Late Night Ramblings!

Okay so I haven't posted in a while. Just been busy. Only 24 more days to go before baby Catherine is here. I am so ready to be done with this pregnancy!!! Women who say pregnancy is wonderful are crazy!!! I hate being pregnant!!!!! I will be glad when I can eat again without worrying about my blood sugar and not feeling like I have had a nasty hangover for 9 months!! Baby girl is taking up so much room in my belly it's hard to eat anything because I feel like I could explode. It is nice to be pregnant during the holidays because it makes it go super fast because you are running around trying to get everything done. I have my sons birthday on the 22nd, then the festivities of Christmas Eve and Christmas day then New Years and then my sons birthday party and then January 6th baby girl will make her entrance into the world. I can't wait to hold her in my arms and see who she looks like.

Girls Weekend in NJ!!

This past weekend I went to NJ to visit my sisters and my best friend from high school Kelly. It was the first time leaving Cortie and I had a great time. I left on Friday morning and had a few tears in the security line after saying goodbye to my son but after that I was fine. I made it NJ and went to my sisters apt and we had dinner and then my other sister came over and we watched Sex and the City and just chilled out. Saturday we went to a Teahouse for a nice lunch and had a great time. Then after my sisters and I went and got manis and pedis. It was raining cats and dogs so we ended up staying in again and watching another movie. Sunday was a gorgeous day and my friend Kelly and I and her sister Alicia headed into NYC for the day. It was so nice we walked a little thru Central Park had a disastrous lunch(long story) walked thru a street fair and we took the subway(my first time) down to the WTC. Of course my feet hurt like crazy and being seven months preggers made me tired much more frequently but we had an awesome day. Then later that night I went down to my old town where I graduated high school and met my sister and her boyfriend Bill at his place and just chilled and watched tv. It was nice to meet Bill who I hadn't met yet. Monday I was on my way home after a quick lunch with Kelly and I got home Monday night good thing cause NJ and PA got an early snowstorm on Tuesday so I made it out just in time!! It was an awesome weekend!!

Leanne, Alicia, and Kelly at the Teahive Kelly and Me My sister Laurie and I Leanne thinking hard!! 3 Sisters together Kelly and I in front of Jekyl and Hyde seriously do not eat there it is bad!!!

Kelly and her sister Alicia in Times Square

A Baby Catherine on the way and Cortie tries out his toddler bed

Well Thursday I had my second ultrasound finally!!! And if the name in the title didn't give it away yes we are having a GIRL!!!!! I was so suprised I seriously thought it was a boy and I kept asking her are you sure there isn't boy parts down there and she insisited that no it was a girl or a very poor boy LOL!!! So now I can get all the pink outfits. I was in Target yesterday and couldn't help picking up all the cute pink and purple outfits. I mean I love dressing my boy but for some reason there are a whole lot more choices with girl outfits then with boys. And of course she will have foofy dresses and bows for her mother is a girlie girl for sure. I did however tell Chester he could get her the appropriate camo with the white ruffle on the butt!! And of course during this week my son decided that he wanted to climb out of his crib. We knew it was coming cause he was climbing out of his pack and play when I would take a shower and he likes to get into everything!!! So we thought we would try taking off the railing on his crib and see how he did. We went to Target and found Thomas bedding on clearance SCORE and he was so excited. But of course that lasted for a short time and then he didn't like not having his railing so we ended up putting it back on. So far no climbing out and I am glad cause I still like having him in his crib and hope that he will stay in it till after baby Catherine is born and then we can transisition him completely into his Thomas the Tank Engine bed that we will put in his big boy room. We plan on leaving his room now the nursery and put Catherine in there when she is about three months which is what we did with Cortie. So that was our exciting week. We of course took some pics of Cortie trying out his toddler bed.

I have a Doctor FINALLY!!

