Life In a Northern Town!

I was able to go and visit my family and friends a couple of weeks ago due to Katie's birthday.
Although, I was just home a month prior, I couldn't believe how fast my nephew was growing!
Kyle is walking now, he's still alittle shakey, but for the most part, he gets around pretty good. He loves being outdoors, so I was thankful that the weather was nice and we could be outside. We walked all over my parents property and when we got to some uneven ground, Kyle would stick up one hand letting me know that I needed to help him through the rough terrain!
Mom and I also found and cleaned up a little plastic chair that Kyle could sit in. Although he enjoyed pushing it all over the garage more.



My parents live up on a hill, I thought the view of the driveway was really neat!



My dad built this tree house for Katie and now Kyle. Wade and I joked about the treehouse looking like the one we had when we were kids...yeah, we never had one but always wanted one!



I was able to visit with some friends when I was home, which was great! I had brunch at Perkins with Michele, Sharon (Michele's mom), Casey (my godchild) and Ed. Even though, we weren't able to visit for a long time, it was great to see them and at least get to chat with them a little bit!


Brad and Medea opened up their home for some of us to get together! Thank you Brad and Medea. Unfortunately, I didn't remember having my camera with me until I was getting ready to leave. Sorry, Karen, Chad and Teresa, I'll catch on the next round!

Karen (yes, there are two Karen's), me and Medea


Brad, me and Medea


What a fun packed weekend!

Katie Turns 8!

I can't believe that Katie is 8 years old! Time is really flying by!
I have to say that before I moved down here, I was concerned that Katie and I wouldn't be as close as we used to be. I am the only aunt that isn't married and doesn't have any children, so I was more readily available to play. When Katie started school, I was able to meet her for lunch a few times and then I started a tradition of spending 1/2 the day with her at school on or around her birthday! I know, that she enjoyed that, although, I would have to say, I probably enjoyed that time more!
I have been able to keep the birthday tradition alive so far even with being down here. I don't know how that will work when her birthday falls in the middle of the week!
Anyway, as I babble on, I am happy to report that our relationship is still very close. I may not play barbies or "house" with her. (Although, I did offer to be the grandmother that never came to visit!)She still comes and spends the night(s) with Aunt Stace when I go back to visit and I love that!
I know that as she will get older, Aunt Stace is not going to be as much "fun" or as "cool" as I am right now and that's okay. ALTHOUGH, I would totally be fine with her thinking that I am always "Fun" or "Cool" Aunt Stace!
Here are some pictures from her birthday party! Disclaimer: The only reason why I bought her a "Spongebob Squarepants" pinata, is because mom reminded me that we would be beating it up!!! I think I loathe "Spongebob Squarepants" about as much as I loathe "Barney"!


They're never too young to start playing sports!


I almost forgot, Katie had a "Friends Birthday Party!" Where she got to invite 10 friends to go rollerskating. Family was also invited, so I jumped at that chance to go and hopefully do alittle "Roller Derby" with my brother and sister-in-law. Unfortunately the chickens wouldn't put on an skates on, so I was just left with tormenting my niece and her friends. Actually I didn't skate a whole lot. I was alittle shakey at first, but then it all came back to me.
I was surprised at alot of the 80's and 90's music that they played. I guess I thought that they would have updated their music.

Another New Layout...REALLY!!!!

I know...I know...yet again I have decided to change the layout of my blog. I guess I just get so bored with it. Hopefully I will keep this one for awhile. :-)
I will also add some more pictures of the family from my trip home 2 weeks ago. Yes, I know, I should have had them posted already, yeah, yeah!

Fed Up!

You can imagine how surprised and angry I was at the gas station this afternoon when I saw the cover of Nashville Scene. There, right out for everyone to see was Ms Kelly Pickler in the slinkiest swimsuit laying on some money and holding a wad of cash. The caption read "Stimulate Your Summer!"

This has pretty much upset me the whole afternoon, I am so sick of images like this all over the place. I know...I know...it's not about creative writing and marketing anymore, it's just about sex.

I decided to write to the editors of the Nashville scene and give them my 2 cents worth. I thought I would include it in my blog. I tried leaving a message on Kellie Pickler's website, but was unable to do that.
It would be nice to see Kellie Pickler using her brain instead of her "plastic" body, but for those of you that saw her on "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader", you already know that this poor thing doesn't have alot of brain cells to spare.

Okay, I am done bashing her, I need to really be praying for her and the choices that she is making for herself.

Article:
Wow! What a great way to trash up your magazine by putting a "whore"iffic picture of Kellie Pickler on the cover. I wouldn't be so surprised if this was on a Playboy magazine or a Maxim magazine or another trashy magazine that corrupts men and families. I am a single woman who is so sick of seeing how women are being degraded. I realize that it was Ms Pickler's choice to be on the cover, however, why can't we "stimulate" people by being creative. Putting a pretty girl in a sluty outfit isn't creative at all! Gee, I wonder why men struggle with pornography.

The Turtle Rescuer

Sunday, when I went on my windy walk around the neighborhood. I came across a very large turtle clinging to life in one of the water drain thingies. You know they are on the side of the road, they have this grill that you can walk over and then there is this open gap...anywho...I wasn't sure if I should try and get him, because I was afraid that the turtle would panick and fall and then I would have more of a dilema of having to try and save him from the bottom of the drain. I happened to have gloves on because it was so windy. So I moved in for the rescue and mister turtle didn't move, maybe he sensed my calm collective persona...or maybe he just didn't care, he wanted help!
I got him out and told him that I would be back in 30 minutes. I figured that would give him time to calm down from his tramatic ordeal and that he would be able to be on his way, if he wanted. However, if he was still shook up and needed a place to stay, I would take him home with me. Having not shared this information with my roommate (Kim, aka owner of the house) I was thinking of ways that she would be excited about having a turtle as well. Now, I wasn't planning on keeping him in the house, Kim's got a great yard, fenced in and everything, so I thought this would just be a turtle haven. While walking(at a quicker pace then normal), I was thinking of all the things that we would do together (yeah because there are so many!)and I was thinking of a great name for my new found friend.
All my ideas came to a crashing halt when I came back to the rescue site and mister turtle was gone!
Oh well, maybe I'm just not really ready yet for the committment of a turtle!!

Aliases and Nicknames

Having just got off the phone with a customer who thought my name was Suzy, I started to think of the other names that I have gone by, whether there was a misunderstanding from the other person or someone just thought the name fit me better.

ALIASES
Suzy - I get that alot, I must not pronounce my name well!
Nancy
Cici
Jacki - still not sure how the customer came up with that one!!
Alison Krauss
Stayc - Okay, phonetically they were right on!
Tammy - No idea!
Stan - Really???

NICKNAMES
Giggles - yea I know, it's hard to believe
Giggle Box
Racy - Back in my Speed Racer days
Stacaramafest
Ace
Suzy Who - (or "who" for short) that's what my co-workers call me!
Amish Trash - it's a long story, but very funny! It's not as offensive as it sounds!

There's also a name that my dad likes to call me - Let's just say that if you have ever watched "That 70's Show" it's what Red calls his son Eric!! (You have to know my dad's sense of humor!)