One Hundred

Today marks my 100th post. That doesn't actually seem like a lot when you realize I started this blog on January 14, 2015. I would call that a seriously slow burn and truth be told there aren't any more readers today than there were in 2015. But, every time I log into Blogger I truly love it. I love giving this white space a voice and tone that feels comforting and approachable. I love reading back on all of our adventures or seeing what fun things I mentioned. I love coming to this space and finding intention. Intention for me is opening up my laptop and really letting the words find their place. Its been fun and cathartic to have this little space of mine. So, for my 5 on Friday I'd like to take a look back at 5 posts that stand out in my mind and have a special place in my heart.

one | Home

two | Monday's are for MRS

three | Baby Makes 3

four | New Year, New Baby!

five | Saying Goodbye

[bonus] six & seven | Truth and An Essay: Mom Guilt

So, for those few readers... thank you for reading. Can't wait to see what the next 100 posts have in store!

Self-Care?

I think this post may not be of popular opinion, but can we talk about "self-care?" This trend of everything being labeled as self-care has really been on my mind and frankly I'm not sure I even have a full, well rounded thought about it.  If you look on Instagram the hashtag self-care has been tagged 17.1M times! 17.1! Million! And if you take a few minutes to scroll through it consists of quotes, bubble baths, snacks, selfies, products and lots of BS. This notion of self-care is for the consumer, for the mother who needs a label for taking an hour to get a haircut or needs a reason to be eating a cookie or drinking a glass of wine or reading or exercising, etc, etc. As Carrie Bradshaw puts it: maybe some labels are best left in the closest... maybe when we label people we forget to look past the label to the person. Now, clearly that is not a super direct comparison, but the point is labeling. Labeling everything as self-care versus living? Versus wanting? I wanted this so I did it. I needed this so I treated myself. I'm not saying let's not take time for ourselves to recharge and rejuvenate. And, of course we need to nourish our souls before we can do that for others. But, must we label it as self-care? All we're doing is becoming a pawn in the world of marketing. Self-care is such an empty term in my opinion. It's like people need to be patted on the back for running from one child's activity to the next or prepping food for the week or crockpotting or working 60 hour weeks. Adults have been doing these things since the dawn of time, and mind you successfully, without needing a pat or a label or a nod from the adult sitting next to you or a wink and cheers for grabbing that juice cleanse deeming it as self-care. Again, not a well rounded thought, but a concept that seems to be draining and trite in a time when I think people are really needing more than a label. After Googling around to make sure I wasn't the only one in the looney bin I came across an article in USA Today from Jan 2019 titled: Has self-care lost its way? It describes my point perfectly... "Powered by collective stress, bolstered by social media, and commodified by brands eager to exploit people's desire for self-improvement, self-care has evolved from an individual act to a mainstream movement - and market - where the lines between true wellness, social media performance and self-criticism blur." Do we agree? Of course! Ever come across a post from a friend about their "self-care" activity and think well, damn! I need that too! I should be doing that! Why aren't I doing that? Not in a comparison is the thief of all joys way, but more of a wow, they had time for that kinda why. Still with me? Anyway, I'm guessing my point is let's remove the label and let's get back to true wellness, true needs, true wants. Let's identify whether our "self-care" habits are really for the soul or have they become apart of a bigger labeling machine? Food for thought - a messy, not well round thought, but a thought!

Saltwater Gospel

Hello from the beautiful shores of NC: sea salted to perfection with the right touch of ocean breeze and eastern NC swagger. We have a week to renew, reconnect and rejuvenate all that’s happened since the last time our toes were in the sand. Having grown up at the beach its always been the place I feel most centered and myself, and I’m hoping in 7 days I leave feeling excited to start anew - whatever that is... outlook, routines, you name it. The lyrics from Eli Young Band’s song Saltwater Gospel always speak to me...

