Bucket list writing 101

There are a few things to consider when writing a bucket list. First of all, for those of you who don't know, a bucket list is a list of all the amazing things you want to see and do before you die. (Or while you are alive!! As I like to think of it.)

Here are some basic rules when writing one:

1) Don't think of the "how" and "when"! Just write it. Don't ever not put something on your list because you think it's unattainable. I firmly believe that once you set out to do something, the stars somehow align and make it possible.

2) Add everything, even if it scares you. My sister once told me, "If it scares you, do it!" I have followed her advice ever since that day and my life has changed! The only way to grow is to break away from your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

3) Make it fun and crazy! Imagine what your life would be like at the end, if you crossed everything off your list.

4) DO NOT worry about what other people think of your list. You don't ever have to show anyone if you don't want to.

5) Don't finish it. You can always add to it.

So for fun, I thought I would share with you, my bucket list. Keep in mind, some of these have been crossed off already. ;)

• Go skinny dipping
• Run the April Fools Run
• Raise $100 000.00 for charity
• Go to Paris and kiss under the tower
• See New York at Christmas time
• Go zip lining
• Go Kayaking 
• Take a Yoga class
• Become a successful, published author
• Go to Disneyland at Christmas
• Meet a celebrity
• Be on TV. A real show, not the news
• See a real fashion show
• Watch the Northern lights with my family
• Have lunch with Bryan Adams
• Be on the cover of a magazine
• Go to Nashville and wear cowboy boots
• Eat lobster on the East Coast
• Landscape my yard
• Become a millionaire
• Do the West Coast Trail
• Have a girls only camping weekend
• Judge a food contest
• Win a huge jackpot at a casino
• Take my family on the East Coast cruise
• Hold hands with my husband on our 50th wedding anniversary
• Go indoor rock climbing
• Run a successful business
• Start a charity
• Swim in an infinity pool
• swim with dolphins
• Own a new, white Mustang with pink metal flake racing stripes
• Finish my degree
• Compete in a fitness competition
• Renew my wedding vow in a cheese Vegas chapel
• Dance in a burlesque show
• Camp on the beaches of the Oregon coast
• Kiss under a waterfall
• Go river rafting
• Have a pen pal
• Ride on a steam train
• See the Klamath basin
• Experience the Calgary Stampede
• Participate in a bike race
• Organize a charity run
• See my boys be successful
• Walk through a foreign village in the middle of winter, see the street lights glow through the snow
• Hold my grandchildren   
• Change someones life
• Eat Kobe beef

That is all....for now anyway. Have fun writing!!

To the past and to the future.

After I tucked my kids into bed, I was thinking about how the day had gone. My parents are quick to tell me (especially today) where I am going wrong in raising my kids. I am sure I am not alone in this. It made me think of how I might act in their situation, and I thought it would be a good idea to make little reminders of what not to do as I get older. It also got me thinking of the past, where I came from and how I got to be the person I am today.  So for fun, here are top 5 things I would tell myself at 18, and the top five things to tell my future self.

To my 18 year old self:

* Getting hit with an orange going 75miles/hour in the hallway at school is not the worst thing that will ever happen to you. So let it slide.

* There are better days to come!! You will have a full life that you never dreamed possible! Wishes will come true, you will one day be in control of your life, and the people in your life will really matter.

* You will discover the meaning of true friendship. It may take a while, and you will find it in places you never expected, but you will find it.

* Love is not at all what you think it is, and there is no need to rush. You will find true love one day and you will KNOW it. You will feel it in your bones and no one else in the world matters.

* You will one day be strong. So strong, you will be capable of anything. You will set goals and achieve them, you will set standards and rise above them, you will do anything you dream of doing, because you can.


To my future self:

* Your kids are going to make mistakes. It is your job to support them. Even if you think they are wrong, they need to make mistakes.

*  When your kids are doing something they are excited about, get excited with them!

* Never forget that time spent together is worth more than diamonds or all the wealth in the world. Silly times together is what you remember in the end.

* Try to remember that raising kids is a one time gig. Your job after that is to be the best grandparents you can be. You don't get to do it twice.

* Remember that true family are the people in your life who support you, stick beside you thick and thin, dry your tears and celebrate your triumphs.

Changing tides.

With the changing tides, come new days, fresh sand, and little treasures. But overall, things remain the same. It's only after years that the rocks and surrounding beaches show any differences. I feel like the way I live my life is the same. I am always in a crazy circle, fighting with my inner self. Trying to be more creative, trying to be more organized, always trying to do more for everyone. Somehow that is changing, and I think I like it!

This change has been knocking at the backdoor of my brain for months now but I have been ignoring it. It's like there is a little voice in my head saying "You don't need do that, you don't have to be that way." I keep thinking it's just a phase, or I am overworked or tired....But the more I step back, the more I simplify, the more I LIKE IT!

