Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 57].

1. What TV commercial do you think is the most annoying?
Nothing really comes to mind. However, if there's one I don't like that gets played incessantly, that is annoying.

2. What is the weirdest gift you have ever received?
My cousin gave me a hanging light fixture meant for a dorm room... but only gave me the shade part, not the actual fixture where the bulb goes. I think she just regifted and forgot the other part... I dunno, it was weird.

3. What is a song you thought you knew the words and then later found out you were wrong?
Most recently, a few words from Michael Buble's That's All and Drake's Proud of You.

4. What are you most looking forward to this month?
Catching up with friends. While I've seen Danielle, Natalie, and Melissa a lot this month for wedding-related things, I haven't seen Katie, Ash, Cort or my cousin Lynds in a while.

5. What is your favorite kitchen appliance? Explain.
We don't have a lot of kitchen appliances, but I'll always love our KitchenAid stand mixer. I mean, I love baking, so I spend a lot of quality time with it. I can't wait to get one of my own.

6. If you could have a gift card to anywhere right now, where would you choose? Why?
Sephora. I want pretty new nail polish and beauty stuff!

7. What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Black olives. Mushrooms. Extra cheese. Penne vodka. (Not all together, though.)

8. Name something you’re thankful for aside from obvious answers (i.e. family, job, faith, etc.).
I am thankful for hot running water so I can take relaxing baths and showers.

9. What was your least favorite rule growing up?
Having to go to bed at a certain time. I mean, I understand why, but I always stayed up and read by my nightlight or hung out with my brother.

10. If you could train your pet to do one thing, what would it be? Example, “Weego” from the Bud Light commercial:
Basically the same thing, except instead of beer, it would be snacks/drinks when I was too lazy to get up.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 56].

1. What was the last gift someone gave you for no reason at all?
No idea. I don't usually get things out of the blue (which is one of my pet peeves about my otherwise wonderful boyfriend, actually). Everything I've received recently has been for a holiday or birthday.

2. What is the last gift you gave someone for no reason at all?
Probably a care package of some sort sent to one of my friends or Lyndsay.

3. What is your favorite thing you like to do alone?
Shop or read.

4. What is your favorite thing to with a group of friends?
Getting together at someone's house to talk or for a party.

5. What is on your agenda for tomorrow?
Nothing. The last two weeks were busy, Natalie's wedding is on Saturday, and I start my full-time job next week, so I'm relaxing and soaking in all the laziness I can.

6. What would you do tomorrow if you didn’t have any responsibilities?
Well, considering that's what's happening, I'll tell you what I'm doing: scrapbooking, catching up on TV shows, and reading.

7. What is something you miss from your childhood?
Freedom of responsibilities. The ability to play outside all day long and not get bored. School being fun!

8. What is something you don’t miss at all from your childhood?
Sometimes not being able to make your own choices. Recently, Lynds and I went out for McDonald's at 10pm, just 'cause we wanted to, and discussed how it was one of those things we yearned to be able to do as kids.

9. What is your favorite word?
I don't know, actually. I never keep track of what words I love or hate.

10. What is your least favorite word?
See above.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 55].

1. How do you feel about April Fool’s Day?
Apathetic. I always want to have a great prank lined up, but can never think of anything. But, I do find internet "pranks" amusing, like when Google and other websites come up with something silly or bloggers fake-out their readers.

2. Do you like birds?
They're okay.

3. How often do you wear your hair in a ponytail?
Not that often. Most of the time it's down, and if I put it up, I do a messy bun instead of a ponytail.

4. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Well personally, I've never had it happen and don't think I could love someone at first sight, but I wouldn't exclude it as a possibility for other people.

5. What is your favorite appetizer?
Specifically, green bean fries at Friday's. In general, nachos or loaded fries... anything smothered in cheese.

6. What is your favorite brand of heels?
I don't really buy brand-specific clothes or accessories.

7. Are you a picky eater?
Somewhat. Like, to outsiders or even my friends, I wouldn't be classified as picky. But according to my family, I am.

8. Is there a TV show you like that nobody ever talks about?
I love Up All Night (though I have a ton of catching up to do) and I feel like nobody ever mentioned that. I also LOVED Free Agents, which was on after Up All Night, but it got cancelled pretty swiftly.

9. Do you prefer hot tea or cold tea?
Hot.

10. Gayle or Peeta? (If you don’t know how to answer, read The Hunger Games.)
Team Peeta, 100%.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 54].

1. Should we keep doing Ten on Tuesday?
Yes! Though I realize it gets difficult to come up with brand new questions every week. I'd submit some, except I'm the worst question-asker ever. Seriously.

