Memories Wrap Up

Today is my last day in my 20's so it's time to wrap up my top 30 memories...

#3: As silly as it sounds, having my first fight with Bob over the placement of a television in our family room.  We weren't even living together at the time and it was the silliest fight ever, but it was a moment when I fell more in love with Bob - especially when we could laugh about it later.

#2: (This is for you Jo) Crashing a Glamour magazine party in NYC several years back.  I had heard about the party from a coworker and convinced my friend Joanna to check it out with me.  Turned out you had to be on a list to get in.  Jo used her wit, charm and powers of persuasion (read: bitchiness:) to get us in.  We proceeded to take full advantage of the open bar, break a vase and end up face down in the street outside.  That's enough detail for this blog.

#1: Seeing my mom’s yellow roses bloom in November after she passed away.  It was the most amazing thing to see her favorite flowers bloom so long after the season.  They were beautiful and it reassured me that she would always be with me.

More Memories

I'm falling down on the job with my Top 30 memories.  I'd like to blame it on the heat, but it's really just my crazy schedule.  In the interest of time I'm going to sum up some posts so that I might finish in time.  Some Top 30 Memories to add to the list:

#9: Meeting Dan Akroyd. I don't think of myself and getting star struck, but when I met Dan Akroyd in New York I was indeed struck.  At a party I we were introduced and he was the nicest most down to earth guy.  And, the best part was that he'd partied in Champaign so we had some fun stuff to talk about!

#8: In 2004 I moved back to Champaign and got to spend 7 glorious months with my mom gardening, eating late dinners, taking long drives and having great talks.  They were wonderful months.

#7: One New Year's I went on a Caribbean Cruise with my parents. My mom and I indulged in rum punches and games on the beach and had a complete blast.  Between all the laughs and falling into the water, it was a great time!

#6: On my European backpacking advernture the train ride from Nice up to Paris through the French countryside was one of the most beautiful sites I've seen.

#5: For my 21^st birthday my friend Michele made the trip to visit me.  She had a folly filled adventure that ended with us and a group of friends singing karaoke at the top of our lungs in a tiny little dive bar in the East Village in NYC.  It was great!

#4: The night Bob proposed to me was perfect.  I had a hunch that he was planning something during the summer, but the time he actually did it I was caught totally off guard.  We had just made a delicious dinner and were sitting on our deck enjoying a glass of wine under starts when he got down on one knee.  To be honest, the rest was a little blurry because I was overcome with excitement, nervousness and joy.  The moment was filled with lots of love and was simply perfect.

  

Memory #10: "You're Not Living Here"

One of my favorite memories is when my parents moved me out to NYC after I graduated college.  They were so supportive of me even though I was moving to Brooklyn into an apartment that I'd signed a lease for via fax after never having seen it.  Oh, and the fact that I didn't have a job to support myself.  Mom and Craig took me on a trip to IKEA to get some furnishings and then hauled me and all of my stuff across the country in our van to Brooklyn.  When we pulled off of the BQE and headed off the exit toward my new diggs, we passed building after building covered in graffiti, overturned trash cans and an overall seedy looking area.  When we pulled up to my apartment I went to open the van door to check things out and I heard a click.  The van door was locked and I was stuck inside.  Looking forward I see dread on my mother's face as she said calmly, "you're not living here."  To be honest, I was nearly scared to death myself, but knew showing fear was out of the question at this point.  We had arrived and there was no turning back.  It took some coaxing, and a week of hanging around, to convince my parents that I would be fine.  It was pretty funny, but it came as no surprise to either one of us that I was going to be just fine.

Check out this graffiti bike tour.

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Memory #11: Summer in NYC

The summer of 2002 I decided to get out of town for a bit.  I signed up for a two week long class at NYU that got me housing for the summer (an amazing apartment overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge) which led to me to meeting one of my dear friends, Heather.  I remember crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on my way into Manhattan feeling like the whole world was my oyster and I was embarking on a life changing experience. Turns out it was.  Heather and I became dear friends who romped around the city daily (and nightly), I scored a nanny job with a very well to do couple on the Upper West Side, I met people who would eventually lead to me to interview with some amazing fashion magazines and I simply had an amazing time.  The feelings of freedom, possibility and friendship were overwhelming.  A lot of which would lead me back to NYC the following year.  It was a fabulous time.

