99 Thingie Meme

(Just copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done.)
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band -if you count wii
4. Visited Hawaii—No, but I lived in Barrow and that is far more exotic
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain- at least one 14er and a few 12ers… I lived at 10K for the first 3 years of my life, that should count too.
9. Held a praying mantis -
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea—seen lightning, not necessarily a 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. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
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
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
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 -
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
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
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
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job-- well, I would have had I not quit before walking out on my shift
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London -
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
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. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life -if you have kids, you’ve done this more than once.. er maybe that is just my kids…
90. Sat on a jury-- if you have kids, you are the judge, jury and executioner.
91. Met someone famous-- I've seen Sarah Palin a few times... does that count?
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake –I put my arm in… does that count?
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Me Me Me Meme

I saw this over at Smile, Play, Dream, and thought I would play along

1. Five names you go by: Sierra, Mia, Mom, Seeester and Waaaaah!

2. Three things you are wearing right now: Yoga pants, Tank Top and a smile

3. Two things you want very badly at the moment: to be packed already, and the home remodel done when I get back.

4. Three people who will probably fill this out or maybe will or maybe won’t: Tiffany, Shiloh, Tricia

5. Two things you did last night: Dropped off Christmas gifts to neighbors and stayed up way too late.
6. Two things you ate today: Rice Crispy Treats and Chicken Marinara Bake

7. Two people you last talked to on the phone: Mom and Meadow

8. Two things you are going to do tomorrow: Travel 3000 miles alone with 2 kids under 3yrs old, and sleep well when I get there.

9. Two longest car rides: I drove 3705.54 miles from L.A. to Anchorage in 2005 when I was 5 months pregnant. Fun trip.
10. Two of your favorite beverages: water with lemon and hazelnut latte.


A Meme of 7's

I got tagged by Kendi so here goes:)

7 things I can do:
1. plan and pack for a 3-day weekend for 4 in less than an hour
2. eat a whole roll of oreos in one sitting
3. make cute babies, and keep em alive
4. manage a crisis
5. clean house all day and still have mess when the day is over
6. a kayak roll
7. eat with chopsticks

7 things I can't do
1. stay at home for more than 1 day at a time
2. eat slimy textures
3. keep my kids clean and dressed
4. manage a schedule
5. grow a successful garden... I planted 72 seeds in the spring and harvested only 1 pea... and the dog ate it. I've got plans for a new garden location and a better methods next year.
6. enjoy getting out of bed in the morning
7. color my own hair

7 things that attracted me to Ben
1. his silly giggle
2. his natural leadership
3. his integrity
4. his kisses
5. his wink and cheesy grin
6. his outdoor savvy
7. his groundedness and manliness

7 things I say most often
1. You're so silly!
2. Kaia, leave your sister ALONE!
3. One, Two...
4. Are you ok?
5. SHHHHH! Use your inside voice!
6. Good job!
7. Watcha doin?

7 Celebrity admirations
1. Oprah-- gives back and inspires others
2. Lance Armstrong-- overcome great odds
3. Susan G. Koman-- dedication for a cause that makes a difference
4. Dr. Oz- knowledge of health and fitness
5. Sponge Bob Square Pants-- sincere love and appreciation for the simple things
6. Alison Vincent-- the biggest loser lost 112 lbs mostly on her own.
7. Ekhart Tolle-- inspirational author with a positive message

7 favorite foods
1. chocolate
2. ice cream
3. grilled salmon
4. cheesecake
5. gourmet pizza
6. Tillamook caramel corn puffs
7. pit fruit (nectarines, plums, peaches, apricots, avocados, olives and all nuts)

7 people I tag
Well, if there are 7 people who read this blog that haven't been tagged... you're it.

A Meme for You

I've been tagged by Shiloh and have been in a bit of a blog funk, so here goes.

