What's in yours? SLM Bucket List

A friend recently told me that someday I would be happy again... Gracias!

The below is my bucket list... A list of things I want to do before I die... You should have one too...

*Find joy in life again *********DONE-

* Learn how to swim (So afraid of the water!)

* Swim with Dolphins

* Take a cruise

* Learn how to scuba dive

* Visit white sand beaches (at least two...one in the carribean, the other on the Yucatan Penninsula)

* Fly on an airplane (so afraid of heights) *************DONE

* Stay at a job for more than 5 years *************DONE

* See Mariah Carey in concert again

* Get married at a church (since I never did)

* Write a book (or finish one for that matter)

* Visit Greece! (Ahhhh to walk where Socrates once roamed!)

* Visit the Vatican and Coliseum in Rome

* Visit France (ahh...To visit the land of love…)

* Visit Italy (eat the food, and gelato… mmmmh)

* Earn more than $70,000 per year

* Own my own business (Preferably a Restaurant)

* Have GREAT credit

* Ice Skate

* Have another child (as I always intended it)

* Go camping again

* Visit the Grand Canyon

* Visit the Museum of Modern Art in New York

* Buy a home (This is probably the biggest one for me)

* Run a full marathon (26 miles)

* Buy myself a Louis Vuitton Bag

* Have a Mercedes (a NEW one)

* Have one full week of worry free vacation *************DONE

* Have lobster in Puerto Nuevo again (mmmm) *************DONE

* Visit Mazatlan again (my home land) 

*Travel the world with my Soulmate 

What about you? What would be on your Bucket List? Have one?

If you dont, Make one! Its a great way to track your progress and make sure you are taking EVERYTHING you want from your life and creating the experiences you want from it! ;)

-Cheers~ SLM

Single, Schedules, and Survival

The sacrifices we don't like to talk about are many. Every single time I sit down with another single parent friend, the resounding truth always comes out. We are single, parents, and making sacrifices on all levels. 

Recently over drinks with one of my dear friends, Italiana Anastasia, we both kept talking about how our schedules never match up! We have completely opposite schedules. Visitation schedules of course! The weekdays and weekends that I don't have my munchkin, she has her B-man! It's frustrating, to say the least. 

On days when I have my daughter, I treasure my time with her. I try not to take away from our time by spending it with friends, and focus on family! Rightfully so. 

However, all of us single parents sacrifice in some way shape or form. 

Today, like I promised I wouldn't, I sit here typing away, with less than $5 to my name. Why? Sacrifices! You see I recently changed up taxes, retirement funds, and the likes on payroll, all to benefit my daughters future. Additionally, we are now 13 days away from my munchkins Birthday vacation! 

Yep, you heard it! My soon-to-be 7 year old is getting a vacation for her birthday! 

Months ago, when I asked her what she would like for her birthday, she randomly, and excitedly, wished to get on a plane to go on vacation! NO JOKE! Her literal words were, "I wanna get on a plane and go on vacation!" 

She stared at me tentatively, as though she was waiting for my reaction. I asked her why? Her simple response, "I've never been on a plane! And I wanna go to vacation!" of course! Simple enough. 

Now by an act of god of course! Yes, he gets all the credit! Southwest Airlines happened to throw a fall travel sale two short weeks after our conversation. Flights were half off! I started to look at locations and finally settled on San Francisco! I had recently been there, I have friends in the area that I can visit, and there is tons to do! I wasn't expecting to pay for flights that payday weekend, but I paid the flights, and sacrificed the rest of the month! 

FIVE DAYS! FIVE DAYS this kid gets for her birthday vacation! I've never been on a vacation this long before! 

I'm not sure how many 7 year olds get what they ask for from their single parent, but as I sit here with $3 to my name, because I've paid all my bills early so I have a free paycheck next payday, I just hope, that one day, my baby knows how much I sacrifice for her. Sacrificed, because she is my everything! Good Night friends! -Cheers! ~SLM