Family Pictures

Thanks Amanda (Long) for helping us out with the pictures. I must send a shout out to Becky and Lori because they generously offered a few Sunday afternoons to take pictures but we had to keep canceling due to the lovely Thanksgiving shiner on Katelyn's eye. So Christmas Cards may not go out but...here's our family photo. Katelyn's shirt says "I've been (scribbled out-Naughty) Nice all year". Merry Christmas guys!

Cute shot of Katelyn

Well Heather was right on top of things and sent this pic from the Turkey Trot we had at Liberty Dam. Katelyn wanted to push the stroller most of the way. Wasn't it such a beautiful day!

This one is at the spillway of Liberty Dam.

Building Forts

Nate got a little ambitious and built a fun blanket fort for Katelyn to explore. We had to take it down because well...it took up the whole living room.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was so nice. Nate was finally home after a few weeks in West Virginia. We celebrated by playing in all the leaves around our apartment. His sister Heather and her crew, Dan, Grace, and Davy were able to come down from Connecticut to hang out for the weekend. We started the beautiful day with our own Turkey Trot to Liberty Dam and took some fun shots climbing on the rocks...(Heather if you are reading this can I get copies sent?) Then I made my very first apple pie and Heather/Dan did pretty much everything else. What a feast. We played a few rounds of pin the hat on the turkey and ended the affair with all the cousins in the tub together. Friday we went down to DC to enjoy the monuments and really experience the 20 degree drop in temperature from the day before. Thanks guys for making our weekend such great fun!




Charging Katelyn and watching her tumble in the leaves!


My apple pie

Pin the Hat on the Turkey

Rub a Dub Dub...Cousins in the Tub!

Katelyn about to go on the Metro

Meeting the ducks in the Reflecting pool

Taking the steps to Lincoln Memorial

Nate's Seven Quirks

1. Kindergarten was a rough year for Nate learning the alphabet and all so...actually he accidentally pushed his hand through a sliding glass door and cut a nerve. He has lost the ability to close his fingers, hence why he's unable to signal the Boyscout or Star Trek signs.


2. Nate is the only human I know allergic to Tylenol. He breaks out in massive hives everywhere that eventually turn into ugly blisters. Unfortunately it took a few trial and errors to figure this out.


3. His left elbow has extra skin for some reason. If anyone is in need of a skin graft Nate is your man.


4. Nate once killed a pig with rag doused in Cloroform whilst attempting to castrate it.


5. Nate was robbed at gunpoint as a missionary down in Rio.


6. He wrestled at 119 lbs as a senior in high school (he was 6' tall at the time). Along those same lines he competed against a girl once. Luckily for him, he won or he would have had to transfer high schools.


7. Nate's sister wouldn't give up the crib so he spent his first years sleeping in a cardboard box with blankets.

Merry Christmas Giggles

I couldn't help myself because the Longs' holiday cheer was so irresitable. Here is a link for a funny Holiday greeting! Lots of Love, Stace

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9515513985

Doesn't it make you laugh! Sorry you have to copy and paste into your url.

7 things you don't know about me hmmm...

1. Hopefully most of you know this, but if not, I am an ameteur/professional artist. What you might not know, I have sold commissions but I prefer to do my own thing (if the price is right I lower my standards and can be hired). Currently I am working on a piece of my own for the LDS international art competition next fall.


-This is a portrait of my friend's mom who passed away last January. Being able to work freely on this piece has been one of the most rewarding art projects ever.

2. Even as an adult I am slightly scared of the dark. I would rather sleep with the windows open to let in moonlight than worry about being closed in. This is also due partly to my claustraphobic tendencies. Just ask Nate about my freakout when we moved into our first apartment and I somehow got wedged between the wall and side of our bed. Also along these lines I hate to back out of garages and car washes.



3. I really like Gerber Mixed baby cereal. I never stopped eating it when I was growing up and refused oatmeal so my mom thought "hmmm, if it's not broken don't fix it."



4. I am a huge fan of swing sets. Nate proposed to me on a swing in Mount Ogden Park. Our second date was swinging there while enjoying zuka juices (he didn't propose then, although I was pretty sure I wanted to get married at that point. I mean we were friends for 10 months before he asked me out).



5. It turns out I REALLY like to swim in the ocean and despite my uncoordinated and all out athleticly-challenged childhood have managed to compete in 3 5K's, one triathlon, and one half-marathon since getting married (the last two since Katelyn's birth).



6. I like to build things. Since moving to Maryland and meeting Holly Richins I have had a great time refinishing furniture. I started with a small project, my dining room table and chairs, then advanced to coffee table, crib, two dressers, and building a kitchen cabinet from scratch (Nate handled the tile cutter and a few other major parts but I did most of the work by myself). Also I have learned to sew here. I have made Katelyn's bassinet bedding, curtains, and numerous baby quilts.




