Hanging in there...

Well our little monster is hanging in there. The eczema hasn't really went away - I wish it would :) Pauly is being a trooper. A couple of weekends ago we spent the weekend with Jodi, Brian, Bailey and Birch in Bellevue and we had a great time! Pauly was having a hard time pretty much the whole weekend which we thought was just his eczema when all the sudden we noticed he had popped a tooth out!!! It was Nutts! I kind of felt like a crazy mom at that point! The very next week he popped out another! He has two teeth on the bottom! and his baby girl cousin Macarti (who is 3 months older than he is doesn't have any. Poor Carti :(... Anyways here are a few pictures of Pauly and his eczema outbreak, Pauly and Birchy Brown and then Pauly and his best girl Dapher Doo...

... oh and don't forget Pauly and his Mama and Daddy too!

Top 10 Reasons I love you

1. You are an amazing father to our son - you are so adorable when you play with him and I love watching you two well because one - I still can't believe how much he looks like you and two - I can see in Pauly that he knows you are his Pa and he loves you and I think that is such an amazing bond.

2. You love me unconditionally - I'm a women... and I tend to be crazy a little bit... okay a lot! and no matter what condition you fine me in when you come home - Usually I'm in my scraggely sweat pants and t-shirts, and my hair is all a mess... and please don't ask me when I had my last shower because I couldn't tell you! Plus sometimes I'm cranky (don't smirk - it is only sometimes) and you love me no matter what. You keep me together when I just want to cry - You are kind and patient and remind me when I forget how blessed we are - Thank You.

3. You're a family guy - You always talk to your sisters once a week and your mama too - you make sure that we get chances to go see my family because you know it is important to me. I love that you love family and I love yours too- I'm very thankful that for both of us family is something we truly treasure!

4. You're Fun! - I always have fun with you and your smile is so adorable. I love it when we laugh till we just can't breathe; which is quite often. You also can tell jokes in such a way that usually you have everyone in the room grabbing their stomach in pain because they are laughing so hard.

5. You take good care of us - You work so hard to make sure we have everything we need. A cute little warm home, enough food, bills paid and most importantly you provide for us so that I can stay home with Pauly. We are so blessed!

6. I love the way you make up songs - I love it when you are just strummin' on your guitar and all of the sudden you break out into song - making up the words which are usually hilarious and little stabs at me. So funny!

7. I love it when you sing and play your guitar - It's fun how you disappear for a couple hours downstairs then come up stairs with your guitar in hand with a big grin on your face because your so proud of the way you just learned a new song and you come upstairs and sing and play it for me. You are very talented and I love that you can do that.

8. I love that you challenge me - I always want to be my best version of myself when I'm with you and I love you for that.

9. You're smart - of course this was definately a huge part of the reason I chose you... ha ha ha... A smart man IS quite important. Although it is a little annoying sometimes but over all a good thing :)

10. You're adorable - I love it on a work day when you have got dressed for work and I can tell you are particularly proud of the way you look - you constantly look at yourself in the mirrior and .... oh just thinking about it makes me smile. You're so cute.

Happy Valentines Honey !!! I love you !!!

Update on Pauly

Well the last two days have been 100% better. Pauly's face is clearing up and he isn't near as itchy as he has been. Plus my most favorite thing the little sparkle in his eye is back and I'm so thankful! Thank you all for praying for him!

Our little champ!

Well some of you might know already but our little champ broke out with a extreme case of eczema about 2 weeks ago. Eczema is a very itchy skin condition. He first got it on his cheeks and it was there for a couple weeks and then this past week it spready to all over his body. Saturday and Sunday were the worst days ever. We were up with him screeming and moving every second just to get that itch he just couldn't quite get itched. His poor little spirit is trying so hard to be happy and positive but being his mother, I can see his little heart is broken and he is just plum sick of it. He wakes up in the morning just screaming because he is so tired of fighting it. We took him to the doctor on Monday to get an antibiotic to keep the sores from getting infected and hopefully speed up the healing process. Ben is being so helpful holding him and comforting him when I just can't quite keep it together. I know this too shall pass and we'll be closer because of it. I just think it is weird that about a week and a half ago I was noticing how this kid just never cries. We would go days and days at a time and he never cries. Always happy! He is such a little champ and I'm so proud of him for being so brave! Please keep us in your prayers.

So proud of my husband!

I just want to share with everyone how thankful I am for my husband who works so hard everyday so I can be home with our son. Ben just recently got a promotion at his job Boy Scouts of America to a management position. He has worked so hard for this and he is going to be amazing! So proud!

Pauly! Pauly! Pauly!

