A few little tidbits about me

1. I was born at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.





2. I have 1 brother and 3 sisters, of which I am the youngest.





3. One of my favorite memories as a child is running through the sprinkler and then immediately lying down on the hot towel that was on our driveway to dry off.





4. The only thing that I really missed out on as a child was that the next oldest sibling is 6 years older than me, so we never really did Family Home Evening together as a family because they were always going and doing things...yes, even then.





5. I played Bonnet Ball (girls softball) for 3 years and finally made the all-star team the last year.





6. I loved that my dad was at all the games and practically coaching.





7. I was on the volleyball team in 9th grade.





8. You'd think I was lean and trim with all the sports, but no, I've had a weight problem most of my life. I was still the slowest on the team, but could hit the most home runs.





9. There was one boy in elementary school that always called me Julie Fatcell instead of Julie Mansell. Boy did I not like that lovely child!





10. My family all loves waterskiing, but I have never really liked it, just endured it. I would much rather ride a tube or heck, jump off the boat for a swim. I'm sure they all thought I was weird. (This might have had something to do with my weight again.)





11. The most I ever weighed was 360





12. I was in Madrigals and Concert Choir...I love to sing...just wish I had a better voice.





13. I've always wanted to take voice lessons, just has never happened.





14. I love Paula Deane.





15. One night at dinner we were asking, "If you could live next door to anyone in the world, who would it be?" Wouldn't you know that Mark answered Paula Deane. I guess I need to put more butter in my cooking.





16. I met my husband on the internet. We were in the "flirt's nook"...it worked.





17. Our first date was to the Joseph Smith Memorial building...he wasn't even a member of our church yet.





18. Our second date was to a restaurant in Park City Utah (can't remember the name) but they had the best drink...it was a warm almond-flavored milk. It was REALLY good. One day we'll make it back up there...hopefully.





19. Mark had no debt when I met him. I can't say I was so frugal.





20. One of the most touching moments in my life is at our wedding reception when Mark had the microphone and he told everyone that in a million years he would have never guessed that he would be as lucky as to be standing there next to me and he cried. I was touched.





21. My mom passed away in March and I still think about her every day and almost find myself "talking" to her for advice.





22. I am not a great cook. Although I think my friend Janine is, and she doesn't think she is, so somewhere out there in the world (not in my house) someone might find me a good cook. I'll keep looking.





23. My mom was the best cook ever! If I make one of her recipes, then I am a good cook. Otherwise it's poop on a platter.





24. When it comes right down to it, my mom was good at everything she did. And I love her for it now more than I did when she was still with us. I guess sometimes it takes something like death to appreciate other people like they should be...isn't that sad??





25. I've always said I wanted to be the house where the kids like to come and play. I'm now changing that statement to I'd like to be the house they come maybe 3 times a week. I have no problem with them going somewhere else, but be careful what you wish for.





26. I still love the 80s music...go Tiffany...I think we're alone now!





27. Mark is a brain at trivial questions. In fact, I probably have the artist wrong on number 26, and he could tell you who the correct person is and what year it came out.





28. I really want Mark to be on the game shows where you have to know trivial stuff. He is definitely smarter than a 5th grader!





29. We are currently renovating a home and it is a FUN project to see something that is so ugly turn out neat and know that you did it.





30. My favorite food is anything that can be done in a crockpot.





31. I am looking for some sort of part-time job I can do to help out the family budget...I would like to work at a school doing something so that I can have holidays off and summer.





32. On the first day of school that Braden and Parker both went, it finally dawned on me that my life was basically meaningless without my kids. I didn't know what to do with myself.





33. Parker is only 5 years old, and his favorite word is "dude". Where is this going to go from here?





34. My favorite thing to do on sundays is come home, eat dinner, then make cookies and take a plate of them to someone in our neighborhood. I guess I somehow secretly want everyone in our neighborhood to love sundays like me!





35. I don't think I'm going to make it to 100. That seems impossible.





36. I am volunteering at my kids' elementary every Thurs. in the art class and I'm on the PTA committe in charge of after-school classes...do you think it's overkill?





37. After being Relief Society President for 3 years I was afraid I'd be bored when I was released. It never happened.





38. My kids are the only children out of 21 grandchildren that have brown eyes.





39. We have never had a sisters' trip with my sisters and I'm thinking it's about time.





40. I love camping...with the right weather conditions.





41. I wish I was better at card writing. I must seem ungrateful that I never remember to send thank you cards and I don't mean to be, I'm just terrible at that! Heck, I can't even get birthday cards out on time!





42. I still think that my husband has the best sense of humor of anyone in the world. He comes up with the funniest stuff sometimes that I'm still laughing about it hours after it's said!