2. How do you pick out your sunglasses?
By how cute they are. My priorities are definitely straight.

3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
Sure do. My dad's side of the family is Irish and it's also my brother's birthday, so we have corned beef and cabbage for dinner, wear green, and drink a lot. This year I went to a party with Erik, which was also fun.

4. Name 5 movies that you will never get sick of.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Grease. Dirty Dancing. Anchorman. Most animated Disney Films.

5. Name 1 book that you will never get sick of.
I've actually never read a book twice. I'm sure I could re-read most books and be fine with it, as long as I didn't hate it.

6. Do you know any sign language?
Minimal amounts. I learned the alphabet in Girl Scouts and a few inappropriate gestures from a friend who teaches to deaf kids. (Like bullshit, which is hilariously literal.)

7. What is your favorite kind of Girl Scout cookie?
Samoas. They're the best ever, even better than Thin Mints. Yeah, I went there.

8. Are you handy? (Can you fix or build anything?)
Yes, actually. I can't build anything (well I haven't really tried), but I do a lot of home improvement stuff with/for my parents.

9. In what form do you prefer your potatoes? (Baked, mashed, au gratin, hashbrowns, twice baked, etc.)
Every way. I love potatoes so much. Mashed and au gratin are closer to the top, though.

10. Do you believe the saying “actions speak louder than words”?
Yes and no. I think it depends on the person and whether or not they have strong communication skills. I say a lot more with my words than I feel I can get across with my actions. Using my relationship with Erik as an example, yes, I can be kind and caring and my actions do hold a lot of weight. But I feel I better express my emotions to him via writing. However, he is a man of few (emotional) words, but I can gauge how much he cares on me based on the things he does. So I guess what I'm saying is, I believe the saying, but not for every single person/situation.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 53].

1. What are your designated chores in your home?
Being that I still live at home, I am fortunate to only have a limited number of chores. For the most part, the things I'm responsible for are things that my mom doesn't want to do anymore. This means sweeping and mopping the kitchen and hallway floors, cleaning the shower and bathtub, polishing the kitchen cabinets, and cleaning the microwave. Everything else varies - sometimes my mom does it, sometimes she delegates to me.

2. What is your least favorite chore to do around the house?
Dusting. I'm a cleaning perfectionist, so I never do a "quick" dusting unless it's necessary. This means taking down every single thing off my shelves - dusting each of those things if needed - then dusting the shelf and putting everything back. It's a pain.

3. What was your designated chore growing up?
I never had one. Honestly, I didn't do any chores on a regular basis. Once I was old enough, my mom would ask me to dust or vacuum, but only in preparation of guests. Otherwise, she handled it. I never had to take out the garbage or do the dishes, nor was I ever really forced to make my bed (though I did anyway because I was a neat freak).

4. Did you get paid to do chores or was your allowance connected to you completing your chores?
My allowance had nothing to do with chores, as far as I remember. I was always a generally helpful kid - I thought yard work and cleaning were fun, so if my mom asked me to do something, I did it.

5. If you had a bit of extra money, would you hire a cleaning person or would you save the money for something else?
I don't think I would ever hire a cleaning person unless I was working a super stressful full-time job and the housework, for whatever reason, wasn't getting done. Cleaning is enjoyable to me (pick your jaws up off the floor), so I don't think I would ever find it that annoying or tiresome.

6. What chores will you make your kids do around the house?
I will probably be a control freak and not let them do anything. What if they don't get it fully clean? Yeah, I'm that girl.

7. How frequently do you do laundry? Wash your sheets? Dust?
My laundry gets done when one of the following occurs: I run out of underwear I like, the hamper is full, or there's one or more items of clothing in the hamper I want to wear in the upcoming days. That's usually every other week. I think I wash my sheets once a month or so, though I don't really have a schedule. I definitely don't dust as often as I should for somebody who has white furniture in her room, but let's say every six weeks. Basically, it's whenever I get fed up with the layer of dust I keep encountering.

8. Do you have a designated “chore day” during the week?
Nope. But that's because I live at home and I don't have much of a schedule in general.

9. What is your favorite chore–if such a thing exists?
I love what everyone else (typically) hates: cleaning the toilet and doing the dishes. Washing the bathroom sink skeeves me out more than cleaning the toilet, if you'll believe that. But like I said earlier, I enjoy cleaning and chores. Generally my favorite chores of all are when things are super dirty and you can see a really vast improvement as your cleaning. It makes me feel accomplished.

