IF: Table

Back in February, when I attended IF:Local, as part of my commitment to FALL, {fall into people and share the love of Jesus, fall into a life of surrender and obedience} I committed to hosting an IF: Table.  During IF: Table, women gather and share a simple meal and dive deep with people over real stories and Christ centered conversations. A time for a whole lot of laughter – and maybe a few tears – but time spent that leaves us with glad hearts. Full hearts. Grateful hearts.

This turned out to be a lesson in obedience.  As March approached I looked up the theme of the March IF: Table...and it was loneliness.  Umm...NO! I wasn't prepared to face my own struggles with loneliness, yet alone commit to having other women over to embrace the vulnerability with me. That's too tough. 

But I made this commitment and it was placed on my heart for a reason, so I sent out an email to several of my girlfriends to find a time that might work for most of them, a daunting task in and of itself due to everyone's busy schedules. It was hard to find a time that would work for a few, let alone several.  So that is a good enough excuse not to host the dinner, right!? NO! 

God perfectly orchestrated the evening, and I know He hand picked the ladies who were to attend.  5 women, all in different phases in their walk with Christ and in different seasons of lives...single, newlywed, working moms, and a mom with a baby-on-the-way.  It was beautiful.  As we gathered around the table we fully embraced vulnerability, were raw and real with each other, and shared our struggles with and wisdom pertaining to loneliness.  There were tears. Lots of them.  But that is ok! It's ok to share our struggles.  It's ok to ask for and accept help & prayer.  Its ok to just be REAL and admit that we don't all have it together.  Because we can all relate on some level, no matter what our story is.  

I finished the evening with a refreshed spirit and grateful heart. 

As April approached, I sent out another email in hopes of gathering a group of ladies for another IF: Table! Once again, God had his hand in it and selected 5 different women to attend. 5 women all in different seasons of life...single, new mom, stay-at-home mom, and a mom struggling with finding her identity and self-worth as she embraces a season of change.  

As we worked our way through the 4 conversation questions we shared about what we are currently learning in our walk with the Lord, provided new parenting support and guidance, laughed, enjoyed cake, and soaked in the amazing fellowship.  

Another evening complete with glad,  grateful, full hearts. 

I encourage you to find some friends, gather around the table, and grow deeper in your walk through real, raw, genuine fellowship and Christ centered conversation with other women.  

You can find more about IF: Table HERE! 

Embracing Vulnerability: My Most Dramatic Post Yet

I wasn't planning on publicly sharing what I am about to share, with anyone but my family and close friends, but recently the word has gotten out and a lot of questions, excitement etc have come from it, so I thought why not? Why keep it a secret? So, here goes nothing...

Monday nights are my favorite {and really only} night to watch TV.  As an exciting season of Monday Night Football comes to an end, a new season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette rolls out. Always promising to be the most dramatic season ever,  I plan my evenings around getting to know the contestants, "live" texting with my friends as the drama unfolds,  and casting my vote for who will receive the final rose. Some seasons are better than others, sometimes love is found, and sometimes the drama is more than I can handle. During the last couple of seasons, I have had an overwhelming desire to apply to go on the show.  For those who know me, and I mean really know me, that is a HUGE leap of faith.  From fighting back thoughts of insecurity to overcoming my complete discomfort with being in front of a camera {ironic as I am applying to go on a TV showed aired on national TV}, it was a leap of faith I was willing to take...

So I started researching on what all the application process entails & connected with people on twitter in hopes of gaining additional inside information.  I'll be honest, the details are hard to come by...there is no timeline/deadline, you don't really know when to submit your application and which season you are applying for.  But after several seasons passed and my desire to at least put myself out there to apply to go on the show increased, and with the a little nudge from my friend, I printed off the application, outlined my desired video, and started the process.  Fully embracing vulnerability. 

WHY?

Well let me begin by saying that I am 32 and single in Medford, OR and am looking for more than this small southern Oregon town seems to have to offer.  I want more adventure, more experiences, more culture.

I believe in the potential of the process to work for some.  I know more people than not are skeptical of the show, and it's ability to create a match made in heaven.  But I think it can be a great platform to meet people who you otherwise wouldn't meet, while truly having  a once in a lifetime opportunity. So whether its true love you find {the ultimate goal}, new friendships you create, or adventures you have, its bound to be an EPIC experience.

THE PROCESS.

You have to submit a 5 page application answering questions ranging from your dating past, what you are looking for in a spouse, to your occupation, etc, along with 5-10 pictures of yourself, and a 10-15 minute video basically convincing the casting crew to select you.

Did I mention I absolutely hate being in front of a video camera?? Oh the irony.  But I outlined what I wanted to include in my video, picked out my outfits, determined the shoot locations and set out with a camera and my friend to depict The Life of Holly in only 10 short minutes!  10 minutes isn't a lot of time to fully encompass whats important to me...family, friends, serving/community involvement, my faith, running, my job, traveling, etc...while truly capturing my personality and who I am.  I can honestly say I have never had more fun being uncomfortable...we laughed as we highlighted my corporate job in downtown Medford and staged a scene at the Dutch Bros drive thru.

The application was filled out in its entirety, the top pictures selected and printed {each individually labeled}, and the video edited and formatted to their specifications {complete with a personalized CD label}...and were all sealed up in a gold manilla folder, sure to catch the attention of the casting crew, and sent off to California.  I tracked the package to confirm it was delivered, and then just waited. And waited. Always anxious when an unknown number called me.

I heard nothing.  Not even a confirmation that my application was received.

NOW WHAT? 

I thought I would be disappointed that I didn't hear back, but I really wasn't. Rather I was so thankful I followed a desire of my heart and forced myself out of my comfort zone.  If anything, I hope I can encourage others to be willing to be uncomfortable and possibly face failure, because it is through the process that we experience many blessings in disguise.  I have never had so much fun doing something that I really don't like; we seriously laughed until we cried several times during the filming process.  And I grew as a person, gaining more confidence and an increased desire to continue to live life to the fullest.  Something I thought would be so difficult and uncomfortable for me really wasn't, making me question what other opportunities I have passed up because at first thought they might make me uncomfortable.

So while I might not be riding elephants in Thailand, flying in a helicopter over LA, or having a camera crew follow me around 24-7, I am still living life to the fullest, making the most of every adventure and opportunity that comes my way, and at some point along the way I will receive my final rose.

{MY} Auctions 101

I have been involved in many fundraising efforts, ranging from participating in Dancing With The Rogue Valley Stars, to putting on a 5K fundraiser, to being the event manager for the local Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. I enjoy the event planning portion, and love the challenge of reaching & surpassing a goal.  I have helped with a couple local auctions, but on a rather limited scale.  I have been involved with the Gingerbread Jubilee for a couple of years, and now as a board member of the Craterian Theater, I agreed to take on a larger role...that of procurement co-chair.   With the help of my co-chair and our committee, we were responsible for procuring all of the silent and live auction items. I took on the role with a goal to spice things up, changing up items that we had repeated for several years, and introducing new, perhaps risky packages.  I am happy to say, that with a phenomenal team and great collaborative effort, we pulled off the most successful Gingerbread Jubilee Auction in history.  I did a lot of research to learn HOW to put on a successful auction, and I want to pay it forward and share what I learned from my experience.  

Do your research. Google "Tips to a successful auction." "Top Selling LIVE auction items."  There are so many amazing resources out there...take advantage of them. There is in fact a science to putting on a successful auction, including how to put together the LIVE auction order, how many items to auction off, when to do the ask, etc.  Also, research the history of your event and notice what has sold well in the past, how many years a certain package has been offered,  what areas you are lacking auction items, etc...it's important to be familiar with your event.

I came across a list of unique auction items, one being to auction off dessert prepared & served table side by a local famous chef, and we did just that! The dessert was part of the entertainment for the evening, a huge success, and got the evening off to a fun & exciting start...I mean, if a dessert goes for over $1,000, its bound to be a good night!

Put in the extra effort. If you are easily able to put together a package valued at $1,000, put in the extra effort to create a $2,000 package.  That might mean adding a transportation component, a live performance to a dinner package, OR a behind the scenes experience. 

Make it a night to remember.  It's important that your guests enjoy themselves, and want to come back the following year.  So in addition to offering a quality dinner & great auction packages you need to incorporate entrainment components into the evening.

