Paul and Christina's On-line Journal

Any Day Now!

2011-04-23T18:03:00.005-06:00

X can be here any day now!

35 Weeks! 36 Weeks!

37 Weeks!

6 Weeks Left!

2011-03-30T20:14:00.001-06:00

33 Weeks! 34 Weeks!

8 Weeks Left!

2011-03-21T17:15:00.002-06:00

Me and Baby X at 31 Weeks!

and at 32 Weeks!

10 Left

2011-03-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

Moving right along. 10 weeks left! Yikes. Getting close and big!

28 Weeks!

29 Weeks!
30 Weeks!

13 Left

2011-02-10T11:25:00.002-07:00

I can't complain. I have been feeling good for the most part. Just can't wait to meet the little guy!

26 Weeks

27 Weeks
13 weeks left! Woot Woot!

2 more weeks have gone by!

2011-01-28T08:20:00.002-07:00

24 weeks!

25 weeks!
Look at the beautiful flowers that my wonderful husband sent me for my birthday. I also got a Needlepoint Ivy. Thanks Paul.

Moving Right Along

2011-01-11T15:35:00.004-07:00

January 4th makes 22 weeks pregnant. That is the first week in the 6th month! 6 months pregnant already. Wow! Where has the time gone? January 11th makes it 23 weeks.

Baby's Heart Beat

2011-01-09T12:16:00.004-07:00

At 22 weeks and 3 days, baby Xavier's heart beats. Turn up your volume and enjoy!

Monkeys

2010-12-26T17:48:00.006-07:00

Thanks to Paul's hard work, we pretty much finished the nursery that is a monkey theme. The only item that is missing is a rug. I'm so glad that he was able to be part of it and see the end product. He painted, put up a border, and we assembled the furniture that was purchased by our wonderful family. Much thanks to Brenda for the changing table/dresser and to my dad and Angela for the glider chair and ottoman. We love you guys!

The light is dim so the green looks different. But the top pic is the right color.
My lens was dusty. Sorry for the spots but we were in a hurry.

CPT Lauritzen

2010-12-08T14:55:00.004-07:00

Congrats to Paul on his promotion. He is now Captain Lauritzen. I am so proud of him. He will be an awesome commander. We love you Paul. Hurry up and come home soon!

More good news. I am 18 weeks pregnant and we are having a BOY! Sorry to my side of the family. Maybe the next one will be girl!

Sweet Tooth

2010-10-19T16:14:00.005-06:00

We went into Walgreens for this...

And came out with this...
Guess who has the sweet tooth?! Nope, it's not the pregnant one!

Our Latest Project

2010-10-14T18:02:00.006-06:00

Since the baby is on the way, we decided the doggies need to spend more time outside. So a family friend built a covering in the backyard. We just love it. Soon we can go outside and enjoy our backyard.

(Before)

(After)

(Before)

(After)

It's Been Awhile!

2010-08-22T18:10:00.004-06:00

Hi all. I know it has been two months since I have posted anything on our blog. Paul and I have been super busy with work and getting ready for his deployment. The recruiting season will start up in September. I do have some exciting news (well for us anyway). We finally got new furniture. We are so happy with the way our little house is coming along. After owning our house for 3 years, we decided it was time to make it more of "our" style. Not sure what to do with the black recliner but it will stay in its place for now. Thanks dad for helping us load it in the truck and thanks Angela for helping us find a rug. Hope everyone is doing well.

Relay for Life

2010-06-27T19:45:00.004-06:00

This past weekend, I went to Chama to participate in Relay for Life. My stepbrother, grandma, uncle, and a family friend all survived some sort of cancer. I also had an aunt who passed away due to cancer. Our family walked in honor of or in memory of someone that has been affected by cancer. We had a good time and we stayed walking all night! Paul couldn't go. He had to work :(!

Blooming

2010-06-08T18:40:00.002-06:00

My lilies that I planted last year are in bloom. I just love lilies.

Memorial Weekend in Angel Fire, NM

2010-06-07T21:06:00.003-06:00

We were in Angel Fire, NM with the New Mexico's Veterans Motorcycle Association for Memorial weekend. We also went to a Bike Rally in Red River. It was a weekend filled with fun, food, and most of all showing our appreciation for all those that have served our country and that are currently serving our country.

Cool Down

2010-05-12T18:53:00.005-06:00

We did what we kept saying we needed to do. (Did that make sense?) We kept talking about insulating our attic. Last summer was miserable. The living room was always so hot. I think we spent more time in the bedroom than in the living room. We bought 40 bags of insulation. Home Depot rents the blower for free if you buy the materials from them. That is exactly what we did. We did it ourselves and saved about $400! Our very good neighbor helped too and we couldn't have done it without him.

Stuck

2010-04-30T19:48:00.004-06:00

This past week, I was in San Antonio on a recruiting trip. The trip over there was good but the flight on the way back was long. The plane left late from SA which made me miss my connecting flight in Dallas. So what did I do past the time from 2:45pm-8:00pm? I went into the USO. A cool place for military families. The USO was a life saver. The USO has free food, movies, computers, a kiddo room, and a sleeping room. Thanks Paul for serving our country and the benefits that it has provided for our family.

2010-04-14T20:03:00.004-06:00

I want to protect my eyes from the UV rays. You should do the same! By the way, which way to the beach?

Play hard. Sleep hard!

Nephew's First Basketball Game!

2010-04-04T17:56:00.006-06:00

Last month, I went to Chama to see Anthony play basketball. This was the first season of basketball for the 3rd and 4th graders. Anthony is a point guard and can handle the ball pretty well for a 3rd grader. (Just like his Tia did back in the day!) Look for #34!

