Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas!

We have had such a blessed day! It has been snowing since yesterday so we woke up to a white and snowy Christmas day! I can't think of a better way to spend this day - no offense to those who like warmth and beaches but I wouldn't trade with you for the world!

The little ones didn't get up early. Actually, Dan got up first and then I did but I think it was after 8. We had some banana bread, pumpkin bread, a tea ring and I put a breakfast casserole in the oven to bake.

The kids looked like this when they came out of their rooms:


We opened presents and then ate some breakfast casserole. Then, we opened our stockings. God was very good to us this year and we were able to actually buy Christmas gifts for the first time in several years. What a fun time we had!









One of the kid's presents was a igloo mold from Grandma and Grandpa so we went outside to try our hand at igloo making. Kylie, Levi, Macy and myself made a snowman while Grandpa, Dan and Shelby started the igloo. We have the perfect snow for both the igloo and the snowman today. We were out there for 2-3 hours but the temperatures were pretty warm so it wasn't painful. :)








This has been one of my favorite Christmas'. It might just have something to do with the wonderful snow and how it makes it feel like 'the perfect Christmas"! I LOVE THE SNOW!


Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas music

I love Christmas music. Ask Dan, I start listening to it when the first snow flies and continue listening to it until the new year has been celebrated. (He'll say that I start listening to it in August but he's stretching it a little bit.) We have an agreement that I'll listen to it when he's not around, that is until Thanksgiving has been celebrated and then I can listen to it anytime. :) I love the traditional carols and the new songs.

As I was growing up, I remember my mom listening to Elvis and Bing Crosby and Johnny Mathis. I still remember the front of the album covers. My brother and sisters and I would roll around on the floor laughing when Elvis would sing Blue Christmas and the ladies in the background would sing "who hoo, hoo, hoo". We thought that was so hilarious. Now, I played Elvis for the kids in the car the other day and they were cracking up over the same song.

Some of my favorite Christmas albums are:

Faith Hill - Joy to the World - the best song on this without a doubt is A Baby Changes Everything. It is so moving and if you listen to the words, they will bring tears to your eyes. I also love her song called Where are you Christmas that is on the Dr Suess How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Kylie Minogue does the best version of Santa baby.

Steven Curtis Chapman -this whole cd is excellent!
Celine Dion - These are the Special Times and Another Year has Gone By are two of my favorites.

Oakridge Boys - This old album reminds me of time spent with my sister decorating her house for Christmas.

Mercy Me has a wonderful Christmas album that has a song called Joseph's Lullaby. It's wonderful song.

Patti Loveless - great bluegrass music!


Mariah Carey - Miss You Most at Christmastime and All I Want for Christmas is You are great but the whole cd is good.

I bought the Bing Crosby, Elvis and Johnny Mathis cds and those are favorites also!

What would Christmas be like without Christmas music?
__________________________________________






Grandma and Grandpa Edblad are here. Today we baked cutout cookies and then we decorated gingerbread men that Grandma brought with.

The kids are all flying high and and it's almost impossible to corral them. They love Christmas time just as much as I do and emotions are running high. Add in a lot of sugar, not so much sleep, g&g here, presents piling up under the tree and, well, we're gonna need a spatula to scrape them off the ceiling. It's all right...I feel about the same way but I am a little better at keeping a lid on it. Well, sort of! :)






May our Lord's peace be upon you during this wonderful Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Thanksgiving at the farm in Iowa

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson
















Monday, November 16, 2009

chicken comes from a cow

We were sitting around the supper table tonight and I had fixed a meal called chicken chalupas that our whole family loves. As we are eating, Macy looks up as she stabs a piece of chicken with her fork and in all seriousness asks, "Momma, does this chicken come from a chicken?"

Dan and I trade looks and Dan says, "No, it came from a cow". She looks at both of us and says with an incredulous look on her face, "Wow, this chicken came from a cow!" We all burst out laughing, including Macy, as any time she can make us laugh she's as happy as can be. Ahhh, that sweet girl can be so blond sometimes! :)

Friday, November 6, 2009

Obama's "Health Care Plan"

Found a great video from Fox News on the president's health care plan. Today is the last day to make calls to anyone and everyone in the white house before they vote on this tomorrow. It's interesting to me that they are one day away from a vote and still haven't released the final language of the bill concerning abortion and will only release that information at the last minute. How can that even be legal?

