Should I... or shouldn't I?

Okay, this post marks the first post where I ask for an opinion. 

Many people look at sky-diving as a way of laughing at age or facing our fears. One of the things I've been toying with is the idea of jumping out of a plane. If you had asked me ten years ago if I would ever consider something like this, I would have told you you were out of your mind! :)

BUT, here we are, at another juncture in which I'm feeling like I need to embrace the fact that I'm NOT old and I'm still functionally competent in terms of trying new things and exploring our world before my spryness gives way to brittle bones and weak muscles (including my grey matter)! 

What do you think? I will be looking for someone to do this great feat with me - safety in numbers, after all! And "the more the merrier"... its much more fun to do new and terrifying acts of bravery with a partner in crime. So, if you ever read this and want to join me -- it doesn't matter why you want to do it, or when, or where. I'd rather do it here in North Carolina somewhere, and if I'm going to do it, I want to do it before the end of this celebratory year, but other than that there's no rules. Oh! It has to be a tandem dive, too. I'm not jumping out of a plane for any reason without being attached to someone who knows how to pull the parachute chord! :)

Should I do it? And, if so, who will join me!

Surprise... not surprise... surprise!

So, this weekend was to have been my surprise party. Because I couldn't plan the cruise, my girls decided to throw me a party, and after we started planning it, Mark decided he wanted it to be a surprise. SO, I was removed from the planning committee, and even though I knew it was happening, I wasn't allowed to know it was happening. :)

For reasons I won't go into here, we had to postpone the event, but Cassie texted me during the week and said: "I know we are postponing your party, but I'm going to plan a lunch for you on Saturday instead with just family. Can you guys come?" "Of course," we said. I wasn't sure why we had to have a lunch for family when most of them had celebrated with me last weekend, but it was a very nice gesture and I appreciated my week-long party concept. So, I was back to being able to know that there was a lunch celebration being planned for me, but I still didn't know any details. 

Saturday came and we had a lovely day. The menu was Moe's Meal Kits, which I have to say are the "bomb." You can never go wrong with tacos! The kids (big and little) planned a pinata for me full of candy and we had cheesecake for dessert. Cassie made killer margaritas (can you tell what the theme was?), and we had a very enjoyable afternoon. 

Then, on Sunday morning, Cassie texted me and said "The kids have something for you, can you come over around 11:30?" "Sure," I texted back, assuming it was the requisite handprint plate or canvas project that grandchildren usually provide grandparents on an annual (or somewhat regular) basis. When I got ready to go, Mark and Mom both decided to come with me. Instantly, I thought something was up, but I had no prep for what awaited me at their house. As I drove up their street, I saw Serena and Charlie in the driveway! What a GREAT surprise! They were supposed to be at the "lunch," but missed their flight that morning and didn't get in until after midnight on Saturday night. 

So my birthday week is complete -- with all my kids and all my grandkids! And, on top of them visiting from Texas, we heard today that Ty's adoption date is set for early May AND they may get another baby this coming week!! So excited for them, and my gaggle of grandchildren is still growing! Happy birthday to me! :)

Next, but not least...

So it's been almost a week, and I've been adding to the list of things to share but haven't had much time to write! I hope this isn't the norm, but I have to admit that this week it's been because there's been so much going on that I haven't had time to just document. Not a bad spot to be in, I must say!

One of the things I did this year for the first time was to do a Facebook fundraiser for my birthday. You know those birthday fundraising things that Facebook suggests when you're birthday is coming up? I've seen other people do them, but I've never been too impressed. I fundraise for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) every year, but I've just never pulled the trigger on one of these Facebook deals... until this year. THIS YEAR, my birthday just happens to have come on the heels of an ice storm that took Texas by surprise. Millions (including my kids) were without power and water for days (and for some, weeks). About two weeks before my birthday Facebook suggested I consider a fundraiser for my birthday. I decided to explore the different charities that I could raise money for, and lo and behold, one of the FIRST ones I saw was "Feed Texas" -- an organization that was raising money to feed the millions in Texas that were without water and food due to the storm and its aftermath. It was different and I thought, "Why not?" So, I launched the fundraiser, and I put $600 as my goal (for my 60th year). As of today, I've raised $650!!!! I am very impressed. You just never know when something is going to be timed perfectly for the situation. 

I don't know if I'll do it again, but it was just right for this year, just right for the moment, and it felt good to do a small part to help those in need for my birthday. It FEELS good. End of story. :)

A day late, but worth it...

So, I've been SO busy over my birthday weekend that I didn't even get time to post ON MY BIRTHDAY! Maybe if I had told ANYBODY about this blog project, I would have been able to carve out some time Friday night, but I haven't so I didn't.

Kicking off my 61st year was both relaxing and invigorating. While my coffee date first thing in the morning had to cancel, I spend the morning catching up on some TV and then was treated to lunch at Mason Jar Tavern (one of my favorite spots) by Cassie, Jaxson, and Gracie. It was just supposed to be Cassie and I, but her vaccination escapade took longer than she thought and she had to pick the kids up from school on the way to lunch. SOooooo, I had the special treat of having all THREE of them for a couple of hours!