Okay so the last couple of weeks have been stressful for me. My hubbie got a new job over at Schlumberger which was a super good move for our family. A. It's closer B. He is getting paid significantly more C. no more being bent over paying for gas for his truck! but in the process of the new job we of course got new insurance which is fine cause we still had %100 coverage but my dr who I really liked and trusted doesn't take the insurance. I was not a happy camper. So I started mulling over the idea of a VBAC again. Well let me tell you it is not easy to find or even be accepted for a VBAC and if you want to try for it you have to be almost nazi about it like you have to be really focused on what you want and go gung ho to get it and not back down and most of the drs practice out of the med center. NO THANK YOU! I may be the only person who doens't like going to the med center but it is a major pain in the ass and I always get mixed up down there and have to pay for parking. YUCK! So I started mulling over the thought of homebirth and had an appt with a midwife. She was really nice but again you have to be really focused on that to it is a lifestyle and you have to be commited to no drugs and the thought of birthing at home seemed cool but I don't think I have the stamina and she wanted me to be on an even stricter diet with my diabetes which I was like are you kidding this one is hard enough. My mom said you would have to be really focused on what you want and at this point I just don't have the energy. I say just cut me open be done with it. That way I can schedule it and my mom can schedule her plane ticket to come down and we all win! But let me tell you trying to find just a Dr became a major headache. I had referrals from several friends from church for a Dr in sugar land and I had my records sent over and left 2 messages and never got a call back. I mean how rude I am 24 wks preggers here people not just out to get my hoo hoo checked out. So after 2 preggers melt down I mean full on hyperventilating and crying on the phone with my mom I decided that is it I am finding a Dr and they will speak to me!!! So yesterday I found a dr that works out of the hospital I want and get this his nurse actually spoke to me and was so nice and helpful and I just knew that this would be a good place to go. She actually called me several times to ask me questions and took time today to help me fill out paperwork. So I have an appt on Monday and I am so happy. This has really been a stress on me and with my diabetes it isn't good to be all stressed out because my sugars get all sporadic. And this Dr specializes in diabetes in pregnancy so that is a good thing. Well I feel like I rambled on and on but I am just so happy to be seen by a Dr.

Easy Recipe

I realized I have never put a recipe up on my blog so I figured why not. Today I made loose beef for our supper and it's so super easy. My mom made it when we were growing up especially for potlucks and such at church. Gosh remember potlucks they were great. Growing up I always knew the Baptists like to eat. LOL! Anyway the recipe is super easy and super good for a nice quick supper.
Loose Beef
2-3 lb Chuck Roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package french onion soup
1/2 soup can of milk
Mix soups and milk together and pour over roast in roaster pan. Bake @250 for about four hours. I usually check it around 3 hours. Serve hot on buns!!

Super yummy just add a salad and waalah you have dinner.

Thoughts on Pregnancy Today

I can rarely come up with stuff to write on my blog so figured today I would just jumble a bunch of stuff together. First off lets talk about pregnancy and childbirth. As many of you know I had to have an emergency c section with my son because he didn't like potacin and his heart rate skyrocketed. My first mistake was being induced in the first place oh my gosh labor was awful I had no breaks from my contractions I had had no classes on how to work thru contractions because we had no $ at the time so basically I was stuck in a bed with a horrible nurse who was not supportive and felt like I had no control over the entire situation. Fast forward now to 2 years later and guess what I again feel like I have no control over my body and how to birth a baby. For some reason in the Houston area no dr within any radius will take on a patient who is trying for a VBAC and I also have gestational diabetes so double whammy. So my only option is to try for a homebirth with a midwife. I wasn't against having a c section in fact I had gone back to my dr that I really liked had a c section scheduled for Jan 7th and then hubby got a new job and my dr no longer took my insurance. I know bummer. So I was so frustrated and felt the need to look up VBAC's in Houston again. Well the only thing I could find was a midwife who does homebirths for VBAC's and we have an appt to talk with her on Tuesday to find out what its all about. So we shall see what she has to say. And one more thing during this pregnancy especially lately the one thing I crave is Burger King double cheeseburgers with no pickels and this digusting craving hits around 9 or 10 pm and let me tell you they taste so good. Did anybody else have a digusting craving that was not good for you. Okay thats all my thoughts for today.

Hurricane Ike!

