THE WOODARD FAMILY

Playing Catch Up!

2010-07-02T12:50:00.004-05:00

I just realized that I haven't posted in over a MONTH! So much has happened since the last time I posted. Here is the quick version of what's been going on...

I started working again!! AH! I was looking for a part-time job and was offered a job at the Log Cabin (Faulkner County's Newspaper) that I couldn't refuse. So, I am working full-time again. But have lots of flexibility and can work from home some. I am doing graphic design and some sales, however, in Nov. I will be 100% account executive (sales). I am loving being in the professional world again. It makes me feel important. I also am enjoying adult interaction. However, I miss Drake like CRAZY during the day!! His daycare is about 4 blocks from where I work, so most days I go over to his daycare and play with him for an hour during lunch. :-)

Drake started Daycare!!! I NEVER thought that this would happen, but it has. And actually, It's been a really good experience. He LOVES it! His teachers LOVE him and he LOVES them. I was already considering putting him something like MDO two days a week. He is loving the interaction with other kids. He is a social butterfly! :-)

Our house is slowly, but surely going up. The perk test was done last week and the footer is being dug this week. We hope to be in by Christmas!!

Living with the parents is going pretty well. One good thing....there's always food in the kitchen and meals cooked daily! One bad thing...the laundry room is always busy!!

Drake has started to walk!!!! His first step was on June 13th! He is getting to be such a big boy! He can say- momma, dada, papa, ball "ba", nana "banana", juju "juice", joyjoy "Josey", buh'ble "bubble", nononono "no" I think that's all of them. He is jabbering all the time so those are the words I've noticed the most.

We are down to 2 nursings a day!! One in the morning and one at night. He is drinking milk during the day!!

Here are some fun pictures I took of Drake the other day in our yard. ENJOY!

This photo is of Drake's actual FIRST STEP! I am SOOOO glad that Shulana was taking pictures that night!!

Toad Suck,1st Mother's Day & The Duggars!

2010-05-19T10:29:00.011-05:00

I said I was going to try to catch up with my posts.....well here it goes...

TOAD SUCK 2010 was so much fun for our family! Especially since Drake got to participate in some things. There are so many things that I could write about Toad Suck but the main thing that happened was Drake winning his first trophy!!! On Saturday morning we took Drake to compete in the 12 month and under Baby Crawl Race! He won his division!! There's a funny story though....

Drake on the way to the race! He's ready to go!

Right when we got there a tain went by. It scared him half to death! The baby pavillion was RIGHT NEXT to the railroad tack. Look at those big tears. :-(

On your mark....Get set....

GOOOOOOOO!!!!!

ummmmm....GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Drake GO! Seriously son....GO!

Oh well! So maybe Drake didn't even budge from the starting line but he still won the trophy because he was the only boy in his age division. :-) We have so much fun in spite of our son's uncompetiveness (is that even a word?). We made memories!!

We are all SO PROUD of you Drake!! We know that you let that little girl win. :-)

Another fun thing Drake got to do was look at the animals in the petting zoo. He LOVED it!! He just stared at all the animals.

and noooo....Drake did not ride the pony this year. Maybe next year! :-)

FIRST MOTHER'S DAY!!

My first Mother's Day was so special! It started with Drake and Luke bringing me my cards. Drake made me the sweetest card and even signed his name on it. So sweet!!
On Saturday morning the boys took me to eat at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. It was SO good! The rest of the day was spent shopping. They got me a new dress and some shoes to go with it. I wore my new outfit on Sunday to church (see in pictures below).

THE DUGGAR'S

Mom and I went to a rally for Scott Wallace in LR last week. Scott Wallace is running for congress. Anyway, the Duggars were there and we were able to hang out with them and take some pictures. The event was very laid back and I enjoyed talking to some of the older Duggar girls for a while. They are super sweet. Most of the time we hung out with Jill and Jordan. Drake and Jordan had fun playing together. Here are some fun pictures we took....

I am a pretty avid watcher of the Duggars (19 and Counting). It comes on every Tuesday night at 8:00 on TLC.

I still have quite a bit of catching up to do on my posts. Hopfully I can get pictures up of our trip to Branson soon! Have a blessed day!!

9 months!!

2010-05-10T20:48:00.011-05:00

Actually Drake turned 9 months on April 30th. But better late than never!! The last month has been really crazy with us moving from Benton to Conway. We are finally moved in and settled. There have been so many things that have happend in the past month that I want to blog about. I am SOOOO behind!! Hopfully I can get caught up.

Anyway, Drake wants to share some things that he's been up to lately....

Hey guys! It's Drake! I turned 9 months old on April 30th. I have been up to so much lately.

First of all I went to my 9 month check-up the other day and the Dr. said I was perfect! I weighed 21 lbs. 7 oz. and I was 29 inches tall. He told mommy to keep up the good work!

My favorite thing to do nowadays is get into EVERYTHING! I crawl everywhere now and fast! I pull up on tables, chairs, toys, people, etc... Nothing is out of my reach! I WILL find a way to get a hold of what I want. Mommy and daddy have had to take everything off the coffee tables and nightstands so I won't hurt myself. My favorite things to get into are electrical cords, phones & the TV remote. Mommy and daddy won't let me play with any of those things though. I don't understand! They keep telling me this word, "NO" and I'm not sure what that means so I just smile at them and giggle a little bit and that seems to distract them from what I was doing. Ha! I got this figured out!

I love to go 4-wheeler riding with daddy. Mommy won't let him go very fast though. She yells at us, "BE CAREFUL! GO SLOW! HOLD ON TO HIM TIGHT!" Daddy and I just laugh at her and take off! I LOVE doing stuff with daddy!

I also love my new John Deere tractor. I like to push it around the house. I also like to honk the horn.

I pretty much eat all big boy food now. I LOVE fruit! Especially mandarin oranges. I also LOVE sweet potato french fries from Market Place Grill! I love spaghetti too!YUMMMM! I ate my first pancake at Stoby's last Saturday. It was so good! Let's be honest...I pretty much love all food! I will eat whatever mommy and daddy put in front of me. They call me a garbage disposer. I still like mommy's milk the best though. She keeps saying we need to start weaning me. Whatever that means!

I only take one nap a day now. I usually take it right after lunch and then sleep for about 3 hours! I love it and so does mommy! I still go to bed at 7:30 p.m. and wake up around 6:30 a.m.

One of my favorite toys is my basketball. I love to throw it, bounce it and slap it with my hands. It is so much fun!

Mommy and I play outside everyday when the weather is nice. I love spending time outside with mommy. We talk, laugh, make silly noises and play games. She loves me so much.

Mommy got me a little swimming pool so I can play in the water outside. I LOVE IT!!! I splash and kick my feet. It is a big hit so far! I am ready for gigi and papa to get the big pool ready to swim in though! Mommy and daddy bought a raft for little guys like me to get in the big pool. I can't wait to try it out!

There are so many more things I have been up to the past month. Mommy will have to post some more stuff later.

That's all for now!

Loooong Journey to the Bathroom

2010-04-07T21:50:00.003-05:00

I took this video a few nights ago. I shot it because I wanted to capture how Drake is "army crawling" now. Luke was in the bathroom getting his bath ready and this is what happend... (the video is kinda long...sorry!)

I promise I went and cleaned the floor and the rug after this!!

Drake is getting around pretty well these days. I have to be really careful where I leave him. I have caught him almost pulling a lamp on top on himself and sticking his finger in an electrical socket! I want to wrap him in bubble wrap for the rest of his life!! :-) Anyway, I put plugs in ALL the sockets in the house and tied up ALL the lamp cords so he can't pull on them. He LOVES to open and shut doors and drawers. BUT he keeps closing his fingers in them!

He actually crawled for the first time tonight!!!! It was only two "steps"...but still...he CRAWLED! Luke and I cheered and clapped so loud for him! He was so proud of himself. I will try to be quick with my camera so I can capture this soon.

