The Life of Laurie

Fun in the sun!

2010-08-31T22:32:00.004-05:00

Russell and I recently took a trip to Jamaica.

We were so sad to come home!Here are a few pictures from our trip......................

Perfect Sunset.

Our personal cabana

Watching the storm come in while riding on a catamaran.
Authentic Jamaicain food....probably the best meal I ate on the trip!

Private beach. I want to live here. forever.

Relaxing on the boat.

We spent a lot of time looking at the view above. It's a hard life, but somebody HAS to do it.

view from our room. Yeah. I could definitely live here.

Girls weekend in Florida!

2010-08-19T16:17:00.004-05:00

Recently I went to Florida with a few of my Lipscomb friends for a girls weekend. Reese was visiting from Brazil, Wendy flew down from Birmingham, AL, and Hollee and I came from DFW.
Relaxing on the beach
Can you see that there are NO children with us??
Chocolate covered potato chips= to DIE for!
Matching NOSE rings!
"Rude Pizza" on the beach
Cold Fusion Ice Cream

Treats with Reese's sweet kiddos.

Saying goodbye at the airport (very early in the morning!)

We had such a great trip. It was so relaxing and exactly what we all needed...I am already looking forward to next year...Anybody want to go with us?

My Mom in Texas

2010-08-10T11:44:00.001-05:00

My Mom recently came for a visit while Russell was out of town. We had a BALL!

So happy to see her at the airport!

Of course a grandmother brings gifts!

Annaleigh made a list of things she wanted to do with "Mamie." The first thing was to make cupcakes.

Mixing them up.

The yummy final product.

Practicing/Showing off her swimming skills!

A trip to the library.

Reading nook.

Mom trying it out. She almost fits!

Taking her baby on a walk to the park.

Pioneer Woman's BBQ Chicken pizza (minus the cilantro...because certain people in my house think it tastes like soap!)

Making Cookies.....

We had such a great visit with my mom and couldn't be more sad she had to go back to Georgia!

Tinkerbell Body Art- Oh joy.

2010-07-11T17:59:00.003-05:00

Annaleigh got a Tinkerbell body art set for her birthday back in March that I promptly hid up in the arts and crafts closet to save for a rainy day. During all the rain a few weeks ago, I had no choice but to finally pull it out. Here is our body art. Maybe I should get a second job at a tattoo parlor, what do you think?

We even wore our pj's to match.

the 4th of July!

2010-07-08T21:41:00.003-05:00

We caught some fire works from the back of the car in our PJ's this year!

Happy Birthday America!

Tiny Dancer

2010-06-08T18:17:00.004-05:00

Annaleigh recently had her first dance recital.....here are a few pictures from the big event.

Way to go, sweet girl! We are so proud of you!

Aunt Rachel

2010-06-01T22:10:00.005-05:00

My sister recently came for a visit. We had such a great time and I miss her like crazy. Georgia and Texas are just TOO far away.

Rachel's visit also coincided with Annaleigh's Dance recital. She helped me so much and also had the brilliant idea to do old fashioned cloth curlers for my daughters super fine hair.

1 month and 1 day late...

2010-05-27T13:13:00.006-05:00

...to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband.

Birthday Games....

Dada's favorite. Cherry Pie.

Annaleigh's pick for a cake...

Annaleigh's and Dada's favorite cartoon...

Happy Birthday to our favorite man in the world!

Make new friends, but keep the old...

2010-04-30T23:24:00.004-05:00

One of my oldest and dearest friends sent me this picture today. I think its probably around circa 1999...the three of us were inseparable during high school and kept in touch really well through college. We now live in three different states, have 6 children among us, and don't talk NEARLY enough...I got to thinking about how important true friendship is. I am going to do a better job keeping up with these girls. They mean way too much to me not to...I challenge you today to reconnect with someone you love who you haven't talked to in awhile. I guarantee it will warm your heart and do your spirit well.

Fort Worth Zoo...

2010-04-20T21:48:00.002-05:00

We LOVE the Fort Worth Zoo! Recently we met up with our good friends for a fun play date. I would consider Camden Flood Annaleigh's first friend. Angela and I were great friends while living in Mesquite, became pregnant close to the same time and even shared the SAME due date. The kids were born a few weeks apart, but we made sure they played together a lot...Angela and I both worked part time and we took turn taking care of the babies. I treasure those times and am thankful God gave me such a good friend I could depend upon. We have both moved on...but Fort Worth happens to be smack dab in the middle for both of us, so we were able to meet up for a play date recently at our fabulous zoo.

Once Friends. Always friends.

Watching the lions.
Can you see the tiger? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new camera!!!!

Annaleigh and Camden with little brother Briggs.
This is the life
You may or may not know, but Annaleigh lost her VERY favorite blanket last year during a trip to the zoo. We told her that the mama elephants gave it to the baby elephants because they needed it to stay warm at night and go to sleep. The elephants are now her favorite animal at the zoo. I think she shares a bond with them=)
She is very serious about her elephant viewing time.
She reminded me numerous times they still needed her beloved blanket.
This chimpanzee made me laugh. He hid from us while eating his breakfast.

Sweet Briggs

It was so so great to catch up with great friends. We love the Flood Fam!

Wheat Germ Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

2010-04-13T19:59:00.004-05:00

Russell requested Pancakes for dinner tonight...Since I have been on a mission to feed my family better I searched for a healthy recipe. These turned out great!

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 T sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix eggs with oil and buttermilk. Stir in baking soda, wheat germ, salt and flour, & sugar; mix until blended.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides, turning once.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 128 | Total Fat: 6.5g | Cholesterol: 37mg

To be honest, I think my hubby was thinking more along the lines of IHOP pancakes, but he said they were good none the less! Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Easter Weekend with the Harvisons

2010-04-12T18:51:00.003-05:00

Our great friends came for a visit over Easter weekend. Nat is my confidant, shopping buddy, faithful friend, and partner in crime. Our husbands say we share a brain!
I love these kiddos like my own...I guess one actually does belong to me!
Outside FABULOUS Babe's restaurant in Roanoke, TX
these two think they are cousins!
Getting ready for the Easter Egg hunt at church.
Amalie working hard on her craft.
Annaleigh hunting some eggs.
Kennedy decorating her easter cookie
Reed is a little heart breaker!
So Handsome!
Fun at the park!

We are so blessed to have friends like the Harvisons. We already miss them and can't wait for our annual beach trip in August!

Easter

2010-04-08T03:48:00.001-05:00

Last of the Snow

2010-03-23T10:16:00.003-05:00

I am so stinking tired of being cold! I just don't thrive in cold weather anyway...this year is killing me. These pictures were taken Sunday, March 21st...thank goodness the high today is going to be the 70s. My heart just can't take any more cold weather!
I was a sucker and let her wear her ChuckECheese metal to church. Can we please be done with ChuckECheese for awhile too?? That giant mouse scares me!

ooooooh, pretty. My husband is pretty great!

and I solemnly swear I will not blog any more about cold weather or snow again...until next year, that is!

Birthday Fun

2010-03-21T06:52:00.005-05:00

Let me start out by saying, ChuckECheese is NOT my favorite place in the world. I think it's a Casino for kids...but when C & A both wanted to have their 4 year old birthday parties there, my friend Kendra and I jumped at the opportunity to do it together...and let me tell you, it was FUN!

