On Marie's Blog!

The fabulous Marie posted the above collage of us BBC survivors on her blog.

Sa-weet!

On BBC blog!

Yay! Liana put our group photo up on the BBC blog

From left to right: Beth Daane, Michelle White, me, Marie Bunke, Ellen McRaney and Jamie Delanie.


I'm not sure exactly what we're laughing at, but FULLY aware of how goofy I look!

#28 — Attend Liana's Photo Business Boot Camp

... CHECK!

It feels SO GOOD to check another item off of my 101 in 1001 list!

A few weeks ago, I read on the BBC blog that Liana was taking applications for a scholarship to her Business Boot Camp. After begging Erik and dad to nominate me, I threw my hat into the ring! I was a finalist, but didn't make the first round of cuts. BUT Liana had several last minute cancellations, so ALL FIVE finalists got to go. The last night, she said there were dozens of applications, and she had a hard time narrowing it to the top 11 .... let alone the top 5. To be among those in the top five is a HUGE honor.

There were six of us at the workshop, and FIVE of us were there on scholarship. I'm guessing Liana didn't turn a big profit on the workshop (especially since she gave us three days, as well as cooked us lots of yummie meals!). From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU LIANA for your generosity!

Pictured are my super-excellent classmates (from left) Jamie Delanie, Ellen McRaney, Marie Bunke, Michelle and Liana Lehman.

The experience was UNBELIEVABLE! I took a very good, hard look at our business numbers and am WAAAY more comfortable with my task of running the book end of our business. We also talked about goals and dreams .... and Liana encouraged us to dream BIG! I can't wait to share when those dreams become a reality!

It was also super-fun to give the other attendees ideas for their business. I am excited to see them grow and blossom! I'm ALSO excited for our book club. I keep telling myself I *need* to read business books, but don't get motivated to do it. With some friends reading the same books, it's gonna ROCK!

Last day in Atlanta

I'm SO SUPER EXCITED to go home and see Erik and Esse today! I have thoroughly enjoyed and valued my time here in Atlanta, but I'm ready for my own bed!

SO since I'm pathetic and cat-sick, I'm dedicating this post to Liana's cats. This is Grace "Pretty Girl."


This is Ellen loving on Charlie. (I LOVE this photo!)


Marie and Charlie loving on each other. Aren't they sweeeet?







Lastly, my all time FAVORITE mug ... with a dash of Charlie.

Hellooooooo Atlanta!

When I arrived Saturday evening, I was greeted with THIS! Crazy talk! I was in nearly standstill traffic for about an hour (3 of 7 lanes were closed for re-paving. Evidently they do it on the weekends coz weekday traffic is too crazy). THEN it took me a half an hour to get lost before I finally met up with Sarah and her friends. We had a blast at Watershed Restaurant.

I'm here in Atlanta for Liana's Business Boot Camp, which starts tomorrow. Yippie! BUT before I left, Erik gave me a surprise:



I LOVE Mike and Ike candy! Isn't Erik thoughful??? :-) It tided me over during the drive so I didn't get too hungry, which would have resulted in some SERIOUS road rage! ;-)

BBC update!

Wow. WoW. WOW!!!!!!!!!

I was TOTALLY shocked Saturday night by some news I did NOT expect: I was invited to Liana's Business Boot Camp (Bananas EDU)!!!!!!!!!!!

Erik and I were in Columbia, Missouri tooling around. He took me on to MIZZOU for the spring game/scrimmage. The mini break was much needed by both of us (But ERIK will be blogging all of the fun details later this week!)


SO, we ate at Flat Branch, the brew pub where Erik used to work, and afterwards I needed to get a phone number from off of the internet. We found some Wifi and I pulled up my e-mail to let it download the new messages while I grabbed what I needed.

I got the number, but quickly looked through the e-mails. It was then I saw an e-mail from Liana telling me someone canceled and since there was space free (and I was one of the five finalists for the scholarship), I was invited to come. YIPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I'm in SUCH an excited daze! I need to book a plane ticket pronto for Atlanta.

I'm seriously excited because as I move and set up my office in Erik's place in Salina, I will basically have a clean slate. I'll have none of my current disorganization (i.e. wedding/portrait contracts lying on my bedroom floor). i will be able to set up the optimal work space and work flow (I just don't know what that is yet!).

This is SUCH a blessing. Even a BIG surprise. Especially since I was not in any way, shape or form expecting this. It's these things when you have NO sense of entitlement that, when they come to fruition, are just ..... beautiful surprises (plus, I'm super excited to romp around Atlanta with my friend Sarah!).

On the down side, we had to postpone our engagement session, which was supposed to take place Sunday. I'm bummed, especially since I just got my hair cut all cute, but Erik is SUCH an understanding man and I'm thankful he's a good sport.

SO....stay tuned later this week for some blow-by-blow of our culinary tour through Columbia. There might even be a photo or two of spring game festivities!

BBC winner(s) announced

They chose THREE winners for the BBC scholarship.

I was not one of them, but being in the top five was a HUGE honor. Seriously. I am at a loss of why/how I ended up there.

The stories of the other finalists were compelling and just blew me away. They SO deserve the big boost this will give their businesses.

BUT it's not like I walked away empty-handed. I got a $500 gift certificate. I SO want to hole it up and go to the BBC, but am thinking about getting all of Liana's DVDs. They're on sale for $589 right now, so for a little out of pocket, BOTH Mike and I could benefit from them.

The selfish part of me wants to hang with Liana, and also see my best-good-friend, Sarah, in Atlanta....but I gotta be thinking of the business! Besides, we could have some good lessons before our big, busy wedding season this summer!

Finalist for BBC scholarship!

EEEEEEEEEEK! Ok, so I'm TOTALLY jazzed right now. I'm one of five finalists for the Liana's Photo Business Boot Camp Scholarship.

Attending the BBC is #28 on my 101 in 1001 list, so when I read about the scholarship on Friday, I sent my family and Erik e-mails instructing them to nominate me. Yeah, you *could* nominate yourself, but I just didn't feel right about it.

Eventually, I got over that and put together a slideshow for my application. CLICK HERE to see the show, or check it out on the Bananas EDU blog.

In the interest of brevity, I didn't go into the Mike-Karen duo .... NOT because I don't adore Mike, though. Primarily because I'm the one pulling my hair out over business structure. Mike is in charge of making sure our photos look AWESOME, and he does a spectacular job of it! I've become the business junkie .... and it's an OBSESSION (just ask Erik!)