The September issue of Southern Living has to be my most favorite to date. 25 Tips for Celebrating the Soul of the South is a fabulous article that celebrates the sweetest things in life that we should all experience at least once (whether we live in the south or not!). I've chosen my favorites and listed them below. I look forward to reading your posts below on your favorite's.


1. Welcome Friends with a Beautiful Table
2. Enjoy the Blues
3. Savor Savannah
4. Smoke Like a Pitmaster
5. Keep it Sweet- everyone must know how to make the most delicious Southern Sweet Tea
6. Float a River
7. Partner Up!!!! Texas Two Step, Carolina Shag (thank you Spence for teaching me yrs ago), and the Appalachia Flatfoot (dang...dont know this one!).
8. Bring Back Old-Fashioned Storytelling
9. Plant Your Family's Tree
10. Visit Shrimp Docks
11. Make a Perfect Apple Pie (I've only done this once...)
12. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS- Amen

Game Day Favorites

Yeehaw for FOOTBALL! It's Game Day and as I stand in my kitchen in all orange with a fabulous Clemson headband holding back the hair, I pour over cookbooks and new recipes for today's big fun. What to prepare?? Never been benched ribs, kick off wings, or tasty touchdown chicken tenders or just a few on the list. Check out Myrecipes.com for the TOP 20 Tailgating Appetizers...yummo

After shopping all weekend...I'm beginning to get excited about leaving bathing suit weather (probably because I was never "ready" for suit weather) and heading into scarves, boots, and rich color for the fall. Poorlittlerichgirls.com gives the salute to suits and hello to more fabric!

On May 19th, I got the best birthday gift anyone could ask for...a black and white pic of the most perfect little human being I've ever seen. My baby sister Casey is having a baby herself! After numerous trips to Gymboree and Baby Gap and several dollars later, my closets begin to fill with clothing for the Sprout (I coined this name for the bambino). Just when I thought my heart couldn't be more full, my sister calls and asks if I could be the person that stays with her the week after she has the baby to cook, clean, and basically be the overbearing caretaker. I've never been so in awe of my sister. She's calm. She carefully reads labels and ditches toxic lotions. She avoids cold cuts and queso (nearly impossible). Just watching her be a mother to be fascinates me. As her belly grows, so does my excitement. December will be the best month of our lives. I look forward to meeting the most perfect little man that this family is eagerly waiting for!

Pain is Beauty

I had 1 hour to pamper myself today. During my luxurious medi/pedi, I balanced my laptop, briefcase, cell phone, and call planner on my lap. While answering all of my calls and completing quotes, I finally was able to pick my nail color. When they say pain is beauty, they weren't kidding. On the bright side, at least I'm now able to blog instead of doing my day's work.

Remedy for the Sunday Blues

Sunday Blues....we all get them! Laundry, cleaning, packing lunches, etc...the clock ticks and it's hours away from the dreaded Monday morning. Countless Sundays have been spent begging Brett to let me be a stay at home wife (anyone who knows me knows that this is ludicrous!)and decorate the home/cook...all so I don't have to get back to the phone, computer, etc on Monday morning. Millions of people in this country (hence Thursday morning statistics released) are suffering from layoffs and jobless days. It was time to stop the bellyaching and kick those Sunday Blues!

Every Sunday I begin preparing a artery clogging meal with all the trimmings, bread, and dessert. Christmas and Easter shouldn't be the only time we use the dining room....or the Waterford. So I haven't exactly broken out the cloth napkins, but you get the point. Candles lit, Jack Johnson dancing through the air, and my husband leading us in grace. Sunday nights are our time...and we no longer make time for the Sunday Blues.

Fight or Flight

I've traveled for years. My first flight was when I was just a toddler and I can still remember the excitement of choosing what candy I could pack in my knapsack and the Delta wings pin I would earn at the end of a flight. Hundreds of times I've flown and have loved every minute of it.
About 2 years ago I gathered my book, bottled water, 1 carry on and went to board one of my most common flights, leaving my family beach house in Pawley's Island, SC. I had a panic attack. A HUGE attack. I didn't board...instead I rented a car last minute and drove 9 hrs home that night. From that day on, I've had enormous anxiety about flying. Hypnosis, drugs, relaxation music, etc could not stop the panic that I have when walking down the terminal.
I recently had to fly to Seattle and after crying hysterically as my husband waved goodbye, I knew I had to relax and try and board without backing out. As I was walking down the terminal, I followed a small little 4 year old boy that skipped down the aisle with Bob the Builder backpack bouncing freely on his back. To his credit, this hyper little boy was the only distraction I had prior to needing a brown bag and xanex. He turns around, jumps in the air, lands with his legs spread out and arms wide open yelling as loud as he can at me, "I'M SO EXCITED, I'M SO EXCITED...THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! I GET TO FLYYYYY!!!!"
My anxiety was miraculously gone. It never returned. With so many high stress situations I'm put in on a daily basis with my career, I now think of the excitement and pure joy of such an innocent little human being. As we get older, life's circumstances create fear, uncertainty and doubt. I'm learning to take on each impossible situation like my first day of flying...fearless.

Father's Day with a Birthday

Today is a special day ... I'm able to celebrate the two most important men in my life. As we celebrate Father's Day along with Brett's Birthday, I'm reminded of the true joy that comes with having such amazing men that I call my Father and my Husband each day of my life.

During this Father's Day, I continue to feel blessed for the love, support, courage, and strength my father has given me since the day I was born. My Dad believes in me...always has. He has pushed me to get good grades through school, graduate with a college degree, land my dream job in sales, and live life with good Christian values.

With this comes no suprise that I would marry a man with the same morals, work ethic, and deep love/understanding for me. With each passing year, Brett becomes an even better man, husband, son, and friend. I look forward to the many more birthdays we'll share together.

God has blessed me so very much with these two men. I celebrate them today; Happy Father's Day Dad and Happy Birthday Brett! I love you both so much.

Let's Do This!

Ok, so I gave in and decided to join the blogging world. I'm inspired daily to write my thoughts, reveal my hopes/dreams, and share my lifes' experiences. God is great and has blessed me through and through. Why not share it with the rest of the world??

Let's do this...