these boots are made for walkin'

i love being a texas girl!!! cowboy boots are such a great accessory to a floral dress, with leggings, skinny jeans, tights, etc. but recently i went on a journey to help someone find the perfect boots (i already had mine). there are so many places in dallas to shop for cowboy boots, but the best are the ones that are warehouse style, with boots just lining the walls!

(so colorful!)

so chic with a black summer dress, big shades, and a big bag!

even with a wedding dress

But one thing I became educated on during our hunt for great boots was a fabulous brand, Ferrini! Ferrini makes great leather accessories, men's shoes, but most importantly fabulous cowboy boots! they use the most divine leather from alligator, ostrich, crocodile, lizard, kangaroo, and python. the boots are also comfortable and will last a lifetime! they distribute to places all over the country so find a western warehouse and find those boots that will be worth the price and last a life time! We were successful!!!!! (mine are not Ferrini, but these men's boots, are fabulous!)

(mine are just cute because they are tiny, but how sexy are those men's boots!)

get ready!

chicago, here i come

so with my new job we have a week in the Executive Development Program where we do a store rotation. it is to help us better our knowledge on how the department managers run their store, stock levels, handling and catering to our customers, managing the sales team, and the list goes on. the cool part about this week, we can do it in any Neiman Marcus store in the country! so of course this was my chance for a "vacation"!

i was disputing between San Francisco, my favorite city in the country, or Chicago. both of these places would be absolutely fun, but i had to think of the logical place. now San Fran would have been the best because that Neiman Marcus is a little unique, it has gorgeous building structure and design that i have never seen in a Neiman Marcus before, but because the travel to and from the actual store would be more difficult, San Francisco is out

i have chosen to go to Chicago. totally excited for a million and one reasons. i will be staying with my sister (my best friend) for like 10 days. her poor husband will be sick of us by the end of these 10 days because we are like two ridiculous kids when you put us together. i will be working at the Michigan Avenue store (hopefully/most likely). there are many reasons that i am excited for Chicago and Michigan Avenue Neiman Marcus, but i will let you in on the best reasons.

1. lunch and dinner dates with my sister at the Zodiac. the Zodiac has the best food, but the ultimate favorite part of the meal is the popovers! these things are absolutely delicious. they are served with strawberry butter that is divine. the popovers aren't good without this Strawberry butter. (little secret, i can order these any day i want from Bar 6 at the Dallas Neiman Marcus where my office is located. if you add a bowl of their other famous divine food, the chicken broth, the meal is under $4, awesome). me and sissy just love to eat these and just talk. thank you popovers for coming into my life!

2. getting to ride the Elle Train. in Dallas we don't get the luxury of a free ($5/day) ride

to work. every morning when i get to drive to work in Dallas, i have to think hard, pay attention to the traffic, rush through the parking garage, which plays music that reminds me of a circus, and walk heavily fast by all the bums on the empty streets of downtown Dallas. the Elle has so much to offer, people watching, time to think about life, and the maturity that a real adult feels in a big city! Although i don't know how to really take the Elle, my brother in law already told me which trains to get on, so i think I can handle it now! thanks Ad!

3. time with my sissy and brother. sorry scott didn't mention you before, but i get to see him to. i love my brother, he is the cutest thing. now that we are adults, i think the three of us together are more childlike now, then we were when we were children. we can workout together, shop together, visit family together, and just be together. its not often the three of us are all together so it will be great to be together, the three of us. (yes they left me out of this picture, terrible sad as you can tell, but i still love them)

so as you can see this is a very exciting treat for me during a crazy time at work, it will get to be a little exciting for a little change. i know that Chicago is a little different then Dallas, people, ethics, culture, all of it, but i am excited to shove my little Texas self into a little bit of Chicago. And to bring the true culture of Neiman Marcus from the original store on Main Street, I have a lot to bring to you Chicago, get ready!

airplane bathroom

i have been working for Neiman Marcus in the buying office for 2 years and seven months. i had a great office working in the children's buying office for these 2 plus years. i learned so much and made some great friends. the great part of working in the kids office is that i could fit in most of the clothes we bought, and i enjoyed looking at the new seasons lines seasons in advance before they appear on the site or in the stores. i dealt with samples, photography, order writing, editing, working with a great team, meeting great vendors, and i made some best friends. as of January 11th, i was promoted, yah!! but it was a bittersweet goodbye. i am so excited for my next steps as an assistant buyer, but was truly sad to leave a business i grew completely fond of, but also leave behind my group. these girls were so outstanding to work with and i walked away with best friends. you ladies know who you are. on my last day in the office there were tears, but i had to capture my office in a picture. there were four of us in an office with no window and the size of an airplane bathroom. it was kind of like living in a sorority house, but we didn't have to sleep or shower in the same place. we talked about love, life, goals, and anything my best friends know, my office knew it to. going to work every morning was always a privilege and a great therapy session to talk about everything and anything. i miss these ladies deeply but am so excited to have great relationships with them outside our airplane bathroom, goodbye to comfort, hello to opportunity.

