Category: Life

Extended Leave of Blogging

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

I’m sorry, deprived blog! I didn’t know how much a tiny human would take over my time!

Some updates since my last post, nearly two years ago:
1. I’ve created another tiny human! He is three months old now and his name is Matthew. :)
2. We are still amidst the ‘rona blues from 2020 that have creeped into this year of 2021… I know we all just want life to resume normally again at some point! Hopefully soon.
3. Due to the seriously concerning news censoring and sensationalizing that was happening on Social Media platforms, as well as just how much public information was out there about me and my family… I permanently deleted my accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Yep.
4. I’ve changed jobs! I now have my own marketing business and have three clients! Whoooo! (More to come on this!)
5. We bought a house and are elbows deep in all of the improvement projects you could think of. (We put up an electric entrance gate this past week! whoo! Re-done fences… irrigation system installation…. built a play set… garage shelving…. skinning shed… (yes you read that right). and more to do!)

And those are my updates! More to come soon (pinky promise)!

No Longer A Follower

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

I did it.

I think I finally cut my Facebook addiction chain!

Several times over the past few years, I have realized that I had an ever-scrolling Facebook addiction and then proceeded to demand that I quit by deleting the application off of my phone. … only to find myself logging in on the website instead for a few weeks before re-installing the app.

I read a few years ago about a lady who said she unfriended everyone on her facebook other than her husband so that she didn’t lose her data and could use it as a scrapbook. (referenced here) While that takes gumption and is admirable in its own value.. it also takes an immense amount of TIME to unfriend everyone one-by-one!

But yet still… I found myself realizing that I spend an immense amount of time continuously scrolling on Facebook in any and every spare second I have. And if you asked me to recall ONE thing I read, I honestly don’t think I could. I’m sure that since the start of the year, the amount of time I have spent on Facebook could have been used to read like 20 books or more! And that would have been information that I could retain –  and by doing so would do me good for improving my overall concentration and vocabulary.

Side note: Have you noticed that we have become a skimmer society??? We read 300 word Facebook ‘articles’ and STILL SKIM over the information. If it’s not a meme we don’t even read every word of what we are reading! We have become LAZY PEOPLE – our eyes and our minds! It’s EXHAUSTING and FRUSTRATING that I frequently spend the time drafting a beautiful email with great information just to have NO RESPONSES to it because it was ‘too long’ to read! SKIMMERS! (although I am included in this visa-versa as well)

So, I was faced with a dilemma. I didn’t want to unfriend everyone (or take the time to do so) because I DO want to be able to interact with them… but the addiction also had to stop.

So.

There is this nifty little settings feature called ‘newsfeed preferences’. You can UNFOLLOW any friend or page by tapping on the profile photo on this LOOOOONG list of everyone you follow.

So I did it.
I unfollowed everyone.

Okay, I didn’t unfollow my husband or the pages I manage (three), but I DID unfollow EVERYONE ELSE.

So now, if I really have something I want to share or post, I can still do so and all of my friends can interact with me and I with them… but i’m NOT constantly updating and refreshing my newsfeed – because – there’s nothing but ‘suggested posts’ and advertisements there! Who wants to scroll through that? Not me!

Ha! I win, Facebook!
I. WIN!
I’m cutting my addiction off and reclaiming my right thumb as mine!
(Maybe I will save myself from a few years before I get carpal tonal or arthritis.)

…it’s only been 18 hours or so, but i’ll let y’all know how it fares. So far, so good! :)

A Birth Story: Just call me ‘Precipitous’

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Maybe you’re pregnant, maybe you’re not – Whatever the reason you’ve found yourself interested in a version of a labor and delivery story, I welcome you to read all you can, especially if you’re expecting your first baby or are a support person for someone who is. Before I had our baby I read and read, and even watched birth story videos all I could. I wanted to hear all of the first hand accounts available, to know what I could expect. The best piece of knowledge I gleaned from all of that reading and watching, is that every single experience was completely different. Not one was the same at all! So keeping that information in mind, I give you, my detailed, and some would say extreme, birth story:

(*Disclaimer: If you are a male who knows me, I strongly discourage you from reading the personal and intimate details below. Thank you!)

Precipitous Labor:
“The term precipitate or precipitous labor has been defined as a labor that lasts no more than three hours from onset of regular contractions to delivery.” (uptodate.com)

This is the term that describes my delivery in my discharge hospital report.
Thankfully, we live in a small town with an amazing hospital, so it takes us less than 5 minutes from our home to drive there. If I would have planned on driving to San Antonio from our home for delivery – I for sure would have had our baby on the roadside.

While pregnant, I wondered if I could do labor without needing an epidural. I wondered if I was strong enough. You can’t know what your pain tolerance is until you have experienced that pain before, and I also think that pain is relative to not only what you have experienced before, but also to each person.

I can’t say I ever got to the point of impatience with waiting as so many other pregnant people have complained about – but I also kept myself extremely busy with my work up until baby decided to come… and he also came three weeks early – but he was so ready to come!

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Taken on January 20, 2018 when I was 34 weeks pregnant, 3 weeks before our baby was born.

Continue reading “A Birth Story: Just call me ‘Precipitous’” →

Protect The Mama’s

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

I’m not yet sure if it’s new motherhood specifically or motherhood as a continual journey that finds us at the point of needing to protect ourselves, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, from the struggles of the demands of life that pulls at all angles, but I can tell you that so far in my 9 months of being a mother, I have found this to be evident.

I almost have to argue with myself, to protect me from running myself ragged.
Whether that is giving myself some slack for not having the dishes or laundry done,  encouraging myself to eat more, start exercising, or to set aside the time to pray and be alone, I seemingly have to protect myself from me and  the world that constantly pulls from every direction, including online pretenses.

Go away, Pinterest-perfect, absolute shams and façades of a perfect life, Facebook and Instagram posts I see from my friends.
Go. Away.
I KNOW you also are struggling.
I have seen where you live and have met your family – and things are not always what they appear.

I see through your perfect photos and filters and I refuse to try to hold myself to an unachievable pinnacle of Stepford Wives domestic perfection.

What is a magazine-worthy home, with children addicted to phones and iPad’s, a commonly absent spouse to support the cost, and an anxiety-ridden mother run ragged trying to keep up with the next issue’s subliminal pressure of perfection anyway?

I see the photo of your combination Hello Fresh/ Papered Chef/ Le Crusét meal in your beautiful kitchen… But I know you’re eating alone at your counter with dishes in your sink, tracking the likes and comments on Facebook, while your children eat on TV trays or not at all. (And that’s okay, because we’re all in the same broken world just trying to make it.)

