Happy Spring, friends! Spring has sprung where we are, making my days a little brighter (literally and figuratively!) and my spirits a little higher. For this month’s behind-the-blog catch up, I’m doing something a little different (and a lot of fun!) I’m sharing a bunch of quick fun facts about me you might not know. Then I invited Greg to share some things about me from his perspective, and I’m giving you a turn to chime in too! I think you guys will get a kick out of this…so grab your favorite snack and beverage, and let’s get to know each other a little better!

Megan from The Homes I Have Made

You can catch up on all past Coffee Breaks HERE.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

  1. I Never Wear Makeup & My Hair is Always Back. Well, I will put on makeup if it’s a super special occasion or I’m getting pictures taken. Even then though, my hair is will still be pulled back in a ponytail, claw, or bun.
  2. I’m the Youngest of 4 Kids. By a lot…my siblings are 11, 14, and 17 years older than me. As a kid, I felt like an only child with a lot of older, bossy people in my life. But as I’ve gotten older, the age gap between us all has shrunk, and we’re now close like “normal” siblings.
  3. My Birthday is on Christmas. Yep – Christmas Day! And I love it; well, I didn’t always, but I’ve grown to. Although opening presents one day a year is kind of a bummer, it definitely has some benefits too (e.g., everywhere is decorated really pretty; there’s always good food and a plethora of sweets; everyone is off work/school; and we’re usually surrounded by family). Oh – and almost no one forgets!
  4. Speaking of birthdays…I’m Really Bad at Remembering Birthdays. Don’t ever expect a birthday card from me…or a birthday text…because I can never remember to send something along on time. I guess this is where Facebook would come in handy if I actually used it. I can’t tell you how many New Year’s resolutions I’ve made to send hand-written birthday cards…on time…just to my family. I think I typically make it to March before I start to forget.
  5. I’m a Strong Introvert. People who know me might be surprised by this because I do have some extroverted qualities (I can be VERY chatty when I know you well). But, I’m best on my own or in very small groups. I have a good bit of social anxiety in large crowds or situations out of my control, and I definitely re-charge by working alone on projects.
  6. I’ve Always Been a Horrible Speller. If you’ve been coming around here for a while, you probably don’t need me to tell you this. But it’s not just here…I’ve been a pretty bad speller my whole life. True story: I was the ONLY kid in all of my third grade class who went the entire year without a perfect score on the weekly spelling test (as noted by the sticker chart displayed in the classroom). Although spell check helps me out significantly and I’ve outgrown a lot of common mistakes, I still make some pretty good blunders (like this one and this one).
  7. I Can’t See. Much, that is. I’ve worn glasses since third grade, contacts since eighth. I can’t see the clock from bed, no matter how large the numbers are (which Greg loves in the middle of the night when I want to know the time, which is often) and I pretty much can’t make a move without my glasses on first.
  8. I’m a Group-Exercise Instructor & Personal Trainer. I’ve mentioned it here and there, so some of you might already know this one. I got my group-exercise certification my sophomore year of college and have maintained it ever since (going on 22 years!). I’m also a certified personal trainer, although the group class environment is by far my favorite.
  9. I Eat Dessert Every Day But Don’t Drink Alcohol. My Dad always gets a chuckle when we go out to a restaurant because I pass on a cocktail but order dessert every time. I’m not really sure why…I just love my sweets and don’t really care for alcohol. I pretty much have dessert after every meal, except breakfast…unless you consider coffee a dessert? I even keep a a stocked glass jar of DOVE chocolates on our kitchen counter at all times.
  10. I’m Catholic. Born, raised, married, and (trying to be) practicing. I went to 13 years of Catholic school (K-12), as did Greg (rival Catholic high schools!) Like many (I think), faith and religion have ebbed and flowed for us throughout our lives. We took a really long hiatus during the pandemic, but we’ve recently returned and are trying to get us all back in the (spiritual) groove.

Rapid Fire

  • On our home speaker: Blaze and the Monster Machines soundtrack…our whole family seriously loves these catchy science tunes!
  • In my earphones: These days…Dixie Chicks or Mamma Mia…super random, right?
  • On my Kindle: Just finished Children of Blood and Bone and didn’t love it enough to read the next one. Just started The Girl the Sea Gave Back (after loving the prequel, Sky In the Deep).
  • On our TV: We’re taking a break after 3 straight seasons of binging Homeland to catch up on the next seasons of Mrs. Maisel and Bridgerton.
  • On my phone: I gave up all Social Media for Lent, so the only things I do on my phone right now is text and surf Amazon for wallpaper and rugs for our new home.
  • On my plate: My favorite new meal in our dinner rotation is this Cashew Chicken.
  • On my feet: You’ll find me either in these Converse or these boots pretty much every single day!

