Sawdust Girl®

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Getting to know me…getting to know all abouuuuut me.

All Posts, Personal

Today’s the day!  My BIG 4-0!  I’m not freaked out about it:  age is a just number, you’re only as old as you feel…or act…whatever!

Just for fun, I thought I’d share some little tidbits about me that you probably don’t know.

Here goes!

  1. I grew up in Idaho.  To be exact, I grew up in Kuna, pronounced “Que-na”– which is just outside Boise, pronounced Boy-See.
  2. I grew up on a working farm.  A big one.  1100 acres of corn, beans, alfalfa, potatoes, hay, I don’t even know what.
  3. I know how to work HARD.
  4. I  was driving, all by myself when I was 8.  I had to look THROUGH the steering wheel instead of over it.
  5. I’m a middle child.  #6
  6. I have 10 siblings.
  7. I was a gymnast.  I loved gymnastics.  I did NOT love (or even remotely like) the idea of “competition” in a huge stadium with gazillions of people watching.  In 6th grade, I quit –I always regretted that.
  8. I was shy.
  9. I was a daredevil.  My exit from a trampoline was a front flip layout.
  10. I like sweets and desserts.
  11. I was the shortest girl in my entire grade through 7th grade.  Then a girl moved in who was shorter than me.  (I fist punched the air that day!)
  12. I taught myself to play the piano by ear.
  13. I love to dance.  Nothing fancy or that has a name (ballroom, jazz, tap…), just moving my body to the rhythm of the music.  I dance while I build, I dance while I cook, I dance while I brush my teeth…It keeps me young.
  14. I was allergic to just about all animals.  Now it’s just cats and horses.  (that I know of — I don’t go around hugging bears or turtles so, who knows…?)
  15. I worked as a “trapper” on a shooting range.  …Large scar on my face over my left temple?  I had a little accident behind the “thrower”.
  16. I was a music major in college on a vocal scholarship.  (Laa-la la-Laaaa!)
  17. I sang in Carnegie Hall.  (In a huge group, no biggie.  I almost didn’t add that part because it sounds so much more impressive standing alone.)
  18. I met Wes when I was 21 at a “Pool Party”.  He came and sat next to me in the gazebo and said, “Hey, how ya’ doin’?”  (I rolled my eyes and walked away.)
  19. Wes followed me after I walked away from him — out of the gazebo at the pool party.  He’s tenacious like that!   I talked to him a little and  decided he was OK.
  20. I married Wes when I was 22.  We’ve been married 18 years (later this month).
  21. I did not finish college.  I don’t have a degree in anything even though I’ve been “Back to school” many times.  We keep moving before I can finish anything.
  22. I worked at a wood mill, I was a cashier at a grocery store, a nanny, a chiropractic assistant and a bank teller.
  23. I like milk chocolate over dark.
  24. I am a terrible navigator.  I have to use my Garmin to find my mailbox!
  25. I had hyperemesis during my pregnancy.  (Which means I threw up pretty much…constantly.  Like -all day, all night.  Long heaving spells that would finally make me so tired I’d fall asleep.  That’s the only time I wasn’t throwing up…when I was asleep.)  I was hospitalized 5 times for 3 days each.  I lost 20 pounds.  I looked like a skeleton.
  26. I was in labor for 26 hours.
  27. Madison was born when I was 26.  (And she was healthy, despite …everything.)
  28. I never want to throw up again in my life!
  29. I get sea sick, car sick, plane sick …sick from movies and video games that move to fast…  (Which thwarts my plan to never again throw up.)
  30. White is my favorite color.  (I know, it’s not a color…)
  31. I find it very easy to laugh at myself.  I do it daily.
  32. I also have full conversations with myself out loud but Wes says I shouldn’t tell too many people about that.  Oops!
  33. I don’t get bent out of shape too easily.  Someone cuts me off on the road?  I smile shrug and assume they have somewhere very important to get to very quickly!  Life is too short to let the little things ruin my day.
  34. I don’t have a favorite food but my favorite cake is German Chocolate.  (I hope Wes figured out how to make it.  He won’t let me make my own Birthday cake.  That’s sweet of him.)
  35. I’m tough…but not all the time.   If I skin my knee, I like it when Wes cleans and bandages it up for me.  And holds me a little if it really hurts!
  36. I cry at some point during pretty much any movie I see.  (I don’t see horror movies.)
  37. Yes,I build houses (kind of) but I’m a girly-girl.  I love to shop.  I have a closet full of clothes I painstakingly arranged into outfits and still feel like I never have anything to wear.
  38. I think I can do anything.  (But I don’t want to do everything.)
  39.  I have a terrible memory.  I’ve had a brain MRI to make sure everything’s OK up there.  Apparently it is.  I just have a terrible memory.
  40.  I know my own strengths, skills and talents.  I also am fully aware of my limitations!   I have many.  I don’t kick myself or feel bad about them.  I appreciate myself for what I can do –for myself and for others.  I want to continually improve and learn but don’t expect myself to know everything or be perfect at anything.  I just do what I can and try my best to enjoy the journey.

