A Pretty Fair Day

Flashing fluorescent lights, all the food you can eat, and a ferris wheel. The Ozark Empire Fair is currently happening — once a year, the lot near Hillcrest High School is transformed into another world. Here, you can see all the animals you've heard live on a farm, and maybe even pet them if you're up to it! It costs $9 to get in, and in my opinion, the price of admission is worth it alone for people-watching. I went to the fair with some of my pals this weekend, and while we didn't get to see the animals, we did check out most of the snack options. We ate fried foods, rode the ferris wheel, and finished our evening off with more fried foods. Anyway, here's some photos of all of us being goofs at the carnival.

The ferris wheel turned out to be a lot more intense than we expected it to be! It was quite a bit faster than other ferris wheels I've been on. That coupled with a swinging car and a peek off the edge might require some dramamine. Aside from the crazy rides, the corndogs were a highlight, and I have a feeling I may be stopping at Sonic for the next 50-cent corndog day.

Allison's one mission was to find deep-fried Oreos, which became all of our mission. She was nice enough to share once we found them! They paired perfectly with a jug of root beer.

You may have gathered this already, but if you can fry it, they will at the Ozark Empire Fair. Between the five of us, we tried corn dogs, XXL corn dogs, fried Twinkies, fried Oreos, fried green tomatoes (I ordered these and I was not disappointed), and a giant turkey leg which we all tried a bite of!

That's all! A quick trip, but it was certainly worth it.

Outfit details: Gifted scrunchie (similar here), Anthropologie top (Previous season, similar here), Vintage jeans (similar fit here), Anthropologie bag sold out (similar version)

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5 Ways to Bless Your Friends for Mother’s Day

If there’s anything I’ve learned from seeing many of my friends have kiddos, it’s that being a mom is obviously rewarding, but it can be really challenging, too. As a non-mom myself, I’ve only learned about motherhood secondhand from some good friends. But whether a child is entering the “terrible two’s” or not, I’ve heard a full day of "mom-ing" can be really exhausting.

And I believe it! Honoring your mom for Mother's Day is an obvious to many of us, as it should be. But I want use this day to recognize some of my friends who are either preparing to be mothers or are already living the life, finding Cheerios in every nook and cranny and trying to avoid stepping on Legos. Here are a few ways I'm thinking you can bless a mom, peer to peer. Let me know if you think of any others!




1. Set Up a Play Date
"But I don't have a kid," you're saying. Even better. You don't have to have a kiddo of your own to have a fun picnic at the park with a friend who has a little one. You know in schools where they brag about the student/teacher ratio in a classroom? Typically, the idea is the fewer students per teacher, the better. You're just improving the student/teacher ratio on this play date! Your friend can rest a little easier knowing there are two sets of eyes on her child, and you can enjoy an afternoon together.



2. Offer to Babysit
The cost of hiring a babysitter can add up pretty quickly. If you have a close friend who needs an "off duty mom" night, consider how you can offer to help. You'll get to spend a few hours with a cute baby, and you'll enjoy it even more knowing you're giving your friend a much-deserved break.



3. Buy Some Flowers
Normally I'd say buy her a plant, but a mom's already got enough on her plate, so you don't want to add to that by giving her something else she has to take care of. Flowers can be a great, thoughtful gift that'll be sure to brighten her day.



4. Send a Note
Snail mail is the best of the best, but a hand-delivered note is second best, in my book. It was one of my resolutions at the beginning of the year to send more letters because I truly believe it's one of the most thoughtful ways to communicate with another person. Telling a mom how hard you see her working will mean a lot to her — I guarantee it.



5.  Let Kids be Kids and Moms be Moms
I think the best way you can bless your friends, or any mom you know, for Mother's Day is to be a safe place to let them talk about how they're doing. Whether your friend is new to motherhood or not, nobody has it all figured out right from the start, and nobody should be expected to. Give grace freely and openly to your friends who are moms, and to yourself if or when you become a mom.



And if your mom-friend is a really good one, maybe she'll let you borrow her mom jeans. xo!

