It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Is it just me or is it something about Thanksgiving that puts you in a mellow type mood for 48 hours after it takes place? Maybe it's just the turkey coma talking but I hardly did anything at all today due to the lack of energy to do it! How on earth do those crazy black friday advocates do it?! They frighten me anyway, anyone who can be so determined to get an item on sale for a whopping 10% discount in the middle of the night or even camp out for days are not to be messed with. People have been killed over black friday items, that's just insanity at it's best.

Bless you retail employees for dealing with it all!

I had a good Thanksgiving, full of stress, running late, family drama (My brother refused to come with us last minute) and a fussy toddler but overall I think I'm just overly sensitive these days and am doing my best to ignore my negative feelings at least for my family side of the day. Evans family was very low key and laid back and after all the stress and rushing to get to my dad and step moms it was a nice change of pace to end the day. I'll share a few photos that I posted on FB already, I didn't take too many this year. But first I'll share this quick video of Jarrod pushing Avery around, she cracks up so much. and sorry the quality is not that good.

and a few pictures...

My Sweet Girl is getting so BIG.

Avery LOVES her baby cousin, Krystal.

7th Thanksgiving together.

Monday I'll start putting up decorations and the tree, last year I boycotted it with Avery learning to walk I could only imagine the chaos. This year however, I am more than excited to get into the holiday spirit and start teaching Avery about Baby Jesus's birth as well as Santa Claus. My idea is to gradually add decorations over the week but get the tree done overnight with Evans help so she'll see it in the morning. then start noticing the increase of nutcrackers and lights.

Christmas will be here before we're ready for it. On top of that my sweet girl will be 2 on the 19th. It boggles my mind how she can already be so big and entering the toddler phases of life (more like running by them). I'm also caving. Averys hair is beyond out of control with so many odd layers and degrees of thickness...I'm getting it cut so it can start growing faster and in the same length. Pray for me friends, I know it's just hair but it's a part of her, therefore it's a treasure and I waited soooo long for it to come in and now...it's just a mess I can barely keep styled.

I'll leave with a question. What's 1 Christmas wish you have and 1 thing you want for Christmas? I may post my top 5 things later in December. Apparently, I'm hard to buy for or so my family and husband say and I got all 3 of us a Amazon Wishlist to help them out but I seriously hate making a list of things I want, I feel guilty! I'm so not a good gift receiver, I always feel awkward and don't know how to react or what to say because I don't like being suprised and as I have now stated 3 times, I feel guilty.

Have a wonderful Post Thanksgiving weekend.

Love+Blessings,

Britt & Co.

Thankful Pt.3

Today is THANKSGIVING. I'm going to finish my Thankful list and then post another entry for today after it's officially over (why I am up at 2:30am is beyond me).

• Day 15- I am THANKFUL for God's Creativity: Driving my commute from Fort Worth to Denton I pick up little pieces of just how creative God can be. The changing of the leaves from season to season with such vivid and eye catching colors, to wonderful tapestry like sunsets and a wide variety of wildflowers in bloom all make you wonder how he did it all.

• Day 16- I am THANKFUL for Laughter and the simple joys in life.

• Day 17- I am THANKFUL for my Blog. Having a little space all for myself to vent, blab, ponder, share and enjoy the same from sweet friends is an escape for me as well as a fountain of wisdom and helpful dose of staying in the know with some VIP's and I love it.

• Day 18- I am THANKFUL for my Kittos. Paris and Gus have been my confidants, crying companions, parenting skill trainer, loyal companions, alarm clocks and selfless affection hoggers for 5 years. They are so different from one another but both have unique personalities and I know to some they are just cats but these two are my fur-children and have been with me through thick and thin and have picked me up when I was down and made me mad when I was apparently too happy :P. No matter what's going on I know I am needed by them and that's a comfort.

• Day 19- I am THANKFUL for CARBS. Yeah, I said it. I can never turn down an amazing fresh bread. Who cares about calories or fat. Enjoy life. Eat Bread.

• Day 20- I am THANKFUL for Music. Sometimes a Song can say what we can't and other times a song can take us back down memory lane or put in to perspective something we couldn't. It has the ability to soothe us and move us.

• Day 21- I am THANKFUL for TEACHERS. I'll share a few who influenced me growing up: Ms. Donna Larusso (Schroader), Ms. Judy Palermo, Mrs. Susan O'Rear, Ms. Pam Lane, Mrs. Susan Curtis, Mr. Paul Tagliabue, Mr. Mark Baker, Ms. Cheryl Ellis, Mr. Joel Hayes, Mrs. Jeanean Abney, Mr. Scott Gibson, Ms.Georgeanne Burlage, Mr. Doc Bowman(RIP), Mr. Luke Frels, Mr. Tracy Heron, Mr. Mark Kammon. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. For all you do and have done for all the students you have had and to all the teachers out there who are making a difference in a childs life.

• Day 22- I am THANKFUL to live in The United States of America.

• Day 23- I am THANKFUL for the roof over my head. It may not be the best place, it may be small and cramped but it keeps me warm, safe, dry and gives me a place to call home and a place to raise my daughter and to make memories for her to cherish when she is older.

