Yes, We Are Alive...

I hope you will all forgive me for waiting TWO weeks to update the blog!  I have been taking care of this little guy, who has been sick. sick. sick.

Yes it is March and those are Christmas pajamas.  Yes that is oatmeal ALLLLL over the place.  Yes he had pink eye in BOTH eyes as well as a sinus infection.  Just as he was getting over that he seemed to catch a flu bug.  I hope he is finally on the mend, if it weren't for his allergies and his constantly runny nose.  Anyway, you get the idea - I have been otherwise occupied with very important things!

I can't believe it will be April in two days. Has it really been over 3 months since Christmas?  3 months since we last saw Andy?  Crazy.  We are down to less than two months until Andy comes home, and I couldn't be more ecstatic.

We've also had some special visitors over the past week!  Nana and Aunt MacKenzie (Andy's Mom and Sister) came to visit us for MacKenzie's spring break.  It was SO wonderful having them here.  We kept ourselves busy with lots of sewing, a birthday celebration and little shopping trips here and there.  It was awesome.  For her Senior project MacKenzie made 3 quilts.  One for herself (a Young Women's value quilt) and two to give away.  We all pitched in and helped...especially my mother.  We had a great time and I think MacKenzie is proud of her work!  Beware, this may be a picture overload!

Two of the quilts will be going children who have a deployed parent.  I think this is such a wonderful idea and will be such a special thing for these kids to have.  We had so much fun making these!

Whew! That was a lot of pics...but wouldn't you agree that the quilts turned out spectacular?  Three quilts in one week is pretty awesome if you ask me.

We also had a little BIRTHday celebration for Kenzie.  Although it wasn't her actual birth DAY, we wanted to surprise her while she was here.  For anyone who knows MacKenzie, they know about two of her favorite things.  Bacon and Jacob Black.  So in honor of those two things...we came up with this....

A bacon cake. Granted this was my first time EVER working with fondant (and just may be my last)...and granted it may look more like camo than a piece of bacon.  But just use your imagination...Kenzie loved it, and that's all that mattered! In case you were wondering...NO, there wasn't actual bacon in the cake. I am not sure anyone but Kenzie would have enjoyed that.  :)

As for gifts...she got what she always wanted!

Jacob magnets and a Jacob T-shirt.  I think she was one happy little lady!

Anyway, as you can see...life has been a little busy lately and we are getting back to reality! Here are just a few more pictures for your enjoyment.  As if we didn't have enough already! :)

All Mixed Up...

I think Noah might be confused as to what these things are REALLY used for......

{Please excuse the dirty face!}

Happiness Is A Habit

Hey friends.  It's me again, long time no see! Actually, life has been a little crazy this week.  I am happy for the weekend! How about you?  Nothing like starting the weekend off with a little trip to the BURG to see my sweet sister-in-law Nat.  Grabbin some lunch, and of course a little frozen yogurt as well.  Heaven.  We jammed to Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber and maybe even a little Lady Antebellum.  Can't help but sing a long. In fact I am singing those songs in my head as I write this.  Ask anyone who knows me well, you could sing the first three words of a song, and if I know it - I will be singing it all day.  It drives me crazy really.

Sorry about getting off subject!  Onto a few pics and updates...as if you all care.  This week was a good week.  Not only did I finish 3 books (yes, I know), but I also attended a little Ladies night with all the ladies from church.  It was wonderful and the speakers were awesome. 

First things first.  My latest reads.  When I get into a book, I REALLY get into it.  If I cannot put it down, chances are I may not finish it at all.  But I didn't have that problem with any of these.

Nicholas Sparks - The Last Song

Ok ok, I know that usually Nicholas Sparks books can end in a very depressing way....hence the reason I have YET to read or watch Dear John.  But although there are sad parts in the book, I didn't cry.  And to it's credit, it actually does have a happy ending.  PLUS, much like many of Nicholas Sparks books...the Last Song movie comes out at the end of the month.  All the more reason. 

Suzanne Collins- The Hunger Games and Catching Fire

My friend Brittany told me about these books several months ago.  I went to the Public Library here in town, but the waiting list had 70 plus people on it, so I forgot about it for a while.  Then just last week my sister-in-law Allice mentioned it again, and I decided that instead of waiting 6 months to read it, I would just buy it.  I finished the first book in a day and a half...and then Catching Fire took me about 2 days.  I was totally sucked in.  Read during Noah's naps, sometimes even while he would play...and of course I read late into the night.  Way past my bed time.  There is a third book that comes out in August to finish the series.  And boy does it need finishing!  Team Peeta anyone??  (PS.  I hope they make these books into movies!)

So there you have my latest book reviews.  Now I am moving on.  I am going to try and read a book I bought at the famous Powell's Book Store in Portland OR (any of you ever been?  It's awesome/crazy).  We will see if it catches me like these did.

Next up- Ladies Night!  aka. Relief Society.  How to Be an Eight Cow Woman - name that movie!  I loved the speakers.  The night was geared toward knowing who we are.  Being individuals, and being happy.  One of the speakers said that Happiness is a Habit.  I love that thought. There is always something to be grateful for.    Is it just me or is life in the blogging world SO competitive?!  Sometimes I read blogs and think 'I don't have those talents, I can't do that.  Should I be doing that?  Will that make me a better mother?  Wife?'  Probably not.  I have realized that maybe I am not as talented a sewer, photographer, cook, or mother as some may be.  But that doesn't mean I don't have my own strengths...so why compare ourselves to others?   In the words of Johnny Lingo: "Many things can happen, to make a woman beautiful - but the thing that matters most is what she thinks of herself."

