South Carolina Peaches for a North Carolina Girl

My mom went down to my aunt's lake house near Clemson, S.C. over the weekend and returned with a basket full of fresh South Carolina peaches for me to enjoy.

Two of my aunts live in South Carolina and my grandmother lived there before she passed away about six years ago. I don't get down there as much as I used to since my grandmother's death, but I have really special memories of my time there.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a Carolina girl all the way. See? Just by saying that I'm equating Carolina with North Carolina and I'm sure South Carolinians would argue their little Southern hearts out about it. But I love my state. I love that we are Southern enough without being over the top. I love that Chapel Hill is here. I love that shagging is the official dance of North Carolina, not South Carolina. I love Wrightsville more than I love Myrtle and absolutely nothing beats North Carolina barbecue.

But when I was younger, I used to go to my grandmother's house in Greenville, S.C. for a week or two each summer. My grandma was awesome. MaMa (pronounced MawMaw) was as Southern as they come. We used to always joke about her accent and made up a sentence that used all of the words she said extremely southern. "Let's dance (daaaantz) with Martha (Mahhhhhtha) in California (Caliphoneya) while Lindsay plays the yellow (yeller) piano (pianer)." For those of you that know me, it's really hard to justify me making fun of a Southern accent. My friends make fun of me all the time for the way I say my "own" words like "clown" and "downtown" and the way I say "chair." But MaMa's accent was perfectly Southern and when I made fun of it she said she was going to "snizzle snozzle" me which apparently means to "throw one on the ground, stop on you and spit on you." She adored her Clemson Tigers and knew more about ACC basketball than any person I've ever met. Some of my best memories are watching ACC games with her and everyone laughing at us both for knowing the names of the last players on the bench.

When I see one relative that I am most like, it is her. And that makes me smile. Southern to the core, stubborn as a mule, sports addict, fights hard and loves harder.

So when my mom brought home these incredible fresh SC peaches, I immediately thought of MaMa. When I would visit during the summer we'd end each day with fresh South Carolina peaches, either milk or chocolate milk and a viewing of Nick at Nite. Those were some of the most peaceful times I remember having.

MaMa, you'd be happy to know I'm going to my first ever Carolina (North, of course) v. Clemson game in Clemson this year with the aunts. You know I can't bring myself to pull for your Tigers and I'll be decked out in my Carolina blue, but I'll be thinking of you the whole time. Love you to the moon and back. :)

Updates (Because I'm An Awful Blogger!)

Hey y'all! I'm so sorry I've been m.i.a. lately. I've found myself in a strange place - I have more personal goals and motivation than ever, but I haven't had the desire to write about them. Maybe it's because I'm guarding them close to my heart? I don't know, but that has got to stop. This blog is an outlet for me and I value your opinions and love your input on anything and everything. My heart is just so full of love, motivation, ideas, etc. right now that I have trouble putting it all into words. Operation ODL is working wonders and I am finding such a sense of self in all of this. It is one of the absolute best feelings in the world. Here are some of my thoughts, goals, ideas at the moment. I'd absolutely adoreeee your input, ideas, suggestions on any/all.

1) I want to tone up. I know my weight is at a healthy range, but I've definitely got some toning to do. I'm trying to do this by making healthier food choices and increasing my exercise (a lot!). I've always had issues with my body, but I am more focused now and want to make changes while I'm young (I'll be the big 2-5 in less than a month!)

2) I want to do the best job possible at work. I absolutely adore my job. I am so blessed to walk into a job everyday where I get to write (my number one love), where I have the freedom to show creativity and where I work with clients that I absolutely adore (and who have become dear friends). PR has become one of the loves of my life and I am positive this is what I want to do with my life.

3) More school? Ok, ok, I know y'all have heard me say this before, but I am seriously thinking about going back to school. But this time it would be a program for executives, so that I am able to continue working at this job that I love. Carolina just began it's first year of an MBA program online that is getting amazing reviews and gives you the same masters as you would get if you were sitting in Kenan-Flagler. It's pricey, but I figure I will at least apply and see if I get in. Then I can make more decisions.

