Surprise!

Yes, I am still in Tennessee, but Dad and I snuck away to Panera to get some Internet. (The truth is that I had to check on some work stuff, but of course it wasn't done.)

So while he checks his emails I figure it is time to write a post!

The trip has been good- nice to see family that we don't get to see often. And it is nice while everyone is busy visiting, I get some quality thinking time. There has been so much going through my head the past few months so it is good for me to get away and try to clear things up....not that I have but I am getting there....At least I have a 6 hour ride back with Mom to talk it over.

Big bro and the fiance are coming in tomorrow...this Christmas has been great because all of the attention is on him. I haven't felt like talking about my job or house or anything so its nice that everyone really wants to talk to him.

Yesterday, Mom and Granny and I snuck out to do a little shopping! Mom likes to stalk up on her Christmas things for the next year and I just like to look for good deals. For example, I got the entire SATC collection for $70!!!! Using a Christmas gift card, it brought it down to just $26- what a steal! Plus there are some stores down here that we don't have at home, so it is nice to see what I can get that wont look like everyone else.

Unfortunately my team lost our Bowl Game last night. What a bummer. I hope that some other teams I am rooting for will win their games.

So as you can see, nothing too exciting going on down here, but it is nice to get away for a while. (Not to mention the sun is shining, no snow and I don't need to wear 40 layers.) I will be back up North soon to celebrate the New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This afternoon I will be leaving to head down to Tennessee for Christmas. Now, I do enjoy visiting with family and I am in much need of getting out of town for a while, but we are staying there for 8 DAYS! That means 8 days of sleeping on the twin pull out bed, no gym along with that good Southern cookin', and no internet (insert TN joke here). Even though it means a living a little differently than I'm used to, getting to spend time with family is worth it. But 8 days is kind of a long time. Plus my parents were concerned with how much room we would have in the car with packages and luggage, so I really tried to minimize my packing. Now, that's a joke. Do you know how hard it is to pack for 8 days? And when it is mostly sweaters, that takes up a lot of room! So I pulled out the big suitcase and finished my packing semi stress-free.

Since I don't know when I will be able to write again, I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas a little early. I hope you all enjoy spending time with your family and friends (and that Santa brings you what you want :) )

When I get back, I will turn around and go back to Lexington for New Years. I hope everyone has a safe and happy end to the year as we look to starting a new year and decade. I cant believe that. I remember where I was at the turn of the millennium!

Wishing you all the joy and blessings that Christmas can bring.

I'm dreaming tonight....

Ok, I have to be honest. I am sitting at work with absolutely no motivation. So, I am thinking that if I write a post, that will get my brain to start functioning at least.

Lately I have been having recurring dreams. It's not the same exact dream, but the same theme. What I hate about these dreams is that they seem so real, and then when I wake up, I am so disappointed. It's simple really- I am just dreaming that I am with all of my friends from college doing all of the stuff we used to do....getting ready together in the sorority house, piling into cars to go out together, just laughing together and loving life. I really try not to think of the past and how good it was compared to my life now. I really believe that we should be thankful of the past and the memories we have, but we must also live in the present while looking forward to the future. These dreams just make me cherish those times that I had with them.

I am also realizing that it is getting harder and harder for us to all get together. Our lives are separate now and we all have so many other things to do. For example, we cant all get together for New Year's this year, and I am going to have to miss one of my dear friend's weddings because my brother's is the same day. These things happen and its apart of getting older,but to be frank- it sucks.

So really the whole point of this is just a shout out to all you girls to say that I miss you and I wish we were all together again. It is hard for us to all stay in touch, but I hope you all know that you are constantly with me in my thoughts, dreams, and from everything you have taught me. I love you all so much, and I cant wait to see you again!

(Also you will note that the title of this is from 'I'll Be Home for Christmas'...A comes home today!!!!)

Big Night

Tonight is the Season 6 Finale of So You Think You Can Dance. I am so disappointed that another season is coming to an end. This is truly one of my favorite shows to watch. Dance was probably my first passion in life, and I still have moments when I regret the decision to do other things. But there is no use for that, so I live vicariously through the dancers on the show.