2010-04-02T15:39:00.005-06:00

"What do you mean I have to sleep on the floor from now on?" That is what Gordies would say if she could talk. The other night, Gordies got sick and threw up on Paul's side of the bed. Gross, I know. So we decided that it was time for her to get her own bed. She won't sleep anywhere without her blanket so I put her blanket on the floor. She did pretty good the first two nights. Then we went and purchased a dog bed for her. Check her out with her new bed. We just got it today so we will see how she does tonight! Wish us luck!

San Diego

2010-03-31T20:04:00.008-06:00

These past few days, Paul and I went on a trip to San Diego, CA. No, not a recruiting trip. A trip that was for pleasure and not business. Paul took me to go whale watching and we also got to see some sea lions. It was so much fun.

What was our mode of transportation? A train! We have never traveled by train before, so we decided to try it. It was actually pretty nice.

You can't really see it but in the pic below is the whale blowing water out of his blowhole.

Sorry it is a little blurry, but it was hard to take pictures because they move in and out of the water so quickly.

These are the teeth of the Baleen Whales.

It Brings Out the Color of Her Hair!

2010-03-18T23:13:00.007-06:00

Gordies got a new orange collar today. Orange is definitely her color. It just brings out the color of her hair (lol)!

Chicago was Great but Glad to be HOME!!

2010-03-13T13:19:00.007-07:00

This past week, Paul and I were in Chicago, IL for a recruiting trip. We had a very successful trip. We received 147 inquiry cards from students who showed interest in NMMI. Along with the cards, we visited 6 schools and did 20 presentations. One school even called the next day and asked if we would go back to present to another class. That made us feel good knowing that we are making a difference for some kiddos. While we were there, we were able to do some sight seeing. We got to see Becca (Paul's cousin) and Jason (Paul's friends). We also got to go the Harley-Davidson Museum in Wisconsin and to the Field Museum by the Chicago Bears Stadium. It was awesome.

We took lots more pictures. Check out my Facebook to see more!

Silly Pups!

2010-02-27T22:01:00.009-07:00

Oh our doggies! While Gordies was eating peanut butter, Chula was being lazy and Dozer was being photogenic.

You Don't Know Until You Have Seen....

2010-02-21T18:41:00.005-07:00

the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum! Last week, Paul and I had the honor of visiting the Museum. I was 10 years old at the time of the bombing. I remember hearing about it but I didn't realize the extent of what had happened. If you ever get a chance to go, I strongly suggest that you take that opportunity. I didn't think we would have time to go sight seeing so I didn't take the camera. However, you can click on the following link and get the same feeling that we did when we were there.

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/secondary.php?section=2&catid=29

It was a very moving experience. Just a few thoughts that were going through my head was how it just amazed me how they traced down Timothy and Nicholas (the bombers). (2) Oh the children! Oh my goodness the children. The many innocent children that suffered that day. How could somebody do something to so horrible to these sweet innocent children? (3) There is a statute of Jesus with his hand on his forehead that covers his face. His back is facing the Memorial. It appears that Jesus was ashamed and sad of this horrible act. There is so much more to the Memorial than I could ever explain on this blog.

Please go the website and click on the different virtual tours; not only the Museum but also the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial.

Sick Day

2010-02-09T18:22:00.003-07:00

This past weekend, Paul coughed and said, "I think I am getting sick." I said, "You better start taking something now." He did but it didn't help. Paul stayed home sick today. For lunch he had soup, crackers, and orange juice. Get well soon, Paul.

Do I look smart?

2010-01-31T17:59:00.003-07:00

Have you read any good canine books lately?

Paul's Birthday Pics!

2010-01-25T19:53:00.005-07:00

Paul celebrated his birthday on December 29th. Below are some pics of his gifts.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

2010-01-24T21:37:00.005-07:00

Thanks all for the birthday wishes. I felt so loved today when family and friends remembered me on this day. Paul surprised me with gifts, dinner, and friends. The most exciting gift is a whale expedition from San Diego. I have been saying that I want to go on an Alaskan Cruise because then I would be able to see all kinds of wild life. Paul really listens to me and he got me a whale expedition. (Thank you, Paul, for being such a good husband!)

2010-01-11T10:46:00.007-07:00

Now that NMMI has started a new year/new semester, our traveling is beginning to pick up again. Paul and I will be gone January 15th-22nd on a recruiting trip to Las Vegas, NV!! Our next planned trip is to Chicago from March 8th-12th. We will also have some shorter trips planned in between but that is what we know for now. Just thought we would keep you all in formed of our whereabouts.

We have been busy making home improvements. Yes, we are sanding floors again! We ripped out the carpet in the "guest bedroom" now formally known as the "doggie room." That does sound kinda of gross, but it is coming along great. We now have one more room with carpet which is our room. I don't know when that carpet will be coming out. Our goal is to not have any carpet in our house.

Paul had drill this weekend but was pretty happy about the Dallas Cowboy's victory over the Eagles. I have been busy with work and household chores. The doggies keep us pretty busy too.

Christmas Pics!

2009-12-26T16:37:00.007-07:00

We hope that everyone had a wonderful and safe Christmas. We did. Paul and I opened presents on Christmas Eve morning. Then we drove to Midland and spent the rest of Christmas with friends and family. Thanks Brenda for allowing the doggies to part of the 2009 Christmas.We will be heading to Chama for New Year's. That is where Paul proposed.

