My Husband Rocks Friday

Okay its that time ladies and gentlemen, to tell you this weeks rendition of why MY HUBBY ROCKS.

You see we have this mimaw in our lives who loves to spoil my boys (and spoiled me rotten as a child as well) She decided one day to buy our boys a new play scape. And it happens to be one of the coolest play scapes i have EVER seen. It took us about 2 months to get our HOA to approve it (dont get me started) but FINALLY about 2 weeks ago they did, and so my hubby got to work straight away.

Now on the first day he had to take the trampoline down first.....this is because i refuse to have my back yard cluttered with a shed, a play scape, AND a trampoline....eventually i want trees and flowers, and that just did not work for me. So without even asking I gave our trampoline away to the first person I thought of. Ryan and Stacy have LOTS of room at their house!!! And two girls and LOADS of nieces and nephews to play with, so naturally I called up Stace and told her it was hers if she wanted it.

Ryan came and helped us take it down, loaded it up and took it back to their house, then the boys came back and started on the play scape....this is what they did.....

Now i know this doesn't look like much, but this darn thing came with 6 boxes of crap.....HUGE boxes.....it took them a good long time to do that.

Jay, gimp leg, pinched nerve, slipped disc and all has been coming home everyday to do more.....this is what he has accomplished and hopes to finish by tomorrow.

What a guy, he is in sooo much pain he cant even sit for long periods of time, and yet he still strives on to finish it for our children!!! Here is all thats left.........oh, and spare me the comments about how water starved our grass is, we live in africa people.....its rediculously hot, there has been NO RAIN, and we have water resrictions......... :)

I have the best hubby ever!!! You ROCK baby!!!

off the chain dance

okay it is almost one in the morning, and I just simply cannot go to bed with out posting this....

Now dont kill me freaky bloggers (again the "nothing to loose" joke, check out that movie people)
I promise to post tomorrow ahem* i mean today part two to "Think back thurs" which i aparently will have to rename. But that will be done sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Back to this post:

I watched so you think you can dance tonight, both the wed night episode AND tonights, i have DVR people....step into the 20th century......and i just have to say, AMAZING, simply AFREAKINMAZING!!!!! Need i say more???

Why yes actually, okay so here is the deal.....when jay and i first married, he took on a position that I knew soon after he told me about it, that it was going to cause some MAJOR problems for two YOUNG newly married peeps such as our selves.... I BEGGED him to be smart, I said somthing like this: "HOW can two people survive a marriage without seeing one another??"
I worked from 8-5 he worked from 6- sometimes 1 or 2 am.....yeah ......I KNOW.

So needless to say, regardless of the genre of the dance, I related....I BAWLED like a baby in diapers.....i am here to tell ya people..........please watch, if this doesnt make you a tad emotional, then i dont know what will.......




First of all I SOOOO love where nap and tab are takin hip hop......i mean, crying, in hip hop....."theres no crying in hip hop" I loved every emotional min. of it.....and i want moooooore.....

And seriously there were many FAB dances.....i would post the whole darn show if i could....but then on to the thursday night show, they always open the "vote off" show with a group dance, and this was OFF THE CHAIN!!! ill post it when i find it!!!

night night

Real Raggin Wed First Rag

Hey girls okay so i have officially started "Real Raggin Wednesdays" If you have NO idea what i am talkin about click here to read the rules so that YOU TOO can participate.

So now on to my Raggin

Today I have chosen to rag on OPRAH!!!!

"Please dont kill me freaky bloggers" (please tell me youve seen "nothing to loose", if you havent you must go out and rent it today)

Anyway, I know that there are probably still some die hard Oprah fans out there and if you are one of them, i am sorry but i simply MUST get this off my chest.

Dear Oprah,

What in the H-E-double hockey sticks has happened to you? Who is holding the REAL Oprah hostage, where is she people, if you have her please send her back to Harpo studios immediately.

Oprah, there was a time when I would almost cause car wreaks, pile ups if you will, just to get home to see your show. I loved the time you had Tom Cruise on the show, because it made me feel like i wasnt the only person on this earth that might need "help"........I cherished the show with Lisa Ling (i really did) where she did the documentary on "the dying rooms" in China, cause it made me realize I have a heart for hurting children. Although im not a fan AT ALL of the Osmond's I watched it cause gosh darnit I try to be....I also LOVE your segments on clothing the REAL women of this world....cause lets face it not everyone looks like Kate Moss.

So Oprah, dear Oprah.....WHY oh dear God WHY have you changed so???? Why are you all of the sudden talking about "past life's" and "reincarnation" and "regressions" whhhy (im whispering this why)

I have to be honest, i have completely avoided your show for the last 6-9 months because i cant take it anymore.....i mean ive gone to battle with my husband and many dear friends when they called you "the anti Christ" Now, i may be starting to believe it....well not really but i mean come on Oprah.

I about fell off my couch yesterday when i decided to brave the world of oprah again and saw those poor naive innocent people being led to believe that they were an Indian in their past life that was killed with a sharp tool such as a arrow head, and that is why they are terrified of, get this people, CORNERS.......COME ON OPRAH!!!! ARE YOU KIDDIN ME RIGHT NOW.

If you all think i am kidding, here is some script from her show yesterday that proves Oprah has indeed fallin off the wagon my friends.......


