steckle.com :: my corner of the web

Claire is always taking pictures of pictures.

Here's a few photos of our spring planting. The kids had fun and were very good helpers. Hopefully I'll be able to post some photos later of our flowers and vegetables growing! The girls helped Mary plant some containers on the deck and the boys helped me plant beans and a corn fort in the backyard.

Claire had alot of fun helping

Taking a Break

Teresa loved getting her hands dirty

Everyone is Working Hard

The Whole Crew

Mark helping shovel and Teresa filling the cement blocks with dirt for the onions

Every time I download pictures from the camera, there is a picture of Claire she took herself!

Here's three recent photos from our latest family adventures!

We had alot of fun this day as we played "Cut the Pie" and enjoyed a nice winter day. This is one of my favorite family photos! I admit, Saturdays can't ever get here quick enough or last long enough!

Teresa Philomena turned 3-years old last week. It's hard to believe the last three years have gone so fast.

We found out a little over a week ago that Mark had an inguinal hernia and needed to have surgery. He was a very good patient and the doctors and nurses said he did a terrific job and was "such a blessing". He's doing fine and it didn't take long for him to return to his old self.

We're back safely from our Thanksgiving Oklahoma Roadtrip and we had a wonderful time. I'll be posting pictures soon. Not long after our return we learned that the Belanger's are moving back to Lake Leelanau. Needless to say people are very excited!

Anyway, as soon as I catch some things up with the holiday's, I'll try to post some updates.

To help tide you over here's a classic picture of high school chum Chad Boone and myself in our tuxedos. We wore these to help advertise and ended up with free tux rentals for prom, yeah! I thought the hat was a nice touch, but my nephews asked if I was a pilgrim!

Of course, for the full effect, click the image for a larger version!

Red Wings forward Dallas Drake brought the Stanley Cup to Traverse City on Labor Day as a fundraiser for Grand Traverse Hockey Association's New Skater Fund. Here's Grandpa Koot with the Stanley Cup. Lookin' good!

Photography for the day was donated by Joe McGraw, Rick Cover, Tara Noffsinger and Cindy Hughes.

On a side note, I was shocked to see that Koot was bigger than the Stanley Cup. Maybe the photographers used some photoshop tricks...

Many of you know that Mary was in the hospital for two weeks and is now recovering at home. I just want to take a moment to thank all of you praying for Mary and our family, we really appreciate it. Also to the countless people who have helped with food, housework, gas money, etc., we feel very blessed to have you as family and friends!

God Bless each and every one of you,
The Stecks

PS. I have setup a new email account that Mary and I both access at thestecks@gmail.com.

PSS. I thought the baptism gown worn by Mary's family for 3 generations was impressive, but check this out in the Record Eagle - Gown worn by family since 1889!

So I was building animals, cars and swimming pools for the kids out of PLAY-DOH the other night and I had a blast! Claire always wants me to make a daddy deer, mommy deer and two kid deer, Luke likes swimming pools and cars, and Mark likes to smash whatever we make and throw it on the floor (yes, it drives me crazy!). Anyway, I was wondering how long PLAY-DOH has been around, so I went snooping around the old internet and found a timeline of the history of PLAY-DOH...

1956: PLAY-DOH® Brand modeling compound, a non-toxic reusable modeling compound developed by Rainbow Crafts in Cincinnati, is demonstrated and sold in the toy department of Woodward & Lothrop Department Store in Washington, D.C. PLAY-DOH compound is available only in one color and size, an off-white, 1.5-pound can. One year earlier, it was introduced to schools, kindergartens and nursery schools.

The photo on the right is not one of my creations, it's alot better than what I can build. This Photo is from the PLAY-DOH website at www.hasbro.com/playdoh.

I also found these commercials from the 80's advertising the PLAY-DOH Make-A-Meals sets, I assume they did this because kids weren't eating enough PLAY-DOH...

Stay tuned next week as I feature Silly Putty!*

*Just kidding. Maybe.

He's the best choice. Sure, you've never heard of him, but I'm about to change that.

Go to www.RonPaul2008.com and read for yourself why he's the best choice. Here's a couple of quotes that sum up the work of Ron Paul...

Congressman Paul’s consistent voting record prompted one of his congressional colleagues to say, “Ron Paul personifies the Founding Fathers’ ideal of the citizen-statesman. He makes it clear that his principles will never be compromised, and they never are.” Another colleague observed, “There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles. Ron Paul is one of those few.”

So when it's time to vote, remember the Pro-Life and Pro-Family candidate - RON PAUL!

Now you can't say you've never heard of him!