Knocking Off #100

After a long day (including the flooded office) the only thing I wanted to do after I got off was to relax. I met Paul at Iguana for a fabulous dinner where we briefly discussed our days as his was much more exciting (in a good way) than mine was. Paul made a comment about how he thought it was strange that Iguana had become "our" neighborhood restaurant. The more I think about it, I suppose I would have to agree. Even though the food is fabulous and I could eat it a few times a week without getting tired of it, it isn't really as local (in relation to our house) as I had originally thought. With Midtown popping out restaurants every other week I am surprised we haven't picked something to be our regular place instead. Maybe the highly anticipated Big Truck Tacos will prove to be stiff competition. We love food.

My friend Jodi took this photo while she was here visiting in June.

We also decided to knock another one of my list items off. What better way to end that long and stressful day than to spend it on the front porch in 80 degree weather drinking lemonade? Granted, Paul and I have spent many nights sitting out on our front porch. We have sat there at least once in every Oklahoman season (hot and cold). We have watched it rain and snow and we have sat there long enough you could say we watched the grass grow. We also love to watch neighbors...ya know, like critically watch. But we've never sipped lemonade the way people probably did 95 years ago when there was nothing better to do on July 28th at 9:00 pm. So we did it and it was great fun.





So, it has been knocked off and I'm feeling relaxed. I love ending a standard Wednesday evening feeling relaxed and happy.

"Among the therapeutic agents not to be found bottled up and labeled on our shelves is traveling, a means of prevention, of cure and of restoration."

I hate how much money Paul and I spend going out to eat. We love to cook and make great food, but we get so lazy sometimes and tonight was one of those nights. So we went to Taco Bell, we didn't even go out for good food. No, we chose taco bell. We have to stop wasting money at places like that.

I was really trying to figure out (over the weekend) exactly how far I wanted this blog to go. I have still yet to figure it out. There is so much I want to write about. Co-workers, family, church, but so many factors play into why I feel like I can't write about those things. I know that I could make people laugh and understand what situations are like if I wrote about things that happen to me everyday and I would love to be honest about them. To get all the things out that I can't make myself say in real life, to actually understand the things I am feeling by getting them out on paper would be great. But I know the honesty I would have would crush people if they ever read it. I wouldn't be hateful or nasty, but my humor (and writing style) is incredible straight forward and I don't think the people I was writing about would find it humorous. People would be furious with what I had to say and the people I would write about are the people that wouldn't take it well at all. Should I get over that? Should I just move past that, get it out and live with the consequences if (and when) they come? Or should I write it down somewhere other than this blog and let Paul and my mom read it just to get some laughs?

I mean we're talking about an unbelievably obnoxious co-worker, the sister-in-law, a church acquaintance, and I could continue the list. Trust me, it could be quite enjoyable. Maybe I'll write it somewhere else, let a few people read it and if they think its worth going on the blog then I could post it later. I guess we'll see.

We leave for Amsterdam in 67 days. I'm not, not excited but I'm not quite thrilled yet. I've been to Mexico a few times but other than that this will be my first trip out of the country and I don't think I know how much fun I'll have yet. We're also going to Switzerland and Germany so it will be a busy week. Here are a few things I want to do in Amsterdam.


I don't know if we'll rent bikes or not but I love this bike by Dutch Bike Co. Plus, we'll be in Amsterdam so why not travel like the locals? This bike is super cute and called Oma. Clever, right?

I also want to go on a canal ride. I think a koffie or thee (coffee or tea) ride would be fun and a good way to spend one of our afternoons.

We're also going to go to a lot of museums but I hope we don't spend too much time at them. I want to make sure we do a picnic at Vondelpark and check out the flowers at the Bloemenmarkt before heading over to the Noordermarkt to buy gifts. Ok, starting to get excited.

We're also going to Michigan the first weekend in September to meet our niece who will have hopefully arrived at that time and to spend some time on the lake. I'm going to knock some of my items off my list over the next few months. I wish I didn't have to work and the only thing I had to do was accomplish things off the list. Whew, I just got excited about the thought of that and then a little disappointed when I remembered it's still Monday.

