Dear friends,
Where did December go? One minute I was sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and the next minute, I was scrambling to make new year’s plans. I missed out on Christmas completely – the decorating, putting up (and taking down) the tree, and didn’t wrap a single present. Feeling like Rip Van Winkle, as if I have been asleep for a month under a tree (not the evergreen variety, probably a big cactus) somewhere. Just now waking up.
This post should have gone live over a week ago, but I was still in my sleep-like trance then. Got home from caring for my mom in Kentucky at 2:00 pm on the 23rd and was in the car headed for Albuquerque at 4:00 pm that same afternoon. I have slept in so many different beds in the past 30 days, that I wake up every morning wondering where I am and which way to the bathroom. Wasn’t able to think much beyond the next 15 minutes some days much less come up with a list of activities for the whole season.
But things are better. Meaning, my mom is better. And for today, I feel like I can safely plan beyond tomorrow. So here goes…
My 2019 Winter Bucket List
You might remember, before the bottom fell out around here, I had created a mini holiday bucket list. Have a peek at that post to refresh your memory. I wasn’t able to complete everything on that list the way I had hoped. So will be moving a couple of those activities onto this 2019 winter bucket list.
These are the activities I am hoping to partake in over the next few months.
- Create a blogging schedule and follow it. I have a shiny new life planner created by blogger and life coach Ruth Soukup. Now to get my life to fit into those neat little squares!
- Have professional photos taken. Contacted one gal about having photos made. Ya’ll, I had no idea I needed to budget or work overtime to afford professional photographs! That’s probably why we’ve never had any taken. Going to call another photographer this week. Might have to postpone this til my ship comes in.
- Go on a backwards date. This was a mini holiday bucket list activity. Really looking forward to doing this with my sweet PC. But we are both sick this weekend.
- Try the Total Body Enhancement red light therapy booth at the gym. Had hoped to get started on my list with this easy activity but the machine was down. It’s brand new! How can it be out of service already?
- Read. More. I have a couple of books I’ve been struggling to read. Want to get back into the mind set where reading is enjoyable and not just something to cross of a list of things to do. Have started one of my books twice now. Hope it will make more sense the second time around.
- Finish scrapbooking Germany photographs, work on mosaic, cross stitch elephant and painting. Just as with the books I have been reading, I have lots of projects started but not completed. Really want to wind up some of these. I enjoy finding projects and crafts to do on Pinterest but don’t dare start something new until I finish up at least one of these that’s been hanging fire.
- Dress up when I go out anywhere. This is going to be a challenge. So often on weekends, we will leave the house to go on a walk in the canyon, or to workout at the gym and then run errands afterward. I know. Ewww. In our sweaty gym clothes. I need to up my game. Have a lot of clothes that I love wearing. A trip to the grocery needs to be worthy of getting cleaned up for.
- Try 3 new recipes. Right now nothing sounds good. Does that ever happen to you? Probably because we are sick. But when I was grocery shopping on Thursday, none of my regular recipes sounded good. Maybe I will host a casserole recipe swap, a crock pot recipe swap, an Instapot recipe swap in the new year.
- Lose the 5 pounds I found in Kentucky. While I was at my mom’s I didn’t eat that much but what I did eat wasn’t good for me. And many nights I found solace in a glass of wine. When I normally drink only a glass or two a week. Pretty sure that was part of the reason I gained 5 pounds. On the first days I was there, most of my time was spent sitting beside mom in her hospital bed…one day I walked a whopping 750 steps. But once we made the decision to move her, I would alternate between sitting with her and then sorting and packing and moving her things, sometimes until after midnight. On those days I reached my step goal handily.
- Take a course or class…photography, piano, painting, spinning? Remember how I signed up for the crash course in piano in the fall? And then it was cancelled. Want to take some kind of enrichment course this winter. But have to be here to take it! And I will be spending another two weeks in Kentucky toward the middle of the month.
So, that’s my list. Please come back on 01.21.2019 and 02.21.2019 for reports on my progress.
