Off to the Races!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!    Celebrating holidays has always been a fan of mine.  I love to hear how other people celebrate the fun.  Mine this year was filled with sombreros, good food, and best friends  Hope yours was also a blast!

What an eventful weekend this was.  Did you know that Charlotte hosts a Chihuahua race every Cinco de Mayo weekend?  I still am amazed by all of the things that go on in Charlotte that I haven't experienced.  It's now my goal to do everything this city has to offer! 

Last year, we missed it but we were sure to make it this year. It took place in the middle of the EpiCentre and was an all-day event.  There were dogs, sombreros, and margaritas everywhere!

My sister decided to enter her dog, Graham, into the races, and boy did he do well!  No one expected him to do very well (it was loud and crowded--easy conditions to distract dogs), but he ended up coming in 3rd place!

If you have never had a chance to experience a taste of Charlotte and it's culture, you definitely should! 

Happiness.

"I think eventually we learn to define happiness for ourselves on our own terms in spite of the pain other people have caused us."
-One Tree Hill

I don't think there could be a more appropriate quote for my life this week.  I used to hate people that would brag about their perfect happy lives.  I mean, how could everything be so perfect?  Clearly something had to be wrong with their lives.

But over time, I've come to realize that everything probably isn't perfect in their lives.  It's all a matter of perspective.  It's all a matter of how you define happiness.  Happiness isn't defined by other people.  Society tells us over and over that to be happy you have to have a lot of money, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect wardrobe.   For me, happiness is about how you feel about yourself and how you make others feel.  

A few months ago, I was not at a place in my life where I could make other people happy, because I wasn't "good" with myself.  Sure, I was my same upbeat self, but at the end of the day, something was just "off."  Over the last few months, I have undergone some drastic changes in my life.  Some for the good, others for not the best, but I can finally say I am in a place in my life where I am truly happy.  I have a job that I love where I can impact and influence kids in a positive way, I have a group of supportive and uplifting friends, and most importantly, I have the best family I could ask for.  I feel good about myself and the decisions I've made to get to where I am now.

So is my life perfect? Absolutely not.  Are there still things I wish I could change?  Of course.  But I'm finally defining happiness for myself.  And I am happy.  

How do you define happiness? 

Sunday Six!

Hello there! It's that time of the week again... Sunday Six!   This weeks edition: six things I loved about this week.

1.  Week 3 of camp!  My week days lately have been filled with sunshine, children, and fun.  It is unbelievable that tomorrow starts week 4....

2. Outdoor fun:

Yesterday, I talked a few friends into spending the day outside hiking.  We drove up to Crowder's Mountain State Park and had a blast hiking up. It was absolutely beautiful!

3.Animal fun

This week has been full of animals.  Dogs, cats, and even pigs! Considering I've been allergic to cats my whole life, I have never had the opportunity to play with a lot of cats. Thankfully, I've seemed to grow out of that allergy lately.  Some of my friends are out of town, so I've gotten to play with their cat while they are gone! Seriously, how cute is Max?

 Piggy play time on Friday night

 Topaz and her cousin, Zola!

4.  "Lame" Friday nights.

 I didn't go out much this weekend--but I did get to catch up on some rest! Friday night was spent with friends, drinks, and board games (that may or may not have lasted until 5AM...) We all need a chill night every now and then.

5.  Family time

I think this picture pretty much sums up my family.  Never a dull moment with a 4 and 6 year old brother! 

6. House decorating

After seeing many cute posts on Pinterest, I decided to make my own gallery wall! I know there are a couple empty spots, but I'm really liking how it is coming together so far. Look for more about the gallery wall later on this week!

I hope everyone had a wonderful week!

-Cam

New Layouts!

Summertime definitely called for a new blog layout.

Refreshed blog = a happy blog! 

:)

Weekend Fun

Lazy summer weekends are a favorite of mine.  After a long week of working outside, there is nothing I love more than relaxing with a good book. 

Friday night I had the chance to do just that!  I have finally had some  free time to pick back up in reading A Game of Thrones (thanks to Steph!), and I am so addicted.  Naturally, I stayed in on Friday night to catch up on some reading!

