Today’s prompt is easy… what are my favorite foods?

1. Cheese – one of the best snacks ever… and you can even eat it on its own as a meal :) I like crazy cheeses, like the ones infused with truffle oil… amazing!
2. Pizza – really any kind of pizza. I am a big pizza fan.
3. Milano cookies – I’ve loved these since I was a little girl. My grandpa always used to give them to me when I was small.
4. Pumpkin – I absolutely love pumpkin in anything, and get excited every fall when the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte comes out! only a few more months to go! ;)
5. Pasta (especially really filling pasta like gnocchi or ravioli…and with alfredo sauce, mmm)
6. Bagels & cream cheese! This is a staple at our home.
7. Green bean casserole – my mom makes this at Thanksgiving and other holidays. I could eat it every day, seriously.
8. Sushi – especially anything with eel
9. Mexican food – I love enchiladas and fish tacos the most. And anything with tortilla chips, guacamole, etc. It can be any variety of Mexican…. fresh-mex, tex-mex…. any kind of Mexican-ish food, and I’m there :)
10. Frozen grapes – I’ve been eating frozen grapes for years and I love them, especially when I’m trying to diet or eat healthier. Eating them frozen reminds me of ice cream, and they’re SO good!
11. Key lime – I know I’m breaking the rules by adding a #11, but I really love Key Lime anything! Pie, cake, cookies… it doesn’t matter… I’m there.

I also really love almost any “ethnic foods” – while Mexican and sushi are probably my favorites, I also enjoy Italian dishes, Indian foods, Thai, Korean, and lots more. I love flavor and love trying nearly anything.

My dad, who is an amazing cook, made a point to introduce me to great food from an early age, so I got started on foods like kim-chee (spicy Korean cabbage) when I was really little! I’ve never been afraid to try something new, and I definitely have my father to thank for that!

I also love unique flavors incorporated into foods. My favorites are lavender, honeysuckle, jasmine… anything with that flowery flavor. There’s not a lot of food out there that uses those flavors, it’s definitely more of a gourmet thing that you’ll find in specialty stores or online. But you better believe if I see any kind of lavender candy or cookie, I buy it. ;)

What are your favorite foods?

I am a big fan of keeping my blog positive, but today’s prompt for the 31 Day Blog Challenge is supposed to be about a difficult time in my life. What to write about?

Probably one of the worst times in my life was when I taught 8th grade American History, about 7 years ago. I was very excited to get the job, but wasn’t that thrilled it was middle school instead of high school. The school was a top rated school in a great area, so I figured I would still have a good experience, even though I preferred the high school age range. Little did I know how bad it would be!

I loved American History and hoped I would have a good time with my classes. While I did have lots of great kids, they were few and far between compared to the difficult ones who constantly misbehaved. I even had one class that threw books at me and one horrible child threw a desk. The worst part was that I was put in the very last portable adjacent to the gym track. It was the farthest one from the front of the school entrance, so any time I had a problem, it took FOREVER (like, sometimes 20 minutes) for the security team or assistant principal to get out to help me. There were many times I felt unsafe and threatened by some of the worst-behaving kids (who I assume probably ended up in prison or will be there soon).

I am happy that I had some great students who never gave me a problem because they always brightened my bad days, and I still keep in touch with some of them today via Facebook. They are adults now, making lives for themselves, and it’s fun to watch them grow up. Sadly most of the kids were pretty awful and it really ruined the whole experience for me.

By the end of the school year, I was so emotionally and physically affected by this horrible job that I developed an ulcer and could barely eat and often threw up in the mornings before leaving for work. I lost over 20lb due to stress. The school was not supportive towards my needs, never provided me with any real help, and at the end of the year, I quit my job and never looked back!

My husband and I had started our photography business earlier that year, and thankfully it was doing well enough that I was able to simply walk away from my teaching job without a problem. Thank goodness for that… I don’t know how middle school teachers do it year after year. Teaching 8th grade was by far the worst job I have ever taken and thinking about my experiences make me even more grateful that I have a job that I love now and work for myself.

I am proud of myself, however, that I made it through the end of the school year without just quitting part-way through (I was tempted). I am also proud of myself that I always held it together in front of the kids no matter how awful my day was.

Have you ever had a job that was so awful it affected your health? What did you do about it?

I really don’t collect too much these days. I have a lot of “stuff” and certainly don’t need more. I have a pretty large collection of stationery and notecards, a TON of craft supplies (most of which I rarely ever use since I don’t have time to craft), and I do have a lot of iPhone Photography apps. :) Those I use frequently, though!

