|

|

2014 Bucket List

I’m ready to move on from talking about everything I plan to do in 2014 and start living it, but before I do, I want to revisit my Bucket List for 2013 and see what I accomplished and then write one for 2014.

bucket-list

Here is last year’s. You will see that I’m not terribly ambitious when it comes to setting goals for myself, but even so, I didn’t do everything on my list — I only accomplished about half my list. I hope I can do better this year!!

  1. Visit somewhere I’ve never been before. I went to Laguna Beach, probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been on earth. I also spent time at Lake Naomi in the Poconos three times last year.
  2. Run a 10K. I accomplished this for the first time in a virtual 10K with a couple of friends, and then I ran an official 10K at the Good Neighbor Day on July 4th.
  3. Organize and purge the attic. (Still on my bucket list . . . )
  4. Unplug for one whole day. No, I’ve never actually done that!! (Still have never done that!)
  5. Learn to make a gluten-free pie crust that tastes like the real thing. (Nope, no dice there either. But I didn’t try.)
  6. Attend Mom 2.0 Summit. You can read all about my Mom 2.0 experience here.
  7. Wear a ball gown. (Ironically, I had the chance to wear one twice. The first event, I didn’t realize that was the dress code and I looked like an idiot in a printed knee-length sheath. The second event I turned down because I would have had to pay to attend and I couldn’t justify the cost. So. I’m hoping I get another chance in 2014!!!)
  8. Publish an eBook. I did this!!! It is not the eBook I thought I was going to publish. I was working on a gluten-free eBook with a friend that never got off the ground. But then I was offered the opportunity to write a children’s story for the NPMA that was published as an eBook. So I can cross this one off my list.
  9. Try a new exotic food. Hmm…. did I try sushi for the first time this year? Or was that in 2013? I also tried octopus . . . I think that was 2013. Guess I’ll cross that one off.
  10. Learn how to use our fancy camera. I’m getting better, but I still don’t have it down the way I want to. I better GET better because I need some mad photography skills for the cookbook I’m writing!!!
  11. See my writing published in a print magazine. Does a recipe count? My gluten-free banana bread recipe was published in Southern Living Magazine.
  12. Get a workable organizational system for my Laundry Room. WOOHOOO!!!!! YES, this one I definitely accomplished. See my Laundry Room Makeover here.
  13. Learn to apply a “Smokey Eye”. (I still need to do this. I did master a great daytime eye makeup look though, and it works pretty well for nighttime if I ramp it up a bit. Still, it’s not a smokey eye.)
  14. Take a Zumba class. Did it!
  15. Plant an herb garden. (Nope, not yet. Still wanna do it.)

So….. I didn’t do as well as I was hoping I would, but there’s always this year, right??? Here’s my bucket list for 2014.

2014 Bucket List

  1. Learn to use essential oils therapeutically and reduce our reliance on medicine. I ordered a kit from Young Living… I’ll let you know how that goes!
  2. Get this ding-dang plantar fasciitis under control for good!!! I think I’ve turned a corner. Hoping and praying I can keep it at bay.
  3. Run a 5K in 27 minutes flat. I’m sloooowly easing back into running. YAY!!!! My current PR for a 5K is currently 27:56. I’d love to get it under 27 minutes.
  4. Run another half marathon. I’m throwing this in there, although it won’t crush me if I don’t accomplish this. At this point, I’ll just be happy if I can get back to running 3-5 mile distances regularly. If there are no more half marathons in my future, I’m okay with that.
  5. Try oil pulling. I’ve already started this. I hope to do it consistently for a month and see if I notice an improvement in my overall health.
  6. Update my blog design. I’m working on this one. Can’t WAIT to get it finished and unveiled!!
  7. Publish a book. I’m cheating again, as this is already in the works. I’ll give you all the deets soon.
  8. Try the Paleo diet for one month. I keep saying I want to try it and I never can seem to commit so I’m writing it down. It’s sort of like saying it out loud. I have to do it then, right?? Don’t answer that . . .
  9. Read the entire New Testament. That really shouldn’t be that hard, right? I already printed out a plan, and I’m putting it by my bed with my Bible right now.
  10. Plant an herb garden. Carrying this one over from last year.
  11. Wear a ball gown. I still want to do this!
  12. Read 12 good fiction books. That is one a month, and it should certainly be do-able! I used to read ALL the time. Anyone got a suggestion for me? I tend to prefer light fluffy reads, but not romance novels, necessarily.
  13. Travel out of the country. This is a biggie, and it may not happen in 2014, but if I write it down, there’s a better chance of making it happen, right??
  14. Take my kids somewhere they’ve never been before. I don’t know where this is, but I want them to see more of the world!
  15. Play my violin in church. This year I finally took my poor, neglected violin to a luthier to get it fixed so I can play it. I’m a bit rusty after 23 years, but I want to get back my skills back so I can play it in church. Maybe 2014 is my year. I’ve only been talking about doing this for five years.
  16. Implement a standing desk. I spend a LOT of time at my desk. A LOT. And I know it’s not good for my health. I’ve ready a ton of compelling evidence that standing desks are the way to go so I’m dying to give it a try. I’ll definitely keep you posted!

How about you? What’s on your Bucket List for 2014??

