Summer Camp, Days 23, 24, and 25

Day 23 – What are your favorite activities to do on-line? Is there more to do beyond blogging?

My favorite thing to do online is play games. Specifically: crossword puzzles, nonograms, logic puzzles, and my new favorite KenKen. If you like brain teasers or sudoku, you'd like nonograms and kenken.

Day 24 – What is your dream date? Have you ever dated anyone you met from the internet?

"April 27. Because it's not too hot, and it's not too cold..." If you get that, you're a dork, just like me. And no, I've never dated anyone I met from the internet.

Day 25 – What did you want to be when you grew up? Why and/or how did that change over time?

At some point in time, I wanted to be an astronaut, a zookeeper, a vet, and a teacher. I'm not a vet because I couldn't handle having to put animals to sleep, I'm not a zookeeper because I wouldn't want to clean out the cages, and I'm not smart enough to be an astronaut. In college I wanted to be a museum curator, and would still love it, but unfortunately most curator pay would not cover the amount of $ I would spend on the master's degree in museum studies.

Summer Camp, Day 21 (and a random side note)

Day 21- What names would you NEVER name a child or pet? What name do you wish you had been named? Do you like the name of your blog?

Ok, first off, there are things I would name a pet that I would NEVER name a child. So, really, that's two questions. And since all my pets are named after Harry Potter characters, a lot of names don't qualify. :)

Being a teacher, lots of names get ruined for me because of the kids. For instance, I would never name a kid Hayden, John, or Brady. McKenna, Mackenzie, or McKayla. Victor. Avery. Kendall. And I've always always ALWAYS hated the name Kiefer.

I love my name, but, my mom wanted to name me Anjuli instead of Julie. My dad apparently hated the name though, and gave my mom a choice between Julie and Angela. I love being a Julie, but sometimes I wish my name were Anjuli. I like it. I use Anjuli a lot for emails and such.

The name of my blog is ok. It makes sense to me, even if it does to no one else.

Speaking of blog names, I have two finalists for my more Cate-centered blog. "Love, Honor, and Constant Vigilance" and "Chew Toys and Teething Rings". Which one do you like?

Random Side Note: I'm trying to stop pumping, and I went 48 hours before I realized that I really really had to pump. (Seriously, my boobs were rock hard.) Anyway, I did, and the milk that I pumped was green. Not like, grass green, but like mint ice cream green. It was very strange. I looked it up though, and apparently, it's normal.

Don't forget to tell me which blog name you like!

Summer Camp, Days 19 and 20

If you're here from the LFCA click here, or scroll down. Thanks for your help!

Day 19 – How do you (and your partner if applicable) feel about PDA? Does your husband/wife/partner know that you blog and if so are they involved?

I'm wondering if the only definition I know of PDA (public display of affection) is not the one in this question, since I don't understand how it relates to Jeff knowing I blog. But you all know he knows I write a blog, and he writes one too.


Day 20 – What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? Did you repay the kindness? Did you blog about it?

I can think of 2 things that really stand out, and both of them have been in the last year. The first was Foxy sending a baby bonnet and a sprig of lavendar for Cate. It meant so much to me that an almost stranger who I know only through the internet would take the time so send such a heartfelt gift. And Foxy, she's big enough for it now, so you can expect some pictures!

The other thing will seem silly to you, but it meant a lot to me. The day I went back to work after my maternity leave, my co-worker C brought me a Diet DP. I know, that's small, but she took the time to bring me my favorite drink on the morning she knew I'd be having a rough time.

Summer Camp, Days 17 and 18

If you're here from the LFCA about donor eggs, click here, or scroll down. And thanks for your input!

Day 17 – What is your favorite thing about the weekend? Do you take a break from blogs or is this when you catch up?

It used to be that my favorite thing about the weekend was that Jeff and I had time to go garage sale-ing, go out to eat, sleep in, and goof off. Now that it's summer, we have a hard time figuring out what day of the week it is, so weekends don't make too much difference. I know that when school starts up again, my favorite thing about the weekend will be that I get to spend all day with Cate, instead of just a few hours.

