Ok, here are some harvest party highlights...and some serious Laurie babbling. You've been warned!

David does a good hippie, ay?
Pinata action...led by the hippie dude
Nick and Natalie: Magician and his bunny from
his hat trick....how cute and original??

We caught us a mermaid (Nora)... Piper in the catwalk show...as Princess Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty....

I really didn't take as many pix as I should've...I'm such a loser that way....:) Nora and Molly had the same costume but I didn't put Molly in hers at all that night. She slept thru most of the event. I was a Goth (no picture to prove that though)...my friend Sherry was as well but she has forbidden me from posting her pic....and being the good, obedient friend that I am, have obeyed..for now. The party was great though...thanks to all who participated! You know who you are..

Will was a cowboy, E. was a WWII soldier, Mel was a mini-Goth, and Levi was supposed to be a monkey but wouldn't keep his garb on! Again, really no pix to prove any of that and yes, you can harass me about that...I get too overwhelmed in moments like these and lose control.

right now, it's 12:45 a.m. I should so totally be in bed. We have a crazy busy day with speech club and hanging with some awesome friends etc but here I sit. I've been going through albums, reminiscing like the nerd that I am. Just getting myself all verklempt, thanking the Lord for the rich blessings He has given to me...and it overwhelms me to think how good He has been to me over the years of my life. (I'm getting so choked up right now...the Nat King Cole song I have on repeat, "Stardust", does not help my melancholy mood)...I have such an awesome family, Mom, Dad, Tom, Andy and his crew, my sister, who I would truly be lost without and just can't fathom how other women go with out a close relationship with their sisters...her family, the good, God-fearing folks (friends and fam alike) that we know and love. Man, it is just too much! I have one rockin' hubby, we will celebrate 14 years of marriage on Nov. 27, and just how good he is to his children and I! Yeah, he's intense and all that deep stuff, but such a source of encouragement and strength for me!! He is a kick butt dad too. It's too much for this peanut head to comprehend. and then my kids??? o my gosh. little walking pieces of heaven right here on earth. I take them so totally for granted and I pray the Lord forgives me for that and gives me the strength to overcome my selfish ways. I need to stop being such a yeller. waaaaaaaaaaaaaa I could so go on here but will not. I want you to keep coming back.....:)

I want to encourage you, whoever you are, to love (an act of the will, selfless) your family, love your friends, tell them how much they mean to you. and then, like I need to do, quit taking them for granted and show them just how much they truly mean to you, even when it's not convenient or easy. Quit snipping at them (I'm talking to myself here). Words and tones can be so painful. mood swings are so painful...I know. I do it DAILY! you can see the hurt on their faces when it spews out...ouch. venom to the soul. puts a damper on pretty much everything.

Sorry for the sermon. not really. it's my blog though so deal with it...you know I love y'all. All of this came from wandering down memory lane and visiting our wedding albums and listening to this Nat song, it's from Sleepless in Seattle (which was out the summer before we wed and I listened to this album when I was living in D's parents basement, missing my fam back here etc blah blah blah), when Tom Hanks is missing his dead wife and she is suddenly there on their couch...this song is playing. It's a classic...man, can this dude sing. over and over too. ( I have that soundtrack on as well as AOL radio).

Life is too short, soak it up...before you know it, your kids will be 13 like my big boy...it's spiraling away from me. Where did that newlywed 20 year old girl go?? I can't find her. (Plus she was a size 9 back then, so that is quite confusing....)

Good night, one and all. Thanks for letting me unload. Beck, hope your 3rd day back in the workforce is the best yet...hey, it's HUMP DAY!! I can't believe I haven't seen you yet this week. Happy Wednesday y'all!! (now on Radio AOL, Johnny Mathis is singing "Misty"....I'm gettin' misty) gotta run to bed before I get goin' again....ahhhhhhhh. peace.