Saying No (Even When It Hurts)

Richie Norton, you speak the truth.

I'll preface this all by saying that I am a people pleaser to the extreme.  I like everyone to be happy with me and I hate disappointing people.  You can ask my elementary school teachers, it's just my personality.

However, with the changes that have truly shook my world, I've been forced to learn to say no.  To the opportunities that are not right for me at this moment as well as the path I was on. 

Driving with Dogs: Holiday Edition

Hey y'all!

November was a lot of change, some expected but most was not. I've held off writing during this time as a way to kind of get back into a routine of my own. But I'm back now!

With the holidays coming up quickly and all the traveling that goes along with that, why not bring your dogs along for the fun?

What's in my Bag: Work Life Edition

I don't know about y'all but I can truly say there are days when I don't know how my work bag hasn't given up on me yet! I just stuff it with so much stuff that I swear I need on a daily basis.

CFDA x ShopStyle: Rock Pink for a Cause

Happy October, y'all!

This month, ShopStyle and the Council for Fashion Designers of America are teaming up to raise awareness of the foundation Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC). Being a member of ShopStyle, I was invited to participate in this great opportunity to both explain why this cause is near and dear to my heart and give 10% of my earnings from this week to the worthy organization.

To so many, October means breast cancer awareness month. It's a time where pink ribbons are sold, NFL players wear pink gloves or socks, and many women (and men!) encourage those around them to get screened and to continue with self-examination there after. 

However, to far too many people across the globe, breast cancer means a lot more. It means the struggle they witnessed a loved one go through and the pain they themselves felt during such a time. For me and my family, it represents the loss of a bright light in our lives, our Aunt Joanne.

Carolyn Takes On: POPSUGAR Must Have Box!

First off, let me say this: I have been a subscriber to basically every "box" subscription from the early Birchbox days to, more recently, some great dog subscription boxes I've been recommended. However, POPSUGAR, as usual, has taken the subscription service to a whole different level. 

Behind the scenes: Tucker gets in on the Swan floaty fun!

POPSUGAR sent me this #MustHaveBox to try and I have nothing but amazing things to say about everything from the contents to the packaging. Everything comes in a bright pink box and wrapped in tissue paper, something I've come to look for in subscriptions. 

Now for just some of the amazing products inside! 

July Favorites and Meet Tucker!

Hello there! This is my (maybe 6th?) and real attempt to make this blog great again.

Sorry y'all, I just couldn't help myself with the Trump joke...I feel like I've been saying and hearing his name more than I've been breathing lately.  But actually, between working and living life, I got a dog! His name is Tucker, he's a beagle mix, and he's totally turned me into a dog mom. There's something infectious about his excitement, especially when I get home from work!

Tucker exploring the dog park

Here are a few of my current favorites (excluding my sweet Tucker, of course):

Coffee Catch-Up: Who Says You Can't Go Home

I know I love reading blog posts about real life and all the fun (and not so great) moments so I thought I'd fill you all in on my chaos that has been the last month!

Pure Barre for Newbies!

I am officially approaching my 1 year anniversary of Pure Barre! It's amazing how much I love this exercise class because I am not an exercise fanatic in a way. Cardio is my worst nightmare, no matter if it's on a treadmill or out around D.C., I really hate feeling out of breathe.

So I jumped on the bandwagon and tried Pure Barre one lovely day last year. Luckily for me, I caught on quick and was hooked by the pure fact that the 55 minutes went by incredibly fast. When I moved back to Savannah for the summer, I got myself a month of classes and committed to going at least twice a week. That swiftly moved to four times a week (the recommended amount) and I became a regular!

Going in to class for the first time is incredibly strange: tuck what, bend and straighten, and WHY would anyone want to shake while they work out?? Well here's a quick rundown!

Plated: A Total Personal Fail

This week I learned I am not cut out to be a master chef...at all. I may be able to make darn good chicken piccata and the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever have but I've officially found my line in the sand.

For this revelation, all future guests of mine can thank Plated. Don't get me wrong, a totally ingenious idea but completely not in my wheel house! 

I did a two meal, two person trial after hearing great things and, while everything I made was edible and turned out (somewhat) as expected, I honestly think it was just too healthy for me. 

Meal Prep & More

A moment of calm after a run in the dog park!

This week has been...a lot. It all started with a lovely gift of a snow day on Monday, which allowed me to work from home and watch the snow cover the city streets instead of trudging to work. 

But my biggest savior this week was meal prep! I've {very recently} gotten in to a routine of cutting up and separating my meats right when I get home from the grocery store. It sounds silly but it makes such a difference in the time it takes for me to get dinner ready and that makes the whole rest of the night more relaxing. If you haven't done this, try it next time you go food shopping!

Winter is HERE

How cute is he?!

Oh dear, y'all. Unlike this adorable panda, I am not a winter person AT ALL. So this crazy amount of snow that has taken over DC is most certainly not my favorite thing to happen this month. 

It's also always during a big snow storm that I realize my true shortage of winter gear. I wear Hunter boots as "snow boots" because I have a long established battle with snow boots that make my feet look crazy oversized for my tiny body. I have gloves but I hate to wear them because I can't text.

But, the worst of all, has been my coat. It's six years old and still functioning but the buttons are all holding on by {a few} threads and it's definitely a bit lint-y. When one of the buttons fell off the other day, I knew it was about time. 

Long Time No Blog!

Pictures from the last two months!

Hey y'all!

I'll start off by saying that things have changed A LOT since my last blog post. I'm currently employed full-time in the DC Metro area and loving it. Getting there, however, was a completely different story!

I struggled quite a bit with finding a job in my field that I would love and that wouldn't require me to move halfway across the country over the holidays. No matter how much everyone kept saying it would work out, I was a mess of emotions. I squeezed in interviews between classes and interning, giving me even less free time than normal and making any sort of social media the last thing on my mind. 

After about a month of interviewing and searching high and low, I forced myself to take a break and focus on school. In my mind I came to the conclusion that, if it was God's will, He would ensure I got a job for January. 

At the end of that very week, I got a call from our head of HR saying I would hear back in the next week and that I was a superb candidate for the job. A few hours later, they called me back and offered me the job! I ended up accepting the offer and started the first week of January.

With all that, I've seen myself change for the better. Biggest change: I go to bed by 11 every night! I also enjoy the weekends a lot more because it's my time. I don't have to be working on school work on Sundays or blocking out chunks of my time for sorority events. 

Anyway, I'm hoping to work blogging in to my routine, which might mean writing everything out on my beloved weekends. Either way, there is sure to be lots of fun content coming soon!

Enjoy the rest of your chilly winter weekend!