Dear Santa, I would like...

Dear Santa,

I would like a new camera with a shakeproof setting so that my photos won't cause vertigo, and jewelry is always nice too. For the little man, candy canes, because the large basket filled with the sweet treats Mrs. Claus is protecting is the only reason Alex agreed to be in this picture.

Lots of love,

Stacey

P.S. Thank you for the can opener you so generously addressed to me so many years ago. I appreciated it just as much as the Barbie horse I received the same year.

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Material, material everywhere.

Last night I took my first quilting class and something that was suppose to only take less than an hour has turned into a multiple day project. But isn't that just the way it goes?

What started out as one of these:

Has now become this:

One extremely long skinny piece of fabric. But it is on its way! I'll keep you updated. This spaghetti noodle will either become the jellyroll quilt it is meant to be or it may end up a jelly noodle. We'll see.

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Isn't this the truth?

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Liz Owen's "My (not so) Storybook Life"

Four or five years ago (time really does fly doesn't it?) my mom sent me a link. She said she had found a blog that made her laugh, that had great decorating style and the blogger had a schnauzer. 

My mom, in her infinite wisdom had stumbled across a blog that we both could enjoy and have  followed almost daily. I don't think a week has gone by where one of us hasn't said "Have you read Mabel's blog?"

 

Mabel is actually the name of Liz Owen's schnauzer side kick, who has recently welcomed a sibling into the house. (Spud could definitely relate to that.)

 

Even after Alex was born, and time really sped up in short bursts of busy days, sleepless nights,  feedings and changings, I would log on, at least once a week and catch up on what Mabel, Liz and Matt were up to.

Now, two years later, Liz has written and published her own book! I'm so excited and can not wait to read it!

To read an excerpt of the book, "My (not so) Storybook Life" by Elizabeth Owen, visit her blog at http://mabelshouse.blogspot.com. I'm sure, like my mom and I, you will get hooked too!

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Turning a corner

Alex at the beach July 2010

Alex at the fair August 2011

These past couple of weeks our little muffin has really turned a corner in a little blond-headed blur. The baby I once held close and rocked at night, the very same one I cuddled and babied has grown up before our very eyes.

It's really kind of strange when you stop and realize that your baby isn't a baby anymore. It's kind of a relief and a little sad at the same time. At night I lay him down and he tells me night night and blows kisses. He tells me when he has to potty (usually .2 second before he actually goes) and comes up with the most interesting things to say.
 

He likes baseball and reading books. He loves to dance and sing and he loves his family. He can recognize a bunch of words like Alex, Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Doda and Jo. He has a huge heart and loves to learn.
 

Each day he is learning something new and so are we. I can't wait to find out more about this little person...

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We love the zoo!

It's been almost a year since we've update our blog and we thought it was about time. Saturday we took off toward Royal Oak with lions and elephants on our minds and even though we didn't see either of those, we had a pretty darn good day.

Alex has been talking up a storm about animals. He absolutely LOVES elephants. If you ask him what an elephant says he will hold his nose to simulate his elephant trunk and make the elephant noise, and he can roar like a lion with the best of them. So, we decided to pack him up on one of the hottest days this weekend and head out.

He loved the zebras, the kangaroos, the rhinos but there was one thing he loved more than anything else.

The Meerkats. 

Yep, that's right. He loved those cute little animals that sit on their hind legs straight up and dig their little tunnels. One in particular took a shining to our little man as well and hung out by the glass so they could stare at each other.

Sadly, there aren't any elephants at the zoo and the lions aren't there right now either, but that didn't matter, it was a fantastic day!

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Alex's award winning smile

Over the weekend, our county held it's annual pumpkin festival and we joined in the festivities. Saturday morning was the cutest baby contest! Just for fun we entered Alex and he walked away with cutest smile!

It's funny, because normally he doesn't smile on cue, but for the judges, he gave them his best!

I wasn't sure what we were getting ourselves into. I really thought they would just take a photo of Alex and we would go on our merry way. But no! You had to parade your baby in front of a judges panel! Well, you know me, I'm not much of anything in front of a bunch of people. I freeze up faster than you could believe.

But I didn't need to do anything but hold on to Alex, and he was giving the judges his best "cheeeese" smile, like we rehearsed it!

I'm very proud of our little pumpkin, and had such a great time!

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