Live List

“To be able to look back upon ones life in satisfaction, is to live twice” 
 Kahlil Gibran 


Alright...so here we go.  I've tried this already once, last summer, when I was nine months pregnant and it didn't go so well; now that I'm not, I think I have a better chance at success.

1. Go to the zoo.  I love the zoo and I think Joe and I will go tomorrow (we already talked about it).
2. Take dear Cosmo to the dog park at least three times a week.  The exercise saves my life!
3. See an opera or a symphony, LIVE.
4. Show Ella the ocean.
5. Go to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
6. Visit the Halle Ford Art Museum.
7. See "Alice in Wonderland," at the IMAX theater. 
8. Finally go to Joe's favorite German restaurant. 
9. Play a Beethoven piece on the piano.
10. Hike Multnomah falls on a sunny day.
11. Run barefoot in the sand.
12. Have a picnic in the park, wearing a dress, with Joe in a suit and top hat-straight out of the early 1900's.
13. Read the Anne of Green Gables novels: the movies have been my favorite since I was a kid.
14. Go to a local poetry reading.
15. Find and join a book club.
16. Fall asleep in the sun (if Ella permits).
17. Take Ella on her first ride down a slide.
18. Walk around downtown in the early morning with the family and eat breakfast at a sidewalk cafe.
19. Take Ella to a field of flowers and take pictures of her with fairy wings.
20. Spend a day in bed with Joe (hah!)
21. Listen to live music in the park.
22. Go to a carnival and ride the rides.
23. Visit a petting zoo so Ella can ride the ponies.
24. Introduce Ella to as many animals as possible.
25. Read poetry every night.
26. Wake up early every morning so I can enjoy coffee and a cigarette with the bright morning sun.
27. Lay in the grass and stare up at the clouds.
28. Hug, kiss, and say I love you to Ella, Joe, and Cosmo every chance I get.
29. Take lots of walks with Ella and point out all the interesting sights.
30. Turn off the tv.
31. Take Ella to her first movie.
32. Pick wildflowers and make my own perfume.
33. Cook or experience a different authentic, ethnic meal every week.
34. Take Ella to a music store so she can hear lots of different instruments.
35. Fill the house with candle light and spend a whole night pretending we don't have power.
36. Start my fairy wand project.
37. Drive up into the mountains and show Ella the snow.
38. Laugh
39. Be ridiculously philosophical.
40. Cry at sappy, romantic movies.
41. Learn about my daughter.
42. Take Ella to a baby music class.
43. Spend a day with my mom, doing all the things she loves to do.
44. Spend a day with Joe, doing all the things he loves to do.
45. Let Cosmo take me on an adventure.
46. Give a card to my dad expressing how much he means to me.
47. Jam with Matt.
48. Sing silly songs.
49. Spend a whole hour talking only in rhymes.
50. Get my hands in the mud.

This is, of course, a live list for now until the end of summer.  There are so many other things I'd love to do but it is important to be spontaneous, so I'll let them come naturally.

But most importantly: be with the ones I love.