Fire and Beauty

In all her sweetness glory, my granddaughter is fiercely independent and strong-willed and I don't say that lightly. She can unleash fury when things are not going her way and in the next moment she smiles and the room lights up.

Oh, my Sofia, I know you all too well. You are a joy to watch and my soul sings when I am with you.

My poor daughter who has many years of battle ahead with her, call me. I am the "Grand"mother of this little personality and the force to be reckoned with. I have a lot of battle in me and a lot of love and joy with this little one. She is fire and beauty.

Happy 50th Anniversary

Happy 50th Anniversary, Mom & Dad! 💛💛 Well done! 👏🏻 I know I am so blessed to be able to say this. Enjoy your anniversary getaway and we are excited to celebrate with you when you come home. I love you! 

Cheers to 50 years! 🥂

Luxury Resort Business Trip

I confess I was a bit anxious knowing I was going to be sharing a room on our company business trip. Four days/Three nights with colleagues sharing a bathroom, yikes!

This was our 30th Anniversary Celebration and our company brought 400 management employees from 150 locations across the United States, even in Maui, in for the celebration.

We stayed at the Reunion Resort, a luxury resort that sprawled across 2,200 acres with three golf courses in Orlando, Florida. Our beautiful, three bedroom suite came with a full kitchen, dining room, living room, large balcony, three private bedrooms rooms each with their own private bathroom. Thank, God!

I arrived first and grabbed the large master suite with a bathroom 4x larger than what I have at home. It was lovely.

Seeing the agenda, I still had no idea how above and beyond, sparing no expense, in detail they went to provide us with luxury, gifts, multiple guests speakers (CEO's of the largest in the industry across the country), Surf & Turf dinners, delectable desserts, open bars and food and entertainment.

We had an 80's pool party in the water park with music, food stations and bars set up all over with everything from fruits & veggies, to hamburgers, to lobster, shrimp, and clams.

Even letting us choose the theme park we wanted to go to, they provided gift cards to us to use for food or gifts.

There was not a thing I had to pay for.

It was amazing meeting like-minded professionals in our industry from across the country. There is nothing but growth opportunity as well as transfer opportunities to other locations.

Mostly men, many came up to me already knowing my name because of the professional head shots collected and turned into a yearbook for each of us to keep and know the others by.

One gentleman, I knew his name, but I couldn't place him in the sea of colleagues came up to me and said, "Wait! Let me guess, you are Dawn!" I said that's me. Recognizing me from my photo, he said, "Wow, our regional VP at corporate sings my praises and said I am knocking it out of the park!"

I smiled and thanked him and asked what location he is at. He is a VP at corporate. Yikes! I laughed and graciously fell on the sword of being new to the company, apologizing I did recognize his name and of course I was thrilled to meet him.

There was a waiter that was smitten with me, which provided excellent service throughout my stay and one morning said, "Thank you for being so beautiful and for being here!" I turned to my colleagues and said, "You need to work on your morning greetings when I walk in the room!" ha ha

It was a fabulous trip! Beyond what I expected and walking away I am even more grateful for where I am.

Heading into Universal with some of the guys I work with. 

It felt so amazing feeling the sunshine and hot temps. We had the best lunch at Margaritaville. The outdoor patio with live steel drum music was a perfect destination to dine and fuel up mid-day at Universal.

Last night, everyone together for the Awards Celebration, a view from my table with my colleagues and friends I had the best time with!

Four days, three nights, a whirlwind schedule of luxury and entertainment. I'm worn out and glad to be home.

Well, at least until I head out for vacation next week for fun in the sun, and another luxury resort spa-la-la out west.

I need to sleep.

Packed for the Sunshine

A beautiful resort. A welcome reception. Dinners. Breakfasts. A day at Universal. Evening Party at the pool. A morning of sessions. Awards Celebration Dinner & Ceremony. Several days of sunshine, warm weather and more sunshine.

I'm SO excited! 

To unplug from technology for a couple of hours in an airplane, entering the plane in winter and stepping out into summer. My outfits laid out, more than I need so I have options should I change my mind. Several new pieces. A collection of shoes to match. 

Our management team traveling together, which makes it all the more fun, because we are a fun group that cracks up and just gets one another. It's traveling with friends heading to meet about 500 others. 

I'm longing for that moment when I slip into sandals and step into the sunshine with my face to the sun and feel the warmth tingle my skin.   

Beautiful & Perfect

My daughter posted this photo my Sofia and I laughed at how stinkin' sweet she is! She wanted to wear her bikini top and play in makeup and her Momma let her.

I see this photo of my granddaughter and I think beauty, confidence and femininity. 

Confident and well loved I pray she is always this secure in life. Put on that bikini, sweet girl, and feel as comfortable as you do right now, and happy because you just wanted to wear it! 

You are beautifully, perfectly, fearfully and wonderfully made. God has already determined that and no man or society will make her feel any different.

Every time I see or talk to Sofia I tell her, "I love you and you are beautiful & perfect!" 

Every girl wants to be a beauty and my granddaughter will be raised knowing her worth is already determined, she is beautiful and perfect. 

Ice Ice Baby

Ice ice baby! 🍷 Scoring a perfect 10 for ambience, presentation and flavor at this years Ice Wine Festival is Laurentia Winery.

Well done!

Hot Stone Pedicure

It was a combination of two upcoming vacations this month, a celebration of surpassing my budget goals for all of 2019 by the end of February, to the excitement of having a 2-1/2 day weekend, and the fact that I worked a 12-hour day + event in heels the day before and was up eating Advil at 3:00 a.m. due to my feet and ankles hurting so bad that I couldn't sleep, that I made the executive decision it was time (let's be honest, it was long overdue) that I get a pedicure. 

I wanted to sit in a body massaging chair and soak in a hot bubbling foot bath when the nail technician handed me a brochure asking what kind of a pedicure I wanted. 

With a very pregnant daughter, my heart went out to this girl who was very pregnant herself and thought she may appreciate a generous tip. 

I can't remember if I made it to church last weekend and when I don't make it there and tithe, I seem to find other areas of making a donation to help another who may need something extra. It's kind of my tithing outside of church. 

Honestly, I appreciate she was sweet, quiet and didn't talk much. I wanted to soak, sip my iced coffee I brought in with me, and lose myself in magazines. 

The brochure had a selection of pedicures and the moment I laid my eyes on the hot stone massage with herbal detox massage and wrap (it was worded much better in the brochure), suddenly I knew it was exactly what I needed.

I wanted an unrushed, relaxing experience and that is exactly what she provided. She did an excellent job taking her time and covering every detail. She brought out this mix of fresh herbs in a bowl she blended together in front of me and generously applied them to my feet and legs massaging them in. 

It was an even better experience than I had anticipated. While the herbs were working their detoxing magic she went off to get the mask and oil. A mask was put on next with hot towels laid over top to warm and rejuvenate. After the herbs were washed off, the mask was washed off, and the oil was massaged in, out came the hot stones that was used to massage my legs and feet. It was AMAZING!

Lastly, a fabulous new color finished my pedicure. 

Well, I thought it was lastly. She did such a good job that I stayed for a manicure.

As I am writing this blog post, it came to mind that I need to schedule my spa selections for vacation a luxury spa resort the end of this month out west in the desert. I have fond memories of the unique spa treatments I have experienced through the years at different resorts. It's a luxury I enjoy and the justification for working as hard as I do. 

Work hard. Play hard. It isn't just a mantra I throw around lightly. 

Two vacations this month, both in sunny destinations. I look forward to soaking up sunshine and getting sun-kissed skin after a long, cold winter.