So in the comments on yesterday’s uber-whiner post, Cagey said she hated posts like that (and so did Michelle, for the record), where I beat myself up (but I’m such an easy target!).  So in an effort to balance everything out nicely, I thought I’d do a post wherein I detail everything that is Totally Awesome about yours truly.   Because while I still believe that in some, way, shape or form that I am a la-hoo-ser, I do recognize that I have some good traits.  Somewhere.  Maybe there in the corner under that layer.  Ahem.  Here goes!

• I have some really cute kids.  As evidenced by the MONDO picture we picked up yesterday from Sears.  Seriously, ya’ll, it’s adorable.  And you should check out my full review of Sears Portrait Studio while you’re at it.  
• I have a fondness for writing that makes up for it’s lack of talent with an excess of enthusiasm.  I may never be a literary genius, but maybe someday I’ll get published.  That’d be awesome. 
• I love animals.  I always have.  When I was little, before the days of Animal Planet, I used to love to watch those wild animal safari type shows on PBS.  I’ve always loved having pets too.  For a long time, I was a big cat person, but thanks to Tiger, we’re taking a bit of a cat-break right now.  We have our hands full with the dogs now anyhow. 
• I like to think that I have a decent sense of humor.  This might not be the funniest blog out there and I’m in no way implying that it is.  But I do know funny when I hear (or see) it.  My dad used to always say I had such a great sense of humor.  I love to laugh.  I love to surround myself with funny people. 
• I love Christmas.  There, I said it.  I know it’s sorta fashionalble anymore to be something of a Scrooge, but I can’t help it.  Tis the Season to be Jolly.  I don’t love the stress associated with the holidays but I absolutely ADORE the wonder.  And I love sharing that wonder with my kids. 
• In a related vein, I love cold weather.  I love snow and rain and clouds.  I don’t love wind (but then, after living in Nevada you realize it doesn’t need to be cold to be windy).  I can’t wait until this mild weather is gone and we get some real good snow storms.  
• I’m loyal.  I’m not the sort to ditch out on someone when a “better offer” comes along.  Once I’m a friend with someone, it takes quiet a bit to shake that.  I give my friends the benefit of the doubt in iffy situations.  This has, in the recent past, led to me getting walked over, but I think it’s an important trait to have.  Because if you can’t count on your friends to back you up in times of need, then who can you count on? 
• I have awesome taste in music and movies.  If I do say so myself.  And I do.  Cuz this is my blog.  And I’m not talking about artsy-fartsy, alternative taste.  Yes, there are some awesome indy movies out there and some fabulous unknown musicians out there.  But I tend towards the mainstream and I love popular movies and music.  It’s the great equalizer.  And look at it this way, I’ll never make you feel bad for loving “Armageddon” (cuz I do too) (but I will hold “The Fast and the Furious” against you because that movie and all it’s spawn are CRAP).  

There you go.  Some of the things that make me awesome.  Don’t you want to be my friend now?

So I was tagged for this one by a lovely gal named Susan.  Tagged!  Me!  Doesn’t happen very often.  And I like to try to obey when it does.  So even though I did a big ol’ long meme this morning I’m doing another one this afternoon.  You’re just gonna have to deal with it.

Four places I go over and over:

1. Whole Foods.  We just cannot stay away.  I think Kile is even more affected by it than I am.  He can’t resist the cheese counter and I am always and forever drooling over the baked goods.
2. Sam’s Club.  Not only do they have the cheapest lunch in town (hot dog and a soda for $1.50!), but there’s always plenty to look at there.  Not to mention all the free samples.  And the cheap milk.
3. Walmart.  Yeah, this surprises no one.  But I can’t resist the rock-bottom prices on my grocery items.
4. Smiths.  It’s the closest store to our house and when we need to pick something up quick, that’s where we go.

Four places I’d rather be right now:

1. Asleep.  I pretty much always would like to be asleep over anything else.
2. On a beach somewhere.  Sans children, of course.  I love them but sometimes a break would be nice.
3. Visiting my dear friend Brit.  She’s a rock.
4. Nowhere.  I’m pretty much a homebody and being here at home is almost always exactly where I want to be.

Four TV shows I watch:

1. “How I Met Your Mother”
2. “Real Time with Bill Maher”
3. “True Blood”
4. “Fringe”

Four things I eat for breakfast:

1. Cereal.  More often than not, I have cereal for breakfast.  Not exciting, but what can ya do?
2. Bagel with cream cheese.  I love bagels.  MMM!
3. Biscuits or cinnamon rolls.  This is mostly on weekends.
4. French toast.  One of my favorite breakfasts of all time.

