The Ultimate Blog Party with 5M4M

Although a little late to the festivities, I'm joining in with the 600 or so other moms already linked up to the Ultimate Blog Party over at 5 Minutes for Mom.


If you haven't participated before... The Ultimate Blog Party has become an exciting tradition in the “Momosphere”. It is a bloggy carnival where participating bloggers publish a “party post” introducing themselves and then party hop through the linky lists meeting other bloggers.

This is my first time joining in, and I'm looking forward to finding lots of new blogs to read. And I'm excited about all the fab prizes being offered too (#105, #72, #83, and USC 8 all look wonderful).

If this is your first time here, welcome! I'm Staci, mom to one crazy little boy. I love taking pictures, exploring the outdoors, and baking. (And right about now, I feel like I'm writing a really bad personal ad.)I've been blogging for almost 2 years. Over time, my blog has gone through many changes. Now, I find myself writing more and more about the things I love. My family, my photos, my food.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you back again soon.

Friday Night Live at MomDot

Over at MomDot, they are gearing up for a huge Friday Night Live this week. In celebration of Valentines, and to bring a little luck to readers on Friday the 13th, they are hosting a one night only blog party.

Sponsors include:
Macy's
Blinc
Things Remembered
Casio Watch (Courtesy of MommyGoggles)
Flip Ultra (Courtesy of The Posh Parent)
PediPed
Kuster
Trembini
Fruit Roll Up
And Dyson Divas

The party starts at 9:30 EST on Friday!

Cyber Baby Shower at SassyFrazz

Over at Sassy Frazz, a virtual baby shower is going on to celebrate the birth of baby #4. First a big congrats is in order! In honor of the event, there are a few baby shower games going on, and prizes to be won. This first is a photo contest, sweetest daddy and baby shot. Here's my entry:

Daddy dozing with GM when he was less than a week old. We spent a lot of time napping on the couch the first few weeks. What I love about this photo is how they both sleep with their mouths open (and they still do, too).

Game two is to guess the weight of of Sarah's second child, who was a bit over due. I'm going to guess 8lbs 3 oz. But I'm awful at guessing these things, so I'm sure I'm wrong.

Game three is to create a creative baby or pregnant momma out of Playdough. Have I mentioned how much I despise Playdough? I can't stand the smell, but in the spirit of having fun, I will see what I can create. Ok, no laughing at my poor creation! I know the belly looks a little more like a turtle than a preggo belly, but I'm far from artistic!

I'm excited to go check out the other posts and see what everyone has created! Be sure to head over to SassyFrazz to join in on the fun!

Blog Party Day 12: Giving Thanks

Today is the last day of MomDot's blog party and it has been so much fun! I hope ya'll are having a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoying some delicious food!

Today's Sponsors:
Georgie Tees and Musty

What a better way to end the celebration than to find out what we are all thankful for?

I'll start with a few of the things my then 3-year-old son was thankful for last year:

• Mommy reading to me
• Daddy zooming cars
• Grandma and Grandpa playing outside with me
• Heather watching movies with me
• Little M comes over sometimes
• Fruit snacks, marshmallows, and cheesy crackers
• All my toys
• All my books

This year, I'm thankful for many things. I'm sure I won't be able to list them all here, but this will be the abridged version.

• My son and husband
• My parents, brother, sister, grandparents, nieces, nephews, cousins
• My family's health
• True love
• True friends
• Sweet moments in life
• Moments of peace (although few and far between)
• Good books
• Being able to see my son smile
• Beautiful photos
• Belly laughs and sweet giggles
• Having a warm, welcoming home
• Having a car that runs well and gets us where we need to go
• Good food and full bellies
• The internet
• All the wonderful blogs I've found
• All the bloggers I've met
• People who take the time to read my posts
• Coffee
• Weekend cartoons
• Traditions
• Discovery Kids
• Stickers & crayons
• Homemade cards
• Chocolate chip muffins
• Hot cocoa with whipped cream
  
• Memories
• Time to enjoy life

I could go on and on, but I'll stop. I'm sure ya'll are thankful for that, right? I really do have quite a bit to be thankful for. I can't wait to hear what my son's new list consists of. I'm sure I'll have him tell me what he's thankful for this year after our holiday meal. Happy Thanksgiving!

Blog Party Day 11: Food!

Welcome to Day 11 of MomDot's blog party! Tomorrow is the last day, and winners will be announced starting Friday. I'm very, very late posting my answer to today's question, but I don't feel too bad since my intro to the post was up at MomDot hours ago.

Today's Sponsors:
Shishu Style and Mimsi Bags.

Today's Question:
If you could only pick one food to eat on Thanksgiving, what would it be? Do you have a home-cooked meal or eat out? Does your family dress up?

