Scentsy

Look at me, posting again so quickly...

I am so excited to announce that I am now a SCENTSY Consultant!

If you don't know what Scentsy is... check it out!

www.scentsy.com/lwalden

Order by December 15, 2009 for delivery before Christmas!

Time flies...

I just realized it has been six months since my last post. It isn't that I have been too lazy, I have just been busy.

Usually when a daunting task presents itself, it is difficult to decide where to start. That's about how I feel! So, I'll do what I do best-- I'll start by making a list!

In June:

• Landon turned 16!

In July:

• I went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a wedding. (Congrats Mr.& Ms. Lynch!)

In August:

• Hunter VanDeventer turned one-year-old! I was so excited to be there for his birthday.
• My best friend moved across the US to California. Her moving day was so difficult for me. I was so excited for her, but sad that she was going so far away.
• I saw the musical WICKED for the second time. It was incredible--again!

In September:

• I flew to California to spend time with Jordan. We went to the Capitola Begonia Festival and it was so much fun!
• I got to welcome baby Brooklyn Marie LeAnn Hayes in to the world.
• I was chosen to attend the Kappa Leadership Academy in Columbus, Ohio as an alumni representative.
• I turned 24! I was sad to see 23 leave, it was such a life-changing year!
• I started working for STARRY in Round Rock.

In October:

• I attend the 10th annual Girls' Trip to Port Aransas! I was so honored to be asked back for my second year. And this year, there was a "distinguished guest" staying at our condos-- Laura Bush!
• I went to UNT Homecoming in Denton. That same weekend the Zeta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gama celebrated their 20th anniversary on the UNT campus. GKODB!
• I learned that my dear friends, Erin & Cullen Mills, are expecting a sweet Peanut of their own! I cannot wait to be an Auntie again!
• I also found out that my cousins, Kelly & Jason, are expecting Baby #2! (I will not be drinking 'the water' anytime soon.)
• I saw Colbie Callait in concert. She was great!
• I traveled to Kentucky for the first time!

November:

• I cannot believe that it is already November! I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and spending time with family and friends. I am so thankful for everything in my life.

I will try not to wait another six months before my next blog. It is too hard to remember everything that has gone on!

"Google" youself.

I have never been a "Googler" in any sense of the word. I am an avid Yahoo! user, but recently one of my co-workers introduced me to the world of "Googling" people. I took a moment today to type "Lauren Walden" in to the Google search bar and there I was. There were links to my Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Classmates.com, etc. I decided it was time to downsize on my plethora of social network profiles.

It just amazes me how much information is out there. Luckily, I am cautious as to what I put out there, but it was still interesting to see just how "available" you are.

So, take a moment and go "Google" yourself!

Patience

I was having a rough time a while back and my good friend Erin sent me "The Rainy Day Book: Pick-me-ups for when you're a little blue!" I sometimes pull it out when I am feeling a little down and it usually puts a smile on my face. I found a poem in it tonight and thought we could all use a reminder to be patient.

Patience
Ruth Cowles

I asked the Lord for patience.
I know I need it so.
When I put in a garden,
I can't wait for it to grow.

I cannot wait for mail to come,
Pots to boil, bread to rise,
For friends to call or write or visit,
Sun to burst through stormy skies.

I know to be impatient
is a sin, akin to worry.
So, I asked the Lord for patience.
I just wish He would hurry!

Rest in Peace, P.Tree

I write tonight with a heavy heart.

P.Tree, the beloved "man cat," has passed away. My mom mentioned this evening that she hadn't seen him today and that she had looked outside for him and called his name. After dinner I took a walk myself calling his name and shaking his treat jar, but he did not respond. As I descended the hill that my house sits on, I saw him lying on the ground. I nearly collapsed in sobs. I couldn't look at his precious, lifeless body.

My mom and brother kindly dug him a respectable grave in our backyard and buried him for me. It is speculated that our neighbor's pit bull is the responsible party, as we have lost 3 cats in the past few months. Once an animal gets the first taste of blood, he will never quit killing.

I am devastated by the loss of P.Tree. He was a wonderful pet. He was so funny and sweet. One of more tragic facts is that he leaves behind a little sister cat that loves him dearly. It breaks my heart to think of how lonely and confused she'll be without him to take care of her.

In my house, pets ARE family.

