100 Favorites

I read a blog around the first of this month in which the readers were challenged to list 100 of their favorite things. Since it sounded like an uplifting "count your blessings" activity, I took up the challenge. I wrote about 90 things somewhere around the 3rd or 4th, but with the business of editing an online publication (I actually got around to doing it again, and I'm enjoying it!!! Yeah for me! :) and working at a boat show, the rest of the list waited until this morning. For any who are curious - Enjoy!

100 of my Favorites… :)
1. Colors – all of them! I even like orange (which I despised in my youth). I esp. love purple, green (varying shades - esp hunter green), red-orange (though perhaps with more of a brick red tone than shown here), burgundy (this is not a good example of burgundy!!), and am growing fond of blue (esp since I think I may look good in it - if that is possible. ;)

2. Good Music
3. Writing
4. Reading
5. Humor, laughter, jokes
6. Miles, and the way he loves me, his patience with me and complete devotion to me; he is an amazing and wonderful husband!
7. Levi - my darling, hilarious, sweet, loving, funny, snugly, cuddly son, who has an awesome personality and is an absolute gentleman! I am so incredibly proud of him!
8. Devry and his incredibly sweet and darling ways. I love the way he is so amazing and good with animals. I love hearing him play the drums! I love his amazing persistence; that boy knows he can do hard things!
9. Dausen and his calm and sober and yet comical personality; while quiet in some settings, he is a comedian in others! I love that he is fun to hug (still breaking him in), that he is so diligent about developing his talents and that he loves me (despite what he says when he is angry)! :) I also love that he is so cooperative and hard working! He is a home-schooling mother’s dream child!
10. Mindy, and her incredibly supportive ways! She is always there to volunteer to temporarily take over the cooking for me, or to attempt to hold down the fort here at home when I have to work more than usual (not an easy task when you're not the mom!). I am especially thankful that she enjoys spending time with me and for the relationship we have with each other; I love the way we love and enjoy each other so much! She will always be one of my best friends!
11. The relationship that I have with my mother; she too, will always be one of my best friends.
12. My sisters and brothers - I can't imagine life without them, and I miss them more than they know.
13. Visits from family, however rare...
14. My dad – I love him a ton! I love the way he is so funny and fun and I love that he comes to visit me as often as he can!!!
15. Traveling with my family to go visit relatives and friends
16. Traveling to explore beautiful places
17. Holidays and birthdays
18. Making friends :)
19. Having friends :)
20. Memories
21. Poetry
22. That there are people who sing so beautifully, for all to hear, and the hope that one day I, too, can learn to sing beautifully (That will be a major accomplishment!)
23. Rollerblading – I don’t do any tricks, but I do know how to rollerblade backwards now, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to rollerblade to music (one of these days I will get myself an iPod to take with me when I go)!
24. Hiking – This is a Major Passion of mine! I love it! :)
25. The beautiful outdoors: mountains, trees, rivers, streams, flowers, blue sky,
26. Both sunshine and rain (esp. if the sun shines though the rain and makes a rainbow)
27. Camping :)
28. Watching people ice skate and ice fish
29. Thinking of ice skating and ice fishing

30. Playing games with my family
31. Visiting friends
32. Receiving letters, e-mails and cards
33. Giving letters, e-mails and cards :D
34. Giving and receiving hugs
35. Smiles
36. Compliments
37. Compassion
38. Love
39. America
40. The Constitution
41. Freedom
42. Good people
43. Our Founding Fathers
44. Prophets and Apostles
45. The gospel of Jesus Christ - I am thankful for it every day of my life!
46. Family and friends - I can't even begin to convey the love I have for family and friends.
47. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
48. All good music
49. Good uplifting and inspiring books
50. Scented candles and my candle warmer (so I don’t have to light the candles and smell the nasty matches; and I can still smell a candle when the wick is trashed).
51. Kayaking – especially on the Hobie Adventure Island (it has pedals and a huge sail as well as paddles! :)
52. Temples and temple work
53. Genealogy
54. Family history stories
55. Cousins, aunts, uncles, all extended family
56. Photography (even though I am an amateur… big time!)
57. Food from The Cafe Carambola (Latin foods Café in downtown Coeur d’Alene – fresh, real food!) *This is my favorite restaurant without a doubt! Had I eaten there before attending college, I might have gone into cooking in addition to nutrition... I WISH I HAD! I would love to cook like that!!!!
58. Scriptures
59. Education
60. Brains
61. Art - You should see the art work my kiddos do! Perhaps, one day you will, right here on my blog (mother's bragging rights - not that I can take any credit. I can't; they get it all from dad).
62. Being and feeling productive
63. Exploring
64. Sailing to Kidd Island with my family and goofing off there as a family
65. Talking to people at Boat Shows
66. How much the Cost Guard loves the online publication that Miles and I are making...
67. Talking to people and having them reach out to take my hand like I am a movie star, when I tell them I am married to Miles! (Yes, that happened at the Boat Show!); the man who did this said to me, “I LOVE Miles!” Followed by his buddies, who chimed in, “We all love Miles; every body loves Miles!”)
68. … that being said; I love being married to a wonderful and kind person, who is so cheerful and giving to others that people love him everywhere he goes. Those who do not love him, simply do not know him.
69. Integrity
70. Pianos
71. Paper
72. Computers and programs, like Photoshop (anxious to use that one :).
73. Photos
74. Scrapbooks
75. A clean house :)
76. Learning new things and developing skills and talents
77. General Conference
78. President Hinckley, President Monson, and Ezra Taft Benson, along with all the rest (esp. Joseph Smith Brigham Young, and Howard W. Hunter)
79. Inspiring stories *******
80. Being fit (which seems to be somewhat challenging now – I must stretch and exercise constantly!!!! But, thankfully, I love it!)
81. Dancing
82. Serving others!!!!!!!!!!!!! ******
83. Making some one else’s day!!!!!!!!!
84. Bringing a smile to someone’s face*********
85. Children (especially mine :)
86. Cheerful, uplifting and inspiring books, stories, photos and movies
87. Jump Ropes
88. Almond Roca (esp. with mint – like you get at Christmas time!)
89. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
90. Peanut butter and chocolate - (esp dark chocolate) – together :)
91. Fresh carrots from a garden; fresh anything from a garden!
92. Summertime fun! Hiking, camping, sailing, swimming, kayaking, rollerblading, traveling, going to the Avondale pond with the kids to see turtles, frogs and the like… (I would really love to add fishing to that list!)
93. Church Conferences, not just General Conferences, but the fun ones too! (Fun and spiritual together are like dynamite! :)
94. Nail polish, nails (perhaps I’ll grow some, and actually polish them :).
95. Sun and wind, and sitting on the deck with a good book as I feel the wind on my face (especially in the early fall while it is still warm, but not too hot).
96. Missionaries and experiencing missionary opportunities
97. My book of quotes that I continue to compile and love to read (I love good quotes!) – New favorites include “Keep moving forward” and “Do away with that which troubles you.”
98. History, esp. early American history and the great people who helped to form our nation… I love the Founding Fathers! :D
99. Celebrations, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, valentines day, family reunions, get-togethers with friends
100. MILES !!!!!!! – MY BEST FRIEND! I love the way he is! :)

Whether you blog or not -You may find it fun to put on your thinking and thankful cap and list 100 of your favorite things! ;)