And that’s me, Yo’!

Learn more about  how I got started in my DIY journey on my “About Me” page.

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Comments

  2. Happy Birthday & thanks for sharing with us. I hear ya when you said you were sick with your pregnancy constantly. Sounds identical to what I went through. I did it 3 more times plus adopted our son. 4 girls & 1 boy. Maybe it’s the girl babies that make us sick?

    Anyways Enjoy your special day because we’re all thinking about you!!!

    Liz

  3. Awesome…this helps put more pieces to the puzzle…but following your blog, I feel like you are my neighbor!!! (That is an awesome thing with me…cause when we bought our first house 24 years ago, my first neighbor is still my best friend today..even though we don’t live next to each other anymore!) So welcome to the neighborhood sista! Oh and Happy Birthday!

    • Thank you Sherri! If we ever are neighbors, we won’t have to go through the awkward “getting to know you” stage, we’ll just hit the ground running!

  8. FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!
    yes, you are read in Guatemala :o)
    Very optimistic entry! and yes, it is simply a number…I’ve been telling myself – and others – that for a while now :o)
    Hope you have your cake!

  10. Thanks for sharing. Us short, I am 4’11”, July birthday girls have to stick together. I was also the shortest in school. Sadly, I don’t remember anyone moving in that was shorter, so no celebration for me. Hope you have a super birthday!

    • Thank you Debbie. I’m 5’8″ now but I was a late bloomer (as my mother would say.) We’re all beautiful, no matter the height, right? Have a wonderful day!

  14. That was SO fun to read! You are an amazing gal– you take after your Momma (and Pa). Happy Birthday to you cousin. Love you!

  16. Happy Birthday! Sandra. Have a great day and blessed year. I am 2.5 years from 50, now that is scary. Love reading your blog cause I would love to be able to do the projects that you do. Enjoyed the 40 things about you.

    • Thank you Suzanne. Like I said, age is just a number. Just like I never step on a scale, I think we shouldn’t even track our age. Just forget the numbers and celebrate “US”. 🙂

  19. Happy birthday! It’s so fun to learn more about you. I’ve been reading your blog for a while and feel like we’re friends, even though I hardly ever comment and don’t blog myself, so I realize it’s a bit of a one-sided friendship. So thanks for sharing! We have lots in common. I’m a Utah girl, and have been to ID a lot. I too majored in music, voice being my instrument, but never finished my degree. And I sang in Carnegie Hall in a big group. But I definitely don’t have enough talent to ever sing there solo.

    I love your blog. You have great content and a great personality that adds a lot of fun. So keep it up and have a great day!

    • Thank you Maren. Wouldn’t that be funny if we sang in the same big group in Carnegie Hall? LOL Happy to know you are here, even if you don’t comment often. (But I LOVE the interaction so don’t be a stranger!)

  20. I was always the shortest one in class too…until high school where I made a lifetime friend… I always tell her that I became friends with her because she makes me feel tall(she’s 2 inches shorter than me). ha ha!

    And as for age…just remember… Age is a matter of mind, and if you don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter.

    Have a good one!!

    • That is so great. I totally don’t mind so it doesn’t matter one bit! Hooray for best friends. Hope we all have at least one real, true BFF in our life!

