Run DMT

In honor of my 100th post, I thought I would compile a list of 100 things about me.  So without further ado and in no particular order… My 100 List!

1. I was born in Flushing, N.Y. on July 27 and lived in Bayside, Queens until 6 years old.
2. I am eternally 29.
3. I am Leo in every way, shape and form.
4. I am Italian, Spanish, German and French.
5. We moved to New Port Richey, Florida in 1976.  I have lived in Florida for 31 years and consider myself a Floridian although a native would still consider me a transplant.
6. My whole family still lives here.
7. I have one sibling: my sister, Simone.
8. I have one living grandparent, my Grandma Nancy and she lives in Manhattan.
9. I hated high school.  I attended Ridgewood High School; however I nearly quit high school in my junior year at 16, but then transferred to New Port Richey Christian School and managed to graduate in 1989.  There were only 14 seniors in my graduating class.
10. I attended St. Petersburg Junior College for 4 years.  I worked a lot and partied plenty which really put a damper on my studying.  During the last 2 years of junior college, I really buckled down to graduate and transferred to USF.
11.   I loved my college years.  I met some great friends.
12.   I graduated with honors from University of South Florida in 1995 with a B.S. in Elementary Education 1-6.
13.   I completed my final internship in York, England at Huntington Primary, and my friend, Suzie, was my housemate.
14. I traveled from the Florida Keys to NYC in the summer of ‘96 with my housemates.  My ‘88 Toyota Corolla rolled over 100, 000 that summer.
15.   I met my husband, Allan, on October 25, 1995 at Guavaween in Ybor City at the Green Iguana.  It was love at first sight when we met and I knew I was going to marry him.
16.   I married my DH on December 18, 1999.  It was a Christmas Scotish wedding.  My husband wore a kilt and his uncle piped us out of the church.
17.   The ceremony was at St. France Cabrini and our reception was held at the Belleview Biltmore.
18.  Our wedding song is Crazy Love by Van Morrison.
19.  We honeymooned in the Cayman Islands.
20.   I have an open waters SCUBA certification, but the last time I dove was on my honeymoon.  I reached a depth of 114 feet. 
21.   I dream of diving again.
22.   I taught for 7 years all different grade levels, but primarily third grade and only Title One schools.
23.   I obtained my National Board Professional Teaching Certificate in Middle Child Generalist in 2001.
24.  I attempted 2 master’s degrees, but I didn’t finish either: Instructional Technology and Media Specialist.
25.   I have been a SAHM for 7 years and I love being a mom.
26.   Now, I toy with the idea of returning to grad school to earn a Master’s in Ed Leadership.
27.   I plan to run for school board some day.
28.   I was heavy for most of my life, but in college, the weight somehow started to melt away.
29. When I became pregnant with my first daughter, I gained 90 pounds and it took two years for the weight to come off.
30.  My first daughter, Allana Rose, was born on November 1, 2001.
31.   I share my middle name with Allana, my mother and her mother.  I have several cousins with same middle name, too.
32.  I nursed Allana for 3 years until I became pregnant with my second child.
33.  Emmalynn Jaime was born on July 12, 2005 and I only nursed her for 5 months.
34.  I only gained 40 pounds with my second pregnancy, but it still took two years for the weight to come off again.
35.  I would love to have 4 children and hope to get pregnant with #3 next spring after my sister’s wedding.
36.   I had a miscarriage at 10 weeks when Emmalynn was a year old.
37.  We lived in Spring Hill for 9 years and moved to Land ‘O Lakes in 2006.
38.  I have met some of my best friends since we moved here.
39.  I began running in February 2007.  In the beginning, I could barely run a ¼ mile.
40.   My first race was 5K Wingding for the St. Pete Times Turkey Trot, Thanksgiving 2008.
41.  In winter 2009, I plan to run 2 marathons: the Disney Marathon and the Gasparilla Distance Classic. (Did it, done it and got the shirts to prove it.)
42.  I feel years younger since I started running and I am completely addicted to it now.
43.   I run because I can.
44.  I am actually down to the size I wore before I became pregnant with Allana and never thought I would see it again.
45.  Sometimes I shop in the children’s section for clothes.
46.  I love shopping, but I only buy things on sale and never full price for anything.
47.   I love shopping at thrift stores and I have been known to sport Goodwill threads.
48.  I dream of visiting Australia some day.
49.  I plan to earn a group fitness instructor certificate.
50.  I have always love to write.  I still have stories I wrote as a young child.
51.   I love Karaoke, but I am the only one who enjoys my singing.
52.   I spend WAY too much time on the Internet.
53.   I can play the piano, but I never play in front of others.
54.   I aspire to become a published author someday.
55.  I love playing tennis, cycling and rollerblading.
56.  The FlyLady saved my life.
57. SNL is one of my favorite shows.  In high school, I dreamed of auditioning, but I am not that funny.
58.  I would love to score some tickets to see SNL.
59.   I wanted to be an actress in high school, but I didn’t think I would really make it.  Teaching seemed like a practical choice.
60.   I would love to audition for a local community theater production.
61.  I love to travel, but lack of funds puts a serious damper in my jet-setting.
62.  I would move to England in a heartbeat.
63.   I have been organizing a drama-free mommy group, Moms on the Go, for over 2 years now.  I love my mommy group.
64.  I volunteer at my daughter’s school.
65.  Sometimes I miss teaching.  I miss the students, but not the paperwork nor the stress.
66.  For two years, I owned, operated and taught Mommy and Me classes (music and movement classes) for toddlers and I really miss it.
67.  I had 2 Manx cats (Grace and Scully), but we found new homes for them when we moved.
68.   I love throwing parties.
69.  Christmas is my favorite holiday, but Halloween and Thanksgiving are close seconds.
70.  I am allergic to everything under the sun, but I am highly allergic to walnuts.  I carry an Epipen just in case.
71.   When I am rich, I want to own a cabin in the mountains, a bungalow on the beach and a small cottage or farmhouse in the Yorkshire countryside.
72.  I love food.  Italian, Indian and Mexican are some of my favorite cuisines.
73.  Wine, beer and dark chocolate are staples in my diet. 
74.   I love margaritas.
75.  I enjoy vanilla lattes from Starbucks way too much.
76.  I love camping, hiking and canoeing with my friends and family.
77.  I dream of visiting Wine Country.
78.  I love music and my favorite artist at the moment is Ben Harper.
79.   Bob Marley’s Legend is my favorite album of all time.  Van Morrison’s Moondance is a very close second.
80.  I am a T.V. addict.  I have way too many favorite shows to list.
81. My favorite book is the Time Traveler’s Wife.
82.  My favorite movies are Love Actually, When Harry Met Sally, Old School and A Knight’s Tale.
83.  My favorite color is red and I really like pink too.
84.  I love going to the theater, but I can’t afford the tickets anymore.
85.  My favorite musical is Wicked.  I have seen it twice and plan to see it every time it returns to Tampa.
86.  I also love Rent.
87. I love going to the movies, but I have to see a movie on opening weekend because I like knowing that my $9 was part of the millions the film grossed its first weekend.
88.  I kept my maiden name, but I didn’t double-barrel.  I have two last names, but I really wish I added a hyphen between the two names.  It would be so much less confusing for everyone.  I started illegally hyphenating about a year ago.
89.  I use Taylor in social settings and Mestanza-Taylor in professional settings.  I feel two names better represent my multiple personalities.
90.  I have a tendency to be brutally honest with people.  If you ask for my opinion, you will get it straight-up.  You have been warned.
91. I am grateful for my two girls and I love that they are so close like my sister and me.
92.  I was raised Catholic, but have considered changing faiths.
93.  I am very spiritual.
94.  I believe in reincarnation and past lives.
95.   I am afraid of clowns.
96.   I am terrified of guns. 
97.   My favorite flowers are tulips and roses, of course.
98.   I love the sound of an acoustic guitar, waves crashing on the shore and children’s laughter.
99.  I am thankful for a blessed life.
100. I love the woman I have become.