NEW ORLEANS!

Greg and I were blessed with the opportunity to take our first "vacation" alone in two years!  As you know, Greg is a realtor for Keller Williams in Lubbock!  Every year they hold a "family reunion" in a city and all of the agents from across the nation make it if they can, hence "family reunion"!  I just came along for the ride!!  We left on Saturday and we have had such a relaxing time!   My camera is not wanting to upload pictures right now (darn it), so I will have to get back to those when we get home!
Saturday when we arrived, our hotel room was not ready so we dropped off our bags and hit the pavement!  We went down to the convention center where the Keller Williams seminars were going to be held!  We ate lunch on the Mississippi and just admired the scenery!  That night, we went to a restaurant called Rocko & KuKu's (? I think?) in the French Quarter!  I had Mahi Mahi and Grilled Shrimp and it was AMAZING!  Then Greg and I toodled on over to Bourbon Street, which was complete chaos really, and watched a great jazz band!  It was a total New Orleans experience, and what a great first night!
Sunday, Greg had classes all day, so I met him for lunch at a BBQ place called the Ugly Dog Saloon and BBQ!  It was sooo good!  Then, that evening we went down to the riverwalk again, which is on the Mississippi, and ate crab legs at a restaurant called The Crazy Lobster!  YUMMERS! I will NEVER be able to eat at Red Lobster again after having this fresh seafood! OH MY!
Monday came really quick it seems!  While Greg was at his conference, I hit the Casino!  HA! I was actually a little nervous just to sit down and play by myself, but I did it anyway! LOL!  Let's just say, New Orleans Harrah's Casino as a bit of me left behind! I didn't win diddly, but it sure was fun!  So, I got out of there before I was tempted to blow anymore of my money and I walked the shops on the riverwalk!  It was a beautiful day and I found the girls some adorable dolls and myself a hat!  Monday night was amazing though!  The Keller Williams offices from Lubbock, Midland and Amarillo all got together for dinner at Emeril's Delmonico Restaurant!  It was FABULOUS!  We had drinks, appetizers, salad, a pork loin entree with black eyed peas and a desert to die for!  The dining experience was one like I have never had before!  At each course, the waiters would all gather around your table and set down everyone's plates at the exact same time!  It was too much fun!  It was also very wonderful getting to visit with all the other realtors that Greg works with! 
Today, Tuesday, has been so calm and relaxing too!  I actually slept in this morning and almost fell out of bed when I realized it was 10 'O CLOCK!  I do not think I have slept until 10, since........hmmmmm?  That's a toughy!  Anyways, I met Greg for lunch at a place called "Butchers", and I have seen this place on the Food Network before....I think on Rachel Ray's Weekend Getaways? I am going to have to research that one, anyways....the food was D-LISH!  I am so glad we came across this place!  THEN, THIS AFTERNOON....I GOT AN HOUR LONG FACIAL, and it was WONDERFUL!  Oh my, that is all I can say about it, it was Wonderful! 
So, I am just waiting on Gregory to get back to the hotel to see what Tuesday night has in store for us!  Tomorrow, I believe we are going on a city tour...and I am way excited about that!

I have checked on the girls at least two or three times a day! I miss them so much, my heart hurts!  But, we will be home before we know it and they are having a blast with all of the grandparents!

Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday night too!
Love, Lauren

A really exciting day!

Hello All!

I LOVE life moments!  I think they are fun and memorable!  I was lucky enough to be a part of a big one for my youngest Sister-In-Law last weekend!  This is Jennifer, she is a Senior this year and this is her NEW CAR!  It was a surprise from her parents!!  HOW EXCITING!

 

  

I am so proud of Jennifer!  She is such a Godly teen and such a hardworker!  We Love You Jen!

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My journey with Love Dare is going beautifully!  My Hubbie has really noticed how much calmer and relaxed I am...and honestly, so have I!  Chapter 6 was really amazing!  It focused on the fact that Love is not irritable.  Often times lately, I have found myself to be irritable due to stress and just everyday life; however, I have really come to learn that I do not have to be that way!  A section from the chapter states: "A loving husband will remain calm and patient, showing mercy and restraining his temper.  Rage and violence are out of the question.  A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control.  She chooses to be a flower among the thorns and respond pleasantly during prickly situations."

I love that!  It is really all about learning to prioritize and balance situations and to always remember that God is in control!  

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Greg and I are taking a trip tomorrow to New Orleans!  We are soooo excited!  He is attending a Keller Williams conference and I am going to be a bum! HA!  The girls are going to stay with their Grammie and Papaw tonight until Sunday and will be with Nona and Papa Jack until Thursday when we return!  This will be the FIRST time that I will be away from Abigail since she was born and I have not been away from Paisleigh this long since she was 8 months old!  So, please pray for me not to loose it without my little blessings for almost a whole week! However, I cannot wait to have a vacation with my husband!  Super Excited!

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

Love, Lauren

Love Dare--Day 2

"Do not let kindness and love leave you: bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of GOD and man." (Proverbs 3: 3-4) 

In my laundry room, I have a dry erase board that is placed just to the side of our dryer!  I put this dry erase board there, well, because I am always doing laundry it seems! :)  I try to write myself little reminders, not only milk, bread and cheese reminders, but Bible verses, positive quotes and things to keep me focused during my week.  Chapter 2 focused on Kindness, and within this chapter was the above verse. "Do not let kindness and love leave you: bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of GOD and man." (Proverbs 3:3-4). WOW!  This verse not only left me sitting and thinking as I read it; however, this verse really hit me yesterday, and it is now my new verse on my dry erase board!
I have always tried to be kind!  I am a door holder, smile and speak to those in passing...especially in the grocery store, thank you, bless you and excuse me saying, let others into my lane in traffic and really care about those around me kind of person.  But yesterday, I realized that this type of kindness, although important, IS NOT enough!  There is so much hurt in this world, not only far away in other countries from us, but right here...right here in people next to us!  This chapter really placed something in my heart telling me that I need to pray and focus more on how I can help and be kind to those in need right here in our own backyard! 

