Please Join Me......

I've shared bits and pieces of my life and perspective here since October, 2006.

I've shared photos, challenges, joys, scrapbook layouts, the cry of my heart......

.......so many photos that I have exhausted my allowed space on this blog.

So.....I've moved.

I hope that you will join me at my new and improved Table Scraps blog.

A Friday Filled With.........

• Sleeping in.....it felt SO good after a long last week of classes
• Silly string (thanks to a trip to the dollar store in a lesson about computing sales tax)
• Softball pants and cleats (Thankfully, we found a pair of cleats for Kennedy, as well as sliding pants for both, so both kids are now outfitted and ready for Opening Day tomorrow).
• Grading (The kids were troopers as I had to work at CU for a couple of hours)
• Movies (We finished the book "Because of Winn Dixie" so tonight we're going to watch the movie, which is never as good as the book. Also on tap for the weekend......Slumdog Millionaire, Bride Wars, Tale of Despereux, and Swing Vote. They're calling for more rain, so we're prepared!
• Body Crayons (again, thanks to the dollar store)
• Scrapbooking.....I haven't done a layout in a while, but I'm hoping to finish one tonight to enter into my local store's Scrap Idol contest tomorrow in celebration of National Scrapbooking Day.

Happy Friday....what was your day filled with??

I Will Praise You in the Storm.

I feel like I'm in the midst of the storm right now. These days entail a lot of uncertainty. While I feel a deep sense of peace, I am also well aware of the storm raging in so many different ways around us.

The end of the semester brings so much grading, and student stress, which translates into professor stress.

Moving to a new place is exciting, but the process of moving is overwhelming to me right now.

I think that I am experiencing some delayed sadness over the events that are leading us to move from this place. We had believed that this was the place that we would settle, find community, raise our kids, serve God.....and sad that it is not turning out to be that for us.

Our community seems to be in a really dark place right now, with a lot of backbiting and gossip and blame. People's lives are being affected in lasting ways. With my husband being a school administrator, we are all too aware of very damaging choices that are being made and the consequences of those choices for so many. Satan is actively working in this place right now. Priorities are out of place. Pain is evident all around.

Some of our family members are in the midst of painful circumstances right now.....losing jobs, surgeries, illnesses, ongoing battles with infertility, financial uncertainty. The weight is big.

And yet, through it all, I sense His presence and peace, as He calls me to just rest in the midst of it all. It is so different than what this world says to do, and yet if I obey, I know He is faithful to do a work in all of these situations and to weave these things together for our good and His glory.
Thank you, Lord, for creating and controlling the storm. Thank you that the victory is already Yours and, thus, ours. And thank you for calming your child.

Friday at the Gardens.

With the sun shining brightly and the whole day on the horizon, the kids and I decided to head over to the Meijer Gardens. We have been studying butterflies and the metamorphosis process all week, so we wanted to see the butterflies before the leave at the end of the month. We thought that if we went in the afternoon it would be less busy, but we were WRONG! I think half of Grand Rapids had the same idea we did, included 4 buses chock-full of kids. But, we managed to find some less-populated areas of the gardens to enjoy and explore.
This photo that my daughter snapped cracks me up! This sculpture is entitled "Mad Mom." Enough said.

Due to the hoards of people there, the butterflies were not plentiful....I think they were hiding! But we did manage to see a few.

They have an amazing traveling exhibit of sculture right now....truly amazing and thought-provoking work filled with letters, icons and words. This letter sculpture is so fun....the kids enjoyed finding letters to spell words.

I have so many other cool photos to share today; however, Blogger is informing me that I have used up my alotted free memory space on this blog. So, decision time is here......I have been keeping this blog for over 620 posts, so I hate to move it to another site.....however, I don't like the idea of paying for additional space here, either, when there are so many other free venues. So, stay tuned for more information about the future of "Table Scraps" in the coming days. Until then, enjoy your weekend.....we are heading downtown GR to participate in the Rob Bliss Urban Experiment.....covering the city's sidewalks with chalk art....should be fun and interesting to observe and be a part of!! That, and pack more boxes.

What We've Been Up To........

Making colorful messes.........

Rocking out to music (our own American Idols)........

Doing math..............

And just enjoying all of the beautiful sunshine.

My Goal.

You can teach a student a lesson for a day.

But if you can teach him to learn

by creating curiosity,

he will continue the learning process

as long as he lives.

