I can’t believe it – I’m turning 40 today.
(Well, I started this on my birthday. But it’s taken me almost 2 weeks to finish…and you’ll see why!)
Leading up to this day, I’ve had ample time for reflection. Oodles of time to just ponder the meaning of life and where my life is going…
Just kidding – that’s totally a lie. I’ve been so busy with work, family stuff, travel, and planning for the future, I haven’t given much thought about turning 40 until recently. I was so wrapped up in life, that it wasn’t until my boss at the coffee shop mentioned that my birthday was “next week,” and I started to actually give it any thought.
To me, age is simply a number that is only important when renting cars, entering certain establishments, and being able to order off of a special, reduced-price menu at restaurants. But since this is a big year, I figured it could use a little more TLC than usual.
Most people don’t know my actual age, and, when informed, are in utter disbelief when they learn that I’m much older than they originally thought. I’m glad it’s not the other way around, to be honest.
Once I started to think about it, I wondered how I would feel reaching this milestone that has crippled the minds of so many. Would I have a midlife crisis? Make some life-altering rash decision? Wallow in despair and sink into a depression because my life isn’t what I envisioned all those years ago when we were crafting our life plan with our 16 years of life behind us?
OMG I can’t even begin to express my gratitude that my life hasn’t turned out the way I “planned!”
While I have no clue how I’d feel if I was celebrating 20 years of marriage and sending kids off to college, I can tell you how I’m actually feeling right now.
4 Corners; Mount Evans Road, Colorado; Rachel, Nevada on the Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada; The Mokes, Maui; Diamond Head; Maui
I sat down with a friend recently and she almost hesitantly asked how I was feeling about turning 40.
With a big grin, I said if my life has been so amazing for the first 40 years, I can’t wait to see what the next 40+ bring!
Sure, I’ve had ups and downs with family, friends, health, and everything else that people around the world deal with. But I’ve learned how to look through the muck to find the silver linings in everything – and what an adventure that has been.
So in honor of turning 40, I thought it would be fun to recount my top 40 adventures that I’ve been on these last few decades to illustrate what I mean.
Of course, most of these are within the last 15-20 years, mainly because, well, I’m 40 and my memory struggles with some of those early years. Ha!
But some of them are definitely memorable, even despite not having any digital proof. Because hey! This is what happens when you’re older than cell phones, social media, and Google!
And, as per usual, these will be in no particular order. I’ll try to give an estimate on the year or an age range from what I can remember. Of course, I’ll tell as much of the story as I can remember and link to related blog posts for more stories.
I’ve also dug out some of my favorite pictures of myself. Not because they necessarily correlate with the adventures, but because I love them and want to have them recorded as a fun memory!
Chicago; San Francisco; St. Louis; Lake Moraine, Banff; New Orleans
1. Playing in a band for President Clinton (middle school)
When I was younger, I played low brass in various school bands. When I was in middle school, I played the trombone and made a name for myself. When President Clinton was coming to LA for a visit, whoever was in charge hand-picked a middle/high school band for his speech. I don’t remember where it was or what he spoke about, but I remember the feeling. I was one of the youngest musicians in the group, one of the least experienced (as I had only recently learned to play the trombone), and couldn’t believe how special it was, even at that tender age.
2. Attending college at BYU – Idaho (2002-2006)
I knew I wanted to go to school in Idaho, and wasn’t surprised when I was accepted to BYU-I.
It was such a different world than what I grew up in. I lived in the middle of nowhere, spent weekends getting lost in farmland, playing football in the sand dunes outside of town, climbing volcanoes, eating burgers the size of my face, painting barns, riding horses, and taking as many foreign language classes that I could get into.
I dated hockey players, played softball, learned to throw the javelin, experienced white-outs and black ice, played mud volleyball, learned how to host dinner parties, and cut my teeth in the kitchen, earning a reputation for epic Sunday dinner parties. I learned more about who I was as a person and solidified more of my character through my social interactions than anything I could have in a classroom.
It was also a crazy adventure being that far away from home, long before social media, and back when cell phones were in their infancy.
3. Witnessing the Northern Lights in central Alaska (2021)
There’s nothing that can compare to seeing the northern lights with the naked eye. Lights dancing above your head, your extremities slowly starting to freeze as you try to be present in the moment while still being wary that there could be moose or bears lurking in the trees right beside you.
These last few weeks have seen climate changes that have enabled people in the lower 48 to view the northern lights. I did feel kinda like a chump whenever asked if I went and saw them, and responded that I’ve already seen them in Alaska lol.
Check out this post for more pictures!
4. Working at Disney’s California Adventure (2004, 2006-2009)
Ah, Disney. Where do I even start?
When I was younger, I always wanted to work at Disneyland. Like most kids that grew up in Southern California, working for The Mouse was a right of passage. During a semester break in college, I needed a job and figured, what’s the worst they could say? Well, they hired me on the spot and thus began one of the greatest adventures of my life. I worked the semester, left for the last few years of college (after considering transferring down to a SoCal school to continue working), and returned after I graduated.
During these 3+ years working at Disney, I learned many life lessons. I learned what it took to be a good leader, all by observing the lacking skills from my managers, the mistakes I made, and the people I was exposed to.
For more fun stories about being a Cast Member, check out this post!
5. Becoming the person that takes people up on their offers to visit (2018, 2022-2024)
I’m grouping a few adventures together into an umbrella category, since I view the whole as a character trait. Let me explain.
Have you ever had someone you know move away (or you move away from them), and then they offer you a place to stay “whenever you want?” Most of us have experienced this in some form or other, and I’m no exception. I’ve also been the one to offer a place to friends, but nobody has ever taken me up on the offer, and it’s sad.
I love making New Year Resolutions each year, and although I’d visited a friend before this resolution was made, I decided that I was going to be that person who actually takes up my friends on their offers. And because of this mindset, I’ve visited friends in Romania, Missouri, West Virginia, Spain, and Florida.
Munich; West Virginia; Lübeck, Germany; Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany; Columbia, Missouri
6. Taking my first girl’s trip (2013)
In early 2013, I went to New Orleans with 2 of my best friends – one from college and one from Utah. It was an unforgettable experience: my first time booking a trip from start to finish, my first time staying in a hostel and using public transportation on a trip, my first time to the south, and the first time I started to realize that not everyone travels equally.
We’ve all heard the saying “you’ve got to start somewhere.” That’s what this trip was for me – a starting place for my future adventurous travel-planning self. I made tons of mistakes learned a lot about myself from that trip.
7. Securing a job at the University of Utah and moving to Salt Lake City (2009)
I still can’t believe this was almost 15 years ago! I was looking for a job change after spending 3 years at Disney and I sent applications all over the country. The University of Utah was the first to respond, and, within 3 weeks of sending in my application, I was crashing on my friend’s futon and staring the next adventure of working in an office at the University Hospital.
With my 15 year anniversary coming up with the U, I’ll save more details on this adventure for a future post.
8. Studying abroad in Kiel, Germany (2014)
Ah, the turning point in my life was actually an adventure that almost didn’t happen. I made every excuse: I was too old (pushing 30), had a “big girl job,” “missed my window,” you name it.
After working for a few years at the University of Utah, I decided to go back to school and get a TESOL certificate. Towards the end of the program, I learned about an opportunity to study abroad in Germany. After multiple conversations with friends/family/coworkers, and eventually, when my German teacher found out I was interested, I made the decision to apply. I had all the reasons why I shouldn’t go in the back of my mind, but something kept nagging in my brain. My heartstrings were tugged and I took the leap of faith and haven’t looked back since this adventure!
For more stories about my study abroad adventures, check out these posts:
9. Becoming Drum Major of my high school marching band (10th grade)
Here’s one that pre-dates social media and digital media. I grew up playing musical instruments and being in band was part of my identity growing up. I loved being in band – the exercise, experiences, friendships, and everything that went along with it. When I was in my sophomore year (10th grade), I auditioned to become the marching band’s drum major. I had to lead the band in a piece of music, write an essay, interview with our director and marching coordinator, and lead the whole band in a marching drill.
I remember the feeling of elation when, during our end of year concert, my name was announced as the drum major for the following year, the gym packed with friends and family members. I’m still in awe at how young I was to be trusted with such responsibility.
10. College graduation trip (2006)
As I was getting close to graduating college, my family asked me where I would like to go for my graduation trip. Being the nerd that I am, I said I wanted to go Mount Rushmore. So we all loaded into the car, along with some extended family that was along for the ride, and headed into the Black Hills of South Dakota. In addition to finally seeing Mount Rushmore, we ventured to Deadwood, saw the Crazy Horse Memorial under construction (and it still is!), stopped in Sturgis, and then down to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. I loved every second of this trip!
