100 on 8-8-8

I recently returned home from Peru - well it was almost two weeks ago now. Either way I plan on doing one post for each day I was there with a couple pictures and specifics on what happened that day. To kick it all off I made a quick little mix entitled "Dave --> Peru" to give away. It takes you with me through my trip to Peru and back home. Yep, this is my very first giveaway and I am doing it because this is my 100th post!! You have until Sunday, August 17th at 5:00PM MST to leave a comment on this post to be entered in the drawing. The winner will receive a one of a kind CD complete with artwork which will probably look like this:



I only work with the best high tech programs like Microsoft paint. That is definitely not the final version but it will be something similar.

The following is the tracklist to the mix with a little something about each song:

*Holiday - Weezer, Blue Album
This song is mostly about me being excited and planning to go away for a while. I like every song from the blue album - there aren't a ton of CD's I can say that about.

*Long Line of Cars - Cake, Comfort Eagle
Traffic wasn't really that bad on the way to SLC. Mostly I really saw long lines of cars in Lima during rush hour on Friday night. It was pretty bad. Anyway, who doesn't like Cake right?

*Long Time Sunshine - Rivers Cuomo, Alone
This song mentions travel in some way a time or two. Also, I remember at one point on the flight from Atlanta to Peru it showed a map of the world up on the TV screens. It was a map showing the line between sunshine and darkness and it was in kind of a big S shape with the southern hemisphere showing more darkness being in winter and all. Anyway, I just remember looking at the screen just as we were crossing the line into the shadow and thinking about how much I enjoy the longer days of summer. That's all.

*Michael and Heather at the Baggage Claim - Fountains of Wayne, Traffic and Weather
It took a LONG time for my one piece of checked luggage to show up at the airport in Lima. I was not really to the point of being worried, just thoroughly annoyed. Either way, this was when I got to know better the first person I met who was coming down as part of our group. We were the only two from our group on that specific flight. This song was as close as I could get, there wasn't one called "Dave and Kristine at the Baggage Claim."

*Half the World Away - Oasis, The Masterplan
The two large cities in South America that I have visited do have a distinctive smell, something said in this song, but I wouldn't really say it stunk. Mostly it was kind of weird to think that my head was now pointing in a very different direction than everyone in Idaho after a day of flying in an airplane. It was surprising to me to see some of the differences between Santiago and Lima. Mostly, Lima seemed a lot more poor than I had thought it would be. I expected it to be more like Santiago. I think The Masterplan is my favorite Oasis album. I like when Noel sings instead of Liam. Is that bad? No, it isn't.

*Hold on Hope - Guided by Voices, Do the Collapse
Even though the great majority of my time in Lima was spent working, this is the only song for that part of the trip. Nothing specific from the song, just the basic feeling for all the things I saw. The area we worked in was called Huaycán, it was really poor but most of the kids we saw there were really healthy.

*Midnight Moon - Smoking Popes, Born to Quit
I am not quite sure how well the last song transitions into this one but that's ok. It kind of goes with why I have this song on here anyway. Every night I would be really tired from walking and working all day but I still had a hard time making myself get ready for bed and going to sleep. It was definitely the hardest part of being away from Erin for a week and a half.

*Waiting - The Rentals, Return of the Rentals
This song is actually for what Erin was up to while I was gone. There is a bit more energy because she was having a great time at her parents' house seeing her brother she hadn't seen for more than a year.

*Seatbacks and Tray Tables - Fountains of Wayne, Traffic and Weather
Yeah, I know, two songs from the same band AND the same CD on one mix. I couldn't help it, their last CD had a bunch of travel type themes. Just look at the title. Anyway, my iPod was dead but I found myself thinking of this song pretty much every time someone on the plane said this. FOW gets in touch with their... folky/country? side every once in a while and I like it in this song.

*Tongue Tied - Eve 6, Eve 6 (Black Fly album)
I don't hardly ever listen to this anymore but it was the best thing I had to go with the airport in Atlanta on the way home - 1000 faces... There were just so many people there and I didn't love the employees either. They said a couple things to me at immigration and later in the airport that I just didn't appreciate too much. Also, when I was in Atlanta on my way to Chile in 2002 I SWEAR one of the trash cans talked to me. Really - it wasn't a homeless guy hiding inside, I checked. Actually all it said was something like, "Be careful trash will be compacting now." I have mentioned this to a few people since it happened but I think this will be the last place I ever speak of it unless someone can back me up on the fact that it happens sometimes there. Maybe they got new trash cans or maybe I am crazy but I didn't get to hear anything like that this time.

*Landed - Ben Folds, Songs for Silverman
I love the piano in this song. It would be so cool to be able to play it. Other than that, I really like the song and it talks about a plane landing. My plane landed.

*See You - Foo Fighters, The Colour and the Shape
I like this song a lot too and it talks about how happy I was to be back with Erin, Ana and Jack.

So, there it is. Good luck to all, don't forget to comment even if it's your first time and you are a little scared...

And the winner is...

Amanda Reynolds!!!! I'll be sending her a pack of hand made Valentines, like these:

I had a lot of fun making them and might just make me some too!

I loved reading all your comments. Keep 'em coming!!!

100th Post!!!

I've reached a landmark in my blogging. I feel like I've made it in the blogging world for reaching this point. So, for my 100th post, here are 100 things about me, with a surprise at the end.

1. My favorite color is Pink.
2. I seriously love my sisters and brother. I could live next door to any of them.
3. I really enjoy being with family and try to see them as much as I can.
4. My husband is my best friend.

