#TBT: 44 For My Next 44 - a look back at 2014

Two years ago on my birthday I wrote a list of 44 things I'd like to do in my next 44 years.  Last year when I looked back I surprised myself by how much I had accomplished in just one year.

Looking back through my list this year I realize I've made some pretty good progress again!

1. Travel more - My new state this year was Portland, Oregon. It's beautiful! And I was excited like a kid when I saw Christmas trees growing on the beach! The kids and I also took our first post-divorce family vacation to Pinnacle Mountain Arkansas. And kid 2 and I rode bikes all over New York City while we were up visiting potential colleges for him. 
2. Dance more - It turns out I enjoy country line dancing! Who knew? 
3. Ride in a hot air balloon
4. Finally find a sun dress that doesn't make my butt look huge - Last year was sundresses, this summer was skirts.
5. Skydive
6. See the Grand Canyon
7. Not wait for special occasions to dress up 
8. Swim with dolphins
9. Go on a cruise
10. Whale watching - When I first wrote go whale watching I imagined I'd be on a boat. But no boat needed! As we were standing on the beach in Oregon my friend kept saying "I'm not sure we will see whales. It's really not the right time of year." Well, then what are those two huge gray things humping out of the water and blowing their spouts?! I was even more excited to see the whales than I was to see Christmas trees growing on the beach!
11. Take an aerobics class in Los Angeles with Richard Simmons at his Slimmons Gym
12. Ride a cable car in San Francisco
13. Visit all 50 states - I added one more to my list - Oregon state! (see #1)
14. Have more fresh flowers in my house 
15. Take a surfing lesson
16. Take ballroom dance lessons 
17. Be more spontaneous 
18. Publish my book -  It's been edited and is being read by a few trusted friends right now for their review. 
19. Attend Summer Solstice in Times Square - I don't know why I didn't write about this at the time! I guess it was just a super busy time. But it was freaking amazing! We literally lay out our mats in the middle of Times Square and did an hour of yoga. It was kind of funny when the tour buses would pass by and wave at us. 
20. Finish my 500 hour RYT
21. Get back to a regular yoga practice again- sporadic at best this year but always there for me when I can be there for it. 
22. Get back to a semi-regular meditation practice again 
23. Stress less about finances
24. Make time to read more - Now that I've cancelled DirectTv I'm finding not only, don't I miss it, but I am reading so much more. 
25. Redecorate my kitchen - I totally forgot this was on my list until I looked at it! I've repainted the walls, refurbished the cabinets and - what I'm most proud of - framed my mom's handwritten recipes and hung them on my kitchen walls. The only thing left to complete the project now is the counter tops and that only needs time set aside to do it.
26. Take more pictures - thanks to the iPhone and my Instagram account taking more pictures is easier than ever.
27. Walk more
28. Get a Labradoodle dog
29. Be able to afford a house cleaner
30. Watch my kids grow up to be healthy, productive adults - 2014 was the year I saw Kids 1 & 2 really grow up, and not just age chronologically. Kid 1 had some major life choices to make this year and I'm so proud of how far he's come. Kid 2 is looking ahead to his future and mapping out a plan to achieve what he wants. 
31. Stay healthy into my old age
32. Walk the beach more - the water was freezing but the beaches in Oregon are absolutely beautiful. 
33. Take more chances
34. Attend more live theater - this year I saw Wicked ( fabulous) and 50 Shades of Gray The Musical (almost as dumb as the books.)
35. Find a way to combine what I love to do with a way to support myself financially
36. Laugh more - Laughing will always make my gratitude list 
37. See my book for sale on Amazon (see #18)
38. Be debt free
39. Care a little less what people think
40. Paint a baseball field onto my backyard
41. Take the kids to Disney World
42. Find balance 
43. Be happy- I've become much more aware this year of what / who makes me happy, what I'm willing to do to be happy and what / who I will not allow to rob me of my happiness.