A little update.

Brodie as "the willing participant"
Officer Stone
Pierson, Ali, Isaac, and Mack

Cody The Great (pretending that he is in South Dakota)

Mom and the gang

Walkin in the Woods

Buddies

The Brother's Stone

The Monkey's (will they ever all be looking at one time?)

Brodie (clearly I tried to hold him off way too long)

Isaac J

Sunny Leaf Jumping

Mr. Squirrely

Hello?

Well hello there. It is I your long lost friend. I am here. I am fine. We are all still breathing. :)

Can't believe that November is here already. Isn't that such a stupid cliche thing to say? I write that every year in our Christmas letter too just because. But, alas, it is very true. There are a million things to share and write about. My life has been full of activity. And quite honestly, it is lovely. It makes me feel alive and well to have my feet move at such a fast pace every single day. Life is such a fickle little bugger of a thing sometimes isn't it? We continue on with our schedules and our running around each day. We make dinner and fold clean clothes. We do our best at keeping in touch with people we love. Time continues on even though some days we wish that it would stand still. Here we are at the end of another year. Has anyone crossed anything off of their "to-do" lists or resolution lists yet? I know that I have. We have voted and waited for the announcement of a new president, which, P.S. was quite exciting no matter what outcome you were hoping for. Life is very full for us here at the Stone house. I think I said to someone the other day that it feels as though we are "in the thick" of this stage in our lives. The thick never ending forest of raising children and being a young family. Although it is way more than full filling some days are easier than others. I shall spare the dirty details and just report on the delight. We are all done with soccer which ended up being a delightful experience. Isaac loved it but we shall see if he will continue on as his attention is much better kept when there is some kind of hunting or fishing to be done versus sports. He is 5. This is something that I remind myself of on a daily basis! He is loving school and has certainly started showing more interest in the wonderful world of public school academics. The other day he came up to me and said, while winking each eye one after the other, "Look Mom, I'm a bus!" This shows you the attention to detail the child is starting to grasp. :) He is excited to get his snowmobile out once the beloved white has shown itself. Today we were at Meijer grocery shopping and we saw an African American family that was walking right with us for most of the beginning of our trip and he said to me;
"Look Mom, his skin is different."

I told him;

Yup, isn't that great?"

After the family had walked away out of earshot, I very carefully knelt down at his eye level, took a deep breath, and told him that that family was no different than he and I and isn't it amazing that our God made people all the same but with different color hair, eyes, and skin. In that split second, he looked up with his beautiful blue eyes and said, "He must know Oprah." I stood up and proceeded on. Oh my...

Al and I have had the joy of spending some good time together these days when Isaac is at school. She is a big fan of folding laundry and helping out in every single way that she can. She is also finding that since she is bigger than her pal Brodie she is enjoying being the mother hen. This includes assisting him in trying a Smartie's candy for the 1st time on Halloween night. Hmmm... She is learning that she is enjoying her very own space in her room and she wants everything just the way she wants it and neat and tidy too. Not sure where she got that one? She informs me that her wish is to still be Dora when she grows up. She is a nut. A spicy little nut with Cajun peppered crunchy to it!

The Big B is now 11 months old! His voice is heard and it is loud. He is everywhere. He will be walking, no doubt, before the month is over. It is a very very bittersweet time right now for he and I. He is showing less and less signs that he is interested in nursing. Which has been really hard for me. The only good that has come about is the possible realization that maybe I really am done having kids. I remember knowing in my heart that when Ali and I were done I would have another. But, this time it is very different. It is so hard to explain to someone that has not gone through it themselves but in the end the decision will be made soon enough. To finish or not to finish. Which came 1st, the chicken or the egg? I will hold out as long as he wishes. It has been so sweet. Anybody want to come on a very tear soaked run with me when he finally pushes me away? It is healthy to be emotional, right? He is such a terribly sweet boy. Oh the things he has to learn.

Work is going great. In all honesty, it wasn't all that bad of a transition. Super Dad takes over and has been keeping the fort down beautifully. I think that he enjoys it. I tell him every time that I leave that he isn't allowed to be better at it than me. I'm not a control freak or anything, huh? I will hopefully be able to grab some hours waiting tables soon and try my hand at waiting on people who are grateful. Hee hee! A good ego boost for this mom. Please feel free to come and visit me and sit in my section when that time comes. The fireplace should be goin real soon and I will fight for the best section. :)

All else is well. I am well. Things are well. I get up everyday and make sure that all the favorites are had and everyone has had there 2 minutes with me. Make sure that the chocolate milk is made to perfection and who likes granola versus dried cherries in their yogurt. I answer all of the questions of why and why not. I control the noise level and the use of the word toot. I continue on as food police official and task master extraordinaire. I am managing to continue to run and train for next Memorial Day weekend's half marathon. It can not come fast enough. I am more than excited and will need to register before November is through. Yikes! So fun. Thanks for checking in on us and wondering what's new. The holiday season is upon us and hopefully we will get a chance to celebrate and give thanks for all of the people we get to call family and friends. I couldn't be more blessed than I already am. Life and I are getting along famously. Let's cheers to that. Until next time.

My love, all my love,

Cassy