WHO: Jenny Frederick
WHAT: World-Traveling Minnesota Girl
BLOG: Traveling Chic

Hi, E&C Readers! My name is Jenny and I am delighted to be a part of Madison’s “My 5 Things.” I’m a Midwest girl from Minnesota but I’ve also lived in San Francisco, Sydney, Boulder and briefly in Rome. I’m a month away from my 30th birthday, and although it makes me feel somewhat old, I’m excited to shirt into a new decade. I am an attorney by day and the owner and blogger of Traveling Chic by night. When I’m not working, I can be found trying out new recipes (especially from E&C), digging into a good book, trying to convince my boyfriend that we need a dog, and dreaming up my next travel destination. Here are my five things!

1.Saturday Mornings: Whether I am trying a new brunch spot or taking a stroll with coffee, I love Saturday mornings. It is the one time of the week when my boyfriend and I aren’t distracted by other things and can focus on each other! I’d love to have a Saturday morning tradition, but I haven’t come up with the perfect idea yet.

2. The Secret to Happiness: I wish I had the answer! Besides my family and friends, I think that happiness often comes from the simple pleasures in life, like laughing until your belly hurts, watching a sunset, trying a DIY project, catching up with a friend over peppermint mochas, and eating dessert before dinner. All of these things put a smile on my face.

3. A Good Book: I have an insatiable love for reading. There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book. I recently received a Kindle as a gift, and love how easy it is to buy a book, but I miss earmarking pages and giving it to a friend when I’m finished. I usually like to read memoirs, especially about traveling and cooking. A personal favorite of mine is “My Life in France” about Julia Child’s adventures in cooking and living in Paris. The next book I want to dig into is “Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story (with Recipes).”

4. Wanderlust: As you can probably guess from my blog, I love to travel! I am in a permanent state of wanderlust. I worked as a flight attendant for a year, spent a semester at sea, and traveled the world from Havana to Hong Kong. I truly believe that traveling is good for the soul! It allows you to experience new things, meet new people and actually live in the moment. My enthusiasm for life is always recharged after a great trip!

5. Countdown ’til Christmas: Christmas is such a magical time of year. I am completely guilty of going over-the-top with decorating, baking and gifting. I usually keep a strict rule about not listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I had a moment of weakness the week before Thanksgiving and put on Michael Buble’s Christmas CD. Whoops! Although the holidays can be very commercial, it can be so much more than that. It’s the time of year when you can show the people you love what they truly mean to you. This year I plan to make time for the special people in my life, volunteer, go skiing and sledding (I live in a frozen tundra after all), cozy-up by the fireplace, and spread some Christmas cheer!

Thanks for sharing, Jenny! If you’re interested in sharing your 5 things, shoot me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) for more information! -Madison

WHO: Emily Schloerb
WHAT: Marketing Coordinator
WHERE: Kansas City
BLOG: Country Roots & Cowgirl Boots

I’m a 23-year-old marketing coordinator at Westfall GMC, a trucking dealership in Kansas City. I grew up in Iowa, graduated from ISU with degree in journalism. I started blogging shortly after I got married as a way to keep family and friends in the loop. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very consistent with my posts. This past summer I decided it was time to take it more seriously or let it go so I rebranded and now blog at Country Roots and Cowgirl Boots.

 1. Jeans That Fit: I have searched high and low for that perfect pair and my current favorite pair is Big Star Hazel. When I find a pair that fits just right I feel so confident.

2. Hosting Dinner Parties: There’s something about planning and hosting dinner parties that makes me feel uber feminine. From the menu planning to the presentation, I enjoy every moment of it!

3. A Glass of Wine: I love a good craft beer, but there’s also nothing like a glass of red wine with soft, jazzy music to set the scene of a relaxing evening with friends or my husband. Sometimes my husband will light a fire in our fire pit and we’ll sit around it sipping wine and chatting about our day. It’s so serene and peaceful.

4. Journaling: I took to journaling during a rough time for me in college. I was trying to find myself and journaling helped me gather my thoughts and track that journey. I still journal several times a week. Writing is therapeutic to me. I can sort through my hopes and dreams, vent my frustrations, and pray. Most mornings, I make myself a cup of coffee and sit down at the kitchen table with my journal, a pen and my Bible before I do anything else. It’s my faith in God that has carried me through the ups and downs of life and I like to make that a priority in my day.

5. My Family: I met my husband, Ryan, in college. We met in the dorms, dated for most of my college career and married months after my graduation in 2010. We adopted Radley the following spring. He’s a lab mix, a.k.a. mutt, but the cutest mutt I’ve ever seen. We named Radley after my favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a classic.

Thank you so much for sharing, Emily! If you’re interested in sharing your 5 things, send me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) for more information! – Madison

WHO: Karlie Van Soelen
WHAT: Director of Communications & Missions at Federated Fellowship Church
BLOG: http://karlievansoelen.wordpress.com/

I grew up in small town called Pella, IA, recently graduated in May, got married in June, and am the Director of Communications & Missions at Federated Fellowship Church: http://federatedfellowship.org/. I design at my job and on the side and love to sing.

1. Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people [woman], a royal priesthood [daughter], a holy nation [woman], God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” However, when you replace the words nation with woman and people with daughter, it creates a specific message to me. To you. This scripture verse makes me feel beautiful because I know where my true identity lies. I was chosen and created for God’s glory. He delights in me & that makes me feel beautiful.

2) Those I love: my husband, my family, and my friends make me feel alive, wanted, cared for, and cherished. Being around them lights up my outlook on life as they often cause me to laugh, cry, and rejoice about things in life that matter. They also love me for who I am, my mistakes, my proudest moments, and my weakest moments – yet they are the ones who still think I’m beautiful through it all.

3) Designing: Designing something makes me feel accomplished, talented, and proud – in a good way. In ways that make me strong, confident, and like I’m using what I went to school for. When I’m passionate about making something look good, the finished product is alway so fun to go back and look at again, post online, and show others. There’s a huge difference between bragging about it vs. just being so passionate about a project you’re just excited to share it. My goal is: “Passionate and Purposeful Communication and Design.” When that phrase is accomplished, it makes me feel beautiful.

4) Singing & Leading Worship: There’s something about music, a gorgeous melody, and lyrics that can make my heart leap. There’s also something about singing with a purpose. I’ve found my purpose in the Lord, so all I want to do is sing for Him now. It’s a beautiful privilege to lead others into the presence of God with singing. Hearing those around me lifting up their voices and instruments to our God makes me feel beautiful.

5) My hair: I truly love my virgin hair. It has never been dyed (except for a purple strip at the base of my hair when I was in college), it is naturally curly, and super easy to manage. Most mornings I shower and throw some mousse in it and leave with it wet. It dries right up and stays wavy/curly all day. Randomly, my hair will also straighten nicely, curl very well, and even looks pretty darn good up in a bun, a fancy up-do, or a side pony. All my life I’ve received compliments on my hair & when compliments are given – it gives a sense of confidence. Now that I have confidence in my hair and in who I am wholly as a daughter of the King – my hair makes me feel beautiful.

Thanks for sharing, Karlie! If you’re interested in sharing your 5 things, shoot me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) for more information! -Madison

WHO: Julie Wunder
WHAT: Meteorologist, Runner, Animal Advocate and New Blogger
BLOG: Running in a Skirt

Hello, E&C readers! My name is Julie, and I love smiles, the color pink, football and country music. I have been reading and enjoying Madison’s “My 5 Things” series on Espresso and Cream. It seems like life gets so crazy these days that sometimes we forget to step back and appreciate all the beautiful things in the world. I think it’s amazing she’s bringing girls together so we can all realize that beauty comes from so many places and we don’t have to be the same or look like a model to have beauty. I know I have so many things to be grateful for and I appreciate the opportunity to share a few things from my life that make me feel beautiful. Thanks, Madison!

1. My Wedding Day & Husband: I felt so beautiful and happy the day I married my husband. The picture sums up the joy of the day. He has made me feel beautiful, strong, smart and funny every day since then. I am so blessed and grateful to have him.

2. My Running Medals: Most of them are finisher medals, but a few of them are age group awards from small community races. I picked up running a few years ago as a hobby and have been blown away at how strong it makes me feel. I even just finished my first marathon! And isn’t strong the new beautiful? Check out my race recap of the Chicago Marathon where I picked up some awesome hardware.

3. Joe Blasco Cosmetics Concealer: I know beauty comes from the inside, but sometimes a little help on the outside can make you feel more like yourself. I wake up at 2:50 AM for my job in morning news and as much as I try to get enough sleep, sometimes it’s impossible. I also have haywire allergy problems. That’s a dangerous combo for bad dark under eye circles. I’ve tried almost every concealer product out there, and this one can wake up my tired eyes, making me feel as beautiful as someone who works a 9-5!

4. A Smile: I watched the musical “Annie” over and over again as a kid. Remember the song, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile?” Well, that idea stuck with me because I feel most put together and most beautiful when I top off my outfit with a big, bright smile. I believe your inner beauty can shine through a grin no matter what you are wearing or what you are doing – even if it’s something super silly like having fun on vacation in a simple dress with no makeup.

5. My Dogs: I have an odd pair of puppies (They will always be babies in my mind); an 11-year-old Dachshund, Rhett, and a 7-year-old Boxer, Reina. They love unconditionally with all their hearts. Nothing makes me feel as beautiful from the inside as the unrivaled adoration of Rhett and Reina.

Thanks for sharing, Julie! If you’re interested in sharing your 5 things, shoot me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) for more information! – Madison

I’m running a bit behind on today’s No Fat Talk Tuesday post, which is a shame because I’m so excited to share with you Stephanie May’s 5 things! You know the drill…

Stephanie May is a world-traveling journalist who is in love with Jesus, with life and with all things beautiful. In early September 2012, she returned from the World Race, an 11-month mission trip to 11 countries around the world (she blogged about it, too!). Currently, she is working for Adventures in Missions as a Storyteller. When she’s not traveling (and especially when she is), she’s writing for The Lipstick Gospel. You can follow her on Twitter at @Smay15.

1. God: The world bombards us with images of what we’re supposed to look like, what we don’t look like and what we should try to change so that we look how we’re ‘supposed to’. I’ve spent my entire life buying into the fact that somehow I’m fundamentally not good enough, and that if I try hard enough that maybe I’ll finally measure up. The thing I’ve realized recently is that God is actually the one that created us, and that He is the expert on our identity and worth. Scripture says that He formed us before we were even born. It says that we’re perfectly and wonderfully made. It says that we are clothed in strength and dignity and it says that we are beautiful and completely without flaw. It’s been quite the process, allowing those truths to sink in. But for the first time, I actually feel worthy, I actually feel like I’m enough and I actually feel beautiful.

2. Girlfriends: Wherever we go, we are compared to the women around us, either by others or by ourselves. We fit ourselves in somewhere on the ‘beauty spectrum’ thinking, “I’m not as beautiful as her, but at least I don’t look like her!” But what I finally realized is that beauty just isn’t linear. With that realization came so much freedom, and for the first time I began to really see the women around me. Each one of them is absolutely stunning. They’re wise and creative and funny and witty. They have flowing brown curls and shockingly blue eyes. Their faces light up when they smile and their giggles captivate a room. We are all different shapes and sizes and when we stop trying to fit ourselves into a line up like a group of inmates- we can appreciate the fact that not one of us is made the same. It’s amazing how beautiful you feel when you start to appreciate true, unique beauty and stop trying to rank it (and yourself.)

3. Pretty Girl Rock: I’m a huge believer in the power and importance of music, and Keri Hilson’s Pretty Girl Rock is one of my favorites. It is the best song to add a boost of confidence to any situation. Try it out (and sing loud) – I highly recommend it.

4. A Day at the Spa (or a spa day at home): Sugar scrubs and thick luxurious moisturizers are some of my favorite little luxuries. There is something lovely about taking the time to care for your body in such a tangible way. There is nothing that makes me feel so purely and naturally beautiful.

5. A Little Pop of Glam: If you’ve ever been to prom, a wedding or any other event that required something glamorous, you know what I’m talking about. You feel feminine and elegant. You feel sparkly and confident and like the world is filled with shine and possibility. – Well I decided recently that I don’t want to have to wait for someone to get married to have a little splash of glamour in my life. On days when I’m needing an extra little pop, I’ve started wearing huge and glitzy costume rings or bright red lipstick, bringing that sparkly, glamorous beauty into even the most ordinary of days.

Thanks for sharing, Stephanie! If you’re interested in sharing the 5 things that make you feel beautiful, shoot me an e-mail (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) for more information! -Madison

Photo Credits: 1. Headshot Credit: Stephanie May, The Lipstick Gospel 2. God-Credit: Peoniespearlspromises.tumblr.com 3. Credit: Stephanie May, The Lipstick Gospel 4: A Day at the Spa- Credit: http://www.missbloom.gr/beauty/beauty-tips-and-trends/2930/articles/10-fysikoi-tropoi-gia-ananeosi–soyper-s/article.aspx 5. Pretty Girl Rock: Credit: http://trendytraveler.tumblr.com/post/16677171547 6. A little pop of glam: Credit: Tumblr.com