Where I Come From

Alexandria, Virginia. The city I was born in. The city I frequented on hot, muggy Summer nights and crisp, chilly Winter evenings. It's the city (one of them) I went to school in and the city where much of my mom's side of the family is rooted and also buried in. In August, when I went home, it had been the longest since I had seen this town that borders Washington, D.C. and sits right on the Potomac River.

I fell in love with it all over again. The cobblestone streets, the rich history in every brick building you walk past, the stories that have been passed on to me about my ancestors. In the twenty-some years I lived in Northern Virginia, it changed and transformed every year. Trees were knocked down, government buildings were put up in their place, houses built one on top of the other. But I knew, for the most part, I could go to Old Town, Alexandria or into the Nation's Capitol and I'd see the sights I knew I could always count on.

I come from a mother born in the same town as I, and a father born at the Jersey Shore. My family, with our imperfections and all, come from a place of love and the belief to always do what is right.

I come from a neighborhood where we'd play outside until the sun went down and the lightning bugs came out.

I come from a home on a hill flooded with sunlight, surrounded by trees centuries and centuries old.

But most importantly to me, after all these years is that I come from a family with wonderful memories. Through all of life's ups and downs, its celebrations and losses, I have beautiful pictures to look back on, stories to laugh about, mementos in my childhood home that remind me that where I come from... it makes me who I am today. And for that, I am forever grateful.

This is the first entry of mine in the Blogtember series, hosted by Jenni. I hope you'll stop by again throughout the month of September :)

Cherishing Home

As I write this, I lie in my childhood bedroom. A room that has changed as I have, yet always welcomes me despite which country, state, or lifestyle I am returning from. I felt the same way as I landed at Reagan National Airport this morning in DC, with the Washington Monument being repaired in the background. I felt as though I had never really left.

I was home.

Although San Diego has been made into my home now, my DC suburban town will always be my hometown. These streets will always know my name. And I will always have the stories to cherish and memories to reflect back on during the times when life leaves me feeling alone.

I am home.

And for the first time ever, I feel homesick while here in my hometown. I miss this being my house. My room. My bed. I miss the colors of the wall and the sound my feet make as they race up the hardwood stairs. I miss the memories of Mom throughout the house. I already feel the pain of having to say "see you later" to these things in just a few short days.

But while I can, I shall cherish them. And what ever it is that you have today, I hope you cherish it too.

I am home.

I am home.

I am home.

Wishing a Happy Birthday today to the most amazing man I know, my Dad!

Some People I Want You To Meet

First, I want you all to meet my baby niece, Aubrey. I call her “baby niece” because prior to my moving back to the East Coast, I had only seen Aubrey two short times after she was born.

The first time I held her when she was only a couple days old. Such a precious little baby :)

And when I came back to DC for a visit last December when she was about 4 months old!

She turned ONE this August and we were finally reunited in September. I couldn’t get over how much she had “grown up!”

 

Every time I see her now she has learned something new and is making more and more “sounds” and gestures. I just LOVE her! I’m so happy to be so close to her now and to see her grow throughout the years. She is going to be a little firecracker and will most definitely be taller than me before I know it! :)

There’s one more person I want you to meet :)

A couple weekends ago, I went down to Williamsburg to visit my best friend Jessica {if you haven’t met her yet, go here} and to celebrate her son’s first birthday! Because I lived on the other side of the country for a year and a half, I had never met her baby before! :( Talk about the worst timing ever – days before I was moving to Utah, I found out I had a baby niece and “nephew” on the way.

Anyway, her son’s birthday party was so much fun and the cupcakes were a riot :)

He had a smash “cupcake” and instead of smashing his hand into it, he loved smashing his face into it :)

So, while I’m certainly no Mommy Blogger, I’ll occasionally be an Auntie Blogger! This little girl and guy are just too stinkin’ cute to not take pictures of them whenever I see them. Speaking of which, the Zoo this weekend was an absolute HIT with Aubrey! She LOVED it so be looking for fun pictures on here soon!

