Unwind by AnnMichelle Publishing

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P E R F E C T LY M I X E D , P E R F E C T LY M ATC H E D ISSUE 1.2

MOMOLOGYMAGAZINE.COM on the cover:

CREATIVE THERAPY

FIND YOUR INNER ARTIST

at Corks ‘n Clay

feature:

everyone needs sweets Sweets by Betty Lu pg 18 feature:

interstices pg 22

What if I outlive my money?

What if I can’t maintain my lifestyle?

What if I don’t see the other What Ifs coming?

Worry less about tomorrow with retirement solutions from AXA. AXA can help take some of the anxiety out of retirement planning by breaking down your goals into small, manageable steps. From annuities to IRAs, AXA has a broad selection of retirement solutions that may help you save now and provide retirement income when you retire.

Can I help you take a small step? Joseph Hensley Joseph.Hensley@axa-advisors.com Tel: (832) 616-5221 Cell: (281) 744-0223

Advice | Retirement | Life Insurance

“AXA” is the brand name for the AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Network, LLC. AXA S.A. is a French holding company for a group of international insurance and financial services companies, including AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC. The obligations of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company are backed solely by their claims-paying ability. The named individual offers securities through AXA Advisors, LLC (member SIPC) and, as an agent of AXA Network, LLC, offers the annuity and life insurance products of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) and those of other carriers. AXA Network, LLC does business in California as AXA Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC and, in Utah, as AXA Network Agency of Utah, LLC. GE-91051ab (1/14) (Exp. 1/16)

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PUBLISHING MARKETING

The Pink5k with Momology Magazine ON JUNE 21, 2014 - THE MOMOLOGY TEAM PARTICIPATED IN THE PINK 5K IN THE WOODLANDS, TX. IT WAS A FANTASTIC DAY CELEBRATING SURVIVORS AND EDUCATING PEOPLE ON BREAST CANCER PREVENTION. We would like to dedicate this spread to our dear friend and survivor Carolyn Williams and also in loving memory of Catherine Cooke who lost her battle on July 1, 2014. Our hearts are forever with you as we press on in our efforts to support prevention education and research for the cure. To learn more about how you can help support this amazing cause, visit thebreastcancercharities.org

No Rest

FOR THE BY JOHN LEWIS

Weary

uilt. Fear. Shame. In the monumental work of momhood, how often do you feel one, if not all, of these emotions? Your burden is heavy, and, on the most trying

days, seemingly infinite. You wear so many hats that some days you are not even sure what you answer to anymore. You question decisions you have made, things you have said, and your adequacy as a mom - sometimes on a daily basis. Your friends, Guilt, Fear, and Shame, come to torment you in your weakest moments. And yet, you are giving everything you have. Every. Single. Day. This is the Mom’s Life. You are tired. Take a moment and try something with me. As you breathe in, shrug your shoulders as tight as you can and hold in that position for a few seconds while holding your breath. Now as you breathe out, slowly release your shoulders letting your arms reach toward your toes, your back stretch down, and your head drop. (Bet you didn’t expect to be reading an interactive yoga article.) Now repeat as many times as needed. Relax and listen. Listen for Jesus calling out to you. Midst all the striving to be the best mom and wife you can be and the voices of Guilt, Fear, and Shame beating you down, He is calling out to you. Beautiful mothers. Precious daughters. Be still and listen. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 Rest for your soul. Sounds good, doesn’t it? More than a nap or a good night’s sleep, His offer is rest to the depths of your very soul. But how? To take on His yoke and learn from Him sounds like work to me. He assures us He is gentle and humble in heart, but how does that make a yoke and learning become rest? Oh, I see. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Ok. Does that clear it up for you? Yeah, me neither. Let’s get this straight. I’m weary and heavy-laden so I’m going to take on His easy yoke and light burden and learn from Him because He’s gentle and humble in heart and this is how my soul finds rest. Feeling rested yet? Let’s back up. We have been focusing on the parts of the passage that are hard to understand or seemingly contradictory and have skipped over perhaps the most important part of the invitation. The beginning. “Come to Me.” In these three words Jesus pours His heart out to the weary and heavy-laden, those burdened with life and trying so hard to measure up. He says, “I see your burden. I see your day-to-day striving to work harder and harder in order to measure up. I see your guilt, fear, and shame. Now, come to Me and rest.” It is an invitation to a deeper, more personal relationship. It is not an invitation to a program, system, or 10 easy steps. It is an invitation to a Person. “Come know Me,” He says, “and be my disciple.” In other words, He is saying stop trying to measure up to whatever standard you have been chasing. Stop depending on yourself, this system or that system, or the affirmation of others. He is welcoming you to depend solely on Him. There is no other standard that matters, no other method that ultimately works, and no other person who cares for your soul like our compassionate, loving Savior. No one else knows you to the depths of your pain and burdens. No one else willingly took it all upon Himself for you. No one else invites you to this intimate of a relationship. No one.