When I go down and sink my feet in the water
And I soak up that sun and I watch it set
Yeah, I can feel the power of the saltwater gospel
I'm as close to God as I can get....
I'm in heaven watchin' all these waves roll in
Amen
When I'm lost I know where to get found again

Short and sweet this time friends, but I’ll leave you with this sweet sandy bottomed little lover!

Friday's Fuel

First off, thank you so much for the outpouring of love from my last post. I honestly feel lighter from finally shedding that and standing in the light. It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to be honest which has been on my heart recently since watching Brene Brown's Netflix special - The Call to Courage. If you don't know what I'm talking about you must go watch or use your sister's Netflix login. My sister called to tell me I HAD to watch because "you know we're the same, so you're going to love it." And well, darn it, she was right. I laughed and cried. It is amazing. Maybe even transformative. The message is clear - it takes vulnerability to be courageous. To stand in the light. To put yourself in the ring. To show up. To put yourself in uncomfortable situations that allow your true self to grow and shine. It's tough when different seasons of your life are upon you to feel like you aren't just letting life pass you by. I know that's how I'm currently feeling. The day to day can start to be a drag - wake up, rush out, drive an hour, work, work work, drive an hour, rush, eat, sleep. The last few months have left me feeling like maybe I am just taking a back seat. Maybe I do need to be vulnerable and adjust and reassess.  We can't be brave enough to stop letting life pass us by without vulnerability. So, enough about that. Just go watch it!

Let's get to today's Friday Fuel...

one | Speaking of vulnerability and courage I have to shout out 2 girlfriends that are standing in their own light, putting themselves out there and doing the darn thing! First, Jessica who just started a blog - The Honest Truth. She's wearing her heart on her sleeve and doing so beautifully. Go give her blog a read and join her community! And the second shout out is to my girlfriend Lauren who has been building her side hustle of Rodan + Fields into something amazing. Both of these women decided to go outside of their comfort zones and do something for themselves and I see them reaping the rewards from being courageous enough to do so! Go ladies go!

two | Mom truth... Have you ever gotten a call from the preschool to say your child has completely disrobed, diaper and all, and peed on the playground? Well, me either until yesterday. Fun times, fun times. Potty training just escalated to emergency levels.

three | Hi, I'm Anna and I have an addiction to something called an Iced Kong Fusion. It's sweetened black tea, espresso and steamed milk. Seriously don't knock it until you try it. It is amazing and life changing. I know Brene Brown would say so, haha.

four | Has anyone shopped at Target lately? Ever since we moved and are much further away from one I rarely ever go anymore, but I did manage to find my way there last weekend. Wow, ya'll! Some really cute things! I found this suppper cute jumpsuit/romper and some really cute swimsuits for George. They have really upped their game!

five | I love to see what people are buying on Amazon, and recently there have been a lot of really great things that I've added to my Amazon shopping list. Drop a comment below - what have you been buying lately?

one | two | three | four | five | six

Alright lovelies, I've so enjoyed being back in this space with you! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Mother's Day!

xoxo - A

Whole 30 Round 2 - Week 2

We've made it through week 1 - YAY! The image above is a reminder of the general outcomes you should be feeling while on the Whole 30 and it was pretty accurate for us. Mid week we both had headaches that felt like hangovers! I'm ready for the tiger blood to set in - so much energy!! Let's do a phone dump for Whole 30 inspiration and a look ahead of this week...

Buffalo Turkey Meatballs, Roasted Broccoli and Tessemae's Ranch

Herb Crusted Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Apples

Banana, Raisins and Almond Butter

Leftover Herb Salmon and Egg Scramble

Gotta make it fun somehow!
Lemon La Croix mixed with Pineapple Strawberry La Croix

Saturday Dinner
Grilled Steaks, Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms and Carrot and Parsnip Mash

So, what's on the menu this week??

Breakfast | I tried a new breakfast casserole for Mr. B this week. It looks tasty! I'm still obsessed with my hard boiled eggs with hot sauce.

Lunch | The buffalo turkey meatballs from last week were really good, so we're keeping that the same again this week as well. Super yummy!

