In 2011, I’ve been to 7 countries, got married, went sky-diving, bungee jumping, paragliding, base jumping, rock climbing, sailing, whitewater rafting, cruising, canoeing, canopy touring (zip-lining), jet skiing, windsurfing, dog sledding, helicopter touring, rappelling, trapeze swinging, caving, kayaking, and swimming with beluga whales and dolphins all with a bucket list in mind and an open heart.
This time last year, my husband and I consciously thought about where we’d like to live in the world, chose southern California, quit our permanent positions, sold everything we owned, packed the car with what was left, and moved across the continent to our dream location. We want to live a life of fairy-tales with attention to every spectacular moment along the way.
Now that I’m pregnant, it may be a little more complicated to complete the extreme adventures and travels that have filled my past, but a world of opportunity awaits with my baby girl and my husband at my side.
I’m sure I’ve left things off and added impossible things as well, but heck… it’s my list.
Bucket List for One Year:
3. Take a surf lesson
4. Deliver my baby girl (Due in March)
5. Finish the nursery of my dreams for my baby
6. See Winter in Venice at The Venetian in Las Vegas
7. See all of my immediate family
8. Try stand up paddle boarding
9. Lose the “baby weight”
10. See one Wonder of the World (Nov. 25th – The Grand Canyon)
11. Fly a glider
12. Ride an elephant
13. Reach 25,000 followers on my blog
14. Take a helicopter flight lesson (Booked for Dec. 17th)
15. Visit a new state
16. Sleep on the beach
17. Fly an airplane
18. Learn how to make home-made baby food
20. Volunteer for a new organization
21. Make a new recipe a month
22. Fly a biplane
23. Go on an unplanned road trip
24. Do Downtown Disney
25. Take a new class
26. Be part of the Newport Boat Parade
27. Host a party
28. Learn how to make a new craft
29. Plan a complete surprise mini-vacation/activity for my husband
30. Read daily to my daughter (Now and after she is born)
31. Create my own online magazine
32. Make the bucket list dreams of at least five other people come true.
Love your latest Bucket List, Lesley! And, knowing your success rate and ability to manifest your dreams, I’m sure it will all happen. I’m not quite as adventurous in some ways, but I did create a one-year list of my own last November for my 55th birthday (http://fabfiftyfive.wordpress.com/my-fun-list/). I’ve managed to cross a few off, lots more to go. Your list has given me a few new ideas 🙂 Keep on inspiring us!!
Let me know how your list goes and be sure to submit it to http://stage.bucketlistpublications.com/submissions/. I’d gladly include it under the Bucket List section. Maybe you could even be the next Bucket List Adventure Recipient.
🙂
Awesome blog! I’ll be watching you. I admire all that you’ve already been able to accomplish. BTW, my b-day is Mar 22. What day is your baby due? Congrats!
She’s due on March 25th, but I’d happily deliver on the 22nd 😉
Your work is inspiring and it has encouraged me to start my own bucket list. Thanks!
Thank you! I look forward to reading it 🙂
Hi Lesley! I love your blog, and strangely feel connected to you as we have lots in common in terms of our bucket list! 🙂 My biggest goal was to travel the world, with the man of my dreams. The latter part had a slow start ;), but currently I am lucky and blessed to have met the love of my life, and even luckier that we share the same travel bug. He and I met at a Charity Dinner, I had just got back from South Africa, and he was leaving for Africa shortly after that! We stayed up till 6 am talking and laughing.
Our first year together, we went to 14 countries (All of Scandinavia, South East Asia, US, and Canada!). We have a bucket list goal to see 100 countries and step foot on 7 continents! So far I am up to 46, and Jay is up to 52- and five continents down! We care more about the people, cultures, and experience then we do about the thread count, so we travel, cheap, fast, and often =o)
This year marks Jay’s BIG 40th birthday, and my BIG 30th- so we are going to go to the BIGGEST Country in the World- Russia (and Estonia, Latvia Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine). After that Australia, Papa New Guinea, New Zealand- or Antarctica who knows? I am welcome to whatever, wherever, whenever!
Also on our bucket list is:
* To sail from US/Caribbean to Europe(then maybe someday around the world)
* To Sky Dive
* See the World Wonders
* Cage Dive with Sharks
* Get Married/Have a Family
* Go to all of the countries are ancestors were from (I am 8 nationalities, so this will cover some ground for sure!)
* Make a difference in someone’s life
**************************************************************
I have also crossed a few off my list so far as well:
Before Jay, I had never ridden a motorcycle- and I always wanted to. He owns a Harley. So on my first time he took me 5 minutes to the Ice Cream Parlor. I told him I loved him for the first time, just in case he killed me. I survived 🙂 The next time he took me, we went across four states (NC, SC, GA, FL)! Not bad for my 2nd time!
