Grace and Peace

New Years in Lakeland, part 3

2012-02-01T13:57:00.001-06:00

We may not have indulged in any amusement parks this trip, but we did make a trip to Clearwater Beach on what started out as a beautiful sunny 70 degree day.

Eli loves the water and is at a perfect age to enjoy playing in the sand.

While the day stayed relatively warm, the craziest mist rolled in around mid-morning. It was like being enveloped in a cloud. Which is kind of cool, I suppose, if you aren't trying to soak up the rays on the beach! Keep in mind that this picture is NOT in black and white!

The misty conditions didn't deter Eli from enjoying the water, although he enjoyed pushing his Daddy into the waves first.

And Eli always loves playing with his Pappy... I think the feeling is mutual!

A fantastic day!

New Years in Lakeland, part 2

2012-01-31T14:30:00.000-06:00

Josh's parents' new digs in Lakeland put us ridiculously close to every possible amusement park Orlando has to offer.

Disneyworld, Universal Studios, Sea World, Epcot, Legoland... all right down the road.

But even better than all that?

My aunt and uncle live outside Orlando! I've seen them exactly twice in the last 8 years. Once at our wedding in 2003 and once at Noah's funeral in 2008.

Needless to say, we skipped all those parks for another time and moseyed over one day to to introduce Eli to his great aunt Barb and his great uncle Richard!

New Years in Lakeland, part 1

2012-01-21T09:19:00.000-06:00

After Christmas, we loaded up the car and headed down to Lakeland, Florida to spend some time with Josh's parents. I learned two things on this long drive:

1) I-75 from Macon, GA to Tampa, FL may be the most boring stretch of interstate in the country.

2) The iPad is an awesome way to keep a toddler occupied on a long drive.

The weather was gorgeous during our visit and there was an awesome park within walking distance of Josh's parents' apartment. We wandered over there one morning and let Eli explore.

He first checked out this big cat...

And then did a little digging in the sand pit...

We blew some bubbles and Eli chased them...

It was originally a little too chilly for Eli to play in the fountains, but as it warmed up it was tough for Eli to resist the call of the water.

I don't remember if Eli was crying in this picture because he was cold or if he was mad that he had to stop playing in the water. Either way, I thought he looked pretty cute bundled up in my sweatshirt!

What I'm reading...

2012-01-16T13:31:00.001-06:00

On the nightstand:

Her Mother's Hope and Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

Downstairs:

Making the 'Terrible Twos' Terrific! by John Rosemond
Bringing up Boys by James Dobson
The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick

What are you reading?

A conversation with Eli: morning wake-up

2012-01-13T20:25:00.000-06:00

We have this conversation almost every morning while Eli is still laying in his crib.

Me: 'Goodmorning Eli!'

E: 'Daddy?'

Me: 'He's in the shower?'

E: Ta-ta. (Thomas the Train)

Me: Your Thomas is downstairs on your train track.

E: Ka-chow. (Lightning McQueen)

Me: He's downstairs too.

E: Bobby. (Bob the Builder)

Me: No, we are not going to watch Bob the Builder right now.

Our first Christmas in Georgia

2012-01-11T14:11:00.002-06:00

It was a very quiet Christmas around the Lauer house.

For the first time in years, we didn't travel to visit family over the holiday. Eli is just getting to the age where he understands presents and the fun of opening them, so we relished the opportunity to watch him open his presents in our own house.

I was the first to wake up and had to wait until after 9am (!) before anyone joined me downstairs.

And I discovered that the present opening process with a two-year old prevents bunches of pictures from being taken.

None of Eli opening his presents but some of the aftermath...

This little guy was easily Eli's favorite present of the morning. Thomas, or 'Ta-Ta' as Eli calls him, was carried around for a least the next three days. I can't say that I am the biggest fan of the Thomas cartoons, or the cost of ANY of the official Thomas merchandise, but Eli sure does love this train.

We ended the day with some delicious filets cooked in a cast iron skittle and brown butter noodles. Yum!

I dropped botany twice but I enjoy a good botanical garden...

2012-01-11T13:52:00.000-06:00

My mom joined us for a week in mid-December while my dad traveled hither and yon doing his consulting work... 'yon' this time meant Brazil and my mom figured it would be more fun to hang out with Eli rather than stay home alone! He is pretty cute company, I have to admit.

While she was here, we decided to check out the Georgia State Botanical Gardens located on the outskirts of Athens. Perhaps not the most colorful time to visit the gardens, but we enjoyed the grounds and the fresh air. And it is always fun to find free places to take Eli to explore.

There were a few plants in bloom...

but mostly we just followed Eli around as he wandered the garden paths.

Eli posed for a few picture for Grandma... if you looked closely, you can almost see him saying 'CHEESE!'

Look over there, Grandma!

We were trying so hard to get a good picture of my mom and Eli together... but he was already tired of me aiming my camera at him and asking him to stay still. What a face!

Eli taught Grandma a few things about the finer points of botany (I think, remember I dropped that class twice!)

The biggest excitement of the outing was the discovery of this little guy...

... and a daddy longlegs that Grandma and Eli watched until it disappeared out of sight!

Eli and the Big Truck

2011-12-15T16:24:00.000-06:00

A typical conversation with Eli these days is about one of the following things: trains (choo-choos), back hoes (dig-digs), or big trucks (beh chruck).

So you can only imagine his joy and delight when his Pappy drove his rig to Athens for Thanksgiving and let Eli sit in the driver seat.

He was, simply put, over the moon.

Pappy even showed Eli how to honk the hydraulic horn!

My big boy doesn't look so big when he is behind the wheel of this big truck!

Such fun! Thanks, Pappy!

Thanksgiving in Pictures

2011-12-12T22:18:00.000-06:00

Josh's family joined us in Georgia for Thanksgiving.

Which also meant that we got to meet our nephew, Jack, for the first time.
Which also meant that Eli had a new source of entertainment for the week!

Eli got to help his Grammy roll out the dough for the pumpkin pie crusts! (Pretty sure more flour ended up on him then on the counter!)

Thanksgiving place cards...

Sweet Jack...

Chris and Eddie loved the chance to hang out with their grandsons!

With family in town, we decided to celebrate Eli's birthday a little early... stay tuned for pics of Eli riding his cool new balance bike!

Jack couldn't keep his eyes off Eli the whole week... you could just see his wheels churning as he tried to figure out how he could keep up with his cousin!

Proud grandparents!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Eli!

2011-12-02T13:13:00.001-06:00

I don't know how it happened.

I blinked and my chunky little baby turned into a energetic and joyful toddler.

Who turned TWO today. TWO!

He doesn't really know what all the hubbub is about, just that he has gotten some extra treats and a huge Lightning McQueen balloon.

He was not really in the mood to take a picture in the chair this morning. So I am lucky I got a usable shot! Most of the rest looked like this:

Happy Birthday, Eli. We love you to the moon and back.

Ringing the Chapel Bell

2011-11-17T15:47:00.001-06:00

It has been a busy, busy Fall.

And I have neglected you, blog world.

The volleyball season ends next week and then the Lauer family will breathe deeply for a few weeks before gearing up for the beginning of Josh's recruiting travels.

We have been enjoying the seven game win streak of Georgia's football team... and figured last week's trouncing of Auburn was a good time to partake in a Bulldog tradition. (We discovered after moving to Athens that Georgia fans hate Auburn almost as much as Alabama fans do. Almost.)

From www.georgiadogs.com:

The ringing of the chapel bell after a Georgia victory is a tradition that continues even though freshmen are no longer ordered to do the chore. In the 1890's, the playing field was located only yards from the Chapel and first year students were compelled to ring the bell until midnight in celebration of a Bulldog victory. Today, students, alumni, and townspeople still rush to the Chapel to ring the bell after a gridiron victory.