Boy this kid is getting HUGE! We weighed him when we were at Mimi and Papa's and we weight Macarti too. Pauly weighed 18 lbs and Macarti weighed 19lbs. Oh, did I mention Macarti is 3 months older than he is. He likes his food! Pauly the past few weeks has grown even more by leaps and bounds. Looking more and more like his father of course. Here are a few pictures I got of him.

Look he is almost grown out of this car seat. Ben and I are dreading not having the convenience of this car seat we'll have to start packing this BIG KID!
I got these two right before a bath time when he was playing in his crib with all his friends

Clean! Clean! Clean!

Surprise Mimi and Papa!

After leaving Missoula (in the middle of the night - I was driving and there was lots of snow, lots of elk, lots of deer and I was scared) Ben and I decided it would be fun to drop off Pauly and I in Howe and surprise Mimi and Papa! Casi and Macarti came over too and we had a wonderful time. Below are just some funny pictures I took when we were playing around.

Christmas in Montana!

I know, I know, Christmas is long over with but! it took me forever to get my photos sorted out to put on my blog. We spent Christmas in Montana this last year and it was wonderful. Ben's sister Kerry and her husband Chad were the hosts. We all had a wonderful time. Kerry cooked yummy meals and we all played fun games and spent a lot of time together. Granny and Grandad were there as well as Bruce and Holly came with their kids, Kaylena and Ryan from North Dakota. We all really missed the Alaska crew (which is Ben's middle sister Kelly with her husband David and their kids, Jesse, LeaAnn and Nathan) BUT we did get to converse with them over a web cam and they were even watching up open our presents on Christmas and they were also there when we got to have little Jacob's birthday party.

Pauly spent lots of time watching his cousins Jacob, Joey and Ryan playing and we could all tell he was ready to jump up and run around with them. He also enjoyed being watched by his sissy Kaylena. She was a wonderful help to me! Santa brought Pauly lots of goodies! He got 2 new soft blankets, a few new outfits, hats and gloves, toys and the best thing a book wrote by his very own Granny called 'Because We Are Family'. It is so special. Pauly got to have a special bath time with Granny which he enjoyed very much.

He also got read books by his favorite Auntie Holly. And of course lots and lots of Quality Time with his favorite Auntie Roo!

Congratulations Cody and Lisa!

Little Jessalyn is here and adorable as ever! Jessalyn Ann Stauffer was born at 1:42 a.m. on Sunday morning, January 13th! She weighed 7lb 9oz and was 19 inches long. She is precious. Another little princess to the Bill and Pattie Stauffer crew! This is Cody and Lisa's first and Uncle Mark and Aunt Lyn's 3rd grand daughter and Grandma and Grandpa Great's 5th one within the last year. She is #8 of the great grand kids so far! We're so blessed she is here safe and healthy. She's beautiful Cody and Lisa! Congratulations!

They are precious in his sight!

Daphnie loves Pauly she always likes to sit by him and lick his face ... Yummy!

Pauly got a visit from the Boothby girls and I captured some amazing pictures of them. Aren't they adorable! Good kids!

The other morning we were all sitting around reading the Idaho Statesman and drinking coffee and Pauly kept whining and whining --- he was bored... so I handed him a piece of the newspaper and he acted like he was reading it and looked at it - holding it on both sides like we were- it was the funniest thing ever! He was so serious... He's so gifted...

Pauly meets Olentzero!

Sunday, December 9th we had a wonderful day! We got to watch Anastasie play her pandareta (basque for tambourine) with the Txantxangorriak . She also danced with the Oinkari Basque Dancers as we all cheered her on!

Pauly loved it and so did we!

Next we all trailed down to the Basque Center where we heard there was going to be a special visitor!

Olentzero (the Basque Santa Claus) was there and was handing out gifts! Paul was the first one to get a gift and everyone couldn't resist ooohen' and awhen' at the baby. Daddy took him up to meet Olentzero for the first time while mama captured the moment.

Pauly got a stuffed moose and he named him Gerard Aye (the moose is Canadian see - dad named him :)

Santa Claus is coming to town...

I just couldn't wait this year to put up our tree so the first spare minute Ben had he brought me home the most beautiful Christmas Tree he could find and I got it decorated as I wanted Pauly to enjoy it as much as he possibly could this being his first Christmas!

I hung our stockings that Amuma made us. She did such a good job and I love them!

Thanksgiving 2007 at the Browns'!

We all had a wonderful time this Thanksgiving hosted by the Brown family. We all packed up and went to Bellevue to enjoy a one-of-a-kind country Thanksgiving. We enjoyed many yummy pies brought by Aunt Louise and ate one too many crepes requested by yours truly, Anastasie Echeverria. It was wonderful to see Grandma Sally (Amuma to some of us) and Papa Paul with also a wonderful surprise visit by our own Monty Dean Echeverria! We love him so! BUT we sure missed Marti, Cassie and the Montes clan as Thanksgiving never is the same unless we are ALL together!