I love Jesus, but I cuss a little.
I love eating, but I hate cooking. (or rather planning to cook)
I’ll wear makeup, but have 3-day-old-hair.
I love my little family, but I am also tired.
I love people, but the general public can be taxing on a soul.

Every extrovert needs their re-charge time – and I have to protect me, from me! So help a mama out and be real. We can share in the joy and beauty of life – but also addressing the mundane and relatable struggles we all face are imperative to our friendships and relationships. Whether we see it or not, our social media presence is a form of camaraderie and fellowship. Take away the smoke and mirrors sometimes and be real, for the sake of the tired mama’s out there at least.

140 Days of Motherhood…

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

If you would have told me then, that only a short THREE weeks after I posted my last blog post I would be holding my baby in my arms, I think I would have melted with anxiety on the spot.

Because I value the birth story information that the big ol’ interwebs has to offer to first time mama’s-to-be, I will shamelessly be posting my labor and delivery experience soon in a different post, but in the meantime… just a few things I have learned over the past 140 days of motherhood…

  • I have fed our baby over 1,200 times with. my body. since the hour he was born. IMG_4590It takes about 30 minutes each time… which has been the total equivalent of 36,000 minutes, 600 hours, or TWENTY FIVE FULL DAYS  …however you choose to process that information best. Basically, growing a human inside, and outside the womb, is impressive, amazing, and commendable – so CONGRATULATIONS to all mama’s out there.
  • Nothing is comparable or the same to anyone else. Your body is different. Your baby is different. Your marriage is different. Your house is different. And Lord knows.. your (my) extended family is definitely different.
  • Time goes so fast! Everyone says it, and they do because it is true. It’s like BOOM – it’s almost July and I just had Christmas. I need to be planning Christmas events again, and I am in complete shock from this.
  • Pack. Extra. Clothes. For both yourself and baby. Trust me.
  • Do NOT put off for tomorrow what can be done RIGHT NOW! Don’t! If baby is sleeping and you need to start making supper- Be like Nike and JUST DO IT.
  • People remember and speak most about the negative things. Breastfeeding is hard. But it is not terrible and is manageable. Which brings me to:
  • Ask for and accept all help.
  • (Side note: If you can’t breastfeed YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE and are still an amazing mama! Find and befriend the lactation consultant in your area, and get all the advice you can, but if feeding your baby formula is going to take that elephant of stress off of your shoulders – A FED BABY IS THE BEST BABY. My little guy had to have formula for the first time last week (while at his first week of childcare during my work day, while I pump my stock milk supply back up..) and I was entirely way too stressed out over it for some weird reason. He didn’t notice a difference whatsoever from breastmilk to formula – much to my secret annoyance and disappointment. Also – Pumping is annoying, whatever the lady-term for emasculating is, and super hard to figure out where it fits into your day.. but you’ll figure it out. Ask for help and advice!)
  • Walk away when your husband starts to help. Let him figure it out on his own and don’t micromanage. Husbands are tender things and they need their pride – which involves their wives not making them feel like a kindergartener who has been given a special duty for the day.
  • Multi-use items are the bomb.
  • Don’t over buy, and don’t buy everything new. They have been manufacturing childcare items literally for centuries. Stuff is out there for second-hand purchase, and so much will be given to you by those sifting through dusty store-rooms of their treasured and long-past baby-raising years.
  • WRITE THANK YOU CARDS. So you can sleep at night and face charitable friends and family when you meet them again.
  • People who give diapers and baby wipes at baby showers are SAINTS. Do not look at these presents with contempt and thoughts of lacking originality – they will SAVE YOUR LIFE ONE DAY. And you will truly use them!
  • Schedules and needs literally change day to day. Roll with the flow and figure it out as time goes on. There is no normal.
  • Do what you gotta do to maintain your sanity and life! Do you need to order pizza because it is 9:00pm, you finally finished feeding the hungry monster called a baby, and you haven’t eaten all day?? DO IT. Do you work best by using an app to keep track of your grocery shopping list, or are you a wander-the-aisles-and-figure-it-out kinda person? Doesn’t matter – Just survive! Do you need a few hours to yourself to soak in the tub, catch up on the ever scrollable facebook feed while drinking a few glasses of wine and (finally) shave your legs, and then update your deprived blog website?? Hahaha…. Guilty. :)

 

Are you a mama? What advice do you have??

33 Weeks 5 Days Pregnant – Update

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 3 Comments

Nesting-brain is REAL.

No joke. It has literally overtaken my life the past few days.

My husband and I made a deal that I wasn’t allowed to purchase anything for the baby until after my baby shower. I felt like that day would never get here.
(I only cracked once with a 4:00AM 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond purchase on the most amazing product ever – the Doona carseat.)

Two weekends ago, the board of directors for the organization I work for, surprised me with an amazing baby shower! I was so excited to have teeny tiny clothes and blankets to wash, and supplies to put away! I went out and bought special baby detergent (I really tried to justify using our normal detergent, because i’m sure my baby clothes weren’t washed with a different detergent… but apparently baby skin is super sensitive, as all of my mama-friends preached to me when I asked their opinion) just to wash it all with, and finally the mini chest of drawers in the corner of our bedroom was not empty!

I am forever grateful for the love and support of so many people in our lives, and even more so for a supportive work environment and co-workers/bosses (of a sort).

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The planned baby shower was this past weekend and put on by my 1st cousin (our mothers are sisters, although I think we are closer than your average cousins – she’s more like my sister).

It was amazing! We decided to forego the corny baby shower games, and instead just mingle. ..and of course open up presents! There were so many!

That afternoon when I got home, I started un-packaging and putting away everything, and yet again washing teeny-tiny clothes and blankets in special detergent, and then continuing to put away and organize. Husband put together the mini-crib while I sat nearby with encouraging words. (Honestly, I think building put-it-together furniture should be a marriage pre-requisite. If you can survive that, then you’re good to go.)

Putting away all of those gifts must have set some serious suppressed hormones in motion, because since that point I have been on an unending spree.

A shopping, buying, preparing, scouring, organizing, crazy spree.

I bought shelving for under our kitchen sink (and it’s beautiful).

I have re-folded and re-arranged every drawer in our dresser.

I have scrubbed our baseboards and vacuumed out my car.

I have an amazon wish-list that scrolls for days with all sorts of items to organize our life with.

I made a rash decision and bought an extremely heavy antique buffet I was convinced was a good price and could be refurbished into a changing dresser and table. ..and then spent the difference of what I could have bought a brand new one for online, in paint and painting supplies… I am my mothers daughter, evidently. 🤦🏼‍♀️
(Husband has since made me see the light of my mistake and thankfully the antique store owners are letting me return the piece tomorrow. This experience has also inspired him (after a he witnessed a few hours of crying and freak-out nesting-brain) to build a changing table for me! (and i’m holding him to it. Update on it to come (hopefully) very soon!)

