Manic Monday 6/29/09

What is the longest love relationship (partner) you have had, and if it has ended, why?

I'm married to the partner I've been with the longest. We met August 19, 1994 so as of August 19, 2009 we've been together 15 years, married 13 1/2. Wow. Doesn't seem like it's been that long!

What is on your bedside table?

Gawrsh. Let me see if I can remember. There is an alarm clock/sound machine/CD player thing (I never use the CD player part!). I have a bottle of the Drenched in Pink Victoria's Secret lotion, some Target brand Aveeno-type lotion for dry skin (for my feet!), a cordless phone that needs to be replaced because the one we have doesn't live long once it's off the cradle (and it needs to be hung on the WALL to give me more table space!) a box of tissues (rests on top of the alarm clock), a lamp and both sets of TV buttons (TV ones and DISH network ones... I hate having 2 sets of buttons!)

How many pillows do you have on your bed? Do you make your bed every day?

I don't know how many pillows are on the bed. I would guess about 6 or 7. My husband only needs one of those to sleep. The rest are mine. I have to have one to hold onto and usually stack three up to sleep on. I cannot sleep flat on my back, and I do not stay still at night. My husband sleeps on his back in the same position all night long and falls asleep really quickly. I envy his ability to do that.

Friday Fill Ins 6/26/09

1. She had a great time at camp. I knew she would! Now she's home and she loves what we did to her room. I missed her so much!

2. My husband is by my side, always. Maybe not physically there all the time, but I know he'll always be there for me.

3. I know this: I have been blessed beyond measure and I have done nothing, not one thing, to deserve it all.

4. I have a hard time sitting still for long.

5. These words apply to me: happy, content, amazed.

6. This morning the sun was shining.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out to the restaurant of Camryn's choice to celebrate her homecoming from camp. Tomorrow my plans include finishing the many loads of laundry that have piled up this week while I was playing decorator, and of course, church! Sunday, I want to do nothing!

I once was lost but now I'm found...

You know what that is right there?

It's a pink iPod (and a very poorly lit picture, I know).

It's been MIA for a couple of months or more, last seen in the garage.

We looked high and low.

We looked low and high.

But not high enough.

Because today when the hubby went out to fetch some tools off a high shelf, the iPod jumped on him.

Camryn is going to be over the moon when she gets back from camp tomorrow.

Welcome home, tiny pink Nano. We missed your Hannah Montana, your Demi Lovato, your sounds from the threshold of teenagerhood.

Good to have you back, because we missed being ignored under the guise of Camryn listening to your tunes.

Manic Monday 6/22/09

Do you usually wear perfume/cologne? If so, what's your current favorite?

I don't wear it on a daily basis. I do use perfumed lotion, and my current favorite is Drenched in Pink from Victoria's Secret. I also have the body spray in that scent. I have 3 bottles of the lotion stationed in convenient places: the den table next to where I sit on the couch, my bathroom counter and beside the bed. My skin is so dry in the winter and gets dried out when I sit in the sun. I like having the lotion handy.

What's the last book you've read that you thought was really good? If you don't have one, what looks promising on your to-be-read list?

I just finished Columbine by Dave Cullen. It was really fascinating and disturbing at the same time. It gave me a fresh perspective on the Columbine High School tragedy. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since that happened.

Fill in the blank: I wouldn't be caught dead _________.

...wearing black pantyhose with white shoes.

Manic Monday 6/15/09

What is the last song that was stuck in your head and how did you get rid of it?

A friend of mine posted something about Northern Michigan on her Facebook last week, and that Kid Rock song "All Summer Long" got stuck in my head ("It was summertime in Northern Michigan...") It didn't last long once I put my ear buds in and started playing music from my iPhone.

If you had to say what one thing in your life best represents your freedom, what would it be?

The Sparrow.

"So I'll sing because I'm happy.
And I'll sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me."

If you were invited to the White House for dinner tonight, what would you wear from your current wardrobe?

I have nothing appropriate for dinner at the White House in my current wardrobe. If Obama doesn't want me in shorts and a tee shirt, I guess I'll have to turn down his dinner invitation.

Huh. Who knew?

How do you entertain a 6 year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl?

Give them 3 12-packs of Diet Pepsi cans and let them pop them and pour them into the sink.  They're thoroughly entertained for as long as it takes to pour out 36 cans of rancid soda.