I catch up on blogs whenever I have time, not necessarily on the weekends.

Day 18 – How do you feel about astrology? What’s your sign, baby, and do you think it matches your personality?

I really don't ever give much thought to astrology. My sign is Aquarius, and I actually had to do a bit of research before I could decide if it matched my personality, which should tell you how I feel about it.

So far, I've found that Aquarius is tempermental, impatient, makes friends easily, is a leader, struggles to pay attention to detail, and wants to make the world a better place. I freely admit I'm impatient and tempermental. Attention to deal is definitely missing in my world, and I would like to make the world a better place, but of course thinking about it is usually as far as I get. However, I actively try not to be a leader. I don't have the confidence required to lead, and I don't make friends easily. I prefer to listen rather than talk (a big change from when I was a kid) when I meet strangers, and I think I come across as snobby. I swear I'm not though.

Summer Camp, Days 14, 15, and 16

Day 14 – How do you typically dress to run errands? Do you think bloggers dress better or worse than “regular people”?

I wear a t-shirt and jeans or shorts pretty much all the time. When I was pregnant, I lived in sweat pants at home, but I would change them before leaving the house. I have standards and all.

I can't honestly say I've ever thought about how bloggers dress.

Day 15 – What was your college experience like? Were you involved in any clubs, groups, etc? If you did not go to college what was your experience like after high school?

I liked college. I had fun. My freshman year, I joined a sorority, but I didn't really have the time or money for it. I worked full time all four years of college, 3 of them as a manager at a Burger King. Still, I loved college.

Day 16 – How many friends of yours blog/tweet/actively facebook? Has social media helped or hurt your friendships?

I don't have any close friends who are active in any of that. Facebook has been nice though. It helps me keep in touch with my friends who are scattered across the nation.

Egg Donation

I've wanted to donate eggs ever since Jeff and I had to pick out donor sperm. Now that we have a baby and our IF treatments are over with (for now?), it's been on my mind more and more.

I started doing research on it today. I'm glad I did, since most companies have an age cut-off of 29. That leaves me about a year and a half.

However, there are almost a dozen local companies right here in DFW, and who knows how many nation-wide. So, I'm looking for women who have used donor eggs or donated eggs. I want their input on who they used and why. I want to be sure I pick a company that doesn't bankrupt the prosepective parents.

If they used donor eggs, I also want to know if they preferred open or anonymous donations. Some centers I've found require meetings before hand, and some are strictly anonymous. I don't think I care either way, but I'd like to know what those using donor eggs look for.

Thanks for your help!

Summer Camp, Days 10,11,12, and 13

Day 10 – Share your favorite recipe (or two) (see! You CAN be a food blogger!)

I'm not sure I've enabled you to fully grasp what a terrible cook I am. I have no recipes to share, but you if have one to share with me that is EASY to make (less than 3 steps), I'll try it and let you know how it goes!

Day 11 – How are you different from your parents? How are you the same? Do your parents and/or family know that you write on-line?

Hmm...I'm having trouble thinking of how I'm different from my parents. I have my dad's sense of humor. I'm pretty much my mother. Seriously, she about fell over laughing the other day when I confessed that I actually licked my thumb to clean something off Cate's face. I don't look a thing like my mom, but if you look at pictures of her when she was my age, we could be twins. In fact, check this business out:

This is a picture of me, my mom, my grandma, and my great-grandma. My mom posted this on Facebook on Mother's Day, and everyone thought it was her, me, and Cate. My, oh my.

Most of the fam knows I have a blog, and they know they have to stop reading it soon. They get their own.

Day 12 – Tell us about the first time you got drunk or tipsy (as far as you can remember…) Do you ever stop yourself from telling too much when you write on-line or do you think you tell too much?

