2013 Bucket List

Majority of the discussions Shaun and I have about our family always seem to come back to two things; relationships and experiences. The desire to establish a strong and withstanding relationship with our son that balances somewhere between being his friend and his parent, and with those around him. And experiences. What do we want him to remember about his childhood? About us? What is he is going to take away with him when he's looking back on the now.

While I think we do a pretty good job of that already, there is always room for improvement. So we decided to start a new family tradition this year - a yearly bucket list the entire family helps put together! We hope it encourages us to finally check off some of those things off our to-do list. To remind us to slow down and spend time together. To remember to make time for us as a couple. To make an effort to spend more time with our family & friends. But most importantly; to unplug, unwind and get our kid out there experiencing the world and cultures and people & everything it has to offer. To be a part of it. And live it. We want to give him a ton of memories & laughs & adventures to pull from when he's looking back. And what better time is there than the now?

Our 2013 Bucket List
1. Visit Disneyland and see Mater
2. Take Sully on his 1st train ride
3. Finish painting the upstairs
4. Learn to make a homemade tamale
5. Play hookie as a family on a work/school day and go to a movie instead (Being sick doesn't count!)
6. Go camping with Sully's new binoculars
7. Experience one new cultural event a month (Art, a play, a new food)
8. Have a picnic lunch at the beach on a summer day
9. Finish Sully's bathroom
10. Leave a BIG tip on a small item
11. Plant a vegetable garden
12. Go to a Kings hockey game
13. Try cooking one new recipe a month
14. Visit a children's museum
15. Have a summer pool party/bbq with friends!
16. Play in the rain
17. Mom and dad go to a concert with no kiddo
18. Visit the snow
19. Buy new bedroom furniture finally!
20. Mom and dad remember to go on a monthly date night

It'll stay on our fridge as a daily reminder to us all and we'll check it off as we get things accomplished throughout the year. Wish us luck and Happy New Year!

Date at the Cheese

I have a hard time saying no, so when my kid asks me if we can have a date day at the Cheese I'm all over it (As long as its the weekday and we avoid the hair-pulling insanity that is Chuck-E-Cheese on a weekend.)   We had a blast. And typically I'm not one for bragging but, we got some pretty sweet prizes.

Its nice to know thirty dollars can get you a half tank of gas or a roll of sweet tarts, a mini packet of nerds and a plastic orange car.

.... Awesome.

Ice cream date

My kid certainly got the Otwell ice cream gene. I love that he's down to be my frozen treat partner in crime. Rain or shine, this child believes any time is a good ice cream run time.

I I I ... I work out!

Please note the water cup in the holder. Hilarity. He went for like, 30 minutes. I was sure as hell  impressed.

Dabbling in sports ... hockey still wins.

We gave some different sports a go. Mixed martial arts. Soccer. He didn't like either one. In the end I guess this kid just bleeds hockey. Its all he wants to do. I asked him the other day if he would like to sign up for karate through school and his first response was "I still get to do hockey though, right?" Pretty much every Saturday afternoon and a evening or two during the week you can find us at the rink. Everyone keeps telling us how much natural talent he has. He's been bumped up another class and currently skates with kids in the 8-10ish range. He's skating backwards and learning to hockey stop now! Its pretty amazing to watch. I told Shaun the other day I'm certain the universe is spacing out our kids more than I ever had planned for because it knows what we're in for with this hockey stuff ... and its buying me time between the two so neither of us have to get a second job to pay for this fricken kid or sport!

Fall

• Like every year since Sully was born, we spent the day at the Harvest Festival at Underwood Farms and had a blast, even though it was hotter than the sun that day. Rode some tractors, shot some corn out of a cannon, ate crap that was really bad for us ... you know, the usual. 
• Sully had a Halloween parade that my sister, my mom and I all attended. Like every other 3 year old boy we know, he was Spiderman. No, seriously, his two other little besties were also Spiderman. 
• Halloween night we had a little bonfire at my moms house with a few friends, a few drinks and passed out candy. Funny story, my sister's best friend HATES Taylor Swift with a passion. I mean, she really has it out for that southern belle. So I thought it be hilarious to be waiting for her in a long blonde wig, dress and denim jacket with a guitar singing Taylor Swift songs. Pretty much, it was totally worth the $20 spent on that mermaid wig we chopped the hell out of. 
• Sully's school had a pumpkin contest. His was the only one painted that was actually done by the child. And of course I think it turned out fabulous and was totally the best even though a pumpkin, that clearly could not have been carved by a preschooler's skill level won.*coughcheaterscough*

Yaya & Uncle B tied the knot!

Drink.

Dance.

Laugh.

Repeat.

Yaya is my sister and the name Sully gave her as soon as he could talk! Cool huh? The wedding was at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Sully and his best buddy were the ring bearers. There were giraffes to feed, cute children break dancing, cake being thrown around and  a late night In and Out run in a party bus. There were dance offs, "swerving in the 'burbs", and great times with family & friends. Congrats you two!