I loved the bucket list! I think it was so amazing to check things off your life list. I have a copy of the places to see before you die ( both in the world & just the USA) The other day when I was watching my girl Rachel Ray there were some really cute young guys on the show and they were talking about having to host a cooking show so of course they were on Rachel’s show! Their show is on MTV ( a secret I don’t share but I have to watch most of their shows! I miss the Hill’s and LC so bad!) THis show is called Hill’s and LC so bad!) THis show is called The Buried Life. 

The show is about a group of friends who created a list of "100 things to do before you die" and they travel across the globe to fulfill each goal. AND...when they accomplish one thing on their list, they help someone fulfill something they wanted to do before they die, on their lists. . I also found many girls that blog that have done this as well. :) I am super excited to get started. 

So, wish me luck. I have 1001 days to complete this list. Cheers to my count down.....That's when this list will end and a new one will begin!

MY 101 LIST FOR 1095 DAYS: Will be done on December 18th 2013

Red means that I am working on it. Blue with a line means I have done it! 

1  Become a Mommy! 

2. Clean the Garage.

3. Build an emergency fund with at least 8 months of income in it.

4. Join the Gym. ( and go! ) 

5. Start and open a non-profit for women that have lost their fertility under the age of 30. Help them have babies through IVF.

6. Take a Yoga Class and stick with it. 

7. Order something at a restaurant that I would never order!!!

8. Learn my mom’s chocolate cherry recipe.

9. Take a cake decorating class

10. Go to movie mid day all alone.

11. Attend a wine tasting…and try to like it! ( I don’t like wine its too dry!)

12. Cook Hubs a candlelight dinner. 

13. Make Kingstongirl a household name.  

14. Volunteer at the Children’s Hospital

15. Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald house.

16. Go to the SAM and see the Picasso

17. Attend the Race for the Cure

18. Host a dinner party for a few close friends

19. Get plants for my home I don’t have them because they never live.

20. Take a photography class.

21. Order prints of all my favorite pictures

22. Find a new hobby. 

23. Join a book club

24. Take a cooking class with the hubs.

25. Backup all my pictures to an external hard drive

26. Send handwritten letters to my close friends and tell them why I love them. 

27. Write and finish my series of travel books....

28. ....then get them published.

29. Read more books

30. Master baking a cake from scratch, frosting included

31. Go to Disenyworld at Christmas time. 

32. Go down Hwy 101 through California on the coast.

33. Re-new my vows with Chris.

34. Take Hub's to San Fransico

35. Go to Paris for my 10th Anniversary.

36. Spend my birthday in Vegas

37. Go to the theater in Seattle. 

38. Get all my photos from Highschool, to 2010 in scrapbooks. 

40. Get a will made up for Chris and I. 

41. Clean out my closet and donate old clothes to charity

42. Start swimming again. 

43. Learn to sew again. 

44. Spend more time with my Grandparents and soak in their stories. 

45. Quit drinking Diet coke. 

46. plant a veggie garden

47. spend a day at the beach.

48. Take a picture of each house I have lived in and put it in a photo book.

49. Go to Mexico

50. Go more green.

51. Take Chris Kayaking on Lake Union and Lake Washington

52. carve my name in a tree ( CG+SG at the devils punch bowl OR.)

53. Drive from the west coast to the east coast.

54. Visit Hawaii

55. Road trip from Seattle to the Florida keys.

56. Throw a winter ball.

57. Drive by myself to See my friend Yvonne in Montana

58. Climb the Eiffle tower

59. Send my mom flowers. 

60.  Get a Nikkon Camera.

61. Have a weekly radio show.

62. Pick a cookbook and make something out of it everyday.

63. sit in one sitting and watch the entire Starwars series.

64.Go to Italy

65. Go on a Disney Cruise

66. Buy a VW bus van

67. Go to Mount Ranier

68. Go to Crater Lake

69. Stay at the Cresent Lodge

70.....Klaloch lodge

71. Eat dinner at the Space needle.

72. Get a farmers market tent.

73. Be a part of a Full summer season of farmers market.

74. Be on the NY Best sellers list. 
75. Meet Rachel Ray.
76. Host a New years eve Ball. 

77. Spend a weekend in Portland.

78. Take a photography class

79. See the Macy's day parade 

80. Watch the ball drop in time Square

81. Get professional pictures taken, headshots, of myself

82. Buy a new Kitchen aid. 

83. re new my vows with my hubs.

