Stacy Jean

I know I know. How long since my last blog? Well this is why:

6 pounds, 14 ounces. 10 little fingers, 10 little toes. Loves to eat, loves clean diapers, can't stand being cold and anything to do with gas. Gets countless kisses from my big sister, seriously - countless. Loves sleeping in Mom or Dad's arms. Love my moby wrap. Love to be held.

Come hold me.

Daddy's Little Girl

They have such a big responsibility, don't they? They are the playmates, the taste-testers, the experimenters. They are the providers. "Daddy" is the protector. I remember growing up in that reality - my dad protected us for as long as he could (or had to) hold on to us. There is a question I would like to share with you today.

"What is a dad's primary role - teacher, protector, provider, pal, or disciplinarian?"

My dad says Protector without a doubt. He was. My husband says Provider without a doubt. And he is. I remember my dad most as a protector AND teacher, though. He would teach ethics every day of our lives, and continues to do so. Maybe the answer changes as your children grow and their needs change. But what a neat role to play - Daddy. All the diaper changes, late night rocking when Mom is at the end of her rope, the games to keep them occupied while dinner is cooking, the hugs and kisses, and the Snack Man role they get to play. Thanks to all you dads, whichever is your favorite role in your children's lives. We appreciate you.

Ponderisms

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

ALL OF US COULD TAKE A LESSON FROM THE WEATHER. IT PAYS NO ATTENTION TO CRITICISM.

Wordless Wednesday - Ahh, the Honeymoon.

Wordless Wednesday - Have a glow worm type of day!

Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial (borrowed from Mom and Dad)

3. When do you put up the tree? Anytime during December.

4. When do you take the tree down? Depends on how long I want to sit on my bum and drink hot chocolate and use the excuse of staring at the tree to be lazy. ;)

5. Do you like eggnog? yes, but only AE - 1/2 milk, 1/2 nog - not a big fan of the Milk Nog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A vantriliquist doll named Howdy Doody.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? yes, but I confess - it's not out this year, and it was a dollar, which is why it's in my Christmas tote, cuz it looks like it was a dollar.

8. Hardest person to buy for? The possibilities are ENDLESS when you're talking about gag gifts. Those take the most thought. I'm WAY behind this year.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Whoever I'm done with already. :)

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Peacock feathers - that was just mean.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Charlie Brown Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The very first garage sale in April-ish. Gotta love garage sale Christmases!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Uh, is file 13 recycling? That's right where those peacock feathers went.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's soups.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I would love white, but hopefully we'll get those at Clearance time this year for next year. This year the "purple" looks like pink. And a little blue set.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I LOVE THEM ALL! All I want for Christmas has been one I always have to turn up when I hear.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? both

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? yep

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? whichever the whole family can be there for - maybe we'll start a new tradition and a "set" rule next year to follow.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People (myself included) forgetting to spread joy and cheer.

I tag: Angela and Melanie

Wordless Wednesday - Naps aren't always good.

Thankful

I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about missionaries and being overseas "roughing it" (sorry if anything was understood wrong here - I was changing diapers and wondering if lunch was burning as I listened). One woman met a 10 year old girl, her younger sister, and older brother. Their mother had passed away - she was a prostitute. The middle girl does everything she can to provide for her brother and sister, working in an all day factory job for next to nothing in profit. Their home has no washer/drier, fridge, sink. . . . beds. . . . light . . . extra clothing, you get the picture. They have an outhouse 3 blocks from their home. 3 blocks. No "toilet" closer than that.

This woman asked how much it was to build an outhouse onto their home. 24 US dollars. She gave them the money and weeks later received a photograph in the mail with the 3 children with their new addition onto their home in the background . . . and they were smiling. This had changed their life. 24 dollars. Now, I can't help but shed tears when I think of what one of those families would do for the uncontaminated water that goes down my kitchen drain every day - from rinsing dishes before they go into the dishwasher. Running water for 10 seconds just to wait for it to get warm. . . that would be unheard of. They might not even have dishes to clean. And here I sit in a heated home with food in the fridge if I get hungry and a healthy husband and children. Not to get you down today, but why aren't we over there living that life? Why do we think we are entitled to everything we think we want? They were excited about a toilet for cryin' out loud! New clothes, fruit snacks, calendars, microwavable lunches, and heaven forbid us having to park in a full parking lot and walk 200 feet into Kohl's in the cold weather to Christmas shop for our healthy loved ones. We have vehicles to drive, resources of any sort, helpful neighbors, people that pray for us, and give us gifts on our birthday because we are loved.

How can I look at my surroundings and still have one ounce of unthankfulness? I spent 24 dollars on gas the other day. Groceries. McDonalds (although it's been a couple months). I'm a little torn this holiday season. How can I teach my children to possibly begin to fathom everything they have when I have trouble with it myself?

