I surrender!!!



I've given up!  Ok, maybe I haven't given up but I am surrendering.  I surrender all wedding planning to my wedding coordinator.  It's hard enough trying to please everyone, but it's even harder trying to please them while I'm 300 miles away.  My amazing fiance keeps reminding me that it doesn't matter what everyone else wants, all that matters is what I want.  But I'm not that person. 
Believe it or not, I'm a giver.  I don't think I've always been a giver, but more recently I've put others before myself.  I'm trying to live a 'saint-like' life so I guess that's why.  But at the end of the day it's like "DID YOU NOT SEE WHAT I JUST DID FOR YOU!  HELLO!! A LITTLE CREDIT HERE"  But I'm not getting that credit and it's not important that I do.  It's more important to be an example of service and faith.  My boss suggested I read this book, Jesus of Nazareth, so hopefully that will provide some insight for me.  How did Jesus handle always being the good guy?  I know he threw that fit in the temple, but on an everyday basis, how did he suck it up and keep on keeping on?




St. Isabella of Portugal
Patron Saint of Brides
Pray for me!

My fiance is also a giver and sometimes we clash.  For example: He had a 5 gallon jug of gasoline and offered to put it in my car (free gas!) and I said "no, no, put it in your truck".  And he was hurt that I didn't take his offering.  But I thought I was sacrificing and putting him first.  It was funny when we talked about it at the end of the day, he told me "if someone offers you something you take it".  He has told me that before so I guess I'm not getting the message.

Got off track there, sorry.  So I'm hiring a wedding coordinator!  That way everyone can get mad at her if they don't get their way. 

As I interviewed her I asked a few questions:

a) What about your job do you love? 
     her answer: "the details, I love each and every detail coming together to create your wedding.  I love your happiness at the end of the day"

GREAT answer.  I'm a detail person and it's the details of this wedding that are driving me crazy.

b) What is the one thing you notice brides always forget or overlook? because I feel like I'm forgetting something
     her answer: "When a bride hires me we are always on track and nothing falls between the cracks, but the one thing they don't do is take my advice.  They hire me as a professional and don't listen to my professional advice so that's one flaw some brides have." 

I thought that was a good honest answer.  I could see myself telling her I know best and then my decision ruining the wedding.  And what's the point of paying her 20% of our wedding budget if I can't let her do her job.  Then I'll look like a fool TWICE! 

I really do like this chick, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to hire her.  Her fee is 20% of the wedding budget, but at this point I'm ok with that because this planning process is not fun for me right now.  Knowing she's in charge will help keep things fun and relaxed!



St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Patron Saint of Young Brides
Pray for me

 Living Life to the Fullest with a support team of dedicated women!

-Rachel

Favorite Bloggers Part 2

Time for another set of bloggers I adore.  These are 4 home decor and home renovation ladies.

Website

Holly reblogs from fellow bloggers.  I love that because it helps me find new blogs and new inspiration!

Holly does do alot of crafts on her own as well.  Like turning pallet boards into ART! 




Another blogger:

Click image to visit website

This chick is intense.  She has TONS of posts, tons of sponsors and she shares other bloggers through 'link parties'.  

From this

To this!!

Seriously, check out her blog you'll be inspired for your home and your blog!




One more with alot of sponsors:

 I found Anna through Pinterest.  She posts about house cleaning with simple and natural products.  She also has great organizing ideas.  

  

 I look forward to trying out her ideas when I have a house of my own!  But first - the Move!!


Last blogger for today, 

Another chick with alot of sponsors and great ideas.  Sarah is pretty funny because she'll take pictures of herself completing a project and she'll be so embarrassed because she has no make up on.  But really - who would wear make up when sanding and painting?!  However, I can totally relate so I like her.  

From this

To this

Of course, I hope you continue reading my blog but I do hope you visit the blogs of these fabulous women!  Enjoy!!




Next time I'll share with you my favorite style blogs!

Living Life to the fullest, one inspiring blog at a time!

Sharing is Caring

Have you heard about Kony 2012? 

My 15 year old sister sent me a Facebook request about Kony today.  And then my friends at Dateless Until I Do wrote a blog post about it as well.  They included a 29 minute video that I started to watch, but the tears were flowing so be warned!

The author of this video begins by pointing out that due to the internet, social media and facebook we can share everything today.  And when you look at Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ you realize people are very willing to share.  It's almost addicting.  But then, when it comes to war, murder, injustice and the loss of human rights - who is willing to share their view on that?  Especially when it isn't our war and our personal human rights....

I've realized if I want my blog to be a platform of my life and what I find important than I must be true to myself and share this with you.   I'd share it with my family, the Man and my friends so I'm sharing it with you.  Watch this video

I also want to share with you an amazing book I recently read. 

It was given to me by the Man's sister.  His sister is an incredibly loving stay at home mom who volunteers her time with the Church.  I was shocked this small town mom would find a book about a person and event halfway around the world!  This book ,"Left to Tell", is about the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  Not exactly the bedtime reading that I am familiar with.  But don't worry this book will not give you nightmares.  Instead the author, Immaculee, passes along her courage, faith and passion for Living Life to the Fullest!  If you need a copy of this book feel free to borrow mine!  But purchasing this book online ensures the funds go towards the recovery of the people of Rwanda. 

In the mean time, learn about Kony 2012!  Hopefully someone has already shared this with you and you can share it with someone!

Chatty Cathy

• Sometimes you hate being the single friend.  
• Sometimes you wish you hadn't stood by your friend on her wedding day and had actually objected and didn't "forever hold your peace".
• Sometimes you wish you didn't encourage your girl friend to get back with her boyfriend when they are having that big fight.
• Sometimes you want every night to be Girls Night

<-- Cathy the classic 'single girl'

  

But sometimes you love being the single friend.

• You love knowing people are thinking of you when they get an extra concert, movie or sporting ticket.
• You love that you're the one your friend can call on Valentines when their husband is out of town on business (hey- sometimes Valentines Day is a week day).
• and,        I personally love that I'm the friend my girls can text late at night when their guy is laying by their side fast asleep or in the room watching a ball game and not paying attention to them.  Cringe all you want you know it's true.

See?  Girl friends will talk about feelings when your guy doesn't... Photo Courtesy

This is a reminder to my future self ....don't forget your single friends! 

They were there for you when you needed them, they wanted to be in your life then and they probably want to continue to be a part of your life. 

Life Life to the Fullest with your True Friends!

Why I love Bloggers

Today I caught up on some blogs.  It is amazing how relevant the blogs I follow are to my current life situation. 

A few examples:

Can You See the Future? written by a dear friend and mini-San Antonio celebrity, Nan Palmero
I love that Nan chose to share these words of inspiration with us.  I find myself encouraging others and was recently told by a friend: "I miss you, you inspire me to be a better version of myself".  I love Nan's title for this blog because while relationships (friends, family or business) are built on the past it is more important to build them FOR the future.  Please visit Nan's article and be inspired!!

Pumpkin Beer - warning, article title is a teaser!  This is written by another San Antonio friend, Choco Valdez.  It was nice to read that he and I share similar views about trying new things.  His main point is as follows: "Now, when someone asks me to try something new, like pumpkin beer, ... I jump at the chance to go because I know I will meet/see someone interesting, or get to experience something different."  I've written a blog about this point and it's nice to see that a) someone else feels the same way I do and b) I have people in my life who value the same things I do.  (kinda proves I'm not crazy)

I am a runner written by a woman I only know from Social Media outlets but she is a woman I find relating to on many different levels.  We have a mutual friends, she works at my past University, loves cooking and eating food and is a active member of my past San Antonio social media life.   This blog was an amazing read for me!  If you're a struggling runner like me, considering reading this blog and relating to her struggles and inspiration!

If you enjoy these reads please consider following my friends' blogs!

Being Nice is Good Business

I just finished reading and commenting on this Nice Guy Blog. I also re-tweeted it so that others could read along. But now I must continue the discussion in my head. Cara Stewart with Remarx Media left the following comment for Peter:


"Peter, after reading this post, I don’t know whether to cry, cheer or break something. You’re right on. I’m nice. And female. Which translates into “she must be weak.”... I always take the first call, meet for that cup of coffee and share a piece of advice that could prove useful to someone. I participate in my community. I trust employees, clients, friends and relationships. Until I no longer do because they’ve proven that they’ve crossed that line; they confuse nice with weak and take advantage or worse...."

I didn't even think of it from a female point of view! But this is extremely valid - it's difficult being a female in the work place vs. being a man. Women can be portrayed many different ways in the work place. A few examples:
a) the 100% complete b*tch - as a woman I am not afraid to say this person does exist
b) the woman having a bad day and people still call her the B word - again, sad but true
or
c) the really nice girl who gets walked all over (and quietly hides her fangs)
Most of the men I've worked with show off their 'fangs' weekly and not to benefit the company, just to make sure everyone knows they are the ones with the bigger fangs. *Note: this is not the case in my current working environment - for those of you who know the men in my workplace, you know they are the nicest guys...and my boss is a woman.

A while back a friend of mine commented on my tweets. He said it was like an extremely happy cheerleader was typing them - overly excited, overly happy, borderline annoying cheerleader. I don't consider myself overly happy - I am happy, but I do see the negative in the world. This person is not a very positive person to begin with. He obviously wasn't reading into my tweets or clicking on the links I Re-Tweet. He would see my avatar pop up, put the high pitched cheerleader voice in his head and portray me in that way he felt fit.
This person is actually a personal friend of mine who I haven't seen in 2+ years. We reconnected on twitter, but we haven't physically seen each other in a while. We've both changed during our absence. He's been traveling the world and I've established myself as a career woman. He might remember me as this overly optimistic person (and heck- I'd love to be that girl again too) but as Peter says in his blog: Nice people have fangs too.

Like I mentioned earlier being a woman with fangs can come across in different ways than a man with fangs. Men are the "hunters" who are out there "killing" for profit. While in some cases it's the women who comforts the client and builds a true B2C relationship. I'm going along with Peter and Cara, I'm going to be the nice person I genuinely am. That's the way I want to do business. I will love my job and my clients better if I am acting as my true self and being true and nice is good for business.

Why Women hate cars

Everyone dislikes things they don't understand such as: dumb people, taxes, and for women - cars.

I just don't understand why we are supposed to pay $20k++ on an item that we KNOW will break down.  We KNOW it will need new tires at one point and it WILL need oil every few months and it might just stop STOP WORKING all together one day and they only way to fix it is to get screwed over by a man who thinks you're in idiot for not changing the oil (which you are - well, I am) 

I just don't get it.  When I buy a new pair of pants it comes with extra buttons in case one button falls off and when I buy a new phone it comes with at least a 2 year warrenty in which I can take it back for a brand new phone....those 2 years are just enough time for technology to change and a new phone/contract to be purchased and signed.  But the hunk of metal I call my car needs gas EVERYDAY and I have to change the oil every 30,000 miles...(isn't gas made from oil - why both?) and heaven forbid the tires go flat - it may be one tire, but they sell you 4 anyways! 

When you purchase a car we should get extra tires along with a 2 year supply of gas and maybe some of that stupid oil.  I doubt it really costs 20k to actually make those cars - how much is pure profit anyways?  Save the flashy super bowl commercials for someone else - I'd like to buy mine wholesale. 

Ok, I know the 'gas' you put in your phone is the electricity and I do pay my electic bill but still.  My legs aren't broken and after I use my car to move me into my new house, I'm locking the doors and letting the birds have it- as I walk to work everyday! 

go urban.