Your Turn
Won’t you join me by making a 2019 winter bucket list of your own. Share it on your blog and link-up with us or leave your list in a comment below or on my blog Facebook page, here. We can hold each other accountable! And better yet, cheer each other on.
Thank you, friends, for sharing this journey with me. You guys hold a special place in my heart and my life. I am thankful for the support and friendship you have shown me. Thank you!
Hugs and kisses,
Nancy
I hope you will achieve your list and wish you the happiness New Year Leslie!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Nancy. 2018 was a tough year so I am glad to pack it up and move forward with 2019. Happy New Year, doll!!
Debs
Hey, I think we can forgive you for not crossing everything off that list just yet – life has had other plans for you this December! Sorry to hear you aren’t feeling 100% but with the stress of everything that has been happening I’m not really surprised that your immune system has been lowered. Take care of yourself, eat whatever takes your fancy and leave the mission to lose those extra pounds until the new year has properly settled in.
Happy New Year!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you for giving me a pass on not getting all of bucket list items accomplished for the holidays. Feeling much better today but feeling chubby as can be. My daughter and grand will be leaving Monday and then I HAVE to get back on track eating well and exercising.
Mary Bjornsgaard
Whew! What a whirlwind month for you. Happy New Year Leslie!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Happy New Year, Mary! So glad to hear from you. Wishing us both a healthy, happy 2019. Thank you for stopping by.
Natalie
Hope you get well soon, Leslie. Thank you for organizing this link-up. I’m cheering you on. Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you for always being there to cheer me on. Hoping for an easier year in 2019.
Gail
Get well soon! It’s been such a tough few weeks for you. Probably your body’s way of asking for rest. Bucket list looks great. I’m intrigued as to what the red light therapy is. I was also thinking about a professional photographer.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Gail, feeling so plump and fluffy today. Will get back on track with exercise and healthy eating this week. Will let you know about the red light therapy. I think it is worth a short since it is a free perk to gym membership.
Laura
You have some great goals for yourself this winter! I am so behind in my scrapbooking. I got a banquet size foldable table (which makes it sound much larger than it actually is) that will be nice for expanding my scrapbook area. I want to set it up after the Christmas decorations are down and get started on scrapbooking. I know it will take some time, but I know once I am done they will be wonderful memories!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I don’t think I knew you were a scrapbooker. Yay, you!! With those beautiful babies, I am sure you have so much to scrap but also have so little time to do it! My sister and I tease that no one will ever even look at our scrapbooks, but we still enjoy scrapping together. We have even gone on a couple of scrapping retreats. So much fun. Wine, snacks and scrapping together til midnight. Now to get busy on my winter bucket list.
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
I just got the ‘Cultivate What Matters’ planner and it is so neat! I think you’d love it. It has 35 pages you fill out that help you decide what goals you want to accomplish this year and then it has pages for each month AND each season to keep you on track! I didn’t do any goals last year and I felt like I just floated through the year, so I’m excited to try this out. Just had to share 🙂 I think you have some fun goals, still curious about this backwards date… I swear I’ve gained 7 lbs in just the last 2 weeks from all of the eating out and holiday treats… it’s crazy! I know I’ll be back on track once the kids go back to school and I start back on the FASTer Way again. You have been busy and it’s ok, there is always another Christmas to run around like a chicken with its head cut off, wrapping all the gifts and decorating like crazy. Just remember that sometimes we can’t DO IT ALL and we just have to let some things slide! Have a Happy NY!! Hope your mom continues to do well! 🙂 I know you care about her so very, very much.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, who makes the Cultivate What Matters planner? It sounds really good for keeping you on track…which is a huge job with someone as ADD as I am. My clothes are all snug and my pants that aren’t skinny normally are skinny jeans now. You are always so good to make me feel ‘okay’, though, about where I am. Okay that I haven’t been on track with eating right, and okay letting some things slide. Thank you for the well wishes for my mom; she sounded good today. One day at a time, I guess, from here.
