1. My heart has quite literally popped out of my chest and now walks around outside of my body on 3 sets of legs owned by none other than Isabelle Rose, Noah Riley, and Philip Ross.  These 3 little people are the keepers of my heart.  <3<3<3

2. I had a near perfect childhood raised by the best parents with the best siblings in the world.  My family is extremely close.  I love that we still do Sunday dinner at Mother’s every week!

3. The greatest gift my parents ever gave me was instilling in me the importance of family.

4. I remember when I was little thinking that my Mother was the most beautiful woman in the world.  I still feel that way today.

5. I lost my father on June 11, 2000, exactly one month after my boys were born.  Words cannot express how much he is missed by us all.  I’m so proud that Ross carries on his name.

6. My boys are awesome little baseball players!  One of my most favorite places to be is on the sidelines of their games.  J

7. My daughter is an animal lover and a bug-girl extraordinaire.  She loves all things fury and creepy-crawly.  I love that about her!

8. I’m extremely competitive in nature.  I’ve passed that trait onto my kiddos!

9. I LOVE college football!!!  Georgia is my #1 favorite team and Penn State #2.  I will also route for Wisconsin and Kansas…because of my besties!

10. I have coached cheerleading for about 16 years.  I spent about half of those years coaching with Renee.  One year we traveled to Disney World for a national competition ~ Renee had just given birth to Bryce, and I was 8 months pregnant with Belle.   

11. I went through both of my pregnancies with Renee.  The first time happened by chance.  The second time we planned it that way! 

12. I am deathly afraid of railroad tracks and heights.  That being said, I’ve bungee jumped before and want to jump out of an airplane. 

13. I did my first triathlon in October of last year.  I plan on doing 2 more this year!  I have my girlfriend Lisa to thank for that.  J

14. Almost every night I dream that I’m swimming, biking and/or running.  That is when I’m not flying through trees with vampires, of course…  (Thank you, Twilight series!)

15. I have never been out of the country.  I plan on traveling to Africa in September with my Mother and oldest sister.

16. I am a big supporter of Childhood Cancer Research.  I am also a bone marrow donor.

17. I am newly addicted to the Food Network.  Like *seriously* addicted.  I want to be the Barefoot Contessa when I grow up!

18. My first car was a TC3.  It was burnt orange in color and the fabric ceiling used to droop down onto my head.  If I tried to drive in reverse, the car would convulse and shake violently as if it were about to explode.  Once my gas pedal stuck while I was cruising down I-20.  Luckily my girlfriend Lisa was with me.  She had to crawl down onto the floorboard and “unstick” it for me while I was driving!  Eventually, the bottom just dropped out of the thing…

19. When I was in high school I had the best room for sneaking out.  And sneaking boys in, which I never did of course.  (Hi Mom! ;)

20. I love that my best girlfriends have been in my life for 25+ years.  They can vouch for me about not sneaking boys into my room…;) 

21. Many years ago I set my sister up on a blind date with a guy I worked with.  They have been married for 9 years now and have 3 little boys!  I must mention that these 3 little boys are the absolute cutest little guys I have ever seen.  I think I get some of the credit for that.  J

22. H had an emergency appendectomy when he was 5 years old.  While at the beach on spring break 4 years ago, Noah had to have his appendix taken out.  Eight months later, Ross had to have his appendix taken out as well.  In December ‘06’ I too had to have an emergency appendectomy.  Belle is the only one in our family who still has her appendix!  I’m most certain I will be able to diagnose her myself should she ever need to have her appendix removed.      

23. I love, love, LOVE vacations!  And the beach!!  I despise cold weather.  Unless I’m skiing in it!

24. I love people watching!  I can pretty much tell you the dynamics of any given group of people within a 10 foot radius of me when dining out.  H gets annoyed with me when I shush him because I’m trying to follow some stranger’s conversation at another table. 

25. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for the health and well being of my children.  Above all else in life, at the end of the day, this is all that truly matters. 

Until next time, these are the days of my life.....

Be great!