84. Build a huge blogger network.

85. Visit Uncle Tony & Aunt Mary in Texas.

86. Spend a weekend in Palm Springs.

87. Learn to bake like my Mom & Cook like my dad.

88. Knit a sweater.

89. Play the flute again.

90. Make celebration cakes kits for all the food banks in the area.

91. Become a Chamber member for 10 towns. 

92. Be the women of the year. 

93  Read all my childhood books over again.

94. Ride in 25 parades with Kingstongirl.

95. Go to my Nephews B-day party in June.

96. Let past hates in my heart go away.

97. Make and sell things on Etsy! :) 

98. Re decorate the bedrooms in our house. 

99. Save enough for a new Apple Desk top. 

100. Be happy and laugh everyday. 

101. 

Meet me Monday!

Do you regift...and if so, do you have a re-gifting horror story?

No I don’t re-gift. The reason being is that a few years back both sides of my family did a gift exchange.  My aunt (only by blood not by anything else) gave me a cookie jar, I love snowmen so I thought for the very first time in my life that she gave me a gift. I opened it with this small feeling of exceptance from the aunt that never really seemed to give a shit about me.  I almost shit my pants when I say a gift tag, and the left over cookie crumbs. The note said 

to: Shitie Aunt  From: Your secret Santa Charlie.  My mom, Dad and hubs saw it, others in my family think I was making it up, that I wasn’t being truthful. Needless to say We don’t do the gift exchange on that side of my family. 

I guess I would think about re-gifting if it was A) a great gift. B) Neither party would know one another and ever be able to trace it back to being a re-gift. 

2. Do you know what you are getting for Christmas this year?

No...but I've already received the only thing I've ever wanted in life... Tune in for my Christmas eve blog post.

one year I was totally into Twin peaks, I had asked my parents to get me the long list of Twin peaks items, The Laura Palmer diary, the 50’s pleated skirt, a sweater that would go with the skirt, all the thought my mom put into these gifts and I opened the gift bags and saw all the gifts, but that Christmas morning I had to act surprised and the empty feeling was awful..... then my mom and Dad gave me a letter and inside it said we know you peeked but we still wanted to make it special. So we are taking you to all the places that the twin Peaks show shows us! So we got the cherry pie, see the falls! It was great. :) 

I never peeked again at anything! Also I got to say I love my surprise’s!!!

Who brings the most gifts in your family, you or Santa?

Well We do one gift from Santa to each of us, most of the time it is the big gift. 

We can’t wait until the day when there are chubby cheeked babies sitting around the tree! Hub’s and I both know that  nothing will be better than rising on Christmas morning, all bleary eyed and rumpled with sleep to watch our children ooh and ahh over their Santa stuff!!

Warms my heart just thinking about it!

4. What store do you love to by jeans from?

Well if I am on a budget then I will say Old Navy, or the Gap! I love their boyfriend jeans at the Gap or the Sweetheart jeans at Old Navy, If I have a gift card or my mom and Dad tell me that they are buying me some new clothes for my birthday, we go to Nordstroms and I get the JAG jeans and they are like wearing butter! & my butt always looks great! Not like a back with a slit in it. I have the flat butt all the women have on my Dad’s side of the family have! 

5. Christmas meal: Big, All Out Meal or Snacks and Apps?

Big meal. (Yes,Daddy’ O...that's my vote!)

Our Christmas Eve is a freakin' marathon of Christmas cheer! I love it! Starts with Chris and I having a big breakfast, then we start to make the rounds this year it will go to our close friends to drop off Cinnamon Rolls for them to enjoy Christmas morning. Then to my in laws for a quick hello ( we eat snacks here!) to that side of the family. 

Then the big extended clan comes over to a hall we have to rent because our family is that big!!!! We see Santa! He makes a stop for all the kids! This is where “Hubs” asked me to marry him. :)  ( WE EAT A POT LUCK DINNER HERE!!!!) 

Then we go to my Auntie Lisa’s house ( My Dad’s sisters house) where we do my Dad’s side of the gift exchange. ( we have snacks and we eat home made cheese cake!)

Christmas Day, my “Hub’s” working on Christmas morning this year, so I’ll stay in bed for as long as I can, so I don’t get tempted for opening my gifts. I will watch the Christmas day parade eating something that is in the fridge.  Later that day we will do dinner with my Parents and exchange our gifts. That night when its just the “Hubs” and I we will open our gifts. 

Even though it is a busy two days, it is what Christmas is all about, friends, family, food, gifts of laughter and fun! 

Happy Holidays! may this week be magical and full of moments that turn into wonderful memories. :) Check in Friday for my xmas eve post. 

