My Summer Bucket List

I thought I'd do a fun post and recap some of the super awesome and fun things I did this summer. I had a couple big bucket list items that I knocked off. The first one being my Half Marathon! I did a post way back about how I was training for one, and I am super excited to say that I actually completed it! I can't say that my training schedule was one I can recommend but it was good enough to carry me through 13.1 miles!

I was doing awesome at the beginning of my training, which is about when I did that post, sometime in March. The Shamrock Run was my first mental challenge for running (See my post here to read about why that sucked - Shamrock Run) and I honestly have to say I think without that race I would have been doomed. That was a turning point for me in "mind over matter". So come the end of May when the Buffalo Half and whole Marathons took place, I had only done a long run of about 6 miles (Yeah that's not even half way). But with the weather conditions on my side I ran the entire thing! I was extremely proud of myself for not only finishing (I knew I could do that) but for running through the full thing! It was a matter of pacing myself and enjoying the scenery, stop thinking about how much it hurts and the miles just fall away!
Being at a race like that and then watching all the full marathoners come in was probably one of the most motivational things I've ever done! I wanted to cry for each and every one of them since I know how much it hurts and how rewarding it was to finish! If this is not on your bucket list, put it there! Everyone can do a half marathon! The full next year will be my next mission!! Hopefully I can follow a good running plan that I can share! Here are some photos from the race!

Hubby and I before the race! (Don't mind extra long side burns, those are gone lol)

Dan, me and our buddy Paul after we all finished (the boys did the full... so proud of them!!)

My other conquered bucket list item this summer was skydiving!! Yes that's right we jumped out of a perfectly good airplane! It was one of the most awesome things I've ever done and highly recommend anyone try it, at least once! I was so excited about doing it that I really never even got scared. It was just such a thrilling experience and I cannot wait to try it again, maybe next time I'll do it in some exotic location!

It was a little pricey but definitely worth every penny and unlike anything I've ever experienced before! Below are some photos and I'll even share the video we bought. The jumper filming went with the hubs so its actually his jump, but he got me exiting the plane, which was the best part! Something else I would encourage anyone to put on their bucket list. Hopefully next summer we can add some new adventures to this list!

Ready to go!

Climbing in... yes the plane was that small!

All smiles - waving goodbye! :-)

Coming in for my landing - wasn't a graceful land but I survived it!

 

Dan's face is priceless in this video, and you can totally feel your skin flapping haha!

Cheers to Happy Summer Fun!

Stephanie

 

On the Move

I've been having a little trouble coming up with ideas for blogging about my sister's wedding (hence the no posts in awhile) So I've been looking around at other blogs for new  ideas. It would have been much easier to blog about my own wedding, if only I had this idea a year and a half ago! So instead one blogger said she uses her blog as a scrapbook of sorts. More for her own personal record keeping and photos from her family and I thought that was a superb idea! I used to scrapbook ALL the time and I just don't have the time, (or the patience for that matter) any longer. So enter new age scrapbooking!

So with that, I'm going to start out with our most exciting new life development! WE'RE MOVING! We finally bought a new, bigger and gorgeous home in our dream neighborhood! Its almost move in condition with a few exceptions, the kitchen and bathrooms all need to be majorly updated, but are all usable for the time being! I plan on chronicling our home renovations here. There is nothing better then a great Before & After photo!

Before we even close and make the big move, here are a few photos of the new house!

Exterior (Isn't she beautiful?)

Back Family Room (hubby is turning this into a ultra modern lounge - the only room in the house I gave him full control to decorate. Yikes!)

Entry way and stairway

My favorite part of the new house!

Master Suite (Walk- in closet on the left, bathroom on the right)

My living room (look at all this space, its like a blank slate)

And the kitchen, way to white - will be our first renovation project!

We are so looking forward to making this move! Right now I feel like life is in shambles with half our stuff boxed up in the basement. I'm trying to get organized before I pack up the rest of the house. We're hoping to close around the beginning of October so I have a few short weeks to get my act together. I'm just too excited to start all our new decorating, I don't even want to think about actually moving. I'm not a patient person but we'll be on our way in no time. Fortunately we are not moving far, so packing, organizing and decorating is about all we'll have to worry about!

Let me know if you have any moving tips to share, I'd love to hear what keeps you organized during times of chaos!

Cheers!

Stephanie