One of the many things I love about writing a blog is that it totally feeds into my tendency to ‘hyper-plan.’ I know, I know.. I shouldn’t be such a control freak. I don’t look at it that way though. I prefer to think of advanced planning as creating space in your life, in your schedule, to do the things you really want to do. Sure, I love binge-watching TV, spending hours on Facebook, and staying in my pajamas all day on Saturday. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that… in moderation.
However, Sweet Pea will only be 2 and 3 years old once. I want to experience life through her precious eyes. I want the joy of hearing her giggle and seeing her face light up. That will probably not be accomplished by watching endless hours of the ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.’ I want to nurture my relationship with Honeybear… you know, actually strengthen our marriage. Being parents of a toddler is demanding (understatement of the century I know). I don’t want him to think that as demanding as Sweet Pea is, that she is more of a priority to me than he is. Ever. I want to take time for myself, for my girlfriends, for activities that will enrich my life as a woman– that don’t have anything to do with being a wife or a Mom. I want to be more intentional about strengthening my relationship with God. More time spent in prayer, Bible study, service.
photo courtesy of: Maya Kruchancova/Dollar Photo Club
So, I plan. After all, we are only given a finite amount of time. I know things will happen. Plans made will be cancelled or postponed. I will get surprised, both in good ways and bad, this year. That is just fine. However, to start with a plan means that life won’t just be happening to me this year. Starting with a plan brings purpose and gives me a much better chance at being the Mom, the wife, the friend, and the follower I want to become by the end of the year.
How about you? What would be your plan to schedule joy in 2015? Below I have listed 115 ways I ‘plan’ to create joy and happiness. Why don’t you join me?
115 Ways to Schedule Joy in 2015
***Note: Many of these activities are unique to the Baltimore-DC Area. If you don’t live in this area, I am quite certain there are similar activities available to you. Go out and find them! You won’t regret it one bit!
- The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (aka- the Dulles Air and Space Museum)
- Finish that 2014 Shutterfly book I started at the beginning of November
- Keep a 2015 Gratitude Jar
- Discover the Dinosaurs January 9-11 at the Timonium Fairgrounds
- Try cotton ball painting with Sweet Pea
- Read through the Bible in 2015
- Build Indoor Forts for pretend play during cold and rainy days
- Start the ‘Sunday Dinner’ tradition at least once a month in our home.
- Maryland Science Center
- Playground Superstore in Columbia, MD
- Go sledding down the hill in our back yard and teach Sweet Pea how to make a snowman (provided it actually snows)
- Mary Poppins at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, MD
- Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore, MD
- Storyville at the Woodlawn branch of the Baltimore County Public Library
- Continue to play the violin in The Columbia Orchestra, the best community orchestra in the country!
- Make a robot, a spaceship, and a fire engine out of cardboard boxes for Sweet Pea pretend play
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Music Box Concert Series (2014-15 remaining dates in Baltimore are: 11 April ‘On Safari,’ 9 May ‘In the Treetops,’ 13 June ‘Around the Globe’)
- Visit the National Children’s Museum at National Harbor, MD
- Toddler Time at the Skyzone Indoor Trampoline Park in Columbia, MD
- Chili Cook-Off at the Laurel Church of Christ on 15 February (I never even place but it is such a fun event!)
- Swim lessons (Mommy and Me) for Sweet Pea
- Go away for a romantic weekend with my Honeybear
- Teach Sweet Pea to pray
- Teach Sweet Pea the books of the Bible (my Mom informed me that I could recite the books of the Bible by the time I was 3 years old)
- See the sharks and jellyfish at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD
- Make this ‘No Sew’ Quiet Busy Book, courtesy of Powerful Mothering
- Um yeah– more ‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘House of Cards,’ and ‘The Good Wife’ please! (oh, alright.. ‘Walking Dead’ too)
- Try making meals using ‘Let’s Dish!’
- Have a picnic by the lake at Centennial Park in Ellicott City, MD
- Feed the giraffes at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, MD
- Host a Stamp Camp!
- Take a short hike with Sweet Pea at Great Falls Park in McLean, VA
- Playgrounds! Anytime the weather is even remotely nice.. go outside and play!
- Plan amazingly fun and romantic ‘no-cost’ date nights at home with my Honeybear.
- Visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival 20 March-12 April in Washington, DC
- A short hike at Patapsco State Park– hopefully many short hikes here!
- Kid’s Nearly New Sale at the Howard County Fairgrounds (2015 dates are 14 March, 11 April, 19 September)
- Create paper sun catchers for the various seasons
- A few trips to Clark’s Elioak Farm for Easter and Fall festivities
- Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, MD
- Easter Egg Potato Stamping Craft via Crafty Morning
- Dye Easter eggs with Sweet Pea and send her on a wild goose chase– I mean, Easter egg hunt
- Rub Kelby’s belly and ears… a lot!
