I’m very glad my friend Carolyn tagged me a while ago, because now I can just work on answering those questions whenever I’m having a hard time coming up with a good topic for a Tuesday post. But this is the last batch. Darn it! If anyone has any other questions for me, please feel free to leave them in the comments. And if you’ve had enough of “getting to know you” posts from me, feel free to let me know that too.

1. Pets? None. I’m allergic to the hair/fur of cats, dogs, etc., and to the work of cleaning fishbowls or bird cages.

2. Your friends? Are awesome.

3. Your life? Is pretty much perfect right now, in that all the big things are in place. Great husband, funny, cute kids, job I love, good friends and family in my life. To be honest, it sometimes makes me nervous how good things are, but I figure you just have to enjoy these good times when they come.

4. Your mood?
In spite of the aforementioned fantastic life, I’m feeling a little grumpy because all three kids have the croup and coughed all night (poor guys) so we are TIRED.

5. Missing someone?
Yes. My running friend Jana from NY. I haven’t found a consistent running friend since we moved and I really, really miss having someone to talk to and keep pace with!

6. Vehicle?
Minivan. My dream car, and I know that might make me old and boring but I don’t care. It just works so well with kids, and it doesn’t break down like my clunker college cars always did.

7. Something you’re not wearing?
Makeup. It’s too early for that.

8. Your favorite store?
Target. Useful yet not soul-crushing in the way I sometimes find other chain stores to be.

9. Your favorite color?
Blue. It’s always been blue! I love it so much.

10. When was the last time you laughed? Really hard?
Last night, when we were singing Happy Birthday to my little boy (his birthday was in October and he has been asking us to sing to him ever since). My husband decided to bust out some harmony while he was singing and when we were done, he said, “That was so awesome I just gave myself cold chills.” Which totally cracked me up.

11. Last time you cried?
When we heard my husband’s cousin, a very nice teenage boy, speak in church and he cried. There is just something about sweet teenage boys that gets me (and I mean that in a very nice, non-Mary-Kay-Letourneau way). I think it’s because I will have three of them myself in just over a decade and I hope mine are sweet and wonderful and kind.

12. Your best friend?
My husband.

13. One place I go over and over?
London. I went there once when I was twelve, again for a semester abroad in college, again with my husband, and again to visit a dear friend who lives there now. And I am trying to get up enough money/babysitting to go again. I just love it. As mentioned in the previous post, I’m kind of predictable. If I find something I love, I just want to hit repeat.

14. One person who e-mails me regularly?
My husband, again. (Is he the answer to every question on this post?)

That’s all! What should I write about next week? Writing in general? Or maybe I will have some fun book news to share? I hope so!

And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Books, of course!

The Penguin Group came out with this great list of what books their authors hope to give and get this year. So, I thought I would follow suit and list a bunch of books I’m planning on giving and some I hope to get (hint, hint, husband).

*For kids:
Be Glad Your Nose is On Your Face by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Brandon Dorman
One of the most fun poetry books ever, with fantastic illustrations.

*For teenage boys:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Great premise, fun fast read that will rope just about everyone in right away.

*For teenage girls:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. I read this book last year and still can’t get it out of my mind.

*For dads:
My own dad loves Bill Bryson’s books, but I think he has all of them. Hmmm. I’ll come back later if I think of a good one…

*For moms:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Actually, this book would work for just about everyone. Fun, clever, clean, and meaningful.

*For girlfriends:
These is My Words by Nancy Turner. A book to cry and swoon together over.

*For good friends:
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. The best story of friendship and marriage ever.

Books I would love for myself/my family: Fablehaven, Book 3 by Brandon Mull (we have all the rest but somehow forgot to buy this one), Noah’s Compass by Anne Tyler, my own copy of anything by Marilynne Robinson, any of the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (heard great things about it but haven’t read it yet).

Any books you hope to give or get this year? Please share them in the comments so I can add to my own list!

I’m hosting a baby shower here tomorrow night, and as of this evening, this is what my kitchen looks like. Do you think I should be concerned?

The electrician came to fix our hideous fluorescent light fixture that died a noisy and flickering (and protracted) death. When he mentioned how much it would cost to fix those lights, and then mentioned how much it would cost to just gut the thing and raise the ceiling and put in normal can lights, I thought to myself, “Self, let’s just be wild and crazy and get the new lights. Instead of going on a 10th anniversary trip, you and your husband can just sit in the kitchen and enjoy the improved lighting.”

I called my husband to tell him my decision and he was dazzled by my unpredictability (and also my ability to throw money around). Because I’m usually really, really predictable. I can analyze any decision, large or small, to death. I go running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. If we have a chance to go out to eat, I want to go to the Bombay House (owned by our amazing neighbor, Daniel Shanthakumar!). If we can rent a movie, I want it to be funny or really, really removed from real life (which is why Hotel Rwanda still sits in its cellophane wrapper four years after I bought it). If I go clothes shopping, I will come home with an item of clothing that is either blue, striped, or blue and striped.

This could be the beginning of a whole new me. I wonder what’s next? Maybe this weekend I will go to the Bombay House and order a strawberry lassi instead of a mango one and then I will come home and finally watch that movie and all the while I will be wearing a gray striped shirt and instead of going running I will do yoga, which seems very, very hip.

And I’m going to tell the guests at the shower that exposed plumbing is the new thing in kitchen design.

Things are getting really wild around here.