My biggest collection, by far, is my perfume collection. A few years ago, I got really into this perfume company, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. They sell beautiful perfume oils with scents based on myths and literature that smell amazing! I have tons of their perfumes and could even stand to get rid of some that I don’t really like as much.

I rarely buy perfume any more, since obviously I do have a lot of stuff to use up still, but if I buy anything (usually just once a year), it typically comes from my friend Meredith’s store – Sweet Anthem. My love for Sweet Anthem perfumes has definitely replaced my love for BPAL, these days. I wish I had a need to order more of her products, but as you can see…. I really do have ENOUGH perfume!

Back when I had time to do such crafty things, I even painted boxes to hold my perfume collection:

As many of you know, I’ve been writing here at my domain name, siren.org, since 1998. I was 15 years old then, and I’m going to turn 30 this year! It’s amazing that I’ve been blogging – or at least writing about myself online, since it wasn’t called blogging then – for nearly half my life!

The name of my domain was originally inspired by two things: the Tori Amos song of the same name AND my love of Greek mythology and anything ocean-inspired.

I was quite the Tori fan back then – I seriously loved all of her albums, had seen her a few times in concert… you could say I was a bit obsessed with her music. :) While I’m not a Tori Amos fanatic anymore, I still do enjoy her work and I love that the name of my domain ties me to a very memorable time in my life.

I still love the ocean and anything sea-related so the name of my domain still has not worn off after all this time. Choosing a domain name was very important to me because I knew that I would have my domain name forever… kind of like a tattoo. :) Since I still love the name nearly 15 years later, I’m pleased to say I made the right choice!

As far as the name of this particular blog – Bright Autumn Sun – I decided on the name when I was pregnant with Zachary, due in the autumn. The fall season is my favorite, so that has significance for me, and as a photographer, I love the way the light looks in the fall around sunset. Thus, Bright Autumn Sun was born. I own brightautumnsun.com, as well.

For those of you “oldschoolers” you may remember the following header graphics from the olden days of the internet. Some of these do go back to the 90′s, hence the cheesy photoshopping! ;)

Today’s 31 Day Blog Challenge prompt is to write about my proudest moment. Obviously, having a kid (soon to be two kids) and having a successful and happy relationship and marriage with my husband (10 years together and 8 years married this year) ranks up pretty high on my list of things I’m proud of.

However, I’d have to say that what I’m most proud of right now is being a business owner for the past 7 years. It’s not really a “moment” but it’s something I’m very proud of! I started my photography business back in 2005. My husband taught me how to use my camera, initially, and as my talent for photography grew, I soon took over our business and renamed it using my own name. I am proud of the things I’ve accomplished, the shoots I’ve done, and the contacts I’ve made in the industry.

Before starting my photography business, I’d tried out a number of other careers (phone sales, outside sales, and teaching) and they just didn’t seem right for me. I worried that I would be unhappy for many years because I never liked my jobs. Not only do I absolutely love my job, but it’s something I’m really good at. I know I will be happy as a photographer for years to come!

Here’s a favorite image from one of my weddings last year:

The lottery is pretty crazy — I just checked the Powerball website and it says the current estimated jackpot is 90 million dollars. How ridiculous would it be to win that kind of money?! Of course, half of it would be taken by the government for payment of income tax, but still. Even 40-50 million is just insane! I never play the lottery, so writing this post is just a crazy dream…. but it’s fun to think about it, either way!

At any rate, the first thing I would do is pay off all of our debts. We have some credit cards in addition to our mortgage, and not having those pesky payments to deal with would make life a lot easier! After our mortgage was paid off, I would sell my house and buy a bigger one, paid in full, so I wouldn’t have any additional debts to deal with. Of course along with a new home would have to come new furniture and I would absolutely want to hire an interior designer to help plan out the way the house looks inside. I am not a great decorator, so I would need help for sure!

Speaking of hiring a designer, I would then hire a stylist for me and Adrian to help us revamp our wardrobes and fill our new, bigger closets with nice clothes. We have been wearing the same stuff for years and again, I’m not the most fashionable  and usually just wear what’s comfy… so I would love to have some professional assistance in planning out a functional, practical, but stylish wardrobe!

Next on my list would be proper savings accounts for both of my boys. We do have a college savings set up for Zachary already and will definitely set up one for our 2nd child too, when he’s born, as it’s important to prepare for college early on. I would make sure that there’s enough for both kids so they could go to any university they liked without having to take a student loan, and set aside extra for expenses like buying a car, their first homes, wedding savings, business startup investment, or whatever they would need when they are ready for that stage in life. I would also think further in the future and set up college savings for my someday-grandchildren too!