Speaking of proposals, we celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on December 23rd. Paul got me the most beautiful flowers. A dozen roses. Three orange (my favorite color) roses to represent the 3 years we have been married.

While we were in Midland, Gordies saw herself in the mirror. Check out the video below to see what she thought of her reflection:

She was not a happy camper. Notice the darkness on her back. That was her mane going up. She sounds really scary. I don't think I have heard her growl like that before. Silly pup!

2009-12-14T20:44:00.003-07:00

Here is a little peek of how much fun we had on our 7 day cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. More pics to come.

!Sorry. It's a little dark but you can see Paul shake it!)

Christmas Time!

2009-11-29T20:34:00.007-07:00

Since Paul left to Virginia for the week, we decided to put Christmas lights and our little tree up the day after Thanksgiving.

(Yes, I know. The far left stocking is for a CAT. We grabbed the wrong one.)

My First

2009-11-26T18:37:00.006-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I was so proud of myself today. I MADE Thanksgiving dinner (mostly by myself) for the first time. My friend Maria and her husband joined us today and she brought the mashed potatoes, salad, and corn. She also came over the night before and helped me prepare the turkey. Thanks Maria. You are the best. Brendon also joined us. It was nice to visit with him.

We had the following:

Turkey

Stuffing

Green Bean Casserole

Corn

Gravy

Salad

Deviled Eggs

Biscuits

Pumpkin Pie

Sparkling White Grape

Elves!

2009-11-22T19:28:00.004-07:00

Over the weekend, our family became Elves and learned how to dance. Click on the link below to view our famous music video!

ElfYourself - Hip Hop ElfYourself

Who's a Cheater?

2009-11-15T18:10:00.003-07:00

When we were in Hereford, TX visiting some friends, Paul and Roy were playing the arcade games. Guess who won!

All Decked Out!

2009-11-12T09:56:00.001-07:00

This is what Paul looks like when the Cowboys play!

So Much Too Say

2009-11-07T13:59:00.008-07:00

We have so much to tell you. Let's start with Halloween. My co-worker was an old man and I was the old man's nurse. Paul was Mario from Super Mario Brothers. The neighbor's boy was Luigi.

This past week Paul and I were in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area on a recruiting trip. We mixed a little business with pleasure. We went to a Cowboys game in the new stadium. Although, I am not a fan, it was awesome to see. We had awesome seats. We sat right above where the players come out onto the field. Paul's dad, Paul Silva and his wife, Clara joined us. We all had a good time and to top it off, we had a successful recruiting trip. We brought back around 130 inquiry cards!

Marion Barber Tony Romo in the huddle.
Tony Romo up close.

Paul and me

Paul Silva and Clara

Paul, Paul Silva, and Clara

The field

Our great seats!Paul in his Cowboy gear

Later on in the week, we were able to take a tour of the stadium. We got to go to the suites, locker rooms, and the field. It was awesome.
Walking onto fieldNow we are on the field! Paul is in the end zone!

Right in the middle of the field!

Paul at the 10 yard line!

We have plenty of more pics but that would make for a long post on our blog.

Family Home Evening

2009-10-27T19:27:00.007-06:00

For yesterday's FHE, we had some friends over to carve pumpkins. Let me back up. We had dinner, a short lesson, and pumpkins. It was a night of fun! Paul carved "Mario" from Super Mario Brothers and I carved a big "Gordies" paw.

Dinner...

Friends...More Fun...
My "Gordies" Paw...
Mario...
Mario and Paw!

You Sank My Battleship

2009-10-25T20:11:00.011-06:00

It is always good to spend quality time with your spouse and family. Well, since we don't have kiddos, we get to enjoy each other all the time but we also make time to have date night. This particular night, we stayed at home. After a lovely dinner, we played Battleship. We had taquitos topped with green cabbage, lettuce, creme, and salsa. It was yummy. This one of Paul's favorites.

To Brenda and Christina R: Yes, you will see paper plates that hold my beautiful creations. I have nice plates, it is just easier to use paper plates. :) Paul sank my battleship and the other four ships. He won but I sank 3 of his. I can't wait to have kids so we have more people to play with.

On The Road Again....

2009-10-20T19:56:00.002-06:00

Paul and I are on the road again. We are now traveling the southwestern part of NM since Sunday afternoon. We started out in Socorro and have been working our way down. We will end in Chaparral Thursday late afternoon and then head home. We have one more recruiting trip for this season and it is to Ft. Worth, TX. That trip takes place the first week in Nov. I can't wait until all traveling is done! I miss my Gordies.

The Weekly Gordies!

2009-10-11T16:19:00.005-06:00

As Gordies kept growing and growing, and growing, I gave her fewer baths to where it came to a point that she was getting so big that she did not receive any baths. One evening, Paul gave Dozer a bath and decided that all the dogs were getting a bath. So needless to say, Gordies got her first adolescent bath. She did not like it and jumped out of the tub twice!

We dog sat (is the correct way to say it?) this weekend for a friend. Of course it was a bulldog. Sampson is actually one of Chula's pups. He too has a cage like Chula but a lot bigger. Gordies decided to see what it was like to be in a cage.

To give you an idea, this is Sampson. He looks just like Chula except bigger! I am sure this is the size that Dozer will be (sigh).

2009-10-06T19:30:00.005-06:00

I was going through all of our videos and pictures and this is what I found...

Last Christmas, I got Paul the soundtrack to "The Night at the Roxbury." Paul was so excited that he played it right away. My husband still keeps me laughing.

Excuse our messy bedroom. It looks a lot better now. We have purchased curtains since then.

