The Stubbs Family

Oh My Gosh, It's been forever!!!!

2010-05-29T06:40:00.004-04:00

Well, sorry people! I've been so busy over the last few months that I haven't blogged in forever! The main reason for that is because I've been working. I started working as the Academic Support Coordinator for the high school here in Enosburg Falls. It's basically a support person for students who need help outside of regular class time to study, work on classwork/homework, or tutor. It was designed for students who are not on IEPs. Those are kids with some sort of disability: learning, emotional, developmental.

Anyway, the kids are growing like crazy. The school year is almost over, so hopefully in the summer I'll be able to update a little better. I'll have to go through all my pictures and find some of the things that have been going on, like birthdays, sports, etc. For now, I'll just post some random ones. I hope everyone is doing good.

Halloween

2009-11-01T14:58:00.003-05:00

Well, I wanted to be on top of things for once! Here are our cute Trick or Treaters! We had the Bishop's family come with us. The men took the kids out and the women stayed at home to pass out candy and keep Adele entertained. We had a good number of kids come. I wasn't sure since we live in a small town, but it was decent. They scored on candy, of course! Thanks to the Dunham family for coming with us! We had a blast! Boo!

Fall in Vermont

2009-10-29T16:51:00.004-04:00

Well, it's been forever again! So sorry!!!! Here are some pics of things we have been doing this fall. Macy has done soccer and she loved it. Norah went apple picking. What else??? Oh, the kids played in the leaves. I hope everyone is having a great Autumn...

Summer 2009

2009-09-01T11:45:00.004-04:00

Well, this summer was very busy. We moved which was the biggest thing. But I already posted pictures of that. Some other things that happened this summer were that we had some of my family and Dustin's family come to see us. It was great having them come. We wanted to go see everyone this summer, but we just couldn't, so it was great that they came to us! Thanks again to our parents, Mitch, Meg, and Meredith. And also to Lindsay and Nate. They were both great visits. Here are some of the pictures we took with the m

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We're back!.....

2009-09-01T10:29:00.003-04:00

Well, hello to everyone! I'm so sorry that I never blogged during the summer! It was pretty hectic and I just never got around to it! I promise I will be much better now that school has started again. Here are some pictures of the kids as they started school. Macy is in the 3rd grade. Tate just started Kindergarten ( I can't believe it!!), and Norah started preschool today! Adele is taking a nap and I'm enjoying all the peace and quite! It's amazing!! Well, these pictures didn't really post exactly like I wanted. I'll have to play around with my blog to see how to do it right. I need to leave to get Norah from school in a few minutes so I'll post the summer pictures later today or tomorrow, I promise!! :)

Our House, In the middle of our street....

2009-07-05T15:48:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been forever since I've blogged. With good reason though. We have spent the past 4 weeks packing our tiny apartment and moving into a big house. Yipee! There is so much more space I can't believe it. We left South Burlington, VT and now live in a small village called Enosburg Falls. We love it here. It is beautiful with so much to do. I only have a few pictures of the house and area. I will take more pictures when all of our stuff is situated completely and we have pictures on the wall. But for now, here they are. Oh, by the way, We are doing a lease option, so the house isn't technically ours yet! But, the owners are letting us do pretty much whatever we want, which is great. Enjoy!

Adele is 2 months!

2009-06-02T11:34:00.002-04:00

Well, we went for Adele's 2 month check up today. She is such a big girl. She is doing really well. Here are her stats: Weight: 13 lbs. 2 oz. (95 %), Length: 23 3/4" (95%), Head: 40 cm (75%) I think she is by far our biggest kid. She is so long! She is such a cutie! We are so grateful that she has joined our family! We love you!

Kindergarten or bust!

2009-06-02T11:21:00.002-04:00

Well, it's official! Tate is now a kindergartner! I can't believe how big he is getting. This was his end of the year preschool moving up celebration. They sang songs and the teachers put together a slide show of all the activities through the year. Then we had a luncheon. It was a lot of fun and the kids were super excited. Ms. Roxanne was his teacher. She did a fabulous job. Tate totally loved going to preschool. He is really excited for kindergarten next year, but he is going to really miss all his teachers and friends from this year. Especially Reid, he was a really good friend. (He's the one in the picture with Tate) Enjoy the pictures.

Strawberry or not??

2009-06-02T11:18:00.002-04:00

Hey. Get a load of this strawberry we got in our carton the other day. Weird, huh? Tate sure enjoyed eating it!!

Little Treasures

2009-05-15T11:31:00.002-04:00

Here are a few of the little treasures I see every day! Adele is so stinkin' cute, I can't stand it sometimes!

Mother's Day

2009-05-15T11:18:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm a little late posting this. I hope all you mom's out there had a great day. Mine was really good. It actually started Saturday afternoon. Dustin ordered me a fruit arrangement from Edible Arrangements. It was yummy. We immediately started to eat it. Only later did I think to take pictures of it. It had strawberries, pineapple (some dipped in chocolate), and grapes. All of my favorites! Thanks Dustin! You know me well! Then Tate couldn't keep his presents a secret any more, so he gave me his on Saturday too. They were so cute and he worked really hard on them at school. I can't believe he was able to wait from Thursday to Saturday. Way to go bud! Then on Sunday I got my bouquet of paper flowers from Macy. They were so cute. I haven't seen anything like them before. As for Norah and Adele. They gave me some great pictures! I love my family! They were so great! Thanks for all the wonderful presents!

