eight is enough...revisited

Last month Lindsey posted a great tag on her blog. It was called 8 is enough, unless you are talking about cookies. You can find hers here
Since I am feeling a little tired and uninspired this morning, I am stealing that meme for myself and using it.

Eight things I have a passion for: (Like Lindsey I am not doing the obvious, like God, kids, church, friends etc)
1. Reading: I read every day. I am a speed reader, and if given the opportunity can polish off the biggest Harry Potter in less than a day. I read 2 to 3 books a week.
2. Traveling: I have been blessed in my life to have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit as a child, a teenager and an adult. Domestic or International, I LOVE TO TRAVEL. If I know I am going somewhere, I will research WAY ahead of time and have a complete schedule and itinerary in hand, every minute of every day planned out. From Paris France to Paris in the Epcot Center at Disney World I am passionate about seeing new things.
3. Gardening: There is something so thrilling about planting new life in the ground. Tending, watering, composting, weeding. I love watching all my plants grow and thrive. I love learning from my mistakes. I think the most satisfying of all is eating the fruits of my labors and knowing there are no chemicals, there are no waxes or sprays. And there is nothing better than the smell of a tomato plant in good soil. The earthy smell of the good soil mixed with the spicy smell of the tomato leaves. One of my favorite things.
4. The Beach. If I could live on the beach or near a beach for the rest of my life I would die a happy woman. East Coast, West Coast, Polynesia...I Love the beach. The sound of the waves, the sun, the sand, the salty sea air, the smell of the ocean. I could go to the beach every single day and be completely content.
5. Blogging: My new years resolution was to start journaling. I had journals as a child(and now looking back through them I want to rip my eyeballs out when I read it. I was so stupid) and had a journal or two as an adult. But I REALLY wanted to get into journaling and scrapbooking etc. SO I started Blogging and found that I can keep a record of my daily things, pictures, ideas and ideas. It is a perfect way for me to record my life for my posterity. I have found new friends through blogging and it has helped me come out of my shell a bit. Plus having it online and public keeps me from writing anything I will regret.(except that one post about my ex sister in law called "Whore"...dont go looking for it. I erased it. Although the sentiments havent changed much)
6. Music: I am a piano player. I love good classical music. Beethoven gives me chills. Mozart makes me happy. music of the 80's can dramatically improve my mood. If I put on a playlist I can get the house cleaned in an hour because I am just so into the music and moving and shakin my groove thang. I love going to concerts, I love a good bass(giddyap a giddyap a uhm papa mao mao) . I could have Josh Groban singing to me all night long(as long as I am not looking at him) Lindsey wrote Good Percussion and I am lumping this into music. A good drumline and good percussion is definately something that makes me excited and happy.(and yes that drummer at mcDoogals in B.C. was definately good percussion worthy) I adore Broadway Musicals and musical Theater and I listen to the soundtracks and sing at the top of my lungs. My dream?? To be Reno Sweeny in "Anything Goes".
7. TV and Movies: I watch a lot of TV after my kids go to bed and dinner dishes are done. i DVR everything and then skip through the commercials etc. I still watch the Nanny reruns on Lifetime. I love movies as well. Not going to the theater and paying a zillion dollars a ticket(unless it is something like STar Wars, Lord of the Rings, X-Men or some big epic movie that REALLY needs to be seen on the Big screen), but renting movies and being able to just forget about the real world for an hour and a half.
8. Comedy. (stealing this word for word from Lindsey)"Laughing really hard is a requirement for a fulfilling day. I don't understand how people with no sense of humor can be happy, and I hate it when someone takes themselves too seriously." I couldnt have said it better myself Lindsey. There are certain people I love to hang out with because I always know I will have a good laugh, or snot milk through my nose or laugh so hard I went myself.

Eight things I want to do before I die:
1. Get back down to a size 10. I am so tired of struggling with my weight.
2. See Machu Pichu and the Great Wall of China
3. Go back to school and get a Nursing Degree
4. Publish a book that would make me rich and famous!(or at least pay the bills)
5. Find a way to get my children to love each other and always get along with no fighting
6. Be on Jeopardy..better yet be a returning champion on Jeopardy.
7. Be on Oprah's Favorite Things Episode(either as a recipient, or she chose my lip balm to give out making me instantly rich and famous in the Lip Balm World)
8. Get a Boob Lift. 3 kids has not been kind. I want to be able to shop at Victorias Secret again.

