it's me.

the writer of this blog.

kennan.

and i am OH so TIRED. i thought this tiredness funk of mine would end in the first trimester but here i am at nearly 17 weeks pregnant and i can barely keep my eyes open enough to raise my children... much less keep this secondary blog afloat. have you noticed? i am not saying i am quitting this blog, i love it too much. what i am saying is that i am tired and when i usually update this blog is when my kiddies are tucked in bed and trevan is dozing off on the couch. these days i am asleep before everyone else in the house and cannot fathom staying up later just to update this blog. so until i can:

a. get my thyroid levels re-checked

b. change my anti-depressant

c. have a baby

d. wake up

e. become human again

i am putting this blog on hold, 2 weeks tops. i feel like if i take one thing off my list of to-do's for just a bit i may be able to feel less stressed/tired and maybe become a better mom. we'll see.

i am sorry for the 3 people waiting in line. i am a big jerk, i know. it's for my kids sake, i promise. i also promise you will get your turn to shine. in the mean time keep sending me your answers and keep asking to play. get reacquainted with blogger's i have already featured. oh, and you must promise to return when after my mental health break.

thanks for understanding.

meet Erica M.

this is erica.

she my first international guest.... canadian.

Well hello there, I'm Erica. I'm 26 and I live in Ontario, Canada. I've spent the last 6 years of my life going to school, however that all changed last year when I graduated; move home and got my first official job in my related field. I'm an Early Childhood Educator and I am presently working in a day care with the hopes of moving into a school board next month. I still live at home with my parents in their dream home out in the country, however I typically spend my weeks at work and the gym and my weekends at my best friends place or my boyfriends place. I secretly want to move out; once my debt is paid off and have dreams of living in a townhouse.

I have my own personal domain which can be found at http://wastemytime.ca It's my little place on the internet where I write about my life. Hope you enjoy getting to know me.

what would you do with $500,000?

If I was just given $500,000 first and foremost I would pay off all my existing debt. Then I would plan a trip and take my mom with me. I would give some money to my father and brother and I'm sure they would use it to go on a trip. Depending on which job I have (current one) I would quit, or take a leave of absence. As weird as it sounds, I would put money into savings, as well as buy a townhouse and move out of my parents place.

where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I hope to be married and to have 2 kids. I will be 36 (wow), so I would love to have a boy (who's around 7 years old) and a girl (around 5 years old) if possible. I would love to be living in a townhouse and working in a school board. I would also love to have all my debt (from school) paid off. I'm going to assume that I would have a mortgage and possibly a line of credit, which is good debt in my eyes.

what are you afraid to lose the most?

I am terrified of my mother passing away. Having recently lost my great grandmother I realized just how hard it is losing someone. I'm very close with my mom, so that fear is constantly there.

what is something (almost) no one knows about you?

That I am the eldest of 3 and I am a twin to the middle child. I was born 2 minutes before my identical twin sister and we absolutely can not stand each other. We bicker, we fight, we do not get along. To most people we look like we do, but that's all a show. In public or at family events we are civil to each other but at home we stay pretty clear of each other. We got along better when I lived 4 hrs away and we communicated over MSN.

what is your guilty pleasure?

My one guilty pleasure is spending money on books. I go through books pretty fast, so I'm constantly purchasing new ones however I tend to stick to certain authors or series.

My second guilty pleasure is my Nikon D3000. I purchased the camera on a credit card when I had no money, and then managed to save up the entire amount and pay it off before the bill was due.

erica... i like that you are honest about your twin, it made my day. thanks for playing.

visit erica's website

http://wastemytime.ca/

meet Suzie Robertson

this is suzie.

suzie and i don't know each other. we do now.

I'm a 29 year old single girl living in Salt Lake (which isn't always the easiest) . I absolutely love my life. It may not be perfect and for sure not what I expected. But I make the best of it. I am surrounded by some of the most amazing people. My family and friends are very important to me. I am the second of four girls. I love having all sisters. I have 7 nieces and they mean so much to me. I love to make people laugh and I love having a good time. Some of my favorite things include: Running, Hiking, Watching Movies, Long walks, Beaches, Roller coasters, Snow boarding, Eating delicious treats, Laughing, Nail Polish, Colorful Pumps, Diet Coke, being with the people I love, Traveling, Music, Basketball and Watching Football.

I've worked at the same place as a dental assistant for the past 10 1/2 years and love it! I'm just a simple girl who tries to have a lot of fun! I'm a happy person and try and I try to make others happy too I'm always up for a challenge or an adventure. I like to keep life is the fast lane and keep it really busy.

what has been your biggest heart break?

