I'm so behind! I don't think I'll have time to blog in detail about my trip until I get back. Well, that's not true. I have time to blog now but we're in a hotel and have no power converter to charge my computer and it's almost out of juice. Anyway, tomorrow is our last day and we are going to end it with an evening in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The south of France is BEAUTIFUL! Here are a few pics...

Jour Deux
Well, today was long. Lots of things didn't go according to plan, from taking the Metro at least 5 stops too far in the morning and ending up in the business district... and then somehow deactivating my Metro pass by keeping it next to my cell phone (I have been having the worst luck with my frigging Metro pass!!)... to then not understanding what the waitress at the place I grabbed lunch was saying and getting an eye roll because I don't speak French... to having the worst time finding the Metro station in the Place de la Concorde... to having to come all the way back to our apartment to pick up this student discount card so we could find our way to this random office in the 6th district to buy discounted Disneyland tickets... to walking ALL OVER CREATION to try to find our bus stop to go up to the Scare Coeur (which we never actually went to, because we were so tired by the time we got on the bus that we just had to come back to the apartment and crash)... to stepping in vomit on the Metro... all in all, it was just a very long day. But that's ok, because it was a very long day in Paris, which is a great place to be.

But some good things happened today too. I totally rule at navigating my way through the Paris Metro system (the little mishap in the morning aside... we ended up exactly where I thought we were going to end up, it was just the wrong stop.) I had the most delicious coffee (which I ordered in French). I climbed all the way L'Arc de Triomphe, which was way cooler than I imagined it would be.

Anyway, I'm pooped, so I'm going to bed early. Gotta get my energy back for Disneyland tomorrow! I'm so used to hearing people with accents and speaking other languages in Disneyland... now it will be me speaking another language! Anyway, my mom and I are hoping to get some good pins to add to our collections. (Don't knock it until you've tried it.)

I added today's photos to my album, so check them out here.

Here's a little video from the top of L'Arc de Triomphe...

I opened up my Bible to a random Psalm this morning. This is what it says:

I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

I've got a whole lot of coming and going happening over the next few days. I feel very comforted knowing I'm not alone.

*Deep breath*

Let's do this.

*Hits the ground running*

The other night we had a little party at the Semsen's to celebrate Mike's birthday. Towards the end of the night, we were all sitting around, eating dessert and playing a trivia game. Noah decided to take his shirt off, and then Nathaniel decided he wanted to take his shirt off too. Then apparently pants were too much of a hassle... or maybe they were getting ready for bed and decided to run around in their chonies before putting on their pj's... in any case, there were definitely two young boys running around in their skivvies. (Which really doesn't have anything to do with the story, but hopefully will make the mental picture a little funnier.) So Daniel had his legs up on the coffee table and Nathaniel thought it would be fun to jump over them like a hurdle. He was doing a really good job (although I was almost too scared to watch because I was sure he was going to crack his skull) and Noah decided that it looked like fun. But being younger and shorter than Nathaniel, there was really no way for him to pull it off like his older brother. So Noah (who has the cutest smile and laugh EVER) was running at full speed up to Daniel's legs, stopped suddenly in front of them and jumped in place a few times, and then crawled his way over with much effort. I only wish I had taken video because it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen him do.

On Thursday night I went to see Wicked with Aaron, Leanne, and JW. It was INCREDIBLE. First of all, when Aaron when to get our tickets from Will Call, they offered us a free upgrade to the 13th row, so we had amazing seats. Like, perfect seats. Then after the show we got to go backstage because one of the girls in the show was in UCO with all of us and she hooked us up. We saw the costumes, the sets, a bunch of the props, the dressing rooms, the wig room, we walked out on stage - SO COOL. I learned a bunch of interesting tidbits about the show and felt like a total rock star as we walked out the stage door past a crowd of people who were lined up to get autographs from the cast as they were leaving. Seriously, could not have been any more awesome.

It's too hot outside. I hate it.

Why I am writing this? I don't have time for this. I need to pack for Paris.

Ok, it's been more than a year since I did a 100 Things About Me blog. If you'd like to read last year's installment, clickity click right here. Enjoy...


1) I don’t think that traffic school is a good punishment for getting a ticket. I don’t get tickets because I don’t know the laws; I get tickets because I knowingly break them.

2) My favorite black and white TV show is The Dick Van Dyke show.

3) I have tennis courts at my new house. I really want to learn how to play.

4) One time a bird dive bombed me in Costco. It was scary.

5) I think I need to make one of those “if we’re not married by the time we are 30, we marry each other” deals.

6) I really don’t like gin. I tried, but it tastes like soapy water. Soapy water with a lot of liquor in it.

7) When I was in high school (before I could drive), my mom would give me a ride to school so I didn’t have to ride the bus. We would eat breakfast at 7:00 while watching reruns of That Girl. At 7:15, as soon as the turkey commercial came on, my mom would say “Turkey Time!” and we had to leave. Therefore, I have seen many unresolved That Girl episodes.

8) I think I have a semi-photographic memory. But it’s selective. Very selective.

