Looking back on my year of joy...

It's been quite a year, 2013 has - full of fun, new things and plenty of joy!

Here are some of the lessons learned, things that challenged me, and joyful experiences this year brought:

January 1, 2013 - I began the day by watching the 124th Rose Parade from Pasadena, California. This year's theme was, "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" based on the Dr. Seuss book. What a great theme for the parade and for my year! I went to several places: Cuba, southern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana/Wyoming/Idaho, and all over Europe!

Another plus to today was the temperature - right around zero and sunny. My friend Melinda and I went for our first cross-country ski of the season, and it was quite enjoyable! Finally, in the evening I watched a special presentation of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra that takes place each year at the Golden Hall in Vienna, Austria. I visited this beautiful concert venue during my first trip to Europe and it was such a treat to be part of the audience once again!

March 2013 - The movie playing on my flight to Cuba was called Chasing Mavericks. I had never heard of it before, and less than enthusiastically began watching it only to be sucked into a drama about an average boy who had a very big dream: to surf mavericks - the largest waves in the world. This boy continued to dream, grow, and train to relentlessly pursue his goal. He wouldn't settle, wouldn't be dissuaded by anyone, and kept his eye on the prize - eventually achieving his goal and conquering many more. I was quite amazed by this rather unassuming movie about surfing, cried tears of joy and sadness, and continue to be challenged to dream big!

September/October 2013 - I traveled to Italy for my dream 40th birthday trip, and it truly was a dream come true! While in Italy I heard over and over again, "Live!", "Live Life!", "Enjoy Life!", "Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!)" It's so simple really, but we don't do it. We get bogged down in the shoulda, coulda, woulda's and only every seem to mire in the mundane. Well, no more. I'm going to live life and enjoy life!

December 2013 - In the days leading up to Christmas, I watched another movie that really made an impact on me: Secondhand Lions. In this movie we meet two older men who didn't want to stop living, but had nothing to live for anymore. Nothing, until a great-nephew who needed them showed up at their door. The men began to live again, if only in the stories of their adventure they told to young Walt. And, wouldn't you know, Walt had an affect on them too - they had lived their lives to the full in their youth, and Walt challenged them to keep living (after all, their lives weren't over yet!). The last two lines of the movie are very special:

Sheik's Grandson to Adult Walter: "They really lived?"

Adult Walter to Sheik's Grandson: "They REALLY lived!"

Wow! What a challenge to drink deeply of life, live life to the full, and live life out loud. John 10:10 has been my favourite verse for the last decade. In the Amplified Version it says, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." That's my goal! That's what I want!

It's the 1st anniversary of my blog - it's 12/12/13!

Last year on 12/12/12, I began this blog. It was a bit of a whim and a bit of a great plan I had yet to see unfold.

I had ambitions of creating and crossing all 40 items off my list in a single year, and a great feat that would have been. I have seen too many years - especially summers - whiz by on me while I'm left with thoughts of, "I wish I would have done this or that." This year, I surpassed my goals, my expectations and had many new and fun experiences. Was it worth it? Oh yes, it was! Do I want to see and do and experience more? You bet, I do!

So, here's the plan... In this, my 40th year, I hope to finish off my '40 Things' list and also do these 10 bonus items I've come up with:

41. Attend a Regina Red Sox baseball game.
42. Visit Saskatchewan's only lighthouse.
43. Run a 5K.
44. Visit the Great Sandhills in Saskatchewan.
45. Visit a Canadian province or territory I haven't been to before.
46. Attend the annual kite festival in Swift Current.
47. Visit a major US city I haven't been to before.
48. Watch a sunrise.
49. Try another activity that's new to me.
50. It's a surprise (even to me!) - I'll know it when the opportunity presents itself.

The 'Big Day' has finally arrived!

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday, I'm 40... Happy Birthday to me!

Today is the big day - the year of lead up, of creating and then crossing items off my mini bucket list, has come to this - I am now 40!

