In Perry's second grade class this year, his teacher would like for each student to make a 1 - 2 minute presentation on anything that they know something about. It can be on any subject of their interest - weather, Disney World, jelly bellies, biking - whatever they feel like sharing with the class.

This is a great idea - no other second grade teacher in our school is doing this so we feel a bit special. I've talked with a couple other mothers in this class - comparing subjects to talk about, how much time they had to spend working on the presentation at home, wondering how come one of the little girls in his class did a powerpoint presentation... yeah, right... we all know who did the work on that one.

So the other day, Perry had a friend over to our house from his class. His name is Jack - a cute little boy that was one of Perry's new friends this past summer at summer camp and now a classmate in his second grade class. And you know how parents are - we ask questions, we pry, we pump... trying to get anything out of these second graders that you can while they are visiting our home. It's a tough task, but we parents must ask, pry and pump... correct?!

Nosy Mom - "So Jack, what was your presentation on this month?"
Jack - "The King."
Nosy Mom - "Elvis?"
Jack - (looking at me strangely) "No."
Nosy Mom - "Jesus?"
Jack - (looking at me even more strangely) "No."
Nosy Mom - "Who's the King?"
Jack - "Richard Petty"
Nosy Mom - "Oh."
Perry - "Yeah Mom - you know Richard Petty - the king of racing... duh"
Nosy Mom - "Oohhh."

That's what I get for being nosy.

On Friday afternoon, I was reading the paper just before it was time to pick up Perry from school and I read that Amy Grant was in concert in town tonight with the KC Symphony.

What?! Tonight?

Wait. My brother was supposed to look into getting us tickets for her concert since he was a symphony season ticket holder. Where were my tickets? Did he forget about me? Why was I not going?

My P. Floyd lovin' man went to see Wynonna Judd with me who performed with the symphony last year. He loved it... I loved it... we secretly became closet Wynonna fans that night. And we also became symphony fans and couldn't wait to see Amy Grant with the symphony.

I called my brother and he just plum forgot that Amy Grant was performing tonight. He had tickets and he couldn't use them either as he was participating in a bbq contest. Would I want his tickets? Why yes I would! So in just an hour's time, I called my parents to watch Perry, packed Perry's little suitcase, picked him up from school, changed out of my play clothes, called my husband to hurry home, dropped Perry off, picked up my brother's tickets and away we went for a Friday night out. A date to the symphony!

It was wonderful! She began the evening with a song from 1986 - Stay For Awhile. And it took me back to 1986 - I was so young back then. And then the evening just got better and better. Saved by Love, House of Love, Big Yellow Taxi, Baby Baby and even some Gershwin thrown in for the symphony crowd who was sitting there wondering who "that chick with the guitar was up on stage."

After a full 2 hours of her wonderful voice (that hasn't changed a bit in the last 25 years), while throwing in stories about her family, friends, love and power, she left us with a nugget for life and its evolving ways.. especially for those of us who have reached the 40's. She talked about how she had trouble looking into the mirror every morning. Hair graying; wrinkles forming. But on the advice of her minister, she is looking into the mirror every morning and saying, ‘Woman, you are made in the image of God. I may be puffy and gray, but I’m the light of the world anyway.” She said "It feels so good to be right in the middle of life."

And I would have to agree with her.

Wednesday evening I went to my weekly weight watching meeting and laughed my shrinking belly off.

First off, our infamous leader, Barry, is the most hilarious, inspirational, real person who has lost 73 lbs. that I have ever met. He (yes, that's right - I have a male WW leader) gives us that motivational push that is so needed to keep on this lifestyle change. After our weekly bragging session, he reminds us about his claim to fame moment - his stint on the popular "Deal" game show. The time has come and he will be one of the guys on the side - the supporters - and if they don't edit - he will be the most hilarious, inspirational, real supporter they have ever had on that television show. He will be on during the last half of the Friday (today's) show and the Monday show. Watch him. He will undoubtedly mention that not only he is a pastor, but a WW leader with the largest weight loss group in our city.

After our meeting, my friend Krystina then pulls me over to the side - giggling - and reminds me to take my name tag off after the meeting. Okay. What's the big deal? I just go home after meeting. Well, she had apparently gone to Costco after her meeting last week, wearing her "My name is..." name tag that states that she was at a WW meeting. While at Costco, she needs to buy a 5 lb. bag of M&M's for her Mops group at church, and runs into many people, wearing her WW name tag, carrying the 10 lb. bag of M&M's. What's even funnier is that Jolee was with her and didn't even tell her that her nametag was on until they were walking out the door. WW Poster Child - carrying around a bag of M&M's.

