A dream is a wish your heart makes.

This morning I woke up to do my regular morning of blog reading and coffee drinking. I tuned into my favorite blog by Miss Katie Brown,  Confessions of a Young Married Couple and 20 seconds into reading I was squealing with delight.

My favorite blogger in the blogosphere is writing a book about her first five years of marriage. This is when blogging becomes a little weird, because the thing is…I feel like I know this woman. I want to call her up and congratulate her, tell her I’d be happy to take Bean off her hands for a night while her and Chris go celebrate. But then I remember that she has NO idea who I am, and that I sadly only know her through the interweb.

But I digress, the point is, I am so freaking proud that shes doing this. Once upon a time, Katie started a cute little wordpress blog, and I remember a specific post when she mentioned that her current page views per day was somewhere between 40-60. I don’t know the specific number of her pageviews now, but I think it's safe to say that they have skyrocketed.

I’ve been getting a little bogged down lately because I don’t feel extremely proud of myself right now. I don’t feel very challenged in my classes, and I know that path will have to continue for a little while because I can’t fight the fact that I ‘m going to have to take General Education classes for a while. But then I see someone like Katie, who just started blogging one day to stretch her little writing legs. She had a job that had nothing to do with writing, but she committed to making it a part of her life.

I don’t mean to say I want to become a writer, I just mean that I’ve been reminded that you can make your life anything you want if you just see the possibilities that are right at your feet.

Truth be told, blogging has kept me sane all year. When I was an acting major, blogs like Katie's about the mundane, yet funny activities in every day life kept me connected to a much more normal, human side of me that I really missed when I was constantly in a world surrounded by people who only live for art. Nowadays, as a communications major, blogging has actually been able to keep me more attached to the creative part of me through all of the design blogs that I now immerse myself in on a daily basis. There is just a little something for everyone, and that’s why I love it.

Anything can grow if you just plant the seed, and today, I got that reminder from Confessions of a Young Married Couple.

Alright y’all, go plant some seeds!

‘Til next time…

-C

Poll!

P.S. Theres a little poll on the right side of the blog asking what kind of posts you favor on ASG. My blogging juices haven't been flowing as freely lately, so maybe this will gimme some inspiration.

Now, I HAVE GOOGLE ANALYTICS. I know more people than just my mom read this, so PLEASE for the love of goodness, just vote :)

Thanks y'all.

-C

Wedding Wednesday- Stephanie Williams Photography

So I've been contemplating starting a wedding blog since 

I spend so much of my time looking at wedding content anyway, 

but I don't want to neglect my Confessions.

So for now, I'll be adding in a little "Wedding Wednesday" feature. 

Maybe in a few weeks I'll do a poll about it to see if you guys say "yay" or "nay".

I am a little in love with Stephanie Williams Photography. 

Stephanie and her husband shoot together, and they are magNIFicent.

Did you get that? MagNIFicent.

There are a lot of places in weddings that I think can have a skimpy budget, 

but your wedding photos are something that you will have forever.  

You can't really say that about your cake or your flowers. 

This is my latest Stephanie Williams Photography sesh that I'm obsessing over.

It's Ashley and Derek's wedding in La Jolla, CA.

I love the soft colors .  

Anemones are my one of my favorite wedding flowers,

especially for winter weddings, but I think they look absolutely perfect with Ashley and Derek's Southern California wedding.

That last shot is probably one of the prettiest images I've seen...ever.

'Til next time...

-C

For the love of clothes.

Y'all, I have moved a lot in the last few years. 

My junior year of high school my family moved to a different house, my senior year I moved into an apartment in the city, then I moved to my parents house in Texas for a few months in the summer/fall. Later that fall I moved to a(n) closet apartment in Chicago, from Chicago I moved back to Texas with my parents for a few month, and then I moved to Baltimore to stay with a really good family friend for the summer. Finally, my parents moved back to Baltimore and I moved to Cincinnati for college.

Do you know what moving means?

Moving means getting rid of a.lot.of.stuff.

The longer you pack, the less crap you feel like dealing with.
The less crap you feel like dealing with, the more you begin to blindly throw heaps of clothes and miscellaneous objects in a box reserved for GoodWill.
I'm pretty sure I could have stocked 5 of their stores with everything that I gave away.
If you're a pack rat, try moving this many times and I promise you'll be throwin' things out the window that you thought you'd never part with.

I used to have a ton of clothes. Did I wear half of them? No. Is that the point? No.

The point is, with about 7 moves in the last 3-4 years, I have rid myself of many luxuries.

I'm not an extremely extravaggent person, but I found it a little sad the other day when I realized that I could probably fit almost all of my clothes in my little Nike duffle.

I never really used to buy into the whole "clothes reflect who you are" blah blah blah, not because I didn't love clothes, but because ya know...they're clothes.

But I miss them, y'all. I miss the good feeling you get when you put on a brand spankin' new dress, 

or the thrill of putting new outfits together. 

So, next month, after I've fulfilled my financial obligations of rent, food, and other miscellaneous items, 

I am going shopping.

First of all, since I'm working in the DAAP office now, I really want to invest in a few pieces that will be good for both work and play. The office is pretty laid back about what I wear since I'm a work-study student, but I can't be rollin' in my usual 8am yoga pants and t-shirt get up.

Secondly, I really, REALLY need summer clothes. I own 0 pairs of shorts. Zip. 

They ride up, they make me uncomfy, I'm just not a huge fan.

But it's summer y'all. And it's hot. And a girl needs to own some shorts.

I love these from Banana Republic.

They are such a great fit and length. It's very difficult to find shorts these days with more material than a piece of dental floss.

I also love these skirts. They are such a good alternative to shorts, 

and can be dressed up, down, and all around!

Dresses are my favorite thing to wear in the summer. You slip them on and ding dang you've got a whole outfit! I love wrap dresses but it can be hard to find them in airy and fun styles like this one. (banana republic)

I love. I want. (banana republic)

 

Is this top not beautiful? I need it.

Sadly, I've never been much of a shoe shopper because I hardly ever wear heels.

If I was just 2 or 3 inches shorter, you couldn't get me out of them. But I'm about 5'6 1/2''- 5'7 and every time I wear heels I feel like a drag queen. Don't ask me why. I can't explain it. 

For now, shoe shopping really only exists in my dreams.

'Til next time...

-C

Birthday Dinner.

I can't say enough good things about my weekend in Toronto.

I loved it.

Our hotel room was even better than I hoped it would be.

The area around our hotel was absolutely adorable and I wish I could have had more time to explore everything it had to offer. There were so many shops and restaurants that I wanted to try, but my wallet and my stomach did not have near enough room for all that Toronto had to offer in just one day.

Saturday night Trevor and I dined at The Hoof Cafe on Dundas St W.

I absolutely adore this restaurant.

I love going out to dinner, but I've never felt comfortable in really stuffy restaurants.

I'm not a very formal girl. My favorite things are pretty, yet always relaxed.

This restaurant totally fit the bill.

I loved this cabinetry.

source 1

source 2

I love the quaint elegance of this restaurant. We sat at the bar for a while and enjoyed some wine while we waited for a table, and I was so in awe by how lovely the whole atmosphere felt. In the daytime it's an adorable setting for a little brunch, and in the evening the dimmed lights and bottle of wine made it a perfect dinner place for us. On top of the amazing atmosphere, the food was great and extremely well priced. If you are in the Toronto area and haven't tried this place yet, be sure to do so!

'Til next time...

-C

Happiness-Now and Then.

This weekend I turned 20.

I've never really actually thought about getting older  on my birthday until this year.

But as I was sitting in the cab on my way to Trevor's house in Buffalo 

(after a very long, delayed flight)

I saw the clock turn to midnight, making it May 22nd, making me 20 years old.

I took a minute when I was sitting there waiting for the cab driver to pull up to Trevor's street

and thought about everything that I've accomplished, and all the ways that I've changed over the last few years.

I remembered my 15th birthday that my parents surprised me with 

in the backyard of our old house in Baltimore.

At fifteen I had zero doubts about my future as an actress.

