Encouragement

Sometimes, I get just plain discouraged.  From small things that may happen throughout my day to larger things like a job loss or friends that really let you down, this has been quite a year.  I lost my job last year, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, but it was hard after only being married for a handful of months.  Losing a job and having absolutely nothing to do made me spiral into a semi-depressed state.  Not a depressed state where I needed medication, yet one where I had no motivation to do things since I didn't feel like I had a purpose.  When I wake up in the morning with zero to do, it's very discouraging.  I'm ashamed to say that I haven't fully relied on God during these times.  But, he is the Great Encourager.

As I was on my way my student teacher orientation on Thursday, I was stopped at a red light.  I could clearly see my former place of employment in my line of view, a place where I was very unhappy and unsettled.  My life at that point was not very happy.  It's sad to say that a job could do that to you, but it did.  As I was sitting at the light, the Francesca Battistelli song, 'Beautiful, Beautiful' was playing and as I listened to the words, I started to tear up.  I could see where my life had come from but yet I knew where my life was going.  What encouragement!  I feel such peace about my decision to become a teacher and even if the economy is poor and jobs are limited, I know that there is a position that God has already picked out for me.  I shall not worry because it will come in his time.

If you haven't heard the song 'Beautiful, Beautiful', please take a minute or two to listen to it below. The words are absolutely amazing.  Please let it encourage you, wherever you might be today.

A Case of the Crazies

"Um, yes, I'll definitely be needing some nose tape to go along with my bikini."

In the words of my father, she's a hot mess!  Did she get yet another nose job?  Are the rumors true about her nose starting to...wait for it...fall off?  In Ms. Montag Pratt's own words:  

"The last time I didn’t wear tape after surgery and my nose changed shape,” she said. “The tape is supposed to keep the swelling down and hold my nose in place the way Dr. Ryan sculpted it. Dr. Ryan always said I was his best, most cautious patient, and I’m not taking any chances now that he’s gone. I don’t want my face to fall off like Michael Jackson’s.”

Thoughts on this one?

In The Full Swing of Things

Hi friends!  I have been so busy this week and it's only going to continue to get busier.  I have attended Stella & Dot training sessions and have received all of my samples and materials.  If anyone is interested in receiving a Fall 2010 catalog, please send me an email and I will gladly drop one off in the mail to you! {elassiter13@gmail.com}  I'm so excited because I have booked three shows already, not including my launch party!  So exciting!  

This morning I went to a student teacher orientation session.  It was a very long day but a productive one.  I got to meet my university supervisor who will be observing me no less than six times.  All I have to say about that is game.on.  Student teaching officially starts bright and early at 7:30 on Monday morning.  I am nervous, but I think overall it's going to be a great experience.  I really like my cooperating teachers, so hopefully it will go smoothly!

I also wanted to tell you about my hair experience from yesterday.  Getting my hair done is no longer a peaceful, fun event.  It's a time when my knees literally shake because I'm so afraid of what they might do.  Well I tried a new salon due to the fab reviews from City Search.  183 reviews, 16 negatives.  That's a whole lot more positives, so my mom gave me some money to get my hair done for my upcoming birthday.  

Hair fail.  While I actually like what the girl did, gave me a trim and a bob shape-up and a highlight (which really only needed to be highlighted at the roots).  Anyways, I got a confirmation email from the salon about my appointment with a price of $135 for my service (which is a lot but it was a birthday gift).  After I was done yesterday, they charged me $155 (plus tip).  When I asked about the price difference, I got a lot of mumbo jumbo and no real answer.  Well, I decided last night to write an email to the owner and politely explain my disdain for their price increase from my email.  I really was nice in my email and explained that it had nothing to do with my hair service, but their money policies.  I got a message back but it was not helpful.  I did think $135 was a bit steep for hair but if I knew it would be over $150 I wouldn't have gone.  Anyways, just needed to vent about that.  What do you think?

And - $45 for a "hair-cut" when all they do is trim?  Ca-ra-zy.

Wedding Wednesday Winner

Can you believe it's Wednesday already?  Where is the time going?  I am forgoing today's Wedding Wednesday post because I am just too busy this week, however I want to announce the winner of the Lemon and Lavender giveaway!  Drum roll please...

It's Krystal from Krystal's Kitsch!

Congratulations to Krystal as she has won 50 save the date cards from Lemon and Lavender!  Krystal please send me your information and I'll forward it over to Ashley!  

