A few things I've done...

I saw this list over at Stephanie's Written Word and decided to give it a whirl.

The things I have done are in black.

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
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 my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (indoor)
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 my portrait painted (does Cedar Point count?)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (not the top)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed 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
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
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
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 a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (if fish counts)
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. Rode an elephant

Wanna play along? Leave a comment and we'll read yours too!

Knitting Meme

I copied this meme from The Mirthful Menagerie. I have many more things to explore in the knitting world, but knitting dog or cat hair ain't on that map. If you're a knitter and would like to join this meme, consider yourself tagged. Just post a comment below and let us know you're participating.

By the way, does anyone know what thrummed knitting or two-end knitting means?

Bold for stuff you’ve done,
italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and
normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket (baby)
I-CORD
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up (a current project)
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up (2 needle)
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL (maybe)
Sweater (if baby sweaters count)
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (?)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding (Like a dress?)
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO ( I think so)
Freeform knitting (I hope so!)
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting (?)
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (no, nay, never)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Six Pack

Well, it's meme time again. I was tagged by Marsha and will now finally post 6 weird things about me.

1. After unpacking groceries out of a plastic bag, I roll up the bag tightly and twist it onto itself, not unlike a hank of yarn. I do reuse the plastic bags and this reduces storage space needed. My friend Beth told me this one needed to be on the list.

2. Although not a vegetarian, I really don't like meat on my pizza or sub/hoagie sandwich.

3. When I get a new cd, I have to listen to each song for about 30 seconds until I've heard a little of each song before I can listen to the whole thing.

4. I don't mind needles, going to the dentist or the gynecologist. None are things I seek out and "enjoy" but they give me no anxiety. Used to be freaked out a bit by all three. For various reasons, I outgrew it.

5. I am the worst sports player ever. Ever. Really.

6. I play Sims 2 and I get really addicted to making houses and decorating them.

Oh, I could go on, but there's my six pack. By the way... tag, you're it. Just post a comment and let me know so I can come and read your six pack!

Christmas Top 10

I think Buttons is going to have a great Christmas this year. However, Santa will not be coming to our house. Buttons is FREAKED out by the man, so she decided her grandmother will bring the gifts instead. Smart girl, huh? Well, seeing Buttons enjoy the holidays and spending time with family and friends is the best, but here are a few other things I like...

1. The music.  Just about anything
except the song about the collisions of a grandmother
and one of Santa's helpers. "Mele Kalikimaka" holds
special meaning to me as I remember our first year
living in San Diego we stayed home for Christmas.
To celebrate, we went to Coronado Beach wearing festive
short-sleeved shirts armed with Christmas cookies and a
cd player and we danced on the beach to Bing.

2. The tree.  What other time of year can you put a tree
in your house decked with lights and crazy tchotchkes?

3. The cookies.  There must be cut-outs and spritz in the house for
Christmas. I enjoy many cookies, but the ones my mom made
every year are the ones crave.

4.  The snow.  I always love a white Christmas, especially when
the trees are covered with ice.

5.  The lights.  I grew up with multi-colored lights, but I'm quite
fond of white lights right now.  I love seeing the wonderful
things people do with lights in their yards.
(And the wonderfully freaky things, too.)

6.  The pajama days.  Christmas means spending the
day in your jammies. How fantastically decadent and comfy.
It's the only day of the year I can dothat without feeling
very lazy.

7.  The TV specials.  A Charlie Brown Christmas, anything Rankin & Bass,
It's a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Story are just a few of my favorites.

8.  The presents.  I really do enjoy watching people open their gifts.
Especially the ones that are really special.  We gave all the parents
pictures of Buttons last year and my mom received a picture of me
with Buttons.  She cried, I cried.  It was a special moment that
was a long time coming.

9.  The cards.  We are newsletter people.  I hope
our letter isn't annoying. We try to make it interesting
and let people know what we're up to currently. I do like
getting those cards too.  Sometimes, this is my only contact
with the people who live all over the country.

