The Bucket List

Before I got married, I made a fancy booklet for Liz of "100 Things to Do Before You Die."  Together, we've tried to do each one, almost like a Bucket List.   Some of the list included things like "Fall in love."  Check.  Other items are to visit a famous site like "The Great Wall of China."  Check.  There are a few prominent events like "Watch the launch of a space shuttle" or "Run a marathon."  Check, check (truth be told, Liz ran a marathon and I biked along side her).  I also included important milestones that we have checked like "Buy your own house and make it exactly what you want" and "Look into the eyes of your child, see yourself, and smile."

We keep the little booklet on the refrigerator as a friendly reminder to continue chasing our dreams and pursuing each other in of love.  We did the Disney thing, watched a baseball game in an outdoor park, spent New Year's in an exotic location, been to a large rock n' roll concert, grown a garden, had our portrait painted, found jobs that we love, etc.  We've enjoyed the process.  There have been a few items on the list that we've had the opportunity to experience on our own.  I visited a concentration camp a couple of years ago and Liz went to Neuschwanstein Castle.  We brought home souvenirs, though.

Now that we have a couple of children (and a third one just around the corner), most of our energy goes towards doing things as a family.  And it should.  Our kids have already experienced a lot that life has to offer.  Pontoon boats, sewerage treatment plants, swing sets and towers made of markers that go all the way to the ceiling fancy them right now.  We're excited to embark on many of life's great journeys with them, but we won't forget the valuable time with just the two of us.

Last summer we spent a week in the Portland, Oregon area.  We saw Mt. St. Helen's (one of the most underrated attractions in the US, by the way), did an 'official' Goonies pilgrimage to Astoria.  We also strolled up and down the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and saw every major site feature in the movie as well as a few from the Twilight series.

This coming summer will require a lot of juggling to get our annual getaway set-up.  On the cover of our little booklet is a vintage advertisement from Hershey's Chocolate of a cute little girl with a bob haircut giving a little boy a Hershey's Kiss.  It looks like he's anticipating a different kind of kiss.  The catchphrase is "A Kiss for You."  I'd like to visit the Hershey's Factory and other Chocolate World attractions.  I suppose we could even bring the kids.  There is a piece of that puzzle that the kids wouldn't appreciate as much as Mom and Dad, though.  How does a chocolate fondue body wrap at the spa at Hotel Hershey sound?  I'm almost willing to bet that for my 9-month pregnant wife, she'd prefer the spa treatment to anything else in the world, except maybe a chocolate factory...maybe I'll get to check Hershey, PA off the list this year.