10. Do you do anything to help pass the time while doing chores (music, TV, etc.)?
Music, always.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 52].

1. What did you do this weekend?
I spent Friday night at Erik's place, snuggling and watching TV. On Saturday, Ash and Cort came over and we caught up on each others' lives. Sunday was Melissa's Oscars viewing party - Erik came over in the afternoon and we goofed around while I got ready and then we had a nice little road trip to Melissa's house.

2. Do you prefer short fingernails or long fingernails?
Somewhere in between. If I cut them too short, I'm tempted to bite them (though I always resist). When they're too long, they get annoying to deal with.

3. What is your favorite use for Pinterest?
Finding new recipes, finding craft projects, and bookmarking wedding ideas for my far-off-in-the-future wedding.

4. Do you sleep with your mouth open?
I think so.

5. Where did you have the best pizza you’ve ever eaten?
Several places in Bayonne, NJ - my parents' hometown and where my grandparents, aunt, and cousins still live. It's so good compared to local places. I'm not really picky about pizza in the first place, though.

6. What do you eat for breakfast on weekdays?
Usually cereal. Sometimes my mom will pick up a bagel for me on the days she goes grocery shopping. Occasionally, if I'm feeling super healthy and not lazy, I'll have scrambled eggs with cheese and some toast.

7. Do you watch awards shows? Why or why not?
Most of the time. I find them interesting and fun, and it's exciting when I have favorites I want to win.

8. Can you whistle? Snap? Curl your tongue? Bend down and touch your palms to the ground?
Yes to all of these.

9. What email service do you use?
Gmail.

10. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
In general, I like sitting outside and reading. As for something active, I love to go for bike rides.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 51].

 {♥}

1. How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?
I adore it, and that's coming from someone who was single for 21 years. There was never any bitterness - I made it about my friendships and a little about myself (meaning, I bought a box of chocolates for myself on occasion). I'll be honest though, it is a tiny bit better when you're celebrating a relationship instead.

2. Are you in love?
Absolutely. It's the first time I've been in super-ooey-gooey-mushy love; I try not to show it too much because I know it grosses some people out.

3. What is your favorite love song?
Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel, which is actually one of my favorite songs in general.

4. Did your parents do anything for you on Valentine’s Day when you were a child?
Yes! My brother and I each got a few different kinds of Valentine's candy every year. Actually, we got candy for most holidays... which is likely why I love it so much.

5. What is your love language? (Click here if you want to take the quiz.)
Surprisingly, physical touch was my primary love language. I expected receiving gifts, which was only one point behind the first one, or words of affirmation. Why? Because those are the two things I crave most out of my relationships. Not in a greedy way, of course. But I think because those are the ways I express love, those are the ways I want to receive love.

An interesting thing I noticed is that these are all the things I feel I lacked from my relationship with my parents. The one I scored lowest on, with one point - acts of service - is the one major thing I always got from my parents. They showed their love through making sacrifices for me; sadly, as evinced by the results, that really doesn't cut it for me, so I never appreciate it as much as I should.

6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Gifts? Dinner?
I talked about this yesterday, but my 'tradition' with Erik is to cook and eat dinner together. We also exchange gifts.

7. What is your favorite flower?
There isn't one in particular I love above all others. A few of my favorites are roses, lilies, tulips, and daisies.

8. What is your favorite love story? (Book and/or movie.)
Pride and Prejudice! And Forrest Gump.

9. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you? Or you have done for someone?
In junior year of college, a kid I knew from my accounting classes left a single rose anonymously for every girl in our townhouse complex. Apparently he did the same thing the prior year for all the girls in his dorm. It wasn't something done specifically just for me, but it was adorably sweet.

As for real romance, not a lot of things come to mind because I'm thinking of stereotypical romantic gestures - candlelit dinners, fancy restaurant dates, unexpected gifts, something handmade/written from the heart - and I haven't really experienced those things. Last year, for the first time, I had flowers delivered to my house from Erik, so that was pretty romantic.

10. How did you meet your spouse/significant other?
I met Erik years ago, back in the fall of 2007, and at that point he was still just Natalie's brother to me. He came to visit when Natalie, Danielle, Melissa and I lived in a townhouse together, and I was in the shower when he arrived. Since Nat's room was right next to the shower, we were introduced as I soon as I stepped out... wearing only my towel. He claims he doesn't remember it at all. The funny part is that, after the visit, he told Nat that she had hot roommates, referencing me in particular. Foreshadowinggg!

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 50].

