em, hello

Cutest stockings ever!....I'm always torn between a nice clean white pallet...or something on the wild side! I guess that is true about most design and fashion obstacles in my life, and normally I net out somewhere in the middle.

If only I had a mantle to display stockings from! That is on the "must have" list for my first house. Where did you find your stockings?

I know, I know...I'm on a roll..did you miss me?

Photo credit: CB2, and At Home Blog

Best Morning Ever

Hello friends, I had a complaint last week that Michelle was tired of seeing the May date pop up each time she visited my blog. Time to change that!

To get into the Christmas spirit, I wanted to share my MOST FAVORITE commercial of 2010. Every time it comes on TV, I rewind it probably three times. Bravo Target, Bravo.

Is it time yet? I can't wait.

Dollars and Change

Well to say that I've neglected my blog would be more than true the last few months. I do have somewhat of a good excuse...change. Looking for a new challenge and a way to expand my repertoire of marketing goodness, I went in search of a different career path than agency land. Three weeks ago I started this new challenge with a company called SymphonyIRI, a market research company where I will be on site with Johnson and Johnson. People ask, what will you do? My reply before I started was: help J&J understand who buys what, when, and where. And so far, after three weeks of training, I was mostly right!

Enough about work.

I haven't shared pictures from my wonderful Costa Rica vacation that I took in March. Heaven on earth hardly captures it. Enjoy just a few shots of paradise. Thanks to Matt and my new camera, I took 600 pictures, so it is very hard to narrow!

This picture was taken my first night at our beach house, from the second floor deck at dusk. I thought it was an insane coincidence that I captured the firefly whizzing past, until I received a set of my aunt's pictures after the trip. She TOO had a picture with the same firefly. Gave me goosebumps, maybe someone was watching over us making sure we had a great time.

Boat ride to meet Sweetie the monkey and find dolphins to swim with

Dolphins LOVE people and the boat, they did tricks all around to show off. Our captain said they act a lot like dogs, very curious and friendly. When I was in the water, they would swim directly below me upside down so they could see what I was doing.

Aunt Sue and Mom

A week of happy hours, ahhh

In front of our house, this is the most remote beach I've ever been to

My next post will be about the botanical tour we took, just amazing!
Each morning I'd eat fresh bananas from the trees!

to me

I have requested the same birthday cupcakes for years, since I was very little. My mom originally got the recipe from one of her best family friends, Patti. To this day, I look forward to my birthday so that I can splurge on these homemade sweeties.

Chocolate chip cupcakes with cream cheese swirled in. Pure divine heaven, and a simple treat to welcome my big 28. It is one tradition that I hope to have, forever.


P.S. How cute is my mom's presentation with spring flowers tucked in. Life. Is. Sweet.

Rockin'

You Rock!

This is deceptive.

You don't rock all the time. No one does. No one is a rock star, superstar, world-changing artist all the time. In fact, it's a self-defeating goal. You can't do it.

No, but you might rock five minutes a day.

Five minutes to write a blog post that changes everything, or five minutes to deliver an act of generosity that changes someone. Five minutes to invent a great new feature, or five minutes to teach a groundbreaking skill in a way that no one ever thought of before. Five minutes to tell the truth (or hear the truth).

Five minutes a day you might do exceptional work, remarkable work, work that matters. Five minutes a day you might defeat the lizard brain long enough to stand up and make a difference.

And five minutes of rocking would be enough, because it would be five minutes more than just about anyone else.

Seth Godin's blog

Read how he riffs on marketing, respect, and the ways ideas spread.

I hope you try to rock, at least a little this week.

DIYers

I am very jealous of those who have ROOM to DIY, especially when it comes to big projects like furniture. I stumbled upon this wonderful blog that replicates the plans for Pottery Barn furniture, and other similar stores. I am in awe!

If it is as easy as this blog says, you should be whipping up new end tables in no time! (If you have the tools anyway)

Explore and Enjoy Knock Off Wood

Oh, and while your at it, since I just saved you a TON of money, my only request is that you build me this beauty.

I wanna sell my car, and go to vegas

No, not really, it's just a song...but I am thrilled to the core to be counting down the hours today until I am flying high in the sky towards Sin City. It will be my first trip, and I can't think of a better time than my late 20's to go, with three of my nearest and dearest friends: Lindsay (Bride to be), Kendall and Sarah (pictured left to right in that order at our last catch up session before Thanksgiving). Joining us as well, are 9 of Lindsay's best friends from Texas.

These girls have been my friends since I had perfectly curled and hair sprayed bangs, a short stacked do, drove an OLD toyota camry, drank half pints of peach schnapps dumped into Sonic slushes, broke curfew, had broken hearts and random flings, wore black booty pants from Express to every Friday night party, borrowed my moms cell phone for nights out, cheered for the Bulldogs, and met at the Merc (before we went about anywhere), and on and on.... They are amazing, and I love each of them dearly.

VIVA!

wander

This just spoke to me today. Makes my heart happy.


Wheatfield

I'm so oval office

I find myself very often in a similar situation, it seems, to Mrs. Michelle Obama. I even catch myself trying to change this, but sometimes what is innate is unchangeable. I believe over the years I've adopted this particular pose in replacement of the folded arms across my chest "unapproachable" cousin. People always ask me if I'm cold...which I usually am...but it's more of a comfort stance than a resolution to a chill in the air. I feel best when I'm sort of tucked in and holding on to something- a hand or arm is my favorite- but if you find me alone- sans a cocktail in hand- I am most likely standing about, just like this.

I'm glad to see, I'm not the only one.



I wonder what this says about me and my personality, or the likeness between me and Mrs. First Lady. Do you have a pose that is just YOU?

P.S. Her necklace is quite amazing, and lucky us, J. Crew teamed up with FENTON-FALLON to deliver a more afforable version, "to the people".

It's getting hot hot hot!

It has been insanely cold this past month in Arkansas, just starting to warm up again. The word freezing doesn't do it justice. It has been..just plain frigid!

frigid adj. Extremely cold. Lacking warmth of feeling.
i.e. if you can't feel your toes or nose...you are freakin' frigid!

Now on to warmer subjects...I have two exciting trips planned for this Spring, that have just been booked in the past week!

Numero Uno- family girls trip to Costa Rica!

I come from a family (on both sides) of very lucky people. My grandma Norma was notorious for entering every single supermarket sweeps she could find. She had an entire drawer of colorful envelopes just for her sweeps. When Meredith and I were growing up, we'd get almost a package a week of random items; t-shirts, frisbees, cups, kites- you name it- it was branded some logo and felt like Christmas in July each time a package came. She would always enter the entire fam in the contest to increase "her" chances of winning. She didn't do so bad herself either- over several years she won two cars, a big tv, and a multitude of other household gadgets.

Well, this past year my dear Aunt Susie was diagnosed with breast cancer...and underwent constant treatment. From chemo to surgery and finally daily radiation. Just last week she finished her very last treatment (hip hip hooray). At some point this past fall, my mom's dance class had a raffle...for months she sold those tickets. They would pop up in my Easter cards "This could be a great present if you win!" and found randomly in her car, even asking family to join in the raffle. Low and behold...months later...my aunt won! One week for two at a beach house in Costa Rica. If that isn't fate...and one HUGE congratulations from above...I'm not sure what is.

So no, my mom isn't packing me in her suitcase, though a second checked bag would cost a lot less than my ticket. But the great news is, the house is so big a few more of us can go! I haven't had a week vacation with my family in quite some time, and I'm really ready for some lazy days in the sand.

This is the beach directly in front of our house.
I will be here 99% of the week.

And voila, the house, where I will eat, sleep,
and mix my margaritas!

I might even sneak in happy hour with the locals,
if they'll have me that is.

Numero Dos, a girls trip to celebrate one of my best friends from HS (Lindsay Curington) bachlorette weekend, in none other than Sin City. If the movie The Hangover doesn't convince you otherwise...this will be one crazy weekend (ok let's hope I don't end up married or wake up with a Tiger or baby in the closet, but a few funny stories will do).

This will make up for the 1998 Corpus Christi Spring Break Trip my mom forbade me to go on with the same group of girls...which in hindsight was probably a good idea after reviewing their pictures. My my, aren't we growing up...and getting a tad more fancy? Let's leave the backless zebra shirts at home this time...it did us no good Senior Trip to Cancun.

Viva Las Vegas!!

Love me some Mibo

Enjoy this free planning calendar for 2010, courtesy of Mibo! It really brightens up my cube;)

Click here to download and browse the site! This year Mibo has a full calendar for sale on Etsy too.

Well said

I don't make New Year resolutions, because then I never disappoint myself. I do set goals though, and there may be no better time than January to try and change up the routine or way of embracing life. Enjoy a little inspiration, words from history past as we look forward at all the wonders 2010 has in store for us.

I can barely wait.

Take it slow

Be a good friend

Be present

Enjoy the little things

Have realistic expectations

My hope for you