100 things that make me who I am

1. I am almost always too hot. I wish I was too cold and could just bundle up in cozy sweaters, blankets, and robes.
2. My favorite smell ever is lemon verbena. When I was young I often wondered what it smelled like, because it was often referenced in books. Something along the lines of: "my mother always smelled of lemon verbena", so it piqued my curiosity. When we first lived in France I discovered that it is a very common scent there for soaps or lotions. I smelled it and quite enjoyed it, but it wasn't until I ate the best dessert of my life in a Parisian restaurant -- French toast made of brioche topped with lemon verbena ice cream and surrounded by creme anglaise -- that I embraced it with all my heart.
3. I love to wear socks, even to bed.
4. I have been a passionate reader for as long as I can remember. (I guess that's not quite true, I can remember my dad teaching me to read.)
5. I would take a nap every day, if circumstances allowed.
6. I speak French, but not nearly as well as I used to.
7. I teach piano lessons. I have had several students pass me in ability.
8. I have 3 highly-sensitive children. I used to want 5, but now I don't think I could handle even one more.
9. I am very shy until I get to know people, then I am pretty open.
10. Because of my shyness, people often think I'm a snob.
11. I want to lose 90 pounds. (!!)
12. My fingernails grow in all crooked.
13. I have had problems with humming at inappropriate times, because I was unaware that I was doing it. I think I have kicked this bad habit!
    
14. My grandmother Charlotte is my hero.
15. I would love to secretly learn Spanish one day and surprise my dad, a native Spanish-speaker. (He was raised in the Mormon colonies in Mexico.)
16. I yearn to see Italy.
17. I love architecture.
18. Even though almost all of my family members have hypothyroidism and I have many symptoms, I have never tested positive.
19. I had a natural childbirth. Once was enough.
20. I love to take long baths and read in the tub, but I don't do it often enough.
21. I wish I could get a pedicure once a month.
22. My hair has the texture of a horse's tail.
23. A hairdresser once told me it is virtually impossible to put too much product in my hair. I have tried, but I've never proven him wrong.
24. I stuff my feelings.
25. I was quite the rebellious teenager.
26. I don't enjoy teenagers.
27. I love water, but I am a terrible swimmer.
28. I vowed when my first child was born that I would not let my body image problems keep me from taking my kids swimming. I quite often regret that vow when summer rolls around!
29. I planned to graduate from college, start my career, and buy my own home before I got married. (My grandmother told me those were famous last words.)
30. I met Marc on my first day at BYU, got married when I was 20, and never graduated. (I did 2 years at BYU and 3 years part-time at the University of Washington.)
31. I love to sing and I'm an alto.
32. As an adult, I used to be part of an 8-part a capella group. We recorded songs in our leader's basement recording studio. I miss that.
33. My babies have never liked me to sing them lullabies.
34. I fall asleep when we watch movies unless we have all the lights on and I am working on a project. (just ask my book club friends!)
35. I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. I also snore (gasp!).
36. I am addicted to m&ms.
37. I love ruby red grapefruit Crystal Light.
38. I once had a boyfriend hold a boombox outside my window and play In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, just like in Say Anything! He was quite the romantic.
    
