Charity Andrews

Sarah’s new book, Sand in my Sandwich: and Other Motherhood Messes I’m Learning to Love debuted on March 17th!! Link is in the pic. Review coming in a couple of days.

For now, we play!! So, let the games begin!!!

The rules are simple. I ask Sarah some random questions. She replies and then I give my answers. Each winning answer is worth one point and I get to decide whose answer is better.

It’s my blog.

Here we go!

1. What is your favorite Ikea product?

Sarah – Any of the wardrobe systems. That kind of organization was only possible for me 15 years ago, and I miss it. I miss it very, very much. Also, I would never be able to assemble something like that now. I don’t have the space, patience, or time, and the possibility exists that a child or pet in my house would eat some of the hardware.

Charity – Girl! That’s too funny you said that. And don’t get me started on space!! We live in 732 sq ft. We are a family of four. We decided that we wanted to adopt one or two teenage boys, so we “built in” using Pax wardrobes! ha ha. My “bedroom” is Pax wardrobes that reach the ceiling. You can’t even tell it’s not a real room!!! We painted and put crown molding on the backs of them in our old living room. It’s insane!! I love it.

— I TOTALLY get that point!! Starting off right!

Charity 1 / Sarah 0

2. Have you ever met anyone royal?

Sarah – The closest I’ve come is meeting Bertie Ahern, the Prime Minister of Ireland. My husband also once lifted my sweaty, 5-months-pregnant body onto his shoulders in the middle of July so that I could watch the changing of the guard at London’s Buckingham palace. But we discovered later the queen wasn’t home, so he herniated a disc simply for the chance to get me close to a royal’s house. Good man, that one.

Charity – Oh. My. Gosh. That was amazing. There’s nothing I could say, outside of being besties with Duchess Kate, that would beat that answer. And I am not (in case you were wondering).

— Easy

Charity 1 / Sarah 1

3. Do you take gift wrapping very seriously, or throw it in a bag with some tissue paper?

Sarah – If the gift is for a grown up, I go all out. Tight corners, stiff ribbon, silk flowers, invisible tape. If the gift is for a kid, they get a gift bag. It will probably have been used more than once.

Charity – I concur with you there.

— tie

Charity 1 / Sarah 1

4. Ever done the “mall walking” program? You know, where you can go every morning before they open and walk? They have signs up to tell you how many miles you’ve gone, plus they serve free coffee at Chick-fil-A to the Mall Walkers.

Sarah – I’ve never mall-walked. But I worked in a mall once and used to pass the walkers on the way to Chick-Fil-A for my morning chicken minis which are, as far as I’m concerned, divinely inspired. I’ve actually been meaning to write Chick-Fil-A and tell them there should be more than 3 in an order. Or maybe 3 is a normal number, and I’m just no judge of self-control when it comes to food.

Charity – OMGosh. I will sign that petition! Bring it on!! I want to throw the box at them when it comes so sparsely loaded.

I HAVE, in fact, done some mall walking with my mother. I also worked at the mall and enjoyed watching them.

— Me!!!

Charity 2 / Sarah 1

5. What’s the strangest thing a fan has ever done? (besides me asking you to do this)?

Sarah – Hm. Don’t have a good response for this one…So instead, I’ll ask you a question: what’s your biggest pet peeve? Mine’s cold feet. I wear socks and slippers around the house from September through April. My circulation’s that of an 80-year-old.

Charity – ha! I hear ya! I am always opposite of everyone else in the house. I have a household of boys, so whatever is included in making us different I’m convinced that’s one of them.

My biggest peeve… repetitive questioning. I have kids.

— Nice switch up! You get the point!!

Charity 2 / Sarah 2

6. Do you have anything you collect? Please don’t say Precious Moments Dolls *cringe*

Sarah – Horse equipment, unfortunately. I say “unfortunately” because while I need this equipment to ride and compete my horse, it requires a large expenditure of money. I only have one horse, but you’d never know that by looking in my tack trunk.

Charity – Fancy!! I saw some of your competitive horse pics on FB. So cool!! I wanted to ask you about that.

I have nothing so cool. I collect Ikea organizing tools. And lately, a lot of books…

— Hands down: Sarah

Charity 2 / Sarah 3

7. Coolest thing a relative has passed down to you?

Sarah – My grandmother left me a beautiful pearl-beaded handbag from the 1930’s, probably because she knew I collected handbags. And I would have answered “handbags” in question #7, but by now, I’ve sold most of them to pay for horse equipment.

Charity – Oh no! booo!!! Don’t sell the handbags!!

My grandma gave me a beautiful ring before she passed on. I absolutely love it!!

— Grandma’s win!

Charity 2 / Sarah 3

8. How do you try to bring God the most glory in your life?

Sarah – By my love for others. Love and Christianity are synonymous – God’s the epitome of love; Christ’s sacrifice for us, the ultimate gesture of love. Mercy’s a spiritual gift of mine, too, and if I could give the world a giant hug, I would. I hate seeing others hurting – especially my kids. I’m certainly the soft touch in our house. But it pays off in the early morning when they burrow under my arm and tell me that they love me. Being told you are loved when it’s unprompted? There is nothing sweeter.

Charity – Love it. I agree. Bringing Him glory in all things is our goal. I think that enjoying life and everything you have is what shows that. Love and Joy scream glory to God.

— God wins!!

Charity 2 / Sarah 3

9. Wall colors?

Sarah – Bold! I love deep burgundy in a dining room, blue in a bedroom, ochre in a kitchen. Anything that reminds me of the south of France.

Charity – Pretty!! I love bright colors. Bright and glossy pink, purple, lime green, turqoise, etc. My wall colors are different shades of blue or green.

— ??

10. Coolest thing you have ever made?

Sarah – My kids. I only had a 50% share in that, but they turned out kind of amazing.

Charity – Oh, come on!! Not fair. If only there was something I could say all Biblical that could trump you!

— blah. She pulled the “kids” card!

Charity 2 / Sarah 4

11. Lastly, worst nickname you’ve had?

Sarah – This was painfully easy to recall. It was “PP.” My maiden name is “Parshall,” and how that was shortened to “PP,” I’ll never know. The worst part? It actually works better now. Not only is my married name “Perry” (making my initials S-“P-P”), but my bladder broke after having kids so I have to make about 23,435 trips to the bathroom in the course of any given day. Ah, motherhood.

Charity – ha! You keep making me laugh out loud. My family is sleeping!!!

My nephews and nieces (I have 17 and a halfling on the way), when they were little, couldn’t say my name right. They would call me Aunt Chird. It stuck and I love it. Sometimes I get called Aunt Turd. I love that too.

— Both great! Potty humor always wins out.

Final:

Charity 2 / Sarah 4

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Thank you, so much, Sarah! I had a great time (: Your answers are so much fun. I am really looking forward to reading your book over the weekend!