Yes meets my Bucket List: America's Cup

Part of an ongoing project called, "The Yes Project", where I resolve to say YES more to opportunities that come my way.  Click here to see the other posts.

When I was little my family had a sailboat and my brothers took sailing lessons every summer.  While other kids were enjoying afterschool sports and shopping at the mall, I was on a boat taking sailing lessons. During one sailing lesson, our boat got way off course and when we failed to return to the harbor, the Coast Guard had to come and rescue us.   I still remember my mom on the dock fretting that I could have "been adrift for years". (We were only about two miles offshore, I highly doubt I would have been adrift for years.) 

I distinctly remember watching the America's Cup Boat Races on TV with my brothers while I was growing up and have always wanted to see the races in person.  It's item number 14 on my Bucket List.   My darling nephew asked me earlier this year to please come and visit during his birthday week. I said, "Yes."   Lucky for both of us, he lives in San Francisco, home of America's Cup, and his birthday week coincided with the World Series races.  

The America's Cup Village was super kid friendly and my kids totally caught the America's Cup Fever.  Their favorite was learning to walk on the boat nets and the America's Cup iPad game.  I loved that my Uncle and Aunt came to join us for the day!

 

We opted to watch one of the fleet races from the shoreline and as I sat on the rocks, I looked around and had that sense of community..  These were my people, who came from all over to watch America's Cup.  The lady next to me also had this on her bucket list, and when one of the boats had a spectacular capsize, we all gasped, cheered, and high fived each other.    

Can I also pause and mention how much I love my brother?   My family has changed so much over the last year and really, he is my family.  There is so much of my mom in him, and when I spend time with him, I feel closer to my mom.   I give him a hard time, but he did hog all the good genes.  Just look at those dimples.

 

If it wasn't the year of the YES, I probably would have said no to my nephew.  It took some logistics to pull this trip off, in the middle of school and sports, but Wow,  what a trip!  How often do you get opportunities to love on your nephews AND cross something off your bucket list!?  Grateful for YES!