Happy Halloween!

Friday night I took my three year old niece, Ava Grace, to the Memphis Zoo Boo they have every year. We've never been to the Zoo Boo before, but my sister and I heard nothing but great things about it and how it was so kid friendly.
Oh, it was definitely kid friendly. 
Unfortunately the dad dressed as a melted, decaying zombie man, waving his arms to scare kids to the entrance of Zoo Boo was definitely not.
Seriously?! I felt like something like that wouldn't be tolerated or allowed where little kids would be...but whatever. Needless to say, Ava Grace was royally freaked out when we first entered.
In case you need proof, this hilarious picture says it all.

In a happier note, Michelle made these awesome trick or treating buckets for Ava and Autumn. She could seriously sell these things.
Here's Ava's

And here's Autumn's

And since no one seems to be trick or treating here in my neighborhood, what kind of aunt would I be if I didn't take Ava to the one house I know has the most candy...Target, of course.

What did y'all do for Halloween this year?


xoxo,
 

Day Thirteen: Goals

Ever since I was 16 years old, I knew I wanted to write. 
When I was in college, I knew I wanted to work in public relations. Never once did I change or question my major. 
It was also in college that I was introduced to my dream job and ultimate graduation goal.

Archer>Malmo is a public relations and marketing firm that bases its company here in Memphis. I can only imagine what I could create, participate and learn from this company if I should get the chance to work there. 


xoxo,
 

Day Twelve: What You Believe

I believe in a lot of things.  


I believe in Jesus.
I believe in having a passion for something.
I believe in karma.
I believe the only person you can change is yourself.
I believe cold dr. pepper in a can will cure a bad day.
I believe in taking risks.
I believe in hugs.
And most importantly, I believe loving the people around you regardless of their own beliefs.

xoxo,
 

Day Eleven: Favorite TV Shows

Now it comes time for a confession...I love tv.
No, seriously...I love it.
I don't get to watch it all the time, but that's where DVR and all day catch up sessions on my off days come in.

These aren't all the shows I watch, but to spare you a laundry list of what I watch, here's in no particular order, my fav of my fav:

Glee
Raising Hope
Dexter
True Blood
Gossip Girls
Boardwalk Empire

xoxo,

Day Ten: Something You're Afraid Of

I can be a rather big scardy cat. I don't like haunted houses and daredevil stunts aren't really my style. But two things take the cake for freaking me out:


1. Deaths in the Family
Enough said. 

2. The What If Possibilities
Another enough said.


I think if I divulge myself into anymore, I'll suffer an anxiety attack. jk 


xoxo,
 

Day Nine: A Picture of Your Friends

I have numerous pictures of my friends. Some are good, some are goofy, and some never need to see the light of day...
Here is an small chunk of my friends all together from college...

But out of everyone I consider these next girls to be my closest friends, and I find myself lucky to have them in my life.  

 This is Jenna: my bff, my complete opposite, and someone who always seems to know what to say.

This is Kristen: she tells it like it is, always has these hilarious stories, and taught me how to "properly" tease my hair.

This is Caroline: she's my sorority little sister who could actually pass as my real family, and she's probably the most giving and sweetest person you would ever meet. 

This is Libby: Another one of my sorority little sister's. I do not know a single person who is smarter and more hardworking than this chick. She's getting married next year (07.11.11), and I cannot wait to be a part of her wedding!.

xoxo,
 

Day Eight: A Place You've Traveled To

Just last week I went to New Orleans with my family for the first time. 
It was no short of love at first sight. 

 I loved the history, the music, the food...my mom especially enjoyed the beignets at Cafe du Monde.

I especially adored paying my respects to the Saint Louis Cathedral. It was no short of stunning.

 

The city itself made me want to move down there, ride a bike everywhere with a little basket attached to it, and paint for a living in Jackson Square.

As with any vacation with my sister, Michelle and I traveled to all the shopping hot spots and local markets. I picked up a few goodies from Urban Outfitters (love) and oohed and ahhed all the native artwork.

And as with any vacation, my mom acts oblivious to anyone taking her picture...I adore this quirky one of me and her.

xoxo,
 

Day Seven: Favorite Movies

I guess I have a weird taste in movies. I probably could watch anything. 
I especially love the movies that involve crime, murder, mystery. The movie could be a complete ordinary story, but add a twist and it's pure magic for me. 

After really thinking about it, I also realized I'm attracted to pretty much anything that has to do with Leonardo DiCaprio...

Blood Diamond, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Inception. Can you believe he's still been around after being a huge heart throb the the 90's??

Dude has skills. 


xoxo,

Day Six: A Picture of Something That Makes You Happy

None other than the fur ball, Aspen.
I never thought I could love a dog so much...even when she gets herself in trouble...
xoxo, 

Day Five: Your Siblings

This is Michelle, my one and only lovely sister.

She is very artistic, very easy going, and what I affectionately call a "hippie turn housewife" after she got married.  

We're ten years apart, and because of the generation gap it took us some time to get close and have things in common (lets just say it's not very hip to get your first car and then have to cart around a kindergartner in it all day long). After Ava Grace was born, I practically talk to her all the time. Now when we hang out, we like to paint and create things together.