Now this is a trick question. I have had a lot of boyfriends and a lot of past relationships. In fact I even had a fiance once. And as hard as that was to see those end and as much as my heart did break. My biggest heart break in life has been for a different reason.

It's kind of a selfish reason. I am one of 4 girls, me being the second oldest with an 8 1/2 year gap between me and the third. All my sisters are now married...and my older sister has 4 little girls. and as happy as I am for them and that they are truly happy. It's very heart breaking to not be able to experience all of that with them. I know my older sister and I will never have babies together {which we planned on our entire lives}.

I would never expect anyone to ever put things on hold for me but it still breaks my heart!

But with that said I KNOW and have faith that someday the right person will come along and it will be my turn too. And that I will be able to have all that they have and eventually be able to experience it with them.

what is the best advice you have been given?

Now this question I didn't even have to think twice about I have a best friend who I tell everything to. Whenever I need a good swift kick in the butt and whenever I am having a rough day... the best advise she gives me is... "Suzie, tighten up those laces and keep on running". I honestly can't even tell you how many times that quote has gone through my head. So many people have it so much harder than I do. And I just need to keep on going...there is no other choice. :)

what are you afraid of losing the most?

I have always been athletic. And have loved playing sports.It's a major part of who I am. In 2007 I tore my ACL and had surgery...It took a long time for me to be able to get back out there and play sports again... I realized then It would be so hard for me to go without that. Since that surgery I have ran a full marathon and 5 half marathons....

So the thing I'm most afraid of losing is my abilities. My physical abilities. I have a 5 year old niece named Grace. She was born with Spinabifida and uses a walker and a wheelchair. She is seriously the most amazing girl I have ever met. She is my hero! I can't imagine how hard life will be for her. It's amazing how much we take for granted, like all the little things.

what is your favorite thing about yourself?

It's not very often you think about the positive in yourself. Instead you think of the negative. So this is actually a really good question for me to answer.

I think I'm a very kind person. When other people hurt I hurt. I don't think I have any enemies, and I literally try to put others before me.. I was taught to always be nice to everyone, even if they are different or mean to you .I think I'm a good friend and If anyone needs anything I will usually be one of the first to help if I can. Helping others makes me happy. Probably the biggest compliment I get from people is how nice I am.

what day would you relive over and over again?

Now I think if we did the same thing and had the same thing happen every day....life would get a little bit boring. But when we have a bad day and just want it to be over. I would relive the first time I went to Hawaii. The first time I stepped out of that plane and walked into paradise. I remember being SO EXCITED and I couldn't wait to get off. I remember the smell, the humidity, seeing those beautiful beaches for the first time, It was so green and there were flowers everywhere. It felt like heaven and I knew I had to come back to that place as often as I could. It was my personal escape to total and complete enjoyment! I have been lucky enough to go 4 times, but can't wait until I can go back again.

suzie... you are fantastic. plus, i love people who love kids in walkers! thanks for playing.

suzie and her delightful blog can be found at

http://suzierobertson.blogspot.com/

* or not. see you friday.

meet Miranda Jane Williams

this is miranda.

miranda is my neice. i could not be more proud to call her my own flesh and blood. i remember when she was born, the heavens opened up and angels sang, it was that amazing. miranda belongs to my oldest brother bryce and his wife lisa. she is the oldest grandchild on both sides and has the oldest soul i have ever met. really, when she was 1 she was brilliant, when she was 2 she was eloquent, and by the time she was 3 she understood life and cared about everything. not only is she beautiful, she is smart and charismatic too. miranda was born cool. she is the best oldest cousin to have too, she loves all of her little cousins (my kids included). i wish i was around miranda more, i wish i could continue to see grow and learn, i wish i could see the world through her sparkling eyes. i am glad however, that i get to know her. be glad you met miry today!

I'm Miranda. I'm 14 and I live in Santa Rosa,California with my two parents, Bryce and Lisa, and my little brother Asher. I have lived in California for 5 years now, and it's my favorite place on earth. My life is acting, I've dreamed of being on Broadway since I was 8. I just got accepted into a program called ArtQuest, which is a special program dedicated to the arts. I obviously got accepted into the performing arts area but there are many more areas one could be in. It looks wonderful on your resume and it's kind of amazing! I'm going to be a freshman in 3 weeks, attending Santa Rosa High School. I love to read, and write. I try to do my best in everything that comes my way, and I enjoy every moment in life. I'm slightly bossy (just ask my brother) but I love kids, so any babysitting is a treat. I hope to one day go to UCSF and perform in the Orpheum. Kennan is my aunty, and my dad is her brother. I love all of my aunts and uncles, and I adore my many cousins.

where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Well, frankly I see myself almost graduating college at UCSF, living in an apartment, going to play practice and visiting my parents and brother here in Santa Rosa. I see myself happy and content, and in the midst of learning who I am and what this world is all about.

what is one thing you wish everyone knew about you?