The nesting-brain is strong, y’all.
It has overpowered my every thought for only four days, and it feels like a month.

Don’t. mess. with nesting-brain.

Vermicelli

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Vermicelli.
It’s also called Fideo.

Original Vermicelli

Faraon Vermicelli

Now, i’ve only eaten Ramen Noodles a handful of times (I know, shocking). But Vermicelli/Fideo…
I was practically raised on it.

This may come as surprising to anyone who knows me and might be reading this, because Vermicelli, like its Asian cousin the Ramen Noodle, is not just known for being a staple food item for the ‘lower class’ –  in my area of Southwest Texas, it is commonly associated as a meal for ranch day-hands.

It’s been over 10 years since i’ve last eaten it, and I made it tonight. Continue reading “Vermicelli” →

Pregnancy Excitement (and Woes)

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Yay! Baby Dühring is expected March 1st, 2018!

We found out through a blood test pretty early on (16 weeks) that he is a boy and we have decided to name him Owen.

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I am now almost 31 weeks along and this pregnancy journey has been an interesting ride so far. Although I am ‘due’ on March 1st, and have been so excited about a March birthdate baby, I have realized that due dates are set at 40 weeks, and ‘full term’ is 37-40 – so it is quite likely we will have a February baby. This recent realization only has me more excited that in around SIX weeks I could be holding our baby in my arms!

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Although every person and each pregnancy is very different, I have learned a few things in my 1st and 2nd trimester experience:

Pregnancy ‘tales’ that hold true:
-The first trimester will be miserable.
Think living zombie mode 24/7 until you wake up on week 13 and it seems as if you have magically become a brand new once-again-functioning person. 1st trimester nausea is unrivaled in sucky-ness. There is no quick-fix feel-better cure, either. Ginger Ale only helped so much, and peppermint tea is terrible. You’ll feel sick because you haven’t eaten, and feel sick when you try to. I am immensely thankful that I only ‘got sick’ one time, and wasn’t best friends with the porcelain throne day in and day out, as many others I know were.

-Sleeping will become uncomfortable.
After about week 16, get used to building pillow forts.
Giant, ridiculous pillow forts.
If you don’t have at least a queen size bed to share with your spouse, things are going to get real uncomfortable, real fast. I am so thankful for our king size bed at the moment.
I love you, husband, but me and my pillows need our space. Continue reading “Pregnancy Excitement (and Woes)” →

Out With The Old

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

As I sit here in the fresh, cold air-conditioning of Cavender Toyota in San Antonio (while husband drools over a few trucks and we wait for my car to be serviced), I can’t help but think of my contentment. Mostly for life in general, but also productivity and work-wise.

We have had an iPad mini for a while – but bought it as a toy without really a purpose and haven’t used it very often. We recently were at our local AT&T store and noticed the awesome ZAGG Folio Keyboard/Case that one of the associates had and thought it would be easier to use our iPad mini with a keyboard attachment than the LifeProof case we have always had it in. Googled it – yes, they do make them for mini’s!

‘lil Mini iPad with ZaggFolio Keyboard Case

Found one for half-price on EBay and a few days later… we have an adorable mini-laptop that is super user-friendly!
It had been set-up on my husbands iCloud account, but he realized how much more I would use it with the handy keyboard (he is a chicken-pecker-typist) and told me to set it up with mine! I did – and now… all of my amazing apps sync seamlessly with my iPhone, iPad Mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac at work. I LOVE it so much!
I have been trying to avoid adding my work emails to my phone to encourage healthy ‘switching off’ habits, which I really have a hard time doing, and now with ‘lil iPad in the mix, I have found a happy solution! I added my work accounts to the iPad, and only have them on a manual fetch instead of push, so I can have access to them if I need to – and honestly who would rather type an email on a phone than full qwerty keyboard anyway? No one, that’s who. Continue reading “Out With The Old” →

Bietjie bietjie, y’all.

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

6 weeks into the new job and things are lookin’ good!
I did survive the voicemail system (thank goodness for phone technicians) as well as our annual banquet, and am getting a handle on all things ‘Chamber’!

If you are wondering what the title of this post means (or whether I just made up some words), the Afrikaans translation of ‘bietjie bitjie’ is ‘little by little’ – and y’all translates from Texan to ‘you all’. ;)
Little by little, I am making 2017 progress. From new job tasks to joining a new church, to improvements on our little house, things are going well and I am so thankful! Now if only I could start a habit of working out. Ha. We just can’t win everywhere. :)

While there is still a huge mound (Huge. Major. *in Trump voice) of general work to get through at the chamber, I am focused this week on working through the logistics of implementing a new spring event: Corks and Kegs Queso Fest.
Yes. I know. It’s awesome – and I hope it will be a roaring success!
Food trucks, Vendors, Music, Texas Hill Country Wine and Craft beer, and a Queso Competition?
Sí, por favor.  Sí.

While they have big ol’ wine fests farther north in the Hill Country with German themes, we are going to South-Texas-fy it and have mariachi music, folklórico, Mexican imports, enchiladas, empanadas, queso, and a fiesta of a good time. (Matter of fact, Fiesta winery is on my invite list.)

Stay tuned for updates on this amazing event! Logo, Facebook page and all, coming soon!
(Date set for Saturday, March 25th, 2017)

In the meantime, check out this video for a briefing on some of the things that make Uvalde County great!

Settlin’ in.

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Hello there, 2nd week of 2017.
How you doin’? (In the Boston accent)

Going pretty dern good so far. I am getting my head above water in the new job – still so much to do though. So, so much. Oy vey. Pray for me, y’all. (I’m pretty sure the voicemail system may give me a hernia.)

As far as the resolutions go…. meh.
It’s only the second week though, so lets give ourselves a break.

I have gotten the meal planning thing down purdy good – even bought all my groceries for each meal this week from my handy dandy app, Paprika. What I have not accomplished once is working out or running. Ha. Surprise? I think not.
But, in case you haven’t heard, we did recently have a Texas blizzard.
No, not like you’re thinking. No snow or anything – it just got so cold here (18*F) that we Texans didn’t know how to function anymore. But that’s okay – clear skies and sunshine into the high 70*’s later this week. Hallelujah!

We have gone to church every Sunday so far, and have tried out a new church closer to home. So far we have really enjoyed it and look forward to next Sunday. Instead of attending my super-awesome girls bible study group tonight I went to a Jr. High basketball game to watch my little cousin, Kaylea, play. It was much more entertaining than I anticipated. The coach of the opposing team was hilarious – I can’t even explain his erratic body language and odd comments. He had everyone, including his own team, in awe of his demeanor- some with stifled giggles and others with shocked faces that just couldn’t look away. Throughout the game I reflected on how thankful I am for my former athletic career, as well as the impactful and respectful coaches and teachers I had the opportunity to be molded by. We were a great team. Aggressive, but also full of sportsmanship. If we ‘accidentally’ or otherwise knocked an opposing player down, and didn’t offer a hand to help them up, you better believe we were on the bench the rest of the game. That mentality was certainly not the case here, and it disappointed me very much.