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5 Moving Tips

My roommate and I moved into a loft over the weekend! I've been simultaneously looking forward to and dreading this process. I'm so excited to be in a new place that fits our lifestyle better (we're much closer to everything, and I was going to go insane living another day in a beige-on-beige-on-beige apartment). On the other hand, moving is hard work and takes a lot of time! We moved from the third floor of our old building to the second floor in our new building, so let's just say I'm going to be avoiding stairs for a while. Anyway, here's some things I learned through the process:

1. Cover your shampoo lids with saran wrap — I read this tip on Buzzfeed and didn't use it. Long story short, my shampoo exploded all over everything, and I am full of regret. Moral of the short story: Always listen to Buzzfeed.

2. Pack the plants last — I actually made a final separate trip for the plants. Get a wide box to place them in so you don't have to worry about any delicate leaves getting damaged in the process. After all, they're living things, and you should treat living things nicely.

3. Invest in superglue — Y'know, just in case you accidentally broke the blind-twisty-wand-thing in your old apartment. You can probably just superglue it back on and pass your check out inspection without your former landlord asking any questions... Probably.

4. Rent a U-Haul — This was the single best thing we did, even though we were just moving across town. It made the day go by so much faster (which was great because we moved on one of the hottest days of the summer).

5. Get a good crew — Our moving "crew" included friends and family who helped us carry big boxes, little boxes, take apart furniture and put some together. A sweet friend dropped off daisies and another delivered the cutest housewarming gift. The best part about this crew is they'll stick with us after the move.

Let me know if you have any unpacking tips! I have a feeling I'll be pretty busy...

P.S. Photos of me and Merry by Austin Elliott of Locke + Stache Media. Photo of daisies by me. (Thanks, Megan, for our sweet move-in gift!)

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You Should Go and Love Yourself

Got big Valentine’s Day plans? It’s just around the corner, so naturally there are a zillion resources available to you on topics such as “The 10 Sweetest Valentine's Day Dates of All Time.” Others will mourn the yearly rotation of “Singles Awareness Day” — it's OK, I've been there too. Regardless of whether V-Day marks your one-year anniversary with a special someone, your 8-year anniversary of never going on a date, or something in between, we would all do well to give ourselves a little attention this season.

Self-care can be both physical and psychological in nature, and I think both are essential to maintaining a healthy livelihood. It can be easy if (or when) you enter a relationship to neglect “you” time — but you have to both know and care for yourself before you can show the same attention to another person. Here’s a few suggestions for how to care for yourself this Valentine’s Day, whether you plan on spending the day alone or with a date.

1. Cut the Chocolate

It seems counterintuitive to say “cut the chocolate” in a Valentine’s Day post, but it’s more of an everyday suggestion. An essential part of self care is considering your health — it affects so many other parts of your life. So while eating 12 boxes of Russell Stover might sound like a great idea at the time, prioritize your long-term health in your daily decisions (easier said than done, I know).

2. Journal

I’ve written about the benefits of journaling here, but if you’re not into pouring your feelings out to a piece of paper, at least confide in a good friend. If you’re single, you’ll need a good sounding board — we weren’t meant to do life alone. And if you’re in a relationship, your boyfriend or girlfriend shouldn’t be the only person you’re vulnerable with. Should you trust them? Of course. So much that theirs is the only name in your email inbox or message queue? Not at all.

3. Schedule a hair appointment

Or, y’know, go for a long drive. Get your nails done. Take one of those trendy bubble baths all the Instagram girls can’t get enough of. Adopt a kitten. Read a book. Get a massage. The theme here is treat yo self. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, you should treat yourself kindly. Small mood-boosters can go a long way to ensure proper self care and self image. You deserve it!

4. Unplug

If Instagram is a competition, Valentine’s Day might be the playoffs. Women and men alike post photos of significant others, romantic date nights and extravagant gifts — and that’s ok. But if come February 14 you find yourself alone (or not alone, but feeling jealous), it might be hard to scroll by dozens of roses and teddy bears. And that’s OK, too. There is nothing that says you have to engage in social media, and if seeing others’ posts dampens your spirits, feel free to unplug for the night.

Sometimes self care sounds selfish because it’s so focused on our own wants and needs. But as we learn to treat ourselves well (it’s a process!), it enables us to make even more of the time we spend with others. Go and love yourself — even if that means spinning guilty-pleasure pop music, like Justin Beiber or something…

You won’t regret it.

Photos of my BFF/college roommate taken by me and Austin Elliott of Locke + Stache Media.