Adele's Blessing

2009-05-04T15:54:00.003-04:00

We blessed Adele yesterday. It was a beautiful blessing. She looked beautiful. Thanks to her Mimi and Pop Pop for sending us the dress and blanket. Dustin was able to bless her and we had some of our friends from the ward stand in with him. Some of the things she was blessed with were the ability to discern right from wrong, to have a clear mind and an open heart, and to make righteous choices so that one day she can marry her companion in the temple. What a wonderful day! Isn't she adorable??

Macy's Tortoise

2009-05-04T15:45:00.002-04:00

So a couple of weeks ago Macy painted an endangered species of tortoise for her art class. It was for a "green theme" project. She can't remember the exact name of the species. Well, her art teacher picked her painting as one that would be on display at the High School for an arts night. They had all kinds of art, music there from all different ages of kids. We searched and searched for her painting and just about when we were going to give up, we found it. Pretty good, huh? Way to go Macy!

Easter '09

2009-04-12T22:39:00.004-04:00

With Adele coming Melissa and I decide to go shopping for the kids Easter clothes in advance. This shopping excursion was the catalyst to Adele's birth. Well, thinking we were all ready, we never bought Adele an Easter dress. Luckily this is not our first girl so Melissa found a cute dress, put her in it and off we went to church.

Running late of course so we were not able to take pictures before hand. Of course, there was no picture taking possible outside as we had the coldest day we have had in two weeks (High-34) and it was flurrying. Trying to pretend that it was Spring because it is supposed to be warm on Easter, we headed of to church without coats. We arrived like 5 Popsicles (Not Adele because she was wrpped like a little Eskimo baby) feeling like the worst parents in the world, convinced it would warm up. IT DIDN'T. Our furnace has been going all day.

So, needless to say (but I will anyway because Envy is an ugly green monster), there are no pretty outdoor Easter pictures. (See Whitney's blog with beautiful pictures of Lexi, Tucker, and Daisy in front of blooming flowers like they live in the Secret Garden. I do have to say that those kids are beautiful.)

Once we got to church Melissa had to fed Adele immediately. It took a little longer than expected and the three kids were in the pew ALONE until after the sacrament. Melissa had asked two sister's that were sitting in front to keep an eye on them since I was on the stand. I have to say they did pretty well but I eventually had to leave the stand to take Tate out for a talk. Shortly thereafter Tate and I returned at the same time that Melissa and I returned. After the meeting I went over to see everyone before we went are separate ways. Before I could make it there Sister Cummings (the Bishop's wife) grabbed my tie to pull me down to her level, 5 foot nothing, and reprimanded me only in a away a grandmother could. I have a new appreciation for my kids and how well behaved they are. Sister Wachob, the other sister and the wife of a member of the stake presidency, said the same thing. Basic lesson, CHILL OUT DAD.

After all of that we came home to take pictures. Ours, unlike Whitney's, are pictures in our little dining area of the apartment. We had just gotten home and all 4 kids were starving for lunch, or at least ready for the Easter candy that would follow lunch. (Maybe we will put them back in their outfits for a staged Easter photo shoot. They really were cute.)

In all seriousness and with all dryness aside, I am so grateful for what this season reminds us of, the Atonement. I have testimony of my Savior, I love him dearly, and I know that he loves me. I don't know where I would be without that knowledge and am forever grateful for that testimony.

Awesome Quilt

2009-04-12T22:33:00.003-04:00

So a quick shout out to Missy's brother, Chad. He made this quilt for Adele. He is pretty talented and I thought he deserved accolades. It is also a good excuse to put more pictures of the baby for all of those that say that we don't post enough.

Norah's Birthday Party

2009-04-12T22:18:00.002-04:00

Well, Norah's party was a ton of fun. We headed up to St. Albans to have a small get together with Danielle Clifford, and Olivia. Danielle and CLifford's oldest son and his family came by for the festivities. It is so nice having friends that are like family. The kids made their own pizzas, we ate some of the best cake we've ever had and Norah opened her gifts. It was the best kind of party. (Ya' know that kind without a bunch of other 3 year olds running around like chickens with their heads cut off.)

We Love Norah!

2009-04-10T08:44:00.002-04:00

Well, Norah is 3 now! Happy Birthday Norah! I can't believe how much she has changed and grown up the last few months. She is hilarious and has quite the personality. She definitely keeps us all on our toes. She is very sweet with Adele and you can tell she loves her so much. She is always trying to tell us knock knock jokes and riddles. Though most of the time they make no sense at all! :) She loves trying to be a big kid like Macy and Tate. She is definitely learning and wanting her independence. She has to get dressed, brush her teeth, and put her socks on all by herself. What a big girl! We love you Norah!

Week 1

2009-04-02T17:47:00.002-04:00

Well, I can't believe that Adele is already 1 1/2 weeks old. It felt like I was pregnant forever!! She is doing really good. She eats really well and is becoming a porker! She is still in that sleep all the time stage. There are a few times during the day when she will stay awake for about 1 hour at a time. But, mostly she just falls right back asleep. The kids still adore her and want to hold her constantly! She definitely is loved! I'm feeling good. I'm almost back to feeling like myself again. Still sore some from the c section, but I'm getting better everyday. Here are some pictures of what she's looked like during her first week of life. Enjoy!

More...

2009-03-23T20:51:00.005-04:00

So...not so much new info to share. I did have the wonderful experience of having Norah dump her entire bottle of Chocolate Milk from neck to foot in the middle of the food court at the mall. I think it was a ploy to get a new pink outfit from the Children's Place. (The six she got on Saturday were not enough.) The high for today was -500 so taking her home in wet clothes was not an option. Someone said, "You now know what your wife goes through everyday." I replied, thinking myself clever, "She hasn't ever had that happen." The response was, "Well, of course she hasn't she knows how to prevent it from happening." Let's just say I ate my humongous slice of Humble Pie with a big fat glass of milk.

