Happy Birthday DAD!!!

Apparently I've started something with these birthday posts. Making numbered lists to the amount of years my loved ones are celebrating. Today is my Dad's birthday. He is 51. I love you Dad, but my lunch break isn't long enough to list 51 reasons why you are wonderful. And besides, there are MANY more than 51!

So... in lieu of the numbered list I've compiled a list of 25 reasons why my dad is great on his birthday. 25 things because I'm 25 and it is kind of half of 51. So here we go...

My Dad, Mark, is wonderful on his birthday because he:

1. cooks a mean omelet!
2. enjoys cycling for hours and hours and miles and miles
3. has a great laugh
4. finally grew out his annual winter beard again even though it is grey. (I like the grey)
5. has been unconditionally supportive of everything I've tried, done, or talked about doing
6. is a geologist...he hearts rocks!
7. is married to my Yomama (she's pretty great!)
8. is a great listener
9. got back on skis after breaking his foot (YEA!)
10. is spiritual
11. plays the drums
12. loves to spend time with the family
13. gives good advice
14. is really goofy (it is apparently hereditary)
15. likes to help others
16. loves to learn
17. goes on campus tours with me
18. is a history nerd
19. is artistic
20. knows how to have a good time
21. knows how to relax
22. owns a hot tub
23. he taught me alot about how to be friends with men
24. was and still is my "standard" for men (Tim lives up to these standards!)
25. is my Dad!!!!!

Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you!

Photo by FrancyPants of Dad and YoMama in France last summer!

Bon Anniversaire Monica! The Big 2-1

Today my babyseester FrancyPants has been alive 21 years. Geez! So here is a post of 21 things about her that make her magnifique!

Monica the birthday girl is/has/can...

un: studying abroad in Frenchtoastland and I am proud/jealous

deux: really nice calf muscles

trois: a cute boyfriend

quatre: a good listener

cinq: adventurous

six: a knack for always having the same hair cut as me

sept: a really talented photographer

huit: legally drink with her own ID in the USA

neuf: make great ugly faces

dix: loving

onze: silly

douze: crazy beautiful

treize: stubborn

quatorze: good with money

quinze: a devoted friend

seize: a really good runner

dix-sept: an international ambassador of stuff

dix-huit: fashionably granola

dix-neft: a tree hugger (literally)

vingt: a little bitty tongue monster

vingt et un: GETTING OLD!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICA! Je t'aime beaucoup!

Lala What'cha Makin?

Check out my new foodie blog... http://lalawhatchamakin.blogspot.com

inspired by yomama of course.

I think this is the start of #42...

Wrapped up with a bow!

Well the holiday week is over. New Years is upon us. This Christmas was one of the best, I've never been so happy and fulfilled as I was to host my family for almost a week and also to get to spend some quality time with Tim's family. We got the joy of seeing his grandparents on Friday night for dinner and my belief in soul mates was once again reaffirmed. His grandparents have been married for 68 years and they still dote on each other and tell stories of how they fell in love. Their story is Notebook like, truly. Tim's grandmother pulled us aside and told us that she sees the same kind of connection in us that has helped her marriage last so long. That is a huge compliment coming from her.

**Not to mention that she is truly my fashion icon. She is in her nineties and showed up to the dinner party in a red cashmere sweater with a faux fur collar, black pencil skirt, red and silver fishnet pantyhose, and red suede 2 1/2 inch knee high boots. For realz. She always dresses like this. She says that everyday is a special event so why not look your best? I agree!!!**

What a wonderful example of truly living your life to the fullest. Tim is lucky to have such great role models in his life. All of our family on both sides are so wonderful and although we are still "young" we are realizing more and more that every opportunity we have to see our extended family is a blessing. I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and is looking forward to the New Year.

Stand By Me

This brought tears to my eyes...thanks Mom! Happy Birthday, I love you!

Holiday Shopping...how does it make you feel?

This year I did 95% of my holiday shopping on the internet and because the experience was so WONDERFUL I will probably use this method from now on. I heart it so much because not only did I get to shop in the comfort of my office chair/couch at home, the anticipation of waiting for the packages to arrive so I can open them only to wrap them again in festive 90% recycled holiday paper for the recipient to open...made it that much more fun! I also got to avoid wasting my life away looking for a parking spot or milling through the zoo of people at the malls.

