"I married a Good Ol' Boy..." (&VintageCrushPhotoShoot)

Great. I'm "That mom". Myself from about 5 years ago is shaking her head. I feel like I should just put it all out there and define my 'box'. Like every other person in the world, I like knowing which box I can put people in, because it makes me feel secure on my stance and where that person is, how I can define them. This is completely ridiculous and unhealthy, but when you describe someone's personality, its exactly what you're doing. So, since we do it anyways, I'll explain. You can put me in the God box. The sewing box. The running box. The wife/mom box. The craft box. The styling box. The hair box. The makeup box. And, regrettably, the healthy eats box. I say regrettably because there's a fine line between eating healthy, and going off the deep end. Looking at my fb profile this morning, Doug says I've gone off the deep end. I don't feel I have, but if your fb profile makes a quick statement on who you are, then yeah...I guess that might be accurate. This is where I need to explain. I really like nutrition and am passionate about food, I really love finding an amazing recipe. I love finding how these foods work together, and the benefits each present. I'm not trying to save the planet, panda bears, whales, nor create world peace. I love food, and I want food to love me. So I'll keep my interesting facts to a minimum, so everyone can find a box to put me in. :)

I've been so SO proud of Lillian lately, she's really coming out of her shell, thank goodness. She has always taken her sweet time, then done everyone all at once. Her language and social skills are improving, she's more outgoing, her personality is changing and I can SEE her thinking. This is exciting!! I've been waiting for what seems like forever for her to open up and to be honest, had been a little worried it would never happen. We butt heads daily, and I've learned to treat it more as "OH I INVENTED this game, and I am MUCH more stubborn than you!!" type of attitude. Sometimes it works. Sometimes. Still trying to get her to give up using her fingers to pacify, I've tried bribing her with Stompeez, reasoning with her 3 year old logic, telling her babies suck fingers and pacies, even giving her a paci since she must want to be a baby...

She kept it happily in her mouth. All.Day.Long. I had to pry it from her hands.

She even named her fingers like they're a character or a toy. She calls them "Suck Ya Fingers". Says things like "Suck Ya Fingers, watch out!!" and bull dozes them with another toy. Then says "Uhhhhhhhh!!!" in a low gutteral tone, something she's learned from me. A couple of days ago, she turned without looking and ran right into the corner of the door, right on her forehead. The kind that makes you cringe because you know it hurt. I don't know I've had a prouder moment, because in that instant I knew she was JUST like her momma. I've run right into a tree while playing tag before, huge knot on my forehead. She's more and more like a mini-me. I mean, seriously.


Doug and I went to a wedding for some friends of ours, and while we were there, I realized...I didn't know I married a Good Ol' Boy. I knew he had a country heart. He was dipping, smoking, drinking a beer, slapping guys on the backs and laughing heartily. I had never seen Doug more comfortable, more social. Its funny, after 9 years together, I learned something new. We joke about me being Miss Kay, because I like to cook and he likes everything outdoors. I feel like the yuppie wife that's taken him out of his environment...

That same Saturday, I ran my first 5K at the Bentonville Running Festival. The atmosphere was so awesome, being with everyone who had this one thing in common. It was so fun, I'm hoping to sign up for another, its addictive! From there I went to a photo shoot with Vintage Crush for their relatively new line of clothing they're now carrying. It was so SO fun!! There was another girl, Ashley, so sweet, she was actually in NWAFW's show for She Said Yes Bridal boutique. We were changing in our cars on location, and I swear the same dump truck driver drove by at least four times, hahaha...here's a few of my favorites from what I've seen:

We had a great time, its always fun to dress up and just be girly!

I'm finally slowing down enough and catching up on things around the house. We hope to get it ready to list it soon on the market. Just seems like a big step. Phil. 4:6 keeps popping into my head, "Don't worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Between considering selling the house, and Doug's job situation, its really what I need to hear. Such a burden lifted.

Thinking about heading to the North East for vacation this year, any good advice you can give on where to stay and what to do in NY would be welcomed!! I have never been, and I've always wanted to go. Also anywhere else in that part of the country, we were thinking of seeing DC too, we're just not sure how long we can see it all in...

Peacelove.
Kes

The food post...

Okay, I know this sudden interest in foods and nutrition is leaving people rolling their eyes and thinking its just some cliff people are jumping off of...but, I promise this is not the case. I've been watching documentaries that have really hit home and made sense, and there's so SO many things to learn about nutrition in general, much less the properties of foods we eat. I promise to be as normal as possible, and not post anything crazy. The last thing I want to be, is an alarmist. I'm just excited about this new way of eating, and the way our family can benefit from GOOD foods.

First of all, I want to share just a couple of documentaries that make sense, they lay it all out for you so its easy to understand.

GMO/RoundUp Explanation

Movies on Netflix:

Hungry For Change
Food Matters
Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead (Why I juice!!)

I promise you won't regret watching these, but you might feel a little lost on how to start finding less processed foods, but there's hope!!

I have a great group of friends that pretty much all shop the same, and are trying to find a way to make eating organic/GMO free more economical.

The bottom line is, GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) are plants that have been chemically altered in some way or another in a lab and reproduced to withstand pesticides. In studies, lab rats that have been fed ONLY GMO foods were found to be suffer from sterility, have smaller/deformed babies, and kidney problems, etc...those fed round-up treated foods suffered from tumors, organ damage, and premature death. 3750815

The sad thing is, about 80% of American processed foods contain GMO/Round-Up treated foods. ESPECIALLY corn. (reason we will be avoiding corn/corn products from here on out!) The main foods that deal with this are corn, soy, and grains. There are 50+ countries that have banned GMO foods and seeds, and so many that do not use pesticides (look up the lettuce pesticide experiment, it shows as example food dye that wasn't directly placed on lettuce, but the ground it soaks its nutrients from. It leached the dye from the ground, and was ingrained in the actual makeup. You can't wash that off. The dye represents pesticides. No more lettuce for this girl, unless directly saying organic).

Not all organic foods are non-GMO. Bummer.

We're steering away from processed foods, on one of the videos they explained how we are overfed, and starving to death. The foods we do acually eat (that are processed) are so low in nutrients that our bodies continue to say its starving, and needs more (this wouldn't happen if the foods we ate were actually nutrient rich and satisfying). Because the processed foods aren't foods our bodies can recognize, it doesn't know what to do with it. So it creates fat cells to store it. So your body is still starving for the nutrients and vitamins it needs, and you're keeping the foods it doesn't recognize. Does that make sense? The video Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead is the one I decided to start juicing afterwards, nourishing our bodies from the inside out.

Its amazing the things I never knew until I started reading on ingredients. Did you know gum is a form of rubber and elastic? Yummy.

HERE is a list of non-gmo verified products. We loooove Annie's. They make great crackers and snacks, as well as macaroni and such that are non-gmo...its even an app you can download.

Here's some things I've been trying out, and although I've been spending a lot more time in the kitchen, I feel better knowing the foods I feed my family isn't going to shorten or complicate their lives. Sure, we still eat out occasionally and have pizza night, and its in the back of my mind when we eat it, but its unbelievably hard to get away from it all. We've changed the way we shop, and where we shop (Cook's Natural Foods, Fresh Market, Target, Walmart is carrying more organic-some labels don't pay for the USDA organic label so if you look them up by company you can see if they are or not, and hopefully Farmer's Market when it starts up). I have a few more stores to go to, and it requires meal planning, but I think it can work.


Juicing.


Annie's macaroni with fiber leftovers from juicing, and of course juicing (apples, celery, cucumber, carrots, beets, spinach, etc...)


Yummy.


Chia seeds (superfood!!) I'm trying to incorporate into meals...


Non-traditional organic blueberry/chia seed pancakes (made with coconut milk!)



I tried making my own fiber crackers from the leftover fiber from juicing...since I don't have a garden to compost for...



Huge nasty fail...



Salad and nuts for lunch...


