Reflecting on my Year of Firsts

Since completing my Year of Firsts a few days ago, I have gone back and read through all my posts documenting my journey as a way of sealing in the experiences of the year. Before I started this project, I naively imagined that it would somehow make my life more glamorous, exotic, adventurous, and interesting. In some ways, I was right. I have things that fit into each of those categories on my list of Firsts. But, honestly, that wasn't the norm. My life still remained my life. I still had four kids that needed to be schooled and fed and carpooled. I still had limiting attitudes and fears and a lack of motivation at times. I had injuries and illnesses, which became Firsts in their own rights but not ones I would have necessarily chosen for myself. Sometimes, I seriously had to stretch the definition of "First" to come up with something that would "count." The Year of Firsts wasn't exactly what I imagined it would be, but it was wonderful and full of great lessons nonetheless. Focusing on Firsts helped me see the novel even in the mundane. It helped me push myself out of my comfort zone and try new things I might not have ever even thought to try. It made me move closer to a "Yes, And" default rather than my usual "No," though, of course, I still have work to do. My day-to-day life didn't really change significantly, but my attitude toward my day-to-day life did change significantly. I developed new eyes with which to view my days. I'm thankful that I decided to celebrate the entrance into a new decade with a Year of Firsts, and though the project has come to its official end, the lessons it has taught me have not. I will continue to try new things. I will continue to look for the novel even in the mundane. I will continue to make positive changes in my life, even if I am not recording them for all the world to see.

Day Three Hundred Sixty-Five: Going Out With A Bang

I love that on the last day of my Year of Firsts project I have many Firsts to report!

First of all, Max and Clay and I had a chance to go to Doubletree Ranch Park in Highland Village today, which is a truly wonderful and beautiful public park, with so many great amenities including a large splash pad and a meeting room that looks like a barn.

The Doubletree Ranch Party Barn

Only one part of the immense splash pad

Our reason for being there was for the back-to-school party for the new homeschool group we will participate with this school year. This was our first time meeting the families that will make up Arrow, and we have already made some friends.

After the party, I followed up on yesterday's First by taking myself to a chiropractor who was willing to see me on very short notice. It was my first chiropractic appointment, my first time to have a TENS massage on my back, and my first time to have a spinal adjustment. My back is certainly not pain free after all of that, but it is definitely so much better than it was last night! I'll have a follow-up appointment on Monday to try to move along the healing.

Paying for yesterday's First

Another First came later in the afternoon when Clay got the cooking bug. I convinced him we should make banana bread with our surplus of overripe bananas, and he convinced me we should add chocolate chunks. I never have made banana bread with chocolate chunks, but it seemed like a good move, so we went with it.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Finally, we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday at our favorite conveyor belt sushi place in Carrollton where I tried a unique Japanese dessert called Cream Anmitsu--agar (red algae) jelly, sweet azuki bean paste, fruit, and ice cream. It was...interesting.

Cream Anmitsu

This Year of Firsts has been so fun and educational (and occasionally painful), and I'm so thankful for all the new experiences I've had! Thanks for following along! I hope you've been inspired to try some new things as well, regardless of whether you're celebrating a milestone birthday or not.

Day Three Hundred Sixty-Four: Back Pain

My Year of Firsts decided to have sort of a last laugh and remind me of my age by delivering back pain to me today like I have never experienced. Like wanting to cry, unable to move, taking muscle relaxers and pain pills left over from knee surgery type pain. And, I can't think of any particular incident that would have caused it, though maybe that's yet another testament to my age. 😉 It' not exactly the First I was hoping for, but I guess it's an appropriate bookend for this crazy Year of Firsts that started with my knee injury.

Day Three Hundred Sixty-Three: Bookcase Assembly

We have been in need of a bookcase for a while, but the space where we wanted to put it can only accommodate a bookcase of very specific, non-standard dimensions. I finally found a shelf of the correct dimensions on Amazon and ordered it almost without thinking. It arrived while we were out of town, so when we got in this afternoon, I was anxious to put it together. I have put together a couple of other pieces of flat-pack furniture but never a bookcase. I was proud of myself for putting the whole thing together without help, with a regular screwdriver rather than a power tool.