1. How do you feel about Groundhog’s Day?
Indifferent.

2. What color are your fingernails right now? (Bonus points if you include a picture.)
SO glad you asked, because I just painted them while watching the Super Bowl. They're hot pink (more like Barbie pink) with pink-and-silver glitter. At first they were a bit much, but now that I'm used to them, I love it.

3. Do you like riddles?
Yup! Especially brain twister-type riddles, like the ones that really make you think.

4. When you were 10, how old did you think “old” was? At your current age, how old do you think “old” is?

I always remember listening to the news, hearing "an 18-year-old man" or "a 19-year-old woman" in reports and thinking how old it sounded. Now, I would say... 70 seems "old" to me.

5. Do you wish on stars?
No. I'm sure if I saw a shooting star I would, but I don't generally look out the window and wish on random stars.

6. Do you recycle?
I try to, especially at home. But I'm guilty of being lazier in public, especially if I can't locate a recycle bin.

7. On a scale from 1-10, how good of a cook are you?
Uh, 6? I don't cook that often, so I don't have a lot to base that on. Usually I'm just okay, other times I fail epically. I'm a much better baker.

8. Do you color your hair? Professionally or at home?
Nope. The only time I colored my hair is when I did at-home highlights in junior year of high school. It wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't do it again.

9. One a scale from 1-10, how do you rate your manners?
I'd give myself a 8. I don't think I'm perfect, but I'm pretty polite. My only downfall is that I'm not the greatest at conversation.

10. Who are the last 5 people you have texted?
Erik, Clancy, Natalie, Lyndsay and Tom. But that's because those are some of the only people I text, plus Ashley.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 49].

 

{♥} 

1. What’s your variety of apple?
I'm allergic to apples. It's sad, I know. My allergy developed in my teens so I ate apples when I was young, but my mom only ever got us red delicious apples. They were pretty yummy.

2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
I've never tried long-english cucumbers, I don't think. Field cucumbers all the way, and I think they're delish.

3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting?
Delicious!

4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that?
Beets, yuck. I'm not a fan of their taste or consistency... no thanks.

5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.)
We don't really cook fresh veggies. My mom either uses frozen or from a can, so we just heat them up in the microwave or on the stove.

6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it?
I've never tried it, actually. Nobody in my family makes or buys it for holidays. Whenever I hear it mentioned I feel like I wouldn't like it, but who knows.

7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?
Shoelace, for sure.

8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling?
Apple, mainly because it's all I've ever had. Our family isn't a pie kind of family, and when we do get one, it's not fruit except for apple. I really like blueberries so I feel like I'd probably be a fan of blueberry pie.

9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?
We never had to eat them all, but I vaguely remember an "eat two more forkfuls of veggies and then you can be excused" method. I like that because there's no pressure to completely finish them; I'll probably use that with my kids.

10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself?
For whatever reason, I'm not a fan of veggie and fruit juices. I think it's because I'm bad at drinking large quantities of liquid and juices are heavier than usual, so I'm full after a few sips.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 48].

1. What is your favorite online-only store?
Amazon.com.

2. Do you enjoy wrapping gifts?
Absolutely. I love making gifts look super pretty on the outside. Presentation is everything!

3. What is the temperature in your city today?
Well, I write my posts the night before. Right now - at 5:30 on Monday night - it's 49 degrees. It should be around 39 degrees tomorrow morning.

4. What time do you eat dinner?
My family eats dinner around 5:30pm on weeknights and closer to 5pm on weekends. When I'm on my own for dinner, however, I'll eat anytime between 5 and 7, whenever I get hungry.

5. Will you be making New Years Resolutions?
Not exactly. I'll be participating in 12 Changes, which is about setting one goal per month to develop new, healthy habits. But I won't really be setting resolutions at the beginning of the year to follow throughout.

6. How old is your oldest pair of shoes that you still wear?
Quite a few of my dressy shoes are pretty old - a fair number were purchased in high school (2001-2005). I don't wear them regularly, just for holidays or occasions on which I need to dress up.

7. Do you have any restaurant phone numbers saved in your phone?
Nah, I don't order frequently enough to save them in my phone.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite letter to write in cursive?

Favorite: capital L
Least favorite: lower-case Z

9. Do you know any good riddles?
I know a few but here's one that's off the top of my head (that you've probably heard before).
A man rides into town on Friday. He stays for three days, then rides back home on Friday. How is this possible?
{Highlight here with your mouse for the answer: Friday is the name of his horse. Get it? He's riding on Friday both times, because it's his horse! Clever, right?)}

10. How do you feel about snow?
It's a love/hate relationship. Usually if it's before Christmas, or the first two or three major snowfalls, I'm a big fan. Anytime after that and it's just a pain. Plus, I have a winter birthday and I hate worrying if snow is going to ruin my plans.


