Sunset over the Pacific Ocean in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Life is so wonderful when you have something to look forward to and when you have the resulting memories to enjoy. Starting in February 2016 we will begin listing 1001 Memories You Can Live. These are in no particular order of importance since they are all delightful. If you have recommendations for Memories You Can Live, please send us an email at liveamemory@gmail.com.
1. Giving your child a kiss when they go to bed at night.
2. With your toes in the sand, watching a sunset from a beach.
3. In the middle of the winter, planning your next summer vacation with your family.
4. Amaze your family and friends with your knowledge of science and head outside on a clear evening and watch the International Space Station (ISS) fly overhead.
Visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
5. Flying Business Class on an overseas trip.
6. Reading a book or series of books out loud with your kids.
7. Visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
8. Attending a campaign rally of a presidential candidate.
9. On a cold winter night, sitting in a hot tub and gazing up at the stars.
10. On one of the first warm days of the year, getting outside and taking a walk with a loved one.
11. On an airline flight, striking up what turns out to be a delightful conversation with a complete stranger.
Allegheny 1601 at The Henry Ford Museum
12. Learning to play one song on a musical instrument.
13. Filling out your annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket!
14. Voting in a U.S. Presidential Primary.
15. Attending a St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
16. Visiting the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.A. and being amazed by the cars, and trains, and planes, and machines on display! You can learn more by visiting: thehenryford.org/visit/henry-ford-museum/
17. Getting outside to hopefully enjoy the 1st day of Spring!
18. Attending the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.
19. Pulling off an awesome joke on April Fool’s Day!
20. Heading to the ballpark and watching your favorite baseball team on Opening Day!
A view of the 12th Green and 13th Fairway during a Practice Round at August National Golf Club
21. Getting a ticket to a Practice Round or Tournament Play for The Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club. (Note: this is one of the hardest tickets in sports. This one is high on my Bucket List!)
22. Attend a TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment and Design) and listen, and learn, and interact!
23. Heading way up north to places like Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, or Northern Canada to see the Northern Lights (the Aurora Borealis).
24. Running a 5k, or Half Marathon, or Marathon Running Race!
25. A visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The library which was founded in 1800 is now the largest library in the world and contains over 162 million items.
26. A trek to the Mount Everest South Base Camp in Nepal. Please note that this requires a plane flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, Nepal. And then from Lukla it takes 7 to 8 days to trek to Everest Base Camp. This sounds incredible!
27. Visiting the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán which is just northeast of Mexico City. Built around 100 AD, the Pyramid of the Sun is the largest pyramid in Mexico.
28. Getting your hands in the dirt and planting your plants and vegetables in the springtime.
Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
29. Visiting the awe–inspiring Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana on the border with Canada. Glacier was established as a national park on May 11, 1910. (I have such fond memories of visiting Glacier with my grandfather and was so delighted when I took my family there. Glacier is a true treasure.)
30. Watching a Bison herd grazing freely out on the range. Our favorite places to see Bison freely roaming in nature are: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/bison.htm), Badlands National Park, South Dakota (https://www.nps.gov/badl/learn/nature/bison-conservation.htm), and Custer State Park, South Dakota (http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/events/buffalo-roundup/).
A Bison at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
31. Heading to Indianapolis, Indiana USA and watching an Indianapolis 500. It really is the The Greatest Spectacle In Racing!
My Kids on the Front Straight before the Indy 500!
32. Visiting The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery grounds are located on a hill which overlooks Washington, D.C. Once there, you should stay for the Changing of the Guard Ceremony which happens every hour.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
33. Attending a concert in Carnegie Hall (New York City, USA).
34. Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, USA. You can learn about Great Smoky Mountains National Park at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm on the National Park Service (NPS) website. Two of my favorite spots to visit in the park are Cades Cove and the Chimney Tops Trail.
35. Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. to see the original Star-Spangled Banner. On September 14, 1814, this 30 foot by 42 foot flag flew over Fort McHenry after the American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. Seeing the flag fly over the Fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write the “The Star-Spangled Banner.” You can learn more about this incredible piece of history by visiting http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/.
4th of July Fireworks at Stone Oak Country Club in Holland, Ohio, USA
36. Attending a United States Open Golf Championship. It is amazing to see the best golfers in the world live! The 2017 United States Open will be held at Erin Hills Golf Course in Erin, Wisconsin, USA. http://www.usga.org/tickets.html
37. On Father’s Day, taking a few moments to reflect on what your Dad has meant to you.
38. Visiting the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in London to attend the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
39. Heading to France to watch the cyclists riding in the Tour de France.
40. Enjoying a local fireworks display to celebrate the 4th of July!
41. A visit to Hoover Dam in southern Nevada near Boulder City.
Hoover Dam – Clark County, Nevada, USA
42. Watching an air show of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds! You can see their 2016 and 2017 schedule at http://afthunderbirds.com/site/show-season/.
US Air Force Thunderbirds – Toledo, Ohio – July 17, 2016
43. Visiting Colorado National Monument in western Colorado, USA. If you are heading east to west, Colorado National Monument is your first glimpse of the Great American West! You can learn more about this incredible spot at https://www.nps.gov/colm/index.htm.
Colorado National Monument – Monument Canyon
1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
44. Attending an Olympics! It is really an amazing experience and I cherish the memory of being in Atlanta for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
45. Visiting Arches National Park in Utah, USA.
Arches National Park, Utah, USA – Park Avenue
46. Visiting any one of the National Park Service incredible Parks, Monuments, Memorials, or other wonderful places.
47. Attend the Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
48. Enjoying the start of College Football Season with family and friends!
49. Enjoying the start of the NFL Season with family and friends!
50. A visit to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The galleries in the museum contain probably the most impressive display of aircraft anywhere in the world! You can learn about the museum by visiting http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ .
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force – Dayton, Ohio, USA