P.S. I couldn't resist the picture of Tate. He feel asleep with the hat on. We all were that zonked. Now, imagine how Missy felt.

Adele Phoebe Stubbs

2009-03-22T18:47:00.003-04:00

Well, our little Adele came to us early this morning. She is so adorable. She looks to be a good mix between all of the kids but we will have to see. I have posted some of the hospital pictures and will get more posted after we get some more.

So, I have to tell you about my wife. Many of you know Melissa as the passive, easy going individual that must tolerate an opinionated, proactive, and yes often adorable husband. Well, I promise that the following did occur though I am sure she will underplay the story.

Okay, so Melissa started having contractions Saturday around noon. they were progressively getting closer and stronger. (of course they were she was in labor.) She was nervous because she was afraid it might be false labor. Though she new it was labor after she tossed her cookies after dinner like morning sickness. When the contractions ranged between 5 and 10 minutes she called and her doctor sent her in to the hospital. Well, the resident doctor that was on the floor came in and checked Melissa and she had dilated slightly. She asked about Melissa's birth plan because the baby was transverse and after having had a previous C-section needed to know what Melissa wanted.

To my surprise, Melissa skipped over all of her previous conversations with her doctors and said that her Birth Plan was to get the baby out by any means. The resident said that it wasn't standard practice to perform elective C-sections on Saturday night at midnight and that they would not perform a C-section unless she was in active later. Without skipping a beat Melissa stared into her eyes and said, "I am not leaving this hospital with this baby still in my stomach." You could have cut the tension with a knife. Melissa didn't budge.

Needless to say she was in active labor (a mother of four knows her body) and she did have a C-section because Adele could not get into position. Adele Phoebe Stubbs was born on March 22, 2009 at 3:43 am. She weighed 8lbs. 1 oz. and was 20.5 inches in length. For those of you who have had the privilege of experiencing Norah, they have very similar personalities.

I was very proud of Melissa for going toe to toe with that lady. I just smiled and thought to myself that I was glad it was not me on the receiving end.

Puffy, but Pretty!

2009-03-17T10:56:00.002-04:00

So, the later it gets in my pregnancy, the puffier my feet and ankles seem to be getting! Last Saturday I went with our friend Danielle to get a pedicure. It was lots of fun and really relaxing. She insisted that we go, because I need something pretty to focus on while in labor! Funny, huh? Well, they sure are pretty! Thanks Danielle!!!

Brangelina's Baby??

2009-03-13T08:27:00.003-04:00

So, I went to the doctor yesterday. I'm 36 weeks now, which is when I had Macy. I had high hopes that things were getting started. Nothing is! My doctor said that she was still really high and I hadn't dilated or effaced. URGH! He tried to feel her to make sure she was head down and she was a little off to the side, like diagonal. So, he turned on the ultrasound machine to make sure it was her head and not her bum down there. Well, she's breech! So, I go next week and we are going to see if she turns on her own. He said they may have to turn her themselves if she doesn't do it on her own. YIKES! I don't want that! I've heard it hurts really bad and that's something I don't want to do. So, we will have to see what this little stinker decides to do. Anyway, he took a picture for me because she was puckering up so cute! I either have a kid who will give kisses away freely (is that good or bad??) or my baby really is Brangelina's!

Just waiting...

2009-02-19T09:47:00.003-05:00

So, a few weeks ago, my friend Vanessa wanted to take pictures of all the pregnant girls in our ward. There are 2 other girls that came too. They are from the other ward, but all their husbands are in Med school together. It was totally fun. In the beginning, we were all a little shy about showing our bellies, but we got over it pretty quick! Vanessa is very talented and I can't wait until our little girl is born, so she can take some photos of her too! I finally figured out how to save her pictures and get them on the blog. I hope you enjoy them! We had lots of fun! Thanks Vanessa!

It's great to be 8!!

2009-02-02T14:43:00.002-05:00

Well, we've had one of the biggest weekends in our lifetime this past weekend. Macy had her birthday and turned 8! She had a birthday party at the bowling alley on her birthday, Friday night. Then on Saturday afternoon she was baptized! We are so proud of her! Her birthday party was lots of fun and the girls all had a great time. The baptism was wonderful. We were able to have Mimi and Pop Pop and Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Nate come up for the festivities. Mimi and Lindsay both gave great talks. Pop Pop and Nate were able to stand in on the confirmation. Macy definitely felt the spirit. She is such a great girl! I'm posting these pictures now. My mom took some great ones too. Once she lands and sends them to me, I'll post those too. Congratulations Macy! We love you!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-09T08:37:00.003-05:00

Well, so I'm definitely a slacker. I can't believe I haven't posted our Christmas pictures yet. We had a great time here in Vermont. On Christmas Eve we went over to the other counselor in the bishopric's house and the kids went sledding. They had a blast! That night they opened one gift, their PJs! Even Pedro got some! Then Christmas morning was spent at home, nice and relaxing. Christmas afternoon we headed to Danielle's house and hung out with some of her family for the afternoon. It was really nice and of course there was lots of yummy food.