I LOVE this boy SO much! I thank the Lord everyday that He chose me and Luke to be his parents. We are so blessed!

Drake's 1st Easter!

2010-04-05T15:00:00.007-05:00

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday yesterday. We went to FBC (our last Sunday there....bittersweet), then we got together with Luke's family to eat lunch and hang out! Here a few pictures from the day...

The boys opening their Easter baskets.

2010-03-31T21:46:00.006-05:00

The last few days I have been walking into Drake's room to get him up from his nap and this is what I see....

and this...

Yep, he has figured out how to pull down his bumper pads! I guess gigi is going to have to sew some ties on the bumper pads so they don't come down anymore. I love how he is into everything now. He can't crawl yet...but he can sure pull himself almost anywhere.

One of his new favorite toys is the lid to the wipe dispenser. He loves to push the button and make the lid go up and then push it back down again. He does it over and over and over. :-) SO CUTE!

Here are some cute pictures I took during lunch today...

Yesterday was Drake's 8 month birthday!!!! I will post about his 8 month activities on another post.

I can't believe we only have 22 days to be out of our house!!! AHHHHH!

2010-03-29T20:15:00.005-05:00

Here are a few things that we have been up to lately...

He LOVES his Jonny Jumper! Papa and Gigi got that for him a while back but he's just now really getting into it!

We had to lower his bed last week! He started pulling up on the sides and pulling things down into the bed with him (like the monitor & it's chord). We decided it was time!

We gave Drake grated cheese for the first time last week! He LOVED it! It was so funny watching him try to get every little strand in his mouth. Messy...but so cute! :-)

I put together Drake's Easter basket the other day. I had so much fun picking out fun things to put in it...

I have been suffering from really bad allergies the last two days. I'm really hoping to get better soon. I HATE being stopped up and coughing! I could ramble right now....but I am so tired. I don't think my brain is fully working tonight. :-) Hopfully I will get to feeling better soon and I'll be able to write about what's going on in our lives these days.

Shake Your Booty!

2010-03-25T10:50:00.003-05:00

This is a video I shot of Drake the other day. I have no idea how he learned this!! Haha! I just started singing this song and he started dancing. ENJOY!

I have not updated in a little while. We have been so busy lately getting ready for the big move to Conway. I really want to keep up with our blog because I think it will be so much fun to let Drake look back and literally watch himself grow up (and fun for us too!) Now that I FINALLY figured out how to upload videos from my blackberry to my blog I will hopfully put more videos on here!! This is a video I got of Drake a week or so ago. He wants to crawl SO BAD! He is learning how to go from sitting to his belly without flopping over.

This video is just a cute one of him saying "dadadada." He says it ALL day long. I have been working so hard on "mommy" but he's stuck on "dada" for now. Oh well! I love him SO MUCH!!!!

DID YOU SAY 1,000???

2010-03-11T13:20:00.007-06:00

I tend to say yes to some of the craziest things. My latest is stuffing 1,000 goodie bags for the Rhea Lana (greater Little Rock) sale that's this weekend!!! I got all the "goodies" last night and they all have to be stuffed by Saturday morning at 9:30! Ahhh! Luckily my husband is very sweet and is helping me stuff.

This is the assembly line of "googies" on my bar....

I have to put all this stuff in these bags...

Here is what Luke and I accomplished last night before we went to bed...

At the end of the day we will be glad that we did it because we will get to shop at Rhea Lana's before everyone else does!! Drake is in desperate need of a summer wardrobe and this is the place to get all kinds of good deals! Oh the things we mom's do to get a good deal! :-)

Here is the link to Rhea Lana's so you can see when and where the next sales are!
http://www.rhealana.com/

Here are some pictures of Drake playing outside yesterday...

2010-03-10T12:17:00.003-06:00

Luke and I are enjoying being brand partners for Vemma. We are enjoying the benefits of taking it as well as the financial benefits! Right now there are 80 doctors in Little Rock who are taking and recommending Vemma to their patients! We would LOVE to talk to you about how you can order some Vemma for yourself or be a brand partner too! We will help you every step of the way.

We are on month 2 of taking & selling Vemma and here are our results so far:

LAURA:
My skin, hair and nails were the first things that I noticed improving. My nails are growing really fast and are very healthy! I have always had some pimples here and there...but my face is really clear now! The other main thing I am noticing is that I feel like my head is clearer. I used to feel like I was in a fog sometimes...you know what I'm talking about?? I just feel healthier!

LUKE:
His main comment is that he feels more energetic throughout the day. "It's all due to our bodies getting exactly what it needs everyday for body and brain function. We are getting to right fuel!"

Let us know if any of these things are affecting you or a family member and we'll be glad to talk to you more about Vemma!

Mangosteen’s Healing Properties as revealed in research.

[Source: Mangosteen the X-Factor, by J. Frederic Templeman, M.D.]

 Anti-inflammatory (natural COX-2 inhibitor)

 Helps prevent fatigue

 Anti-aging

 Antioxidant

 Hypoglycemic-blood sugar lowering (anti diabetic effect)

 Immunomodulation

 Lowers lipids (LDL cholesterol)

 Helps weight loss

 Helps maintain vascular health

 Antiviral

 Antibiotic

 Antifungal

 Antidepressant

 Helps reduce anxiety

 Helps prevent dementia

 Anti-arthritic

 Reduces nerve pain

Vemma contains the equivalent amounts or more of key nutrients
from foods that could be found on your weekly grocery list!

It takes about…

2 oranges to equal the amount of Vitamin C
9 avocados to equal the amount of Vitamin E
3 stalks of broccoli to equal the amount of Iron
55 eggs to equal the amount of Vitamin D
1 cup of spinach to equal the amount of Vitamin A
3 cups of peas to equal the amount of Thiamin
19 medium bananas to equal the amount of Riboflavin
62 oz. of cheddar cheese to equal the amount of Vitamin B-12
5 large potatoes to equal the amount of Niacin
61 cups of tomatoes to equal the amount of Folate
2 large watermelons to equal the amount of Vitamin B-6
17 oz. of cherries to equal the amount of ORAC Value
37 medium mushrooms to equal the amount of Pantothenic Acid

…in just one daily two-ounce serving of Vemma

There is also a children's version of Vemma...it's called NEXT!

Read more about all the Vemma products at... http://www.laurawoodard.vemma.com
You can email me at laurawoodard25@yahoo.com or call me at 501.730.3343

Beautiful Day!

2010-03-05T09:01:00.006-06:00

Yesterday the weather was SOOO BEAUTIFUL! We decided to go outside and enjoy it. Here are a few pictures of Drake's photoshoot. :-)

It got a little warm so we had to shed some clothes!

This Sunday is the FIRST OFFICIAL SERVICE of oneChurch! We are so excited to be a part of the start of such an amazing ministry in Conway. I want to invite ANYONE who is looking for a church home to come and worship with us this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at 1073 Front Street, Conway (across from the Log Cabin Democrat office). We are having a churchwide picnic at Cadron Park - this Sunday. It's going to be a casual, laid back and "come as you are" picnic directly following the service. Everyone can bring a sack lunch or stop by their favorite eatery on the way out there. You might even bring a football, frisbee, or soccer ball.... Maps will be available Sunday morning. We hope to see you at the launch!

http://www.onechurchconway.com/

Big Tub, Identical TWINS & more!

2010-03-04T10:12:00.007-06:00

Last night Drake took his first bath in the BIG TUB! He absolutly loved it. He played with his rubber duckies and splashed the whole time!

I have gotten permission from my brother and sister-in-law to share some big news in our family!!!
They are going to have IDENTICAL TWINS!!!!
We couldn't be more excited for John Paul & Rebekkah! We are praying for a healthy pregnancy and healthy babies. There are a lot of risks with identical twins. They did find out yesterday that there IS a membrane seperating the babies...which cuts out a lot of the doctors concerns. The next thing we are praying for is that they each have their own placenta. Our family feels very blessed to have these new babies! We can't wait to meet them!

