Monday, April 30, 2012

Bucket List


 I’m definitely a big dreamer. I’m always thinking of what’s next and what will happen next in the future.

My husband and I both have gotten pretty OBSESSED with our bucket lists. I am always updating it…. always adding to it, always planning on how we can really check everything off. I think everyone should have a bucket list. Because you know alllll of those things you vaguely think about doing and how you assume they’ll “just happen”? Well they won’t! You actually have to pursue them and MAKE them happen, or they won't! I think that this finally just dawned on me in the last year or two since I met my husband……

Putting these goals on paper, really put me in the mindset to think “Wow, I really have to do something about all of these….”
When I first started putting this together, I was thinking small. But then I realized that putting a deadline on this thing; which I chose to do 4 years starting from our One Year Anniversary. The years we will be most fit and able…the years that my husband and I would cherish together as our lives get started. If I am going to do all of these crazy things on my bucket list…why wouldn’t I do them in the next 4 years?! This realization drove me to dream bigger….maybe even too big, some may say….but there’s no such thing in my world.
So here it is….mine and my husband's 130+ more biggest goals for the next 4 years. It starts today. As addressed in #68, I plan to do a blog update every time we complete 5 or so things with some photos and stories about the experiences! It’s going to be an exciting journey! If you are reading this…I challenge you to come up with your own 130+ more things you would like to do and hold yourself to it. Comment below if you plan on doing one and/or if there’s any way I can help you check something off of yours! Let’s do this!!!!

