My Men

It hit me today that I have two men in my life to share Valentines Day with! 

Man #1)

The man I married. The man I said forever to. The man I can't imagine my life without. 

Words cannot express how thankful I am for my husband, Britt. He is by far the best husband out there and I am not saying that out of obligation or for the sake of just saying it. I truly believe it with all my heart. I have never been so loved by anyone in my life and we are talking about the good and the bad days here. He is so consistent in the way that he loves, respects and cherishes me. His love is unconditional and he continually challenges me, and causes me to want to be a better wife for him. Happy Valentines Day baby! I love you!

Man # 2 (a.k.a. Little Man)

My little man. The guy whose face I have not even really seen has captured my heart completely. You never understand the type of love a parent has until you experience it. Even though he has yet to make his "official" appearance into this world he is very much so already a part of my life and I cannot imagine life without him. I cannot wait to see him, hold him and kiss his little cheeks. He has stolen my heart in every sense of the word. Happy Valentines Day Brightson James!

Signing off, 

One extremely blessed woman. 

Christmas Traditions

I love this time of year. The chilly weather, the smell of fire places burning wood, the lights on the houses, the trees, the family, the hot chocolate, the memories... My list could go on and on.

It is always really fun to share favorite family traditions and memories and to hear other peoples as well. I thought that I would share a few of my favorites with you.

Tradition #1

Decoration the tree: 

Whether it is the tree at Britt and my house, my parents or his parents it is so much fun! We love the time spent with family decorating the tree - and in reality the whole house - as we celebrate together. I will never grow tired of this!

Tradition #2


"Christmas Eve Gift":

This is one of my most favorite and beloved traditions of all. It all started with my Great Grandmother (Nanny). This tradition has gone on as long as I can remember. Here is how it works:

The goal is to be the first one to say, "Christmas Eve Gift" to another family member. This can be in person or through a phone call. The game starts and ends on Christmas Eve. I will spend the day answering my phone "Christmas Eve Gift" even if it is not family calling, knowing that a family member may borrow another phone to call. (There is a lot of strategy) I am careful to answer the phone and the best is to get one of the said family members in person. The glory of the victory is so much greater!

The idea is that whoever says "Christmas Eve Gift" first the other person must buy them a Christmas Eve Gift. Now, the buying and gift giving never actually happens but the competition itself, and of course the victory, is a gift within itself. And if you know my family at all, we are only slightly competitive! :)

Disclaimer: Texting, email., messages on cars, messages in the sky, non participating messengers, etc... do not qualify. 









Tradition #3


Christmas Eve Movie:

Well, I guess my family has a lot of Christmas Eve traditions! But this one is also a classic. After the candlelight service at my parents church my family will go out to dinner and then we go and see a Christmas Eve movie. It is normally a Christmas Movie and these days a cartoon since little children are back in the picture but we love going to the theater that night to watch a movie, any movie, just for traditions sake.



Memory #1


McDonald's Drive-In 

When I was probably 3 and Brandon, my brother, was 5 mom and dad bought us a McDonald's Drive-In for Christmas. It looked something like this:

We loved, loved, loved this gift!!!! (Girl not included). 

Memory #2: 

Big Wheels

I think most of these revolve around gifts but one Christmas I got one of these:

Brandon and Jon got these:

And then we rode them in the freezing cold for hours. it was heaven on earth. 

I am pretty sure I could go on with the reminiscing for hours upon hours but I will stop here.

I will leave you with what I looked like in most of my growing up Christmas-Morning-Pictures:

Okay - Maybe not the face mask but the sponge rollers were a must. I had an obsession with looking like Shirley Temple or something. 

What is your favorite Tradition and Memory???

Christmas at the Clay's

  

As promised, here are some actual pictures of our house this Christmas Season. 

The tree...

The details... 

The dog... (she is realllly camera shy, if you noticed.)

Merry Christmas!!!

'Tis The Season...

The Holiday season is here and I LOVE it! Christmas music is all I play, we eat things we probably never should and our house smells like pine. *heaven*

I am having a lazy Sunday afternoon, watching While You Were Sleeping and checking up on the world. Online that is.

Our thanksgiving was wonderful and busy! That is how we like o celebrate around here, no stopping. But it was wonderful all the same. We had two students form the BSU with us all week who were unable to go home and we had lots and lots of time with family and friends.

We also decorated our house, inside and out and it is wonderful! I attempted to take pictures and my battery dies. The three I got did not turn out well but I will post them anyway with the hope of posting more once my batteries finish charging!

Chloe love Christmas time too. She may not look like it, but trust me on this one. 

Tis the season!!! 

The forgotten mother

I have debated writing this post. Wondering if it was really worth it. Not wanting any attention but wanting people to know at the same time. Wanting to minister where and however I can.
Wanting people to know they are not alone.

Britt and I recently lost a baby. That sentence seems so abrupt. It was and has been by far one of the greatest if not the greatest losses of my life.
People say that you don’t understand the feeling until it happens to you. That is the true.

I debated sharing my story because I wondered if it matters. But I know that even though he/she never lived on this earth my baby’s life mattered. That sentence is far from what would be considered
“politically correct” but it’s true.

Thoughts of that precious life have been swimming in my head this past weekend and today.
As you all know yesterday was Mother’s Day and

I was a silent mother.

I was a hurting mother.

I was the mother most did not know about.

I was hesitant to share this but than I began to think of the other women out there who were not able to celebrate mothers day with a child that they lost. The pain I feel for those mothers is deep
within my soul. I hurt with them.

But more than anything I want to tell those mothers that they ARE mothers. Despite the greatest pain and confusion you can face God is good. I can say that because despite what my circumstances say I know what I know to be true and that is that God is always good. 

 I know that in my time of hurting I wanted to talk to someone who knew what I was feeling. If I don't share what happened I can't be that person to someone else.

Two people who knew about what happened told me happy mothers day and I thought that it would hurt too much to hear but when I read the words they sent me I felt so loved and I knew I was a mother.

And so for those mothers out there who lost a baby I want to say Happy Mothers Day to you.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13



Christmas Photo Shoot

Coming soon - to a Christmas Card near you....

Thank you so much to Britt's sister Brooke for taking these. It was so much fun!

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I know that a lot of people have asked me about pictures of our house. I really am working on them. We still do not have internet set up so my access is limited but I hope to have some soon!

Catching up...

It's been awhile since I last updated. It is time for me to catch up. A lot has happened recently and I will fill you in on bits and pieces of it.

Britt got his Diploma in the mail! It was a happy day! :) He has been done with school since December but it felt so official to receive that piece of paper. The little piece of cardstock cost a pretty penny. ;)

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The weekend before last Britt and I had a "Get-a-way" weekend just spending time together. We decided to get a hotel room for one night in Bricktown and it was so much fun!

Here is Britt in the complementary shuttle which happened to be a limo! It was so much fun!

And here I am in the limo!

We went to Zio's for dinner and afterwards we waiting outside for the limo. It was a rainy cold day but we didn't care and it didn't stop is from having a great weekend!

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This past weekend we celebrated Easter together. Saturday we spent the day just hanging out together and having a GREAT time! Sunday we went to church with my parents, lunch at their house and then to our church that night. It was a great time with family and friends celebrating what Jesus did on the cross and the glorious resurrection!

Britt bought me a purse and an umbrella for my "Easter Gift". He surprised me and it was so much fun! I love them both!

I decided that Britt needed a "Easter Gift" too and so we went to a local consignment shop and found him two polos and a pair of shorts! We also went to Academy to get him a pair of new shoes because his other ones were just too worn out. He walks 18 miles a day and that can make a person go through shoes so fast!

We also got some plants for our patio! I love them and I am also hoping to get a hanging tomato plant! Thought it might be fun to try and I LOVE home-grown tomatoes! *Yum!* We are really enjoying our flowers though and the bright color they bring to our patio. I just love spring/summer!

Saturday night we relaxed and ate some yummy homemade pizza and drank some Raspberry Ice Tea. It was a great day having fun and spending time together. I love making memories like that together and can't wait to make many more!

I hope that all of you had a happy easter with family and friends!

Me and My Valentine - And a good laugh!

Britt and I had a great Valentine's Day! We decided to celebrate on Saturday and it was so much fun! I woke up that morning to find Red Roses and a pair of Red High Heels as a gift from Britt. If you did not know I have wanted Red High Heels for a long time and I was so happy to get them. What a great day to wear them on too! (Take note of the color red)

After sleeping in for a while and just being lazy we decided to finally venture out. The shoes that Britt bought for me were not quite the right size so we went to the place he bought them and they of course did not have the size that I needed. Since we had blocked out the whole day for "us time" we decided to drive the 30 minute drive to another store that had my size. Of course on the way we made a sonic run as well. :)

After that we went to blockbuster to get some movies. We could not decide on anything and we ended up going to Wal-Mart to just buy two movies. One of Britt's Choice and one of mine. I think that we should make that a Valentine's Day tradition because it was a lot of fun!

