you sure had some great questions!
 
i wrote them all down and i am going to randomly answer some now & some later.
here goes:

1. how much time do you spend on personal appearance?

not much.
most days i don't wear make-up, i "do" my hair every other day or so,
and wear capris and t-shirts nearly everyday.

BUT i DO try to look decent most days by the time my husband gets home.
i pop a piece of gum in my mouth before he walks in for a minty fresh kiss…change OUT of my pajamas
from the night before….or my nasty gym clothes from the morning workout that was 7 hours prior.

he has always been sweet to say that he thinks i am a "natural beauty" (aauuuwwww)
so i don't worry too much about needing makeup.
i feel better about MYSELF though when i am wearing makeup. 
if i only have a little time….i will put on powder and lip gloss….and mascara sometimes.

2. what kind of friends are your favorite? 

confident women.
strong.
loving.
open.
kind hearted.
compassionate.
honest about their lives.
honest about their hurts and struggles.
accepting of my flaws.
encouraging.

not all friends are like this.
but when you find them…you know.
they are the ones worth keeping.  

3. what is it like to have a teenager?

  
 
scary.

there were many questions about raising a teenager…what is it like?  what's your advice?  
how do you talk about sex? what are the rules for clothing? chores? cell phones? etc.

guess what….i have all these same questions!!!
 
i have to be careful because my teenager reads my blog.
(she claims she doesn't because it's a "stupid lame blog" but i am smart enough to know better)
since she reads it i have to chose my words differently than if she didn't.
mothers could understand me 100% while teenagers would get the exact opposite from what i say.

so….i will say that…so far….raising a teenager has been….
challenging.

duh.

but really…there is nothing i could tell you that would prepare you for it.
like childbirth.
it's all talk until YOU are living it.

it's hard.
and possibly wonderful at times.
i am hopeful for many more of those times.
and there WILL BE as we all get used to what it means to be parents of a teen and just to BE a teen.
we are ALL learning as we go here.

i TRUST that God is in control.  
HE will cover over my mistakes in raising my children with HIS Grace.
i am trying my best with God's guidance and that is the best i can do.
i pray for "grace like rain" to come over my parenting…please.

she is learning to drive.
it's quite an experience.

4. where did you get the rainbow shoes?
 

they are from ———–.

5.  do you have an accent?

not really.
i think i sound "normal".
i sound….like american actors on tv…?  

helpful answer?  doubtful.
kansans don't sound like texans if that is what you meant.
someday i will post a video so you can hear me.
 
6. how do you pronounce your last name?

great question!
duerksen is pronounced DERK-sen.
i don't know why the U is in there….it's a german thing i am guessing.

 
7. what is your favorite George Clooney role?

oh my.
i just got all sweaty thinking about all the george clooney roles that i love.

i loved him on ER.
like really loved him.
when nurse carol left the show and HE showed up at the end…i rewound that tape like ten times!
he is dreamy.

i loved him in Out of Sight….he was steamy.

Up in the Air….because he seemed human.

Oceans Eleven….because he is so good at being handsome.

i could go on and on.
but let's just look at him for awhile….i love the gray hair.
  
 
  



 


  

8.  do you sleep?!!

i am a night owl.
i love to sleep in.
i don't sleep a LOT but i do loooove to sleep.
i go to bed late (midnight or after) every day…unless i am sick.
i always have since i was a kid…my poor mother.

9. how did you meet chicago jen?


i met jenny at our apartment building in Des Plaines, IL. 
i was 22.  (whoa)
we lived in the same hall with one apartment between us.
she and dave were newlyweds….we had been married two years? i think.
we only had little lauren at the time.

i soon found out that her aunt was MY HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER.
for real.
Senora Ens was jenny's aunt.
and that jenny had visited her aunt every easter growing up.
in kansas….from illinois.
Senora Ens lived ON MY BLOCK!!!
so our entire childhood….we were a block apart on easter and never knew.
and i was most likely the worst student Senora Ens ever had.
i spent more time in the hall than the classroom and i got a D-…..so embarrassing.
she was craig's teacher too but he transferred out right away to Weights Class instead.  
ha.

jenny and i went to the same church in glenview.
we started a small group bible study with a few other couples….and the rest is history.
lots and lots of history.

love you chicago jen.
and dave…i love you too.
but i promise not to hug you.

 
10. can we see the dining room?       

it's not done yet.
craig has done all the work that he can and we are waiting on me! 
he painted for HOURS.
 
i have curtains to make….furniture to paint…pictures to hang.

i PROMISE i will show you when it's done.
why wouldn't i?!!

 
11. are you a shy, quiet person in real life?

i don't think anyone would ever describe me as quiet.
 

and i don't think that i am shy.

i get intimidated and nervous sometimes.
but i don't think that i am shy.

i like to talk. (understatement)
and i love making people laugh.
🙂

my personality is Sanguine on those tests you take.

 
12. do you and craig ever fight?


 
we are not perfect.
did you think we were?
surely not.
of course we fight…but not often.
 
right now…we have very little to fight about.
we try to talk about issues that may come up.
and to speak kindly to each other and about each other when we are apart…aka: husband bashing.
marriage is hard work that takes upkeep and determination.

seriously……we are having so much fun together! 
i spend a lot of time thinking about what i can do for him and i feel he does the same for me.
for example, i made one of his favorite meals for sunday lunch today and he seemed surprised and happy.
that's love.
and later he sent scott upstairs to me with a plate of dinner while i was working.
kind of like breakfast in bed.
it was so sweet.
 
13.  where can i find…..

the rainbow ribbon…….walmart sewing/craft dept

the red EAT letters…….pottery barn clearance 3 years ago.

the red and white bowl……anthropologie 6 months ago.
        
cute purses………..elisalou

recipe for rainbow cake……..may 22, 2009

be kind to others print………..the wheatfield. 

where i print my pictures…….scrapbookpictures.com 

14. your husband is hot. 

wait….that wasn't a question.
it is fact.

he is scrumtralescent…i just made up a word on the spot.  :)


15. what do you like most and least about blogging.
 

 
i love the community we have here in blogland of mostly happy, kind people.
i love the encouragement you give me and the feeling of accomplishment of having my family's
story recorded….good and bad.

i dislike….the time it takes to download pics on a post.
am i doing it wrong?
surely there is a way you could just drag them across from your files to your post?!
it would save me SO much time if you can.

and i dislike people who are mean….leave mean comments…take their time to actually write 
something that would hurt someone else.  
least favorite for sure.     

 
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i think that that is ENOUGH about me for today!!!
that was probably too much actually.
hope you aren't asleep by now.