Escape from the Stress of Moving

Holes in the wall, lifting heavy boxes, scratches on the floor, packing, unpacking, misplacing screws… moving is stressful. My new house is absolutely beautiful and during the evening when I can look up at the stars from my bedroom window, it’s all worth the hassle but I needed a break. There’s no better place to get away from it all than Neverland. Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s gravity-defying Peter Pan tells the story of the mischievous boy who never wants to grow up, his spunky sidekick Tinker Bell, and the frightful Captain Hook. Last night, I escaped to Neverland with this whimsical ballet and my imagination took flight.

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The Life of Our Home

We wanted to build our first home as a family in Charlotte, North Carolina; why try to fit into someone else’s mold? We made a list of “must-haves” and wants and began our search. With tons of new houses and builders in the area, we had lots of options. A loft, 4+ bedrooms, a 3 car garage, 2.5+ bathrooms, walk-in closets, a fireplace, granite counter tops, lots of windows, high ceilings, hardwood floors, a community pool, walking trails, sidewalks, trees, a short driving distance from work, groceries, shopping, and food… the must-have list was hefty. Was it unrealistic? Of course. But a bucket list life comes with big dreams. And we’d left a life on the beach in California for a family environment and a roomy home for Athena. After searching north, south, east, and west over and over again, we found a builder. Ryan Homes offered a house in a community that had every detail we had listed on both the “must-have” and the “want” list and the life of our home began.

What Makes a Bucket List Day?

A bucket list day doesn’t need to be an extreme adventure or traveling around the world. No… we had a bucket list day today. I spent the day with my family at Freedom Park in Charlotte, NC. We strolled along the pond and played with Athena on the swings. Athena is 10 months old so I obviously feel like a mother every day, but some days I realize that I am the world to someone. I am the most amazing, spectacular, beautiful, and caring person to another tiny human being. Athena loves me completely, without restriction or reservation. I am a mother, making every day a bucket list day.

Family-Friendly Charlotte, NC

Charlotte is full of family-friendly attractions that will entertain all ages, including infants. From educational attractions to interactive, hands-on environments to fine dining experiences, a day in Charlotte can be packed with fun. We decided to test the “Charlotte’s Got A Lot” philosophy and see what family-friendly adventures we could have in one Saturday. Our line-up included: lunch at the EpiCenter, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Discovery Place, and Harvest Moon Grill. Let me warn you though, both the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Discovery Place could each take an entire day, but that’s not the way we do things. We like to make each day as fun-filled as possible.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze – Where Even Seeing is Still Too Hard to Believe

From the moment the curtain goes up until the last bow, Cirque Dreams Holidaze is too amazing to believe even when witnessing it with your very own eyes. It’s a dreamland of tinsel and glitter and candy cane flair. Acrobats twirled. Reindeer skipped. Gingerbread men flipped. Penguins teeter-tottered atop endless cylinders. And I sat in continuous awe while constantly saying, “oh my god!”, “wow”, “oh no they can’t be about to…”, and “holy sh**”. Cirque Dreams Holidaze makes the impossible, possible.

No Preparing for The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged)

There are no words to describe The Ultimate Christmas Show by The Reduced Shakespeare Company that would truly prepare you for what’s to come. The slapstick interfaith holiday variety show and pageant sounds cute and family friendly, but the level of inappropriate social irreverence was extremely shocking yet absolutely hilarious.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

With December fast approaching, we’d like to start our holidays off right. Rather than just celebrating December 25, Darren and I try to participate in as many holiday activities and events as possible. Now that we have Athena, we have to be creative with our schedule but we’ve planned a variety of fun events to get us in the holiday spirit and make it about more than just one day.

Check out our line-up of holiday events in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Natural Place to Be – Strolling through Jetton Park in Lake Norman, NC

Since moving to North Carolina 5 months ago, we spent so much time searching for the best location to build a house that we neglected the natural parks and beauty that surround us. Today, we found Jetton Park in Lake Norman and it was the perfect place to get back to nature. A stunning beach, lush trails, and quiet picnic sites filled the 106 acre lakefront park.

We strolled through the park slowly and relaxed as we took it all in. The trails were paved with leaves freshly fallen from the surrounding trees. Families, joggers, and people walking their dogs littered the path as much as the fallen leaves. With each friendly “hello” and “how are you”, we felt more and more at home. The people of North Carolina were the biggest draw to the area and we are constantly reminded that we made a great decision for our family.

Are We Home Yet?

Where should it be located? How many bedrooms do we need? What towns should we consider? Do we want brick, or maybe siding, or even yet… HardiePlank? Should the master bedroom be on the main floor or upstairs? What lot should we choose? Building a house can be taxing… oh yeah, we need to consider the community tax as well. AHHHHHHH! After months of searching, Darren and I might have found the house for us. The community, the neighbors, the amenities, and the house design all bring a smile to our faces and a “home” feeling to our hearts. 

North Carolina Bucket List – Let the Adventures Begin

We’ve decided to purchase a house in Charlotte, North Carolina and make it our home. With the help of my readers, I’ve created a North Carolina Bucket List. Unlike my yearly bucket list, I didn’t put a time frame on completing this adventures, but if you know me at all, I’ll most likely complete the list within the year anyway. Once I get an idea in my mind, there’s no stopping me! I figure out how to make it happen, and I go for it. I will create a post and add a link each time I complete one of the items.

If there’s something you think I really should add, I’m still open to suggestions and I will adjust the list if needed.