10 Things I Wouldn’t Tell You But Greg Will

If you’ve spent any time in the Comments section of the blog over the years, every so often you’ll catch a witty comment from my charming husband Greg. I know many of you get a kick out of his…ahem…contributions…so I invited him to join us this month with his own “roast” of yours truly.

  1. Megan Loves Showing Off the Inside of Her Kitchen Cabinets. To long time readers, this may not be shocking; however, Megan goes beyond simply posting photos on the blog. She takes care to not only open these cabinets, but keeps them open for all to see indefinitely. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen her actually close a cabinet door.
  2. Consistently Ensures the Rooms In Our House Are Ready To Be “Seen” At Any Time. How can you possibly take in the grandeur of room without the lights on? Megan stays ahead of this problem by keeping the lights on in every room as much as possible. It is not unusual for me to come home to find her out on an errand, but the house lit up for anyone’s viewing pleasure.
  3. Megan Loves Having Boxes For Her Shoes. This great organizational tip has transformed our closet into the Jenga tower that everyone hopes to have inside a tight, walk-in closet. Some have criticized that it could easily fall on top of you due to the weight, but Megan mitigates that by keeping no less than one-third of her shoes on the floor in front of the closet to prevent such a catastrophe.
  4. If It Was Available, She’d Sleep Under a 100 lbs Weighted Blanket. Since shifting to a weighted blanket in recent years, Megan keeps upping the ante on how heavy a blanket to put on our bed. Despite a neck-brace I wore for several weeks following an attempt to make our bed, she is still looking for an updated blanket filled with small kettlebells.
  5. Dedicated to Keeping Cold Weather Clothing Stored. Dealing with seasonal changes can be tough; especially when you need to pull out hats, gloves, and heavier coats to face colder temperatures. Megan takes the changes of climate in stride by simply leaving all of that cold weather gear stowed in neat baskets. This way, she can simply wear the same vest year-round and only have to make mention how cold she is every 15-minutes when we go out.
  6. Megan Suffers from ECF (Extreme Cold Feet) Syndrome. Unrelated to her devotion to keeping outer-garments safe and secure, Megan can never warm her feet. Despite her children providing her with the plushest of socks and the coziest slippers, it seems that her bare feet on our wooden floors all day are unable to retain heat.
  7. Can Find Anything, EXCEPT the Person Who is Shedding This Long, Brown Hair All Over the House. Several investigations have been initiated by the 4 boys who live with her to determine who the culprit is with no results. Of note, the boys have a combined hair-length of 3 inches, so unless they are in cahoots and braiding their hair together we’ve ruled them out.
  8. Megan Suffered from Tuberculosis as a Childexcept it was a variant that only bugs get. I have been advised by my lawyer, doctor, and the FBI to not complete this section.
  9. Is a Classically Trained Dancer…but has only retained the ability to tell me when I’m off beat. As someone who doesn’t need much convincing to get out on the dance floor, I’m often surprised that a lady who went to a dance conservatory is reticent to join me. Though perhaps she is intimidated by my flawless execution of the Kid ‘n Play.
  10. Megan Has Carried our Family’s Home from House-to-House…and always found a way to make it better. She might talk about the “homes” she has made, but to me it is the same home that she refines, as our family has moved and increased in size over the years. She has perfected the ability to evolve and meet the current needs of our family despite where we are located. Whereas, you all see what she has done in the bedrooms, kitchens, and garages over the years; I believe all that belies her true purpose within the home she has created for our family. Megan is our foundation and our family could never thrive the way it has without her.

Rapid Fire From Greg

  • On our home speaker: The Avett Brothers
  • In my earphones: Let’s Go On a Run by Chance the Rapper
  • On my Kindle: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
  • On our TV: Just started The Dropout
  • On my phone: Facebook and Wordle
  • On my plate: I love a plate of cheese and crackers
  • On my feet: My favorite slippers from Megan a few Christmases ago

You can probably now see why I’m the luckiest gal in the world to have such a fun companion to navigate life with, but also why our home is constantly filled with laughter! Yes, he’s really like this all the time. And yes, the part about having tuberculosis is actually true (it’s why I have a huge scar on my neck…if you’ve ever noticed and wondered!)

Thanks for stopping by, babe!

Megan from The Homes I Have Made with husband Greg

Your Turn!

Let’s do something fun…pick one (or as many as you want) of the “Rapid Fire” questions below and leave your answer in the comments:

  • On your home speaker:
  • On your ear pods:
  • On your Kindle: 
  • On your TV:
  • On your phone: 
  • On your plate: 
  • On your feet:

I can’t wait to read your responses!

That’s all for this month! Thanks for catching up with me!

See You Soon!
Megan