The Wanderlust Is So Real

Lately I've been scrolling through all my Europe pictures more often than I usually do.  I know what you're thinking: it's time to send me to some support group or something.

Hi, my name is Allison and I can't stop reliving the summer of 2014.

Hiiiii, Allison.

And that's how it would go.  Between Katie's and my Travel Thursday blog swap last week to my new wall quote crafted out of Europe pictures and my sister's excitement over her upcoming European adventure, my heart is clearly elsewhere in the world. 

Also I just took a BuzzFeed quiz that confirmed that in 10 years I will be traveling the world.  So it's meant to be . . . BuzzFeed told me so.

I could take this wanderlust-laden obsession and turn it into a productive habit like learning a new language or discovering how to cook food from around the world.  However, those are things that people who are ready to move on with their life do.  I don't think that I'm quite there yet or want to be there, so I'll fuel this fire a little more.

Out of all of the towns, villages, cities, and countries in this big world, I can only think of two places that I don't really have a desire to go.  That leaves approximately 72,983 places that I do want to see and feel and experience. And that's a lot of places.  Ain't nobody got the time to write about 72,983 places, so I made the tough executive call to chop the list to the top 8 places that I want  need to visit in my lifetime. (In no specific order because do you know how long that would take me to decide? I spent nearly an entire study hall just narrowing it down to my top 8 choices so no way am I getting any more detailed than that.)

Paris, France

Top 5 Paris bucket list: Climb the Eiffel Tower // eat in a corner cafe // visit the Louvre // see the Arc de Triomphe // be in awe of the Notre Dame Cathedral

Cape Town, South Africa

Top 5 Cape Town bucket list: sit on top of Table Mountain // spy on penguins // take a dip in those waters // learn a few things about African culture // visit the Cape of Good Hope

London, England

Top 5 London bucket list: drink tea // take a ride in the London eye // fangirl over the Harry Potter studios // tell the time on Big Ben // get an inside scoop on the London fashion scene

Machu Picchu, Peru

Top 5 Machu Picchu bucket list: trek the Inca trail (yep, all of it!) // get cultured at an indigenous village // taste the local cuisine // ascend to Huayna Picchu // explore Incan ruins 

Innsbruck, Austria

Top 5 Innsbruck bucket list:  wonder at the Innsbruck Cathedral // hit the Alpine slopes with my snowboard // photograph the Goldenes Dachl // hike those mountains! // wander in and out of shops and cafes

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam Top 5 bucket list: marvel in the Museum Quarter // check out the Anne Frank house // taste the street food // tour the city by bike // get on the canals (ice skate in the winter, take a ride in the summer)

Extra! What I will not do in Amsterdam: Proclaim that Anne Frank would have been a belieber.

New Zealand

I couldn't just pick one place in New Zealand because its all just so gorgeous so the whole shebang landed on my list. 

NZ Top 5: take a mud bath in Rotorua // skydive // take in the views while hiking the Tongariro Crossing // kayak the Milford Sound // stargaze  

Denver, Colorado, USA

Denver Top 5: snowboard! // catch a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater // hike in the mountains // stop and smell the roses at the Denver Botanical Gardens // find some really good eats

So much for a productive day . . . I could actually be accomplishing something if resenting why plane tickets are so expensive is considered "accomplishing something."  

Have you ever been to any of these places? Are they on your bucket lists?

Love,

Allison

365 Days of Photographs & Other Events

I just love the word photograph.  It just seems so vintage and candid, like a summer memory from my childhood.  I don't know what it is about photograph, but it's definitely one of my favorite words because of the connotation that comes along with it.

With that being said, I'm tackling my 20 before 20 bucket list again! Here's a few of the updates:

|| numero 6 || complete a 365 day photograph challenge: I got a lens upgrade! My new pal, the Nikon D3200, and I are a great fit together.  To get to know each other a little better, I decided that this would be the perfect time to take the challenge of capturing at least one photograph a day for a year.

Day One is the yearly winner of the Allison's Favorite Fall Tree award. It's a real prize, I assure you.  

