We are already at the beginning of February and Christmas is becoming a distant memory, seriously, where does time go? So before too much of the year slips away I wanted to put together my bucket list for 2019.

Firstly, a disclaimer. I don’t want to set the bar too high so that I don’t achieve anything at all and as a result end the year in disappointment. However, I do want to have some targets to work towards, both for my own personal development and for creating special family memories. So here is my bucket list for 2019:

Short break to Jersey (visit an Island)

I am so excited about number one on my bucket list. We have booked an upcoming trip to Jersey staying at the Radisson Blu in St Helier. We got an amazing deal from Travel Zoo which included a free room upgrade, plus children stay free at the Radisson Blu hotels, making the trip very affordable. We’re flying with Easyjet from Gatwick airport and the hotel looks absolutely lovely, right on the marina, and it gets great reviews on TripAdvisor.

We decided to have a short trip away because I had to take time off anyway as my parents are on holiday and they have Sam two days a week. We thought about going back to Disneyland Paris as we had such a fabulous time there last year and I’m a sucker for going back to places I love, but we missed the super deal and prices shot up, so we decided to try something new.

I did think about going somewhere hot but I didn’t want a long flight for a short break with a two year old. Sam loves planes so an hour flight will be perfect – plenty of time for him to enjoy being on a plane but short enough that I don’t have to walk him up and down the aisle a hundred times!

I have never been to Jersey but the island looks beautiful and my OH loves seafood. If the weather is nice we’re thinking of hiring bikes, walks on the beach and spending lots of time outside. If the weather is awful then it will be swimming in the hotel pool, a spot of duty free shopping and visiting attractions like the underground war tunnels which are undercover from the rain. I might even see if I can sneak off for a spa treatment at the hotel whilst the boys go rock pooling!

What I’m most looking forward to is the quality time together, although I am a little apprehensive about the hotel room. We’ve only ever stayed self-catering before so not sure what the evenings will be like with us all in the same room together and if we will end up spending the evening whispering to each other so as not to wake up Sam! Any tips for hotel stays with toddlers much appreciated! Also if you’ve been to Jersey before let me know what you recommend we go see and do, is there anything that can’t be missed?

Zip wire (flying through the air)!

I want to challenge myself this year and do something a little adventurous. I’m not brave enough to jump out of a plane or do a bungee jump, so it looks like zip wiring is my only opportunity to feel like I’m flying through the air.

I last went on a zip wire on my honeymoon in the jungles of the Dominican Republic. It was both terrifying and amazing at the same time. I would love to go to Wales, Penrhyn Quarry, and try the zip wire adventure at Zip World but I’m not sure if this will fit in with our travel plans this year, plus it might be better to wait for Sam to be older so he can enjoy it too, otherwise he will be waiting with Grandparents as the minimum age is 10 years old for this experience. However, I do live close to Brighton and they have the Brighton Zip on the seafront, at 300 metres long it’s the longest zip wire in the South Coast. It looks great fun and we can potentially combine with a fun day out in Brighton, plus Sam could come too and watch his mummy fly like superman (minus the cape and the lycra tights).

Finish writing my book: Harper P Parker VS the beasts of Farlington Forest

When I was on maternity leave I started, and almost finished, writing my children’s book about a nine year old girl, Harper, and the challenges she faces, both mystical and the everyday challenges kids face today. I loved Harper, she was my companion on dark cold nights when I was up late feeding my new baby son, she also kept me company during the day when I missed my colleagues and friends. Her challenges made my challenges as a new mum feel less terrifying. If Harper could face her fears, I could too.

Sadly, when I returned to work my free time became even more limited and I’ve left Harper for well over a year. I often think of her though and I believe that 2019 is the time to re-open the doors to Harper’s story. I need to edit the book and help her finally face the demons of the forest, whilst I face my fears of rejection if I finally get the nerve to send my story off to literary agents.

Any tips and advice on this process please let me know!