It's been a good day. Today, for the first time ever in my adult life, I had the day off work - on a weekday! I tried to make this happen ten years ago when I turned 30, but my plans fell through. This time around it worked, and so I spent the day with friends.

To begin with, I had breakfast at Smitty's with four special ladies - Helen, June, Debra and Kathy. This has been our thing we do the last few years - get together a few times a year over breakfast and catch up on each others' lives.

In the afternoon, I met another friend Dorothy at a newer coffee shop I hadn't been to before - Le Macaron. Sounds yummy, doesn't it? It was - check out this French-named concoction I devoured!

To cap off the day, I met three friends for supper at Boston Pizza. We enjoyed a good meal, had a wonderful visit, and I went home full - and blessed!

It was wonderful to see so many people I hadn't seen in a few months and have them help me celebrate this rather momentous occasion - definitely a special way to spend a special day!

And, thank you to friends near and far who followed along with me on this journey. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm not done yet. The mini bucket list is only half done and I have a whole year of being 40 ahead of me, so I'm going to attempt to finish off this list in 2014.

Stayed tuned...

Only one month left...

Wow! I'm down to one month before my 40th birthday and I'm only half done my list. It has been a lot of fun experiencing a number of new things this year. I am not giving up on my list; I am going to continue to work on it over the next year and may even add a few new items! Stay tuned...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!

Item #40 - Go on Dream 40th Birthday Trip!

I'm ba-ack!

My friend Melinda and I left Canada on September 22 and spent a month in Europe. We visited 9 countries, did 2 tours, and took lots of pictures!

My highlights were Pisa and Venice in Italy and Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Pisa was beautiful and entirely made of marble - wow! Venice was where I had my "pinch me, I'm on a gondola in Venice, Italy" moment. And Ljubljana (pronounced Lube-lee-on-a) was a pleasant surprise - it was the first place we had been that truly felt European and looked just like a miniature replica of Prague.

We saw a lot of great places, met a bunch of wonderful people, and made memories to last a lifetime. I am so glad I made this trip happen - it is not without costs though: I will be paying for this for a while. However, I was encouraged several times by those who were older on our tours - those who said, "Good for you for traveling when you're young."

The message we heard over and over (especially in Italy) was "Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!" In other words, don't put off what you want to do. You don't know how long you have, and we all need to live each day to the fullest! Go to it everyone!

The infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Enjoying Venice's canals by gondola!

Beautiful Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia!

Item #36 - Play my first solo concert on the bells

Tonight I played my first concert on the bells at Knox Metropolitan Church!

Over the last few months I put together a program of pieces I've been learning. Each concert begins with a Psalm, ends with an Amen, and is made up of pieces we've been working on over the last year. Here is my concert program:

1. Psalm of Approach
2. Jesus Loves Me
3. Ar Hyd Y Nos (with Carol)
4. Regent Square
5. Gwalchmai
6. Franconia
7. Walton
8. Maryton
9. Interlude #20 (with Carol)
10. Paderborn
11. Hymn of Joy
12. Lafferty (duet with Carol)
13. Royal Oak (with Carol)
14. See My Fingers
15. St. Denio
16. Jacob's Ladder (with Carol)
17. Mozart
18. Jankoy
19. Oranges and Lemons
20. Popeye Theme
21. Amen

Because my shoulders and neck have been bothering me quite a bit this year, there were some songs I had help with. Carol has been the one teaching and overseeing my bell ringing and has been a great help to me getting to this point. It's been a lot of fun!

Item #33 - Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset

Friday the 13th was a beautiful day... 30 above in mid-September??? We'll take it!

As I drove home from work, I noticed there were wispy-looking clouds all over the sky and I thought this could be 'the' night to watch a sunset from Wascana Hill - perfect weather and a great set up (cloud-wise) for something spectacular!