This past week/weekend I saw two movies – Crazy, Stupid, Love finally and Blue Valentine. I’ll let you figure out the common denominator there.  I appreciated the comedy in CSL and the realness of a decaying marriage in Blue Valentine. The story behind the making of that film is so intriguing! It was 12 years in the making!

I also spent a couple evenings hanging out with my nephew Jeremy {FYI age-wise, we’re more like cousins} – we laughed, talked about life/careers, and played some Rock Band of course. I also visited with my childhood best friend and her family {Hi, Sarah if you’re reading this!} We basically had years and years of catching up to do but it was fun to both be back in the place where we grew up :) Family and “home” mean the world to me. I’m realizing more and more just how important my roots are.

What did you enjoy doing this weekend? Did you have GORGEOUS weather like we did here in DC? :)

First Week Back Home

Between the long road trip home posts and link-ups, I’ve barely had any time to write about what I’ve been up to AFTER the move back to the East Coast! Let me first start off by saying I have really missed home. There are things that I hear or see now that are so familiar and wonderful and I tell myself, “remember this!” I know after a while, it’s easy to take for granted the things around us. But, the truth is – once you have those things taken away from you {especially for a year and a half} you learn to appreciate them and love them and never want to let them go.

The first full weekend I was back home, I went out for an evening in Georgetown, a beautiful section of DC just along the Potomac River.

First, was a fancy little meal at Paper Moon – an Italian restaurant where I ordered the Greek Salad. Makes sense, right? The inside decor was beautiful with lush tapestries and RED VELVET. Gorgeous! The atmosphere made me feel like I was right there in Italy!

{via} and {via}

After that, I was able to enjoy some beautiful sights of the city I love so much. DC has so much to offer, no matter the time of day or year! I love the old brick buildings and sidewalks, the shutters, the bridges, the waterways, the stone, the personality. and the history of Georgetown.

I love the charm of the old houses in Georgetown, each with their own color. I wish I had been able to get more pictures! Next time :)

The next day, I met up with my friend Ashlyn for a Starbucks date where we chatted for 3 hours!! It was a long overdue meet-up where we chatted about life, boys, blogging, sorority stuff, etc. Unfortunately, after all the gabbing, we were too distracted to get a picture together but here’s what I wore/my first pic back in VA!! {Recognize the leaf earrings? Told ya I wear them ALL the time!}

All of that came the weekend after Hurricane Irene hit. Luckily, the worst we had was downed branches and the loss of power for 12 hours. It could have been much worse! Tropical Storm Lee is another story which you’ll see later.

I also enjoyed one of my favorite foods that can only be found at the grocery store Wegmans {which does not exist in Utah! The main reason I moved ;) I kid. I kid.}

A spinach and feta cheese veggie burger with a side of cucumber and tomato. What more do I need in life other than Greek yogurt? ;)

So, there’s my brief synopsis of the first week back in Northern VA/DC! I’m excited to start sharing more of my new life here with you all!

10 Day You Challenge – Day Two

Today is all about nine loves. Whew, this is tough because I’m a pretty passionate person so there are many things that I love! Let me warn you now that this is pretty picture-heavy so if you don’t like pictures, sorry ‘bout it!

One: My Family

Me and my parents at graduation. My mom, brothers, and sister-in-law out to eat after graduation. Me and my nephew after his high school graduation. Me and my baby niece at her graduation {haha, I kid} Note to family: We need to take pictures together MORE OFTEN!!!!

Two: My Cats

 

My baby girl Missy that I got when I was in fifth grade after years of begging for a kitten :) She’s been staying with my parents since I went away to college and I miss her so much!

And my little Stella bear that I adopted earlier this year. I love the line that goes down her nose :) I also have a love for rescuing/fostering animals.

Three: My Friends (here are pictures of only a few!)