For New Year's Eve we went over to our friend's the Smith's house. The kids played and played and the adults hung out and played games, in between eating that is! Then New Year's Day we spent the morning home. We had a southern lunch of fried chicken, collard greens, mashed potatoes, etc. I couldn't find any black eyed peas here! The collard greens were frozen too, that's all they had here. I guess that's OK with me, since those aren't my favorites! Then that afternoon we went to the RS President's house and ate more yummy food there! Her husband is a chef and so there is always good food!!!!! After that, we took a long breath! It was a fun couple of days, but also busy. We wished we could have seen family, but it sounds like everyone had a good holiday season. I hope everyone's New Year has started off good...

Hairy Christmas!!

2008-12-22T14:25:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! So, my girls' hair is finally getting long enough to do some fun things with. Yesterday was our Christmas program at church, so I thought I would do a long time tradition in my family and put them in sponge curlers. So, Saturday night we got their hair all wet and then we put them in the rollers. Sunday morning, Voila! They wore their cute little outfits we got for Lindsay's wedding and were the talk to the ward! Tate was mighty cute too, though no curly hair. I wanted to color their hair red and call them Annie! The other picture is just a cute one of Norah with some pig tails. She loved them and wouldn't stop messing with them! We hope everyone has a great holiday season! Merry Christmas!

The first of many...

2008-12-12T11:32:00.004-05:00

Well, today was the first of many snow days for school. Macy got the day off. We have had our first Nor'easter of the year. It started last night and has continued throughout the day today. I think we still have a few more hours of snow still to come! The news has predicted somewhere between 6-12 inches of snow this time. Well, we decided to take advantage of the time and get all bundled up to really enjoy it. Here are some of the pictures I took. I tried to make sure you could get an idea of the depth, but I'm not sure if it's going to translate on camera or not. It really is beautiful and the kids had a blast.

Christmas Decorations

2008-12-12T11:15:00.002-05:00

So, we've been getting ready for Christmas the last few days. I think we are pretty close. Not in the getting gifts part, but in the decorating part. Here are some pictures: the tree, ornaments the kids made and other decorations. Enjoy! Merry Christmas!

The event of the year!!!

2008-12-05T10:12:00.003-05:00

So, as you all know, we just returned from our trip to Utah for Lindsay and Nate's wedding! It was so great! Lindsay was beautiful in her dress, Nate, you clean up nicely too! ;) We went all over Utah! I don't think I've ever driven so many miles in such a short time. We flew to Vegas then throughout the week we: Drove to St. George, Provo, Ogden, Brigham City, Salt Lake, Provo, Salt Lake, Provo, St. George and back to Vegas! WHEW!! (Did I miss any??) We had a blast seeing everyone and spending time together during Thanksgiving and the wedding festivities! Lindsay and Nate are on their way to Brooklyn, NY. We are so excited that they will be that close to us! We hope to see them often!! Congratulations Lindsay and Nate!!!! We love you!

Visiting the Koyles

2008-12-05T09:15:00.003-05:00

Well, we just got back from our fantastic trip to Utah. It was a whirlwind trip, but so much fun. We went out there for Lindsay and Nate's wedding. For those of you who don't know, Lindsay is Dustin's sister. It was beautiful, but I will get to that with the next post. While we were there, we were able to visit my brother Chad and his wife Jenifer's house. They have the cutest kids! We all had a great time. We got there on Thanksgiving night around 6pm. The kids immediately started playing and totally got along with each other great! The next morning Chad made yummy french toast and I made the bacon! It was YUM-O! We celebrated Erin's 3rd birthday that morning and then had Mexican for lunch! There are no Mexican Restaurant's here in Vermont! Go Figure! Anyway, it was a blast and we got some really cute pictures of the kids. Thanks to Chad and Jenifer for letting us stay with them! We loved it!

Too Early??

2008-11-19T09:10:00.002-05:00

So, I'm wondering if it's too early to start singing Christmas Songs??? Has anyone ever heard the one that goes...Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow?? These pictures are what we woke up to, taking Macy to school, and what it looked like around 1pm. I guess the snow actually stopped around 3pm so, there is a little more than these pictures still around outside. Of course the kids loved it. Can you tell from their expressions? Too cute! I guess this is just the beginning!!!

Drum Roll Please!

2008-11-14T13:36:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone! I went to the doctor yesterday for my ultrasound. It's a girl!!! We are super excited. Tate is glad that it's a girl, but he was hoping for a boy so he could get a bunk bed! Too Cute! Macy and Norah are happy to have another sister. I am feeling good and trying to be patient with this pregnancy! It is always fun to feel the baby moving inside me, but not so fun with all the aches and pains! Hopefully everyone is good. We are good here, we're really excited! Now for the name game...

By the way, most of the pictures say what each thing is. I hope y'all can understand them!

Spooktacular!

2008-11-03T08:50:00.004-05:00

Well, on Halloween we decided that since we lived above a dentist's office that no one would be coming up to get candy from us. We opted for going up to St. Albans to Danielle's house and neighborhood. She is the woman that Dustin works with that we've done several things with and my kids just love her and her husband. So, the kids and I arrived around 4pm and we started making our yummy dinner. We had hot dog mummies, moldy bones (breadsticks with cheese and herbs in the shape of bones), and southwestern pumpkin soup (so yummy!). After dinner, we got the kids ready. Christina (Danielle's daughter-in-law) came with her two boys also. We went around some with all the kids. Then Macy and Jensen(Hillary Clinton) went out a little more with Dustin, while Norah and Tate helped give out candy at Danielle's. Jacob(Elmo) had to go home for bed. We had a great night and the kids scored big time! They will be bouncing off the walls for weeks and weeks to come! Thanks Danielle!

