The Magical World of SHOES!!

The time has come to introduce my little girl to the magical world of shoes! Shoes made for real walking! Shoes with treads that she'll wear down to nothing as she walks forward into a new chapter of her life. They'll take her places she's never been and I'll be happily wearing down my treads right beside her.

Buy one get the second pair half off Mama!

Hm, very nice support.

How do they look?

But Mama don't forget I like these. Please!

Four pairs of shoes and a few O's later.

Mission Accomplished.

Dirt Lover

We have had a very rainy week, which means we really had to get creative with activities indoors. However, there were moments when the rain let up, we could sneak out, and find something to get into. During this particular break between showers we went on a rescue mission of sorts. We have a turtle. His name is Peeka. We had another turtle. His name was Boo. Notice the past tense. Boo is no longer with us. We don't like to talk about it. Anyway, Peeka's pond was getting filled with too much water from all the rain, so we needed to pail some out. That was the initial objective, but Miah Jane rather leave that to Mama and play in the dirt. Normally I don't like to let her do this, because she just constantly tries to eat it, but we'd been cooped up in the house so long that in my stir crazy weakness I caved. I don't use any chemicals on my plants, so I let her have at it.........a little dirt never hurt anybody right?

Feels yummy.

I need another fist full to be sure.


I'm pretty sure Mama doesn't let me put this in my mouth.

She's trying really hard to show me how delicious this looks.

Ah, geez.

Evidence all over her face.

Try and be firm with that face staring back at you!

I'm doomed.

Moving on.

There's my smiling girl!

OK, let's take care of the turtle pond.

I'm here to help you Peeka!

Hello Jane Miah.

This looks a lot better than the last time I saw it.

Moo-ah!

Dirt sure looks good on ya kid!

Busy Beavers!

August has been a very busy month!! Gma and Gpa were out of town for two and a half weeks, so that means Mama was out a babysitter!! Let the fun begin! As I have mentioned before the benefits of working for the family business is absolutely insurmountable, especially in times like these. Mama loaded up toys, dvds, and pack n play with MJ in tow and headed to work. We set up camp in Gpa's unused office where MJ whooped it up for two and half weeks while Mama worked. Luckily Uncle Jordie, Auntie Tanya, and Auntie Kara all work with Mama too, so there were plenty of helping hands. We had so much fun that we almost didn't want Gma and Gpa's vacation to end!! Well, almost. We missed George and Sue pretty bad. It was a real juggling act, but as I said everyone was happy to do their part to help take care of my little girl. It's always so heart warming to watch. So many people love her so much.

LL came in a couple days of the week to make sure MJ had the right setup.

HA HA Gpa George your office is MINE!

I know this is just the beginning of many plots for these two.



She was a fly girl on this particular day.

Eagerly waiting for Uncle Georgie to come visit her at the office.

He's coming! He's coming!

My handsome and hilarious brother aka Uncle Georgie.

YAY!

Let me show you my latest moves.

Bye, Bye Uncle Georgie. Thanks for brightening my day!

Mama and I love you.

Once the work is done we know how to play and who to play with!! The Schaps Gang!! One of our many visits to Sun-n-Fun. We beached it with the Schaps Gang quite a bit this summer too. Pictures to be posted eventually....

Cheese!

Lexi really knows how to put the "eese" in cheese!

Mama's Boo was thirsty.....it was a hot one as usual!

We had birthday parties, dinners parties, shopping, and visiting every moment outside of work this month. It's just impossible for me to keep track of it all with a camera let alone the sunglasses I'm searching frantically for on top of my head!

To offset some of my shopping addiction a couple years ago I worked at Anthropologie in Waterside. Honestly, working there didn't help offset anything. Eeesh. Jeremiah wanted to kill me. Anyway the two best benefits of working there are my lovely friends, Michelle Tricca, of whom you all met via her photography, and Carla Stumpo aka C-Stump, Starla, or Tiny Dancer. Carla lives on the beautiful Fort Myers beach where she invited us up for a picnic. What a splendid picnic it was......

Yummy in my tummy!

Sea salt on the the seashore.

MJ has a bit of an obsession with water bottles.

and flowers....loves to pick flowers.

Oh and try to eat them of course.

Hm....which one looks the tastiest?

Mmmmm this bumble gum pink one!

Thank you so much Carla.

