ESG: The 15 Questions - Swap from Happy Mom

Hi Swappers and Friends!

I decided to put my swap here on my blog, and I hope you enjoy reading through my answers.  

1.  What was the last picture you took with your phone?

I help with the Social Media for my church, and uploaded a bunch to our Instagram page today.  This is the last one I took:

2.   What are you terrible at but love to do anyway?

I could think of several things!  Singing is one, home decorating is another...Crafts yet one more... the list is pretty long.  One nice part of getting older is that I care less about what others think, and I do what I love!

3.  What weapon would you carry during the Zombie Apocalypse?

Zombie Repellant, of course!

4.  What was the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

I'm not very daring when it comes to trying "non-traditional" foods.  Probably the strangest I had the opportunity to try was BALUT - a fertilized duck egg that's a delicacy in the Philippines.  I couldn't bring myself to try it!  

I do like food from other countries - most Asian, some African and of course European!

5.  What have you done that you are most proud of?

I'm so thankful that my husband and I have been married for 34 years and our kids turned out pretty good :)  It's not been perfect or easy, but it's been wonderful and quite an accomplishment.  

         

2018

1998

6.  When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it?

This past Wednesday, my doctor prescribed a new medication for me, and it's an injectable.  I'm not very keen on needles and I'm not sure I want to continue this course of treatment, but I decided to "give it a shot" - LOL - and see if it helps.  

7.  Name the title of the book which is the closest to where you are right now. Did you read it? Is it any good?

I'm almost finished with "Educated" by Tara Westover, and it's very good.  It's by a woman who never attended school - her parents didn't believe it - and she went on to earn her PhD.  

8.  What's the craziest thing you've ever done in your life?

Hmmm.. crazy or stupid, or both?  Ha!  I guess the craziest was back in 1978, I accepted a marriage proposal from a guy I'd dated and then broke up with.  After the break up, I moved as far away from him as I could - from Illinois to Hawaii.  We kept in touch though, and after being apart for several months, he proposed, and I moved back to Illinois.  I refer to this as my "Young and Dumb" phase.  We never got married, and I never moved back to Hawaii, but we both lived through it - so I guess it ended up being what it needed to be for both of us!

9.  What do you think Victoria's secret is?

I've never been a fan of Victoria's Secret...but I'd like to know the secret to perfect bodies and making lots of money!

10.  If you had to choose between traveling the world with endless funds but with no home, or having an extravagant home anywhere which would you choose? Why?

I've become a real homebody, so I would choose having the home - it doesn't even have to be extravagant.  In fact, I'd be happy if I could have a small nicely-furnished house in a warm climate with great internet, and I may never leave!  And, if I could be so bold to ask that this humble abode be back in Hawaii, well that would just be too great!  

Something like this is what I have in mind, and here's a link to see more:

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11.  What was your high point this week so far?

Hmmm.. this past week was kind of stressful, not gonna lie!  But the high point was Tuesday night when the Nationals baseball team clinched the National League Champion Series and advanced to the World Series!

12.  If you had a "theme song" that played whenever you walk into a room full of people, what would it be?

Well, after watching the Nats highlight reel, I'm attempted to steal BABY SHARK - ha! - but I'll use one of my favorite worship songs instead.  We sang this one at church today and it's top-of-mind for me.  

13.  If you had to eat a worm, how would you cook it?

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I wouldn't.  Just no.  Maybe I could claim to be a vegetarian?

14.  When was the last time you did something forbidden? Care to tell what it was?

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Me?  I'm not much of a rule-breaker....but I do have a heavy foot when it comes to observing the speed limit.  Something really forbidden... hmmm....I used the same password over again - Ha!  

15.  What was the last status you posted on facebook? (Translate the status, if it is in another language than english).

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I shared an article I found interesting early this morning while I was having my coffee.  Feel free to visit my profile and send me a Friend Request!

So - that's the end of the 15 questions for this round.  Still with me?  Good!

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Now, if  you're curious like I am... I know I've answered these questions before.  I just found my answers from 2015 and I'm pasting them here - just for the heck of it!  I'm pretty consistent in some things!  The questions aren't all the same, but it was kind of fun to read them again:

If you had to choose between traveling the world with endless funds but with no home or having an extravagantly home anywhere – what would you choose? Why?  I’d prefer to have the fancy home on the north shore of Oahu.  I love Hawaii, and if I lived there, I’d never need a vacation anywhere else!

