Check Mark 25: Bring Pure Joy to Someone Else

We all know it's better to give than to receive, and I just love to give to the people I love - especially my husband!  For his birthday, I've given him trips to the Orange Bowl in Miami and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, but the best gift so far was for his birthday in 2012.  I surprised him with a trip to Las Vegas.  Now, we aren't big on gambling, so why would we go to Vegas?  To drive fast cars of course!

My husband has been pining over this Porsche but there's no way we could afford to own one of those right now, so I thought what would be the next best thing?  Driving one - really fast, on a race track!  I found one at Exotics Racing in Las Vegas, so I knew I had to get him there.  He was such a good sport about the surprise too.  He had no clue where we were going when we got on the plane, and even once we got there, he has no idea he was about to drive his dream car.  Needless to say, he had the time of his life!

He had so much fun, he went for round two in another Porsche.  If our bank account would have allowed it, I'm sure we would have spent all day here driving all the different cars.  It was seriously one the purest moments of joy and surprise I have ever witnessed.  I'm so glad I could make one of his dreams come true.  I didn't drive fast cars that day, but that day wasn't about me.  However, I couldn't resist sitting in this one...

Check Mark 24: Tour the White House

To most people, this might sound lame, but I never got to go to Washington D.C. on school trip when I was little, so as an adult, I thought it would be fun to visit and take a tour of the White House.  Well, as luck would have it, I got to visit D.C. twice in 8 months.  The first time was for a friend's wedding in October 2012, which was when I had the honor of taking a tour of the White House.  It was actually pretty cool.  Of course, we could only tour certain rooms on the main level, but we could hear the first dog barking and people were setting up for some report or interview with the President.  No pictures could be taken inside, but I did get a pretty nice shot of the White House at dusk.

The second time I went back in May 2013 for the European Union Embassies Open House.  This one day in May, you can tour most of the European Embassies in Washington D.C.  There is another weekend in May that you can tour other embassies from around the world like Africa or South America.  The open house includes tastes of ethnic cuisine, native art, cultural theatrics, and even local wine and beers.  I had not even heard of this event until going to D.C. the first time, but I highly recommend going to check out the embassies.  It's a great family event and cultural learning experience.  Oh yea, and other than travel arrangements, the whole thing is free!

Check Mark 23: Visit Bora Bora

Have you ever seen the movies Couples Retreat or XXX (the one with Vin Diesel)?  If so, you can understand where my fantasy of visiting Bora Bora began.  Bora Bora is a small island in the French Polynesia which takes forever to get to from Cincinnati but is totally worth the travel time!  We haven't been every place (yet), but my husband claims that Bora Bora / Tahiti / French Polynesia must be the most beautiful place on Earth.  This is where we chose to honeymoon.

We got married in June, so when we went to Bora Bora it was winter.  This just meant that the temperature averaged 80 degrees, there wasn't much rain, and the island was relatively quiet.  Basically everything was perfect!  I don't think we could have picked a better place to honeymoon!  I'm not a morning person, but since the time difference was 6 hours, I got to catch a couple of beautiful Tahitian sunrises.

 

 We stayed in an over water bungalow at the Hilton and it is everything you imagine!  There are places where the floor is glass so you can watch the sea creatures swim in beautiful blue lagoon waters.  We saw an octopus, eel, stingray, a variety of fish, and of course, colorful corals!

  



This was the perfect place to just relax after the craziness of planning a wedding.  The beaches were almost private and there was always an open hammock to nap in.  We had the chance to do a little kayaking, take a trip out on the catamaran, and take a jet ski trip around the island.  My husband did learn how to crack a coconut so we could get coconut water and make coconut milk - a very useful skill in the suburbs of Northern Kentucky.  All in all, it was the most relaxing trip and the perfect start to a new chapter!

Check Mark 22: Get Married

On June 2, 2012, I married my best friend.  My wedding was a dream come true and went off without a hitch - until the reception when a piece of dirt flew up and cut my eye, but still, nothing could bring me down on my wedding day!  Everything was perfect and just the way we envisioned it.  It was small - we were surrounded by about 120 of our closest friends and family. 

We were married in our home state of Kentucky followed by an outdoor reception at Alms Park in our birth state of Ohio.  I guess you can say it was a little on the rustic side with some traditional twists.  We tried to include things we loved like the red fence of a barn, the small twinkle lights of an authentic Italian trattoria, cupcakes from our favorite local bakery, the simplicity of mason jars, and the elegance of floating candles.