Ten Words

Ran into a great blog with this on it. "Alexandra Stoddard, in her book Feeling At Home, said '...write down the ten word symbols that tell who you truly are. Don't think. Your subconscious does all the work. Be there to record what emerges from the deepest recesses of your heart. This may be one of the sweetest moments of your entire life. Try it, and see for yourself how you feel.'"

I thought it would be neat to try, so here goes:
1. Behind
2. Comfortable
3. Games
4. Groceries
5. Kids
6. Wife
7. Stories
8. Accommodating
9. Surrendering
10. Peaceful

Try it out.

Today.

Okay, I just made Spiced Pumpkin Tartlets. They are AWESOME! I hope they make it to craft night tonight. I'll have to limit myself to 3 . . . or 5 would be okay I guess.

Went grocery shopping today and spent $35.25 on groceries. Not bad. The egg nog won't last long, either. Mixed with mostly milk - new craving. OH! Wanna know my brand-spanking new craving? The Farting Goat has chicken wings. Breaded. Chubby Style. Yum. They are the best when the sauce hasn't gotten to the breaded part yet and it's still crunchy. I'm hungry.

I sit here at my kitchen table with the curtains open watching the big heavy wet drops of snow fall all over my van. Maybe I should get a scraper this year, eh? Nothing like waiting for the first big snowfall, Amie. Good work.

I need to go gather my crafting things for tonight - I'm bringing Olivia (7) if she wants to go - she loves being crafty and I don't let her do it near enough. She can have tartlets and hot chocolate with me. . . right after she clears off my van. I'm not really that mean. . . well, unless I can make some sort of game out of it - then her brother can join in.

What's that about?!

Harry is taking me up into the air once in a while and it looks really high up. I'm not deathly afraid of heights or anything, but we always manage to get back on solid ground before I get too scared. But not this time. The hugest tree I've ever seen. He thought it would be fun to go that high. So he takes me in his arms and up we go (how, I don't know - so don't ask). Sidenote: love his arms. Moving on ... err ... up, that is. I am freaked out. I have no idea how high he's going, but he's looking pretty excited to be going up so high. I start mimmering and feel a little sick, and finally get out the words (this is when the person at the bottom of the HUGE tree looked like an ant and I could see the top of the tree), "okay, that's high enough!".

He says, "Okay, here we go!" And I am not kidding you, I feel a lump in my belly move all the way up to my throat and I'm hanging on by the end of his shirt at this point for DEAR LIFE. We are ziplining to the ground. Not a straight down fall, but going at about a 38 degree angle... F-A-S-T. I scream the piercing kind of scream all the way down to the grass. Seemed like eternity to get there. Oh, the lovely grass. Didn't hurt to land. Then instead of beating him with any energy I had left, I kissed him - a lot.

Then his pocket made noise. Why? His grandma was calling his cell phone. Thank you Grandma for waking me up. I go into the kitchen feeling a panic in the depths of me and still trying to open my eyes. Harry is leaving for work and laughs at my plea for life at 5:30 am. Please don't do that again, honey! Poor guy. He's endured me actually hitting him when I wake up becase I was so furious by what he did in my dreams. Poor, poor guy. My constant vivid dreams are rarely a good thing. So needless to say, I will not ever - in - my - life go parasailing thank you very much. I'll be the ant by the tree.

Beef - meister

Why am I "Beefy"? I'm so glad you asked.

1. I love cows.
2. I am a black belt in TaeKwondo.
3. I love cow print anything.
4. I broke the push-up record in our school at 135 . . . and no, not on my knees.
5. I collect cows.
6. They just started calling me Beefy.
7. Moo.

Not that it's a compliment to be called a cow.

MOOOooooving on. Haven't had a whole lot to post about lately. Same old mess, same old "could use a little extra money" thing, same old "getting bigger" speech (and yes, I'm pregnant Mel), but I am very happy to report that my scrapbooking retreat is LESS than one week away now! :) I'm very excited, but will be WAY excited when I get all packed up and ready for it. My sister is coming with me, did I mention that? I'm stoked! Is that a word? That's all I got today.

Paul Harvey's On-Air Prayer

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance."

"We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "One nation under God."

Keeping Busy as Kids

I have this habit of watching movies over and over again until I have them memorized. Granted, I haven't been able to learn a new one for a couple years, but I still remember the ones I've learned. A few are as follows:

You've Got Mail
Liar Liar
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Finding Nemo
Aladdin
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree
and....
The Little Mermaid

Now we used to take trips to Minnesota when we were little - 5 or 6 hours in the car. How did we keep busy?? My sisters used to use me as a human VCR. Any movie they wanted to see, they just put the imaginary tape in my mouth and pushed play (my nose). I'd recite the movie just as it is, and sometimes they'd fast forward and rewind just for fun. I usually kept up with them.

