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The bucket lists started during my first Alaskan winter. That November evening the temperature dropped to negative twenty-five and I became aware this ruthless cold was only the beginning. I sat down in the warmth of our first, tiny apartment and wrote a list of all the places in Alaska I wanted to visit. All the things that would make living there, living through these brutal winters, worthwhile.
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The Alaska Bucket List gave me reasons to be excited about calling Fairbanks, Alaska home. Adventures to look forward to. Views I knew would be unmatched to anywhere else I’d ever live. In some ways, that silly list helped get me through my two Fairbanks’ winters.
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I continued the tradition of making a bucket list in Washington and Arizona to get the most out of every place I get to call (however briefly) home.
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Admittedly, I’ve missed a couple items on each respective bucket list. All of which still tempt me to be crossed off one day. But I am going to try my best to cross off all my must-see’s in Texas, especially since we’re here for the foreseeable future.
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After a little hike this weekend to a local waterfall, I decided it was time to write my list. If you’ve lived in or visited Texas and I’m missing something amazing you’ve done – let me know!
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The Texas Bucket List
- – Weekend in San Antonio (The Alamo & San Antonio River Walk)
- – Weekend in Dallas/Fort Worth
- – Weekend in Houston
– Weekend in Austin- – Austin City Limits Music Festival
- – Barton Springs on a warm day
- – Float a river
- – Visit Enchanted Rock
– Visit Magnolia- – Visit the dog park with a brewery in Austin
- – South Padre Island
- – Galveston
– Corpus Christi/Port Aransas
- – Visit a Mission
- – Attend a Texas sporting event (pro or college)
- – Wine tasting in Fredricksburg
- – Boating\Kayaking on Stillhouse Lake & Lake Belton
- – 10 hikes in Central Texas area
- – Big Bend National Park
- – Six Flags Over Texas or Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- – 10 breweries
- – Colorado Bend State Park / Gorman Falls
- – Palo Duro Canyon State Park
- – Visit the LBJ Presidential Library
- – Longhorn Caverns State Park
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I would never have imagined myself living in Texas 5 years ago. It was never on our wish list or somewhere I had friends or family living. I knew very little about it besides my preconceived notions regarding cowboys and Republicans, up until I visited Austin for the first time 2 years ago.
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I’ve been delightfully surprised since that first visit and now living here. Doing research for this list has me looking forward to calling this state home, for a couple of years at least.
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And that’s always been the idea of these bucket lists. To not just cross things off before I die or move, but to find joy and reasons to be excited about living where the military sends us. To be excited about the present. The only moment that’s guaranteed.
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