I am not a personification of my social media feed.

Let's talk social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram because they are the only two I can seem to keep my arms around. I confess, for a very long time I had a love-hate relationship with social media feeds. I was torn between wanting to share and also with feeling that posts had more to do with ego than actual sharing.

I finally realized that my feelings were spawned by others' views of media feeds. There seems to be two MAIN camps: those that poke holes at all positivity posts and those that feel some entire feeds are made up of negativity. There is a small segment of us in the middle - in the gray, if you will - that just enjoy viewing everyone's pictures of their families and pets and vacations, and tend to just overlook the more negative posts or the folks who are forever sick or being hurt or feel ignored by others.

While I hope people are "following" us - meaning the B&B - I can honestly say I have no idea how many followers we have on Insta OR Facebook. On the other hand, I spend several hours of research a week on how to use social media to promote our business. The reality is that social media is THE way to advertise today...and it's FREE!! We'd be nuts to NOT utilize this resource that will only continue to change and deepen and grow as the years go by.

Some days, I feel like the more I learn, the more I don't know. I finally switched my personal Insta to primarily business; meaning, I changed it from MY personal name to Wildernest Bed & Breakfast. Yes, I'll still post pics of the grands, the doggies, the food...but those things are WHO we are, so it makes sense to me that our potential guests would like to see what we view as important.

We spend ENORMOUS amounts of hours on our front porch, so front porch pics are important to me. Pictures of our cabins, the food we serve, and views of the property are paramount to - not only promoting our business - but also giving small glimpses into who we are as business owners. We're family people, first and foremost, so there will always, always, ALWAYS be crazy amounts of pictures and stories of our grands, our kiddos, and our pets.

The one area that I question the most is: am I being real? Authentic?

Because THIS I can promise you. For every delicious food picture I post, there are at least THREE that are HORRIBLE! My sweet husband is very vocal and descriptive during our meals together. When it's good, there is NO doubt. His vocabulary and adjectives (some appropriate and some not so much:) leave no doubt that it's a dish worth repeating. But when he is silent; eating but with no commentary, I know it's bad. Very, very bad, usually! Ha!

For every "positivity" post, I promise I could post three things that AREN'T going well in life. Sometimes I think our family could have their own reality show. We have SO. MUCH. GOING. ON. right now! Most good, but some sad, some scary, some uncertain...So, sure, I make the decision each and every day what I want to share with others. The truth is that I WANT to be a voice of positivity. I WANT to point others to what gets me through: JESUS.

At the same time, even though I don't post about it on a regular basis, we have our own set of difficulties that we deal with on the daily. We've given up a regular, dependable salary to take a chance on "us" and this dream of a B&B. We celebrate with our kids who have kids and who are expecting another! (Hopefully we'll have a gender reveal later this week!!!) We also have kids who are going through infertility treatments, including surgery, medications, injections...We celebrate and we console, and many times both on the same day. We have parents with new medical issues, and our place in the "sandwich" of the family is that of the meat that holds both ends together. That's just where we are.

I could post all this, and I would never, ever discourage others from posting whatever they like. For me, I encourage myself with prayer, positivity quotes, and focusing on the good things in life. This naturally segues into my social media posts. It does as much, if not MORE, good for me than it could ever do for others.

Maybe most importantly of all is the growing of our family business - the B&B. We want that to be "the face" of our social media posts. We share certain pictures of family, pets, the grounds, the cabins, etc. because we want our potential guests to have a sense of who we are and what we value. We are two normal people: a couple who are deeply in forever love, who have grown children who are growing their own families, who have parents who are facing new challenges in life, who have meals that flop, ideas that fail, who laugh, cry, hurt, and rejoice.

We are normal.

We are not the personification of our social media feed.

The Boho House

The Boho House has been a popular rental here lately. It's easy for ME to see why...after all, it is my Happy Place! Fun, flirty, and all things girly, this one-story log cabin welcomes, inspires, and encourages one to kick off their shoes and stay a while.

Formerly known as The Bunkhouse before its "makeover," this gem served as both my office and our brick and mortar boutique last summer before I ultimately decided to close out the retail and concentrate on what we do best...the B&B.