WW Update this week: -2.4 lbs for a total of 38 lbs.

I have decided to join my friend Katrina's Fall Into Reading Challenge over at Callapidder Days because it sounds like a lot of fun. I feel as if I'm reading all the time, but this challenge is making me accountable to finish the books that I actually start.... especially the non-fiction ones. I will hear or read about a book that sounds exactly like what I'm needing at the time, get a couple chapters into it, and decide that I feel tons better and don't need to improve upon that certain thing that I thought needed improving. So I move along to another book that at the time sounds like it's exactly what I'm needing.

Let me give you an example... 2 months ago I believed that I lacked self-confidence - as if I had absolutely no self-confidence. So I bought this book - just knowing that in 30 days I was going to see an improvement in myself. Five days into the book, I felt that I was living fearlessly and did not finish it. Why I figured that I have all the self-confidence in the world, I really have no idea. So I will put that book back on my list, and will complete it. Of course, you may figure out that there are other books that will help me with my self-confidence. Ones that may be of more value for my Christian walk. If so, I gladly will entertain those titles... and even add them to my challenge.


Non-Fiction books are tough for me to read... I'm more of a Fiction reader - loving to escape. So I'm going to only list 4 books for Non-Fiction - that to me is a stretch.

Non-Fiction:
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver
Change Your Life in 30 Days: A Journey to Find Your True Self by Rhonda Britten
Simple Hospitality Saw this on Katrina's sidebar... read about it and bought it.
Love You, Mean It: A True Story of Love, Loss and Friendship by four young women widowed when their husbands were killed on the 9/11 attack


I love Fiction books - constantly have a book with me at all times to pick up and read whenever and wherever. My aunt (who is also a lover of books) just this summer told me about 2 very enjoyable books to read by Debbie Macomber... The Shop on Blossom Street and A Good Yarn. It was just a series of 2 books, but for some reason I devoured these 2 books quickly and wanted so much more. What a delight it was to read these 2 books... a total escape from the challenges of work and parenting. I even entertained the idea of learning to knit after reading these books, but slowly I snapped back to reality and decided that was just not happening at this time of my life. So now, like I did with the Jan Karon Mitford series years ago, I'm devouring the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series. I have read the first 2 books in her series of 6 books. In my reading challenge, I will try and finish the last 4 books in the series, along with my book club's book.

Fiction:
311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber - I'm in the middle of this book right now
44 Cranberry Point by Debbie Macomber
50 Harbor Street by Debbie Macomber
6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - my book club's book for November


Books to Read with Perry:
Magic Tree House - Books 9 - 12 We just finished reading the first 8 and loved them. He reads them to me for about 15 minutes, then reads them independently for the next 15 minutes before going to bed. They are a fun children's series for his age.

I'm looking forward to this challenge - especially finishing the non-fiction.

What's on your list?

In this previous post, I had mentioned that I would show you the clock that I made for my mother's birthday. Well, here it is... with her 4 cherished grandkids on display. She loves it. She had it hanging in her dining room the very next day.

Yes, scrapbooking is another one of my addictions. I love to create. I especially love to take scrapbooking classes. Scrapbooking classes are not really my creations, but it still gets me energized and refreshed as I'm working on the projects.

What kinds of projects or addictions get you energized and refreshed?

Or should I title this "One of My Addictions" because I'm sure I have more than one. Today, I decided to venture to the new Macy's store in our local shopping mall. It used to be a Jones Store - it still pretty much looks like a Jones Store. But I hadn't ventured into the mall since the big change, so that was my Friday afternoon outing. I did buy a new pair of jeans and I do have to take them back because they were too big (rock on!), but that's not what this is all about.

When I left Macy's, I began to get a little jittery. My mind was foggy and my teeth started clenching together. What was I feeling?

And then it came to me. The Starbuck's that I visit on an almost daily basis was across the street. I hadn't been there today. I fixed coffee at home today. And like I said, it was just across the street. I could be there in less than 30 seconds, 20 even...

