In sixth grade, my best friend and I wrote up a list of over 500 things we wanted to do before we died. Unfortunately, in the summer of 2005, she passed away.
It was a few years later when I found our list and felt compelled to work on it.
I ultimately had to cross things off that we couldn’t do anymore, like our kids going to the same school and our husbands being best friends, not to mention..more ambitious tasks like going to Mars and collecting rocks. Haha.
Below is the whittled down list that I’m working on.
BOLDED items are COMPLETE.
HIGHLIGHTED items are IN PROGRESS.
- become a morning person
- get my temple recommend
- explore constellations at an observatory
- visit New York City
- learn to crochet
- teach someone to read
- attend the festival of colors
- try boba tea (3/6/11 – Provo, UT)
- learn to oil paint
- run a marathon
- keep a photographic journal
- ride in a hot-air balloon
- visit an ancient castle
- see the eiffel tower
- start an opinion column
- go to the texas state fair
- paint a mural
- eat at a restaurant alone (2/15/14 – Skokie, IL)
- fool someone good on april 1st
- see the ocean (2/19/11 – Santa Monica, CA)
- win entire family at chess
- drive down route 66
- swim with dolphins
- co-pilot a flight
- get married in the temple
- learn piano
- get a pic with the cubbies bear
- learn types of flowers
- build a legit treehouse
- build something that becomes an heirloom
- shoot a pistol (7/6/13 – Fruitland, UT)
- grow an herb garden
- volunteer for habitat for humanity
- go to a movie solo (11/25/10 – Gilbert, AZ)
- go to an NFL game
- learn to speed read
- invent a holiday
- celebrate 50th wedding anniversary
- be able to identify all major constellations
- take genealogy back to adam
- make homemade mac & cheese (2/20/12 – Orem, UT)
- learn aviation alphabet
- feel an earthquake
- visit las vegas (01/01/14)
- go rockclimbing
- learn to salsa dance
- see the getty center in LA (2/19/11 – Los Angeles, CA)
- watch a meteor shower
- attend a new years ball
- vote in every election i can
- attend a poetry reading
- visit mount rushmore (Rapid City, SD)
- win on wheel of fortune
- work in the temple
- go zip lining
- paint a large canvas
- see an indie film locally
- make orange chicken (2/18/12 – Fruitland, UT)
- own a vintage car
- serve a church mission w/ my husband
- memorize the living christ
- see a planetarium show
- blog everyday for a year
- learn to sew
- solve the rubiks cube
- collect original artwork
- donate blood
- ride on an elephant
- learn spanish
- get a pet (6/6/11 – Provo, UT)
- take a cake decorating class
- be the PTA president
- learn to navigate by the stars
- learn how to can and preserve food
- learn CPR
- run a sub for santa program
- see a tornado (from a safe distance)
- make homemade poptarts (2/13/12 – Orem, UT)
- get my instructors license
- make an art portfolio
- see a volcano erupt
- grow a bonsai tree
- teach a class in europe
- ride in a helicopter
- make amazing kabobs (5/13/12 – Williston, ND)
- go on the chicago sky deck (07/09/14 – Chicago, IL)
- learn to make sticky fingers
- adopt a grandparent
- get my cosmetology license
- take a MAC class
- participate in a charity walk
- learn origami
- send a message in a bottle
- make cheesecake from scratch (11/23/10 – Gilbert, AZ)
- adopt a highway
- join a choir
- make passion tea lemonade (02/13/12 – Orem, UT)
- go on a cruise
- be leid in hawaii
- toss pizza like a pro
- make my own perfume
- make homemade ravioli
- be a centurion
- go skiing in colorado
- take a hip hop dance class
- have a travel nest egg
- learn sign language
- be a godparent
- go scubadiving
- learn to play guitar
- read the standard works
- make a great speech
- visit all 50 states (15 down, 35 to go!)
