Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Trip to Big Sky Country...

Well here I sit on my couch back in St. Joseph, Missouri and I am needing to pack up as tomorrow is my last day to work at the Angus Association. Right after work I will be heading straight to Sedalia for the Missouri State Fair, then back home to Texas with a detour to Stillwater on the way!

I just returned to Missouri this morning from the state of Montana, aka Big Sky Country. I went there for the Junior Angus Leadership Conference, aka LEAD Conference (Leaders Engaging in Angus Development). And just let me say, it was quite the experience and I hope I remember to include all the cool things we did and awesome people I met!

We left on Wednesday. James, Robin, and I (my bosses), flew to Minneapolis to meet board members Dana May and Andrew Foster, before we would catch our connecting flight straight into Billings (which is the largest, most populated city in Montana, I believe it is #68 in the nation). We soon met the rest of the Junior Board (this trip there would be 18 considering the retiring 6 were still in attendance along with the newly elected 6!) So our crew consisted of James Fisher (MO), Shelia Stannard (MO), Robin Ruff(MO), myself (TX), Justin Brosey (OH), Andrew Foster (MI), Kara Wilson (IN), Rebecca Tokach (ND), Joe Epperly (VA), Dana May (WI), Mallory Trosper (MO), Brandon Creamer (CO), Walt Stinson (TN), Trey Davis (GA), Bridget Driscoll (IA), Ann Blumer (SC), Andrew Rogen (SD), Chris Cassady (IL), Kirbe Schnoor (CA), Robert Myers (OR), Lindsay Waugh (MN), Ashlyn Carter (IN) and then Brooke Bergkamp (KS) (who had flown in early with Kirbe). Wednesday was a pretty laid back day. Just lunch with the crew, an overview meeting, last minute preparations, and of course socializing again after dinner that night! (Or as the JR Board calls it...Church!)

On Thursday, the JR Board traveled 2 hours away to Canyon Creek Angus, the ranch who had bought the high selling foundation female a couple years ago for $250,000. They viewed cattle, ate dinner, and just spent time in appreciation for the day. Meanwhile, I had Brooke to hang out with and we were in charge of running errands, getting water shoes for everyone (for the white water rafting), and clothes and props for the skit!

Friday was the start of the Conference, and we had 218 total participants. So all day we had children and parents coming in from the airport and getting settled in the hotel. I must say I was very excited to see my Texas sister, Jennifer Ann Smith! So the most exciting part of Friday was the guest speaker, Mr. Alvin Law of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Mr. Law makes a living by serving as a motivational speaker. He was born with no arms, however he is completely independent. He drove down from Canada (10 hours away), all by himself and gave quite an inspirational message along with an overview of his life story and how he operated on a daily basis. I would highly recommend you to look over his story on his website www.alvinlaw.com. I took over 2 pages of notes while he spoke!

Saturday came, and this was our big day to go white water rafting! Of course, with this large of a crew, we had to split into groups of like 8-9 to all be able to fit on a raft. I am proud to say that I believe my crew was the funnest of them all. We consisted of myself, Jennifer Ann Smith, Chris Cassady, Trey Davis, Kirbe Schnoor, Brooke Bergkamp, Courtney DeHoff, Claire Taylor, and Mallory Trosper. We rafted 14 miles total! Even though the waves and tides were not that rough, we still hit a rough spot here and there which of course added to the excitement. However, the thriller moment of it all was when we passed a huge cliff. I begged our tour guide/head rafter to let some of us jump, but he said it was an extra charge. I soon used my persuasion skills and said, come on we have 220 people, can't you cut us some kind of a deal? So there we were (well all but 2 of us), on top of the cliff and ready to jump. It was quite the experience, and I somehow had my huge silver earrings on when I jumped, but luckily came up with them still on. So now, when my mother says, "Randa, if all of your friends were to jump off of a cliff, would you?", I can proudly say, "Yes, yes I would!" So after Vespers that night at a small church on the hill in the mountains of Montana, we were all extremely tired and wore out.

