100th Post!

And here it is...100 things you always wished you knew about me:

1. I was born in Kansas.
2. I have only lived in 2 states: Kansas and Missouri.
3. I lived exactly the first half of my life in Kansas, and now exactly the second half of my life in Missouri.
4. I have visited 31 of the continental United States and Alaska.
5. I have been to 4 other countries (Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, and France...and England if you count landing at the airport for a layover.)
6. I am the oldest of 3 girls.
7. I am a PK (preacher's kid).
8. I HATED being a PK when I was younger.
9. I have come to appreciate being a PK as I've grown older.
10. I have worked in almost every capacity in the local church (part of being a PK).
11. I was in a "beauty and talent pageant" in grade school.
12. I did not place in the top 3.
13. But I did learn a really cool "dance" routine to On Top of the World by The Carpenters.
14. I remember most of the actions to this day.
15. I had a "Dukes of Hazzard" lunchbox in grade school.
16. My most cherished toy as a child was my Mrs. Beasley doll.
17. My mom threw it away when we moved and told me it got lost. (I was in 1st grade.)
18. She bought me a replacement for my 30th birthday.
19. I played volleyball and basketball in high school, although I wasn't any good at either.
20. I took piano lessons from 2nd grade through college.
21. I played the trumpet in jr. high and high school.
22. I own a guitar, but don't play.
23. I would love to learn to play the guitar.
24. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Music.
25. I have done NOTHING related to that degree since I graduated college.
26. I went to Bible college, so I also have a B.A. in Bible.
27. I have used that one since graduating.
28. I am a Type A person and a perfectionist (typical firstborn).
29. I have always been a perfectionist...not sure when the Type A thing evolved. I definitely wasn't that way in college!
30. I appreciate clever wit.
31. I tend to be a bit sarcastic.
32. That's not always a good thing.
33. I have dark brown (naturally), thick, curly hair.



(Kayren, this is for you!)


34. I have brown eyes.
35. I'm not telling you how much I weigh.
36. I've always been a bit prone to tripping over "nothing".
37. I hate mornings...with everything in me.
38. Autumn is my favorite season.
39. I like winter...until Jan. 2, then I'm done with it.
40. Christmas is my favorite holiday...followed by Thanksgiving and Halloween at a close second (even though having Halloween as a favorite holiday may be considered taboo).
41. I love candy corn, but only the week before Halloween. I don't care for it any other time of the year.
42. My favorite candy is dark chocolate peanut M&Ms.
43. My favorite dessert is pretty much anything chocolate.
44. I eat something chocolate almost every day (even if it's a few chocolate chips out of the freezer).
45. I inherited my chocolate-codependency from my mother and her mother.
46. I don't understand the point of desserts that aren't chocolate...unless it's pumpkin.
47. I would rate pumpkin (pumpkin pie and other desserts) as "almost chocolate" in my book.
48. I like to cook, but I LOVE to bake. (And I HATE to cleanup--whether it's cooking or baking!)
49. I love Mexican food.
50. I must have the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up before I can relax for the evening.
51. I don't really feel that I can start my day unless the beds are made.
52. I used to work out regularly, but it's been pretty sporadic since the kids were born.
53. We own a treadmill, but it's not currently usable.
54. I would love to start running again regularly...I'll get on that some day!
55. I like all types of music, but my favorite style is probably big band/swing.
56. My favorite TV shows currently are The Office and Chuck.
57. I don't really have a favorite movie...I have several, depending on the genre.
58. I traveled with a ministry team the summer after college.
59. I taught drama ministry at my church for 7 years.
60. I've taught workshops on drama ministry and leadership.
61. I wrote a book on drama ministry with two of my closest friends.
62. I still talk to my two best friends from college almost every day.
63. One lives within 5 miles of me.
64. The other lives within 15 miles of me.
65. We were all addicted to Beverly Hills 90210 in college.
66. I haven't seen the new one, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it.
67. My "longest-time" friend is Lora at My Blessed Life.
68. We've literally known each other since we were a few months old.
69. She's the one who convinced me to start blogging.
70. I love to read.
71. I keep books and magazines stashed throughout the house (and in our vehicles) in case I can catch a few minutes to read.
72. I could get lost for hours in a bookstore...new or used.
73. I'm a bit compulsive when it comes to reading...I MUST reading everything from beginning to end.
74. I will finish a book, even if I don't like it.
75. I read magazines cover-to-cover, like a book.
76. I have a theory that if someone took the time to write, edit, and publish it, it surely must be worth reading (that is obviously not always the case!)
77. I love to write...mostly musings on my own life (as evidenced here on my blog).
78. I worked for a Christian publisher for 10 years.
79. During that time I worked on magazines, devotionals, Sunday School curriculum, web content development, youth ministry materieals, marketing pieces, Bible study materials, and more.
80. While working on a teen magazine, I had the opportunity to interview artists like Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Jennifer Knapp, Third Day, and The Katinas.
81. I once had dinner with Jennifer Knapp at Zios.
82. I tripped and fell right into a puddle while walking with Audio Adrenaline (remember the whole "klutz" thing?)
83. When I got back to the office and told my friend, she told me I had something stuck in my teeth (which would have been there since lunch, and therefore throughout the ENTIRE interview with Audio A).
84. I am currently working on a series of children's books.
85. I hope to send them to a publisher next year.
86. I didn't get married until I was 30.
87. I knew my husband for 8 years when we married.
88. We met through friends in college.
89. Our friends set him up with my roomate.
90. They only went on one date.
91. We became friends years later through a weekly Bible study.
92. Six years later he asked me out.
93. Two years after that we were engaged.
94. Our anniversary is this Sunday.
95. We are going away for 2 nights.
96. The in-laws are coming to stay with the kids....woo-hoo!
97. We have two amazing children...Little Miss and Little Man.
98. We have a dog.
99. Hubby got him for me when we were dating.
100. It's really hard to think of 100 things about myself!