More Color!

2009-10-06T12:18:00.006-06:00

We are finally getting the house the way we want it. When we bought the house, the house was all white to include the all the walls, trim, and crown molding. Now our living room has two colors (taupe and earth tone). We also painted the little hallway earth tone. We are very happy with the way our little home is coming together.

Yumm!!

2009-09-28T19:59:00.003-06:00

Ever since Paul returned home in May, I have been cooking a lot more. Yum, I am good cook! How colorful.

Traveling

2009-09-13T10:50:00.003-06:00

It might be a while before I can post some more stuff. Recruiting season has officially started. I will be out on the road for the next two weeks. Paul and I are going to the Dallas area today and will be back on Friday. Then Sunday, I will be traveling the northwest part of NM. Paul will be home while I travel the second week of NM. He has to be here with the cadets. Wish us luck on recruiting.

Lov'in the new pup!

2009-09-09T20:12:00.004-06:00

Well at least Paul is. That is all I have to say.

Home Improvements!

2009-08-29T18:01:00.004-06:00

Paul started to stain the fence. He can only put the stain on when it is a certain temperature. It was getting too hot and that is when he stopped! I can't wait until it is done and one color.

Yes, we did it again! We pulled the carpet out of the "office room" and sanded and sanded and put 4 coats of Polyurethane (I think that is how you spell it) on.

Wow! What a difference! This is going to be the baby's room when we have a baby.

And we added a ceiling fan to the room:

Falling Leaves!

2009-08-26T21:53:00.006-06:00

We spotted the first leaves that have turned color and that have fallen on our grass. We are ready for the change of seasons, but we are not quite ready for the winter. On the other hand, we are definitely ready to cool down from this 90-100 degree weather. We are looking forward to snuggling on the couch with soup and hot chocolate and to have a fire going in the fireplace. Oh, that sounds nice. Maybe we are ready for winter.

Call Us Crazy!

2009-08-23T21:52:00.006-06:00

Paul is into breeding our Bulldog, Chula. He said that the last time he breeds her, he wants to keep one of her male puppies. Well, the male puppy came sooner than I thought. Charity went to Wal-Mart yesterday and called me to inform me that some people were selling puppy bulldogs. So none the less....Dozer came home. Note: God made him with one sock on!

Picture Mobile

2009-08-21T20:29:00.003-06:00

I saw this picture mobile at Hastings. I thought it was cute so I bought it. It holds twenty pics and the pics are very easy to change out. I like it how it moves around in the air.

On Fire!!

2009-08-20T21:23:00.006-06:00

Sorry Paul but I had to let the family and friends know about this one!

We were eating dinner last night and Paul decided to put some hot sauce on his roast beef. He had never tried this before. And I quote "WOW! This is hot! I should have tried a little bit before pouring it all over the meat! My tailpipe is going to be on fire!" I tried not to laugh but I just couldn't help myself. His lips even turned red. Although it was super hot, he did his best to eat what he had on his plate. We don't understand how anyone can actually eat this sauce from Georgia. You should try some and let us know if you were able to handle it.

Flat Tire!

2009-08-19T20:21:00.005-06:00

This past weekend we went to Chama. Gordies and I left Friday after work to Chama and Paul drove down on Saturday with his motorcycle buddies. This was Gordies' first road trip. Friday night was so scary. She was acting all weird in the car so I decided to stop in Vaughn (which I never do). Once we got down, I just happened to glance at my car only to see that my tire was FLAT! I called Paul right away. He asked if I needed him to come change my tire. I told him that I would let him know. I then went inside and the clerk was very nice. She gave me a number to call a local to come fix my tire. Well, with my luck, he was out of town. To make a long story short, there was this guy standing behind me and he overheard my dilemma, and he was nice enough to change my tire. This nice guy and wife followed me to Cline's Corners to make sure that my spare didn't blow out since it was LOW! Got to Cline's safe, then I headed to Chama. I was so nervous that my spare was going to blow. I called my dad and he was timing me so if I didn't call to tell him I was at the next town, he would go looking for me. To add to the stress, I got very sleepy. By this time, it was midnight. I had been driving since 5:00pm. I was so sleepy that I swerved twice. I didn't want to stop because I was afraid that my spare might lose air if I stopped for too long. I got through it and made it to Chama safely. I arrived in Chama at 1:00am. The trip is only a five hour drive but time was lost when the tire went flat and for going only 50-55 mph the whole way. The funny thing is is that I went to Chama because I ordered 4 new tires from my dad. As for Paul, I told him I was okay and not to worry. I called him when I got to Chama. I thanked our Heavenly Father for his protection. I am very grateful for everything He has done for our family.

Family is great!

2009-08-10T21:17:00.004-06:00

Family is great! Topher came and stayed a week and a half with us. Then we stopped in Midland on our way to San Antonio to Paul's dad's wedding reception. I got to spend time with Christina and the girlies. I really enjoyed it. This coming weekend, Paul and I are going to Chama to see my side of the family. We just want our family to know that we love you all very much and we will always be here for family. There is nothing like family!

The Weekly Gordies! (and her many sleeping positions)

2009-08-02T19:02:00.011-06:00

Ever since Gordies joined our family at 4 weeks old, she has always slept with us. Although she is awake in most of the pictures, she was sleeping right before I took the pic. She is a very good guard dog, so any noise would wake her up. Her many human ways of sleeping is the Today's Weekly Gordies !

Gross!

2009-07-30T18:43:00.005-06:00

Gross! We found a huge toad by our front porch steps. These types of animals give me the ebee gee bees (I don't know how to spell it). But you know what I mean.

