Backyard Bucket List: Frank Slide


It is almost Halloween, my favorite holiday of the year. I love everything about this season - the mystery, the costumes, the candy, and especially the spooky stories! As I write this, I have Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow" on in the background: a soundtrack for my creative writing.  It is inspiring me to write a post that also has a spooky undertone, rife with tragedy, mystery, and even some urban legends! I have chosen the topic of Frank Slide - one of Alberta's most interesting and mysterious sites.

Visit a Cactus Garden in a Chocolate Factory


There are some things every person pictures themselves doing while visiting the amazing light show that is Las Vegas: strolling the Strip, gambling in the casinos, drinking from a cup shaped like the Eiffel Tower, and enjoying a variety of performances, from Cirque du Soleil to Carrot Top. Maybe some people envision themselves visiting a cactus garden. (I never did, but cacti are pretty popular in this area of the world.)

Why I'll Probably Never Hike the Wave (a.k.a. #35)


When you have a travel bucket list as long as mine, you have to be an optimist! I am optimistic that somehow, someday I'll have unlimited funds and time to accomplish the items on my list. I am optimistic that I will have the health and fitness to explore with energy and enthusiasm. I am optimistic that my husband won't divorce me after I either a) drag him around the globe several times or b) ditch him repeatedly to globe-trot on my own.

But every now and then, I must also be a realist. This is why I am willing to admit that there might be one item on the list that might not get checked off. (Just one though... let's not get too crazy here.)

Getting Antsy at Home: My Husband's Worst Nightmare


It has been four months since my wonderful, inspiring, and beautiful trip to Scotland. The summer flew by with a fun family trip to the Rocky Mountains and lots of adventures with my Little from Big Brothers Big Sisters. September literally rocketed past due to my involvement in teaching a new grade, in a new (elementary) division with all new learning styles and curricula.