You know, I hate to say it, but I'm going to skip this question. I don't think anyone I work with/for would ever read this blog, but you never know. If you're just dying to hear the answer to this question, feel free to email me. I'll tell you.

Day 13 – Tell us about the best job you ever had, and the worst. Do you ever blog or read blogs while at work? Do you ever quote or reference blogs while at work?

Love this question. While teaching is certainly the best paying job I've ever had (sad), the most fun I've ever had at a job was when I worked as a server for Studio Movie Grill. If you're not familiar with it, it's a theatre that serves actual food. Tables, bar, full menu, the works. I had so much fun working there. I only did so for 6 months while I was student teaching, but it was awesome. (The tips were lousy.) I got to work with great people, see all the movies we had, and serve food, which I really enjoyed.

The worst job I ever had was the one right before Studio. I worked for an inventory counting service. It was the worst. Job. Ever. Never have I been so bored. It was completely mindless, counting shirts and shoes and bread and peanut butter and cell phone parts. Ugh. Terrible. I dreaded it every day. I only did it for a month. They wanted to promote me, but I took the lower paying server job instead. Fantastic choice!

Summer Camp days 7,8, and 9

Day 7 – What’s your favorite thing to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Do you read food blogs or would you ever consider writing one?

My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is cereal. It really doesn't matter what kind. My favorite cereals seem to be everyone else's least favorites, because they stop getting made. (Frosted Flakes had a cinnamon version for a while. Best. Cereal. Ever.) I could eat Mexican food every day. I just can't get enough.

I would never write a food blog. I'm too much of a picky eater. It'd all be about potatoes!

Day 8 – If you had to teach something, what would you teach? (If you DO teach, when did you discover your love for teaching/the subject?) Do you think blogs can play a role in education?

Well, I do teach. 4th grade. I teach spelling, math, reading, writing, grammar, social studies, and science. I also unofficially teach manners, respect, and sarcasm. I would really like to teach middle school or high school English or History, but I look too young to teach high school, and I'm too nice (read: weak) to teach middle.

I think blogs can be a great tool in education, if they're used effectively. In fact, I plan on having a class blog this year that the students will write and maintain. It's going to have newsletters, book reviews, and other good stuff I haven't thought of yet.

Day 9 – What is the most important lesson you learned from your own mother (or other primary caretaker)? What do you imagine the name of your Grandmother’s blog would be and what would she write about?

The most important lesson I've learned from my mother is kind of hard to put into words. I suppose it's that we are stronger than we look. My mom lost her husband and her mother within 15 months of each other. One was expected, one was not. And yet, 13 years later, she still manages to get up in the morning. Not only that, but she lives. I can only hope to be that strong.

I have no idea what my Grandmother's blog would be. Either of my grandmothers. I would assume that Grandma would read every cross-stitching blog out there. And Granny would read mine. She would probably leave comments on every post. They were amazing women. I just can't imagine them writing blogs.

Summer Camp, Days 4,5,and 6

Day 4 – What has most surprised you about being an adult? What have you learned about yourself through blogging?

Sadly enough, I think the thing that has most surprised me about being an adult is underwhelming it is. I forget that I am 27 years old. I don't feel that old. I feel like I should be a better, more well-rounded person at 27. While I realize that I have definitely grown and matured since my teenage years, I don't feel like an adult.

I'm laughing at myself for the second part of this question. I'm sitting here telling you I've grown and matured, but this blog has shown me that I'm still moody, whiny, and melodramatic. Haha.

Day 5 -What do you prefer to do on your birthday?

I really don't care. My birthday is in February, which limits choices a lot, but really, my birthday is not that big a deal to me. Not sure why.

Day 6 – When was the last time you tried something new? What was it and what was the result? Have you ever done something just so that you could blog about it?