At this year's {well now last year's} Gingerbread Jubilee Auction we knew we were going to hit the $1,000,000 mark {over the history of the auction}, and it was important to make a big deal of it. During the auction we celebrated raising $1 million by having a surprise celebration complete with champagne, sirens, and confetti!

Get items donated. I am a firm believer that the auction items need to be donated NOT purchased. The ultimate goal is to raise money for the organization, so it is counter intuitive to purchase {aka underwrite} items to be auctioned off.

With that being said, there are a few {very few} situations in which adding a component to a package will significantly leverage the package, thus increasing the perceived value.  For instance, I was able to get 4 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Grandstand seats donated, and while those are priceless, I knew the package didn't have much value without overnight accommodations.  After submitting over a dozen donation request letters to NYC hotels with ZERO leads, I had to go to plan B. So with the help of a board member I solicited a financial donation from a local physician group to cover the cost of the hotel room & tickets to a broadway show.  It was win-win situation...the package was our highest selling auction item at just under $8,000 and we developed new friends of the theater from the physician group.

Include an element of exclusivity with each package.  For the live auction it is important that every package include a component of exclusivity, something that is truly priceless; whether it be a behind the scenes experience, signed memorabilia, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Tickets :), a VIP dining experience with a local celebrity, a private flight for a day golf trip etc.

Be willing to take a risk. In an effort to change things up, and spice up the auction, we had to be willing to take a risk and get rid of packages we have offered for several years, and introduce completely new & exciting packages.  While some weren't as well received as we would've liked, others were a HUGE success! 

Ensure the right people are in attendance.  You can have the most perfectly executed event, but without the right buns in the seat, the event will not be a success.  I think there are 3 categories of people you need to focus on 1) Those who are big supporters of your cause/organization.  They want to and will give, despite what packages etc you offer.  2) Specific buyers for specific packages.  3) People who are well known in the community for their support of several organizations...you always want to be introducing new people to the event and the organization. 

Continue to cultivate relationships after the auction.  When the night comes to an end, it is so important to continue to cultivate & develop lasting relationships with your donors, sponsors, and buyers.  Don't ever under estimate the power of a hand written thank you note or a nice bottle of wine to show your appreciation.  

While there were moments I said NEVER AGAIN, I enjoyed the process and the challenge of figuring out the ins & outs of putting on a successful auction.  It took a lot {and I mean A LOT} of time, energy and resource to pull it off, but in the end it was all worth it and an incredibly rewarding night & experience.   

{Turkey} Trotting to Confidence

As my coach always say, physical confidence leads to mental confidence, and my confidence is building. 

One of my all time favorite holiday/running traditions is the Turkey Trot.  What better way to start the holiday than to get in a few miles {2 or 8} with friends & family!? I love seeing all of the families who come out for the occasion, and its great to see so many familiar faces on the course. This is never a race I train and taper for, but no matter where I am at in my running/training cycle, I always get out there for some fun! 

One year we dressed up.

Last year I ran with a 10 year old! {Amazing experience} 

This year I set out to test my fitness. 

I've been putting in the miles...multiple easy runs a week, speed & tempo workouts, all topped off with a long run over the weekend.  My paces are dropping and my endurance & confidence are building.   I am really loving running these days! 

I didn't really have a goal per se for the run, or even a race plan, but ideally I wanted to come in at sub 8:30s, and negative split! 

With the temperature in the low 20s, Mark, Jen and I bundled up and headed to the race.

It was honestly so cold, it took everything is us to even get in a warm-up run...but we managed to get out there for a few minutes before heading back to comfort of the warm building.  Literally I was chilled to the bones, but I knew I would warm up once we started running, so I didn't want to overdress. 

