such a big fit when my little sister took some of my whipped cream. I literally remember standing in the store part and thinking about asking someone to borrow a quarter so I could call my grandparents to come get me. My parents came back about 5 minutes later, but it definitely had an effect on me!
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made? TV: Loved Lost, even the last season. Book: The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Movie: Gone with the Wind and Anchorman.
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.) Elementary school through high school – PE (my 6th grade PE teacher would yell “Easy out!” when it was my turn to bat). College – Discrete Math. I still have no idea what that even is.
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring? Well, being 34, married and no kids yet, I may never have a chance to even name a child. If I do get that chance, I love the name Lainie but I used it on a dog, so I don’t know if my husband will go for that…

    1. Your PE teacher was cruel!!

      And yes, one must be careful not to name their pets future children’s names. My husband liked the name Travis but I vetoed it early on. So he named his truck Travis. I was glad, because it meant that the discussion was officially over.

  36. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    Uhm…. I know this is super lame, but honestly the chances that my husband and I found one another and are so perfect a match are just sorta… bizarre.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    TV Show: Big Bang Theory.
    Book: Well, can I say that my Jane Austen 7 novels in 1 counts as ONE book?
    Movie: Pride & Prejudice, 2005. Although the story isn’t all there, the movie itself is just GORGEOUS. If you haven’t seen it, you should, and thank the lighting director.
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    High School was by far Trigonometry. Or Chemistry. Looking back now, it wasn’t the subject, but the way it was presented (yes, I am blaming the teachers)
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    Well my husband and I do not have children yet, but I will tell you the names we are going to name them, and a little about why. Emmalee (It’s just the same thing as Emily pronunciation-wise. I really like that she can be Emma, Emmy, etc, and also my husband’s middle name is Lee). Lafayette (it’s and old family name from both my family and my husbands, and come on, how cute is Lief?), Alaric (and no, not because of any vampires etc, but because I actually like that name, and we can call him Ric if he doesn’t like it). The last one is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the name Leonard, but my husband hates it. My father has passed onto me a love affair with Leonard Cohen, and although I love the name Cohen, it sounds terrible with our last name. So that’s still a toss-up, but we don’t have kids yet so none of this matters (LOL).

    1. If Lafayette is a family name in BOTH families, you’re right – that must be used.

      And since you do watch The Big Bang Theory, using Leonard might be…interesting. But way better than Howard.

  37. 1. British Columbia, Canada.

    2. There has to be something, but I’m drawing a blank right now

    3. “Best ever made” – hard to answer that question. But right now I’m enjoy BBC – Call the Midwife, Downton Abby, Doc Martin….

    4. Least fav subject – PE and Math. Rather ironic that I am now a data analyst and deal with numbers every day. But its not calculus or anything.

    5. I wanted to use some names, like Amelia, or Benjamin, but husband vetoed. My regret though is that I didn’t spell my son’s name properly. Its Graeson. I changed it from Grayson because there were several families with the last name “Gray” in the church and I did want him to be gray’s son – he was my son! But, within a few years those families moved on, and I should have just spelled it properly.

  38. 1.) California born and raised.
    2.) I guess the most bizarre thing to date would be having twins a year and a half ago.
    3.) My favorite tv show of all time was ALIAS with Jennifer Garner.
    4.) Least favorite subject was probably English, but it was most likely tied with history. I’m totally left brained ( I have a math degree lol).
    5.) I liked the names finn and ty but my husband didn’t go for either. I had girl/boy twins and named my daughter Noah, and my son Brody.

    PS… I enjoy your blog very much, I think you are hysterical and look forward to every post!

  39. 1. I live in SC
    2. It looks like everyone is struggling to answer this one. Something weird that my mom made my brother and I do when we were little was she drove us to 2 different families houses whose kids had chicken pox. Made us hug the kids, and then we left. She wanted us to get chicken pox while we were little so we would get it and be over it. It worked but is pretty strange if you think about it….
    3. I don’t think it’s the best movie ever, but I do love Mrs. Doubtfire. The scene when the social worker is inspecting Mrs. Doubtfire’s apartment and she/he smashes his face in the pie then it drips in her tea…that makes me cry from laughing every time!
    4. Math – I hated math! Geometry was the absolute worst class I ever took in high school.
    5. I’m 40 weeks pregnant with our first (a boy) and hopefully not our last child. I have lots of girl names I want to use!

    I hope your doctors appointments go well and they are able to tell you something! It is the worst when you just don’t know what is going on. Don’t let them make you hug a patient with chicken pox though….I don’t think that will help your situation :)

    1. Augh! I’m so late in answering this. I hate being late in answering. I’m so late in answering this that you’ve actually had your baby since you wrote it! So instead of answering this, I’m just going to say congratulations!!! He’s adorable.

  40. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    Long time no write Rachel!(: I live in California… eventually hoping to move out to Arkansas or Missouri(:

    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    So far this summer, I’ve been asked if I am thirteen at least 5 times… which is seven years younger than my actual age…

    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    Full House… is that a question?

    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    Math. All of it.