Well we survived our first real hurricane down here in Texas. It was crazy!!! Last Thursday my neighbor and I went to Target and got some supplies and prepared to hunker down as they say down here. Chester was off work early on Thursday and was home on Friday as well. We just hung out went out to eat and did normal things. Well the winds were starting to pick up a little but nothing major. So we go to bed on Friday night and I was so keyed up I couldn't sleep and then the winds came and our power went off and it was freaky!!! I tried not to be scared and kept thinking about a hymn I knew growing up "A Shelter in the Time of Storm" and that comforted me. I am always comforted during scary times by hymns I grew up with. I think it's how I most relate to God. My son bless his little heart slept the whole night wouldn't you know a toddler wouldn't care that a storm is blowing all around him!! But our dog Brownie was a different story. She was up most of the night whining and barking and she peed all over the laundry room where she sleeps. Poor thing she was really scared!! So finally the storm let up sometime on Saturday morning and we didn't have any damage just a few tree branches, we are blessed to be in a new neighborhood with baby trees. Our power was out till about 3pm and then it was on for a couple of hours then went off again. So Saturday night was not pleasant it was so damn hot and being pregnant and diabetic just wasn't working for me and I was exhausted. Sunday morning after very little sleep I insisted that we head up to Dallas to our friends Jake and Stephs house for some much needed rest. So we headed up to Dallas and had a bit of a scare on the way up I- 45. There was no gas to be found for over 100 miles. SCARY!! We finally did find some gas up in Centerville. I was so afraid we would be out of gas and stranded with a toddler and dog in tow. Thank God he was with us!! We made it to Dallas and I got some much needed rest. We kept in touch with our neighbors and our power came back on on Sunday afternoon and stayed on. So we trekked back down to Houston late on Monday night and got home around 1:30am. We were glad to be home. So for the rest of the week we have been attempting to get back to normal. I know we are blessed because some people are still without power. I was just glad to be able to go grocery shopping and get much needed food. So now I am waiting for the tv to be back to normal. I know its a bit selfish but the news is getting old day after day all day long. I like to watch Oprah people!! Okay well that is our hurricane story hope everyone is doing ok.

To Find Out or Not to Find Out That is the Question!

Okay if you read my last post then you know that we have a stubborn baby who refused to let us see whether or not it was a he or she. So now the debate in our house is waiting till birth day to find out or finding out at my next ultrasound. My hubbie has been pretty set since the day of the ultrasound that we should wait until the baby is born to find out. I have gone back and forth it would be kinda of neat to wait and see what we are having but then again I really would like to know if we are having a girl. And my neighbor is planning on throwing me a baby shower and it would be helpful to know what we are having so we can get gifts accordingly. So here is the question I pose to my blog readers to find out or not to find out. Drop me a comment and tell me and give me your reasons for pro finding out or con finding out. Can't wait to see the answers!!

One Stubborn Baby!!!

Yep its true we have a stubborn baby growing inside me. Today was our ultrasound and I was psyched to find out what we are having but baby was not cooperating. He or she had their legs crossed tight so there was no way to see what sex it was. My dr does another ultrasound at 28 weeks or I can ask at my appt next month if he can slide me in for a quick ultrasound. And now Chester is like we should just wait until baby comes to see what it is, but I don't think I can wait that long. I need to know if I need to go get pink outfits for a little girl. And part of me thinks that it could be a girl now since my neighbor said to me that boys don't cross their legs!! And it would be like a girl to be stubborn and refuse to let you see!! So until 28 weeks or maybe sooner it will still be baby boy or girl.

Six Random Things About Me

I was tagged to list 6 random things about myself
Here are the tagging rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. I have moved a total of four times in my life not to mention moving from dorms, apts in college. I was born in Illinois and moved to West Virginia when I was 9 then onto New Jersey when I was 15, then to Minnesota at 19 and on to Texas at 27. I have never lived close to family except for my aunt and grandparents in Minnesota so I really don't know what it is like to have extended family to visit. Christmas and family functions is usually just me, Chester, Cortlyn, my mom and dad and my sisters Laurie and Leanne. I am not afraid to pack up and move to new places if the oppurtunity presented itself.
2. I am a nut for bargain shopping, I never buy anything unless it is sale or nearly clearanced out. I pride myself on shirts I have gotten for under $5. Kohls has my favorite clearance racks. I also am a guilty shopper even on clearance I will debate and hem and haw and most of the time I put things back because I really don't need them. Or I end up taking them back because we just don't have the money.
3. I still hold and rock my son to sleep every once in a while. He is only little once and I cherish the times I can hold him and he sleeps in my arms. I don't hold stock in the cry it out method and have never really let Cortlyn cry it out maybe for five minutes but if he is full on screaming I go to him and comfort him.
4. I love old movies especially Disney ones, my grandma used to tape them for me and send me tapes full of old movies and whenever we went to her house we were always allowed to watch as many movies as we wanted and we always got ice cream thanks to my grandpa sometimes even before dinner!!
5. I didn't have a pleasant experience with my pregnancy or the birth of my son I was told the hospital I went to was wonderful but for me it was not, I had a hard labor, mean nurse, broken ac in my room and it was december so it was freaking cold, no coaching on breast feeding, I was ready to be out of there and am going to a different hospital for the birth of our baby in January. I know of one other person who had a nightmare experience there so that makes me feel a little better.
6. It took almost 2 years for Chester and I to conceive Cortlyn but with this baby the one time we were not on the ball with bc bam I got pregnant. I guess when the factory gets going it knows how to produce!

