Introducing.....

The baby is here!

 Okay, not that baby, I still have 7 more weeks to go! 

But my other baby! 

My new business! 

I'm an entrepreneur officially today! 

Introducing God's Favorite Surprises! 

( www.godsfavoritesurprises.com ) 

I've been working on this probably more than I have been focusing on the baby in my belly but I believe it is so worth it! 

God's Favorite Surprises is a personal concierge business/service where I serve as YOUR CONCIERGE OF KINDNESS! 

Everyone is busy these days and that often gets in the way of saying simple things like "Thank You or You Inspire Me" to the most deserving people in our lives. After a few chance encounters with me performing those simple random acts of kindness, a business was born! 

I'm excited beyond words to finally share with you. Mainly because it's something that I believe is needed. We have enough bad news bombarding us every single day, why not be a part of someone's good news!?!?

Click here to find out everything you need to know. And don't forget to share with your friends or better yet, Order something from me! This is truly a labor of love. 

Don't forget to follow God's Favorite Surprises in the following social hangouts! 

Twitter here

Facebook here

Instagram here

Here are a few quotes that have been my motivation throughout this process...

"I want to look back on this exact date a year from now and say, I am so glad I bet on myself!" (That's totally my own quote!)

"Create the things you wish existed" 

"Don't let someone who has done NOTHING tell you how to do ANYTHING!" 

Ummm hmmm! Preach! 

(P.S. I will still blog here but I also have a business blog that you can keep up with...

Here is the first business blog post....  click here ) 

Wish me luck! A sister's got babies and bills!!! 

Be a part of the movement! 

#gfsurprises

#inspirethenextwoman

Let me know what you think! 

Special creative shout out thanks to Dana of Pardon My Fro and Rocquelle of Consider Me Lovely for rocking with me from beginning to end! 

Chicken and Waffles

I had a breakfast date with Rocquelle.

We went to the Breakfast Klub.

ROCQUELLE's serpent tongue (joke!) wanted chicken and waffles and mimosas!

I, my friends, did NOT have any.

If you follow me on twitter then you see my morning tweetpics of my view as I WOG (Jog/Walk).

My weight goes up and down.

It always has. I just choose not to blog about it because I try to dress cute at any weight.

Plus, if I start talking about it....then there's THAT pressure to not eat chicken and waffles.

And I fall off the wagon alot.

If you notice, I steer clear of labeling myself on my blog.

Not that I'm against those who choose to do it for me.

But it puts me in a box

I'm just Reiko.

The girl with a southern drawl who loves dresses and a really good shoe. 

I like to just do me.

 Whatever that means for that day.

And without the labels...that means I can eat chicken and waffles every now and then.

(Prince Tshirt/ Vintage Skirt gifted by Juanette/Dolce Vita sandals/Thrifted clutch)

But I didn't eat them this time.

Rocquelle did.

But I did watch her eat chicken and waffles.

And she lived to tell about it!

I had scrambled egg whites/toast and sausage.

I was okay with that.....

Only because my hubby cooked chicken and waffles the day before! LOL!

And I ate it!

And life goes on!

(Full disclosure: I lost 4 lbs last week...COMPLETELY on purpose. I'm just trying to make better choices/eat healthier. A small milestone was fitting into this skirt again. I don't plan on blogging much about weight/weightloss just because that's not my ministry but you can follow me on Twitter/Instagram and you might see a glimpse of some things I'm doing there. With meat on my bones or not...I try to live a full and happy life no matter what)

GFS Gets Out of the House!

Vintage Blouse gifted by Juanette

Target Skirt

Vintage Train Case (Found one after worshipping Juanette's)

L.A.M.B. Heels (super comfy)

I had the pleasure of attending Dismount Creative's Pre-Launch Party in Houston.

Through the power of blogging I've met phenominal people and Alicia, creator of Dismount Creative, is no exception.

(Alicia got in on my mini-photo shoot)

The concept of her company is really dope. Instead of having a regular girls night/happy hour...why not do something like make jewelry at the same time? Brilliant, right? RIGHT!

(Alicia teaching us how to hand stamp jewelry while sipping on adult beverages:)

I was so inspired by Alicia because she shared that she worked as a chemical engineer but decided to take a leap of faith and do something that she loves. Amen sister!

I got to hang out with my uber talented new blog buddy DIY Raven.

Raven rocked one of her American Apparel inspired bags that she starts selling this week!

(Remember, I wore my very own custom "Reiko Red" bag here:)

Consider Me Lovely's Rocquelle was there! Can I just say that I HEART her! She refused to believe that I'm 35! Bless her heart:)

(She's rocking the Jessica Simpson Dany heels)

And I somehow forced her to finish making my jewelry. She did it...graciously:)

Hopefully this will be the first of many meetings/social hours/gabfests!

