Making Lemonade from Outtakes

I always think the outtake reels are super funny at the end of movies or TV shows.  Especially in cartoons, since of course there is no sound guy holding up a boom (hilarious!).   

I have always liked the saying "When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade".  It reminds me to lighten up and look for the "silver lining".

Sooooo..... when my face looked like THIS:

in many of our attempts to take a family photo, I figured I may as well just make fun of myself.



Of course, when I had a decent smile, Clark was trying to channel James Bond or something:

or, Jane was hiding:

or preening or something:

Maybe I just had to go to the bathroom?

Or try to catch the escape baby:

Jane!  Wake UP!!

Self: stop talking!!

Clark: get back here!

All this to say, we really are much cuter than the camera gives us credit for.

And, sometimes we are all smiling at the same time.

Just not on this day.




Better luck to you, my friend,
Always smiling in Salinas :)

Clark turned one in November. I uploaded pictures today.

Yes, it took me a long time.  Actually, Cousin Patty took the pictures.  All of them.  And then she uploaded them to my computer that same day.

It just took me this long to think about them again.

I need a scrapbooking vacation.

Desperately.

Rather, I HAVE been on a vacation from scrapbooking.  Maybe I should take a vacation from life & DO some scrapbooking.

Yes, that sounds nice.

Cute family, though ... am I right?



Fishing for compliments,
Stacey

Angry Birds Top Ten

Who out there knows what Angry Birds is?

So, it is this app for i-products.  Most likely for all-products.


It is a children's game.


Like Mario.


Or Sonic.


But they are Birds.  They are ANGRY because these green pigs stole their eggs.  So, they climb up into some high-powered sling-shots and launch themselves at the pigs.  ("they" being "you").  Get all the pigs, move onto another level.

But there are a ba-zillion levels.  The pigs just keep on moving the eggs.  It is, like, never-ending.


Which is part of the fun.



Did you catch on that I am the one playing this game?

Here are my top 10 reasons why:


1.  Emotionally: I can relate.  If anyone stole my baby I would be unrelenting in my attack on them, as well.  Absolutely no holds barred.

2.  Financially: I paid for this danged game, and I'm going to play it!

3.  Physically:  I am tired at the end of the day & I am not going to go out and play basketball or something crazy like that!

4.  Mentally:  It is a wonderful break from reality to slip into Angry-Bird land.  Just get  the pigs.  It is so simple.

5.  Socially:  I need some down-time, yo!

6.  Gastronomically:  My digestive system really enjoys the relaxing time of not moving for minutes (hours?!) on end.

7.  Philisophicaly:  Those pigs demand justice!  They can't just waltz in and steal from the poor little birdies.  This is America!

8.  Religiously: I need to play this game often.  That's all religious means anyhow.  Often.

9.  Spiritually: not good for me whatsoever.  Not really bad , but ....

10.  Silly-lly:  It is really silly that I like to play this game.  Furthermore, it is continuously silly that I am now taking time to write about it.  Totally Silly.



Attack!!!!

Your protector,
Silly Stacey

Totally out of order, but here is October!!!

Always an eventful month, October is my absolute favorite time of the year.  If you have ever lived here on the central coast, you know October offers the best weather.  If you like wearing a wig and crazy fancy false eyelashes, you know October offers Halloween.  And if you like getting older, well... hold on a second....  If you like celebrating, you know October is my birthday!!

So, here you have a visual representation of October:  

(in no particular order, of course)

Halloween!!  Jane threw this look together about an hour before trick or treating.  She said her Cinderella dress was too itchy.  I sported my wig and awesomely audacious feather headband (of course with my rad falsies - eyelashes people!).  Clark was the most adorable cow you ever saw.

So, my birthday was October 13th.  I wanted to have fun.  So we had a big party!  Blaine bar-b-qued (LITERALLY) non-stop throughout the night, beer pong contests got a little hairy (ha ha), and i, a-hem, did a keg stand.  It was the world record longest keg-stand.  Especially because I did not drink any beer.  Instead, I laughed uncontrollably while simultaneously popping every blood vessel in my face.  Ewwww.  But still really funny.

Jane continues to be the best big sister in the world.  She is kind and gentle to her brother, finding him amusing and cute rather than tormenting and annoying.  She shares with him (like her popsicle, and as you can tell, he appreciates her), she cheers him on (crawling, talking, walking, etc), and generally just loves him!  Jane is still doing gymnastics once a week, and going to "spanish class" for preschool.  She tends to make up spanish words and phrases when she doesnt really know them.  Then argues that she is right!  ha!  It is pretty funny.

Clark continues to be the best baby boy in the world.  He is sweet as can be, slobbers kisses all over your face (or maybe just slobbers), and has recently started saying "day-doo" (Thank you).  Seriously.  Don't believe me?  Why not?  Because he STILL WONT SAY MAMA!?!  Well, just check my facebook page for proof.

Just have to share this great photo of Jane....  Mind you, I have NONE of these falling asleep in the highchair as a baby photos.  I was a NAP NAZI.  Every now and again, her naptime was the drive time from Soledad to Salinas, but I never got a cute photo of her sound asleep half on the livingroom floor or something.  Until today.

Oh, Jane?!

Jane?

Are you still playing Sesame Street?

Jane??

I wonder if anyone with a pHD still sucks their thumb.  I bet there are some.  I'm not worried.  Not one bit.


Not at all.


Totally Calm,
Stacey

30 Days of Thankfulness

I jump around all over the place on this here bloggy-blog.

But I try to lift my spirits often.

Today I read a little thankfulness remark on a friend's facebook page.  I recall reading a few similar ones last year.  Commitments to noticing something great and wonderful to be thankful for everyday during this very month of Thankfulness.


I like it.

A lot.


Today, November 1, 2011
I am thankful for many things.  But I am sitting here staring out at an amazingly beautiful crisp fall day, and for that I am thankful today.


Join me?
Stace

saw this online.

doing it.

tomorrow.

Start by doing one body-weight squat and 10 pushups. Rest for 30 seconds, and then do 2 squats and 9 pushups. Gradually work your way up to 10 squats and down to 1 pushup. You'll complete 55 reps of each exercise by the time you're done 

(http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201110/best-cardio-workouts-youve-never-tried)

Are you in???

For some reason I can't type in the body of this blog on my iPad!? What the what? I miss you and will be home soon!

August 12 on the 12th

Flying into the eye of the hurricane... or, Tuesday TOP 13!

Tomorrow, the kids & I depart for North Carolina.


"But wait, isn't there a hurricane a-brewing in North Carolina?", you ask.


Why yes, there is.


But there are bigger fish to fry than a weenie little stage 3 or 4 hurricane. There was also an earthquake.


Ha.


No, no. I am off to North Carolina to babysit my nephews Trevor & Parker while their mom & dad fly to China to pick up their sister Katelyn!!! Isn't this amazing news?!


In honor of meeting my mom's 13th grandchild soon (and me needing a little positivity today), I am posting a TOP 13!!!!

Woot-woot!

TOP 13 PEOPLE I'M GONNA PRAISE GOD FOR:

1. Me. That's right. Who's #1 baby?! I am healthy physically (no one said anything about mentally). I am blessed beyond measure: food every day, always clothes to wear, a roof over my head, and some beautiful hardwood floors under my feet. Totally blessed.
2. Blaine. He is faithful, a hard-worker, and excellent cook, fabulous provider, lights up Clark's little face, and reads Jane the Jesus Storybook Bible each night (even last night when the power was out - with a headlamp!).
3. Jane & Clark, Clark & Jane. Adorable, healthy, smiley. Oh, and adorable.
   
4. Yvonne. She is my workout partner. (aka my free therapist) She motivates me, encourages me, listens to me, and is simply rad.
5. (#5-10) My siblings. sorry guys, not gonna rank you. I love you all! Actually, I only love the ones who read this blog. I'm totally safe to say that - since whomever reads this will receive my love!! Mwuahaha!! We are so blessed to have shared our experiences with each other and have each other to lean on (and off sometimes as it so happens) through our ups and downs.
   
6. (11) My parents. They did what they could with 6 (SIX!?!!) kids. That is wild & amazing. We learned manners, common sense (most of us ;) - again: only blog readers), and in my case how to fly - in more ways than one!
7. (12) My sisters (& mothers) in Christ. You know who you are! You have prayed for me, rallied behind me, and given me the what-for. I appreciate it. I do not wish to be a fool, but instead be a wise woman who - when the light is shined on me and tough truth revealed to me - adjusts myself to the truth. I want to be that kind of woman. You are helping me to be her.
8. (13) Stormie O'Martian. Oh lady, you wrote this terrible little book that is very difficult to read! I wanted to learn how to have an easy marriage, and you made me start by praying that God would change ME! Might I actually finish reading your wise words this time. Thanks for being straightforward. I totally need it.

Ah, I feel more positive already,
the wicked witch of the West

Where the **bleep** we've been...

Even though I haven't blogged in forever, I have been living.

Here are some things I've done:

Today was Jane's first day of school. Spanish Immersion Preschool at Lincoln School. She was super excited, as you can tell by her face in this photo...

I ran the Salinas Valley Half Marathon. It was brutal. Hills. Ouch. Yvonne stuck with me even though she could've gone faster for sure. Our time of 2:17 was slower than the last time, but I AM still alive, so I'll be grateful for that!

We spent a week at Bass Lake. ELEVEN kids, one house, lots of mayhem.

Clark is seriously crawling. So proud/so scared.

Amy & Brad & family stayed with us for a couple nights. We went to the beach in Monterey on one of the rarest of rares: an amazingly beautiful & hot day!

We got all gussy'ed up in blingy/fringy trick rider costumes (Jane & Clark) for the Kiddie Kapers parade. I painted the 101 sign. Another rare beautiful day!

Jane got cuter, taller, and more sassy.

Clark got chubbier, cuter, and more sweet.

We laughed, we cried, we loved each other!

And we went Berry Picking in Watsonville.

Whew. I'm almost done with my 12 on the 12th pages, too.

Watch out world! Thank you for naps and preschool!!!

Missed ya,

Stace

watch out world....

Clark is crawling!!!!



now you know why I'm not blogging,
Stacey

June: 12 on the 12th!!

Boo-ya!

That's for all of you who have lost the bet that I would keep this up. I'll give you the hiccup in March - when I was oh, 2 months late completing the page.

But I have been taking the pictures!!

I'm so excited (especially now that I've done a half of a year already) to print these out! I have not printed a digital page before, so who knows how cheeseball it will turn out. But, it could be great!!

Much love, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Life is in the details,

Stace

the lifestyles of the...

rich and famous?

Do the rich & famous stay in their PJs all day, too?

.... chew on watermelon rinds?

.... give their baby boys hand-me-down pink pacifiers?

.... allow their children to run around naked as a jaybird?

.... um, more PJ all day photographs...

But, the rich & famous might just miss out on these little gems of spending time with their kids. That is a dog. Jane drew a dog. Oh, I'm sorry, "IT is a PUPPY". Yup. She's a genius.

Feel free to tell me how adorable my children are.

Thanks,

Mama Stace

12 on the 12th!!!

Yes, I am a little backlogged on producing these pages, but I HAVE been taking the pictures!

Without further ado....

March 12, 2011

May 12, 2011

Monumental enough to blog. finally.

That's right.

Super monumental.

I used my 100th coffee filter today!

You see, early last year I finally bought a coffee maker. You may remember reading about my excitement here? The excitement was short-lived, however. Short-lived excitement for coffee because I quickly found out I was pregnant! What?! NO more caffeine?!?

Say it ain't so!

Alas, I slowly tapered and quit the sauce.

*sigh*

I am still not completely up to par (aka "full-strength"). I still take it half-caf.

So, thank you coffee. Thank you for your silent support. Your encouragement to get up and get going. The flavor you add to my creamer.

I appreciate you, coffee. Thanks for coming back to me.

Muah,

Stacey

12 on the 12th!!!

Hello there!

I'm baaack!!

I took all my pictures myself yesterday for the 12 on the 12th. In case you are just tuning in... the 12 on the 12th is an idea I saw somewhere (Probably on Cathy Zeilske's blog). It is taking pictures of your random life all day on the twelfth of each month. Then, you take 12 of those pictures and make a scrapbook page about them! This way, you have a little glimpse of your daily life to hand down through the ages.

I think that with my 20+ scrapbooks, my grandkids will have a little more of a glimpse ;)

And, furthermore, I really do have a page half done for March. I'm a-waiting on a couple pictures from an event the morning of the 12th that someone else took pictures of. It was cool and I don't want to miss out on them.

So without further ado...

Pretty cute, huh?

So, I have some other big news, too....

Our store is moving!!

9M is moving to a bigger (and hopefully better) location in OldTown Salinas! Our new address will be 242 South Main St. Marie & I got the keys last friday night, and are making our refurbishing/moving plans. More details to come!

So, although I cannot "talk" outloud (darn laryngitis)... I can scrapbook about my day and make you read it!

Much love,

Stacey

I didn't forget!

I swear I am posting a 12 on the 12th page....

soon...

Love,

Stacey

My lifeline

I am participating in a 15-week small group. We are studying the bible, a book, and each other. Tomorrow I will be presenting my life story - my "lifeline".

While this might intimidate some, I am a middle-child and rarely get intimidated. I long for attention and for people to want to know about me. I am the sucker that Dale Carnegie writes about Influencing.


I thought, since I am sure you totally care, that you might like to learn about me and my "lifeline" thus far....

1975 - parents marry

1976 - 1st sister born

1977 - 2nd sister born

1979 - ME! born

1982 - 4th sister born

1983 - 5th sister born

1987 - ONLY brother born

1992 - Meet future husband

1997 - Graduate High School

2001 - Coach, Re-meet future husband

2002 - Marry, start career

2004 - Graduate college, buy house, found a festival

2005 - Get rotorcraft rating, shoulder surgery

2007 - other shoulder surgery, become a mom

2009 - open business, move

2010 - buy another house, mom x 2


Booya! Those are the facts. For some interesting tidbits about my life, check back soon!


Yours (since 1979),
Stacey


p.s. I am doing March's 12 on the 12th. However, I will be traveling that day. So don't get super sad when you don't see my post until Thursday, since I wont be back until Weds late. Muah!

Are you taking care of yourself?

Whenever I take my kid to the doctor they give us a folder of various flyers and handouts pertinent to their vaccines and age.

At Clark's 2 or 3 week appt there was one flyer that totally stood out to me.

It was a checklist of questions for new moms to encourage the mom of a newborn to remember to take care of herself. Of course, i have misplaced it. But I still remember some of them, and I'll just make up the rest.

So, we'll do a Friday TOP TEN!!!!

The top ten ways to check if you are taking care of yourself......

1. Did you shower today?

2. Did you pray or read the bible?

3. Did you wear clean clothes?

4. Did you take 5-10 minutes to pamper yourself in some way?

5. Did you put on any makeup?

6. Did you go to the bathroom by yourself?

7. Did you drink some coffee?

8. Did you put on shoes?

9. Did you sweat due to some physical exercise activity?

10. Did you eat a fruit or vegetable?

Just checking in with you. Because I care. And I want you to care about me in this way.

My dearest friend shared the most kind words with me the other day....

"you may not wear those pants ever again". It's so sweet that she cares how my butt looks in pants :)

If you are a dude, this TOP TEN probably doesn't apply to you. And if it does, well... you are earning your mommy badge!

Loving and (hopefully) encouraging you,

Stacey

February 12 on the 12th

So you should know exactly what I'm doing here.

No need to link back to WAY back when I did this last month....

since that was the last time I even posted!!

Bummer.

Regardless, this is my second installment of

TWELVE ON THE TWELFTH!!!

Super exciting.

BTW, you can click on the picture should you desire to read the super awesome journaling.

Enjoy!

Promise to be back before March 12th!

yours truly,

Stace-in-your-face

12 on the 12th

I am more of a project person.

I am not very good at monotony (monogamy-yes), or doing anything "religiously". Take doing the laundry, for instance. It is the SAME clothes! Over and over again! The dishes - same thing. Making the bed: BO-RING!

I long for the excitement of something new.

I love starting something, and FINISHING it.

And never doing it again.

Remember how I used to do a Monday Top Ten? That was cute while it lasted, right?

Here I am in a new year, a new resolve, and a new project. I am hoping it doesn't become monotonous. (sp?)

Here it is:

Twelve on the twelfth (sp?).

Take 12 photos on the 12th of each month. Make it into a scrapbook page.

Today is January 12th: DONE!

I hope this is an exciting project that I will want to/remember to/will do each month in 2011.

We'll do a poll: how many months do you think I'll keep this up?

One?

Twelve?

Three?

Only time will tell....

Lovingly OCD/ADHD,

Stacey