One of the neatest things I can tell you is that my parents let her name me. Long story short, my parents wanted to name me Tracey...she obvious didn't. Trusting her, they let Michelle instead grace me with the names of her two favorite singers at the time...Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley. No, my middle name isn't Elvis...(but wouldn't it be cool if it was???). His middle name is Aaron, making mine Erin. Whitney Erin has a pretty good ring to it, no?

xoxo,
 

Day Four: Your Parents

Like everyone else, I have the best parents in the world. 

Here's Eddie:

He's the parent I take after.
He's the goofiest person I know, never meets a stranger, and has a huge heart.
He's the one who introduced my love for Memphis basketball.




Here's Debbie:

She's the free spirited one of the two.

She's someone I can come talk to about anything, she has the hugest sweet tooth, and she supports me in any and everything I do.

Till the end of time she'll always call me "dear" and will describe her day as "just fine and dandy."

I can't say there's one better than another, because there's not. I'm just fortunate to have both. :)

xoxo,

Day Three: Your First Love

Oh, first love. 


Some are lucky to have only dated their first love, but I was definitely not one of them. I dated a dude for close to three years in high school, and like most relationships, it ended terribly. There were a lot of tears, a lot of uneaten meals, and a whole lot of time on my hands.

I look back on it now as something I would never want to go through again, but oddly enough, I'm glad I did. I learned something from that relationship. I learned what I can take and what I refuse to take. I learned to stand up for myself. 


And if it wasn't for that breakup, I would have never been at a a random class reunion of sorts during my freshman year of college and met Cory. 

Some things are just meant to happen.
xoxo,

Big News for a Phi Mu Alum

Like anyone who has been in a sorority knows, it's not when you get a little sis that you know you are special...it's when that little sister gets a little sis of her own that you know you have made a impact in someone's life...cue sorority sigh and tears.

Y'all, I may sound like I'm living in the past, but this is HUGE to me for two reasons:
1. It means my little (whom I'm shared many secrets with, meals with, and hundreds of dollars of my money on) has grown in the chapter.
2. I have a freaking legacy people! The pink rose pattern jersey lives on!!!!


All jokes and sarcasm aside (maybe not some much sarcasm as full blown truth...), I'm proud to announce that my baby fam has grown. 


And I couldn't be more proud :)

Now if only I can get that family tan, they both seem to have... 


xoxo,
 

Day Two: Meaning Behind Your Blog Name

This is relatively simple. During my senior year of college, I started this little blog for a class grade. When my teacher told me one day to log on and create one, I didn't have much in mind as far as preparation, but I kept reverting back to one of my favorite quotes from a book I was reading at the time.

"Real creativity is being true to yourself and getting people to go with you. That's influence."


I think Bob Colacello had a good point.

And like they say the rest is history.

xoxo,
 

And Here We Go...Day 1

I saw this creeping around the blogosphere lately, and I thought why not, I need some fluff on my blog...here we go.

The 30 Day Blog Challenge:

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

Here's Me: 

Here's 15 "Interesting Facts:"
1. caffeine addicted
2. dated the same dude (Cory) for going on five years...all lovey dovey still to this day
3. watches way too much television
4. makes daily to do lists because I can never remember things
5. likes to make those to do lists on pretty paper or in pretty books
6. you could call me crafty
7. likes to paint...watercolor is my fav
8. I think it's dumb the DVR can't record more than two shows if you are watching tv
9. I rather bake something than cook something
10. I have more MAC makeup than I have days to wear it
11. I have a deep appreciation for books
12. has a husky with Cory named Aspen
13. I know relatively nothing about football...basketball and soccer are more of my thing
14. I will be glued to the television when Memphis basketball season comes up
15. I look nothing like my mom...identical to my dad :)

xoxo,
 

My Pending Book List

Right now, I have too many books and magazines to read. And I thought those words would NEVER come out of my mouth. 

Because my mom is great, I get monthly subscriptions to the likes of VOGUE, Cosmo and  Marie Claire. I literally have 20 to 25 unread magazines gathering dust on my bookshelf...and I have no clue why. I even still have the coveted September VOGUE issue still in it's packaging.


I've also gone through a phase of purchasing books and hoarding them. I think my reasoning is that I read so fast, I try to savor each book I actually purchase. Unlike the books I find at the library where I can easily get 3 or 4 and read them within two weeks time.


But some books you just can't find at the library (especially the new ones)...hence why I still buy books. Here's what I have on my already purchased reading list:
1. The Help - Katheryn Stockett (recent birthday present from C)
2. The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson (currently reading the first chapter)
3. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (bought because of the hype...hope I like it)
4. World Without End - Ken Follett (bought ages ago after I finished Pillars of the Earth, and I still need serious time before reading another encyclopedia)
5. The Big Ass Book of Crafts - Mark Montano (another birthday gift from C and granted, I don't have to actually "read" this one, but I can't wait to use it!) 


I've also made a point to read through Oprah's Book Club. Strangely enough, I was watching one of her final season episodes a week ago when I got the idea, and she mentioned her new book selection. That's actually how I found out about Pillars to begin with. Now, me and Oprah, we might not agree on everything, but the girl can choose some literature.


What are y'all reading? Have you read anything on my book list?


xoxo,