Oh well, I'm still thinking about how cute that Oma bike is.

Fun Dip = a fabulous Friday night.

I wrote an awesome post today and I am sorry that I cannot share it yet. I must wait, I must. But when it comes, you will laugh. I laughed, re-read it and laughed again.

Tomorrow is going to be busy so we are laying low tonight. Laying low right now includes vegging on the couch watching Family Guy (don't judge me) and eating the Fun Dip I bought at the grocery store (yet again, do not judge). I might as well be ten years old again, except for the Family Guy part, I'm pretty sure my parents would have had some problems with me watching this show at that age.

Some things to leave you with since this is a sort of a boring post:

Tomorrow I get a prescription for contacts again. Hallelujah. I'm sorry that wasn't quite powerful enough. HALLELUJAH. These last two weeks with my glasses have gotten easier but I still think it was a miserable way to spend two weeks. Glasses. I'm sorry for all of you out there that don't like contacts or can't wear them. I promise to take them out every night and do all the things I am supposed to up until I can get my Lasik surgery. I promise, I promise, I promise.

After I get my eyes back we are going to go watch an early showing of the new Harry Potter movie. I'm pretty stoked as I have been a HP fan for awhile now and have heard great things about the movie. I got even more excited after visiting one of my favorite blogs by Heather Bailey. She is a great fabric designer, she takes awesome photos and makes some of the most creative things, including a Harry Potter classic, Butterbeer. Check out her super cute drink and broomsticks below.

Seriously, every time I look at that photo it makes me smile. I love creative people.

We're also going to dinner with some friends tomorrow night at a Latin restaurant, 1492, that is right down the street from our house before going to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat together. I love doubles.

Progress is needed.

Due to my work load at the office (my commercial work) taking up so much of my time over the last year I have not spent a lot of time finishing our house or playing with other people's homes. I miss residential design quite a bit and sometimes wish I could go back to my little fabric showroom and enjoy a 35 hour week, art, accessories and gorgeous fabrics.

I am glad I am doing the work I am doing and I love the project I am on. I still get to pick art and furniture and everything I would do if I was doing homes but there is just a huge difference between the two (commercial and residential). I plan to go back to that showroom some day or maybe something like it but for now I need to enjoy my humongous projects and the awesome opportunities that they bring.

I feel like remodeling, or maybe just painting. Every time someone I know moves or remodels, I get the bug. I love moving and re-doing (sick, right?). One of my co-workers has up and decided she is going to sell her house and move, so of course I want to too. Just no time right now, nor do we need to make a move. I just need to keep chipping away at this house until its time to leave.

I've decided to finish our bathroom by getting the tub refinished (its the original claw foot tub) and painting the floor. I love our painted wood floors in the kitchen and office and even though our restroom isn't large, I could save a lot of money by painting the bathroom floor rather than trying to have the tub moved for tiling and getting it to work with our sub floor. Those two items should be easy to complete and maybe I can get them both knocked out before we go to Europe. My fingers are crossed.

I've also decided to grout the brick that is falling out of the wall surrounding our porch this Saturday morning. That way it can cure by the time I get around to purchasing the paint to get the exterior of the house done. I am pretty excited about getting that done, however I am sure as soon as I am an hour into painting the brick and trim, I will have had enough, go inside to get some air and let the husband finish. Yea, I'm that girl.

DO IT AT HOME (buy local)

I started following the 3/50 Project on Facebook a few months ago, spent some time on their website, really enjoyed what I saw but then moved on. After seeing an update on my page from them today, I spent another 30 minutes reviewing their website and was reminded of why I became a fan.