I love how the video talks about how people from foreign countries come here for health care if they want it done right. Please watch it and then make those calls today. Hopefully, the idiots we put in office still listen to what the people want. I'm not so sure about that anymore.

Here's the phone number for the Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121.


Friday, October 30, 2009

Sick Ward

I'm shouting out to you from the sick ward also know as our living room. Kylie came down with a fever Tuesday evening and by Wednesday morning Macy had a high fever and then started vomiting - uuh, in our bed, of course. I would call it projectile vomiting as she hit the window by our bed with the nasty stuff. I'm sure some of you have weak stomachs and didn't really want to hear that but hey, that's what blogging is all about. Me getting to share stuff you really didn't need to or don't want to know! :)

Anyway, I went into town last evening and got a call from home that Levi had started vomiting and was running a high temp. Then, this morning, Shelby came down with it. She is running a temp and complaining of stomach pains so we all know what that means.

Macy and Kylie are looking much better today. I am praying that Dan and I are able to skate through this without succumbing to the bug.

My house is a wreck. I haven't vacuumed in two weeks as my vacuum was in the shop. It's STILL raining and gloomy outside.

But I'm grateful. Grateful that my kids will be well soon. Grateful for a roof over my head. Grateful for medicine and warm blankets. I can't imagine what moms go through in other parts of the world when their children fall sick and they have none of the comforts we have. How their hearts must ache.

Please be in prayer for a guy in our church named John who just found out he has an inoperable brain tumor. He is just a few years older than us. He has three children and a wonderful wife. On their Caring Bridge website his wife wrote this, "God has numbered John's days aright. Nothing we decide can add or take away from that." They are so right. If you know Him, it fills your heart with a sense of peace. He has it all under his control.

Many times, we (yeah, me too) make mountains out of molehills. Things that shouldn't matter at all are blown up into something huge. Each day is a gift from God. To watch our children grow is a gift from God. That stuff should never be taken for granted.

So, even though my car alternator gave up and my husband's truck isn't running right and my vacuum cost $270 to repair and my kids are kicking a nasty bug around... I'm feeling mighty grateful.


Tuesday, October 27, 2009

the woodworker

***A post I found that I hadn't published***

My talented man has been busy building me an end table to go beside my chair. We have one there already but the style is too stuffy/ornate for me. It was given to us by a friend and we used it because we had it. Anyway, here's the finished product. Very similar to my dining room table that I'm so fond of.




He also built a cabinet to go along the back of the sofa - like a sofa table - but with cupboards so we can stash all our homeschool books, markers, pens, pencils and paper.




His next projects include bookshelves for our bedroom and then, a headboard/footboard for our bed. I just love a man that's good with his hands!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Flatbread Tacos

Last night for supper I was looking for something quick to make before Dan and I headed over to the church for praise team so I picked up my latest copy of Taste of Home and found this recipe that won a contest for meals in 30 minutes or less.

It was delicious and quick! Love that combination.

Flatbread tacos with ranch sour cream

1c (8oz) sour cream
2 tsp ranch salad dressing mix
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Rotel)
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
1 tube large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Optional toppings: sliced olives, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese


In small bowl, combine sour cream, ranch dressing mix and lemon juice. chill until serving. (I used the sour cream, ranch dressing mix, and a teaspoon or two of the Pampered Chef Southwest seasoning mix. I left out the lemon juice.)

In a large skillet, cook beef over med heat until no longer pink; drain. Add beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning and pepper sauce; heat through.

Meanwhile, roll out each biscuit into a 6 inch circle. In a small nonstick skillet over med heat, cook each biscuit for 30 - 60 seconds on each side or until golden brown; keep warm.

To serve, spread each flatbread with 3 Tbsp, ranch sour cream mix; top with meat mixture. Sprinkle with desired toppings.