Day Three Hundred Sixty-Two: Five Quick Things

The lady who runs the Art of Simple blog, which posted an essay of mine on Friday, also puts out an email newsletter each week for subscribers entitled "5 Quick Things." In it, she tells a bit about what's going on in her world and then links to five things on the web that are interesting to her. The newsletter came out today, and it was fun to see the link to my post on the Art of Simple blog. It was the same essay, of course, but a new format of promotion (and the best First I could come up with for today).

Screenshot of 5 Quick Things
(The link to my guest post is in the Number 4 slot.)

Day Three Hundred Sixty-One: Old Spanish Trail Gallery and Museum

Jeff and I decided to take a little walk this afternoon without much of a plan as to where we would go. But then, Jeff remembered a little art gallery a couple of miles up the road that he had taken Clay to last summer when I wasn't here, so we headed in that direction. When we got there, a sign on the door informed us that the musuem was open "by appointment only." We were disappointed but took advantage of the rocking chairs on the porch to rest a while in the shade before heading back to the campground. We were happily enjoying the beautiful view and the hum of the many hummingbirds when a car pulled up and a woman got out with keys in her hand. And soon enough, we were in. The Old Spanish Trail Gallery and Museum is one of the most remote art galleries I have ever been to, but it was very nice and contained paintings, pottery, and sculptures reflecting the spirit of west Texas. It was a lovely little field trip and a nice dose of culture!

On the right path to the gallery

The wagons constitute the museum portion of the building

Enjoying the gallery's porch

Day Three Hundred Sixty: Pursuing the Present

"Before anybody can even think about their intentions and what they want out of life, they need to discover what it means to be present." This quote comes from a book by Mallika Chopra called "Living with Intent," which I am currently reading. The author makes the point that it is easy for our thoughts to dwell on the past or race ahead to the future but that it is fairly difficult for them to settle on the present. This is certainly true for me, and reading this book has made me more aware of my need to be more present. So, during my run this morning, I began trying to force myself to focus on the present moment by tuning in to my senses. I wouldn't allow myself to think of anything except the sound I was hearing or the object I was seeing in the present moment. When my mind started to wander, I picked a new sense and focused on it completely for a few seconds. I have never done this kind of exercise before, but it was a good practice. It felt peaceful and grounding.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Nine: Early Morning Run in the Davis Mountains

Almost every summer for the last 20 years, I have been coming out to the Davis Mountains to spend time with family at a little encampment Jeff's family has been coming to for almost 100 years. Never once in any of that time have I ever gone for a run of any kind, much less one that took place at dawn, mostly because for most of that time I was neither a runner nor a morning person. But this was my year! What an amazing way to start the day!

Early morning run in the Davis Mountains

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Eight: Guest Post on Art of Simple Blog

First Number 228, which occured way back in March, was submitting an essay for possible publication on the Art of Simple blog. I was proud of myself for taking the time to write and submit the essay and of the words I had written, but when I didn't hear back from AoS after a couple of months, I figured they had decided not to use my essay. And, that was ok because I had accomplished what I had intended, which was just to put something out there. During our travels this summer, I kind of even forgot I had submitted the essay, so I was quite surprised a week ago when I received an email saying that my guest post would be up this week. I follow AoS closely and always enjoy the posts and community there, and I can't tell you how honored I felt to get to be a part of that in a new way! It is my first time to have a guest post on any blog other than my own, and I'm thrilled that it is a cyber space I enjoy so much! You can check out the post here: https://theartofsimple.net/success/

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Seven: The Magnolia, A Coffee Giveaway, and A Giant Eyeball

A friend if mine was bartending for the evening at the historic Magnolia Hotel in downtown Dallas, so I popped over to say hi and to check out the building with the iconic neon pegasus perched on top, which I never had been in. It was a fun experience!

The Magnolia

On my way out of the hotel, I grabbed a complementary cup of coffee in the lobby and quickly had an opportinity for another First. Almost immediately, I was approached by a homeless woman, who told me all she needed was a cup of coffee. I offered her the cup in my hand, and she happily took it and began drinking it as she walked away. I have certainly not had an experience like that before.

