The 108th Post

During my studying hiatus, I failed to recognize that I posted my 100th blog. I had big plans, but obviously those got pushed to the wayside. So for my 108th post, I give you 108 Things About Me. I've always been skeptical of doing one of these, but after seeing several other blogging friend join in on this fun, I decided to go for it!

1. My origins begin in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky in July of 1983. It’s a National Park…home to the longest cave system in the world.
2. My parents met working at Mammoth Cave National Park. Dad was a cave guide, mom worked in the ticket office. Coincidentally, my sister was a guide there for two summers and I worked in the ticket office for two years.
3. Did you know I have a sister three years younger than me? Her name is Sally. She’s the blog’s biggest fan.
4. I’m a lefty.
5. My all-time favorite song is Gladys Knight and the Pip’s “Midnight Train to Georgia”
6. The summer “I found my true self” was in the North Woods of Minnesota in a little town called Cass Lake. I worked at the oldest girl’s camp in the state. I played for a living that summer….I blame bad working habits of playing for my lack of interest in working during the summer months.
7. I met the love of my life on October 4, 2003 and I married him on June 14, 2008. Two and a half of those years we lived four hours away from each other.
8. Speaking of the love of my life…we have so much fun! Every day is an adventure!
9. My cousin Mac, who was four months older than me died as a result of a drunk driving accident when we were juniors in college. He was the coolest person you would ever meet. Don’t ever drive drunk. It’s not cool.
10. I love the smell when you walk into The Fresh Market. I can’t describe what it smells like, but if I could get my house to smell like it all the time I would never leave!
11. My dog is the only child I need right now thankyouverymuchnosylittleladyatchurch. 
12. I’ve never been a girly-girl and Chase likes it that way.
13. I love to cook….it runs deep in my blood. I’m proud to say that I was taught to cook “southern” not “country”. There is a BIG difference.
14. I’ve become a recent fan of Cook’s Country magazine. Yum!
15. My favorite items in the kitchen to cook with are my grandmother’s Pyrex bowls. Y’know what I mean? There are four of them that nest. The large is yellow, the second largest is red, the next is green, followed by a small blue one.
16. My favorite thing to cook and eat is Catalina Chicken on rice. Chase’s is Cayenne Rubbed Chicken with avocado salsa.
17. My lunchtime favorite is Raw Multi-Grain Spicy Tuna from The Fresh Market.
18. I loathe a dirty kitchen and/or bathrooms.
19. I just started a garden this year….I’m patient waiting the fruits of my labor to ripen so I can eat it with salt.
20. I’ve named every car I’ve driven. My new car’s name is LaFawnduh….she’s named after Kip’s internet babe in Napoleon Dynamite.
21. My favorite movies are those which are directed by the late John Hughes.
22. I do like Justin Bieber’s music…..no snickers, I know you do too!
23. My best friends live miles and miles from me…. Bowling Green, Kentucky; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky and St. Louis, Missouri.
24. I’m a drafter for a local homebuilder in Birmingham. It’s a pretty sweet gig drawing houses all day long!
25. I graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2006 with a bachelor’s in Interior Design.
26. I was and forever will be a KAPPA DELTA! I bleed green! AOT!
27. My sister is also my “sister”. She’s a KD too!
28. My grandfather and mom will tell you that I am my grandmother’s personality made over.
29. I like to sew.
30. I was born and raised a United Methodist.
31. My graduating class had 54 people. Our school system had one elementary school and one Jr. High/High School. We all knew each other for 13 years!
32. I’ve been reading The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. I recommend it.
33. I hate taking showers…hate it. I still do it though. Yes, I realize I am asking for someone to call me a dirty hippy. Don’t worry, my mom and husband do on occasion!
34. Contrary to the above statement, I do like being clean…but being dirty doesn’t gross me out.
35. Speaking of bathing habits…in the summertime at the lake we all head down to the water and take baths. The water is so clean! Don’t worry, we all still keep our suits on!
36. I’m low maintenance.
37. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a torch bearer for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. He ran the torch for a ¼ mile in Nashville. Our entire family and several friends went to watch him. At 75 years old, he ran the entire way…he out ran us following him. It was one of our family’s proudest moments.
38. Love, love, LOVE Sarah Jessica Parker.
39. Love Sex and the City too.
40. My all time favorite book is Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. My all time favorite author.
41. My dog is a rescue. He was a “door dump” outside a shelter in the middle of the night in Memphis. He’s my tough street dog! Haha!
42. My dog is so cool. I truly do think that he’s my four legged soul mate.
43. I have been a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan.
44. There aren’t too many positive role models in professional sports, but I truly believe that Albert Pujols, 1st baseman of the St. Louis Cardinals is the ultimate sports role model.
45. I have favorite colors….they always change.
46. I cried when I sold my car. Cried….like a baby.
