Thankful all year long....

I wanted to wait until after Thanksgiving to write my T-Day post. Because let's just face it, nothing makes me feel more warm and fuzzie inside than a house decked out in lights and trees! Not to confuse one holiday with another (no worries there will be a separate holiday decor post) but there is just something that hits me in the days after Thanksgiving that really makes me realize what I am thankful for. But more importantly than when I make this post is the reminder to be thankful throughout the year, not just on Thanksgiving Day. I know I tend to get wrapped up in everyday stresses and often forget to slow down and enjoy life along the way.

Now the list spreads from trivial to grandiose and I am sure I will forget a few things, but right here in this moment, this is what I am thankful for:

- A career that I love and a business that is booming
- My beautiful doggies
- Hugs and kisses from my beautiful niece & that my future niece is growing strong and healthy in my sis-in-law
- Starbucks
- Great friends who really know you
- An awesome relationship
- My staff
- My memories of my grandparents
- A wonderful home
- Supportive parents
- The love of my life - and that he totally gets me and brings to the table everything that I am lacking - we are a perfect whole
- Having my mom as my boss
- Christmas music
- Mani/Pedi's
- My beautiful bridesmaids
- My brothers and their wives and kids
- Fab accessories
- My ability to and love of dance
- My fiancé’s family and how loving and welcoming they are of me
- Being a daddy's girl - still, at nearly 27
- Everyone that is helping me plan the wedding of a lifetime
- Love & Life and so so much more!

Happy Thanksgiving - all year long!

Man's Best Friend

"Be the person your dog thinks you are..."

Monogrammed Mayham

I don't do anything in life half*** - I mean, half way... I either go big or I don't go at all. This has proven true with my love of leopard print, my realization of rhinestones and my monstrous obsession with all things monogrammed/embroidered. Seriously people, I LOVE a good monogram!

And with my new last name coming in just 4 months I am trying to embrace any and everything monogrammed - now as crazy as I might sound or that my fiancé might argue that I am - I do know where to stop. My house has 'hints' of leopard print and while I may have more hints that others; our home certainly does not look like the animal kingdom... yet :)

The same applies to embroidery -

As far as bags go, there is no limit, because clearly we only carry one bag at a time. Here is one that I am loving right now:


As far as clothing goes - robes and after shower wraps are a must - how else are we supposed to tell the leopard print robe from the dull black terry man's robe? Can I get an amen here people!? Here is a pic at my bffs wedding last year and the lovely leopard monogrammed robes she got the girls as gifts. So cute!


And this is from my other BFF at my last bridal shower - do these girls know me or what?!


Now household items are a little different. This is where less as more comes into play. You could seriously do your entire house, but I aim for the 'hints' here and there or for one big bang. Here one of my high school friends Melissa whet for the big bang approach and I LOVE IT!!!


And our new little ice bucket that I just got! Whoohoo!


Here are some other monograms I love – not that you should do all of these by ANY means!







With Christmas coming up and a birthday right before feel free to check here for my monogrammed wish list! :)

Happy Halloween!

Please excuse the short post today...

My parents are having a halloween party tonight and my day is going to be filled with making a pumpkin barf guacamole, making sweet nutter butter ghosts and baking 48yummy mummys, oh and finguring our what Spencer and Heidi would wear if they were going to my parents party tonight...

Oh and pick up dry cleaning for tomorrows wedding, clean kitchen, spray tan... and maybe shower ;)

Happy Halloween Yall! Hope it is a fun and safe weekend for all!

Life Lately...

I'MMMMMM BACCCKKKKK!!!!

Did ya miss me?!

Today is one day shy of a month break from blogging. Not that I planned to take a break, there has just been a lot going on lately.

