From Kristen with an 'e', to Kristin with an 'i', I would like to nominate Kristin (jacknbellasmama) for POTW. Yeah! Here we go...


Have you always been an OC native?

How did you and your husband meet?

What kind of car do you drive?

You are coming to NC when?

Thanks Kristen!

Have you always been an OC native? No, I have always been a nomad...my husband on the other hand has lived here his entire life. I have only lived in CA though... grew up in San Diego and LA (Whittier to be exact). I went to college in Malibu and lived there for a couple years after, moved to Santa Barbara for awhile, then headed back down to So Cal...Long Beach then the OC...I am speculating, since my hubby has lived here FOREVER that maybe I can start planting some roots!

How did you and your husband meet? My husband is a heating and air conditioning guy and he did a service call at my apartment...turns out he went to high school with my roommate and hadn't seen her in 10 years.
Anyhoo...I wasn't home at the time but he saw pictures of me up and asked my roommate to set us up. I had to be talked into going on a date with him because at the time I was SICK of the whole dating scene, but I finally gave in and what can I say, we've been inseperable ever since...

What kind of car do you drive? 2004 Silver Dodge Ram 1500

You are coming to NC when? John and I are DYING to come to NC...The company I do work for is based in NC and it's probable I'll be doing some trainings out there in the very near future...I'll keep you posted! I just have to meet you and your sweet boy!

I'll go with some old standards!

What's in the CD player at the moment?

What's your favourite book?

What's your favourite movie? (and why for the last two!)

What's in the CD player at the moment?
Rock Kills Kid (my brother's band)
Fall Out Boy
The 'Wicked' Soundtrack
An iMix of Children's Songs
...and a punk iMix CD...which is what has been playing the most!

What's your favourite book?
Hmmmmmm, Probably The DaVinci Code...thought provoking, raises lots of questions regarding the accuracy of the book and it was entertaining...I also loved Memoirs of a Geisha and I have a lot of professional books that I absolutely love and read over and over (Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller and Mosaic of Thought by Keene and Zimmerman). These are my faves because they are constantly inspiring me and challenging me to be better at my profession.

What's your favourite movie? (and why for the last two!)
This is hard...there are soooo many! Probably Good Will Hunting...once again...very inspiring. And for the funny factor I'd have to say Tommy Boy...
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Hey Parent of the Week!!

So, here's some questions:

Leanne Brown told me she's trying to get you to send Bella to Orange County Song and Dance... when will I see you?? I'm there every day

What movie star would you want playing your part in your "true Story"?

Are you most like fire, wind or water??

What is the best thing about having a baby with ds?

What has been the hardest thing about having a baby with ds?

Tell us one long term goal you have.

Oh... I forgot one.

You said your husband grew up in OC. What High School did he go to and when did he graduate??

oooo... a punk mix - What's on it? (half the time my lot would rather listen to something a little more rock n roll than kids stuff!!)

You said your husband grew up in OC. What High School did he go to and when did he graduate??

He went to Marina HS and graduated in 1988.

Oh, I graduated from Ocean View in 1990. Wished I had gone to Marina and hung out with a lot of girls from there.

Kristin, congrats on POTW!!!

1) What is the strangest thing that you have ever done?
2) What is your most embarrassing moment?
3) What is your favorite color and why?

So, here's some questions:

Leanne Brown told me she's trying to get you to send Bella to Orange County Song and Dance... when will I see you?? I'm there every day

Did I tell you about that or did I just think I did? My brain is going haywire these days! Leanna is actually kind of like my boss...and yes she was talking to me one day about OC Song and Dance for Bella and we realized that you went there too! Small world...but I do want to get Bella involved in something like that...I think I'll go in this week! When are you there?

What movie star would you want playing your part in your "true Story"?
hmmmmm, when I was in high school people used to say I looked like Marisa Tomei (I don't think so at all!), but I like Jennifer Garner or Natalie Portman.

Are you most like fire, wind or water?? OK, so now your making me THINK on a Sunday...well, I guess wind because I am always moving. I am always looking at the next step/goal before I even reach the one I'm on.