What else did we do in the car, you ask??
The Yay and Boo Game! TELL me you've played this. If not, make your kids. It's great fun. While driving, wave at cars (when you get good at the game, you'll be choosy about who you wave to) and if they wave back, you get 1 point. If they don't see you, you get 0. If they see you and don't wave back, well, then you get -1.

The alphabet game. Find letters A through Z in order one by one. I don't think we ever beat my dad at this game - and he was most always the driver. Either he's really GOOD or we really stunk. It has to be the first of the two. If anyone of us ever beat him, there was probably some cheating going on. If there was only 2 or 3 players, sometimes we said the letters aloud as we saw them, and then only one person could use the Q on Dairy Queen if we all saw it. The easier way was to do it silently and just say "Z!" when you get there. Letters you get stuck on are J, K, Q, X (unless you are on the interstate with EXIT signs), and Z.

Then there was the obvious, "Do I need to turn this car around?" game, or "Do I need to pull over?" game was okay, too. My brother sat in the back seat on the drivers side usually, with me next to him, and the guy has to part his stinkin' knees about as far as they would stretch and here I am cramped up in the middle and my sister on the other side. Then the middle sister sat in the front in between Mom and Dad. So then we have the "Jerry's hogging the whole back seat and I can't even move my legs" game. Those usually ended with the obvious first two games of the paragraph. We all know he would have pulled the car over. No empty threats from my parents. Ever. Good work, guys.

But the highlight of the trips may have been "THE Ski Hill". That was the landmark that told us we were almost there (unless we took the trip to the cabin with no stops). None of my or my sibling's kids have gotten even remotely close to being as excited about this landmark. Could it be all the room they have to play in the vans and toys to keep them occupied? Do they even know what the yay and boo game is??? Will they ever play tin can alley (kick the can)??? Ghost in the graveyard??? Red Rover?? Croquet?? Tag - water balloon fights - snow angels - King on the Mountain?? Come on! When was the last time you saw kids outside playing Annie Annie Over? What ever happened to Do-Overs? Are the classic games lost somewhere in the midst of portable DVD players and iPods and Playstations? For cryin' out loud - these gAmEs WiLL NOT DIE!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

What? NO, I don't need sleep! What kind of question is that?

Out of the closet.

Left side: (In order) navy blue, white, grey, and black shirts
Right side: It's a rainbow!!!
Left side shelf: Jeans
Right side shelf: PJ pants and other pants

Guess which side is mine. This might help you.

FYI: Harry's shirts don't get to see how soft they have the potential to be. They don't see the drier, well...that's not comletely true. They see it from the outside while they are hanging to dry....and a select few I've personally chosen get to rejoice with all the other clothes once in a while as they tumble happily round and round. Those are the "special shirts" though. The ripped and holey Harley shirts don't qualify. If they ever heard me say that, though, they would have me for breakfast. They far outnumber and outweigh me. I don't remember the last time Harry has purchased a Harley shirt.....hmm. Which tells you he's been collecting these for at least 20 years. He got rid of over 10 of them last year at a garage sale. $1 per shirt. One person bought all of them. So, we're out. We've blogged out of the closet.

Wordless......(okay I'm a day late)

Monday

"Are you going to come quietly, or do I have to use earplugs?"

There are millions of people thinner than I, and millions of people bigger. But I did NOT enjoy a feeling over the weekend. Pregnant as I may be, Saturday I took a couple of steps at work and felt my butt jiggle as I walked. What a stupid blog, right? I know. Really. I do. BUT......put in the earplugs! It's funny to make your butt jiggle on purpose, not so funny when it just does it on its own. I'd rather not have to buy all new jeans after this baby, ya' know. Like I'd buy new jeans anyway - I'd end up shuffling through the garage sale tables. That's really not the point, though. Hey, could it possibly be all the junk I eat all the time? Maybe I'll look into that.

On a much better note, Tiffany and I read a book before bed at night. We have mostly read "Time For Bed" - Time for bed little calf, little calf. What happened today that made you laugh?. It's been our book. Lately, I'm loving "Just In Case You Ever Wonder" though. I will give you the last page, it's very sweet, and I'm betting some of you have it.

In heaven you are so close to God that He will hug you, just like I hug you.
It's going to be wonderful. I will be there, too. I promise.
We will be there together, forever. Remember that . . .
just in case you ever wonder.

Butt jiggles and Bedtime books are all you get today.

Just to blog again...

