Laurie's Life

 We had a great Summer, but it was a little too busy for my taste!  Hard to believe I have a 4th grader and a 6th grader!  Time does fly!  Here is Emily and Sarah Kate before going to meet the teacher/open house!  They were excited and I was a nervous wreck!  I just want my girls to have great teachers and good kids in their class...DON'T WE ALL WANT THAT?    Then we left for Branson with our dear friends!  I love these girls so much!  Good friends right here!  First day of school!  Lots of praying going on this day! Emily got braces in May!  In just five days, her two front teeth went together!  WOW!

 I'm still smiling over my trip to Pawhuska Oklahoma to see the Pioneer Women!  I've always liked her, but after this trip I love her!  She is warm, kind and friendly.  She has class!  I LOVE the girls who were with me!  True friends!  We laughed so much on this trip!  I could eat everything in this picture in one day!  The pie was soooooo good!  Of course, I didn't eat the crust.  I have never liked pie crust.  I took this while standing in line for her to sign my cookbook.  Here is the lodge where her show is filmed.  I loved the place!  There was a note on this door that said, "DO NOT OPEN THIS DOOR!"  THAT sign made me WANT to open the door.  OOOhhhhhh, I was so tempted to open it.  Wonder what was in it!!!??? Remember these?  I bought these at her store called the Mercantile!  I loved the store!  So many cute and neat items!  The lunch was about the best I ...

 I feel like I am always about six months to a year behind on home decor and fashion.  I think it takes me a while to warm up to the latest fashion.  I had seen several tobacco baskets in stores and homes, but I never really thought they looked that great.  About a month ago, I decided I LOVED them.  I bought these from a friend. SK has been begging me to ride a horse.  I have a friend who gives riding lessons, so I worked it out for her to have a riding lesson.  She loved it, but I think she got her fix because she has not mentioned it again!

 One of the favorite things about Easter for us, is dying eggs!  I actually like it more than the girls, I think!  We are so thankful for church friends!  Junior Hill is one of my most favorite evangelists! Will Holden loves Steve! We are in for a very very rainy weekend!  I'm so thankful that we don't have anything going on this weekend.  It will be a great time to sleep late and relax.

 April has been a very busy month, but a very fun month!  Sarah Kate was Snow White in her school play!  This is her thing!  She LOVES performing!  She really is a good little actress!  I was so proud of her!  I turned 45 on April 1st!  Emily made me a Birthday sign!  I thought it was funny that she called me mother.  She usually always calls me mama!  Mother sounds so formal.  I thought it was so sweet that she made me this sign!  I bought Frisco a plaid bow tie!  It does not seem to bother him, although he looks angry in this picture! Easter was a wonderful day!  Look at my bunny ears!  Hee Hee!  It is just the bunny wreath in the background.

Emily wants a dog to the extreme degree!  She feels like she is the only girl in the world that doesn't have a dog.  I am not a dog person at all.  I just can't imagine adding a dog in with our two cats.  Kristen will be 14 next month and I think having a dog would just do her in.  I already have to keep the two cats separated. Last week she got to go see one of  her best friend's new puppy. I keep telling her that one day she can have a puppy, but now is not the right time.

 Emily turned 11 on the 29th.  I can't believe it!!!!!  Times goes by too fast for this mama!  Emily wants a dog so bad, but that is not happening until Kristen the cat passes on.  She asked for a puppy themed cookie cake.  This was the only puppy we could provide! ha! Emily got a special delivery on her birthday from Kay-K and Pop.  Sarah Kate wanted to get her some smell good stuff. Emily had a great day of celebration!

Back in August, Sarah Kate attended the birthday party of one of her best friends, Caroline.  Her mom, Aimee, is one of the best cooks ever.  In fact, she is one of those people who can do anything. She knows how to run a home and how to raise GREAT kids!  Plus, she is soooo funny! I fell in love with this cake at the party and went completely nuts over it.  Unfortunately, I've made it at least six times since Aimee gave me the recipe in late September. Aimee got the recipe from a college friend's grandmother. 2 cups flour 1 3/4 cups sugar 3/4 cups cocoa (I like Hershey's) 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla Mix everything together in mixer and then add 1 cup of boiling water.  BE CAREFUL pouring that water in because it can splash out and burn you!  I turn off mixer and stir in hot water with a spatula and then turn mixer back on.  Batter is very ru...

Both my girls love to dress up for Halloween.  I've learned that their costumes are never a waste of money because they wear them to two or three different events before Halloween even gets here!

Oh MY GOODNESS!!!!!  I have not posted in so long, that I nearly forgot how! Our life in a nutshell: Steve and I celebrated 12 years of marriage on Oct in 16th.  We spent three nights in Branson.  We love that place!  Hello Cantina Larado, IMAX, shopping and dinnerat the Keeter Center!  I could not be happier!  Steve and I both (mostly Steve) needed a break from everyday stress of life! Sarah Kate got to meet Miss America!!!! Middle school is HARD!!!!!!  But, Emily is doing great!  It's like being in the 9th grade!  But it's only 5th grade!

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"Who have you made mad?"  That is the question the urgent care Dr. asked me after about 30 seconds of examining me.  While we were at the beach, I developed a sore throat on Tuesday evening.  I blew it off as a Summer cold and was determined to enjoy my vacation despite the discomfort. Thursday, I felt so bad that I could not get out of bed until almost noon. My ears had stopped up and my left ear hurt from so much pressure.  It was oozing too.  I was also SO HOT!  I never get hot, but I could not seem to cool down.  I knew there must be something bad wrong with me! Determined to enjoy the beach, I walked down to the shore for about a thirty minute rest on the chair.  My sore throat seemed to go away while I was down by the water.  It was some strange phenomenon.  Friday we had our twelve hour drive home.  I sat there in the passenger seat in misery. Saturday morning I saw a Dr.  He diagnosed me with strep throat ...

I've not been blogging lately and there is no good excuse.  Nothing much exciting going on with me!  Steve has been running like Forrest Gump lately.  I've been trying a walk a little each week. My Emily will be in middle school next year!  Seems unreal.  She is very excited about this transition and I hope and pray her enthusiasm will continue! I always complain about my favorite products being discontinued, but Pottery Barn made me shout when I discovered they brought back their Quince candle!  I hoarded a few! More later......

I feel like I am about two years behind on all technology!  I did not figure out until about a week ago how to download my phone pictures onto my computer.  My phone is my main camera.  Here are some of my favorite phone pictures.  I had a nice reunion with childhood friends in Prosper Texas.  We had such a FUN time! A friend texted a couple of weeks ago asking what my most favorite candle ever was.  I sent her this picture! And then I always find silly selfie pictures of Emily!

"Only one life, twill soon be past.  Only what's done for Christ will last."- C.T. Studd "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."  John Piper "Worry does not empty tomorrow of it's sorrows; it empties today of it's strength."  Corrie Ten Boom "We never grow closer to God when we just live life.  It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness," -Francis Chan "People do what they WANT to do."-  Laurie Ormon

During the Fall Sarah Kate saw a commercial numerous times on the kid's channels advertising an ice cream maker for kids.  She wanted it and would call me over to watch the commercial every time it came on.  We had experience with these kid ice cream makers in the past and they made about 3 table spoons of ice cream.  Not worth it!  I suggested she ask for a REAL ice cream maker.  We have a very nice traditional maker, but it requires lots of ice and rock salt, etc.  In other words, a lot of trouble.  Steve's parents got us this easy breezy ice cream maker for Christmas.  It was our family gift.  SK was thrilled.  This is not the typical time to make ice cream,  but it's fun and new and we HAD to try it out!  In fact, we've tested it three times now! It would not be right if I didn't share my FAVORITE ice cream recipe! Let me start by telling you that I guess I have weird taste in ice cream.  I adore ice cre...

Our girls are growing up so fast and I have decided raising them gets a little harder every year.  Little kids, little problems.  Big kids, big problems. These girls are seeing that life is hard and they are learning to navigate through new waters. I have to be their parent.  NOT their best friend. I have to be in constant prayer for these precious girls that God has entrusted us with. And people tell me it only gets harder!  UUUHHHHGGGGGGG........

 Three weeks ago today, Kelly and I left for Kelly's parents house to spend the night and then travel on to Mansfield Missouri to the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum.  I don't remember ever having such a wonderful time.  Everything about the trip was great.  I think I smiled the whole time.  Kelly and I laughed and talked and had so much fun.  The girls loved it too!  I have ALWAYS loved watching Little House on the Prairie.  My girls like it too, but not as much as I do.  I think I could have stayed at the museum two days.  It was so interesting to think about the real Laura and Almanzo.  I ate it up!  Sarah Kate did not want to lose her ticket.  She held it the whole time!  Here is where the Wilders did their banking I want to go back.  In fact, I want to work there! ha!