after getting to bed so late last night, i felt i had to drag myself out of bed when the alarm went off. i didn't get a very full night's sleep as i had gone to bed so late and was then awoken at 5-something by ivory -- the family lab -- barking her head off. apparently she had an upset tummy and needed my sister to take her out right then.
i was sad to discover that i had a very sore throat...and scared that i may have caught my brother's "uncontagious" illness. blah. i quickly showered, ironed black pants and a button-down shirt and headed to starbucks at 91st and riverside in tulsa. claudine had our first meeting with a prospect today! it was a lead passed from dan. the guy is getting ready to open a new business in the tulsa/okc area, and we may get to help him with a launch party. he's not quite set to go and anticipates it being several months, yet, but it was fun to have an actual meeting with someone and kind of work the kinks out of our story. after that we went to pick up sarah from claudine's mom, but she didn't want to leave, so we headed back to my car and sat their talking about the business and our schedules until time for me to meet another prospect at 12:30.
i headed to los cabos in broken arrow to meet with a close friend of mine from college. when we first developed the idea of elever, i had told him about; he had sounded excited about it and told me to come see him when we had our packages ready. armed with a brochure and list of services i sat down to lunch with my old friend. we lunched and chatted for two hours! i expected most of the conversation to center around personal lives and catching up, but we spent more than half of the time talking about the business! he really was interested. and not a "your my friend so give me your smallest package so i can help you out" but genuine, "hey, you have a viable service that i need ... let's see what we can do!" he asked me to get a proposal together and get back with him! i am so excited!!
my throat was hurting when i woke up, but after our first meeting, the pain had spread up through my tonsils to my ears. i was in a lot of pain. i took some ibuprofen before going into lunch, and that helped for about two hours or so, but then it began to quickly wear off. i hate going to the doctor, but decided that i would stop in since we have a vacation coming up. of course the time that i go, they're not seeing walk-in patients that late in the day ... so i took the fast track home and crawled into my sweats and straight into bed. my poor sister had to feed little connor and watch him for a bit. then i found out that she wasn't feeling well. she had woken up sick to her stomach and then had to visit the dentist for laughing gas and a numbing shot later in the day.
travis came home to find me on the computer in bed. he told me that i needed rest with my eyes shut, so he laid with me for a few minutes, then kissed me on the forehead and went to the pool hall. i've been lying here in this bed for hours. travis is home now, and he keeps checking on me, but he's like the sick police or something. every time i get out of bed, he sends me right back! he's probably right. i probably do need to rest, but surprisingly enough, i can't fall asleep. it will be time for bed soon and maybe my internally time clock will kick in. until then, i'll be working on layouts for my parents' businesses and listening to david gray.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
memorial day weekend.
on friday lindsay headed out of town with her mom and brother to visit her grandparents in georgia. justin and travis decided on a guys' evening and spent most of the evening driving around and playing pool. when they were ready to head to the leaches' travis called me and asked if sierra and i were ready to go. we got to my brother's and sarah joined us. we all everyone jumped on halo. i stayed for a little bit, but i'm not coordinated enough to play the game and it gets terribly boring watching everyone play while i just sat there. i stayed for a bit, but then i headed home. connor has also had a terrible ear infection -- we have to give him antibiotics orally twice a day and then put drops in his ears once a day -- so i didn't want him to sleep alone while he wasn't feeling well. the last time we weren't home, he wouldn't sleep in his puppy bed; instead he curled up under the dining room curled up inside the four arms of a scooby doo stuffed dog. everyone else stayed the night with justin.
on friday night i was the most bored i've been in some time. i even texted a couple of close friends of mine that i understood the expression "bored to tears" because i was so bored i was on the verge of tearing up myself. i spent most of the day at the house working on collateral for the business, and texting travis. he and justin were still taking advantage of guy time. they ended up going to travis's parents' house for a little bit then back up to the pool hall where they asked me to meet them that evening. i didn't really have anyone to talk to while the guys were playing and honestly, the pool hall was just not the place for me that night. we stayed almost until closing time and then headed to justin's once more. this time sarah brought rock band for the xbox. it was a game that everyone could play, so i had a lot more fun. amanda and her boyfriend zach even came over and we all took turns playing the drums, guitar and bass and drinking beer. connnor had come over that night with us so he wouldn't be alone. justin's dogs were in the garage because they had been outdoors in the mud all day long. connor kept flipping out from time to time and was actually incredibly mellow to suddenly spastic. i was really beginning to get worried. we put in the newest 007 movie, but i didn't make it all the way through it. connor was ready for bed and i was tired of chasing him around the house, so we went to bed.
on sunday travis, justin, amanda, zach, and i headed to see the new star trek movie. even for non-trekkies, it's a great movie, and i'm looking forward to future releases. amanda and zach had just "celebrated" their eight month anniversary the day before and it was fun to hang out with them. travis and i keep saying that we're going to spend more time with them and really get to know zach. we both like him, and amanda really seems to as well. they're very well-suited for one another. i don't know if i've mentioned that they've moved into an apartment together. a very huge step for amanda! (huge for anyone but especially huge for her). right now the lease is just for 6 months, and i think it's a good start for them. we stayed the night with justin again, playing a little rock band, but mostly just relaxing.
monday, we really didn't do much of anything either. i made changes to the brochure that claudine, dan, and i had discussed on sunday night. justin and i went to the pool hall to clean. he and lindsay get paid to do so, but since she was gone and since he had been so sick, i headed up there to help him as well. it was a nightmare getting him awake. we called him 15 times between my mom, dad, and me. i went to his house and rang his doorbell for a solid two minutes, but he never answered. i then knocked on his bedroom window with no response ... so i had to brave the backyard. he has two great pyranese dogs -- layla and champ) and they were in the yard, covered in mud. i, of course, was wearing white bermuda sweat shorts. i managed to make it in the backdoor without becoming a human "paw painting." justin's backdoor leads straight into his bedroom; this finally did the trick. he had been feeling so sick and had also taken nyquil, so it was like trying to wake a hybernating bear.
it was a pretty normal day for mom and dad since they went ahead and opened the pool hall that night. last year they were closed on memorial day, but many of their customers were asking if they would be open this year. travis's mom fixed burgers later that night (and i think this is actually the night that we headed to see star trek. now that i think of it, i'm not sure what we did on sunday night. i think we ate dinner with my parents on sunday evening, and then headed to justin's to watch movies). after the movie, we headed to justin's to stay the night. he had been so sick and was afraid that he wouldn't wake up to his alarm for work, so we stayed with him.
the next morning, travis woke up and made sure that justin and i were both up. he then dropped me off at mom and dad's so that he could drive my car to tulsa. his truck has been messing up and he's afraid it's on it's last leg, or wheel as it were. i rode with my parents to the pool hall to get my dad's bike; they headed off for a spring ride and i took the truck back to the house so i would have a means of transportation to the post office to mail invitations we had done for our client. because of the holiday they were going out later than we had hoped, so i was frantically stamping the envelopes with sierra so i could drop them in first thing that morning. it felt good to have our first project wrapped up ... but also left me looking for more to do. i didn't do much else the rest of the day -- sierra and i went to sonic (where i had another horrible customer service experience) and then we headed back to the house for a lazy afternoon.
justin later texted to find out if we would like to have dinner with him. we were all pretty wiped out for some reason, so we picked up pizza, a couple of movies, and headed to his house. sarah didn't join us this time as she was helping ted install a floor at their house. we all headed to bed pretty early ... when i saw we, i mean everyone but me. i actually got a call from claudine late in the evening (after 10) and she needed me to make more changes to the brochure and then email it to kinkos right then so that we could pick up a few for the morning. i was so exhausted, but headed back to my mom and dad's to do so. it took a couple of hours, and by 1:30 i fell into bed.