I don't really enjoy holiday shopping as much a regular shopping because I feel like I'm so rushed to make decisions then I have to wait in line for 5 hours to check out, the cashiers are all stressed out and then I have to lug around all the bags making me wish I had just been lame and given everyone Target gift cards. Shopping isn't the best part of holiday shopping; it's making lists that I get joy from. I love lists...I mean LOVE them. I probably wrote and edited my holiday gift list literally 10 times just because I could. This year I loved making the list of gifts for people and then printing out my receipt and tracking info so I could cross off things on my list. I love...I mean LOVE crossing things off my lists. The listing also helped me keep track of how much I was spending. I'm willing to bet that this year Tim and I spent the least amount of money on gifts in the three years we've been...or rather...I've been holiday shopping as a couple. Plus it was another list to make..duh.

Holiday shopping on the web makes me feel giddy...the perfect mix of laziness and obsessive listing.

Ave Maria

So today I sang at a funeral for one of our Tri Delta alums who's husband of 59 years died this week after a 15 year battle with prostate cancer. It was such an honor to be called out of the blue to participate in this human/spiritual ritual. I knew of Mrs. Beverly Thompson but I have yet to really get to know her. From what I learned about her husband and her family today everyone that knew Jim Thompson was very blessed for the experience. Despite the sadness and grief that shrouded the energy of the sanctuary I kept noticing all the familiar Tri Delta Alumni faces of all vintages who came to support Beverly. I was called to sing partly because of that same affiliation. I feel very lucky to be included in the Tri Delta family in this way. Because that is what we really are - a family. The friendships that are forged during the collegiate years are a start but the real relationships in Tri Delta are maintained once we hit the real world and really NEED each other. With out my family living nearby these women of all ages have become the people I turn to and rely on for support. They show genuine interest in me and my life. They keep me accountable to my commitment to this group and make me feel like I'm a part of something bigger than myself. You may be reading this thinking...silly sorority girl...but this isn't just sorority stuff, this is life stuff. I've never really felt like a part of something until I graduated from college and really realized the significance of my pledge of lifelong loyalty to Tri Delta and all it's members before and after me. I take that very seriously. Those that do not put as much stock in that commitment are really missing out on something wonderful. So it isn't silly. I hope everyone has something that makes them feel this way. Something that makes them feel like they are loved and part of something. Greek or not, all you need is love.
So today I witness and participated in some Delta Love for the Thompson family and all the people who were impacted by Jim Thompson. Thank you for the honor of being a part of your family today. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Yes...not so hard yet..

that's what she said... ;)

So far I've said yes to the annual Tri Delta Ornament Exchange party on Thursday, attending a block party downtown on Friday, running bandit in a 5K on Saturday, hosting a Big XII football get together Sat night, baking 3 dozen ginger cookies for my choir concert reception, and purchasing 2 poinsettias to decorate the stage at the concert.

No I do not intend to keep a running list of the things I say yes to...unless they are interesting or amusing...but just to make a point of what can happen in 2 days.

I think this month is going to be busy, but oh so fun. Hopefully all this yessing will make the month speed by so my family can get here sooner for the holidays.

NaBloPoMo - Day 26 - Thanks!

Although Thanksgiving is tomorrow having family in town this week has had me thinking of the things I'm thankful for this year. So much has happened in the last year. I almost feel like it is New Years and I'm looking back. I still have one more month to make memories for 2008. But here is my annotated list of thankfulnesses. I'm going to get pacific here because thanking friends and family in a blanket statement is lame and doesn't waste enough time when writing posts at work at 3:30pm the day before Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for...
1. Being an American - tomorrow is just Thursday ever where else in the world
2. Tim - he's the bestest husband I know and he puts up with my crazy. I'm thankful for the fact that we agree that communication is the most important thing in our relationship and that we can overcome anything if we keep that in mind.
3. Sara - with out her I wouldn't love my job as much or have been inspired to go to law school or have someone to give great suggestions to about anything and every thing
4. Amy - she is cute and funny...but really she needs no explanation because our love can not be explained...(*awkward pregnant pause*)
5. My parents - I'm so thankful for their love and support of every endeavor that I may decide to obsess about for what ever duration whether it be a second or years. I'm thankful for the love that they show each other and the openness they have about their relationship. No matter what dysfunctions they may think they have, their marriage is one that proves that love conquers all and give me an example to live up to.
6. My seesters, Elise and Monica. I miss them every single day. Although we didn't get along great growing up...now they are my best friends. Living in three different states really made me realize how much I need them. A compromise must be made about the livable distance at some point. I'm so excited for Elise to live in OK again so we can make some more memories together and I'm so excited for Monica to be living her dream of studying in another country in Jan. Although I will miss her terribly now that I've discovered the glory that is Skype I won't be so heartsick for her goofy face.
7. My health. A little over a year ago I was 20 lbs over weight with a bad knee. Tomorrow I will run in my first 5K. I'm so thankful and proud of myself for putting my health as a priority and I finally feel good. Getting healthy turned out to have many more than just physical benefits. The self confidence is almost overwhelming. Getting healthy has improved my physical appearance, my relationships, my career, and my spirituality.
And finally...
8. I'm thankful for being alive. It sounds silly, but really. Being alive, living in the moment, the world is such a wonderful place with wonderful people and I don't want to miss anything. I savor every moment good and bad. It makes me who I am.