Memory #12: Fishing with Grandma

Was I was young I used to spend summers with my Grandma Jenkins.  One of my favorite things that we did together was going fishing.  In the morning and we would load up the Mustang with our poles, fishing pail and lawn chairs and swing by Kmart for bait and head towards Crystal Lake.  We'd make a quick stop at KFC for a bucket of chicken and then head into the park to find our perfect spot.  All day long we'd sit there chatting about the weather and such, eating our chicken, catching little blue gill.  Grandma would, of course, bait my hook for me and pull the fish off when I caught them.  Those were really great days!

Memory #13: Water Slide Birthday

One birthday when I was a kid I was so excited to have my birthday party at the water slide.  About 12 girls and I piled into the back of Craig's blue truck (which I've since learned is frowned upon by the law) and cruised across town, wind blowing through our hair, ready for the fun that awaited.  I think we all went down the water slides no fewer than 30 times.  We'd splash into the water and get right out and run back into line.  That was such a carefree time and such a fun way to celebrate my birthday.

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Memory #14: It's a Small World

Another memory related to my solo backpacking trip happened in Cologne, Germany.  I decided to alter my route a bit and instead of heading for Berlin, I hopped on a train to Cologne.  Not having researched the place prior to getting there I was at the mercy of my guide book to find a place to stay.  I decided on a hostel that was nearby the train station and seemed like a clean place.  To my surprise, when I walked in to the hostel I ran into Samantha and Nisha, two girls that I had gone to high school with and hadn't seen in years.  It was unbelievable!  They had met for the weekend in Cologne and were on there way out as I was walking in.  We couldn't let the fortunate circumstance pass by without reveling in our amazement over a traditional German beer. :)  It was one of those moments where you couldn't help but realize what a truly small world it is.

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Memory #15: Winston

Picking out our first pet together was an exciting thing for me and husband.  We knew that a litter of puppies was coming to the Humane Society and we wanted to rescue one.  We met several, but little Winston stole our hearts.  He was just a little wilder than his brothers and sisters and had a certain spunk that we thought we fit right into our family.  We've had so much fun with him the past year and I just love him so much.

A pooped puppy at tailgate

Memory #16: Switzerland & Italy

The Colosseum

After high school graduation I was lucky enough to take a trip to Switzerland and Italy with some of my best girlfriends.  I even got to spend my 18^th birthday in Lucerne, Switzerland.  We got to see Zurich, Rome, Pisa, Verona, Venice and several other cities.  It was an unforgettable trip!

The girls

The Grand Canal, Venice

Sarah, me & Sara

 The girls

Lucerne

The Spanish Steps

Vatican City

Pisa

Memory #17: My Lost Backpack

Going along with my backpacking trip to Europe... Another favorite memory is when the airline I was traveling with lost my backpack.  Sounds funny, right?  I was en route to Athens from Milan and had been in southern Germany where the temperature was a little chilly.  I was dressed in pants, a sweatshirt and sneakers and I had only my camera, passport and money with me.  I confidently boarded the plane dreaming of hot weather and a summer dress.  When I arrived in Athens and learned that my backpack had not made the trip with me I was beside myself.  I didn't speak a lick of the language, nor did I have my hostel reservation or any maps with me.  I was terrified.  To make the long story shorter, after hours of roaming through the city dripping with sweat, I ended up stumbling on my hostel after a few hours.  And, I made some new friends who helped me out with soap, contact solution and a towel.
The next day I went out in search of cooler clothing (it was scorching hot!) and found a small shop where the store owner was heaven sent.  Little did he know that polite conversation would lead into my travel nightmare.  He immediately called the airline and gave them a piece of his mind (and translated their response for me).  He promised I'd get my backpack back within the week.  I decided to purchase a dress there and then, god bless his heart, the man gave me some underclothes (yep, didn't have those either), a small knapsack to carry my things in, a pair of sandals and a beautiful blue scarf.  He was so kind and compassionate that I left the store with renewed faith in the universe.  I went on my way to explore the Greek islands.  And wouldn't you know it - a few days later I got a call (on the island pay phone) that my backpack would be arriving via ferry at 3am the next morning.  I went out to the dock to meet the boat and while I couldn't have been more happy to see my belongings, I was dreading the heavy load.  I definitely learned the value of traveling lightly those few days.  And, the sense of accomplishment, empowerment and perseverance in a bad situation did wonders for my outlook.  It was a really tremendous experience.