on friday night i was the most bored i've been in some time. i even texted a couple of close friends of mine that i understood the expression "bored to tears" because i was so bored i was on the verge of tearing up myself. i spent most of the day at the house working on collateral for the business, and texting travis. he and justin were still taking advantage of guy time. they ended up going to travis's parents' house for a little bit then back up to the pool hall where they asked me to meet them that evening. i didn't really have anyone to talk to while the guys were playing and honestly, the pool hall was just not the place for me that night. we stayed almost until closing time and then headed to justin's once more. this time sarah brought rock band for the xbox. it was a game that everyone could play, so i had a lot more fun. amanda and her boyfriend zach even came over and we all took turns playing the drums, guitar and bass and drinking beer. connnor had come over that night with us so he wouldn't be alone. justin's dogs were in the garage because they had been outdoors in the mud all day long. connor kept flipping out from time to time and was actually incredibly mellow to suddenly spastic. i was really beginning to get worried. we put in the newest 007 movie, but i didn't make it all the way through it. connor was ready for bed and i was tired of chasing him around the house, so we went to bed.
on sunday travis, justin, amanda, zach, and i headed to see the new star trek movie. even for non-trekkies, it's a great movie, and i'm looking forward to future releases. amanda and zach had just "celebrated" their eight month anniversary the day before and it was fun to hang out with them. travis and i keep saying that we're going to spend more time with them and really get to know zach. we both like him, and amanda really seems to as well. they're very well-suited for one another. i don't know if i've mentioned that they've moved into an apartment together. a very huge step for amanda! (huge for anyone but especially huge for her). right now the lease is just for 6 months, and i think it's a good start for them. we stayed the night with justin again, playing a little rock band, but mostly just relaxing.
monday, we really didn't do much of anything either. i made changes to the brochure that claudine, dan, and i had discussed on sunday night. justin and i went to the pool hall to clean. he and lindsay get paid to do so, but since she was gone and since he had been so sick, i headed up there to help him as well. it was a nightmare getting him awake. we called him 15 times between my mom, dad, and me. i went to his house and rang his doorbell for a solid two minutes, but he never answered. i then knocked on his bedroom window with no response ... so i had to brave the backyard. he has two great pyranese dogs -- layla and champ) and they were in the yard, covered in mud. i, of course, was wearing white bermuda sweat shorts. i managed to make it in the backdoor without becoming a human "paw painting." justin's backdoor leads straight into his bedroom; this finally did the trick. he had been feeling so sick and had also taken nyquil, so it was like trying to wake a hybernating bear.
it was a pretty normal day for mom and dad since they went ahead and opened the pool hall that night. last year they were closed on memorial day, but many of their customers were asking if they would be open this year. travis's mom fixed burgers later that night (and i think this is actually the night that we headed to see star trek. now that i think of it, i'm not sure what we did on sunday night. i think we ate dinner with my parents on sunday evening, and then headed to justin's to watch movies). after the movie, we headed to justin's to stay the night. he had been so sick and was afraid that he wouldn't wake up to his alarm for work, so we stayed with him.
the next morning, travis woke up and made sure that justin and i were both up. he then dropped me off at mom and dad's so that he could drive my car to tulsa. his truck has been messing up and he's afraid it's on it's last leg, or wheel as it were. i rode with my parents to the pool hall to get my dad's bike; they headed off for a spring ride and i took the truck back to the house so i would have a means of transportation to the post office to mail invitations we had done for our client. because of the holiday they were going out later than we had hoped, so i was frantically stamping the envelopes with sierra so i could drop them in first thing that morning. it felt good to have our first project wrapped up ... but also left me looking for more to do. i didn't do much else the rest of the day -- sierra and i went to sonic (where i had another horrible customer service experience) and then we headed back to the house for a lazy afternoon.
justin later texted to find out if we would like to have dinner with him. we were all pretty wiped out for some reason, so we picked up pizza, a couple of movies, and headed to his house. sarah didn't join us this time as she was helping ted install a floor at their house. we all headed to bed pretty early ... when i saw we, i mean everyone but me. i actually got a call from claudine late in the evening (after 10) and she needed me to make more changes to the brochure and then email it to kinkos right then so that we could pick up a few for the morning. i was so exhausted, but headed back to my mom and dad's to do so. it took a couple of hours, and by 1:30 i fell into bed.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
my business card.
this is my business card. i would post claudine's, but hers is identical to mine except for the name (obviously). =)
do you remember when you were a kid and you thought you could do anything?
i started my morning with this video. i may start my morning like this every day ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0
ups = upsetting parcel system!
the primary nature (and really only nature) of UPS's business is to deliver packages all across the united states. this, they claim, is their specialty. why is it, then, that they are never able to get a package to its destination within a reasonable amount of time?
i ordered our business cards early last week, with the anticipation they would be here at the beginning of this week. i finally received my tracking number from ups and was informed they would be here on tuesday. okay, no biggie. tuesday will work. so, yesterday i waited all morning long. i checked my tracking number and was told that the package was out for delivery. that was at 9:31. a little after 10, i checked again (i know, i'm obsessive) and the tracking number said that the postal code was incorrect and that the package had been rescheduled for delivery -- in tulsa! the ups center is about a mile and a half from my parents' house, so i decided to hop in the car, and see if i could just pick up the package myself. upon arriving at the center, however, i discovered that their pickup time is from 9-10 in the morning. since i hadn't even realized there was a problem until after 10, i was too late.
i called ups to find out what the problem was and see if i could either pick up the package or correct the issue. the man that i spoke with was very helpful, confirmed the address with me, (read it back no less than 3 times), and assured me that the package would be delivered today (wed) in muskogee.
first thing this morning i received a phone call from ups saying they needed me to confirm a correct shipping address. when i called back, the package was still in tulsa! the man yesterday did not get it re-routed back to muskogee. after confirming the address again, the lady said she would have the tulsa center give me a call. the tulsa center called, and we went through the entire process again. she confirmed it all again and then said that the package would be delivered tomorrow. i told her that i really could not wait for the package to maybe be delivered tomorrow and asked if i could please come pick it up. "you're going to drive to tulsa??" was her response. again, i stated that i couldn't wait any longer as the package was supposed to be here yesterday, and then today. she gave me the address and travis will pick up the package for me later today.
i think it's a little funny that i am opening a business that focuses solely on customer service. this type of experience drives me crazy!! (much like the walmart bakery experience i blogged about before). sometimes your hands are tied and you cannot avoid working with these poorly run companies. i think that is the part that aggrevates me more than anything. i was telling my dad this story and he said he and my mom have never had a pleasant experience with them. in fact, they no longer ship or receive shipments from ups (not like they received them before anyway!).
to step off my soapbox ... i am excited to see the cards this evening when travis gets home from work. i definitely need them to include in the product for our client. yes, i said it -- our CLIENT!
i ordered our business cards early last week, with the anticipation they would be here at the beginning of this week. i finally received my tracking number from ups and was informed they would be here on tuesday. okay, no biggie. tuesday will work. so, yesterday i waited all morning long. i checked my tracking number and was told that the package was out for delivery. that was at 9:31. a little after 10, i checked again (i know, i'm obsessive) and the tracking number said that the postal code was incorrect and that the package had been rescheduled for delivery -- in tulsa! the ups center is about a mile and a half from my parents' house, so i decided to hop in the car, and see if i could just pick up the package myself. upon arriving at the center, however, i discovered that their pickup time is from 9-10 in the morning. since i hadn't even realized there was a problem until after 10, i was too late.
i called ups to find out what the problem was and see if i could either pick up the package or correct the issue. the man that i spoke with was very helpful, confirmed the address with me, (read it back no less than 3 times), and assured me that the package would be delivered today (wed) in muskogee.
first thing this morning i received a phone call from ups saying they needed me to confirm a correct shipping address. when i called back, the package was still in tulsa! the man yesterday did not get it re-routed back to muskogee. after confirming the address again, the lady said she would have the tulsa center give me a call. the tulsa center called, and we went through the entire process again. she confirmed it all again and then said that the package would be delivered tomorrow. i told her that i really could not wait for the package to maybe be delivered tomorrow and asked if i could please come pick it up. "you're going to drive to tulsa??" was her response. again, i stated that i couldn't wait any longer as the package was supposed to be here yesterday, and then today. she gave me the address and travis will pick up the package for me later today.
i think it's a little funny that i am opening a business that focuses solely on customer service. this type of experience drives me crazy!! (much like the walmart bakery experience i blogged about before). sometimes your hands are tied and you cannot avoid working with these poorly run companies. i think that is the part that aggrevates me more than anything. i was telling my dad this story and he said he and my mom have never had a pleasant experience with them. in fact, they no longer ship or receive shipments from ups (not like they received them before anyway!).
to step off my soapbox ... i am excited to see the cards this evening when travis gets home from work. i definitely need them to include in the product for our client. yes, i said it -- our CLIENT!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
our first client.
the élever group has our first client!! woo hoo! i jumped up from the table and started jumping up and down ... and then remembered that i think i have slipped a disk and i had to carefully sit back down.
the job will be small, but the client is huge, and it is a great opportunity for us to get our name and our information out and about. plus, we'll actually get to invoice someone! we're in "bidness!"
a heartfet thanks to dan for all of his help and support!!!!
the job will be small, but the client is huge, and it is a great opportunity for us to get our name and our information out and about. plus, we'll actually get to invoice someone! we're in "bidness!"
a heartfet thanks to dan for all of his help and support!!!!
my veil has arrived.
my veil came yesterday! i was excited for it to arrive, but i couldn't believe the way my stomach actually fluttered when i opened the box and saw it lying there. it's actually a little shorter than i was expecting, but i still think that it's going to work well. i won't say much about it, because i don't really want mr. lear to know anything about it. just know that i can't wait to see it with the dress and an up-do!
Monday, May 18, 2009
friday night.
on wednesday, the élever group was supposed to have a teleconference, but dan got called away to another meeting unexpectedly. instead claudine and i met up on friday for a happy hour at the wine bar. dan had stayed home with sarah since he and claudine didn't have a babysitter. the group was much smaller than usual, so we were both a little disappointed. we caught up on girl talk and set forth another plan of action for the next week. after a couple of glasses of wine, we headed to sonoma on brookside since we were both starving. we enjoyed another glass of wine and a dinner of chicken and avocado with sweet potato fries, all the while discussing business and what we would like to do for a launch party. we also have several prospective clients interested in their own launch parties, and we discussed ideas for that as well. it shouldn't be long before this puppy is up and running!
we thought about going out for an evening on the town, but by this point, it was already 10:00 and it had begun to downpour outside. sarah (claudine's daughter) called several different times concerned for claudine's saftey, so we decided to call it a night. she had only a few blocks to go, while i had the drive back to muskogee. when i got back, travis had already left the pool hall for the night and was at the house. we decided to call it a night, too, and each headed to bed for a good night's rest.
we thought about going out for an evening on the town, but by this point, it was already 10:00 and it had begun to downpour outside. sarah (claudine's daughter) called several different times concerned for claudine's saftey, so we decided to call it a night. she had only a few blocks to go, while i had the drive back to muskogee. when i got back, travis had already left the pool hall for the night and was at the house. we decided to call it a night, too, and each headed to bed for a good night's rest.
family ride.
the day of christine's funeral was an interesting day. my dad told me stories from his childhood that i had never heard before. i always enjoy those and appreciate them so much, especially when they're coming directly from him.
he laughed at the funeral whenever david cornsilk asked how our family knew christine. (we found out that david's father and christine were half brother and sister. they had the same mother but different fathers. i never dreamed david and christine were related). my dad just laughed at the question and didn't say much. when we got in the car later, he said, "i should have just told david how we were related. that would have really done him in" and started to laugh again. of course, i had to inquire ... and so the story goes ...
when my dad was young, and was the only child left in the home, his mother, maxine, ran off with a man named sam johnson. she and sam took my dad to the bank, forced him to clean out his account (which included a large settlement he had from an accident) and drank their way across the country. sam was never much of a provider, and the type who would work a job for a few days in order to earn a paycheck. the check would be gone before the time he got home, though, because he would spend it on alcohol and little else. after about a year of this, my dad moved home to be with his dad, truman.
upon arriving back at my grandpa truman's, (and here my dad started laughing), he found out that christine and truman were now an item. christine was the wife of sam johnson -- the man with whom my mamaw maxine had left town! my dad said that it started out innocently enough. my grandpa felt bad for christine being alone with her two children, and would go over to check on her and help out when he could. their relationship grew and developed, and my grandpa found himself very much in love with her. he asked her multiple times to marry him, but she never would. he always said, "i'm not living in sam's house, and she won't leave it."
for a few years, he distanced himself from christine, and married another cherokee woman named mary. mary was very, very softspoken and hated to spend much time out of the home. my grandpa loved to go to gospel singings, but mary hated to go ... so he would go with christine. mary didn't put up with that for long, and my grandpa and she divorced. from that time on, he and christine were always in a relationship and looked out for one another along life's road.
it is sad to me that i now have no remaining grandparents on my dad's side. i'm grateful for these types of stories. while it would be easy to be embarrassed by them (my grandmother's behavior especially), i know that i will cherish this glimpse into my family's history.
he laughed at the funeral whenever david cornsilk asked how our family knew christine. (we found out that david's father and christine were half brother and sister. they had the same mother but different fathers. i never dreamed david and christine were related). my dad just laughed at the question and didn't say much. when we got in the car later, he said, "i should have just told david how we were related. that would have really done him in" and started to laugh again. of course, i had to inquire ... and so the story goes ...
when my dad was young, and was the only child left in the home, his mother, maxine, ran off with a man named sam johnson. she and sam took my dad to the bank, forced him to clean out his account (which included a large settlement he had from an accident) and drank their way across the country. sam was never much of a provider, and the type who would work a job for a few days in order to earn a paycheck. the check would be gone before the time he got home, though, because he would spend it on alcohol and little else. after about a year of this, my dad moved home to be with his dad, truman.
upon arriving back at my grandpa truman's, (and here my dad started laughing), he found out that christine and truman were now an item. christine was the wife of sam johnson -- the man with whom my mamaw maxine had left town! my dad said that it started out innocently enough. my grandpa felt bad for christine being alone with her two children, and would go over to check on her and help out when he could. their relationship grew and developed, and my grandpa found himself very much in love with her. he asked her multiple times to marry him, but she never would. he always said, "i'm not living in sam's house, and she won't leave it."
for a few years, he distanced himself from christine, and married another cherokee woman named mary. mary was very, very softspoken and hated to spend much time out of the home. my grandpa loved to go to gospel singings, but mary hated to go ... so he would go with christine. mary didn't put up with that for long, and my grandpa and she divorced. from that time on, he and christine were always in a relationship and looked out for one another along life's road.
it is sad to me that i now have no remaining grandparents on my dad's side. i'm grateful for these types of stories. while it would be easy to be embarrassed by them (my grandmother's behavior especially), i know that i will cherish this glimpse into my family's history.
christine johnson.
christine johnson was a great cherokee woman who devoted her time selflessly to others. after my dad's parents divorced, christine is the woman with whom my grandpa truman fell in love. they never married, despite my grandpa's request, because she was too afraid to leave her home. her first husband had left her with their two children to raise, and her home and children were all she had. christine and my grandpa were together, despite never marrying or living together, up until the time that he died in 1989. to my knowledge she never found another partner.
christine was family. her two kids sonny and kathy and their spouses and children became family, too. we spent time at the river in an old cabin that had always been my grandpa's until he passed away. many games of horseshoes were played and much time was spend in the foot-paddle boat out at the cabin. hog fries and fry bread were tradition. spending time with their family always reminded me of time at my aunt jesse's -- the family is full-blood cherokee, and while you may not know half the names of the people, you know you are surrounded by family.
this past week, christine johnson passed away. she was almost 80 years old and as i said before, she had lived a life devoted to serving others. she helped raise her grandchildren and her great grandchildren and took in single mothers until they were able to get back on their feet. in recent years my family has spent little time with christine, and that i regret. to have learned from this wise woman would have been an honor.
we attended her funeral on friday morning. first we met at sonny's home. as is tradition, we ate food that had been provided by the family and friends. fry bread was present (but justin was disappointed to see there was no kenutche). i was glad to see that everyone was able to celebrate her life and their time together. kathy never failed to introduce my dad as her brother and it felt good to be a part of the legacy christine leaves behind.
at the funeral there were familiar faces in the crowd that have been active in my life over the years and have played a part at the cherokee nation. even the Chief was in attendance. to say that she made a difference is an understatement. there are lives of families and children that are dramatically different, abudantly better, because of chrisine's devotion.
our families have made a new promise to stay in better touch and get together more often. hopefully you will get to meet them this fall at our wedding and maybe see a glimpse into the life of this incredible woman who will remain always in our hearts.
christine was family. her two kids sonny and kathy and their spouses and children became family, too. we spent time at the river in an old cabin that had always been my grandpa's until he passed away. many games of horseshoes were played and much time was spend in the foot-paddle boat out at the cabin. hog fries and fry bread were tradition. spending time with their family always reminded me of time at my aunt jesse's -- the family is full-blood cherokee, and while you may not know half the names of the people, you know you are surrounded by family.
this past week, christine johnson passed away. she was almost 80 years old and as i said before, she had lived a life devoted to serving others. she helped raise her grandchildren and her great grandchildren and took in single mothers until they were able to get back on their feet. in recent years my family has spent little time with christine, and that i regret. to have learned from this wise woman would have been an honor.
we attended her funeral on friday morning. first we met at sonny's home. as is tradition, we ate food that had been provided by the family and friends. fry bread was present (but justin was disappointed to see there was no kenutche). i was glad to see that everyone was able to celebrate her life and their time together. kathy never failed to introduce my dad as her brother and it felt good to be a part of the legacy christine leaves behind.
at the funeral there were familiar faces in the crowd that have been active in my life over the years and have played a part at the cherokee nation. even the Chief was in attendance. to say that she made a difference is an understatement. there are lives of families and children that are dramatically different, abudantly better, because of chrisine's devotion.
our families have made a new promise to stay in better touch and get together more often. hopefully you will get to meet them this fall at our wedding and maybe see a glimpse into the life of this incredible woman who will remain always in our hearts.
daily life and wedding ramblings.
i haven't posted, not because i haven't felt like it or haven't had time to, i just haven't felt like i've had anything to post about. let's see ...
on tuesday, i went to tulsa for travis and my hair appointments with renata. i'm a little disappointed that my hair isn't getting much longer than it currently is. it's healthy and i'm keeping it trimmed, but it seems to have greatly slowed down in growth. i am excited, though, because as soon as my veil comes in, renata wants me to schedule a practice round to try several different options with my hair. i think it will be fun! i just wish that it would be something fun that a bridesmaid or two would enjoy. we are going to try several different styles, though, and i can't imagine that anyone will want to sit for a while watching me get my hair done over and over. ooh, i just got butterflies thinking about playing around and practicing with my veil!
i was talking to amelia earlier this week and she mentioned that she was on her way to eric's sister's wedding. i said, "soon we'll be going to my wedding!" and then it hit me -- our wedding is 5 months away. i knew it was getting close, but the fact that it is less than half a year away had not really occurred to me. five months passes so quickly. i will have just gotten everything settled into my parents' house and it will be time to move again! and we will be married!! part of me is so excited and then another part of me just can't quite comprehend the magnitude.
my room at my parents' is starting to fill up with wedding day items. my dress is still being altered, so it's not here, but one whole side of the room is filling up quickly with glass vases and candles. my veil was supposed to be shipped this weekend, so it should be here soon as well. there is still so much to do between now and the wedding: save the dates, flowers, cake, drinks, lighting, photographer, invitations, programs, linens ... the list goes on really.
on top of all of that, i am working dilligently to get the business started. we should have our business cards by tomorrow (yay!), and we are working to get the finishing touches on our brochure. i'm excited about the look of it. claudine and dan's son josh is just working on a piece of art for the cover. i'm ready for it to be finished! i just feel like some of this has dragged ... which i know is to be expected when starting a new business. there will be unexpected roadblocks and detours along the way.
on tuesday, i went to tulsa for travis and my hair appointments with renata. i'm a little disappointed that my hair isn't getting much longer than it currently is. it's healthy and i'm keeping it trimmed, but it seems to have greatly slowed down in growth. i am excited, though, because as soon as my veil comes in, renata wants me to schedule a practice round to try several different options with my hair. i think it will be fun! i just wish that it would be something fun that a bridesmaid or two would enjoy. we are going to try several different styles, though, and i can't imagine that anyone will want to sit for a while watching me get my hair done over and over. ooh, i just got butterflies thinking about playing around and practicing with my veil!
i was talking to amelia earlier this week and she mentioned that she was on her way to eric's sister's wedding. i said, "soon we'll be going to my wedding!" and then it hit me -- our wedding is 5 months away. i knew it was getting close, but the fact that it is less than half a year away had not really occurred to me. five months passes so quickly. i will have just gotten everything settled into my parents' house and it will be time to move again! and we will be married!! part of me is so excited and then another part of me just can't quite comprehend the magnitude.
my room at my parents' is starting to fill up with wedding day items. my dress is still being altered, so it's not here, but one whole side of the room is filling up quickly with glass vases and candles. my veil was supposed to be shipped this weekend, so it should be here soon as well. there is still so much to do between now and the wedding: save the dates, flowers, cake, drinks, lighting, photographer, invitations, programs, linens ... the list goes on really.
on top of all of that, i am working dilligently to get the business started. we should have our business cards by tomorrow (yay!), and we are working to get the finishing touches on our brochure. i'm excited about the look of it. claudine and dan's son josh is just working on a piece of art for the cover. i'm ready for it to be finished! i just feel like some of this has dragged ... which i know is to be expected when starting a new business. there will be unexpected roadblocks and detours along the way.
Monday, May 11, 2009
happy birthday steve!
today is travis's dad's birthday. in honor of him ...
stephen lear ...
01. ... wouldn't be happy if he wasn't giving someone else a hard time
02. ... likes to have his kids near (whether he admits it or not)
03. ... is mr. fix-it
04. ... has grown quite fond of his grand-pup and likes to take naps with connor
05. ... offers a lot of knowledge and advice
06. ... served in the u.s. navy for eleven years
07. ... likes to garden
08. ... and also likes old westerns and pirate movies
09. ... spends most of his time around house fixing and tinkering
10. ... can't wait for retirement (and is one of the most deserving people we know)
stephen lear ...
