Ten on Tuesday (with a special Bonus)

1. It would be interesting to have an expert psychoanalyze how Kelsea's dollies take naps.  One might say she likes structure and organization.  Not sure where she could have got that from?

2. I had (what I thought) was a great idea of taking Kelsea to see Mary Poppins as either a Christmas or Birthday present.  After realizing a decent ticket was going to cost well over $100, I thought it might be a good idea to ask her if she would like to see Mary Poppins live on stage. She was unusually quiet.

Me:  That's okay Kels we don't have to see Mary Poppins.  Maybe you would like to go in a couple years?

Kelsea: Contemplating this idea for a few moments.. Maybe when I'm 10. More thinking. I want her to stay in the TV.

Me: But you loved seeing her at Disneyland!  I bet you'll want to see her before that.  You love Mary Poppins!

Kelsea: More silence. How many years are you Mommy?

Me:  Thirty-two.

Kelsea:  When I'm thirty-two we'll go see it.

Well alrighty then, scratch that one off the list (thank goodness I asked)!

3.  I am very excited about having Halloween on a Saturday this year.  No rushing home from work to get the kids fed and dressed and ready for trick or treating (and photos of course).

4.Wallis made the mistake of telling Kelsea we were going to take her to the shoe store to let her pick out a pair of shoes since hers fell apart Friday.  Side note: I always buy shoes on sale with a pair waiting in the closet for when she outgrows the pair she is wearing. Which probably explains her excitement about going to the store to pick out a pair on her own. I unfortunately made the mistake of taking her to Nordstroms.  (And no, I don't know what I was thinking).  So, we came home with these.  Next time, it's a trip to Target.  

5. It only took one weekend of Lorelei crawling to find the best toys in the house (that are within a foot off the ground).  Oh the treasures to be found in a trash can (that can of course be placed in ones mouth)!  And what toy can beat the feel and sound of a doorstop!?

6. It's been 90 degrees here.  I'm ready for 65 degree fall weather, actually make that 68 degrees.  

7. Kelsea made me this lovely necklace out of floss (unused thankfully) and safety pins.  Maybe I can wear it on causal Fridays?

8.  Oh bummer- neither the Dodgers nor the Angels are in the World Series.  

9.  Weird things going on at the Laughrey house.  After several months of it not working, our wine cooler mysteriously turned on.  Back from summer vacation maybe? If  we hadn't been too busy (lazy) to figure out where to dispose of it, we would have replaced it.  Lorelei's light on her ceiling fan arbitrarily turns on at night.  The speed of the fan will increase randomly too.  Not sure if we should call a priest or an electrician?

10.  I still look at my Mac monitor in wonderment.  Really, there's a computer in there?  Genius!

BONUS- BONUS-BONUS

11.  I'm going to be an AUNTIE.  Oh I'm so excited!  Congratulations Steve and Jennie.  Baby Love expected to arrive late May/early June.

We will miss you Barbara

Although you may have left this Earth, you will forever be in our hearts.

Kelsea will especially remember coming to your home to pick out a singing Christmas toy. 

I am glad that you were able to meet Lorelei at her Baptism just a few short months ago. 

Below is Barbara's obituary from the Bakersfield Californian.

Barbara Ann Baldwin Love (Cutherell) (1926 - 2009)

Barbara Ann Baldwin Love (Cutherell) January 16, 1926 -October 13, 2009 Barbara was born in Bakersfield. She was the youngest daughter of Barrett and Lena Baldwin. She was a graduate of Kern High School and UCLA. Barbara worked for Christine's Dress Shop and the Board of Trade. She enjoyed helping people and educating them on her native Kern County. Barbara was preceded in death by her mother and father, brothers, Barrett Jr. and Lawrence and sister, June. She was also preceded in death by her first and second husbands, Jack Cutherell and Bill Baldwin. Barbara is survived by her husband, Jim Love; daughter, Jan Cutherell; son, Jeff Cutherell, daughter-in-law Paulette; her granddaughter, Kristen and husband Paul Howard; grandson, Brian Cutherell and wife Jennifer. Barbara was extremely fond of her great granddaughter, Aubrey Cutherell. Barbara is also survived by her sister, Geraldine and husband Elmer Suorez; and her many nieces and nephews. Additional surviving family members include Jim's sons, Steve Love and wife Dr. Laurie, David Love and wife Niki; Craig Love; daughters, Julie and husband Bruce Morrow, Susan and husband Donato DiFlorio. Bill Baldwin's children: Jane, Phil and their families. Barbara was an avid bridge player and enjoyed her bridge days at Stockdale Country Club with Lee Olcott, Patty Bass, T.G. Hopper, and others. Barbara also enjoyed playing golf, traveling to Las Vegas, working the daily crossword puzzles, and watching Jeopardy nightly with Jim. She will be truly missed at the family birthday parties and holiday gatherings at the Cutherell's. Barbara was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend. The family wishes to thank Hoffmann Hospice for their wonderful devoted employees and especially Barbara's favorite nurses, Kathy and Anne. A special thank you to her golfing friends, the Welch's, Scott's, Graffius's, Foy's, and Shelton's for the food and great support they gave Barbara and Jim. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date for family and friends. Donations may be made to Hoffmann Hospice, 8501 Brimhall Road #100, Bakersfield, California, 93312. 

8 Months

Hard to believe that you are eight months old, crawling (really crawling), and grinning with two very visible bottom teeth.  You have outgrown your infant car seat (much to my dismay), and are wearing 12 month clothes.  We had to lower your crib since you realized you could pull yourself up (and chew on the crib rail).  

To celebrate all these momentous milestones we let you pick out your own pumpkin (small pumpkin-ok cheapest pumpkin). Sorry Lorelei, that one is above our price range.  Mommy's not sold on an $18 pumpkin, even if it is your first.

You were really much more interested in the hay than anything else (just like your sister was).

You were quite content just sitting there discovering this cool new toy.

Some nice lady snapped this one...thank you nice lady.

And this one turned 3 3/4.  Still not ready to say I have a "four year old."  Maybe by January.

Still loving her friend Nate (who she has to go visit every time Lorelei is dropped off at school). Both having a grand old time jumping in the jumper and sliding down the big slide (over and over again).  Both activities free with the purchase of $10 in pumpkins.  I wonder if I could just drop Kelsea off on Saturday with a $10 bill?  Hmmmm...

Portrait Session

On Saturday, the girls had their portrait session that I "won" in a drawing at Little Moon (children's clothing boutique in the Village).  I use "won" very loosely since we all know nothing is ever free (except the actual session and one 8x10).   I must say that I am very grateful for our usual Laughrey family photographer, or the Laughrey's would be broke (or have a lot less pictures).

The photographer was very patient, which was great since Kelsea really wasn't interested in posing for photographs, and Lorelei was a bit tired and hungry.  Luckily we still got a few cute ones.  If you're interested, click on this link, and enter the site:

http://www.zoomtheory.com/

Click on Client Login, password is Laughrey2009

Ten on Tuesday

1. A couple Saturdays ago we actually got out of the house and had a date night with a few of our friends.  Here's proof in case you don't believe me. :-)

2.  We got back yesterday from our wonderful trip to Colorado Springs for my 10 year USAFA reunion.  When we pulled into the driveway Kelsea said "Yea, we're home, our beautiful home!  I love you home!"  I guess she had had enough of Colorado.

3.  We had such a nice time seeing all our friends, many of whom we had not seen in YEARS!  To include my soccer friends Polly and Laura.  (enter picture here after they e-mail me it).

4. Although I dragged my camera to Colorado, there were so many friends with cameras (and much better photographers than I) that I only took it out for the football game.  And I only took two pictures, because we left before halftime!  Ron,  hopefully yours is better than this. At least there's some proof that we were there...

5.  So we left the game early, because we had a very important date at FamCamp.  My old stomping ground.  Where me and my fellow Dawgs spent many evenings drinking beer, just hanging out, away from all the ridiculousness of the Academy.  So nice to see you Jeff-darn we forgot to take a picture!  Guess you have to come down and visit now.   We'll find you a cute California girl to date. :-)

6.  Thanks Stahr family for having us over most of the weekend (a surprise is being mailed tomorrow).  We are missing your baking already.  It was wonderful catching up with you and the Killins.  So what book are we going to read?  I've heard Cabo is a good place to discuss books. :-)

7.  And a very special shout out to our friend Mackie who opened up his beautiful home to us, cooked us a lovely dinner and kept Kelsea entertained!  Brian, Wallis's poker losses are in the mail.  

8.  We even went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, where Wallis and I had our first real date (12 years ago!).  Kelsea's favorites were the baby giraffe (but she wanted nothing to do with feeding them...those tongues are much too scary) and the baby monkey hanging on his Mama's belly. 

