Day 30

My friends, it has taken far more than 30 days, but it's the last challenge post!  Woohoo!

List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

1. My writing.  One day I will have my own fan base that can't wait until my next book comes out.  It's true.
2. My mad motherhood skills (my kids are going to be awesome and we are going to have so much fun together!)
3. My delicious baking.  
4. Being a hard-worker.  I want people to stop and think, "Man, she got the job done!"
5. My big heart.  I really do love people.
6. My wicked awesome sense of humor.
7. My ability to try anything at least once.
8. My great fashion sense.
9. My fantastic memory.  Seriously, I have the mind of an elephant.  But the body of a gazelle.  Ha ha! See how funny I am?
10. My sweet, loyal, sometimes crazy, but purely awesome personality.

Day 29

What do you think people misunderstand most about you?

I think that most people think I'm really quiet, and maybe a little bit timid.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Ask any of my family or my really close friends and they'll tell you that I have no problem being loud and crazy.  Plus, I'm freakin' hilarious, but no one except my family seems to know this so I have to laugh at all my own jokes. So that adds to the overall crazy that I am composed of.  Most of the time, the reason that I'm quiet with a group of people is because I'm a people-observer (again, far less creepy than people-watching).  I find that people are far more interesting than I can ever be, so I tend to stand back and let the entertainment simply happen.  I'll throw in my two cents every now and then, but that's mostly just to keep the show going.

As for being timid...granted, I do care about what people think about me--far more than I should, if I'm to be completely honest.  It usually takes me a long time to work up the courage to actually speak my mind with anyone other than my close friends and family because I'm absolutely terrified that I will be shot done.  But there are lots of times when I can just step right up and say whatever I think.  It's weird.  So I guess I'm kind of timid but also kind of not timid.  Yeah, I'm really weird.

Day 28

What is your love language?

I took this test a long time ago.  So I don't remember what that answer was.  The answer to this quandary?  Take the test again!

My primary love language is "Quality Time."  That means that "In Quality Time, nothing says 'I love you' like full, undivided attention.  Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there--with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby--makes you feel truly special and loved.  Distractions, postponed activities, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful."

Day 27

What is your favorite part of your body and why?

My favorite part of my body would have to be my lips, and I'll explain by telling you a story.  Once upon a time, when I was a young girl of 14, I went to my first Stake Dance for Church.  Because it was my first Stake Dance, which made me feel super old and mature and important, I begged my oldest sister and her roommates to help me get ready.  My sister's roommate, Robyn, helped put my make-up on.  While she was putting on my lipstick, she stepped back for a minute, shook her head, and said, "Those lips are so big she could suck a boys face right off."

I've always chosen to take that comment as a compliment.

Day 26

What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?

People think that if their video goes viral on YouTube then that automatically makes them talented.  No.  Just, no.

Day 25

If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

This is a difficult question because there are a lot of people from history that I would like to have dinner with--most of them being authors that I like.  I would choose to have dinner with J.R.R Tolkien because he's is one of the most genius writers ever.  Another person I would want to eat with would be Lucille Ball.  She is hilarious!  Even when I was little I loved her.  I think we would have a lot of fun together.  Either way, we would have a BBQ, and I would pull out all the stops.  I'd smoke brisket and pulled pork and brats.  I'd also make our delicious baked beans and potato salad.  We'd eat corn-on-the-cob, buttery rolls, and chips.  I think Lucille Ball would appreciate a good BBQ, and I would want to introduce Mr. Tolkien to some really good, flavorful food (I love everything about England except their bland food).

Day 24

Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.

Other than the fact that our family has more than doubled in size, our family dynamic is pretty much the same that it always has been.  The girls still out-number the guys in our family (we used to have five girls to one guy, and now we have nine girls to five guys).  The sisters still talk to mom every day (almost every hour, in fact).  Dad is still the big scary dad that he always was (at least to the boys--although not many of those come sniffing around anymore).  Mom is still the most incredibly busy, yet incredibly compassionate, person she always was.  The sisters are still so completely different, and yet we are so close.  My brothers-in-law are both amazing, and they fit in so well with our family that it feels like they were always meant to be there.  My nieces and nephews have blessed our lives in so many ways.  They are seriously the most beautiful/handsome, smartest, kindest, most lovable kids on the planet, and I just love them to pieces.

I don't know what I would do without my family.  They are my support system in every way.  I'm going to miss them terribly when I eventually leave the nest, but it'll be ok because I know that I'll still call each one of them practically every day, and I know that they'll still pick up the phone.

They better pick up the phone.