New Camera (Test 1..2..3)

New camera. Old camera was crushed on last plane ride to Tulsa. Never pack your camera in with you luggage. I know... I know.

Fit for a Queen

Here it is the end of November. Micah turned 5 on the second, Lily hit 7 months on the 11th and Dylan will hit 8 in less than 2 months. So, in case you were wondering that does mean that Shauna and I are staying quite busy. I guess the biggest news is that on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the 20th, another Stockstill female was born into this world. My brother Danny and his wife Sara gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Brinlee Rose. If my addition is right, that makes.... 4 boys and 4 girls in the ole clan (Keep it even Rebecca!). Christmas ought to be WILD in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

It seems like every year I find myself smack dab in the middle of November and find myself thinking, “Hey! What happened to Arbor Day… what happened to the whole year?” You see, for me Thanksgiving is perhaps THE defining moment of the year. It is the whistle for the fourth quarter to begin. We switch endzones, we hold up four fingers, we drink a lot of Gatorade, and we look to see which way the flags on the goalposts are blowing. It’s a time to suck it up and win one for the Gipper. Thanksgiving is the official launch of the holiday season which ends precisely as time expires in the final college bowl game.
So, there is a certain “gearing up” that has to take place. So, if you’re sucking wind at this point and looking for the nearest oxygen mask, let me give you a game plan to help you really enjoy the holiday season.

1. Eat the Good Stuff. I know, I know "everything in moderation." But, seriously... eat the good stuff.

2. Sing Loud. It is officially legal to play Christmas music. I believe the rule book states "Christmas music may thus be introduced to the musical rotation the moment after your first piece of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie has digested.
A list of my favorites: White Christmas- Bing Crosby
Drummer Boy- Bing Crosby and David Bowie
Baby it’s Cold Outside- Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel
Carol of the Bells- Vienna Boys Choir

O Holy Night- Enya Silver Bells-

The First Noel- Jim Brickman

Mele Kalikimaka

Silver Bells

Christmas in Killarney- Bing Crosby

The Holly and the Ivy (if you need more just email me)

3. Family Movie Night. Go ahead and pull out all the favorites. Set aside one or two nights a week to eat Christmas goodies, curl up by the fire (if you don’t have a fireplace- candles work nicely), drink hot chocolate and cuddle. If you need someone to watch a movie with, just come bearing gifts I’m sure they’ll be glad to hang out. If you need someone to cuddle with, come with an expensive gift. (Seriously, who can say no to a good fruitcake?) There’s no reason to go it alone!
A List of my favorites:
Christmas Vacation

White Christmas

A Christmas Story

Elf
The Polar Express

Rudolph, Frosty and all the classic flocked claymations
The Bells of St. Mary
Fletch (I know it’s not a Christmas movie, but I have to plug it at every opportunity)

Holiday Inn

The Family Man

Jack Frost

It’s a Wonderful Life (if you need more just email me)

4. Make Memories. Don’t let the holiday season rule over you. Don’t let money dictate whether it was a great season or not. Look, you’ve got one full month before the big day. Go ahead and make plans to enjoy every second. Do something extraordinary.

Go see a Christmas play

Make a Gingerbread house

Go Grizwall and decorate with lights

Put laundry detergent all over your neighbors lawn and then make snow angels

Ride up and down elevators singing your favorite tunes

Make divinity

Go caroling (alright don’t go caroling.)

5. Give Big. I know this should go without saying, but this really is the time to reflect God’s gracious generosity to a world with a lot of needs.

Invite someone over to watch a movie (snuggling is optional)
When your making divinity, make a little extra and find someone to give it to

Buy some socks and take it to the local shelter
Guard your words. Choose to be an encourager and give laughs away. (especially if you're laughing at OU - OSU score).

The season can be tough for some. Give someone a call or letter that might need it.

Live Beyond yourself.

Wow, it’s amazing how Christmas-y I’m feeling. Fingers up. Gatorade Down. The wind is at our backs.

Brinlee Rose

Ice Cold Milk and an Oreo Cookie!

Someone asked me the other day what the favorite age of my kids has been. So, I thought about it...

0 - 3 months: still blown away with the miracle of life.
3 - 6 months: rocking at night when their little breath meets your cheek.
6 - 9 months: smiles are turning to chuckles which are turning to laughs.
9 mo - 1 yr: rolling is turning to crawling which is turning to walking.
year 1: personality is developing, new words, new looks, new loves.
year 2 - 3: crazy about mom and dad "watch this!"
year 4 - 5: like a sponge soaking in everything.
year 6 - 7: they're turning into little people.

