Knowing Me - Knowing You / October.

Time once again for that monthly interview project started by my friend Shan, over at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother. Why don't you join us, answer the questions yourself and then head on over to Shan's blog to link up? It's fun!

1. Crunchy peanut butter or smooth?

I'm not much of a peanut butter fan, myself...although I do get cravings for it once in awhile, usually when I'm sick and always with a cup of coffee. We get the smooth type and only the all-natural peanut butter. The kids balked at that at first...but then I started getting the kind that still has the "Bears" on the label, but the ingredient list is: "Peanuts". Seriously. That's it. I found out some of the other kinds are just filled with sugar and I have a thing against foods with super unnecessarily long ingredients lists. So, anyway, they eat the natural stuff now. It's actually really good. And, it has the "Bears" on it...so they are fine with that. LOL. Kids!

2. Do you do any volunteer work? (No judgment, just curious. I'm always on the look out for new ways to get involved.... like I have time for more stuff.)

I used to. I used to volunteer with the Humane Society as a dog walker and kitty-cat player-with. I also fostered for the humane society and I had a couple of dogs living with me as they recovered from surgery. I'm not good at that, as I tried to adopt both. I get really attached. I was crying my eyes out at work the day I had to hand one of the dogs (who had been adopted out) back over. So very professional. The other one I did adopt. I was well on my way to being "that crazy dog lady".

I also used to volunteer for the neighbourhood school. It was really fun volunteering there because I actually spent most of the day in the classroom. I got to help the little kindergarten kids do their work - basically explaining what they needed to do and helping them to do it as the teacher couldn't be everywhere at once. It was fantastically fun for me. I also helped some kids whose first language wasn't english in a special enrichment class (just them and me) once a week. And, I helped some older kids (one on one) who were having trouble with reading once a week, as well.

Anyway...
now I find I really, really, don't have time for anything extra. Between the older girls, and their activities, and trying to start a business, and having a little baby who is with me all the time...
well, I just don't feel available anymore. :-/

3. What's your favourite cold weather drink?

Hmmm...those sorts of questions are so hard. It is always mood/situation/time of day dependent. A nice cold Stella in the summer is a lovely thing. I also get cravings for Caesar's once in awhile. Oh, and there's always a nice, cold, can of Coke. I'd like to say that my favourite thing is water, but I'd be blatantly lying to you. I have so much trouble drinking as much water as I know I should. It's a problem.

4. What is your favourite holiday?

I would like to say Christmas but I think for the last few years Christmas has been a bit stressful, really. I seem to be on maternity leave a lot. LOL. Seems I'm always on mat. leave around Christmas...which means I'm bringing in about half my normal income. Dave and I haven't been buying presents for each other...but we still want to make sure the girls have lots of "stuff", but then I stress about what a waste that all is (I mean...they love the "stuff"...lots of shiny packages...and all that...but they really don't need one more toy! They have a
whole room full of just their toys. Its crazy!). So, I find it stressful. The whole thing.

I like Halloween. I love dressing up the girls and going trick-or-treating. They always look so cute! But, then, there is that huge bag full of junk that I don't really want them to even eat. Oh, do I sound like a humbug now, or what?

Can I say "Thanksgiving" then? I usually get to go to my MIL's for a delicious dinner, see my brother and sister-in-law (who I love catching up with), chit-chat, just have a nice time. A time that doesn't involve the spending (wasting?) of hundreds of dollars or the devouring of pounds and pounds of sugar. It's nice.

5. Okay quick - you gotta hop a plane right now, to anywhere with anyone - where do you go and with who?

Okay. My very quick answer was "Back to Jamaica with my husband. Only this time we wouldn't be getting married...so we could just relax and enjoy all our time lying around on the beach together". But, then I read Shan's answer and that sounds fairly wicked, too. ;-)

So, what would you do??