100 things

My brother's wife Katie and my sister Julie did one of these lists on their blog. I decided to join in. I realized after reading Julie's that she is way more traveled than I am. How did I get left out of the trip to Europe with Papa? I guess it was probably because of the babies on my hips...but still.

• 1. Started your own blog- Check.

• 2. Slept under the stars- I've done this a few times while camping back when I could sleep comfortably on the ground. Now when I camp, it's it a tent with a big inflatable mattress (I'm such a wimp).

• 3. Played in a band- Never. I have no skills.

• 4. Visited Hawaii- No (someday I hope).

• 5. Watched a meteor shower- I did watch a meteor shower once. I laid on a paved street somewhere in the mountains. I can't remember where I was, who I was with, or when it was.

• 6. Given more than you can afford to charity- It seems with how tight things are, I do this every month with tithing and fast offerings...but we always pull through.

• 7. Been to Disneyland- We went last summer. It had been about 20 years since the last time I went. I was way more excited than my kids were.

• 8. Climbed a mountain- I've climbed a couple. I want to climb a couple more.

• 9. Held a praying mantis- There is a possibility that I have, but my memory fails me.

• 10. Sang a solo- I was supposed to sing "I am a Child of God" in front of the ward when I was five. I started crying and my mom had to come get me. I think I ruined the primary program.

• 11. Bungee jumped

• 12. Visited Paris

• 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea- At sea? I'm not sure about that but I've seen many lightning storms. They are brilliant.

• 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch- I'm with Katie. I don't know what this means exactly but I'll claim that I taught myself how to cook because I pretty much did.

• 15. Adopted a child

• 16. Had food poisoning- I'm also with Katie on this one. We all ate the Mexican Poop Chicken after one of Jacob's triathlons. We all got dog-sick. I also got sick in Bolivia after downing a glass of fruit and juice. My thirst got the better of my judgment. It must have been prepared with unboiled water because I got sick. But, it was the only sick day of my whole mission!

• 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

• 18. Grown your own vegetables- I love having a garden. It is really rewarding. I made zucchini bread just today with shredded zucchini that I froze from my garden last summer.

• 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

• 20. Slept on an overnight train- I've never been on a train but I have "slept" on a bus several times in Bolivia and then when Dave and I traveled on a bus to Kino Bay, Mexico with two kids (it was freaking awesome).

• 21. Had a pillow fight- Who hasn't?

• 22. Hitch hiked- My friend Em and I used to tube the Provo river a lot. We hitch hiked to get back up to our car.

• 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill- Well, I'd call it a "personal day".

• 24. Built a snow fort- Last year was the first time I've participated in building a snow fort. It didn't turn out too great.

• 25. Held a lamb-Now I know I've petted one but I'm not sure if I've held one.

• 26. Gone skinny dipping- I have gone skinny dipping once in a natural hot spring in Meadow, UT. That's all I'm telling.

• 27. Run a Marathon- I ran the St. George marathon in 1995. The first 21 miles were a breeze but I thought the last 5 were going to kill me.

• 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

• 29. Seen a total eclipse- I have a vague memory of looking through dark glass to see the sun but I think it must have only been a partial eclipse.

• 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset- I try to see as many as I can.

• 31. Hit a home run- Kick ball baby.

• 32. Been on a cruise- I took a cruise down the Nile River in Egypt with my grandparents. I felt like a stinking, rotten, rich American when I saw people doing their laundry in the water.

• 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

• 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

• 35. Seen an Amish community

• 36. Taught yourself a new language- I learned Spanish, though I can't take all the credit.

• 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- I can't say that I have had enough money (there are always bills and debts to pay off) but I do feel satisfied and grateful everyday to have a warm home and enough to eat.

• 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

• 39. Gone rock climbing- No. What is my problem?

• 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David- Only in a book.

• 41. Sung karaoke- Once, and it was just in front of my kids.

• 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt- I've been there. It was neato. That makes me think we ought to go back...

• 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant- I've never been at a restaurant and bought someone a meal, but I have given a stranger all the money in my pocket.

• 44. Visited Africa

• 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight- Last summer we spent a week in San Diego on the beach front and I got to do some of this.

• 46. Been transported in an ambulance-

• 47. Had your portrait painted- My mom did this portrait of David and I.