Please don't forget to visit Lemon and Lavender if you haven't already done so.  Ashley has created gorgeous announcements and invites and you will surely not be disappointed!

Lemon and Lavender Blog 

Lemon and Lavender Etsy 

My New Venture With Stella and Dot

After much consideration, I have decided to become a stylist for Stella & Dot!  Stella & Dot is such a great company and I'm so happy to have found it.  I am excited about it because I love jewelry, interacting with people and need a source of income for my student teaching and beyond.  This is the perfect thing for me!  Justin and my mom both agreed that it was a great company to get involved with and I cannot wait to start hosting trunk shows of my own!  Not only can you make money off of trunk show sales, but you can also build your own team and watch it grow.  How exciting?!

I found a fabulous sponsor, Jennifer Storey (who also happens to have the cutest blog) and she is a Stella & Dot superstar!  I even have my own online Stella & Dot shop that you can access anytime!  I have been to jewelry parties before but I think Stella & Dot offers the most attractive pieces!  Here are some of my favorite pieces (so far)!

Stella Vintage Link Necklace

Garden Party Necklace

Charlize Wood Necklace

Charlize Teardrop Earrings

Garden Party Chandelier Earrings

Colorburst Enamel Cuff

Audrey Cluster Bracelet

Saveena Flower Ring

 

Reading Response: Chapters 11-20

I've got to say, this book has gotten good.  If you haven't started reading The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, you should start now!  Read and link up to Book Beginnings and Bookends!

1.  Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?

When Tim and Marty left, I kept picturing them going to random pay phones to make phone calls to the Governor.  Then again, I also kept picturing them totally freaking out and leaving CeeCee to fend for herself.  With these two guys, you just never know.  

2.  What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?

This situation made me feel very uncomfortable.  I had to keep putting the book down and telling myself "you are not in the middle of this," it was just so realistic.  At first I thought she was faking too, I mean, can you blame CeeCee for thinking that?  But, when I knew it was real I freaked out a little.  That poor woman, can you even imagine?  I did feel awful for CeeCee getting caught up in this terrible situation.  When I read the back cover of the book, I knew that Genevieve was going to die, but had no idea it was going to be in that manner.  How awful!

3.  After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?

If I had been CeeCee, I would have turned in the baby and probably myself.  I know she was young and terribly scared, but she committed so many crimes in her tangled web with Tim.  I know she was scared when the police car's alarm kept going off, but I don't know how she lived with herself driving all the way to Charlottesville with that baby in a basket.  Yet again, this was 1977 afterall.

4.  Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding onto hope that Tim will come for her?

If Tim made her believe EVERYTHING else, why wouldn't she still be holding out hope?  Brainwashing people, brainwashing!

5.  How do you think Eve will establish her new identity of Virginia?

I think she will keep quiet and not let anyone have a clue she is not Eve Bailey.  I'm nervous for her at this point because I can't imagine how she must feel.  Marion seems to be very loving and caring, so at least she now 'has' someone to help her.

6.  What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through with the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, the relocation?

I think that Eve is scared out of her wits.  She did what she felt like she had to do.  She fell in love with the baby.  I can't say that I'm upset with her, because she is so young and naive.  She is a likable character despite her flaws.  

**And to go along with Rachel's response, I was devastated that Eve lost all of the letters from her mother.  All of the care her mother took into writing these letters, just to be abandoned with Ronnie.  I keep thinking, what on earth is Ronnie thinking?  She'll never hear from Eve again.  Is she not the slightest bit suspicious a month, a year, two years, five years after she has disappeared?  If I were Ronnie, I think I would be totally suspicious and maybe call the police.  

I Simply Don't Understand...

Why girls can't be nice to each other, be happy for other each other and want to build them up. Why it's so hard to look nice all day in the sweltering heat, what's the secret?  Why cinnamon rolls can't be a diet staple.  Why good people die in car crashes while the drunk driver that hit them survives.  Why some people still don't understand the difference between there, their and they're.  Staunch liberals and their whackity whack views.  Why anybody would argue that Sean Connery was not the best James Bond ever (total crush).  Why anyone decided the work day should start so dang early. Flan.  Why British accents make people sound instantly smart.  Why Pottery Barn furniture is so over-priced for what it is.  Why finding a good hair dresser is one of the most daunting tasks on earth.  Why thank you notes aren't an art form for most people.  Why people would leave mean comments for someone else (i.e. Mojito Maven gets super hate comments but she is ultra-fab!)  Why anybody would wear jeggings.  Why it is so, so, so very hard to even lose 5 pounds.  Why Brett Favre doesn't just retire already.  Why we can't all be look like Kim Kardashian.  Why the book is almost always better than the movie.    

I've Got the Blues

All images via House of Turquoise, Google Images and Decorpad

The Great Pants Debacle

Someone has got to be with me on this one.  I cannot find any pants that fit.  Or how about I cannot find any pants, that I like, that fit.  My student teaching begins in less than two weeks and I have one pair of pants to wear.  Here's one of my main problems;  I don't like skinny pants or slim pants.  They would look terrible on me and personally, they probably don't look great on anyone over a size 4.  But, that's all the stores are carrying!  I went to J.Crew yesterday and they had not one pair of regular, straight leg chinos in the store.  None.  Zero.  Nada.  They were all skinny.  Are that many people wearing skinny pants?

I also happen to have another small problem.  I need a tall length.  The regulars are never long enough.  That, and the way that they fit me looks like the pants flare out way too high on my leg.  I look like a nerd with high waters, instead of just a nerd.  Yesterday I tried on some nice chinos at Ann Taylor Loft.  The regulars were just too short and they don't sell the tall length in the store.  The sweet sales girl said that people complain that their regular length is too long.  The regular inseam is 31.5" and I need about a 34" inseam with flats.  If I buy their tall length, which is about 35-36" I've got to get them hemmed.  I cannot be the only girl in Richmond shopping at Ann Taylor that complains about the length of the pants being too short!  

Long-legged girls, where do you get your pants?  I'm looking for pants, jeans, cords, etc. with longer lengths, a curvy cut, with a nice modern boot cut leg.  I'd also prefer then to be on the nicer side, not from places like Old Navy, just because they don't wash and wear as well after a while.  Any suggestions?

Wedding Wednesday and a Giveaway

Today is my second Wedding Wednesday post, and boy oh boy it's a good one!  If you missed the post last week, I'm starting a weekly column highlighting everything wedding related around the blogosphere.  I'm really excited to highlight some special friends and bloggers and their wedding experiences!

Today I wanted to say a big ole' Happy Birthday to my friend Marianne!  Marianne and I met each other in middle school and were great friends in high school and went on to college together.  She is getting married to her sweetheart Cory next month and I was dying to highlight her engagement photographs for you! They are gorgeous, the pictures and the couple!

{Marianne's own Wedding Story}

Cory and I met on match.com in March of 2007 and have enjoyed so much as a couple. I moved to Memphis to be with Cory in September of 2007. Cory is in sports marketing at FedEx, so we would travel on the weekends to the racetracks all across the US and get to know eachother. Amazing time building our relationship. Now we have the house, the dog... etc etc etc. :) 

We vacation every summer in the Outer Banks so Cory knew that August would be a great time to propose. We always do a sunrise walk at least one morning and on Wednesday August 12, 2009, he proposed during the walk! 

All photos by Designs by Prater, Memphis, TN

I'm also really excited to be able host today's wonderful giveaway by the talented Ashley at Lemon and Lavender.  Ashley and I got in touch a few weeks ago and she is the fabulous designer behind Lemon and Lavender, a beautiful blog and oh-so-pretty Etsy shop.  She happens to also be extremely nice and sweet, so I hope that you all enjoy her as much as I do!

I am happy to announce that Ashley is graciously donating 50 custom photo save the date cards from her Etsy shop for one lucky bride-to-be!  Ashley will even customize the colors to coordinate with your event!  These cards are absolutely perfect for any upcoming wedding!  If I were getting married, I would definitely be ordering these!  Her designs are wedding perfection.

{Giveaway Rules}

To enter this giveaway you *MUST* be a currently engaged bride.  

{First Entry}  Follow A Wedding Story

{Second Entry}  Follow Lemon and Lavender

{Third Entry}  Visit Lemon and Lavender's Etsy shop and comment with your favorite item

{Fourth Entry}  Blog about this giveaway to help other brides find Lemon and Lavender

{Fifth Entry}   Add Lemon and Lavender to your favorite's on Etsy 

Whew!  That's a lot of entries!  Leave a comment for how many entries to sign you up for and also your email address.  Giveaway ends on Sunday evening at 12 pm EST.  I wish everyone lots of luck on the giveaway!  Here are some more goodies from her shop!  Enjoy!