Five Things to do on my List today
1. Make a baby
2. Keep Kaia from picking up any more bees
3. Try to keep from having those yucky contractions (at least till Ben get's home)
4. Play fetch with Nui for a few minutes so he doesn't feel so neglected
5. Try my best to keep my sanity

Snacks I Enjoy
1. Anything Chocolate
2. Fresh fruit... especially nectarines and berries
3. Crunchy, salty things like popcorn, chips and pretzels

Things I would do if I were a Millionaire
1. Remodel and pay off the house
2. Contribute to non-profit organizations that help women and children
3. Invest in something solid (if anyone knows of anything in this economy, let me know)

Places I have lived
1. Provo, UT
2. At 10,000 ft elevation in Elk Meadows, CO
3. Montrose, CO
4. Midway, UT
5. Albuquerque, NM
6. Beaverton, Banks and Portland, OR
7. Seward, Anchorage, Barrow and Wasilla, AK
8. Vincennes, IL
9. Lisbon, Amora and Arrentella Portugal
10. Santiago, Cabo Verde

Bad habits I have
1. Eating too much
2. Not sticking to a schedule
3. Biting off more than I can chew

Jobs I have held
1. Retail Clerk
2. Tour Guide / Deck Hand
3. River Guide
4. Program Director for Outdoor Adventures
5. Missionary / Clergy
6. Public Relations Director
7. Mom

I now tag: Christina, Kim and Kendi

6 UnimportantThings

I was tagged by Smile, Play, Dream to divulge 6 unimportant things about myself.

Here are the rules:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your entry.

Here goes:

My driveway is a giant mud pit that requires a little creative driving to get through on my way in and out.
I have moved more than 35 times including locations on 3 different continents and 4 of the 5 world climate zones.
I hate it when other people are late... but can't for the life of me make it anywhere on time.
I love Nature, but tend to be bored with the ordinary.
My life story is riddled with mistakes, but I really don't regret any of them.
I prefer to be naked, but don't have the body or live in the climate to get away with it.


I tag

Chiara
Kendi
Jenn
Karin
Kimmy P
Aubry

De-Stressing Meme

Nicci Tagged me at Smile, Play Dream for Five ways you like to de-stress, relax, wind down or kick back." So here goes.

1. When Ben is home, put the kiddo to bed early!
2. Play with dog and kiddo outside. (any temp above 40 is perfect.)
3. Blogging and catching up with fam and friends.
4. Head out on a hiking adventure just about anywhere.
5. Watching Nature out my living room window. (I especially like the birds, squirrels, moose, snow falling, melting or blowing in chunks off the big trees… yes, it's true, we STILL have snow.)

I tag Kimmy P. at Ex Libris Lady, Cousin Kimmy at A Million Moments and Cousin Karin at Short and Sweet.

Some Fun Tests

Smile, Play, Dream posted some fun test results and I couldn't help but take them just for fun. Actually, it was a fun way to post a blog without having to think to hard.

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is a firestorm - full of intensity and drama. Your thoughts may seem scattered to you most of the time... But they often seem strong and passionate to those around you. You are a natural influencer. The thoughts you share are very powerful and persuading.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

I don't know how influential I am, but I do have a firestorm of thought that are very scattered... I don't know if that is a good thing. I never figured myself for a drama fiend, but I guess I do have a flare for it.
____________________________________________________

You Are An Exclamation Point

You are a bundle of... well, something. You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama. You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it. Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself. You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy. (But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.) You excel in: Public speaking You get along best with: the Dash

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Humm, no surprises here.
________________________________________________

You Are a Realist

You don't see the glass as half empty or half full. You see what's exactly in the glass. You never try to make a bad situation seem better than it is... But you also never sabotage any good things you have going on. You are brutally honest in your assessments of situations - and this always seems to help you cope.

Are You An Optimist or Pessimist?

This was interesting. I don't know how "real" my perspective is, but I do call it like I see it.