How do I know this?

Funny you should ask.

Hubby popped a can of Diet Pepsi and poured it over ice about 30 minutes ago.

"Is THIS how Diet Pepsi tastes?" I heard him say, rather disgustedly.

(Bless his heart.... we're out of Coke Zero and we've worked our way to the Diet Pepsi in the back of the pantry...)

"Taste this!"

(Why is it that we do EXACTLY THIS when someone grimaces and passes us something that makes their face twist and lips pucker as they utter an expletive?)

What I pulled through the straw protruding from his plastic cup was unswallowable.  It literally sat in a puddle on my tongue.  I grabbed a Kleenex and spat.

Beyond disgusting.

Hubby upended the can to check the expiration date.

March 2008.

Just so you know, there is a reason for those dates printed on the bottom of cola cans.

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

On a side note, we now have some space free on the pantry floor.

Friday Fill Ins 6/5/09

1. When I'm at Disney World, I don't want to think about coming home.

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been something I pulled out of our freezer. I'm on a "clean out the freezer!" kick. We've been eating out way too much lately. Now that the kids are out of school (yea!) and I have more time during the day, I can actually make homemade meals.

3. I'm glad there's not a dog in our neighborhood that goes bark! bark! bark!

4. A nice long walk is not my idea of a good time. I'd much rather swim.

5. I'm always in the mood for some good news.

6. When all is said and done, then there's nothing more to say or do ; )

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to Kanpai for Japanese to celebrate today being the last day of school for Camryn & Aiden. Tomorrow my plans include a possible trip to the neighborhood pool (if it doesn't rain), then church. Sunday, I want to start thinking about what to pack for our trip to Myrtle Beach next week. I'm really looking forward to being at the beach, because we didn't go last year and I missed it!

A hunting we will go...

It never ceases to amaze me, the creativity of my children. There are days when they can entertain themselves for hours using only their imaginations plus a few (thousand) Legos or a can full of Tinkertoys. Then there are the days when the phrase "I'M BORED!" seems to constantly echo throughout the walls of our home.

Today is a creative day, thank goodness. Camryn and Aiden are still in school (2.5 days left!) so it's just me, Quinn and Lillian here today. I'm catching up on some TV while folding laundry and gift wrapping about 50 wooden blocks for Field Day on Thursday (dunno what they'll use them for, but I volunteered to make 'em pretty!)

So Quinn & Lillian just tiptoed stealthily out of Lillian's room. Quinn said, as he raised his Tinkertoy invention to the sky, "Mommy... we're pretending like we live really far out in the woods and we don't have any stores so we have to hunt for our food. This is my blaster," (Everything that shoots is a blaster to our kids, thanks to Star Wars...)

I nodded and praised the kids' ingenuity, then went back to my basket of clean clothes.

Moments later I heard, "Lillian! What stuff should we hunt?"

Lillian's reply?

"Sharks and hamburgers and chicken nuggets!"

Yeah, make sure to shoot a bag of crinkle fries and a gallon of barbeque sauce while you're out there in those woods, sweetheart.

And watch out for the red clown. He's a clever foe.

I don't care who ya are; that's just funny right there

Our family's funniest moments always seem to happen in the car.

A little back story:

On Wednesday I took the kiddos to the neighborhood pool. On the way home, we passed a dead snake on the side of the road. Of course, we had to loop around and drive by it again.... s-l-o-w-l-y.

Today we were coming home from school and Quinn asked where the snake had gone. I told him that some larger animal had probably dragged it home and eaten it for breakfast.

"Or lunch," Quinn said.

"Or dinner!" Lillian replied.

"Or a snack..." I said.

Then, in his classic deadpan style, I heard Aiden reply:

"Or fourthmeal."

The kid is FUNNY.

Just so, so FUNNY.

Friday Fill Ins 5/29/09

1. It's (not) cold and I'm thankful for that. Give me the sunshine over the cold weather any day!

2. This summer we're growing our own tomatoes. I'm going to enjoy so many BLTs and fried green tomatoes this summer!

3. My favorite health and beauty product is the new Aveeno Dry Touch sunscreen. It's awesome. Not greasy AT ALL, and doesn't make me feel like I'm covered in a suffocating blanket that won't let my skin breathe.