I'm looking forward to leftovers for lunch today!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

winter white

It has been snowing off and on all day and was also when we went to bed last night. We have 2 1/2 inches or so on the ground. The little ones have been outside playing in it most of the afternoon. I didn't even have their winter coats/boots/pants out of the storage bins yet...but we do now!

Macy woke me up yesterday to tell me there was "frosting" on the ground. How sweet. She did the same thing last year. Later in the day when the frost had melted, I heard her exclaim, "Oh no, it's summer again, not winter"! She's been excited about this snow all day long.

We have the task of getting the boat out of the water, cleaned up and stored for winter. Dan is out on the lake as I type this and it's 30 degrees out there. Brrr!

Friday, September 25, 2009

flu shots

Woops, couldn't get the link to post here so I copied and pasted. You'll get the gist of the article but the charts didn't copy over.


Eighteen Reasons Why You Should NOT Vaccinate Your Children Against The Flu This Season
by Bill Sardi

This year it is more important that you protect your children and loved ones from the flu vaccines than influenza itself. Here are the reasons:

1. This flu is simply another flu. It is not unusually deadly. In fact, the H1N1 swine flu in circulation is less deadly than many other influenza outbreaks. The first 1000 confirmed swine flu cases in Japan and China produced zero deaths. The Centers for Disease Control alleges 36,000 Americans succumb to the flu each year, but so far, since March through August of 2009 (6 months), the swine flu has been attributed to ~500–600 deaths in the US. The swine flu of 2009 has already swept through the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season without alarm. Only exaggerated reports have been issued by the World Health Organization regarding hospitalizations required during the flu season in South American countries. Getting exposed to influenza and developing natural antibodies confers resistance for future flu outbreaks. Artificially boosting antibodies by exposure to flu viruses in vaccines is more problematic than natural exposure. Americans have been exposed to the H1N1 swine flu throughout the summer of 2009 with far fewer deaths and hospitalizations than commonly attributed to the seasonal flu.

2. Health authorities tacitly admit prior flu vaccination programs were of worthless value. This is the first time both season and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. Very young children and older frail adults, the high-risk groups in the population, may not produce sufficient antibodies in response to the flu vaccine. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. The same people who brought you the ineffective vaccines in past years are bringing you this year’s new vaccines. Can you trust them this time?

3. In addition to failure to produce sufficient antibodies, this swine flu vaccine is brought to you by the same people who haven’t been able to adequately produce a seasonal flu vaccine that matches the flu strain in circulation. In recent years flu vaccination has been totally worthless because the strains of the flu in circulation did not match the strain of the virus in the vaccines. Authorities claim the prevalent flu strain in circulation in mid-September ’09 is the H1N1 swine flu, which appears to be milder than past seasonal influenza in circulation. If this data is correct, why receive the season flu shot this year?

4. The vaccines will be produced by no less than four different manufacturers, possibly with different additives (called adjuvants) and manufacturing methods. The two flu inoculations may be derived from a multi-dose vial and in a crisis, and in short supply, it will be diluted to provide more doses and then adjuvants must be added to trigger a stronger immune response. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Would you permit your children to be injected with lead? Lead is very harmful to the brain. Then why would you sign a consent form for your kids to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead? Injecting mercury may fry the brains of American kids.

5. This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. Mock vaccines are made to gain approval of the manufacturing method and then the prevalent virus strain in circulation is added just days before it is actually placed into use. Don’t subject your children to experimental vaccines. Yes, these vaccines have been tested on healthy kids and adults, but they are not the same vaccines your children will be given. Those children with asthma, allergies, type I diabetes, etc. are at greater risk for side effects. Children below the age of 2 years do not have a sufficient blood–brain barrier developed and are subject to chronic brain infections that emanate into symptoms that are called autism. Toddlers should not be subjected to injected viruses.

6. Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America. American children are subjected to 29 vaccines by the age of two. This means a little bit of disease is being injected into young children continually during their most formative years! Veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccination in dogs because of observed side effects.

