Bucket List

Getting older and surviving three deployments has compelled me to fill my remaining days with passion and variety. I feel like I need to make up for my lost years. Whether they were lost overseas or while I lived in a daze in the states, I realized, I cannot waste anymore time. Each and every day is precious and I promised myself to be more “present” in the moments and not put off things I want to do. I may not be guaranteed another day, so I will make each one count. No regrets.

My bucket list is me – random. It has some sweet little moments on it as well as grand events. As I think of more, I will add them, and as I do some, I will try to post some pictures or comment on them.

So here is my list, big and small:

From 2014 and Before

• Make an apple pie

I couldn’t just make any apple pie. I had to make a carmel apple pecan pie!

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• Start a blog

I finally started to blog and a few people say its coming along just fine. 🙂

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• Swing from a trapeze

On my 43rd birthday, I took a trapeze class. It was so hard but so much fun. Next year, my new bucket list adjustment for this is to do more than swing. I want to learn to hang upside down from the bar!

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• Run a 1/2 marathon

I have completed five 1/2 marathons now. Each has been more about the time with a friend rather than the time of the event.

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• Complete a mud run

Completing mud runs has not been about speed for me yet, but more of an experience in just finishing and the joy of doing it with a friend.

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• Do paddle board yoga

This was so utterly hard and yet peaceful. The difficulty of moving, and not falling into the water, took everything I had. And, just being on the water was so relaxing.

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• Learn to kayak

While kayaking, I laid back and just soaked in the beauty of the moment.

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• Own a horse

This is my first horse, Daisy. Since I was a little girl, I have dreamt of her.

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• Make my own sushi

My first attempt at sushi was not pretty, but now I have a clue on how to do it!

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• See Les Miserables/Phantom of the Opera on stage

Both were simply amazing to see performed live! (But here is one of the programs.)

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• Learn to golf

I am slowly learning to golf and am enjoying it. It is a lot more challenging than I ever thought.

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• See Lindsey Stirling in concert

I discovered Lindsey Stirling in 2014. She is utterly breathtaking when she is playing, and her music is so hard to sit still too…so I usually don’t. UPDATE: I saw her again in OCT 2016. She was amazing in her talent and came across so genuine. She seems like a totally wonderful person inside and out:)

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• Eat at a super fancy restaurant

There is a fancy restaurant I have wanted to go to. I finally did, and it was epic!

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• Drive fast go-karts

In Atlanta, there are racing go-karts that you can drive. Super fast fun!

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• Take a cooking class

I learned to make Chicken Piccata. Yum!

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• Attempt to paint

I have now tried three painting classes. This is the third attempt and had the least amount of penciled sketching to go from. So, it was more freehand painting. To me, it looks dark and moody.

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• Visit Providence Canyon

Providence Canyon. A place I have come to love.

Updates from 2015

• Buy my own house that has land for my horse

I found a house that I love. Unfortunately though, there was no room for my horse. She is still happily boarded nearby though. So the bucket list of sipping coffee on my deck while I look at my horse will wait. For now, this is perfect enough.

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• Find the love of my life

Me and my soul mate, who met on a blind date.

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Updates from 2016

• Grow my own fruits and veggies on my own land

The view of all the garden boxes from the back of the yard looking up to the house.

Other side view of the garden boxes.

Some of the huge veggies from my garden!

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• Find the perfect humus recipe

It is not as good as the amazing humus I had in Iraq. However, it is a pretty good recipe.

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• Learn to pole dance (an athletic and artistic style)

***Started classes in pole, lyra and silks in August 2016!! So hard but I love it:)****

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• Watch a sunset while sitting in a hammock

 

 

 

New Updates from 2017

• See a Cirque du Soleil performance in Las Vegas or anywhere for that matter

I “had” to go to Vegas for work and found a night to see Zumanity with one of my dear friends. What an amazing show full of talented people!

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• Visit the Grand Canyon (close but not exactly on the accomplishment)

While I didn’t go to the Grand Canyon, I did make it to Zion Canyon in Utah. I had never heard of it before, but I am thrilled I stumbled upon it!

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STILL PENDING:

• Write a book
• Learn more technical aspects of photography
• Attend an opera in a glamorous gown
• See Pink in concert
• Get all of my closest friends from across the US in one room
• Learn to do equestrian jumps
• Travel to Ireland
• Learn to ballroom dance
• Go skydiving
• Learn to belly dance
• Make my own pie crust from scratch
• Support myself with my writing and photography
• Become an expert marksmen with both a rifle and pistol
• Do 5 chin ups
• Find a church that feels like home
• Stay at the Bellagio Hotel
• Visit the Outer Banks of NC to see the wild horses
• Waltz at a ball in a stunning gown
• Drink an authentic Irish beer in an Irish pub in Ireland while singing with Irishmen
• Take a self defense course
• Publish photographs for National Geographic
• Take an Alaskan cruise
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Visit Yellowstone National Park
• Visit Cumberland Island
• Complete my military leadership class
• Perfect a russian split on my lyra
• Learn to climb in silks
• Invert on my lyra
• Still more to come…