We were blessed with a beautiful day which relieved a lot of stress that builds up when planning an outdoor reception.  You just can't predict the weather when you are planning something 9 months in advance.  It actually ended up being a little on the cool side which was okay by me!  A few raindrops started my day - which I hear is good luck - and then cleared out.  The slight overcast that was left behind made for some of the most incredible pictures!

Now I get to start a new chapter in my life with my husband.  We've been on a lot of adventures together and made a lot of great memories - and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!!

Check Mark 21: See Wild Horses on the Beach

The Outer Banks of North Carolina seriously has so much to offer, but if you do nothing else, make sure you see the wild banker horses of Corolla.  They are such beautiful, majestic creatures, and here you have a chance to see them in their natural environment.  You get to see them run on the beach, wade in the ocean, and graze in the dunes. 

These wild horses are Spanish Colonial Mustangs and have been residents of the island for nearly 500 years.  It's unsure as to how they originally got on the island, but there are some well documented theories dating back to early settlement.  Regardless, if you get a chance to see these wild horses, take it!  A picture of these beauties makes a great vacation souvenir!

Check Mark 20: See the Tallest Sand Dune on the East Coast

In May of 2012, I visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina for the first time.  I absolutely adore the beach, so any chance to visit any beach, I'm there!  Little did I know that the Outer Banks had more to offer than just relaxing in a beach house on a quiet beach.  Nags Head, NC (part of the outer banks) is home to the tallest sand dune on the East coast.  Of course, when I heard this I just had to go!

Jockey's Ridge is the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States and you don't realize how massive it is until you make the journey to the top.  It covers 426 acres and rises to 100 feet at it's highest point.  Once you make it to the top, the view is incredible!  The sand seems to go on forever in every direction.  There are magnificent views of the sound, and watching the hang gliders is always fun.

Check Mark 19: Get Engaged

I, like most girls, dreamed of the day my perfect guy would get down on one knee and ask me to be his forever.  I just had no idea it would take 27 years to see that dream come true.  However, when it finally did happen, it was perfect.  It was September 2, 2011 and we were eating at 1500 Ocean at the Hotel del Coronado when my now hubby got down on one knee beside our table and asked me to marry him!  It was a romantic dream come true!

It was the perfect vacation and I fell even more in love with the Hotel del Coronado since it now played a special role in this milestone in my life.  My husband could not have planned a more perfect proposal!!

Check Mark 18: Drink Wine from Napa Valley

In 2009, I found another love of mine - wine!  I hadn't really had much experience with wine until Napa Valley, but when in Napa Valley, you must take advantage of the sights of the beautiful vineyards and the tastes of the unique wines!  We visited a few different vineyards where we took tours and were taught about wine.  We learned about pairing wine with different foods, cheese, and chocolates.  My favorite was of course dessert wine and chocolate!!

A few of our favorite vineyards were Beringer, Sterling, and Castello di Amorosa.  We still order wine from Castello di Amorosa from time to time - it was that good!  If you ever get the chance, order their La Fantasia.

Check Mark 17: Alcatraz Island

I don't know why, but I have wanted to go to Alcatraz Island since I was a little girl.  It could just stem from my love of the west coast, but I knew one day I needed to see it.  In grade school when we had to write research papers, I would always write mine on Alcatraz - and no, I didn't just reuse the same paper over and over.  I loved researching and learning about the island.

In 2009, I had the change to visit San Francisco and I knew this was my chance to live out a childhood dream.  The first day we were there, we took the evening boat over to the island.  We did an audio tour through the prison, watched the sunset over the city, and explored the island in the light of a full moon.  Everything I had researched I was now experiencing and I loved every second of it!

Check Mark 16: See One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World

For some reason, I have an unrealized love of bridges.  I'm not sure why, but my husband recently pointed out to me that I'm always taking pictures of bridges whenever I see them.  I guess that "love" paid off when we went to San Francisco in 2009. 

Of course the Golden Gate Bridge is big and beautiful and very photogenic, but little did I know I was in the presence of one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.  We rented bikes one morning and took off from Fisherman's Wharf over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.  Some of the most exquisite views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge are seen on this bike route!

The below pictures were taken from atop a hill on our way to Sausalito and from Alcatraz.  These were only two of the many places for incredible photo ops!