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10 Tips for Saying Thank You

Writing notes of gratitude may be a lost art, but perhaps due to Jimmy Fallon, thank you notes are coming back in style. Here's 10 tips for how to properly appreciate someone:

1. Be sincere: Even if your Aunt Irene gifted you a cat sweater you totally hate (although I'm not sure why anybody would hate a cat sweater), try to give your gratitude honestly. E.g., you should say something like "this sweater is sure to keep me warm over the winter!" (fact) rather than "I've never loved anything more!" (lie).

2. Be timely: Timeliness is important when writing thank you's because it often reflects sincerity. A too-late thank you could look like an afterthought, and you wouldn't want that! Ideally, send thank you's no later than 2 days after the gift was given or event was experienced. (Oops, I guess I'd better start writing some..)

3. Be specific: Specificity is one of the cardinal rules of thank you cards. You'll want to name exactly what you're giving gratitude for, and even feel free to mention why you're giving thanks. I had a set of fill-in-the-blank thank you notes as a child, and they were good for this. "Thank you for the __________; I like it because __________." Sounds silly, but people like to hear why you enjoyed the gift and how you'll use it!

4. Find a cute card: Self explanatory. Re: That cute card, use a notecard instead of a letter. This takes a lot of pressure off you because notecards can fit approx. 5 sentences as opposed to the 15 or so you could fit on a letter. Chances are, you don't have a novel-worth of things to say in your thank you note, so keep it short and sweet. 

5. Thanking somebody for a tangible gift: Send a picture! Snapping a photo really adds a nice touch to the note. I have a family friend who is so kind to often send me gift cards for my birthday or Christmas. I also have a tendency to save gift cards for a "rainy day," if you will, so I try to send a handwritten note and follow up with a picture text when I buy my new dress/candle/wallet/whatever!

6. Thanking somebody for an intangible gift: An interview is a good example of this. One of my friends sends a handwritten thank you note after any job interview she has, and I'm pretty sure she's gotten every job she's ever applied for. Another example is if somebody hosted you in their home, saying thanks may be implied, but writing it will make the host feel extra-special. 

7. Appreciate presence more than presents: This should be a goal in life, whether or not you receive a tangible gift. Be grateful for the people who surround you. If they're giving you a reason to thank them, they probably care about you, so challenge yourself to appreciate the sender more than what was sent (even if they sent you, like, a billion dollars). 

8. Write using your hands, with pen on paper: It's 2015, so digital thank you's are passable (any thank you is better than none), but you'll get bonus points for a handwritten note. Everybody loves to receive snail mail (as long as it isn't from MasterCard), and you'll look like the nicest person ever.

9. When in doubt, say thanks: "Should I send a 'thank you' to Susie for babysitting my pet lizard?" Yes. "Do I need to send a note to Sam saying thanks for letting me cheat off his math homework?" Yes.

10. When appropriate, thank the person in public: This probably goes more for intangibles than anything else, but sometimes it is nice to publicly recognize people for what they've done for you. Your friend probably won't toot his or her own horn, so toot it for 'em!

Dear people who read this blog post,

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It made me feel special. I included a few photos in the post; I hope you'll accept my gratitude.

Sincerely,

Ana

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9 Things Every Girl Wants For Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is in 3 days, people! You might be a girl who doesn't want to hint at what you want for the big holiday. You might be a clueless guy who has no idea what to buy. I've solved all of these problems by posting what all girls are thinking, publicly, on the internet. Here are 9 great gift options any girl would love to receive for V-Day:

1. Candy

All girls love Conversation Heart candies, and there are several perks to buying them. The first perk is if either guy or gal is a terrible conversationalist. Ta-daaaa! Instantly fixed. Say, for example, you choose a heart that says "Cutie Pie." It's a 2-for-1! You can either talk about A. How that girl/guy is a cutie, or B. Your mutual love for pie. 

Sidebar: Don't expect a girl to eat the candy hearts because everybody knows they taste like TUMS, but hopefully she'll at least take a photo of them to put on her Instagram feed.

2. Notes

Notes are undeniably thoughtful, and girls love to receive them. Bonus points if you write her a love song. Or a haiku. 

3. Chocolate

It is a universally-recognized concept that women love chocolate. Capitalize on it! And act quickly because the chocolate in Walmart's Valentine's aisle is going like the rapture. 

4. Flower

Buy the lady a flower! Or, y'know, a dozen flowers. She will undoubtedly Instagram these if you fail on the candy front.

