Goals for 2015

Wow. I can't even wrap my head around the fact that it is almost 2015. This year has gone by incredibly fast for us. So many ups and downs...

I've decided not to make "resolutions" again, but rather set some goals for myself for the new year. I've set these goals for myself in the past, but I've not been up to snuff on posting them here like I should be. Here's hoping this is the start of something good, though! :-)

So, without further ado, my goals for 2015:

First - strikingly similar to goals from the past - I want to be a better wife and mother. I have let a lot of things slip around the house just because I've been so tired, and worn out. We don't get out often, and we don't get much company, so it's really draining. I am going to work towards not letting excuses take over my life. I can do these things, and I will do these things this year.

Second - I want to get back on the treadmill. I haven't run in what seems like forever. I may not do another C25K, but I want to start getting up, at the very least, to walk on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes in the morning.

Third - This one goes hand in hand with the second one. I will get my water intake back up, and I want to get all of us eating more raw and less processed foods. I felt amazing when I was eating chicken, fruits and veggies mainly...and my coffee of course! I did "cheat" every once in a while to have my beloved tortilla chips (haha) or some ground beef, but I never ate boxed anything really. I really feel like I looked my best at that point, which made me actually feel good about myself. I want that back!

Fourth  - This goes out to all things photography! I am doing a P52 again. I failed miserably at the P5214, and will be co-admin with another amazing friend of mine for the 2015 year. I am determined to actually complete it this year. I also want to learn everything I can about photography. I would love to get out and start portfolio building, too, but the fear of being labelled as a fauxtographer is really holding me back.

Fifth - Crochet. Crochet, crochet, crochet. I've reopened my shop, and I really want to make it work. I'm going to focus on keeping up on my orders, and possibly getting ahead on orders. I also want to keep up on my crochet blog which has been unpublished for more than a year now. I want to learn new stitches and techniques this year. I would also like to pick up the knitting needles that I 'inherited' to teach myself some of that again as well.

Last but not least - This poor little (not) forgotten blog of mine. I love blogging. I love sharing with people. I love writing in general. I really want to get back into it a little more.

Now, I just need to find all that time that's hanging out there waiting to be used! :-)

What are your goals for 2015? Don't be shy! I don't bite, I promise.

God bless,
~Stacy

Oh boy...

I am struggling to keep on top of this little blog of mine!!! I think one of my resolutions...well, one of my goals this year is going to be to post at least once every week. Hopefully more. I've already got a few goals for the year rolling around in my head, and I am going to make them happen.

How has your year been? Ours has been pretty crazy, but fun! Julia is excelling with and loving school still, Justin is getting too big for his own good - getting close to outgrowing his car seat, and Alaina is finally starting to say words...with meaning! We haven't started potty training her yet, but that's one thing that will be in the works very soon.

Anyways...tell me about your year! Can you believe it's almost 2015!?!?!?!

God bless,
~Stacy

I Am Blessed

Today I am reminded once again just how blessed I am. I know I complain a lot, ok, I complain all the time, but that doesn't mean I don't realize just how lucky I am. I love my children and every little annoying, button pushing, non-listening, argumentative, whiny little personality trait. They are a part of me and always will be. They are my pride and joy. I love their snuggles, their kisses, their hugs, the way they run up to me with their arms stretched out wide shrieking "MOMMY!!!" when they see me after I've been out for a while. I love seeing them run towards their daddy in the same way. Their eyes, their smiles, little fingers and toes...belly buttons, ticklish spots, and their ever-growing sense of themselves.

Today is Pregnancy And Infant Loss remembrance day. My heart breaks for all of the families that have suffered losses before, during, or after birth. I simply can't imagine my life without our three little blessings... Please take a moment to remember those that have suffered, and those that were lost.

God bless,
~Stacy

How Do you DO It???

To be honest...most days I don't even know! Three kids in itself is no joke. Three kids so close in age is just insanity.