Stay gifted.

One evening after our many pot of gold days this month we came home to this........

icing on the cake!

Blessed is this life...........

I've had a love/ hate relationship with God throughout my life. No matter my state of mind I have always maintained some sort of relationship. It's not one of a very organized kind, but more via the natural canvas He/She had a hand in creating that surrounds us. I do not judge those who accept God in there lives differently. We are each individuals in our own right from our finger prints to the way we process ideas in our minds. Why on earth would we all accept God the same? How does the saying go? "To each his own".

In addition to nature, God has found another way to speak to me in a language I am very in tune to. Motherhood. From the moment I heard Miah Jane's heart beat for the first time when she was just known as "little bean beckman" I felt the surge of something so big. Bigger than I probably will ever humanly realize. So big that it gave me the strength to live through such extreme loss. My husband and best friend, my life with him, and the life I imagined with him. Love is tremendous. If you allow it into your heart it will never fail you. It will find a way to help you live again. I'm living again. Through a child's eyes. Our child. Mine and Jeremiah's. I remain strong everyday for Miah Jane and in doing so I remain true to the vow of love I promised my husband.

"Then as it was, then again it will be. Though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea."

~Robert Plant

As I had blogged earlier this month my uncle, Reverend David Stasiak, performed the most perfect blessing ceremony on August 1, 2010. God, provided the most perfect venue in which He/She was honored. Miah Jane's father and my beloved husband, Jeremiah, was also recognized. Tanya and Jordan Poppa-Turner were named as Miah Jane's Godparents. To complete the ceremony we were given a grand procession. Pure magic, just like my little girl.

Witnesses: Linda Stasiak (my aunt), George Vukobratovich (Gpa), Sue Vukobratovich (Gma), Ann Clark (my Baba), and Captain Zeke Schryver (friend of Jeremiah's).

All photos featured in this slideshow were taken by my very talented friend Michelle Tricca.

*Don't forget to pause MJ's playlist at the bottom of the blog to hear video!!

First Steps!

Kara (my best friend since 4th grade and co-worker) and I were enjoying a yummy take out lunch at the office today when we noticed MJ took a mini step towards Kara for her french fry!! I dashed for my camera in my purse and the following video tells you the rest!!

American Baby

To get ready for work in the morning I put MJ in her jumperoo and she watches one of her many Baby Einstein dvds, because if she's not doing that she's usually on my hip. If she's not on my hip, then she depants me every five minutes by constantly tugging to be picked up. Yes, I've spoiled my girl and I don't care. I'll carry her to prom if she wants me too, but I'm not really worried about her wanting me to do that. Anyway, I peeked around the corner of the hallway to check on her and caught her dancing to the beat of Dave Matthews Band I had playing from my laptop. I've watched this forty-seven times today and I'll probably watch it forty-seven more.

You will probably need to pause MJ's playlist at the bottom of the blog to hear the video!

Three is a Magic Number!

What a fun day Sunday!! We celebrated morning to night with our buddy Devin Andrew Schaps!! He is now the magic number, three years old!! The weather changed our original plans of going to the Sun-n-Fun water park......they closed due to too many storms in the forecast, so we took our party elsewhere. The faithful fountains at the Vineyards park are always a guaranteed good time, especially when you are hanging out with some of the coolest cats in town!!

Go MJ, Go MJ, GO!!

The man of the hour!!

D.A. Jazzy Fresh

Bad Boy Brennan Brewer!


LL Cool Babe!

You don't want to mess with this girl's Chi.
Hieeeeee Yaaah!

Wild eye crazy Mary......


Devin is so genuinely sweet to MJ.
He has his very own name for her....Miah James.
I've considered making it legal.


Trade you for the truck Brennan?




I yi yi, this kid kills me with her eyes just like her Daddy did.
I'm toast.

Frank Andrew Schaps. Total Showboat.
Always has to have his picture with everyone.




Watching Devin get so excited as we sang happy birthday was worth every sprinkle I find in the crevasses of my kitchen floor. (MJ helped with the sprinkles, hence the reason so many ended up on the floor.)


Check out video of Devin here.

Jesus, Lex......I mean "Cheezits", Lex!

Always true to your "hot mess" form.

We love so much Schaps Family!! You bring us so much joy and laughter.

Fist bump.....explode!