There are so many yummy choices, that it's almost impossible to pick only one food that I could feast on at Thanksgiving. But, since I'm forced to make a choice, it would have to be our homemade mac & cheese. Let me start by explaining that I'm lactose intolerant, so I rarely eat anything with milk or cheese. But on Thanksgiving I'll chow down on some vanilla flavored chalk pills and take my risks with this delicious comfort food. I actually just finished baking it tonight, and it seems to be calling my name from the fridge.

We have never eaten out on Thanksgiving. I waitress part-time, and a restaurant is the last place I want to be on the holiday. This year is a little different because it's the first time my mom isn't making the meal. She has a lot going on, so my sister and I are taking over the chef duties this year. You may recall me mentioning that my culinary skills are not so hot (ok, they kind of stink), but I'm doing my best, and so far everything looks pretty good.

Our meals are laid back. Honestly, no one would care if you showed up in your pajamas. I usually wear something nice, but casual. There's no need to get all dressed up to spend the day helping in the kitchen, and no one's offended if I come to the table with mashed potatoes on my shirt or cake frosting in my hair. I think it's nice to be able to relax and enjoy the meal with family, no matter what we all are wearing.

Blog Party Day 10: Our Tree

Welcome to Day 10 of MomDot's Blog party!

Today's Sponsors:
Organic Blankees, Huddy Buddy, and Baby Legs

Today's Question:
How do you decorate for the holidays? Do you have a themed Christmas tree? Share pics! Do you think there is such a thing as OVER decorating?

One of things I remember most from my childhood Christmas's is decorating the tree at my parent's and my grandma's house. My parents always had a simple tree. It was decorated with ornaments we had collected over the years, things my mom had made, and things from nature. I always thought it was beautiful, even though it always leaned and fell over quite a few years.

My grandma had a much more elaborate tree, with ornaments from years and years of collecting. There were always lots of breakables we had to be careful with, a huge village scene around the base, and a million strands of lights and garland. I always dreaded decorating her tree for her because it had to be just right and it took forever.Our tree now has become our own little collection of decorations. We have lots of photo ornaments, plus all the ones given to my hubby and me as children. I let our son do a lot of the decorating, and keep it simple. We always end up with a leaning tree, or something that looks more like a bush than anything else.We don't decorate a lot besides our tree, but this year we will have our own Nativity set to put up too. Here's what my mom gave me as a gift last year:

Blog Party Day 9: Gifts

Welcome to day 9 of the MomDot blog party!

Today's Sponsors:
Cutie Covers, Jacscreations and Sassy Baby

Today's Question:
What is the most unusual gift you have received? Best gift? Do you re-gift?

It's really tough for me to remember any unusual gifts over the years, nothing jumps out at me, even though I'm sure there was quite a few. Living in my family, you learned early to smile and say thank you, even if you weren't quite sure what it was you were looking at. No matter how impossible it seemed to identify whatever you unwrapped you still knew to say thank you.

Instead, I'll tell you about two of the sweetest gifts I've ever received. The first was senior year of high school. During the school year, my brother had taken my senior portraits for me. He took this great black and white of me lounging on the railroad tracks. At Christmas that years, he gave me a hand drawn portrait of the picture that he had drawn and framed. I know it must have taken forever, and it was just amazing.

Here's one of the pics he took-I couldn't find the exact one he used right now...

The second sweet gift was from the hubby, three Christmases ago. This could be classified as slightly unusual too though. He had bought my a pair of baby booties as a gift, but I wasn't pregnant. As I opened them, he explained he was ready to try for baby #2 if I was. I had been ready for quite sometime, and he wanted me to know he was on board with it too. Even though baby #2 has yet to happen, I know the hubby and I are on the same page about what we want.

As for whether I re-gift, I do pass things along that we can't use, or things we have duplicates of. I don't tend to give them as gifts, but just to get them to people who will be able to use them.

Blog Party Day 8: Black Friday

Welcome to day 8 of MomDot's huge blog party!

Today's Sponsors:
Koshas, Leapfrog and Soda Club

Today's Question:
Do you shop on Black Friday? What time do you start? Do you complete your shopping this day? What’s the best deal you have ever found? What’s your shopping strategy?

Before have GM, I never shopped on Black Friday. The few dollars I could've saved were not worth standing in line forever, getting elbowed by some old lady, or being cussed out over the last talking Elmo. Really not worth it. Once GM arrived, four years ago, I had to start saving money, and getting good deals. And, lo and behold, I ventured out for my first adventure into the world of Black Friday.

I honestly dread it, but we all make sacrifices. So, I get myself up and out the door by 4 am, with a crabby, cranky, irritable 4 year old in tow. Did I mention he's annoyed if he doesn't get a full night's sleep? And we meet up with whoever is available to go, be it my mom, my sister, my sister's best friend, anyone at all, as long as I'm not facing the mob alone.

We have our plan laid out the night before. We scour circulars for the best deals, the top must-buys of the days, and we head there first. Then we go to a few other stores and make it home before 9 am. I never get everything all in one day, but I do manage to cross quite a few things off my list. The best deal I've ever gotten was a kid's laptop computer last year, that was originally $40, on sale for $10. Too bad, GM wasn't thrilled and used it once, maybe he'll grow into it.

Do you shop? What's on your list of must-haves this year? I really need ideas on what to get my 4 year old!

Blog Party Day 7: Naughty or Nice

Today's sponsors: Sillymonkeez and My Baby Bump

I'm making a list checking it twice...I can't be the only one who had that song pop into their head when hearing today's question for the MomDot blog party.

So who is on my naughty list? I can't think of a single person. Maybe the cat. She drives me crazy, with her furballs and constant need to be up my behind. But, that is my my short naughty list.

This nice list could go on an on. Of course my little one and the hubby are on the nice list. They drive me crazy daily, but they are my world. I'd have to say that all the rest of my family makes this list too. Since I don't want to bore you with all the details, I'll just tell you that my family is amazing, they help me out whenever I need it, they cheer me up, and they've always been a huge part of my son's life. I really can't ask for more.

This is a family photo from 2004, I was 8 1/2 months pregnant! That's me in the blue, with my parents, sister, and bother.
Here's me with the rest of the family a few years ago.

Blog Party Day 6: Memories

Welcome to Day 6 of the MomDot Blog Party! I'm really late today from being at work and having 3 times the kids this afternoon, but I'm finally getting my post up!

Today's Sponsors:
Flying Colors Baby, Uncommonly Cute and Lollipop Book Club.

Today's Question:
What's your favorite holiday memory from your own childhood?

This is a tough one for me. I'm sure I had a lot of wonderful holidays over the years, but honestly, I don't remember a lot from my childhood. Weird, huh?

I do remember our holiday routine though. We'd get up early and open gifts at my parents. Then we would bundle up and walk next door to my grandparent's house. Later in the afternoon, we drive a few minutes down the road to my other grandparents.

I remember all the holiday meals, spending time around a huge table with good food, listening to the grown ups talk. I think that was my favorite part of the holidays. Just sitting and listening to their stories. I hope that is one part of the holidays my son will grow to love one day too.

Blog Party Day 5: Giving Back

Welcome to day 5 of the MomDot Blog Party! I'm loving getting to know everyone a little bit better.

Today's Question:

Do you volunteer during the Holidays? What organizations do you donate your time to? How do you teach your kids the true meaning of the Holidays?

Today's Sponsors: Baby Pop and Chic Covers

When the holidays roll around, my hubby gets scheduled mandatory over-time at work. Between that and being home with GM all day, we don't get a chance to do much, including volunteering. Before having him, I used to volunteer year round and really enjoyed it.

Since we aren't able to volunteer directly, our family chooses 1 or 2 names from our local Star Tree. Basically, names of children in need are placed on the tree, along with their clothing sizes, likes, dislikes, etc, and the person who chooses their name buys items to be sent to them from Santa. GM and I go shopping for our chosen children. We usually pick out some warm clothes and a toy or two. Everything is wrapped and dropped off at the donation center.

I can't say that I've done anything specific to teach my son the meaning of the holidays. To us, the holidays are about family and giving, and we model that behavior for him. We include him in the Star Tree, we have him create homemade gifts, he helps bake cookies and hands them out to family and neighbors. We include him in all of our holiday events, he picked out our Christmas tree last year, he helps decide the menu (although I have to expand from chocolate cake), and he decorates paper we can use to wrap gifts with.

At the tree farm last year. We sent the Charlie Brown tree to live on grandma's porch.

Be sure to enter my Pillsbury Home is Calling giveaway!

Blog Party Day 4: Holiday Cooking

We've made it to day 4 of MomDot's Blog Party! Today's sponsors are Bottlewise Duos and Glow Mama.

The question of the day:
What is your favorite holiday recipe? Describe your holiday table.
What is your biggest holiday cooking disaster?

Since my mom does all the cooking for the holidays, I don't have too many recipes to share. I do, however, usually make a side dish to take along when we head to my parents. This year, I'm planning to take an incredibly yummy baked corn dish. It's so simple too!

Mix together:

• 2 cans of corn
• 1 can cream corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• pouch of corn muffin mix

*Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. I drizzle a melted butter and honey sauce over the top. Mmmm...

Our holiday table is busy! We have anywhere from 10 to 20 people there, depending on if anyone has to work or is at their in-laws, etc. Plus, we have friends who are always invited to share our holidays, who may or may not come. The food is set up buffet style, with a little of everything, from turkey and ham, to every yummy side you can imagine, to tons of desserts. It's loud with laughter, and dinner ends with lots of full bellies.