Since Erin was old enough to remember, she says she's been paralyzed by a fear of sharp corners and terrified by the idea of someone touching her neck. For the past 30 years, she's hid her phobias from friends. Now, she's ready to speak out and get to the root of her fear. "It controlled my whole life really. None of my friends know about it, so I have little rituals that I would do to cover it up," she says. "Anything that had a sharp object, I had to try to rearrange the situation."


Erin agrees to meet with Dr. Weiss to try to unlock the mysteries of her phobias.

During their first session, Erin taps into the life of a Native American man living in the 1800s. She glimpses the sharp, pointed spear of an attacker. As the session continues, Dr. Weiss guides her into another past life, which helps explain her fear of having her neck touched.

In this past life, Erin says she thinks she was a prostitute who died by strangulation. "I don't feel very good about myself. That's why I think I'm a prostitute," she says. She envisions herself sitting on the edge of a bed, putting on stockings. Then, she sees a man strangling her from behind. As Erin comes out of her regression, she begins to confront her fears head-on. "Visualize a sharp corner, and let the fear go because that's all it is. Look at it in your mind. Look at any corner," Dr. Weiss says. "You can be cured of this quickly. … You can touch it. It's safe now."

For the first time in years, Erin says she's able to touch her neck and visualize sharp corners without feeling anxious. "I feel so much better," she says. "I can't believe that I can actually look at a corner now and touch my neck…it's amazing."

"There's no more fear," Dr. Weiss says. "You're free now."

When Erin regressed back to the life of a Native American man, she says she saw images of him being stabbed near the eye with a sharp object. "When I fell in my death, I smacked my head on a piece of granite, so I don't like things close to my face or next to my eye," she says. "When [Dr. Weiss] was talking me through all of this, I saw elevator doors close right after the death, and I asked him what that meant. He said, 'You've closed that chapter in your life.'"


*sigh* seriously?? i cant handle it....i have sooo much to say to this "Dr. Idiot" but it would take me days to type it all out so i am moving ahead......

I also watched a video where she talked about this book called "the new earth" and she says she was leery of bringing the author on the show for fear people might think she has lost her mind.

NEWS FLASH OPRAH !!! YOU HAVE!!!

Okay now i realize that i might be being a tad judgemental.....and i am sorry about that I really am....but it makes me sad to see someone buying into something like this, because to me, it looks like these women are making this stuff up as they lie there thinking "i dont feel hypnotized....so what the heck do i say, i mean im on the Oprah show....i gotta say something else i wont get my 15 mins of fame......it all looks soooo fake to me......

What happened to the Oprah who in the past would have said, "REALLY??" instead of "hmmm interesting"

UGH!!!

I digress, I am now extending forgiveness to Oprah.

Oprah, I forgive you for leading the nation to hell.....lol kidding

Oprah, I forgive you for being lost. I forgive you for being "caught up" in the worlds perception of creation. I forgive you for being easily swayed because of your terrible past. I forgive you for being angry at God because of what you had to endure as a child. You my friend are an amazing, loving, giving person, who obviously has been through alot.


I can totally hear Jesus saying "forgive them father, for they know not what they do"

I realize that most of you may not agree with ME and may think I am the crazy one.....that is okay....this is MY opinion, it may not be true to who you are......but it is mine.....if you disagree, i welcome your comments......I welcome comments from all of ya!!!

Update* I want to make sure you all read what Real Raggin Wed is all about so if you scroll just below this you will see the rules, it is about getting what you are upset about off your chest and then forgiveing and moving forward.....I dont contribute to a bunch of whining and complaining just to do it.....I want to join in learning with you how to forgive and to love those we dont necessarily agree with..... no matter how hard it is......... Here is the Link to read the rules:

http://theloalbos.blogspot.com/2008/06/real-raggin-wednesdays.html

Update#2 (hey you guys can totally rag on me!!!)and now forgive me all for being judgemental, for calling Dr. Weiss "Dr. Idiot" and for saying that those women "were fakin" Forgive me for using the word forgive soo much.....LOL
Im serious, i dont want to hurt anyones feelings, if you believe this stuff more power to ya, I will still read your blogs and be your friend :) I love yalls honest feed back!!!

oh and forgive me for makin this sooo long by adding so many disclaimers....;) Im still gettin used to being real myself.....

Real Raggin Wednesdays

OOO OO I just had a fab idea....inspired by......well inspired by me.

Okay so as women we tend to be a tad bit emotional at times.....okay lets just be honest we can be overly dramatic MOST of the time.....can i get a HOLLA?? Okay so im gonna venture to say that when we "complain" Jesus is cool with it as long as at some point we "let it go" right??

Do yall need a lesson in forgiveness?? If so click here, or here

Anyway, if your good on the forgiveness issue lets move on to my fab idea.

Okay so we have "my husband rocks fridays" and so i would like to create "Real Raggin Wednesdays"

Heres the deal. On wednesdays you can rag on whomever or whatever you please.......go on rag on sistas........


But heres the catch or the rules persay:

1. ONLY ON WEDNESDAYS this gives us an entire week to stew over the things in which we rag thus createing rule number two.