now, to pass this on. I tag the following people:
Melanie: You need to blog again girl
Melissa: I enjoy your posts on Gregory
Bonnie: new mommy friend
Kelly: I know you read my blog sometimes
Chester: you know you want to
I know its not six people but most of the people I know have already done their six random thoughts.

Cortie's Second Haircut!

Cortie's hair was getting a bit long so I thought why not go get it cut before our vacation. He did so well today didn't cry one bit. He was a bit weirderd out by the electric clipper thing but he was a trooper. He got to watch CARS which he loved and he even got to hold his own comb. And of course he is looking super handsome. Watch out ladies!!

Cortie Loves to Splash!

This is Cortie's new pool. He loves being able to sit in it and splash around. You may wonder what happened to our big pool, well it is still in the backyard but soon after we put it up I found out I was pregnant and I have been sick most everyday and lets just say the pool got put on the back burner and anybody who has had a pool knows you have to maintain it or it gets really gross. Well due to a vacumm that didn't work well and a slow filter our nice clean pool got really nasty and we decided to drain it and try again next summer when I am NOT Pregnant and can take the time to maintain it. So the other day I headed over to Dollar General and picked up this little splash pool for $5. I mean who can go wrong with $5. So this is Cortie's new pasttime and momma can sit in a lawn chair and just watch from the sidelines and stick my feet in. Ahh summer!

14 Weeks and Hearbeat Strong!

Okay its been a while since I have posted but I don't know who reads my blog much anyways but here is whats been going on in my life. I am currently 14 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I had my third dr appt today and heard the heartbeat which eased my mind a bit. For some reason this pregnancy I have been more worried than with Cortlyn or maybe its the same but it just seems more intense this time like I hurt the baby or god forbid it died inside me. But the hearbeat was strong and the little guy or gal was moving around a lot so she kept having to move the wand around to find it. Next month will be the sex ultrasound which will be great. I keep thinking it is a little boy. I of course would love a little girl to dress in riduculous amounts of pink but the idea of another little boy is exciting to. So one more month and then we will know. Okay well that is all for now.

I Miss my Grandpa!

I have been struggling today missing my grandpa a whole lot. I really want to be able to tell him about the new baby coming and know that I can't. He would have been so excited for us. He loved meeting Cortlyn and getting to hold him and play with him. Now I know my Grandpa is in heaven with Jesus and he feels no sorrow or pain but down here I miss him and wish I could give him one more hug and smell his scent of old spice. I dreamed about him last night and this hymn came to my mind in my dream and I was singing it in church and my grandpa was there. The last stanza is what my grandpa is experiencing now. Its called All that Thrills my Soul is Jesus and its one of my old time favorites. Here are the lyrics

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,By His presence all divine?True and tender, pure and precious,O how blest to call Him mine!

Refrain:All that thrills my soul is Jesus;He is more than life to me;And the fairest of ten thousand In my blessed Lord I see.

Love of Christ so freely given,Grace of God beyond degree,Mercy higher than the heaven,Deeper than the deepest sea!What a wonderful redemption!Never can a mortal know

How my sin, tho' red like crimson,Can be whiter than the snow.Ev'ry need His hand supplying,Ev'ry good in Him I see;On His strength divine relying,He is all in all to me.

By the crystal flowing riverWith the ransomed I will sing,And forever and foreverPraise and glorify the King.

I miss you Grandpa!

Help my Pants are getting Tight!!!

