Downdogs and Deadlines: A Look Back 2017

In 2013 I wrote my own version of a bucket list. I've mostly forgotten about it, but every now and then I remember to take a look at the list and see where I'm at. As in years past, I'm pleasantly surprised to see that I can cross off a few more items now!

Travel more - Our family vacations these past couple years have been to military graduations. Early 2016 we toured Chicago and went to a Cubs game to see Kid 2 graduate Navy boot camp. Later that same year we spent time up in the Ozark Mountains area of Missouri during Kid 3's Army boot camp graduation. This summer we spent a fabulous weekend in Charleston, SC playing in the ocean, riding jet skis and touring historic downtown after Kid 2's graduation from Naval Nuclear Engineering School. The past couple summers we have also travelled to Iowa for my girls national dance competition. (Grand National Champions 2017 thank you very much!) This past August the kids and I drove up to Kentucky to see the total solar eclipse. It was simply amazing!
~~Dance more~~
Ride in a hot air balloon - I had forgotten this was on my list. Every year our little town hosts a Goat Days Festival (read about the best yoga class ever here). This year the festival had hot air balloon rides and since I was teaching Goat Yoga (the best yoga class ever!), my and the kids got passes for a free ride. We only went up about 50 feet in the air but it was still pretty exciting.
Finally find a sun dress that doesn't make my butt look huge -2017 is the year I learned to dress for my body shape without hating my body shape. (Finally right?) A job promotion at work took me out of sneakers and yoga pants and in to professional work attire. Fortunately I took the advice of a friend and walked into a store out of my price range to shop for a new look. The sales woman asked if I needed help and I told her not only do I need help is she ready for all the help I need?! I stayed in the fitting room while she brought me outfits to try on, taking all the stress away from me. She taught me more about how to shop for clothes in that one afternoon than I think I've ever learned.
Skydive
See the Grand Canyon
Not wait for special occasions to dress up - Although I sometimes miss the ease of wearing black yoga pants and sneakers every day, most days I enjoy dressing nice to go to work. I even went to our local Merle Norman and let the shop owner paint me up in adult make up. Every morning I carefully put on my make up with the tricks she taught me.
Swim with dolphins
Go on a cruise
Whale watching - written about January 1, 2015
Take an aerobics class in Los Angeles with Richard Simmons at his Slimmons Gym
Ride a cable car in San Francisco
Visit all 50 states - Iowa, Kentucky and South Carolina
~~Have more fresh flowers in my house~~
Take a surfing lesson
Take ballroom dance lessons - written about April 17, 2013
Be more spontaneous
Publish my book - Published and available for sale here!
Attend Summer Solstice in Times Square - written about January 1, 2015
Finish my 500 hour RYT
Get back to a regular yoga practice again- I'm always planning on getting back to a regular practice. Someday
Get back to a semi-regular meditation practice again
Stress less about finances
~~Make time to read more~~
Redecorate my kitchen - written about January 1, 2015
~~Take more pictures~~
Walk more - I walked/ran the St Jude Half Marathon! For real!
Get a Labradoodle dog - technically I don't own a Ladradoodle. However, I get to dog sit a Labradoodle a few times a year for some friends.
Be able to afford a house cleaner
Watch my kids grow up to be healthy, productive adults - Kid 1 is living on his own with some good, sober roommates. Kid 2 is a Naval Nuclear Engineer. Kid 3 is in the Army National Guard and working a full time job with great growth potential. That's 3 productive adults so far! I'm 50% to my goal of 6 healthy and able young adults.
Stay healthy into my old age
Walk the beach more - After driving 10 hours to Charleston, SC the first thing we did is drive 30 minutes further to get my feet in the sand and run through the waves.
Take more chances
~~Attend more live theater~~
Find a way to combine what I love to do with a way to support myself financially - although I'm not financially stable like I want to be, I can say I am making a living doing what I love to do
~~Laugh more~~
See my book for sale on Amazon - Creating A Joyful Life: The Lessons I Learned From Yoga and My Mom
Be debt free
Care a little less what people think
Paint a baseball field onto my backyard - I don't know why I haven't crossed this off the list before. But I've had a baseball field mowed into my backyard for a couple summers now.
Take the kids to Disney World
Find balance
Be happy- I was asked recently if I'm happy. Of course I have times of worry and still a lot of financial stress and fear, but overall, yes I am happy.