9.  Kelsea was fantastic this weekend.  For all her good listening and good behavior, we let her pick out any toy she wanted from the Zoo gift shop, and somehow she managed to find the only girly "toy" in the store.  A purse filled with everything a three-year old going on thirteen could want to make her toes and fingers pretty.  She even convinced Daddy to paint her nails two nights in a row, with a sticker on every single finger, so that they look beautiful of course!

10.  Thanks J.J. for taking family photos (again).  Sorry readers I won't be posting any of those pictures until after Christmas...I hear Santa might be delivering them.

7 Months & Drooling

As you will notice from these pictures, Lorelei has the drool going on, thanks to those two razor sharp bottom teeth that have poked through. In a couple weeks my daughter will no longer be all gums when she smiles. Sigh.

At 17 1/2 pounds, actually my scale originally said 18 pounds but that's impossible, you are rolly-but not that rolly!  Plus, how could you possibly have gained 2 and a half pounds in one month!  So after several more "weigh-ins" I got you at 17 1/2 pounds. Wish it was still cute for me to have chunky thighs and a buddha belly. :-)

You still aren't crawling, even though you are practicing like a mad woman.   I'm still trying to capture that cute little dance you do when you are excited.  You are talking and babbling like crazy, keeping us all guessing about what you are really trying to say.  You are loved by all the day care providers since you are never fussy and ALWAYS happy.  Of course this means you are always the last to eat, but it doesn't look like this has effected you at all!

You are 27 inches long and are quickly out growing all your summer clothes!  Luckily fall is just a couple days away (although it still feels like summer here)! 

And there goes the drool (might need to download photo to see...)

What's this pokey stuff? (First time on grass)

Your usual smiley, silly self

My beautiful 7 month old!

A few thoughts about my Mom

My Mom is officially retired--woohoo!   Her ceremony and party were this evening.  I am thankful that I got to say a few things and reflect on my Mom's career:

Becoming a new mother has made me realize how difficult it is to strike that perfect balance between family and career.   The idea that women can have it all seems very illusive, yet if anyone ever came close in this world to having it all, it would certainly be my Mom.

Growing up I always felt we came first.  Whether it was ballet, swimming, basketball, track, softball or soccer, my Mom always found the time to take me to practice and cheer me on at every single event or game.   I am still amazed that she never missed a single one.   For many years my Mom was both my soccer and softball coach.  She spent her summers off from teaching, carpooling me all across Southern California to participate in soccer and softball tournaments.  I was always very appreciative of her involvement in my sports and activities, but I didn’t realize at the time how much of a sacrifice it really was.   So I thank you Mom, for all your time and dedication to coaching me and cheering me on from the sidelines.

During all this, my Mom somehow found the time to earn her Masters Degree from Dominguez Hills and later her Doctorate from USC.  I was very proud of my Mom when she became Dr. Love, but at the time I didn’t realize the magnitude of her accomplishment.  It took her 5 years from start to finish.  I still am unsure to this day how she found the time to work, go to school, and raise my brother and I.  My only conclusion is that she must not have slept.  When I come home from work exhausted and unmotivated I often wonder how she made everything seem so easy.  How did she have time to write a dissertation, participate in all our school and extracurricular activities and still cook us dinner every night?

My Mom was also always there to help with homework and school projects, like the California mission we built from Styrofoam blocks and coffee died Ivory soap.   I will certainly be enlisting your help when Kelsea and Lorelei come home with school projects!  Whether it was homework, a test, or a game my Mom would often tell us just to do our best.  It was her gentle encouragement that helped me succeed both in and out of school.

My Mom was instrumental in the lengthy application and interview process to the Academy.  If it had not been for her, I would not have been blessed with an education from one of the best schools in the country.  Although at the time, I certainly was not feeling blessed to BE at the Academy.  It was her encouragement and support that helped me survive four years as a cadet.

My Mom has taught me the value of education and hard work, but more notably she has taught me the importance of building sand castles, kicking a soccer ball, and baking cupcakes with my girls.

It is my Mom that motivates me to do better every day and to strive for my best.  She will always be my role model and my inspiration.  I am extremely grateful that I was born to this woman who has taught me such a great deal. 

So, thank you Mom for showing me how to gracefully strike a balance between career and motherhood.   Thank you for always being there for me.  Thank you for being my coach, my friend, and always my Mom.

I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished.    

Congratulations on entering the next phase of your life…you know the one where the grandkids sleep over on the weekends. :-)