100 things about me, for the man I love :) --50 now and 50 later

1. I hate doing these things because I'm not really worth reading about, but Kev wants to hear these, so for my love anyone else who reads our blog will just have to endure or wait for our next post.
2. Music is one of my reasons for living. It has always had power to move me--either for good or for bad, depending on what kind of music I choose to listen to, sing to, or dance to.
3. Now that I've grown up a little and am so blessed to be a mom, I'm using that great gift of God to help me teach my angels--everything from the alphabet, to French, to gospel principles. Nothing moves them, changes their mood or captures their attention like music--they really are our daughters :)--and there is nothing I love more than hearing them sing the primary songs.
4. Most people who've only known me for the past 12 years or so might be surprised to find out that I know all the words to several Snoop Dog songs :).
5. I have my Chatham #42 BYU roommates--Erika, Mindy and Heather--to thank for turning me country. I had hated it all my life growing up in Texas, but Heather fell asleep to CMT every night so I either had to learn to live with it or kill her--I still smile when I hear certain songs ("Life's a Dance" and the like) and picture her dancing to that country beat.
6. One of my biggest regrets is not majoring in music. I didn't want the competitive nature of the major to take away the joy, but when I sat in on some of Rachel's classes this past semester, I saw so much I would love to have learned that would have only enhanced my love for music. Plus I would have more knowledge and been able to serve with a greater capacity. C'est la vie....
7. One of my greatest joys is singing with Kevin--at home with our girls, driving in the car and harmonizing to Rascal Flatts, or singing hymns in sacrament meeting or for firesides. In fact, at the last stake conference we sang at, a sister gave us the greatest compliment I've ever received for singing. She said that there are lots of great voices out there, but when Kev and I sing together, "you just feel love." Since that is what music is for me--the purest way to feel love for others and for/from God--that made my day :)
8. My mom gets the credit for inspiring my love of music. One of my earliest memories is driving around Nashville, Tennessee and belting out Olivia Newton John with her and Joy. (I was 4) She always sang us to sleep, sang wonderful harmony to every hymn, and dragged our family around to carol to all the neighbors every Christmas.
9. She and my Dad are definitely my biggest fans :)
****Kev says I need to shorten my answers so everyone can stay awake****
10. Music was also a huge part of our family road trips, with all of us piled in the van: John Denver, Roger Whitaker, Huey Lewis, Christopher Cross, etc.
11. When I was little I wanted to be Olivia Newton John when I grew up (think Xanadu :) )
12. I love, love, love to read. My first favorite stories were the children's books my Grandmother Turtle wrote about Joy, Matt, Mark and I--The Adventures of Gus the Gopher--all about a magical gopher who would come and take us on exciting adventures to save his fantastic world.
13. Mom read to us every night and Dad would give us extra spending money to read and report to him on books that he recommended: The Richest Man in Babylon, CS Lewis, The Greatest Salesman in the World, etc.
14. The Work and the Glory series almost cost me my scholarship at BYU. I couldn't put them down to do any homework or anything, even though the repetitive writing style started to get on my nerves after book 2 ("Nathan reeled.") The Fire of the Covenant, also by Brother Lund but about the handcart companies, is still one of my all time favorite books.
15. Joy and Michelle are the 2 people from whom I get the best leads for new reads.
16. I feel like I'm missing out if I don't read every article in every Ensign issue.
17. I am thankful for the capability to read the Ensign,scriptures and other good things online, but nothing beats holding a book and being able to sprawl out on the couch or in bed.
18. Barnes and Noble (or any other book store) is where I could spend limitless amounts of money. Kev knows he's in danger when I even set foot in there--especially in the kids section.
19. French kids books are an even bigger temptation, and Kev always picks up any options I'm trying to decide on and 'weighs' them--reminding me that we have weight limits on our bags.
20. My dream house will have an enormous library (one to rival the Beast's, as in Beauty and the ...). Actually, Michelle and Erik's house comes close to what I'm hoping for--we want a library membership to their well-stocked shelves.
21. Favorite foods: good bread, cheese, chocolate (can you tell I'm back in Heaven?), and anything I don't have to cook.
22. I'm so spoiled to be married to an excellent cook who is also selfless and so sweet to step in whenever I don't feel up to making the next meal. Honestly, and I'm not just saying this so he'll cook more or keep cooking because he would anyway, he makes some AMAZING creations. (all his dishes are things he makes up himself)
23. My worst food memory is coming home from school every so often, smelling the onions sauteing and knowing we were having liver and onions that night. I still get shivers just thinking about it.
