Cinco I Don't Like Mayo

Mayonnaise. Yuck. Everytime I go to a cookout or some sort of get-together, I am reminded how "weird" I am that I detest mayonnaise. Eggs, oil, and whatever other oddities they cram in that stuff really doesn't sound all that appealing to me.

So that was a random tangent, I know...but the holiday name Cinco de Mayo just flashes an image of a jar of mayo in my head. Every. Single. Time. Bleh!

Anyway! So this Cinco was a little bit (a lot) more low-key than last year's. Last year, my former roommate and I threw a fab little fiesta at our apartment with friends to celebrate the end of spring semester. It was great! It is absolutely crazy to think how much has changed in a year. We have all really gone in seperate directions and I don't get to see a lot of the people I used to, with the exception of my very close friends. That's life, I guess! In terms of this year's Cinco, I would hardly even call it festive. Oopsie. :)

Except, I did have a chance to once again improve my cooking (not baking) skills and I made a recipe out of my Trim & Terrific cookbook which I hold so dear. I had never made a mexican tamale casserole before, and I gotta say...it was pretty delish. The original recipe called for ground sirloin, but I don't eat red meat a lot, so I subbed in ground turkey - no one knew the diff ;)

Round it out with a salad, and you've got a great, healthy meal! Since when do cheesy, low-fat, high-protein, mexican and healthy go together? Now, duh! So I guess you can say that is me being cool & festive for a holiday that I'm not really even qualified to celebrate. :) Ole!

That following Sunday, me, my mom, & grandmother had a quaint little girls day in Lebanon at the Prime Outlets. Love that place! Although I didn't find exactly what I had my sights set on, I did score some major bargains at Banana Republic. I got a pair of green cargo capris that were originally $49.50 for $10.79!

Imagine these...but green. Comfy spring attire!

AND (not stopping there) - a gorgeous luncheon dress for Miss TN week for $20! Hello, someone tell me that is not amazing!? (Couldn't find a pic of that steal!)

Sad thing is, now another shopping trip has to be made so I can finish up checking off my list of "things to buy" before I head to Jackson! Oh wait, that's not a sad thing. Anywho, time is ticking! :)

Can y'all believe it's the middle of May!? Only gonna get hotter here in Tennessee!

God bless! xoxo- C

She thinks she's "all that"

 Do any...

 ...of these...

 ...pictures...

bring back memories?

If you are a 90's girl, they should! As I was aimlessly flipping through channels one weeknight (to get to SYTTD:Bridesmaids :) ), I couldn't help but notice the names of some of the shows on Disney, Nick, and other kids channels. A.N.T. Farm? Shake It Up? The Legend of Korra? Bubble Guppies? What are these foreign names you speak of?!? And where did the good shows ever go?

When I was in elementary school, I remember watching what I'll refer to as "the good stuff"...i.e.: My Brother & Me, Lizzy McGuire, The Wild Thornberrys, Doug, Pepperann, All That, Rocket Power...almost every show on Disney and Nick were GOLD! (Ok, maybe not Angelina Anaconda or Cow & Chicken...but I guess we can forgive them.)

All around, 90's kids had some pretty sa-weet things that we can brag about: POGS, Surge soda, Wonderballs, scrunchies, jelly sandals, Dunkaroos, Furbies, Nanopets, Beanie Babies, Boy Meets World (that deserves a whole seperate entry)...

Everything today is so technology-centered (as I sit here on my pink laptop typing away...haha! Foot. in. mouth.) But really...children today have a hard time focusing without some form of computer aid or technological interpretation.  I know that for a fact, because my mom has taught 2nd grade for over 25 years. I remember nothing being more exciting than getting to play in the PlayPlace at McDonald's or Arby's or pick out a new GroovyGirl or American Girl doll and being whisked away into make-believe doll land for hours upon hours. Ahhh... :)

Then again, children today will probably be saying the exact same thing about their generation 10 years from now! ;)

To each their own! God bless!

xoxo-C

Raindrops & research

I can now cross running a 5K off my bucket list! Woo-hoo! This morning, I ran in the Queens for a Cause Autism Speaks 5K, and (despite the yucky weather) had a really good experience! Now, that is saying quite a bit, because 1) if you know me, I am not a running expert & 2) a lover of rain is something I am also not.However, seeing the insane amount of runners and walkers there to race and support Autism Speaks was such a neat, inspirational sight. Props to everyone who got the race together! It was very organized, and everyone seemed to enjoy their morning. (P.S.: Also thanks for the bottled water & surplus of bananas post-race!)

