History of Me

31 Day Blog Challenge: Favorite Things

Today’s challenge post is to write about 15 of my favorite things.  Here they are!

1. My family.

This seems like it’d be a no brainer, but my family really is wonderful. I have the best little boy ever (and will soon add the best little brother ever — in just a few weeks), my husband is wonderful and because he works so hard, he allows me to live my own dream, and my parents have done so much to help us out there is no way I could ever repay them or thank them enough. I am just glad to have them both living close by and healthy. My in-laws don’t live near-by, but as far as in-laws go, they are pretty great, too! They have also supported us in many ways and I feel REALLY lucky that I get along with them, since I have a lot of friends who don’t have a good relationship with their husband’s families. Last but not least, my dog is part of the family, too, and she’s pretty great. She can be very annoying sometimes (like when she licks incessantly), but overall she is a good little dog and plays so nicely with Zachary. She is very tolerant of him and extremely gentle. I love my dog!

2. My friends.

I truly do love my friends. I am lucky to have a lot of friends who care about me, and I am touched everyday by their kindness and support and love spending quality time with them.

3. Preschool.

This is a funny thing to list as a favorite thing, but I absolutely love my son’s preschool. Not only are they a group of wonderful, supportive people, but they have allowed Zachary to shine and grow in ways I didn’t think were possible.

4. Books/Reading.

Reading has been a huge part of my life ever since I was a little girl, and I’ve always been a very voracious reader. I love finding an amazing book and losing myself in that world. Over the past few years, I’ve encouraged my husband to read more often, which I love — especially when he picks up a series I’ve raved about, like The Hunger Games. I also am sharing my love of books and reading with our son. Zachary is just starting to move into the stage where he wants to learn to read, and we’ve been having a lot of fun choosing books at bedtime (and other times). Sometimes I catch him picking up a book we’ve read many times (enough that he has part of it memorized) and “reading” it to himself. It never fails to make me smile!

5. Photography.

You were wondering when this would show up on my list….right? 🙂 Yes, photography is a job, but it’s also one of my most favorite things in the world. I’ve loved taking pictures since I was a kid and probably spent more money on film and processing at the local drugstore than my parents care to think about! I love finding art in every day things, and I especially love capturing my family’s memories. I love my camera, the Canon 5D mark III — but I am a huge addict of shooting with my iPhone since it’s always, always with me — and the quality of the images is pretty great, too. I also shoot with my point and shoot, the Canon G11, when I remember to bring it with me. 🙂 I’m thankful for photography because running my own business allows me the freedom that I love and need, and because I never thought I would be really great at doing any particular job — or really enjoy any job — until I started my photo business.

6. Apple.

No, not the fruit! We are an Apple family through and through. Adrian and I have iMacs to work on, MacBook and MacBook Air laptops, iPhones, iPads, iPods, an Apple TV… you name it, we use it! Even Zachary is a genius with the iPad and iPhone already and is nearly as good as we are — or better! — at some games.

7. Coffee.

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was very little, and I have a hard time starting my day without it! I love the flavored coffees (coconut, hazelnut, and pumpkin are my favorites), and I also love Coffee Mate’s Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer. It’s soooo good.

8. Cheese.

I really love cheese. Trying new cheeses is a hobby of mine, and I love going to one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheese Course, and creating my own custom cheese board for lunch! I’ll enjoy it more once the baby is out and I can drink a glass of wine with my cheese. 😀

9. Space.

I love space! I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my dad when I was a little girl, and many of my favorite shows and movies also take place in space. Additionally, being in Florida where shuttles and rockets take off, it’s hard to not pay attention to space-related information. I’m lucky to have seen a number of shuttle launches before the program ended. I am simply fascinated by the universe and everything that may be out there that is still unknown to us. Just thinking about it is overwhelming and awe-inducing!

10. The Internet.

I’ve been using the internet for 20 years now, nearly the entirety of my life span! How crazy is that? I registered siren.org back in 1998, which means I’ve been writing here for FOURTEEN YEARS – and consistently blogging since 2008, before Zachary was born. I love it. I’ve made a lot of friends and met some really fantastic people through my website and in my journeys on the Internet in general, and it’s something I’m happy to have been a part of since the earliest days of online communities.

11. Relaxing/Sleeping.

I definitely took this for granted before I had kids. I love napping or relaxing. Now that I have a child with another on the way, napping is a luxury and something I don’t always have the opportunity to do. I only get to sleep late when my parents watch Zachary overnight, so every time I sleep late, it is like a little gift. 🙂

12. Music.

While I don’t listen to music quite as much as I used to, I still love it. There are songs and albums that define certain parts of my life, and I love discovering new and talented artists to enjoy. I also love playing music when I get the chance, and I really love hearing my husband practice the piano — he’s been taking lessons for about a year now and is starting to get pretty good!!

13. Travel.

I traveled extensively as a kid to all kinds of far-off places. As an adult, my husband and I have mostly traveled inside the US. I love travelling and road tripping and it’s something we are instilling in our kids, too. By the time our second baby is a year old, we’ll have taken at least two road trips! I’m so excited to explore new places with my little family. 🙂

14. My car.

I drive a Lexus RX 350. I always wanted an awesome SUV and am really thankful to have my car.

15. Seltzer.

It’s like water… but better 🙂 I am a seltzer addict. I have always loved soda, specifically diet Coke, but since it’s so unhealthy for you, I switched to seltzer – which is just carbonated water. Yum!

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