Start Date: 4/16/2012
End Date: 4/16/2016

1. Make bucket list scrapbook with photos and stories about the things I checked off so far!
2. See Aerosmith in concert.
3.Visit Ireland.
4. Donate money to The Breast Cancer Foundation.
5. Visit Monte Carlo.
6. Run an internship/workshop.
7. Get my photos published in print.
8. Donate money to The Wounded Warriors Program.
9. Get featured in 10+ more style blogs. {0/10}
10. Sleep under the stars with my husband.
11. Visit France.
12. Complete my sample album collection.
13. Get a facial.
14. Try Snowboarding.
15. Shoot a fairytale inspired wedding that matches my brand.
16. Help 3 people cross something off of their bucket list. {0/3}
17. Ride in a hot air balloon.
18. Knit an entire blanket. {IN PROGRESS}
19. Purchase a Nikon D700.
20. Own my own horse.
21. Do a Triathlon.
22. Have my dream wedding.
23. Get an Ipad.
24. Go Skydiving.
25. Photograph 10+ more photographers. {1/10}
26. Get in the best shape of my life and stay that way.
27. Walk at night on the beach.
28. Get a Kelly Moore bag.
29. Shoot 3+ more destination weddings. {0/3}
30. Spend a whole day at the spa.
31. Have a total lazy day where I stay in bed all day…just because.
32. Ride on a sea-doo.
33. Win a vacation.
34. Photograph someone influential/famous.
35. Stay the night in a castle.
36. Fly in a helicopter.
37. Get my life a little more organized.
38. Attend a workshop from one of my favorite photographers.
39. Go on an Alaskan cruise.
40. Get a Pandora bracelet.
41. Read 100+ books. {37/100}
42. Go Ziplining.
43. Come face to face with some of my biggest fears. {IN PROGRESS}
44. Own my own business.
45. Shoot a wedding in the snow.
46. Be accomplished.
47. Make a book of my work.
48. Second shoot for one of my favorite photographers.
49. Stay in the presidential suite at a hotel.
50. Sing karoake.
51. Spend New Years Eve in Times Square and watch the ball drop with my husband.
52. Photograph a wedding; a photographer’s wedding.
53. Meet someone famous.
54. Watch a sunrise.
55. Pay for the person behind me at a restaurant/drive-through.
56. Shoot a destination engagement session.
57. Re-try 3 foods that I disliked. {3/3}
58. Buy a new car.
59. Go to an amusement park I haven’t been to.
60. Go to the Bahamas.
61. Send out a fun Christmas card with pictures, every year. {0/3}
62. Go to California.
63. Host a fun, themed party.
64. Purchase an expensive French bottle of wine.
65. Start and maintain a super organized method of tracking my finances.
66. Buy myself a canvas of one of my favorite images of my husband and I.
67. Start my own collection of handmade props.
68. Do a blog post update of this list with photos, everytime I complete 5 things. {IN PROGRESS}
69. Try 25+ recipes that I’ve pinned on Pinterest. {4/25}
70. Shoot a whole mini session of my husband and I on my own, using my tripod.
71. Get a custom Shootsac cover made to match my brand & logo.
72. Visit 5+ different museums. {1/5}
73. Visit the Grand Canyon.
74. Finish my business plan.
75. Blog 6+ times a month, every month. {0/72}
76. See Journey in concert. {IN PROGRESS}
77. Do a shoot with my horse involved.
78.  Go kayaking with my husband.
79. Reach out to 10 photographers I admire and tell them that I do. {3/10}
80. Blog all major milestones in my life.
81. Visit Australia.
82. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage with my husband.
83. Relocate myself to wherever my business/passion calls me.
84. Eat healthy, the majority of the time.
85. Sail on a boat all day long.
86. Get Married.
87. Have my own family.
88. Jump in some puddles and dance in the rain in good clothes.
89. Build a complete wardrobe that I’m satisfied with.
90. Get my wisdom teeth removed.
91. Do an underwater photo shoot.
92. Start a retirement fund. (Seriously!)
93. Find a bigger shelving system for all of my books.
94. Not take shooting jobs that I dread or don’t want to do. (Learn to say NO) {IN PROGRESS}
95. Take my husband on a secret vacation, planned completely by me.
96. Go to 10+ more concerts of my favorite artists. {6/10}
97. Become well known.
98. Go to 3+ more hockey games. {2/3}
99. Go to a professional baseball game.
100. Go to a Super Bowl.
101. Make a list of all the places I would like to visit. {IN PROGRESS}
102. Become a professional photographer.
103. Walk on the Kentucky Derby race track.
104. Wear a white dress barefoot on the beach.
105. Go to the Grand Ole Opry.
106. Start my own Charity.
107. Name a star.
108. Take a cross country road trip.
109. Sit first class on a plane.
110. Own my own farm.
111. Go Parasailing.
112. Swim with dolphins.
113. Marry someone who loves me for me.
114. Take a European cruise.
115. Invent something useful.
116. Trade mark "Brandie Penn."
117. Change someone's life for the better.
118. Drive a really expensive car.
119. Spend a week on a private island with my husband.
120. Wear a really expensive diamond.
121. Donate to Locks of Love.
122. Do a photo shoot with a famous model.
123. Meet a Victorias Secret Angel.
124. Take a picture in front of the Hollywood sign.
125. Take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower.
126. Be the reason someone wakes up smiling.
127. Go 24 hours without swearing.
128. Volunteer in a hospital for 24 hours.
129. Purchase a Coach purse.
130. Fall asleep every night next to the love of my life.


Nathan's Bucket List:

131. Become financially stable.
132. Travel to any foreign country.
133. Learn to speak Russian.
134. Learn to speak Italian.
135. To go Deep Sea fishing.
136. Learn to play the Fiddle. {IN PROGRESS}
137. Save someone's life.
138. Own a motor cycle.
139. Have my own wood working shop.
140. Build something with my own two hands.
141. Have a six pack abs and maintain it.
142. Meet a WWII Veteran.
143. Go bungee jumping.
144. Be a certified Scuba Diver.
145. Be the first response on an accident.
146. Learn to surf.
147. Take my wife to a Marine Corps ball.
148. Experience a tractor pull/mud bog.
149. Ride a dirt bike.
150. Become a cop and write someone a ticket.
151. Own a pair of cowboy boots and spurs.
152. Try a food challenge.
153. Visit Russia.
154. Visit Rio De Janeiro.
155. Learn to square dance.
156. Learn to ride a horse without bouncing. {IN PROGRESS}
157. Spend a week in a log cabin with my wife.
158. Learn to sing.
159. Get 5+ more tattoos. {2/5}
160. Play Santa for when I have children.
161. Be a main photographer for an event.
162. Motivate someone in life.
163. Get my wife a massage.
164. Try acupuncture.
165. Read the entire Bible.
166. Plan a romantic candle light dinner for my wife.
167. Try Sushi.
168. Start a collection.
169. Be featured in a News Paper.
170. Win a betting game of Poker.

