Morning glories, today’s post is my 05.21.2021 update and second progress report for this year’s spring bucket list. You might remember that my spring bucket list reveal post from March disappeared during my blog theme facelift. But you can check out my first update, here.
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MY SPRING 2021 BUCKET LIST
With this season’s bucket list, I stuck with the same 6 categories I used in the winter. Under each category, I’ve added 3 activities. Feeling very hopeful that our corner of the world here in El Paso, Texas is beginning to return to normal. And that optimism made it easier to come up with my bucket list.
UPDATE 05.21.2021
I didn’t publish this post first thing today because I was hopeful we would do a couple of the activities on my list. So I held off finishing up the post. Glad I did because we earned 2 more green check marks today!! Here’s my slightly late spring bucket list, update 05.21.2021.
BODY
- Discover a new hike – tin mines or Hueco Tanks maybe? Well, we haven’t done either of those yet but we did discover the Rio Grande Riverpark Trail. However, the river was bone dry. Not a drop of water. We are in a drought but I thought there would be at least a trickle of water. Nope! Compare the photo I took today to the ones on the AllTrails website. Big difference!!
- Investigate playing pickleball again – check out the possibility of classes. I called and classes are being held again on Friday mornings. But my Friday mornings have been busy with the babies. And we went to Ohio and Kentucky to visit our moms. Hope to have something to report back here by my next update.
- Facial and pedi – bumped the facial from winter’s bucket list. Need a pedicure to kick off sandal season. Have now enjoyed not one but two facials with Roxie at Essence Spa. And we are having a couples massage on Saturday after PC’s baseball game. Heaven. Have plans to get that pedi next week with Lauren. Won’t count this done yet.
HEART
- Spring fun – Easter egg hunt with the girls or confetti eggs in the park, bird feeder, plant a garden, blow bubbles?? Some or all. Did most everything in April.
- Try a new date night experience – would like to check out iFly or Top Golf, renting 4-wheelers at Red Sands. Nothing yet.
- Visit a new-to-us restaurant or brewery – maybe something downtown. I tried a new restaurant for brunch earlier this week with my friend Lorena. We hadn’t seen each other in about 18 months so it was nice to catch up over breakfast at Grove. Then after our Rio Grande Riverpark walk, PC and I quenched our thirst at the Old Sheepdog Brewery. Paul had the Ol’ Yeller and I had their South Central lager (named for an area of downtown El Paso).
MIND
- Finish mosaic – meet the #100DayProject deadline of 05.31.2021 for completion. Oh, girls, I did it!! I finished this baby. I earned a big huge green check mark for finally completing this 7 year long project.
- Quirky birds collage – participate in another collage workshop with Jennifer at The Maker Beehive. Loved doing this and want to start on my bicycle collage as soon as my sister finishes school for the year.
- Blog facelift – give the blog a fresh look for spring. No fun but done.
SPIRIT
- Begin using new devotional journal – complete Finding Your Path to Faith, Hope & Healing: A Workbook to Enrich Your Journey and begin using the Prayer Journal for Women: 52 Week Scripture, Devotional & Guided Prayer Journal. Ordered and received the Prayer Journal for Women. But haven’t completed Finding Your Path to Faith yet. So can’t check this off yet.
- Attend Easter church services – PC will get his second vaccine on Tuesday and then we will feel more comfortable about attending church. We enjoyed Easter services and have been back to church several times since. Last Sunday, we were very surprised to see that about 80% of the congregation was mask-less. Not sure I am ready to be mask-free when around a bunch of folks but it was kind of nice to be able to see smiles again. Felt good getting semi-dressed up again. Bought this Loft skirt and tee in February before Covid hit. Had to cut the tags off to wear it last week.
- Read a self-help book – bumped from my winter bucket list. Looking at How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety by Ellen Hendriksen or Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age by Sanjay Gupta. I have been slowly working my way through How to Be Yourself. Finished reading Yeah, No, Not Happening: How I Found Happiness Swearing Off Self-Improvement and Saying F*ck It All – and How You Can Too by Karen Karbo and LOVED it. This book’s title might just become my new mantra. Plan on writing a post about this book soon. Have discovered Laura Tremaine (thank you, Karen Strand) on Facebook, IG, and podcasts. Reading her book Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.