--Clay P. Bedford

Easter Blessings.

Our Easter celebration was blessed, just as every year, as we gathered with family to focus on Jesus, his amazing sacrifice, and his miraculous resurrection. We attended my parents' church in McBain, where we sang the old Easter hymns, which we love and miss now that we attend a more non-traditional church where not a lot of hymns are sung. I think it is so important to keep kids connected to those pillars of the Christian faith, and we really enjoyed that piece of tradition this Easter. Above, the kids opened their Easter baskets before church on Easter morning, along with special bunnies and candy bags from Grandma and Grandpa.

We enjoyed a delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings, followed by carrot cake. It is always so special when both Grandmas are able to join us for dinner, as they are in the 80s and 90s and are such special people to us.

Here is our family on Easter......I feel so blessed.

After church, we did an Easter egg hunt. We did a little bit of candy this year, but really wanted to stay away from the candy overload. Instead, some of the eggs held cash, while others were coupons for things like a movie rental of their choice, a family mini golfing and bowling outing, a trip to the store for a new pair of rollerblades, a lunch out at their restaurant of choice.....they had fun seeing what each egg held.

My sweet girl was looking extra-beautiful in her new pink Easter dress. Aunt Kendra painstakingly curled every tendril of her hair, and Kennedy just looked so beautiful on Easter morning. There are just so many things about this girl that make my heart melt.

Here is Hayden finding an egg in the windowwill of my parents' basement.....which is a very dark, spooky basement given that their house is over 100 years old. By the end of the egg hunt, these brand new Gap khaki pants were covered in mud and grass stains. Boys.

And then on to the next Grandma's, where we enjoyed another egg hunt with some of our cousins on the McDonald side. It felt so good to be outside, even though the wind was cold and the ground pretty muddy. We also flew kites and sat in the old rocking swing outside.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of Easter and of every day. You are so, so good to us. Praise the Lord, He is Risen!

Would I?

Would I have defended him?

Would I, like the disciples, have fallen asleep while He begged for the cup to pass from Him?

Would I have said "Not my will, but thine be done?"

Would I, like Judas, have betrayed Him for money?

Would I, like Peter, have denied him three times?

Would I have yelled "Crucify him"?

Would I have helped carry his cross up the hill?

Would I have cried at His feet as he hung on the cross?

Would I have wept at the tomb where his body laid?

Would I have helped annoint his body with herbs and perfume?

Would I have believed?

Thank the Lord......the story doesn't end with death and the tomb..............

Eggs + Nests.

Every year, we spend a night during Easter week coloring Easter eggs. I love to see the kids create their masterpieces....OK, so I love to color eggs myself, too! This year, we also made some nests to put our masterpieces into. We spent part of the week studying different kids of nests (eagles' nests, owls' nests, etc.), and learning how birds collect materials to build their nests. As for our nests, we used self-drying clay as the base and poked various-sized sticks into the base. They made a lovely, rustic little home for our Easter eggs.

I've been preparing my heart today for tomorrow, as we commemorate what Jesus Christ did in sacrificing His perfect life for us on the cross. It always seems that I intend to spend many days preparing my heart, but it always seems so inadequate when we come right down to the vast depth of the sacrifice made. We will spend tomorrow reading the story of Calvary, talking about the pain and scorn Jesus endured, and wondering what it would have been like to witness His death. I'm fairly certain that if I had been in that crowd at Calvary that day, I would not have been able to look. I often wonder if I would have had the bravery to stand up for him......or if I would have defended him and tried to talk the soldiers out of what they were doing.....or if I would have given in to the social pressure and joined in the chant of "crucify Him."

Thankfully, on that cross, I died with Jesus (and you did, too). What I mean is.....the old sinful self died, and we were given the chance for newness of life, eternal life. So tomorrow, I will be thinking about what He did and reflecting on the idea that when He hung there and died, I hung with Him. All of my sins, past present and future, and my selfishness and all the ways I fell so far short.....He died so that that would all be conquered forever.....and so that I could be free to live how I was created to live. To worship and glorify Him for eternity.

Yes, when He died, you did, too. Your old self died, and He made the way for you to be born again into newness of life, richer and more abundant that we can ever imagine.

What does Good Friday mean to you?

Lucy.

