2013 Bucket List ReCap

One of the New Year's Day Dub traditions is to recap the items we checked off of our bucket list for the closing year and to create a new list for the upcoming year.  So here's my 2013 checked-off-bucket-list......

Attend the Inauguration Ceremony and Parade

Visit the Postal Museum in Washington D.C.

Visit Great Falls National Park

White Water Raft

Eat Maryland Crab Cake (I hate seafood)

Visit Church on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg (and see a Russian ballet)

See the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Visit the Keys

Kiss Hemingway

Air Boat Ride in the Florida Everglades

Watch Butler Basketball Game at The George Washington University

Lay Wreaths at Arlington Cemetery

Visit a New Orleans Plantation

Eat Fish in Finland (did I mention, I hate seafood)

Drink Real Bubbly in the Champagne Area of France

See the Cherry Blossoms

Boat Tour of D.C.

Watch a Professional Hockey Game

Take Batting Practice at Nationals Ballpark

See the Best Musical of the Year in NYC

Visit the Hershey Factory

Meet some MLB Managers

I'd say I had a pretty decent year.....somehow, I'm guessing 2014 will top 2013.  Bring it!

Our Anniversary

     With the sun warming my skin, the breeze cooling my nerves, and the mariachi band sounding my arrival, I took my first steps into a whole new journey.  

Four years ago today, I married my best friend beneath the blue skies of Mexico and in front of 38 of our closest friends and family.  

 Like any other wedding, we committed to love each other through the ups and downs of life.

.....and especially to share in every adventure together, whether it be the sleep walking at night or the bear confrontations at day.

Here's to many more years of making happily ever after come true!

Wreaths at Arlington Cemetery

A father watched his son place a wreath on one of the tombstones.  As the boy ran to place another, his father called him back to read the name and pay respect to that fallen soldier....and also to fix the bow.

     In the United States, where we can spout healthcare negativities on Facebook, call our President horrible names over dinner, and christianly judge those Islamic women who wear burqas in public, we sometimes forget those freedoms (which we exercise so well) come with a a price.  From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terrorism, men (and even women) have been giving their lives for this country, and this fact is oftentimes left out of our happy homes.

     On Saturday, this was not the case, as I witnessed thousands of individuals join together on a random day, not Veteran's or Memorial Day, to respect, honor, and teach by placing more than 100,000 wreaths (sadly, this fell short of the ~400,000 needed) on headstones.  With people taking great care in honoring the individual by placing the wreath properly, paying respect to that fallen individual, and teaching their children to do the same, it was a day that will forever be etched into my memories.

Entrance to the cemetery.

One of the stages where the opening ceremony took place.

These semis, filled with wreaths, were scattered throughout the grounds.

A portion of our group who attended.

Wreaths!  They smelled sooooo good!

The individuals I paid respect to....

Albert Ray Brownfield, Jr. served in WWII and the Vietnam War and commanded units in Japan, Alaska, and North Carolina.

Reynolds Condon served in WWII.

Alfred D. Starbird served in WWII.

Leverett M. Kelley served in the Civil War (Illinois infantry).

Charles Johnston Badger served in the Spanish-American War and WWI.

Williams Noble Williams

And then the photo shoot.....

Christmas at da Dubs

     It's official, folks, Christmas has arrived in full force at our tiny apartment.  Instead of the super-size tree we had in Texas, I have put up my parents' first tree, circa 1970.  As my mom has informed me, the tree is actually a coffee table tree.  BUT our apartment is too small to be graced with a coffee table (plus, we don't drink coffee), so the pitiful thing is sitting on the floor.  Needless to say, I'm sure Charlie Brown had a better tree, but I am pretty proud of it even if I did use the same star-on-top from our everything's-bigger-in-Texas tree (hyphens should be used more often).  Of course, we are also lacking in a fireplace/hearth, so our stockings hang over a television....I simply pull up a fire image and place our space heater in front; it's basically the same.  Merry Christmas!!

Why yes, I would love to super-size that.

After 4 treats we finally captured this.....now for a Maya workout.

We never really needed a fire in Texas, so I filled the fireplace with starfish and candles.

Did I mention the Xmas music?

     In addition to the Christmas decor, the apartment could be reported as a hazard, for I am almost positive an explosion occurred.  With Mary Kay products, crafts for my ugly Christmas sweater, and baking supplies for potluck cookies and brownies everywhere, I can't seem to find a thing (somehow PDub still gets around).  I definitely need some elves, or at least minions, to help me clean the place up.  Oh well, a messy life is a happy life.

I've always wanted an ugly Christmas sweater, so I finally sat down this season and made one.  Yes, I taught myself how to sew on this baby.

So here's to tiny Christmas's and messy apartments.....