On Oct. 27, 2007, as tradition warrants, Georgia fans rang the Chapel bell to celebrate the 42-30 win over the Florida Gators. The excitement caused the yoke holding the 877 lb. bell to give way, and it fell from the support platform. Physical Plant has returned the bell to its post.

I didn't know that last part until just now when I went to look up the specifics of the tradition! I'm sure that scared the pants off of whoever was ringing the bell at the time!

Eli wasn't sure what to think at first.

You really want me to pull that thing, Daddy?

Ok... if you say so!

Happy Halloween... from our little monster!

2011-10-31T13:16:00.000-05:00

Random happenings

2011-10-06T15:20:00.000-05:00

1. Eli decided the other day that he was tired of waiting for me to push him on his trike. And just like that he started pedaling.

2. A few weeks ago, Eli got to spend some quality time with his Pappy. They hadn't seen each other since LAST SUMMER!!! Needless to say, they had a lot of playing and rough-housing to catch up on!

3. Fall has finally started to make an appearance in Georgia.... the mornings have been crisp and cool and the leaves are starting to change colors. This is my favorite season of the year so I was excited when the athletic department staff was invited to preview a new local corn maze and pumpkin patch. We only got to go for about 45 minutes because of Josh's practice schedule, but Eli loved every minute.

Tractors and trucks are a few of Eli's favorite things these days, so the chance to sit on one of the vintage tractors put him over the moon.

This 'neigh-neigh' gave Eli a few kisses on the head.

4. Eli is adding new words to his vocabulary every day. Some of his newest words include:

doon (balloon)
truck
iieyee (eye)
dig dig (back hoe)
yay!
chock (chocolate milk)
fa-fa (waffle)

5. Our trip to the Georgia Aquarium with my mom was awesome. But it is a really hard place to take pictures! I did have a few more that I wanted to share.

Eli loved the Beluga whales. Their white coloring is so pretty against the blue of the water!

I can never get enough of the big tank. I really think I could sit in front of it for hours.

Eli loved spending time with his MoMA!

Cupcakes for Noah

2011-10-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

One of the best parts about living in Georgia is being close to friends from college who live in the Atlanta area.

Two of these friends happen to be married to each other. And they happen to be some of the funniest people I know.

Back in August, when we celebrated Noah's birthday, Brian and Laine drove up to Athens with two of their five kiddos and some cupcake mix. We enjoyed each other's company and then enjoyed some cupcakes in Noah's honor.

Eli wanted to be front and center for the cupcake making process...

Austen wanted in on the action as did Cameron, but she was ~~sleeping peacefully~~ upstairs in Eli's crib. Poor Cam-dog!

Eli and I put on the sprinkles as the finishing touch...

Thanks Bennetts!

Under the Sea

2011-10-01T08:11:00.002-05:00

Life continues to be busy. Really busy. I'm trying to get a handle on it but that is whole different blog post.

My parents came to town last weekend and we had a wonderful time doing nothing in particular.

While my dad was at a meeting in Atlanta, my mom and I took Eli to the Georgia Aquarium. The timing was perfect... it was a weekday morning and there was hardly any crowd at all. Eli could run and point and yell 'Ma-MAA' to his heart's content.

It is a magical place. I took lots of pictures but this is the only one that comes close to capturing the experience.

Last but not least...

2011-09-15T22:00:00.001-05:00

Life has been distracting me lately... the beginning of the VB season, the start of various activities I have signed up for in an effort to get 'plugged' in in Athens, and a few free lance projects have all been the focus of my time.

Sorry, blog-world, for letting you fall by the way side!

Here are a few pics from the end of my journey with Eli to St. Louis. We stopped in Nashville over night on the way to and from the Lou, both times staying with good friends who I hadn't seen in a while. The Roper clan is getting the short end of the stick... I didn't really get my camera out that first night and as a result have no pictures to document the fun we had a Pei-Wei or the torture their poor dog endured at the hands of Eli.

I did a little better documenting at our stop at the Emerys on our way home.
Eli had such fun playing with the Emery kiddos and was pretty sad when we had to leave to finish our trek.

After trying on these sweet shades, Eli agreed to let Claire take him for a little spin around the driveway. He loved every minute of it even though he looks like he is holding on for dear life in this pic!

Eli got his ring-around-the-rosie schwerve on several times on our trip... but it was load of fun playing it on the air mattress with Claire and Ben!

Thanks for your hospitality, Emerys! Love you!

St. Louis, Part 5 - The Butterfly House

2011-09-05T21:14:00.000-05:00

On our last morning in St. Louis, we met a group of friends at the Butterfly House. It was a beautiful morning and a great way to run off a little of Eli's energy before getting in the car for the first half of our journey home.

Eli decided to check out the educational video before heading into see the real butterflies.

There were also some other insects on display... and Onalee decided to get up close and personal with them! Nothing like being surrounded by a few hundred roaches!

Butterflies are EVERYWHERE when you walk into the conservatory. I wanted to stop every few steps to take pictures of them but Eli was in the crazy man mode and demanded most of my attention. I did manage to snap a few...

Eli as a butterfly during a rare moment when he wasn't running all over the place.

After leaving the Butterfly House, we headed to the playground next door and I got to spend a little time with Luke. What a cutie!

Eli, of course, had a blast on the playground equipment.

Here is the whole gang of kiddos!

Our play time eventually came to an end and we had to say our goodbyes. The Snyders had been gracious enough to host us all week long and Eli repaid this generosity with lots of hugs for Nicole before we left.

Eli and Elise had become like brother and sister while we were there... to the point that we had to separate them at breakfast on our last morning because they couldn't keep their hands off each other! But they were all hugs before we left... well, at least until the hug caused them both to fall over and bang heads. But it was a super cute moment before that happened!

St. Louis, Part 4 - Hanging with the Wilmots

2011-09-03T21:47:00.004-05:00

I so wish I would have taken more pictures of our morning with Kelli and the Wilmot kiddos. We had such fun with them... but this is the only pic I really have to show for it. And Piper didn't even make it in the frame!

Thanks for having us over!

Watch me grow... 21 months!

2011-09-02T12:59:00.000-05:00

St. Louis, Part 3 - Hanging with the Duggins and the Fabbianos

2011-08-30T16:47:00.001-05:00

We squeezed in lots of visits with friends during our time in St. Louis... some days I ran Eli a little ragged as I dragged him around town.

On this particular day, we first hit my old school (North Kirkwood Middle School) so the principal could show off the new science wing that is under construction. I am SO jealous that I didn't get to work in this space... it is going to be really impressive when it is finished and a vast improvement over the small classrooms most of the science teachers were in before.

After leaving North, we headed to south city to visit with Erin, Marlie, and Tate Duggin. Erin is my sweet and extremely talented photographer friend who took these awesome pics of Eli after he was born. Tate was only awake for a bit of our visit so I didn't get any pics of his cute mug, but I did snap a few of Eli and Marlie playing outside.

At some point, after we went back inside, Eli started coloring in Marlie's room and I couldn't resist catching him in the midst of all the pink!

Our last stop of the day was the Fabbiano home. I'd actually already seen Katie twice during the trip but both times were without our kids. She had never met Eli and I hadn't met her youngest son Joshua. So, in spite of the busy day and lack of napping, we headed over for a little play time. Eli did fall asleep in the car and stayed asleep for the beginning of our visit (while I relished the all to rare snuggles) but we still had fun!

Look at these blue-eyed cuties!

Our friend Kelly stopped by, too... it was her wedding celebration that brought us to St. Louis to begin with! I love this picture of her playing with the boys.

Eli found this guitar to play with but was a little confused as to why there were no strings to strum! Doesn't he look like a little rock star?

Katie and I were both hoping for a cute pic of all three boys together but Samuel was still a little grumpy from his nap (who can blame him?) and wanted nothing to do with my camera. I did get this super cute on of Eli giving Joshua a little side hug...