At the time, Ali and Peyton were both still working for me and - together - we were all "feeling" the Boho vibe. It's more than just a look; it's a message. Everyone woman and girl is beautiful. Be yourself. BeYOUtiful! We had such fun finding great deals at dollar stores on inspirational signs, pillows, and wall decor that so perfectly conveyed our message. Ali spent hours painting  - a bookshelf, a dresser, and wooden crates. Together, these sisters brought my vision to life.

In the Boho house, I can do all kinds of things that I can't in my own home. Or - I won't anyway! We mixed color in the most fun ways - bright yellows, corals, blues and greens. I spent hours deciding on bedding and even now - a year later - I am literally OBSESSED with my decision. The truth is this adorable cabin is STILL my hideaway when it is not rented. Sometimes I stop in just to sink into a comfy chair, kick off my shoes, and enjoy the quiet and the beauty of the space.

It's a joyful place. There is simply no way one can spend time here and leave feeling anything other than happy and at peace!

We're so happy to have recently updated our B&B website to take online reservations and payments! If you are interested in The Boho - whether it be for a personal retreat just for yourself, a girls night in, a full-blown girls' weekend, or a slumber party for your daughter, please give us a call or check out wildernestbedandbreakfast.com.

I can't wait to share this special space with you!

photo creds: Nichelle Martin

Changing of the seasons.

What a year of transition!  Transplantation. When I first named this blog many years ago, it was

because it seemed I was being transplanted - both literally and figuratively. Little did I know that was Just. The. Beginning.

Since that first Transplanted Gal blog post:

• My parents sold their home and moved onto our land
• We built our dream home and moved out of our little beloved cabin
• Both sons married, one of them having the first EVER wedding on the property
• Wildernest Ranch Bed & Breakfast, LLC became a reality
• Our 3rd grandchild was born
• We opened the B&B
• Mike retired
• Expansions to the business included an event venue and two precious tinies
• After years of teaching English II, I switched to Culinary
• Mike received a call and was offered his old position with Donaldson, except with less travel
• We've witnessed 18 weddings at our property and venue, and countless parties & reunions
• I turned in my final letter of resignation and made the decision to "come home" to run the business full-time

Friday was my last day with students as we finished final exams. I've taken all of my personal belongings home, cleaned out the culinary kitchen, have all of my student computers and other technology ready to turn back into Tech. I've finalized grades and printed out my last grade verification sheets, cleaned out my desk, and have begun saying my "see ya laters." 

Tomorrow at 1pm I will drive out of the faculty parking lot for the last time as a TEACHER.

If I've learned anything in my 50+ years of living and loving, it's that nothing stays the same. Changes are inevitable; some are grand and exciting - others leave you heartbroken and desolate. With each new season comes new challenges, new adventures, new discoveries, new realizations.

The past year has probably been one of the most challenging for me up to this point. I think I may have cried more in the past 12 months than I have my entire adult life. My heart has been ripped apart again and again as I've tried to support my brother (who I love SO very much) through the most difficult chapter of his personal life; but we've grown closer as a result.

Together we've witnessed our parents' new health issues, and are continually learning new ways to support and care for them has been heartbreaking at times; but our love for family and our intense desire for them to know we're here for them has only deepened and solidified.

We've celebrated with one set of kids as they announced a new pregnancy, and we're over the moon excited to become grandparents to the fourth grand buddy OR grand doll. Yet - at the very same time - we've mourned with another set of kids who are facing infertility issues, and - as a family - we've come closer to each other and to God as we trust Him to make them parents.

We've lost friends to death this year - more than I ever thought possible in one year. It's been almost surreal. From motorcycle accidents to cancer to heart attacks, so many lives we've been invested in have come to an end, claiming people who are so very special to our lives. Yet each time has driven us to our knees and only served to make us more aware of how precious every single moment of this life really is.

Time is fleeting, and each day must count.

But I know it must also be a balanced life.

I've learned what it means to work weeks on end without a "day off," between my role as a teacher and a B&B owner. I'm also learning that a power nap on the couch or an occasional marathon of a favorite show doesn't mean I'm letting things "slip."