39. When I was about 22, I decided I wanted to learn to quilt. I don't have any heirlooms, so I thought I'd create some. I also thought I should do my part to keep a dying women's art alive. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there is a whole quilting industry and it is very alive and well!
40. I love, admire, and envy good photography.
41. If I went back to school, I would study graphic design or photography.
42. I love to bake.
43. I love made-from-scratch cake.
44. I hate to iron and avoid it at all costs, much to the dismay of my mother and grandmother.
45. I love to make lists, and will quite often add an item to my list just for the satisfaction of crossing it off.
46. I have been on anti-depressants for 13 years, but I have never needed them during pregnancy.
47. I would love to be a doula, a lactation consultant, or a labor & delivery nurse.
48. I have been friends with Jill for over 17 years!!
49. I adore ribbon.
50. I thoroughly enjoy receiving handmade gifts.
51. I used to be a worrywart when I was young, but I have overcome it and now I hardly ever worry.
52. I don't really consider myself to be a creative person, but I am darn good at copying other people's ideas!
53. I wish I had as many ideas as Marc or Kristi.
54. I wish I could wear more cute shoes. (My arches have fallen and my feet are extremely wide.)
55. I'd like to paint my kitchen cabinets black.
56. I never seem to have enough bookshelves.
57. I love to play cards.
58. I am terribly afraid of heights.
59. I can never remember the details about books I've read or movies I've seen. That's one reason I love the book Jenn made for our book club last year where we can record the books we read, the author, # of pages, and room for notes. Jill had the genius idea to write keywords that will be memory triggers. Now I can look through there and remember what I read! (Quite often, I will tell someone I have never seen a certain movie. Then Marc will tell me we saw it together. Oops!)
60. I am terrible at keeping in touch (hooray for blogging!).
61. I am constantly wondering if I actually said something to someone or just thought about saying it.
62. I have discovered that I really enjoy other people's dogs. Sure wish I had had that realization before we got a dog. A big dog, whose hair is literally everywhere.
63. I love cute dish towels.
64. I love anything with a toile print.
65. I have always wished that I had specialized in something. I'm not really good at any one thing.
66. I worry about what my children will end up resenting me for.
67. I hate going to parties, I am too shy and I hate making small talk.
68. I am a pathological homebody.
69. I am probably too easy-going.
70. So far, I enjoy getting older.
71. I wish my parents lived closer (they're in PA).
72. In fact, I wish my whole family could live on a compound together.
73. I had recurring nightmares about our house burning down for years as a child. When Jessie was born, they intensified because then there was a baby to rescue from the inferno. Occasionally I would wake from one of these dreams and be unsure about its veracity, causing me to tiptoe around and make sure everyone was still OK, then sobbing uncontrollably after ensuring their safety. (I told you I used to be a worrier! Classic oldest child.)
74. I couldn't even light matches until well after I got married.
75. I have always loved to do things with my hands.
76. I used to wear 3 earrings in one ear, but took 2 out when President Hinckley advised against it. (It took me a month to comply! I finally realized that if it was such a struggle for me, that was reason enough to do it.)
77. I love fresh flowers, especially tulips, lilacs, zinnias, ranunculus, hydrangeas, and gardenias.
78. I wish my body could be like it was when I was 16, but I sure don't want to go back to that age!
79. I struggle every day to figure out how to be a better mother to my children.
80. I have had kidney stones (oh please, never again!)
81. I enjoy gardening, but I can't keep houseplants alive for anything.
82. I don't cry often.
83. There are hardly any foods I don't like, but I can't stand french toast.
84. I am never bored.
85. I love to type. I sometimes find myself typing out dialogue in a movie, or typing the signs that I pass by in the car.
86. I have a photographic memory for spelling.
87. Mis-spelled words make me crazy, especially on signs or in published works.
88. I wish I were a writer.
89. I enjoy perfumes that are based on food scents.
90. I crave solitude, but rarely get it.
91. I collect recipes and love to try new ones, especially for company.
92. I am a horrible phone-talker. Sometimes I want to hang up on myself.
93. I am too hard on myself.
94. I LOVE monograms. (printed, embroidered, all kinds!) I bought a book on hand-embroidering monograms. So far I have only done it once, for my mom. I am completely jealous of all of you who have embroidery machines.
95. I wish I had more cupboard space so I could buy more dishes.
96. I need to learn to throw things away.
97. I love herbal teas with flavored creamers.
98. As a rule, I don't like to drink calories.
99. I sincerely wish I were a better housekeeper, because I love to have a clean house but rarely do. (Who am I kidding? Really I wish I could just hire a housekeeper.)
100. I want to improve nearly every aspect of my life.