... and managed to snap a quick one of Eli and Samuel sitting together before we headed out!

St. Louis, Part 2 - Hanging with Patty G

2011-08-23T16:41:00.000-05:00

Oh, Patty G.

Do you remember meeting for the first time at the Bread Co on Woodlawn? With Perry? And you were all tan from being in Hawaii? And you both were trying to tell me about Roger?

What I didn't know then is how much I would come to value you as a colleague and even more as a friend. Or that I would come to know and love your daughter, too. Or that I would have to come up with an appropriate number of goats to give Drew to secure your granddaughter's hand in marriage to Eli!

Love you! Thanks for brunch!

St. Louis, Part 1 - Hanging with Uncle Nate

2011-08-19T22:14:00.002-05:00

Thanks to a perfectly timed wedding of a sweet friend, Eli and I escaped to St. Louis for a week right as Josh's preseason madness began.

Our visit also fell immediately before my most melancholy week of the year... the week that holds both Noah's birthday (Aug 17) and the anniversary of us saying goodbye to him (Aug 16).

Which was also perfect timing... because spending time with our friends in the Lou was food for my heart and soul when I needed it most.

We spent a great afternoon and evening with Josh's brother Nate... who hadn't seen Eli since last June. Eli LOVED hanging with Uncle Nate and was quite enamored with his dog, Maddie, too.

Eli especially enjoyed introducing Nate to his favorite game of chest bumping.

But my favorite moment of the day came when Nate got his guitar out and Eli joined him for an impromptu jam session. I could watch this video over and over... oh, wait, I have watched it over and over!

Happy 4th Birthday, Noah!

2011-08-17T20:13:00.000-05:00

The goodness of the LORD

2011-08-16T22:41:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, a friend asked me to share some of my thoughts on grief. She had been asked to prepare a lesson plan on the subject as she interviewed for a job as a high school Bible teacher. Most of the following is from our email conversation but it also represents much of what is swirling around in my head and heart as we mark the third anniversary of saying goodbye to Noah.

(It is probably worth noting that I have been wrestling with the wording of this entire post ALL night long... it is a disjointed and imperfect representation of my thoughts but it is my attempt to honor Noah's life and all the lessons he taught me.)

************************************************************************************

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

It may sound strange but God convinced me of His goodness in the midst of Noah's short time with us. It is hard, or even impossible, to call Noah's diagnosis 'good'... but there was SO much good that we saw during his life. From the joy that he brought us to the impact he had on others to the way we saw God's hand provide in so many tangible ways as we walked through a dark, dark valley.

And, amazingly, it was in the valley where I discovered everything that God had done in my life up until Noah was born was to prepare me for the journey of his next 364 days. Youth group, college Bible study, His Life, church, late night conversations about theology, volunteering with youth ministry, Damascus Road, mission trips... I could go on and on and on. It was those faith building experiences, those opportunities to learn about the character of God, those moments where I wrestled with what I believed that gave me a faith and a confidence in the Lord during the hardest time of my life. As it says in Esther, "For such a time as this."

Josh and I walked the days of Noah's life holding tight the simplest of truths: God is good. God is love. God loves Noah. God loves us. God will provide.

By no means did this make our journey with Noah easy or prevent my heart from being broken in two when I had to say goodbye to him, but it allowed our marriage to withstand the weight of our loss and for both Josh and I to emerge with a strengthened faith rather than a wrecked one. And it allowed me to trust God enough to let another sweet baby into my life to love.

A hug for Noah

2011-08-15T14:01:00.000-05:00

Oh, sweet little Noah man.

We are thinking of you a lot this week.

I have lots of fun pics to post from my recent trip to St. Louis with Eli but thought I would put those on hold for a little as we remember a few sweet moments from Noah's life. He would have turned 4 this week on Wednesday... how is it possible that 3 years have passed since I was able to hold him in my arms?

Would you do me a favor?

Would you find someone today that you love and give them a hug in memory of Noah?

Short shave for the heat wave

2011-08-01T12:24:00.000-05:00

Eli's hair was getting a little shaggy and, with the hot temperatures, a hair cut seemed like a good idea. He weathered his first hair cut like a champ... and this time was no different.

We clipped on a home made cape to catch the clippings, put a Little Einsteins episode on the TV, and it was off to the races!

Not really sure what this face was all about... but it was pretty stinkin' cute!

Ahhhh... short and cool. He was such a champ through the whole process... I'm sure it helps that it was his Daddy that was wielding the clippers! Can't decide if he looks older or younger with the buzz cut, but I know its C-U-T-E regardless!

Where is the pause button?

2011-07-14T20:33:00.002-05:00

How did we get from here...

to here??

We finally bit the bullet and bought Eli a push and ride tricycle.

I had looked around on-line a little bit but didn't want to spend a lot of money on something I wasn't sure E was going to like or use.

On an excursion to Wal-Mart yesterday for totally unrelated items, we came across this gem for the low, low price of $39. That is a STEAL, my friends.

The back pole lets you push and steer... crucial for the pre-pedaling stage we are in now.

Based on the look on his face, I think he likes it!

Two boys and a fountain

2011-07-13T06:55:00.001-05:00

Some friends from Montgomery came up to Atlanta last weekend.

(Well, they are really friends from St. Louis who happen to now live in Montgomery. Which makes us happy as they are close enough to scoot over for a visit once in a while.)

After a trip to the Apple Store, a overpriced romp in the children's museum, and a 30 min detour to a park pavilion where we watched the heavens open up in a furious downpour... we made our way over to the fountain in Centennial Olympic Park.

Now, Eli loves a good fountain. We discovered this in Destin a few months back. This fountain was no different. He ran right in. Followed by a slightly more hesitant Micah. The result was awesome.

It's a banana chocolate chip muffin kind of day

2011-07-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

Some gems from my phone... vol 1

2011-07-09T08:08:00.000-05:00

1. Eli is very into anything that has a steering wheel

that he can pretend to drive. Here is Exhibit A.

2. See #1. Exhibit B.

3. See #1 again. Exhibit C.

4. Eli figures out a popsicle.

5. A big moment for Josh as he gets to meet professional

wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka at a VB tournament.

As my brother-in-law said when he saw the picture,

if you have 'Superfly' in your name, you can rock a

fanny pack whenever you want!

Build your own Stonehenge

2011-07-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

If you have ever assembled something from IKEA, I have a feeling that you will find this funny...

Self-portrait

2011-07-07T09:26:00.000-05:00

Road Construction

2011-07-06T11:48:00.002-05:00

One of the newest crazes sweeping my group of friends is a website called Pinterest.

It is a virtual bulletin board of ideas that you want to remember... the way we used to rip out pages of magazines, this site allows you to grab a picture of home decor, a baby present, a hair styles, etc., that you come across on-line and 'pin' them to your board. You can peruse what your friends have pinned and get even more ideas.

The site has the potential to be a little overwhelming and make me covet all the beautiful things in the world that I know we can't afford... but at the same time, it helps me keep track of some really fun ideas.

Here is the perfect example...

Source: lilmoptop.blogspot.com via Debra on Pinterest

A pair (or pairs) of denim jeans turned into cheap and easily stored pieces of road for Eli to drive his many cars and trucks on? Yes please!

There is a thrift store within walking distance of our house. Eli and I often take a stroll there to look for gently used board books to add to his library. Most are only 75 cents! On our most recent trip, I also picked up the biggest pair of men's black jeans I could find.

Then I cut some simple road patterns out of plain white paper and tried to make my mom proud by pinning and cutting them out like someone who actually knows how to sew.

A little yellow puffy paint for the center lines...

I also added some velcro dots on each end of the road so that we could stick them together... which helps with the roads not sliding out of alignment when the earthquake known as Eli crashes through!

