A GIVEAWAY!!!!!

For the past few months I have been doing giveaways on Neely's blog and they have been a HUGE hit...to say the least! Thank you to all who have joined in, I wish you luck in winning these awesome products. 

This month I am giving away an all-in-one organizer from my Thirty-One site in the most popular print that they have right now, Best Tweets. 

These organizers are GREAT for all of you teachers who are looking for a way to keep your classroom simplified and in order. File folders fit perfectly inside and you can label them Monday-Friday for each day you have a lesson plan. Then just grab your organizer off your desk, take it home and set up your lessons for the next week. How easy is THAT!?

Go on over to Neely's blog and comment, telling us which product you would love to have off of my Thirty-One site. 
As a follower of both my blog and Neely's, I am offering a special discount for all of you! You will receive 10% off your entire order when you email me at angela.kolachny@gmail.com and mention NEELY10

Happy Friday Friends!

xo

The Vow

Nick and I rented the movie, The Vow, last night from Redbox and boy was I surprised. I thought it was going to be this awfully cheesy, guess-the-line kind of movie but it wasn't at all. The movie was based on a true story and the casting director couldn't have chosen two people that played the parts better than Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum (SWOONNNNNN!). 

Of course, being a woman, I began to analyze the movie thinking, "oh my gosh! I give them so much credit. How did he manage to do that! What if it was us??".  While I have many other thoughts about the events, it all boils down to one thing.

 Love. Love will get you through anything.

Yes, I'm about to get married in a year. 

Yes, I'm a sucker for love stories.

Yes, I am head over heels, MADLY in love with my fiancé.

So I'm biased. 

BUT...

with anything in life, if there isn't love, its not worth fighting for.

Nick and I recently had a conversation where we were talking about jobs, and finances, etc. We are very fortunate to live a comfortable lifestyle. I feel very fortunate that I was able to move into a brand new city and find a job that would pay me a comfortable salary because, let's face it, I love to shop:o)

But as Nick said, "Yes, you have a job that pays what you want. But are you really happy?"

I sat there looking at him like, "What? What is that supposed to do with anything?" and low and behold, he was right. If you're not happy, why are you doing it??

I realized that this guy could care less if I was working on a fishing boat gutting fish or if I was working as a corporate executive assistant for a living. He just wants me to be happy. 

I saw a sign in a store that said, "Happy Wife. Happy Life", and it was true. I make a goal out of making my fiancé feel like he is the most important person in the world each and everyday. He's the love of my life and he deserves that because, he too, works his tush off. But guys are simple. They don't ask for much in return. It's the women who are really a pain in the butt, and I can attest to that! Mood swings, rants, "this doesn't fit", "I don't feel like cooking", etc. and the guys just sit there saying "geez Louise, relax!".  

We both have made promises to each other that I think are really special. They aren't written in an email or a text or even in a handwritten letter. We have sat across the table from each other and said,

 "even with all this crazy stuff in life. I PROMISE, I will do this for you."

So, Nick, if you're reading this...think back to that conversation we had a little while ago, promising what we would do to make our life together the best it can be...

I think we just wrote our own set of Vows.

xo

Summer Favorites

Ahh, summertime...I've missed you. What I love about summertime most is that it slows people down a bit, but in this area I've noticed that it doesn't slow people down enough to make you nuts:o)

Here are some other things that I really love about this time of year:

fresh produce & farmers markets

sangria!

 the beach, my heaven. the ocean is where I belong

 beautiful flowers in bloom

 Jeep rides-top down- with my little (err...not so little anymore) brother

 planning for our wedding! we sent out our save the dates

walks through trails with Nick and our dog Nelly

cooking dinner on the grill

sundresses and flip flops

longer days of sunshine

wine festivals in VA wine country

live concerts outside (we are going to see Counting Crows and Martina McBride!)

fireflies

spending more time with family and friends<3

Bridesmaid Luncheon

A few weeks ago, my Mom threw my bridesmaids a luncheon so that they could meet and chat about all things bridal. We had a BLAST! The weather was perfect, we had great company and she did a great job planning it all. THANKS MOM!

 Dia Doce Cupcakes, winner of Cupcake Wars, provided the cupcake desserts for our luncheon!

Their food truck was ADORABLE!

Tanks I made for my bridesmaids

and my matrons of honor!

Our save the dates!

 Mimosas of course!

 Nick's mom made this letter L initial that I was DYING to have. 

I couldn't believe how well it turned out!

 Dia Doce Cupcakes, they were amazing. My favorite were the ones with rose water icing.

Me and some of my bridesmaids! We missed you Lauren and Caitlin!!!

Teacher Appreciation MONTH!

I don't think teachers get enough appreciation at all. One week out of the year is just not enough for the hard work these wonderful people put in! 

Since I went to school to be a teacher, I wanted to reach out to the teachers in my area to say "thank you". I had several ladies who are involved with the PTA organizations here and I was SO excited to help out with their silent auctions.

I put together giveaways from my Thirty-One business because these products work very well for teachers and businesspersons. They were floored when I walked in with these big bags!!

Are you a teacher?? I'm offering 15% for teacher appreciation MONTH! During the month of May, you may take 15% off of your total order from my Thirty-One page! 

Interested in having a catalog party?? It's easy! I'll mail you catalogs to distribute, your guests order online or through you. YOU get the hostess rewards! WOOHOO! 

To order or for info on a catalog party, email me at angela.kolachny@gmail.com

HAPPY MONDAY FRIENDS!

xo

Meet Baby Jake!

My stepmom gave birth to Baby Jake about 2 weeks ago, and I am so excited to share some pictures with you! Even though we are 27 years apart, I can already sense that we are going to be inseparable. Welcome to the world little one!

 Kisses from Dad!

 Meg looking absolutely radiant as a mom!

The One Where It Gets Real: A Woman's Need to "Do it All"

Hi friends, I have missed you.

 Just a few minutes ago, I got a message from my soon-to-be Mother-in-law saying that she missed reading my blog and loves to read my posts. I've also had several messages from you all, and it's not that I've been ignoring you, I just haven't had time to sit down and...write. So here I am:o) It feels good to be here.

I must say, there have been SO many wonderful experiences in the past couple of months. In February, I was promoted to store manager of the Starbucks store that I now run. Nick and I took our first trip to Disney together with two of our best friends. I joined Thirty-One in order to meet new friends in my area and to have some fun working while I'm not actually at work. In March, I lost almost half of my staff at work, only to hire some of the best and hardest working partners I could ask for. I asked my bridesmaids to be in my wedding and they all said "YES!". Now, in April, I am leading community service projects at work. I am doing very well with my Thirty-One business, earning a great incentive prize, and it's only halfway through the month. I have met a new group of friends that I can actually connect with. My step-mom is about to give birth to my new baby brother (literally, as we speak-and I'm sorry I can't be there with you Meg!). I mean, there's just SO much to be grateful for!

But there's always a catch, right? There's always clouds in a sunny sky? Yes.

And what I struggle with, and what most women struggle with, is feeling the need to "DO IT ALL". And guess what ladies? It will never happen! You CAN'T do it all. 

It's something I've wrestled with for awhile now, and I constantly push myself to do the best I possibly can. And you should! You should ALWAYS do the best that you possibly can. But what's not healthy is when you try to be an overachiever. I, for one, bring way too much upon myself. No one is perfect. 

I believe it's all about letting go.

 It's ok to ask for help at times. 

It's ok to be vulnerable. 

It's ok to laugh at yourself.

I find myself thinking about things that have happened during the week in yoga class. My instructor, at the front of the class, saying to "let it go, let it all out", "breathe". But she also says to "focus on yourself for this next hour, without thinking about what's going on outside of these four walls." My response is usually a confused look, like, "yeah ok, easier said than done." But I'll just close my eyes, breathe, and block it out. I give myself that one hour, a full 60 minutes, to think about me and only me. To think about my health, my breathing, my soul, my spirit. It's a great feeling by the way. If you haven't experienced a yoga class, I highly recommend it. And when you do? Let me know how you like it. Email me and we will chat!

I recently had an argument with a family member who I was very close with my entire life. It wasn't until a few years ago that the foundation began to crack. I'm not completely sure what happened, how we allowed it to get that way, but it did. Instead of trying to repair the cracks with glue, we let it sit until it crumbled. Sad? Yes. I tried to reach out to this person and let them know that I am so very hurt and hope they would understand how I feel, but the look in their eyes said otherwise. I became hostile towards this person for awhile, but the more I thought about what was going on, the more I realized that they were fighting the same battle. Trying. To. Do. It All. Trying to be the perfect example, perfect cook, perfect Catholic, perfect friend, etc. The reality of it is, it's impossible to be perfect at everything. But putting everything else aside, it's necessary to put your family first. More directly, the people who have been a constant in your life, supporting you with anything that should come along. 

A friend of mine recommended a great read called "You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth. I was hesitant to read it because I'm not much of a spiritual person, but I thought, what the heck? I gave it a go. I loved it. The book is in a way an affirmation that reassures you that, no matter what happens, you are amazing. We were all put on this Earth to love and be loved. 

So as you move forward after reading this, just remember that you are wonderful. Put you and your family first and everything else will fall into place. Somehow, someway. It always works out. And if not? It wasn't meant to be, let it go.

Namaste. Love.