The Breakfast Club Meets The Boy From Texas

“Parker, I'm old," She said matter-of-factly. "I get away with these things." She continued to wave and smile wildly. "People treat me like an idiot so I'm allowed to act like one from time to time. It's one of the perks.”   ~    Abby Slovin, Letters In Cardboard Boxes

How I have not blogged about The Breakfast Club before is beyond me.  SERIOUS blogger failure.  But, it's all going to work out great because you'll get to read about The Club for the first time and hear all about them "meeting" The Boy from Texas for the first time as well.  And it was a riot.

So The Breakfast Club is made up of College Roomie's family living in Albuquerque.  They welcomed me into the ranks years ago.  The group ranges in size from about 6 to 10.  And ranges in age from about 21 to 80.  People come and go.  Sister L was part of it until she moved away.  Uncle Tom's new wife Virginia (one of the 80 year olds in the bunch) joined in recently. Every Sunday they meet promptly at 8:30 at one of a number of restaurants around town for breakfast.  Uncle Donald pays.  Aunt Jewel talks.  Uncle Tom is full of some random tidbit of trivia.  Everyone else just enjoys the fun.

So the week before I headed back for the State Fair, I got a Facebook message from Cousin Bob.  He wanted to "cordially invite" me and The Boy from Texas to attend The Breakfast Club on Sunday.  I gladly accepted.  But then, to everyone's disappointment, The Boy from Texas had to work and couldn't make it to the State Fair (and in turn, he missed The Breakfast Club.) 

I arrived and faced lots of questions about my new job/house/location.  Including a hilarious conversation where I said that I was doing "ag law" work.  All of the older folks passed that info around the table and the words "ag law" were said about 100 times.  It was hilarious.

But the most popular topic was The Boy from Texas.  Did he wear braces?  Does he have his wisdom teeth?  My favorite exchange went something like this:

"Does he have a job?"  Yes.

"Does he have all of his teeth?"  Yes.

"Does he have all of his hair?"  Um...no.

"Well two out of three ain't bad honey."

And then everything got crazy when Cousin Bob said, "Well just where is that Rat Bast***?  Can we Face Time?"  And so, it happened.  That sweet Boy from Texas Face Timed with The Breakfast Club.  Here's basically what happened.

He started with Aunt Jewel.  She looked at him and said, "Hey, you're almost as good looking as I am!"

Next up was College Roomie and McCain who were nice to him and just waved.  And then the three of them talked about how much they missed each other.  I really think if we break up, The Boy from Texas will go live with College Roomie and McCain.  They've bonded.

Then it was time for Uncle Tom and Virginia.  She looked closely at the phone and said, "Well you do have all of your teeth!"

Then the phone went to Uncle Donald who was a bit mortified.  He apologized to The Boy from Texas and said, "If you guys break up this afternoon, I understand and I'm sorry."  Then he passed the phone.

Finally it was time for Cousin Bob.  "Exactly why are you not here at The Breakfast Club, we do not approve of unexcused absences."  Apparently his answer was good enough because Bob lightened up and said that he would withhold judgment on our relationship until he can meet The Boy from Texas the next time we're in town. 

Phew.  Close call.  And he's got all his teeth and a job.  Two out of three ain't bad, honey!

Only Speak Words...

*Linking up with Almost Gypsy Soul for Soul Food Friday!

What Might Have Been

"I try not to think about what might have been, 'cause that was then, and we have taken different roads..."  ~Little Texas

This was pre-blog time, which means that everyone on the internet didn't know my business, but back in the good ol' days, I got accepted to law school at the University of Notre Dame.  An Irish fan from the time I was a little kid (I was probably the only 6 year old in New Mexico to have a ND pennant hanging on my bedroom wall), I couldn't have been more excited.  But then the other shoe kinda dropped when I found out that Notre Dame would be the only school that I applied to that wasn't going to offer me a scholarship.  At all.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  None.  And so after putting the pencil to the paper a little bit, I realized that my dream of attending Our Lady's University was not in the cards for me.  (I also turned down UNM and had all my plans in place to attend William and Mary before waking up one morning and deciding that wasn't happening anymore....but that's another blog for another day.)

Last weekend while I was in South Bend to watch Notre Dame take on Michigan State, I got a quick tour of the law school from one of Mr. FFA's friends.  Y'all.  It was amazing.  Beautiful.  Breathtaking.  The huge library.  The study areas overlooking the quads or the football stadium.  The tiny chapel where Mass is said once a week.

