My Take on Turning 40

I turn 40 in January 2017 and although I’m 39.5 years into my first 40 years, I have just drafted a bucket list for my first 40 years (more like a recap since it was after the fact). So you will notice many items I’ve already completed since I’m almost at that specific finish line… But I thought it would be fun to capture, so when I lose my memory at 80, I can tell my kids all the wild stuff I did? 

So I need 5 new crazy items to complete before January 28th! And after that, I want to draft a list for the next 40 years of my journey! 

So here goes the first 40… Based on this list please feel free to suggest items for 36-40 (for me to complete this year), or any items for me to conquer over my next 40 years! 

1. Be a Christian – Get baptized✅, go to church as a kid✅, join a church as an adult✅, do RAK often✅

2. Enjoy Friendship – Have a best friend✅, be someone’s best friend✅, find your mom-tribe of friends✅, find your crazy-group-of-friends✅!

3. Fall in love – With the wrong person✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅, & with the right person.✅

4. Ride an upside down roller coaster✅

5. Float on the river in a canoe, boat, tube, raft. ✅

6. Go to amazing concerts. ✅ A true passion of mine… Live music …so many amazing concerts so far… Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson’s (amazing Bad Tour), Alabama (4xs), Toby Keith (3xs), Pink, Eric Church, Black Hawk, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, John Anderson, Lee Ann Womack, Yonder Mountain Stringband, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jamie Johnson…

7. Attend Bonnaroo.✅

8. Be Fit- Run a 1/2 marathon ✅✅✅, a full marathon✅✅, & compete in a fitness competition ✅✅

9. Make a Family – Get Married✅✅, & have or adopt babies✅✅

10. Learn how to be a momma✅

11. Jump off a cliff ✅✅✅✅✅✅ (unbeknownst to me… I was a week preggo with CJ when I jumped off a cliff into the ocean down in Cabo San Lucas) 

12. Mess-up your body – Get a tattoo✅✅✅✅, get a piercing✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅, & dye my hair✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅+

13. Pamper your body- Get a massage, a body scrub, a facial, a peel, a microderm, fake tans, spray tans, & mani/pedis✅✅✅+

14. Learn how to swim✅

15. Drive a boat, car, atv✅✅✅

16. Ride on a horse and a motorcycle✅✅

17. Water ski & tube & jet ski✅✅✅

18. Snow ski & tube & snowmobile out of state✅✅✅

19. Swim in the Atlantic, Pacific, & Caribbean Oceans✅✅✅

20. Live in different places – On the East Coast, Midwest, West Coast, & South Florida✅✅✅

21. Live on my own by myself✅

22. Live with my best friend in an apt✅

23. Own a home, pet, and a car by myself✅✅✅

24. Travel – Visit Europe, Caribbean islands, Central America, Guantanomo Bay, Cuba, Canada.✅✅✅✅✅

25. Serve in the military✅

26. Graduate and earn high school diploma, bachelors degree, and graduate degree✅✅✅

27. Go to work- Work in a family-owned business✅, find your career✅, & change career path✅✅

28. Dare to dream – Sing somewhere important, or at least really public ?✅✅✅✅✅(sang at multiple military black-tie affairs while in CGA Glee Club, sang at a Bob Dole function, sang back-up for Kenny Rogers at Women in Military function, sang on stage at Tootsies, sang on stage at Irish Kevin’s), & record/copyright 15+ songs✅

29. Be young & crazy- Date wild musicians ✅✅, date guys your parents disapprove of✅✅✅+, get engaged ✅✅✅✅✅, break rules✅✅✅+, break hearts✅+, party till dawn✅✅✅+, take spontaneous roadtrips✅, do a keg stand✅+! 

30. Explore the USA- Grand Canyon✅, NYC✅, LA✅, Breckenridge✅, Boston✅, every state in New England✅, Seattle✅, San Diego✅, Destin✅, Orlando✅, Cape Canaveral✅, Key West✅, Arizona✅, DC✅, Atlantic City Beach, NJ✅, Atlantic Beach City, NC✅, Maryland✅, Nashville✅, Memphis✅, OKC✅, Phoenix✅, Joplin✅, Dallas✅… I’m sure I’m missing places. 

31. Mature a bit- Forgive someone who hurt you✅, gain someone’s forgiveness for hurting them✅, help someone through the worst time in their life✅, & let someone help you through your worst✅. 

32. Public speaking – Sing a solo✅, choke during a solo✅, give a speech in front of 20+ people✅, give a wedding toast✅✅

33. Learn how to shoot a pistol, rifle, shotgun✅✅✅

34. Go hunting, fishing, gigging, & camping✅✅✅✅

35. Learn to grieve a death✅✅✅✅✅

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

Beginning of next 40 Bucket List:

1. Attend at least 40 more amazing concerts! 

2. Hold a tarantula (not sure I’m actually committed to this one).

3. Sky dive (not sure I’m actually committed to this one).

4. Visit 2 more continents (not sure I’m actually committed to this one).

5. Find your place in your church.

6. Learn a new hobby for each child’s skill.

7. Make a memory trunk/book/thumb drive for each child.

8. Learn how to meditate.

9. Learn how to ride a motorcycle.

10. Go to Vegas, Napa, and Hawaii.

11.

12.

13.

…
Well I am totally open for suggestions at this point in life! What should I do that will change my life for the better?!?