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Bucket List: 2017 Edition

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Happy 2017, everyone! This past year will certainly be hard to top. In 2017 I want to make the most of time this year by spending it with family and friends and soaking up each moment together. In addition to selecting a list of fun, must-do items, I have also chosen a word to serve as a focal point and core value.

After mulling over several choices one just seemed to stick. Embrace. Yes, I want to embrace all aspects of life this year, the happy, the sad, the routine, the mundane. I would normally learn towards stronger, more intense, more direct and forward terms, (i.e. strive, intention, drive) which is why I purposefully chose a softer, more compassionate gentle term to balance out my type-A, driven, obsessive bent. I want to embrace life, embrace others, embrace gritty, raw, real life. Only God knows what is in store for us, and only He can can prepare us for 2017. Here we go!

Here’s the List:

  1. Write my own manifesto (from Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project)
  2. Write a letter to my future self
  3. Celebrate my last day of my 20’s
  4. Plan (and have) a spa day
  5. Do Adult Disney
  6. See the Rocky Mountains
  7. Fly fish
  8. Sand surf
  9. Stay in a Deluxe Disney Resort
  10. Hang Glide
  11. Sleep in a tree house
  12. Learn about floral arts
  13. Take a cooking class
  14. Master the art of the sugar cookie
  15. Plant bougainvillea
  16. Reach goal weight (finally)
  17. Pay off student loans
  18. Develop a “big girl” skin care routine
  19. Visit a new state
  20. Visit a new country
  21. Explore Universal’s Harry Potter World
  22. Complete a Reading Challenge
  23. Learn Spanish (again…)
  24. Prepare for an emergency (so we won’t get totally caught off guard by something like Hurricane Matthew again.)
  25. Attend Dragon Con
  26. Plan and implement seasonal bucket lists/monthly challenges

 

What’s on your list? Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

 

2016 Bucket List: Year End Review

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2016 was am amazing year, and we are excited for more adventures in 2017. Thank you, Jesus for your provision, sacrifice, and blessing!

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  1. Get a Henna Tattoo Got this one crossed off at DISNEY WORLD. Yes folks, it will happen this Summer. –Check: Summer Family Vacation 6/2016
  2. Have Mermaid Hair (Dye it a crazy color) I was able to get mermaid hair (purple and blue just in time for DISNEY)! 
  3. Plant Hydrangeas and Bougainvillea Partially complete. Some beautiful pink and blue hydrangeas have been planted outside the bedroom door. Now we just need to find the perfect spot for the bougainvillea. 
  4. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride Dad and I completed this bucket list adventure. It was so peaceful floating in they sky…. but we almost landed in an orange grove!
  5. Make a Will Ok….this was on the bucket list last year. Now that the house has been built we have no excuse. DONE!!! 8/25
  6. Attend a Stargazing Event (maybe next year…)
  7. Visit 1 New Country (sigh…maybe next year…)
  8. Visit 2 New States Done and Done! For Spring Break we visited several states. The two news ones for me that we were able to explore were Vermont and Rhode Island. I absolutely love all things New England! Current state count: 36.
  9. Visit Disney for 25 Days We ended up spending a grand total of 22 days at Disney…and we renewed for next year. Whoo-hoo, I call this bucket list task a win!
  10. Start A Habit: Consistent Daily Devotionals Currently I am doing a short one each morning, but I would like to incorporate a few more in-depth studies. 
  11. Reach Goal Weight I am trying…..ok I could probably be trying a bit harder. I guess that there is always next year.
  12. SCUBA New Place (maybe next year…)
  13. Start Composting I acquired a composter, but unfortunately that is as far as I got. 
  14. Emergency Preparedness Kit: We have a sawyer water filter, some backpacks, flashlights, fire starters, and non-perishables, but that is just a start. Now that we have a true outage experience from Hurricane Matthew we have a real-life experience to draw upon as we think about future preparedness. 
  15. Grow a Garden We have paired down the garden plans this year because we need to focus on several other projects around the yard. We do have some tomatoes and peppers growing currently. 
  16. Read Entire Bible (still reading, still growing, the bucket list task is never complete). 
  17. Attend the Highland Games Check! We went to the local games in Savannah. It was fun to try some Scottish cuisine. 
  18. Attend a Renaissance Festival (maybe next year…)
  19. Go to the Trampoline Park Done!
  20. Quit Coke….hahaha this wasn’t even closer. I am trying to stay away from the fully-leaded ones, but I am just not sure that I actually want to quit bad enough. 
  21. Take a Declutter Challenge! Done and done! Just had a yard sale this past weekend. It feels great to be a little bit lighter…now onward to buy more stuff (just kidding…).
  22. Swim with Dolphins (I just can’t get over the price tag for this experience…)
  23. Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (nope). 
  24. Sleep in a Tree House (maybe next year…)

