Lets Talk About Support

Not the kind of support you get from your husband or girlfriends. The kind of support that you need under your clothes. This is going to get a tiny bit personal so if you suffer type 2 embarrassment with these kinds of subjects you might not want to read on.

I got a wonderful new bra and I just want to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the bra fitters at Dillards. Yes, it was a little embarrassing and awkward to have someone measure my breasts. Yes, she saw my special Mormon underwear but yes, she had seen it before. I told her my desires in a bra, support on the sides as well as underneath, slightly padded so nothing embarrassing shows when I wear t-shirts and comfy straps. She took all of this information and left the dressing room and then came back with one bra for me try on.

It's true - she only brought me one bra and it was a perfect fit. It was a different size than I had been wearing but it was perfect. I told the nice bra fitting lady that she was a genius and shelled out the forty bucks! Now that I have worn it for a few days I am going back to get some more - my boobs are where they are supposed to be at last!

If that is too embarrassing for you - I have another option. http://www.zafu.com/ is an amazing resource for finding the perfect bra. It is how I found my last few bras. It tells you how to measure yourself, asks you what you want or need in a bra and then shows you where you can buy the perfect one for you. They do jeans too! It is a great place.

I have one more unnecessary detail of my life that I am going to share for the sake of full disclosure. I wear SPANX. I love them. When you have a soft tummy like mine, SPANX is the answer. It is not just an ordinary girdle but a slimmer that completely eliminates the "muffin top" you get when have a soft tummy and your jeans are a little tight in the waist.

Feel like you know me too well? Be careful, I have been known to lift up my shirt and show my friends when I get a new bra. Need to know more? E-mail me and I will tell you the brand name and the name of the nice lady at Superstition Springs Dillards.

New Do!

Last night I got a cut and color. I was in desperate need. The last time I had my hair done was in January! That was six months ago! I wanted to do it before Women's Conference at the beginning of May but it never worked out. You can see in these Women's Conference pictures how lame, rooty and shapeless my hair was. And I suffered two more months after that with crazy hair.

But no more! When I went in I told dear Treslee at Ultra Source Hair that she could do whatever she wanted - just leave me enough to put in a pony when I go to the gym and if she could do anything to disguise my double chin that would be a bonus.Here is the new and improved version of me! It is shorter than I have had it in a long time. Please ignore the messy house in the background.

This Might Be Only Funny to Me But...

Yesterday in Relief Society the lesson was taken from President Eyring's talk in the last General Conference. It was an awesome lesson taught by an awesome woman in our ward. The talk/lesson was called The True and Living Church. I highly recommend reading it after you get done reading your blogs.



Our ever prepared Relief Society Chorister made copies of the primary song 'I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ' and passed them out for the opening song. I could not stop my inner giggling because it reminded me of the most random story. I think it is funny (even though it happened to me) my family thinks it is funny (because they like to make fun of me) I am not sure it is truly funny but I am going to tell it anyway. I will try not to embellish too much and I may leave out the really embarrassing parts.



The night I had my twins - I was in the hospital really doped up. At that point in my life I had very little experience with medications of any kind and they had me on some serious narcotics. I have very few memories of the actual birth and virtually no memories of the days that followed. That first night - my younger brother called to see how I was doing. Apparently I was alone and I answered the phone in my hospital room and started spewing all kinds of nonsense. It was enough nonsense that he began to tape our conversation.



The tape comes out occasionally at family gatherings and is always a hit. I think it is pretty funny but I try really hard to hold my laughter and keep an indignant look when everyone starts laughing at my crazy. The hilarity starts with me reciting some kind of made up recipe for pineapple turnovers and repeatedly asking my brother what his wife's name is. My voice is really raspy and deep during the whole conversation and finally my brother asks me if I have been smoking or something. I can't understand what he is saying and he repeats himself, asking me if I have taken up the cigarettes.

Then, this is where I wish we could just stop the tape. I sound very offended as I answer him, "Jeremy! I don't smoke! I'm a Mormon!" And then I sing the entire primary song ..."I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.." When the song is over, my brother is laughing so hard that you can't really hear anything else on the tape until he hangs up after I pass out.

Hey! I know who I am and I know God's plan. I don't see anything wrong with that.

15 Minute Photo Shoot

I am so lucky to have some very talented friends. Today I want to tell you about two of them. They are Deana and Ryan. Two talented people who have two beautiful daughters and more kindness in their little fingers than I can even hope to have. I know they will be embarrassed by this but they are great people, great friends and both of them are great photographers.

