We are an aunt and uncle again!!

Yeah...Beth and Nick finally had their baby today! Beth was due on the 20th, so we waited extra long!
She had a girl...Thea Mae at 11:36 this morning. She weights just over 8 pounds and is 20 inches long. She has some dark hair on her head. The kids and I got to see her tonight. That was a trip in itself! Anyway, she is a cutie!! Beth is doing great. I took lots of pictures, but am too tired tonight to upload them. Doyle went to Blue Man Group again! This time he went with some friends. I am sure he will enjoy it again.

I'll post pictures of the cutie tomorrow.

We wii

Yes, we got one...
A friend of Doyle's picked one up a few weeks ago.
This is what Doyle has been doing in the evenings...








I know I promised a new picture, so this one is from tonight. I know it is not of my kids, but it is of someone's kid!

Malin and Gavin are overnight at Nana and Pappy Tom's tonight to head to kid connection tomorrow. Darin is sound asleep. I am getting some scrapbooking done and Doyle is doing lots of different things in between playing Wii.

Pictures of the kids...

Getting caught up still!

Tomorrow I promise some more recent stuff. These aren't actually too old, but I'll take new ones tomorrow!

Malin had her curriculm fair the other night. She had a good time showing off her work and watching the other things that evening. Gavin enjoyed himself, too, especially since he got to go to school on Tuesday to help with planting the class garden.

The weather has been beautiful and the flowers are in full bloom. Unfortunately, the kids and I are having some allergy issues!

Until tomorrow...

Lists...

Lots of blogs have lists…lists of just about anything. I make lists. I like lists. Doyle does not like my lists, but I do. So, I thought I would start one for me (Stacie) on the blog. Just things to do. I won’t call it my bucket list, it's just a list of stuff...a list in no particular order…just ramblings. Of course, I want to share many of these things with my husband and kids, but this is about me…they can make their own lists! I am sure this will be fun to look at later. This is my list for today. Tomorrow it might change!

1. go to greece
2. host a dinner party with eight people I don’t know as well as I’d like
3. have a huge kitchen
4. cook awesome meals from scratch
5. carve my body into a state of fabulous
6. ski
7. grow mint
8. make mint tea
9. grow sunflowers
10. read the Bible from beginning to end
11. get more current with my scrapbooks
12. learn photography
13. give more stuff away
14. read more
15. complain less
16. take my kids on awesome adventures
17. thank God everyday for something
18. do crafts with my children
19. run a 5K
20. coordinate my decorations in the house
21. have a clean house for at least 18 hours in one day
22. see the redwoods in cali
23. see the mississippi river
24. get a photo wall
25. hug my sisters
26. make homemade bread on a regular basis
27. get the video camera out more often
28. coupon like crazy to get stellar deals
29. drink wine and like it
30. quit holding grudges
31. garden
32. fill up my ipod
33. go shopping in NYC and buy something crazy expensive
34. get a tiffany’s something for my daughter
35. display evidence of my grandfather’s love of hording
36. get a nice tan without damaging my skin
37. wear high heels and attend a fancy event
38. take great portraits
39. own a cool backdrop even if it is just a sheet
40. volunteer
41. teach my children the value of volunteering
42. give big
43. play the violin
44. track my history
45. reduce my carbon footprint
46. go fishing and catch a big one
47. revisit germany
48. attend different churches
49. spend more time outdoors
50. read more books
51. play tennis again
52. and be good at it
53. learn to not follow a recipe
54. place more trust in God
55. read the classics I should have read in high school
56. teach my kids how to play poker
56.5. learn to play poker so I can do #56
57. learn all I can from my parents
58. plant trees
59. keep up with the laundry
60. visit Alaska
61. attend a taping of a tv show
62. take a long train ride
63. have a long romantic dinner with my husband at a very expensive restaurant
64. visit pearl harbor
65. visit new Zealand
66. rv
67. give strength to someone feeling weak
68. drink more water
69. eat less food
70. enjoy leisurely time with the family
71. attend funerals
72. send cards and letters in the mail
73. remember birthdays
74. get over my fear of heights to be able to climb mountains
75. ride the Tube in London
76. start selling items in the basement
77. nurture self confidence and humility in my children
78. get a sewing machine
79. use the sewing machine
80. shop at goodwill more often
81. grow old
82. say I love you more
83. clean like my grandmother
84. save money wisely
85. own rental property
86. learn how to fix a computer
87. get up every day by 6 am
88. see more concerts/plays
89. kiss the kids
90. learn about birds
91. recycle more
92. make my bed on a daily basis
93. watch a space shuttle launch
94. visit national parks each year
95. go to Ireland
96. listen to classical music and appreciate its structure
97. fix up a room in record time
98. allow myself some me time and not feel guilty
99. get a pedicure…its much needed today!
100. update this list next year

Random Things

Easter pictures...Nana Noerr got the outfits for the kids for Easter! The kids looked adorable! Too bad Easter was so early and there were no flowers outside to take pictures with. But, they still looked adorable!