Everyday moments

2011-07-04T06:08:00.000-05:00

It is rare that we have these kind of everyday moments. (Which I guess kind of contradicts calling them that.) So I was tempted to leave my camera at home and just soak it in.

But I'm glad I didn't.

There is a little creek a few blocks from our house. One of Eli's favorite things to do is throw rocks in the water and watch them splash. This is usually a 'this boy has too much energy' activity for me and Eli... but a few days ago, Josh wanted in on the action, too.

To Eli at 19 months old.

2011-07-02T14:48:00.003-05:00

Oh Eli.

You are a bundle of energy that never stops moving. Unless Curious George is on. Or Cars.

There are so many things I know I am going to want to remember about you at this age.

Like how you say "no" emphatically, but don't say "yes" unless prompted. And then it comes out "sssss-ya" with a big head nod.

And when you do want something, you say "oooooooo-ooooh" (just like Curious George) with a big smile on your face.

A few weeks ago you figured out how to make your cars drive over things... like the coffee table and my arms and legs. You make the cutest "vroom" sound while you are driving them around.

You have no fear. You will run away from me at the drop of a hat just so you can run. I don't think you would look back to find me until it was too late... so I chase you. Which you also love.

Your favorite position to sleep in is on your tummy with your butt in the air.

If you don't like the way a food feels on your fingers, there is NO way it is making it into your mouth.

You love cheese and bread. Everything else is a crap shoot.

Anytime you see the Georgia 'G', you yell "GEEEEEEEEE!" and get so excited. Sometimes you see the 'G' and I don't which makes for a fun scavenger hunt. We often go on a 'G' hunt when walking through parking lots.

You love your daddy. You have stopped crying when he leaves for work in the morning, but you used to do that all the time. Now you just get really, really excited when he comes home. You sometimes put a bag over your shoulder and say 'bye-bye' like you are leaving for work like Daddy. Super cute.

You don't know many words yet... Dr. A tells me it is because your brain is completely focused on moving. And by moving I mean running, jumping, crawling, climbing, throwing, falling, pushing, sliding, etc. So I still haven't heard you call me 'mama' yet... but I know there is a point in a few years when that is ALL I will hear, so I am okay if there is a little delay. "Da" means down, up, ball, Daddy, that... and probably a few more things I can't remember. You understand most of what we say to you, even though you sometimes ignore me as I am calling your name over and over and over again.

You do say "shoes" very clearly... which probably reflects your deep and abiding love for your Crocs.

You love to fake sneeze. Usually while in your car seat. "aah... aaaaahhh... aaaaaaahhhhh... CHOO!"

Your favorite book right now is Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb which Moma sent you. Even though the monkeys in this book are a little bit creepy, it is fun to read it to you and watch you practice drumming on your legs.

Sometimes I can't believe what a great sleeper you are. Even now, at 19 months, you take two 2-hour naps most days. And bless us with 12 hours of sleep most nights. When you do come into bed with us, you always manage to sleep perpendicular to me with your feet by my head.

Like your brother, people seem naturally drawn to you. You charm everyone with your easy smile and your willingness to hug anyone. When we drop you off at the nursery at church, you rarely look back as you run off to play. I hope I can find some fun playmates for you soon, because you clearly thrive in social situations.

Your favorite TV show is Curious George. You LOVE that monkey. Lightning McQueen is your hero but you still get scared when the hot rods are messing with Mack on the highway and when Mater and Lightning go tractor tipping. You've recently decided that trains are cool and say 'choo-choo' like a champ. You want to pet every dog that we see. Cats are smart enough to run away.

If I want to get you upset, all I have to do is mess with your nose. You HATE it when anyone does anything to your nose. Strangely enough, you didn't mind at all when I had to put eye drops in your eyes for an infection last week. Even signed 'more' to me after I put them in. Go figure.

The tantrum phase has officially begun... you often throw the nearest toy after I tell you 'no'. Sometimes you slap my hand if I am trying to give you something you don't want or take something away from you. Guess I knew this was going to happen eventually but I'm also hoping it passes quickly.

You've recently developed a love for the water and surprised me by being willing to lay on your back in the baby pool with only a small circle of your face above the water.

You are getting braver about putting your face in the water to blow bubbles... but we're not quite there yet.

I am sure I am forgetting a million cute things you do but this is a start.

We are on the downhill slide to your second birthday... and I cannot wait to know you as you grow up!

Love, Mama

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T16:55:00.000-05:00

18 month stats

2011-06-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

We took a trip to see our pediatrician yesterday for Eli's 18 month check up.

We love our doctor and Eli had fun charming her with all of his antics.

He did not have so much fun when the nurse surprised him with his shots. But he was still willing to say thank you to her with tears in his eyes. My sweet little munchkin.

His official stats are:

weight ... 32.3 lbs ... 95th percentile

height ... 35 in ... above 97th percentile

Which is our regular confirmation that Eli is a big boy!

Inspiration

2011-06-15T14:50:00.001-05:00

I have been in love with the pairing of RED and YELLOW lately.

Not sure why. But it makes me happy.

But when I saw these sunflowers on sale at the grocery store yesterday

I knew I had to have them and that I would put them on this red placemat.

I also have a red planter with yellow flowers on our front patio.

But I don't have a very green thumb so those flowers are looking a

little sickly right now and probably aren't worthy of a photograph.

A visit from Grammy

2011-06-15T14:21:00.004-05:00

Josh's mom treated us to a visit this past weekend.

Chris has been in Tuscaloosa for the past few weeks dealing with the tornado damage to the house they still own there. She took the weekend off and drove the 4.5 hours to see us!

We spent the weekend relaxing and tooling around Athens.

Eli LOVED spending some time with his Grammy!

This is about as crafty as I get

2011-06-07T08:53:00.002-05:00

Well, that might not be entirely true... but this is about the level of craftiness that I am comfortable with!

Living in Georgia means that we are living pretty far away from family. And I really want Eli to recognize those who love him the most. So I went about creating a book for him with all of those smiling faces.

I thought about using an online photo service to create the book but wanted the pages to be tough enough to withstand Eli's page turning... so I decided to make it as a binder with laminated pages instead. You can't really tell from the pictures, but I used a half-sized binder which is perfect for Eli's little hands.

I love the way it turned out!

Watch me grow... eighteen months!

2011-06-02T07:59:00.001-05:00

I can hardly believe that Eli is a year and a half old! How did that happen?

Happy half birthday, little man!

Click HERE to see his last 'Watch Me Grow' pic at fifteen months.

Well, hello there June!

2011-06-01T21:25:00.002-05:00

Have you missed seeing this face?

May is a volleyball coach's wife's dream.
After a whirlwind spring of recruiting and adjusting to life at the University of Georgia, Josh finally got to take a break. In fact, the NCAA requires it in the form of a recruiting quiet period!

So I took a break, too, and went off the grid.

During our siesta, we loaded Eli into the car and headed down to Destin. I'm a lucky girl as it was my second time down in as many weeks.

The conditions couldn't have been more perfect... there were green flags (calm conditions) on the beach for three days in a row and ample sunshine.

Eli approved!

We found a classic Destin breakfast spot called the Donut Hole. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce Eli to the wonderful world of donuts. It was vacation after all! I think he liked it!

Next to the donut, I think Eli's favorite part of our vacation was the fountain at a local shopping center. Pretty sure the look on his face was pure joy the whole time we were there.

Needless to say, it was a fantastic week.

I'm ready to go back.

P.S. My sweet little boy will be a year and a half old TOMORROW! Can you believe it? Stay tuned for a 'Watch Me Grow' pic to commemorate the occasion!

Fun in Athens: The Twilight Criterium

2011-05-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday night, the Lauer fam ventured out way past Eli's bedtime to witness the Twilight Criterium, Athens' annual nighttime cycling race. We saw some of the men's race, which included 150 cyclists who raced 80K around eight city blocks in downtown Athens.