I want to introduce you to Lucy. Lucy is 9 years old and lives in the village of Masi, in South Africa. We became acquainted with Lucy and her situation in late 2008 and immediately decided to partner with an organization called the Vulnerable Children Project to make sure that Lucy has regular meals, school uniforms, a mentor, and opportunity to learn about Jesus and His love for her.
This is Lucy in her new school uniform that we were able to purchase for her. This is Lucy's mom, Tumaka, who is in the final stages of dying from AIDS. Lucy does not have other relatives, so her future is unsure. Aren't these people truly beautiful? I love that so much of their soul is reflected in photos like this one, which our family has come to treasure.

This is the type of home that Lucy and her mother live in. Lucy and her mom have one bed in their shack.

Lucy is described to us as intelligent, a good reader, and having a good sense of humor. She speaks English and Cosa, her native language. She loves to read and wants to be a social worker when she grows up. She especially likes eating rice and chicken, meals that are possible for her because of the work of the Vulnerable Children Project and All Nations family.

I love this photo of Lucy dancing in the ocean. I close my eyes and think of this little child--so much stacked against her--but still able to soak in the beauty of God's creation and dive into the simple joys like the ocean waves.

We have and will continue to use our work with Lucy to teach the kids so much.....about poverty, about the geography of Africa, about the problem of the AIDS disease in Africa, how to support others who are working directly with these families to share the love and hope of Jesus. We have been having fun putting together a little care package of things we take for granted but that Lucy will hopefully love--new flip flops, bubble gum, licorice, lip gloss, a colorful head band, colorful writing pens--and we are putting together a little scrapbook to tell her about our family.

Lucy, all the way from her little village in South Africa, teaches us what it is to be grateful for what you have. She teaches us that happiness in life is not about material possessions, and that joy is possible when the source is Jesus, even in the midst of some very difficult life circumstances. It is amazing that though it may look like we are teaching and supporting her, she is actually giving us so much more. So much more.

Lazy April Sunday.

We are having a really low-key day around here to kick off spring break. Matt is working on a paper for one of his two classes to renew his teaching certificate....which means that I will have some proof-reading to do later on. It's a good thing that my husband is handsome, strong, loving, and gifted with geography/science/sports and all that........because writing is NOT his forte. I guess we make a good team that way.

We have really limited the kids' television watching in the last 3 months BIG TIME, so they are enjoying a day of watching movies. Right now, they're watching Spy Kids and pretending that they are secret spies. Love the creativity.

I am busy making white chicken chili and strawberry rhubarb crisp to enjoy later this afternoon. I am one of those crazy people who LOVES rhubarb and could eat it straight from the ground. Growing up, we had some wild rhubarb, and even when nothing else in the garden grew, there was a long row of rhubarb. I would pick that rhubarb and chew on it....love that tart burst of flavor! The kids helped me to slice the rhubarb and strawberries......I have been giving them more and more kitchen tasks to do, and recently started introducing some very basic knife skills CLOSELY SUPERVISED, and they have been doing a really nice job with it. Next comes beginning to teach them very basic laundry skills.....

It's supposed to snow here today. Welcome,spring, huh? It's very cold outside, and the sky has that dark steel gray color that says something is a brewing. Most of the town seems to be gone South for spring break, so it is pretty quiet around here.....except, that is, for the neighbors' dog who has been barking and howling at the moon nonstop for the past 4 days. This week will bring lots of box packing and starting the little fix-it projects that come along with getting a house ready for sale.....replacing a couple of screens, touching up paint, taking extra stuff to a storage unit, getting ready to stage the rooms......I should be an old pro at this by now, but the whole idea just seems much more overwhelming this time around.

The kids and I are now into the second Chronicles of Narnia book, the "Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" which the most well-known. We loved "The Magician's Nephew" and are amazed how the book gave context to the second one. SO, the afternoon will bring some read-aloud time, along with a nap (at least for me).

And if you need something to do this afternoon, head on over to the final showing of "Seussical the Musical" at Cornerstone University. We went on Thursday night, and it is truly a delightful blend of imagination, creativity, color, whimsy, dancing, singing.......fun, entertaining, and inspiring for all ages. The show starts at 2:00 or 2:30 today.....and for not much more money than a movie ticket, you can see talented live musical theatre.

Enjoy this {spring? winter?} Sunday.

Happy Birthday, Sonja.