I arrived and walked up the hill about 15 minutes before the sun actually set and started snapping pictures. I had time to look around the city and surrounding area from my vantage point, which did appear to be the area of highest elevation around - other than the landfill, of course.

I was treated to a very nice sunset after which the remaining clouds all went pink. It was a beautiful night!

 

Item #38 - Go fly a kite!

I crossed a second item off my list over the Labour Day long weekend - I flew a kite!

Now this may not sound grand and exciting, but the truth is I haven't flown a kite since I was a kid and my dad always got it going and then let us hold the string when it was up and stable. I wanted to fly a kite because it looked like fun and because my childhood memories of doing so were fuzzy at best.

I did have a couple of crashes, but also prevented a few too. I got my kite as high up and the string as short as I dared. It was a fun, relaxing and enjoyable experience, and I'll have to do it again sometime soon!

Item #39 - Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before

Well, not only did I play mini golf on a course that I haven't been on before... my whole family did!

'Twas the Sunday of the Labour Day long weekend and we decided to head to the Nipawin Regional Park for lunch down by the river. Unfortunately, the restaurant was full right at noon, so we headed back to the park entrance for a round of 'Nipawin-themed' mini golf to kill some time and whet our appetites even more.

The mini golf course is a fun and fairly new course that highlights things you'd see in and around Nipawin such as the water tower, Newfield Seeds elevator, the old CPR bridge, and so forth. We all enjoyed 'touring' the town as we played, and Daren won the round.

Item #39 - done!

I'm 39 and 3/4 today!

Wow! Only 3 months left until I turn 40 - where has the time gone???

August was a very hot month temperature-wise (30+ with humidity), and I let that prevent me from accomplishing very much on my list, but here is an update on my '40 Things' list anyway. I'm getting there...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!

One month from now...

One month from now I will have arrived in Rome, Italy to begin item #40 on my '40 Things' list - Go on my dream 40th birthday trip!

There have been a few changes along the way, but the itinerary is now set. Here is the plan:

1) Fly to Rome, Italy.
2) A 2-week tour of Italy beginning and ending in Rome (see a previous post for our route).
3) Travel from Rome to Ljubljana, Slovenia by train.
4) An 8-day tour of Slovenia and Croatia beginning and ending in Ljubljana.
5) Fly from Ljubljana to London, England.
6) A few days in London.
7) Travel to Paris, France - we're thinking we'll take the Chunnel...
8) A few days in Paris.
9) Fly home.

As you can see, this trip will take more than a week or two... In fact, it's going to take a whole month! We figured while in Rome, we might as well see as much as we can. And that we will definitely do!

Stay tuned for the post-trip blog post!

Item #21 - Try an activity that's new to me

On our last day in Yellowstone National Park, Penny and I did a couple of hikes in the mountains - the first to the falls and the second to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!

Our first hike had me huffing and puffing a bit, even though it wouldn't be daunting to most. The elevation has a lot to do with it as I'm used to the 'flat-as-a-pancake' prairie land of Saskatchewan. I didn't lag too far behind on hike #1, so determined I was up for a second hike.

Hike #2 was a little more challenging however... It was a 600 foot hike down on switchbacks, and therefore also a 600 foot hike back up on switchbacks. It wasn't too bad going down, but the trip back up had me lagging, huffing and puffing, drinking water like it was going out of style, and so forth. Seniors passed me, people carrying children passed me, but I persevered. Fortunately, the 'hike' was more than worth it as we were rewarded with absolutely spectacular views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!

 

Item #7 - Visit a US state I haven't been to before

This past long weekend, I and a new friend Penny traveled to Wyoming to see both the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

I had only been to a couple of small places in northeastern Montana, so most of this state was new to me as well. We followed the Lewis & Clark trail (now a highway) through Montana to Livingston for our first night's stop. The next day, less than an hour's drive took us to the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park and the great state of Wyoming.

We began our tour of Yellowstone with Mammoth Hot Springs - an absolutely amazing area full of weird things, then followed the road down the west side of Yellowstone to see Old Faithful. We didn't have to wait long as she goes off approximately every hour and a half, and it really was something to see! That night we backtracked a bit and drove out the west entrance and admired the crops on the way to Driggs, Idaho - our stop for the night.

The next day we explored Grand Teton National Park, the highlight being a scenic cruise on Jackson Lake that took us right up to the base of the mountains. We then drove through the south entrance of Yellowstone and around the very scenic Yellowstone Lake to the east entrance and our B&B for the night.

Our final day of touring in Yellowstone took us back in the east entrance where we explored some of the waterfalls and canyons as we drove up the east side of the park and out the northeast entrance toward the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, which had been highly recommended to us. This was another highlight as we found ourselves on winding roads leading up a mountain towards an 8,000 foot summit and spectacular views before making our way back to the B&B for the night.

We made our way home the following day and now have lots of pictures and memories to remind us of this adventure. I would highly recommend taking a week to do this trip, although I think it would be possible to spend a whole month exploring Yellowstone - there is SO much to see and do!

I'm 39 and 2/3 today...

Wow! It is hard to believe that it's only 4 months until my 40th birthday! I have crossed a few more things off my '40 Things' list, so I thought an update was in order.

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!

Item #32 - Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before

My sister Susan and I finished our whirlwind Manitoba trip with a visit to Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP) and, in particular, Clear Lake.

It was a cool, windy day and the breeze off the lake made it feel even chillier... We walked out to the pier and tried a couple of the paths, but one was flooded and the other wasn't sheltered enough from the wind to make it enjoyable. So, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping, right? Absolutely!

We visited the gift shops and clothing stores, sorted through all kinds of souvenirs, looked through an used book store, and tried a few of the local delicacies like fresh cinnamon buns, huge slices of pizza and hard ice cream, which was available in a lot of new and interesting flavours.

We only spent a few hours at Clear Lake, but it was enough time to decide that we need to come back some day. It's a beautiful place!

  

Item #20 - Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before

After touring Carberry, my sister Susan and I drove to Neepawa where we planned to stay the night. Surprisingly, Neepawa was the highlight of the trip - it's a beautiful town surrounded by rolling hills and full of historic buildings, green spaces and lots of lilies.

We came across numerous beautiful planters, flower beds, gardens and parks full of lilies in this 'Lily Capital', so I had my choice of places to stop and smell the flowers!

The annual Lily Festival had just taken place the weekend before we arrived in Neepawa, so there were hundreds (maybe thousands) of lilies in full bloom for us. This might have to become an annual trip!

Item #23 - Learn more about my family history

Today my sister Susan and I drove to Carberry, Manitoba where our paternal grandfather was born. Neither of us had ever been here before, so we were eager to explore this town.

Tip #1: Make sure you know which time zone your destination is in.

We started out our day an hour later than we planned on, but by the time we arrived in Carberry we had lost another hour. Saskatchewan time doesn't change, but Manitoba time does! Ah well, we carried on...

Our first stop was the Carberry Museum which included a tour of the 'gingerbread house' - one of only three such styled houses in Canada. This was my favourite part of the town tour actually - it was so pretty and unique on the outside. We began our tour of the museum, but never did finish it as we had other places we wanted to see, such as the library. There we scoured through the history books of the area as quickly as we could, but no reference to the Laycock family was found.

Looking back at the records my dad's cousin Clarence had provided me with, we saw that my great grandparents had only lived in Carberry for eight years (1902-1910) before moving to Saskatoon. My grandpa was born in January 1910, so was only a few months old when the move occurred.

We realized we weren't going to learn very much, so we turned our attention to the historic main street of Carberry, which has stood for over 100 years. Between walking the street where my great grandparents would have walked and seeing a picture in the museum of how the main street looked in 1904, I felt we had gotten a good view of the little town of Carberry, Manitoba.

