Last weekend, I got my colors done with Michele (@houseofcolour_lubbock on Instagram).
I’ve wanted to do this for a long time after seeing other friends do it. I put this on my 2024 goals list finally decided I was going to make it happen.
The only difference in these two photos is the right lip color and the drapes.
So basically “getting your colors done” is an analysis of what colors (really, what shades of colors)make you look the best. The differences were crazy. I could not believe how one shad versus another could make such a difference i how I looked. Here is a comparison of greens for example.
I need to wear bright, warm colors like the Kelly green on the left. See the difference in my coloring?
Everyone falls into one of the four seasons. They determine your season by using colors drapes they put near your face. Guys. The difference the right shades made was unbelievable!
I am a Spring. 🌷 This was super shocking to me, I had not expected that result. In particular, I am a “blue spring.” This means I need to wear warmer, brighter color shades. These drapes are the colors I looked best in.
The analysis also includes finding make up to make you look your best. For years, YEARS, I have wanted someone to help me find the right lipstick to wear. Thanks to Michele, I’ve got them. I don’t wear other make up, but if I did, I would for sure buy the HOC primer and pressed power. It was amazing.
I left with color swatches to use to figure out what items in my closet or the store work best for me. I’ve gone tons of looking and am about to do a major wardrobe overhaul! Michele and my friend Crystal (also a HOC consultant) have helped me find lots of great shopping options for my colors.
So, follow along on my Instagram (@awaysafarmkid) as I work on wearing more of “my colors.” It’s been a really fun experience!
If you are interested in this concept, I highly recommend a color analysis. Prior to going, I joked with my friends we just needed a couple bottles of wine and some paint swatches from Home Depot and we could probably figure it out. I was so wrong! 😂 The way the draping works and the insights from the consultant was really valuable.
If you’re in the Lubbock area, Michele was amazing. If you’re in Iowa, go see my girl, Crystal (@houseofcolour_crystalblin on Instagram). They have also shown me a couple of stores where you can shop by your season. Check out My Ellement Boutique and Hello Color.
This post includes some affiliate links. So, please use the links if you’re going to purchase!
I’ve seen people on social media talk about doing Favorite Things parties. that’s just not really my life. However, for my 40th birthday girls trip to Santa Fe, I thought it would be fun to bring a few of my favorite things to gift to the girls.
You know, like Oprah. But if she lived in a small town, was on a time crunch, and had a budget.
So here are the items that made my Tiffany’s Favorite Things gifts.
I’m very particular about the notebooks I use to journal in. These are hands down my favorite! They’re great quality, have a ribbon marker, come in so many fun colors, and I can get them with a dot grid set up. I much prefer the dot grid to lines or blank pages. I’m excited to start using my own new notebook on January 1!
I like to dress up my notebook covers with stickers from my friend, Emily. I chose her “be the good” sticker for the girls. I’ve also previously ordered “choose joy” and “just breathe” for notebook covers as well.
Liquid IV
My friend, Justin, got me hooked on these on a trip to New Orleans where I may have had a bit more to drink that was ideal. He gave me one after dinner and told me to drink it and viola…I woke up the next morning feeling fine! They have a ton of different flavors. Here is a variety pack if you want to sample. I like the watermelon flavor best.
My friend, Amy, gifted me this when I was recovering from my non-hip surgery and I love it. It’s so refreshing and smells like an actual rose garden. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s you can get it there. You can also order on Amazon (for like double the price…)
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Hands down the best candy on the planet. I hoard these things in a Tupperware container in my pajama drawer for when I have a bad day. They’re perfection. Again, I’d buy at TJ’s were that an option, but Amazon has a couple options as well.
I love me a Trader Joe’s. When I lived in San Francisco, it was my grocery store. When I lived in Albuquerque, I would frequently go on the weekends for fresh flowers. Now, I live approximately 4 hours from the nearest TJ and don’t get to go nearly as often as I would like.
So, when I was in Santa Fe for my birthday, I decided to stick up on goodies to bring home. Here is my report from my Trader Joe’s haul.
