Change Is Coming

I haven't had a computer at my house in a few months.  My phone has been my only source of internet and it just doesn't lend itself well to blogging so I haven't blogged in FOREVER!!  I'm going to have to decide if I'm gonna keep up the blog or not, but I did want to mention the big change coming to our family soon.

We are expecting our second child in October.  Everyone is very excited.  Well, excited is a little bit of an exaggeration for Jack.  When asked if he would like a brother or sister, he said, "Sure."  That's about as excited as he gets so we were pretty thrilled with that response.  We have all spent the last several weeks wrapping our minds around this great change for our family and I wanted to share it with my blogging family, too.

Now, I'm going to spend a good chunk of Good Friday catching up on all my favorite blogs.  I've missed reading what's happening with all of you!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend of celebrating what Jesus did for us on the cross!

Eleven

The blog is suffering - there's no doubt.  I just haven't been feeling it.  But my friend, Mandi tagged me in this fun post so I'm gonna go for it.  I think it's fun and I have enough OCD that I could never ignore being tagged in a post:)


Here are the rules: 1. Post these rules. 2. You must post 11 random things about yourself. 3. Answer the questions set for you in their post. 4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer. 5. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them. 6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 Random things about me:

1.  I love to travel and I'm not very picky about where I go.  In a car, train, plane, whatever... wherever.  I will need my tablet, iPhone, Kindle and computer with me though. Oh, and my kid and husband, too.

2.  I am utterly enchanted by wikipedia and spend much of my online time on this site.  I also use Google as a tool to win arguments with my husband on a regular basis.  I also love words and consider it a source of pride if I'm able to use a word in conversation that my husband doesn't know.  And then we turn to google.  It's a vicious cycle, really.

3.  I wish very much that Diet Coke and iced lattes were healthy for you.  Like many people, I'm addicted to both.  I get a little bummed the night before I know I have to work the next day, but the idea of an iced latte from Sugar Rush literally makes me happier and gives me that special something to look forward to the next day.

4.  I get very excited about kitchen gadgets, but rarely remember to use them.  I also love getting serving dishes and new pots and pans, but I use the same two or three over and over.  

5.  I'm a reader.  I also have some obsessive characteristics so sometimes when I'm reading certain books, I get a little too invested.  Series are really not a good idea for me.  For instance, it's hard for me to leave Hogwarts and come back to reality when reading Harry Potter.  I also get very invested in specific authors.  Nobody will ever be able to convince me that Nelson DeMille isn't one of the most brilliant people alive.  

6.  I would love to wallpaper an entire room in old maps one day and I find globes inspiring somehow.

7.  I love living in the country b/c of the wide open spaces, but much prefer the convenience of living in a large city.  Because I live outside of town again since we've built our house, I feel very uncomfortable if I leave my home without a bag packed full of "possible needed items" no matter where I'm going or how long I will be gone.

8.   I am a huge fan of TV on DVD and have a complete collection of about 20 shows (so far).  The Office and Friends are my faves, but there are several different series that I've watched over and over.  I use them when I need to get over the desperation of having finished my last book series:)

9.  We're sports people.  Most of you know that.  Now that football will be over next week, we are relying really heavily on basketball, but I'm already dreading that dead time between basketball and the major golf tournaments.  I already told my husband to plan some trips for his job.  If I'm not going to have any sports to watch, I'm gonna need to be staying in a hotel a lot.

10. I am the only person I know who does not like grilled hamburgers (although I do love hamburgers).

11.  I do not consider buying books to be spending money.  I could be very happy by myself in Barnes and Noble for several days (I would need the Starbucks to be open though).