Only a block away from the hotel, there is a fascinating giant eyeball sculpture, which is a landmark of note in Atlas Obscura, making it a must-visit attraction if you're already in the area. Since I was, in fact, in the area, I added that to my lists of Firsts for the day.

Interesting things are everywhere;
you just have to keep an eye out for them!

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Six: Beaded Bracelet Class

Our library has been offering some great classes lately, and I'm glad I've been able to take advantage of some of them. Today's class was on how to make a beaded bracelet out of safety pins. The process takes some thought and attention to detail, as well as some time, but it's actually pretty simple. I am proud of the bracelet I produced and the new skill I learned.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Five: Homemade Samoa Cookies

It's hard to choose a favorite flavor of Girl Scout cookies, and, frankly, sometimes it just depends on your mood. But, having said that, I can say that I ALWAYS like the Samoas. I haven't had an actual Girl Scout Samoa in years, but just thinking about them gets my salivary glands all fired up! So when I came across a recipe for healthy Samoas, I knew for sure they would materialize in my kitchen in the near future. They are very easy to make, and they only have four ingredients: dates, coconut, dark chocolate, and coconut oil. I thought they were super yummy. Maybe they can be my gateway back into the sugar-free lifestyle I have sadly abandoned over the summer.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Four: Kajukenbo

Our library organized a free, two-night, self-defense class for women, and I signed up as soon as I heard about it. The kajukenbo class is taught by a fifth-degree blackbelt and focuses on a  blended form of martial arts, which borrows techniques from karate, judo, jiu jitsu, kenpo, kung-fu, and Chinese boxing. I did take a self-defense class in college, but thankfully, I haven't needed to use any of that knowledge, so it's gotten a bit rusty. I think it's a great service to our community, and I'm glad I have the chance to participate.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Three: Rocket

Clay came to me and asked if I would help him build a rocket from a kit he had acquired from who-knows-where. I said, "Sure," because I like to occasionally pretend to be a fun mom. Besides, it was a kid's rocket kit; how hard could it be? Well, five minutes into the project, Clay and I both realized it was going to be quite a bit more involved than we had suspected and that there were only picture instructions that tended toward vagueness at times. Clay quietly slipped out of the room the first time we had to wait for glue to dry, but for some dumb reason, I just couldn't let it go and would get all cringy seeing the partially finished rocket sitting on the table where I was trying to plan Grammar lessons for the upcoming school year. So, I would glue a part, prop it up just so, and work while I waited for it to dry. And I did that over and over again until I got the whole dang thing put together, fudging a little at the end when I realized that we did not actually own all of the parts needed to complete the project as per the instructions because the launching mechanism was deceitfully "sold separately." It was my first rocket to build, and unless an adorable little boy who shares my DNA asks me to build another one on a day I feel like I need to prove myself as a fun mom, it will likely be my last.

Day Three Hundred Fifty-Two: Roasted Plantain Chips

I love shopping at Trader Joe's, and every time I visit, I find some new product to try. Unfortunately, we don't have one here, so I rarely have the opportunity to shop there. But, when Jeff and I were in McKinney the other day, we made a point of stopping by. I picked up some roasted plantain chips while we were there and finally opened the bag this evening. This could very well be my new favorite hummus substrate!

Day Three Hundred Fifty-One: Donating to a Busker

Clay will be taking a guitar class during the upcoming school year, and he was thrilled to find that his new guitar had arrived while he was away. He immediately pulled it out and started playing around with it. After dinner, he had already set himself up as a busker in our living room. I normally don't give donations to buskers, but this time I found myself powerless to refuse!

Day Three Hundred Fifty: Hot Air Balloon Flight

This morning, Jeff and I got to check off a bucket list item by going on a hot air balloon flight. I have always wanted to do this, and I was absolutely thrilled that we had the chance! We met the crew about 6:00 am and were airborne by 7:00. We travelled about 10 miles, reaching a speed of 17 mph, at our fastest. The trip took a little more than an hour, and then we all had celebratory mimosas upon landing. It was beautiful and peaceful and such an amazing experience!

