25 interesting things about me

Someone sent me this on facebook and I thought this was a more appropriate place to post my list since less people will see it here than on fb. These are in no particular order


1. My husband and I started "officially" dating on 9/11/01.


2. The "O" in S-O's name is my late grandmothers name. I think about her every day and wish I had spent more time with her as an adult.


3. One of the best gifts my husband has EVER given me is a heated blanket. He knows how much I HATE being cold and thought about buying me one for several months until he found the right one. He brought it home on a random Tuesday night. There's more to the story, but that's all you need to know.

4. I am not as confident as I seem.


5. I weigh about 25lbs more than I'd like to.


6. My nose is really big and I've felt that way since I was 12years old and a boy (who shall remain nameless) dumped me because of it.


7. I used to be a REALLY bitchy person with few "true" friends. Now, I'm just occasionally bitchy, have lots of friends, and even have a few "true" ones.

8. I wear my socks inside out because I don't like to feel sock lint on my toes.

9. I'm the messiest person with undiagnosed OCD that I've ever met.

10. I'm a germaphobe.

11. Flying, or planning trips that involve flying, gives me anxiety attacks (see #10)

12. I'm always late, which makes me anxious, which drives my kids and husband crazy everytime we are getting ready to go somewhere.

13. I have a dry, and sometimes twisted, sense of humor.

14. There are few people who truely "get" me.

15. I internalize other people's problems to the point that I try and solve them just to give my mind a rest.

16. Before I had kids, if I witnessed a car wreck (or even came up on one) I would ALWAYS stop and sit with accident victims until the ambulance got there. I wonder if I should have been a paramedic.

17. I hate cleaning the kitchen, but when I do, the dishes have to be put in the dishwasher in a certain way and there is no room for alteration.

18. Parasailing in Mexico was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Swimming with the sea turtles, sting rays, and fish the size of my leg ranks up there too. Oh yeah, and the birth of my daughters.

19. I love fabric.

20. Several of my paintings have spent time in local galleries back in Houston.

21. I'm amazed by my daughters on a daily basis.

22. I secretly wish to dress goth.

23. I won a dance contest at a bowling alley when i was 21.

24. When I worked at an urban radio station in Houston, I did the voice over intro for the evening DJ. My script: "T-Gray, it's 7 o'clock...tear it up, Baby."

25. I see my photography work as God using me to connect people's experiences with their memories.

2 Large Domino's pizzas for $3

We ordered pizza last night. Carry out. They said it would be ready in 15min.
I live about 10min. away. So I left to pick them up immediately after calling.
There were 2 men paying for 3 pizzas in line ahead of me.
They looked as though they just got off of work from either a construction site, dirt pit, or some other really grimey line of business.

Grimey Guy #1 (emptying out his pocket): Well, I thought I had a few more dollars in this pocket.

Grimey Guy#2 (handing guy #1 some change): This is all I've got man. We're going to have to leave one of these behind (as he patted the 3 pizza boxes in front of him).

Grimey Guy #1 (looking at the young cashier girl): Sorry Miss, but we only have enough for the 2 pizzas. How much do we lack?

Young Cashier Girl: $3.85

Grimey Guy #2: OH, WAIT, I just found another dollar (as he handed the young cashier girl another dollar.

Grimey Guy #1: Well, I guess I could....Miss could you put the $2.85 on my credit card.

OK. Stop right there.

I couldn't stand it. I pulled out $3 (which was a miracle in itself since I NEVER carry cash) and handed it to Grimey Guy #1 and said, "Don't put $3 on your credit card."

He thanked me several times. I told him he was welcome. That was that.

When I got to the front of the line Young Cashier Girl informed me that they lost my order and it would be another 15 min. before it was ready. I thought of my hungry kids and husband at home and said ok, I'd wait.

While I was waiting I realized they didn't give me receipt when I had handed them my debit card earlier. I went up to the desk and told Young Cashier Girl that I think they forgot to give me a receipt. Just then, she handed me my pizzas and said...

"You don't have a receipt because I didn't charge you. They are FREE since you had to wait."

I almost cried. I couldn't believe they gave me my pizzas for FREE just because I had to wait an extra 8 minutes!!! That was so freakin sweet of her!!!

Thus, my story of 2 Large pizzas for $3.

Potty Training a 1 year old.

A little over a year ago, when we had first moved here, I met a Mom whose 18 month old was fully potty trained, and had been for several months. It was so amazing to see this little baby, who could not yet speak in sentences, tell her mother that she needed to potty. While I changed my then 3year old's dirty pull up followed by my then 3 month old's dirty diaper, I shed a small tear and wondered what life would be like NOT having to buy/tote/change diapers.

