January
Went to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia
Started training for tech team (“The Nest”) at Northbridge Church
Southport Beach / Lake Michigan
Escape Room 1 — Time Travel conquered!
Escape Room 2 — Jewel Heist conquered with seconds to spare!
Played Giant Chess (and won!)
Asbury University visit, Wilmore, Kentucky – recruiting fair & chapel
February
Love For L’Allemand trivia night
Moody Bible Institute recruiting fair
Celebrated granddaughter’s 6th birthday
Cirque de Soleil
Family visit to South Carolina
Swimming in Sister’s “domed” pool while 50ish outside
March
CCCA (Christian Camp & Conference Association) Wisconsin conference at Camp Forest Springs
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Cozumel, Mexico
Fisher-boy statue on my front porch
April
Participated in Lesley’s Poetry Challenge
RFK (Royal Family Kids Camp) Fundraiser
Reached level 10,000 in Royal Kingdom
Kenosha Lakefront & weird tide shifts
Started “Dinner with Strangers” – lots of new restaurants
May
Got my library card 🙂
Windpoint Lighthouse in Racine, Wisconsin
Picked up 5 different international staff at the airport
First day of Summer Staff orientation — My first summer at Wonderland officially begins!
Family came to visit
Southport Park – took the granddaughters to Lake Michigan for the first time – they learned to skip rocks
Escape Room in Waukesha
Visit from Aunt Betty
“Dinner with Strangers” – lots of new restaurants
June
Fisher-boy statue ends up in landscaping and I love it
Sister in town
Trip to Madison area for Marabeth’s graduation party
Illinois State Beach Park
My 54th birthday! Celebrated and loved on by staff. 🙂
Visit from Jennifer G from my Clinton days
New restaurant: Frank’s Diner – Kenosha, Wisconsin
July
Visit from Alicia, Troy, & family – celebrated July 4
Pet a pig on neighbor’s farm
Bobrowitz Spectacular Sculpture – Colgate, Wisconsin
Holy Hill
Ice Age Trail – Loew Lake Segment
August (which is when I actually started tracking the adventures, so the volume of things listed picks up now)
Worked Snack Shop for the first time
Visit from Aunt Betty + Jayleen & kids – got lost in the woods
Bought a guitar
Visit from Mom & Mom-day in Gurnee
3 Generations Girls Day
Good seats for Wicked – Marcus Theatre, Milwaukee
Bought my Wisconsin State Parks pass
Visited Richard Bong Recreation Area State Park
Visit from Lee & Wendy
Summer Staff Game Night
New Game: Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum
Pokemon Day with camp staff & friends
September
New restaurant: Hanson’s Ice Cream – Twin Lakes, Wisconsin
New restaurant: Los Compadres – Burlington, Wisconsin – so far my favorite Mexican restaurant I’ve found in Wisconsin
Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin – Grumpy Troll Pub
Madison weekend with Katie
Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese (drool!)
Medieval Times
Boat-driving lesson
Kenosha Scavenger Hunt
Googly eyes on my golf cart
Helped make bacon-wrapped water chestnuts
Tried gochujang sauce for the first time
New restaurant: Archives bar & grill – Burlington, Wisconsin – book themed diner!
Lake Michigan road trip
V&S half-time band performance
Ate pasties from Gram’s Pasties, Escanaba, Michigan
Upper Peninsula / Mackinac Bridge
Wendi’s Sunset Lavender – Traverse City, Michigan
Rosy Dunes sand dunes, beach, and forest hike
October
New restaurant: Brew & Ole’s – Burlington, Wisconsin
CCCA Directors Advance – Camp Timber-lee
Babysat granddaughters for their parents 10th Anniversary weekend
Thompson Farm with the girls — all the fall fun
Raspberry Picking for the first time
Walked to dinner in Miami
Bahamas – Banana Beach & Half Moon Cay
3 Card Poker tournament for the first time
Ridiculously delicious beet salad
November
New restaurant: Las Vegas Diner – Antioch, Illinois
“Salem Hills Thrills & Chills” Halloween show
Rock & Roll Bingo – Love For L’Allemand Fundraiser
Prep for Friendsgiving
FriendsgivingMas weekend
Personal Thanksgiving getaway
Trip to QC for friend’s engagement party
December
Visit from Rick D
Totchos and bacon-jam toast at 75th Street Inn
Scherrer Cares check presentation
Ate squid for the first time
National CCCA Conference in New Orleans
Shrimp & grits in the French Quarter
Beniegts (still recovering from the sugar high)
Riverboat dinner cruise
Tristan Crist Magic Show – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Road the float for Silver Lake Light Parade
Visit to Village of Salem Lakes planning board
Fun new suitcase with a starry sky design
South Carolina for Christmas
New Game: Dicetown
Tiny Tacos from Jack in the Box
Water aerobics with mom & sister
Christmas Eve service – CrossRoads Baptist Church
Upgraded to First Class for flight home on Christmas day
Worked Climbing Wall for the first time
My family – Every single one of them
My FFOs, the Dawetselbees, and all my other chosen Framily
My job– I love what I do!
Where I live
Awesome coworkers
Fall colors
Lake front property
Vacations – especially beaches!
People that make my life better because they are in it
Churches that have been home
The peace that passes understanding
Changing seasons
Cherished memories
Each moment I spend with my granddaughters
Representing both Clinton, Iowa and Fulton, Illinois in my tourism role, bringing both communities together for the betterment of each
Developing multiple collaborations with the Clinton Herald including Visitor Guide and weekly articles
RAGBRAI, especially after less than 7 months on the job
Efforts with Iowa Scenic Byways and the Mississippi River Parkway Commission to represent the Great River Road
Designing ads for the first time… lots and lots of ads
Developing 4 digital passports for the community and guests to use
Deep collaborations with the Showboat Theatre to advertise in new and unique ways
Being part of the Frahm art installs/selfie stations
Embrace the Winter
Ultra Mega Capture The Flag In Heritage Canyon
Creating a focused and strategic advertising plan
Helping develop the Bound For the Kingdom Christian Music Festival
Elevating existing events that deserve lots of recognition, like Christmas in the Canyon, the LBPA Art & Wine Walk, and the Riverview Bacon & Brew Fest
Making contacts with tourism professionals across two states
Getting lots of news attention from QCA stations
Helping fund both The Grove and Wildness, two of the earliest pieces of the emerging arts culture in Clinton thanks to Gabi Torres
Parachuting elves
So many more things than I can list. Thank you all. I have loved my time here and will remember it with fondness. <3
Mechanical Aptitude
Easy Style
Resilient
Extra Punny
Delightfully Kind
Intelligent
Terribly Creative
Half Twin
And also Beautiful but I couldn’t work a B into the acronym!
Our birthday – June 18, 1982
Hired Parachuting Elves
Been part of a German documentary
Hosted 20,000 people in my town for one day
Spoken at City Council meetings
Led bus tours for hundreds of tourists
Received private tour of authentic Dutch windmill
Received private tour of St. Boniface Catholic Center
Received private tour of Clinton Historical Society Museum
Lived in a historical mansion
Learned how influencer marketing works
Been able to write multiple newspaper articles
Gone on ride-alongs with the Sherriff
Sat in on strategic planning sessions with the city
Been appointed by the Iowa governor to a national commission
Saw the Peabody ducks march in
Toured the Field of Dreams
Greeted people from stage at a music festival
Secured a VIP box for another music festival
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