Through a lot of stress about if the turkey will fit in the roaster pan and worrying about if we have enough chicken or not Jodi cooked an awesome Thanksgiving Dinner and in addition to that many other yummy meals!













The men enjoyed poker and cigars (sponsored by Dave "the new guy") out in the wall tent Uncle Brad brought and attempted the ultimate goal had by dad's son-in-laws to defeat ole pa. Which is entertaining in itself! Dad - you definitely have them all bluffed if you ask me. We would all trail out to see them and found ourselves hacking and coughing just trying to get through the first stun of cigar smoke. Eyes watering and throats stinging it was all good fun watching the men take it the game so seriously... They played every night out there till 1 or 2 a.m. for at least 3 nights straight.


Us ladies enjoyed a few trips to town to enjoy the fun shopping that the Wood River Valley had to offer. Grandma Sally treated us to a little tour of Haley's quilt shop and Jodi and I picked out some material to make blankets for our kids for Christmas. Then off we went for coffee at Zaney's and then back home only to jump back in the car with mom as she was finally let off of kid duty and I had a special store I just had to show her! We found many treasures.


Aunt Louise, Anastasie and Grandma took some walks to the barn only to find themselves having to run back down the lane to escape from the kittens following them home.





Mimi and Papa had a good time keeping track of all the grand kids only to stop every minute or two to us all complaining and expressing how much we missed ole Carti Rae, Caser and Tenny too!




























We got a fun surprise visit from Grandma Pattie and Grandpa Bill on Thanksgiving Day and I captured a great picture that I will treasure forever!





We had a wonderful time this year and on be half I'm sure all of us we just want to say Thank You again to Jodi and Brian for their wonderful hospitality! You were amazing hosts!

You have the mommy haircut!

Can you believe it girls? We are moms! Damn good ones if you ask me - must of been the training we had growing up. Remember how mom taught us to take care of babies by first tending our dollies and kittens too. We'd dress them up in dolly clothes and make sure they got their food and nap times (except for Jodi - who would just get a little too carried away with those kittens :)

I am so proud of us and I know we will continue to encourage each other and support one another! I couldn't have made it this far with out you two and you too ma - so just know that I'm here for you and I appreciate what you have done for me! We are so blessed to be this close, I can't imagine life without my girls. I love you to the moon...

Visiting Mimi and Papa's house in Howe!

Mimi and Papa with all the grand kids at church!

Aunt Casi and Macarti Rae - aren't they beautiful girls.

A couple weeks ago Jodi and I wrangled all of the kids up and surprised mom and dad with a visit back home in Howe. Pauly got to meet his Great Grandpa Bill for the first time and Uncle Tenny and Great Uncle Mark too. We sure had a lot of fun and the kids definitely kept Mimi and Papa busy. They all are growing so fast!
Bailey was trying to color and Birch wanted to lend her a hand... or maybe just eat the crayons.

Pauly and Great Grandma Pattie and Great Grandpa Bill. We're so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Playing catch up!

Well a lot has happened since I posted my last note. Little Paul is still doing amazing and getting so big!

Ben's sister Kerry and her boys came to visit the last weekend in October and stayed for a few days. It was their first time seeing Pauly. They loved taking turns holding him and giving him kisses. We captured some great pictures of their time with us. Jacob and Joey are getting so big and tall! They are so fun and quite entertaining! Pauly can't wait till he is big enough to play with them.

The Saturday they were here we took a fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch and the boys picked out some pumpkins. We had a great time!

For Pauly's first Halloween mama made him a baby penguin costume and mama was a penguin too! They turned out pretty cute! Daddy made his costume too, he is quite crafty I must say. We all went to a Halloween party at Aunt Louise and Uncle Brad's house. We had a lot of fun and Pauly was very well behaved :)

That next weekend Mimi and Great Grandma Pattie came to visit and love on Pauly. He was so glad they came to see him. They got to stay with him while mama and daddy went on their first date since Pauly was born - we went out to the Melting Pot and had a wonderful time! Sunday we all went out to Payette to attend Cody and Lisa's baby shower, little Jessalyn should be arriving some time in January and we can't wait!


Well that gets me pretty well caught up. Here are a couple more pictures that I just loved. Look Daphnie is waiting for a crumb or too! Isn't she funny! Then there is the other one of Pauly being a sweet boy taking a nap while mama snuck in to get a pic. He is looking more and more like his daddy every day... and I love it! Enjoy!