The weather was gorgeous and the crowd was electric. It is pretty impressive to see that many bicycles barreling down a city block and careening around turns. Eli enjoyed watching the racers and was declared 'the cutest guy we've seen all night' by a few college girls who may or may not have been drinking...

Escaping Athens...

2011-05-03T22:33:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago Josh went on the mother of all recruiting trips.

9 days. 4 states.

Holy cow.

Fortunately, Eli and I were rescued by our friend, Judy, who invited us to come and hang out with her in Destin.

The seven hour drive alone in the car with a VERY active toddler was a bit daunting. But when the BEACH is at the end of that long drive? Bring it on.

Eli hadn't been in a pool since he was 8 or 9 months old... so he was a little unsure in the beginning.. which wasn't helped when he planted his face right into the water in the kiddie pool reaching for a toy on the first day. Most of the week he preferred to sit on the edge of the pool throwing toys (or his crocs) in and waiting for us to retrieve them. If I brought him into the pool with me, he shook his head and said, 'Noooooooo'.

Then Coach Judy stepped in...

and, by the end of the week, she had coaxed him into the pool with her where he splashed and giggled and had a grand old time.

Eli also made a new friend... in the form of a lizard that lived on the tree outside the condo. Every time we walked to the car, he would first head over to the tree to see if his buddy was around.

Judy introduced us to the deliciousness that is a shrimp po-boy from a local restaurant called the Crab Trap. We walked 5 miles round trip TWICE to partake in the goodness... and I am counting the days until I can gobble one up again. YUM. We also ate at the Back Porch where Eli and I found a deck chair that was the perfect size for the two of us...

Thanks, Aunt Judy! We had a blast! Eli loves Ju Ju!

Please pray for Tuscaloosa

2011-04-28T12:49:00.003-05:00

4-27-11 Tornado Tuscaloosa, Al from Crimson Tide Productions on Vimeo.

We have been living in Athens, GA, since the beginning of February but Tuscaloosa still feels a lot like home to us. And I cannot put into words the devastation the town has experienced.

This video was shot from the building where Josh's office was when he worked there. Unbelievable, heart-stopping action.

The pictures of the aftermath are heart-wrenching and tragic.

This is a town in need of supplies, equipment, man-power and prayer.

Blocks of business I used to go to on a regular basis are just gone.

From what we know, all of our friends and those associated with the volleyball program at Alabama are safe and accounted for.

We are still waiting to hear about the condition of the home that Josh's parents still own (and were trying to sell). It sits in the path of the tornado and we cannot believe it has escaped unscathed.

Please consider making donation to the Red Cross or to our church home in Tuscaloosa, Capstone Church.

It was time.

2011-04-14T10:39:00.001-05:00

There was definitely a party going on in the back.
And not really sure it was all business in the front.

Something needed to be done.

So yesterday we set up the booster seat on the patio and Josh got out his trusty electric shaver.

I wasn't sure how the little man was going to react to the noise of the shaver based on his typical reaction to the vacuum cleaner and the lawn mower... which is full-fledged fear and loathing.

Fortunately, the shaver is MUCH quieter and, with Curious George on the TV as distraction, all went smoothly and without much ado.

Pre-cut comb out

Say goodbye to the mullet!

Any good mama would put that pile 'o hair in the baby book, right?

So far, so good!

The final product. Why does mama keeps rubbing my head?

Cause and Effect

2011-04-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

Hmmmm. There is Daddy with the lawn mower.

I do NOT like the lawn mower.

A boy and his dad

2011-04-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

Eli's recipe for a happy afternoon

2011-04-05T20:22:00.000-05:00

Sunshine

Water

Apple juice

JOY

Some quality time with Uncle Matt

2011-04-05T20:13:00.000-05:00

Josh's recruiting travels recently took him to Columbia, SC, for a mid-week club practice. Eli and I tagged along so Eli could have some quality time with his Uncle Matt, who is a senior at the University of South Carolina.

Eli was barely walking the last time Matt saw him... which was NOT the case this time around! I sat back and snapped a few pictures while Eli ran his uncle ragged on the playground!

To be fair, Eli was a little tired by the end of his playtime with Uncle Matt, too!

If you want to plant a Cheerio tree...

2011-03-30T11:34:00.000-05:00

it may be better, Eli, to choose a spot that isn't concrete.

The blur I call Eli

2011-03-29T10:15:00.001-05:00

Taking pictures of Eli has become more challenging lately.

Because he never. stops. moving.

Which results in 90% of my shots (especially with my iPhone) looking like this:

When I started taking this picture, Eli was standing by the window looking out.

Then he saw the camera and decided he needed to come check out its buttons.

And all hope for focus was lost!

The best $10 I've ever spent

2011-03-28T11:43:00.001-05:00

Last week I met a friend about half way between Athens and Atlanta. After we hung out, I decided to drive the rest of the way into the city and make an impromptu trip to IKEA.

I don't know what it is about that place, but it draws me like a moth to the flame.

After wandering around a little bit and picking up a few items that I ~~needed~~ wanted, Eli and I headed to the kids section so he could play a little before we got back in the car.

And that is when I spotted it.

A simple red tent. Eli-sized.

The price? $9.99.

How could I resist?

Best. Decision. Ever.

Just look...

Eli loves to crawl inside and hang out for a little. Then usually he turns to me and asks me to close the door... which he does by using his sign for 'more' for some reason.

Sometimes I peek inside to see what he is up to...

Sometimes Eli peeks outside to see what I am up to...

And then sometimes he does this... which just has to make you smile.

Happy Monday!

Something for your 'To Do' list

2011-03-24T10:26:00.003-05:00

I miss St. Louis. {Sigh}

Definitely a case of 'you don't know what you've got til it's gone.'

I'd like to introduce you to a couple of my friends from St. Louis... Russ and Katie Mohr.
I've known the Mohrs since before Josh and I got hitched and, frankly, always wished I'd had a chance to be better friends with them. They are cool that way.

Katie writes an awesome blog that she started to document their incredible journey to adopt a little boy from Guatemala. You can read it here.

Russ is artist of many talents. Singer. Songwriter. Trumpet player. Graphic designer. He is in an awesome band called the Fundamental Elements. Amazing.

Anywho, Russ and Katie are in the process of adopting another little boy, this time from the US. And the costs are astronomical. As a way to off-set some of these expenses, Russ has recorded a 6-track worship CD that is available for digital download.

It's called Hymns & Spiritual Songs. Go HERE to check it out. You should take a listen. You won't be disappointed.
And then you should buy it so you can listen to it some more. And know that you are helping some excellent parents bring a little boy into their home to love.

From Russ:
Hymns & Spiritual Songs is a worship EP comprised of 3 original tracks and 2 hymns by Fundamental Elements front-man and City Church director of worship arts, Russ Mohr. Russ collaborated with band-mate and close friend Luke DeJaynes, who engineered and mixed the project. All instruments were performed by Russ and Luke. Recorded at the Groove Kitchen in Greenville, IL.

This EP was recorded as a fund-raising effort to help the Mohr family offset the expenses of adopting a baby boy in Spring, 2011. It is our hope and prayer that the music recorded on this album is a blessing to you and your family, just as your purchase of this record has been a blessing to ours.

Thanks so much for supporting our endeavor and our art. Enjoy!

The skinny on Eli

2011-03-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

I still haven't gotten back into the swing of blogging, but thought I would at least post Eli's most recent stats from his 15 month check up with our new pediatrician (who I love).

WEIGHT: 30 lbs 9 oz

HEIGHT: 33 3/8 in

Both measurements are pretty much off the charts. Further confirmation that Eli is a big boy.