Habe Dank.

NaBloPoMo - Say 25

This evening I sang for my parents at a rehearsal for my recital that will take place Feb 8 at 2 pm at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, in case you were wondering. I sang and sung and singed my little heart out. It was such a wonderful experience. I was so proud and grateful at the same time. My mom cried, my dad shut his eyes, and I giggled with glee. I'm pretty sure my parents haven't heard me sing since I graduated from high school, eh...6 years ago. It was wonderful.

I was inspired by my genius mother to make my recital a fund raiser for the youth choir at the church. I do not attend this church but I'm giving back to the United Methodist Youth music because if it weren't for my friend Sarah Whitton whom I bonded with singing songs from the Little Mermaid on the tennis court freshman year in high school and then had she not invited me to join her amazing youth choir at a United Methodist Church...I would never have found my voice and would not be the fabulous hobby singer that I am. Thanks Sarah.

So come hear me sing. I'm pretty good if you ask me.

NaBloPoMo - Day 22 & 23

I know, I know...I'm lumping days together again. I was doing so well for most of the month. At least I'm making it up and posting to account for the days instead of just skipping them and giving their existence no credit...

Day 22 we (the Sooners) beat the snot out of the over-Raided, Texas Tech Raiders...it was one of the most electrifying games I've ever attended. Sadly it was also the last home game that Tim and I will be able to attend as "students". This sad realizations didn't materialize till mid way through the 3rd quarter. The pouting only lasted seconds because then the Sooners scored AGAIN! OU 65, TX Tech 21...BOO-YEAH!

Day 23 was just another day that reaffirmed the direction that the Thompsinario choo-choo is chuggin in. My parental units are in town inhabiting the guest bed room and the couch after 9 pm. It is so wonderful to have them here but bittersweet too. I was so used to seeing them almost once a month if not every 6 weeks when they lived in TX. The last time Tim and I saw them before Saturday was July 4th weekend. TOO LONG. I'll let you know when the countdown to neighborship commences.
YoMama and I did do some culinary/pastry bonding and doubled a pumpkin strusal recipe that resulted in a bunt cake, a 9 inch round cake, a loaf, and 12 muffins. My real questions is, how big was the original cake supposed to be?

NaBloPoMo - Day 18 & 19

Oops...didn't write yesterday. But you know what I had a hell of a day so I'm pretty certain that I wouldn't have been able to create anything with the usual wit and intelligence for my loyal readers (Hi Dad!).

So today I've recovered from the depths of self pity and have a been pondering a life question...

Will Tim and I ever be ready to have kids?

I feel like everyone is having babies or if they are not they are talking about them or someone they know who is preggers or trying to get pregnant or are having a baby "with out trying"...really?...

When we got married (at 22 and 23) right after "Congratulations on your wedding" came "so when are you going to start a family?" Besides the fact that I think that question is rude to ask any new bride, not to mention one who is 22, I always stifled the urge to say "Nunya damn bidness!" and punch them in the face...so I would politely laugh and smile and add them to my hit list...

But I digress, I just wonder if we will ever be ready. When the subject comes up we say yeah...someday, after we are done with school, make a certain amount of money, live a certain place, own a house, have a certain number of years of our careers under our belts... I'm leaning toward before I'm 40. We can't just plan everything out or it will never be the right time to make a life long investment our human spawn.

You may be thinking..."Lauren, you are projecting...you obviously want to have a baby." You are wrong. I go through great lengths to NOT have a baby. I have a change of venue and 3 years of law school ahead of me not to mention the fab career that I've started and I'm "only" 25.

But none the less the question still lingers. I know when the time is right Tim and I will be ready even if we aren't.

NaBloPoMo - Day 17

Such a busy and tiring day. It is so comforting to be able to come home to my bunny and my hunny. I'm starting the count down till family season. MoJo T-4 days, Mom & Dad T-5 days. I just saw Elise but it is T-13 days till she moves to Norman...I'm so excited!

NaBloPoMo Day 2

Halloween was great this year! No drama, no crutches like last year...only great costumes and good company. We drove down to fort worth to go to Drew's party at his new SWEET house. I made Tim and Drew's costumes...I think they turned out great...

So the costume party was definitely worth the drive! We had such a good time and I got a special surprise!

Miss Piggy and Lois Lane were reunited! I hadn't seen Megan in almost a year and a half. But as true friends do, we picked up right where we left off. I love this chick!