These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 47].

1. How do you eat your eggs?
Scrambled with cheese. Sometimes sunny side up, sometimes hard boiled and made into egg salad. But usually scrambled.

2. Do you volunteer?
Not anymore. I worked at a cat shelter for five or six years, but I stopped going once my health issues came up. Still, I get e-mails from them and participate in random fundraisers here and there - for example, I just made cupcakes for a bake sale they had over the weekend. My brother still volunteers once a week so occasionally I stop by to visit.

3. What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
I don't really have one. I wear one pair of jeans constantly and I forget where they came from.

4. What was your child’s first word? Or what was your first word?
I can't remember what my first word was. My brother's was 'car.'

5. Can you french braid?
No, and it makes me really sad.

6. Do you prefer wide rule, college rule, or blank paper?
College rule, though blank paper is nice too.

7. Is there a specific treat do you always make during the holidays?
I've taken up the habit of finding things to cover in chocolate. In college I dipped Chips Ahoy and Vienna Fingers in chocolate to give as gifts and last year, I branched out into Oreos and pretzels. When I was younger I always made those cookies with the press - it made trees and wreaths and stuff.

8. Do you have a KitchenAid mixer? Do you want one?
It's not technically mine, but yes, we have one in the house. I would love one for myself when I finally move out... in fact, I probably wouldn't survive without it, considering I bake so much.

9. What kind of computer do you use?
A (pink!) Dell XPS laptop. I like it alright, but I'm lusting after a Macbook now that Erik has one.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original cartoon). It's not truly Christmas until I see that.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

{Have you signed up to receive a Christmas card from me yet? If not, go here and do it!}

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 46].

 

{♥}

1. What are 3 things that are on your Christmas wishlist?
A pair of pink sparkle TOMS, Just Dance 3, and pretty nail polish from Essie and OPI.

2. What’s your favorite Christmas song?
TOUGH QUESTION. I think it has to be Marshmallow World by Darlene Love. Or All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey. Or a variety of others, from which I can't really choose a favorite.

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?
Well, I picked two songs that don't have too many versions (although I do love Michael's Buble's rendition of Mariah's song). I like them by the artists I listed.

4. Have you heard about the website goodreads?
Yes! I'm on there (click here to find me) and I love having access to my friends' reviews of books.

5. What are 3 books you want to read?
Bossypants (which I just started the other day) by Tina Fey, Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? by Mindy Kaling, and The Happiness Project, which I own but have yet to start.

6. Do you hunt deer?
Nope.

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?
Yes, and I am nearly done. I need one more gift for Erik and a potential gift for my dad. Otherwise, I'm making the rest of the gifts I have left.

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?
Yup. I got a pretty decent deal on a video game for Erik that was about half price. I also snagged a hoodie from Hollister for only $15! (They're usually like, $40.)

9. What’s one holiday tradition your family has?
We really don't have many, actually. There's always two parties - one on Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family and one Christmas Day with my dad's side. Oh! And on Christmas Eve, Santa rides around town on a firetruck, so we go out and my dad rings the jingle bells we have and we wave. I've done this every year and I don't even care how ridiculous I must look at age 24, with no little kids in sight, standing outside and waving at Santa.

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?
A lot. I have 99 subscriptions in Google Reader, about 20 of which are food/inspiration/wedding/humor blogs and the rest are personal. I'll add one every once in a while - usually someone I start following on Twitter for some kind of group thing (like VEDA or #summerofharry). If I notice I haven't been reading a blog or two, I'll go delete those and then scan my list for any others I'm iffy about.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

{Have you signed up to receive a Christmas card from me yet? If not, go here and do it!}

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 45].

1. Do you wear glasses, contacts, or are you one of those perfect eyed people?
Perfect-eyed. Strangely, I always wanted glasses... but I haven't needed them thus far in life.

2. What is the next item you are going to purchase?
A gift for Erik. Or a drink from Starbucks, whichever I happen upon first.

3. Have you ever watched Judge Judy or any other real court show?
Yes, but only occasionally. My ex's sister's best friend was on there once. It was weird.

4. How do you feel about fake nails?
I used to wear press-on nails because I bit mine and they couldn't do much with them at the salon, but they're awful and don't stay on. As for 'fake' nails from a salon, I like how they look but I don't like that they're not natural.

5. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Football. A close second - which is a recent addition - is hockey.


