This Is Going to be Fun!!!

Today I’m participating in my first ever Ask-Away-Friday.

And, I get to answer questions from one of the hosts – Tamara. Yes, from Tamara Like Camera!!!!

Not only is Tamara gorgeous, she is the sweetest person and writes some of the most heart felt posts ever and her pictures are phenomenal!! (she is a photographer extraordinaire!) She reads and comments on numerous blogs every day(not sure how she does it all!!) and makes each person feel special!!!

If you don’t already read her blog then it’s your lucky day!!! Head over and read her answers to the questions I sent her. I promise you will be glad!!

Here are the questions from Tamara:

1. I know you’re like me with summer love/winter.. not so love. If you could have a second home anywhere in the world, where would you build/buy one? And why?

This one is easy!!! We would have a house on the beach in Hawaii!!! That is my happy place. I love that the temperature is right around 80 every single day!!!

2. If I came to visit you (which would be fun!) would what we do together?

Well, I’m going to assume that you are coming in the summer because the winter sort of sucks!!! We would sleep in (let’s just pretend!!) and then spend the day on the boat. First we would go to a local bakery and get some cookies for you and Devlin’s (liquor store) to get a treat for me!!

You could pick the playlist for the music on the boat.

If you want to do something “native” to Kansas we could tour the state capital. But, I think the boat is more fun!!!

3. How has the new school year been for your boys? Any challenges to share? Triumphs?

So far I think this has been a good year for both boys.

Hunter is in 8th grade and has a goal to keep all of his grades above a 97%. So far he is achieving this!!! He had a great cross country season and now has moved on to wrestling. His last meet he got 2 pins (out of 2 matches!!!).

Jordan has had a great 10th grade year so far. Marching band is his favorite and it just ended but he is on to Pep Band, Jazz Band and possibly being in the pit orchestra for the upcoming school musical. He has all honors or AP classes and has had to put in lots of hours studying – he is learning some valuable life skills. And – he is a driver now!!!!

4. I know from Facebook that you did a commercial this week! How did it go? What are your next goals for your business?

Well, I realized after I put my picture up (and finished the whole deal) that I used the wrong word. We did a TV spot for one of the local channels morning news program.

We are part of the CASA home tour – we are hosting the boutique for the event. There are 5 homes on the tour and each home-owner got to contribute a recipe. Since we are participating as our venue we decided to do a drink recipe!!

The Victorian

1 part vodka

1 part triple sec

1 part Razzmatazz (raspberry liqueur)

1 part Cranberry juice

splash of lime juice

Mix in shaker with ice. our into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish rim with red sugar and a lime slice if desired.

Enjoy!!

5. How did you find yourself as a blogger? Was it surprising, or a goal/dream of yours?

I worked at my boys elementary school for 5 years. It was a great job but I didn’t have enough work to stay busy so I started reading blogs. (at that time I never commented – I was a lurker!!)

I had already been running my age on my birthday for a couple years and before I turned 43 I decided that I would run my age on my birthday and then pick a different exercise each day and do 43 reps. I thought it would be fun to start a blog to chronicle my daily exercises.

Chris was gone all of August that year (2012) and at some point while he was gone he set up my blog domain. On 9-16-12 I published my first blog post and I’ve been blogging ever since. At that point I had no idea that I would meet so many incredible people through blogging so, yes, it has been very surprising.

6. What would be an absolute dream trip to take with your family, while they’re all still young enough to live home?

We are hoping/planning to go to Germany at some point in the next 2 years. Chris has been many times and has become good friends with Barto who owns our very favorite winery.

a favorite!!! Wine from Germany — a favorite!!!
Wine from Germany

Our plan is to go the year before Jordan’s senior year in high school!!

7. When was the last time you really pushed yourself to your physical limits?

Not recently, sadly!!!

I think back in May when I attempted the 50 mile race through the Kansas Flint Hills would be the time I pushed all the way to my limit.

8. What blog post(s) were you most afraid to publish, but did anyway?

Truthfully I think I feel OK about all the posts I have clicked publish on. The ones rattling around in my head are another story. Maybe one day some of them will be shared – not sure.

9. As you know, I just read and reviewed “My Other Ex.” If you could restore one broken relationship, which would it be?

HaHa -sort of a timely question since I just wrote about the “break-up” with my best friend earlier this week.

10. What’s something that amazes you?

This is hard – like Jordan said when I asked for his thoughts, “that’s pretty broad.” Since I’m writing this at bedtime (for me!!!) then my brain can’t wrap around this concept.

I think that one thing that amazes me is how very different each day can be – in every way. From the weather (on Monday we went from 72 to 37 in just a couple of hours) to people’s attitudes (nice one day, cranky the next!!) to the things that make up the day (wrestling, lunches, cleaning venues, ironing tablecloths, running, celebrating birthdays).