I didn’t do horribly with my 2025 Bucket List, but this year was definitely filled with many ups and downs, which affected some of what I was able to accomplish. It was certainly another year of concerts and Florida trips, with the addition of a few weddings, experiences to push me outside my comfort zone, and making lots of memories with family and friends. Here are some monthly highlights for this year (both good and bad haha)…(text below image)
January
- Was able to take advantage of Massanutten’s “Snow’s Out Special” on a snow day with Ricky for the first time in forever ⛷️
- Took a quick trip to Universal with Jackie and Jen, which turned even shorter than expected when our flight back was cancelled and we had to scramble to get home before the big storm arrived! Thankfully we made it just in time!!
- Had a solo up and back 4-park day at Disney on the record “coolest high” temp Florida had seen on that day since 1985 (which maybe should have been a warning that I would have to deal with cold weather in Florida at least TWICE more this year haha) 🥶
- Hired someone to install a pretty tiled shower in our ensuite bathroom
- Got a root canal 🦷
February
- Hosted Branson’s 4th birthday party with a Star Wars theme
- Threw beads in Universal’s Mardi Gras parade on the Royalty float, with Steve & Crystal selected as King & Queen 👑
- Saw Bakso the tiger cub at Animal Kingdom shortly after he made his public debut 🐅
- Hosted an amazing virtual author visit with Neal Shusterman with some pretty amazing students at my school
March
- Took a (too quick) overnight trip to Salem to see Amanda’s place, explore the city, and get tattoos
- Attended the Potomac Regional library conference, which always helps me generate new ideas
- Renewed our passports (yay more travel!!) ✈️
- Stayed at two of Universal’s newest hotels built near Epic Universe (Terra Luna and Stella Luna). Now only one more left of their 11 – Helios, booked for February 2026!
- Completed the 6-park challenge with Jen & Jackie, even making it back to MK for Happily Ever After to top it all off 🎇
- Went to my first FAM Training, where I earned a ticket I used to help fulfill another person’s Bucket List item later this year!
April
- Completed my THIRTEEN Monument Ave 10k (virtually…on the treadmill blech) 👟
- Made it to Burnside Farms for their Tulips with Mom – definitely going back for Sunflowers some day 🌷
- Hosted Easter again, with both families this time!
May
- Spent an amazing day at Epic Universe before it opened to the general public during a UOAP Preview
- Visited Hollywood Studios on May the 4th so Ricky could geek out with his lightsaber
- Met up with my cousins at Mama Melrose’s for dinner before the Muppet section closed for good 🍝
- Celebrated Kenz and John tying the knot at a beautiful venue in Minnesota
June
- Made a spur of the moment decision to surprise Jen for her 50th birthday in Delaware
- Finally visited both of Disney’s water parks
- Took one last ride on the Liberty Belle at Magic Kingdom before it closed forever ⛴️
- Enjoyed delicious drinkies and snackies at Epcot’s new adults-only lounge, Geo-82
- Spent two adventurous days at Epic Universe with 15 of my closest friends and framily
- Spent a very long evening in the ER, along with my first CT Scan 🏥
- …then rallied like a mo-fo to attend Amy & Kyle’s nuptials by the river, followed by afterhours pizza-making at Benny Vitali’s
July
- Hosted the 4th of July for the second year, complete with bingo and fireworks
- Got a porch pool for $20 🩱
- Finally got Branson to my parent’s farm for a visit before the cows all go bye-bye, plus a tractor pull experience 🐄
- Visited Dan & Shauna’s alpaca farm with the rest of the 101 crew that wasn’t at Yma’s wedding
- Had a glorious day on the river kayaking with Rhonda and spotting bald eagles
- Attended the Inkcarceration Festival and toured the prison used for Shawshank Redemption (squee!)
- Took another solo trip to Florida, making it a full 24 months of scanning into a Disney park, which also happened to be the day Test Track reopened after refurbishment
- Caught the new Starlight Parade at Magic Kingdom 🌟
- Had my first MRI experience, listening to 80s music which was selected for me by the tech based on my appearance (how did he know?!)
- Was able to attend another Clabeaux reunion, seeing friends and family I don’t get to see often
- Finally completed a spectacular west coast adventure with mom, after talking about it for THIRTY ONE years haha 🎉
August
- Started my 19th year in education feeling so thankful that the people I work for and with are supportive and willing to take on more when I can’t
- …because I needed to be out the first week and a half of school due to surgery (first time under anesthesia!) 🔪
- Attended the first annual Shenandoah Sips festival celebrating Virginia’s craft beverages (beer, wine, cider, mead, and spirits) 🍷
September
- Accompanied the Copelands on a Universal trip celebrating Draven’s 6th birthday
- Spent an incredible 8 days in Hawaii watching sunrises and sunsets, kayaking over coral reefs, riding in a helicopter, traveling the Road to Hana, driving an ATV and planting a tree, finding hidden treasures, visiting friends, and adventuring at Aulani🌸
October
- Visited the new Pirates-themed Beak & Barrel lounge at Magic Kingdom 🦜
- Finally got to Tampa Bay Busch Gardens and rode every single roller coaster there
- Enjoyed the Pierogi Festival in Falls Church (but still nothing like Buffalo…) 🥟
- Had a random visit to Mom & Dad, where we enjoyed some delicious cup ‘n char pizza (which might still be in their freezer, since we keep forgetting, now that I think about it haha)
November
- Had an interesting adventure to Universal and Disney with the Delaware crew during the government shutdown, which delayed us quite a bit going out and made us scared we weren’t going to make it home. I’m just glad we didn’t have to take advantage of the van I rented to drive us back just in case 😛
- Finally got a crew to participate in Noraebang with me (complete with Soju, Korean fried chicken wings, and bulgogi fried rice!) 🎤
- Witnessed the Aurora Borealis again, this time from the hot tub in our own back yard
- Spent another fantastic snowy Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad’s with most of our amazing family
December
- Ended up on national television singing the Shout song during the Bengals/Bills game (last one in Highmark ☹️)
- Helped a friend and her sister fulfill Bucket List items during a trip to Universal
- Finally sat for a boudoir session, feeling the most empowered and self-assured I ever have 🥰
- Surprised Ricky for his birthday, gathering a bunch of his friends for dinner (some he hadn’t seen in quite some time)
- Planned a NYE through 2026 adventure at Disney (and not just the parks!!) that will hopefully be just as eventful as it is relaxing 🍾
Additional Highlights
- Read 43 books this year, which was still less than my goal but more than last year!
- Attended SEVENTEEN concerts plus a 3-day festival! (18 if you count Eat to the Beat at Epcot!)
- Spent 30 total days at theme parks (hey, at least it was ten LESS than last year!)
I did also manage to check off a large number of my Bucket List items this year, many of which were highlighted above but you can check out the final tally on that post. Keeping the same categories for 2026 and moving some of my incomplete items over, but stay tuned for that list as well!