Sunday was full of tours. However, the coolest part of Sunday was meeting Miss Kim Anderson. She was to serve as the guest speaker Monday morning and then was to work with the new JR Board that next afternoon on leadership/team building/ future goals, etc. Robin had told me how Kim was an amazing lady that I should get to know, and as soon as I met her, I knew Robin was right! I wanted to get Kim to come down to do some officer training for my Saddle & Sirloin officers at Texas A&M (since I am serving as the President this year), but due to conflicts of dates and late notice, I am just going to have to look for another opportunity for Kim to come down to Texas. Anyway, she also has a blog at www.iowafarmgirl.blogspot.com, so be sure to check her out as well.

So between the tours to the Midland Bull Test (where I got to visit with Miss Lacey Robinson who works for the Simmental Association who was quite the female collegiate judger during her day), a tour of the Little Bighorn Battlefield (where dad told me I had been before when I was younger); Which for a side track note, in the Suburban was Kim, Robin, Shelia and myself and when we drove up, I was the only one who knew the history behind this sacred land which I was very proud of as history is not my strongest point. But, between my Aunt Michelle being an Indian Native and my dad being the History Channel Gurue that he is, I should have known the history of it. Too bad I was also thinking Mount Rushmore was also in Montana, and when I made this verbally known, everyone laughed and said it was in South Dakota. I soon chimed in with the response that I was from Texas and most typical Texans do not believe there is any other place, so geography can be quite tough at times!, then to the Vermilion Angus Ranch and finally back to the hotel for a dance (which had to have been another one of the funnest times of the dance), once again everyone was tired and needed sleep before the last day of the conference.

So Monday, Kim did her thing (very impressive!), I played mom and made sure everyone got on the shuttle at their assigned time to make their flight, then dealt with some delayed and cancelled flights, we eventually went to a CAB steakhouse "The Windmill", and back to the suite of the advisors to spend our last night together of the summer. For the retiring 6 and myself, this was our last night to spend with or as the junior board (tear..).

So after a 6am flight, here I still sit with nothing packed to get ready to eventually head back home.

Now as the SJ....I have been telling everyone I will resume all custom orders on next Monday as I will be back in Texas. Wow, will I have a busy week ahead. Between all of the old orders, new things to put together, along with record keeping and website updates, I will be running 90 to nothing (as always), however, be looking for new updates both on the SJ website and facebook as well. Also, Miss Reba Hicks (from Albama), had the SJ collection last weekend at a show in Montgomery, AL, so look for coverage of that. Until then, stay classy and fabulous!

Randa :)

Monday, July 28, 2008

A Long Needed Update...

So, I have been horrible and haven't updated the SJ Newz in over 2 weeks....this is horrible I know. But the good news is I am here and ready to type and update all of you readers!

When I last wrote, I was in Des Moines at the very beginning of the National Junior Angus Show. So, I will go on an update from then...

Saturday night, July 12th, the NJAA Junior Board all arrived and little did I know what they had in stock for me! 2 of my new good friends, Miss Dana May and Rebecca Tokach hosted a get together for me. When I arrived at their room, they had a sash, crown, martini glass, my favorite drink (pineapple, malibu and grenadine!) along with homemade cupcakes that were confetti with pink icing and decoriations on top that included my name, 21, crowns and hearts! It was simply adorable. We soon visited Miss Kitty's dance hall in West Des Moines for quite a night. Once again I do not have pictures (I will just have to put all the pictures up at once as soon as I get them since I am the idiot who lost my camera at the chi, maine, shorty jr natties!)

So after everyone recovered from what we didn't realize would be the funnest night of the week, we were hard at work to make NJAS 08 Chrismas in July the best yet! Also, on Sunday, my bestest Jessica was on her way to Oklahoma to stay the night with Amber, where they would then road trip together on Monday to come up with the SJ booth to Des Moines!

The highlight of the week for SJ, was our new found little Princess, Torri DeMeyer! When the girls told me all about her each night at the hotel room, I could not wait to meet her. They said she was 3 years old, that she came to visit them every day at the booth picking out which jewelry and colors she liked. To make it even better she was Andrew Fosters girlfriend she said (he is on the junior board and judges at OSU!) She even had a necklace on one day that he had bought her! Then when the girls told me her mom would push her by on her stroller and she would say bye to the girls, I just could not wait to meet her. So, of course I had to make her a custom design one night just to make her even more fabulous than she already sounded. So a little pink crown and some clear and pink sparkly beads later, we had Torri's new necklace done and I could not wait for the girls to give it to her the next day!