I saw this photo outside a cafe on the first island I went to after my backpack was lost. 

Memory #18: Marrying My Honey

Marrying Bob is one of my MOST favorite memories.  Our wedding day was absolutely perfect.  Watching this video makes me want to do it again.

Memory #19: Great Balls of Fire

When I was younger my mom would sometimes go cruising around town just for fun.  Some of my favorite moments were when we'd roll all the windows down and slide open the sunroof of the Camry and go cruising down the interstate blasting Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire.”  With the wind whipping through our hair, we'd both sing at the top of our lungs with giant smiles plastered across our faces.  Haha, it was so much fun!

Memory #20: My Solo Backpacking Trip

Dublin

One of my favorite memories is when I went backpacking solo through Europe for 5 1/2 weeks.  I took a leave of absence from my job, borrowed a backpack from a friend and bought the first ticket I found.  It was truly one of the most thrilling, empowering and exciting adventures I've ever taken.  I started in Dublin and made my was south through Brussels, Amsterdam, Germany, Italy and down to the Greek Islands.  I ventured back north through France and back to Dublin.  It was incredible.

Dublin friends

Brussels

Amsterdam market

Me in Amsterdam 

Cologne cathedral

Cologne chocolate factory - yumm-o!

Munich Englischer Garden

Rhine River cruise

Athens - Acropolis

Athens bar

Amorgos (heaven on earth)

Amorgos

Santorini

Santorini (me hiking a volcano)

Nice

Nice

Antibes

Provence by train

Aix-en-Provence (fresh lavendar in a market)

Aix-en-Provence (Mt. Saint Victoire)

Versailles

Paris (from the ferris wheel)

Paris - Le Pont des Arts

Just the highlights from over 3,000 photos!

Memory #21: Fun Nights with Craig

My mom used to be in bowling leagues on night a week and I spent that evening out on the town with Craig.  Some of my favorite times were going to Spaceport (this super cool arcade on campus that looked like a spaceship from outside) and playing hours of air hockey, eating pizza at Garcia's (which used to have the best thick slices around) and a seeing a movie at the Coed theatre. I got to stay up late and play for hours.  It was so much fun!

Memory #22: Moon Shoes

One of the funniest things I remember was the Christmas that I got Nickelodeon Moon Shoes.  They were these awesome purple platform shoes with giant rubber bands running through them.  Once you got them strapped to your feet it really felt like you could bounce to the moon.  I managed to convince my 80+ year old Grandma Jenkins to wear the moon-shoes around the house for awhile.  Getting her to even stand up in them was a challenge, but trying to help her bounce around the house, nearly tumbling with each step and scaring our pets into a barking/hissing frenzy, was absolutely hilarious!

One of my other favorite Nickelodeon toys.

Memory #23: First Summer with Bob

Hahaha, look at that guy!

Summertime is my favorite time of year and as a result a lot of my favorite things happen during the summer.  The first summer I spent with Bob is one of my favorites.  We reconnected at the beginning of August, at the end of the summer, but there was still lots of fun to be had.  We enjoyed cookouts with friends, taking long walks on hot summer nights, getting ice cream, swinging in the park, sipping iced tea, long chats, opening car doors, gazing into each other’s eyes, staying up way too late – being like love sick school kids.  We even adopted the name "county fair couple"... apparently we were a little over the top from time to time. :)  That was a really great summer! 

Memory #24: Limo Cruising with AP

My Aunt Patti used to come visit Champaign-Urbana it seemed like once a summer when I was young.  We always had a great time together and one particular visit stands out.  She had lots of friends still living in town and one of them owned a limo company.  One day A.P. pulled up in my driveway in a flashy white limo - a total Pretty Woman moment.  We got to drive all around town including to Windsor Swim Club so I could brag to my friends.  I felt like a celebrity.  It was great!