Last night we went and ate at Moe's. Here we are....
I am too scared to ask someone to take a picture of our family all together. :-(

Here are just some fun pictures I've taken of Drake in the last few days!...

OH! and this morning while I was getting Drake dressed he got on his hands and knees, rocked for a few seconds and fell down!! WOO HOO!

Drake is 7 Months Old!

2010-03-03T08:08:00.010-06:00

Drake turned 7 months old yesterday! He is getting so big! I feel like if I blink he'll be all grown up!

Drake, dad and I love you SO MUCH! We never thought we could love someone THIS much. You make us laugh all the time. You bring so much joy into our home. We couldn't imagine our lives without you.

Here is what you've been up to this past month....

-You now roll ALL over the place
-You have mastered rolling from your back to your belly.
-You can sit up by yourself for longer than a minute! This just started a few days ago.
-You are not crawling yet but when you are on your belly you push up with your arms and kick with you legs like you are trying to get somewhere. It's really funny to watch you do this...but kinda sad because you get frustrated.

-You are still nursing
-You eat A LOT! You have a fruit and cereral in the morning, a friut and veggie for lunch and a veggie and cereal for dinner. Plus nursing!
-We think you're about 20 pounds now. You are wearing 12 month PJ's and 9-12 month clothes.
-You are into EVERYTHING. Especially the remote and my phone.
-You are content just observing people in the room.
-You laugh a lot.
-You say, "dadadadada" "papapapapa" "bababababa" and "thathathatha"
-You sleep from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. consistantly. Dad and I appreciate that more than you know!
-You take 2 naps a day (each about 1.5 hours)
-You don't have any teeth yet...but we can see them in your gums. Your gums look white instead of pink on the bottom.
-You DON'T like it when I leave the room. :-(
-We bought you a highchair last month and you LOVE it.
-You started eating Gerber Puffs this month. You love them! It's so funny to watch you move them around in your mouth and chew on them.

There are so many more things that I could write about you, Drake. You are such a special boy. You make everyone smile. I am always getting compliments from people saying how cute and happy you are. The nursery workers at church love you and are always so happy when they see you coming.

Daddy and I are already praying for your heart, Drake. We pray that you will choose to love and follow Christ early in your life. We pray that we will teach you and show you what it means to be a servant of God. We love you soooooo much!!

Our Weekend

2010-03-01T07:31:00.006-06:00

Friday afternoon Luke and I (and Drake) went to the National Home Center in NLR to get a bid on our house. We picked out everything from windows to doors to hardware...you name it...we picked it out. I brought lots of magazine chippings with me to show the guy what I wanted...which made it go a lot faster!

After NHC we went to the mall and shopped around for a little while. We needed to kill some time before dinner. AND we had more showings at our house so we had to be gone(even though it's under contract they can still show it until the inspection is done). ANYWAY, we got Luke some new jeans and Drake some shirts and mommy NOTHING! That's how it is these days...I hardly ever buy for myself anymore. :-( But I really do enjoy shopping for Drake more than I like shopping for myself.

After the mall we went and ate at Outback Steakhouse! We decided to let Drake try and sit in a highchair. HAHA! It was a little low. He wanted to grab EVERYTHING on the table. I finally let him play with one of the cardboard coasters. BAD IDEA! He chewed off a chunk of it and almost choked. I had to stick my finger in his mouth and pull it out. Geeeesh! We will never do that again!

The rest of the weekend was spent at our house packing a little bit and at Luke's parents house EATING and at church.

OH! And we got "FLUSHED" too. It's a thing that our Sunday School class is doing. You wake to a toilet in your front yard...you have to take a picture with it and then take it to someone elses' yard during the night. It's silly but fun!

Here are some pictures of us before church on Sunday...

These are just too funny not to post. This is after dinner/before bath time...

I just LOVE him!

SOLD!

2010-02-24T19:09:00.003-06:00

Our house has officially SOLD!! YAY!!! We are so pleased with what Karen Crowsen (Crye Leike) did for us. It was only on the market for 5 days! We close on April 22nd...so we have about 2 more months to live here. We are going to miss our friends here SOOOOOOOOO MUCH! But we will always have a place for Benton in our hearts PLUS Luke's whole family lives here so we will visit often!

The craziest thing is that we sold our house to some OBU friends! Josh and Melani Robles! They are expecting a baby! We are so glad that our precious little house is going to good hands. We couldn't be happier.

NOW we have soooo much work to do before we start construction on our new house!! AHHHH!

Trama and New Highchair

2010-02-23T09:01:00.006-06:00

Drake recieved his first injury on Friday. It was quite tramatic! One of the little girls that I keep (she's 9 months old) decided to turn into a cat and claw my precious little boy on the head! AND she did it right in front of her mother!! To make matters worse the mother didn't even act like it was a big deal, never apologized and never said she would cut her fingernails to make sure it NEVER would happen again! Come on people....at least say, "I'M SORRY!" But no...there was not even a hint of an apology. I was trying to act cool (while Drake is screaming and bleeding from the head) and in a very nice voice I explained to her that her daughters nails needed to be cut before she came back to my house on Monday. Monday came and her fingernails were as long as ever! I about died. I had to explain that she HAD to have her nails cut!! I can't let her play with Drake or Bella because she will hurt them with those crazy nails! Today they are a little bit better...still pretty jagged. I know cutting your babies nails is not a fun job. But that's just part of being a parent.

This is a picture right after it happened. I know what your thinking...it doesn't look THAT bad. The picture makes it look better than it really was. :-)

I just reread all that I just wrote and I had to laugh. Being a mom brings out the momma bear inside of you...you know what I'm talking about?? God just gives you that protective instinct. I know that this in such a small thing campared to what's ahead. I pray that God will teach me patience and understanding as more things happen to Drake that I don't think are fair. I have to put it all in perspective. God let his only son be beaten and killed and He still forgave the men who did it. A little scratch on the head is nothing!

Whew! My heart just did a 108 degree turn in the last two paragraphs. :-)

Here are some pictures of Drake eating at his NEW HIGHCHAIR! He loves it!! Luke and I found it at Babies R Us on Friday AND it was one SALE!!!

And here are just some pictures of him playing this morning...

P.S I JUST found out someone's made an offer on our house!!!! GOD IS GOOD!

Bedtime

2010-02-17T09:53:00.003-06:00

These are just some cute pictures I took of Drake last night before bed. Luke didn't get home till after Drake went to sleep so I took some pictures of his little man so he wouldn't feel totally left out.

This past weekend

2010-02-16T13:28:00.004-06:00

My mom is FINALLY home!!! After being in the hospital 4 loooong nights...she got to come home on Monday. The reason why they kept her a little longer than expected was because of some internal bleeding that occurred after surgery (my poor mommy looks like she has been beaten with a bat all over her midsection) :-( She was a trooper though. After two bags of blood and antibioctics...she was feeling much better! Praise the Lord she is not facing rounds of chemo or radiation in the weeks to come. The cancer was caught early! The final patholody report came back clear of any cancer cells in any other tissue around her uterous!

Here are some picture of Drake at the hospital. He has been such a good little trooper the last few days sitting in the hospital room. I'm so proud of him. He really helped lift my mom's spirits.

Valentine's Day...

Valentine's Day wasn't what we expected (since my mom was in the hospital). We went to Starback's for a little date in the morning and then shopped at Children's Place for Drake. Then we headed back to the hospital to be with my mom. We ended the day at OneChurch for a wonderful potluck dinner! It was so fun to be with everyone and enjoy a good meal. Luke and I made a ice cream sandwhich cake. Luke decorated the top (it's the OneChurch logo). I was very impressed with his creativity!