Join The Conversation

37 Responses

  1. G’day J-Lynne and Happy New year, true!
    Hope it is the best one yet for you and your family too!
    Setting goals in the short term, medium term and long term I always thought is important to do!
    LOOK how much you accomplished and a GREAT 2014 list…perhaps you would like me to do one too?
    Cheers! Joanne

  2. If you like light, fluffy reads there is anything my Kristen Hannah. For an even fluffier read, any book by Sophia Kinsella will fit that bill(Confessions of a Shopaholic series) or Elin Hildebrand. I also like Georgia Bokevich, Nancy Thayer, and Jane Green.

    If you want something a little cutting-edge, check out the biographies by Jen Lancaster. Bitter is the New Black is awesome.

    In the christian fiction genre, there is the Yada Yada prayer book series by Neta Jackson.

    Slightly dark and twisty? Try Jodi Picoult. Nineteen Minutes is nail-biting, if you can handle the plot(think Sandy Hook)

    Historical Fiction? Try the Red Queen.

    And just plain awesome? Anything by Michael Crichton.

    If you need any more suggestions, send me an email, I can give you a ton more.

    1. You are an encyclopedia of book recommendations!!! Do you ever blog book reviews?? I do like Kristen Hannah. Sophia Kinsella is almost too fluffy for me, although I enjoyed reading one of her books on vaca this summer. I haven’t heard of the others. Oh, I have read Jen Lancaster. LOVE her.

  3. I need to put mine to paper—still in my head. One benefit of oil-pulling is whiter teeth! And once you get the hang of essential oils, you will use them for everything–they really will change your life!

  4. Love this idea. Love even more you’re able to look at last year’s list and see what you did, that’s really cool. I may write my own, we’ll see!

  5. You need to get on that herb garden! There’s nothing better than picking basil for a caprese salad! Ok ok, I’ll admit I didn’t plant the garden I use. My dad is a landscaper, and I have a black thumb. Have you looked into the AeroGarden?

    These all sound great! Good luck!

  6. Those are both awesome lists and you accomplished some great things in 2013! I’m going to be planting a new herb garden this spring, I hope you get yours done too. Herbs are so easy to grow and wonderful to have on hand when you want them. I’ll try to let you know when I blog about it, maybe that will help you get things going!

    1. Yes, I sometimes have a pot or two on my window sill and it is so nice to have. This year I hope to do it right and get some planted outside by my house so I can grow more of it and have plenty.

  7. I enjoy Kate Morton books – my book club read The Forgotten Garden a few years ago and The Secret Keeper last summer.

    On my bucket list is to run that elusive half-marathon this year. I tried last year but, you know, pregnancy and all kind of hampered those plans. As soon as I can, I am getting back
    into running!

    Thinking maybe the Philadelphia Rock and Roll half in September and maybe one of the Disney half marathons next winter. 🙂

    1. Those books sound good. I would love to do a Disney half. I was actually invited to do one as a blogger and I had to turn it down. The timing wasn’t very good plus it was at like 9pm. KILL ME. I want to try to do one on the West Coast – theirs start early a.m. which would be better for me.

  8. love this! I made a bucket list for the whole family for summer last year and for the Christmas season…we all loved it! I hope to continue. they can be so fun to work on. 🙂

  9. LOVE your list. I had a friend that wanted to wear a ball gown with no place to wear it so she wore it to the grocery store as though she was going to an event afterwards or just got back from an event. She had a blast!

  10. Hi! I’ve been following your blog for awhile now but never commented. Love this list! You should read Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Marla Semple. Best book I read last year. Smart, but not too heavy. I need to read more this year as well.

  11. I can’t wait to hear more about the oil pulling and the essential oils. 🙂

    Best “fluffy” reading – anything by Sophie Kinsella. Fun books!

  12. Have you read Where’d You Go Bernadette? Great book. Fluffy & funny.

    sounds like quite the list for 2014. If you get that smokey eye mastered, I hope you’ll do a tutorial. Can’t wait to see your new blog design.
    ~FringeGirl

    1. No, I haven’t. Writing it down!

      The new design is still my same look, but a different layout. I cant wait to get it in place, though. Bigger photos, so hopefully more visually appealing.

  13. Hey there! I plan to read the Bible before I turn 50 in May. I finished the Old Testament today and start the New Testament tomorrow. Just wondering about the plan you printed for your reading the New Testament.

    Blessings,

    Crystal

  14. Your list looks great! I’d never heard of oil pulling, but looked it up after reading your list! I’m going to try it. What could it hurt, eh? Also, so happy for your possible ‘corner-turning’ with PF. What did you do? Mine is still painful.

    1. Eh. Well. I spoke too soon. ARGH. I will probably end up getting that cortisone injection. I’ve been going to PT regularly and stretching the heck out of it. AND I just started applying essential oils. I’m still hopeful I can beat it, but I am only giving it another few weeks until I resort to the shot.

  15. Love your list!

    I’m just finishing up The White Princess by Philippa Gregory. I love her books (historical fiction.) My 11-year-old daughter is reading Divergent and LOVES it and insists I must read it next. 😉

  16. Happy New Year! Great list. I am so excited for the Gluten free recipes. 300 will help us out in the area of variety 🙂

    I have on my list to read 10 books and I just started my first book of the year “Friday Night Knitting Club”. Its good and I am enjoying it. It has a follow up too. I loved Bossypants (fluffy). Not fluffy but I think they are good… I read Me Before You in one night and I am a complete SLOW reader. I could not put it down. I read The Red Tent in one night too. And my favorite is “The Same Kind of Different as Me”. Definitely ministered to me (not fluffy though!)

    And honestly, I love “Emma” (my favorite Jane Austen) and would read it again and again.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search
Close this search box.