{ tagged: 25 random things about ME }

My sister did this on her blog and two of my other sisters commented that they love reading these tags about other people but hate doing them themselves. I, on the other hand, must be a very self-centered person because I love doing them as much as I love reading them.

So here goes...25 things about me (and if any of you are as self-centered as I am, feel free to join in and do it yourself).

1. I absolutely love being a mother.

2. I have an obsession with organizing things into bins.

3. I can barely stand brushing my own teeth, but I really can't stand seeing or hearing anyone else brush their teeth (gag).

4. I've always wanted to be a dolphin trainer...and still wonder if it could ever be a real possibility.

5. Someday I want to buy several different shops and completely re-work them so that they're the best shop of their kind. I want each one to have a little twist - something like a little cafe that has cement walls and cans of spray paint and markers on the table so that people can "graffiti" the walls while they wait for their food or a clothing shop that's organized by body type and in your section there would only be clothes available that would actually look good on you or an electronics store that you drive through in specialized carts that allow you to experience the products as you go (with a system that allows you to play the wii in your cart as you go through the gaming section or listen to various stereo systems through your cart as you drive through that section). Random, I know, but it's something I really want to do.

6. I really, really like cars. When my husband wants to put exhaust and intake on my 4-runner, I do not provide any sort of balance to the equation because I want it just as much as he does.

7. I love off-roading, camping, and shooting but we somehow never manage to go.

8. I read a lot and find myself getting completely hooked on cheesy romance mysteries (terribly embarrassing but true).

9. I wish I could play the organ and regret not learning when I was a teenager and we actually had an organ in our home.

10. I really want to build a house that resembles an eclectic art gallery - exposed brick walls, exposed copper duct work and piping, big open spaces, funky flooring changes, wide open staircases leading to lofts, amazing artwork and color everywhere, eclectic furniture (francisco), awesome lighting, etc. Brad says it couldn't possibly feel like a home and we'd be the "crazy house" on the block. I'm trying to convince him otherwise.

11. I'm very squeamish about spiderwebs. Spiders don't alarm me because I can see them and squish them. A spider's web means he's just hiding around somewhere not getting squished.

12. I love fashion and clothing, but it's not necessarily because I'm obsessed with how I look or how nice my clothes are. It's somehow artistic to me and that's why I enjoy it so much. I don't know if that even makes sense.

13. I'm pretty sure I could live on avocados and pineapple for the rest of my life. And maybe a tiny bit of chocolate soymilk, too.

14. I love, love, love playing games. Screeble and Ticket to Ride are current favorites, but I'll always love A to Z, Pit, and Mille Bornes. Much to my husband's chagrin, the Farming Game will never make it to my top favorites.

15. I find myself actually enjoying my conversations with Brad regarding politics and economics. I used to get bored and frustrated, but now I get (almost) as involved as he does. I guess that's what happens when the political and economic situations in our country get worrisome.

16. I worry about sending my kids through public schools because I don't feel like they'll get a very solid education. I don't think I even got a very valuable education before college and I know things have gone downhill since I was in school. I'm trying to figure out what sort of private school / home school / charter school system I want to do. Thank heavens I have five years to figure it out.

17. I'm a bit obsessive compulsive about organization, order, matching, even-ness, and the like. When Brad turns the stereo volume up in the car, I have to make sure it lands on an even number. He thinks I'm crazy when I reach over and turn it from "17" to "18". I'm working on it.

18. I've recently finished a household task schedule that I've been thinking about for years. I've now been following the schedule for over a month and it has changed my life. I'm in organizational heaven.

19. Few things are more enjoyable to me than hearing Orva giggle. She's pretty stingy about it, so I find myself doing just about anything to get her little giggles out.

20. Orva's birth went so well and I loved it so much that I actually get jealous when I hear about other people about to have a baby. I do not, however, get jealous when I hear about other people being pregnant. I need a system where I can birth the baby without actually having to be pregnant with it.

21. As self-centered as I may be, I suppose I'm not twenty-five-things-self-centered. This is hard.

22. I'm pretty much all the way vegan. It's so satisfying to be eating so healthy. I've been working on creating a grocery list and eight-week meal plan and it's been very fulfilling to see that I can cook that many delicious and healthy meals.

23. On a not-so-healthy note, I've really struggled getting back on track with doing my Bikram Yoga since Orva was born. I did really well before and during my pregnancy and have failed miserably ever since. Maybe now that I've confessed that to the world, I'll pull myself together and get back on track.

24. I'm afraid I can't really claim to be a grown-up housewife, in charge of a real live house, because I don't own any of the following: a vacuum (we only have a mini shop vac), a strainer/colander, a garlic press, or a table cloth. It's amazing we can even function around here.

25. I happen to be crazy about my husband.