Category Archives: Memories

Reasons Why I Still Have a Christmas Tree Up in My Bedroom

  1. I never bought my 2014 annual ornament to represent my year and if I take my tree down before that happens, I will lose it (once I eventually buy it).
  2. All my favorite ornaments that remind me of the places I’ve been and the people I love still make me smile every time I look at them.
  3. It is covered in blue lights and sparkly blue snowflakes and glittery silver balls and that make me shiny and happy.
  4. It is something tall in the corner of the bedroom which is aesthetically pleasing.
  5. Green is a sign of life.
  6. It’s a pretty nightlight.
  7. I like it and I don’t want to take it down.

christmas tree

My Sister Michelle (In honor of her birthday today!)

  • Brilliant
  • Generous
  • Attentive
  • Loving
  • Quiet until you get to know her
  • Gracious
  • Thoughtful
  • Thought provoking
  • Mathematical genius
  • Puzzle solver
  • Actress (at least in murder mystery dinners)
  • Baby sister
  • Adoring Aunt
  • Youngest daughter
  • Soft spoken
  • Adventuresome
  • Funny
  • Sweetly silly
  • Gentle
  • Determined
  • Role Model
  • Marvelous
  • Magnificent
  • Michelle!

 

2013 Memories (Which is to say “Memories of 2013”, because all of us would get bored if I tried to come up with more than 2000 memories of anything.)

  • January ice skating for the first time in more than 20 years
  • March – Team Wendy trivia night / Dawetselbee Reunion
  • April – moving day … new job, new apartment
  • April – Caleb’s 20th birthday!
  • May – settling in to my new home
  • June – Six Flags for my birthday with Caleb & Sam
  • July 4th weekend in South Carolina /beach trip to Charleston
  • August – Dawetselbee Reunion
  • August – LeClaire, Ia Tug Fest festival with Dawetselbee clan
  • August – White Sox game at Comiskey Park
  • September – Labor Day weekend in Arkansas / celebrating Mom’s birthday
  • September – successful kickoff to HomeSchool Swim Lessons at the Kishwaukee Y
  • September – excellent fundraiser /trivia night for Team Wendy
  • October – visit / booktour with Alaskan Pioneer
  • October- Team Wendy fundraiser / Murder Mystery Dinner
  • November- Thanksgiving in Arkansas
  • November- buying my Equinox – first time I’ve made a decision like that for myself!
  • December- two day Christmas party / Chicago & Christkindlmarket
  • December- surprising my family for Christmas

Friends I Originally Met on the Internet Back in the Day

  • Steven (who had to be first, since he was the one whining about not being in a List.  You’re welcome.)
  • Rick / @twmedianet
  • Michelle / MishyWishy
  • Kelani / @KIFN
  • Mike B (whose Myspace name I can’t remember!)
  • John (whose Myspace name I definitely remember )
  • Jake / @DJSmookler
  • Todd
  • Probably a bunch of other people I forgot and I’m sorry!

Wendy Memories on what would have been her 49th birthday

  • Sunday dinners with the whole clan
  • Her Christmas cookie party with all the kids
  • Girls weekends
  • Burning a hole in the brand new carpet in the church basement with a hot glue gun
  • Sponsoring youth group overnighters & Lust-Busting during Hide & Seek
  • Ladies Retreats
  • That night Meghan was in the hospital and the kid I had at her house split his head open and I showed up at the emergency room with the teenager’s blood all over me and then hung out in Meghan’s room and switched shoes with Wendy so she could wear my sports sandals with her work clothes and then I caught a ride back to church and showed up in bloody clothes and high heels
  • “Are these in the way?”
  • Chasing the dog hair
  • Producing super awesome Christmas programs
  • The year we got headphone walkie-talkies to keep in contact during the Christmas program
  • Her stint as “crowd member who sees Jesus!” from the church balcony
  • Huddled whispers between the BFFs
  • Ignoring our children at the restaurant until someone got in trouble
  • Pinata!
  • The Never Mountain van
  • The way she threw her head back and clapped her hands together and laughed so hard she cried
  • The day she told me
  • The hat party she hated (sorry if you helped plan it)
  • The lack of hair, eyebrows, toenails, skin on her feet
  • How she never ever ever gave up on living her life
  • Her amazing children… all 5 of them
  • All of her grandbabies and Dawetselbee grandbabies, most of whom she never got to meet
  • Her fabulous After-Party
  • A legacy of choosing joy despite sorrow, love through heartache, and victory over defeat

 

The 3 of us - www.wendysbutterflygarden.com
The 3 of us – www.wendysbutterflygarden.com

 

 

 

 

Birthday Parties I Remember Best (In Honor of the Fact that My Birthday [and my sister’s] is on Tuesday)

  1. Grown-up Girls Slumber Party – My 38th/Meredith’s 35th
    • Pink & Yellow polka-dot theme carried out on cupcakes, cd cases, gift bags
    • Personalized Party Music CD
    • Gift bags of goodies for everyone
    • Late night drunk Twister
  2. My Fabulous Fortieth Birthday – My 40th/(Meredith couldn’t be there)
    • Art heist mystery!
    • A Classic Never Goes Out of Style
  3. The First Time Parents Rented Falcon Field Swimming Pool Party — My 12thish?/Meredith’s 9thish
    • Guest list limited to 60, not counting Grandparents who got to come no matter what
    • An entire picnic table full of presents for both of us
    • Home-made pool party invitations
  4. Mystery Party in Maui – My 39th/(Meredith couldn’t be there but Michelle was!)
    • Murder Mystery — Carlene did it!
    • Travel companions and island friends
  5. Small Water-Games Themed Party — My 9thish/Meredith’s 6thish
    • Water balloon toss
    • Two guests each, plus 2 mutual guests
  6. Surprise Party at Organ Stop Pizza — My 19th/(Meredith was on a youth group trip)
  7. Camping Party in Grandma & Grandpa Rock’s Camper — My 11th/Meredith’s 8th

Our birthday - June 18, 1982
Our birthday – June 18, 1982

Best TV Shows of the 90s

  1. Seinfeld
  2. Friends
  3. E.R.
  4. Law & Order
  5. Spin City
  6. Ned & Stacy
  7. Mad About You
  8. MAD Tv
  9. In Living Color
  10. Boy Meets World
  11. Northern Exposure
  12. Home Improvement
  13. Dharma & Greg
  14. Just Shoot Me
  15. News Radio
  16. Beverly Hills 90210
  17. Melrose Place
  18. Highlander
  19. Ally McBeal
  20. The Fresh Prince of BelAir
  21. Frasier
  22. Wings
 PS – I only listed shows I watched and enjoyed.  For a ridiculously complete listing of all 90s shows, click on the picture below to visit crazyabouttv.com .

Northern Exposure TV Show Cast Members