Four animals I like best:

1. I’m pretty fond of rat terriers, which is why we have two of them.
2. I’d love to have a bearded dragon lizard someday.  I’ve always thought they were cool.
3. Yeah, I’m one of those people who thinks hedgehogs are pretty darn cute these days.
4. Cats.  Yeah, I guess I still like them, despite the horror that was Tiger.

Four beaches I’ve been to:

• Capitola Beach in Capitola, CA.
• New Brighton Beach State Park.  We used to go camping there every summer when I was a kid.
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  A must-visit every summer for thrill rides and cute lifeguards.
• Some nude beach near Santa Cruz.  I didn’t know it was a nude beach beforehand and I was only ten when my brother and his girlfriend took me and my friend there.  Did they know?  I never found out.

Four people I am tagging: You know I’m crappy at tagging people.  So I’m not going to.  Simple as that.

Every year, it’s the same story.  Our oldest child seems to not realize that the true meaning of Labor Day is to NOT labor and asks us what we’re doing.  And “sitting like a lump and watching movies on TV” isn’t an appropriate response in his eyes.  No, he wants to go somewhere and do something.  I suppose this is because one year my lovely husband thought it would be fun to pack a picnic lunch and drive to a state park (in another state, no less).  Now he expects it every year.

Considering the weekend we had (filled with lots and lots of SHOPPING), I think we both would have been happy to hang out at home and perfect our vegetable impression.  But what the heck.  It couldn’t kill us to leave the house.  Could it?  We decided to go to the “Animal Ark“, which is a wildlife reserve here in town (I say “here in town” and then I have to laugh because there is nothing “in town” about this place).  We’ve never actually been there, all the years we’ve lived here, which sorta makes us total losers because everyone who lives here has been there at least once.   We could take a picnic lunch and sorta make a day of it.  Why not?

Road to nowhere.  Or, actually, to the Animal Ark.  Can you believe there’s another car on this road with us??

We used the Jeep jogging stroller for Liam since we knew it would be rugged enough to easily be able to push around the park.  Kile carried Evie in the hip hammock.  She was pretty happy there but we were BAD PARENTS and neglected to bring a hat for her.  Or for Liam.  And no one had sunblock on.  GAH.  Call CPS right now, folks.  I felt like a fraud.  What kind of idiot plans a day out for the kids and doesn’t bring hats or at least sunblock?  ME, that’s who.

This could be a lynx.  Or it could not.  Do you see it?

That’s one lazy mountain lion.  Damn but if he doesn’t make it look good though.

We saw all sorts of awesome animals.  There were tigers (sleeping), bears (also sleeping), wolves, coyotes, foxes, owls, turtles, racoons, bobcats… Plus I think we all learned quite a bit while we were there.  Various employees would walk around  the park and talk about the animals with us.  They all seemed to know each of the animals by name and know their entire history and how they came to be at the Animal Ark and why they weren’t suited for the wild (Yogi the bear had been declawed as a cub by someone who wanted him as a pet.  They changed their mind and released him in the Sierra mountains.  Luckily, someone found him and he came to live at the Ark).

It’s a LOOOOONG way back to town.

Our picnic lunch went very well.  At least, that is if you consider Liam dismantling his entire peanut butter and jelly sandwhich and getting the gooey goodness all over himself “well”.  The weather was gorgeous, cool and sunny with a refreshing breeze.  I just love it when the weather turns cooler.

Liam was intrigued with this fellow.  He was in turn intrigued by Liam’s fingers.

Seeing all the animals was very cool and I hope we have occasion to go back someday.  They have events there where you can howl with the wolves, watch the cheetah run, watch the animals get pumpkins stuffed with treats, etc and so forth.  The entire facility was very well cared for and the bathrooms were the cleanest bathrooms I’ve been in for a long time.  There was a lot of pride here and it showed.  Plus, the animals looked very happy and content.

We see a lot of these coyotes near our house.  Keep the cats inside!

This gray wolf wasn’t so gray. She was gorgeous though and rather large!

Finally, we had to call it a day.  Evie was snoozing in the hip hammock (and I was concerned about her getting so much sun, even though Kile tried to shield her head as best he could).  Liam was fading fast.

Konked out.

We all had a good time.  And I guess we were glad we left the house after all.  I know the kids were.  (I don’t know about the animals, I didn’t ask.)