Check Mark 15: The Happiest Place on Earth

In the industry I used to work in, I had the privilege of visiting the "happiest place on earth" numerous times.  However, it wasn't until 2009 I got to go to the "happiest place on earth" with the person that makes me the happiest!

No matter how old you are, you are NEVER too old for Disney World!  In fact, this was my husband's first trip to Disney World - at 27 years old!  We got to fulfill the dream of his to ride the tea cups as well as travel around the world in a day at Epcot.  I'm looking forward to the day we get to visit this magical place again!

Check Mark 14: Niagara Falls

I've been very fortunate to check this one off my bucket list a few times - Niagara Falls.  It is one of the tallest and most beautiful in North America and a stunning site to see.  It's a pretty cool experience when you get to see the falls from down below in the Maid of the Mist.  However, the last time we went, we didn't take the magical boat right.  Instead, we just viewed the falls from both the American and Canadian sides for different perspectives.

The last time we went, it was Thanksgiving weekend 2008.  Everything was decorated for Christmas - the shops, the town, and even the falls!  The streets were lined with Christmas lights and light up decorations, and the falls were colored red, green, and blue - colors of the season.  They were gorgeous changing colors every few minutes.  It's definitely a peaceful place, and I look forward to the time we get to go back again!

Check Mark 13: See One of the New Seven Wonders of the World

Who knew there were so many "7 Wonders of the World" today?  There's the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Original Seven Wonders of the World, the New Seven Wonders of the World, and even Natural Wonders of the World.  I'm sure I could find more lists if I looked hard enough.

I can't say I've always wanted to see one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, but while in Rome, I did.  I saw the Colosseum in Rome.  It was massive and old and looked just like the pictures in the books and on the Internet.  It was incredible just to stand before so much history.

Now I can say that I've checked off seeing one of the New Seven Wonders of the World...  I guess that makes about 35 more wonders to go!

Check Mark 12: Go to the Sugar Bowl

Even though I'm not super crazy about sports, I figured I would add another BCS Bowl Game to the bucket list - like the Sugar Bowl.  Again, UC had another great year in 2009 and made it to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA on New Year's Day!  What great opportunity for another mini vacation and a football game!

This time we found 6 friends to go with us - and yes, we all shared one hotel room!  It was a blast - however, what's not to love about being in your early 20's and on Bourbon Street!  We has plenty of time to tour, party, and take in the football game.  It is one of the most memorable trips I have had with friends - partially because we ended up in a suite by the end of the game.

The only downfall was that UC lost - once again.  This would be the last major bowl game they would play in for a while.  However, I must say it was the trip we all still talk about 4 years later!!

Check Mark 11: Go to the Orange Bowl

This one is kind of two fold.  First, I got to go to the Orange Bowl.  Second, I got to surprise someone with what you would have thought was a trip of a lifetime, and his face was just priceless.  So I guess I can check truly surprise someone off of my bucket list too!

It was in 2008 that I started dating my (now) husband who graduated from UC.  I thought it would be nice to surprise him with tickets to the Orange Bowl for his birthday since this was the first time UC was in the Orange Bowl.  A few short weeks later, we boarded the plane for Miami for a little mini vacation and the Orange Bowl.

Miami was of course beautiful and a lot of fun, but the atmosphere at the game was like nothing else.  We were surprised to see such a big turnout of UC fans which made the game even more fun.  Even though our team lost, it was still a memorable experience that I can now check off my bucket list!

Check Mark 10: Go to a Place with No Cars

I never knew I wanted to do this until I did it - go to a place with no cars.  In my mind, living with no transportation containing an engineer (car, bus, train, motorcycle, or scooter - with the exception of snow mobiles in the winter) means living at a slower pace.  I feel like we live such a faced paced life these days, that it's nice to slow down occasionally, and that's just what we did on Mackinac Island in Michigan.

You leave your car behind and cross the lake by ferry to the well-maintained and slower paced island.  Here you get around by foot, bicycle, or horse and carriage.  The whole island is only about 8 miles in circumference, so to travel the whole island in a couple hours isn't hard.  Things are pretty close together - the touristy part anyway - while the 500 residents are a little more spaced out on the other side of the island.