As a favor to me, they took some time on a sweltering Sunday afternoon to stand in their garage and take a few snapshots of my kids so that I could make a special Father's Day gift for my husband. The photos are so amazing that I want to share them all with the world but I am only going to share a few. I am making some gifts for some other people who might read my blog and I don't want to ruin it for them.

All the squids.Devon age 13

Courtney age 13Morgan age 11Nicole age 7

And the winner is....

That says Diane. I typed up the names of everyone who commented and put them in a bowl and my son Devon chose this one. It pays to de-lurk! I love that Diane won! She commented yesterday and I went over to her blog and found out some amazing things about her! You should all click over and check her out!

Diane, e-mail me at jolene593 (at) msn (dot) com and send me your mailing address and I will send you the gift card! OR come to lunch at Costa Vida on Friday!! It would be fun to meet you!

I want to announce another win - a small personal victory. I hit the 40 pounds lost today! I was so happy! And no, I did not go to In-N-Out to celebrate - I came home and ate a salad with chicken breast and homemade hummus. I am saving my extra calories for Friday! This is all going to sound so silly I know but I feel like I have a waist again. I can put my hands on my hips and feel hips - not just stomach. I'm loving it!

I'm thinking about buying this dress as a reward or maybe this one (it is quite a bit cheaper). I don't typically wear a lot of prints but I really like this one and this one. The good thing is - I know what shoes I would wear with each one - I just can't decide. Please vote!

Random Thoughts

1. I am excited to pick a winner tomorrow for the Sonic gift card. It's only $10 but with that you can get 10 Route 44 drinks if you only go during Happy Hour. Or you could really splurge one day and get the Island Fire Burger (it is yummy), large onion rings, a couple of corn dogs, a big drink and a shake for dessert. It is not too late to comment on that post. I will pick the winner tomorrow after I come home from the gym - maybe around 11:00 a.m. Pacific time.

2. Speaking of fast food - the In-N-Out that was being built about a mile from my home is open. I think it opened last Saturday but I haven't been yet. I do love me a hamburger animal style and fries. I might go on Thursday or maybe even tomorrow if I can get weighed in early enough to stop there for lunch.

3. Speaking of weighing in - I'm hoping that tomorrow I will hit the official 40 pounds lost mark. I have been hovering for a couple of weeks and I hope these last few days at the gym will push me over. We are half way through the year and I have reached more than half of my goal - I still want to lose 30 more. I know the last pounds are the hardest to lose and I know that I will want to have it all lost before the holidays so I keep chugging along!

4. Speaking of landmark dates - Friday is a big day for me. It is my LAST birthday. I am refusing to celebrate in 2009 so I am going big in 2008. Just kidding - I'm not really going big - I wouldn't even know how to. But I am going to lunch with some friends - so please come join us if you are local. I think we are going to Costa Vida at Val Vista and the 60 around 11:00. I will post more details as they become available. If you are wondering what a girl like me would want for her big day - I really want one of these.

5. Today is the fourth day in a row of temperatures above 110 degrees. That is really not abnormal for this time of year but even if it is normal - it is still really hot. I am re-training my kids to keep the doors closed, to wear sunscreen and bring water wherever we go. Our vacation in a couple of weeks to cooler country can not come soon enough.

6. My suburban is in the shop again today. It needs work done in the rear end. It is going to cost $1300. to fix. The parts won't come in until Friday so we are picking it up tonight and taking it back Thursday night. Alan told me all of this on the phone today and I said "hey! Friday is my birthday! I won't have a car" and he replied, "but you can tell all of your friends that you got a new rear end for your birthday!". So I've got that going for me.

One Year!

I have been blogging for one year! In the last 365 days I've blogged about vacations, bragged about my kids and probably shared way more information than needed. There have been movie reviews, recipes and embarrassing stories. These 365 days, I have felt the guilt of reading other's blogs and not commenting, I have commented on some blogs just so they would maybe click over check mine out and I have talked a few more friends in to joining the blogging world.



I love blogs! Alan thinks I just like to say blog - because it is a fun word to say. I love that Shari Dew told women at BYU women's conference to start a blog and share your beliefs! I found out at girl's camp last month that some dear ladies read my blog and never comment. I found out that I really want people to comment! It makes me so happy to open my e-mail and have comments to read. In the last few weeks one of the young women from the ward Alan and I used to live in found my blog. She is no longer a teenager but a married woman with three kids!



I have come to know women in my ward and stake even better through their blogs. Yesterday in the halls of church I ran into one of these lovely ladies and her beautiful daughter and it just made me so happy that I have been keeping 'in touch' with them by reading their blog. I have one hundred blogs on my google reader. That is high as I will let it get. If I want to add another one I have to delete one. Sometimes I don't even know how they ended up on my reader.



