To Do List

I stole this from Kendals blog http://thestoysstory.blogspot.com/2010/03/ultimate-to-do-list.html  I have a lot to do yet!




Here is how it works:
Copy the list.
Bold the ones you've done (w/explanations if needed).
Share with friends.
GO!!!!!

I have:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked -- No, and don't think I will be anytime soon!
23. Taken a sick day when you were not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb - and they STINK
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Not that I wouldn't take more though...
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - some baseball movie, I'm in the stands back when I worked at Cinemark
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - and was top seller for my troop!
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason - Brian rocks!
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt - made it for Allison
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job - Does Laid Off count???
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - or several...
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle - more like a dirt bike, but as close as I'm going to get
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating ((eww))
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - I saved Brian's life from Giddings, do I get something from that?
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo - it's of the world from really really far away (aka poked with a pencil)
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Vodka/Amaretto Martini

Those who know me well, or even just in passing, know that I LOVE martini's. Lemon Drop with Citrus Absolute is no-brainer, but occasionally I branch out. I discovered a new martini somewhere in South Eastern China - but it was so good I can't remember which city I was in. Megan & I have ordered this general martini at the Keg a few times, but I think I have mastered it at home now. Citrus Grey Goose, Disaronno, sweet & sour on ice with just a tad of sugar. Stirred.

I have no idea what amounts of each, I just pour, but best guess:
25% vodka
25% amaretto
50% sweet & sour
1/2 teaspoon sugar

It's a great way to end a Sunday night. Grilled chicken, spicy corn and a martini. Perfecto!

Have a great week!

We have lights!

The house is coming along quite nicely, and we now have lights!  They are working on the hardwoods this week and we close in 2 weeks!  Almost there!

Free Kate Spade!!!

My dear friend from high school has an amazing blog and you should check it out -- http://smartandsassywithsprinkles.blogspot.com/2010/03/giveaway-kate-spade-delight.html


She is doing her first giveaway and it is a sweet prize! If you love Kate Spade (and how could you not) jump on over, becoming a follower, and put yourself in for the running!

Kitchen Table & Chairs

Have I ever mentioned how much I love clean lines and dark wood? I’ve pictured the kitchen table & chairs Brian and I have made by Bassett furniture, and I heart them! But I’ll start at the beginning.

After months of debate, Brian and I finally agreed to retire our old kitchen table and move to a new one. We loved that table. I paid $60 for it at a garage sale including 4 chairs. It was the perfect college table top -- no water rings, no worry about trivets or hot pots, everything just wiped clean with a wet wipe. But the chairs died long ago and the table was ready…

So off we go looking for a new table and I was not expecting how costly these things are! We finally found a set at Haverty's we both liked and it was $999 for the table and 4 chairs. But it was counter high, and it would only fit 4 people. We gave away our dining room set, so this is our only table for now, and we often have more than 4 people, and we wouldn't have any other chairs that high. I had found a set in the Crate & Barrel spring catalog, but they didn't have it in the store and I don't want to buy unless I can see. We finally broke down and went to Bassett.

We love Bassett. We love Jesse at the Bassett on Midway & 635. He’s helped us put our house together and has been very excited about the new house. He is a great sales rep for sure, but beyond that he actually knows us and our style. When stuff hits the clearance center (that location also does all the warehouse clearance) and he knows we would like it -- he calls us first and will hold it till we can get there. We have gotten our bedroom suite, both living room sets and a few other pieces and we love the quality of Bassett. We knew we would find a table, just wasn't sure we wanted to spend that much. But after coming in significantly under budget on the fridge, we splurged on the table and chairs. One of the great things about Bassett is almost everything is custom built to your preferences. So we did clean lines, square with leaf, dark brown stain. When we were picking, Jesse remembered 2 chairs in the clearance center and saved us $300 because they were exactly what we were ordering.

30 days or it's free! We got seating for 8 - so dinner parties can start up as soon as we move in!

New Fridge

So as you all know, we are getting ready to move into our new house, and with it comes lots of new things. One of the harder items for us was the main refrigerator. The beer fridge was easy -- give us the cheapest. But this one took lots of shopping, research and all around hassle. But we landed on an LG French door, and I love it. Water & Ice in the door and each one was their own dispenser - so you don't have to toggle between ice & water with buttons (I never get it right and then get water in my soda when I wanted ice). Plus 2 freezer drawers to keep the bins more organized! We had originally wanted the really big one with automatic opening freezer doors and some other ridiculous features, but for $700 less than that we got both.


I do have to give praise to Best Buy though. First - they really were the best buy on this thing, and we got an additional 10% off for buying more than 1. Plus, the one by Castle Hills has super friendly and helpful associates. I highly recommend it, and Brandon (with curly hair). He has sold us our TV & Blu ray, then mom's TV, Brian's camera and now refrigerators. That store doesn't have commission, so we often interact with 2 or 3 associates and get recommendations for all; Brandon always seems to know the most and always gets us a good deal.