Do you hear what I hear...

It was a full moon. The husband and I were going for our bi weekly "long run". Our corporate meeting for him and I sort through everything currently going on in our lives. We unload every facet and talk through each of the inventrapreneurs ideas. Many things are changing, and new opportunities presenting themselves each day. So many things we juggle, so many thoughts to untangle. This particular evening, we took our two furry children (who happen to be my absolute best friends) on the last leg of our run about 2 miles from our house. At the corner where we turn around to head back home, there is a church. Right as we turn and begin to head back the most magical thing happened. The bells in front of the church began chiming what sounded like songs of christmas. It was already dark, the full moon was right over the church and the bells were playing the most beautiful songs. I HAD to stop. At first I was confused cause there was not one car in the parking lot, no one to be seen anywhere near the church but the bells just began to ring. They may have been testing them, they may have gone off on accident, but whatever the reason we were ment to be there at that moment. They continued and we could hear them for the next 10 minutes of our run. On this night I knew there was a lesson to be learned.. keep my faith. How could something this extraordinary be anyone but Him. Yes sir we are on the path. This climb has been the most incredible, insane, tough, trying, CRAZY, and absolutely life changing journey ever. And exactly when I begin to doubt whether or not this is what I am supposed to be doing, the bells begin ringing and I have faith that we are in fact arriving.

Clown to the left of Me.. Jokers to the right

The words play loudly in my head.. stuck in the middle with you... A fave as of this moment in time. We have officially kicked off our holiday season and are pushing through. Ideas, events, promotions, email blasts, savings, buy 1 get 1.. buzzing through our offices. Keeping each other pumped and positive is important. Wrapping up the season of fishing lures, as it is somehow already unwrapping itself if that makes sense. It seems the season has already begun for next year so onward we must go. We have trimmed the fat, and LL is ready to endure the winter and breakthrough the other side in a way we have not been able to do just yet. Meanwhile, we are awaiting our destiny in the world of medical sales, the company is in formation and the forces will join very soon. And as I write the words down, I can't help but feel the lyrics being in the middle.. at a waiting period. I feel like I have grown tremendously in the past 3 years of my life, I think my amazing husband has grown and learned more than he thought was possible and most importantly we have grown so in tune with each other, the harmony is a beautiful song to carry us to the next level of our lives. The next adventures and chapters, building families and building legacies, and learning more as the days pass. So in this waiting period I have taken the time to be with our family and friends and really enjoy this time. This years holiday seems it may be an unforgettable and exciting one and I am happy to share it with the people in our lives. We missed our families and close friends on our travels this year and I can't imagine a better time to catch up on those times than now.. my absolute favorite time of year.

Seasons are Changin'

I woke up this morning feeling excited. A little over cast outside, colder than usual inside my house and I can feel the season changing. The season of our lives.. I believe we are FINALLY moving onto a new journey. About a month ago, my mom and I were at lunch and she told me that she has been praying and the seasons will be changing for us. My mom is our biggest fan. Hands down, this beautiful lady appreciates every accomplishment, every small step, every encounter, and every meeting like no other one person. My mother picks me up when I think I could never ever get up, and inspires when I can't see through my tears. She has a powerful prayer. So today I feel what she had seen.
My favorite time of the year approaches and we begin to plan parties, get togethers, and holiday festivities. Our fishing season pushes into cruise control with us still sitting behind of the wheel of course, but travel is done. Now we start the action plan for next year. The husband and I have started our runs and long walks that we used to crave. These runs have been so important to our lives. It's an hour and a half.. no phones,, email, music, computers, tvs, people, nothing. Just him and I on the pavement reviewing our lives. It's a recap, inner circle meeting, advise, opinions and exercise... and it has been amazing. So many ideas, opportunities, and paths that have come to surface and to review them on a trail of fresh air and cool breeze is essential. It's time to move forward and Mr. and Mrs. Casta are being positioned to do just that. New business and whole new direction and something that I have felt since the first breakfast meeting attended.. this will carry into the level you envision. We have come to one conclusion together... work the hardest we have ever worked for the next year, sacrifice and pray the hardest we have ever prayed and have faith that this next season is a whole new level. I have an overwhelming peace about the whole thing... I am ready for the change.

Simmering

Hmm.. it's Thursday. It's been a really busy week. But more of an annoying busy. It is officially fall here in South Texas and we are LOVING the weather. It's been a little hectic in the Casta household. Now that Livingston's super busy season is simmering and by simmering about to boil and potentially blow up bigger than we could have ever imagined, in other words working on some huge things which could change the way we do business forever. We picked up two more large distributors that cover 6 more states which is forward movement pushing through the season. With that said, we are now exploring, while we wait for Livingston to boil. Something new has come along with the StethoCleanse, Roberts idea that he owns the patent to, I had mentioned a couple of blogs ago. A person that we have known for years has stepped up to the plate and he may just hit it out park for us. I will update when there is ink on paper. The medical industry. Interesting to see how this unfolds, may be the answers to our prayers, could be the change I have been feeling, believe this could be magical. But I am not afraid to get on my knees and pray whatever it is we are supposed to be doing. I am excited, we are going into my absolute favorite time of the year, so much to look forward to and to see what the rest of the year is going to bear. As for me, I am looking into non profit work, something that has been heavy on my heart for the holidays and now have looked into for a temporary position. Trying to focus on enjoying the life we are in now, the journey to the place where we have imagined, so we appreciate every second with eachother, our families and our friends we couldn't survive without.

Last Big Event = Success

We had our last "big" event of the year at this years Toyota Bass Classic. This is where all of the top 50 freshwater pros come out and fish against eachother.. just like the superbowl for football. We packed our LL mobile and headed to Lake Conroe. As we arrived one day early to set up they had given us the most perfect spot! Right at the entrance where people have to pass us on the way in and the way out. We could see the stage where four concerts took place and we ended up with some really cool neighbors for the weekend.
Friday was the first tournament and we made it for the weigh in at this really cool bar and grill right on the water. As we made our way to the back patio where it was all happening an editor for a Texas magazine was heading back to interview KVD.. which is one of the best guys in the industry. He saw Robert and asked if he could be interviewed right after on his radio show. I thought that was a nice touch to start the weekend off right. Saturday came and went we sold a bunch of bait, met some great folks AND my little sister and her new beau came out to show a little support which was a bonus for us! Sunday rolled around and we were going at full steam ahead until about 7 and then it was time to get outta dodge. We packed it up with the help of some of LL's Pro Staff which took us literally no time because of all the helping hands. Home and snug in our bed by 2am just in time to get a little shut eye and catch our breath for the next weeks adventures. We met pros, had some fun, saw some fam, and made some money.. We call that a complete SUCCESS

Dipping the Hand in Many Jars

As the lure aspect of Livingston Products is steady as she goes, we have decided to dig up another one of my husbands brilliant ideas. This one is called the StethoCleanse. A device he thought of when he worked in the cardio area of a hospital. This device is to help prevent bacteria, disease, infection, etc. from using the stethoscope over and over and not cleaning it properly. He holds the only patent for the device which is pretty clever. This week we attended a meeting for the largest hospital community in our city. We (more Robert than we) were given the chance to talk about the StethoCleanse in front of the purchasing director, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff and the reaction was AWESOME! Not only did they absolutely love the idea, but we won a door prize from the drawing of business cards. Not only did Robert not want them to call his name for a door prize because his card said Livingston Lures and we were there for a medical device, but as they were about to call his name he was saying out loud, "Please don't call my name, please don't call my name!" Sure enough they called his name and out of every gift there was to win he won a cross. A cross made out of barbed wire that was used in our great state of Texas. I immediatly knew this was GOD giving us a little kiss and maybe saying.. you finally got it! So we have made a decision, we know what our path is in life, now how we get there is a little less prominate in my mind. So instead of just going down one avenue to get there, we are creating our own roads. This is just the beginning of many more projects that are being created as each day passes. I am telling you.. in this house.. if we don't have a million things going on at once we are not doing enough. So as our prayers begin to unfold, I am impatiently waiting to see where we are headed next. Tomorrow's another day.. a whole different avenue awaits us.

The Path is Paved

As our official season is coming to a close, being in the industry we have learned this is the time the big boys come out to play. We have been across the state of Texas, made a hop over to Louisiana and we have one last major event in Lake Conroe Texas the first weekend in October. The last event we were a part of was the 5th Annual Fishing for Hope in South Padre Island, Texas. It came at just the right moment to lift our spirits, and let us know this indeed is the right path that we have choosen. The energy, the excitement and the group of people that were gathered there to represent Livingston was truly a sight to be seen! So as 2010 fishing season has come and almost gone, we have grown, expanded, traveled, sold, talked, demonstrated and burned the candle at both ends! As I take a deep breath and prepare for the next couple months of "down time" I think I have finally come to embrace the life of an entreprenuer. Although I never thought I would conform, being shown the path and the other side of the corporate world and I will do anything and everything possible to stay on the path that has been paved.