9) I have started using Superpokes in real life. Like, if someone does something I don’t like I say “trout slap” or “sucker punch”.

10) I am uncannily good at Wheel of Fortune. Seriously, watch it with me sometime. I can guess a puzzle after just a few letters.

11) I really really really hate meetings.

12) When I was in 7th grade, a bunch of my friends made this pamphlet of sorts in class one day. It was called “The Big Book of Heidi” and it had mean and crude drawings of me in it. They passed it around to the whole class. To this day I don’t really understand why they did it (nor can I remember exactly who did it) because I wasn’t really unpopular or anything.

13) If I could go on any reality TV show, it would be The Mole.

14) I like CSI Miami the best out of all the CSI shows.

15) I really like nice writing utensils

16) I wish I had an accent.

17) I put pepper on everything.

18) Whenever I fill up a cup with water from a soda machine, I have to let some water run through the machine before putting my cup under it. I am paranoid that it will be like half water and half soda if I don’t.

19) I have always wanted a brother.

20) My top five favorite music artists (excluding Christian artists) are: Ben Folds, Nickel Creek, Harry Connick Jr, Michael Buble, and Rascal Flatts.

21) My top five favorite movies are: It’s a Wonderful Life, Dead Poets Society, Little Miss Sunshine, You’ve Got Mail, and What About Bob?.

22) I have had that line from The Office when Kelly Kapur says “fashion show, fashion show, fashion show at lunch!” in my head for at least a year.

23) I kind of wish I was a landscape designer.

24) I organize my closet by type of shirt and by color within each type.

25) Two movies I always cry while watching are A League of Their Own and We Were Soldiers. Dead husbands make me cry.

26) I will never, ever have too many pairs of shoes.

27) I recently formed a Whistling Troupe. Our name is “A Mighty Wind.” Our repertoire is just Christmas music in four-part harmony, but we will be expanding soon. We also need to find outfits. And places to perform.

28) I love to dance.

29) I’m a sympathetic barfer, so please don’t ask me to hold your hair back.

30) I think they put an addictive chemical in Chipotle food.

31) I have issues with shoes. I can wear flip flops or high heels and be happy, but I can’t seem to figure out what to wear with outfits that are between casual and nice.

32) Breakfast for dinner is my favorite meal.

33) I never seem to have enough hangers, no matter how many I buy.

34) I have always wanted to fly somewhere first class. I’m saving my frequent flyer miles for an upgrade.

35) My friend Karen gave my name and address to Bowflex as a joke, so I very often get random brochures and DVDs from them.

36) I wish I could be an old man. Old men are the coolest.

37) I was just doing laundry and I came across a pair of pants that I swear I have never seen before in my life. They are my size, and look like something I would buy, but I sure as heck don’t remember buying them. Is that the first sign of shopping addiction?

38) Someone needs to invent an OS that lets you rearrange the applications you have open in your system tray (Is it called a system tray or did I make that up? Luckily I’m not geeky enough to know the difference.) because at work I have a very specific order in which my applications need to be opened. Outlook it always first and Firefox is always last. Our database that we use at work closes automatically after a period of inactivity, which always screws up everything. And when I have to sign out of my e-mail to sign in to the main office e-mail… someone help me. I need an intervention.

39) I have recently discovered the joy of going to the dry cleaners. They take so much better care of my clothes than I do. You have to understand that I grew up very simply. I never, not once, remember my parents going to the dry cleaners, or my mom going to get a facial or a pedicure, or splurging to get a really nice hotel when there was a perfectly good Super 8 down the road. And that’s totally fine; in fact, I appreciate being raised that way. But I am slowly discovering the “finer things in life” (most of which I cannot afford) and they pretty much are awesome.

40) Here is a list of men who are old enough to be my father who I think are sexy: Jack McCoy, Victor Garber, Sean Connery, and Dennis Quaid.

41) I want a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

42) I think that Fred Armisen of SNL is an unsung hero. He’s definitely not as famous as many of his current and former co-stars, but the dude is fricking funny.

43) I have been in non-school mode for several months now, and I completely forgot that I was going to be taking a class in late spring. I booked my trip to Paris right in the middle of that term. When I realized it, I said “Oh well, guess I’m getting a C. I don’t really care.”

44) You know those signs that are above speed limit signs that tell you how fast you are actually going? I treat those like a game. I like to see how much over the speed limit I go. This little game might catch up to me eventually.

45) I like to pray while I am on the elliptical at the gym.

46) I will never, under any circumstances, talk on the phone while I am on the toilet.

47) I hate talk radio.

48) I suck at cooking chicken. I’m always afraid that it will be undercooked, so I overcook it.

49) I use my teeth to hold hangers when I am hanging up my clothes.

50) I hate how crowded Trader Joe’s always is.

51) I like to sleep in a cold room with lots of blankets.

52) I may have many skills, but I suck at using the click wheel on my ipod. It takes me like 2 minutes to land on the artist or song that I want.

53) I bought my first queen sized bed about six months ago. While it is a million percent more comfortable than my old twin, I still sleep on a very small section on the edge.

