Willkie 8 Does Bell Buckle, TN
10th Annual Reunion
That brings us to 2009 in Bell Buckle, TN - Our first girls only trip and we had a blast.
10th Annual Reunion
So here's a post about me for once, not about the kids!
Despite the fact that we have all lived all across the country, my girlfriends from college have been getting together for a reunion almost every year for 10 years. We refer to ourselves and now our husbands (aren't they lucky) as Willkie 8 or W8 for short. We all lived on the same floor in the Willkie dorm at Indiana University. Bet you can guess which floor - 8. Hence the name and yes, the dog came after the dorm. My dog Willkie was named in honor of my friends and our fabulous first year of college together.
The first couple of years of reunions were easier because, well, we had no children and it seemed somebody was getting married every year for awhile so that took care of 4 years. The last 3 years have been more difficult with the addition of 4 kids and everyone is married so no wedding to have as an excuse. I'm going to try and remember the years and locations of our reunions so we won't forget. Willkie girls, email me if I missed one or get the year wrong, I know I'll need help.
1998 - Graduated - some in May and others, ahem, me in December.
1999 - Okay, maybe we didn't physically see each other in 1999 - Liz may have come to Denver and visited Jamey and me.
2000 - Steph's Wedding in Washington, DC - Bethesda
2001 - Belton, TX (out on the town in Austin, TX) Steph was living there while her husband Chuck was stationed there with the Army.
2002 - Columbus, IN - My wedding
2003 - Liz's wedding in December at a beautiful inn in Illinois - Liz, remind me of the name - Lake something - cute little town
2004 - Did we miss this year? - I'm drawing a blank, although I remember Steph coming to Aspen and Jamey and I meeting her at the Ritz??? but Liz didn't make that one. ? Is that the right year?
2005 - Chicago, IL - stayed at the Kelsch's and then at Jamey and Mark's - Cubbies game
2006 - Jamey's wedding in Memphis, TN - Steph didn't make it due to hospital bedrest for the birth of her two beautiful little twin girls. She was missed and included in pictures regardless.
2007 - Chagrin Falls, OH - Location provided by my parents - their house. Everyone drove except Craig, Zach and me.
2008- Ocean City, MD - Stayed at Steph's cousin's beach house
Despite the fact that we have all lived all across the country, my girlfriends from college have been getting together for a reunion almost every year for 10 years. We refer to ourselves and now our husbands (aren't they lucky) as Willkie 8 or W8 for short. We all lived on the same floor in the Willkie dorm at Indiana University. Bet you can guess which floor - 8. Hence the name and yes, the dog came after the dorm. My dog Willkie was named in honor of my friends and our fabulous first year of college together.
The first couple of years of reunions were easier because, well, we had no children and it seemed somebody was getting married every year for awhile so that took care of 4 years. The last 3 years have been more difficult with the addition of 4 kids and everyone is married so no wedding to have as an excuse. I'm going to try and remember the years and locations of our reunions so we won't forget. Willkie girls, email me if I missed one or get the year wrong, I know I'll need help.
1998 - Graduated - some in May and others, ahem, me in December.
1999 - Okay, maybe we didn't physically see each other in 1999 - Liz may have come to Denver and visited Jamey and me.
2000 - Steph's Wedding in Washington, DC - Bethesda
2001 - Belton, TX (out on the town in Austin, TX) Steph was living there while her husband Chuck was stationed there with the Army.
2002 - Columbus, IN - My wedding
2003 - Liz's wedding in December at a beautiful inn in Illinois - Liz, remind me of the name - Lake something - cute little town
2004 - Did we miss this year? - I'm drawing a blank, although I remember Steph coming to Aspen and Jamey and I meeting her at the Ritz??? but Liz didn't make that one. ? Is that the right year?
2005 - Chicago, IL - stayed at the Kelsch's and then at Jamey and Mark's - Cubbies game
2006 - Jamey's wedding in Memphis, TN - Steph didn't make it due to hospital bedrest for the birth of her two beautiful little twin girls. She was missed and included in pictures regardless.
2007 - Chagrin Falls, OH - Location provided by my parents - their house. Everyone drove except Craig, Zach and me.
2008- Ocean City, MD - Stayed at Steph's cousin's beach house
So here's my little posting about this year's trip. We all met in Nashville, TN. It seemed to be the cheapest flying option and Jamey could actually drive there. We rented a cute little cabin although they called it a Chalet. The Liberty Gap Chalet. It was very secluded but really quite pretty. Everyone brought something (except me so I became the photographer). Liz brought the Trader Joe's wine (courtesy of her husband, Vince's job at Trader Joe's). Jamey brought the beer (courtesy of her husband, Mark's job at Sweetwater Brewery) plus she made my favorite tortilla roll-ups, Chex Mix, did all the grocery shopping and had the place ready to go when we arrived! Steph made her now famous, 6 layer cookies and chocolate chip cookie bars and of course, her banana bread. Yummy! To sum up the weekend, we ate, drank, and talked our way through Friday and Saturday. It was a great time. I learned how to play Apples to Apples and even learned the rules of Ping Pong. It took me awhile but eventually I caught on! :) Saturday we toured downtown Bell Buckle and saw the little antique and gift shops. We could have eaten our weight in Moon Pies, but none of us were really fans. I almost forgot our "hike" around the Chalet's land. Liz was her usual trooper and braved the woods for the rest of us. The trail was pretty overgrown and I believe we saw the largest spider I ever need to see in my life. We declared it was time to turn around and say we got some exercise. We ate Saturday night at Miller's Grocery. It seemed to be "the" restaurant in town and served excellent Southern food. Yum! Fried Green Tomatoes and some yummy Snickers dessert. Everything was fried or creamed, I love the South! :)
The mural in downtown Bell Buckle
The rooster/chicken? running free with his friends around the houses near our Chalet.Gotta love TN!
Let the Apples to Apples game begin.It was a fight for the bedrooms. Winner takes the suite.
Jill and Liz
Jill and Jamey - The Original Roommates
Liz and Steph - proof we used the ping pong table
The Ladies posing in downtown Bell Buckle
The donkey and pony? literally outside our back door. They spent most of the weekend just like this.
Here's to Willkie 8! Cheers!
1 comment:
Here's to Bell Buckle and another 10 years of reunions ahead! Your memory is much better than mine, but I can tell you I was married in Lake Bluff (that much I can recall!).
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