Mom in the hospital

2010-02-13T10:04:00.004-06:00

My mom has been in the hospital since Thursday morning. Her surgery went VERY well! The pathology report came back this morning and it showed that her cancer was microscopic and there were no traces of cancer in any other tissue around her uterus!! Very good news!

She was scheduled to check out this morning after breakfast, however, her blood pressure keeps dropping so they want to keep her until at least 3:00 to check it again. If it hasn't come up to normal then they are going to keep her another night. :-( So...please pray for her blood pressure to come back up! She has been such a good patient and my dad has been such a good nurse. :-) They really want to go home. My dad is exhausted (you know how uncomfotable those beds are in the rooms).

Me, Luke and Drake are headed back up to the hospital today once Drake wakes up from his nap. We hope to get a good report at 3:00!

Thank you so much for keeping my mom and family in your prayers. We have really felt them! God is so good! It is a miracle that we caught this so early!
GOD IS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN!!!!!

Here is a picture of my mom and Drake. She was able to walk around yesterday and opted to sit in this chair most of the afternoon.

My Mom

2010-02-11T09:54:00.003-06:00

Some of you already know that my mom was diagnosed with endometrial cancer last week. After seeing Dr. Bandi (a specialist) the decision has been made to do a hysterectomy today at 1:00. He says that it is in stage one...which we were VERY happy to hear...and that it's totally curable! It looks as though it has not spread to any other tissue! PRAISE THE LORD!!

Please pray for my mom as she goes in for surgery today. This is very scary for me. My mom has always been so healthy. Pray that they don't find any other traces of the cancer in her body and that she has a full recovery!

You can learn more about this type of cancer at:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/endometrial/Patient/page1

Drake in action!

2010-02-10T13:44:00.007-06:00

Since I haven't posted in so long I decided to post things today! :-) I know ya'll are thinking, "How many posts is she going to do today?" Don't worry...this is my last one for today...I think! :-)

Drake has been rolling over (from back to belly) for a little over a week now! He is getting really good at it. I am so proud of my little man! Since I can't seem to figure out how to upload videos from my Blackberry to my computer, I am going to show you some of his action shots. You'll understand when you look at the pictures.

And that's how it's done!
Notice in the last picture he has his knee up underneath him. I think we are trying to figure out how to crawl! Ahhhh! My life is about to get really fun! No really, I can't wait for him to get mobil.

Here are just a few more pictures of Drake playing after his nap today.

One more thing!

Drake has been doing something pretty funny the past few nights. When I go to get him up in the morning...he's like this!

He pushes himself up into the corner of his crib. AND notice that his wedges are kicked to the other end of the crib! When we put him down for bed we put him in the MIDDLE of the crib ON TOP his wedges. That little bugger! Oh well...I guess he's telling us that he doesn't want us to put him in those anymore! Tonight we are going to try putting him down without the wedges.

EXCITED about joining the VEMMA family!!!

2010-02-10T11:21:00.002-06:00

EXCITED about joining the VEMMA family!!!

Luke and I have been thinking about something we can do to boost our income while I'm staying home to care for our son, Drake. We have been curious about this VEMMA product that my parents have been taking for about a year... Luke calls it a nick-name "Vavoom!" Ha! It is obvious that the nutrition in VEMMA is helping my parents with normal aging ailments like arthritis, allergies, indigestion, etc. It has helped them more than they expected it would.
AND.... as we have learned more about the business opportunity, it just keeps getting better and better! So we are IN!
The company has a great track record, impressive leadership, is financially sound, and invests in its brand partners like us!
We have several friends who are coming into the business with us and we invite you to consider VEMMA as a business for yourself.
To find out more, just drop us a note with your name and phone number. Send to: laurawoodard25@yahoo.com or you can visit my site at www.laurawoodard.vemma.com. We would be happy to talk with you. You will be making a positive step toward helping others with their health while also building your financial future.

Snow Days!

2010-02-10T09:30:00.004-06:00

Yesterday Luke stayed home from work so we could enjoy a snow day together! It was so much fun...we got out in the snow and played like we were kids again (while Drake was taking a nap).

This is the snowman that we built! It was so fun!

When Drake woke up from his nap we immediately got him dressed and took him outside so he could see the snow too! He LOVED it!

That's me after two days of not getting out of the house and NO make-up on. :-)
After we came inside and warmed up we rented Couples Retreat from DTV and watched it. It was pretty good. Then we headed out to Luke's parents house for some chili! It was such a fun day! I can't wait until Drake is big enough to get out and play in the snow with us!

A Day at the Woodard House

2010-01-21T14:19:00.005-06:00

Today has been just about like every other day. Drake woke up around 6:30, ate at 7:00, played till 9:00, took a nap till 10:00, ate again, played till 12:00, took another nap till 2:00 (that's rare for him to sleep that long!), ate, and now he's playing again! He'll eat again around 4:00, play till 6:00, have bathtime and bedtime routine with dad, eat at 7:00 and then off to bed at 7:30.

I love how we've gotten in such a routine. I think it really helps me and Drake feel confident when we go places. We know what to expect and when to expect it. I encourage all new moms and moms-to-be to GET IN A ROUTINE EARLY AND STICK TO IT!

While Drake was taking his 2 hour nap I had time to make a chocolate chip bunt cake and Southwestern chicken soup in the crockpot.

Here are some pictures that I took of Drake playing this afternoon.

It feels just yesterday we were at the hospital and so nervous about bringing him home! Now here we are....our lives are forever changed for the better. We couldn't imagine life without this precious little boy. I praise the Lord for everyday that I get to be his mommy.

All About Drake

2010-01-20T20:19:00.005-06:00

Hi! This is Drake! I am almost 6 months old now. I can't believe that it has already been that long since I was in my mommy's tummy. She really loves me...and I love her too! I been up to so much lately that I haven't been able to keep up with my blog. I have been busy doing lots of things like:

-laughing and smiling
-blowing bubbles

-trying to sit up by myself (I'm not quite doing it on my own yet)
-rolling over from my belly to my back
-grabbing everything in my sight. Mommy has to be really careful where she puts me now because I could get into something that could hurt me.
-breastfeeding (that's my favorite time with mommy) I let her know when I'm done because I will look up at her and smile really big and then we play peek-a-boo for a little while!

-going on walks in the park

-singing and babbling
-I LOVE eating veggies! My favorite is butternut squash. Mommy makes it just for me!

Here are some pictures mommy took of me lately:

I LOVE playing with my feet!

After playing for a while I am worn out! Mommy puts my gloves on for my nap because I take my passy out sometimes and I get really mad. But when she puts the gloves on my hands...I can't take it out! She's so smart! :-)

Our Big News

2010-01-20T19:49:00.005-06:00

After about a year of talking and praying about this decision; Luke and I have decided to move to Conway (my hometown). This was not an easy decision for us because we have made so many close friends here in Benton. I cannot describe how much I am going to miss our church and all our friends there. BUT...we will still be friends and visit each other! RIGHT?!

We put a FOR SALE sign in our front yard on Monday. Right now we are trying to sell it on our own, but if a month goes by and it's not sold then we will get a realtor. Our plan is...once our house is sold we will move in with my parents while we build our new house. We have a 3 acre lot close to my parents house that we are going to build on! We are so excited to have this opportunity to raise our family in such a fun place with lots of room to run around on.

Obviously one of the main reasons for us to move in Conway is to be closer to my parents. I see how special it is to live close by family and I want that for us and our kids. BUT another big reason for us to move to Conway is to help get a church started. It's called Onechurch. You can check out the website at www.onechurchconway.com. My youth pastor growing up (Paul Hudson) has left Second Baptist and is going to start his own church! We are so excited to join in with him and Onechurch.

I have tried to write this blog for days now....and just couldn't put it into words. I am very nervous about this change in our lives. But we know that God is leading us this way and we want to be obedient to Him.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

Drake will be 6 months old in 10 days!!! I can't believe he's almost a half of a year old! Time flies! He bring so much joy and love to our lives. We feel so blessed that God chose us to be his parents.