7. Health officials want to vaccinate women during pregnancy, subjecting the fetal brain to an intentional biological assault. A recent study showed exposure flu viruses among women during pregnancy provoke a similar gene expression pattern in the fetus as that seen in autistic children. This is a tacit admission that vaccines, which inject a little bit of influenza into humans, causes autism.

8. Modern medicine has no explanation for autism, despite its continued rise in prevalence. Yet autism is not reported among Amish children who go unvaccinated. Beware the falsehoods of modern medicine.

9. School kids are likely to receive nasally-administered vaccines (Flu-Mist) that require no needle injection. But this form of live vaccine produces viral shedding which will surely be transmitted to family members. What a way to start an epidemic!

10. This triple reassortment virus appears to be man made. The H1N1 swine flu virus of 2009 coincidentally appeared in Mexico on the same week that President Nicolas Sarkozy of France visited Mexican president Felipe Calderon, to announce that France intends to build a multi-million dollar vaccine plant in Mexico. An article written by Ron Maloney of the Seguin, Texas Gazette-Enterprise newspaper announces a "rehearsal for a pandemic disaster" scheduled for May 2, 2009. The article says: "Guadalupe County emergency management and their counterparts around the country are preparing for just such a scenario…" This means county health authorities across the U.S. had been preparing a rehearsal for mass vaccinations prior to the announced outbreak in Mexico. Virologists admit this part swine flu/part avian flu/part human flu virus must have taken time to develop. But it somehow wasn’t detected by hundreds of flu monitoring stations across the globe. On April 24, 2009 Dr. John Carlo, Dallas County Medical Director, alludes that the H1N1 strain of the Swine flu as possibly being engineered in a laboratory. He says: "This strain of swine influenza that’s been cultured in a laboratory is something that’s not been seen anywhere actually in the United States and the world, so this is actually a new strain of influenza that’s been identified." (Globe & Mail, Canada)

11. Recall the swine flu scare of 1976. In a politically charged atmosphere where Gerald Ford was seeking election to the Presidency, the swine flu suddenly appeared at a military base. Vaccine was produced and millions of Americans were vaccinated. But the vaccine was worse than the disease, causing hundreds of cases of Guillain Barre syndrome and a few deaths. In a replay of the past, the White House is directly involved in promoting the H1N1 2009 swine flu vaccine. The federal government will use federal funds to pay off schools to administer vaccines, promote vaccination via highway billboards and TV advertisements, and conduct military-style mass inoculations in such rapid fashion that if side effects occur, it will be too late. The masses will have been vaccinated already. Over $9 billion has been allotted by the federal government to develop and deliver an unproven and experimental flu vaccine. Don’t be a guinea pig for the government.

12. Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain. US health authorities want 70% of the public to be vaccinated against the flu this ’09 season, which is more than double the vaccination percentage of any prior flu season. This would certainly apply greater genetic pressure for the flu to mutate into a more virulent strain.

13. Most seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus strains tested from the United States and other countries are now resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu. According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control, among 1148 seasonal flu samples tested, 1143 (99.6%) were resistant to Tamiflu!

14. As the flu season progresses the federal government may coerce or mandate Americans to undergo vaccination. France has already ordered enough vaccine to inoculate their entire population and has announced that vaccination will be mandatory. The US appears to be waiting to announce mandatory vaccination at a later date when it can scare the public into consenting to the vaccine. The federal government is reported to be hiring people to visit homes of unvaccinated children. This sounds like the Biblical account of Pharaoh attempting to eradicate all the young Israelite baby boys. Must we hide our babies now?

15. Public health authorities have cried wolf every flu season to get the public to line up for flu shots. Health authorities repeatedly publish the bogus 36,000 annual flu-related deaths figure to scare the public into getting flu shots. But that figure is based on the combined deaths from pneumonia in the elderly and the flu. Maybe just 5000–6000 or so flu-related deaths occur annually, mostly among individuals with compromised immune systems, the hospitalized, individuals with autoimmune disease or other health problems. As stated above, the swine flu in full force has only resulted in ~500–600 deaths in the first six months in circulation and it is far more dreaded by public health authorities than the seasonal flu. The Centers for Disease Control issues a purchase order for flu vaccines and then serves as the public relations agency to get the public to pay for the vaccines. Out of a population of 325 million Americans, only 100 million doses of flu vaccine have been administered each year and no epidemic has erupted among the unvaccinated.