My hair is high-lighted blonde, so the inconsiderate youth of my age seems to think that just because I'm blonde i'm stupid as well. Well I'm not, I happen to be taking honors English next year for high school!

But seriously, I wish that there were no stupid stereo types that placed me into certain category. I'm blonde and smart, but there's not a category for that. So, I wish that people could know from the get-go that I'm not some dumb blonde.

if you had to come back as someone else, who would you be?

Well, I would be a couple people. Mostly I would want to be a Gypsy. I have wanted to be a Gypsy forever, seriously. Gypsies are tan, gorgeous and they can dance. My name would be Consuelo and I would live in Eastern Europe.

If I couldn't be a Gypsy I would be British. Most of my ancestors are British and I feel like I'm supposed to be there, in Europe. But, I would want to live in the 1800's so, I guess that wouldn't really work now would it?

what inspires you?

I had to answer this for my ArtQuest application. One thing (well person, really) that inspires me is my mom. She is the most amazing woman on the planet. I'm fairly sure that if I didn't have her to talk to my world would fall apart. She inspires me to be who I want to be, and make my own decisions. She inspires me to go out and try new things, to face the wide world with confidence.

Another thing that inspires me is reading. I read to much. But when I read, it gives me hope that somewhere out there, someone knew what they were talking about! With books, they don't have opinions or disagreements, they state plainly what they mean on the page of the book, and fill your world with sheer joy with the vivid pictures they paint in your mind

.

Mostly though, my family inspires me. I love them and look to them for help

what is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?

Oh man... this is a good one. Well, in fourth grade I happened to be the most popular girl in school ;) and all of the boys had a crush on me. I had just bought a brand new long skirt, that was purple and had lace on it. It was sort of loose and stretchy, but I had to impress Michael Baker (one of my many boyfriends) so I wore it to school. There was a game called chicken where you had to swing off of a bar, while holding on to these silver rings, and touch feet with the person on the other side.

I went to swing out my feet (keep in mind this is on the playground, and Michael Baker is RIGHT in front of me, playing with his friends) and my shoe got stuck in my skirt, pulling it completely down revealing my polka-dot underpants. Everyone began laughing, and Michael Baker looked at me and said "What's with the Polka-Dots?". So I swore I would never wear that skirt again and ran into the bathroom with my friends, my face bright as a cherry.

I tell my friends about that now and they burst out laughing, because knowing me, that's totally something they could see happening.

miry jane... thanks for playing. you truly are one of a kind and i CANNOT wait to see you accomplish your dreams.

miranda is too young for a blog but add her as a friend on facebook and you won't be disappointed.

* a FULL week of 5 questions is coming your way..... hopefully. keep your fingers crossed.

meet Amanda McCleskey

this is amanda.

and she has a story, and for me it hits close to home. i like amanda.

My name is Amanda. I'm going to be 30 this November. I am married to Matt and we live in sunny Florida. We have been married a little over 3 years, and we met on eHarmony!! We have a sweet little pup named Falcor, who doesn't ever get enough attention. We also have two sons, Rowan & Levi, but they live in Heaven with Jesus. We are learning how to live here, and be complete, without them.

what is your favorite thing about yourself?

I love my laugh. It is too loud, and very much ‘from my gut.’ Anyone who reads this, and knows me, will know that is true. In high school I was nicknamed (among other things) ‘laughs like a man.’ I think because it sort of had my name in it, but mostly because I have this big, ridiculous laugh. I also tend to snort when something is really funny. Reading this back…it just seems kind of sad. :0)

what has been your biggest heartbreak?

I have lost two children in the past 11 months, so I have two biggest heartbreaks. My son Rowan passed into Jesus' care on August 17, 2009. I was 13 weeks and 2 days pregnant. At the time I thought it was the saddest day of my life, and I was sure it would never get better. Then, in March of 2010, I found out I was pregnant again. This time would be different, this time we had proper care... However, I have an incompetent cervix, and on June 15, 2010, I was to have a cerclage to help keep the baby where he should be until closer to my due date. But instead, at 17 weeks pregnant, my water broke. I was on bed rest for two weeks and Levi Matthew was born on June 28, 2010, at 19 weeks. He passed away on June 29th. This was the saddest day of my life thus far. Levi reached out and grabbed my hand, took in a few tiny gulps of air and then left me for Heaven. Heartbreaking doesn't even begin to describe it.

what is the one thing you wish everyone knew about you?

