Ray and Laura - I'm cute and adorable

RIP

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:57:24 -0700

Today we must say goodbye to a dear friend. Though with us for just 2 years, he became an integral part of our family.

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My New Kitchen

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:13:46 -0700

Some of you know that Ray ordered new appliances for me. Last year, we were able to buy a new refrigerator, and this year we bought new washer/dryer, microwave (the kind that sits on the wall above the stove), dishwasher, and oven.

Today, the last of my new appliances arrived...my stove.

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My prayer

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:58:54 -0700

That I may come near to my husband, draw me nearer to Thee than to him.

That I may know my husband, make me to know Thee more than him.

That I may love my husband with the perfect love of a perfectly whole heart, cause me to love Thee more than him and most of all.

That nothing may be between me and my husband, be Thou between us, every moment.

That we may be constantly together, draw us into separate loneliness with Thyself.

And when we meet breast to breast, O God, let it be upon Thine own.

Temple Gairdner

Frog and Toad

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:01:14 -0800

My best friend

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:48:35 -0800

Moms don't get sick. It's just not allowed. Mom doesn't have time to be taken care of because she is too busy taking care of everyone else. She wipes noses, administers tylenol, dries tears, puts on bandaids, takes temperatures, changes clothes, kisses foreheads, and makes soup. Even when she is sick, her primary goal is to take care of her husband and children who need her.

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Spring Cleaning

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:28:16 -0800

The last couple of days have been rough for my family. We had a significant loss in the family, and everyone is grieving. I had planned on doing some early spring cleaning this week, and when I'm upset I often want to do hard cleaning. So, the spring cleaning has commenced.

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Just Us Girls

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:04:31 -0800

Friends

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:08:46 -0800

I've been thinking a lot lately about friends. How does a true friend behave? Unfortunately, I think that I have a different view of friendship than many of the people I have chosen as friends. My mom says that I got that from her, which I think is a good thing. I want to be the best friend that I can be to the people God puts in my life.
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Christmas thoughts.

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:44:13 -0800

Traditions:

My favorite family holiday tradition is a toss up. I really love fondue. Each Christmas Eve, the adults gather and eat way too much fried food. It's the best meal of the year. My favorite holiday tradition that involves the children, however, would probably have to be opening stockings. I have such precious memories of opening stockings as a kid. The gifts in there were obviously small, and usually just a million (individually wrapped) packs of gum or chapstick. But seeing that stocking stuffed to the gills on Christmas morning was just magical. Now, the fun is in recreating that for MY kids. One year, we wrapped a million matchbox cars individually. It was wonderful because the boys were truly surprised each time they opened one, even though they all looked the same.
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We have mice.

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:40:34 -0800

We've been invaded by nearly 4 dozen mice. Click through to see pictures...

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My favorite person...

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:25:54 -0800

Have I mentioned lately that I love this man with all of my heart?

Root Beer Floats

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:21:01 -0700

I took the kids out for root beer floats tonight. This was Ray's mom's idea, and was a brilliant one.

You see, one of the incentives for AJ's fundraiser, is that if you bring in a certain amount of money by a certain day, you can have a root beer float at lunch time. AJ knew this and all weekend was begging us to give him enough money for one. We didn't have the $30 though. So, the compromise was that we would take him to Sonic for a root beer float after school.

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"THAT" mom.

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:53:13 -0700

While I was pregnant with AJ, I did my best to consider all of the things that I would need to do to be the perfect mother. Things like learning to decorate cakes so that my kids would have beautiful birthday cakes like I did when I was a kid. Or like keeping the bathroom completely clean at all times. Or like being completely finished with potty training before they turned 2. Or like making cute little baby books for each of them.

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My homeless man came to church.

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:32:31 -0700

Yes, I do have a homeless man. Actually I have two...and a half. The half is because it's a guy that I don't know if he is actually homeless or not. He might not be...

The guy who came to church is a man I met at Wal-mart. The long lines at our local Wal-marts are seriously killing me here. Without fail, I wait more than 15 minutes in line at Walmart. Even if I'm in the express lane.

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Plumps are good.

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:22:01 -0700

AJ: Mommy, what IS this?
Mommy: A plum.
AJ: Ooooh!! Yum.

a few minutes pass as he inspects the plum.

AJ: Mommy, what's in the middle of this?
Mommy: A pit.
AJ: Drew, look what we are eating!
Drew: It's called a plit.
AJ: No, it's a plumt.
Drew: No, it's a plunned.
AJ: No, it's a plump.
Drew: Oh...I really like this plump.
AJ: Yeah. Plumps are good.

Friday Funny

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:13:44 -0700

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:19:02 -0700

Being a mom can be a tiresome and unrewarding job. That is difficult for me because I want to feel like what I do day in and day out actually matters. I want to feel appreciated. I know, I know...I probably won't get the appreciation or validation that I desire until my kids are grown and have kids of their own and see just how difficult it can be.

In any case, I can say with confidence that once or twice a day, I am a hero to my kids. It happens invariably at mealtime...usually breakfast.

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Life is such a bummer sometimes...

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:40:23 -0700

Can you do this?

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:38:30 -0700

Little Miss Flexible! Megan has been learning to do a somersault. She really is quite flexible. This picture was taken mid-roll.

Obligatory post of the day

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 08:32:24 -0700

Apparently we can't go a day without posting or the world will end. And I can't afford for my husband to sit at the computer for hours on end discussing hot topics. So, this is the obligatory post of the day.

Whew. Glad that's done. Now I can go pack!

A Thunderstorm? In the desert?

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:59:58 -0700

Yup. And it's been so long since we've been in REAL rain, that I just had to go and play in it. It was FREEZING cold, and was pouring down. And it was the most fun I've had in a long time. I wish it hadn't been so late so I could have woken up the kids....

Brrr!!!!

But so much fun!!

Singing Time with Megan

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:17:13 -0700

Megan wanted to host a sing-a-long, so everybody be sure to sing with her. And please, no comments on her hair. She's a little sensitive about it.
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Could I love them any more?

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:17:57 -0700

I never expected this. 5 years ago, I didn't know how drastically my life was about to change. I didn't know how this love would make me feel. I didn't anticipate how my heart would break when one of my kids didn't fit in. I didn't anticipate the joy I would feel when one of my kids came home with a prize for being the most obedient in Sunday School. I didn't anticipate the pride I would feel when my kid learned the most verses of anyone in his class. I didn't anticipate the anger I would feel when one of my kids punched the other in the nose. I didn't anticipate the excitement I would feel when one of my kids started using real words. I didn't anticipate the fear I would feel knowing that one of my kids is about to go to school where I can't protect him all day.

Being a mom isn't at all what I thought it would be. I thought I would buy cute clothes and have a few long nights, but I never expected the intense feelings it would bring. These three little ones have done something to my heart. Something wonderful.

quotes

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:51:47 -0700

"I want to hear you, not your voice." - Iris Warren

"We versus Them. No such thing. There’s only We. “We” includes every messed up human on the planet (and if there happen to be any on the space station or in a space shuttle, they’re included too.) Every human who needs to be connected to God. That’s ALL of us! So, some are further along than others. Big deal. There’s no Them. We are Them. Humans. Needy humans." - Chris Rice

"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that ONLY A FEW PEOPLE ARE AWAKE, AND THEY LIVE IN A STATE OF CONSTANT TOTAL AMAZEMENT." - Meg Ryan--in JOE VS. THE VOLCANO (1990)

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." - Dorothy Parker

"He knew that she was created to be protected, and that he was created to protect her." - Edgar Rice Burroughs "TARZAN OF THE APES" about Tarzan and Jane

"If you can't stand behind our soldiers, try standing in front of them for a while." - Unknown

“Bathrooms make me want to sing.” - Wes Willett

Who has the stronger will?

nospam@example.com (Laura Jean) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 11:22:51 -0700