Oh, here are some pictures of our pumpkin carving too!

Trunk or Treat

2008-11-03T08:38:00.002-05:00

So a few weeks ago we had our church Trunk or Treat. It was lots of fun and the kids had a great time. They had different activities. The funniest one was the doughnut on a string. As you can see, my kids decided they needed to be cats. Macy decided first that she wanted to be a black cat. Then of course, Tate said he wanted to be blue and Norah wanted to be pink. With the other baby on the way, I've got myself a litter!

What's to come...

2008-10-22T08:29:00.002-04:00

So, it's official. It's the 22nd of October and we are having our first snow!! YIKES!! Where did we move to? Of course, right now the kids are super excited. We will see what they think about snow in Feb or March. I doubt they will be as excited as they are today! The ground is too warm right now to stick and it's going to get a little warmer over the next few days. I thought though, that I would add a picture to show you what's to come. (I'm dreaming of a white Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's, and Easter, just like the one's I used to know...)

Leaves

2008-10-14T15:08:00.002-04:00

Here are some leaves that I found outside of our apartment. They are everywhere and they are beautiful! It is amazing all the different colors you can see. Many times there are two or three colors on one leaf! It's not just your typical colors. It's such an array of colors: Salmon, Gold, Fuchsia, Maroon, Bright Yellows, and true Orange, Yellow Greens, and Light Brown. Really, it is a sight to behold!

Flat Tyler

2008-10-10T08:58:00.003-04:00

We have these great friends, The Theobalds, that we knew in Memphis. We both were in school and had kids the same age. Well, once we moved away, we kind of lost touch. We ended up here in Vermont and they are all the way in Mesa, AZ!! Recently we have found each other again and it has been great catching up with them. Their son, Tyler, is Macy's age and they were great friends. His school was doing a project about a book they were reading(Macy's school did it too about 2 weeks before him). The book is about a boy named Flat Stanley. He is flatten by a bulletin board and then he goes on all these adventures. So, he sent his Flat Tyler to us and Macy took him all around with her. He went to school one day with her. They took a really cute picture that her teacher printed off for him. Also, he went with us to Quechee Gorge. Here are our pictures with Flat Tyler. I really hope he enjoys all our pictures and info about Vermont. His teacher should be getting the letter this week. Enjoy Tyler! We had so much fun with you!!!

Quechee Gorge

2008-10-10T08:44:00.003-04:00

So, Dustin had a friend that he met in "Basic" down in Dallas come to visit all the Vermonters she knew. Her name is Olivia and she was super nice. On Saturday we all (Several "Basic" People) went down to a place called Quechee Gorge. It was beautiful. We walked up to the dam and then down to the water. We also walked around the village some before having dinner. It was a great time and we really enjoyed ourselves. Here are some pictures. Some are the area, some are the family and friends. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks to Olivia for coming to visit. It was great meeting you!

Fall in Vermont

2008-10-01T08:54:00.002-04:00

Well, fall has come upon us. It is becoming cooler and the views are spectacular. Here are some beautiful mountain pictures that our friend took. Also, some not so spectacular pictures I took the other day close to our house. I hope you enjoy!

Mimi and Pop Pop

2008-10-01T08:35:00.003-04:00

So, a few days after Joe left my parents came to visit. It was a scheduled trip and we had lots of time to go do some fun stuff. This was their last time to come to Vermont for three years. They are going to be the Temple President and Matron of the Columbia, SC Temple. So, we will be able to visit them, but they are not going to be able to come up here. We planned lots of fun things to do. We went downtown to Church St. We had a very interesting day in Montreal. It was lots of fun, but none of us know French, so we got lost several times! We also went to an apple orchard for a fall festival and to pick apples. We also went to Sharon, VT. The missionary couple there totally remembered us from the week before with Joe. We had so much fun and are grateful that Mimi and Pop Pop could come visit.

Joe and Sharon

2008-10-01T08:22:00.002-04:00

So, several weeks ago now, Dustin's dad came for a quick, unexpected visit. I guess we really haven't blogged about this yet. Anyway, Dustin got called into the Bishopric of our ward. He is the first counselor. So, Joe came for a weekend visit to ordain him to become a high priest. It was a great visit, though way too short. Because of the length of the visit, and the fact that it was cloudy and rainy most of the weekend, we were not able to do very many things. We did go to Church Street, which is like most downtown areas. Also, we went to Sharon, VT. Which is the birthplace of Joseph Smith. It was great as always and we really had a good time. Thanks Joe for coming on such short notice. We love you!

The final installment...

2008-09-04T11:03:00.002-04:00

The 4th and final installment in the Stubbs family saga will be published on April 8, 2009. Hee Hee! If you didn't get that, We're pregnant! I'm about 9 weeks along and feeling sick as usual! I went to the doctor last week and things are going smoothly right now. We are super excited and can't wait for this new little one to join our family. The kids are excited and keep asking me all kinds of questions. Sometimes they are the kind you don't want to answer! ;) Well, we hope all is well with everyone else and we will definitley keep you all in the loop! Thanks!

First Day of School!

2008-09-04T10:29:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm only about 2 weeks late in posting this! Macy started 2nd grade on Tuesday, Aug. 26th. She had such a great day! Plus, she looked super cute! Her Grandma was still here visiting and was able to help her get ready in the morning and send her off to school. It was cool the first two days of school, go figure, so she had to wear her new sweater both days. The pants outfit was her second day and was the outfit grandma bought her. Thanks Anne!

