Day 23

Today is another lovely snow day here in Oklahoma. I'm so sick of the snow. I can't go anywhere by myself because it's slick and my husband thinks it's a bad idea for me to be out driving in it in my little car. That makes the challenge today a little easier for me. I'm supposed to post a picture of my favorite book. Well, I have two. One of them is one I've read recently. The other is one I read a few years ago. Both books I've read several times.

I recently read this book.....twice. It's is a story about things that the authors father says and said throught his childhood. There is a tv show on right now that is modeled after the book. I find it quite hilarious! Alot of the things that he says reminds me of my husband! I'm sure once my son gets here, he will be able to write a book that will rival this one!

My aunt and I trade books all the time. She gave me this one a few years ago. I read it all the way through in about a day. It was suspenseful and SO good. It got me hooked on Mary Higgins Clark. This story is about a couple and thier new baby who moved to Cape Cod. Strange things start happening that remind the mother of the child she lost a few years before. She begins getting worried that the same things will happen to the new baby. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I just couldn't put it down.

I love reading. I love mystery books, biographies, love stories, and so many other different kinds of books. With this lovely snow we have falling here, it looks like there will be tons more books in my future this next week. I'm not sure where I got this love of reading. Neither of my parents are readers. I don't know how I discovered the love of reading but I'm very glad I did!

Day 22

I'm supposed to post a picture of something I wish I were better at. So I've been thinking. There are things we all wish we were better at. Everything from excercising, singing, to being better at athletics. There are so many things I wish I were better at. The thing I most wish I was better at....or even at least good at is.......

My husband playing golf on our 4 year anniversary.

GOLF!! I would love to be able to play golf. My hand eye coordination sucks though and I can't swing a club to save my life! My reason for wanting to be better at golf is because it's something my husband loves! I think it looks like it could be so much fun! I know it would not be as fun for my husband if I tagged along. But, I'd still enjoy being able to at least golf with him every once in a while. Since I can't play at all, I tag along every once in a while and just ride in the cart and help Seth find his golf balls! I also laugh when he hits trees.....probably another reason he wouldn't want me to tag along! But this is the thing I would want to be better at. I love doing things with Seth. I have fun being with him, even if all I'm doing is riding around for HOURS in a golf cart!

Day 21

So holidays....we all have a favorite. Today's challenge was to post a picture of my favorite holiday and why it's my favorite. I could choose so many different things. I could pick my birthday, which isn't really a holiday (unless you are me), or I could pick Thanksgiving or Christmas....when all of my family is together. Instead I am picking......

The 4th of July. I have always love the 4th. I can remember back when my cousins from Texas would come up every year to see us. They would show up at Christmas and once during the summer. I remember sitting in the Walmart parking lot watching the fireworks together. I remember they always would say what kind of flower the fireworks looked like. I also remember thinking that was stupid.....funny the things that stick in your head.

Then when I got older and worked at Walmart, I had to work on the 4th. I remember a friend of mine was working too and we would "cover" for eachother as we each took off to the back door to watch the fireworks from the back of the store! We would have been in so much trouble if we had gotten caught! It was worth it though! That friend and I stayed pretty close for a few years. I remember taking his neices to watch them a couple times....taking them to the park here.

In the town that I live in there is a little park and the 4th of July is the biggest celebration this town ever sees. They do a "big boom" every hour on the hour through out the day. They have a big parade. They have a big celebration at the park with booths, music, & food. At night they throw a big concert and people come from all over to watch the fireworks here. The awesome thing is, where I live, you can see the fireworks perfectly without having to be down there in the huge crowd.

I can remember the first 4th of July I spent here with my husband. It was the 2nd year we were dating. We had a bunch of people over and we cooked out on the grill. We had so much fun. It became a tradition of sorts. That ended when everyone started having babies. Seth & I still go outside every year with the pups and watch the fireworks. We have family come out sometimes to watch with us. It's just something we do every year. I love the bright fireworks, the loud boom, and the celebration that comes with the 4th. It's a time I get to spend with my husband. It's something I really enjoy and look forward to every year. You know to me it's like Christmas at times.....without the presents. That excited feeling you get waiting for Santa, that's the feeling I get waiting for the fireworks show to start. And lucky for me, my husband humors me and watches the fireworks with me every year. He even sets off the fireworks I go buy. He's such a good husband!