I love shopping at locally owned shops all over the US and some of my best purchases have been from small local stores. I think that is why I love downtown Holland so much (minus the few chains that are on that strip). And don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for larger, national chains and I shop at them and eat at them and on and on and on. I buy my groceries at Wal-Mart Neighborhood market because they're the cheapest but love to stop at Market C when I need cheese or bread. I buy clothes at Ann Taylor Loft and JCrew but I also shop at FireFly. Being married to an Urban Planner has swayed my thinking on this issue as well. He would rather eat and shop local before ever thinking about going to a chain. He's passionate about mom and pop shops that have had to close and wants to support the ones that are still operating as much as possible. Maybe that is why we spend so much money at The Iguana Grill...

Their concept is really unique and probably pretty sound. Select three locally owned businesses that you would miss if they disappeared and stop in at them a few extra times. I could easily find more than three in Holland (which technically isn't buying local - but it's still an economy I want my money to go to) and definitely have three local OKC places too.

Next, try and spend $50 every month in a locally owned business. I know I spend more than this on dinner out in a month and so why not spend it at local restaurants? Christmas is an easy time for me to spend my money locally. Jewelry at FireFly, home accents at On a Whim and the French Cowgirl and I'm pretty well set for all of the girls on my shopping lists.

Doing those two things can help sustain those businesses longer than they would if you went somewhere else like Target or the mall (obviously, this is not a hard concept).

I think Cinda Baxter has a great thing going here. I looked at the project's supporter page when I first came across the website and was disappointed that no one in Oklahoma had either heard of it or was interested in it. Today, proved to be different. There are actually supporters from here now. Most supporters are churches or chambers of commerce but at least there are some small businesses listed and the chamber can be good at getting the word out right?

Hopefully this keeps growing not only nationally but in Oklahoma too. I hate talk about the economy and our recession - but this is a cooler way to look at it and gives people a more unique way to be supportive of the local economy without sounding so stuffy.


Well, baseboard is done and installed and looks fabulous. Time to move on to the next project.

Miscellaneous Saturday

Today was a great combination of productivity and relaxation. I can't say my husband would agree since the cats woke him up at 6:00 crying for food. I however, got out of bed at 8 am and slowly made my way to the TV room where I continued to lounge watching the Tour de France with Paul. We finally got up and moving and out the door and headed to my office to scrounge for boxes to pack my sister-in-law's baby shower present in. We went grocery shopping where we indulged ourselves with ingredients we didn't need but wanted and stocked up on BOGO free frosted flakes. We ran out and got all the items needed for our tiny little wall missing its baseboard and came home and started working on it. It's not finished because staining to match the woodwork around it was as difficult as I thought it would be.

After trying two stains we found in the basement and purchasing one at Lowe's (and then mixing them together) I think we finally got the color right. Now it needs to dry, so here's hoping for the piece to get installed tomorrow.

We decided to have a picnic for dinner and after a mini freak out in the kitchen (where my husband proceeded to laugh at me and remind me of how much I needed to learn to relax) we went to our neighborhood gourmet market right down the street, Market C, to grab some old fashioned soda. While there I nabbed a couple of deviled eggs for myself. Who could resist? We then headed to Norman where we picked up some fried chicken from our good friend the Colonel and headed to the park. We laid out our blankets and had our dinner as we listened to a family playing baseball behind us, teenage boys on their skateboards and little kids screaming as they were getting soaked at the splash ground.

After we ate our dinner we relaxed for about an hour and I read some more of my book. It was great to go somewhere and take the time to relax. When you relax at home or close to home, there are always things to get you distracted.

All there was to do at the park (far away from home) was what we brought to do or nothing and both were great. Our little setup was invaded by ants shortly after our relaxation hour so we quickly ate the cake we brought, packed up and headed home. All in all it was a great day and I am sorry it'll be over soon. Great Saturdays can be hard to come by.

Details, details.

Who ever said that pleasure wasn't functional?

Who doesn’t love a good tote bag? I bought this bag at Tigertree in Columbus, OH when I was there for a wedding. It’s an Orla Kiely bag and I absolutely love it. I’ve only carried it a few times since I bought it but the enthusiasm that everyone is showing towards it today only validates my love for the inanimate object. Its vinyl so dirt and mess wipe right off and its super sturdy. It’s a really great bag to travel with.