Torri's dad was helping us judge the team fitting contest and Thursday evening when I was getting ready to leave and head back to the hotel, I just happened to stop by the Pavilion to see if the contest crew needing any help wrapping up......and then and there I got to meet the princess Torri herself! She had on her necklace and LOVED it! She kept telling Andrew, "Your friends, your friends, look what your friends made me!" She was just as adorable, if not more, than what the girls had told me. And, she made it very clear that Andrew was her boyfriend! Anyways, she decided she would wear her pink cowgirl outfit with her matching pink boots on the last day along with her SJ piece and take a picture at the booth for the blog, so as soon as miss Amber gets those to me, they will be up on here!

I guess the other super cute thing that happened that week that deals with SJ........

Saturday afternoon after Jessica and Amber had left, I went to the building where the trade show was (of course, it was basically shut down by now) to get my stuff to bring back with me to St. Jo and to take down NJAS contest stuff including posters and photos. Well, when I got to what was left of the SJ booth (sad to see it taken down), I saw at the corner the cutest little blonde girl. She was wearing a little skirt, white shirt and what I could tell was an SJ piece with a little crown on it. Her mom had worked the booth next to mine all week and she of course made good friends with the girls. Needless to say, she told me her name was Sara and that the girls had made the necklace for her! I asked her if she was a Princess, and of course, she said YES! So, we asked her mom if she could spend some time with me, and she was the biggest help taking down pictures from display! All in all, I'd say just from these two little girls, SJ had a very successful week! The Angus ladies LLOOVVEEDD all of the jewelry and once again a big big big thank you goes out to Jessica Carter and Amber Skinner for making it happen!

Since Angus Jr Nationals, I have done a lot of laundry, a lot of jewelry, have been down to Springfield, Missouri for the Ozark Empire Fair, went out on the town in Kansas City with some great girls including Holli Parke, Kelli Armbruster, Rachel Burtzlaff, KC Kinder, Crystal Young and then Chris Stevens! Yes, Saturday night when I returned from Springfield, we planned to go out since my summer is coming to an end! We went to the new Power and Light District in downtown Kansas City! Needless to say, it was a wonderful girls night plus Chris and we all had a killer time!

So yesterday, I met up with Holli to shop at Legends Mall on the Kansas side of Kansas city and I had my first Hibachi experience! And loved it! Of course we had to throw some sushi in the mix....the Godzilla rolls were very good.....not as good as the Chuck Norris Sushi from Des Moines, but a close 2nd.

So today, I am at work in the office and I only have 2 more days after this....tear. I leave for LEAD (Leaders Engaging in Angus Development) Conference in Billings, Montana on Wednesday morning and will be there until next Tuesday. I am way way way looking forward to one last she-bang with the NJAA Board and of course the white water rafting experience. I will have my last day here next Wenesday, then head down to the Missouri State Fair, then on the way home make a stop in Stillwater and finally home to TEXAS!!! Look for updates all along the way, and until then stay super fabulous!

Randa :)

Friday, July 11, 2008

My 21st Birthday in Des Moines, Iowa

Well here I sit at the Sheraton Hotel in Des Moines Iowa. As most of you know yesterday was my 21st birthday!!!! WOOHOO!!! Anyways, it was fan-tab-ulous (words of Dana May)!!! And I figured I should share.



To begin, the Wednesday before my birthday, we were packing fast and furious at the Angus office of course to head to Des Moines for the National Junior Angus Show (our biggest event of the summer!), and one of my new best friends and also best jewelry customers (Princess Holli Parke) sent me B-E-A-utiful flowers and had them delivered to me at the office! I have recently lost my camera (crisis, I know), so I will try to upload one from my mobile on here. Anyways, Holli is simply fabulous in so many ways and she never ceases to amaze me with what she does for me. From helping me with my booth at Kansas City, to being a great dinner date while I am in Missouri, or of course allowing me to decorate her with phenominal jewlz, Holli is a spitfire and everyone needs a little of her in their life!