I will write more later on what he's up to these days. I think this entry has gotten long enough. I will end with a picture of Drake. He is all bundled up ready to go to Target!!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:04:00.004-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here are a few pictures I took last night at Luke's parents house. Drake is LOVING Christmas so far. He got so many fun new toys and cute clothes. He fell asleep after he opened only 2 of his gifts so he didn't get to play with anything until this morning. Today we are in Conway with my family. I hope he can stay awake tonight to open all his presents!

Drake is almost 5 months old now. He is such a joy! I look forward to playing with him everyday! He keeps us smiling and laughing all the time.

Drake, we love you so much! You are changing and growing so much everyday. Here are a few things you have been up to lately:

You LOVE tummy time now. You can lift up your whole chest and play with your toys while you are on your tummy.
You like to talk a lot! You wake up every morning talking up a storm. I love that about you!
You are still nursing
You have tried green beans and squash and LOVE them both.
You have started immitating what we do. Your favorite thing is blowing strawberries.
You are 17 lbs 4 oz
You can roll over from your stomach to your back
You sleep really well at night....BUT you don't really like to take naps during the day. However, Mommy has figured out that you will take a loooong nap in your swing.
You bring a smile to everyone you meet....we love you sooooooo much!

Deer Widow Weeked

2009-11-15T15:16:00.004-06:00

This weekend was the start of gun season...which means, Luke is gone! Every year he goes away for about a week. :-( Usually I try to plan a trip with some of the women in his family; but this year it just didn't work out. So, Drake and I decided to go to Conway and see Gigi and Papa! We have had so much fun this weekend. Mom and I went shopping all day Saturday. We ended our day by going to Holiday House. It was so much fun! We had never been before. There were so many vendors there with lots of goodies to sell. My favorite purchase was a CD for Drake. It is a personalized Veggie Tales CD that puts Drake's name in the songs. I love it! I hope he will love listening to it as he gets older.

Drake is now 15 weeks old. He is the most precious baby boy in the world (but I'm a little bias). He has such a sweet personality. He smiles all the time...especially when we talk to him. I enjoy every minute with him. I never knew I could love someone this much. Luke and I are so blessed!

Here are a few things Drake is up to these days:

He sleeps 8 to 9 hours a night now.
We are still nursing (and finally LOVE it)
He's in the best mood when he wakes up in the morning (I think he's a morning person like his momma)
He is cooing and laughing a lot now
He blows bubbles ALL the time
He loves it when I kiss on his feet
His favorite place is in his mommy's arms
He LOVES bathtime!
He is 16 pounds and about 25 inches
He has started to reach for things and hold onto things (he wants everything in his mouth)
No teeth yet...but working on it
Drake's been to three football games already
He LOVES standing up
His mommy and daddy love him more than words can describe!

I will end this post with some pictures of Drake.

Cute Video!

2009-10-02T14:51:00.004-05:00

I finally got Drake smiling on camera. This video is kinda long...but hang in there. He smiles a few times!! I love this little boy so much!

P.S Sorry this video is on it's side. I filmed it that way...who knows why! If someone can tell me how to make it turn the right way...I'd appreciate it! :-)

Drake had his 2 month check-up on Wednesday. He is a healthy boy! He weighed 14 lbs. 2 oz. and was 23 3/4 inches long. Here are a few pictures of him at the doctor.

Drake loves Dr. Martin!

Saturday Morning

2009-09-26T08:49:00.004-05:00

My beautiful family! Luke, Drake and Josey. :-)

Drake slept until 7:00 this morning! We were so impressed with our little man. He woke up one time in the night (around 4:00) and I just put his paci back in his mouth and he went back to sleep. I hope he isn't teasing us and tonight he'll only sleep 4 hours! Anyway, at 7:00 we got up and I fed him (he hadn't eaten since 7:45 last night), then we played in the living room. Here is a video of him this morning.

That boy loves his paci! And I love it when he makes those little noises.

Today is going to be a busy day. This morning I am going to a shower for Anna Hendrix. They are having a little boy....Micheal Lee. Then this afternoon we are all going to a Sunday School social out at the Hertzfeld farm. It should be a really fun afternoon and evening!

I need some advice from all you mothers out there!!

I have been working out for 2 weeks now and have hardly lost ANY weight! I don't know what to do! The other problem is...since I'm nursing I'm hungary ALL THE TIME! It's worse than when I was pregnant! I can tell that the working out is making me look smaller b/c I am getting more toned; but the weight just isn't coming off like I thought it would. What can I do??? HELP!

Almost 2 Months Old

2009-09-25T21:01:00.004-05:00

We finally got internet back at our house!! I have been so "out of the loop" since Drake was born and I have been a stay-at-home mom. It's been miserable not having internet access here. But...I'm okay now. We got it back!!

Well, a lot has happened since the last time I posted on my blog. Drake will be 2 months old this Thursday. He is growing up so fast. It seems like he changes every day. He is precious. I seriously fall in love with him more and more each day.

Here are a few things that he has been doing lately....

-He has been consistantly sleeping 7 hours a night for the past week! He usually sleeps from 9:00 4:00. Luke and I are loving it....hopfully it lasts!!

-He has started smiling when we talk to him. It's so precious! I can't wait till I can catch him doing it on camera.

-He has also stated laughing a little. At least that's what I think he's doing.

-He is getting better at keeping his head steady.

-He is starting to have more control over his hands and feet. I'm pretty sure he still doesn't know what they are though.

-At his last appointment (2 weeks ago) he weighed 13 pounds and was 22 3/4 inches long.

Drake, you are such an amazing addition to our family. I do not know what life would be like without you. You bring us so much joy. We pray that you will grow up to be a strong Godly man. We love you so much

This is us with my doctor (Dr. Sellars) at my 6 week check-up. We love him!!

Finally!

2009-08-24T14:37:00.005-05:00

The past few weeks have been so crazy! I have not had any extra time to blog. Being a new mom keeps me pretty busy! I love it though!

Drake is 3 weeks and 4 days old now. He is such a blessing to Luke and I. We love him so much! Here are a few pictures of him from the past 3 weeks.

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!

2009-07-29T14:42:00.003-05:00

Luke and I will go to Baptist tonight at 8:00 to start the process. On my last post I said that the 29th was the day, however, at my last dr's appointment I hadn't progressed any since the past week so they decided to send me in the night before. Well, the hospital was full on Tuesday night so they just moved it back a day. :-( I was bumbed at first...but it's going to be fine. It's kinda worked out better for my family (and my grandmother).

As some of you know my gradmother has cancer in her lungs and brain. It has quickly gotten worse. She is now in the hospital in Conway. I am sitting in her her room right now. It is so sad to see her like this. She is just laying there with no resonse....she is just sleeping. She seems comfortable though. Please pray for my family during this time. They don't think she has much time left. I know that God's timing is perfect and He has a plan in all of this happening at the same time. It's just very overwhelmig dealing with all these emotions.

Thank you for everyone who has been praying for me and my family. You prayers have been felt.

I can't wait to post pictures of DRAKE on here for everyone to see!!! We anticipate him being born sometime tomorrow early afternoon!

July 29th is the day!!!

2009-07-21T16:49:00.004-05:00

I went to the Dr. yesterday and we went ahead and scheduled me to be induced July 29th!!! Everything is fine...I just wanted to make sure he was the dr. that would be delivering Drake. WE CAN'T WAIT!!!! My dr. said that it looks like Drake is b/w 7.5 to 8 pounds right now. So, we'll see next week!

Here are a few pictures from the shower I had 2 weeks ago that the ladies in the office threw for me. They were so sweet to do all that for me. Thanks!

Me and my mom

Update on Drake's Room

2009-07-08T08:22:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures of Drake's room. We are getting super excited about his arrival. He'll be here VERY soon!!!

...and here's me at 36 1/2 weeks.