2. Never under ANY circumstances may you rag on this person or object again

3. You absoultely then must offer or extend forgivness to this person and or object (i can totally picture steph forgiveing her laundry "laundry I forgive you for being the moutain you are" lol

4. If you do not believe you could ever forgive this person....or object then you simply cannot participate or the blog monster will hunt you down.....okay so there is no such thing as a blog monster but there should be :)

5. And Finally, you must be REAL, you dont have to reveal the person or object in which your raggin, but you cant hold back....let it out, carefully....i dont want to be held responsible for someone getting the tar beat outta them :)

if you just do not understand what in the heck im talking about.....here is an example

How, can you please tell me HOW a blowdryer can be misplaced.....its not as if its smaller than the average object......i just simply do not understand where in the world it could possibly be.....its not like i dont already have ENOUGH troubles with my hair.....I HAAATE YOU BLOWDRYER !!!!! WHHHHHHHYYYY????? NOOOOOOO!!!!

Blowdryer, I forgive you for disappearing, but only because i might not survive with out you. Maybe because i am proclaiming my love for you you will graciously reappear so i dont look so homely......pleeeease??


Hopefully this will teach us all how to be more forgiving.....you think??

OKay ladies.....if your gonna participate leave a comment here so i can check out your REAL RAGGIN WEDNESDAY post!!!! Happy raggin!!!

No more pretending.....

Hi my name is Staci:

This is me.....just me,

Not the "going out for drinks with my gals" me or the"singing with Chasing Daylight" me or the "Perfect mommy" me or the"Perfect Christian" me or the "flawless wife" me (well im always a flawless wife..... ;) ) or the "awesome blogger" me (had to throw that one in, lol)

Nope, its just me....good ole staci leigh, with make-up on from last night, and hair all a ruckus (which is why its up in a fab bandanna) swollen wisdom tooth extraction cheeks and all, and if you had seen me a few mins after that pic i was covered in piper hair (pipers the only other girl in the hezee, shes my Schnauzer) * sigh *

I dont think ive been myself lately, which is one of the reasons i choose to write this....but also , today, I was inspired......






its like ive been waiting all my life.....







First I would like to thank D.R. for his talk this morning. Without which I would not be inspired to write this. You never cease to amaze me. I am grateful for your leadership and example. (D.R is not only a close friend but also my former youth minister and now serves as a teaching pastor at the church we attend and serve at. I withhold his real name because, well because i am just getting more aware of how many people surf to my site that i dont know, and last names are not appropriate anymore....ya just never know.)







Now onto the topic with which i have been inspired.







Okay so this particular issue has been stirring in my heart for years. The issue of just.........of just "being"





"Being" you, being the BEING the Lord created you to BE.....lol

"being real"

REAL is the word of the day people.....so if you hear it, lets all pretend we are on the Peewee Herman show and just scream AHHHAAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA, cause maybe then we will all remember who God made us, and stop pretending to be someone we are not.

This has always bothered me.....and honestly, im not without blame in this area. I have, on a consistent basis, "pretended" that I was someone I was not for fear of judgement.

Really.....and i bet if you were honest, you might just say the same.....right?? Come on now, just admit it. Judgement is an AWFUL thing.

I look back, and i see this scared, naive, and insecure girl, who was in desperate need for someone to love her, anyone.....for people or a people to accept her. And that is exactly what I found. Understand, my intentions were ALWAYS good. I desperately wanted to be good....I wanted to be like Christ, I wanted to be like her.....like them......but as ive grown, ive begun to realize I was chasing after an illusion. You see....its NOT attainable. NO ONE is perfect. I found an amazing group of friends, i did, but there were only and are STILL only a select few that I let see the REAL staci.

And you see, This hope of becoming a "happy perfect christian", it only caused more pain.....the more I tried, the further id fall.....even, when i made the slightest mistake. I always felt like I could never measure up. I could never attain the happiness that they had.....i couldnt attain it because it was a farce.

Now dont get me wrong people. I am not saying that happiness is unattainable. Im just saying that PERFECT happiness. Infallible happiness, happiness without fault......its not real. There will always be pain, there will always be mistakes made, there will always be addiction, depression, dependency, obsession etc etc. Let's face it those things are real issues in the lives of many people. Issues in even the lives of close friends and family members. And im damn tired of walkin around here pretending that I myself have not struggled with at least one if not many of those issues.

Jesus died for me, he died for me and for you because he KNOWS we are not perfect.....he NEVER asked us to be. He only asked us to seek after Him , to believe in Him, and to follow HIM. And correct me if I am wrong, but MY GOD he LOVES everyone!!! He loves the addict, He loves the oppressed, He loves the adulterer, He loves the Homosexual, He loves the Black guy, He loves the White guy, the Chinese guy, the Hispanic etc etc. He loves the alcoholic, the prostitute........He loves the abused, the neglected, the starved, the hungry, the sick.........

If Jesus loved ALL of the imperfect, and we are supposed to follow, then why cant we love the imperfect........

There have been times in my walk with Christ, or shall i say in my experience with Christianity, that I have felt physical pain over some of the mistakes ive made because i TRULY felt I had NOONE to go to that would accept me.....even my own husband.

If you take anything from my ramblings this evening I hope you hear this. God loves YOU, not the "going out for drinks with your gals" you or the "Perfect mommy" you or the "Perfect Christian" you or the "flawless wife" or the "awesome blogger" you......

