Fat Turquoise Crosses

So gals to the North the trend is coming, and girls to the South its here. I love all these fat turquoise crosses, and have came across a few items that I will be adding to my wishlist and dreaming about for now.

I recently found this website www.turquoisehaven.com. They have got some great designs. I especially like this black purse. They have a few more styles online. A really neat lime green one too, but that didn't go with my "fat turquoise cross trends!" The good news they are on sale right now $80, regular $120.

From the same website, really liking this turqoise ring.
Love the metal on it. 

And you can't leave out something from Miss Randa's collection. Randa is a really great friend of mine, that has started her own jewerly business - Southern Jewlz.  The one below is one that I snatched up from her during Junior Nationals. Randa makes lots of two and three stand necklaces, but because of my small neck she was able to make me a single strand.

This is another real cute one from her collection. Robin is the big fan of the red in our household. Always lots of good finds on Miss Randa's website. 

Now if anyone goes out rushing to buy something you'll have to let me know. And if anyone is wanting to buy me a gift for some crazy reason, now you have some ideas!

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Wisdom and Experience

Commitment 

On my six hour journey to North Platte and back this week I had a lot of time to think, which can sometimes be scary.

Last week we had a major change in our office - eight fine ladies retired from the Association. As our CEO talked about each of them he mentioned that together they represented more than 200 years of combined experience. The longest retiree had been there 45 years. Can you imagine the changes in computer equipment, staffing, EPDs, registration papers, etc. that she would have seen over those 45 years?

What made me think even more was would I ever spend even five years committed to an organization let along 45? There doesn't seem to be a real accurate number out there, but I have heard that young people (like me) will change jobs 3-7 times in their lifetime. I have been in the workforce less than two years, and although I am still working for the same organization, I have already changed jobs switching from Angus Productions Inc. to the Association.

Maybe its that my generation just moves faster, we get bored easier and we aren't afraid to pick up, move and take advantage of new opportunities. However, there has to be something said about the commitment that these retiring ladies had. Obviously, they were happy and satisfied with their level of growth and enjoyed their work place, or they would have left sooner. And that probably says something about the company.

All just things to ponder when you are driving across Nebraska!

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And supposedly we are the bad guys.

These facts aren't new, but definitely worth pointing out again. 

PETA kills animals. A pretty shocking statement you would think, but it's true. They generate millions of funds each year, under the pretenses that they are wanting to save animals when in fact since 1998, PETA has put down 21,339 adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens. In 2008 only seven our of the 2,216 animals they took in were founds. That is only 0.33%. Why does this happen?

It is because PETA (and HSUS - the Humane Society of the United States) does not operate animal shelters, as they would like you to believe. Their underlying goal is create a country of vegans and destroy animal agriculture. And PETA has a $32 million dollar budget to do it with.

We must not confuse these activists organization like local SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) who do offer animal shelters. There are people that are willing to work with us, and then those that are trying to take our livelihoods away. 

To read more about PETA's ugly truth visit: www.petakillsanimals.com 

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All I can say is ahahahahah

I am planning on cloning myself to keep up with the work.

So just have a minute, before I rush out the door. I am headed to see one of my best friends, Jen, this weekend in North Platte, NE. Yup, its a six hour drive, fun, fun. I am delivering her photobook from her and her fiancé's engagement pictures though, which I'll have a preview of soon.

Anyways, although work has been absolutely crazy, I have gotten some exciting news this week. 1. I have covers shots on the Alabama Cattlemen this month, and the November issue of the Florida Cattlemen. 2. I posted this video on here a week or so ago, but the Eby video is also the feature video today on CattleNetwork.com, and that means a happy client. For those of you that haven't heard of CattleNetwork.com it is an awesome news site, does a lot of industry Q&As, as well as compiles all the press releases from the big boys. Definitely, one of the websites I visit ever morning.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend, full of great plans. Would love to hear what good news you have too!

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If you are going to San Francisco...

... be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

So I know this post is long overdue. The beginning of August I head East for the LEAD (Leaders Engaged in Angus Development) Conference. Me and 185 junior and advisers got to take in the sights and sounds of San Fran, Modesto and Chowchilla, California. 