It was nice to have a couple days of relaxation - away from crazy drivers, road rage, and rush hour.  It definitely makes you think about trying to incorporate a slower pace into your life where possible.  I'd love to be able to walk more places in my little town, but unfortunately right now I can't.  I'm hoping to see some sidewalks pop up on the main streets in the next few years, but it definitely won't be as nice as Mackinac Island.

Check Mark 9: Stay at Hotel Del Coronado

Ever since my first visit to Southern California when I was a little girl I dreamed of staying at the Hotel Del Coronado - even if it was for just one night.  I remember walking along Coronado Beach and stopping in at the Del to shop and eat.  We never stayed there though.  We always stayed in downtown San Diego or even in LA.

On one of my first visits to the Del, I saw a wedding happening on the beach right in front of the hotel.  It was at that point I thought I wanted to get married there too until I thought about the costs and travel arrangements for our guests.  That thought quickly faded away.

However, I did get the next best thing.  Not only did I get to stay at Hotel Del Coronado for 4 days, I got engaged there too!!  It was a dream come true, and seriously the best weekend of my life (until my wedding anyway)!  We definitely have plans to go back within the next couple years, but until then, I'll always have this picture to remind me of such an incredible trip.

Check Mark 8: Visit a Castle

Ever since I saw the movie While You Were Sleeping, I too have always wanted a stamp in my passport to Italy.  In 2011, I got one - to Venice.  So, I guess this is a combined check mark because I got to go to Italy and visit not only 1 but 4 castles!  Both were on my bucket list.

While in Italy, we visited Venice, Ferrara, Milan, Rome, and Florence.  Of the 5 cities, 4 had castles that we were able to tour - Venice had palaces, not castles so that doesn't count here.  All were beautiful and so unique.  Each one told a story - about the families that lived there, the battles it survived, and the city itself.  It was such a remarkable moment to go back in time and feel the history of our world.  It is then you truly realize its importance.

Below are pictures of each castle we visited - Castello Estence in Ferrara, Castello Sforzesco in Milan, Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, and Medici Castel in Florence.

Check Mark 7: Run a Half Marathon

I've never been a runner.  I didn't do track, I didn't run for exercise, and I certainly didn't run for fun.  owever, in 2010, that all changed when I decided I was going to train for and run a half marathon.  I battled back and forth with myself about really going through with it; then, I said it out loud.  Now, I had to do it.  I even enlisted a friend of mine and my sister to do it with me.  I knew we had to go someplace cool as incentive for this half marathon, so I picked the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA.  My friend backed out as soon as I signed up, and a couple months into training my sister dropped out because she was pregnant.

I had already started training, not to mention already told people I was doing this, so I continued to train on my own.  My support system already made reservations for a mini-vacation, so there was no way I was backing out now.  A few short months later, we were off to Virginia Beach to tackle this goal of mine.  Now, I am by no means a fast runner, pacing about a 12 minute mile.  My goal of course was to finish the race running all the way through, but then I thought if was I going to finish it, I might as well finish it in 2.5 hours.

Well, not only did I finish it running all the way through, I finished it in 2:28 hours which meant I averaged an 11:30 minute mile.  I was so proud of myself I actually cried at the finish line!  It was a true testament that you can do anything that you put your mind to and work hard at!!  However, I must admit my running days are over now as I no longer aspire to run any long distances...

 

Check Mark 6: Drive the California 1

This was one of those things I guess you can say I added to my bucket list after the fact.  When we were vacationing in San Francisco and set off to visit a friend in Pismo Beach, we had no idea what we were in store for!  We just randomly decided we would drive the coast down to see her.  We didn't know how long it would take, what we would see along the way, or where we would stop and sight see.  Little did we know, it was the most beautiful drive we would pretty much ever take!

We started off in San Francisco, stopping only in Monterey Bay to check out the boardwalk and see the sea lions.  We passed Big Sur and crossed the Bixby Creek Bridge.  The scenery surrounding us was just stunning in the late summer.  About 8 hours later, we ended in Pismo Beach to meet my friend for a late lunch and frozen yogurt.

On our way back to San Francisco (that same day), we took the expressway and got there in a little under 4 hours.  Even though it took double the time, it was completely worth it.  I would absolutely love to do it again just to be able to relive that gorgeous day!

Check Mark 5: Learn to Surf

I didn't always want to learn to surf.  It wasn't until the surfing movies like Blue Crush came out that it even sparked my interest.  I quickly learned that if I wanted to learn to surf, I needed to learn in Hawaii.  So, on the same trip that we played with dolphins, we took surf lessons with a guy name Fritz (yes, he was a native of Hawaii).