. . . . E G D E L ITH KNOW

|PROTECT|

W S N E E T RAISING

U T IO N

C A U T IO N

CAU

Being ‘in the know’ could save their lives!

ears ago, our biggest concern of influence for our teens was their “bad friends.” In today’s digital age, the dazzling world wide web holds an infinite number of videos, images and instructional how-tos demonstrating the latest ways to explore

and experiment, which teens misuse often to take risks and gain attention. We’ve delved into this illusive world to gain a better understanding of what our teens are facing in 2014. The results are staggering, but we feel it’s important to know the warning signs so you are armed with information to talk with your teen. These are only a few of the dangers out there and as this goes to print, we can only imagine what else is arriving on their social scene.

SNAPCHAT is a photo messaging app developed by former Stanford University Students Evan Spiegel and Jonathan May in 2011. It has since grown in popularity, especially among teens wishing to “sext” with friends and share information they want to hide from their parents. Photographs and videos can be taken by you and sent to your friends, known as “Snaps.” Users set a time limit for how long the received message can be viewed, ranging from just 1 to 10 seconds, after which time the message is hidden from the recipient’s device and deleted from Snapchat’s servers. According to Snapchat, the only photos retained on their servers are unopened Snaps. In June 2013, Snapkidz was formed that allows users under the age of 13 to take photos and draw on them, but cannot be sent to other users, only saved on their devices. There has been considerable debate from the public over the concern that Snapchat makes it very easy for undocumented child pornography to continue as well as inappropriate behavior of minors. Snapchat denied the claims, stating they “do not condone such behavior”, but a word to the wise for parents - Watch Out!

SMOKING ALCOHOL

has become a new trend instead of drinking a measurable amount of alcohol, teens are vaporizing it, breathing it in, and getting an amount of alcohol in their system equivalent to an entire night of binge drinking, in a matter of minutes. Bypassing the liver and stomach in metabolization, the effects on the body are much different, leading to easy overdoses and other grave consequences. This is one of the fastest trending fads, but the things to watch for are new trend words and household products your teen may suddenly be interested in. What makes smoking alcohol so scary is that since you’re breathing in alcohol vapor, it’s directly absorbed into your system. Also, because it bypasses your GI system, all of the warning signs of alcohol poisoning (vomiting, dizziness, light-headedness, vision impairment, headaches, etc) are not present. When alcohol poisoning does occur, there is no way to eliminate it from your system with traditional emergency methods of “pumping” a stomach, and activated charcoal, making a trip to the ER much more complicated. This dangerous trend can lead to permanent damage of vital organs or even death.

VODKA EYEBALLING

is hitting the scene hard in high school and college aged groups as yet another delivery route for getting alcohol into their system. Amongst the trend of putting alcohol directly into your eyes, there is an ever growing crowd of young men who are using alcohol enemas, and young women using alcohol soaked tampons. The reason? Your eyes, rectum, vaginal tissues, and mucous membranes are areas of direct absorption, meaning anything that’s applied there is directly absorbed into your body. This is one reason why Nuvaring is a popular contraceptive for women, and why suppositories are often prescribed when there’s severe vomiting in children, and for delivery of other medications when nausea is present. Alcohol is delivered into the blood stream through all of these methods, and the danger of not being able to remove the alcohol through traditional emergency room procedures when alcohol poisoning has occured is, once again, present. Other risks are serious injury and infection that can occur from misuse of any of these delivery methods.

