Friday, December 28, 2007

Mj's Surprise

Since Mark has the week off, we decided to surprise Mj and take him to the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg because they were having a model train display! We were right and Mj was very surprised and excited!! They even had a model train display of all Thomas!! Downstairs, there was a big train for the kids to ride. He loved that, too. We enjoyed the science stuff, too. What a fun day!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

SIGMA Christmas Party

What a great night we had last night! We started off with a bunch of games. First each team had to decorate their Christmas tree!=) I think the trees were very festive! Then we had some Christmas Carol Charades - very fun! We also played the spelling game! Let's just say it's a miracle no one got hurt!=) We enjoyed lasagna and garlic bread and then had a time to sing and share what Christmas means to us. I think we are all in awe that our Savior came to earth as a baby - dependent on His creation and under the authority of His creation. What humility! We then opened our White Elephant gifts! Gifts included: a cow tooth, singing toilet, bag of coal, ransom notes, used tea bags, and so much more!=) We ended the night by presenting the teens with a carpet ball table that Mark made! Mark worked so hard on it and we were thrilled that the teens were so excited about it! After an hour of playing carpet ball, we cleaned up and headed home!
We thank God for our fabulous youth group! We love you guys!!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Tis Better To Give...

Every year Mj makes Christmas gifts for his family, friends, and teachers. This year we found ornaments to make out of newspaper. He worked hard (and I worked hard=) ) and so far we have half of them done. Hopefully, we'll have them finished by tomorrow and then we can work on Christmas cookies and pumpkin rolls!=)I love the look of concentration on Mj's face - He is just like his daddy!=)

Whose is better Mj's or mine?!=)

Saturday, December 15, 2007

We love Christmas Lights!

Last night Paton spent the night with us. We took the boys to Hoffer Park to see the Christmas lights and enjoy some chocolate milk and cookies! We all had a lot of fun!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

O Christmas Tree

Last night we finally got our tree!! We were going to get our annual real tree, but the prices jumped $15!! We went to check out the artificial trees and we saw one that looked beautiful. It was on sale, but there were no more left. We asked if we could have the display. Then I noticed that the bottom lights weren't working so we got a discount!! When we got home, Mark put it together and guess what the lights worked!! The tree really does look real. It has holly berries and pine cones all over it with white lights. We bought an evergreen scented candle to bring that "real" tree smell home!=)
Mj loves to help me decorate the tree. A.C. Moore was having a huge sale on ornaments and Christmas decorations so we bought some new ornaments and Christmas ribbon for the garland. Our ornaments were all "hand-me-downs," so it was nice to get some new ones. We got maroon and gold frosted balls and some marron and gold ribbon. I added some of our favorite ornaments from family and my students. We just need to put our star on top and our tree will be complete. (Mark needs to put the star on since I can't reach the top=) ) The star is the best part of the tree anyway. My students love their disco ball!=) I'll put up a picture when we get it up so you can understand the whole disco ball star!=) It is the coolest star around!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Let it Snow!

Well, we're finally getting snow. We're supposed to get only an inch or two, but it's snow so we're excited! Mj couldn't wait to get his new boots on and make snow angels!!! Here's some pics from our afternoon in the snow!