My thought process during this 5K was as follows: Ok, GO! Awesome, joggity jog, here we go...joggity jogging my way. Got it. This is great! I'll just keep pace with this girl. Wait, she thinks I'm creepin' on her. Man, it's cold. I bet I won't even sweat! (fast forward 10ish min.) Yeah! I'm doing ok. Good pace, sweating just a little...Oh, look we're going downhill! Wonder how we're going to get back up... (5 min later) OH...that's how we're gonna get back up. Heave! (almost done...maybe) Yep, still going...surely we're about back now. Ok whatevs, keep on keepin' on. I hope my sweat isn't showing through. (almost done) Ok, one more turn. I can do that. Hey! There's my pace partner. Yup, gotta stick together. Too bad she doesn't know I'm following her. (seeing finish line) I'm a beast. And I'm quite schweaty.

Alright, it was just 3.2 miles. But this is Caroline Carter we are talking about. The girl who got made fun of all throughout high school during the fitness tests because she runs like a gazelle with an ingrown toenail. A 5K is a big deal to me, people. Let me have my moment :)
But, really, I had a great time running today and ran into several people I hadn't seen in a while. It was an all-around great morning!

Finishing in 27:59 definitely didn't hurt my feelings either! So, yes, now I am looking to run a couple more races, who knows...I may actually begin to enjoy running soon enough? :)

Definitely gonna need some new running/workout shoes though. These Nikes are about to bite the dust. I'm thinking about going the Asics route soon. Gotta do some research first. I'm definitely not an impulse buyer.

I may pass out soon. 5K + grocery shopping + dance practice + work = exhaustion. Sweet sleep, little ones!

xoxo-C

National what day?

So recently I came across a huge bulletin board calendar that was dedicated solely to "fun" national days & such. Strangely intrigued, I spent a minute gazing at the board, amazed that someone had taken such care to compile such an extensive list. I have to admit. It was really fun to look at. Of the many "holidays" listed, I took note of a few that stood out to me.

For instance, many people likely already know that April is Autism Awareness Month or that the Sunday of April 8th marked Easter...but did you know that April is:

National Decorating Month?

Grilled Cheese Month?

Pet First Aid Awareness Month?

National Card & Letter Writing Month?

By the way, tomorrow is National Stress Awareness Day - so be sure to grab a cushy stress ball & get the word out!

Perhaps my favorite on said calendar was the mention of Hug Your Plumber Day on the 25th. Gee, thanks for enlightening me. I'll be sure to call ol' Petey up...

Who in the world thinks of this kind of stuff? And what do I need to do to get their job?

Think of all the options...National I Love Glitter Day, Worldwide Stay Home and Build Your Pinterest Board Day, National Let's Pretend Sugar is Good for You Day, International Thank a Caroline Day... ;)

However, one thing is for sure. It is April 16th and that means it's 62 days til Miss TN. Crunch time. That is all!
xoxo- C

Hippity Hoppity...

...Easter's on its way! Can you believe its nearly April? I have to be honest. Spring usually isn't my favorite season (fall steals my heart), but this weather has been fab! I have loved being able to go for a jog outside and not freeze or sweat like a oinkster.

Southern Easters are the best. How can you not get excited thinking about seersucker, warm weather, pastel colors, family meals, and Easter morning service? I have so many memories of Mom making sure we always allowed enough time on Easter Sunday morning before church for lots and lots of photos of us in our Easter outfits. (And of course, opening Easter baskets that morning from Peter Cottontail!)

Easter just wasn't complete without a new Strausburg lace dress or hand-smocked bishop dress. Nanny usually hand-made mine, bless her soul. It was always so special. I can't wait to dress my kiddos up in their Easter duds in the future. They have some great looking little jon-jons for little boys now, too (that aren't too girly)! Call me a sucker for seasonal stuff! I can't go to Walmart or Target around any holiday without getting at least a couple little holiday-themed lovies.

Easter wouldn't be complete without getting sucked into the aisles and aisles of pastel-colored candy eggs, chocolate bunnies, or jellybeans. I'm not much of a candy person, but if I were going to choose one type of Easter candy it would be those adorable little Sweetarts chicks, ducks, & bunnies. They are just too much! So cute.

I curse Kendra Foutch (love you) for ever introducing them to me. :)

Now, this is not to say that this special, springy time of year is all about sweet light colors, confectionary eggs, and a big bunny who hides eggs. The real reason Easter is so special is because of our Lord, Jesus Christ & his Resurrection! That church service on Easter morning is always one that I look forward to each year. Plus, our preacher looks so cute in orchid :)

Jesus said to her, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Romans 10:8-9

xoxo-C

The Luck of the Pageant Girl

Seems like a fitting title for my weekend, right? It has been an exceptional past 3 days, traveling 530.23 miles from McMinnville to Union City to Jackson back to McMinnville. Friday, a trip was made up to Joann's Of Union City for an always-exciting visit with Paige Carlton and Jared Hamlin. They are such incredible people and gracious sponsors of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant. After finishing up in Union City, we checked into our hotel, went out for a yummy dinner, and visited with my sister queens, Camille Gear (Country Sunshine's Outstanding Teen) and Kristen Perry (Country Sunshine's Teen Princess). More on their pageants later! :)