JUST YOU.

You may be very wise, you may be very loving, you may wake up on the wrong side of the bed 7 days a week but GOSH DARNIT he loves that about you because he MADE YOU......he made YOU for a specific purpose........think about this...... maybe, just maybe your redemption has a story to tell......Maybe your fall is someone else's safety net.

Dont dwell on the past, or let ANYONE make you feel like less than a person because you had a beer with dinner the night before. Just be the person God created you to be, and look for opportunities to listen to those around you who are hurting, who are lost, who are in need of a savior.

If you love like Jesus did, they will see Jesus in you....

Who is Staci you ask??

• I am first and foremost a child of God
• i am a wife and mother
• I am a daughter and a sister
• I am shy
• I am grumpy when im sleepy or hungry
• i absolutely do not cry unless my children are in pain or any child for that matter
• i am not as girly as you might think i am
• im a t-shirt and pj pant kinda gal
• I HATE MY HAIR 99% of the time
• I love to scare the bejesus outta myself by watchin scary movies but ALWAYS regret it
• Im loyal
• i keep secrets
• I dont like arrogant people.....mainly arrogant men....arrogant women make me laugh
• I sing in a band
• I dont take compliments well, makes me uncomfortable
• I LOVE me some margaritas
• I LOVE to dance
• I say dammit too often
• smacking sends me over the edge
• apparently im easily irritated
• my ears get red when ive had too much to drink or when im upset
• i am very modest, but not because i think its wrong to dress in immodest clothing but because i am insecure about my body, ALWAYS HAVE BEEN
• I cant stand my toes they make me want to vomit
• i officially cannot stand going to the dentist
• ive not lost any wisdom after the extraction, so i still consider myself to be brighter than the average joe.
• ive recently taken up reading for a hobby.....what are the odds?
• I LOOVE to talk about anything, and everything, specially Jesus.....cause he's my homie
• Karaoke is a must
• i can only take loud children in small doses
• and loud people
• i HATE drama.....if you find me not talkin to you after a healthy dose of it then youll know why
• im not nice when im mad.....but then again who is?
• hmmmm......i guess thats enough for now, but mainly cause the "friends" are kickin in

Before I part I want you to remember that God made you for a purpose, and just in case your one of those that forgets easily, please read this you wont be disappointed.....be real people!!!!

Reunion Schmunion

So I had my 10 year High School reunion this past Saturday *Gasp*

I know spare me the "oh your soo old" or "hahahaha your sooo funny, young one"

Either way it happened and let me just say out loud what a bunch of L-A-M-E classmates you all are!!!

Heres the deal.....number one, my BFF Amy (im very disappointed in you Missy!!) decided not to go, and so that sucked a bit, but at least Alissa was a good to me and went with....

Now these 10 years went by super duper fast....and it kinda feels like it hasnt been that long since i have seen yall.....AND i have kept in touch with those i really wanted to keep in touch with, but i admit i was a tad curious to see what some of yall were up too......AND i freakin went after driving from Florida straight through from 9pm at night the night before till 9am reunion morning and showed up with a smile after only 3 hours of sleep, so i kinda expected to see at least a LIL enthusiasm from you guys......not soo much

So heres the story for all of you bloggers who werent there.....we drive out to Boerne, a lil town outside of san antonio, which is the most beautiful lil town ever!!! This happens to be where i graduated from. Anyway every fathers day weekend they hold a festival called the Berges Fest. Back in my glory days it was much cooler, they used to have the coolest artists come play (Robert Earl, David Alan Coe yada yada) now its not as fun, but you cant pass up the Roasted Corn, sausage on a stick, tacos, and best of all FUNNEL CAKES.....Heres proof:

Roasted Corn rules, especially with lemon pepper!!!

Jay and his tacos!!!!

And this is for you Steph, yes steph and i share a love for funnel cakes.......there is no passin one up, and I am not ashamed to admit i can finish one off on my own thank you very much. I had to take several poses....it was a must......mainly cause i wanted steph to get the full effect....all angles, so she would be super jealous she wasnt me.

You like that????

Anyway, the food alone was worth the lameness of this reunion. Basically a few mins after this pic my good friend lissy showed up.....here we are....arent we cute??? Im sure your asking yourself, what in the H-E-Double Hockey sticks is stac doing wearing a sweater in these weather conditions......

I know im retarded, i was rather hot, which im sure is easy to figure out with the shininess of my forehead.....And i am terribly sorry if you have been blinded by the light reflecting off of it....but remember i had JUST returned from Florida....i had nothing to wear since i had not done any laundry yet!!!

Anyway, she shows and we literally walk around for an hour finding NOONE from our class, when people do show up they are TERRIBLY unfriendly (there were a SELECT few that were friendly)......granted the majority of the people were not people we hung out with, our friends are even lamer apparently cause they were "too cool" to come....but geez when someone walks up to you and says HEEEEEY i remember yooou at least look like your a TAD happy to see me. Dont make it so obvious that you cant stand my guts!!! And really, i mean were adults now, if you didnt like me then for whatever ridiculous reason, GET OVER IT.....we arent kids anymore....MOVE ON!!!! lol

There were some that i was super happy to see, and there were also a few that i didnt talk to at all in HS but we introduced our selves and got to know one another.....anyway, I was really disappointed for the most part with the way people acted..........and sorry that i wasted my time to be honest.