Rose Island, Bahamas; Molokai, Hawaii; Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris; Seven Magic Mountains, Nevada; Athabasca Glacier, Canada
11. New York City with Grandma Eileen (early 2000s)
I can’t remember the exact year for this trip to the Big Apple, but it was a crazy adventure. My step-grandma Eileen invited me to accompany her to New York City for a week. She was apparently really interested in an exhibit that was at the Met, and for reasons I’ll never know until I get to Heaven, she invited me along for the trip.
It was a crazy experience. She was classy and we stayed at a place where I would need a whole new wardrobe. On that trip, we went to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, saw “Hairspray” on Broadway, ate at Katz’s Deli, and so much more that I struggle to remember (ugh, aging is hard). Although I learned that I couldn’t travel with her again, it was a pivotal moment in my life.
12. Polar Plunge (New Year’s Day 2015)
Yup, I took the polar plunge into Stansbury Lake on New Year’s Day back in 2015 with some friends. We rocked out to the middle of nowhere, Utah, stripped down, and hopped into a frozen lake, surrounded by spectators and rescue personnel.
13. Visiting German Christmas Markets (2022)
What’s more bucket list-worthy than spending a few weeks traveling around Southern Germany and visiting Christmas Markets with a good friend? Not much!
Since this was recent, I’ve written quite a few blog posts about it. You can read more about the whole adventure here, here, and here!
14. Getting stranded overnight in Puerto Rico (2016)
This is probably one of the adventures that I learned the most from, but one that I still never want to relive ever again. Due to a flight delay, I was rerouted and then Delta didn’t issue me a ticket on the last leg of the journey to my friends’ wedding, leaving me stranded overnight in Puerto Rico.
I never wanted to visit the island again, but years later was able to return and redeem the island in my mind. Through this adventure, I learned the importance of self-reliance, why keeping calm is the best thing you can do as a solo traveler, and how much I appreciated the kindness of strangers.
15. Recruited to the Track and Field team (Junior/Senior in high school)
The track and field coach at my high school, Coach King, was legendary. Everyone knew him. Everyone loved him. Think an older, tanner Jack Black. He was awesome and a blast to be around. He apparently took notice of me as the drum major and approached me about joining the track and field team to throw the shot put and discus. WHAT?! Of course I said yes, along with my award-winning gymnast bestie, and we went on to both letter for the 2 years we threw. I have so many memories of being out on the grass with a broom stick wrapped behind my head with my arms weirdly holding it into place as I spun around on a cement circle, trying to perfect my technique. It must have worked since I placed either 1st or 2nd at each meet…
San Francisco; Castelul de Lut, Romania; Versailles, France; Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco; Barcelona
16. Attempting to kayak around Catalina Island (7th grade)
This one still makes me giggle at my naïvety. My middle school jazz band would participate in a musical festival every year on Catalina Island. One year, my friends and I decided that we would rent kayaks and circle the island. We were feeling pretty cool and thought it would be a cinch.
Of course, we had no clue how big it actually was and made the mistake of paddling WITH THE CURRENT as we started around the island. By the time we realized we were in way over our heads and turned around, we were horrified to realize that we had to paddle AGAINST the current for a few hours to get back. Needless to say, my kayaking skills have been on-point ever since this adventure.
17. First solo adventure to another country (2014)
As I was planning my route to get to my study abroad program in Germany, I decided I wanted to take that opportunity to do a bit of solo travel prior to arriving in Kiel.
I don’t know where the adventurous motivation came from. That’s a lie. Her name is Nikki.
My friend encouraged me to take the time before my program started to do a bit of solo travel, and I was more than eager to do so. After weighing my options and looking at all the possibilities, I decided that instead of following some well-worn solo traveler trail, I would listen to my personal desires. I settled on hopping over to Poland to visit the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps.
It was my first time out of the country, first time attempting something this ambitious, and the first time I was completely reliant on my meager experience with traveling. I learned so much during those precious days before my program started.
18. Biking down a crater in Hawaii (2015)
Sometimes the “title” of an adventure is cooler sounding than what the adventure actually was. This isn’t the case with this one. Waking up at 2am, getting to a bike shop to get fitted in the dark, riding a shuttle to the top of a volcano, watching the sun rise as we listen to a local singing a spiritual in Hawaiian, and then biking down the crater…EPIC!