Is there still a child living inside you? And if yes, what does it like to do?  I think there’s a child inside all of us, but as adults, that child gets crowded out with life stuff…however, when we’re older, that child starts to take over again. Ever notice how much like a child the elderly can be?

What is your best feature?  For character features - I am good at balancing being organized with being spontaneous.  I like boundaries and order, but I’m also not so set in my ways that I pass up having a good time.  For physical features – My eyes.  Even though I have terrible vision!

How many keys do you have on your key ring? 4

What is your least favorite type of music? Opera.  Or metal.

What TV sitcom family would you like to be a member of?  I don’t watch sitcoms, but I wouldn’t mind being in the Beverly Hillbillies!

What’s the naughtiest present you’ve ever received?  I’m terribly boring – I can’t really think of anything naughty I’ve received. 

What was your high point this week so far?  The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last night – that was definitely awesome!!

If you are at a friend or relative’s house for dinner and you find a hair in your salad, what would you do?  Nothing .

If you could take a vacation right now, where would you go (money is no issue)?  See #1!  Hawaii!!!  I am packed and ready – just say the word, and I am on my way!

What was the last status you posted on facebook? (Translate the status, if it is in another language than english)  It was a birthday message to my brother: 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Sheldon Gottlieb - You truly are the best and I'm blessed to be your sister! Hope you have a great birthday, cause that means mine will be great too - Love you!!! I wish I could take credit for the Blackhawks win, and tell you that's your BD present...but you've already claimed that one! Stay tuned...
 — celebrating his birthday.

Have you ever thought, even for a second, that Hogwarts was real?  Of course not.

What is your favourite cuss word?  I gave that up and never looked back.  Occasionally, something fairly mild will slip out, but never anything too terrible.

What can totally impress you?  Extreme kindness, gentleness – the ocean at sunrise – the beauty and innocence of a child – mountains ---feeling God’s presence in a very special way

If you were given a chance to give up everything, except 3 things, to have a whole new, more successful life, what are the 3 things you wouldn't give up?  Family, Faith and Health.

Alright - back to the present!  Hope you have a great week - thank for swapping and for posting a rating so I know you've received my swap.

Cheers,

Ilyse - Happy Mom 

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My Favorite Photo - August - from Happy Mom

Hello swappers!  I'm putting this together on Labor Day, 2019 and just can't believe that August has come and gone!  I love my Summer and August is my favorite month, so I really hate to see it go.  I know most everyone is dying for cooler temps, less humidity and Pumpkin Spice everything.... LOL!  I enjoy that too, but I wish it would hold off just a bit longer.  Come on Indian Summer!

My favorite photos this month are a bit random, but I hope you like them!

One reason I love August is because of my Birthday :)  

August 10th - gift from my brother

My daughter and her boyfriend celebrated one year of officially dating - They've known each other for about 12 years, but have been "together" since last August.

Matt & Callie

This next photo is a screen shot from a game I'm now officially addicted to, called WORDSCAPES.  I got the biggest kick out of having ILYSE as the letters for this particular hand - I almost never see my name in print anywhere, and even though the game didn't credit it as a word for the game, I had to take a picture of it!

Love these flowers - I snapped this outside my church a few weeks ago.  They are so pretty!

This next photo was taken with the Portrait setting and a filter on my iPhone.  It's of "Fella" - a bust of a street urchin that used to be in my grandmother's apartment when I was a little girl.  I used to count the change in his hand and give him candy :)  Great memories!  I just loved how this photo came out - Looks like a museum painting to me.

Next up - This is some new merch for the rock-climbing gym where my son works.  He designed the artwork and he manages the gym's social media.  

And last, but not least... this was one I snagged off someone's Facebook feed.  I love it - and it describes my life perfectly!  My prayers can a hot mess, but it doesn't matter... God can sort it all out and make sense of the madness!

So - that's my swap this time around!  Have a great September and thanks for posting a rating so I know you've received this.

My Favorite Photo swap from Happy Mom - July

Hello once again!  Feels like we just finished the June swap, and it's already time to review July.  Hope you're having a good summer - It's been busy here, as that's the norm anymore, and I'm not complaining.  I love summer and I'm happy to share these pictures with you.

