live like no one else...

if you're familiar with the dave ramsey mantra, you know that you could finish that sentence with "so that later you can live like no one else."  this has been the philosophy of the pfeifer household since november of 2011 when we decided to enroll in financial peace university.  i remember when we were preparing to enter into matrimony, we received a lot of unsolicited advice from well-meaning parents, married friends, pastors, grocery store cashiers (you get the idea.)  everyone added their two cents (ha) and there were varied pearls of wisdom, but one thing that almost everyone agreed upon was that we had to address our money issues and come up with a solid financial plan.

we both knew of dave ramsey and were vaguely aware of his principles, but we wanted to expound on that and when the class was being advertised that day in november at mass, i knew this was the time to go for it.  though financial peace university is offered in a classroom setting, we opted to do the class online because of our crazy, abnormal life.  (i highly recommend this option for couples in alternative settings, as it allows you to work at your own pace.)

through the fourteen weeks of the course, we learned everything from setting up an emergency fund to investing and developing our kids' college funds.  we tackled the tough issues like what amount of debt had each partner brought into the marriage and what was our financial lifestyle philosophy.  we had conversations we never would have had and we came up with a logistical map for our future.

we completed the class two weeks ago and i can say that it has been life transforming.  i am fearful of what would have happened to us in the future if we had never taken this course...i can tell you with total assurance that it wouldn't have been good.  just three months in to the program, we have compiled a $1,000 emergency fund and we have paid off four credit cards, cut them up, and closed the accounts.  we now budget and pay cash for everything we do and we are on track to be completely debt free in february of 2014.

now, let me tell you, this has not been easy and we have had to make sacrifices.  i came from a world in which i had major retail credit cards and you just CAN'T LIVE without a credit card - what about emergencies?!?!  (as in, i have a cocktail party next weekend and it is an absolute emergency that i go find an appropriate outfit.)  i have been a victoria's secret vip angel member for the last five years and today i cut it up...you think that was easy?!  but it is my new way of life...

BEFORE: endless supply of sequined swimsuits, miracles bras, and lacy panties!  oh those rewards! translation: high interest rate, always spending, never really owning what i purchased anyway...

AFTER: no more borrower being slave to the lender, buying things from victoria's secret outright, and no more racking up stuff on the card to get my measly little $10 off coupon.  FREEDOM!

i am not sharing all of this with you to sell some sort of gimmick, but i always feel it is my responsibility that if something has greatly changed my life, i need to share that with others.  this lifestyle can set you free, give you peace of mind, and free up your income so that you can invest, spend, and give it away.  it gives you excitement and motivation for the future and opportunity to build wealth, so that you can impact the community and pass on a great legacy to your children.  it takes an incredible amount of sheer self discipline and it is not always met with eager approval.  many people will shake their head and many people will question why you aren't spending your money...they will say you're not normal.  well seemingly, "normal" is broke, so i don't know about y'all, but i don't wanna be normal!!!

i will use this blog to update our progress and share any insightful tips i might find along the way on saving money and investing.  i am THE biggest personal finance nerd!!!!  (but proud of it.)  in the meantime, go check out dave's site and explore.  it will change your life and your family's life as you know it.

best dressed golden globes

hope you managed to catch one of my favorite events of awards season on sunday night!  ricky gervais was slightly entertaining, the speeches and nominees were for the most part interesting, and the presenters were fun to watch --- but let's be honest, we're really watching for the fashion!  i don't know about you, but i do think it would be delightful to step into the louboutin's of guliana rancic for the evening.  i love watching the e! red carpet pre-show before all of the ceremonies, it is truly probably my favorite part.  this year did not disappoint in the least and here are my nominees for best dressed of the night in no particular order:

STACY KEIBLER - VALENTINO.  this dress is divine!  i love everything about it, and out of all the dresses, this is the one that i would have chosen for myself (as if i had the opportunity to attend such soirees.)  the color is red hot and fantastic and the bow accent is both chic and adorable.  she was glowing on sunday night (something tells me this has more to do with being george clooney's gf) but anyhow, she was radiant!

JESSICA ALBA - GUCCI.   absolutely stunning!  but then again, i've come to expect it from this bombshell.  with a body like hers and that angelic face, it would be hard to make a mistake.  i think this lilac color suits her coloring perfectly and the embellishments add the right texture.  i think this dress is both feminine and distinctive.  

