{Aloha!}

Saturday was my fruzin Camryn's 9th Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAM! She had a luau pool party with lots of her little friends. They played games, swam, busted a pinata and ate lots of birthday goodies! By this point I think they needed a little R & R! Me and Morgan had fun swimming!

Fruzins! Morgan, Me, and Meg!

Group Shot! Arent' they cute???

{Cam and her buddies!}

Me and Makayla...she's decked out in her summer best!

Granny made some delicious cupcakes and Nikki decorated them.

We gave Makayla her first pedicure...TOO CUTE!

Random but I got this yummy Egg McMuffin (no cheese) with a BOGO coupon!
I ate it on the way to the party!

One of Granny's DELICOUS CAKES!

Oh, yes....and my new favorite bar! Chewy and Cinnamonny and YUMMY!

Finally....A recap of my girls night out with Bubba!

We saw "Letters to Juliet"....best described as sappy and predictiable yet good it's own sappy predictable love story sort of way!

We tried to snap a quick picture in the dark but I think our flash was annoying everyone else! And obviously it didn't work anyway!

We ate at Cracker Barrel before the movie...it's our FAV! I had turkey sausage, whole wheat toast, and a scramled egg white...

So today is Sunday and I have some of my lil' loves hangin' out with me! Yay! We are planning on going to this WATERPARK in Greenville if the weather holds out. If not, we might go bowling or to a movie....

Either way, when i'm with Morgan, Brian, and Ali we are bound to have a GREAT TIME!

And I might squeeze in a chapter of my latest read, "Staying True" by Jenny Sanford. Interesting so far...

Have a HAPPY DAY!

Love,

Laura

{Summer Blog Party!}

Calling all my blog buddies!

My lil fruzin, Morgan at Fruziny Girl , had a great idea to throw a party of all of us fellow bloggers! Please let us know if you are planning on coming by commenting on MORGAN'S BLOG! We will then send out invitations to everyone with details! But first we gotta know if you wanna come! For more info....click HERE!

TGIF!!!

Love,
Laura

{"Deally" Dallying!}

When I got off work yesterday I just wasn't quite ready to go home. I decided to go browse through Burke's and Big Lots for awhile.

But first, I went through the Sonic Drive thru....
I used this coupon...

And got this yummy diet cherry limeade! A perfect afternoon pick-me-up!
I LOVE DIET CHERRY LIMEADES!

As I enjoyed my treat, I browsed through endless racks, and got lost in all the clearance deals!
I found these new yellow wedges for $3!!!
And a couple of new reads to start my "beach box"....(I have a little box that I'm filing with goodies I might need for my vacation, I usually do this for all upcoming trips. It's nice to have a little box of "prizes" to pack up when you're getting ready to go! Plus, you save money by buying great deals ahead of time rather than having to rush out and buy expensive things at the last minute.)
OK...this one won't go in the beach box because I won't be needing it anytime soon *wink* but hopefully I will one day! I'm lookin' forward to reading it someday though! It was brand new at Big Lots for 50 cent!
This one is a beach read for sure! It too was only 50 cent....a little light hearted romance. Perfect for a day of lounging on the beach!
And Jinxed....a little paperback book I found at Dollar Tree. Really, I just liked the cover!

I've been really into reading lately! I just read "A Child Called It" and "The Lost Boy" by Dave Pelzer. I HIGHLY recommend both! They are such moving, tragic, yet inspiring tales of a young boy who was SEVERLY abused by his mother thoughout his childhood. I can't wait to read the third book, "A Man Named Dave." So many children endure so much that we never even know about....SAD!

But on a lighter note....SMILE!...

I also got this new nailpolish!
This is the ONLY polish I've found that really truly lasts 14 days!!! It's AWESOME and I really wanted this light pink color for a new manicure!

And lastly, these little gold bangles for a whopping 30 cent!

After my relaxing shopping trip I felt energized for a run! I put Glory on her leash and ran around the neighborhood. I can slowly feel my body gaining strength and I feel my endurance SLOWLY getting better! Yay! Then I sat for two solid hours and read completely through "The Lost Boy", the book I mentioned above. It was that engaging, I couldn't put it down!

Tonight I have a date with Bubba to help her pack for her upcoming cruise (aka...hoping she can pack ME!) and then going to see "Letters from Juliet". A fun GIRLS NIGHT!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thursday!http://www.davepelzer.com/

Love,
Laura

{Laura the Liger!}

People who know me best know that I HATE washing my hair and try to do it only twice a week, max....

It's actually really good for your hair and mine always fixes much better when it's a little dirty! However, after a few days of wearing dirty hair up and teased it often looks like this when BRAVE BRAVE JLowe brushes it out to do my highlight! EEK! Or should I say...

"ROOOOOAAAARRRRR!"

Relax! If you're having a bad hair day just know this....
It could be worse! Much Worse!!!

Love,
Laura

{Attacking AnMed}

For last night's run, we decided to go to the track at AnMed. Trav thought the running track might have a nicer, more comfortable surface for his barefoot run. I think he was pretty pleased. We took Glory again (she's in training, too!) and got a pretty decent workout in.

We continued with our run/walk routine but this time we encountered some pretty gradual, extended hills that pushed us (well, me for sure!) to the limit! I was happy to have Trav with me because he pushed me to keep it up and finish strong. Thanks Honey!

I have discovered that chanting helps me alot! I know it probably seems weird but it just keeps me focused and distracts me from negative thoughts. About halfway through our run/walk, Travis started chanting "Put your mind to it, You can really do it, do it!". It was an awesome motivater!

Afterwards, I stretched good while my muscles were still warm and took a hot shower, at the advice of a friend, as soon as I got home. I thought I would be really sore this morning but surprisingly, my muscles are much less sore than they were yesterday! Yay! We have another run scheduled for tonight and then I think I'll talk a long morning walk on Thursday. Or vice-versa, depending on when I feel like I have the most energy. I just dont wanna over do it....

Thanks to those of you who commented with tips and advice...much appreciated!!! Please feel free to offer any suggestions you might have----I need it!


Love,
Laura

{Running Ramblings...}

I embarked on my second run/walk Monday morning!

Trav and I got up around 6:30 am and took Glory with us. We ran about 6 mintues then walked about 2 minutes for a total of around 40 mintues. I'm not sure because I didn't actually time it but I think that's a pretty accurate estimate.

I have realized that I really need a sports watch...maybe a Waterproof Timex with a pink and black velcro band! Yep, Yep, Yep...that would be perfect! (That's Ducky talk from the "Land Before Time"!)

I have also been researching running shoes. Trav and I watched a special on BAREFOOT RUNNING on ESPN'S REAL SPORTS the other night and it really got us thinking. Travis actually ran barefoot when we went Monday and said he thought it felt great. I however, don't want to risk stepping on anything nasty or sharp! That's a quick way to ruin a workout!

I'm considering the Nike Free shoes....has anyone tried them? I'm in some Saucony's now that I've had for ages. It's probably time to invest in something new.

According to what I've read, BAREFOOT RUNNING helps decrease injuries and is more natural so the foot naturally works the way it's really supposed to while running. Since I'm certainly no expert, I'm gonna have to see for myself and find out what works for me.

I was SORE by the end of the day yesterday. We just took Glory on a walk so our muscles could rest and tonight we will do another run/walk. My goal is to be able to to eventually run a 5K! That's my short-term goal...I have bigger dreams for the future! But one step at a time!

Love,
Laura

{Weekend Update!}

We started the weekend Saturday morning with a carwash and hotdog sale at Church. We raised about $700 towards purchasing "The Purpose Driven Life" for inmates in our area. Yay! {Bubba and Ray}

{Me and Bubba}

After the carwash, I stopped by a few yard sales that were still underway....

And found these "Gucci" shades! I'm sure they're actually "Fucci" shades (fake Gucci) but they're real enough for me! I loved em'!

I also found this "Land Before Time" VHS! This was one of my ALL TIME FAVS as a kid! My favorite character is "DUCKY"! Who was yours? I watched it Saturday night and it was just as good as I remembered!

