Laurie's Life

Emily loves to make up songs more than sing real ones. Here is one of her latest and we think greatest!

Emily looks so happy because she had just eaten a Cadbury egg. YUM! She is not one for food, but she can down a Cadbury egg. Friday we enjoyed playing outside and visiting with neighbors in the bright and beautiful sun. The temperature was in the upper 60s. In less than 24 hours, it was snowing what looked like cotton balls from the sky. We are still on a search for Diamond the cat. I have a couple of potentials from the shelter. I am waiting on the right cat! I think I am looking for a marking of a diamond on the cat or one who is already named Diamond. God is good and big and he can make that happen! Emily left Petsmart in tears this morning because I did not get her a cat. A lot of times when I am out running errands on the weekend, Steve will call and ask me to get him a Starbucks coffee. We both LOVE that place. I have never had anything from there that is not good. BUT................have you ever noticed that Starbucks smells slightly like a skunk? I like the smell...

My girls have slept really well for the past several nights. I am so thankful!!! Thank you to those of you who have prayed for us and given me words of wisdom. I have not done ANYTHING different to get them to sleep. I just say it is answered prayer. I also took Sarah Kate's bottle away last week. It has been a very easy transition. She loved her bottle, but she is also 20 months old. TOO OLD for a bottle. I just put them in a cabinet and told her she was a big girl. I would give her milk in a sippy cup and she would say,"I wanna bottle!" She fussed a little the first few days, but I think she is over her precious bottle now. Also, my girls are both absolutely terrified of Kristen. They act as if she is a grizzly bear or tiger. I WANT my girls to have a pet they can love and enjoy. Emily has been asking for several months for a new, nice cat. I broke down a few weeks ago and said,"we will get you a cat." She jumped and yelled and screamed," I...

Our house never sleeps. If Sarah Kate is not up, it is Emily. Some nights it is both girls at the same time. Steve and I have nearly had it!!!!!! Every Monday night, SK wakes up around 1:00 am and cries until 4:15 0r later. I feel terrible every Tuesday. Steve feels terrible every Tuesday. I don't know the answer. But, I think maybe she is just over-tired. She goes to bed at 7:00 every night. She has a short nap on Mondays because I have to pick Emily up at school. I put her down for a nap an hour earlier on Mondays, but she falls asleep at her normal time. When SK wakes up ,it is for at least 2 hours. She cries and babbles and talks the whole time. Emily has night terrors every once in a while and she NEVER sleeps through the night if she misses her nap. They are asleep right now. I probably need to be sleeping myself.

It has nearly been a year since Emily cut her hair. It is finally to the stage that she can have pigtails again. She is oh so proud of them. She looks in the mirror all the time. In the top picture she was saying,"ruff ruff." She was pretending to be a dog with her dog ears. As she always says,"my hair is really growing up!" I also painted her nails for the first time. She shows everyone she meets.

Valentine's Day

I said several months ago that I would tell the story about how Steve and I met. I have saved it until this weekend, because I am thinking about all the single girls out there and what Valentine's Day can feel like. I hope this story will bring you hope and encouragement. I graduated from college when I was 22 years old and moved to Fayetteville, Ar to teach art in a nearby town. I had lots of blind dates, a few dates and a couple of serious relationships. BUT......I knew I had never found "the one" and this had me longing to find him or should I say for him to find me! I prayed for my husband most everyday. I prayed for what he was doing, his work, his commitment to Christ, etc. Around 26 or 27, I had this feeling that my husband was going to be someone who moved here from out of town. I don't know that this was some deeply spiritual revelation or just the fact that I was not meeting Mr Right and had no desire to move anywhere else. I KNEW God was big enough...

I went to Little Rock this weekend to visit wonderful friends. I stayed with Kelly and Eric. I have known Kelly since I was 2 years old. When I was single, I used to visit them all the time. Now that I have kids, it is hard to get way and see them. It brought back a lot of good memories to travel to Little Rock on Saturday. I feel so at home with Kelly and Eric. Kelly is a great hostess!!!!!!!!! This is their daughter Lauren with the two dogs. Kelly and Eric have some fancy taste. They are both gourmet cooks. When I visit Kelly it is a bit like country mouse going to visit city mouse. I wanted to show you in a couple of pictures what I mean: This is Kelly's honey. (fancy) Check out the tea set. She served me red tea. I had never heard of such. This is my honey.(common) This is Kelly's cheese. Kelly asked me if I wanted cheese on my asparagus. This is what she did, grated real parmesan cheese. This would be my parmesan. They cooked scallops on a salt plate. Th...

Kelly and little Harps.......All decked out in Valentine attire. Erin and Kinley SK spotted a goldfish Sinking her teeth in...YUMMY Emily dancing Emily dancing some more. I LOVE the outfit! Sweet Neely came to play yesterday. SK being still for about 10 seconds

This is how I found Sarah Kate in her bed a couple of hours after she had gone night night. Those are her zip up p.j.s next to her. Was she hot? Just looking for something to do? I don't know. I put them back on and she never even woke up. Emily was looking out through her cage and wondered why I was taking Sarah Kate's picture. She wanted a picture made of her in the bed. The next picture is what Emily did with her Lunchable the other day. She said it was a "cheese lady wearing a hat." I had to include a picture of Steve and the girls loving the snow. Emily calls it "playing WITH the snow."

We have been prisoners in our home for the past couple of days due to ice and snow. I don't think much is going to melt today. Steve is determined to go down to a gas station down the road today. I don't really mind being in, I have gotten a lot done and the girls have taken wonderful naps. They nap better when we don't have a morning outing. I bought this Spring dress for Emily this week and she wanted to wear it. Notice she found her pearls to go with it! We have worked puzzles and read books. We went to one of Emily's best friends party on Thursday. It was really fun and so well organized. It was an art party. Trying to do a group picture was near impossible. The party was for Alex in the cute apron.

Sarah Kate had her 18 month check-up today. She weighs 26.2 lbs. She is in the 75% percentile in weight, height and head. She is a VERY busy little girl! I am so very thankful for a healthy report!

A year or two ago I saw this jewelery holder idea at the Junior League Winter Dreams home tours. I thought it was sooooo cute and practical. I went to Hobby Lobby and got all the supplies today and made this. I got a half price frame, foam board, cork board, tacks and the fabric. They put a hanger on the back for me. I little hot glue and it was done. Hope you have a great weekend!

I hosted playgroup this morning. I always love having the group at my house! I went to a baby shower this week for one of the sweetest girls I know, Rachel. Kelly and Susan have the best hair in Arkansas. Vonda and Rachel. Becky, Angie, Brandy, Tracy Jessica, Robin, me Elizabeth and Lindsey Tracy and Berkli Sweet Rachel