The chapter broke kindness into four categories:
1. Gentleness
2. Helpfulness
3. Willingness
4. Initiative
As many of you know, I work full time, as so many women and moms do, and I also take care and clean our home (as so many women and moms do)!  On Friday's, the clinic where I work closes at noon, which is awesome!  I immediately go home and start the weekly scrub down on our house while the girls are still at day care unitl five!  My husband, Greg has started a new career as a real estate agent (which he is doing SUPER at) so he works from home most of the time.  This is the part I have NOT gotten used to.  When I get home and start cleaning, I expect him to jump up and help!  Well, what I really have not put much consideration into is....he is still working. GASP!  Who works after noon on a Friday....well, almost everyone! HA! 
Yesterday was a bit different because I was home all day with our daughter Paisleigh who was home sick (poor baby!), anyways, I did my weekly clean yesterday instead!  As I mentioned above, Chapter 2 broke kindness into four categories: the one that kept running through my head as I was cleaning was "helpfulness".  Within the section it states:

"Being kind means you meet the needs of the moment. If it's housework, you get busy. A listening ear? You give it. Kindness graces a wife with the ability to serve her husband without worrying about her rights. Kindness makes a husband curious to discover what his wife needs, then motivates him to be the one who steps up and ensures those needs are met—even if his are put on hold."

And, when my husband had a break in his work and the house was absolutely spotless (I love it when our home is perfectly clean!) He came in, praised how great the house looked and took out the trash and picked up a few of his items that needed to go to the garage!  There was not one argument or grunt from either of us during the whole ordeal!  THIS WAS AMAZING TO ME!  He noticed I needed a few extra things done, put his work on hold and did them!  I was baffled and excited!  Small, I know, but Big to me!! :)

In just two days, I have focused on patience and kindness...just two things in our daily life that are often put aside.  However, how big and important these two things are!  How much they can change a person's outlook and motivate them!  I am so glad I am starting this journey with Love Dare!  I am overly excited to see how the next 38 days affect my walk with God!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

Love, Lauren          

    

Love Dare--Day 1

I officially started the Love Dare this morning, and I am really excited about it!  Not that the Hubby and I are in a bad place AT ALL!!  I just think, in a marriage and in our walk with Christ we always need to be striving to better ourselves and our situations! 
I listen to KLOVE on my way to work in the mornings and they have been focusing on this book for almost the full 40 days now.  Hearing the testimony's and discussions about the chapters within Love Dare have inspired me!  So, I got it...and I started it!
I knew as soon as I opened up to Chapter 1 last night, I was not only going to get a lesson for my marriage, but also for myself!  The title: PATIENCE!  Wow!  This is something I honestly have not had much of lately!  I really really hate to admit that about myself, because I have always considered myself a pretty patient person.  I mean, I have my moments, but who doesn't?  Anyways, here lately I think the hussle and bussle of life has gotten to me.  Working full time, trying to have a small business on the side (Uppercase Living), in the midst of a total career change, trying to be a "perfect" (I know, I know) mom to two beautiful daughters, a loving-understanding and compassionate wife, keeping our home clean and picked up, dinner on the table every night and most importantly, striving to become a better Christian all around!  I can honestly say, I have become overwhelmed with myself!
So, when I saw "patience" starring me in the face last night, I knew God was really going to talk to me...and boy did HE ever!  I have been so quick to get upset, frustrated and somewhat angry at home when things are not just perfect and put together!  Last night, I realized how silly that is!  I have a loving husband who I have been crazy about since the night I met him in 2002.  I do not need to get angry if he doesn't do something exactly how I think he should do it!  We are a team, we have to work together and I am not perfect AT ALL either! I have two daughters who are absolutely the most beautiful things I have EVER seen in my life!  A warm home (thanks to that new heater we got on Saturday-HA!), clean clothes and food on our table!  God is so great!
So, today, I am focusing on being patient.  Thinking about what I need to say and HOW I need to say it!  What things matter and what doesn't!  I am focusing on the love that Greg and I have together and I am so thankful for him!  Realizing that if dinner is not on the table at exactly 6:15, the world is not going to end and my kiddos are not going to starve!  It will all be ok! 
So, already, Love Dare Chapter 1 has impacted me and I hope it impacts my marriage too!  I know it will not be easy to immediately become the most patient Christian person in the world, but I am going to strive to become a more patient me for sure!
If anyone that may stumble across this blog for some reason has ever done or is doing the Love Dare, please, leave me some words of wisdom and some inspiration! 
Hope you all have a very "patient" Tuesday!
Love,
Lauren    

Out in the Cold...if it wasn't for Family!

While enjoying our weekend last Saturday, our carbon dioxide alarm decided to go off!  Thank goodness we have one!!  Come to find out after the gas man immedietly came out, our heater is leaking carbon dioxide! YIKES!  Our poor babies!  We packed our bags and got out of there so fast!  So, since last Saturday night we have been traveling back and forth from Hale Center and Earth to Lubbock everyday!  Where would we be without our wonderful family providing us with a warm place to stay?  Out in the cold!  Thank you so much for taking us in guys!  We appreciate and love you all so much!  Eventhough the girls have not been to our house in almost a week, they sure are enjoying getting Nona, Grammie, Papa Jack and Papaw time!  They are not complaining!  :)
Hope you all have a great and WARM weekend...and go out and get a carbon dioxide detecter if you do not have one!  They Work!!