He walks, runs, climbs, crawls, rolls, tackles... all with gusto. To say that he is an active kid would be a major understatement!

Eli talks all the time but doesn't use many recognizable words yet. Except 'no'. Lucky me.
He knows several animal noises, including dog, cat, duck, and cow.
And, don't tell anyone here in Athens, but if you ask him what an elephant says, he will raise his fist in the air and wait for us to say 'Roll Tide'. It's too cute for me to try to get him to stop.

We get an occasional 'uh-oh' and 'da-da' and 'ma-ma'. Eli continues to use some signs to communicate as well... especially 'more', 'please', and 'all finished'.

I have a feeling that an explosion of vocabulary is around the corner!

Eli is about as friendly as they come... he will wave at anyone who looks his way and has all the grandmas at the grocery store wrapped around his finger after he flashes one of his charming smiles.

He has started giving great hugs and will often come up to me and throw his arms around me. Sloppy open mouth kisses, too. Aren't they the best?

In addition to using the word no, he fully understands what it means when it is told to him. We are seeing the beginning of the tantrum phase... crying, gnashing of teeth, collapsing on the floor... the whole nine yards.

Oh, Eli. You are the light of my life!

Watch me grow... fifteen months!

2011-03-02T12:52:00.000-06:00

Grandma & Grandpa come to visit!

2011-02-28T16:56:00.000-06:00

A great bonus to living in Georgia is that my dad comes to Atlanta several times a year on business. Which means we will get more visits from Grandma and Grandpa... the first of which was this past weekend! Hooray!

My mom arrived in the middle of the week and had a pretty cute, one-munchkin welcome party:

The weather was nice enough to spend some time on our back patio, where Eli got lots of quality time with Grandma.

Nothing like a little grandma snuggle on the couch!

Trying on a fun hat from my friend in Belgium (his head is finally getting big enough, Lisa!)...

A little driving practice at the outlet mall!

Finally, after my dad joined us, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and walked around UGA's campus. Of course, my camera battery died shortly after we got started, so this is the extent of my photo shoot!

Thanks for visiting MoMA and Pop pop! We love you!

An Eli fix

2011-02-21T17:14:00.000-06:00

Some of you might be experiencing Eli withdrawal as I have been a slacker with the blog.

I would be having withdrawal if I didn't get to see his sweet face and chubby legs every day.

It's okay. You don't have to identify yourselves. I know you're out there.

Here is a glimpse of the munchkin and some of his antics of late...

Apparently, this basket looked like a comfy place to sit.

This horse was headed to where no horse had gone before.

A warm day meant some fun play time on the patio.

We did start with pants on...

Must. Squeeze. Legs.

Huh. How did my shirt get wet?

Can you handle the cuteness?

The Georgia Whirlwind

2011-02-21T16:57:00.000-06:00

If you have been following our blog for awhile, you know that our recent job change and relocation has been a long time in the making.

For my own memory's sake and for those who are interested in seeing how this played out (which is probably a grand total of two of you), here is the whirlwind in a nutshell:

February 2010 - Head coach at Alabama announces her plan to retire after the fall season; as with other sports (ie football, basketball), head coaching changes usually mean wholesale staff changes.
Spring 2010 - Josh applies for two coaching positions, is a finalist for both, but God closed the door.
Fall 2010 - Josh coaches his final season at Alabama
December 2010 - Job search begins in full force, main focus is on head coaching jobs at smaller D1 schools; lots of phone interviews, no major developments

We celebrated Christmas with my brother's family and my parents in Colorado... then welcomed the New Year with the following craziness:

January 3 - First contact with the new Georgia head coach
January 6 - Josh interviews for the assistant coaching position at Georgia
January 7 - Josh accepts job at Georgia
January 18 - Josh's first day at UGA
Janaury 26 - The moving truck arrives in Tuscaloosa
January 27 - We officially move into our new home in Athens

Whew.

I am starting to feel settled and Eli is figuring out how to get to his room with stairs in the way.

I am fortunate to have a friend in Athens already... believe it or not, she and her husband moved from Tuscaloosa just under a year ago!

We are so, so excited to be a part of Georgia Volleyball and can't wait to see what the future holds.

And, I'm gonna try to blog more... for those of you who are still reading!

Georgia on my mind

2011-01-24T17:11:00.000-06:00

Sorry for my long absence, bloggie friends. I'm still here!

But the Lauer family is on the move and things have been a little crazy in our world.

Here are some of the details if you are interested...

And I can tell you that Eli is already pretty much obsessed with this guy:

We should be settled in Athens by the weekend and I will try to resume my blogging regimen!

Bring it on, 2011!

2011-01-06T11:03:00.000-06:00

There are many changes afoot in the Lauer household.

And lots of unknowns that will hopefully become known in the near future.

But one thing is sure... if I get to spend 2011 with these two guys, all the rest doesn't matter too much.

I {Heart} Faces

2011-01-03T09:54:00.001-06:00

When I read that this week's photo contest at I Heart Faces was to pick your favorite 'face' picture from 2010, this picture immediately came to mind and I figured I might as well throw my hat in the ring.

I love the sparkle in Eli's eyes, his big toothy grin... perfect.

I love the drool mark on my pants, his slightly crusty nose... perfectly imperfect.

I love this face!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-01T17:25:00.001-06:00

It has been a crazy couple of weeks.

The crazy started with Eli and I spending a week flying solo at home while Josh was in Kansas City hanging with his volleyball peeps, watching the Division I national championship, and trying to find a job. Josh had a head cold, I had a chest cold, and Eli was his normal VERY energetic self.

We met up with Josh in St. Louis and flew to Denver to spend the week leading up to Christmas with my parents and my brother's family. SIX adults, FOUR boys, and TWO dogs. Josh was still blowing his nose, I was still hacking up a lung, and Eli was thankful his cousins as a release for some of his energy.

And then the stomach flu reared its ugly, despicable head.

First to fall... Harry, my youngest nephew.
Then Eli, who, fortunately, had a milder case.
Then my mom.
Then me. On the day we flew home. Nothing like losing your lunch in an airplane bathroom.
Then my dad.

Blech.

It has taken until today before we have all felt back to 100%.

In spite of all that craziness, we had a great time with the western Reckases.
Killer Bunnies. Football in the park. Cookie decorating. An afternoon walk. Family time.
Awesome.

Band of brothers:

Doggy kisses:

Killer Bunnies:

Playtime at the park:

Brother sandwich:

Afternoon walk:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Catching up: The Cupcake Card

2010-12-17T22:59:00.000-06:00

This has provided much entertainment for all of us.
Eli giggles every time we push the button.
Kevin... your card is in the birthday hall of fame!

Catching up: Eli's 1st Birthday Party

2010-12-17T22:36:00.002-06:00

We decided to take a low key approach to Eli's birthday party... no need to go crazy on a party he won't remember and doesn't understand, right? And I am beginning to realize the challenge of having a child with a birthday in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so low key sounded really good to me this year.

It was a small gathering of 'big kids' - mostly friends from the athletic department and volleyball staff. My pictures were really dark and grainy... not sure why... but you'll get the idea!

The birthday duds.
Eli must have known something was going on as he kept hanging out
by the front door and looking out the window!

The birthday cupcakes.

The birthday chair.
This was a gift from Josh's parents... it was the perfect present-opening spot.

The guests. (Some of them, at least)

The presents. (Even though we said NO presents! Rule breakers!)

YUM!

The Birthday Boy.
Looking so much less like a baby and more like a little boy already!

Still to come... the infamous cupcake birthday card. Stay tuned!

Catching up: Thanksgiving

2010-12-16T23:16:00.003-06:00

One of the realities of being a division one volleyball family is that the season continues all the way up to Thanksgiving. This makes traveling to be with family extremely difficult.

