Aunt LaLa

Yes its a frightful word. death. Its something we all dread. You can never prepare for losing someone you love. Three friends of mine lost people they love over the last couple of days. Thats 3 deaths.My prayers are with them and their families, and the families of the ones lost. I personally have a hard time with death. After losing both of my dad's parents within 10 months, a friend to cancer and many others..death makes me a little squeamish. I believe we are promised a life after death with Jesus and that brings comfort. However we still mourn.We still have tears. Death is scary. Sometimes I think as Christians we almost feel guilty because we get upset, angry, cry when we lose someone.We are 'supposed' to hold strong, where is our faith? We aren't supposed to question? Death is a sad part of life, and sometimes its something good. What I mean by that is if you have a loved one suffering and they fine peace and pass, its a relief that our loved is not suffering...

I can NOT believe its Wednesday already!! Well I'll be linking up with Jaime WILW!  I'm Loving that on New Years eve Josh and I will be actually going OUT and celebrating... Planning on dressing up I'm Loving that Christmas was spent with the people I love most, and on Christmas @ my grandparents we weren't missing anyone, everyone was there I 'm Loving that my little nephew is almost saying my name... he talking more and more I 'm Loving that I still have my decorations up I'm Loving that I have a job I enjoy going to I'm Loving that I will soon be back in class, every class I complete is one more class closer to graduation I'm Loving me some Coffey Anderson this week, love his songs! I'm Loving my hubby being so cute in his fedora's && most of ALL I'm loving my Lord and Savior! ~ So that I may DECREASE , so he may INCREASE ~ John 3:30 Happy Wednesday! 

Me excited and waiting for the hubby

In honor of Christmas being this weekend, and I highly doubt I will have anytime to get on here and blog and so I'm going to do another survey/questionnaire. I loved the one I did yesterday! Its so much fun to reminisce. So here it goes... 1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I love to wrap, in fact for years when my grandmother bought for all of us grandchildren I would help her wrap, I helped my mom wrapped, and I also would help my aunt. :)  I wrap all gift at our house except my own gifts. LOVE IT! and while I wrap I play Christmas music or watch a Christmas movie. Trust me when I say I ALWAYS do this, much to my hubbies excitement lol 2. Real tree or Artificial? We have had an artificial tree every year. But next year Josh and I hope to have a real one 3. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after New Years day we take it down. I leave it up as long as possible. 4. When do you put the tree up? Usually the Saturday after Thanksgiving is the day. 5. ...

Christmas questionnaire!! Found this over at Mine to Live 1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?  BOTH! I love a  good cup of hot chocolate when it's cold.  However eggnog just makes you feel  like its Christmas time  2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set  them under the tree?  He sets the under the tree Christmas eve.  Growing up we had the minimal presents  under the tree. No matter how often my  brother and I checked them! The Christmas  morning Santa had arrived!  3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love a colored!! If we had a house and  not a apartment it would be all colored  \lights! White lights are beautiful as well!  4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, my hubby and I kiss without a reason heehee 5. When do you put your decorations up As soon as Thanksgiving is over ALL  decoration...

Linking up with Jessica for Share your world Thursday Ho ... What is the worst gift you have recieved for Christmas? Honestly, I can't think of one! That is crazy... However Josh says his was a Cd that was bubblegum HA! Ho Ho ... What is your favorite Christmas movie? Polar Express. I could watch this movie a million times and I still tear up. It gives me that warm Christmas feeling. I watch it EVERY year as we put up the tree. Ho Ho Ho ... Fill in the Blank: My favorite Christmas dessert is... Probably my grandmothers fruit cake. Now this isn't your average (yuk) fruit cake. It is the most scrumptous thing ever! Oh I love it! I'll post the recipe if I can get is from her.... * hint hint* I know your reading this Grams =) AAAHHHH Christmas is only 3 days away! And if you count celebrations on Christmas eve its only 2 days, and since it is technically Thursday now its only 1 days....yeah I'm still operating on kid logic during Christmas! ♥ heehee....

So today is the day I've been waiting on for 3 months (I think, its feels longer). I'll share more details later. But this could be a great day and a little peak at what God may have in store! : ) Yesterday was so good for me... I got to spend some quality time with my beautiful niece. I don't know how to express how much joy I get from being LaLa. I get the biggest smile on my face when I hear Olivia say "Lala, I love you" or here Eli sing "Lalalalala Elmo Song" or hear JJ squeal at the sound of my voice. I would do anything for these kids. I love to spend time with them. My beautiful niece yesterday!  Christmas is only a few DAYS aways.... Yes I said it , DAYS! I just can't believe it! And I also was able to receive a few extra Christmas blessings. I just love how God loves us so much that he makes sure to let us know he cares about even the smallest things. Tonight I will be Christmas shopping! Whoohoo! So until tomorrow! =) Be safe!

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY WITH FIVECROOKEDHALOS! 1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received? Probably my 2 doll houses and camcorders 2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received? red thongs haha 3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)? Its all colors and white lights, with ornaments from years of collecting 4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc. U mmm...non of the above. I occasionally iron this one pair of shorts. But that's it..lol 5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? (I'm looking for recipes here, peeps...) Must have ... Dump cake 1 box of cake mix 1 stck of butter 1csn of crushed pineapple 1 jar of cherry pie filing Crushed pecans or walnuts

Yes, here it is again "Thoughtful Thursday" ... As I fight the feelings to blog in this day, I remind myself, 'Lauren, you started Thoughtful Thursday'... *Smile* Yes I know. But you see I am a master of  "Pushdownism". Yes, this condition is unlike any other. You see this particular condition is when someone who analyzes, is sensitive, carries everyone weight- they go about life with so much feeling and passion but try to push it down  because sometimes its just to hard to face those real emotions. This is dangerous you see because usually what happens is after taking care of EVERYONE else they don't deal with what has made them angry, upset, hurt, disappointed... the list goes on, this persons spouse notices and asks what wrong, that my friends is when the dam breaks... Well introducing the #1 lady with "Pushdownism"... ME!! Yes, I suffer from this. One of the prayers I pray often is that God would help me love like him, let my actions ...

Linking up with Jamie Monday was just one of the days where one of the things I want more then anything was heavy on my heart. But my wonderful honey reminded me that "God has a plan, its not going to be everyone else's.We have our very own." He is right. God does have a plan. However I'm only human. I feel what I feel. For  an amount of time Monday I did feel blah, I had a good cry. But I got better. Not wanting to go into details, I hope the next couple months will show us maybe a little peek of what God has in store. So... What I'm Loving Wednesday I'm  Loving my sweet group of sisters at HCF (Safehearts) I'm Loving that I found two of the cutest gifts for my niece and nephew I'm Loving that the 20th is almost here... YAY! I'm Loving that I have my grandma and grandpa I'm Loving that I have 2 nephews and a niece who always puts a smile on my face. I'm Loving my diet coke =) I'm Loving my husband ...

So today I spent my fourth year in a row at Weigles Family Christmas. Where 150+ kids get to go to Kmart in Knoxville, TN and buy Christmas presents for themselves (and occasionaly family) with $150. So this year I ( my aunt and cousin) got to spend it with a beautiful little girl "A". She was such a personality. "A" was so excited. She was about 6yrs old. "A" said she must get something for her brother. He is 10 and very sweet. What a doll! "A" then wanted this purple sparkely dress, which she showed EVERYONE who passed! =) "A" then proceeded tell us that her parents were both in jail and that her granny takes care of her. She named her doll her mothers name , so she could play with her mom. It broke my heart. I started looking at all these children, they were so happy! They were having the best time shopping. "A" was just so excited. I wanted to take her home! "A" made sure she gave us the biggest hugs!! So, ...

Linking up with Five Crooked Halos! 1. W hat is your favorite Christmas cookie? Hmm, I'm not a fan of cookies. But I LOVE decorating sugar cookies for Christmas!! Love it! (I do eat one or two)  But I eat fudge the most! mmm Love it, with walnuts!! 2. W hat's your favorite holiday movie & why? Polar Express, its my favorite ALL time. It never gets old. I love the songs, the Christmas spirit. It THE movie when I decorate.  I recently watched The Man Who Saved Christmas, which was based on a true story about A.C. Gilbert... a pretty impressive man. Should look him up! The movie was fantastic! Loved it! 3.  Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you  hadn't  after they opened it? Well I don't have any children, but I do have a husband. Which sometimes seems like I do have a 30 yr old child (giggle). Its probably the GTA game he wanted!! HATE HATE HATE this game. I was so glad when he beat the game and NEVER plays it.  4....

Thinking, thinking, I'm thinking... Ok to be honest I haven't had a moment to think! CRAZY buys during the  Holiday season! I love every minute of it though! So guess what time it is... time for Randomness. Ever wonder why some people get so frustrated over the silliest things that don't matter? Well, they matter to that person... Or all of sudden are snappy. It happens to best of us... You didn't get enough sleep, you and your hubby just argued, your family has drove nuts all day.... Then that one person says something so simple and its "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD" HA! You know exactly what moments I'm talking about. So for a good laugh here are a couple videos... And this one is CRAZY!! Top 10 weirdest phobias... This particular channel I would subscribe to they have crazy stuff Ok, now for one that I quote often b/c this girl is so cute but the video is just hilarious! (the low voice is my fav... I feel it in my mmooowwwtthhh) Enjoy blogg...

Linking up with Jamie I'm LOVING that my husband and I celebrated our 4yr anniversary last week I'm LOVING that this Sunday is our Christmas banquet for church.. It always such a blast! I'm LOVING that there are Christmas presents under our tree! I'm LOVING that we are celebrating Jesus's birthday! (and this beautiful pic posted by one of my pastors) I'm LOVING these boots! (and hoping I get some for Christmas)  I'm LOVING that this month on the 20th Josh and I embark on a new journey I'm LOVING my Jesus- he is my rock, strength, peace giver, and hope =) ... My everything! Happy Wednesday everyone!!!