4. I like it when the hubby takes the kids on a nice long bike ride. It gives me some time alone.

5. Well, first of all I'd rather be in bed right now.

6. Insert your own names here; those were the cast of characters in a recent dream and it was non-existent. I haven't had a memorable dream in awhile.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing. Is that sad? I'm not doing a thing tonight except catching up on some episodes of Mad Men that I've had on the DVR forever. Tomorrow my plans include taking Lillian to a birthday party, then dinner at Jalisco and church and Sunday, I want to relax with my family and maybe get the patio cleaned off.

My husband is currently at Lowe's buying something he needs for a project. He took Lillian with him. Bless his heart.

Lillian is, for lack of a better word, LOUD. She loves to sing and talk and giggle, which is all well and good, but she doesn't know when to stop. She often makes me wish kids were born with an off switch.

Hubby just called asking for a measurement for a shelf he needs to hang. I could hear Lillian in the background, and thus I could barely hear hubby. She's that LOUD.

I asked, "What's Lillian saying?"

"She's singing, 'Oh, it's what you do to me' over and over and OVER into a 4" pipe."

If you are familiar with top 40 radio, then you know that's the Plain White T's song, "Hey There Delilah." We're fans of the song, but she hasn't picked it up from the radio or my iPod or anything like that.

You know where she's gotten that lyric?

Stupid Kidz Bop CDs that McDonald's is currently giving away in their Happy Meals.

I HATE KIDZ BOP. I've never, ever purchased one in the store. I'm not a big fan of kiddie choral music, and the Kidz Bop songs creep me out. Who thought that up, and who buys them? Really? Are the original versions of the songs just too palatable to your ears? You like to be tortured on a daily basis? That's what that Kidz Bop stuff does to me. Blood. Pouring out of my ears. It's AWFUL. As soon as the kids aren't looking, I throw them in the trash.

Lillian, however, has salvaged one and put it into the CD player/radio that's in her room. Evidently it's on repeat, 'cause she knows the lyrics to "Hey There Delilah" as if she was a Plain White T herself.

Did I mention that I HATE KIDZ BOP CDs?

"Ooooohhhhh.... it's what you do to me-eee-eee..."

Poor hubby.

Friday Fill Ins 5/22/09

1. Moving is not something I want to do in the next few years, but it would be nice to own some acreage and build another house when the kids are a bit older. Give me land lots of land....

2. I'm ready for the summer... to be free from the daily grind for 3 months.

3. My best quality is my organizational skills. If I wasn't organized, I'd be crazy.

4. I always notice the details. Subtlety isn't wasted on me.

5. In nearly 10 years, I will have a 21 year-old daughter, an 18 year-old son, a 16 year-old son and a 14 year-old daughter. That makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

6. A beach vacation is what I need right now! Just 3 more weeks until I feel the sand between my toes! It won't be Gulf sand, but Myrtle Beach sand will do in a pinch. Can't wait to sit on the beach with my book while the kids dig the day away. Bring it on!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. Tomorrow my plans include possibly taking the kids to the neighborhood pool and then church and Sunday, I want to go see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian with the family!

Manic Monday 5/18/09

If you could completely redecorate any room in your house at no expense to you, what room would you choose?

Hands down it would be the huge open space in my basement. It was originally carpeted, but after lots of that wonderful South Carolina red mud got tracked in from outside and the cats kept using it as a litter box, hubby ripped up the carpet. Now it's linoleum and just lacks that warm, cozy feeling. I'd love to have hardwoods down there and have it made into a home theater or something, but right now it's just a big catch-all for whatever doesn't need to stay upstairs (clothes the kids have outgrown, discarded furniture, the litter box, etc.) We had nice bookshelves built down there and there's a kitchenette and all sorts of nice things, but we never use it. It just feels cold to me. I don't even like to go down there anymore.

Which hour of the day do you feel goes the slowest?

The hour between picking up Quinn from school and picking up the other two from their school. It will be so nice next year when all the kids are at ONE school and they have ONE pick-up time. I hate having to kill time between pick-ups. This is Quinn (and Lillian's) last week of school, so we're getting closer!

If your birthday could be in a different month of the year, when would you have it?