N-BOMB

is a synthetic psychedelic drug invented by a research chemist in Germany in 2003. It became illegal in the United States in 2013. The most common ways to use it are placing it on a blotter paper on their tongue or cheek, or placing the liquid directly in their nose. Many young kids are using this, thinking they’re taking “acid” but the effects are much worse. What makes this so dangerous is its relative simple chemical formula can be reproduced by anyone with a basic understanding of chemistry, making the potency of the drug unknown by any user. This drug is often known as “Smiles” and “25I” with similar effects as bath salts, where people have reportedly reacted very violently just before passing out. Serious permanent internal organ damage or failure is also a risk, and even death.

G E R 12

D A N G E R SOURCES: katiecouric.com, wikiwikipedia.org/wiki/Snapchat

D A N G E R

DANGER

|EAT|

Comfort Food RELAXATION FOR THE SOUL O

n those rainy afternoons, cold days of winter, long trials of “terrible twos” or just plain hard days, food can comfort your soul. We’ve searched high and low for some of our personal favorites for when we want to feel the warm embrace of tantilizing

treats on our tongue. We’ve got sweet and savory for you, each covering you like a cozy blanket as you snuggle into your favorite spot on the couch and prepare to UNWIND with a classic, like Chocolate Pudding, Southern Traditions, and everyone’s favorite - Pasta. Enjoy. pillsbury.com

allrecipes.com

Tyler Florence foodnetwork.com

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

SPINACH AND TOMATO TORTELLINI

2 cups whole milk

4 cups chicken broth

1 16oz package cheese tortellini

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with garlic

1/3 cup natural cocoa powder

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

and onion

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

3 large egg yolks

1 can Pillsbury™ Grands! Homestyle

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

buttermilk biscuits

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup chopped carrots

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

3/4 cup whipping cream

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Put 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and

In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat broth,

3/4 cup milk

the cocoa in a nonreactive saucepan.

chicken, soup and poultry seasoning to

3/4 cup heavy cream

Bring to a simmer, over medium-high heat.

boiling over medium-high heat; reduce

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Remove from the heat.

heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes,

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot

stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; return to a low boil. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat

milk into the egg mixture. Return to the

each biscuit to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into

saucepan and cook over medium-high

1/2-inch-wide strips.

heat whisking constantly, until the pudding

Drop strips, one at a time, into boiling

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Combine the tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, basil and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until

comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to

chicken mixture. Add carrots and celery.

maintain a simmer, and continue whisking

Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 15 to

until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more.

20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent

flour, milk and cream. Stir this mixture into

dumplings from sticking.

the saucepan along with the Parmesan

Pour the pudding into 6 small cups. Cov-

the mixture begins to bubble. In a medium bowl, whisk together the

er with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at

cheese. Heat through, then reduce heat

least 4 hours or ideally overnight until set.

to low, and simmer until thick, about 2

Serve each pudding with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

minutes. Drain the tortellini, but do not rinse, then pour them into the saucepan with the sauce. Stir to coat, and serve.

|LOVE|

INTERSTICES BY: NATHAN BENNETT

The first time I ever read the word interstices was in chapter 3 of H.G. Wells The Time Machine. In this chapter, the time traveler is explaining to his colleagues the science of how his time machine works. The machine never actually leaves the physical space of the laboratory where it sits, but travels forwards and backwards through time. Interstices, he explains, are the spaces in between the molecules of a given substance. These spaces are the very things that allow the time traveler to pass through time. Without them, he and his time machine might come face to face with another substance that occupied the same space as his laboratory (past or future) thus wrecking the time machine and killing the time traveler.

n my own life interstices are the short spaces of time between my various familial responsibilities. Unlike the time traveler slipping through the empty spaces between molecules, I fill up my interstices with the responsibilities that need attention while other obligations are going on. These responsibilities and obligations weren’t always mine, but two years ago when my wife Jessica became pregnant with our sixth child, she ceased being able to function very well before 9 am. While sleeping in every day might seem extraordinarily awesome, I do not envy the 8 months of severe morning sickness, postpartum depression that morphed into major depressive disorder and general anxiety disorder, or the constant insomnia that it cost her. She has earned her sleeping in as well as afternoon naps. And until she gets better we will live the law of interstices. They are essential to our morning routine. Tuesday morning at 6 am, I flip on the light in Paisley and Xailyn’s room, nudge them awake and then head for Noah’s room. Having the light on will allow Paisley, nearly 13 and full of pre-teen presumptuousness,