19. Attending sailing school in Fort Lauderdale (2022)
In a weird way, COVID was the big push that got me to knock this adventure off of my bucket list. For years, I’ve always dreamed about living on a sailboat and cruising around the world. But I needed to figure out if I could actually sail. During the lockdowns, I found a sailing YouTube channel where the couple took sailing lessons…and I knew it was destiny. I saved and planned and attended the Blue Water Sailing School in Fort Lauderdale. And fell in love with sailing.
I wrote a ton about this adventure in these posts:
And I made a few videos about it!
20. Parasailing above Lake Tahoe (2010)
I count this as my first official travel experience as an adult. After moving to Utah, 3 of my friends and I traveled to Lake Tahoe for Labor Day Weekend in 2010. It was my first experience with a girl’s trip and the dynamics that surround it. The whole weekend was an adventure, both positive and less so, but the highlight was definitely going parasailing that first morning. The lake was calm, the weather was perfect, and the ride was smoother than I could have imagined.
Paris; Rasnov Fortress, Romania; The Bahamas; Paris; Guatemala City
21. Taking a Disney Cruise (2009)
Let’s see, how do I explain this origin story…? So my mom met this lady who happened to have a son my brother’s age, and, through that connection, we became friends. I ended up becoming her main babysitter and confidant.
She had recently lost her husband to a tragic work accident and wanted to take her 2 young kids on a Disney cruise, but didn’t want to go alone. She invited me along, all expenses paid. We went to Disney World for a few days, and then cruised to Nassau, The Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.
It was a total learning experience and I had a blast!
Of course, I wish the kids would have been more keen on going to the kids’ club so their mom and I could enjoy some childfree time in the adults-only deck, but alas.
22. Disney World with friends from Disney (2011)
Keeping with the Disney theme…while I was still working at Disney, my friends and I planned an epic week-long trip to Disney World. Even though I had moved to Utah, we still forged on with our plans and had the most adventurous week hopping around Disney World and Universal. We stayed at one of the resorts on-site, took advantage of magic hours to squeeze as much time as possible out of the days. I’m pretty sure we went on every ride in every park, ate at as many restaurants as we could stomach, and took all the pictures. Ah, I miss those Disney-filled days!
23. Swimming at Atlantis (2023)
While I was on a solo trip to The Bahamas, I wound up staying at a hostel in Nassau. I agonized for days whether or not I wanted to splurge and buy a day pass to the Atlantis Aquaventure Park to take advantage of their epic pools. The problem was, day passes were around $250. After spending that amount on accommodations for the week, I just couldn’t justify dropping that much money.
Then, as fate would have it, the annoying British guy at the hostel ended up grandfathering me a coveted key card to the resort. The card’s magnetic/door-opening capabilities were non-existent, but it still served a higher purpose. In order to access the Aquaventure Park within Atlantis, you had to FLASH YOUR KEY CARD to the guards in conjunction with wearing a wristband.
BUT! If you had on a long sleeved sun cover, they just assumed you had a wristband, and could waltz around to your little heart’s desire. Which is exactly what I did for 2 days – lounging by the pools, swimming in the bluest water on the island, walking along the private beaches, and simply enjoying the resort…FOR FREE!
24. Driving the Extraterrestrial Highway (2017)
My friend Smash and I drove into the middle of Nevada to the Extraterrestrial (ET) Highway. To be honest, I can’t remember how the idea came about. It probably had to do with a movie that she had seen, and, honestly, that’s all it took for me to hop on board. We drove into the middle of nowhere, looked for aliens, almost ran out of gas, found Area 51, and took pictures with the black mailbox.
25. Riding a chicken bus in the Guatemalan highlands (2023)
This is as epic and chaotic as it sounds. I didn’t set out to ride the camionetas, but after some encouraging from my hostel host in Guatemala City, I decided to just go for it and ride a chicken bus to get to Lake Atitlán in the Guatemalan highlands.
Rose Island, The Bahamas; Nassau, The Bahamas; Rose Island, The Bahamas; Guatemala City; Hohenzollern Castle, Germany
26. Night kayaking in St. Thomas (2016)
I traveled to St. Thomas for a friends’ wedding and spent some time after the festivities exploring the island. I had never been to an island like this before and was elated to explore. I discovered that through one of the resorts on the island, visitors could sign up to go kayaking in clear-bottomed kayaks at night! Oh, I was all in!
