Our little wannabe COWBOY

Last weekend, after JC had gotten over the flu but was still all hyped up on Tamiflu, he and I were watching a rodeo on tv. He LURVED it!!! He practiced bull-riding on my leg and calf-roping with a small cord from his bead stringing kit. But the funniest thing was the "steer wrestling." That's when the cowboys jump from their horse to wrestle down a steer. (Can anyone tell me the point??? I mean is that something cowboys often have to do out on the ranch? Oh well, I digress...) Anyway, JC's steer was a pillow. He tossed it into the air and wrestled it down before it hit the floor on its own. HILARIOUS... Did I mention the Tamiflu had him climbing the walls??? Enjoy these pics of our little cowboy!

Long time - no blog

I know it has been a LONG time since I have blogged... And I know all three of you out there who read my blog have really missed me. Ha!

Well, big announcement for those of you who don't know - we are expecting a baby girl in mid-March. We are so excited we can hardly stand it. :) This pregnancy has been much different than when I was pregnant with JC, so I have had a feeling for a while that it might be a girl, and sure enough, my suspicion was confirmed yesterday at my 18 week ultrasound. So, the Robertson family will be adding a little more femininity to our household soon!

JC started Pre-K at The Early Childhood Education Center the end of August, and he is loving it! He is learning so much! Curtis and I have visited his class for Family Music, Family Reading Week and Donuts for Dads. I am also planning to go with the class to the pumpkin patch later this month.

He is also playing soccer this fall! Well, when the games aren't rained out... In his third game he scored his first goal, and it was such a memorable moment for us! He had told Curtis in the car on the way to the game that he WOULD score a goal that night. When he did, he looked over to us on the sidelines and gave a HUGE thumbs-up. Then, he ran over and gave us both a huge hug! What a special moment for us!!! I don't see him doing that when he scores his first touchdown or hits his first home run at age 15. It was a sweet gesture we will never forget.

We have MSU Season tickets again this year, so we have been cheering on the Bulldogs and enjoying the time back in Starkville. Much Oby's has been consumed. Ha!

We took a family trip to Atlanta Labor Day weekend and met up with the Jameses so the guys could go to the Atlanta Nascar Race. We had a great visit with them and JC spent a lot of time bonding with Jackson! What a sweetie!


That is really the only exciting news we have had since my last blog. Lot's of long hours at work during my busiest time of year, but I have accomplished a lot so far.

I am loving the cooler weather, and believe it or not - the rain doesn't bother me that much.

FOAMerator

Last week I was sitting in the surgery center lobby while my niece Ella Clare had her tonsillectomy, and I picked up a copy of Family Fun. While looking through I found an AWESOME project called the FOAMerator. I decided to try it with JC, and ya'll - SO MUCH FUN!

Moms - make this today using stuff you have lying around the house.

Here is what you do. Take a clean plastic water bottle or 20 oz. coke bottle and cut the bottom off about halfway up the bottle. Cut about a 6" square off of a towel or bath cloth. (I used a clean dust rag, because who wants to cut up a good towel or bath cloth?) Dampen the cloth and wrap it around the cut end of your bottle and secure with a rubber band. (A ponytail holder did the trick for me when I couldn't find a rubber band.) Coat the bottom of a shallow dish with dish soap. Dip the dampened cloth part of your FOAMerator in and coat with dish soap. Pull it out and blow gently through the small part of the bottle to create your foam. Blow slowly to create a LONG snake-like foam or do quick puffs to create small balls of foam.

I was able to get about a 5 foot snake of foam before it broke off but unfortunately we did not get a picture.

As you can see, JC and I had a BLAST with this!!!

Fun in Florida

The weekend before the 4th, we visited family in FL and had a great time with lots of cousins, great food and time in the water and at the beach!

Our little fishy!

We are trying to keep cool in the pool this summer, although it feels more like a hot-tub most days in this near 100 degree heat.

JC is really swimming great this year!!!

We are the Champions!!!

JC and the Shoe Carnival team finished up their season this week, and they celebrated with a party after the game with t-ball cupcakes, ice cream, goodie bags, and even trophies for all the players!!!

And here is our little ALL-STAR with his trophy. Curtis told him that this is how he should pose when getting his picture made with his trophy. Too funny!!!

JC has really enjoyed t-ball this summer! He is already looking forward to soccer in the fall. I think the Tupelo Sportsplex is fast becoming our home away from home.

Make this pie...

TONIGHT!!! You will be so glad you did.

The Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is as easy as well... pie. Har-dee-har-har!

I made it even easier by just purchasing an Oreo pie crust instead of making my own crust. But if you want to take the time, go ahead. I am sure it will be delightful! This pie is absolutely delish!I think Curt fell in love with me all over again when he tasted this pie. Thanks, Pioneer Woman! He liked to put it in the freezer and then have it with a big glass of milk, but I like it soft and all mousse-like. Yum!

And, by the way, check out a few of The Pioneer Woman's other posts while you are on her blog. You will LURVE her... She is so great! This is like the 4th one of her recipes I have tried and I have loved them all.

Ok - run along now, and make your pie... And be amazed at how sweet your husband is to you after he eats it! It's magical, really! :)

Father's Day Weekend 2009

Happy Anniversary!

Celebrating 8 wonderful years today.

I love you, Curtis!

T-ballin' and a visit from the cousins

JC is still loving t-ball. My niece and nephew, Ella Clare and Cullen, came up for one of his games this week with Grammy and Papaw. Then, Grammy and Papaw took us all to McDonald's for dinner. What a TREAT!!!

Team huddle

Cullen and JC

The kiddos with Aunt Lori

Ella Clare's self-portrait. :)

They want to rock and roll all night

JC and Cullen trying their hands at Guitar Hero! Rock out boys!!!

And Mom and Dad. Ha! Daddy has clearly given up, but look at the concentration on Mom's face. Love it!!! Don't worry Mom - it takes hours of dedication to become the true Guitar Hero that I am! Ha!

LORIOLOGY

I have to get Jon and Kate off the top of my blog. Makes me sad every time I look at it... So for fun, here is a little web-cam goobiness and some LORIOLOGY. Leave me a comment if you do this too. I would love to read yours!

LORIOLOGY

FOOD-OLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch (Hidden Valley - none of that off brand stuff.)
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Harvey's
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? lasagna
What are your pizza toppings of choice? Pepperoni, onion, bell pepper
What do you like to put on your toast? Butter and grape jelly

TECHNOLOGY

How many televisions are in your house? 2
What color cell phone do you have? sage green
What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? You are drunk but you are lecturing me about putting salt on my food??? (I was NOT DRUNK - this was from my friend LaToya on Twitter)

Who was the last person to call you? my Mommy

BIOLOGY

Are you right-handed or left-handed? RIGHT
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Wisdom teeth
What is the last heavy item you lifted? JC

BULL CRAP-OLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Hmmm... I don't think so... I worry too much.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I wouldn't
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? sure

DUMB-OLOGY

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 7
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? I was pulled over for speeding about nine years ago.

Last person you talked to in person ? Meghan - in the office next door
Favorite Month? January

CURRENT-OLOGY

Missing someone? Yes

Mood? Relaxed
What are you listening to? Random office sounds
Watching? Nothing

Worrying about? The work I should be doing...

RANDOM-OLOGY
What’s the last movie you watched? Twilight
Do you smile often? I do!
Do you always answer your phone? Not always

It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? I cannot imagine that anyone would rely only on text if they had an emergency that required my attention at 4AM.
If you could change your eye color what would it be? wouldn't want to
What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? none
Do you own a digital camera? Yes
Have you ever had a pet fish? Yes
Favorite Christmas song? "Silent Night"
What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Nothing at the moment
Can you do push-ups? Ha ha! Now that is funny...

Can you do a chin up? I doubt it...

Does the future make you more nervous or excited? excited
Do you have any saved texts? No
Ever been in a car wreck? No - thank you Jesus.
Do you have an accent? I have been told I do... daily...

What is the last song to make you cry? ???
Plans tonight? cooking dinner and maybe going to a softball game if Curtis has one.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? No

Name 3 things you bought yesterday. Pool floats, batteries, hot dog buns
Have you ever been given roses? Yes

Current hate right now? Rudeness - I always hate that actually...

Met someone who changed your life? Yes
What song represents you? I love music... One song I have been loving lately is "So Small" by Carrie Underwood. Great message!
Name three people who might complete this? ?
What were you doing 12 AM last night? Lying in bed talking with my hunny.
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? 5 more minutes

Jon & Kate

This Jon and Kate Gosselin thing has me so upset ya'll. We have been fans for several years. JC is just a little bit younger than the sextuplets so watching their show has always been something we did together as a family. Curtis and I would laugh at Jon and Kate's bickering (and let's face it - Curtis and Jon are a lot of like - overgrown kids themselves) and we all loved watching how this family of 10 lives day to day. In other words, we feel like a part of their family.

I am not a big tabloid reader, so I might have been a little late hearing about Jon's so-called affair, but when I did it broke my heart. I also know that tabloids are full of lies, so I am trying to remain objective and not believe everything I have been seeing

Like many of you, I was anxious for last night's season premiere. We were going to hear what was going on "in their own words" as TLC teased us. I wanted to hear Jon and Kate tell us that they were working on it and that everything was going to be ok. THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED...

The show started off with Jon and Kate being interviewed separately - directly addressing their issues. Jon maintains that yes, he might have made some reckless and irresponsible choices, but that he never cheated on Kate (no matter what anyone believes. It is insinuated that maybe Kate does not believe this.) Kate addressed the implications that she had cheated with her bodyguard and explicitly denied them. Anyone can tell that something is wrong in this marriage. Jon seems aloof and annoyed about even being there. (He made no secret of the fact that he did not want to make another season of their show.) Kate seems distant and less confident than normal, but still says that everything she does is for her children. The first awkward segment of the show lasted for 10 minutes with the back and forth (he said - she said). JC even said that Jon looked and sounded different (although he had no idea what they were talking about.)

The next segment features the children... Yay - lets lighten the tension for a minute! But, we soon see that Kate is planning to take the kids to pick out their birthday party decorations ALONE because "Jon needed a weekend off." She takes the kids shopping, they come back home, and she and the older girls fill the pinatas and get the goodie bags ready for the party. Next, we see Kate (with helpers) setting up the party. Jon is still no where to be seen.

The party finally starts and Jon shows up with the cakes and Kate's cell phone (which he seems annoyed that he had to go home to get for her.) The cameras do not even show Jon and Kate speaking to each other at the start of the party, but Curtis reminded me that they have edited to make it look as bad as possible. They would have to have spoken to each other for Jon to know to go home and get her phone and pick up the birthday cake. We finally see them talking and Kate tells Jon to work on getting the water out of the inflatable for the kids. Again, he seems very annoyed and makes some sort of little gesture that looked like a puppet on a string as he goes off to complete the task. One of the saddest moments of the show was when Alexis was loving on her Dad at the party, and it was quite obvious he has not been around much. Then, she very tellingly asks him not to go away anymore. Oh my GOSH...

After the party we go back to separate interviews with Jon and Kate where they discuss the party and more marital problems. Kate gets very emotional when the topic of divorce comes up. She cries when she says how important the family photo at the party was because it might be their last. (Ripping my heart out here...)

Finally we have Jon and Kate sitting together (but apart). They are asked what the status of their relationship is. Neither really has a clear answer. Both want to be there for the kids, but viewers have the impression that they do not want to be together.

The show ends with a family cookout. Voice overs from Jon and Kate make me think they are separated but they see the importance of coming together for the children.

The producers of the show definitely spun this episode in Kate's favor. She planned the party and pretty much carried it out on her own, because it was what was right for the children. They gave us a nasty impression of Jon and left me wondering about the stability of his mental state.

As much as I love "Jon & Kate Plus 8," and as sad as I would be, I think it may be time for them to take a break from the show. Jon obviously does not want this lifestyle anymore. They need to get their lives back on track and get God back into the center of their marriage. I wish them the best.

"Why can't I quit you?"

Those of you who follow my mindless Twitter updates (@loriandcurtis) might remember that I started my Starbucks detox on May 14. It has been a HARD week and a half.

Folks, I do not even consider myself a coffee drinker. We do not even have a coffee pot at home, but there is something about Starbucks that makes me CRAVE it.

I always get the same thing - White Mocha. Here is the description from the Starbucks website: "A delicious variation of the classic mocha. Rich full-bodied Starbucks espresso is complemented with our proprietary, creamy White-chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream."

Doesn't that sound delish? Well, let me tell you... it is?

What is it about this drink? Why do I pay nearly $5 for a drink? Like I am some rich, Generation Y hipster... I cannot afford $5 coffee!!!