I got on the website today to find there is a sale on the Etc. line in both bags and accessories so now I really want to buy the wallet I was eyeing too. Not that I need another wallet since my sweet husband bought me two for Valentines Day. But I still think this wallet would look great in my hand. Yep, I can see it now.
Funny story. Ok, maybe not funny but true.
I bought the book Cold Tangerines as you read previously and I have loved every moment of it so far. Turns out the author lived in Grand Rapids (close to my beloved Holland, MI) for awhile and worked for a church that some of our friends like to attend. I looked up her website a little while ago and was scanning through some of her old blog posts when I ran across an article about an Orla Kiely bag she had just bought. It’s the same style as mine but I think the medium tote and not the large. Made me smile. Ok, stupid story.
Alright, moving on. Remember when I was talking about Jeni’s Ice Cream? Well my sister-in-law Jenn, who is pregnant, was craving some ice cream and was thinking about our trip to Jeni’s. (You would think I was obsessed with my one trip to Columbus after reading what I’ve posted on this blog so far, huh?) Well instead of getting up and going to get some ice cream (and there is plenty of it in Holland), she said she looked it up on the internet for hours and found the recipe to my favorite flavor! I guess the Jeni did an article with Food and Wine and now i’m trying to figure out how I can get my hands on an ice cream maker quickly so I can try the recipe.
Maybe we'll make a trip to Williams-Sonoma this weekend. The last thing I need is another kitchen appliance that I am not going to use very often but if the recipe turned out well, I could see myself using it quite a bit. Maybe i'll just scrap the whole idea and go to Orange Tree instead.

Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life

I am going to have to go purchase this book. Maybe tonight.
My friend Jodi was reading this book when she came to visit me a month and a half ago and she was raving about it. Barnes and Noble's synopsis says: "A collection of stories and ideas about the life of celebration that God gives us, this book offers a vision of life as a collection of bright and varied glimpses of hope and redemption and celebration, in and among the heartbreak and boredom and broken glass."

Yes please. This is something I was just talking to my co-workers about yesterday and even today. I have improved my attitude about a lot of crummy work situations over the past year and find things that drive some people crazy, quite comical. Please don't get me wrong, it is still frustrating at the moment when these situations arise and I am not giggly or quick to brush them off. But within 30 minutes, I tend to find myself laughing about what has occurred. I feel better when I laugh about it. I can't be mad and laugh at the same time and I'd rather write those people and situations off as funny or crazy instead of infuriating.

There are some situations, however, that I don't find relief in by putting a positive spin on it, not only in work but in my everyday life too. I need to learn to remember the bigger picture. Not my bigger picture but God's. I am excited about reading this now the more I write...getting myself worked up for an epiphany. I LOVE EPIPHANIES.

I just experienced a little deja vu, so I suppose I should end this post since I have obviously had this conversation with someone before (including the part where I asked Paul how epiphanies was spelled).

UPDATE: Three mega-bookstore chains later...I now own this book.

around my old house

The house was built in 1914 and there are little areas all over that need touch-up. There are also “improvements” that were made by previous home owners who did not know what they were doing that we need to go back and re-do.

Little things to get done include putting base on a small portion of a wall in our hallway next to our bedroom. All of the other rooms in our house have a four inch flat base with a quarter-round nailed at the bottom. Should be simple enough, right? You would think. The logistics of it are beginning to make my head hurt already. The top of the base (throughout the remainder of the house) has a nice rounded smooth edge, which means another tool and more attention to detail on such a tiny little area. The quarter round will prove to be no problem and attaching it to the wall is also no problem. But staining a brand new piece of wood to match existing wood that was stained 95 years ago does not sound like an easy task. I know, I know – pathetic. I am sure it will go much smoother than I am thinking it will. Paul has owned this house for 3-1/2 years (which I have been with him that entire time) and could have fixed it long ago. I am now disgusted with my lack of willingness to take care of such a small detail that I plan to do it this weekend.