This season was hard for me to pick a favorite. Jakob is amazing. I think he is the most talented of the group by far. But I think my favorite is Kathryn. She is just beautiful. I am happy she made it to the finale and she had some wonderful performances last night. (I tried to find one on youtube to put in here but I couldn't find the one I wanted.)

So anyway, my vote tonight is for Kathryn, but I will be happy if Jakob wins too. I know Russell is a fan favorite and he has overcome so much to get where he is. He has been able to adapt well to the different styles considering he is a crumper, but to me, he is still faking it a bit. (Sorry, that comes from years of training and technique that I have an eye for.) Actually, I felt that I noticed a lot of "faking it" last night. Ryan and Ashleigh's dance looked a little forced as well. That is probably just my bias coming out. Anyway, they are all talented dancers and I enjoyed watching them.

We will see what happens tonight!

Any suggestions on other entertainment on Tuesday and Wednesday nights? Ill be looking for something new after tonight.

PS 9 days til Christmas!!!!!!

The 12 Days of Christmas

Well, I am sad to say that today was my last day of gift opening until Santa comes.

I really enjoyed opening something every day. It made each day so special and I have more Christmas decorations around the house now!

Here are my 12 days of Christmas:

1. Advent calendar- already filled with chocolate :)
2. Stocking hangers (I was a little upset because I didn't have any stockings!)
3. A UK snowmen wreath- too cute!
4. 2 Stockings- one filled with Christmas paper plates and napkins that came in handy for my little get together the other night.)
5. Peppermint hot chocolate. YUM.
6. Yankee Candle diffuser- cinnamon scented.
7. A plate that says "The Christmas Calories Don't Count" (so true)
8. A mug that matches the plate above
9. A baseball Santa snow globe
10. A Christmas blanket that matches all of my decs.
11. A framed saying that I loved:
"All my plans...All my dreams...I lay before the Lord. 'For I know the plans I have for you...To give you a future and a hope' -Jeremiah 29:11"
12. A framed picture of my family from Thanksgiving.

Thanks Mom!

My Favorite Things, Christmas Edition

I am terribly sorry that I have been slacking lately on my Favorite Things. Here are my Favorite Things for Christmas:


My favorite Christmas song: O Holy Night
Josh Groban and Celine Dion both have wonderful versions of this song. I can only imagine what it would be like if they sang it together one day! Oh but I just hear Carrie Underwood sing it on her Christmas special and I think that might rank up there as well. (Maybe one day I will be her...)




My Favorite Christmas movie: The Holiday, The Grinch, Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life
Ok, so I couldn’t really narrow it down, but I love them all!



My favorite Christmas tradition: Going to candlelight service on Christmas Eve.
Since we go back South for Christmas, we go to the church where my mom grew up. I moved away from there when I was 5, and only see the people there once a year. I am not a big fan of the awkward hellos and everyone telling me how grown up I am getting- but the best part is goofing off with my uncle and dodging all of the old people who come to say hi…They are all my grandma’s friends who watched my mom and uncle grow up. He is just so funny so it makes the situation much more bearable.

My Favorite Christmas treat: My grandma’s sugar cookies and my mom's cookie bouquet cookies
Look how cute! These are the ones I made for the company Christmas party.






Some other favorites:
I do love all things peppermint as well…Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Peppermint Bark…you get the idea. Dove now has peppermint bark, so be sure to get you some of that this year!
The Nutcracker is my favorite Christmas show. I could listen to that music all year long :)



I love looking at Christmas lights and decorations.


Lifetime Christmas movies are always good too!


Share your favorite things about Christmas too!


Merry Christmas!

Fa la la la la, la la la....