The gun went off, and we were off and running! At one point I commented to Mark that if my feet didn't thaw, I wasn't sure I would make it...they were painfully frozen! After the first mile {I think everyone took off so fast mainly to warm-up}, I dialed us in to a smooth pace, with the goal to kick-it in the second half:

Mile 1: 8:18.41

Mile 2: 8:25.11

Mile 3: 8:30.71

Mile 4: 8:27.72

We rolled into the half, already at sub 8:30s, and I definitely had more left in the tank. After the turn around it was game on.  I slowly started picking up the pace, and I quickly realized I quite surprisingly had a lot left.  The last two races we have ran, Mark and I have been neck & neck with a guy who I have named Chicken Legs...he's a fabulous older gentleman who wears shorty short shorts, and has, you guessed it, chicken legs.  He is the nicest guy, but always seems to take us...but not today! I rolled up on him around mile 5, chatted for a second and then went on my way! 

Mile 5: 8:15.88

I continued to pass people and then around mile 6.5 I saw my dad's friend & running partner, who he told me I needed to beat, up ahead, and I knew I could catch him.  I came up on him around mile 7, and thought in my head to back off a tad so I had enough to really kick it in at the end {it's funny how your mind creates this doubt}, but as I rolled through mile 7, I knew I could maintain, so to the finish I pressed.

It was a running euphoria. 

I had a huge grin on my face as I made my way to the finish.  My training consistency was paying off.

Mile 6: 7:47.97

Mile 7: 7:20.47

Mile 8: 7:24.55

8 miles, 8:04/mile, 1:04.34

*over a 6 minute PR

We photobombed their finish. Or did they photobomb our picture?

The euphoria of success from the Turkey has fueled my desire to continue to diligently train and reach my goals. 

Wrapped & Sent With Love & MINTED

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

The smell of gingerbread.  

The sights of lights, trees, and festive decorations.

The sounds of Christmas music.

The joy of the season.

One of my all time favorite parts of the season is running out to my mail box everyday, in anticipation of whose Christmas card I will receive that day.  I love reading about everyone's year in a brief, couple sentence overview.  I love seeing the happy, smiling faces of those who are near and dear to me.  

What other time in the year do we get to proudly display pictures of all of our loved ones, for all to see!? 

For this reason, Christmas cards are one of my all time favorite form of snail mail, right up there with handwritten Thank You cards.  

I don't know about you, but I save most of my Christmas cards from year-to-year! 

Haven't order your Christmas cards yet for this year!? No worries, head over to Minted to find the perfect card for every style & every budget. And BONUS, they offer FREE recipient address printing.  

Which one will you choose?

Foil-Pressed

Christmas Postcard

Letterpress Photo Cards

Or maybe an ornament card? Or perhaps you are super creative and want to customize your own card? 

Whatever you decide, have fun with it, as each Christmas Card you send will bring joy to the recipient.  

*whatever card you decide to send, please include the age of the children pictured...something I always appreciate

Speaking of minted and joy, you have to check out their gift wrap, stickers and more! 

I love finding the perfect gift, but its more than what's inside the package, it's also about the presentation.  The small, carefully thought out details, to customize the gift specifically for that special person on your list.  

For the chef on your list, add a little sugar & spice, from wrapping paper to gift tags to stickers.

What grandparent wouldn't swoon over customized wrapping paper featuring their precious grandchildren?

Leave a lasting impression with the perfect finishing touch, a gift tag.

I have partnered with Minted to bring one lucky reader of my Leaps of Faith a little extra joy this holiday season! Enter my giveaway, ending Friday 12/11, for your chance to win a $50 Gift Code for Minted. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Running The Windy City

Austin,  Denver, Chicago, OH MY! 

Talk of a fall marathon start brewing in Spring and so a couple of us threw our names in the hat for the Chicago Marathon. With the luck of the draw we all got in,  and so began the planning for our racecation. 

*due to the fact that I ran a late Spring marathon, I took my coach's advice and sat this one out.  But don't you fret, I took my role as spectator/cheerleader quite seriously.

So 2 runners and 7 spectators headed to Chicago for the weekend, via trains, planes, and city buses.  Heidi found us a fabulous VRBO in Wrigleyville {which was quite perfect as the Cubs were playing the Cardinals in the world series that weekend...and most of the crew was coming from Missouri!} 

I arrived early on Friday, in time to head to the Oiselle team dinner! It's always fun to meet, in real life,  with teammates from across the county. 

One of my favorite ways to view the city is by foot...and because I wasn't participating in the marathon, I was able to set out on a long running tour of the city! And oh my, I fell in love with running even more in the windy city! It's magical!