Thank you so much to all the sweet friends and family who came to celebrate with us! We are blessed to have all of you in our lives!

My Job

2010-03-19T12:05:00.001-05:00

This is a glimpse into what I do everyday at work. I LOVE my job!

a day at the park

2010-03-19T10:11:00.004-05:00

We are LOVING the warmer weather! Hope you are too....Happy Spring!

Dallas Arboretum

2010-03-15T15:27:00.005-05:00

We had our annual trip to the Arboretum with play group today...It was fun but a little wild and crowded.
Love the containers.

A already had chocolate on her face and sleeve from my "bribe" candy stash within 10 minutes of getting there. nice.
One of the only pics she would take with me.

This was my favorite flower spot...but A got it in her head it was too sunny and bright to open her eyes...which it wasn't! That little girl knows how to push my buttons!
But someone let her borrow their shades so she was all good!
THIS was the best group shot I could get with all the kids! Cute little backsides!
They were still for like...2 seconds.
What a fun day! Noah says it's time for a nap...and I agree!

swimming lessons & dance class

2010-03-11T22:24:00.003-06:00

Dance Class and Swim Lessons are a few of our favorite things lately!

Good Reads

2010-03-07T18:51:00.003-06:00

I am a bookworm...I admit it... but often times I find that I don't know WHAT to read. A friend of mine at work the other night introduced me to THIS great website (www.goodreads.com) It's great! It suggest books that you might want to read based on books you have already read and rated. You can also develop a network of friends and read their reviews on books.

Sign up today and share your favorite reads with me!

Snow Bunnies

2010-03-02T15:20:00.003-06:00

We are back...and now I am ready to go somewhere WARM (like the BEACH!)

SO ready...

2010-02-21T00:53:00.005-06:00

Do you know what my mom's dream job is??? It's to name colors for OPI nail polish. Seriously. No kidding. I promise. Ask HER!

I must admit that I picked out this color for my toes tonight SOLELY for it's name. Deer Valley Spice. Did you know that Deer Valley ski resort is in Park City?? We will be there VERY SOON!
And THESE are the books our family will be reading.

HELLO Vacation!

What is your favorite kind of book to read on vacation??

Book Club

2010-02-19T02:50:00.002-06:00

Anyone read this book? I can't wait to dive into it on vacation next week.I am totally excited about learning more about the slow food movement and eating local....I am even inquiring about a CSA in my area...See Carrie, you have finally rubbed off on me!

Favorite Products

2010-02-18T02:24:00.003-06:00

If you know me personally, you probably have figured out I am a pretty low maintenance girl when it comes to grooming. My philosophy is less is more...I also think its much better to use one great product than wasting money on a whole bunch of so-so ones. Now, by NO MEANS am I any kind of expert in beauty products (the idea is laughable!)...but these are some of the things I use almost daily that I love!

Sebastian whipped cream goes on so light...it makes my curly hair manageable and makes my straight styles a breeze.

I LOVE Philosophy products. This love affair started when my fabulous mother in law came to visit a couple of years ago and I noticed her skin was RADIANT! I had to know what she was using and I was introduced. Philosophy is well worth the money and I especially love this moisturizer!

Oh Stila...where have you been all my life? I haven't tried the smudge pots yet but I hear they are great. I currently am in love with the above shade "kitten." Its sheer enough to wear everyday but also special enough to turn heads.

Bad Gal by Benefit: Best mascara I have tried. Hands down.
My mom asked be if I curled my eyelashes! Nope, I Just use this fabulous mascara!

Nars Blush in Orgasm (sorry, this IS a family friendly blog...it just happens to be the name) This blush is beautiful! It will make you beautiful! I promise!

Cetaphil- Everything! I buy it in bulk at Costco. I am a nurse so I wash my hands a zillion times a day...I also have super dry and sensitive skin, so winter time= very unhappy skin. Cetaphil cleansers are great for hand and body washing and the moisturizers will leave your body silky smooth!

So I would love to hear, what are some of YOUR favorite things??

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T21:30:00.003-06:00

Thank you for keeping up with us! We love you all!!

Snow!

2010-02-11T15:53:00.003-06:00

A sweet valentine treat

2010-02-11T15:39:00.004-06:00

I found these suckers at Sprouts a while ago and A LOVES them. I am on a mission to have healthier food in our home....so this is what I sent for Valentines treats to school this year.

They are made from real fruit and are all natural with some interesting flavors. One of my philosophies in getting kids to eat well is to make sure they are exposed to lots of different spices, fruits, and vegetables...not just the ones you see everyday.

I believe

2010-02-07T23:42:00.008-06:00

I believe our Savior can move mountains.
I believe our Savior is able to heal.
I believe our Savior hears us when we cry to Him.
I believe He answers prayers.

If you believe too, please take a moment and pray for this sweet child of God.

Follow the link below to log in and follow her story.

https://www.carepages.com/carepages/JennyBizaillionUpdates

Tales of my unsupervised child, cont.

2010-02-02T10:19:00.003-06:00

I think this is a picture of the TV?

Hungry Hungry Hippo anyone?

Yeah....so, I guess this is what happens when you leave your camera out...

Cowboy Day at GCS

2010-02-02T10:06:00.004-06:00

So R called me at work last week to tell me Annaleigh had "cowgirl" day at school the next morning. We had been out of town and apparently had missed the memo. If you didn't know, I am a nurse and work the night shift, so I knew I wasn't going to have time to go to the store to find something so I kinda had a freak out. Russell told me not to get upset because he had already gone to the store and found her a western shirt. Whewwww....Daddy saved the day AGAIN!!!

Winterfest 2010

2010-02-02T09:56:00.002-06:00

We are so blessed to be able to work with such a great group of kids in ministry. Our wonderful parents and sponsors make our jobs a joy because of all their love, support, and encouragement!

New Stuff

2010-02-01T11:11:00.002-06:00

Three new post from the Holidays below....check them out! I am working on more so stay tuned!

Georgia on our mind...

2010-02-01T10:57:00.003-06:00

We were able to spend the first week of January in Georgia with my mom, grandma, and sis...

Rachel's Birthday was the first day we were there! Mom made a delicious dinner! There is nothing like mom's cooking!
MMMMMM....cupcakes!

Mamie and Presley Parker (the dog!) loving on Annaleigh

Sassy girl!

Annaleigh LOVES Mama Moore!

A and Rachel and two peas in a pod!

We had such a great time and were sad to come back to Texas!

Make new friends, but keep the old!

2010-02-01T10:38:00.004-06:00

I was so thrilled to be able to stop in Atlanta and visit with two of my oldest and dearest friends on the way back to Texas. First we stopped off for a bite of lunch and to visit with my oldest and bestest friend Beth. She had her baby boy at the end of September and this was the first time I have had the chance to see him!

He was enjoying some love! Big sis was at home napping!

Such a sweet and happy boy!

Next we popped into Northside Hospital to see Suzanna and her new baby Luke Evan.

He's perfect! Big sis Caroline is going to love giving him millions of kisses!

Lastly: Thank you to my sweet hubby for delaying our trip for 4 hours so I could visit with some of my favorite girlfriends and their new babies!

Christmas

2010-02-01T09:59:00.007-06:00

It was a very Snuggy Christmas...even for Leslie's dog Chloe!

