2023 Winter Bucket List

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I don’t think I’ve done a proper Winter Bucket List since the twins were born. So here is my attempt at creating a 2023 winter bucket list that I can do with my husband, on my own, or with the twins!

Already Accomplished

We’ve already knocked off tobogganing, having a snowball fight, and building a snowman off the 2023 winter bucket list.

How To Make It Happen

So to make this happen, I’ll take the remaining items and map out the rest of our weekends this winter to ensure we’re getting things scheduled. After all, we only really have 2 months (maybe 3 if March is still cold) of winter.

Activities To Check Off

If you’re wondering what the Go Anywhere activity is, Mike gave me a gift for Christmas that is basically a date day and scavenger hunt all wrapped up together so I’m excited to tackle that as a day date with Mike.

We loved our dog sledding adventure in 2017 so we’re hoping to book one this year with Escape Huskimo again and take the twins.

I have cold dipping on my resilience challenge for January and I’m excited to do more cold dips in the comfort of our home. But after doing two Wim Hof workshops, we’ve joined a community that meets usually once a week to cold dip in the Ottawa River after cutting a hole in the ice 🙂 So I’m excited to join them this year.

What sort of things do you have on your winter bucket list?

2022 Winter Bucket List

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Sharing my 2022 Winter Bucket List in case you need any inspiration!

My love for seasonal bucket lists began in 2013. After leaving a relationship in 2012, I needed to learn how to find myself again. I had truly lost myself while in the relationship. I wanted to do things that I used to love and I wanted to try new things. I just wanted to find made me happy or create new happiness for myself.

If you’re curious about going back in the archives here’s a comprehensive list of all my Winter and Summer bucket lists. I started with a summer bucket list in 2013. From there I decided to also make a winter one so that I could make the most of our cold, snowy winters up in Canada.

Winter Bucket Lists – 2020 (after pregnancy announcement), 2020 (before pregnancy announcement), 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014

Summer Bucket Lists – 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013

I took a break in 2020 to have babies (I’m a twin mom!). So there was no 2020 or 2021 summer bucket list or 2021 winter bucket list but were back! I’m so excited for this winter. This year’s list is a mix of things I’d like to do on my own, with my husband and with our babies!

The 2022 Winter Bucket List

Things We’ve Checked Off The Bucket List So Far

We’ve already taken the twins tobogganing twice already!

The Wim Hof challenge cold dip I’m qualifying as our polar bear plunge (although we’re still planning on doing more cold dips AND in the Ottawa river)

Over the holidays I baked AIP snickerdoodles and gingerbread cookies and made non-alcoholic apple cider sangria. Here’s a variation on the one that I made from one of their cookbooks.

How To Achieve Everything On The List

The best way that I’ve found to tackle these types of bucket lists is to literally plan out which challenges you’re going to tackle on which weekends.

Let me know what’s on your winter bucket list this year?

Ottawa Wim Hof Workshop Recap

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I gifted Mike (my husband) with a Fundamentals Wim Hof Workshop for Christmas and I decided to treat myself as well. We headed out on January 2nd to the Carleton Place Canoe Club from 10 am – 3 pm for a day date. The Ottawa grandparents hung out with the twins so we could be present for the day together.

The workshop was facilitated by Jacob Mark and his partner Jess held amazing space for us as a photographer and energy healer.

If you want to learn more about the Wim Hof Method I highly recommend reading about it directly from the source.

I’ve downloaded the Wim Hof app before to learn the breathing method. At my full-time job, we actually do 3 rounds before long meetings. And I’ve attempted the cold shower challenge here and there but never really learned about the 3 pillars and how they work together.

I’ve also wanted to challenge myself to do more cold exposure and see how it can help reduce inflammation in my body.

That was just a few of the reasons behind why we did this workshop.

So why did we take this workshop?

We both love taking care of ourselves and the method has been known to create:

Increased energy
Better sleep
Reduced stress levels
Heightened focus & determination
Increased willpower
Stronger immune system

2. I love gifting experiences and while I was all set to send my husband on his own, it was a great event to experience with your partner.

3. We wanted to challenge ourselves and learning a new breathing method and how to succeed at cold exposure. The cold plunge was a great challenge to check off the bucket list. The way that Jacob prepped us to visualize getting into the cold plunge was definitely what helped me be successful in the full 2 min plunge.

Photos by Jess

Jacob and his partner Jess really did create an amazing experience for everyone. The day seemed to fly by quickly. He was informative, down-to-earth and knowledgeable. He answered our questions with ease and created a safe environment to be vulnerable. Jess took photos of our plunges so we could be present in the moment and even did some reiki healing on those experiencing emotions during the breathing method.

I had the most amazing experience with the breathing method that I hadn’t experienced before. It felt like I was losing my hearing and I went deep within myself for the 4 rounds we completed. It almost felt like I was hearing things underwater. I was able to easily hold my exhale hold for the full time and my entire body was vibrating at the end of the 4 rounds. I’ve already committed to doing the breathing method every morning when I wake up after a morning meditation.