54) When I started college I had a history minor (simply because I like history). I took a history class during my first semester, and it was actually pretty hard. When I called the automated line to hear my grades at the end of the semester, I heard “D” as my history grade. I figured that history must not be my thing and dropped my history minor. It wasn’t until two years later when I started working in the Registrar’s Office did I discover that I heard wrong. My grade was actually a B. Oh well; who wants a history minor anyway?

55) I change the blades in my razor every payday. It’s the only way I can remember to change them often enough.

56) I hate lotion.

57) I love Red Robin french fries with lots of seasoning salt dipped in their chunky blue cheese dressing.

58) If I had my way, I would spend 80% of my awake hours in flip flops. The other 20% would be in jeans and high heels.

59) I volunteered to drive the truck on Bel Canto and UCO tour just so I could have some freedom and get a break from the bus.

60) When I put away towels, I always put the freshly washed ones on the bottom of the pile in the closet. That way I know they are being used the same amount, and therefore fading the same amount.

61) I have this amazing down comforter that is way too hot for southern California, and I’ve started sleeping with it around up by my head. It’s like sleeping on a cloud. I’m going to have some serious issues when I get married, because I sleep so weirdly. Even if I make my bed, it’s a wreck within an hour of sleeping.

62) I’m really good at the limbo.

63) I hate baby talk.

64) I’m no good at tetherball.

65) For years I had an extreme foot phobia. I got over it once I discovered the joy of pedicures.

66) I used to want to have a lot of kids. Then I didn’t want to have kids at all. Now I changed my mind back and want to have them again.

67) Some of the leg weight machines at the gym make me feel like I am at the gynecologist’s office.

68) I often buy clothes without trying them on. I also often have to return clothes that don’t fit because I bought them without trying them on. Sorry, I’m impulsive.

69) I’ve been in love twice.

70) I think one of man’s greatest inventions was the sleep timer on the tv.

71) I think I’m pretty good at giving other people relationship advice.

72) There’s not much better in this world than hearing a kid laugh uncontrollably.

73) I think napping is the best.

74) I will absolutely freak out and get the willies if you ask me to kill even the smallest bug, but I have no problem getting a shot or giving blood. I’m also scared of clowns and mannequins. And scary movies. And the dark. But not heights.

75) I love to decorate.

76) I ran through the mods in only overalls and a strapless bra once on a dare.

77) I went to the State History Day when I was in high school to present our award winning project. It was a website (mind you, this was 1996) and I can’t remember what topic it was about. I actually only did it because I had a crush on one of the guys in the group.

78) Every Christmas I get an apple and orange, a can of Pringles, and gum in my stocking.

79) I really like toast.

80) I don’t really like politics.

81) I have never been stung by a bee.

82) I think bald men can be attractive.

83) Ann Curry from the Today Show drives me crazy. I can’t put my finger on it. I just loathe her.

84) I don’t really like working on a team.

85) I am not a fan of tall boots and capri pants.

86) I type crazy fast, but I never learned to type with my fingers on the right keys.

87) I sometimes like to make funny faces or do a little dance at an ATM or in an elevator so that the people watching the tape can have a laugh.

88) I like to fly kites.

89) When I was a kid, I called umbrellas “bumbershoots”. I don’t know why.

90) I hate the words moist and blouse.

91) I got in a pretty bad car accident when I was in jr high. We rolled off a cliff in a snowstorm. The car rolled twice before we hit the ground at the bottom of the cliff. I lived to tell the tale. Clearly.

92) I love those little floss swords.

93) One can never have too many pillows on one’s bed.

94) I hate one way streets.

95) When I was a kid and I would complain about getting wet out in the rain, my mom would say “When was the last time you got wet and didn’t get dry again? What? Never? Ok then. I think you’ll live.”

96) I hate New Mexico.

97) I have this weird compulsion to give the history of all of my purchases to people who are most likely just trying to make small talk. For example, someone might say to me “oh that’s a cute purse”, and I will say “Thanks, I got it at the Fossil outlet in Vegas when I went with Leanne, and I had a really hard time picking a purse, but I found this one and fell in love with it…” Or someone will say “I like your shoes!” and I will say “$12.99 at Target, I know, I’m the best bargain shopper ever, they are not very comfortable but sometimes you have to sacrifice comfort for fashion, I think they would look good with jeans and slacks…” BLAH BLAH BLAH. Shut up already Heidi.

98) After years of wondering what all the hype was about, I too have discovered the gloriousness that is Rainbow brand flip flops.

99) I would not want to go to mini-golf for a first date, because I am way too competitive. Oh sure, I’d play it off like I didn’t care if he won, but secretly, on the inside, a teeny tiny bit of hatred for him would start to grow. And that is probably not the best way to start off a relationship.

100) In my dream house, there would be a room called my prepared room. In my prepared room would be a never-ending supply of different sizes of batteries, pens, wrapping paper and cards for all occasions, screws/nails/hollow wall anchors, super glue, cotton balls, Drano, that thing with all the little drawers of extra buttons that Jerry Seinfeld invented, extension cords and power strips, and every other thing you have ever run out of when you needed it most.