Reflection

It's a whole new hunting season. Our 4th year! For those new to the game, I'll give you a brief run down.

It began with a concern. The guys were starting a new hunting season. Worried about being forgotten, we decided to form our own hunting season but for shoes! Brilliant, yes. Every women needed to complete an application just as our counterpart hunters did. Each would receive a tag (or 2..ok, some 11). We would go on our hunts and gather to exchange stories on the first weekend in December after the real gun season ended. To date, we have donated over $5000 to a local organization called "Chix 4 A Cause". Our numbers have grown and so have our targets! We now also hunt for accessories!

This year there will be few changes. You do not need a tag. We have created a facebook site so we'd love for you to "like" it! This will be a great way to pass along, word of computer, what's happening. We will also have an RSVP section so you can see who else is hunting along with us!!!! We will continue to blog as well ( that way you can see what is going on in my head as I love communicating this way!). Our location has also changed. Though we immensely love Imagine Coffee House and frequent there still, our numbers are rising. We still consider this to be a cozy event but know we all have friends who have friends who have even other friends who love to hunt for shoes and accessories! So feel free to pass this along! The Kewaskum Annex is a rustic building right off of Hwy 45 . We are so excited about this as it will allow us to donate more money back to the cause. And, this year, it's a Friday night party! Remember those back in the day! Nothing better! Certainly makes the last work day of the week go so much faster!

What will not change is what we hunt for...shoes and accessories! I cannot wait til the 24th of Sept for Divas Night in West Bend. What a great night to kick the hunt off with. We will be out hunting like crazy with all the other hunters....like a true opening day! I hope to see many of you there! We'll have business cards to hand out reminding you of this wonderful season!

Last year's party was such a fun night! I recall Stacey telling her "shoe hunting" story about her husband and kids going with her. She was in the store and found not one but 2 pair of amazing shoes. Her husband told her to "pick one" and he would meet her out in the car as the kids were getting antsy. So she went to the counter to pay and asked if they wouldn't mind putting BOTH pair in one box so that she could hide "her kill" from her husband. The ladies in line all thought she was brilliant (and so do we!). He never knew.

I am here to say let the hunt begin. Let the stories unfold. Let memories be made. On a personal note, we have another hunter in our home. Jordan turned 10 this past year. He has already been successful with his turkey and bear tag. He seems to be expert. To celebrate this joyous occasion, I have decided this should be a special year for me as well...here I come Gucci boots!!!

And while that may sound a little selfish, what I love about the ending to this hunting season is the giving that comes out of it. Yes, you get to keep and wear your shoes and accessories but all of the money raised at the event where you will show them off gets donated. We all win!

Connect ladies!

Shop. Hunt. Donate.

Paula

OMG!

What a great night! I will blog more later ( and can't download the video and pics as my computer is being fussy!) but just wanted to let you know...your hunting efforts raised

$3283

for Chix for A Cause!

Enjoy your day of rest! It is well deserved.

God bless you!

Paula

Silly boys, girls hunt too

It's the second morning of open season. The biggest hunting season of all- deer hunting with a gun. I know many of you ladies don't even know exactly where your husbands are right now..."Oh, he went somewhere with so-an-so." And some husbands will come back telling stories like "I didn't see anything" again, simply because they were in a stand but so tired that they had fallen asleep. And then there are the die hards. I just observed the sun rise over the treetops this am but my husband has already been gone for hours. He is a local. He normally will head out on his own for 1-2 days then it may be off with a hunting crew KT has put together. honestly, these are the days where I feel the need to wear blaze orange even in my own home. Shots seem to fire all around our house. I barely let the yellow lab finish her duties outside for fear she may be mistaken. And the road out in front which is lucky to see 3-5 cars all day sounds like a highway at 5 am. Yesterday we made sure we left in the early am and did not return until dusk.

Jordan climbed his first tree yesterday. He sat all afternoon with Todd. They saw a pheasant. And while they did that, Andrew and I tried on a completely different pair of shoes- rollar skates. Oh, the good ol' days. Natalie Smith, if you are still out there, I wonder if you can still skate??? The splits under the limbo bar...the wind jacket that fluttered as she zoomed by on those speed skates whose wheels glowed in the dark. Andrew is an expert on those skates. It's fun to watch him.

