Okay....So It's Not As Hard As I Thought....

So I finally found a FREE website builder, and it has not been as hard as I originally thought. The website service, that I had paid for, did NOT offer what I wanted; and it was EXTREMELY difficult to use. So.....I searched online and found this amazing FREE site builder and am in the process of building.....oh and I did get a refund from the original website service. I should have it up and running soon. What is the hold up?....you ask. Well....that would be the holidays, spending time with my children, taking care of my chores, sleepovers, my birthday...oh and the slowest rebuilt laptop in the world. NPayne is in the process of shopping around for a rebuilt Mac Book, and I absolutely CANNOT wait to get my hands on it.....literally. As for now, I'm making due with what I have; and I am grateful that I have anything to use at all. Stay tuned and check back often.....www.LoriePaynePhotography.com is coming soon!

Sunday Sermon Summary.....Unwrap The Gift!

Today in church the sermon was titled...."When It's All Said and Done".....and based on the scripture John 3:16....

Pastor Rick, one of our Associate Pastors, led the sermon and was very inspirational. He told the story of Edna....a sweet lady who lived in a nursing home. Years ago, Pastor Rick use to visit Edna each year at Christmas and take her a fruit cake that some folks from his church baked. He noticed one year that the fruit cake that he had brought her the previous year was still sitting on the mantle in its original tin container. Nonetheless he left another fruitcake. Then on the 3rd year, he noticed that there were 2 fruitcakes still sitting on her mantle when he went back to deliver her the annual Christmas fruitcake. He talked about how her gifts sat unwrapped year after year, and how that is what happens to a lot of people. We get so busy during Christmas that we forget to unwrap the gift.....the gift of Jesus....remember that is what Christmas is about. For God So Loved the World that He gave His One and Only Son! God gave us the most precious gift....now it's up to us to unwrap it, treasure it, change ourselves with it, change others with it. Pastor Rick said if we unwrap it and are filled up with the Holy Spirit, then we will want to change ourselves for the better....we will want to serve others and help others....we will want to shine the LIGHT OF CHRIST....we will just want to be better people. If you haven't had a chance to unwrap the gift of Jesus, it's never too late....and you don't have to do it on Christmas! That gift is always available.

It's All About Me....

Since my birthday was yesterday, and it was all about me day :)....I decided to write a post about ME. Things I do, don't, wish, won't, cherish, love, prefer, don't care for, etc. So here ya go....
I prefer baths over showers.
I don't like chocolate much, but I can eat my weight in pastries.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I rarely eat meat.
I cut my own hair and my daughters' hair.
I've only had one pedicure in my entire life.
Sleep is my most coveted need.
I have had migraines my whole life.
It takes me about 15 minutes (if I'm not interrupted) to get ready...shower, hair, makeup, and dressed!
I laugh really loud when I think something is funny....even in church!
I will oftentimes break out in dance mode just because I can.
I am extremely sentimental but barely sympathetic.
I cry easily.
I LOVE the beach.
Amusement park rides that spin make my physically ill.
I prefer trucks over cars.
I could take photos every day all day.
I am not computer saavy.
I never change lightbulbs.
I've been changing diapers for almost 13 years.
I like surprises.
I'm not a fan of heights.
I love wallpaper.
I don't like being scared or scary movies.
I LOVE a bargain.
I prefer old stuff over new stuff.
I love coffee.
Anthropologie is my favorite store to browse and wish in.
Target is my favorite store to buy in.
I have rheumatoid arthritis.
I rarely paint my fingernails but always paint my toenails.
I prefer costume jewelery over expensive jewelery....except my wedding ring of course.
My ears are pierced, but I always forget to wear earrings.
I have an addiction to decorative pillows, vintage linens, and aprons.
My favorite color is pink.
I like to dress up, and I like to dress casual.
I wear my hair in a ponytail 5 out of 7 days.
I love clean sheets.
I like things to compliment each other, but I don't like things to match.
I love the smell of clean laundry and babies.
I get nervous in elevators and parking garages.
I love other people's junk.
I don't like alarm clocks.
I never shop at a department store.
If I get woken up during the night, I can't go back to sleep; and I can be quite grumpy.
I love handmade things....especially clothes.
I don't like exercising but love the way I feel when I do.
I am not a fan of TV, but love the radio.
I like stuff to be tidy and organized.
I love treasures: my babies' little toes, kisses on the lips from my son, love notes from my girls, when NPayne brings me a coke from Sonic, rocking Elliot, Saturday Night Disco with my family, reading with my children, listening to my children pray.
I love to watch the eyes of my children light up at the littlest of things.
I am honored to be Mrs. NPayne!