Anyway, here are some pics from the "EVENT"

Liss Rustin and I, Rusty was not in our class he grad the year before us, but he still came to hang!!!

I love Rustys face here!!!

And just for kicks heres me in HS:

Yes thats me with blonde hair......and that is my dear friend Holly who passed away in 99' , If she'd been there it would have been a blast, she always made everything soo much fun!!! The best part of the night was that I got to see her parents!!!

Anyway, I guess this is all just part of growing up huh??

My Husband Rocks Friday

So, just a heads up starting next Thursday I am going to do my first rendition of "Think Back Thursday" (totally ganked that from another blogger) Titled "Superman Stinks" (this is the first chapter in "How I Met My Hubby" So Stay Tuned!!!!

Back to how my husband rocks for this week. I want to tell a story about One Hundred and One ways my husband Loves me.

Now Jay and I may look like this perfect couple, and truth be told, right now, we are pretty close to it....we have never been so happy and sooo close. We have learned how to be selfless in our marriage, and that COMMUNICATION with one another AND the Lord are the most important things in a marriage EVER, EVERYTHING else falls into place after that.

Anyway like i said we have not always been this n'sync. There was a time where I felt like our marriage was falling apart. Being the selfish brat I was, i made it known when i wasn't happy by acting out or rebelling (by saying this im not referring to Jason as if he treats me like a child, but i SURE did act like one at times) or pushing him away, so Jason knew that it was time for him to express to me how much he REALLY did and does love me. As a guy, it was hard for him to meet my emotional needs, in my heart i knew he loved me......but outwardly it wasn't as obvious.

So one day he calls me up at work and tells me to go buy a new dress (at this point i am like already falling in love with him in a new and exciting way, i mean what husband does that??? GO BUY A NEW DRESS??? SAAA WEET) and to pack a bag for the night cause we are going to do something "special." So I head to Macy's and find the PERFECT black strapless dress (knee length) with a red ribbon that ties right above the waist line, and then head back to the house to pack an over night bag.

First he takes me to my FAVORITE place to eat, which happens to be "The Cheesecake Factory" Not just because of their yummy deserts, but also be cause their plates are ridiculously huge, and i may be a small girl, but i can totally throw down like nobodies business!!!

Then it was on swig a cute lil martini bar on the river walk, we hung out there for a while and had a few drinks before it was on to my real surprise!!!

So we end up at this FANCY schmancy hotel in Down town SA and just the look in the lobby itself was surprise enough for me, i could have parked it there all night long on those BIG leather couches and grand ceilings, BEAUTIFUL!!! So he sits me down in the lobby and tells me he will call me when he is ready for me to come up to the room. I sat there for a good thirty mins and that was fine with me because like i said this hotel was GORGEOUS.....CHECK IT OUT!!!
So then i get the call, and head up to room 207 (if i remember correctly) he comes out and blindfolds me.....hmmmm........then he leads me into the room, and just before he takes off the blindfold he tells me "I love you soo much that i decided to sit down and come up with 101 reasons why "

When he removed the blind fold it was the most BEAUTIFUL site i had EVER seen. There were (I KID YOU NOT) 101 beautifully lit candles, and by each candle was one reason (on a lil piece of paper) why he loved me.......*sigh*

Then he handed me a hand made card with a poem he had written on it (which is too personal to share) at the bottom it said pull here and when i did the piece i pulled out said "may I have this dance" He pressed play on a lil boom box and on came our song "I get carried away" by George Straight (song we danced to at our wedding) And for those of yall who know jay and his phobia of dancing, this was BIG!!! I bawled as i walked around to each candle and read the words written.....i made sure to read every last one.

THERE IS MORE!!!

Then he walked me into the bathroom where there was a bath drawn for me with rose petals and bubble bath.

When I awoke the next morning, he said, "here take this to the spa" "You have an appt waiting, i will see you when you are done"

WHAT??? DUDE!!!! I love him......

Couldn't you just die??

That's just ONE of the MANY reasons my husband rocks!!!!

SITS!!!

HI SITSTAS!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog, I LOVE makin new blogger buddies and finding new people to "blog stalk" I am honored that you would read my blogs and leave me comments!!! Yall are great!!! Remember if you want to take advantage of our blogaliciousness then make sure and click on the pink butterfly at the bottom of the page and then email us!!! We would love to make your site blogalicious!!! Again I am sooo thankful for you guys taking the time to read my stuff. And i cant wait to be able to check out your sites as well!!!!

For ME???

So I am seriously behind but better late than never.

I, yes me, was given an award by a sweet sweet blogger buddy of mine named Katy Lin.


This award is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy and above all, ART, much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all those bloggers and to bloggers who day by day share this space and enrich it a little more each day." ~Arte Y Pico

I am very honored that anyone would think i deserved this award......and so id like to pass it on to these inspiring women!!!

• Hallelujah Stories by Eileen (momma Key) and Caron

Eileen is like a second mom to me, in my high school years i practically lived at her house. I drained her of all her chocolate chip cookies and should have paid her for her Internet connection since she was one of the only ones who I knew that lived in the age of technology. I love her DEEPLY and owe her alot for the example of what a strong Christian mother and woman should be. Caron is her best friend. These two women have an amazing site dedicated to Gods miracles....I LOVE reading their stories!!!

• Showers From My Heart by Stacy

Stacy is a dear friend of mine who has stood next to me through some of my deepest struggles. She has prayed for me, and led me back towards the Lord when I had forgotten HE loves me no matter what. Stacy is VERY gifted in writing and expressing her heart. I highly encourage you to check out her blog. You wont be disappointed.

• Mindless Junque by Heather

Now I KNOW she has prob received about a million of these, but I LOVE her blog. You simply MUST read her blogs on how she met Papa Bear. They are amazing, and she has inspired me to write my own story about how i met my man. If im having a bad day all i do is click on her site and I know i will get a good laugh. Most days she has me ROLLING!! Thanks heather for being my new blogger buddy and for being sooo witty and fun. OH and lets not forget she and her friend Tiff created SITS BRILLIANT, just BRILLIANT i tell ya!!!!! They are the reason i have any comments at all!!!

• Stretch Marks by Melissa

Yes folks i am a blog stalker....i admit she prob doesn't even know i exsist!!! LOL and i also admit, even though i am learning (through SITS), that i stink at leaving comments!!! But if you are on my blog roll you have to know i visit your site often!!! Melissa is another one of those bloggers that I just cannot read while eating cause i just might choke!!!! Anyway thanks Melissa for crackin my up every flippin time i come to your site. YOU ROCK!!!

And last but NOT least by any means is:

• More of Him Less of Me by Mindy

Mindy and I went to High school together, she is an amazing wife and mother, and i am TRULY inspired every time I read her blog. She finds God in everyday simple things and I love reading her heart. I love to read about how you surrendered your life to the Lord, and the joy that Christs redemption has brought. Mindy has two BEAUTIFUL boys and is married to another friend of mine from High school, Jason, they are the sweetest family!!! Thank you Jason and Mindy for your ministry!!

Now that you have received this award here are the rules.


1. You need to choose 5 blogs you consider deserving of this award for their creativity,design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogging community regardless of the language.



2. Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.



3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that presented him/her with the award. I know it says this is a rule but I also know that not everyone likes to do this. I won't be hurt if you don't.



4. The award winner and the one who has given the award have to show the Arte Y Pico blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.



5. To show these rules.

Im alive....

I have survived!!!

And I just wanted to make a post about SYTYCD, this season seems to have the best dancers so far.....this dance REALLY touched me, I have a family memeber who has served in IRAQ and also a few friends, i cannot imagine how it feels to leave behind the ones you love. Or to be the one left behind. I was shocked that a hip hop routine could emit such emotion!! Props to the choreograpers!!!

Remeber to scroll to the bottom of this page to pause my playlist so you can hear the song in the video!!!

If only my teeth were REALLY wise.....

Sorry for the 5000 posts, but ive got to catch up....ive been gone for a week AND i get to enjoy the HORROR of my wisdom teeth being extracted tomorrow. OH joy...so it will be a few days before i can post anything else



speaking of my wisdom teeth....I only have 2.



"Why staci?? Why only two??" you ask



Well my dear sistas, and the 1.5 brothas that read this blog, i have done this before....yes I BRAVED the world of SCIREX and lived to tell the story!!



"Whats SCIREX Stac?"



SCIREX is.....well SCIREX is um HELL!!!



It is a place that you go to get tortured for money......yeah thats it.



Okay so really its a place that you give of your self for the studying of different pain medications........torture. pure torture. I DONT recommend it.



Have i amped up the story yet??



So Im this naive lil 21 year old back in good ole 2000, AND poor as dirt as most us young newly married folk are....and I had this BRILLIANT idea i was going to go get my wisdom teeth removed at SCIREX. At the time I made a whole 6 bucks an hour as our church receptionist, and my hubby was a manager for Petros Climbing Adventures where Im pretty sure he didn't make much more......so our total combined salary per year equaled less than average, lets just say we thought about applying for WIC when Logan was born.....not that that is terribly bad......:) AND neither of us had dental insurance......so naturally when you hear the words free AND compensated you really dont have a choice in the matter.....you just "take one for the team" which is exactly what i did......



I show up for the screening, and basically they ask you all those uncomfortable questions such as: "when was your last menstrual cycle" and "Do you take any illegal drugs" "When was the last time you smoked a cigarette" Im like "am i on candid camera....are my parents secretly taping this to find out how much of a sinner I REALLY am?? lol kidding..... Anyway that part went fairly smoothly, and I must admit i was hooked when they told me i would be receiving 450 dollars.....that was like winning the lottery....i actually had to keep my composure for fear i would freak the nurse out....but i was JUMPING up and down inside.



Moving right along.....i was told to have someone drop me off and then pick me up 24 LOOONG hours later (looking back this would be because i may have had some CRAZY reaction to these drugs they were testing on me, and may not have been able to drive, who does these things to themselves for money....i am SUCH a MORON!!!!) anyway, AND they tell you to bring ONE change of clothing and a tooth brush and THAT IS ALL FOLKS!!!