Meme and the Power of 3

I was tagged by Squish at Bossy Mom to meme this positive power of 3 and I pass the fun on to K.B. at K.B. Squared.

1. Name three things that you adore.
- my family
- my mountains
- adventure

2. Name three things you appreciate about your spouse/significant other.
- his integrity
- his sense of humor
- his commitment to his family

3. Name three things that you are especially good at.
- organizing adventures
- developing projects and programs
- initiating change

Meme Me

I was tagged by K.B. Squared to do this enlightening little meme and wanted to pass along the fun. I am actually surprised that I haven’t been sent to “room 101” wherever and whatever that is, or at least been violently shaken to the point of removing me from off the face of the Earth anyway. At any rate, I hope to read the fun memes of Slacker Moms R Us and Ex Libris Lady. Other cool bloggers who have posted this meme are Bossy Mom, K.B. Squared and Smile, Play, Dream.

Four Things That Should Go Into Room 101 and Be Removed From the Face of the Earth:
1. Anything Teletubbie
2. War and Oppression
3. Processed “Diet” Food
4. Disease

Three Things That People Do That Make You Want to Shake Them Violently
1. Nag to do things that they don’t want to do for themselves (pushy hypocrisy)
2. Pushing their beliefs on others in attempt to change them (forceful arrogance)
3. Endangering the well being of others for their own gratification (reckless selfishness)

Two Things You Find Yourself Moaning About
1. Boredom
2. Loneliness

1 Thing the Above Answers Tell You About Yourself
I really gotta get out more… preferably during teletubbie broadcasts, and all those damn fast and snacky food commercials so that I can have some adventure, meet new people and avoid the following:

• punishing myself with processed diet food after bingeing on unsatisfying substitutes for the snacky foods I really wanted and didn't have around
  
• nagging my hubby to be more active when I, myself, am in bed
  
• phonecalls from Mom that end in me aggressively pushing her to change what she CAN control vs. boobing about what she can't
  
• and recklessly endangering the well being of anyone within throwing distance or ear shot when I go ballistic and wage war on the 4 walls that oppress me for too many consecutive days.

Linky Dinky Meme

I was tagged by Slacker Mom and thought I would share the fun of this linky dinky meme:

Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so:

1. Daddy Forever
2. Almost Somewhat Positive
3. Maggie at CoffeeShopMofia
4. Slacker-Moms-R-Us
5. Big Dreams and Pixie Dust

Next select 5 people to tag:

1. K.B. Squared
2. Smile, Play, Dream
3. A Million Moments
4. Never Enough Time
5. Delightful Distraction

What was I doing 10 years ago?

I had just graduated from High-School and believe that on this exact date I was driving from Portland, OR to Provo, UT with everything I owned in an ’84 Honda Acord with a brand-new, custom, barney-purple paint job. My teddy bear was buckled into the front seat on top of a laundry basket full of shoes. I was screaming down a highway in the middle of the desert at 90 MPH with the radio blasting some ungodly Honky Tonk that just happened to be the only thing I could find on the dial. Chances are I was singing along at the top of my lungs, my left leg was definitely hanging out the window and I’m pretty sure my pigtails were flappin’ around in the wind. Looking back, that was probably the best road trip I had ever taken to that date.

What was I doing 1 year ago?

I was on vacation in Portland, reevaluating my beliefs and restructuring my lifestyle. I was nearly ½ way to losing the 100 lbs. I had set out to lose the previous January, and was stoked that I had support from Mom while Hubby was in what seemed to be endless months of police training.

