5 Things

As some of you know, I am participating in the Jenna Kutcher Instagram challenge which is geared towards streamlining your online presence and cultivating genuine participation within the blogging community. It has been an incredible experience to 'meet' and learn about so many different bloggers from all over the world and their brands! I think we are all aware that social media can be a double edged sword especially when it comes to appreciating and living in the real world in real time without having to whip out our phones every two seconds. This challenge encourages everyone to be their true, genuine, authentic self on social media instead of putting a filter on your life, and embrace others for doing the same. Sure, we all like looking at pretty pictures of tiny puppies in teacups surrounded by a sea of peonies, or a skinny tanned girl doing yoga on a beach in Hawaii while she drinks a gluten free piña colada and the sun sets majestically in the background. BUT! Where is the connection there? Where is the personality, and the depth, and the humanity for the love of god!?!?

I know that I follow a lot of those accounts on Instagram, but for the most part those accounts are what I call 'scrollers' because I look at them and scroll right on by without reading their post or clicking the links or caring what is happening at all. They are JUST pretty pictures. But my favorite accounts, the blogs I've been following for years, are the people who are so genuine in their online presence that you can't help but be like, 'yes! I have felt that same way!'. They are the bloggers who let you know that they are having a bad day because they had to deal with 5 diaper explosions while shopping in Target. They are the ones who are chugging wine while discussing what happened on the Bachelor. They are interested in traveling, learning, bettering our world, and also just going to the grocery store, finding a good deal on Lululemon, and encouraging others to be themselves too.

The disconnect our world faces right now between our online presence and real life is crazy! People feel more isolated and unhappy than ever and it's because we have gotten so far away from reality, or maybe we have just changed what 'reality' means. Regardless, I am trying to be more mindful of living in each moment and using my social media presence as a catalyst for expanding upon that real world experience.

So, now down to the nitty-gritty! Day 3 of the #jkinstachallenge was to pick five major facets of your self and share them on your account. This was tough because I feel like everyone has so many unique, and important things that make up who they are as a person. But when it comes down to it, these are the five, biggest parts of me that make me who I am...

1. Family: Obviously this was going to be number one because my family is amaaaazee! They have always been there for me through everything. Whether I was living around the corner or on the other side of the country. They have supported my harebrained ideas, loved me when I have failed, and encouraged me to be true to myself no matter what. My parents and sister have been my constant companions and without them I wouldn't be who I am today (sorry guys, if that sounds like an insult!)

2. My Marriage: It's always hard to imagine another person coming into your life and being on the same level as your immediate family. Meeting and marrying J has been such a learning curve. We initially met at an NCSU football tailgate during my sophomore year and his freshman year in college. And let me just say that if you told me then that we would end up married, I would have thought you were INSANE. Welp, turns out that I am the insane one because here we are! And I am so happy that we ran into each other that day, even if he doesn't remember! Our relationship has completely changed me on some levels and made me more steadfast to my roots on others. J and I are so different in some respects but so similar in others. We have learned how to work our partnership into every day life and continue to grow together every day. Entering into a marriage truly is a beautiful act of self sacrifice and love (I mean that in the best way!). I have had to learn to navigate the tricky waters of being a Marine wife while still GRACEFULLY holding true to my somewhat liberal roots. And I have had to embrace the lifestyle of moving every couple of years and being far away from everything that is familiar and important to me. Which leads me to...

3. Being a military spouse: this is a complicated one for me. Growing up in an area that is known for its acceptance, non-judgement, and down right artsy fartsy-ness (not a word, I know), I had never been around the culture of a military lifestyle. Durham NC is a small lake of blue in a big, red state if you know what I mean! I honestly thought everyone in our military had a crew cut, chewed tobacco, and was the complete opposite of me on the political spectrum. So you can imagine what a shock it was for me to be thrown into such a different environment, I'm not going to lie, I was down right scared. But, I was surprised at the immediate and genuine outpouring of help and friendship from this amazing group of people I had never met. You always hear about how the military is like a second family, but I did not even come to close to comprehending what that meant until I experienced it. This group of women is part of my soul now. Every station we go to, our military family grows. These women are some of the most compassionate, hilarious, REAL people I have ever met. Everyone is so different, and so strong in their own ways that I feel like a huge dum-dum for ever having thought of this group of people as being so one-dimensional (but that is what our 'bubbles' do to us). Anyway, I can proudly say that being a military spouse has made me a stronger, more independent, and self-confident person and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

4. Travel: As a homebody with a bad case of wanderlust I feel like I am constantly feeling this push-pull of wanting to nest and stay home, but also to travel and see the world and experience everything that is out there! I've been lucky to get to travel internationally several times in my life and my list of places to visit grows by the day. Each time I open a new book, or meet a new person, another place appears at the top of my list. I love the idea of being able to see the world but have a home-base to come back to. It's all about balance. Finding that perfect space between cultivating your home and growing as a person through seeing the world. And lastly (at least as far as the top 5 go)...

5. Yogaaaaa: This is a relatively new facet to my life, especially compared to some people who have been practicing yoga for decades! But it could also be labeled, spirituality on my list. Because you see, I did not understand what yoga actually was! I was one of those people who thought yoga was just asana, or the postures of yoga. I didn't realize that the postures were just a small part of what yoga actually is. I started my in-depth journey with yoga this past January in order to have a job when we move overseas this winter. I had no clue what I was getting into. It is like everything suddenly makes sense, like I was looking through a foggy window before and trying to figure out myself on a spiritual level but could never quite see through the glass. I have always identified as a spiritual person and loved learning about religion and cultural perception throughout school (anthro major, go figure) and have always felt that, if I'm being honest, all of the religions of the world are just different doors to the same room. So finding a spiritual practice that places everyone on an even playing field and is inclusive to all religions and sects and creeds felt like finding a little bit of light in what can be a very dark world :)

So, those are 5 of things that make me, me at my very core. What are your five things that make you, you?