What they FAILED to tell me was that I should have had a check book as well, to pay for the IV sedation and or laughing gas (which is ironic cause this is NO laughing matter). Yeah um someone skipped a step in the process and did not tell me to bring cash or check so that I wouldnt have to listen to them RIPPING MY FLIPPIN TEETH OUTTA MY HEAD!!!! And just to make matters worse it had to be paid UP FRONT, so i had NO choice but to take the option three...........LOCAL ANESTHESIA!!!



"Are you freaking kidding me"



No, no im not.....



So im like "Stac, your a trooper, suck it up, you can do it!!!"

So....... that I did, I told the lady at the front with the sweetest smile i could muster....."OH, um, okay, yeah sure, thats fine, mmmhmm." "450 dollars staci, 450 dollars"



I hear my name being called, I walk to the room, and they tell me "Hi, Staci, Okay first we are going to go ahead and insert this IV, (okay side note I HATE IVS, they hurt like Hades, not to mention my veins SUCK so I usually have to have an IV specialist insert one, this became even more clear with this episode) only they decided (since they are apparently BRILLIANT) that they wanted to put it just below my bicep area..........yeah.......i know........all you nurses are saying "WHAT THE???" WHO DOES THAT.....i even said

"now im no nurse, but um....yeah.....WHY???"

And they proceeded to tell me it would make my "stay" more comfortable, because i was going to be having blood drawn every hour. First of all, all i really wanted to say was "no (insert choice word here) Sherlock" "what i meant was WHY are you putting an IV in my shoulder?"

But they tried anyway and what do you know.....

it didnt work....

However i got a nice souvenir, a soft ball sized bruise and looked like a heroin addict that couldn't use certain veins anymore so moved to more difficult ones.......

Anyway, im like "okay, really, it CANT get any worse RIGHT?" WRONG!!!

So then i see it....yeah IT, the big Bazooka sized needle.....GRRRREAT!!! He tells me, "Okay now this is going to sting a lil" A LITTLE?? ARE YOU JOKING!!! IM NOT FIVE!!!! IM NOT GOING TO RUN TO THE PRIZE BOX AFTER THIS, YOUR YANKING MY TEETH OUTTA MY HEAD FOR GODS SAKE!!!

Whats worse (dear God HOW can it get any worse) he POKES ME WITH THE NEEDLE IN THE FREAKIN LIP!!!! Which woulda been okay if i was getting my lips done, but IM NOT!!! GEEZ

By this point im contemplating getting up outta this chair, cold cocking him right in his chin and bee lining right outta there.....why i didnt.....i still ask myself that question.

There is some humor to this story, and that was when he proceeded to hand me some head phones and told me i could listen to some "music" would take the edge off......

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA

DUDE your gonna have a DRILL in my mouth, im thinkin i wont be able to hear a darn thing, THANKS BUT....... NO!!!!!

SO THEN (theres more??? oh yes) He starts drillin, and i mean to tell you it was the worst noise i could possibly EVER listen to........and a few mins in the surgery my tooth pops up and almost goes down my throat.......FIGURES....oh but thats not the best part my friends.....his sidekick CAPTAIN IDIOT, decides to throw me in an upwards motion so as not to swallow the darn tooth, and Doctor Death FREAKS OUT, and starts screaming obscenities to his assistant which at this point if he hadnt i would have, i mean the guy had about a million tools in my mouth that could have sliced me open in a split second. HOLY CANOLI I thought i was going to be a witness to a murder the way he scolded her.

When all was done I was shuffled into a holding tank with about a bazillion other lab rats.....where we were forced to eat PB and J all night and watch each other drool....oh and lets not forget there was no sleep because of the hourly blood draining.......so they give you this "pain med" and a stop watch and if the pain ends you stop the watch....mine never stopped.....you see I got the placebo.............OMG!!!! I know you are shocked!!!! You must be right??? :) So i finally told one of the nurses, um yeeeah your gonna need to give me a rescue drug and a guarantee that im gonna get my 450 otherwise yall are D-E-A-D!!!

I was NOT a happy camper!!!

So the night was HORRIBLE with a capital H and when jay came to pick me up ON THANKSGIVING DAY i looked like a chipmunk with a deformation cause i only got two out....they only do two at a time......and that day sucked just as bad because who wants to watch their entire family pig out on Thanksgiving feast and be in sooo much pain you cant eat???

Did I mention I got a dry socket???

Now do you know why i am sooo thrilled to have this done???

*UPDATE*

Yes I am alive and well after visiting the best Dentist in the free world Dr. John Leland

So he gave me these two lil blue pills and all i remember after that was saying something to the affect of "im a lil sleepy is there somewheres i can go lay down?" Then I woke up at home at about 8pm to the lovely sounds of sibling rivalry!!! I am still in a lil pain....okay so i feel like i was punched in the jaw right below the ear.....however painkillers are my friend, they help me through the day, and keep a jolly smile on my face. :) see??

Seriously all is well and i couldn't have asked for a better oral surgeon, he even called to check on me....What a guy!!!

How do I Love thee.....

I love you because you love me for all my inadequacies, my mishaps, my mistakes, you love me for me.....

I love how you cant sit in silence, but you have to hum or make beat boxing noises.

I love how when you smile, you smile soo big that i cant see your eyes.......

