Nostalgia

Every year, right when the leaves start to change, I start to get this little pit in the bottom of my stomach and a little lump in the back of my throat. Nostalgia is the technical term for it. Basically, I realize that I'm getting older and the things that I once loved to do are now a thing of the past.

This year nostalgia is hitting me with 1000 bricks at once... This is my last year. Next year I will be off at college, not at home carving pumpkins with the family, raking leaves with my dog, or sipping coffee on the deck with my mom. I still will be home for major holidays, but it won't be the same. I won't be there for the weeks before and I won't be there for the weeks after.

Though I am so so so excited to get started on my own, I'm now understanding why not every high school kid doesn't jump on a five hour plane ride away from mom and dad. I'm starting to get a little nostalgic...

Things I Will Miss

 This is my best friend from kindergarten. We are still best friends today. I will miss seeing her everyday and laughing with her and receiving the perfect BFF advice. Next year will bring hours on this little invention called Skype (whoever invented it deserves a medal!)

 I will miss going to Vikings games to cheer my favorite team on!!! GOOO #28 ADRIAN PETERSON!!! :)

 Every year my dad and I (and sometimes Lily) run the Turkey Trot 5K race on Thanksgiving morning. I'm not sure if I will be able to do this next year, and I will definitely miss it and the training my dad and I do before it.

 I will miss being able to watch my goddaughter grow up. She is about 6 months now and I will miss seeing her beautiful face and seeing her all the time. She brightens my life.

 This is me :) I hopefully will still be able to open presents, but I will miss the weeks in preparation looking for the perfect gifts for my family.

Wasn't I a little fashionista as a kid? :) I will miss playing in the snow with my family and enjoying the cold Minnesota weather (well... actually...)

The person that I still can't accept I won't see everyday: my dog. Lily makes my day one million times better my just being near me. She is the best dog someone could ask for and I will miss her infinitely.

The ying to my yang, peanut butter to my jelly, the Tia to my Tamera... my baby sister. Though we fight a whole lot, I seriously will miss her like crazy. Just thinking about it gets my teary eyed, and once again the person who invented Skype is higher up than Mark Zuckerberg in my eyes.

Okay, onto the happy part. Since it is technically my last fall at home, I put together a bucket list of things I want to do...

Wishing Upon a Star

Okay, so I am going to switch it up today...

I was recently inspired by two different projects: 30 Days of Lists and Day Zero Project. 30 Days of Lists is writing a list every day for 30 days and Day Zero Project is making a bucket list of 101 things to be completed in 1001 days.

Here is a small version of my bucket list (aka My Wish List)...

1. Scubadive 
2. Skydive
3. Have something published (article, book, etc.)
4. Read (and finish) War and Peace
5. Kiss in the rain
6. Drink Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity in NYC
7. Be in the first row for a concert
8. Go wine tasting at a vineyard (once I'm of legal age, of course)
9. Meditate with the Buddhist monks in Tibet
10. Pet a leopard or cheetah
11. Shake hands with a current or former President
12. Send a message in a bottle in the ocean
13. Tie a note to a balloon and let it go
14. Play Texas Hold 'Em in Las Vegas
15. Have a picnic in a hot air balloon
16. TP someone's house
17. Visit all 7 continents (yes, even Antarctica)
18. Kiss someone in Italy
19. Have a beer in an Irish pub (again with the whole legal age thing)
20. Put change in someone's expired parking meter
21. See a shark in the ocean
22. Complete a triathlon
23. Watch the ball drop one New Year's Eve in Times Square
24. Donate my hair to Locks of Love
25. Kiss a movie star
26. Give someone a 100% tip
27. Play the ukulele and sing (but cover your ears - I am tone deaf)
28. Take a picture of myself every day
29. Trace my family history back to the 18th century
30. Have 100 followers on my blog!

I tried to have it be a little unique and original... Kissing in the rain is a given for almost any girl that has seen The Notebook :)

I hope you liked my list! I will let you know as I start crossing things off of it...