Paul's hard yard work!

2009-07-29T18:55:00.005-06:00

Look Sheena! We have grass (and a little bit of weeds)! Paul has been working really hard on our yard. He tilled, leveled, and planted grass seeds. It is growing in quick. I was just so tired of seeing dirt! This is the back yard. You should come by and see the front yard. It is beautiful!

The Weekly Gordies!

2009-07-19T19:44:00.007-06:00

The Weekly Gordies was not so funny this time. Last night she got sick. She had the runs. Today, she didn't even ask for human food. Paul and I came to the conclusion that her stomach does not agree with fish. She never had fish before until yesterday. Gordies slept all day! She didn't even want to go outside. For those of you who know Gordies, that is not like her at all!

The Traveling Wall!

2009-07-15T22:08:00.007-06:00

I forgot that I had these pics from the 4th of July. We had the Traveling Wall. It is just like the one in Washington D.C. They also had a Harley that had paintings of scenes from Vietnam War. I just get chills when I go to these types of events. Of course it hits home because Paul is in the military and I just dread the day when Paul says that is being deployed. I knew that when we got married but it is just different when it comes down to him leaving.

Two Left Boots for a Left Tenant!

2009-07-15T21:50:00.009-06:00

Paul went to Midland Tuesday night to swear in Brendan into the Texas Guard. Since he spent the night, he packed HIS own bag. I usually pack for him and this is what happens when he packs for himself. Enough said! He packed two left boots. He had to wear them. He had no choice. Silly Lieutenant!

My Silly Husband

2009-06-30T21:07:00.005-06:00

We got a Click Clack Sofa for the guest room. It is great. It turns into a full size bed and it has storage under the seat. Paul (and the doggies) had fun putting it together!
Paul is also very proud of his new pipes. "I just love the way they sound!" said Paul.

Another item checked off the check list!

2009-06-24T21:31:00.006-06:00

Paul has been busy with the SROTC Mini Camp this week. He has been working long hours and coming home exhausted. I took off this week because my nephews were supposed to come. They didn't come but I thought ,"What the heck!? I am going to stay home and do some things around the house." It worked out perfect. I finally got to paint. One more thing checked off the list. I painted the living room and I also finally hung up some curtains in our room and the guest room. (The camera didn't do my work justice. Honest!)

It has been super hot (105 degrees). Since it has been so hot, I put ice in the doggies' water.

Here is Gordies enjoying some cool ice water during that hot summer day!

Random Stuff

2009-06-21T19:00:00.003-06:00

Austin (the youngest brother) spent this past week at our house. He kept us laughing. He is a character.
Brendan got a job with Cutco as a salesman. He presented to us. They are really nice knives but they are just too dang expensive.

Then when we were at the Rushtons's, they had a crate like looking thing with a tire on top of it. I think they were using it to level their yard. Paul saw it and decided to try it on our back yard. Senon had a good idea. He got his four Wheeler and dragged it across the yard. For the most part, it worked pretty well.

Then after a hard day's of work, we had ice cream. Paul likes to whip his ice cream. Then he got Hershey's topping and made a smiley face. It didn't stay smiling long so it was soon turning into a frown.

A Weekend full of Fun!

2009-06-11T18:29:00.009-06:00

I know that I am falling behind on blogging, but we have just been really busy. So please keep on scrolling down. I hope you enjoy the pics. Last weekend we had tons of fun. First, Paul and Noah went camping in the backyard. Then the next day, Paul and I went to Hereford, TX to go see some friends. We played Putt Putt. It was so good to see them.

I know that Paul is going to be a great dad! How many guys do you know will sleep outside with the neighbor's kid?

Next are the pics were taken in Hereford,TX.

Then we played PUTT PUTTThen Paul and Roy were competing to see who could stomp all the yellow lights.I thought this was funny. Paul was playing a harley-game!

The Weekly Gordies!

2009-05-31T19:07:00.004-06:00

This week Gordies didn't really do anything funny, but sometimes she thinks she is human and she also thinks that she is small like a puppy. When I get up in the mornings to take shower, she lays in my spot. That silly puppy.Scroll down to read about this past weekend!

Happy Birthday Brenda!

2009-05-31T18:52:00.006-06:00

June 1st is Brenda's Birthday (Same day as Angela's). Happy Birthday to Brenda and Angela. We all got together this past weekend and celebrated. We all pitched in. Christina R. made carrot cake from scratch! It was delicious. Paul and I made my mom's famous Green Chili Chicken Burritos. Austin got her flowers and a movie. Everyone pitched in to get a hammock for her backyard. We all enjoyed celebrating her special day. I saw the cutest bananas. I have never seen such tiny bananas.

I had to buy them.

By the way, do you like our new blog header? I sure do. Thanks to Christina R. for making it for us. She is great at those kinds of things.

My New Birthday Present!

2009-05-28T23:39:00.005-06:00

About a week ago, we were in Midland, TX and my mother-in-law, Brenda, asked Paul what was on my wish list. Paul mentioned a ceiling fan. So Brenda took me to Lowe's and bought me a ceiling fan and said, "Happy Birthday." There was a big hole where there light fixture was so we had to fix it with dry wall.

Paul vacuumed up the mess for me.

Angel Fire 2009

2009-05-28T23:21:00.003-06:00

Every year for Memorial Weekend we go to Angel Fire, NM with the New Mexico Veteran's Motorcycle Association. The weather was better this year but since it is in the mountains, it is still cold.

Fruit in the Yard!