Yes it is happening I went to put on my pants today and they felt a bit snug. I am only 11 weeks so it seems so early. But my mom said she popped out with my sister much sooner then with me and by the third she pretty much wore her maternity clothes from the start. Man when I was pregnant with Cortlyn it was my first so I was so excited to get into maternity clothes but this time around I am like NO! After Cortlyn's birth I lost a whole lot of weight and was so happy and now its back on. Right before I got pregnant I bought a couple of pairs of super cute capris and I want to wear them more. And I lent most of my maternity clothes to my neighbor who is smaller than me and wearing them now. So I guess I will have to go out and get some maternity jean shorts. Other mommas out there did you have to break out your maternity wear sooner with your second baby?? Advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

In Loving Memory of my Gran!

I thought since it is Fathers Day today I would honor the memory of my Grandpa we called him Gran. Yesterday marked the ten year anniversary since his passing away. He was a great man of God and loved his family a whole lot. When he passed away we were all on a family trip to Williamsburg, Va which he planned and payed for the whole family. He was so excited about that trip and while there he suffered a major heart attack and passed away very suddenly. It was a great shock to our family but it was a blessing that we were all there as a family at that time and he was the happiest around his family. Now my Grandpa wasn't a huggy type Grandpa but he was very loving. My fondest memory is of their house in Ohio. It was a huge house with a great big yard with a pond, tree swing, sandbox and even a golf tee. My grandpa had an awesome garden and you could always find him there. Every single one of his grandchildren can remember taking rides on his tractor and helping him in the garden. It is a very special memory for me. I miss you Gran and know I will see you again in heaven!!

Pregnancy is the PITS!!!

This my dear friends has been how I have felt for the last several days. I was doing pretty good last week wasn't to sick but Sunday hit and after church BAM fixed lunch, ate lunch, gave up lunch 2 minutes later!! Now the porcelin goddess is my friend at all times of the day. It STINKS!!! But today is a little better and all I seem to want to eat is Chick f la greasy chicken sandwiches and waffle fries everything else pretty much looks and sounds nasty. Man pregnancy really takes it out of me!!! I need a NAP!!

The Thompson's are Expecting # 2

Yes it is official the Thompson family is expecting baby # 2!!! After a scary visit to a new ob gyn last week where they didn't see a heartbeat during my first scan and completely freaked me out I was able to be fit in to my previous ob gyn yesterday morning and had another scan and lo and behold there was the heartbeat. I was so relieved because I had been so worried for almost 6 days, and I did not have a good experience with the new dr and the only reason I wanted to try a new doc was because they were supposed to do vbacs but it turns out they only do them on a very limited basis so I said forget that and went back to dr I trust, so another c section is what I will have to have but at this point after all this worry and fear I am happy to be cut open again. So due date is January 19th and I am 6 weeks along. Don't let anyone tell you that pregnancy is great for me it SUCKS!! I have already been throwing up and can barely tolerate any food my dr gave me a script for nausea med but he doesn't want me to take it for two more weeks until I am 8 weeks. BAA!!!! But I know there is a little life growing inside of me that was placed there by God so I am excited even though pregnancy is rough. We shall see how I feel for the next nine months. Thanks to all my friends and family who prayed over the last couple of days during my mega worry crisis!! Love ya!!

What can I say my son loves Barney!! He was so happy when we saw a Barney doll in Walmart. So now he likes to have him close by. You can't help but think how cute!!

The Thompson's New Family Funtime!!

So we went and did it. We bought a pool!! Ok granted its not a huge pool its one of those Intex take up take down pools but it was in our price range and what more could you ask for in the hot summer days in Houston then a place to cool down!!! I have always wanted a pool since I was a little girl and of course my caviar dreams wants a complete in the ground package with lush landscaping and waterfalls and all that jazz but lets be realistic we are on a shoestring budget therefore the pretty funky looking blue pool works just fine in our backyard. I bought Cortie a cute little car raft to float in and the boy wouldn't even go near it, in fact when I was blowing it up he was freaking out and crying and he wouldn't even get in the pool today when it was in there. So mommy will have to get the evil thing back to the store and just have him swim in my arms. He likes it that way anyways so he can splash all around and especially splash mommy and daddy!! And let me tell you pools take a lot of chemicals its crazy!!! I will have to get used to making sure my pool stays nice and clean!!

