I have the greatest friends

I got to go on my first real girl's trip.  I have traveled with a friend or two, with my mom and sister, but never a group of girls.  There are 6 of us and we went to Steamboat Springs, CO for the weekend.  These gals mean so much to me, I took a bit and wrote them out a card.  I did cheat and use ChatGPT, but my AI is trained well.  I made a lot of edits, but this is close to what I wrote to each one of them. Every word is true.

______________________

🌿 Annie

Annie,
Your quiet strength and sincere faith speak more powerfully than words ever could. You carry a steady presence that brings peace into every space you enter. Even in seasons of change, your rootedness in God is evident and inspiring. I’m so grateful for you, are a treasured gift, and you are loved more than you know.

💛 Carie

Carie,
Your loyalty, generosity, and the way you open your life and home to others reflect the heart of Jesus so clearly. You make people feel seen, welcomed, and cared for in a way that is rare and deeply needed. I am so grateful for your friendship and the steady love you give so authentically. May you always know how much you are loved, by God and by those of us who get to do life with you.

🌸 Erin (Anne of Green Gables style)

Erin,
If I were to describe you properly, I would have to borrow a page from a story filled with kindred spirits and joyful mischief, because you are a rare and delightful soul. Life with you is brighter, fuller, and infinitely more amusing. We have walked through valleys and mountaintops together, and through it all, your devotion has never wavered, nor has your ability to make me laugh when I need it most. You are the sort of friend one thanks God for again and again—steadfast, dear, and entirely irreplaceable. I cannot imagine my story without you in it, and I wouldn’t want to try.

👶 Jenni

Jenni,
The intentional way you live your life is such a reflection of your heart for God and for others. You bring clarity, thoughtfulness, and care into everything you do, and it blesses everyone around you. Watching you step into motherhood with such purpose and love is truly beautiful.You are building something meaningful for your family and it shows.Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it.

🔥 Toni

Toni,
Your authenticity and honesty are such a gift. You have a way of speaking truth with transparency and wisdom that challenges and sharpens all of us in the best of ways. You don’t settle for surface—you go deep, and you help the rest of us do the same. Your mind, your voice, and your courage to be real are powerful. I’m so grateful for the way you show up—fully yourself—and pray you know how loved you are!

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 50

Adventures.

This post represents MOST of my 50 years.  I'm not on social media.  But if I were, you'd hear about this ad nauseum. Since I'm not, this will probably be lengthy.

I love New Kids On The Block.  I have always.  And I always will.  Since I was in the 8th grade (probably sooner, but that's when my memories start) I have been teased.  Brad Ross, I vividly remember, teasing me so bad that we got into a fight and I pulled his hair.  Mid-fist of his hair, HE was the one that went to the principal's office.  Goody-two-shoes Laura would certainly have a good reason and could do no wrong.  And I did have a good reason.  I was defending my guys.

Laura 1991

My brother and Emery called them "Old Foges on the Avenue". What even is a foge?  I know it's short for fogey, but what is that? [Insert pause while I Google: "a person who is excessively old-fashioned in attitude, ideas, manners, etc." I had to update the spelling (I had fogie) and um....wrong use of the word children! But I am those things now.]

It is over 30 years later and I'm still being teased about it (earlier this year by Scott when talking about Nashville and my dislike of country music, but that I loved it there: "but you love New Kids on the Block so your music taste can't be trusted").

The first song I heard was "Please, Don't Go Girl" in 1988.  They were my first concert in 1990 - for my birthday and I got to take a friend.  I took Joy Hoopes.  I don't know how a group from Boston was known in a small town of southern Idaho.  We only had 4 TV stations back then (MTV on "cable" came when I was in high school, and that was only available "in town" where my grandparents lived...and I wasn't allowed to watch it.) My mom said she heard about the concert on the radio.  What are the chances?  It was their Magic Summer tour. I have no idea how she got tickets - the concert was in Salt Lake City, UT - over two hours away with no internet to get them online like we do now.

This is Donnie Wahlberg (no shirt, white shoes) Sept 1990

As of this moment, they are also my last concert (more on that later).  I've seen them in concert so many times that I've lost count (11? 12?)  Maybe through this journey of documenting my absolute devotion to them, I'll figure it out.

I had every album (read:  cassette tape) they ever made.  I had sheets, buttons, trading cards, and naively thought that they voiced the New Kids On The Block cartoon, of which I watched every episode. You can see in the photo how many posters on my bedroom wall I had (when I took them down, I counted 151).  I followed their solo careers like a proper fan.