5 snacks I enjoy

1. Smoked Salmon, Moose or Reindeer (so, I’ve been a little bit spoiled up here in AK)
2. Fruit (Nectarines, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and Tuscan Cantelope Rock!)
3. Nuts (Cashews, Macadamias and Pistachios are my favorite… especially if they come in cookies or chocolate)
4. Cosmo Corn (The most amazing caramel popcorn I have ever tasted in my life! I’ve only seen it at Bale’s Thriftway and The Tillamook Cheese Factory)
5. German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream Concoction from Cold Stone (Sweet cream ice cream, fresh-baked brownie, toasted coconut and chopped pecans with caramel and fudge topping swirled in… Yah, it’s heaven in a cone)

5 songs that I know all the lyrics to…

1. You are My Sunshine
2. Twinkle Twinkle
3. Give Said the Little Stream
4. The theme song to “It’s A Big, Big World”
5. Star Spangled Banner

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire

1. Build my Family Adventure Lodge
2. Launch my dream business of sharing my passion for Family, Nature and Adventure with the world
3. Take annual family adventures to all the cool places I would love to go visit (stay tuned for a top 10 list in the near future)
4. Start up a Education Trust Fund for my kids and their kids
5. Give 10% to charities (probably ones benefiting the needy, or supporting personal development, families, arts and education)

5 bad habits

1. I share too much information
2. I make too many excuses for not taking care of myself
3. I cuss too much
4. I spend too much time on the internet
5. I talk too much

5 things I like to do

1. Backpack
2. Trail Run
3. Blog
4. Plan Adventures
5. Hubby

5 things I will never wear again

1. Church-Lady Panties
2. Acrylic or Press-On Fingernails
3. Cowgirl Boots or Pants
4. Skater Pants
5. Mom Jeans

5 favorite toys

1. Computer
2. Camera
3. Scrap Booking Gadgets
4. Um… well, in attempt to break bad habit #1, I will keep the rest between me and my hubby

Top Ten: Personal Ironies

I haven't done a Top Ten list in a while and found this meme topic quite interesting. I would love to read a few of your personal ironies in the comments. So, here they are, my top ten personal ironies in chronological order.

1. For the longest time I said I would only eat wild game. Then I despised killing animals and decided to stick to beef, pork and chicken. Then I discovered that beef, pork and chicken come from cows, pigs and chickens and I went vegetarian for about a year. Now I prefer wild game or organic meat (but I do enjoy a good greasy burger once in a blue moon).
2. For the longest time, I said that I would never be a runner, I actually hated running. Then I joined sports and it became part of the price to play the game. Then I got in shape and it wasn’t so painful. Then I started running on Mountain trails, Desert trails, Arctic trails and began to enjoy it. Now I get excited anytime I think I might get to run a trail and am planning on pacing my dad on a portion of his 100 mile ultra-marathon.
3. For the longest time, I said I would never go to a Mormon Church College. Then I went to BYU for a year and then swore I would never go back. I graduated from BYU with Recreation Management and Business Management Degrees.
4. For the longest time, I said that I would never neglect my physical health. Then I let myself go and put on 130 lbs. I have since taken off 100 and am working really hard to get rid of that last stubborn 30.
5. For the longest time, I said I would never go on a Mormon Church Mission. Then there was a period they wouldn’t have let me. I was the first of all my girlfriends to actually do it and served an amazing 17 months in Europe and Africa, learned 2 new languages and learned a LOT about myself, others and life in general.
6. For the longest time, I said I would never get married or have children. Then I was voted most likely to get married right out of high school and start a family. I was the last of all my girlfriends to actually do it, but have a wonderful hubby of 5 years in August, a beautiful baby girl of 17 months and I wouldn’t trade ‘em for anything!
7. For the longest time, I said I would have an adventurous career like an Astronaut who discovers intelligent life on other planets and travels to new galaxies or a Marine Biologist who discovers new life forms in the ocean deep. Then I discovered that I’m not all that good at math but have an affinity for the mountains… on earth. I am now a stay-at-home mom living on the Tundra… no mountains, but I have created new intelligent life in a place that is like another planet… that should count for something.
8. For the longest time, I said I would accomplish big dreams of running my own business. Then I signed up for several of those pyramid businesses and NONE of them ever made me any money. I still have plans to run my own adventure lodge, and it is closer now than it has ever been. Now we just have to decide on a place to build it.
9. For the longest time, I said I would move to Alaska and make that my home. Then I vacationed in Alaska, worked a summer in Alaska and honeymooned in Alaska. Right after college I moved to Alaska. Now I count the days till I can get the hell out of here and am debating on whether or not I really want to make it my home.
10. For the longest time, I said that I would never even think about leaving the Mormon Church. Then I questioned the integrity of its members, left and said I would never come back. Then I realized the members aren’t a perfect example of the doctrine, came back and said I would never leave again. Then I questioned the doctrine and seriously considered leaving again. I finished my mission, got married in the Temple and continued a strong-active member for 5 more years. Then I questioned the effect of all the doctrine on my personal relationship with God and how the contradictions would ultimately affect my children. I have since left again, but have no intention of predicting the future. If God leads me back, that’s His business.

