New Blog

As much as I didn't want to, I decided I better start a different blog so I could actually get comments and things would work right. So here it is and if you want to catch up on my original stuff, that blog address is steffam.blogspot.com but nothing more will be posted there. A lot of work but oh well. I miss hearing from everyone. Maybe I will be better at posting. (ha ha, are you laughing too?)

Special Events

There have been some special things happen recently in the extended Stefanek Family. First was the sealing of our niece Kyla to Adam's parents. They were recently able to adopt her so they were able to have her sealed to them as well in the Portland Temple. Adam and I were the only ones from the family in there which was very sad to us, but the work got done any way and all I could feel when I was in there was that Alicia was there with them. It was an extremely spiritual experience and I am so glad we were blessed to be in there. The Temple president's home ward is Adam's folks ward, so they had him seal them which was really cool. The other special event was the marriage of Catrina(Adam's sister) to Charlie. It was a very fast courtship, engagement, and wedding. I think it was total maybe a little over two months. Crazy! They got engaged and then a week later were like, "we are getting married in a week and a half!" I luckily had gotten that day off from work for another event, but that day was so busy for me, I couldn't even fit in the original thing I wanted to do. The girls performed with their gymnastics class at a Santa's breakfast at the school, then I had to hurry home and go to a baby shower I was hosting. After that was over, we got ready to go to the wedding but everything was mostly done when we got there, so I just helped with food and serving. It was a big turn our for such short notice, and Stephanie (Charlie's sister) did an awesome job being the planner. Kudos Steph! After it was over, I had to break for home with all the kids to get Emma to a slumber party and was supposed to go see Twilight again with a friend from work, but I just wanted to crash. It was a crazy, busy day. Congrats to Catrina and Charlie! We hope you have a wonderful, and happy life together.

Catrina looked so beautiful, she wore Alicia's dress with some alterations, and my sis in law did her hair and make-up. Charlie looked dapper as well.
The kids in front of a fountain on Temple grounds.
After the sealing, in the garden room at the Temple.
Adam's parents and niece Kyla. She looked so adorable!

Kyla was so happy to see her cousins. They were happy to share in her special day as well.

One crazy thing that happened was we went to the temple right from the beach house and so had all our stuff in the car. When we got to the temple, Adam took out the basket that had all our video game stuff in it and put it into his folks car so while Gary Jr. watched the kids, there would be more room. Afterwards they pulled the stuff out and Adam put it on the sidewalk, and forgot to load it into the car. I had seen it sitting on the sidewalk but assumed that Adam had gotten it and loaded it back in. It had our Wii and everything that goes with it, our playstation with all our games and guitars, movies, games, video camera and digital camera. He forgot to put it in and we didn't see it because he had backed into the spot. So a day later, he calls me at work and tells me he left that stuff. I was sick. Hundreds of dollars of stuff, memories, etc. He felt really bad and of course the temple was closed till Tuesday so we had to wait until then to see if someone had turned it in. I was so bummed. The only thing that really gave me hope was that it was left at the Temple so I knew we should have a much better chance of getting it back. Anywhere else and it would have been sianara sucker! It was turned in so Adam's bro went up to get it and then decided to play a trick on me that some of it was missing. I was not amused.

Thanksgiving in Newport.

For Thanksgiving this year Adam and I decided it would be fun to rent a beach house and invite all his family that helped so much with fixing up our homes, since we didn't make any money off of them to pay them back. So we rented one in Newport that a lady we know manages. It was pretty big, and open, could hold a lot of people and they didn't seem to care how many people there were. There were some big windows along the north side of the house, but there were trees in the way so you didn't have a clear view of the ocean. But it was a fun, relaxing getaway to spend time with family. We ate a lot, talked, watched, movies, played wii and guitar hero, and just relaxed. Luckily we had one good weather day so we went down to the beach and walked.


We found a perfect rose on the beach, so we were thinking maybe it was a proposal gone bad. We kept it for ourselves.
Here is Garrett gnawing on a turkey bone like an animal. It was pretty funny. I don't know why he is naked at dinner though.
Lots of yummy grub to eat. We stuffed ourselves which I am pretty sure is a requirement of Thanksgiving anyway. It is fun to have a day to really think about all our blessings and that we need to give thanks every day for the blessings Heavenly Father gives to us.

Spending time with my nephs!

My sister had her second boy recently, and Adam let me go up to help over night and for a day, which I was grateful for. She helps me a ton and it is one way I can try to repay her. I felt like I really didn't do a whole lot, since the boys were so good. For me, anyway. She just said she was thankful for the company, which I totally get. Anyways, here is new baby Dane. He is such a sweetheart and glad Brynne and Aaron got another good baby. That makes things a little easier to handle once you step into multiple child world. Congratulations Brynne and Aaron. Thanks for letting me come up and hang out, even if I had to wear a mask the whole time.

Baby Dane was quite jaundiced and was in and out of the hospital for a week because of it. He is doing much better now.
Me and Dane. He lost a bunch of weight, and of course looks even tinier next to my ginormous head.
I watched big brother Cade for awhile and it was just the two of us. I think he only likes me because of my kids, which I can't blame him. They are way more fun to hang out with. So I think he was bummed that they didn't come with me. Oh well, I love you lots anyway!

Halloween 08-A little late

The far left one is the pic from Halloween and trick or treating. The one on the right on the two below are from our ward Harvest festival.
Their costumes turned out cuter for the party, but that is because Halloween was such a busy day, that it was a miracle they came together to go trick or treating.
Garrett is a guppy and he hated his costume. Luckily candy made him forget his woes.