Thanks to my twitter friend Sarah (Inside A Chaotic Mind), who suprised me with "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award", I have a good reason to post!
As a recipient of this very yummy looking award, I must list my five guilty pleasures and then pass the award onto three blog friends who are as irresistible and sweet as me. I'm not well established in the blog-o-sphere... but I'll give it my best shot!
Ok, so guilty pleasures. I'm pretty self indulgent, so this could change at anytime... but todays guilty pleasures are:
1. Popcorn- Yeah, everyone else has listed really inspiring stuff about music and writing and such... but is it a shame to be inspired by popcorn? hah. I love the stuff, could eat it every day of my life... the best way is just air popped with real butter melted on top and an extra shake of salt. And, what can I say... I'm hungry right now.
2. Reading- I read everything and once I start, I cant stop. I will read everything from the back of the lysol can to the smutty romance novel someone left in the cafe... anything I can get my hands on. I'm a fan of murder mystery type stuff, though I cant keep authors straight and have a memory the length of a who-ville ruler. I have a couple of favorites though. The first book I remember LOVING is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I re-read it about once a year. My favorite series is, hands down, The Vampire Chronicles, by Anne Rice. Currently reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its starting to get good.
3. Back Home- I wish that going back home was more of just a pleasure than an indulgence. I love going, would spend all my time there if I could, but I love my life here too. I miss my family and friends back home. I miss the weight in the air on a summer night, the stars and northern lights, the smell of my mom cooking up a masterpiece on Sunday morning, my dad singing in the car and the laughter of my sisters around the table. I miss the colors of the trees in the fall, the ice on the puddles in the mornings, the river, the bumpy road behind the house. I miss it all. Every bit. I feel guilty every trip though... guilty leaving here because I feel like I'm somehow not fulfilling the obligations to my household life and guilty leaving there because I feel like like I dont fulfill obligations to my parents and sisters. Cant make everyone happy though, can we? I guess thats why I live in the "Land of Jen".
4. Facebook- I have to say, this one maybe a step beyond guilty pleasure and is bordering addiction, haha. But, the good thing is, that it helps me feel connected to the people I love. I may not get to see bump into them at the gas station or go to coffee on Tuesdays or anything else. But, I get to peek in on random bits of their lives and I cherish every piece.
5. Waking up late on a Saturday- I'm a full time mom (is there any other kind) who also works outside the home. I get up each morning in time to wave goodbye to Kayla as she heads out the door, make sure the boys are up and with it and then I head off to work. We get home, a quick "how was your day?" followed by chores, dinner.... bedtime. Sundays I get up before everyone else and go to church, so a Saturday morning sleep-in is a special treat. Its especially lovely on the days when I wake up to sun shining through my bedroom curtains, the smell of coffee my hubby has picked up on his way home from the store and the sound of my kids laughing and playing together. These are the times when life really is Good In The Land of Jen.
So, now I have to figure out how to post on 3 friends blogs! I think I'll go with my good friend (who I dont see often enough) Terri from Plump, Pedal Pushers of Puyallup, my friend and aunt-in-law Tina at create.dream.laugh and dearly loved sister-in-low Maria at De-lish. Ladies, its your turn!
Thanks again Kitten, I needed to boost! :)