10.  The anticipation.  I'm not very good at waiting.  Christmas has a big
build-up and you have to wait for it.  (Not for much longer though!)

Happy Holidays everyone! 

Thanks!

• I'm thankful for:
  
• Family in home
  
• Great Hubby
  
• Wonderful Buttons
  
• Family far away
  
• Friends near & far
  
• Knitting
  
• Button's laughter
  
• Music
  
• Sunshine
• Rain
• Snowflakes
  
• Autumn
  
• Good movies
  
• Bad Movies
  
• Animals
  
• Trees
  
• Flowers
  
• Art
• Adoption
  
• Christmas Stockings
• Photography
  
• Singing
  
• Commas
  
• Making holiday cookies with friends
  
• Pushing Buttons in a swing
  
• Playing piano
• Snuggling with Hubby
  
• Heart to heart talks with Hubby and friends
  
• Chocolate (goes well with above, BTW)
  
• Random acts of kindness
  
• Water (ocean, lake, stream, shower, glass of)
  
• Colors
  
• Blog readers who make it here
  
  Thanks!
  

My Accent

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Midland
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The South
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Still More Questions for SP9!

More SP9 questions and I'm sorry the answers are so long. I'm very indecisive when it comes to absolutes.

Actor - Big fan of Robert De Niro, but Johnny Depp is becoming a fave.
Actress - Meryl Streep
Animal - Cats and Dogs
Band - Oh, so hard to choose. I keep thinking of 80's bands like U2, The Police and R.E.M.
Book - Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi
Bubble Bath - I mostly do shower gel with a lavender, lemon or mint scent.
Candy - Good quality truffles (especially Belgian) can't be beat, but Mallow Cups could be my fave and they're hard to find.
Color - Clothing: lavender, fuschia and dark royal blue. Home Decor: Sage green, red, butter yellow. (I like a rainbow of colors really.)
Drink- Naturally flavored soda water. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are my fave wines.
Flower - Calla Lilly
Food - Ok, a lunchbox from Bread & Cie and onto Balboa Park to eat it with my family
Lip Balm -Bath & Body Works Mentha Lip Balm Stick by C.O. Bigelow
Lotion - Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream for dry hands. Origins Ginger Souffle for everything else.
Movie - Too many... Amelie, Bridget Jones' Diary, any Coen Brothers movie (Raising Arizona, Fargo)
Place- San Diego
Song - "Power of Two" by the Indigo Girls (plus a zillion more)
TV Show - Lost and Nip/Tuck are a couple I really like
Yarn- I really enjoy Mission Falls cotton and almost any Colinette yarn. (Not a huge fan of chenille even though theirs is the best.) Pretty much any decent quality soft wool has my vote.
Vacation Spot - San Diego, Belgium (Antwerp, Brugge, Ghent), southern Spain

More Questions Answered for SP9

SP9 officially starts today and my host Shelby asked us to answer a few questions about ourselves on our blog. Consider yourself tagged if you want to be and then let us know in the comments to come and read your blog!

1. Where is your favorite knitting spot? I enjoy knitting on our sofa in front of our TV for Netflix movie watching.

2. If you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead? I used to do cross-stitch and I still do some scrapbooking and I enjoy photography as well. However, you can't take my knitting away!

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why? I've always wanted to visit Ireland. I guess I have this little fantasy about going and staying at a B&B in a little town, meeting the towns folk in a pub with a pint of Guiness. I also want to go back to China perhaps to adopt again, but most definitely to take Buttons back to her birth country. It is an amazing place.

4. When you were little - What did you want to do "when you grew up?" Are you doing it? I wanted to be a teacher or a psychologist. I need to finish a degree to do either of those things and get a full time job. I have taught and counseled in other ways and it's something I still want to pursue.

5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Tie! Moose Tracks...vanilla ice cream with chunks of chocolate and little peanut butter cups. Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey...banana flavored ice cream with excellent chocolate chunks.