01. ... wouldn't be happy if he wasn't giving someone else a hard time
02. ... likes to have his kids near (whether he admits it or not)
03. ... is mr. fix-it
04. ... has grown quite fond of his grand-pup and likes to take naps with connor
05. ... offers a lot of knowledge and advice
06. ... served in the u.s. navy for eleven years
07. ... likes to garden
08. ... and also likes old westerns and pirate movies
09. ... spends most of his time around house fixing and tinkering
10. ... can't wait for retirement (and is one of the most deserving people we know)
élever meeting.
last night after the mother's day festivities, travis and i drove to tulsa for another élever meeting. i actually had to drop travis off at sixbyte so that he could do some work and then headed to nordaggio's [our meeting place of choice] to meet with dan & claudine. we laid out a plan of action for the week, listing people in our networks that each of us would contact this week. "safe" people who will listen to our story while we work the rocks out, who will be inclined to help us, and will refer other people our way. we also have to get our business cards printed as well as a "leave behind." i have a one-page sheet filled with copy about our business, but need to transform it to a brochure of some sort. we always have so much momentum and energy about the venture after our team meetings. we also learned of a new company in town that we may have the opportunity to do their launch party. it would be a huge first client for us with great future potential business. and how fun would a launch party be??
i bought my veil!
i bought my veil. while i can't go in to too much detail, as i don't want travis to have any idea what i will be wearing on our wedding day, i am still very excited to share that i bought my veil. and interestingly enough, i purchased it from a girl in manchester, new hampshire! the town where my family and i used to live. one of my bridesmaids, andy, knew the veil i wanted, but had refrained from purchasing just yet because it was almost $200. she stumbled across this girl's blog and found that she had just posted her veil for sale. it is brand new, she had just never tried it with her dress before purchasing it, and she didn't like the end result. i love that it is brand new, is exactly what i am looking for, is from a girl residing in my old town, and is costing me under $30 with shipping!!!
happy mothers day moms!
travis and i are both very blessed to have mothers who have been involved in our lives and care about our well-being. we are both blessed to have future mother-in-laws that care for us as well.
i couldn't be more thankful for my mom. i am proud to say that she and i have always been close. even during the teenage angst years when most mothers and daughters fight, we remained close to one another. she is one of my closest friends and someone in whom i can confide. i am grateful for each day that i get to spend with her, and while i'm not thrilled to be in muskogee, knowing that i have this time with her is truly a blesssing.
several of my friends are new mommies this year. i hope that their first mother's day with their new babies is most memorable and a time they will forever cherish.
i couldn't be more thankful for my mom. i am proud to say that she and i have always been close. even during the teenage angst years when most mothers and daughters fight, we remained close to one another. she is one of my closest friends and someone in whom i can confide. i am grateful for each day that i get to spend with her, and while i'm not thrilled to be in muskogee, knowing that i have this time with her is truly a blesssing.
several of my friends are new mommies this year. i hope that their first mother's day with their new babies is most memorable and a time they will forever cherish.
05.09.2009 happy birthday dad.
today my dad turned 54. we had a large group of people ready to celebrate with him at the pool hall (with a very large cake!); unfortunately he came down with a case of food posioning and was unable to make the celebration. we had cake and ice cream in his honor and celebrated with several of his closest friends who had made the drive in to see him.
john w. leach ...
01. ... was born in pryor, ok
02. ... is one of six children
03. his immediate family means everything to him
04. ... is a lover of billiards
05. ... and used to be ranked in the top 20 nationally
06. ... has devoted most of his life to helping his family and others
07. ... never fails to make my siblings and me laugh with his invented word "polygoobersnapper"
08. ... has an uncanny knack for training animals very quickly
09. ... never misses a day of reading the newspaper
10. ... believes that friends will sometimes let you down, but your family is there for you no matter what
john w. leach ...
01. ... was born in pryor, ok
02. ... is one of six children
03. his immediate family means everything to him
04. ... is a lover of billiards
05. ... and used to be ranked in the top 20 nationally
06. ... has devoted most of his life to helping his family and others
07. ... never fails to make my siblings and me laugh with his invented word "polygoobersnapper"
08. ... has an uncanny knack for training animals very quickly
09. ... never misses a day of reading the newspaper
10. ... believes that friends will sometimes let you down, but your family is there for you no matter what
what engagement ring fits your personality?
i took a funny little quiz earlier this week on facebook, and i just had to post the results because of the uncanny resemblance to reality. the below picture was part of the results (it changes for different people to match their description to the right).
Rhiannon took the What engagment ring style fits your personality? quiz and the result is One of a Kind You a quite the individual! Good for you! You value tradition, but welcome change. You are intelligent, witty, sensitive, and have a diverse set of friends. You are as comfortable discussing politics as you are baking cookies. You have strong morals and principals and are respected by others. You have a purpose and it will be realized.
05.08.2009: lear | winders, llc
most of the week has been pretty uneventful up until today. i learned that my mom hasn't been exaggerating when she told me that muskogee has no bakeries. i really just thought it was an overstatement, but no, it was indeed not. we were trying to order a cake from wal-mart for my dad's upcoming birthday. mom wanted a speciality cake that looked like a pool table, but said her friend gail had ordered one from wal-mart before and it looked terrible. she opted for an american flag instead. she was on hold with wm bakery for 10 minutes two different times (for a total of 20 mins) and was immediately put on hold two other times when she called. i was outraged and began a diligent search for a bakery in muskogee, only to find, as i said before, that my mother was right, and no bakeries exist here. (andy, we may have found your first place for a bakery). i was ready to throw in the towel on elever to open one myself! i finally drove to the store to place the order ... after i was left waiting at the counter for fifteen minutes. i hate so much that our hands were tied and we had to purchase from them after the horrible customer service we received.
today, was much happier. claudine took the afternoon off work, and she and i headed to oklahoma city to the state building. we had tried to get our llc in tulsa earlier in the week, but found we could only get our tax permit, etc. we had so much fun driving and talking, plotting her exit from the dreaded hell that is addison. when we got to the building, there were few people waiting, but the office filled up quickly. we had to wait about a half-hour, but it was well worth it as we walked away with our articles of incorporation. learwinders llc is officially registered. we will, of course, be doing business as the élever group. i can't wait.
today, was much happier. claudine took the afternoon off work, and she and i headed to oklahoma city to the state building. we had tried to get our llc in tulsa earlier in the week, but found we could only get our tax permit, etc. we had so much fun driving and talking, plotting her exit from the dreaded hell that is addison. when we got to the building, there were few people waiting, but the office filled up quickly. we had to wait about a half-hour, but it was well worth it as we walked away with our articles of incorporation. learwinders llc is officially registered. we will, of course, be doing business as the élever group. i can't wait.
05.03.2009: more about élever.
below is copy that i developed for our business meeting today. it will help you understand more about the élever group and what we intend to do ...
The French recognize élever as “to nurture.” The Élever Group was started by partners Claudine Winders and Rhiannon Leach to help small businesses nurture their clients and prospects. The partnership developed after recognizing most small businesses have too many daily responsibilities that cause time restraints and an inability to care for customers the way they really want and need.
The Élever Group partners with your company to provide the level of customer care and outreach that you have always wanted to provide, but never seem to have the time to organize or implement. Our services range from handwritten thank you notes to client appreciation dinners, as well as lead nurturing and social media development. Maybe you need all of the services we provide; or perhaps you have your own client appreciation program in place, but need help expanding and developing your ideas. Whatever your need, the Élever Group provides multiple packages and services a la carte. We tailor our services to best serve you and your customer-base.
Élever’s concept is simple. We allow you to “hug” your customers while we do the work for you. The Customer Appreciation Programs we develop provide a personal touch that most of your clients are not receiving in today’s business environment. Taking a little extra time to make each of your clients feel as though you truly appreciate their business, and they are not simply a number to you, will result in great success for your company. You will see a higher level of customer satisfaction and greater customer retention. Your clients are less likely to move to your competitors because they are happier with your services and believe you will take care of them. Your business will increase with your current clients; they will no longer view you as one of several options, but will instead pick up the phone to call you the next time a need for your product or services arises. Your referral rate from your current customers will also increase. Referrals come from customers who trust and like you. Élever insures that your customers feel they are important to you.
Because our goal is to make your company more successful, Élever always remains behind the scenes. Any solution we implement will appear as your direct efforts. Because of this practice, we will always keep our clients confidential and will not release their names without prior approval. From leading architect firms to financial services firms to family entertainment venues the Élever Group has created and implemented several successful programs. Allow us to devise a program specifically designed to impress your customers and increase your business.
The Élever management team has background that is diverse to encompass the experience needed to implement customer nurturing initiatives and processes for its own clients. The management team’s background and experience include marketing, public relations & event planning, human resources & recruiting, as well as creative design, art, & concepting.
The French recognize élever as “to nurture.” The Élever Group was started by partners Claudine Winders and Rhiannon Leach to help small businesses nurture their clients and prospects. The partnership developed after recognizing most small businesses have too many daily responsibilities that cause time restraints and an inability to care for customers the way they really want and need.
The Élever Group partners with your company to provide the level of customer care and outreach that you have always wanted to provide, but never seem to have the time to organize or implement. Our services range from handwritten thank you notes to client appreciation dinners, as well as lead nurturing and social media development. Maybe you need all of the services we provide; or perhaps you have your own client appreciation program in place, but need help expanding and developing your ideas. Whatever your need, the Élever Group provides multiple packages and services a la carte. We tailor our services to best serve you and your customer-base.
Élever’s concept is simple. We allow you to “hug” your customers while we do the work for you. The Customer Appreciation Programs we develop provide a personal touch that most of your clients are not receiving in today’s business environment. Taking a little extra time to make each of your clients feel as though you truly appreciate their business, and they are not simply a number to you, will result in great success for your company. You will see a higher level of customer satisfaction and greater customer retention. Your clients are less likely to move to your competitors because they are happier with your services and believe you will take care of them. Your business will increase with your current clients; they will no longer view you as one of several options, but will instead pick up the phone to call you the next time a need for your product or services arises. Your referral rate from your current customers will also increase. Referrals come from customers who trust and like you. Élever insures that your customers feel they are important to you.
Because our goal is to make your company more successful, Élever always remains behind the scenes. Any solution we implement will appear as your direct efforts. Because of this practice, we will always keep our clients confidential and will not release their names without prior approval. From leading architect firms to financial services firms to family entertainment venues the Élever Group has created and implemented several successful programs. Allow us to devise a program specifically designed to impress your customers and increase your business.
The Élever management team has background that is diverse to encompass the experience needed to implement customer nurturing initiatives and processes for its own clients. The management team’s background and experience include marketing, public relations & event planning, human resources & recruiting, as well as creative design, art, & concepting.
05.02.2009: élever is born.
today travis, dan, claudine, and i all met for our first business meeting. we wanted to talk about this business and determine the direction our company would take. i've mentioned the business briefly in other posts, but have wanted to wait until i really knew more details about it. as most of you know, it has always been a dream of mine to open an invitation and specialty paper boutique. travis has been instrumental in supporting this dream, as he would also like for our family to own our own business{es}. the idea of this company is more business-to-business instead of retail. everyone likes this idea because it is almost always possible to make something happen in a b2b situation, whereas retail is a little more volitile and uncontrollable. you often have to sit around hoping something happens in a retail situation, while in b2b there are measures you can take to help business grow. the business we are creating will involve no physical products, but instead will focus on customer and prospect nurturing for our clients. we will help our clients "hug" their own customers in order to retain and grow their business. i am very, very excited about this venture and can't wait for it to unfold.
during our business meeting today, we decided on the name the élever group. élever is the french word for nurture and we all immeditely liked and agreed upon it. technically this company will belong to claudine and me, but our other-halves will play integral parts in our successes, and we're taking this with a team approach. i can't wait to share more with you as it comes.
during our business meeting today, we decided on the name the élever group. élever is the french word for nurture and we all immeditely liked and agreed upon it. technically this company will belong to claudine and me, but our other-halves will play integral parts in our successes, and we're taking this with a team approach. i can't wait to share more with you as it comes.
05.01.2009: interviewing.
earlier this week i went for an interview at magnolia gardens in muskogee. they have a marketing position for which i have been personally recommended. (knowing this was a possibility also helped when i was considering my resignation). after working on the other side of the hiring business for almost two years, it felt strange to find myself headed to an interview as an applicant. i arrived with my suit, padfolio, and several copies of my resume (i would have made any recruiter proud). the lady who met with me is the administrator and is so completely scattered. her best friend, janice, and former marketing director is the one who has referred me to the position, so she knew a lot about my experience already. at this time, the position has been cut back to part-time hours, but my dad said that could be a good thing since i am trying to plan a wedding, too, so she is not sure what she is allowed to offer for the position or when she can bring someone on board. she is trying to cover both jobs herself, though, and i can see that it is definitely the job of two people. i will follow up with her in a few days to see if she has had the chance to visit with corporate. in the meantime, most of my efforts are going to focus on the new business.
04.30.2009 bye bye tulsa.
today was our last day at the apartment. it made me sad, though i'm not really sure why. we've not stayed there in well over a week, and none of our things are there anymore. i think just knowing that there is no longer a place in tulsa that we can call our home is the culprit of my sadness. life at mom and dad's hasn't been that bad. just trying to find a place for everything has been a little challenging. i have the bedroom downstairs that used to be my brother's bedroom. it has been converted into mom's changing room ... and now i am overtaking it. travis has the room at the other end of the hall off of the kitchen and mom and dad's room. this room is where we have put our dresser and armoire, so i find myself back and forth between the two rooms when i'm getting ready. there are built-ins in the office upstairs, and i'm making sierra clear out some of her things so that i will have a little room up there as well. (i actually just asked her nicely). it will be nice for everything to have a place. also, if the business that claudine and i takes off, i'll need a home office from which to work. it has been nice to be away from addison and to not have another job right away because it has given me time to pack up and clean the apartment, as well as find new homes for our things in muskogee.
29 april 2009: jason mraz!
for the past two weeks my sister has been trying to win jason mraz tickets from various radio stations. i was unaware of her efforts until a couple of days ago when my mom told me that sierra has been dying to win them as a surprise for me. i thought it only fitting that i surprise sierra with the ticket that i had purchased for her a few months ago. i bought a hallmark card that plays music (unfortunately none exist with jason's melodic voice) so i bought her one with a dancing hamster (inside joke) and slipped the ticket inside. i left it on her bed with her backpack. i could hear her open the card from my downstairs room. she waited a few moments to react. i asked her about this later and she said it was because she wanted to scream. wednesday we headed to the apartment after she got out of school (and after several wardrobe changes). i had to do a last minute walk-through at the aparment to make sure that the carpets were clean once they dried. we also had to load up a few final boxes from the garage. we scarfed down a dinner of yummy chick-fil-a (sierra's second time ever to have it! this i cannot understand). we headed to the spirit bank center and waited for amelia. i was like a junior high school girl, giddy with anticipation. amelia arrived a few minutes before the concert began and we all hurried inside to our seats.
jason, surprisingly enough, was the first person out on stage. he came out to introduce anya marina. we weren't aware that she would be performing, and it was a pleasant surprise. she has an unusual voice and i like the lyrics to her music. it was funny that she would be performing with him, as i had recently stumbled across her within the past two weeks. she played a set of five songs or so, ending with her own version of t.i.'s whatever you like. surprisingly enough, it was great! of course we were laughing, too, but it was really great.
next the plain white t's took the stage. i got into their music in the fall of 2007, and was excited to see them live. they do a great live performance (no one compares to jason, but great nonetheless).
the highlight of the evening was of course mr. mraz himself. i'm embarrassed of effect this man has on me. he is just too, too adorable, and i am seriously like a love-struck teen when he takes the stage. i get giddy and can't stop smiling. you would think i was 12. i love that he never does a song the same way twice, that his voice is so incredibly clear, and the talent he has is amazing. he did an extended version of the opera section in mr. curiosity and it was phen-o-men-al! i can't believe that i have let three years pass since i last saw him! after seeing him live, sierra now understands the facination amelia and i have for him.
[i will try to post pics soon. all pictures were taking with sierra's camera and her memory card doesn't fit in my laptop].
jason, surprisingly enough, was the first person out on stage. he came out to introduce anya marina. we weren't aware that she would be performing, and it was a pleasant surprise. she has an unusual voice and i like the lyrics to her music. it was funny that she would be performing with him, as i had recently stumbled across her within the past two weeks. she played a set of five songs or so, ending with her own version of t.i.'s whatever you like. surprisingly enough, it was great! of course we were laughing, too, but it was really great.
next the plain white t's took the stage. i got into their music in the fall of 2007, and was excited to see them live. they do a great live performance (no one compares to jason, but great nonetheless).
the highlight of the evening was of course mr. mraz himself. i'm embarrassed of effect this man has on me. he is just too, too adorable, and i am seriously like a love-struck teen when he takes the stage. i get giddy and can't stop smiling. you would think i was 12. i love that he never does a song the same way twice, that his voice is so incredibly clear, and the talent he has is amazing. he did an extended version of the opera section in mr. curiosity and it was phen-o-men-al! i can't believe that i have let three years pass since i last saw him! after seeing him live, sierra now understands the facination amelia and i have for him.
[i will try to post pics soon. all pictures were taking with sierra's camera and her memory card doesn't fit in my laptop].
28 april 2009: shampooing disaster.
i borrowed the shampooer from travis's mom today. travis got all of the furniture and last few boxes moved down to the garage last night, so it was just me, the shampooer, and the carpets today. i didn't receive detailed instructions on the operation of the shampooer as i had used one before; dee just showed me where to put the water and solvent. let's just say today was an adventure. at one point the shampooer was making the rugs dirtier than they were when it began spitting out rug "fur balls" and dirt clumps. i panicked, cleaned the mess, and then went back to trying it out again. this time, it decided to explode water, dirt, and soap all over the bedroom walls, mini-blinds, and window. luckily the walls wiped down easily, and i tried my luck a third time. as they say, the third time is the charm, and it seemed the shampooer and i had worked out all of our kinks. i was able to vacuum all of the water and soap back up and shampooed my way to the door. it was a very lengthy process and my back was killing me by the end, but as i looked across the apartment on my way out the door, it was a very satifying experience. now to load it back in the car by myself ...
27 april 2009: everything must change.
nothing stays the same. so i said good bye to addison, and was thankful for the time off. it's our last week in the apartment -- we have to be out by the 30th. while we have gotten most of our things out of the apartment and have been staying at mom and dad's for the past week, there was still much to do, including cleaning. mom came to tulsa today and helped me clean for several hours. between the two of us, and the tiny size of the apartment, we were able to get absolutely everything clean in a few hours. all that is left now is the carpets. travis's mom has a shampoo-er that we are going to borrow. the couch is still upstairs. we've had so much rain that we haven't been able to move it. we're giving it to amanda and zach since they are moving into their first apartment and don't have any furniture. we should be able to get everything moved and the carpets finished by tomorrow.
24 april 2009: life after addison.
finally i feel as though i am living again! kate and roxie were great to take me out the day that i quit. they wanted me to be able to rant and also relax with a glass of wine. we had to drive around a bit so that kate could pick up her car from the dealership and return the rental and then we headed straight to the liquor store to pick up a couple of bottles of wine. the weather was perfect! it was sunny and warm, and we drove around with the windows down and the radio blaring. roxie had picked out songs perfect for my mood. she started blaring "survivor" by destiny's child and it was almost comical how perfectly the words fit. we listened to other songs and substituted "man" with "addison" or "job." all in all, it really was a lot of fun.
we got back to the apartment where the conversation quickly turned to girl talk and other things to take my mind off of addison. hours passed in the blink of an eye, and i still had the drive to muskogee, so while they prepared to go out for the night, i got in my car and headed home. when i got to the door of kate and nick's apartment, though, i was almost hesitant to open the door. it was as if walking out the door ended the life i had known for the past two years ... and in a way it did. knowing that i won't be able to run upstairs or ping kate anytime i have a question or funny story is so sad to me. i remembered all that i had endured in the past year, too, and found the energy to walk out the door.
we got back to the apartment where the conversation quickly turned to girl talk and other things to take my mind off of addison. hours passed in the blink of an eye, and i still had the drive to muskogee, so while they prepared to go out for the night, i got in my car and headed home. when i got to the door of kate and nick's apartment, though, i was almost hesitant to open the door. it was as if walking out the door ended the life i had known for the past two years ... and in a way it did. knowing that i won't be able to run upstairs or ping kate anytime i have a question or funny story is so sad to me. i remembered all that i had endured in the past year, too, and found the energy to walk out the door.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
18 april 2009: bridesmaids' shopping with the girls.
saturday was so much fun! travis and i had been packing most of the week and preparing to move to mom and dad's, and i felt like little was taking place for the wedding. i was in desperate need of a girls' day, and saturday was just that.
travis and i stayed the night at my parents' on friday night, so mom, sierra, and i could ride together for bridesmaids' dress shopping in tulsa. we woke up early, got ready, and headed to tulsa. we met jen, shannon, andrea, dee & amanda, kasi, and amelia at david's bridal. we already had a list of dresses that we wanted the girls to try on, and i had printed out pictures of the dresses and their item number. it took a few minutes to get everything set up for so many girls, but finally sarah took us back to the dressing rooms and mirrors. i also had the opportunity to try on my gown for all of the girls. much to my happiness, it fit!! i had been so nervous since it didn't fit when amelia and i picked it up. i was measured and pinned for the bustle and can't wait to see it all finished.
my original plan was for the girls to have the same dress, but for their colors to alternate between champagne and bronze. the store didn't have all of the gowns in the colors that we needed, so the girls were trying on a rainbow of colors! one of the dresses that was tried on was a deep, deep purple, almost chocolate color. all of our eyes were drawn to it, and while i kept thinking of the other color scheme i had in mind, that color still worked well with the wedding and i couldn't stop thinking of it. before the end of the day, we had decided to go with the darker colored dress and forego the champagne/bronze mix. i considered keeping the champagne and alternating it with the purple, but in the end, everyone felt more comfortable in the darker hue. it's important to me that the girls all feel good in the dress they wear and that they are able to have a good time the night of the wedding. everyone was so helpful throughout the day, offering to try on different styles, and making sure that i was happy with the choices as well.
i checked on the jewelry that i had originally tried on with the dress when my mom and i went shopping, and we decided to go ahead and purchase it. the jewelry and veil had really helped tie the entire look of the dress together for me, so i was excited to have it.
after shopping, we all headed over to panera bread for lunch. jen needed to get back to help with the rink and hudson, so she wasn't able to join us. when we got to the restaurant, i was sad that there was not an area large enough for us to all sit and visit. i think it was good that some of the bridesmaids were able to spend a little time together getting to know one another better, though. amanda and dee were at a table by themselves, and i went to sit with them. amanda has several weddings coming up this year. i can remember going through the same thing when i was her age. it seemed all of my friends were suddenly marrying, and i knew it would be some time before i was to join them.
after lunch, shannon, kasi, dee, and amanda had to head home. amelia, andrea, mom, sierra and i headed to the spa for pedicures. when we got there we all decided on mani/pedis and spent a few hours chatting and laughing. the massage chairs were unlike any i had sat in before, as the seat of the chair raised up and massaged as well. it definitely made for interesting faces as each of us turned our chairs on. i couldn't stop laughing when andy said, "it's touching my lady parts!" we all also decided to forego ever getting a massage with my mom as she started to make sounds from the foot massage she was receiving.
my mom and sierra had to cut their visit at the spa a little short as sierra was competing that afternoon for the miss paegent. they took my car to her event while amelia, andy, and i finished. the three of us were going to head to target to get the cute metallic flats jen had been wearing earlier with her jeans. (it was decided these would be worn with the dresses at the wedding since we will be outside most of the time). andy realized that she still had the drive to tahlequah ahead of her and she opted not to go to target in order to finish her drive before dark. amelia and i headed to forever 21 instead. i can't decide why they never have anything when i'm desperately in need of a cute outfit quickly ... but when i'm on a strict budget, they have nothing but things that i want to buy! mims purchased a dress for eric's sister's bachelorette party and then she headed off to do a little more shopping. my mom and sierra were finished with sierra's event, and had come to the mall to pick me up. the three of us then headed to target where we picked up sierra's shoes and finished our girls' day shopping.
i had planned to post a picture of the bridesmaids gowns that we selected, but unfortunately the website isn't allowing me to save the picture. i suppose you will just have to wait for the unveiling (pun not intended) at the wedding! i'm already looking forward to the next time we can all get together. it was exactly what i needed!
travis and i stayed the night at my parents' on friday night, so mom, sierra, and i could ride together for bridesmaids' dress shopping in tulsa. we woke up early, got ready, and headed to tulsa. we met jen, shannon, andrea, dee & amanda, kasi, and amelia at david's bridal. we already had a list of dresses that we wanted the girls to try on, and i had printed out pictures of the dresses and their item number. it took a few minutes to get everything set up for so many girls, but finally sarah took us back to the dressing rooms and mirrors. i also had the opportunity to try on my gown for all of the girls. much to my happiness, it fit!! i had been so nervous since it didn't fit when amelia and i picked it up. i was measured and pinned for the bustle and can't wait to see it all finished.
my original plan was for the girls to have the same dress, but for their colors to alternate between champagne and bronze. the store didn't have all of the gowns in the colors that we needed, so the girls were trying on a rainbow of colors! one of the dresses that was tried on was a deep, deep purple, almost chocolate color. all of our eyes were drawn to it, and while i kept thinking of the other color scheme i had in mind, that color still worked well with the wedding and i couldn't stop thinking of it. before the end of the day, we had decided to go with the darker colored dress and forego the champagne/bronze mix. i considered keeping the champagne and alternating it with the purple, but in the end, everyone felt more comfortable in the darker hue. it's important to me that the girls all feel good in the dress they wear and that they are able to have a good time the night of the wedding. everyone was so helpful throughout the day, offering to try on different styles, and making sure that i was happy with the choices as well.
i checked on the jewelry that i had originally tried on with the dress when my mom and i went shopping, and we decided to go ahead and purchase it. the jewelry and veil had really helped tie the entire look of the dress together for me, so i was excited to have it.
after shopping, we all headed over to panera bread for lunch. jen needed to get back to help with the rink and hudson, so she wasn't able to join us. when we got to the restaurant, i was sad that there was not an area large enough for us to all sit and visit. i think it was good that some of the bridesmaids were able to spend a little time together getting to know one another better, though. amanda and dee were at a table by themselves, and i went to sit with them. amanda has several weddings coming up this year. i can remember going through the same thing when i was her age. it seemed all of my friends were suddenly marrying, and i knew it would be some time before i was to join them.
after lunch, shannon, kasi, dee, and amanda had to head home. amelia, andrea, mom, sierra and i headed to the spa for pedicures. when we got there we all decided on mani/pedis and spent a few hours chatting and laughing. the massage chairs were unlike any i had sat in before, as the seat of the chair raised up and massaged as well. it definitely made for interesting faces as each of us turned our chairs on. i couldn't stop laughing when andy said, "it's touching my lady parts!" we all also decided to forego ever getting a massage with my mom as she started to make sounds from the foot massage she was receiving.
my mom and sierra had to cut their visit at the spa a little short as sierra was competing that afternoon for the miss paegent. they took my car to her event while amelia, andy, and i finished. the three of us were going to head to target to get the cute metallic flats jen had been wearing earlier with her jeans. (it was decided these would be worn with the dresses at the wedding since we will be outside most of the time). andy realized that she still had the drive to tahlequah ahead of her and she opted not to go to target in order to finish her drive before dark. amelia and i headed to forever 21 instead. i can't decide why they never have anything when i'm desperately in need of a cute outfit quickly ... but when i'm on a strict budget, they have nothing but things that i want to buy! mims purchased a dress for eric's sister's bachelorette party and then she headed off to do a little more shopping. my mom and sierra were finished with sierra's event, and had come to the mall to pick me up. the three of us then headed to target where we picked up sierra's shoes and finished our girls' day shopping.
i had planned to post a picture of the bridesmaids gowns that we selected, but unfortunately the website isn't allowing me to save the picture. i suppose you will just have to wait for the unveiling (pun not intended) at the wedding! i'm already looking forward to the next time we can all get together. it was exactly what i needed!
04.12.2009: easter sunday.
this year easter was a new experience. it was evident that life is moving and we are all growing. for the first year ever, the kids didn't all walk into the living room at the same time to see what the easter bunny had left us. of course, justin and lindsay weren't even at mom and dad's that morning since they are now married. mom and sierra were already gone to church and travis was already awake by the time that i woke up. i found mine and travis's easter baskets in the floor in my bedroom and he and i looked through them together. after i got up and around, i finished up the preparartions for the easter dinner. mom had already fixed everything, i just had to put a few things in the oven and make sure it was cooked before time to head to justin and lindsay's. we had decided to do easter at their house and her family was invited as well. their house was filled with her parents, her brother and sister, her grandma and grandpa (from her dad's side), my mom and sister, travis, and me. my dad didn't join everyone and that really made me sad.
we ate a lot of yummy food and watched marley & me. (on second thought, maybe it was the movie that made me sad -- just kidding!) after the movie was over, no one really stuck around for long. the moms helped get the kitchen back in order, and everyone headed their separate ways. travis and i stopped in at the lears', but we didn't really stay for long. amanda spent her first easter away from home this year as well and was in enid with zach's family. we left before long so that we could go home and pack more of the apartment. we decided at the beginning of the month that we would move out of our apartment in tulsa and move in with my mom and dad in an effort to save money, as well as aleviate a little of the stress. addison keeps getting worse, and i keep having issues with my health. i feel like my parents are hovering and going a little overboard, but they are truly concerned with my health and i think they'll be glad that i'm back home so they can keep an eye on me. the drive back and forth isn't something that i'm looking forward to, but travis seems really excited about the move in general; and he never has minded a drive. we shall see how it goes.
we ate a lot of yummy food and watched marley & me. (on second thought, maybe it was the movie that made me sad -- just kidding!) after the movie was over, no one really stuck around for long. the moms helped get the kitchen back in order, and everyone headed their separate ways. travis and i stopped in at the lears', but we didn't really stay for long. amanda spent her first easter away from home this year as well and was in enid with zach's family. we left before long so that we could go home and pack more of the apartment. we decided at the beginning of the month that we would move out of our apartment in tulsa and move in with my mom and dad in an effort to save money, as well as aleviate a little of the stress. addison keeps getting worse, and i keep having issues with my health. i feel like my parents are hovering and going a little overboard, but they are truly concerned with my health and i think they'll be glad that i'm back home so they can keep an eye on me. the drive back and forth isn't something that i'm looking forward to, but travis seems really excited about the move in general; and he never has minded a drive. we shall see how it goes.
04.06.2009: court's birthday at andy b's.
monday night court's family and friends got together to help him celebrate this year's birthday. we met up at andy b's for a night of bowling fun. the place looked phenomenal. jen, kate, and i had been there for a team meeting with addison; it has had a total facelift since then. i hated the pictures from that night and am refusing to post any of them, but we all had a great time together and are already looking forward to the next excuse to meet up again.
04.02.2009: court's birthday.
another special friend of ours celebrated his birthday on april 2nd as well. happy birthday court! in honor of his day: the top ten things we love about court
court collier ...
01. ... has a way of making everyone feel welcome
02. ... is an avid fan of xbox and halo
03. ... is outspoken for the causes he is passionate about
04. ... has a great sense of fashion
05. ... is a wonderful husband to jen
06. ... and is a terrific daddy to huds
07. ... can make you laugh with his sense of humor
08. ... loves to skate
09. ... is an incredible graphic arts guy
10. ... is one of the people we most regret not spending more time with
court collier ...
01. ... has a way of making everyone feel welcome
02. ... is an avid fan of xbox and halo
03. ... is outspoken for the causes he is passionate about
04. ... has a great sense of fashion
05. ... is a wonderful husband to jen
06. ... and is a terrific daddy to huds
07. ... can make you laugh with his sense of humor
08. ... loves to skate
09. ... is an incredible graphic arts guy
10. ... is one of the people we most regret not spending more time with
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