Trip to Grand Forks, ND

Brent and I took a weekend trip to see his family in North Dakota. We arrived on Friday afternoon and he took me on a brief tour of the town. His family lived there for two years during his middle school years so it was interesting to see where they used to live and what school he used to attend outside of what I have always known to be his home in Chisago county. We had a relaxing time talking, eating out, and playing the Wii. Here are some pictures of our journey:

Erik, Angie, and Jessi (Erik is Brent's oldest brother)

Twiggy the family dog. She is 8 pounds of fury!

A picture from the road somewhere in ND.

Jessi playing Dance Dance revolution with Angie helping out on the arm movements. Jessica REALLY LIKES DDR. She has limitless amounts of energy so something that can keep her entertained is a good thing!

Kids Incorporated

My mom has been urging me to post about Kids Incorporated, which I didn't remember anything about until I typed it in on Google. Once I heard the jingle, it all came back to me. I remember it being a part of my childhood Disney experience. The show ran from September 1, 1984 until September 1, 1993. It consisted of a group of young teens (that occasionally shifted every few years as members grew too old to be "Kids" and were replaced) who performed cleaned up versions of pop music standards of the era, with most of the Kids noticeably pretending to play their own instruments (they did sing, though). Along the way, lessons were learned through the conflicts of the kids (e.g. the value of honesty, or why not to cheat on a test.)

Many child actors debuted on the show including Mario Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Robin, Martika (solo record of "Toy Soldiers"), Renee Sands, and Stacey Ferguson (AKA Fergie). Stacy Ferguson held the record as the longest-running cast member, staying with the show for six seasons. After Kids Incorporated ended, some of the kids remained successful in the entertainment industry while others simply fizzled out. Stacey Ferguson and Renee Sands joined forces to become part of a group called Wild Orchard. The group was popular for their R & B sound, but broke up in 2001. In 2003, Stacey started going by the name of Fergie after joining the Hip-Hop group The Black Eyed Peas. She is now persuing a solo career.

It is amazing to me how a show can generate such an amazing career. The Mickey Mouse Club has also given many child actors/singers their start. I wonder what the next equivalent will be in today's generation. And please don't say Hannah Montana or High School Musical!

Check out the pipes on a young Stacy Ferguson:

The Career Path of Fergie:

Missing my Sister

Lately I've thought about Georgia a dozen times in an hour. That's aggressive. I miss her. I was driving on Highway 169 the other night and saw the 49th Ave exit and teared up. It has been almost a year since I have been able to hug her and share stories in person. Our recent Skype date was canceled because she is having computer/phone issues so now I am really thinking of her: wondering how she is, who she is talking to, who she is laughing with, who she is confiding in.

I spent time with Kelsey tonight who went to the same church as my sister. I haven't seen her since Georgia left. It's really hard to see people when the only thing I have in common with them is Georgia. All there is to talk about is Georgia.

Kelsey and I were close years ago, but Georgia was her friend. She misses her. We had a good time talking about the fact that Kelsey is only picky about boys and clothes, playing the Wii, and listening to music. I printed out some pictures of Georgia that I stole from her blog and Kelsey immediately said she was going to put them in her locker. Kelsey is 13 now and completely looks up to Georgia as a friend and role model.

This is how my sister touches people. She becomes a part of their lives. She is selfless, generous, and sincere. She has many traits that define her as a strong, Christian woman and I am proud of her. I love her.

And I miss her.