• 48. Gone deep sea fishing- When I spent the summer in Alaska, my uncle took me halibut fishing at sea. It was pretty tasty.

• 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

• 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

• 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling- On our honeymoon, David and I went snorkeling in Los Cabos San Lucas. I started to feel a little sea sick due to the tide pushing me around and I lost my lunch. Suddenly I was swarmed by all the fish in the vicinity eating up my puke.

• 52. Kissed in the rain- Does the shower count?
  

• 53. Played in the mud- I have, but not lately. I should let loose a little more.

• 54. Gone to a drive-in theater- I went with a date to the Springville drive-in once before they closed it down.

• 55. Been in a movie- I've never been in a movie but I was on TV once. It was The Wallace and Ladmo Show. I pet a puppy and got a prize for a picture I drew of Super Hot Dog (a hero I made up).
  

• 56. Visited the Great Wall of China

• 57. Started a business

• 58. Taken a martial arts class- Not really. But I do a lot of turbo kick-boxing. I can kick your butt.
  

• 59. Visited Russia

• 60. Served at a soup kitchen- I've done this a few times thanks to being a member of the Key Club in high school and also having a dad that likes to go there/eat there.

• 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

• 62. Gone whale watching

• 63. Got flowers for no reason- My kids give me flowers. David does too but there is usually a reason.

• 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma- I've donated but I hate having my blood drawn.

• 65. Gone sky diving

• 66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp: No. But I went to a Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem and got a migraine.
  

• 67. Bounced a check- I don't use checks much but every once in a while I get an overdraft fee. Shoot.

• 68. Flown in a helicopter

• 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy- I have a box in the garage with a few treasured toys...but most of my toys were auctioned off to the highest bidder when my parents didn't make the payments on a storage unit. That was a tragedy!

• 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

• 71. Eaten Caviar- With crackers. A bit salty.

• 72. Pieced a quilt- I guess tying a quilt does not count.

• 73. Stood in Times Square

• 74. Toured the Everglades

• 75. Been fired from a job

• 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

• 77. Broken a bone- Eight years old. I broke my left wrist on the ropes at Liberty Park. I heard the snap but it took my mom a week to take me to the doctor and I wore a homemade sling until then. You should have seen the smile on my face when the doctor said it was broken. I knew I heard a snap.

• 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle- Dave had a motorcycle but we traded it in for a scooter, forever.

• 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person- No. Another one of those "what is wrong with me" questions.
  

• 80. Published a book

• 81. Bought a brand new car- The newest car I've ever owned is 1999 and we bought it in 2004.

• 82. Walked in Jerusalem- My grandparents took me to Israel when I was 19. Jerusalem is a special place.

• 83. Had your picture in the newspaper- Once when there was a crazy snowstorm in Arizona, my friends and I were having a snowball fight in the mountains and a journalist took our picture and put it in the paper. I still have it.

• 84. Read the entire Bible- I have to say no. I haven't drudged through the whole Old Testament.

• 85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating- Only fish. That's the only animal I think I can kill but the preparation part grosses me out.

• 86. Had chickenpox- My brother and I caught it from cousins while we were on vacation. Some vacation.

• 87. Saved someone’s life- To quote Katie, who is also a nurse, "I'd like to think that this is what my job consists of as a nurse."

• 88. Met someone famous- I met Mick Fleetwood, you know, from Fleetwood Mac. He stayed at the hotel I worked at in Anchorage. Got free tickets to the show. Quite the honor.

• 89. Joined a book club- I read constantly but I've never joined a club.

• 90. Lost a loved one- 2 brothers, an aunt, and uncle, and grandma and grandpa Andersen

• 91. Had a baby- Three times.

• 92. Seen the Alamo in person

• 93. Swam in the Great Salt Lake- I've waded in it.

• 94. Been involved in a law suit

• 95. Owned a cell phone- I just got my first cell phone a few months ago. David says he doesn't know why he's paying for it because I never have it on me.

• 96. Been stung by a bee- Three times. It always shocks me how bad it hurts.

• 97. Seen Mount Rushmore in person

• 98. Learned to play an instrument- I used to know how to play the piano. It is on my list of things I want to do (1. take piano lessons again, 2. learn to sew better, 3. improve my singing voice, 4. learn to quilt and knit).

• 99. Sat on jury duty

• 100. Had a pet rat- Thank goodness no.

Pheww. That was long. Did you actually read the whole list?