Dinners | We started the week off last night with this compliant meatloaf and baked sweet potatoes. We love this recipe! Also on the menu this week... Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Riced Cauliflower, Grilled Chicken Salads, Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls, Pork Chops and Roasted Asparagus, Compliant Hot Dogs and Sweet Potato Fries

Extras | Additional items in our fridge to keep us on track... raisins, bananas, avocados, almond butter, grapes, baby carrots

Cheers to feeling good on the INSIDE!

Why Whole 30?

It's a good question, right? Why restrict myself from that amazing homemade lasagna that I've raved about 300 times and that crisp Blue Moon on a beautiful sunny day along with my fave coffee ice cream to top off an otherwise fantastic weekend?

Let me count thy ways...
heartburn, lack of sleep, dull sunken skin, sluggish, moody, acid reflux... to name a few.

Eating whole nutritious foods shouldn't make your heart feel like it's going to beat out of your chest or swing your moods high and low without sending a notice! Whole foods shouldn't send your blood sugars into the depths of the lands waiting for you to respond by sweating full bullets and crashing down to the floor because your knees gave out just before you were going to stuff your face with a giant sub to calm you down and get back to equilibrium. None of that sounds normal right? No, unless you're eating a truly American diet. Which we are! They don't call it the afternoon lunch slump for nothing! And on top of the physical issues, I swear by Whole 30 because I don't believe there is another diet out there where a clear mind is a result. Thinking clearly alone is reason enough to rid yourself of the processed toxins.

So, we're in 2 full days and I can already tell a difference in my sleep and inflammation. I tell ya it's magic! Rid yourself of the processed sugars, sulfites and junk and you will sleep like a precious little baby. 100% guaranteed. No need for a warranty. 

What is your why? Maybe it isn't the Whole 30, but what gets you up in the morning knowing that you're feeding your body the way it's always needed?

Whole 30 Round 2 - Week 1

Yes, you read that right! Mr. B and I have started our 2nd round of Whole 30 and thank goodness. We were both in need of a reset and the timing is perfect. Today is day 1 and my personal goal is 60 days, but we'll see. Ideally, I see that as a strict Whole 30 for the first half and then a mash up of Whole 30 and Food Freedom the second half straight into the summer months. Here's to hoping it works out that way!

So, what's on the menu this week? And like last time, this is really for my benefit because typing it out makes me accountable for sticking with it. So, thank you to my 2 readers for the accountability group - haha!

Breakfast | Frittatas for Mr. B (quick and easy for on the go) and hard boiled eggs with Franks Red Hot Original and Pederson's compliant bacon for me. I owe my sister for my new obsession with eggs and hot sauce. Go ahead and awake your senses first thing in the morning - you won't regret it!

Coffee | about the only thing that stuck from our first Whole 30 is our Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk. And trust me, this was a big deal for Mr. B! He was a huuuge french vanilla creamer lover to the end, so yay for him!

Dishes | the following will be used for dinner and leftovers for lunch: 
Lemon Garlic Herb Baked Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Buffalo Turkey Meatballs with Tessemae's Ranch and Roasted Broccoli
Chicken Tenderloins, Roasted Fennel, Apple, Sweet Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
Egg Roll in a Bowl - duh! a family fave!
Grilled Pork Chops with Tessemae's BBQ Sauce and Roasted Asparagus
Grilled Burgers with Marinated Onions and Parsnip Fries

Extras | Other items in our fridge to keep us on track: celery, raisins, almond butter, bananas, apple slices, baby carrots

So, nothing crazy on our menu this week and for good reason. I want us to be just as successful this time around as we were last time. I already felt overwhelemed with coming up with a menu so I kept it on the straight and narrow while we're getting back into the swing of things.

Is anyone else doing a Whole 30 or just completed one? Let me know down below!

Cheers to feeling great on the INSIDE!

Monday Motivation

Thoughtful Tuesday

I heard this recently and now I can't remember for the life of me where, 

but I'll just leave this here for you parents out there...