We celebrated in San Angelo this year.

Christmas Eve we open gifts from each other. I got Russell a drill....He won't be smiling so big when he realizes I got him that drill so he could complete all the projects I haven't told him about yet=)

Mimi and Pop got Annaleigh a fun new game!

Annaleigh also got a new baby Victoria doll...and of course a pink ball from Uncle Brad!

The magic of Christmas morning.....
Omigoodness! Santa came!

He must have really liked the cookies and milk!

And the reindeer must have loved the food she made them.

and Santa brought all the working ladies some treats for our tired feet!

Poor Aunt Leslie was tired from all the excitement from being caught in an ice storm the night before! Annaleigh brought her a doll to keep her company.

Watching the Wizard of Oz...thanks Santa!

It wouldn't be a major holiday without A having to do her breathing treatments!

Poor Baby!

Our little family

Getting some love from Mimi!
Annaleigh adores Aunt Les and Uncle Brad

Smile Pop! We love you!

Recent Pictures

2009-12-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Hot Muffaletta Rolls

2009-12-07T18:51:00.004-06:00

I haven't posted any recipes for awhile, so I thought I would share this one that my mom and I tweaked from a basic hot sandwich recipe.
DISCLAIMER: As a whole, I find recipes as guidelines. I rarely ever follow them as they are written so feel free to make your own adaptations.Make sure to get your kid to help and make sure that she is barefoot so she can get her toes in the dough and has her hair hanging down...for added...uhhhhhh...Protein! Tasty.

Ingredients:
Pillsbury Hot Roll mix
Olive salad spread
salami
smoked turkey breast, or ham, or both
Swiss cheese
Provolone cheese
Any other cheese you want.....

1. Make the Hot Roll mix according to the roll recipe on the back and follow directions.
2. After dough has risen, separate into golf size balls and flatten out on cookie sheet.
3. Layer meat, cheese, and olive salad spread on flattened dough in that order.
4. Wrap up dough by folding over and placing seam side down on the cookie sheet.
5. Let rise for another 20 minutes.
6. Bake according to roll directions on the back of the box.
7. Serve and enjoy!I am noticing I look pretty rough in these pictures...hmmmm...I must have worked the night before!

Last Night

2009-12-02T14:59:00.003-06:00

We waited 6 (yes, 6) hours to meet The Pioneer Woman last night and it was SOOOO worth it. She was so nice and kind and gracious and told me how beautiful my daughter was and gave us all free t-shirts! She talked to us for a minute or two and I asked her if she knew it was 1 AM. She just said "Honey, I won't even let myself look at the clock, I am just so happy to talk to every person here" ...did I mention there were like 700 people there?? And she talked to every person..including my husband who was patiently waiting safely in the background. She told him I owed him Big for waiting that long! I think she was right! More pictures to come....

Sweet and Sassy

2009-08-28T16:12:00.007-05:00

Annaleigh and I started a new tradition today called "Annaleigh Day" (Not that EVERY day isn't, but that's another story.) Anyway, I told her that every year before she starts school we can go to the salon to get her hair cut and done, fingernails painted...then go to lunch wherever she wants...then pick out a special outfit for the first day of school...whatever she wants! This was her "before" shot at Sweet and Sassy.
Picking out nail polish. Pink. OF COURSE!
She was SOOOO into it!
Sassy Diva ready for a trim
She told the sweet lady she just wanted a "little" haircut.
The sweet stylist went ahead and gave her a "Princess up-do" since she had some time. The amount of glitter applied was impressive even though its hard to see in the pictures.
The "After" shot.
She decided she wanted to go to Cafe Express for a yummy lunch. She likes to just "share something with me" there. I love it!
then she stole my camera and decided it was time for a photo shoot....
This is the only I got of us together.
Then she wanted to take a picture of me and her dolly.
and a picture of her with her dolly...
then I was to give dolly a kiss...
...mama is getting tired of being photographed!!
Dolly was getting tired too so she took a nap on my lap...
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
....just a quick nap.....then time for:
Funny faces!!!!
Switch!
and beautiful fingernails! We had such a great time. I am blessed beyond measure to have such a beautiful and sweet daughter...it humbles my heart that God gave her to me to take care of on this earth!

Great Read

2009-08-18T14:37:00.003-05:00

Just finished this book last night....read it in one sitting....Words cannot express how much it blew me away and challenged me! Have any of you guys read it?? If so, what did you think? If you haven't read this true story, I highly recommend you pick up a copy...just make sure you also pick up a box of Kleenex because you WILL need them!

2009-08-03T22:50:00.002-05:00

Why didn't we think of this??

2009-07-30T22:02:00.004-05:00

I know I have been gone awhile...but I have an excuse. I have been working on THIS...

And now I can breath again!

Date Weekend

2009-05-31T16:06:00.004-05:00

A went and stayed with some good friends this weekend so I could study and we could prepare for our Senior Sunday which was today at church. Russell and I did find some time to take in a movie and catch a Ranger game. We had such a great weekend!!

Angels and Demons....good show!fuzzy cell phone pics at the game...

Best Friends 'Till the End!!!

2009-05-27T21:46:00.004-05:00

Just for you Kennedy!!!! We miss our friends so much already and can't wait until next year!!!

.....Best Friends until the end...

Back from the beach=(

2009-05-25T13:52:00.003-05:00

We had such a great time.....

Just like Mommy

2009-05-06T22:45:00.003-05:00

I think Annaleigh has picked a few skills from mommy during my time in nursing school....I am now officially a graduate nurse and will be working at Parkland NNICU soon!!! YAY!

Happy Birthday Russell!!!

2009-04-26T14:48:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday honey. You are my HERO!

Matching Bitty Baby, the park, and new hair

2009-04-24T14:08:00.005-05:00

NEW HAIR!!! AGGHH! I went and got my hair cut off today on a whim!! What do you think??(PS: I realize I look like a dork in this picture...It was a self portrait taken while I was watching the kids play at the park)

Seriously...Hollee has way more energy than anyone I know!!!

Not sure what she was telling me...but this is a face I see a lot these days...They should be called terrible three's NOT terrible two's!

Cassidee is fearless!!!

4 moms= 12 kids three and under..yeah, I said that right.

A got a bitty baby from my mom for Christmas this year and LOVES it! I found these matching dresses at TJmaxx a few weeks ago and had to get them. When I got her dressed she said "Mommy, please take mine and bitty baby's picture."

a WILD time

2009-04-23T12:57:00.002-05:00

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo for the first time a few weeks ago with Sam, Hollee, and the trio. I had "unplanned" minor foot surgery the day before so I was determined not to break our plans....well, lets just say I was in some major PAIN the whole time we were there, so I didn't get a ton of pictures...but we will go again soon!!Hollee and Lilly joined us on the train

Can you tell I was putting on a brave face?? I look back on that day now as not one of the smartest things I have ever done!

Annaleigh's favorite animals of the day were the elephants...and sadly, this is the last picture I have from our zoo visit~~

Hoppy Easter..a little bit late=)

2009-04-21T21:10:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but we are staying SUPER busy this spring. I am still playing catch up so please excuse my belated Easter Pictures.

The Easter Bunny was a little TOO generous with the candy this year!