My 50 cent Old Navy skirt!

{Four new magz for $2.00...not bad! I already read all of them....}

{These cat ears were in a box labeled "free" at one of the yard sales. I grabbed them to add to my costume collection. And then I made Glory into a kitty!}

Now...I must admit that I did a dumpster dive at my neighbors house and found this....

Who knows when I might need to be a spy and record my conversations! Lol!

I found this old Walkman too! Anybody have any old tapes???

And these red gloves! Thanks neighbor! One woman's trash...another woman's treasure! LOL!

After the car wash and yard sales I can home for a little nap. When I woke up, my sweet husband took me out on date! He's a sweetie!

When we left, I noticed my neighbor had left these fresh cut Hydrangeas out for me! I put them in a vase to show them off! They're one of my favorite flowers!

On my way to Logan's with my hubby! I got this delicious Roadhouse Salad with grilled chicken. I got the cheese and bacon on the side and just added a little to make it a little more yummy! And it was!

Then we hit the lanes!

Go Ray! Go Ray!

Go Trav! Go Trav! Trav got a TURKEY! Gobble, Gobble!

Bubba is a GREAT bowler! She beat Trav in the first game....hehe! Go Bubba!

{Me and Bubba...I love this girl!}

Yep...it's TURKEY TIME! HAHA!

{Me + Trav= SO HAPPY!}

{On my very last turn, I finally got a strike! Yippee!}

We decided to swing by Bruster's for a little treat afterwards!

Ray and Jessica got the Strawberry shortcake...

And I opted for this Fat Free No Sugar Added coffee ripple with some Recce's pieces on top! Delicious! Trav got a mint chocolate chip cone and I had a little taste of his, too!

A FABULOUS WEEKEND WITH FABULOUS PEOPLE!

Have a HAPPY MONDAY!

Love,

Laura

Sunday Mornin' Run!

I can't believe it but I actually got my lazy self up out of bed and went on a run this morning!

I have been thinking about giving running a try for awhile, mainly as a stress reliver and energy booster, and I decided this morning was as good a morning as ever to get started. I put on my lime green running shorts and a cool tank top and hit the pavement. But not for long...

It was HARD! I could only run for about 5 minute intervals (before my lungs felt like they would EXPLODE!) but after walking a few minutes I was able to run another 5 minutes and so on...

It felt so GREAT! My heart was beating out of my chest....my sunscreen mixed with sweat and dripped in my eyes, and my legs were shaking but I haven't felt SO GOOD in SO LONG! I need to get my blood flowin' like that more often. I'm hoping to go up to BAM one day soon and read through some books on running for beginners...to get some good tips. I need all the help I can get!

After my run/walk...*wink*...I went shopping with Molly and Makayla! FUN, FUN! We stopped by Wal-Mart and I got some new deoderant, (P.S. Have they stopped making Teen Spirit? I couldn't find it and I'm freakin' out a little!), some diet dews (probably need to cut back on those if I'm gonna take this running thing seriously), a new CHOCOLATE face mask...GOODY!...and I treated myself to a new Schick Intuition Razor...luxury if you ask me! Then I stocked up on some essentials at "Tar-jay", including some strawberry shredded mini wheats, oatmeal, and mini pretzels. We had a great time and as usual, Makayla was a good lil' shopper and cuter than ever...then....

*Enter the Green Monster!*

Wait til' you get a "load" of this story! LOL!

Molly has had a hard time finding a carrier, kind of like the one below,

{P.S. This is a GUCCI carrier! Fabulous! The one at target...not a Gucci...lol!}

...so we decided to try one out while we were shopping. We opened one up and strapped Makayla in for a little walk around the store. The carrier seemed to be workin' pretty well so we decided to test it out a little while longer and wandered over to the clearance section to take a looksy. As we were browsing the racks, Makayla "tooted" a couple times and boy did it stink! He!He! But she seemed very content in her new carrier so we continued shopping. A few minutes later, she "tooted" so loud that a lady beside us said "Was that your baby?" with a big smile on her face. We were laughing so hard that I almost peed in my pants. And that's about when "IT" happened. We were adjusting the new carrier so that Makayla could test out riding on Mo's back. I grabbed Makayla to turn her around and came out with a hand covered in "THE GREEN MONSTER!" That loud poot I told ya about a few minutes earlier...well lets just say was more than just a poot...

HAHAHAHAHA!

We ran full speed towards the front of the store where we ran into our Aunt, Uncle, and cousin from Elberton. Needless to say, there was no time for talking! I had on my 1986 Freedom Weekend Aloft tee today (a rare vintage find at the Goodwill Clearance Center! LOL!) so I didn't wanna get it covered in "poo"! I was frantically holding my hand out (did I mention it was green!) and Molly was holding Makayla out at arms length as we ran through the aisles! It was a HOOT!!! A great big GREEN, STINKY, HOOT! About 30 minutes (or more!) later we had a freshly cleaned and happy baby! Makayla will probably kill me one day for telling this story...hehe!...but what precious memories!

So...after that ADVENTURE...

Molly dropped me back off at my house, and I did a little research online on tips for "rookie" runners....

According to Run the Planet, "If you are patient, if you are persistent, if you are consistent, an amazing transformation will begin to occur. Your wonderfully adaptive body will begin to cooperate. It will happen in your own time and at your own pace, to be sure, but the transformation will take place." OOOHHHH....DOESN'T THAT SOUND AWESOME! I know God gave me a body capable of doing lots of great things so I wanna put it to the test! Hopefully I can stay motivated!

And I also discovered it's best to start with a run/walk program and that works good for me! Now I just need to find one...

But first I'm gonna squeeze the last few drops I can out of this beautiful day and enjoy a relaxing walk with Trav and Glory. Ahh...lazy summer days...arent' they just the BEST!?

Love,
Laura

{2010 Foster Parent Appreciation Banquet!!!}

Foster Parents are a very SPECIAL group of people! They unselfishly and generously give of their time, money, and HEARTS to provide a loving, safe home for children in need. At Anderson DSS, where I work, we try to honor these special people once a year in a very special way! This year we had a "FIESTA" themed banquet and I think everyone had a really nice time!

We got there early to start decorating the room. The Anderson Area YMCA was kind enough to allow us to use their community room and playground for the children. Thanks YMCA!
We filled Sombreros up with traditional Mexican candy, which was also donated! Yummy! We dined on enchiladas, rice, beans, chips, and salsa and had several different delicious desserts!
Kool Smiles was so GREAT! They donated two of these HUGE cakes, goody bags for children with toothbrushes and other little treats, and movie tickets to raffel off to the foster parents! Thanks KOOL SMILES!
Look at this AWESOME CAKE! My friend, Rasalynn, donated this cake to raffle off for the foster parents. Even the Sombrero is edible! It was made by Kim Brown, a lady here in Anderson who obviously makes AWESOME cakes!!!
{Renee, Me, Rasalynn, and Sabrina...I luv my co-workers!}
{These dancers came and donated their time and talent for FREE! They were SO entertaining! THANKS!!!}

Everyone recieved a gift, too! {Forgot to take a pic...shucks!} We raffled off LOTS of great prizes including spa packages, manicure certificates, Logan's Roadhouse baskets, a beautiful wreath, lots of movie tickets, and lots of baked goods! Each foster family won a prize!

Foster Parents, thanks again for all you do to make a difference in the life of a child! If you are interested in more information on how to become a foster parent, let me know!!!

So...because yesterday was both EXCITING and EXHAUSTING, I woke up a lil' tired this morning. I decided to have a "cup of cheer" to get my morning started off right!


{A good cup of coffee with some sugar-free french vanilla creamer!}
Then I filled up my new water bottle...


And ate my big bowl of blueberry oatmeal, topped with big chunks of fresh apple!

The apples are so yummy as they get soft and warm from sitting in the oatmeal...
...And yes, I confess to using a styrofoam bowl...what can I say, it's all I had..
and I was HUNGRY!!!
TGIF...HAVE A GOOD ONE!
Love,
Laura