Wake up for your children

Not to your children

Let's just say I'm working this 50/50 right now, 

but what would happen if I started doing this 100% of the time?

What's your Tuesday thought for the day?

Chaos

That's how I feel this morning about the world we live in. What has the world come to? Catastrophic and meaningless tragedies happening all around us. Furthermore, hate. 

For what? Why? 

As I sit here, holding my child, I am actually stricken with fear and anxiety for the world he will grow up in. As I watch the news reports come in everyone is plagued with such routine behavior. Why have we become immune to tragedy and chaos? 

The feeling I have of not being able to go anywhere - concerts, malls, movies, festivals - continues to grow deeper. It's not ok. I know we need to continue to live our lives, but when will that fear go away? When will the senselessness end?

Words to remember on this Monday morning...

Well, hello!

It's been a crazy 8 months (to the day) since I last posted. For one, we have the sweetest, most handsome 9 month old that has stolen our hearts more and more with each passing day. That's an obvious update, but let's get down to the real things that matter (wink, wink)! Let's see if I can get everyone (really myself) up to speed on what we've been up to!

What we've been eating... everyone knows I love to cook and if I could really spend my days doing something fulfilling part of that would be with cooking. But, the dinner hour has proven to be a challenge the last 9 months. I think we're finally getting into a good groove though. You know I love my homemade pizzas and the one below did not disappoint! This was sort of a chopped version as I was trying to use what we had on hand and it turned out delicious. Basically it's fresh mozzarella, ricotta, sauteed broccoli, and diced chicken - yum! 

I feel I would be doing everyone a disservice if I didn't pass on the two recipes below as well. I can't remember if we've talked about these carrots before, but I've never been a fan of plain ol' carrots for dinner. The glazed carrots from Cooks Illustrated are anything but and will make you an instant lover.  I've made them so many times my cookbook basically just opens to that page! Last, everyone needs something sweet right?? Do not pass up these chocolate chip cookies from the Pinch of Yum blog. They look basic, but who doesn't like an oldie but a goodie?

Glazed Carrots - Cooks Illustrated
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch *I use the bagged baby carrots and it works perfectly!
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Bring carrots, broth, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt to boil, covered, over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until carrots are almost tender when poked, about 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 1-2 minutes. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to skillet, toss carrots to coat, and cook until carrots are completely tender and glaze is light gold, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add lemon juice and toss to coat.

What we've been reminiscing about... pretty simple - the last 9 months! All of a sudden it's really hit us that we have a 9 month old, and looking back on that time I feel like I had amnesia for most of it! Just thinking back on those long days and nights it feels like years ago. It's crazy how different developmentally babies can be from day to day! The only way I know how to slow the time is by letting G fall asleep on me sometimes. It's just the sweetest and I know that is also quickly coming to an end as well. How do I bottle up the last 9 months so we never forget each step we've taken together?

What I've been loving... tea! You heard it right from the previously self proclaimed Starbucks addict. My current fave is the Blueberry and Aloe Herbal Tea from Bigelow. So yummy and perfect for cooler weather!

What we've been up to... we have been everywhere! Let's see, first we were at the beach with Mr. B's family then we were off to another beach with my family which were both much needed time away. We took family pictures, we went to a wedding and we recently had a weekend away with my college friends and all of their husbands and sweet babies. We basically packed a summer's worth of activities into the last 2 months! 

Atlantic Beach, NC

Holden Beach, NC

my forever date
Leesburg, VA

all the kiddies from our girls weekend! ages 4 months - 5 years
Cherry Grove, SC

What I'm dreading... is it too early to say cold weather?? Ice. Snow. Blah!!

What I'm working on... G's birthday isn't until December, but I've already started thinking about decorations and presents and cake, oh my! First time mother, first born baby problems. Oh well, I guess there could be worse things right??