At fifteen I had never had my heart broken.

At fifteen I had never completely fallen in love.

At fifteen I had never worried about money.

At fifteen I had yet to live on my own.

At fifteen, I hadn't been the happiest I have ever been.

Was I happy?

Yes, I was really happy. I loved my life and I smiled all the time.

But something I'm learning to appreciate as I get older is the deph of what you are able to feel as you grow and experience new things.

Maybe I found more to laugh at when I was fifteen, but I laugh deeper now.

I appreciate every laugh, every smile, every peaceful moment.

Life and Love is a tricky thing. 

I don't know how to manage either one all the time,

but this weekend I took the deepest breath I think I have taken in about a year and a half.

Driving in the car to Toronto on Saturday with Trevor and sipping wine at The Hoof Cafe later that night together, made something in me feel like it was home again.

I felt like me. And it felt really good.

I'm not sure what it was. The new city, being with Trevor, or starting a new decade.

All I know is that right now, I love where I'm headed.

I have so many endless possibilities for where my life can go.

I hope that with every birthday I still carry a little bit of that 15 year old with me,

to remind me that life is nothing if it's not an adventure, 

and to show me that relentlessly believing in your dreams and in people 

is the only way to live.

Til next time...

-C

The big 2-0.

Saturday is my birfday.

I turn 20.

It's really fun/weird to think about all of the things that will
(hopefully) happen in this new decade I am about to embark on

I better get crackin' on my 25before25 list

I leave today for my most AMAZING birthday weekend with my most wonderful boyfriend.

Tomorrow, I'll be on my way to Buffalo to spend the night with Trevor, and Saturday morning we will be driving up to Toronto for my actual birthday and staying in 

this fabulous hotel. I'm so excited!

This is our room:

 There are 37 rooms total in the whole hotel, and each is designed by a different artist. 

You even get to choose which room you want!

I loved this one because of how cozy it feels.

Stay tuned next week for lots of pictures and stories about our trip. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

-C

What brought you here?

Today I got to thinking about the many, zillion paths that one walks down through their life. There are paths in your life that you never dream of getting off of, and yet somehow you do. And somehow it's the best thing for you. Or sometimes there are paths that you never expected to be so significant to the entirety of your life, and yet they are.

For me, that path was attending the Baltimore School for the Arts.

I originally attended BSA's orientation because my mother forced me. I didn't want to go to an art school. Most of my close friends were going to the local public high school and I was terrified of being left out of the group and missing football games and all of the activities that ARE the quintessential "high school experience"

But I had attended a magnet middle school for voice and took drama as an elective, and my mom really wanted me to give BSA a shot. I knew I was interested in acting, but it wasn't until my mom dragged me to Orientation in 8th grade that I realized how much it meant to me, and how potentially serious I could be about it.

I remember sitting in the BSA ballroom watching Donald Hicken, the head of the department talk about the program. He spoke about the intensity of the program, and that we should know that it was a "process based" and not "performance based" program, so we shouldn't expect to just be cast in shows every month. 

If you were in the BSA acting program you did 2 full productions your senior year, and began doing small scene nights your sophomore year. Freshman weren't allowed to perform at all. 

At first, I didn't quite understand this concept, but I knew BSA's reputation so I assumed it was for the best. Boy were they right. The moment that Donald started talking about the homework and classwork we'd be receiving, and that we'd spend half of our 8 hour day in acting classes was pretty much the coolest thing since sliced bread to me. I had never heard of such a thing in a high school.

After Orientation I was obsessed with going to BSA. I decided I was going to be attending in the fall whether they accepted me our not. 

I prepared an awful, awful audition that I was sure was genius at the time, and somehow or another,

I got in. I think that was the most excited my little 8th grade heart had ever been.

Going to BSA was the smartest decision I have ever made. To this day, I 100% believe I would not be the person I am today if I hadn't been so blessed with the opportunities this place offered me.

I met fifteen of the most influential people of my life.

I know exactly which ones of them will read this and roll their eyes. 

I know exactly which ones will laugh. 

I know exactly which ones will get mad that there aren't more pictures of them on here.