This year was a really fun break from tradition. Our good friends, the Snyders, trekked from St. Louis to Tuscaloosa with their two kids for the Thanksgiving holiday. Cory and Josh played football together at Washington University, so Josh was especially excited to take him to the Iron Bowl.

The Cobbs, who recently moved to Montgomery from St. Louis, were also able to celebrate with us.

We all looked at each other as we gathered at the afternoon feast and said: "Who would have thought we would all be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for Thanksgiving?" Amazing where life takes us.

The fun began with Josh's final match with Alabama... it was a sweet victory over Mississippi State. Our guests and their kiddos gathered in the spirit line as the team came on to the floor from the locker room.

We will forgive Aaron for wearing a shirt that was a little closer to Mississippi State's maroon than Alabama's crimson.

The next day was feast day... my first Thanksgiving truly in charge of the kitchen. I tried to incorporate some fun elements for the kids and yummy foods for all of us. I was really excited about the turkey place cards I created after getting the idea here. They took a little time to put together but I loved the final product.

Turkeys under construction

Almost finished

Final product

Our meal was very traditional... turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, etc. The gravy, however, is always a source of marital strife in the Lauer house. You see, I am a 'au jus' kind of girl where Josh is an 'add a little flour' kind of guy. Fortunately, we had enough drippings to go around so major calamity was avoided. Josh got back in touch with his chemistry roots as he worked magic with the gravy.

When you cannot be with family, good friends are the next best thing. Great food and even better company.

And nothing compares to a post-feast nap...

We also attempted the traditional 'kids on the sofa' pic. When I loaded the shots on to my computer, Nicole and I were almost in tears from laughing so hard at our kids antics captured on film. Which is probably even better than a pictures with them all smiling and looking at the camera!

There were lots of other fun moments from the weekend. I was giving Eli a bath one evening when AJ and Elise decided they had to join him...

There was also some quality bonding time between Cory and Eli.

Friday was the day of the big Alabama-Auburn football game. We all headed to the quad to take on the game day atmosphere before the guys headed into the stadium and the moms and kids headed home to watch on TV.

It was a fantastic weekend with really good friends. Thank you Snyders and Cobbs for joining us!

Catching up: Eli's first football game

2010-12-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

Volleyball is a fall sport which means it overlaps with football. This season, there were only a few weekends when both volleyball wasn't on the road AND there was a home football game. The stars aligned late in November for us to take Eli to his first (and likely last) game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Eli didn't seem to mind the chilly temperatures and loved looking at all the people... the football didn't seem to impress him too much as he crashed hard and slept through most of the game!

Eli and Coach Green

{Cheeks!}

Catching up: Swinging

2010-12-12T00:57:00.000-06:00

The weather was beautiful through most of November... so Eli and I headed to the park one day in search of bucket swings. I grabbed my camera on the way out the door... and am so glad I did.

Catching up: Halloween in Michigan

2010-12-11T15:52:00.001-06:00

My blogging efforts have been seriously hampered lately by the craziness of life.
(That and the dilemma of nearing the limits of my free Flickr account...)

So I am playing catch up, beginning with Halloween in Michigan.

Remember Eli the Giraffe?

This picture was taken on my parents' front porch... Eli and I ventured north while Josh was on the road with the team. Our travel to Michigan was marked by really windy conditions - so windy, in fact, that our plane tried to land in Lansing, had to pull up, and was sent back to Detroit where they cancelled our flight. Fun times.

But we made it, and had a blast hanging out with MoMA and Grandpa.

Cheerios make everything better, even being stranded in Detroit.

Grandpa (aka toll booth operator)

The word 'cute' just doesn't suffice.

{love}

On Halloween, we headed to the Lansing Zoo to watch the animals play with pumpkins. The crowd around the lions was pretty big so we wandered over by the baboons to wait it out. Eli got right up next to the glass and said hello.... and ended up evoking quite a response from the male baboon in the enclosure. Wish I'd thought to grab my flip video because it was pretty funny!

Eli and his baboon pal

Watch me grow... ONE YEAR!

2010-12-03T12:13:00.001-06:00

Cake smashing pictures to come after our
birthday extravaganza on Sunday afternoon!

364 days

2010-12-01T23:10:00.001-06:00

Eli has been in our lives for 364 days.

That is exactly the number of days his older brother, Noah, lived before going to hang out with Jesus.

So, tomorrow, as we celebrate Eli's first birthday, I will remember how Noah's first birthday involved a trip to the funeral home and a conversation with our pastor about planning his memorial service and a lot of tears.

I remember not because I want to dwell on that sadness, but because I don't want to take day 365 or 366 or 367 or 1004 of Eli's life for granted. I want to soak up every minute of him.

I remember because I am thankful. God has so richly blessed us with a second little boy who is vibrantly alive. Who was walking at nine months and running at ten. Who is slimming down a little but is still so pleasantly plump. Who has a light in his eyes that reminds me so much of his brother it is amazing. Who smiles with his whole body.

Noah, we miss you. Desperately.
Eli, we are overjoyed to celebrate your first birthday tomorrow.
And I am positive your brother wishes he could have a bite of your cake.

No time to write a post... but here is a video for your enjoyment!

2010-11-30T19:18:00.002-06:00

Eli and the Halloween Puppy... just in time for Thanksgiving

2010-11-15T15:07:00.002-06:00

(Thanks Aunt Judy!)

In case you missed it...

2010-11-12T12:02:00.001-06:00

Here is the 8 min version of Alabama VB's amazing come-from-behind win against Kentucky last weekend. It may take a little while to load, so be patient!

I watched it live, watched the replay twice on TV, and watched this condensed version... it gets me fired up every time.

If you look closely, you will even see Josh in action in the huddle at the beginning of the 5th set!

(And maybe protesting a call somewhere in the middle! Ha!)

I think this photo needs a caption...

2010-11-11T17:41:00.002-06:00

It's a drag

2010-11-05T13:15:00.001-05:00

Eli's new favorite activity is to drag things around the house.

My tennis shoe.

His high chair.

His laundry basket.

The old computer mouse that we gave him to play with. This is particularly cute because he pulls it by the cord like it is a leash.

I'm pretty much completely in love with this little boy.

Watch me grow... eleven months

2010-11-02T15:58:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween...

2010-10-31T10:01:00.001-05:00

... from Eli the Giraffe!

This kid LOVES the water

2010-10-23T13:28:00.001-05:00

While in Knoxville with the team, we had a chance to spend some time with Josh's parents who drove down from Pennsylvania. After dinner one night, we took a walk along the riverfront and found some fountains. Eli was in heaven. If we had let him, he would have walked right in and gotten soaked. We decided on a less wet (but only slightly) option!

I kind of wish it would rain

2010-10-22T17:25:00.002-05:00

I kind of wish it would rain.

Because this red raincoat makes me supremely happy.

But it isn't just a cute raincoat.

It is a raincoat that used to belong to Eli's big brother Noah.
Who never got to wear it.

It is a raincoat that was given to me by a dear friend from college and made by her mother.

This friend happened to have a little boy within a week or two of Noah's birthday. I'm pretty sure they would have been friends if they ever had a chance to meet.

So, you see, a rainy day has a way of making me smile.

Love it.

2010-10-22T09:33:00.001-05:00

Saw this on Sesame Street this morning... Eli loved it and so did I!

I wanna be just like Daddy

2010-10-20T15:50:00.002-05:00

Coming soon... a video of Eli hitting a ball out of
Josh's hands when told to 'spike it'!

Eli Adventures... Kentucky & Tennessee

2010-10-19T21:01:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Eli and I tagged along with the team on their road trip to play Kentucky and Tennessee. Here are some of the pics from our adventure!

Hanging out with Bri in the airport

Fall foliage and a little Kentucky basketball history

Coach Cal sighting (it was Big Blue Madness the same night as our match)

Quality time with Uncle Matt
(who was in Lexington with the South Carolina football team...
we won't talk about how THAT game turned out!)

