Author Archives: Lauri Rottmayer

About Lauri Rottmayer

I'm a speaker and writer and social media queen. Married to my best friend for 38 years, we have two amazing men children, two gorgeous daughters-in-love, a precious glambaby, and a cute boy dog, Frankie Bolwahnn.

Female Marine Swag

I see all kinds of Marine swag and I like so much of it. But I haven’t seen anything created specifically for female Marines so I spent my morning making a few designs.

The cup in this photo shows where the female Marine sisterhood starts. Right on the infamous yellow footsteps at MCRD.

True story: I NEVER GOT TO STAND ON THE FOOTPRINTS! I feel kind of robbed. The six other girls, and myself, who arrived at PISC early in October of 1978, arrived six days early. The story of my life. I’m so terrified to be late that I was even early, WAY early, to bootcamp. LOL!

During that week we got ahead of our platoon mates by getting some of our uniform gear, sewing nametags into our gear, and learning how to march. We were put up, two to a room, in the permanent personnel barracks. I’ll never forget the night before the rest of our platoon arrived and they moved us into the huge, EMPTY squadbay. I’m not sure how much I slept that night. It was just so eerie.

All that said, someone left me a pin with the yellow footprints on my obviously USMC veteran car and I have loved the idea every since. So that was the first cup I created.

Then I decided that we need a red cup. So I designed this one.

On the other side it says, “FEWER PROUDER” because I believe that’s true and I love the saying.

I love how this cup is accented in red but super easy to read the black printing on the front.

Being a female Marine is interesting. Kind of like being a unicorn, there are so few of us. I had a guy at the gas station just stare and stare at me. “I was in the Corps for four years and I never saw a lady Marine”, he said. I know four others in our area and I’m sure there are a couple more that I haven’t met but we are far fewer than our Air Force sisters.

Finally, I did just a simple black and white mug stating, “Lady Leatherneck“. On some of my social media platforms, I go by the moniker Lady Jarhead. I feel like Lady Leatherneck is a nicer, fancier term so I chose that.

So, that’s what I did this morning and I’ll be excited to have swag denoting that not only am I a Marine but I’m a unicorn. I mean, a female Marine! 🙂

Book Review: Stop Waiting to Die

In her book, “Stop Waiting to Die”, Tammy Pack shows that it’s never too late to head in a new direction in life. I enjoyed reading this book which explains how you have the power to take control of your life and pursue your dreams, regardless of your current circumstances. Through her life, the author has gone through quite a transformation herself. She began her journey as a lawyer, ventured into owning a boutique, tried her hand at running a luxury vacation rental service, and ultimately became a real estate broker. However, it’s important to note that she didn’t have all the answers right from the start, and you don’t need to either. In this exceptional book on reinventing your life, Pack courageously acknowledges that she embarked on each new phase without a perfect plan, gradually figuring things out along the way.

“Stop Waiting to Die” is an inspiring read, filled with compulsively readable stories that tell how one woman translated her mother’s wisdom from the South into a life marked by achievement and contentment. As a person who lives in FOMO, I couldn’t agree more. Two thumbs up!

Book Review: Save What’s Left

I really hate to give a book a two star review but I have to admit that the only reason I kept reading is because I wanted to see if Kathleen ever got happy.

I’m a really positive person and Kathleen Deane is not. Nor did it seem she wanted to be. I got 73% of the way through the book before I learned that Kathleen was turning 60. I’m 63 and I figured she was at least 20 years older than I am, crotchety, grumpy, with nothing better to do than write letters to government officials and bemoan her life.

I will say that the author is a good writer and I wouldn’t rule out reading another of her books in the future but this book just didn’t do it for me.

Book Review: The Rachel Incident

For a big part of this book, I was kind of wondering if maybe I just didn’t get it. But I’m glad I kept reading.

Rachel is a 21-year-old college student, sharing a flat with her coworker from the bookstore, James. Rachel develops this major crush on her English professor, Dr. Byrne, but guess what? She might not be the only one after him. Throughout the year of them living together, Rachel and James get tangled up in Dr. Byrne’s and his wife, Deenie’s, lives. Secrets start piling up, and tension keeps on rising among everyone.

I felt by the time Rachel and James grew up and moved away from each other that the story really started happening and I could see where it was going.

This was a good book. A little hard to figure out at first but I liked it.

Book Review: How To Kill Men and Get Away With It

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this book. I have a friend who read it and loved it and we usually like the same books so I gave it a whirl.

I didn’t expect there would be actual killings but I still enjoyed the overall story. Kitty Collins, a rich and pampered Instagram influencer seemed content with her shallow existence, despite being aware that there was more to life. She complained about being an influencer, yet reveled in her luxurious lifestyle and the perks that came with it.

Kitty would post alluring photos, frequent exclusive clubs, surround herself with other beautiful and privileged individuals, and had a secret hobby of eliminating men who had harmed women and didn’t deserve to live.

Over the top, unexpected and good story. Solid 4 stars from me.

Greater – Movie Review

Have you seen the movie Greater? We came upon it when we were looking for something to watch over the weekend. I just wanted a fun entertaining movie that we could laugh at. I saw Greater and thought, “I love a good football movie. Let’s watch that.”

Greater is  the inspiring true story of Brandon Burlsworth, a college football player. From the time he was 12, he wanted nothing more than to play football for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. We learned early on that the story takes place in Harrison, a place we spend a lot of time because it’s the nearest big city to us. He works and works and works and gets the opportunity to walk on to the Razorback football team.

His catch phrase for motivation because “How bad do you want it?” I now have that hanging on my wall so I can see it every day when I’m thinking about the goals I sent for myself.

