What'd you say?

Parenting makes you say the craziest things. I would have never guessed the things I am constantly saying to Jace now. It's amazing how many times a day I say "what's in your mouth?"

I said something I would have never guessed I would have to say tonight. Jace and I make cupcakes (and a huge mess) after dinner tonight. When he finally got to eat his, he was really excited and dropped a lot of it on the floor. Next thing I knew, I see Jace on the floor eating what he dropped like a puppy. I actually had to say "No sir Jace, we do not eat of the floor." Wow.

Well hello there, Mr. Senator

You know that rule in the parenting handbook that says something like, never leave your child alone in the car EVER. Well, I broke it and the government came after me.

On Saturday, I was trying to get Jace to his fashion show on time and realized that I had left the camera in the house. My man was not able to attend Jace's show and I knew that he was counting on me to take pictures. So, I turned around and went back to the house. At this point we were really running late so I had a huge decision to make. Leave the boy strapped in his car seat for 2 minutes while I run in to get the camera, or take him in with me.

Getting a 2 year old in and out of the car is a huge production. Just buckling the seat is a big deal. So, I asked Jace if he would be ok in the car for a couple minutes and we both agreed it would be ok. I locked the door and ran up to the house. I was in the house just long enough to grab the camera and an extra pair of shoes for him, and I was on my way back out to the car.

As I opened the front door I saw this strange official looking man standing on my porch. My heart dropped as I knew I would be arrested for child neglect.

Me: Can I help you sir?

Strange man: Oh, hello! I am your state Senator and I am going door to door meeting the neighborhood.

Oh heck! What are the chances of my Senator wanting to hang out while I am running way late with my boy alone in the car? I explained that I was running really late and that I would look him up online as I walked him down the driveway. The whole time I was terrified he would look in the car and see Jace.

Luckily, my Senator got back in his car and drove without incident. I guess I learned my lesson though. I will not be leaving the boy alone in fear of the government showing up at my door again.

We're married!!!!

As my favorite rap artist Jay-Z would say, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Stacee Osborn Pina. I am wife to Larry Pina (or LL as Carly would say) and Emmy to the fabulous Jace Pina. We are officially married and happy here in Phoenix.

Last weekend we all got married in Vegas. For those of you who didn't receive an invitation, this is what ya missed.

The only thing I wanted people to say when asked about our wedding is that it was FUN. I think we succeeded. It wasn't just fun, it was crazy fun. I was surrounded with so much love and by so many of the most important people in my life. I am blessed.

I was escorted down the aisle by the dashing Jace Pina, who remembered his most important line, "I do" and then proceeded to be extremely well behaved and polite. L and I were able to stand in front of our friends and family and finally say our most important lines, "I do." And now I'm a wife and step to some amazing boys.

It is such a good feeling to be back here and settling down again. I have so many things to share and pictures to show. I could blog for days. But, I have a stack of thank you's to write and laundry to do. So, I leave you for now with the first picture of my new family.

I'm still alive

Sorry for my lack of blogging recently. I have been super, super busy. I am getting married in 6 weeks ya know.

Since I last posted, I have been to Denver and back (barely made it back alive-thanks Shalee), stuffed and addressed 100 wedding invitations, helped Kai celebrate his first birthday, and had an amazing wedding shower myself. Needless to say, I will be blogging on all of the above in the coming days.

I do have to say that I am shocked right now. I am watching our boy doing something I have never seen before. He's watching TV! He will occassionally sit through about 30 seconds of Handy Manny but he has been still for about 10 minutes now watching Shrek. That's why I am able to post something now.

So, I will get pictures ready of our busy past few days (weeks) and have them post soon.

What happens after 3?

Luckily, Jace can't read yet so I can tell you a secret.



I have no idea what happens after 3. You know, when you've exhausted all of your parenting tricks for discipline and start counting. On Sunday, Jace was in time out but kept getting off the red rug (our time out spot of choice). He was already in time out so I had no where to go with this and I started count. I sounded very much like my mother and said 1...2... and I lucked out when he hopped back on the rug and said "ok, ok, ok, I on the rug."



I must have had an "I mean it" look on my face but I had no idea what to do if I were to have reached 3. I'm so glad he didn't call my bluff on this.

Saving? : (

I'm trying to save money...again. My man is the best saver ever and we'll be sharing finances soon. I'm scared. Now he will know my deep dark spending secrets. I have about 2 months to get my financial act together.

I'm a weird shopper. I wear scrubs to work everyday so, I really don't buy a lot of clothes. I buy random stuff that I can't possibly live without at the time and then never use it. I found this adorable little picnic basket at Target and thought I couldn't live another day without it. I had visions of us in Sedona with cute little sandwiches on a blanket in the sun-this never happened. It is sitting on the floor next to the cabinet in the kitchen.

My man has talks with me about my purchases and what we should do with them. He uses words like "consolidate" and "down-size" during these discussions. I usually nod my head and promise to work on it-soon.

So wish me luck. I've got to get it together by October 17th when I officially become a Pina. Til then, visions of picnic baskets and shiny pink bicycles dance in my head.

A quote from this evening

"I how know to open it by myself"
Jace Pickle Pina-about peeling an orange