My goal was to have this last NaBloPoMo post not be about the fact that it was my last NaBloPoMo post. Alas.

This will be a post in bullet points.

• Thanksgiving with the family was nice. It’s so good to get to see family.
• ‘Tis the season for my skin to turn to scales. Yuck.
• The only Cyber Monday sale I was interested in was sold out when I woke up at 5am. Not worth it.
• Yet, I will make myself suffer later this week to have Sarah Palin sign my book. It will be interesting.
• I need to do a post about family. A few of them, really. Maybe a tell-all. I know that’s what you all want.
• Frasier is still one of my favorite shows.
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is calling my name, as is my warm bed. I’m going to finish this book tonight, so, ta-ta!

Hope you all had a happy November (the best month). I am planning on blogging daily for as long as I can. This is something I really enjoy!

A few days ago I responded to a little meme floating around on some of my friends Livejournals and they asked me some questions. I thought I would share them here as well since it’s NaBloPoMo and all and I’m sure that somewhere down the road I am going to run out of topics of my own (one day left, score!). Thank you, ladies, for providing me with a little blog fodder.

From Lauren, lovely lady who moderates GodlyGals with me…
1. What was your favorite wedding present?
That’s a tough one. The ones that have seen the most use have been my Fiesta ware (six in Shamrock, six in White). I’m pretty utilitarian so the things that I have been able to use the most have been most appreciated. Oh, and I love the mattress that my grandparents bought us. We picked it out about a year ago. It was nice to finally get to use it once we got married (Kevin requested that I not sleep on it until we were married and he moved in). It’s the best.

2. Have you and Kevin thought about any potential baby names? You know, for way on down the road
We do, but I’ll never tell until the babies come along. I will say that Kevin has given a firm “no” to one of my favorites — Clementine.

3. What is your surefire, go-to recipe for potlucks/covered dish events (idk what they call them out there)?
Potlucks Well, I have got Kevin’s grandma’s recipe for chocolate pie down so I might need to stick with that. But my grandmother’s recipe for “Southwest Salad” is a hit (it’s not your average taco salad). I always like to bring that. I’m pretty famous for bringing weird stuff down home to my meat and potatoes family. “What’s that?”

4. Did you and your brothers get along while you were growing up, and did your relationship change (other than obviously you were all older and more mature) once you left home?
First off, “more mature” is a stretch. As kids, I hear that my middle brother and I got along until my baby brother was introduced into the mix and then it was all out bedlam. We fought. ALL THE TIME. Hitting and kicking and screaming. After a while I got tired of it, played the “you can’t hit a girl” card, and just let them go at it. Up until just a few years ago I’d still take part in the arguing, but even that has slowed down now. The boys still fight. And our relationships have changed pretty much only in that we don’t talk to each other as much anymore.

5. How do you feel about public speaking?
I kinda like it. The first time I had to speak in public was in high school and back then I broke out in a nervous sweat, got the cotton mouth, and my hands shook uncontrollably. It took a few years for that to change and I was able to calmly present a motion before our school board to have some grading standards changed (we won!).

On the surface my personality is not sanguine. If you break past my exterior though, that’s what you’ll find. In the past few years I have found that I really enjoy speaking in front of a group and am able to do it confidently. And strangely enough, on the Compare People application on Facebook, I’ve been ranked the best public speaker amongst all my friends. I find it interesting that this is something people would think about me. Even if I do enjoy it, I don’t do it that much.

And from Rose, another lady I met through GodlyGals (waaaay back in the day)…
1. Do you have kids’ names picked out? Care to share them?
See above.

2. Where’s your next vacation planned?
This spring break (which occurs in mid-March in Oklahoma) Kevin and I are taking our first long roadtrip east to visit some of his family in North Carolina. I’ll be documenting the whole trip as we try to hit as many hole-in-the-wall restaurants that we can find (with Guy Fieri as our guide). We’re going to visit Grandmother in Clinton, NC, Aunt Sue in Raleigh, NC, and Pop Pop and Miss Phyllis in Currituck, NC.