• Day 24- I am THANKFUL for YOU.

• Day 25- I am THANKFUL for THANKSGIVING. To help remind me once a year just how richly blessed I am in life and how Thankful I am to have such amazing people surrounding me with love and wisdom, friendship and laughter and how it helps me to not lose those things for which can easily be taken for granted.

Blessings, Love and lots of Turkey today,
Britt & Co.

Thankful Pt.2

Thursday at MDO are Chapel days. The kids come and gather in the "story pit" as I like to call it and they sing a few chapel songs and then Chas (Youth Pastor) teaches them a story from the bible. It often encites a batch of odd conversations semi-about the story and the rest about things that ADD provoked but it always makes me smile.
This past Thursday Chas was MIA so Heather (the MDO director) stepped in and read the children a book about Thanksgiving. Before reading the book she asked the kids "What are we Thankful for?" in which several kids raised their hands and eagerly shared what they were Thankful for..."My puppy" was one answer..."My mom and Dad" another chimed in..."My brother" from another kid and then...the best answer of all from a 3 year old little girl "Spaceships."


Day 8:  I'm THANKFUL for mornings I get to sleep in.


Day 9: I'm THANKFUL for my friends. I don't have a large number of close friends, but I do know there are a lot of good people, near and far, who I can count on, who care about me, and who want only the best for me. I truly value my friends and will never have "enough" or too many.

Day 10: I'm THANKFUL for knowing when to quit: I like knowing that I'm able to walk away from things that don't make me happy or aren't satisfying. Sometimes it takes a while to come to terms with "quitting," but I'm glad I've had the guts to do it when it has really mattered.

Day 11: I'm THANKFUL for TODAY.

Day 12: I'm THANKFUL for having a supportive brother who made a road trip now one of my favorite memories of him and I. Not to mention the conversations and assurance that I'm not a complete failure as a sister, just misunderstood at times.

Day 13: I'm THANKFUL for Pumpkin flavored things...coffee, pie, kolaches, lotion, candles, etc.

Day 14: I'm THANKFUL for Home cooked meals. Nothing more I love than Nan's Chicken Noodle Soup or her meatloaf or...well, any of her meals, she cooks from this really old book and the meals she cooks are always some of the best comfort foods I get spoiled by on the weekends.


Until the next round-
                                                                   Blessings & Love,

                                                                                      Britt & Co.

When you are down to nothing, God is up to something.

It is amazing how a bad week can influence a series of uplifting events. I feel like I have been through the ringer lately and yet, here I am. Chin up, eyes dry, smile in place, joy in my heart and peace in my soul.

I've come to realize I have friends I never knew I had, or rather, people have come to our aid that I never thought were even paying attention to us or our struggles. I've cried buckets this week, prayed like it was going out of style and had some pretty intense quiet times.

I've also come to realize I am entirely too dependant on myself in hard situations and need to learn when to hand it over to someone else instead of  allowing myself to drown. I'm not alone.

I'll spare you wonderful readers a nagging, negative blog post but know I feel your prayers, I've read and cried over your e-mails, letters, cards and encouraging text messages and FB post. I'm We're grateful and THANKFUL to be so richly blessed with amazing people in our lives to show us God's grace and Love when we (in our human nature) sometimes forget it's there.

JOB 11: 17 & 18
 Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

I'll end this update with my Thankful list (I'll post in mass since I am only on a computer once a week) as well as a new picture to enjoy.

THANKFUL LIST-

Day 1- I am THANKFUL for a wonderful husband/soulmate/bestfriend who loves me unconditionally, who supports me in everything and who is my strength when I am weak.  10 Years of  friendship, 7 years of togetherness, 5 years of marriage and 2 years as parents. Evan, you make me whole.

Day 2- I am THANKFUL for the gift of motherhood. For the blessing that is Avery, she makes me live, she makes me have dreams and teaches me more than I ever thought. Her smile is my sunlight, her laughter my joy and I'd be lost without her. How you blessed my life Cuppycake. I do it all with God's guidance in your upbringing and can only pray I do him and you proud.

Day 3- I am THANKFUL for hard times. They teach me my strength and weaknesses, they show me my faith at it's worst and best. They help define me and teach me that I can live through them with my head held high.

Day 4- I am THANKFUL for FAMILY. Through blood or marriage I love you and am Thankful you are in my life.

Day 5- I am THANKFUL for my siblings. Jonathon, Joshua, Desiree, Jackye & Jarrod. You are all wonderfully unique and I love you each in different ways. You know me through and through and support me as I do you. I hope you know I am here for you always and don't know how I'd manage without your friendship and love.

Day 6- I am THANKFUL for Jesus's sacrifice on the cross so that I may live. For God's love in sending him and for his relationship in my heart and soul. I once was lost but now am found and my debt knows no bounds.

Day 7- I am THANKFUL for the men and women who serve in the military of this great nation. To fight for my freedom and that of many others so that my rights as an American are intact as the founding fathers of this country deemed so many years ago is a blessing to me. THANK YOU for your pride, your passion, your selflessness and dedication.

Blessings & Love,
Britt & Co.

Playing Catch Up.

Currently playing catch up on everyone's blogs.

How I miss our Macbook.

-B