7. Nate thinks I have an internal GPS system. I like maps and learning things about roads. My mom laughs because when I was 4 and moved from Roy to Huntsville, Utah (about 40 minutes) I memorized every cross road between the two houses "just in case I got separated from the family and needed to tell someone how to get me to my home." An interesting tidbit about federal roads, if you are ever wondering why freeways are designated the numbers they have...ask. The boundary line starts at point zero along the California and Mexico borders. So why do all the freeways along the east coast end in 95? Because they are along the 95 percentage of land from the California border. Why is I80 and I70 named that? Because they are 80 and 70% from the Mexican border. Usually state roads have similar stories from their respective border lines. Also if you ever notice exits off your freeway the number usually refers to the miles between exits from some border. Not all roads are made this way so don't take it for granted (take the New Jersey Turnpike for instance).



8. I made this number 8 because it seems to be common amoung my friends...I really like organizational lists, maps, and supplies. I draw an aerial view of a room prior to cleaning just so I can divide the room and have part of it checked off if I don't finish the entire project. I like to coordinate my clothes by the rainbow and least coverage to most (ie tanks to sweaters, skirts to dresses, shorts to pants).

Thanks for delving into my quirks. If you made it through the list and haven't been tagged before consider yourself tagged.

Third Trimester Shout-Out

It feels great to know that we are on the final venue of pregnancy. Valentines here we come!

Katelyn's First Haircut

I cut Katelyn's hair!!!! We had a family cut night for FHE. Nate had a trim and Katelyn decided she wanted one too. I figured she was old enough at 19 months so...she lost the "mullet look". Just a small disclaimer for anyone truly talented-don't judge my cutting skills because I haven't had any sort of training.


Back view

Side View


Styled View

Halloween

Katelyn was a super lucky girl and had two costumes this year. She was both Minnie Mouse and Cinderella but not at the same time. Baby Starley went as a pumpkin while Mom and Dad wimped out. We had a fun time trekking around the Owings Mills Mall this year. It was so nice because Katelyn wasn't cold and we didn't have to worry about her getting too much candy.

Flag Football Season

Nate explaining the fundamentals of Flag Football to Katelyn


Set, Hike!


Wow!

Okay I haven't been the best sports aficionada during fall season (it's usually so cold and during my studio time) but last week Katelyn and I had a ball. Katelyn decided to remedy a stumbling problem by smoothing out the corner of the blanket and placing an acorn on top to keep it down. Oh, she is so funny to watch. She loved hanging around with Hershey the pup and REALLY bonded with football.

New York Girl's Trip

Four Girls on the Ferry


Holly laughing at goofy photos by the Statue of Liberty


Lady Liberty's piercing eyes behind Heather and Anne


What an amazing show (we were right up front and could see the expressions and appreciate the ick factor from the spitting)

Anne and Holly with the Dinos at Natural History Museum (long live Night at the Museum)


Grandma Colleen holding Minnie Mouse with the Berenstain Bears Family (Heather, Grace, Davy, and Dan) at the amazing Halloween Fest.



Katelyn as Minnie Mouse (didn't Nate do such a great job getting her ready?)

Okay it was crazy chaotic but super fun. 6+ hours to Connecticut Thursday night (sleep at 1:30am), wake at 4:40am to catch train to NY, meet Colleen and Anne to head to Statue of Liberty. All day journey there and around Ellis Island (with a few yummy stops for pastries along the way) only to rush back to get ready for... Wicked. Yes you heard it here folks. I did manage to make it to Wicked on Broadway. Loved the music and performers -the story still bothers me a little so not my all time fav but definately worth seeing. We headed back to the hotel for some decadent cheesecake (perfect at 11:00pm). We took it easy the next day with a delicious late morning and spent the day at the Empire State Bldg, Central Park, and Natural History Museum. Then we headed back to CT to go to an awesome trunk or treat at the church. Loved the bonding with my mother and sisters (we'll just drop the in-law because I can't seem to write it correctly anyway). Poor Nate had an adventure finding preschool in a new state for Grace and holding down the fort with Davy and Katelyn. What a guy. Katelyn was a trooper (it was our longest spread apart ever) and gave me the biggest hug when I finally got back to her. I am sure she had the time of her life.

We're Gonna Have a Girl!

We are so excited! After many ultrasounds (this is technically number 4) we were able to see a clear shot of our modest little mouse. I thought this image was fitting as I feel like skipping rope! Any name suggestions?

Nate's Half Marathon

Nicknamed the Juggler, this guy was running the full 26.2 miles juggling 5 balls. Crazy.

Pre 13.1 mile run of Nate and AJ



Katelyn giving last minute advice



The Starting line, it took 8 1/2 minutes for everybody to cross the start.


I'm off with the other 6,000 runners.


Nate sees Dave sneak by and it gave him the motivation to pick up speed.

Post 13.1 mile run of Nate and AJ

The Battle Wounds


Where was Katelyn? She and Katie were bonding over fishies as we toured the USS Constellation for Free Fall Baltimore.



For those who have questioned, Why didn't Stacey run? I will quickly defend that here is my race from April in Ocean City (in the snow) and kindly remind you that I have less than 4 months left in my pregnancy. Really I just learned from last time. Notice my stride here as I round in to the finish. I could barely move. Then check out Nate's stride at the last mile with Dave. Hee Hee.