More information on Carberry can be found here: http://www.townofcarberry.ca/.

Item #30 - Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before

Yesterday my sister Susan and I drove to Coronach, SK to do the Big Muddy Tour! The full day tour took us through the valley’s spectacular scenery to Castle Butte and onto the caves that were used as hideouts for horse thieves.

My favourite part was climbing Castle Butte! It definitely got the heart rate pounding and it was fun to make our way to the top and see views of the surrounding countryside. It was beautiful!

I highly recommend the day trip - you'll see a lot of sights and learn a great deal about the history of the area just a stone's throw from the US border. For more information, check out this link: http://www.townofcoronach.com/tours-badlands.html.

Item #37 - Attend an Outdoor Movie Event

A few years ago, something previously unheard of started taking place in Regina - outdoor movie events. It was something I had only previously seen in the movies, and although I had a desire to go and watch a movie on a big screen outdoors, I never went... until last night.

My friend Debra and I went to see Despicable Me being shown outdoors in downtown Regina. It was such a fun movie and we had many opportunities to chuckle and laugh out loud. The hero of the story was an unsuccessful villain named Gru (pronounced 'grew'), and he learned that relationships are more important than achievements through the help of three orphan girls that just happened to need someone to love them too.

Here are some fun lines from Despicable Me:

• Gru: It's like my heart is a tooth, and it's got a cavity that can only be filled with children. 
• Edith: When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this would be more like Annie.
• Gru: [reading the book he wrote] One big unicorn, strong and free, thought he was happy as he could be. Then three little kittens came around and turned his whole life upside down. They made him laugh, they made him cry. He never should have said goodbye. And now he knows he can never part from those three little kittens that changed his heart.

Actually, the movie reminds me of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and how the Grinch's heart grew three sizes that day... And I highly recommend both!

Item #5 - Plan My Dream 40th Birthday Trip

A couple of years ago I had the idea of going on a trip to celebrate my 40th birthday, and since last fall I've been thinking and dreaming and planning... Where to go? What do I want to see? What would be a special way to celebrate a birthday ending in a zero?

I decided I wanted to see Italy and Paris the most, and that's what I shall do! My good friend Melinda and I will be traveling to Europe this fall for a whole month!

Our adventure begins in Rome where we will do a tour of Italy for two weeks (see itinerary picture below), then we have a few days off to see a bit more of Italy that isn't on our tour, up next we're doing a one-week tour of Slovenia and Croatia (neighbouring countries), and finally we'll have a couple of days to sight see in Paris.

It truly will be a dream come true for me!

The List is Complete!

Ta-da! Here we have it... the complete '40 Things' List!

I'm not sure when all of these 40 things are going to get done, but I will definitely try my best in the remaining four months. Now, which item should I tackle next?

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!

Item #18 - Attend a Victorian Tea

This afternoon my friend Liberty and I attended a Victorian Tea at Government House.

We had a lovely time as dining on finger sandwiches, scones and strawberry butter, the dessert of our choice: strawberry shortcake, and all the tea we could drink. We were serenaded by some piano playing and enjoyed our time in the ballroom of one of the oldest buildings in Regina.

Did we enjoy it? Yes! We're already planning to go again...

Item #35 - Attend Mosaic

I traveled around the world this weekend at the 46th Annual Mosaic - a multicultural festival.

The journey (http://www.reginamulticulturalcouncil.ca/uploads/files/general/11//2013-mosaic-pavilion-map-%28mosaic-transpo-centre%29.pdf) began after work on Friday with my boss/coworker/friend Carissa). Our first stop was at an Ukrainian pavilion where one of Carissa's family members was part of a dancing group. There I had perogies that melted in my mouth and Carissa had cabbage rolls.

Our next stop was at the Greek pavilion where we tried dolmades and loukoumades (Google them!) and enjoyed more dancing entertainment.