They came back with new music in 2008.  I still remember hearing the first notes of "Click Click Click" as their teaser on social media (super new back then, only in web browsers, not apps) when I was at work.  It was at DIRECTV in Missoula.  In the call center, I didn't want to use my work computer to research the rumors I'd heard that they were coming back, so I went to the cafeteria that had some public computers.  I discovered that my (really young) co-worker Candace loved them also.

2008 - “New Kids on the Block: Live”, Tacoma, WA

This was the first concert back.  Candace and I stood at this spot with this poor woman so we could get their name on the billboard.  

2009 - Fiddler's Green, Centennial, CO

Again, Candace and I travel to see our boys.  We got our hair done, saw ourselves on the big screen and got out of a ticket by claiming to be "drunk on New Kids On The Block" (story in a different post).

I had this photo framed in my office at work for YEARS.

2011 - NKOTBSB Tour (with Backstreet Boys)

Nicole and I went to Los Angeles in 2011 to see them with Back Street Boys (NKOTBSB!) We also went to the "After Party" with Donnie Wahlberg.  That was super fun.

2012 - Summer Mixtape Festival, Hershey, PA - I got to meet them in person!!!

Nic and I went and paid the extra money for VIP.  What a wild experience.  You round up yourselves and your closest friends in groups of 10.  We got split up.  I was sooo annoyed.  BUT, I got to meet and hug each one of them.  I was so calm and collected and cool until I was walking away.  Then this howl/laugh/cry/scream came out of me.  It was beyond my control.  I lost my mind.  SOOO fun.

Me on the end - left

Nic on the end - right

It did not deter us from having a blast.  

[2013 — The Package Tour (with 98 Degrees & Boyz II Men) and 2015 — The Main Event Tour (with TLC & Nelly) ...

I know I have not missed a tour, but I can't find any proof of these.  What I did find proof of is our photos are a MESS!  I have apple photos, dropbox photos, google photos, etc.  And I know some got lost along the way. I'm going to keep looking!]

Update (October 15, 2025):  I found evidence of the 2013 concert in this blog post.

2017 - The Total Package Tour (with Paula Abdul & Boyz II Men), Denver, CO

Enter Lurisa Sackman. I'm going to have to ask and see if she knows how we got together for concert going - as she's been my concert going buddy since.  

You know I love a good confetti photo!

2019 - The MixTape Tour (with Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany), Denver, CO

2022 - The MixTape Tour 2022 (with En Vogue, Rick Astley, Salt-N-Pepa), Boise ID *and* Denver, CO

When the schedule came out for this tour and we saw that they were performing in both Boise (where Lurisa lives) AND Denver, we knew we had to go to both.  I flew there for the concert and family time and then we flew to Denver together. Travis doesn't say much about seeing my first true loves OVER AND OVER AND OVER, but this time he said, "Honey, you do realize it will be the same concert twice, don't you?"  Yes, Yes I do.

I don't know how we did this, but we figured out with the first concert how they were going to go into the crowd and we were ready! And we bought cute shirts from the first one to wear to the second.

Danny Wood

Danny didn't know he was in our selfie!

Donnie Wahlberg

Donnie Wahlberg - blurry guy with the hat. Lurisa isn't in charge of photos any more.  LOL

Lurisa's version with Danny Wood

My version - SCREAMING at him how much we love him.  STOP TALKING Laura Jones, just smile for the picture!  HAHAHAHAHA

2024 - Magic Summer Tour, Dallas, TX

This year I was out of town for the Denver concert.  I instantly scanned for other places to go and sure enough, Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas had one.  Cheap trip cuz we could stay with my family (they just didn't know it when we bought tickets. LOL)  It was outdoors in Sept and hotter than hades.  But we didn't care.  It was awesome.  We had the BEST seats!

I'm not old, I'm vintage!  LOL

This lady sitting near us gave us these glow in the dark headbands she made.  So, we had to wear them

Donnie sang 2 feet in front of us!

2025 - Joey McIntyre Freedom Tour, Denver, CO

My favorite has always been Joe.  So when Lurisa texted me his tour dates and Phase 2 had Denver, yep.  We're going.  The venue was small.  Had maybe 300 people there.  And he sang to us for 2 and a half hours.  It was incredible.  In the middle of the concert, during "Miracle", he got down on his knees and PRAYED!  Then after the song, he said how he felt vulnerable putting a prayer in a song.  [What?  I've heard that song 100 times and never heard a prayer.  Goes to show that we don't pay attention much.]  He said it was the third step (of AA) prayer:  "God, I offer myself to Thee. To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always". Yep, sure enough.  It's in the song.  Then he went on to say how he was jealous of people on social media that could just let all of it out and blech all over everyone.  In a concert is where he does that.  He said he is grateful for his faith and he prayed we all have a faith that brings us peace, joy and comfort like God does for him.  He said, (since it was Sunday) "If you all didn't go to church this morning, ya'll just went to CHURCH!"  Yes, sir, we did!  

Even though I was 5 seconds after the ticket sale time, we got general admission tickets.  We got there early and stood in the rain.  Don't care.

Sean Thomas performs with him.

I got mostly videos.  Available upon request.

Up next?

2025 - The Right Stuff residency in Las Vegas, NV

If you would have told my 13 year old self that I would see them in concert over and over, meet them, see Joe perform so close, etc.  I would have fainted.

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 49

Firsts.

• First iTunes
• Lovely day
• First show on the DVR
• I Love Lucy
• First podcast
• Serial by this American life
• First smartphone
• Blackberry (dang, I miss those!)
• First plane ride
• Chicago, I was 15, 1992
• First concert
• NKOTB (DUH)
• First movie (that I remember)
• Seeing Pink Panther at the drive in movie
• First job
• Babysitting. At 12 years old, they handed me 2 week old Lucas Spratling and went 100 yards down to the river and said, "if you need anything, yell". UM. But it did turn out okay. He quickly became one of my favorite little people. I should write about him someday.
• First born. YEP
• First impression
• They say that you only have one chance to make a first impression. While that may be true, I am glad that Scott and I overcame ours. Neither of us liked each other at first. Now we've been best friends for half our lives.
• First car
• 1980 Dodge Omni hatchback from Dad.
• That I bought myself a 1998 Saturn - navy blue.
• First online journal
• Not this one, it was called "LiveJournal". I stopped using it in favor of this one, but printed out and saved a soft copy of it. I love to have an online journal. But I will always have one with pen and paper.
• First Bible Study
• Beth Moore, Children of the Day (1 & 2 Thessalonians) in 2014.  I've since done more than 30 studies (and this isn't counting the classes I audited at Calvary Chapel School in Boise!)

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 48

Healthy Habit.

I have way more healthy habits for my mental, emotional and spiritual health.  I don't have many of these for my physical self.  But I do have one.  Skin care.  I take really good care of my skin.  I don't wear makeup (unless a certain someone who shall remain nameless, Evelyn, asks you to for her wedding and you enlist the help of your bestie to practice and then come all the way over to do your make up for you day of!) And I use really good skin care products. In 2012, I started using the USANA skin care line.  Tried the MLM (multi-level marketing) gig and realized I'm just not an entrepreneur.  In 2022, I realized that I had been using it for 10 years!  I change up shower gels, shampoos, lotions, sunscreens, etc. but I loved the USANA skin care line.  But I thought I was bored with it.  I tried SO many other lines.  Dermalogica, The Outset (Scarlett Johansson's line), EltaMD, Dr. Lancer, etc.  I didn't find one I liked as much, and most were more expensive.  The only thing I changed was the polisher from Dr. Lancer.  It is a huge bottle and works great (compared to the exfoliating scrub of USANA's not lasting very long and is pricier). 

And don't get me started about sunscreen. LOL

I still can sell USANA products.  So, shameless plug, if you want to try any, give me a holler.

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 47

Something I've learned.

20s are better than teens

30s are better than 20s

40s are better than 30s

I'm guessing 50s are better than 40s as life just keeps getting better and better!

I'll let you know.

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 46

Someone that you love.

This guy.

It would not be a complete 50 days before I'm 50 list without one dedicated to the love of my life. Last year, when he turned 50, I posted this on his Instagram. All still true times a million! 143