1. Did you enter the GFS/Shabby Apple Giveaway here!

2. Be sure to LIKE GFS on FB. FB only giveaway coming soon. 

  You've been warned!

P.S... Shop SFAM

More SFAM Spring Things!

("Give Him the Blues"  Vintage Dress)

Just added even more Spring goodies to SFAM! We even work on Sundays to get you right for SPRING!

("Pepto Bismol" Vintage skirt...because they'll be sick when they see you coming)

Confession...GFS "tweeps" and "likers" got a heads up! Don't be the last to know again!

("Who Gonna Check Me Boo?" Vintage Blouse)

Are you in Houston?

 If so, come to Dismount Creative's Pre-Launch Party. I'll be there! Click here and RSVP:)

Atleast drop by and say hi!

Now go shop SFAM!

Houston Blogger Meetup

So who co-hosts a Houston blogger meetup and brings a camera that doesn't work? Me. yeah. Me. GRRR!

We met at City Centre's Yard House for hours of chatting and laughs and impromptu photo taking. More than that...it was empowering. People all had genuine interests in one another's talents and there were so many brains to pick!

K.D.  (with the big smile in the middle) and I decided to host a simple, low key gathering for those in the Houston area. I loved that it was small and intimate which gave everyone time to really share their expertise about everything from babies (not me), stalkers (yes, I kinda have one) and sitting on talents like sewing and not selling the goods (*cough...Raven and Tee).

Kathlene doesn't have a blog but is an avid blog reader and secretly desires to start her own! What are you waiting for!?! She also walked up with a gift...for me!!!?? I was beyond shocked! It was the style book by Lauren Conrad! I literally screamed! She was a delight!

(I'm wearing a vintage top, Zara skirt, Aldo earrings/shoes)

Tee of ManeCoarse was the first person to arrive and I think there may have been a squeal or twenty between us when we finally met. Then she told me she drove two hours to be there. WHAT!?! WHAT!?!? I literally kept saying "You drove for the meetup?!? Really!?" I can't tell you how honored I was to hear that! P.S...she made that camo skirt she is rocking and she doesn't sell her clothes!! WHY Tee!?! Why? I can be your business pimp manager. Think about it.

The ladies chatting.

 K.D., the cohost is new to the Houston area.  She has a hair blog and was ever so proactive in finding a location for the meetup! How is it that she is new to Houston but introduced me to a new spot to hang out? #getoutofthehousereiko

 The Hairgurl is pregant but oddly she was the first at the table to mention alcohol. I think I know we where can find her a few days after giving birth!  Tamara of Natural Hair Rules (on the end) is ridiculously knowledgeable about all things business. She has a great idea of possibly having a "workshop" for the next Houston blogger meet up. I'll keep you posted!

Jody always leaves the sweetest comments on my blog and she came out to share in all of the chatting. She has a mobile bronzing business and also has years of experience with photo styling/staging for corporate chains. Her passion is education about healthy skin and her skin was proof in the pudding. (Why is that a saying at all?)

This one right here. I literally met her last year through my blog. I call her the Dream Weaver. This girl is not shy about networking and has the best ideas ever. She runs Mocha Mommies which is a social networking magnet for all things "mommy hood" and beyond. She also is my task manager when I need things to happen!

(In my heels I towered over Raven so I needed to balance out the picture:)

I also met Raven at the Texas Style Council Conference in Austin a few weeks ago. She is a DIY chick and she makes the cutest clutches. I have threatened her safety if she doesn't get cards to capatilize on her talents!

A few other fabulous women stopped by but of course my camera flatlined and I was mooching other people's cameras by then! Thank you Kennetta from Austin and Stephanie for stopping by! I didn't get a good pick of High Heel Junkie but her site is a must. Just talking to her for five minutes taught me alot.

I literally walked away from this meetup completely inspired. I don't know why we didn't do this sooner! I have a feeling that this will be the first of many to come!



The Particulars

No pics of today's outfit. I'll give you a hint though...I'm rocking flats. Enough said.

I just wanted to drop a few notes...

1. Lynn (Thanks Lynn!) over at Shoe Clips is offering $10 off the Ocelot Ultra Suede Bow shoe clips that I worship.  The same ones that Ro from Ro is Gettng Fit just won:)
Coupon Code: Ocelot

2. Are you Team GFS?

Friend me here.

Twitter me here.

3. Houston Bloggers: Anyone interested in doing a low key blogger meet up in the future....maybe in Nov or Dec? You don't have to be a blogger, maybe you just read blogs. If so, I would love to trade cards and meet people. You know me, but I don't know you. That's not right! Only sane people should come though. I have an uncle who is a cop, a volatile cousin that's just looking for his next fight and a mama that will plead the BLOOD OF JESUS in a minute over any suspect characters! HA! Let me know, seriously.

Leave a comment or email me at godsfavoriteshoes@yahoo.com