Throwback Thursday

Good morning yall! Happy Thursday. 

I thought it would be a little fun to show some old pics of me for throwback Thursday.  Unfortunately I'm blogging from my phone app so I can't post any songs to go with my post today.  I wish the app would let us do more fancy stuff. Oh well, at least I can do this much right? 

This is me when I was 6 yrs old (maybe even 5).  This picture is black and white but the original was color. My leotard was  red sequined and I have a small hole in my pink tights. Funny memory about this was Mom bought me a new pair just for pictures but they were itchy. I threw a fit because I hated wearing itchy tights.  I didn't get the concept that I would only be wearing them an hour tops.  I still hate itchy fabrics!! 

I'm 10 years old here and those are my cousins holding their new little brother. This pic was taken at my grandparents house on July 4th ( I think).  A fun fact is that my mom, my aunt and my aunt by marriage to uncle were all three pregnant at the same time.  They all had boys and so they're only a few months apart.  So there was 3 girl cousins and 3 boy cousins. We all used to be very close. 

So this is my senior year in high school.  I was an officer in drill team and this is us at a football game.  The girl next to me was the captain of our drill team. 

This picture was either my freshman or sophomore year in junior college. I had a dancing scholarship to be on the college drill team in east Texas.  Notice how I'm wearing a red hat again? The director of my college team also used to be the director of my high school team so she carried on the red hat tradition.  I loved my hats! Now the little guy next to me is also kind of a Texas celebrity.  He was our college mascot ( Cardinal) and he taught at cheerleader camps for years.  Jeff also went on to work for the children's TV show Barney for years. 

He was Baby Bop.  We were good friends and we couldn't go to Six Flags or a concert without teenage girls screaming at him and wanting their pictures with him.  Gotta remember that Texas is a football state which means cheerleading is a sport here too. Lots of cheerleaders knew Jeff.  

This picture cracks me up!!  All the drill team had our own dorm hall.  When you're a sophomore it was tradition to go on a raid through other dorms.  This is how we decorated for it. Hahaha!  Yep we got in trouble but it was so worth it.  

I'm the one in the middle wearing pink and a heart on my cheek. Lol 

I hope you have a MAHVELOUS day! 

Tattoos part 2

Hey yall, I'm super busy today training classes so I'm doing a lazy post.  I'm  continuing with tattoo subject and wanted to share some more great memes and cartoons I found from Pinterest.  Man I love Pinterest!! Here's MY pinterest if you want to follow.

Anywho- have a great day and do something today that makes you smile. 

As much as I love tattoos and I am not a fan of the ones on the face and throat.  Very distracting and may make it a little harder to get a job.... Just sayin

Tattoos - Heck yes!

Good morning yall!   I did a guest post back in 2012 on a friend's blog who sadly isn't blogging anymore.  She gave it up 2 years ago but I still keep in touch.  I wrote a post about my feelings on tattoos.  I had writers block this morning and had so much in my head that I didn't know what to write about.  Does that happen to you? I wanted to touch on the bikers in jail in Waco and the McKinney police even that took place but I couldn't get my words together today.  So I am recycling a post from a few years ago. 

Hi,I’m Holli from Holli's Hoots and Hollers and I have 3 tattoos and I’m about to get 2 more. I’m 44 years old and I’m not too concerned about what they’ll like look when I’m old.  Tattoos are not for everyone and I get that. One thing about being my age is that I’m not set out anymore like I was is my 20’s to impress everyone. My tattoos are for me and me only. They mean something and I am proud of all of them.  I am corporate trainer that stands in front of large groups of employees every day and 2 of my tattoos are visible. I have a toe ring tattoo on my right foot and a cross with Jesus fish all around my left ankle. My very first tattoo was when I was 19 on my booty. I wont be sharing that pic with you. J  Luckily, my boss has not made me wear bandaids, pants, or close toed shoes to conceal them. I believe that companies and people in general are becoming more tolerant of tattoos now.  Especially in the workplace if you don’t flaunt them or they’re not offensive.

Look around now and see many actors, actresses, models, NFL players, etc showing tattoos. We’ve come a long way since the late 1800’s when people would go to the circus to see the Tattooed Lady.

