One Hundred Things About Me

1. I am the baby of the family, older brother and sister.
2. I look most like my mom
3. I adore cats (I really want a Devon Rex, the almost hairless ones, or rats as my sister calls them)
4. I was born on my sister’s 5th birthday.
5. Even though I got married at 19, I don’t believe anyone should be married before 25.
6. Even though I had my first at 21, I don’t believe anyone should have kids before 27.
7. I love to scrapbook!
8. I a, learning sign language, slowly but surley.
9. I want to take some photography classes
10. I want to learn Carpentry.
11. I started dyeing my hair when I was 14.
12. I used to be a librarian.
13. I used to work at McDonald’s.
14. I used to teach Playschool.
15. I don’t exactly adore the colour pink.
16. I do adore the colour green, esp. lime green!
17. I have 3 best friends, my husband, my sister, and my sister in law (she was my best friend before she was my sister in law)
18. I have green eyes, but when I was a kid they were bright blue.
19. I wanted to be a journalist.
20. Would like to learn about Graphic Design as it would help in the scrapbooking area.
21. My engagement ring was my maternal great grandmother’s.
22. I have VERY short toes. They are almost square, like Fred Flintstone.
23. I have hearing loss in my left ear. I never use that ear for phone calls.
24. Had a hysterectomy at 27, guess it was a good thing I had my kids before I turned 27, huh?
25. Went to 3 different schools in my 6th grade year.
26. Never actually graduatedHigh School, I still need 3 credits.
27. My best friend and I planned on working on a cruise ship after we graduated, never happened.
28. The farthest I have travelled is Spokane, Washignton.
29. I travelled on an airplane for the first time ths summer, to Victoria with my sister.
30. Had my ears pierced 7 times on each side, now there are just 4 hole son each side.
31. Got a tattoo when I was 16.
32. Would love to get more tattoos, but the ones I want would be too much $.
33. Plan to get a navel ring, when (not if) I loose my belly fat (see #86)
34. I chew my lips.
35. I used to chew my finger nails.
36. I have never smoked.
37. I now have 2 tattoos
38. I think my best feature is my full lips.
39. I love 80’s music and movies! Jessie’s Girl/Breakfast Club
40. I have a hard time believing that I am a good enough mom.
41. I love to sing, I am mediocre at it. No, I’m not being modest.
42. I have been smitten with my husband since I was 15.
43. I have been told that my name means “water” in Hawiian, only there is no “j” in the Hawiian alphabet, so it’s obviously spelt wrong.
44. My name is rarely pronounced correctly. You pronounce the “j”. It rhymes with lasagna.
45. If I were to have another baby (see #24) I would name a boy Rowin Christopher Kyle and a girl would be Nadine Elizabeth Marie.
46. I have crazy dreams, that are very detailed, usually about people I don’t even know, and are usually violent or dramatic. Nobody can top my dreams.
47. I can barely use my computer. Trevor just taught me how to cut and paste!
48. I have a book fettish! Love ‘em especially kids classics. I guess that ties into the whole librarian and Playschool Teacher things.
49. I have two middle names (as do all 3 of my kids, my husband, and my brother and sister)
50. I love the Company’s Coming Cookbook Collection, but only have about 7 of them.
51. I am a great cook/baker, but not so great at the cleaing up part.
52. I don’t talk to my mom or dad. Long story, like 29 years (or 34 in my sister’s case, or 36 in my brother’s)
53. I have three kids, not even 2 years between the next.
54. I love working out, I just don’t like to start working out.
55. I am pro life, but I do understand extreme circumstances.
56. I not only took Automotives I had the best grade in the class. I did so well on the tests, it drove all the guys crazy, ‘cause they really knew how to do all this stuff I just studied the material.
57. Regardless of #56, I have never changed oil or a tire.
58. I am not believe in a specific religion, but I do believe in a God(dess) type being.
59. I was baptised into the Mormon church when I was 15.
60. We have a rabbitt, a guinea pig, a newt and some fish.
61. I dream of going to Australia some day.
62. I have a thing for guys with British or Australian accents.
63. I love quotes. I think a book of quotes would make a great birthday present!
64. I went to 2 schools for my grade 12 year (partially why it was hard for me to get my credits, but mostly ‘cause I never attended classes)
65. I failed Math 23 twice, the third time I got a 49% and the teacher begged the principal to just pass me.
66. Regardless to what #64 and 65 might make you presume, I am NOT a complete idiot.
67. If Justine moves out by the time she is 20, I will be an empty nester when I am 44 years old. (not rushing anything, just a thought)
68. I have never broken any body part.
69. I am a little over obsessed with the stars. I watch Entertainment Tonight as often I can, and I know who dated who, who is related to who, watch movies they were in, and with who. It was a good thing when I worked in a movie rental place.
70. I am ¼ German, ¼ Russian, 1/4 British, and ¼ Irish, at least that’s what I’m told.
71. I have had the same email address for the past 7 years.
72. I believe in past lives and reincarnation.
73. I am addicted to blogs.
74. I can flip my tongue upside down, and can tie a cherry stem with my tongue.
75. I can sew quite well, but don’t really enjoy it. I don’t like to be told what to do. To me a pattern is being told what to do.
76. I LOVE live music and live theatre but rarely get to enjoy any. Last concert I was at was over 5 years ago and the last play I attended was when I was a teen.
77. I never cried when I got married or when any of my kids were born, but I will cry at a sappy commercial.
78. I am a major wussy-pants!. If I watch a scary movie I have to run and jump onto my bed so nothing grabs me.
79. My favourite numbers are 3, 5, and 7. I have 3 kids, Trevor’s hockey number is 55, and all of us have a 7 in our birthdays, except the party crasher Diva J. But she has acool b-day # 10, 10, 01.
80. I love the plain M&Ms, not the peanut, I don’t mind the almond.
81. My favourite season is definitely fall. I sometimes think I should’ve named Justine Autumn instead.
82. I think the concept or vegetarianism is so right, but I couldn’t live without meat. I guess it is a choice and what you become accustomed to.
83. I have always wanted to dye my hair smurf blue. Maybe this summer.
84. I shoplifted when I was in the 4th grade, and was mortified that my Grandmother found out. 85. My teeth, although relatively straight, so need to be bleached!
86. If I could change 1 feature right now, I would get rid of my belly fat.
87. I am very flirty.
88. Love coffee.
89. I like Coke more than Pepsi.
90. I would love to go the spa/salon if I had more expendable income, and a babysitter.
91. The school where I went for kindergarten, grade one, and part of two was torn down about 10 years ago.
92. I have been told that I am a kind person.
93. Lilacs are my favourite flower and my favourite scent.
94. I have been doing childcare off and on for the last 11 years, 18 if you count when I started to babysit when I was 11 years old.
95. Next year will be my last year doing childcare (other than my own)
96. My complexion is so pale, that I am almost transparent.
97. I would love to take a martial arts/kickboxing class.
98. I have never had a garden of my own.
99. Wanted to be a Solid Gold Dancer when I was little.
100. I am working on gettting the $ together to get my Bachelor of Arts in Pyschology online, then moving on to my Masters.