So as I'm driving across the street, I get behind a silver van that starts to drive slower than normal, and then just stops - as if he's lost or something - but for no reason. He just stops. And what do I do? I honked at him. I mean, come on, I needed my Grande Iced Shaken Black Tea Sweet, please, and I needed it now.

What is wrong with me?? I have a serious caffeine addiction. I'm honking at innocent people to get closer to my fix.

Hello, my name is Lori and I'm a Caffeine-aholic.

About a week ago, my hubby forwarded me an email that was sent to him from a head hunter. It was a position within a company that he is very familiar with, and he certainly would be qualified. So when we got home I asked him about it and whether or not he was thinking about contacting the head hunter. He said he was because it would be a challenging position, and would really gain him new insights and experiences in his career. He is a very driven man, and I could just see him pursuing this position to advance his career.

Fast forward to yesterday and I asked him while we were getting ready for work if he had contacted the head hunter, and he tells me that he was too busy and just did not have time. I felt my eyes begin to roll... it seems my husband runs out of time for things very easily. Especially when he is working. My husband is not a multi-tasker. Truly, I don't expect him to be because that is a woman's exclusive quality. But he couldn't remember to call about an exciting opportunity because he was just too busy?

But then it is what he says next (as I thankfully had remained quiet) that just amazes me. I emphasize that I remained quiet because what I wanted to say to him was "I can't believe you didn't call him, you can't take care of one little thing, blah, blah, blah" And then the conversation would have been over.

But again, I remained quiet and he told me that he had been really thinking about this position. And even though it sounded very exciting and challenging, it would also mean a whole new level of work ethic. He would be working very long days... longer than what he is already used to. He would also have to be traveling a lot more, and on an international level. He felt that it may involve meetings and tours in Asia and other places abroad. And he didn't really feel as if that was the position for him at this time. He did not want to be away from us for long periods, especially now that Perry is so involved in organized sports. And I knew he was thinking that he would have to give up golfing with Perry on Wednesday afternoons after school. Give up going to the community center to work out - just a lot of things we do now as a family.

And because I remained quiet, he blew me away. Other positions will come to him, and it could be the right one, at the right time. But until then, I know his position is with his family And almost 12 years later, he has made his family his priority and for that I am forever grateful.


WW Update: -2.6 lbs for a total loss of 35.6 lbs.

A few weeks after September 11th, I wrote a letter to Perry. He was almost 3 at the time. Here is what I wrote to him about that day. It is posted in his scrapbook so that he will always remember....

I was at work watching everything on television and all I could think was that I needed to go to daycare and pick you up. I knew you were safe, but I wanted you to be with me. I left work, picked you up and then we went and picked up Grandma and went to lunch. I just didn't want you to see anything on the television while you were awake, but the minute you went down for your nap that day, I turned the TV on and couldn't stop watching everything that was happening to our country.

Daddy's airplane had just landed in St. Louis when the attacks started happening in New York. Daddy remembers talking to Mommy shortly after the attacks happened and how upset she was... we were both upset because nothing like this had ever happened before and we knew the world you were going to grow up in would be very different from that moment on. Well, luckily Daddy had rented a car that day in St. Louis, which he normally didn't do on those trips, because when they closed all the airports across the U.S., he just hopped in the car and drove for four hours to get home... WHEW! Daddy was so glad to be home where you and Mommy were rather than being stuck away from his family like so many other Mommies and Daddies were at that time.

That same night, Daddy and I were up with you a couple of times (you woke up crying). That was very unusual for you, but we just chalked it up to bad dreams, one of them being about a thunderstorm. You kept saying you saw a thunderstorm. Well, it kind of struck me weird that you were talking about a thunderstorm because earlier when we did have the TV on after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, just during our dinner time to catch the news, you said "that building got hit by a thunderstorm." And we were saying "that's right" thinking that you need to think that and nothing else. And you normally don't fear thunderstorms. Anyway, the next night you were playing Legos with Daddy and although we had not had the TV on at all while you were awake, you were building a tall building and you said... "Daddy, I build a tall building with no thunderstorms." We couldn't believe how you had made the connection and how that image stuck with you and put a fear in you. Which then put a firm belief in me that an almost 3-year old is much smarter than we think they are and we really need to be careful about how much they see on TV.

Take no day for granted, Perry. Celebrate each and every moment by being fully present in it. By doing this, you will bring honor to the memory of those who lost their lives - and you'll bring more meaning to your own.