It’s not just for sailors, biker gangs, and tribe’s in 3^rd world countries anymore. Now I will say that I read a statistic that over 80% of the American prison population is tattooed. At last I’ll fit in fine should something bad happen and I find myself sharing a small closet size room  and a roommate that can bench press me and makes me take the top bunk. Tattoos are a form of personal expression and a way to share sentimental feelings or tributes to loved ones.

One of my next tattoos I’m getting is going to be very special to me. Both of my parents are both pretty young but neither of them are in good health.  My mother has a very small Raven tattoo on her left side that she got when she turned 50.  I’m going to have the exact same Raven tattooed on me. My dad is an amazing musician and can play guitar and piano wonderfully. SO, I’m wanting to incorporate a music note of some sort around the raven. This way I have something that represents both my parents but nothing cheesy like the words Mom and Dad.  Any creative artists out there- I’m open to suggestions.

The funny thing is that I do ride a Harley and have grown up around bikers all my life. My tattoos are not because I have to fit into the biker community. I just happen to fit into that stigma. HA! I am also thinking seriously about having my eyelids tattooed. Wouldn’t  it be so cool to wake up and not have to put on eyeliner? A few of my friends had it done and they love it. Anyway, i’m hoping that there is less judging as we progress and more accepting of people and primarily women with tattoos. I can really be one of the best friends you can have so don’t judge my by little ink on my body here and there.

It's a tulip- i had it facing out (upside down)

My ankle band

Heidi Klum

Kate Moss

My views haven't changed in the least on tattoos.  Todd got a half sleeve in black and white a few years ago too so now he's hooked.  I really cant explain it but ask anyone with tattoos, you quickly want more.  I want at least 3 more.....

A Love Song - First love Last Love

 There are songs that just grab me and sink into my soul like no others.  As so many of my blogger friends agree, music is a huge part of our lives and can transport us to the very minute of a memory. Maybe that memory is when we first heard that song or that the song was playing during a momentous event.  A movie titled About Last Night was released in 1986. That was the year of my high school graduation and when I started my first year of junior college. When you graduate, you literally feel the pressure of being a "grown up" and leaving your parents house. You're making decisions that will literally steer your course of action and impact your entire career path.  For some girls in my class, their main goals was to get married and get started on a family right away like their mom did and their grandmother.  I didnt have a high school love. I went to small high school and my whole graduating class was only 98 students.  Most everyone grew up together and started going school together since Pre K.  I was an outsider and transferred there my freshman year.  Basically, we were one big family that knew everything about one another.  There were only a handful of couples that got together and stayed that way.  The girls had to go outside our school and went to the nearby small towns to flirt with those boys. 
I had a dance scholarship to a junior college here in texas. It was in East Texas and it was college drillteam.  The football team, drillteam and cheerleaders all had to be at the college and dorms before everyone else because there of the football games starting the first week of school and we had to be prepared.  I met a boy named Scot.  He was a linebacker on the football team and was a year older than me.  That meant that the sophomore girls on my dance team all knew him and they warned me to stay away.  I did not heed that warning and i had met my first true love.   We dated my whole freshman year and most of my sophomore year.  I loved him with all my heart and i know he loved me. It was young love though and we had different plans for our futures that took us in different directions. Long distance love is hard and especially hard on young college kids. 
Back to the song, Bob Seger had always been one of my favorites since i was a young girl. My mom loved him too and had all his albums.  When this movie came out and this song was on the soundtrack, i bought it that week.  It sang of a love i wanted. It was a love that i always dreamed of . I hoped that a man in my life would feel this way for me.
The movie was on last night and i bet it had been at least 10 years since i saw it.  When this song came on and the love scenes were playing i focused on the words again and tears streamed down my face.  It was an amazing feeling that 29 years later since i first heard this song, i found that love.  It took me a while and many heartbreaks along the way with wrong relationships.  I have a husband that loves me for all my good , bad and ugly.  Todd proclaimed his love for me and never wanted to let me go.  I live in his heart and he lives in mine.  We have only been married a few months shy of 2 years so we most likely wont celebrate a 50 year anniversary (we're in our late 40's) but i cherish every minute i can.  And i can say now that it was worth the wait.
Living inside my heart -Bob Seger

Diets suck but being fat sucks more

I struggle with my weight. I'm the heaviest I've ever been. I am a stress eater and I've been stressed for the last few years.  I think I'm the only bride that actually gains weight before their wedding. I almost didn't fit into my dress. 

If you remember though, I got married a month after my dad had his double lung transplant.  I was seriously stressed for several months leading up to that.

