How many do we have?

Ah yes, we have FIVE nieces and one nephew! Welcome Abigail Lael!! She is just PRECIOUS! I met Tami in 2004 at MOPS, mothers of preschoolers, at Cornwall Church. She hired me to teach the kids and we quickly became very close friends. Everett, her son and our only nephew, was 1 1/2 at the time. In 2006, Isobel was born. I have been around these kids since they could talk and were born. Tami and Ian found it only fitting that they call me Aunt Stef, and once we were married Uncle Nic joined too! On November 10, 2010, Tami's water broke and they quickly headed to UW for delivery. After just a mere THIRTY HOURS of labor, Abigail Lael was born! She eats, sleeps, and as the kids say makes "mocha's" aka poops! We are so happy to have another niece! We took E and Bell to church with us last night and I asked both if they liked having Abigail. Of course, both said NO! E does not like when she whines and wishes she was 1 already. Errr I don't think he knows that it is only gonna get worse before it gets better! Bell told me she does NOT like being the middle child. Yes, the baby has only been here a week and she does not like being the middle child. However, she could have fooled me because she loves being mommy's big helper!

MORE BABIES!!! Congrats Nicci and Derek on your second beautiful son, Cruzlee Daniel! Cruz was born on Tuesday, November 15, 2011! Mom has HELLP syndrome. Therefore, baby Cruz was a planned delivery. He was suppose to come out the previous Tuesday but his little lungs were not developed (this was three weeks early mom was having some weird signs) But one week later, all was well and Cruz came out a healthy baby boy at 6lbs 3oz! So proud of the Troupe family for all the amazing hurdles and bumps they have overcome with grace and ease! (or at least they made it look pretty easy)

Ah yes, and a BABY SHOWER for "Cletus the Fetus!" No, they are not naming him Cletus but he does not have a name yet so therefore Megan declared it be Cletus the Fetus! We decorated onsies and hats. How funny is that hamburger hat they made out of puffy paint and a plain tan hat! Megan is due in April and I cannot wait to meet the little guy!!! 

There is one more birth coming up before this years ends and I couldn't make it to that baby shower :( I am so happy and proud for this mama. She might not think she is prepared but I think she is after reading her blogs. I know they are going to be wonderful parents!! I am super excited to meet Miss Eleanor Grace!!

CONGRATS TO ALL THE PARENTS!!! 

until next time...

Greed

Last night at church, I thought to myself, "Oh geeeeeze here we go again, Pastor Bob is talking just to me!" (really he was talking to everyone but there are those times when he nails exactly what life has been shelling out) An appetite for destruction...GREED. It is a battle for control when it comes to greed. And to be quite frank, I think my husband and I do a pretty darn good job at keeping it under control. Yes, we are human and slip up but with that said there aren't too many slip ups! We live a life of cash and envelopes. That is our control. And although some don't agree with it, and make us feel ashamed at times to bring out the envelope in public, it keeps me from being greedy! (thank you to those who don't agree and don't say anything) I am proud of us and our friends who use this same tactic. The cashier at Fred Meyer saw the "grocery" envelope and said, "doesn't that just put things into perspective of how much we spend!" Yes, yes it does and we do not need to spend all that money on frivolous stuff! There is money each month that we could add to the "fun stuff" envelope, but we don't need anymore in there. Instead, we tithe. We sponsor a child in Ethiopia so she has food, education, a better life. I don't need an extra pair of shoes or to go out to eat a few more times a month. I am not saying we don't have fun. We go out with friends to happy hour, dinner, movies, coffee, etc, but we keep it within reason. For me, living life to the fullest is not about blowing all our money on ourselves so we can have the biggest and best of everything but rather giving back. The antidote to greed is generosity.

  MAKE YOUR SACRIFICES BE INTENTIONAL!

until next time...