When I went to pick her up that first day, she wanted to say goodbye to her teacher from last year and this year. They were out helping with the buses. So, as she was saying goodbye to her last year teacher, her new teacher came up to me and said that she had a wonderful day and that she did so well with the new transition. It made me so happy. She is such a great girl!

Then this past Tuesday, Sept. 2nd, Tate started preschool! Man was he excited! He did such a great job! He loved it and had no problems whatsoever staying behind while Norah and I left! I can't believe he is getting to be such a big boy! I hope you two enjoy school this year!!

My Birthday...

2008-09-04T10:21:00.002-04:00

So, it was my 32nd birthday the last day of August. It was a nice day. The weather was spectacular! After church we met up with Danielle and Clifford (Dustin's friend from work & her husband). We had a picnic lunch by a mountain stream and then walked a little ways to a waterfall. It was beautiful. The kids love Danielle and Clifford (especially Norah!!) and they had a great time with them. Thanks for the birthday cookie Danielle! It was super yummy!

More on Saturday

2008-08-26T08:56:00.002-04:00

So, after our great time in Sharon, we headed back toward Burlington and made a few stops on the way. The first was that we went into Montpelier to see the Capitol Building. We stayed there for a few minutes and then headed to the Ben & Jerry's factory! They have a little movie and tour there and at the end of the tour you get a sample of their ice cream. They were giving out sweet cream and cookies. YUMMY!! It was basically Oreo ice cream, but they make their own cookies. It was lots of fun.

Praise to the Man...

2008-08-25T16:53:00.002-04:00

So, on Saturday of our visit with Grandma, we went to Sharon,VT. It is the birthplace of the Prophet, Joseph Smith. It is a beautiful piece of property with a visitor's center and many historical things to look at. There is an obelisk there that is the actual memorial for Joseph Smith. It rises 38 1/2 feet tall. Which is one foot for each of the Prophet's years of life. It is made entirely from one piece of granite. Amazing! It was dedicated on December 23, 1905 which was 100 years to the day of the Prophet's birth. The only remaining pieces of the actual house the Prophet was born in is a hearthstone from the fireplace and also the foot stone for the front door. Also on the property is the foundation remains of the Solomon Mack(Lucy Mack's Parents) home and the Daniel Mack(Lucy's Brother) home. It was such a great experience.

Mt. Mansfield & Stowe

2008-08-25T16:32:00.002-04:00

Well, we have had the great pleasure of having Dustin's mom here for a visit. We have had a blast finding all these great places to visit in Vermont. I will probably do different posts for each thing, because there are too many good pictures not to include. The first thing we did was on Friday morning, we headed up to Stowe, VT. It is the little town that is right at the foot of Mt. Mansfield. We decided to go up to the top of Mt. Mansfield. There is a toll road you can take to the top and then there is about 1 1/2 miles of hiking on the rocks until you get to the "chin" which is the actual summit. It was tons of fun. The kids did a really great job. Norah and I made it about 1/2 of the way to the top, Anne made it 2/3 of the way. Dustin, Macy and Tate got to the last hump before the steep climb to the summit. Macy was all for continuing up there, but Tater got a little pooped and they had to turn back. It was beautiful up there and we had such a great time. After the hike, we went down to the resort part of Stowe. There is a big section for kids that includes and Alpine slide, rock wall and bungee/trampoline jumping. Macy, Dustin and Tate did the Alpine slide. They loved it. It was a great day!

Shelburne Farms

2008-08-14T15:52:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we went with our friends to a place here called Shelburne Farms. We are both fairly new and had heard that it was this great place with lots of fun things to do. Well, it was! They have this farm area with tons of different animals. We walked about 3/4 of a mile on a beautiful path to get to the farm. The kids were able to see goats, llamas, chickens, cows, horses, pigs, lambs, what else... too many for me to count! They also got to take goat fur and make a piece of yarn with it. Plus, they got to milk a cow! Also on the property there is a cheese factory where they make cheese from all the cow's milk they get. We really had a great time. Thanks Kaylene for inviting us!

Montreal Temple

2008-08-14T15:33:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone. A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to go to the Montreal Temple. If you can believe it, that is our temple district! Montreal is about 1 1/2 hours away from us. The closest US temple is Boston, which is about 3 hours away. Crazy, I know! Anyway, it was our entire families first trip to Canada. The border wasn't too bad. You have to bring (adults) a picture ID and (everyone) a passport or birth certificate. Well, as you can tell from the pictures, there are corn fields everywhere. Who knew?? The temple was wonderful, as always. It is a smaller temple and is very much like the SC Temple, so I felt right at home. I half way expected to see some familiar faces. The interesting thing was that even though the workers talked to us in English, they talked to each other in French.
The kids came with us to experience Canada and see another temple. Dustin was going to stay out with them as I was going to do baptisms with the 2 new member sisters in our ward. It was their first time and it was such a great experience sharing it with them. Very spiritual! Anyway, one of the older sister's in our ward came and realized once she got there that her recommend had expired. So, she stayed with the kids and Dustin came to help with the baptisms. All in all, it was a great experience!

Just One Memory...

2008-08-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

My friend, Rachel, did this on her blog and I loved the idea.

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

GO South Burlington!!

2008-07-24T10:54:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone. So, in our little newspaper we get for South Burlington there was an interesting article. In the Family Circle Magazine they recently announced (it will be in the August issue) their Top 10 best communities to live in and raise kids. Crazy enough, South Burlington was one of them! They used several things to make their decisions. The towns they picked all have top-rated schools, affordable housing (not sure if we agree that THAT is true??), and good jobs-along with a slower, easier pace of life and a lot less stress. They also said that the communities know and care about their neighbors and have real pride of place.

Way to go South Burlington! We were really excited to hear that bit of information. We sure like what we've experienced so far. 3 Cheers for South Burlington, VT!

We are really late.

2008-07-16T07:45:00.002-04:00

So, we are really late in posting this blog. I thought I would tell y'all what we did over the 4th weekend. See, I told you we were late... Dustin has some really good friends at work. He met most of them while he was in Dallas. He met one woman there and they clicked. She is hilarious and we love her! So, on Friday afternoon we went to her house. Danielle and Clifford Spooner are their names. They live in St. Albans, which is about 25-30 minutes from us. So, we hung out with them and their son and his family. (Also great people!) The adults chatted and enjoyed the outdoors while the kids played in the kiddie pool. We had a cook out that night (yummy) and they set up tents in their backyard for us to camp out! After we put Norah to bed we cooked s'mores by the fire and Macy and Tate enjoyed them (Sorry Norah!). Once all the kids were in bed, we got in their hot tub! It was great! We talked around the fire until we were basically falling asleep (well, me anyway) and then in the morning we made breakfast outside. It was so much fun! I'm sorry I don't have any pictures. I forgot to bring my camera! Thanks Danielle and Clifford!!!!!!!

From medium to big?!?

2008-07-13T16:35:00.011-04:00

Well, my little boy turned 4 yesterday. Of course, if Tate could read he would say that he is not little. The way he describes it Macy is big, Norah is little, and he is medium. (I get in trouble a lot because I forget this very strict rule.) He told me this morning that he thinks he might be big now but he is not sure. He has to think about it. (Just a side note, Norah cherishes being little.)

It was great day. We went to Mt. Philo and hiked to the top with the Smiths' and Dilley. The park has a road to walk up to the top or a trail. We took the road as we were pushing 2 strollers. The Smiths' pushed their kids in their stroller. Macy hiked the whole way up. Norah, of course, hitched a ride in the stroller. Tate on the other hand tired quickly, leaving me to carry him on my shoulders. (Luckily Dilley was there to help alternate with me pushing Norah up in the stroller and lugging Tate on our shoulders. See above picture of Tate being carried to the top by Dilley.)

After that we returned home to presents and strawberry cupcakes with blue frosting. As you can see one of Tate's presents was Hungry Hungry Hippos. A good part of Sunday afternoon was spent with Melissa trying to keep Tate and Norah from cheating. Tate would start catching the marbles before Melissa said go. Norah kept sneaking marbles from Macy's pile and put them in her own. Poor Macy, the stickler for the rules, couldn't win. They all had fun though.

Pedro

2008-07-11T21:58:00.003-04:00

So, I thought I would post some pictures of our dog Pedro. Some people don't even know we have a dog. We have had him for 2 1/2 years. He was a feisty puppy (not too bad) but now he is a lazy teenager (aren't they all??). As you can see from the pictures he pretty much lays around and sleeps most of the day away. What a life!!

Sam Mazza's Farm

2008-07-11T21:45:00.003-04:00

So, a few weeks ago we went to the Mazza's Farm for their annual Strawberry Festival. It was a ton of fun. They had great kid activities and yummy strawberries! You can see from the pictures all the things the kids were able to enjoy. I think they probably liked the pony rides the best. This farm is a great place. They have year round produce you can pick and a bakery (YUM-O!), as well as a flower/greenhouse area. It was lots of fun!

GUNS!!!

2008-06-20T09:58:00.002-04:00

So the other day the kids decided that they needed to show me their guns! Wow! How does that bumper sticker go?...My kids could beat up your kids!!! :)

Overlook Park

2008-06-20T09:50:00.002-04:00

There is a park that overlooks Lake Champlain and The Adirondack Mountains (in NY) so brilliantly named Overlook Park. It has some amazing views. You really have to be here in order to appreciated how beautiful it is. But I think some of the pictures have done it justice. We got there a little before sundown and walked some, then came back to the spectacular view and snapped these pictures. I hope y'all enjoy them as much as we did...

During The Last Blog

2008-06-20T09:46:00.002-04:00

So, while I was so faithfully writing the last blog, Norah had something else in the works. She decided she needed to look pretty. I obviously was working for a long time and didn't realize it because she sure made a lot of her face pretty. She's so crazy!!

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

2008-06-08T16:20:00.003-04:00

So last week Macy had her 1st grade school play. The title of the play is "Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock." It was a cute story about Anansi the spider and how he played tricks on all the other animals by making them say the magic words that would put them to sleep. Then he would steal their fruit and take it back to his place. Then the smart Little Bush Deer where not fooled and they tricked Anansi into saying the magic words. He fell asleep and they took all the food back and gave it to the other animals. In the beginning of the play the Wise ol' Zebras warned all the animals to not say the magic words. That was Macy's part. She did a great job and was very cute. I'm sorry the pictures are so dark. I couldn't get my camera to work right. Anyway, three cheers for Macy! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

One week and counting...

2008-06-08T16:10:00.002-04:00

Well, Macy is almost done with school. We have one week left. I will be so excited for her to be done with 1st grade. She was in school for 10 months exactly!! She started in GA on August 13th and is finishing in VT on June 13th!!! We are excited about the summer. It actually has been 90 the last two days! Though, I'm sure it will be back in the 70s or 80s soon enough. We are going to try to stay busy during the summer. There are lots of places we can go to and explore here in Vermont. Well, here are some current pictures of the kids. I hope you enjoy them.

Welcome to the Jungle...

2008-06-08T16:00:00.002-04:00

Hey Everyone! So, I know a few months ago we had bare trees and snow all over the place. Well, not anymore!! As most of you know, we live above a dentist's office. Well, that means we are on the top of the house where the tops of the trees are. Here are a few pictures to show you what we see every time we leave the house. Enjoy!

Sue

2008-05-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. Today is a sad day for the Stubbs Family. Dustin's grandma, Sue, passed away last night. We are sad that she is no longer with us, but happy to know that she is back with grandpa Joe again. I'm sure she is a lot happier now. She was such a great lady. I've known her since I was thirteen years old and feel like she was just as much a grandma to me too. She had a firecracker attitude and always kept us on our toes. We will miss her terribly! We love you, Grandma Sue!!

Mount Mansfield

2008-05-24T21:15:00.004-04:00

Today I had the awesome opportunity to climb to Mount Mansfield (the highest peak in Vermont). All I can say is I CAN BARELY MOVE!!!!!!!!! I knew I was out of shape but this really kicked my behind!!!!! The view was spectacular and the trails are beautiful. Vermont has to be one of the cleanest places in the world.

I went with my friend Mark Dilley and his wife Shannon. The entire trek totals 6.5 miles and the climb was around 2000-3000 feet.

The high temperature for the day was supposed to be 67 degrees. However, at the top of the mountain we were surrounded by snow and were freakin' freezing! I did not have a thermometer but it had to be in the upper 30s or lower 40s. The wind chill was for sure close to freezing. We put on the layers and we were shivering while we ate our snack.

In a couple of weeks, Melissa and I are going to hike the mountain with Mark and Shannon. All are welcome to join us for a visit. Of course it will have to be between the months of May and August if you want to climb the mountain. Also, for our injured, disabled or just plain lazy family members or friends who can't or don't hike, there is a way to drive pretty close to the top.

(In)SANITY

2008-05-24T20:52:00.006-04:00

Hello everybody! (This is Dustin today!) It has been exciting being back home with the family. We have been having a good time. Melissa finally decided she had had enough of the retail world and quit Kohl's. It was a good idea in theory but it never really panned out for us. So, she is back full time at home attempting to maintain her sanity. As you can see from the above pictures, it can be difficult.

Macy was able to participate in Hat Day, Beach Day, Crazy Hair Day and other eventful "days" at Rick Marcotte Central School. She had a blast and loved seeing the other kids use their imaginations.

Melissa took a risk and told Tate to get ready to go run errands one day. The result is the interesting ensemble above. Obviously he gets his sense of style from his mother. We love them both in spite of their deficiencies.

Norah is OBSESSED with coloring and drawing. Unfortunately right now she struggles with confining the ink to paper. Our computer desk, walls, siblings, and herself have become the artist's canvas. We are trying to figure out how to best control where she projects her art without squashing her obvious talent. We'll keep you posted.

10 Years and counting...

2008-05-14T13:03:00.002-04:00

HOLY COW!!! Can anyone believe it? Dustin and I have been married for 10 years!! That is so crazy! It seems just like yesterday that we were living in our first little apartment together. My how the time flies. I am so grateful that he is home and that we are a family again. Those 7 weeks he was at training were not the funnest part of our marriage, that's for sure! We are doing well and loving each other more and more everyday! Here's to the next 10 years...

Crazies!

2008-04-30T08:43:00.002-04:00

My kids definitely keep me on my toes. Macy seems to be a little less crazy. So I don't really have any good pictures of her. Tate and Norah on the other hand, there is always something going on with them. Here are a few pictures to let you know how my days tend to go. Enjoy!!

Spring has sprung!!

2008-04-28T15:33:00.003-04:00

Yeah! Spring is finally here! It has been beautiful here in Vermont. The last few weeks have been great weather. We have had nice sunny days that were warm enough but not too hot. We have found many of the parks close to our house to test out. Of course, this week it is cooler and rainy! But, I don't think my spirits can be dampened too much, because Dustin is coming home on Friday!!! YIPEE!!! These past 7 weeks have gone by fast and slow. I'm just glad to have him home again. I'm including a picture of the kids at a park enjoying some yummy treats and also one of when my mom was here. So cute!!

NORAH IS 2!!!!!

2008-04-10T08:29:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that Norah is already 2! Time sure does fly. When my mom was here, we had a small celebration for her. We will do the bigger "party" once Dustin gets home. Norah is definately a firecracker! We love her and her spunky personality. Oh, she has had an interesting last month. 1-She busted her lip falling off of a wagon 2- She fell at preschool and busted her eye (see picture) 3-She went down the slide face first and busted her lip again! What is it about turning 2 that makes you so clumsy?

WELCOME Everyone!

2008-04-09T08:58:00.000-04:00

Hello to all who will be checking out our new blog. I can't believe I just figured it out!! We are loving Vermont so far. The snow is finally ending and warmer weather is slowly make it way in. We are really excited to start venturing out and seeing more of what Vermont has to offer. As most of you know, Dustin is in Dallas for 6 weeks for training for his new job. He will go straight to Missouri for another week when he gets finished in Dallas. It was really nice for my mom to come for 2 weeks and help out. THANKS MOM!! We really enjoyed Easter, though it was really cold that day!! We have had illness running through our house over the last few weeks. Thankfully I haven't really had much of anything, so I've been able to help the kids out with their flus and colds! Well, I hope everyone enjoys our blog and that y'all will all participate. We miss everyone, but are really happy with our decision to move to Vermont. Until next time...