tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60586647291077603322012-01-12T11:16:26.740-06:00A cheap form of therapyLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.comBlogger2771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-36725483028520544142012-01-08T20:39:00.001-06:002012-01-09T08:04:45.023-06:00

Avery: But why can't I have pudding?!@#$@ Me: Because it's lunchtime. You need to eat real food first. Avery: (CRYING, MOANING, THROWING HIMSELF ON THE FLOOR) Me: When you cry, I can tell you're tired. Maybe you need a nap today. Avery: I DO NOT NEED A NAP. I'm NOT crying because I'm tired. Me: Well, when you've been crying all day about silly things, that means you're tired. Avery: (Stunned

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-13574078162110742042012-01-03T15:23:00.007-06:002012-01-03T15:48:58.139-06:00

Oh, it's New Year? Whoopsie--that makes the holiday photo cards I just sent out entirely inappropriate. But that also ensures the PTA won't be asking me to volunteer anytime soon. I'd like to say that we've gotten tons accomplished the past two weeks we've that the kids have been out of school and Jeremy's been around more than usual. But...I don't think we accomplished half of my 'to-do' list.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-57700474833617078082011-12-23T15:55:00.005-06:002011-12-23T16:08:48.533-06:00

Dear Grandma, In that adorable, shrinking, 87 year old little body hides a sneaky, evil genius. Of course I cannot refuse your one Christmas wish that I keep this dying blog going! Question: Were you prepared to fake chest pains, too? Well-played Grandma, well-played.  So Merry Christmas to YOU! And while digging through pictures on my computer, I found this one of you and the boys from a couple

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-45480690044361228202011-10-20T16:36:00.000-05:002011-10-20T16:36:00.261-05:00

Is it just me, or do the makers of smoke detectors have a vendetta against sleep? If not, why would they program those things to consistently run out of batteries in the middle of the night and emit those ear-piercing "wake-up you sleeping fool" beeps every minute until you crack the code on how to reinstall the battery while you're only partly conscious? Can you tell I'm cranky? Of course at 3

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-90971612825133195722011-10-07T10:42:00.002-05:002011-10-07T10:52:25.584-05:00

To my recently returned from Chile husband of thirteen years, I just want to take an opportunity to welcome you home. Welcome. Home. Now that you've returned to the madness that is our house, I'm sure you are really missing that quiet hotel room. But the main intent of this letter is to Thank You. Thank you for leaving your giant black suitcase exactly where you dropped it three days ago in the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-25127547991586500642011-10-03T21:09:00.005-05:002011-10-03T21:18:10.371-05:00

My two local sister-in-laws and I ventured to the Dallas Arboretum today with the under school-aged kiddies to hang out with the millions of pumpkins and flowers (and other kid-toting, stroller pushing moms). It was really something to see--gourd overload. Trace didn't know what was going on for the first 20 minutes--he just kept looking at the massive stacks, lines, piles, and buildings

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-27010781451969695552011-10-02T00:58:00.003-05:002011-10-02T01:06:04.721-05:00

I'm sneaking back on here for a moment with a post of my intentions to pick up writing where I left off. Actually, that's too overwhelming since my last post was in MARCH and it is now OCTOBER. Then, I had a 5 month old baby. That round-faced, fat-rolled baby is now a chattering, hat-loving, still-chubby-but-slimming-down-by-the-day crawling machine. Oh, and he'll be ONE in five days. I'd like to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-29137136689987201952011-10-02T00:56:00.000-05:002011-10-02T00:59:11.386-05:00

August-ish -I unpacked, organized, and unpacked some more. And once a day, I would give in to the moaning and pleading and take a break so the kids could swim. The twins became fish this summer being able to swim most days, so if we can get Trace swimming next summer, I'll have it made. -Maddie is baptized at our church the same day we have a giant garage sale at our old house. Luckily the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-5100400160365946402011-03-07T13:50:00.003-06:002011-03-07T14:06:32.805-06:00

Should I be worried when my seven year old screams out "This is my favorite song!" with excitement as this song comes on: Doesn't that just seem wrong? But a few minutes later, I was greatly relieved to hear again, "OH. This is my favorite song!" when this popped up on our satellite station: Ahh, much better. Good ole' Cyndi. Personally, I really like that earring--how could a girl not just want

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-23482143571442712802011-03-03T16:58:00.005-06:002011-03-03T17:35:46.176-06:00

Yes, I'm alive. This is one of the first times where the boys are at preschool and I haven't had anything scheduled--doctors and dentist visits alone with five kids are enough to keep me swamped. And that's just for check ups. But add the recent meetings Jeremy and I have had with our new financial planners (do you know how much it's going to cost us to give them five youngins' some higher

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-80524301884915686902011-02-10T19:23:00.002-06:002011-02-11T12:00:35.412-06:00

I'm currently typing while doing my calming deep-breathing exercises. I had this post almost entirely done when Aidan ran behind the computer desk to hide from a sword-wielding Avery. The problem is that he sat down to hide and his bum landed right on the computer cord, yanking it from the wall and sending my post into the darkness of the computer screen. Sadly, blogspot's "autosave" hadn't

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-47042834247358320502011-01-27T13:14:00.004-06:002011-01-27T13:24:57.021-06:00

