Well, 2015 is more than half way over and I literally felt like I have blinked one time since January 1st. Is anyone with me on that one??? I am content. I am happy. Actually as I am writing right this very moment I am sitting across the living room from my beautiful little girl who is sound asleep after a long day out in the sun and sand. My family and I are spending the weekend with our family friends at Tybee and the weather is beautiful. Hubby is away serving the Lord on a mission trip to Ecuador and is scheduled to fly back to us this evening. We can’t wait for him to be back, but we are grateful for the opportunity that he has been given to impact the lives of others. You see, I (we) am more than good. I (we are) am blessed beyond measure. I have to remind myself that if NOTHING on my bucket list gets accomplished every again, God is still good. He is still faithful. He is still worthy of my praise.
Our lives and hearts have been VERY full in 2015. Here is a run down of this year’s progress thus far:
1. Be more thoughtful (create a thankful box and plan to send more cards, flowers, letters, and thoughtful gestures each month).
—–This started off really well at the beginning of the year. I was on time or even early with Birthday cards! I need to get back into the routine for Fall. Having a designated container for stamps, cards, and cute stickers etc… have made it easier follow through with all of those good intentions.
2. Read 15 books (2 personal finance, 2 parenting, 3 devotions)….yeah I am still working on this rather slowly…
—–HAHAHAHA! This is so pitiful of me because I really do love to read. I have read a couple of devotional books, part of a novel, and more children’s board books than I can count!
3. Learn to sew and making something for Addie (Almost finished with the first skirt.)
——I am 90% finished with Addie’s first skirt…..but I put that project down a few months ago. I really should finish it!
4. Crochet a blanket
—-Yeah. NO. Haven’t even gotten the yarn!
5. Build our dream home (We are working working on hardieboard outside and sheetrock inside now!)
——SO MUCH PROGRESS HERE! We are painting the outside of the house this weekend. We could not have survived this process without the support of our amazing family and friends. We OWE them big time. Really big time.
6. Visit 2 new states (AL and LA)
—–WHOOO HOOOO! I have lived in Georgia my entire life but have not ventured to either of these two states. Not to offend any current residents of Alabama or Louisiana, but these were not necessarily my favorite of what the good ole US of A has to offer. I am more of an east coast gal, what can I say…
7. Celebrate 10 wacky holidays (Celebrated 2 currently: 1. Spouse’s Day 2. National Have Fun at Work Day)
—-I have missed so much. National S’more Day and all. I need to plan out my next 8 days to catch up! Good thing the Fall is jam-packed with fun and wacky holidays just waiting for us to celebrate!
8. Go zorbing
—–Nope. Any ideas where I can get this done?
9. Take Addie on her first trip to Disney (to visit Mariah)
—–Again. Nope, and Mariah isn’t there anymore. Opportunity missed! 😦
10. Go see Tori and John (Tori actually came to meet us in South Carolina!)
—-My most-bestie came to visit us in Columbia a few months back. I am excited to celebrate her birthday with brunch in Brunswick this upcoming weekend!
11. GO see Audra, Drew, and Baby Samuel (We visited for Samuel’s FIRST Birthday and had a great time!)
——We have actually gotten to see these sweet friends TWICE this year! We are on a roll! We celebrated Samuel’s first birthday and Hubby took me on a surprise trip to visit with them and take the kiddos to the zoo!
12. Hang glide
—-Maybe this October at Lookout Mountain!?
13. Triathalon
——-This is most hilarious. This would require me to actually be running…which hasn’t happened in a REALLY long time. (Note to self: workout tomorrow.)
14. Krispy Kreme Challenge
—–I can’t remember what we were doing…but I think we had a good reason for not going this year.
15. Plant hydrangea and bougainvillea (My grandparents gave my first very own hydrangea for my birthday! I am trying to keep it alive long enough to be able to plant at our new place!)
—–Hydrangeas are still alive from my birthday. Not sure how that is still happening…. I am ready to get in our dream home and plant some of these bad boys. This item will probably be placed on the 2016 Bucket List as well.
16. Find my “signature dish”
—-Finding my “signature dish” would require me to find an oven or even a kitchen for that matter, which hasn’t happened. Oh well, maybe that is saying something in itself.
17. Complete 2 Minimalist challenges
——This hasn’t happened yet, but don’t worry because I will be completing a major PURGE if/when we move into to the afore mentioned dream home.
18. Create a will
—-Not yet.
19. Complete at least 2 100 Day Challenges (currently working on challenge #2!)
—–Working on the second 25 day session of Challenge #2. More to come on this after completion!
20. Celebrate the Highland Games (Out of town when this happened this year in Savannah…)
—–Nope 😦
21. Stick to a budget ALL year (in progress)
—-Loosely in progress. We are building a house, remember?!?
22. Dye my hair a crazy color (probably not going to happen this year since I worked through Summer…)
—I am holding out on this for next Summer. I worked Summer School and then straight into my new job and purple or pink should not have been a color associated with my hair in any way shape or form.
23. Start and keep a prayer journal (sadly this has been slack…worse than my poor attempt to stay up to date blogging).
—No excuses here. I just need more discipline.
24. Get a henna tattoo.
—And that would be a big “not yet”
25. Give up soda (again).
—-I yo-yo with this one the worst! I love love love pepsi and cherry pepsi. I really do think sometimes they make me happy….that is so tragic to actually type.
26. Get to happy college weight again.
—-Try college happy weight plus 15lbs. I like to call it the “post-grad 15.”
27. Brush up my Spanish for the mission trip
—–And no.
28. Put Waring second only to God (working on this…)
—–Who doesn’t struggle with dying to self? Just me?
29. Get our home’s first nativity set
——-Not yet. Any good ideas?
30. Start an Advent Calendar
—–I have the most amazing hanging felt advent calendar that I purchased on clearance after last Christmas season. It is all I can do to stop from declaring Christmas in August! 🙂
31. Learn about homesteading (Rain water collection, composting, bees, chickens)
—-Does Pinterest count? I have looked up into for rainwater collection, acquired a composter, and learned lots about creating emergency preparedness kits. I still have a lot to learn…but I am a nerd about this kind of stuff.
32. Go to an stargazing event
—-Missed it this year
33. Run the 1/2 marathon for time
—-We didn’t get around to really training for this….opps
34. Make homemade soap
—-Booked a class in Jacksonville….now just gotta go
35. Make our own bedroom furniture (done!!)
—-Headboard: check! Antique chest: check!
36. Learn and use essential oils
—–Currently have made an energy roll on and a sleepytime roll on. Still MUCH more to try.
37. Focus on 5 specific individuals all year in prayer
—in progress…
38. Keep fresh flowers in our new home
—-this requires us to have moved into said new home.
39. Create an emergency preparedness kit
—-not yet.
40. Set up autodrafts into our IRA
—also, not yet…
41. UNPLUG! (In progress. I am not perfect yet, but I must say that it feels good!)
—-I actually feel like Hubby and I have both made progress with this area of our lives as compared to January of this year. When I come home I put my phone on charge in the other room, turn the ringer up loud and go play with our beautiful little girl. She is growing up so fast. I don’t want to get sucked into the mindless vortex that is my iPhone and miss it.
42. Smashbook ALL year! (In the works…)
——in progress
43. Complete the Tybee Polar Plunge!
—-Check!
43. Eat a bug! (Wax worm at the New Orleans Insectarium April 2015)
—-Check!
WHEW!
Daily Drops in the Bucket 