The movie beautifully captures his remarkable journey, starting as an undersized walk-on player and ultimately achieving the prestigious title of All-American offensive lineman at the University of Arkansas.

Driving through Harrison yesterday, I saw signs on the street corners for the upcoming Brandon Burlsworth football camps. I wonder if I would’ve noticed them if I hadn’t watch the movie?

The movie is truly uplifting and you will find yourself cheering Brandon on through the whole film. Watching his perseverance, faith, and determination are truly amazing. My short review: What a story, what a legacy!

Crawdad Festival 2023

I had so much fun this past weekend reigning at the Crawdad Days festival as Ms. Classic Crawdad Days 2023.

We started the day out hosting a baby pageant and I was the queen in charge of taking the registrations. it was so much fun to see all the cute babies as they were registered by their parents.

There were performances by the Ridge Runner clogging group. Clogging looks like so much fun! As a dancer, I feel like I may need to try that style of dance.

After the baby contest we got a chance to walk around the fairgrounds. Behind where we held the baby contest was a building that was loaded with vendors. Of course I had to check out the Queen Pop popcorn!

And what’s a crawdad festival without a life sized crawdad?!

There was a crawdad eating contest which was very interesting. I’ll be honest, I have no idea how to eat a crawdad but I’m 100% intrigued by eating contests. I’m pretty sure I could dominate one if it were a cake or pancake eating contest. LOL!

We then wandered around the festival on our official photo shoot. Our director decided to put us on the big swing ride, something I haven’t ridden in a long time. I was a little afraid of having a dress on but it all went fine.

Riding the swings with Miss Teen Crawdad Days. I enjoyed visiting with her so much!

After we were finished for the day, we came back that night for the rodeo. It was my FIRST rodeo! We were introduced to the crowd and then we went and took a seat to watch. It was exciting and terrifying all at once. I can’t wait to go to the next one!

All in all, I really enjoyed my reign at Crawdad Days. It was a lot of fun. I always feel like a good pageant queen day ends with sore feet and Saturday was no exception!

My buddy, Little Miss Crawdad Days. What a sweetheart!
Being introduced at the rodeo

Book Review: The Favor

Nora Hammond is the queen of vintage fashion and antique finds in the heart of Manhattan. She’s got style, success, and a happy marriage, or so it seems. But really, Nora and her husband Jacob are swimming in a sea of debt thanks to pricey fertility treatments and failed IVF attempts. It’s hard for them because there’s just one embryo left.

One day Evelyn Elliot comes into Nora’s shop loving and buying everything. Nora is excited about their newfound friendship but she has not idea that this friendship willlead her into the world of multimillionaires, where yachts, fancy homes, chauffeured cars, and an army of staff are the norm. It’s a juggling act, but Nora’s managing just fine—until Evelyn drops a bombshell: she wants to carry Nora and Jacob’s baby.

“The Favor” is a fabulous mash-up of friendship, family, fertility struggles, and surrogacy, all set against a backdrop of glitz and glamour. Plus, it’s fun to read about all the vintage clothes. I loved this book so much! 2 thumbs up.

New YouTube Channel!

It’s no secret that my favorite part of real estate was my YouTube channel where 98% of my clients came from. I decided to temporarily deactivate the account because it was still bringing me leads that would take me time to farm out and I really just needed some time away.

Today, I decided it was time to bring it back with a bit of a new direction. But it’s gone. Gone, gone. I can’t get it back. I’m a little upset but I’m going to look at it as a blessing in disguise.

I’ve started a new channel and I hope it will attract my correct tribe instead of trying to morph my audience from the other channel into something they didn’t sign up for.

Refined Country Wife will be a fun YouTube channel that chronicles the exciting journey of a city girl, Me!, turned rural dweller in the stunning Ozarks region of Arkansas. Join me as I embrace the charm of country living, immersing myself in the beauty of nature and the captivating rural lifestyle. From our idyllic farmstead, I share the joys and challenges of raising chickens, cows, and dogs, offering a glimpse into the daily adventures and heartwarming moments that pop up.

As an advocate of healthy living, I am passionate about growing up without growing old. Fitness and well-being are at the forefront of my lifestyle. Join me as I explore various fitness routines, share workout tips, and inspire viewers to embrace an active lifestyle that keeps them energized and vibrant.

In addition to nourishing our bodies, I believe in nurturing our minds and souls. Through thoughtful discussions and personal anecdotes, I delve into topics like personal growth, mindfulness, and finding fulfillment in everyday life.

As a dedicated carnivore diet enthusiast, I also delve into the world of meat-based nutrition, sharing delicious recipes, helpful tips, and personal experiences on this unique dietary approach.

Furthermore, I’ll take you along as we explore the hidden gems, local attractions, and exciting events in the scenic North Central Arkansas area. From breathtaking nature hikes to charming local festivals, there’s always something new to discover.

I invite you to join me on my new channel where I’ll be celebrating the beauty of rural life, indulging in mouthwatering meals, pursuing an active lifestyle, and discovering the wonders of an extraordinary region.

Book Review: Under The Influence

I love social media and I loved this book. I think it’s a fictional work that probably accurately describes the real life influencer world.

Harper wants to be a writer but she’s having no luck in New York in a series of dead end jobs when her best friend spies the ad to work for influencer, Charlotte Green. Harper isn’t really in the world of social media but she figures out, “why not?” and fills out the application. In a whirlwind of events, she’s hired and moves to Nashville to join The Greenhouse.

The story tells of Harper’s experience being flavor of the month, can do no wrong employee but what she has to give to achieve that status.

The characters in this book are wonderful and I already miss them. This is a fun book that I had a hard time putting down. Two thumbs up!