Monday, December 3, 2007

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? Real. I love the smell of a real tree!
3. When do you put up your tree? A couple weeks before Christmas. Hopefully, we'll get ours soon!!!!
4. When do you take the tree down? Right after New Years.
5. Do you like eggnog? No way!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My Barbie dolls
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes. Nana Smith made one for Mj when he was born.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Mark and my Dad.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Definitely Mj! He loves Thomas the tank engine!!=)
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt. I hate the Cowboys, but my poor uncle and aunt didn't know that!
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
12. Favorite Christmas movie? I love the Christmas Classics like Rudolph and Frosty! I look forward to watching them on TV every year!=)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually Black Friday. I can't get gifts too early cause I'm terrible at keeping secrets!!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? Christmas cookies!!!=)
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? This is hard! I love Christmas music. There's a few I don't like but overall I love all Christmas music!!!!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We are blessed to live near both of our families so we stay here in good 'ol Pa.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. Aunt Dawn bought us the coolest star for our first Christmas as a married couple. There's lights that revolve inside the star and shine on the roof! My piano students call it the disco star!=)
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The materialism.
23. What is the "corniest" family tradition you do, or miss doing? Opening gifts at my in-laws is the only thing I can think of! You have to be there to experience it. We just act "corny!"=)
24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? The big blow up things! We have a couple houses around us that have like 3! A little too much!!!
25. Which looks the best, theme trees or homey trees? Homey
26. What does Christmas mean to you? Love. The love God had for us to send His Son as a baby to die on a cross! It amazes me everytime I think about it! And how Jesus willingly came to earth out of the glory of Heaven to die for ME!!! Words cannot describe that!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Hello Baby!


Well, today I had my second appointment and ended up having another ultrasound. The nurse and doctor were having trouble finding the heart beat with the doppler so they decided to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby was fine. The baby is doing great. He or she has a strong heart beat and is very active! He or she was doing flips and kicking and waving as you can see in the picture. I could feel the baby moving as the doctor was pushing on my belly and I could see the baby move!! It's such a miracle!!!!!! We find out January 18 the sex of the baby!!! Can't wait!!!!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Thanksgiving Weekend Fun


We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! We ate way too much food, of course, and had a fun just being with family!!! Here's some pics from the weekend!

Mj firing nerf discs at Uncle Jonny!


Uncle Jonny loading up his gun! Watch out Mj!!!!


Mj's 1st black eye!

Mj and Micah being silly cousins!!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Now Thank We All Our God

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Words by: Martin Rinkart

As we celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday, let us not forget Who the praise goes to!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!!!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Mj's New Playset

A couple weeks ago, Mark saw this playset near his parents' house. The people were selling it so Mark made an offer! They took the offer and Mark brought home this beautiful playset!!! It's hard to keep Mj inside now! Even when it's freezing outside he wants to be on his swings and fort! The Lord definitely provided this blessing for Mj and the new baby!=) When Mj finds out that there's a sand box, too we will definitely never get him inside!=) We still need to go and buy the sand. I think we'll wait til spring!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Thursday Thirteen - Hilarious Things Mj Has Said About the New Baby


1. "That's weird!"
2. "So, was I in Daddy's belly?"
3. "I'm going to have 3 cousins!"
4. "The baby has to live with us all day and all night."
5. "Can the baby sleep in your room, he'll keep me up at night."
6. "Do I have to be in the hospital with you?!"
7. "Will I stay at Nanny and Papa's for a whole week?!"
8. "I want a brother, girls are yucky!"
9. "Maybe the baby will be a zebra."
10. "Will the baby like Thomas the tank engine, too?"
11. Stuffing socks up his shirt, "Look, I'm having a baby, too!"
12. Lifting his shirt up so the socks fall, "Will the baby fall out like that?"
13. "I won't touch a stinky diaper!!!!"

Monday, November 12, 2007

Veteran's Banquet

On Saturday night the teens hosted the Golden Age Harvesters at our Veteran's Banquet. We enjoyed delicious apple and pumpkin pies!! The teens then prepared a hilarious skit!! The pictures I've posted are from the skit. Even Mj was repeating lines on the way home!!=) We ended the evening with testimonies from some of the veterans.


Saturday, November 10, 2007

Apple Festival

A couple weeks ago, we went to the Apple Festival near Gettysburg. It was a nice, cool fall day! Mj enjoyed seeing all the tractors and trains! He was thrilled when we found him a Thomas lantern for $5!! Mj also had his first pony ride. He like that the pony's name was Cowboy! We can't wait to go back next year.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Fall Activities

Since our camera broke, I haven't been able to download pictures. Finally, I can and I will soon have a new camera!!! Here's some of the activities we've been enjoying this fall!
We had our Fall Fling with our youth group! We made scarecrows and Stuffed Turkeys. We also enjoyed a great testimony time and bonfire!
Mark and Mj made a jack-o-lantern with our huge pumpkin! I think he turned out pretty good!
Mj enjoyed another year of trick-or-treating and we are still enjoying the candy!!!=)


Thursday, November 1, 2007

We're having a BABY!!!



