Celebrate Good Times!

We ended 2008 by having a family night of bowling at Ham Lake Lanes. We had a great time bowling, enjoying dinner, and being together. The kid's did an awesome job of bowling...they even got a few spares and strikes. My bowling has greatly IMPROVED since starting our neighborhood bowling league. I bowled my best game ever of 146 (you are my lucky charm, Mark)! Mark and I tied...I guess we are even. We ended the evening with our neighbor friends, The Ringler's. We enjoyed chatting, playing, snacks, and a couple of drinks...thanks for your great New Year's Eve hospitality, Ringler's!

We hope everyone had a memorable 2008, and we wish everyone good luck, good health, and every happiness in 2009...HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!

Holiday Memories...

Merry Christmas! We had a blessed christmas spent with family. Amanda and Sam traveled from Chicago to celebrate the season with us. It was great to have them here! Our family has been generously blessed with gifts from friends and family. Our family received a Wii game system this year! We have had a lot of fun challenging each other in bowling, singing, racing, and so forth. The competition has been fierce, HA! HA! Here are some other of our top picks...

Calli...Nintendo DS and games, scrapbooking tote with supplies, Wii accesories and games, clothes, American Girl Doll clothes, and jewelry.

Caden...Workbench and toolbox, snowmobile hand warmers, Wii accessories and games,board games, backpack and clothes.

Mark...Cordless caulking gun!

Stacy...Digital picture frame!

Although it is nice that the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, the memories and treasure of family will live forever in our hearts. Happy Holidays!

Music Makes the Heart Sing

We enjoyed the wonderful music of Abiding Branches Cooperative Preschool Christmas program this evening. Caden sang his heart out to many christmas tunes. After the performance we feasted on cookies and milk while mingling with everyone. We were also able to view the preschooler's canvas artwork, he made some great masterpieces. Caden did an awesome job this evening, we are very PROUD of you!

Cookies, Cookies, and More Cookies

This afternoon we spent time with Calli's brownie troop baking holiday treats. We made a variety of goodies that each girl got to take home and share with her family. Caden was even an 'official brownie' for the afternoon! Everyone enjoyed measuring, mixing, pressing, sprinkling and dipping the bakeries. Calli's favorite treat was the wreath made of corn flakes! She loved melting and stirring the marshmallows, and adding the green food coloring. What a fun activity for the girl's to earn their cooking patch!

Decorated With Love

This afternoon we spent some special time with good 'old' friends. Our Christmas cookie decorating get-together was hosted by the Rosar's, and has become a seasonal tradition. We had a merry time eating lunch together, decorating cookies and pretzels, and playing. We also had a jolly good time reminiscing memories...thanks again for a fun time!

Under Destruction

Here are the lastest photos of our 'project' (duplex)...it's been a lot of work, but definitely worth the time! Thanks to Al, Jan, Joanne, Bill and Chad for all your generous help!!!

Reader's Theatre Performance

The students in Mrs. Bauer's third grade class performed four Reader's Theatre performances today in their classroom for family and friends. Calli performed in 2 of the readings and did an awesome job! The inflection in her voice she brings to each character is astounding. Her first reading was Jack and the Giant Sunflower (based on "Jack and the Beanstalk"), in which she read the part of the Caterpillar. Her second reading was The Elves and Young Stu Baker (based on "The Elves and the Shoemaker"), and she read the part of the second elf. It was amazing to see how well the students reading skills have evolved since the second grade. BRAVO!!!

Winter Holiday Celebration

We enjoyed a Winter Holiday Celebration at Blaine's City Hall this evening. The kid's had a merry time playing bingo, doing crafts, getting holiday tattoos, participating in the ornament walk, talking with Santa, and feasting on cookies and hot chocolate. They won many new ornaments to decorate our tree this year...this has become one of our favorite family holiday traditions.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

Santa came through our neighborhood on our city's firetruck collecting canned goods and passing out candy canes tonight! Our family looks forward to this event every season, and this year was no exception. Although once again, Caden covered his ears due to the loud sirens, he still couldn't stop talking about Santa and the cool yellow firetruck. Thanks Santa for making such a special stop on our street...

It's Official!

We did it...we are 'officially' landlords! Mark and I closed on our first rental property this past Wednesday. The final paperwork dispersed today, and we are formally MACY Properties, LLC (this is our business name with the state of MN-our names joined-MARK and STACY). This has been a dream of ours in the making...it has taken a few years to find the right property, and the right risk (risky for us, anyways...). The duplex is located in Spring Lake Park, and has a 3 bedroom unit upstairs. The downstairs unit is very quaint with 2 bedrooms, and a shared laundry/utility room. The project is already underway...we already have close to 30 hours in clean up, and prep. Our plan is to remodel the upstairs unit first, which entails all new flooring (carpet and linoleum), fresh paint, new counter tops, and a completely new bathroom. We have our work cut out for us, but as my wise stepdad once told us, "no pain, no gain", right???

We will keep you updated on our improvements...

Entry Way/Foyer...

Upstairs kitchen and living room...

Upstairs hallway and bathroom (gross!)...

Upstairs bedrooms...

Downstairs kitchen and living room...

Downstairs hallway and bathroom (yuck!)

Downstairs unit bedrooms...

Mark hard at work...

Our fabulous worker's, what would we do without them...

Goodbyes Are Not Forever

It is with a saddened heart that we regret to inform you that our dear Butterscotch has passed away. Our fond memories of her will never be forgotten. God bless you, Butterscotch. We will always remember you...

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,

It brings up some facts, quite profound.

We may think that we're poor,

Feel like bums, insecure,

But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;

We have guidance from heaven above.

We have so much more

Than they sell in a store,

We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;

Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.

Enjoy what you've got;

Realize it's a lot,

And you'll make all your cares go away.

Fun In the Sun

We spent a very R E L A X I N G vacation in the sun with Mark's parent's this past week. Al and Jan own a condo/timeshare in Long Boat Key, just outside of Sarasota, Florida. Everyone had an enjoyable time hunting for sea shells, splashing in the pool, taking walks on the beach, soaking up the sun, playing tennis & shuffle board, and much more. Caden decided this week that he no longer needed a life jacket to swim, and that he had become somewhat a 'fish'. He excelled in learning to jump into the deep end and doggy paddle his way to Mark in the middle of the pool. This is quite an achievement, since he is only 4 1/2 years old! Calli's favorite activity this week included swimming (of course), her hair is proof that she spent 3 to 4 hours swimming each day. She now has 'chlorine dredlocks', which we still are trying to wash out. She also loved combing the beach for sea shells. We brought home over 4 containers of sea shells! Shells anyone??? Although the temperature was cooler than average, we delighted in the warmth of the sun. Mark even spent a few seconds trying to body surf the cold waves of the Gulf of Mexico. I just loved getting away with our family, and spending some much needed down time. Thanks again to Nana and Papa for making such memorable moments with us, and for your fine hospitality!

I have put together a slideshow of our most memorable pictures from the week. Please enjoy them as you view it...and as always, remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

First Snowball of the Season

There's no time like SNOW time!

I'm Fur-fect

Our fur friend, Butterscotch...

a lovable hamster...

playmate...

and part of our family!

A Special Visitor

An aunt is a blessing

to cherish and treasure.

A part of the family with

with love beyond measure.

Thanks for sharing some time with us this weekend, it was great to see you! We are looking forward to you coming home again for Christmas...We love and miss you!

A Spooktacular Day!

We started out our de-frightful day at Caden's preschool.

Jo Jo, Papa and Nana also came to see our fabulous firefighter.


The preschooler's had an awesome costume parade outside, followed by a couple of cute pumpkin songs.

The friendly firefighting team of Riley & Caden.

Then we were off to Calli's monster mash in her classroom.
As pictured above...Mrs. Bauer and cheerleader Calli.

We enjoyed food, games, and a howling good costume contest.

Boo-Who? It's Calli and Alexis!

Happy Halloween!

We finished this bewitching day with our first annual neighborhood halloween open house and hayride. We feasted on hot chili, caramel apples, snacks and treats.

Kelly, once again, topped herself by making a cute and yummy pumpkin cake to share.

Farmer Mark had the priviledge of driving Papa's old Ford 9N and

leading us on our hayride for trick or treating.

The Boo Crew!

Our jackpot!