A little insight.............

Every now and then, I like do a "getting to know you" post to introduce myself to new readers and followers to this blog.  I found these fun questions on one of my favorite blogs and thought I would give my answers. Hope you enjoy!!

What tradition is important to you?

Holiday Traditions are very important to me. I like to spend a lot of time with my immediate family.  There is something about having my hubby, parents, and in-laws all together enjoying time together.  Truly priceless to me.  

I also love all the traditions around Christmas.  Matt and I have many Christmas traditions, and I may share some of those with you in early December, as they really help make each Christmas very special. 

Do you carry a purse, if so whats in it?
I keep the essentials in my purse (wallet, powder, sunglasses, reading glasses, etc.) and then magically a lot of other items get added throughout the week.  I believe my purse has a big BLACK HOLE, and sometimes I can dig around for 5 minutes looking for something and never find it.  

I love to carry BIG colorful bags with lots of internal pockets.  

What’s your favorite go-to outfit for a quick polished look?
A cardigan, black pants, and classic black heels with pearl necklace and pearl/diamond earrings.  

Special beauty secrets?

Once a week: Deep condition hair, mask and deep moisturizer for face, whiten teeth, and drink lots and lots of water.  

Twice a month:  Get a manicure

Once a month:  Eye Brows Waxed, Get a Pedicure 

What’s your favorite go-to dinner for your family?

I have several dinners that are often on our dinner menu.  My goal is to get this list up to 30 different meals, so we can have variety in our meals to chose from.  Here are 6 selections from our regular dinners:

- Taco Salad

- Spaghetti

- Hot Chicken Salad 

- Hamburgers with Sweet Potato Fries

- Pork Chop and Mac-In-Cheese 

- An assortment of salads - Chicken or Steak Salads are my favorite Entree Salads

 

How do you balance work and life?

I am actually not great at this.  I try to recharge on the weekends, and during the week I try really hard to squeeze in a workout and bible study in the mornings before I get ready.  I go through phases of being disciplined with this, but I always feel so much better when I can make that happen.

Hope you've enjoyed this little insight into my life!!  

 

20 Facts About Me

Image: PrettyStuff

As I wrap up my re-introduction week, I thought it would be fun to share 20 random facts about me. This is my last "Getting to Know Me" post (LOL!) for awhile, and have really enjoyed jumping back into blogging and getting the ball rolling again.  Enjoy and have an incredible weekend!!

1.  I don't have a favorite color. 

2.  I have only loved one boy in my life, and I am so lucky I got to marry him. 

3. My favorite color of clothing is black and white.  And, I often wear black pants and a black top with a cardigan every day. Its kind of like my staple look.

4. My favorite college team is the University of Tennessee Volunteers.  Its my Alma Mater and the only team I have ever cheered for since I was a child.

5. My two favorite MLB teams the Yankees (American League) and the Braves (National League).

6. I don't like beans.  I can eat green beans, but every other bean is just plan awful. 

7. I am a very talkative and outgoing person; however, I also find the older I get, the more I enjoy listening more than I do being chatty. 

8. I love that my weekday life and my weekend life are totally different.  During the week I am social, workaholic, and going full speed from the time I get up to the time I go to bed; however, on the weekends I like to be quiet, move at a VERY SLOW PACE, and keep an extremely low profile. 

9. I am obsessed with Brooke's Glycerin series tennis shoes.  I am on my 3rd pair, and love to get them each year when the new version is released. 

10. I listen to Christian music 90% of the time, and the other 10% is filled with just about every other type of music. 

11. I am very tenderhearted.

12. I have never had long nails.  I just cannot seem to grow them out.

13.I typically do not have an emotional attachment to "things" other than pictures.  I think its my dislike for clutter that drives this feeling.

14.  I analyze everything. 

15.  I love giving back.  That feeling of blessing someone else, means more to me than getting something for myself.

16.  I am obsessed with Kate Spade purses.  So classic.

17. Ages 23 - 26 were the three toughest times in my life, yet I learned more about myself in those three years than I had in the 23 years before that. God is faithful, and always makes beauty out of ashes. 

18. I only own 2 pairs of shoes that are not black.  The rest are some version of black shoes.

19. My three favorite moments in life were: Graduating from UTK, Marrying the Love of my Life, and Following the Direction of the Lord to move back home a year and half ago.

20. Life is good and I am soooo blessed.  I have an incredible husband, amazing parents, and the best family.  And, I am excited for all the future holds.