47. My best friends and I call ourselves the Brownies. I’m not really sure how we ended up like that….somehow at my wedding, my friend Paige in somewhat of a “fun” state needed “brownie snacks” and we couldn’t figure out what she was talking about. Thus rather than being called Alice, Laura, LB, Meagan and Paige….we became the Brownies. The brownies are also my sorority sisters!
48. I’m attracted to junk of all kinds. I love junk!
49. My husband on the other hand does not like junk.
50. In design, I cannot stand for things to be symmetrical. Things have to be interesting and original. However, it must all FLOW.
51. Another theory I follow. I do not buy matchy matchy furniture sets. I don’t want my rooms to look like they were bought in a store in one day. My philosophy is to design a room that wasn’t put together in one day. I promise I will not judge you if you do matchy matchy. My best friend is the QUEEN of matchy matchy.
52. I have two amazing neighbors who I am formed wonderful friendships over the past two years.
53. Rachel is the first and I have known her now almost 2 years.
54. Renee is the second and I met her a year ago.
55. Renee is the friend that’s always up for coming over at 9:00 on a work night to watch a movie with me.
56. Rachel is the friend that’s always up for lunch with her precious daughter Ali.
57. I listen to Cosmo Radio’s “Wake Up with Taylor” every morning. LOVE HER!
58. My parents are my heroes.
59. I feel guilty spending money and leisurely stuff.
60. I’m a Netflix addict. Love finding old movies you can’t find on the shelves anymore!
61. I have a daily calendar with quotes from “The Office” on my desk. Sometimes I scan them and send them to my husband for a good chuckle.
62. Something foul stinks up my sink. It’s driving me crazy.
63. If it weren’t for Chase, we’d be looking for my cell phone all the time. He always picks it up for me.
64. We still look for my keys all the time.
65. I’m quite scatterbrained
66. I can’t stay on one task for too long. It’s a good thing that my boss recognizes this trait.
67. I love being on the lake or the river!
68. I was a lifeguard in high school.
69. I love a good sing-a-long.
70. Chase and I talk about “when we have children, we’ll …” though neither of us is ready to have them yet.
71. I wonder if we’ll ever be ready? We have too much fun with each other.
72. We have season tickets to all the home Alabama Crimson Tide games. I get worn out about November, but I still roll with the punches and have the best time.
73. Speaking of football….we love to tailgate! My favorite part? A little concoction called a Yellowhammer.
74. I have four female soul mate….their names are Laura, Laura Beth, Paige and Meagan. They were God’s present to me in college to help me through the good and bad times of life.
75. This list is getting hard to write!
76. I’m scared of snakes, but unafraid of spiders.
77. Chase is the opposite of that.
78. I don’t care for self absorbed people….I always try to be self aware and think of other’s before I act.
79. I don’t always succeed.
80. I have an amazing God and Savior!
81. When I was little I had a pair of puffy, pink snow boots. I would wear them all summer and my mom could never figure out why. I just revealed in the past year I thought I was Rainbow Brite in those boots.
82. I’m quirky.
83. I’m so quirky that when I was four I thought when you picked all the boogies out of your nose you had to go buy more at the store. I really am worried for my future children.
84. My imaginary friend when I was four was Chubby Gray. He was one of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys.
85. My first “smoke” was a hit off of my uncle’s cigar in high school….
86. Ironically, my first sip of alcohol was when I accidently picked up that same uncle’s bourbon and Sprite at the ripe old age of four (man, I was a busy four year old!) thinking it was ginger ale. I went inside to inform my mom that she gave my uncle a rotten ginger ale and he needed a new one.
87. I kept my middle and maiden name once I got married. I am now officially Alice Cuendet Caldwell Allen.
88. I can sing every song from the musical Annie.
89. My family’s origin is Swiss. One day I hope to visit Switzerland.
90. My favorite smell is a cool limestone spring. Nothing better.
91. My dad taught me to turkey call when I was seven. I can still call.
92. My back porch is like a little outdoor living room. I love spending time out there.
93. I’m a fan of Hallmark’s Maxine character. She reminds me of my grandmother.
94. I hate talking on the phone. I’d rather see you in person.
95. I love all things Charles Schultz.
96. My dog is terrified of thunderstorms. He hides his head under the bed when it’s really loud.
97. Both mine and Chase’s parents are still happily married. His for 35 years and mine for 29. That’s 64 years worth of inspiration for us both.
98. I really do think I picked the “one” and at that…the “right one”.
99. I took piano lessons for 9 years.
100. Because I love junk, I now have no room for my piano in my house. It’s still in Kentucky
101. I LOVE KENTUCKY.
102. I don’t like peas.
103. I have been growing my hair out since last June. It's now down to my shoulders....the longest it's ever been. I like it!
104. Chase asked me to marry him on an Etch-a-Sketch right before heading to a St. Louis Cardinals game. It was the cutest thing ever!
105. I believe a cold beer and pretzels will cure almost any ailment.
106. I’m a Parrothead.
107. Chase refers to my “side of the bed” as Amen Corner after the famous hole at the Augusta National. What’s ironic, is my side of the bed is not very well kept.
108. I feel slightly self absorbed writing this, but yet I’ve always wanted to.

God Bless YOU if you're still here to read this!