I decided last week that I was going to make some huge changes in my life. It meant cleaning out 15years of love and creativity and starting fresh. I have made space for a tiny part of my former life to remain, and the rest will all be cleaned out, painted over and started over. I will no longer be the person who has every little piece of fabric you could need, I will no longer have 19 colors of glitter (that part makes me a little sad) and I will no longer have 500 buttons. As a sat in my craft room tonight, I wondered if I this was another phase I was going though, hormones, or maybe even a mid-life crisis....I still wonder if I am making the right decision. I will be taking the leap of faith, and turning my craft room into a commercial kitchen. I will be able to make my cool cakes for stores and restaurants, cover more events, get into weddings, and try to make a little something out of my crafty ways to support our little family. It's a big step, and once I commit there is no turning back. I like to think I am ready. I will no longer be pushing and pulling myself in a million different directions. I will have one clear path, a real career.

I know it looks like I am taking on another project, and I am. But at the same time, trimming everything else.   I will have more time with my kids, more focus with my booty camp girls (who I love and would never trade in, not for all the diamonds in the world!), and less STUFF!!

I am scared and unsure of what this will bring, but my mom always taught me that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. And I believe that's true.


Always remember where you came from, never look back, and keep your eyes on the road ahead.

Thank you for your support. Much love. <3

Confessions of a do it all junkie

Yes, I am one of those. I do it all. I bake, I'm crafty, I can sew, I make all my Christmas gifts and Halloween costumes, I will stack firewood and I am a rock star in the sack. But there are a lot of things I don't or can't do. And in a lot of ways, my life the most disorganized chaos I have ever seen.

For example, let me be the first to tell you, I don't clean my house. I have been living here for three years and I have only cleaned the windows once. I clean my kitchen (out of necessity) but things like dusting and washing walls will never get done. Laundry doesn't get put away either. It constantly sits in limbo between clean and dirty, hanging out in the laundry baskets. I often have to do the smell test before I wear something...is this the clean basket or dirty one...??? When people come over, they are picking food off my kitchen table because I didn't clean it from the night before... or the night before that.

As far as my sewing skills, my mom taught me to sew before anything else. I was sewing my own Barbie clothes because we couldn't afford to buy them. As I got older I sewed my own clothes or got thrift store treasures and HAD to make them cool. I have been sewing for 25 years and have gotten really fast at it over the years.

I once stayed up until midnight working on a Halloween costume the night before.

My first ten (at least) cakes were a complete disaster! I made one that actually fell over in the fridge before I got to deliver it. Thank god it was for a friend, and I had time to buy one before the party.  I even made one that sunk into itself. The top tier literally fell into the bottom one.  I practiced my cake decorating skills on my family first. They have suffered through a number of disaster cakes! I even forgot to put sugar in one. oops.

I cannot turn off my brain! I am constantly thinking about everything. It's a curse!!

I bribe my kids with tv and marshmallows so I can get stuff done.

I start my Christmas gift making in June! It takes me that long.

I once stayed up until 2am decorating a cake. By the time I was done, I was so wired that I couldn't sleep. The next day was a loonnnggg day.

I am terrified of public speaking, being in large groups, and talking to people I don't know. I literally sweat my body weight, and am near vomiting the entire time I am in any of these situations.

I have no self control! I once ate an entire advent calendar after bringing it home. It was a kinder surprise one too... lots of chocolate. And it wasn't even mine!

I tend to be bossy and take over certain situations. (If you ask any of my close friends, this is a ridiculous understatement) I have slight control issues.

All in all, I have to take the good with the bad. I love my crazy life but sometimes I wish I could just sit and enjoy it without thinking of a million things or making a million plans. There is a balance.....I think. I will find it one day.

My dad once told me to write what I know. I know romance. I also know what is not romance. I would like to share with you, some not so romantic gestures. This blog is specifically for men, to teach them what not to do. Rules of romance if you will.


#1) Do not buy any of the following for her birthday or anniversary: power tools, kitchen appliances, weed eaters, chainsaws, car parts, boat motors and/or accessories, or BBQ's. Even if she wants one and you do buy one of these items, it's a good idea to buy something else to go with it, like chocolate or jewelry.

#2) Watching porn is not foreplay. Neither is "Hey, you wanna do it?" Let me put this into terms you can understand. Women are like a diesel engine, you need to warm her up and get her going before you even think about taking her for a spin. But once you do that, she will perform like no other.

#3) Buying flowers are best when they are unexpected. You want more points, bring home a chocolate bar too. And not just a regular one, bring home the fancy stuff.

#4) Opening her car door IS romantic, especially if you have been married for more than six months.

#5) If a woman plans a date night, go with it! Do not complain about ANYTHING.

#6) Saying a woman looks great in her new dress, without her having to ask, will get you lucky.

#7) When a woman is standing in front of you in her underwear, looking right at you, there is a 98% chance that she wants to get lucky. DO tell her she looks beautiful. DO NOT continue reading your book/checking your e-mail, or say you are too tired.

#8) When a woman says she is too tired too cook dinner, either help her cook something or take her out! There is a reason she is telling you that she is too tired.

#9) If you are arguing about something, the best thing to do is stop, realize you won't win, and apologize. If she is still mad the next day, bring her some chocolate.