As the support crew, it was important that we stayed properly fueled {caffeinated}, so first stop at the expo was Starbucks.  Parker and Ashton warned Addi that there would be lots of Starbuck stops on race day...they've clearly done this before. 

While at the expo we I ran into a dear friend of mine, who happens to be one of my favorite authors, Katherine Reay {if you haven't already done so, you need to check out her 3 books}.  Heidi and Heather are huge fans, and I knew they would be ecstatic to meet her, so they rushed over to say hi and grab a photo. So fun!!

After a long morning at the expo it was time to refuel and shake out some pre-race jitters, so to Burger Bar we went! Nothing like a the laughter from a photobooth to ease the nerves.

During our ride back on the "L," we met the most amazing cuber...a very nice young man putting himself through school to be a teacher.  He could solve a rubix cube in less than 30 sec...it was amazing! But what was more amazing was how interactive he was with us {the obnoxious, highly entertained tourists}, especially the children.  He would allow the kiddos to mix up the cube the best they could, and then see how long it would take him to solve it. He then provided them with some pointers on how to solve it, and allowed them to play around with his. A pretty unique experience! And one of the many reasons why I love public transportation.

That evening we invited friends over for a night of carb loading, poster making, and laughing.  The perfect pre-race celebration. 

And then is was race day! Meet our cheer squad captain, BOBBY! BOBBY was how our runners were going to spot us among the 1000s of spectators along the course.  Note to self...when carrying a balloon around in the windy city, wrap the string around a stick or something to prevent it from blowing all over the place! 

Team Fun! 

TROOPERS! It was windy, and cold in the shade of the buildings, but these 4 rallied! 

At our bathroom-plus-we-need-to-warm-up stop we had a minor disaster...BOBBY broke free! And the hotel staff brought out the ladder to rescue him. 

I brought some memories and inspiration with me for my cheering duties! 

BOOOOOBBBBBYYYYY she yelled as she rolled through the halfway mark! 

Happy to be at the finish line waiting for mom {auntie} and dad {uncle}.

Last year she was my #1 supporter...so blessed to join her on the sidelines this year as we cheered our hearts out for everyone on the course. 

He's a marathoner!!!

No words needed...the emotion surrounding a marathon finish. 

A couple that runs together...

On our way back to our place we got to see some of the Cardinal players! 

Did I mention how much I love running through a new city!? I was in my own little runner's paradise.

And then, the moment us girls had been waiting for...a trip to the Drybar. 

HOT TODDY'S! 

It happened to be Columbus day, so when we met up with the guys and kiddos we stumbled across a parade with DANCING horses...I had never seen such a thing. 

We then made our way to a Chicago-Must-See...The Bean. 

That night was game three of the Cubs/Cardinal series, and I felt it was a MUST to go to the game, and in no time at all I convinced Heather of the same.  We watched the prices of tickets online all afternoon, discussed how much we were willing to spend, and then after losing several tickets online {they would sell to someone else before they were able to process my payment} we headed to the stadium with cash in hand.  Sidenote...by this point Nate and Jackson had bought tickets and were in the stadium watching the game, so we decided to do the same.  We talked to a few scalpers and then came across a guy who was selling 2 fairly good seats for a reasonable price. After inspecting the tickets {like we knew what we were looking for}, Heather and I looked at each other, exchanged a nod, handed him a big wad of money, took the tickets and sprinted {with huge smiles across our faces} to the gate...we were like giddy children...only to find out we were victims of a scam.  The tickets were no good. The scanners kept beeping at us and flashing red.  Moral of the story, if the scalper offers to go with you to the gate to ensure the tickets are legit, have him go with you.  We made lemonade out of lemons and had a great time meeting up with some of Heather's friends & watching the game from the bar at the stadium. The energy was electric, and quite an experience in and of itself.  One thing's for sure...we'll never forget that night in Chicago. 

The following morning my phone was hacked, and a memory was left. 

Oh how I love those silly smiles, and hate having to say goodbye! 

But once again Chicago was amazing and holds many amazing memories.  

Chicago...it wasn't goodbye, rather until we see you again!