Finishing Up the Bucket List

A few weekends ago, Helen & I fulfilled #9 on my bucket list: see another Broadway show!  We saw Beauty & the Beast at the Civic Center, and it was SOOOOO GOOD!!!!

On Saturday, we FINALLY scratched the last item off the list, #6- Make a wish in a fountain:

The only other two items I didn't blog about were 

#1- Take a walk in the rain: 

(This was taken this summer. Such a great night!  We didn't actually take a walk this night, but we took a few other walks in the rain without pictures.  So this was taken as a concession to the undocumented outings!)

#10- Buy something worth wearing in a bright, bold yellow:

(I LOVE this sweater!  I wear it all the time!)

I also am happy to report that I fulfilled #2 (See an actual movie in the IMAX) TWICE!  It was the first thing I scratched off my list back in January, and it was also the "last" thing I scratched off my list!  Last week, I celebrated my birthday by going to see The Polar Express in the IMAX, which was SOOOOO COOL!!!

On a final note, the bucket list of 2012 was quite fun and entertaining.  I haven't decided yet whether or not I will do a 2013 bucket list (probably will, but we'll see), but I'm very glad I did it this year!  So many good memories were made! 

Thanks for following along and enjoying the experiences with me!

Numbers 8 & 10

Two posts in one day!  I know... ridiculous! Do I expect you to read both of my posts today? Not really. Do I want you to?  Obviously, or I wouldn't have posted it!

On Saturday, I scratched two more things off my bucket list:

#8- Eat a meal at the Bravo! Cucina Italiana (the Italian restaurant out at Jordan Creek)

#10- Buy something worth wearing in a bright, bold yellow.

Helen and I had a sister date day on Saturday.  We started out at Jordan Creek with the intent to start our Christmas shopping.  She bought nothing at JCM; I bought four shirts for less than $20 total, one of which was a bright AWESOME yellow sweatshirt!

We took an early afternoon break for lunch at the Bravo! which was YUMMY!!!  I was expecting outrageous prices, but it was actually comparable to Olive Garden.  We split an order of grilled chicken pesto spaghetti, and we both walked away MORE than full, for a total of $15.  Score!

After we waddled away from lunch, we hit Old Navy, and then proceeded on to Valley West Mall.  Once again, Helen bought nothing, and this time I joined her.  We did, however, have a marvelous time exploring the fantastic kids store!  So many cool things from our childhood- puppets, paper dolls, and color forms!  So much fun!

Then Helen finally bought something when we got back to Ankeny! She bought the makings for several Christmas presents, which are gonna be FABULOUS!  We then returned to my house for pizza and a movie.

It was a great day, and probably one of the last sister dates we'll have before she leaves in January to go to Cedarville (in Ohio).  I'm gonna miss her like crazy, but memories like these will keep me company.

:)

Night Eyes, # 7, & A Wedding Celebration

Last Thursday, I took advantage of an opportunity to go trick-or-treating at the zoo.  

Yes. The Zoo.  

Yes. Trick-or-treating.

#7 on my 2012 Bucket List is "Go to the Zoo." So... lucky for me, I finally scratched that one off!  Considering that October is almost behind us, I was pretty sure that #7 would not be getting checked off the list, but thanks to the Blank Park Zoo's annual "Night Eyes- Merry not Scary" trick-or-treating event, I can now say that I've been to the zoo this year.  And let me tell you- it was a BLAST!  Helen and I took Carah with us for a little Yellow House Sisters outing.  It rained all day long, but for the hour we were at the zoo, it barely sprinkled!  I can definitely say it was just what I needed last week!

Then, Helen and I got another weekend at home!  I had a dentist appointment and a chiropractor appointment on Monday, so I got a {much needed} long weekend.  We went to a wedding Saturday evening at our home church.  The ceremony was very sweet. I enjoyed getting to celebrate with our church family!  Oh yeah- and I totally caught the bouquet at the "All the Single Ladies Bouquet Toss!" First time ever to catch one of those things!  I may or may not have totally snatched it just before it landed in a little girl's outstretched hands, but hey... she was like five!  And I'm... well... NOT five.  AND I caught it while holding an 18 month old! :)

Over all, it was quite a fantastic weekend!

#4 & A Little Confetti in My Pillow

Some people will think this is cheating, but I think it's genius!

I took #4 on my 2012 Bucket List and turned it into the perfect Father's Day gift.