It is amazing to me how many friends I have gained through this crazy thing called scrapbooking. The photo above shows the Michigan group at one of our very first crops a couple of years ago. I love that this group is very diverse--lots of different ages, some professionals, some students, some moms, some singles--all united in the name of art. I love the unique personalities of all of these ladies--some funny, some funky, some extroverted, some quieter, some conservative, some sarcastic, all with beautiful hearts and souls.

Today, one of these ladies, Sonja, is celebrating her birthday (Sonja is the furthest on the right, kneeling). Sonja has a gorgeous family of four sweet boys, a husband whom she adores, and has 2 sisters who are sweet, sassy, and look so amazingly similar to her that it is almost uncanny. Sonja has an amazing sense of humor but, even more, a heart as pure and loving as they get. I remember last July, when my birthday rolled around, Sonja was VERY pregnant with her little guy, Levi, yet was thoughtful enough to send me an amazing pair of pink spa slippers that are so heavenly, I wear them every change I get!! That's just how thoughtful and selfless she is!

Sonja, today is a day to celebrate you! I didn't get a card out (forgive me)......but I know that you've been working hard on getting you and Roy's room decorated into a haven of love (!), so be watching your mailbox for a little something to help that happen! :) Know that you are loved, appreciated and that you inspire, today and every day!

Boys, you be sure to love your Mommy up big today, OK?

Ever had one of those?

Where everything you do and say seems to be misinterpreted?

Where the kids are unruly and just not their normal delightful selves?

Where the husband doesn't come home on time as promised, resulting in a disgruntled nanny?

Where you forgot to make an important phone call? And the person is now no longer in the office?

Where every little thing just seems to irk you more than usual?

Where you have a sense of worry about little and big things like the future, the kids' health, the economy, whether the house will sell quickly?

Where the laundry is {still} piled halfway up the wall of the laundry room?

Where the sun is behind the clouds, both literally and figuratively?

Where, despite all of these strikes against you, you still know that God is in control, knows every little ounce of my concerns, and promises to see me through all the stuff, big and little alike?

Thank you, Lord, even on a day like today.

{Edited} Please add 1) forgot to pay water bill (due today), and 2) poked through an avocado into my hand on the other side with a knife (ouch). I think I'd better stay home tonight and not drive, don't you agree??

New Week in our World.

Each March, we have taken the opportunity to head north to Traverse City for the statewide athletic director's conference; while Matt attends meetings, we have made a little couple and/or family vacation of out it. This year, because we are now homeschooling and we didn't have to worry about the kids being back for school on Monday, we decided to extend the time away. Matt and I spent Saturday/Sunday together doing some scrapping, resting and other "couple things" while the kids were at Grandpa and Grandma's house. Then, we met my parents for dinner on Sunday and got the kids for the rest of the time. We spent time resting, shopping, driving up the peninsula through cherry and wine country to the Old Mission lighthouse, and just enjoying our little family. Then...the highlight for the kids....on to a couple of days at the Great Wolf Lodge for some water fun!

Here is our little family at dinner. Surprisingly, the food was very good and presented in gourmet fashion.....Matt and I enjoyed leg of pork in cherry glaze (superb) with baby green beans, while the kids had lasagna and pizza.

Then, off to the water slides! Now, to preface the photo above, I don't particularly remember being terrified by the slides, but this photo looks like I'm screaming bloody murder! I laughed so hard when I saw it, as did my kids! Because my hubby doesn't appreciate water slides, I rode on these slides again, and again and again and again......and AGAIN with the kids. It was fun and exhausting.

Each night at bedtime, they do an animated story time, and it was one of the kids' favorite things about the lodge. Here they are sitting in the big storytelling chair by the big clock.

The kids were each given an alottment of $25.00 to spend how they might. Kennedy, in true Kennedy fashion, pondered carefully over how to spend her money and opted for a build-a-bear type wolf complete with pink bathrobe and slippers. Hayden, in true Hayden fashion, spent a small part of his money on this baby wolf before blowing the rest in the arcade! Hey, they were both happy, so we were too!

It was nice to go at this time of year, because there were very few people and it was very relaxing. So much to do and lots of time to just enjoy being a kid.

So, we had a great little getaway to the beautiful north country. This is the photo I snapped of the kids less than 10 miles outside of TC on our way home. Fun sure can be exhausting!

