2026 first time experiences

Nadia and her friend, Abby

I used to post goals on January 1 on my blog, but in 2022 I started the tradition of posting a bucket list of sorts for the year by posting a list of first-time experiences. I modify the list throughout the year by adding things as well as deleting others, and I mark them off when they are accomplished. Last year's list ended up containing 123 experiences in the end. Two got deleted last week when we didn't go to the Art Institute or Indiana Dunes National Park. The majority of the items on the list are usually things we will see and do on one of our vacations. 

1. Take Abby with us when we ski at Elk Mountain - Done!
2. Watch season 6 of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS - Done!
3. See Riverdance performance at CAC - Done!
4. Ian and Paul attend a concert by the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra - Done!
5. Ian and I attend a reception at the Lycoming College Art Gallery - Done!
6. Tour the Pennsylvania Capitol and the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum - Done!
7. See Joshua at Sight and Sound  - Done!
8. See the movie A Great Awakening  - Done!
9. All three kids participate in The Little Mermaid musical at MCS - Done!
10. Ian gets his first job - done!
11. Have Nadia's graduation party at Trout Pond Park - done!
12. See the play It Runs in the Family at CWC - done!
13. Tower of London - Done!
14. British Museum - Done!
15. Kensington Palace - Done!
16. Big Ben - Done!
17. Westminster Abbey - Done!
18. Churchill War Rooms - Done!
19. Punt on River Cam - Done!
20. Camera Obscura - Done!
21. St. Giles Cathedral - Done!
22. National Museum of Scotland - Done!
23. Arthur's Seat - Done!
24. Alnwick Castle - Done!
25. John Knox house - Done!
26. Eat at The Piemaker - Done!
27. Kelpies at the Helix - Done!
28. Battle of Bannockburn - Done!
29. Stirling Castle - Done!
30. National Wallace Museum - Done!
31. Riverside Museum - Done!
32. Loch Lommond cruise - Done!
33. See Paddington the Musical - Done!
34. Eilean Donan Castle - Done!
35. Kilt Rock - Done!
36. Quiraing - Done!
37. Titanic Bellfast - Done!
38. C.S. Lewis Square - Done!
39. Gobbins Cliff Path - Done!
40. Blackhead Coastal Path - Done!
41. Carrik a Rede rope bridge - Done!
42. Giant's Causeway - Done!
43. EPIC Irish emigration museum - Done!
44. Eat at Leo Burdock's Fish and Chips- Done!
45. Christ Church Cathedral - Done!
46. Trinity College Book of Kells - Done!
47. Ha'penny bridge - Done!
48. Little Museum of Dublin - Done!
49. Eat at Indulgence Cafe - Done!
50. GPO Museum - Done!
51. Eat at Lemon Jelly Cafe - Done!
52. St. Patrick's Cathedral - Done!
53. Conwy Castle - Done!
54. Caernarfon Castle - Done!
55. Snowdon Mountain Railway - Done!
56. Caerphilly Castle- Done!
57. Jane Austen's House - Done!
58. Buckingham Palace - Done!
59. eat Welsh cakes at Cardiff Market - Done!
60. Cardiff Castle - Done!
61. St. Fagan's National History Museum - Done!
62. Sainte-Chapelle - Done!
63. Notre Dame de Paris - Done!
64. Musee d'Orsay - Done!
65. Eat at Moo Pie Gelato - Done!
66. Eat at Haggis Box - Done!
67. Explore Greyfriars Kirkyard - Done!
68. Eat ice cream at The Rinkha - Done!
69. Eat at Jack's Gelato - Done!
70. Arc de Triomphe - Done!
71. Eiffel Tower - Done!
72. Eat crepes, baguettes, and pain au chocolat in Paris - done!
73. Ride a train from Belfast to Dublin - Done!
74. Eat at Makar's Mash Bar - Done!
75. Ian attends cybersecurity camp at Messiah University - Done!
76. All three kids compete at Nationals at Houghton University - Done!
77. Vanderbilt Mansion* - done!
78. FDR* - done!
79. Eleanor Roosevelt* - done!
80. Saint Croix International* - done!
81. Fundy National Park~ done!
82. Hopewell Rocks - done!
83. Cavendish Beach and Cliffs in Prince Edward Island National Park - done!
84. Green Gables Heritage Place~ done!
85. Eat ice cream from COWS on Prince Edward Island - done!
86. Halifax Public Gardens - done!
87. Go kayaking with seals in Nova Scotia - done!
88. Peggy's Cove - done!
89. Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - done!
90. Halifax Citadel - done!
91. Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site~ done!
92. Walk on the earth's mantle - done!
93. Fortress of Louisbourg - done!
94. Take ferry to and from Labrador - done!
95. Gros Morne National Park~ done!
96. Western Brook Pond boat tour - done!
97. Spillars Cove - done!
98. Dungeon Provincial Park - done!
99. Cape Bonavista Lighthouse - done!
100. Elliston puffin viewing - done!
101. Skerwink Trail - done!
102. Signal Hill National Historic Site~ done!
103. Cape Spear Lighthouse - done!
104. Salem Maritime* - done!
105. Saugus Iron Works* - done!
106. JFK* - done!
107. Nadia moves into a dorm at Liberty University - done!
108. See the elk in Benezette, PA
109. Compass program at Ricketts Glen State Park
110. Kinzua State Park
111. Army Expo in Carlisle
112. Nadia completes her first semester as a resident student at Liberty University
113. Ian gets his learner's permit
114. Watch six episodes of Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls
115. Watch six episodes of season 6 of The Chosen

~Denotes a place the kids can earn an Xplorers reward (Canada)

*Denotes a place the kids can earn a Junior Ranger badge

Thankfully, Oliver's cousins were happy to play Monopoly with him

*