SOFIA VERGARA - VERA WANG.  spicy!  latin women just know how to turn it on, it's just in their blood to be incredibly sexy and gorgeous.  the mermaid cut of this gown is so unbelievably flattering and she truly resembles a siren!  the jewel tone is so complementary to her skin tone and the intricate detail at the bottom is a work of art.  

CHARLIZE THERON - DIOR COUTURE.  there were some haters for this dress, but i happen to think charlize looks like a goddess.  i am partial because i think she is one of the most breathtakingly exquisite women on this planet.  so statuesque!  i love the ethereal quality of this look.  i think she nailed it with the color palate, hair, and makeup.  she is one of the few modern starlets that has that old hollywood glamour about her.   

tory burch, why must you do this to me?

any other tory fanatics out there?  i, for one, love the TB brand in all its tunic, color-washed, patent-flat glory.  i don't really have the funds to support this habit so i mainly dream about sitting on a yacht in st. tropez wearing an aquamarine tunic and my jack rogers sandals with a mojito in hand.  i just love tory's approach to design and i wonder if she was thinking she might be a powerhouse designer as she strolled along the campus as a young kappa alpha theta co-ed at the university of pennsylvania...all i know is, i shall be a lifelong devotee.  i am in a fit of envy over her 2012 resort collection as it is inspired by santa fe - another great love of my life.  so in order of the new collection, i wanted to express some love for tory and show a few of my faves:

new obsession

by now, many of you might have heard of kendra scott jewelry, but i am a recent newcomer to the brand. let me tell you, i have not been this excited or enthusiastic about a product line since i don't know when!  my fashion-savvy girlfriend, cori, introduced me to the brand and was even generous enough to buy all of us bridesmaids a set of earrings and necklace for her wedding in december.  she kept telling me, "you have to check out this jewelry, i think you would really like it.  it's so YOU!"  time went by and i forgot about it, because i try to avoid checking out retail since i am on the dave ramsey plan - more on that later...

today i finally checked out kendra's website and i am dying!  i am enthralled with everything!  this chick knows my style.  the use of vibrant color, unusual design, and statement pieces is incredible - plus she's a texas girl based on austin.  this jewelry will seriously get noticed...and i'm all about that.  i always figure, why make the effort to put on jewelry if no one will even notice?  those little tiny post earrings...nope not for me...i like a little va-va-voom.  however, if you don't like gigantic earrings; no big deal, kendra's got something for everyone.  my favorite feature of her site is the color bar, where you can custom design the jewelry!  how genius and inventive is that?  i have already decided that all the ladies in my life will be getting a custom-made kendra piece next christmas.  i've had so much fun designing today!  definitely check that out. below i have included some of my favorite kendra scott pieces for you to feast your eyes on:

offshore wife part II

prayer works!  i was raised from the dead and i recovered from my debilitating illness and i finally received a phone call from mr. pfeifer!  my heart can now rest in peace.  though we are not out of the woods yet.  my husband was due to arrive tomorrow and now he says it's one big cluster down in trinidad and they have no idea when their reliefs will report, so he could be coming home anytime.  ?#$%!!!!  do you ever want to wring someone's little neck and shout, "what is going on down there?  if a woman were running this ship, it would all be running smoothly!"  these guys have already been gone for a month, completely missed the holidays, and now their fate is "undetermined at the moment."  but alas i shall regain my tranquil demeanor.  the fact of the matter is that he is alive and well and will come home to me eventually.

there is something to be said for the fact that absence does make the heart grow fonder.  i am thankful that our relationship has little chance of growing complacent, stale, or commonplace.  when you're in this situation, you have to make each moment count.  as a true romantic, i am also secretly grateful that i still get to have those moments where i nervously perch on a chair at the airport awaiting a glimpse of my gallant gentleman as he pushes through the crowd to find me.  truth be told, to this very day, i still have that exhilarating feeling in the pit of my stomach and i always anticipate how our "meet-cute" will transpire.  it is like falling in love all over again.  

i am thankful that in this world of seemingly non-committal, instant gratification seeking, emasculated men; my husband is not afraid to be cavalier or honorable.  and i am immensely indebted to a man who despite the age of impersonal text messages (UR 2G2BT :) and rapid modernization, he still ends a crackling, international, short-lived phone call with, 

"and don't forget, when i get home, you're gonna put your best dress on and i'm going to take you out dancing!"  