What I'm excited about... Fall is really a fun time in our family! September is Mr. B's birthday, our anniversary is in October, my birthday is in November and now G's birthday in December. It's crazy, but I'm really excited to celebrate all of those things plus the holidays and all the festivities that come all with that. Is it too early to start listening to Christmas music??

What I'm watching/reading... I've been obsessed with Younger on TV Land this summer! It's such a good show that's reminiscent of Sex and the City. It just ended, but you can catch it on demand. They are already renewed for another season!

I thought with all of our beach time recently that I would have time to read a few books. Um... no one told me I was loco for thinking that. I maybe read 10 pages of Crazy Rich Asians. I've heard such great things about this book, but who knows how long it will take me to read it... ya know between baby duty and all! For real though, of the few pages I did read it's been good so far plus they are making the 3 book series into a movie!

What I'm listening to... 2 things - Radio Andy on XM and Saltwater Gospel by Eli Young Band! All.summer.long!

What we're doing this weekend... considering we've been gone almost 2 months we will be home getting it back in order and enjoying some quiet quality time together!

What we're looking forward to next month... our 2nd anniversary! Maybe we'll get a date night out of it - wink, wink!

If you've made it this far, thank you for sticking around! We all know this is purely for my benefit to type this out, but I've enjoyed revisiting this space of mine and I hope to continue again on a somewhat regular basis. Hopefully, you'll keep coming back!

Happy Wednesday, ya'll!

New Year, New Baby!

Let's see... It seems I always start posts with "Well..." or "It's been awhile..." or on Friday's. Friday's always seem like the day I feel introspective enough to write and collect my thoughts. And for today - January 20th - Inauguration Day - it seems fitting to start a new. A new year, new thoughts, new feelings. And for Mr. B and I, a new baby. A lot obviously has happened since I last wrote (to you? the Internet? the air?). It's been an emotional few months ending my pregnancy and the life that once was just Mr. B and I, and welcoming a brand new life into this world. See, we prayed about our future baby boy for 9 long months. Every night Mr. B led us in prayer about the health of our baby. We never asked too much just to make sure he arrived beautiful and healthy. And on December 19th at 2:47pm he did. Healthy. Beautiful. Strong. Just what we prayed for. At that exact moment, we were finally able to set aside all of the anxious feelings we had lined up for 9 months. And as I'm sitting here typing this watching my new buddy and listening to him explore what will be his voice, it brings a tear to my eye. 

As with every new mother, there are so many things I want for our sweet boy. I want him to always know the feeling of being loved. Learn to give and receive it. Always see the good in people. Learn to love life's quiet moments. Love the beach. Love the mountains. Find what makes his heart tick. Never miss a sunset. Catch a few sunrises. See beauty in the simple. Explore. Learn. Develop. Never give up on his innocence. And as the quote says: "Respond to every call that excites your spirit".

It was late in the evening on Dec 19th and our family had finally left for the day after meeting their new grandson and nephew. Mr. B and I looked at each other - new parents and in a way already new people - and both said in unison "I can't believe our prayers were answered". 

G.T.B

Thursday Thoughts

I've been doing some thinking lately about the tech world we live in - social media, blogging, insta-life-ing. What does it all mean and how much impact does it have on your real life. And what is truly genuine anymore? Let's start from the beginning. When I first started reading blogs it was way back when Google Reader was new and cool, and internet bookmarks where full of all your favorite blogs. They were full of actual content with actual heart and thought behind it. It was very easy back then to get hooked on blogs because people were talking about their lives, families, real stories. They were not chock full of prescribed, contrived material. Nowadays if you aren't over sharing and over posting you must think - did it even happen? If you didn't share it on some outlet - did you actually have a great time? Where are all the blogs that actually share real feelings? I totally understand the direction that the blogosphere has taken and how those that got in early are truly successful in their own right, but I've seen the shift in their content from what originally made them so popular. People tune in for realness. At least I do. I'm so tired of heading to my favorite blogs and realizing that every single one of them is sharing a sponsored post on some ridiculous product that I will never buy or use in my life. Again, where's the real content? I'd love to see the pendulum swing back to where it all began where staying true to one's self was rewarded. 

