I´m a WONDERFUL Woman!!



Hey! Hey everybody!! I have something cool to share!! So we get back from Floresville this weekend (where my daughter LITTLE MISS KYLEE JO) was the Flower Girl in my friend´s wedding, and what do I find in my inbox?

Kylee in her Flower Girl dress!!

A message from Mrs. Jo with the WONDERFUL WOMEN´S NETWORK! The ladies in charge over there decided they wanted to do a "Wonderful Woman Showcase" on ME!!

First of all, I am MORE than HONORED. There are SO many WONDERFUL, ACCOMPLISHED, INTRIGUING, BEAUTIFUL women in our little coastal paradise that they could´ve picked any of them. (Believe me ladies....your time is coming!!) Mrs. Jo Blaylock did a FANTASTIC job and made me sound PRETTY DARN GOOD!

To read what she wrote about me and surf around on their BRAND SPANKIN´ NEW WEBSITE click RIGHT HERE!

Just to tell you a little more about this Wonderful Women´s Network...it is this REALLY COOL email network that started out in the ROCKPORT, Texas area. It started out as something kinda small that was helpful to a FEW people and turned into something KINDA BIG that helps A LOT of people. I mean...people are getting this EMAIL NEWSLETTER all over the WORLD now! You can read LOTS more about it in the "About Me" section of the WEBPAGE. That´s right! It keeps getting bigger and bigger, that now...THERE´S A WEBSITE!

I do want to share a little more about the ladies behind it. Mrs. Barbara Gurtner met me just shortly after my husband and I first moved to Rockport. I was BIG and PREGNANT and was helping film a commercial for THE NAUTICAL FLEA MARKET. Click here to learn more! Anyways... She just kinda scooped me up, got my email address, and put me on that network, just as soon as she got home (it seems like). There were all kinds of cool things on the network like: babysitters, garage sales, pets that needed adopting, upcoming events in the area, etc. It was a refreshing feeling b/c we didn´t know a soul when we moved here. I just REALLY think she is one of the SWEETEST, most WELCOMING ladies you´ll every meet. Thank you SO much for that! Folks, I don´t think she´s ever met a person, ate at a restaurant, or walked into a shop she doesn´t like. She´s JUST GOOD PEOPLE!

Mrs. Jo Blaylock was the lady that interviewed me! I sure took a likin´ to her, after just talking to her for a few minutes. There´s just somethin´ about her. She´s not trying to be anything she´s not. She´s just that darn cool! She was a CAPTAIN on the University of Texas Dance Team, worked ALL OVER the broadcasting industry (Radio, TV, Newspaper), is a PUBLISHED writer, was a BARREL-RACER, and knows where CARMINE (my teeny tiny hometown) is!!

I REALLY, REALLY, APPRECIATE this little shout out they gave me! All you BLOGGERS...FOLLOW  their blog and EVERYONE needs to be sure to CHECK BACK for all the WONDERFUL WOMEN that will be showcased from now on!!

I´ll have another BLOG posted sometime after this weekend! I have some REALLY COOL things going on with all this AUCTION business and I can´t wait to SHARE it with you guys!! BUCK UP BABY! Things are fixin´ to get interesting!!

Kinda Sorta Hittin´ My Stride...

Hey EVERYONE!! Well, let me tell you.... The FRIO was SO MUCH FUN!! We might´ve been playin´ in puddles, but those puddles, good FRIENDS, (and some adult beverages) took most of my worries away...at least for a little while.

Me (girl in back with cap AND cowboy hat on) and my CrAzY friends on the river!



Me and Some of my pretty girlfriends!!

Just visitin´ with my gal pals and my HONEY!

 If you guys have never been to the FRIO RIVER you need to check it out. When you go...stop by The Frio´s Dry Fifty...click here! They have the COOLEST little t-shirt shop (that has LOTS more than t-shirts)! It is co-run by my dear friend Danna Korbell´s family (who is a TEXAS STATE BOBCAT)!!

The FRIO when there´s water in it!

Well everyone! I helped Uncle Mele at my 3rd Auction yesterday! It was to raise $$$ for the Burton Lions Club. I am SO HAPPY I could help out with this one. I have a real soft spot in my HEART for the LIONS CLUB in general. When my brother, sister, and I were real young the Carmine Lions Club held a benefit for my Daddy to help with medical bills. They were also the NON-PROFIT that supported me when I ran for FAYETTE COUNTY FAIR QUEEN. If that´s not enough...they also awarded me one of their SCHOLARSHIPS when I graduated high school. When I went to BLINN COLLEGE...I became a Blinn College CHARTER member of their Lion´s Club and now am going thru the process to become a ROCKPORT NOON LION! I´m going to get on my SOAPBOX for a little while, so here goes: The Lions Club needs YOUNGER MEMBERS to step up and help lay some foundation for the FUTURE of the organization. It is a FANTASTIC organization that HELPS those that need it within the COMMUNITY. I don´t do as much as I´d like to, but I don´t think it should be passed over when your looking to become active within the community. To check out more click here.

Now that I´ve finished recruiting new Lions... I wanted to SHARE a couple of things that I learned from this auction:
1) Not all PA systems work well inside a hall with a low ceiling.
2) I need to pay a little more attention to my bid callers AND the bidders.
3) Its much easier if you know everyone´s name OR they have bidder #s.

I have a VIDEO to share will ya´ll this time. It will show you what I mean by #1. To explain a little more on #2 and #3. I had a VERY GOOD bid caller on my right-hand side. He was lettin´ me know that I had a bidder (very NICE lady w/ a pretty blouse). Well....he also was telling me of ANOTHER BIDDER that was sitting (almost) right in FRONT of her....at the SAME table. Well...I saw the lady and I THOUGHT he was just MAKING SURE I had her. Well...he was ACTUALLY trying to tell me that the other GENTLEMAN wanted in on the bid. It was really NO BIG DEAL. We got it all straight. It is just really helping me to get a feel of the kind of situations that arise during an auction and what to pay attention to.

Like the title of my BLOG says....I FEEL LIKE I´M HITTIN´ MY STRIDE :)!! I didn´t really have the JITTERS anymore. I mean...I had some, BUT not like the last two auctions. I WAS READY TO GET BEHIND THE MIKE. TURN ME LOOSE! LET ME SELL SOMETHIN´!! I´ve still got LOTS of learnin´ to do, but I WANT TO BE AN AUCTIONEER :).

REALLY... I ENJOY it the more I do it. I can´t wait until the next one.

Uncle Mele told me I get to help at the CHURCH FEAST IN FAYETTEVILLE in a couple of weeks. It benefits ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH. THAT´S MY CHURCH!!! I´m pretty excited about it! PLUS...Mr. Rick Sodek (my Uncle´s Business Partner) will be auctioneering too and he hasn´t heard me yet! I want to APOLOGIZE ahead of time if I FORGET your name while I´m up there. BTW - I´ll be helping out at the tea stand too, SO come on by and visit while you wet your whistle :).

I want to give credit to some of my VERY GOOD friends that have helped me out. You´ll probably hear about them some more b/c they´re some of my runnin´ buddies :)!

Little Ms. Kacie Stanford (One of the geniuses behind the RoWdY MAUI Boutique and Clothing line), has been a VERY big help to me with all this BLOGGING business!! She´s been blogging for years and has really stopped me from "losing it" when I couldn´t get my background the right color or get it layed out the way I wanted. Plus...she probably heard my first blog a bunch of times b/c I´d call and ask..."Does that sound good? Is it too long? Is it interesting?" SO....I APPRECIATE YOU!! MUAH! You all need to check out her shop @ rowdymaui.com! The name says it all BUT to hear my definition: It is the most ROCKIN´, FANTABULOUS, ROOTIN´TOOTIN´IST, AWESOME boutique you´ll ever visit. You can´t go wrong with a place where your greeted by a turqoise and pink EARLESS donkey, DEER heads with PRETTY GLITTERY eyelashes, lawn gnomes that MOON you, and all the BRIGHT, FESTIVE, CRAZY colors that are inside and out. If you´re even a little bit ROWDY you´ll LOVE it!! You can also check out her blog @ pistolsandcupcakes.blogspot.com!

I also want to give a SHOUT OUT to my VERY DEAR and LONG TIME FRIEND...Ms. Shannon Buck!! She is the gal that took the pictures of me in my second blog. (She only did it because she loves me.) She specializes in engagement, senior, and wedding portraits. That girl is SO busy, but one thing is for sure. SHE CAN TAKE SOME PICTURES!! You can check them out at http://www.shannonbuckphotography.com/!

Thank you all for reading my blog!! I hope I see you all soon. You all get ready to BUCK UP at the next auction! I want to see all those hands up waving at me :)! Ya´ll take care until next time!!

Some of my Inspiration :)

THANKS again to everyone that keeps reading and to all you new-comers!!

I have a little lag time between my last auction and the next one in Burton, but I wanted to let everyone know about my inspiration :)...an UNCLE I have so much RESPECT for and that I will never be able to repay...My Uncle Melvin!


Here he is with my baby doll Kylee Jo and his long time Gal Pal Lillie. Folks...Ms. Lillie could sure use some prayers. She´s been diagnosed with the "ugly word." If you´ve got some time and would fold your hands and bow your heads I´d really appreciate it.

I look up to him very much. Not just for his auctioneering skills, but just him as a person. He gives, and gives, and gives, AND GIVES! I told him one day that he didn´t have to do all he did and he said "Heather, the good Lord put me here for a reason and this is one of them." Not only has he been VERY giving to my family all my life, but to his customers.

Uncle Melvin used to mainly haul cattle, and he´d go to a different sale almost every day of the week. We went with him EVERYWHERE as kids: Flatonia, Schulenburg, Columbus, Caldwell, Giddings, LaGrange...who knows where else...

We not only went with him to sales/auctions, but also to help him pick up cattle from ranchers around our home town and surrounding areas, doctored all sorts of livestock, AND helped him up at the holding pens (where they hold the livestock before they go to auction). We´d tag them in, write them up, all that kind of stuff.

Well...what has ALWAYS struck me is that everyone that Uncle Melvin helps with their cattle or their place or an auction is SO very LOYAL to him. He has hauled and at times doctored their cows for so long and never asks for much. GUYS...he´s been doing stuff like this since he was 15 or 16. That´s a long time!! If you´ve ever met him you know that he doesn´t talk a whole lot, but LET ME TELL YOU...actions speak WAY louder than words.

I used to work in the back at Lee County Stockyards and Giddings Livestock in Giddings (click here for their website) and it was a pretty regular thing to hear some of the cattle buyers complain a little bit, about Uncle Melvin working and working and working a bid to get the highest price yet. I can understand some of the frustration from a buyers stand point. Some of these guys drive a pretty long ways, just to have to get back home that night and get up and go to another sale the next day.  I can also understand it from a workhand´s perspetive too...especially when it´s HOT! Guys...I´ve seen auctions last INTO THE NEXT DAY! So...I get it.

Giddings Livestock Commission - Sale every Monday


HOWEVER, being in sales I know that Uncle Melvin´s number one priority as a business owner and as an auctioneer is to make that animal bring the absolute most for the seller. You have to respect him for that. His customers sure do.

YOU KNOW... it really is funny how the older you get, the clearer you see things and understand them, and appreciate them. Being in sales I know that you have to stand by your word, be honest, ´fess up when you make a mistake and do your ABSOLUTE BEST to fix it. Not all sales people are like that. What my goal is, as a salesperson (TV ad sales), is to become my clients´ friend, to really help them grow their business, and be successful. I am honest and I give them the most fair rates I can. I´m not just blowin´ smoke either. I do.  I HAVE  to give Uncle Melvin credit for that.

I have LOTS of FANTASTIC people in my life that inspire me or motivate me in SO many different ways, but I really have to give KUDDOS to UNCLE MELE. I wouldn´t have even thought about auctioneering if he didn´t do it. And now....I REALLY enjoy it.

Well guys...STAY TUNED! Show me some LOVE and LEAVE A COMMENT.  It gets kind of complicated to leave a comment sometimes...even for me, but I do like reading them. I´m not sure if my next blog will be about my next AUCTION, OUR ANNUAL FRIO TRIP, or just some RANDOMNESS. Whatever it is...I´ll try to make it entertaining. Remember to THROW THOSE HANDS UP and BUCK UP BABY!!

FRIO RIVER BABY!!

If you need to sell some "Moo Cows" as Kylee calls them :)...check out Giddings Livestock Commission....Sale every MONDAY!!!