We celebrated Easter with some great friends from church! These kids were precious!!!
The kids waited in the garage while we prepared for our "indoor" easter egg hunt. The weather was yucky but we still had a great time!

Annaleigh, her daddy, her buddy Olivia, and the "cool dad" Brandon!

He is Risen!!! Hallelujah! We hope you had a wonderful Easter!

The Perfect Spring Day

2009-04-16T09:56:00.005-05:00

One of the neatest things to do in Dallas in the springtime is visit the Arboretum for their Blooms Exhibit. We got to go a few weeks ago with a few special friends and it was the PERFECT spring day!These two keep us laughing...they fight like brother and sister!These next few shots are compliments of my talented friend Kristen..thanks girl!Shara and I fell in love with this spot! Love the trees and the fountains! Maddox and Annaleigh look pretty cute too! Love it!

Our little sweeties with a "run-a-way" Caden!

We love Tulips!!!

Mel and Cohen

Kristen and Caden

All Smiles

(PS: I promised her M&M's if she would smile! Don't judge, you do what you gotta do!)

This is the most still Maddox sat all day long! He is all boy (but cute as he can be!!!)

The Fast is Over!

2009-04-15T15:56:00.006-05:00

Wow! That was HARD! All and all I did a pretty good job but it's good to be back and boy has a lot happened in a few weeks. A few highlights from March were Annaleigh's third birthday and her preschool spring program "It's a Buggy World." Uncle Brad came by to celebrate his favorite niece turning 3!Showing off her new big girl bike.Play dough= hours of fun+ 1 big mess!going through gifts and cards at home.

Makin' a wish.

We decided to go for a low-key play group birthday party this year. We planned to have a picnic and play at the park, but the weather was yucky so we opted for "Stroller Skating" instead. A with Ms. Stormey (aka the best 2 year old preschool teacher in the world!)No stage fright herecutest lady bug aroundpicking her nose. nice.

I have a lot more to catch up on, but I will save that for later!

Media Fast

2009-03-26T14:49:00.002-05:00

My Bible Study small group has been studying the book by John Ortberg "The Life You've always Wanted" which focuses on spiritual disciplines. I have been reminded that I fill my life and time with so many things that are either time wasters or take away my focus from Kingdom living...now, by NO MEANS do I think blogs or Facebook is evil...but I will admit it takes up a ton of my time on a daily basis...so, I have decided to totally "fast" from them until after Easter. I pray God's richest blessings on all of you and I look forward to catching up again with you and your families in a few weeks!
Love,
Laurie

What are we doing??

2009-02-27T20:31:00.003-06:00

We are skiing in Park City, Utah...yeah, be jealous!!! Be back soon!!

P day

2009-02-13T16:34:00.003-06:00

Annaleigh had "P" day at school the last 2 days where they eat pancakes, pizza, peaches, and learn about all the things that start with the letter P. They also exchanged Valentines and treats so every day after school we have been coming down from all the excitement (and sugar!)

We had to get straight into the bath today! P day is exhausting!

Food of Love

2009-02-11T21:46:00.006-06:00

In honor of Valentine's day on Saturday I thought I would post one of MY Valentine's favorite meals. It's perfect for an "at home" date night after you get the kids to bed!

3/4 package linguine pasta
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves chopped garlic
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams with juice ( you can add a can of whole clams (drained) in addition if you want more...I make it both ways!)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (use the real stuff NOT the green can, pretty please!) cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and mushrooms until golden brown. Stir in clams with juice, parsley, salt, pepper, & white wine. Cook over medium heat until hot. Toss with pasta until evenly coated. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese and some crushed red pepper if you can handle the heat.

This picture was NOT staged!!

2009-02-07T16:52:00.003-06:00

This is what is actually on my kitchen counter right now. Annaleigh has the flu plus her asthma has flared up, Russell has "not the flu" which is to say, he feels rotten but won't admit he actually might have the flu...and I am trying EVERYTHING in my power not to get sick!!!

One year in 40 seconds

2009-01-01T12:40:00.002-06:00

One Year in 40 Seconds - Watch more funny videos here

I saw this video this morning and it reminded me how fleeting this life is and how every minute is precious. I hope everyone has a wonderful new year...remember to hug the people you love tight.

Annaleigh the Weather Girl and to Georgia and Back

2008-12-27T13:00:00.009-06:00

Before we left for Georgia last week, we met our good friends the Montana's for dinner in Dallas

After dinner, we walked down to Fountain Square. Obviously, it was a very WINDY night.

I cracked up when I saw how this picture turned out. I was trying to get A's picture in front of the fountains and it ended up looking like she was on report as a weather girl in a hurricane...you know...pictures like this:She's thinking about a future career in weather like mommy's cousin Ty...except Ty isn't a WEATHERMAN, he's a meteorologist!A and Mike had fun anyway!On a completely different note, when we got to Georgia, we had the opportunity to honor the life of Beth's grandfather, Mr. Bill Moore who passed away last week. It was such a blessing to hear story after story of this wonderful man who served as an elder and a dear friend to my own Papa Moore. Beth's grandfather was a spiritual giant who touched many lives including my own. Some of my very favorite memories of childhood are of playing on the dairy farm.
In our family, we open up gifts to each other on Christmas Eve and then Santa comes on Christmas morning. A was the designated Elf this year who passed out all the gifts. she took her job very seriously.My little sis Rachel and boyfriend Ben.Sweet Mama Moore

DO NOT CALL CPS!!! A voluntarily crawled into my mom's dog's new crate after we put it together. She thought she was being hilarious!!

After opening presents, A and Mamie made some reindeer food for all of Santa's hard working fleet. She was super super excited about this task!

A and Mamie scattered it out on the lawn with care...

And then got in her new Christmas PJ's.

Mommy and Daddy put in word with Santa that she was a very very good girl this year!

and here's the loot that Santa left...and he even wrote her a note!
The first thing she did was look everything over to make sure everything she asked for was there...and, of course, it was.

I am starting her out early, right?? I PROMISE she asked Santa for a pink vacuum...thanks for the suggestion, Becky!

Russell's family is coming tomorrow for Christmas #2...more to follow...

A's Christmas party at GCS

2008-12-18T15:09:00.003-06:00

A's buddy "Zacky"

This was as close as A would get to Santa

Good friends Olivia and Brennan

Painting her hand for their craft

Her little class eating snacks

Cheesy Smile!!!

JUST A REMINDER!!!

Sauerkraut

2008-12-15T17:15:00.003-06:00

So about once a year I crave Sauerkraut. I don't have a complete aversion to the stuff (I am thinking a lot of you are saying "eeeeewwwwwww!" right about now) but I just don't really want it that often. Well, today is the day that I am craving it this year. Probably because its about 28 degrees outside. Here's what I am making for dinner tonight:

Fried Pork chops
Homemade applesauce
Mashed Potatoes
and Cola Sauerkraut...I have already sampled some and it is yummy!

Here's the recipe:

1/4 cup butter
1 medium onions, chopped
1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can cola-flavored carbonated beverage
1/4 cup water (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until translucent. Stir in the sauerkraut and cola.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, adding up to 1/4 cup of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Remove cover and increase heat to medium for at least 15 minutes, or until most of the juice cooks down, and the sauerkraut glistens.

I know it isn't low-fat or terribly healthy...But baby, its COLD outside.

