Once a year I like to interview my children to find out what all of their favorite things are. It has never failed to be informative, surprising and amusing.

Ivy, what’s your favorite…

Color – Blue (Which Clara objects to because blue has always been her color, and so either because Ivy is so nice to her sister [unlikely] or doesn’t actually like blue best [much more likely] she never chooses blue anything).

Animal – Horses

Food – Tortellini casserole (Even when it has green stuff in it!)

Clothes – Dresses

Dog – Penny (A whippet owned by one of the summer cottage renters at my parents’. She seems nice but I’m offended on behalf of my dog just on principle.)

Cat – Cassie (Cassie loves her best too.)

Person – You and Dad

Thing to do – Read

Thing to do inside – Play with LEGOs (Oh so true, it’s LEGO mania around here lately. Have I showed you my new favorite mini fig?)

Chore – “I don’t have a favorite chore.” *giggles* “That’s funny why would I have a favorite chore?” (insert mom sigh)

Time of day – Ivy: “Bedtime.” Me: “What? why?” (Because bedtime sure doesn’t seem like anything anyone around here loves.) Ivy: “Because I like laying down, it’s fun.”  (Okaaay…)

Place to go – Florida

Song – Lady Gaga (She couldn’t pick just one, and her love of Lady Gaga is all John’s influence, just so you know.)

Flower – Lilac

Farm Animal – Horses

Thing about school – Reading

Friend – Natalie and Hija

Movie – I don’t remember, I mean I remember, but I’m trying to think about it.. Can we come back to this one? … Secretariat, I can’t think of it so I’ll just say Secretariat – oh wait, it’s Enchanted.  I love that movie!

Thing to do with Clara – Rolling around. Messing around. Messing around with pillows and blankets and sometimes mattresses. (I hate that plan, it involves mattresses pulled off beds and lost blankets and despite anyone’,s best intentions, it’s never fixed before bedtime!)

Thing to do with Jane – Dress up, she’s the one that loves dress up. (I found this answer hilarious for reasons I can’t quite articulate.)

Thing to do with Dad – Checkers (She’ll be able to beat me regularly soon.)

Thing to do with Me – Just hang out with you. Probably working out… sometimes… (Yeah, I’m not always a fun mom…)

Book – Rainbow Magic (This is where I repeat: I’m glad she likes to read, it doesn’t matter what she’s reading I’m just glad she likes to read. I’m glad she likes to read, it doesn’t matter…)

Meal – Dinner

Thing to do in the car – Read

What do you want to do when you grown up? –  Marine biologist, … Studying sea turtles, I love sea turtles, maybe leafy sea dragons. (That’s excellent because I always wanted to know more about leafy sea dragons!)

When you get older what kind of problems to you want to help solve? – Bullying (Hint: Start with your behavior toward your sisters!)

Anything else? – I love the ocean. (Poor Midwestern child, that ocean is so very far away!)

Looking back:

Ivy’s Favorites at Eight Years Old

Ivy’s Favorites at Seven Years Old

Ivy’s Favorites at Six Years Old

Ivy’s Favorites at Five Years Old

Ivy’s Favorite Things