STOMACH
- Create a spring charcuterie board – my BFF Sharon sent me a charcuterie board book with lots of ideas. Can’t wait to try some of them and share with you. Really wanted to do this for Easter but it didn’t happen. Nope, not yet this month either.
- Try 3 new Weight Watcher friendly recipes – make the recipes and add them to the online WW database. Made this shrimp and grits recipe and it was love at first bite. By my calculations, a serving is 8 points. Also tried this cheesy southwest chicken soup; a hearty bowl is 5 points. Made this Thai peanut noodles with chicken recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny (sign me up) on Pinterest.
- Go on a burrito or taco run – pick up burritos or tacos from several local restaurants, maybe some of the tacos mentioned here or the burritos mentioned here and determine the best. I cannot wait to do this!! Here are some of the taquerias I want to visit: El Cometa – Taqueria; Tacos Chinampa; and The Big Juan.
STYLE
- Find, pose by and photograph 5 new-to-me murals – style several of the spring 2021 capsule wardrobe pieces for this activity. Have found a number of new murals – thanks, El Paso friends for helping me find them – but haven’t really posed in front of many so have decided to change this up. Going to share 5 new-to-me murals. Period. No posing in spring capsule wardrobe outfits beside them. And with that change in place, this gets a big green checkmark. Please click on each photo below to enlarge it.
- Reach for skirts and dresses more – try wearing a skirt or dress once a week. One of the pieces in the outfit formulas for the spring capsule wardrobe was a tee shirt dress. As often happens with a piece Alison suggests, the specific tee shirt dress she shared from Old Navy immediately sold out. See it here. So, I opted for a tie waist version found on Walmart.com. Now it, too, has sold out! Just call me a trend setter! I styled it with a navy cardi from Banana Republic and white Chuck Taylors. For the April #AgelessStyle link up I styled this maxi dress. Then for the May link up, I styled a kimono 4 different ways. Find that post, here.
- Update warm weather active wear – buy some quality pieces and purge my older things. Was invited to an online Savvi active wear party the first of this week. They have some great looking sports bras and leggings but both were out of my budget. I did purchase a new pair of leggings at Kohls, and a sports bra, capri compression leggings and a workout tee from GapFit at Gap Factory. Bought some new cross trainers at the Nike Outlet – even though I really dislike Nike brand! They were pink and cute and comfy and cheap!! Going to call this activity a success.
So, that’s where I stand. I think I’ve completed 12 out of 18 activities. Here’s hoping LIFE cooperates as I work to tick more off my list before the first day of summer. And enjoy doing them in the process.
YOUR TURN
So that’s my spring 2021 bucket list update 05.21.2021. How are you coming on the plans you made? Please link up your spring activities or bucket list post with us, then stop by to visit a few of the others joining the fun.
Thanks for the visit. Hope you have some spring fun planned for your weekend. Enjoy!!
Hugs and kisses,
It is nice to read your updates, Leslie. I enjoy the photos you share on Instagram, yet I don’t always know the stories behind the photos.
Not a trickle of water is significant. Many people love playing pickle ball. I have not tried it yet. The mosaic looks exquisite (and time consuming) I enjoyed Sanjay Gupta’s book this Spring. The murals are fascinating and colourful.
Many restrictions still and many hikes. Always count my blessings. Thank you for sharing an interesting and fun post, Leslie. 😀
Glad you are still hiking despite the restrictions. Surely things are loosening up now. So important to count our blessings…most of all on the days when they seem hard to think of.
Hi, Leslie – I love your new blog update. Very pretty and very Spring!
I am always impressed by the depth and diversity of your bucket lists. Reaching for skirts and dresses more often is awesome. (I cannot remember the last time that I wore either — it’s been years)! 😀
Thank you!! Here in El Paso, I think dresses and skirts can almost be cooler than shorts and athletic wear. I always feel self conscious wearing sleeveless tops but have decided to quit being so silly!!!
