Have I Ever?

I saw this over at The Simple Wife and I wanted to play too. The things I've done are in bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
I played flute in my junior high symphonic band and I played clarinet for four years in marching band in high school.
4. Visited Hawaii
No, I haven't visited Hawaii...yet.
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/World
The last time I visited Disney World it was 1985 and Epcot Center was pretty new.
8. Climbed a mountain
Does Half Dome in Yosemite count?
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
I had a one line solo when I was in Children's theater during my freshman year in high school.
11. Bungee jumped
No way! Not ever!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
I love summer storms here in Colorado.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
I taught myself how to knit.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
Yes, I had food poisoning when I was pregnant with Sammy. It was the worst three days of my life. I could barely lift my head for three days.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
No, but I have been to the Statue of Liberty!
18. Grown your own vegetables
I've tried the past couple of years, but mostly the critters around my house have feasted on them.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
No way! I stared at way too many missing kids on the sides of milk cartons as a kid.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Mental health days.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
Latin
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
As kids, my parents took me and my sister to lots of drive-in movies. We got to wear our PJs. Usually, we watched movies on other screens.
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
I've seen a lot of Bottle Nose Dolphins. Do they count?
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
No Way! Not Ever!
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
I still have my favorite stuffed animals.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
Yes, quite a few of my quilts are on my blog.
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
Do teeth count? I broke my front tooth and the one next to it while hiking in a river in Yosemite. I've had serious fear of breaking teeth ever since. Every time one of my kids falls or gets hurt, I always check their teeth first. I know this is irrational, but I can't help it.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
I had my wedding announcement in the newspaper, but no photo. I think when I was in the Santa Clara High School Hall of Fame, the pictures were printed in the newspaper, but I can't remember for sure.
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
I haven't taken a tour, but I've been as close as one can get without getting into trouble.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
In third grade. I missed a field trip to go see the play, The Wizard of Oz and I'm still bummed about it.
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
lots of authors
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
three of the cutest babies you'll ever see. (I might be a bit biased though.)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Christmas songs I really don't like

I spent a lot of time in the car today. Poor Tess had to sit in her car seat for so long today. Anyway, I had the radio tuned to the All-Christmas-songs-all-the-time station and I realized there are some songs that just drive me crazy. So, as I drove today I composed a list of my least favorite Christmas songs to pass the time.

(In no particular order)

1. Feliz Navidad
2. that song by John Lennon- So this is Christmas...(Okay, I just looked it up and it's Happy Christmas (War is Over)
3. Do They Know it's Christmas? by Band-Aid
4. Jingle Bells sung by Barbra Streisand
5. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (although I really liked this one when I was a kid)
6. Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time -Paul McCartney or Wings (Actually, I don't know the title of the song, but I just don't like it.)
7. I don't like any version of Santa Baby

For your amusement:



Not to be too negative, I'll think about my favorite Christmas songs and add a list a little later.

It's so nice to have a baby in the house again

Here's what Tess usually looks like...sleepy

Proud big brothers Luke and Sam with little Tess

Little sweetness baby!

Little Tess

Here she is! Our little sweet Tess weighing in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long.

She looks so big although I can't get over her tiny little head. She's my smallest baby so far.

Tess alert and beautiful

The boys are delighted with their new sister. Here's Sammy visiting at the hospital.

Luke and Sam discover the hospital bed and the buttons to make it move up and down.

Here's Luke holding baby Tess. That's me sitting next to him and hopefully that will be the last of that striped maternity shirt (for a while anyway).

Little Tess finally at home. She's resting on Sammy's little toddler bed while we get things ready for her.

Paul looks a tad tired. I guess it has been a full week. Sammy loves holding his little sister.

Here's Tess in her little swaddler. She looks like a little bean sprout!

Sammy takes his job of holding his baby sister very seriously. We are overjoyed to have her home finally. We've waited so long for this little blessing! She's the best early Christmas present ever! I just took down the baby ticker from my sidebar and I feel a little sad about it since it's been there for so long. I enjoyed tracking her progress during my pregnancy, but it's time for the next chapter of her life.

Tess Elizabeth has arrived!!!

Just to let you all know that Tess Elizabeth was born on 12/2/2008 at 9:03pm. After less than 3 hours of labor she arrived healthy and happy weighing 6lbs 15oz and she is 20 inches long. Pictures to follow soon. Mommy and baby are doing great!!!

Our Christmas Tree

I bought a new stocking holder this weekend at the grocery store that almost matches our other stocking holders. You'll have to look closely to notice that the Christmas tree hook in the middle is slightly different than the others. I didn't think I'd be able to match it that well. Stephanie is going to use her cool new embroidery sewing machine to make Tess a wonderful homemade stocking. I like knowing that we will get to add a new stocking this year. I'm getting anxious for
the baby to arrive!


On Saturday, a day before my due date, we went into the woods to chop down our Christmas tree. It didn't take much time for Paul to select a beautiful tree. Usually, we traipse through the forest forever trying to decide on a tree, but this year, he didn't want me walking too much (although I'm sure it would have helped getting labor started) or slipping on the snow.


Here's Sammy after the tree was decorated.

I think Luke is getting too big for Paul to lift. It looks like a

struggle to get the star on the top of the tree.

In Progress

I've been working on this sweater for Sammy since early October and now, I can see the end in sight. I've learned so much knitting this sweater. I've learned some increase/decrease techniques, how to use double pointed needles and why I need a vast collection of stitch markers. I'm about to start knitting up the hood. I'm sure I will bring this project to the hospital just in case I have a little time for knitting! Is it crazy to think that I will have time for knitting in the hospital???