6. If you could create your own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, what would it be and what would it be named?
Something with vanilla bean ice cream, fruit, and cookie or cake pieces. I don't know what it'd be called, I'm not very creative like that.

7. Do you have any scars?
Only a few small ones that are insignificant. I have one on the inside of my knee from nicking myself with roller blades, and one on the front of my knee from when my brother pushed me into a metal cart.

8. Does your pet’s name fit them? Is there a more appropriate name?
I don't have any pets. We had a cat while I was growing up and I had a hamster for a few years and I feel that their names were appropriate (Nigel for our black cat; Lily for my hamster).

9. What is your favorite television show theme song?
The Nanny.

10. What was your favorite activity on the playground?
Jump rope. I used to know a bunch of rhymes but now I can't remember any.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 44].

{A Thanksgiving greeting from the white board on our fridge; my dad added the subtitle.}

1. What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?
We're having a two-part party with my dad's side of the family. Thursday will be my family, Lyndsay's family, and potentially my cousin who's been in California for the Navy and his mother and sister (we're betting their attendance is dependent on him showing up). Friday will be mine and Lyndsay's families again, plus my cousin and his girlfriend who are coming up from Maryland.

2. What are you most thankful for this year?
My amazing relationship and my wonderful boyfriend. Mushy mush mush, I know, but it's true!

3. Do you have any traditions on Thanksgiving? The parade? Football? Long naps?
I, personally, always watch the parade. This means waking up earlier than normal for me, so I usually curl up with coffee or tea. We also always have green bean casserole. Yum.

4. Is it called stuffing or dressing? Is it in the bird or a separate dish?
Stuffing. My mama used to make two - the Stove Top brand and homemade stuffing that was cooked in the bird - but this year I think she's just doing the homemade kind because it's not really popular in our family.

5. Do you cook?
Not really. I bake. I'm in charge of desserts for every holiday and party.

6. What is your favorite dish?
Green bean casserole.

7. What is your dessert preference?
Pumpkin pie all the way. Everything else pales in comparison.

8. What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?
My paternal grandparents (who passed away when I was young) always used to bring little chocolate turkeys for all the kids. Once they passed away, for a few years my aunt would go out of her way to get the same exact chocolates from the same shop. It was always really awesome to have a piece of candy along with all the other desserts.

9. Do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
Yes. This is actually the first year I'll be venturing out early because I'm on the hunt for a few specific gifts for Erik. Otherwise, I'll follow my normal routine of checking for online bargains and heading out to stores that have all-day sales (like Target).

10. What are you most dreading about Thanksgiving this year?
The possibility of drama if my cousin (the one moving home from California) makes it. There's no guarantee he'll be home in time or that drama will definitely happen, but there's potential for it.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 43].

1. What are your pantry staples?
Canned veggies, canned soup, ramen noodles, pasta and pasta sauces. Since I live at home, this is only a small selection of what my mom keeps stocked. I picked-and-chose the ones I think I would have as staples in my own pantry, but I probably left out something.

2. What are your refrigerator staples?
Most condiments (ketchup, honey mustard, ranch dressing, etc.). Romaine lettuce for making salad. Eggs, milk, butter, and American cheese.

3. You already look like Heidi Klum (or your favorite supermodel). Now, what are the top three non-physical things you would change about yourself?
First, I want to be less self-critical. Second, I want to care so much less about what other people think. Third, I want to live a healthier life.

4. What’s holding you back from your dream job? (If you already have your dream job, how did you get there?)
Health and anxiety issues, which are covering up some deep self-confidence issues.

5. You have $500 to spend but it has to be on one item only. Go.
iPhone with a data plan. Does that count? Too bad, I say it does.

6. What is something that you are embarrassed to admit you buy on a regular basis?
I'd have to say random snack items. No matter where I go, I find myself down the candy and/or snack aisle even though I'm supposed to be avoiding processed foods.

7. What’s in/on your bed every night?
Two sets of standard-size pillows (I have a full-sized bed; each set has one to sleep on and one decorative), four throw pillows, my stuffed dog Izzy, my Dumbo, and a comforter. I also stash a long-sleeved shirt, pajama pants, and knee socks next to me in case I get cold in the middle of the night.

8. What is a non-necessity item that, no matter how expensive it gets or how tight your budget is, you will always find room for it?
Starbucks beverages.

9. What is the weirdest sandwich you’ve ever made?
I don't think I've ever made a weird sandwich. I'm not courageous with my food choices. My brother is - he used to have odd combinations but I can't remember any right now.

