I started off wanting to be an actress, as many kids do. When I discovered my love for writing, I dreamed of being a well-known author. Then in high school, I started participating in home design workshops and set my sights on architecture. I visited a few universities that offered architecture, but after taking calculus, I realized that I really disliked math. I settled on journalism in my senior year of high school. A friend (who also happened to be an architecture student) loved the university she attended because she lived in a house with three dozen other Christian girls. After applying and being accepted into the house, I heard the school had a solid journalism school, so that’s what I studied!
If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Whole wheat rotini noodles (the curly ones) with spaghetti sauce and cottage cheese….and a spinach salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It’s certainly not my favorite meal, but I always enjoy it, and I don’t see myself ever growing tired of it. You’re probably wondering where the cottage cheese comes from. Growing up, my dad, brother, and I always put cottage cheese on our spaghetti. It’s actually quite good…sort of like a makeshift lasagna.
What are your favorite and least favorite household chores?
I have always loved organizing. As a child, I would willingly spend hours cleaning and organizing my room, the kitchen, the basement, and any other room my mother would allow me to. I just find it so relaxing, and having a well organized home makes life a lot easier.
My least favorite is probably loading and emptying the dishwasher because it’s such a constant thing. One minute you have a cabinet full of clean dishes, and the next minute they’re all in the sink and needing to be loaded into the dishwasher, and then you have to put them back in the cabinet…and then the cycle repeats the next day. But the one bright spot is how beautiful glassware looks when you take it out of the dishwasher immediately after the dry cycle ends. I just love how it sparkles!
Regina
When I was a little girl I decided that when I grew up, I was going to marry one of my favorite TV characters not realizing that they were actors.
So I was going to marry one of the following depending upon whom I met first: Little Joe Cartwright(Michael Landon) from Bonanza, Lucas McCain(Chuck Connors) from The Rifleman or Homer Smith(Sidney Pontier) from the movie Lilies of the Field. It seems so silly looking at that now but growing up in the rough times of the 60s, many of us who were children found heroes on television.
If I could only eat one meal for the rest of my life it would have to be tea related foods: tea sandwhiches, scones, fruit and a pot of steaming hot tea tea served in a china teacup.
My favorite household chore is a tie between ironing and laundry. I enjoy them both.
My least favorite would be scrubbing the grout on my kitchen floor. It's so hard to keep clean.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Michael Landon was great! I watched every episode of 'Little House On the Prairie' as a child and thought he played a perfect Charles Ingalls.
Ellie
Anonymous
I am in high school but I want to be a teacher with a minor in chemistry.
I would eat broccoli and meat loaf for the rest of my life.
Favorite chore is mowing the grass, laundry, and organizing. My least favorite is cleaning the bathroom.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Are you wanting to teach high school chemistry?
Ellie
Anonymous
I want to teach either history or math but might teach high school chemistry.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
That's great! Glad to hear you have a goal. Keep working hard, and I'm sure you'll achieve it.
Ellie
Candi
Ooooh Regina we both like tea!! Actually I LOVE everything tea!! I have hot tea every morning. And love tea related foods like the ones you mentioned. I used to put on full-fledged tea parties but as my family grew my energy diminished to where it's been a long while since I hosted one. My last one was for a pampered chef party for 30 or so women. A 3-4 course tea with spring pea soup as an appetizer to stuffed white chocolate/cream cheese strawberries. Really, it was too big of a job for me alone (my mom helped just a little) so maybe that's why I haven't put one on since. But I still love tea stuff!!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
What's your favorite kind of tea, Candi?
Ellie
Candi
My favorite is TYPHOO! I get it from amazon. Or you can find it at World Market but it's more expensive there. It is a wonderful mellow English black tea. I used to get PGTIPS (I think Kroger still handles this one) but it is a very strong dark tea so found out I much prefer the TYPHOO.
Candi
Typhoo is my favorite! It's a very mellow English tea. I used to drink PGtips but it's a very much stronger tea and I just couldn't handle it anymore so changed to Typhoo and found it the BEST
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I haven't tried either of those, but I'm sure they're wonderful, as authentic English teas usually are. I enjoy teas with different flavors, but I'm guessing that isn't super authentic? LOL
Ellie
Anonymous
I just love you Ellie!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Aww, that's very kind! I love my readers!
Ellie
Anonymous
When I was little I also wanted to be a nurse but that never happen.
If I could eat one meal the rest if my life it be Cottage cheese with Pineapple or peaches and a grape jelly on top.
My favorite household chore would be vacuum .
My least favorite would be cleaning the bathrooms.
Ellie would you like to come to my house and clean for me?
LOL
nashvillewife@gmail.com
LOL, apparently people will hire others to organize their home (called a Professional Organizer). Never actually seen it in real life, but I read about it online. LOL.