Memory #25: Michele & Libby Take Toronto

I have lots of favorite memories with my friend Michele, but my most favorite has to be the "Michele and Libby take Niagara Falls & Toronto" trip.  When I was still living in NYC, Michele and I were always dreaming up awesome trips that we should take.  One afternoon while I was working away in my tiny cube in Midtown Manhattan, to my surprise and delight Michele called me out of the blue with a proposal.  "Libby, I'm buying a ticket to NYC for this weekend.  Where are we going?" is what she said.  My ears perked up and my mind got to work.  After some stealthy Google searching we had booked a hotel at Niagara Falls and in Toronto and had a $10/day rental car to get us there.
Michele arrived a couple of days later and we headed to LaGuardia to pick up our car and be on our way.  The sense of liberation with a last minute trip is invigorating and thrilling and we were both so excited.  Neither of us had been to either place and had no idea what to expect.  Highlights of our trip included our little lovers hotel :) near the falls, leaning over the edge as far as we could without falling, stopping at the border crossing into Canada and nervously telling the border guard that we were bringing cameras, ipods, fruit and snacks into the country (she was intimidating), eating like queens in Toronto, shopping and stumbling through the evening nightlife.  We drove through a horrendous thunderstorm on the winding roads of upstate New York and were relieved that we had somehow survived the ordeal.
It was a great trip with a great friend and fine example of the exciting spontaneity of youth.  Great memory!

Memory #26: Learning to Drive the Mustang

When I turned 14, my Grandma Jenkins gave me her 1966 Mustang that she had purchased, as she liked to say, right off the showroom floor.  She was so proud of that car.  I remember spending summers with her "garage sale-ing" and people would walk up to her and ask how much she wanted for the car.  Without hesitation, and with a giant smile spreading across her face, she'd say, "it's not for sale."  She loved that.
When I got my learners permit Grandma and my mom decided to take me out and teach me how to drive the Mustang.  With my mom in the back seat and Grandma in the front we headed out.  Things were going OK despite the sticky clutch and I was actually getting the hang of the 3 speeds on the floor.  We pulled up to an intersection with a 4-way stop and we happened to be on an incline.  Three other cars pull up at the same time.  I tried waiting for them to go, but it was my turn and they weren't budging.  While Grandma was calmly giving me instructions on how to avoid killing the engine (again) my mom was in the back seat anxiously shouting for me to go.  As I was rolling backwards down the hill another car was pulling up right behind us and next thing I know everyone in the car is shouting, including me!  Struggling to get going I ended up flooring it and peeling out of the stop through the intersection as my mom is in hysterics, I'm terrified for all of our lives and Grandma was laughing so hard I thought she might pee her pants.  After realizing we'd survived, the three of us had a good hard laugh.  That was so much fun.

Memory #27: Grandma's Cookies

I went to college at the University of Illinois.  Because I grew up in Champaign-Urbana, Campustown had always been in my backyard and a part of my life.  While I loved that, I also wanted to have the "away from home experience."  So, my freshman year I decided to live in the dorms.  I was assigned to the "Six Pack" (now Ikenberry Commons) and ended up meeting some great friends there.  For the first semester I managed to resist the temptation to go home to Urbana for free laundry and I made my first trip home over Thanksgiving break.  A lot of people thought it was weird that I wouldn't go home for home cooked meals and free laundry, but I stuck to my guns (that changed second semester :).
One of my favorite things that first year living in the dorms was when my Grandma Nelson would send me a shoebox full of her homemade chocolate chip cookies.  On visits I would always sneak cookies from the box she kept in her freezer at home in Florida, so when a box would arrive at my dorm it was an extra special treat.  Getting mail alone was fun, but when those cookies arrived not only was my tummy happy, but my spirits were lifted as I got to share them with my roommates and neighbors.  I'm pretty sure I made a lot of friends that first year just because of those cookies.  Remembering that now brings a giant smile to my face.

Grandma Jenkins, Me, Grandma Nelson on my high school graduation

In Florida celebrating my Grandma's birthday