Yesterday I expected to have time to run out for groceries after I arrived home from work (I work several days each week in a church office). Except that there was the dentist appointment an hour later that I had forgotten about. Dinner ended up being “”baked potatoes & toppings bar” since I was relying…
Round the World Adventures: An Interview with Kathrin Spaccarelli
Imagine taking your family on a year-long trip around the world. Kathrin Spaccarelli and her husband Nathan did just that with their two boys from September 2013 to September 2014. A longtime love of traveling, plus a desire to introduce their boys to friends and familiar places in Japan (where both Kathrin & Nathan lived…
September Bucket List Life Dare: Back to School (Learn Something New)
I love learning – new facts, new skills, new technology. In the past year alone I have learned two new software applications, Scrivener and Screenflow. I learned the basics of how an 1890’s print shop was run and how to demonstrate it for museum visitors. I learned how to travel for less using hotel and airline…
The One Where We Sat on the Roof and Ate Ice Cream
In July I dared readers to step out and conquer a bucket list goal that required them to let go. To be wildly free. Something like dancing in the rain. For me that expression of whimsical freedom came in the form of sitting out on my roof eating ice cream sandwiches with my kids –…
August Bucket List Life Dare: Seize the Summer Moment
It’s August. Our school district is clamoring for my attention again with registration forms in the mail and orientation reminders in my inbox. As much as I want to ignore it and pretend my mornings will forever be blissfully quiet with kids sleeping late, summer is winding down. School will be starting again. Soon. And…
Lighthouse Bucket List Adventure: An Interview with Cheryl Lynn Cain
I have always admired Cheryl Lynn Cain for being a mom with a passion for making a difference. From hosting refugee families, to organizing a fair trade bazaar, to directing the compassion ministry at her church, Cheryl Lynn is a woman of compassion in action. The same is certainly true for her family bucket list –…
July Bucket List Life Dare: Be Wildly Free
Recently I was talking with a group of moms when the topic of dancing in the rain came up. “I have always wished I could do that,” one mom said. “But I just can’t seem to bring myself to go ahead.” Everyone agreed. We all yearned to be so carefree. But we all had to admit that…
Our Eataly Experience: The June Bucket List Life Dare
This month’s bucket list life dare was to be a tourist in your own region. When you live somewhere like Chicagoland, finding new places to explore doesn’t take much. In our case, the destination was Eataly, Mario Batali’s Italian marketplace concept store (locations in Rome, New York & Chicago). It seemed appropriate in light of…
What We Can Learn About Bucket Lists from the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Win
If you don’t follow hockey, then you might not know that a big win happened here in Chicago this week. For the third time in six years and the first time in over 70 years on home ice, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup championship trophy. Of course winning your sport’s highest honor is on every…
Family Bucket List Wall
Over the past year I’ve been working on my family’s bucket list wall – a pictorial commemoration of the goals we’ve reached and the fun we’ve had living out our bucket list dreams. Here’s the result: I collected these collage frames over time. I knew I wanted to be able to highlight the different types…