What is the best thing about having a baby with ds? ohhhh, there are so many great things about jack, but I think the BEST would be that every milestone is monumental to me. I appreciate and savor in each step he takes...he has taught me to slow down and enjoy...

What has been the hardest thing about having a baby with ds?
Hands down, so far it has been the issue with his heart and imminent surgery. The unknown is just so scary...

Tell us one long term goal you have.
Before I got pregnant with Jack, I started a PhD program...I have taken the past 3 quarters off and don't know when I will return, but I hope to finish the program one of these days...

1) What is the strangest thing that you have ever done?

I'll have to come back to that one later...

2) What is your most embarrassing moment?
Ok...it wasn't embarrassing until after, but I went to Vegas and was hypnotized by "Dr. Naughty." The name says it all...I bought and watched the video of the show afterward and you cannot believe some of the things this guy made us do...VERRRRRYY Embarrassing!!!

3) What is your favorite color and why?

It has always been green from the time I was a little girl...not sure why...

What is the strangest thing that you have ever done?

I guess get hypnotized...the guy kept trying to get me to be in the show and I kept insisting that it would not work on ME...finally, they needed one more volunteer and he asked me to give it a try...Surprise surprise...it worked!

I love that you drive a Dodge Ram! Are you sure you aren't from my hometown in Wisconsin?

So the way I picture California is that there are famous people running around all over. Do you know anyone famous (other than your brother )? Or...have you ever seen any famous people?

Is the OC just like they portray on TV? LOL

You mentioned something about a company you do work for....what do you do for a living??

2 of my friends live out in CA...Tustin Ranch and Mission Viejo. Do you live near either of them?
I live about a 40 minute drive away...that is unless there's traffic! Then it's more like an hour and a half...gotta love So Cal traffic...we;re driving down there a lot though because my stepdaughter is down there.

What's a day in your life like?
a blur, LOL! Normally the kids get me up between 6 and 7...First thing I do is make coffee, then it's go, go, go! I try to clean up the house from the day before in the morning...I'm much more productive in the morning! Then we have playgroups, dance class, therapies, etc. on most days...I don't like to stay in the house so I normally find somewhere to go. If I'm working, I'm out the door at 6 and my mom or MIL comes to the house with the kids. I make dinner almost every night, baths, then kids down between 7 and 8. My DH and I then normally have a glass of wine, watch a TV show or two, then crash by 9 or 10...real exciting!

Do you and DH get to go out on dates? If so, how often?

What is your most exciting night out like?

Do you have any sisters and brothers?

What is your favorite shows on TV?




Oh and I have Bad Religion in my CD player too...tee hee hee!

Do you and DH get to go out on dates? If so, how often? we make every effort to go out at least once a month...luckily both of our moms live pretty close so we just plan our dates around their availability...

What is your most exciting night out like? a nice dinner and wine followed by a concert...my DH is a "reformed" punk rocker, so we like to check out bands every once in a while...it's just now we're on the sidelines laughing at the crazy people in the pit instead of being the crazy people in the pit, LOL!

Do you have any sisters and brothers? I have 1 younger brother Jeff who's 27...we've always been very close...

What is your favorite shows on TV? #1 is Grey's Anatomy, LOST, Survivor, 24, Deal or No Deal, and any home show on HGTV

Reformed punk rocker...watch the kids in the pit....you guys sound so much like me and my DH. We went to the Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger concert and sat like old people looking at piercings saying "Wow, that looks like it hurt"

Have you heard of the Pietasters (be quiet Bethany...she's not a fan)? If you've been to my Myspace then you have heard them. We go to all their concerts. They are awesome. I bet your DH would like them too.

What concerts have you been to?

OK, off the music path...

What was the last movie you saw?

Do you like broadway? If so, what have you seen or what would you like to see?

When you waited on the famous people did you act normal or did you drool?

Dows your DH ever come on downsyn and read or is he not interested? (Joe will not come on here...I try to force him though )

Can you surf...being a Caly girl and all?

Tell us the best quality of all your kids?