It's summer now and you can't go into any stores without seeing swimsuits at the very front.  Makes me cringe! 

I have no one to blame but myself.  When I get home from work I could be walking around the block but instead I sit in the recliner with my dogs in my lap.  Oh and I really love food. My favorite thing is to try new restaurants.  

Many of my friends have bought Fitbits or  other tracking devices lately and they seemed to really like them.  I drank the Kool-aid too.  I decided I was going to do that for myself for my birthday. So a few weeks ago I bought a Fitbit Charge.  It's not the fancy one that measures heart beats and GPS and other bells and whistles.  Must admit, I haven't lost any weight but I do take the long way around to my desk at work and if I'm really close to achieving the 10,000 daily steps, I'll walk around the house or backyard until I do. I figure any extra steps is good. 

I'm so very grateful that my husband is very very supportive and tells me all the time he loves me no matter what and finds me beautiful.  I've had 2 relationships in the past where they were pretty mean and unsupportive if I gained weight. That alone was so stressful. I felt pressured all the time. I know I need to lose the weight for my health but I also want to feel good about myself.  

It's a challenge every day.  I really do love  tacos! 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Happy Wednesday.  Have a great day 

1. What's something you're looking forward to in the month of June?  I have a family reunion next weekend and supposed to go ride Harleys with some good friends of ours on the 20^th.
2.   In what way have you come full circle?  Hmm kind of a hard one.  I think I would say my marriage with Todd.  We have been best friends for over 18 years and only together for 4 of those years. We gave each other dating advice, work advice, etc.  The fact we ended up together as husband and wife is really coming full circle.
3. Lonely Planet lists ten spots in America you should see in 2015 and the reasons why.  How many on the list have you seen?  Which one on the list would you most like to see? Queens NY,  Western South Dakota, New Orleans, the Colorado River region, North Conway NH, Indianapolis IN, Greenville SC, Oakland CA, Duluth MN, and the Mt. Shasta region CA.   I’ve been lucky to say I’ve seen all these places minus the Indiana and the New Hampshire locations.  I love New Orleans the most out of all these.
4. A song that describes your mood right now?  Unwell by Matchbox 20.   I feel like I’m not myself lately and cant explain it.  For one thing though are my hot flashes. They are so uncomfortable.
5. 5.  Strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, or strawberry right off the wine... your favorite? I love strawberry cake cupcakes. There is a bakery not too far that make the most yummy strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing.   I also love chocolate covered strawberries. If I had to choose from this list I would say the shortcake.
6. Aesop's birthday is celebrated on June 4th - although there is some disagreement to whether or not that's accurate, or if he was a real person.   Regardless, the name Aesop is associated to this day with many well known fables.  Which of the following best applies to something in your life right now?   The Tortoise & the Hare (slow and steady wins the race),  The Ant & the Grasshopper (be prepared), The Fox & the Goat (look before you leap), or The Crow & the Pitcher (necessity is the mother of invention)?  Hmm, I am going to go with The Ant & Grasshopper and The Fox & the Goat.  My job has been very busy and don’t get me wrong- I love every minute of it.  I’ve mentioned that we are going thru a HUGE company merger and I feel like I cant breathe or relax.  In other words I need to always be on my “A” game at all times. We are constantly laying off one group or another and I don’t live in fear.  However, I just need to stay realistic and hope that I can remain busy and needed with my company.  I celebrate 20 years in September and I really love my job.
7. The answer is yes...   what's the question?  Do I love sweet tea? Do I love music more than anything? Do I have the cutest 2 dogs in all the world? Do I adore my blogger friends? Do I love to dance?
8. My random thought.    I am happy that the rain has stopped for a while here in Texas.  I am happy we were able to FINALLY mow the lawn after all the weeks of rain and flooding. The grass was getting so high I could barely see my dogs. The mosquitos are out of control from all the water. I look like I have the chicken pox again. 

Art in many forms

While in Ohio a few weeks ago , I dropped my husband off to band practice and I was driving around killing time.  I came across this very interesting place on the side of the road. It has ginormous metal statues and I couldnt drive by without pulling over and taking some pictures.  You just don't see stuff like this everyday. 

This is blurry but those are duck decoys. 

There were a few political signs too but I just took pictures of the art.  

I just love different. People who express themselves .  There's beauty in that!

Have a great day yall!