realtalknic

Loyalty is high on my values list. I consider myself a loyal person. I wear that definition with pride. When asked who and what I am…..loyal is always a word I use as a descriptor. I am friends still with my very 1 st best friend and many others from my childhood days…..married 21 years……I show up when I say I will for milestones in the lives of others because being loyal is a verb. It requires action, not just words. As the year winds down and the calendar points us to a reflective and planful place it’s natural to consider the relationships in your life and make some decisions around with whom and how you enter the New Year. So while thinking of this for my own self I had to revisit the definition of loyalty. loy·al adjective 1.     giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution. loy·al·ty noun 1.     the quality of being loyal to someone or something After pondering over this definition and careful c...

Ok, Christmas is over and Uncle John still thinks Tommy is 7 not 13........the footy pj's are a no go......RETURN! Rather it be the wrong size, style, or color...millions of things are going back! No receipt? Not sure where it came from? And.....well...you don't want to hurt Auntie's feeling by asking so you are gonna chance it........here are a few tips to get you ready to have the best possible outcome and experience at the same time: 1. Return now! Yep, today! I know the lines are crazy...tempers may be flaring....but retail stores are prepped and ready for returns and your best chance of a successful return are the 3-5 days immediately after the holiday. 2. Know the policy! This is easy....if you are reading this you are online so.....google the store and visit their site for exact return info. Keep in mind these policies have been in place for a while and you may not like some of these but that should be considered at the time of purchase......not at the time of re...

Ok so this is gonna be quick and easy! It's a chalk print hack! I love it! It is cheap and oh so glam! So, I am almost done decking the halls and I am thinking I still need a lil' sumthin sumthin! Y'all know I love Santa and he is all over but I needed something for me....to remind me of the reason we celebrate. One thing about the decorations....some people do it for their guests....I do it for me! Nothing like a cup of coffee and the glimmer of Christmas lights and your house all aglow! LOVE IT! OK, so.......back to the hack! I needed a lil something else and I wanted a chalk print. But so little time and with Christmas just 6 days away I can't really break the bank on more decor. So......check out this under $10 hack! 1st.....start with a thrift shop frame! Score! I got this huge one for $2! OMG! Yep yep! (For the record......it has been in my garage for 2 years now but I knew it would come in handy one day) You can grab one or use a pic you currently have or.....

All this talk about Santa has me fired up! Is he real? Is he white? Does it matter? Is it wrong to lie to children?........................Hold up! Wait one minute…. I have loved Santa for as long as I can remember. Late night rides in the car to wealthier neighborhoods to see them all decked out in lights…..sitting on his lap and critiquing his attire….. “his beard was not real Mom, he must be a helper.” Sending letters to the North Pole, visiting small town chatz like Smithville or Storybook land to see glassed off houses with moving puppets doing Christmas chores! I LOVE IT ALL! I had Christmas heartbreak early in life when our house was robbed and although there was still quite a showing under the tree that year, my most longed for item was missing! How could Santa make a mistake!!  “They took it in the robbery!!” my Mom shared, and with that…….the cat was out of the bag! My heart sunk for a bit….but then I marveled at the lengths my single Mother would go to add joy to ...

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It's my favorite time of year! And one of my favorite things is getting and sending Christmas cards. In this day and age of FB and Instagram....nothing like a good old fashioned card! My daughter and I give them awards...funniest, best photo, most bling.....and who gets the best position on the Christmas card tree! That's right! You have to have somewhere great to display all of the wonderful cards....it's like a lil bit of Christmas magic in an envelope! So....here is my simple....almost free....but totally glam (can you tell I love it?) instructions for a Christmas Card tree of your own! Make it now so as the cards roll in you can clip and go! Woop! OK....1st......why buy when you can pick? One bag full of pine-cones is needed for this job. Also, you will need a very heavy base container. I use this fab blown glass hurricane. Now......this thing is heavy! but...it has a secret...... it used to be an iced tea dispenser! HA! She sprang a leak and...