Ellie
Anonymous
When I was growing up I was fortunate to have my grandmother living next door. My 2 favorite memories of going to her house were….She had a yellow canary named Petie that was in a cage by the kitchen. Her kitchen floor had a bit of a slant to it. Grandma had a metal toy firetruck a bit bigger than those little Mattel Matchbox cars. She would put Petie on that firetruck and he'd go cruising across the kitchen lol! The other memory was every Sunday night at 7:00 the TV show "The FBI" was on. Grandma and I would watch it and she ALWAYS drank 1 glass of beer and the two of us would eat Frito's corn chips. That TV show made want to be a cop. Did I become one? Nope! I spent 15 years as a radio announcer/DJ and wrote and produced radio ads. Then I became a nurse!
Food I could live on the rest of my life would be either a potato cooked in any way! Fried, mashed, baked…. My other choice would be my Cajun fried catfish, yummy!
Favorite house chore hands down is making my bed. I have a beautiful 4 poster king size bed with a beautiful bedcover,shams, bedskirt, decor throw pillows. It's nice to climb into and fun to make every morning! Housework I dislike the most would be dusting!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
What a fun memory of your grandmother! And I do agree that dusting can be tedious. The world would be a much better place without dust. Haha.
Ellie
Fuzzyferet
Dear Ellie couldn't believe how similar your story of what you wanted to be was to my daughters. She too wanted to be an actress originally, even taking drama for GCSE exam, then she toyed with the idea of architecture but also realised her maths ability really wasn't up to getting into university for that. Finally she decided on journalism & is at present in her second year studying joint honours in journalism & English literature. Hopefully she continues to enjoy her writing as much as you so obviously do. So glad I found your blog, in all the years of reading the Duggars blog I had never realised you had your own till last week. It's nice getting to know the person behind all the hard work of comprising these blogs, God knows how you find the time. Bless you & keep up the good work.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
How fun! Does she have a particular focus in journalism (print vs broadcast) or does her program cover both?
So glad you found my blog! I have enjoyed your comments on both blogs. I have a third one, as well, in case you're interested. The url is BatesFamilyBlog.com
Ellie
Anonymous
I remember growing up I couldn't wait to finish school and work full time to make some money. Right after graduation I started working full time at a ribbon company. The one meal I could eat the rest of my life would be thin crust deluxe pizza without pepperoni. I like doing housework, but I think my least favorite would be folding clothes. Love your blog Ellie, you make it fun!!!Jane
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Hi Jane,
I'm curious, what was your role at the ribbon company? Sounds like a neat job.
I'm blessed to have you as a reader. 🙂
Ellie
Anonymous
I would replace quills on ribbon weaving looms. Than later I packed ribbon in boxes for orders to be sent out…Jane
tigerchick
I cannot wait to try that salad dressing and the cottage cheese on spaghetti! Hmmm I seem to not like many cleaning chores. I really dislike dragging out the vacuum cleaner to vacuum. I don't really mind loading and unloading the dishwasher, but it is annoying how my kitchen can go from spotless to a wreck after cooking or after a meal. I love it when the kitchen is clean.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I agree how annoying it can be that the kitchen can become so messy just after cooking one meal. I always try to clean as I go, but I still always end up with a mess at the end. But boy does it feel good when you finish cleaning up!
Ellie
Anonymous
I wanted to be a choral music teacher when I was younger, but I became a speech pathologist instead and it suits me well.
I could live off of eggplant parmesan, broccoli, and garlic bread.
My favorite chore is yardwork-mowing, weeding, trimming, etc. My least favorite is mopping.
I love your blogs. Georgia Le
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Hi Georgia Le,
I have a few friends who are speech pathologists. Do you work in a school?
I, too, love eggplant Parmesan. 🙂
Ellie
Le Cates
Yes, I work in the school setting. I have worked with students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, but my favorite level is kindergarten through 5th.
Anonymous
I never thought about what I wanted to be until I got older about in 6th or 7th grade after that I wanted to be a type of counselor. I've always been a great listener and I'm told I'm very caring and sensitive toward others feelings.
If I could eat one meal, always, it would be Swedish meatballs with browned onions in the gravy, and mashed potatoes and buttered mixed veggies and cranberry sauce.
And least fav chore has always been washing dishes ( no machine so it's done by hand). It's the biggest drag to me! I don't think I have a favorite household chore but if I had to pick I'd say cleaning windows and mirrors. Those are things I take time with and want done just right.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I absolutely love Swedish meatballs! I posted my cream sauce recipe a while ago (https://www.nashvillewife.com/2017/03/ikea-style-swedish-meatball-meal-recipe.html). I recently made the meatballs from scratch for the first time, but I haven't shared the recipe yet. Do you do yours from scratch?
Ellie
Anonymous
I do my meatballs from scratch. I make my sauce in the same pan I use to cook the meatballs and it gives so much flavor to the sauce! And I serve it with egg noodles.
Josée
Anonymous
I wanted to be a nurse, then a veterinarian, I also wanted to be a journalist I am a ministers wife and a part-time pharmacy tech. I love my job.
My favorite food is wedding cake or chocolate cake or birthday cake. Any kind of cake with a good buttercream icing on it, that is thick. 👍
My favorite chore is washing the dishes and cleaning up clutter. My least favorite is dusting
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Love that you're a minister's wife! That is often a full-time job in itself. 🙂
Ellie
SHELA GILBERT
Everything I wanted to do growing up had something to do with Children.1st I wanted to be a pediatric nurse or doctor. Then I thought about being a child therapist. By the end of high school I wanted to be a school teacher. I ended up going to bible college and getting a degree in children's ministry. A meal I could eat for the rest of my life would be chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. My favorite around the house chore would be Laundry. My least favorite would be cleaning bathrooms.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
That's great that you have a degree in children's ministry! Do you work in a church?
Ellie
SHELA GILBERT
I have recently been given the position of children's ministry director at a small church. It is volunteer. I am excited to use the gifts and talents God has given me in a new way!!
Marie
1. When I was little I wanted to be a Midwife, a Sailor, or a Dancer like Mary Tyler Moore.
2. Probably Pasta
3. I like to dust and wash windows, but hate cleaning the bathroom.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Lol, that's the opposite of me. I don't mind the bathrooms, but dusting is a bear.
Ellie
Anonymous
I always was interested in Speech Pathology. However, when my three children were young, I started back to college and graduated with my nursing degree. I love my job!
My favorite meal would be chicken curry, vegetable jalfrezi, rice & raita. My parents were stationed overseas and I was born and lived abroad for many years. Your spaghetti with cottage cheese is a close second though! I’m glad to hear other people enjoy cottage cheese with spaghetti. Sometimes when I say that, I get funny looks.
I love loading and unloading the dishwasher. Also having a neat bedroom with my bed made makes me smile. Dusting is my least favorite.
It’s interesting to read the comments. Thanks Ellie! ~C
nashvillewife@gmail.com
What floor of the hospital do you work on, or are you in a doctor's office? My sister-in-law is a newly graduated nurse and works with cardiac patients.
Love that you also enjoy spaghetti with cottage cheese! I think you're the first person I've met outside my family. LOL
Ellie
Anonymous
For several years I worked in Medical Surgical. I then transferred to Mother Baby. I am now a nursery charge nurse. I work in a large hospital where on average we have 17,000 deliveries per year! Very fast paced. I enjoy working with parents & babies!
I hope your sister-in-law enjoys her nursing career. It can be very hard & demanding but very rewarding. ~C
Anonymous
When I was little, I wanted to be a mommy. Succeeded. Cheeseburgers and fries! Hate dusting, but like to clean bathrooms. Weird, huh?
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I totally agree. Dusting is no fun, but the bathrooms really aren't bad at all, in my opinion.
Ellie
Anonymous
I always wanted to be a mommy when I grew up. So far though I am not married and have no children. I do work with children all the time though so that is almost as good 🙂 If I could eat one food for the rest of my life…I LOVE ice cream !!! Almost all kinds. The crazy thing is i don't like chocolate ice cream. But I like most all others. I don't mind sweeping, mopping, vacuuming or doing laundry but I really dislike dusting and scrubbing showers, sinks, stoves, walls, etc.
Anonymous
You sound like me! I always wanted to be a mom and work with kids too, which I am doing now 🙂
Also huge ice cream fan except for chocolate!
Twinsies!!
Anonymous
I wanted to be a truck driver when I was little. Tacos would be the meal that I can always eat. I actually enjoy cleaning the bathrooms and sweeping and mopping. However, I hate to run the sweeper.
Anonymous
I was going through your WWII post– and was just wondering if you or anyone in your family speak another language??
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Hi there,
I speak some French (studied it in school for 6.5 years), as does most of my family. My mom's first language was German, and although she only uses it to call her cousins, she is still pretty good at it.
Do you speak a second language?
Ellie
Anonymous
When I was little, I always spoke my mother's tongue. When school started, I started speaking less and less until I just came to speak at dinner parties or big gatherings. Yet, I understand 'fluently' –but respond in English. One defense for my case is that I saw my grandparents a total of 2 times, and never had the need to speak another language, as my parents knew English. However, now learning Spanish ( a 3rd language if you will ) as a foreign language credit in school and seeing my teacher's love for cultured and bilingual people had made me want to reconnect with my mother's tongue.
Anonymous
When I was little, I wanted to be a ballet dancer. Dancing and reading were my absolute two favorite things. My sister and I took Scottish dance. I have gone to the ballet all my life. This is something my mom and I did together for many years. As I got older I found I was really good at teaching. I was very organised and efficient from an early age on and liked to clean my room, organise my clothes and help my father with renos and gardening. I enjoyed being in charge of things. Lol. All these things helped me become who I was as an adult. My career was in psychology. I love pasta dishes. I like a clean home that is also tidy and neat. I find it all satisfying. Eileen
Anonymous
Organized.
Anonymous
Organised. This is how it is spelled in my country. I am sorry your life isnt busier. Eileen
Anonymous
I wanted to be a psychologist. I have a degree in psychology, but I decided I wanted a family more than a career so I didn't get my phd. I have 2 daughters now, and I work for the government.
I could eat poutine everyday, but if I did that I would be very obese and die in my 40's. Haha!
I really enjoy cooking and cleaning the kitchen. I don't like cleaning the bathrooms and folding laundry.
Josée