So, I of course was dead set on going out at midnight that night! My roomate for the summer, Kelli Armbruster who works for the Angus Foundation had gone to dinner in Kansas City after work, but called me on her way home and said she was still up for it! I of course, was making jewelry and not dressed whatsoever! Then, Sarah Moyer Snider, who is the Director of the Angus Source program called us because she had just finished a late night softball game. However, she said we had to meet her right away! So within five minutes I had thrown on a black longsleeve turtle neck and a hot pink polo hat to match my shorts and flip flops and we were off!

As we arrived at Legends Bar in St. Joseph, MO, it was about 20 minutes until midnight but they still let me in. Now, they wouldn't serve me until midnight, but I had waited 21 years, whats another few minutes? So, the bartender and DJ each bought me a shot and Kelli and Sarah each bought me a drink. We managed to booty dance the rest of the night in a totally random place but it was so much fun! Not gonna lie, I was definately dreading having to be on the road the next morning!

So, on the actual day of my birthday me, Robin Ruff (assistant of Jr Activities at Angus Association) and James (my official boss, also director of Jr Activities), drove up to Des Moines! After Robin and I got lost looking for lunch and had an argument with the Garmin, then after unpacking the equipment trailer and van, we soon headed to the hotel to freshen up for my big birthday dinner!

When I got to the hotel, I was surprised by another fabulous bouquet of flowers. This consisted of a random assortment of baby pink flowers and roses with a rhinestone tiara to top them off. And who else would they be from, rather than my Southern Jewlz Repz, Jessica and Amber!

So to be in attendance at my dinner was of course James and Robin, then Glenda and Doug Schroeder (Iowa Jr Angus Assn. Advisors), Don Laughlin (Regional Manager for the Angus Association), my friend LJ Ashorn who of course is interning in Des Moines for the summer and Alex Tolbert and one of his interns, as he is working for the USDA here in Des Moines and was actually recently a member of the Angus Board! We went to Fleming's Steak House, where they only serve prime steaks and it was absolutely PHENOMINAL!!! After a couple amaretto sours, some kickass calamari in sweet sauce, a side salad, and of course a petite filet mignon and sauteeed mushrooms, I was sitting in good shape!

From there, Robin, LJ, Alex, Daniel and I headed to downtown Des Moines for a night out on the town. We had a lot of fun at the Lyers Club bar, however we did not get too out of control as we all still had a big week ahead of us! Needless to say, even though my official birthday is over, with more and more Angus people arriving daily here for the NJAS, it is looking to be a long week with plenty of friends, fellowship and good times to make my 21st simply fabulous! So, look for updates within the next week of adventures with the NJAS board, show updates and of course newz from the SJ girls working the booth up here for the week, Jessica and Amber!

Randa :)

Monday, July 7, 2008

Customer of the Month Report

I figured it was time for the customer of the month to get her blogging on! Randa and I had been mutal friends for a year or so now, of course, I had been buying lots of SJ, but both of us are spending our summer in the Kansas City area. Randa, of course, at the Angus Association and myself in downtown KC at the Hereford Association. Needless to say with junior nationals will be well underway this time next week, I should be working, not blogging, but I promised I would get on here and write about last week.

Randa and I had met up for dinner the week prior to Chi/Maine/Shorthorn Junior Nationals, and she had shown me her booth decor and of course, I bought some jewlz. We were way excited for the SJ ladies to get here and get the booth underway. I arrived on my lunch break on Monday to find Miss Jessica and Miss Amber hard at work at the SJ booth. I was to pick up a necklace, and went up and introduced myself to the girls. They had of course heard about me because of my very extensive necklace collection. Those girls are great and I can not wait to hang with them again. Pretty sure Miss Jessica and I are two peas in a pond.

I was a walking advertisement for Southern Jewlz throughout the week, as I was the overdressed girl walking around the barn. But of course, as Randa and I know... its just simply fabulous to stand out! On Saturday, I hung with Randa at the SJ booth and tried my selling ability to some jewelry lookers, and handed out my few business cards I had because Randa was out. Pictures will be up soon of the booth, but they are currently still on my camera. Whoops.

