HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY ALYSSA

Can't believe it but my daughter, Alyssa, has turned

18. It is with bittersweet feelings that we wish her a Happy Birthday.

She has become a wonderful young lady, with many talents

and such a good heart!

Lots of Love Alyssa!!!

Quote For The Day!

I have flabby thighs

but fortunately,

my stomach

covers them up!

Go VOTE for me!

Please visit Facebook

and vote for me.....find the comment on this page...there are

a lot of comments but just keep clicking view previous comments till you find me.

Amy Spangler Stahl

I'd love to win the pink dess for Alyssa's school activity....with a cute bolera (jacket) and heals

--that would look great and even cost better!

Ice Sculptures In Lewisburg

So, I took these photos with my phone, they may not be the best...but I

thought you might like to see em. (these are just a couple

of em that you can see in downtown Lewisburg)

If your in Lewisburg today, Feb. 5 you could join

in the polar bear plunge (You can get your swimsuit on and jump in the

river!!! Since there is ice on it that should be fun!)

Or, you could do something a bit warm and join in the chilli

contest. Anyway...something fun to do in the winter. You missed the

Chocolate Lovers night last evening...they had lots of activites for all.

But kids can do the cocoa get together today as well.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Pillows for my Living Room
IronBoard Cover for Laundry Room. Love
the button picture on the wall....think I'm gonna try to create something
like that


Use old drink bottles (Starbucks) decorate, fill with milk,
top with powdered donut!!!

More shabby pillows.....I so love

Winter Catch Up at the Stahl Household

Things have been busy this new year but fun. We started the new year with a Stahl get together at our house........ We were able to visit my

parents at the beginning of the month as well as gettting to see my brother and

his family. I must say that when we visited in SC we didn't thing we would have to

leave early because of a snow storm. But that is exactly what happened.

How depressing, I was hoping that one of the benefits of visitng out there was sun and warmth. Not so on this trip! We had a nice visit, went geocaching, which was enjoyable

and just had a relaxing visit.

It took me awhile to get my holiday decor taken down...and if you look close enough you

will find a bit here and there around the house yet.

Alyssa has started her next semester of college, and I now get to

start planning a graduation party for her. She will turn 18 in Feb.

Clayton and Shalene have been ejoying lots of sleepovers here and there.

Grandma and Papal gave them all skates for Christmas so that has been top on

there list of winter fun. Steve and Clay even went out ice fishing!! UGH,

too cold for me. Me, I've been busy shopping!!! The new scrapbook

products all release the beginning of the year so I stock up for the store at this

time. Presently we are getting snow, I must say that I DO NOT enjoy being

cold but snow is pretty. How many of you enjoy the snow? Did you make a snowman

this year? Well, off to keep busy.

Keep Warm!

Random Thoughts

I've been thinking over the past year and all that it held for us....
I must say that it was one of the roughest I've ever had.
Both of the girls being diagnosed with type 1 diabeties, and learning how
to deal with that from day to day. Clayton in a bike wreck and in the hospital with that. Shalene with her gall bladder surgery, not to mention all that we went through with Steve's eye (it will never be back to normal. ) And me, yes, I even had a few tests and a
procedure that I thought they were trying to kill me. BUT, through it all
God was right there with us. Keeping us and helping us. I would never want to go
through any of that without my Savior.
So....to go along with those thoughts I want to make sure I "love" this year.
Not to take the little things in life for granted. And to love my family unconditionally with
no reservations. Instead of sighing at the small things.....count them
as blessings...because if I didn't have loved ones around, there would be no small things
to sigh at.
Have a Wonderful 2011

New Years Resolutions

So how many of you make New Years Resolutions? I have in the

past and sometimes when I think back on them I find that yes, I have partially

accomplished that.

Well, I'm going to admit that I have several "goals" in mind for this year.

1. "Come here and listen to me! I'll pour out the spirt of wisdom upon you and make you wise. Proverbs 1:23NLT

This verse is a goal for my new year....that the Lord will slow me down when I

get too busy. That I will listen and hear His voice. That I will focus

on God's voice in all situations.

2. I am going to attemp:

Project Life.

Okay, so I love to scrapbook and take pictures but I seem to get so far

behind on what I'd like to have accomplished. So this project is suppose to be

simplified...by this I mean that it comes with most all that I'm going to need for this

scrapbook. I will just need to discipline myself and write on my calendar things that happened each day. AND take a picture a day (at least one!! if not more)

Check out the site...,.its a great way to have a scrapbook at the end of the year.

With a bit of organization it should be fun.

3......Well, I have a couple that I will keep to myself.

So tell me, what is your New Years Resolution for 2011?

Merry Christmas!

May you have a Christ Filled Christmas!

(Okay, so I like pink!)

December Brings......

Lots of things---busy schedules and beautiful things

to deocorate with.

