O'Hare Was Only a Hiccup

Excellent Wisconsin Vacation - Day One

Should I include a travel day as vacation?  I had to ask myself why in the world I would count a tough day of travel as vacation.  The answer was so easy, because the best thing about vacation is just being with my family.  

We ALL arrived at John Wayne Airport in Orange County on time, healthy, forgetting nothing.  That was quite a feat, because Jennifer came from Indio and met us at Jason’s, Gregory was transported to Sun Lakes, driven to San Marcos (for Comic con) and returned to John Wayne with the Big Bergs, and Tom and I picked up Jason, Sandra, and Jennifer and drove them to John Wayne.  I worried about how many things could have gone wrong, but nothing did.  

Three generations of family in a fantastic mood, left Orange County and arrived at O’Hare in Chicago exactly on time...but oops, they won’t let us off of the tarmac!  There had been a thunder storm in the afternoon and they had to close the airport.  Planes were backed up waiting to leave and to park.  We were way down the list so they kept us parked for about 90 minutes, while our connecting flight to Madison left without us.  

Jeff tried everything -- bus, taxi, rental cars, and then...the longest stretch limo you have ever seen.  We were so excited to ride in it.  Thanks, Jeff for the adventure that we didn’t know we would have.  Jeff turned a hugh problem into a hiccup.

Isaac is Ready to Go

We All are Happy to Be Traveling to Wisconsin

Shannon got Isaac Contained, but He Doesn't Mind

A Two-Year-Old's Wonder

Hmmm...We Have Another Photo Just Like This
From Our Last Trip to Wisconsin

HannaH was Very Busy Giving
Instructions, Requests, and Demands
to the Captain.

Oops...Our Connecting Flight Left
Before We Got Off of our Plane

Nothing Can Get Jennifer Down

I'm Not Worried Either

Got My Isaac

Got My HannaH

Oooo...Grandpa Loves This Kid

Grandpa and Isaac

Waiting for the Limo

Wow!

Tom Thinks This is Great

Shannon Can Enjoy This Limo

Inside the Limo

The Limo With Lots of Bling

We Are Leaving Tomorrow for Wisconsin

It has been a whirlwind of activity since Jeff gave us the fantastic gift of a trip for the whole family to Wisconsin.  This is my dream come true and to tell you the truth, I didn't think that it would every happen.  Then, Jeff and Shannon said that they would gift us all the trip of a lifetime.  Really?  I guess if you want something bad enough for long enough, someone that you love just may give it to you.

We have two cars converging on Orange County airport in the morning.  One car arriving from San Marcos will have Jeff, Shannon, HannaH, Isaac, and GREGORY!  What is Gregory doing in San Marcos.  Well, his Uncle Jeff made another dream come true -- Gregory's dream of going to a Comic-Con Convention.  Geek paradise!  Uncle Jeff bought the tickets and Shannon drove to Sun Lakes to pick up Gregory, while Jennifer and I drove to Sun Lakes to drop off Gregory.

Gregory has already posted his excitement on Facebook this morning.  Can't wait for updates from the two of them.

Jennifer is going to meet Tom and Denise at Jason and Sandra's house, so Tom can drive the five of us to the airport.  None of us can check in until all of us are there, because we are traveling as a group.

Lots of errands and loose ends to finish up today.  Shannon and Jeff have Dee and Steve James staying at their house, Jennifer has Lilly Vargas staying at her house, and Tom and Denise have Missy checking on Chewbacca twice a day.  The pregnant Baby Bergs are just taking off, not realizing how complicated their lives are going to get when my new grand baby arrives.

My Grandma

Here is my Grandma, who I loved so much.  She was born in 1901, so she is 57 in this picture.  It was taken in back of the Reads Landing grocery store/post office/gas station that they owned.  it is now kept up as as historical site!  See that little house in the back on the right?  My cousins and I used to get to play in it all by ourselves.  It was exciting.

 

Thelma Louise Hestitune Stevling.  For Gregory, HannaH and Isaac, she is Jennifer, Jeff & Jason's mother's father's mother -- their great grandmother.  Her parents were born in Norway, but came to America, where she was born.  She married Adolph Stevling, a full Norwegian.  My dad Adolph (called Bud as a boy and Steve as a man)Walter Stevling was a full Norwegian.  

She had three children.  MaryLou is the oldest and the only child still living.  My dad, Steve, was the next oldest and he died in a plane crash is 1948 when I was 4 months old.  Baby Thelma died at home as a baby of hydrocephalus.   

On July 13, 2012, we are going to Wisconsin to have a family reunion of all of her surviving relatives, including 6 grandchildren with their spouses, and over 20 great grandchildren.