- Start a fairy garden in the back yard
- Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus 25 March-4 April in Baltimore, MD
- Day Out With Thomas the Train at the B&O Railroad Museum (dates TBD but usually the end of April, beginning of May) in Baltimore, MD
- Mommy day out at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC
- Teach Sweet Pea to ride a balance bike
- Go see ‘Wicked’ at the Hippodrome in Baltimore
- Host at least one ‘Mom’s Night In’
- Institute once a month ‘date night out’ with the Honeybear
- Plant flowers with Sweet Pea in March and April
- Sensory play with color-dyed spaghetti and Kool-Aid colored shaving cream (if I am brave)
- Host a Pampered Chef Freezer Meal party
- Finish scanning all our old photos from childhood.. so we have something cute and/or funny to post every TBT on Facebook. 🙂
- Go on a Mom’s Day Out trip to NYC!
- Robert Andrew spa day anyone?
- Finally learn how to grill like a master (or at least better than a beginner)
- Please Touch Museum , Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute , and Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse in Philadelphia, PA
- Book Club! … oh, and actually– you know– make the time to read the books we pick!
- See the lions, tigers, and panda bears at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, DC
- Sing– a lot! Teach Sweet Pea many many songs.
- The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, PA
- Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton, MD (they have a carousel and miniature train!)
- Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA
- Goo, slime, play-dough, sensory bins– if we dare!
- Make various sorts of paper plate crafts (cute animals, Santa Claus, etc…)
- Family camping at Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, MD. Bring on the smores!
- Go strawberry picking in the summer and apple picking in the fall at Larriland Farms.
- Draw all over the driveway with sidewalk chalk
- Start a few container vegetable gardens with Sweet Pea.
- Freeze paint in ice cubes and then paint with them!
- Visit the Patuxent Research Refuge
- Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA– meet Elmo
- Kutztown Folk Festival 27 June-5 July
- 4th of July fireworks in Washington, DC (did you realize this iconic experience is happening on a Saturday this year?!!!)
- Make a ‘You are My Sunshine’ footprint craft with Sweet Pea
- Spend a day at the beach at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD. Build a sand castle!
- See a concert at Wolf Trap
- Celebrate Sweet Pea’s 3rd birthday in style!
- Run through the sprinklers and have a ‘sponge’ water balloon fight
- (hopefully) spend a week teaching Bible Class with Sweet Pea at Camp Hunt in Hubbardsville, NY
- Create a sound garden and outdoor kitchen in the backyard for summer play fun. Make mud pies.
- VBS at the Laurel Church of Christ in August, WaMaVa Family Retreat in October
- Spend a long weekend at Ocean City, MD
- Introduce Sweet Pea to ‘Hide and Go Seek,’ ‘Tag,’ ‘Cooties,’ ‘Chutes and Ladders,’ ‘Candyland,’ ‘Memory,’ ‘Mother May I,’ ‘Red Light Green Light,’ etc…
- Check out the Maryland Renaissance Festival
- Achieve Financial Peace
- See Daniel Tiger at Idlewild in Ligonier, PA
- Go on day hike at Gunpowder Falls State Park
- Create paper bag puppets with Sweet Pea
- See Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra perform at least once, hopefully multiple times throughout the year.
- See the famous sunflower fields at Clear Meadow Farm in Monkton, MD and the famous tulip gardens at Sherwood Gardens in Baltimore, MD
- The Andrews Air Show is coming back in 2015! This is a must-do for our family!
- At least once this year eat at the Iron Bridge Wine Company, Sushi King, Amicci’s, and if I am really good– Ruth’s Chris!
- The National Apple Harvest Festival in Adams County, PA
- Go pumpkin picking and then carve pumpkins (or at least decorate them)
- Cox Farms Fall Festival in Centreville, VA
- Summer’s Farm Pumpkin Festival in Frederick, MD
- Dance! Dance a lot– Dance crazy– Be silly! Dance slow– Be romantic!
- Try bubble wrap stomp painting
- Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Gaithersburg, MD
- Make Christmas ornaments with Sweet Pea
- Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD for the ‘Wings of Fancy’ live butterfly exhibit in the summer and the ‘Garden of Lights’ at Christmastime
- Pennsylvania Christmas Show in Harrisburg, PA
- Bake cookies year round with Sweet Pea
- Howard County Crafts Spectacular at the Howard County Fairgrounds
- Decorate Christmas cookies and a Gingerbread House
- See Christmas lights!
- See Washington DC at Christmas (Arlington National Cemetery, US Botanical Gardens, White House Christmas Tree)
- Watch all our favorite Christmas movies and read all our favorite Christmas books
- Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark in Hershey, PA
- Koziar’s Christmas Village in Bernville, PA
- Christmas at Homestead Gardens
- See the Howard County Ballet perform ‘The Nutcracker’
So, I will ask again.. what is on your list?
Thanks for reading and have a fantastic year!
Sara