I finally found my boots! I mean, I got my kill. After searching everywhere, I think this is it. Can't wait for the party night! I am so thankful I have had such great help this year. Some new ideas have formed and certainly great, great raffle and auction items. I have suck great friends and family.

Speaking of friends, I can't wait to show you the hunting video Kathy, Kelly, and I made. We had an extremely successful hunt that day. All blood trails lead to a kill. I once again grew foot-size envy for those who wear 6-6.5. They even had a full length mirror in their aisle! Why didn't the size 9s? Come on! But that didn't stop me! As all hunters do, we displayed out kill on the rooftop of the car. The response we got from the crowd that gathered...priceless. As one fellow hunter screamed from the other side of the parking lot, "Is there a sale???" Now I know why the back of the truck bed is open (as if the deer is so big, it couldn't be closed)...but to be gawked at is really fun!

To another pair of friends who shared leftover meat... We have sent off elk meat, deer sausage, fish... At times we have gotten salmon, turkey pot pies, goose sausage. Well, my good friends Michelle and Jeanne were kind enough to deliver a shoe leftover. They had spotted them on a hunting expedition at DSW, thought of me immediately, and down it went. The next day, it was delivered to my doorstep. I will be sure to pay them back! Nice!

And to my surprise, a precious gift from a good friend Ann. She thought of our mission on a Fleet Farm hunting trip expedition. A beautiful Christmas ornament- "He hunts, therefore I shop."

To all good friends, Happy Hunting! On this thanksgiving week, I am so thankful to have all of you. I want to make sure that I have your emails. I am planning on sending out a finalized list of all of the raffle and auction items we have this year. So, if you have gotten my emails in the past, you are in. If you have not, please send me an email paula.carlton@aurora.org. Thanks.

This is the last official week the hunting season is open until the show off party to benefit Chix. Best wishes!
Paula

To the Core

OK, I agree. It seems that the bright colors and skinny jeans are certainly back in this season. Somehow in the 2000s, I have become very comfortable with the wide leg pant and nothing but black! And as I continue to shop for that perfect boot, I am discovering the ones I fall in love with are with 5 inch heels! So if the 80s are back, I want my 80s body back too!

I have another blog suggestion to do just that! Tiffany Larson is a personal trainer. She has inspired me to work not only my body but spirit and mind to the "core". While she currently can be seen teaching classes at the YMCA, she also does private training out of her home. Her blogging style certainly reflects her genuine soul. She is passionate about family, friends, and, of course, Pilates. Check it out at www.hometrainingllc.com .

Pilates serves so many purposes. It has reinforced my breath. I am more mindful of my posture. I feel at times, even without those 5 inch heels, I am taller. And if after a 10 hour day, my achilles feels like they have shrunk 2 inches because of wearing those heels, I can come home, plop down on the floor, and work on every small and large muscle my body has to support me.

Happy Hunting...and take care of yourself!
Paula

Hot Hunting Tips

Hello Hunting Girls-

The committee is geared up for the hunt. We are working hard and this will be an evening you will not want to miss.

Just received some great advice in the latest newsletter by Ms. Mary Sheehan Warren!

Take a look but be prepared to stay awhile! She has a number of fabulous thoughts and her writing style is very engaging.

Happy Hunting!

Kathy

Mary’s e-mail-

It’s in the Winter Newsletter at www.marysheehanwarren.com .

… easy-to-use, stress-free, money-saving FASHION advice for you !

Learn the trends for the season…the skinny on skinny jeans…great shopping tips…and where to get what!

Also learn about the new Virtual Consultation Service.

Happy Hunting!

An addiction

I got a text from Kelly this Monday stating Oprah was having a show on shoes, accessories, and handbags. For a moment, I thought my dream had come true. The one where Oprah calls me, tells me she heard about the shoe hunt and wants to hunt too! But how could that be as I was driving in my car on my way home...then my high hopes went to worry. Was Oprah hosting an intervention? Were these women to just give those items up? How could she? This could be disastorious. So I couldn't text back as I was driving, going to pick up Jordan for basketball and my Pilates class. By the time we were back in the car, I forgot to call Kelly back to ask her all about it.

