portland, maybe?

Hi friends,

It has been a crazy couple of weeks filled with birthdays, wonderful friends, food adventures, summer bucket lists, completing summer bucket lists and a slight bit of unexpected car trouble. Actually, when is car trouble ever expected? Never. Somehow though, even the car trouble turned into an awesome weekend trip packed with lots of friends and fun.

A few of weekends ago, I went down to Port St. Lucie to visit my friend Carolyn. She had planned a weekend FULL of fun and checking things off the summer bucket list for my birthday. We went to a minor league baseball game, made a kite, flew a kite, rode bikes, swam in the pool, swam in the ocean, picked up shells, made popsicles, went vertiglow bowling and ate delicious food. Whew, it was awesome and consequently, I can’t wait to be retired and living at the beach. There I said it.

The next weekend was spent in Tallahassee visiting my brother, spending time with old friends and meeting a few new ones. There was also a trip to Krispy Kreme because the hot now light was on and well, it just had to be done.

During the past couple of weeks a really exciting thing happened too! I had two skype interviews and was hired as an intern at Sseko! I should mention that Sseko is located in Portland, Oregon. So my friends, on Saturday (!!!) I will be flying three thousand miles into the pacific time zone. 

I will be blogging about blog adventures in Portland on another blog called Plant by Water. You can find it [here]! The PSL will still be here but it may be on a slight hiatus until December. So come visit me over there!

Here are some pictures from my most recent adventures: 

ps. I'm moving to Portland.  
pps: Typing that felt crazy and kind of awesome. 

free stuff? yes please.

Want to know the great thing about birthdays? Everybody has one! Which means this is for you.

Birthdays are awesome for a couple of other reasons too. One, you're alive & that is awesome. Two, you can eat a lot of cake & it is totally ok because it's your birthday. Three, you can get a lot of free stuff!  

Free stuff you ask? Yes. I mean free. Over the years, I have found more and more places that are willing to send you a pretty awesome gift just for being y-o-u. If you're willing to give out an email address or two, most of them will only take a few minutes to register. They are totally worth it!  

Here is a list of the ten free gifts you can receive for your birthday! I would advise against getting them all the same time or you may find yourself in need of a bigger pair of pants.

1.Starbucks

If you register your Starbucks card, you will receive a free drink coupon a few weeks before your day. This is my personal favorite.

2. Baskin-Robbins

Make your stomach smile with a free scoop of ice cream! 

3. Dunkin' Donuts

Sign up and get a free medium drink and another when your birthday rolls around.

4. Dairy Queen

Birthday blizzard for joining the DQ club. This is a dangerous gift.

5. Firehouse Subs

For this one you will receive a free medium sub but you have to bring your ID and show up on your actual day. 

6. Genghis Grill

Free bowl! So yummy!

7. Tropical Smoothie

Celebrate the smoothie lovers of the world.

8. Sephora

Be real, who doesn't love free gift from Sephora?

9. Red Robin

Free burgers because you were born. Woop!

10. IHOP 

Join the pancake revolution & you'll receive a free Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity breakfast!  

happy birthday carol.

I love birthdays. It is wonderful to be able to celebrate the life of someone you really care about with them. A couple of weeks ago I got to do just that. Carolyn (widely regarded as Carol)  is one of my dearest and sweetest friends. She's the kind of friend who is totally ok with eating ice cream in bed while watching You've Got Mail. The kind of friend that you can share you opinions and ideas with because she can easily relate. She's the kind of friend that will loan you her red lipstick and make you coffee in her french press. She's the forever kind.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to be able to share her special day...err...special weekend with her. The highlight of the weekend was definitely the surprise party coordinated by her brother and his wife (remember them?). The party was not only to celebrate her and but also her photography. It was a great venue with delicious food, pretty flowers and fun people. A wonderful time was had by all.

Dear [Future] Birthday Girl

Remember that year you were 21? A lot of great things happened that year. You lived with two girls who became your best friends. You did a lot of baking, eating of baked goods, crafts and studying. In the fall, pancake Saturday's became tradition at our house. When our bellies were full of fluff, we would head to the football tailgates. It was always a thrill to enter Doak Campbell Stadium and cheer along with the 80,000+ fans rocking it out. That year, the Noles had their best season in the four years you were at Florida State. You did a lot of growing up that year and learned to appreciate the little things in life. You looked forward to Tuesday and Thursday afternoon re-runs of Sex and the City with Carolyn as you ate lunch, roommate outings to Costco and dinners at Red Elephant.

In the spring, the reality of graduating became really exciting but kind of frightening. You experienced a lot of Tallahassee that semester and are still regretting not getting that hot dog at the Springtime festival. Hard work paid off. You got all A’s and as a result danced up the isle at graduation. A week later, you got to proudly watch your brother graduate from college too. Above all else, your trust in the Lord’s plan was strengthened as you began to see him work all things together and provide you a job in Alabama.

Moving was hard. Really, really hard but you were embraced by a great community in Alabama and began some awesome friendships. You became so aware of God’s goodness. Especially on your birthday. You had wonderful friends and family make you feel loved from nearby and miles away. Your sweet mother sent you five cards. For real, five cards! You got to share your birthday celebration with you awesome new friend, Winnie, who is just one day older than you, go to a Navy jazz band concert in the park, and delight in a banana cream cheese cake with friends and [new] family.

You felt so blessed.

21 was an awesome year. Definitely one for the books.