2009-05-21T19:17:00.002-06:00

We have a grape vine in our yard and it is starting to bud.

Paul brought back a Georgia peach tree. I also ordered a Cocktail Fruit Tree and an Apple Tree. Those trees were planted after the peach tree (I just forgot to take pictures).

3 of 3 Complete!

2009-05-21T19:09:00.001-06:00

Finally, our fence is complete. We blocked off the area from the house to the dog pen. Now the doggies can run free in the yard.

Honoring Family!

2009-05-20T22:29:00.008-06:00

On our way home, we stopped in San Antonio and saw family. When Paul jumped out the plane, he had two sets of wings in his pocket. One set of wings he gave to his Grandpa Silva. The other set of wings he gave to his Uncle Danny. These are two people that Paul holds dear to his heart among others. Paul also got a plaque that states that he dedicated his original jump wings to me. He is the sweetest guy! When we got home from our long road trip, Noah, my 5 year old neighbor wanted to give Paul a surprise party. I am so proud of Paul. (I posted a few posts tonight so make sure you keep scrolling down. I am getting tired so I will post more tomorrow!)

Out of Town Vistors!

2009-05-20T22:16:00.003-06:00

It was a joy having family vistors.

A Weekend Full of Accomplishments!

2009-05-20T21:56:00.010-06:00

Last weekend was a very important weekend for the family. My brother-in-law, Brendan, and my cousin, Anna, graduated from NMMI. Brendan also commissioned as a 2LT in the US Army. Paul graduated from Airborne School. Good job! Now we have two LT's in the family! Paul's Wings!

Paul Made it HOME!!

2009-05-20T21:33:00.007-06:00

I flew back to Georgia with Paul so we can pick up his truck. Paul is an excellent driver. He drove 17 hours on 2.5 hours of sleep. On the way back, I tried to take pictures of the states that we went through. The only one I didn't get was Alabama because I was sleeping.

A New Weekly Gordies!

2009-05-12T21:31:00.005-06:00

This week Gordies found a friend. She found a lizard in her dog pen. She spotted a lizard and was trying to get him but luckily she was unsuccessful. (Keep scrolling down to find out about this past weekend.)

Weekend in Chama

2009-05-12T21:03:00.008-06:00

This past weekend I was in Chama due to a death in the family. Although, I went for a very sad reason, I believe our time was well spent. The family came together and I am grateful to have a wonderful family. There are a lot of pictures.

As I was driving, I saw the moon. I stopped to take a picture. I thought it was amazing.

Miguel is one of the nephews. He spent all weekend with me.

All the nephews except Anthony Jr.

Miguel was touching Anthony Jr.'s loose tooth. Nephew time. Doggie pile on Anthony Jr.!
What a pretty smile, Mom!
My wonderful Grandparents, Angie and Don! AKA Cita and Hongo. How nice and spiffy you look, Dad and Angela! This was at the burial site. Below is Angela's Dad, Jr. and he is holding a picture of his wife, Porfiria.
Tia Nickie and Cappy. It was good to visit with them.

The Weekly Gordies!

2009-05-04T18:34:00.003-06:00

So Gordies likes to chase after a red laser light. I didn't want to play anymore so I hid the light in the couch. Well, she found it and was trying to get it.

This has been another Weekly Gordies! What will she do next?

New Shelves!!

2009-05-03T12:56:00.008-06:00

Finally, I got some shelves put in. It does not compare to having a pantry but it gives us more room the food storage.

We have an older house so the washer and dryer are in the kitchen. The shelves were installed above the washer and dryer.

The other shelf is on the top but the shades are blocking the view.

2 out of 3 Complete!

2009-04-30T20:08:00.015-06:00

The second phase of enclosing our backyard is complete! One more phase and the doggies can run free! The last phase will be chain link instead of cedar. I hope it looks good.

The first phase was the gated area (from the alley to the property line).

The second phase was longest

section (from the gated area to the cinder block).

Now the third phase is from the dog pen to the house.

Boy or Girl?!

2009-04-28T20:48:00.007-06:00

Boy or Girl?! Okay, I am NOT expecting, but Paul and I just wanted you to know that we have decided it is time to start a family. If it was up to Paul, we would of had a "honeymoon baby." The great thing about prayer is that if you pray with a sincere heart and are willing to listen to the Lord's promptings, you will know when the time is right. That is exactly what Paul and I did. We prayed and asked the Lord to let us know if now is the time to start a family. It is up to the Lord and only He knows what is best for us.

When I was in Georgia, we went to the Harley Store and Paul bought two beanies; a pink and a blue. I told him that I wasn't pregnant. He said, "I know but this is what our baby is going home in. The hospital hats are ugly." Then I said, "What if we have a girl? Then we will be stuck with a blue beanie." "Then we will just have to safe it for our boy," Paul said. Then we went to Barnes and Nobles Bookstore. I found "The Book of Babies' Names." It was on sale and I have always found it interesting to know the meaning of names. So we bought it.

If you look closely, it has "Harley Davidson" in the white strip.

The Weekly Gordies!

2009-04-27T20:24:00.003-06:00

"Gordies! Why did you do that?" Then I realized it was my fault. I was moving the red light and Gordies was chasing it. I put the red light above the plant thinking that she wouldn't go near it. Uh ya, I was wrong.

My Trip to Georgia

2009-04-26T16:38:00.012-06:00

We couldn't do much since Paul was still in training all day, but we managed to do a couple of fun things. He also took me to see 17 Again. That was a funny movie. There are two more new posts after this one, so keep on reading!

Paul took me to an Arena Football game.

It was pretty neat.

I had never been to one before.
I am watching Paul clean his weapon.

Now, the pics below are not Paul but this what he is going to be doing at Airborne School. He will jumping out planes but that isn't until his last week. It looks like fun.

Oh How I Love Flowers!

2009-04-26T16:26:00.003-06:00

I love flowers. They bring so much color into the room. I always take pictures of all the flowers that Paul gets for me. He is so sweet and as I said in an earlier post, I have the best husband ever. When I arrived in Georgia, there was a card, a heart necklace (hung over the card), flowers, and Pac Man (Xbox game). I didn't think of taking a picture of it, but I did take a picture of the flowers. I brought them home with me. The flowers survived security and the plane ride home. Thanks Paul for being so thoughtful and for being the best husband ever!

Paul's Blue Cord Ceremony!

2009-04-26T16:07:00.006-06:00

Finally! Paul's big day has arrived. I am so proud of Paul for going through this rough course. It was an honor to place his blue cord on his shoulder for the first time. I want to thank our Heavenly Father for helping us through the last six months. I am so grateful that we were able to see each other once a month and I know that was through the will of the Lord. That sure did help pass the months. I am also grateful for the Lord's protection of our home and doggies while Paul has been away. It is through the Lord that we both found the strength and comfort to continue through the past six months. Sure some days went by faster than others. Now, Paul is in Airborne School for three weeks. He will be done on May 15th and will be on his way home!

Paul's Platoon. Forming up for the ceremony.

Paul in formation! Just look at that handsome soldier!

Putting his blue cord on.

My handsome husband and me.

Update from Georgia!

2009-04-21T14:11:00.002-06:00

As most of you know, I am in Georgia with Paul. He graduates from this long 6 month training on Thursday. I am so proud of him. Paul is so ready to be done. Although he is done with this training, he has three weeks left. He got orders to attend Airborne School. This school is something he has been trying to get into for the past 10 years! I know that he will do well and accomplish one of his goals.

It was has been wonderful being here with Paul. I have not been doing much because Paul still has to do training during the day. But that's okay. I hardly ever get a chance to just relax and do absolutely nothing.

I will put some pics up when I get back home on Saturday. (I don't have the cord to connect the camera to the computer).

Fence Almost Done! 2 out of 3 Almost Complete!

2009-04-14T21:18:00.005-06:00

I am getting so excited. The fence is almost done. John and I went to Home Depot and bought 150 pickets for the fence. I need 80 more and the fence will be done!

These are the railings.

Railings completed!

More then half done!

All 150 pickets used!

How pretty!

Another Chama Visitor! My Cousin John

2009-04-14T21:13:00.004-06:00

Easter weekend I stayed home. My cousin John came to stay with me so we can catch up like old times. John and I grew up together in Chama and were always very close. He even came to my high school graduation at NMMI. John then joined the Air Force and we sort of lost touch. Now that he is back in NM, we talk more. It was good having someone here to talk to.

More Chama Vistors!

2009-03-31T17:49:00.008-06:00

Finally, I got a recent pic of my family. I forgot to mention that the only way my brother would come was if my mom came for him at the end of the week. I was so excited that they came. I was sick all weekend but my mom took care of me. Thanks Mom!

Miguel liked Gordies so much that he was trying to act like her! He liked Chula too.

To Uncle Paul: I got these tattoos just for you! Wish you were here to see them!

(Don't worry. They wash off)

Some Chama vistors!

2009-03-31T17:33:00.007-06:00

This past week was a blast for me. The weekend before last, I went to Chama and my brother and my youngest nephew came back with me! Since I am by myself, I hardly ever have groceries. I had invited my brother to spend some time with me, but I didn't think he would come. So to say the least, we had to go to grocery shopping. Overall, I am glad they came to keep me company. I enjoyed having them over.

Dean Jr. (my brother) and Miguel (my youngest nephew)

I just love when he gets his hair wet. He has very curly hair.

Gordies didn't know what Miguel was doing. Gordies has never had the opportunity to watch anyone take a bath.

I thought this was so cute. Dean Jr. and Miguel were watching TV and Gordies decided she wanted to watch TV too.

Dean Jr. watching TV.

Fence coming right along!

2009-03-31T17:16:00.006-06:00

The first section of our new fence is now completed.
This is from the yard to the alley. The second part of the fence will go from this section to the house at a diagonal. I know, our property line is weird.

Now, here are the posts for the second part of the fence.

Can dogs see ghosts or spirits?

2009-03-18T21:23:00.006-06:00

My silly puppy. She scared the heck out of me the other day. During the day, I was sitting in the computer room and she started barking at the light on the ceiling. I thought maybe she saw a bug or something in the light. So I got up to look and I didn't see anything. But she insisted and kept barking. Soon her mane went up and she started growling. She was ready to attack! I still don't know what she saw but I think she saw a ghost or a spirit.

Gordies looking up at the light and getting ready to bark.

Gordies looks at me for reassurance that everything is okay.

Soon our doggies can run free!!

2009-03-18T21:09:00.008-06:00

My next project is the fence. Now, I will not be building the fence by myself because I do not know the first thing about building a fence, but we need one badly.

This is day 1. This is where we had to begin.

These are the posts from the previous fence.

Senon tries to get the metal posts out but soon finds

that they are stuck in concrete.

Senon got the metal posts out. This

is our new wood post.

Walla!! The fence is coming along quickly. The "X" is the gate.

Now, all it needs is the pickets.

The old fence is rolled up. Our yard looks bigger!

PAUL IS COMING!!!

2009-03-13T09:02:00.018-06:00

Oh my gosh! Paul is coming tomorrow morning just to visit for the weekend. I have all kinds of stuff to do like:

--Stock the refrigerator with Big Red.

--Get groceries. Going to make my mom's famous Green Chili Chicken Burritos.

--Clean the house. There is dust galore. That's what happens when you have 50mph winds!

--Change the sheets and comforter so he can have a nice fresh clean bed to sleep in.

I let you know how it goes after Monday.

Best Husband Ever

2009-02-21T18:24:00.004-07:00

I know that every wife thinks that she has the best husband in the world. Well, I hate to disappoint all you wives, but I have the best husband in the world! I got back from Georgia this past Tuesday morning and to my surprise, I was called (the next day) to the NMMI's mail room to find that I had received flowers. Surely, I knew who they were from, but I didn't know why. I had just got back from seeing Paul and Valentine's was over. So I opened the box from Pro Flowers and read the note. I hope Paul doesn't mind me sharing this but this is what the note said, "Just wanted to thank you for a wonderful weekend...have a good week and can't wait to see you again." I thought to myself, "Awe. My husband is so sweet and he really does appreciate the time that we spend together." So of course, I was so touched that I got tears in my eyes and wanted to go back to Georgia.

The good thing about Pro Flowers is that the flowers come closed. That way you can enjoy them and watch them open. He sent me Lilies and Irises.

So thanks Paul for being such a wonderful husband. I am truly blessed to have you in my life and words can't express how much I miss and love you. Although you are far away from home, you are always here in my heart. I know that you will return home soon.

(To Brenda: Although Paul was your first child and you say that you had no experience, you did something right. You raised a gentlemen!)

Weekend in Georgia

2009-02-18T20:14:00.008-07:00

This past weekend we had a three day weekend and it just so happen to fall on Valentine's Day. So I packed my bags and went to see Paul in Georgia. We had a good time. He got me two movies that I had been wanting, chocolates, and two cards. Paul always gets me two cards; one serious and one funny. My gift to Paul was a poem that was surrounded by pictures of us from the time we started dating until now. I forgot to take a picture of that.

We also got to see Kristy (she is alone too). Kristy showed us around and even took us to a Harley Store. We had a nice visit. Kristy took us to a peach place. I couldn't go all the way to Georgia and not get some peaches. Well, I didn't get any. Peaches are not in season, but I did taste some really good oranges and grapefruits. Oh and we also ate peach ice cream. It was yummy!Paul is going to bring me a peach tree back when he comes home in May. I wanted to bring one back now, but I couldn't take on the plane and I surely couldn't fit in my bag.

A current pic

2009-02-05T22:02:00.004-07:00

I really don't enjoy taking pics. That is why you don't see much of me on this blog. However, Paul and I got web cams since he is away. I have never used a web cam so I was messing around with it and I didn't know that it takes pictures too. Here are the most current pictures of ME!

Nothing New

2009-02-04T17:34:00.007-07:00

The floor project kept me pretty busy. January went by fast. Now, I am bored when I get off work. I might start to paint. I am not sure yet. Other than that, things are quiet in the Lauritzen house. Gordies, Chula, and I are doing just fine. Our list of things to do to the house is slowly being checked off. The checklist is as follows:

Replace clay pipe with PVC pipe (Done)

Fix electricity (Done)

Furnish floor (Done)

Paint (Not sure when I will start)

Fence (Will do when Paul gets back)

As for Paul, he is doing good in Georgia. He said that it has been pretty cold over there and next week he will be out in the field for three days. I get to see Paul next Friday 13th - Tuesday 17th. If there is anything that you would like me to take to him, let me know and I will give you my address. I can't wait to see him. We miss him so much. I know that the doggies miss him. Chula is depressed and Gordies ears move when she hears the name "Paul." Yesterday was exactly one month since I have seen him. Luckily, I have been able to talk to him every night. We read a scripture and then we pray before we hang up for the night.

Today is Nino's birthday and both Paul and I called him and wished him a Happy B-day! Well, I just wanted to check in and let ya'll know that everything is A-Okay!

Floor Project Complete

2009-01-27T12:18:00.005-07:00

Hooray!! The floor is done. I am no professional but I must say that I did a good job. Paul what do you think? Now, if you scroll down, you can see the "before pics." Also, a lot of dust got in the lens so the blurs or spots you might see is actually from the lens.

This is our little hallway. I am going to get a rug.

Gordies enjoying the new floor.

Picture of the living room from the hallway.

Picture of the living room from the kitchen.

This is what the floor looked like after the 2nd coat.

This is a picture after the 3rd coat dried.Paul (my neighbor) was kind enough to fix the holes that were in the floor.

I am very happy with our new floor. I wanted to thank everyone for all of their help. I couldn't have done this without you. Special thanks to Maria, Senon, Paul (my neighbor), and of course the missionaries. I am truly grateful for everything. Paul (my husband) and I are truly blessed to have you in our lives.

Gordies and Chula

2009-01-18T18:56:00.013-07:00

The below pictures were taken a long time ago but I forgot I took them. I hope they make you laugh because they sure did make us laugh.

Doesn't Gordies look good in polka dots?!

Gordies really didn't like them! I think she might be one of the spoiled est dogs on earth! But it's okay because she protects me!

Now, the reason why I put a pull-up on Chula is because she was on her monthly woman thing. It grossed me out so I put a pull-up on her. It didn't last very long because it kept sliding off her butt!

Chula rolled over so Paul could rub her tummy.