- learn how to read music
- hear big ben chime
- write a novel
- take a martial arts class
- see third eye blind live (06/26/15 – Chicago, IL)
- visit japan
- pay a full tithe
- help w/ someones conversion (08/24/13 – Williston, ND)
- ride in a gondola
- see MoMA in NYC
- ride on a ferry boat
- learn to blow glass
- bake a 4-layer cake from scratch (3/3/12 – Fruitland, UT)
- give $1000 cash to charity
- donate hair to locks of love
- own a salt water aquarium
- eat belgium chocolate in belgium
- successfully knit a scarf
- make a time capsule
- contribute to a national magazine
- make a cookbook
- break a guiness world record
- go on a volunteer vacay
- throw a costume ball
- ride the biggest rollercoaster
- try poutine in canada
- spend an entire day at the library
- start a standing ovation
- attach a lock to a love bridge
- visit africa
- see all john wayne films
- make homemade egg rolls
- attend church overseas
- go on a juice fast (7/3/13 – Williston, ND)
- grow a fruit tree from seed
- ride a vespa in europe
- see a broadway show
- ride on a train
- build a house of cards
- get the works at the spa
- understand and use essential oils
- run a mile in 8 mins
- get a penpal
- buy a lottery ticket (2/23/11 – Balboa Island, CA)
- photograph sunsets for a year
- master the art of fasting
- pay off a loan in half the time
- volunteer at the dunk tank at fair
- see the sun rise in kirabati (day starts)
- get lasik surgery
- learn japanese
- take a zumba class
- hug a redwood
- make homemade paper
- see the declaration of independence
- answer a suicide hotline – talk them down
- write a fan letter
- take a culinary class
- visit mexico
- adopt a foreign baby
- learn how to make sushi
- teach my baby sign language
- make a quilt for humanitarian
- bind my own books
- have a great spice collection
- see the statue of liberty
- receive mail from all over the world
- visit los angeles – (2/20/11)
- be featured in a magazine
- make homemade candles
- be a foster parent
- hold a sugar glider (09/25/13 – Williston, ND)
- attend the olympics
- visit seattle
- try indian food
- become a mother
- go on a police ride along
- try fried ice cream
- know all state nicknames
- declare love in full-page news ad
- learn graphic design
- put mentos in diet coke
- renew vows in an amazing place
- complete a puzzle in one sitting (Orem, UT)
- get my masters degree
- appear on TV
- fall in love – right time for both of us (Williston, ND)
- go to the symphony
- see the golden gate bridge
- see a cirque de soleil show
- make vlogs for my children
- stand behind a waterfall
- go to an outdoor concert
- carve my own chess set
- publish an e-book
- have fireworks at my wedding
- own a telescope
- be the ‘cool’ parents
- learn pilates
- see the cubs win the world series
- be an avid recycler
- visit india during diwali
- have a booth at a craft fair
- ride a double-decker bus around london
- go to the opera
- spend new years in times square
- have my chakras read
- learn to ballroom dance
- have a radio show
- start a guerrilla kindness project
- drive along the oregon coast
- win a cook off
- teach english overseas
- feng shui my house
- make homemade doughnuts
- be part of a research study
- visit the art institute of chicago (07/04/14 – Chicago, IL)
- meet an eskimo
- host a foreign exchange student
- plant/harvest a garden
- make homemade cosmetics
- write my autobiography
- complete a scrapbook
- see the northern lights
- have a four day work week (03/08/13 – Williston, ND)
- meditate in a zen garden
- make homemade ice cream
- crochet an afghan
- volunteer at a homeless shelter
- be in the neighborhood watch
- learn to juggle
- have a large greenhouse
- make german choc cake from scratch (4/22/12 – Fruitland, UT)
- visit portland
- have a menu item named after me
- move out of state for a year (06/06/13 – Williston, ND)
- take voice lessons
- convince someone to create a lifelist
- try real japanese ramen
- visit the taj mahal
- learn to make popovers (2/20/12 – Orem, UT)
- collect sand from all beaches i visit
- see my child win a championship
- make homemade fried pickles
- swim in every ocean
- find a relatives grave overseas
- learn ‘i love you’ in 10 languages
- have a letter to the editor published
- order dessert first at a restaurant (3/16/12 – Draper, UT)
- bake all dishes in a cookbook
- join a book club
- study world religions
- be a master of thank you notes
- experience zero gravity
- go to a cubs game in wrigley field (Chicago, IL)
- tour a lighthouse
- drink from a coconut
- grow my own christmas tree
- go snorkeling
- give a great toast – (08/31/13 – Midway, UT)
- try tofu (2/4/12 – Provo, UT)
- stay awake for a few days (2/26-2/28/12 – Orem, UT)
- throw a 50th anniversary for my parents
- change my name
- straddle the equator
- go on a vacation by myself
- buy a homeless person a full meal
- help someone to stop smoking
- be at a healthy weight
- own a collection of perfume
- visit the sistene chapel
- visit canada
- meet some blog friends
- teach at a cosmetology school
- become a grandmother
- go to an airport to take a random flight
- build a blanket fort w/ my love
- design greeting cards
- kiss under mistletoe
- finish a game of monopoly (2/19/12 – Orem, UT)
- join a bowling league
- make homemade meatballs
- visit italy
- own a macbook – (10/02/12 – Minot, ND)
- see the milky way
- witness a miracle
- stay at a bed & breakfast – (8/31/13 – Midway, UT)
- make a dreamcatcher
- be a homeowner
- visit san fransisco
- walk through central park
- make a wish at the trevi fountain in rome
- love him until i die
- see the empire state building
- read ‘Jesus The Christ’
- throw someone a surprise party
- make my own soap
- shop on black friday
- complete a journal
- fill up a charm bracelet
- dance with my dad at my wedding
- visit france
- see a lantern festival
- ride a subway in NYC
- read an entire book in one sitting (Fruitland, UT)
- have a ‘usual’ somewhere (Williston, ND)
- visit the mayan ruins
- learn how to ice skate
- stand on top of a mountain
- create a popular blog
- get engaged (10/31/13 – Minot, ND)
- make up a recipe
- go on a ‘best burger in town’ hunt
- see haley’s comet w/ hailey
- catch a firefly (7/4/13 – Williston, ND)
- make homemade jelly
- send my parents on a dream vacay
- visit niagra falls
- have someone make me breakfast in bed
- kiss at the top of a ferris wheel
- visit the mall of america
- attend general conference
- retire in the country
- have a night picnic
- open my own business
- try a crepe (2/21/11 – Santa Monica, CA)
- be the maid of honor (08/31/13 – Midway, UT)
- try a cronut
- spend a night in a tree house
H E I D I B U O L 