I've experienced what it's like to drop so many balls in so many roles this past year that I've very often wondered if I was fit to do ANY job, let alone try to keep my arms around the ones I've had. Yet each of these roles have blessed our family, our home, our marriage, and my spirit. I've learned to go to bed early on those hard days and trust that tomorrow is a brand new day, with brand new chances to do better.

We've missed countless ball games, special events, and birthday parties of our grands because it has literally taken all of our time, energy, and resources to get the business where it is today. We can't get those time back nor can we make up for them, but we CAN now begin to make new memories. Like Friday night lights in Richardson come fall, trips to Austin for the new birth, being present for karate tournaments, birthday parties, and impromptu quick Dallas "turn-arounds" for dinner dates with our grown kids.

I've cried over the students I am saying good-bye to, over aspects of teaching that I will miss so very much, and even over the fact that I will no longer be classified as a TEACHER - a role I have been so proud and honored to carry.

Oddly enough, there were no tears today. There may be tomorrow; don't hold me to this statement:)! I recognize this next season and anticipate it. I know it will be full of moments that I expect, and maybe even more that I don't. I know there will much laughter, more tears, gains and losses.

I promise my family that I will smile more, hug tighter, laugh often, play with childlike abandon. I will work hard to continue to grow our business, but I'll put the business of family first. More living room picnics with my love, more Legos and coloring with George, more girls' trips with my mom and daughters-in-love, more cheering at games as Carter plays and Kendall cheers. More front porch conversations with my brother, and also with my sis-in-law, friends and neighbors. 

More church. More prayer. More Jesus than ever before.

Once more...

I'm a transplanted gal.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Farmhouse Movement.

It seems that, for the past several years, there's been a movement back "to the farmhouse." I was first pulled in by the phenomenon that was "Fixer Upper," where JoJo & Chip Gaines flipped homes and turned ALL kinds of homes into a modern day farmhouse - whether or not the house was founded on literal farmland. 

The movement, though, is about something so much bigger than an actual house. Or the layout and decor of it. It's much more about the concepts, beauty, simplicity, and personality of a well-loved place from days long gone by. Something held snugly in between tales of times gone by and the expectations of all the future offers. A spot that is less about the farm, and more about the house. 

For a lot of us - me included - it's a "back-to-our-roots" movement where families simultaneously move toward more sustainable options and sustainable, healthy connections to one another. Whether we reside in urban city blocks, suburban neighborhoods, or wide open spaces we like to call "the country," we are more mindful of who we love and how we are choosing to live this one life we've been given. We love and lead more intentionally. We prioritize according to what is best for those we love most, instead of what is most "urgent." 

Toward the end of 2018, I realized I'd spent the better part of the year living my life according to the urgent, and not necessarily what (or rather who) is most important. Our family - children, grands, my parents, and friends. I was spending the least amount of time with the ones I love the most. This wasn't intentional...which is my point, I guess. 

I wasn't living intentionally.

I was catering to the to-do lists and the busyness of this season of life. Instead of savoring each morsel of this extraordinary life, I was prisoner to schedules and the clock and the calendar. It wasn't that these things and activities weren't important; they were and ARE. My issue lay with how I organized my time and my abilities. It had to do with taking better control of my schedule and learned to say "no" to the things that weren't necessary, and yet robbed me of time with my loves. 

There weren't any New Year's resolutions for me this year, but there was an intentional pivot. I chose PRESENT as my word of the year. Not as in gift, but as in being present. In the moment. Aware. Present for the important events. The important occasions. The important people. 

I'm trying to stay the course, and stay true to this pivot. Be at all the grands' special events. Cultivate an even deeper relationship with each of our kids. Communicate more. Laugh often. Call friends. Celebrate the everyday as well as the big stuff. 

It's a matter of coming full-circle. Living an authentic lifestyle, where family values come first, ingredients are pure and simple; where we not only know our neighbors, but call them friends, and where spending our time well trumps to-do lists. 

I appreciate the ability to work hard and run a business. I'm proud of my career as a teacher. I'm beyond thankful that I've been blessed to do both over the past several years, and that the business, which is my passion, is doing so well, and that teaching - which is my calling - still fulfills me. Even though it's time to choose - and, of course, I've chosen the B&B, I know that teaching and my students will always be a part of who and what I am. I appreciate all of this...the figurative move toward the simple things.

I also cherish the move toward the literal simple things: mason jars, shiplap, big front porches, open windows, and a good quilt on the bed. I love homemaking and decorating, finding ways to make our home reflect the things we care most about. I love beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets, and love them most from my own front porch. 

I like this farmhouse movement.

This is a movement toward happier homes and healthier families, both literally and figuratively. 

Finish line in sight, y'all. But I'm walking it, not racing.

This is Wednesday of Spring Break. I almost typed Tuesday, because - truly - I'm not keeping track other than to make sure I keep up with the B&B reservations. For everything else, we're on teacher on SB time.

That means, if an activity requires normal clothes, chances are good you might not do it.

It means, no ALARMS. Okay, that's not true for me because...duh...guests still expect a delicious, hot breakfast at 9am, but my 5:15 alarm has been replaced with a 7:45 one. That means an extra TWO AND A HALF HOURS, y'all!!

As much as I am relishing SB 2K19, it hasn't escaped me that this will be my last one. This time next year, it will just be another work week. No more of that escalating excitement as The Day We Get Out draws closer and closer. But also no more of the hyper students, silly drama, and rotten attitudes that increase as That Day approaches.

And yet...I know I will miss a lot of aspects of classroom teaching. (I specify "classroom," because - if you've been reading here long at all - you know that I believe a teacher will always be a teacher.)

Haters gonna hate, and teachers gonna teach.

As this final school year begins to wrap up for me I am finding that I wax nostalgic one moment, only to be quickly followed sheer laughter at some of the memories that flood my mind these days. I've always been fortunate to teach with amazing teachers, but it wasn't until my 3rd year of teaching that I became a part of a TRUE team. One who laughs together, gripes together, and occasionally cry together. 

Then I began my 4th year of teaching and met my fellow teacher spirit animal - Amy. Over the next three years, we became as ONE when it came to the classroom. There was 100% trust and honesty between us, and we LOVED collaborating over vertically aligned lesson plans, crying over essays that quite literally rent our hearts in two, and laughing hysterically when our bodies crossed over that "you're too tired" line and we found ourselves having to remove ourselves from our own classroom and take refuge in the other's - just to collect ourselves. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and the friendship is STILL growing, even though we haven't taught together for a few years now.

When I changed districts a couple of years ago, the thing I feared the most was that I would lose the close camaraderie that I by now so desperately needed. I shouldn't have feared. For it was here that I met Haylie and Betsy and Telly. 

The Grammar Gals. 

I'm fairly certain we drove a certain segment of the school nutty with our crazy ways, inside jokes, and fierce loyalty. But we were a team, and a formidable one at that! I love these ladies more than life and - even though I taught there just a year before coming back to my hometown school - it was the Single. Best. Teaching. Experience OF MY LIFE!!!

I've found myself reflecting on so many classroom experiences these past few weeks. Tajawin Smith has been on my mind. My very first year of teaching and - already skittish, insecure, and nervous, his presence in my 5th period class was a source of total and complete misery for a good 6 weeks. 

Six weeks where I would barely escape the door of the school and scramble into my car before the floodgate of tears spilled over. I would then drive through the tears and wait for my brother's phone call, which almost always came about the same time each afternoon on that drive. He would "talk me down," remind me that my value was not based on what students thought of me, and that I was on my way home to those who loved me. 

I can laugh at this now, and do...but I also smile each and every time I hear Tajawin's name or glimpse his graduation announcement (both his high school AND his college one) on the bulletin board in my current classroom. Ty (as I called him) forged what would become one of the strongest and most trust-worthy teacher-student relationships of my career. Day after day after day, I would see him in the hallway and call out, "Hey, Ty! How're you doing?" I did this many days when I in no way whatsoever felt it. 

The magic of teaching is this, though. All students want, and all we teachers want, is respect. Once you have that as a foundation, all other things positive can take root and grow. Kids aren't interested in what you know until they know you care. So much truth in this! 

A couple of years after I left the district where I taught Ty, I received a letter at my present school - from...you guessed it! He acknowledged the rocky start we had, but then referenced how he looked forward to walking past my doorway every day when I would call out his name and see how he was doing. The glory was I came to love Ty fiercely and I've rejoiced over every accomplishment he has made. THAT is why we teach, to all the folks out there who just don't get it.

I have so many students I could write about. I'm still in contact with so, so many. No matter where I run into them or see them, or no matter when and how they reach out to me, it does something magical to my heart to hear their voice, share their struggles and their victories, and get to know them as the great adults they grew into. 

But, for now, I'm just going to wrap up with a bit of reality:

The day of a teacher most days goes something like this: It's almost two pm; you had a meeting during your conference period that you forgot about, so ran into late and out of breath. You've already helped a student through a bloody nose and another one through a panic attack. Your 20 minute lunch turned out to be a non-lunch because a lone student shows up and wants to talk about his or her grade. You REALLY have no patience for this, but it's not in you to ask them not to bother you during those precious twenty minutes. In your first after-lunch class, you slip a package of cheese crackers to a student who is hungry because they had no lunch, and no money to buy it. You listen patiently to a loooooong story another tells because it's obvious school is their safe place, and they place they know their stories have a home. It's 2 pm when you see your principal about to walk into your classroom and realize you never did finish writing your "We will, I will" statements on the whiteboard...primarily because your last whiteboard marker ran dry and you never did find the time to hunt down another. Your principal sees kids talking, working on different things and you worry that it looks like one hot mess. 

You may be the only one (besides the students, that is) that knows it's anything BUT a hot mess. It's a learning classroom, an environment where students not only thrive, but flourish. They are safe, they are heard, they are fed, and they are getting the "we will" and the "I will" done. Mainly because they listen to you. They respect you.

Because you know their name. You use their name, and often. You give side hugs and big smiles. When you feel it and especially when you don't. 

It's a teacher's life.

And I will miss it.

Life hacks for REAL women!

Sister, you are not alone!

Life is crazy, frantic at times, and always, always changing. Morphing into something that we've either worked ever so hard for, or something completely unexpected - that we are not prepared for.

Either way, the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (aka women as a whole) need to be supportive of one another. BE that woman that is willing to fix another's crown without broadcasting to the world that it was crooked in the first place! Part of that is to encourage one another's feats in this life. A way to make way enough for all of our anticipated feats is to have a few "hacks" under our belts so that we don't get tripped up over day-to-day stuff.

Real life hacks for real life women.

I am in no way whatsoever an expert on this subject. Or maybe I am. Because I am just a real life woman. Not a celebrity. Not a celebrity wannabe. Not young and hip. Not yet old and wise. I'm just a woman somewhere in the middle who is embracing the realization of long worked-for dreams and - at the same time - still scrambling to leave my imprint on the hearts and lives around me.

So the following list will not be your usual beauty hack list. It will not be your normal "guide for the busy career mom" list. Instead, I'm merely a fellow sister who is interested in ways to simplify my life and still take care of my body, my health, my family, and my home. If you are in the same boat as me, then I hope the following list is helpful!

Time Saving Life Hacks

Learn to say no. Far too many of us struggle with saying "no" to people. As a result, we're too often saddled with time and energy-draining tasks and responsibilities we really didn't need to add to our already stretched schedules. Learning how to say "no" - politely, but firmly - is the single most important life skill to help preserve precious time and be able to prioritize what's truly important.

Flip your mattress every three months. Unless you're currently sleeping on a one-sided mattress, such as ours. A delicious, luxurious pillow-top that is exquisite and - very definitely the most impressive mattress we've ever indulged in. Yet, because of the amazing pillow-top, there is now a distinctive sag along the middle of the bed. BUT...if this isn't YOU...flipping your mattress every few months will even it out and prevent that sagging, which in turn, will save you a WORLD of pain in the form of poor posture and lousy, lousy backaches. Flipping a mattress really isn't a one-woman job, particularly a queen or king, but it's definitely worth doing; a hurting back will take a whole lot longer to deal with than finding someone to help flip that mattress!

Keep snacking. One of the first things we women tend to cut out during a busy, hectic day is our food intake. Believe me, preaching to the choir here. But don't wait until you're practically starving to put food in your body. Taking long breaks between meals tends to make your body tire more quickly due to lack of glucose. This leads to a dip in our productivity level. Snacking every couple of hours on something nutritious and delicious is not only good for our metabolism, but also helps to keep our energy levels higher, enabling us to work at our optimum. PLUS...it prevents us from binging on unhealthy choices due to extreme hunger.

Keep salt, pepper, etc in your drawer at work. Speaking of eating...despite our best intentions, many of us end up eating a lot of our meals at the desk. I'm not the only one who does this, am I??? Because of this, I've learned it's so helpful to keep a few essentials like plastic ware, little packets of salt, pepper, ketchup, herbs, etc. in my drawer at work. (I also stash a few packets of low-salt peanuts and single serving JIF peanut butter.) You never know when you might need them and nothing is worse in the middle of a stressful, hectic day than to open your lunch only to discover it is going to be bland just because you didn't have time to run to the cafeteria or on-site cafe for some basic things that add life to our food.

Do not incessantly check emails. This one is tough for many of us. I get my email via my computer, but also by way of my phone AND my fitbit. It's really touch to ignore emails and - I'm not necessarily saying to do that. But I AM promoting the thought that email should be checked two - maybe - three times a day at max. Stopping what we're doing every time we receive a new, incoming email distracts us and leads to loss of focus on the current task, which - in turn - means less productivity.

Unsubscribe from useless lists. I finally took time a couple of weeks ago to go through my "spam" mail and unsubscribe from the countless email traps I had fallen into over the past several years. No, they don't "share" your information; they merely email you 7,246 times a week. Am I right, or am I right? I also went into my Facebook settings and withdrew from "groups" that no longer had meaning to me.

Fashion/Beauty Hacks

Utilize shower time. In a perfect world...wait...actually this really DID use to be my life...I would spend much-needed time pampering my skin and my body. After all, we DO only get one in this lifetime. But when life is busy - which is pretty often for a lot of us - every single second counts, which is why it is important that we make sure to utilize our shower time! :) Keep a body scrubbie in the shower and regularly exfoliate from tip to toe, clean AND cleanse your face, don't be afraid to use shampoo or conditioner in exchange for shave gel. It really does work Just. As. Well. It's also okay to apply moisturizer that you would normally do later in front of the sink - while IN the shower. Maybe most importantly, before you emerge from the shower, stand for a few seconds, if not a few minutes, and let the water flow over your body. Close your eyes, and relish the hot water, the feeling of having cared for your body.

Use two-in-one UV products.  When it comes to making your beauty regime easier, using two-in-one products is a must. Pick a cream that moisturizes AND offers UV protection, or opt for a tinted moisturizer that, both, cares for your skin while covering minor blemishes and redness. When life is at its busiest, it's the little things like these that can make all the difference.

Your hairdryer. I've learned a trick or two in my 50 years on this earth and one of those is that your hairdryer is for waaayyyy more than merely drying your hair. Hmmmm....For one, it can be used to help break in new shoes. Especially heels, y'all!!! Just pull on a thick pair of socks, slip into the shoes, and apply the heat from the hair dryer to the tightest corners or spots in your shoes. Keep repeating until the shoes fit comfortably.

Ice Cube Organizer. Okay, admittedly the Container Store, Target, and - of course - Amazon, sells all manner of things organizational-wise. But if you're interested in saving pennies (like I am!) and it's NOT all about "looks", then consider an inexpensive ice cube tray. You can buy two for .99 cents at Dollar General, ladies! These hold rings, trinkets, hair ties, etc... They fit nicely into ANY drawer and can help make reaching for what you need SO much easier!

Coconut Oil is life! Coconut oil can be used for a myriad of things, from health, food, all the way to beauty, and the healing of the body. WHERE has it been all of our lives, ladies??? I have personally used coconut oil to cook with, bathe my feet in, DRINK, AND use it for cuticle softener for both my fingers and my toes. Gargling with coconut oil every night does WONDERS for the body; just trust me on this and give it a try! It also is so much superior to manicure and pedicure lotions. It is absorbed by the body quickly and gently, and does not leave an oily residue. When applying at bedtime, it provides the perfect overnight moisturizer for the cuticles, the heels of your feet, and your lips. KEEP coconut oil on hand! (I buy the solid.)

I hope this list of life hacks helps in some way. If you have another, PLEASE comment below! We ae in this together, and ALL suggestions are welcome!

The Boho House.

When I proposed turning "The Bunkhouse" into "The Boho House" last summer, I know a few people were dubious. Namely, the males in my family! :)

"Bunkhouse" ran true with our other cabin names, and "Boho" was a bit of a departure from our norm. Both Ali and Peyton were working for me (WITH me:) then and they were my main inspiration for the whole boho/girly/she-shed vibe that we ultimately created.

Turns out that my instinct was right on; SO many groups of ladies and girls have enjoyed birthdays, parties, and girls' weekends in the past year!

With a totally feminine decor that shies away from cutsie pastels and - instead - embraces the bolder jewel tones that, at once, feel empowering and soothing. If that makes any sense at all!

I absolutely love for The Boho to stay booked, but I definitely take advantage of the space when it's not and when I'm at home. I share an amazing home office with Mike, but occasionally I like to pack my book bag, computer, planner, a few snacks and hide away for a few hours of work in The Boho. I instantly relax and go into a major chill mode, but I get So. Much. Done.

So, if you're looking for a great spot for a girls' getaway, a Bunco party, a shower...The Boho is for YOU! Check out the pictures below! There is a propane grill available for your use, as well as a fire pit that is for The Boho only. Bring all of your S'mores fixings, your favorite drinks, and have fun with your girlies!

Visit wildernestbedandbreakfast.com for even more pictures and to make reservations! Or, you can like us on Facebook and message for reservations.

              

       

Recovering.

It was a perfect storm, really. 

Enough chaos going on in my body that I wasn't sure which end was up and which was down. The quote from Steele Magnolias comes to mind, when Truvy says, "Oh Sammy's so confused he don't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt."

That was me, y'all, these past couple of weeks.

This is not going to be a long drawn out post on my ailments; just a quick reason why I've been MIA for those of you who have inquired. {Speaking of that, I know I am woefully behind on texts and emails; I'm working my way through them!}

It started with a pinched nerve in my neck - about three weeks ago. I ignored it as I'm apt to do, until it became too painful to turn my head. By then it was a mere couple of days before our big 2019 Bridal Expo and there was just simply no time to stop and pay attention to - you know- THE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE HEALTH. 

I soldiered on, by then limping because who even knows how a pinched nerve can cause you to limp? But there I was, powering through that big 'ol weekend smiling away with a literal pain in the neck and a noticeable limp. I was a thing of beauty, I am quite certain. 

After finally making an appointment with my chiropractor the next week, I felt hopeful that things were on the mend. My culinary class experienced a legit King Cake from Lyla's Bakery in Shreveport, we planned two Cajun meals, as well as salads and dressings we'd be making, while my Principles of Hospitality classes continued their major project on a theme park based on a children's book. Things were going well.

Until the aching started. I use the term aching lightly because I just can't think of a more accurate term. Pain seems TOO much, but my extreme discomfort fell somewhere in between the two. Not pain, but certainly more than ache. I laid awake for two nights, tossing and turning, unable to find a position that did not hurt. I blamed the adjustments I was receiving since I knew my back and neck were in a really jacked up position, but when I ended up in my chiropractor's office a day later and he saw my condition, he gently said, "I think you may have the flu."

No. I shook my head against that possibility. There's no fever. No chills. Just an upset stomach and this ACHING. 

Then the chills came. And, of course, the fever. And even more aching. By this point I had not eaten in three days. Even keeping water down was a challenge. When Mike came home from his out of town meetings (oh yeah, did I mention it was just the pups and I at home and - by this time - they were getting tired of going to bed at 6:45 every night:) he immediately called to get me in to the doctor.

So yesterday I find out that there is a stomach bug going around that is not to be confused with the flu - also going around - and, as she put it, "You were just in the right place to contract both at the same time."

Several bottles of Gatorade, lots of naps, a half a bottle of ibuprofen, some Tamiflu, and loads of water later I'm happy to report that I feel on the road to recovery. 

DISCLAIMER: I did not get a flu shot this year. I will not make that mistake again. YES, you CAN still get the flu even after taking the shot, but - trust me - the symptoms are much less violent, easier to control, and you won't think you are nigh unto death.