I wish that everyone knew that my children were in Heaven. It would make meeting new people easier, there wouldn't be that awkward silence when they ask if we have kids... It's so terrible having to ruin someone's day because they ask me about our kids, or the necklace I wear with their names on it. I am not in the business of making others comfortable, and pretending that I'm 'doing okay.' Most days I don't even know what that feels like, but I am also not in the business of ruining days, or making women cry because they feel so sorry for me. So yeah, what I wish is that everyone just knew my story.

what would you change about yourself?

I had to think really hard about this...I really like myself. Of course there are physical things that I sometimes wish were different, but really for me I think I'd like to change my worrying habits. I can turn the tiniest bit of nothing into a mountain. I read a quote the other day that said something like, 'making molehills out of mountains.' I'd like to be more like that... I guess it is deeper than worrying, and really my faith that needs the attention. I believe in Jesus, and all that He says, but after the deaths of my babies it has been hard to reign in my worries and keep myself grounded.

what is your guilty pleasure?

I had to think about this for some time. I think I have a lot of guilty pleasures. But, I think the top spot would go to thrifting. I mean, digging around in dirty/dusty antique malls, thrift shops, garage sales. I love to get a really good deal on something amazing. I love the thrill of the hunt for a great antique piece of furniture or china set. Our house is nearly 100 years old, and I grew up in a house just as old. I truly admire and adore antique/vintage items, and I just love to get them for a great price. My girlfriends and I compete with each other when it comes to getting a deal, and at Christmas we love to brag about who got the most items for the least amount. I think it's why my husband never says anything about me spending too much when I shop...because I don't. :0)

amanda... my favorite thing about you? that you love yourself. that is, in my opinion, your greatest gift. keep calm and carry on.

amanda is amazing and so is her blog.

http://thisgirl-amanda.blogspot.com/

* listen... things have been a little crazy around these parts. i am too tired to update frequently. don't you judge me.

meet R.A. Williams

this is R.A.

she has a real name but prefers to keep that to herself. which i totally get because bloggers can be so creppy, myself included :) !

R.A. Says: I’m a Michigan girl, born and raised, a late 20-something new mom who happened to meet my husband T while in school at Michigan State working at the Turfgrass Library. We used to joke about getting married and having babies before we even started dating and look what happened next - jokes lead to reality. T and I got married October 21, 2007 and welcomed our daughter in January of this year. Our little Bird is 6 months old and teaching us the ins and outs of this parenting thing, and she is a taskmaster.

T says: She knows what she wants and she doesn’t put up with any guff, she has a sensational smile, a great big heart, beautiful bright eyes, a mild obsession with babies (even though we have our own), she’s mortally afraid of spiders, captivated by simple fashion, has resisted getting a DSLR camera (so far), is a dedicated mama and a supportive wife.

if you had one "Do-Over", what would it be?

I wouldn’t have been so “in love” with silly boys in high school. I would have spent more time with my girl friends and just had fun and not worried about dating or any of the drama that came with it...and boy was there a lot of drama with me!

what is your favorite thing about yourself?

If I want something bad enough, I go after it with all my heart, nothing deters me. It was true for me with my education, with my husband, even with us getting out of debt. I love when I’m on fire for something.

what is the most dangerous thing you have done?

I moved across the country after college graduation, from Michigan to Los Angeles, CA, with no job, no friends in my new location, very little money and lots of ambition. I rented a room in a house, in a not so desirable neighborhood, sight unseen (Craigslist doesn’t count) and on my first night there encountered someone we nicknamed “No Pants” (I’m sure you can guess why!) Within 3 months I had a job in advertising, a few friends, and many great stories to tell the folks back home.

what is the one thing you wish everyone knew about you?

Even though we don’t talk every day like we used to and we’re all spread out over the country, I miss my close girlfriends from back in the day, every single day. Every. Single. Day. With a passion. I miss our antics, I miss just hanging out and being silly. I know we’ve all grown up and such and can’t get those times back but I really hold those memories dear to me. The great thing is that when we get together, it is just like old times.

if you could pick your death, what would you chose?

One of my biggest fears is to die in a catastrophic, painful manner. I would love to die “Notebook” style, asleep with my husband when we are old, minus the Alzheimer's.

R.A. .... you have a beautiful family and i think i want bird for my own. thanks for playing.

to find and follow R.A.'s beautiful blog go here

http://thewilliamsroost.blogspot.com/

happy weekend.