Laurie's Life

Have you heard about Elf on a Shelf? My mother in law got it for the girls this year. The elf spies on the children during the day. Every night the elf returns to the North pole to give Santa a behavior report. We named our elf Frankie. I don't know....just looked like a Frankie. Frankie has really helped with the girls behavior. I may leave him out ALL year.

Last night Steve and I went to out Sunday School Christmas party. We both had a great time! I always have a tendency to stay home and be anti-social. It is easier to just stay at home and rent a movie or have a date with Steve. But, I am ALWAYS glad I go to things. It is hard to "make a memory' when you stay home in your p.j.s. I always benefit from being around my friends!!!!! I love our class and our church!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since we do not live near family, our church is like our family. We all had lots of laughs and lots of delicious food! Merry Christmas!!!!

I am tired and my eyes are crossing, but I am going to give you the hash brown casserole recipe and hope it makes sense! I have some medical oddity that I am calling a "night cold." Ha ha! Every evening for the past week and a half, I get a HORRIBLE terrible sore throat. I lay in bed and clear my throat and pop my throat and cough. I wake in the middle of the night and feel MISERABLE! But, once I get up in the morning I am perfectly fine! Hummmm...... Okay here is the recipe. You will love it. I told you about the DIVINE roast. Trust me on this too!!!!!! Hash Brown Potato Casserole 1 (32 oz.) pkg shredded frozen potatoes 1/2 c. melted butter 1 can cream of chicken soup 12 oz. grated American cheese 1 (8 oz.) sour cream 1 tsp salt 1/2 onion, chopped fine 2 c. crushed cornflakes 1/2 cup melted butter Place thawed potatoes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix together next 6 ingredients and pour over potatoes. Top with crushed cornflakes and drizzle butter over all. Bake unco...

Steve carving the turkey. "Carving".......he was cutting it for us. "Carving" sounds so proper. Emily sitting with my favorite casserole-Hashbrown casserole!!!!!!!!!!! Cousins on Thanksgiving night. Sarah Kate with her cheesy smile! She was saying,"cheese!" One of my best friends, Kelly came over with her kids. This is Logan and Lauren. My girls love to play with older kids! Steve with Emily at his all time favorite place to eat- The Sandbar My parents-Mary and Russell Harper and her family joined us at the Sandbar. The girls had such a good time together. Sarah Kate after a busy week. She was worn out. On our way home we stopped at a gas station and saw this dog "driving" an 18 wheeler. Emily laughed and laughed. I told her that well behaved and specially trained dogs could drive trucks. I did not let her believe this for very long.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in South Arkansas with my parents.(I will post pics tomorrow!) On Saturday afternoon we took the girls to see Santa. We told the girls they could ask Santa for three things. Since the Wisemen brought Jesus three gifts, we told the girls Santa could bring them three gifts also. Sarah Kate carried this little pretend lipstick in to see Santa. She declared as she put on her lipstick," I just gonna stand right here!" She told us that several time. "I just stand RIGHT HERE!" The girls are peeking at Santa from the back of the line. Sarah Kate is really working that lipstick! Santa makes her a bit nervous! Emily runs right up to Santa and he was so good to her. She told him two things she wanted. After she came back to us, she got in a panic when she realized she had forgotten to tell him she wanted a Pillow Pet. I told her she could go back up and tell him that. She was relieved that she was able to tell him. Now for Sarah Ka...

Several years ago a friend of mine printed off this prayer by Mother Teresa and gave it to me. Mother Teresa was one of the most self-less people ever. I love this prayer! Deliver me Jesus from the desire of being loved and accepted Deliver me Jesus from the desire of being extolled Deliver me Jesus from the desire of being honored, praised and preferred Deliver me Jesus from the desire of being consulted Deliver me Jesus from the desire of being approved and popular Deliver me Jesus from the fear of being humiliated Deliver me Jesus from the fear of being despised and forgotten Deliver me Jesus from the fear of suffering rebukes Deliver me Jesus from the fear of being ridiculed and stereotyped

Emily went to her very first sleep-over on Friday night! She spent the night with one of her very best friends, Sarah Grace. I truly believe it was one of the best weekends she has ever had. In fact she said, "I am more excited than getting on a plane and going to Disney World!!!!" When Steve came home from work I told him that Emily was spending the night at Sarah Grace's house and he said, "I'm sad....that is just so grown up." She does not sleep at our house and she did not sleep at their house either. She woke poor Tracy up at 2:00 a.m. Steve and I were so chawed about that. She is wanting to know when she can go again!

My hunter is home! No deer, but he had a great time. We are glad he is back home with us. Tuesday night was girls night at Kelly's house. We always have such a wonderful time. I love getting to know people better. We had some great food, my favorite being Chili's chips and salsa! Thank you Jessica!!!! At the end of the day, I never want to go anywhere. I just want to be home and relax. I always want to back out of going to girls night. But, when I go, I LOVE it. It is always so refreshing to me. I went to Emily's Thanksgiving feast at school this week. We had some wonderful food and I loved seeing the children in Emily's class. This is Emily's teacher, Ms Beth. She is a great teacher and has been so good for Emily. Sarah Kate's favorite baby, Lena Kate. I hosted playgroup at my house today. I did not get a picture of everyone, but here are a few I got. Kids always like dressing up at our house. We don't have any boy dress up clothes and so o...

Steve went deer hunting this weekend with Scott in South Arkansas. My parents came to visit me and the girls. We had a good time together. Meme brought the girls these puppies. They are crazy about stuffed animals! I never cared much about them when I was little. Emily loves to play school with her stuffed animals. I told her last night that she might be a teacher when she grows up and she said no, " I am going to be a checker at Walmart." We have heard this several times. My Dad went to the Razorback game with one of my best friends, Beth's husband. This is Daddy and Joey before they left for the game. I think they nearly froze toward the end of the game. Meme and Emily playing dress up. Emily about to leave for school. She is so proud of her ponytail. Well, yet another batch of Sea monkeys has died under my care. Forget it, we are done with them. I don't think Emily was very upset at all. I am happy to hear that some of you tried the roast recipe and li...

I got the opportunity to go hear Kelly speaks at a local MOPS group yesterday morning. She did a wonderful job! I loved getting to hear her share. I was so proud of her. I had lunch with my friend Tracey. Tracey has many health struggles, but it is neat to see how God is working in her life. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Emily made this at pre-school and I thought it was so cute. She explained the sign language for thank-you and then showed me her masterpiece. I love the detail of the earrings! I thought she may have said, I am thankful for my Mama, but no....it said "my kitty." Then she explained that it was not Kristen,but Pink-a-boo. This would be the cat that spent maybe 24 hours in our home last April. Emily went to a birthday party for her friend Isabella tonight. She had a great time. BEDTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Emily has had insomnia or something for the past two weeks. It is about to drive me and Steve CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is tired...