Random Thoughts

2008-12-14T22:07:00.007-06:00

I am in a very random mood tonight. We have been holed up at home all weekend with Annaleigh sick and I have had some major cabin fever...

Have you had this stuff?? It is Evil/Heaven on earth. First taste, you are in love...5 minutes later you realize you are going to have to do an extra 30 minutes on the tread mill. R picked it up at SuperTarget awhile ago...now I buy some every time I go! I was looking at the nutrition facts tonight ( I highly advise AGAINST doing this) and saw it only had 5 grams a fat per serving...not too bad, except there are 18 Servings per container. yes 18. I am not kidding.

I was admiring my Tree tonight and looking at these beautiful ornaments my FAB MIL got us for Christmas last year. Her entire tree is full of these Christopher Radko ornaments. I drool when I look at it. My husband and his bro just threaten to auction all the ornaments off on EBAY when she croaks...yes, they are cruel!!!

She got me this one last year in honor of the Susan G. Komen 3 day event I participated in.

She got this one because...well, I am from Georgia. As a side note, I love my tree, but I HATE the way artificial trees look in pictures!!!

Lastly, my kid is a nut. She has been sick all weekend. I mean 102-fever-and-coughing-every- breath sick...and MOMMY is sick and tired of it. Yes, I realize my job is to take care of sick people...but they don't say "mommy" a MILLION times a day (and if they did, I would immediately call for a Psych. consult)

I think I will wrap up the weekend by watching my all-time-favorite, laugh-until-your belly-hurts Christmas movie and have a stiff drink, I mean, a nice warm mug of hot cocoa=)

8 Things

2008-12-12T11:47:00.005-06:00

Hollee Tagged me for this 8 things list. I figured if she had time to do it as a mom of infant triplets, I could make time too.

8 Things I Did Today…
1. Got Annaleigh ready for school.
2. Gave her a breathing treatment 30 minutes later...her daddy brought her home because she was coughing too much.
3. Did some laundry.
4. Took my mid-term HESI (nursing boards) test.
5. Went to the grocery store.
6. Sat in a ton of DFW traffic.
7.Gave another breathing treatment to A.
8. Washed more clothes

8 Of My Favorite Restaurants…
1. Chick-fil-a (Annaleigh calls it Chicky-A)
2. Calypso Cafe in Nashville, TN (I miss that place SOOOO much!!)
3. P.F. Changs
4. La Madeline
5. Pappadeaux's
6. Uncle Julio's
7. Italian Bistro in Roanoke, TX
8. Carrabba's

8 Shows I Watch…
1. The Office
2. House
3. Gossip Girl (ok, I admit it...but I can only watch it on DVR because Russell refuses to watch it with me)
4. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
5. Stuff on The Food Network
6. Law and Order
7. Chuck
8. Stuff on Noggin with Annaleigh

8 Things I Wish For…
1. To be DONE with nursing school.
2. Annaleigh's Asthma to go away.
3. Someone to help me clean my house.
4. Gas logs for our fireplace.
5. The economy would bounce back and people would quit losing jobs.
6. People would get over THEMSELVES!
7. My cat would run away.
8. oh yeah, World Peace????

8 Things I Look Forward To…
1. Finishing nursing school (can you tell I have that on my mind today?)
2. Seeing my mom, grandma, and sister in Georgia in a few weeks.
3. Going on some fun trips this spring with friends...skiing, arizona, and to the beach.
4. Watching Annaleigh play with all her Christmas gifts.
5. Taking my mom's yoga class in Georgia while we are there.
6. Watching Annaleigh grow and change and learn...
7. Watching myself grow(figuratively speaking) and change and learn
8. Laughing with Russell....for the rest of our lives.

8 People I tag: Kylea, Suzanna, Amanda, Emily Jo, Jenn S., Ashley N., Calista R., and Andrea N.

Christmas Favorites

2008-12-09T20:15:00.003-06:00

So, I am in the midst of finals and obviously have been neglecting the blog...however, we are getting in the Christmas spirit around here. I thought I would share with you some of my favorite things about the holiday season...

Gingersnap Lattes from Starbucks...formally known as GingerBREAD lattes. Guess Gingersnap sounded more marketable??
I love this book. I feel all nostalgic and warm and fuzzy when I read it.

No, this is NOT our house. I personally prefer lights that are a little more understated on my own home, but I LOVE to drive around and see all the Christmas lights...and I feel depressed when they are all gone in January.

AHHHHH...Bing Crosby. My favorite "crooner" of all time. I can listen to his Christmas albums over and over again.

What are YOUR favorite things about Christmas??

Thanksgiving Feast and Bath time

2008-11-20T22:31:00.003-06:00

Today was A's "Thanksgiving Feast" at preschool and the parents got to come and participate. She was so proud of her little place mat she made.

Sporting her Indian hat with the feather in the back. How cute!

"Mom, I am too busy socializing to look at the camera!"

She was so funny tonight during bath time. She kept cracking herself up by putting this silly bucket on her head.

I love this age! 2 1/2 year olds have so much fun!

The Pioneer Woman

2008-11-14T17:49:00.004-06:00

I ran across this sight a few weeks ago and I have noticed several friends already have the link on their blog roll...but I am hooked and wanted to share! Its called The Pioneer Woman...this chick is SUPERWOMAN and I want to be just like her!...she is a city girl that lives on a working ranch with her 4 kids and cowboy husband she calls Marlboro Man. She's an inventive cook, she's an amazing photographer, she does neat-o home and garden projects, and she writes hilarious stories, serious stories, and love stories...You have to check her out! You will want to be just like her too (unless you are a boy!!)

Cheers to Us!

2008-11-12T19:03:00.005-06:00

November 2 marked 6 years of marriage for us....To celebrate, R took me to Hotel ZaZa in Dallas for a little in town get-a-way.

Excuse the cheesiness of the self-portrait below

ZaZa doesn't miss a detail. Even though we booked our room on hotels.com and saved over 50% on the room rate, we were still treated like royalty. This is what we found when we came back to our room after dinner.
How sweet it is!! The candles and candy around the room were such a special touch! So CHEERS to us and to many more years of happiness.

Like I have the time...

2008-11-11T19:38:00.004-06:00

..to read books for fun that don't have to do with nursing, I picked up TWILIGHT the other day to read. Great. Just what I needed. Now I can't put it down. I was really sceptical of this series because I am a big Harry Potter fan. I know this may sound crazy/obsessive, but I didn't (and don't) want any other series to replace my love for Potter. A good friend of mine said she wouldn't let herself compare. I agree. They may be *almost* as good...but different...so since we talked about The Shack last time, I want to know who has read this series. I admit it. I'm hooked!

Book Review

2008-11-06T23:41:00.002-06:00

Have you heard of this book?? Russell picked up a copy a month or so ago after it came highly recommend by several friends. I immediately became interested and started reading it. I have to tell you, this is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It reads like a prayer and gives you a beautiful perspective into the nature of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit and brings together in a digestible nature how they are One. I loved how it showed that our spiritual growth and understanding is a continual process and that while we may not understand why things happen the way they do initially, eventually we will unravel it if we stick with the Father. The Shack is a work of fiction, but I firmly believe that God uses all kinds of avenues to reveal Himself to us. I challenge you to pick up a copy and read it for yourself. If you have read it, tell me what you think. I would love to hear other opinions!