I know exactly which ones will get mad that their are BAD pictures of them on here.

I know exactly which ones will maybe even get a little teary. 

I know exactly which ones probably will never read this.

Our ensemble was not always a rosy picture. BSA was not always a rosy picture.

Of course there were days that I didn't feel like going to school.

But no matter what, I always felt so comforted knowing that I had the amazing faculty and my wacky ensemble behind me. We could talk (and often did) all kinds of mess about each other either to each other's faces or behind our backs, but I would put money on the fact that if any one of us heard someone ELSE talking about someone in OUR ensemble--

Your ass was grass.

BSA led me to acting and performing in a way that I never expected. They put faith and work into every student that walks through their doors. They are the reason I'm in college right now.

Though I might not be pursuing a theater degree anymore, 

acting and performing will always have a huge place in my life and heart. 

These people will always have a huge place in my life and heart.

I can't imagine who I would be or what I would be doing had I gone to high school somewhere else,

and I never want to. Because I'm proud of who I am and what I stand for.

I have BSA to thank for so much of that. 

What about you guys? What was the path that brought you where you are now? Would you change anything?

'Til next time...

-C

Okay, Okay.

I knowww that I didn't keep my promise to blog yesterday. The problem is, I have the opposite of writers block. I have so many things I want to write about that when I sit down to update, I end up writing something incredibly scatterbrained and end up deleting the whole stinkin thing.

 Similarly, I sat down to write a very different blog entry, but here is what I came up with instead...

I think college is kind of like an older version of junior high.

You're too young for this, but not old enough for that.

I don't like it much, y'all.

Right now is a really weird time. As much as I enjoy my college living and the benefits you have being a college student, I feel really helpless in so many aspects.

All I want is to be able to have a job so I can contribute to my own existance, but instead I'm in school shelling out $40,000 a year. 

I found out recently that I didn't get granted work study for next year, so my position at DAAP won't be able to be carried into my sophomore year, and I won't even find out until June 1st if I will be able to keep it for the summer.

This is so frustrating because I feel like I can't make any smart decisions without knowing what my financial situation will be. 

I think I've discovered my frustration with being at this stage in my life.

I'm really bad at building blocks to get to the point where I want to be.

The truth is, I know that this stage in my life is necessary in order to achieve the things I want for myself. But I lose sight of that often, and just get frustrated with how stressed out the cost of this particular "building block" makes me and my family.

Today is just one of those days where I want to sit in bed and hold my teddy bear.

Everything I want right now seems so far out of my reach,

which is very dramatic of me, but what can I say? I is who I is.

She works hard for the money.

Hey y'all. 

I've been a bad blogger this week.

I'm sorry!

I've been working a lot (in the development office at the design school on campus),

I'm really liking it so far, but my day starts at 8 so I've been [trying] to go to bed early instead of spending my usual hours of blogging and reading before I go to sleep.

Unfortunately, tonight is no different because I have to be at work by 7:30!

Oh nooo.

Check back Saturday for an update! Okay? Okay!

via apartment therapy.

I love these flowers in that sweet little pot. So humble and sweet.

Have a fabulous weekend!

-C

I can hear the bells.

After Christmas ends, I have no tolerance for winter weather. But I love Christmas. And I love to watch the snow fall. From inside. By the fire. :).

When I moved into my first apartment, my mom asked me how I wanted to decorate it.

Me: uhhh...

Mom: Okay, well,  how do you want it to feel?"

Me: "Like hot cocoa."
Mom: uhhh...

That pretty much sums me up right there. I love to feel cozy and bundled. 

Winter is so romantic.

 I have a complete love affair with winter weddings. Over the months I have saved a million wedding images on my computer, and they are just all too magical not to post.

And just look how darn precious this Winter Engagement Session is!

Love <3

Just as I'm convinced that nothing is more beautiful than a winter wedding, I come across photos like these...

And suddenly I'm a lover of Spring.

I guess I'm easily swayed :).

'Til next time...

-C

All images from Style Me Pretty.

To the best madre I could ask for.