Other things that need to be done include caulking under a window where it has settled and separated from the wall and touching up the ceiling in our bedroom where we accidentally got paint on it from painting the walls. The whole ceiling in that room could just get a fresh coat of paint.

Bigger things that need to get done include new back porch steps, painting the brick and trim on the entire house, new front porch boards, new or cleaned up front porch ceiling, new front porch steps, new ceiling in the office (which makes me cringe), new kitchen cabinets, new bathroom flooring and refinishing or getting new wood floors.

The wood floors seem to be a daunting task to me for a few reasons. If we get the floors refinished in all rooms but the kitchen then we have to move everything out of each room, keep the cats out of certain spaces because of work people and chemicals and pay money to keep wood floors that don’t all match (main reasons for getting new ones). But if I decided to get new wood floors in the rooms that don’t match (TV room, hallway and bedroom) the original wood (living room and dining room) then I have to find someone to match the existing which I am sure will cost me a fortune. I would still then have to get the original floors refinished and either way it just seems to be such a chore.

I think another reason I dread all of these projects is because I am afraid of what I am going to find every time I rip something up or out. What if I pull up these old wood floorboards to find mildew or damage to the sub-flooring? (I’m the kind of person that likes to pretend it can’t be there if I can’t see it). What if I rip the old kitchen cabinets out and there are holes in the walls where I wanted a great feature and it costs me extra to fix items the “old fashioned” way. No gyp board walls, tape and mud here. We’re talking lath and plaster people. Gorgeous, stupid lath and plaster.

As I stated before, I am going to do that small baseboard fix this weekend. I would really like to get the garage and house trim/brick painted before winter this year. My problem with this task is (I always have a problem with home repair tasks) I hate to have a freshly painted house with gross looking front steps, porch and porch ceiling. I feel like all of those have to go together to be done properly.

The nice thing is, other than the kitchen cabinets and the ceiling in the office – none of the items I want to do to the house are necessary. They’re all issues I want to take care of because I am a designer. I could sell this house with a few minor tweaks and be fine which may happen before I get all of this taken care of…

So about the kitchen cabinets…when it comes time to take care of those, I am just going to re-do the entire kitchen and I am thrilled about it. I have had lots of ideas over the past few months but have really narrowed it down to what I think both Paul and I would be happy with. I need to sit down and draw some elevations and get some budget pricing figured out so I can start saving up to do it. Check out these light fixtures I want to use in my new kitchen – or in some room someday.

For an interior designer who loves old homes I sure do hate the thought of what I am going to be doing.

More of the Same - #22

Ohio (Columbus) - April 2009
Jeni's Splended Ice Cream was the best thing I had ever had. If you are ever in Ohio - look them up and go. Their Cherry Lambic was fabulous.

www.jenisicecreams.com

Also, check out Tiger Tree if you are ever in Columbus. It's a great store with vintage, handmade and unique stuff. Paul got an awesome tie and I got a great bag.

www.shoptigertree.blogspot.com



Virgina (Passing through this small town) - July 2008

Saturday Dinner and Sunday Sides

The extreme heat here in Oklahoma City today kept both Paul and I indoors for the majority of the day. Which unfortunately for you left me with nothing better to do than bake, cook, take photos and blog.

You've already seen my fabulous cherry-berry pie but here's what else I worked on in the kitchen today.

Weight Watchers 3 Bean Salad for lunch tomorrow.
Paul was a big fan - I had to make sure it got covered and put in the fridge before he ate too much.

Farfalle with broccoli and bacon for dinner. This was such an easy dish to make and it tasted great!

Ingredients:
1 lb farfalle pasta
2 heads broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
7 strips of bacon, cooked and diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta and cook for another 4 minutes.
Drain pasta and broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, bacon, red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, pasta, salt and pepper and toss. Top with Parmesan cheese!

(Adapted from a food network recipe we found online).