I finally downloaded the pics from my camera. All were of Trace (which should keep the Grandmas happy). At least he'll never be able to claim there aren't any pictures of him like most last-borns do. Those Russian czars sure are fickle.  Hello, I'm Trace. I'm sure happy. Let's try some tummy time.  Well, now this is some real fun. Wow. I can look all around.  Hey Mom! There you are!   Ok.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-75070303535009359682011-01-19T16:53:00.000-06:002011-01-19T16:53:33.241-06:00

  Query: When selecting tattoos for the back of your thighs (a very logical location for two giant tattoos, thank you very much), do you go for something classic--like a heart with an arrow? Or do you opt for two matching 80's hairbow tattoos to grace the back of your legs for the rest of your life? Answer (if you're the lady standing in front of me at Macy's): HAIRBOWS, all the way. Pure

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-20014090276561913182011-01-15T13:24:00.004-06:002011-01-15T13:32:37.727-06:00

Maddie. But the sympathy that she's earned having four brothers is quickly wearing off. For example, a conversation the other night when she came into the room where I was on the elliptical:     *Mom, your stomach is all jiggly when you exercise. Probably because you're fat.     *Well, thank you very much. That was so nice of you to notice.     *Oh, (giggling--trying to find a friendlier word

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-33471409296993980012011-01-11T15:17:00.001-06:002011-01-11T15:26:09.038-06:00

It snowed Sunday. Which meant we spent 45 minutes gathering up warm clothes, coats, hats, and gloves for all the kids to go play in it, only to have them peeled off and strewn across the kitchen about 35 minutes after that. Luckily I started the hot chocolate machine (yeah, that's right--a machine dedicated solely to the production of hot cocoa. If you don't have one, you definitely should) the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-68809930154875976192011-01-06T13:00:00.002-06:002011-01-06T13:01:30.883-06:00

10. Your kids' teeth have already grown in since the latest pictures on your blog where the teeth were missing. 9. Your ten year old lectures you about how you need to "write more stuff online" for him to read. 8. Your nine year old had a birthday and turned ten--and now he thinks he can lecture you.  7. The newborn you were writing about last time often sleeps in 8 hour chunks at night now.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-30416289299334972442010-11-17T19:00:00.000-06:002010-11-17T19:00:26.928-06:00

In case you were wondering... His Royal Highness requires 600 thread count sheets and a velvet pillow for naptime. It's only upon this throne that he can achieve total comfort in his "freeze dirtbag" body position, arms thrown skyhigh like he's being arrested by the SWAT team.  I prefer not to think that it's the comforting squishiness that reminds him of the squishiness of my midsection as I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-20120636461607446032010-11-15T11:00:00.004-06:002010-11-15T11:30:40.147-06:00

Every year about this time, I panic because I've got to think of things to get the kids for Christmas. Things that will actually get used--not just stuffed in some closet or abandoned in the garage.  So looking back to last year, I'll give you my faves and their faves in case you're stumped too.  But I will require some ideas in return! Help a sista out. Anything that can be purchased online

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-20748727495194697462010-11-10T21:02:00.003-06:002010-11-10T21:14:37.527-06:00

Overheard from the very back of the minivan where the twins have been relocated. Aidan: Hey Avery, pretend I'm a transformer. Avery: Your mom is a transformer. In other news...the big kids came home with their school pictures. Not too bad as far as those uber-staged, "tilt your head at this exact angle" photo sessions go.  Maddie got her hair chopped the night before. She keeps trying to inch

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-52965562431759979332010-11-09T14:12:00.003-06:002010-11-09T15:15:39.889-06:00

I've started about 20 posts and then by the time I get back to sit and try to finish them, they seem obsolete so I trash them. But I'm alive. I promise. No seriously. I am.  And here are some shots via iphone to prove it. They were taken in the spot I reside most of the day and night it seems. One of the chairs in my room where I sit to feed Trace--conveniently pointed directly at my DVR and tv

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-5933775860397041762010-10-06T19:53:00.003-05:002010-10-06T21:51:00.105-05:00

The day finally came. Finally. Fi-na-lly. We arrived at the hospital this morning in the dark, wee hours of the morning for our 8:30 c-section. And at 8:46, the doctor pulled out a squirmy 7 lb. 10 oz., 20 inch long little dude with reddish brown, slightly wavy hair. I will say that it felt more like I had been carrying around a 17 pounder, but even under the spinal anesthesia, it felt like a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-58578112865366359022010-09-15T22:47:00.000-05:002010-09-15T22:47:09.721-05:00

While in the waiting area picking my mom up from a medical "procedure" on her back, I had some time to flip through a few magazines. The first to catch my eye was of course: (How could I not be drawn to that beauty, right?)Is this a Texas thing? Although I've lived here a long time, I think this is the first time I've encountered this particular periodical in any doctor's office. I have seen

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-28956615415163343052010-08-24T09:07:00.002-05:002010-08-24T09:08:56.222-05:00

A factual fairy tale for your amusement... Once upon a time there was a large whale-like princess that waddled around her castle while trying to keep her unruly subjects in order. Or at least attempted to keep them off of tall and/or dangerous furniture. Her body was constantly sore and her belly was LARGE. And throughout the night, because the whale-like physique encroached so much on her

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-68085637803060078342010-08-19T10:39:00.002-05:002010-08-19T10:54:33.849-05:00

On the 40 minute drive to my doctor's appointment yesterday: Alex: (LOUDLY voicing his unhappiness about my deejaying skills for the 50th time) MOM! Turn in to channel 6. I hate your songs. They're so weird. Me: Alex, when you have your own car you can listen to whatever songs you want.  And if I ride with you, I'll probably hate all of your songs. Aidan: Mom, when I get big, can I get a car?

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-2440965830237554922010-08-12T15:01:00.002-05:002010-08-12T15:09:21.516-05:00

Let me break it down for you. I go through this vicious cycle where I'm doing good at keeping this dang thing updated but then for one reason or another, I fall behind. Far, far behind. So far behind that the blog is a tiny speck in my rear view mirror. And then it's frighteningly overwhelming to attempt a catch up post that might possibly qualify for Guinness Book's "World's Longest and Most

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-2404387476785741972010-06-28T08:52:00.001-05:002010-06-28T13:53:24.811-05:00

Saturday night we got ourselves all spiffed up (meaning we showered and actually put on unstained, matching clothes) and headed downtown to the Eagles concert. We spent the whole night being amazed that they were the ones behind all these songs we always knew and loved. They kind of ruined the buildup though when they sang "Hotel California" and "Witchy Woman" in the first half of the concert.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-18639955226937018192010-06-21T09:09:00.000-05:002010-06-21T09:09:00.991-05:00

Let me break it down for you: Being 6 months pregnant in a Texas summer stinks. Quite literally and figuratively.  I can't cool off.  I sweat non-stop. I can't afford to air condition the house to a temperature I would enjoy. The only place I can find relief is when I'm hauling the crazies around in the minivan. That lovely mom-mobile can pump out some seriously cold air in a hurry. And all the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-59231683550590653812010-06-03T11:23:00.011-05:002010-06-03T11:47:07.509-05:00

I have finally downloaded the all the pictures that have been sitting in my camera. This past few weeks has been a blur of activities, awards ceremonies, baseball games, sweating in the 100* heat, end of year parties, birthday parties, and a visit from a fun aunt, uncle, and cousin. The aforementioned visit by her adorable 1 year old cousin Laura only confirmed to Maddie that she is going to be

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-38276675134105660252010-05-20T08:28:00.008-05:002010-05-20T08:34:24.582-05:00

Question of the day: Why did Amazon pick this item as one of the few "chosen especially for" me? While I do shave my legs everyday because of my intense stubble hatred, my back is not really a problem area. Although I really do appreciate the company's efforts at trying to eliminate the problem of those unsightly furry-backed dudes running around. Now if only that particular dude would raise

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-55299069567436162412010-05-17T09:48:00.004-05:002010-05-17T09:51:26.056-05:00

I may be ordering one of these today: I like the attitude of the last one. I'm ornery when I'm pregnant, why shouldn't my clothes be...?

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-15980784053452973192010-05-04T19:54:00.001-05:002010-05-04T19:55:56.007-05:00

Back to the doctor this afternoon with all the ninos--about the fourth time in a month. Maddie's left ear is infected this time, as well as a sinus infection, and massive allergies. Three weeks ago it was her right ear. Left with two prescriptions. While climbing in the car, Avery excited, pointed out he had left footprints. Spotting a pile of something next to the car, I absentmindedly assumed

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-72847031225587006712010-05-03T17:03:00.000-05:002010-05-03T17:03:19.666-05:00

Funniest thing I've seen in awhile: A 50+ year old guy riding one of these: while pushing one of these:  while shopping at: Seriously--is that really necessary? At first I thought maybe he had some sort of physical impairment that would require the use of a segway, or at least make it easier for him to move quickly around the store. Nope--I don't think so. Cuz you should've seen him hopping on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-6139113936210830732010-04-30T10:20:00.003-05:002010-04-30T13:38:21.284-05:00

Since we bought the new mom-mobile, we've had XM satellite radio for a free trial period. I have to admit, I didn't think I would really like it that much...but I do. I'm hooked.  In the time it takes me to drive from home to my doctor's office, I can hear the most awesome hodge podge mixture of songs. I mean it--I heard Toto, Pearl Jam, New Kids on the Block, Bon Jovi, U2, Michael Jackson, Huey

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-109476259239026112010-04-26T17:32:00.001-05:002010-04-26T21:32:28.647-05:00

Last week was a bit insane around here. A busy, busy week. A week where the calendar on my iphone just displays "you gotta be kidding me" instead of the actual items each day. Piano competitions, birthday parties, school performances, me--sick as a dog, twins with double ear infections, doctors appointments, my young women finally putting on their original play for New Beginnings, helping Alex

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-76595114596111206962010-04-15T17:20:00.004-05:002010-04-15T19:55:13.670-05:00

12 years ago, accompanied by the world's largest bouquet, Jeremy (with his chili-bowl, shaved-sides hairdo) and I with GIANT bangs were married. Apparently bad hair was requisite. And getting married on tax day was an added bonus for Jeremy, making it easier for him to remember future anniversaries and keeping him out of unnecessary hot water. I surprised him with his new dream grill for the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-9419738976607090682010-04-05T18:49:00.000-05:002010-04-05T18:49:05.799-05:00

The entire first grade at Maddie's school put on a performance Thursday night (and I've been trying to get blogger to upload my video of it since then. Grrr...) The theme was TEXAS--that's capitalized very intentionally. Texans love their state and their cowboys, and now there's an entire grade level of recently brainwashed Texas lovers to prove it. We have to sign away our rights as parents in

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-1411519521045717532010-04-01T10:14:00.004-05:002010-04-05T16:24:05.425-05:00

Riding in the car, Aidan discovered his Spiderman dude that had been lost for awhile. Apparently while stuck in a some weird crevice in the minivan, he lost the lower half of his arm. Aidan: Oh no! Mom, I found Spiderman. But now he has a peg-arm. (His current favorite Backyardigans episode features Pablo as a pirate with a peg-leg.) Me: Maybe he's a pirate Spiderman now. Aidan: No. He just

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-38228791592938524062010-03-24T08:02:00.002-05:002010-03-24T08:04:44.129-05:00

We're slowly emerging from that post-vacation craziness of trying to get back on our normal schedules and routines. The biggest challenge for the little kids came after we pulled in Sunday night at 7:30 after driving 12 hours and they immediately requested milk. Having been gone 8 days, we had no milk in the house. You would have thought I told them that the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Santa, and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-63231442867166014432010-03-18T11:11:00.001-05:002010-03-18T11:11:46.100-05:00

Eating gourmet cupcakes by the ocean bought from the cutest converted metal traincar. Yummy. Chocolate with bright pink icing--Aidan. Cookies 'n cream--Maddie and Alex. Vanilla sugar creme with chocolate frosting--Avery. Red velvet with cream cheese and pecan frosting--all me. And sea salted caramel--jere. A nice appetizer before lunch. I'm one more vacation treat away from busting the button on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-39513164169600991632010-03-15T14:14:00.001-05:002010-03-15T14:14:32.303-05:00

We've been on the road again. Now we're staring at sandy beaches, listening to drunk college kids screaming "chug chug" from their beachfront condos, and zippin around the town in a 6 person golf cart. I conquered the busiest walmart I've ever seen and did the dreaded grocery shopping for our crew for the week, so now I can just lounge by the pool and listen to the kids scream chug while I sip my

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-79873002549686347542010-02-24T07:50:00.004-06:002010-02-24T12:52:51.990-06:00

I beg your pardon. I've disappeared for quite some time. I'd like to say I was off doing something  incredible--climbing a mountain, getting my pilot's license, participating in Amazing Race, or even getting a pedicure.  Sadly, none of those are true (much to my little piggies displeasure). I've gotten swamped with Valentines Day, tons of snow, sicknesses, parties, forgetting to call people on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-63421766658810056922010-02-05T20:40:00.001-06:002010-02-05T20:41:30.222-06:00

Two conversations I heard from my chauffer's position in the front seat on Wednesday: 1. On the way home from playgroup, pre-naptime. The boys had been up since 5 AM and had officially become irrationally cranky and intolerable. Aidan (at the top of his lungs): I HAVE A WEDGIE. MOM, pull over! (crying now and screaming) I. HAVE. A. WEEEDDDDGGGGGGIIIIEEEEEEEEE. AUGHHHH! I can't get it out!!! (

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-10267621520399996932010-01-28T17:20:00.004-06:002010-01-28T17:27:31.245-06:00

The kid has been HOUNDING me for weeks. There's no other way to describe his obsessive pestering about the outdoor fan that has been sitting in storage in the garage until today. Since the minute he recognized the new box on one of the shelves out there, I've explained to him no less than thirty times what it is, where it's going, when it's going up,  and why we don't need to build it yet. Every

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-14986731822936145372010-01-27T10:54:00.004-06:002010-01-27T11:55:14.348-06:00

Hurry up guys, get that concrete down. Cuz it's supposed to rain like crazy tomorrow and then snow on Friday. I was getting a little too comfortable with this 60* sunny weather. My house smells like a chemical factory because they came yesterday and stained all the wood on the patio cover. We've all got a little buzz going from the fumes. I don't get those druggies that choose to inhale fumes

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-71305656967228993562010-01-22T17:20:00.002-06:002010-01-22T22:28:57.880-06:00

I've reached an all time low. The weather's sunny and 70 and I'm sitting at the playground watching the kids play. But here's the kicker--I just got finished holding Avery up above the grassy patch by our car in a squat position so that he could PooP. The bathrooms were locked and he had that "now or in my pants" look on his face. And then he actually started screaming that he was about to poop

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-22156159305030088472010-01-20T17:01:00.001-06:002010-01-20T17:01:54.207-06:00

The not-all-that-extreme makeover part 2 has gotten underway. (The carpet chaos being part 1.) Although it was temporarily halted yesterday due to an overly ambitious, enjoying-the-ridiculously-limited-power trip delegated by the homeowners' association title of "president," that decided to be a major tool and call the city to report our project because he was upset we had forgotten to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-58002696879276507832010-01-15T19:05:00.003-06:002010-01-15T19:08:53.623-06:00

I made the mistake of cooking BLT's for dinner last night and I'm still occasionally gagging on the aroma of stale bacon grease combined with new carpet fumes. Barf. That's the drawback that comes with the deliciousness of bacon, isn't it--that  you have to deal with the smell for about 3 days after. I was googling for a picture of bacon to entertain you with and I found this.  I hope it's a joke

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-10035627681679259512010-01-13T15:00:00.000-06:002010-01-13T15:00:24.295-06:00

Carpet's finally all in. Feeling nice and squishy 'tween the toes. Body tired and achy. Can't find camera yet. More to unpack. Pictures later. Bedtime yet?

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-35523471298276295812010-01-12T10:13:00.000-06:002010-01-12T10:13:00.448-06:00

Never boils. And staring out the window and cursing the late carpet guys doesn't make them show up any quicker. It is giving me time to second guess my choice of carpet and stress about hating it once it's installed all over this place. They better show up soon or I'm gonna start ripping this old stuff out myself...it might be a good stress release.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-69858424228894840762010-01-11T16:42:00.005-06:002010-01-11T16:53:31.772-06:00

...we're moving. But we're not. Although at this point, most of our stuff is pretty much packed up in rubbermaid totes and bed frames are disassembled waiting to be dragged around, so maybe we'll just up and spontaneously relocate.  We could be your new neighbors! (That was supposed to make you all excited, not make you run and lock your front door and start soundproofing your exterior walls.)

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-73143425998208145022010-01-03T19:21:00.002-06:002010-01-03T19:27:01.170-06:00

Since Christmas I've consumed approximately 3/4 of the total amount of cocoa imported to the U.S. last year. By myself. That's alotta chocolate, baby. There are two main Christmas gifts that I blame for my chocolate binging and the additional jiggly cellulite that is slowly appearing as a result. One is this baby. It's been around a few years, but my mom got everyone one this year and we've

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-33267142480788220172009-12-30T15:49:00.010-06:002010-01-03T19:25:30.816-06:00

Once again, I'm a week behind and you get a JUNK list. 1. Our church had a Christmas party a couple of weeks ago. There was BBQ for dinner, games and face painting for the kids, a mini-talent show, and of course, SANTA showed up. The boys spent the whole time flinging bean bags and bowling for cheap prizes and whistles that everyone in there despised after 10 minutes of constant ear-piercing

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-61293242906104697832009-12-21T15:10:00.004-06:002009-12-21T20:58:03.846-06:00

I haven't had the time or been much in the mood to sit and take the time to type out exactly all the chaos that's been going down around here. But here's the problem...I still nag myself to do it. Continually. All day long, I think--man, I should blog this. Or that. Or when Maddie said she liked the funny "virgin" of the Jingle Bells song we were listening to (she meant version--which led to an

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-78861753897585927872009-12-21T15:08:00.001-06:002009-12-22T16:25:00.576-06:00

If you are an adult, and you think you are in the market for footed pajamas, STOP IT. A 6'3", 200 lb guy shouldn't even be able to FIND footed fleece pajamas in his size. And can you imagine the sweaty feet?... gross.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-44418361454661230972009-12-16T12:33:00.009-06:002009-12-16T13:40:08.026-06:00

This is why my brain hurts. This is why I consume too many caffeinated beverages. This is why I feel like I'm always going in circles. And I twitch and jerk for no reason at all. This is why I have such deep frown lines and a gray hair. And why I never get anything accomplished.While I was working on these this morning (finally), I thought the boys were upstairs "playing." No, that's not a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-9420132356114900792009-12-14T15:14:00.009-06:002009-12-14T17:09:36.608-06:00

This morning I took the little boys to get their hair cut at the barbershop. Avery did fabulous--didn't cry at all and wiggled an appropriate amount for a three year old. Aidan sat there like he was made of stone but kept asking, "He's almost done? One more thing?" through tight lips.I was really happy with how Avery's turned out--a nice trim and now the back doesn't fro up like it did before.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-47585597815618518732009-12-01T14:50:00.004-06:002009-12-01T15:20:15.994-06:00

Ok. I'll admit that it's taken me about two weeks to get over being nauseous about this to be able to write about it. But here goes. And let this be a lesson to all of you out there to remind your kids of things that you think they probably already know....nagging doesn't hurt as much as the alternative could.So one morning I went to wake Maddie up and as soon as I opened her door I was hit with

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-33067356683516445812009-11-26T08:34:00.004-06:002009-11-26T12:43:16.788-06:00

Yesterday was THE day. We smooshed and smashed all the crazies into their "Going to Town" clothes, slicked back their cowlicks, and headed off for our yearly pictures. I haven't seen any of the real ones yet, but when we were done, I ordered the nutjobs to stay put and took a few of my own.Luckily it was mild weather--not raining and freezing or freakishly sunny and sweltering, so our layered

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-87894137406305033322009-11-23T17:48:00.013-06:002009-11-23T18:52:39.582-06:00

Today we celebrated the entrance of this little nugget to the world. I married a much larger version of this six pounder, but the eyebrows and that worried looking forehead are pretty much still the same. And now I'm laughing because Aidan just walked up and said, "What happened to that baby? He looks weird!"He celebrated his big day by getting up at 5 to go in to work early to get ready for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-11676483379076679542009-11-19T14:39:00.013-06:002009-11-20T07:26:52.147-06:00

It's not my fault. Really. I have to fight for time to sit at the computer for any length of time. Either I'm pulled away by someone needing something (like their heads removed from between the slats of the stairway banister) or I'm kicked out of the way by kids wanting to play some game immediately or their heads will explode. And those are only a few of my excuses for being a stinky blogger

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-6523808068132847502009-11-13T14:47:00.012-06:002009-11-13T19:35:28.165-06:00

My older kids reminded me that I was remiss in writing about something rather momentous in our house. And for once it doesn't have anything to do with poop. Well, mostly non-poop related.For YEARS now I've been harassed and harassed and harassed. About many things really, but about one thing in particular. And I've endured being called names like, "Meanie" and "party-pooper." They've flip-flopped

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-75240046197635903642009-11-10T14:54:00.004-06:002009-11-10T15:29:36.127-06:00

Every year the day after Halloween, I officially bust out all my Christmas songs. Before you even begin to make fun of me, save your energy. I've heard it all before--Jeremy gives me a hard time every year when he comes in the house and hears Christmas music and Thanksgiving hasn't even passed yet. Not to mention it's been 80* the past couple of days, so it does seem funny listening to songs

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-12596710331190788122009-11-05T07:14:00.021-06:002009-11-05T17:13:53.995-06:00

My body is slowly coming out of the pre- and post-Halloween sugar-funk that it's been in. Let's just say, I had to restock our candy supply about three times before Halloween actually arrived. And now I have a HUGE list of random blog-JUNK for you.1. The kids were sort of punks this year about costumes. I usually really get into planning their costumes and coming up with funny and unique ideas

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-8427293935718735962009-10-19T12:45:00.009-05:002009-10-19T13:13:53.616-05:00

Sorry about the absence--all the rest of us that weren't in the first round of sickies have been busy biting the dust. The boys got some stomach virus, and as much as I LOVE cleaning up throw up, I'm glad that it seems to have passed. There's nothing like cleaning vomit chunks from between the cushions of my leather couch that makes me appreciate the fact that Alex was old enough to make it to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-68332519428085481372009-10-13T18:35:00.005-05:002009-10-14T08:23:28.144-05:00

Sunday night Alex started complaining that he was sick. At first we wrote in off as jealously because Maddie was getting all the attention and special treatment because of her "strip throat." She kept calling it something different everytime she talked about it. Stuck throat, straight throat, strepped throat, and our favorite--strip throat. Here she isBut a few hours after we went to bed, he woke

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-44993911313558964062009-10-13T17:53:00.009-05:002009-10-13T22:40:46.827-05:00

Do you......need a locale to shoot your low-budget horror flick?...need to sharpen your blood-spatter analysis skills?...need to practice stain-removal techniques?...need an excuse to hate on Dora?...have a new black light you wanna try out?Come on over and tour...The Crime Scene1) Dora...The Accused Perp2) Aidan...The Victim3) Avery...The Witness/Crime scene expert---Seen here trying to convince

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-91704427875187983662009-10-09T16:44:00.013-05:002009-10-09T17:28:50.612-05:00

Right as I was stepping off the elliptical this morning at 8:30, nurse Julie from the kids' school called. Five minutes later I was loading the boys up in the car to go pick up Maddie with her 100* temperature. I was not expecting what I saw when I walked into the nurse's office, and I will freely confess that I started laughing.Maddie was sitting in a chair wearing one of those adult-sized blue

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-15665792745796892352009-10-07T15:13:00.004-05:002009-10-07T15:19:59.275-05:00

The kids played outside last night after dinner. It was misty, dreadfully humid, but starting to get a bit cooler. Maddie and Aidan came in before the others and called me into the living room while they were stripping off their shoes and socks.Maddie: Can we please, please, puh-leeease turn on the fire?Me: No, the air conditioning is on in here. It's really humid and not really cold at all.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-1650519150349544402009-10-05T13:00:00.017-05:002009-10-06T17:49:35.991-05:00

Last week the boys and I volunteered to take lunch out to the "farmers" on my parents' ranch. My dad and the guys were baling huge, endless fields of hay. When they're baling it means they're in tractors of some kind all day long--luckily I think they're all air-conditioned. With radios. And GPS. Freaking spoiled farmers these days. haha. It's definitely not something I want to be spending my

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-35269733981597059542009-10-02T16:34:00.009-05:002009-10-03T08:10:17.101-05:00

I've mentioned before some things you're obligated to do as a Texan, and attending at least one concert that falls somewhere in the country music genre is definitely on the list. So I'm currently in the frantic process of readying the house and kids for a babysitter, sticking a Costco pizza in the oven for their dinner, and unwrapping a new DVD (Monsters vs. Aliens) so they will at least be

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-10441475832223295312009-09-28T18:19:00.004-05:002009-09-28T20:45:23.683-05:00

So after 4+ weeks of impatient, frustrated anticipation....the TAUPE (no--not white. And no--not almond!) garage doors have arrived and been installed. I was convinced after all the hassle and setbacks with the order that I'd walk out to look at them, after listening to them being installed for three hours, and see bright white or light pink or something else TOTALLY! WRONG!But LUCKILY (and even

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-90966724597808699462009-09-24T17:01:00.004-05:002009-09-25T07:18:24.091-05:00

I'm fairly sure I could get arrested for posting these since the "subjects" are very underage. But I just really felt the need to expose you to the sight that our poor neighbor girls are exposed to on a way too frequent basis.Nakedness inevitably results when the boys play together in the back yard longer than, oh...maybe about 3 minutes. Invariably the water hose gets turned on, people get wet,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-73428587853752847182009-09-22T19:02:00.025-05:002009-09-22T20:31:55.828-05:00

I've been planning to unleash these fabulous pictures for open mockery for several months now, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Everytime I think about how horrendous our old, now expired, license photos were, I'm still shocked the DMV didn't refuse to issue our drivers licenses on the grounds of "Extreme Atrociousness." Stop laughing. I mean it. Right now. At least stifle your laughter a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-22795659018386635532009-09-13T15:39:00.004-05:002009-09-13T16:44:36.221-05:00

Saturday we took the kids to a sporting goods store to try and round up the last few items Alex needed for his baseball uniform. We searched high and low but only ended up about 2 of the five things we needed--apparently everyone had already been out shopping for 'youth small' black baseball pants and 'youth small' cups to protect the family jewels, because I've looked several different places

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-83306398901712912102009-09-08T08:09:00.010-05:002009-09-08T12:58:18.678-05:00

{Insert sound of a heavenly choir of angels singing the Alleluia chorus over and over again}Today is (duh, dum, dum--that was my weak attempt at spelling out the sound of a drumroll)...The First Official Day of the Boys Preschool!!! Yes I realize Avery's picture is blurry and one day he will accuse me of loving him less because of it. My camera battery was croaking and I was trying to take the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-21083918361672702802009-09-03T15:13:00.001-05:002009-10-05T13:00:14.358-05:00

Saturday was a crazy day. Jeremy and the kids had a church primary activity in the morning that required Jeremy to wear a hilarious costume. I'll post a picture of it as soon as I get one. He texted me about 20 minutes into the activity saying, "I feel like such an idiot." Let's just say he was wearing fake body armor and carrying a sword.Then in the afternoon, the kids were invited to a birthday

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-40539998348555548212009-08-31T13:26:00.000-05:002009-08-31T13:26:37.504-05:00

Is there some cosmic force that causes a house to self-destruct right around the time it reaches 7 years old? I remember learning at some point that most of the divorces that occur happen by the 7th year of marriage. There must be something evil about the number. 7. Lately everything in our house seems to be falling apart right around the time it turns 7 years old. I mean, we spent a TON on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-42367329429515372302009-08-26T07:30:00.000-05:002009-08-26T07:45:17.842-05:00

I'm starting to take offense people. Seriously. I didn't think we were THAT bad of neighbors...but maybe so. Currently about 3 of the 5 houses nearest to us are for sale. The neighbors are fleeing in a mass exodus, apparently to get away from us.First, the neighbors to our right took off one night--they packed up their stuff and abandoned the house to move back to California. They just

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-22284731424984717982009-08-24T13:24:00.007-05:002009-08-24T16:19:15.624-05:00

So I spent the morning crying and crying after the two biggest crazies went off to school. Tears of joy, that is. My hopes are that the amount of screaming, fighting, name calling, tattling and general craziness will decrease around here...at least during the hours of 8 and 3.We went up to the school Friday night for their ice cream social and meet the teacher party. Maddie was SUPER excited to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-59493148748995053402009-08-18T15:48:00.003-05:002009-08-18T15:50:02.996-05:00

I know I should probably be mortified by this...but honestly, it made me laugh. And laugh. And laugh.Click here if you've ever felt like getting a little revenge...That'll teach him.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-56418594323682063382009-08-14T16:01:00.004-05:002009-08-14T16:28:48.928-05:00

Avery has a bit of OCD regarding the weather. Anything and everything weather related freaks the kid out--he asks about it all day long. He wants to check the weather channel on the computer constantly and he demands to see the satellite radar about 10 times a day. If he sees any clouds in the sky, he starts babbling about "big storms" and rain and how we need to "go home and check the 'puter"

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-67153967717334707652009-08-14T11:45:00.010-05:002009-08-14T23:02:38.567-05:00

Yesterday we continued the relatively new summer tradition of taking the kids out on the lake for a boating trip--unless Jeremy called in sick for work, and in that case, I took the kids out on a boat with Jeremy's identical twin brother, Fleremy, while Jere was at home with the flu or whatever. We convinced my brother and his wife, Greg and Brooke, to come along so we could try to convince them

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-52846781036253152822009-08-11T09:41:00.005-05:002009-08-11T09:54:29.379-05:00

No, calm down. Not me and not MY baby. But a new little niece joined the world yesterday morning and finally gave her mom's exhausted womb a much needed vacancy. I'll be up close and squeezeable with that newbornness tonight, and if I can remember my camera, I may even blind her a few times for a picture.And if I notice the hospital's nursery is slightly understaffed or unattended for a split

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-40464708631694333842009-08-06T18:49:00.006-05:002009-08-06T22:39:09.605-05:00

While perusing the makeup counter at the store with the boys in tow, I thought it would be a good idea to corral them by putting each of them in the makeover chairs positioned right next to the counter. That way they wouldn't be running around wildly and sneaking into the drawers and cupboards everywhere. So I'm looking... looking...looking a bit longer for the color of lipstick I needed, when I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-83051520909497159722009-08-03T14:30:00.004-05:002009-08-03T15:36:58.498-05:00

I've sat down to write this about three different times, but I always get up and leave the computer because it seems too overwhelming to start. I keep thinking this week has to have been a bad dream, and that one morning I'll hear the doorbell and Loren will walk in like normal saying, "Hi Ms. Fielding!" But here goes. I'm going to share some stuff, but some of more personal stuff I'll won't

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-4808173207058038662009-08-01T15:28:00.006-05:002009-08-01T16:15:53.409-05:00

To the Large, Hairy, Oblivious Man Standing next to me in the dairy section of Costco,Please, please refrain from actually lifting up your oh-too-tight t-shirt to scratch your oh-so-hairy belly as you chat with your wife about what a great deal that economy, day-care sized bag of cheese sticks is. You are in public, you know. At a grocery store, no less. I mean, the itch may really be there, but

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-86067290316803610272009-07-29T12:45:00.002-05:002009-07-29T12:50:00.289-05:00

I received this just now. An email chain has been going around from the pediatrician to the school's principal to parents. This is the most recent thing sent from the pediatrician.Yesterday, I was fortunate to stay with Loren's parents as the Neurosurgeon was going over the CT scans and the prognosis and plan of care.Now they think they may have to deal with what happens IF Loren starts breathing

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-8327770783990225722009-07-29T09:52:00.012-05:002009-07-29T13:15:04.021-05:00

(Get ready folks--this is a long one.)In an attempt to get us out of our gloomy and dark house, literally and figuratively--it's been overcast and raining pretty steady for a few days now--I hauled the crazies to a fairly Podunk children's museum by my mom's house. We met up with the significantly-less-crazy cousins and the kids had a good time.Other than the fact that the entire time I fought

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-53797812841326322172009-07-27T09:42:00.005-05:002009-07-27T11:01:09.773-05:00

I had a fun post planned out to tell you all about our weekend fun--a swim party with friends and dinner out and shopping with my mutha for her 41st birthday (I spotted you a few years to make you feel better, madre)--but now I have much weightier things on my mind.We got a phone call last night at about 6:30 as we were walking in the door from church. It was a neighbor and the mom of Alex's best

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-63718371061851507852009-07-26T00:14:00.005-05:002009-07-26T00:56:12.041-05:00

I get to escape the homestead every now and then for a little Girls Night Out--typically we only get organized enough when Jessica comes back into town and whines loud enough that we all drop what we're doing and gather to stuff our faces and exercise our yappers. Thursday we abandoned the collective 18 children (holy cow that's alot for only 6 girlies--especially because that's not even counting

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-67490797785656296562009-07-23T16:52:00.027-05:002009-07-24T08:50:21.236-05:00

Jeremy's parents have 16 grandkids. They outnumbered the adults in the house we rented for the week--in body and noise level. Which means trying to get them all together in a picture=near impossible. They were distracted by pretty much everything: the flowers, a flying bug, a sad feverish cousin, a cloud shaped like an octopus, etc. Anything and everything was more interesting than looking

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-34940993560134053952009-07-23T12:46:00.006-05:002009-07-23T12:57:20.753-05:00

I really wasn't joking when I said I took over 800 pictures on our trip last week. I've been slowly making my way though them, picking out the good ones, the funny ones, and deleting the horribly unflattering ones--you know, the ones where everyone is in mid-blink or has their tongue or food half-protruding from their mouths. But really, how can I be expected to focus on any of the others when

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-35375936626038977042009-07-21T15:15:00.001-05:002009-07-21T15:15:35.482-05:00

Ok so I did a lousy job keeping up with my posts while we've been gone. It turns out that for some reason Jeremy didn't want me downloading all 800+ pictures from the past week onto his work computer. And I just hate to post things without all the fun pictures to go with the stories. Like taking the kids down the side of a mountain on plastic sleds in a concrete track. Or finally meeting Jeremy's

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-47384509031980435362009-07-13T10:21:00.004-05:002009-07-13T10:52:32.666-05:00

My house is currently in a major state of upheaval as I'm working on packing six people for a week long trip. There are half-packed suitcases everywhere--which I have to keep in my sights at all times so that one of my "helpers" doesn't add or delete any items. It doesn't help much that I'm crazy and I have to leave the house perfectly clean, so that when we return I'm not even more overwhelmed

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-28859171564214276122009-07-10T08:06:00.002-05:002009-07-10T08:10:24.781-05:00

In case you were wondering, the Caped Crusader prefers Honey Nut Cheerios.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-23389428851484237782009-07-09T17:04:00.020-05:002009-07-09T21:15:37.819-05:00

So as I predicted, I woke up this morning to the sound of the fridge sheriff beeping at me to let me know that the door had been open over 20 seconds. Of course, the boys had found the little mini cake I had made Maddie with the extra cake batter. They were in their favorite "We're doing something totally naughty and don't want to get caught" hiding spot behind the couch. Luckily, I found them

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-58229909572164438492009-07-08T21:35:00.003-05:002009-07-08T22:49:59.437-05:00

Party prep is under way...Tomorrow's the big "Friend Party" Day. Geez, I'm such a poet (and I didn't know it). Ahh, my 1st grade humor is still in tact. If I can keep the kids from finding the goody bags and eating all the cupcakes before then, I'll consider it a success.Don't take it personally that I blurred all the necessary details...I'm just trying to throw off the paparazzi. Now that all

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-67954716362873776682009-07-03T22:40:00.013-05:002009-07-05T20:07:16.788-05:00

Miss Maddie turned a whoppin' SIX years old today. Hard to think that 6 years ago today, she was born smack dab in the middle of the deep South in Jackson, Mississippi. If she would've arrived one day later on July 4th, she'd have a different first name. I had made a deal with Jeremy that if she came on Independence Day, he could swap her first and middle names, and she'd get named Reagan after

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-88627735666573830522009-07-02T10:30:00.006-05:002009-07-02T10:49:05.214-05:00

Do you think their preschool teacher has any idea what's headed her way in two months?My panic attack at seeing the carpet caused my failure to capture on camera all the hand and footprints leading from the kitchen to the bathroom. If they were thinking smart, they were leaving a trail Hansel and Gretel-style for when I drive them out into the woods and drop them off. The real question is

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058664729107760332.post-46155960355698360192009-06-27T10:08:00.003-05:002009-06-27T18:37:43.126-05:00

Dear Anonymous,I just wanted to take a minute and issue a blatant threat to the mystery caller that decided to call at 6:40 am on a Saturday morning and wake up my entire household. I'll assume there was no urgency or emergency that made it necessary to call that early, because you left no message.I will hunt you down. You can try to run and hide, but rest assured I will find you. Actually, I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16695651647384666503noreply@blogger.com2