Jennette's Bucket List

2,020 Miles in 2020

December 31, 2020

In December of 2018, My friend Jennifer asked me to do a challenge with her in 2019 to walk 2019 miles in 2019. Thought it sounded fun so I agreed. Little did I know I would have foot surgery in April and 2 broken feet by November. Needless to say I didn't make my goal (I did make 1,600 miles which was impressive considering my feet issues). I challenged myself at the beginning of 2020 to have the same goal: 2,020 miles in 2020. Today at 11:07pm, I hit that goal. It was a long year with the pandemic and yet it was actually the pandemic that made me focus on my walking and decide to really push hard to hit my goal.

I've already made the pledge for 2021. 2,021 miles here I come....

Make Kourabiedes for my Dad

December 28, 2020

My dad has always loved Kourabiedes.  It's a type of greek butter/almond cookie.  They've never been my favorite but I've always wanted to learn how to make them for my dad.  Back in April, during one of our Sunday family zoom calls, my aunt recommended a greek cookbook that she said every greek should own.  So I went out and bought it.  I tried a few of the recipes during the course of the pandemic (Pastitsio and Tiropita), but during this week's Sunday call my aunt was showing my dad the Kourabiedes that she made and I could see on his face how much he wished he was there to have some.  So I decided to pull out the cookbook and make them for him.      

I decided it would be more fun if we made them together so after I bought the stuff, I told him I needed a cookie helper.  It was a great morning of making cookies.  I think I enjoyed the time we spent together more than the cookies.

For the recipe we used, click on the photos to find it on my food blog.

Visit the Outer Banks (specifically Rodanthe, NC)

July 2019

Ever since I fell in love with Nicholas Sparks Books I've wanted to visit the Outer Banks which is where he sets the majority of his novels. I finally got to accomplish that goal this week while we spend a week in Kill Devils Hill visiting my mom's college roommate Boo. We drove through Rodanthe, NC today on our way down to see the Hatteras Light House. We stopped and I was able to take a picture with the actual house from the movie Nights in Rodanthe. This is officially checked off the list --- although I would love to come back and stay longer as all of the Outer Banks is so beautiful.

Climb a Lighthouse

July 2019

Today my dad and I climbed to the top of the Hatteras Lighthouse. Lighthouses have always represented something romantic to me about the beach and while I've seen them in pictures, today I got to climb up to the top and experience the 360° view...it was breathtaking.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is 198.5 Feet Tall. It was built in 1870 and there are 257 steps to the top. It is the World's Tallest Brick Tower Lighthouse!

I think what made it even more special to me is that a year ago, I wouldn't have been able to make the climb. I wasn't in shape to do it physically. This year has been all about getting me to where I want to be so I can accomplish my goals in life --- and today I was able to do that.

It was also amazing to accomplish this goal with my dad. Here's a picture of us at the top enjoying the amazing 360° view. You could see in every direction and it was pretty breathtaking.

Take a train trip overnight across country

June 2017

I've always wanted to take a train trip and have a sleeper car where I could sleep overnight on a train.

Mom, Dad, Emily, Buffy, Aiden & I boarded a train in Denver, CO headed to San Francisco, CA. We spent about 36 hours on the train. We enjoyed meals in the dining car (despite them having a broken kitchen!) We played cards and games in the lookout car while we enjoyed the views of the mountains. It was everything I always imagined it would be.

Take my parents to Puerto Rico

December 2014

In September of 2013, my sister and I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico while on tour with Beyonce. We both fell in love with it. We were only there for 2 days but we promised each other that we would be back and bring my parents with us.

In December 2014, we did just that. We spent 4-5 days there and it was just as magical as it was the first time. We had a great time hiking, exploring underground caves, hanging out on the beach and just being together. It was an amazing trip.

Visit Hawaii

January 2014

This is a trip that for the longest time I never thought it would happen. I planned it a few times ---- even had a condo reserved back in 2005, and then people bailed and I wasn't adventureous enough at the time to go by myself. But the stars aligned and I finally got my trip to Honolulu and Oahu in January 2014. Kelli Morrow and I enjoyed a great week there despite a near injury which left me in the condo the majority of the time --- I still enjoyed the trip immensely.

In the summer of 2017, 3 years later, my family and I planned another trip to Hawaii this time to Maui and Molokai and both islands were amazing. Hawaii is definitely a place I will continue to visit in my life. I've added the island of Kauai to my bucket list --- as it is the next Hawaiian Island I want to explore.

Visit South America/Brazil

September 2013

My sister first visited Brazil in 2006 and fell in love with the country. Listening to her describe her experiences I knew Brazil was a country I wanted to visit. What I didn't know is that I would have the opportunity to spend a month touring with Beyonce in South America WITH my sister. As luck would have it, I needed a translator to go with us and the timing worked out for Emily to be hired on to work with us.

I can't even put into words what that month meant to me. It brought Emily and I closer in a lot of ways. She was able to experience my world (concert touring) and I was able to experience her world (Brazil). We were even able to combine our worlds by allowing the kids she had previously worked with at the projects in Brazil to come and perform on Beyonce's stage and meet her. It was a special experience.

See Nine Inch Nails Perform Live

May 2009 and August 2014

I fell in love with Nine Inch Nails when I heard their album Pretty Hate Machine when I was in high school. A guy I had a crush on liked them and I listened to the album over and over and over again. While the crush didn't last, my love of NIN did. I've seen them perform live twice --- including once from the 2nd row. The show was amazing!