Mmmm Fruit Pie...#24, #67 and #93

24. Bake an old fashion fruit pie with a modern twist. Check.

Sweet cherries, raspberries and blueberries make a fabulous pie. In fact, this pie is the only one I have ever baked and it turned out FABULOUS. We will eat the whole thing and I will be making it again someday.

67. Use our wedding presents. Partially checked. Trust me, there is still a ton of stuff to use that has never been used. In fact, we've used the processor before but its one of those items we don't use as often as we should. It makes cooking/baking go quite a bit faster.

93. Make 100 lovely things. Partially checked again.

I wasn't going to include the fruit pie on this list but after trying it I knew it had to be on this one too.

Where's the recipe for this fabulous pie you ask? I can't believe I'm even willing to share...
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cherry-berry-pie

West Virginia, Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennesee, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota - #22

I can guarantee I do not have a photo of Indiana or West Virgina - so you'll just have to trust me on those two.


Texas (Fort Worth) - March 2008
I grew up in Texas so I am sure I could find many more images but this one was the first one to come up and worked just fine. Paul and I at Mi Cocina in Ft. Worth.



Missouri (St. Louis) - June 2007
Taken from the top of the arch.


Kentucky - June 2007
Jim Beam House

Tennesee (Memphis) - June 2007


Kansas - April/May 2008
This photo sums up what Kansas looks like so I didn't bother taking any other photos while there. This will be the only one we have and Paul took it while driving down a highway at 70mph I'm sure.

Nebraska (North Platte) - April/May 2008
Just stopped for lunch and then for a night in a Holiday Inn Express on the way back. Thrilling.


South Dakota - April/May 2008
After a blizzard and being stuck in our hotel room for 24 hours because the city of Spearfish was shut down we finally got to get out and quickly go see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse before going to my friend Kaela's wedding.

Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Oklahoma, Michigan, New York and Maryland - List #22

These are all photos taken on previous trips but since they do pertain to my list I thought I would make sure they were attached to some kind of post!

Arkansas - November 2007
Please pay special attention to the bullet holes in the sign. That's my favorite part.



Pennsylvania - June 2006
We went to Fallingwater (by Frank Lloyd Wright) for our honeymoon.


Illinois (Chicago) - December 2008
After seeing The Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theater - waiting on the red line.


Oklahoma (Lawton) - November 2006
I mean we live in Oklahoma and all but this is just one of the thousands of photos we've taken since we've been here.


Michigan (Holland) - August 2008
In-laws back porch, waiting on dinner and drinking some wine.


New York (Finger Lakes) - November 2007
Wine tasting with the in-laws and the extended family.
Maryland (Annapolis) - July 2008
State House

My One Hundred

So after reading my good friend Jodi's blog and seeing all of the things she was already accomplishing, I knew I had to get this going. With some help from her list (which had great stuff as well as Mighty Girl's list) I have a list that I am excited about marking things off of. I'm also excited to keep a photo/record of all of it so I can see how much I have accomplished.

