Year in Review

To 2012... 
     So long, farewell, auf Weidersehen, goodbye...

Overall, it was a pretty stellar year in Kayla-land. 

• I celebrated by 25th birthday. Yes, I am a baby. 
• I started a new job. I didn't switch companies, I didn't even really switch departments. I just got a title change, a raise, and moved up the stairs in the same building.
• I went to Italy. I visited Rome, Florence, Bologna, and Venice. (I also spent 7 hours on a cold tile floor in Madrid.) But anyway, visiting Europe = success. (Read about the trip here and here.)
• We drove to Nebraska on a whim. We made the decision at 9pm, took 30 minutes to pack, and walked out the door. We spent the next day at the Omaha Zoo. It was the best spontaneous road trip ever. (Read about it here!) 
• Draco turned two. And yes, I am crazy enough to include my dog's birthday on the list of important events of the year. 
• We celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. 
• We moved out of our apartment and started renting a house. We'll probably move again in 2013. 
• We became Sporting Kansas City season ticket holders. And we won the US Open Cup. That is a big effing deal. 
• The US Men's National Team came to Kansas City. We sat in the front row, right at midfield and watched them practice, and then watched them beat Guatemala in a World Cup Qualifier. 
• My department at work went through a huge restructure. I moved back downstairs and had to learn a lot more new stuff and have more responsibility. 
• There was an election and the results in several states made me very happy. (And no, I'd rather not elaborate.) 
• We went to the Wizard World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Orlando. 
• We started to get more serious about our financial goals. 

There were some sad moments, too. We lost our friend, Shawn, entirely too young. He passed away in January - his last Facebook post was about what he would wear to my line-dancing birthday party that weekend. We also lost another friend in October, our friend Julian. We had met both of them through work several years ago, and it was a rough year for the company (husband still works there, I do not). 

We also struggled with the husband's maternal grandparents being very ill and his paternal grandfather fighting cancer. But all three of them are still here, and we are incredibly blessed to have had this year to share with them. 

So, while 2012 was not without heartbreak, there were so many positive things that happened to us this year - and we're excited for what 2013 has in store. 

Next up: A 2013 preview! 

Price Tag.

Would you rather spend your money on material items or experiences?
For example, would you rather buy a shirt (that you can wear until it no longer fits) or go out to eat?

Like many people, I used to think that I'd rather have the shirt. It lasts much longer than a meal out, after all.

Or does it? 

That meal is an experience. It is a memory.
At the end of your life, are you going to remember that shirt, or are you going to remember that night out with your husband or friends?

I think I would rather spend money on experiences. So, we don't own a home. And we probably won't for several years. Instead, we buy season tickets to support the team and the sport that we love so much. And we make new memories and meet new friends.

And we travel. We see the world, and we see our country.
We spend our money on memories, not things.

Right now, we need to pay off our credit card, so we have to hold-off on spending money on travel until that is paid off. We just turned down a trip to Philadelphia. And it sucks - but we know that it's the right thing to do at this moment.

But that honestly doesn't change my mind - when I have the money to spare, I would much rather spend it on travel/new experiences. Even if that means purchasing a home later in life than most people might choose or forgoing other material possessions.

Am I crazy?
Where do you prefer to spend your money?

Progress Report - Part II

In yesterday's post, I pointed out all of the things I've managed to accomplish on my 101 in 1001 list to date.

It's hard to believe, but the timeframe to complete the list is quickly closing. I only have approximately 8 months left before the clock stops ticking.

Yes, I realize there is no possible way to complete everything left on the list. Some goals were just too lofty, while others could have been accomplished if I'd started working toward them just a little earlier (like running a half marathon).

But there are many things on this list that would be really easy to accomplish. And now that I am almost done with my graduate degree, there will be extra time to read, watch movies, and basically do whatever sounds good at the time!

