Merry Christmas

I could watch this video over and over! This is my adorable niece, Reese Perkins (2 years old) and she is excited about Christmas this year! She loves to drive around with mommy & daddy (and Aunt T when I flew to Dallas over the holidays!) She knows who Santa is and asked him for a "red tinkerbell" (the red headed tinkerbell) She knows all the words to Christmas songs, and especially loves singing "Santa Clause is coming to town."

Sam Mason singing at Carols By Candlelight

This is my father in law singing at a huge church program called "Carols By Candlelight" in Jackson Mississippi!
Amazing Job Mr. Mason!

Traditions

Do you have any family Christmas or Hannakuh traditions? This year Bryan is spending Christmas with me and my family for the first time, and I'm so excited to share my family traditions with him!

Christmas Eve: My family all goes to Houston to my parents house, and after we enjoy a Christmas meal, we go into one of my favorite rooms in our house (one of the living rooms) and we give each other Christmas gifts! There is one tradition that I get very stressed about. (only when people forget to put on the hat or get bored of this tradition!) Whoever is GIVING the gift, MUST wear a santa hat while giving it to the other family member. The person that has just been given a gift then puts on the Santa Hat, goes to pick a gift and gives it to another family member.
After all the gifts are open, the room is a mess with wrapping paper and goodies, we leave a note for Santa along with Milk and Cookies. Then all the kids (me, my sister, my brother, Reese my niece and our husbands, Kevin and Bryan) go to sleep! I think Mr. and Mrs. Lowther get some sleep, they have to cause that's when SANTA comes!

Christmas Morning:
We (siblings & husbands) wait for each other to wake up, and then we walk down the stairs together in order of age! (pam's idea, she calls it "RANK" I think she created this tradition so she would always go first down the stairs) When we get to the bottom, usually my mom and dad are standing there with cameras and then we run to our stockings and the christmas tree to see what santa brought us!
Santa also leaves a trail of a million hershey kisses on the places that he walks around the house! He also responds to our christmas notes for him, and he even thanks us for the cookies!

After we open gifts, we race to see who can pick up the most hershey kisses and put thm in our stocking. Oh! I almost forgot my FAVORITE tradition of all!! About 10 years ago I gave my older sister, Pam, a paid of HUGE grandma panties wrapped in a box from Victoria's secret to play a prank on her! The next year, she had sewn something on the same pair of giant panties, wrapped in the same box and gave the pair back to me. Since then, every year whoever has the panties adds something to the panties and gives it in the same box wrapped as a fancy gift to the other sister. It is always entertaining, and truly a tradition that is silly, but special between my sister and I.

I was spoiled ever since I was born! 

                                     Pam (my older sister) and I have ALWAYS loved Christmas

Giant Panties after 10 years of our tradition of adding something & re-gifting

My dad ALWAYS gives my mom the most romantic gift! I love their love. 

I'm getting so excited to spend Christmas with my family! What are you excited about this season? HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Cheers! 

Hollywood Mom Blog

Hey friends! While working in casting on a variety of TV shows and especially my current gig casting kids for a candid kids show produced by Ryan Seacrest, many parents have sent me followup emails asking for guidance on what it takes to have their child work in showbiz, and what steps to take as a parent looking to get their child more auditions, an agent, acting classes, headshots, etc.

For all the parents out there, I have a great website to recommend to you! 
My friend Tracy Bobbit, is the creator and writer for  www.hollywoodmomblog.com. 

"Hollywood Mom Blog is the brainchild of Tracy Bobbitt, the mother of an aspiring child actor who has her finger firmly on the pulse of the entertainment industry as it relates to child actors and their parents and the hectic lives of today’s moms; the daily balancing act of marriage, motherhood and business in the glamor capital of the USA.  With a background in writing, film production, design and marketing and as the spouse of award-winning Feature Film Property Master, Russell Bobbitt, Tracy is more than qualified to helm the tour bus on your bumpy ride through La La Land.

Even if you don’t live in Hollywood, if you find yourself juggling multiple jobs, events and responsibilities while pursuing your child’s passions and you do it with the facade of glamorous calm, YOU my friend are a HOLLYWOOD MOM."


Check it out! 

 

MDX Guitars, more than just custom made…

(Press Release) – Dec 06, 2010

For over twenty five years Dwight Maddox has created incredible custom made guitars for members of Blind Melon, L7, FREEKBASS, R.L. Burnside, Zac Brown Band, Train and 3 Doors Down just to name a few. He is now starting a new project with Ray Scheuring, Bret Michaels’ bass player. Each guitar is made from raw cut wood, hand picked by Dwight, and crafted with precision. He consults with each artist about what they want their guitar to look like, and pays attention to every detail requested. Several artists have commented on how their guitar is more than just a guitar, it’s a piece of art.

Cowboy Mouth’s lead guitarist John Thomas Griffith says “What thrills me most about working with Dwight and MDX Guitars, is his unselfishness to allow the guitarist to be an integral part of the design and choice of features. He has an uncanny southern charm, and 'there’s nothing I can't do' attitude. My blue suede MDX guitar is everything I'd hoped for. Versatile, with a capital 'V'. Great tone on the neck pickups, and bite from the bridge pickups. A solid well made guitar, hands down!”

Dwight Maddox is a man of many talents. Not only has he been making exquisite handmade custom guitars, he has embarked upon something that could help thousands of youths get food, shelter, and medical attention. Dwight is taking the scrap wood from each of the guitars he creates to make one of a kind hand made ink pens. Each pen set that is made comes with a certificate signed by Dwight, and the artist he’s made the guitar for. Each item sold will benefit the Better Life Foundation (www.thebetterlifefoundation.org). The Better Life Foundation was started by the band 3 Doors Down seven years ago, and has been benefiting hospitals, and other organizations to help children in the Gulf Coast area. The mission of The Better Life Foundation is all encompassing, to make positive changes in the lives of children, whether that be food, shelter or medical assistance to name a few. Each and every year the foundation works to raise funds to donate to various organizations and hospitals they believe will help them further this cause. Each guitar that Dwight makes can yield up to two hundred pens, all hand made to benefit this amazing cause.

Through his many years of touring with Cowboy Mouth as the Guitar Tech, Dwight has had the opportunity to meet a plethora of celebrities from the rock-n-roll world, television, and movies. One of these celebs is a fan of Cowboy Mouth, and would bring the band sushi to their bus, way before we saw him on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. During the summer of 2010, Dwight created the Pork Chop guitar for Guy Fieri, and it’s currently featured on the set of Guy’s Big Bite. The scrap wood from the Pork Chop guitar has been re-purposed into food flippers instead of ink pens because this guitar looks like a pork chop with a fork stuck in it. The Pig Tail Food Flipper replaces spatulas, tongs and forks. It turns, flips, moves and carries food in a flash. It doesn’t scrape up grease like a spatula and will not bleed or mark meats. These handcrafted culinary masterpieces are a perfect addition to any kitchen.

Visit www.mdxguitars.com for more information.

Tacky Christmas Sweaters

My sister Pam invited me to go with her to a "Tacky Christmas Sweater Party" while I'm visiting her in Dallas next week! I've never gone to one of these parties, so naturally, I went out to look for my outfit! Here are a few that I found!

I'm thinking jingle bell earings and a tacky christmas purse will complete the outfit! Stay Tuned! 

Thanksgiving With The Masons

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving! I had my first thanksgiving with Bryan's family and it was wonderful! We had two thanksgiving celebrations, first at the Mason's home in Jackson with Bryan's grandfather, "Gin Gin" Mason and then with the Clark family in Florida. (his mom's family)
                                       
                                  Susan Mason had a gorgeous thanksgiving display at her home!

Bryan and Gin Gin

Bryan and Mr. and Mrs. Mason 

Bryan and His Dad Golfing in Florida 

Me and B watching the Egg Bowl where MSU won! 

After spending Thanksgiving in Jackson with Gin Gin, we drove to Florida and stayed at a beautiful condo on the beach! Thank you Mason and Clark family for hosting thanksgiving, Bryan and I had a fabulous week spending time with family! 

Holiday gift for foodies who grill! pigtail food flipper made from Fieri's "PorkChop"

Chef Guy Fieri from the Food Network sent a Tweet out about my Uncle's latest design!

"Check out da sweet pigtail flipper made from scraps left from making da “Pork Chop” Guitar!. Get yers! http://mdxguitars.com"


Tweet from Guy Fieri

Moving On Up!

Today Bryan and I are moving from a studio on the 2nd floor of our building and upgrading to a one-bedroom on the 4th floor, perfect for a family of 2. I feel like we are really newlyweds moving into "our" first place!
When Bryan moved to LA from NYC, my single-girl shabby chic (tiny) studio turned into a hodge-podge of bachelor pad "manly things" mixed with pink, girlie, feminine decor. We called it our "love nest." But it's time we upgrade for more space and find a balance between feminine and masculine to create something that says "us" when decorating! Another fun perk, I get my very own walk-in closet! Yeah! 

Well, I better stop blogging and get back to helping Bryan move these boxes upstairs to apt 426! 

Thanksgiving Decor with Kristen Hilyard

Sweet Girl Sometimes

If you love celebrity gossip, there's a new blog out you gotta check out! Sorry Perez, but you've been replaced by "Sweet Girl Sometimes" Hollywood blogger, Holly Passalaqua, AKA @a_cinnamon_girl on twitter! She is a Hollywood Guru writer that you gotta check out for yourself! Enjoy!
www.sweetgirlsometimes.tumblr.com  

Cute Gift Idea

My friend and celebrity blogger, Tracy Bobbitt, (creator of the most fabulous Hollywoodmomblog.com) just posted on her blog the cutest holiday gift idea that  i just had to share!
Check out her blog for more details on these witty workout towels by WORDS TO SWEAT BY.
Hollywoodmomblog.com

"All WTSB towels are sure to motivate while lightening both your spirit and your waistline!  Each workout towel measures 16×24, is appliquéd with an original mantra and conveniently packaged in a cute little organza bag – just right for stocking stuffers and holiday gifts."

Thanks for sharing Hollywood Mom!

   

Proud To Be A Bulldog

Do you have Amazing Kids?

From Executive Producer, RYAN SEACREST, comes a new major cable network show….

Do you have an AMAZING KID? Does your kid crack you up? Have you ever thought, “My kid should be on TV?” We are searching for every-day kids between the ages of 5 to 11 years old that are clever, funny and have the gift of gab for an upcoming TV series.

We’re not looking for actors, just cool kids with outgoing personalities and something to say.

If this is your kid, we want to meet them!

For more information or to apply for the show contact Teresa Mason, Casting Assocaiate  TERESAMLOWTHER@GMAIL.COM

http://celebrifi.com/gossip/Brad-Garrett-to-host-TLC-childrens-show-3590032.html#

P.S.

Bryan is taking me out to eat tonight for my birthday, not sure where he is taking me (it's a surprise) but somewhere in LA! Birthdays are so much fun! He also surprised me with a cake that he ordered from a West Hollywood bakery, he made sure to get sprinkles (I love sprinkles!) and pink icing! How thoughtful is my hubby? Being married is fun, especially during Birthday Week! Today was a good day!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today I turned 28! Just thought I would post about myself, after all it is MY birthday today!
(and Kim Kardashian's but this blog is about ME) ...thank you to my family and friends who have given me beautiful, wonderful  memories for the past 28 years!