This week brings our last week before Matt is off on spring break. Our week will involve a little bit of the following:

Egyptian pyramids (including building our own out of sugar cubes)

Review of common and proper nouns

Study of Dr. Seuss as an author

Attending the musical "Seussical the Musical" at Cornerstone University on Thursday

Audio rendition of Rikki Tikki Tavi

Starting new read-aloud (we finished Lewis' Magician's Nephew last week)

Reading out of our new McGuffy Readers (same readers used by many of our historical presidents)

Memorizing poems

reviewing sight words

writing thank you letters to Grandpa and Grandma

Making clay mummy coffins and painting them with gold detailing

Library

Study of April Fools' Day....along with some practical jokes of our own

And whatever else strikes our fancy! Happy last week of March and first week of April.

Traverse City.

We are on a brief little getaway to northern Michigan where there is still snow on the ground and it's still pretty chilly. I packed mainly short-sleeves and light jackets, as I refuse to believe that it is still winter! Matt and I enjoyed the first couple of days on our own, before the kids joined us on Sunday. The kids are looking forward to some time at the Great Wolf Lodge before we head back to Grand Rapids.....where we hope it's a lot warmer and more spring like than it is here!

It's getting Greener around here.....

And no, we unfortunately did not win the lottery (we don't play) or run into some unexpected inheritance. With St. Patrick's Day and more and more signs of spring showing up, it is just really beginning to green up...and we're so happy about it! Here are a few photos from this week.
Lots of exploring has taken place around here....lots of walks in the back field, through the (muddy) woods, on the trail......equals LOTS of muddy shoes and clothes in the laundry room. But, hey, isn't that what spring is all about? MUD. The photo above was taken WAY back behind our house, and I was able to catch it from our back deck with my zoom....I love how much they are able to do together during the homeschool day.

My two little sweets, all decked out in green...no one was going to pinch them for not having their green on!

This little guy, who I picked up at a bookstore in Boston, showed up a different place every day in March. The kids had to find him every day, and then there would be a pot of gold on St. Patrick's Day. They had a lot of fun, and the pot-of-gold prize was enjoyed by all yesterday (fresh new PlayDough in 20 colors, a copy of the new "Pinocchio", and some mint 3 musketeer bars). This will surely become part of our annual March tradition.

We are fortunate to live by an amazing biking/walking trail, and we took a 2-hour walking adventure this afternoon. Here the kids are on one of the golf course bridges that runs over the trail. It feels so good to be out in the fresh air and hear the birds' spring song.

We are getting ready to leave on a little get-away to Traverse City this weekend; we will spend a couple of days with my parents in McBain, and then the kids will stay with them while Matt and I enjoy a couple of days up in TC while Matt attends a conference and I get some scrapping done. We will then get the kids and take them back to TC for a couple of family days, including a couple of days at the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park. We are looking forward to a few days away before we get into the craze of spring sports.

Here's hoping that it's greening up wherever you are, too!

Day at the Museum.

The museum here in Grand Rapids is a spectacular, immaculate place. We have been there for short trips and school field trips before but, as Kennedy expressed, you often have to rush through the exhibits to stay "on schedule"--somebody else's schedule, that is. So today we had no schedule and could go through the exhibits as quickly or as slowly as we wanted to. The highlight of the day was the special Dinosaurs Alive exhibit, boasting full-scale replicas of several different types of dinosaurs.
The kids each chose their favorite dinosaur, drew it, and wrote down some facts about it for a "lap book" project that we will be working on tomorrow. We also did some rubbings of some dinosaur fossils and took photos of each one to include in our projects.
The kids also loved the doll room, where they spent over 30 minutes playing with a wooden doll family, and the replica of an old street in historical Grand Rapids. I, of course, was drooling over the typesetter's chest which I would love to have for my scraproom!

And, of course, no trip to the museum is complete without a planetarium show, a whirl around the hand-carved wooden carousel that overlooks the river, or a quick visit to the museum exploration store.

The kids and I were tired but very satisfied with the day. Tomorrow we will be back to a full day of at-home learning, focusing more on dinosaurs and also continuing to work on our books that we started on Monday. It is my goal that each child will "publish" an original book that they have authored and illustrated at least once in the year; Kennedy has chosen to write a mystery about a historical mining town, while Hayden is working on an ABC book (hence, the story about the apple-eating giant avocado!).

10 on the 10th.