1. Get out of debt (cars, mortgage, etc).
2. Live somewhere new for 6 months to a year.
3. Visit a foreign farmer's market. Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam, Holland.
4. Get a master's degree.
5. Get to 139 pounds - for a total of 30 lost.
6. Cultivate a successful garden with Paul.
7. Tour 12 European countries.
(The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland)
8. Build a house.
9. Have a vacation home.
10. Drive all of Route 66 (maybe not all at the same time - but all of it)
11. Build our dream kitchen.
12. Learn to take amazing photos.
13. Take a two week road trip with no destination. One week there and one week back.
14. Grow old with Paul.
15. Learn how to dance.
16. Have children.
17. Learn to speak Dutch.
18. Write a "publish worthy" journal.
19. Buy a bottle of Crystal in celebration of something.
20. Do a home renovation project on my own - no help from Paul.
21. See the Northern Lights.
22. Visit all 50 states (To Do: Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Louisiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Alaska, South Carolina, North Carolina, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine)
(Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, California, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virgina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida)
23. Run a 5k race.
24. Bake an old fashion fruit pie with a modern twist.
25. Cook an entire Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner.
26. Go on an African Safari.
27. Spin a globe and where ever our fingers stop it – buy tickets within the hour for a flight to that location.
28. See the Eiffel tower.
29. See the leaning tower of Pisa.
30. Reupholster a piece of furniture.
31. Jeep through an unusual terrain – dunes or the jungle, either one.
32. Order a dirty martini with 3 olives in a hotel bar in NYC wearing a swanky black dress.
33. Hang a huge United States highway map and draw all of the road trips we have taken in Sharpie.
34. Hang a huge world map and put pins on all of the places that we have been.
35. Go to a University of Michigan football game.
36. Go to an event at the summer Olympics.
37. Vacation on a yacht.
38. Go backstage after a concert.
39. Go to Canada.
40. Ride a horse again.
41. Go on a cruise with Paul.
42. Try 50 new foods.
(1. Shellfish, 2. Barbacoa, 3. Pickled Apple Cabbage, 4. Bitter Lemon, 5. Bubble Tea 6. Sushi, 7. Plantains)
43. If I am ever overcome with emotion, let it go and cry freely.
44. Learn to enjoy the quiet.
45. Live in a downtown apartment or loft.
46. Take one vacation every year.
(2009: Europe, 2010: Dominican Republic)
47. Take my children to Disney World.
48. Take my faith to a more serious level, constantly grow in it.
49. Drive a Sea-Doo.
50. Walk my children to school.
51. Ride my bike more often, to restaurants, to places.
52. Pay for our children’s college tuitions.
53. See Gaudi’s work in Spain.
54. Go up in a hot air balloon.
55. See the Statue of Liberty.
56. Dance in the pouring rain.
57. Speak/teach a ladies class or high school girl’s class at a conference or at church.
58. See Stonehenge.
59. Visit the Library of Congress.
60. See the Mona Lisa.
61. Go to a drive in theater.
62. Go on a long train ride with Paul somewhere. (Munich, Germany to Amsterdam Holland October 09).
63. See a Broadway musical in NYC.
64. Pass the NCIDQ.
65. Watch a stage in the Tour de France. In France.
66. Ride the London Eye.
67. Use every wedding gift given to us (that we still have).
(food processor, marble slab ice cream kit)
68. Pet a giraffe.
69. Learn to play “Gracie” by Ben Folds on the piano.
70. Finish un-finished scrapbooks.
71. Leave a 100% tip for a really great waiter/waitress.
72. Spend a Saturday cooking meals to be frozen for the coming week.
73. Go on an old fashioned picnic, blanket, basket, pie and all.
74. Say “yes” when someone wants to go out and do something, as much as possible.
75. Say “no” when someone wants you to do something for them, but only sometimes.
76. Go to the Grand Canyon.
77. Stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.
78. Ferry across Lake Michigan on the Badger.
79. Complete a large re-model project.
80. Throw a "sweets" party.
81. Go to a World Cup game.
82. See fireworks in Washington DC on July 4th.
83. Shake hands with a President.
84. Ride the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.
85. Take our children to the Nemacolin Woods resort in Pennsylvania.
86. Visit both Taliesin East and West.
87. Go to the Stratford Shakespeare Theater Festival.
88. See Niagara Falls.
89. Do a trash the dress shoot.
90. Recreate my favorite floral arrangements.
91. Go to a circus (as an adult).
92. Throw a formal dinner party.
93. Make 1000 lovely things.
(1. Cherry-berry pie, 2. Shoe bags for travel, 3. Spice Drawer Organization, 4. Mossy Monogram)
94. Teach a college class.
95. Sell a photo/piece of art.
96. Purchase art at the Arts Festival.
97. Have a design published somewhere.
98. Take a yoga class.
99. Stay in the Ice Hotel.
100. Drink lemonade on the front porch swing on a warm (not hot) summer night with Paul.

Seriously, everyone needs a list - and everyone needs to get passionate about their list.