100 POSTS!

This is my 100th post. Here are 100 things about me:

1 - I LOVE to travel.

2 - My current dream destinations are the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, and somewhere in the "Far East" (previous dream destinations were Israel and Africa).

3 - One of my goals is to write my life history.

4 - Andrew is the first guy I dated that I didn't get bored of within a month.

5 - I obsess about holiday plans and presents months in advance (pretty much as soon as the holiday is over I start thinking of the next year).

6 - I'm a list maker (I make lists for everything and love to check them off).

7 - The worst job I ever had was at Burger King. Fast food. Enough said.

8 - I have lived in Texas, Idaho, Virginia, Utah, and Illinois (but only for 2 months in Chicago).

9 - I have done study abroads in Israel, Ecuador, South Africa, and Ukraine.

10 - I love to eat oranges, especially if someone else peels them for me.

11 - I was a victim of a "hate crime" while in Chicago (an anti-Mormon guy plowed us down with his car while my friends and I crossed the street).

12 - I am afraid of heights (or more specifically falling from heights).

13 - I have been bungee jumping (in an effort to overcome #12).

14 - I don't like public speaking, but I do like to conduct meetings (that's just enough spotlight for me).

15 - I "misplace" my keys and credit cards (and other small items like wedding rings) on a fairly regular basis.

16 - I taught sex ed in South Africa.

17 - Last year I had a root canal.

18 - I got my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Social Work.

19 - I prefer "car camping" to backpacking.

20 - I taught English and smoking cessation classes in Ukraine.

21 - I love being in the mountains, especially the Rockies.

22 - I love the smell of camping (which for me, mostly consists of vegetation and campfires).

23 - I like pens that don't have lids, just clickers. I'm really into them right now--no wasted time removing a lid that I just lose anyway (after all I lose small things).

24 - My favorite color is red.

25 - I'm periodically really into genealogy.

26 - I'm the oldest of six kids (and nine years ago I married the youngest of five).

27 - I met Drew in May 1997. We married April 1999.

28 - I was the yearbook editor in High School.

29 - My favorite meal is soup and bread.

30 - My favorite dessert is a fruit tart.

31 - Generally I'm a slow eater and don't really like eating (necessary evil).

32 - I don't like to cook (another necessary evil).

33 - I'm NOT a fan of snow, though I do appreciate a traditional white Christmas.

34 - I have never broken a bone and have only had stitches as a result of childbirth.

35 - I love to listen to thunder storms or soft rain as I drift off to sleep.

36 - For a while I got my daily dose of news from The Colbert Report (Drew said this was absolutely disgraceful and did not count as "news.")

37 - I used to be really interested in scrapbooking.

38 - Now I'm into making photo books on My Publisher.

39 - I secretly wish I knew how to sew and could make cool quilts like my mom and sister.

40 - I also secretly wish to be published.

41 - I love to read, but when I start a book I don't do much housekeeping or parenting until I finish it so I have to take breaks between them.

42 - I miss going to haunted houses at Halloween time.

43 - I also miss getting dressed up for dances (a yearly Christmas cocktail party just isn't the same).

44 - I enjoy pilates and yoga (but I'm still a novice at both).

45 - My eyeliner is tattooed on (I didn't even wear it before the tattoo so I'm glad it turned out alright).

46 - I enjoy live theater, especially musicals.

47 - I'm kind of a picky eater, but I went through a phase when I tried to be adventurous and tried cow eyeballs, guinea pig, and various fish dishes.

48 - I procrastinate. A lot.

49 - I am constantly reorganizing and I love to "purge" things from my home (or someone else's).

50 - I like to play board games.

51 - I struggle with spelling and grammar (and always have).

52 - I also often mispronounce words (such Philadelthia instead of Philadelphia), but was blissfully unaware of this until I married Drew and he pointed it out.

53 - I had to go to "resource" in elementary school to learn how to read, but at the time I thought everyone took a turn with the special tutor so I did not feel stigmatized.

54 - Despite what Andrew may think, I don' t really enjoy shopping (though he probably enjoys it even less than me).

55 - I am really nervous about sending Lizzie off to kindergarten (I'm not ready for her to be so old).

56 - I don't like to eat the edges of brownies or cakes and shamelessly take the middle piece whenever possible.

