Halloween

Maya went from this last year, a bad butterfly:

To this, this year, Belle in the golden dress."

"Don't you want to be something scary?" I asked her when she told me she wanted to be "Belle in the golden dress, mommy."

"You don't have to be something scary to get candy," she told me.

She really wanted to wear the golden dress.

Guillermo wanted to be a ninja again

And, I got into the act this year, too:

I've been tagged

Amy tagged me. Here goes.

5 Things...

5 things I was doing 10 years ago...

1. I was working at The Associated Press.

2. I lived in St. Louis with my sister.

3. I visited Will in Rolla, Mo., frequently.

4. Jogged and worked out nearly every day.

5. Spent a lot of time at the pool.

5 Things on Today's To-Do List:

1. Laundry

2. Go for a jog

3. Buy Maya a sleeping bag

4. Return videos

5. Make Christmas lists (yes, I know, I know ...)

5 Treats I enjoy:

1. Brownies

2. Cake

3. Cookies

4. Hot chocolate

5. Wheat Thins

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire: (I think I am cramming to many things into one number).

1. Donate a lot more to the American Lung Association, Pan-CAN, and other organizations.

2. Visit home more often.

3. Buy homes for my family to live or vacation in near me.

4. Build another home on the lot I live on now, plus pay off the mortgages of my parents, sister, and father-in-law, and set up college funds for my kids and niece and nephew.

5. Hire a chef and a personal trainer.

5 Places I have lived (Here are a few)

1. Carrboro, N.C.

2. Austin, Texas

3. Germantown Hills, Ill.

4. Pleasant Valley, Iowa

5. Granada, Spain

5 Places I have worked:

1. The Associated Press

2. Caterpillar Inc.

3. The Journal Star (Peoria)

4. Snyder Village

5. Daily Eastern News

5 People I tag:

1. Di

2. MommyMae

3. Beth (I miss your blogs!)

4. Michelle T.

5. Michelle N.

Check me out!

My first blog for the Raleigh News & Observer's new moms' Web site is online today. I'll be the featured blogger on Sundays. 

The site still is in testing mode so if you have any suggestions, please feel free to offer them on the site or to me and I'll pass them on. 

For my first blog, I was asked to write an introduction so it's a big self indulgent. They won't all be like that. Oh, who am I kidding? By design, blogs are self indulgent. I am new to blogging and still trying to find my voice so bear with me for a bit. But most important, please comment. I love comments. 

One more plug. You can find my blog here. 

Mommy blogger

Sorry for the lack of postings this week.

I've been getting ready for my new blog assignment. Starting this week, I'll be a regular blogger on the new Raleigh News & Observer's Mom2Mom web site. A test launch starts today, mainly to newspaper employees.  The site should be ready for the public in mid-May. I'll send a link when it's officially up and running. There will be seven regular mommy bloggers and my blog will be posted every Sunday. If you like it, please leave comments. If you disagree with what I say, please leave comments. Always, please leave comments. That's what lets me know people are reading.