Sorry for the soap box post. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

The New Normal

The new normal is definitely an accurate title for my first post back since 2015! A lot has changed... including my blog look! If you're seeing this on Bloglovin' jump on over to check it out real time. Nothing special, but it feels like a hair trim - if you catch my drift! My little corner of the internet has been on my mind. Not that I haven't been inspired, but the creative energy hasn't quite been there. I guess all I needed was a fresh day and coffee sit to bring me back home to my blog.

Let's talk about change. It's weird how the universe knows when to group all those going through change together in one bucket - friends going through change, family going through change, etc. There's been change swirling around my "group" (family, friends, whatever you want to call it) for several months now, and I think we're all finally coming out on the other side. My specific change - job. I felt more than the normal gravitational pull to quit my job where I was cube ridden for 3 years. I finally pulled the trigger at the beginning of February, and can honestly say I haven't looked back one.single.time. The cube, the corporate lifestyle, the goal writing, the review cycles, on and on and on - it wasn't me. And it never will be. And now that I've realized that I can finally move on with my life. Trying to fit myself into that peg was actually more mentally exhausting than the work itself! 

So... what am I doing now? Well, I've joined my family's business - selling promotional products. I'm the boss of my day. I'm leading my own charge. And that feels good. It feels good to finally be in control of my destiny - ya know, for the time being. Now don't get me wrong - this decision was made with a lot of discussions between Mr. B and I and frankly a lot of fear (insert all the adult things here - income, insurance, blah, blah, blah). But, my mantra for 2016 is "who cares, at least I tried!" So far, it feels a little circa 2010 to me. For those that need to be caught up - that's when I moved back to the City of Oaks and it took me officially 6 months to find a job. But with a lot of dedication and repetition hard work does, in fact, pay off (plus a lot - read obscene - amounts of wine, tears and heart to hearts). I'm still getting used to by new normal, but I know my new normal can (and will be) successful! 

That's pretty much the long and the short of it! It feels good to be "back" and talking with cyberspace. Until next time...

Top 5 - 2015 Edition

As we close in on 2015 and start gearing up to celebrate New Year's it's hard not to miss every "round up." Top shows, top worst celebrity break ups, top Google searches, etc, etc, etc. Well, here's my small [but meaningful] round up right here on Between the Oaks [#BTO]. Enjoy this installment of my favorite Top 5 posts from 2015 [also known as the only year this blog has been up and running].

one | Living with Intention in 2015

This years most meaningful post - the first. It took a lot to start this blog after talking about it for a long time. And, truth be told the only reason this blog came to fruition is because the blog name came to me in a dream.

two | Home

Mr. B and I had already decided and began planning our wedding back in my hometown. Looking back now, it was the best decision to bring my family back to a place that means so much. 

three | Friends & Family 

This post is really about celebrating the bond between family. Nothing is more important than family especially when they're your best friends. What I've learned since this post is that distance won't ever change that. 

four | Monday's are for MRS

The highlight of my entire year was marrying my best friend. I never want to forget the emotion I had and the small details that made this day so perfect. 

five | My 20 year old self

2015 - also known as the year I became a Mrs and turned 30! But before I could do that I took a look back at all the things I would tell my younger self. 

Do you have a running list of 2015 highlights? I can only imagine what 2016 has in store for all of us!!

My 20 year old self...

