Belt Buckles, Blue Jeans, and my Bucket List!!!

I have been a major George Strait fan since my high school. I remember the first time my high school sweet heart played "The Chair" for me. I swooned! I was hooked! Shortly after that I joined the George Strait Fan Club so I could get priority seating at his concerts. Back then, fan club members got to buy tickets early, but you had to buy them from the box office at the venue the day they went on sale. I took off work to stand in line and get my tickets!  I remember having 6th row seats one year and 2nd row another!

During that phase of my life, I loved to wear Roper jeans, Ariat boots, and whatever cute top I could find. I had a pretty awesome belt buckle (I think I still have it!), too. One year, Mom bought us each a George Straight jacket at the concert. I still have that too! Mom and Dad also got me a life size cardboard version of George for my birthday one year. They stood him up in the corner of my bathroom. It startled the bajeebies outta me when I went to brush my teeth that morning!.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I decided I would raise her right and make sure she had a firm appreciation for George Strait. I put on my mental bucket list that I wanted to go to a George Strait concert with her and my mom someday. I figured he'd still be touring by the time she was old enough to appreciate it, around age 8 or 10.

His final tour is happening right now! The second leg of the tour begins in January, 2014, and ends at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium later in the year, date to be determined. I'm sure the date is determined, but just not released to the public yet. These things take LOTS of planning and I'm sure the date was set a LONGGGG time ago.

Fast forward several years...

A couple of Fridays ago I had a surprise on my pay check. A BIG surprise. The amount was like two and a half times what I normally make! Obviously there was some kind of error, so I went about researching the issue. It turns out it was not an error at all. Since I had moved from California to Texas, the company cashed out ALL of my paid time off!

At first I was somewhat upset about it. I had plans for the bucket of days off I had accumulated! I needed time to sew my daughter's Halloween costume, time to prepare for Christmas, and possibly time to move into our forever home. That all came to a screeching halt as I would not have the hours banked to take the time.

Right as I'm stewing about my PTO mess, my friend emails me with a screen shot of the George Strait Cowboy Rides Again Tour logo. The subject line read "Got $600?" It turns out, our company's annual Employee Giving Campaign has an auction. People donate items to it. Employees bid on things and the proceeds go to charity.

There were EIGHT minutes left when Rob sent me the email. By the time I went to the website, there were four minutes left. I tried to bid, but it said I had to register, which meant I needed a credit card. Hubby was out doing errands, so I called him and tried to explain the situation all auctioneer style what was going on. He told me where to find the plastic and I feverishly typed in my bid, right under the wire.

Guess what? I WON! I WON! I WON!!!

My heart was beating so fast! I was sweating! I wanted to CRY! I was shocked and stunned and so happy! What a ride! From the emotional roller coaster of anger (thinking my company had botched my check), to frustration (realizing they hadn't and I no longer had any vacation days left), to the suspense of the auction, to pure elation over winning!

I am hoping my mom will be able to make the trip out here for the show, but we'll have to wait and see.

Do you have a bucket list? What's on it? I would love to know!

Tea + Nirvana = Teavana!

Thanks to Teavana, my love of tea has been renewed!

Hubs, our girl child, and I ventured out toward Austin, Texas this past weekend. We went to the famous Salt Lick BBQ for lunch (YUM!), then went to the mall to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. While we waited for the movie to start, we walked around the mall to check things out.

This mall was much different from the one back in Chico, California! It was more like what I am used to seeing in San Jose, California with some upscale shops (Vera Bradley, The Art of Shaving, to name a few) interspersed with the standards (The Gap, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works).

As we turned one corner, hubs was hoping I wouldn't notice TEAVANA! They were sampling at the door! Of COURSE I had to stop! There was kind of a clog at the front of the store, where the samples were happening, so I squeezed by the people there and let myself into the store to check everything else out. To my tea-lovin' delight, there were lots more samples! A gal greeted me and started to take me around to each of the 8 or 10 sample stations, describing each of the teas to me and asking how I liked them.

My most very-favorite was a blend of Strawberry Rose Champagne & Peach. They had added some rock sugar to it as well, which enhanced the natural flavors rather than overpowered them.

I installed the Teavana app on my phone right away and quickly started creating blends I thought sounded ah-mazing! I also got signed up on their email list, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram...yeah, I'm kindda obsessed! I can't wait to try the Pumpkin Spice Brulee. I mean, c'mon! That has happiness written all over it, right?

Do you enjoy tea? What's your favorite kind of tea to drink?

A Confident Heart - Online Bible Study

I have no idea how I stumbled upon the Online Bible Study (OBS) for A Confident Heart, by Renee Swope, but I'm so glad that I did! It is an online bible study with connection points such as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. I like the fact I can do the study in my own time, but still be connected with others who are also participating in the study.

I am an Excited Newbie. This is my first OBS. Today's blog hop poses three questions:

1. Is this your first study?

 Yes. This is my first Online Bible Study. I have the book for the next study already. I downloaded it a couple of years ago and am looking forward to reading it, studying it, and absorbing it, along with other women.

2. Why did you sign up? 

In many ares of my life, confidence is not an issue. I can stand up in front of a group of people and talk without being nervous. I was a corporate trainer for 5 years, attended Toastmasters, and gave the weekly greeting at my church back in California every week. I also teach Zumba (funny story about a "confidence" eye opener later, watch for a new blog post soon).

Sometimes I doubt myself as a wife and mom. I also look back at so many failures in home based businesses and wonder if I really can make it. When I say make it, I mean replace my corporate income and then some.

Having just moved across the country and not having any friends here, I am excited to make some kind of human connection, even if it is virtual!

3. What do you hope to gain during our study?

I believe my mission is to help people (including myself), be the best they can be, inside and out. I hope this study will give me the tools I need to give myself that extra nudge of confidence, as well as share what I learn with confidence. 

By the way: It's not too late to join! 

The study officially begins this Sunday, October 13. All you need is the A Confident Heart book, a journal & pen, and a Bible! I hope to see you there!