{TO BE CONTINUED...}

Friday, April 27, 2012

Date Night

Well the hubs and I decided to take a date night tonight since we have been stuck in the house all week and working. 

We decided to go watch the new movie "The Lucky One". 
I must say that this movie definitely tugged at some heart strings since this is so near to home being that Nathan is in the Marine Corps. If you have yet to check out this movie than you should definitely check it out. 
This is a link to the official movie trailer so you can check it out. 


We also checked out another Military movie about a month ago called "Act of Valor", if you have not seen it then you MUST check it out ASAP! This movie is definitely not for the faint of heart, it will make a grown man cry, especially if you are military related. 

This is the link to the official movie trailer. 

Monday, April 23, 2012

Is not what we hoped for

This post is probably going to be the most I have ever vented on our blog so please just bare with me while I get it all out. 


Ever since Nathan has come home from deployment we have been desperately trying to have a baby. 
Well it isn't working out the way we had hoped for.
After a couple of months and about 3 pregnancy tests later, we are NOT pregnant. 
We are trying like crazy to not even think about it, but how can you not think about something you want so badly. We are trying as much as we can to get pregnant and it just seems like it is not happening for us.
I see so many women that are finding out they're pregnant or they are having babies and I want the same thing so badly. I see so many families that have the perfect lives; a big growing family, their own home, etc... I want to start a family with the man I love more than anything. We are not getting any younger and we want our own family, to grow with and to change together as we grow. 

I know a lot of people are wondering why we want to have a baby right now, being that we are so young. But I say, what does age have to do with anything? I married the love of my life at 18 years old, and we have already spent the first year of our lives together and we are just as madly in love now as we were then. 
Hell, my father would even have a heart attack if he knew we were even trying for a baby. Nathan and I completely understand that we should be settled and have everything straightened out first before throwing a child into the mix but when are you ever settled, when is everything honestly straightened out enough to have a child? If that is the case then about 98% of the world should have never had children, including my own parents. 


I have just been so stressed out lately because unfortunately we recently got some bad news... Nathan has just switched to a new Battalion because his old Battalion was dissolved and unfortunately they are due to deploy again in January-February time frame of next year, 2013. I am actually terrified to death to get pregnant now because the baby would be due while he is gone.
Granted, Yes I would be completely ecstatic if we got pregnant RIGHT NOW, but it scares the living day lights out of me to know that my husband won't be here to see our first child born. I knew this would happen when we got married but I guess I was hoping that maybe he would be home at least long enough for the entire pregnancy and birth. 
I guess I was wrong to hope for that... 
When we found out he was due to deploy again soon, we made the decision that if I were to get pregnant I would go home to stay with my parents so they could help out and so I wouldn't be alone and trying to deal with a pregnancy while Nathan was gone. It would not only cut out a rent bill but we could completely pay off our loans, credit cards, and possibly save a ton of money and could hopefully start looking to buy our own home shortly after he would be due back home.

I guess I am just scared to go through a deployment again, knowing that the first was absolutely terrifying because of his job. I guess you could say that I HATE my husband's job in the military, he didn't exactly choose one that allows him to stay in a safe zone area for the deployment. No, he works directly with Afghans and hell I guess you could say he even has to train their police. I honestly wish he would change his MOS but he loves his job and if it makes him happy then I guess I can't complain too much. 
But yet, I am still terrified...