So here are the items that have yet to be accomplished:

1. Lose 20 lbs 
2. Complete the C25K program 
3. Run a 10k 
4.  Run a half-marathon 
5. Run a marathon 
6. Climb a rock wall 
7. Go kayaking 
8. Find a dentist 
9. Complete the 30-Day Shred 
10. Take a Dave Ramsey course 
11. Write a personal mission statement 
12. Pay off my credit card balance 
13. Pay off my (undergraduate) student loans 
14. Establish an emergency fund of at least three months expenses 
15. Visit at least two more Presidential libraries (0/2) 
16. Go to the Wizard of Oz Museum 
17. Get a professional massage 
18. Sit on the patio and read a book 
19. Watch 10 movies on the AFI 100 list (2/100) 
20. Watch 10 of AFI’s Top 25 musicals (0/25) 
21. Send flowers to a friend just because 
22. Send a letter via snail mail to a friend 
23. Give Blood 
24. Present a paper at a conference 
25. Earn my graduate degree 
26. Read 75 books in one year (18/75) 
27. Read five classic novels that I haven’t read (0/5) 
28. Complete a jigsaw puzzle 
29. Learn and be able to identify at least three constellations 
30. Read a book of poetry 
31. Read a memoir or a biography 
32. Grow my own vegetables 
33. Get a professional photography session w/ Joe 
34. Send a Christmas card 
35. Fly in a hot hair balloon 
36. Fly a kite 
37. Buy an original piece of artwork 
38. Get a caricature of myself 
39. Go ice-skating 
40. Go sledding 
41. Get another piercing 
42. Build a snowman 
43. Make a gingerbread house 
44. Go through a corn maze 
45. Go on a brewery tour 
46. Get a tarot card reading 
47. Go camping 
48. See an I-MAX movie 
49. Learn all the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby 

Some are will be incredibly easy, some have lost my interest, and some will be practically impossible. But I'm looking forward to trying to best to tackle as many as possible in the 8 months remaining!

Here we gooooo!!!

Progress Report - Part I

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.
Now that we've got the whole "the Mayan calendar ended but we're still here" portion of this post out of the way, let's move on to the real reason for this update.

The new year is just around the corner, and that has me thinking about all my accomplishments over the last year and what I hope to achieve in the next. These thoughts, of course, lead me to my 101 in 1001 list. 

I still have a lot of things that haven't been accomplished on this list - but I've crossed off a helluva lot of items as well. I decided not to make this into a 2012 Year-in-Review post - I'll do that later. Instead, I want to focus on what I've accomplished on my list so far - which I started tacking in November 2010. 

Here are the items on my list that have been completed:

1.  Run a 5k
2. Get my Cholesterol under 200
3. Find a new primary physician
4. Give up red meat
5. Create a realistic budget
6. Change my name on my passport
7. Get a smart phone 
8. Find a job (after contract expires) 
9. Move into a different apartment
10. Buy new furniture
11. Fill our custom vase with silk flower arrangement 
12. De-clutter the apartment
13. Get new Christmas décor 
14. Visit the HP theme park
15. Visit at least one state I’ve never visited
16. Ride a train
17. Travel abroad
18. Go to a Chief’s game
19. Go to a Wizard’s game
20. Go to a farmer’s market
21. Go to a concert
22. Go to the Nelson Atkins
23. Eat at the original Oklahoma Joe’s
24. Go to the Power and Light District
25. Go to the WWI Museum
26. Go to First Fridays 
27. Go to the zoo
28. Watch a sunrise
29. Go wine tasting
30. Go on a picnic
31. Stay at the Chateau Avalon again
32. Color my hair
33. Get a manicure/pedicure
34. Organize i-Tunes into playlists
35. Buy coffee for the person in line behind me
36. Donate goods/money to charity
37. Go on a service trip 
38. Volunteer at a local non-profit
39. Choose my thesis topic
40. Maintain at least a 3.75 GPA in graduate courses 
41. Watch at least three documentaries (3/3)
42. Learn to play chess
43. Try 10 new recipes (10/10)
44. Bake something from scratch
45. Start a blog 
46. Get a new handbag
47. Get an e-reader 
48. Go on a romantic date w/ Joe
49. Get a tattoo
50. Purchase and assemble Harry Potter legos
51. Decorate my desk

I have somehow managed to accomplish half of the goals that I have included on my list.

Some of the items I've completed are small accomplishments, and others took a lot of time/money/effort - but each one gives me a sense of accomplishment and I am really looking forward to tackling the next half the list! 