Mandi's questions for me:

1. How long should you know/date someone before marriage?  I'm fine with short relationships.  I only knew Ben 7 months before we got engaged.  
2. What is your favorite memory of me and you?  Mandi sent my son a gift of a t-shirt she had sewn a bowtie on.  I LOVED it and it's still a favorite of mine.
3. What is one book that everyone must read?  I have so many that I can only get it down to three:  Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers; Safely Home by Randy Alcorn; The Charm School by Nelson DeMille
4. Which is better, a rainy day at home watching movies or a sunny day outside?  If my husband and son are with me, I'll take a rainy day at home ANY day
5. What do you remember most about your childhood?  weekend trips almost every weekend - it may be where my love of travel comes from 
6. Biggest pet peeve?  people giving too much information or pouring their feelings out to others in front of an audience - makes me extremely uncomfortable
7. Favorite weird food combo? I put french fries on my burgers but I'm not sure if that's weird
8. Sonic or Dairy Queen?  Sonic 
9. Favorite name for a boy? Girl?  Boy = Jack  Girl = Eden
10. Outdoor/church/other wedding?  I had a church wedding and I don't regret that at all, but I love attending weddings that are outside the box.  I most like weddings that seem to fit the couple.
11. Most effective diet exercise plan you've tried?  I had some results with The 30 Day Shred, but it was HARD!

My questions for my friends:

1.  What is one book that everyone must read?  

2.  Favorite name for a boy?  Girl? 

3.  Favorite movie quote?
4. If you needed a rocking new outfit, which store would be your first stop?

5. What is one thing on your bucket list?

6.  Favorite sports event/team?

7.  Where is your dream vacation destination?

8.  What movie can you watch over and over and over?

9.  Favorite Word?  Least Favorite?

10.  Boots or Heels?

11.  Other than your current profession, what profession would you most like to pursue?

People I'm tagging:

Emily at http://encouragementfromemily.blogspot.com/

Karen at http://reflectivereasonings.blogspot.com/

Melanie at http://www.kevinandmel.com/

Elizabeth at http://thewonderfulhappens.wordpress.com/

Kyetra at http://www.kyetrabelton.com/

Alexis at http://mom2mycrazy2.blogspot.com/

Shoshana at http://shoshanahg.blogspot.com/

Courtney at http://courtscorner-courtney.blogspot.com/

Pam at http://theadventuresofmrsreagan.blogspot.com/

Sarah at http://sarahsmithstorm.blogspot.com/

Gail at http://sophisticatedsteps.blogspot.com/

The List

I attempted to keep a list of all the books I read in 2011.  I've posted it a few times before, but here is the completed list now.  I started this to see if I would read 100 books this year and realized quickly that wasn't going to happen.  The last few months, I haven't read much at all.  I did, however, reread the Twilight series before I saw Breaking Dawn so I am aware they are on the list twice.  That's because I read them twice so it counts.  I'm not cheating - I promise.  I'm grading on the five start system - five being the best.  My friend, Karen, did this and helpfully provided some info about each book.  Let's just say she's a better person than me because I'm not doing that.  Anyway, here are all my books from last year.  I found a few authors I didn't like, reread some favorite classics, learned about radical and crazy love, and (about a century later than the rest of the world) became enchanted by Hogwarts and the residents of Forks, Washington - those both human and non-human.  Anyway, a pretty good reading year overall.

Books in 2011:

1. In the Company of Others by Jan Karon              ***
2. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore            *****
3. Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers               ***
4. Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers               ***
5. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella                                    *
6. Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond            ***
7. The Island by Elin Hilderbrand                             ***
8. Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell            *
9. Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand                                         ***
10. The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand                             ***
11. Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand                 **
12. The Love Season by Elin Hilderbrand                 ***
13. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand                 **
14. The Family Beach House by Holly Chamberlin            *
15. Water for Elephants by Francis Lawrence                     ****
16. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin                ***
17. Something Blue by Emily Giffin                            ****
18. The Help by Kathryn Stockett                                   ****
19. Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin                ***
20. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo                           **
21. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin                                        ***
22. Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison                      *****
23. The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King                             ***
24. Be Different by John Elder Robison                                  ****
25. Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen                                 **
26. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs            ***
27. Testimony by Anita Shreve                                      **
28. Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet                       ***
29. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay                         ***
30. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell                       **
31. Summer in the City by Candace Bushnell                       ***
32. Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand                             ***
33. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand                             **
34. Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer                          *
35. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone               ***
36. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets             ***
37. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban                      ***
38. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix                        ****
39. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince               ****
40. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows                       *****
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee                  *****
42. Radical by David Platt                                         ****
43. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde               *
44. One Day by David Nicholls                                               ***
45. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer                                      ****
46. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer                          ****
47. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer                                      ****
48. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer                          ****
49. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder            ***
50. Percy Jackson:  The Lightning Thief by Riordian            **
51. Percy Jackson:  The Sea of Monsters                                 **
52. Percy Jackson:  The Titan’s Curse                           ***
53. Percy Jackson:  The Battle of the Labyrinth                     **
54. Percy Jackson:  The Last Olympian                                 ***
55. Dancing with Max by Emily & Charles Colson            ***
56. I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson            ***
57. I Remember You by Harriet Evans                           ***
58. Rain Song by Alice Wisler                                      *
59. Twilight By Stephanie Meyer                                      ****
60. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer                          ****
61. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer                                      ****
62. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer                          ****
63. Crazy Love by Francis Chan                                        **** 

 If you have any great reads for the year, I'd love to hear about them.  I need some to add to my reading list for 2012.

A Christmas Greeting

Hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating the birth of the Savior!! 

Feels Like Christmas

It's Christmas time and these last few weeks, the Foremans have just been doing your normal holiday stuff.  Like....

Getting Halloween costume pictures made and developed:

Captain Jack Sparrow and Alice in Wonderland

 

 Having a wedding shower:

John and Jennifer's Shower

 I made the "K" out of pictures from their engagement that I took through a window while I was spying on the big moment. These two have dated off and on since high school - a LONG time so this was a much awaited moment.  Here is one of the pictures:

Is that not the BEST engagement picture EVER?? :)

 These are all my Pinterest shower ideas:  Caprese Salad appetizers; cranberries and greenery (cut from my Christmas tree in jars I already had = cheap and easy); and the frame was another idea that didn't work out so I did this instead.

Looks like Jen had fun to me:)

Got ready for our Children's Choir Christmas Musical. These two are too young for Children's Choir, but they do love some gold and dress up.  WOW, right?

Went on an overnight vacation to stay in a hotel as part of my parent's Christmas present to Jack (one of the few things he asked for).  We took some toys with us - a fairly NORMAL choice for a night at the beach:

FINALLY went on an anniversary night out several days after our actual anniversary when Ben got home from work.  Jack took a picture of us before we left.  That kid is so helpful:  

Got to the movie theater and sent this picture back home to Jack:

Jack loves some Underworld (that is absolutely NOT allowed to watch)

Watched this:

 And this:

Two movies in one day = a husband who knows the way to my heart.

Gave these sweatshirts to some of my favorite kids:

Alabama vs. LSU:  BCS National Championship game 1/9/2012

 Our great friends, Hannah Grace and Joel are two siblings who live in Alabama, but their Dad is a Lousiana native.  Joel pulls for LSU like his Dad, but we have influenced Han to the point that she's a Bama girl.  It is pretty wild that these two teams from the same conference in the same division are in the National Championship game together and will likely NEVER happen again.  Due to that, I couldn't resist getting them these shirts to wear home to Louisiana for Christmas.  AND, I think it shows that I'm a better sport than most thought buying that LSU shirt for Joel:)

And, remember this ornament I got as a surprise in the mail from my friend, Karen:

It was such a great surprise and I still love it.  Well, her brother, Aaron and I were having a little back and forth fun on facebook.  He went on a little rant about not caring for picture Christmas cards (which is exactly what I sent to him and his family) and how people get upset with him for using Xmas instead of Christmas, etc.  He posted a unique Christmas greeting on facebook that went something like this:

"Money is tight and times are hard so consider this your Merry Xmas card!"

