Hi

Hi, my name is Lauren Noelle, and I am getting chubby.

Real Life Excerpt #1 Tears and Fat Neighbors

Yesterday, I was so hungry, I cried. Yep, big crocodile tears.
This nursing makes a person real hungry

I made a huge batch of oatmeal raisin cookies a couple days ago to combat the problem. Something easy, something quick I could just grab and snack on. They worked beautifully, Problem was, I ate them all day and Lauren screamed for 4 hours straight that night with a bad belly ache.

No more oatmeal. I sadly gave away all the cookies to the neighbors, so not to be tempted

I just need to go shopping really, but I haven't had the energy to walk down all those aisle and push that heavy shopping cart around...."yawn" it makes me tired just thinking about it.

So I called Barry and told him to bring me home dinner, that I didn't care what it was ...greasy chicken, dry sandwiches, pizza ...just food. Then he reminded me I had taken his debit card away, and he had no money, so he couldn't possibly....I hung up.

Then I was just plain mad. Mad at Barry, mad at myself, mad at the world.

I'd show him ... First, I thought about ordering a pizza to deliver, but I seriously doubted they would deliver where I live. Besides, I didn't have any cash for a tip, can you order a pizza without cash???

Second, I decided to make something fattening to be mean, because Barry's on a diet.

So I made some fudge. (Yes we have those supplies) Lots of nuts, he likes nuts
I couldn't really eat any because chocolate bothers Lauren, ....and marinara sauce, and oranges, and applesauce and broccoli and green peppers, and salsa .... and the list goes on

After eating two large pieces of fudge and licking the pan, I decided my plan was backfiring, so I dished up the rest of the fudge on plates to give away to the neighbors.

Then I made peanut butter cookies. I don't really like them, but I thought Barry might be tempted. After eating 4 cookies myself, I decide to add them to the neighbor plates.

By the time Barry came home our island was covered with plates with treats loaded for the neighbors. "What's all this??" Barry asked peeping under the tin foil.

"I was hungry," I said ..."They're for the neighbors"

Then I cried the big crocodile tears

That's when Barry gave me a hug, a pat on the back, and promised to go shopping for me the next day with a debit card, a list and without complaint.

Smiling through my tears, I offered him some fudge.

***************
Today, I'm making the list.

Problem is, all I can think to put on it is chips. Mmm CHIPS. Crunchy greasy salty goodness.

I just don't know if the memory of my crocodile tears will be enough to persuade Barry to buy chips, promise or no promise. I better add some vegetables to the list.

Stay tuned for the results and for Real Life Excerpt #2(Is She A Good Baby??)

Lambs, Lauren and Linsday

Barry had a little lamb.
Well actually about 2000 of them ....in our yard.

FYI if you want to know how many sheep there are in a flock, count the black ones, shepherds usually put one black one in for every 100 white sheep.

P.S They're actually pregnant ewes. but's Barry's Lambs sounds better.







After a very long night.

Just in case you missed her .....





Lauren sunbathing for her jaundice


Lindsay is my friend. We are both in Young Womens together. I also used to visit and teach her. So we spend quite a bit of time together.
Ellie helps me make her cookies and other treats. Ellie writes her notes of thank yous and draws pictures for me to give her. Lindsay works at a Salon. She gave me a pedicure right before I had Lauren. Ellie was real excited about this, and liked my pretty toes that Lindsay had painted.

On Saturday, Lindsay was suppose to bring us dinner. She was a bit late, 7:30. We wondered if she was really coming, Ellie had been waiting all day ....for her Lasanga and to see Lindsay. She wrote her a note and was very excited to give it to her personally ... to thank her.

Then we get a knock on the door, I told Ellie "It's her."

It wasn't, it was her husband Steve.

He had brought the dinner over.

I told Ellie to give him the note she wrote, Ellie was a bit shy, but gave him the note, and he left with a smile and a bag of cookies.

As I was setting the table for dinner, I looked over at Ellie, she had a bewildered expression on her face, I asked her what was wrong. Then she said very quietly. "That was Lindsay???"

I had to chuckle to myself about all the thoughts that must have been going through Ellie's head.

It hadn't occurred to me that Ellie hadn't ever actually met Lindsay.



I explained... and we had a good laugh together.



I guess she didn't like the thought of that man rubbing my feet and painting my toe nails, while looking at the pretty pictures Ellie had drawn.

Preschool

I asked Ellie to watch Lauren while I tried to get James to lay down for his nap.

This is how I found her upon my return.

Ellie had out a notebook, and was perched on a little chair by the swing. She had written her name real big on the paper, and was patiently explaining to Lauren and the baby dolls how to spell her name.
Guess she didn't notice Lauren had drifted off to sleep. I guess two awake students out of three is not too bad....

sunday

4 weeks at home with Lauren. She and I shall try to make the most of our Sundays together. The kids are happy to now have 11:30 church, and so am I.




Bye Mom, Bye Lauren.

Snow Cave

A lady in our ward gave Ellie some Bendaroos for a present when Lauren was born. Ellie made a little fire and a tripod with a cooking pot. Nobody helped her, she just came in and showed us. She's a clever little girl.











Barry bought me something BIG yesterday. Something REAL BIG. Pictures to come on Monday.

More Lauren and James

A girl in my ward made me a beautiful quilt for Lauren. I was very surprised to receive it, but I love it.

James has been doing very well with the baby, he gives her kisses and so far is very gentle. He spent some Daddy time with Barry yesterday, feeding the animals, chopping wood and playing in the snow. He also discovered a large icicle, which he was very hesitant to give up when the time came.








I was going to help Natalie sew a little bag for part of her Christmas present. So on weds we went to the store and picked out a pattern and some fabric. We also found a pattern for a cute dog sweater, so we got that too. Natalie has a cute little dog at home that she loves. Unfortunately, we ended up at the hospital that night, and I didn't end up being able to help Natalie. Fortunately, Barry stepped up and helped Natalie sew a cute little dog sweater. I think it turned out very well and they enjoyed making it together.

Christmas!

We had a wonderful quiet Christmas this year. We stayed home, because we thought Lauren might decide to come sooner than she did.
We bought the kids bunk beds, and bought Natalie's plane ticket to come down from Washington. Those were our main presents. The bunk beds were a surprise, Barry set them up the night before, James was very excited to have a big boy bed, and has done very well sleeping in it the whole night. we also had the rest of the families gifts for the kids, since we weren't coming down, so the kids had a big Christmas at home.

Barry got a new wool vest, that I can't find a picture of. He also got a cordless drill, and I got new cabinets in my kitchen and some much needed boots.

Here's some pictures of it all. Hope you enjoy.