We have a new Blog! http://Blog.Stopnik.net

We have moved the Stopnik Family Blog over to our own server so we could run Word Press and have a lot more cool features. Check it out at http://blog.stopnik.net

If you have a RSS Feed setup it has been changed over so you will still get feeds without a problem.
Thanks!

GI Joe is Back!

I am so excited that the GI Joe action figures are back in stores and they look exactly like i used to buy. I was telling Brooke and Britton that I used to ride my bike down to Toys-R-us (about 1/2 mile away on major streets) and just to checkout the new GI Joe's. That brought back awesome memories. It also made me think " I would never let my kids ride that far away on major streets by myself at that age! What the heck were my parents thinking?"

Anyway, it was really funny because while i was checking out all the new GI Joe figurines, 4 or 5 guys stopped by and was just as excitted as i was at seeing the old packaging. All of them had wives rolling their eyes in disbelief. They just dont get it...

Here are a few items.


For those of you that didnt know, they are making all these retro GI Joe toys for a new GI Joe movie. Here is the trailer... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046173/trailers

Our trip to the new Charlotte IKEA

We have been waiting for months for this IKEA to open. It is like a little piece of California in North Carolina for us! So, we ventured out in the rain on the opening night of IKEA Charlotte! It was AWESOME!

Very typical IKEA. Extremely huge!

Really... I just noticed that the rest of the pics are all from the food court... That has to say something about us but I'm not sure what?

The food court experience starts with grabbing a very cool and IKEA'Like food cart.

Next you grab a few awesome looking dishes including some sick looking desserts.

Even Jude had a selection of "exotic" Swedish baby foods

Then you order from the large picture menus.

Then you eat in their sweet dining area!


I got the Swedish Meatballs, home made mashed potatoes and chocolate cake... Mmmm...

They even had a baby station with a microwave, bottle warmer, baby spoons and IKEA bibs!

Jude and Brooke approve!

Weird Sightings in NC - Walmart Edition

Our family took a trip to Walmart during one of our weekly shopping runs. We usually shop at Target almost exclusively but we were close and they do have cheap stuff. Good thing my phone has a camera cause it was amazing! Check out a small sample of what we found...

What kid woundn't want a remote control Skunk with a flip up tail? I mean seriously. How did i grow up with out one!

Walmart has tons of services including Optometry, Bank, McDonald's and even a Dentist. But this hair salon was a surprise.

I found a client of the hair salon

Love him or Hate him... He's got trading cards! BTW... I'm looking for the action card from the "Joe the Plumber" encounter and am willing to trade a Shepard Fairey "Progress" card and a "Yes We Can" Speech card.

What's new with the Stopniks in North Carolina?

Britton and I had a great Birthday treat...SNOW! It didn't compare to a Colorado snow, but it was still very fun!


1. Jude is crawling...and he is fast! He also pulls himself up on everything. I doubt he will be walking by March 10th, but you never know with this wild one.


2. Brooke lost one of her front teeth and she now fits in a little better here in North Carolina. ;) And she loves to read. She read 60 pages in one sitting...


3. Britton turned 4 and can now officially chew gum! He is "King of the Legos" and he is apparently dominating in Kickball at preschool.


4. Kelley turned 30! I got a bike for my birthday (Thanks Mom, Dad and Blair) and I am now a bike riding fool...


5. Blair is happy that he is not 30 yet, but gets to make fun of me until October 11th!

Circus Fun

Today we went to the Ringling Bros. Circus for Britton's Birthday. Blair's company has season tickets to the Bobcats, so we were able to get amazing Box Seat tickets. It was so nice to be able to spread out and have a comfy chair to sit in for the show. The kids were amazed (So were Blair and I) at what a huge production this was. It was awesome!


Click Here for more circus pictures...

Jude Playing Cowboy

We went to Toys'R'Us to spend Grandpa Randy's Christmas gifts for the kids and Jude loved playing on this horse. We called him Cowboy Jude the rest of the day!

Weird Sightings in NC

The kids and I went for a ride today to a park near our house and I came across this in front of someone's front yard. Really? Is this necessary? Does it need the black piece hanging down to really bring it home exactly what the dog is doing?


I do admit, I really like McDonalds. Not everyday, but overall the food is pretty good. That said, I found a McDonalds here in NC that raises the bar for all for all food chains (except Arby's but I just choose to forget them)



Hear is the greatest thing known to food. All the standard McDonalds' sauces in a pumpable form! Amazing! One of my favorite things about the joint is the sauces and now it's unlimited... I'm just that excited...

It's Snowing and the World is ending!

These pictures were taken this morning when I was leaving for work. We heard last night that there would be 2-4 inches of snow coming and that they might close the schools. We checked several times throughout the night and some flurries started around 5:30 - 6am. We got an automated call at 6:30am that schools were closed for the day! Checkout these pictures... The roads were completely clear! We heard people were freaky about snow here but this is just funny.




Also... I was told that many of the grocery stores had sold out of bread, milk and eggs due to people "stocking up for the storm"

Comment!

I just changed the settings so that anyone can comment on our posts. Kelley and I (and the kids) love to read your comments... So chat it up!

Also... I added the RSS Feed on the right side for those of you who prefer RSS.

Brooke is back dancing

We are all very excited that Brooke is back in dance class and she looks beautiful as always!

Weird Sightings in NC

Here is another round of weird sighting in NC.


This was on display at an awesome local car swap meet with lots of cool old cars. Check out the specs on this bad boy... who wouldn't want a 1985 Dodge 600 Convertible with 57,000 original miles.


This baby is clean!


OK... Everyone has seen the awesome commercial for Sham-Wow... Apparently Vince and Sham-Wow stole their ideas from the REAL original, Sham-Wa... Who would have thought we would find this at a car swap meet?


This was just cool...


This isn't completely just a NC thing, but what is wrong with this picture? The white car is actually completely up on the side walk and could have really gone into the sliding doors for Trader Joes. Look at the parking stall lines!

The kids and I went to the Park

We found a brand new park right near our house, so the kids and I went to investigate while Mommy took a nap in a peacefully quiet house.

"Going to Bethlehem!!!"

This is from our Churches Children's ministry Christmas program. The morning of Britton said he refused to sing, so we told him just to stand there and smile... Apparently he changed his mind! Listen for the loudest voice and thats our Britts. I filmed it with our digital camera which cant do much in low light thats why its going in and our of focus.

Weird Sightings in NC

You can buy real fish for bait at your local Wal-Mart... For your convenience they have 3 varieties, whole fish, "Wounded" whole fish and chopped up fish.

So Cal Beach

The kids and I stopped by the beach while in HB. It was funny to see how they (especially Britton) respond to the sand and water. Britton was carefully walking cause he didn't want to step on any shells? Then he didnt want to get his feet wet? He's my brave little man for sure!

Now on Flickr

Checkout our new Flickr Site. We are trying to upload all our pics to here per all the Grandparents request. Click here to go to the site