No matter who you voted for...

2008-11-04T23:46:00.004-06:00

I think it's amazing an African American is our president. Our children will never second guess if someone who has a different colored skin as them can achieve the same goals.

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T22:40:00.006-05:00

We had a very happy Halloween. This was A before we left to go to a party at our friends house and trick or treating. Her asthma has been acting up so we had to make sure she was prepared for a wild night. Notice the costume change from the Fall Festival and Costume Parade from my last post?? Well, this afternoon she informed me she wanted to be a princess for the party. Luckily, I remembered the ballet/princess dress Aunt Suzanna gave her for Christmas last year and we had an instant princess!We went to the Blake's party where the adults dress up too...Russell wasn't too excited at first, but then he thought of us being Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo...Brilliant!Do I look good as a blond? I think we look better than the real Jess and Toni!

Olivia and Annaleigh were ready to do some trick-or-treating.

So was this Super-Hero Family

The kiddos had a fabulous time running from house to house...

More cheesy pictures...these two are such camera hogs!

Poor Tony! He really needs to get that pinkie healthy again!

After trick-or-treating, we tried to get the kids together for a group shot.

...but they were WAY too hopped up on sugar by that point!

Then they started attacking poor Skip (you can't see him because the kids had him completely covered!) Talk about savages=)

Amy Winehouse and Blake Incarcerated even made it to the party

More dancing and foolishness....

These are the new princess pj's A got as her Halloween present from mommy and daddy! She was so excited....

...then she insisted on taking my picture. Not too bad of a job for a 2 year old!

Hope everyone had a very Happy Halloween. I can't wait to see the cute pictures of your kiddos dressed in their costumes.

Fall Fun!

2008-10-30T21:00:00.003-05:00

We had our Fall Festival at church on Saturday. A asked to be a kitty-cat this year and is sooooo excited about it. She walks around saying "Meooww, Meooww."One Cool Cat! Decorating Pumpkin cookies (or rather eating the icing) at the Fall FestHanging out with LadyBug and friend, Katie. Playing games for prizes! She wouldn't go near the bounce houses, so no pictures of that this year!

This was at lunch on Sunday. A loves her new Candy Corn Dress Mammie made for her and was hamming it up!

A PRICELESS face!

Lovin' on Daddy

The preschool had their costume parade this morning and I went to go help the office staff pass out candy.

This Kitty Cat and Princess are ready to go Trick or Treat!!!

Like Father, Like Daughter

2008-10-28T16:01:00.002-05:00

I snapped these pictures on Sunday afternoon while these two were watching the Cowboys game!
Maybe they won't be so stressed if Romo can come back from his *pinkie* injury this week.

Fun facts about Parkland

2008-10-25T15:32:00.002-05:00

So, my bff Suzanna commented on my last post and told me that Northside Hospital in Atlanta had the highest number of births per year in the country. It got me curious, so I decided to do a little research of my own. This is your useless information for the day:

***Disclaimer: This info came from Wikipedia, which I know doesn't merit TOTAL authenticity, but I figure if it's good enough for Michael Scott from The Office, then it's good enough for me.***

Parkland has the distinction of delivering more infants under one roof than any other hospital in the nation, averaging 15-16,000 deliveries per year. Parkland created one of the first high-risk antenatal units in the nation, and had the first neonatal intensive care unit in North Texas.

Maybe this is why:

A patient survey indicated 70% of the women who gave birth at Parkland in the first three months of 2006 were illegal immigrants.[3]. The yearly tally for 2005 was "at least 56%".[4]

Because:

Since Parkland is a public hospital, it must accept patients from Dallas County regardless of their ability to pay. As such, poorer residents from surrounding counties that do not have public hospitals of their own (and which are not subject to the special property tax used for Parkland operations) regularly seek treatment at Parkland. These surrounding counties will actually transport indigent and uninsured patients to Parkland in county owned ambulances and drop them off. This has caused financial turmoil for the hospital in recent years, as the surrounding counties are not required by law to reimburse Parkland for services provided to their residents (though some of them have on rare occasions done so). Also, Parkland does not request information on a patient's legal status.

Also another note:

Parkland is best-known as the hospital where three individuals associated with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy died: Kennedy, his alleged assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby, the killer of Oswald

In Conclusion:

At 968 licensed beds, Parkland ranks among the largest teaching hospitals in the nation.
Parkland serves as both a primary care center for Dallas County residents, and (along with UT Southwestern) as a medical and surgical referral center for North Texas and parts of Southern Oklahoma. Thus, virtually all medical and surgical subspecialties are represented—which makes Parkland a destination for post-graduate medical training. (and Nursing)

Obligatory Punkin' Patch Pictures

2008-10-24T17:01:00.007-05:00

Whew! The last few weeks have been crazy...and I mean LITERALLY crazy. I have been doing my clinical rotation in the Psych. ward at Parkland hospital! If you don't know anything about Parkland, it is the county hospital for Dallas....and it is WILD!!! I have to tell you, I never knew crazy until I started this rotation. Most of our patients have Schizophrenia and/or Bipolar disorder. In two weeks I will be in the OB unit..a fun fact about the OB unit is they deliver more babies than ANY other hospital in the United States. They told us to get ready to deliver babies in the hallway. Awesome.

So...today our playgroup went to the Pumpkin Patch. I drug daddy along too but he was a great sport!!

Family Photo Op (ps: Annaleigh took that little pumpkin she is holding home with her!)

It was really bright so excuse the squinty eyes!

Annaleigh and her two buddies in the hay house

A loved riding around in the wagon!

My little punkin'

Riding the tractor (in her frilly smocked dress;) down on the farm.

Trying to get a group shot...

We tried.

A gettin' sleeeeepy!

Hollee's 3 little punkins! Have you seen anything cuter??

Being silly with Daddy

The final pick...i have a feeling she will be sleeping with this pumpkin tonight!

2 1/2 Year Pictures

2008-10-04T15:25:00.004-05:00

Here are some of my favorites from A's 2 1/2 year pictures...

2008-09-28T22:51:00.003-05:00

This was a conversation I had tonight at our church fellowship event:

Amber: Laurie, um, here's annaleigh.
Laurie: OK
Amber: Well, I brought her over here because she was over at the food line and I helped her...
Laurie: Helped her do what?
Amber: Well, when I walked over she was taking a fork and eating butter straight from dish on the food table.
Laurie: (Blank stare. Mouth open. Speechless. Mortified.)

I have a few things to add in retrospect:
1.) Thank you Amber!
2.) My kid is going to get coronary artery disease because of my lack of supervision.
3.) I think Ranch Dressing and Ketchup are now the least of my concerns.

Ranch Dressing and Ketchup

2008-09-23T22:35:00.005-05:00

I am sure those of you with picky-eating toddlers can relate to this...but if you are like me, you will do ANYTHING to get those kiddos to eat their fruits and veggies. Lately A has taken to reallllly liking ketchup and ranch dressing....so, if she wants to dip her green beans or broccoli in ketchup, I am all for it! (It does have lycopene, right?) We have seen her dip mandarin oranges in ketchup, cheese in ranch dressing, toast with jelly in ketchup (I choose my battles.) Well, tonight at dinner I had to draw the line. We had Garden Salad, Breakfast casserole, and Blueberry muffins. When I looked over and she was drenching her warm blueberry muffin in ranch dressing and scarfing it down, I almost gagged! Make me feel better. What weird things do your kids eat??