3. What’s your spiritual gift?
In one of those really extensive tests (that includes things that not all people consider a spiritual gifting) I had 5 at the top that I scored very highly in. Tied for 1st place were Pastoring, Faith, and Discernment and tied at 2nd were Hospitality and Leadership. I have never asked anyone else who is close to me and that I trust spiritually what they thought about those results, but I think it would be a good idea to do so. It seems that people who work with you in ministry or see how you work could give some good insight into what they see you presenting strongly.

I feel that discernment and hospitality are the two things that come the most naturally to me. Discernment is something that it’s been clear I was gifted with ever since I was very young. I believe that is one huge factor in why I turned out the way that I did. My parents and grandparents have always been quick to say that I needed very little correction and had a very strong sense of “right” and “wrong” from the time I was small.

I guess you can see how the Pastoring and Leadership have shown themselves in my life. Faith, yes, I can see this. It’s Kevin’s highest gift on the list and helps me to understand why we are so compatible. We both trust God and that He will always come through. Period. For me, that sometimes makes it difficult for me to relate to Christians who regularly doubt and question the will and work of God.

Also, I don’t believe that people necessarily only have one gift. I think sometimes people have one gift right then, right when God needs to use them in that way.

4. What’s your biggest regret?
The ways I treated some of my friends in high school. I threw away some friendships I wish I hadn’t.

5. What’s the most common way people find your blog?
Honestly? Searching for the RoutanBabymaker3000. Look it up It’s helped me build a huge following in eastern Europe.

I have to tell you about something I stumbled upon on the OKC Craigslist last night. Sometimes I read the missed connections for fun. They can be cute, sweet, disgusting, desperate, or downright disturbing. Let’s just say that Creepy McCreeperson lives on Craigslist. (FYI the Harkins Theater is the one in Bricktown in OKC)

Subject: New Moon midnight showing – m4w- 30 (Harkins theater)
I sat behind you at the midnight showing of New Moon a couple of nights ago. Me: medium height, dark hair, and mysterious. You: straight long blond hair, full ruby lips, you were wearing black cargo pants and a twilight hoodie. as your hair draped down behind your seat i just has to hold it and smell it deeply(pantene. great choice). i dont remember much of the movie but i will always remember the smell and texture of your hair. the way you sound when you whisper and laugh. after the movie i followed you and your friend to IHOP. i waited outside in my car so i could watch you eat and smile. i followed you home and made sure you got there safely.i noticed you left you car unlocked so i went to have a look into your life. i can tell by looking in your car that we have a lot in common. if you want your dash ornaments back you will have to meet me and we can have a great time getting to know each other. “grin”

I hope this is intended as a “joke” (possibly poking fun at the crazy stalking tendencies of one Edward Cullen), but there’s nothing funny about it. If it’s fake, you’re sick and you’re making light of a very serious situation wherein a woman has her life, home, and safety violated. If it’s real, well, it serves as a cautionary tale. There’s some weird dudes out there. Even if this person is kidding, there are guys out there who do this kind of thing. I don’t know what kind of precautions to tell you to take, but the scenario certainly is an eye-opener for me. Rarely when I have been out with a group of women or just one other am I on alert for things like this. I don’t think we need to live in fear of people who do this sort of thing, but I think we should do our best to be aware and keep our heads up.

*shudder*

Recently I participated in The Great Interview Experiment over at Citizen of the Month. I had the privilege of interviewing Loukia from Loulou’s Views. She is the mom of 2 boys and used to work in television. I recommend clicking on over and checking out her blog because it is a delight (and a new resident on my feed reader!).

(I was interviewed here.)

1. It looks like you are quite the reader. Is there any one book that has changed your life or left a marked impression on you? What is it and what about it meant so much to you?
Hmm… one book that has changed my life or left a marked impression on me? There have been a few books I’ve read that have been really emotional for me, that have kept me up at night and that I’d re-read over and over again - Night, The Way The Crow Flies, The Kite Runner, The Alchemist. I loved reading Stephen King when I was younger, and the classics, too, like Little Woman, Wuthering Heights, To Kill A Mockingbird. Currently, I feel like a teenager again, because I’m suddenly obsessed with, and can’t put down the books from the Twilight Saga.

(If you’re viewing this on a feed reader, you’ll probably want to click through. Apparently not all deals are showing up on readers.)