This is the best item on the store, hands down. They are infinitely better than Reese’s, and y’all know my devotion to those Reese’s eggs. My friend, Amy, gave me this when I was recovering from my non-hip surgery earlier this year and I love it. It smells amazing and is the perfect little refresher for your face. I had never eaten these until my birthday party, but my goodness, are they delicious. Highly recommend. I’m sure they are 97% sugar, so I can’t buy them and keep them in my house, but they were amazing for a fun treat at the party. This is another item I never had prior to my birthday weekend. I love it so much, I went back and got 2 more containers to take home. It is great on crackers, carrots, apples, bell peppers, you name it. Speaking of crackers, these may be the best I have ever tried. We ate an entire box at my birthday. I heard about this on the Big Boo Cast and had been wanting to try it ever since. It’s amazing. Kind of a drier, crumblier cheese than a true cheddar. 5/5 stars. If you like dried fruit, you’re going to love these mangos!What I really wanted was their cauliflower gnocchi that comes frozen without any sauce, but they were out. This was my second choice, but it is perfect for fall! Speaking of seasonal options, this pumpkin ravioli is delicious. I served it with a filet one night and Braun thought it was the best meal he has ever had. Solid quick dinner option here. I dress mine up with additional veggies like carrots and bell peppers and serve over rice. I haven’t tried these yet, but on every TJ blog I’ve read, they are on the list. I bought some and think they will be great to throw in the air frier to eat with a salad for lunch.
It’s that time again! I always love sharing some of my very favorite gift ideas.
To see suggestions from prior years, click here. These do include affiliate links—so if you’re buying anyway, use my links and I’ll get a little kickback.
Also…let me just say that we are not having a huge gift holiday this year. Frankly, I’m so tired of stuff and clutter and my little house is filled to the gills already. I say that just to give you permission to do the same if you feel the same.
Y’all. Game changer. Do you know how much better freshly shredded cheese is? We now shred a block a week thanks to this. It also is perfect for slicing veggies like carrots, celery, onions, etc. It is my favorite buy of the year!
Christmas books for kids. Every year, I kick off Advent by giving the kids new Christmas pjs and a new Christmas book. We also unpack our full collection of Christmas books and aim to read one each night of Advent. This year, our two new additions will be: The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling and The Donkey Who Carried a King by RC Sproul (which I just realized is more likely an Easter book…but I’ve already bought it, so we’re rolling with it.) Some of our prior year favorites have included The Animals Christmas Eve, Tractor Mac Saves Christmas, and Construction Site on Christmas Night.
Jesus Storybook Bible. Every kid in your life needs this Bible. It is just amazing. More than once, it’s been very profound to this Mama reading it as well. We read it often and it’s my go-to baby shower gift.
Peloton. Listen. I’m a major Peloton evangelist, okay! I’ve had my app and my bike for over 2 years and cannot tell you how much I love it. I’ve used it every single week since I bought it. This year, I’m getting myself the treadmill. There is also a rower, but that’s not really my speed.
If you plan on ordering any of the three machines, get with me first! I’ll get you a discount code for another $100 off the Black Friday deal. Also, if you don’t want to buy a machine yet (or at all), you can still use the app! I do all my runs, stretching, walks, yoga on the app. I have a code that lets you try it for free 60 days if you message me.
Drawing projector. My kids got one of these last Christmas and they are amazing. They have used them so much over the last year and love them. Now—that version is pretty pricy. If you want a cheaper option, click here and here.
Conversation cards. My friend, Shayna, recommended these and I love them. We keep them by the kitchen table and try to do a couple of questions each time we sit down for dinner. It’s been really fun to hear what the kids think about a whole host of different topics.
My favorite journals.I love a journal. Love. My favorite brand are Paperage. Specifically, the dot grid ones. They come in so many fun colors. I actually included this in my “Tiffany’s favorite things” party favors to my friends who came to my birthday I love them so much!
Paint sticks. If you have a budding artist in the house, I cannot recommend these enough. They are so much less messy and easier to use than regular paint. They work so well and come in a ton of colors.
Kids sunrise alarm clock. Both of my kids like having an alarm clock to wake up in the mornings. I don’t know why—neither of them wake up to it, but anyway. We do love this sunrise alarm clock. It also has a sunset feature at night that we use every night for Braun.
Extra thick yoga mat. Look, my old joints need some extra cushion. This mat is the best. I do all my stretching and yoga on it. I actually bought one for my best friend when he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and he frequently slept on it when he was dealing with the chemo aftermath. We both highly recommend. The mat. Not the cancer. We’re not doing that ever again.
Roller skates. My kids love roller skates. But their feet grow like weeds. So I discovered these adjustable roller skates that are perfect. Harper has these and Braun has these.
Book sets. We have two kids who love to read in our house. So books are always a solid choice. Here are a few of our favorites sets: Mercy Watson (Braun loves these so much, he went as Mercy for Halloween), the Fudge series, Pete the Cat (great for new readers!)
My book suggestions. Speaking of books, I will be doing a blog post soon on all the books I read this year. But…here are a few I particularly loved: Anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid (especially Carrie Soto is Back and Malibu Rising), Memphis, and The Many Lives of Mama Love.
Stress balls. If you have a kid, like I do, who can get overwhelmed and fly off the handle (or if this happens to you…guilty), we’ve had luck with a good stress ball. When Harper starts to feel overwhelmed, she takes a break and goes to get her stress ball. The other day, I was about to lose it and she said, “Mama, do you need my stress ball?” I really like these ones with sayings on them.
Lates by Kate pajamas. My friend, Morgan, gave me a pair of these pajamas and they are absolutely amazing. They’re having a big Black Friday sale as well. If you’re in between sizes, size up.
Room spray. I haven’t tried this one yet, but my favorite podcasters recommend this Baccarat Rouge room spray. It’s on my list to try!
*This article was initially published as part of Progressive Farmer’s Our Rural Roots column.*
This summer, we had our annual family reunion at the lake. Four generations spent the day swimming, water skiing, kayaking and getting sunburned (despite certainly knowing better by this point). We also found a perfect spot with rocks for jumping.
Our rowdy crew swam from the boats over to the rocks and took turns jumping the 12ish feet to the cool, blue water below. Later, as we were driving away, my cousin looked at me and said: “Man, that feels like living.”
Her line about “living life” took on life in me. I knew precisely what she meant. Jumping off those rocks stirred something bigger. The deep breath. The rush of adrenaline. The seconds suspended in the air. Sinking into the water.
Her comment has made me ask myself, despite living every single day of my life, how often do I really feel as though I’m living? If I am honest, the answer is not nearly enough. It can be so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day moments and miss the rest.
The chores that need done, the laundry pile that never seems to go away, paying the bills…all those things are necessary. But after that day at the lake, I’ve thought more about what else brings that thrill of unabashed joy?
The answer differs, of course. Not everyone wants to jump off a cliff! For me, living means watching the sunset, white water rafting, dancing on Bourbon Street, watching my kids lead their cattle into the show ring, going on a good run and hiking in the Swiss countryside.
Whatever your answer might be, pinpointing these moments can be the first step to finding ways to create more of them. There’s no time like the present to get busy finding things that feel like living.
Twenty years ago this week, on what I still maintain was the hottest day in the history of Oklahoma, Amy and I moved into our little dorm room in the basement of Bennett Hall at Oklahoma State University.
I couldn’t have had a better experience at OSU. It was just the perfect fit for me. I made some of my best friends there. I made some of my favorite memories there. I survived some of my worst heartbreaks there. Looking back, I’m just so grateful for those years, my people, and that place.
So…in honor of back to school, I thought I’d share some of my best advice for the college students.
Go to class. Let me say it again. GO TO CLASS. Even if you are tired. Or hung over. Or still drunk. I don’t care if you don’t have time to fix your hair, have to wear your pajamas, or lost your book a month ago. Go. to. class. Professors notice. In all likelihood you are going to pick up some sort of information that will be useful for the exam just by being in the room. It is honestly hard to fail out if you will sit your butt in the seat.
Buy the season football tickets. I know that you’re broke. I get it. I remember. But I’m telling you, buy the football tickets. You can pretty much find a free lunch every day of the week if you pay attention to the different club meetings, so use that extra lunch money to buy them. Find yourself some nice girls with a house who like to cook and they will feed you dinner at least once a week. Maybe more. More money to add to the football game pot. You can make this happen. (What I would not do is watch your team get way up in the first half against Texas and talk a lot of crap when they have a quarterback named Vince Young. That doesn’t end well.)
Find your people. I’ll preface this with saying I had some great friends in high school. But when you get to college, you have the chance to find your people. You’re don’t just find your friends because you all live in the same zip code. In college you have the chance to go out and find friends who are your people–the ones who share your interests and your beliefs and your values. Or maybe ones who have completely different interests or beliefs or values, but who laugh at your jokes. You’ll know it when you find them because your life will become better. You’ll feel more like you–the real you–then you did before. These are the people who will stand up next to you on your wedding day and whose hand you’ll hold in a hospital room and whose kid’s birthday parties you will travel three states to be at and with whom you’ll discuss the aches and pains of turning 40. Choose wisely.
And find your place. Every college kid has to find their place. The one that makes them feel at home and happy and safe. Maybe it’s a coffee shop or a bar or a church or a study room in the library. For me, it was a couch named Snuggles at our apartment, the Copper Penny, and a house full of boys at 44th and Western that was probably never cleaned in the 2 years that they lived there, but that just felt right. To this day, if I find myself feeling down, I still wish I could sit on Snuggles with Amy and Chase sharing a tub of cookies and cream ice cream with three spoons. Wherever it is, find yours and go back there when things get stressful, or bad news comes, or you accidentally almost blow you house up, or you just need a chance to re-charge. Find it. And enjoy it.
Have fun. I know that college can seem stressful and busy and crazy. Yea…wait until the real world hits, kids. This is the time of your life. You don’t want to come out of it with regrets. Don’t get me wrong, you have responsibilities–you have to go to class (remember Rule #1), you have to study, you have to go to work–but you also need to make time to have fun. It’s okay to close down the bar one night and go to teach little kid Sunday School the next morning (Amy and I were pros at that!) Go out to dinner. Put down the books on Thursday and go dancing. Frequent IHOP at 2 in the morning. The best things happen then and you don’t want to miss them.
Don’t be dumb. Hear me on this. You can have a lot of fun without being dumb. And also, something that we didn’t have to deal with 20 years ago…think about what you’re posting on social media. My phone in college charged me $.10/text message. My rule was not to text me unless someone was bleeding. It sure didn’t have a camera. I didn’t get Facebook until I graduated. It was a different (and maybe a better…) time. Trust me when I tell you one of the first things we do with people who contact me about a job or who were potential clients or the opposing side of a lawsuit is to look at their social media. If you wouldn’t show it to your grandma at Christmas dinner, don’t post it. It’s a solid rule of thumb.
And so, to all the college kids hitting campus this week, welcome to the next chapter of your life. When you’re about to turn 40, you’ll love looking back on the memories you’re about to make. Be sure they’re good ones.
Thirty years ago, I showed my first time at the Quay County Fair.
Many of my best and some of my worst childhood memories happened in that barn. And, I suppose both made me who I am today.
I met some of my best friends in that barn, some of whom remain my best friends to this day. I learned the importance of knowing there are adults besides your family who love and support you like their own.
I have a scar on my knee from chasing boys on the gravel. I wore a lot of very brightly colored jeans. Whenever anyone in our family gets angry, it’s referred to as a washrack moment, which all started there one afternoon.
I can still picture my Gran letting us sneak in to see her when she judged the baking, and Mr. Franklin hugging me with big tears in his eyes after I won the sheep show my senior year.
Thirty years later, I still love walking up to that show ring and hugging those people. There are few places that impacted me the way that barn did. I will forever be grateful.
If you follow me on social media, you recall that I had what I called a “non-hip” surgery in April. It became known as that after we told the kids I would have scars on my stomach kind of from one hip to the other. And then at church, Harper asked everyone to pray for my hip surgery. I didn’t want to get into details during prayer requests, so I just let it go. But then people started telling me about their own hip surgeries and offering me thoughts on mine. The next week, I just politely said something about it not being a hip surgery, and the name “non-hip surgery” stuck.
It was actually a hysterectomy. It had a much more official, long title on the consent forms, but the Cliff’s Notes version is they removed my uterus, fallopian tubes, and cervix. They left my ovaries, meaning I did not go into menopause.
Because I’m a believer in the #realreel, I thought I’d share at least the basics here and offer to answer questions or advice to anyone else who may be considering or having this same procedure. If I can be helpful, please reach out!
Let’s talk briefly about the procedure and recovery. The procedure itself was simple. It was robotically assisted and laparoscopic. (If you want to get me on a soap box, ask me about how insurance tried to tell me the robot was out of network…when the hospital and doctor were in network. I won that fight.)
The procedure took just over an hour. (For the record, my doctor says I have a remarkable, textbook anatomy. I’m not one to let that kind of compliment go unreported.) I spent one night in the hospital because I have a hard time with anesthesia and live quite a way from the hospital, but I could have come home that afternoon.
I was pretty down for about a week. Sore, tired, slow going. After two weeks, I was feeling much better. A month later, I was very close to back to normal. I did notice some hot flashes as my hormones regulated, but those didn’t last more than 6 weeks or so. In the scheme of medical issues I’ve had, I would say it was a little worse than shingles but not nearly as bad as a kidney stone.
I have four small scars across my stomach just above belly button level. I’ve not noticed any side effects or problems.
Four months post-surgery, it was easily the best thing I have ever done. I feel SO much better. My anemia is gone. I am completely off my iron pills. I have more energy. My color is better. My only regret is not doing this years ago when my doctor first started bringing it up.
So. I’ve now discussed my uterus on the Internet. What a world we live in.
*This article was initially published as part of Progressive Farmer’s Our Rural Roots column.*
A friend recently passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. There was understandably an outpouring of grief. But what came next has forever changed me.
During the service, stories poured forth about what a good person and good friend this man was. People shared encouraging voice memos he had sent. Others shared screenshots of uplifting text messages.
The legacy that he left was one of kindness, friendship and positivity.
It got me thinking about the way we live our lives and how that translates into something meaningful. How we live today, the very basic, everyday moments of life are the building blocks that make up our legacies.
When someone we love dies, rarely do we talk about the awards they won or the titles they garnered or how much money they made. Instead, what people share are stories of seemingly small, usually unseen acts that truly matter. The way they always called to wish someone a happy birthday. How they shoveled the snow from their neighbor’s driveway. The special interest they took in a child and helped them at the county fair. The fact they always made the best potato casserole in the county for the church potluck.
Spring is all about new beginnings, and my friend’s legacy of doing for others has taken root in me. I want to focus more on the daily actions and make those part of my own legacy. I’ve started writing notes to people who are important to me on a more regular basis. I’ve made it a point to text friends when I think of them or take time to share a funny memory when it comes to mind. I’ve tried hard to think twice before I say something negative or lodge a complaint.
Instead of just living through the day, it is time to intentionally live my legacy.
This article was published as part of the DTN Progressive Farmer Our Rural Roots column.
We’ve recently survived a first at our house: a show steer retirement. Our miniature Hereford steer, Ben, did his job well, and it was time for him to exit the show world. However, it soon became clear that this was more of a traumatic event for our young children than I might have guessed.
Photo by Dylan Voyles
First, I got a call from the school. “Hello, Mrs. Lashmet? Your child is upset. We asked why, and she said something about someone named Ben retiring. Is that her grandfather maybe?”
Then, it happened again at church. During the children’s sermon, the leader asked the kids to name something that made them sad. Several children gave normal answers like “When my dog died” or “If my friend won’t play with me.” Then my child said, “When a show steer retires.” As the congregation turned to look at me, I momentarily felt like an unfit mother for putting this child through that kind of pain.
What my children (and others) did not initially understand, however, is that Ben was not having the standard steer retirement. Instead, Ben was headed for the good life in the Colorado mountains.
Our family donated Ben to the Dream Catcher Therapy Center, a wonderful nonprofit organization that rescues animals and uses them as therapy aids for a host of people with physical and mental health challenges. This includes children with special needs, senior citizens and military veterans.
There were tears when it was time for Ben to be loaded in the trailer. But, there was also a discussion about how Ben had served his purpose in the show ring and now would serve another purpose helping people at Dream Catcher. With that in mind, Ben got a big pan of extra grain and a final pat on the head, and he headed north to live his next best life.
Always a Farm Kid 