"And this is my prayer; that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." Phillippians 1:9-11

Weekend in Branson!

2009-06-10T17:03:00.004-05:00

This past weekend Luke and I took a little get-a-way trip to Branson. We decided we needed one last "trip" before Big Drake arrives. We had so much fun just hanging out and enjoying some time with each other. We had no schedule...it was wonderful! We relaxed, shopped, ate, and went to some shows. I LOVED IT! Here are some pictures from the trip.

Luke and I ate at Garfield's (on the Landing) for lunch on Saturday. It was sooooo good!!

These baby ducks & their mommy were so cute I had to take a picture of them.

Luke just HAD to buy some Sham Wow's. They actually do work really well!

Enjoying some custard at Marble Slab!

Luke drooling over his "dream gun" at Bass ProWe bought back stage passes to the Kirby show so we could see the tigers!! They were awesome! I wish I could have taken pictures...but they wouldn't let me.

First Shower!!

2009-06-10T16:47:00.004-05:00

Last Thursday I had my first shower!! I had so much fun! Some of the girls from my Sunday School class thew a joint shower for me and Ashley Kurosaki (who is due July 4th). I LOVE these girls! I am so blessed to have them in my life. Here are some pictures from the shower.

Ashley and I with the hostesses

Drake Moving Around!

2009-05-22T08:26:00.003-05:00

Last night I was able to get Drake moving around (and kicking) a little bit on camera!! He always stops moving when I tell Luke to "LOOK!" So, I was excited to catch some movement on camera so he could see what I was talking about. These are very quick movements...so watch carefully!! It amazes me everytime he moves in my belly. It's the coolest thing I've ever experienced. At my last Dr.'s appointment (which was Monday) he said everything looked great! His heartbeat was strong and he measured just a little bigger than most babies at this point (not shocking if you know how big his daddy is). I can't wait to meet him!!! I love him so much already! ENJOY THE VIDEO!

Night at the Ballpark!

2009-05-20T10:32:00.005-05:00

Monday night Luke had a softball game. It was a wonderful evening to sit out at the ballpark and visit with friends. I had a blast hanging out with Jessica McGinty and Elizabeth Farmer (and her two daughter, Ella & Sophie). Here are a few pictures from the evening.

This little girl cracks me up. This is Sophie. She is in Elizabeth's (her mom) lap being tickled! It's so cute!!

28 weeks!

2009-05-11T16:04:00.005-05:00

I am now 28 weeks and 2 days pregnant! I can't believe I'm in my third trimester already! Drake will be here before we know it. I am seriously growing by the day now. I am having trouble breathing! It feels like he's sitting right on my lungs all the time. Last week I had a sinus infection AND bronchis! I thought I was going to suffacate to death!

Anyway, I don't mean to complain. This is all going to be worth it. I can't wait to meet Drake and to be his mommy!! Here are a few pictures of me taken this weekend.

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..." Luke 1:46

Decisions, Decisions!!

2009-04-15T11:09:00.004-05:00

Luke and I have been talking a lot lately about ways that we can downsize so that we'll have more money for the baby. We also just want to be good stewards of what God has given us.

I know a lot of people are looking for ways to downsize and not spend as much money right now. I feel ya!

One of the first things that came to both of our minds is selling one of our cars. We decided that we both LOVE Luke's truck too much to sell it. So, we are going to sell my Envoy. We are wanting to downsize to a small car. Since Luke drives over an hour everyday it makes sense to get him a small "commuter" car to drive to work. It will also help us save on gas. I am fine with driving his truck to and from work everyday. I only drive like 5 miles. So, if you are interested in a 2005 GMC Envoy let me know. It is white with upgraded leather seats. It has 34,000 miles and is in excellent condition! Here is a picture...

24 Weeks and Growing!

2009-04-09T15:09:00.005-05:00

I am almost 24 weeks along now!!! I can't believe how fast time flies. I mean....Drake will be here in a little over 3 months!! That's not long at all! I cannot wait to hold him!! I also cannot believe how fast he has grown in just the past 2 weeks! My belly has really shot out there. ha! I have my next dr.'s appointment on Monday. It's the one where they check me for gestational diabetes. I've heard that I'll have to drink a horrible drink and then sit in the waiting room for an hour!! Doesn't sound like fun to me.This past weekend our Sunday School class had a BBQ/crawfish broil!! It was so much fun. I wish I had taken more pictures, however, here are a few of Luke and the guys eating crawfish. This is at about 9:00 p.m. They had been eating since 4:00!!!Wow! I don't know how they do it. The social was so much fun though....we need to do it more often!

22 Weeks!

2009-03-27T09:14:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I will be 22 weeks pregnant! Here are a few pictures of me today.

2009-03-18T09:57:00.004-05:00

Here are a few photos of what we've done to Drake's nursery so far. Luke and I have worked so hard on the furniture. The dresser (changing table) was Luke's dresser growing up. We just painted it black and put new handles on it. I found the crib a few weeks ago at Rhea Lana's. It was such a good deal I could not pass it up. We had to sand it down and paint it black too. We are going to paint and recover the glider as well. Also, Luke made a bookcase yesterday for baby Drake. It looks so good! We are having a great time working on these projects together. We are so excited about getting our little man's room ready for his arrival.
I am going to finish this post with a THANK YOU to AMBER BOHANNAN! She has given me so many little things lately for me and Drake. Last week she gave me two onsies, a pregnancy shirt (it says, "Body by Baby") , a razorback shirt, and a razorback hat. PRECIOUS! Then...Sunday she gave me some socks that are TOO CUTE!! I can't hardly stand it they're so cute! Here is a picture of them. Thanks Amber! You are such a wonderful friend to me!

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..." Luke 1:46

IT'S A BOY!!!!

2009-03-11T08:21:00.003-05:00

Luke and I found out Monday morning the we are having a little baby BOY!!! We couldn't be more excited! We have decided his name will be.....BENJAMIN DRAKE.....and we'll call him DRAKE. I will post the ultrasound later.

"For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good descipline and the stability of your faith in Christ." Colossians 2:5

18 weeks

2009-03-03T14:59:00.004-06:00

6 days until we find out the sex of our baby!!!!

Some of my friends (and fellow bloggers) have informed me that they, "just like to look at my pictures!" So, I guess I'll just start posting pictures on here and not talk. Haha! You know who you are! This picture was taken last Friday (1 day before I turned 18 weeks).
"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." Isaiah 26:8

Vera's Baby Shower

2009-02-26T16:35:00.004-06:00

This past weekend I helped host a shower with my friend Jonica. The shower was for Vera White. I met her while I worked at Dillard's. She is a fellow graphic designer. She is 35 weeks pregnant now! I can't wait to meet Trent Michael!! Here are a few pictures from the shower.

This is me and Vera.

These are all the Dillard's girls.

Jonica, me, and Vera

Five Statement Pledge of Faith:

God is who He says He is. God can do what He says He can do. I am who God says I am. I can do all things through Christ. God's word is alive and active in me.

FOR SALE & BABY STUFF

2009-02-24T09:25:00.011-06:00

This weekend Luke and I did quite a bit of moving furniture around and preparing space for the baby. We cleared out everything in the office. So now, we have a few things that we would like to get rid of. First is an entertainment center. Our TV is too big for the top to fit over it...so we have only been using the bottom part. We got it at Cajun Brothers in Conway. It's a very nice piece. It's about a year old and is in excellent condition. I am thinking $200.

The next item for sale is a desk. This is an older desk. It's pretty big and sturdy. In the photo, Luke has it laying on it's side to take the legs off so he can get it out of the room. This can go for $30.The 3rd and last item for sale is a jewelry box. It is one of those large standing ones. It has a place for just about any piece of jewelry you own. $20 will make this yours!

Ok...enough with that. Now to the fun stuff.

This weekend Luke and I started getting the baby's room cleaned out and ready to decorate. We went to Lowe's and got a closet organizer kit. Here is the baby's closet!! We also got a few baby things just so we would have something in the closet.