 Day Two was Sunday, so of course, what better than a #SelfieSunday?

Day Three's photograph was taken yesterday when I visited Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  

Today is Day Four, and we may be headed out for a family cider mill excursion tonight.  If so, you can look forward to a very fall-themed photograph!

Moving on to the "& Other Events" part of this post . . .

|| numero 19 || be accepted to my dream college: I've taken the (wherever that may be) part off of this goal because I know where that is now! I've been accepted to my second choice and I applied to my first choice yesterday! I should hopefully be able to check this one off of the bucket list by Thanksgiving.

|| numero 20 || work at camp for a summer: I'm one step closer to making this a reality for the summer of 2015! I'm completing the application form soon, and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me with this!

Here's to exciting happenings! Happy Tuesday!
Love, Allison

P.S. Anyone a Nikon D3200 user? Care to give a girl some tips?

Runners Tell All: Bucket List Edition

Bucket lists are my thang.  If anything even slightly piques my interest, you better believe that I'm googling the heck out of that thing as soon as I can get my hands on the internet.  (I know that's literally impossible, but for the post's sake, let's continue.) If I like what I see, POOF! it's on my bucket list.  Just like that.  If I physically wrote out my bucket list, it would span several miles. That's probably not even that much of an exaggeration.

When I saw the Runners Tell All link-up prompt for this month, I got excited.  Really excited.  Because like I said before, bucket lists are my thang.

So, without further ado, I present my race bucket list to you! (Warning: this may get very long. I'll try to contain myself, but no promises.)

1. Austin Half Marathon

Here

My Texas-dwelling, Austin-loving cousin has run this race for the past 3? 4? years and has absolutely loved it.  She keeps telling me to come down and run it with her, which I think would be so amazing. However, there is just one small problem to this race. It's held in February and the weather is slightly different in Michigan than in Texas.  I would have to train in knee-deep snow and freeze my ears off or on the treadmill (gasp!).  Either way, I think that I would endure the elements or the torture machine treadmill for the opportunity to run with my cousin! 

2. Disney Princess Half Marathon

here

Besides Hogwarts, running a Princess Half through Disney is as magical as it gets in my mind.  I've heard that this is a good beginners half marathon as there are lots of opportunities to stop for photo ops with the princesses. Sign me up! (and pay the registration fee for me too, while you're at it!) 

3. Hot Chocolate Run 15k (Chicago)

here

As everyone knows, themed races are fun. But using some simple math (Chicago+running+chocolate), the Hot Chocolate Run has the formula to beat them all.  I mean, its not every race where the food at the finish includes a chocolate fountain.

4. Great Turtle Trail Run Half Marathon

here

Things this race has going for it: 

1. It takes place on Mackinac Island, which as every Michigander knows, is pretty much the best. 

Umm, yeah. That's pretty much everything. Mackinac Island is amazing and if you're ever in Michigan in the summer, it's worth the trip. Amiright? 

5. BTN Big 10k

Living smack dab between MSU and UofM means that the B1G is a big thing around these parts. We take Saturday afternoon football seriously and there has been many a relationship ended over divided rivalries. (Actually, I made that up, but I'm sure it's happened!) Growing up a UofM fan, but anxiously anticipating my acceptance letter (I'm being optimistic!) from MSU, I definitely have a fair share of B1G in my blood.  And the fact that it's in Chicago? I'm there. 

6. Detroit Free Press Marathon Relay

here

One of my pet peeves is when people, especially people who have never been, hate on Detroit.  While it's true that there's a lot of things that need some fixing, Detroit has so, so much to offer.  One of these things is the annual marathon relay that accompanies the marathon and the half among some other shorter races.  I've wanted to run a marathon relay for a while and I'm hoping that next year will be the year as it will be the first year in a while that I'm not wrapped up in a cross country season.  Oh, and I'm just documenting it here that I call dibs on the leg that crosses the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Canada! 

7. Firenze Marathon

here

When I went to Europe this summer, I spent about a day in a half in Florence, Italy. And I left my heart there. Running a marathon through the medieval cobblestone streets and passing by my love, the Duomo, would be the experience of a lifetime.  And quite possibly the last experience of my lifetime considering that this is a full 26.2 miles! 