Today is Earth Day...do something for the earth today. We have been trying to we more aware of what we do. Living in Massachusetts we really got on to recycling. So, we recycle a lot and most weeks we have more in recycling than we do in garbage and that is with the diapers. I had wanted to switch to cloth diapers, but I just didn't think I had the time to devote to the additional laundry. We use "green" bags at the grocery store and sometimes I even remember to take them to other stores as well! We went this morning and picked up a few bags to take to the ladies who sew at Church. Malin took a flower to school to plant in the garden that her kindergarten class takes care of. She saw lots of flowers she wanted to buy, but she finally settled on a daisy type flower. She had wanted to get a butterfly bush, but I said, no. They will be releasing butterflies when they are ready, too.

My goal around the house is to reduce the amount of products that we use that have HFCS in them. It is amazing the amount of food that does! We already do not buy the juices for the kids, so that is easy! It is in applesauce, snack crackers, canned fruits, even a can of kidney beans that I looked at had it in! I will never completely get rid of it since it is in Heinz ketchup and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing! Two condiments I can't live without! Well maybe I could give up that brand of Ranch, but not the ketchup! Anyway, I know it may increase my bill at the store, but I am glad that we have a choice of food products!

Today is the Pennsylvania Primary. I am not too excited about it, since I am registered Republican and we already have a nominee...but, I will still go vote since there are other elections going on as well. I will be glad to not see the Hillary/Obama commercials and here about their "criss-crossing the midstate" reports!

Still no baby Beward...anxiously awaiting becoming an aunt again! This will be the first time I will be able to go to the hospital and see a new niece or nephew...exciting for me!

Happy Earth Day!

Basketball party

Doyle hosted the 3rd annual JHS 1991-1992 basketball team party.
As always there was lots of food...note to self - take a picture of the food tables (all 3 of them) next year.

Doyle goes to Martinsville (3/27 - 3/31)

Here is her picture

This is the actual picture...for some reason, things were not uploading. After 4 tries I did a different picture so, that was the wrong one!

SPRING!

Next week is the curriculum fair at Fermanagh...it is what the science fair used to be, but now it can be any subject. This year it is still science related...Conservation.

One of the activities is a photography contest. The students had to take a photo of something to do with conservation - new growth, plants, rocks, birds, recycling, etc.

Malin had a blast...here are some of her pictures. The first one is the one she picked to take in.

Malin...our girly girl!

Malin loves all things girly!
If asked what she wants to wear to school, she will answer a dress. If she sees something sparkly, she thinks it is the best thing in the world. Pink is the only color! And, Hannah Montana is awesome and Malin knows all the words to her songs! She looks forward to her weekly dance class and now knows the whole routine for the recital. She will even get to wear a pink outfit with a big jewel! A princess's dream!

She had a friend over for her first non-cousin sleepover...they did all things girly including making over Gavin and themselves, dressing up, singing Hannah, and dancing in their underware!

She loves to bake, draw, color, and make things. Don't get me wrong, she holds her own with Gavin, but she would rather tell him to get in the mud and watch him get messy, than get messy herself.

Gavin...

Gavin...gotta love him!

Yes, Gavin gets into a lot of things and keeps us on our toes. He is our ball of energy, gotta watch him, all boy!

Even when he doesn't take thing apart to figure them out, things happen to poor Gav!

Here, a ketchup bottle exploded on him! He loved it! Mommy and Daddy did not! It was all over not just Gavin, but the kitchen and dinning room!

We're Back...Let's start with..."Darin is 1"

Just some pictures of Darin turning 1! In case you didn't remember it happened on February 28! Thanks to all who did remember!

Darin celebrated on his birthday with a small cake and a few packages. Then we had the family all over later. That day, he got a fever and slept through most of his party! Poor Boy! We had to start the cake without him and Stacie went in and woke him so he could enjoy some more party!

He knows how to blow like the wind, but since he was sick, he was not in the mood. He also holds up one finger, but again, he didn't feel well, so he didn't demonstrate all the work he had been doing to get ready for his big day!