Wednesday Hodgepodge

What's something you take for granted that when you stop to think about it, you feel truly grateful for?

Oh this is easy .... definitely my husband. He does so much for me and the kids, and does it so regularly, that I definitely take him for granted. He is just someone I can always depend on and don't have to ask for help. He is a very giving person and makes it clear that he desires to make me happy and make my life as easy for me as possible. I get so caught up in the day-to-day of my life that many times I don't stop to realize how much more difficult my life would be without him. I am truly blessed to have Rick as a husband.

The color brown ... love it or not? What's your favorite shade of brown? Most loved something in your home or closet in a shade of brown.

I LOVE BROWN! The main colors of my house contain brown. My closet is full of brown. Chocolate brown is my fave. My two favorite items of clothing are my dark brown puffy jacket with a furry hood and dark brown short Uggs. In fact, I wore both of them yesterday.

What's something you're looking forward to today?

I love days like today. It's cold outside and I have absolutely no reason why I need to leave the house. I am going to put on some comfy clothes, teach some school, fix some dinner, and then snuggle in for my beloved Wednesday night television shows.

The word 'feminism' is not new, but it has been generating all kinds of headlines in recent days and months. What do you think/feel when you hear the word? If you're a woman, do you want to be described as a 'feminist'? Why or why not?

Well, if it's been a news headline then I don't know much about it. I don't really follow the news except what is reported on CNN Student News that I watch with the kids. I prefer to be a hermit and not worry about all the stupid things others are doing out there in the world. It is obvious that feminism has done nothing but make women less feminine. To me 'feminism' means "I am a woman but I want to be a bossy man." It is comforting to have a man take care of me. I have tried being the feminist woman, working the high-pressure job while failing to be a good wife and mother. It caused nothing but stress and destruction and pain. Making a decision to take my rightful place in the world, of being a wife and mother first, a keeper of my home, was the smartest thing I have ever done. I take pride in hearing my daughter, who now has a career, say that when she has children she wants to be a stay-at-home mom, and hear my youngest daughter say she wants to be a mom and homeschool her children. I am not against women working as long as they are first able to take care of their home and family ... I am currently working three jobs (babysitting a 5 year old in the mornings, working two afternoons at Kyndal's salon, and teaching an online business law course.) But if any one of these three things starts to interfere with me taking care of my family or leads to me neglecting my home then I will eliminate one, two or even three of them. I have done things both ways and the current way is best.

What is something you personally can't eat without making a mess?

Tacos. It doesn't matter if they are hard or soft tacos. I always get it all over my face and the insides always end up all over my plate.

When did you last surprise someone with a little gift, or when were you last surprised by someone with a little gift? What was it?

Last weekend I brought Eli home a Disney Infinity character that he had been wanting. He was running a fever and I knew he would be down for a few days and knew he would enjoy playing this character on his game. Rick gets me little things all the time. One day I received a package with a canvas tote bag from Mood fabric store in New York because I love Project Runway and always wanted one of the Mood bags. Just the other night he sent me a picture of a half-zip fleece pullover he found in a shop in San Francisco while on a business trip to see what color I would like. (He knows that half-zip fleece pullovers are my current winter uniform.)

Share a favorite quote, saying, song, lyric, or scripture relating to gratitude.

For some reason the song Amazed by Lonestar immediately came to mind. I don't know that it is necessarily about gratitude, but I guess it could be. I have a platter on my kitchen counter that says, "Have an attitude of gratitude." I look at that every day and it is a constant reminder to be grateful (even when I am standing there doing dishes, cooking, or cleaning the kitchen for the 49th time that day.)

Insert your own random thought here.

How about a picture of my new best friend.

Last winter our central furnace went out. We have a 100 year old house and replacing the entire HVAC and duct work was not an option. It was a long and bitterly cold winter last winter. We survived with electric heaters. But it was miserable. I could do it again if I had to, but luckily I don't have to! Funds are not there to replace the system again this year so we opted for a direct-vent furnace. And now we have a warm house!! It is located in our dining room which in right in the center of the house and when it kicks on it warms up our living space in about 45 seconds. It is fabulous!!! Believe me, I am GRATEFUL!