diff --git a/cloudbender/connection.py b/cloudbender/connection.py
index 6dbcbfd..ba39a2a 100644
--- a/cloudbender/connection.py
+++ b/cloudbender/connection.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import time
 
 import boto3
 import botocore.session
@@ -51,5 +52,16 @@ class BotoConnection():
 
 
     def call(self, service, command, kwargs={}, profile=None, region=None):
-        client = self._get_client(service, profile, region)
-        return getattr(client, command)(**kwargs)
+        while True:
+            try:
+                client = self._get_client(service, profile, region)
+                return getattr(client, command)(**kwargs)
+
+            except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as e:
+                if e.response['Error']['Code'] == 'Throttling':
+                    logger.warning("Throttling exception occured during {} - retry after 3s".format(command))
+                    time.sleep(3)
+                    pass
+                else:
+                    raise e
+
diff --git a/cloudbender/core.py b/cloudbender/core.py
index 3cb642d..17f0482 100644
--- a/cloudbender/core.py
+++ b/cloudbender/core.py
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ class CloudBender(object):
             "parameter_path": os.path.join(self.root, "parameters"),
             "artifact_paths": [os.path.join(self.root, "artifacts")]
                     }
+        self.default_settings = {
+            'vars': { 'Mode': 'FortyTwo' }
+        }
 
         if not os.path.isdir(self.root):
             raise "Check '{0}' exists and is a valid project folder.".format(root_path)
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ class CloudBender(object):
                 ensure_dir(self.ctx[k])
 
         self.sg = StackGroup(self.ctx['config_path'], self.ctx)
-        self.sg.read_config()
+        self.sg.read_config(self.default_settings)
 
         self.all_stacks = self.sg.get_stacks()
 
diff --git a/cloudbender/jinja.py b/cloudbender/jinja.py
index 8803415..a440694 100644
--- a/cloudbender/jinja.py
+++ b/cloudbender/jinja.py
@@ -149,15 +149,17 @@ def pyminify(source, obfuscate=False, minify=True):
         #source = pyminifier.obfuscate.apply_obfuscation(source)
 
     source = pyminifier.token_utils.untokenize(tokens)
-    # logger.debug(source)
+    #logger.info(source)
     minified_source = pyminifier.compression.gz_pack(source)
     logger.info("Compressed python code to {}".format(len(minified_source)))
     return minified_source
 
 
-
 def JinjaEnv(template_locations=[]):
-    jenv = jinja2.Environment(trim_blocks=True, lstrip_blocks=True, undefined=jinja2.Undefined)
+    jenv = jinja2.Environment(trim_blocks=True,
+                              lstrip_blocks=True,
+                              undefined=jinja2.Undefined,
+                              extensions=['jinja2.ext.loopcontrols'])
 
     jinja_loaders = []
     for _dir in template_locations:
diff --git a/cloudbender/stack.py b/cloudbender/stack.py
index 3434a8c..3f80648 100644
--- a/cloudbender/stack.py
+++ b/cloudbender/stack.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Stack(object):
 
     def read_config(self):
         _config = read_yaml_file(self.path)
-        for p in ["stackname", "template", "dependencies", "default_lock", "multi_delete", "provides"]:
+        for p in ["region", "stackname", "template", "dependencies", "default_lock", "multi_delete", "provides"]:
             if p in _config:
                 setattr(self, p, _config[p])
 
diff --git a/cloudbender/stackgroup.py b/cloudbender/stackgroup.py
index e4f6bd2..8b9ce2d 100644
--- a/cloudbender/stackgroup.py
+++ b/cloudbender/stackgroup.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class StackGroup(object):
         profile = _config.get('profile', '')
         stackname_prefix = _config.get('stacknameprefix', '')
 
-        logger.info("StackGroup {} added.".format(self.name))
+        logger.debug("StackGroup {} added.".format(self.name))
 
         # Add stacks
         stacks = [s for s in glob.glob(os.path.join(self.path, '*.yaml')) if not s.endswith("config.yaml")]