my desk

i miss you!

san francisco*

a few weeks ago i got to travel to visit some friends and family in San Francisco. i haven't been since i was 18, so i was extremely excited to go at a time in my life when i really value my "vacation days" and can grasp the atmosphere of different cities. so i thought i would take tons of pictures because i got this awesome camera that i was dying for for the holidays (nikon 3000), but you start to feel like such a tourist in a city like this, with it wrapped around my neck. but anyways it was an incredible trip. from great restaurants, beautiful sunsets, eating on an ironing board as a table, visiting Berkley University, walking The Haight, tai food (my first time trying it), seeing great friends, sitting by the fireplace on a cold day, watching old family videos, and giggling with my cousins, i couldn't have had a better vacation (mini vacation). i cried the whole plane ride home.

imperfectly perfect

the new year is around the corner and i always like to make new years resolutions, but i like to do them before the new year, so i start them early on. i believe it is important to always have a new years resolution whether its an action, emotion, or goal you set, its important to improve yourself every day of every year. i have come up with a few that i think will make me feel better but also be better to those in my life. there is always room for improvement. no one is perfect just imperfectly perfect

1. clean less : i am what you could call crazy when it comes to cleaning and organization, and i need to learn to be a little less "ocd". everyone in my life could agree with that. people think i am crazy (i don't really care), so to be a little less crazy i can handle.

2. make the conscious effort to stay in better touch with my friends near and far. i am pretty good at that because i call my besties at least twice a week, but sometimes phone tag happens and its a long standing game that can go on for weeks, and since my best friends live all over the country one living out of the country. my friends are my heart.

3. take up more pilates & yoga. over the years i have lost the flexibility in my body, and as i get older (less younger), the body handles things differently, i believe a young body equals a young mind, and being young is to me what makes life fabulous.

release*

“a gait in which at some point all feet are off the ground at the same time” Also known as running. Running lets me go to the place where all thoughts are released and I am free from all stress, troubles, thoughts, and I can run towards all the dreams that I crave. the first two miles are the hardest and from there it gets easier, the increase of speed, means the increase of release on my mind. I don’t think running is the best thing for the body since the impact is intense on all joints and bones, but that doesn’t matter when you are running with emotion. I guess you can call me an avid runner but I only allow three miles. If I feel the need to sweat more then I allow four miles, but three is perfect. It also burns 375 calories for those three miles, it keeps me in shape in mind and body. its my release

In loving memory of Lois Ann Schuster Freundlich

To my sweet Nana, you are always in our hearts

Lois Ann Schuster Freundlich, beloved wife of Edward Freundlich for 60 years, passed away peacefully on Oct. 10, 2009. Born Dec. 9, 1929 in Chicago, she was a wonderful, compassionate, sweet, loving person. She married Edward on Dec. 3, 1949 and devoted her life to family whom she loved so very much and for whom she gave endless hugs and kisses. We will always remember her smiles, warmth and generous heart, her love of cooking, every holiday, parties with dear friends and anything joyous. Her home was open to all and always a place of much love and happiness. In addition to her husband, Edward Freundlich, she leaves behind her son, Edward Freundlich, Jr. and his wife, Susan and their children, Evan and Sara; her son, Andrew Freundlich and his wife, Carrie and their children, Amy, her husband, Adam Gregor, Melissa and Scott; and her daughter, Susan Zimmerman, her husband, Richard, their children, Katie and Bill. She also leaves behind her dear brother Jerry Schuster, dear sister-in-law Mary Lou Schuster, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many friends that she spent so many wonderful years with. She is now with her mother Lorraine, father Jerome, brother Jack, and sister-in-law Elaine and many other loved ones. Private only memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center, Skokie, IL or a charity of your choice.

On October 10th, 2009, we lost our loving Nana to Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal disease which destroys brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior, severe enough to affect daily life activities. Today Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death in today's society. It was a long several years of watching our Nana lose her memory. Deep down she still had memory of her husband, our amazing Papa. The love they shared was an unconditional fairy tale love that every person is looking for in their life. They are lucky to have each other, and are an inspiration for those in love, looking for love, or waiting for love. I admire them both, the commitment to their children, grandchildren, and each other. We know Nana is in a safe place, much happier place, and is missed by all her children and grandchildren every day.

all that jazz

sequin leggings, the buzz has grown and they are ever so popular this season!

expressfashion.com $98

the glitz & glam has sparked the fashionista in me. as i have been "cutting back" on my spending, i have allowed myself to only shop for the needs, but these leggings will have to be bought soon. leggings have been such a hot trend for the last year and its great to see the new legging in a fanciful form.

victoriassecret.com $88.50

neimanmarcus.com $348, La Rok (i want you but can't afford you)

sequin leggings I will find you, this may just have to be an expensive indulgence to perk up my with-drawl of shopping, they have been worth the wait!!

teeny halloweeny

dear amy...thank you for the embarassament

dear all readers, my sister decided to take some pictures out of the vault to paint a picture of what halloween means to her. but i want to put it out there, that my mother always dressed us alike. always, from corny holiday sweaters, halloween sweatshirts, but thats what made people believe we were twins. to this day people still think we are like twins.

so in order to get back at my sister for the lovely photos, i just decided to take it all the way and post a video, please enjoy. this video is my little brothers 1st birthday, he is our teeny halloweeny. he is the only reason i love halloween, he is the cutest most adorable little thing i have ever seen. i love him so much. please ignore my 4 inch thick glasses, and the two mullets that my sister and i are modeling. enjoy our teeny halloweeny on his 1st birthday (1989), i heart you scott*

Basic Black

so i have been reading this book called basic black: the essential guide for getting ahead in work and in life by cathie black

cathie is the president of hearth magazines. she is in charge of the great magazines cosmopolitian & marie claire, which i am sure everyone has heard of. this book offers invaluable lessons that will help you land the job, promotion, or project you are vying for; cathie provides personal stories of her own and other women that have been valuable in her life. as i read this, the one thing missing from this book is the fashion, but as i read it, all i can think about is the basic black necessities in fashion that these women should be wearing while conquering their successful careers. so i decided to share some of the "basic" blacks that i think every woman should have in her closet (not all these are work appropriate, but i love them)

a little ruffle goes along way

from work to play

one shoulder, a great new trend that leaves a little sexy

these are my must have accessory when the leaves have fallen and we hit our cold months (in dallas that means december)

and who doesn't love a little Louboutin

are you ready for some football

that's right ladies, it's football season, the men hibernate into bars, homes, basements, where ever they can get away from us, but let me tell you something i have learned, football is fun to watch. the adrenaline rush you get when that hot body runs down the field, so worth watching. i have to say there are some good looking football players, but the best ones are the ones with the great touch down dance.

but if you don't find this amusing, sorry ladies, you are going to have a very boring fall, because these men are obsessed with the "fantasy football" and the "real football", i know its sick. i suggest you get down to the googling, and google your fingers away and read up on your football statistics, so when you finally get your man to take you to dinner, you can find something to really intrigue him with, football. that's all that makes these men happy. i honestly love football, love finding a great team to root for. it really impresses these men. so just a little information on my favorite football player : Marion Barber, he is known for "the stiff arm" i love him for this. when he gets the ball he puts that arm out and just pushes all these big boys down and runs it into the endzone, unbelievable! i love it. so please if you have learned anything, pick a player talk about it with your man, he will be head over heels for you.

a good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

that's right my best friend is coming to Dallas! i haven't seen her since we graduated in May 2007, so it's been 2 & 1/2 years. long time. i haven't seen alot of my great friends from college because we live all over the U.S., but i am super excited, i mean there are no words to how excited i am to see her. here's a little bit about our friendship. we both joined pi beta phi our sophomore years of college. we had been randomly selected to be roommates, along with another girl in our house. every semester it was house policy to switch rooms, and every time we would choose to be in a room together. our friendship grew from day one, and we really are so much alike. she is just like a sister to me. what's great is we both have amazing sisters that we are lucky to add each other into our lives. as senior year was ending, that last semester we really embraced each other, and became best friends. through some of the hardest times we were there for each other, leaned on each other, and giggled with each other. we went out together, ate jimmy johns together, got dressed together, did our hair and makeup together, gossiped together, laid on the futon together, watched every MTV show together, held each others hands through many shots of vodka. we were inseparable. i love her with all my heart, and can't wait to capture some good memories with her when she comes in town. friends aren't always easy to find, and i believe fate really gave me such an amazing best friend. thank you fate*

beautiful INSPIRATION

style : the images below are what style is defined by. this is beauty, carrie bradshaw gives women all over the world the confidence to feel beautiful in anything they wear. thank god for the amazing writers of sex and the city, cannot wait to enjoy the next addition to the sex and the city collection, with the second movie. i heart you sex and the city*

My beautiful sister just got married on 8.08.09, the wedding was incredible, and she married the most amazing man. Here are some incredible pictures from pencarlson.com, they captured this wedding to the 10th degree. enjoy*

"Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us not only great joy but also great pain. The greatest pain comes from leaving. When the child leaves home, when the husband or wife leaves for a long period of time or for good, when the beloved friend departs to another country or dies ... the pain of the leaving can tear us apart. Still, if we want to avoid the suffering of leaving, we will never experience the joy of loving. And love is stronger than fear, life stronger than death, hope stronger than despair. We have to trust that the risk of loving is always worth taking." - Henri Nouwen

seesters*

A few weekends ago, I threw my seester a bachelorette party. She is getting married August 8th in Chicago, but we decided to have it here in Dallas. It was extremely special since we grew up here but she lives in Chicago and all her friends came from all over the place to celebrate her last final days as a single lady. Here are some entertaining pictures and a glimpse of the weekend!!!

the nest.com has the cutest ideas of "20 dates for under $20 dollars.

At Home Dates

$-$$$ Bathroom SpaTake turns giving each other massages and rinse off all that oil with a bubble bath. Just don’t get too relaxed. Falling asleep really kills the mood!

$$ Movie Theme NightIf you’re in the mood for Italian, rent The Godfather and cook up some pasta. Watch Wedding Crashers with slices of cake from your fave bakery.
Artsy Dates$ Art GalleryMost art galleries are free, so check out new artists in your area. Free wine is often served on the opening night of exhibits. Cheers!

Artsy Dates

$ Art GalleryMost art galleries are free, so check out new artists in your area. Free wine is often served on the opening night of exhibits. Cheers!

$–$$ Local ConcertsCheck your local paper or its website for free concerts. For shows in the park, pack a picnic so you can dance and dine in the same place.

$$$ Pottery Painting Okay, you won’t exactly be able to reenact the scene from Ghost at a pottery shop, but you’ll be able to paint funky coffee mugs!

Free Book Readings

$ Hiking Pack your hiking boots or a comfortable pair of sneakers, two large bottles of water, and yummy sandwiches.

$ Driving Range Whether it’s outside on a sunny day or at an indoor range to escape the rain, teeing up is a cheap wy to get your golf on together.

$$ Roller Skating If you own skates, head over to the nearest roller rink for a retro good time.

$$–$$$ Minor League Games : tickets in the back row are cheaper and more romantic

Foodie Dates

$ Street or County FairWhether it’s a pie bake-off on a farm or a falafel stand in the city, street and county fairs are great places to sample food and soak up the local flavor.

$ Ethnic Eats Here’s the thing about low-key ethnic restaurants: The food is often just as good as pricier cuisine. Who can resist pad Thai with chicken, veggies, and peanuts?

$$ Cooking Class Get friends together and ask everyone to bring their favorite recipes and the ingredients to make them. Since it's potluck, you'll feast for a fraction of the price!

$$ Farmers’ Market Wake up early on a weekend morning, grab your canvas grocery bag, and head over to your local farmers’ market or health food store.

$$$ Brunch Ask about the brunch specials at a favorite restaurant. Many weekend hot spots offer deals on brunch buffets, limited brunch menus, and drinks.

Offbeat Dates

$$$ Thrift Shopping Head to a flea market or thrift store and have a contest to see who can find the wackiest item. The only catch? You can spend no more than $10 each.

$$$ Amateur Comedy ShowLaugh it up during open mic night at a comedy club. Admission rates are cheaper when you watch amateurs take the stage.

On-the-Go Dates

$ Volunteer “Work” Doing good together can be a lot of fun. If you love the outdoors, find an organization that plants trees or cleans beaches.

$ Historic TourEvery town or city has a unique history, so find out yours by taking a walking tour of local sites with historical significance.

$$$ Dance Class Obsessed with Dancing With the Stars? It’s time to test your own skills by taking a couples dance class.