Went to see Oprah...

I had to post about my exciting trip to Chicago this week. My dad has some sort of connections with the TV station that he works for and the Oprah show. Not sure how it all worked out, all I know is I got tickets to see OPRAH!!! It was so awesome!! My friend Kari and I went! Kari and I have been friends for YEARS, we tried MANY MANY times to get tickets to Oprah and could never get through. So it was no question who would go with me when all I had was one extra ticket! :-) We left Tusday afternoon and headed to chicago, we got there in time to eat supper at the ESPN zone which was pretty yummy. We shopped there in their store but then everything else was closed by the time we were walking back to our hotel (which was on Michigan Ave!) :-) The hotel was kinda crazy though, it was very small, I mean the building was tall, but the hallways were all very small and the elevetors were VERY small like 4 people tops would fit in with luggage! The room seemed small too for what we paid for it. But anyway, the next morning we woke up and got ready! We ate breakfast and went to the American Girl store so that Kari could get some things for her daughters. All I can say about that store is OMGosh I would have NEVER thought that you could spend so much money on a doll. That place had a hair salon for you DOLL!! A photo studio for you to get your picture taken with your DOLL!! I couldn't believe it. I can see how every little girl in the world would fall in love though!! I'm thankful for my boy!! LOL

We hopped in a cab to head over to Harpo Studios, we stood in line for about 45 minutes, then we were ushered in to the building, if you had a coat you could check your coat and or bags. You showed your ID and the checked to make sure you were on the list, then you headed into the next room where your purse is searched and you have to walk through a metal detector. Your phones and cameras are taken and checked and you can get them back at the end of the show. Thats where there are NO good pics. A once in a lifetime experience and they don't let you take photos. Kinda sucks! But then you head upstairs and wait for what seems like HOURS in another holding room with a tun of chairs in it.

Then they make the announcement that they will call you buy numbers (listed on a form they gave you to fill out) so in we go when our number is called. I walked in behind Kari and you walk in behind where all the seats are. When people walk down the isle to the stage thats where you are ushered into. Kari turned to me and giggled I was so exicted we couldn't wait to see everything. We were seated three rows up from the floor. Great seats. We could see her perfectly. When she is sitting on those white couches, she is facing us right where we were seated.

The show was not a big give away, not a life altering show or anything overly exciting, but we did get to see the REAL Oprah not the TV Oprah. As most fans know her beloved dog Sophie of 13 years passed away on March 10. Sophie never missed a day of work with oprah, she slept with her did everything with her. She was her daughter as she called her. So its been really hard for her these past 2 weeks. I can relate as our dog Annie of 15 years died a few years ago and she was our baby. it was devestating! So anyway the show was dedicated to Sophie and was about saving dogs from all the thousands of puppy mills in the United States. They did a montage of Oprah and Sophie together at the begining of the show, and Oprah lost it, she cried and cried, loud enough for us to hear her in our seats aways back. I felt horrible for her, 1. that her sweet doggie died, and 2. because she had to go through this with all of us sitting there starring at her. Nobody really knew what to do. She had Lisa Ling on the couch with her who patted her and then Dean her director came up and sat with her. (not sure that will all be on the show I think it happened during the montage and then commercial).

Its a really interesting show and so so sad what they do at these puppy mills. So if you are an animal lover you will like the show! Be sure to check it out on April 8th.

Oprah is even more beautiful in person!! The experience was great and its something I will remember for the rest of my life!

During the taping they mentioned that Suze Ormann will be there on Monday to do a show and that if we had any questions we wanted to ask there would be a table set up outside. So I went and let them know what my question was and they took my picture and my phone number then asked if I would feel comfortable asking it on camera, I didn't know what to say but they said oh it will be real quick no big deal etc etc.. so I went over and did it, I sounded like a total idiot I'm sure. Not sure if they will use it in the show or not, but yet another fun experience.

After that we went over to the Oprah store, there were LOTS of her favorite things in the store and even some of her shoes and clothes from her closet, all proceedes from that stuff goes to her Angel Network! She had things from vendors in Africa which those proceeds also go to them. I was able to get a picture of Kari in the store, but some big guy came over and said "no pictures please" we were like WHAT? its a public place? But we weren't going to cause trouble!! LOL

So that was our big trip to see Oprah!! I will leave the part out of us getting lost trying to get out of the city! :-) We obviously made it home!

Below are the few pics I did get that day!

Family update....

WOW its been a long time since I posted an update on us. Lets see whats happened in the last few months Kristopher finished up his season with the 8th grade basketball team. He did fine, he didn't get a whole lot of playing time, which he didn't really appreciate but oh well what can ya do? He started playing for another team which was made up of some of the kids on his school team. They did pretty well. They enjoyed themselves and it kept them busy for a few about 8 weeks. They just played their last game last week and they won so that was really nice!! It was actually a good game, it wasnt a blow away as some of their other games have been, some in their favor some not LOL.

