Now to welcome our wonderful #AskAwayFriday hosts…
Tiffany from Mrs. Tee Love Life Laughter,
Christy from Uplifting Families,
Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings
and
Amber from Bold Fit Mom
This week, I exchanged questions with Christy from Sweet and Savoring. An early adapting vegetarian, she has learned to navigating the entire world through her travels and their foods. She shares her experiences through beautiful pictures… did I also mention she is a fantastic photographer? Finally, she pours her heart onto the page discussing her depression and anxiety. She doesn’t hold anything back to get closer to her readers. Welcome Christy!
1. I’m a huge book nerd and am usually reading at least two at once. What book has had the most influence on you and why? I used to be such an avid reader. From about 5 to 18, if I wasn’t playing a sport, I was reading a book. I would have to say Sweet Valley Twins (then High) and Babysitter’s Club had the biggest impact on me. They got me out of my place, the stories were my refuge, my ability to live in another place and time, without having permission to leave my home. I made a little money with Kristy and Claudia, became a popular gal with Jessica and Elizabeth, although Elizabeth was my very best friend! LOL!
2. May and June are my favorite months of the year. What’s yours? I love the fall and winter. I love when the cool crispy fall air moves in, the leaves start to change, people all of a sudden get into the “giving” spirit and family and friends make trips across the globe to be closer to each other. I love the holidays!
3. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but have never really tried to achieve? Have a singing career. As often as I write on this site that I love to sing, I’ve never pursued one even though I had plenty of opportunities to do so. I’ve met many people in the “industry”, and have had offers to sing background. But I was focused on completing my education, I didn’t want anything to get in the way.
4. Do you see any surprising character traits of yours or your husband’s in your children? Oh yeah… Even though I’m laid back and calm (most of the time), my daughter Bee basically says everything that I would want to say. Butterfly, though, already has my attitude. It’s very subtle, but since she’s little and mine, I notice it. Bunny is laid back… more like my husband, things don’t get to him until it reaches a tipping point, then it’s shut down and internalize.
5. You said in another #AAF that you love mostly any vegetables. What’s a favorite vegetable-based dish of yours? Oooh, there are so many… chili rellanos, stuffed peppers, most soups. I don’t cook them as much as I’d like to because they aren’t very popular with the family. My husband misses his meat and starch!
6. Do you have any family members that are as into fitness as you are? (Or have you inspired anyone to focus on a healthier lifestyle?) That’s somewhat of a two-fold question… or really two completely different questions. In my immediate family, I’m the “fat” one. They haven’t had any real weight problems. My mom at her highest weight was maybe a 12, but with her 5′ frame, was large, but that was also right after having her baby. One of my sisters is working to take her health seriously and we are starting to do various challenges together. Now to ask “anyone”, I inspire a bunch of people, I think. I am a Beachbody coach, and regularly get new customers and clients and I work with them to lose weight. Sadly, I have to admit that since having Butterfly, it’s fallen off, because just finding a few minutes to myself is challenging. I have clients who’ve lost tons of weight and sometimes I talk about them here!
7. You used to live in California, and now you’re in Florida! What’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed between the two? I talked about money a few posts ago, but today, I’m feeling Schools. Although the schools are probably equal or lesser than (in some areas) to those in California, they manage to give ALL of the students free breakfast, plenty of free after school programs, and free busing. In our old community, you would basically have to have a special need to get bused. Also, our school had a FULL TIME nurse, not one that rotated through the district, which means that you only wanted your kids to get sick when the nurse was there, otherwise they’d just call you to pick up your child. In California, you pay a LOT more in taxes and aren’t afforded even a quarter of the benefits. I really could go on and on about special needs programs and assistance where you need it most!
8. What are your guilty pleasure baby names? I’m not sure I really understand the question. I’m guessing though it means what names do I love that I wouldn’t care to admit. In short, I have none. It was HARD to name our children. I didn’t have any names in mind, especially not wanting children. Bunny’s and Bee’s real names are actually biblical names. After that, we were somewhat at a loss. It took a lot of talking between my husband and I to come up with my little Butterfly’s name. When we found out we were pregnant, we had absolutely nothing in mind.
