A Letter to the Me on January 1st, 2017

Hey you there, Staci!

You are about to enter 2017 without a lot of new expectations. Sure, you know the business is about to expand; with that comes a bit of trepidation and second-guessing. Are the two of you making sound financial decisions? Is this time to follow your "gut decision" and go for it all in this dream of a one-stop shop for B&B and venue connection?

And deep down - because you've both prayed about it and discussed the pros and the cons endlessly, time and time again out on the back deck, in the mornings over coffee, in the late night hours when you both couldn't sleep...you know the decision is the right one. You feel good about it. Excited, even.  So, this decision at least is made.

2017 will conceive a multi-purpose event venue - and will come to be named "The Hitchin' Post" - along with two storage containers that will be turned into tiny cabins and placed in the woods on the B&B property. By the first of the following year the B&B will have more than doubled in size. With lots of prayer - and Lord knows lots of hard work - hopefully the B&B business will have more than doubled as well.

The three kids are doing great. The end of the year with all of them and their families and the grands all together at the Ranch is always your very favorite time of year. It usually lasts only 36-48 hours before other commitments or duties call them in different directions, but that is enough. Having them under one roof for those few meals, gathered around the same table, hearing their laughter, appreciating their differences, admiring their various talents and how many life values they share, and yet how their lives are vastly different from one another.

I've made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime. I've make a lot of mistakes as a mother. But one thing I am intensely proud of is that I have no expectations of my children except that they follow their heart. I can say that with ease because they were raised to put God first. That does not mean that what I feel should be first for them is what IS first. That would be selfish. That would mean I think they should be a clone of me. God knows there doesn't need to be another of me. It means they were raised to value a relationship with God that is uniquely personal to them. It is between them and their Creator. I gave them back to Him at their dedication service. I am not a mom to try to take them back and make them into what I think they should be. I have more trust and faith in them than that.

To see them with their growing families, raising children, traveling, seeing the world, giving back in various ways, living a Christian life and modeling that for others in ways I was never taught kind of rocks me back on my heels and I just give thanks that these incredible humans are our grown children. And these amazing little people they are raising so magnificently - they are our grands. And GRAND, they ARE!

Moving on to your work life - your day job, if you will. It is still your calling, and you are still in love with it. You can't see yourself anywhere else until the day you choose to leave to run the B&B full time. Little do you know that in just a few short months, something far beyond your control and your understanding will uproot you and you WILL make a change. It will not only shock those around you, but it will shock you as well.

When that time comes, others will want to know why. You'll wonder why as well. Why give up an 8 minute door-to-door commute for a 30 minute one to another district? Why leave a team you love for one that you don't even know? How in the world can you leave your students, kids who - for many of them - might as well be your own? How can you "abandon" them? Will they feel that way? How can you prevent that?

How can you explain that you accepted the interview after first turning it down because something deep inside of you - the part of you that you know better than to ignore - urged you to say yes; what did you have to lose just by going in to chat? How do you explain that when you walked across the threshold there was that feeling, the one that only comes along a handful of times in your life. Those God-moments, when the conversation is effortless, when no one is trying to impress, when the principal is not trying to woo you, and you are not trying to impress him. It will be a simple, honest conversation, but one that will change everything.

For months and months I had no good answer when folks would ask why I had changed districts. It wasn't the past admin. Not at all. It certainly wasn't my coworkers. In fact, I worried that I might be losing some people that I had come to care for very, very much. In time, what I would come to realize is that my Amy, my Neesa, my Donna, and my Kathy, and all the many more would continue to be a part of my life. I had not left them.

I had simply been moved.

For a while, I was shallow enough to think I had been moved because my teaching talents were needed in this new place. I fell instantly in love with my new environment, with my students, my admin, my team. As always, I had a blast preparing for the new school year, drawing up lesson plans, decorating my room, meeting everyone and putting names to faces.

And then - during the second nine weeks I hit a wall and I had a total epiphany.

I wasn't there for anyone else.

I was there because there were people there FOR ME. I would go through something deeply personal, deeply profound, something that rocked me like I had never been rocked before. It would have nothing to do with my marriage, with my teaching career, or with our kids or business.  But it put me in a place of vulnerability that I had never felt. Things from my past pelted me right and left. "Lost" moments that I had evidently blocked out suddenly became vivid memories.  I was used to being able to "cover my emotions," or hide my feelings, wearing a mask to cover any imperfections. This time I would not be able to do that.

I cracked and my new team drew me in. They quite literally encircled me, prayed for me, and allowed me to ugly cry in front of them. Betsy, Telly, and Haylie are my angels. They are three of the most encouraging, godly, FUNNY women I have ever known and I cannot imagine having the breakdown I did at work with anyone but them.

With their encouragement, and after hearing my story, I felt empowered to reach out to three more women. Women who should have been on my go-to list decades ago. This whole lesson has taught me that I am not invincible; I cannot do all things on my own. I don't have to appear perfect, In fact, there's a HUGE degree of relief in admitting, "Hey, I do not have my shizzle together. This happened to me and - quite frankly - it messed me up." Never having had a sister myself, I turned to the next best thing, my sisters-in-law - Kay, Malinda, and Robyn. Once again, that sisterhood of of rallying - almost like circling the wagons to protect the settlers...

By the way, it's now almost the end of the calendar year, and your husband is immensely grateful that you've finally turned to female confidantes. The business, by the way, has more than doubled during the course of the year. You're not quite going to make your end of the year deadline, but you're going to be very close. Already you have four weddings on the 2018 B&B calendar, and the cabins have about an 85% consistent booking rate. Sharing this passion for this hospitality business has brought you even closer as a couple.

You wouldn't have thought so a month ago, but you're leaving 2017 healthier than you entered it. Spiritually, emotionally, with your marriage, your family, your job, and your business...

Girl, you are going to go into this 50th year of your life dancing because you know what is important in this life...

Rustic Chic Dream Wedding Giveaway

On August 1st, I paired with many of the #girlbosses I had featured over the past several months and we launched a very exciting contest!

A dream wedding giveaway for some lucky couple!

We have only a few weeks left in the contest and I can hardly wait to find out who the big winners are!

Here are the players:

Barbie Hamilton. Barbie is the owner of Truly Heavenly Events and is already anticipating working with the lucky bride to help orchestrate her perfect day. Barbie and I raised our kids together and I've seen her talents flourish over the years in a HUGE way!! Her talents are multi-dimensional, and she is a dream to work with!

Savannah Abbott. Savannah is the creator of Ezra & Olive, a paper and post company. I was in a few college classes with Savannah and we both ended up teaching high school. I've always been drawn to her quiet grace and her style. Oh y'all...her style! She is a lot like me in that her calling is teaching but she found passion elsewhere, and her impeccable style carries over into her business. She will be designing one-of-a-kind invitations for the winning couple. Invitations which will help set the tone for the big day.

Mary Cyrus. I first met Mary when she and her husband, Opie, stayed here at the B&B a couple of years ago. We hit it off instantly and have stayed in touch. A woman of MANY talents, Mary is an amateur aerialist, a musician, and an avid gardener. She is also a talented photographer and one of her specialties is working with brides and grooms to capture their dream day in a classic yet unique way that will last the couple a lifetime! Our winners will LOVE working with Mary Cyrus Photography!

Elizabeth McClure. Liz is SO super close to my heart. She is a hairista of the highest degree! Not only will the bride feel ultra special as she sits in Liz's chair for her hair and makup, but she has a heart as big as Texas and a smile that lights up a room. She's one of those rare people in this world that listens...truly listens to what others say, and she cares about what they do. I can only say that the winner of this contest is going to get the royal treatment by Liz!

Cheryl Vaughan. Cheryl is my BFF. We're Lifers, friends through thick and thin (literally :), good and bad, exciting and ordinary. Cheryl is a highly talented cake decorator and has created so many wedding cakes over the years that we've all lost count. Not only do her cakes LOOK dreamy, but they taste even BETTER! Once you've tasted a cake by Cheryl, there is just no going back to regular cake. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm a pie person these days!

Kaitlyn Milby. Kaitlyn is another one of my college friends. We spent many a hour in the Hall of Languages at TAMU-Commerce! I feel as though I've watched Kaitlyn grow up...from a college girl who lost her roommate and best friend in a tragic accident, to marrying her high school sweetheart, to starting her teaching career, to giving birth to two handsome little loves, all the way to today...a dedicated fitness coach. Kait understands the needs of busy moms of all ages and she is committed to changing lives one at a time. Kait will provide the fortunate bride and her entourage with an online bridal boot camp and nutritional guide leading up to the big day!

Jennifer Gross. Jen and I go waaaaay back too, in all of the BEST possible ways! For as long as I've known her, she's had a special knack of taking any space and making it speak volumes in personality! She now runs her own company, 3130 home and - as much as I adore Chip and JoJo - Jen is my fave!! A couple of years ago, after trying in vain to decorate our home office, Jen came in and - in one weekend- totally transformed the space. It became functional AND beautiful! It is still one of our favorite rooms in the house! Jen will be preparing the spaces where the bride and her party will be getting ready, as well as the room that will be reserved for all of the guys! But her job won't end there...she is also transforming The Cowboy into a fantasy honeymoon suite for our special winners for their wedding night!

Holly Hargrove & Kristen Hargrove. These two lovelies are true fashionistas! They have their finger on the pulse of fashion combined with functionality. Together, they make up Tenly Grove, a women's online and pop up shop devoted to the needs of the modern woman. They will be equipping our bride with a couple of special honeymoon "looks" for this special time in her life! Believe me, this bride is going to feel pampered from head to foot!

If you are a soon-to-be-bride and you've not yet entered the contest, you still have time. Click on the following link and send us YOUR special love story!

Until next time....

Staci

Rustic Chic Dream Wedding Giveaway

K A C I

Here's something I've never told many people.

I've always been a "horse" person on the inside. I can remember the car rides to East Texas to visit my grandparents when I was a little girl, when I would gaze dreamily out of the car window, imagining myself on the back of some beautiful, majestic horse.The wind whipping through my hair. Horse and girl as one. A beautiful sunset in the background.

Yes, I had a very active imagination! (Just ask me about Susan and Linda sometime :)

The bottom line was I was a city girl, through and through. I had no access to horses, didn't know the first thing about caring for them, and the closest I'd come to one were the very controlled trail rides at vacation destinations.

But I longed for a horse.

Flash forward forty years (did I just admit that??) and guess what, y'all?

I HAVE A HORSE!

Meet Kaci, my new, beautiful Champagne quarter horse! She has the sweetest disposition, is just the right size for this short gal, and is making my girlhood dream come true!

I've been caring for horses for the past several years. First Tilly, and then Sassy, after she joined our brood. I love them fiercely! Feeding them, talking to them, feeding them treats, and leading the littles around on them. The day we lost Tilly was one of the worst ever. I'll never forget laying in the dirt outside of her stall, stroking her head and whispering to her as she struggled with her last few breaths. I thought my heart was breaking. And Sassy...there's just nothing to NOT love about her: she's spirited, energetic, nosy, and somehow makes it into everyone's wedding photos when they choose to marry here at the B&B. 

But the sheer size of both of them intimidated me, and I rode them very little. 

I knew it would take a special mare to initiate the trust you need to truly bond with your horse. I'd come to the point where I didn't think that time would come for me.

It has, though, in the form of Kaci, purchased just for me by my sweet husband, who is still trying to make all my dreams come true!

Even though it's only been two days, she comes to me when I crawl through the fence into the pasture, she leans her head on my shoulder, and - seriously - I think she knows we're going to have a fine, long relationship.

Staci & Kaci - how could it NOT have been meant to be? 

You'll be seeing a lot of Kaci in the coming weeks, months, and years! ❤ I love her so!

Recipe: French Toast Cinnamon Bites

Serving breakfast to our guests is a task we take VERY seriously here at the B&B. It has to taste amazing. It has to have a top notch presentation. It has to make our guests smile.

The majority of our guests are adults and they are always a pleasure to cook for. When we have little guests, however, the challenge is on and almost always proves to be a BLAST!

Recently, we had a couple of sisters jointly celebrating their 10th and 12th birthdays. They and their friends gathered on a Friday night for a party/sleepover in The Bunkhouse. On the agenda was a pink and purple themed party, complete with an outdoor movie and dance party.

I spent several hours trolling Pinterest for the perfect kid breakfasts. We came up with sausage and egg croissants, fruit skewers and these French toast cinnamon bites with maple syrup from Recipe Tin Eats.

These cubes of pure deliciousness were super easy to make and SO very beautiful piled on the platter, with the syrup snuggled in the center. Even though we used it to treat a bunkhouse full of tween girls, we plan to use it soon in an adult-themed breakfast crate!

Do yourself a favor and try this one in YOUR kitchen soon!!!

XXOO
Staci

Meet the F A M: animals at the B&B

It's important that if you're going to understand a bit more about Wildernest Ranch and the whole B&B life we have going on around here, that you meet some of the cuties who make up the place. They are our well-loved animals; in fact, SO well loved that we fear a few of them may not even realize they are categorized "animals!"

First up, is a snapshot of the goat/chicken yard. We used to keep the two separate, but decided a couple of years ago, after extensive research, that these two odd-bedfellows actually get along quite well and keep the other company. True story: once we combined the yards, we've had better egg production from our ladies and the goats seem to really enjoy the flock that steals their water and sometimes hides out in their "cafe." 

Meet Harper Lee (darker brown spots, back of the photo) and Judy Blume (lighter brown spots, right in the big middle of the action.) These are our goats and these girls are a HOOT! They are actual twins which we tried to separate at birth. We brought only Harper Lee home, but even at 6 weeks old, she was jumping a 4 ft fence flat-footed in an effort to cross the road and get to her twin. So...you guessed it! We brought Judy Blume home as well and they've been nothing short of content since! They love to play fight, eat leaves and produce, and when they can occasionally escape, they love to run around the corral, giving Sassy fits!

Speaking of Sassy, she is our gentle-hearted, yet high-spirited Palomino. She adores kids (pictured here with our granddoll and two of her friends), treats, and chasing the goats when they manage to escape their own yard. She's had a bit of a rough year since we lost her pasture mate, Tilly, last year. Obviously lonely, she hangs out at the corner closest to the goats most days, all but begging them to come over and play. We hope to bring a new playmate home for her very soon! If you know of a kid-broke, gentle horse who'd enjoy light trail rides and giving small children rides, please let us know! 

         

Last - but in no way AT ALL least - are our two fur babies, Thoreau and Bronte. I simply cannot say ENOUGH about these two lab mixes! After a shaky, unpleasant experience with a dog when I was 12, I had a long-standing fear of most dogs and certainly didn't think I'd ever own one, let alone TWO, that I was absolutely nuts about! Yet, here we are. with two rescues that we love to pieces! 

Thoreau came to us first, almost six years ago. He has been with us through the move from the cabin to our forever home, as we started the B&B, and as we've slowly acquired the ranch animals. Including his adopted sister, Bronte. She's almost three is every bit as spirited as he is calm. We think their names fit them perfectly. Thoreau loves the simple life, much like Henry David Thoreau did, while Bronte is mischievous and spirited, like the Bronte sisters! 

These two are our ranch mascots, for sure! They are usually the first ones to greet our guests. They love kids, love to bark at the UPS guy, and - while loving the warm porch sunshine, have also become quite accustomed to taking shelter in the good 'ol AC of the main house whenever possible! We love them to distraction and probably spend WAY too much time laughing and playing with them. On the other hand, what's better after a long, hard day than two fur babies who think you are the BEST THING EVER!! They are our pupperdogs and we are their humans!

So this is a brief introduction to the main characters at the B&B. All love our guests and welcome treats, pets, and hugs! Stay tuned; no doubt, they'll turn up in future posts!

Recipe: Breakfast Pull-Apart Bread

One of my very favorite things about owning and running a B&B is having the privilege of cooking and serving delicious breakfasts to our guests. I always want it to be more than a mere meal; they can get that anywhere. Instead, I want it to be an experience, one that they talk about days after they've left the ranch.

One of our most popular guest favorites so far is the Breakfast Pull-Apart Bread. Three out of four times we're asked for the recipe. I thought it would be fun to share it here. Give it a try! It never disappoints and is great for two or for a crowd!

Here we go!

details

• Serves 8-10
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

ingredients

• 6 slices of cooked bacon, diced small
• 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 tube of Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits
• 1/2 cup of Southwestern eggs in a carton
• 2 tablespoons half-n-half
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crispy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

Put the cold butter in a nonstick bundt pan coated with cooking spray and let it melt in the preheating oven. (I use a full-size bundt pan for a group and a mini 6 bundt pan when there are just 2-3 guests.)

While the butter melts, cut the Grands biscuits into quarters. (For the mini bundt, I do eighths). In a bowl, gently toss the biscuit pieces, bacon, half-n-half, both cheeses, and (optional) scallions together.

Once the butter is melted (only takes a couple of minutes) give the bundt pan a little swirl so the bottom is evenly coated. Add the biscuit mixture to the pan, sprinkling with any last bits of bacon or cheese that get left behind.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Many times I go an extra 5 minutes - just keep an eye on it at this point. Run a dull knife around the edges to loosen. Turn out on a dish and enjoy!!

I hope you try this recipe and that you love it as much as we do!!!

XXOO

Staci

Summertime!

Although it's not officially summer until later this month, if you're a teacher - or a parent for that matter - then summer has begun!

We kicked ours off with a wedding here at the B&B, a local couple who honored us by choosing our venue when they could have gone most anyplace else! What made this weekend extra special is that I taught both of the bride's children - I definitely had a vested interest!

All week beforehand we kept an eye on the weather radar; rain and - more specifically storms - were almost a sure thing. I tried to stay calm, but, really, all I could think was " I wish we had the event center already built!"

Like everything else, it does no good to "wish." What will be will be. Or, as Mike likes to say, "it is what it is." Laying in bed a couple of nights before the big event, I whispered, "Are you nervous?"

As usual, he was as calm as ever. "Babe, we can't control the weather. Why be nervous?" Why are men so level-headed and calm-spirited when it is perfectly clear that things are headed to doom on a one way track from nowhere?

Beats me.

But - I had to admit he was right. We stayed the course; mowed the lawn, set up the arch, readied the cabin and bunkhouse, and - finally - welcomed the happy couple and their family and friends as they arrived to set up for the big weekend.

They had a great band of people on hand to help; it's always so impressive to me to sit back and watch as a major event comes together and becomes the event it was meant to be. Bree decorated the arch, Kelly arranged flowers, Connor and Dillon delivered stumps, carried tables, and were truly at every female's beck and call. Loved ones drove in, sounds of laughter began to drift toward toward our house, and soon it was time for the bride to make her way down the aisle to her groom.

I sat on the porch and watched from a distance as the music cued up to my right, even as the sound of distant thunder rumbled to my left. Somehow, even though neighboring towns received wind damage and power outages, the skies above Wildernest remained serene and provided the perfect backdrop to a gorgeous early summer evening wedding.

It never ceases to amaze me how tranquil life is when you remove the worry and allow for the unexpected. Could this situation have turned out totally differently? Of course, but worrying about it wouldn't have been the deciding factor. Instead, everyone chose to focus on the joy, on the occasion, and on the assembly of family and friends.

It was a night to remember, and I hope they do - for a lifetime to come!

XXOO
Staci

Not even a blogger anymore.

Okay...to open up, let me just be forthright. I'm not even a blogger anymore. After almost a decade of blogging on the regular, I've not consistently blogged since I started teaching and - for sure - not since we've started the B&B life.

So this seems like a good time to just belly flop in.

You know what I mean? Those lazy childhood days at the pool when you'd just belly flop in, knowing ahead of time that it wasn't going to be pretty, you weren't going to be the best in the pool, but pretty sure it would be a good time anyway.

That's me now.

I am most certainly a gal transplanted. I went from a stay-at-home mom with a side line career as a writer in the DFW Metroplex to a teacher who co-owns a darling Bed & Breakfast with her handsome husband in the most rural part of Northeast Texas that you can find!

I'm enjoying a whole new season in life, one that affords me the luxury to just be me - no frills, no fake, no fear. Okay...maybe a tad bit of fear, but mostly just needing a place to put to words all the joy that I am sucking in from this season of life.

If you've read this far, thank you. If you'll hang with me over the summer, I promise to do my best to blog {somewhat} faithfully, introduce you to my ever growing, beautiful family, give you tours of the B&B, and share the woes and wahoos of being in This. Season. Of. Life.

XXOO
Staci