Third, I would plan tons of family vacations! We love to travel, and especially over the summer when it’s so hot in Florida, we’d love to take the kids away for a six week trip every summer (somewhere not blazingly hot) and enjoy visiting a new place. As both of our parents have taken us on lots of trips since we’ve been together, I would love to treat both my mom and dad and Adrian’s parents to special vacations, too.

Fourth, I would do something wonderful for my best friend, Amy. She is like family and is always there for me no matter what, and if I won millions of dollars and could afford to buy her a house or whatever she wanted, I would do it in a heart beat.

Lastly, aside from a few fun toys that I’m sure Adrian and I would want to buy for ourselves, the rest of the money would be put into a good savings account so that we could continue to enjoy it as we get older, and live out the rest of our lives financially secure and debt-free.

Today’s blog challenge prompt is about my earliest memory.

I was a very lucky kid growing up as my parents traveled with my quite often! Whether it was a trip to the Keys or a cruise, I got to see the world in ways that my other little friends did not. When I think of my earliest memories, they usually center around family vacations with my parents.

One of my very earliest vacation memories was a trip we took to Disney World when I was a few years old. I remember going on a few rides with my parents, and my mom took me to have breakfast with the characters. I don’t actually remember the breakfast itself, but I do love this picture of me, my mom, and Minnie Mouse!

When I was around 3 or 4, my parents took me on my first cruise on the Carnivale — the flagship of Carnival Cruise Lines. I know the scan is awful, but it’s the only one I have on hand! I know I had a good time on the cruise, and I remember bits and pieces of it. It was the first of many cruises I would take with my parents.

OK… so I am not a huge fan of this blogging prompt, but I committed to doing this challenge every day this month, so you’re going to get it anyway! This may very well be the MOST boring blog post I have ever made.

My fridge is usually pretty packed. I don’t know why, it just happens that way!

I like to stock up on lots of stuff (like I have 3 cartons of milk in the fridge right now – we use Lactaid so when it goes on sale, I get a lot since it has a long shelf life) and we use a lot of condiments that need to be refrigerated, so there’s always a lot in there.

I also put things in the fridge that other people might not… like my bread and bagels (they don’t get stale as quickly) and some kinds of cookies. Zachary loves Milano cookies, but I think they keep better in the fridge, so that’s where they are.

The small drawer under the third shelf is completely dedicated to cheese. Yep, we are a cheese-loving family! There’s even some cheese that didn’t fit in the cheese drawer. We really like cheese!

We also have a Brita filter that takes up a lot of room. We used to use bottled water, but decided it’d be more cost effective to get a Brita (though, I’m not so great at keeping it full, lol). We haven’t bought bottled water to keep at home in well over a year! That’s a lot of plastic saved!

We don’t really drink much other than water at home. I’m addicted to Ritz Seltzer (there’s a 16oz bottle on the top shelf… I go through them pretty fast though) and my hubby occasionally likes a Mt. Dew or a beer, so we have a couple of those too. I also have OJ and Gatorade in the fridge, as well as coffee creamer for my coffee. Yum!

The bottom two drawers, which I didn’t photograph, are for fruit and veggies and other stuff. We usually have a lot of apples around since Adrian brings them to work with him, and Zachary likes them in his lunch. I like them with cheese – hehe.

Anyway… without further ado, here is a picture of the inside of my fridge. I got lazy and used my iPhone for this shot, so it’s nothing fancy! No pic of my freezer because it’s such a mess! LOL!

Today’s challenge post is to write about 15 of my favorite things.  Here they are!

1. My family.

This seems like it’d be a no brainer, but my family really is wonderful. I have the best little boy ever (and will soon add the best little brother ever — in just a few weeks), my husband is wonderful and because he works so hard, he allows me to live my own dream, and my parents have done so much to help us out there is no way I could ever repay them or thank them enough. I am just glad to have them both living close by and healthy. My in-laws don’t live near-by, but as far as in-laws go, they are pretty great, too! They have also supported us in many ways and I feel REALLY lucky that I get along with them, since I have a lot of friends who don’t have a good relationship with their husband’s families. Last but not least, my dog is part of the family, too, and she’s pretty great. She can be very annoying sometimes (like when she licks incessantly), but overall she is a good little dog and plays so nicely with Zachary. She is very tolerant of him and extremely gentle. I love my dog!