Saturday night Tim talked me into going to the Cutting Edge haunted house in Fort Worth on a double date with one of his frat bros and his wife. It was $80 for the both of us...not worth the money and not as scary as I remember haunted houses being. This one was supposed to be one of the best in the nation. I guess I've grown out of the fear...maybe I'll enjoy horror movies again too...and then again maybe not. It was a fun double date and a great weekend over all...OU won, Texas lost, excellent party, wonderfully warm weather. Another Halloween has come and gone. Time is moving so quickly...I'm trying to enjoy it one minute at a time.

Happy Halloween!

Friday...yesssss

I’m so glad that its Friday. Every morning this week I’ve counted down the days till Friday. Wednesday I was laying in bed at 7:15am (30 min after I should have been up) and said out loud "2 more days till I get to sleep in". And the same scene happened Thursday and then this morning. I’m not sure why getting to sleep in on Saturday morning has been such a goal for me this week, it just has. I’m thinking about not doing anything this weekend. No football, no social events, no nothing. Just me and Tim and Spud…hanging out doing nothing. It sounds wonderful!
I would feel a little lame missing the football game because this week is homecoming…but I’m just not in the mood. I want a weekend off. So yeah.

On another note…congrats to MoJo for getting accepted into their study abroad programs for the spring! That is so exciting. I really hope I’ll get to visit, but we’ll see with all my stuff going on.

Have a great weekend!

Awesomness x 23 = Elise

Happy Birthday Elise!!!
23 Reasons why my sister Elise is AWESOME for her 23rd birthday...

Elise is/has...
1. passionate about life
2. incredibly loyal
3. loves unconditionally
4. beautiful inside and out
5. loves animals
6. really great fashion sense
7. really good at makeup
8. really nice legs
9. intelligent
10. honest
11. a hard worker
12. a fast runner
13. the momma of a really cute puppy
14. one of my best friends
15. really good at rainbow eyes
16. funny
17. photogenic
18. patient (sometimes)
19. loving
20. silly
21. determined
22. Rox
23. THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!!!

I love you seester and hope you have a great birthday!

In honor of Sooner Football

Tim and I met at a party for OU football in Jan 2003.

We have been to every home football game together since. This is the last year one of us will be a student at OU and the last year we will probably be able to afford tickets for a while. This weekend is one of the two weekends of the season there is no game. So in honor of one of our first shared loves, two weeks ago at the OU/Cinncinati game we took some pictures and video...

Thinks we love about OU football...

1. Tailgaiting with friends
2. Seeing all the WT fans
3. The Boomer Sooner chant at the beginning of the game
4. Watching the cheerleaders and waiting for one of them to fall out of a stunt
5. Watching the sorority girls wear dresses and cowboy boots to stand in the
student section in 100 degree heat for 4 hours.
6. Corndogs
7. Winning
8. Watching drunk fans get WAY too into the game
9. Standing in the packed stadium with the the knowledge that 80,000+ people are
there for the same reason
10.Being together knowing that these kind of memories are ones that we will share
with our children and grandchildren

Tim standing next to our bench on campus behind the library. We had many heart to heart convos and sweet moments here in the 3 years we spent together on campus

We're #1!

It was Sooner love from the start!

Happy Birthday and #47

So by birthday isn't until next Sunday but family gifts usually come in the mail early, so I really get to celebrate for about a week. My loverly Mother and Farther are pretty generous in the love and support department. This year they were also generous in the twentyfiveth birthday girft department.
I present #47 - Own a REAL designer purse! I didn't think this would happen so quickly! But I'm so thankful and grateful and excited. I know it is "just a purse" according to the husband. But still. I'm a big girl now and can handle the responsibility of wearing a quarter of my rent on my shoulder.

Thanks mom and dad! I love you!

i heart birthdays!

Today is Tim's 26th birthday.

This weekend we celebrated by eating shrimp, watching Borat "'Very nice!", going to the OU game, eating pizza, hanging out with friends and family, drinking beers from around the world, telling jokes, opening gifts, going to Luby's, playing card games, eating birthday morning pancakes. All in all a great celebratory weekend!

Happy birthday bub! I love you!

a great BFFaversary!

I got to hang out at the Delta Shelta today and help with rush. It is SICK how much I enjoyed it. But aside from running errands, lining up rushees before the party, cleaning the rush room and catching up with alums and members, I got to hang out with Mrs. Wopsle. She still remains as my fav person in the world that I'm not related to. (I'm related to Tim...we're married, don't freak out!) I just can't get enough of her. We are indeed two peas. And this week of Rush is our 6 year bestfriendaversary. It is the longest serious relationship I've ever been in. And one of the most fulfilling and functional. I love you Amy.

Kemp & Germ forever!