I hear this phrase so often, that I'm almost able to complete the person's thought for them before they even get the "How" out of their mouth. Same with the whole "You must have your hands full!". Yes. Yes I know...but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now that Julia is in preschool, it's becoming more of a "Wow! It must be nice to get a break, huh?" Break? What's that? Is it a little easier just having the two at home? Absolutely. Because one of them actually naps. However, the new insanity just kind of overpowers the "easier" aspect. Every morning, we all have to be up, fed, dressed, teeth brushed, and out the door in a little under an hour. I refuse to get the kids up earlier than I already do, so we rush in the mornings to get out on time. Load all 3 in the car, drop Julia at school with the two littler ones in the stroller (THAT's fun. Let me tell you), then head home. Sometimes I make other stops first...like the library. Somehow I still manage to squeeze in painting my nails and a little (ok, a LOT) of reading. Unfortunately, it's usually at Michael's expense since the only time I can really read is when the kids are in bed, and that's really the only time I have to spend with him.

Then there are the day care days. Day care days are even more crazy. We have to all be up and out the door in about an hour flat. Plus, those days, I have to pack diaper bags, lunches for the two littler ones, plus I have to remember the blankets and loveys/sleeping pals for the littler ones that morning as well. Let me tell you...forgetting the blankets/loveys/sleeping pals would prove catastrophic! Those days...those days are special. Drop the 2 little ones off first, drop Julia off at preschool - without the ginormous stroller - and go home for *hopefully* six glorious hours of alone time. Most of which will probably be spent folding laundry and cleaning the house from floor to ceiling since I can't do that with the kids home. When all I really want to do is read or paint my nails! Do you have any idea how fast those six hours go by? FAST. The first day that all three kids were not getting under my skin (I say that with all the love in the world), I spent the day at my sister's house watching The Hunger Games. We had originally planned on watching The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, but we ran out of time and I didn't want to cut it too close picking Julia up. So, we just watched the one move, packed up her 4,000 piece puzzle, and painted our nails! It was fun!

There are days that I don't eat breakfast until lunch time.

There have been countless times that I don't even remember how the day went in regards to what got done.

There are days that I just want to sleep...

There are many, many, many days that I wish Justin would just.take.a.nap so that I could get some peace and quiet.

There are times that I am 110% fed up with my kids by Tuesday.

There are weeks that all I want to do is dump the kids on Michael the second he walks in the door on Friday and just run away for the weekend.

But one of these days, it will all be over and I'll look back wishing I still had these crazy times.

And now for some pictures because...well...it just wouldn't be as fun without them!

Julia's first day of preschool...

 And her second. I think she likes it. :-)

All three kids in their little hiding spot. July 14, 2014.

 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand some nail pics. Because, you know. Pretty!

Full nail image stamping.

Polka Fest nails! Yes. I did my nails for Polka Fest weekend.

Glow in the dark dots! This is what I did at my sister's house.

And...my brother-in-law invited us to go to the Tigers game on September 23rd.

Well, I couldn't pass up an opportunity for themed nails again! :-)

(P.S. Tigers won, clinching the AL Championship spot four years in a row. :-D )

And that's all. I don't want to bog you all down with an abundance of pics. Maybe I'll add more at a later date!

What do you think?

God bless!
~Stacy

(P.S. This post in itself took me nearly four hours to type. That should give you an idea of how "easy" it is. ;-) )

Mixed Emotions...

Don't worry, this isn't going to be one of those sappy, deep blog posts. It's really not that bad. "Mixed Emotions" was just the best way to put it! Here's why...

1) I'm hosting a cookie exchange this year!!! Yay!!! If any of my local Michigan bloggy pals or followers wish to attend, and we're not friends on Facebook, just email me! peanutpublications [at] yahoo [dot] com, or leave a comment here with a way for me to get a hold of you!

2) I'm sad that some of my favorite bloggers seem to have disappeared from the blog-o-sphere. There are a few that I absolutely love following, and they haven't posted in a really long time. *sigh* My selfishness is coming out!

Ok. That's it. Told you it wasn't that deep. ;-)

God bless!
~Stacy

Oh The Things I'd Like To Do!

A little while ago, a friend and I were comparing a couple of articles on Facebook. One was "Things You Shouldn't Say To Parents With More Than Two Children" (or something similar...), and the other was "Things You Shouldn't Say To Someone With No Kids" (again, not the exact title, but you get the idea).

