It's all about the {comfy} shoes

I love shoes.

But.....there is always a but, isn't there.

I love shoes, but they need to be comfy, and moderately priced and they must come in a size 11. Nothing bothers me more than to go to a shoe store (or a booth handing out free shoes) for them to ask me if I size 10 would do.

Thankfully the team at the Famous Footwear booth didn't disappoint when it came to having a size 11 (and plenty of them for all of my large footed friends) they delivered. They claimed that the Dr. Scholl's Jamie sneaker was not only cute, it was super comfy. I admit I was skeptical.

I figured the last day of the Blissdom Conference I would sport the cute sneakers as long as my feet and back could handle it. In fact, I didn't take everything I thought I would need for the day as a Community Leader and Staff Photographer because I was sure I would be back in my room as some point to change out my shoes and apologize to my feet.

I will be the first to admit, I was wrong. After wearing what would later be referenced to The Shoes on twitter, instagram and facebook for over 19 hours on Saturday; my only complaint was that because I didn't wear socks my toes got a bit gross from rubbing on the inside of the shoe. I don't mean gross as injured, just dirty and grey, from what I can only assume was from the suede interior or something.

At one point during the day I was running to get some equipment out of another part of the hotel and I saw Chris Mann walking to his lunch performance for Centrum #NutritionPossible (great performance and lunch by the way...thanks Centrum!) I commented on how it was cute that he was just wandering all over the hotel like regular people all by himself. He chuckled and smiled and pointed to The Shoes and said, "Cute Shoes!"

Lots of people complimented me on The Shoes and I told them to get to the Famous Footwear booth to get their pair as they didn't disappoint.

On Sunday, I opted for a later flight so I could relax and wander and say goodbye to my friends at a leisurely pace. I started off by putting on my go to pair of comfy shoes and ended up taking them off and putting on The Shoes to wander around Opryland with.

#AdventuresofDrscholls was born. (Feel free to check it out on twitter & instagram)

The Shoes and I wandered around the hotel, we visited with friends, we walked to Cracker Barrel when they got hungry and in the middle of their Country Store we stopped to contemplate candy. I will admit that we caught a few stares and got many questions from curious bystanders. But the first question wasn't "Why are you taking photos of your feet?" It was, "Where did you get those shoes?"

I made friends in the airport, on the airplane, I made a whole flight crew laugh as I sat down in the middle of a hallway to take a photo with The Shoes next to the Welcome sign in Cleveland. In fact, when I didn't post photos of The Shoes I got inquiries as to why I was posting photos of other shoes.



And now a confession-I think I might love The Shoes more than my Sparkly Toms and if you know me you know how highly I think of The Shoes.

Disclosure-Famous Footwear provided me with The Shoes at the Blissdom Conference as part of their swag. All opinions expressed of The Shoes are mine and mine alone, well except for Chris Mann's and I totally didn't force him in any way to mention in passing how cute The Shoes are, he just knows awesomeness when he sees it. I am hoping that with the over sharing of The Shoes that Famous Footwear will pick me as one of their Famous Blog Ambassadors.

Uncomfortable Stares

I struggle with what to write in this space about my faith.

It's not that I am ashamed of my faith or that it isn't relevant to my life.

I don't have it all figured out and I am pretty sure that on this side of eternity, no one will.

It feels awkward and weird to tell you about something I am so sure of when it seems like I have no clue at all. Sometimes there are these thoughts that shoot through my brain telling me that if I had a clue that seat in the pew next to me at church each Sunday morning wouldn't be empty.

I know that isn't the case. I know that I can only control what I believe and not my husband. He has to come to God on his own terms and it's something that can't be rushed. It doesn't stop my heart from wondering what it would be like if he and I shared the same views on something so very important.

If The Chicken was comfortable with it we would sit in the front row every week for service; to avoid the uncomfortable stares.

No, they aren't from the people around me they are from me, staring at these complete families and wondering what it would be like to worship as a family each Sunday morning.

My mind goes through all of these scenarios and then I find someone looking back at me because they have felt my stares and I quickly look away. It has happened all of the years I have gone to church without him.

We are happy, we are truly in love, I couldn't imagine my life without him. I just wish there wasn't this vast field in between us on this one issue.

So instead of looking around the sanctuary I close my eyes and lift my hands to the music letting The Spirit envelope me. I focus on the sermon and I keep myself busy writing out notes to go over later.

But every now and again, when I least expect it, my heart cries out and I find myself being caught making someone uncomfortable with my stares.


linking up with Just Write

I Dream of Moosh In Indy

In Dreamland Cleveland and Indianapolis are only separated by a river and a huge bridge. No, it isn't the Ohio River, I asked many people in my dream but I kept being told that the name of the river wasn't relevant to the plot line.

Clearly my dreams are crazy and don't know that I am a blogger because knowing the name of the river that separated Cleveland from Indianapolis is clearly relevant to this post.

Also in Dreamland I have a list of blogging friends who make cameo appearances from time to time, but Casey has decided to turn her cameo performances into a full time gig because she just won't get out of my head.

Last night she invited me over for a night of making crafts that we could in turn share on Pinterest. I gathered up my children, in Dreamland I have 5, and we cross over the bridge to get to Indy.

We get to Casey's house and are greeted by a man claiming to be her father and he wants to know if we have reservations. I tell him we are here for the crafts and in a hushed tone he tells me that I have to go around to the back of the house, knock on the door six times and watch out for the monkey.

I tried to ask him about the monkey, but alas he was gone and I was left all alone with my 5 children in the dark with my craft supplies now worrying about a monkey.

We finally reach the back door and knock six times and Casey throws open the door and snaps my picture. "How did you like the secret knock?" She asks and before I can answer, "I'm putting it on Pinterest!" she exclaims.

"Casey, a secret knock isn't a craft. I thought we were doing crafts for Pinterest," I reply.

"Secret knocks are super crafty. Don't you get it?" she retorts back.

All night long there were a series of disagreements between the two of us as to what was a craft and what wasn't. Casey tried to argue that pouring milk into a glass with one eye shut was a craft, that changing baby diapers was a craft, throwing cherries at our children crawling around on the floor was a craft....and on and on and on.

When I tried to have us do a legit craft she decided that the children all needed to paint wooden ornaments for her dad's Etsy business* while we did some sort of work out program. I don't remember exactly what the workout entailed but I do know that I wasn't happy to be doing it.

It finally got late enough that I wanted to pack up the 5 children and head home but I was stopped at the door by her husband who told me that the bridge was shut down for routine maintenance and that it would reopen the fall of 2015 and I was welcome to hang out until I could get home.

So we prepared their carrier pigeon to send my husband the news that the children and I wouldn't be home until 2015 and if would please water the plants and if he had time to feed the dog.

Suddenly there was an alarm going on and I couldn't figure out what it was. Casey was so excited that our Pinterest page was getting so many comments and repins and when I opened up the laptop to look, I woke up.

******

Dearest Casey, I am not sure why you have been making regular appearances in my dreams, but I welcome the craziness. Although next time we are so meeting at my house because I've decided that I don't want to cross the bridge anymore.

* I'm pretty positive that Casey's dad doesn't use child labor to make his beautiful wooden creations. But they are really nice so you should check them out.

How Katy Perry will help you on your journey to Bliss{dom}

I can't believe that this will be my fourth year at Blissdom. I mean it seems like just yesterday Casey and I were rocking it out with Guitar Hero at the Hotel Preston. And Christina and I were so glad we took the stairs when those 13 gals, two of which were our roommates) got stuck on the elevator.

You can read all my posts about Blissdom here or here or here or even here.

Every time I think of that last here I always smile because I truly had no clue who George Duran was, but she did.

Why yes I did ditch my husband on our 15th wedding anniversary to go to Nash Vegas and then the following year when they changed things up and had Blissdom on The Chicken's 13th birthday, I was there as well.

Thankfully I am not missing any important days this year.

Whether this is your first blogging conference or you are a seasoned veteran, I can guarantee you will have a blast as long as you put yourself out there and realize that everyone there wants to get to know other people and wants to try to capture some of their bliss.

You may be a little uneasy about leaving your kids for the extended weekend. Even though my girls are 14 and 17 I totally get it. I still make a list for each person and I make arrangements for meals and rides before I leave.

The Chicken, my 14 year old, guilts me each and every time I leave for a blogging conference. What?!? You are having a case of the mommy guilt too? Well, I may just have a solution for you and with just 12 days left before Blissdom there is no time to delay.

The following video was inspired by Heather who made this video for Ellie {with the help of some other aweseome ladies} and let me just tell you now Heather, The Chicken did not laugh or smile when I decided lip sync for the span of 20 minutes in the car and even when I broke out my mad car dancing while still driving safely mad skillz she kept....well you will just have to see for yourself.

Prepping for Bliss from Heather Durdil on Vimeo.

Dear Katy Perry, I am so sorry about what my daughter said, while I admit I really didn't like you much until the gals with Blissdom made this video you have worked your way into my heart to stay, but please for the love all that is good put some more clothes on in your videos. xo, Me

I am pretty sure that I am allergic to putting away Christmas

If you follow me on facebook or instagram or even twitter you may know that I have been sacked out by two back to back viruses in the span of seven days. I am pretty sure that there is a law against that somewhere.

Thankfully I was feeling well enough on Saturday (which also happened to be my 17th wedding anniversary) to throw Chicken's 14th birthday party. Why yes her birthday was in January, why do you ask?

I could ramble on and tell you of the crazy thoughts that my fever addled mind thinking; for instance, I wasn't sick until I started using the Ivory body wash that I have had in the cabinet for months or the fact that I was feeling fine until I took down the Christmas decorations.

Or how a Children's Advil commercial keeps coming on whatever station I am happening to watch and it shows how even with a fever this little girl can build a fort with the help of Children's Advil. Her parents are beaming with pride and all I can see is that this kid is making a huge mess and if she is sick that poor mother must have to do all of this laundry lest she contaminate the rest of the family with whatever is ailing this fort building little girl, which then led into this huge discussion with Giggles about how I need to let them do more when they are sick and not banish them to their room and I am was all "Sure you can do some chores, I am sure they are less tiring than building a fort in the living room." And before you all get upset I'm not talking Saturday chores, I'm talking of the quick after school variety. Needless to say, Giggles was not amused.

I could tell of The Chicken's thoughts on Bieber Fever and how there should be some sort of immunization to take care of that. Or that her level of Bieber hate is at an all time high since her sister decided to get her Bieber stickers and put them all over her room for her birthday. Those things won't come off and she is ticked. Which makes me really glad that I decided against the Bieber paper to wrap her presents in because holy batman does she hate Bieber.

I could welcome all of the people that are coming here from The BlissDom Conference site where I am going to be a Community Leader. I am super excited to meet all of you and I swear that it will be loads of fun, I won't make you do chores. Or I could tell you that each and every time I type BissDom, I put an 'e' on the end of the word and I have no idea why.

Or I could tell you about how I am currently driving a rental around because Giggles totaled our car. Everyone involved was fine, you know, except the Rio. What makes it even more ironic, sad...I don't know; is that she just bought a nice used car but had asked to use The Husband's car because it was at the end of the driveway.

But instead I will send you here to read a post that I wrote and while you are there please look around there are some mighty fine writers that I am proud to call friends.

And I will leave you with this photo of me back in healthier times; you know like a week ago.



linking up with Just Write