Welcome Back Week - What's In a Name?

With the new blog design launching this week, I thought it would fun to reintroduce and explain how this blog came to be and how it got its name.

This space began over 8 years ago, after I had been married for about a year and I was looking for a way to stay connected with my family who lived two hours away and my friends who lived all over the country.  I actually started blogging in 2004 (anyone remember Xanga), and really used that site to pour out my heart and soul about my journey through my early and mid 20s.  However, that blog was only seen by my a few close friends and ended up deleting that account before I got married. 

In 2008, I jumped back into blogging, this time making it a fun little page where I could share my life with those closest to me.  However, what I found over the years was a connection to an online community where I could discuss everything from decorating, marriage, and life in general. 

Now, I am in my mid-thirties and feel like I am getting back into the swing of regular posts again.  Life has settled down a lot over the past 2-3 years, and I am happy to get back into this blog. 

The name Cardigan Chic came from the fact that I ALWAYS wear a cardigan.  However, the line under my title - "Living a life of Adventure, Excellence, & Faith" is my life's motto.

I push myself to take advantage of every opportunity and adventure that comes my way.  I also try to live a life of excellence in everything I do.  I strive to do my best, and even most days I fall short of "perfection," but I know I am doing the best I can do.  And, finally my faith is everything to me.  My relationship with Jesus Christ is the core of who I am and truly defines me as a person. 

Thanks to everyone who has been reading since Day 1 (mom & Matt) and to everyone else in between.  

Here is to another 8 years of sharing life with each of you!! 

November You Have Been Good To Me............

I think everyone would agree, where in the world has November gone?  I felt like it was just the 1st and now the month is almost over!!  November is always such a fun month for me, because I just love the transition from fall into the Holidays.  I stayed extremely busy this month, and thought I would post a few pics to capture all I got into this month. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago - mom, Ryana, and I headed to the Biltmore to enjoy a fun Sunday afternoon.  

It was so nice to spend time with Ry since she is back home for a short time before she returns to Cambodia. 

 We kicked off the morning with brunch!

 

Next we did a driving tour of the grounds.   

I felt like the tour guide, as mom road and took pictures. 

We then headed to the farmers market to pick up some apples for Ry to make Apple Pies for some folks! It was an awesome day, and one I will cherish for a long time.

In other random updates, I took time to read this book and have loved some of the concepts it discussed.  I heard about this book at TN Governor's Conference on Tourism, and thought it was something I should read.  My email can be a little overwhelming at times, and some of these methods have already helped me process those emails, much more efficiently.

 My best friend Tiffany talked me into getting this CD, and I am SO GLAD I DID!!  

I simply love it!!

 Tennessee Football has been on a roll these last few weeks (makes up for the first part of the season), so we have had a few indoor-tailgate parties at our house.  This lil guy hammed up all the attention from Grandma Davis.  He was just so happy!! 

 So if you know anything about me, you know I love my cats, but I do not like cat things.  However, for my one year anniversary with BCM, my marketing team gals got me these fun gifts.  I just about died!! (And, secretly I LOVED it!! Classy Cat Stuff)

 I have been enjoying streaming this season's Downton Abbey (I just couldn't wait), and oh my, I cannot wait for it to come on in America, so I can watch it again.  This season is sooooo goood.

 Lil Man Davis still loves the blanket MeMe bought us at the beach. 

He and is brother Scooter Man Davis have both claimed it. 

 A few weeks ago, we hosted a casting call for a film about the 1927 Bristol Sessions that is being shot in Bristol.  It was one crazy night, but its things like this that I LOVE about my job! 

 Over 200 people tried out, and it was a little crazy! 

The next week, we headed to Richmond for the VA Governor's Conference on Tourism.  

Its actually one thing I love about living in a city that is in two states.  You can get involved with both states to maximize our efforts.  This Pre-Conference Digital Marketing Workshop was awesome! 

 Highlight of the conference - DEBATES!!!  There were some major take downs and I haven't laughed this hard in years.  And, yes that guy in the American Flag shirt (debating about spending more monies in domestic group travel vs. international) is Bristol's CVB Director.  So awesome!

 I wanted to end with this pic!!  I am involved with Lead Bristol, and during this day of training we were doing Emergency Preparedness Training.  We were playing out scenes of an active shooter, and when they clicked this pic it looks like I am going to take that SWAT guy out.  LOL! 