8. Athens Marathon

here

What better a marathon to run than the original marathon in Athens, Greece? Although, as I've been taught in world history, the runner of the first marathon who was a messenger died from exhaustion after he finished.  So maybe this isn't such a good idea? 

Writing about all these races has made me excited to get out there and go for one of them.  Link up with Beka and Amanda and share your running bucket list! Ready? Go! 

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us . . .                                                                    - Hebrews 12:1

Love, Allison

Did I Mention . . . ?

I struggled for a while on what to title this post.  There were just too many good options with the likes of:

"I'M SO EXCITED!"

or

"IT'S.SO.CLOSE."

or, even the lamest one in the book would have applied here, 

"!!!!!!!!!!" 

However, I chose the elusive and mysterious option that made it seem like I have my emotions totally in control right now: "Did I mention . . . ?"

You're totally wondering what I may or may not have mentioned right now, aren't you? Good, that was the goal.  

I'll just cut to the chase: I'm off to Europe soon! Like as in four days from now soon. I cannot cannot cannot wait! 

I signed up for this trip back in October of 2012, so you better believe that I am beyond ready to jet off across the world.  

My 2.5 week tour has me traveling all over Italy, Greece and a touch of Turkey. Some of the highlights include: Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Pompeii, Delphi, Athens, Mykonos, Crete & Santorini.  Whew! And that's not even everything!

I've been trying to get some posts scheduled so my blog isn't completely abandoned while I'm gone, but with all the other chaos that is going on, that may or may not happen ;) Just know that when I get back I will definitely have stories and pictures that I want to share coming out of my ears. 

If you want a little more info on my trip, you can check out posts that I had written for my old blog here, here & here.

*Sidenote: Guys, do you realize that I just posted two times just today? Looking at the archives, two post weeks are a rarity around here!

**Another sidenote: Yes, I did mention Europe here . . . sneaky, sneaky. 

***Yet another sidenote: This trip will allow me to cross off my third event from my 20 before 20 bucket list! Wooo! 

So, now you know! Have you ever traveled in Italy, Greece or Turkey? Any tips or tricks? Food suggestions? What not to do? Let me know! I need all the insight that I can get!

Well, I better get to packing.  Can't forget the toothbrush. Ciao! 

{20 before 20} Drive-in Movie Recap

I've never mentioned it before, but I have a 20 before 20 bucket list!  You may have noticed it up in my tabs, or you may have not.  Either way, it's not a big star around here.  However, about two weeks ago, I remembered that I had that thing and decided to take a look at it and then I proceeded to get pretty excited.

Excited because that list contains some pretty exciting things that I cannot wait to experience.

As of last Thursday, I now have 10% of that list complete thanks to the great time that I had with a few friends, a couple cars, a big screen and lots and lots of sugar.  That's right, I checked "watch a movie at a drive-in theater" right off that list.

We arrived at the drive-in around 7:30 because we were drive-in rookies and were pretty clueless about the whole thing. This led to 2 hours of waiting for the movie to start.  However, when with friends, two hours is no big deal, am I right?

We chucked a football around, chatted, got even more addicted to 2048 (when I finally beat that game, my life will pretty much be complete), and chowed down on candy like it was our job.

Instead of staying in our cars, we were those people that brought a slew of lawn chairs, blankets and sleeping bags and set up camp right in the front row.  It was great and everyone else was totally jealous.  At least, I'm sure that they were.  I couldn't really tell in the dark . . . 

Finally, finally, the opening credits for How to Train Your Dragon 2 rolled across the screen and it was a beautiful moment.  HTTYD2 was great because Toothless was so cute and he kept reminding me of a cat.  Yes, those were literally my thoughts.

Wrapped in a blanket and snuggled up with friends, the night couldn't of gotten better.  Well, maybe it could have if some stinkin' pizza places were open. That was a bummer.

Anyways, here's to the progress on my bucket list. Cheers!

Have you ever been to a drive-in?  Did you like it?