Super blog hop for Saturday! :)

Surfin' Saturdays: Week 24 Blog Hop!

I love meeting new friends and that is what these blog hops are all about so relax and make some friends!

A conversation with Heather from New York owner of Scrapping Your Way!

How long have you lived in the area?

I have lived in New York City for over 20 years.

How much family history do you have in the area? 

Both my parents were born and raised in New York City. However, I am the only one living in New York City these days.

What is your favorite thing about the area?

I love the energy of the city. The simple fact that when you open your door and step out into the city there are these amazing opportunities out there for anyone to grab. There really is no one favorite thing about the City that I love.

What would you change if you could about the area?

Nothing

What made you start your own business? 

I started to not like what I was doing anymore. I realized that my job was taking up a tremendous amount of my personal time. The fact is, I did not have anytime to do what I loved which was to craft. 

Hence, I began to take steps to make what I wanted to do, as reality. I still had my day job while working on the outer shell which would be the business itself.

I was working in a Publishing job that made me restless. I started to not like what I was doing anymore. I realized that my job was taking up a tremendous amount of my personal time. The fact is, I did not have anytime to do what I loved which was to craft. 

While I was working in Publishing I came up with an idea to create scrapbooks for people. Not to make the actual books, but to create a scrapbook using people’s photos. I had the idea, but I then had to see if there was a market for my idea. I did some research and discovered that people did create scrapbooks, but not as a service. 

What is the hardest part of having your own business?

Since I work from home, it is hard to “shut down” and have down time. 

Where would you like our town to be in over the next five years?

I would love to be see the same customers I work with now, in five years. I would love to continue to do what I do, and that is craft. 

What is your favorite thing to do in our town? 

One of my favorite things to do is run in Central Park. Central Park itself is so beautiful. It is a tourist attraction with so much to do. 

What is your favorite Store in town?

I do not have a favorite store at this time.

Do you give to any local charities you work with?

I do not work with any local charities at the present time.

What is your business motto? 

There is not one business motto I go by. When I create a product I do tell people the following:

“We only promote a product that we would personally use when creating all handmade products.” 

I tell customers this whether it be a scrapbook, handmade cards, paper die cuts, scrapbook kits.

It is important for me to put the best product out there I can. If I am not happy with the end product, I will not sell the item to anyone. 

 Tell me anything you would love to share about your business.

When I came up with the idea of creating scrapbooks for people using their photos, I thought all I would be doing is strictly working on albums.

However, the business is more than creating albums for people, it has morphed into creating handmade cards, scrapbook kits, and die cuts for people. 

What a great girl to review and do ad space for! She inspires me to the fullest. Her ideas are amazing. Heather you are adorable and I am glad that my blogging made it so we could meet up. Check her link out on my Right side of my blog with the other ads 

Here is her Link; scrappingyourway and her etsy shop or her fan page on facebook

Enter to win a giveaway for Diapers by the Slice.

Here is how you can enter to win a diaper by the slice giveaway:

If you are looking for a baby shower gift that's a bit on the fun side, a great gift to be the one at the shower that will be the envy for the best gift! How fun will that be! :) 

One lucky reader will win a diaper cake by doing the following. 

Get one additional entry for each of the following you do.

*Follow Kingstongirl’s blog.

*Follow Kingstongirl on twitter

* Follow Kingstongirl on Facebook.

*Subscribe to Kingstongirl for Email Updates.

*Like Diaper by the slice at Facebook

* Suggest Diapers by the Slice to your friends on facebook.

* Go to Diapers by the slice and tell me what you would like to win?! 

* Win the diaper by the slice by tweeting this link. 

*Send and e-mail to your friend(s) about this contest and CC me.

kingstongirlnews@gmail.com

*Write a unique blog post linking to this post and leave me the url to find it.

Goodluck!!!!!!!

Also thank you to Amanda the owner of Diapers by the Slice for buying ad space!!! 

Owner of Diapers by the Slice Amanda Duke Hoffer.

I am so lucky to have the pleasure to review the wonderful owner of 
                Diapers by the Slice. 

Amanda  Duke Hoffer moved to kingston in 1989 when she was just nine years old.  Moving away in 1998 when she was 19.  Now Amanda and her family live in Yelm, Washington.  Her husband is active duty military at Fort Lewis. Her heart will always be in Kingston. 