Eight things I say a lot:
1. WHat is wrong with you kids!!
2. gimme kisses
3. You KNOW what we have for snack, now tell me what you want!
4. Charles, time for Jeopardy!
5. It aint happenin tonight
6. I have a headache
7. Te amo (Peter and I have this whole ritual of saying stuff in Portugese before he goes to bed)
8. Oh He** no. (I have never been able to break myself of that one)

Eight books I've read (instead of recently, we'll say more than 8 times)
1. Morning Glory, Lavyrle Spencer
2. Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret Georgo
3. Anne Of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery
4. A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers.(Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. the 4th is coming out August 2nd!!)
7. All of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
8. The Weaver Takes a Wife by Sherri Cobb South

8 Movies I have seen at least 8 times:
1.Strictly Ballroom
2. Amadeus
3. Napoleon Dynamite
4. Princess Bride
5. Pride and Prejudice(A&E Miniseries with Colin Firth)
6. The Scarlet Pimpernell(with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymore)
7. Star Wars(All)
8. Dodgeball: A true underdog story

I am not going to tag anyone, so if you want to do it, you go ahead. I know it is hard coming up with stuff to blog about. Thats why I love these tags is they are an easy out on a day where your brain doesnt want to cooperate!!

A great Tag from Lindsey

Ok a few weeks ago I was tagged by Lindsey to do a really cool tag. However it was all about your favorite blogs and the post that started your love affair with them etc. I can only pick five, and if you look off to the right of my blog you will see a HUGE amount of blogs that I read .
Now I LOVE each and every blog that I read and it is hard for me to pick just five. So if I leave you off I am very sorry but please know that if your link is on my blog I read you on a daily basis. But for this tag I am choosing the following individuals (and be sure to read the links, they are the reason I love these bloggers)

1. LIST OF THE DAY: He can have some pretty bad stuff on there(R rated), but One post that had me cakling all day like a hyena was this one. THEN he posted Olan Mills and glamour shots baddies and had me wetting my pants. But I have to say my favorite is This one, (if celebrities looked like normal people)

2. LINDSEY THE HAIRWRECKER: So yes she and I have been friends since we were 15 years old. She and I both find the same things funny. She and I both have the exact same favorite books. We are both tried and true class A hairwreckers, both experts on every diet known to man and both have had to deal with her grandmother, Busia. We also have the same unphotogenic gene in our bodies But the post I laugh the most at was this classic "Prepare for Pain". I know that when I read a hairwrecker post I am in for hilarity.

3. HIGHDESERTDIVA: This gal from Oregon inspires me daily. She is an interior designer and collector of amazing vintageness! They moved to central Oregon, and bought a GREAT piece of land and have a double wide that she is remodeling. (they decided they would rather have great land than a huge house. The things she has done with her design is amazing.)Her hubby is a metalsmith so her house is full of AWESOME things he makes for her as well. Jealousy is starting to rear its ugly head here, so I must move on. But Charmaine you rock...totally.

4. HOMEISWHEREYOURPILLOWIS. This thoroughly entertaining blog is written by my neice, Denice. She is an ESL school teacher in Korea right now (She bravely teaches first graders. God Bless you Denice) Her blog is like a little travelogue and really quite funny. This is her first post . I especially Liked this easter post , with ramblings about her blue hoodie, and this post where her kids gave her a korean name. I really like her blog because the first few weeks(months) she was there she would go for walks, usually end up getting lost and come back with a funny story to tell and beautiful pictures.
But then there is THIS post about Progress reports (complete with pictures and what she would have LIKED to say) that had me cracking up. She seems to really be adjusting to Korean Life.

5. PIONEERWOMAN. She was living the high city life when she met Marlboro man and they moved to a cattle ranch. Why do I love pioneer woman?? Her Recipes! check out Marlboro Mans Favorite Sandwich and her marriage proposal Lasagna and the chooclate sheet cake.
Her photography! She shows you how to use photshop and elements and the different tools and how to sharpen your photography skills. Her Dogs! I want to take Charlie home with me and just snuggle in all his wrinkles!! Plus she uses words like dad gum and plum (as in Plum tuckered out). The fact that she had the life in the city and then was swept away by a cattle rancher just amazes me. Plus she holds all these cool giveaways and contests. One day I may win!!!


Honorable mentions: Dawn, Erin and Cheasty. Plus all the etsy blogs I read, which inspire me to be more creative.
Now I dont believe in tagging because people get mad. So if you want to do it, feel free, it is yours. I tag you all!!!