16. The news media is irresponsible in stirring up unfounded fear over this coming flu season. Just exactly how ethical is it for newspapers to publish reports that a person has died of the swine flu when supposedly thousands die of the flu annually? In the past the news media hasn’t chosen to publicize each and every flu-related death, but this time it has chosen to frighten the public. Why? Examine the chart below. The chart shows that the late flu season of 2009 peaked in week 23 (early June) and has dissipated considerably.
While every childhood flu-related death should be considered tragic, and the number of flu-related pediatric deaths in 2009 is greater than prior flu seasons as a percentage, in real numbers it is not a significant increase. See chart below:
According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control, for week 34 ending August 29, 2009, there were 236 hospitalizations and 37 deaths related to the flu. That would represent just 5 hospitalizations and less than one death per State, which is "below the epidemic threshold."

17. Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease where the lungs fill up with fluid and literally drown a flu-infected person. The only plausible explanation as to why the flu season typically peaks in winter months is a deficiency of sunlight-produced vitamin D. Protect your family. Arm your immune system with vitamins and trace minerals.

18. Will we ever learn if the flu vaccine this year is deadly in itself? In 1993 the federal government hid a deadly flu vaccine that killed thousands of nursing home patients. It was the first year that flu shots were paid for by Medicare. The vaccine-related mortality was so large that this set back the life expectancy of Americans for the first time since the 1918 Spanish flu! Mortality reports take a year or two to tabulate and the federal government may choose not to reveal the true mortality rate and whether it was related to the flu or the vaccines. You say this couldn’t happen? It did in 1993!

September 16, 2009
Bill Sardi [send him mail] is a frequent writer on health and political topics. His health writings can be found at www.naturalhealthlibrarian.com. He is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Afraid Of Cancer Anymore.
Copyright © 2009 Bill Sardi Word of Knowledge Agency, San Dimas, California. This article has been written exclusively for www.LewRockwell.com and other parties who wish to refer to it should link rather than post at other URLs.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

It's been awhile

Seems we've been busy wringing every bit of sunshine that we can out of late summer. We've had beautiful, warm days to help us in our efforts.


Dan's parents are here for a visit and the day they arrived, we loaded up all our stuff into their motorhome and went camping for the weekend. The forcast was calling for clouds and chances of rain but they were wrong. We had a gorgeous weekend. We went to the same campground that we camped in a few weeks ago on the shores of Leech Lake.


Leech is the 4th largest lake in Minnesota. The fishing boats were plentiful. We didn't do any this time, fishing that is. The kids were busy playing in the warm water and making things in the sand.






The camping crew






Macy wants s'more






1st night in the motorhome






Shelby's ready for bed






Samson watching the kids play at the beach


When we got home on Sunday, we unloaded and then reloaded to head out onto the lake for the afternoon and evening. We pulled the kids on the tube just floated around. We had so much fun that we did it again the next evening but took dinner with us so we could stay until the darkness forced us off the lake.



I'm thankful for the freedom that homeschooling allows us. We have been staying up quite late so it's nice that the kids can sleep in to catch up. We've started school but not too intensively. It's just too nice to put the nose to the grindstone yet. We'll have plenty of time to do that as the weather cools.

We have plans to attend a sourkraut festival this weekend (Grandma's idea). I've always thought the stuff was disgusting but if you can get past the smell, the taste isn't too bad! Then, there's "the smells" that come a few hours later... good thing G & G have their motorhome here! Hahaha :) Seriously, we've had a great time with them here!


Yesterday, Levi noticed a little fox run across our yard. We went out onto the front porch and he had stopped at our neighbors pond to get a drink. Shelby grabbed the camera and we snapped a few shots of the cute, little fellow. We know they are quite common everywhere but it's fun to see one up close.