I took a vow to myself that day. I would begin potty training as soon as Baby Rae could walk. She's walking now. Let the training begin!

She's done great so far. She sits on the big potty instead of her baby potty (probably an influence of big sister), and when it's time to be done, she tears off a square and rubs her belly. She even knows where to put it and how to flush. Now, we wait. Wait for what's to come. Hopefully it won't take 2 and a half more years!

Our goal....18 months! We shall see.

My letter to The Economy

Dear Economy,

Thank you. Thank you for reminding us to get 'back to the basics' of our finances. Thank you for slapping some sense into some of us by forcing us to finally cut up those little plastic rectangles in our wallets that have become the source of angst to so many Americans. Thank you for stealing half of our savings and our children's college fund, because it is going to make our blessings that much sweeter when you get back to normal and finally pay us back, big time. Thank you for increasing the prices of food, gas, toilet paper, diapers, and other necessities, because you've made me think twice about what I consider a "necessity." Thank you for basically pulling the rug out from under millions of retired Americans, because hopefully, it will open the eyes of my generation and make us realize that putting money in a 401K isn't enough. Thank you for helping me prioritize my life and focus on the things that are most important. And, guess what?......it's NOT YOU!

Deepest Regards,
:)Christina

I'm not perfect.

I heard a song on Noggin the other day. Here's the song paraphrased:

I'm not perfect. No I'm Not. I'm not perfect, but I'm all that I've got.
I do my very best. I do my very best. I do my very best each day.
I do my very best. I do my very best. I do my very best each day.
No, I'm not perfect..And you know, I like it that way.

Now, THERE is a song to live by.

I'm so tired of people and personal blogs out there who totally portray themselves as perfect.
The perfect Mommy. The perfect Family. The perfect House. The perfect Life.

Get REAL people!

I think there are so many of us "normal" people out there that struggle enough on a daily basis to be a good wife, Mom, house keeper, etc etc etc that it makes it that much more difficult when we see other people IRL (in real life) or on blogs that are (or seem) so perfect.

So, if you're reading this and you have a seemingly perfect life or blog...do us all a favor.... show us some of the "REAL" you. Many of you are perfectionists and think IF you portray yourself as such, you will in fact be perfect and in some way, maybe others will look up to or maybe even envy you a bit (which I guess feeds your ego and fills the void that is so obviously in your heart somewhere). Maybe you even think that this perfection will in some way connect you to others. When in reality, you are separating yourself from those you try to impress. You are in a different universe. Separate and alone from the rest of us.

The first step is realizing you have a problem.

Repeat after me: "I'm not perfect. No I'm not. I'm not perfect, but I'm all that I've got. I'll do my very best each day. I'm not perfect, and I'll like it that way....and other's will too."

I wear my imperfections on my sleeve. Most that know me, REALLY know me, know this about me. I'm not afraid to show you that I'm not perfect....and I like it that way.

Be real. Be true. Be u. Do this, and you'll be FINE in '09!

My Rowenta

I got a new Rowenta, a fancy steam iron with retractable cord, today. I was so excited. Not necessarily to iron, but to toss out my old iron. You see, I once had a cat named Jake. Jake liked to eat cords. He "ate" my iron cord several times (along with about 10 (not exaggerating) cell phone charger cords, but I'll save that one for another post). And although my rather safety conscience husband told me not to...I used that hole-y corded iron for another 3 years. Until now.

Funny thing is...the only items I iron on a regular basis are the seams on the stuff I sew. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time I ironed something from our closet. The standing joke among my friends is that Christina "irons" ALL of her husband's clothes...

"iron"=wash, dry, leave in dryer for 3 days, then in a basket by the bed for another 2-4 days, walk beside basket several times a day, finally decide to hang clothes up, realize they are too wrinkled for "normal" wear, squirt down item with water bottle until it's dripping wet, hope the water pulls out wrinkles, realize it didn't pull out wrinkles...rewash.

ENTER STAGE LEFT: My Rowenta. May she enjoy the "seams" of her new iron life...free from golf shirts, kaki's, and the occasional sunday dress shirt. Here's to you, Row! Hipp hip Horray! Hipp Hip Horray! Hipp Hip Horray!

Now, if you'll excuse me, Row would like to show off her Auto Steam feature on some Amy Butler I just so happened to find for HALF PRICE on the Grab table at my favorite fabric store last month. Bless you Row.