Therefore, if you read my blog regularly, odds are I read yours and expect an invite! You can e-mail me at laurie[at]turksworks[dot]com. That’s my personal e-mail.
Author: Laurie
Meet the Teacher
The boys were so excited to meet their teachers! Davis made a Texas flag (using orange paper because we didn’t have red) and Dylan made a card for his teacher. At the beginning of every year I make an “All About Me Card” for each of the boys to help their teacher get to know them a little faster.
This is Dylan and his new teacher. Dylan’s now in 1st grade and will be at school all day. He is so excited! Last year at 1/2 day Kindergarten he called it “the baby school”. Mainly because his pre-school was 5 hours and Kindergarten was 3. Dylan is so pumped to be able to eat in the cafeteria, go to P.E., and art class. I was very impressed by his teacher. She had a little gift for each child on their assigned desks as well as all the paperwork we needed. She has 3 boys as well.
This is Davis’ teacher. As always there’s a ton of anxiety wondering if he will get a teacher that has not only has worked with autistic children before but will also be structured and loving to him. My principal from last year assured me that he talked to our new principal (our school was just built and is not yet completed) and they have hand picked a teacher for Davis.
After meeting her I wasn’t so sure. Yes she has a lot of energy and is very professional, but the desks weren’t yet assigned and labelled and she looked really young. Davis really needed to know where he was sitting – luckily he didn’t start crying (he would have last year). Jason asked her if she had any kids and she said she had one and that was enough. She mentioned he was a handful. I left thinking – if she can’t handle her own kid how in the world is she going to be able to handle mine along with 20 others?
Anyway, I got a call from her yesterday and all is well. Apparently the Fire Marshall hasn’t approved the school yet and so the teachers weren’t allowed to hang anything up on the walls and weren’t allowed into their classrooms before that day. That made me feel a lot better. She also didn’t know that Davis had high functioning autism before we met her. She said that she read my “All About Me Card” and later was talking to her principal and mentioned the flowers and the card. She realized then why Davis was in her class. Davis’ teacher told me that her little boy is 3 and was just recently diagnosed with high functioning autism as well. The principal said that she assigned Davis to her not only because she felt it was a good match but also so she would learn and be able to assist her own child.
Davis’ teacher said that she was so impressed by Davis and by our family. She said that she’s really looking forward to working with me and learning everything she can so she can help her son. I really enjoyed our conversation and felt a lot better about her. Davis has been so lucky to have had amazing teachers sent as angles into his life. I felt the spirit strong during our conversation and realized that once again Davis’ was blessed and sent an angel. She may be younger than his other teachers but I feel she will bring a different skill set that he will need during this year.
It also made me realize that I do need to step up a bit and step out of my comfort zone and help others by sharing what I have learned. I have a hard time doing that because I feel like people learn more and are more passionate when they figure it out by themselves. However, I feel directed to put myself out there a little more and help those who are looking for help.
Here are my 3 boys in their school clothes. 😉 I love happy pictures because they are so far from reality. Diana just so you know, right now as I’m typing Davis is screaming because Dylan hit him, Drake just opened up the dishwasher, stopped it in the middle of cleaning, and is taking out the silverware. I forgot the sunblock yesterday and so each one of my boys have a little sunburn and my mommy guilt is eating at me.
Also, I woke up this morning to Drake screaming (this is a daily occurrence) but this time when I went into his room, his leg was stuck in the crib bars and his thigh had red marks and his knee is a little swollen. I had to pull harder than I would have liked to get him out. He cried uncontrollably for the next hour and still will not let me console him.
This is my life of drama with boys.
Card Exchange
High School Musical 2
I have a lot of blogging to catch up on. We moved our anniversary trip to Saturday because we had to have a High School Musical 2 party Friday night! Jason laughed when I informed him. 😉
Everyone had such a great time. However, I will admit that 1/2 way through the movie my kids left and went to play with their toys. All the other kids stayed and watched it.
I don’t know who had more fun the kids or the adults! Here’s my friend, Lisa striking a pose.
Everyone was getting into the signing and dancing! Here’s Tyson (Drake’s BFF).
More Pics of Lisa’s House
I’m back in town. Lisa did an amazing job watching my kiddos so my honey and I could reconnect and have some alone time. The cabin was secluded deep in the Oklahoma mountains. I read, slept, ate alot, and snuggled with my honey. (he he) It was a much needed break. Thanks for all your encouraging comments while I was gone. Sorry, I can’t post any of the picture we took. (he he)
Here’s more pics of Lisa’s house since she hasn’t posted them on her blog yet.
I was so bummed, I left Lisa’s trees in my garage. We bought two to go on each side of the couch.
Here’s Lisa’s amazing flat screen. Her builder made her a built-in electronics cupboard.
So we got the vase, rafia, and this cabinet all at Wal-Mart! Cabinet $80, Vase $25, Rafia $6, a wall completed with one-stop shopping in less than a hour. Priceless!
Here’s all angles of her dining room. I’m loving the iron and tin we got at Canton.
I love this tin mirror. Great pic Lisa!
I think she needs this amazing rectangle tin that’s about 3 feet long to go above her door. I LOVE these candle sconces we got at Kirklands. I might just grab it for her when I go to Canton in Sept. Shhh. don’t tell. 😉
This is my favorite wall. Lisa is going to spray paint those pine TV trays red and use 2 as her end tables next to her couch. Awesome idea!
Off to Oklahoma!
