Sunday, July 13, 2014

Clearing Things Up and Some Old Photos, Answer Me This!

I don't get to do this often, but with all of the extra time I have on my hands this week, I get to link up with Kendra at Catholic All Year for her weekly Answer Me This.

1. How did you get your name?

My dad and I talked about it not that long ago.  I had two separate stories from his younger days mashed up together.  To set the record straight with everyone to whom I had previously told the story, I was NOT named after my dad's fiance that died in a tragic drowning in her backyard.  While a girl he dated did die in such a manner, I was named after a girl he knew from even earlier in his life.  Two sisters who lived nearby were named Crissy and Susy.  My sister and I are named Christine and Susan, but were always called Crissy and Susy until adulthood, when we immediately went to our legal names.    

2. Do you have a set time for prayer in your day?

I don't, besides before meals.  It goes in spurts.  When the young kids are in a sleeping in cycle, I can have a time in the morning to pray and read the Bible.  Otherwise, I don't.  I will stop and say a short prayer many times throughout the day, be it a thank you, a please help, or a be with this person.  I will listen to Catholic talk radio stations or Christian music stations when I drive.  Every day, when people ask for prayers or I offer to pray for someone, I tuck it in my heart.  At some point each day, I ask God to remember all of those I placed in my heart.  He knows who they are, and He knows what they need more than I do.

3. Did your mom work or stay home (or both)?

Despite our parents' divorce when I was in 2nd grade, my mom stayed at home with us until I was in middle school.  She was a great, fun mom, and I appreciate the sacrifices my parents made for this to be possible.  My dad was a policeman on a very limited salary.  I know it wasn't easy to raise four kids (with two homes) on that salary.

My mom and me.  We're a lot alike.

4. Do you vote?

Usually.  Sometimes it just doesn't happen.  

5. What's your favorite drink?

I rarely drink anything besides milk and water.  If you are talking about alcoholic drinks, I enjoy a strawberry daiquiri.  Bryan and I honeymooned at a resort in Key West.  The bar on the beach had a fantastic strawberry daiquiri.  By 10:30 each day, we'd be looking at our watches, wondering when was too early to go down to get one.  Delicious.  

However, daiquiris aren't readily available anywhere.  I will also be happy with a mojito.  Or a Pimms.  (Hey England!)  Or just about anything someone offers me.

from our anniversary overnighter 2 years ago

6. How are your photography skills?

Not bad.

When the big kids were little, I got tired of dragging them to get their photos professionally taken.  I finally decided to bite the bullet and take some myself.  They turned out pretty well.  People started asking me to take photos of their kids, so I did.  Bryan being the attorney that he is, he made me officially open up a business.  So, I had a small photography business for about 5 years, taking senior, family, newborn, and holiday portraits for people.  Once I got pregnant with Cuckoo, I had to give it up.   The hours of a photographer just don't work for a stay-at-home mom with 6 kids, 4 of whom are getting to be active and school-aged. 

Now, I just take photos for fun.  I see good shots everywhere I go, but only get to take a small fraction of them.

Buttercup's First Communion.  I'd scan the first photos I took to show you, but I'm currently not allowed to walk.

From our recent anniversary trip to Europe without kids.  More artsy ones can be seen in the post.
That's it!  Six questions.

If you want to join in, head on over to Kendra's!

So, here is the awkward no-way-to-end this post sentence before I say...

Have a lovely day!

33 comments:

  1. I adore that photo of Buttercup...I know I've seen it before but I still think it is so beautiful :)

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    1. Thanks! I didn't want to use a photo I've posted before, but it would have been too much effort to get a different one.

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  2. Great way to get to know you better...your photos are always nice to look at.

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    1. I used to shy away from link-ups like this, thinking no one would want to read them. But then I thought, "Hey, I like reading posts like this when others write them, so maybe other people would like reading mine." I hope it's the case. :)

      Thank you!

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  3. That picture of your daughter is beautiful. Wow.

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  4. Now I may be stalking you. You have a lovely family and interesting story about your name. The daiquiri looks yummy. Looking forward to reading more.

    Val

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    1. Oh good. I feel better about stalking you now. :)

      Thank you!

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  5. I know I've said it before on one of your posts from a while ago but I'll say it again - that photo of Buttercup is just beautiful. And so's the window, but a different sort of beautiful :)

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    1. Aw, thanks! Using photos I've posted before wasn't my first choice, but I do love that photo of Buttercup.

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  6. You definitely made a good decision to repost photos. Buttercup is beautiful. Besides, even though you might gain another post or two in the process, walking around and slowing your recovery (or worse, injuring yourself) is not what any of your readers want for you. So, stay down and heal! (Spoken like a true puppy raiser with bad spelling skills!)

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    1. Ha! Or should I say woof! :)
      I am on my best recovery behavior. I need to get back to normal ASAP!

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  7. Your mom and dad were amazing. That made me smile.

    Buttercup is beautiful.

    Have a fabulous day. :)

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    1. They did a lot of things right, that is for sure.
      Thank you!

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  8. I found you on Kendra's link-up! Can I just say that I LOVE the title of your blog!
    And your photos ar super impressive!

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    1. Well, thanks for stopping by! I got lucky with the name. It was the first thing that popped into my head.
      Thank you!

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  9. Love your pictures! And frozen strawberry drinks! :)

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    1. Thanks!
      I just told my husband that for my birthday, I want him to learn how to make a strawberry daiquiri. It would be the best gift ever!

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  10. I will have to do this, since I am so good at keeping up with my blog.... just joking I am horrible! Since I can blame something I blame poor memory due to surgery brain! =p

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    1. Ha! I was just thinking you hadn't written in a while. Join in! It's fun and pretty easy.

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  11. At first glance I thought that picture of you and your mom was you and Buttercup!! :O

    And speaking from experience....it is never too early to have a delicious and yummy looking cocktail like that daiquiri when on holidays. ;)

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    1. We all do look quite a bit alike, but it's our personalities that are shockingly similar.
      I KNEW you'd be with me on that one!

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  12. WHat the.... I think I lost my comment!!!! ARGH!!!! will have to come back... Im at work! UGH!!!

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  13. genius! IT WAS GENIUS I TELL YA!!!!

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    1. Absolutely the best comment you ever wrote, wasn't it?

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  14. I have been waiting ALL DAY to get to this! Oy!

    Beautiful pic of Buttercup. I remember it. And YAY ENGLAND! (though I'd take a mojito over Pimms...)

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    1. I hope it was worth the wait. :)

      I would, too, but when in England, there's not always a lot of choice.

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  15. I loved reading all these fun facts! Isn't it great to be able to share our memories and stories with others? Beautiful....

    Take care :)

    xErin

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    1. It is fun. I get to relive all of these experiences, but not see the eye rolls of my children who have heard them 10 times already. :)

      Thank you!

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  16. "My mom and me. We're a lot alike."

    ya think?

    not just (photography ) skills, you have a very good eye for compostion.

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    1. Yeah, it's pretty obvious to everyone.

      Well, Mr. Farley, thank you for the (unexpected) plain-spoken compliment! :)

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  17. Hahah - cracked up at your reply to Clark up there ^ just now. Funny because it's true. :D
    The photos are gorgeous - repost away! I have to agree on what you said about photos - I see great shots everywhere, but don't often get to take them. I'm usually in the middle of something else!
    Thought of you this morning when I read through my spam comments, btw - one of them was selling the proper method of building a chicken coop!

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Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you're thinking!