I like that boom boom POW

Mom's 22

I have been around guns since I was born. That giant steel box taking up room in the house safeguarded dad's prized possessions! When we lived in NY, dad had a target in the backyard that he shot the bow at. These weapons have been around me for 26 years and I have NEVER had the urge to pick one up! In fact, they scared the poo out of me! Who wouldn't jump to a giant BOOOOM noise!?!? Or hearing stories about how some guy broke open his eyebrow from the kickback???? Kickback....no thank you...I like staying upright! However, I was a little bit tomboy. I thought it was soooo cool when dad showed us the insides of a dear. I also experienced joy when dad brought home a squirrel's tail for me. Yes, somehow I thought these things were AMAZING when I was little. (I don't think those things are cool anymore...in fact that is sick that I played with squirrel tails!) I have never liked to eat venison. Eww that meat is NASTY! When I was little, my parents tried to trick me. They thought I associated venison with bambi and that was the reason I didn't like it. Mom put it in stew one night and I told her this meat didn't taste good and I didn't like it. I caught her trying to feed me venison and she finally believed me that I didn't like the taste! 

Dad recently bought two new guns and a couple weekends ago wanted to go shoot them. He thought he was telling me this information because Nic would want to go. However, I surprised him when I told him, "I wanna come too!" I thought we were going to be inside. You know, nice and warm. The place where the target has a remote that brings it back to you. I was WRONG! We were outside in the cold and it was doing the typical misty rain. Although, I cannot complain because I didn't have to go out in the rain...I was completely spoiled. Dad and Nic put my targets up for me each time. I started with the Colt M4 Carbine 22LR...yes, you guessed it, I have had to ask Nic multiple times, "what was that bigger gun called?" I admit, I was relatively frightened when we got all set up. The giant BOOM noise was right next to me! I tensed each time the guy pulled his trigger. I even had ear protection on! I sucked it up and sat down after learning how to load and shoot. I shot 10 bullets while Nic and dad set up at the far end with the 45, 22, and revolver. I was not allowed to shoot the 45 or revolver. Dad told me I would get sent on my a--. After 10 bullets, my thoughts were "this isn't really fun." I walked down to Nic and told him it was boring! That is when Michelle, works with my dad and also works at the range, made things lots of fun! She put up balloons on my target! After I got those, one of the other guys put up an IV bag for me to shoot down. Then, Michelle put up these exploding targets on the spinners! I did so good! Dad couldn't believe I could hit the spinners with an open site so far away...I showed him! I think they left me alone too long because I became really great at loading the 30 magazine (clip) and unloading it at my targets! Errr... I went through 500 rounds of amo! OOPS! I had more fun with the M4 than the 22 pistol. Probably because the pistol was harder to stay accurate on.  Mom now calls me Annie Oakley and surprisingly I would go back again! 

probably trying to pop balloons! 

March 2001 -- November 4, 2011

I miss him already!!!!

We got Larry bird in March of 2001... the no good very bad awful year. On January 2nd, 2001 our house burnt down. Yes, we lost everything including our pets. Mine was Bubba, the coolest cockatiel you had ever met! I LOVE birds. Once we were settled in our rental house, it was time to go to the pet store to see who would come home with us! In with the parakeets, was a lone lovebird. He was the "trial" lovebird. They wanted to see how he did alone... without a mate...usually they are in pairs. I knew he was the one! I named him Larry because I had these dreams he could play with a small basketball toy just like Larry Bird the real basketball player. He never did but that doesn't matter! He had lots of personality. As he got older, he didn't really care to be held. He liked to perch up on the window and look out at the other birds. He really liked sitting above the front door looking out the window and occasionally dangling from the chandelier...until we chased him back to his cage yelling LAAAARRRYYY!! He would gnaw at the front of his cage trying to get out. Once his door was opened, he would take off in flight in a giant circle to stretch out. He knew a few different whistles. He loved his treats... who doesn't! He had an unusual liking to his teddy bear...hip thrusting included...teddy had to be removed from the cage after a little bit. And most recently, he found a fond liking to the birds Dad played for him on youtube! He hated the vacuum or hands in his cage. However, he would let you poke his tummy or pet his beak... and if you are my brother then you could pet his head. I am really happy I was able to see his last weekend. He let me pet his head before I left to go back to Bham. I always said, "bye Larry" because I never knew when I wouldn't be able to say it again. My parents house is going to be quiet without him. We all walk in the door and yell, "HI LARRY whistle whistle whistle" but now he won't be there. Last night, he took a tumble to the bottom of his cage. He was stunned for about 20 min. trying to move. He attempted to climb his cage back to the top like usual but failed. Mom helped him back up but he was breathing hard. He refused his treat this morning and wasn't looking good. Matt went over right when he got off work and was going to bring him to the vet for me. Unfortunately, when he arrived it was too late. We both miss him already. I know mom will miss having her buddy to talk to when she is home during the day and dad will miss having his buddy at the computer! I know he is happy flying around and in a better place...but that doesn't make it easier.

