Great Experience at WineStyles

We've been working with WineStyles Cypress since they opened on Barker Cypress 2 years ago. Of course my interest was selfish - (since I'm still searching for my favorite wine). My passion is to support the locally-owned-and-operated businesses in Cypress. We have focused on the restaurants in Cypress, along with the small businesses and franchises in the community.

My husband and I have purchased wine through all the main retailers, HEB, Spec's, (even a gas station in Flatonia, TX). We have yet to find a place to find wine that rivals the experience at WineStyles.

The owners, Mary Kay and John Henry, take their time to listen to what you like, and don't like, about wine - and find a bottle that suits your tastes.

The no-pressure attitude makes it feel like you are buying wine from a friend, someone who cares about finding the perfect match - whatever the occasion.

When planning an event, we make a stop at WineStyles part of the agenda. No matter if we are going to a friends' house for dinner, or picking a bottle to take to our favorite BYOW restaurant (like La Parmigiana or Palio's Pizza) - a quick stop in will ensure we won't be disappointed.

And if we ever purchase a bottle that is not exactly what we are looking for - they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee return policy - just cork the bottle and bring it back for a full refund. Who else does that?

Even though WineStyles is a franchise business, Mary Kay and John live in the community, so money spent at WineStyles Cypress is spent in Cypress. Supporting this business supports Cypress!

You can try it, buy it, and drink it there! - Make sure to take your discount card for special deals!

HAPPY New Year

So it's been a pretty nutty few weeks (or months) since my last entry.
Struggled with keeping up with it, trying to balance between honest posting and not getting too personal -
I guess I came the realization that being a stay/work at home mom is tough, but not the toughest thing in the world to be. I really get to enjoy the best of both worlds. Even though the twins drive me absolutely nuts - especially when I am trying to be "professional" (like on the phone!), I have to sit back and realize that they are only going to be small once and I need to appreciate their need for my attention. Pretty soon they'll be running out the door without a second thought to holding my hand. The "Look at ME, Mom" will turn into "I'll see you later" so I better enjoy them when I can.
THAT being said - I've turned over a new leaf - and stopped taking myself so seriously :)
I had a great conversation with an old friend of mine the other day, she said things will happen as they should if you give up the worry and control and let God handle your worries - man that was great advice. What a relief it is to know that trust and faith can give your mind peace.
I love doing what I do - learning about and promoting businesses is just half of the fun. I have learned more about what I can (and can't do) over the past year than I have in the past 31 years of being alive! So I don't fit in the mold of "working mom" or "stay-at-home mom" - but anyone that knows me can tell you that I have never really fit into any of the normal molds anyway :)
SO here they are, 2010 "things to strive for" - typing it up so I can hold myself accountable:

1. Follow through with what I said I am going to do - but most importantly, NOT promise I am going to do something that I have no intention of doing (what I mean is, learn to say NO)
   
2. Set realistic deadlines - tell the truth about when I can get things done
3. Let the kids take care of problem solving for themselves. It will be VERY difficult not to step in, but they need to learn how to handle the little things. "The worst thing you can do for someone you care about is something they can do for themselves" - Big Abe
4. Heard it a million times - "if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of others" so... yeah, I need to do that....
5. Stay connected - I am not alone in anything I do. More than likely someone else has been through it or has good insight on how to handle what's going on. I have special people in my life that want to be a part of it (for whatever reason :)) So staying on the grid is important.
6. NOTHING is guaranteed or permanent, so do what you can when you can, don't wonder "if only" - If you've given it your full effort, that's all you can do.

I'm so excited about what 2010 has in store for me as a business owner/wife/daughter/mother/friend - oh - and it's not going to work out the way that I think it should, so I'm going to give away some worry...

I'll let you know how it goes...