Allie's Blankie

Allie got this blanket from my sister Shannon when she was born. Allie became attached to it very quickly and HAD to have it to go to sleep. She still has to have it to go to sleep. Sometimes when she is tired but won't take a nap, I would give her the blankie and she would go to sleep in no time.

The blanket has a smooth side and a bit rougher side. Allie likes to rub the rough side against her lips when she is tired. Very softly, just barely tickling her lips.


If Allie isn't rubbing her lips, she is running the rough side very lightly on the palm of her hand, or up and down the underside of her arm by her armpit.

This is Allie's comfort item. She wants it when she is tired, sad, grumpy, mad, or any other emotion she might be feeling. It makes almost everything better!

Jacob and Pooh Bear

Jacob's Pooh bear is very much like Gracie's lion. He likes to take him everywhere. Grandma Stevulak gave Jacob pooh bear when he was maybe two years old. It has been his favorite animal ever since then.

You can't tell now but Pooh used to have a tag on his bottom. When Jacob was tired or sad he would run the tag between his pointer and middle fingers. He did this so much that the tag is almost completely gone. I think you can still see a little white string. This picture shows perfectly what Jacob does with pooh bear. I love to watch them do their little comfort things with their animals!

Gracie and Lion

Lion has been Gracie's favorite animal since the day she got him from Grandma Stevulak at Disneyland when she was 10 months old. Gracie became so attached to lion that we almost never left home without him. She would absolutely NOT go to bed without him for the first 4 years. There have been maybe 3 or 4 nights without him since then.

Gracie will rub lions tail over her lips or under her nose to go to sleep at night. Many times during the day you can see Gracie putting lions tail between her lips and blowing it out over and over again.

Lions tail is quite worn by this point. So much so that Gracie sometimes falls asleep with her finger inside his tail. He is pretty ragged looking these days, but she still loves him!

I love how much Gracie loves lion. I am glad that he is a comfort to her still. She is almost eight now, and she still sleeps with him. She swears she will never get rid of him because she loves him too much. I hope that really is true! I hope she never outgrows him. Lion is a part of her life, he will always bring her comfort and quietly be there when she needs him.

(I think I could use a pal like that)

Camping Skies

I told you before, I have become infatuated with the clouds and the sun! I'm not really sure where this interest comes from, I haven't ever had it before. Maybe I just finally slowed down enough to see it!?!



These are the last of my favorite sky pictures (for now anyway). I took these when we were camping on Cedar Mountain in July. I think they are just beautiful! I love the shape of the clouds in the lake picture, although it does sort of remind me of the nothing in The Neverending Story, when it is coming to cover the land! And the color of the clouds in the other is amazing!

Picture or Painting?

I took this because when we walked up to the river, this scene looked so much like it could be a painting! If I could paint, I might attempt this!

More Beautiful Skies

Here are a few more of my favorites.

Beautiful Skies

I have recently become fascinated with the sky. The shape of the clouds, and the way the light shines around the edges. These are a few of my favorites.

I love to see the sun rays shine through the clouds.


The contrast between light and
dark in the clouds amazes me.


Sunset shots are cool too. Clouds
make the sunsets here more beautiful.


I just love this picture, I'm not really
sure how to describe it. But I think it is gorgeous.


The bright red on the bottom
of the clouds looks like lava to me.

Emma and Lizzie

I love this picture

Camping Favorites

I think I am pretty much caught up on our summer vacation. I am now posting some favorites from our camping trip with my family. I know I put up a slide show, but that didn't introduce everyone very well.

These are the individual family groups. My sister Shannon and my brothers Jack and Jason with their families.


This is baby Emma. This trip was the first time I have seen her! She has such a sweet smile and beautiful eyes!!


We have some double names in our family. Emma Duffy and Emma Stevulak. Gracie Stevulak and Gracie Duffy


This is Riley (aka Cuddlebug) She is Jack's youngest daughter. She is the most cuddly child I have ever seen!!! When you pick her up, she just melts in to you!


The Three Musketeers
Jacob, Gage and Allie
What can I say!?! They are just too darn cute!!!
Jacob and Gage became best buddies there.