Not too many updates today.
Until next time. Night night!

Goodbye, 2016!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 9 Comments

Man, oh man. What a year, y’all.

We moved back to Texas, remodeled a tiny house, got a puppy (Boykin Spaniel- Xena), went skiing for the fist time, experienced Universal Studios and Disney Land, I got my braces off (HALLELUJAH), got a new car, bought my first compound bow and discovered the love of archery, got my concealed handgun license, became a Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunters Education Instructor, planned weddings, fed many-a-Giraffe, Kangaroo, and Camel, drove military tanks and fired artillery, and learned a lot about myself both professionally and personally.

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I think that during the last week of December, most people tend to feel a bit reflective and introspective naturally – but this particular week of 2016 has me feeling that way much more than in years past.

This Friday, December 30th, will be my last day of work as Event Coordinator for the Ox Ranch due to my acceptance of a new position – as Executive Director of the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce. While I have immensely enjoyed my time with the Ox Ranch – I am so very excited for my new job! I feel so grateful for this opportunity and am extremely hopeful for all of the awesomeness 2017 surely has in store!

I LOVE that this year, we can wake up on Sunday, January 1st, 2017 and begin a new day, week, month, and year. How refreshing is that?!
I hope to begin that particular day with my husband and I sitting in a church pew, giving thanks for all that 2016 has brought us, and that 2017 will as well.  Continue reading “Goodbye, 2016!” →

Wedding Planning 101

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

“Hi, yes.. We would like to have 400 guests, and our budget is $10k.”

I get inquiries similar to this all the time.
If you are engaged and starting to plan your wedding, before you tell every person you know that they are on your guest list, a reality check is going to need to come into play.
Practical. Finances. Continue reading “Wedding Planning 101” →

The ‘Six Day Notice’ Wedding

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Oh, the wedding that I had six days to plan…
It turned out to be amazing!

I did accomplish everything on my checklist- and it all looked so beautiful.
As with all weddings, we ended up having some logistic problems (crises), but they were sorted out as well as could be, and sometimes you just have to remind yourself: “que sera, sera”.

They exchanged their nuptials under our custom-built cedar and chiffon chuppah adorned with a beautiful spray of flowers, and drove off into the sunset on our Abbott Tank. Continue reading “The ‘Six Day Notice’ Wedding” →

“We’re getting married… in SIX DAYS.”

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 4 Comments

Six. Seis. Ses. Sei. Sechs.
SIX. DAYS.

I’m currently on planning day #2- Sunday the third of July is their wedding date.

While I am so excited for us to have our first wedding on the property- there is so much to do! Continue reading ““We’re getting married… in SIX DAYS.”” →

Event Coordinator? Why, that’s me!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Hello there, long lost blogging world!

I can’t believe I haven’t posted in almost five months!
Life can certainly get busy and change – and quickly, too! Continue reading “Event Coordinator? Why, that’s me!” →

Cowboy Mardi Gras!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

In case you didn’t catch my Instagram feed blow-up: We went to Cowboy Mardi Gras this past weekend, and almost needless to say with those words put together- it was so much fun! Although Mardi Gras is traditionally done by those over in that coastal area of Louisiana, when you give us Texans a party theme- we’ll probably do it bigger (and maybe better).

So, should you happen to find yourself in the San Antonio, Texas area during the next Mardi Gras time- I strongly suggest moseying on over to the little weekend town of Bandera. (The town has a resident population of 861- until Friday afternoons when it can skyrocket up to the thousands.)

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Cowboy Mardi Gras was originally started by the famous 11th Street Bar – which they argue is the ‘Biggest Little Bar in Texas’.

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This year’s festivity marked the 11th annual Cowboy Mardi Gras! Each year there is Cajun food cooked by food trucks hauled in from Louisiana, Costume Contests, Live Zydeco and Country Music, and the ever-anticipated Mardi Gras Parade. This year marked the first Gumbo cook off- and man did that food look good. Continue reading “Cowboy Mardi Gras!” →

Meal Planning Reality Check

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 16 Comments

I feel like I go to the grocery store all the time. Seriously.

Lately, every two days or so I end up needing a main ingredient to make for supper – at 5:30pm. This is pretty equal parts due to getting settled in a new living area, and lack of planning..
With classes starting up in a week and a half (eek! *heart palpitations*), I’m going to end up having even less preparation and organization time.
So something’s gotta give.
The solution is that i’ll be hopping on the meal-planning-bandwagon.

There are all sorts of benefits that come from meal planning – budgeting being an obvious one, but also only buying groceries once or twice a month, eating more healthily, and mostly, just having an easy, already thought out meal that’s ready to be tossed together in my kitchen.
So much easier than going to the grocery store at 6:00pm and eating at 8:00pm – and better for you, too!

I just downloaded the Paprika App for Mac, and although I haven’t added in any info other than having a bag of potatoes in my pantry, it looks AMAZING already.Screen Shot 2016-01-08 at 1.03.53 AM

I’m so excited to use it tomorrow! (It might be 1:00am as I type this, currently. whoops…. time management out the window with the night owl.) One of the reasons this app is so popular is because of its simplicity and effectiveness. I can add and save recipes that I either type out myself or that are pulled onto the app directly from the web, then add them to certain days of the month for particular meals (I will probably plan the whole rest of the month), and then the app generates a grocery list for me! Pure. Genius.

I think that the key for our utilization with us being a family of two, is going to be understanding where in our plan that we will eat leftovers, and ensuring that the recipes I choose aren’t too savory and amazing- resulting in a very expensive grocery store trip. You can’t eat a roast three times a week, you know? You have to throw in some lighter meals with less expensive cuts of meat.

I also think that this app may be a way for us (me) to experiment with a lot of recipes that I wouldn’t normally try. Yay for variety!

You’ll definitely be hearing how it goes in the near future!
Do you meal plan? How do you do it?!

 

P.s. Did you notice that I changed my blog logo from my (beloved) giraffe picture with the overlay of the flags, to just the flags?! I love it so much! I also added in an aqua vector pattern background. :) Oh, so much happiness!

New Year- New Blog Look!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Oh my goodness, y’all… I just love it SO much! I changed the theme on my blog, and it is just so amazing!! I don’t know why I was so apprehensive about doing it… It is a big change and it’s hard to go back if you decide you don’t like it- but as previously mentioned, I LOVE IT!