Four: The Beach (and sunsets… obviously)

Five: Dance

Six: Traveling

Seven: Turquoise

Eight: Music/Writing

No picture for this one, but I don’t think I can survive without music and writing. They kind of go hand in hand for me. I love listening to music when I write and my favorite part of road trips is listening to music. I’m KNOWN for my mix CD’s! I like a little bit of this and a little bit of that! And writing has always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl!

Nine: Home

Being away from home for so long really makes you grow a true appreciation for the place where you grew up. I can’t wait to be back where I belong.

This was really hard to pick only nine things that I love! I could go on and on. What do you love? What could you not live without? {and I’m not talking about your fave lipgloss, silly! We’ll save our favorite fashion/make-up loves for another day}

Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

Guess what, friends? I have AMAZING news that I am BEYOND excited about!!!!!

One month from today I will be going home to VIRGINIA to visit!

Source: etsy.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

The last time I went back to Virginia it was for two days. Two days! And those two days consisted of a bridal shower and a million wedding plans/talks/stress. While it was fun, it was jam-packed and I hardly had any real time to spend with my family. I have a baby niece who will be turning one in less than a month and I have only seen her twice :( I have a nephew who I haven’t seen since before I moved to Utah :( My family is growing and prospering and being so far away has made me feel like I’m missing it all.

The past two years of my life have been full of HUGE changes. One of those huge changes was my move across the country. Without having family or friends here, it was easy to lose myself – to feel inadequate, out of place, and out of touch. It’s been difficult. These past few months I’ve really tried re-gaining that sense of self and the true woman I am meant to become. This trip home will be a great way to re-center myself. To be around people who know me and understand me, to walk the streets where I grew up, to feel the sticky East Coast air on my skin, and… to sit in DC traffic. All of those things made me who I am. I miss them and need them.

I’m excited to see the sights that symbolize home for me:

Like the streets in the city where I was born

 

Source: google.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

The route I took to and from work every day

Source: None via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

And all the other gorgeous places that home has to offer

Source: google.es via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: geeksdreamgirl.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

 

Again, I’m so, SO excited to be going home in a month. Let the countdown begin! I’m thinking I might have a few guest posts while I’m gone, intermixed with some updates of what I’ve been up to :) What do you think?

Fill in the Blank Friday {7}

Friday, Friday. You’ve been coming along so quickly lately. I don’t mind it. Sometimes it just scares me though to see how fast life is passing by.

I’m excited for this holiday weekend. Holidays have always been so special to me because they’ve always been a time full of family, friends, food, and fun! (Why do they all start with F’s??) I consider myself a very festive person, no matter the holiday. I even dressed up as the 4th of July for Halloween one year. Yes, seriously!

This year, I made sure to pack the schedule full of 4th of July festivities. We will be starting the day out at an arts festival in an area here called Sugar House. They’ll have arts {duh}, live music, and ethnic food booths! I think I’m most excited for the ethnic food booths! I’ve been saying for years months how badly I want to try more foods from around the world. Well, this just might be my chance.

Then, later that afternoon we will be heading to Liberty Park for the Bula One Love Celebration!

So, first off. What is this Bula thing I’m talking about? I had never heard of it either. According to their website, “Bula” is a functional relaxation drink. Bula’s Pomegranate berry flavor is just what you need to enjoy a calming beverage from the South Pacific. Using hints of Kava root, Valerian root, Rose Hip, and B Vitamins Bula is perfect to help ease life’s tensions.”

Let’s just say I will DEFINITELY be trying one of those! I loooove pomegranate-anything!

Aside from Bula being the sponsor of this celebration, there will be food {because you can never have too much food on a holiday} fireworks, and live music. Not only will it just be live {reggae} music that will be SO chill to listen to in the background BUT The Wailers will be performing!!! Yeah, mon!