What have I DONE!

OMG! I was purging my faves list. I was on my 40 + list of scrap blogs and I inadvertantly (ooh, big word!) erased my whole list of scrap blogs! If you are unlike me, you don't care about blogs, esp. not scrap blogs. I am devastated right now. All my time finding the right blogs to ignore my children with! Grrr. Oh, well, bakc to the scrap blog drawing board I suppose.

Best Friends for 16 1/2 Years!

Here is a pic of me and my best friend, Lisa taken this Friday. We have been friends since the 7th grade. Even though I moved away in Feb. of that same grade, we stayed friends. I spent many a weekend at her house. Her poor mom was kept awake with giggles and strange games that we would make up to pass the time. We rented movies, watched music videos, rode ATVs, jumped on the trampoline, rode bikes, but mostly we adored New Kids on the Block together. We are quite different people. She is more the quiet type (unitl you make her mad), and I am loud (until you make me mad). I think we compliment each other well. I always have fun when she is around.
Our friendship was cemented when I started dating and then married her brother. Yup, I married my best friend's brother. What better way to make sure you like your in laws?
I was her maid of honor in her wedding. If Trevor and I hadn't eloped she would've been mine as well.
How fun is it that my best friend is my kids' genuine Auntie, and that I am Auntie to my best friend's twins.
Speaking of twins, here is a pic of Lisa mommying her girls. She is a fantastic mom. Her girls are very lucky. As am I for having such a great friend and SIL all in one!