Next up was the Philippine pavilion. Here I was quite enthralled with the dancing rhythms and patterns with four people moving long bamboo poles in patterns and another four people dancing/stepping in between those moving poles. Man, one wrong move and everyone would go crashing! The dance steps were detailed, precise and amazing all at the same time. It kind of reminded me of Chinese skipping (for those who know what that is - it was popular in the 80s). At this pavilion we tried empanadas and a banana roll - yum!

Then off we went to the Italian pavilion... Note to self: start here next time - the plate of spaghetti and meatballs looked amazing! It was hard not to try more than one dish here, but we decided on splitting a slice of Mediterranean vegetarian pizza. Mmm... the crust was so unlike anything we have in North America - I could cut it in half with a plastic knife - wow! The entire half slice was delectable. Should I still be thinking about it and salivating???

From Italy we went to Ireland and found out the Irish pavilion is quite a popular one! Live music, Irish pubs, food catered by a local restaurant (Brewster's) - it was packed. We looked around, I became a leprechaun for a short time, and onto our next stop...

Korea! This was the friendliest pavilion we went to - everyone wanted us to "have a great time in Korea." There was singing and dancing, lots of food and fun frozen treats like my melon yogurt-type popsicle, and I even dressed up for a postcard-like photograph.

Our last stop for the evening was Brazil and was it ever energetic! We were glued to our seats watching the drum playing, dancing that involved gymnastics-type moves and roundhouse kicks, and the amazing choreography evident in every step. It was a definite wow and I'm glad we stopped in to check out Brazil.

On Saturday, I continued touring with stops at the Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Scottish, Francophone (French-speaking nations), and Austrian pavilions. It was a whirlwind trip, but one I'm glad I took. It was definitely an experience I'd recommend to others.

Happy Travels!

It's My Un-birthday!

Today is May 28th and that marks the halfway point to my 40th birthday on November 28th!

I've realized that some of my '40 things' aren't as realistic as I thought, so I've been editing and tweaking the list a bit lately. For example, my goal of creating one website a month isn't happening, so I've changed it. My goal now is to get my website business off the ground, which may still be a lofty goal but does seem a tad more doable.

I've also taken the pressure off myself to get everything done before my 40th birthday. This whole list is meant to be a fun lead-up to the next decade, and if it takes me a bit longer than I planned on, that's all right.

It's also been a challenge to come up with the last five 'things' so I will keep you in suspense for a little while longer. In the meantime, here's an update on the list:

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.

Item #9 - Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s

Well, way back in mid-April, I went to National Scrapbook Day - an annual event put on by Creative Memories consultants here in the city.

I was able to get some one-on-one time with my consultant Cindy, who helped me with my first-ever digital scrapbook. She got me and my project going and was available to help when I needed some 'tech support'. Amazingly, I was able to get most of the album together that weekend.

Then life got busier and the journaling needed to complete the album got pushed down the priority list. About a month later, I finally finished the journaling, reviewed everything, and submitted the file.

I didn't have to wait long... The album was processed the next day and was on its way back to me a day later. Within a week I had my album and I love it!

Now, what should I scrapbook next?

It's Time for an Update!

It's been a while since I last blogged, I've crossed off a few more things on my list, and something interesting is happening - this blog is encouraging others to make their own bucket lists or do something special for their upcoming birthdays ending in zeros. That's an aspect I never considered when I started all this, and I think it's pretty cool! To all of us, carpe diem - seize the day! And on that note, here are my next 5 things...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.

Item #1 - Go Snowshoeing

Well, I can cross another item off my list... Today I went snowshoeing!

We had a pretty nice day for it with temperatures around zero, fresh snow that arrived overnight, and our walking surface was fairly solid - not too much sinking into the snow. We walked some ridges along a fence line, crossed a frozen creek and some grassland, and walked around a golf course still very buried in snow. Pictured below my friend Dorothy and I are snowshoeing on snow drifts 4-6 feet off the ground.

