TAG!

Ok, here goes nothing. I really don't think that I can think of 25 "Interesting" things about me. SO, I'm starting this post on Monday. We'll see how long until it actually gets posted on here and FB.

1. I love rainy days. If I wake up, see clouds outside, I get up in a much better mood. I even don't mind being at school on these days. Yes, I would prefer to be at home, all warm and cozy, but I don't mind being at work either.

2. My favorite childhood memories are from vacations spent in Ruidoso. We would go there with my entire family, at least once a year. I miss that time so much.

3. I, like Monica, am terrible about leaving cabinet doors open. That was one pet peeve (sp???) that Marc had after we first got married. It's been a pet peeve of my dad's for my entire life, but now I'm finally working on it. The other day, Jarrett walked into the kitchen and shut one of the lower cabinet doors behind me. Marc thought that was the greatest thing ever.

4. Also, I'm forever leaving on lights. My dad used to say that he knew when I was home. Every cabinet door was open and all the lights were on. It couldn't be all me. I promise.

5. One of my favorite things to do is to take a HOT bath, while reading a book, and possibly sipping some wine. Ahhhh, that's the best!

6. I have to sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees and the blankets or Marc's pillow (if he's not in bed yet) under my arm. I grew up sleeping with a stuffed animal. (One of them is now in Jarrett's room and if Marc would let me, I probably would still sleep with it every night.) It's just so comforting.

7. So many people don't know this about me, or so many people just don't ask. But, I got the end of my ring finger cut off when I was 13. I was babysitting this 6 year old and told him to clean his room. I was leading him in there by the hand and he slammed the door. I didn't get my hand out quick enough and it chopped off the end. I later had to have surgery on it and to this day, that's the only surgery that I have ever had. Yes, I've heard all the jokes about it. "Mika can only count to 9 1/2." Marc has told me, "You'll get a long great with Shaun's dad. He cut his finger off too." Like this would make me bond with someone???

8. I decided to teach English because I didn't want to teach anything else. I loved Math growing up, but when I went to college and told them that I was majoring in Math. They said that I would have to take the Calculus placement exam. I had only had trig. and analyt. back then and it scared me to death. Sometimes I wish that I would have sucked it up and gone that route.

9. I have road rage! I hate stupid drivers and I typically say that out loud. "Move stupid!" That will probably be Jarrett's first full sentence.

10. I have been in a total of 5 rear end collisions. One totaled my car. You know the law where the person that does the rear-ending gets the ticket? I probably should have been the one getting the ticket in a couple of them because I wasn't paying attention and slammed on my breaks and got lucky enough not to hit the person in front of me. Hey, it's not my fault I have quick reflexes and the people behind me don't. Monica, I'm cringing right now thinking about karma.

11. I love food. I get so excited about it or the anticipation of it. Marc has always made fun of me for getting excited about food. He has also pointed out that I always talk about food when we are eating. Most of the time it is about other food, not what I'm currently eating. Since then, I have noticed that I am not the only one that does this. A lot of people do.

12. I have a phobia of speaking in public. I don't mind doing it in front of my class, but in front of my peers is a completely different story. My voice shakes, my heart races, and I nearly have an anxiety attack over it. I would rather do anything than speak in public. I guess its good that God didn't bless me with the ability to sing, like he did the rest of my family. I can't even imagine how bad that would be.

13. I miss coaching volleyball a lot. I feel guilty that I miss it. I wouldn't give up the time that I get to spend with Jarrett, but I do miss it. I've considered trying to get back into it, but then I think twice and remember having to coach everything else and stop myself.

14. I have three nicknames that I will answer to. My mom has always called me Gert. (I know it came from Gertrude, but don't know any more than that.) My brother, Blake, has always called me stretch. (I'm tall and used to be a bean pole.) Tatum calls me M.J. (Her husband, Allen, used to call me Mika Jene (that doesn't look right, I think it should be Gene, but it's not.)even though my middle name is Breck. Then it got shortened to M.J. and it has stuck. I have a clock, that Tatum gave me as a maid of honor gift, that is engraved M.J. :)

15. I have a hard time driving without talking on my phone. It is automatic. I get in the car and start dialing. I will go through my friends until I find someone. I think it's an addiction.

16. I am in bed by 9 almost every night. I would go to bed at 8 or 8:30 (sometimes do) if I didn't feel like such a bum. I used to blame it on that I had to get up so early with Jarrett. Now, he sleeps in much better and I get to sleep until 6:15, so I don't have an excuse.

17. I remember things by the way they smell. The first time that I went to Las Vegas, we stayed at the Mirage. I still remember the way it smelled. I have smelled a candle before that brought back Vegas memories. I associate fireplace smells (especially pinon wood) to smelling like Ruidoso. My family has always said, "Ahhh, it smells like Ruidoso." When we would pull in to Ruidoso, we would roll the windows down to smell the air. Weird? Yes.

18. I am the world's worst procrastinator. I will put things off. I can't do things, like clean my house, unless I'm under pressure. In college, I put every single paper off until midnight before it was due.

19. I love to read, but didn't start loving it until after I was out of college and no one was making me read. It sure would have helped in all of my Lit classes if I would have enjoyed reading a little more. I worked at a gift shop for 8 hours a day and we didn't have a tv or a lot of business. I would go through 3 or 4 books a week.

20. Thanks to my girls at lunch, I have a new love for yogurt with blackberries and granola. I crave it. Over the weekend, I ate it at least 5 times.

21.I love to shop and if I find a great deal, like on a pair of shoes, I can't resist. Marc doesn't understand this. "Even though I didn't NEED another pair of black shoes, I couldn't pass up this wonderful deal. And they are so darn cute!"

22. My favorite outfit is jeans and a sweatshirt or long sleeve t-shirt. I like for the weather to be just right so that these are comfy and there is no need for a jacket.

23. I really like to be tan, but don't like taking the time out of my day to go tan. I've done the tan in a bottle, mystic tan, and air brush tan. The air brush tan is probably the most successful, but it too turned a little orangy on me after a while. Any suggestions? I refuse to show my legs when they are the pasty white color they currently are. Even in the summer, I don't wear shorts in public, unless I have a little color to them. Laying out isn't exactly an option either when you have a baby around.

24. I would like to have at least 3 children. Marc would be happy with the one we have. I loved being pregnant, but apparently I wasn't too nice to be around when I was pregnant. I can't imagine doing everything that comes along with being pregnant and having a new baby only one more time, so I'm going to hold out for at least 3. We'll see.

25. I peel things. This, I believe could be OCD. I wish I had that OCD where I had to have everything neat and clean, but I don't. It doesn't matter if it is a medicine bottle, the address label on a magazine, or even paint. If it is a little bit lifted, I can't help myself. If someone is sunburned and then starts peeling, I love to peel their skin. This is so gross to admit. I'm a little embarrassed to type it.