10. Would you rather: Be banned from Pinterest forever, but gain a million captive Twitter followers; or, never get on Facebook again but gain five thousand blog readers?
Be banned from Pinterest. My addiction to Facebook is too strong, although five thousand blog readers was extremely hard to pass up.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 42].

1. What’s your favorite television show for each day of the week?
Monday would have to be Castle, although I'm a bit behind. Tuesday is Glee, obviously. Wednesday is Modern Family. I don't watch anything in particular on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Sunday is a tie between Once Upon a Time and Family Guy.

2. How many times do you wear your jeans before you wash them?
I don't really keep track. I only have one pair of jeans that I wear (I have others but they're either too loose or too tight), but I don't wear them daily. Probably about five or six times I guess, unless they get really dirty.

3. What is your favorite pasta shape?
I really love angel hair or traditional spaghetti. As for non-twirly pasta, I think rotini is my favorite.

4. Do you read newspapers?
Nope.

5. Do you sleep in socks?
Sometimes, but they have to be knee socks. My regular socks only come up to my ankles, so they fall off easily overnight.

6. Favorite genre of movies?
Romantic comedies.

7. How do you feel about wrestling?
I'm assuming this means 'professional' wrestling, like on TV? If so, I find that thoroughly amusing - my brother used to watch when he was a pre-teen, so I used to be really in-the-know about wrestlers. I'm mostly apathetic these days. As for wrestling as a legit sport, I'm also pretty apathetic.

8. Should men pluck their eyebrows?
Only if they're really, really bad. I'm not saying they have to groom them to perfection, but if there are certain spots that are out of control, tame it just a bit.

9. Do you have dimples?
Yes, and everyone loves them. My best friend Natalie calls them angel kisses. I like them now, but when I was younger they looked huge and weird (to me) on my skinny little-kid face.

10. Do you like to camp?
I can't accurately say yes or no since I've never been camping, but I don't think I'd like it. I'd be okay with a pseudo-camping situation, like in a cabin or a camper where there's a bathroom and a real bed. Even then, though, I would want to be close to 'civilization' - the idea of being far out in nature (meaning an hour's drive or further from a town/commercial area) would freak me out because isolation gives me anxiety.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 41].

1. What is your favorite month?
This is such a difficult question. I used to say May or June because it was when school was let out and summer began. Then I picked September once because I love autumn. Now that I actually think about it, it's a tie between July and December. July is smack-dab in the middle of summer and is generally pretty awesome. December is not only host to Christmas Day, but also all the anticipation and excitement leading up to Christmas and then to the new year.

2. What is the best candy to get while trick or treating?
The kinds you don't normally eat. I mean, I love me some Skittles and Kit-Kat bars, but the best candy was always the random stuff I either had never had or only rarely had.

3. What kind of pen do you use?
Bic Round Stic Grip, with a fine tip and almost always in black. They're the cheap ones you buy by the dozen. We have them all over the house.

4. You go to a new Italian restaurant, what is your go-to order?
Chicken Caesar salad, if I'm being honest. I can't eat a lot in one sitting, so I'm always hesitant to get a pasta dish because I know I'll fill up quickly. I also don't go to a lot of Italian restaurants (I usually just go to chain places) so I don't have a go-to specifically for that. But, if I was being ambitious, I'd say penne a la vodka or spaghetti with marinara.

5. If you could choose to have any celebrity’s hair, who’s would you choose?
I don't really know, actually. I don't pay attention to celebrities enough to have specific hair-envy choices.

6. What’s your favorite board game?
Life! It's the best.

7. Do you know how to play poker?
Nope. I keep meaning to learn but I never do.

8. What do you think about Old Navy commercials?
They make me want to hurt somebody. Their old commercials were fine. The mannequins were tolerable. The nonsensical songs about clothing? No bueno. And they keep getting worse!

9. What hurts worse- a stubbed toe or a paper cut?
Paper cut, because it lasts longer. For me, a stubbed toe hurts really badly right away, but eventually goes away unless you bump it. A paper cut stings pretty often until it heals, especially if you forget about it and come in contact with something that irritates it.

10. What’s your favorite kind of pie?
Pumpkin! Followed closely by Key Lime.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 40].

My homemade penne a la vodka.

1. Red Sauce or White Sauce?
Hm, hard choice. Let's go with white sauce.

2. Do you prefer pasta you can twirl or stab?
Twirl, definitely.

3. Baked or boiled?
Boiled. Baked isn't bad, but in my experience I've had a lot of dishes where baking it makes some of the pasta dry out and it's no bueno.

4. Do you like meat in your sauce or do you kick it vegetarian style?
No meat. I mean, I don't particularly mind if there is, but I prefer a smooth sauce with minimal chunky ingredients, of which meat is one.