Anyways, I made a comment saying that there were some things I would love to do but "can't". You'll see why that is in quotes as you read this post...Well, that got me thinking! That's always a dangerous thing if you know me. :-) I have compiled a small list of things I would like to be able to do - easily. This is far from all inclusive.

Run/exercise when I want.

Ride my bike again. Man I miss that single track...

See a movie or go to dinner with my husband. You know...like a date...without having to jump through 500 hoops.

Weekend trips without 500 bags.

Go to the bathroom with the door closed without worrying about someone hitting someone else, or falling and hitting their head on the corner of something.

Drop everything to help people that need it. Without having to wait for Michael to get home or trying to find a babysitter.

For my container cabinet to stay organized longer than 1 hour...which only happens over night.

That's about all I'll include for now. I could go on!!!

Now, having said that, I would not trade being a mommy for the world. I love my children with all of my being. Sometimes, though, that being just gets a little frazzled and needs a little break...or some wine. ;-)

God bless,
~Stacy

Looks like it's update time! (And more nail pics. ha!)

It seems as though I have a bad habit of posting and running! My last post was a month ago, and so much has happened since then! I'll start right around the time of my last post...

Alaina finally started walking a little bit back in late April/early May. She had taken a couple of steps here and there before then, but never anything that could be considered "walking". Michael and I were scrambling trying to get everything ready before we went on vacation, but Julia and Justin really didn't realize exactly what it meant when we told them mommy and daddy were leaving on vacation for a week. They were excited about spending time with Busha and Grandpa, though!

Anyways... Since the last post, we've gone on vacation, Alaina has become a walking MACHINE - borderline running already, she now has three teeth (barely...at 14 1/2 months old), one stump (out of about 10) has finally come out, we've gotten a TON of asparagus out of the garden, the raspberries are starting to come in, I've come to the conclusion that I need to throw away about 90% of the daffodils that I have, I discovered two smaller sections in the big flower bed by the kitchen, I gave away some of my dead nettle, periwinkle, and the (yellow flowers that I can never remember the name for...). Let's see...what else...OH! Justin is now night time potty trained...mostly, Julia is almost done with gymnastics and is doing fantastic with that, there is still way too much wallpaper in the house, and we still have a lot of unpacked boxes/bins. The garage is getting more and more organized, we had a turtle lay eggs in our back yard, but something dug most...if not all...of the eggs up already, we've had orioles officially added to our laundry list of birds, Julia and Justin went fishing for the first time the other day and they're officially obsessed!

Here is a plethora of pictures for your viewing pleasure :-)

First, vacation:

Turtle eggs, birds, and miscellaneous pictures. :-)

Caught in the act!

Holes where the turtle had been digging :-( We're holding out hope that there are still a couple of eggs in there!

This (these?) little thing(s) didn't fly away when I came out of the house. I was able to get quite a few pictures before it (they) left!

This was taken through the window in the family room again...so it's not totally clear :-)

And NAILS!

I did a "mani-swap" with a fellow BabyCenter mom. Hers is on the left, mine is on the right!

Pink and blue for infant loss awareness

Neon! And my first successful water marble! (These neons were not that easy to work with...)

That's all for now.
God bless!
~S

I did it!

Well, I donated my hair to Wigs 4 Kids on Friday! Here's my before and after pic. :-)

If I can do it, so can you!

God bless!

~Stacy

The Stop 'N Shop!

Well, Saturday was the stop 'n shop that I've had set up for...oh...3 months or so? I was totally excited about it from the very beginning! There was a list of ten vendors that were going to be here at first, and that allowed something for *everyone* that stopped by. Men and women alike.

We wound up with just seven vendors - including myself - on Saturday: Origami Owl, Thirty-One Gifts, Pure Romance, Norwex, Mary Kay, PartyLite, and Wildtree. While we definitely didn't get the foot traffic we were hoping for, it was a lot of fun meeting these great ladies, and being introduced to some other great companies! We're planning to make it an annual event, or maybe bi-annual at some point, so hopefully that will allow people to see that we.mean.business! ;-) Oh, and next time, I'll remember to send out more than just the Facebook invitations...you know, like email and snail mail. Maybe we should start planning now for next years event so we can stay on top of it! Ha!

