March new find...

I'm going to go a little Texas on ya'll today. I have been in L-O-V-E with big jewelry since my sophomore of college when I was introduced to the one and only, Randa Yezak, while I was an intern at the American Hereford Association and several of my K-State friends were good friends of hers. You can't be from Texas or in the horse, cattle-showing business without making a statement in your clothing, and she totally capitalized on that. She has since BLOWN up her at-home jewelry business to a full retail store in College Station, Texas. I think it is so cool to have watch her grow from her college days at A&M to pursuing this dream of Southern Jewlz to what it is today.

While Southern Jewlz is not really a new find to most of my friends, I do want to give a shout out to Randa and her business while also introducing you to a line that she carries, Sookie Sookie.

Sookie Sookie Lucky Wildflower Jewelry
Photo courtesy of Sookie Sookie Boutique

Oh my, ya'll, this is such a fun line of jewelry! I love, love, love it! And not to mention it is made by a bonafide artist and no piece is exactly the same. So cool!

How fun is THIS for spring?! I want!

You can purchase Sookie Sookie from Southern Jewlz and a number of other boutiques or online here.

*~*Any unique jewelry that you like? What piece from Sookie Sookie would you get?*~*

**This is not a paid advertisement from Sookie Sookie or Southern Jewlz. This post is merely a shout-out to some of my favorite finds. 

February New Find...

Do you have to-do lists you can't keep track of because you have a few circulating around? Do you like to plan a few months in advance for things? Do you misplace important, small pieces of paper because you have multiple notebooks, planners, etc. in your purse?

You do? Well, you're like me, then! Even if you are not that bad but you still like to be organized take a look at this new find.

Be still my heart for a better organized life!

A sister Mary Kay consultant recommended I check out Erin Condren after I mentioned having to keep track of a work list, home list, Mary Kay list, a planner, goals/accomplishments for the month in Mary Kay, and a mound of post-it notes/notebook paper I seemed to never remember where I placed.

The one I ordered features pictures and sayings that put my goals right in front of me at all times. It is a constant reminder of planning my work. There are a bunch of other designs you can pick from too.

It came beautifully packaged with lots of freebie extras (BONUS!). Once I opened it I was amazed at the quality, too. The tabs are laminated to keep them nice. There is a month-at-a-glance and a weekly/daily to-do list. Lots of extra notebook pages in the back, a pocket to keep important things, section for important numbers, and lots of extra little things. I splurged on this, no doubt, but I feel it is well worth the money to consolidate and not carry a bunch of useless notebooks.

Check it out, and let me know what you think! If you don't need that much organization, even check out her other items. There is even a bonus this month of $20 off any product!

Erin Condren

**I was not paid by Erin Condren to endorse any product. This is simply a post on some of my favorite products. **

January New Find...

I love finding new things, don't you? I'm going to feature one new one per month.

My sister-in-law sent me this little find in early January because I was planning her baby shower and all, and she knows I love Etsy. Very Jane is like Groupon, but it's all vintage, homemade, or crafty things...like Etsy but great deals! There is a limited supply of items, but range from clothing to jewelry to household items. I snagged some cute pillow covers and a scarf already! Sign up for the daily email here.

Very Jane is an online deal site for all things vintage, homemade, crafty, etc.

*~*Do any of you have other online stores or mail services you like? What are they?*~*

Spreading the Love...

I am a small business owner, therefore, I understand the power of networking and word of mouth from customers. In fact, just this past weekend I had a fabulous facial/makeover with a referral from a friend. It is refreshing to meet some new people in the new year.

I hope to "spread the love" in future months too, but without further ado, two of my friends:

First, I am often asked who does our photos or who would be a good photographer on my Facebook feed, so I oblige and happily tell friends they will find no other more creative, natural, easy-going photographer than Laura with Laura Benitz Photography. 

Without words, her work can transform you to a number of emotions. Like this one, just watch...

She will forever have captured the moments in our life that I hold most dear. Like these...

That special walk with my dad and the sincere emotion of marrying the man of my dreams
surrounded by God's love and our family and friends. 

He is my love!

She and I are working on a few things together, and I'd like to formally announce she is my preferred vendor of choice when talking to brides while working my Mary Kay business as well as taking our (and future family's) photos. If you'd like to contact her please check out her website or call Laura at 816-676-8054.