Notre Dame Law School Library

I left the law school and couldn't help but wonder what my life would look like had I gone there.  What might have been? 

But the truth is, I don't regret the decision that I made.  Because had I gone to Notre Dame, some great things would never have happened.  I never would have introduced College Roomie to McCain and gotten to talk all about it in a Maid of Honor speech at their wedding.  I would have probably missed working with some absolutely great people at my first job.  I would have missed out on making the great friendships that I did while I was at UNM, including people like Brett-Brett and Top Gun and and Law School Partner and a whole list more.  I wouldn't have been in Albuquerque to visit First Valentine for what turned out to be the last time or to witness the birth of my precious Goddaughter (as traumatic as that experience was).  I wouldn't have been at a football game in Oklahoma to meet The Boy from Texas.  I might not have known the true value of my law degree.

Had I gone to Notre Dame, my life would have been different.  I would have met different people and had different experiences and probably would be doing a different job in a different place.  Would it have been better?  Who knows.

What I do know is that it's hard to regret the "might have been" when the real life is so darn good.

My 30 Things List: Part 5

It's time for another post in my series of 30 things every woman should know and do by the time she's 30.  If you missed any of the prior posts, click here.

Every Woman Should Know...

Things she really likes to do versus things she wishes she likes to do.  I want to be a person who likes to out in coffee shops drinking a cup of Skinny Grande Non-Fat Soy Carmel Machiatto Latte or whatever the fancy name of a drink is at Starbucks and writing blogs or books or emails.  I really wish I liked doing that.  But honestly?  I don't.  I tried it a couple of times and was miserable.  I don't drink coffee.  The chairs are not comfortable.  I'm too distracted by people talking and coming in and out.  It's not for me.  And in that experience, I realized that there is a difference between the things you like to do and the things that we wish we liked to do.  It's important to know that this difference exists, and then to determine how it fits into your life.  Because there's no sense in not enjoying something just because you wish you liked it!

Latte in Viena (I only like coffee in Europe)

The difference between being too picky and a deal-breaker.  When you're not married and about to blow out 30 candles on a birthday cake, you become a bit of an expert at this topic.  Let me start out by encouraging all of your single ladies out there to trust you gut and keep your standards.  Do not settle or give in just because people tell you that the only reason someone that's your age doesn't have a ring is because she's clearly too picky.  Not necessarily true AT ALL.  Now, that said, do I think that girls (myself included) can be too picky over little things?  Sure.  Looking back at a former list of attributes I was looking for in a husband illustrates that.  Do I really care if the guy wears flip flops?  If he can ride a horse?  If he can beat me at one-on-one?  No.  Those qualifications are prime "too picky" examples.  Or, to quote a You Tube video that changed my whole attitude on relationship, these are "the price of admission."  But on the other side of the coin, there are deal breakers.  Big ol' fat ones that you better never compromise on.  The key here is knowing the difference.  (And I think that when you meet someone who you click with, you will probably forget all of the "too picky" things anyway.)

When its time to make a change in her life, and how to summons the courage to do it.  Change is scary.  And hard.  And is sucks.  There's not a lot in life I dislike more.  But sometimes, a girl has to make a big change.  For me, that big changed looked like quitting my job, selling my condo, moving to another state, buying a house, and starting a new job doing something completely different.  And it was scary.  There were times (like when I had to announce that I was leaving my old job or the infamous oven fire) where I wanted to hit "rewind" and go back to my old, safe, comfortable life before the change.  But great things happen through change.  Change is necessary for growth and for greatness.  It's hard and scary, but it's worth it.

Opening the door at my new house

Every Woman Should Have...

Bought something a little expensive just for herself.  I'm a saver.  Hoarder, really.  I don't enjoy spending large sums of money.  It makes me far happier to put my money in a savings account than it does to go out and buy something shiny for myself.  But a couple of years ago, I decided to buy myself something shiny for my birthday.  I was single, had the money to do it, and had worked really hard to be where I was.  And so, I ordered my first little blue box from a store called Tiffany's.  And it was awesome.  I'm not saying everyone needs to get something from Tiffany's, but I do think that it's great to splurge on yourself somehow at least once.  It's kind of a reminder that you deserve it, which I think we all need sometimes.