I've cross-country skied since I was little, so am far most used to a gliding motion than a high-stepping motion on snow, but it was fun to try. I've lived in Saskatchewan all my life and it's about time I gave snowshoeing a whirl!

Item #12 - Go Kayaking

Our last day on the beach in Cuba was a beautiful one. The water was calm once again after a cold front had come through - it was perfect for taking out a kayak for the first time.

I'm not sure what would have been easier - a one-person or a two-person kayak, but my friend Korin and I gave the two-person kayak a whirl and had fun. Thankfully, there were no grades given on paddling as our rhythm wasn't great and we kept hitting each others' paddles. :)

Item #15 - Go Horseback Riding

Following the river cruise where I tried lobster, our next stop was at a farm with all sorts of options for activities - one of which was horseback riding. Just like trying the lobster earlier, the opportunity to ride a horse presented itself and I thought, "Why not?"

The positives:

• The horses were very tame.
• The horses weren't too large - they were about my height.
• The route was short - just up the road and back again.

Prior to this opportunity, I had been thinking I'd find an hour-long ride I could go on somewhere. But after the ride (which wasn't longer than 10 minutes), it was interesting to realize that 'up the road and back' was just enough. Going horseback riding simply means I tried, not I had to complete a trail ride. Whew!

Item #3 - Eat something I've never tried before

With the help of a recent trip to Cuba, I've been able to cross a few more things off my mini bucket list. Up first: food!

While sailing down a river during one of our excursions, we had the option to have a lobster snack. Well, for 5 pesos (equivalent to $5) each, why not?

The lobster was pretty good, and I'm glad I tried it. While I may not rush out to a restaurant to have it again, this non-seafood lover is glad she gave the 'chicken of the sea' a taste.

Here we go... Hot off the presses!

Well, hello all you night owls! It's 2:30 a.m. and I can't sleep, so I might as well blog, eh? Here are my next 5 things...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.

And there's more...

It's that time again - time for another update! No, I haven't crossed anything else off the list, and yet it continues to grow! Here are the next 5 things:

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.

The list is growing...

Little by little, the '40 Things' mini bucket list is coming together. With this installment, I am halfway done creating the list... and it's harder than it seems!

I think most of us have one or two things we'd like to try at any given time, but when you attempt to expand that to ten or twenty (or forty!) items, it's a little difficult. Sometimes you get stuck on one theme and can't see anything else on the horizon and other times the ideas just flow. Well, here's to you and me getting those things on a list and then doing them!

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.

And the next 5 things...

The '40 Things' list is growing! Here are the next five things...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.

It looks like I've got my work cut out for me already, and this isn't even half the list. Oh my!

2013: The Year of Joy!

Happy New Year!

I came across the following on Facebook last week...

Been pondering and praying about my ONE WORD for 2013.

Last year, my word was EXPECTANCY... I kept a journal of Scripture, quotes and graphics that the Lord showed me throughout the year.

Are you choosing ONE WORD or ONE VERSE this year? Want to share?

This post piqued my curiosity as I've prayed/thought about a word or verse before, but once chosen it's always been left at that. I was delighted with the idea of seeking out whatever word/verse I got throughout the year - in words, in graphics, in whatever! I'm in, and my word for 2013 is JOY!

I was challenged via email by a friend on my birthday to read the book of Philippians in the Bible in one sitting and be ministered to by it. Over a month has gone by, but it was the first thing I did this morning - reading the 'book of joy' to begin this new year of joy off right. Several things jumped out at me as I read this short book:

1. Paul was imprisoned when he wrote his letter.
2. He wasn't focused on himself, but on others.
3. Paul challenges us to 'do everything without complaining or arguing'.
4. His goal: 'Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.'
5. Paul's charge to us: 'Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!'

These items made me realize that although our lives (or certain times in them) may be difficult, none of those difficulties need to define us. We can choose joy! I take that as a personal challenge this year. What about you?