5. Where have you had your very best pasta ever?
I can't really say. I've never had any that particularly stands out, but any place that serves a good penne a la vodka has a place in my heart.

6. What is your favorite pasta dish?
Penne a la vodka. I could eat it forever.

7. Do you serve meatballs when you make spaghetti or just do a meat sauce?
Meatballs, specifically turkey meatballs because I'm not the biggest fan of ground beef.

8. Why type (rice, whole wheat, egg, etc) of noodles do you use?
Just your regular white pasta most of the time. We have egg noodles with chicken soup and I sometimes order rice noodles when I get Chinese take-out, but I can't get myself to like whole wheat pasta because of its consistency.

9. What type of meats or vegetables do you put in your sauce?
I really prefer not having anything in my sauce. Mushrooms are usually the only thing I don't mind.

10. Do you make a “Sunday gravy” to use throughout the week or do you just open a jar of whatever and heat it up? (No judgment on this one!)
We open up a jar. In our defense, we are not at all Italian, and I feel that making sauce is an Italian-family-tradition type thing. I know full well I could learn how to make some and use it, but I've only ever used jarred sauce.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 39].

1. How do you take your coffee?
Light and sweet! Sometimes I can go a little less than that, but if it's too close to black, then yuck.

2. Do you prefer soft or crispy chocolate chip cookies?
Soft, always. I like most cookies soft, actually.

3. Do you wear a belt everyday?
Nope. I rarely wear regular belts (that keep pants up) - I only wear fashion belts on occasion.

4. What is your favorite color combination?
Hot pink and navy blue. (Those will likely be my wedding colors ... yes, I'm that girl who's already decided.)

5. Do you like sour candy?
Not super sour, like those sprays/liquids they have that are like, crazy-puckery-sour. But sour gummy worms and things of that nature, I love.

6. How often do you do laundry?
Whenever I run out of clean underwear. Sexy, right?

7. Did you ever wear braces?
Yes! From eighth grade (right in time for picture day) until the summer after sophomore year of high school. I also had headgear, but I only had to wear it at night. Still, it was embarrassing.

8. Are you good at Roman Numerals?
Sometimes. Once I get past a certain number... not so much.

9. What is your favorite form of social media?
Facebook, I think. I know a lot of people are annoyed by it or think it's a major time suck, but I'm someone who enjoys keeping up with what people are doing. I'm (usually) not at a stalker level, but seeing pictures and stuff like that is interesting to me.

10. How do you feel about chin dimples?
Not really a fan, actually. I thought I was apathetic, but now that I think about it... yeah, not a fan.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

Ten on Tuesday [Vol. 38].

1. What is your dream vacation?
Somewhere tropical, on a beach, where I can just completely relax.

2. What has been your favorite trip so far in your life?
I haven't been to many places, and actually, all of my shore weekends in New Jersey are my favorites. They are always relaxing and so much fun because I spend them with family.

3. If you and one of your best friends could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?
Disney World. All of my friends love Disney, so any of them would be more than happy to take the journey with me. Depending on who it was, we might also stop by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It would be fabulous.

4. Have you ever booked a trip using an online deal? How did it go?
No, because I don't really travel.

5. What’s your favorite thing to do while you’re on vacation?
Relax. And eat, though nowadays that's not as fun with my stomach troubles. I'm not one of those people who likes to do adventurous things on vacation -- I wouldn't be opposed to it necessarily, but it's not something I'm clamoring to do.

6. Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a trip that you regret?
Yes. Last year, my dance BFF Ash went to Disney World for her 25th birthday celebration and I didn't go. I was going through a lot and my anxiety was in a place where I wouldn't have had fun. I wish my circumstances had been different so I could've gone.

7. You travel far away from home and get stranded with no way to buy anything, what’s the one thing you can’t live without?
First of all, that's my worst nightmare. Second of all, I can't even think of a proper response because the idea of this happening freaks me out too much. I guess my iPod (and a charger, I don't care if that's cheating since it's two things) because music would calm me down. Of course, I don't know how that would help me, but at least I would be panicking less.

8. What’s one of your favorite traveling memories?
Playing Old Maid with my best friends from high school on our class trips to Philadelphia and the Poconos.

9. All included resort or backpacking? Why?
All included resort, hands down. See above about wanting to relax on my vacation.

10. Are you more of a lie on the beach kind of person on vacation, or do you prefer to see the sights?
Mostly a beach girl. Again, I'm not completely opposed to seeing sights, but I get bored easily so lounging is the preferable option.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.