Let the Festivities Begin...

I'm sitting here drinking a G&T, watching Shark Week, snuggling with my dogs...the usual, and I literally just realized that today is Thursday and not Friday. Which is weird because this morning I knew it was Thursday (according to my FB post) See below...

What I'm getting at is that it is BASICALLY Friday now so everything is good, but things got weird there for a while. 

This weekend will be filled with fireworks, junk food, and lots of red, white, and blue down here in good old Florida and I can't wait to spend time with good friends and pig out (aka wear daisy duke overalls, drinks lots of beer, and yell "MERICA" a lot while holding fiery objects). 

In order to prepare for this weekend of unhealthy eating and laziness I went to Pure Barre, did 3 crunches, and didn't eat any cookies (yet...the night is young...but since I'm calling in Friday early I guess were good). 

I've also been very busy updating my Fourth of July Pinterest board, #becauseamerica and you can check it out here for funsies :)

List of the Day: What makes for a good Fourth of July Experience

1. Friends: this one is obvious. You need people to party with, and who better than people you like to be around!! Especially since people will be drinking and we all know everyone gets annoying when they holiday drink so it's good to surround yourself with people you like regardless of their mental state.

2. Game: Corn Hole, Bocci, Volleyball, flip cup...you name it! This is a holiday celebrating America so obviously we need to incorporate a little bit of friendly competition. And beer.

3. America Jello Shots: Maybe this isn't a must for everyone but I always like to include it to really drive home the point, aaaaand it reminds me of tailgating in college. 

4. Greasy food to soak up the alcohol: This IS a must. Grills must be involved. And it's best to alternate greasy food, drink, greasy food, drink, just to be safe. You know the drill. 

5. Nalgene of water: HYDRATE YOUR BODY SO YOU DON'T HATE YOUR LIFE THE NEXT DAY!!! We are not 23 anymore. Hangovers hurt. They make you sad. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. 

So, everyone stay safe! Don't drink and drive! And wear your protective eye gear if you are the master of firework ceremonies!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND!!!

Top 5 of the Week...and GO!

1. Outlander EVERYTHING. If you've not read the books and are looking for an amazing series that takes over your life, this is it. Also, the show. It stays so true to the books and the characters are perfect. We definitely splurged on the Starz Amazon addition just for this show...

Get your copy here!

2. Victoria's Secret bathing suits. We have all heard the sad news by now that they are discontinuing the swim line after this summer. Time to stock up ladies.

3. Beauty Counter make-up. My friend Christine is a rep for this company and she got me hooked. These products focus on natural ingredients, cruelty free composition, and healthy skin. I'm in love.

4. Day Designer. These planners are absolutely on point. They have dedicated areas for your weekly goals, notes, appointments, and to-do lists. Also, they have weekly and monthly spreads which I need so I can figure out what month I am in...

Find yours here :)

5. Pure Barre. If you have never taken a Pure Barre class, you should. As a dancer I thought it looked like a joke and then I went to a class and it broke me. Like literally, broke me and I couldn't walk for 3 days. Now I love it (and hate it). It hits all of those weird hard to reach muscles and you will feel immediate results, aka pain. Do it!

So, there you have it! The top five for this week! Go play!

First Day of Summer

Summer is in full swing here in the sunshine state. Daily thunderstorms pop up and cool the air for a grand total of 10 minutes before you feel like you're swimming through a hot tub again. And in the mornings we wake up to condensation fogging the windows while our AC works overtime to keep the stifling heat out.

When I was younger summer was my absolute favorite. School was out. There was no end to all of the awesome summer activities one could do. We could go to the quarry with floats and Cookout milkshakes, and spend the day floating on the water. We could make the quick two hour drive to wilmington for a beach day (complete with ice cream on the boardwalk and henna tattoos from Wings). Sometimes we would just walk up to Duke Gardens for a picnic. No responsibilities. No obligations. Just pure, easy fun.

And every night there would be something going on. Some house party or camping trip or movie night. I'm not sure if it was the monotony and routine of the school year that made summer seem so magical or if it was something as simple as a REAL season change, unlike what we have down here!

I just got off the phone with my best friend back home and we laughed and talked about how being 'adults' is probably the dumbest thing we have ever done. So many things that used to be exciting and crazy no longer hold that appeal. Probably because we now have responsibilities, bills, and obligations to worry about.

I don't know when that change occurs, and you become somewhat jaded and uninterested or unfocused on what used to make you happy. It's probably a different age for everyone depending on your job, family or what have you. But it's always the same, things start to appear less shiny and fun, like an old toy.

All I know is that I think it is utterly ridiculous to feel obligated to do something or not do something simply because society says its what you are SUPPOSED to do. Of course there are things you can't ignore like your water bill or feeding your dog - but who's to say that you can't still enjoy the things that you used to?

I may be a realtor who is responsible for selling people homes, but I can also enjoy taking an afternoon to float down the Blackwater on an inner tube with friends. It's okay to spend a Friday night in reading an amazing book that you can't put down instead of going out drinking. It's also okay to go to Disney World as an adult and take picture with your favorite princess. The balance seems to evade us in favor of the mundane the older we get, and I am guilty of letting that happen to me regularly.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, on this first day of summer 2016, think back to the basic, simple, every day things that make you happy. Sit on your front porch with a gin and tonic and a good book, get out into your garden and plant some new flowers, call up some old friends and have a dinner party, go for a hike, watch a movie you haven't seen in a while!

Take a minute to breathe and consider that child-like feeling you used to get when something really exciting was about to happen. Then go out and do that!

Happy Summer <3