Stay tuned for more adventures and bucket list ramblings in 2017.

Birthday Adventures in Asheville

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Our very dear friends, Justin and Meredith, are givers. They truly have a servant’s heart and desire to show Christ’s love through acts of kindness and service. We love them and are thankful for their impact on our lives as a family. To celebrate them and the milestone, three decades of life on this earth, that they are turning we went to Asheville to celebrate!

Because I am a crazy list-making, travel-planning nerd the details of the weekend were planned out in or to maximize the fun! We could not have pulled off such a fun-filled weekend had it not been for the other couple you see in the picture above, the Edwards. They (and their two little boys) truly brought such a great spirit of fun to the weekend! Audra helped find a service activity for us to do in Asheville that was totally Justin and Meredith, called 12 Baskets Cafe.

 

Let’s recap: mountain life, campfire, s’mores, hiking, waterfalls, low country boil, cookies AND cake,  acts of service, three cute kids,  long talks with friends, new experiences in a fun city = SO MUCH FUN! Thank you Justin and Meredith for having a birthday so that we could celebrate!

 

 

Thanksgiving Week Fun

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This year the county that I work for planned a FULL week break for Thanksgiving. In short, IT WAS AMAZING! Some of festivities included: The First-Ever Friendsgiving Asian Food Edition, Jacksonville zoo adventures, three family Thanksgiving feasts, decorating for Christmas, MOANA, and lots and lots of shopping with friends and family!

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Addie is Three Years Old!

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In her own words, Addie’s birthday was the “Best Day Ever!” Waring’s cousin, Katrina, always does such a fabulous job with the themed food, decoration, and festivities! This has been the year of princesses for Addie (could be due to those Disney Annual Passes), so Addie was Rapunzel for Halloween and had the same theme for her birthday. Addie’s birthday was truly a blast, and I grateful to everyone who came to join us in the celebration!

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I thank God each day for this sassy little girl with her big personality.

Addie’s Last Visit To Disney As “Mickey’s Guest”

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There is a magical time in a child’s life when they are old enough to walk, talk, and ride the rides at Disney World prior to turning three years old. During this time, they are deemed as “Mickey’s Guest” and they are FREE to enter and enjoy the park. If you are enjoying character dining or fast passes they are free to enjoy the ride or the food but there is no additional fee for their participation. TALK ABOUT MAGICAL…..

Addie has spent a total of 23 days at Disney as “Mickey’s Guest” and she loved every second of it. I know a lot of people say that there is no sense in taking them when they are so young because they won’t remember it, but seeing the look on her face as she had so many wonderful new experiences I know that it is worth it because I WILL REMEMBER IT! I will remember how her face lights up every time she sees the first sign for Disney World and shouts the names of the four characters she sees (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald).  I will remember how after she meets each new character she walks about and says, “Mommy, I did it!” I will remember how much she loved to ride “super fast rides” and how she first called Splash Mountain, “Water Mountain” and screams “I think we gonna get wet…!”