#4- Fly a Kite with my Daddy

So what did I do?  I bought six el cheapo kites from Wal-Mart and prayed for wind!  It was SUPER fun!  We sang the song, and we flew kites, and we enjoyed each other's company.  Best Father's Day I can remember. 

Here is a picture of us with our kites, and I promise that my dad really DID like the gift... even if this picture may lead you to believe otherwise... 

Last weekend, Laura and I kidnapped Caleb & Carah (Laura's Summer brother & sister) and brought them to the land of Nowhere.  Needless to say, we had WAY TOO MUCH FUN!!! 

We ate food. 

We took them outside to listen to their echoes (which was very popular), to the Dutchman's Store (not quite as popular), to play on the new "furniture" at the park in Keo, to Misty's for ice cream, and to little Podunky town's fireworks spectacular.  

And we ate food.

We educated them on the finer points of old school television with I Love Lucy reruns and the Lawrence Welk Show. We took them to church and introduced them to people. We played barbies (Caleb was SUCH a trooper), baseball, and Sorry.

And we ate food.

Oh, yeah!  And I also learned that the reason my pillows are NOT filled with confetti is because of my unbelief... and that apparently it's a biblical concept.

I also learned what a good thing it is that Caleb isn't planning on being a preacher.

'Till Next Time! :)

A Wonderful Weekend

Well, we're just reaching the end of the second full weekend in January, and already I've crossed two items off my 2012 Bucket List!

Yesterday afternoon, I scratched "3. Go Ice Skating" off my list.  I love ice skating, and I'm glad I put it on the list!  I went with my friends Shelly, Kristi, Geoff, and Geoff's friend to celebrate Shelly's birthday!  The only thing missing was Thomas... who wasn't feeling too spectacular, so I promised him we'd go again sometime... because I LOVE skating! :)

So, thanks, Shelly, for having a birthday extravaganza that included ice skating!  Item #3: Complete!

YES!  Item #3: Check!

Kristi, Shelly the Birthday Girl, & Me

First One Down

I had no idea I would be able to scratch an item off my 2012 Bucket List so quickly!  That's right, folks!  I crossed "See an actual movie (a non-educational one) in the IMAX" off my bucket list last night!  


After a wonderful three-way NON date at Olive Garden, my dear friends Geoff and Shelly humored me by giving in to my excitement, and we all went down town to the Science Center of Iowa to see "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" in the IMAX. 


It. Was. AWESOME!


I had so much fun with those two!  I would definitely scratch that item off the list a few more times this year. I can't wait to see what else might play there in the next months!  The awesome thing about it was that the ticket only cost me like $3 more than if I'd seen it out at Jordan Creek! Sweet Deal!

2012 Bucket List

As the new year approached, I began, of course, hearing all about New Year's Resolutions.  I usually try to come up with two or three really good ones, and leave it at that, but every year, without fail, I never seem to carry them all the way through.  I'll do really awesome until Summer hits, and then I loose it!  Sometimes, I keep them all the way through November, but once the holiday season hits... ya... there goes the motivation.  So this year, I decided not to do any resolutions.  But once I made that decision, I was kinda sad because that's part of the fun of a New Year: coming up with a list of things to change.  So I decided that instead of resolutions, I would do a Bucket List!

My goal was to come up with just 10 slightly random, yet fun things to do this year that maybe I wouldn't do otherwise or that I've always kinda wanted to do, but never did.  I hope you enjoy following me throughout the year as I check items off my

2012 Bucket List

1. Take a walk in the rain
2. See an actual movie (a non-educational one) in the IMAX
3. Go ice skating
4. Fly a kite with my daddy (to relive my childhood... and because he used to sing us the song "Let's Go Fly a Kite" while shopping in Wal-Mart, but we never actually did that I remember... not really anyhow!)
5. Watch Sweeney Todd with Ian (not because I want to... because HE thinks I need to see it...)
6. Make a wish in a fountain
7. Go to the Zoo
8. Eat a meal at the Bravo! Cucina Italiana (the Italian restaurant out at Jordan Creek)
9. See another Broadway Show (and no... it doesn't have to actually be ON Broadway... travelling Broadway will do just fine!)
10. Buy something worth wearing (preferably a skirt or some shoes) in a bright bold yellow!

You might think my list is "lame," but I think it's fantastic!  I'm really excited about checking things off this list. Because it's not about doing big things, it's about doing little things and having a great time! And making memories that will last a lifetime! :)