Next up is a friend whom I have only met a couple of times from our ties to agriculture, but she is a great friend of my best friend (small world, huh?) through their careers. When my best friend, Kelsey, had her Christmas cards done this year, Claire helped her design them. I was in need of a few things designed for my business and asked if anyone would be willing to help. Claire jumped on the chance, and I am so impressed by her skill and timeliness. I didn't give her much notice, and she still delivered a great product. I am definetely going to use her much more in the future for design help with postcards, graphics for this blog, and other things that a creative eye can make. Please let Claire know any of your needs, and she is your girl! 

The cute button she made for one of the blogs I am featured on. 

Claire Masker can be reached at clairemasker@gmail.com.

**These recommendations are in no way a paid advertisement on this blog. Simply, they are a few of my good friends with small businesses whom I love to spread the love and word about if you're in need of ideas for the future.**

My fall love...

I've found two new loves this October while reading blogs and following new things on Facebook. I'd like to consider myself a lover of media, especially social. I find some of the coolest things because of being "plugged in". Check these out:

First up, A Tad Monroe. What an awesome concept...they post items on their Facebook page for auction bid, and those who comment first, win, and pay the specified price. Nothing is too expensive, and totally adorable!

Here is how you purchase items for their auctions.

A few of the items up for grabs last night!

Next up, Three Bird Nest. Gorgeous accessories that are so girly. Because of following them on Facebook,
I scored some awesome things at 50% off this week on their Etsy site and website. I love supporting small businesses too. Seems very retro and vintage...

An example of the cute headbands from Three Bird Nest.

*~*What are some of your unique boutique shops you like? Please share them in the comments.*~*

To be a Southern Girl...

Ever since our trip to the South for vacation, I have been ooohh'ing and ahhhh'ing over all things monogrammed. I was explained that proper etiquette for your name once you are a Southern married woman is to take your maiden name as your middle name. Who knew?! Needless to say, I've been putting my monogrammed things as MCM not MCL. I did not change my middle name when I got married, and I'm not sure I would. My middle name means quite a deal to me, too. Marie is my given middle name and it has been the Christian name for every lady in my lineage for seven generations. That's a big deal! I have a beautiful gold necklace from my great grandmother with a beautiful "M" monogram for that very reason.


But with all that said, some days it's just fun to get lost in all the monogram craze that my friends have sucked me into! Like these:

 

Running swag...

I had a jump in my step this morning after waking up earlier than usual and feeling much better than I did after a horrendous day yesterday. Let's just say the only good things from yesterday were dinner was delicious thanks to Todd, I enjoyed the hell out of two cupcakes at work and I didn't feel as sore as I thought I would from running nine miles on Sunday.

Yep, that said nine miles! Getting there, slowly. I have three more weeks until the big race in Joplin, and I really want to feel as prepared as possible. I have been reading a few of running blogs like this one and this one. Skinny Runner is a bonafide badass who runs an insane amount of miles every week and Mama Laughlin is the funniest chick ever who is a mother of two, runner, and I see a lot of what my life will be like in a few years in her posts.

With reading their blogs I have fallen for the cool things they use and wear for running. So I've bought a couple of things they suggest like these:

I bought these bad boys today. I so can't WAIT to see what I look like in compression shorts, but
there is some good research and testimony for how they help with hip fatigue, which I get badly.
Courtesy of: http://aspaerispivotshorts.com/aspaeris-products.shtml

I bought two of these a few weeks ago and tried one for the first time on my 9-miler.
I cramped for the first time ever about 20 minutes after taking one, so I'm not sure about these yet.
I'm going to give it one more shot, no pun intended! :)

My new love! Holy comfort, these Pro Compression socks make my legs
feel like a million bucks. I ran with these on two runs and my legs
felt great during and after.
Photo courtesy of:  http://www.procompression.com/

I picked a few of these up while picking up race packets for
Rock the Parkway a few weeks ago for $5. They are regularly $8. They are
fun headbands that keep your hair out of the way.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.shelbystidham.com/knee-braces-yogurt-bondi-bands-oh-my/

And the final product I tried is the Click espresso protein drink. I got the package
yesterday in the mail with the samples, which are buy one get one free right now! I tried the Vanilla Latte this morning, and oh my, totally delicious and energy boosting. Check it out if you want the best of both
coffee (and I'm not a coffee drinker but need some caffeine) and protein in one!

There you have it! I hope to try a few other things as I get more into running, but my husband and bank account may put the limit on all the cool swag things out there.

Any of you have gear you really like using while running?

Weekend fun...

I have to laugh and be thankful when Todd so sadly says, "Wow, you have had every other Monday off it seems like since the first of the year." He has every Monday off (lucky!) but I am thankful for being a quasi federal agency that follows federal holidays so I do get a few days off the first part of the year. Sometimes it is a bust since it may be snowing or just too cold to enjoy a day off, but this year has been pretty fantastic with the weather.

Friday was our all-staff day at work complete with a luncheon, talent show and trivia contest devoted to the 50s. Pretty fun! I dressed in Todd's letter jacket from high school, and I couldn't help but be just a bit proud of it. I realize high school athletics don't really mean much, but he had quite a bit of stuff on that jacket for being a part of a team that was amazing at football. He was a smarty too (even though he would kill me to tell you that!). **I do want to say I know high school means EVERYTHING when you are in high school, and there are some who are talented athletes but the majority of us are not, but that is not to discredit the hard work we all put in during practice and such.) I was by far not the most dressed up, but it was a fun experience. I then had to come back to a late afternoon task force meeting to keep planning our two upcoming events this spring for work.

Saturday was a pretty relaxed day. I got my 3-miler in for a run. It was not pretty, but I did it. I thought after my Thursday best-run-ever, this weekend would be a fantastic running weekend. Not. so. much. 

I took Todd's parents to the airport for their mini vacay to Florida to visit Regina's parents.I thoroughly cleaned out/washed my car which was on my 101 list. I then made some Weight Watchers enchiladas for dinner and Spanish rice. I'm on this new kick of trying to lose a bit more weight since it doesn't seem this running/cross-training 5 days a week is doing anything at all. Obviously, there has to be a bit of control with your diet, and I try my hardest, but I tend to be bad about those work functions! I eat what they give me, and don't think much about it. Bad. Bad. Bad. I also need to watch what I eat more on the weekends too. So thank you Pinterest for lots of Weight Watchers recipes!

I started on my taxes this weekend too. Blehhhhhhh...why do I do this to myself!? I LOVE my Mary Kay business do not get me wrong, but I loathe this time of year. I should farm it out to an accountant, but I like to be in control of the money I get back, and thankfully every year it has been a handsome little sum.

On Sunday, I participated in the 2 Trendy Bridal Expo, and had the opportunity to do makeup for some of the bridal/prom models. It was great exposure for my business. I met 100+ brides, and am very excited to see where this new avenue my take my business in the coming months! I was thankful for a quick, but very meaningful visit with friends, Jodie and Lee and their kiddos. It was a tiring day, and I got a migraine that night, but as I told Todd, "it's not worth living life if you're on the couch so I might as well be busy!"

And finally, Monday was my rest day. Sort of. Remember I said this wasn't a good running weekend? I tried to do 4 miles as I was supposed to do on Sunday but couldn't because of the bridal expo. It was 38 degrees and holy wind at 8:30 am on Monday. I am glad I got the run in when I did though because it rained the rest of the day, and I would have totally cussed myself if I had to do it in that cold, rainy nasty stuff. I didn't realize how windy it was until I had to turn back around and head home with 2.2 miles to go. I did do better than almost all of my times per mile in 2011, but I should have been doing what I have been doing lately with about a 10:30 mile, but I did not. I know I can do this running thing, but my mind seriously gets the best of me, and I had to walk a few times. I HATE THAT, seriously! I just beat myself up over, and think why after a year of running do I still have to freakin' walk!?!?! It's really my mind telling me absurd things of why I can't do it. I'm going to try harder this week. I'll let you know how it goes, and say a little, small prayer if you don't mind for better clarity and strength to believe in myself.

Todd and I then went to Liberty for a mini date day. We don't get to do that too often, and I should have been in a better mood, but that run just spoiled my day. I enjoyed my time at Roger's with him while he looked for fishing stuff, and I spoiled myself with some new running gear (ha, the irony in that right?!) with the discount on Under Armour. If you haven't check out Roger's Sporting Goods in Liberty, you should if you're close. I like Cabela's, but their prices are pretty steep and you're just paying for the "experience" so that is why we go to Roger's a lot. We also like to support local businesses as much as possible. Finally, we made it to lunch at Dish Pizza. I have been wanting to go to one of the "I've never been there" restaurants for a while, and this was the perfect time to try something new. A-freaking-mazing pizza! It takes a while so be prepared to wait, but it was well worth it. Probably not on the diet plan, but I did only have two slices...I saved an extra slice for Todd.


Just look at that pizza!!!! Yumm-o! (And I wonder why I have issues with weight?!) It's a deep-dish Chicago-style pizza. A place to try if you haven't!

That concludes my weekend....we did get quite a bit of tv-watching in and a bit of homework. I also can check off a few things from my 101 list. Hope you all had a great Presidents' Day weekend too!