To Do Before Death.

The title says it all, folks. Behold: a list of all the things I want to do before I die. Also commonly called a bucket list. Therefore, I present to you: my bucket list. And now you're bored and want to read the list so without further ado, here it is.

(Side note: This list is ALWAYS in progress, so be sure to check back every once in awhile for new additions!)

(Another side note: I am fully aware that some (most) of these things will probably never happen. I'm really not crazy. I promise.)

(Last side note, I promise: Some of the ones that have been completed have a link you can click on to read about the experience. In case you're curious.) 

1. Travel Europe.
2. Visit every continent except Antarctica.
3. Ride the world's scariest roller coaster.
4. Ride a camel.
5. Drive around with my windows down and the radio turned all the way up on some hardcore rap song, just to see the weird looks I'd get.
6. Go to a Taylor Swift concert.
7. Ride a motorcycle.
8. Call the phone number written on the back of a car for sale and try to sell them their own car.
9. See Les Miserables (the musical, not the movie, and not the student version).
10. Play the role of Eponine in Les Miserables.
11. Become an elementary school teacher.
12. Publish a novel.
13. Swim with dolphins.
14. Own a Golden Retriever named Finnick.
15. Go on Survivor and/or The Amazing Race.
16. Fall in love and get married.
17. Have one of those "most memorable" birthdays.
18. Drive a convertible, preferably a Porsche.
19. Sleep on a water bed.
20. Have kids.
21. Pull a really great prank on someone.
22. Jump off Chimney Rock. The big one.
23. Visit every state.
24. Go scuba diving.
25. Become fluent in German.
26. Stand on the Four Corners Monument (aka be in four places at once).
27. Go skiing.
28. Go water skiing.
29. Wash my hair in the rain.
30. Find a four-leaf clover.
31. Win concert tickets on the radio.
32. Bring home a homeless chihuahua and nickname him Jorge.
33. Visit the current residents of the hospital room I was born in, and tell them the story of my birth.
34. Receive a Hogwarts acceptance letter.
35. Have a mailbox like Carl and Ellie's in UP.
36. Meet Colin O'Donohue. Liam and/or Chris Hemsworth is also acceptable.
37. Go to college. 
38. Learn how to dance.
39. Learn how to juggle.
40. Win a game show.
41. Make homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch. (I have the recipe...they look SO good! But they take forever to make...)
42. Have a surprise birthday party.
43. Watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy...maybe even read the books.
44. Go white water rafting.
45. Pet a squirrel.
46. Become a YouTube sensation.
47. Read all of Jane Austen's novels.
48. Be an extra in a movie.
49. Own an iPhone.
50. Experience an earthquake.
51. Go on a cruise.
52. See the 7 wonders of the world.
53. Hold a penguin.
54. Go bungee jumping.
55. Go skydiving.
56. Learn how to decorate cakes.
57. Make creme brulee.
58. Make up my own dessert recipe.
59. Eat at Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken.
60. Bring someone to Christ.
61. See the Grand Canyon.
62. Ride a donkey down the Grand Canyon.
63. Catch the bouquet at a wedding.
64. Go to the library dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
65. Go to New York City.
66. See a Broadway show.

Fact: Life is Unfair.

"But that's not fair."
"Life isn't fair. Get over it."

Sound familiar? Chances are, every time you've complained about something being unfair in your life, someone has responded by saying "life isn't fair."

But I can't get over it that easily.

Sure, life isn't fair. But that doesn't make it okay to treat people unfairly.

One of my top five strengths is consistency, which means I like everyone to be treated equal. Fairness is a huge issue for me. I'm also a high J, meaning I like justice and order. I cannot stand it when things aren't fair.

Some examples of unfairness that everyone faces:

• Working hard for something, then having it taken away from you for no reason.
• Being good at something, and not being recognized for it.
• Having someone not as good as you at something receive more recognition for it (or even the same amount).
• People having things handed to them while you are stuck working for what you want.
• Suffering the consequences of someone else's mistake.
• Having people less deserving than you receive the same privilege as you.
• Listening to people who have it way easier than you complain about how tough their life is.

Honestly, there's a lot going on in my life right now that just doesn't seem fair or right to me. And it's not. It's not just me feeling sorry for myself. It's truly wrong.

But, the truth is, it may not be right, but there's really nothing I can do about it. Every single unfair situation that I'm facing at the moment is completely out of my hands. I just have to trust God and my leaders that everything will work out right in the end.

I keep having to tell myself to keep holding on. That I'm not a quitter. Because sometimes, when you're being treated beyond unfairly, you want to do just that: quit. But the important thing is to stick it out and keep a positive attitude. Hope for the best. Support the other people involved. Pray for the strength and courage to move on. Because we're not in control of how we're treated, but we are in control of how we respond.

And if we choose to respond rightly, we will be rewarded in Heaven.

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." ~Hebrews 10:36

Let's Try This Cooking Blog Thing.

So...a lot of people have cooking blogs, right? Right. Well, I love baking. And according to everyone who's ever had one of my cookies, I'm pretty good at it. (Not that it's a special skill I have or anything. I find recipes on the internet and then follow them. Sometimes I change an ingredient here and there. Pretty basic.)

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to post a recipe on here every once in awhile and share my not-so-secrets with the world. For example, tonight I made snickerdoodles. Apparently, they were really good. (I thought they were okay, but my mom like FREAKED OUT over how good they were...she's now convinced I should open a bakery.)

And without further ado, a snickerdoodle recipe. It's super simple.

People with cooking blogs post pictures of their food a lot.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, mix together the 1 cup shortening, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and 2 eggs until it is creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.
4. Mix the two together. It is easier to gradually add the flour mix while stirring the creamy mix instead of pouring it all in at once, fyi. :-)
5. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl.
6. Form dough into small balls and then roll in the cinnamon mixture.
7. Place in oven and bake for 6-8 minutes.
8. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon mixture on the baked cookies while still hot. Most likely, the cookies will be cracked, and the cracks will not be covered in cinnamon. This will help to fill in those cracks, as well as add some extra flavor. If you do it while they are still hot, it will help to absorb the cinnamon.
9. Let cool, pour a glass of milk, and enjoy!

A Note: Use the cinnamon to your taste. Adjust the measurement given or simply add more/less cinnamon after the cookies are done. Half the fun of baking is experimenting. These are your creation! Have fun with it.

Another Note: This recipe makes about 2 dozen, give or take a few dozen depending on the size of your cookies.

One Last Note: The picture above is of my cookies. Do not panic if yours do not look like this. No two cookies are exactly alike. And if they taste good, no one really cares what they look like anyway.