Yes, that's right! There will be another Fortney in the world!! God is so good!! We were told the only way we'd be able to have another baby is through fertility shots! We didn't have the money so we just waited for almost 4 years!
Mark and I are both still in shock! We were saying, why should we be shocked we prayed for this!!!
I had my first doctor's appointment today and Baby Fortney looks great! I'm 8 weeks and 2 days along! The baby has a heart beat of 160 beats per minute and he or she looks very healthy!! Praise GOD!!! My due date is June 10!!! We're so blessed and excited!! Praise God for His faithfulness and graciousness to us!!!

Monday, October 22, 2007

For Me

For my sin He was wounded; for my guilt, crucified.
For my debt paid a ransom; for my straying He died.
For my acts of rebellion, for my deeds full of pride,
My Savior was beaten, my Lord crucified.

By His grace I am rescued, by His love I'm set free.
By the gift of redemption His shed blood is my plea.
Now there's no condemnation. Now there's no penalty!
Now He is my Savior. I sit at His feet!
My sorrow has ended. My joy is complete!

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Such sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did ever such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown."

Words by: Mac Lynch & Isaac Watts

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thursday Thirteen - Favorite Things about Fall


1. The beautiful colors!
2. Raking leaves with Mj and then jumping in our huge piles!!
3. Stepping on acorns and hearing them go crunch.
4. Cool Temperatures
5. Going to my brother-in-laws' soccer games
6. Hayrides
7. Bonfires
8. Making smores
9. Apple Festival (we're going Saturday!!!!)
10. Making jack-o-lanterns
11. Trick or Treating and watching Mj's face when he gets candy from our neighbors!
12. Eating all the trick-or-treat candy (Yes, Mj shares)
13. Taking hikes in the mountains

Monday, October 8, 2007

Visit with Uncle Jonny!

On Saturday, Mj and I went to Philly with Seth and my mom and dad-in-law to visit Jon for his birthday. Jon had a surprise for Mj! We were going to go downtown on the subway!!! Mj was so excited to have his first ride on a subway!! We ate at TGIFridays and just had fun being together! Mj was at Jon's side the entire time (or on his shoulders!). It was a fun night!
Mj and Uncle Jonny on the subway!

Mj, Uncle Jonny, & Uncle Seth in Philadelphia!


Mj and I at the park!

Friday, October 5, 2007

TGIF

It's Friday!!! Yeah! Enjoy these funny bumper stickers!

  • There are 3 kinds of people those who can count and those who can’t
  • How fast was I going, officer? Not fast enough, I guess….
  • I thought I was indecisive; now I’m not so sure.
  • Squirrels - nature’s speed bumps
  • Suburbia: Where they cut down all the trees and then name streets after them
  • Do Not Wash- this Vehicle is undergoing a scientific dirt test
  • Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.
  • What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it’s all about?
  • I’m always late: My ancestors arrived on the Juneflower
  • First National Bank of Dad. Sorry, closed
  • In dog years, I’m dead.
  • (On a motorcycle) If you can read this, my wife fell off.
  • Driver carries no cash, he’s married.
  • There are 2 types of pedestrians the quick and the dead.
  • If this sticker is getting smaller, the light is probably green.
  • Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?
  • Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
  • Honk if you love peace and quiet
  • I like cats! They taste like chicken
  • If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving ain’t for you.
  • What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
  • Caution! I drive like you do!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

I love this time of year!

