Rascal Flatts, baby!

Thanks to Courtney's generosity, Alana and I were able to go to the Rascal Flatts concert! It was a miracle that Alana didn't have some sort of health emergency so she was able to go. Maybe this was because we found out three hours before the concert that we would be going...or that her appendix has already been removed. In 2003, Alana and Shawna bought me tickets to go see Rascal Flatts. Then, Alana and I bought a ticket for Shawna for her birthday so we all three could go. Well, then Alana decided to go out and get appendicitus the night before the concert. Nice. We called her during some of the songs while she was laid up in the hospital recovering. Anyway, this time, she wouldn't be stopped.
For those of you who don't know much about country music, let me enlighten you. Have you ever heard of Backstreet Boys or NSYNC? I know, I know, they don't sing country music. But they are boy bands with HUGE fan bases. Ok, the base is really just women of all ages, from tweens to mothers. But women just love them. Well, Rascal Flatts is the NSYNC of country music. I have been to concerts for all three of these bands. What can I say? I'm a sucker for boy bands.
We decided that we didn't really want to see Jessica Simpson so we went late, which really cut down on the traffic! We got to the Delta Center, excuse me, the Energy Solutions Arena, and my little sniffer picked up on the cinnamon almonds. I can smell those babies anywhere. It turned out that they were directly on the other side of the arena. I told you I could smell them from anywhere. We went and got some nuts and took our seats. They came out in a blaze of glory and sang some of their big hits with lights flashing and fans adoring. It was a ball. Thanks again Courtney!

Alana decided that this picture of me is cheesy enough to go on a mouse pad. I'm gonna do it.

It took a million tries to get a picture that didn't turn her into mud. (Notice there is no picture of me. I looked green like the Hulk)

This was their entrance. It scared us but it was dang awesome!

Real cute...

"I'm still excited!"

Alana looks more terrified than anything...

And, this? This picture is priceless. Alana looks like a bug with zero neck, and I have rabbit teeth. Rabbit teeth!

No pants

Click here to see cute pictures of Buddy. And a very cute video.

My contribution

So, there have been quite a few complaints that "SOME people just dont care about the family blog, SOME people just dont check it quite enough, and SOME people just quite frankly dont give a darn" well- im here to tell you that YES! yes i do care. Yes i am trying my darndest to check it more and no i dont hate the blog. i have read the last few blogs and have seen what i have been missing! i think so far my 2 favorites that are on display currently are the scooter and tribute to the Camry. WEll written my sibs! well written.
to show you all that i give a darn, and to prove my newly acquired dedication to the Stout Family blog, i want to add my own personal (perhaps a more up to date) version of stout kid nick names. they should be pretty self explanatory. if you need help identifying which belongs to who. just call me and i will hit you over the head with a tack hammer, because that means you dont come around enough to know who goes by what. shame. shame on you.
Mims
Nood, Noody 2 shoes, noodley doot doot dat (compliments of sanood)
Alip-oo, Ali-poo
Channy
Jerry
Poops, Poopsie Poo
Wog, Woggy, woggy poo
Lunar bum, loon
Stevie Pants, Steben, Stevie pantalones( said panta-loans)
Saw-nood, sanoodie, sanoodle bum
boo, The Boo
Beef, beefy, the beef
Range, Rangel angel
Bobblini, bobs
Ems, emma white t
i hope i dont get any phone calls regarding this matter.
i love you all so freakin much.
-Alana

Funny little story...

This was on my friend's blog a while ago and I though it was hilarious. I know some of us will thoroughly enjoy it. :)

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're in the library,the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People often comment on how clearly he speaks for just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked.There've been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco. Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall: "Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on DA toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?" At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full .. 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity. Cade continued, "Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!" I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting. Trying to divert him, I said, "Why don't you lookin Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candyWe'll both have some!" "No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!" He started to gag at this point. "Uh oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!" As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. I quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone. "Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!" He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count thefeet outside my door. "Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under DA door? What were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?" More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation. "Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now,Mommy." He started pounding on the door. "Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!" I saw that my "wait 'em out" plan was unraveling I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, "Where's the fine print on the 'motherhoodcontract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy?" But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

Tribute to our camry

It was a good car. Not a beautiful one, but a good one indeed. It had dings and dents. Scratches and scuffs. And two different paint colors, even we don't know how it all works out. It's lack of grill was a friendly smile to all who came near. It had squeaky breaks, which announced itself upon arrival, like a happy call to us: "I'm home." We've had some great memories in that car. Such as dancing bananas or the hood flying through the windshield in California traffic. It has been to the great heights of Smiths Mesa, to the great cornfields of Nebraska, and to the desert sands of Juarez Mexico. It wasn't a perfect car, it had its problems, like all of us. One might say its second home was Frank's Mobile Auto Repair. This car had a truly great run. One that not all cars get. Not all cars have been so strong or carismatic. Its dimples were proof of its character. We lay it peacfully to rest between the camper and the greenhouse. It had a tragic end, but as a phoenix rising from its ashes, it will live again. It is part of our eternal family. As I pour over the keyboard with tears in my eyes, I would like to say adieu. Goodbye Brenda and farewell my dear, dear friend and companion.


-Mason Stout

Stout 101

This little baby goes fifteen miles per hour! It has been the cause of much envy in the hood. It has also been the cause of run ins with the law. School law. It has been known to go a maximum of three miles per hour after a little fender bender, but it's all better now now and runnin' in tip top shape. It has been the source of great worry due to accidents and other sorts of collisions. However, it has also been a great source of joy and fun. Who else do you know that has had a set of motorized wheels at the ages of nine and eleben? Certainly not many little girlies that I know of.