#10) Doing the dishes, folding laundry, cooking, vacuuming, making the bed, and cleaning the bathroom are all things that you can do to better your chances of getting laid!

I hope this was helpful. :)

Time

This past week I spent some time with my boys at their Aunt and Uncle's house in Edmonton. It was, as usual, a great trip. But there was something about this trip in particular, that made it extra difficult to leave.

My sister is my best friend, my inspiration, she keeps me in check, motivates me and is by far person I laugh with the most. Her and her husband are my true family, and my kids absolutely adore them. I try to spend one week each year there and every trip seems to be the same. We go shopping at the big mall, take the kids to a movie or the science center, play cards, build a fort, do crafts, hang out in the hot tub, and eat! It's nothing overly exciting, it's not fancy, but it is what I look forward to the most every year. I have the most laughs, the most food coma's, and make the most memories.

Every time I go there, I seem to leave with a little piece of knowledge. This time was no different. My sister said to me, "the most important thing, what we are meant to give each other, is time." That word, "time" resonated in my mind. We are realizing more and more that life is not about how much money you make, what toys you have, your "success", or fame. It's what you do with your time that matters. You can never have enough money and you will always want more. We all seem to be living the same life, with more and more things, and less and less time.

Another reason this trip was so great, was because I got to spend some time with my Aunt and cousins. My Aunt Judy made a huge spread for dinner (more food coma!!)  and we got to spend time with my cousin, his wife, and their daughter. It was an amazing moment for me, to watch our kids play together. I am grateful to my Aunt for making this happen. And all the money in the world could not have bought that.

I know that when I look back on this life of mine, ten or twenty years from now, the moments that stick out in my mind will be the ones I shared with the people I love. That is why it was so hard to leave. I wish I could have these moments with them every day. Jenny and Francis are my two of my favorite people in the whole world and I didn't want the trip to end. And now that I sit here in my house, home at last, I vow to create more moments and more time with my family. Make every day a holiday and count down the days I get to see them again.  Thank you for teaching me the most important things in life.

PS: thank you to Courtney Munson for taking these awesome photos!!
http://cocosphotography.ca/

Happy Anniversary

Today is mine and my husbands six year wedding anniversary. Just for fun, I thought I would tell you the story of how my crazy life became so beautiful.

I remember it like it was yesterday. My cell phone rang at 5am. I had been half awake since the pager had gone off in the middle of the night. My boyfriend at the time was a member of the Roberts Creek Fire Department.

"You need to get up, go to the store and bring sandwiches and coffee to the Pen Hotel." So I grabbed a hoodie, still in my flannel jammies and hair unbrushed, I made my way to Subway. (which I owned at the time.) As quick as I could I made enough sandwiches for 30 people, grabbed juices and cookies and hit up the Starbucks for a huge container of coffee. Once I arrived I opened the back of my car and set up a make-shift food station for guys to come and grab something. There where a few guys on the other side of the scene so I grabbed a try of sandwiches and delivered it to them. And standing there across the lot, through the maze of fire-hose and trucks, was Arthur. I offered him a sandwich and he politely grabbed one. The very first words he ever said to me were:

"Are you married?" I just laughed and said no.  "You wanna be?" he asked. "Who wouldn't want to marry a blond who brings me sandwiches." I just laughed at his weird comment and walked away. Later I thought to myself, that guy was totally weird, who says that??

Two years later we met again at a fire-hall function, both of us single at the time.  He thought it would be funny to enter his number in my cell phone, and began texting me random comments the days following. I liked the attention, but to be honest, I though he was strange and way to old for me.

Somewhere in the month that followed, he suggested we go out for dinner. I objected at first, and when I finally changed my mind, I became the one chasing him. There were so many odds against us; our ex's, age, our busy jobs....but when we had our first unofficial date (coffee at Starbucks) we realized that there was something between us. We didn't know what it was or how it made sense, but we both agreed that a second unofficial date would be a good idea. I don't even know what it was about him that drew me to him. Maybe it was the way I felt protected with him, or the fact that he was so nervous when we were together, I know for sure it wasn't his big truck. Which is what he thought for sure would win me over. I started smiling over the thought of him, and whenever he walked through the door at the restaurant I got butterflies in my tummy.

When our first "official" date finally did come, it  was dinner at the Waterfront. We couldn't keep from holding hands across the table, and he couldn't stop talking about marriage and that we will have "2.5 kids. Two kids and a dog." He kept saying that there was no reason for us not to get married and that it "seems like a really good idea." You would think I would have done running for the hills, but I somehow felt comfortable in the thought that I had maybe found that man that will be with me, work with me, protect me, love me for the rest of my life. Everything about our date was comfortable, natural, and a little magical. Eight weeks later we were engaged, and I not once had a second thought about it. Six years later I am happier than I have ever been. We have built a beautiful (although somewhat strange) home together, are raising two beautiful boys, and are together realizing that working and money aren't everything. Taking time to relax and laugh with the people you love is what life is all about. I can't imagine life without him. <3