At Junior Nationals the Junior Board asked me to be their Association Staff Adviser. I was honored to be asked, and am looking forward to giving them guidance along the way.  It also meant that I got to take this little trip with them. The picture is of Mallory, the past Chairman and Trey. I'm sad to see them go off the board, but they have left it in great hands. 

Robin decided that we would take a quick detour and go down to the ocean. A lot of kids had never seen the ocean before. I think the last time I had seen it I was probably no old than ten or so.

The California folks did a great job of discussing the issues, both environmental and politic, that California ag is facing. The fact that there will be a major short, Prop 2 banning farrowing crates (among other things) and the fact that you could call California the center for animal rights activism. It was also really interesting to see the diversity of agriculture by just going a couple miles.

Silveria Bros. Angus was pretty neat. Not only did they have some great cattle (especially a few Hot Rod heifers I really  liked), but they also grow wine grapes and almonds. Everything has to be irrigated. "As we heard over and over again if we aren't supplying water to it, its probably dead or brown at the least." This is me eating chardonnay grapes of the vine. They we awesome. I made sure to have some later in a glass as well. 

We also had two great speakers - Justin Lookadoo - who I would highly recommend and has some great books out there for teens, parents and those looking to succeed, and Scott Vernon that is leading a really interesting agriculture advocacy group. I'll have posts on both of them later. 

We also had time to do Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. It was pretty funny to see the kids' expression when I was prepping them before they got off the bus, and I told them they might see homeless people and beggars. It was good to expose these kids to some big city living!

This seemed appropriate. 

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Every girl loves a little shopping

And when you are shopping on the Plaza it is even better!

Last week, I felt the need to just get out of my office and get out of town. I know I had a big weekend coming up with Wes's wedding, but being in the office multiple days after seven it was time to take some me time. 

The Kansas City Country Club Plaza is the oldest Plaza in the U.S. It has some awesome shopping, including a MAC store which I frequent quite often. I had no real agenda while I was down there. Tried on lot of things and put them back down - they didn't look quite right, they were too much money, etc. However, I did remember an email that I had received that Coach was launching a new line of bags called Brooke. There was this really cool purple bag that I had seen online and so I thought I would stop in. 

Of course a flood of sales ladies rushed over to assist me. They must have sensed a sucker. I asked about the Brooke bags, and they said they had them in the back and they were going out on the shelves in the morning, but they would bring a few samples out for me. 

All pretty bags, but...

... this one is amazing!

They call it eggplant, its really dark purple - and it was gorgeous! And so I bought it. Logical reasoning right. I love this bag - it goes with black and brown, reminds me of K-state and still smells like leather. And now I will not be returning to the Plaza for a very long time. 

But then, there was just one more thing I found, and it was on sale so why not. I love ostrich skin. Just ask my friends or sister. I had seen this wallet a few weeks ago at Urban Outfitters, but this time it was on sale. Now its not real ostrich skin, but it looks good, and I think it goes great with the new purse!

Happy shopping!

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Taking a stance.

Telling the other side of the story...

Thankfully, there are people standing up to journalists and critics like the one I mentioned below. This is a great response. Marcia Gorrell Blog. 

p.s. Thanks to my good friend Em for sending this to me. If you ever find articles like this I would love to read them.

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The Demise of Quality Journalism

And its not good for agriculture...

So this genius staff writer from TIME magazine decided to educate the public on the "horrible" state that American agriculture is in. If you haven't read the article this is how it starts out...

"Somewhere in Iowa, a pig is being raised in a confined pen, packed in so tightly with other swine that their curly tails have been chopped off so they won't bite one another. To prevent him from getting sick in such close quarters, he is dosed with antibiotics. The waste produced by the pig and his thousands of pen mates on the factory farm where they live goes into manure lagoons that blanket neighboring communities with air pollution and a stomach-churning stench. He's fed on American corn that was grown with the help of government subsidies and millions of tons of chemical fertilizer. When the pig is slaughtered, at about 5 months of age, he'll become sausage or bacon that will sell cheap, feeding an American addiction to meat that has contributed to an obesity epidemic currently afflicting more than two-thirds of the population. And when the rains come, the excess fertilizer that coaxed so much corn from the ground will be washed into the Mississippi River and down into the Gulf of Mexico, where it will help kill fish for miles and miles around. That's the state of your bacon — circa 2009."

And trust me the other protein industries and crop production (primarily corn) didn't go unscathed either. 

I think not only is this article a major insult to agriculture community, but it is an embarrassment to me as someone who is apart of the journalism and communications industry. And maybe this time that is my bigger issue. I guess I am getting use to all the agriculture attacks. 

When did such one-sided reporting become the norm? I was taught there is always two sides to the story. It is my job to present both sides of the argument, both sets of facts and let you make up your mind. Instead many of the thousands of people that have read this article, and have never been on a farm, or don't know a farmer, or where to turn go to learn about the other side, are now going to think they are completely educated about the state of American agriculture food production. 

I really like the comments on the TIME story from ConsumerFreedom.com. It will give you at least a little bit of the other side. (It's a real quick read compared to the TIME article).

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Thou Shall Not Kill (Animals?)

The tactics that animals rights junkies love to use. 

Last week I had an interesting meeting with a gentleman by the name of Kevin Murphy, of Food Chain Communications. He has started a website called www.truthinfood.com to help address some of the ideas that animal activists are using to convince the public that animal agriculture is wrong. 

In his first article he discusses how many groups, including PETA, are using biblical references to convince you that eating meat is inhumane. Below are just a few of the examples that he includes:

• In 2004, when Mel Gibson released The Passion of the Christ, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) protested outside his cattle ranch in Montana with signs that read, “Thou Shalt Not Kill” and “Honor All of God’s Creations.” The group argued that farm animals were the original innocents, worthy of merciful pardon from our plate. PETA’s vegan campaign director was quoted at the time saying, “Anyone who sends cows to slaughter mocks God.”
• The Vegan Wolf, an Internet vegan blogger writes, "The Bible says, 1Thou Shalt Not Kill.’ It doesn’t say, ‘It’s OK to kill animals and Iranians.’ It says, 'Thou Shalt Not Kill.'
• Gene Baur, founder of the no-kill livestock shelter he calls Farm Sanctuary and author of Farm Sanctuary; Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food, stresses that animals are “individuals,” and that compassion for them is the great moral calling of our time.

Now although one of the Ten Commandments says Thou Shall Not Kill I am pretty sure God was referring to each other, not a farmer killing steers. Below is part of Murphy's rebuttal.

"In Deuteronomy (meaning a second law), we have Moses' discourse to the chosen people before they enter The Promised Land. The commandments are repeated in chapter 5, thus we again hear the command, Thou Shalt Not Kill.

Following just a few chapters further in Moses same discourse we read:

However, in any of your communities you may slaughter and eat to your hearts desire as much meat as the Lord, your God, has blessed you with...(12:15)

After the Lord your God has enlarged your territory, as he promised you, when you wish meat for food, you may eat it at will, to your hearts desire... (12:20)"

The rest article is a little long, but makes some other really great points. I think this might be a good website to watch. Murphy and I talked about some of his up coming editorials and I think they are going to be worthwhile reads.

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Weekend Wedding Warrior

Wes did really good on this one...

This weekend I got celebrate another judging team wedding! As mentioned before I love when another member of my K-State Judging Team gets married because my team members are really good about getting together for a little reunion. Wes and Shauna got married in Abilene, Kansas, which meant a chance to have a little fun in Manhattan the night before. And oh how I have missed Manhattan (and Aggieville!)

The weekend is probably best described by the pictures below.

After some fried pickles (the best ones in the world mind you) from So Long's we head to the most hole the wall bar you will find in Manhattan - the Lou, also known as Aggie Lounge. But, when you have a newbie to Aggieville with you, and you haven't been in town for awhile there is no where else you would want to stop!

Tbaugh, Gabel, Graber, Em and Me!

Everyone carves their name into the wall. Mine has been up for awhile, and Em (ECM) added hers this weekend.

Nothing like a jukebox and a little Big Game Hunter.

The happy couple. Unfortunately, Shauna was much too nice to Wes and didn't smash any cake!

The best set of friends you could ever ask for!

Good ole Kansas gas station merchandise.

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High Country Cattle Services

Yup... that is my family's farm.

When I was home this summer I was able to take a few picture of our cattle, and donor cows. (Some videos to come soon!) Today we were able to put a couple of those photos to use. So check out the new donor pictures at www.highcountrycattle.com. One of my favorite cows has a new picture too, but it isn't the one below. She is one mom and dad snatched up south of the border a few years ago.

SS Ebony Dream Date

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Slump

Remember when I wrote on Monday how excited I was for the week? Lots of friends supposed to be stopping by, other friends flying in for the weekend, and a big judging team reunion on Friday and Saturday because of Wes and Shauna's wedding. Well some of it is still happening, some plans have changed but things don't seem as exciting. Maybe it has been the the rain. Since Saturday we have received a monsoon rain every morning, and the cloud seems to be still following me. 

I am not sure of the solution. My gloom did get me things about a speaker we had a LEAD a couple weeks ago named Justin Lookadoo. One of my favorite quotes of his was "Are you doing your best with the abilities you have been give," but I'll talk more about his session another day. The advice I can use today is "Stand up straight, put your shoulders back and slap and huge smile on your face, cause it is impossible to be depressed in this stance." Now go on and try it, I am starting to feel better already. 

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What kind of camera do you use?

This is a question I get asked quite often. Now by no means am I a camera expert. I give a lot of credit to my boss for knowing good equipment and getting the right tools in my hands.

I shoot with a Nikon D200. I have shot with Canon's before, but I just love my Nikon. 

I have two lenses that I shoot with. The first and my primary lens is a 70-300mm lens, also know as a telephoto lens, and I like to call it my paparazzi lens. It is wonderful for distance shots, can really blur out a back ground and is awesome in the pasture. Completely useless in a picture pen though!

The other lens I use is a Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye lens. I cursed this lens to start off with. My very first shoot on the job I had to use this lens 80% of the time. You can do some cool stuff with it, but forget about zooming in! Me and it fought, but then I discovered I could take shots like these!

This one is of Chan Philips judging the bull show at Denver.

The queens at the 2008 National Junior Angus Show

Love this picture. This lens lets in lots of light. 

Happy shooting!

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Change

"Change; we don't like it, we fear it, but we can't stop it from coming. We either adapt to change or we get left behind. And it hurts to grow, anybody who tells you it doesn't is lying. But here's the truth... the more things change, the more they stay the same. And sometimes, oh, sometimes changes is good. Oh sometimes, change is... everything." - Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy and also stolen from Em's facebook. 

So keeping up with my 101 in 1001 this week i am going to give gratitude to change. Now why would I do this, most people can't stand it. However, the truth is I take comfort in change, and am thankful for it. For the longest time each new year seemed to start in August, revolving around a new school year, not the big Jan. 1 celebration. This got me thinking of all the things that have changed this part "year."

Think about it this way - look at how much has changed in the past year, and remember that much could change before the next year arrives. 

My friends keep on dispersing farther and farther away from K-State. However, I am thankful for the events that bring us together. Like Wes's big wedding this weekend. 

A year ago I was playing a balancing act with many different relationships. (Close friends think back to football games and the Royal, haha) Now I have new relationships and bonds that I am extremely excited about. 

I am thankful for the new house we have. Although, I hate moving and loved our Easy Street house, I am excited about all the fun and memories we'll create in the new house!

I have a new position with Angus, and I thought the old one couldn't get any better. I am grateful for the opportunities that work as presented with me. Plus all the travel! This year I have been to Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado, California, Kentucky, Arizona, Tennessee, Nevada, Minnesota and Michigan. 

So change isn't all bad. 

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Making the sale

Can you close the deal?

The story below came across my desk through an email from cattlegrower.com. Cattlegrower is a networking site, similar to Facebook, but focuses on people in animal agriculture. Although, I'll be honest and haven't found it great for networking yet, they have put out some good articles like the one below. 

It actually reminded me of sales talk competitions that my sister and I would compete in at junior shows each summer. I remember when I first learned the technique of asking questions instead of making the pitch the sale went a lot better. The year that I went to the American National Junior Simmental show and won the sales talk competition some family friends of our told me I was now the best b.s.er on both sides of the border. I guess my Grandpa taught me something!

How to sell a Pencil by Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales.

If I gave you a pencil and asked you to sell it, how would you go about it?

This is one of the most basic of interview questions for sales reps, and the answer reveals so much about your previous training, your understanding of the sales process, and ultimately about what kind of sales rep you are. 

So, what is the most effective way to sell a pencil?  Well, first let’s look at how most sales reps go about doing it.  When I’m interviewing sales reps I love using this technique.  After letting a rep tell me how good of a closer they are, I pull out a pencil, hand it to them, and tell them to sell it to me.  And off they go! 

80% of sales reps start the same way – they start pitching.  “This pencil is brand new, never used.  It has grade “2” lead and a bright yellow color so it’s easy to find.  It comes with a built in eraser,” etc.

Some reps can (and do!) talk about it for 5 minutes or more before they ask a question or ask for an order.  As the sales rep rambles on, I begin to yawn, roll my eyes, etc.  Amazingly, this just makes them talk even more!  “What’s wrong with these people?” I think. 

Now let’s look at how the top 20% go about selling a pencil.  As soon as I give a top rep the pencil, they pause, and then they begin asking me questions: 

“So how often do you use a pencil?”

“How many do you go through in a month?”

“What other locations does your company use pencils at, and how often do they order them?”

“What quantity do you usually order them in?”

“Besides yourself, who’s involved in the buying decision?” 

Quite a difference, huh?  I’ll tell you right now, I listen to hundreds of sales reps in a month and they can easily be separated into these two groups:  Those who pitch, pitch, pitch, and those who take the time to understand their prospect’s buying motives, and properly qualify to understand the entire selling process.  

Now let’s see which category you fit in.  When you speak with a prospect for the first time, how much of your script is focused on describing and pitching your product or service as opposed to questioning and uncovering buying motives?

If yours is like most scripts I review, then it’s filled with descriptions of what you do and how your product or service helps them.  Most scripts attack the prospect with a barrage of “value statements” that turn people off and make them want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible.  

Want a better way?  Then take a tip from some of the best “pencil sales reps” and change your script and opening to focus more on questioning - discovering whether you’re dealing with a qualified buyer, and what it might take to actually sell them. 

Without knowing this, you’ll just end up with a lot of frustration and a lot of unsold pencils at the end of the month.

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Telling your story - Eby Ranch

I really do love my job.

Last January I was approached by Eby Ranch to assist them with their communications and marketing plan. Like many in the purebred or seedstock cattle business, they realized the importance of marketing your product. They also realized that they didn't have enough time to get it all done, and that's where I stepped in. 

I have really enjoyed working with Eby. They are a great group of people and their manager and I have lots in common beyond Angus cattle - a love for the show ring, Simmentals and mutual friends back in Canada. It has also been great to get out of the office and go shoot pictures and videos or attend a sale. 

The Creative Media team just got done this video. My boss worked on laying down the story, we have a tech kid in our office that laid down a rough cut of the footage and works on sound and then I got in and make final edits on the footage and graphics. What was really exciting about this video is... I shot all the footage by myself. I got a huge compliment from my boss, who I think is amazing at the video and photography he does. He said I could've done better on shooting the video, I just need to work on composing my interviews a little better. (Always room for a little improvement!)

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Love this

...but probably won't get one for awhile. 

I friend of mine does some excellent photography work - both weddings and people pictures. Her work always seems to get better and better. I also love that Rachel is a cattle girl, that use to work for an agency. However, she knew she had a talent and left her job to purse a career of her own. That takes courage! Rachel has a great blog where you can see her work. Click here. 

Anyways below is a picture from one of her recent wedding shoots and I love it! One day I will have one these.

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PETA's Bloody 'Unhappy Meal's targeting children

They are at it again folks... and this time they want your children.

In PETA's latest attempt to rid this country of Animal Agriculture they have targeted an easily 

influence demographic - children. Fortunately, their marketing tactics this time have slightly backfired and are causing unhappiness among parents - the ones with the pocket book.  The 'Unhappy Meals' feature a knife-wielding Ronald McDoanld and a bloody rubber chickens. Really it doesn't surprise me to see this coming from PETA who have used shock-and-awe tactics frequently to gain extra media exposure. 

Last week, I was in San Francisco for the LEAD (Leaders Engaged in Angus Development) Conference. Many of our speakers discussed the challenges that Animal Agriculture is facing in California. But what they reminded us of is that they are only starting here, and they will be moving to your state next. One afternoon as we were leaving Pier 39 we saw a huge billboard sponsored by PETA, that said McCruelty and featured the McDonald's M with a dead rubber chicken hanging out of it. Look's like we know who there next target it. Whether or not you like the quality of McDonald's food you have to recognize that they are a huge buyer of hamburger. Something that is important to me as a producer. 

PETA's "McCruelty Campaign" has ruffled the feathers of moms and dads in Albany who say they don't want their kids exposed to any throat-slitting chickens or pictures of slaughtered poultry.

"I don't want my son to be around something like this. This is not fair for a child," Stephaine Gipson told FOX23 News in Albany.

"I think it's unhappy that they target children," said parent Michelle Natale.

But the animal rights activists say kids are jaded enough by television and video games to handle the carnographic images, and intend to continue their campaign pressuring McDonald's to use more humane means of killing chickens.

"I think children and adults deserve to be told the truth — and that's that behind Ronald McDonald's smile is cruelty to animals," said PETA spokeswoman Lindsay Rajt.

To read the whole story click here.

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Time to get organized!

Getting things back on track...

So the summer has flown by and now we are into the beginning of fall! It seems like during the summer although I have specific events or places to be, once I arrive there is a little more freedom to juggle my schedule. With a new job, trying to buy all the media and place ads for a national advertising campaign and managing Eby Ranch's fall sale advertising my schedule is a little more set in stone. This summer I had pretty much tossed my planner aside. By last week when I decided I just couldn't rely on my brain to remember everything anymore I went to pull out my trusty old planner.

Yup that's right trusty, old and ugly and uninspiring! Even worst when I opened it up I realized that I was completely out of usable pages. So that only meant one thing - a shopping trip!

After scouring Office Max and Home Depot I came up short handed to Target it was. And look what I found. But look what I found! Whole array of fun and festive colors, all in the Franklin  Covey brand - which I highly recommend. I also highly recommend Target for all the fun home and stationary stuff they have but that is another whole blog to come late. 

In the end I went for a classic pink. Figured it might be a little more professional. And as you can see things are filling up rather quickly! Especially with some trips that I get to take with my old judging team members. More weddings to come yet this summer.

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Getting recognition

Wish I was there, but at least my photo got to go.

This past week was the Ag Media Summit which is hosted by the Livestock Publications Council, a professional organization that I belong to.

I had entered a brochure I did for the I am Am video that I posted awhile ago, and then entered two of my photos. I found out today that my brochure got an honorable mention in the brochures, flyers and direct mail pieces. My photo got third in the Livestock Division. Pretty good considering my boss won the Livestock category and then was chosen as the Best of the Bunch!

This is one of my favorite pictures. Just wish I would have taken a vertical of it too!

Congrats to all the other winners. I know my friends Laura and Jamie Rae had an honorable mention in the website category.  To see all the results click here!

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Some inspiration...

Well the church didn't light on fire when I walked in.

So it has been awhile since I have been to church. When I do show up I still get the oh is this your first time response from some of the regulars. The fact is I have been trying to go as much as possible for awhile now. I found an awesome United Methodist church really close to our old house, and love the pastor there. 

Now my family didn't grow up going to church ever Sunday, but my sister and I attended vacation Bible study camps for many summers. I actually started going to church in college when Emilie invited me along one day. I have read the Bible, but don't have all those stories and people memorized so sometimes I feel a little bit in a daze, however there have been some things said lately that made e a lot of sense. 

This past Sunday our pastor was talking about putting things in God's hands. He said too often we try and sort out our problems without his guidance, and really us humans are pretty good at making a bigger mess of things. Now that I think about it he's probably right. New goal ask for some help before I tackle the issue. 

The second thing is something that my friend Miss Blue posted on her facebook wall that really inspired me and went along quite well with this past Sunday's sermon on sacrifice.  She quoted  "I AM a CHILD of THE KING! He paid a price for ME w/ His OWN Son..."The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured possession" ~ Deuteronomy 14:2" And her conclusion was "Now do you realize your own value???"

And I will leave you to think about that. 

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101 in 1001 - not so good

So I have been really awfully at updating everyone on my progress. Maybe that is because I am not making it very far through my list. I guess that is why I have 1001 days (actually a lot less than that now.)

One thing I can do today though to help me out is giving gratitude. This is suppose to be a monthly thing, but here's to starting August off right.

I am thankfully for all the opportunities that have come my way.

On Monday I will be starting my new position of Assistant Director of Public Relation while still getting to do Creative Media 25 percent of the time. I have only been at the association a year and a half but feel like I have really been able to make my mark. I remember my very first cattle event down here. It was the Kansas State Fair in 2003 and I knew no one except for my judging teammates when I walked into the barn. It was a little bit of a scary feeling, because if you ask my sister she will definitely say that I am the social butterfly. However, my out going personality and my determination saw that I never had that feeling again. 

When I went to work for Angus a little bit of that scary feeling returned. Although, I had made many great friends in the club calf, Simmental and Hereford barns, the Angus business was a little foreign to me. I joke saying that this business is full of the Angus Royalty and socialites, however I have made friends with some amazing people. This year at the junior show I even had kids come up who knew my name and I didn't have a clue who they were. I have great people to work with in this office and great breeders to serve and I am glad that they have sent opportunities my way. 

I am thankful for my family. 

I have a great family, and don't get to see them often enough, but the best part about them is that they understand what I am doing is important to me and the same opportunities aren't available at home right now. It was so nice to be home and just relax a little. Although, dad is certain that I am not going to move back across the border anytime soon, I am still not going to rule it out. Being back in Alberta is always a great experience. I am reminded how much I enjoy being there - having sunlight until ten o'clock at night, how nice it is to see trees, being around my cattle and being able to help out on a farm again. 

One last thing!

I am thankful that football season is almost here. Because that means quality time at K-State with some of my best friends. Go Cats!

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Found Treasures

It's not how much you spend it's how much you save!

The above theory is one that I used to share with my dad quite often. Now what has been over a month ago cgood and I hit Kansas City to do a little shopping. Both of us had new houses to move into, and I needed to get ready for my month long trip to Canada and Junior Nationals. And let me say that we did pretty darn good that day.

First stop was Nebraska Furniture Mart. Sorry Canadian friends I don't think we went to one store you'll find on the north side of the border. Guess you'll just have to come visit me! Cgood picked out some great finds for her living room, and at a great price.

This couch is just like the one I have in my house, but I have a sectional. The most comfortable couch in the world - especially for naps!

Cgood choose the top one for a coffee table. Both sides open for extra storage. She found end tables and a TV stand to match. Can't wait to visit to see it all together.

Next we ventured to my favorite western store ever - Nigro's in Shawnee Mission, KS. I probably shouldn't reveal how much I spent there the first time Em took me there. The Nigro's are great people and are always willing to cut you a deal. I can buy Justin, wood sole, ostrich skin boots there for $280. Pretty good I would say. Also, you won't find a better selected of jeans. I could go on and on. Cgood says next time we are there we need to count how many time they say, "Don't worry we'll take care of you girls!"

These are going to be my next purchase. I just love these boots. I don't think you could find a prettier pair. (I already have on pair in black with red tops!)

Finally, we decided to make a stop a place that our friend Graber had told us lots about. If you are ever through Gardner, KS, you have to make a stop at Rustic Connection. I think I could have bought the whole store. Plus, they were celebrating their fifth anniversary so everything was 20% off - can't beat that. Lots of western and cabin style home stuff. Going to have to make a trip back there soon. 

I love these stars, but was able to resist!

Definitely, going to have one of these in my house one day!

I love stars, and did come home with one of these in teal. My sister bought me a brown one a few years ago for my birthday. It is one of favorite home decor pieces. These stars are great because they come apart - which is great considering how much I move!

Happy shopping to all of you. Feel free to start scheduling a trip to come see me so I can go back to all my new finds!

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