9. Inspired by ‘Inside the Actor’s Studio': If heaven exists, what would you like to hear St. Peter say as you arrive at the pearly gates? I don’t have anything that I wish he’d say… I can tell you what I don’t want him to say… anything along the lines of you don’t belong here or you’re going over there!
10. This is a fun challenge: write a haiku about yourself (a poem where the first line is five syllables, the second is seven, and the third is five)!
I loved #1! I never graduated to Sweet Valley High but I read ALL of the Twins books. I have them all. Even a few years ago or so, I read them all over again. It was nuts.
I think I told you this once but you're the only person I know who likes winter! Oh, my mom does.
Yep, all the Twins and High. I had to sneak the High because my mother thought I was too young. By the time she found out, I was already a good way through the High School books! Yep, I think of it this way, you can always get warmer, but you can't get cooler. And on these hot 90 days, it's just yuck!
Sweet Valley High! Babysitter Club! Plus Nancy Drew for me..these books helped me draw on my imagination as well. I was always able to create the entire world within my mind's eye. I loved reading and I am so glad I still do. Great picks!
I love winter and fall too so I think November and December are my fave months…funny coming from an August baby
I did read some Nancy Drew, but I don't think my library had the whole collection, like the others. I read plenty of them too. I loved the mystery aspect! Hey, I'm an April baby and I'm not a big fan of Spring. Oh well! Of course, the definition of April doesn't describe me at all!
What a great swap! Oh my, I loved the Sweet Valley High, books! I was always so excited when a new on came out! LOL! I love to sing, but I am not sure that I could ever do it in public and alone, that I am just too shy for. Haha…both my hubby and my lil man would go crazy without their meat and taters! I love your Haiku! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, April!
Singing in public is not so bad… most people are too polite to boo, even so most people clap! LOL. Yes, I'm going to have the opportunity to try a program where I don't have to cook, so I don't fall into the fam's eating habits! I was trying to be creative with the Haiku. I hope I nailed it!
Loved your haiku! I was planning to make a post comparing life in Florida and now in Croatia – you reminded me of somethings I forgot!
I will end up doing a full comparison post between Florida and California, one day! Thanks!
I loved The Baby Sitters Club books too! I loved the name Claudia when I was growing up and I thought I would name my daughter Claudia. But I really don't like the name now that I'm an adult. I still have my Baby Sitter Club books, I'm hoping that my daughter might be interested in reading them when she gets older.
Wow! You still have them! I checked most out of the library, but I don't have much from my youth at all, especially not books. Those must be very special to you! I loved reading them and appreciated all of their capers and experiences! I wonder if my daughters will read them.
Haha, I love how many of us were into the BSC and Sweet Valley High! I would totally buy some BSC books if I found them at a thrift store. And isn't it so funny when you hear kids saying things that you just *know* came right out of your mouth (or their parents)? Kinda freaky!
I feel like my guilty pleasure names are sort of out-there ones like Luna, Cressida, and Ophelia. It's so much easier for me to think of girl's names than boy's!
Thanks for the fun swap this week, April Hope you're having a great weekend!
I would say that a lot more girls and kids were into reading those series than kids are now. Besides the super popular books that are now made into movies, my son is into one series ~ Geronimo Stilton. I wonder if it'll be a classic as he gets older. I have a cousin named Ophelia. I struggle at the thought of names. If I had another child, I have no idea what I'd name him or her. I don't have anything chambered.
Thanks for bringing Ask Away to Fabulous Friday Party! Since I a bit older than you guys! My daughter did read the Baby Sitters club and it was a big hit with her. This is a great opportunity for bloggers to get to know each other and getting more conversation going!
Hugs
Maria
If you'd ever like to participate and switch questions with me, let me know! I switch pretty much every week and I am open after next week!
I remember it took us a long time to come up with my youngest son's name too. I think we finally decided on his name around 35 weeks after several false labor runs. His name is biblical and I loved the meaning of both his name and middle from the beginning. I am glad we chose it because it fits him and his name isn't overly popular. http://upliftingfamilies.com/askawayfriday-asked-…
I love names like that! Although Emma is nice, I wouldn't want my daughter to be in a class with 5 other Emma's!