Yet, for some reason, today, on day 12 of my detox program - I broke. I am now holding a Venti White Mocha and savoring its goodness. (I am also filled with shame.)

Read this book!

I just recently became an avid reader. My friends at work convinced me to read the Twilight Saga last fall (which I finished in record time and loved every minute of, thank you very much!), and since then I have pretty much kept something to read at all times.

My latest read was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. WOW! I will not give away the plot, but I want to tell you a little bit about this book because it was so good.

The book is set in the 1800's during the California Gold Rush and follows the life of Sarah/Angel, a child who was sold into prostitution at a young age after the death of her mother. I normally do not like historical novels, but it did not bother me at all here.

I am reading along and I suddenly realize this is a Christian novel as one of the main characters is very conversationally praying to God. Reading on, I realize that the whole book is based on the Book of Hosea from the Bible.

This book is inspirational and emotional - which make for a great story in my opinion. I hope you will pick it up. I think you will LOVE it! And if you read it (or have read it before), please let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts.

JC's First T-Ball Game

JC played in his first t-ball game tonight! He was so excited, and so were Curtis and I.

He did a GREAT job! He hustled every time the ball was hit. He also hit really well and did a great job running the bases!

He is playing for the Shoe Carnival team.

We are really proud of him and looking forward to the a GREAT season!!!

Super Bulldog Weekend 2009

It is always so great to go back to MSU! Feels like going home... We were lucky enough to get to spend last Saturday in Bulldog Country for the baseball game and the Spring football game. We caught up with some good friends and topped the day off with dinner at Oby's. YUM!

JC loved the inflatables they had set up behind the bleachers.

I love my Lynn!JC and Lynn's daughter, Sophie! What a cutie pie!!!

Some of the Sullivan's gang - minus a few. Philip, his daughter Caroline, Lynn, JC and I.

Some Random Robertson Updates

Easter weekend was full of blessings for our family! We started the weekend off with an Easter egg hunt/festival at our Church on Friday evening. JC found a lot of eggs and enjoyed the activities offered, such as pin the tail on the bunny, decorate your own cupcake, Easter egg ring-toss and an egg race. Saturday, Curtis and JC went golfing while I had lunch with one of my best firends, Lynn, and her family who came to visit. Later that afternoon, my parents came to Tupelo and we dyed our eggs and attended our Church's Easter Cantata and Drama presentation. It was EXCELLENT!!!!
Sunday morning, JC found his basket from the Easter bunny. He got the Red Power Ranger, a Superman Monster truck, some Whopper Robin's eggs, Tootsie Rolls and other candy -filled eggs!
We had pancakes and bacon and got ready to head South for church in Eupora. We enjoyed the service with family, which was filled with beautiful songs by the children, handbell choirs and the Chancel choir. We had lunch at Mom and Dad's house and spent most of the afternoon letting the children hide and hunt their eggs. (Easter Sunday pictures in the following post.) Then, we spent the later part of the afternoon visiting with Curtis' mom and Chuck! It was a great time!

As some of you know, Curtis was let go from Waste Management (due to downsizing) the end of January. I am happy to report that he returned to the world of work last Wednesday. He is now employed with Utility Management Association. They sell products to make your home more energy efficient. It is a local, family-owned company. Curtis really seems to be enjoying it so far. In this economy, we count ourselves very lucky that he was able to secure a new job in just over two months. Praise be to God!!!

JC is as energetic as ever! He is an active four-year-old who is enjoying the warmer weather by getting out and riding his bike as much as possible. I think we will be taking the training wheels off very soon! He is also really excited to be playing t-ball this spring. He has his first practice Thursday evening. I am sad because Curtis and I will be missing his first practice. Grammy is coming to Tupelo to take him, because Curtis and I will be at the Alan Jackson concert - Curtis' favorite singer!

The past couple of months have been extremely busy for me at Girl Scouts Heart of the South. I have a few more very busy weeks ahead, and then I hope it will slow down for a little while.

Don't you just love Spring? My irises are blooming, and JC and I just couldn't resist the photo opps!!! Have you ever seen any this marroon color??? They were not this color last year. I've read that their color is dependent on the acidity in the soil. I love that these bloomed marroon just in time for Super Bulldog Weekend!!!