to slowly roll over and get out of bed, giving me enough interstices to drag Noah feet first off his loft bed and lead him stumbling to the bathroom. Only 10 and Noah already loves to sleep. Really he loves doing whatever it is he is doing at the time and will only willingly change activities when he is ready. Once Noah finishes up in the bathroom, I set him to washing his hands. In those short interstices, I head back to Xailyn’s room and scoop her from the bottom bunk. Though she just turned 5, her long, gangly body is still effortless to pick up. Paisley is sitting up now and inching herself towards the edge of the bed. I plop Xailyn down in the bathroom, help her off with her underwear and set her on the toilet. She has just enough time to tinkle and wash up before Paisley comes knocking. I use the interstices when Paisley is in the bathroom (because she takes longer than anyone else) to help Noah get dressed. He takes longer than most, especially if I leave him to his own devices. I have come back to his room on several occasions after too many long interstices to find him cocooned on the floor with his comforter and a bean bag - naked, but in the process of getting dressed. Xailyn is better at getting dressed herself - some would argue too good as she can easily fly through six outfits in a day without getting a single one dirty (she is also our resident diva) - but at least I know she won’t crawl back into bed. So I scoot her into her room and poke my head back in Noah’s. Sure enough, there is a bulging comforter on the floor and a fan on full blast near what I guess is his head. It would be funny if it weren’t so predictable. I pull back the comforter. Noah cringes against the invasion of light. I should at least be grateful he is making progress as he managed to get his underwear on one leg before he fell asleep. I only have enough interstices to help Noah get his underwear and shorts on before I have to head back to Xailyn’s room. Luckily Xailyn is already dressed and is only missing her socks. I grab them and her shoes before scooting her out the door. Paisley is very modest, even in front of her 5 year old sister, and it is essential to our morning schedule that Xailyn is dressed and out of the room by the time Paisley comes

|LOVE| back from the bathroom. I once made the mistake of not checking on Xailyn for 15 minutes. She couldn’t find her pink pants and was just sitting on the floor wondering what to do. Paisley was standing next to her wondering when she would leave. Aiylora is the last to get up, mostly because she cooperates once awake, but also because I allow her a few extra minutes of sleep. Aiylora and her oldest sister Maiya stay up reading books together a half hour past bedtime. I heft Aiylora out of bed. She is solid muscle. She stretches awake on our way to the bathroom which requires balance and poise on my part to avoid crashing into walls and dropping her. At 6, she has just discovered modesty and wants me out of the bathroom before she will do anything. I use the few interstices waiting for Aiylora to make sure that Noah has a shirt on, that he has socks and shoes in his hands, and that he is heading downstairs. I peek downstairs to double check that Xaiyln has actually put her socks on and that her shoes are on the right feet. I knock on Paisley’s door to see how she is coming along; she is not. I need her out in 2 minutes. I turn to watch Aiylora open the bathroom door, but I have to remind her to flush the toilet and wash her hands. Paisley is still not out, so Aiylora and I search for jeans. I have learned in the past few months that mornings run a lot smoother when Aiylora’s three favorite pair of jeans are washed on a regular basis so that there is always something in her bottom drawer to wear. There are other things to wear in Aiylora’s bottom drawer (more jeans, shorts, skirts, leggings) but she won’t entertain the idea of wearing anything else to school. Aiylora is getting dressed as Paisley emerges from her bedroom door. Shirt, pants, and in her hand are her socks, shoes and braces for her pronated feet. Just like Aiyloa’s jeans, Paisley needs to have a steady supply of calf-length socks to wear with her braces. If we forget to make sure the night before, it can be 10 or 15 minutes of pawing through the sock bucket before we get back on schedule. While I help Paisley