So, in honor of this one year anniversary - I am having a give away. It is not a famous craft like Nicoles - I didn't have time to make anything. And I can't compete with her craftiness. I thought about sending one of my slaves (kids) to your house to work for you as a prize - but they nixed that. I was sitting here at my desk trying to figure out what to offer when I noticed the two empty Sonic Rt. 44 cups here and realized that one of my favorite blogging activities is enjoying a beverage while sharing my secrets. So that is my give away - a Sonic gift card.


Leave me a comment and on Wednesday morning, I will put all of your names in a hat and one of my kids will pick a name out. I will announce the winner and get the card off in the mail that same day! If in your comments you want to tell me how much you have enjoyed this blog over the last year - that would be great too. Or, you can just tell me what your favorite thing to order at Sonic is. Even if you have never commented before (you know who you are!) do it - you know you want a slushie and some tots!

Happy Father's Day!

I posted about Father's Day last year. It was the first year without my Dad and it was a little sappy. Nothing has changed really. Except that this year Alan is in the bishopric and they had meetings this morning so we didn't make a special breakfast for him. We will make dinner special and he will open his gifts.

I have to teach RS today so I have spent the morning doing last minute preparations. I decided about an hour ago to do a handout so I am working on those. It is almost 9:00 and all of my kids are still in bed - this doesn't happen very often and I am enjoying the peace and quiet.

My friend Nicole just celebrated her one year blog anniversary. She is doing a give-away to commemorate this occasion. I decided I would copy her and do the same thing and then checked to see what date I made my first post. It was June 16th - that is tomorrow! I WILL have a give away tomorrow - I just have to think one up real fast. So, check back in tomorrow for the big news.

Meanwhile, these are a few pictures of my dad, one when he was healthy and one just a few weeks before he passed away and a picture of my dear husband - the dad of my children.

15 Years!

As previously mentioned - Alan and I celebrated our anniversary a couple of weeks ago. Shannon tagged me to answer some questions about our wedding day. I will try and remember what I can.



1. What day were you married?

May 22, 1993



2. Where did you get married?

Mesa, Arizona Temple



3. Who proposed and how?

Alan proposed on March 22nd, 1993 (you read that right - we got married exactly two months later), but I was pretty sure he was breaking up with me. Alan's family had moved to Salt Lake while he was on his mission. A few months after he got home, he decided to move to Arizona to start dating me for real. He got a job and moved in with one of my brothers. It wasn't the best situation and I knew Alan didn't really love the living arrangements. He was at my house a lot and I just knew that we were really in love and that this was the real thing. He asked if he could use our phone and call his parents in Utah. He wanted to be alone to do it so I left the room. He talked to them for a couple of hours. I went in to check on him once and tears were running down his face, I didn't try and hear what was going on - I just knew that he was moving back to Utah and that he was going to break up with me.



When he finally got off of the phone he asked me if we could go out back and talk. We both sat on the diving board by the pool and no one said anything for what seemed like forever. I figured he was working up the courage to give me the bad news. Then all of a sudden he got on his knees and asked me if I would be his wife. I was so relieved! We went in the house and woke up my parents and told them. We called my younger brother (Alan's best friend) and told him and my Grandma came out to see what all of the commotion was about. She had a mother-in-law apartment attached to our house. It was a special night. Not to be a downer or anything but my Grandma died in her sleep the next day - it was a crazy time to be newly engaged but I was glad that I had Alan for support.



4. How long were you engaged?

Two months.



5. What was the favorite part of your wedding day?

I don't know if I can pick just one. I loved being in the temple with all of my brothers and sisters, and with so much of Alan's family that came down from Utah for the wedding. I loved our wedding luncheon - we had it in small Chinese food restaurant that Alan and I went to all of the time. They closed it down for us and put on huge buffet - we loved it! I think some of Alan's family thought it was crazy - all of the wedding luncheons they have are in much more refined places. I loved our reception at my parent's house, there were tables set up by the pool and there was delicious French cheeses, breads and fresh fruit. We had a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and lemonade made from lemons from our own trees. My parents don't live there anymore so when I look at my wedding pictures - I have great pictures of our old house as well.



6. What would you change if you could?

Nothing really, I guess that I wish I would have enjoyed the party more. We had a second reception a week later in Salt Lake City and I was much more relaxed at that one.



7. What were your wedding colors?

Purple and teal with lots of ivy and grapes everywhere (it was 1993!)