We were -

Football season - it's the most wonderful time of the year. Sing along with me now.

It's crazy. It's fun. It's family.

I married into a football family - my husband's former family - but that's another post.

When Phil and I started dating, one of the first questions he asked me was if I liked football - and he meant "really liked football." He did not mean, "go to someone's house and socialize with the girls during the game" football. He meant "do you like football - watching the game, rooting for your hometeam, getting wet at the stadium football." Yes, I do - and I must have proved it to him. He continued dating me. And oh yeah, he married me and included in his vows on our wedding day to be my teammate. Oh, yes he did.

But I digress because there was nothing good to really write about the Chiefs first game - our home opener.

But, there was the fact that Paul, Phil's brother, was able to join us. He drove over from Ft. Riley to attend his first professional football game. And there were the chills that went up and down my arms while we sang the National Anthem as 4 fighter jets flew over the stadium... my pride swelling as I'm standing next to my brother-in-law who has served two tours in Iraq... praising God that he was standing there next to me.

It all started great, but it absolutely went down hill after that. I won't talk about it. I can't talk about it. I'll get over it.

As we always say around my house, there's always next week.

So... do you cuddle?


That is a question that a lot of our friends have actually either brought up in conversation, or have asked us in the past few months.

My good friend, R told me a month or so ago at a scrapbooking crop that she and her hubby just bought a new King Sized Bed. They were sleeping in a full - but went for the big guns - and now she is sleeping like a baby. In her own words, "she feels like she has her own apartment."

Another friend of mine, A, tells me that she and her hubby also fall asleep on their own side, in their big king sized bed.

And me - I'm the same way. Love you honey, but keep to your side during the night so that I can get my beauty sleep because heaven knows I'm not purty without my beauty sleep.

Then there's Perry... now he's my cuddle bug. I'm not sure where this comes from, but since he was a tiny thing, he's always been a cuddler. Up on his daddy's chest at a week old. Next to the burp rags - yes, those smelly things jammed right to his face, up to almost 2 years old. And now it's the animals - the stuffed ones. He has gone through many different kinds of stuffed animals, but now there is the one that is the most cuddled - Benji - a Build-A-Bear treasure. He's actually a beagle dog, not a bear, but he is a treasure. This has been his cuddle bug for more than a year now. He can't sleep unless Benji is right next to his face.

When I go in to to his bedroom later at night to make sure he is all covered up, Benji is always there right next to him. Perry, I wish for you a wife that will want to cuddle with you - because you are definitely going to need a cuddle bug.

This is usually done at the 100th post - and yes, I'm getting ahead of myself, but in honor of my 10th post, I would like to post 10 things about me...

1. I am 42 years old and honestly can't believe it.
2. I met my husband at church when I was 29 years old.
3. I thought before I married that I did not want to have children.
4. We were engaged 10 months after we started dating.
5. We have an almost 8 year old little boy who is the highlight of our life.
6. I suffered post-partum depression for about a year after Perry was born.
7. I generally wish that we would have had more than one child.
8. I have worked at an advertising agency for 17+ years for the same boss who hired me 17 years ago.
9. I have lived in the KC metro area my entire life.
10. I start each morning with a cup of coffee from Starbucks, either at the cafe or in my home.

There you go - 10 things about me you didn't know before. I'm hoping to make it to 100 posts.

On Saturday night, my hubby and I scheduled a double date with David and Amy - our friends of many years.

About 14 years to be specific.

We knew them when they were dating. They knew us when we began dating. Joined them in Sunday School while Amy's dad was the teacher. Attended their beautiful wedding. David was a groomsmen in our wedding. We were there at their first home on moving-in weekend. Peered at their first-born daughter from the hospital window while she was in an incubator. Prayed with them over their first-born, Megan, a tiny little baby in an incubator for a few days. We had a son... they went on and had 2 more daughters, changed churches, moved again, and again.

You know how friendships come and go?

Well, this one has stayed.

We hired a babysitter - Abby - whom we have also known for many years, and is now old enough to babysit. We ate at a wonderful restaurant - and then wandered over to here while taking a walk to get rid of that too-full feeling that you always seem to have after dinner. Then we even went here before we headed home. It was a great double date - one that 2 sets of parents don't get to have often enough.

We're going to do it again soon. And it can't be soon enough for me.