{eleven things}

There is a fun little "eleven things" questionnaire of sorts floating around blogland. I've gotten a few "Hey, I tagged you" messages but I haven't followed through with them (sorry!). I was tagged again recently by the lovely Katie at Love, Latte's and Lullabies. Katie and I were pregnant at the same time and had fun discussing all of our pregnancy quirks. Her little man, Colin, was born about a month before Noah. It has been a treat watching Colin grow through the adorable pictures and sweet anecdotes she posts. So here is what I've been challenged to accomplish:

1. Post the rules
2. Post a photo of yourself & 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter/facebook and tell them that you've tagged them.

Eleven Random Things:

• This time change is the bomb. The kids slept until 8:30am!! I got two solid hours of cleaning and alone time in before they woke up. Although, it's also a bomb (in a bad way) because since Noah woke up so late, he lost his morning nap. C'est la vie.
• I prefer not to have my toe nails painted, but I paint them in the summer so my bare nails don't get the side eye from strangers. I can hear their thoughts, "Tsk tsk. Girlfriend is wearing flip flops and doesn't have her toes painted!" Also, I bite my finger nails. 
• I quote Home Alone on a daily basis. Noelle does too. I love when I say, "I believe you" and she finishes with, "But my Tommy Gun don't!" It's drop-to-your-knees hilarious.
• I've never been on Twitter. 
• I have been getting lazy with meal planning lately. Our menu has consisted of the the same 4-5 meals each week. I need a great recipe to shake things up.
• A few pet peeves about taking kids out. 1. Dress your kid appropriately. A shirt and diaper is not acceptable shopping attire. 2. Why on earth would you let your child run around Target barefoot? Put shoes on your kid. 3. Would you walk around with snot running down your face? No. So wipe your kid's nose. 
• I often wonder who you are (yep, you reading this!). Do I know you, are you a regular reader or did you just stumble upon Growing Up Gardner somehow? I know you're out there!

• If you catch me on my phone, I'm likely on Instagram.
• I love the idea of co-sleeping but it would never work for me. I dislike anyone touching me when I sleep. Cuddling is out of the question. The best sleep I get is the hour I have the bed to myself after Aaron gets up for work. 
• I don't drink coffee, but I love an ice cold soda pop in the afternoon to wake me up.
• I have a slight obsession with colored jeans. Green, blue, yellow, white. I love them all.
• Noah John Gardner was almost named Knox William Gardner. 

Questions from Katie

1. What's your favorite breakfast food?
I'm not a big fan of "breakfast food." I usually have yogurt and a banana because I want to be a good influence for Noelle. She is always watching and if I don't eat, she thinks she doesn't have to either. But if she wasn't around I'd probably have something sweet like a couple of Oreos and a glass of milk.

2. What's playing on your iPod right now?
Adele. I can't relate to the songs, but I love her voice. I really like the song "I Found a Boy." 

3. What are you wearing right now? 
Jeans and a striped t-shirt.

4. What is your biggest fear?
I am terrified of the ocean. I love the beach but the thought of getting in the water is absolutely paralyzing. 

5. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.

6. If you could have dinner with one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you say to them or ask them?
I would have dinner with Christiane Amanpour and ask her a million questions about her life as a journalist. 

7. What's the most rewarding thing about your chosen profession?
Currently as a SAHM, the most rewarding thing is being able to spend every day with my babies. Teaching them, loving them and taking care of them. 

8. Name three good things that happened to you this week.
On Sunday, my husband threw me a surprise birthday party. I was able to 1. hang out with my family and best friends 2. eat delicious food 3. not do the dishes!

9. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
My hair. Only in my dreams will I ever have glorious, long hair. 

10. You get a free roundtrip ticket to go anywhere in the world. Where do you go?
I would spend a week in Nassau with Aaron. We stayed at the Sandal's Resort in the Bahamas for our honeymoon and it was incredible. I'd go back in an instant. 

11. If you could have one superpower, which one would you choose? 

Super strength so I won't have to wait for Aaron to get home to get stuff done - like open jars and move furniture. 


Questions for those I'm tagging:


1. Have you ever been to Disneyland? If so, what is your favorite thing to do there? If not, do you plan on going in the near future?
2. Ocean or Mountains?
3. A memory from your childhood.
4. Your favorite piece of furniture in your home.
5. A picture that you treasure.
6. An evening with no plans would be spent:
7. Camp fire or fireplace? Why?
8. Something you wish you could buy at half price (either a one time purchase or something you have to buy often).
9. You get to go back to high school and re-live one day. What day would it be?
10. You're at your favorite restaurant. What do you order?
11. Mama always said:


I tag:
Jennifer at 25 and Enjoying Life
Aliesha at She Calls Me Mama Liesha
Heather at Us {Doing Things}
Marcus at Life and Leadership
Monica at The Scherman Family Four