until next time...   

Did you THINK today...

I really like these quotes. They make you think throughout your day and we could all use that! I think we could all use a little more grace too...at least I know I do! Working on it and getting closer every day! 

until next time...

Happy Birthday Dad!!

We spent the weekend down in Sammamish for Dad's 53rd birthday! We spent the day lounging around the house and mingling. We had a bbq, opened presents and ate coconut cake from Pure Bliss! YUM!! At 5pm, we loaded up into the car and ventured to Seattle for the Sounders soccer game! If you have never been to a Sounders a game, I highly recommend you get to one! They are a blast! This particular game was our goal keeper, Kasey Keller's, last game ever... so sad! He played amazing with tons of saves. We pulled off a WIN 2-1! 


Today, I am driving Nic to Seatac as he is headed off to work in Ione for the week. This is the last trip of the season... FINALLY! 


I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! 


until next time... 

fAmiLy

I have been thinking a lot about family lately. I have an older brother with whom I am very close with. He calls multiple times for no reason at all throughout the day. Yes, sometimes it drives me crazy but when I think about it, on the days he doesn't call, I wonder where my phone call went. I think it would be really weird if he stopped calling every day! I talk to my mom almost every day and my dad once or twice a week. I don't know if that is normal or average but I like knowing that I am close to my family. My immediate family is who I have here in WA and almost all of my large extended family is in NY. I have an Uncle and two cousins in Texas. These two cousins are closest in age to my brother and I and yet I know hardly anything about them. I have four cousins in NY that are in the high school/middle school range. I feel guilty about not knowing much about their lives. It honestly makes me sad. We moved away from NY when I was nine. My extended family is very close to each other and I miss being around all of them. I always wanted to be the cool older cousins that they could come to and it is hard to come to reality and find that as much as I don't know about them... they don't know about me! I was so excited that two of my cousins came to my wedding last summer. I was crushed when the other four didn't make it. I was crushed when one of my second cousins didn't come because he and his side of the family were not getting along. I wish everyone could have been there but I understand that life doesn't always work perfectly. 

Last weekend, we were in Wenatchee visiting our newest niece. This past weekend everyone came to Bellingham for our niece Avery's baptism. This coming weekend, we are heading to Sammamish for dad's birthday. The following weekend, we are going back to Wenatchee for a baby shower. We are surrounded by family all the time and I love it! However, it is hard sometimes when we are surrounded by sister in laws, brother in laws, mother in laws, father in laws.... yes, all the in laws... and not find myself thinking about my extended family and wishing they were closer. 

Sometimes, I feel guilty that it has been two years and I haven't been back to NY. I think about all my childhood memories at each of my grandparents houses. At my mom's parents, we would run to the basement and play pool and drink orange juice and club soda just like Aunt Toni. We took our annual summer trip to Florida, all the girls and my brother. We had the big family bbq's in the summer and everyone was there. We would always go see movie's with my dad's parents and play uno out on the deck. On my birthday, my Aunt Kathy took me for mani and pedi's and my Aunt Tre and Uncle Gerard took us to all the cool places in the city and of course the Thanksgiving Day Parade! I miss being a kid but most of all I miss my family. 

