The Shoup Story has moved...

We have moved our blog to http://www.simplyshoup.com/ in an effort to live more simply in 2011.

LOVES!!

Festivites of the season...

Is it the weather, or the holiday season that makes me want to bury myself in the warmth of music and the laughter of my family? Either way... I will bury myself just the same...

Often, burying ourselves... inevitably leads to CABIN FEVER. Now, its 30 degrees outside friends... so its time to get creative with our need to break free and still retain those warm fuzzies.

So I am gonna list it for us all... makes it easier for a quick rundown of where and how to run that fever off.

Make cookies.

Or better yet, make candy!! It wont taste good until its shared,... so be your own Secret Santa and drop it off to someone who needs a little warmth and cheer.

Enjoy a festive puzzle.

Take a drive in search of Christmas lights with homemade cookies, milk or cocoa in tow.

Design and decorate your own gingerbread house, or a WHOLE village for the family. (We found the perfect one at Wal-Mart)

Make Saturday morning breakfast... for DINNER! The BEST!!

Make homemade holiday cards, like Handprint Santa (Family Fun magz)

Camping out in the living room.

Got snow?! Make molasses snow candy... (Straight from Laura Ingalls, Little House in the Big Woods)


Craft some homemade holiday decor, like a fabric holiday garland (found here)


Enough for now? Its seems we'll all be plenty busy this season. So keep those warm fuzzies coming.

Whats Your Favorite Ending...?

Are you into drama?

Warm fuzzies?

Laugh out loud, rolling laughter...?

Or thought-provoking?

Ah,... historical, or a biography?

Or straight-up slap stick, or maybe the gore-and-horror kind?

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Whatever you pick... is it likely you will change your mind come tomorrow, or this time next week?

It must be the lot of a woman to change our minds so randomly, even completely... or even unaware...

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Whether with regards to our movies, or our minds... it often follows the same with life, and the direction we want to lead or follow. Are you in for a drama, a tearjerker, or a warm and fuzzy kind-of-day?

Its our own choice. 

Whether to lead the day, or follow suit. 

And its likely someone is behind us following in our footsteps... (Did you stop to look who was following? I know I did. I DO. Daily.)

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Life may lead us to follow, or we may find ourselves leading the characters of the day. Where... we may not see it yet.

What ever the ending to today's story...

We know that God has a plan, a reason, a story to tell, a lesson to teach, a vessel to mold, a light to raise... and our understand WILL always be behind or beneath His own. But our choice to choose, our direction towards a given ending to the day, will always be our own... first and foremost, in our life and the lives of our family.

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Some days it feel like the story changes, the ending veers off... according to my own choices. Its like one of those books, where you choose your own ending... but the grand design of it all... is still within the grasp of the author. 

In the last month... I have seen, felt, envisioned, and feared so many endings. Not understanding or recognizing if I was creating a tragedy, a romantic comedy, or a heartwarming-sort-of-ending. I realize I am not in control of the storyline. But I do have the control of which direction I take, and the spirit with which I lead myself to the ending of today, and this next week. 

That means I can create a tragic comedy...

A laugh out loud, thought-provoking sort...

A gore-and-horror, heart warmer...

A slapstick-sort-of-drama...

You get the idea.

Whatever the ending, it will depend on how we live in getting there...

Filled with fear, or full of faith.

All Hallow's Eve

Simply This...



...well taken care of...

...thank you God, for family and friends.

Revisiting Labor Day

A Brother & his Sisters

The words here are fitting...

we once were lost, but now we are found.

My brother and sisters and I, that is... John, Julie, Amanda and I, have had the memory, hope, and dreams of being together again. On this occasion we went quite complete without Julie. But this occasion was like a memory from our childhood... only much sweeter with our children there to share it with us. Who knew a stroll at the park with the kids, a late night run to the Waffle House, and a midnight rerun of UFC could tug at the heartstrings so well. Well, it wasn't exactly a tug of the heartstrings, because that might be painful. Rather, it was more like having them tuned. Tuned to a memory, a hope and a dream.

My face ached from smiling, my voice choked from laughing and my heart was left tender from all the joy it carried that day. If every family gathering was this grand... I would be in sore shape!

While we were together late that night, my niece Lexie asked if I was coming over again soon. I had the sudden realization that I lived over 10 hours away from her. I had forgotten that. I was devastated! It was like I had come home, and then realized I had to leave... like it was a dream. I had to hold those girls a whole lot tighter after I realized it would be some time before I would see them again. We did have an amazing time together.

Here is hoping our time together again comes sooner.

I have learned that family, is the foundation that will always mold, heal, and inspire us. We must always be conscious of the difference we make to one another... in the simplest of ways.

There are no words to fill the volumes of healing I have had here with my brother and sisters.

I love you!!

A Party for Our Princess

On Our Way Home

On our way home from Missouri earlier this month we had the grand moment of visiting the St Louis LDS Temple. Here are just a few moments from that afternoon together...

Going home... Platte City

The kids and I made another trip to Platte City to see family... its like a wonderland of uncles for the kids. This time we were able to bring our new puppy with us... little Joby made pals with the boys' new pup Lucy. Dixie and I are catching up nicely on years lost of gabbing together. Not sure we'll ever get quite caught up though... but we'll keep tryin'. While we were there John and I were abel to get together with our sister Amanda and all our kiddos together. It was blissful!! And too long overdue!! (Pictures coming soon.) We brought in a new year of Friday night football with Derrick's first varsity football game of the year at Platte County High. Then Derrick let me snap some pictures of him for his senior year... that boy polishes up like a new penny. Thanks D! And then we rounded out the end of summer with some 'in the tub tacos' by Papa Randy... ahhhh, I love that man! No one can ever have too much family I tell ya... love you guys!!

Derrick Balagna

Whew... that was fun!!