Laurie's Life

 After a week on the Gulf Coast, it is so good to be home!  I had a fantastic time, but I LOVE my home sweet home!  Our condo was so nice!  It was home for a week.  I took this picture of Emily the night we got there.  The girls settling down on the first night.  Emily read the Jesus Storybook Bible to Harper and Hollis.  Emily is a beach girl for sure!  She loved the water and the sand until she saw a man catch 3 sharks and got slammed by some waves a time or two.  But, at least she can say she swam with the sharks!  These 4 girls got along perfectly!  Not one fight and they played so well together!!!  We spent one night at the Track after dinner.  I loved go-carts when I was a little girl- still do!  We had lots of fun and laughs with Kelly and Scott!  Girls loving a ride! One of my favorite restuarants is Louisiana Lagniappe. More later!

    The girls have participated in an art camp this week.  The camp was wonderful!  It explored visual art but also touched on all the arts.  SK was part of a music club and E was a part of the fashion club.  Emily was able to do this camp with one of her best friends and that made it even more fun. Last week I went to the dermatologist for a skin cancer screening.  They took off a mole on my back and sent it off to pathology.  I found out a couple of days ago that it was a Dysplastic Nevi.  That puts me at high risk for Melanoma.  I will NOT be missing my yearly screening. 

 One of my very best college friends, Sara, is a missionary in the Middle East.  Sara and I were roomates in college her Senior year.  Sara is super smart and graduated from college in three years.  Sara met Ross soon after graduating.  They now have five children.  They are one of my most favorite families ever.  I always learn when I am with them.  Sara is probably the funniest friend I have.  She is such a passionate person and just a joy to be with.  I go every Summer with one of my other college best friends to see Sara in the Memphis area.  They have a few weeks in the US every Summer.  It is a weekend full of non-stop fun and laughter.  Kim is also so so so funny and entertaining.  Kim is a therapist/counselor and she is so wise.  I love talking to Kim and she gives me free counseling.  Kim and I had such a great time driving to Memphis.  Kim always introduces me to great Chri...

The Fourth of July was nearly a week ago and I am just now posting them.  I have decided our Summer has been busier than our school year.  We are having lots of fun, but it seems our days are full. We had a very relaxing weekend.  Every Fourth of July I go to Bath and Body Works.  They are usually having a big sale.  I did not buy a thing this year.  The candle I wanted was not on sale.  I also go to a small local grocery store and get a good seeded watermelon.  Those are my holiday traditions.  HA! Our friends came over and we had such a great time!  Steve smoked chicken and it was so good!  It was just a fun and relaxing time.  We enjoyed fireworks in our driveway and neighborhood.  It was a very cool evening.  I wanted to put on my robe or wear a jacket, but I decided that was too weird. Saturday afternoon, I found the funniest show I have ever seen.  It is called The Carbona...

 We are enjoying a beautiful Summer night! If you have a cat, continue reading.  If not, don't waste your time. This is Frisco- weirdest cat on earth. I think he likes us, but he has never just jumped up in my lap.  I can hold him (down) for about 15 seconds and then he is gone. He purrs when he sees us, but we are not allowed to touch him.  One or two strokes on top of his head and he BITES.  Grabs your hand/wrist with his paws and bites the fire out of us. Most cats like to lay in the sun. NOPE.  He lays beside where the sun is coming in. A nice cozy bed?  NO, not him.  He prefers the cold tile floor. CAN ANYTHING CURE THIS????????  The biting is the worst problem. Oh and one more item.  He only eats the food in his bowl.  Any food on the floor NEVER gets eaten.  He would starve before eating off the floor.

 Steve got off work a little early on Friday and we drove to Branson to spend the night.  When we got there, it was pouring down rain.  Almost like a flood.  There was a break in the rain, so Steve dropped us off at the Landing mall so we could walk to Joes' Crab Shack. I would have walked five miles in the pouring rain to get there.  I LOVE that place!  They told us the wait would be an hour and twenty minutes.  The girls were hungry and at their breaking point.  We sat on a bench and waited an hour and twenty minutes exactly.  The girls had several breakdowns.  We had to wait there because of the heavy rain and lightening.  Then, we waited an hour on our food because they were so busy.  BUT,  I had THE BEST meal of my life!!!!  Worth the wait!  I got the Fireside steam bowl.  BEST THING EVER!  It was sausage, potatoes, corn, King crab, snow crab and shrimp in the worlds most flavorful seas...

For the past six years, our house has served as a bird sanctuary.  We usually have three bird's nests ON our house and one in the front yard tree.  Birds swarm around us.  I HATE BIRDS!  I have been scared of them for as long as I can remember.  They are my phobia.  Most people fear snakes or mice, I fear birds.  They are so unpredictable with their fluttering and flying.  But, I am also terrified of dead birds, so I don't know how to explain this phobia. A few weeks ago, I noticed a house in our neighborhood that had a cd hanging from their front porch.  These are normal, sensible people so I knew this was not some tacky trending style idea.  I knew it had to serve a purpose.  THE PURPOSE:  to scare away barn swallows.  We have had barn swallows build on our porch for six years now.  I HATE IT!!!!!  We have tried fake snakes and chicken wire, the birds have laughed and built anyway.  I am happy ...

 We have been celebrating Sarah Kate's birthday all day today.  She slept late this morning (8:45).  She had Chic-fil-a for lunch.  Cherry Berry for ice cream and games.  She has had a full and fun day!    Emily helped pick out this doll.  She is so proud of her new Barbie.

 This little girl graduated from Kindergarten.  Hard to believe that she is almost 6 years old.  SHE LOVES SCHOOL.  Her best friends in school are Rose and Baylee.  She has had the best school year.  All the grandparents came to celebrate.  WE LOVE Sarah Kate's teacher!  Emily had her in kindergarten too!  We are going to miss her so much!

 Brave little Emily sang a solo in her school's talent show.  She sang "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever."  She did a fantastic job!  Singing and art are her thing.  Her best friend, Sarah Grace, came to see her perform.  It meant so much to Emily to have her there!  Sarah Grace even brought Emily flowers!  So thoughtful!  Emily was so proud to have Harper, Hollis and Kelly there!  She loved the support!  I did too!  Mary and Kay came to see their girl! Proud Mama Emily did not even act nervous!  I was a nervous wreck!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was so thankful she did such a great job!  She loved being in the talent show.  SO SO proud of her!