i know bigfoot doesn't really exist, but....

bad math

guys in coffeeshops

dear leadbelly....stop scratching at sofia's bedroom window at night! (i'm not even gonna say please) grrrr!

really, why doesn't he?

don't wanna

mmmm....vitamins

why are we having boats for dinner

saskatchewan is boring, i mean flat

please let me finish my circle

if you want mcchange, just build a mcdonald's

hey, whatever happened to the *simple* games?!....now i need instructions to read the instructions, plus a week off to finish the stupid game

where am i

question number three/*happy mother's day!:o)*

Bethany

What are the top three ways Sofia has changed you?

Stacey

Sofia has been such a blessing to me, I can't even begin to tell you how much I love her and how much I thank the Lord for her every day. She has changed me in so many wonderful ways! :o) Here are just a few:

(1.) She has taught me to slow down, enjoy the moment and make the most of each day. I'm learning to see the world through her eyes. She wakes up each morning with a beautiful, beaming smile on her face- full of excitement and wonder at the world around her....When I watch her, I can't help but feel that excitement and wonder all over again. When we get older, we take the beautiful things of this world for granted and tend to focus more on the negative. With Sofia, I'm slowing down and recognizing how GOOD God has been to us. We have SO much to be thankful for!

(2.) Sofia has taught me patience. I thought I was patient before I had her, but I realize now that I still had a long way to go! For example, for the first few months of her life, I used to get frustrated and quite stressed out when it came to putting her down for a nap or to bed at night. It seemed to take so long (especially at nighttime). Now, I don't even care if it takes over an hour to get her to sleep at night! I feel much more relaxed as a mom, and thoroughly enjoy the time we spend together at bedtime. We read books, play, sing, nurse....it relaxes the both of us, and is very comforting. I'm going to miss these moments when she gets older! :o)

(3.) She has made me realize how much I love and value my family. I think I took my family for granted before (not just my immediate family of Hugh and Sofia, but my extended family as well). Having a child of your own makes you realize how important and precious family really is. Having said that, I want to also stress how important it is for us as a family to keep Jesus Christ as the center of our lives. He has shown me such forgiveness, kindness, and love since I became a Christian almost three years ago....I want Sofia to grow up knowing Him and for her Daddy and I to continue our walk with Him. I want us to be a strong family, and I know now, through experience, that we cannot do it without the Lord in our lives.

I love you, Hugh and Sofia!

:o)

P.S. And for all the moms out there today (including my own, of course! :o)....

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

:o)

Love,

Stacey.

question number two

Bethany

Let's say there's going to be a huge natural disaster (say....the big Vancouver Island earthquake). You need to stock up on canned goods to last you a month. Only problem is....you can only choose 2 types. What two would you choose? What two would you choose for Hugh and Sofia?

Stacey

Hey, now I get to plug one of my new favourite things....Ocean's Pacific Salmon Thai Salad! :o) It comes in a medium-sized, very-easy-to-open can and even includes a little spoon and napkin (although I've never used these....I just grab a fork or a spoon and shovel it into my mouth!). It's nice n' healthy n' gives me an energy boost at lunchtime. Here are the ingredients: thai rice, wild pacific pink salmon, asparagus, red pepper, dressing (vinegar, olive oil, mustard, lime juice, salt, tomato paste, garlic, modified tapioca starch, sugar, paprika), and peppercorn. So yeah, that would be my first pick! :o) My second canned item would be cranberry sauce (whole berry, not jellied). I loooove cranberry sauce (!), plus it would go kinda well with the thai salad and would fill any cravings for sweets.

Hugh said he would like canned salmon and canned spinach, which are good, healthy, yummy choices.

For Sofia, I think I would pick the thai salad again, 'cause I always give her some of the salmon-bits (she loves salmon). I think she would like the other stuff in it as well, once she got a taste of it. By the way, in addition to being delicious, it's also quite filling considering it comes in a little can!....For her second item, I think she would like canned sweet potatoes, since sweet potatoes are (so far) her favourite vegetable. Some sweet potatoes for my sweet potato! :o)

Wow, we're going to be like the Swiss Family Robinson, only with a can opener, less annoying, and we won't be getting our kids drunk at dinner (have you ever read the book?....I'm serious, they drink booze with their kids at dinnertime!).

we are fearfully and wonderfully made :o)

Recently, Bethany blogged about the beauty of cancer cells. I remembered this yesterday as I was googling random things that popped into my little head....I searched for "cancer cells" under "images" and found these gems. Beth was right- cancer cells *ARE* beautiful! :o)

try not to complain

I'd be a Tom Cruise fly, not a poo fly

EXCLUSIVE!