Alarm was set early Saturday morning to get up and ready for the annual Miss Tennessee Workshop at Carl Perkins Civic Center (pictured below), where the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageants will be held this summer. The purpose of the workshop is to allow all of the contestants to meet one another, be informed on all of our upcoming pageant plans for June, receive our contestant numbers and groups, find out roommates, and basically get geared up for our big week of June 17-23! Since I am a first time contestant, I didn't really know what to expect, but I can definitely say that I was so pleased with the way Ms. Jane, Mr. Chris, and Mr. Tim, along with the whole pageant board, conducted the workshop. All questions were answered in a very clear manner, and from 9 AM-3 PM we were absorbing all of the information that I know we had all been wondering about since receiving local crowns.

By the way, I must brag on our own Miss Country Sunshine Organization. We received the Community Support Award, along with the MTSU/MTBR Organization!

Towards the end of the workshop, we had the Contestant Lottery. Each contestant's name is drawn from a bowl, and, one by one, each girl is allowed to choose a number in the line-up. The numbers are distributed until each girl has a spot, ranging from #1-#36. I had my sights set on Group C (numbers 25-36), which competes in Swimsuit Wednedsay night, Evening Gown Thursday night, & Talent Friday night. Well, St. Patty's Day luck must have been in my favor because my name was drawn about midway through and I chose to be #25.

After numbers were assigned, Allison Alderson DeMarcus announced the roommate list. I learned I will be rooming with Miss Bristol Amy Flynn. Ironic, because we were actually sitting two people away from each other in meetings, anyway! It's always exciting to find out who you will be sharing a room with during a high-energy, yet exhausting glamour week! Now to decide who will bring what... :)

Once the contestant workshop was over, first-time state contestants and parents were encouraged to attend a Judges Seminar Workshop. Mr. Chris Chambers did a fantastic job presenting all of the ins and outs of how a MAO pageant is to be judged. It really puts things in perspective!

Mom and I had about an hour and a half to recharge our batteries a little before the Tennessee Outstanding Teen & Tennessee Teen Princess pageants that night at 6 PM. As I said earlier, my two "sisters" Camille (OT) and Kristen (TP) competed in each pageant, respectively, and truly represented the Country Sunshine Organization with talent and grace. They both rocked it on stage, and Camille even brought home 3rd Runner-up! So proud of she and Kristen! Also, I must give a congratulations to the new TN Outstanding Teen Haley Butler and TN Teen Princess Hope Parker! All of these girls are an asset to the Miss Tennessee Organization.

The Teen & Princess pageants also gave us, as Miss TN contestants, an opportunity introduce ourselves on-stage and also give the audience a "preview" of who is competing in June.

The pageant concluded, and back to the hotel I went. The bed was surely calling my name!

Sunday (today), we made the haul back to McMinnville and are now back home safe and sound. (Props to daddy for being such a good sport this weekend, driving us women around!)

The next 3 months will surely fly by and I am so excited to do my best at the Miss Tennessee Pageant. I hope to bring McMinnville a sense of pride and accomplishment home. I am so thankful for all the supporters, family, and friends I have in my life. I would not be where I am today without them, and, of course, God. I will be relying on my favorite scripture for the months to come.... "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

xoxo-C

Return of Weekly Gratitude & the Best Holiday Ever

I need to apologize. Forgive me for having taken a prolonged hiatus from my "Weekly Gratitude" feature. That was (and still is) one thing that produces that "warm, fuzzy" feeling inside after I complete a post. So without further adieu...

This week I am thankful for:

1. Seeing Amy after she got home from her doctor in Nashville last night. Praise God for a good report and keep praying for her healing!

2. Plans to see my girls on Friday night. Miss their sweet cheeks so much.

3. Completing my Miss Tennessee paperwork! Getting it in the mail tomorrow! Can I get a whoop whoop?

4. Finishing the last few seconds of my Miss Tennessee dance routine. Thank the Lord for Krista Kent! Now...to polish it!

5. My precious momma for going shopping with me yesterday.

6. Jason's Deli. 'Nough said.

7. Ty for sending me an emoticon bird flapping its wings in a text message this morning.

Now! Much better. I'd like to keep this a weekly routine....but don't hold it against me if I skip a few! Girl's got a lot on her mind, ya'll!

And this post wouldn't be complete without acknowledging that today is... are you ready for this?!??! Today is...NATIONAL CEREAL DAY. That pretty much translates to National Caroline's Favorite Food on Earth Day. (Cheerios, yes please.) I would say I was going to celebrate, but, um...it's kinda not celebrating if you celebrate everyday regardless. :) Guilty!

xoxo- C