PERFECTLY MIXED, PERFECTLY MATCHED

on with her braces, I make sure there is nothing for me to sign for school. Aiylora and Paisley descend the steps together. And then its time to wake up Maiya and say our morning family prayer. I try to leave no more than 15 minutes after prayer. But if I haven’t already found enough interstices to work in my chores, I might still have to feed the dogs, give Noah yogurt and medicine, give my wife Jess pop tarts and her medicine, scrounge something up for my breakfast, get cereal for the girls (if they are hungry before I leave), haul recycling to my car, remind the kids to empty the dishwasher, change little Ian’s diaper if he wakes up, maybe even make him a bottle, make sure I remember where I put my keys, and kiss everyone goodbye. More often than not the interstices push against time and I leave late. Continued on page 24

|LOVE| Parenting, whether it be of one kid or six, but especially when the munchkins outnumber you, requires more time than there is in the day to get everything done. That being said, I have learned that the solution to this conundrum isn’t multitasking, where your mind is divided between children, chores, dinner, dishes and everything else that needs your attention; but neither is the solution to rush from one task, or obligation, or duty, or chore, or child to the next obligation, or duty or child. Trying to frantically get it all done mistakenly reduces life to a checklist. The solution is realizing that it can’t all get done. Yes, there are times when multitasking and interstices help us stretch time to its breaking point. But time cannot break, and more often than not, we can. The real solution is to be present in the moment as much as possible. You will not be present everyday for every child; you will miss important events and opportunities; you will feel guilty and you will have to apologize. But if you do your best and do it often enough, they will see you’re efforts and feel how much you love them.

Tuesday afternoon, 4:45 pm and I am just finishing up putting chicken broccoli bake in the oven, scrubbing the pots so the sink is mostly clean, checking Noah’s math homework, and answering Aiylora’s query about how the picture she is coloring looks. In my mind I am thinking that I still need to peel and chop carrots, get Noah started on a salad, ask Maiya to make lemonade, and have Paisley set the table, so that dinner can be on the table no later than 5:20 pm or else we are going to be late for cub scouts. In the back of my mind is the fact that Aiylora and Xailyn need a bath,

I should probably feed the dogs before we leave, and that we are running low on milk. Paisley, home for 10 minutes, is in the living room in the middle of her afternoon routine of lip syncing to Adele’s album 21. She sets the disc to “Don’t You Remember” and asks me to dance. Everything in me screams that I am too busy, even for a 4 minute and 3 second song. But Paisley asks in a way that reminds me that I should always make time for dancing in the living room. Paisley and I have been dancing this way since she was little. It is the one thing that transcends her awkward adolescent desires for independence and hormone-induced stubborn presumptuousness and reduces her to my little daughter. And as I twirl her out and bring her back in for a cuddle, we slip through the interstices of time, present in the past and future. •

PERFECTLY MIXED, PERFECTLY MATCHED

|RELAX|

These are a few of our

FAVORITE THINGS I read somewhere that average moms have about 17 minutes

a day for “me” time - to unwind and indulge in something that

Don’t worry about the load of clothes in the wash that hasn’t

quite made it to the dryer or yesterday’s mail sitting unopened on

you haven’t done in awhile or have always wanted to do! While

the console table. It’s time to make a date - with yourself! Pencil

this small amount of self-idulgence may normally send you into

it in and don’t let any other distraction or task pull you away

a fit of “mommy-guilt” for all that is yet to be checked off your

from these 15 minute sessions each day that could dramatically

lengthy to-do list - Chill girl! These are things that you NEED to do,

change your life.

not just for yourself but for those that you love. Everyone needs

Here are a few ways to make the most of that precious time -

periods to unwind and regroup and your family will thank you for

activities you may enjoy and comfort “nooks” where you can

your refreshed and lighthearded mood.

retreat to indulge in some of your favorite hobbies.

If your schedule does not allow gym

YOGA/PILATES

time, pick up a DVD and settle in

Yoga is more than a fad - many

for a relaxing home session of mind

moms have seen the benefits of

clearing, body toning exercise first

this stress-reducing LIFESTYLE. The

thing in the morning or after you tuck

mental escape combined with total relaxation and body toning helps rid

the body of toxic stress and prepares

the kids in at night. Better yet - teach them the benefits of this healthy lifestyle by practicing

your mind and body to face the

together with some basic poses and

challenges of being a busy mom.

stretches.