Cortie's First Haircut

This is from a few weeks ago but it is to cute. I kept having people ask me what my little girls name was I mean come on people most of the time he was in full on blue. It must have been the cute little baby curls that confused people. Well anyhoo I took him for his first haircut and the pictures say it all. The progression of his face and his mood during the haircut are hilarious. I took him to Cool Cuts 4 Kids in Sugar Land and it was a good place. He was able to watch a Barney video which he loved and his haircut turned out really good and his hair even still curls up in the back which I love. He is my handsome little man!!

A Brief Get to Know You Piece

Several people have this on their blog and its fun to fill out. So enjoy

What I was doing 10 years ago: I was in my third year of college, 2nd full year at Northwestern College in St Paul, Minnesota, I was studying hard and working part time at ACR Homes 2 days a week
On my to do list today: go to Kohls and return a picture frame, watch Oprah that I DVRd, attempt to finish cleaning the bathrooms (I hate cleaning bathrooms!!!)
Snacks I enjoy: semi sweet chocolate chips, mozzarela sticks from Sonic, Orange Cream Slushie from Sonic, any kind of cheese!!
Things I would do if I was a billionaire: hire maids to clean my house from top to bottom every other day, pay off our house, cars ,student loans, Corties birth, give buca $$ to my favorite place Camp Forest Springs, give to God and charities, have Chester quit his job and run a ranch with lots and lots of land so he can hunt all the time and be really happy, have more babies and hire nannies!
Three bad habits: swearing when angry, not finishing things, not cleaning bathrooms!
Five places I've lived: Peru, Illinois, Parkersburg, West Virginia, Great Meadows, New Jersey, St Paul, Minnesota and Richmond, Texas
Five jobs I've had: Shift manager at Taco Bell, ARC of NJ group home, ACR Homes of Minnesota, Nanny, Amidon Graphics daycare

Now you give it a whirl!!

California,Minnesota, Michigan,Ohio OH MY!!

Wow what a whirlwind month!! In my previous post I told about our trip to California which was February 24th for a week. We had a good time but our time out there was saddened a bit when we heard the news that my Grandpa was rushed to the hospital with pnuemonia and wasn't expected to live. He in fact did pass away on my way home from California on February 29th. It was and still is very hard thing for me. I was very close to my Grandpa and miss him a whole lot. But I know that he is at home with his savior now so I mourn only for his presence here on earth but know that I will see him again! So after being in California for a week Chester and I literally had one day to do laundry and some household chores and then we headed up to Minnesota for my Grandpa's funeral and memorial service. It was a very long drive but we made it thanks to a constant playing of Barney. For some reason my son adores the big purple dinosaur. The songs are ingrated in my head now but hey it kept him happy!! We were up in Minnesota for a week and we saw many family members I hadn't seen in years. It was nice to catch up with them but we all exclaimed that family only gets together for two things weddings and funerals. But thats the way life goes. My Grandpa's memorial service was very beautiful and a testimony to how he lived his life for Christ. I was able to get up and say a few things about my grandpa I made it almost all the way thru without crying but remembering how my Grandpa always got us McDonalds gift cards for Christmas really made the tears come. We enjoyed spending some time with our friends Anne and Taylor and their boys and we got to meet our friends Joey and Jareds new baby boy Aiden. So happy times among the sad. We then left Minnesota and made the long trek back home. But we wouldn't be home for long. One week after getting back from Minnesota we headed up to Michigan to my parents house and then on to Ohio for my cousin Kelli's wedding on March 22nd It was a really nice wedding and the reception was kickin!! I had fun seeing my cousins and my sisters. My sisters of course loved playing with Cortlyn and Auntie Laurie even took him swimming in the hotel pool!! We enjoyed Easter sunday with my grandma and my aunt and uncle and cousin and then we headed back to Detroit for a few more days with my parents. Then finally we made it home and we are home for a long time now!!! Cortie was so happy to be home in his own bed and all his toys. And me I have been a mad woman cleaning my house from top to bottom and rehauling my closets!! For some reason organizing has been my fortey the last week. It helps keep me calm and not dwell on things to much. But that is a whole new blog to discuss. So that was my whirlwind month of traveling, funerals, weddings, Disneyland, snow, cold temps, you name it. All I can say is THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!