4) I want to love and love on my own terms.

5) I want to further explore my faith and my relationship with God. I want to use his love to fill me so that I can fill others.

6) I want to learn a foreign language.

7) I want to save money.

8) I want to do more freelance writing.

9) I want to travel.

These are just a few of the things on my list because there is so much going through my head right now (which is a wonderful, amazing, beautiful thing.) Please please please y'all let me know your opinions and ideas. They mean the world to me and I can't wait to hear them.

And relax...

Thanks Mom :)

I realize this is late, but I spent the weekend at the beach with my mom, so I think she'll forgive me if this post is a day tardy.

You know those things you don't realize until your older? Like the fact that bangs are generally a bad idea, middle parts only work if you have a professional hair stylist, cheap liquor is not your friend and nothing beats a quiet night at home with your head in a book and your face covered in a thick, night cream? Well, I think how great moms are is another one of those things.

Sure you love your mom and depend on her for everything (literally) when you're young, but there are just some things that you learn to appreciate as an adult.

My mom sacrificed a lot for me when I was young, but I had no idea. She never complained, I never went without and she always had a smile on her face. She let me make "cakes" (concoctions of whatever I wanted to mix together from the spice cabinet, refrigerator and pantry) when money was tight, she played with me every afternoon after a long tiring day in the office and she made me the center of her universe day in and day out. That is an amazing mom.

My mom is everything I want to be when I grow up (I've pushed my official grown-up start date back to 30...). She is beautiful. She is smart (so incredibly smart). She is kind. She is gracious. She is fun. I hope one day I'm half the mom to little Leighton and Campbell (my latest future kids' names - unisex) that she has been and continues to be to me.

Even as an adult, I've relied on my mom. I've probably relied on her more as an adult. I seek her wisdom and counsel and know I can go to her without fear of judgment. She is amazing.

Thank you mom for being my guiding light, my role model, my inspiration and my best friend. I love you very much. :)

TGIF y'all!

Happy Friday, kiddos! It's been a good week and I thought I'd express some thanks on this beautiful, sunny Friday.

Today I'm thankful for:

• sunshine
• lunch with mom and the rooms
• thursday funday
• my 5k tomorrow
• heartfelt e-mails from new friends
• my car
• surprising good news
• panera's breakfast sandwiches (whoa! had my first one today and it was absolutely amazing!)
• the windows in my office
• green tea
• my new shoes that were 40 percent off (aren't they both presh?)

10 Questions

1. What is your favorite word? Love. There is nothing better than the moment when someone says that word to you and truly means it with every ounce of his being.

2. What is your least favorite word? Divorce.

3. What turns you on? Perfect moments. I guess that's obvious, but I love those moments where you say, "Wow. This is my life. I am so incredibly blessed. Let's take it in for a minute." Mine usually involve my best friends, wine and music; Cute boys who play sports.


4. What turns you off? Meanness. Jealousy. Judgement (I need to work on this!)

5. What sound do you love? The ocean; the sound a basketball makes when it echoes in a gym

6. What sound do you hate? Yelling. Too much talking (Again, guilty! Something to work on)

7. What is your favorite curse word? D-it.

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? I wish I was artistic.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything involving math.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? "You've been a good person, Lindsay. Your heart is in the right place. I wish you hadn't worried so much. I am especially fond of you." :) 

I Want to Be French

 Goodness y'all, I'm silly. I don't know how I didn't put two and two together until now. I thought I had some weird fascination with the letter "B." I want a bakery and a bicycle with a basket and a butcher. And I really like boys and the movie "Breathless." While it is weird those things all start with a "B," I think I really want to be French! I want to start off my day with crossaints outside at the bakery down the street. I want to wear cute French clothes like striped shirts with a little scarf tied around my neck. I want to head to the butcher to get fresh meat to cook for dinner. I want to do all this in a bicycle with a basket. I want fruit, cheese, bread and wine in my basket. And boys, well, I just like them. How can I incorporate more of Paris into Raleigh? Suggestions welcome! Merci! :)

Oh hey there November!

