Day Three/Four in New Orleans. And Mary Esther, FL.

As previously mentioned, I decided to do my own thing apart from my girls and head to Florida to speak to a group of women.

On the way there, I knew I needed to stop somewhere and look once more over my notecards (that matched up with my slideshow) to ensure I was 100% ready for the audience I would be addressing the next day.  I was on the LOOKOUT for a coffee shop.  This one worked just fine!

I handpaint all of my slides.  I have come to realize that because I have trouble staying focused to complete a task, if I can combine it with something I DO like doing, like watercolor painting, I can stay focused longer and get it done.

I'll talk more about my strengths program on another post, possibly even tomorrow.  This was the topic of my keynote speech to business owners and entrepeneurial women.

Would you LOOK at where I got to stay once there?  I stayed with a friend who is also a John Maxwell Team Member, and she lives on the sound here.

This is her every evening view.  I am only a tad bit jealous.

Meanwhile, back in West Monroe... Todd is having the girls take re-dunk-ulous pics in the morning and texting to them for me to post on Insta/ FB.  I am as cracked up by what he sends as is all of you who comment on how much you love when I am out of town and Toddthebod is in charge of the #grovesgirls pics!

Ok.  Back.
This is my friend, Barbara, on the right side of the table, operating my button machine!

She was an absolute awesome hostess, catering to my every whim AND helping me run my operation that evening.

I tend to always have my participants (if it is a primarily chick group) make their nametags with watercolors and Sharpies, and then we make buttons out of them.  They typically love that.

This is Melanie bright and early trying to wake up with a big ol cup of coffee.  I don't know what I ever did without drinking coffee.  I am a junkie.  And it is best when in a big round mug!

To really hit home the message I provided on knowing yourself and your teammates better by understanding your top 5 strengths, we anchored the learning with a mixed media project the next day.

We had a good showing!

First they decoupaged backgrounds.

Then painted their borders.

Then started choosing papers for their leaves and centers of the daisies.

I just love how every person's is so different, despite the instructions being so "same".

Here are a few of the finished products.

I LOVE the old book pages on this one.

and Erika got really creative by using gel sticks around every piece of cut paper she used in her background.

Miss Gail is the president of the American Business Women's Association, and check out her strengths.... those are some "get er done" strengths right there.

I love what she did with her background and the stencils and sprays.

And this... this I believe.  I am trying to more and more live into my purpose.

I used only the scraps to make that "Use your Gifts" canvas as a gift for my hostess.

We went to a local dive for our last dinner in Florida.

And thanks to Gail for the few pics I actually have of my speaking to the group.

Thanks to Anthropologie for making such a fabulous shawl!!

PHOTO BOMB!

Just a few more buttons, and we are done!

I think you would call this Destin.  We were sitting on the patio dining, and this is what we were looking at.

The time had come for me to head back to New Orleans to meet Todd.

He sent me one more morning pic, and this one was somewhat normal.  Ellie decided to run for Vice President of the Student Council.  She and I had made the poster the night before I left on this journey, although I knew she couldn't actually take it to school for another 6 days.  She is responsible enough to keep up with all of that AND get herself looking cute for the day they started the campaign.  Good job, Ell!  And good job, Gabs, for being such a good supportive sister!

Bye bye, Mary Esther, until next time.

I decided to take the scenic route and drive along Navarre Beach toward the interstate. 

I was struck by how turquoise the water was, but couldn't really get a good view of it from my car.

I pulled over at a public spot and walked out on the beach.  I kept thinking to myself, how in the world could I be right there in the towns where some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are and not even walk out onto one?!  And so I did.

And there were shells everywhere.  I have been a shell collector since I was a little girl.  I was in white jeans, a dressy top, and absolutely looked like a fish out of water, but I couldn't stop looking for shells!

I actually took home a really nice collection!

This is a panoramic pic, but would you look at the color of that water?!

And this!!  I told Staci and Mom that we HAD to go back to this place someday soon.

And after I talked to Todd, I realized he had rented a car to drive to N.O. so that we could ride back together vs having two vehicles.  If I didn't hightail it, he would be waiting for me at the rental car joint in a not-so-good part of town. With that in mind, I was on my merry way.

Back through the Mobile Bay tunnel, passing back into Alabama.

across the Lake Ponchatrain Bridge, meaning I was back in my hemostate of Louisiana...

and pulling right into downtown New Orleans as Todd calls me and tells me he just arrived.  Would you believe with me coming from Florida, and him from West Monroe, we both arrived at exactly the same spot within about 8 minutes of each other? HE walked in the rental place, dropped off the keys, grabbed his bags, walked outside to the sidewalk, and I drove up!

Now THAT my friends, is HIGH FAVOR!

Mo