Visit Greece

June 2007

My parents, Emily and I spent 2 wonderful weeks in Greece in 2007. We timed the vacation so that I flew there at the end of the European tour and then flew back to the states 2 weeks later. I'll never forget arriving in Athens, taking a ferry boat over to the Island of Aegina, arriving at the hotel where my family was and crashing in a beach chair on the beach for like a 4 hour nap. To say I was exhausted from tour was an understatement.

We enjoyed 4-5 days in Aegina before boarding a cruise out of Athens to island hop. It was a pretty unique cruise experience because it was super cheap and didn't include any food. It was basically a floating hotel. We would depart each night at like 3-4am and arrive in the next port at 7am. So most of the time we slept through the cruising part and just woke up on a new island. My sister and I lucked out with getting a handicap room on the ship so we had a ton of space in our room --- wherease my parents literally had no space except for their bed.

Run a Triathalon

April 1, 2006 & April 24, 2010

I've run 2 triathalon's in my life. Both were to help the charity Cherish Our Children, International (COCI). Both were done in Galveston with my sister Emily by my side. The best part about the one in 2006 is that Emily and I would wake up early and train together leading up to the race. I cherish that time we spent together.

See a Panda Bear Exhibit

August 31, 2005

During the Destiny's Child tour in 2005, I had the opportunity to go to the San Diego Zoo and see Panda bears in person (something I've wanted to do since I went to Pershing Middle School --- we were the Pershing Pandas). They are pretty cool to see in person.

Swim with a Dolphin

February 25, 2004

In February of 2004, my best friend and I took a cruise to Mexico together. It was my first real vacation without my family ever in my life. I enjoyed the cruise thoroughly. When we were in Cozumel we did an excursion where we got to play in the water and swim with the dolphins.

In December of 2019, I also had the priviledge of experiencing this again with my sisters by my side. We had an amazing time in Mexico.

Go to the Superbowl

February 1, 2004

I got the opportunity to be on the field at the Super Bowl in 2004 because Beyonce was singing the national anthem. I crouched down 15-20 feet in front of her and took as many pictures as I could while she sang. She did an amazing job and I will always remember how special it was to be a part of that. After she performed when we were all back in her green room --- she wanted pictures with everyone who was there so that she could remember every part of it. So I have a picture of the two of us from this day.

I also should mention this Super Bowl was made infamous during the halftime show as this is when Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake performed together and there was the "wardrobe malfunction."

See the Eiffel Tower

May 16, 2002

So I started learning the French language in 6th grade and continued studying it throughout my education (2.5 years in middle school, 3 years in high school and 1 year in college). I knew I wanted to visit Paris the moment I started learning the language and I knew I wanted to stand under the Eiffel Tower. It just had this feeling of romance that I knew I wanted to experience.

What I didn't know is that my first trip to Paris was going to be for only one day while working on the tour with Destiny's Child in 2002. I got off the bus at 7am and found out that the Eiffel Tower was 20 minutes from the venue by cab which I knew would be expensive --- but I knew I had to make it happen. So I went by myself in a cab to experience the Eiffel Tower for the first time. I spent 15 minutes basking in the glory of it and took a few selfies on a camera that needed film (hoping they came out at the time) and then got back in a cab to go back to work.

I've since been back and experienced it fully a few times but I still don't regret making it happen that first time.

Visit Disney World

November 2001

My family and I visited Disney World in November 2001. We had a great time since we were all adults and could enjoy the nostalgia of it all.

Graduate College

May 12, 2001

I got my Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Mass Communication: Radio, TV & Film on May 12, 2001. In addition to getting my degree, what made this day so special is everyone who came up to Canyon/Amarillo to celebrate with me from Houston: Mom, Dad, Emily, Buffy, Betsy, Bill, Heidi, Kelly, Andy, etc. My parents rented a party bus to take us all out all around town that night. I have a lot of great memories from that day/night.

Work on a Movie Set

September 2000-November 2000

In August 2000, I was given an opportunity to postpone my college graduation by 6 months and work on a film called What Matters Most. This time in my life was so special to me and gave me 3 lifelong friends (Ransford, Sue & Charla) in the process. I loved every minute of my time on set and it is a dream to be able to work on another movie at some point in the future.

Visit Long Beach, CA (Where My Parents Met)

July 1999

In the summer of 1999, my family took a road trip through Colorado and up into Washington and then down the California coast including a stop in redwood country in northern California where we got to explore the Redwood Forest. This was an amazing trip for a lot of reasons but the bucket list item was getting to see where my parents met in Long Beach, CA. My mom delivered my dad's mail so getting to see his old apartment and walk her postal route was pretty special.

Visit Another Country

June 1996

In the summer of 1996 right after I graduated high school, I had the opportunity to go to Scotland and England as part of a Madrigals Choir trip for 2 weeks. It was an amazing trip and my first time traveling overseas. I turned 18 while we were there which meant that I could drink legally (so I had my first legal drink in a Hard Rock Cafe while celebrating my birthday with Chester & Jennifer. We got to sight-see and saw Big Ben, The London Bridge, etc.

We saw Sunset Blvd live as well as Riverdance before it became popular --- I was in love with Riverdance. I bought the CD Soundtrack and listened to it on repeat for almost a year!