First are 2 pictures from the baseball game in Richmond - Loved seeing the rainbow off in the distance over the city skyline, and the second is my goofy family and me.

L-R:  Hubby Michael - Daughter's Boyfriend Matt - Daughter Callie - Son Jacob and me

The next pictures are from my quick trip to Las Vegas.  Most people think of Vegas as a big party trip, but I went out there to help settle my aunt's estate after her passing.  Though the purpose of the trip was a sad one, I did have a good time celebrating her life and spending time with family and friends.  

Beautiful flowers in the lobby of the Bellagio, and the Chihuly glass artwork on the ceiling

For someone who loves hot weather - this is HEAVEN!

This is a picture I took from the plane as we were landing in Las Vegas.  I thought it was a cool shot - looked like the Earth from Outer Space 🚀🚀🚀

Back at home and back to work ... I had a quick road trip to SW Virginia, and snapped this shot at the Ballast Point Brewery.  I get to visit some amazing places for work, and this property is gorgeous!

So - those are my favorites from July - Hope you enjoyed them.  I'd love to see your photos too, even if we're not partnered on Swap-bot.  I always enjoy these swaps!

Have a great August,

Ilyse - Happy Mom

My Favorite Photos from June - from Happy Mom

Hi everyone!  It's been a few months since I posted on my blog, and since I have a bunch of photos for this swap, I decided to get back to the blog!  Thanks for checking out my photos for the swap.  By the way, I'd love to see your photos too, if you care to share, even if I'm not one of your "send-to" partners.  

It's been a busy summer already, and I know I say this all the time, but it's going by so fast!  As I'm posting this, it's the last day of the first half of the year, and it seems like New Years wasn't all that long ago.  

June was a fun and very busy month for us.  Here are some highlights.

We started off with my niece's wedding on June 2nd in Indianapolis.  I made a collage of photos that I'll share here.

The big photo in the center is of my family and me (my son and his girlfriend, my daughter, hubby and me -- Daughter's boyfriend couldn't come with us because he had to work.)  The other pictures are family...My daughter was a bridesmaid in the wedding.  We all had a fantastic time and the wedding was simply perfect!

Also in June, we had dinner at our favorite restaurant right at the waterfront, 

and got the prettiest sunset!

Another fun night was from dinner last Sunday.  We tried a new location of another favorite restaurant.  The new spot is even better than the other one.

Here's a picture of all of us.  

Ande-Callie-Michael-Me-Matt-Jacob

I spent yesterday making Friendship Books and ATCs.  Here's a picture of the pile when I was finished:

I could add more, but I won't go overboard!  I hope everyone has a great Summer, and for us in the USA, a happy and safe July 4th holiday!  

Till next time,

Ilyse

My Favorite Photos from April - from Happy Mom ❤️

Hello friends and swappers!  I haven't posted my swaps on my blog in a while, and I decided to get back on here and share my favorite photos from April with you.  Hope you enjoy the visit - It was a great month with some road trips, good business meetings, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and of course - Spring flowers always make me happy!

This first photo was from our dinner out last Sunday.  Our anniversary is April 21st, which was Easter this year, so we opted to wait a week and had a lovely dinner.  Here, you see our son, our daughter and her boyfriend, and hubby and me:

Jacob, Matt, Callie, Ilyse, Michael

Next are two pix from my house.  First - a gorgeous sunset I caught right outside my front door.  I thought the colors were magnificent, and I even used this photo for my National Postcard Week card to share with other swappers.  Second - these amazing flowers out at my mailbox.  I love getting my mail, and these flowers make me smile, even if the mail is mostly bills!

Next are two photos from my son's trip to California.  He's an avid rock-climber, and had a blast at Yosemite.  Yes, that little speck is him!  He coaches a youth climbing team and does graphic design work for several climbing organizations, including the gym where he works, Peak Experiences. You can check out a lot of his work HERE.

I had a fun road trip that took me from Richmond through SW Virginia, and on to Tennessee.  I met with managers at a lumber mill, hospital, chemical company, foam manufacturer and heavy equipment manufacturer.  I also got to spend the weekend with a long-time tape pal and dear friend of mine.  I loved seeing the purple flowers on the trees along the way!  Here's a picture of Bonnie and me, a view from one of my hotels along the way, and a video clip of the trees on the highway.