Love and Light
Em

Sunday Morning in Milton

It's a brisk Sunday morning here in Milton and the house is relatively quiet compared to how it's been the past couple of weeks. We were lucky to be able to spend the beginning of 2016 with dear friends and family who have since moved on to their next adventures. And although, it was wonderful having a house full of the people we love, it has been really nice with just the two of us the last couple of days. Right now the only sounds I can hear are the dryer humming, the Panthers game playing in the living room, and the clicking of my keys as I type. Utter peace. 

We woke up and made a huge Sunday morning feast of pancakes, coffee, and hash browns, and ate them while watching a couple of episodes of the X-files (#itsthelittlethings)!! So nerdy, but so wonderful haha :) Today will definitely be a day of relaxation, sports watching, and tidying up the house after the non-stop action of the last few weeks. 

There's always something exciting but a little bit sad about the new year. A whole year has come and gone. All of your accomplishments, regrets, memories, and changes from the previous year seem weirdly far away on this side of January first. It can be a little bit daunting looking a whole new year right in the face! You just never know whats going to happen! I'm getting quickly used to the fact that marrying a Marine means I will never have much control over our life, but that doesn't mean that the choices we make each day don't impact our lives greatly. We have been so fortunate to be surrounded by such an amazing and empowering support group. Through flight school, my real estate business, and our new neighborhood, we have met incredibly lovely people down here and I feel so blessed that, despite what can be a very isolating situation, we find ourselves flooded with love and encouragement. 

It's going to be an exciting year. The real estate market is in full swing, our wedding planning is full steam ahead, and flight school seems to be flying by with alarming speed (no pun intended). Living in the moment, appreciating each day for what is it, and always looking for the good in every situation will be my mantra this year! I know it will go by in the blink of an eye, just like last year, but I want to live each moment fully and bask in the excitement of this time in our lives!! 

With that being said, let's all travel, learn, love, eat, fly, laugh, read, dance, & live our way through 2016 with open hearts and minds, and hopefully through our actions, thoughts, and words, create a happier and more peaceful world for all of us to live in.

<3 Em

How To: Adult Tailgate

This weekend we decided to try our hand at adult tailgating. What is adult tailgating, you may be asking yourself. Please, allow me to explain...

1. When you 'adult tailgate' you don't show up to the game obliterated. 
2. You show up with several coolers of classy, adult beer (aka PBR/assorted pumpkin ales)
3. You bring a camping stove to cook your classy, adult meats on
4. You drink homemade sangria out of classy, adult sized solo cups
5. You tailgate for a minimum of 4 hours before the game under your classy, adult tent
6. Your friends husband wears a classy, adult grilling apron that has speakers attached
7. And you drink and eat as much food as you can while acting like total fools and having a blast with your friends. 

So, in summation you just add the words classy and adult into the story whenever is seems appropriate and continue tailgating the way you always have WHILE keeping in mind that hangovers are much crueler to those over the age of 25 :)

We had such a great time supporting our Wolfpack down in Mobile and the weather could not have been more perfect for an evening tailgate! The Pack crushed the other team...I honestly have no idea who they were, and everyone made it back home in one piece!

Tomato Pie Recipe

Mondaaaaayyyyyyy?!?! Okay, glad I got that out of my system. 
This morning as I was making my coffee and trying to find some breakfast, I peered into our fridge and was momentarily stunned by the amount of food in our there!

Yesterday was such a blur that I completely forgot about all of the leftovers from our football cookout. Now, I'm not a huge football fan. I enjoy tailgating, but that's about where it ends. And since there are no Bojangles down here, there isn't much point in tailgating. *sob*

Anyway, Indy and I got up early and cooked WAY too much food, and a group of us spent the day watching football and stuffing our faces like true americans! Haha

I always love a good opportunity to try new recipes and use my friends as guinea pigs, so yesterday I tried two new recipes. One for tomato pie and one for a better version of my churro cheescake. (I have to add that as I'm typing this I'm thinking about how amazing my lunch will be today muahaha). 

The tomato pie recipe was so fun to make because it is easy, and the different kinds of tomatoes make the flavors amazing and the pie itself beautiful. 
Here are the ingredients:

1 pre-made pie crust
2 lbs. of assorted tomatoes (green, sunburst, beefsteak etc...)
1.5 cups of sharp cheddar cheese
.5 cup of mayonnaise
1 large egg
salt, pepper, basil, & other spices at your preference 

Instructions:
1. Slice tomatoes and lay out on paper towels (lightly salt them)
2. Set oven to 425 degrees
3. Mix the cheese, egg, mayo, & spices together
4. Butter the pie crust (optional)
5. Coat the bottom of the pie crust with a layer of the cheese mix
6. Place a layer of tomatoes on the cheese mix
7. Another layer of cheesy goodness
8. Final layer of tomatoes on top (make it pretty if you want)
9. salt and pepper on top to finish it
10. Pop it in the over for 40-45 minutes 

This is a great recipe to try if you are like me and don't have mad chef skills ;)

enjoy!