Aaaaahhhhh!
Ok, so it has been forever since I’ve written and I am terribly sorry! I know all 4 people interested in my blog are extremely disappointed. I have spent the past 2 weeks baking cookies for my company Christmas party (they were a hit…pictures to come later) and making my Christmas cards!
I knew the holiday season was busy, but I never realized how busy it was. Now granted, I have done a lot of this to myself, but I honestly feel like there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done that I would like to.
I had to spend last night frantically cleaning because I could not stand the filth any longer! (Filth being a relative term…) Plus we have had some crazy weather here, so I slept on the couch the past two nights just so the wind wouldn’t keep me up in my room. (And yes, I have another bed, but I didn’t want to dirty those sheets.)
I spent all of last week baking and decorating cookies. I think it is a safe bet that I had well over 70 cookies around my house. I made gingerbread men and my mom’s famous sugar cookies. Don’t worry, they weren’t all for me. My company Christmas party was last Saturday, and I had this brilliant idea to make a cookie bouquet, make that 2 cookie bouquets. One was a hostess gift for my boss’s wife for hosting the party, and another went into to pool of gifts for the company gift exchange. It was the kind of exchange where you could steal a gift that had already been opened, then that person would either steal another or open a new one. I thought it was so clever of me to make these elaborate cookies until about 4 Saturday afternoon when I was STILL decorating them.
Of course, everyone loved looking at them, and I spent most of the party bragging about how I slaved over them in hopes that my gift would be the one that everyone wanted to steal. To my disappointment, it was more towards middle of pack and it was a second choice gift for the couple who ended up with it. Lesson learned- people at my company love the booze in the gift exchange.
For company Christmas parties, ours ranks pretty high. It wasn’t as awkward as I feared and I wasn’t the only one there solo (even though I am the only single person in the ENTIRE company). I did have a lot of fun, even if my gifts were stolen the most. Two of the highlights of the night were when I opened one gift that I thought was just some goofy picture of one of my co-workers (you had to be there to get the humor of it, but the entire room was rolling in laughter- there was a gift card inside J), and when I went and stole the CEO’s bottle of Woodford Reserve that he was so proud of getting. I think it shocked everyone that I worked up the nerve to steal his gift…he even told me that he would never forget that.
This week I made my Christmas cards (again, doing it to myself), but now I have to get them in the mail, finish Christmas shopping, wrap presents, make a present, and catch up on all of my chores I’ve been slacking on before leaving town for Christmas. In addition to spending time with friends, work and trying to make it to the gym on occasion, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
I know I am not the only one who gets a little overwhelmed this time of year, but I recently received an email to remind us all to take a step back and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. There is no need to feel overwhelmed and stressed- Christmas is a time of celebration and joy, and I hope we never ever forget that. I do hope that when it is all over this year, we all look back and remember the time we spent with our family and friends, and the one perfect gift we all received many, many years ago.
Here is the email:
Christmas Shopping
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.
She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season, over-whelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.
Finally the elevator doors opened, and there was already a crowd in the elevator. She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids in with her and all the shopping bags. When the doors closed, she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot."
From the back, everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry. We already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
Don't forget this year to keep the one who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think how different this whole world would be.

The 12 Days of Christmas

I just love my mom. She's always thinking of others and does the cutest things to brighten our days.

Once my brother moved out, she gave him gifts for the 12 days of Christmas. So, the 12 days before the 25th, he had small gifts to open.

Well, since I am on my own now, I get the 12 days too! This year we have to start on Dec 1 and have a little break before Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas my mother gave to me......an advent calendar (with Dove chocolate inside).

I just love this time of year! I hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit as much as I am :)

I am in the middle of baking Gingerbread Men so I need to get back at it!

PS Hallmark, Lifetime and ABC Family are all running tons of Christmas movies all month!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Yea, those branches look goooood!

This weekend I put up my Christmas decs. It is no winter wonderland yet, but I think I did pretty well for my first Christmas!

These are right by my front door. I thought I would go with a present theme...

I made a bow for my tree topper and then made matching ones for the stairs!

And for my favorite part (besides the tree that is)...

I put presents on the ledge with some lights! Here is a glimpse of the living room decorated.

Oh I love Christmas!!!!

Good Luck, A!