I'm definitely looking forward to keeping in touch with these ladies in the future!

God bless,
~Stacy

Would you be interested in an event like this? What companies/products would you like to see available?

Another Hair Update!

Well, next weekend is the "big weekend"!!! I'll be donating my hair and saying "good-bye" to my long hair. I'm a little sad, but I know it will grow back.

Here's the back story:
Hair Post #1
Hair Post #2 - The first pic!
Hair Post #3

And here's my newest update! I went to have my hair treated for chemical buildup and rust removal...check out the before and after!

Next weekend is going to come FAST...and this weekend I'm hosting a vendor event of sorts at my house. Should be good times! I'll have Norwex, Pure Romance, Party Lite, Thirty One, Mary Kay, and of course...my Wildtree! :-) Should be good times!

Watch for before and after pics of my hair next weekend! I'm getting nervous!

God bless!
~Stacy

Ice Storm 2013 - Photo Overload!

Sorry this is so late. I had intended on having this posted before the new year...but...yeeeaaahhhh........

On December 22, 2013, some states were hit with an ice storm that would rival the one from the '80's. It was absolutely beautiful, but devastating at the same time. If you know me at all, you will know that I love winter, and am an avid snow lover. However, I will take three feet of snow over the smallest amount of ice any day. Both are stunning, but ice is just plain dangerous. This time around was no different. The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people (we were out for 5 1/2 days), and caused a record amount of downed wires. Crews were working crazy long hours trying to get everyone restored...more on that in another post. For now...PICTURES!!!

This is not the full lot of pictures, but this should get the point across! Like I said...beautiful, but so dangerous and destructive.

God bless!

~Stacy

Tell Me I'm Not Alone on This?

Have you ever wanted something to work so bad, but it just...doesn't?

Storm/Emergency Bin Preparation Has Begun!

If you know me at all...or if you've been following my blog for any extended period of time, you've probably caught on to the fact that severe weather and I don't get along...at all. I don't like the threat of tornadoes, and hurricanes scare me half to death even though we don't get them up here in Michigan. Last year I refused to let anxiety get the best of me, so I decided to put together a "storm bin". I thought "Hey, maybe it will help ease my anxiety in the whole "severe weather" realm", and you know something? It helps!!! After all, I now have three small children to worry about during the day. One doesn't know how to climb stairs yet, one doesn't focus well enough to actually do what he's asked sometimes, and the other, well...she would chatter the entire. way. to the basement. So! I made a list of the necessities that could remain in the basement, threw them in a bin, and viola! Easy prep! Now, whenever there is a threat of tornadoes, I have less to worry about, and can focus on the other items that I want to "save"...kids included. ;-)

When that first mention of "possible tornadoes" comes out, here's what I do. I grab a diaper bag, and start putting items for the kids in it that aren't in the storm bin like toys/books, a few diapers, medicine if needed (Motrin/Tylenol/Orajel/antibiotics/etc), pajamas, bed "toys", their blankets, toothbrushes/toothpaste, tennis shoes, jackets, etc. I take the diaper bag downstairs when it's done, and start grabbing the other things that I would be devastated to lose (which are in fact replaceable, so it wouldn't be the complete end of the world if it happened): My laptop (sometimes I grab Michael's, too), our two external hard drives which are LOADED with photographs, my camera/lenses, a couple more flashlights, our little waterproof lantern, and my purse. Like I said...replaceable, but not at the same time. I try to do this without the kids seeing, because I don't want my anxiety to show too bad to them. I need them to remain calm so that they will listen should the need arise. We also have a huge space bag down there also that has a bunch of blankets in it. It stays in the same general area as where the storm bin is, so it's easily accessible!

Now, onto the contents of the actual bin:

• Water - I don't remember what the recommended amount per person is, but this year I will have two 1 gallon jugs in or near my bin
• Snacks - The kind that have a long expiration date so they can sit down there for 6 months without us having to worry about them. I'll probably have cracker sandwiches, protein bars, granola bars...things like that
• Diapers - A full package for Alaina, and a few for Justin when he sleeps
• Wipes
• Diaper cream
• Pacifier for Alaina
• Sippy cup for Alaina
• 4 plastic cups - for the rest of us
• A full change of clothes for all three kids - Hey, you never know!!!
• Paper towels
• A roll of toilet paper
• Kleenex
• Zip top storage bags (to help keep down the smell of wet, stinky diapers)
• First Aid Kit - The one I bought is actually made in Michigan
• Hairbrush/rubber bands/barrettes/bobby pins/nail file/nail clippers
• Blanket
• Trash bag

Here is a picture of the contents of the bin so far. I still need to add the water, snacks, package of diapers, changes of clothes, and Kleenex. Not too bad for now! :-)

I hope this can help someone else! If you have a storm/emergency bin, what do you put in it? What is the main use of it? What was your motivation for having one?

God bless!
~Stacy

Put me in Jail, I Stole Questions!

Ok, I didn't really steal them. My good friend Jenn from Critical Mass tagged me so I must participate! :-) I don't actually have to, but I want to. I think these things are fun! However, I won't be tagging others, so if you wish to participate, I'll post some questions at the bottom! Answer them on your blog, then link back here to your post!

Now, on to the questions!

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

1. What is the best characteristic of your spouse/best friend?

Hmm...this is a tough one. I have a lot that I like about my husband, and many times, others don't get to see these good qualities. If I have to choose just one, though, it is that he's a great daddy. To a fault. He comes home from work, and rather than run off to work on one of the 5,000,000,000 projects we need done in and around the house, he plays with the kids. He eats dinner with us - as a family, he helps with baths and bed time. Now, the reason I said he is this 'to a fault' is because even simple, quick tasks wait until after bed time. Dishes, paying bills, emailing his work stuff. Things like that. On weekends, he'll go out during nap time, but rarely while the kids are awake unless it's something that *really* needs attention. It just figures that the days that we have pressing projects are the days I need him to help me the most! haha!

2. What is your least favorite routine task and why?
Getting out of bed in the morning? Ok, I'm kidding! Probably cleaning the bathrooms. I love me a clean bathroom but man...if getting there wasn't the most annoying thing ever! Maybe because there are three little humans running around my house trying to distract me and get into everything I'm trying to do. Or they try to beat each other up...or make the others run away... Let's just say toilet water, cleaning supplies, and sweeping don't go well with three children age four and under.

3. What part of your faith life do you think is particularly strong?
This one is tough for me. I really don't feel like my faith life is as strong as it should be...or could be for that matter. We always say grace before eating dinner as a family, and we always say prayers before putting the kids to bed at night. My little random spurts of "God give me strength/patience/etc." during the day probably count for something, too. ;-)

4. What is your favorite way of giving back to the community/taking care of your neighbor?
I have a few friends that are all pregnant and/or just had babies, and I've offered to give, or will be giving baby stuff to nearly all of them. I figure if we can't/don't use it right now, someone else might as well! I think we'll have a lot of stuff going to a mother's shelter pretty soon.

5. What was your favorite place to visit on a vacation/trip/pilgrimage and what should I not miss if I go there?
Well, I'm going to focus on the places that I've been outside of the US, so that narrows it down to Canada, Cancun, and Ireland. Of those three places...Ireland. Hands down. It is so pretty over there. The people are so nice, the buildings, the roads...it's all just so...*sigh* I want to go back. It's been the best trip of my life so far, and I got to spend it with my mom. If you go, go see the Cliffs of Moher. We didn't get to! I will say that you should stay in the small hotels more than the big ones. We stayed at Bru Bar & Hostel for the first 3 nights and it was so neat!!! Noisy...but neat. Drink the Guinness. It's so much better over there! Visit Kinsale for the colors and the views, too. We took a walking tour there, and when we left on the walking tour, the harbor was very, very low. When we came back, it looked like a totally different harbor! Filled to the brim!

6. If you are sad, how do you cheer yourself up?
Big hugs. Whether from my kids, or my hubby. Or, I dance around like a fool with the kids for a few minutes. It's amazing what a little dancing can do for the soul. :-) If that doesn't work, I lock myself in the bedroom and crochet for a while.

7. What book(s) do you think everyone needs to read?
Well, I haven't read very many books lately, and I don't remember many of the ones I've read in the past, so this one is tough. I would have to say "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Album, "The Door to December" and "Dragon Tears" by Dean Koontz. Dragon Tears was the book that got me BACK into reading. I couldn't put it down!

8. If the Church were to canonize you, what would we remember you for?
Bringing my "disruptive" kids to mass. :-)

9. What do you most look forward to in the next 5 years?
Short term? Vacation...haha
Long term? Watching my kids grow up. Five years from now, Julia will be 9 (TEAR!!!), Justin will be 7, almost 8, and Alaina will be 6. They will all be in school, and I'll be able to watch their little personalities develop even more, and to see what kind of person they're all going to become.

10. What do you like best about your job/daily work?
Well, I'm a stay-at-home mom turned Wildtree representative, so there's a LOT that I like! I get to watch my kids grow up every day. I get to see them develop, and I get to see all of their "firsts". It's extremely stressful and exhausting, but I love it. The Wildtree thing just started recently, and I'm still trying to get it off the ground, but I love that I get to help people eat MUCH more healthy, but still absolutely delicious meals! There are options for everyone, and all of the people that I work with are amazing. Click on one of those links and see what Wildtree can do for you! I'm looking for people to join me on this journey, so if you don't LOVE your job, come check it out!

11. What questions do you have for me?
Hmm......
1) What do you think it was (aside from being called) that made you decide to become Catholic?
2) What was it that pulled you so deep into your faith after being Atheist?
3) What advice would you give those that want to deepen their faith, but haven't been able to find that "wow" moment yet?

Well, there you have it! My questions stolen from Jenn at Critical Mass! I hope you enjoyed them, and I hope you will take a moment to answer the questions I have for you below.

Questions for my readers:
1. If you could move somewhere, with cost not counted as an obstacle, where would it be and why?
2. What's your favorite activity to unwind?
3. Have you ever met a celebrity? How did it happen?
4. What has been your favorite job so far - if you've had any? Do you LOVE what you're doing?
5. Are you crafty? Artsy? What do you do?
6. If you went to school (college/university) or are going to school, what did/are you studying?
7. How do you get around town? Bus? Train? Drive? Bike?
8. What season is your favorite? (And what general area are you from?)
9. What is your favorite motivational phrase?
10. Do you have a favorite sport?
11. What made you start blogging?

Be sure to come back and share a link to your post!
God bless!
~Stacy

Hair and Nails!

Back in October 2012, I shared this post about wanting to donate my hair. Shortly after that, I shared this post with my "starting picture". Well, I'm happy to say that I still haven't cut my hair more than just a trim since then (and believe me...I'm due for another trim!!!), but I'm getting rather attached to my long hair. I love being able to braid it, or wear it up/down/whatever. As of now, it's about to the bottom of my shoulder blades...see? Now, don't mind the mess in the background, or the fact that my hair is still wet 2 hours after my shower...haha! (Click on the link above for the starting length. It was barely below my shoulders!)

Back at Christmas time, a group of mom friends that I've been talking to since we were pregnant with our 2010 babies decided to do a gift exchange. Well, the mama that drew my name got me started on my "new" obsession. I say "new" because it's something that I've always enjoyed doing, but just never really did it often. See...she got me a new Thermal coffee mug (awesome!), dotting tools and two bottles of nail polish, based on this pin. It really got me back into painting my nails!!! Since then, I've managed to accumulate about 75 new polishes, nail brushes, and nail tape. I've also really branched out in my "artwork". I'm just going to share a few pictures, because otherwise this post would be WAY too long! :-)

This is one of my all time favorite manis!

Inspired by the dress that Julia wore to the daddy daughter dance.

Monsters Inc! (Character nails)

I did these for the girls' birthday party. Coordinated with the cake and the colors we will be using in their bedroom. :-)

There was an NFL Superbowl challenge on BabyCenter, of course I was rooting for Michael's Broncos!

Ok. That's enough! 

God bless!

~Stacy

The Unexpected

I know I've been slacking on this here little blog of mine, and I'm sorry. I've even lost a follower in the last few weeks! Boo! However...I was contacted by one of my readers, and it was totally unexpected. Sometimes, though, the best things come when they're least expected.

We've all heard the phrase "the best things in life are free". When something free is also unexpected...be prepared to be blown away, or at least completely caught off guard!

This is what happened to me recently. The unexpected. The unknown...but with a connection. A profound connection.

See, many of you have probably seen the story about my friend Adam. If you haven't read it yet, go read it. He was an amazing person. An amazing friend. A huge inspiration. I am so blessed to have been a part of his life.

Fast forward from that story to the end of last month. I'm such a bad blogger lately that I didn't get the message until 2 weeks later. (Sorry again!!!) Heather contacted me to help spread the word about this awesome page called Lung Leavin' Day. See, she suffered from mesothelioma, just like Adam had...only she beat the odds, has lived to share her story, and is out to help spread awareness to others that have dealt or are dealing with this disastrous disease. Every year on February 2 (this is where my tardiness comes in!), they celebrate Heather's survival by writing their fears on plates, and smashing them in the fire. The day has grown from just a few close friends, to more than 75 people in just 8 years...that is awesome. Now, go ahead...click on that Lung Leavin' Day link and smash your fears!

And to Heather...thank you. Thank you for reaching out to me. Thank you for being the unexpected, for sharing your story with me, and for giving me the opportunity to spread the word!

God bless,
~Stacy

Hello, My Name is Stacy...

Welcome to my crazy life!

Some days I get a lot done.

Sometimes the floor beneath the table looks like a nuclear test area.

Sometimes we craft, or color, or trace, or play with play-doh.

Sometimes we park our butts on the couch and watch Cars for the 5,000,000th time.

Sometimes I actually have a chance to sit down and crochet...or read...or paint my nails. But more often than not, I spend my "down time" trying to clear my mind from the previous chaos.

We're getting close to the busy time of year now. My birthday is next month, the girls' birthdays are in March, Easter in April, our anniversary in May, Michael's birthday in June, Justin's birthday in July...then maybe it will slow down a little bit more. Despite this crazy time of year, I have decided to start a new business. I am beyond excited about it! It's called Wildtree, and everything they have is de.li.cious! Here's hoping my sanity doesn't take a severe hit. ;-)

Every day I am thankful that I have these three beautiful lives to care for. And every day I am thankful that I am able to be home with them. I will be the first to say that I have days that I would give my left arm for a part time job, though! :-)

God bless!
~Stacy

Year in Review - 2013

Well, this year brought on many, many changes for us. Hopefully I can remember all of the "big" things for the year!

January:
- I got a new lens for my camera (35mm 1.8), and fell in LOVE with it! I got one of the cutest pictures of Justin to that point with it, and haven't turned back since.

- We put our house up for sale, and I was able to get my then six month pregnant self and two toddlers out of the house a record number of times (12 or 13?!?) for showings in the first 4 days!

February:
- Best. Month. Ever. You know, because it's my birthday month! Haha!
- Julia got her ears pierced for her third birthday! She handled it like a champ, and only cried until she saw the sucker she was going to get. She still looks totally adorable with her little earrings.

- I crocheted a legwarmer/headband combo for a photographer friend, and it was featured in one of her sessions! Check out Sweetlilpics by Ashley to see it in action!

- This was the month of the "run-in" at my church. It taught me a lot, and it helped open my eyes significantly to the ignorance and lack of acceptance by some people. I have grown since this happened!

March:
- Julia turned THREE!!! I don't know about the other mommies out there, but I question every day how she gets older.

- The crocheted Hooter's bikini project began :-)
- We welcomed our third baby...another girl! We were on TV as well talking to Deena Centofani and the First Lady of Michigan for a "safe sleep" seminar that was held at the hospital Alaina was born at.

- We sold our house!!! After a slight snafu with the inspector, it was all said and done, offers were accepted, and it became a done deal.

April:
- We bought a house and moved into it! All with two toddlers and a newborn. Alaina was just one week old at the closing, and she was just under a month old when we moved!
- My surro-niece-twins celebrated their first birthday!
- Justin had his first emergency room visit. He split his head open on the big front windows window sill the day after we moved into the new house. He got one staple in his head, and a grape popsicle!

May:
- I got a treadmill and started a C25K journey! I did have to stop kind of early on because I thought it was affecting my milk supply, but I started back up and finished it.
- I finished the Hooter's bikini.

- Michael and I celebrated our four year wedding anniversary. Hard to believe that we've known each other for 6 years, been married for four, and have three kiddos already!
- We started updates on the house! Not much, just pulled some wallpaper and old heavy drapes down, but I still felt pretty accomplished!

June:
- Michael turned 33! Yikes! (lol)
- We attempted a toddler bed with Justin for the first time. It was unsuccessful.
- I finally got some hummingbird pictures!!! Not a huge thing to most, but man I love those little birds!

- Alaina was baptized! I sniffed her head for weeks after that. :-)

- I met some nice ladies that I've been talking to for nearly four years through babycenter.com.

July:
- Our little boy turned TWO! And once again, I questioned how they grow so fast so quick...sigh...

- The deer were in full force. We were seeing multiple deer in the yard on a daily basis. Some days just one or two, other days...four, or eight! We even saw some fawns!

- The shrubs. came. OUT!!!!!!! It looks terrible and wonderful at the same time!

August:
- Julia had her first dentist appointment and handled it like a champ! Cleaning, xrays, and flouride!

- I registered for my first 5K! The Color Vibe in Flint. I was nervous, but was already half way through the C25K program so I did it. One of my sisters and one of my nieces registered as well!

September:
- We took all three kids to the Kinde Polka Fest. They got a kick out of it! Julia and Justin STILL walk around saying things about "the Polkas".
- I finished my C25K and ran my first race! It was tons of fun, and finished in just over 30 minutes. Not too shabby for someone that hadn't run since 1999.

- My other sister and I did the Cupcake Crusades at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. It was fun, but we were both pretty disappointed that she didn't make it past the first round...

October:
- We finally got the storage out of my side of the garage so that I can actually back in and still get Julia out of the car. For those that don't know, she's in the 3rd row, and I have to go through the hatch back to get her out. I couldn't open the back of the car up if I was all the way in the garage with the door closed. Now, I can!
- Julia got her first real hair cut. It was adorable! (Still is...)

- Halloween!!! Justin was Yoda, Julia was a princess, and Alaina was a pumpkin! That pumpkin costume has gotten a lot of use!

November:
- I participated in the "30 days of thanks" again this year! It's so nice to remind yourself of positive things in your life!
- Michael booked our 5 year anniversary trip!!!!!!!!! He wanted to keep it a secret...but he failed miserably. ;-)
- The kids and I started getting crafty! I finally got brave enough to take all three of them outside by myself, and we started with some cool leaf art. It was fun!

- I got a KitchenAid from my sister and brother-in-law!!!!!!!!! Need I say more???

- I made the difficult decision to close up my crochet shop for a while. It's not going to be permanent, but it's going to be for a while. I'm kind of bummed but relieved at the same time. I really enjoy it, and hope to get back to it soon!
- I made my first full blown Thanksgiving dinner!!! It turned out fabulously, if I do say so myself. ;-)

December:
- We finally got Justin's fan installed in his bedroom. We also discovered some more severely wonky wiring in the process.
- I got to share a day of baking with both of my sisters! It was lots of fun even though I didn't actually do much baking AND forgot my lemon loaf when I left! lol
- We fell victim to the great ice storm, and lost power for 5 1/2 long days. Our estimated restoration was "11:30 pm" every. single. night. the entire time. There were even a couple of times that we were told our power would be back on within the hour...it was extremely frustrating, and there was practically no sympathy from our electric company.

- Christmas, need I say more? :-)

How was your 2013?

God bless!

~Stacy