"My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.  I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.  ~Graycie Harmon"

 Every year when Mother's Day comes around, I am surprised.

I see it on my calander weeks in advance and think to myself "this year I'm going to do it right!"

I always fail. 

Our poor mothers get ONE day, while we get 365, and somehow we still end up falling short.

Since it would be incredibly counterproductive to empty my bank account to send her flowers, only to shamefully have to admit that I'm out of money and don't get paid until next week so "could you please deposit a little bit of money in my account mother dearest of mine?" I'm going to blog instead.

My mom is the kind of mom who wakes up at 3 in the morning because she's thinking about her kids.

My mom is the kind of mom who texts me an embarassing amount of times a day 
just  to tell me she loves me.

My mom is the kind of mom who supports me through every single decision that I make.

My mom is the kind of mom who cares so much about my well being that I sometimes want to tranquilize her and tell her to calm the crap down... :).

My mom is the kind of mom who is only at peace when her kids are.

My mom is the kind of mom who is both my best friend and my parent.

My mom is the kind of mom who would sacrifice everything she owns to give my sister and I a better life.

My mom is the one to answer my calls at 5 in the morning when I'm crying and don't know why.

My mom is the one to pop open a bottle (or two) of bubbly to celebrate my milestones and accomplishments.

My mom is the one to call me before I even can reach for the phone to ask me what is wrong because she can feel that I'm upset.

My mom is the one to listen to me ramble on for months about the exact same problem and somehow never seems to care any less about it than the first time I ever told her.

So even though I'm not with my mom today, I hope you know, Mom, that I love and appreciate everything you do for me, 365 days a year. I couldn't imagine being born into any family other than the one I have, and I thank God for you every day.

To all the mom's out there who do all of those little things that no one even notices, like making sure there is hand soap in the bathroom, or plenty of milk in the fridge, or clean towels for when you get out of the shower, thank you. Life would be nothing if there weren't mothers in the world, and even though your children will almost always fall short of making your ONE day as wonderful as you deserve it to be, we hope you know that we love you and everything you do for us. 

Call your mom today if you haven't already. <3.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom :)

Love,

-C

Naked.

Against all of my mothers warnings, I have worn make up just about everyday since I was 14.

I mostly wear just enough to cover all of the flaws that I can see on a daily basis 

(ya know, dark circles, redness, the dreaded acne, etc.)

I love makeup.

In fact, I often feel bad for boys when they have pimples because they dont have that luxury of whipping out a magic tube that somehow makes the planet on your face almost blend in.

However, when I came to CCM I met my lovable friend named Kate.

 

Something that I found really cool about her right off the bat  was that she doesn't wear make up everyday. Oh don't get me wrong, she's a Dallas girl so of course she loves her curls and her eyelashes,

but she doesn't feel the need to apply it every morning, 365 days a year.

Me, on the other hand, I could barely look at myself after I would wash my face before bed, let alone let the general public look at me with all of the redness and blotches that I was sure were invading my face.

But Kate inspired me, you see.

I wanted to be one of those cool girls who didn't need makeup to feel pretty.

So I thought I'd give it a shot. 

The first day that I just wandered outside sans any time of facial grooming, I felt a little nervous. 

Isn't that ridiculous? I laugh at myself just typing it.

But I was so sure that every single person on the street was staring at me thinking "holy guacamole, who let that thing outside?" Slowly but surely though, I started to get used to the way my face looked when it was fresh out of the shower. I even started to like it. I liked the way it felt to have clean skin without goop all over it.

Now, I will wear makeup on weekends when I go out, and on the occasional week day if I'm feeling fancy, but the biggest difference is that I don't wear it because I think I have to. 

I wear it when I want to.

I don't panic if I run out of time and just have to slap some moisturizer on my face and head out the door.

Since I've stopped wearing make up everyday, I've actually become WAY more confident.
I think taking the first step to accept the way that my face looks naturally has actually made me accept all parts of the way that I look, even my body. 

Do I still get self conscious from time to time? Of course!

But I've come leaps and bounds from where I started.