With all of Stephanie's cool questions, I am needing to dip into some sort of creativity...

What type of books do you like to read?


Did you ever have to Superwoman bathingsuit as a child?


Are you a righty or a lefty?


Do you like to draw/color/paint- anything artistic?


What song do you love to sing?


Any more children in the future?

Have you heard of the Pietasters (be quiet Bethany...she's not a fan)? If you've been to my Myspace then you have heard them. We go to all their concerts. They are awesome. I bet your DH would like them too.

The first time I heard them was on your Myspace page...I like your song a lot!

What concerts have you been to? I've been to A LOT, so I'll give you my first and last ones....my first was Bon Jovi and Skid Row in 7th grade and my last was in August...we went to Street Scene in San Diego and saw Bad Religion, Social Distortion, AFI, Wolfmother, She Wants Revenge, Queens of the Stone Age, Matchbook Romance, (and oh yes...my little bro was playing too...Rock Kills Kid!). We had SOOOOOO much fun!

OK, off the music path...

What was the last movie you saw? At the theater...Hollywoodland
At home...Date Movie

Do you like broadway? If so, what have you seen or what would you like to see? YESSSSSSS!!!!!! I'm a HUGE musical junkie. My girlfriends and I go see a play about once every 2-3 months. I went to NY and saw 5 broadway shows in 4 days, then went 3 months later and did the same thing. I have a laundry list so here goes...Rent (6 times!), Wicked, Les Miserables, Caberet, Chicago, Lion King, Joseph and the Amazing Tech. Dreamcoat, Evita, Mamma Mia!, Contact, Annie, The King and I(with Yul Brenner...I was 4!), The Producers, Grease (4 times!), Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast,...many more I can't think of now.
I have never seen CATS but always wanted to, and I would LOVE to see Wicked again.

When you waited on the famous people did you act normal or did you drool? depends on who it was...I definitely drooled over John Cusack...the thing I really noticed is that most famous people are really short, especially the guys!

Dows your DH ever come on downsyn and read or is he not interested? (Joe will not come on here...I try to force him though )
Never...he does ask me though sometimes what I'm reading about and I show him threads I think he'd be interested in...but I don't think he'd ever come on his own.

Can you surf...being a Caly girl and all?
Well, I have a surfboard, but can I surf...no! My DH is an avid surfer and he has been trying to teach me and bought me a wetsuit and 9 foot longboard. With the kids taking up most of my time, I haven't really had a lot of time to go out and learn...but I will eventually.

Tell us the best quality of all your kids?
Keeley...she is by far the most nurturing of the 3 kids. She is a second mommy to Jack...very loving child and wanting to take care of everyone.

Bella...she is our little pistol! She is soooo fun, independent, opinionated, outspoken, a total risk-taker and too darn smart for her own good! I LOVE that about her!

Jack...his eyes light up a room...he is the most expressive of my kids and he has a sweet demeanor. People see him and just love him...can't ask for more than that!

What type of books do you like to read? I love mysteries, I like true stories, and as boring as it sounds, I like reading books on how to teach reading...


Did you ever have to Superwoman bathingsuit as a child? No, But I did have Wonder Woman Underoos!


Are you a righty or a lefty? LEFTY


Do you like to draw/color/paint- anything artistic? I don't have an artistic bone in my body...all of the creativity went to my brother...he's an artist and musician, self-taught...I'm more of the bookworm...


What song do you love to sing? My mom laughs at me because I am always singing the song, "Woman" by Wolfmother these days...I can't stop!


Any more children in the future?

Not planned...I wouldn't mind one more, but my DH is done...so I guess that takes care of that!

I was a reading specialist and elementary teacher for 6 years, but have been off since my first was born. Do you miss teaching? Do you enjoy your work now? I'm sure the flexible hours are great!

I was a reading specialist and elementary teacher for 6 years, but have been off since my first was born. Do you miss teaching? Do you enjoy your work now? I'm sure the flexible hours are great!


I do miss the classroom but LOVE what I do now...I like making my own schedule and I am really passionate about the program I train so it is so worth it to me!