Funny Meme

I found this great meme and tag Tori to google her name + the word "needs" and record the top 10 things that google thinks she needs. Kimmy, you are not off the hook yet; you still owe me your meme for real mom.

When I googled my middle name + the word "needs," I found the following:

1. Mia needs an airport authority: Or at least the airport authority benefits to fly outta here regularly
2. Mia needs a home that would give her lots of pampering and care: Our own home would be nice
3. Mia needs to work on an international scale: Running an adventure lodge would bring in international business
4. Mia need help: Some may say professional help :)
5. Mia needs a bag including "sparklies": Every woman needs a good bag with sparklies
6. Mia needs to hear Peppermint Gondry: I was curious and clicked on the link, it's a list of songs most of which I have heard. Appearantly there are a few more I should look up and listen to before I have an unfortunate run-in with a steam roller.
7. Mia needs an "R" rating: Sometimes I do... depends on the day.
8. Mia needs a professional and welcomming web site: YES, I am actually trying to build one for the city of Barrow to be a one-stop source of information. It's called Tundra Trax. Fun little project, but I don't know what I am doing.
9. Mia needs a clock for the time machine: Well, I don't know what time I would travel to, so this one can wait.
10. Mia needs a Ninja Burger Shirt: What is a ninja burger?
    

Real Moms

I caught this fantastic meme about what makes a real mom from slacker-moms-r-us, and I have been putting some thought into it. A mom is something different to everyone, but the kind of mom I want to be is the kind with the following attributes:

• A real mom sees the world through a child's eyes, yet trusts her instincts and experience when it comes to teaching children about and protecting them from the dangers they can't see.
  
• A real mom bends the rules in the name of fun, yet knows just when and how to enforce them when it comes to teaching values.
• A real mom plays along with imaginary friends, yet believes in cultivating real adult friendships too.
• A real mom loves her kids, yet relies on loving herself to be the best example of health and joy for them.
• A real mom shares her toys, her dreams and her whole life's passion, yet has confidence in her children and supports them in choosing their own toys, building their own dreams and discovering thier own life's passion.

These are just a few real mom attributes that I feel are important. I encourage all moms who read this to think about what being a Real Mom means to them and tag Kim to post her meme.

Unusual Things About Me

I was tagged by Emily to share 6 unusual things about me. Well, I must admit that I had a bit of a tough time picking things that were blog appropriate, but I have narrowed it down to these few.

In the spirit of listing my top tens, I figured I would post them all up here and let you pick which 6 you like the best.

Top Ten Most Unusual Things About Me

1. I climbed a 14,000 ft peak
2. I backpacked over 300 miles (not on the same trip)
3. I served a mission in Africa and Europe
4. I speak 2 languages fluently and understand 2 more
5. I lost over 100 lbs last year
6. The mountains are my favorite refuge
7. Death by polar bear and exposure are real dangers in my day-to-day life
8. Exotic dance is my new favorite indoor workout
9. Everything I swore I would never do, I have done
10. It is my dream to build and run a successful family adventure lodge

I tag Tori