I love how you snuggle up to me juuuust before I've fallin into a deep sleep and wrap me up and bring me close.

I love that you love Greys Anatomy, and how you love to decorate almost as much as i do.

I love how you smell (and that's saying something for the boy you are :) )

I love how your hair always stands straight up, unless wetted down.

I love how even when your tired, you still manage to scratch my back or play with my hair if that attention is needed.

I love how you take just as long as i do shopping :)

I love how you read to Logan before bed.

I love how you sing to Landon when he wants you to "Rock the baby" or read his thomas the train book for the hundred eleventyth time.

You truly are the most selfless and loving husband and father......

Happy Fathers Day my love......

My Heart

Sweet Baby Boy

Three Generations









My Love



Jason's Mom Dad and Brother Spencer

Tender Hearted Logan

My Husband Rocks Friday

Okay so heres the deal.....I headed to Steph's page just now and saw her "my husband rocks" entry, and remembered another entry on our new blogger buddy Katy lins page (SUP KATY).....so being the follower i am NOT!!!! (sorry thats just wrong not to mention nerdy) I thought I would go ahead and mention that my husband also ROCKS.....

Now, I dont have any flashy rings or buff bodies to show you, LOL (sorry steph i had too, but im so messin with ya) but I do however have the most tender hearted, God fearing, loving, sweet, sensitive husband on the face of the planet!!!

I had already decided after reading Heathers "how i met my husband" novel (which i love so much i am totally on the edge waiting for the next rendition) that I was going to write a novel of my own about how the Lord brought us together, so stay tuned cause it is a great story if i do say so myself. But because I want yall to know right away how amazing of a man he is, i will tell you a lil tid bit from today.

Okay so we are still in Florida.....but ive had just about all the sand/saltwater in the eye/sand in between my butt cheeks/screaming exhausted children that I can take. You stay at home Moms will understand why I laugh when people call this a vacation.....i mean a vacation to me would be on an island somewhere, with noone but me myself and I, where I could sleep for seven days without hearing "mom im hungry" "mom heeee puuuusssshed me" "Honey, wheres my (insert item of clothing here)" "babe could you rub my shoulders tonight" yada yada yada.....

As I was saying.....i have had it up to HERE with Florida....and i am sooo ready to come back to the comforts of home, so i am a tad bit cranky if you will. Not to mention I am the babysitter whilest every one else hangs on the beach.....so im throwin a tantrum knowing that I am going to be the one who has to change all the sheets on the beds, and do all the laundry hanging out on the front porch and laying on the floor, etc etc and I had just put Landon in his crib (screaming I might add cause he wants to read a Thomas the train book i have read to him until i cant read anymore) and I stomp off to put some laundry in the washing machine, when i return I hear silence, im like "dang he must have been tired" (if you know Landon he is a stubborn lil thing, and will scream till he gets what he wants) but then i hear a faded hum.......

I walk into the room that we have Landon in.....peek around the corner......and I see Jason cradling Landon in his arms singing Silent Night .....I know he sang that because he loved it so much as a child.

It is in moments like this....that all of that self pity fades....and I remember how truly blessed i am. There are not many men that are as tender towards their children as Jason is. He ALWAYS shows them the deepest affections, hugs, kisses, noseys......and he would be content to just hold either one of them in his arms all day long.....

Jason has not always been the man he is today(and trust me its not like he was EVER a bad husband) but I truly believe having children and prayer for my beloved has changed him in ways i cannot even explain. I have prayed in all the years we have been together (we have been together since 1994 and married since 2000) that God would mold him into an emotional man. I know some of you women could write a book on this matter. BUT, God has heard my crys. He is the man I was ALWAYS meant to be with.....EVERY single need that I have cried out to God for has been met.

See this is the thing girls, Men, they are not like us. Their emotions dont run as deep as ours do. I believe, because of all that I have been through with Jason, that God made it like this so that we would learn how to fervently pray for the men in our lives, and thus become closer to THE MAN that could love us like NO OTHER, Our TRUE father, our God........AMEN???

So anyway without any further ADO.....MY HUSBAND ROCKS TOO!!!!!

Helllloooo from Greyton Beach!!!

Good evening everyone,

Just thought I would give you all a taste of the amazing time my family and I are having here in Greyton Beach Florida. The skys are sunny and blue, the beaches are white with crystal clear water and we are LOVING it!!! I can truly say that I am having one of the best times of my life....i am exhausted from the endless days in the sun, but it is well worth it.

One of Jason's best friends family has a beach house just a walk away from the water, we have been coming here in the summer for years (first time since Landon's birth), in fact Jason used to spend time here as a kid.

Here is the house, and the picture that follows is me standing in front of the house but turned in the direction of the water.......

This is the first time Ni Ni has ever been to the beach, he was sooo amazed by the sand I dont think he looked up one time the first day we were here, he was constantly starring down at his lil feet.....

I had to take a picture of the houses that are on the beach, OMG they are beautiful, this area is just too die for......

The last time we came Logan was three almost four, i captured this amazing pic of him his first time on the beach, he was in awe.......

Here he is today doing almost the same stance, I had to hurry and capture it....maybe ill do it every time we come.........

And here are some of my favorite pics of the trip so far...............

My Handsome husband, i love him......

More to come..............