I don't have any cooking disasters to share, at least not any holiday related. I will share a quick, almost kitchen related disaster from last year.

We always put our tree up on a table, so the cat doesn't climb it, and no one knocks it over. I picked out our tree last year, and it ended up just a bit too big. I asked hubby to trim off some of the trunk, only to realize we didn't have anything resembling a saw. This is what happened:

Please note, that's my bread knife! Are you kidding me??

Blog Party Day 3: Shopping

Welcome to Day 3 of MomDot's huge blog party! I'm having so much fun reading all the posts and hope ya'll are enjoying visiting me too! Day 3 of the Christmas of Dreams Blog Party is sponsored by Appledonia, Hippo Toes, and My Bag by Kushies.

Today's question is: When do you start Christmas shopping? How do you budget for Christmas? Do you stick to your budget?

To be honest, I am the worst Christmas shopper ever. I tell myself every year that I'll start early. But on the chance that I do, I end up losing gifts I've bought or GM finds them and starts playing or I forget another event and have to pull it out for that.

I start my list in November, I may even pick up a thing or two. Than Thanksgiving arrives and I realize I'm pretty well screwed behind, and I start to stress. Any budget that I thought we had created goes out the window, and I basically use whatever we have left after paying for food and bills. I usually end up picking up a few extra shifts just to be sure we can afford the holidays.


Holidays are never huge ordeals at our house, but we do make them memorable. There's lots of crafts and homemade gifts, and GM always has a ton to open, even if that means a bunch of small gifts. We're lucky that he's thrilled to get books, games, and Matchbox cars, and that momma can usually find a few good deals on things he really wants.

I'm doing pretty good this year. I have almost a week til Thanksgiving, and I already have gifts for 3 people (out of 15 or so), plus 4 things for GM. This is quite the achievement for me!

Blog Party Day 2: Traditions

Day two of MomDot's blog party has arrived!

Sponsers: LaPlates and Lets Go Strolling and Natitys Design

Vip Blogs: Parent Reviewers , Mom Most Traveled, Mommy Zabs, MomStart, HipposToes, Run DMT

The question of the day is: What are some of your favorite family traditions? What are some traditions you want to begin?


We seem to have so many Christmas traditions in our family, from watching It's a Wonderful Life (in black and white, of course) on Christmas Eve to opening gifts at home in our pajamas before going out to visit family to having huge dinners, both on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.

(Have to leave out milk & cookies)

One of our family traditions is to take "bow photos." When I was little, one of my grandmas always wrapped gifts in the most beautiful paper, topped with every type of ribbon and bow you can imagine. As we opened the gifts, we would put all the ribbons into a pile, than decorate one another with them when we were done. Now I've carried that on with my little one, with help from the rest of the family, of course.

(Grandpa & GM-2004)

Here's a few more photos of my little one.
(GM's 1st Christmas 04)

(GM in 2006)

My family: Blog Party Day 1

Click button to return to see other entries.

Today's Sponsors: Day One Blog Party Question is Brought to you by La Belle Toile and This and That by Randi

VIP BLOGS to visit are Parent Reviewers , Mom Most Traveled, Mommy Zabs, MomStart, HipposToes, Run DMT

Today is the first day of the big blog party over at MomDot. The party will run from today until November 27. Be sure to check out the topic list if you want to get a head start on your posts!

To kick off the party, I'll be introducing you to my family, also known as the other crazies I'll be spending the holiday season surrounded by.

Our little family consists of just the hubby, GM (my 4-year-old), and myself. The hubby and I have been married for almost five years, although it feels like a lot more some days. He is five years older than me, and we have a crazy, long how-we-met story. We actually went to the same high school, but didn't really know each other until after we both had graduated.

He works hard to provide for us, and spends almost all of his free time at home with us. He's a great dad, and loves to take the little one fishing, to ride go-karts, or to the arcade. He is also a wonderful cook, and I tell him so all the time. This can also be interpreted as cook us dinner for us anytime you like!

(Daddy & GM: Christmas 07)

GM is a very active 4-year-old. I have no idea where this kid gets him energy. I rarely find him sitting still, but when I do, he's either reading or just snuggling up to me. He is obsessed with animals and plans to be a zoologist some day. His favorite animals this week include the spider monkey and the anteater. He wants to be a zoologist since "they get to care for baby animals, zookeepers have to pick up poop."

(Me & GM: Christmas 07)

Then there's me. I'm 23 (for 8 more days). I'm a stay-at-home-mom most days, but I work a few mornings a week too. I'm a photo bug, you never catch me without a camera, and I love to sleep, even though I never seem to get enough of it. At heart, I'm a country girl, and a family girl. I could never imagine leaving my hometown where my family all lives. GM is so attached to all of his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, that he's upset if more than a few days pass without seeing them.