             

That's it for this time around...Hope you enjoyed seeing these photos.  Please post a rating so I know you received my swap, and I'd love to see  your photos too, so please share, if you'd like.  Have a great month!

My Favorite Photo - January - Swap from Happy Mom

Hello friends and swappers!  I thought this fortune cookie message was a great way to start this swap, and I hope it's seriously gonna happen for all of us.

This year got off to a great start.  My company's National Sales Meeting took place in San Antonio, Texas and I love traveling to the southwest.  

My first few photos come from the trip.  We only meet once per year, so the meeting is part reunion, part business and a lot of fun.  Especially when the company had a record year, and I made the President's Club for the 3rd time in 8 years.  Some of the sights and friends from the trip:

Our VP of Sales, Me, our President /CEO

President's Club award

Marlin's awesome Southeast Division

Desserts

At the famous San Antonio Riverwalk

 Would you believe, that with 40 sales reps, only 5 of us are women?  And let me tell you -- WE ROCK!

Kansas, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Virginia 

Once I got home from San Antonio, it seemed our weather went a little crazy with record highs and lows all at once.  I think the doggies are ready for Spring, and so am I.

Leia

           

           Pica

And the final picture is one I found online and used for my Facebook cover.  If our winter scenes looked like this, I might not dread winter so much.  

Idyllic Winter

Hope you have a great month and Happy Valentine's Day!  Thank you for posting a rating, so I know you've received my swap.

ESG: 10 Questions - from Happy Mom

Hello everyone!  I'm posting my swap here on my blog, and I'm glad you stopped by to read my answers 😀

I'm Ilyse Johnson - AKA Happy Mom on Swap-bot, and I live in the Richmond area of Central Virginia, in the USA. 

This picture was taken last week in San Antonio at our National Sales Meeting.  We stayed along the Riverwalk and had a very positive week.

And now.... on to the questions:

What's the most interesting thing you've read lately?

I just started John Bevere's book "Killing Kryptonite" and so far, it's very good!  He's one of my favorite Bible teachers and this book is already challenging me to think outside my comfort zone.

What's a fact about you that's not included in your Swap-bot profile?

I'm highly introverted!  I'm not shy, so most people are surprised to know that...but I'm always content to be home alone, doing my own thing and being in my 'happy place'!

Do you listen to any podcasts? Which ones? If not, what topics would interest you?

I occasionally listen to Gary Vee, Sandler Selling Skills or just anything random I land on while driving.  I would like to be more intentional about listening to motivational people.

If you were in charge of the playlist right now, which 5 songs would you play next?

I've got my SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I call "Heart of a Woman" on right now.  We're listening to:

1. Overcoats - Nighttime Hunger
2. CSNY - Find the Cost of Freedom
3. Nashville Cast/Connie Britton - Stronger than Me
4. Third Day - Soul on Fire
5. Lauren Daigle - Come Alive (Dry Bones)

What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

My dad wrote me a beautiful letter when I left home for college, and I still have it today.  He poured his heart out about how proud he was that I was on a path he admired so much.  I have cherished it ever since, especially after he died.  He was an amazing father.

What's your favorite part about living where you live right now?

I grew up in the midwest and we always had a lot of snow every winter.  I moved further south for the more mild weather, but it's been cold here too!  Still, it usually is more mild and Virginia is a beautiful state.  Our neighborhood is quiet and safe - that means a lot!

Least favorite?

We are having one heck of a time with drainage in our yard and under our house.  We need to spend a small fortune on new French drains, tree trimming and new grass (again).  I look at old photos of our house, and when I see how full and thick our grass was years ago, it makes me so sad!  We're had so much rain the past 2 years that we truly live in one big mud puddle! 

What's something that people assume about you, that isn't true?

I have it all together 😀and don't have bad days or have to deal with drama.  I have it like most everyone else does - but I really do try not to let it get me down for too long!

If you had to sum up 2018 in three words, which would they be? 

Trying - Challenging - Busy

What event/trip/holiday are you most looking forward to?

My niece is getting married in June, and I'm excited about the wedding and being together with family again.  Our family is scattered between Vegas, Chicago, Indiana and Virginia...so, getting everyone together for a happy occasion is a treat!

That wraps up my answers....Thanks for swapping, and for posting a rating for me.  Enjoy your day!

Ilyse