O'Christmas Tree, O'Christmas Tree.

Sunday afternoon a new tradition was born for the Grant family.  We drove to Motley's Tree Farm with Laura and Caleb and cut down our first real Christmas tree!  It was a unique experience walking the rows of beautiful trees until, bam, you see the tree you know was meant for your home.  Gary cut our tree down like a pro.  A tractor pulling a trailer with hay pulled up beside us, the boys threw our trees on, and  we headed back to the truck. 

When we got home we assembled the tree stand, filled her with water, and went to work.  I loved the time spent with Gary, listening to Christmas music (by the way the new Phil Wickham Christmas album is excellent, buy it on his website!), drinking apple cider, and trimming the tree we picked out.  It really is "the most wonderful time of the year."

Our house is ready for Christmas.  I'm looking forward to time with family, Christmas parties, Advent church services, traditions, holiday food, and everything Christmas!

Arkansas vs. LSU

Gary and I got home from Texas late last night and awoke early this morning to sell Razorback gear for Jenkins Enterprises at the game. Gary arrived at 5am this morning to help set up the 14 booths and tents (I didn't have to come until 9).

Laura, her mom (Carole), and sister (Mary Grace) worked a booth with me and Gary. Our booth was on the golf course in the midst of thousands of drunk tailgaters. As you can imagine, we saw some interesting people. However, it was fun to see how the state unites together to support our SEC team.

After half time we packed up our booth, loaded it in Gary's truck, and headed home (the girls that is, poor Gary had to stay until the end). And what an end it was! Arkansas (#12) beat LSU (#5) 31-23. Hopefully this win will take us to the Sugar Bowl.

After the game, the guys loaded up the remaining booths and took the merchandise back to their warehouse. 5am-9pm is a long day, even for these boys!

I'm proud I get to be a part of the company my grandpa, my dad, and my uncle built. Years ago they started out in the porta potty business. Now they import and sell collegiate merchandise for over 60 college teams! What a legacy.

Here are some pictures from our day:










This was the view from our booth:










The Hogs sure have loyal fans! Whoo Pig Sooie!!

Thankful.

Yesterday Gary and I drove to Ft. Worth to be with the Grant's for Thanksgiving. We arrived to a warm welcome and a comfy bed around 11pm.

This morning we ran the Dallas Turkey Trot. The race is either a 5k or 8 mile run trough downtown Dallas. It was very chilly, but 35,000 people came out to run. We finished in 1:25:00, (a good time, considering the slow start weaving around walkers, dogs and kids the first 3 miles).




After the race we stopped by Reid's (Gary's childhood friend) apartment for a quick visit.




Following a lunch of warm soup and a cat nap at the Grant's, we drove to Allen for Thanksgiving dinner at Gary's aunt and uncle's house. We had a nice time eating turkey and watching football with the family.













Today I've been reflecting on all the Lord has blessed us with this year. I am overwhelmed by His goodness. He's blessed me with an amazing husband/best friend, a wonderful family, the best friends in the world, a house, a successful business, loyal clients, food to eat, and clothes to keep me warm.

However, I realize not everyone has all of these things. So, tonight my heart is also heavy for those who are in need. I'm praying God will use us this coming year to share our blessings with others. May we never take these gifts for granted.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!

Wordless Wednesday

Pictures from the past week:















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5 IDEAS FOR FASHIONABLE HAIR STYLING

First of all we have to admit that long beautiful hair is the trend of this season! Besides long curly hair is the best basis for creating a new shape and mood.

Perfect wave.
If you want your wavy hair styling to look perfect rub styling mousse through the wet hair and dry them. Then use a curling iron. Locks have to be small but iron has to be large in order to make our hair-do effective. After all comb your heir with a brush to make curls become waves.

More volume.
Volumetric hair-dos always look bravely and stylishly. To create much volume dry your hair with head down. At last fixate the look with hairspray. You should spray it on the roots.

Old Hollywood
Retro hair styling is still in fashion. It is perfect for red carpet and for romantic dinner as well.

Up
To make your hair-do brave and daring backcomb fringe and put it backward. Fasten it with invisible hairpins. Such hair-do is a stylish and speedy choice for a night out or keeping the hair away from face during working day.


Accessories

Having long hair we can't help using accessories, such as hairpins, hair slides, fillets, hair hoops and hats. All these accessories will just underline the natural beauty of your hair.

Operation Christmas Child.

Tonight in our church small group we made a trip to the store to buy items to put in our shoe box gifts for Samaritan's Purse: Operation Christmas Child.  Gary and I bought school supplies, coloring books, candy, toothbrushes, soap, stickers, small toys, socks, etc. and filled 1 box for a 5-9 year old boy and one for a 5-9 year old girl. Epoch Church will be collecting them on Sunday and will drop them off to be shipped to children around the world for Christmas.  Watch this video, it brought tears to my eyes to see how much joy such a small gift  brought to these children.  Boxes are due by the 22nd, so it's not too late to make a box if you want to send some Christmas cheer to a child less fortunate than we are here in the US.

Tonight I'm thankful for our church.  The people there are such an encouragement to us.  They inspire us to strive to be more like Christ.  We're looking forward to a time of fellowship with them this weekend during a church wide retreat at Camp Peron.

Operation: Turkey and Dressing.

Once a month a group of girls that were in my social club at OBU gather for dinner somewhere.  It's a great way for us to all keep in touch and up to date on what is going on in each other's lives.  This month we decided to have a Thanksgiving potluck at my house.  Since I don't work on Mondays, I volunteered to make the turkey and dressing and the other girls brought the sides.

I have never cooked a turkey or made dressing.  I always thought turkey and dressing was one of those meals only your grandma was brave enough to try.  This was the perfect opportunity to branch out and try something new.  (Let's be honest, cooking in general is branching out for me.) 

So, I found a recipe for dressing, and I busted out the frozen turkey we got at Gary's company Christmas party last year (I know, technically that's not really "cooking" a turkey, but cut me some slack here), and I gave it a whirl.  Both the turkey and the dressing were a hit, and the fellowship with these girls was sweet.  Best of all, now I feel like I can cook anything!

Tonight I'm thankful for friends and food!  After this early Thanksgiving meal, I'm looking forward to the time we will spend with family giving thanks for all the blessings God has given us this year.

First Name: Tater, Last Name: Tot.

Friday evening Tate, one of my college roommates, came to visit from Texas.  Tate was one of my closest friends at OBU.  She, Laura and I were the 3 Amiga's.  With 5 hours between us, we don't get to talk near enough, so it was wonderful for Laura and I to get to spend an entire weekend with her. 

Our reunion highlights included:

-Attending a wine tasting party at my parent's house.

-Catching up over "chicken and waffles" at The Union.

-Showing Tate the salon's new location and giving her a cut and color.

-Antiquing at "Blue Suede Shoes" in Bryant.

-Flying Burrito.

-Dessert at Grant and Kim's for Grant's birthday.

-Making hair clips with the yoyo's we bought at "Blue Suede Shoes"

-Sleeping in till 11am.

-Showing Tate the Old Mill.

      

      

      

In other news, Gary is finally home for good after his trips to Gatlinberg, TN and Atlanta, GA.  A week and a half without him was rough.  It made me realize how much his presence effects my mood for the better.  Being alone in our house for that long was making me feel down.  When he arrived home for good early Saturday morning, I felt a wave of happiness come over me.  I guess it's true what they say: "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Stepping Up For Ouachita.

Thursday was a fun day for us at Katherine Grant Salon.  We arrived at work early to style 8 ladies' hair for the Dillards fashion show during the 1st annual "Stepping Up For Ouachita" women's luncheon. 

I was honored to be asked to serve on the "Stepping Up" planning committee this year.  When the idea for a fashion show came up at one of our meetings, I saw an opportunity to help by providing our hairstyling experience at KGS to polish off each model's look.  Both Laura and Kate also have OBU connections, and were gracious enough to also volunteer their talents to help.

Kelsey's hair styled by Kate for the style show.


Katherine Grant Salon and Jenkins Enterprises went in together to purchase a table at the luncheon.  Our table held: My mom, Gary's grandmother (Betty Jo Grant), and his Aunt (Shirley Hardin), Brooke Hayes, Laura Shaefer, Molly Banks, Karen Watts, Kate, Laura and myself.



Brooke and Mrs. Laura.



Molly, Mrs. Watts, and Mom.

Me with Gary's Aunt and Grandmother (both OBU Alumni).

The luncheon was held at the Chenal Vallley Country Club, and the money raised will go toward providing scholarships for the women of OBU.  During the luncheon, the Dillards' style show featured fall trends modeled by Ouachita women.  Miss Arkansas (OBU Alum) closed the style show, modeling a purple formal gown.  Rebecca Jones, the style show emcee, was kind enough to give our salon a shout out at the beginning of the show.  All of the women looked beautiful, and we were all proud to be a part of this new OBU tradition.

After the luncheon, Kate, Laura and I enjoyed a glass of wine and appetizers at YaYa's, followed by some down time shopping at the Promenade at Chenal, before going back to work at 5. 

Friday night Mom and I had a mother/daughter date with Brooke and Mrs. Laura.  We had dinner at the Capital Bar and Grill, followed by shopping at the Jr. League's annual Holiday House.  I didn't buy much, but I enjoyed spending time with them looking at all the neat stuff. 

Yesterday after work, I watched the Hogs whoop up on South Carolina with the fam at Mom and Dad's house.  John Allen came  home with two friends from OBU and Jessica brought her new boyfriend, Richard. 

Today is a lazy Sunday for me and the animals.  Gary has been in Gatlinberg, TN at the Smokey Mountain Gift Show since Wednesday.  I'm looking forward to having him home Tuesday night!