Nice job Leslie! Your mosaic looks awesome, and I love the outfit you posted. I need to get out and explore more.
You know, I think you deserve a double tick for finishing that mosaic 😉 It’s beautiful! Now, onto the next project!
Love your new outfit, those colours really suit you.
Are Brussel sprouts really that popular over there? I eat most veggies but Brussels are the ones that I will avoid if I possibly can! Fortunately they are only in season in the winter so I’m safe now for the rest of the year!
Look at all those check marks! That’s fabulous. I LOVE your mosaic table. You did such a fantastic job on it. So many pretty murals too.
Aww, thank you!!
You have not only done a great job but also had some really inspiring successes. Way to go.
Look at all of those checkmarks, Leslie! And those were no easy tasks. Congratulations on finishing the mosaic. It is beautiful. Happy spring!
Thank you sweet friend. Always glad to find one of your supportive comments!!
Oh, I love the mosaic table. What an accomplishment too.
Grace & Peace, Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
Thank you!! I am proud of myself for finally completing it.
Well done checking off items on your list, Leslie. The mosaic looks beautiful. Thank you for hosting the Spring list link-up.
You’re doing really well! I’ve been kind of failing my Spring bucket list. LOL I do hope to get a lot more ticked off in the next month though. If not, I’ll move most of them over to Summer so it’s all good. I have been busy with other non-bucket list things though so it hasn’t been all boring.
Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
You are such a busy book blogger and avid reader. I appreciate all you do to encourage everyone to read!! And to try new genres. Yay YOU!!
Broken record here but you always impress me with how you set goals to enrich every area of your life. You inspire me to look at those areas of my life and realize I need to pay more attention to them.
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you, my friend. YOU are the inspirational one, though. I just plod along over here. While you are doing such exciting things on your blog!!
Sounds like you’re doing great!
Thank you!!
I’m excited to start working on my summer bucket list! I think one thing I want to do MAYBE is purchase a charcuterie board from one of these charcuterie businesses (they are all over the place right now in STL) and take it to a nice picnic spot with a bottle of wine to enjoy with Brian. I’m all for making my own, but some of these businesses make such cute boards and I can associate the cost with it being the same as going out to dinner! I have never heard of pickle ball before, I need to google that and see what it is… You need to try Top Golf!!! I know I told you that last time, but you do!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Wow, I would love to find a charcuterie board business and try out a professional board. We just don’t have anything like that here. I oo-ed and ahh-ed over all the cute Easter boards on Pinterest but my family didn’t want to eat all the peeps and chocolate (who are they??) that made those boards so cute. My BFF gave me a darling book with board ideas. Need to come up with a 4th-themed board.
You have mentioned that we need to try Top Golf a couple of times. Tell you what…next time PC is off on Friday, I will surprise him and take him to play. And then will share about it. Stay tuned!!
Hi, Leslie! You should try Top Golf! It’s a lot of fun. My family and I had a fun outing to Top Golf about two years ago, and we loved it! (I shared the experience on my blog.) We can’t wait to go back!
Oh, I want to try Top Golf. We had a reservation for a bay this past Saturday, then got in a big ole fight and didn’t go!! Boo!!
I love these bucket lists! It’s fun to come up with ideas and then see them checked off (and it’s also fun working towards checking them off)! I used to wear a lot more dresses and skirts but got out of the habit recently. I, too, decided to put them back in rotation. It’s been fun. I’ve also been thinking about how to step up my photography game and decided to come up with a ‘photo shoot’ list. Come up with some ideas on how to stage my photos. I like your mural idea. And finally, congrats on finished the mosaic! It looks great! xoxo
So glad to read you are putting on dresses and skirts more often, too. I am going to make a concerted effort to do that all summer. They really can be cooler than jeans, for sure. And even shorts, sometimes.
I think your photography is top notch. Cannot imagine how you can get much better!! Your comment prompted me to add some little backdrops to my Amazon cart to use with food and accessory photography. Thank you!!
WAY TO GO on finishing your mosaic table!!! I know that was a HUGE project and it looks so good!!! And I love the outfit you wore to church. It’s so pretty!