Crossing Camping Off

Over this past weekend my husband and I decided to go to a local ATV event. I figured since we were going to be out there any way we would take the opportunity to go camping. So we loaded up our cooler, tent and air bed to bear the 98 degree weather. Thankfully I am one to over prepare because the bugs were so bad at night that it was almost unbearable, until I pulled out the 40% deet Off!! Yes it did burn the skin when we first put it on but we didnt have to worry about the bugs. We went out to find wood from the 11,000 acres we were on and succeeded. We used it to light a fire and keep the bugs away. We did not cook out thanks to Publix and their amazing subs. Every thing that could happen did. It rained and our tent leaked, my car battery died, Hubby broke the 4 wheeler (twice), I had very little cell phone service and worst of all...the port-a-let ran out of toilet paper (i keep some in my car just in case tho). Dont get me wrong I had a good time, I would love to go again when I it cools down so I dont have to get up and sleep in the truck with the AC on all night long! That being said I think we will wait a few years to take the boys along. It would have been just too much with them at the ages they are. Maybe later on in the year we will take Jackson (3) but Carter is still just too little. Pics to come very soon!!

Eat Pray Love...

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings….” – Elizabeth Gilbert

After seeing the Julia Roberts move “Eat Pray Love” I feel more determined to start crossing things off my family’s bucket list! The movie inspired me to start doing things NOW and not wait until I have lost myself in life, family or career. At some point in our lives we have to start taking responsibility for our own destiny. I am a strong believer that The Lord has set out a path for us to follow and has made a way for us to be happy. He will open doors and make it easy to move forward at the perfect time. All we have to do is listen to Him with our entire heart. So now that I have decided to start crossing things off my bucket list like I cross off frozen food from my shopping list at Publix. But unlike going to Publix I have no clue where to start. So bloggers, here is where I need YOU!! Below are two polls, the first one is for the short term items that I can do now and the second it for the long term items that we will have to plan and save for (like most of you out there I am not independently wealthy!).

Crossing them off one by one: 10,000 books

I figured since there were 100s of things on my list I was pick an easy one and start crossing them off one by one (I feel like Earl). I decided to pick my goal of reading 10,000 novels. I am not counting the ones I have already read, I will read them again and then count them.

Book #1: Rorey's Secret by Leisha Kelly
This book is the first book in a four book chronicle but is the second "set" of books. Did ya get that? The first Series is called "The Wortham Family Stories" (this book is not apart of it) and then second "set" is called "Country Road Chronicles" (this is the first book in this set). I recommend starting with "Sarah's Hope", it is the very first book. I will be going back and reading all of them there are seven in total.

That being said:
Rorey's secret is one of those books you see as a movie acted out in your head. Kelly takes the words off the page and puts them into raw emotion. You feel what Rorey feels as she is looking out the window at her family's barn burn down. I got this book as a "free" down load on my Kindle app but would have paid retail for it. It is one of the best books I have read it a long time....If you are looking for a book to set the fire under your hump and get you back to your oldest love, reading....this is the book!

Our Bucket List

As my 25th birthday approaches (1 hour and 28 mins) I have been thinking about the things that I want to do and all of the beautiful places that there are that I haven't seen! So, along with my husband, I made a family bucket list. This blog is about the things on that list. Some of them we have decided to do as a family (such as camping at Yellowstone National Park) and other things we will do as a couple, just Bryan and myself (set foot on all 7 continents) and then there will be things that I will do, just me, all by myself (finish my BSEd or run a 5k). So not all of the things on our list are family orientated, but I believe crossing them off will bring us closer as a family as well as give Mommy and Daddy us time! I hope you follow along and experience these things with us!!