I started writing this and thought “wow, I’m boring” but also “wow, you can probably gather all of this information simply by looking at my Instagram” so that’s a pretty decent sign I am your average millennial “kid” putting a lot into the Internet for the world to see.

Anyway, I’m MacKenzie (Mac, MacDaddy, Daddy, Kenzie, Kenzie Rose, MB) Knierim. I was MacKenzie Bowden in a former life that feels like forever ago but in all reality, it was really just over 9 months ago. Time flies.

I’m technically the sole owner of The Southern Rose but that probably isn’t a fair thing to say considering I’ve typically got a family member, my husband, a best friend, or an employee (or two) running the place with me. (I think this is when I hashtag blessed) #blessed

Here’s 10 facts in no particular order… if you can relate to any, give me a shout. I love making new friends (this might be fact number 1 if I can’t find 10 things).

1. I met my husband in February 2016, got engaged in December 2016, and got married in June 2017. When you know, you know, okay? He’s awesome. I’m not going to lie, I thought I had it all figured out on my own….but then I met Tyler and everything just made sense. 
2. I grew up the oldest of three sisters in Hartsburg, Missouri (and how I have any hair left, I have no idea). My Dad, Matthew Bowden, is an Assistant Chief for the Jefferson City Fire Department and my Mom, Kim Bowden, is a reading recovery teacher for Jefferson City Public Schools. I could write an entire blog post on my family (and likely will). If you want to stalk any of them, choose my mom. She and my Dad live the dream.
3. I spent my entire youth playing competitive softball. I should probably specify that around age 12, I realized I was a fairly decent pitcher and put all time and energy into that talent. So, I really stopped “playing softball” and became a “PO” or pitcher-only. It was for the best, really. I’m not exactly a grand slam hitter and I wouldn’t consider myself agile enough for base running, but you want to know what I could do? Strike you out. (Also, please no one challenge me on this because I haven’t struck anyone out since 2014 when I last played). Here are some cool things that happened during my softball career if anyone is really interested.
   1. Won Jefferson City High School’s FIRST (and only) State Championship in softball.
   2. Set the William Woods Career Strikeout Record
   3. 2014 NAIA All-American – Second Team
4. I snuck “I promise to get you a dog” into Tyler’s vows and that’s how we finally got our Mollie. I’m really not sure how we got so lucky still but she’s just the best and we don’t remember life before her (which I’m sure is the same thing people say about kids). If you have the chance to rescue an animal, do it. Best choice ever in adopting an adult dog from a shelter!! 
5. I’ve gone to a small church in Hartsburg for as long as I can remember. I’ve got lots of really great memories in that church and in the community. If you’ve never been to the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival, you’re missing out! If you went in 2015, you might have seen our Wild Rose booth there…. One of my favorite “Hartsburg” memories. The humble beginnings of what would become The Southern Rose. Double fun fact: my Dad built all of the pieces for our booth and most can be found in The Southern Rose. That dad of mine. So clutch.  
6. I love to hunt with my Dad and my family. If you’re reading this and aren’t an avid hunter, please know that my family does use the meat throughout the year and is not simply hunting for the thrill of it. Fun fact: I’ve only killed one deer in my entire life (and would love to change that) but enjoy it just as much when my Dad gets one.
7. I began working at a small gift shop in high school and fell in love with the people and connections. I went to WWU for business and continued on to get my Masters in Business Administration. In 2015, I opened Wild Rose and operated on Etsy and at craft shows. Finally….in 2016, after five years of school and a year “in business,” I expanded to a storefront. It’s the most stressful, rewarding experience EVER and truly my baby (well, TSR & Mollie are my babies but you get it)!
8. My hobbies include reading (shoot me new book suggestions, plz), developing my business, Jeeping to Cooper’s, attending concerts, travelling with Tyler, and hanging out with family/friends. I have several “nieces and nephews” that are really my friends’ kids that I get to love and spoil. I think I have a few more years until I’m a real aunt so I’m just thankful all of my friends are reproducing these days!
9. The only food on the planet that I’ve found so far I absolutely cannot eat: olives.
10. My favorite type of music is red-dirt country or a variation of Southern rock. My parents literally have followed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blackberry Smoke, Whiskey Myers, and TC3 around since we’ve been done with softball and it’s such a blast! When Tyler and I were first dating, we drove to Springfield, Illinois to see The Cadillac Three (one of our favorite bands). Guess who was there? My parents. COOOL. Tyler met my mom and dad at a rock concert three hours from home. Another fun Bowden Family Fact: Lynyrd Skynyrd featured our family photos on their Facebook page one time….because, well, we wore Lynyrd Skynyrd band shirts for our family photos and apparently that is a really weird thing??

Follow me on Instagram to see more photos of mainly Mollie: MacKenzie Knierim