Angelina Ballerina at the Ball!

The fabulous Angela finally got to go to her Valenitine's dance! She is quite the little mover :) I really think she was the life of the party singing and dancing the way she that she was. "She's really loud!"was frequently repeated by the many friends of the little prancer. She was really great with her friends and spent a lot of time at the food table...just making sure everythingw as in it's proper place :) She twisted and tangoed all night long in the morning. She loved the decorations, she looked fabulous (thanks to the mighty hairdresser Alana, aka Flo, and to the very able costume designer Amanda and company), and she boogied the day away. What a great dance!

Look at that little sass-a-frass!!

so i know i told pretty much everyone, but just in case i left anyone out...i got into BYU!!! love you all :)

Boo

Oh my gosh! Who posted Julian's birthday party countdown? I just about died laughing at work!

All the Single Ladies

To all those single ladies out there-
Valentine's day is coming up, but it is not just for love of Valentine's! Amanda's good friend and roommate Elise once gave a lesson on how Valentine's Day is not only to celebrate couple love, but to celebrate love in general. Love for your family, love for your roommates, love for your neighbors, and hey- even love for that stupid idiot driver in front of you, bless his heart. So this Valentine's day, I LOVE YOU!! ( and i'm single:)

Angela Bean

I hope you enjoy this video of the hilarious Angela. Who wouldn't? When I was babysitting the Hessenthaler's last summer, we were playing in the backyard and they came up with the brilliant idea to ride the bike thingy down the hill. Well, Angela had a little mishap...

A special treat for you once a day checkers...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Posts

You know what I decided? My goodness people, we have to post more. I think the only people who have used this ever since Christmas ended are Shawna, Amanda, and me. Oh my gosh guys, I want to know what's going on. So we should post more, kay? I'm done with my little lecture thing. Love you lots.
-Rachey
P.S. For those of you who DO use it (ahem) I do enjoy your posts.

Boredom...

Hello all family members. Sometimes I sit in my chair and realize that I am incredibly bored. I haven't been super creative in my attempts to thwart this inevitable emotional state. Some of the activities in which I participate include:

• checking this blog. Posts are few and far between.
• checking other people's blogs. It's weird how people get into blogging and then fall off the earth for a while.
• planning trips. Most of them I am taking! Yahoo.
• checking my bank account to see if I can afford these afore mentioned trips.
• checking other people's bank accounts. JK. No actually I really do. It's part of the job description.
• shopping online. This is horribly addicting. I would NOT recommend it. Especially if you want to travel.
• reading articles on www.msn.com or www.aol.com. They are usually pretty lame. I wouldn't recommend this either.
• texting people. It helps pass the slow times.
• facebooking!

What a boring list! I wish I could feel good about reading a book. I am thinking about bringing books on cd. Oh, by the way, I have found a really great internet radio site. You type in a song, genre, or artist you like and it will only play similar songs. The best thing is that it's free! www.pandora.com. Love it.

Well, after reading this post, you can add checking my posts to your boring list. Huh? Snore...

In honor of the Groundhog

There comes a time in every one's life when they ask themselves the important question: What is groundhog day? I have come to that point in my life. I have often wondered to myself what significance a little pot gut spouting his thoughts about the weather and meteorological events plays in my life. In all honesty, I have been confused about the holiday in general. If the groundhog sees his shadow, does it mean six more weeks of winter? If he doesn't see his shadow, did he just get up too early? How does this make him a "prognosticator of prognosticators?" What does that word even mean? Well I will tell you.

VERB: to prognosticate (third-person singular simple present prognosticates, present participle prognosticating, simple past and past participle prognosticated)
(transitive) To predict or forecast, especially through the application of skill.
Examining the tea-leaves, she prognosticated dark days ahead.
(transitive) To presage, betoken.
The bluebells may prognosticate an early spring this year.

I'm not sure that much skill is involved in climbing out of a little burrow to see one's shadow, but that's just me. Who am I to judge a little rodent who apparently has more weather knowledge? That would be plain presumptuous for me to do so.

Well here are a few little facts about groundhog day to clear up any confusion.

• The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May..."
• According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
• Groundhogs are covered with coarse grayish hairs (fur) tipped with brown or sometimes dull red. They have short ears, a short tail, short legs, and are surprisingly quick. Their jaws are exceptionally strong.
• Groundhogs are one of the few animals that really hibernate. Hibernation is not just a deep sleep. It is actually a deep coma, where the body temperature drops to a few degrees above freezing, the heart barely beats, the blood scarcely flows, and breathing nearly stops.
• A groundhog's life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil (as in Punxsutawney Phil) receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life.
• In 2001, Phil's prediction was shown live on the Jumbo Tron at Times Square in New York City making him the most famous groundhog EVER.

Unfortunately, good ol' prognosticator Phil woke up bright and early this morning and saw his beady little shadow. Looks like we are in for another six weeks of winter. No early spring for us. Information in this publication was taken from www.groundhog.org. Yes, folks, this is a real website. Some information was also taken from www.wiktionary.org (because with everyone contributing, we know we are getting to most reliable information). Have a happy groundhog day!

Piano Man

Here are a couple of cute, new pictures of The Buddy. I thought you would all enjoy them.