TUTU Cute

So today I was thinking about all the totally awesome, creative, talented, fun, friends that I have have surrounding me, and thought hey why not share their talents with the rest of the world. So to start off I ask my beautiful friend Tiffany if she cared if I featured her on my blog, and Wooooot she said yes. Tiffany and I have known each other for ummmm pretty much our whole lives. We both grew up in small town, and we both found ourselves moving to the city. Tiffany is the kinda girl that bates her own fish hook and loves to go fishing, but it wouldn't surprise me if she did it in designer heels. She has a intoxicating personality, she is just so easy to love. Just always beautiful, peppy, and eager for the next adventure. Tiffany is probably the busiest person I know. She works a full time job, runs a side business selling Rodan + Field skin products,and just graduated from Belmont University in 2009, and the girl still finds time to be creative. She also is a singer, song writer, and she crafts these beautiful little girls tutus. The little Tutus are what I want to talk about. They are just 100% adorableness. She handcrafts each one with a wide variety of colors, and adds flowers and ribbons to give them each it's own stunning little diva pop. It's probably safe to say that no two are exactly alike. No matter if you have a special little princess or if your little girl is more the diva type these little tutus are just the perfect little gift. They would make captivating photo props for your little girls next photo shoot, be just darling at a tea party themed birthday party, perfect for dance class, lovely for next Halloween's little angel, princess, fairy or ballerina, or even just plum enchanting as your little ones favorite dress up accessory. They are just TUTU cute!!!Speical thank you shout out to my stunning friend Tiffy for letting me feature her on Inside My Head today! If you would like to obtain more information about purchasing a Tiffany's Tutu just leave me a comment with an email contact and I will put you in touch with her. Stay tuned for more of my interesting and talented friends...you just never know what or who you will find featured on Inside My Head ;)

Purse Profile

What my purse, and the contents inside say about me. What you didn't know a purse could talk? As a teenager I pretty much refused to carry a purse, and when I did decide to be nice and lady like I usually left it somewhere. You know slung across the back of a chair at a restaurant, in the dressing room of the local department store, in the floor of a friends car, even at a couple of parks. Lets just say times have changed a little. Today my purse is a staple in my everyday life. My current purse of choice is a sling style. That could change tomorrow, I change purses, almost as much as I like to change my hair. What can I say I get bored. Anyways back to the purse this purse like I said is sling style with birds stamped all over the material. I think they look sort of like peacocks that have been fed steroids, and dyed the color of Easter eggs. What the outside actually says about me. Well lets start with the color it's bright pink which is what made me buy it in the first place. I love pink! The style of the purse is easy to manage and gives me the ability to be hands free since I just sling it over my shoulder and go. The style also says I have a inner hippie chick begging me to buy a broom skirt, and dig out my oldest flip flops from the bottom of the closet. You know and be that free spirit, peace loving, girl with Carol King singing in the background "I Can Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet". Okay okay maybe that's getting a tad carried away. So lets move on and dump the inner guts of my purse on the table. First inside you will find my wallet that I have had since I was in high school. The wallet is full of business cards. Pretty much from anyone who has ever given me one. Hey you never know when you need the services of clown who's main talent is to craft animals out of balloons. This collection says hey this girl fights against being a pack rat, and keeping everything. Not to mention I have had the wallet for over 10 years. Also my wallet has the total of zero cash in it. This says I spent it at Sonic Happy Hour =). There is also lip gloss, clinque compact, ponytail holder, and little pink mirror. Which of course says I think about beauty, but actually have little to actually ever use these items to freshen up. Not to mention my hair is to short for a ponytail at the moment anyways. Now then there is a camera which says I don't want to miss anything not even the little moments, but usually do. Now the I must be prepared list: an extra pacifier, wipes, candy, and couple of toy cars. This just screams MOTHER, as if the three children tagging along beside me wasn't obvious enough. Crystal light on the go because well I am not sure how that ended up there. I don't even like the stuff. Sunglasses which I never wear correctly. I mostly use them for a headband to keep my hair out of my face. A sharpie because heck you never know when someone might want my autograph. Lastly my IPhone never leave home without it. Unless I forget it. The IPhone shouts that this girl loves the Internet so much she likes to have it 24/7 true story. I get a little cranky without it. As for the actually minutes on the phone I never hardly use them. I am not big on talking on the phone, which is kinda funny because I sure love to talk, but I had much rather talk over good food and a Margareta with no children present. That is if I want to have a real conversation that gets to last more than fifteen seconds before being interrupt by one of my adorable rug rats. Well folks that about wraps it up as far as what my purse has to say. Besides the lint in the bottom of my purse we covered just about everything. So what does your wallet or purse say about you? Just something random to think about.

Quotelicious

During my day today while I was feeding my obsession. See I have this little devotion to books, poems, short stories. I am one of those people who love to read when of course I can find the time with three children, and a husband to look after. When that occasion rises, and I find that something that captures my interest I don't just read it I devour it. I soak up every word of a good piece of written art despite my struggle with being mildly dyslexic. I have always loved it from the first moment I read "Little Women", "Black Beauty", "Annabelle Lee","The Giving Tree", and so many more of my first favorites. I love to get lost in good story, and then rattle on and on about them to anyone who will listen. A trait I am sure drives my husband up the wall at times. This leads us to the whole obsession thing. Discovering that I love to read so much lead to a hunger for quotes. I find the little sections, little bits, and pieces to be inspiring, funny, romantic, heartbreaking, spirited, and sometimes needed. Quotes keep the art alive long after it's been read, watched, or heard. All that being said today while feeding my hungry for quotes on the goodreads website just typing in random words. I came across a rather touching quote by Erma Bombeck that I added to my favorite quotes collection. Erma was and American housewife that became a beloved columnist, and novelist. I found this particular quote from her to be inspiring, and so true to life. In today's world we often get caught up in the to do list, the have to get that done, and I must go here. I think Erma was dropping us all a hint in this quote to stop,take a deep breathe, and remember who we are. Sometimes we all need to just slow down and take in the things that really matter before it's to late. So readers I challenge you this summer to slow down, and enjoy life, value the the people surrounding you, say I love you at least once a day. I leave you with the quote by Mrs. Erma Bombeck. May you all look to be inspired this week, this summer, this year, this life time! Peace, Love, Joy, and Adventures to you all...until we meet next time from inside my head ;)

"IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER"

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather rambling about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculped like a rose before it melted
in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more
while watching life.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment, realising that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's" and more "I'm sorry's"

. . . but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute . . .
look at it and really see it . . . and never give it back."
— Erma Bombeck



P.S. Readers...I would love to know what some of your favorite are: Books, Movies, Music Lyrics, Quotes, Poems, and thing you find inspiring leave me a comment and let me know...Don't be shy!!!

Kelli Trontell

I have been itching to blog about inspiring people again the past couple of weeks. Last week I blogged about Allen Mazan Peace Corp Volunteer. This week I find my inspiration in a young Nashville entrepreneur and lover of life Kelli Trontell. I first met the beautiful, enchanting, bubbly red head with the warm smile at a GOA gathering, which is the company both of our husbands work for. My first impression of Kelli was that this girl has exquisite sense of style and a spirit that could melt Antarctica. Kelli is a California native who fell in love with the city of Nashville, TN. Now she calls Music City her home. Kelli describes what she does with her camera as capturing people with sparkle and passion, and a love for life through her lens. I would have to say she does just that with her photographs. Her artful photographs have just the right amount of flare, beauty, and atmosphere. Yet her talentful art seems to leave behind a raw existence of reality which lets the true beauty of her clients showcase in her her work. Kelli's combined love for photography and people are truly a perfect match in making this radiant woman's photographs an exquisite piece of art.

Volunteer Adventure

Deciding to become a volunteer in the Peace Corps is a big decision. It takes dedication, sacrifice, and much of your precious time. For most folks it's just not that easy to pack a few belongs, and jump on a plane to some foreign land. You leave behind so much, your family, friends, favorite foods, comfortable living quarters, and in some cases running water. Becoming a part of the Peace Corps takes a special person. A person with a sense of adventure, and a desire to build a better world, and the belief that one person can and does make a difference. I want you to meet one such person. Mr. Allen Mazan 28 year old a Peace Corps volunteer from Ohio. Allen is stationed in Cameroon, Africa. He is wrapping up his work there, and will be returning to his family and friends come June. He has spent the better part of the past two years teaching overseas for the Peace Corps, and gaining a whole new outlook on life. Allen was kind enough to answer some of my questions about his experiences in Cameroon. He also let us in on a little of his future plans when he returns to the States. I hope you enjoy this little peek into the life of this talented young man.

INTERVIEW WITH PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER

Q: What made you join the Peace Corps?

A: I joined PC because it was an opportunity to gain 2 years teaching experience abroad in a field I was going into anyways, plus you learn a foreign language, and have health benefits, grad school opportunities as well. It's a chance to live in Africa for 2 years and I knew that I'd be under the governments wing.

Q: What exactly do you do?

A: I teach English as a second language to the equivalent of 8th or 9th grade students. my first year I organized and opened the school library, and the second year I trained Cameroonians to do that so I it would remain in use.

Q: Has anything surprising or unexpected happen to you during your 2 year stay?

A: Many, many things have happened to me that have surprised me. So much that it's hard to go into detail about it because I just see it as the normal way of life now. I imagine that if you look at my early blog posts you might find somethings that I wrote of when i had soft eyes. but somethings are obvious like road conditions, lack of school resources, eating grilled fish heads, regular train derailments. Also, I didn't expect to be such a "celebrity", if you will. because I look different from everyone I'm always watched and talked about in the community. the return to anonimuosness will be nice.

Q: What has been the one thing you just can't be without while away from home?

A: There was nothing that I thought that I would never be able to live without when I left, so I was prepared to have less than the basic necessities. But I think i would say that having Internet access at my house helped me deal with life here a lot, along with consistent electricity and indoor plumbing.

Q: What has being away made you appreciate most about home?

A: I think that I really miss having a life outside of my job. Time to go out with family and friends, see live music, plays, eat at restaurants that don't run out of food. I also have really missed NFL games. Carol and I went to 3 different restaurants for lunch today and 2 of them only had one food option, really frustrating.

Q: I hear you have a K-9 companion named Buddy. Why name him Buddy? and What does he mean to you?

A: I do have a dog, 2 actually, one is mine and the other is Carol's. My dog is Buddy Reperton, he got that name because we didn't know what to call him and so we just kept calling him Buddy....like, "hey, what's going on buddy", "it's ok buddy", lol. then I remember buddy Reperton from the movie Christine and that was his name. The same thing happened with Honey too, I bought her for Carol for her bday and had her at my house for 3 days ahead of time and just kept calling her honey. Now her name is Honey Elizabeth Iversen, but we only say all that when she gets in trouble. They do mean a lot to both of us. It's nice to have a pet waiting at home for you and then they're always happy when they see you. They'll both be coming home with us on June 4.

Q: Do you feel you have had impacted on the peoples lives?

A: I feel like I may have made some difference in the lives of a few people. looking back I think that there was a lot more I could have done and probably should have. Peace Corps work is like planting a seed or a tree, you can plant it, but you may not see results for a long time. I think a lot of pcv's leave feeling that nothing got accomplished or nothing changed, I am not excluded from that group.

Q: Have the People of Cameroon has and impacted on you?

A: The people here have had an impact on me as well. Just seeing how they live their daily lives will change you. They have to make the best out of what the little that they have and they do a lot with that. So, when you don't have Internet, water, electricity for a few days, you can just think about those who never have it and it makes it a little easier to cope with.

Q: So you are returning to the States June 4, 2010 are you excited?

A: very

Q: Do you feel you have changed in any way since leaving the States?

A: I think so, all though I'm not sure of what I have changed about myself.

Q: Will you miss Cameroon way of life?

A: I'll miss the leisurely pace of life here, I haven't had to really rush anything for a long long time.

Q: What is the first Ohio meal you want to have?

A: I'm not sure, but I plan on going to eat Barberton Chicken, rockne's, sushi, and just grilling out.

Q: Whats next on the list of The Allen Mazan Life's Adventure story?

A: Next step is grad school, hopefully at George Mason University in Northern VA. But that is still pending. If i finish that program I'll have to stay in N. VA for 2 years and teach there. Then I may try and teach internationally for the Department of Defense. There's still a lot of flexibility in that, so cross your fingers that things will work out alright.

During all of this, Carol will be there with me, honey, and buddy. We came here in the same group and started dating early on and things have been going very well, so we're going to continue being with each other when this is over.