- Road trip to Niagara Falls (a place I’ve always wanted to visit)
- Philadelphia / New Jersey / Delaware (3 of the last 4 states I need to get)
- Apostle Islands, Wisconsin (never been, looks awesome)
- Grand Marais, Minnesota (haven’t been there for years)
- Las Vegas Sphere (just learned about this recently!)
- Cumberland Falls State Park, Kentucky (moonbow viewing)
- Seattle & Portland (beautiful country, I haven’t actually been to Seattle)
- Big Bend National Park, Texas (internet says it has one of the darkest skies in North America)
- New York City (Broadway weekend)
- North Cascades National Park, Washington (I hear rave reviews, and it’s the least visited national park in the lower 48)
- Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia (the 4th of the states I need to get to, this space is suggested for it’s ‘alien landscape’)
- Any beach (SoCal is my favorite)
- Denver & Colorado Springs (ai suggested, it is a cool place!)
- Grand Marais, Minnesota (haven’t been there for years, might be too early to hear the loons though)
- Meow Wolf in Santa Fe (I have no idea what it is but its described as ‘weird, artsy, immersive’)
- March 2017 – Ensenada
- April 2018 – Grand Cayman & Ocho Rios
- March 2019 – Eastern Caribbean
- October 2019 – Eastern Caribbean
- May 2022 – Bahamas
- March 2024 – Great Barrier Reef
- March 2025 – Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel
- October 2025 – Bahamas
- Atlanta, Georgia (Peach Bowl)
- Wilmore, Kentucky (staff recruiting fair at Asbury University)
- Davenport, Iowa (family, and Love For L’Allemand trivia night)
- Marion, Indiana (staff recruiting fair at Indiana Weslyan)
- Moline, Illinois (Cirque de Soleil)
- Greenville, South Carolina (visiting family)
- Westboro, Wisconsin (CCCA Wisconsin sectional at Camp Forest Springs)
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica (cruise)
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (cruise)
- Cozumel, Mexico (cruise)
- Washburn, Illinois (Eagle Crest Camp)
- Davenport, Iowa (family, RFK trivia night)
- Evansville, Wisconsin (graduation party)
- Colgate, Wisconsin (Bobrowitz Spectacular Sculptures)
- Hubertus, Wisconsin (Holy Hill, and Ice Age Trail/Loew Lake Segment)
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin (lots of times, but this time specifically to see Wicked on stage)
- Mt. Horeb & Madison, Wisconsin (visiting KB)
- DePere, Wisconsin (road trip around Lake Michigan)
- Escanaba, Michigan (road trip around Lake Michigan, ate pasties)
- Upper Peninsula/Mackinac Bridge, Michigan (road trip around Lake Michigan)
- Traverse City, Michigan (road trip around Lake Michigan, visit to Wendi’s Sunset Lavender)
- Grand Haven, Michigan (road trip around Lake Michigan, Rosy Mound Sand Dunes beach — AMAZING!)
- Miami, Florida (cruise)
- Bahamas (cruise)
- East Troy, Wisconsin (Camp Timber-lee)
- Moline, Illinois (Love For L’Allemand fundraiser)
- New Orleans, Louisiana (National CCCA Conference)
- Davenport, Iowa (grandbaby’s 3rd birthday!)
- Greenville, South Carolina (Christmas with the family)
Rose Mound Natural Area – sand dunes & beach – Grand Haven, Michigan
Wendi’s Sunset Lavender, LLC – Traverse City, Michigan
Gram’s Pasties – Escanaba, Michigan
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
Lists of All the Things You've Never Wondered About
