It's my 100th!!!

***Update: After re-reading this list months after it was originally published, many things were no longer accurate. I guess that is what happens when you move and change things in your life. I have done my best to update it as of Feb 9 2009.***

This marks my 100th post! *The crowd goes wild*

To celebrate this event, you get to learn more about me. Here are 100 things that you might know about me, or not, and things that I find interesting about myself.

1. I had no middle name. Now that I am married my maiden name is my middle name.

2. I went home from the hospital without a name. Days later the nurse called telling my parents that they were submitting my birth certificate without a name unless they came up with something.

3. My dad gave them my name over the phone and spelled it out. He forgot to put the "e" on the end. So my name is truly spelled n-i-c-o-l.

4. I am so grateful that they did not name me what the nurses were calling me, Missy.

5. I'm a middle child. I have two older siblings and two younger. I always felt like the middle child.

6. I hate when my name is miss spelled. I feel that your name written on paper represents you and if it is not spelled correctly then it is meant for someone else.

7. I got my first penpal in the 5th grade. Her name was Nesta Magugu who lived in Zimbabwe, Africa. We lost contact about 4 years ago.

8. At one time in High School, I had nearly 50 penpals and each would get a personalized handwritten letter. I was crazy!

9. I only have 6 penpals now. I have been penpalling for 18 years. (It is a very expensive hobby mind you. Postage is up to 94 cents per letter!) I love learning about other cultures first hand. It is exciting, but also very sad to. I had a penpal in Yugoslavia during the war. Every letter she described what was happening and would beg me to send her medicine for her dying sister. It was heart-breaking!

10. At one time I was obsessed with anything Victorian. Not so much now, but I do prefer traditional, formal furniture. Nearly everything is cherry. My main decorating style is traditional or old world.

11. I collect tea cups, old books, postcards from around the world and old cancelled postage stamps.

12. I have started a coin collection for Livy and have one for any future children (I don't want any to feel left out....it goes back to me being a middle child.) These collections are getting out of control. It's crazy to spend money to get money, but it is the only way to get Mercury dimes, Walking Liberties, and Indian Heads.

13. I am addicted to chocolate! It is my comfort food for when I am having a rough day.

14. I have three cats (Dafny, Oscar, Missi) and one dog (Sam, who had a knee replaced last summer. That was certainly an adventure that I don't want to repeat!).

15. I started out going to school for a degree in International Business, then changed my mind to do Elementary Education, then a degree in History.

16. I have a certificate for Travel & Tourism. I have worked for a travel agency and a 5 star hotel.

17.I have met several celebrates including Oksana Baiul, James Caan, Cher, Brittany Spears, the Portland Trailblazers Team (Scotti Pippen and Dennis Rodman), Tom Selleck and Melissa Joan Hart. (From working at the 5 star hotel, they were guest there that I helped at one time)

18. I am living out my dream. I am a mother and proud to be a full stay-at-home-mom. This is the HARDEST job I have ever had, but extremely grateful that I can do it. (Previously I ran an in-home, state licensed daycare for 6 years so I could be home. I am the happiest when I can be home.)

19. It took me over 6 years to have Olivia. I went through several infertility treatments, surgery and was in the adoption process when I found out I was pregnant. I was shocked when I found out and extremely over-joyed.

20.I lost all of my pregnancy weight plus an additional 20 lbs without trying.

21. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people spread their groceries all of the conveyor belt at the store when they could easily put things together making it to where the person behind them can unload their cart.

22. I also can't stand out-of-control kids at stores. It is one thing if the parent is trying to do something about it, but when it is obvious that the parents don't care. I have a problem with that.
23. I enjoy simple crafts/hobbies like embroidery, sewing, flower arranging, making hair bows for Livy, scrapbooking, and photography.

24. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. (Mormons) I am very strong in my faith and it is an important part of my life.

25. I am a member of DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers--which means that my ancestors were some of the original settlers of the area.)

26. For our local DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) chapter, I am the Junior membership chair and the NSCAR (National Society Children of the American Revolution) chairperson.

27. I love to clean! (I even vacuum the front porch on a regular basis)

28. I keep a detailed cleaning schedule that I follow.

29. I played the Cello in elementary school. I was first chair and didn't think that I was good enough so I quite. I still LOVE the sound of the Cello.

30. I surprised my mom one day by coming home and telling her that I was taking piano lessons. I was 16 and paid for them myself. I began learning from a mini keyboard until I could purchase a larger keyboard. I quit 18 months later after I learned Pacabell's Cannon in D.

31. I love classical music.

32. I am a season ticket holder to the Utah Symphony and Opera.

33. I am addicted to chapstick. It must be chapstick brand. I have tubes in every bag and in nearly every room of my house. Must have silky smooth lips!

34. I have a list of 100 things I want to do/see/experience before I die.

35. I have a goal to visit 50 different countries. I have 46 more to see.

36. I have been to nearly every state west of the Mississippi. I would like to visit all 50 states.

37. I "collect" capital buildings. It is something that we usually see when we visit a new state.

38. I really want to see Antarctica

39. Whenever we travel to a new country, it is tradition to eat at a McDonald's. This started in Paris when we were touring Versailles and couldn't find any other restaurants.

40. I had never flown on an airplane until 2000 when I was sent to California on a business trip. I was terrified! It didn't help that we watched Castaway the night before. Since then, I LOVE to fly. I love to travel! (It is a need in my life, not a want!)

41. I attend a Jazzercise class about 3 days a week. It is important to me to keep myself healthy.
42. I really enjoy singing. I was in our concert choir in high school and really enjoyed it.