This month has been so busy and full but enjoyable.

Decorating, Baking, Shopping and making memories with family.

Below are some pictures of this months activities.

Had a cookie bake at the beginning of the month. Made over 3300 cookies.

My 2 sister-in-laws along with our girls made these in 2 days. We made:

Ladylocks, peach cookies, chocolate crinkles, peanut butter cup,

thumbprints, cocanut cookies, apricot, nut rolls, amish cookies,

peppermint bark, buckeyes and snicker fudge.

Alyssa has been selling little Gingerbread Houses on her etsy store.

They are so cute.

Some of Decorations around the house.
Countdown (Below) And I love this Handmade Christmas

tree!!!! Got this from Melissa Phillips

Alyssa Making Popcorn/Cranberry strings for the

Christmas Tree.

My snowman picture that I made several years ago.

I have been so blessed this month with TONS of orders from my

scrapbook store. Been VERY busy but I'm thakful.

Decorating for Christmas

Each year the kids take turns setting up the manger...Shalene

set it up this year.

And Clayton set up the village!

Always have a mess before the end.

Here is one of the ornaments that Alyssa has for her tree. The kids have their own trees in their rooms....but this year they put all of their ornaments on the main tree.

I decorated the kitchen with my whitwashed decor~ Love it.

This is such a cute mix...Read the little card that is in the photo....

I still have a couple strands of lights to purchase since all of mine seemed to decide not to do what I wanted this year. We plan to make some homemade cinnamin ornaments and gingerbread village yet. And string some popcorn and cranberries. But basically I am finished. What a good feeling.

Renaissance Faire

For the past several years we have gone to the Renaissance Faire with the Cyber School. The smells and sights are wonderful....keetle cooked popcorn and HUGE turkey legs along with monsterous pickles are a few favorites. The girls and I love the masks and hats along with all of the scents.....herbal mixes and all. Waxed dipped roses and full skirts. Clayton loves the baby dragons and swords along with the jousting. Here is a picture (first ont) of the final event where the knights are fighting. Shalene was able to get a picture with
Queen Elizabeth...,.and the final picture is the crew that went along this time. It was a long but very fun day.

Bella

A few weeks ago Bella was this shaggy cockapoo with a mop top and beard...she went for a hair cut and this is what happened. Since its been getting cold out and we haven't turned on the heat yet we find that Bella shivers....so we foun this preme sweater at the thrift shop for 75 cents....hey, it works.

If Life.....

If life is in fact a box of choolates,

I am in big trouble -

because I ate all mine!

When Life..........

When Life Gives You Lemons.....

Make Lemonade!

South Carolina Visit

We were able to finally visit my parents in South Carolina this weekend.

Had tried to get there through the summer and just made it.

I must say we were a bit lazy this time around....hanging out around the house.

Clayton really enjoyed taking the boat around the pond, I think he was

able to get us all in for a trip around at least once. He did do a bit of fishing with Steve

and papal.

Dad always feed his fish and they are quite large.

Clayton also really enjoyed driving the golf cart - which we were all

taken on rides for that as well. I tried to talk him into letting me drive but I never did get too. Alyssa enjoyed the puppies.

Shalene and Alyssa both ended up getting a massage.

The guys spent a lot of time hitting golf balls, not sure how many they lost in the pond

but I believe it was a good bit.

Me, I enjoyed hitting up a couple craft stores and outlets.

Now, it is back to the old routine. I must say that I am a person

who enjoys the routine in life. Its the small things in life that we often

take for granted that we miss the most. There is something

very comforting in the everyday coming and goings.

Normal Schedule???

School starts today - now grant it we cyber school but hey, I am hoping

for a normal schedule here soon.

Alyssa started her college coarses last week. Yeah, I know, she

is a Senior in High School -- but she is taking some college classes at the

Harrisburg College. She has some buddies she is carpooling with. Getting up

at 5:00 a.m. UGH!!! And I gotta pack lunch. Well, I'm just

thankful that she is still at home. She goes every other day and fits

her high school coarses in as well. AND, she is hunting

a job.

Clayton and Shalene started today, so I am hoping that now we can get

a bit of a schedule going and more will be accomplished. My POOR

house!! This summer has been so rough on it. And we won't even start

on the flower beds. The worst they have ever been.

I keep waiting for things to slow down.

Summer Update:

I will try and get some pictures posted of the missions trip here

soon. Like I said - not sure were my summer/time

has gone.

Shalene has been diagnosed with gall stones. We go tomorrow for

a consultation and schedule the surgery.

Clayton seems to have grown a mile high this summer, growing out

of everything.

Alyssa - well, I wrote about her above.

Steve is still having problems with his eyes, nothing seems to give

him complete clearness in his eyes. It is quite depressing -- Please continue to

pray that he can just heal on his own and all will go well.

And finally, me....I survived the busy summer schedule.