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

Get ready for a sappy, soul searching therapy type blog post, for those who couldn’t care less, move on with your day…

I have spent so much time trying not to be like my mother that I haven’t invested enough time accepting myself. I need to believe that I am a good person, who deserves happiness. I say it, and “know” it, but I need to actually believe in within in my soul. I WILL be like her in many ways , I lived with her for 17 years of my life, (hmm, sort of like a pre-sentencing. But I wanna know what I am doing time for?)
I do have a lot of her unpleasant qualities (as you can see I am moving past the denial stage).
My sister and I have gotten validation from others that she was as we remember. Angry most of the time, emotionally unavailable (yes I watch Dr. Phil), controlling , and very self centred. So what I have tried to do most of my adult life is NOT be angry (the hardest one), be emotionally available ALL the time, and be selfless as much as possible without forgetting to eat. So that is my dilemma. I need to work on my positives, not keep focusing on what I don’t want to be. To grow the flower moves toward the light of the sun, not the darkness of the earth. OMG, that was a good one, I really ought to be published some day! LOL.

So here's to moving toward the sun!

A real quote “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful of all”
from the Disney movie Mulan.

This is where Justine gets her Attitude from.

I took my digital camera (as per advice from my sister) and took pics of old photos since my scanner is not working. I cropped where I needed and voila! I have my old photos on my comp. Its works like a charm.I haven't gone as far as editing them yet. Check out this one of me at about 5 yrs old, with a whole lotta attitude! Yeah, I know its definately a Justine face. But what do I do, its in the genes.

And here is another one of us three kids and our four cousins. Sorry Brad, had to do it! Just be glad I didn't post the bathtub one! I'm the adorable little blonde girl, lol. What a bunch of
scrag-a-muffins we were!

Green Album

As I stated in my last post, I LOVE green. So I have started a green album. Some of the green themes in my new album are the green girl
M & M, she's so cute!, the band Green Day (have loved 'em since "Dookie"), margaritas, my eyes are green, I am part Irish (or so I'm told), green traffics lights are my fave (okay I may be stretching the green theme here), love kiwis and plan on going to Australia some day, let me know if anyone can think of any others.
So here is the 6 x 6 Layout I did on Green Day. Notice the stars (like Billie's tatoos), and see the black flower with the green "be" centre, the black petals are made with black photo holders (I think that is what people call 'em). The "M" is for Mike, the "B" for Billie Joe, and the "T" is for Trey Cool.

Thanks for the Happy Package Lexanne!

My sister, Lexanne, and I share a very special closeness. I was born on her 5th Birthday (what a lucky 5 yr old!). Even after she moved out at 17 (making me 12), she kept care of me (Kudos for her then boyfriend, now husband of 9 1/2 years for letting the little sister tag along).
I spent a lot of time with Chris and Lexanne, they took me everywhere! I even got to be there when my beautiful niece Rebecca was born ( I was only 15). Lexanne continues to look out for me and I am especially grateful since we are estranged from out mother (strange doesn't even begin to cover it!) I find it even more amazing that both our daughter's share a birthday (Becca is excactly 9 years older than my daughter Justine, whose middle names are Rebecca and Lexanne)
Both Lexanne and I are obsessed scrappers, and the both of us have been adding fun touches to our Scrap Studios. I have chosen Lime Green, and she has chosen, ugh, pink. I am not fond of pink, but have started to come around and can stomach it in small doses, and actually like purple. So after I had stopped to drop off a lunch at my son's school (the lunch I didn't send this morning...) I found a lovely package for me from my sister with all kinds of lime green fun stuff for my Scrap Studio. She was even generous enough to send some scrappin' stuff.
So thank you Lexanne, not just for the stuff, but for taking care of me all these years (and the years to come, 'cause we both know I will always need you), thank you for not only understanding, but honestly knowing, thank you for all the fun times and being there through all the crappy ones too. Remember the agreement, although we didn't come in together, we have a contract for a dual exit.
Love ya, your baby sis, Tawnjie

9th Anniversary

Trevor and I have been married for 9 years now (together 12yrs on Maylong weekend!). We have never really been ones to celebrate our anniversary, maybe the odd supper out. But this year I wanna make it super special. I am wanting to see if anyone has any ideas that are resonable as far as money goes. Our anniversary falls on Easter Sunday this year so I am gonna send my kids out to my sister's the last weekend of April (the kids have the Monday off school and I have booked it off as well). I am not sure how I am gonna get Trevor to book it off. I could talk to his boss and tell him won't be there, but I don't want Trevor setting things up for that day if he won't be available. Anyway, I had thought about doing lots of date things. Like Mini Golf at West Edmonton Mall, definatley breakfast out, movies are good but you don't really spend time with the person. Doea anyone have any other suggestions? My email is tnystrom@telusplanet.net if anyone has any great revelations.
I was thinking of having pictures done with the two of us, but I was kinda saving that for our 10th, but why wait, right?
Oh, P.S. I did another self portrait photoshoot, so here you go!