We boarded our kayaks at dusk and paddle out into the bay, the city lights starting to dance against the dark mountain outline, the stars popping. It was one of those memories that has been stamped on my heart forever.
27. Road trip to Canada (2019)
For my friend Smash’s 30th birthday, we drove from Salt Lake City to Banff, Canada. The whole experience was a whirlwind of an adventure: driving the Icefields Parkway, walking on a glacier, eating poutine, getting up for sunrise over Lake Louise, stopping along the way at Glacier National Park, staying in the cutest AirBnB in Montana, eating a tomahawk steak at the #1 steakhouse in Calgary…the list goes on.
28. Starting a blog (2013ish)
And thus began the ultimate adventure as you’re reading. I’ve always had a journal of some sort, which morphed into an online diary, to a fun blogspot blog, to this hosted website. Many thanks to my friend Nikki for encouraging me to start blogging more seriously and keeping a record of my adventures.
This blog has undergone numerous revisions. I’ve learned about SEO. I’ve stayed mostly away from following fads and trends (but sometimes I can’t help myself), and stayed true to my own style and what I like to read.
What started as a simple way of keeping my mom updated with my study abroad adventures is now a proud project that I’d like to turn to profit some day!
29. Solo trip to Oahu (2021)
Once the world started opening back up after lockdowns, I was itching to get away (and was blessed to be able to do so). I took advantage of a massive flight deal to Oahu and marked my 3rd Hawaiian island off of my bucket list. I stayed in a hostel in Waikiki, snorkeled with sea turtles, hiked my first pillbox, watched the sunrise over The Mokes, beach-hopped along the coast, attended my first official luau, and visited Pearl Harbor.
30. Road tripping through Transylvania (2018)
What do you do when your friend lives in Romania and asks if you want to go on a road trip around Transylvania? Of course you say yes! This was my first trip to Romania and it was easy to fall in love with the country. The beauty, history, castles, food, and people make Romania a hidden gem in Eastern Europe and should not be missed.
Lake Atitlán, Guatemala; Napa Valley, California; Boston; Cantacuzino Castle, Romania (Nevermore Academy); Sandy, Utah
31. My secret trip to St. Thomas (2020)
I took a secret trip to St. Thomas in December 2020, once domestic flights started opening up again. I let my mom and boss know I was going about a week before, took 2 COVID tests, and kept it all on the DL until after I returned. It was an adventure traveling so soon after lockdowns and was a much-needed relief!
I ended up going snorkeling, creating a DIY food tour with local exotic fruits, hiked to Mermaid Chair, and explored the beaches with my new drone!
32. Lantern Festival (2024)
Have you ever heard of the lantern festival they have in Thailand? Or seen the Disney movie “Tangled?” If so, you probably have an idea of what I’m talking about. I scored free tickets to the lantern festival that happens annually about an hour west of Salt Lake City, and I couldn’t have been more excited. My friend Cyri and I arrived to the festival grounds in the middle of a windstorm (which thankfully died down enough by the end of the night), picked up our lanterns, and settled in for a few hours until nightfall. We spent the time sampling food from the numerous food trucks onsite, talking, laughing, and decorating our lanterns. When it came time to light them and set them loose, the sky was filled lights, falling lanterns, laughter, and wishes floating into the vast sky.
33. Attending Holi (2018, 2023)
Word to the wise: get yourself friends that push you to try new things. It took me a while to find some, and when I did, adventure happened. Like going to the Holi Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork twice. Dancing, tossing colorful chalk, doing yoga, giving free hugs, taking all the pictures and eating all the food was the name of the game. What a blast the festivals were!
34. Pizza tour in Chicago (2021)
This was my first experience with a truly authentic and specialized food tour, and it did not disappoint. Our guide was such a foodie and pizza aficionado, he attended pizza conventions all over the country. When I learned about that, I knew I was in the hands of a master. We traveled to 4 different pizzerias, sampled a variety of styles of pies (including deep dish), and learned about the importance pizza has in the identity of Chicagoans. Oh, and it was delicious.
35. Kayaking amongst glaciers in Alaska (2021)
In the aftermath of the pandemic, nothing was certain. My friend Smash and I had a trip to Alaska booked in 2021, complete with the penultimate adventure of taking a bush plane to the northern coast of Alaska to photograph polar bears in their natural habitat. Well, things didn’t work out and we had to rebook our excursion. Smash found a cool opportunity to kayak in Blackstone Bay amongst glaciers…and I was down. It was epic – nature, wildlife, exercise, and friendship…everything that makes an adventure one for the books.