january book club

hey all you bookworms!  if you're looking for some reading material, please join me in my current study of amor towles' debut novel "rules of civility."  i have been looking for my next read for quite sometime, and this book made it onto several "best of year" lists.  i have only read the preface and chapter one, but thus far, i am loving the rich character description and great gatsby feel.  on that note, if you ever have any good books to recommend, please pass them along to me!!!
i am always looking for a good book...

the life of an offshore wife

happy new year everyone!  hope you're enjoying ringing in the first few days of 2012; as for me, i am sick as a dog and alternating between my bed and a scalding hot bath tub.  unfortunately, it seems i caught the flu and it is a viscous version.  thank goodness my fever broke this morning, but i still feel achy and the only time i plan to exert any energy is the moment that my delivery of chicken noodle soup a la jason's deli arrives.  i have discovered the only thing worse than being sick...is being sick alone.  you just never really knew how good you had it when your mother was around to lay a wet rag on your head, bring up all your favorite dvd's, and wait on you hand and foot!!  unfortunately, my family is 6 hours away, my  mother-in-law is in italy, and my husband is somewhere off the coast of trinidad.  

truth be told, i am getting a little frustrated living the life of an offshore wife.  i have gladly done the drill for the last 19 months and have seldom complained; for it is the only life we've known together.  when people ask me what it's like for your husband to be gone every other month, my eyes usually light up as i quickly extoll the remarkable benefits of having "me time," traveling, spending time with friends and family, watching my horrible television shows without protest, letting the house go, my husband making good money, etc.  however, yesterday i hit a breaking point where i finally have to admit that this is hard.  

i knew it would be difficult for my husband to be gone over the holidays (he left december 6) but preparing for christmas kept me busy and we had a beautiful, white christmas in my hometown which was lovely. after returning to san antonio, i set about all my energies to preparing for my company coming into town for the alamo bowl (go baylor!) and generally speaking, i didn't have time to think about my other half missing for these occasions.  plus, the entire time we have been together, we have never spent christmas, new year's, or a birthday together so you just kind of get used to it.  i started becoming agitated after the alamo bowl because it had been four days and i hadn't heard anything from theron (typically the communication in the carribean isn't first rate + if they're running out to a rig, the phones don't work) and then came the inevitable what to do for new year's eve.  our friends were gracious enough to invite me out to see a show at floore's (and i did have a genuinely good time) but it was kind of miserable being there alone surrounded by couples clinking their champagne glasses and kissing at midnight.  never occurred to me before, but new year's eve alone might even be worse than valentine's day?  though selfishly immature, all night i kept thinking, and this is why i got married so that i wouldn't have to spend any more nights like this!  then, as aforementioned, came the great bubonic plague of 2012.  which leads me to the present, haven't heard from my husband in eight days and wishing he was home to take care of me.  

my aim for this post is not to create a "woe is me" agenda or have you feel sorry for me, but i am trying to be honest and be relatable for others who might be in this situation.  i recently had a girlfriend comment to me, "your life is just so perfect!"  and i adamantly replied, "HA! what kool-aid have you been drinking?!?"  life is certainly good, but i want to whole-heartedly dispel the myth that it is perfect. i think in any situation, you just try to do the best that you can do and focus on the positive...at least that is what i try to do.  i have decided to create somewhat of a support group for other wives that are in this same predicament where we can vent or just lend some encouragement.  i am under the assumption that military wives have something of this nature, but obviously we do not fall into this category.  i feel there is a real need for offshore family support and it is something that the companies are really lacking.  and in all reality, i know it is not a solitary situation that i face; it is an issue that every community needs to address.  when i think of all the single moms out there busting their tails to make a good life for their kids without a partner, i am in awe of their courage and endurance.  going back to the two greatest commandments, "love God and love others," it is my goal this year to do just that.  

if you are the wife of a policeman/firefighter/military personnel/offshore officer and you have any stories or advice please share!  also say a little prayer tonight for my husband that he is okay and will make it home safely.  last, but not least, cherish your family and the people you love every day.  

the christmas queen!

