Tag: adventure

Road Trip Adventure Log: 4 New States in 4 Days

Published on by aprillynetteLeave a comment

Well, it is official…. I only have EIGHT more states to go until the big goal of setting foot in all FIFTY STATES is complete!

My husband, Waring, was such a trooper on this trip. He knows I have been itching for adventure lately and dying to get some more states crossed off the list. Although driving to Oklahoma and back in a four day weekend was probably not his 1st choice for a fun-filled family vacation, he buckled in and took to the road just for me!

We set out after a small group bible study at our house on Thursday afternoon and drove to Atlanta for the night. We woke up before sunrise the next morning and headed to Memphis, TN. We stopped for famous Memphis dry rub BBQ for lunch and a quick art studio paint session for Addie before hopping in the car again bound for Bentonville, Arkansas. We swam in the hotel pool (Addie’s favorite) before crashing for the night. On Saturday we stopped at two donut joints before noon, cruised along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma, made it across the Kansas state line, and spend the afternoon in Branson, Missouri. The Ozark’s were beautiful to ride through and Branson did not disappoint with its kitsch. Addie (and Waring) wore themselves out at Fritz’s Adventure Park before making the drive back to Memphis, TN that night. Sunday we spent the day exploring Memphis sights and attractions before heading back to Atlanta, GA. Monday morning we headed to the Atlanta Children’s Museum for a little exploration before making it back home around 5pm that evening.

My goal this year was to knock out 2 new states. I really wasn’t sure if that was going to be possible at all, considering I am not allowed to travel after the end of April and soon after we will have a brand new baby to celebrate and party (stay up all night) with. I know it sounds like our trip was a whirlwind…and it was…but it was also a great deal of fun and adventure. I am so thankful for my husband, who puts up with and even encourages my hair-brained schemes.

PS: Addie is turning out to be a great little road trip warrior!

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Bucket List: 2018 Edition

Published on by aprillynette2 Comments

More than any other action item on the bucket list this year I am praying that God’s provision and guidance lead our family this year. I am praying for wisdom and increased faithfulness on my part so that I (and our family) may abide and in His plan and not our (my) own. This year I am seeking to be more intentional with my prayer life. Let me know how I can earnestly pray for you this year.

Here’s The List:

  1. Try Float Therapy at Remedy Float in Savannah. This ancient technique has been around for a while, but it involves resting in a water chamber that is filled with one thousands pounds of salt so that it is IMPOSSIBLE to sink. You float in darkness and with complete sensory deprivation. It is supposed to be incredibly relaxing and safe for pregnant women!
  2. Learn about and try soaping. I have always been interesting in making my own soap and bath products. This year I am going to take a class in Jacksonville from the Studios at Florida School of Holistic Health. 
  3. Light a Sky Lantern. I have these….but have never lit them!
  4. Visit 2 New States. I visit Michigan and Colorado last year….so onward to state 39 and 40 this year at least!
  5. Create a back porch haven. We recently had a concrete slab poured for our back patio. I can’t wait until the covering is built over the next few weeks and we get to start creating a backyard sanctuary complete with our new grill that Waring’s parent’s bought us for Christmas!
  6. Have a healthy labor and baby. Our last labor experience was a bit of a surprise followed by the scariest days of my and Waring’s lives. We are praying for a bit smoother delivery and a healthy baby and mama!
  7. Go to Harry Potter World. This has been on the list for a while….at some point it may happen. 
  8. Prepare the house and the nursery for Baby Harvey #2. The future nursery of Harvey Baby #2 is currently our Christmas gift wrapping center/guest room. Now I just need to find out the gender, clean out the room, and search Pinterest for hours. 
  9. Spring clean before baby. Christmas break normally starts part 1 of my two part spring cleaning, but it has only been completed half-heartedly this year in light of all the busyness we have had. We have on more snow day today, so I am going to try to knock out a little bit more. 
  10. Start (and keep) Journaling during Quiet Time. I am notoriously inconsistent with journaling of any kind…but I do find it beneficial. 
  11. Take a Blue Ridge escape. Pick a weekend and go!
  12. Buy a fancy purse. I have been eyeing several lately but I just can’t pull the trigger…..
  13. Find and STICK to a skin care routine. I started researching this last year, but fell a bit short in the execution. 
  14. Use Fly-Lady Routines and complete a 30 day Declutter Challenge. I have done each of these before, however I am in desperate need of a review. 
  15. Start an herb garden. Don’t hate me…but I am not a huge fan of basil. I am kind of obsessed with cilantro, tarragon, and dill though. I love the idea of growing herbs because they don’t take up much space. 
  16. Cook at least one new recipe each month and post pictures of the progress. I don’t know about you, but it seems like we cook the same meals over and over for dinner and it just gets BORING! This year we have deer meat, tons of locally caught shrimp, and frozen fresh picked tomatoes to experiment with for dinner!

In addition to this annual bucket list, I also like to compete a season bucket list full of fun traditional things that we like to do with each changing season. These lists generally revolve around the holidays celebrated during each season and are pretty similar from year to year. I love the idea of being intentional during each season and creating lasting traditions and memories with the family.

And…if I didn’t already have enough lists, I like to also create a monthly goal checklist that breaks down some of these larger bucket list goals into manageable bites throughout the year and focuses on growth in several areas of life (physically, spiritually, financially, relationally, etc…) to help me track my progress and growth each month.

 

What’s your plan for this year?

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