Random things about Tara

1. I grow up with two older sisters the oldest is 10 years older and the second oldest is 6 1/2 years older, so I'm sort of a only child.

2. All of us girls rode horses in competitions across the West Coast. The oldest one was the most successful, I was the runner up.

3. I know how to ride english and western. When I was young I wanted to be in the Olympics competing in the 3-day equestrian event.

4. I know how to milk a goat and a cow.

5. When I went to a shooting range (only about three times in my life) I was really good at shooting skeet and targets. I've kicked my husbands ass multiple times on the Wii duck hunt, but he is getting really good I think I better go back to the real thing for practice (well not to duck hunt I wouldn't do that just target practice).

6. I hated Barbie when I was a kid and if anyone gave one to me I would cut and color her hair. I also always thought it was so unfair that Ken had underwear and Barbie didn't.

7. I had a big collection of My Little Ponies and other horse figurines.

8. I also had a Pound Puppy named Coco.

9. My parents like to move allot, I've probably lived in 8 houses with my family and since age 19 I've lived in 5 different places. In all this time I've only lived in 4 houses which were in the "suburbs" 3 apartments and the rest were in the country.

5. I learned how to be a river raft guide and even took swift water rescue training during college. I also learned how to rock climb and I am so thankful for those experiences.

6. When I was 16 I drove a suburban until I got my first car, the Isuzu Amigo. My Amigo was later destroyed during transit, it was being towed to Washington State. Thank goodness no-one was injured.

7. I lived in Washington State on the Puget Sound across from Seattle for a year. I loved it there except I missed my close friends and family. I met my husband in Seattle about 7 years later.

8. I am a artist at heart. I have made many ceramic plates, bowls and cups on a wheel, it is one of my passions I don't really get to do now that I am out of school. One day I would love to have my own art studio with a pottery wheel and kiln.

9. Since moving to Los Angeles I have not had any animals living with me (besides my husband, hehe). This is a first in my life and is strange to me. I can't find a good apartment that allows pets at the price I currently pay :( My animals are now with my family so I can visit with them.

10. I love plants and gardening. At one point in my life I wanted to be a Landscape Architect. I do have hands on experience. I guess I still can be?

11. I am not a big Movie theatre fan. I don't like paying $12 for watching a movie I can watch at home for a fraction of the price. I also often get bothered by other movie theatre goers and then there is the whole stress of making sure you get there early enough to get a seat you want. Then you have to sit there for what seems to be an hour + watching commercials and movie previews.

12. I love wine. My husband and I belong to 5 wine clubs from across California as far north as Mendocino and as far south as Temecula.

13. I love playing Rock Band on Wii. I totally rock on the drums. I can even play drums and sing at the same time. I impress myself with my skills sometimes. Did I mention I can laugh at myself, I think that is so important to be able to laugh at yourself for being so silly and I am silly, but for reals I can really rock:)

14. I love going to fancy restaurants. I love the many restaurants in Los Angeles. They get so creative with the interior decoration and food parings.

15. I have found a new walking/jogging path in LA that seems like it would only be found in a dream not LA.

16. I love to wash my own car.

17. I am really handy around the house and I am usually the first one to figure out how to use new electronic devises.

18. When I was a kid I would stand up on a box to sing and dance. And some times I still do. Well maybe not a box that would break, but more like a bar or a chair or a table something a little stronger.

19. I have always owned a manual car. I just love the feeling of being more interactive or in tuned with my vehicle. I am proud to say I survived driving a manual at age 16 in San Francisco with three other 16 year old girls in the car afraid we would die rolling down the hills of SF.

20. In fact I was allowed to drive myself and my friends to many other places like Santa Cruz, Tahoe and Berkley. I feel very fortunate for this since today there are so many restrictions on teen driving. (p.s. for those that don't know I grow up in the Bay Area not LA or Eureka).

21. I Have never had braces on my teeth or back or legs (poor Forest).

22. I have lived in the snow and will never again. I really don't like snow all that much. In fact I don't like being cold. Once it is below 55 its too cold to me.

23. I really am not so excited about skiing either. I hate ski lifts. They stress me out when I have to get on and off them. Although I do really enjoy the ride and the view from up there.

24. I have double jointed thumbs and I can touch my tongue to my nose.

25. I had my tongue pierced and I have seven holes in my ears, but I do not have tattoos (yet).

26. I don't have a favorite color I love all the colors. If I had to choose I would say tor

Update for the new year

Well since the last post the biggest thing that has happened is that Chad has torn his achilles tendon had to have surgery on Christmas Eve and has been in a cast for past few months. Now it's the end of May and he can walk, but with a limp and he can't walk very long.
It's a bummer for him and me since we used to take walks after work. Walk to Culver City to have dinner, drinks or gelato. We also used to walk to Trader Joes to go shopping. So I think because of this I've become a bit of a couch potato. I've watched more shows then I normally do. I think also working out during my lunch hour has given me more time after work to sit around. So now my thought is I need to workout more to meet my weight loss goal. I have been practicing Yoga and Pilates more often. It’s becoming a routine now; every Tuesday is my Yoga class. Last week I also tried a reformer Pilate’s class. This was at another location not part of my gym membership so I don’t think I will be paying for that separately. It’s about $150 for 5 classes. I used a coupon for a ½ off the drop in rate and paid $22. I did enjoy the reformer class and I bet it would be really helpful in toning my body. I only have 8 weeks before Vegas to lose 10-15 more lbs. Darn it! I want to look hot in my swimsuit and in my cute outfits in the hot Vegas weather.
A month after Vegas Chad and I have another trip planned, we are going to Chicago for about a week and then to Erin and Jeff's Wedding in Detroit. Then in November we are going to Hawaii, the big Island with FIDM (Chad's work). We are also planning a trip for next year (thanks to Chad’s Grandpa’s timeshare). We hope to take a trip to Italy. We have a few locations picked out; we just need to find out if they are available. If not Italy maybe Greece, France, Spain, Ireland maybe the Caribbean and if they don’t work out we’ll go to Cancun or maybe back to Cabo. We do need to use the timeshare by April so we would like to travel somewhere that will be warm during that time. We could extend the time we can travel, but it cost additional money.