Have You Ever?

My sister, Cheri had this on her blog last week. I'm finally getting around to
doing it too. All the ones that are highlighted are things that I have done.
How many have you done?

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
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
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
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
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
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
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
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
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
60. Gone without food for 3 days
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 - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
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
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's 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- (kind of)
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 a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Ran 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- for 2 minutes
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 lunch box
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 camp fire
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

My House is Becoming a Zoo

There's a giraffe lose in my house - or so Shaelyn says. Using her creative juices, this is the giraffe she created out of my chair, blanket and broom. She was debating making it a giraffe or camel but decided with the neck size, it must be a giraffe. Unfortunately for the poor giraffe, I only allowed him to stay for one day. I hope he found his way home!

It Was a Circus - Literally!

I went to the circus yesterday with the girls. What a lot of fun.

Here's a few of the pictures I got.

We got in at 6:00 and could go down into the arena to watch special things. There were jugglers and clowns and an elephant doing a painting. Shaelyn's favorite acts were the elephants, the horses and the puppies. She has never been to the circus before and I think she was a bit overwhelmed at first but eventually caught on to all the excitement. Bello the clown was quite impressive. He didn't just do the typical clown act but also climbed the sway pole and walked on the wheel of death. What an exciting night!

Did You Experience the Hurricane?

On Sunday afternoon when it was pouring rain, Dave was outside digging trenches for move the water in a different direction. Shaelyn went outside to "help" him, carrying her umbrella. She was busy telling him - I can't believe I'm in a hurricane, I've never been in a hurricane before. I guess things always seem to be a lot bigger when you're smaller!

I Hope These are Worth It!

Do you see these shoes? I hope they are worth all their trouble. Shaelyn needed new shoes that she could run good in to play soccer at recess time. Saturday we went out to get some. It took me 4 (!!) different stores to get these. I mean really, how hard should it be to find a pair of decent velcro shoes? I started at Target - they had nothing. So I went to Payless, right next door. They had these and another pair but not in her size. They told me to try by the mall. So, if you remember, it was pouring rain all Saturday - out in the rain we go again. The stores were all crowded because people wanted to get out. I ran into the next Payless - they didn't have the size either. So reluctantly, I head to the mall. It was like the busyness at Christmas. I had to park way in the back - slush through all the puddles again and head into the Payless there. Yes, jackpot - they had these in her size. So she's wearing them today. Imagine how they will look after playing soccer on the wet fields today - Oh, they better be worth it!

Alright - Enough Already!

Here we go again - water is flooding our backyard.
I say - "enough already" - I'm sick of this rain!

Patriot's Day

Today is Patriots Day - remembering the terrorist act on Sept. 11. I hope we all stop and take a moment to reflect on these vicious attacks on our country. Stop and say a prayer for the families who lost a loved one.

Who Rules in Your House?

I thought this was my pillow. Somehow, it has been taken over by Millie.
Why is it that adults pay the bills but kids and pets seem to rule the house.
Do you rule in your own house?

She gets my Vote!

I don't know if you watched the convention last night or not but I really wanted to hear Sarah Palin speak.

I was so impressed. I must say that I was not very excited about this election before John McCain chose her. I think he made a great choice in picking her. She seems to be much more connected to those in the middle class. The debates coming up will prove to be interesting!

And did you hear that the teleprompter continued to roll during much of the clapping and she had to do a lot of the speech by memory. That makes the speech even more impressive!

Happy Labor Day!

This afternoon we went to our annual Labor Day picnic with all of my Dad's side of the family. Everyone takes a dish to pass. It was quite warm out today. We didn't stay too long because we're finding that we have a lot to get accomplished at home yet. But it's still fun to get together and talk to all the relatives. Here's a few pictures of the event.







































My job also went well last Thursday. I'm still in training as there are a few different things to learn about each child and closing up. I will be going in every day this week. Chelsea and Shaelyn did well together too so that made it a lot easier too.

And a New Chapter Begins....