I got to zip line in Costa Rica- I am terrified of heights, but it was incredible.
I got to ride an elephant in Thailand- AMAZING! One of my child hood dreams come true!!!! I submitted a blog on this. I saw it was on your list as well, so I can give you details if interested! 😉
See a Safari in Africa- One of the most incredible experiences of my life (I am a huge animal lover!) On that same trip I got to pet a Cheetah, hug a Sea Lion, an walk next to a Wart Hog (I could not help but sing the Lion King songs).
Become a Blogger. I am a novice blogger, but I love it! It is so cathartic, good for the mind, body, and soul. I hope my blogs can serve to entertain, inspire, and bring people joy. That is what yours have done for me!
Thanks for taking the time to read, and I look forward to seeing how we can LIVE all the days of our LIFE! 😀
Hi Lesley,
Love your page!. I do really believe that each person should have their bucket list and then it will manifest on one way or the other. I love travelling and having new experiences, so every chance I have, I try to go to a new place or have a new adventure.
I believe I forgot to update my bucket list, so you bring it back to me. A person without dreams is incomplete.
Thank you for this page, I love it!!
De.
De,
I love that you have a passion for life and fulfilling your dreams. I hope that is something that always stays with you.
Please feel free to submit your bucket list to Bucket List Publications under the submission section. Just two days ago, one lucky reader went heli skiing while staying at an amazing resort in BC and Bucket list Publications made it happen. Maybe you could be the next Bucket List Adventure Recipient.
🙂
Wow! What an inspiration you are. I really appreciate that you stop by my blog and like posts 🙂 I made a bucket list for my life many years ago and have been ticking things off. There a few things that I haven’t yet done. The one that comes to mind is to learn to scuba dive – and just the other day was thinking about maybe finally learning to scuba dive when I get back to Victoria. When I get ‘settled’ after my move back to N. America (after 10 years in Europe) – I’ll make a new bucket list and drop by and submit it – who knows maybe you’ll make one of my dreams come true. …by the way, that is one heck of a nursery you’d got for your new baby 🙂
I have a bucketlist book… is that very greedy. I am slowly..slowly working my through it however as I manage to put a line through one.. I add about two more.. oh the agony… and the joy
How kind of you to use what has inspired you & given you joy in life to help others. With God, all (good) things are possible. My bucket-list is pretty simple: become more skilled @ using my camera, find a pool in my area that has p.m. adult swim, and do as much walking & bike-riding as time permits. I need a safe person to do these things with. Having Asperger’s autism has not made for friendships. That is on my bucket-list, too.
‘Awesome’ is an understatement with this bucket list you have. It does not only speak about you as a fun, fearless lady, but also how much you are willing to share with other people. This level of addiction to life is of the contagious kind. =)
Lesley, sorry for spelling your name wrong on my last comment! What great ideas you have for life. You are an inspiration to live life at its fullest. I wish you the best with you new baby. Wish you were still in S. California – it’s closer to me, and I don’t have kids, so all my grandkids are by choice also. My bucket list always looks like a to do list. Have you read Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W7GB5Fh2XM. Keep up the great work. I’ll write about your site. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by my blog Lesley and leading me to yours. I love your site and your passion! I also love to travel and push myself to the limits. My husband and I just moved onto a boat which is giving me lots of things to add to my bucket list like taking it to Savannah, New Orleans, and up to the Great Lakes. Your blog is in an inspiration!
You just moved onto a boat! What a beautiful experience that must be. We recently moved back to the east coast and I can’t wait to head down to New Orleans. Have you been there already?
Yes, New Orleans is one of my all time favorite cities in the whole world. My good friend, Autumn Whitehurst, who is an incredibly talented illustrator (she did the cover of my book) and one of the most unique people I’ve ever met, is from New Orleans. We went down last year with Autumn and some friends. She was our tour guide and it was one of the most fun weekends I’ve ever had. I want to spend more time there and get to know the city better. I’m sure you would love it. New Orleans has amazing history, food, music, and plenty of opportunity for adventure.
Hi Lesley!
Thank you for recently “liking” my blog and today I popped over to have a look at yours! Your 2012 list reminds me that a bucket list need not always be about accomplishing extreme things, but serene, important, and deeply felt things as well. I’m an adventurer at heart (have lived in Asia for nearly 12 years) and always try to plan adventures as my time and money allow. Sometimes, however, my adventures are just spontaneous whims that thrill me just the same. Please see my post on running a solo ultra “The Samoeng Loop” http://justawalk.wordpress.com/.
Cheers!
Hey Lesley- thanks for poppilng over and living my blog! Your have inspired me to create a 35 under 35 bucket list. Will send you a link soon…
Xoxo
Wow! Is that all for this year? Way to go for you if it is!!!