Magic Mountain

August 13, 2010


Some friends of ours have season passes to Magic Mountain. They get buddy passes every so often and they invited our family to go with them. We had so much fun! We have kids similar in age so everyone had a buddy. Jacob and Eron went on most of the rides together. Emma and Kathleen went on the big rides with the dads. Gracie, Julia, and Allie stayed with me and Jae, and baby Evie. Jacob and Eron stayed with us too.


We learned that Jacob and Allie LOVE roller coasters, I never would have thought that. Jacob hates it when Michael throws him in the air! The first one we took them on is a small one in the kids section. I was sitting with Gracie and I could hear Allie behind me screaming. At first she was scared, then she was laughing hysterically! She wanted to keep going on it, over and over again! She would go by herself and keep her hands in the air the whole time!

I realized that it is scary to see my four year old on the big swings. The swings that I don't even like to ride! He loved it! He looked so tiny in that large seat!
I was having a nervous breakdown the whole time they were in the air. The ride didn't end soon enough for me.

Then there was the log ride. I don't like roller coaster type rides very much at all. The kiddie one is enough for me. I didn't like the log ride. Jacob and Allie loved it! They went on 3 or 4 times in a row. They were dripping wet and freezing cold, begging to go again!

I was on the big carosel with Allie. She was buckled in and we were moving at top speed (which isn't all that fast) when Allie told me she wanted me to go over there. I looked where she was pointing and it was on the other side of the gate. She wanted me to get off the ride. I told her that I couldn't get off when it was moving because I could get hurt and she said to me "just walk really slow and you won't get hurt".

Tummy Troubles

Maybe it was something they ate!?!

Fire Season

This is smoke (zero clouds) from the fire
south of Palmdale a few weeks ago.


This is the fire burning on the mountain.
It is about 45 miles away from us.

Ventura Beach 2010

We went to the beach and had a great time collecting rocks and playing in the water. The kids decided to have a sand fight. I think Jacob was loosing!

Sticky Fingers

Allie was eating cinnamon toast. Michael asked her if she wanted to play Sorry. She said yes. Michael told her to go wash her hands because they were sticky. She said to Michael, "I'll wash them with my lick!"

More Garden Pics

More cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, carrots, cantaloupe and tomatoes.



First two cantaloupes, the one cut open is a normal cantaloupe. The greenish yellow one in the back is a different type of cantaloupe. It tastes like a cantaloupe and watermelon mix. It smells just like watermelon to me.

Pop Quiz

What is Allie doing? Flexing her muscles

First Day Photos

Emma's first day of middle school.




Gracie's first day of 3rd grade.

Time goes by TOO fast!!!

I just got back from dropping Emma off for her first day of MIDDLE SCHOOL! How did this happen so fast!?!

I thought it was hard to drop her off at kindergarten, where they are separated from the older kids, and they stay with their teacher all day. The 6th graders have their own class section, but other than that they are mixed with the 7th and 8th graders, even for lunch. Walking around the campus with my tiny ten year old was SCARY! She is so small compared to almost everyone there. I did see a couple of kids shorter than her. There were kids there taller than me! There were boys with facial hair! She didn't have anyone in her class that she knew, and almost all of her friends have 1st lunch while she has 2nd. I do know who her teacher is, she came up from the middle school with Emma, which does help some.

I wanted to pick her up and run to the car with her! Watching her walk to her class I really felt sick to my stomach. She looks so mature now, but she still looks like my little girl too. At the same time I am so proud of the beautiful young woman she is becoming, and I know I can't keep her little forever.

I decided she would probably be totally embarrassed if I freaked out about her still being my baby and taking her home with me. I was able to walk to the car and let her go.

At least it is a minimum day, I can't wait to go and pick her up!!!

24th of July

We celebrated Pioneer Day at a church activity. There was candle making, butter making, johnny cakes, panning for gold, burrow rides, crossing the icy river, pioneer bonnets, and lots of homemade bread. The kids had a great time doing some pioneer activities.

Our First Corn on the Cob

Allie is showing off our first ear of corn. We have 20 more growing now. We planted two different types. This one is Silver Queen, and it tastes really good. We can't wait to try the Honey and Cream!