How do you choose a favorite from a list like that? It's like looking at a dessert menu and choosing your favorite. The problem is each plate brings something unique and fantastic to the ole' palet. Devils food chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles on top? That's what I'm talking about. Strawberry shortcake with ice cream?... Pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving with a quart of cool whip?... Hot blackberry cobbler with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream?... Turtle brownies a la mode?... Blueberry cheesecake?... Nestle chocolate chip cookies (with nuts) straight out of the oven with a glass of milk in a frozen glass?

The best dessert is the one that is sitting in front of you. So it is with your kids.

Without getting too gushy as a softy, I think each day (at least every other day) brings it's own set of unique, unbelievable moments that you can store in the memory bank as a priceless deposit. I'm not saying everyday is perfect, for there are times I understand the concept of animals eating their young; but, seriously how cool is it that we have been entrusted to raise, care for, train, love, discipline, shape these little mini-people for a few years. I guess that's why they're all favorite.

How Time is Flilying

If you blur through these without paying much attention you will think to yourself, "Self, all of these pictures look the same." But, if you'll take the time to really study each individual picture you will find that they capture a unique special moment in the life of Lily. Each expression, each toothless grin, each eye twinkle all communicate in their own unique way... "OU beat Texas!!!"

Life continues to roll along smoothly at the Stockstill household. The boys are doing really well in soccer, Shauna is up teaching aerobics at 5:00am everyday, I am on the downhill slope of school, and Lily is ruling the roost with authority. It's amazing how a 6 month old girl can make two boys (4 and 7) cater to her every whim, not to mention the control she has over a 34 year old woman and a 35 year old man. I don't know that I would call her strong-willed at this point, I think I'd just call her a ... girl!

Geared up for Sooner Football!

Can you smell it? No, not a poopie diaper... the smell of autumn. You know that certain hint in the air that trumpets the arrival of: a new school year, changing leaves, and of course Oklahoma Football. Usually the smell is ushered in on the first cool winds of September, after Labor Day but before homecoming. This year, however, it arrived this afternoon with a cool front that ended our insane streak of 100+ degree weather. It was slight, but there is no mistaking it's proclamation.
And just in time to enjoy the fall, Nenaw sent Lily this new Laz-Y-Boy kiddy chair known as a "Bumbo" that is perfect for lounging around, throwing back a few milkskies, gnawing on a few pretzel shaped teething biscuits, and downing a couple of jars of Gerber "dogs with mustard and relish" goo.
We have secretly wired the chair to emit warm waves of therapeutic massage-like sensations when the Sooners are on television. We have also rigged a slight electrical charge that will emit twinges of discomfort when Oklahoma State or any team from Texas comes on the big screen. (We also up the juice exponentially when the Teletubbies or Barnie is showing).

Return of the Lily-nator.

O.K. I get the message. I realize it's been a few weeks sense we've hung out on the ole blogspot, but not much has changed. Besides being able to walk, carry on a conversation, and sport curls, Lily is virtually the same little girl she was the last time you saw this blog.

Now, although that's not entirely true, life does continue to slowly and methodically move forward. I find myself sitting here wondering where the summer went? It seems every weekend was packed with some type of adventure-riddled activity that left us with fantastic memories and a great case of sleep deprivation. For example, last week Dylan and I spent a weekend in the swamps of Louisiana sharing some serious father / son time. We canoed with alligators, swam with beavers, chased armadillos, snagged a catfish and provided the local mosquito population with a generous donation of blood. Shauna, Micah and Lily decided to make a quick trip to Memphis to help Aunt Rebecca settle in to her new apartment.

So, here we sit saying adios to summer (101 degrees) and hello to a new school year. Lily celebrated her big 4 month b-day last week and she is without question growing like a ... weed? nah, she's growing more like a turnip. Her fat cheeks are more kissable everyday. No matter what time of day it is, or what mood you may find yourself in, when she flashes that big toothless milk-eatin' grin at you... you simply run as fast as you can and get yourself some slobbery sugar. I don't know what it is but life just seems a little sweeter after that. Her arms and legs are starting to get that Michelin-Man-You-Can-Roll-a-Rolo-Malt-o-Meal look that works so well on Lily; but, not so much on me. She smiles all the time. Loves to chuckle. Not a big fan of oatmeal. Recognizes her family. Drools often. Sings every morning. and loooovvvvveeeesss her mama!

Sally (Shauna's mom) made this dress for Stephanie (Shauna's sister) 29? years ago. I think there are photos of both Steph and Shauna in this dress.