Well, there you have it. A little (or not so little) update.

~ until next time...

Sunday, August 30, 2009

How long since you backed up your computer?

We came home from camping and I turned on the computer only to find that my hard drive had crashed. We took the CPU into the computer doctor and he said the hard drive needed to be replaced.



Unfortunately, I have not been good about backing up my hard drive. Yup, a no brainer but how many of us really do it? So, my checkbook, all my pictures since 2003, my email addresses and email communication, my downloaded music from iTunes, just to mention a few things, are all on the bad hard drive.



We will be sending the hard drive in to have it "recovered". I'm praying that all that stuff can be recovered and if not all of it, at least all of my pictures.



I've been having computer with drawl. I didn't realize how much I use that particular piece of machinery until it was gone. I walk by the monitor and stop to look up the weather, or check my email etc. and it's not there! Dan hands over his laptop as soon as he walks through the door in the evening because he sees that crazed, "I gotta have my computer time" look on my face. I guess it's my link to the outside world.



______________________________________



We are under a frost warning for tonight after having a beautiful, sunny day today. Suppose to be 35 -40 degrees tonight. I covered the tomatoes and peppers - not ready to be done with those. It's still August for crying out loud! Fall is just around the corner.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Great Outdoors...

The family went camping this past weekend with some family friends. After packing up most of our house, we headed north to a beautiful campground on the shores of Leech Lake.

We borrowed a vintage camper that Dan couldn't lay anywhere in without being in the fetal position. :) Remember what we camped in as kids? So, we threw the tent in also and guessed that having the camper along would at least ensure good weather for us. It also meant that we could bring Samson along and have a place to pack all the stuff we need to spend a few days in the great out of doors! Otherwise, we look like the Clampets going to Beverly Hills with things hanging off the back and top of the vehicle. The kids really don't enjoy having to sit on their sleeping bags and hold a pan of brownies.

Anyway, we got to the campground around 1 pm Friday and set up our little home away from home. Our friends showed up with their three children in tow an hour or so later.

We enjoyed sunny, warm days and cool evenings, campfires and fishing (for nothing I might add), swimming and frog races, hiking and great conversations.
The first question when we got home was, "When can we go again?"































Monday, August 17, 2009

I'm 40 - the big 4-0 - forty

Carleen and I celebrated our 40th birthday this past Wednesday. To celebrate this momentous occasion we decided it was time to do a girl trip. We've talked about it since we graduated from high school - yes, way back then - and we've talked and talked and just never did anything about it. There's something about turning 40 (I CAN say it) that makes you realize that life doesn't slow down for you, it just keeps spinning faster and faster. So, with our other sister, we decided to book a weekend trip to Chicago. Just girls, no children, no husbands, just girls.

We landed at Midway around noon on Thursday and we hit the ground running. We ate and walked and shopped and talked. We took a skyline tour at night out on a boat, we visited Navy Pier and Wrigley Field, we took in the annual air show on North Beach where the Blue Angels showed their stuff.

We ate some of the best food I've ever eaten. An awesome steak, and Chicago style pizza and hot dogs,and some goulash at a cool little German joint that played great 80s music in our honor (or at least I like to think so).

We didn't get to any of the museums or art galleries or the top of Sears Tower (now called Willis Tower - like that'll stick!). So, I guess it means we just have to make another trip there. I would love to take the family, there are so many things to see and do!
We did have a great time! Thanks, sisters!



On the "L" subway right after we arrived. We took the L from Midway and got close to our hotel. Then, we got a little lost and noticed we were getting some strange looks from other passengers. Did you know that you can get DNA testing on your children so you can actually KNOW who the daddy is? I am such a small town girl - the thought never occurred to me until I read that poster on the subway. Any who, we headed up to the street and caught a taxi to our final destination a few blocks away.



A view down one of the many streets.





Chicago skyline from the boat - sorry for the blur.




Deep dish Chicago style pizza from a place called Ginos. Cheese is on bottom, then homemade sausage and pizza sauce on top. It was excellent!











North Beach where we watched the airshow. Just me and 2 million of my closest friends.