I made a decision this year. Today, Black Friday, I am not leaving my house. Partly because the party I was going to shop with is only going around here in Norman (I was going to hitch a ride to Penn Square in OKC) and partly because I got this great idea last night.

Let’s see how much Christmas shopping I can get done online. There are places all over the web posting fantastic Black Friday deals, many with free shipping. And don’t forget, we’re still at a point where you can take advantage of Amazon’s Super Saver shipping and still get your items in time for Christmas.

So for the rest of the day I’ll be updating this post with Black Friday deals I find. Keep checking back!

1. The best place of all for your online Black Friday shopping, Amazon.com

2. Philosophy is offering a one-time-only Coconut Duo online for $10! Regular price is $24. Grab one while supplies last! Their deals today also include free shipping on ALL orders when you use promo code holidays, plus 40% off select items.

3. Klean Kanteen is offering 10% off their Classic line November 27-30. This is a great gift that you can share with all family members, from those using sippy cups to all the sporty or BPA-conscious adults (they have a number of different caps available depending on your needs). Plus FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75.

4. Yankee Candle, one of my absolute favorites, offers $5 flat-rate shipping on all orders under $100. If you know how heavy their candles are, you know what a good deal that is. And their prices this weekend make it easy to end up with a total WELL below $100. Their holiday scents are Buy 2, Get 1 Free! This weekend only.

5. Target has an extensive list of toys under $25.

6. Buy from Toys’R'Us using PayPal and receive $10 off a $50 purchase whenever you use the promo code PPBLACK.

7. Today only! Photo Works has marked everything down 20% and you can get free shipping! Enter coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout.

This is our first year that Kevin and I will attend Thanksgiving as a married couple and we’re bringing his grandmother’s famous chocolate pie with it. I don’t know if I am free to give the recipe out for this one. It’s probably some big family secret. But I’ll give you a clue. There are basically two ingredients. You just have to know how to mix them and how to tell when it’s perfect to pour. Oh, and you have to be an accomplished meringue maker.

I love the word meringue. Is it just me? Look at it. MERINGUE.

And the peaks. I love it when the meringues begin to peak. Only that by the time I’ve got them doing their thing I no longer have any muscle control in my right arm from the vibration of the hand mixer. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrweeeeeeeee! (Hand mixer sound.)

For reasons I cannot say, it seems appropriate for me to share with you all that today is a day set aside to raise awareness that violence against women (and let’s not forget, all people) is despicable and should be stopped. Do what you can to support those you know who are or have been victimized.

Quick! Links!

• This is so DOWNRIGHT HILARIOUS you must click on it now. The Office was featured in The Onion!
• My second cousin, Misti, a blogger, who I recently accidentally located online and did not even know existed, posted her Anne story.
• “It’s not every day you see a politician extend a rhetorical middle finger to his constituents, so enjoy this.”
• What a brilliant idea! This man is visiting all 77 counties in Oklahoma with his family and documenting it on his blog.
• Sigh. Melissa, your little dreamworld sounds like a place I’d like to go as well.
• Oprah. Off the air. 2011. Did you hear the “hallelujah” from my corner of the room?
• Who? Who? Whoooo? Elena paints owls. On toilet paper rolls.
• LouLou, I’ve regressed right along with you. Bring on New Moon! (Kevin and I have tickets to see it Wednesday, a matinee, in a 21+ balcony. Yay for no kids!)

I know, this is a sad excuse for a post. But I’m taaaaaahrd (that’s “tired”), y’all. Tomorrow is the last day of school before the break and tomorrow evening I am podcasting with Jolene over at GodlyGals, so…I’ll try to get that PEI post up. For now I’m going to leave you all with what may be my favorite photograph from the whole trip.

It makes me think of my mom. She’s a seamstress. I…am not. Maybe someday. I know it’s one of those things I’d have to put forth some effort to be decent at. And I’m not sure that I’ve got the patience. What a lovely image though.

Just got off the phone with my dad’s dad, “PawPaw” as we affectionately call him. I’m going to quote him directly.

“Guess what I’m eating right now? Brazil nuts and fried bananas. They go good together. Kinda like Fritos and V8 Juice.”

He went on to tell me that he’s come up with some interesting combinations in his years. I’d have to agree. And now I know where my dad got it. And maybe why I love spaghetti sandwiches with ranch dressing.