Mavens
Here’s my crazy Maven’s friends! I know you’ll recognize many in the photo as fellow bloggers.
Here’s Cheryl and Julie who I wish blogged. Their stories are hilarious! I’ve got to say that Julie is laughing in every picture I take of her. 😉
Here’s Tatiana and Lisa. We didn’t share many tips this time. I took the place mats I made as my tip but no one had a circular table, so no one could use it. Bummer. Tatiana was host so we got to see her amazing new house. Yeah for her! She drew for the door prizes. Luckily I won!! this is what she made for us.
I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I’m a loser and hadn’t heard this quote before. I grew up in a house where there was nothing but work, I started my career in a dental office at age 15, and I’m a work-a-holic still today. I’ve been trying very hard to plan fun things for my kiddos and plan family vacations but it’s something that I struggle with. I feel like I should be productive all the time, work on making myself a better person, and keep focus on my goals.
So having this quote in my kitchen as a constant reminder by a Prophet brought me to tears when I put it up in my kitchen. I have such a hard time smelling the roses and relaxing. I feel like I still have too much to prove.
Thanks Tatiana!! You’re also looking at Christmas gifts I’m giving away this year. I hope this powerful message will enlighten others the way it has me. (Don’t worry – the people I’m giving it to don’t read my blog.)
Poison Control?
I got a package the other day that I need to return, so I left it next to my front door. I was walking towards the study and this is what I see. Yes my Drake who will not eat FOOD was eating a Styrofoam box.
And quite enjoying it might I add. I panicked but quickly realized that he wasn’t eating it, he was chewing bits off and spitting them out. Of course, he’s had lots of practice with that. 😉
This is the face I got when I took the box away and vacuumed up all the cute little balls of Styrofoam he was playing with.
Pay It Forward
Ok. I finally did it. I’ve been contemplating joining an exchange for months but unable to actually commit. Well, thanks to Mique, Dancin Queen, and Kelly I decided to do this easy one to start.
it’s called the pay it forward craft exchange (PIF), here’s how it works…
I will send a handmade gift to the first three (3) people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
I’m going to extend this to 4 people, since Mique let me slide by as her 4th. Yeah! Who are we kidding, I totally know what I’m going to make. 😉 I always have to have a plan ahead of time. Help me pay it forward by signing up!
8 Things About My Marriage
Mique tagged me for 8 things about my marriage. So here goes…
Where did you meet your husband? At a country dance club in Alvin, Texas. A bunch of people from the Singles Ward (young adult church group) met there.
What was the first thing you said to your husband? I don’t remember. I had a long-distance boyfriend I was trying to ditch as well as flirting with a couple other guys at the time. The first conversation I remember having with him happened at a Houston Astro’s Baseball game. I was flirting with this one guy and he wasn’t giving me enough attention. So I left that group and sat next to a mutual friend of ours and Jason was sitting next to him.
Where was the first kiss? First date? Jason asked me out ironically at my “official first date” Adam’s house. I know so funny. No, he wasn’t there he was serving a mission for our church. Anyway, it was the 4th of July, and a bunch of us had spent the day at the beach and then met at Adam’s house. We played softball, ate, etc. Later that evening, my friend was chasing me around threatening to stuff watermelon down my pants (yeah I was really mature) and I grabbed Jason as a shield. He wouldn’t help me but told me he’d make it up to me. When the night calmed down Jason came up to me later and asked me if he could make it up to me by taking me to the George Straight concert. I said “yes” and haven’t stopped since. 😉
As far as our first kiss goes, it was 3 dates later after he took me to the circus. It was awkward and we still laugh about it today. Luckily, we’ve perfected it over the 13 years we been together.
Did you have a long or short courtship/engagement? We dated for 9 months and were engaged for 4 months. Our courtship was a wild ride. Mainly because he found me when I was having the time of my life. I was in complete denial that I would marry young and had a difficult time coming to terms with it. Once I realized he was my soul mate and could not risk living life without him, we got engaged. Looking back I’m really glad that he saw me at my worst and I saw him at his worst. It made being married a lot easier. We didn’t have a hard first year of marriage – I think it’s because we got it all out while we were dating. (ha ha)
Where did you get engaged? Jason took me to a park and proposed. It was lame. We both admit it. Nothing like Mique’s! The thing is that we were both so tired of discussing it, that once I decided I wanted to marry him, why wait.
Where did you get married? We got married at the Dallas temple on August 18, 1995. My 12 year anniversary is this weekend. Turns out that our friends here in Keller (that we met 2 years ago) got married there on that same day. I know, totally crazy. I remember seeing her wedding dress while in the brides room. (I was wishing I had decided on short sleeves like her’s instead of the traditional long sleeves. Boy, it was a hot day.)
How did the reception go? It went fine if you consider my mom insisted on making my dress, the bridesmaid’s dresses, decorating the church, and making both cakes. Even though I gave her 4 months, she procrastinated. She ended up gluing lace onto my dress, not finishing my wedding cake, and showed up 1 1/2 hours late to the reception making my receiving line very late. Other than that, it was the party Jason and I wanted it to be.
How was the honeymoon? Fine. We went to San Antonio and celebrated on the river walk. Jason made it up to me for our 10 year anniversary and took me on an amazing Carribean Cruise.
Sorry for the Novel. I tag: Katri, Rochelle, Chanda, and Lacie. (Man, a lot of you guys are already tagged! I’ve got some reading to do.)





