Nuremberg, Germany; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI; random monastery, Romania; Sibiu, Romania; Vero Beach, Florida
36. Hollywood-style Pirates Movie Marathon (2007)
For my birthday in 2007, I went with my mom and a friend to a Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathon at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. Yes, it was as epic as it sounds. Between each movie, they would bring out the stars from the series to answer questions, tell stories, and just say hey! We were fed meals, had snacks, and were surrounded by other Disney nerds when the 3rd movie premiered. We got tons of swag and left with a little swagger in our steps! Simply awesome.
37. Bike tour of The Palace of Versailles (2024)
The Palace of Versailles is massive – sprawling fields, gardens, bodies of water…and then there are the buildings and castle itself. I wasn’t looking forward to walking all over this expansive compound, to be honest. So you can imagine my relief when I found a bike tour that would encompass the majority of the grounds, complete with guide and picnic lunch.
Due to our flight getting cancelled out to Paris, we had to reschedule for another day and go with a different company…but it was as amazing as it seems. Cycling along dirt paths, wind in my hair, smiles all around. The perfect recipe for an epic adventure.
38. Outdoor Science School camp counselor (ages 15-21)
I still can’t believe how trusting the school teachers were for this one. When I was in elementary school, it became tradition for the 5th graders to attend an outdoor science camp in the mountains for a week. It was a truly transformative time for us – as most of us were away from our parents for the first time.
When I turned 15, I became a counselor and was in charge of a group of 5th grade girls…most of whom were only a few years younger than me. I was responsible for making sure they got to bed, got up, cleaned up, got to where they needed to be, and just love them unconditionally. During the day, I was paired up with a male counselor and were attached to a naturalist that worked with the camp. We accompanied the groups on hikes and activities, morning, noon, and night. We each sat at a different table for breakfast and dinner, and had the trust from everyone at camp.
This was such a rewarding time for me and the years I was able to volunteer have shaped me into the leader I am today, I’m sure of it. Major shout-outs to Miss J, Bonnie, and Sabrina for trusting me and encouraging me throughout the experience.
39. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace premier (1999)
Back before you could buy movie tickets online, you had to wait in a queue outside of the movie theater and HOPE you could get in. Sometimes, if movies were popular enough, you could buy tickets ahead of time from the box office.
When George Lucas created the prequel movies to the Star Wars trilogy, I was stoked and wanted to watch the midnight premier at our local theater. I had a friend who scored some tickets for me, and my friend Mary and I got ready for a long night. After school, we took our bag of distractions with us and got in line outside of the Edwards Cinema theater up the street from our high school. We made friends with the people behind us and played Star Wars-themed Monopoly for hours with them as we waited almost 8 hours to be let into the theater.
I’m still amazed that my mom let me do this, but hey, it was a different time!
40. Camping out for the Tournament of Roses Parade (1996)
Rounding out my list of adventures is probably the craziest of all, and one of the first true adventures I had!
For my good friend’s 12th birthday, her weird dad took us to the city of Pasadena on New Year’s Eve to camp out on Colorado Blvd. Every year, the Tournament of Roses Parade cruises down Colorado Blvd. on New Year’s Day. It’s a tradition of every true Southern Californian to watch the parade and then the Rose Bowl football game. Even at that tender age, I was super excited and understood how awesome an opportunity it was.
Here’s the kicker – Pasadena wasn’t the safest area. We were in sleeping bags on a random stretch of sidewalk…AND HER DAD FELL ASLEEP, leaving us 11 year-olds to roam the streets of Pasadena on New Year’s Eve! My niece is 12 and the thought of her and her friends roaming the same area today gives me the chills. But it was the best adventure I could have asked for – and the antics we got into will always make me smile.
Left to right, top to bottom: Mermaid’s Chair, St. Thomas, USVI; The Bahamas; Blackstone Bay, Alaska; Sailing School, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Sandia Peak, New Mexico; West Virginia; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Albuquerque Balloon Museum, New Mexico; San Juan, Puerto Rico
Wow, what a list! I never knew that turning 40 would make me want to relive so many adventures, but I guess that’s the beauty of living a life full of good times. Here’s to 40 more adventure-filled years!!
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