New House!

Well we are moved in!! :-) Kinda . . . still some things at Shane's dad's that we need to bring over, but this will be the 2nd night we are sleeping at the new house! (in the living room on our mattress . .we took down the paneling in our bedroom and took out all the nails and spackled up the holes. . . need to do some sanding, spackling, sanding, painting, trim, new engineered hardwood floor, organizer in closet, new closet doors, and new light and we'll be all ready to move in!)

I have been taking pics, but have had no time to put them on the computer that is not here yet (promise I will get some up eventually though).

We have had some little problems so far . . Shane dropped tin snips on the kitchen floor and put a rather large hole in it. . . . we were putting away our wine glasses and I totally dropped one and sliced up my finger and got glass EVERYWHERE!! Shane dumped the kitty water all over the floor, and we JUST figured out how to get our wood stove to blow out the hot air! But it's nice and toasty in here now and we are finally starting to feel like we are getting things done.

And it's soooooooooooooooooooooooo great to finally have our own place again.

The Green Giants!

Well, I was surprised by the outcome of the poll, but 66% of you said that the healthy people should win! So I took your advice, and voted for this one guy who created a recyclable gym in his back hard for himself and his kids! He made everything from milk jugs, rope, pulleys, and wood!

Thanks for your advice! :-)

Move-in day for our new house!! Eeek!

What's Your Elf Name?!

What's your Elf Name?
(thanks to my Mommy-in-law for this fun tool!)

Health Dilemma

So my work is having this contest where people send in their "healthy choices" story and the winner gets a paid trip to the Winter Olympics.

They picked the the top 10 and the employees get to vote on who they think should win, and I didn't think I would have such a hard time choosing, but I am!

At first I read about a guy who was over 500 pounds and lost like 262 of it (let's call him Bernie)! I was almost in tears reading Bernie's story about how he struggled and tried so hard to lose the weight (you know . . . just like the Biggest Loser on tv . . because really for people to get in that condition and somehow find the will power to push ahead and work harder than I EVER have in my entire life is just amazing to me).

And then there were all these other applicants that talked about how they eat healthy, run marathons, coach their kids sports programs, etc. . and I thought "Are you kidding me?!. .. I'm definitely voting for the guy that lost all the weight!"

And then, right before I clicked to vote, I thought . . . "Why shouldn't I vote for someone who has made healthy choices their whole life? What makes them not as deserving as someone who has made unhealthy choices but learned they need to start making good choices? Because I am sure those "healthy" people have also worked just as hard, if not harder than Bernie!"

So I need help. Who would you vote for? And why?

The guy who worked hard after he ate his way to over 500 lbs and then realized he needed to change his health habits and lost 262 lbs (Bernie) . . or

One of the people who have been making healthy choices their entire lives (let's call them the Green Giants)?

Vote on my poll off to the side!

Port Farms with Bryce & Santa

We were lucky enough to get invited to go to Port Farms with Bryce to see her eat breakfast with Santa! It was so cute there and it was so cute to see Bryce in her Christmas outfit!
This picture was taken two photos after she just kept pointing at me like "Aunt Staci! I see you taking pictures of me . . . ok fine. I will give a little smirk so you stop."
Bry, Sommer, & Bryce before going in! It was quite cold and quite sunny!
The adorable fam! Bry, Sommer, & Brycee!! She was getting ready to go at this point, but it was so much fun! I don't have any good pictures of her with Santa because it was so gosh darn dark where they had him, but she was definitely not sure of him. Next year she'll be ready!

Getting Excited!

It's that time of year! Here are things I'm excited for . . .

• Steelers beating the Browns tonight
  
• Finishing up on Christmas presents (I think I am mainly done except a few things for a few people and I've been wrapping as I've been getting, so I'm all up to date on that too for the most part).
• Volleyball
• Closing on our NEW house on Dec. 18th!
• White Christmas @ Erie Playhouse w/Shane, Mommy, Daddy, Don, & Rita
• Dan & Marissa coming home!
• Steelers beating the Packers
• 9 Christmas parties/get-togethers . . .
  

Now things I'm not excited for:

• 9 Christmas parties . . ha! I mean it's nice to see everyone and eat and mingle and exchange presents, but holy crap! Isn't that way too many?! We won't have time to relax and enjoy!
• Paying a mortgage, homeowners insurance, taxes, etc. again . . . oh to just have to pay rent and utilities! It was nice while it lasted. (I am very excited to have our own place again though)!
• Realizing the Steelers will probably lose again and not make playoffs this year (maybe that will help on the having more time thing though).

Crazy time of year. For both work and personal life. It never is dull though, that's for sure!

Elf Yourself!

Yep, it's that time of the year!

Time to elf yourself! Or even better . . .elf someone else!!

My dad sent this to us!

Shane's reply : "See! I can dance."

House Update! & Missing Aunt Cheryl . . .

Well, as far as we know we will still be getting our own house by the end of this year! And, we are hoping to close on the 18th rather than the 30th! So we will be in before Christmas (well . . . . we will probably be keeping all our stuff in the garage for a while as we tidy up and start some demolition and renovation)! It's hard for me to really get excited right now . . . I am hoping once we can actually move in, I will be really excited! I know the house will be a big project for us (lots of stuff we want to change/add/etc)!


On the flip side . . . Today marks two years from when my Aunt Cheryl passed away from an unexpected brain aneurysm. I still think about her all the time and it's just so sad that something so sudden happened to her two years before she even saw her 50th birthday. God just could not wait to have her! I know her and my Grandpa are having a great time up there together though! One day we'll all be able to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas and Birthdays together again! They both just added so much to our family and it's just not the same during holidays. :-(


From Alan Jackson's "Sissy's Song":

Loved ones she left behind
Just trying to survive
And understand the why
Feeling so lost inside
Anger shot straight at God
Then asking for His love
Empty with disbelief
Just hoping that maybe

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me

It's hard to say goodbye
Her picture in my mind
Will always be of times I'll cherish
And I won't cry 'cause

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me

Decapitated Deer : Count 2

Umm . . . ok . . . really starting to get freaked out . . .

Yesterday, I saw a second deer with its head cut off on the side of the road (this time it was on I-90). Really people?! (I mean I guess I hope it's the same person that did the last one so we at least have only one crazy in Erie instead of 2 or more!!)

Have some respect for the poor deer that get hit by cars and for the people that have to drive by and see headless deers with nasty stuff pouring out the neck.

p.s. - The other deer was covered up by hay like a day later, so whoever did that . . thanks.