At Thirty-Three

This post is dedicated and inspired by my dear friend Christina:)  She suggested doing a "Karter Post" about myself and the idea kind of intrigued me.  I may find this interesting to look back at in 15 years . . .though I think a lot of things on my list may have been true 15 years ago too . . .  Anyhow. I had fun pondering and writing this post.

 (and since I don't think I've ever posted a post without a picture . . .and since I may wonder someday just how it was I looked at 33 . . . I had the kids take pictures yesterday)

At thirty three years I:


• Feel incredibly blessed with all I have.

• Have been an official couple with Jonathan for fifteen years! (I had to double check the math on that – CRAZY!!!!) Our first official date was my 18th birthday.

• Have four fantastic, wonderful, very unique from each other, children whom I absolutely love.

• am enjoying my new home but still really hate dusting and have never had to do it more. I think I have dusted more in the last 3 months than I have in my whole life combined before that!!! Tell me it gets better!

• Love doing laundry. It is definitely my favorite chore and one I never have to procrastinate on. I seriously love every aspect of it . . . even the putting away part.

• Don’t particularly love baking or cooking - though I do cook in order to feed my family:).

• Am enjoying my church and school communities immensely.

• Still love second hand shopping better than malls (though I definitely have a use for malls too!) . . . something about the thrill of the find.

• Have become much less sentimental than I used to be – I get rid of stuff pretty easy these days and am trying hard to refrain from unnecessary clutter. I think moving was good for me. Lest my mother think I throw EVERYTHING away . . . I do save samplings of the kids work!

• Enjoy reading (though it seems to happen less and less!)

• Would describe myself as an outdoor person (though not in the winter). I much prefer yardwork and gardening over housework.

• Love being organized . . . though you might not know it from the state of my office on any given day. I’m blaming that on the lack of shelving/desk which is coming SOON!!

• Enjoy playing piano.

• Love music – but lately have found out that I also love silence!

• Am reading through the Bible in a year for the first time in my life – at least that is my goal. We got a Bible that is divided up into daily readings in order to accomplish that goal, and I am really enjoying this.

• Am primarily a homemaker and secondarily a bookkeeper for Jonathan. It is fun balancing the two. It is easy to procrastinate on the bookkeeper part!

• Enjoy having a self-employed husband. It is fun that he can come home in the middle of the day to pick up material and then pop in for a coffee. These are special times for me.

• Enjoy having Kevin be able to babysit for me . . . though I don’t quite trust him with Karter yet. This has been very helpful to Jonathan and I!

• Don’t think I can handle Canada’s Wonderland like I used to. My mind LOVES the idea of going (and I still will), but my stomach has certainly weakened . . .phooey to that!!

• Love vacations and spending time with my big and little families.

• love instant coffee – and think it is far superior than that other stuff!

• Can’t get myself to like tea . . . no matter how hard I try.

• Love chocolate, candy, chips and pretty much all junk food.

• Also love fruit, yogurt, cheese and lots of other good stuff. . . just so you don’t think I am completely unhealthy!

• Like to sleep in – though I rarely get the chance. Why is it that kids wake up at 6:30am (and are not quiet) on Saturdays and you have to drag them out of bed at 7am on school days????!!!

• Would love to play the accordion, but Jonathan forbids me.

• Wished I still drove a standard . . . though can’t say that’s so much of an option in mini-vans!

• Love reading blogs . . . especially ones about ordinary people.

• Would love to visit eastern Canada and the Western States (like Oregon and Arizona) someday. Europe holds little appeal right now.

• Have evolved from being a huge planner of everything . . . to living more in the moment and doing things as I feel inspired. I blame this on my husband. (I do still do SOME planning . . . though I think the way I do things now would have driven me crazy 12 years ago!)

• Am starting to be late more often . . . or pushing it! I also blame this on Jonathan . . . even when he has nothing to do with it . . .it’s all part of the “laid back” attitude he has, which seems to be rubbing off on me.

• Am not a speed limit driver. (perhaps there is a direct correlation to this and the point above).

• Love getting the mail . . .even though there is rarely anything exciting in it.

• Enjoy sports – watching and playing. One of the funnest things for me is watching my kids play sports . . . and perhaps Jonathan too . . . though that doesn’t happen too often since he plays late at night.

• Love the Maple Leafs – though I haven’t been able to watch a game yet this season – we can’t get it to work on our computer now either!

• Love droppies!

• Am a practical person. I like getting practical things. Last year I wanted a sawsall for my birthday and got one.

• Don’t believe in ironing . . . unless it is a dire emergency.

• Don’t like blouses. They may look good on you . . . and probably do!, but I just can’t make myself like them . . . must have something to do with wearing them a lot as a kid.

• Don’t have a cell phone . . . or any other hand held device.

• Don’t particularly like phones of any kind. . . though I will say that they have their purpose and I do use them on occasion.

• My preferred method of communication is email . . . though I will answer my phone if you call me, and I will even talk to you:).

• Have no patience for telemarketers and have learned how to get rid of them quickly. One of my favorites was listening to them go on and on about cleaning your ducts and maintaining your furnace . . . and then informing them that I didn’t have a furnace or ducts. I guess that one will not work anymore!

• Wash my face with cold water morning and night . . . doesn’t matter if it isn’t good for your skin . . . I need/like to do it.

• Wear contacts and glasses (not at the same time . . . . though I am fairly blind).

• Love recycling and get bothered when I see people who don’t. (I think it’s the “organizational” part of me that dislikes it . . . not necessarily the “save the planet” aspect.)

• Always eat everything on my plate and make my kids too. (I suppose there are a few exceptions!)

• Am not particularly crafty . . . though I’m sure I could be if I set my mind to it . . . right now I don’t feel the urge or seem to have the time.

• Am most comfortable/cozy in blue jeans and a hoodie.

• Get cold ankles in the winter and therefore am loving my leg warmers.

• Wish I could type numbers quicker. I missed that day in high school keyboarding and have paid for it ever since.

• Prefer chicken and ham over steak, pork chops, or roast.

• Like colouring with my kids.

• Love cozy nights at home with my family.

• Like my food HOT . . . like really hot. The rest of the family likes it a little cooler.

• Think that my favourite season is now summer. I love the temperatures (though not too hot) . . but especially love how summer is a little less “organized” and a little more “fun”.

• Don’t require a lot of sleep (though I certainly enjoy it when I am in progress). I have never been able to nap . . . seems like too much work. It takes me at least an hour to fall asleep and then I sleep for maybe 10 minutes and wake up feeling groggier than ever. I’d rather read a book if I need some down time.

• Can parallel park and am pretty proud of myself every time I do it and get it right on! (the first time)

• Enjoy mowing the lawn . . .which should be a good thing as spring/summer approaches and the amount of lawn to be mowed has multiplied.

• My favourite colour is blue.

• Enjoy a good game of euchre, though I am known to be a bit of a distracted player.

• Love rainbows.

• Am not a jewelry person. The extent of my baubles is my wedding band, a watch and two pairs of small earrings . . . which may or may not be in.

• Like light. I am not a dimmer switch kind of person. I like things well lit. No candle light dinners over here.

• Love thunderstorms.

• Like to sleep in the cold. The heat goes DOWN at night . . . and the window may even be open.

• Have learned a lot in this short life of mine and am fully aware that I still have a whole lot more learning to do!

• Am convinced beyond a doubt that I am most blessed.

Did you learn anything new??!!