Moneysupermarket.com have challenged bloggers to consider their bucket list, a challenge I have accepted as beside from the incentive of a cash prize, theres nothing I like more than a good list!
Recently my life has changed more than I can ever imagine, with the arrival of my beautiful baby boy Joel time has become more precious and priorities have been reassessed.
I have never been the adventurous kind. I have friends who wish to travel the world, jump from planes and have successful high powered careers. Not for me. I have crossed worldwide travel off my list. My husband and I went to Hong kong and Thailand for our honeymoon, an experience I hold dear to my heart but also a experience where I discovered that my pale irish skin cannot cope with temperatures above 20 C and mosquitos enjoy my blood. Thats a tick beside travel. Beautiful memories.
I have been invited to join friends skydiving, but to be honest I am happier spending my money on going out for dinner with friends, going home to my castle (my cosy flat) and snuggling up next to my husband. I am a home bird, happiest surrounded by my family.
One thing I always said to my other half is that i wanted to see Paris before we hand children. I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, eat pan au chocolat and spend hours in art galleries people watching and painting watching.
When we found out we were expecting a baby Phil quickly looked up flights to Paris, places to stay. But we never went, we had to create a 'Baby Fund' and plan to make our impractical flat baby friendly with a little wall moving!
It has to be said I was sad that I never got my trip to Paris and when Joel arrived I began to count the things I hadn't made time to do. I remember one night a friend posted on Facebook about her and her other half sitting in the car half way up the mountain with a flask of tea watching shooting stars with a view over Belfast. It struck me that I rarely did anything impulsive like that, and now when would I have the opportunity with sleep routines to stick to and the military packing operation that accompanied any outing.
But now my priorities have changed, My bucket list consists of memories I wish to create for my family. Moments to look back on to make the heart happy and actually many of those things don't cost a lot!
1. Family holidays. I want this to happen every year, some of my happiest memories are with all my extended family crammed in a house in Donegal or in a caravan in Ballycastle. Days spent at the beach come rain or shine and traipsing back to the house at the end of the day exhausted, buckets filled with stones, cheeks stinging from the sea wind, wolfing down fish and chips with salt and vinegar and staying up late playing board games with my granny and cousins, falling asleep where I was sat as I didn't want to miss any craic. These are the kinds of memories I want for my son.
This is a tradition we started this year, when Joel was 5 months old and where he cut his first tooth. The reason it is on my budget bucket list is because I am a lucky girl with a generous mum who treated us this year. This is a tradition I will make a priority and I will save a little each month to make it happen.
2. Spend more time outside. We live in a flat with no garden but I want Joel to have plenty of outside time, fresh air and experience nature, growing vegetables. I have plenty of park space nearby and a community garden within walking distance, theres no excuse for not doing this.
2 1/2. Conquer my fear of wasps.
3. Make new friends. A silly statement to make at age 27? I have a great circle of friends but have always been shy. Being a new mum has forced me to get out and about and independent. Last week I bit the bullet and invited all the new mums on my street to a coffee date at my house. I'm looking forward to it, and after all friendship doesn't cost a penny but isn't it the most valuable thing? (True but a very cheesy statement that made me cringe a little writing it..)
4. One day to teach Joel to ride a bike, to have that moment when I am running after him keeping him steady and then letting go, and watching him wobble off, alone.
5. Learn to crochet. I have a Christmas project in mind..
6. Learn how to use a sewing machine and how to quilt. Sewing machine borrowed from sister in law, and signed up to a quilting class beginning 9th September!
7. Star gaze at the top of the mountain.
I have started to make steps to ticking off my bucket list, when you have a baby you realise you don't have a minute to spare and so I have no learnt to act upon my list rather than leave it to later. And crocheting? Well, I'll just have to find that elusive extra hour in the day.
And now for the extravagant list, well it still contains my Parisian wish. This extravagant wish is on the back burner behind childcare costs, mortgage payments, car and petrol costs.
1. Go to Paris. But this time the wish is different. It includes a petit enfant Joel and perhaps a trip to Euro Disney.
So Ruth, Aisling and Claire, I challenge you to complete your bucket list, budget and extravagant.
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