So, today is our IowaFathers.com meeting. Every tuesday my house smells like chocolate and some kind of chili-konkokshuun :) I did that because I don't, in reality, know how to spell it (I got as far as 'con'). Today it's chocolate chip cookies, chili, Twizzlers, Cheetos, and Nips - love Nips. Is that man food, or what? All in all, we have quite a bit of females in the group, too. Who else would volunteer to feed 'em every week? Any takers? I'm sure you guys would be much better at throwing things together than I am!

Yesterday, we ...... I canned tomatoes. Harry worked. All day. Left at 5:40 am and got home 8:30 pm - what a man. Put some stuff on e-Bay Sunday night - 14 items ranging from a HD torque plate set to maternity and baby clothes to a framed and matted Marilyn Monroe stamp thing-a-ma-bobber....it's stated differently in the actual auction. And....my parents came over for a few hours on Sunday - know what we did? Froze corn. All afternoon. 80 cups. They visit, and we put them to work. Isn't that nice of us? Mmmmmmmmm, sure is good in the winter time! Mom gave me her housekeeping secrets, so this week I'm trying to put them to use. Come on over next week and see if it made any difference, would ya'? If it didn't, lie. Please. :) Dad had a lot of fun with Tiffany, I think. They might even be pals now. They brought pictures from vacation and here's me and the man that takes care of me. Look closely - who's paddling and steering?? just kidding - actually, my feet and hand were just resting in the right places to make it look like I do the work, which is usually how it works out anyway.

I don't have a whole lot to say today, I guess. Just sitting here eating the "reject" cookies from the batch. It's quite possible that I ruined them on purpose. Oh, yeah! Garage sale next week - I'm having one. Anyone have stuff to sell? Lemme know! We'll put an ad in the paper and get some tables. More stuff, more people. Okay, I have to finish my chili and sweep my floor - it's not funny....I haven't cleaned it since corn and tomatoes. Aren't you glad you wasted that 4 minutes reading my blog today? lol, I know you are.

Already?!

Ahh, the sound of paper ripping.....


tissue paper crumpling.....


the Happy Birthday song....


the look on a one-year old's face with a lit candle on a whole cake all to herself.....


the sound of warm water running to clean up this:

There was no puking, no crying, and no stopping this little girl from devouring her own big fat cake. My baby is one. She's seen the "outside world" for one whole year. As I went through her baby book to fill in her birthday activities, I was skimming through the pages.....so much of what I wrote down about her first months I had already forgotten about! I don't know what to write about today, other than how much I love my baby and how every quality minute I spend with her goes by too fast. If I don't stop to breathe in the days, they will pass me by. They already are. :) Here's to smelling the roses....

Baby Tag

All about me! Tiffany, that is.














3 Things That Scare Me
Being without Mommy and Daddy
The end of chocolate
A missing bottle

3 Things I Love
My sister
My piano
Music

3 Things I Hate
Diaper Rash
Loud people when I'm trying to sleep
Being without sweets

3 Things I Don't Understand
How Daddy makes that duck noise with his mouth, but it's funny!
Why Mommy doesn't let me have chocolate for snacktime
What's the big deal about Cheerios?

3 Things On My Floor
Food that I drop there for snacks later when I get hungry.
ALL....I mean A-L-L of my toys.
A new kitten that needs a new home because the smell of kitty litter makes mommy gag.
(sidenote: Anyone want an adorable tiny kitten that is litter trained already????? Very cute and quiet and playful)

3 Things I'm Doing Right Now
Sleeping
Dreaming of chocolate
Making that little lip movement - dreaming about my bottle of juice

3 Things I Want To Do Before I Die
Scrapbook with Mommy
Have a whole cake all to myself
Experience hot lunch at school

3 Ways To Describe My Personality
Determined!
Hungry
In-the-action

3 Things You Should Listen To
Mommy - she's always right. can't that count for 3 things? I feel very strongly about this.

3 Things You Should Never Listen To
My brother - he's a bad influence. All you'll learn from him is armpit farting. Which I think is quite amusing for a boy to do.....it even makes me laugh....but I will never armpit fart.
The "no singing at the table" rule - who made that rule anyway? It was Grandpa, wasn't it.
The word "no". This word is trouble.

3 Absolute Favorite Foods
Chocolate
Yogurt
Fruit - covered in chocolate if applicable.

3 Things I'd Like To Learn
TaeKwondo - just like Mommy.
The art of Scrapbooking.
How to make that noise Daddy makes - you know, that duck noise.

3 Beverages I Drink Regularly
Milk (chocolate milk if I can talk Mommy into it - Daddy's easy....note to self: get bottle from Daddy)
Apple Juice
All other kinds of juice

3 Shows I Watch
What's a show? Sometimes I watch bits of movies if one is already playing. But, what's a show?

Babies I Tag:
Madyson
Any other baby that has not been tagged