Saturday I slept way longer than intended (even through ten alarms I had set...oops) but enjoyed an afternoon of watching Fringe and eating pizza for breakfast in bed! If you haven't seen the show Fringe yet, I highly recommend it!

Late in the afternoon, some fun visitors stopped by my house! My dad, step mom, and little brothers came over to help out with some stuff around my house.  As always, I am so thankful for them. After they left, I spent a little bit of "me" time shopping and getting a pedicure before a night of fun!

A good friend of mine is back in town for a week, so he took me and my sister out to dinner and drinks at Alexander Michaels before heading out for a night on the town.  We made our rounds at Dandelion Market, Roxbury, and Sip before I was a little too tired for all the fun.

The birthday boy

 

We love JB!

 

Summer Essentials

In honor of the first day of summer (helloooo summer solstice), here are some "must haves" for my summer.

1. Fun Wedges

There is nothing I love more than to pair some nude or camel wedges with a fun summer sundress! I am always on the hunt for a cute and comfortable pair.  I got these not too long ago while wandering in the mall, and I have loved finding new outfits to wear them with! 

 [Wedges: Rack Room Shoes]

2. Monogrammed Swimsuits

If it makes me the typical "girl," then I don't care! I love my monograms...even on swimsuits! 

 [swimsuits: Victoria's Secret]

3. Nautical Accessories

Nautical things have been popping up all over the place lately.  Anchors and starfish have been on my radar! From jewelry and phone cases to clothes, I have been getting everything nautical possible!These are some of my favorites...

 [Ring: eBay, Shorts: Vineyard Vines]

4. Tervis Tumblers

All summer, I work outside all day! My newest addiction has been finding cute Tervis Tumblers to keep my water cold!  I do have the tendancy to set them down and leave them everywhere, but they are still my favorite. I love that they don't leave water spots everywhere they sit. Some of my favorites are my ASU, Batman symbol, Anchor, and monogram! 

5. Essie Nail Polish 

Who else is loving the summer neon collection? I know I am! These are some of my favorite summery colors.  I always have such a hard time deciding which color to do my nails.

What are you loving for this summer?

Sunday Six: Father's Day Edition!

First off, Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there reading!  I am so blessed that I had the opportunity to spend the evening relaxing with my dad and the rest of my family.

I decided to mix it up a little today and make a post with 6 of my favorite pictures/memories of my dad!  

Warning before you begin: My dad HATES taking pictures. Lots of these are selfies:)

1.Vacations. Over the years, my dad has taken the time to go on trips with just me or with me and my sisters.  Over the years, we have been to Paris, Washington DC, Maryland, Florida, and the beach several times.  One year, we went down to Amelia Island in Florida for a long weekend.  Dad and I drove down together and my sisters met us the next day.  One night, we walked around in the city before eating and found this fun statute. 

2. Aubree's Wedding.  Back in 2009, my sister got married!  While the actual ceremony didn't go 100% as planned, daddy was there throughout the entire process.  Here are some pictures from the rehearsal and ceremony!

3. High School Proms! Thankfully, throughout high school, my house could be a place where everyone could meet/hang out.  My dad was pretty chill about that.  We met here to take pictures for prom both years.  Clearly he doesn't like to smile for my pictures, but here we are senior year! 

4. Spontaneous trips. Freshman year when I came home from college for winter break, my dad asked me one morning if I wanted to drive down to Daytona Beach with him for two nights.  I jumped at the opportunity and it turned out to be a blast! We got to relax on the beach, see family members, and even tour the Daytona Race Track! 

5. Now, I know my dad isn't in this next picture.  But without him, graduation wouldn't have been possible! As much as I whined and complained throughout high school and college, my dad was always there to push me through to do my absolute best. 

6. Random silly-ness.  I love to joke around and have fun, and I definitely get my sense of humor and sarcasm from my dad.  

Thanks for always being there for me, dad.  No matter what the problem, I know that I can always call you.  Thanks for showing me what good parenting looks like. I hope that one day (waaaaaay in the future) I can pass along some of the unconditional love that you have shown me.

Happy Father's Day!