Eight Things About Emily

1 - Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I was coming into a huge new chapter in my life. I had found out I was pregnant and then decided to make the big decision to get married. I know I didn't do things in the "right" order but it's the way God had things laid out for me. I have a terrible memory. Just look in my planners from the last 4 years, I have everything written down (even date nights and movies I watched). I thought doing a blog would help me remember these fun/scary/new/exciting things that were happening.

2 - Who's the one blog friend that you would want to meet most in "real life"?
One blog friend that I would really like to meet in "real life" is a person that I just recently started following. (That sounds SO stalker-ish) She is affectionately known as J.Po. Her blog is called Crying Over Spilled Milk  She seems like a really great person and I would love to meet her one day.

3 - Why are you always concerned with losing that "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you that you look just fine the way you are?
I've never really been that kind of person. I've never been on the heavy side because I have always been very active. Derek on the other hand has put on a few in the last year or so since he quit working manual labor jobs. He's the one that has been worried about that "extra 10 pounds."

4 - What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about you?
I wish that people could understand that I NEVER intend to hurt anyone's feelings. Whether it be joking around or just being myself. I love more than anything to make people smile and be happy not hurt their feelings. I'm always the person who has to make sure everyone is happy and everything is going ok. On the other side I wish people understood how INCREDIBLY sensitive I am. I get my feelings hurt WAY too easy and I try to shake it off like I'm tough but I'm not always tough. I read a lot to keep my mind from getting "there." By "there" I mean back to that depressed person I used to be a long time ago.

5 - Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes?
I have 7 tattoos. Yikes! Haha, I forgot I had that many. In the winter you can't see any of my tattoos.
In the fall and spring you can usually see the ones on my feet because I wear flip flops about 9 out of 12 months of the year. In the summer if I wear tank tops you can see the two on my shoulders, and the two on my feet.
1st tattoo: a star on my right hip above my butt.
2nd tattoo: the phrase "sat chit ananda" on my foot (which is a term used to express the ultimate experience of oneness: sat = Truth, Existence; chit = intelligence, consciousness; ananda = divine bliss.)
3rd tattoo: a hand print on my left outer hip with an infinity sign on the palm (my own handprint shrunk down)
4th tattoo: a set of wings and the phrase "alis volat propiis" (which means "she flies with her own wings"
5th & 6th tattoos: A set of sparrows on my shoulders one on the left is in all color with a banner that says Strattons name. The right is just the outline. I'm waiting for when/if we have baby #2 to get that one filled in.

6 - What was the best year of your life and why?
The best day of my life was when I had Stratton. My whole world felt so balanced and so real. It was like God had placed the best present ever right into my lap.

7 - Name three things you would do if you were a man for one day.
Haha, well. Lets just say I was Derek for a day.
1. I would totally have to try this whole pee standing up thing
2. Not going to lie I'd like to see what it felt like to "get personal" with a girl (Me since it would be Derek)
3. I'd love to go to the gym and see what it felt like to be STRONG

8 - What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows?
I'm not much of a drinker (ask Derek) but when I do let loose I like to drink...

Stag. There I said it.

I know! Don't judge me. I get it enough when I go to the bars.

The 5 Biggest Thanksgiving Myths

  1. Turkey makes you sleepy
If you find yourself nodding off on the couch after the Thanksgiving feast, don't blame the poor old turkey. While it's true that turkey contains tryptophan--an amino acid that's a precursor to calming, feel-good serotonin--there's not enough tryptophan in roasted turkey to tire you out. In fact, there's more tryptophan in cheese and chicken breast than there is in turkey. The real reason you're sleepy? It's likely the stress of the holiday, the hours spent cooking, the wine and spirits--and all the fat and calories you just consumed.

2. Fresh pumpkin is better than canned pumpkin
"Canned" isn't a bad word. Canned tuna and canned tomatoes have a place in the pantry of any great cook. The same rule goes for pumpkin. Canned pureed pumpkin from the grocery store often produces a more reliable and consistent result--especially in baking. If you insist on using fresh pumpkin (and, let's be honest, preventing your guests from enjoying the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving) be sure to use sugar pumpkins; the pumpkins you buy to carve at Halloween are watery, mealy, and not great for recipes. But I say long live canned pumpkin--at least one day a year.

3. The bigger the turkey, the better
When I was kid, my mom took me to the supermarket a week before Thanksgiving and let me pick out the frozen turkey. I went for the one with the biggest breasts. Done laughing? Here's the thing, the ones with big breasts don't have much flavor. According to Rick Rodgers, cooking teacher and author of Thanksgiving 101, you should compare the size of the breast to the size of the rest of the bird. "Larger-breasted turkeys are new breeds that were created to produce a larger amount of meat--not a better flavor. The smaller the ratio of breast meat to whole bird, the closer the turkey is to the original model and the more old-fashioned its flavor will be," he says. My advice, go with a fresh heritage turkey or crossbreed turkey.

4. Stuffing is the same as dressing
Dressing and stuffing are similar, but not the same. The difference lies in how they are prepared. Stuffing is, obviously, stuffed inside the bird, while dressing is usually cooked in a casserole dish. I've always preferred dressing since it has more surface area exposed in the oven, which means you get more crunchy, crusty bits. Stuffing is wet and soggy in my opinion. But there's another reason why you should cease stuffing your bird. Over to Alton Brown for an explanation. "Lot of things could go in there (the cavity of the bird)...in fact, only one thing shouldn't: stuffing. Stuffing is evil. Stuffing adds mass, so it slows the cooking. That's evil because the longer the bird cooks, the drier it will be. And since the cavity is a perfect haven for salmonella bacteria, you have to be absolutely certain that the cavity is heated through to 165° F, which means overcooking at least part of the bird....which is evil," he says. Uhh, looks like stuffing ain't such a good idea.

(via here)

12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 - Meaningful/Memorable Gift(s)

I think the most memorable gift that I have received was last year when my mom, dad, and sister pulled together and Santa got me my very own sewing machine. Yes, I've only been able to use it a hand full of times. But, I love having it and being able to say that I got a BIG present that I asked for Christmas ON Christmas.

I'm always surprised at the amount of gifts that Derek, Stratton, and I receive on Christmas. We have such an amazing family that it's really great to know that there will always be presents under the tree.

Speaking of trees! Only 2 more days and I'll be putting mine up with Stratton and Derek! I seriously CAN NOT wait!