A new chapter is beginning in my life - I will be starting a new job today! I am going to be working in a daycare about 10 minutes away from my house. I will be taking care of babies, up to the age of 14 months. I knew I would be looking for some sort of job because Kelly - who's kids I watched last year, decided to not go back to teaching this year. I have a friend who works at this daycare and told me about this job opening. I will be working every day from 3-6 with the possibility of more hours. For the most part, I think it will work out. My one concern is that I won't be home when the girls come home from school. If Dave is working more hours,this leaves Chelsea to watch Shaelyn - and they don't always get along that well. Shaelyn has a tendency to "bug" Chelsea.

We've had a lot of change in our household this year. Chelsea got a new job at the nursing home this summer. Katelyn quit her job and got 2 new jobs on campus and now I am also starting something new. I'll be letting you know how it all goes.

Works for Me Wednesday

Actually, this is a trick that Chelsea wanted to share. Do you know how dirty your flip flops get when wearing them? Using an old toothbrush and some dish soap - scrub them. It's amazing what a difference it makes. Here is a picture of one of her shoes before and after she scrubbed it. Amazing, huh?

1st Grade - Here I Come!

Shaelyn started 1st Grade today! We went to school yesterday for visit day. She got to meet her teacher and find her room. She is at a new school this year so I also took her around to see the gym, art room, etc.. Her room is right next to the door to the playground - great for quick exits to the toys! She was excited to go - she wanted to sleep in her clothes but I guess I talked her out of that. She thought that it was also pretty cool that she gets to ride the bus with Chelsea (not so sure how Chelsea feels on that one) So here I am, all alone today. (sorry, Cheri!) It seems extremely quiet but I know that soon they will be home and the noise level will increase!














She's got her own desk and locker this year!
Last week I was talking to her about school and saying how she would be going every day this year. Later in the week she asked if she would be going to school on Saturdays. I guess I should have clarified that more for her.

And another one's gone (to school that is)

Chelsea started school today. She is in her junior year. I think that is one of the more difficult years - class wise. She's got a lot of tougher classes including AP History. She does have friends in most classes so that helps. She said that it went fine today. It was a shorter day today with class getting done at 12:20. They do have off on Friday so that will be a nice, longer holiday weekend.

And She's Off Again!

Today was the day that Katelyn moved back into the dorms. She was excited to moved in again and see her friends. Classes start for her on Monday. She also got 2 new jobs on campus - working the front desk and in the business office. She will be busy this year!

Packing took a little time again - check out the vehicles!

Vehicle #1













Vehicle #2















Here's Katelyn and her roommate - Kath. They were suitemates last year and
decided to room together this year.













The room was starting to take shape -at least the beds were made!
I hope they make some great progress tonight and are able to walk
through the room without tripping. AT least they've got food!

Summer Foods

I've been busy lately with much food from the garden. Two weeks ago, I
canned some dill pickles. I found an easy mix from the store so I'm hoping
that these turn out good.













Today, I worked on salsa. I got about 22 pints of salsa. It smelled so
good in my house. Last week, I froze a 1/2 bushel of peaches. I know I'm
going to have to get more of them though. We love frozen peaches.
I would like to can some tomatoes yet but we'll see how much time I have
to get more accomplished.

A Busy, Fun-filled Week

It's fair week again!! This is always a fun but busy week. Last night, we went to look around a bit and here's some of what we saw. Do you see the little white animal in the bottom? It's a chicken. Today, we went for the afternoon. Shaelyn did reading club and earned 5 free rides. Tonight we will go to the off road derby with Cheri and her family. I'm hoping for a great time tonight too.

The Yearly Chicken BBQ

Saturday we went to our annual chicken bbq. Every year my dad takes us there. We grew up going to this. Because it was the 50th year, there were some added attractions including animals and an antique car show. The food is always great and 3 years ago they added a corn maze and wagon ride. What fun we all had!


Dinner!!! Chicken on the grill, potato salad, applesauce, coleslaw, potato chips, a roll and ice cream. It doesn't get much better than that!










We let the little girls lead through the maze. They kept saying, "They're still following. We must be going the right way!"














How do YOU spell "Love"?














Faces of Determination












Obviously bouncing is a ton of fun!











Aren't these Angora bunnies the most precious little things?












Why must baby chicks grow up? They are so cute when there are little!

The Completed Look

I promised you a picture of Shaelyn's finished tie-dye shirt. Here it is. This one is called the spiral. Can you see the spiral effect on the top and bottom? I think that overall, it turned out pretty cute for pajama's!