Be more environmentally friendly (use less plastic)

I recycle, I compost, I turn all my electrics off, I grow veggies in the summer and I try and walk wherever I can rather than take the car. Last year I spent a day with the Wildlife Trust chopping down invasive trees to help the local nature flourish. However, there’s still so much I can and should be doing to offset my carbon footprint (I fly at least once a year and drive to work 4 days a week) so I’m going to try and be more environmentally friendly and find ways to reduce use of plastic and also take part in beach cleans, ultimately becoming more considerate of the environment in 2019.

Hygge my home

I love home decor and I like to have a home project on the go. I also love the Danish concept of hygge, spreading warmth and style into our homes.

Home is my happy place and as such I feel that it’s important to spend some time making it looking and feeling great. When we first moved to our new home, Sam was just 1 years old and I had started work full time so we just didn’t have the time or energy to do much. Sam’s older now and I’m feeling less tired and much more energised, so 2019 is going to be the year to really hygge our home.

Grow our own herbs and veggies

We actually started growing our own veg last year. We bought a veggie trough and tomato plant, chilli plants, beetroots and spring onions. It was lovely to be able to pick our own veg and they did so well in the trough – in fact I actually had a tomato last month – in January?!

We had so many tomatoes, saving us a few pennies and also teaching our son about plants, food and gardening. He loved picking the tomatoes and this year I’m going to try and grow them from seed. I also want to grow some salad leaves and create a little herb garden too.

In fact project garden is on my radar but I haven’t added it to my bucket list as it’s a nice to have rather than an essential for the year…but watch this space…  

Acts of kindness – random or otherwise

Kindness is something I think we need to see more of in 2019. In our busy hectic lives it’s difficult to find the time to carry out an act of kindness but I’m definitely going to try and be more kind this year.

I love the random acts of kindness that have been trending in recent years, from buying a coffee from a cafe for the next homeless person who comes in, to spreading love in parks by leaving gifts for people to discover.

Amazed as I have been at the incredible acts of kindness carried out by most people, it also takes me by surprise at just how rude some people can be. I choose not to be like that. If I can make someone’s day better by taking a moment to be kind, then that makes me happy too, so lets spread the love!

Learn a new skill

This is probably easier than I think it will be, after all we are learning new skills all the time and I’m not expecting to be able to be fluent in a new language before the end of the year. However, I work in social media and I’m also blogging and vlogging now so I always want to be able to keep on top of new trends, changing algorithms and develop my knowledge and skills when it comes to social media and marketing. As such I’ve already signed up to a Udemy class for YouTube and am planning on taking more courses throughout the year.

There are many online learning platforms. I particularly like Udemy as a working mum I don’t have much spare time so to be able to sign up to a course that can be taken as and when you have free time with no pressure for completion date and also at a very reasonable price, is perfect for me. I’m currently trying to learn more about YouTube as I have just launched my YouTube channel (please subscribe – shameless plug – sorry!). The course cost me £11.99 and promises to teach me 10 YouTube Marketing strategies. I’ve only just completed the first 2 modules but they have been very interesting so far and I have made changes to my channel to hopefully optimise for more views and subscribers. I have also been listening to podcasts on my way to work instead of the radio. Many podcasts offer free advice and training from industry experts and they are a great way to improve your knowledge at no cost.

Research my ancestory

I have an interesting family history, in fact my Grandad wrote a book about his childhood and how he spent his early years living in India. My Great Great Grandfather from India, was knighted in 1923 by the King of England and my Great Aunty Mary (my Grandad’s sister) has a special place in my heart as she used to show me her treasures from her childhood in India.

I would also love to learn more about my family from Kent and Sussex on both my parents sides. I find it fascinating thinking about the lives they led and wonder what they would make of me and my family (and my blog) and how times have changed so much.

Spend more time together

It goes without saying obviously. When I look back at 2018 my favourite moments are the ones I spent with my family. Whether we are out and about, or just spending time together at home, being with my family was the highlight of my year. So, last but definitely not least on my 2019 bucket list, is spending more time with my loved ones.

2019 Bucket List: