Keeping up with the Hatmakers {2012 Version)

If you are a regular reader (thank you!) you might remember back in 2011 when I started a Travel Journal. Since we are on the road so much, I thought it would be fun to document where we stay, where we ate, and just how long we were gone.

Take a moment and look back at our 2011 in review of Keeping up with the Hatmakers so you will be ready to compare and contrast the numbers in 2012. I was quite surprised by the numbers in 2011. Not sure why - I was gone for all of them, but its really different when you see EXACTLY what the it says. The numbers don't lie! Neither does my dry cleaning bill. :)

drum roll please........

Geesh!

2012 Totals: 
Nights in hotel: 130
Hotels: 49
Restaurants: 251
  This did not include any meals that were furnished to us by sales, owners, state associations, or friends who felt sorry for us eating out all the time.

After I added up all the numbers I thought I would look back in 2012 and see what were the highlights and some of the reasons our numbers jumped so much! 

1. As usual, the National Western and the North American add a lot of nights and meals to the list. 

2. We went on a real vacation during the summer and then took a Christmas vacation to Vegas. It's good to focus on a little downtime!

3. We ate at some good places in 2012! 

• Seagar's in Destin, FL
• Spencer's Steakhouse in Omaha, NE
• All Vegas Restaurants!
• Texas de Brazeil in Denver, CO
• McCormick & Schmidts in Columbus, OH
• Smith & Wollensky's in Columbus, OH
• Eskimo Joe's in Stillwater, OK
• Deken Kemme's barn party (food provided by Julie Kemme)

4. Attended Crystal Young's Wedding in Iowa (www.crystalcattle.blogspot.com)

5. Attended Christy Collin's Marketing Seminar in Stillwater

6. Dove more into our photo and video business HImaging. 

Boy as I look back 2012 was a great year! I look forward to trying to top that in 2013! Like I said in my blogpost about 2011, if you travel a lot a travel journal is really fun. It is a great keepsake and a great way to look back at what you've been up to!

How to Clean your Stovetop!?

Does your stovetop ever look like this?

Mine does! 

So I took to the one site where you can find anything DIY.....Pinterest!

I searched for how to clean your stove top, but most of the results utilized ammonia. First off, I didn't have ammonia at my house. Secondly, it stinks and I didn't like the risk with my four legged babies around. So I kept searching. 

How about baking soda?

If you check out many DIY cleaning solutions, baking soda is used in a lot of household solutions. 

To start the cleaning process, you take all the burners apart except one. Fill a stock pot half full of water and add baking soda. I just dumped into the pot until I felt I had enough. Bring the water to a boil and add your first grease catcher. Allow them to boil on each side for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the water with tongs and head to the sink. 

Scrub using steel wool pad and warm water. I added more baking soda to spots that weren't coming clean well enough. 

And hear is the end result!

They look almost new! 

After you finish the other burners, you can take the burner you were using (cooled of course) and clean it. Now my stove looks clean, happy, and ready for cooking! 

Pinterest Inspired Christmas Crafts

Now that the Christmas decorations are all down and put away for the New Year, I thought I should update on my Pinterest inspired crafts that I did during the holiday.

My first craft only involved a few materials.

• Ornamentts (50% off at Michael's) 
• Stick -on Letters
• Ribbon

My Merry Christmas masterpiece hung above our sink in front of a window. It added a little holiday cheer to the kitchen. All I did was spell out Merry Christmas on the ornaments, and one by one string them on the ribbon, tying a knot to keep them in place. 

My second Pinterest project was inspired by one I saw. On our doors that seperate our living room from dining room, I hung ribbon off the back off the over the door hanger. I put a command strip on the bottom to hook it to. Then when the Christmas cards came rolling in, they were secured by clothes pins. Which of course I painted Christmas green for the holiday!

Blessed with two doors full of cards!

Did you make any Christmas crafts?

2012 in review

Happy New Year blog buddies!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday. I, unfortunately spent some of the holiday with the awful stomach flu. Pretty much everyone has had it, haven't they?

As we are only a few days into 2012, I wanted to look back at some of my favorite things that happened in 2012! Enjoy!



1. 2012 got off to a great start as we donated to the ASA Foundation in Denver. Something I had been looking forward to for a long time. View blog

2. Gabby Mae celebrated her first birthday complete with birthday party and dog cake. She is the princess of our house and will always be my special girl. Little did she know her world would completely change in a month! View blog

 3. Our family grew! Welcome Tucker Rae Hatmaker to the family all the way from New York. He was difficult for awhile (still at times), but we love him and are so glad he is in our family! View blog

4. Drew and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary at the place we got married! Can't believe it has been two years, but wouldn't trade it for the world.