I tried a new resturaunt yesterday. It was called Ramen Republic, and quite frankly, it was a little bland. But, in doing so, we found out that one of my favorite pizza places is opening up across the street. Baked Potato Pizza, here I come! This past week I also tried on some new (to me) clothes, tried to make a grocery list with coupons, and tried a new Mexican food place. (Also slightly bland.) I tried a new formula for Cate (awful), tried out swimming with Cate, and tried out sleeping with her upstairs. I try new stuff all the time. Usually food. But still.

Summer Camp, Days 1,2, and 3

Day One: Provide a photo or sketch or dramatic rendering of the space where you normally blog.

Well, this is it. Yes, I sit in that incredibly hard antique wooden chair. And yes, that is a cup of moldy Diet DP. It's been there for about a month. This picture has inspired me to get rid of it. (Finally!) I like being able to look out the window while I'm on the computer, and when Cate is with me, she likes it too. She can't get enough of leaves.

Day Two: What were you like in high school? What extracurricular activities, if any, did you take part in during high school? Did you consider yourself a writer?

Ugh. I was miserable in high school. I was an outsider. I wanted so badly to be a part of something, but I never really was. I took drama every year, but only had one line in one play ever. I played clarinet in the band, and made first chair my senior year, right before I moved. I was moody, angsty, and melodramatic. I had a grudge against the world because my dad had died. I worshiped a boy who didn't have the time for me. I was convinced I had no friends, but looking back, I see that I had tons, many of whom hung out with people they didn't like, because I brought them together. I was luckier than I thought.

I wanted to be a writer in high school. I didn't have time for journalism or the creative writing team, but I was (and still am) forever starting stories I'll never finish. I have a head-full of stories and books and epics in my head, but no patience to write them down. Oh well.

Day Three: What are your guilty pleasures?

Ooooh, I like this question. Let's see. I think of guilty pleasures as things I actually feel a bit guilty about...like the movie "Overboard". I realize it's stupid, but I still watch it every time it comes on TV.

Pedicures. I would get one every day if I could, but I've never walked away from one feeling ok about the money I just spent.

Hannah Montana. Enough said.

Make-up and nail polish. I l.o.v.e. buying this stuff, but I hardly ever use it. Doesn't stop me from wandering the cosmetic aisle every time I go to the store by myself.

Earrings. I have 200+ pairs of earrings. I like quirky ones like my squirrels and my cassette tape earrings, and I like big dangly flashy ones. I like them all. I should really stop buying them though!

Haircuts. Getting my hair cut is one of my favorite things ever. I love everything about it. I love the smell of the hair salon, the sound of scissors cutting my hair, the time it takes. Really, I love anything that has to do with my hair, except the wind.

And, just for fun: a picture of Cate and her buddy Kreacher.

Summer Camp, Mini-Updates, and a Question

I've decided to participate in Calliope's Blog Summer Camp! I'm a bit behind, so I'll be doing a couple days' worth at a time till I catch up. I'm excited about this. If you haven't checked it out, head on over. It looks like a lot of fun!

Some mini-updates:
We took Cate to Kansas for the first time. We thought we would have to stop overnight, but Cate turned out to be a great road trip rider and slept the whole way, so we made it in a day. She was amazingly good natured about meeting so many new people and getting passed around. Then again, she is amazing. :)

She also changed her own bedtime. She was going to sleep between 9 and 11, depending on the day. For the past week, she's gone to sleep at 8. Her doing, not ours. It's awesome though, since that's what time she was going to have to go to bed when school starts again.

And the Question:
What should I name my new blog? I'm planning on starting a new one for the family that is Cate-centered. I'm going to very politely ask everyone I'm related to to stop reading this blog once the new one is up. No offense to them, but I find myself censoring things I would like to say. And sometimes, I find myself censoring baby-related stuff here. I figure two seperate blogs is the way to go. But I cannot think of a good name. So far, all I've come up with is "The Wild and Wacky Winkler World" which I know is absolutely terrible, and "Love, Honor, and Constant Vigilance" which Jeff and I like to say is our family motto, but really it's just one of our weird jokes. So help me out here!