A 40 by 40 Update - So Many New Checkmarks!

Time for a BIG update! I checked off so many!

40 by 40

TRAVEL

1. Disney World or Disney Land with the kids (again) - August 2021

2. Lego Land in New York - check! So much fun!

3. Travel internationally - Europe ideally

4. Harry Potter World - Another we checked off on our trip!

5. Go to a Tropical Island

6. Go on a cruise.

7. Go on a road trip that's at least a week long a different place every night or two. - this was unreal! Check out the post all about it!

8. Fly 1st class.  - this was a surprise! On our way to Nashville, we got a free upgrade!

9. Go Glamping/ Stay in a Tree house

10. Camp at least 10 days in the five years

       - We did 3 nights to celebrate my sister's graduation - June 2021

11. Go to Ohana at Disney or real Luau in Hawaii.

12. See 5 National Parks

13. Go to an all-inclusive resort

14. Make a bucket list of travel locations  - done and done - check out my list here.

15. Get a new passport - I just sent in the paperwork this week! I can't wait to get it back and fill it in!

16. Visit 5 new states

    - California to see my brother and North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee this summer!

FITNESS

1. Try Barre or a new type of fitness class

2. Bench a full plate on each side

3. Run an in person 5k or 10k.

4. Run a half marathon.

5. Do a pull up

6. Try a pole fit class

FOOD

1. Try a juice cleanse

2. Eat vegetarian or vegan for a week

3. Go to a fancy dinner and splurge without looking at menu prices - Nick and I went to a deliciously amazing steak house.  We ordered amazing steaks and sides and drinks and didn't pay attention to the bill.  It helped that it was even less than we expected, but it was such a fun experience since it's so out of the ordinary for us!

4. One month take out/fast food free

5. Try barbeque in the south - so many times on our road trip. It. Was. Amazing.

6. Tip 100% on a bill /$20 on a small bill

FOR WORK

1. Take a spanish or ASL class - I signed up for DuoLingo Spanish! I'm a couple weeks in and I'm relearning so much.

2. Masters + 30 or a CAGS

FOR ME

1. Be comfortable in my body

2. Get another tattoo

3. Buy a piece of art -- real art, not a print from Marshalls/Home Goods

4. Do the AFSP Overnight walk NOT in Massachusetts or New York

    - I just signed up for New York in the Summer of 2022 since they just announced it but crossing my fingers for 2023!

5. Unplug completely for 24 hours

6. A spa day

7. Try diamond painting or another new craft with Em

8. Cross stitch something

9. Take a baking class -- cookies or cake decorating.

10. Pay off the car

September Books

What a better month for me! I was able to read so much more now that I'm settling into my school year better. Our weekends are so busy but it's perfect. 

32. Eight Perfect Murders

33. Imposter Syndrome

34. The Hunting Party

35. Let Me Lie

36. Smile

37. Nimona

38. Local Woman Missing

I got 6 books read this month! I might be able to pull off 50 this year!

Universal Studios Florida 2021

 We finally went to Universal Studios.

After finishing our four days at Disney, we made our way to the Hard Rock Hotel to meet up with my ex husband and his crew. With an extra set of adults, it was a very different trip than Disney. He offered to have the kids while Nick and I got to go out for a drink. A quick trip to Margaritaville had me feeling less stressed out and we went back and swam in the Hard Rock Hotel pool.

We started the next day at Universal Studios, and went right to Diagon Alley. I've wanted to bring my Harry Potter obsessed girl for years but we never had a car in Orlando before so it was first on our list to do! The kids got magic wands and butterbeer. We saw a dragon breath fire and ventured down Knockturn Alley. Emma really enjoyed taking the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade in Island of Adventure. The adults and Emma really loved the rides at Universal but Tyler and I had a lot more difficulty finding rides that he was okay going on. It made for a very long day and we spent a lot of time waiting around for everyone else to get off the rides. I was surprised by how early the parks close but it meant that we got to swim a bit more before bed each night!

Friday was another day of park hopping (it's so easy since they're so close!) but we took a late afternoon break to relax before going back to Disney for Boo Bash!

 I have to be honest though, other than the Harry Potter World, I'd choose Disney any day. More restaurants, more rides that Tyler could do, and just a general comfort level knowing the parks... maybe in the coming years we'll love Universal more but for now, we'll keep being a Disney family!