Welcoming Lucy Pearl

As most of you know Boots was my mom's 7th child. After a long and very fun-filled life he passed away in May this past year. We miss him and all have wonderful memories of him. He was quite unique. My mom wasn't sure if she wanted to get another dog, but after meeting Lucy we couldn't resist. She looks like Boots, but in white. She has a sweet, calm temperment. She is a very easy going dog. We have decided to make her truly a "Stier family" pet. While her permanent residence is with my mom on Berl-mar, she has spent time with Jody at Clemson as well as time with me here in Winson-Salem. Noah and Ella Joy absolutely adore her. We are so excited to have her as the newest member of our family!

If you were wondering...

how I've grown, this is me at 7 months. Yes, 2 months to go!

At the Apple Festival

Beautiful apples! They had apple everything. We tried apple pie icecream, an apple cider slush. Both were delicious!!

Noah trying out some of the old fashion games. The lady in charge of this event was hard core. She was dressed in traditional Moravian attire yelling at everyone, "Lift your knees!" Then when you fell, she would yell again, "Hold on to the stilts, don't let them hit the ground." It was quite intense.

David and Noah playing tug of war with about 5 children on the other side. And you can bet that David didn't let them win just because they are children.

Fall Fun

I love this girl so much!!!! I was going through her clothes and wanted to see if this hat still fit. It does. And she decided to wear it the rest of the day.

Noah's favorite thing is to rollerblade up and down our street. These are my rollerblades that I bought at the end of highschool. When we first started skating together Noah noticed that my rollerblades went a lot faster than his skates. "Why are yours faster? Can I try them?" That was the end of them being my rollerblades. Jared and I used to rollerblade all over Irmo. Who would of thought that my purchase would buy so much enjoyment.

Creative fun. Sunday afternoon David pulled the kids around in the plastic pool. They thought it was so much fun! The highlight was getting dumped out of the pool and then starting all over again.

1st grade and more firsts

If anyone remembers my post from the first day of kindergarten then you can appreciate the first day of first grade as a huge improvement. There were smiles and no crying and at the end of it we celebrated with milk and mint Oreos. With first grade has come other firsts:
1. Getting a red card the second week of school. (phone call home and everything)
2. Blaming the red card on the new girl who sits across from him, "She's so pretty!"
3. Bringing home his first phone number.
4. Wanting to call his first phone number, "to see if it really works"
5. Telling me his teacher is nice. (coming from Noah this is a huge compliment!)

Ella Joy and I walk to the bus stop every afternoon to meet Noah. Ella Joy gets so excited when she see the big yellow bus coming around the corner. I just love the two of them together!

Noah's Party at the Children's Museum

Noah climbing the beanstalk

In July I won a party for up to 30 children at the Winston-Salem Children's Museum. Perfect timing to celebrate Noah's much awaited birthday. So this is where we celebrated the second part of Noah's birthday. Noah was so excited, he waited at the door so he could greet everyone as they came in. There was lots of children, lots of cupcakes, lots of fun! That night he went with David, Toby, and Taylor to see the Legos Star Wars movie.
"This has been the best birthday ever!"

Noah turns 7

On August 16, Noah turned 7. Every year starting in March or April I start hearing the question, "When is my birthday? After months of much anticipation, it arrived. First we celebrated in SC with the Hainsworth and Stier families.

David has Fun!!!

I've been looking forward to this first weekend in August that we would get to come to SC to see Jared and Alice as they passed through on their way back to CA. Of course I was so glad to see them and the rest of the Jacobs family but I was especially excited that David would finally get to relax and have some fun! Evident from his whiteness, he doesn't get away from the Wake Forest Eye Center very often. We did have a fun weekend swimming and going out on the waverunner. As cautious as David is about health issues you would think this would carry over to his concern for his wife in my "frail" state. We went out on the waverunner together. I drove first. I went fast but avoided sharp turns and big waves not wanting to bouce the baby too much. Then David drove and within a minute he had turned sharp and we both flew off. He was trying to see if this one could spin out like the one they had in highschool. Some things never change.

So glad to be with Daddy

Ella Joy wrestling with cousin Smith

Ella Joy and Oa--twin cousins

Noah finally asleep. After he screamed for an hour that he could not fall asleep sitting up.