(June 2007)

5. I really like it when he is around, even though I usually don’t get much done.
6. I lived with my sister in New York for a year after high school. It was pretty cool.
7. I really did love high school.
8. I was in choir all through school.
9. I sang all the time growing up. I even was in the show/a capella audition choir in high school. I thought I was pretty good and sang in musical numbers in church quite a bit.
10. I auditioned for the Women’s Choir at BYU-Idaho and didn’t make it.
11. It shot my confidence. I decided not to be a music major and I’ve only sung in church once since I’ve been married. It was last month.
12. I always wanted to be athletic.
13. I played city league basketball in 4th, 5th and 6th grade. When I tried out in 7th grade, I didn’t make it. But I tried out again in 8th and 9th. (Didn’t make it then either.)
14. I also ran track in junior high.
15. The only time I didn’t come in last in a race was when I tied for 3rd in the 200 meters in 9th grade. The person who finished after me had lost a shoe.
16. My friends were sincerely happy for me - for not getting last.
17. In September 2004, I ran a half marathon.

(after the race)

18. I mostly did it to prove I could.
19. Everyone in my singles ward thought I was “sporty.”
20. That was one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received.
21. I still love running, but I don’t do it much.
22. I bought a bike last summer and rode it all the time.
23. I really enjoy being active.
24. More than anything else, I wanted to be a mom when I grew up.
25. I think it’s cool that I am a stay-at-home mom.
26. I hope I never have to work outside the home.
27. My daughter is the cutest little girl ever.
28. I really think that.

29. I wanted to serve a mission before I got married.
30. I got married instead. We plan on serving a mission in the future.
31. I think I was my best self the year before I got married.
32. Not that getting married ruined it, but suddenly my whole world didn’t revolve around me and so some good personal habits started slacking and some bad habits started sneaking in.
33. I’m working on getting back to my best self.
34. I really don’t like cleaning house.
35. I’m usually embarrassed at the state of my house if people just drop by.
36. I like it when people just drop by.
37. I really like having a clean house.
38. If I could have one talent it would be seeing other people’s struggles and knowing just what to do for them.
39. I also wish I was better at keeping in touch with old friends.

(My two best friends from high school, summer 2004, in San Fransisco)

40. I always wanted to be a cowgirl.
41. Sometimes I still want to be a cowgirl.
42. I love country music.
43. I also like Dave’s music, which is most anything but country.
44. I honestly have no complaints about my in-laws. I married into a great family!
45. I could live next door to any of his siblings too.
46. I don’t like shopping.
47. I really like Sudoku and Logic Puzzles.
48. I do this daily crossword almost everyday.
49. I grew up thinking video games were evil.
50. I wanted a Wii as much as Dave, and love playing it!
51. Guitar Hero is pretty cool too (though we don’t own it).
52. I also thought “The Simpsons” was evil growing up.
53. We own two seasons now and I think it’s really funny!
54. I love anything health related and I love learning new things about it.
55. I always hated biology in high school.
56. Human Biology and Anatomy/Physiology were two of my favorite classes in college.
57. I like giving health advice.
58. If I were to have a career, I’d want to help people live a healthier lifestyle.
59. Both Dave and I like playing card games.
60. It works out because we play them a lot together.
61. I like doing crafty things like sewing and card-making.

(Valentines I made this week)

62. But I don’t think I’m a very creative or crafty person.
63. I could go on and on against text-messaging. Particularly among young single adults. I think in general it’s a cop-out style of communication.
64. I want a big, nice house when I grow up.
65. I feel a little guilty about wanting a big, nice house so much.
66. I also want to be able to have enough money to be able to give it away liberally and don’t have to ask people to pay me back.
67. I am a hopeless romantic.
68. I love chick flicks, cheesy church novels, and anything remotely cheesy/romantic that is said or done by my husband. I eat it up!
69. I love reading.
70. Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird are two of my favorite books.
71. I am a Mormon.
72. I like going to church on Sundays.
73. I was very diligent about keeping a journal for more than 10 years.
74. I’m not as good at it now. My blog is my journal in a lot of ways.
75. I wish I could speak Spanish.
76. I was one of the best speakers in my beginning classes, but when you don’t practice, you lose it pretty quickly.
77. I wanted to marry a Spanish speaker so we could speak it in our home.
78. I married a Spanish speaker, but we don’t speak it much.
79. Summer is by far my favorite season.

(family reunion - 2005)

80. I love wearing shorts and my chacos and it being light outside in the evenings.
81. I like fishing and camping and hiking.
82. I really like Rexburg and could raise my family here.
83. I always liked school and did well.
84. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in the top 5% in my graduating class and I’m pretty proud of it.
85. I am a really passionate person.
86. I dwell on things so much I lose sleep over them. Even insignificant things.
87. One reason I’m doing this 100 things post is because I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
88. Sometimes I start raising my voice when I am talking about something I feel strongly about, and people think I’m getting upset.
89. Afterward, I dwell way too much on what I said and how I said it.
90. I always think I made people not like me.
91. I am more self-conscious than I like to admit.
92. Especially around girls. I always had more guy-friends than girl-friends and I still have a hard time making girl friends.
93. I am a social person, though, and love being at small parties with lots of chit-chat.
94. Dave and I are both night owls. “Early to bed” for us is about 11 or 11:30. Usually it’s 12:30 or 1.
95. I consider myself patriotic, and love US History.
96. I like to do things 100% or not at all.
97. I get overwhelmed with my responsibilities when I can’t do them all 100%.
98. I am pretty emotional. I cry at Hallmark commercials and nostalgic songs.
99. I didn’t cry at our wedding, though, and Dave still brings it up when I cry at anything else.
100. Overall, I try to be a good person. Sometimes I think I have a lot to work on. Sometimes I think I’m doing pretty good.

So, thats me! Now, comment on this post and I’ll enter your name in a drawing to win a pack of the Valentines pictured above. I hope you enjoyed my 100th post!!!