Goodbye Summer!

2008-09-21T21:52:00.005-05:00

Today is the last official day of summer. As long as I can remember I have hated when summer was over. I remember as a kid having feelings of dread when "back to school commercials" came on TV because I knew those long care-free days would soon be gone. I know a lot of people love the crisp autumn air and the cold weather of winter, but I am NOT one of those people! Here are several pictures we took at the pool a few weeks ago...wishin' those days will come back soon!

Children's ER

2008-09-15T22:36:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know. I look rough. I had just spent my first 12 hours working in the ER at Children's Hospital Dallas...It was an experience, to say the least. Let's just say I REALLY need to brush up on my Spanish!

Funny

2008-09-14T23:20:00.001-05:00

Republican or Democrat, you gotta admit this is funny!

09/11/01

2008-09-11T20:05:00.003-05:00

Where were you when it happened?? I was a Senior at Lipscomb University and lived about 1 mile from school so I would get up and walk to class every morning. I arrived a few minutes late for my World Literature class and the Prof was already talking. She said " I guess everyone knows what is going on by now, so I think we should pray and then I am excusing class for the day." I was completely clueless to what she was talking about. I remember a girl said "a bomb went off at the world trade center in New York and also at the Pentagon." I was just stunned. Obviously, at that point, the events of the day were still unfolding and the facts were still fuzzy...after that I went to the student center with my friend Becca. The usually bustling place was like a tomb when we walked in with all eyes peeled to the TV. I was shocked and horrified to witness the second plane crash into the second tower. I will never ever forget how scared and violated and sad I felt that day. I went home and called all the people I loved the most....

Grandmas on Facebook

2008-09-10T17:35:00.002-05:00

So, I have had a Facebook account for a few months now...mostly to lurk around and see what High School and college friends are up to. Lately I have noticed I have been getting a lot of friend requests from my friends MOMS-(and a few dads)! I love it! These empty-nestin' grandmas are embracing the culture and getting connected! Way to go ladies! Are any of your moms on Facebook???

Free Chicken and the first day of school

2008-09-05T21:55:00.003-05:00

If you know me, you know I am a big, big fan of Chick-fil-a. I have to have it at least once a week or I'm just not right. Annaleigh has caught the fever too but she calls it Chicky-a. So cute. You may already know this, but last Monday (Labor Day) they ran a promotion to get a free box of chicken strips if you wore college football gear...well, Russell usually isn't up for, um..."fun"stuff like that, but I convinced him to participate with the promise of free chicken and the argument that we were showing love for Louisiana since it was the same day that Hurricane Gustaf hit. Tuesday was A's first day of school for the year. She is in Ms. Stormey's class and lovin' it! She was especially excited about her new Hello Kitty lunchbox to match the thermos Grama got her!

Growing up too, too fast! Next thing I know we are going to be sending her off to college!

As a side note, I am flying to Georgia in the morning for Uncle Raymond's funeral. Please continue to keep us all in your prayers as we go through this difficult time.

Uncle Raymond

2008-09-03T18:57:00.004-05:00

I am saddened to say my family suffered yet another loss yesterday. My great Uncle Raymond had a massive heart attack on Monday and passed away yesterday evening. Raymond was my grandmothers brother and mentally handicapped. He lived with my mom and grandmother. He was one of the most sweet and pure people I have ever known in my life. He taught me so much about how to love and treat people who are different than me the same as anyone else...and that we are all God's children and equal in importance to Him. Raymond loved people and loved to have fun. These pictures were taken just 2 weeks ago during our trip to Georgia. They brought a big big smile to my face today.Annaleigh in her cool sunglassesMom's dog, Presley Parker sporting the shadesAunt Rachel was looking good too!

Uncle Raymond had to get in on the fun too! What a precious soul. I rejoice in thinking about the special place the Lord has prepared for him in heaven!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-01T15:56:00.004-05:00

Russell's mom and dad came up this weekend for his brother's first game of coaching at John Horn in Mesquite. We also got to do some shopping, cook out, and just relax! These pictures are the ones my mother in law sent off her camera from the weekend. They are a little random, but at least current! At the football game on Friday night. A kept shouting "Go Uncle Brad, Coach." I don't think she got the concept that we were supposed to be cheering for the TEAM.These were taken Sunday after church. Notice the cute orange dress A is wearing. Russell brought it back from Nicaragua. Way to go daddy!

Rita (MIL) snapped this one out of her car window as they were leaving our house. "Bye Mimi and Pop, we love you!!"

Summer Fun and New Wheels

2008-07-29T09:11:00.004-05:00

I wouldn't dare say that things are getting back to "Normal" around here. To be honest, I am not sure what normal is any more. It's just nice to not be spending all my days at the hospital! We have been having a little more fun...the interns organized a "night out on the town" a few weeks ago where some of the high schoolers got dressed up and ate at Cheesecake Factory.A with her handsome date: DaddyShe was in charge of holding the pager to tell us when our table was ready I guess the other big piece of news around here is that my poor little honda accord finally kicked the bucket. The old girl was very good to me, but I have to admit it's a lot of fun to drive a new car!
Wow! Look at those squinty eyes!

Wish I could tell you...

2008-07-14T14:34:00.003-05:00

I wish I could tell you the reason for my infrequent updating has been due to the fabulous summer we have been having...going on great vacations, visiting family and friends, fun outings with playgroup...but NO...its because I have been living, eating, breathing nursing school. My friends warned me it was going to be tough, but the time commitment is what has blown me away! Thankfully, I am done with clinical rotations until August 25th so I just have 2 days of class a week until then!

Annaleigh let me take a few pictures before church on Sunday. Her dress is one my mom made for her first birthday and surprisingly still fits!

For some reason, she goes and stands by the front door when she gets her picture takenSilly Goose!

We plan to take a little more time to "stop and smell the roses" the second part of the summer!

Little Sparkler

2008-07-05T16:44:00.002-05:00

Annaleigh and her "big sissy" Kenzie
Lovin' the Sparklers
I can't believe she wasn't afraid to hold them
Some crazy guys put on a fire works show for us (just kidding!) It's amazing how fireworks can make grown men act like little boys.

But A and I both enjoyed the show! They did a great job!

Hope y'all had a great 4th of July!

Congratulations!!

2008-06-21T12:59:00.002-05:00

Brad (Russell's brother) popped the BIG question to his precious girlfriend Leslie yesterday. We are so thrilled she is going to be part of the family!

Dad

2008-05-31T19:10:00.003-05:00

For those of you don't know, I lost my dad Friday, May 30th at 2AM. I was blessed to be by his side at his passing. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. I will be back soon...
Love
Laurie

OOOPS....

2008-05-03T22:31:00.003-05:00

I forgot to wish my wonderful husband a happy 30th birthday last Saturday. We celebrated at a youth retreat in Denton.

Still a kid!

Strawberry Picking

2008-05-02T15:51:00.004-05:00

Our playgroup from church went to a strawberry farm in Arlington today. Excuse the squinty eyes in some of the following pictures...It was a beautiful day, but very bright .