8. Do you remember anything special from your ceremony?

I cried a lot. Alan cried some too. All of the very special people in our lives were there. My stake president (Craig Cardon) came up to me afterwards and thanked me for setting a good example for his daughters. That made me cry more - I had taught some of his kids in primary before my mission and one of them in Young Women's after I came home.



9. Were you clean or messy when you cut the cake?

Clean - we didn't even cut it - we pretended and then we fed each other a piece of sheet cake that was already cut.



10. Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Cancun, Mexico. We were there during a tropical storm - it was pretty exciting. When we got to Salt Lake for our 2nd reception everyone kept asking us why we weren't very tan - we blamed it on the tropical storm!

May Top Ten 6 thru 10

6. Last Day of School

Devon and Courtney - 7th grade - Done!

Morgan - 6th grade - Done!

Nicole - 1st grade - Done!

I'm not sure if I am ready to have three kids in Junior High. The elementary school my kids attend is not in our district but the Junior High is. Last year, I had Devon and Courtney registered early and all of the paperwork done - I still haven't registered Morgan. I am in a little bit of denial - I have the paperwork, I just haven't turned it in yet.

7. Alan and I celebrate our 15th anniversary

I am going to be honest here, leading up to this day - I almost had a nervous breakdown. Not because of the anniversary but because we were going on a trip. We made plans to be somewhere else on May 22nd and the days following. Our anniversary fell on the Thursday before Memorial Day and up until Tuesday night, Alan and I were going to San Diego for a few days. Then we decided that we would pack up all of the kids and all go to Utah to visit Alan's family. We told the kids, they were excited - even though they would be missing the last day of school. Wednesday I worked like a mad woman trying to get everything done. Laundry and shopping for things that we would need for the trip and also getting all of my camp preparations done as Courtney and I would be leaving for camp the day after we got back from Utah.

About 2:00 in the afternoon on Wednesday, Alan called from work and I was on the edge! I just didn't think I was going to be able to get it all done, go to mutual that night and still pack every one's suitcases. Wisely, when Alan got home, he told me that he thought we should stay home. I felt so much relief, I can't even describe it. I was so sad that we were not going to Utah - I truly love visiting his family and being with his sister and her family so much - but I was just so glad to have those extra days to get things ready for girl's camp.

So, Alan and I celebrated by sending the kids off to their last day of school, going to the temple and out to lunch at an old nostalgic taco joint where we used to eat when we were newlyweds. We went home and changed and left again before the kids got home from school! We did some shopping, saw a movie and went out for a fabulous dinner. Then the rest of the weekend, I finished all of my handouts for camp goodies, shopped for the last minute necessities (candy), went riding as a family and spent a day with some of my family and packed Courtney and I up for camp.

My friend Shannon, who had her 15th anniversary the day before ours, tagged me to do a post about my wedding day - I will do that later this week.

8. Devon got a long awaited new motorcycle.

That is his, the red one in front. It is bigger than mine (the blue one behind) not as big as it looks as his is on a taller stand and mine is on the ground - but it is big, and fast. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, he has had it out a few times but I haven't seen it.

We have five motorcycles in our garage right now. The small red one in front is the one that all three girls ride. The green one is Devon's old one that we are hoping to get rid of soon unless one of the girls decides to ride it. The large red one in the back belongs to Alan. People sometimes freak out when they find that we are a dirt bike family. Alan seems really buttoned up and quiet - very reserved, conservative and perfectly put together. He is, however, a total motorhead! We have so much fun out in the desert as a family.

9. Nicole loses her two front teeth

That is water running down her chin - she did a lot of rinsing because there was a LOT of blood. This poor girl could not wait to lose her front teeth - for two years she has gone around singing the Christmas song "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" - she was just sure that she would have a lisp and be able to sing it that way. Her front teeth got a little loose and stayed that way for months, then they started moving straight out - 10 minutes before this picture was taken, she couldn't even close her lips around her teeth - she had true beaver teeth. Her permanent teeth were coming down and wedging the baby ones in even tighter - there was no way they were going to come out on their own. So out came the pliers. Dad was gentle - but there was still a lot of blood.

Her permanent teeth are coming in pretty crazy. She goes to the orthodontist on June 23rd. Our orthodontist drives some pretty fancy cars - there is a new one parked in his place every time we go - I'm pretty sure we have financed at least one of those for him. Just as soon as we get one out of braces, another one starts up!

10. Girl's Camp!

I don't have any pictures - it was busy, it was fun but it was cold! I've never been so cold at girl's camp! I have been to camp 8 of the last 10 years. I LOVE camp! I really loved being with the ward, the past few years I have had a stake calling so it was nice to be with the girls. You are probably not that interested in what went on (but if you want to know about the amazing last night spiritual program, you can read it here) so I will just say that it was nice. Alan came up for "Bishop's Night" - our Bishop couldn't make it so the two counselors came. He had never been, he had been to a lot of scout camps, however! The other day he told me that girl's camp is a pretty special place, I don't know why that meant so much to me, but it made me cry. It IS special, and it was special for me to be there with Courtney - I can't wait until next year when Morgan is there too!

Good Times!

May Top Ten 1 thru 5

I just can't get this catching up done so I am going to use my top 10 list as a motivator to get it done.

1. Nicole turned Seven on May 4th.

We had the family over (friend birthdays are only every other year) had cake and ice cream and lots of laughs.

She loved her presents and all of the attention (who doesn't?)

She used her money to buy a Slip N' Slide (otherwise known as 'only adults who want broken bones or concussions are dumb enough to do this')

Courtney took these awesome pictures of the action.

I'm not sure why she did them in black and white, our grass is so green and pretty right now.

2. Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. It started with breakfast in bed, homemade cards and gifts from school and a new pair of running shoes. I asked for those. Alan is really good at getting the gifts that I request and leave lots of hints about!

My beautiful kids and I before church.

My Mom and I - I'm so glad she got to come to church with us.

3. Jr. High Awards Night

I have no pictures from this. It was all a mystery. We had already attended the Academic Awards Night when we got a letter from the school saying that they were having another award night at the school and that my children were receiving awards.

Devon and Courtney were both on the Principal's List - which is a good thing. They were in the top 2% (out of 800) academically. Later we got a letter from the principal saying that Courtney was ranked number 2 in her class and Devon number 6. They finished the year, Courtney with a 4.58 gpa and Devon with 4.33. Devon also received the Scholar/Athlete award given to three students who played two or more sports and were on the Principal's List.

4. Courtney Spoke in Church

She did a great job. Public speaking is not her strong point. She is a Nervous Nelly, but she practiced a lot and pulled her hair back away from her face so she couldn't hide and gave an excellent talk on testimony.

5. Sixth Grade Promotion for Morgan

When I left 6th grade, I'm pretty sure the only thing I got was a "have fun in Junior High" from my teacher. My kids get a full on graduation, complete with awards, a dvd compilation of pictures and a cookies and punch reception at the end.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was when Mrs. McDaniel, the gifted pull-out program teacher, who is not LDS, quoted President Hinckley from his book Standing for Something, in her remarks.

Morgan received a Johnson Jayhawk Award for being all around awesome. I can't really remember what that award is so I'm just going with the awesome - because she is!

What the?

Two posts in one day?

I think this will help with the May run down as well. One of my crazy May activities was to make a mini album for Alan's Mom for Mother's Day and another one for Alan's Dad and step-Mom for his birthday and Mother's Day. I didn't take any pictures or scans of it but my friend Pam did here. She is making one too as is our other friend Deana. We sent off the covers at Mother's Day and are going to send a page each month. Today I finished my May page to send off. I think that because both parties know me well, they will be amazed that I am actually following through with this project.

Here is my scan of the May page.

200 Things

I am having a hard time getting back to blogging after the most ridiculously busy month of May, almost having a nervous break down and recovering from girl's camp. I have been working on a catching up post for a week or so but I just haven't finished and posted it yet. I was telling my friend Nicole (who posts all of the time) that I have about 200 things I need to write about and then I came across a post at Everything Pink about 200 things. I loved it and I think it will help me get back in to the blogging game.

I want you to do it too! Just copy and paste this list of 100 things and then highlight the things that you have done! It is a long list but it doesn't take long to do - I promise!

200 Have and Have nots!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper

5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped ( but I think I want to)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights (haven't seen the aurora borealis but I have had a lot of "white nights")
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
(this is kind of huge thing to have on someone’s list because I don’t think they let you do this anymore?)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster (one of my favorite things to do)
31. Hit a home run (YW softball!)
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (last week at girl's camp - then got ratted out in testimony meeting)
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing (but not on real rocks - just the ones at the rock climbing gym)
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving (really want to do this too!)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files (never been that organized)
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie (look for me in the prom scene of Just One of The Boys, filmed at Big Surf - I'm wearing a silver prom dress with huge puffy sleeves)
60. Gone without food for 3 days (1993 food poisoning from Jack in the Box)
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (easy bake oven)
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days (I'm counting a rafting trip down the Colorado - it was a boat, there were oars)
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someones mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four

106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (goofy golf only)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter