Whether you’re celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow or not, I’m sure each of you has special traditions around this time of year that you’re looking forward to sharing with your loved ones. One of my favorite parts of this holiday is the conversation that we always have over dinner and throughout the evening. It’s just so nice to be together as a family, talking.
I often make reference to the Close To My Heart family because Close To My Heart feels like so much more than a company to me. This family would include all of you who are reading this blog, so I wanted to do something to share this Thanksgiving holiday tradition with you, too.
Here’s my idea: Remember the printable conversation starters we shared in a blog post last week? I thought it would be fun to give my answers to a few of my favorites, just like I would if I were with you in person! And I would love it if you would pick one of your favorites from last week’s list and share a response with me in the comments, too. That way, though we won’t all be together around a dinner table, we can still enjoy getting to know more about each other. I’ll go first!
Q: What is the most mischievous thing you did as a child?
A: When I was about 3 or 3 ½, my mother was taking me on a trip by bus to visit one of her family members. She was pregnant with my brother, and she said that I was quite the handful. I was running on the chairs and all over the place. I would go to the ashtrays, grab the cigarette butts, and try to mimic the people smoking at the bus station. Then I took my little hand and pulled on the station fire alarm. Everybody started screaming and running out; my mom was trying to grab me and keep me from running out with all the people!
She also said that I’d stare out the window. I’d see flies and say, “Look at all the little airplanes!” Once I realized they were flies, I would take the dead ones from the windowsill in my hand, stroke them, and say, “Poor little dead flies.” My mom would slap the flies out of my hand—I think she was afraid that I was going to try eating them!
Q: What nicknames have you been called?
A: I have one that I was called when I was in grade school. All my friends would call me “Jeanetti Spaghetti.” That’s what I went by just at school until my mom adopted the name, too. It wasn’t that funny when she said it, but I guess it was endearing. My husband, David, calls me “Honey.” I know he’s really serious when he calls me by my name, so I’d rather be called “Honey” than “Jeanette” by David.
Q: Which decade best describes your personality and why?
A: I love the 70s without a doubt. The music from the 70s captures my heart. I love Three Dog Night, Bread, Carole King. . . . I could name off every group. I sang every song, and I loved it. So I think that the 70s best describes me because of its music.
Q: Which smells remind you of your childhood?
A: Every time I smell a warm rain on a warm day on a warm street, it reminds me of playing and jumping around in the rain as a child—just carefree. It was a happy time to be outside in a rainstorm, when the rain first hit the pavement.
Q: What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?
A: I’m thinking about the beach in Maui. I love looking at the ocean—sitting on the beach, and just watching the waves roll in. Our family had a special palm tree we would sit under when we visited that beach. I love Maui—I love everything about Maui.
The other place I love is American Fork Canyon; it’s probably the most beautiful place in the whole world. It’s just right here in our backyard. I love the big cliffs, the rocks, the trees, and the beautiful Tibble Fork Reservoir in front of all those pine trees—it’s just gorgeous! I think that we have the most beautiful mountains in the world, and I think people around here take it for granted. But I find the greatest pleasure every time I look at them, which is often.
I’ll stop there, though it would be fun to keep going! Go ahead and look at the full list of conversation starters, pick your favorite one, and then share your answer to it in the comments on this post.
As I’m focusing on gratitude this Thanksgiving, know that I’ll certainly be thinking of you. I’m truly grateful to be able to count friends as supportive as you among my many blessings. God bless you!
Love,
Jeanette
I have LOVED reading your answers to these questions Jeanette! Wishing you and your sweet family the very happiest Thanksgiving today, and everyday. I am TRULY THANKFUL for you and the vision you had/have for Close to My Heart. It has truly changed my life. Love you dear friend.
Oh my!! Look at that beautiful smile!! I am so thankful to be a part of this awesome company and wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving, Jeanette.
the question I chose to respond to was one of the first ones I read. Describe the strangest school
teacher you’ve ever had. I had lots of awesome teachers, but in college anatomy I actually had an aged professor who was the one Tim Conway had in school and imitated in his comedy skits on The Carol Burnett show. He would be teaching and fall back into the chalk board and then use his arms to push himself back upright and go on like nothing had happened! IT WAS STRANGE and funny!
My maiden name was Wheatley and at school I was always referred to as Womans Weekly, or Weetbix. I much prefer what I am called now which is Chrissy, and when someone calls Christine … I know I am in trouble. I am so very grateful for my life, my family, my friends and especially grateful the God loves me.
When my mom was in the hospital having my sister, my sister, brother and I stayed with a family. the child had these Styrofoam planks he had to use with his play screws and nails I wasn’t allowed to play with them since they get used up. I went out side and was walking around when I saw a HUGE stack of them next to the garage. I went into the house and tore all of them up into little pieces.
Best thing I’ve ever cooked:
Having recently returned from a tour of Switzerland, Bavaria & Austria, I was inspired to cook an Oktoberfest meal for my family- 13 of us. I found a great website that had loads of recipes that I had to try. I cooked for 2 days & it all came out SO fabulous!!! I made a roasted garlic dip, homemade pretzel sticks, mustard sauce, apple beer cheese soup, spaetzle, bratwursts, sauerkraut, sauerbraten & apple strudel. YUMMO!! I’ve NEVER cooked that much for that many people before. I might make it an annual tradition!
Jeanetti Spaghetti – I’ll probably never be able to see you again and not think of your nickname and smile.
The question from the list that I chose to answer is the three people that I would like to share dinner with? The three people I would chose would be my mom – whom I miss so much since her death in 2012. Holidays were her “thing”! She loved to entertain and decorate and she was a great cook. Cancer took her from me much too soon! I would also like to sit down with my father in law that died 6 months before I met my husband. I have heard so many stories and lucky me he did a lot of recordings and I have been able to hear his voice. Everyone in the family says that he would have loved me and it’s always nice to have someone else in your corner! The last person is YOU, I appreciate your sense of humor when I see you on stage at convention and I’d just like one on one time to learn more about what you are like as a person. My small family, my husband, son & granddaughter put all the questions in a bowl and took turns pulling them one by one. This one question brought a little anger from my son and he left our gathering without me being able to give my answer – he misses my mom a lot too – so it was nice that I was given a chance to answer it here.
What is the best concert you’ve been to! I would say it was Phil Collins. My girlfriend’s husband got free tickets from his work … Warner Brothers…so Lori and I went to the concert. We were sitting pretty close to the front of the stage, had a glass of wine, and just sang our hearts out along with Phil. It was also just after I finished two greuling years of nursing school (with three kids!) and my time was finally my own!!!
I love the game idea for Thanksgiving. We played it at our family dinner on Thanksgiving and they all loved it! The adults actually liked answering the kids questions best! Thanks for sharing a great idea for family fun !
Thank you for sharing a bit more about yourself Jeanette! You look amazing and so happy which warms my heart! You are such an inspiration to me and I’m so blessed to know you. Sending you lots of love from Cochrane, AB, Canada!