It's My Party And I'll Clean If I Want To.....

Today is my birthday! WOOHOO! Another year that I've survived healthy and happy and so very blessed that I can't even begin to tell you all! As I've stated before, birthdays in the Payne house are a BIG DEAL!!!! BIG....HUGE....GIGANTIC!
For my birthday I slept really really late...received tons of "Happy Birthday" texts, FB bday wishes, and phone calls....was served lunch in bed....went shopping with NPayne and my 5 children....had a fabulous mexican dinner out....and opened gifts! Gifts, although quite nice and very practical, gave me a little bit of a complex. When I tell you what I received you will see why....
scouring pads
pot scrubber
dusting mit
whole new set of cookware
Ahem....is someone trying to tell me something here? Do they think I need to clean more, or do they think I clean too often? Either way.....I cleaned nearly the entire house this evening, with some help from my oldest girls....and honestly that was the perfect way to end my day....well that and a little "Just Dance" on the new Wii that NPayne bought! And just so you aren't worried that all of my gifts consisted of cooking and cleaning supplies....I also received some cash for shopping and am in the process of getting a MAC book! However the best gift is always hanging with my family and now bustin' a move with the kids and the Wii!

WORDFUL WEDNESDAY....Merry Christmas!

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! Merry Christmas!

Visit Angie's blog for more Wordful Wednesday!

WEBSITES ARE HARD!

LoriePaynePhotography.com......coming soon! I've been working on building a website, with some help from NPayne, and let me tell you....it ain't no blog. I mean.....HELLO....it is COMPLICATED! Setting up a blog is a piece of cake compared to a website. I'm hoping to have it finished in the next few days, but until then....if you go to www.LoriePaynePhotography.com..... there are some groovy little silhouettes and these words.....COMING SOON!

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas!

Although we don't have near the decorations that we have in the past, and we did not buy our traditional fresh cut tree, and the gifts are not all wrapped, and our stockings are not hung by the chimney with care....it's finally beginning to feel look a lot like Christmas. My children are on Christmas break....we have lots of plans to spend all of our available time together and with family and friends. We will bake more cookies for our neighbors and then the birthday cake for Jesus' birthday. We will go to church on Christmas Eve and listen to Drew and Bryna sing in the children's choir. We will open gifts with our family over the next few days. We will go to Six Flags, the movies, Target to let the children use their gift cards. We will sleep late and stay in our pjs all day. We will make lots of messes and clean up. We will play outside a lot. But what I'm looking forward to the most is.....just being....and doing it without having somewhere to be at a certain time every day. I am looking forward to the break from the schedule and just being together.

A Photographer In The Making!

This is what happens when Addi gets hold of the camera....

.....okay....so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

Like Mother....Like Daughter!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES!

Baking from scratch is something my girls LOVE to do....

....even Cal enjoys helping!

As much as I love spending time with my children

and the taste of homemade cookies.....

....I'm perfectly okay with using Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker!

Of course when you make your own dough,

you can also make dough boys from the leftovers!

Some Things I Am Starting To Realize....

There are some things that I am starting to realize....

-I was NOT fat in high school.
-My children know more about some things than I do....especially Math.
-I need to start exercising.
-My parents were right about many things.
-The only way I'll ever get rid of my post pregnant pooch is with plastic surgery.
-I need to focus on the present.
-Worrying is not good.
-My dream of my own private master bathroom will probably never become a reality.
-Drinking 8 glasses of water per day is TORTURE.
-I still can't walk in high heels.
-My husband rocks (okay I realized that a long time ago).
-There's a lot of good to be done.
-Our garage will never be clean.
-I never did like tight fitting jeans.
-I'm getting better with age (maybe not physically but spiritually).
-Life can be hard, but there's always a bright side.
-My daughter will be driving in a little over 3 years.
-I've been changing diapers for almost 13 years.
-You do get age spots with age....go figure.
-Love can change most anything.