❤️50 Reasons for your 50th birthday❤️• I love that you’re loyal
• I love that you’re sexy
• I love that you like to cook, you're a great one
• I love your prayers
• I love that you put up with my quirks
• I love that you are my best friend
• I love that you don’t mind switching sides of the bed
• I love that you are the first person I talk to most days
• I love that you are independent, and that you let me be also
• I love that you are spiritual
• I love that you love to talk
• I love that you are handy around the house
• I love that you trust me
• I love that I trust you
• I love that you secretly love cats
• I love how you lead our church
• I love that you will go to chick flicks
• I love that you are amazing in bed
• I love that you talked me into a smoker – best BBQ ever
• I love that you are my first, my last, my everything
• I love that you know my history
• I love doing ministry with you
• I love that you have dreams and goals
• I love that you cry
• I love that you will listen to audio books
• I love that you are a great kisser
• I love it when you rub my back
• I love it when you do all the things that I don’t even know about to make our lives better
• I love how smart you are
• I love that you are humble
• I love that you know what I’m thinking…sometimes before I do
• I love that you make me want to be the best version of myself
• I love that you know what three squeezes means
• I love your eyes
• I love that you are patient with me
• I love that you love road trips
• I love our inside jokes
• I love that I am instantly in a better mood when you enter a room
• I love how you kiss me goodbye in the mornings
• I love to spend time with you
• I love how strong you are
• I love that we have a wonderful group of friends
• I love that you taught me to eat crab legs with mad skills
• I love being married to you
• I love that our one-of-a-kind relationship is used for God’s glory
• I love making you laugh
• I love it when you make me laugh
• I love how creative you are
• I love how you put God first
• I love the way we love each other

50 Before I'm 50 - Day 45

Tell a story.

This is what I submitted to Armchair Anonymous podcast.  Reading it back, it's pretty dumb and I understand why it wasn't selected.  But it humors me and begs to be remembered here.

I have loved New Kids On The Block (NKOTB) since I was 13 years old - I'm the same age as Dax, October 1975.  They were my first concert in 1990 (back in the day when there was no social media or online ticket sales, my mom got tickets from the radio station).  They came back together in 2008 and I went to a concert in Denver, Colorado.  It was AMAZING.  I was walking to my seat and going downstairs.  I wasn't paying attention and fell - a drop about 4 feet - and my purse went flying.  All my stuff fell out and spilled out everywhere.  This is an important detail for later.  I was fine - the adrenaline from being at their concert again all these years later had me flying high!

After the concert, we were trying to find them at a Waffle House (they would always go to a Waffle House after concerts) and I was driving with my friend on one of the many interstates.  We had tried 2 or 3 locations without luck and it was really late and we were one of the only cars on the street.  We were jamming to our favorite NKOTB songs, living our best lives!  And then there was the police car with lights on behind me. 

I wasn't speeding - so I wasn't sure why I was being pulled over.  I was in a rental car and am a very good driver.  Like a grandma-good, not skilled-good like Dax.

So, I roll down my window and the lady* cop asked how we were doing.  We said we were GREAT and asked how she was.  She said fine, and asked if we knew why we were pulled over.  I said, "No!  I wasn't speeding".  She said, "No, you weren't, but you were swerving all over the place. But have you and your daughter?...friend been drinking?"  I said, "No!  Not a drop.  And this is my friend [rude, I am only 10 years older than her!] but we must be drunk on New Kids On The Block!"  She said, "You went to the concert?  MAN, I wanted to go to that but I was working!"  We shared that it was one of the best concerts we'd been to and were listening to their music on blast...which probably explained the swerving.

She asked for my license and registration.  I said, "This is a rental car, but my license is in my purse in the trunk." [I was mad that I didn't have a zippered purse and if everything was going to fall out again, it could fall out in the empty trunk.]  She let me out and ran my information.  We chatted more about our mutual love of NKOTB, who our favorites were, etc. and she let me off with a warning. 

I've never successfully gotten out of a ticket otherwise, but will never forget the time I used my favorite boy band as an excuse.

*I'm just glad it was a female cop.  That probably would not have been as fun if not.

Me and my "Daughter-Friend" went to two more concerts together and if there is time, I have one more story.  We went to see NKOTB in Seattle, WA.  We drove from Missoula, MT where we lived.  After the concert, my cousins who lived in Seattle picked me up so I could spend time with them and she took my car out for the evening.  We agreed to meet up the next day.

When she got back to the hotel, she was hysterical.  Sobbing, couldn't hardly speak.  Come to find out, she parked my car - a Chevy Tahoe with a ski rack on top - in a parking garage downtown and just walked and used a taxi the rest of the night to be safe and not drive while drinking.  Smart.  But, the entrance to the garage was taller than the exit (not well marked) and when she left the next day, ripped the roof off the car as she exited the garage. 

Our drive home was pretty breezy and it was an inconvenience while the car was repaired, but totally worth "rip the roof off your car" fun!!

p.s.  I'm not on social media because I volunteer in a maximum security prison and it's not safe.  But I properly stalk yours using my husband's account and LOVE the show.  I'm an OG armcherry!

I didn't send pictures, but here are some: