Pixel Perfect: Getting to know YOU!

Today we are getting to know Brianna over at Castleberry Tales.

How long have you been married?

7 years and one month :)

How many children do you have? ages?

We have 2 children: Laura Anne is 4 1/2 and Caleb is 2. We also have one baking...I'm due July 26th! We don't know the sex of the baby.

What is the one thing that if nothing else "sticks" you want your children to learn from you?

Oh man. It's hard to pick one thing. Of course, I want them to see Jesus through me. I want them to see firsthand that a relationship with Jesus is what will bring them through all the trials, joys and struggles of life.

Are you a stay at home mom or a work at home mom?

I stay at home with my kids. I get paid in hugs and kisses. :) I also plan to start homeschooling this fall. We'll see how that goes!

Do you have any hobbies?

Probably too many! I love to scrapbook and make cards; I play piano and sing; I love to read; I'm a runner (well, at least I was before I got pregnant with this baby. I have big plans to start training again as soon as I recover from the delivery, though); and my newest hobby is photography. I'm trying to save up to buy a new camera.

What is you best memory you have of your family?

The first one that comes to my mind is the day my son was born. My daughter was in the waiting room with a friend of mine. When she was brought in the room, those first several moments of being together as a family of 4 is something that will stick with me forever. From the very beginning, she was so sweet and tender with him. I felt so complete there with my husband and two children. :o) Now we're getting ready to do it again! Haha!

What is your favorite family vacation?

There are 2 vacations that stick out in my mind--one was when my 2nd child was 2 months old, we took a trip to the beach and visited an aquarium. It was our first big outing as a family of 4. :) Then, several months later for Thanksgiving we took a road trip to Tennessee to visit family. It was so fun and I love Tennessee!! We got to see the Apple Barn and a petting zoo. The kids had such fun.

What are some ways you practice frugality?

I try to use coupons as much as I can, and I buy store brands a lot. I'm a sale-shopper! It's not very often I buy clothes or shoes that are not on sale. And I love Craigslist. :)

What is your most embarrassing moment?

Well I can't think of the most embarrassing moment, but I can tell you the most recent. For a touch of background, my 2 kids are usually well-behaved when we're out in public. They fight at home, but not so much when we're out and about. Well, 2 weeks ago I had an appointment with my midwife. I guess they were both in a bad mood this particular day, because they were fighting over the little baby models in the exam room. My son even threw some on the floor, in front of the midwife! I was horrified. Then as I was checking out, minutes before we were about to leave, my 4-yr-old who is usually an angel around other people, deliberately disobeyed me and even refused to go sit in a chair when I told her to! I couldn't believe it. THEN, we were walking out the door and my son refused to walk out with us! The lady at the desk was watching this whole time and must think I don't have any control over my children. Needless to say, punishment was doled out when we got to the van, and we were all grumpy after that.

What surprised you the most about marriage?

How much work it takes from both parties. I'm so thankful for a husband that insists on talking about what's going on. If I'm upset about something, he doesn't let me walk away and pout (which is what I want to do, believe me!) We talk about everything and I feel it has kept us happy! We always find a way to compromise and I'm so thankful for that.

What surprised you the most about being a mom?

Oh the emotions I feel!!! I can feel like I'm about to lose my mind because the kids drive me crazy, but when I'm away from them, I miss them so bad and can't wait to get back to them.

What is the hardest part about being a mom for you?

Watching them suffer when they are sick. Especially my youngest. He was very sick from the time he was 9 months old until a little after he turned one. There were so many times I felt absolutely helpless and it hurt so bad to watch him suffering.

What is the most rewarding part? I have overheard my daughter singing praise songs to Jesus while playing with her friends. I just love that. And just the other day, my 2 year old was playing with his cars and he saw my Bible. I heard him say, "what does your Bible say? My Bible says Jesus loves me." It makes me melt inside. :)

What is your dream job? If you could do absolutely anything...

I have too many interests!! I would love to be a photographer, if I could just find the time to learn everything there is to learn. I am also interested in being a labor coach, or a labor support person. I am fascinated with childbirth and think it would be so cool to be a part of bringing babies into the world. :) I also enjoy writing children's stories and would be excited to get my stories published. I'm still thinking about that one.

Share with us 3 interesting facts about yourself that others may not know about.

1. My eyes are different colors. One is blue-ish and the other is half brown, half hazel.

2. I'm one of 6 children and I love being part of a big family. I would like to have a slew of children myself, including at least one adopted child.

3. I love music. If I could go back to school for something, it would be music. I love to sing, I love playing piano and I would really love to learn how to play a few more instruments such as flute, violin and guitar. Music is a big part of who I am, and who I want to be!

How long have you been blogging?

I've been blogging since October 2006

What is your reason for blogging?

My husband and I lived 4 states away from our families when we started having children. I started the blog so they could see pictures regularly and stay updated on our lives. Now that we live closer to our families, the blog serves as a way to keep our friends 4 states away updated. It has served as a good outlet for me too.

Can you leave us a link of your favorite post from your blog? Man, this was hard. :) I searched the whole blog and I finally found a post worthy to be on my "favorite" list.

http://castleberrytales.blogspot.com/2008/07/irresistibly-cute.html