if you had a store in west michigan, tragedies like this could be avoided.
sincerely,
one of your biggest (and tonight, saddest) fans
dear trader joe’s
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pure joy
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happy wedding day, travis and mandy!
lego mania
I’m so grateful to know people that have connections to ‘the big city’ where awesome events like Lego® KidsFest take place. I would never have known 1.) about it and 2.) that the traveling show would be in Novi this past weekend. I asked Connor if he wanted to go and as per usual he was like, ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, but okay.’ ‘Sure, I’ll go.’ Continue reading
one beautiful family
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Today was, as I explained in a couple of messages, rough. So, in the spirit of pretending like everything is fine keeping things light, I now present the Leep family.
There are few people in this world that can rival the ‘happy’ that is Kammy. You cannot help but feel better when you’re around her. And to be around her family for an hour? So.Fun.
Curt, Kammy, Chase, Jayna and Grady … thanks for braving a chilly Sunday afternoon and sharing your joy with me (even if Smarties bribery was involved).
one beautiful family
HELLO, my name is
We’re all given a name at birth, right? I (fortunately or otherwise) was given the name Staci. No, it is not short for Anastasia. And yes, it is spelled with an “i”. I did learn in a very brief InterWeb search that my name is Greek in origin and means “Resurrection” (which is awesome and makes all kinds of sense) and that its most popular year was 1973 … many, many years before my birth.
But, aside from that very strange pique in self-confidence we all get when we hear our name and that very awkward feeling we get when we have to write it on those silly stickers at an event, how much can we really identify with our name? In my opinion, it ultimately takes a back seat to all of the other labels we might be given throughout our lives. Continue reading
the colors of fall
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The very best part about this tour was that I’d never seen an inch of it before.
inexpensive therapy
a little bit country
seeing red
covered
closer to home
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
– Robert Frost
october sixth
I went to visit him last night. To be completely honest, I didn’t get out of the car but I still talked to him. I told him that I was sorry and that I can’t believe he’s been gone for four years. And then, in typical fashion, he made me laugh. I remembered that last in-person conversation we’d had just a few months before October 6, 2008 … the one where he invited me to his funeral. He laughed and I may have punched him but he reiterated that he meant it. I really was invited. You still make me laugh today, JJ. I’ll love you forever, and just like I signed off the text to my dad last night about that story … brat.
the only great-grandpa he ever knew
girls night out
Several of my girlfriends try to get together at least once a month for some much-needed girl time. I guess we all need it for different reasons, but regardless, we do make an effort to meet up because, well, it’s fun.
This time, we went all crazy and decided a Monday night outing was in order. One of my BFFs (Melissa) had won a private shopping experience with a local boutique (Cake’s … check it out if you haven’t been; they were most welcoming and not at all annoyed that I didn’t come close to buying a single thing). Continue reading
wordless wednesday
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at the tail end of the field trip … mission acomplished
mean people suck
Okay, okay, I try to keep it clean around here but I replied to a Facebook post earlier with that same language and it just sums up so well how I feel about a hot topic this month: bullying. Continue reading
a brand new ending 