babies are fun!

Sooo the other day, monday night, I was taking a bath with Malachy. We often take a bath together at the end of the day...he loves it! He plays with his rubber duckie, a blue cup and he tries to hit every shampoo bottle he can reach on to the floor...it's great fun. Normally I will take a seperate shower later to wash my hair and stuff but I was really tired so I decided to do it in the bath with Malachy. While I was rinsing the soap from my hair I noticed Malachy loking extremely pleased with himself. I got up to see what was so excieting and there were serveral poopies floationg around my bath....ARRGHHH! Baby thought it was awsome! Needless to say we had to end bath time and take an extra hot and soapy shower!

Other then that exctiement (and the never ending sickness!) it was a super fun weekend! After the zoo Mark and I went to the mall. Malachy got a new outfit from baby gap that is soo cute. He also got his very first cup of Vanilla Ice Cream, he loved it! AND Malachy got 2 new stuffed animals at the disney store! Mark got to play his baseball game when we got home and I got some sleep!

More pretty pictures from the Zoo and Botanical Garden in Lincoln Park

It was such a beautiful day!! I'm soo glad mark and I finaly got down town!

Lincoln Park Zoo

Malachy, Mark, and I went to the Zoo today! We saw LOTS of animals!! I think Malachy really enjoyed it, he seemed extremely interested in watching all the animals! He really wanted to crawl around the exhibits and was mad I wouldn't let him. The baby monkey (or Gorilla or whatever it was) was the cutest!! Not the fake one the real one!

More Michigan Pictures...it was a beautiful weekend!

pretty bedroom

I bought these new striped pillows and the candle things with my anniversery money. I try to make my bedroom feel like a retreat...it's still a work in progress but I really like the new touches. The pictures above the bed are blown up and zoomed in copies of some of my wedding pictures. I still want to get some dif. pillow cases maybe khaki colored or pink, I'm not sure. And of course I need a head board! I love home decorating!

I'm NOT pregnant

Sooo its been strange, people at work have been asking Mark (and a few me) if I'm pregnant?! I don't know why or how that rumor got started so I began to think about it ....

1. I have gained 15 pounds in the past 3 months

2. I have zits covering my face

3. I'm ALWAYS tired or sick

4. I have been grumpy and emotional for the past 3 months

5. I talk about how I want to be pregnant so I don't have to do manual labor

All of these things are true and while yes it would look like I'm pregnant...I'm not. I may, however, be going slightly insane from the lack of sleep, nutrition, and quiet time. But be encouraged...I am still working on my action plan for a happier, healthier me and I do hope to be pregnant again in about 8 months. Until then I will try my best to be less lazy,moody, and emothional I can't make any promises about the zits or weight gain!

Trip to Michigan

Here are some photos from our trip to Michigan. We had a great time! We rented some bikes, rode around town, watched the sunset, and went for walks on the beach. We also went to a movie...we both got candy, pop, and admission for $10!! (we saw 40 year old virgin, which was funny but definietly some naughty parts!)

ouch!

Im having really strange shooting abdominal pains...not cool! Anyhow.... that's not what I was posting about! Mark and I are home! I hope I will have some time to post pictures from our trip tomorrow. ( we had a lot of fun!!) Until then check out Kims new blog, The Nudist Colony, it's a safe place for her to expose her-self through fictional writting! The first story she posted, untitled, is my favorite! I'm excited about her new blog and look forward to more stories to come! I'm hoping some of her stories will be inspired by my little guy, Malachy!

Anniversary numero 2

So our anniversary is on Tuesday (Chad's b-day!) I probably won't be posting then, so I thought I would do my anniversary post now! Mark and I are going to try and find a nice bed and breakfast in South Haven and get some alone time tomorrow!! We stayed there once before and it is my probably in my top 3 memories of our relationship just after having Malachy and getting married! Kim (on her days off) is staying with Malachy for us...she's the best! It looks like it will be in the 70's tomorrow so maybe we will just rent a little boat and do some shopping. I can't wait!

As promised... here are some pics from the big day. Sorry the quality sucks! Lighting wasn't our friend that day, it was sort of a Murphy's law sort of day!. . .and my scanners pretty dirty!

If you can't make out the blurry faces in this one its Crystal, Sara, Kimmy, Me, KC, and Nicci with Emily in front.

This next one is my second favorite of the day (the first favorite, as I mentioned in a previous post, is gone forever!) This is me with the brothers and sisters, and yes, Noah is pulling Nate's ear! Nate, Jason, and Noah on top, Val, Me and Kim on the bottom. This is one of maybe 4 pictures of my wedding where Kim is actually smiling!

This is me outside the chapel. I chose it because it is one of the only ones where you can see the form of my dress. It was a strapless a-line with a small train. I loved it! It is currently stuffed under my bed with goose poo still on it!

Here are Mark and I cutting our cake! The flowers on the cake were suppose to be bigger but I still liked the style. I'm not usually a bold-color person but I really like how it all came together!

This is like that favorite picture I lost...only the other one was much clearer! I loved the light coming through the trees in the background! My skirt was kind of caught on itself and hanging funny...oh well!

BIRTHDAY ME

So it's my birthday, I'm 26! It's been a fun day! Mark and I went to Denny's this morning. I had to work but I have a good job so thats cool! I was back in my room with Sandy, who I adore, it was a great day after I got over the stress of set up...that seems to be a pattern with me I freak out until the program and then I'm like "this is fun, I love my job!" My poor volunteers I sooo need to be on medication =)! Sandy and her man, Alan, one of my bestest volunteers got me a gift card to Old Navy. After work mark took me shopping...fun! Tomorrow I'm going to Mom and Dads for a little family fun and Friday Crystal (who I really miss!) and I are doing a scrap mania at Archivers. Fun, Fun, Fun! I love my hair cut! I just hope I don't look to much like Jonny Depp in Willy Wonka! Well better go pick up before Hubby gets home with baby and our movies!

More MALACHY Please!!!...well, if you insist...

This is from our visit to Dolphins Cove on Tuesday! Malachy LOVED it! At first he was a little shy of the water but after a few minutes he loved being able to walk around (holding our hands) feeling almost weightless! He was so cute! Unfortunately we were not brave enought to take the camera into the water but here our some pictures from our time on "shore"!

Step one of the action plan complete!

Here are 2 self portraits! This first one is entitled "Trying to be cool"



The second one is entitled "Cheeeese"

New Community

New Community ROCKED!! Sara Groves was amazing! Randy Frazee gave another challenging and beautiful message! It's strange how things hit you differently when your a parent! For a great take on tonight's New Community please visit Kimmys blog!

My action plan!

Soooo.... at the Summit Jack Groppel (there's a free self assesment test at their web-site) and Henry Cloud did a session on energy management and how to put your plan into action. So I have decided I need to excersice. Also I need to do stuff that will make me feel good about myself. So first off Im getting a hair cut and my eyebrows waxed (as soon as money allows). Then Im going to join Curves and go workout with Crystal and possibly Kim and Corey 3 nights a week! (monday, thursday, and friday hopefully). Mark is going to join the rec-center and do a 1/2 cardio 1/2 strength class from 9-10 on mondays and I will go with Malachy to a "wiggles and Giggles" parent/baby class at that same time! With Mark's rec-center membership he will be able to go workout whenever he wants mon-fri 6am-9pm and they have babysitting 9am-12pm for 2.50 an hour!! We were thinking about also taking a friday night dance class too. Maybe we should wait and see how all this works out first! I'm excited though. The rec-center memebrship is $20 a month and Curves $49 so we will have to figure all that out but I think it's worth itt feel better!

under pressure

The poop's finaly hit the fan if you know what I mean! Mark and I need a vacation from baby, money, and stress!! Evey time we try and plan something (like a date or get away) it get's canceled because of some money emergency, lack of babysitters or work! We haven't had any alone time together in over a month! We have had 2 good nights of sleep in the last 9 months! The last one was over 3 months ago! No wonder I feel like I'm going nuts sometimes. Evey where I look people are talking about summer being a time of rest it makes me nut.... I feel so tired and burdened lately. Oh well I guess this what parenthood and full time jobs look like. People do it everyday so I can too.

The "Velvet Elvis" Debate

Check out the debate first hand at Amazon and Relevant Magazine.

WOW .... what can I say!! I don't even know what to think right now. I know people at Mars Hill who I really respect and reading all of the negative reviews has been disturbing and hurtful. It's sad to me that in the Book reviews there has been as much negative said about the congregation as the book! There have been a great many number of people saying that the church (Mars Hill) is full of pretty people, who are shallow, and only interested in a feel good form of Christianity. They are saying Rob Bell calls into question the validity of the bible and the truth of the gospel...I find that hard to believe. I have been to Mars Hill and if it is what people are saying...I must have missed it. People have gone way overboard (I think) in calling Rob a heretic who is on his way to cult status. Coming from Willow we are use to these sort of over reactions and negative backslashes.

For the record, on Mars Hills website they have posted what they believe and here is some of it just to calm your (and my) fears : We believe the Bible is inspired by God and is without error as originally transcribed. It contains His truth for our lives for today and tomorrow.
Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and mankind. For all those who accept His sacrifice He gives the Holy Spirit as a guide toward personal growth.

Ok so everyone just needs to take a deep breath...Calm down...and back off my friends at Mars Hill!

With that said I haven't read the book and plan to this weekend so I can figure this all out for myself. I hope that there must be some sort of mis-communication going on. I'm scared to read the book because I don't want to find any truth to what people are saying. I think Rob has led many people to a deep fulfilling relationship with Christ. I believe he deserves more respect and courtesy then he has been receiving in the reviews. I also believe regardless of how things appear at Mars Hill the congregation there is NOT only interested in being the next new cool Christian thing. I do however believe they are a young Church full of broken sinners just like the rest of us. I have seen my own church grow so much in the past 15 years (and surprisingly the most in the past 2 years!) and I think all churches have some maturity issues they work through as they grow. I hope Mars Hill will not dismiss everything that is being said and see where they can grow. I'm confident they will because I know they do not want the reputation of being a church for the cool pretty "in" crowd but they want to be a community of broken people seeking God together. To find out more about what Mars Hill believes check out their website!

Interesting week ahead

The Summit or "Bill's conference" as some call it starts tomorrow! I'm excited it is an amazing conference! Bill and Rick Warren will kick off in the A.M. There will be a bunch of great speakers!! I can't attend the whole time because I do have work to but I will see all of Thursday and part of Friday!

Then this weekend I'm going with Kim to the art thing...should be interesting. I will let you know (as will Kim) how that all goes. It will be interesting to see our different interpretations!! I'm afraid she won't make any money...and not because her Art isn't Kick @$$!! ...but because the person who is organizing it said she can't price her "original art" for under $100. I just don't know any people who go to outdoor church art fairs with $100 cash looking to buy art? But who knows! I think regardless... the money, time, and ENERGY that Kim and the rest of us who have helped her have invested will be worth it. The experience is one Kim really needs! To be with other Artist and to just put her stuff out there! It's a brave new step! Her work looks amazing framed! I wish you could all see it! I'm sooo proud!


Then next week is mine and Marks anniversary as well as my B-day!! Kim will be babysitting! Mark and I will be partying! Can't wait! I had to post that crazy photo in honor of our anniversery! Marks friend Peter did that, it's from our rehersal and wedding. Hopefully next week I will have time to post some more wedding pictures! It's a sad story about our wedding pictures! I lost my favorite one!

Great America

So I went to Great America yesterday with the Promiseland Production crew...and some programmers...and it was fun! Well it would have been more fun if Kevin didn't insist on us staying until 10!! (we meet at church at 7:30 and got there 30 mins prior to opening). So it was a 15 hour experience! Most of us had about 3 hours of "oohhh my gosh my head is going to fall off...when will the pounding end" around 3-6. After some time in the air conditioned Imax and dinner we felt better!

I went on Superman, Mark's favorite ride, and while it was cool I will never do it again! Other then the lock down harnass thing there is nothing between you and certain death! It does feel somewhat like flying and is a great ride if you can handle it. It's terifying... for me!! I "challanged" the Raging bull 3 times...my favorite ride by far! Did the giant drop and American Eagle. Iron Wolf was a mistake if you have ever been on it you know what I mean. The other new rides I wanted to check out were closed....booo! We didn't go to the water park but with the mad heat we probably should have!!

Im glad I went but next year I'm gonna talk to Kevin about this staying open till close thing!

Who looks more like BABY MALACHY contest!!

OK so I tried to pick pictures people haven't seen before! This was 2 days old at the hospital. Isn't he beautiful!

This is 5 days old home from the hospital. I picked this one because I think it looks alittle like Baby Mark. (I'm trying to help him out) I can't believe Malachy was ever that small...I miss it!

This one is one of my favorites! It was right after bath time!

He's so happy here, I love it! it's strange seeing him with such short hair!

This is like 3 months ago! He looke huge but he's actually alot bigger now! Crazy!

Ok so let the voting begin! Scroll down to see baby Steph and Mark pictures and tell us what you think! And Kim you CAN'T vote for yourself...we all know you think he looks like you! =)

Baby Steph

These are all crooked because we had just scanned them into our computer super fast when we were making the wedding montage 2 years ago! But you can still get the idea. This one I look alittle like Malachy...but that may be because it's so blurry, I could be anyone.

This one is cute! I think he has my adorable little nose!

Ahhhh...I look like alittle girl here...not so much alittle Malachy.

He definitely got his love for popsicles from me! And there is little Kimmy too! I totally look like Malachy in this one!

I look like Malachy here too! Go Me! I'm cute!

Baby Mark

That outfit is awsome...it has a built in bow tie!!! See there are some advantages to having brothers a decade older then you...classic hand me downs!

I can see alittle one month old Malachy in there.


Malachy would never make a face like that! Or wear yellow butterflies! Just kidding he dose both...often!
Where did that blonde hair come from? Look at those two little front teeth! So cute!



I didn't have any other Baby pictures of mark in the computer so I added this one. Isn't he cute! Malachy will be adorable no matter who he looks like! Im still hoping it's me though!