Category: Family

Dear Harrison, {v. VII}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

My sweet boy. Happy fourth birthday, little man. Four years have gone by faster than I could have imagined. While the sharpness of the memories of your birthday have softened, I remember snapshots in time of those first few days. Pictures etched in my memory of your daddy holding you for the first time, the weight and seemingly perfect way you fit on my chest, moments alone with just you and me, figuring out this new world together. 

It doesn’t feel possible that it’s only been four years with you in our lives. You bring so much laughter and joy to the world, and it’s hard to imagine that the world existed before knowing that joy.

Watching you grow, expand your mind and your heart is pure delight. You are so tough but with the kindest of hearts. I see this amazing little man in you. In the way that you watch out for your brother and friends. In the deepness of the hugs that you wrap us in each morning. In your cleverness and curiosity. The way your eyes sparkle with delight day in and day out. 

I am the blessed one, Harrison. Blessed to know your sweet tenderness and your resilience. To know your heart.  I can’t believe it’s already been four years. It’s an honor to watch you grow, little one. Like I always ask you, ”How much does Mommy love you?” ”So much.” Happiest of birthdays, my little boy. 

Love,

Mommy

Let’s Look At…How We Plan & Do Date Night

Posted on by Lauren Lane

First off, thank you so much for understanding the need for a break last week! Everything just seemed to go haywire, and I needed some time to catch up. But I missed you guys! My week felt like it was missing something the whole time, so I’m so happy to be back!

Given that tomorrow is Harrison’s birthday, and my post will be fully dedicated to my little guy, I’m posting ”Let’s Look” a day early! I love this link up. A fun little prompt sharing a little part of our lives. As usual, the link-up is hosted by two of my favorite blogs (Shay @ Mix and Match Mama and Erika @ A Little Bit of Everything). Before we get to this month’s prompt…a look back at what we’ve looked at this year:

And today, we’re talking date night. You guys, I love a good date night…or date day. 🙂

Here’s the guy I go on date night with for the past 10 years…

A couple of things about this topic as I thought about our seasons of life.

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What’s Up Wednesday {March 2022}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

This might be my favorite post of the month. They’re the most fun to go back and read, it’s a little bit of food, a little bit of my Timehop addiction, reading, watching, all wrapped up in one post.

As always, I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life!

1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:

We did steaks over the weekend, Tikka Masala, and Chicken Pot Pie!

2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

When we moved into our house. We bought our home several months before our wedding. We had been house searching for close to a year when we finally found our little home. It was such a big overwhelming decision, and I wondered then if we’d love it as much as I thought we would…

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Easter Baskets for Little Kids

Posted on by Lauren Lane

As soon as Valentine’s Day is over, my mind moves to Easter baskets and birthdays. Harrison’s birthday is always around Easter, so it’s double duty for gift season for us! Whenever I start thinking about Easter baskets, I pick out things that they will need for the spring and summer, replacing well-worn art supplies, and lastly fun little games or toys that are perfect for road trips, as we usually head up to South Dakota to visit my parents over the summer.

Here are the things I’ve picked up for the boys’ Easter baskets so far!

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Lanes Lately {March 2022}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

Sharing what one might call a ”photo dump” on the gram…but all in one blog post. Things I didn’t post, forgot to post, and little pieces of life I want to hold on to forever.

Life looks a hectic running around after this little one…

Jonathan is in full blown destructor mode. His favorite toys are objects around the house and our master bathtub’s water. He has his usual go-to kitchen drawers. I find this particularly fascinating, because they are not the same kitchen drawers that Harrison used to like. Harrison was more of a measuring cup drawer fan. Jonathan enjoys dad’s grill tools and loaf and muffin tins drawers.

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Friday Favorites {03.04.22}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

Work was busier this week than it’s been the last few, but getting outside for a walk a couple times this week in the beautiful weather really made it all seem very bearable! Nathan and I finished the Yellowstone prequel mini-series, 1883, this week. It was really good! And we’re already looking forward to the next mini-series they are doing about the Duttons. The boys had a great week, too. Playing outside after daycare with neighbors made everyone happier, and more eager to welcome in spring. I’ve gathered up some of my favorites from this week. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Let me tell you a story about our oldest. Nathan got home late from work one evening last week, and while he was having some dinner, I entertained the boys playing hide and seek. Harrison tends to hide in the same places over and over again, so I didn’t pay much attention as he ran off in the direction of our bedroom to hide as I started to count.