Okay, now it’s time for:

1.  The best news I ever received was     getting into the first college of my choice. I remember getting the first admissions letter in the mail. It was from George Mason University, and as soon as I read the words that were telling me I had been accepted, tears just streamed down my face. It was an overwhelming yet exciting feeling to be accepted into college! Then, soon after, I received a letter from CNU {my alma mater and first choice school} – I shredded that envelope open like a tiger and read the words I had been hoping for. It was wonderful news and a start to an amazing period of my life.

2.  Something I'm looking forward to is     well, I’ve always been one to look forward to things -- Things a week from now or five years down the road. I’m a planner and it just comes naturally, but lately, there haven’t been many big plans to look forward to. No vacations or buying a house in the near future. All I really look forward to is going back to Virginia to be with my family and closest friends. That’s all I want. Not sure when that day’ll come, though.

3.  Something I would never do is     buy cigarettes or ride a motorcycle.

4.  If I could choose someone to be my life coach (famous or not, living or dead), I'd choose     Oprah. Need I say more?

5.  If I had to put a label on my style it would be     casual chic, I suppose. With lots of accessories :)

6.  One should always     wear a seatbelt. Period.

7.  I want to     play Rock Band 2 with my older brother. I feel like this deserves a full blog post. With pictures and perhaps even some video. Never underestimate what this girl can do on the drums :)

As always, you can fill in your own blanks and link-up with The Little Things We Do :)

Well, friends… it’'ll surely be a new kind of 4th of July with some international flair. I wish you all a fun and safe holiday weekend and can’t wait to read about everyone’s festivities, however big or small :)

 

Photos: Shoreline Distributing , Pulsar Media

Fill in the Blank Friday {6}

Happy Friday! Last night was the NBA Draft! I’m not sure how many of you are into sports or basketball but it was a pretty exciting night! As I mentioned, we went to Energy Solutions Arena (where the Utah Jazz play) for the watch party and it was such a blast! Pictures (and video, maybe) to come soon!

Also, before I start filling in my blanks, I wanted to give a shout-out to one of my close friends/sorority sisters (who also just so happens to blog!) Ashlyn over at My Unrehearsed Life! Her Google Friend Connect went whacko and deleted all of her followers :( So, head on over there and check out her awesome blog. She talks about everything from fashion and beauty to health and all that’s going on in this busy time of her life! I just love her and I’m sure you will too!!

Now, let’s get started, shall we? As always, link up with The Little Things We Do if you want to join in on the fun!

1.  The last thing I ate was     an ice cream sandwich that I was forced to eat last night. Seriously, who likes chocolate these days anyway?? ;)

2.  The next thing I'd like to eat is     a nice, juicy grapefruit half sprinkled with a little sugar for breakfast!

3.  The best things     are usually the little things. Like how my cat Stella follows me out into the kitchen every time I walk out there just to be near me and rub against my ankles. Or how it feels to drive around with the sunroof open while the sun is setting.

4.  Something that makes me supremely and utterly happy is     to be in San Diego. I’m telling you, there is something about that part of the world that won’t allow me to be unhappy or bothered. I know the meaning of bliss because of San Diego. Also, to travel with my friends. Some of my favorite memories are from cruises during Spring Break in college. Sigh. Those were the days!

5.  Sports are     AMAZING to watch in person! The adrenaline that pumps during a double-overtime game, the screams and chants going on all around you. I love it! More specifically, I love basketball and football. Baseball games are fun but a lot more chill, usually.

6.  I miss     home. Virginia. DC. The beach. My family. My friends. So, basically this girl needs a trip back to the place where it all makes sense! Oh, and I miss Kip :(

7.  Right now I am     jamming out to “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5. Literally jamming. This may or may not have been going on for over an hour. I like the repeat button. I heard the world premiere of this song on The Voice the other night and loved it. BUT, it gets better. I listened to the actual studio recording and, WOW! The beat is awesome. The song is awesome. I’m linking it for you below!

Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger

That’s all, folks! Enjoy your last June weekend!

 

Photos: Ship51