So tonight, we have lost a loved one.

Rest in peace, P.Tree. We love you.

Guess who's turning one-year-old?!

Many of you met P. Tree and Tallulah Belle shortly after they were adopted by Jordan and I last year.

After a brief discussion one night on our apartment balcony after a few glasses of wine, Jordan and I decided that we were ready to be "Mommies" and found a listing on Craig's List for a kitten. Now, this particular listing had two kittens, and since Jordan and I felt it would be wrong to take one and not the other, we bravely took on both little babies. We picked them up the next morning in what could only be described as the "ghetto." We instantly believed that we had done the right thing in picking these little critters up and bringing them in to a life of (apartment) luxury.

We never paid the pet deposit, which made for some interesting "close calls" when maintenance did their routine visits, but we made it though.

P. Tree and Tallulah Belle love each other. They have always eaten together, slept together, bathed each other, played with each other; they are the type of siblings every mother hopes for. I often find myself giggling at how sweet they are to each other even now.

Jordan could only be described as a "selfless mother" because when it came time to discuss who would keep the kitties when we separated in December (2008), Jordan insisted that the two remain together and join me in Austin. She often gets emailed updates on how her sweet "Pete" is doing and loves to snuggle with him when she comes to visit.

P. Tree (Sometimes referred to as "Boy Cat" and most recently "Man Cat") and Tallie (sometimes referred to as "Sissy") now enjoy long days outside where they love to explore the woods around my house. How they ever survived being in that apartment for so long baffles me! (We did have one escape attempt that quickly ended when P.Tree realized her had stepped out of our apartment and panicked!)

The kitties are now just over a year old, but they still have the hearts of kittens. They love to play but they love to seep even more! They are the sweetest, most loving little guys you will ever meet, but only as long as it is on their terms. It never fails, they love to snuggle with me at night and often make sleeping in my full-size bed difficult! Nevertheless, I love these sweet little fur balls!

Happy 1st Birthday P.Tree and Tallulah Belle!

Lauren Walden... Best Selling Author?

One of my favorite things to do is read. I have always loved to read, even as a little girl. My favorite books used to be the Sweet Valley High series. I could finish one in a single day. I loved everything about them. While in college, I had less of an opportunity to read "fun" books and instead was stuck reading textbooks, scholarly journals, papers, etc. Ick. But every once in a while I could find the time to indulge in a "just because" book. I must insert here that I sometimes still read "educational" books of the business and economic nature, which is why I love my friend Cullen. We share the same nerdy need to read that crap! Erin, Cullen's wife, finds that our addiction to such books is crazy... but she loves us anyway!

Now that I am a college graduate I seem to have lots of free time on my hands and have had the opportunity to read a lot since my Graduation. I generally prefer girly, "chick lit" books with high fashion, sorted drama, and a happy ending. I don't always read in the genre, but often.

For Christmas this year Jordan gave me 3 books that I have been really wanting to read. Now, let me just take a second to say that when I received them for Christmas I was so happy. Jordan and I have a way of being sort of practical in gift giving. However, sometimes we feel the need to be frivolous and ridiculous in gift giving. (For example, the time she bought me the Juicy Couture brown and pink wallet for my birthday... and the matching purse. Both brought me to tears.) Anyway, you may personally feel as though giving someone a book as a gift sucks... I adore love it! And, now that I have finished all 3 books I am even happier with the gift!

Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof, all by Emily Giffin are the books that Jordan gave me. They have been sitting in my "books to read" pile since Christmas. I have completed all three of them in I'd say about a week. The second two only took me about a day each to read. In each book I felt such a connection with the characters. Sometimes I didn't like the characters, but I kept reading. Their defeats reminded me of times passed, their victories reminded me to "keep my chin up." All in all, the books were great! I highly recommend them. The fourth book by Emily Giffin, Love the One You're With will be my next prey, which I plan on starting on Monday.

I have considered writing my own book. My friend Erin (whom I know will be reading this post) has encouraged me to write a book. She suggested it be a somewhat autobiographical story about my relationships; the good, the bad, the ugly. I don't know whether to be flattered or offended by her suggestion. (I think I have determined that I should just be flattered that she believes my tale would be entertaining enough to be a book!) I don't know how that would work, but I'm considering it! Who knows? You might one day see me one the "Best Sellers" list!