  21. You don’t know how happy it makes me that you spelled Boise out phonetically, for the world to see. Nothing yanks my chain like the mispronunciation, ‘Boy-Zee’. Ewww. I know. Life’s too short. But it still bugs me. And I feel ya on the throwing up front. Do you think being so sick during pregnancy has caused the motion sickness stuff? Cause I don’t have any medical proof to back me up, but I swear I never had problems until after my pregnancies. Now, it’s like my stomach is the weakest link. When my body wonders what to do about any new situation, it automatically goes into throw up gear. I firmly believe that if you throw up for 9 months (even once, let along multiple times…), you should be exempt from ever throwing up again. Oh, and I love you.

    • Have you heard the Jewel song, “There is no Z in Boise”? Made me laugh.

      For me, I actually got much better with motion sickness after Maddie was born. Only in the last few months it’s gotten worse. I think it all started with the dang snorkeling but now I get motion sick really easily again. (Or, it might be some medicine I’m currently taking.) Either way, it sucks to be nauseous. I hate throwing up but I’d rather throw up and feel better than just feel nauseous all the time. Oh well, we don’t get to choose so we just make jokes about it and live on. Ha! Love you too!

  22. Happy 40th! I hope your upcoming decades are a fabulous one!!

    Funny to read your Idaho names…I married a guy from a farm in Filer, and we have family in Kuna!! Being from out of state, I always had a hard time understanding how that was supposed to be pronounced-now I know. Currently we live in a land where names are Unalakleet, Kourgarok, etc. and we are learning!

    Sharon
    dexterdays-sdk.blogspot.com

    • Thank you Sharon! Now, I’d never be able to pronounce those names without hearing them. Kuna and Boise are like child’s play next to those. LOL

  23. Hi Sandra,
    Happy Birthday! After following your blog for 2+ years (I think), I always felt like we’d be really good friends if we ever actually, you know, met in REAL life. Now, I KNOW we would be.

    And by the way, from your pics I thought you were a past gymnast like me! What a cool coincidence!

    SOOOOO….WHY AREN’T YOU SINGING IN ANY OF YOUR VIDEOS???????

    Have a great day!

    • Thank you Suzanne! Well I hope we get the chance to meet someday. One can never have too many good friends. I think I sing in a lot of my videos but I always delete it out or fast forward through it. Sometimes you see my lips moving but there is music playing over. LOL I said I sang, I didn’t say it sounded good. Ha. Maybe once I get good at playing my saw, I’ll do a double concert video. Bwahaha. Fat chance. (But you never know.)

      Also, thanks for sticking around for 2+ years. That’s fantastic!!!

  24. Happy Birthday, Sandra! I turned the big 4-0 about four years ago. I think it upset my Mother more than it did me!

    Enjoyed your list and could related to so many of them–I was the shortest girl in school, too.

    Have a wonderful day. Hope you get the German Chocolate cake!

    • I got my cake and it was GOOD. LOL So funny that your mother felt old when you turned 40. Although, I can totally relate. I think once Maddie hits that number, that’s when I’ll start to freak out about how old I’ve gotten!
      Thank you for the birthday wishes.

  25. So glad to get to know you! Have a most wondrous birthday – you’re only forty once! (And then it gets even better!)

    • Thank you Patricia. I’m glad to hear it gets better. I can’t complain now so I can only imagine how happy I’m going to be in 5-10 years. I’ll practically be in heaven! LOL

  26. HaPpY BiRtHdAy!!…..i don’t usually comment but i read your blog all the time you leave me in awe, your ambition and talent just blows me away…and your right is just a # i have a feeling your always feel young, i hope you have a grand day and a wonderful huge piece of G-Choc cake!!

    • Thank you Christine. So glad you know you’re hanging in there with me (even if you don’t comment often). I had a big piece of G-Chocolate cake and it was delicious! 🙂

  28. Happy Birthday, sweet girl!! I am a little shocked that your 40! You look (and are) AMAZING, my friend!!!

    • Thank you Jaima. I guess that’s why people usually don’t share their age…people don’t need to know that you are OLDER than you think they are. What YOU don’t know can’t hurt ME. LOL
      Thank you very much! 😀

  29. 41. You are amazing. I love seeing your vision. I Hope that you have a great day.