It’s the Penscratch theme (and did I mention I love it?). It is clean and crisp and lookie there –> My widget I love so much is no longer a hidden hard-to-find pop-out menu. Whoop whoop. I also love that the date and comments are able to be seen at the top of each post on the home page, and all of my pages are listed at the top! The only dislike I have, is the dark blue of the hyperlinks are hard to notice as you are reading, but alas, the rest makes up for it.

I hope you like it, too! Let me know! :)
Oh, happy day!

Blogging Tips and Tricks

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 3 Comments

Hello, there! Are you a blogger, or new to having a blog?
Whether it’s your New years’ resolution, you’re coming back to a dormant page, or you’re an avid post-maker, here are some tips for all bloggers alike. :)

Now, I don’t have the most ‘successful’ site, in the eyes of others – I don’t have sponsors, or over 1,000 followers, but I have posted 46 heart-felt posts and interacted with some pretty awesome people across the globe because of it since September 2014. Throughout the short lifetime of my blog, I can reflect on some learned tips that could be of use to others.

  • Firstly –Choose your blog name very wisely! – You can’t change this– so even though I am the ‘Texan in South Africa’ that is now back in Texas, that will go back every year for an undisclosed amount of time back to South Africa…. I really think that in hindsight, even though it seemed such a perfect name at the time, I could have picked a less concrete name to have gone with. If you know of a way to change your blog name on your blog- please do tell! I have done a bit of research and it seems the only way is to potentially upgrade to the paid platform or create a whole new blog- which is not an option for me- too many dear posts to lose!
  • Write down a blog schedule – Topics should be those that will inspire you and be easy to manage. Drafting a schedule makes goals- so start with just two posts a week on specific days – do that for a month and then increase to three. And you don’t have to sit down on the Tuesday you want to post- you can do them both on the same Sunday evening and schedule them to post on the days you want!
  • Interact with other blogs! <– This is a biggie! The only way you are Screen Shot 2016-01-02 at 12.05.48 PMgoing to increase your blogging confidence (therefore blogging more and completing your posting goals) is by getting a tad bit of traffic and feedback (comments) on your blog! And the only way that is going to happen is to go visit other blogs on your reader – follow a topic, (preferably one that is similar to your blog) pick one (I always pick blogs to read that don’t have thousands of followers- helping the other little guys out!), read it a bit, and then click that follow button – they will be sure to check yours out and then reciprocate that follow to yours! And don’t forget to join in on the conversation and COMMENT on a post! As a blogger speaking to a fellow blogger- comments are the hugs of the blogosphere, are they not?! They are the warm little notifications that someone has read your post you potentially spent hours on, enjoyed it, and taken the time to give you their thoughts back! Which brings me to our next bullet…  Continue reading “Blogging Tips and Tricks” →

Happy 1st Day of 2016!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

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Except for the fact that it is today instead of tomorrow, and it’s a leap year this year, Brad. ;) so 366 pages.

Oh, happy day! A whole year has come and gone, and a new one has taken its place. People all over the world for the next couple of weeks will be using that eraser to scratch out the ‘5’ and replace it with a ‘6’ for 2016 – I know I will be! I have to remind myself for weeks on end that it’s a new year- almost until the point that it’s the end of that year with a new one on the way again!

Did you notice on the home page? I changed the year on the copyright! It looks like i’m entering my third calendar year of blogging! Whoop whoop! I can’t wait for all that 2016 will bring- good and exciting things indeed- and I wish the same for you, too!

 

As far as resolutions are concerned, I can’t remember the last time that I sat down and wrote some out on a January 1st, so why not now? I am sitting, after all…

Victoria’s 2016 Resolutions/Goals:
–Be more patient.
–Be more kind.
–Be less critical of myself and others.
–Develop better time management. (Although i’m sure this will come on its own as soon as this school semester starts- yep, you read that right- school semester- stay tuned for that update..)
–Bring pilates back into my life as a daily routine. – this will require the purchasing of some mat equipment.
–Start running. (cliché, yes, I know… i’m sure that of all of the lists written across the globe today, this is probably the most common one, but it’s always a good one!)
-Hunt more. (duh)
-Join a Texas IDPA group
-Get my concealed handgun license.
-Curse less. (it’s a problem, i’ll admit)
-Take. More. Pictures!!
-Become a more confidant swimmer.
-Take a beach vacation.
-Read more (going back to time management…)
-Wake up earlier
-Stop settling for throwing my hair in a bun- appearances matter!
-Eat out less.
-Plan our meals- and buy accordingly.
-Create a financial budget.
-Get more crafty.
and last but not least,
-Blog more!

What are your New Years’ resolutions or goals? Do we have any that are the same?

Until next time!
I hope you had a most blessed and wonderfully refreshing January 1st, 2016!

P.s
As previously mentioned (again), I have been absent as of late due to the crazy busyness of life. A couple of things that I (we) have done in the last couple of weeks, includes remodeling a small house, surviving family encounters throughout the holiday season, and going hunting (although unsuccessfully) a couple of times. It even snowed while we were in the blind- in Del Rio of all places!

The air was so pretty filled with all of the dainty dancing white specks, and the Whitetail Deer looked to be having some fun with it, too.

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Update; NaBloPoMo Results

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

Well hello, hello there, long-lost friends!

As previously mentioned in my last post – we have been so busy since landing back in Texas- and I mean exceptionally busy! We have done our own tiling, flooring, paving, and all sorts of other remodeling projects. We are still getting our clothes out of a suitcase every day, but I do finally get a kitchen sink and cabinets installed in TWO days!
Bietjie bietjie maak baie! (← one of my most favorite Afrikaans sayings, and it translates to ‘little by little, makes a lot’!)
Moving to another country always has its little battles! Still on my list is to sort out medical insurance and university documents- but I am registered for classes! Bachelors of Arts of Interdisciplinary Studies, here I come! ….but give me a year and a half. :)

As for NaBloPoMo: Continue reading “Update; NaBloPoMo Results” →

We Are Here!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

So, as it turns out, there was zero airport entertainment in the way of quirky passengers or otherwise during our travels this time. So sad.

I apologize for my lack of posts- and yes- I technically failed at NaBloPoMo since my last November post was on the 23rd, and only managed to crank out one post on the ‘Thankfulness Challenge’. Whomp whomp. :( NaBloPoMo was still a really great try and a wonderful experience! My upcoming stats post is going to be pretty mind-blowing!

We literally hit the ground running once we landed back in Texas and have been excessively busy ever since- and there is STILL so much to do! We did make the wise decision to get away from all the madness this weekend and visit some friends at the coast- Baffin Bay. I’m so glad we did!

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It’s just past 11:00pm here now, and everyone except for me and a very attention-seeking Maltipoo (Maltese/Poodle cross) named Honey are outside fishing off of the pier. Continue reading “We Are Here!” →

As Close To Oblivion

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

 Here I am, once again at Brooklyn mall, pretty tipsy off of one glass of TriBeCa’s house Sauvignon Blanc, listening to none other than Robbie Wessels’ Grootste Treffers- the one at the moment being “Leeuloop”.  I just finished eating some super awesome chicken strips (my favorite) and it was such a huge serving, that it could have easily fed two. My super amazing cappuccino just arrived, and I’ve gotta tell you, that is certainly one thing I’m going to miss in upcoming weeks- the amazing coffee everywhere you go in South Africa.
 Seriously- this culture enjoys their coffee! I have been exceptionally spoiled with gourmet, properly made, high quality, coffee in the variety of cappuccinos, lattes, espressos, and filter coffee that hasn’t been sitting in a pot since 6:00AM. Ah, South African coffee, how I will miss you so. Continue reading “As Close To Oblivion” →

Thankfulness: Day 1

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

 Today I am thankful for:

My super awesome bible app on my phone, and the fact that I have the ability to have an iPhone.


Even though the word is literally right at my fingertips almost every minute of everyday, I still fail at bringing it into my life each day. I’m really hoping that this thirty day thankfulness challenge through scripture will change that and encourage me to make the amazing words of the bible be more a part of my daily life. Continue reading “Thankfulness: Day 1” →

Thankful Challenge

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

A friend of mine from a women’s bible study group I am part of back home in Texas, sent this to me at the beginning of November.


It is intended to be a “Thanksgiving Thankfulness” challenge, but I am a bit late catching the boat. I’m actually in my own kayak following the path the boat has left…  Continue reading “Thankful Challenge” →

Life in Limbo

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

It isn’t unusual for the week before our international departure to be a bit hectic; our lives go into a kind of limbo, even more than it usually is…

There are countless things to do:
*Get rid of all of the perishables from the fridge and pantry.
*Clean. the. whole. house.
*Service and prepare our vehicles that will be driven very minimally for the following months.
*Pack all clothes we want to take with us- which is always an immense hoard of winter clothing…
*Decide on and pack all of the other things we do or don’t want to bring with us- Mountain bikes? Bow? Mohair Coat? Play Station? Fishing Poles?
*and, the most difficult of all to manage- Spending time with family and friends. Continue reading “Life in Limbo” →

Never-ending Laundry

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Laundry is just one of those never-ending chores.
Laundry, Dishes, Sweeping, Mopping… As soon as you thought they were done, they are ready to be done all over again.

When I first moved to South Africa, I wasn’t too pleased with the fact that no one uses tumble dryers here- everyone hangs their clothes out on drying racks.

But shortly thereafter, I fell in love with laundry all over again. Continue reading “Never-ending Laundry” →

“Excuse Me.”

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Alright. You caught me. I missed posting yesterday. 😩 and I was doing so good! Two whole weeks! Only to have my lazy Sunday interrupt my perfect cycle. Ah, it’s still a personal record, anyway. NaBloPoMo is really just there for inspiration, and inspire me it has!

So, here I am today, at the Brooklyn Mall here in Pretoria sipping on some yummy coffee from the not-so-South-African Seattle Coffee Company. Lol This will probably be my last time at Brooklyn for at least six months, so you’d think I’d go and get coffee at TriBeCa, but no, I came here. I just didn’t want to walk further, okay! 😉 Continue reading ““Excuse Me.”” →

A Lifetime of Decisions

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

We make decisions every minute of everyday.
Conscious ones, unconscious ones, all the time.
Some we are thankful for for the rest of our lives.
Some we regret for the rest of our lives.
But every one, even the smallest one, does effect us.
Forgetting our keys and walking back inside the house?
Those two minutes could have saved you from a life-altering car crash, or put you in one. Continue reading “A Lifetime of Decisions” →

10 Funny Afrikaans Animals

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

It’s almost 4:00 in the afternoon over here in sunny South Africa, and this girl doesn’t have just so much to say today. So, in honor of NaBloPoMo, I’ll share with you some Afrikaans words that I find to be quite funny. It’s a very descriptive language, so sometimes direct translations can be pretty entertaining- with the animal names taking the cake. Enjoy!

Afrikaans Word: Ystervark 
Direct Translation: Iron Pig
English Word: Porcupine
Continue reading “10 Funny Afrikaans Animals” →

Afrikaans Language History

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever heard of the Afrikaans Language?
No?? Well, it is a pretty big deal over here.

South Africa has 11 national languages:  Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
However, English, Afrikaans, and Zulu are the most widely used across the rainbow nation.

Learning any language is always a good decision- it enables you not only to connect more intimately with other cultures, but also to know what people are saying when they think you are just the average American tourist. :)
If you are visiting South Africa any time soon, I suggest learning some Afrikaans phrases, as well as knowing the commonly used terms.

So, some history on the Afrikaans language:
(A bietjie geskiedenis op die Afrikaanse taal.) Continue reading “Afrikaans Language History” →

Sunday Funday 🍃🌲🚴🏻

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

Ahhh the laziness of yesterday was made up for today.

We are at Rosemary Hill today, but aren’t here for their fabulous morning or afternoon tea- we came to cycle.

Rosemary Hill is located just east of Pretoria and they are well-known for having a truly awesome mountain biking trail. (6km/10km) …but I’ve gotta admit – I chickened out and stopped at the 5km mark. My husband kept going and did the full 10km’s. He said it was awesome. It has a huge hill, and several tricky parts. And if he is saying they’re tricky, you better be a bit experienced to handle them. He also said you ride through abandoned buildings, and there are portions where you can choose the ‘chicken’ or ‘bull’ path. The first 5km’s that I can tell you about from experience, has about six spots with little hill-bridges and a whole forest portion with some tight turns.

 

The first little bridge ramp- by far the smallest, but the only one I could get a picture of easily.

Continue reading “Sunday Funday 🍃🌲🚴🏻” →

Saturday Blues

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

This is a pity post.
It’s existence is merely due to my vow to complete NaBloPoMo this month.

Even though it’s only 1:25pm at this exact moment, and there is still more of the day to happen, it has not been the most amazing day. Not that every day has to be amazing to have meaning.
Today means that I was able to relax and have time all to myself at home.
Sometimes that is good for mental well-being.
Sometimes it means you go stir-crazy. Continue reading “Saturday Blues” →

The Hunting Topic and its Controversy

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 7 Comments

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One of my greatest passions is hunting –
and why do I have to be afraid to say that?

I am new to the Twitter-Sphere and I have been trying to learn how to utilize it for our businesses, as well as for personal purposes. There is a Twitter site (do you call it a site?) @AverageHunter and they do a weekly hashtag that is very popular called #TrophyTuesday. I have participated in that hashtag a couple of times, once with a picture of me and my ducks, and once with a picture of me and my Axis Deer.
A few days after the last #TrophyTuesday I did, which happened to be of my ducks, I got a notification. (It’s easy for me to check each one because traffic on my twitter account is quite rare.) It was a notification of someone that had re-tweeted my Axis picture.
I clicked on the account of the re-tweeter and it was @Blueskyemining.
Doesn’t sound like a hate page, right?
As I scrolled through their twitter page, I saw countless re-tweets of hunting, but not in a good sense. One common re-tweet I came across was originally from a man who posted edited pictures of hunting where he included the hunters/huntresses name, work address, and work phone number, encouraging people to get them fired.  I mean… the only appropriate response to that is “What the french toast??”.
Needless to say, I blocked them and deleted my tweet faster than you could say ‘Hot Tamales’. Continue reading “The Hunting Topic and its Controversy” →

Young International Married Couple: Common Questions

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

There are all sorts of assumptions and questions that people have when you are a young married couple:

“I could never get married so young.”
“Don’t you think you should have enjoyed your youth?”
“Shouldn’t you have dated more to have a better idea of what you want?”
“So, when are the babies coming? You shouldn’t wait too long, you know.”

But when you are a young internationally married couple- Ohmygoodness.
The questions. (said with an eye twitch)
Sometimes, they are just too much for me to handle – mostly because they are always the same and I have answered them to many different people many times. I mean, show some originality! Just kidding… but really.
Below are some common questions that really tend to irk me. Continue reading “Young International Married Couple: Common Questions” →

NaBloPoMo: Confession

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Since I am new to the National Blog Posting Month, I have to admit, I was a bit misled in what it’s all about. Since it is called the National Blog Posting Month, I was under the assumption that this was a one month a year thing- as it turns out, I was wrong. There is a NaBloPoMo every month.

AND to top it off, since the suggested blog prompts on the Blog Her site are only on weekdays… I also thought that those were the only posting days. Wrong-o! Its EVERY. DAY.  Oy vey.

So, i’m not ending my challenge just yet, peeps- but this may be more difficult than I imagined.

Good news is, if it’s really successful and I really enjoy it (as it has been so far) I don’t have to wait a whole year to try it all again! I can do the challenge every six months, every other month, or just when I feel I have all my creativity coming the the brink of explosion. :)

International Travel: Flying Habits

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Hello there again! We booked our plane ticket back to Texas last night, and it got me to thinking about how much of a seasoned international traveler I am. Traveling a lot is one of the things that goes hand-in-hand with having an international marriage.

Because of this, I know airport call signs by heart, which airlines have the best food and entertainment, time zone differences off the back of my hand, and I have my passport and frequent flier numbers memorized – for myself and my husband.
Last but not least, another skill that comes with traveling often- I am an expert packer. I know exactly how to pack our check-in bags and what to carry on the plane, both in my carry-on luggage in the overhead bin, and what I want in my purse within easy arm reach.

After 12 transcontinental flights, you get a bit of a gist for what you need on the flight and a timeline of how to survive it best. Continue reading “International Travel: Flying Habits” →

Blog Stats

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Hello again! Two days in a row- I haven’t failed at NaBloPoMo, yet! Whoop!

While taking part in this challenge, I want to see if posting more often produces more traffic to my blog- or if longer article-like posts less often (as I have done before), have similar results.

Here are what my stats looked like for 2015, on Sunday evening the 1st of November, just before starting NaBloPoMo. Continue reading “Blog Stats” →

#NaBloPoMo- say what?

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

No, that is not the phonetic spelling of me speaking with my mouth full, it’s an acronym of sorts that stands for “National Blog Posting Month”.

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NaBloPoMo is a very popular challenge amongst bloggers during November of every year where the participants pledge to write a blog post every week day throughout the month. It was originally started by Blog Her –> on this link to her website, you will find a list of participants who have registered for the challenge- I’m number 348 of 494 who have registered so far! Continue reading “#NaBloPoMo- say what?” →

Happy Halloween!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

…and a very Happy 16th Birthday, to my oldest nephew, Tate (AKA: TaterTot)!

I am trying really hard to incorporate shorter posts into my blog, so that I can have more content more regularly. One of the downfalls of being a writing perfectionist, is taking forever to draft, edit, and finalize a post.. and it also usually results in a lot of words to read! oops!

Since we are almost never in South Africa for Christmas, we always try to find a way to do something special with my husbands’ family before we go back to the US each November.
(We spent Christmas day here in South Africa four years ago, and let me tell ya, it was weird. A hot Christmas? No, thank you. It’s the last day of October today, and it’s 88*F outside! Dis warm, manne!)

This year, we decided to go to Montecasino and see a theatrical performance- one of my most favorite things to do! Continue reading “Happy Halloween!” →

The Versatile Blogger Award: Facts About Me

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 5 Comments

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An award?! Someone nominated me for an award?!

I am so flattered- not only that I have been nominated with my few amount of posts, but also that someone diligently reads and enjoys my blog! So, thank you ever so much, Natasja of Her Arrow Points North! Be sure to check her blog out- it’s California awesomeness.

The Versatile Blogger Award was put together to “Honor those bloggers who bring something special to your life whether every day or only now and then.”. My blog nominations below are just a couple of my favorites. I always look forward to reading their posts because of the great information they share, awesome pictures, life blunders, new products, as well as finding out the similarities we may have in common even though we come from completely different backgrounds.

Even though my “About Me” is quite detailed, here are some facts you may not know:

  1. Ek kan Afrikaans praat… maar ek het nog baie om te leer. ;)
    Translation: “I can speak Afrikaans, but I still have a lot to learn.”
  2. I can make most Mexican food from scratch, but have yet to master the corn tortilla.  Continue reading “The Versatile Blogger Award: Facts About Me” →

This thing called a ‘blog’.

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 6 Comments

Hello there kind reader.
Once again, thank you for taking time out of your day to read the words I write.
Speaking of that, do you know how long it takes to formulate a blog post and incorporate all of the niceties such as format and pictures? A long time.

It takes at minimum, about 2 hours per (normal, long) post to get everything done. (Not including the time I spend reloading my own website, re-reading, and editing for the next week…) Now, while I enjoy doing this all, and really do so for my own form of entertainment, it is still really nice to see visitors and feedback to a post. It feels great to know that people are reading my blogs, and even better to get a comment or two.

So, to those of you who have commented previously, I give you a big virtual hug and “Thank You!”- it means a lot to me and provides (sometimes much needed) encouragement to spend another span of time writing the next post. :)

Thanks again for reading!

My Wedding Dress

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

If you haven’t heard the story of my wedding dress: Brace yourself- it’s pretty unique. I knew exactly what I wanted, and my stubborn self wasn’t settling for anything other than what I had in mind. What I ended up with was more than I could have dreamed of.

I did the traditional try-on’s at David’s Bridal and Alfred Angelo’s in San Antonio with family and friends, and was sorely disappointed in my options. Every ‘lace’ dress I tried on was just lace appliqué, seemed very mass produced, and were way over my price range. After searching online for inspiration, I found a picture of a designer dress style that was perfect- but it had a designer price and was in Arizona.

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(Designer: Claire Pettibone, Dress: Yolanda)

Continue reading “My Wedding Dress” →

Hello, Hallo, Здравствуйте, Bonjour!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Hello there, people of the world.

I must apologize for not having had the diligence or inspiration to really sit down and put thoughts to words since my last post. Interestingly enough, that post (5 Reasons My Children Will Hunt) has been extremely popular. Since I posted it in March, it has been viewed 446 times, by people from 29 different countries! My homepage (which has access to all of the blog posts) has been visited 722 times! The most popular countries have been the United States, South Africa, The United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, France, and Australia. I am shocked by how worldly diverse the visits to my site have been! The internet truly is an amazing tool.
Therefore, whoever and wherever you are as you happen to be reading this right now- Thank You for visiting my site!

…So what all have I been up to for the past six months?
It includes a lot of new experiences, travel, adventures, laughs, and learning-
But you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out more! :)

5 Reasons My Children Will Hunt

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 10 Comments

*Gasp! “She said that she will teach her children to be vile, cruel, HUNTERS!”

Yep. I did. And hunters they shall be.
However, my experiences with hunting that define that word for me, connote not one negative word or emotion associated.

DISCLAIMER To The Reader:
Hear me out. 
Have an objective viewpoint.
Learn to live in love and appreciate those that have different lifestyles or opinions than you.

Whew. Now that we are over the modern popular social ideology that we need to hate all hunters…. maybe I can get to the point of this article. :) Sorry about that….

Continue reading “5 Reasons My Children Will Hunt” →

Speak Like a South African

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

SA MEME
Planning on visiting South Africa?
Here are some words you’ll need to know.

USA English > South African
Awesome > Bakgat
BandAid > Plaster
BBQ > Braai
Beat Up/Hit > Bliksem
Biscotti > Rusk
Blinker > Indicator
Brass (spent ammo) > Doppie
Bug > Gogga
Cheers! > Duzzai!
Corn > Mielie
Crazy > Mal
Destroyed > Moer toe
Disgusting > Siff
Drink > Dop
Eat > Chow
Excellent > Hundreds
F%#! Off! > Voetsek
Fancy/Uppity > Laanie/Kitch/Posh
Farmer > Boer
Farm > Plaas/Plot
Fed Up > Gatvol
Finished > Klaar
Friend > China/Chommie
Gas > Petrol
Gross > Seis
Guy Friend > Bru/Bra/Boetie/Maatjie
Hangover > Babelaas
Hello > Howzit
Hood (of a car) > Bonnet
House Shoes > Pantovels
In a minute (soon) > Now Now
In a while (later… or never) > Just now
Jerky > Biltong
Kebab > Sosatie
Ma’am > Tannie
Millipede > Shongololo
Mini van > Kombi
Mountain > Berg
Movie Theater > Cinema
Nice/Cool > Lekker
No > Nee
Not Nice/Awww > Ag, Shame
Ooh… > Eish!
Ow! > Eina!
Party/Good Time > Jol
Pasture > Veld
Pick-up/Truck > Bakkie
Pretty Girl > Poppie/Cherrie
Purse > Handbag
Ranch > Farm
Rough/Trashy Person/Thing > Zef
Sausage > Boerewors
Sh!* > Kak
Shot > Injection
Shrimp > Prawn
Sir > Oom
Slap/Hit > Klaap
Some Guy > Oke
Stoplight > Robot
Stupid > Doff
Surgery Room > Theatre
Swim Suit > Cozzie/Costume
Tennis Shoes > Tekkies
Trashcan > Dust Bin
Trunk (of a car) > Boot
Waiting in a line > In a cue
Wallet > Purse
Wow > Jirra
Yes > Ja/Yebo
Young Boy > Laaitie

She’s in love with a MacBook

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

I wasn’t partial to any specific make of computer- Until I met my MacBook just over a month ago.

It was daunting at first- trackpad gestures and finder to name a few. But oh, how my love has grown.

I must admit, the first couple of days after getting my MacBook, I thought that I wouldn’t ever learn how it all works. But oh my good-golly, it is amazing! After the first week, I had it all down. Now, my phone and computer work seamlessly and efficiently together. If you have an iPhone and enjoy it- I strongly suggest taking the leap and buying a MacBook. Continue reading “She’s in love with a MacBook” →

‘Social’ Networking: What is a ‘friend’?

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook, I see posts from close friends, friends of friends I have met once, friends from High School, friends from Elementary school, a person whom I spent an 11-hour plane delay with in a terminal, in-laws, Aunts, Uncles, first cousins, and fifth cousins. Out of all of my 656 Facebook friends, I have not met one, max two, in person myself and had a conversation with them. But does that really qualify them as a ‘friend’? Do I really need all 656 people of whom I ‘know’ to interact with me on a social media site thus enabling them to share in my daily life via the digital world? Or, should I just limit my post content to include only things I know won’t insult anyone and/or their beliefs? I.e. Christmas and my Christian beliefs, hunting, eating meat, etc… Continue reading “‘Social’ Networking: What is a ‘friend’?” →

Heritage Day and the Billy Goat

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

     While milling around yesterday in the African younger sibling of Sam’s Club, Makro, I walked by a fellow bulk-shopper. As I walked away from this boot-wearing middle aged man, I felt the corners of my lips twitching- I just couldn’t contain myself, I had to ask him the question I knew the answer to. I gave my husband the i’m-going-to-do-it look and turned around. “Excuse me, Sir. You’re not from South Africa, are you?” He turned to face me, and I glanced at the white cap he was wearing, I instantly noticed it had the state of Texas embroidered largely on the front. “OH! You’re from Texas! I’m from Texas!” He giggled a bit at me, explained the he has lived here for about 3 1/2 years (looks like I will survive), and that there are about 200 Americans living in the east of Pretoria. We, er… I, exchanged contact details and teased him with the allure of my homemade tortillas and enchiladas. Will the overly-friendly, slightly-awkward Texan girl (ahem, me) ever get invited to an American get-together in South Africa by this stranger from Amarillo named Steve? Only time will tell. Continue reading “Heritage Day and the Billy Goat” →