Antiques and Good Food - Mineola, TX

So, when you are in Mineola it is just about impossible not stop in one of the little antique shops or malls...You'll find all kinds of inspiration and goodies and of course, the best places to eat! Mmmm! Its fun to enjoy while visiting or just something to do if you live nearby..... Its every flea market lovers dream...

Here are a few of the booths and shops I enjoy when shopping Downtown Mineola!

Be sure to stop in next time and tell them you saw my blog post!

P.S. I Love you,

This is a newly opened shop that is perfect for the Shabby Chic lover in you.  The atmosphere is so cozy and sweet. Not to mention the shop owners are the friendliest. The girls have some beautiful furniture, that they actually antique/age themselves - you will find many treasures in this shop - so be sure to stop in a visit, I promise you'll love this sweet little shop. You can find them on Facebook, too!

Becky & Terri @ PS I Love You

Karen's Korner, at the corner of Broad and Johnson St.

This shop is soooooo cool! Its actually an antique mall - two stories with several little booths inside that have things from jewelry, candles, vintage linens and memorabilia and so much more to mention. Be sure you follow all staircases and peek into all the little hidden corners. Be sure to "Like" them on Facebook!

Shabby Chic-ness at Karen's Korner

East Texas Burger Co., & La Waffalata  & Antique mall attached

Ruben @ La Waffalata

The La Waffalata is a cute bakery and tea room style restaurant nestled between its brother East Texas Burger Company and the ----- antique mall. The Burger side is run by Ken Davis and La Waffalata by Debbi Davis. Debbi has had per hand in TV shows, a morning segment at the local news station, cookbooks and more. This company is very family oriented. They have great food, great atmosphere and is a must visit when you are in town.  You can order a burger from ETBC while sitting at the La Waffalata, that by the way, offers many gluten free menu options. My favorites are the Philly Steak and the Rueben. And as always, I love seeing Angela - she's the sweetest hugger you will ever meet.....PS. my hubs will probably be the guy on the grill when you order a burger. ;) So be sure to say hi and tell them you read this post!
Check them out on Facebook and their Website

These are only a couple of many many shops and restaurants to see and indulge in while in Mineola. If you have a favorite spot you want to share please comment below? Would you like to be a guest blogger?! Just message me!
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Try Before you Buy

Moving out of state or the area you know can be scary and mysterious, especially, if you aren't sure of where you want to move or you want to "feel" out the area before you buy. Finding jobs, new schools, community events etc, are things you can research online, but actually visiting and staying with your family for a few days or even weeks, in your area of interest, can help you learn about the area and help you decide if its the right place for you and your family.

     After accidentally finding this awesome site, I highly recommend you consider browsing through for a rental in your desired area rather than renting a hotel......just put in your area, number of guests and the date range to find available homes... On Airbnb, you can browse and rent local homes that are usually furnished and the owners rent seasonally or daily. You have the amenities of home and can ask the owner questions they would know the answers to about the area, economy, schools, entertainment and more....a resident is better than Google. :) (but, I still love Google for everything else)
       Be sure, of course, to check the reviews and make sure you are clear on terms and whats included before you book your stay.

So, next time you need a place to stay or are interested in an area before you move, try Airbnb.com 

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Recycling Day at Caldwell Zoo

Every year, the first weekend of October, the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, hosts Phone Book Recycling Day where you bring in your old phone books and get a free admission for an adult or child per phone book. For the last 6 or 7 years we have made this a tradition. Not only are we recycling and getting to see the animals in the zoo, but we meet with family and friends and make a day of it.  We never miss it. I'd say, if you are
Enjoy our photos from this year's trip!

 

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5 Things NOT TO Do Before Buying A Home

 Yes, that's right! The home buying and mortgage process is already pretty precise so to prevent denials or delays, here are 5 things you should not do before buying a home.

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3 Ways to Sell Your Home Faster

Here are 3 super beneficial tips in helping make your home more appealing to buyers, therefore, selling it quicker!

1. Declutter - Less is more. Potential buyers want to envision their things in your home. You may love your photo collage on the wall, but buyers may not, and since you will be moving soon, (hopefully after your next showing) minimize everything in your home, stash those old newspapers or bills piled up on the counter and make sure there are clear walkways.

2. Landscaping - You don't have to hire a master gardener, but walking up to a home with a fresh cut lawn and swept porch or doorway, makes all the difference.

3. Find a great realtor. You can have success selling your own home, but a realtor has resources you don't have access to, like the MLS and more.  They have several advertising venues with a network of buyers and investors, and they have the expertise to help with the whole sale process including negotiating for the highest sale price.

Think of it this way, if you were going on a date, you want to look good for the other person, right?! Same goes with your home. Make it to where they choose your home over any other. Make it appealing to drive up to and walk into.
Hope that was helpful!

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The road driving into the Mineola Nature Preserve.

Before & After

Ok, so if you've ventured out to lose weight and have been successful, you know that most commonly you are asked: "How did you do it?"....
Well, growing up, I was always super skinny. I was a size 0 when I got pregnant with my first daughter. Of course, 4 daughters later, including a set of twins, my body probably isn't capable of size 0 again, but I don't exactly have a desire to be that little either. I am now a proud size 8, 155 lbs and am 5'9. I don't want to be skinny. I want to be healthy. That is why I did this.
Now, let me tell you how I did it.....
For a little over 2 years I have been on an up and down weight loss-get-in-to-shape-feel better journey. I started out with the LoseIt app that is like a weigh loss social media network. It helps you count calories, record your progress and share. I love it! In 2011, when I first started, I was at 183lbs. I changed my eating eating habits, first, by dropping the Pepsi. Then making conscience decisions to move it, llitterally. Like, I would park farther away in the parking lot so I'd have to walk, or take the stairs instead of the elevator..Seriously, you'll notice a difference with such small changes. I then opened a business and well, for the next 10 months, I wasn't as active in pursuing my weight loss-get-in-to-shape-feel better journey. Being overweight, too, I suffered from acid reflux. It seemed like every night I would struggle with sleep because of the crazy heart burn I was having...Guess what?! Since I have lost the belly weight, I haven't had any trouble with heart bun - at all! Pretty nice if you know what I mean!
Alright, aside from kicking my Pepsi addiction, I of course, calorie count, and am very cautious of what goes into my body. I also workout now and when I can't I just make sure Im moving...I did Insanity (by Beachbody) I do Hip Hop Abs (Beachbody) to throw in a mix, I have done Zumba, going to the gym, and am actually doing the 21 Day Fix right now (message me if you wanna know more about it). If you can tell, I like change and to mix up my routines. I get bored easily, but not only that, with having a family and a full time job, I can't always commit to one type of workout. Just keep in mind that as long as you are consistent and careful with what you put in your body, you can be successful.

Here's me: 2011 & 2014

Subscribe for tips, tricks, recipes, workouts and advice I have found helpful in my journey. Not everyone is the same, so we won't all have the same results, but I hope that with providing you with weekly meals, exercise plans, grocery lists and recipes, we can work together for a healthier more energetic and productive you!
I just started the 21 Day Fix - I will be posting my progress! And please, please ask me anything!

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The 10 Best Things in Life....

Every day you are reminded of how sweet life really is, whether you know it or not....
So, here's my list of the 10 best things life has to offer....You can't put price tags on these things! xoxo

1. Beating heart - this means you are alive and you have the capability of loving, being loved and making a difference in someone's life.
2. Smiles - these are contagious! Notice that when you smile at someone, you almost always get a smile back! See?! Do it!
3. Laughter - not only is it fantastic to laugh whether you be alone or with someone else - and its excellent excersize! Google it!
4. Driving with the windows down - If you can get over the worry of your hair getting messed up, stick you hand out the window or even lean your face out there. I love this feeling. I could care less if its 110 or 20 degrees outside, I always drive with my window down.
5. Toes in the sand - oooh....just try it!
6. Great conversation - notice how embracing it is to have a great conversation with someone. Its engaging, most times educational or enlightening. Its always entertaining in some way to have great conversation. Do it often if you can. Its easy to get busy and get stuck in routine, but if you have the chance to strike it up, you wont regret it.
7. Helping someone - you can hold a door open , offer to carry something for someone...It doesnt cost you a thing to do something kind for someone. Its win win. Kindness is rewarding.
8. Smell of the desert after the rain...Yeah, you might have to live in Arizona to get what I mean by this...But the smell of the dirt and mesquite after the rain is truly blissful.
9.  Handwritten notes - Isnt pretty awesome when rather than receiving an email or text someone leaves you a handwritten note? When was the last time you have a handwritten note or even received one? Why not? Just do it!
10. Nature - look around you. Take in a deep breath. Exhale slowly and indulge in the air you breath. Go to a park, a lake, a roadside stop and walk around look up. Look down. When was the last time you held a leaf and really looked at it. Its liberating to just observe stuff like that, that we take for granted. Live in the moment.

Bonus: Kissing - nothing is better than a kiss from someone you love, from a child, from anyone...Kisses are always good!