What do Christian Concerts, Weddings and Gutting Hogs have in Common???

It's Sunday Night and I am writing my weekend roundup after a warm shower and with a happy smile on my face at what was, really an amazing weekend all the way around! (Also a sleeping pill so this will post Monday!)

Friday night started the weekend off with a little Steven Curtis Chapman concert with Jason Gray and Laura Story joining in. Christian Concerts tend to be just a little different because the artists usually include prayer and a cause. If you don't know who Steven Curtis Chapman is all I can say is listen to his song called Cinderella. It makes me cry every time. I know the story behind it so it becomes even more heartbreaking and hopeful but for every little girl who grew into a woman and who ever had a daddy, for every woman who has a daughter and husband, for every father who has a daughter....so much power!






I went to the concert with Rachel, Chance, Eric, Khrystal and Trish and we had a really nice time. The seats were great and I left the way I always do when I spend a night with my focus on Him. Feeling peace. I'm sure that feeling had little to do with the fact the Texas Rangers won and kept their playoff hopes alive for a AL Wildcard. Not that any of us knew that of course because all 6 of us although BIG Rangers fans only checked the score once...a song...each!


Saturday I spent they early part of the day with my mom and my nieces preparing for my brother's wedding. First up was Mani-Pedi lunch!


Then it was back to grandma's to get dressed and ready to go. We met up with big brother and daddy there.


And everyone got married and 2 families became one. One big family of 6! I am excited to get to know my knew nephews and expand the family more and this "Brady Bunch" while they have their hands full, I can honestly say my new sister in law seems incredibly ready to handle it. Many prayers and much love!


Saturday night and Sunday:
After the wedding I headed out to meet up with a a friend and do things I never thought I would do....help field dress a hog. Ok, so the long and short is, I am a sucker for a man with puppy dog eyes! So when he was trying to dress this (Nasty/Disgusting/Mud Covered/Stinky) wild boar in the rain and needed help how could I say no?
I will save you from the dead animal pictures as I always find them well...for lack of a better word, yucky!!! I am not a hunter and I don't know if I could shoot something but I will say this, the wild hog population in Texas is out of control and the animals are to the point were in some towns they are invading parks and golf courses. They multiply so fast even the hunters can't really make a dent but when you see first hand the damage these animals do to someone's land as I have and you start to read how destructive they are to other animals like deer and raccoons then you may feel like I do. My grandpa raised pigs and my friend has been telling me for months "These aren't Grandpa's pigs." Well, after reading and coming across them in person and seeing them up close and seeing the incredible damage they have done, I have to agree. So, until the Aggies have a more humane sterilization solution that doesn't effect the rest of the corn eating animals in the world, Go Hunters!

Oh....and I wasn't ignoring the Rangers during all this they were on a little thing I like to call a win streak to force a game 163 for a chance at the Wildcard Monday!!! Let's GO Rangers!!!!



Simply,
Laura
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Weekend Update: Makeover Monday!

Well I spent the majority of my weekend doing home projects. As we have discussed, getting the house prepared to sell is a room by room project. Every time I think I have finished I seem to find more.




This is the kitchen. The cabinets have been de-cluttered, reorganized, and scrubbed.


Here is my dining room. My table has been cleaned off of all folded laundry for the 75th time!


I organized and stored all my important party items together for easy access!


And a little corner of love is needed in every kitchen. This is mine. Always find space in your life for love and love will find space for you! It isn't hard if you make time for the little things. At least, that's the way it seems to me.

Today I have an appointment with a dermatologist and a hair dresser so I may actually get an actual makeover. Tomorrow maybe a plastic surgeon...or maybe just a dentist.

So here is what I need....organization tips. Who has them? How do you all stay organized? While I was going through my junk drawer I found my name plate from my last job. I have been at my current job over 11 year meaning I put that name plate in there sometime in August 2002!! You see my problem here? I found a bunch of paycheck stubs from that prior job too! I may have a problem! I have cleaned out my cabinets of plastic bowls twice in a year. Twice! You can't tell!!! They breed, I swear. Help me!!!



Simply,
Laura
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Thursday Thinking

I know, I know..."where is Laura?" "What the heck is Laura doing?" said no one ever! Well, Laura has been spending her weekends spying on doe and buck kissing because they do it right.....and because well aren't they cute???




And spending her weeknights doing really fun stuff like cleaning out my kitchen cabinets and finding out I own a turkey roaster and a Fry Daddy! Who knew? I still own both but about 90% of that plastic crap is now gone, gone, gone!




I have been shopping, of course! Don't you just love my camo shoes??? I mean could you die from how cute?




I went to the land last weekend and shot a deer rifle and got this amazing take home prize! Lol




I made funny faces and sent them to silly people...because well, they deserve the dumb side of me and frankly I just don't care how stupid I am!

So here is what I am thinking this Thursday:

*Sometimes I make life way too complicated. No, it's true. I try to look ahead instead of just love where I am right now and where I am right now is a pretty amazing a place. I need to take a minute and appreciate the gift of now and the special people that God has put in my life.

*I worry way too much about things I can't control. I know in my heart that God will work things out so I don't know why I continue to let worry eat me up. I should live by my faith in Him, shouldn't I?

*Having a bad day doesn't mean everything is bad, it means a day is bad. I can't let it ruin my week.

*Knowing you have someone who loves you and loving that person is a truly amazing gift. I never take for granted how truly special that is.

*I am never going to stop trying to become better. I may fail 300 times but I will keep trying!



We can all use a little luck! My special someone gave me some buckeyes for luck and told me to take one to work. This is the one I have on my desk. It makes me smile.

Happy Thursday! We are going to make it now!


Simply,
Laura
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Weekend Update: Running Away

I thought about writing an earth shattering weekend recap but the truth is....I am just to tired. So I thought I would share just a little of the amazing fun and a little work mixed in starting with the adorable cow who was walking down the road Sunday morning. Just walking. No idea where it thought it was going.


It's hard to really appreciate what I am trying to share here but mostly it is a bunch or deer and wild pig tracks that go right by the deer blind on my friends place.


This is the 270 rifle I shot this weekend....at targets. I really am not sure how to explain this whole gun thing. They scare the crap out of me and yet they are really amazing fun to shoot too.


4 of these are mine, I have to admit rifles are a lot easier to shoot straight and a lot more terrifying all at the same time. Still, as you can see....I still shoot paper. It's fun and I will admit it is always possible I will take out a snake but I still see Wilbur when I look at pigs even the feral hogs.

Speaking of wildlife I thought I would share a list of some of the animals who graced my weekend:
20 (or so) feral hogs, 2 deer, 1 road runner, 1 squirrel who thought I was after his or her nuts and thought seriously of dive bombing me...I saw it in it's eyes, several cows including the photogenic ham up above, a bobcat who darted through the woods, a coyote who wailed at night, a couple of dogs running around interstate 30 and of course Sadie and Ries.

I will not list the creepy crawlies although I did have a praying mantis who seemed to want to be friends and a bunch of spiders, none of whom were Charlotte.

I really mean what I am about to write: working hard on land and spending time outside is not nearly as exhausting when you are surrounded by God's creatures. I could live in the country if I could have my cup of coffee while watching the deer play on a Sunday morning. I didn't even miss baseball or football. Not even a little bit. I didn't see a minute of games until Sunday and that's ok.


Happy Monday!



Simply,
Laura
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Rebirth of my Love

This is my Camaro soon after I purchased her: Feb. 22, 1996. I was 25. (I think I put the day I bought my house in my prior blog. They were 3 years and a week apart.)


This is what she looked like last week....


After sitting in the garage for 7 long years.



The drivers side window was broken out by a would-be thief.



This is me, driving the car today for the first time since November 2006.





I forgot how low she sits.


I forgot what it feels like to drive.




Before....


After!


I can't go back and I don't want to because my life is headed in a really amazing direction but sometimes when you move forward a little bit of the past should come along for the ride. I am glad that I decided to spend the time and money bringing this baby back to life and happily my mechanic was thrilled and a little jealous. He had a Firebird but when he and his wife had kids, they got rid of it...he told me I was really smart to hang on to mine. Seeing her today, I agree completely! She cost a small fortune to bring back to life but she is worth it. Oh, and I wish you could see how bad ass those wheels look in real life!

Kiss my dust!


Simply,
Laura
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Mobile Monday: Redneck Heaven

I am so happy to announce Skye has found a new home. In all the excitement of getting the Camaro out of the garage and getting the repairs underway I found the perfect place for her in the garage.


Then I went to Bass Pro Shop to do some Bachelorette Party Shopping. It was actually the 1st of two trips this weekend.


This was my purchases for the bride to be. A Camo Cami, a Doe in heat caller and something called doe in estrus which is basically doe in heat pee. Lol there is a nice fresh water pearl necklace and earrings to make up for the funny gifts but I just couldn't help myself!


Ready to party!


The bag was from Bass Pro too!


My sister-in-law to be is a great sport and we had a great time with the gifts!











She actually hunts so she knew what it all is. I am so happy my brother picked a winner, y'all!


Sunday I had my buddy come over to help me with a few projects and one of the things he helped out with was replacing a light fixture that was broken before I moved into the house in 1999. I am so appreciative of this! Not only that but thanks to a tip from a co-worker who use to work in the plumbing industry we managed to fix my disposal instead of replacing it and my sink is draining perfectly for the first time in 8 months. This was an amazing day.


We went back to Bass Pro and I found out I don't hate it when I go with someone who knows the place. I never knew there were ducks and fish in the store. Alive and kicking.


Finally, I want to take a minute today to thank all the guys out there who work hard, turn up their sleeves, get dirty, and aren't afraid to use the muscles in their body as well as their minds. They are a rare and under-appreciated breed of gentlemen cowboys, rednecks, farmers, and just plain old good men. Thank you for being wonderful.



Simply,
Laura
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Stop Crazy Biotches!

I woke up this morning to my regular morning phone call and then the news. One of these is better.

The news was on because I fell asleep watching the Broncos but the first story I heard after I hung up was a crazy story about women buying used positive pregnancy tests on Craig's List.

My reaction: What the WHAT!?
I have had a broken heart...who hasn't? It sucks. It hurts like Hell actually. I cried my eyes out. I prayed to die. I curled up into a little ball. I even turned my anger on myself but I never, ever thought about trapping the guy or even getting revenge. Why? Because even in my despair I had enough self-respect to know that I deserve more than someone who is stuck with me. I never, ever want someone to feel like they owe me or are stuck by circumstance. They are free to walk away. When Robb and I broke up there was a scare. He would have never known if that turned out more. I have also had a "but for the grace of God go I" moment. Can I just tell you God is good?

I am hopefully older than the stupid, childish women who are buying these tests and I am obviously a little wiser but here is what I know: God has a plan and His plan is always better. People come in and out of your life for a reason and you choose what to do with the lesson you have been given.

When a good person comes into your life you will appreciate them so much more and you will fight for them and with them and talk to them about everything and the others won't matter. Things you don't agree on wont seem as important and you will find a way to overcome the problems. Don't get me wrong, they will drive you crazy and you will want to strangle them but your life would suck without them. Until you find that person, why would you ever want to be stuck with someone less? When you find that person you will know you were playing in the minor leagues before and now you have hit the big leagues.


Simply,
Laura
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Mobile Monday: Labor Day WEEKEND!

If you caught my blog this weekend I mentioned I am getting my Camaro fixed. Here she is on the day I bought her.


With the help of a friend I cleaned her out this weekend and I have her ready to be picked up Tuesday. Time to see if we can get her ship shape.


I found a weekend option for my iPhone! My normal cover is a Texas Rangers version, of course.


I spent some time in the country this weekend and while a lot of it was spent working I did get a little time for my 2nd shooting lesson. Again, let me be clear, I shot at nothing that wasn't paper and I intend to never shoot anything with perhaps an exception of a slithering creature.


I checked in on my common garden spider friend. It has moved to another side but it was still going strong.

We came across two of the most beautiful deer Saturday morning and got to see them just as they were spooked by out truck and darted but oh they were gorgeous and those white tails were flying. They amaze me in their beauty! Deer and horses....simply take my breath away.


I looked and was a hot mess!


And ended up pretty burned. My friend tried twice to tell me to put sunscreen on but I think the heat was messing with my brain because for some reason I thought I wouldn't need it in a field in 105 degree weather.


I also caught a Ballgame....Sunday in the daytime which was hot! No really. 102-104 depending on the inning.


Me with my mom....we had a good time even if my team was playing ugly.


Sunday I spent cleaning and a little QT with a friend. I included this photo to prove yes, you can actually see the top of my fridge! Neat, organized, and cleaned off.

Now all I have to do is everything else on the list....one thing at a time! Happy Tuesday!



Simply,
Laura
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