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Category: extras

Which way is right? – Grieving for someone you lost long ago.

Which way is right? – Grieving for someone you lost long ago.

Everyone has their own way of grieving. Nothing is normal. Nothing is out of the ordinary. Sometimes you follow the stages of grief. Sometimes you stuff it all down and walk around aimlessly. This past August, my father passed away. It’s something we had been expecting for a while, but that “expectant mindset” didn’t lessen the shock. The night we got the call, I sat and listened to my husband on the phone in the other room. And I just…

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How do you teach love? – Why we need to seek to love the unlovable.

How do you teach love? – Why we need to seek to love the unlovable.

We are all given gifts and talents. It is our job to use them to do good in the world. At one time, even the man behind the Florida shooting was someone’s baby. Someone’s child. Someone’s hope for the future. It’s hard to imagine him that way isn’t it? Innocent. Full of life and love. For a time, he did not know hatred, nor violence, nor revenge. But then a deadly cocktail of factors created a hate-fueled, dark and complex…

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Do I need more spanx, or sparkle? – What it’s like to shop for women’s clothing.

Do I need more spanx, or sparkle? – What it’s like to shop for women’s clothing.

Despite my love for fashion, I do not particularly enjoy the in-person shopping aspect. Spending hours rifling through racks, hopping from one store to the next, and then staring at myself in a completely unflattering mirror that is somehow strategically created to give me an unfiltered view of parts of my body that I have never seen…yeah. No thank you. I enjoy my shopping when it is done from my couch, in sweats, with a free shipping and free return…

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Did you bring your jersey? – Coaching teenage girls.

Did you bring your jersey? – Coaching teenage girls.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel with 12 high school teenagers? For four days. To Las Vegas. Oh. And did I mention they would all be girls? No? Not on your bucket list? I’ve been coaching volleyball since I was 19. I’ve spent thousands of hours running drills, perfecting technique, and hitting down balls. I’ve grabbed 6 am coffee for summer workouts and traveled to hundreds of gyms across California. You know what else I’ve…

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Are we too old for this? – Vegas after marriage and kids.

Are we too old for this? – Vegas after marriage and kids.

Before I begin this little recap of our anniversary trip, I feel the need to express my undying love for Las Vegas. The lights, the food, the energy. I just love it. But you know what I love more than Vegas? Vegas in the summer. I know, I know, I’m crazy. But there’s just something about walking down the strip at 2 am in 100 degree weather with a cold cocktail, watching crazy people walk around that just makes my…

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What are you trying to hide? – My 3 favorite concealers.

What are you trying to hide? – My 3 favorite concealers.

I have had a lot of requests lately to write about my favorite hair and makeup products. Let me start first by saying that I am in no way a professional. I’ve always loved beauty products and they’re pretty much the only thing I hoard. When I was younger, I would get my hair and makeup done, only to come home and cry because I hated what I looked like. Makeup that made me look like a paid escort was…

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What did you have for breakfast? – A day in the life as a swim teacher.

What did you have for breakfast? – A day in the life as a swim teacher.

Summer. A time for barbecues, pool parties, camping, and of course…swimming. I’m pretty sure I taught myself how to swim when I was about 7, by stepping 4 inches away from the wall and then doggy paddling for my life back to safety. My skills did improve over the years but long distance lap swimming was never something that interested me. The pool is for relaxing and cooling off…not for strenuous activity. Imagine my surprise when I would grow up…

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Can I have your forever? – An anniversary love note.

Can I have your forever? – An anniversary love note.

I’m just gonna make this short and sweet… About fourteen years ago, I met a young, handsome, recently enlisted Army man at a wedding. When the wedding ended, we went our separate ways. One headed to Alaska to continue his tour, the other back to Fresno to finish college. Life happened. Heartbreak happened. Then magic happened and we crossed paths again. Five years ago today, I walked down the aisle to my best friend. We listened to the top ten…

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Who’s your favorite teacher? – A tribute to my mama.

Who’s your favorite teacher? – A tribute to my mama.

When people ask you, “Who was your favorite teacher?” how do you respond? Was it the kindergarten teacher who dressed up on Dr. Seuss’ birthday? Was it the third grade teacher who was patient while you learned to read? Or was it the college professor who taught you how to think and express yourself?  My favorite teacher is actually someone whose class I was never a part of. My favorite teacher is my mom. My mom is the kind of…

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