It's definitely not feeling like fall here in Pennsylvania (today it's 80 degrees!! I'm looking forward to wearing my sweaters), but we got our pumpkins yesterday!! Mark surprised Mj and brought home 2 big pumpkins! Mj couldn't believe how big they were. "They're bigger than my head," he exclaimed when he saw them in the back of the truck.=) We're looking forward to making jack-o-lanterns in a couple weeks! Our trees are starting to change colors and Mj and I are looking forward to raking and jumping in the piles of leaves! God is so good to give us these beautiful things to enjoy!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Zoo America

Today Mj and I went to Zoo America in Hershey. Mj had gotten a free ticket from his summer reading program at the library. It was a beautiful day for it! We got there and found out there was a sea lion show! Well, it just doesn't get any better than that!=) We had so much fun! We actually walked through the zoo 2 times!!!=)

Monday, September 24, 2007

Trip to Greenville

This past weekend Mj and I went to Greenville with my in-laws to see 2 of my brother-in-laws Ben & Tim. It was quite the trip. Mj was smashed in the back! He looked hilarious. Every once in awhile you'd hear him yell, "I'm trapped!!"
We got to see Ben & Tim play soccer. Saturday was filled with shopping, guns, ping-pong balls, & CiCi's!
It was a short trip, but lots of fun!!!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Welcome to the World

My brother Dutch and his wife Julie had their first baby Zachary Adam Wise yesterday. He was 8 lb. 9 oz. and 21 inches long! He's got a full head of hair and I think he looks like his mom!=) Congratulations Dutch and Julie! We love you and we love baby Zack!!!=-)

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Alternate Name Meme

I saw this on my friend Loraena's blog and thought it was hilarious!=)

1. MY ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Zooie S70
2.MY GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Cookie Dough Oatmeal
3. MY “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
T-For
4.MY DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Lion
5. MY SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Lynn Camp Hill
6. MY STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
For-Ti
7. MY SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
The Yellow Mountain Dew
8. MY NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Joseph Harry
9. MY WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )
Louis Mark
10. MY TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Gaupp Greenville (I don't know if Greenville's a major city, but it's the only one I could think of that began with a G)
11. MY SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Autumn Sunflower
12. MY CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Grape Flip-floppy
13. MY HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Granola Bar Willow
14. MY ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + A fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)
The Scrapbooking Sunshine Tour

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Remembering.....

This is something I don't normally talk about, I guess because it still hurts. 6 years ago today, my mom passed away and met Jesus face to face. In the summer of 2000 my mom was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. She never drank alcohol, but a few people get this disease without drinking. In January of 2001 she was put on the organ donor list. She had gotten some calls for livers, but the Lord had a reason that she could not get one. By August 2001, she was very ill. We weren't sure if she would be able to be at my wedding on August 11, but the Lord is good. My wedding day was the best my mom had been in months! She was coherrent, she knew what was going on, she was even able to light the "mom's" candle at my wedding with help! The Lord is good to have given her and me that special blessing. However, the Lord saw fit for her to become worse. On September 11, she was at her worst and had to be flown out to the University of Pittsburgh hospital by helicopter (they had to get special permission because of the attacks of 9-11 and no aircraft was allowed to fly). I still remember the events of the next 2 days so vividly. I still don't understand why the Lord took my mom, but He is good and she has a new body and is praising Him today!
My mom was my best friend and I do miss her. It hurts that Mj will never know what a wonderful grandma he had.
My last thought is to please consider organ donation!! It was hard when my mom was on the list to pray, because we knew that someone had to die for her to have a chance to live. I hope that I can give someone a chance to live when I die and that through that they can also get the gospel and get a "new" life.
My dad, mom, & brother at my wedding

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Thomas on the big screen

Today was an exciting day! First, it's my wonderful husband's birthday!=-) So what do we do for Mark's birthday - we take Mj on a surprise!=) We went out for breakfast and then we took Mj to see "Thomas on the Big Screen" at the Regal Theater! He was so surprised and excited! I don't think he knew what to do with himself. And then they handed out free Thomas activity books - could there be anything more exciting!=) We had a blast watching Thomas at the movies and now Mj has finished his new activity book and is playing with his Thomas engines and track!

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