Blowing up the balloon

Adding some heat

In the basket and ready to fly

Up with the sun

We dipped down into this
fountain, and I got soaked!

A perfect landing

Here's to another great First!

Day Three Hundred Forty-Nine: A Day in McKinney

We have been to McKinney but mostly just for kids' sporting events. But, on day two without the kids, Jeff and I decided to go over to just hang out. We had lunch at Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen, visted Landon Winery and Lone Star Wine Cellars, and did a little shopping in the historic dowtown area. Later, we had an appetizer dinner a Sol, picked up a few things at Trader Joe's, and browsed in Half-Price Books. It was a lovely day, and we enjoyed it very much!

Fun in McKinney

Day Three Hundred Forty-Eight: Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek

Jeff and I took advantage of all our kids being with grandparents to go out for a a fancy meal at The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, which is a place we have always wanted to visit. We decided to try the seven-course tasting menu with wine pairings. The food was so delicious, and the atmosphere was very elegant without feeling stuffy or pretentious. We loved the experience!

Salmon ceviche, compressed watermelon with goat cheese,
avocado cannoli stuffed with crab, smoked foie gras,
scallop with tomato basil barley, red snapper in lobster bisque, beef tenderloin with roasted tomato and corn,
lemon panna cotta with peach sorbet, cappuccino, and
signiture green tea and milk chocolate turtles

Day Three Hundred Forty-Seven: Katy Trail Ice House

A few months ago, while hiking on the Katy Trail in downtown Dallas, we learned about the Katy Trail Ice House and vowed to come back sometime to enjoy a burger in the expansive outdoor eating area. At the time, I didn't imgine we would choose one of the very hottest days of the year for that little outing. But, we did. It really wasn't that bad since the patio is very shaded and the restaurant runs mister fans everywhere. We had a great time, though we missed having our younger guys with us!

Day Three Hundred Forty-Six: The Shining and The Dining

I have never watched The Shining, because, frankly, I'm typically too much of a scaredy cat to watch horror movies (or really even slightly scary movies). But, tonight, I decided it was finally time to see this classic movie. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, but it was creepy, for sure. (And, in the interest of full disclosure, I did shriek once.)

After the movie, Amazon suggested other movies we might want to see based on the one we had just watched. When we came across a short film entiled The Dining, starring Annoying Orange, we couldn't imagine why we wouldn't go ahead and watch that, too.

Let's just say it was two completely different cimematic experiences! 😉

Day Three Hundred Forty-Five: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Taste Test

Ruth and I decided to do a dairy-free ice cream taste test this evening. We had two made with coconut milk but from two different brands, one made with soy milk, and one made with cashew milk. All were different flavors. Our hands-down favorite was the SO Delicious Salted Caramel Cluster made with cashew milk.

Taste test contenders

Day Three Hundred Forty-Four: Sewing Machine Lesson

My mother-in-law has some amazing sewing skills. She can repair anything, and she creates and produces beautiful quilts and many other things. I have always thought of myself as a non-sewer, and frankly, I have never even really been interested in learning the skill. But on this visit to my in-laws' house, I decided that was faulty thinking, and on a lark, I ask my mother-in-law if she would teach me how to sew something on the sewing machine. She was more than happy to give me a lesson, and I'm so proud that, after practicing several stitches and getting a feel for the machine, I attached several squares of fabric together with some nice, straight(ish) seams. And, I didn't tear up any of the equipment or end up with a needle through my finger! And rather than feeling the overwhelming stress that permeated the estimated two sewing projects of my childhood 4H days, which caused me to completely swear off the activity, I actually really enjoyed it!

Playing around with the machine
and learning the different stitches

So thankful for such a great teacher

Day Three Hundred Forty-Three: Sushi Burrito

I have been wanting to try a sushi burrito basically since I heard there was such a thing, and today I finally had my chance. It was delicious but super-filling!