We then went to Red Lobster for dinner. Britt and I both really like sea food and it has been sounding really good. Of course Valentine's Day is a day that you can splurge so we did and it was delicious! 

After that we came home and watched one of our newly purchased movies. It was such a fun day and I really enjoyed just spending it together with nothing "planned".

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On a totally different note...

We found this sign hanging above the light in the walkway near our apartment door....

If you are having trouble reading it, it says:

"Do you think people get mugged and raped more often in well-lit places or in the dark? I would say more in dark places. When you unscrew this light bulb you put everyone who lives here in danger. If this light bulb inconveniences you by being turned on, I would say it is definitely not such an inconvenience as to put other people's safety at risk."

Let me just say, I laughed! haha... Apparently someone unscrewed it, which is probably not the wisest thing to do, but this response is just too funny. There it was, hanging below the light, stuck into the wall with a lady bug push pin. 

So, I would just like to say, if whoever wrote this is out there and reading this:

1.) I did not unscrew the light bulb

2.) I never planned on it and definitely never will.

3.) Thank you for making me laugh! 

Hope that was a good laugh for you as Monday draws near...

Happy 'belated' Valentine's Day!

Britt and Lauren. :)

So - If you didn't notice I changed my "look" and of course with that came a new header. As you can see the header says "Britt and Lauren" and it should probably say "Britt and Mostly Lauren". haha... But I decided that would not look as cute. Someone was joking about how our blog's address is BrittandLauren and I am the only one who writes but you should know, O' faithful reader, that Britt is behind a lot of it ( we are 1) AND most things include him as well. :) Header/blog name explained.

Christmas:

Good.

Tiring.

Happy.

Tiring.

Family.

Tiring.

Did I mention tiring? haha!

I know, I am joking here - but I am not at the same time. We truly did have a GREAT Christmas with lots of family, lots of fun, laughter and food!

BUT at the say time we are plum worn out! Time for a break.

Pause - hold the phone! Isn't Christmas supposed to be a break? I guess we missed that memo but...

Speaking of breaks... Britt and I are going to the Lake with some of my family for New Years. Yeah for two long weekends in a row!!

I start my job at the Capitol next Monday, next Monday people!!! So ready! So excited! So happy to have a "Life" again! haha!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!

Keep crossing your fingers people we might have a white Christmas!!!

People, lets cross our fingers for a white Christmas! :) Could happen!

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Random news.

If you are easily grossed out stop reading now.

.......

Two days in a row now I have been in my car, at a stop light, minding my own business. As I sit there I happen to look up in my rear-view mirror. We all do this from time to time for whatever reason. Well, when I look up and see the person behind me (Yesterday a woman probably in her late 30's and today a man in his 50's or 60's) they are digging away at their nose! *yuck!* The problem is that it is NOT a scratch and sniff. It is a real, looking for hidden treasure dig! *So nasty!* Here is the the real nasty part. BOTH of the "Adults" did NOT flick "it" (Meaning the booger[s]) away). Yes, I am going there! You can only guess what they did with that little green thing and chances are your guess is correct! *Ding, ding, we have a winner*

Seriously, am I the only person who finds this totally nasty AND wrong!!! I know that from time to time everyone probably picks. It just happens. But lets be for real here people.

* First off, don't do it in your car, at a stop light for the world to see.

* Second, don't eat the darn thing!

Sorry if that was too nasty for some people but I did warn you! haha. I was seriously annoyed/grossed out/amazed that this happened not just once but two days in a row! And they were adults! *wow*

Done with that! haha

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Right now Britt and I are in the midst of making our apartment balcony look amazing! There is a little compition going on here at our apartments for the best decorated door/balcony. I am not sure if we will actually win because we don't have a money tree but it has been fun to participate. When we are finished decorating I will post a picture.

You all would probably laugh at my desire to win. I can be a little competitive. hehe

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Christmas is almost here people!!! I can hardly believe it but I guess I better start believing! haha

Christmas Time!

Here are some pictures of a few of the Christmas festivities that Britt and I have been enjoying!

Chickasha!

Looking at Lights!

This was a beautiful neighborhood!

Christmas Party!

Tree Hunting!

What a wonderful Christmas this has been together, with so much more to still come! We are so blessed! Merry Christmas, from our home to yours!