The annual hunting trip with an invited guest.

Every year the big boys go on a pheasent hunting trip to Kansas.  This year they invited their little boys to join them.  Father/ Sons Hunting trip.  I was nervous about the trip. How do I let go of the fear?  Guns. Freezing cold weather.  Tough physical walking conditions.  Zach's not prepared.  How will he keep up?  Will he be happy?    I did know,  from the bottom of my heart,  that Jeff would have Zach's best interest in mind at all times.  I knew Zach would be safe with his Dad by his side.  He would be in good hands.   With that thought I kissed my boys and sent them off to Kansas with 6 other friends.  I had no idea what fun was in store for them.  They walked many fields fields.  Yes, Zach got tired.  But, he hung in there like a champ.  With Jeff's help, hand over hand he had the chance to shoot a gun..  He was tough when he felt the kickback of the gun on his shoulder. His favorite part was holding the birds, for he could look up close and examine the colors.  The boys (men included) ate nothing but junk food to the point of tummy aches.  Beef jerky was a main stable.  Potty humor took over all converstation.  The little boys were happy to just hang out and  "talk the talk" hunting style.

  With all the excitement and physical exertion, the first night away Zach had a seizure.  When he awoke after the medicine wore off, Jeff gave him the option to just hang out together or walk the fields again.  Zach didn't hestitate...he wanted to go out again.  This hunting thing...it's in his blood.  He loves it. 

I treasure this photo.  This is how I will forever remember Zachary.  Snuggling.  With Kiki.  There is nothing more precious or a better way to spend time than snuggling with Zach. It's true. 

This hunting trip brought so much happiness to Zach.  For him, it was perfect.  So far in his 11 years, this was it, his favorite time spent.  He loves his daddy and being "one of the boys"  And, with that being said. I will take my fear and throw it away.  It was worth every moment.   So really, it was happiness for all of us.

so now you know

This is the reason I am so behind on blogging. 

All because this cute guy works extra hard and got himself a BIG FAT PROMOTION!

with this company

and so we are moving our family to this state.

We are happy.  With a touch of sadness in leaving the goodness of Omaha behind.  Wish us luck!

Flowers for mom

Only Jeff would stop the car (on the first request) to pick flowers in the field with his daughter.   Wearing a suit.  On a humid summer day.  To make one little girl happy.

And, her mother.

Thank Jeff and Avery for recognizing the simple pleasures in life.

Don't forget about us...

We dressed up for Halloween and attended a party. The Pattersons and Keisers hosted a fun night. Thank you!

If anyone wants a theme party for thanksgiving...give us a call. We bring peace!I'm sad I didn't get a picture of everyone there. Sorry!

Coldplay was hot!

I surprised Jeff with tickets to the Coldplay concert last week. We both love Coldplay and I knew he would love to go to the concert. I pulled it off. He had no idea what was in store for him. I set aside the night, telling him we had a dinner with my presidency. Booked the babysitter. Scheduled the night out in his calendar so there would be no last minute changes and voila'...we had ourselves a date. Great show, great night and worth every penny. We remembered how much we love the energy and excitement that comes from being at a concert.

My love

Happy Anniversary.

I am never happier than right by your side.

I love you now and forever,

Laurie

My superstar husband...

fixed my super-slow computer so, now it's super fast! Ask him how he did it , and he will be forced to blog!

Thank you, Jeff. I love all the "little things" that you do for me that make my life easier and more enjoyable. I heart you!

60 Seconds...the shortest minute of my life!

With our hearts poundin' and adrenalin rushin' we take our spots on the starting line. We have our strategy in place and know exactly the items we want and the plan to follow. The music is thumpin' and the announcer yells "go"...and off we run. The clock is ticking. Everything is a blur, but we move, throw, grab and toss items into the cart. Oops, no strategy needed because you just don't have time to think.We are lovin' our loot. Check this out.

• Nikon digital camera
• big LCD flat screen T.V
• Ipod
• Magellan GPS unit
• Xm radio
• Home theatre system(surround) sound
• Henkels knife set
• Calphalon pots and pan set
• His and Hers watches
• Phillips wireless speaker system
• Sony noise canceling headphones
• Sony Dvd player
• phone
• Wusthoff steak knives
• Kitchen aide toaster
• Krups pannini maker
• Old fashion popcorn maker (ya know, the theatre type)
• So many other smaller items.
• We might exchange a lot of the stuff because we already have it...but, still so fun to see and grab

We had a wonderful time in Milwaukee for 3 days. The contest was of course, the main event. But, we enjoyed some fine dining and this beautiful hotel. We stayed at the Pfister (not to be confused with Pfizer, ha) Hotel, it is gorgeous and rich with history. It was built in the late 1800's and truly had exquisite decor and details. Jeff and I had a blast. It felt like 3 long special dates with one another as we enjoyed every minute together. We knew the kids were well taken care of at home as my parents came in town to stay with them. Infact, the kids had so much fun they adopted a new motto: "What happens with Gigi and Papa stays with Gigi and Papa." In other words; they were spoiled (and didn't want us to know about it) I guess that's what grandparents do best, huh. I am most thankful to them and to our friends who took such good care of our children while we were gone. All three kids had special playdates & activities with friends. Thank you, Thank you!

With all the gifts, fine dining, and fancy times we were missing one thing... the smiles of the sweet faces we left at home. Three days seems to be the magic number for us, we love our time apart but, then definitely look forward to our return. To much longer I may go crazy missing and worrying about the kids but anytime less that 3 days doesn't quite seem long enough. We loved our time in Milwaukee, perfect in all things.

"Who's your daddy?"

Happy Fathers Day!

Jeff, our children, and myself have been blessed with wonderful fathers in our lives. Our daddies... Papa, grandpa and Jeff have been true examples of all things fathers should be. They have given us countless hours of service and endless amount of unconditional love through the years. Many times in my life, it is my dad that would give me the comfort and "the soft place to land" that I yearned for. And, I know Jeff is the man he is today because of all he learned from his father. We feel very blessed to have the support of both dads, Doug and Newell in our lives. We treasure the "gifts" of knowledge, comfort, support and love that you both so freely give to us and our families. Thank you.

Zachary, Ellie and Avery wanted to share a few words for daddy, papa, and grandpa.

Avery said: I love my papa because he plays games with me like...I'm not 'eady! He is funny and laughs with me. She said she loves her grandpa because he is nice and soft.
Zachary said: My papa wears a leather jacket and has hearing aides. I love to build things with him. My grandpa tells funny jokes and collects wind up toys. He brings me surprises.
Ellie said: Papa gives us tight hugs and squeezes. And, grandpa jokes with us a lot.



They all 3 had a lot to say about their daddy as well...here ya go.

Avery said: My daddy is very special to me. He plays things with me like "store, airplane and restaurant" He turns my nightlight on at night, and flips my pillow, and brings me my blanket. (Can you tell it was night time when we had this chat)
Zachary said: My daddy is handsome and bald. He is nicer than any other dad. He is funny, exciting and does tricks. He loves me all the time. He likes to mow the lawn, he gets sweaty and then cools off. He snuggles me.
Ellie said: My dad is funny, I mean really funny. He likes to snuggle in the morning in the big bed. He never loses his things like my mom (thanks, Ellie) He takes good care of our family and makes our family run smoothly.

"Oh, What a Night"

Last month our ward hosted a fundraiser auction for the youth camp program. This always proves to be a fun event. We bid on a "night with the Behans" along with our friends. We won, and were so excited! We all the love the Behans, they are a wonderful couple in our ward who have become dear friends. We had no idea that such a special night was in store for us. Friday night we all met up at the Behans and it was absolutely a date to remember. We were treated to a "5 star" night of elegance! The table was set beautifully. Sharla and Wayne spent the day preparing and cooking our dinner. We were served a five course meal-mouth watering delicious! Mia is more on top of the whole blog thing, so check out her site for pictures of each course of the meal. After dinner, we set off to play "Settlers of Catan" followed up with a scrumptious almond torte topped with cream and berries. Oh, what a night! To the Behans, thank you so much for a memorable and wonderful date night. Good friends= Sharla, Wendi, Yours truly, Mia and Kimberly

Oh, happy day...It's Jeff birthday

Happy 36th birthday to the unique and entertaining individual that I call husband, best friend and love of my life. Enjoy your day, sweet pea!

36 little known facts about my loverboy!

1.Jeff has a beautiful singing voice. He hides this talent, but if you've had the privilege of hearing him sing you'll agree, it's fantastic!

2.Once a breakdancer-always a dancer. Jeff can really bust a move! He loves to dance.

3.This gentle giant loves to hunt. He loves the mountains, fishing and the sport of hunting.

4.Determination--Jeff is determined and dedicated. He was originally cut from his high school basketball team due to being a "smartmouth" to the coach. The next season he was determined, proved to the coach he was serious and went on to star on the team. Eventually, played in college on a scholarship.

5.everybody knows his humor, but only a select few know of his love of "covered wagon" joke, or anything potty related! Boys will be boys.

6. Jeff has been voted" most valuable player" many times. On the court, for his skills and teamwork from his basketball team. Off the court, with Pfizer as he has earned this title several times with "Rookie of the year" being his favorite honor.

7.He's not afraid to show some emotion. No really, this man can shed tears like no other. Truth be told, I fell in love with Jeff because of his sensitive heart.

8.He loves shopping. Don't deny it, Jeff

9. Jeff gives me the best gifts ...he loves to surprise me and always spends way to much money on me.

10. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes, To know Jeff is to know his love of shoes.
11. He has the best" fake" laugh you've ever heard. Ask to hear it sometime.