5. Coffee

Since we're all agreed that coffee is the best thing ever invented, your girl will obviously love this gift. For the gift that keeps on giving, you might consider buying a coffee *gift* card (although perhaps you should combine this with an actual date, too.) You could take her on a coffee date for Valentine's Day, or if you're a real overachiever, you could buy her a whole coffee shop! (I recommend knowing a little about business ownership/the coffee industry before taking the plunge on that last option.)

6. Hamburgers 

If your girl doesn't have a huge sweet-tooth, you could get her burgers for Valentine's Day. I highly recommend this option for anybody trying to date me.

7. Office Supplies

The best gifts are thoughtful. Show her you support her career! Why do guys always ask girls out by buying them fancy martinis, anyway? Buy me something useful and lasting, like a stapler. I would appreciate that more, and I've been meaning to buy one.

8. Cat Food

All women like cats. (Right???) So, if you want your lady to know you care about her, care about the things SHE cares about. Like her cat. And buying him food. You could save her a whole $12.78! Plus, if she knows you can take care of her cat, it will give her more confidence that you can take care of her.  

9. A Boyfriend

Every girl wants a boyfriend for Valentine's Day. Give me a boyfriend, or give me carbs! 

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How to Give a Compliment

I posted a little bit ago on how to take a compliment, but as many would say, it is better to give than to receive. Here's part two: How to give a compliment.

1. Don't be creepy
Guys: If you're interested in a girl, the best way to compliment her is to say something kind about her personality (i.e., "Hey girl, I think you're smart, humble, witty, brilliant, etc. etc. etc.") I would recommend that you don't just compliment some part of her appearance if you are interested in her beyond a pretty face. Sure, girls like being told their faces are pretty, but we'd rather be affirmed on parts of our personality that are unique to us. If you must compliment her on, say, her eyes, you could use that to transition to how eyes are the window to the soul and she has a beautiful soul… Or something like that.

2. Use humor to your advantage
Sometimes people feel awkward accepting compliments. Sometimes people feel awkward giving compliments. If you want to say something nice, but don't want it to be a huge, awkward deal, you could say something like this: "Hey, I'm going to nominate you for an Academy Award for 'best smile' even though 'best smile' isn't an Academy Award category and you're not an A-list celebrity." That sets you up to follow up with "Why on earth aren't you an A-list celebrity?! You should be because you are very talented and have great memorization skills."
Now, that wasn't awkward, was it??

3. Be sincere
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. If you can't honestly say something nice, don't make up kind words just to hear your own voice.

4. Make it a habit
A compliment costs nothing for you to give but could mean everything for someone to receive. Complimenting someone is perhaps the easiest way that you could brighten his or her day. You don't have to fly a girl to Maui, buy her a million pairs of shoes, or give her a puppy. You simply have to open your mouth, and speak life.

5. Let others shine
My roommate recently tweeted this:

I love when people are like, "Happy birthday <name>! Here's a picture of us, but I'm in my wedding dress...so I still like the attention."
— Merry Tucker (@MerryTucker) August 5, 2014

When you compliment someone, make sure you are truly putting the focus on them. Don't bring up another's success to remind them of your own. And, whatever you do, be sincere.

Photos of Julie Wilson by Nick Warnock.

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Best Friends 4th Ever

Happy 4th of July, friends!

I'm usually very anti-wearing-patriotic-colors on the Fourth of July. This year I decided to stop being an American Scrooge, and I got into the spirit. What can I say, I'm feeling thankful for the good ole USA.

I'm going to a wedding tonight in Kansas City… The couple is going to be wed, white and blue (hahahahahahah I know, I know). Sooooo that means I got to visit my best friend, Kalee! We've been having the best time.

Kalee got married in January, and this is my first time visiting Kansas City since Kalee and Sfen have been married and living in their new house! (Not pictured: Sfen). But he's here, and we're all having fun.

Last night, we ate at Green Room Burgers, and ohmygoodness, they were SO good. Kalee's burger had goat cheese, sweet pickles, avocado, and bacon, and I had some pretty bad order envy when it got to the table. This morning, we hung out around the house for a bit, made chocolate chip pancakes, and went out for coffee. We've been catching up and taking it easy, and it's been perfect. In a couple hours, Kalee and Sfen are having friends over for dinner and fireworks.

Happy birthday, 'Merica! Luv u lots.

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