57 - I am registered as an independent and try to avoid politics in general. I find extremism or very strong party affiliation distasteful.

58 - The smell of coffee often makes me feel nauseous (especially when I'm pregnant).

59 - I enjoy being a mother more than I ever thought I would.

60 - I struggle to make scripture reading a habit.

61 - I obsess about split ends to the point that sometimes when I look at bare trees they remind me of split ends and I feel a little uncomfortable.

62 - My favorite TV shows are: So You Think You Can Dance, The Office, and Law and Order.

63 - I prefer activities to gifts for special occasions (and sometimes use these occasions to get Andrew to do day trips with me he otherwise would not agree to).

64 - I regularly try to get Andrew to agree to not exchange Christmas gifts between the two of us (he isn't even close to agreeing).

65 - Favorite outfit: jeans, white t-shirt, bandanna over my hair. The bandanna is my favorite part.

66 - Favorite flower: gerber daisies and calililies (both were in my bridal bouquet).

67 - I'm not really into jewelry and often don't even wear my wedding ring (if I don't look good without jewelry, it won't help, and if I do look good then I don't need them).

68 - I do not ski, snowboard, or play sports and currently I have no desire to learn/participate.

69 - The things I miss about being single: going dancing, late night girl talk, and having someone sit in the bathroom and talk to me while I get ready to go out.

70 - Some of the things I like about being married: companionship, more family, working together toward a common goal, someone to warm up my feet in bed, feeling safe, fun times with Drew, knowing we can be together forever, and always having someone around to carry or lift heavy things, open jars, and walk with me in the dark.

71 - I don't know how to sew or swim or drive a stick shift or speak Spanish, but I wish I could do all these things.

72 - I have read and loved all the Harry Potter books at least two times each.

73 - I prefer to have all the beds made when I leave the house in the morning.

74 - I wish I had big curly hair (just a dream though because my hair won't even hold a perm).

75 - I was very relieved when Lizzie's hair grew in dark and not blond.

76 - Pet Peeves - knuckle cracking, public teeth picking, people telling me I "should" do something (as in "You know what you should do?")

77 - I cannot tolerate spicy foods. Too painful.

78 - I had seven different piano teachers (in about three or four years) as a child and still cannot play much more than a scale.

79 - I like to watch comedies. If it's serious I would rather read about it in a book.

80 - I am scuba certified and really enjoy diving (after I empty my stomach contents or otherwise overcome my nerves).

81 - I really like to hold big snakes.

82 - My taste in music is eclectic. Lately I've been listening to musical soundtracks, Beautiful South, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Diamond, Garbage, Black Eyed Peas, and the top 40 and country music stations.

83 - I can be dramatic and controlling.

84 - I often daydream.

85 - I have a really hard time making big financial decisions.

86 - Main fears: that something terrible will happen to Drew or Liz, that I will have another stillborn baby, that I will experience physical pain, that I will be overweight forever.

87 - I had my first pedicure a day or two before my wedding, now I wish I could have it done daily.

88 - I don't have many regrets, but looking back, I often think I should have worn a bikini more because those days are so gone.

89 - I really miss living near and spending time with my siblings (luv their guts).

90 - I am inspired (and usually moved to tears) when people rise to the occasion and help one another.

91 - I am also amazed by the tremendous sacrifices parents make for their children. What wouldn't a parent do?

92 - I am proud to be a Mormon/LDS and grateful for the gospel in my life.

93 - I don't really like to chat on the phone and always prefer to talk to people in person instead (but I don't mind conversing via telephone with non-local friends and family).

94 - When I was engaged I seriously considered keeping my last name or hyphenating it.

95 - I need glasses now.

96 - It took me years to feel like I was a Nielson, not a Barnes that happened to go by Nielson.

97 - I'm surprised by how into blogging I am, having resisted even reading blogs until I started my own.

98 - I have not sampled recreational drugs or tobacco, but my mom gave me my first and last tastes of alcohol (wine) and (cold) coffee. I didn't like either flavor.

99 - I consider myself the mother of two with one on the way.

100 - I believe I will either be Jacob's mother in the next life or I will feel okay with it if I'm not (after all we'll be in Heaven).