It didn't take A long to get down the concept of picking. She picked every thing. Red or green or dirt or twigs...I will have to confess that we were kinda bad and threw some of the "less desirable" berries back. You had to pay by the pound.William and Annaleigh were pretty serious about picking. His mommy had to make him stop because his basket was so full!Some of the kids found the tractor and had a blast. Denise and I discussed that we go to all this trouble to plan fun and memorable pay dates and they have the best time just climbing all over the tractor!

Getting a hug from sweet Aiden

And this was when the real fun began...Up to this point I did a pretty good job keeping her out of the strawberries, but I after I paid, I just let her have at it.The saddest thing about this picture is her dress. I hope it isn't ruined. It is another one my mom made and is currently soaking in oxyclean!

We had so much fun!!

Why I have no life

2008-05-01T15:04:00.003-05:00

This is my entire nursing class. There are 39 of us.

My clinical group. I see these people more than I see my own family and friends.

The princess and the potty

2008-04-21T23:21:00.003-05:00

These are the pictures I told myself I would never put on the blog.....oh, well. Let's face it, motherhood turnes you into a complete dork!

And she is WAY more excited about potty training than I am! These were all taken yesterday!

"That's why God made the Church"

2008-04-18T15:03:00.007-05:00

We finally arrived home yesterday morning around 5:30 am...driving those 950 miles reminded me again why we usually FLY to Georgia!

I want to backtrack just little bit and recap our week in Georgia. We finally arrived in Athens last Friday around 6pm. Since Papa had just died that morning, we were actually the first family members to the house (besides the ones who already lived in Athens.) I am so happy to have had those hours because I was able to sit and talk with my grandmother without a lot of interruption. Papa had actually written out memoirs in the last several months that no one had ever seen before. My grandmother and sat up on the bed where he died and read through the amazing stories of his life. A lot were memories of his childhood during the great depression, some were from World War 2, and others were from his adult life.

Aunts, Uncles, and cousins started arriving on Saturday, and let me tell you, it was a house FULL. There were 52 of us there on Saturday evening for dinner. A man from the church owns a bbq restaurant and donated food for all of us. There was much love, laughter & sharing of tears and memories throughout the day. It was a blessing.

You may remember from my last post Papa had requested he didn't want a memorial service. The elders and preachers called my grandmother on Friday night and asked if they could dedicate Sunday Worship service to him. The service was beautiful and so special. You can go to http://www.campusviewchurch.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=87 and download the speaking portion of the service from April 13th "Why we are Here." They had an incredible luncheon prepared for all us after church which was amazing.
I received a call on Monday from my sweet friends from Grapevine telling me they wanted to organize food for our family this week....again, overwhelmed by the love and generosity of Christian family.

Last night I was speaking to my sister Rachel on the phone about the love and generosity people have shown us during this difficult time. My sister is a believer, but hasn't always been the most committed to church or attendance. She stated that through all of this, she finally understood why God made the church...Because they are family who is there for you through happy and sad times. They watch your house and feed your cat when you have to suddenly leave town. They teach your Bible classes and tie up loose ends. They send you flowers to brighten your day. They bring you food because they know how emotionally drained you are. They give you hugs right when you need it. They call and offer plane fare in case you want to stay with your family longer. God knew we needed the church. He knew that life on this earth would not always be easy. In his infinite wisdom, he provided a place where people with no blood relation could come together and be family. Rachel said she was inspired to do the same for other people. To bring people who are lost in so they could experience the saving grace of Jesus and be a part of His family. Amen.

Papa playing the harmonica for Annaleigh last ChristmasIn love for 62 years. A true testament to Christian marriage

At Rachel's college graduation. He was there for every big (and small) event in our lives.

Going Home

2008-04-11T07:02:00.002-05:00

So,this is going to be kinda raw and I have a feeling I may end up deleting everything in the end...but I am reeling right now. It's 6:45 AM on Friday and I am sitting in a dark hotel room in Vicksburg, MS. My mom called yesterday and told me my grandfather wasn't doing well and if I wanted to see him alive, I better get home soon. Russell and I tied up all our loose ends and were on the road by 5:oopm. I felt like we were racing with time. Even though I knew that Papa was most likely in his final days, I didn't have much of a doubt that I would not ever see him again. This morning at 5:45 I got the phone call that he was gone. We didn't make it to see him alive. Even though I am sad about this...somehow I have peace. He knew that we were on our way and doing our best to get there. I just talked to my sister and she is over at my grandparents house with my grandmother and my mom. They were sitting in the room with him and reading over the list he had prepared of his requests and wishes.
My grandfather lived one of the most fulfilling lives on this earth I have ever heard of. He had a beautiful marriage to my grandmother for 62 years, he was a faithful Christian and elder of the church, he worked for DuPont as an electrical engineer from the day he graduated college until the day that he retired. Papa was a woodworker, an artist, a gardener, a marathon runner. He lived life to the fullest every single day and there wasn't a lazy bone in his body. My grandfather was more like a father to me and gave me he foundation to be the person I am today. He inspired so many to do good by is life and deeds....and now he has his reward in heaven. The scripture that describes Jesus going to prepare a place for us in heaven is just coming alive in my mind. I know God has prepared a beautiful mansion up in heaven for my grandfather where he is now living, full of joy, free from pain, transformed in his new heavenly body and thankful he left his former flesh on earth.
I am so sad. I will miss my grandfather so much. It pains me to think about life without him....but on the same token, I am so joyous. He left this earth just the way he wanted: In his own bed at his own house with his wife by his side...with no fanfare and no fuss. Just peacefully. He wrote in his notes that he didn't want a funeral. He stated that people hated to go to funerals and he wasn't about to do that to anyone. That brings a smile to my face.

"Little Miss"

2008-04-09T22:33:00.002-05:00

While perusing in Barnes and Noble tonight A and I came across a display of "Little Miss" Books. I immediately became nostalgic thinking how THOSE books were some of my favorites as a little girl...I love children's books so much and am eternally grateful to my mom for preserving our collection for my children, but somehow these didn't make it. Tonight I started our collection of "Little Miss" books. We got Little Miss Bossy (appropriate for our own little miss annaleigh), Little Miss Fun, and Little Miss Chatterbox. What's your favorite children's book series?

School Picture

2008-04-05T15:02:00.004-05:00

This is Annaleigh's first school picture (insert appropriate "awww...look how big my baby is getting" comment here.)
I would just like to point out a few items:
1.) Check out the ZIT on her right cheek. She woke up the morning of the photos with that little beauty...I mean, how funny is that? 2 years old and already has blemishes for her photos. Hopefully it isn't a preview for future school pictures.
2.) I only put that sweater on her for school because it was cold. I had no intention of it being in the picture. It's a cute sweater, but that dress was smocked by my mother specifically for the picture. Oh well.
3.) Yay! I finally have a scanner, so no more 'high quality' pictures of pictures.

Birthday weekend

2008-04-03T20:52:00.005-05:00

Here are a few pics from A's party last Saturday. My pictures didn't turn out so great so I am waiting on ones from my friend and mother-in-law...I just thought if I didn't post now I would forget altogether!

We were so happy Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brad trekked back over to Grapevine on Sunday for church. We went to Babe's in Roanoke for lunch...yum, yum. Fried Chicken!!

A let me snap a few pictures of her when we got home...and yes, I did bribe her with CANDY!!