bloggerizing

Dear Blogger B's,

Today I'm sitting down to write a post I've really wanted to write for awhile. 

It's real, it's honest, and it's probably going to be much longer than most of my other posts...

(Just a guess)

This post is going to answer a FAQ about my blogging... The #1 question I get asked when people come across my blog who know me in "real life"....
Why do you have a blog?

It's not a simple answer, really, because there are about a million answers to that question

and there is a different one, depending on when you ask
I actually began this blog back in a time when the "Justin and Laurie Story" was going through
"a rough season."
Justin and Laurie were going strong together, but life around them was......chaotic (to put it mildly)
and so. I needed.  a place.  to write and express things.
thus began the blog, but it was a mysterious one that no one knew about.
blogging was therapeautic and at this time I was mostly a blog reader
(check out HERE and HERE and HERE for blogs I read during that time and still read today for inspiration, encouragement, and LOL's.)



Caleb enjoys reading "Scaredy Squirrel" books. 
Up close.

in the fall of last year I decided to give blogging a real try, in hopes to bring some enlightenment to people when they checked out my blog
as I had been by being a blog reader myself
so I went and erased all my previous posts that were just a little too real for the public eye,
and started what I called a "Blogging Experiment,"  (click HERE to see original post)
my faithful blog reading sister-in-law, Becky, being my original and faithful reader.....
and I had no idea what was to become of it, really
At that time my wonderful hubby was in the midst of a 3rd shift job and that meant some pretty quiet
um...lonely....nights for me at home. 
perfect blogging set up and it was a great outlet for me.
I worked hard to get my blog "out there" and read by people,
and I dove into some pretty crafty endeavors
to match things that I was seeing out in blogland
And I learned pretty quickly that I do not, actually, enjoy the process of crafting....
L to the O to the capitol L
I really admire artsy things and I really enjoy some aspects of the craft world
but I got so caught up in trying to be a crafter that I lost sight of the fact that
it's not really me.
hmph.  maybe someday. 
(for now I'll just have to spend wisely on etsy and let others 'get their craft on' for me!)
but I discovered I do enjoy sharing my recipes with you all....
and the unexpected thrill of rocking the crock
as I now have a hubby who gets in the door @ 6PM every night....
AND--
what I've realized most recently is that I do enjoy blogging
and I plan on continuing it for a long time.  I think.
I'm a busy mommy
and I wish my blog could reflect the deep thoughts that go on in my heart and mind
but the truth is I'm lucky to have more than 15 moments to myself on most days
at the end of the day, this blog is about my family and for my family--
it's to give them a glimpse into the everyday life we have
because it's a good one, and a blessed one



Jon plays a "Minute-To-Win-It" game
at his 8th birthday party

 it's to share with you that Jesus is a part of our everyday life
whether I include a Bible verse in the post or not (but really I'd like to get better at that!)
and I'm really glad you read my posts.  (please don't stop!)
it's also a place for me to record precious family memories
that I'd otherwise lose track of in the midst of the everyday life
I'm portraying on this blog
It truly amazes me how I can go back and read a blog post from november
and honestly say, "I forgot about that!"
that's a gift from blogging that was unexpected and I'm grateful for
(perfect reason to begin to blog, anyone?!)
blogging has also allowed me to meet some amazing women I only know through blogland
my fav encourager online is HERE and she writes some great posts
about faith and family:   a constant source of encouragement and spurring on for me...
and I've also discovered that I love to write comments on peoples blogs.
I love encouraging people when they share their heart and what's important to them
sometimes I even discover an unexpected gift (check it out HERE)


Matthias always asks that I tuck him in at rest time
and this is how he likes the covers.  snug.

 so there you have it. 
I love to say, "I don't take myself or my blog too seriously."

but thanks for checking out my blog
I really do enjoy hearing from friends that they "secretly" check out my blog
(and I have no idea until they confess tell me!)
I enjoy when people leave me comments letting me know they've stopped by
but, if you noticed, I took off the button that said "comments fuel this blog"
because, ultimately, they don't.....

