Hero

Who's your hero?

The answer likely depends on how old you are, where you live and who you consider the "good guys" to be. There's also probably a little bit in there about your values and beliefs. They're the best of the best, exemplifying all the courage and nobility and genius and hard work and modesty and ambition and humility and grace that can be displayed in today's times.

They're the ones we really want to be like when the going gets tough, they're the ones I want to show my son and daughter and say, "See? See?"


Do you remember when you were a kid and you imagined meeting your hero or a famous celebrity?

We had an opportunity of a life time while in Chicago over Thanksgiving.
We all had the chance to participate in an autograph signing of one of our hero’s.

North Park men’s basketball team; Guard #3 Mr. Jason Gordan.



My seven years old thought this was the coolest deal ever.





My fourteen years old just did not know what to do.



Jason was felling it… The autographs were getting easier and the flow of the conversation was great.


Then walks up the guy that every celebrity hates to meet.

This guy had know idea what to do when meeting a super star, heck besides embracing himself and the rest of us still in line waiting for our autographs he embraced the 6.5’, 205 lbs. guard.





I tell ya the fans are getting crazy these days.

Who ever raised this guy should have gave him a few pointers on what to do when meeting a celebrity...

This is why Jason will be the greatest sports hero of all time.

Remember Jason we chose them...LOL

Chicago’s in my heart.

We took a mini vacation to Chicago over Thanksgiving. We spent time with family. We also decided to take in some sites. We even had our own personal guides (thanks Tiff & Jason) for the day. We had a list of events all planed out.

We took the train brown line/red line, Sears Tower, Macy’s, Street side shows, Chicago Dogs, Lego Land, Water Taxi, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate so many exciting events to do all in one day.

It was cold and crowed but we were not going to let that stop us.

During the day I just kept looking at everyone and everything. I just could not seem to take it all in. My mind was going 100 miles a minute. I kept thinking…

All these people they all have homes, friends and families, beliefs all with a different walk of life.

I kept getting this warm fuzzy felling inside,it has been many years since I have experienced the true meaning of family.

I was on the train on the way back from a fun day of events an was thinking back to years ago there were television programs that offered however so gently, honest, home grown values, beliefs and characters so true you felt like they were family.

I remember watching sincere people, portray honorable characters and live humble lives. Is it old fashion to still enjoy the Andy Griffith Show, Little House on the Pierre (my favorite), or even the Cosby Show?


For me deep inside there is a profound desire to hold on to the safe security that accompanies knowing nice, sweet, caring, none threatening people, even though at times I thought they were only in books and on television

I fell that the innocent sense of togetherness, dare I say that sense of family. Dictionary.com first defines family as “a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.” It is the second definition that is perhaps more accurate however, defining a family as “two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.”

I have learned real family fights and makes up, argues and agrees to disagree and loves unconditionally. I have been given a gift of a full family. I define family every day by our actions, our words, our beliefs and our unconditional love.

It’s funny to me, how I can go to such a beautiful city and look forward to learning some history of the this great city and I reflect back to relies I have taken much much more. I will always have a piece of the (Chicago) city in my heart.


Thanks Chicago!








Family is everything!

History of Thanksgiving in the eyes of a Seven Year Old

My seven year old came home from school an explained to me that he was learning about Thanksgiving.Then he asked me what Thanksgiving was?

It got me thinking back throughout history, mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. It is my understanding before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits.

In The United States In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.

The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.

The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.
In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

I may be a bit off but I found my self going in great detail such as I did just then with my son. He was just sitting there silently looking at my like I was crazy.

So I apologized to him and said to him we all do not a have the same beliefs or the same traditions.At that moment he interrupted me and said Mom Thanksgiving is just about spending time with Family right?

I teared up and laughed … Lesson learned.

So many everyday things to be thankful for!

New definition

Seems to me our family works had to give NORMAL(the town we live in) a new definition.

Since we moved here we have seen something’s, done something’s that are just not Normal.

Odd enough most of them are in our home.


Let me just ask you all how normal this is.

What do you do when “everyone “is grounded for the weekend?

How is this Normal? Heck how is that possible? (I have no clue but it did) Well in our house anything is possible.


When we all deciced we were grounded (No details will be given at this time on why we all have been placed on punishment..lol)I can tell ya I was looking forward to curling up with a book and a nice warm cup of hot coco and my soft blanket. One day with out any worries.We had no TV, Phone, IPod, radio ,game boy, football, baseball, basketball just to name a few. Nothing to monitor, Nothing to get us into trouble or to get us hurt.

We were to stay inside and think of why we were all grounded.
What would we do with out all of things we so call necessities these days.

From a Mom’s stand point I was thinking this would be some great down time!

WHAT WAS I THINKING…?


I will let this first photo explain:




This is what happens when a 27year old and a 7 year old get grounded at the same time!





Then you add in a 14 year old confined to her roomthis is what you get.







Seems to me she has either has gone mad or she just loves taking new and improved self portraits.


Well after looking at what these weirdo do when they are grounded, Maybe reading a book with a nice warm cup of hot coco and my soft blanket is to much to ask or just to Normal. So I thought I would just get a jump strat on the stuff around the house.




Yep you got it laundry.



Ahhh who am I kidding, I have to join the rest of the community to change the definition of Normal.









So if you can’t beet them join them!