My calendar says that today is March 10, meaning that my time for my monthly report on my renewed commitment to health is due. This month, honestly, there is little to report.....little progress, that is. This month has been pretty stand-still, maintenance-focused. So many other life issues have seemed to take precedent--big things like contemplating a move and getting settled into homeschooling--that I really haven't given health much of a second thought. That needs to change, I know, but it is honestly what this month has been for us. So, here goes 10 points from the month....some points about health but others just photos about what has been going on around here lately:

1) I did make some pretty good health choices when I was in Boston. It can be hard to stay on track when traveling to a new city, but I indulged in a lot of fresh seafood prepared healthily, and only ate Cheesecake Factory cheesecake once! :) And I got a lot of exercise walking in the city--several miles per day. So that was certainly a bright spot in the month!

2) A low health spot in the month was trying out a 5-cheese mac-n-cheese recipe from the food network. It was a pretty delicious gourmet dish, but with it not only boasting 5 types of cheese but also bacon, it was definitely a once-in-a-long while treat. My kids and husband said that they prefer "orange" mac-n-cheese (Kraft) anyway.

3) I can't wait to get started on a regular walking routine outside. I have done OK, but still haven't gotten into the swing of making exercise an everyday and anticipated part of my day.


4) I am following a new book by Julia Cameron entitled "The Writer's Diet." Some of you may know her amazing creativity recovery program called "The Artist's Way," and she has expanded her program to show how writing and creativity can help a person shed pounds and get healthier. It is a combination of daily journalling, prioritizing creativity, and culinary artist dates to help a person prioritize; I am excited about the culinary artist dates, which are basically a weekly time to go out for dinner or lunch and experience a new food or indulge in something you are craving (but within reason). This is aimed at helping you maintain the joy of food while also combating cravings that come from a typical deprivation diet. I will let you know how it is going.

5) We went on a picnic on Monday and found this, proof that spring is actually on its way:


6) Our regular trip to the library. I love that the kids are delving into new genres, like historical fiction, and getting to know all of the hidden gems of the library like the poetry section.

7) Around here, we have been getting extra meals from the "K and H Roadhouse." The kids created a restaurant all on their own, complete with a sign, menus, and dollar store restaurant pads for taking orders. And the spaghetti had better be darned good for $22.91 a plate!

8) This is a photo that I took in the airport with my new Blackberry. It's nice to have a camera at your beck and call whenever you need it; however, I am not thrilled with the 3-MP quality. I guess I am too spoiled when it comes to the 10.8 MP quality of my Rebel.

9) We have been having lots of fun around here with Wikki Stix, fun little wax-covered string that you can use to bend and shape into endless creations. If you're looking for something fun that kids love, check them out.

10) Tomorrow, we are headed to the GR Public Museum for a special Dinosaurs exhibit that they have going on; we will also probably end up at the Children's Museum for a few hours, so the day will be pretty much spent out and about. I love living so close to so many fun and educational opportunities.

2 days of spring break gone, 5 more to go..........

Word of Wisdom.

Seven-year-old Kennedy and her friend, Nicole, were sitting at the kitchen table, making crafts with Wikki Stix, and I was in the other room working on some homeschool stuff for tomorrow. This is what I overheard:

Nicole: This boy at school told me he loves me today.

Kennedy: Tell him, "Back off, genius. You're too young to love me."

OK then.........I'm not exactly sure where that came from, but as a mom, I kind of like the sentiment behind it. :)

Which of These Have YOU Done?

I saw this fun list on my friend, Lori's, blog, so I wanted to copy it over here. Basically, you are supposed to highlight the items that you have done so far in your life; I have highlighted mine in RED:

1. Started your own blog (Table Scraps!)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (the flute, vocals)
4. Visited Hawaii (spent 10 days in Kauaii on our honeymoon)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Climbed a mountain
10. Sang a solo (since I was very young)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (acrylic painting)
15. Adopted a child (I still hope to)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I've seen it, does that count?)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (I strongly believe in mental health days!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon (Not interested!)
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 Niagra Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (I'm working on Spanish!)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (It's not about the money)
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (on an indoor rockwall, yes)
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (We had a homeless man who lived on our front porch in college; we would often bring James a restaurant meal home when we ate out)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (car accident in college)
47. Have your portrait painted
48. Gone deep see 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. Walked in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
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 (in Chicago)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (in college, I actually bounced my tax check written to the government...oops.)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt (attempted to)
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
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published in a book (My 372-page dissertation)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (frequently, for sports in high school)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
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
100. Read an entire book in one day