2. My friends.

I truly do love my friends. I am lucky to have a lot of friends who care about me, and I am touched everyday by their kindness and support and love spending quality time with them.

3. Preschool.

This is a funny thing to list as a favorite thing, but I absolutely love my son’s preschool. Not only are they a group of wonderful, supportive people, but they have allowed Zachary to shine and grow in ways I didn’t think were possible.

4. Books/Reading.

Reading has been a huge part of my life ever since I was a little girl, and I’ve always been a very voracious reader. I love finding an amazing book and losing myself in that world. Over the past few years, I’ve encouraged my husband to read more often, which I love — especially when he picks up a series I’ve raved about, like The Hunger Games. I also am sharing my love of books and reading with our son. Zachary is just starting to move into the stage where he wants to learn to read, and we’ve been having a lot of fun choosing books at bedtime (and other times). Sometimes I catch him picking up a book we’ve read many times (enough that he has part of it memorized) and “reading” it to himself. It never fails to make me smile!

5. Photography.

You were wondering when this would show up on my list….right? :) Yes, photography is a job, but it’s also one of my most favorite things in the world. I’ve loved taking pictures since I was a kid and probably spent more money on film and processing at the local drugstore than my parents care to think about! I love finding art in every day things, and I especially love capturing my family’s memories. I love my camera, the Canon 5D mark III — but I am a huge addict of shooting with my iPhone since it’s always, always with me — and the quality of the images is pretty great, too. I also shoot with my point and shoot, the Canon G11, when I remember to bring it with me. :) I’m thankful for photography because running my own business allows me the freedom that I love and need, and because I never thought I would be really great at doing any particular job — or really enjoy any job — until I started my photo business.

6. Apple.

No, not the fruit! We are an Apple family through and through. Adrian and I have iMacs to work on, MacBook and MacBook Air laptops, iPhones, iPads, iPods, an Apple TV… you name it, we use it! Even Zachary is a genius with the iPad and iPhone already and is nearly as good as we are — or better! — at some games.

7. Coffee.

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was very little, and I have a hard time starting my day without it! I love the flavored coffees (coconut, hazelnut, and pumpkin are my favorites), and I also love Coffee Mate’s Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer. It’s soooo good.

8. Cheese.

I really love cheese. Trying new cheeses is a hobby of mine, and I love going to one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheese Course, and creating my own custom cheese board for lunch! I’ll enjoy it more once the baby is out and I can drink a glass of wine with my cheese. :D

9. Space.

I love space! I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my dad when I was a little girl, and many of my favorite shows and movies also take place in space. Additionally, being in Florida where shuttles and rockets take off, it’s hard to not pay attention to space-related information. I’m lucky to have seen a number of shuttle launches before the program ended. I am simply fascinated by the universe and everything that may be out there that is still unknown to us. Just thinking about it is overwhelming and awe-inducing!

10. The Internet.

I’ve been using the internet for 20 years now, nearly the entirety of my life span! How crazy is that? I registered siren.org back in 1998, which means I’ve been writing here for FOURTEEN YEARS – and consistently blogging since 2008, before Zachary was born. I love it. I’ve made a lot of friends and met some really fantastic people through my website and in my journeys on the Internet in general, and it’s something I’m happy to have been a part of since the earliest days of online communities.

11. Relaxing/Sleeping.

I definitely took this for granted before I had kids. I love napping or relaxing. Now that I have a child with another on the way, napping is a luxury and something I don’t always have the opportunity to do. I only get to sleep late when my parents watch Zachary overnight, so every time I sleep late, it is like a little gift. :)

12. Music.

While I don’t listen to music quite as much as I used to, I still love it. There are songs and albums that define certain parts of my life, and I love discovering new and talented artists to enjoy. I also love playing music when I get the chance, and I really love hearing my husband practice the piano — he’s been taking lessons for about a year now and is starting to get pretty good!!

13. Travel.

I traveled extensively as a kid to all kinds of far-off places. As an adult, my husband and I have mostly traveled inside the US. I love travelling and road tripping and it’s something we are instilling in our kids, too. By the time our second baby is a year old, we’ll have taken at least two road trips! I’m so excited to explore new places with my little family. :)

14. My car.

I drive a Lexus RX 350. I always wanted an awesome SUV and am really thankful to have my car.

15. Seltzer.

It’s like water… but better :) I am a seltzer addict. I have always loved soda, specifically diet Coke, but since it’s so unhealthy for you, I switched to seltzer – which is just carbonated water. Yum!