On the bus

Checking out the bus wheels

Relaxing with Grammy and Pappy

Before the match against Tennessee

What not to give your teething child to hold while shopping at Target

2010-10-12T18:00:00.002-05:00

Exhibit A

Exhibit A - zoomed in

Ironically, I didn't even notice the condition of the box until I was unloading our groceries at home. So, of course, I pulled out my camera and took a picture as I giggled.

Heart of a Coach's Wife

2010-10-11T09:53:00.001-05:00

My friend Christan has started a wonderful blog called Heart of a Coach's Wife.

Christan's husband coaches high school football and she has found a ministry not only supporting him as he pursues his passion but also in encouraging other coach's wives along the way.

I was flattered when she asked me to be a guest writer on her blog.

The link above will take you to the main page of her blog.
You will be encouraged by what you read there even if you are not involved in the crazy world of coaching.

This link will take you to my guest post: Uncertainty

The truth about having a boy?

2010-10-10T11:51:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it is hard for me to believe this sweet boy will be a teenager someday and make mischief.

Well... it's hard to believe that this sweet boy will be a teenager someday.

The mischief making has already started:

Constructive Feedback Friday

2010-10-08T11:00:00.002-05:00

I recently discovered the awesome I Heart Faces photography site. Very fun.

And as a VERY amateur photographer, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to participate in {Constructive Feedback Friday}.

So here is my shot...

(Click HERE to get to the original.)

EXIF data: f/4.0 - 1/30 sec - ISO 400 - 11.4 mm

I love the angle of this shot but it is much darker than I would like.

I'm also think there might be a creative way to crop it that I am just not seeing.

And I always look for a way to highlight my little guy's eyes... and I feel like they just disappear in this pic.

I usually use Lightroom to edit. Occasionally, I venture into Photoshop.

Thanks for the help!

Oh my.

2010-10-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

Would you just look at this face?

Head thrown back.

Tears streaming.

Absolutely pitiful.

But, no, sweet Eli. You may not play with my iPhone.

My fallen friend

2010-10-07T14:37:00.002-05:00

Oh, 1.4/50 mm lens.

You let me take pictures without the evil flash.

You give me beautiful bokeh.

But you are broken. You've lost your focus.

And our budget doesn't include a line item for a wounded lens.

So I am using your lesser cousin, the 3.5-5.6/18-55 mm lens that is functional but not fun.

And missing you.

October favorites

2010-10-06T11:23:00.004-05:00

Fall has finally come to Alabama. Finally.

The summer of 2010 may have been the hottest summer of my life to date.

So I am thrilled that cooler temperatures have arrived, that the leaves are starting to change, and I can pull out my scarves and cardigans from the back corner of my closet.

The new season also brought a few new hankerings and miscellaneous things that have been tripping my trigger.

1. Apple and cheese grilled sandwiches

This picture is from the Real Simple issue that sparked the idea ... mine looks a little different. I take two pieces of sourdough and sandwich thinly sliced apple, sharp cheddar, and a little spicy brown mustard between them. Then I spread a little spreadable butter + olive oil on the outside and grill it up in a skillet. One word... DELISH!

2. Iced Coffee

I know, I know. Iced coffee seems like a drink I would enjoy BEFORE the temperatures cooled off. But I recently discovered the ease and simplicity of making this delicious drink thanks to Joy's Hope... and now I am smitten (and a little hyped up on caffeine!).
I will say that I think the Starbucks Via packets have a bit better flavor and dissolve more easily than the Nescafe version... but the Nescafe packets are SO MUCH CHEAPER so I will try to embrace Taster's Choice whole-heartedly. (Words my mama never thought she would hear me say.)

3. Jesus Calling

This is an awesome daily devotional. It has been sitting on my shelf for a while until I was reminded of it recently by a friend at Capstone Church.
Really good stuff. Really good. Go buy a copy.

Watch me grow... ten months

2010-10-02T09:59:00.003-05:00

He would be running already if it was up to him...

2010-09-26T12:02:00.002-05:00

Eli is growing up too fast. Way. Too. Fast.

He went from crawling to cruising to walking in about a month's time.

He went from 5 steps to an unlimited number in about a week.

Slow down, Mr. Eli! You're not even 10 months old yet!

By popular demand...

2010-09-25T11:02:00.000-05:00

...more smushed face pictures from Eli.

Sholi-pop

2010-09-22T16:50:00.003-05:00

The same weekend that Eli and I had our game day adventure, Mike (aka Sholi-pop) came to visit. Mike is a good friend of Josh's from college and he comes through Tuscaloosa periodically on business. If you have been reading my blog for while, you may remember when he had a chance to hang out with Noah. It is always a treat when he visits.

Mike has a little boy who is about two weeks younger and about 6 pounds lighter than Eli. They had a good time hanging out and playing with the football.

Ironically, while Mike was in T-town hanging out with me, his wife was able to go to one of the Alabama matches at Texas State and see Josh. It was a wife swap of sorts. =)

Blogging block

2010-09-22T14:20:00.003-05:00

This picture pretty much sums up how I have been feeling this week...

My house isn't clean.

I wore sweats to Kindermusick today... and let's just say most young moms in T-town are not the sweat pant wearing types.

I need to get moving on planning a garage sale, but feel lethargic every time it comes to mind.

Every day that passes I get more stressed about where we will be next year.

And my 9.5 month old has decided that I made a good teether.

It is still hot and humid here in Alabama. Which makes it hard to wear the cardigans and scarves that are calling to me from my closet. I need Fall.

Calgon, take me away!

Mohawk Eli

2010-09-15T12:45:00.001-05:00

Eli is finally getting some hair.

So what does any self-respecting mother do after applying sunscreen to a baby's head?

Style a mohawk, of course!

Pure joy.

2010-09-13T21:48:00.003-05:00

Feel free to watch this multiple times.

It will make you smile. I promise.

While Daddy's away...

2010-09-13T21:16:00.003-05:00

Eli and I had an adventure this weekend.

An adventure known as College Gameday.

You see, around these parts, there is only one thing worth talking about during the fall. And that is Alabama Football.

And when ESPN rolls into town for their weekly Saturday morning college football extravaganza, how can you not go and check out the festivities? Even if Josh is 3 states away in Texas!

So Eli and I donned our crimson and white, stashed some ice water in the bottom of the stroller (it was HOT), and went off in search of Kirk Herbstreit.

There were a few crazy fans... both of Bama and Penn State leanings...

There were some funny signs and other paraphenalia...

A few Penn State fans were unprepared for the heat and humidity... perhaps they were choosing the wrong liquid with which to hydrate?

I saw a few famous faces (at least if you follow college football)...

But this face will always be my favorite...

Confessions of an insecure blogger

2010-09-09T10:03:00.005-05:00

In case you haven't realized these things already...

1. I am not crafty.

2. My house does not look like it belongs in a catalog.

3. I'm not planning on homeschooling.

4. I don't have companies offering products to me to give away on my blog.

5. I didn't write a book or start a foundation for Noah after he passed away.

But I hope you keep reading anyway.

(Because I do have a really cute kid.)

Our 'extended' family

2010-09-08T17:44:00.002-05:00

In the Lauer household, there is no separation between volleyball and life.

Josh started coaching college volleyball in 2004 which was also very early in our marriage. It just seemed natural to embrace the girls on the team at UMSL as part of our family. The same has held true at Alabama. Which will make it all the more sad to leave in 2011.

The team (minus Stephanie, Kelsey, and Leigh)

The seniors

The freshmen

I'm sure it won't surprise you when I tell you the team at Alabama has become attached to Eli. Attached may not be a strong enough word... they often offer to take him home with them. And we wouldn't have it any other way.