43. I can't play sports. Not that I am physically incapable, but I am horrible at it.

44. I don't watch sports on TV, but I do enjoy attending a game once every three years.

45. When Olivia is older, I will put her into little league sports so she can have a little more confidence with playing. I think that is why I can't play, I am too self-conscience.

46. I try to donate blood whenever there is a blood drive. I figure it is something free that I can give that takes up very little time. Plus I am an O-.

47. I enjoy gardening. I'm no expert, but I think that I am fairly good at it. I have BIG plans for the gardens at my new house.

48. I keep all of my DVDs alphabetized.

49. My family has been living in this country since the early 1600s. My husband is an immigrant.

50. I found it very exciting to watch Eduardo going through the Naturalization ceremony.

51. I have never had a broken bone.

52. People have a habit of calling me Michelle. Perhaps I look more like a Michelle then a Nicol.

53. I can't drive a stick. All of the cars that I have driven are automatic.

54. I was one of the first kids in my high school to have a cell phone. I worked hard to pay for it myself and felt very "cool" with it. (This is way back when no teenagers had cell phones.)

55. I like to read etiquette books. I want to be well mannered and have well mannered children.

56. I have seen a space shuttle up close (and I mean close) and got to see the inside of the transfer plane that was carrying it. (It had just finished a mission and was on it's way back to Florida or Texas and stopped in Utah)

57. When I was 2 1/2 I saw my little sister being born. I don't remember much although I have been reminded what I said. "Daddy good girl, he get baby out of mommy's bum!"

58. I hate being late and I hate it when people are late.

59. I am not a patient person

60. I never learned to swim. I know enough to survive though.

61. I want to entertain more, but afraid to ask people over. I always hope that other people will take the first step.

62. I have never made friends easily.

63. I can point my big toes and wiggle my pinkie toes without moving the others.

64. I can wiggle my nose.

65. I am working on a business adventure with my aunt. Naturally I would love to "make it big" but even a little extra spending money would be nice.

66. I used to get three allergy shots a month. It started out as 12 shots per month but worked down to 3. This went on for 4 years. I like to think of myself as being "cured" because I was recently tested and I am not allergic to things that I once was.

67. I never needed training wheels as a child. I was too impatient to wait for my mom to assemble them.

68. Since music is so important to me, I would love to Olivia to learn to play the piano in a few years. Until then, I have taken her to weekly Kindermusik classes since she was 6 months old. She loves music and to dance.

69. I used to write poetry and have had one of my poems published. It was written about my childhood blanket. I still enjoy writing but it is the form of a journal now.

70. I still have that blanket, although it is being stored in my cedar chest.

71. I have a fantastic marriage!!!! I am truly grateful to have found such a great guy!

72. I love to read, especially parenting and self-help books. I do enjoy a good novel but I like things that I can use to better myself. I am usually reading more than one book at a time. I am also part of two book clubs.

73. I like to use frequently and fold linen napkins. I think it makes dinner that much nicer.

74. I am very organized and consider myself a scheduled person.

75. I do not work well with spontaneity

76. I secretly compete with people. I hate this about myself. I want to be confident enough in myself that I wouldn't give "me" a second thought.

77. I am honestly considering homeschooling Livy. Naturally I would love to send her to the top private school in the area but that is not a possibility (Budget restraints), and public school is out of the question. (I feel that I got gypped with the education that I received)

78. I love to decorate and I think that I am rather good. Not good enough to do someone else's house, but good enough that things coordinate and flow.

79. I studied German for 3 1/2 years and French for 1. I refused to take Spanish in school and now wish that I had. (My in-laws speak only Spanish)

80. I would love to become fluent in Spanish. I can basically understand what people (mainly the in-laws) are saying but I can not communicate back.

81. I was never a Girl Scout even though I really wanted to be.

82. I was a Girl Scout Troop leader for 2 years. When Livy is old enough, I will start a Daisy Troop for her.

83. I like to read blogs that update regularly (daily).

84. I really, really wanted to be a foreign exchange student when I was in high school. I never had the opportunity. If Livy would like to be one in the future, I will encourage her.

85. I once sewed my finger with the sewing machine. I was quite young and remember it vividly.
86. I once took my pet rat to school. It bit the janitor. It was his own fault for sticking his finger in the cage.

87. I backup my computer at least once a month in fear of it crashing. I keep an external hard drive in my safe.

88. Eduardo says that I am a big tease.

89. I like to sleep on my stomach.

90. I have a large birth mark covering a good portion of the back of my head. My mother has one in the same place as well as Livy.

91. I do not enjoy to cook. I wish that I cooked and baked more, but I do not find much pleasure in it. I say it is because of my too small kitchen.

92. I am get at following a budget but I am terrible with money. So we have multiple savings accounts for our emergency fund, general savings, Christmas, vacation and Livy's college fund.

93. I have seen actual artifacts from the Titanic.

94. At one time I wanted a really, really, really big family. I will be lucky to survive one.

95. My favorite authoress is Jane Austen. I love her books and most of the movies based on her books.

96. I rarely watch TV.

97. I have purchased 4 houses and have only lived in 3. My first house purchase was at the ripe old age of 20.

98. Eduardo and I have completely remodeled our house doing nearly all the work ourselves. The only things we hired out for was to install a new furnace, carpets and kitchen counters.
(Update: this was for the last house. Current house is being painted and minor remodeling!)

99. A process I hope never to do again. It was stressful!

100. I really wanted a spectacular last one, but this will have to do. Because of being a stay-at-home-mom, I don't wear very nice clothes during the day. So if I have somewhere to go, I like to get dressed up.

Whew! This was so much harder then I thought it would be!