  30. Oh my goodness! I’m from Eagle, but now living in Caldwell. (It’s changed A LOT in the last 10 years…) I laughed out loud when you spelled out the pronunciation. I’m doing that ALL the time, especially because people say “Boyzee” or “Koona”. Too funny. I just love your blog! I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

    • It’s a small world! I always correct people too, which is silly. Whatever, right? We hope to SOMEDAY move back to the area. We’ll have to meet if we ever do. OK? Thank you for the birthday wishes!

  31. Happy Birthday Sandra! Hope you have a wonderful day and that you do get your favorite cake.

    Love your blog and enjoyed reading your 40 things!

    • Thanks Sandra! LOL I had a big piece of yummy cake. Wes really came through for me! (He called me so I could walk him through how to make the frosting. LOL He really is sweet!)

  33. Your creativity spills over into your birthday blog!! Loved the ‘famous 40 facts!’ Learned some new things about you after 18 years!! Happy 40th, Sandra! See you in 12 more days!! Love from us both! Lew and Marsha

  34. Love your 40 things!! Love you more! Happy Birthday!!

    I knew A LOT which was cool but I didn’t know you used to be short. Or that you got married at 22. I did too!

    I also didn’t know about being a trapper. I’ll have to hear about that…

    ENJOY!!

  37. Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Sandra. This was a fun, informative read. Great getting to know you a little better. You have inspired me to do so much in my home. Thanks for empowering us DIY girls!

  38. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WISH YOU LIVED IN CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA, I AM SURE WE WOULD GET ON WELL!!!

    • Colleen I’ve always wanted to visit Cape Town! I really want to go the the Women’s Narje’ store. I shopped at the kid’s store for Maddie when she was little and always wished they would sell women’s clothes. Maybe someday I’ll make it out and you can give me a guided tour.
      Thanks for the birthday wishes!

  40. Happy 40th Birthday!! I love reading your blog and am blown away by your amazing DIY skills. I enjoyed reading your 40 fun facts about yourself, too. 🙂 Hope you and your family have a safe and fun-filled celebration today. Happy 4th of July!
    Sharla

  41. I wished you Happy Birthday on facebook, but didn’t get over here on the right day-oops! I hope it was wonderful- you are still just a young’un! 🙂 I had the same problem with my first pregnancy, but didn’t know it had a name. yuk! I actually burst a blood vessel in my eyelid while throwing up. Of course, it gave me a black eye- yep, hubby got a few dirty looks.

  44. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDRA! Hope this is your best birthday yet. Thanks for all of the inspiration you have given me and for sharing yourself with all of us! Cheers!

  47. Happy Belated 40th birthday! Loved this post and getting to know more about you. We’re so much alike 🙂

  48. Thanks Ms. Sandra for sharing yourself and your talents with me. I am a competitive person but only with myself. These past 2 years i started to concentrate on the ability and hidden talents i have and the result has been wonderful. I’ve been sewing bags and stuffs for other people but seldom for myself so the cabinet project is dedicated solely for me..isn’t that great?

    Love your blog very much, so inspiring!…thanks again..

  49. Sandra,
    This is just the cutest post! I love every bit of it! It was so great getting to meet you earlier this month! You are an absolute sweetheart in person, and it was so nice to talk ‘blog’ for a bit with you! Hope to see you again soon! And I still can’t get over the whole ‘working farm/10 kids’ thing!! So awesome! ~ Virginia

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Although it is my intention to provide accurate plans and clear instructions, not all plans have been tried and tested. Using plans or information found on SawdustGirl.com indicates that you agree with the Terms of Use policy and will accept full responsibility for the process and outcome of any project you attempt. All plans are for private use only. Plans and information published on SawdustGirl.com may not be reproduced, republished or distributed in any manner without written permission from Sandra Powell, Sawdust Girl. Actual projects built using Sawdust Girl plans may be published on your own site without instructions or "tutorial" as long as you provide a link to my original post with full post title or "SawdustGirl.com" as link title.