Kristopher tried out for the track team part of last week and this week and found out yesterday that he made the team! He thinks he will be doing the hurdles. He actually went out for the team thinking he was going to do the long jump. He does really well considering he is 5ft and 93 pds he can jump almost 13 feet. But with kids twice his heigth they were able to jump further. He decided to try the hurdles one day during try outs and he remembered how his dad told him to do it (his dad ran track and has worked out with him on the track at the highschool) and he did that and was told by several people that he had really good form and that he did a great job. So he will most likely be doing that!! His first meet is the Tuesday after Easter. Dillon and I can't wait to watch the meet! The running that he will be doing during track will be great for him, he is trying out for the freshmen football team this summer. Yes you did read correctly up there he is only 5ft and 93lbs which leads his mother to a bit of a panic thinking of her baby out on a football field. I have talked him out of it until now, he loves the game and really wants to play. So I can't stop him anymore. I'm sure I will have many meltdowns through out the football season this fall. It makes my heart skip a beat just thinking about it right now!! I have friends that said they are going to go to the games with me so that they can be there to hold me down so I don't run to the field and embarrase Kristopher if he goes down LOL. What good friends I have :-)

And yes you did read that correctly MY BABY IS GOING TO BE IN HIGHSCHOOL!!! Wasn't he just born not to long ago? I remember it like it was yesterday.......theres no way he can be in Highschool already. I was in Highschool when I had him.....and that was just last year right?? I can't be old enough to have a child in Highschool!! My friend Kari and I had a realiazation the other night when I was telling her about going to Kristophers Highschool orientation, neither of us could believe that our little chubby blonde haired blue eyed baby with his adorable little bowl haircut was growing up so fast. It just doesn't seem possible.

He has a crazy busy summer this year. He only has ONE week when there is nothing going on. He is even missing Church Camp which is really bumming him out. He counts down each year until its camp time. I hate that he will miss it this year. He has summer school that starts June 10th and goes for 6 weeks. He is taking Auqatic PE and Health. They recommend that Freshmen take these classes to free up their schedules during their Junior and Senior years. So him and everyone I have talked to is taking the classes. He will also have Freshmen football camp for 3 weeks (3 or days each week) then he has a week off in August and then football starts. Busy Busy!!!

We have several birthdays coming up in the next few months, Kristopher will be 14 (AAAHHH 2 more years and he will be driving) on April 4, Kaitlyn will be 2 on April 23rd, and Dillon will be 5 on May 1. They are all growing so fast!!! Kaitlyn is just as cute and smily as ever. She LOVES her Uncle Cotton and loves for him to do their "trick" she watches Cotton swing Dillon in the air and just giggles and giggles so then she lays at Uncle Cottons feet and waits for him to pick her up and swing her too and giggles even more!! Its just so cute. And her favorite thing to do with Uncle Cotton is eat ice cream. The two of them can really pack it away!! She is such a cuddle bug especially after her naps she will just nestle up to you and just snuggle away. I don't get to have her like I do Dillon but we look forward to our days together. When her daddy drops her off she reaches right for me and gives me big loves, and then follows me all around the house.

Dillon is here 6 days a week pretty much all day, he is my right hand man. He was such a big help when I was pregnant with the twins (I was a surrogate for those that don't know) he would say "mimi I can help you" he is so smart and just so witty. Just always asking questions (which can drive ya crazy after awhile) wanting to know about everything and anything he can. He loves his preschool and can't wait to go to Kindergarden next year. He is worried he won't get there on time, because his dad has trouble getting up early LOL. I told him he would just have to live with me during the week. I told him since he is here all day anyway it wouldn't be much of a change!! :-) He loves his daddy so I dont know how well he would like that!! LOL His mimi is his most favorite and I'm sure he will tell you that too. LOL He loves coming here while dad works and hates when I can't keep him for some reason. We are going out of town next week and he really is concerned about where he is going to go and not happy with me for going away. Poor little muffin man. He has loved having me home while I was pregnant and now that I am off for the next few weeks. We have had lots of fun together playing board games, or computer games, watching cartoons, and the last few days going outside and playing baseball and at the park, and going on walks. One day last week and one day this week I went to school with him which he LOVED. He wants me to go everyday and doesn't understand why I can't. I just adore him!!

I delivered twins (two boys) on February 14th. They are beautiful and healthy!! You can see pictures and more details on my Surrogacy blog. http://misty-ajourneythroughsurrogacy.blogspot.com/ but other than that I haven't been doing to much. Getting my life back to normal and struggling to loose at least 20 more pounds, would like 25 or 30 but think thats asking a little much.

Cotton is working hard as always. Not home to much always in Chicago. We do actually get to see him all next week when we go to Oregon to see the twins for 6 days. So that will be great family time. The boys get to go to a Suns/Timberwolves game. They are excited about that. The girls are staying home and hanging out with the twins :-) Just where I want to be.

Well thats about it for an update. I will post pictures of Kristopher in track and then in football.