    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    Seeing as I haven’t had kids, I’ll give you a names I don’t plan on using- Clara and Connor

  41. 1. I live in Montana.
    2. Maybe not the most bizarre, but in high school, I dislocated my kneecap while playing keep away in a swimming pool while on a school sponsored event. The entire group had to leave the pool/golf course/tennis courts early in order to load the school bus to take me to the ER thirty miles away. I was a sophomore and one of the youngest on the trip so it was super mortifying, oh, and I had to ride in the back of the bus on the floor in the aisle, leaning against some senior guy I didn’t know over bumps while my knee was still dislocated. After finally arriving at the ER, I had to answer embarrassing personal questions about my monthly cycle, etc for X-rays while my science teacher (who was my crush’s dad) held my hand and gave me moral support. It was fun…
    3. Currently catching up on Parenthood on Netflix since we don’t have any tv stations at all. I love to read so I can’t pick a fave but I did love the novel Someone Knows My Name.
    4. Least favorite subject? Elementary: PE, high school: pottery (don’t laugh…I wanted to be really good at it but I just could not do it) college: stats and research methods
    5. Not sure we are done but I like Benjamin and Isabelle and Isaac and we have nephews and nieces with those names so I will never be able to use them.

  42. 1. What state (or province or country) do you live in?
    I’m a recent transplant from Georgia to Alabama. Although I consider in my heart I will forever be a GA girl, everyone is SOOO nice in Alabama so I have felt pressured to step up my Southern Hospitality!
    2. What is the most bizarre or interesting thing that ever happened to you, or at least that comes to mind when asked by a blogger?
    I was nearly arrested at “shipping store” because I didn’t want to pay their over inflated and bogus shipping fees and rates to return a pair of kitty cat rain boots. And yes, my 4 year old was with me. Or I could say it was the time I swung and hit a gypsy in Madrid, Spain for trying to pick pocket me on a train while never dropping my ice cream cone! I call these my Jeopardy anecdotes, just in case I meet Alex Trbeck one day.
    3. What is the best television show, book, or movie that was ever made?
    M.A.S.H., the Bible, and Star Wars
    4. What was your least favorite subject in school? (Elementary, middle, high, or college – you pick.)
    American Literature, I never seemed to be able to interpret those poems.
    5. If you’re done having kids, what name do you regret not getting to use on an offspring?
    Well, I wish I wasn’t done but it appears so. I wanted to use Osborne (maternal family name) and have him go by Ozzie.

    1. Welcome to Alabama! I’m glad we’ve been friendly to you.

      And I agree about poetry – I’ve tried, but I’m terrible at it. Or understanding it.

      (Sorry for my late reply – my email got the best of me!)

  43. 1. Vermont. But we are Idahoans at heart.
    2. I don’t know if it is the MOST interesting thing, but last weekend we were driving in the car and my almost 7 year old said, “There is a chipmunk in the car.” Sure enough, somehow a chipmunk got into our car and was running around. I’m sure it was living off of all the cracker crumbs.
    3. The Cosby Show, To Kill a Mockingbird and the new Star Trek movies. But I am not expert on any of those things so I can’t really say “the best” Also, Psych.
    4. I don’t think I had a least favorite subject. At times I thought it was math or biology, but I love both of those now. I think it depends on the teacher.
    5. I hope I am not done having kids. I have 3 right now, but at this point we are waiting for a while to add #4. I really hope to have another boy so I can use my Dad’s middle name “Freeman” as a middle name. Also, part of me wishes I would have given my youngest daughter the middle name “Maple” as a tribute to Vermont since she was born here, but I was afraid I would regret it later on so I gave her a more typical one instead.

    1. A chipmunk is way better than a roach, which somehow found it’s way into my car a few weeks ago. Fortunately, it was a baby one, so I didn’t have to sell the car. Unfortunately, it was a baby one, which made me paranoid that he had siblings.

  44. Well I’m glad you’re behind on writing, because I’ve been behind on reading! Funny when you don’t work anymore how little time you have for the computer. The Snoop pic makes me want to do a breathing treatment just so I can have one like it up my sleeve. Probably not the best idea for a cop’s wife… stink.

    Here are my answers:
    1. Tennessee
    2. Um… I’m pretty boring, but maybe finding out I was pregnant with my first the day before leaving for the Philippines.
    3. This is a tossup between Downton Abbey and Big Bang Theory.
    4. Math and Accounting- ha!
    5. We are definitely done having children that come forth from my body-not so sure we wouldn’t adopt later on but definitely Brooklyn for the girl I never had!

  45. 1. Washington state
    2. This is not really bizarre or the most interesting thing ever but it is fresh on my mind. On July 6 of this year I discovered what happens when you leave a pail of used cloth diapers unwashed for a week. I was starting to put them in the wash when I saw something moving. And then another something… And then I realized that inside most of them were hundreds of maggots. I really should have take pictures, but I was trying to hide it since my hubby is still not sold on cloth diapering. He did find out anyway.
    3. TV show: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Book: Howl’s Moving Castle. Hard to say with the movies, I guess I love Pixar stuff.
    4. English because grades were subject to the whims of the teacher.
    5. I don’t think I’m done, but I will always be sad that we didn’t name a kid Google. Our last name is Search.

    1. I am so happy to know that I’m not the only one who has discovered unsavory things growing in baby poop. And Google Search is a name fit for a celebrity kid.

  46. I forgot to add that I am a near lifetime asthmatic and I have Nebulizer that I keep around for emergencies. I call it my Hooka and since the drugs make me woozy and unsteady on my feet calling it that makes me feel a bit better about having to use it.

Leave a Reply to Michelle Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *