Look what I got in the mail!

My mail lady brought my mail and a large package to the door today,(that in itself is a surprise). I received a completely unexpected package from my Aunt Wendy from Seattle. It was this gorgeous picture frame and Living Christ Statement. I WAS THRILLED and it could not have came at a better time for me. My Aunt Wendy made one for my Mom at Christmas and I loved it, and now I have my own. Didn't she do a great job!?!
Thank you so very Much Aunt Wendy, this means so much to me.

My little place of Zen

Dale calls this my Zen. I love to stamp & scrapbook or "crapbook" as Dale calls it. I love even more for things to be organized, this is why he says this is my area of Zen. After I showed him my finished area he said "the whole world could crash and look like a disaster but if you have this one area perfect, you'd still be happy". Boy does he know me. This was all possible because my Mom gave me an early Christmas and Birthday gift. Dale helped put the cubes together, I did some and the desk and after waiting 1.5 yrs for my Ikea bars to go up I put them up myself, if we sell the house I'll patch the walls myself. I already need 3 more bars for all my punches that did not fit. I even have two large steel shelving units on casters that I can pullout of the closet (to the right) when needed. They house my stamp sets and accessories and ribbon and Cricut and embroidery machine and... happiness. So if you ever get a handcrafted item from me this is where the love poured out into that project for you.

Thank you Cameron for giving up a corner of your room for Mommy to have a craft space. You know what is more amazing than that is that Cameron and Annalise do not touch a thing in my area, they are very disciplined and obedient on that rule; and Mommy appreciates it.

First Flashback Friday

I have seen a lot of these posts and I actually really enjoy them, because it gives you insight about a persons life before you knew them, and if you do know them lets you reminisce.

So I am going to go way back to the beginning . Guess who the baby is and are there any look a likes???

Ok so Amy was right-- the baby is me. The first picture is with my Dad playing "Porcupine Baby" with me. I remember him putiing clothes pins all over my PJ's. And the second picture is my Mom holding me, I was 1 month old. I think Audrey looks like me a bit in the "porcupine" picture.

SISTERLY LOVE

I thought I'd share this adorabe pictures of Annalise rocking her baby sister, Audrey. And listen to the video, I wish I had a sister!

The Snow Elves Struck

Tonight at around 8 pm Cameron decides he wants to blow the 4+ inches of powder snow off the back steps that we got today. He wanted to use my Shop-Vac that can be converted to a Leaf Blower. So I said "sure why not" --- well he had a blast, so he asked if he could blow the snow off the drive-way that I did not mange to completely remove with a large push broom and tiny shovel (yes the same one I used yesterday to dig out concrete with). Well what do we see when Cameron opened the door but a familiar truck, and piling out of it were 3 strapping lads bundled to the T with shovels in hand? It was the Clayburn Clan trying to be sneaky and shovel my driveway incognito style but Cameron busted them. WHAT A SWEET GESTURE THOUGH! So Matt and boys commenced to scrape snow and ice off my drive, I guess Matt thought if he cleared my drive-way maybe I wouldn't wreck again and have to text his wife at 11pm again, lol. Dale called right as they got started from the Philippines and was so moved that they were helping out his family in is absence. I tried to take a picture with my cell phone of the hard work they did but it was so dark it did not turn out, and then I forgot when they were done to snap one. I treated the boys and Matt to Hot Cocoa and Twinkies. THANK YOU MATT, ASHTON, & ETHAN!!!!!

Damage from the Ice Storm

As many of you know Kentucky was hit real hard with an ice storm. Well we did not lose power, we were VERY fortunate to be some of the very few. Mind you I was in Sunny California on the beach when the Ice Storm hit here. But I did manage to still get damage from the storm... I hit the Mailbox!!!

I was coming home from a Super Bowl party while I was talking to my mom on the phone --oops I did not mention that part to Dale sorry hon;)--- and while in 4 Wheel Drive slid and had to gun the gas to get back into the driveway, only to be stopped dead in my tracks, by none other than my mailbox.

So how does a Fully Loaded 4x4 V8 Toyota Sequoia get stopped by a mailbox? Well because that mailbox was but in by no other than my Dad, Douglas Stark. And if any of you know my Dad you know nothing gets done half way, it is over the top, over-board, and extra tight!!! Notice how the main post is still standing straight! And yes he builds houses this way too, I bet they'd withstand any tornado. So not only does my mailbox need to be replaced.... (which I dug and yanked out myself - while having baby Audrey strapped to my chest only using a 4 foot flat blade shovel, in frozen earth and I swear 3 feet of Dad's concrete, and guys from my ward said it couldn't be done, huh I did) but I also have some damage done to the tail end of my new Sequoia. Did I mention I was sick to my stomach and heartbroken, because after all I LOVE my Sequoia even more than my 4-Runner and you know me I LOVED THAT 4 RUNNER may it RIP!!! So after I got mad at Dale for not shovel thousands of pounds of snow and ice from our driveway and curbside how dare he (just kidding) I was mad at myself, I had to text my dear friend at 11pm so she could console my nerves (thanks Amy)

I was too tired to set in the new post so I will venture that task tomorrow, I am sure I will have pics of that too. Oh I also gathered up all our broken limbs and half snapped trees in a large pile, maybe that well make it to the curb tomorrow---SHE-RA!

Photos by Annalise Alexia

Now here is some artfull hmmmm creations by Annalise!