Well... I better get back to the Youth Activities Department here at the Hereford Association. All in all, I'd say Southern Jewlz had a very successful week at the Steer Jock Convention of the Year (aka Chi/Maine/Shorthorn Jr Natties). I'd like to personally express my gratitude to the Queen of Southern Jewlz for keeping me fabulously jeweled. I shall blog again.... Stay fabulous!

The Survival of Maine, Chi and Shorthorn Jr Nationals!

So, as most of you know, Southern Jewlz made an appearance and had a booth at the Maine, Chi, and Shorthorn Junior Nationals the week of June 29-July 5 in Kansas City, MO this past week. So, here's a run down and summary of the events day to day!

Sunday - I drove to Kansas City from Parsons, Kansas. I was there from a wedding of my friends the day before....Ryan Page (on my judging team at A&M) and Jentry Stice. It was a lot of fun to hang out with some of the judging boys that I haven't seen in over a month. Anyways, my two REPZ, Jessica Carter and Amber Skinner rode up to Kansas City with Justin Yancey, his super cute little brother Tyler, and Darin Wiley and of course the cattle. So by the time we all got to the grounds on Sunday, we had to set up both the booth and cattle stalls in full force. Because everybody was tired and had a long week ahead, we just went to eat at Applebee's and my NBF Dana May came to pick me up and take me back to St. Jo as she drove down to help me with preparations for National Junior Angus Show (she basically runs the Jr board!) But on the way home, I managed to get us lost and when we FINALLY got home, I had left my keys with the girls and my car, so I had locked myself out of the house for the 2nd day in a row (the Saturday before I did so, but locked my keys and phone in the house.....really bad deal, I had to call 911 at a nearby restaraunt).....so Dana and I ended up staying the night at Shelia Stannards (one of my favorite staff members at AAA!) I stayed up that night until 3am making jewlz for the upcoming week.

Monday - I was hard at work at the Angus office. Justin Brosey, chairman of the Jr Board, also came in to help so we were very productive. After work, we all went down to Kansas City. After we shut down the SJ booth and tied the cattle out, Amber, Jess, Wiley and I went to the Golden Ox (one of my favs!) before our visit to Connies! The bar was a little slow that night, but it did not keep us from having a good time. However, because we had to work early, Brosey made sure we left by midnight! On the way home, Dana and I decided to drunk dial A LOT of friends...if you are one of those we are truly sorry, but you should feel honored....and we proceeded to sing Leona Lewis 'Keep Bleeding Love' on every voicemail, except we changed the words to Keep BREEDING Love! We truly are stock kids, haha! So after all the calls and the pee stop on the side of I-29 (yes, they made me laugh SO hard I couldn't hold it anymore), we finally made it home. Since this was the first time I drove up to my house in 3 days without being locked out, I felt I should call 911 and let them know I made him home safely...haha!

Tuesday - The boring day. We worked until 7pm at the Angus office, went to Olive Garden and quickly Dana and I went to sleep and skipped out on Kansas City that day.

Wednesday - I left work on time at 4:30 ready to head to Jr Nat'l for good! The only problem was a freaking monsoon or something hit. Lights were out at the barn, high winds, rain, hail and even flooding and it was insane! We finally tied out and left the barn about 11pm, but then had to hit up multiple drive throughs to actually find something to eat since power was out all over town.

Thursday - In the morning, we showed Princess as a Mainetainer and then worked the jewelry booth all day. This was the day that we proceeded to get wild and crazy at Connie's, but it was a good time. My dear friend Amy Draznin and her new boyfriend Nick Smit and his friend Micah joined us as well!

Friday - Now we showed Princess as a Chi and of course worked with jewelry all day. We had no big plans for the 4th, but I was sad because my friends were all leaving me the next morning, so Saturday, I had the booth by myself! However, business was still very good and I enjoyed getting to do it.

Needless to say, look for pictures and customer highlights from the week within the next couple of days. Also, Jess and Amber have now decided they want to come up to Des Moines for the National Junior Angus Show, so SJ is in the process of making this work. It's late and time for bed, so goodnight now! :)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Randa vs. The Big Black Donkey

So here I sit in the Angus Office and we will be leaving in two weeks from tomorrow for NJAS in Des Moines, so the junior activities department is definately insane and I hardly even have time to write on my blog! But I have one of the funniest stories ever so here goes....

I just returned from Lewisburg, West Virginia from the Eastern Regional Angus Show. Lewisburg is a fairly small town, so entertainment at night can be limited. So after our first night of kareoke with Justin Brosey, Dana May, Rebeccah Tokach, Shelia Stannard and some of the Regional Managers (where I might add that Shelia sang 3 singles, all of us girls sang Britney Spears and I of course sang Baby Got Back), the show hosted an evening full of fun. There was to be donkey races (for those of 16 years of age) and a greased pig contest (open to even the youngest attendees!).

So there we were, preparing for the donkey races. The way it was planned was for the winner of each heat to come back for an auction before the finals, that way the show also raised a little money through the deal. Anyways, heat 2 consisted of the JR board members (6 of them present), Chris Cassady, Ashlyn Carter, Will Epperly, James Fisher (my boss), and myself. I was contestant number 4 and when I was handed my donkey, I was mortified that they gave me the biggest, tallest, blackest one there! I had no idea how I was going to get on this thing without a saddle or stirrup or anything! So I managed to get him close to the fence, where I could climb up and easily get on him, but you have to remember this is a donkey we are talking about. He didn't cooperate, wouldn't listen to the reins, etc. So I was still trying to figure this out. And may I add that I was not well prepared as I had on a pair of jeans that I have had since my junior year of high school that have been ripped up before and the cleaners have since then fixed. But back to the story: there was a guy in the audience (which I must add was as full as the bleachers had been the entire week) who came notice my troubles and came out to give me a hand. Well as soon as he put his hands out where I could step up....RRRRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP! There went my jeans. And I mean this was no small rip, of course not, with me it's go big or go home! So this is still at the beginning of the contest and I of course cannot be a fun hater, so I am still thinking out my strategy! I decide to run with the donkey for a while and then hop on him towards the end to still finish. Everybody was falling off, getting bucked off, etc., so I decide to run my donky over to the picture back drop and get on the little bit of a hill that was there to help me get on him. GREAT SUCCESS........I was on and prepared to finish the race (keep in mind I have completely ripped jeans). Anyways, while I am riding, I am too worried about my jean situation and keeping myself covered, rather than actually staying on. Needless to say, my donkey decides to lower his head, and kick his back legs. As expected, I crash and burn. And when I say crash and burn, that is exactly what I mean. Because I was too worried about keeping myself covered, I didn't exactly catch myself, but rather hit pretty hard. Actually, it was hard enough to get the breath knocked out of me. BUT, I held on so tight that I still had the reins and halter in my hands when I stook up...THE PROBLEM WAS, MY DONKEY WAS LOOSE! Needless to say, I finally had to give in and be a fun hater. I slowly walked across the finish line with the reins and halter in my hand, yet no donkey! So to sum it up, I showed my ass (due to the ripped jeans), busted my ass, and lost my other ass! It is a good thing I am not shy, easily embarassed or modest, because I quickly got the car keys from my boss, ran to the hotel to change, and came back for the rest of the entertainment.

So in the battle of Randa vs. The Big Black Donkey, I definately ended up with the short end of the stick. I gave it my all and didn't give up, but when he ended up loose, I had to throw in the towel. Basically, this is just another funny story to add to my life. The next time any of you see me in person, you should ask about it because my intimidation of the whole ordeal will definately make you laugh.

As for a jewelry update....Jessica Carter and Amber Skinner are well on their way to heading up this weekend. We will be setting up my booth at the Maine, Chi, and Shorthorn Junior National on Sunday! I am so excited as I have been working really hard to get a lot of cute things made. And in addition, Miss Catherine Williams has designed me a display banner (much like those in the yards at denver for the display bulls) that I think will add a nice touch to the booth. So, be looking for updates from that show in the near future.

Until next time, I would suggest not trying to ride any stubborn donkeys, especially with old, previously ripped jeans. Just a slight piece of advice!

Randa :)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Loving the Midwest!

Well here I sit on a Tuesday morning once again at the Angus office. We have only 3 1/2 weeks until junior nationals, so the junior activities department is very busy. As the intern, I am in charge of all of the contests and because Angus Jr Nationals is so big, we have to do 3 of those contests before the show. So, yesterday we successfully survived through the photography contest (all 540 entered photos!). One of my good friends, Miss LJ Ashorn actually got to help out with the judging as she is also in the midwest this summer for an internship of her own.

This past weekend I attended the wedding of Abe Redden and Hannah Brewer in Bloomington, IN. Abe worked at Deshazer while I was in high school and during my first three years at Texas A&M, so we were really good friends -- from going out to the hall, to helping out at cow sales, Abe and I have many memories together! Anyways, my dearest friend, Miss Amy Hughes used to be engaged to his brother, so needless to say I did also attend due to moral support. But as always, Amy and I turned what could have been an akward situtation into a good time! While in Bloomington, I visited the largest ever tanning place -- 54 beds! That is also the hometown of Indiana University, so I also got to see a beautiful campus! Due to the fact that it was still 8 hours away from St. Joseph, it was a very short trip, but very much enjoyed! And on my way back, I stopped in Richmond, MO to see another close college friend and old neighbor, Chris Peuster. He is managing a Charolais ranch there, so I graced him with my presence and we went to dinner. Little did I know that he would be judging the Clinton county fair the next day, which is only 30 miles away from me!

So, Sunday night Miss LJ stayed with me so that she could be at the Angus office ready to judge on Monday morning. After the photography contest, I finished up some other stuff and we were soon on our way to watch Peuster judge the county fair!

Now, this was no ordinary 'Texas' county fair as I was expecting. I believe there were only 50-70 people TOTAL in attendance. Most of the hogs were brought out as single entries, so Peuster couldn't screw that up too bad. The cutest part was definately the pee-wee showmanship! I went absolutely crazy taking pictures, videos and dying of laughter to see Peuster down on his knees talking on the mike to the little ones. Absolutely adorable! So after an hour and forty-five minutes, the boar, gilt and barrow shows were complete. One of my judging teammates, Cody Sloan, is from that part of the world and even though he was out of town, I did get to meet his little brother Troy. Troy is going to be a senior in high school, just as my brother, and he reminds me of him in many, many ways. So, to end the evening, we all went to dinner which made me very happy because Peuster is one of my FAVORITE friends!

So, today I have a very busy day as I leave early in the morning for West Virginia for the Eastern Regional Angus Show. I will be gone from Wednesday until Sunday night -- always on the road!

As for the jewelry update -- Queen Jessica Carter is definately saving my life right now! My jewelry account is through a Wells Fargo Bank (which is non-existant in Missouri or anywhere within driving distance), so she has been getting checks in the mail, getting the records, sending them to me, and then depositing my money. I definately would not make it this summer without her! She will possibly have a couple of pieces this weekend at a steer show in Conroe, TX. I have been given the opportunity to have another friend of mine, Kate Farris, take jewelry to the state Brangus show this weekend, but I will have to see if I can make it all work! Needless to say, many thoughts and new ideas are in the air at SJ as we prepare for the Maine, Chi and Shorthorn Junior Nationals!

Well, I better get back to work, but I did want to add an update! I hope everyone has a FABULOUS week! :)

Randa :)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

.::Royal Welcome::.

Well hello to all Southern Jewlz customers! I hope each of you are as excited about the SJ blog, because I know I am! Props definately go to the RHD (Ranch House Designs) girls as they are all truly fabulous!

A little bit of background about the blog:

My good friend at RHD, Miss Catherine Williams, is my new favorite msn messenger friend since I am working as the junior activities intern at the American Angus Association! She is the designer and creator of my website and is ALWAYS thinking of new ideas for SJ!

She was just so excited about the new RHD blog (which you should all check out!) and even though I was super busy at work, I took the time to look and read a bit on it. I fell in love and before I could even ask Catherine to do one for SJ, she already knew my thoughts and had send me a message that said "we should do you a blog for Southern Jewlz"!

Needless to say, within a couple of hours, here we are and I cannot wait to get my blog up and running. It will be just another way to keep communication between all of my super fabulous customers!

Please feel free to post any thoughts, ideas or stories that pertain to SJ or any of its Repz!