Be the Rainbow Collection - Be kind, be helpful, be supportive

The "Be the Rainbow" Collection is born from Maya Angelou’s timeless call to action: "Try to be the rainbow in someone else's cloud."
To me, this is more than a quote; it is a lifeline. We all encounter seasons of darkness, stress, and grief, but Ms. Angelou reminds us that we possess the quiet power to be a source of light for others. I have learned that a single, personal act of kindness can shift a person's entire perspective, lifting a heavy burden—even if only for a moment.
I know this because I am still here because of it.
Throughout my life, people have stepped into my storms to guide me, listen to me, and cheer me on. When my world felt the darkest, my best friend put her life on hold and moved across the country just to stand by my side. On days when my own mind told me the only way out was to end it all, these "rainbows" refused to let my light go out.
This collection is my tribute to the helpers. It is a celebration of the bright lights who save us, and a reminder that we all have the capacity to be the color in someone else’s gray sky.

I encourage you too look at your own life and see if you have been a helper to someone else,

Bucket List - Work In Progress

A growing list of places to go, people to see, and memories to make.

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📍 Visit as many Minnesota State Parks as possible!

Minnesota has 75 state parks and recreation areas, according toMN Trips and mwinns.com. The system, managed by theMinnesota Department of Natural Resources, includes 64 state parks, nine state recreation areas, and nine state waysides, covering over 235,000 acres.

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🏕️ Go camping with the kids, maybe the grandkids too

Love sleeping under the stars!

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🏞️ Headwaters of the Mississippi - Itasca
SUMMER

One of her favorite places to go, Summer is warmer!

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🚗 Roadtrip to Duluth, MN
Summer Trip

Summer in Duluth:

  • Train Rides
  • Dinner Cruise
  • And more
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🌲 Stay in a Tree House Air BnB
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🏡 Stay in a Cabin at Lake Itasca State Park
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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Go to see and play with the grandkids

Someday, somewhere we will all have to get together and spend time reconnecting.

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📍 Go to as many National Parks as possible

Gotta get 'em all!

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🦬 Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota

Go feel small in the Great Plains, where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play

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🚗 Roadtrip to Oklahoma

Gotta go see her big brother, his wife, son and grandkids.

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❤️ Go visit cousins in the Twin Cities.

Go visit the many cousins scattered around the Twin Cities Metro Area...when things calm down more.

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❤️ Go visit Aunt Ruby.

Go visit and reconnect with Aunt Ruby in Mills.

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✈️ Go to Paraguay to see friends and family.
  • Asunción
  • Piribebuy
  • Tres Fronteras
  • Misiones (Trinidad)
  • Chololó
  • Possibly Salto Cristal

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🚀🏛️⭐ Go to Washington DC


Go to the Smithsonian Museums

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❤️ Get together with Deb & Art

This has been rescheduled a few times, but it WILL happen.

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🃏 Canasta


Play a game of Hand and Foot Canasta with Jo & Roy's girls.

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📍 Game Night with my Kids
Mother's Day spent playing Azul and Bananagrams

Playing boardgames with my kids is such a fun thing to do!

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🏞️ Headwaters of the Mississippi - Itasca
Done - SPRING - Went with a Twin Cities Cousin. Thanks Rod!

One of her favorite places to go, Spring is a great time to see the seasons change.

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🐾🦖 Weekend in St. Paul
  • Go to Science Museum of Minnesota
  • Go to Mercado El Burrito
  • Go to Hot Pot
  • Go to Little Brazil MN Market and Café
  • MOST IMPORTANT: Spend time with my kids.
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❤️ Go Visit Uncle Les and Family
Fantastic Time, enjoyed spending time with family.


Go visit Uncle Les and Marcia, Wayne and Wendy also. This has been rescheduled several times due to Winter Weather.

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❤️ Go Visit Danny Bruce

Spend the day with a cousin in Morehead.

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❤️ Go visit Jodi and family.
When can she do this again!?

Spend the day with cousins in Pequot.

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❤️ Go to visit Aunt Jo in Motley
Must do this again!

Hang out with Aunt Jo and the girls in her apartment in Motley. Reconnect a little.

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🚗 Roadtrip to Duluth, MN
MUST REPEAT IN SUMMER!!!

Spending 3 days wandering and exploring.

  • Zoo
  • Aquarium
  • Murder Mystery
  • Sushi
  • Mexican Food
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🛂 Get passport renewed
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🐟 Go to Morey's


Stop at Morey's for pickled fish and Calamari