hope y'all had a marvelous holiday filled with friends, family, laughter and a whole lotta food!  i must say that this christmas was exceptional in every sense of the word and i feel so blessed to be surrounded by such lovely people and given the gift of baby Jesus.  isn't funny how as you get older spending time with the people you love and going home is all that you need for christmas?  one of the reasons that i love coming home is that my mama works super hard to make sure all of us kids come home to the cozy house we know and love.  for those of you who don't know my mama she is a firecracker and a little cRaZy, but i have always loved her zest for life.  when it comes to christmas, this lady leaves every square inch of space covered, no detail overlooked, and the folks at hobby lobby are friends.  this post is dedicated to my mother, who's style of warm, eclectic, homespun decor makes me as proud as a peacock! here's a little sampling:

                           

november always reminds me...

to be thankful for life's blessings.  big and small.

my dad is awesome...

sometimes you just need a little dose of tough love.  

miranda!

her new record - four the record - drops today.  yayyyyy!  and she was fantastic on the today show this morning....LOVE this girl!

i couldn't have been the only one who saw this coming...

looks like kim kardashian & kris humphries are headed for the big d, and i don't mean dallas.  if my trusty hometown newspaper confirms it, it must be true...

what a joke, no respect for the sanctity of marriage.  couldn't they have given it more than 2 months?  i guess when you have glittery ponies, three wedding dresses, and helicopters at your wedding things are D.O.A.  like many americans, i watched the two-part e! wedding special and i saw bad omens that this relationship would tank (how uncomfortable was the rehearsal dinner where the betrothed didn't even sit together?)  i am appalled that this wedding earned the kardashians an estimated $18 million profit, yet i still watched...don't really know if i want to follow this family anymore?

texas book festival

this past saturday, i had the privilege of volunteering at the texas book festival at our state capitol.  if you're unfamiliar with the festival, it was started up 16 years ago by my FAAAAAAVORITE first lady in the world, mrs. laura bush.  ah, i just adore her.  anyway, it turned out to be a beautiful day, as evidenced by my iphone photo of the texas capitol:

i found out about the festival through texas monthly and i thought, "hmmm...i don't have any weekend plans and this sounds like it's right up my alley!"  i was assigned to the google technology tent, which i soon discovered was not my forte.  i had to spend the entire afternoon convincing people of the magical, liberating, and dynamic powers of the e-reader (irivers, kindle fires, nooks oh my!) when i positively detest the idea of having one.  i realize this is the direction the world is going, and like many associates at google assured me, "you'd love having one on an airplane!", i still can't shake my old soul ways.  i need to smell a book, i need to feel it in my hands, i need to write my name and the dates i read it in the front cover, i need to dog ear the pages, i need to write my notes in the margin, and i need to place it in its alloted space on my book shelf.  (sounds more like a love scene in a telenovela i realize, but i do have a passionate affair with my books.)  as you can see, the tech tent was not a good match for me.  next year, i shall do author escorts.

the increcible part about the festival was that all of these remarkable authors were in attendance and from what i am told, it is a huge honor to be invited to the texas book festival.  i was giddy at seeing all of the people's names from texas monthly - mimi swartz, jake silverstein, and paul burka and i couldn't believe my eyes when i saw that sarah bird, molly shannon, and paula deen would be there!  surely by now you do know that paula is one my icons?  side note: before i married my husband, my grand plan in life was to move to savannah so that i could marry bobby deen and have paula as my mother-in-law...i'm not even being facetious.  i didn't get to meet her, but i did buy her new book which promises to be tasty and phenomenal.

one of my favorite parts of the day was going to tall of the cooking demonstrations and i sat in a fabulous one by virginia willis, author of bon appetit y'all.  she was gracious, kind, and a firecracker and she used to head up culinary arts for martha stewart!  she's from georgia, but she's french trained so she mixes the two to create her cuisine.  i am DYING to try out some of her recipes.

VERDICT: this festival is a must do!  who wants to join me next year? 

theron's music!

hope everyone is having a good day out there!  i thought i'd shamelessly plug my love's band for a sec because i happen to think he is uber talented.  i might be a tad bit biased, but i'm just so proud of him!  he has been playing for the last eight years and along with playing piano, guitar, and harmonica he is also a tremendous singer/songwriter.  he writes about his own experiences or things and people that have inspired him along the way.
 he has just released his debut album TEXaS FoReVEr and it's now on iTunes!  fun fact: tracks 8 & 11 are about the author of this blog.  if you're in to folk/americana/texas country, you should definitely check him out!

you can also visit his facebook page THERON & THE OLD QUARTERS and become a fan!  i know he would really appreciate it...

maggie sottero

cool thing about buying your wedding dress from maggie sottero? she just might put you on her site! 

click HERE to see the rhiana royale in all its glory and hear my "say yes to the dress" story.  

open letter to courtney kerr

as i mentioned in my previous post, i was a consistent viewer of bravo's "most eligible dallas."  it's not the proudest moment of my life, but somehow this series found its way into my little world.  when i saw the previews for the show, i thought it was somewhat tacky and tres cheezy, but my interest was peaked because i wanted to see how bravo would portray texas and i also had a good friend who dated one of the main characters and we were curious about that as well.  out of all of the characters, i gravitated toward courtney kerr.  though i thought she had some unabashedly rude moments coupled with lingering (and very difficult to watch) insecurities, i applaud her for having gumption, sticking to her guns, always lighting up a room, dressing to kill, and being what i like to call a real girl's girl.  one of the main story lines of the show was the relationship between courtney and her "best friend" aka love of her life matt nordgren - a former ut quarterback and man about town.  the finale on monday night led us to believe that matt & courtney had FINALLY decided to give it a go after all these years, but watch what happen live with andy confirmed that matt was a D-A-W-G and screwed things up with courtney.  apparently he's hooking up with rh beverly hills housewife taylor armstrong?  weird.  though it is entirely none of my business and a little creepy that i care so much, i thought i'd offer my best advice to courtney:

Dear Courtney,


I grew to love watching you sashay through Uptown and ride the magic carpet of a pretty young Dallas socialite on Monday nights.  So many of your perils reminded me of myself and when you spoke of your longing to find a good man and that you truly believed he was out there somewhere, I resonated with that because I believed in that dream myself.  You had a certain indelible quality about yourself, a panache of sorts.  Your fearless fashion sense coupled with your mane of enviable locks made everyone take notice.  However, it was your grit and moxie that was most admirable.  You weren't just a dumb Dallas blonde looking for 15 minutes of fame, you were actually smart and sarcastic.  


Watching your relationship with Matt unfold was touching (and I really was rooting for you two), however most of the advice you doled out to others, you hardly took yourself.  It was blazingly obvious that you were madly in love with Matt.  From your jealous showdowns with his other women to your insistence that he was the man in your life, you weren't fooling anyone with the "just friends" rhetoric.  Come on Court, haven't you seen "When Harry Met Sally?!?!"  Men and women can't be "just friends."  Not if you're really close anyway.  The way I see it, Matt (like so many men who have come before him and will inevitably follow) wants to have his cake and eat it too.  He likes to keep you around because he genuinely enjoys your company and "loves" hanging out with you, but he isn't willing to give up his harem of women.  Yes, timing is everything and maybe "someday" you guys could work it out, but do you want to wait for someday?  What if someday never comes and you find yourself 42 years old still pining over Matt Nordgren when you passed up the opportunity for someone to come sweep you off your feet and treat you like a real man.  The problem is if Matt is always in the picture (as he has been for the last five years) you will never be able to make room in your heart for that man.  


Please don't think I'm scolding you or telling you what you should do, but in this situation, I know from which I speak. All you have to do is read this blog to figure that out.  Like you, I was an independent, educated gal loving life and having a great time, but I was always attracted to (and therefore relentlessly chasing) men who were really fun, energetic, ambitious (all good qualities) but alas completely emotionally unavailable.  I spent years trying to do the right thing and be the right person wondering why I wasn't good enough.  I then spent ANOTHER two years trying in earnest to convince a man who I was absolutely crazy about to love me.  Like you, I thought I could be the one woman to get him to settle down and be monogamous, but my attempts were futile.  I can't explain it, but one day I woke up and the world just looked a little different to me.  I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "What the sam hell are you doing?!?  You've got to stop wasting your time sitting around waiting on a man to change.  You have to love yourself and know that you're enough.  You have to believe that there is a man somewhere on this planet who will think you are the bee's knees and the only girl in the world."  I started to believe that message in my core, I got rid of the toxicity, and I started to live with the hope that all I had to do was be myself.  Literally, less than six months after making that decision, God delivered a man who fit every single one of my criteria, writes songs about me, tells me I'm gorgeous when I wake up in the morning, and works diligently to make all my dreams come true.  I didn't have to twist his arm or give him an ultimatum to marry me.  He asked me to marry him 118 days after the night that we met and when I asked him why he did it so soon, he replied, "Shannan, when a man really loves a woman he cannot bare the thought of her being with anybody else."  


So there you go Courtney.  I just think you're too wonderful and beautiful to be chasing some silly boy around with hopeless devotion in your eyes.  You're so much better than that and you've got to believe that! 


Hope to hear your love story one day,


Shannan

i've missed you darlings...

dearly! i'm sorry i haven't blogged in so terribly long. i took some time off to get hitched, set up house and the like, and just didn't seem to have the inspiration to write. it's not that there wasn't anything noteworthy to document, it's just that i didn't have it in me to write about it. i have noticed that my blogging is an adequate picture of my life - ebbs and flows, anti-social and extrovert, fast lane and country pastures - so i let this little blog get away from me a bit and everytime i thought about returning, i would think thoughts such as, "no one reads that anyway!, you've lost your touch!, and God knows you have more pressing items on your to do list!" but the truth is, i like blogging, i really do. i like writing and it's as therapeutic for me as playing the guitar is for my husband. i like being apart of the "blogging community" and i love reading all of the witty dialogue that all of you bloggers come up with every day. so yes, i think i will officially sit a spell and reconvene shannan's southern comfort.

to get reacquainted, i thought we'd play a fun little game of Q & A so that i could put all inquires to rest and catch up on the last few months.

1. how was the wedding and how's married life?

it's hard to do the wedding justice, it was just beyond. i still plan to do a wedding post, and i wanted to do it sometime ago, but i was waiting to get my pics back. finally have those, so no more excuses. me being a reasonable gal, i tried to have some level of expectation management with the wedding because i didn't want to be let down when my big day was just lovely and not blockbuster, blow-your-mind life changing. the honest to God truth is that it was better than anything i could have ever imagined. i was just so proud of my mom for pulling the whole thing together and i was (and am still) overwhelmed at the amount of love that was assembled that night. to have all of your friends and family at the same place at the same time is just fantastic. i am only regretful that i couldn't spend more time with everyone. being mrs. pfeifer (still not used to that) ain't a bad gig either. ha. my husband is truly wonderful and marrying him was the best decision i ever made. i didn't settle and i took to heart what carrie bradshaw said, "maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them." i loved that quote because it meant so much to me. i met my match and now we are navigating through this adventure together.

are you still teaching? if not, why not? and what's your day job?

no, i am no longer teaching 2nd grade at el dorado. i had already accepted the job before i even met theron so there's no way i could have predicted what would happen. when we became serious, we discussed the fact that i would probably need to find a job more flexible so that when my husband is home we could actually spend time together. for those who don't know, my husband is a merchant marine and works offshore in the oil business. he works even time which means he's off for a month, but is gone to trinidad and tobago for a month, which means he's gone 6 months out of the year. at the time, we were also fairly certain that we would be relocating to s. america for his job. thus, we made a joint decision that i would not go back for the 2011-2012 school year. though i loved my children and co-workers dearly, i'm not sure that i had the nervous system to be an elementary teacher. for those of you in the biz, you know what i'm talking about. i may go back someday, but it would have to be under different circumstances. now i'm in a transitional period trying to figure out what my life's calling is all about. in addition to his shipping job, my husband is also a musician, so i'm his manager and i handle the merchandising, booking, and general business of the operation. i'm working on a market research project for a private home builder that is about to do some awesome things at baylor university. and i'm trying to break into the free lance writing world. i'm also volunteering with the texas book festival, communities in schools, and san antonio rodeo - three things of which i am EXTREMELY passionate!

what's buzzworthy on your radar right now?

well...bravo tv is where it's at! i'm not sure there's another network that can compete in my world. hook-hook-hooked on all those brain zapping "real housewife" debacles. never quite succumbed to dc, miami, or atlanta but if beverly hills, orange county, ny, or new jersey is on, i'm there! i'm not proud of my taste in television. it is certainly not thought provoking, chic, or moving. it's trash! my husband abhors that i watch this stuff (i think he's frightened that in our dave ramsey household, i will start to covet houses in the hamptons and $25G sunglasses) but i have tried to explain to him the beauty of escapism. i'm also addicted to "most eligible dallas" which should aptly be named "most vapid reason i don't live in dallas." haha all in good fun dallas friends! but seriously, can you believe that finale? back to RH, anyone in the greater san antonio area who would like to join me for the new jersey reunion, come on over! i make special cocktails and themed food based on the show! in the literary world, i am subscribing to town+country, vanity fair, cowboys&indians and garden&gun currently. i am also reading "outliers" by malcom gladwell and "women food and God" by geneen roth. i am loving shopping for great deals at homegoods, nordstrom rack, and never paying full price for anything! i am having fun trying out new restaurants in my city and spending time with good girlfriends over a margarita! and i am cooking every conceivable recipe from my pioneer woman cookbook!

what are your goals for the future?

right now i'm dreaming of renovating my old 1800's farmhouse on my 20 acres of rolling hill country land. brushing a pretty palomino and running my fingers through his hair. chasing my raggedy, muddy children around in the yard. becoming a pretty
amazing cook. checking off my travel list. writing a book. meeting the authors i really admire. paying off all our debt and becoming financially solid. doing something good in this world, even if no one ever hears about it.

you must see "the help!"

i'm fairly certain that most of you, especially those of you belonging to the book-loving, southern variety, have already heard about this little phenomenon called "the help," but for those of you who haven't...get out from under your rock! i just saw this film tonight and it inspired me so much i just had to blog about it! it is truly the best movie i have seen in quite some time. and that is coming from an extremely harsh critic! like millions, i read this new york times best seller months ago and have had quite the inner-debate going on as to whether it could possibly match the literary sensation's standards - and it did! my only two other films in that category: gone with the wind and to kill a mockingbird. i couldn't believe how well the screenplay had been adapted. interesting little credit tidbit, i noticed that nate berkus - as in design guru discovered by oprah - was an executive producer. interesting.



anyway, the reason i found this movie so compelling was that it seamlessly brought to life the rich characters of kathryn stockett's novel in a way that was profound and moving. the attention to detail was immaculate, from the character's jackie kennedy/doris day wardrobes to the descriptive attention paid to southern cuisine, everything was dead-on accurate. although i'd like to identify most with the protagonist heroine "skeeter phelan" - we do have a few things in common: journalism degree, wistful hope of writing a book someday, beau who works offshore in the oil business, and although we routinely find ourselves in the company of sorority loyal, thank you note writing, junior leaguing, pearl adorning women; somehow we always feel like a complete impostor - my friends think otherwise!


the archetypical jackson woman at bridge club...let me tell you, that bryce dallas howard can play a real witch!

feeling all skeeter-like and ready to submit a feature story to the san antonio express news, my girlfriend who saw the movie with me exclaims, "ya know, you reminded me so much of celia foote!" celia foote? the white trash, nouveau riche blondie from sugar ditch, mississippi who is barred from all social events and can't keep house or cook to save her life?!? can't be...but then my mind flashed back to the scene a few night before when my in-laws came over for dinner and i had tried so hard to entertain. i stuffed all of my messes into the nearest closet, put out all of my finest wares from williams-sonoma and even picked out some flowers for a centerpiece. i set the table the best way i knew how (junior cotillion and robert spence were good for something!) and prayed that my mother-in-law (a true cosmopolitan woman from new york city) wouldn't grimace at the sight of all of it. ambitiously, i decided to make chicken fried steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and cobbler all from scratch! dear lord, you should have seen me double dipping my steaks and spreading flour all over the dang place, i probably used 20 bowls! meanwhile, standing in my "i kiss better than i cook" apron, my husband remarked, "can't we clean up while we cook and not create such a mess sweetheart?" with steam coming out of my nostrils and eyes turning red, i berated, "I WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND SPENT MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON THIS MEAL, I HAVE BEEN SLAVING AWAY IN THIS KITCHEN SINCE TWO, I AM SWEATING AND COVERED IN FLOUR...AND YOU EXPECT THE HOUSE TO BE PERFECT!/!?@#$!" so yes, i can see why the comparison came so effortlessly. i am utterly a mess at becoming a domestic diva. the way everybody has to make such a big deal about it when i cook, nodding, smiling, offering up encouraging words like "we're so proud of you" and "you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble" really does put me in the category of mrs. foote. but i will say that girl always has perfectly coifed hair and she's got spunk!


ecstatic upon hiring the only maid who will actually agree to work for mrs. celia

without giving too much away, the heart of this story is the relationship between the maids and the white children they look after their entire lives. it is a relationship that is far stronger than that of even the child and his own parents. i assure you that this uplifting movie will stir your heart and call into question the courage of your own life. enjoy!