My Ever-Changing Bucket List

Saw the movie (worth seeing by the way) and have read other people's bucket list for inspiration. Anywho as I get older I'm realizing it's possible to run out of time. One of those oh so I am going to die someday and it isn't possible to go back and redo life. While I have done some of these things because opportunity presented itself and sometimes I was smart enough to take advantage of them, there is SO much more out there.

1. See and feel Niagara Falls
2. Grand Canyon
3. Stand at the Four Corners
4. Stand on the Equator both of them
5. Travel by any means possible (still haven't been on a helicopter, cruise, hot air balloon, segway, and anything else that has yet to been available to the public)
6. Pet a lion cub and hold a Panda Bear baby
7. Walk part of the Great Wall of China
8. Kayak in the Bio Luminous Water
9. Machu Pichu
10. Visit all 7 continents (still can't believe missed out on Africa when I had the chance)
11. See the Northern Lights
12. Redwood Forest
13. Live or travel solo for some time (gotta try it out) think I'll do this again, with Semester at Sea this time
14. Raise and love a family of my own
15. Continue looking for my passion
16. Continue learning otherwise I'd become stale in my thinking
17. Write a children's book that I can one day read to my children, nieces and nephews
18. Continue to make the decision to be happy
19. Ride on an elephant
20. See the Pyramids of Egypt and Mexico
21. Ride a camel
22. Hike in a rainforest
23. Visit Galapogs Island
24. Create my dream house

Cha-ching

In an effort to save in these times of tightening the budget. I've so far resorted to actually creating a budget and sticking to it, although every now and then I go over and even under by a few bucks. This includes, but is not limited to brown bagging it more and eating out less. When I do eat out I will usually order from the kids meal since really that's about all the food I need to feel satisfied instead of grotesquely full. Also I order water instead of a drink, because in case you didn't know that saves you 2-3 dollars! I've rediscovered these marvelous things called thrift stores. It is possible to find some nice clothing for a buck. Something even better is exchanging clothes with friends and it's FREE (my new favorite word by the way). Our girls night used to consist of dinner, movie, and drinks which a person could easily spend $50 in night. Now our girls night is a potluck style dinner with some games thrown in for fun which now costs us $10. One last thing instead of going to Blockbuster we exchange movies with friends or go to the library, and now we go to the $1 movies instead of the $10 movies.

Lost

I'm lost without direction. i don't know weather to continue with the path I've started on or create a new one. The one I know has it's downsides, but it's safe and comfortable. The new one is scary and exciting because I don't know where it will lead. What if it doesn't work out? What if it was a mistake to try something new? Right now all I am is full of what ifs and I'm stuck. I hate it since I'm the kind of person who follows a path to get somewhere. As much as I like wandering I enjoy having a goal to work towards.

So for now I'm keeping busy doing nothing really and wondering what I should do. Been doing it for a year think it's time to make a decision and just go with it. If it doesn't work out at least I tried and must remember I can change course, but I know that in the back of my mind I'll hear the tick tock of time I might be wasting doing something else. Guess this is where the saying the grass is always greener comes in.

Do you still dream?

As I grow I find myself becoming distracted by life and worn down time. When I was younger I didn't understand why anyone would want to be a teenager again it was horrible. Emotions going bonkers, words spewing out my mouth without thought, insecurities like no other why anyone would want to relive that was beyond me. I've come to realize now why people want to go back there is this feeling of the unknown, that everything could be possible since you haven't tested the waters. More likely than not at this young age you still haven't experienced defeat or the feeling of carrying the world on your shoulders. You haven't realized how difficult things can become. Or how quickly things could become disastrous. As you become an actual adult you've come to realize how life can end in seconds and can change within a blink of an eye. You also realize things are much harder than previously imagined.

Before you know it you have career that requries more than 40 hours a week, you have a mortgage, bills, a family that needs your attention. With all that going on without realizing time has flown, by the time you take notice you wonder what happened. What happend to my dreams?my goals?my ideals? Did I do everything I set out to do? When did I get distracted?

Then I remember I can still dream. I can set new goals. Or I could throw that all out the window and just live and see where that takes me. As long as I made the choice to do so I don't think I will regret it.

LILI'S bistro on Magnolia Ave.

I'm mostly a selfish person so I debated whether to even mention this place to anybody. My need to have this place survive this horrendous recession we find ourselves in won out the debate. Now I take anyone I can find to Lili's and make them promise that when they return they must invite me. I still haven't tried all their desserts, but I will eventually. As you can see we couldn't even wait to take a photo before we chowed down. What you see here is what I'm told is a goooood Three Cheese Burger with Gorgonzola Fries. I prefer the Grilled Chicken burger I seriously am in my own little heaven when I bite into it. I don't care if my phone is ringing or if someone is talking to me, I'm busy enjoying my food. A by the way is bring your appetite portions are big, the place is tiny ( I don't think it even has more than 10 tables inside) so expect to wait if it's around lunchtime but I'm telling you it's worth it.

http://www.lilisbistro.com/

Chef Point Cafe

Taking a note from one of my favorite blogs Fort Worth Hole in the Wall. I figured I'd share some of my favorite places to eat as well as any new ones I find along the way. Starting with Chef Point Cafe in Watauga. I've been driving past this place for years and had never known it was a resturant. It's half a gas station, heck I've even pumped gas here but hadn't gone inside. Stumbled upon it by chance on the web and found it's an intresting little spot. It's a sit yourself kind of place with mixture of people. Liked that you can see the cook's preparing your meal. Which reminds me have patience, bring yourself some good company or an intresting book, because they don't prepare anything till you order it. As all the food would pass me by my I got to see thier range of dishes and everything looked like somehting I'll be eating in my near future. Mind you I only tried the pizza for the reason that I'm a shove away from broke, and it was the cheapest thing on the menu that could be shared easily. Anywho it's prices range from ($5.99-$20.99) and the variety of food for a small place astounding.

http://www.chefpointcafe.org/home.nxg

New Baby

As cute as babies are when they're sleeping, they're faces when crying are more interesting. Man every time I see a newborn I'm amazed by them. Just watching them breathe is fascinating. Just as fascinating as all of that is when they are in the womb it creeps me out. Even though I've seen pregnant women all around me for years it still gives me the heebie-jeebies to think there is someone in there. I'm much more for adoption than actual pregnancy. In the end you still a baby to love and raise.