12. He will never have to many white dress shirts.

13. Jeff loves fine dining. Eating out while Pfizer foots the bill has certainly shown him the better side of the fine cuisine.

14. Jeff knows people. He is a great communicator, and in tune to the needs of others.

15. Jeff is quick to say sorry.

16. He will ask for directions if he's lost.

17. Jeff has a photographic memory! He truly can remember all things, and continually amazes me with complete details. Movies from his 7th grade, a speaker he heard last year, and many times I ask him...where did I put my purse?

18.He is athletic, and loves sports. He prefers to watch college sports rather than professional ones. However, I am happy to report he's not one to stare at the T.V for hours on end. That being said, I know come March it's his turn to enjoy the Madness.

19. The "baby whisperer" can settle down and make any baby smile. Babies love him. He is nurturing and adorable with children.

20.Nothing compares to the love he has for his own children. There is no place he would rather be than right beside his family.

21. he was voted class clown in grade school, (surprised?) But, did you know he was voted "top drama student" in high school. He only joined the drama club for one year (cute girl in class) but once again, he excelled!

22.He is loyal friend and values his relationships with others.

23.He is very complimentary, and can make anyone feel special.

24.He is our Elders Quorum President. I love to see him in action. He mingles in the halls after church listening to the needs of others. He's the first person to offer help, and lighten the burden of others.

25.He doesn't like to read, but likes to be informed and knowledgeable. So, has taken to Books on tape and listens to them all day while driving around.

26.He doesn't like fiction, only non-fiction stuff.

27.He's patient. Enough said.

28.Jeff like veggies and dinner food better than dessert! What, you've never heard of such a thing neither had I until I met him.

29.Jeff loves movies. All kinds.

30.He is strong when faced with trials. He is my rock!

31. Jeff smells good. I mean really good. He loves cologne. He is particular and distinguished.

32.Jeff loves to play with the kids. It doesn't matter if it's dolls with Avery, Star wars with Zach or computer games with Ellie. He will always make time to play.

33. Jeff calls me everyday from work. Idol "chit chat" is not his favorite but he knows it's important to me and he never complains.

34. Jeff is diligent in his duties. He works efficiently. He is successful at finding a balance between work and play.

35.Jeff loves the Gospel, he is steadfast in his desire to serve the Lord. He is spiritual, and open to inspiration and guidance. He is humble, he honors his priesthood, and is mindful of the Lord in all things. I am thankful to him each and every day.
36. He is my most favorite person in the world.

To My Favorite Valentine!

Happy Valentines Day to Jeff!



The top 10 reasons I am lucky to have Jeff as my Valentine
10. He brings a smile to my face each and every day.

9. He helps me when I need him with a caring and patient heart.

8. He calls me everyday from work, to let me know he is thinking about me.

7. He appreciates my efforts when making dinner, even if the meal is a can of soup.

6. Just being near him, cheers me up!

5.He is hands down, without a doubt the best dad for our children, he loves them with all his heart. Jeff is happiest when his children are around.

4. He provides well for our family. He works hard everyday. He succeeds and excels in his professional career inorder to give to his family.


3. He makes me laugh! Yes, Jeff you still make me laugh everyday. Nothing is ever as much fun as it is with you beside me.

2. He truly is an example of Christ-like characteristics. He is so loving, kind, patient and serving towards others. I learn from him daily. And feel blessed to have him in my life.

1. He is my husband, my best friend and forever companion! Jeff," my heart loves your heart" Thank you for your example of love! Happy Valentines Day. I love you dearly, Laurie

Look out Kansas, The boys are back in town!

Hunting is not my thing, but Jeff sure loves it! This past weekend Jeff and several buddies went on their annual pheasant hunting trip. For the last 11 years Jeff has gone to Kansas for the ultimate male bonding trip! And, for the last 2 years Bruce has joined them. I can't really write much about it since I wasn't there. However, in light of the fact that this is a family journal, the hunting trip deserves a post. I have heard and can report some of the details. The "dudes" had a great time- you know, all that laughing, eating, walking the fields, and( gasp)...shooting, was just what they needed. I guess. I do know that this trip is a much deserved "break" and fun outing that Jeff looks forward to each and every year.


I don't want to ignore posting on the outstanding behavior of the 3 Anderson children while Jeff was gone. Now, surely you know, this is not always the case. But, most definitely this weekend I was impressed. They behaved like champs! It was so enjoyable spending my time with them. We played, snuggled, went to the movie with the Bischoffs, went out to eat, and they even helped me prepare sharing time. Kinkos can really keep 3 kiddos occupied for quite some time. My favorite thing is ...shhhh, don't tell Jeff, letting the kids sleep in our bed. I love hearing them breath through the night. Truthfully, it helps me sleep also. I don't have to worry and check in on them all night. But, more than that I love having Jeff home. So, we are thankful he made it home safe and sound and is back right where he belongs.