Today is November 1, 2010. It is also a Monday. I lovelovelove when the first of the month falls on a Monday. It seems so...fitting. Monday's are always "fresh start" days and when a Monday falls on the 1st the fresh start quotient is like quadrupled.

I've been making a conscious effort to live in the moment and just be happy. There are several things coming in my future that I could worry about, but I have no idea how they will turn out and there is absolutely nothing I can do to affect the outcome. So, in the meantime, I will just live and have fun.

And November is Thanksgiving month! Which means the holidays are upon us! Everyone knows Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Any holiday that involves massive amounts of food (especially carbs), beverage (prosecco, please) and football (Carolina at Duke) is right up my alley.

Happy November, y'all! Enjoy and lighten up a little. :)

The letter B

Lately I've seemed to have an affinity for the letter B. Seriously. I really want a Bike with a Basket that I can ride to my local Butcher -- this isn't a joke -- I really do. I also really want to go to Bickett Market, a new farmers market in town. And then there are the perpetual standbys - Boys (always frustrating, sometimes worth it) and Birthdays (never frustrating, always worth it). Just a random observation.

I'm off to the lake in about an hour for my birthday weekend. All the boys (see what I mean about these b words) are coming up too. I hope Daddy doesn't get too stressed. I am craving some sunshine, beach music, and yummy food and drink. The new job is great so far - and my main client starts with a B!

Happy Weekend y'all!

Awake...

I've always been a bit of a moody person. Most people I know would describe me as happy, but internally I've always had some pretty intense highs and lows. I attribute most of that to thinking with my heart and not my head, something that I have always vowed never to give up. I will always accept the fact that sometimes I must endure the lows for the most incredible highs that follow. But recently, I've felt a lot of nothing. Apathy and non-chalance have never been two words used in the same sentence as "Lindsay," but I have felt them often lately. I have felt like I was sleepwalking through life, more sad than happy, but not sad enough to do anything about it. I felt, for lack of a better term, asleep.

In the past few days though, I have woken up. I'm not sure what caused it, but I have suddenly been graced with all the ambition and energy I had before. I have been reminded that I AM smart and worthy. All my dreams and goals have been pouring over me in a way that I can only describe as intoxicatingly overwhelming. But it is such a welcomed overwhelming feeling. I have missed you, Lindsay. :)

I believe...

I was reading another blog today and she mentioned a series called "I believe" that was on NPR. She wrote her own and I thought I'd do the same. Thanks for the inspiration. :)


I believe that family is not only who we share blood with, but also those we would shed blood for. For that reason, I will forever be a believer in adoption, both literally and metaphorically.

I believe in forever love. Love that won't go away even when we want it to.

I believe in princesses and fairy tales and all things magical.

I believe that icecream and a rum and (DIET) coke (together or separately) really can change a bad day.

I believe that divorce/betrayal is the worst thing one can experience.

I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. And a third. And a fourth. People can change. And if you see a little bit of yourself in everyone, how can you ever pass judgment on anyone?

I believe that the outfit you wear to a football game CAN affect the outcome. For that reason, wearing dirty clothes is okay for Football Saturdays if your team is on a winning streak.

I believe in the power of prayer. "Letting go and letting God" is the most powerful lesson I've learned in my twenty three years on this Earth.

I believe that fashion can change the world and unite people from all corners.

I believe in less judgment, more grace. :)

things i lovelovelove today.

Today I lovelovelove:

my diploma hanging in my office, hercules hooks (thank you jmcclenn!), thursday night fun with kay-j, icebreakers sours, my new vitamins, the fact that goodberrys will soon be in camvill (a fact my waistline does not lovelovelove), the song i love your love the most (describes my life!), the fact that fball season is ohhh 49 days away :), my birthday is soon (ok, i know i said i was not excited, but its me, its a birthday, and a VALID excuse to wear my tiarra and make people call me princess), the fact that im a rams club baller and moved up another level and will get the MEDIA GUIDES!!

lovelovelove.