To The Young Women by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Joy Cometh in the Morning by Elder Russel M. Nelson

Lastly, Noah has been a little snotty lately.  By snotty I mean snot running out is nose.  He could never be snotty in the other sense.  Anyway, come to find out - the little fella's getting a molar! No wonder his nose is like a faucet! That makes 8 teeth total.  One of them I call the fang.  On top, he has a tooth to the left of his front teeth - it really looks like a fang.  "Is that normal?" I ask my mother, who has worked in the dental field for 30 plus years.  She doesn't seem to be worried, so apparently I am freaking out for nothing.  What could a fang like tooth be used for?  Well biting obviously, which he will occasionally do.  Shredding meat, his daddy would be so proud.  Dressing up as a vampire for Halloween?  Quite possibly.  I will try and make the fang work to his advantage...heck, it could end up becoming part of Noah's character. On to the pictures and a little video for your viewing pleasure.  Noah sure is ticklish!    

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

ONE more thing.  Thank you to all of those who read and responded to my note about my Uncle Kyle.  He is doing much better.  After his surgery his progress has been amazing...aside from finding a class 3 tumor mass he has been in good spirits.  He will be heading home soon for more recovery, before he goes back in to have the tumor removed.  We hope he knows how much we love him and are praying for him. 

The Time I Almost Got Kidnapped by a One Armed Man

Last weekend I made a little road trip to UT with my sister-in-law and relayed this special story to her.  I soon realized that I had never shared the sweet story with the rest of you, and decided today was the day.  {This one's for you Chels}

Back in the summer of 2004 {I can hardly believe it's been 6 years!} my BFF Chelsea and I decided to take a Western Caribbean cruise.  Let's just say that the all you can eat frozen yogurt never made me sad.  We had a great trip...with stops in the Grand Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios Jamaica.  I have never been a world traveler...although I am a wanna be, so this trip was definitely an adventure for me. 

During our stop in Ocho Rios, Chelsea and I decided to explore the city ourselves...with a little help from a friend we made on the ship.  He was from Trinidad and because he looked Jamaican and had an accent that was similar to Jamaica most of the locals let us be for a while.  They assumed he was our tour guide.  He took us through some of the local markets where we picked up some souvenirs and saw parts of the city.  After a while he left to find a local store where he could call his girlfriend back in Trinidad and left Chelsea and I on our own. 

Before leaving he told us to be sure NOT to pull out our map, for sure that the locals would notice we were lost and take advantage of the situation.  After walking around for a while in search of the 'free beach' (most beaches there charged you to access the beach, especially those on hotel fronts) we decided to discretely take a look at our map to set us in the right direction.   After we were sure we were headed in the right direction one of the locals (who just happened to only have one arm, and one tooth) approached us, asking us if we were lost (what are the chances)?  We explained that we were looking for the free beach and he assured us he knew where they were.  Before we started to follow him he told us that he considered us JAmericans and that he would take us where we needed to go.  Reluctantly we started to follow.  I assumed that if Chelsea felt OK with the situation then I should be, meanwhile she was thinking the same about me.  We followed him for only a block.  As we reached the middle of the next block an old white car, with black tinted windows pulls up to cut us off, practically on the sidewalk.  The doors open quickly and 3 Jamaican police men jump out.  Our one armed friend glances at us, back at the police men and immediately starts running in the opposite direction, with the police in pursuit.   Shocked {to say the least} Chelsea and I immediately start walking/running back to the boat, realizing that our local friend was not as friendly as he seemed. 

We decided to spend the rest of the day on the safety of our boat...soaking up the sun.  It was adventure, and an experience I know neither of us will ever forget.  I did find it ironic that while walking back to the boat we saw a sign for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints meeting house.  It's amazing how I look back now {and even then} and can see clearly how we were being protected. 

Here is a video we documented the experience with, minutes after it happened.  Along with some awesome pictures of our cruise, for old times sake.

Hangin With the Boys

10 Months, Baby Shower and Help from Above

Today marks exactly 10 months since Andy left on his deployment.  I can't believe that it was 10 months ago that my best friend left.  What a difficult day, and as several of my friends have had to live that for themselves recently- the memories have come flooding back.  Time has THANKFULLY gone quickly, and I am very grateful for that.  So a word to my dear friends who have recently deployed loved ones (you know who you are)- it gets easier (then harder sometimes, then easier again)...and we are praying for you always. 

This past weekend my sister-in-law Natalie and I (along with Noah of course), made a short trip down to UT to attend a very special baby shower.  Corey, Andy's brother and his wife Jenessa are the only Stockhoff siblings to produce a GIRL (so far that is).  There are 5 grandsons on the Stockhoff side another on the way.  That will make 6 boys and one girl.  Now the pressure to have the first girl is finally off the rest of us!  haha Thanks Corey and Jen! 

We had a great time and really enjoyed seeing all the gifts!  They did well!! And of course Noah was surrounded by women once again.  I think when Andy gets home he will take Noah out for a large steak dinner with football on the side.  Good ole' MAN stuff.  But for now he will just enjoy being with the ladies and all the PINK tissue paper.  Thanks to Uncle Corey for keeping a watch on Noah... Noah thanks you, and so do I.

Lastly, this past weekend my dear Uncle Kyle suffered a stroke.  He is currently in the hospital after receiving surgery to remove some blood on the brain.  If you remember, could you please include him in your prayers.  I would be especially grateful.