Laurie's Life

 It is hard to believe that Emily turned 9 today!!!!!!!!!  Over the weekend, she had strep throat.  I so wanted her to be feeling better by today.  She has had a great day.  We went out to eat lunch and dinner and made a little time for Build a Bear, Claire's and Justice. We are so very thankful for these past nine years with Emily.  She is such a sweet and caring girl!

 For those that know me well, they know that I LOVE my robe.  I got a pink one right after we got married and Steve hated it!  In order to save my marriage, I stopped wearing the pink robe.  I think I will always hang on to it, though.  Two years ago, I got the ultimate soft robe at Pottery Barn outlet.  I love it so much.  I wear it year round. A couple of weeks ago I saw this brown throw in a store.  I didn't get it, but I thought about it all the time, and decided to go back a week later and get it.  They had ONE left.  The sales lady told me that it was fox fur.  I said, "Fox fur?"  I read the display tag and it said,  "FAUX FUR THROWS."  HA!!!!  I was laughing to myself.  I am so proud of this throw.  It is SOOOOOO soft.  I call it my fox fur.  Sarah Kate likes it too and Kristen the cat. I think it is better then the robe!

I took the girls to talk to Santa yesterday.  I don't understand what Santa was wearing, but it was kinda of neat.  He was wearing striped socks and black Birkenstocks and a shirt with puppies on it.  Oh Well..... The girls loved him.  He gave them a big HO HO HO as they left. We then went to get some serve yourself yogurt.  I was too busy serving myself to pay attention to SK.  When she put her yogurt on the scale, it was $10 dollars!!!!!  I nearly choked!  She ate every bite of it!  It was a TON of M&Ms and a little Chocolate yogurt. Merry Christmas! 

 I heard a saying recently that I loved!  Thanksgiving should be Thanksliving!  SO true!  I am so thankful for the people in these pictures made on Thanksgiving day and the day after.  My parents, Mary and Russell  The hair salon train!  Cousins!  My cousin, Elaine  Elaine's daughter, Kendall and Emily.  They have fun playing together.  My mom and her two brothers and niece.  Uncle Tommy and his children  My uncle John loves cats! Some of my favorites friends! So much to be thankful for!

Last Monday was the day I dread EVERY year.  Kristen had her yearly visit to the vet.  Day of disaster.  I really don't think any cat acts as bad as she does at the vet.  The past two or three times I have taken Kristen to the vet, the Dr. has given me names and numbers of vets closer to my house.  A nice way of saying,  "we don't ever want to deal with her again."  I took the hint.  I took her right  down the road last Monday.  I told them about how the other vet had to use gloves and an armored blanket and call techs in for assistance.  I heard them calling for help and I told them I would sit in lobby because it made me too nervous.  I sat in the lobby and heard HORRIBLE sounds from Kristen.  Sounds that would cause your heart to stop for a split second.  Within 2 minutes, the tech was bringing Kristen out in her carrier.  The Vet came out and explained that no exam was given.  Kristen would not allow it.  They managed to give her a shot ( I think through the car

 My girl were so excited about Halloween.  They LOVE that Harper and Hollis come over and go trick or treating with us!  Special memories!  Emily dressed from Ever After High.  SK was of course, Elsa!

I told Emily at the first of the school year, that I would let her have some friends from her class spend the night if she would work really hard in school.  Having friends spend the night has motivated her to work hard and get her homework done. (and she has a lot!)  Last weekend she had 3 friends spend the night.  I let Sarah Kate invite one of her friends too!  I thought it all went really smooth.  All the girls got along really well.  SK was the youngest, but really the ring leader of them all.  I did not have any activities planned, but they had fun doing art, dancing, and playing family.  They went to sleep in the living room watching a Barbie movie. Friendship is such a blessing.

 Steve and I celebrated 10 years of marriage last Thursday.  Steve's parent came and kept the girls so that we could get away for the weekend.  It was so much fun being together and being able to talk without interuptions.   We got SK's Halloween costume this weekend and she is so happy with it! Lots of love right there.  The girls LOVE being with their grandparents.

Thank you to everyone who responded to my blog post about toe walking!  I love to gather as much information as I can.  Sarah Kate CAN walk flat on her feet.  She has had over a year of physical therapy.  After consulting with her pediatrician, we are taking her to a children's hospital for a second opinion. Life has been very very busy since school started and I am finding myself wishing for a snow day! Ha!  We actually were able to have a relaxing Saturday.  We had BIG plans to go to my parents in South Arkansas.  I was to have a meeting in Little Rock.  All that did not come into play when SK woke up Friday morning with strep throat.  I was sad for her to be sick and I was disappointed that our plans fell through, but we needed a day to rest and not leave the house. Sarah Kate loves to clean!  She vacuumed the house last night!  I told her I was going to take a picture of her and this is the pose she did! 

Sarah Kate is six years old and she is still walking on her toes.  She is an ideopathic toe walker.  (No cause for it.) We are considering doing serial casts to help stretch her heel cord.  Has anyone ever had experience with this????? What have you found to be the most helpful with toe walking?

 Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attended a Susan G Komen survivor luncheon and style show.  It was a wonderful time with some of my most favorite people!  Jenn was a model.  She was the best one there!  She was diagnosed with breast Cancer over a year ago.  Today, she is fully healed! Jenn has had the most wonderful attitude through out her journey.  SO glad she is my friend!

 I left those two sweet girls on Wednesday to go and learn how to be a better mother to them.  I attended Lifeway's Dot.MOM.  I used to think you had to have a blog or be real tech savvy to attend.  I learned that is just the catchy name they gave to this conference.  This was my second time to attend and I LOVED IT!!!!!!  They have top notch speakers and experts in children and marriage.  I tried to soak up as much as I could.  I think what impacted me the most this time was the classes with Steve and Debbie Wilson.  They really hit home with me!  I have been inspired and encouraged.  I got to spend time with two of my favorite friends. And....meet a new one or two or three.......... But, I could not wait to get back to these two little girls!  And their wonderful Daddy!

I realized today that it has been a long time since I last did a post.  I was thinking earlier about the goings on of the past few days. Here goes: I have been doing lots of painting.  I have sold several paintings to local friends through Facebook.  I am loving painting and selling my work! I had an appt. for a physical last week.  They asked me to come in a day or two before and have blood work.  I drove thirty minutes to the clinic for blood work.  I drove back the next day, signed in and went and found a seat in the lobby.  The receptionist calls me up and tells me my appt is THE NEXT day.  I was SO mad at myself.  I asked if another Dr could see me or if my Dr could work me in.  NOPE!  I stopped at Dairy Queen for a Blizzard.  I wanted to have some good out of the drive.  So I drove the following day for the real appt.  I got a VERY VERY good report!  I was so thankful! Our laptop fell on Sarah Kate's big toe in July.( I was out of town)  I knew it hurt her