I got flowers from them (the Longs), and from my brother, Chris (Warren, Skeet, ...). The bouquet from Chris had multi-colored roses in it -- I've never seen anything like it!! Arguably one of the prettiest bouquets I've ever seen!

After a post-lunch nap (LOVE naps! Is that a sigh of old age?), the other kids came over for homemade mini pizzas, which were a huge hit. It was great to have everyone there bantering and catching up! The night was capped off with ice cream at the brand new "Scoop at Willow Oak Farms" just down the street. It was soooo good. Diabetes or no, I had vanilla ice cream with caramel over homemade (warm) pound cake! Kennedy and I split it. 

I have to do a better job of taking photos of things like birthday dessert and birthday lettuce wraps with a blueberry moonshine cocktail. Obviously I'm new at this whole "documenting" my life thing. I thought I was a pro, but I am woefully short on photos from THE BIG DAY. I promise to improve I think I might have to get rid of some photos on my phone, tho. :)

More conversations about what I want to do and try this year were had over dessert, tho. People seem to like the idea of spending the year trying new things and exploring what's out there. More to come...

One more day... :)

T minus one day and counting...

It's almost here! Tomorrow is the big day! I will have completed 21,900 tours around the sun -- pretty much completely oblivious of how much time has gone by in 60 years! To say I have NOT lived my life INTENTIONALLY for the last 58+ years is an understatement. I have let my environment dictate who I am and what I do - perfectly complacent about living in reaction rather than living in intention. 

Well, my quest to begin taking control of my life began last year when I started attending a women's book club for entrepreneurs. I was on the "start my own business" track and had been for several years as my husband and I tried to start a brewery/coffee shop. But then... reality set in and we couldn't sustain the energy it required to bring it to fruition. Then COVID. Nuff said. 

I spent the pandemic reading, meditating, dieting, growing things, and starting to listen to myself. It was self-reflective and a good exercise. I haven't kept up with the meditation, but the rest is still perculating. I started Camp Gladiator in January at my daughter's urging, and I have embraced that journey already for 2021.

THIS YEAR I intend to figure out what I truly can and want to do. I know it still includes opening the business, but it will look different than it did before. I also want to read some great books, take some trips, spend time with people, and get outdoors as much as possible. Water will also factor in, as I have neglected the Pisces in my life for wayyyyy too long. :)

Happy birthday to me! I raise a glass to INTENTION, PURPOSE, CLARITY, BALANCE, and GROWTH -- in all their various manifestations!

And another thing...

Another thing I'm going to add to my list is getting caught up with my scrapbooking so I can help Mom with hers. 

I haven't done any general family scrapbooking since 2010. It's all been special projects, and sometimes those special projects took a year or more to complete. That's the problem with only setting aside a couple of weekends a year to get things done. I mean, I'm glad I have stayed with it all these years, but I am woefully behind and I think I will feel much better about things if I just dedicate one weekend a month to getting caught up on all that. It's my one creative outlet at the moment. 

I know I want to explore some other creative outlets this year, but this is the one that I've stayed true to over the last 20 years and that I've taken time away from life to work on on a consistent basis. So here's to tradition... and making MORE of a commitment to it. Maybe I'll even get to 2020 by the end of the year!

I mean, my 2020-2021 album is almost done because I've spent part of the pandemic documenting everything about this crazy, upside-down year we've had. All I have to do is finish 2011-2019! :)

An Idea is Forming...

Over the last week, I have started to explore different ideas for "embracing" 60 over the next twelve months. It's been exciting to let myself mull them over and add them to my mental list. Some are a little out there and I'm still just "considering" them. Others are completely doable and easy enough to make happen without much work. Even more are just concepts and need some work to make happen because they have more than a few moving parts - or involve other people. 

I see this blog having two different kinds of posts. One will be idea exploration and deciding what to put on my list -- chatting about the pros and cons of an idea, and/or exploring the feasibility of different ideas. The other will be mini reports about my progress. I might even consider having a third type -- where I wax poetic on what it all means to me and what is important along the way.

First, I have a few things that have already jumped onto the list for this year. The first three are doing meaningful things with my kids. 

1. I'm going to accompany Cassie and Jaxson & Gracie to Disney in April! I'm so excited! :)  I am truly a kid at heart (deep down) and I LOVE amusement parks. Disney isn't something that appeals to many other people in the family, so this is a win-win for me. I get to be an extra set of hands, and I get to experience Disney through a 7-year old's eyes (for the first time in MANY years!). 

2. I'm going to get my first tattoo with Kennedy! I've been thinking about it for a few years now, but that is her thing and I'm going to do it with her. I think it will be a dragonfly on my shoulder, because dragonflies are my "spirit bug" and I can have it shaded with teal blue/green for fun. I think she will get something similar so we "match." :)

3. I have to think of something to do with Serena. It can be in Houston or here, or somewhere else. It really doesn't matter, and I have lots of time to figure out what it might be. :)

In addition to those things, my friend Colette Koppel invited Mark and I to go to Cancun in November. I have never done a "sun and surf"vacation before and after a year of no travel, this is a great thing to put on my calendar for mid-year! It's an all-inclusive resort, which means alcohol and food are included in the package, so it's completely affordable. So excited!

I'll have more ideas later, but wanted to get these written down before I lose track of everything. More to come!