Day Three Hundred Forty-Two: The Catch

After my Meals on Wheels deliveries today, I decided to grab some lunch at The Catch, a relatively new fast food seafood restaurant in Lewisville, which isn't the kind of place I normally choose. But that's one of the things that makes it a good First. I had the grilled shrimp tacos, and they were very tasty.

Day Three Hundred Forty-One: Table Football

Max has really been enjoying his copy of The Dangerous Book for Boys lately. And, today he let me be in on one of the projects. He taught me how to play table football with quarters, and we played for close to an hour and had so much fun!

Learning about Table Football

The competition was pretty fierce!

Day Three Hundred Forty: Mom to a Licensed Driver

Well, I am officially a mother to a licensed driver, which is exciting and terrifying all at once!

I am so proud of this young lady!

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Nine: Ice Cream for Lunch on National Ice Cream Day

In my opinion, every day should be National Ice Cream Day, but today actually is, which we found out quite by accident. But we certainly weren't going to let it go uncelebrated, so we popped in to Clear River, a super cute retro ice cream parlor, to do it right. We had a late breakfast, so the ice cream ended up being lunch, which was perfectly fine with me! I tried a flavor I had never had: peach amaretto pecan. So, so good! It was the perfect end to the perfect Girls' Weekend!

Happy National Ice Cream Day!

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Eight: Harp Serenade During Dinner

This evening, we decided to dine at Rathskeller, a restaurant housed in the basement of a former hospital that was built in the 1800s. It's a beautiful stone building, and it was interesting to dine underground. (It was actually our second time to dine underground today, and we also had wine in an underground cellar. We are practically moles now! 😀) The food was great, but the entertainment was truly unique. There was a young lady playing the harp while we dined, and the music was really beautiful. I have never had a harp serenade during dinner before, and I absolutely loved it!

Harp Serenade

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Seven: Girls' Weekend in Fredericksburg

I was home for less than 36 hours when I hopped in the car and headed to Fredericksburg to meet up with my mom and my sister for our first-ever Girls' Weekend. Seriously, the three of us have not spent time alone together since my sister and I have been grown-ups! Isn't that crazy?! I love these lovely ladies, and I'm so thankful that the stars finally aligned so we could do this!

First-ever Girls' Weekend with two of my favorite women

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Six: Kroger ClickList

I know that ordering your groceries online and picking them up at a brick-and-mortar store at your convenience has been a thing for quite a while now, but as is typical, I'm a little late to the party. But since we returned to a fairly empty kitchen and a million other things to do, I thought it would be a good time to try it out. Honestly, it wasn't my favorite grocery shopping experience, though I think if I only ever bought particular brands and knew exactly what I wanted, it would be a much better experience for me. But, I like to try new-to-me products and read ingredient lists and use my senses in the produce department and find the best deals. With the learning curve of using the website, I probably could have picked up the things just as quickly if I had gone into the store, but I'm glad I tried it and I'm glad to have an account set up in case I want to give it another go in the future.

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Five: Admiral's Club

Sadly, we have come to the end of our vacation and are headed back to Dallas shortly. But, since we bought first class tickets for this overnight flight, we gained access to the Admirmal's Club, a First for all of us. Unsurprisingly, the buffet and open bar have been a hit with our crew, and everyone is supremely happy while we wait on our flight! It's fun to feel a little fancy before we jump back into the real world!

Enjoying a Mango Pisco Sour and some snacks in the Club

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Four: Bío-Bío Market

Today, we visited the Bío-Bío Market, which is a rabbit warren of shops and stalls, spread out over several blocks. There is everything from fresh produce, meats, and cheeses to homegoods and clothing all intermingled, sometimes in nice enclosed spaces and sometimes out in the open. It was somewhat similar to other markets we've visited in the world but still retained its uniqueness. Some of the most interesting finds of the day were a bin of various broken pastas, a cat cleaning itself in a produce bin, right next to the avocados, and a stack of eggs crammed in next to cheap house shoes. It's definitely a different shopping experience than you would ever find in the States, but it's so fun!

Hodgepodge pasta bin

The fuzzy ones aren't good to eat!

Walmart has nothing on Bío-Bīo!

We were mesmerized by the
 beautiful revolving cake display!