One of the sweet families at the dance studio lost their 17 year old son in a very unexpected accident. They have three other children; 2 that are very active in our studio and one that is college aged. This was of course an unbelievable loss for this family, but also for our dance family. Ryan was a great brother and was always around cheering on his sister or playing a part in their family car pool. Needless to say he is greatly missed. Over the last month I have spent my blogging time doing laundry for the kids, cooking meals for the family and organizing help for them, clearly that was my priority. But now, as they start the healing progress I finally feel like blogging again. So here I am...

I can't believe in a few days November will be upon us... so scary!

October was a crazy month! I didn't even have one weekend 'off.' And by off I mean with out something to do for one day.

It was an exciting month however!

Here are some of the things that occupied my weekends...


My first Bridal Shower with my dance studio students and here with my sweet hostess...



Showing off my china!


Ricky and I's trip to Chicago for his 10-year reunion...


and to visit our BFF's Matt and Alli (Allison how did we not get a pic together the entire trip)

SMU Homecoming in which I was cheering on the sidelines... I do not have any pics of this, because after 10 mins there was a tornado and we had to evacuate... only in Texas.

Any 2 of my student’s competition in their first pageant - we got 1 winner and 1 1st ru... not too shabby, congrats girls!!!


And this weekend won’t disappoint –
Friday -Halloween Party at my Parents
Saturday- Pageant Friend’s Wedding
Sunday-MPFO Brunch followed by Halloween
Whoo-hoo I am glad to be back!

New or Want... both!

There are a few things as the top of my list as far as needs in our home.

1 being a king size bed...

2 a new couch...

Now our house is on the market so we are waiting until the big move to get these two things, but I am hoping it happens sooner than later so I have already started shopping around. Since my sweetie and I have COMPLETELY different decorating styles this is sure to create a "heated discussion" among us. He would rather live in a clean, modern museum than a chic, rich and lavish home. But as he is learning with wedding planning, it is easier to give me what I want than to fight about it. Sounds like we are gonna have a great marriage right ;)

Here are a few swoon-worthy couches! Too bad they can’t be on our registry!












Love them!!!

34 years and still kickin'...

***I have been working on this post for over a week now, I just haven't been able to find the time to finish it between running a business, planning a wedding, selling a house, being on a 10 year reunion diet, oh yeah, and sleeping. So without further delay - a week and a half too late anniversary post for my parents!***

Today my parents celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary. Wow. Congrats mom & dad, what a wonderful example of commitment you have set for me. When Ricky & I get married at the start of next year we will have been dating 2 months shy of 7 years. I feel like that is an eternity. I can't wait to know what 34 feels like or 50 for that matter.

I often think back to what my parents were like in this stage of their relationship. Where they nervous, excited, how did they know each other were 'the one.' Were they anxious about having kids, did they already have kids names picked out, what where their dreams as a couple. I feel like I think about these things more and more as Ricky and I get closer to embarking on this journey of our own. We are both so blessed to come from loving families that value the family unit. It was something that was very important to us when seeking a life partner and I couldn't be happier at how well the two families have accepted each of us into their own and even bonded together.

Even though kids are not happening anytime soon, I often think of what our children will be like. Who will they look like, what will they learn from us, can they please have Ricky's math skills and my love for dance - will they be healthy, have goals and build a great life of their own? So much of who I am I gained from my parents. I look like my mom - blonde hair & blue eyes, I have similar passions with her - dancing, shopping, dancing, shopping.... But I feel like I have inside attributes of my dad - I will talk to anyone, I have his kind heart, I am sensitive. I feel like I am a wonderful little mix of both of my parents wrapped up into one. And I hope our kids are just like that.

Wedding anniversaries are such milestones. They mark growth and change - children growing up and parents growing older. They mark job losses and gains, family vacations and new homes, they mark pets and challenges and happiness.

But most importantly they mark love. Happy Anniversary mom & dad. I love you.

Oh Texas...

Texas is notorious for bad weather. If you aren’t from the lone star state you may not be familiar with the saying 'if you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait five minutes and it will change.'

Well today seems to take the cake of all things weird. So far today we have had over 8 inches of rain (with more on the way), flash flooding, tornados, sunshine, no rain, more rain... the list goes on.

And to make matters worse, my dogs are as prissy as me and *do not* like getting their feet wet. I haven't been able to get one dog to even go outside at all, where the other dog would creep onto the patio, look back as if to say 'I don't think so mom,' then come back in.

Here is to hoping for a little less water tomorrow!

PS - Please excuse the bad picture, I took it with my phone.

Live Fully

Goodbye Summer!

Life has been a bit of a blur lately - I took a trip to NYC with some of the kids from the dance studio to take class and see shows and right when I got back we had two days before starting into our fall dance year. Not to mention the fiancé got a great new job, but it requires him to take our laptop to work each day so I have pretty much been unable to blog. But now that I am back and the studio is in full swing and freshly organized I will have time again for my wonderful blog.

So many great things have happened this summer and man... it FLEW by. Guess it is time to kiss sleeping in, reality tv and weeknight wine goodbye as I shift into work mode again.

Stay tuned because I will be touching on some summer highlights over the next few days!

Congrats!!!

Congrats to Nicole-Lynn with Sea Side Smitten for winning my giveaway! Please email me your address at livinginleopard@gmail.com and I will get your fab prize sent off!

GIVEAWAY Won, GIVEAWAY Given!

Monogram's and Embroidery.... 2 of my favorite things. I am borderline obsessed and don't feel like there can ever be too many monogrammed items in one's position. I have always been a fan and have several bags and blankets embroidered and now have a rekindled obsession with my approaching new last name on the horizon.... a new reason for embroidery! Ekk! I am a little concerned for my future kids things, al least they will always know it is their stuff due to the fact that their name is sewn on it! I was so excited to win the Three Monkeys Monogram giveaway the other day and snag these two beautiful hand towels with my soon-to-be last name initial on them and much to my surprise a special little cross hand towel thrown in as well! Pink, animal print and embroidered... could it get any better? Head on over to the Three Monkeys blog and check out all the cute stuff she has for everyone!



Speaking of giveaways… tomorrow is the last chance to enter my giveaway! I barely have anyone entered so your chances are great to win! Guess not many people like rhinestones as much as me!

Lemon Corn and GIVEAWAY Reminder!

My favorite summer side is grilled corn. Not only is it easy to throw on the grill with some burgers, but it is also easy to dress up or down. My favorite way.. lemon pepper, YUM!


First, buy the corn with the husks already on. Peel them back and remove the silks from underneath. The place the husks back around the corn and soak in water for about 15 minutes.



Then place directly on the grill for about 20 minutes. That’s it.... SO easy!



Peel back the husks and dress anyway you like it! I have a new love for butter, of course and lemon pepper seasoning. It is light and tangy, but really refreshing and so so yummy on a hot summer day.


Don't forget my GIVEAWAY ending this FRIDAY!!! Enter to win here!

FAB FRIDAY - GIVEAWAY - Rhinestone Headphones

HELLO FAB FRIDAY, Long time no see!

I am so so excited to announce my first giveaway today! YEA! Honoring my return to sanity, I mean blogworld, I thought I would offer all my fabulous followers a little giveaway! Enter to win these adorable headphones complete with RHINESTONES!!! Who doesn't want to add a sparkle to their life... whether you are working out or laying by the pool these little beauties will complement your ipod perfectly!



Giveaway entries will close Tuesday, July 20th at midnight.

DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL FRIDAY JULY 23 @ midnight!
How to win this fab prize...

Become a follower of LIVING IN LEOPARD, RELAXING IN RHINESTONES publicly and leave a note in the comment box (1 entry)

Blog about the giveaway and post link in comment box (1 entry)

Post a link on facebook or twitter and link back to it in the comment box (1 entry each)

Here is to wishing everyone a fab weekend! Good Luck!

Cocktail Dress Love Affair....

I must have been a princess in another life or maybe just a fab socialite; because I have a small obsession with cocktail dresses. If I could wear one everyday, I would... however, that might make teaching dance to 3-year-olds more difficult. And though my years of Miss Texas and as a frequent wedding guest I have managed to 'need' a new one for every event so in all actually I probably have enough that I probably could wear one every day (with only one or two repeats)!

Well on the eve on the Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale (another post entirely, ekk!) I scoped out a few of my favorite cocktail dresses for this season and praying (yes, God believes this is important) they are all discounted drastically. Because ya know with wedding plans in the near future I am SURE I will NEED just a few more. So, don't be surprised if you see some of these beauties gracing my body at showers, our engagement pictures, maybe our rehearsal and who knows what else!




















Which ones do you like?

Happiness...

Things that make me happy...

starbucks gift cards
a clean house
my doggies
cleaning out my refrigerator
naps
the picture in my head of my dad walking me down the aisle
rhinestones
ricky
bffs that really know me
wedding planning
pedicures
my little niece ella and my new niece or nephew on the way
getting my car washed
non cheesy leopard print
when ricky does the dishes after I cook
winning national champ's with my dance kids
my dance kids amazing families
babies laughing
cheat day venti coffees from starbucks
new kick ass pumps
ricky
anniversary sales at nordstroms
my bridesmaids
new candles
working with my mom and being so close to her
having an offer on our house
days off in the summer when I can sleep til 10 and not feel bad
ricky
pink nail polish
summer days spent in sun dresses
going to the grocery store for a big trip
snow cones
floating in the pool
my future in-laws
Erica's beach house
living a life I can be proud of

and anything else I forgot. I live a very blessed life and most of the time I forget to count all those small blessings, but today I will count a few!

Pageant Pasture

Well I have been out of town for the last week (updates will follow on that later in the week) but the day before I left I was at the 75th Anniversary of the Miss Texas Pageant. I know I have blogged about Miss Texas before and my involvement this year with the Miss Texas Dance Troupe; which went off without a hitch by the way! But being back at Miss Texas this year was both weird and nostalgic.

First off it was so weird being on "the other side" of pageant land. I was a contestant for the better half of my teen years and young 20s and all of the 'officials' were always so untouchable. I was always on my best behavior around them and always seemed to be trying to impress them or get on their good side. Well this week as I walked in with a name badge that read MTO I felt... just a little bit cooler. I was a MTO official, WEIRD…COOL… WEIRDCOOL! After all, Miss Texas approached me to run this program. It was like going back to a class reunion after you have made it big... Now that I read this it sounds totally lame, but for that one moment in time I felt totally cool.

Another thing that was so weird is that I hardly knew ANYONE competing. Seriously the babies that were just starting teen when I was in my last year are now MISS contestants, I understand this now makes me officially old. They refer to the has-been girls in pageant world as “out to pageant pasture,” or 'formers' if they are being PC, but in my case I felt WAYYY out to pasture!

Being around all those little beauties made me reminisce about the fond memories I had in the MTO. Not only did I earn a ton of money for school (I only paid $300/semester at SMU... normally 15-20k/semester), get to fine tune my interview skills (which would later help me beat out 800 applicants to land my first real job after college), learn how to be a poised and rhinestoned obsessed young woman, but most importantly make some lifelong friends. Us pageant girls are a unique breed; it seems like no matter what our background or where our out of pageant interests lie; that we all hold that common bond of protein shakes, butt glue, gift rooms, Larkin Page, 5 inch heels, experiences, and evening gowns; and what a truly special bond that is!

I made so many great friends over my years of competing in pageants. One of my bridesmaids, Rebecca and I met when we won our first pageant together when we were only 14 years old. Our families bonded instantly, as did we, and now 12 years later I am looking so forward to having her by my side on my wedding day. Danielle another pageant girlfriend and lifelong friend of mine will be singing in our wedding and others like Lynne is always up for a night on the town or to help celebrate a birthday. I am so thankful for my years in pageants and what they taught me, but I am more thankful for the relationships I built along the way and how they have continued to grow and develop even now that we are all out to pageant pasture!

Happy Birthday to You...

Happy Birthday to my sweet, amazing, wonderful fiancé!

I hate that I am not there with you (I left for San An today to take my dance kiddos to their national dance competition) but wanted to give you a little blog shout out!

Ricky and I haven't shared very many birthdays with each other even though we have been dating a little over 6 years. His birthday fell on the Miss Texas Pageant the first 4 years we were dating and on this nationals for 2 others, so the ONE birthday of his we were together I threw him a big surprise party. And my bday is 11 days before Christmas, or final exam week for SMU law school (my last 4 birthdays) and undergrad the one before that. So Ricky if you are reading... I am totally due for an awesome surprise party this next year, wink, wink...

As I prep for the LONGEST day of competition tomorrow I couldn't help but think about my special man on his special day. It was literally love at first sight as I saw him across the room and asked to be introduced by a mutual friend 6 years ago and here we are, planning our wedding. I could not imagine my life without him or picture a more perfect, wonderful man to spend my life with. He is the calm in my storm, my voice of reason, my reason for love and he makes me laugh...

And when I am 80 I can't think of any two better things to have shared with your life partner, love and laughter.

I am so thankful for him and to celebrate another wonderful year of his life.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses...

Hello Blogworld, sorry for my short term hiding. I have had a crazy last month, but am almost done... I promise!

I don't think I have touched base since before Memorial Day! Wow! So bad.

Well my fiancé was working on a big trademark project for the BBB so he was taking out laptop into work everyday, excuse 1 why I haven't been able to write.

Then for Memorial day we headed to the beach with some of our dear friends, Ricky's Best Man and his girlfriend Erica, for a much needed weekend getaway. It was a blast, but also served as excuse #2.

Then we put our house on the market, #3...

I had my recital... so amazing but seriously like 4 days of nothing but work. #4

Then I had a week off whoo-hoo.... But Ricky has been studying for the bar, so while I was pool side and off lunching with friends he was working on the good ole computer. #5

And then I had the most insane week of my life. We started back summer dance, had nationals rehearsal and had Miss Texas Dance Troupe rehearsal.(excuse #6, #7 & #8)

So today and tomorrow I will be wrapping up the Miss Texas biz, Wednesday I will leave to take my kids to nationals for a week and THEN I will be WHOLE HEARTEDLY BACCCCKKKK! Whoo-hoo! I can't wait. Maybe, just maybe we should do a giveaway to celebrate my return!

HELLLLO JUNE!!!

Wow... it feels like forever since I have been here. Don't hate me, sorry! These last few weeks have been crazy for us. Ricky has been working on some important stuff regarding trademark laws for the BBB and has taken our laptop to work almost every day, boo. Not to mention we have been getting the house ready to put on the market TODAY... and having done it for the first time I think it is more work than actually moving... and I am over it! ha!

However, we did have a wonderfully refreshing weekend away with some great friends and were able to celebrate 6 years of dating bliss together. Whoohoo! So glad that we will be newlyweds during the so called '7 year itch'! I promise a full recap later this week of our trip to the beach with Ricky's Best Man Jon and his sweet, sweet, sweet gf Erica!

I am a little overwhelmed with all of the fun, exciting, exhausting stuff going on in June... here are a few of the highlight... hope we get though it and that I have a few moments to blog between them all!

June:
June 1st - House on the market!
June 1-9 - Last 2 weeks of dance!
June 13 & 14 - DCJ Recital!
June teens... - Ricky study's for Bar Exam, summer dance starts, Find a home, book a wedding band, REALLY start the wedding diet...
June 30 - Ricky's 28th Birthday (and I really old enough to be with a 28 year old?! I’m in denial about my own age I think!!!), Miss Texas Pageant, Divas National's Competition


Whoo- that's all for now! Here is to a slower month than May! ;)