Amanda’s family history starts with her grandparents. They moved to kingston in 1974 Amanda’s step dad and the rest of their family. They bought and owned the Kingston Inn from 1976 until they sold it in 2000. So my family was known to Kingston for owning the Kingston Inn. A true staple for the North End History.  Sadly that heart of Kingston burnt down a few years back and hasn’t been re-built. leaving an empty spot in the landscape of Kingston. 

“I love the beauty and the memories as a child growing up in a small town and having a restaurant family.” Amanda said. 

Amanda would love to see more things geared to kids & teens, in the Kingston community. Maybe a bit more kid friendly.  She started her own business because being a stay at home mom of three she wanted to be with them during their crucial years growing up. The freedom of working from home being free to come and go. Allowing herself to work as much or little as she wants with the hours she wants to choose.  Amanda can still go to all family activities, They are a very busy family with school ,dance and soccer with all three kids that Amanda takes on the job as coach. Like she needs to ad more to that plate of hers but to be a work at home mom is allowing her the flexibility & is why she does what she does! 

To see her business sky rocket with a lot of happy customers and mommies, to make her company unlike any of the same kind.  So far Amanda has yet to find anything that is really to hard about having my her own business. Amanda would also  love to see Kingston blossom into a town which is geared for all ages and activities for all. Maybe like some more kids/teens oriented places and maybe more of a variety of restaurants.  Lucky for all of the Boy’s and Girl’s club in Kingston has just that in mind for our teens and children in the area. 

So many favorite thing to do in Kingston is to take her kids to the beach and to the Point no Point lighthouse in Hansville.  Her favorite store in Kiingston is probably the County pet shope its the local pet store. My kids love to go in there and see all the new creatures.

Working with charities is the heart of Amanda’s business and she enjoys giving to the charity that is called (COTA) Children's Organ Transplant Association . I know a family in Olympia whose daughter Jessica Cross is waiting for a Kidney transplant. Right now I give 1.00 for every Diaper and Wedding Cakes I make to her family. That shows you what kind of heart Amanda has and what kind of heart her business has. 

Diapers by the Slice business motto is.. Take the time to make that perfect unique/Custom gift!!! When Amanda started her business it started off by just making one Diaper cake for a friend. Then she decided that this the perfect way to make that boring baby shower gift into a custom fun gift for the mommy to be. They make great center pieces and everything on the Cakes or diaper creations you can use for the baby. The name of her business was from Amanda’s thirteen year old little sister,  Diapers By the Slice!!

Please check them out at Diapers by the Slice. or facebook at Facebook Diapers by the slice page!

Day three of the 12 days of Christmas.

 12 days of Christmas Giveaway...Day 4... Express Espresso!!!

On the 4th Day of Christmas Express Espresso Gave to me... (which we all really need on this dreadful  Monday)

Winner will receive 13 FREE COFFEE DRINKS or a Coffee Gift Basket!!! This is a $40 value!!!


To ENTER in this giveaway, 1. please visit Express Espresso Fan page. "Click Like"
Then, show her some "love" by writing on her wall, tell her the 12 days of Christmas Giveaway sent you!

2. Come BACK to this blog and leave a comment below (please dont be "anonymous" or I wont know who you are) that you completed each task! Only comments left on this blog will be counted in the drawing to win 13 FREE COFFEES (valued at $40!!) or a Coffee Gift Basket,

Want to win extra entries?

You have an opportunity to have 5 extra entries!!!!

You can leave an ADDITIONAL comment on this blog (which counts as an extra entry) if you:

1. Go get coffee from either of their locations today, please provide the name of the Barista that helped you.

THEN,
2. Write a review on their fan page about their coffee, and services. Me personally, I think they make the BEST Spiced Chai Latte in town!!!

3. Post this giveaway on your facebook page (Especially tell all your coffee drinking Kitsap County friends)

4. Tweet about this giveaway - please provide link in your comment

5. Buy gift cards today and post a picture of them!

(To be fair, we will check on each extra submission)

Winner will be selected by Random.org at 9:00 p.m. PST

Thank you and Good Luck!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Additional Vendors participating in the 12 days of Christmas are:

Catie's Creations - Winner Selected

Jack Crockett, Truemark Photography - Winner Selected

Kingston Girl News - Winner Selected

Clips by Kara and Nicole

DC Carpet

Mad Mouse Creations

Haute Salon

Two Sisters Candy Bouquet

Mary Kay Cosmetics - Julian Kohlbrand

Perfect Place Party Planning

American Rose Bridal

Elaine Turso Photography

Cookie Lee Jewelry - by Sarah Alvarez

Sorry, we are full and are no longer taking additional vendors at this time.