I like my February birthday. I only wish it wasn't so close to my anniversary and Valentine's Day. It's kind of right in the middle of those two days, so I usually get one big gift. I might choose an April birthday or maybe October just to spread out the gift-giving occasions a bit more ; ) Me likee presents!

Another one rides a bike...

Three down, one to go!

Quinn started riding his bike without training wheels this week, thanks mostly to Camryn's cheerleading and teaching.

Here she is giving Quinn a pep talk on Tuesday night:



Giving it a try (below). Balancing and kicking off was his hardest problem.



Quinn took a tumble, but (to Camryn's amazement) he got right back on the bike and kept trying. Camryn was puzzled at Quinn's resolve because she gave up and quit riding the bike for almost two years after her first fall.



He had made progress at the end of day one and was ready for another lesson on Wednesday. Camryn couldn't wait to teach him some more. Here he is, both feet on the bike, but with a wobbly wheel. Those with cameras really had to stay out of the way ; )



Another fall, but again, he got right back up and tried again.



Watching Aiden soar. Aiden just couldn't stand it; he had to come out and show baby brother how bikes are ridden.



Up the driveway he went... the theory being that more road meant better attempts at riding further and staying on the bike.



And he was right. As soon as he hit the cul de sac, he was off, giggling that choking, happy laugh of triumph and disbelief that he was actually RIDING the bike!





As soon as he made a couple of passes around the circle, he dropped the bike and came running as fast as he could down the driveway... to hug ME! I didn't do a thing but take the pictures. Camryn was the one responsible for this accomplishment. She really, really helped him stay confident and learn. She's got a gift for that sort of thing.

I'm so proud of them both!

12 on the 12th

Finally! I remembered to take my camera along with me today so I could participate in the 12 on the 12th scrapbooking challenge. You take pictures all throughout your day on the 12th of each month, then settle on 12 that tell the best story. When you're done you have a great page for the scrapbook, plus a nice blog post! (Click on the picture to see a larger version.)

From the top left row:

Aiden, relaxing with a Captain Underpants book on the hammock (he pronounces it like a 2-syllable word, "ham-ahk", which sounds a lot like "ham hock"). I got the hammock for Mother's Day (it's really a convertible swing, but I wanted a hammock, so that's what we call it...)

Annabelle, the cat who will turn herself inside out for a rub from hubby's bamboo claw (aka the backscratcher he got one of those tacky beach stores in Myrtle Beach. You know the kind... huge shark out front, towels shaped like beer cans, $5 bikinis and jewelry boxes with seashells hot glued to them. Real classy joint.)

The time: 7:49 am. If we leave later than 7:50, we're probably going to be late.

The temperature this morning at 7:49 am: 53 degrees! After a week of low 90s in Orlando, this is a refreshing, if not chilly, change.

From the middle left:

"Hey Mommy! It's a farmer costume!" said Quinn upon catching sight of the Carhartt overalls while out shoe shopping today. I bought 4 pairs of new shoes for Lillian, one new pair of sneakers for Quinn (with REAL laces!) and 3 pairs of shoes for me (love my new Merrell Mocs!)

Slim Jim, Nacho flavored. Our weekly trip to Rock's (a bait/convenience store/restaurant down the road next to the lake) always includes a snack for everyone. Today they were out of Slim Jim original flavored, so I went for Nacho. Not bad, but there is lingering heartburn.

My desk. There's not a day that I don't spend some time here. Communication central for this household.

Mutt's BBQ. Dinner. Hubby called and said, "Hungry?" ("Yep.") "Cooked?" ("Was just fixin' to.") "Mutt's? ("Are you home yet?")

From the bottom left:

Quinn. On the Wii. Before school. Everyday. In this picture he was arguing because his Daddy was calling him to get into the truck and Quinn wanted to leave the Wii on all day (with the TV off) so he could come back and pick up where he left off. He won. Quinn is not a green kid. He loves wasting energy. Somebody call Al Gore.

What's a day without a trip to Target? Lillian and I had lunch there today (shared a personal pan Pizza Hut pizza) and did a little shopping. Good times.

Camryn's a crammer. In the picture she's trying to memorize I Corinthians 13:7-13. I was helping (I took the picture while we were stopped at a stop sign. Don't have a cow, man.) She had it 94.3% learned when she got out of the car. Guess what? It's not due until tomorrow (she thought today was the day!)

Starbuck's Shaken Passion Fruit Tea with 2 Splendas. A great afternoon treat. Every now and then I like to stop by and get Camryn's teacher or the school's receptionist a Starbuck's treat, and while I'm there I pick up something for myself. I don't drink coffee much, so I like to try different things on the menu. This was a new one for me. I might get it again, but it had a bit of a mint aftertaste, which is not something I like in a tea.

16 days

That's how long it's been since I blogged.

Lots has been going on. No time to catch you up right now, but soon. Maybe.

I'm uploading our Disney vacation pictures to Winkflash right now because they have a 6 cent per print special going on, but it's taking freakin' forevah. I think I'll give up and go with Snapfish. It's worth the extra dough to get the pictures uploaded FAST. Winkflash, my patootie. More like Yawnflash.

More later.

Maybe.

ACK!

I can't believe I left something out of what happened this week. It was the whole reason I started writing the last entry.

Friday I pulled down my Google search bar and found the words "Naked People" had been typed there. I knew it hadn't been there that morning when I checked e-mail, so it had to be one of the kids. I asked Aiden if it was him. He said no. I called Camryn into my office and questioned her. She told me it wasn't her, either. Back to Aiden. I took a different, less accusatory approach the second time and he confessed that he had searched but had not clicked (I smoked but didn't inhale!)

We now have BSafe filters on all the computers.

Thank goodness for Google Safe Search.

What A Week

Just a few things that have happened in our household this week:

Quinn has a loose tooth. His new one is visible coming in behind the loose one. Can you say, "BRACES!?!" I hope not, but it doesn't look good. The boy won't even let me kiss him on the lips, so I cannot imagine how pulling his tooth is going to go. Maybe I need to invest in some full body armor.

Camryn misplaced her iPod. I hope it's found soon, 'cause Santa shelled out a hundred clams for that thing. I knew it would happen sooner or later (I would've bet on sooner; it took her 5 months to lose it...) BONUS: Her room and closet are clean because she's been frantically searching for it. SCORE.

I kept Camryn and Aiden home from school on Friday (it was a half day). We all needed a Mental Health Day (me more than them, but we all rested).

Bikes are cool again. All the kids plus the hubs have been riding bikes all week. They're begging me to get on mine, but it's too small for me. I need to go bike shopping.

Speaking of bikes, last night the hubs told the kids he had prizes to give them after church. He built it up, made it sound awesome... and it was.... for the little kids. They love the tall, bright orange flags that hang above their heads as they bike. You know the kind... they attach to the back of the bicycle and make you look like a huge goober so cars won't hit you (Did you know that? Cars won't hit goobers with gay flags hanging off the back of their bikes. Carmakers program them that way...) Anyhow, Aiden came inside sobbing last night, loudly declaring between heaves that he was NEVER, EVER riding his bike again because of that stupid flag. Don't blame you, bud. I told him to go take a shower (he STUNK!) and I heard him boo-hooing the whole time he was bathing. Bless his heart.

I took Beeson to the vet on Friday for "old man tests" as Camryn calls them. He wouldn't let the vet within 5 feet of him, which is not like Beeson at all. He clawed the vet and 2 techs and I got a call to come get him and make an appointment to come back with him next week. They think if I stay with him it will be better. That just means that they want ME to be the one getting clawed instead of them. I know how they are. (That full body armor is looking more and more tempting...)

Sophie also went to the vet this week. She has a bum paw. That dadgum cat has cost me more in vet bills this year than I've paid to keep my family healthy. I brought home a bottle of Prednisone pills to give Soph this week and then they want to see her back in 10 days. Whatever.

Lillian pooped her pants twice in the last 5 days. Don't know why. I thought it was the Stride gum, because I confused mannitol (which the gum contains... it's the powder on the gum that keeps it from absorbing moisture while in the package) with maltitol, which is a sugar alcohol that causes "intestinal discomfort" (aka "diarrhea"). I thought she was getting the runs from the gum, but now I'm not so sure. Either way, no more Stride gum for Lillo.

I made 40 mini loaves of banana bread yesterday. The older kids' school is having a Geography Bee tomorrow and I told them I'd make the bread as thank you gifts for the judges. I did the same for the spelling bee back in March. It was fun, actually. Lillian was chief banana masher and we had a great assembly line going. Good times. Lillian proposed that she and I open a restaurant and serve our banana bread in it. She really got into it.

Lillian tried to escape the compound yesterday morning. Her neighborhood friend Kayleigh came to the door in her PJs and Lillian opened the door. That set off the alarm, so hubs jumped up and went to see what the commotion was. Lillian, already fully clothed, was trotting across the lawn towards Kayleigh's house. Evidently she'd seen Kayleigh coming and quickly changed clothes so she could go play. This was about 8 am yesterday. I don't know if K's family knew she was prancing around the cul de sac in her PJs, but we made Lillian come back inside.

Quinn also tried to get away this week. One night around 10:30 I heard the alarm beeping the warning that means you have 30 seconds to enter the code before the big sirens go off. I heard my husband rush to the laundry room and enter the code to turn off the beeping. Then he came into our bedroom and said, "Quinn's getting into his car seat!" I followed him to the garage, where indeed, our boy was attempting to buckle up. Hubs started talking to Quinn, and Quinn started laughing like a maniac. He laughed all the way inside, all the way through a visit to the bathroom, and all the way to his bedroom, where he hit the pillow and went back to sleep with a smile on his face. He's done this before (gotten up in his sleep) but he's never made it past the den.

Hubs and I went to see Larry the Cable Guy last Saturday. My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. My favorite line: "I bet the Wal Mart is empty right now!" meaning his entire audience was comprised of Saturday night Wal Mart regulars. If you've ever been to the Wal Mart on a Saturday night, then that's funny to you. If you haven't, you must get out more. It's a real freakfest. Grab a snack and go sit on a bench near the checkout. That's some fun stuff right there. Oh, and Larry (I can call him that, 'cause we're tight...) had a joke that hit close to home. He said he would never get his eyes checked by an eye doctor at the Wal Mart. HA! That's what hubs does. He said, "Can you imagine that exam? The doctor would say, 'Cover one eye and tell me how many teeth the cashier out there has.'" Funny.

That's about all I got this week. At least it wasn't a meme.

Friday Fill Ins 4/24

It's been a long, busy week. I have over-committed myself and I should learn how to say NO. I'm really, really, really looking forward to summer break. I think it's less than 30 days away (not counting weekends). I'm so ready. Next year I swear I'm not saying YES as much as I have this year. It's exhausting.

Here are this week's Friday Fill-Ins:

1. Apparently there's some sort of strange thing going on in my house. After a couple of years of refusing to ride her bike after a bad fall, Camryn climbed back on this week and has been riding everywhere since then. Aiden got into the act, too, and hasn't played Club Penguin in 2 days. Hallelujah for the kids enjoying being OUTDOORS!

2. I much prefer a sunny day over a cloudy one. I love the sunshine!

3. 2009 has been awesome so far. I can't believe it's almost May already!

4. My breaking point with a certain classmate of Camryn's came yesterday, and that was it. I'm so done with her behavior and the way she has treated my child for the past 2 years. I'm going to talk to the principal about it next week and hopefully we'll see some resolution to the problem. Camryn is tired of turning the other cheek, and I'm surprised it took her this long. She's a strong one, but she can only take so much. Time for Mom to get involved.

5. For too long I've been this mess with Camryn's classmate go on. I should've done something a long time ago, but I was trying to respect Camryn's wish to fight her own battles.

6. I am not obsessed with Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook; I am not! (Yes, I am.)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing NOTHING (well, maybe watching last night's episode of Harper's Island that I missed because I fell into bed early last night). Tomorrow my plans include making 40 mini loaves of banana bread, then church (first time in 3 weeks!) Sunday, I want to bake some goodies for the ladies to sell during BRCA's Geography Bee on Monday and then I'm looking forward to community group tomorrow night.

Manic Monday #164

Describe to me your favorite lounging clothes.

Pajamas, really. Long, elastic-waisted pants and t-shirts.

If you promised to never lie again in your lifetime, in what area would it be hardest to uphold the promise?

It would be hard to not lie to the kids. If you're a parent, you know that there are times that the truth has to be bent. I don't mean that I lie to the kids frequently, but there are just occasions where the whole truth isn't good for the kids at that moment. I can't think of a specific instance, and I know it sounds awful to say I lie to my children, but there it is.

Give a one word answer to the question "why is life worth living".

Jesus.