I'm currently drafting a post with all of the items I haven't accomplished yet, and a plan for accomplishing them. I'm sure that all three of my readers are super stoked for the wave of blog updates I have planned after posting nothing at all for months. 

This is what happens when I get time off work. 

A day off work = blogging craziness!! 

Pottermania

I love the holidays. I'll admit, we don't have much of a social life most of year, but during the holidays there is always something at attend.

The worst part about the holidays: there is ALWAYS something to attend. It's a mixed bag. While I'm enjoying being busy with fun parties and events - I crave time to myself. The husband and puppy are worn out and already asleep (yes, it's only 10pm) and I'm enjoying the peace and (mostly) quiet time for just me. So what I am doing with my me-time? Well, telling you about our latest vacation, of course.

Thanks to an amazing sale, we found some incredibly cheap flights to Orlando, Florida. We had  already visited Orlando in 2005, during our senior year of high school. I'm not usually a fan of going on vacation to a city that I've already visited - but there is something wonderful in Orlando that didn't exist in 2005.

What could be so wonderful that would convince me to break all my traveling rules and visit the same city twice instead of experience something entirely new? That would be the latest addition to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Anyone that knows me well, and even most people that don't know me well at all can tell you that I am a HUGE fan of the Harry Potter series. I even have a tattoo inspired by the novels. Yes, I know that is incredibly crazy. But I don't think it's any crazier than anyone else's tattoo.

I am actually really surprised that I don't seem to have blogged about this tattoo. I got it done over the summer, and I'm honestly having a difficult time remembering the exact timeframe. I believe it was done sometime in June - because we moved in August and it was definitely well before that time.

Anyway, it says "wit beyond measure" which is part of the motto for Ravenclaw house. I have always considered myself a Ravenclaw, and even Pottermore agrees! My absolute favorite character in the series, Luna Lovegood, is also a Ravenclaw. The tattoo not only represents my love for the series, but my love for learning as well. It is also fitting since education has been my first career field in the "real world."

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was awesome. It is tucked into the back of Islands of Adventure. If you've ever been, it is between Jurassic Park and Suessville.

The Harry Potter section of the park  is much smaller than I imaged. The majority of the store fronts were for show only, which I found disappointing. You can visit Ollivander's, Zonko's, Honeydukes, and Owl Post (Post Office).  The setting revolves around the Goblet of Fire (book four). There is even a Tri-Wizard Pep Really and Hogwarts Choir show that occurs several times throughout the day.

There are two rides: Dragon Challenge and the Forbidden Journey. The Dragon Challenge is not a new ride for the Potter expansion, but is simply the former Dueling Dragons ride revamped to be Potter-themed. This was a little disappointing since we have already been to Islands of Adventure in the past and had ridden this ride several times during our previous visit. But there were some great props along the line to the front, including Hagrid's hut and the Ford Anglia, and we annoyed many people by stopping to take pictures and holding up the line.



The Forbidden Journey was a new, Potter-themed ride. The line to ride goes through Hogwarts Castle. I think the line leading up to the ride was actually better than the ride. You encounter the greenhouse, the hall of portraits, Dumbledore's office, the Sorting Hat, and much more. The ride itself takes you on an adventure with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. It is a simulator ride, much like a lot of the newer rides at Universal. If you're really curious, you can view this youtube video. This also takes you through the wait-line, so if you just want to see the ride, skip ahead.

DISCLAIMER: This ride takes you through the forbidden forest. If you are afraid of spiders, you will find this ride terrifying.  I was not prepared for the spiders and was not happy about that portion of the ride!

We did also visit the rest of Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. I'll always be a big fan of the Spiderman ride at Islands of Adventure. In Universal, I would have to say that my favorites are The Mummy and the new Despicable Me ride.

The roller coaster (Hollywood Rip, Ride, and Rockit) was also really awesome. It was different than other coasters in that you could select a song to listen to during the ride, and in-seat cameras filmed your entire experience.

But - Harry Potter was clearly the focus of our trip. And both Warner Brothers and Universal Studios are going to force me to break my rule once again and vacation in the same city THREE times - because guess what?!?! They are currently planning an expansion to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that will include Gringotts and Diagon Alley.

And Universal Studios is opening a Transformers ride this summer. So I think it's safe to say that we'll being seeing Orlando again soon.