5. In May, Drew and I travelled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to attend a Livestock Marketing Seminar with my mentor Christy Collins. It was an awesome experience, and we learned so much from her and other attendees. View blog

6. We took a family vacation to Mexico Beach. See photo below. Explains it all!

 7. We planted our first garden at our house. Since we moved in last year in July we weren't able to plant a garden. Our okra, zucchini, squash, and bell peppers did well, but some of the other - not so much. View blog

8. I started my {Sale Day Fashion} segment on From Paris With Love. Allowing readers to see what I wear on sale day across the U.S. Can't wait to get it started again in 2013. View blog

9. Drew and I visited the Grand Canyon in December while on our Las Vegas Christmas Vacation. It was absolutely breathtaking.

10. While in Las Vegas, we had the opportunity to dine at Wolfgang Puck's Spago during the 20th anniversary. He was in house the evening we were there, and we had the chance to meet and talk to him. It was an awesome experience, and he was really nice!

2012 was a great year to the Hatmaker family. We can't wait to see what awesome things happen in 2013. We are looking forward to an amazing future!

Christmas Elf Strikes Again!

A little elf in our house!

Last year when we came home from the Season Finale sale we found this....

Someone had broke into our house (using a key) and stolen (replaced) our table with this antique tavern table. My heart was pounding because I thought someone actually did break into our house, but who takes something and leaves something?

Of course, the criminal was no other than one of my best friends Lauren who had her mom and dad meet up with my mom to get into our house and give us this Christmas present.

So this year we head off to the Season Finale sale, but Lauren didn't come. She was too busy rescuing cats. We arrived home that evening looked in the door, and sadly there was no new table. I told Drew, "Doesn't look like anyone brought us a new table this year." I proceed in the house around the table to set the mail down, and out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of something.

This year the criminal (and her mom) used their own key, and left us a beautiful, large cow hide rug in our front room. Our front room was really empty and this rug really does the trick. The dogs weren't really sure what to think about it at first, but now they love it because it provides an area for them to run and play.

Anyone else ever have a personal elf bring you gifts? I think we will keep her!

Thanks Lauren!!

National Finals Rodeo

Viva Las Vegas

Instead of exchanging gifts this year, Drew and I decided to take a trip instead of worrying over what to buy each other. Throughout the year we usually buy whatever we want, and do a lot for birthdays, so we thought this would be a great idea. Where to go?

We decided to hit the strip and travel to Las Vegas; which neither one of us had ever been to. In December, Las Vegas plays host to the National Finals Rodeo. Both of us had wanted to visit during the rodeo. We lucked out on getting some great seats through a friend of a friend (Thanks Charlotte!). We arrived into Las Vegas on Sunday night, changed clothes, had a bite to eat, and headed to the rodeo!

Bareback Riding

The excitement of the crowd at the rodeo was infectious! It was like the Kentucky Wildcats playing! Everyone was cheering and very into it. Plus it was packed! Marty, who we got our tickets from told us that it started at 6:45 and was over at 9. His advice, "Do not be late." Boy, was he right! We were maybe 10 minutes late, and the people in our row did not want to move to let us in. So if you ever go - do not be late.

We actually had someone to root for. Cody Wright (pictured below) rides with the Hudson Pines and Hayes Ranch as sponsors in the Bronc Riding. He has won the world champion before, and his two younger brothers also ride.  The Wright boys have all been at the Living Legacy Sale, and we have had the chance to meet. We were there for Round 4 which Jesse Wright won and Cody was second. Jesse ended up winning the World Championship!

DP and Cody Wright

We are already planning on taking in the 2013 National Finals Rodeo. It was a great time with amazing shopping as well. Country Christmas is actually like 4 venues! If you get the chance to go, take it!

Of course I had to take a photo of what I wore to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for all my blog buddies to see. Enjoy!

Sequin Shirt: Lane Bryant/ Jeans: Lane Bryant
Braclet: ILY Couture/Watch: Michael Kors
Necklace: Junk Gypsy

{Sale Day Fashion} Janssen & December to Remember

Well...Well.... hello!

I know... I know... I am rather behind.

But guess what? Fall sale season has now been completed which means I have more time to devote to blogging!

Let's start with this sale day fashion from The Chosen Few at Janssen Farms. I'll be honest. It was pretty chilly and I might have worn my jacket most of the time. But of course, I did put an outfit together for that day, no matter how much it actually got seen.

Black Button Up: Lane Bryant/ Sweater: Tommy Hilfiger
Jeans: Seven by Lane Bryant/ Boots: Luchese

The next weekend it was off to "A December to Remember" sale in Rockfield, KY. Drew and I went on behalf of DP Sales Management. Drew looked at cattle as a consultant, and I just hung out. It was a quick trip since it is only three hours away, but we did get to take in one of our favorite restaurants Shogun in Bowling Green. 

Shawl Sweater: Old Navy/ Watch: Michael Kors
Tee: Old Navy/Jeans: Seven by Lane Bryant

Earrings: Jamie's Jewels

For our final sale of the fall, I revisited one of my favorite outfits since I began the Sale Day Fashion segment of my blog. Check out what I wore at the New Direction Sale that I copied and used again for the Season Finale sale last weekend.

Hope everyone has enjoyed the Sale Day Fashion segment of my blog. We are done with sales for a little bit now, but I hope you will join me when we start up again in January/February!