so have you thought about blogging, my blogger b's who are not yet bloggerized?!

well.....this far surpasses my 15 moments of the day.
it's time to fill a sippy cup with milk for Charity
text my friend back
change a diaper
dust the tv stand
figure out what's for dinner
switch a load of laundry
and all the many things we do without even realizing it
cause that's just what we do, right?!

have a SUPER day doing what God has created you to do!

love, laurie for the fam

organize shmorganize





Organizing and I have a LOVE/HATE relationship
when I get overwhelmed with all that needs to be done,
I take a look at the room that needs a major re-haul
and I focus on moving from one side of the room to the other
for instance, my kitchen was organized from the cupboards on the left
all the way around the room
until I got to the panty to the far right
all I have left is the fridge
mercy
that one is a doozy
=====================================================================
There's just something about little boys closets....
they can turn into chaos overnight.
Sadly, though, that was not the case here.
Nope. 
My boys' closets have been chaotic pretty much all winter.
But when the Mom of the house decides enough is enough......
watch out
the great spring clean-out has begun

The first step of organization has got to be
(there is absolutely NO way around this in my opinion.....)
complete and total emptying of space.
Start with a clean slate, people
***it's got to get worse before it gets better
(sidenote:  many times when I clean out a drawer,
I will dump all contents on my bed.
hmmmm.....
if that contents are all over my bed,
you had better believe
there is some motivation there to get the stuff
trashed, organized, and put away nicely!)

then, organize all items by category
in Jon's closet we found:
DS and accessories
mighty beanz
shells and rocks
silly bands
tech decks



containers are key in keeping things looking good
but don't think you need to wipe out your budget with Rubbermaid
it's about re-using containers you already have:
small tins
lunch meat containers
boxes from shoes
etc
anything that holds anything will work!



now doesn't Jon's closet look so much better?!
he's 8.
I'm not holding my breath this is going to last long
but it was 45 minutes of together time with my oldest son
teaching him the value of keeping his stuff nice.
His excitement over his newly organized closet was priceless--
it was the first thing he just had to show his dad when Justin walked in the door from work
and now he's enjoying the stuff he can (magically!) find!

speaking of Jon...
he has lost yet another tooth
and this time the tooth fairy even remembered to come and leave a buck
he tells me this is his last tooth to lose and all he's got left are "incisors"
I have no idea exactly what that means and if it's accurate
but it cr-acks me up everytime he says it
~I love that kid~


have a SUPER(organizing?!) monday to all who read this blog!

love, Laurie for the fam

http://thehousecreative.com/search/label/meetup%20monday

sweet days to come, but I'm going to miss these...

Here's my Charity
after her soapy bath, all smelling super sweet

I just love to hold her all wrapped up in a towel
that covers her little body

I know I've got such wonderful days to look forward to
watching her grow
but at the same time I just know
I'm really going to miss these sweet days

savoring every moment with my kiddos
is the best gift I give myself


have a SUPER weekend of savoring moments

Love, Laurie for the fam

picnik it up

goofy boys

goofy photo shoot

goofy editing of pics
(picnik)

goofiest editing of pics
the goofy boys loved the most
cause they are goofy that way

=======================================================================

Have a SUPER Thursday!




linking up to Embrace the Camera again
if you are a blogger, you should give it a try!

my baby boy and I

here is Matthias embracing the camera all by himself
he's talented like that, with the flash and everything
making his nostrils kinda glow



we went on our hot cocoa date last night
my baby boy and I



we sipped our hot cocoa (and chai tea latte, shot of vanilla)
and chatted about Bubble Guppies
have you seen this new show
my Matthias is OB.SESSED.
I love how his eyes light up when he tells me it's his fav show



I'm definitely going to have to teach this boy to let the girls down sweetly
just one look at those big browns and you know
many a girl is going to get lost in those eyes
I do, anyway

I love how he just puts his hand on my knee as he talks to me about
well.....Bubble Guppies
and that his favorite color is red, like his red Wisconsin shirt
he's got the cutest, chubby little fingers
I love asking him,
"who's the ONLY ONE who loves you more than Mommy?"
JESUS
that's right, Matthias
He's the Only One who loves you more than me
Because I love you more than you'll ever be able to understand

my little man is such a helper
we "hit the list" after our Startbucks drinks
and.....how convenient we were already inside Target
and that Coke was on sale
my helper insisted on loading the 12 packs himself on the bottom of the cart
he also insisted on pushing the cart
which he couldn't see above the top
which made a lot of fellow shoppers laugh as all they could see was a moving shopping cart
I would've snapped a pic but was afraid an elderly woman
or a shelf of shampoo bottles
would've been knocked down in the process of my son pushing the cart without direction from me
verbal direction, of course, because he insisted on pushing it himself
what a gentleman


happy Thursday, Blogger Buddies!
if you haven't yet, don't forget to enter GIVEAWAY WEDNESDAY!
I'll announce a winner tomorrow


Love, Laurie for the fam

how I do it: LAUNDRY

you know what's funny about laundry? 
besides for absolutely nothing (esp if you have small children)
the fact that it's been a hot topic on some blogs I've been reading lately. 
Everyone seems to be asking the same question
how do you keep up with the beast?!
boy, if I had an answer....
but you know what I've found?  when you share tips about how you do things like this, sometimes you help people.
so, with that in mind, I thought I'd share my method
with huge hopes that maybe you'd share a tip or two with me
cause anyone who can keep up with laundry is a rockstar and don't you know that's what I'm aiming for in life
rockstar mom,
rockstar wife,
rockstar follower of Jesus....
I'd take any of those titles you'd throw at me. 
but for now I'll settle with just throwing some laundry tips your way to hopefully lighten your load
(boy, that was a dumb pun)

LAUNDRY THE LAURIE WAY
*live in denial first
*then deal with it because you realize no one else is going to
*do one load (almost) every single day--fill washer up when you wake up, transfer at naptime or mid-morning, and unload when complete (or when you remember)
*mix lights and darks and wash in cold water (come on, don't be afraid of this.  I do it all the time and only occassionally regret turning white things a light shade of pink.  BLEACH, people)
*hazardous-to-your-health stained articles of clothing are handled separately and with great caution...and you know what I mean by that, esp if you're a mom of wee ones
*quickly but gently layer clothing in basket when you unload from dryer as to not (really) wrinkle stuff
(note to wives w/hubbys who wear dress shirts--HELLO.  you are aware that there are wrinkle-free shirts out there, right?!  those are the only ones allowed in this girl's laundry pile...)
*let clean baskets of clothing pile up until a designated folding day
*folding day = brace yourself.  your laundry now has accumulated. but (yay) it's clean laundry
First, pick a large area to make lots of piles so there's no need to "re-sort" (couch, bed, etc)
In my method each person in the fam has separate piles for pants, tops, pjs, and nicer clothing so when I go to put it away, it's already in the right piles for putting in the dresser drawers.  I keep a basket nearby for socks and you-know-whats and I just throw it in there to sort at the end
(p.s. Hanes socks have writing on the bottom in different colors for different sizes.  HELLO.  this has revolutionized my sock sorting time and yes, I'll pay the little extra for name brand so I can have some sanity)

I have done this method for awhile so I can pump out "folding day" pretty quickly.....like a machine, people.
Did I mention folding day includes t.v. viewing of MY choice (yes, even if the kiddos are awake and at home--I'm folding. laundry.....let's not downplay the significance of that statement....and yes, now my boys know who Rachael Ray and Paula Dean and the Barefoot Contessa are.  That's really going to make them good hubbies one day, don't you think?!...) 
Or I call a friend when I conquer the load(s) during naptime.  What a great way to catch up and not feel guilty about an hour-long chat with a good friend!

Why do I follow the Laurie Laundry Way?
My name is Laurie.
And I like this method because instead of dirty laundry piling up and stressing me out, it's the clean laundry that piles up (because who doesn't have the pile up somewhere?!  I'm no super woman!) 
If somebody really needs something, it's probably washed and ready to wear we just have to do a little searching for it.
Folding Day is not fun, but it gets done all at once and I'm serious about doing something fun while it's all getting done. 
(It's like eating chocolate as a reward after you've scrubbed the toilet.  Ewww. Nope.  That's actually the one time when chocolate has absolutely no appeal to me...)

AND if I just can't get around to sorting the socks at the end, I keep a nice basket of it and just tell my boys to "GO FISH" if they claim they have no clean socks left. 
I'm pretty sure they believe it's a game by now.
Well, I hope, at least.
Cause nothing is changing in this house anytime soon.
How about you?!  Surely you've got some kind of tip to lighten all of our laundry loads because having our kids wear dirty underwear is not as funny as it sounds.

Happy (Tutorial) Tuesday, All! 

cold night for cocoa and company

It may have been a cold, cold night. 13 fun-lovin degrees to be exact.But I had a date that I wasn't about to break. Another "Hot Cocoa Date with Mom," this time with this cool kid...

Jon picked a coffee shop (with little to no prompting from me?!) with a decent selection of goodies and any kind of java a mama could want. He was pretty stoked about the chocolate croissant.

I was pretty stoked to be out with just him.

He is a joy to hang out with and a blast to talk to.

And because he is so much like his Daddy he did crazy things when I went to snap a pic.

Like pretending to be terrified of his chocolate croissant.

Or peering deep into his cup of cocoa.

What a nut. I love him.

And he still let me kiss him in public. My days are numbered

So I'm taking total advantage of the ones I've got left.

It was such a fun time out with my oldest son.

We laughed, told stories, shared memories, and touched on some deep issues of life

The white chocolate mocha was good-- but my company was way better.

So in my Real Simple mag, they share some ideas about sprucing up hot chocolate.

Not like hot chocolate isn't good all on it's own.

But I guess if you drink as much as my fam this chilly time of year you could use a little variety to spice things up.

Care if I share?

Option #1: add marshmallows and 3 T malted milk powder (they say to broil mallows for 30 sec?!) I say over. rated. But that could be just me...

Option #2: top hot cocoa with 1/4 cup mint chocolate ice cream and 1 sprig fresh mint (got any fresh mint in your house?! me neither...) Well, they had me at mint chocolate ice cream at least

Option #3: mix cocoa with 1 pinch chili pepper and 1 pinch cinnamon and top with 2 T whipped cream and 1 more pinch of both chili pepper and cinnamon.

That's definitey intriguing, don't you think?!

Well....there you go, Blogger B's. A little challenge set before you as you begin the weekend:

Just say "no" to boring hot cocoa

Have a great weekend, All!


p.s. the winner of GIVEAWAY Wednesday is: (do I hear a drumroll?!)

HOLLY (comment #12) Yay for you! Some Press N' Seal will be rolling your way soon....

Thanks to everyone who participated. You guys are so much fun!

hot cocoa love

In the James house, we've been having a lot of this
and my boys are all about the marshmallows (or "marsh-marsh-moes" as Caleb says)

Speaking of Caleb, Wednesday night was his Hot Cocoa Date with Mommy.

We went to the most quaint place, right around the corner, known as McDonalds.

Hey--it was his choice.

This is my most precious pic from our outing. He wanted to rest his head on my lap while we waited for our hot cocoa (fast food?! whatevs. this was GOUR.MET) Somehow he talked me into getting a chocolate chip cookie, too. Can't resist those big blues.

And he s-low-ly, spoonful by spoonful, drank his cocoa.

