Life at Oak Grove

Two friends of mine have tagged me in the past two weeks.

I barely had the time to answer the first tag that another one was made.   OUCH!

So now I have two tags to do which are similar as I have to answer questions.

Heidi from Reviews & Reflections wants me to answer these questions:

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?  If so, how close to being finished are you?  I’d like to know your Christmas shopping personality. I must admit that this year I am late.   Crazy late.    But it also was a hard year.    I have received some products that I am keeping away from the kids as it will be their Christmas gifts – things like Wii games, Nintendo DS game, Lego Game, K*Nex, Adventures in Odyssey CD.  
2. Is there a particular field trip destination that you and your kids could (and do) visit over and over again? The Hershey Factory would be on (*grin*) and Disney World as well (which we still have to do but I know the kids will be crazy about it).    We loved Science North this Fall.   We went like four times while we were in Sudbury.    The Children’s Museum in Boston is also wonderful.   I recommend it to anyone I see.    
3. What is your favorite season, and why? Honestly, I like ALL the seasons.    Each of them have something different to enjoy.   Spring makes me thing of renewal and how God gaves life to everything around me.   Summer is nice because of the sunshine and RV season.   Fall is marvelous with all the changing of the colors of the leaves.    And Winter even though it brings the cold is fantastic to build snowmen and have fun in the outdoors.
4. Are you content with your home?  If not, what would you like to change (assuming money is not an issue)? My house is wonderful.  Oh there are things we would like to change – like the floors in the kitchen, fixing the cabinet doors that have been damaged, putting hardwood floor in the dining room, extending the entrance to up the stairs with tiles, having a deck in the backyard.   But it can be done little by little.    Sometimes I dream of more land and living out in the country.   Not sure it is for us though.  Hubby would love to have a house close to a lake with a boat.   
5. Do you have a dream  vacation destination? There are many place I would love to go – Thailand to visit our friends who are missionaries there as well as one of our sponsored child through Compassion, Bolivia to visit another sponsored child through Compassion, Dominican Republic to visit two of our sponsored children through Compassion, France – actually make that Europe with my husband, a cruise in Alaska, Australia which I always wanted to visit, a tour of where Paul went,  and finally a tour where Jesus went.     
6. Do you have a favorite Bible verse? If so, why is it your favorite?  Recently I stumble on a verse that I really love and pray for my kids:  "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love,in faith, and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
7. Do you decorate your house for the seasons? If so, do you have a specific treasured ornament or decoration?  I do.  But I didn’t took the time for Thanksgiving this year.    Christmas is always a struggle as I would like to do it in November (late November) but hubby would prefer to wait later.   Fortunately, the kids are excited about Christmas…  *grin*   and are willing to help me!
8. What one thing would you change about yourself if you were able? I know I have to loose more weight.   Working on it slowly.   

Michelle from A Life Better Than I Deserve wants me to answer these questions:

1. What type of gifts do you prefer to give?  Do you prefer home-made, gift certificates, store-bought, etc? I would get either store-bought or gift certificates.   For kids thought it is store-bought.    I did a wreath once for my mother-in-law.    And we give some homemade preserve when we do them.    
2. What type of gifts do you prefer to receive? I love handmade gifts when the person giving the gift has a talent for the making the object and when it is given with love and thoughtfulness. And I am not allergic to it; that tends to make me sad.
3. Do you stock a gift closet, or box, and purchase gifts throughout the year?  Yes we do.   Where it is located is my own closet.    So it is getting crowded sometimes.   I’ve got a basket with anything that is DVD/electronic games related.   Right now, you will find some Dr. Seuss stuff character, books, DVDs, electronic games, Lego game, K*Nexs, princess trunk, and a few other things.     We use the gift stash for birthdays and Christmas not only for my kids but for my nephews and nieces as well.   Sometimes I can dig something for birthday parties we are invited too!  I usually take advantage of sales throughout the year.   This year though I didn’t as much as previous years.   
4. What is your favorite type of music?  Do you have one? I am not picky.   We have a variety of music like Michael Card, praise and worship music, the WOW worship collections, Michael W Smith, Steven Curtiss Chapman, NewsBoys, TobyMac, electronic music, and much more.  It depends on how I feel…
5. Do you like chick-flicks, or not? I do but not too much lovey-lovey.    For example, last week we watched 27 Dresses.   Loved it.   We usually watch sci-fy, action or drama types of movies.     For kids, it would be cartoons and family movies.  
6. Do you have a hobby?  Do you make time for it regularly? I read a lot.    I review books to cover this hobby of mine.   I used to scrapbook but it is harder to do when you homeschool your kids.   I also do cards.   I cook with my husband.   We love doing this.   Actually it is a family event especially when you have 150 lbs of tomatoes or 10 lbs of onions to process.   LOL  As a family, we love rving and discovering new places, meeting new friends and expanding our horizons.
7. What is your favorite thing about where you live?  Every place has its pros and cons.  What are the “pros” about where you live? Lots of activities to do – from walking to visiting museums.     Ottawa is the nation’s capital so there is always something going on.   We have a great community of homeschoolers as well.   In the area we live, every stores is quite far.   We could walk but it would take about 30-40 minutes to get to the Wal-mart and then you need to come back with whatever you buy….   
8. What is your favorite kids cartoon movie? All the Tinker Bell movies!   LOVE them.   Even the kids enjoys them.    Actually all the Disney movies, Veggie Tales, What’s in the Bible are loved in our household.

Apparently, now I have to select people to do it as well.  But I think it would be more interesting if you just take these questions and answer them on your own blog.   So please go ahead, copy and answer on your blog.   And please, leave me a comment that you did so.   I would love to get to know you better!