Find a local yoga or pilates class and get plugged in. PHOTOGRAPHY

How many unedited photos do you have on your

Photo credit: shopyoginiology.com

computer or memory card that you have been

SOAKING UP THE RAYS

dying to go through and edit for your Instagram

While our typical day

or Facebook feed? Or maybe you will actually

may not include

have your own family photos in those darling picture

relaxing on a beach

frames you got for your birthday two years ago! Photography

such as this one,

itself is a very therapeutic hobby - so pick up your camera and

create the moment

get to shooting!

with a large umbrella, some white noise that

TEA TIME

mimics the ocean and

Invest in a special

the deck in your

set like this one for

backyard! Slather on

that oh-so-soothing

the sunscreen and 5

benefit from the Vitamin D and the time lying completely

Photo credit: thatmakessense.net

still in the sun! 1. BEST YOGA MAT BAG TOTE BY YOGINIOLOGY shopyoginiology.com $49.99 2. JILLIAN MICHAELS ‘YOGA INFERNO’ DVD shop.jillianmichaels.com $9.99 3 SHIVA REA: YOGA IN GREECE (2013) amazon.com $19.99 4. CANON EOS REBEL T3 DIGITAL SLR CAMERA WITH 18-55MM IS LENS abesofmaine.com $334.95 5. SANDRAS ROSE BONE CHINA TEA SET BUNDLE englishteastore.com $370

cup of tea. Even during the summer months, a nice cup of hot tea can be the perfect antidote at the end of a rough day with the kids.

Did you fall in love with EVERYTHING? I can help you have it all!

|RELAX|

Live, Laugh , Love - life with your

GIRLFRIENDS BY: TRACI HUHN & AMY LIGHTFOOT (Lifetime BFFs)

7. SHE’S YOUR LITTLE MASSEUSE If you have a daughter, you know that girlfriends come in all different sizes! After a long stressful day, she’ll give you a “mini-massage” when you let her do your hair and makeup.

6. SHE’S YOUR DAILY LAUGH She’ll send you a funny video when you’re stressed to lighten things up and make you laugh. You will enjoy it so much that you will keep it going by sending one back!

5. SHE’S YOUR ENERGY DRINK Do you have a big project to tackle and feel overwhelmed? Do you lack energy to get started? Is company on the way and you want the house to look nice? Let her know and your girlfriend will be right over. The supercharge you get just from having her by your side is most likely enough but she will probably also pitch in without even being asked!

4. SHE’S YOUR PROTECTOR If you are the type that doesn’t like to go to Wal-mart alone after dark or if you are scared to pump gas because you saw someone there that you think you also saw on America’s Most Wanted the other day, call up your girlfriend! Although inside she may be just as scared, she will break out the big girl panties and be your “person” - there’s nothing you can’t face together!

here’s something about having people in your life that truly understand you. You don’t have to explain your history to them - they already know - because they’ve been there with you through thick and thin, and they love you for YOU. No matter what you are doing, where you are going, or what task you have to accomplish, girlfriends are there to live, laugh and love with you, every step of the way. Here’s a tribute to girlfriends and 10 ways they make your life... well... better!

10. SHE’S YOUR #1 SOUNDING BOARD Whether you need to vent or just a 2nd opinion on an idea, outfit or decorating scheme, your girlfriend is always there with an ear to listen and the best advice in the world!

9. SHE’S YOUR BEST DANCE PARTNER When you want to let your hair down and act crazy, dancing to “Happy” in the middle of your living room floor, your girlfriend is ready to get jiggy with it right along with you and then

3. SHE’S JUST AS CRAZY AS YOU ARE You don’t have to worry about putting up a front - with your girlfriend you can do things you just can’t do otherwise. Like exchanging random and awkward selfies that you would never post or show another soul!

2. SHE’S YOUR INSPIRATION She knows what your dreams are - there is nothing that you haven’t shared over a nice long phone conversation or a cup of hot coffee. She’s your biggest cheerleader and will do whatever it takes to help you realize your goals. She believes in you - you got it girl!

1. SHE’S YOUR CONSTANT No matter what you are going through or how long it’s been since you last talked, your girlfriend is always there. Just one phone call, text message or email - and you pick up exactly where you left off.

burst into a fit of giggles over the session’s best moves!

8. SHE’S YOUR GETAWAY CAR If you need to get out of the house without kids tagging along, your BFF is there with the car, blaring your favorite tunes on the radio, and ready to drive for as long as you need! You wil hit up Starbucks for your favorite drink and then sit in the car when you return for a long uninterrupted conversation. You may have to convince her to take you back since she will continously remind you how badly you’ve been needing that break!

PERFECTLY MIXED, PERFECTLY MATCHED