I jokingly replied something like, "I appreciate that, A.J., but this facebook greeting just won't suffice.  I'm going to need you to send it thru the mail and please spell out Christmas."  

I didn't think much more of it, but I got this in the mail yesterday:

 

 Isn't that hilarious?? These siblings definitely get the award for best Christmas surprises through the mail.

And speaking of cool Christmas cards... I got this one from my friend Misty and her family: 

She can't get her boys to pose for Christmas pictures so she sent this one. If you knew this family, you would know how wonderful this is. I'm trying to get Misty to blog.  Don't you think the woman that sent this Christmas card should be blogging??? Seriously.

I also got a winner to the My Memories giveaway. Congrats to Kim at Pair Slices.

So, like I said, just the normal holiday stuff.... And today, we are going to celebrate Ben's birthday but staying in our pajamas and playing video games and watching movies.  YAY for the holidays. What are you guys doing to get ready for Christmas??? Did you get any fun cards this season?? Let me know cause that's what makes it feel like Christmas.  Well, that and Halloween pictures and a Twilight movie of course:)

My Memories Giveaway

I am so excited to share this great giveaway with all my blogger friends.  My Memories Suite has allowed me to try out their wonderful digital scrapbooking software.  I have only just begun to explore their site and have found it fun and easy to use.  I've always enjoyed scrapbooking and have tried to make Jack a scrapbook for each year since he was born.  But, honestly, who has the time?  I'm WAY behind and this site has helped me find a new, easy, fast way to capture all the fun the Foremans have:)  I'm planning to move parts of my blog over to the scrapbook software for a cute and easy keepsake for me and maybe Jack one day.  You never know about boys, though, right?? :)

Not only is My Memories allowing me to try out their great product, but they are giving one of my blogger readers the same opportunity.  If you would like a chance to win My Memories software for FREE, it's easy to enter.  Just visit www.MyMemories.com and leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite digital paper pack or layout.  That's all it takes.

For additional entries:

1.  Like My Memories on facebook.

2.  Follow My Memories blog.

3.  Follow My Memories on twitter.

The giveaway will end on Friday, December 23rd at 12:00 a.m. central time.  Explore this great site now and enter for your chance to win.  Happy Exploring.  :)

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

These are a few of my favorite {Christmas} things:

This little guy - our elf named Pinocchio. Well, he's actually not a favorite of mine, but more of an inconvenience having to remember to move him every morning, but Jack likes him a lot. He's fairly mild and boring compared to all our friends' elves, but we like him.

Like Jack, he can appreciate a bad guy every now and then - like Blackbeard.

My Alabama Christmas ornament collection.  They have a new one every year and we have one from each year that we've been married.  I heart them.

After our Christmas tree wars last year, this real Christmas tree that didn't almost split our family is a favorite.  And yes, I got another real tree after I swore I never would again.  Apparently, Christmas trees are like childbirth.  As time passes, all you remember is the joy the finished product brings.

 Anytime you can put Christmas and Disney World together, it's a fave on my list.

Homemade Christmas ornaments - especially when they have this cute face on them.

VeggieTales nativity set - I just think it's funny and the version of "Little Star of Bethlehem" it plays OWNS me.

Christmas cards - of any variety - are one of my very favorite things about Christmas, but these with cute kids on them to help decorate my Charlie Brown Christmas tree are tops.

Pictures from our wedding to remind me that our first Christmas together was extra special.

 And my new FAVORITE ornament (and I do mean FAVORITE) from my sweet friend, Karen.  It says things that are so special to our family and I think she got all the high points.  She even put movie previews on there for Jack.  This is one of the best surprises I've ever gotten in the mail.  LOVE it.

Pictures with Santa from years past

And one last favorite thing:  getting my camera and realizing my son has taken about 120 pictures - like this self-portrait: 

What are some of your favorite Christmas things??