After we both blew on it to make it cool.

Because every little boy knows that their mommy is the ultimate food cooler.

It was a special time talking about all things 4K, favorite colors, Diego, and an upcoming 5th birthday.....which is what prompted this big grin.

Because he really believes that I can make a Candy Land cake that's as big as he is.

Maybe he'll settle for a 9 x 13 with some Skittles and Snickers arranged nicely?!

What a fun time with my middle boy.

GIVEAWAY WEDNESDAY Winner: Sandy

Yay for you! Be expecting your iced latte and peanut butter bar soon...

Thanks to everyone who threw a comment in this week--what fun!

You guys are the best.

Have a super Friday, All!

(taking a 5 day rest from 500 mile running goal due to strained calf muscles. huge bummer)

not always hatin' on winter

Because I'm such a winter-hater you'll understand why these pics are so prec.
It means I was out with the boys... in the cold.
For longer than it takes to go from the house to the car and the car to Target and Target back to the car and the car back to the house.
I actually threw some snowballs.
Watch out, World.
Jon asked me, "are you SURE you want to come out, Mom?!"
So like......how many Mom Points is this worth, anyway?!
Awww.....come on. I love these guys.
I did it for love.

Caleb might look like he's smiling but he's actually squirming and squinting with the cold of the snow and the flakes falling in his face. He hates winter almost as much as I do--but tries really hard to like it.
Bless his heart.

These two, on the other hand, embrace winter and all it has to offer.

Matthias' new prayer every day is that he can have some hot cocoa.

Hey--it's good stuff (especially the way I make it)

You want some hot with your cocoa?!

Jon asked if I'd take a pic of his snow angel.

Yeah.....I'm not exactly sure what he thought it would look like.

WINNER, WINNER!

Onesmallhappyfamily--you are the winner of the bookmark giveaway. YAY!

Let me know which one you'd like and I'll send it your way...

A big, happy hot dog friday to you all!

+2= 8 down, 492 to go

turning the frown around

I would personally like to thank David Crowder and his band for this wonderful visual masterpiece that has helped turn this (poor, stuffy-nosed, teething) girl's frown upside down.
So Dave (can I call you that?) If you're reading this....(insert chuckle).....a big, fat thank you from the James fam. Your Lite Brite skillz rock.

I'm Bad At Thinking of Titles

Yesterday was the boys' Halloween Party and Costume Parade at school:


Does that look say, MO-OM or what?! Well, I am the mo-om.
The one taking flash photography that lights up the dark gym,
waving (semi-obnoxiously) so Jon will see me and look,
and mouthing the words, "I love you" before I leave.
I can't help myself. I'm just so proud. Don't you see?


My son is a black belt in karate.


Hey--it was better than this get up:

Caleb was a little unsure about this whole "wearing a costume to school" thing. He pretty much tried to get out of it all morning. He's pictured here wearing an Elmo fuzzy-thing that is meant for an 18 month old... which I'm sure he put on to wear me down into not making him dress-up at all for the party. 4 year olds can be crafty like that, you know.

This picture makes me laugh because I actually photographed Caleb in the middle of asking me, "Mommy, do you know where Matthias is?" I just assumed a game of "Hide n' Seek" had broken out and I was a step behind.
What he meant was, "do you know Matthias is under this tote I'm sitting on?"
And if you know my younger two boys at all, you know that Caleb was probably just returning the favor of Matthias' earlier idea. Considering when I "rescued" Matthias he was less than enthusiastic about getting out from under the tote....I'm pretty sure he was all about this "brother sitting on top of me in a tote" game.
So anyways, I eventually talked Caleb into being the hero Spideyman for the party. Although I'm pretty sure I should get some hero points for cutting a hole in the mask bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger until he was (finally) comfortable with the idea of having clingy material on his head to complete "the look."
Yesterday's party and parade=success

Today is NO SCHOOL. Enjoy your day--we plan to!