I am looking forward to next year. We are planning on making a trip out to NY over Memorial Day. My brother is getting married in August and we will hopefully see EVERYONE out then. I love my family and I miss them. I am so grateful to have inherited such wonderful in laws as well! The more family the merrier!!! 

until next time...

Makes your heart melt

Emma

Emma

Avery

Mal

Emma Mallory Avery

Avery

Don't they just make you smile! I love being an Aunt!

until next time...

I believe in God

I was on my way home from small group aka bible study tonight and my radio was on praise 106.5 per usual. The song that was playing was unfamiliar to me. I have realized in church that I really enjoy the music. It is what talks to me and the words resonate inside me. I repeated the lyrics to myself as I quickly pulled up youtube. Below is the song "bring the rain" by Mercy Me... have a listen! 

It is catchy isn't it?!? I love the slides they put with it as well. It has a verse from Ecclesiastes below in the comments. The verse talks about how God has a plan for each and everyone of us. Although we may face many problems that seem to contradicts God's plan, these shouldn't be barriers to believing in him, but rather opportunities to discover that, without God, Life's problems have no lasting solutions! 
The lyrics say:
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that bring you glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise you
Jesus, bring the rain
We should lean on our faith and God even more when curve balls are thrown at us. We should not ask why me? Why would you make me go through this? But rather trust in him that all things will be okay! 
"Clouds in our lives are often sent to bring the showers of blessings"


until next time...

Ch ch ch changes

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

Recently, I have realized I am no longer in that in between stage. I have made it to the women's section. You know when you were younger and you started in the "girls" section and then you were forced into the "juniors." I did not want to go to the "juniors" section! Well, I developed a little faster than the rest and had to go to the "juniors" clothes first. Yes, before all my friends did and that was a tragedy! Then, I was very content in juniors and it wasn't that the sizes didn't fit any longer but rather the bright pinks and "little kid" style didn't mesh with me any longer! When I bought my first pair of jeans in POV, point of view for all you non nordy folks, I kinda cringed. But they fit and looked good and they said size 2, so I HAD to buy them! DUH! 

No, this is not about changes in my body. However, it is a little weird when things don't fit the way they used to. I'm only 26! What happens at 46? Oh don't tell me!!! Anyway, it is about a switch in my brain that turned on. I used to be the Western Washington College student. Now, those students drive me bonkers!  They have taken over Fred Meyer, attend and host LOUD parties at all hours of the night, act like their shit doesn't stink....news flash it reaks...etc. I have realized that I do NOT like living in a college town! I can't change the fact that this is a college town but I can move or change my thinking on it. I do not have a problem in the summer with changing my thinking on them or this city. Because, in the summer most of the student are gone and I love what Bellingham becomes! However, the rest of the year I could do without the town being clogged up! Ch ch ch changes... maybe a move? But I love my new job, so I guess I better learn to think differently about it! 

I also need to think about something else differently. Sometimes I don't give myself enough credit.  At times, I feel like I sell myself short. I graduated from high school with a 3.8 gpa and 85 college credits. I worked hard to achieve my bachelors degree. I spent a grueling year with crazy girls to receive my cosmetology license and I feel rather silly saying I was valedictorian...but I was! But right there, is where I don't give myself enough credit. Beauty school valedictorian sounds funny, but it was hard work that I need to be proud of. Why do I let what society had deemed hair stylists to be or lack as a reason to not feel good about my accomplishments? I think about Western and how I went there to be a Bio major and came out Comm. Why, because I didn't think I could pass the Chem series that Bio majors had to take. Did I sell myself short? Should I have tried harder? I still wish I had done Bio and not Comm but we cannot change what is already done. Then most recently, I went for dental assisting and not hygiene. Why? Because it as a shorter program! Did I sell myself short because I didn't want to spend another two years in school for another degree? I feel like hygienists are looked at more highly than assistants but is that just me needing to change my own mindset? 