If she doesn’t remember the 23 days she spent as Mickey’s Guest at Disney World this past year, it is okay because I WILL and I KNOW how much fun she truly had! Take a look and see!

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Rapunzel
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Elena
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Belle
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All along on Splash Mountain
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“I think we gonna get wet..”
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Tink
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Making Penny Treasures
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The Mouse Behind the Magic

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Yum!
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Fall in the Most Magical Place on Earth
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7 Dwarfs Mine Train
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Walking With Daddy
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Addie Meets Tarzan
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Cheezzz…
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Stopping to Smell the Flowers
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Grumpy….
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Food and Wine Festival!

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Fall Fun: Soccer, Birthdays, Fairs, & More

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The fall season has been just like I like it, BUSY! I know that most people get anxious when their calendar is overflowing, but in all honesty it excited me. While I can get burnt out as much as the next person, I truly love packing as much bank for my 24 hour buck as I can in each day. I love when my weekends are full of fun things with family and friends, and Fall is such a great time to plan these things because it seems like there is a festival or event around every corner. Fall is truly my kind of season! Here are just a few of the things we have been up to over the past month. (And…in case you have been wondering, we have been checking A LOT of items off of our Fall Bucket List. I will post the final list with all successes and shortcomings at the end of the month!)

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Grayson’s 3rd Birthday
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First Hair Cut: Before
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During…
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3rd Birthday First Hair Cut
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First Hair Cut: After
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Girl’s Day in Statesboro
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Grayson’s Birthday Party
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Bloomingdale Bears Soccer
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Fair Fun
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Fair Fun
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I wanna ride the boat…

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Cousin Love
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Crazy Cousins…
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Life Group: Random Acts of Kindness
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Life Group: Random Acts
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Curly Hair

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Hurrication: Blue Ridge and Beyond

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Our grand plans for Disney World were foiled when massive Hurricane Matthew decided to crash the party. Back at home the power and water were out for days, but other than a couple of downed trees we have no damage to show for all of Matthew’s efforts. It is in times like these that we realize how blessed we are, and how often we take for granted the comforts from home. This very hurricane has caused catastrophic loss of life and property throughout the Caribbean, our minor discomfort simply does not compare.

But back to the fun from this weekend….we decided to take a visit to my grandparent’s camper up in Blue Ridge, GA for a few days. We spent some time apple picking at a new orchard, collecting leaves on a hike, visiting antique shops, eating cupcakes in downtown Blue Ridge (twice), visiting the famous Blairsville Sorgum Festival, and of course playing on lots and lots of playgrounds!

While we were a little bummed not to be going to Disney we thankful to be safe away from the storm. As a family we can find fun in almost any situation or location!

 

 

Saturdays With Addie & Friends: Drive-in Movie Edition

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Recently, Addie and her cousins shared another “first” together as they watched a movie outside at the Highway 21 Drive-in. We arrived early in time to play on the playground in front of the big screen, order dinner, and comfy before the movie started. We borrowed my father’s truck, which turned out to be perfect for the trip. Three kids and two adults were able to get cozy and watch the movie under the stars together.

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The kids had a blast, experienced something new, and just couldn’t hang in there with us for the ride home! I think that this Fall Bucket-List item will be a keeper for years and years to come!

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Letters to Addie: Bathroom Sink Conversations

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Sweet Addie Faye,

You both broke and melted my heart tonight. After you went to the restroom you reminded me that we needed to wash our hands. We walked up to the sink and you said, “I can’t reach.” I told you that you were almost there, and you said “almost, but not yet.” I told you that it was okay that you couldn’t reach because I didn’t want you to grow up. You replied, “yes, but I need to grow up.” I asked you if you wanted to grow up, and you said “yes, I want to be big like you so that I can see you and talk to you.” Wow. My heart is in a million pieces. I love that you are putting it all together. The things and ideas that come out of your head and mouth amaze me each day. I can’t wait to see the woman that you will grow into, but I also want to freeze this very moment as you are snoring on the couch next to me.

Love,

Mama

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