Ho-Ho-Hodgepodge

1. Share your traditions surrounding the Christmas stocking. Traditions? Well let's see, they get filled and then we see what's inside? I'm guessing that's not really what you are asking for right. Our stockings are hung all season, and then filled on Christmas Eve. When I was growing up the toe was always filled with fruit and nuts then there were smaller fun gifts such as books, chap stick, pens, etc. Now I do about the same thing with my kiddos.

2. How many hours of sleep do you average at night? Is it enough? Average during insomnia bouts, or regular average? I'll just to do both. I get about 1.5 hours of sleep a night average when I am stressed out, so no, not enough sleep at all. On a regular week, I average about 5 hours a night, still not enough. In fact because of these numbers I am headed in to a sleep study sometime next month. I'm a little worried about what it will show.

3. If you had to give up one thing for the remainder of this year what would it be? Soda, fast food, excuses for not exercising, stressing about gifts. Those actually all sound good, so I think I'll have a mini lent, and give those up in preparation for Christmas.

4. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (or Wills and Kate as I like to call them) have announced they're expecting a baby. Do you follow news of the Royals? Yes! I am in love with the Royals, I was interested in them growing up, but after living in England I'm a total fan. Not just of Wils and Kate (who I think is my style icon for all time) but all of them, even Camilla, they just seem like such a family even with all of the constant media and drama of that.

5. For me, the sound of childhood is__________________. Kids Praise songs on a tape deck. Or really any praise song. I come from a family of music, and I can always remember some kind of music playing in the house. My Mom saved some of the tapes and now my kids listen to them when they visit Grandma, that also makes me happy.

6. Fruit cake-yay or boo? What's your favorite dessert made with fruit? Yay, but with a lot of conditions. It needs to be homemade, and have real fruit and nuts, none of the candied red and green mystery fruit. So I don't eat it often. My favorite dessert made with fruit would have to be apple anything, apple pie, apple crumble, apple coffee cake. The apple coffee cake makes me think the most about Christmas. And actually I haven't made it in a while, maybe this will be the year.

7. What is one thing you want to accomplish before 2012 comes to an end? I would like to have finalized my decision about what I will get my Masters in and have started the application process for that. My husband is within 6 months of graduation with his Bachelors and when he is done I will start school again. So it's decision time.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I think I like this new life we have going in Missouri, a lot. I am busy, happy, and fulfilled. So Thank you God for this move.