Out There Having Fun in the Warm California Sun!!

A couple of weeks ago Cortlyn and I had the pleasure of going out to Southern California to visit Chester who was on a business trip. I was able to priceline tickets for super cheap and you can't beat hotel and rental car on the business tab!! Chester gets put up in a super nice Hilton hotel and its all covered!! The hotel had an indoor swimming pool that Cortlyn loved to swim in. And Disneyland was just a few miles away. I ended up getting one day tickets on Ebay and we went on Thursday the week we were there. I absolutely loved it since I have been to DisneyWorld but wanted to see the original place. Cortlyn had fun although it will be funner for him when he is older and can remember but we have pictures to show him. The funniest thing was he totally fell asleep in the Haunted Mansion he wasn't even scared!! He also liked the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and the new animated Johnny Depp characters are HOT!!! He also loved the parade and it was so cute cause he watched the whole thing mezmorized and after it had all gone by he started waving like crazy so that is where he learned how to wave bye bye!! It was also nice to get to see Chesters cousin Jeff and his wife Rose and their new son Oliver. They lived just a few miles away from where Chester was working and staying so that was nice to get to spend time with them. Chester of course doesn't like being away from us when on business but if he gets sent back again I will totally bid on Priceline for a super sweet deal!!!

My Most Favorite Place

Well last night I was on my favorite places website and since it is their 50th anniversary this year I figured I would write about some of my memories from my all time favorite place Camp Forest Springs!! Geez where to begin. My family has been going to this camp for a long time. My dad and his sisters and brother went there beginning in 1964 to youth camps. My grandpa(now in heaven) would take them all there and stay on and help out around camp. He helped build the boathouse which they just recently tore down(sad but needed to be done). My grandma also would go along and help out in the kitchen(you know 1960's and all) Soon they grew up and my dad meet my mom and started bringing her along to CFS. The 1970's brought along little ole me and my sister and we started going to CFS for Family Camps. My earliest memory is going to the mini farm with my Dad and loving the animals!! The 1980's my youngest sister came along and CFS was her heritage too. In 1985 I went to my first youth camp I still remember to this day my counselors Pam and Heidi. Now this was back old school when they had old cabins with cement floors and the bathrooms were outhouses and the shower was all the way down in the Neale Lodge. Very primitive but geez I miss those days!! All the kiddos would have to go on a overnight campout in the woods and it poured rain the whole way there and then the thunder started, now as a kid I was terrified of thunder and I got piggy backed all the way back to our cabin by my counselor Pam because I was crying so hard!! And then I got hot cocoa in bed!! I loved youth camps and went all the way up to senior year and have wonderful memories of that time. Being a teen girl at camp was awesome there were always boys to chase, the end of the week banquet were if you had a date you were cool, overnight campouts were you yelled across the lake to the boys. So many memories. Johnny angel the hottest lifeguard in Wisconsin I had such a crush on him, Main Street cafe, the game room, archery, mini farm, mini farm haymaze going in with a boy was very romantic! I made awesome friends thru the years and still keep in touch with one of them Now our family also did Family Camps. First it would be a week of youth camp in June and July and then in August every year we would pack up our station wagon then mini van and head on up to Wisconsin! I wish I had pics of my earliest years there cause they are great but I only have junior high and up. We loved Family Camp and would always look to see who was there and meet new friends especially boys!! I had several boys have crushes on me thru the years but I was a heartbreaker!

In 1998 I started going back to CFS with my parents since I lived in Minnesota and it wasn't far to get there. And in 2002 I introduced Chester to CFS and he loved it. It was one of the moments I knew I loved him when he went to the place I had grown up in and was excited to hear all my memories.

Now we share those memories with our son. Last summer was his first time at camp post mommies tummy he was there in my tummy the year before :>) It was also the first summer my sister Leanne had been back in a long time and my grandma was there. That meant four generations of campers were there at the same time. Pretty awesome if you ask me. I just love how the Lord has kept our family at this camp all this time. The staff is awesome and I grew up with their kids and they of course have kids now. Its just awesome how God moves at the camp every summer and all year long. James Lake is my all time fav place to just be in God's nature. If I am ever feeling down I go right to that lake and the woods all around and just remember how Great our God really is!! So if you are ever up in Northern Wisconsin look up Camp Forest Springs and you won't regret it.