Tiffany's in Vienna

A workout routine that works for her body.  Here's the deal, different things work for different people.  I could be on an Elliptical for 5 hours a day and I would not see as good of results as if I would get my booty on a treadmill and run 5 miles.  That's just a fact for me.  Some people love hot yoga.  I liked it okay, but I got bored and it smelled like sweat.  College Roomie is a barre fan.  It would bore me to tears.  I love spin class, but other friends hate having someone yelling at them for an hour.  To each her own.  Find something that works for you and stick with it.

Finish line of 2013 OKC Half Marathon

Experiencing Your City: Chicago and Albuquerque!

Today I'm excited to partner up with Kendra Thornton (former Director of Communications at Orbitz....aka:  A Big Deal!) to talk about "Experiencing Our Cities."  We each wrote a little blurb on our cities to give you some pointers if you're ever visiting.  (Since I just recently moved to Texas and am not totally versed in all that my new local has to offer, I will be talking about my former city of Albuquerque!)  Here we go!



Kendra Says...



I love to travel, whether to a different area around the United States or in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. I know you’re probably thinking that ‘traveling’ involves going outside of where it is you call home, but that is not the case! You can ‘travel’ throughout your hometown and end up finding new, previously hidden spots all the time! Below are some of my personal favorites that I’ve uncovered in Chicago.  

Shopping that Matters 

When you are looking for a fantastic place to shop, go to Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile.” This stretch of land has a huge number of stores to visit for people of all ages. There are high-end and other top name brands to shop in. While this sounds touristy, when you have a place like this at your disposal, it is best to take advantage!   

Millennium Park 

When seeing pictures of Chicago, you will often see photos from Millennium Park. This special park, which is located in the heart of downtown, has a number of beautiful architectural designs with things to see. The park features the sculpture Cloud Gate, unofficially called “The Bean,” due to its shape. It is a famous tourist attraction and has a special, mirrored surface that distorts faces and images. Millennium Park is a part of the larger Grant Park, which is often called “Chicago’s Front Yard.” 

Photo via Tiffany - 2010

 

The Skyline 

One reason I love Chicago is due to its incredible skyline. The beauty of the buildings when they light up at night is spectacular. With the many things to see and do in the Windy City, keep in mind that choosing the right place to stay overnight is quite important. Use a site like gogobot to review how others enjoyed their stays at hotels you are considering. Any hotel is not the right hotel when you can stay in the center of downtown or desire a historic hotel that may have even housed a famous celebrity.  

 

Photo via Tiffany - 2010

Real Chicago Pizza 

Whether I have just finished visiting Millennium Park or have concluded watching a Bears football game, I love my Chicago deep-dish pizza. While some restaurants around the country claim to have the real thing, Chicago has the real pizza. Lou Malnati’s is the place to go when you want to have deep-dish pizza like a Chicagoan would.

Tiffany says....

I'm a New Mexican through-and-through, but I have to admit that until I moved to Albuquerque, I hadn't spent too much time there.  But there are great events and lots of fun things to do and yummy food to eat!

New Mexican Food

The most important thing to know about New Mexico is that you will be asked at just about every meal the official state question.....red or green?  Meaning which color of chile sauce you'd prefer on your food.  (If you've not had it before, you might order it on the side because it's pretty spicy!)  Whether you have enchilladas, stuffed sopapillas, chile rellanos, or posole, you'll fall in love with New Mexican food for sure.  A couple of my favorite spots are Los Cuates and Casa de Benevidez.

Balloon Fiesta

This is THE event of the year in Albuquerque.  Each October hundreds of balloonists descend on the city and the sky is full of beautiful colors.  You get up early in the morning to head to the field, grab a hot chocolate and a breakfast burrito (with green chile of course), talk to the pilots, watch the balloons prep, and then just before sunrise they all take to the sky in Mass Assention.   Seriously, add this to your bucket list, kids.  It's amazing.  To see some of my favorite photos I snapped at the Balloon Fiesta, click here!
 

State Fair

If you have read this blog for a while, you know all about my absolute love for the New Mexico State Fair.  I've been there for the junior livestock shows (I grew up showing pigs and lambs and my family raises show lambs and steers!) for 18 years in a row.  IN A ROW.  There are huge barns full of animals, livestock shows, rodeos, concerts, fair food, shopping, and carnival rides.  It just wrapped up for this year, but next September it'll be back again!  (To read about my family's State Fair history, click here!)

State Fair circa 1996.  I'm the one dresses like a table cloth from
some country picnic!

 

Brunch

Albuquerque loves brunch.  Well, maybe it's just me and my friends who like brunch....whatever.  There are some yummy options for sure!!  If you're looking for something a big more on the expensive/fancy side, hit up Farm and Table.  They grow all their own food and have a super fun menu!  Plus it's in a beautiful setting in the North Valley.  My go-to spot is The Grove on Central.  We used to eat there all the time on Sunday mornings.  Be sure you try the cupcakes.  To.Die.For.  

The Tram

 

Lastly, we have The Tram, which is a major Albuquerque attraction.  It runs from the foothills of the Sandia Mountains to the peak and is the longest tram in the world.  It's not super expensive and gives you great views of the city, especially at night!  Riding the tram was one of the list items I included on my 30 by 30 List.  To read about that experience, click here!

 

Family Farm Friday #84: He Waited a Long Time

"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up."  ~Babe Ruth

I have to admit, after the success our lambs had last year at the New Mexico State Fair, I was a little worried that this year would be a major let down.  But because I have done this every year for the last 18, I loaded up my bags and headed to Albuquerque last weekend for the fair.  And it couldn't have been better.

I spent four days at the fair in a barn full of dust and animals and some of the best people in the world.  I ate a lot of burritos and had green chile on just about every meal.  I was given free stocks in Mr. Graham's latest scheme.  And I got more hugs in those four days than I'll probably get for the rest of the year.

And the shows?  Well, they went awesome.  Like, real awesome.

First up was the New Mexico Bred Steer Show. We just had one calf showing, but he won his class!  Yay!  We're not just sheep people, turns out!

And then it was the sheep show day.  Which also happened to be my dad's birthday.  He said for his birthday he really wanted a breed champion and another class winner.  Well, he got his wish.  And then some.  Three class winners, two Reserve Breed Champions, and Champion Finewool Cross. 

Dad spent his birthday high fiving moms and kids, answering "Who raised that lamb?" proudly with "We did!"  He teared up when encouraging a little boy from our hometown who got beat, but did the best job showing that he'd ever done.  And he spent the entire next day working on getting a website up and running to share the photos and the news. 

But my favorite moment of the week happened after the show.  My dad--the one who you can hardly get to look at a camera and pay attention--took three photos in a row in the sheep show version of the winner's circle and smiled bigger than I might have ever seen.  When the first picture was over and the photographer (not realizing we had won three breed or reserve breed champions) tried to shuffle my dad out of the photo backdrop, my dad told him, "I've waited a long time for this and I'm going to be here a while."  And he was, for three photos in a row.

Champion Finewool Cross

Reserve Champion Finewool Cross

Reserve Champion Finewool

You better believe that my dad deserved his time and three pictures in front of that banner.  Because there was a lot of hard work that went into that.  Generations of hard work, actually.  My grandparents started it all over 60 years ago when they bought our farm and our first ewes.  Then my grandma ignored everyone who told her to sell out when my grandpa died and left my grandma with two teenage boys and a farm to run.  Instead, they worked harder.  They sacrificed.  And they kept on going.  There were hours spent at the barn.  Hot days of sorting ewes.  Pulling lambs in freezing cold blizzards.  Early mornings of getting up to cut hay and late nights fighting with the bailer that is always broken.  Trips to Iowa to find a ram.  Sleepless nights before our show lamb sale.  Dead rams and prolapsed ewes and lambs that just didn't turn out.  My dad waited a long time for Tuesday and I am here to tell you, there's no one who deserved it more than him.

The Mr. Franklin I Knew

"It has been said, time heals all wounds.  I do not agree.  The wounds remain.  In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens.  But it is never gone."  ~Rose Kennedy

I remember when Mr. Franklin died four years ago this weekend, everyone kept saying that he would be mad at me for crying and would tell us all to toughen up.  And every single time I heard those words, I just shook my head and suppressed my desire to tell them that I thought they were completely wrong.

Because that wasn't the Mr. Franklin I knew. 

Sure, that was the Mr. Franklin that most people saw.  The one who beat the steering wheel and wouldn't let us eat lunch after a certain class of keep/cull pigs was placed a certain way at a certain judging contest (which was still won, for the record).  It was the Mr. Franklin who would grab a player off the bench and literally throw them to the scorer's table when someone on the court missed a lay up.  It was the Mr. Franklin who could hardly speak anymore but managed to get mad at me the week before he died because I wasn't texting sheep show results fast enough for his liking (we were on a lunch break and nothing was happening!)  The one who would yell at Mrs. Franklin when she couldn't remember the name of the point guard at Texas Tech to help him while he was telling a story.  It was the Mr. Franklin who would crank up the heater for basketball practice in the gym and line up the entire team with a cup to make them drink Alka-Seltzer if one person sneezed and he thought there was a chance anyone was getting sick and beat you with a sorting stick or a clipboard if you put the fat hog first after he told you not to do that anymore. 

But that wasn't the Mr. Franklin I knew.  The one who hugged me with tears running down his face at my Gran's funeral.  The one who dropped me at the airport at Louisville and waited until he could wave at me after I made it through security.  The one whose lower lip would start to quiver when a State Star Farmer plaque was presented or a basketball trophy came home to Logan or he got a gift at the FFA banquet.  The one who stopped showing sheep one afternoon to come over and tell me that I had no idea how much he missed me after I went to college.  The one who called me every hour on the hour for an entire night when I had food poisoning and then drove me to the hospital the next week when I was still not better.  The one who kissed me on the cheek and told me he loved me every time I said goodbye and left his house.  That was the Mr. Franklin I knew.

So if you ask me, those people were wrong about how he would have reacted to my tears.  The Mr. Franklin I knew would have put his arm around me and let me cry.  Then when I was done, he probably would have lectured me one more time about how badly we screwed up that keep/cull class at State FFA in 1999.  And I would love every minute of it.

MIA

Sorry I've been MIA---I've been living in State Fair land, which basically means that I fall off the face of the earth for 4 days and know nothing other than what's going on at the State Fair barns!  Ha!  But I'll be back tomorrow and you'll have a State Fair update coming your way on Friday!

Here's a little funny that I saw on Pinterest and thought those of you who are fellow Type-A worriers might enjoy...

You Deserve...

Remember the Alamo (Dome)

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.”   ~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

This past weekend The Boy from Texas and I headed to San Antonio to watch my OSU Cowboys play UTSA at the Alamo Dome! 

Y'all.  Watching a game in the Alamo Dome may well have ruined me for college football.  It was hot, muggy and humid outside.  But in the Dome?  A perfect 70 degrees.  I almost wished I had brought a sweater.  It was awesome!

We spent the first half of the game with Fellow Cowboy in Aggieland and her friends and met up with BFF and Mrs. BFF for the second half.

Kickoff

Three of my favorite people.

UTSA's mascot is a roadrunner.  Lots of people had these shirts that say
"Respect the Pecker."  Hilarious.

The Pokes looked good and won big.  Still have a few lingering concerns about our defense, but we'll see how that shakes out down the line. 

So if you're keeping track, we have an OSU win, an air conditioned stadium, and a day spent with three of my favorite people in the world.  I'm a lucky girl.

After the game we headed to the River Walk.  I had never been, so I wanted to go in order to get myself a Bucket List checkmark.  We also got to deal with BFF in rare form--skipping down the street, almost shoving his wife into the river whilst totally scaring fellow River Walk walkers.  I think he was enjoying letting off a little steam after being so serious last week while he finished out his PhD!  That's right, kids.  BFF is officially a doctor.

After the walk, we grabbed steaks for lunch and enjoyed the cool air.  Then The Boy from Texas and I went to visit one of his best friends and spent a relaxing night chilling in his yard.  Then we made the 3 hour drive home.  Which probably would have sucked, except for the fact that it meant we got to hang out together for 3 hours, and we could stop for roasted pecans at Buckees!

The End.

Thursday Before State Fair

"We’re so caught up in our everyday lives that events of the past are no longer in orbit around our minds. There are just too many things we have to think about everyday, too many new things we have to learn. But still, no matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away. They remain with us forever, like a touchstone.” ~  Haruki Murakami

The Thursday before State Fair always brings back good memories for me.  I never paid any attention in school that day.  (Sorry, Mrs. Franklin, don't be mad!)  I was too excited and too busy doing mental checks of whether we remembered to pack the sleeping bags and the electrolytes and the lucky can of Revive.

The State Fair was probably my favorite week of the year.  There were the cool early morning feedings and analyzing weights with Mr. Franklin and street dances in front of Tingley and camping in the back corner of the dorms.  There were friends to see and boys to hold hands with on the dorm steps and sheep to be showed.  We won buckles and earned sale holes and I made my craziest showing dream come true and my Dad sported his "lucky shirt" even after it was covered in holes.  There were crockpots full of Posole, red cups full of beverages, and little boys full of Tom Thumb donuts.  We ate ice cream before the sale with The Little Blonde Boy and smothered burritos at Taco Hut with Mr. Franklin and Uncle David insisted that if we'd eat the veggies at the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl we wouldn't go home sick.  We snuck onto the floor for concerts, stole signs off of the top of Tingley, and always went one restaurant past Steak in the Rough, which was our official boundary (because bad things happened on the Midway).  It was on those grounds that I learned Mother Theresa had died, that Princess Diana had been in a crash, and that the Twin Towers had been attacked.  And it was there where I made some of my best friends and favorite memories.

It's amazing that one place--somewhere I spent only 1/52 of my year--holds so many memories.  But it does.  And that's why I go back every year.  There's something about that place--the people--the sounds--the smells.  But mostly, there's something about the memories.

My Response

"Every you'll find us, loyal and true, to our alma mater, OSU."  ~Oklahoma State University Alma Mater

I really did not want to comment on the Sports Illustrated article that has put my Oklahoma State Cowboy football program in the national news.  Because there is a lot that I don't know.  I don't know why SI came after us.  I don't why the article's "sources" are all players who were either kicked off the team, failed out of school, or quit.  I don't know why the author, Thayer Evans, has some vendetta against OSU.  I don't know why Sports Illustrated does not feel the way that other sports writers feel about this quack of a "journalist" (and I use that term lightly).

I also don't know if any of the allegations are true.  I wasn't in the locker room or on the field.  But it sure seems like a lot of the guys that were there have something to say (and it's not what you'll read in Sports Illustrated).  I did have class with some athletes--I sat next to John Lucas in speech and can tell you he was there every day and gave every speech that the rest of us gave.  A lineman was in my ag econ class, and he, too, showed up to class every day.  If those guys are a representation of the program, I'd say that the truth will not look much like the magazine article.

Another thing I don't know is why the article includes mentions of Cowboys who are unable to defend themselves like Vernon Grant and Darrant Williams.  Vernon was neighbors with College Roomie at I at OSU.  He was a good person. A son.  A friend.  He was killed in a car accident back in 2005.  How dare someone drag his name through the mud now based on what seems to be a ridiculous, unsupported vendetta.  Shame on you, Sports Illustrated.  Shame on you.  Let him rest in peace.

Here is what I do know.  I know that the three years I spent at Oklahoma State University were life changing.  That while I was there, I created friendships that will last forever.  I know that we are a school that pulls together and takes care of our own, whether it be a plane crash, an illness, or a magazine article.  And that I got an education that allowed me to succeed in law school and in my career.  I know that there is nothing like being part of a sea of orange singing the alma mater on game day.  Except for maybe rushing the field after beating OU for the Big 12 Championship or seeing the winning field goal at the Fiesta Bowl.  I know that 60,000 people coming back to campus every year for homecoming speaks volumes.  I know that no matter where I am, if I am wearing my orange, someone will come up to me and say, "Go Pokes" because they understand.  I know that I saw Mike Gundy include Coach Budke's widow in accepting the Fiesta Bowl trophy with tears in his eyes--and that's a pretty good picture what we mean when we talk about the OSU family.  And that the people who have graduated from my university and those who live in Stillwater are some of the best anywhere.  I know that I am proud to have my diploma hung on my office wall and to wear orange on Fridays and to call myself an alum of Oklahoma State University.

That's what I know.  That's what important.  And that's why I'll ever be loyal and true. 

#Iridewiththecowboys

Stitch Fix

I'm not a shopper.  Or a fashionista.  I spent a decade of my life basically in jeans and a t-shirt.  Part of me kinda misses those days, but this whole "professional job" think kinda kills that idea. 

Anyway, my friend Burrito told me about this thing called Stitch Fix.  You pay $20 and a personal stylist picks out 5 items that they think you might like (you answer questions to help them determine this...) and those 5 items are mailed to you in a box along with style cards that give you ideas of how to wear them and what to pair them with.  You try them on, decide if you want to keep any of them, and ship back anything you don't like in a handy envelope they send you all ready to go.  If you keep something, your $20 goes towards your purchase.  If you keep nothing, you lose your money.

I have to admit, when my first box arrived, it felt like Christmas!  Here were the contents...

I decided to keep the black dress.  Based on the little suggestion card from the stylist, I wore it yesterday with pumps and a red belt.  I was pretty impressed!

Sorry for the mirror picture--my roommate/photographer had to leave at 5 am to
pick up her game tickets for A&M v. Alabama this Saturday!

I seriously can't wait until next month.  If anyone else decides to sign up, use this little link and it will give me a $25 referral credit! http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3169810    Happy shopping.