Re-growing kitchen scraps (organic romaine lettuce)



Progress...I'm trying to grow avocado plants so I can have my own, I plan to put them in my big potters on the front steps...

Foods that will Re-Grow from scraps.


Mission organic avocado dip (brand carried at walmart without organic label) and Late July non-gmo/organic chips. Avocado dip made with lemon juice and salt/pepper.


Stuff I found interesting...


(I've been using apple cider vinegar as a toner at night, its a natural anti-bacterial. Follow up with organic olive oil as moisturizer. Amazing, really.)







(I now take spirulina, vitamin C, and vitamin D to help my body absorb vitamin C)










(We now cook/bake with coconut oil and EVOO)






Lemon honey mask. My skin has never felt so soft and awesome. Just slice a lemon in half, pour honey on top, then apply to face in circular motions. Leave on for 5 minutes (careful around your eyes!! Ahh, lemon juice!!)


So, aside from trying to stay away from certain foods, I feel like I'm really learning a lot about how to feed my body properly and great properties of vegetables, all their uses and benefits, and how to combine them in a yummy way. Did you know carbs once entered into the body turn directly into sugar? Crazy. No wonder I'm hooked on breads and pastas. Did you know sugar is a lot like cocaine? That you get a temporary high and endorphins from it? No wonder carbs, chocolate, and MSG flavored foods are "comfort foods". No wonder its so hard to eat healthy. Forget diets, its about nutrition.

So really we're eating more vegetables, nuts, drinking more (lemon) water, organic milk, juices, eating organic peanut butter, eggs, pancakes, salads, fresh foods in general. I'm not going to lie, its a big adjustment, but soooo worth it. I even bought a whole chicken and crock potted it, then used the bones and juices to make my own chicken stock for freezing. HERE. Which is great, because there's tons of meat on a whole chicken and it falls off the bone when you take it out (I even defeated my chicken bone fear, I HATE touching chicken bones. Won't even eat wings, or BBQ chicken).

Okay, enough for now...I just didn't want anyone to think I've fallen off my rocker because of my new sense of awareness. You never really know these things until you search, and I really do wish there was a nutrition class in high school we were required to take or as an elective. I would have benefited so much from it early on. I am by no means an authority on this matter...but please don't be afraid to ask questions, I don't know all the answers but I know its overwhelming once you decide you want to start eating well...especially in this area.

Peacelove.
Kes

P.S. Major thanks to my friends who shared their knowledge with me, and introduced this whole new way of thinking about food!!

"But, I shared deodorant and sticky boobs with you..."

(okay, I promise this is the last post on NWAFW) (Unless I find backstage pictures, which I know are out there somewhere)

Wednesday before the show we had a models run through, which was pretty intimidating if you're an "older model" ('model' like car or electronic model, not "hey look at me I'm beautiful" model. I shudder at the thought of saying that) and standing among the newest versions. Everywhere young 20's are peacocking, looking around and staring each other down. I'm trying not to sweat through my long sleeve, which I instantly regret wearing, except its cold outside.

There are girls doing yoga poses as I get closer to the doors, no joke, body defying poses. I can't help but laugh inside because I'm wondering if they're warming up--do we really need to be that limber??



This was why, Soul Yoga Lounge on the runway with probably the most amazingly athletic people I've ever seen in person.

I walk, its scary standing in the light at the end, alone. I finish, then sit with the girls of Savoir-Faire while we wait for everyone to be done so we can run back to the shop and try on a different outfit. I have a last minute wardrobe change to try on (yay!). I am such an oddball, they're wearing chucks, skirts, beanies, crossbody satchels, funky glasses, and a cool vibe. I have my hair split down the middle, and a frown. I am contemplating a new style...

My original outfit was a neon see through beaded tank top, and tight denim with heels. My new outfit is a neon tube skirt (when I described this in person, I made the closed in motion, saying "it was like 'whooooo'", which was the sucking in noise), a sheer black top and a black/white striped bandeau, black heels, and a royal blue ball cap. I'm not sure about the ball cap, but they're uber high fashion and I just do what they say. Its exciting, I finally feel really great about my outfit, its what I expected and definitely something different.



I've resolved to just go with the flow, find the good, and count this as an unusual experience to talk about for years..."this one time"...

Friday comes. I'm a ball of anxiety, though I have no reason to be. I agree to go for a run with a friend, she's amazingly athletic and even pushes Lillian for me the entire 3.1 miles. We finish under 30 minutes by TWO seconds, which makes me feel awesome. I've run my anxiety officially out, and I go back home to shower and get ready. They've asked for second day hair, but I can't do that now. I'm not bringing my stank hair to somewhere I'm already nervous about.

I'm driving around Fayetteville square, finally settling on a meter spot, it's 3 o'clock, I'm an hour early for hair and makeup. I take this opportunity to check out the shops down there, including Savoir-Faire since I haven't even seen their merchandise yet, just the upstairs. My personality is pretty inhibited because I have nothing but foundation on, which is also what they said to show up in. Having relied on makeup for so long to boost my self esteem, I have no confidence and just feel like hiding. I know I will feel better after hair and makeup.

I walk to Chancellor Hotel, where its all being hosted and sit at the bar. I ask for an ice water with lemon, and dig around in my sad little beach bag for money because I left my purse in the car, of course because not knowing anybody or what we're doing, I might be robbed or something...

Its finally time to go upstairs, I get an email telling me which room we were assigned. I walk up and the SF team is putting out trays of food and drinks, putting away champagne (YES!!) bottles and waters in the mini fridge. Girls keep arriving, the room is smaller and smaller each time, and we're crowding both beds trying to sit like ladies and make small chat. I quickly realize most of these girls know each other, and are in their early 20's.

I overhear one really pretty girl grumble "I'm 24, feeling really OLD with you all."

In my head I hear "Don't. Say. A. Word. Everybody thinks you're their age!!!!"

I can't talk, its like I've forgotten how to be friendly. I find my smile, its the only thing not separating me as the weird quiet girl. They're talking about people they each know, and how they're all connected. I look around and find 3-4 girls who I KNOW for sure are my age, because I've met one at a friend's scentsy party, and the other is married to someone I went to high school with. These. These are the girls I will probably warm up to, but they're feeling just as out of place and quiet as I am.

Makeup team arrives and starts pulling girls into their chairs for concealer.



"You're good." He nods to one girl.

"Let me look at you." he motions to me, I obediently raise my head feeling like a sunflower to the light, and next thing I hear, "Yeah, Do you want to come with me??"

I'm a little put off, not having passed the great complexion test. I sit in the "failed" chair.

"Do you want champagne?" I hear, I don't even know where its coming from but I follow the voice in the cluster of girls. YES. I could use a little bubbly. I eat. I veg. I don't want to have a hungry headache, and definitely don't want to feel tipsy, even though its not high alcohol content.

I sit. I smile. I eat. Finally I'm called for hair, and am summoned to the hallway where two chairs are set up.



Girl on the left graduated from Paul Mitchell's program, girl on right laughs and tells me she's from Career of Hair Academy and still in the process (apparently she considers CHA lower grade than PM). She acts like she's super nervous and doesn't know how to curl, then creates a non-flattering inward curl for my bangs, laughing at herself the whole time. I can't make it not feel dumb. It springs back EVERY. TIME.

I'm back inside, trying to introduce myself to the sweet girl who's married to my old classmate (who is coincidentally ABlondeAmbition-the super cute fashion blogger), and the curl keeps bouncing back. I know from her expression it doesn't look good. I see it in the mirror, so I stand behind the super cute main hair stylist (who just had a baby but didn't look like it at all), knowing she will have pity on me. It works, she pins it back since I'm wearing a hat anyways and teases my hair. It grows, I'm finally starting to feel like myself.

I make conversation with the lady who's doing my makeup,



(which is obviously not me, but that's my makeup artist)

She's been doing this each show, having specialized in makeup for years. Its all she does. She puts fake eyelashes on, lots of blush, a little liner and shadow, sends me on my way. Feeling much better, a lot like all the pressure isn't on me any more, but on the hair/makeup/styling teams.

We all start changing, which means all modesty is out the door. The door closes to our room, and I finally make it into the bathroom to change, with two other girls. One changes in the shower, I change by the door, the other between the toilet and counter. Its an interesting awkward conversation, mumbling promises of not looking and trying to shield your bare bodies. I share my last couple of cover up flower petals, feeling even better now since hearing "We're not supposed to have big boobs, we're the models. We're all flat chested." from one of the girls. That's right. Embrace your flat chestedness!

We line up in the hall, lipstick having been applied, shirts tucked, shoes on. We're across the hall from PYT (pretty young things) in the Vintage Violet show. I'm pretty sure they do it better than we do, being so young and full of so much energy. They can't be but 12-13, some fully developed. Younger, more confident versions of us. Semi awkward. Then one of them knocks over the ironing board that's holding all the hair stuff, finally breaking the ice and making us feel better about being older. Little lambs.



We take the elevator, head downstairs. Wait in order in the hall directly behind backstage, listening to the loud music. We're pulled aside by 3's to do short clips and behind the scenes pictures. We didn't know exactly what to do, but to smile and have "the best time".






Girls from Lola Boutique come walking out with puppies for Strut For A Mutt. Soooo adorable, we crowd and touch, because who can't resist touching puppies? I can.

Intermission time, so we wait and sit for 20 minutes before we go out. One lady is there to make things run smoothly, she provides gloss so our lips aren't dry, napkins to wipe our fingers off on, a hand held mirror, waters, (even finds an old black shirt to wipe lotion off a black skirt for a model who spilled it on her outfit. Oops. Don't panic.)

We are ready to go. We stand behind stage, the main hostess preps us for what we're to do...



Again, not our group but she does the same for us.

SF's music starts playing, video starts showing, and then it all falls silent. I am third in order. Deep breaths, last minute practice poses for the end of the runway. I decide on hands on hips (which I later regret for walking down the runway). My smile is plastered, Tess's words "Smile the whole way down" playing repeat in my head. Its not a real smile. But I can't think, because I'm concentrating solely on my legs, "One foot in front of the other. Don't sway too much. SMILE..."



From the pictures, I was feeling pretty good about it all. Then I watched the video, I am a baby giraffe learning to walk...at least I hit my practiced poses...



We wait for everyone to go, then a finale of all the girls. We are slightly untimed, some walking too fast, some not fast enough. Exit.

We all walk back up to the room and begin changing, putting our outfits back into the suit bags, grabbing our purses, and our goody bags. Then, just like that, its over. I'm walking out on the street into the cold, behind some girls I had just met, we don't talk. I say "Nice meeting you guys." and they say it back. Then turn the corner and are gone.

"But, I shared deodorant and sticky boobs with you..."

I am filling the dishwasher the next morning, my migraine from all the perfume and excitement finally gone. The girls are fighting. Its done. My life is back to normal.

Here's some of the most memorable girls from the show and our night...



The last is the official NWAFW window shopper/stylist blogger. We watched as she and the film crew from KNWA came backstage and did a quick interview with her. Right.In.Front.Of.Us. I'm not sure who the super confident model is with short hair, but she was everywhere, she knew everyone. And then the twins, who were in several shows and wore matching/complimenting outfits.

And, of course, the lovely Anna (Tulip Louise)...






who is a big time fashion blogger who just moved to New York, but came back for the show. So odd to think I went to high school with her for a year at Southside, and to see where she is now. Isn't she darling??

That's it. I've finally blogged my whole experience. It was amazing.

Peacelove.
Kes

P.S. These are clearly not my photos. I borrowed them from NWAFW's main page and floating FB pictures to help illustrate my experience.
P.P.S. 188 hits on last post, thanks for making that my best yet :)

P.P.P.S. I saw the pictures from the girl's show who I was going to be half naked art for.



I am suddenly NOT sad it didn't work out. That would have been me. I mentioned that to a friend, and she said "Maybe that was a God thing. To keep you from that." I think so. I would NOT have been comfortable in this.