A (my best friend who coaches soccer down in FL) is going to the Dominican Republic this week to try out for a professional soccer team in Argentina! Can you believe it? What an exciting opportunity! He loves soccer so much,and I may be a tad biased, but I think he deserves such a wonderful opportunity like this. It is not often that people have the chance to make a career out of what they love. I can't count how many times he's told me, "I just want to play soccer- that's all I want to do."

Well, A, here is your chance! Go down there and knock their socks off :) I know you are going to do great!!!! When you make the team, I will get you a Spanish dictionary so you'll fit in right away.

Buena Suerte!

Blah

I haven't posted all week. The sad part is that as I sit here trying to think of something worth reading from my week, I am struggling to think of anything. This week was kind of blah. I did really step up my workouts this week. I have somehow gotten addicted to spinning classes (Mimi) and I have been doing some interval training. Unfortunately, I have also been eating everything in sight, so I don't have much to show for it....The highlight of my week was hanging out with my new group of friends Thursday night for a Twilight party. Even though I don't care for Twilight, I love spending time with these girls. It is so nice to be with a group of people where you can just be yourself and never stop laughing!

Work was a little rough this week, so thank goodness it is the weekend! I am just going to de-stress with some retail therapy and spending some time with my family. I am also decorating for Christmas! Woo hoo! I want to have it finished for when family comes in for Thanksgiving.

Sorry for letting you down this week but next week will be full of spending time with family and friends and after that, the 25 Days of Christmas!

I am Only as Strong as...

...the cocktails I drink, the hairspray I use, and the girlfriends I have.

A group of my best friends came up this weekend to see my new house and to celebrate Mimi's birthday. She didn't know they were coming up and was very surprised to see everyone! (I love surprises, so I am so happy I pulled it off)

We all had a wonderful time catching up and spending time together like old times (except now we talk about work and health insurance). I miss these girls every day, and seeing them is always so special! These cute little sayings remind me of my friends:

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the b*tch has everything.
2. If the shoe fits - buy them in every color.
3. Take life with a pinch of salt... A wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.
4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!
5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).
6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.
7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.
8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's OK. They know me here.
9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.
10. Don't get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.
11. When life gives you lemons in 2009 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.
12. Remember where ever there is a good looking; sweet, single or married man there is some woman tired of his bullsh*t!
13. Keep your chin up, only the first 40 years of parenthood are the hardest.
14. If it has Tires or Testicles it's gonna give you trouble.
15. By the time a woman realizes her mother was right, she has a daughter who thinks she's wrong.

(Yes, I edited)

But most importantly...
'Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.'

I love you girls so much and can't wait to see you soon! Thanks for bringing a weekend escape from the real world!

Now back to the grind...

Brrrrrrrr

Unfortunately, my thermostat broke last week, and last night was so cold! If you could have seen the way I slept last night, I am sure you would have been entertained. I reminded myself of the scene in New in Town where you can't even see Renee Zellweger because she is burrowed in blankets. I had my thermal pjs, electric blanket (thank goodness) and 2 additional blankets on top of that! I stayed warm!

The heating guys came and fixed it today so when winter comes and it gets even colder, at least I will have heat!

Tonight I am making pumpkin bread with dark chocolate chips and I just found an Audrey Hepburn documentary on TV! Not surprising, I already know most of this information, but I will never get sick of watching these things. (So since I already licked the batter and ate enough chocolate chips to feed a family, it has turned out to be a great night so far!)

Well, I better go get ready for the night! PS I am so excited for this weekend!

Oh Happy Day

I should have known today was going to be a good day when I found my favorite lip gloss (I thought I lost in June) this morning! I also started off the day with my own version of a caramel apple spice. Not too bad if I do say so myself!

Work flew by because we were crazy busy, but luckily I was told to leave at 4 (I still have my job, no worries). Since I was up in their neck of the woods, I decided to stop by my parents' house for a while. It was so nice to see them and catch up. I never thought I would miss them when I am not really far away, but I do. I have still not been able to go into my old room- which has turned into Santa Land. My parents were telling me some of their stories from their younger days...wow! We definitely live in a different world today, but it was so much fun to laugh with them and spend time with them.

Then, I went to dinner with my friend for her birthday! (I like using nicknames, so we will call her Mimi so no one gets confused :)) Anyway, I thought it was just going to be a few of us, and was surprised when some more of her friends came. It was so much fun! I hadn't laughed that much in a long time and I really think there are going to be some good friendships developing there. We went to the cutest restaurant, but it was really the company that made the night so special. I think that Mimi had a great birthday (at least I hope so!)

And to top my day off, I started listening to Christmas music! I know it's a little early for some people, but if it is on the radio, I have to listen! Not only that, but since I know every word to nearly every song, I have to sing along. So warning to you all in our northern city, if you see me driving along in Lil' Red belting at top of my lungs, I am just getting into the Christmas spirit.

Well luckily it is getting closer to the weekend and I cant wait for the fun that awaits!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…ok, I am no Julie Andrews, but I couldn’t resist. I have decided to compile lists of my favorite things- inspired by Oprah’s favorite things show. By no means am I any expert, and currently I am financially recovering from buying, furnishing and decorating my house while having just entered the real world, so I am being even more of a “frugalista” than usual. But I hope it is useful, and that you can find something you like as well. Leave comments or other suggestions of things to try- some topics are very hard to narrow down to just one!


My favorite perfume: Burberry London

I love so many different scents, but this is the one I think truly fits me.



My favorite book: Captivating













This book helped me through one of the hardest times in my life. After reading it, I know what my true purpose is. Every girl needs to read this book. (There is a boy version too, Wild at Heart. I heard it is helpful to read that one too, to truly appreciate the men in your life. I’ll work on it and let you know.)
My favorite seasonal drink: Pumpkin Spice Chai
(see earlier post)

My favorite concealer: Este Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer









This covers up anything! I once had a makeup artist doing my makeup for a video shoot (I am not a celebrity or anything) and was amazed that I didn’t have any dark circles. It is also great for the occasional annoying pimple…

My favorite chocolate: Dove Dark Chocolate

Ok, let’s be honest- any chocolate is good for me, but this is divine.

My favorite home scent: Yankee Candles Home Sweet Home
I have this in my house now, and it really does make it homey!

My favorite store: Macy’s

This was probably the hardest thing for me to narrow down- I love many stores. But this is a great one-stop shop for nearly anything you could ever want! Plus, what would Thanksgiving be like without that famous parade? I also love their advertising!


My favorite icon: Audrey Hepburn
It is more like a slight obsession, really. Much of my own style is reflected off hers, both in fashion and in life. What a beautiful person, both inside and out. She is an inspiration to every woman.

Well, there is the first installment! Be looking for even more to come. I hope you can find joy in these things as I have!

So Apparently I Dress Like a Boy...

Let me just start by saying, today was NOT my day. I started it out by running smack into my wall on the way to the bathroom to take a shower this morning. I'm talking loud bang and everything! Luckily I came out with no injuries, but seriously- who does that? I guess I am still getting used to the new place!

To make things better, new boy at work comes up to me and the first thing out of his mouth is, "Oh look, we match today!" (Pause for reaction) Now I will be honest and say that I did not dress to my usual level today- remember how I started out the day, I did not want to take a chance in heels! Typically, I am very stylish and today I was going more for comfort. (I'm not lying. I usually get tons of compliments on my clothes and in high school, I was told that if we had a senior superlative for 'Best Dressed', it would be me!) Anyway, he and I were both wearing argyle sweaters with oxfords underneath. I think his point was that he loves argyle and we have yet another thing in common (because yes, I love argyle too), but this incident has shown me a possibility of why I am still single- I was dressed like a boy today.

My day got a lot better when I got a surprise invite to go shopping tonight and I jumped on the opportunity. Unfortunately, I have a hard time spending my money these days and just couldn't get myself to splurge. I came out with a pair of dress pants and a cardigan. I am very proud of my friend though- she got an entire new look! I think I need to take her route and try some new things. I am always afraid that I can't pull off certain looks, and tonight she showed me that I shouldn't be afraid to just try it. I just don't do well with trendy...we will see how this mission goes. I just need to get over my fear of spending. I don't know how it happened- now that I am in the real world, I am making more money, yet spending less?

Dear Santa, please bring me money so I can go on a shopping spree.

Goal for tomorrow-cute outfit! And maybe a better start to the day...

I Think I Need Help...

Hello, my name is Southern Charm and I have a problem. I am addicted to Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Chai lattes.

Seriously! I usually try TREAT myself to Starbucks, on the special occasion. I start every day off with my homemade latte, which is healthier for my bank account and my waistline. But for some reason this week, I have been making excuses for why I need a treat. Yesterday it was because I had to go into work at 6:45 and today it was because I was cold- any excuse to get me in that door. And to make it better, I had just finished my morning latte and then went to Starbucks anyway!

The culprit- Pumpkin Spice Chai. A couple of years ago, I went for coffee with an old mentor and she introduced me to this delicious concoction. It changed my life. (That’s what good mentors are for, right?) Anyway, now every fall season this is a must-have and apparently I just can’t get enough.

Knowing how much I love this, my mom gave me pumpkin spice flavored coffee in my Halloween goodie bag. So I have been making my lattes at home with that coffee. One would think that would be enough to tame my cravings, but I think it is making it worse! Self control…please come back!

If you haven’t tried a Pumpkin Spice Chai, it is totally worth the $4.72 for a venti (anything smaller would not be enough). You will never turn back!

'Tis the Season!

After a not-so-good day at work, I was thrilled to see that they have put up Christmas lights already! I know many of you think it is way to early to begin celebrating Christmas, but I think it is perfect!

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the giving spirit that overwhelms us and the love that we share during this time. I wish it could last longer, so that is why it does not bother me at all to have decorations out.

I love Christmas music and movies, and all of the festivities that the season brings. I hope to find many new adventures to take in the joy of the season!

I am also extremely excited about this Christmas because I have my first house to decorate. I have a lot to live up to- when my mom decorates for Christmas, the house turns into a Winter Wonderland. I can only hope that mine will look half as good!

I am also excited because we will have a new addition to our family to celebrate with. Even though our situation might not be the same as usual, I think that this year, my family will be closer than ever at Christmas.

Don't worry- there will be much more to come about this topic!

The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways

Ok, so three posts in one day may be a little excessive, but due to current events, I feel like this is an important post and the sooner the better.

I have always been a strong believer that God takes care of us all, as easy as it is for us all to forget. I have found that I remind myself of this everyday, sometimes to just make it through the day. We all fall under the trap of feeling sorry for ourselves, and I am determined now more than ever to not take everything that I have for granted.

This week, one of my dear friends told us that her dad has cancer. I have been so lucky to have not been exposed to this ugly disease yet, but I am now realizing how truly scary it is. Her dad has been so special to us all, and we are devastated to hear this news. All we can do now is pray, and give all our love and support to her family. Please join us in praying for this wonderful man. He is a fighter and will make it through this.

There was also some news this week in my family that could mean some drastic changes are in place. Some hit hard, but others are worth celebrating. At first, the bad news really hard for me to accept. I was angry and thought my whole world was caving in. Then, my mom reminded me of what is truly important. On the positive side, my brother is now engaged and I was thinking of the path he took to get there. (That news should have gone in an earlier post I know...but I am so excited about my new sister!)

I easily forget what really matters in life. It's not a job, the fact that my thermostat is broken, or that I haven't lived the life I would have picutred for myself. What is truly important is the people you currently have in your life- your family and friends- and the faith that keeps you going. In no matter what the occasion, it is in our darkest hours that the greatest things can happen.

I think we need to remind ourselves of this constantly, because we get caught up in the things that don't matter and forget to cherish the things that do. Time is too short not to. Although we may not understand why we have to go through the things that we do, God does. We simply have to give our lives to Him, and He will take care of the rest. Sounds easy huh? I have found that there comes a time when that is the only thing that will help you carry on.

So there you have it, my words of wisdom for the day. I hope that it can be a reminder to us all.

A Spooktacular Weekend!

I feel like I need to give myself a pat on the back for this social weekend I had! I went out Thursday, Friday and Saturday! It was rare for me to even do that in college. Now don't be mistaken, I wasn't going crazy every night (I dont think I am ever really wild), but it was nice to be making new friends and to spend time with the old ones :)

I think Halloween is a fun holiday, but I don't really get into that much. I despise scary movies, am terrified of anything "haunted" and can never live up to the pressure of having a good costume. I am not one of those people who can pull off costumes. I think I always look silly, but I love looking at how creative other people are with theirs! They inspire me to do better the next year.

To give Halloween some credit, it is a fun time to go to a good party, and that is exactly what I did. A friend from high school organized a party at a local bar for the young professional group from her college. So I grabbed my other two girlfriends, put on something that you could call a costume and went out to have a good time meeting new people.

Since I didnt want to be confused for a ghost, I decided to go get a spray tan for the first time, and I think I am hooked! It was so quick and easy, and no need to be paranoid about getting skin cancer. I didn't come out orange either! It looks pretty natural! I was always so afraid of the awkwardness of standing naked in front of someone as they spray you- I would rank that not too far under the annual gyno visit! Luckily, they have machines that spray you and it literally takes 5 minutes! My only warning to those who have never done it before- it is REALLY cold. They don't warn you about that either. We will see how long it lasts, but so far, I am liking this new discovery of mine.

The party was a blast! This was the first time since we've been here, that people actually came up to talk to us! Even better, all three of us had guys approaching us all night! What is that?! We quickly became friends with Alvin, Superman, and 007 (he was mine, and talked in the British accent that just made my heart melt). The best part of the night was spending time with the girls. We got ready together and came home for a sleepover. I love reliving the stories of the night before with the girls. I think everyone had a great time and I am so glad that we went.

It was the first time that I felt a sense of finally belonging in this city. Not only was it nice that we weren't being ignored as usual, but I am so happy to have these girls in my life. I actually just met one of them this summer, and the other has been one of my best friends for a while, but I think that we are all going to be great friends and have many more fun times ahead!

Even though Halloween isn't my favorite, I think that last night will rank highly on my list for years to come. I will cherish that night for a long time because there is nothing more special than spending time with good friends. I think this was a milestone for us. It is going to go up from here!

Catch up time!

It has been a while since I have made an entry, but with good reason. Over the past 2+ weeks, I have moved and settled into my new house, along with having the craziest week at work I have ever had. Plus, I am terrified of getting the pig plague, so I have been doing my best to catch up on sleep and get as much Vitamin C as I can.

I love my new place! I have done my best to make it MY home, and I think that helps. I am so excited to show it off and have all of my friends visit. I cant wait for them to come! There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am excited to start having grown-up projects. Now if I just had the money to do them all….

Last week, our newest employee started at work, so I am happy to not be the new kid anymore. I actually felt more like part of the team than ever before. Although, I am kind of sad that I am not the newbie because that was my excuse to not know anything, and now I have some competition so they better not give him better projects to work on! However, I am so excited to have someone my own age there that I can relate to. We have a lot in common so I think we will be great friends.

Tuesday was my official 3-month mark at work. I must say, it has gone by much faster than I would like and I don’t know if I have much to show for it. Everything here seems so foreign to me, and every day I see how much I still don’t know. Being the overachiever I am, that is hard to grasp. Last week I got to spend time with some people at the company out of the office which was a great time to get to know them better, especially the founders. I am amazed with their wealth of knowledge both about our industry and business in general. In one of my conversations with one of the big guys, he asked me if I was settling in to the area for good since I just purchased a home. Of course, I am not, and I think I now know what their plans are for me here. We are looking to expand, which I knew because I did some research on it. What I didn’t know is where we were planning on expanding to. He asked if I would ever be willing to go to Atlanta- is that even a question??? So I am thinking that they are grooming me for a few years, and when I am ready, and when they are ready, they might send me down there to start up the new region. That excites me and terrifies me at the same time! For now I need to concentrate on making it through each day, but it is nice to know what possibilities there are for the future.

Well I now feel that I am at a point where I can start making my life here. I am settled in a new area with so many opportunities. Now I just need to take advantage of them. So here it goes…

A LOT of Purchases

What an eventful weekend!I close on my house in 4 days!!!!! But that is not the most exciting thing going on in my life...

I did not realize it cost soooooo much to start your own home. And that's not including the furniture. When I sleep at night, I dream dollar signs.

The highlight of the weekend- My brother called and said that he made a significant purchase yesterday. It is small, shiny and princess cut. I am going to have a sister!!!!! And yes, I like her. It's exactly what she wanted, just over a carat. She is going to be very surprised when it happens! Nice work, bro :)

Well I only have a 3-day week at work. Woo-hoo! I ate every sweet I could think of today because as of tomorrow, I am kicking it in gear. There is going to be a wedding!

Until next time :)

Southern Charm in the City

A little background on me and where I am in my life.

I just graduated college and moved back to the city I once swore I would never return to. Actually, I lived in a suburb of the city through junior high and high school, and it never really felt like home. I went back to my roots and went to college at one of the SEC’s finest and had the time of my life. Why did I come back north? It sounded like a good idea at the time. I had some good friends that were in the area or were moving there, my parents were close and I could really see my life falling in place at the time. Well, it’s been 5 months and nothing is like I thought it would be!

Let’s recap what has happened in this time. I landed a great job to start my career, my best friend from high school got married, my best friend decided to move practically across the country and left 5 days later, and I bought my first home, which I move into next week! (Yea I’ve been living with my parents, back in the ‘burbs.) This has all happened more in the last 2 months. So mix the good with the bad, my life feels like it is constantly changing. It hasn’t been the happiest 5 months of my life. Getting close to friends again for them to leave, having so many close friends from school but our lives are going on different directions, and feeling like I have no idea where my life is really going has been quite stressful and even lonely at times. Don’t get me wrong. I know I am extremely blessed to have so much in my life and I do not expect it to be perfect. I just think this is the time for me to really live.

There it is, the reason for starting this blog. I am beginning a brand new chapter in my life. Next week I will be moving into my new house that overlooks the city, and I want to get out of the rut I have been in for the past few months. I hear that your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life. Considering how much I loved college, these years have a lot to live up to! From this point on, I want to live with no regrets. No more of this “going through the motions” stuff. I want to document the journey of finding Southern Charm in my new northern city. (Even though I lived in the area, I’m moving to the city, an area completely foreign to me, so it’s new.)

The meaning behind the name. I am a southerner. That is where I feel at home. (It doesn’t matter where you actually live, it’s a state of mind.) So I am going to do my best to find home in this city. From meeting new people and making my house my home, to dating and progressing in my career (all of which will surely be separate posts themselves), I am going find a way to appreciate where God has put me. I am open to advice and suggestions, and I can’t wait to share this with you. Let the journey begin!

The Power of Blogging

I have always been a skeptic about the power of blogging. When blogs first started, I thought it was a little ridiculous. I couldn’t imagine that people had nothing better to do with their time than to sit down and write about stuff that no one else cared about. Well clearly, I have been proven wrong. Not only have blogs survived a lot longer than I thought, but I may have actually gotten addicted to them! A friend of mine always found funny things or great advice on blogs, so I started following them as well. Pretty in Pink Megan is one of my favs. She and I would totally be friends if we knew each other. (PIPM if you have advice on how to get followers, I’d greatly appreciate it.) That same friend has convinced me to start my own blog.
You might be thinking, “Why now?” I will explain that later, but I hope that this blog will provide you with a sense of escape from the everyday routine. Now, my life is nothing to brag about, but I think it is nice to experience someone else’s journey. Plus, I think I am ready to really put myself out there to try new things, but I’ll need some support - which is why I’d like some followers. I hope to bring you all insight and of course keep you entertained in the process. I mean, we all have a little Carrie Bradshaw in us don’t we? I promise, I will not let you down!
PS Please forgive me for being a blog rookie. I am going to learn how to make it look pretty and provide you with lots of fun stuff! As always, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!