As 30 is becoming more of a reality it's hard not to think about where you are, where you've been, and the thoughts you had over your 20's. Some thoughts were true, some ridiculous and some were flat out wrong. If I had to tell my 20 year old self the most important things I've learned to date, here's what I'd say...

one | The most obvious.... you are beautiful! Stop hating yourself. Stop scrutinizing every little thing. Stop obsessing over the scale. It doesn't get much better than now. And for the love of god, please stop comparing yourself. You will learn one day that comparison is the thief of all joys, and it's true.

via

two | 21 isn't as cracked up as it's made out to be. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on every seasonal beer I've drank and every bottle of red wine I've finished. But, if I knew that 20 pounds would come along with finally being able to order a dirty martini I would have entered 21 with less abandonment. 

three | Just because you graduate from an accredited university does not mean you will find or receive the perfect job. For a while. It will take several ridiculous loops and turns before you finally land on something that makes your heart tick. And at 30, you may still be searching for that something special. On that note, take an internship or go somewhere. Just because spending a summer making money and waiting tables seems like a great idea, an experience in life will get you much farther.

four | Stop chasing that boy. He will never be your husband or anyone that will love you like you want or need to be. Spend more time loving yourself and investing in your well being.

five | Stop spending money on worthless, meaningless junk. Take that money and learn something. Learn to garden. Learn to cook. If you want trendy clothes, learn to make them! Spend money on a hobby. Find a friend and go somewhere. Most of all, stop filling up your closet or thimble size apartment with things that mean nothing.

six | Do not be afraid to speak up. Especially at the hair salon! It will save you several weeks of dreadful hair styling. Joking aside, be confident in who you are and what you believe.  

seven | Stop looking to the future because time will pass you by while everyone else is living in the moment. Have fun, enjoy your time, live for where you are. Take pictures, make memories. Stop planning ahead or trying to achieve "what should be" by a certain time. Your time will happen when God decides it's time. 

eight | One day you will learn that being burnt as a lobster isn't cool or fun. Wear sunscreen. Being pale and white is much hotter than being a miserable, scaly, peeling burnt mess. And I'm talking 30 SPF+. I know you think you'll need 15 because you're young and cute, but you're wrong.

nine | Every cliche you've ever heard from your parents is absolutely 100% true. Whether you want to believe it or not. You will not be an anomaly. Trust me. As much as you try and fight the cliche, it will always win!

ten | Stop biting your nails. Keep them polished. Invest in a quality hair brush. Learn how to give yourself a good blow out. Stop wearing clothes that are ill fitting. Invest in good shoes. Find a skincare regimen. And finally, love yourself and live your life unapologetically.

Office Space

Like most people who work in an office we can all agree that Office Space was way more hilariously accurate than we can even give it credit for. As I'm writing this now I'm sitting with a very unfashionable headset on in a cube listening to "work arounds" and "regroups" and acronyms that mean nothing outside of these four walls. I'm thankful to be inside from this summer heat wave we're experiencing in NC, but the self tanner that I was forced to apply this morning from lack of sun is permeating. It's only a matter of time until one of my cube mates tells me the smell has set off their allergies (true story). 

As the 30 year mark continues to close in (only 4 months away), I have a nagging feeling that there is nothing natural, sexy or intentional about spending your days locked up at a cube...670F to be specific. If I had to tell my younger self one thing it would be to pay attention to your Myers Briggs! Follow what makes you tick and what really feeds your soul. If I had paid closer attention to what really feeds my personality way back when I probably wouldn't be faced with this meltdown at almost 30. "Meltdown" is clearly intense and dramatic, but I'm trying to refocus my efforts back to being intentional and thoughtful and aligned with why this blog was originally created. This year has been a year of growth and change, and I'm stretching and reaching to finish it out with even more of both.

My conference call has ended, and we've concluded we'll need another regroup... but I'll leave you with this little token.

Wednesday's Inspiration

We're going on week 2 of snow here in NC and we're expected to get more overnight.  I'm on the border of going a little stir crazy!! Since I've been stuck at home a lot lately (and for some unseen reason our Netflix isn't working!) I've been really getting back into Pinterest. I mainly pin recipes which is helpful when I'm stuck in the grocery store, but I decided to look back at some early pins and found the gems below.

And, last I'll leave you with this... 

"Hold one hand to the past with the other outstretched to the future"

If you're in NC stay warm and bundle up!