Green Things (In honor of the upcoming St. Patty’s Day)

  • Shamrocks
  • The Chicago River on St. Patrick’s Day
  • Grass in the spring
  • New buds on a tree
  • Cash
  • The sky when a tornado is brewing
  • The Christmas tree still up in my living room
  • Moss
  • Turtles
  • The cover of the book I’ve been reading
  • Towels in my guest bathroom
  • The Northern Lights
  • Ivy
  • Poison Ivy
  • Apples
  • The Green Bay Packers logo
  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Dinosaurs (or so we theorize)
  • Oscar the Grouch
  • Kermit the Frog
  • Lizards
  • Chameleons
  • Kiwi
  • Seaweed
  • Mint chocolate chip ice cream
  • Lime sherbet
  • Emeralds
  • Watermelon
  • The new shirt I bought to wear on Monday
  • Aged copper
  • Avocados
  • Jealousy
  • Health food
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • The BP Logo (which, as it turns out, is designed by a friend of a friend)
  • Evergreen trees
  • Bananas that aren’t ripe

 

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!

 

Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions Which Have Already Likely Been Broken (according to no scientific research but my own imagination)

  • Stop eating junk food
  • Visit gym daily
  • Visit gym 3 times a week
  • Visit gym once a week
  • No more smoking
  • No more gossip
  • Meet neighbors
  • Be involved in child’s school
  • Volunteer time for good cause
  • Call mother once a week
  • Read a new book every month
  • Finish project X
  • Organize garage / attic / basement
  • File taxes early
  • Leave work on time every day
  • Leave work on time at least once a week
  • Leave work on time once in a while
  • Reduce alcohol intake
  • Start Christmas savings fund

Ways to Get From Here to There

  • Drive
  • Walk
  • Skip
  • Fly in an airplane
  • Fly on a hang-glider
  • Parachute
  • Hop
  • Jump
  • Pogo stick
  • Roller skate
  • Roller blade
  • Skate board
  • Ski
  • Snowshoe
  • Horseback
  • Elephant
  • Train
  • Trolley
  • Rickshaw
  • Horse drawn carriage
  • Stage coach
  • Motorcycle
  • Scooter
  • Paddle wheel boat
  • Row boat
  • Barge
  • Sail boat
  • House boat
  • Motor home
  • Helicopter
  • Snowmobile
  • Bicycle
  • Unicycle
  • ATV
  • Riding lawnmower
  • Run
  • Waltz
  • Climb
  • Crawl
  • Crab walk
  • Duck walk
  • Bear walk
  • Walk like an Egyptian
  • Raft
  • Swim
  • Sashay
  • Tip toe
  • Stomp
  • Leap

 

 

Dream Quotes

  • “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
  • “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” ~ Colin Powell
  • “The dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” ~ T.E. Lawrence
  • “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
  • ““Hold fast to dreams,
    For if dreams die
    Life is a broken-winged bird,
    That cannot fly.”  ~ Langston Hughes
  • “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “We may place blame, give reasons, and even have excuses; but in the end, it is an act of cowardice to not follow your dreams.” ~Steve Maraboli
  • “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”  ~C.S. Lewis

 

Birthday Party Themes for Your Teenage Son

  • Laser tag / Paint ball
  • Hometown Treasure Hunt  – one responsible driver per group, clues take teams to locations important to your son’s life
  • Amazing Race – similar to the treasure hunt but to landmarks in your area
  • Tailgate party – grilling from the bed of a truck, parking lot football, coolers full of soda
  • Camping / Hiking trip
  • Pool Party/ Beach party & cookout
  • Racing theme with a trip to the GoKarts
  • World’s Most Interesting Teenager – make the meme your own
  • Redneck / Manly Man games – log throws, target practice, crushing soda cans
  • Dapper Dan – dress nice, fancy dinner, moustache photo props, (provide tips to fine dining)
  • Movie Marathon – all night viewing of LOTR, Star Wars series, etc.
  • Spy Games – strategy games in teams
  • Bonfire night
  • Ski trip / Snow party & hot beverages at the lodge
My son’s Golden Birthday (19 on the 19th) — Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket theme. Golden tickets gave clues to places around town. Winning team got most creative pix at each location.

 

 

Tuesday Trivia

  1. What nationality was the great composer Chopin?
  2. Who wrote Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde?
  3. In what year did Elvis first appear in concert?
  4. Name the capital of Finland.
  5. How many wives did Henry XIII have?
  6. What is the smallest ocean?
  7. In the movie The Princess Bride, what is the true identity of the man in black?
  8. How many months have 31 days?
  9. Who lives at 10 Downing Street?
  10. What element, when in its natural form, can start the size of a matchbox and be flattened into the size of a football field?

 

 

(Answers below…. don’t scroll down unless you want to know)

 

 

  1. Polish
  2. Robert Louis Stevenson
  3. 1954
  4. Helsinki
  5. Six
  6. Artic
  7. Wesley / The Dread Pirate Roberts
  8. Seven
  9. The British Prime Minister
  10. Gold

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

Lists of All the Things You've Never Wondered About