And then Baby J and I started “seeking”…all the normal spots. Still seeking, still playing along. At some point, Nathan finished his dinner, and says, “you can’t find Harrison?”

After ten minutes, no. I still couldn’t find Harrison anywhere. Nathan couldn’t find Harrison anywhere. Finally, out of desperation and it being way past bath time, I said, “Harrison. I can’t find you. Come out and I’ll give you a Reese’s.”

And a little voice from our bedroom yelled, “I can’t get out! I’m stuck! But I still want a Reese’s!” We ran in there and found him in the bottom drawer of my dresser, smiling so pleased with himself.

“That was a good hiding place, right?”

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Our Denver Trip! (And Harrison’s First Time Skiing)

Posted on by Lauren Lane

A couple of weeks ago, Nathan and Harrison headed out to drive across the state of Kansas to Colorado for their very first ski trip. I packed them a lunch to eat in the car, and they were off for the mountains! Harrison was a level 12 out of 10 excited for this trip. All of the good one-on-one time with his Dad and beautiful setting was a perfect father/son trip.

After a couple of days, Jonathan and I packed up and flew out to Denver to meet the boys back in the city and spend a couple of days with Nathan’s parents, the boys’ Gigi and Pops.

The boys rented a small studio apartment in the village at Breckenridge. Harrison was SO EXCITED to get fitted his first day of ski school.

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Valentine’s Day Get to Know Lauren + Nathan!

Posted on by Lauren Lane

Happy belated Valentine’s Day! I thought it would be fun to do an old-school questionnaire style post all about Nathan and me to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

  • How’d you meet: We met at a work happy hour. Nathan had just joined the company after graduating from K-State, and I had been working at the company for close to a year after moving back to Kansas City. He says he tried to strike up a conversation, and all of my responses were short and uninterested. He’s probably right the way he remembers this. 😊 Good thing he kept trying!

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7 Quick Harrison Takes (v. X)

Posted on by Lauren Lane

You guys know I like to jot down little things about my boys that are making me laugh about their personalities lately, or sweet things that they’re doing. It’s my way of capturing their budding little personalities, and I love going back to read some of the old ones. It makes me remember some of the sweet things that have now passed us by and they’ve grown out of over the years.

After two full weeks at home with the boys, I had plenty of material for some Harrison quick takes.

-1- It’s apparently totally appropriate to Christmas carol in January. Harrison’s go to: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Jingle all the way. Old McDonald is to ride in a one up witch’s sleigh, HEY! (Sounds like Santa must love Halloween.)

-2- He tells me all the time how he wants to be a Mommy when he grows up.

-3- Declares the soccer ball ‘out of balance’ so he can throw it in. And every goal I score as “not counting” because I didn’t follow “the rules.” He also likes to shout “I WINNED!”

-4- His sense of direction has now exceeded my own. I have an awful sense of direction, but I have lived in almost the same place for the past 30+ years, and I still have to google how to get to the highway. Harrison also likes to ask me, “Are you sure you’re going the right way?” No, kid. No I’m not. I’ve been unsure my whole life that I was going the right way.

-5- He came home from school one day and informed me that we do not say “pee and poop. But we can say tooted.” I asked him who told him that – his answer, “his friends.” Good call, guys.

-6- Kids don’t feel cold. I know that. I was not prepared for the part of being a ‘boy mom’ that I have a 3 year old running around the house in shorts and t-shirt when it’s 10* out, and then insisting to me that he does not need a coat to go outside, and he will NOT BE COLD.

-7- He’s the sweetest big brother (sometimes). Whenever Baby J starts crying, he dashes upstairs to find his lovey and bring it to him. Harrison’s lovey was always the thing that he wanted when he was crying.

What’s Up Wednesday {01.26.22}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

These prompts each month give me the most joy to go back and read. It’s a little peek into everything we’re doing in life right now. A monthly re-cap! And I just have so much fun writing them and reading them.

As always, I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life!

1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK: Sunday football means PIZZA! Other than that, we’re keeping it easy this week with slow-cooker carne asada tacos. (Seriously, they are sooo good!). Going to try a creamy broccoli cheddar soup recipe as well this week!

2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

About a year ago, Jonathan got his helmet to correct a flat spot on the back of his head. The condition is called plagiocephaly, and I remember thinking then, while I felt devastated at the time and really down, that I would look back at those pictures a year from now and realize how fast it seemed, and how quickly they change.

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