As it is Wednesday, I have time to search what Oprah may have been teaching the world on Monday. The seasons best- shoes, handbags, accessories. I have gone on the website and got sucked in to all of the ideas. I am so happy they agree that this season seems to be all about boots. I really had that feeling last year but was too afraid to be one of the first to place the pant leg back in the boot but I have come out of the closet on that one already this year! I am happy I did that while in Chicago a short time ago as that certainly seemed to be the trend. And the Oprah site has a whole section on over the knee boots! Told you! But, I completely disagree with them on one thing- the over the knee with the heel...who cares if it is Pretty Woman-ish, go for it! She also had a boot that was priced at $2,500. And the quote was about the "think of it in 10, 20, 30 years..." Why were they not whispering in my ear when I had those Guccis on?!?

So, as a result of my inquiry, 2 other great sites for you to consider in your shopping adventures...www.purseblog.com. This seems so cute, fun, needed. A couple of chicks coming together to blog about purse finds, deals, sales. Neat! And www.ideeli.com- excuse me for not knowing about sites like this and I may regret signing up. I'll keep you informed how this one goes or please give me feedback if you have ever done the same!

This web searching can be addicting so I better stop before I end up in rehab. Addiction can be a bad thing. Is there a rehab for shoe addiction? Can you imagine? You would be there with like 20 other girls all walking around bare foot..some talking about how their addiction has caused plantar fasciitis, bunions, spurs...group trips to DSW just to test us...no use of cell phones or computers. I would break down. I would come home, the closet empty except for a pair of flip flops...it would start all over as I attempt to super glue heels on those flops...

But we'll save that for after the hunting season (now I sound like an addict..."just one more...")

Happy Hunting to all you addicts!
Paula

Is it really all about the shoes? The accessories? Well, for a moment it may have been. I still can recall that feeling. It really must be like when the guy gets the truly trophy buck. Recall that first kiss. You know the one where your feet tingle, you feel like you are floating. You even get light headed. I felt it. I didn't want to let it go. I paced myself. I made sure I was the most mindful I could possibly be. I wanted to take in the light, the colors, the sounds, the smells. With each step, I took notice of how my feet felt. As my legs glided forward, my spine became more erect. My head flipped back. My heart beat faster...those boots. Big, black, over the knee...Gucci. Modelisc. My movements became Victoria Secret runway model like...without the big boobs, flat stomach, and youth...but it felt very close! And all through this I kept telling myself "Todd's hunting trip cost as much as the boots".

Do I have the boots in my possession? Goes back to the question, is it really about the shoes? ok, ok, ok...no. No, it really isn't. You can be like Brenda and buy a ton (go girl!) or you can go out and buy clearance at Walmart for $2.98, one pair. It's time to sit back and remember this...when our purpose was created, this shoe hunt grew out of a need to inspire and empower, however conscious we were of realizing that.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go with that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Harold Whitman

This past year, my father died. Sometimes I feel guilty that I seem to think of him more now that he is gone. I should have been more aware of his presence when he called, stopped by, helped out. I know the thoughts I have for him and memories of his life are remnants of the legacy he left behind. I was honored when I read the eulogy at his funeral. I felt he was listening. His legacy reminded me of a tree. The tree that now stands tall in our back yard is a symbol of his legacy. He planted the roots and was deeply excited about his family history, passing stories on to us. And the wings...the birds that land on those branches and fly off to greater heights- his children, grandchildren, and those he touched...and there were many. Just come check out the tree once- there does not seem to be a moment that goes by without the presence of beautiful birds (sometimes I imagine them being tickled by those rough yet gentle hands).

He made me think about my possible legacy. And to think about Mr. Whitman's quote. Creativity brings me joy. That realization was an unconscious thought at one time. Once I asked myself who I am and why I was here , I began to understand what I was doing and how I would get there. Legacy- you can leave one or you can live one. And now I am in the thick of it. Creating something tangible around that which I am passionate.

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."

Isaac Newton

So when Kelly, Kathy and I were sitting around the bar that night, our conversation was about leaving a legacy, it just came out in words a little different ("oh shoot! another hunting season. I am so sick of this! Already he is on the phone talking with everyone 24 hours a day..yada, yada, yada!) So is it about the shoes? Of course! But it is about utilizing a passion. It is about sharing that passion with others. It is about leaving a legacy.

And on that note- though the whole party is awesome, one of the best parts is when we turn over the microphone to all who wish to tell their shoe hunting stories, show off their best deal, or intrigue us with their greatest find! Be creative! Make it fun! I already have ideas formulating from my hunts!

Love, Paula