THE INTERVIEW YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO READ BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL NOW!

THE INTERVIEWER: Bethany Pearce

THE INTERVIEWEE: Stacey Van Hecke

*part of the "tag-you're-it" interview series*

Bethany (Question #1):

If you could be a fly on the wall in anybody's home, whose would it be and why?

Stacey

I think it would have to be someone creepy and freaky, like Marilyn Manson, Michael Jackson, or Tom Cruise (yes, Tom Cruise!). Are these people really as creepy as I think they are?....I would observe them in all their weirdness, and report my findings back to whomever is interested (including the police, if need be). Hopefully, their freakishness is amusing to me, and not, like disturbing. I don't want to be scarred for life from watching Michael Jackson put on his "face" (if you even want to call it that)!

Oh, and just to clarify: If I literally had to be a fly on the wall, that's exactly the type of fly I would be....just a fly, hangin' out on the wall ("ho hum, buzzbuzz"). I wouldn't be one of those flies that hang out on poo or old food....

*the intriguing answers to the equally-intriguing questions 2, 3, 4, and 5 to come in the next few days....stay tuned!*

looky here

i don't know why, but i really hate talking on the phone

www.nataliedee.com

check out the archives of www.nataliedee.com for more offbeat valentines (these two are my favourite so far).

time to buy poop

i don't care- i'm eating it

today let's be 50s

gotta love that old-timey stuff! :o)

I found this really cool website the other day: www.kiddierecords.com It's a site "celebrating the golden age of children's records". There's lots of great stuff here from the 40s and 50s....Gene Autry telling The Nativity Story, politically-incorrect children's songs like Ten Little Indians, creepy little forest elves (who don't exist, by the way....:o) singing equally-creepy kiddie tunes.

Where else are you gonna find this great, old-timey stuff?! No where, I tell you! Nowhere! So go to it right now and have a listen (the best/easiest way to listen to the albums is by clicking on the AudioStream file[s]). Have fun, kidlets!

one of the many many reasons i hate starbucks

an answered prayer: a place to learn and play

Ever since Sofia was born, I have been praying for a program in our neighbourhood for babies and toddlers. Well, this week, just around the corner at an elementary school, the StrongStart Early Learning Centre began....
StrongStart is an early learning program for children five years old and under (yes, even babies!). Our community recently received a large government grant to fund this project, so all the books, toys, etc. are brand new.

It's a free, drop-in program for parents and their children (this isn't a daycare by any means- you are responsible for your child at all times) that runs every morning, five days a week.

Needless to say, I am one happy Mom! :o) I now have a place to take Sofia to meet other babies her age, a place where she can learn, play, and grow. Plus, I get a chance to meet other Moms in the neighbourhood!

Amen to that! :o)

Have a great weekend, everybody!

smugmug updates

Sofia has been such a cutie lately (even more so than usual) that I've been taking a ton of photos (as you know, I love taking pictures!).
So check out the latest on my SmugMug!

Go to www.staceface.smugmug.com

Goodnight! (time to get the little munchkin ready for beddy-bye)

:o)

it is time to give myself a manicure and get rid of my gross nails before i poke someone's eye out

would you like a refreshing drink to go with your refreshing drink?

hugh's mom says that one day she would like to see me "with lots of make-up on"

don't forget to wash yer butt

i love ze french fry

spring-a-ding-ding

it's a beautiful day today, so sofia and i are going to go for a nice "walk walk"!

:o)

ants in da pants

sofia on smugmug

Hey kids, have you checked out my SmugMug lately?....

I've been adding lots of new photos in the last few weeks....

So come visit us at: www.staceface.smugmug.com

:o)

P.S. I have been so thankful to the Lord these last few days....We finally put Sofia's crib in her little bedroom on Saturday, and, ever since then, her sleep habits have been improving. AND (!) she no longer wakes up at 5:30 or 6:00 every morning....I actually have to go in there to wake her up! :o) So this means I can have my morning coffee in peace and quiet and just have peace in general before I start my day.

Amen to that! :o)