We started out on the sand - dry surfing I guess you can call it.  We pretended to paddle and then jumped up on the board to make sure our feet were in the right position and we were balancing like we should be.  Once we somewhat mastered that, we moved to the ocean.  It's a lot harder than it looks to paddle against the waves away from the shore, and needless to say, we did this several times.  I was very sore for the next couple days.

It took me a couple tries, but I finally got up.  Fortunately, the waves weren't very 'juicy' that day.  Once I got the hang of it, I was able to stand up several more times and ride the waves all the way in!  It was a very proud moment for me.  We had a blast learning to surf, and I would happily do it again!  Maybe the next time we are in Hawaii...

Check Mark 4: Play with Dolphins

Growing up, I thought that swimming with dolphins meant I could just get in the ocean and swim with the dolphins.  I thought that maybe with some instruction from an expert, I could swim and play with dolphins in their natural environment.  Little did I know, I would need special training, maybe a degree, and some certifications to get in the ocean to play with dolphins in their natural environment, so I settled for the next best thing - Sea Life Park in Oahu, Hawaii.

It was here I got to check off my bucket list playing with dolphins.  We got in the pool, learned simple commands, and had a chance to get kissed by a dolphin!  We also got hold their fins as they danced on the water.  It was such an amazing experience to just be near them in the pool, pet them, and learn about their behaviors.  They truly are amazing creatures, and I highly recommend you swim with dolphins if ever given the chance.  You just get this new appreciation for this other world living under the sea - not to mention for these fascinating creatures.

Check Mark 3: A House

My third check mark - buying a house.  After 5 years of living in the condo, my (at the time) future husband and I decided to buy a house.  We figured it was about time we gave our 90 pound black lab a real backyard.

We were fortunate enough to buy our house in the city and school district we wanted, with the perfect backyard for our dog (and us - see pic below), and in the price range we needed.  The only downfall was it needed a little fixing up.  However, not only do we now have the memories of working on our house together and getting it looking exactly how we wanted, I also learned how handy my (now) hubby really is!

Three years later, we still believe this is our forever home!

Check Mark 2: Buying My First Place

My second check mark was buying my first place - at 20 years old!  Growing up, I always told myself I didn't want to rent an apartment as my first place to live.  I wanted to own something.  I wanted to know it was really mine.

At 20 years old, I was able to purchase a condo as my first home.  I actually owned it, and when I paid the mortgage, I was building equity versus just giving my money to someone else.

Today, I still own that condo - as rental property.  It's been rental property for 3 years now, and we haven't even had to think much about it (knock on wood)!  Rental property can definitely be a blessing or a curse - it's all in how you react to it!

Check Mark 1: Graduation - both High School and College

Okay, so this one is pretty common.  It might even be too common to put on a bucket list, but it was definitely on my list.

I'm lumping two into one here for the sake of catching up - high school graduation and college graduation.  Let's start with high school.  I graduated from a prominent Northern Kentucky high school in the top 10% of my class, an honor student, and active in many clubs.  I had some scholarship money lined up which lead me to NKU.  From NKU, I received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with a minor in Business Administration, and again, graduated in the top 10% of my class, Summa Cum Laude, and on the Dean's List.

I was very proud of this big achievement as I worked so hard to graduate with these honors.  What did I do with my degree and those honors?  Well, I now work for my dad's IT Firm as the A/R Manager among other things.  It provides me with the right amount of challenge with the perfect amount of flexibility in a relaxed environment with some really awesome people - and I couldn't ask for a better boss!

My Bucket List Check Marks

Welcome to my blog!  I'm just an ordinary, small town Kentucky girl with big dreams, and well, quite a long bucket list.  In fact, almost every time I check something off my bucket list, I find something else to add, which of course, makes it never ending!

As you read these posts, you'll find that some of my bucket list check marks (things I've already done and checked off) are common bucket list items while other things are less common - some are extravagant while others are mundane - and some are once in a lifetime opportunities while others are everyday tasks.

With each check mark I add to my list, the more I get encouraged to see the world, make the most of life, and never take a day forgranted.  This list helps me find the blessing in each day and each opportunity.  The world is big and time is short, so be ambitious to take each opportunity thrown your way...and you never know, it might end up as a bucket list check mark!