24. I can eat the same thing every day for months if I really like it or if it's convenient--case in point: every summer in the bookfield.
25. Kevin has to remind me to eat vegetables. It's not that I don't like them--I actually love them--they're just not bread, cheese or chocolate.
26. I have to have orange juice EVERY morning with breakfast.
27. I can eat a whole huge bag of any of my favorite goodies in a single sitting, with no regrets--it's absolutely worth any extra exercise or whatever else. Peanut M&Ms, Reeses Peanut Butter cups, Rolos, Mint Milanos, Snickers, Suchard rochers (French bliss), etc.
28. I love trying new foods and have found that the best travel/food advice is to try the specialty of the region. It might be a little weird, but it makes great memories and often ends up being something fantastic. Plus people are so happy and proud to share what they love and it's always great to make people happy :)
29. Cookies and brownies should be removed from the oven before you think they're done--otherwise they're too crispy (a philosophy that the Linkous family doesn't agree with :) )
30. I'm totally impressed with Joy, Natalie, and Laura's cooking/meal planning abilities that I saw first-hand last month. I resolve to do better in this with you all as my witnesses. My family should not be malnourished just because of my bad eating :)
31. The one area I'm healthier than Kev in is the amount of water I drink every day. When we're in the States, I'm never without my mug of ice water--my 'trucker' mug, as Kevin calls it with no attempt at hiding his mocking.
32. Movies are magical. Basically, they're books with incredible music and scenery (even though whenever there are movies and books on the same things, the books are always better).
33. The movies that take me immediately back home: Sound of Music (singing all the songs), Scrooge (watched every Thanksgiving evening to start the Christmas season), Indiana Jones trilogy and Star Wars trilogy (seeing my dad get so excited for each new one).
34. I love quoting our favorite comedies with my family--Scrooge, 3 Amigos, Fletch Lives, French Kiss, Princess Bride, Family Man, Envy, etc.
35. Now I love watching Kev get excited about the newest action/adventure flicks and Ryn get excited about any Disney movie with music.
36. My absolute favorite movies, the ones I can watch over and over again, are the ones that make me cry, sing or dance--Anne of Green Gables, Scrooge, Sense and Sensibility, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady...you get the picture.
37. I like chick flicks because they remind me how lucky I am to have found my own wonderful prince--one who'll even watch those flicks with me :).
38. To me, traveling is a necessary facet of life's educational opportunities. I never knew how wonderful my 12 years of life had been until we went to South America that summer and I saw little kids much younger than me out begging for money, people living in little one-room shacks, and bombs going off in airport trash cans. I didn't understand how a revolution could be as bloody and horrible as the French's until I saw the excesses of Versailles.
39. I can't even pick my favorite spots because there are so many amazing places in this wonderful world.
40. But I did tell Kevin that I want to die at Keukenhof --the out-of-this-world, and hence a superb place to go into the next, multi-acre flower paradise in Holland.
41. I love traveling with my dad because everything is always so well planned and organized--"stick with me and you go first class all the way" :)
42. I love traveling with my mom because everything is "fun" and there is truly "beauty all around" that mom always thanks Heavenly Father for.
43. I love traveling with Kevin because we have a blast exploring anywhere and everywhere, he drives and I navigate, we enjoy the planning as much as the actual trips, he listens with interest to all the historical tidbits I shove down his throat, and it's like seeing the world without leaving home because he is my home.
44. Paris is as magical as every movie and love song make it out to be.
45. Rome is my history major Disneyland.
46. I love traveling with Ryn and Elle because they are troopers and the best adornment to any photo op ANYWHERE.
47. I love that there are still a million awesome places left that we haven't seen yet!
48. I love traveling with the Linkous' because they are so easy to please with our novice travel agent talents and they are just as interested in all the history tidbits :).
49. I have to have a detailed map of anywhere we visit (so I can navigate :), as well as the historical background or I start twitching.
50. When visiting monuments, castles, museums, etc, it's ALWAYS worthwhile to take the guided tour. Otherwise you just wander around and waste your time not knowing what you're looking at or why it's important.