I am 17 weeks pregnant now! Here is how I look now. I feel like it's really started to bumb out! What do yall thing??? haha

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." II Cor. 5:17

Valentine's Day!

2009-02-18T15:31:00.005-06:00

This year for Valentine's Luke and I had this bright idea to go eat on Friday night so we wouldn't have to fight the Saturday night crowd. Well, we were wrong! I think everybody else had the same idea. Everywhere we went had a really long wait time. So, we went over to one of our favorite spots, Chili's, and ate. It was delicious! Luke got me a WoodWick candle and a very sweet card....I just got him a card. :-)

On Saturday morning we got up and headed to Petit Jean State Park to spend the day. We had a blast! We hadn't been there since we had just started dating. We could not have asked for more perfect weather. Here are some pictures of our hike.

"For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight." Hebrews 4:12-13a

My Belly

2009-02-13T09:06:00.000-06:00

This is how my belly looks now. Get a good look b/c this will probably be the last time I show my bare belly. Haha.

Growing by the minute!!

2009-02-05T15:01:00.000-06:00

Today you can FOR SURE tell that I have a baby bump!! People are really starting to notice. They are starting to put their hand on my belly and say, "Awwww...you have a little baby bump!" I think it's awesome! There is a miracle growing inside of me!!

I felt the baby move for the first time on Tuesday night (Feb. 3rd). It was the coolest thing I have ever felt! It was around 3:00 a.m. I had to go to the bathroom (which is very common these days) and when I got back in bed and got settled I felt a little flutter on the left side of my stomach. At first, I thought it was just gas or something....but it did it a few more times. It finally dawned on me that it was the BABY!! It lasted just for a minute...but I layed there and ate up every second.

Tonight I am going to a Premier Jewelry party at Stephanie Ingram's house. I am pumped!! I love jewely! AND it will be fun to have a girl's night. F.Y.I - Stephanie Ingram is officially our baby's nanny!! She is going to keep our baby Tuesday - Thursday. She is soooo perfect for us! She lives only about 3 minutes away from us and we love her. Her and her husband, Seth, are in our Sunday School class. They have the cutest little boy named Ryan. We are soooo blessed to have them in our lives!

This weekend Luke and I will be in Conway. My home church (2nd Baptist) is having their annual Beast Feast. Luke and my dad go together every year. They LOVE it. They always have a special guest speaker and lots of prizes to give away. This year the grand prize is an RV!! I hope Luke wins it!! :-) I love camping!! They also have guns, bows, duck calls, 4-wheelers, etc for door prizes. We are going to stay until Sunday and just spend some quality time with my parents. We haven't really hung out with them since Christmas. :-(

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

T.G.I.F

2009-01-30T10:52:00.000-06:00

This is me today! I love that I'm starting to show!! It still doesn't seem real that I have a baby inside me. I am so blessed! God has already given me the ability to love this baby so much. I never thought I could love another person this much...and I haven't even met them yet!

I am getting my hair cut tomorrow! I can't wait. I've needed one for about a month now (as Jessica H. tells me). I am going for the Victoria Beckham look (without the tatto on the neck). Here is an example.

We'll see how it goes! Well....I guess I better get some work done.

"In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness." Psalm 30:1

Normal Thursday

2009-01-29T16:33:00.000-06:00

Today has been pretty good. I went walking this morning in 26 degree weather. It was COOOOLD! I've been at work all day mainly working on Father Daughter Banquet stuff. This year's theme is going to be "Forever Daddy's Princess." It's going to be real cute. We are going to decorate in tiaras and real girly things.

I think I am going to go get some China on the Go after work today. I am CRAVING Chinese food right now. That place is soooo good. It's in Bryant...you should go try it.

Well...once again I really don't have anything spectacular to update. My life is pretty routine. Most days Luke and I go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV or read until bedtime. Haha! We sound soooooo boring! We really do have fun though. Like this weekend we are going to a Sunday School Super Bowl Party at Party Central! I'm so excited! AND...Saturday I am getting my hair cut! That'll be fun! *sarcasm*

I will end this post with an update on my pregnancy. I have been feeling kinda sick today. Just normal pregnant stuff. I am wearing a Bella Band for the first time today. I LOVE IT!! It's so comfortable! I'm at a frusterating point right now...my waist is getting too big to comfortably button my pants...but I'm a while away from maternity clothes. So...the Bella Band is a perfect solution at this point in pregnancy. It neatly hides your open fly and holds your pants up at the same time! AND, it just looks like you have a undershirt on under your clothes. Here is a picture of them!!

Here is just a cute picture of Luke and I lately. It was taken at a family reunion a few weeks ago.

2009-01-27T15:56:00.000-06:00

Today has been so cold and wet! I was hoping to turn on the news this morning and Tom Brannon would say, "DON'T GET OUT ON THE ROADS TODAY!!!" Then I would be at home right now enjoying a restful day. Oh well...I'll get over it! I did have a fun lunch today with some friends. As some of you may know...Frances' birthday is tomorrow!! Me, Ashley, and Laurie took her to lunch at Colton's. Here is a picture of our cute little group.

In order (in the picture) it's Laurie, me, Frances, and Ashley. I work with these wonderful ladies' everyday!! I am so blessed!!

I feel so boring on here. I never have anything fun to update!! Just wait until I have a baby. I'm sure there will be a lot more updating coming from lukeandlaurawoodard.blogspot.com! I guess I could talk a little bit about how my pregnancy is going. Well....I am 13 weeks and 3 days along today. I have been feeling great! I get tired a lot though. I fall asleep on the couch about 7:30 everynight. Luke has to wake me up and tell me it's time to get into bed. I kinda feel bad b/c I feel like I'm always sleeping when he's home. :-( Oh well, I need all the sleep I can get before the baby gets here. My next dr's appointment is Feb. 9. We will probably find out what the gender is at the next appointment around March 8. We CANNOT WAIT to find out the gender! I am so ready to start preparing the little nursery and buying things for the baby. Luke and I went to Babies' R Us Saturday. I had to buy a gift for a friend, however, while we were there we looked at everything! It was so overwhelming!!! There is like a whole wall of pacifiers!! It's crazy! Luke especially liked the 2 & 3-in-one baby gear. Like the bassinet that can be a changing table and a pack-n-play. He thought that was really cool. LOL!

I am starting to show just a little bit. It's amazing how one day you look normal and then you wake up the next day and you have a littel bump. Here is a picture of me today.

See that bump!!! It's crazy! I feel like my belly is growing daily (including other things as well...haha). I'm just so darn hungry ALL THE TIME! I have hardly been sick at all. I am just the opposite...I want to eat all the time. Urrrr! Oh well...it's for the baby. However, I have been walking every morning for about 45 min. I'm proud of myself for that.

I think that's about all I have to say for now. Have a wonderful WARM week!

2008-12-16T11:07:00.000-06:00

I cannot wait until Christmas this year! Me, Luke, my mom and dad are loading up the car and going to Memphis on Christmas Eve to see my brother and his family! I am so excited! Here are some pictures of my family at Thanksgiving.

My mom's side of the family at Thanksgiving.

That's Papa John and Caleb on the 4-wheeler. Caleb LOVED the 4-wheeler. He cried everytime they would pull him off of it. He is growing up so fast. He can say so many words now...and he is walking all over the place! Here is another picture of Caleb playing on the playground.

Here is another one of him....It's my FAVORITE!! He is at the apple orchard picking apples.

As some of you may have already heard....Luke and I are EXPECTING!! We are due August 3, 2009!! It still doesn't seem real to me yet. We go to the doctor tomorrow at 1:30. I think once I see the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat...it will feel real. I am only about 7 weeks and 4 days along. So, I've got a long road ahead of me. We are soooo excited though. We can't wait to see our new baby! Please pray for a healthy and safe pregnancy.