43. I have a cluttered house and I either have to make it messier to get "Clean House" to come out and get it, or I have to sometime get motivated to declutter. I think I need my sister Kaye to come visit.





44. I HATE cleaning bathrooms and will do almost anything to get someone else to do it. Maybe this comes from having boys...maybe it's a phobia, I don't know.



45. When I was young I used to DREAM of becoming a gymnast. Now I just really enjoy watching the olympics.



46. I had gastric bypass surgery in 2005 and lost 160 lbs.



47. I have never broken a bone, but I did break my eardrum jumping from a high dive in Lava Hot Springs, ID when I was younger, which has caused a myriad of problems since then.



48. I have also had both knees scraped of ligaments when I was younger (I always thought it was from playing catcher on the baseball team) but the dr. said it was from the weight.



49. I cried when he showed me the video of my ligaments being scraped out and he told me when I got older I should get a one-level rancher. Do you know how hard those are to come by back East? I now live in a split level, but there's only 6 stairs between each level.



50. When I was younger I had imaginary friends named Chickie, Chocolate and Boy.



51. My best friend growing up across the street from me was Melissah. I sure loved her! We would play "Little Yellow House" with our house cases full of wooden people and furniture and then we also had a little plastic toy pickle and a pig. We named them Pickles and Peaches, respectively.



52. I still love to roller skate.



53. I played the piano for many years, screaming at each practice how much I hated it. Now I wish I'd stuck with it because I can only fumble through the hymns.



54. I miss my family a LOT and I sometimes wonder if I made a big mistake, but then I look at my family here around me and think...how could this have possibly been a mistake?



55. I love to read, but even more than that, I like to discuss the books.



56. I wish I had more hobbies that I was good at.



57. I would like to go back to college one day and get a degree in something, or even another specialty school.



58. One of the first trips that I'd like to take when my kids are old enough to handle it is to the Church History sites.....then Disneyland.



59. I have taken on too many responsiblities between volunteering at school and church.

60. I don't know how to say no....help me!

61. I hate the bags under my eyes, but admittedly, I don't know how to wear makup right.

62. When I asked Braden to tell me something about me, he said that I can't stop being nice...what a good kid...probably wants a cookie.

63. I cut my husband's and boys' hair so that I can explain the $60 I spend on my haircuts.

64. I love bikeriding...as long as I have a soft seat.

65. I love horsebackriding. I grew up with many, but haven't really owned one since.

66. My dream is horsebackriding on the beach where you can run in the sand with just a little bit of water splashing up on you...goofy, huh?

67. I want to go on a cruise REALLY bad.

68. I like water aerobics.

69. I will try almost anything once...except squid or other "choice" seafoods.

70. My feet are a size 10, but you will still find me in the 9 section trying them on...call me the ugly stepsister.

71. I HATE spiders...any kind.

72. I love doing service of almost any kind...give me a project and I'm happy!

73. I love Mark's brown eyes and still each time I look into them I'm all warm a fuzzy...still!

74. I only like to clean if I can use something that makes the room smell better...call it a nasal fedish.

75. I still love John Denver and the Carpenters.

76. I love to paint...didn't know it until I had to do a whole house of it.

77. My favorite thing to make is chocolate chip cookies.

78. My favorite time of the week is FHE...so why is it so hard to pull together?

79. There is nothing that makes my emotions reach my limit than my family, and that includes the happy emotion.

80. I am blessed every day.

81. I love to fold laundry/iron.

82. I love to 4-wheel, snowmobile, or wave-runner...just put me on a motor and I'm happy.

83. My favorite holidays are Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween...in that order.

84. I love surprises...as long as I don't know a surprise is coming.

85. I am glad this is almost done because it's been hard.

86. I am more boring than I thought.

87. I have a yearly ritual at the beginning of summer I go for a pedicure....best money spent the whole 3 months!

88. I have changed my vision of myself...instead of seeing a home where all the kids want to come and play, it's a home where you have to call before you come over!

89. I come across organized, but I'm mostly a mess.

90. I need to exercize not only because it's good for me, but because I LOVE it! So why don't I get the butt out of bed and do it?? (Age-old question)

91. I love scrapbooking, but I'm not good at it.

92. I'm not the best blogger either.

93. I start some things and it takes me forever to finish..I wish I could work quicker! (This list is a good example)

94. I LOVE fall...the whole time of year excites me. Everything from the colors to the crafts, to the holidays, to back to school!

95. I have naturally curly hair. The grass is always greener.

96. I love bowling and putt-putt golf...not at the same time.

97. I think I would be a pretty fun date...at least I'm not hard to please!

98. I wish I was more like my sisters. They are the best.

99. My brother reminds me of a big teddy bear.

100. I'm glad this is finally done!
101. Gayle, Lynnette and Kaye...you've been tagged! Good luck!