I was assisting with a composite filling yesterday and the patient wanted to be on nitrous. Of course I am like a little kid that must know everything, and I started asking the Dr. about the gas. We began talking molecules and how their characteristics affect the way the gauge on the tank goes down. When you read the oxygen tank, the arrow gradually goes down and then at zero you know it is empty. The nitrogen arrow goes from full and then empty and nothing in between. I LOVE this kind of stuff. I LOVE science! The Dr. looked at me and said, "Are you sure you don't want to become a dentist?" And for a split second I thought about it. This is where my thinking change happened. I know I could do it. I could be a dentist and get through all the schooling and even come out on top. However, I do not want to start my own business. I do not want to deal with growing client/patients, been there done that with hair! I do not want to worry about law suits! Although I know I could be a dentist, I do not want to journey down that path. I decided I am not selling myself short but rather choosing the jobs and education that I find pride in. Where my best is highlighted and I enjoy what I do! I need to remember it isn't about climbing the ladder to VP CEO or what have you... for me it is about loving what I do and being the best at it! 

until next time...

Pinterest

Loving Pinterest!!! I can get ideas for recipes, diy ideas, future home ideas, etc! How funny is this idea!?!?!

What fun ideas do you have?

until next time...

One year down

Yes people, we did it! We had our first anniversary August 21st, 2011. Seriously, has it been a year already? I could have sworn we were just getting married! It was an amazing and wonderful year for us. It was simple, easy, and filled with love! We thought it would be fun to go to breakfast with Pastor Randy, he married us, and his wife Pam. They are two of the most inspirational people I know. We had so much fun with them at our 2 hour catch up breakfast! We are going to go to breakfast with them every year on our anniversary... maybe we can make it more than that! 


On our actual anniversary weekend, we had John and Mandi's wedding to go to on hood canal. Why not make a weekend of it?!? We did VRBO.com(If you have never looked at that site you need to right away! So cheap to stay anywhere!!!) and stayed at an awesome house on the ocean for two nights. It was simply amazing! The owner lived in the house next door. She stocked the pantry with pasta, all the baking goods, waffle and pancake mix, tons of teas, fresh coffee beans, etc. The fridge had 12 dozen organic eggs, cheese, 2 types of milk, bagels, cream cheese, etc. The best part was the dock! I could have sat on the dock for hours and hours and been content! It was gorgeous to look out at the water and have the Olympic mountains peeking in over the top. The first night we sat down on the dock. The lady who owned the house set out two chairs and a bottle of wine in a bucket at the end of the dock. Then, she came down and brought appetizers for us! It was like having your mom around when you needed her and then she would disappear! She gave us all the stuff we needed to pull muscles off the dock and this amazing recipe to cook them up in! Yes, she even gave us 90% of the ingredients to make it too! We don't get to relax often with both of us doing school last year and working. This was the perfect ending to a busy busy year... the good kind of busy! Before we left on Sunday, we went out kayaking in the ocean. It was very warm! How cool is this, we got to see seals out there popping their little heads out of the water! We are for sure going to go back... who knows maybe we will have to make that a tradition too once a year! 

This is what is NOT suppose to happen...so funny! 

Muscles

Oyster bed

Look I got one! 

HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY TO THE MOST AMAZING HUSBAND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! 

until next time....

I bet...

Your husband doesn't bring home "decorations" like this...

until next time...

Playing catch up

So very much has happened in the past few weeks and here it is.....

John and Mandi got married!!!!

Mal and Uncle Nic

Sweet little Avery

Trying to be taller!

Family time on the boat! 

Nic caught this

And well.... I caught this!

She is so darn cute!

Working on Americas next top model

Love these girls! 

Such an easy baby! 

Here crabby crabby

until next time...