We found out that we were pregnant on December 2. I knew that something wasn't right. I was SOOOO tired during the Thanksgiving holiday, and there was no good reason to be. I went back to work that next week (Dec. 2) and could hardly function. I was dragging the whole day. So, Laurie Cox (the Preschool/Children's minister & my friend) said that we needed to go get a pregnancy test. So we went and got the test and went over to her house for me to take it. Sure enough, it was positive! I couldn't believe it. After freaking out for a little bit I went home to tell Luke. When I got home I wrote really big with chalk on the garage floor "HI DADDY!" Here is the picture I took.

I opened the door and asked him to come out and help me carry in some stuff from my car. He came out and just stared down at the floor for a minute. I was praying that he wouldn't freak out! He looked up at me with a HUGE smile and we hugged and jumped up and down. It was awesome! We are blessed and thankful! Praise the Lord!

FRESH START

2008-10-09T20:37:00.001-05:00

As many of you know...I have a new job. I started working for First Baptist, Benton on Tuesday. I am the Preschool/Children's Ministry Assistant. I am sooooo excited about this new opportunity in my life. I really feel like the Lord has prepared and molded me for this for many years. I have been praying that God would give me a place to serve him in ministry. I have been doing things around the church that I feel God has gifted me in: children's choir, adult choir, and young adult ministry. But, I still felt like there was something else (something bigger) God had for me.

When I was in 11th grade, I surrendered to the ministry (at Super Summer). I had NO idea what or where God wanted me, but I knew that He had a plan for me....if I was obedient to His plan. Well....I went off to college (Ouachita) and got completly caught up in myself and serving ME. I lost focus. I took a detour. I never took God off my priority list completly...I just put him very low on that list. I have since then had a change. My heart has been broken. I have a new understanding of who God is in MY life.

A little over 2 years ago Luke and I got married and one of the first things we wanted to do was find a church home. It was very imporant to us that we find a place where we can fellowship with other believers our age. When we moved to Benton we visited First Baptist...and fell in love. First Baptist has provided both of us a place to worship, serve, be fed, and meet some incredible people. We joined last fall. While at FBC I have met some truly amazing people who have mentored me and helped me grow in my walk with God. I am so thankful for those people...God used them to help me remember what it's like to truly seek God in ALL things. I want that! I want to please God in ALL that I do everyday. I want to love and serve others. I have found that I have pure joy in serving others.

With all that said....
I had a job here in Benton that just wasn't where I needed to be. I tried to make it work, but it was just not going to get better. I prayed and talked to friends about what I should do. One of those friends was Frances R. She is sooooooo amazing. She mentored me through that job until the day I resigned. While all of this was going on (not to my knowledge)...Laurie (the preschool/children's minister) was in dire need of an assistant. God works in AMAZING ways! I was told that there might be something I would be interested in at the church....but I was given hardly any information and I couldn't talk to anyone about it. That was reeeally hard for me b/c I tend to be very social! :-) Finally, Laurie, Ashley and I had a visit and we discussed what the "job" was. When I heard what the job actually was...I was soooooo excited. They asked me to pray and talk to Luke about it. Of course, I was interested. It took about 2 weeks after that to work out all the details....but GOD IS GOOD....and I now am on staff at the church!!! I am the preschool/children's ministry assistant. I help Laurie with anything she needs and I will also do some graphic design jobs here and there for the church. YAY! God has answered so many of my prayers. I feel so blessed and unworthy. This is a VERY condensed version of the story. I hope it makes sense. :-)

I pray that God will give me the desire and strength to serve Him with all my heart everyday. I pray that He will guide me as I take on this new responsibility. I pray that I will never again forget God's desire for my life and the gifts that he has given me.

Labor Day!

2008-09-02T18:41:00.001-05:00

Luke and I got a lot done this weekend around our house. "We" (luke) built shelves in our garage, we sanded and painted chairs, and Luke mowed about 6 yards. It was a productive weekend!

Luke working on the shelves in the garage.

The chairs we sanded and painted.

On Monday my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew (Caleb) came to visit us! We went and ate at Applebee's and then came back to our house and hung out. We had so much fun! I don't get to see my brother and sister-in-law very often....so it was a treat to have them here. They live in Memphis. My nephew Caleb just turned 1 on August 17th. He is the cutest thing in the world and I miss him SO MUCH!!! I wish I could see him everyday.

This is Caleb eating at Applebee's. He is such a good baby!

My mom, Rebekkah (sister-in-law), and my dad at Applebee's.

John Paul (my brother), Luke, and me.

We were also celebrating my dad's birthday....so the waiters at Applebee's came and sang to him. Caleb got very upset! It was so sad...but kinda cute too. I couldn't get my camera out quick enough to get him while he was really crying. This is the best I could do.

Well....nevermind! My computer won't let me download the videos right now. I will put them up later!!!

Saturday!

2008-08-23T16:42:00.000-05:00

So far, this weekend has been really good. Last night we hung out at the Bohannon's! We had so much fun! Luke and Brad shot their bows while Amber, Laci, Megan, and me hung out.

This morning we woke up early and I made a big breakfast! We had bacon, eggs, biscuits, and gravy! YUM! After breakfast Luke went with Brad to the Grant's land to put up deer stands. I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things. When I got back from Wal-Mart I saw John and Jenny Rogers drive up next door! They are going to be our new neighbors! I went over and hung out with them for a while. Their daughter Bella is soooooo cute!

Now, Luke and I are just sitting around the house! I put some pictures up of what we are doing right now. I'm ready to do something!

Anyway, that's about it for now. Today has just been a regular day...nothing too exciting.

Luke is watching the Olympics...

Josey is sleeping...

...and I'm BORED! :-)

A Night at the Woodard's

2008-08-21T20:12:00.000-05:00

Since most people post about their kids on their blog sites, I decided to post something about our "kids." This is Jade and Josey just hanging out while I cook dinner. Jade is only 5 months old. She is learning how to sit...along with some other things. Luke is hoping to teach her to be a world champion hunting dog. We have had Josey since October of 2006. Luke got her for me on my 23rd birthday!

Tonight Luke and I got to babysit Bailey and Aiden (our neighbors kids). They are so sweet! We had a wonderful time. We ate chicken enchilladas and ice cream! After dinner, we played outside and colored. Here is a video of the kids playing.

One more interesting thing that happened tonight was that Luke killed a rabbit in our backyard with his bow. *I think he has been watching too many hunting videos. And remember, we don't live out in the woods or anything....we live IN TOWN! The kids were so sad the rabbit was dead and Luke left me to console and explain everything to them. :-( Here is a picture of Luke and the rabbit (and Jade).

Needless to say, It was a fun and eventful night at the Woodard house.

First Blog!

2008-08-20T16:05:00.000-05:00

Luke and I officially have a blog spot now! I am not sure how well we will do on updating everyday...we'll see. :-) I'm not very good at putting my thoughts into words. So, bear with me.

Luke and I have been doing well. Our life is very blessed! We are both very active in the young adult ministry (Crossover) at First Baptist Church in Benton. We have recently done some remodeling in the basement. Our ultimate goal for the basement is to make it a coffee bar/lounge. We got everything done (pretty much) this past Sunday. It could not have gotten done without all the volunteers that came and helped. Everyone got together and painted, knocked down walls, built walls, put up sheet rock, laid tile, and cleaned. It was such a rewarding experience. This week we will have the cabinets, appliances, and bar installed! Every Sunday we will serve coffee, lattes, cappachinos, macciatos (sp?), espresso, muffins, donuts, and sausage biscuits! It's an exciting time for the young adults at First Baptist!

Here are some pictures of us working...

Laci and I decided to goof off for a little bit. :-)

I just started a Bible study called Downpour. We met for the first time on Monday. It is being lead by Pastor Rick Grant. It meets every Monday and Thursday from noon to 1:00. The lessons, so far, are amazing! I will tell you more about it the further I get into the study.