Hope you enjoyed my random November!  Now, let the Holidays begin!!

September........where did you go?

Life lately can be summed up in one word - hectic!

Over the past few weeks, my work schedule has been insane, and I don't think its letting up anytime soon.  I thought I would share some fun things that have been into over the past month to give you a little sneak peak into this whirlwind I call lif:

 Oh, I just LOVE this view!  

I did manage to capture a pic from our back porch at our new house.  I just love living in the country, and our new house is just perfect for us! 

 At the first of September, mom and I headed to Kingsport to enjoy Beth Moore's simulcast.  Its was absolutely amazing, and for participating in the conference we received these new books.  I have been slowly reading through it, and will have my takeaways on the book soon.

The Festival was a HUGE success, and hear is a pick on the stage with Steve Earl. 

 

The morning after the Festival, we headed into Southwest Virginia to hear the VA governor speak about Economic Development.  And, that night we hosted the First Lady of VA at the museum. 

I've also joined the 2015/2016 class of Lead Bristol!  This program is incredible, and I am really enjoying getting to know everyone.

 Matt and I attended the wedding of my sis-in-law's sister, Whitney's wedding.  It was absolutely beautiful, and we loved spending time with our family and our church family too. 

 

All last week, I was in Raleigh working the IBMA conference.  

Check out our booth with VA Tourism.

Dinner with our VA Tourism team and The Church Sisters band.   

These past few weeks have been a blur, but I love it!

Have a great week!

7 Things I Believe

Since I kicked off the week with a little Getting to Know Me post, I thought I would follow up with another fun Things I Believe post!  Enjoy!

1. I believe that being a kind, loving, and giving person is the only way to be.
 
2. I believe that best friends are rare, and loyalty is the most precious virtue one can have in a friendship. 

3. I believe that the key to happiness is keeping your priorities in line. My Priorities (In Order): God, Husband, Family, Work, Friends, Church, and Other Activities. Anytime I have a decision to make, I always find out what categories the two choices fall into, and the decision is easy.

4. I believe that being positive will not only bring you more peace, but will it also bring you success. This includes in keeping a positive mindset, keeping my words positive when others are critical, or being positive in all areas of life.

5. I  believe that when someone wants to walk out of your life, let them go. I've chased two friendships in my life, and I have never experienced so much heartache and sadness. 

6. I believe in working hard and always giving more than people expect.  At the end of the day, its important to lay your head down and know you did all you could that day. No regrets!! 

7. I believe that the most important thing in life is having a relationship with Jesus Christ. When you have a true relationship with the Lord then life is simply amazing.  The peace, guidance, wisdom, and love that fills your life is incredible.


Happy Tuesday!

Four Things

Its been a while since I've done a "Get to know me post," and when I saw this on several blogs I thought it would be fun to share a little bit about me.  Hope you enjoy!!

Four Nicknames

Kim, Kimberly, Kimberly Anne, KD

Four Movies I've Watched More Than Once

Something's Gotta Give

Pitch Perfect

Thomas Crown Affair 

Mary Poppins

Four Things In My Purse

Wallet

Sunglasses

Reading Glasses (How Old am I??)

Wristlet (To Carry when I don't want to carry my purse.)

 Four Bible Studies I Would Recommend

Breaking Free by Beth Moore 

Battlefied of the Mind by Joyce Meyers

Jesus Calling by Sara Young

Drawing Near by John Bevere

Four Cars I've Driven
Honda Accord

Ford Mustang

Cadillac STS

Jaguar XF

 

Four Places I've Visited

Rome and Venice, Italy

Zurich, Switzerland

Paris, France

London, England

Four Places To Visit On My Bucket List

Bora Bora

Alaska

Yellow Stone National Park 

New York City  

Four Of My Favorite Foods

Chicken Salad

Slaw Dogs

 Rice Krispy Treats

King's Hawiain Sweet Bread

Four TV Shows I Watch

Bring up Bates

Chrisley Knows Best

Nashville 

E! News

  Four Jobs I've Had

Retail Store Assistant (Crabtree and Evelyn)

PR Coordinator (TN Valley Fair)

Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications (Knox CVB)

Marketing Director (BCM) 

 Four Things I'm Looking Forward To Summer 2015

Moving Into Our New Home

Hosting a Family Cookout 

Taking Up Golf 

Let the Decorating Begin - Look forward to all the decorating projects ahead.