So next time you are watching fireworks, maybe you will think of me and the fun time I have on the 4th!

Day 20

Today I'm supposed to post a picture of a place I want to travel. There are many places I would love to go. So many things I'd love to see! All 5 Great Lakes, the Statue of Liberty, Old Faithful, and the Hawaiian Volcanoes. This is the one place I always think of when I think of places I want to see....

I want to go to the Sequoia National Park. I remember when I was in grade school seeing a picture of these trees. I have wanted to go there ever since. I am hoping one day when my little guy is here, we can travel to see this as a family.

These trees are 100's of years old. There are several different types of trees in this park. The sequoia trees are enormous. Most of them can grow up to 300 feet. I remember when I was in grade school and saw these trees for the first time in pictures, I saw the one of the car driving through one of them. It completely mesmerized me. I think they would be beautiful in person. I don't know, I've always kinda had a thing for things like this. I've always wanted to see these magnificent trees. Hopefully that dream will be fulfilled some day. If you'd like to read more about this forest you can here: About The Trees

There are so many beautiful things that are out there in nature. I used to dream of seeing so many different things. My husband and I have taken TONS of trips to see beautiful things. I enjoy taking trips like this with my husband. We've seen Pikes Peak, Seven Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Mississippi River, and the Hoover Dam. We've also been to DC to see the White House, Arlington Cemetery, and several of the National Museums. We have taken a lot of trips in the 6 years we have been married. It's one of the things we really enjoy doing together. It's always fun doing things like that together!

Day 19

Today I'm going to post a picture of my favorite childhood toy! This was an easy thing for me to choose. Finding a picture however was not an easy thing to do! My parents are packing to move to the town I live in to be closer to the baby, Seth, and me. So all of our baby pictures are packed! I promise that when we are able to get Mom moved & unpacked, I will post a picture of me with this toy.

"Favorite Baby"

So this is a picture of my favorite toy as a child. I got this doll when I was sick in the hospital with kawasaki disease. I was probably around 18 months old then. I don't remember a whole lot about that time in the hospital. I remember for the next several years every time I went to the doctor they had to check my blood. Finger sticks every time you go to the doctor aren't a fun thing for a little kid, but I got used to them. Anyway, someone gave me this doll while I was in the hospital in OKC. I carried her with me everywhere. She was my "best friend" and I LOVED this doll. She had hands that really moved. You would squeeze her belly and her hands would "grab" your finger like a real baby. Well, my sweet dog decided he would chew the hands off so then she just had these little white "cups" for hands. I didn't care. I loved her. Her hair eventually stood on end and was kinda fried, and my sweet little brother would try to make her talk and eventually her mouth cracked in between her lips. None of this mattered. I adored this doll! My Daddy even pierced her ears so she could be like me.

Mom and Dad decided once that they were going to get me a new Favorite Baby because the one I had was so ragged. I remember them presenting her to me. "Look Denisa, it's a new Favorite Baby!", said my mom. She handed her to me and I took her. I held her up to old Favorite Baby and said, "New Favorite Baby, meet old Favorite Baby." and I threw new Favorite Baby on the ground and took off! I didn't want a new Favorite Baby. The Favorite Baby I had was perfect in my eyes. I was so attached to her. My parents decided then that they would just change out the heads on the dolls while I was asleep. I would have probably freaked if I knew they changed anything about her.

I had this doll for so long. I still have her. She's in storage at Mom & Dad's. They bought me a new one when I was probably a senior in high school. She doesn't look like my Favorite Baby. And all these years later I still remember all the things I loved about that doll. I loved that she had freaky hair. I loved when they would wash her and when she came out her head had this weird feeling. I can remember sitting there and scratching at it. I know that sounds weird. It's what I did though. I can remember holding her "hands" up to my face and feeling the air come out of the little cups when I squeezed her belly. I have so many memories of that doll. Most people think she's hideous. Still I see her like I did when I was little. She's beautiful to me.

I promise that when I get a picture of the original Favorite Baby, I will post it. Just no comments on how freaky she looks. It hurts her feelings and really makes me mad......even though I'm almost 30!