Y'all,  this is embarrassing, but in the effort to have an honest blog, I'll just share that there was one summer in high school when I literally got into a public swimming pool with JEANS on because I couldn't bear the idea of just wearing a bathing suit.

Is that not ridiculous? So I'm not Jessica Alba, big flippin deal! I'm also not a sumo wrestler. 

Everyone should be proud of what we have. 

Take care of yourself, eat right, work out but there's no need to criticize yourself to death, and there is definitely no need to hop into a pool with DENIM on your body.

The moral of the story here folks, is that it's time we all just accept what we've got. 

Mind, body, soul, make-up less face and all. 

Just to show you I'm not all talk and no walk, I am taking the liberty of posting a make-up less picture for all of the world to see (this proves that I'm a dedicated blogger and you should all tell 10 more of your friends to start reading ASG :))

 pardon the wet hair. 

Y'all, with summer comin' up and bathing suits flyin around tormenting our souls, we all need to remember that everyone has the same issues. Every girl knows what it's like to have a pimple, or to feel flabby, or to spot cellulite on her thighs. It ain't no thang.

So what do y'all think? Maybe a make-up less day is just around the corner for you? Maybe you'll post a makeup less picture on your blog too? :)

'Til next time...

-C

25 before 25.

I've wanted to do this for a while and today I felt the urge to finally take action.

The thing is, writing something on my blog means I actually have to do it.

I've put my idea out there for the universe to see,

I've actually acknowledged it,

which means I sorta have to do something about it.

So here we go. In honor of my 20th birthday coming up, I've decided to make a list of 25 things I hope to accomplish by my 25th birthday. 

Start Date: May 22, 2010.

End Date: May 22, 2015.

1. Buy my own car.

2. Kiss in the rain ( I don't think I've ever done this?)

3. Establish my career path.

4. Start saving for my first house.

5. Buy my own blog domain, where I have separate connecting blogs to write about my life (the confessions), wedding inspiration and/or home decor. *swoon*

6. Make a paycheck from said blog (holy smokes)

7. Send a note/card to 3 people I've lost touch with.

8. Go to Europe.

9. Plan and execute a girls weekend with my familia.

10. Intern/work for a wedding blogger or wedding magazine.

11. You can't plan these things, so I shouldn't put this on here. But when have I ever listened to that logic? I'd like to be engaged by 25. But I'll be okay if this one doesn't get crossed off.

12. Find somewhere to become a volunteer .

 13. Run a half marathon.

14. Live by myself in a studio apartment and decorate/organize it effectively.

15. Buy a pair of uhm...designer shoes. gulp.

16. Buy makeup from Sephora. And don't feel guilty about it.

17. Make my own sushi.

18. Oh yeah. Graduate from College.

19. Plan and execute a ladies weekend with college friends.

20. Makeover a room of mine or a friends with a certain budget in a small time frame like all of my heros do on HGTV.

21. Invest in a good camera.

22. Fit into a size 4 pair of jeans. I'm usually a 6-8 in jeans, which I don't mind, but I've always wanted to know what it'd be like to be a 4-6.

23. Learn how to grill.

24. Find the perfect pair of jeans. And don't ruin them by letting the bottoms fray/tear.

25. Have one month where I wear no makeup.

Well there ya have it folks. Have y'all ever thought about making a list?

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

-C

To be young and in love.

So my 20th birthday is coming up in about 3 weeks and I'm super excited.

I have the longest life ever.

I swear I'm supposed to be turning 30.

But I'm sure I'll learn to appreciate my very long life as time goes on. 

Of course if you know me, you know that I'm always talking about getting older.

Or things that usually aren't a concern for a 20 year old. 

I'm weird, I've accepted it, I embrace it, I even like it. 

But today, something changed.

I think I have found that one person who makes me appreciate my youth and makes me feel young again.

Ladies, he's cute, he's talented, he's suave, he's thoughtful.

He's Justin Bieber.

I never expected to fall for him this way.

But here I am. 

My heart does a flip flop at the mere sound of his voice.

I wonder if I posted a video like this, if Justin Bieber would surprise me too...

Worth a shot!

'Til next time...

-C