A Quick Trip Home

Last week I was enough to fly home and surprise my mama in Michigan for a belated birthday present. It was so wonderful to be in the place that shaped me in my favorite time of year: the beginning of fall.
I tried so desperately to fit it lunch dates and drink with old friends, that the 3 days went by in a absolute whirlwind. I had completely meant to take pictures of the beginnings of fall foliage as a snapshot of what I see as the most beautiful time of year but I was much too distracted by my friends and getting updates on their life.


I won't bore you with the updates on everything I did while I was home but I will bring in the nostalgic moments I had that made me think and feel much more than I have lately running though all the deadlines of day to day life.

Shawn's old dorm room.

Derrick and Matty walking through Campbell Hall

First we started off at an old favorite bar, had some nice micro brews and then decided to walk through our college dorm and reminisce about all the crazy shit we used to do. The halls smelled the same and I started to miss the care free life when sitting around in my sweatpants drinking beer with my best friends was a normal occurrence.


My friend Angela and I also went back to our old high school and soccer field where we spent most of our evenings during high school. Oh yea and I forgot to mention, I was doing all of this on my birthday. So if there is ever a time you would like to feel like you are growing older by the minute, go visit your old HS on your birthday.

I also got to share many shaded runs on a country dirt road with my favorite little girl, Lily.

AND the only fashion related thing I did while I was home was thrifting with my dad and little brother. My bro likes to thrift shop just as much as I do so it was necessary to go at least once while I was home and here is a pic of some of those finds.

 

8 Years After Cash

Today marks the anniversary of the death of one of my greatest idols, Johnny Cash. He died on September 12, 2003 at the age of 71.

I've always found Johnny to be one of the most interesting human beings I've learned of. I have spent many hours reading books about him and listening to his albums and I can honestly say if I could go back in a time and meet one celeb, he would be it.

He is an inspiration to me, not only as a musician but as a person.  Although he had his demons like anyone else, he had a extremely strong faith and accepted people of all walks of life. If you ever get a chance to read deeper into his life story: do it!

Check out this last video

A Unexpected Fairy Tale Wedding

So last weekend a couple of my best friends from college got married, so me and the boys loaded up in cars and planes to get ourselves to Philly. In what was suppose to be the happiest week of their lives and unimaginable family emergency happened just a few short days before the wedding. In leaving TN, we were now feeling as if we were going to the wedding as moral support than what were good at - aka keeping the party going.


But sadness aside, the wedding went off without a hitch. We also learned that our friend came from a historic family from the Philly area, so his wedding took place in his family's old mansion in Bryn Athan, name Cairnwood.

The ceremony took place in the church that his ancestors built and the amazing reception took place in the mansion along the same scenic and gorgeous property.

beautiful church

all my boys!

Isn't he so cute all dressed up?

My new butterfly friend

After the ceremony, I pretty much stashed my camera and did what I was instructed, which was to fully enjoy the open bar and help keep everyone's spirits up. So I listened and there aren't any photos from the reception but check out the beautiful church and all my handsome dates! Oh and the butterflies too...coolest wedding idea ever and mine didn't leave my hand for 10 minutes!

What I've Been Up To

So as you can probably see, I've taken quite the break from blogging and selling on Etsy. Between Shawn graduating from Michigan State, helping my dad with his new business, going on a 35 day European backpacking trip, moving back to Nashville and being in a lovely Texas wedding, I have had a lot on my plate.


On to the exciting stuff: Euro trip.

     Shawn and I backpacked around through a chunk of western Europe. We started in Ireland then flew into Barcelona, Spain and took the magical Euro-rail trains through the rest of France, The Netherlands, Germany and Italy. 

There were many crazy, wonderful times, like sharing hostels with those whom were all too comfortable with their intimate life, driving over 1000 miles of Ireland's coast in three days, learning to give up the comfort of make-up and sometime showering everyday (yuck!), biking up mountainsides, meeting new friends and seeing ones I hadn't seen in over 4 years. It was an amazing experience that I wouldn't trade.

Every time I've visited the European continent I leave inspired by what I've seen and the people that I have met.

Ireland

Ponte Vecchio, Firenze, Italy

Italian model in Venizia

Breaking the law at the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Biking in Lucca, Italy

Roman Forum

Louvre, Paris, France

Pubs in Kilkenny, Ireland