We’re so addicted that we’re already signed up for the advanced workshop in February.

And Mike is going to Jacob’s October retreat in the Yukon.

You can browse a list of Fundamental Workshops in your area. If you’re in the Ottawa area I highly recommend booking a workshop with Jacob.

Let me know if you’ve done this workshop and how it went for you!?

Camping In A Skoolie (with 1 Year Old Twins)

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We did it! We took the twins camping in our Skoolie and we all survived! They managed to sleep the night (mostly) and nap together in one crib. No one got hurt. Everyone was well fed and Mom and Dad got to relax (slightly!).

If you don’t have a Skoolie simply replace Skoolie with an RV! My husband converted an old school bus at the beginning of 2020 into an RV or tiny home on wheels and I absolutely love glamping in it! We’ve only taken the kids out in it once when they were super tiny so we were a little hesitant to take them away from home and routine. However, if you don’t try it you’ll never know how it might go.

I made a packing list ahead of time in Trello for the babies and for ourselves.

Packing List for The Babies

Sleep Sacks
Sleepers (Lightweight & Flannel)
Crib Sheet
High Chairs & Bibs
Short-Sleeve Onesies
Shorts
Long Sleeve Onesies
Pants
Sweaters
Socks & Shoes
Snacks
Toys
Formula
Baby Brezza Bottle Maker
Bottles
Diapers
Wipes
Diaper Cream
Essential Oils
Sippy Cups
Noise Machine
Sun Hats
Sunscreen
Bathing Suit

Packing List for The Adults

Headphones
Roam Diffuser
Pilot Diffuser
Terrashield and Lavender
Tshirt
Pants
Sweaters
Bug Hat
Toilet Paper
Camping Slippers
Head Lamp
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Contact Solution & Case
Glasses
Water Bottle
Hot Chocolate
Apple Cider

Food-wise, we have so much camping food that we just ate dehydrated food all weekend even though we have a full stove and oven on the bus. It was much easier to boil water and fill camping food bags than cook full meals while taking care of the twins. We brought lots of snacks for the babies just in case they didn’t want to eat camping food.

3 Day Menu

Friday

Dinner: Mushroom Risotto

Saturday

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs + Bacon

Lunch: Pad Thai

Dinner: Beef Stew and Beef Pho

Sunday

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs + Bacon

We went camping with our friend and her 2 daughters which made the experience even better! Can you say, babysitters!? The twins really love the two girls and couldn’t stop hugging and kissing them goodbye when the weekend was over.

A cute part of the weekend for me was Sunday morning. Ryland woke up at 6 am and it was a bit chilly so while we heated up the bus, and made coffee and breakfast, Mike put on “The Magic School Bus”. The kids rarely watch tv so it was a special treat.

What are your top tips for camping with kids in an RV?

The North American Aerial Firefighting Show 2020

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I attended the North American Aerial Firefighting Show for the first time this year and it was incredible. As Marketing Director for the Coulson Group, I have the pleasure of working on our aerial firefighting division, Coulson Aviation.

I arrived in Sacramento late Monday night last week so I could be at the venue the next afternoon for the trade show booth set up. It took me and 3 men, 4 hours to put this monstrosity of a trade show booth together. And while it looks amazing, we kept joking around that it was like putting together Ikea furniture without the instructions.

The next 2 days of the trade show were a whirlwind. One of the highlights of the show was being able to meet all the incredible people in this industry. I can’t stop talking about how kind everyone is. I truly enjoyed every single conversation and getting to know the different companies in the industry.

But the true highlight of the show was going up in the air for my very first helicopter ride for an air to air photoshoot of our CH47 Chinook and our U-60 Blackhawk helicopters which were down for the show to be showcased. I didn’t even realize I needed to have this on my bucket list of things to do!

I got to ride in a 407 helicopter with the CEO & Publisher of Air Attack magazine. He wore a harness so he could hang out the open door of the helicopter I got to ride strapped in on the other side of the helicopter, able to shoot videos and images over his head.

We started out at McClellan Air Base getting a few shots outside of the Cal Fire base and then headed about 10 miles out to Folsom Lake to do our first water tank test drop from the Chinook. This CH47 is the first Chinook to have a Coulson RADS-L tank installed inside capable of dropping 3,000 gallons on a fire which was amazing to see firsthand.

We then did a photoshoot with our Chinook and Blackhawk and got some incredible shots!

I have now decided that the best way to watch a sunset is now from the inside of a helicopter!

I truly enjoyed meeting 4 of our pilots, their crew chiefs and our maintenance teams. I also got to meet one of our Australian team members and one of our US team members. Everyone was so amazing, answered my questions with patience and was unbelievably kind. I cannot stop singing the praises of the people that I get to work with.

That wraps up a great show… until the next one!