Christie Hawkes
I’m glad to hear your mother is doing better, Leslie. Here’s to a pleasant winter and the accomplishment of your bucket list items! I’m interested to hear about the backwards date and the red light therapy booth. Good luck on the weight loss. I’m in the same boat. I somehow found a few extra pounds over the last few months. I’m ready to get back to more healthy eating.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Christie, we finally went to the gym today! Hallelujah. Felt great. Now to go again tomorrow. Ha! So glad you mentioned the red light therapy. I had forgotten about it…and we could have tried it today at the gym. Will try it and give everyone a full report. Need to get to planning our backwards date, too. Stay tuned!!
ShootingStarsMag
I’m glad your mom is doing better! I hope you start to feel better soon too. I really need to use January to make a re-start on eating better and being more active. Dance starts next week, so that’s good. I’ve definitely gained some weight in the last few months and I really need to get that off and hopefully lose some more this year. It’s a long process. LOL
-Lauren
Michael Ann
SO good to see you back! Yes, professional photos are pricey, but BOY can they be worth it! I hope you’re able to snag a good photo yourself for now. I like your goals for the new season. I may not do an official winter list. For now I’m focusing on physical and spiritual health and getting some blog posts out of my head and onto my blog! Happy New Year! (((hugs)))
Terri Webster Schrandt
Happy New Year dear Leslie! 2019 will HAVE to be better, but every year has it’s good and bad times! My winter bucket list has already busted a bit for our Arizona road trip, although we had fun in North Phoenix with a fellow blogger and her hubby. We are now on to Las Vegas from Sedona (no Grand Canyon, no Monument Valley, etc…way too cold and unexpected snowy conditions…but I got some great photos so far). Get refreshed and rejuvenated and see you on the other side!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you are enjoying your Arizona-Vegas road trip. My daughter had wedding photos done in the neon junkyard or museum in Vegas. Did you happen to visit it? It was a very interesting backdrop. Safe travels and looking forward to linking up for Sunday Stills in this new year.
Pat
Leslie, ask around and get a few quotes on professional photos. I got three quotes and they were pretty widely different…. literally the range was $500-$1000! Mine included hair & make-up, consultation on clothing, and 5 “final pictures”. It was a blast. There was a whole-lot of concealer going on in the make-up chair, plus false eyelashes, which apparently really help in photos. And then photoshop afterwards. And we wonder why super models look so good…. it takes time and computer software. Anyway, I’m happy with my pictures and one will show up on my blog as soon as I work though the updated template. That should be on my winter bucket list!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Pat, thank you so much for sharing your professional photography adventures. What fun!! We wound up having to postpone having our photography session because half the gang was sick. So, I am going to follow your good advice and call several more photographers to get prices before we commit to having the photos taken again. I really wanted to have photos taken outdoors, too, and this photographer wanted to take them in our home. So maybe we will wait until it is warmer – spring – and find someone who will take them outdoors with our beautiful Franklin Mountains in the background. Cannot wait to see your photos!! Have never worn false eyelashes! Had you?
Danielle
Leslie,
2019 I hope will be a fantastic year for you. You had a difficult December. Sometimes bucket lists get pushed to the side because life. That’s okay.
I am intrigued by the backwards date. Can’t wait to learn more about it. Also professional photos can be very expensive (I’ve only paid for them when I was pregnant/new baby) until I signed up for a Christmas Mini Session in November for our Christmas card. And while they were stupid expensive the photographer did an amamzing job.
Here’s to checking off our items on our buckets lists this year and making great memories while we do it.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Cheers! Here’s to both of us meeting all of our goals, becoming better friends, and having a fabulous 2019. Your Christmas card photos were really special. That is what I want. Not posed in front of the fire place but cuddly, fun photos that reflect who we really are. Wish I could afford to have some taken by a photographer of just PC and me and then later, if and when I can ever get the girls and their fams here at the same time, have some professional family photographs done. Guess I will concentrate on us for now.
Thank you for being my friend and blogging buddy. I always appreciate your eagerness to join me for crazy blog projects. Hope we can do lots more together this year.