Guess who's back?

...back again? Caroline's back, tell a friend.

It's been a WHILE, right? Well, at least I have a reason or two! That can be summed up in one joyous word: BUSY. I have been running around like a little cluckster with my head cut off. Where did this past month go?! No, no...where did this past year go!!??! It's November 3rd! The third day of November. 3 days into the second to last month of the year!

And it's getting cold.

Halloween has passed. I didn't even get to blog about Halloween, how nutsy is that?! I didn't dress up this year (sad face), but I did get to go to a little party or two with some costume-clad friends. I kind of have an obsession with planning Halloween costumes, but just never got around to getting one and really didn't know I was actually going to participate in the whole "Halloweekend" party deal, but I am sure glad I got to! (...but without a costume) Sad.

I did see a few this year that I absolutely loved. One being the "Black Swan" costume getup.

Love. Love love love!

I've always been draw to "Marie" from the Disney movie Aristocats and never knew they made a costume of her until this year! Meow :)Why hadn't I thought of that before?!

And mark my words, one year I will be Belle of Beauty and the Beast. I am a brunette. I love yellow. Match made in heaven.

Anywho, Halloween is over (sad face) and Turkey Day (plus a million other things) is only a few weeks away! I. Cannot. Believe. That. So...without further adieu, the official Sweet Southern Caroline event countdown:

3 days til my brother (and my baby cocker spaniel)'s birthday

15 days til Hearts on Fire in Gatlinburg

16 days til UT-Vandy game

21 days til Thanksgiving

23 days til my Premier Jewelry party hosted by my wonderful little FSIL

30 days til McMinnville Christmas parade (yay for getting to be in it again this year as Miss Country Sunshine!)

33 days until Christmas in the Park

37 days til Main Street McMinnville's 1940's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" event downtown

51 days til Christmas Eve

52 days til Christmas!

WHAT? Wait..what? 52 days til Christmas? No. Can't be.

Ok, it can. But really - where has 2011 gone?

After this year, it will be 2012 - then at this time next year I will be counting down the days til wedding time! (October 2013 say whaaat)

Now that I have those events listed, it doesn't seem like too awfully much, but then I am realizing...throw in school appearances, clinical observations, exams, shopping trips (for gifts, people!), appointments, prelims, more appearances, and all the day-to-day life stuff - it gets pretttty busy!
But...I like it that way :)

I had blogged a little earlier mentioning my Miss Tennessee photoshoot with the wonderful JHAAS Designs. Well, that too has come & gone and man, was I blown away! I had such an awesome day with Jeff, my mom, and one of my little sister queens and her mom, that day. We had so much fun! I am so thankful to have Jeffrey Haas as a Miss Country Sunshine Organization sponsor and for his wondeful photography. Here's a little preview of a complete one...

Can't wait to see the rest of them when they are done!

Have a wonderful rest of this week!

xoxo-C

I'm a grown-up. Kind of.

The past couple days, I have been thrown into a whirlwind of chaotic business! I don't know if it is just because I have been sick and I have felt like doing nothing, so doing something feels like major overkill or what. Who knows? Being sick (stomach virus to be precise) makes me feel all kinds of out-of-whack.

Tonight, I made a trip down to Chattanooga with the 'rents (of course, they had to go. Gotta love 'em.) This February, I am applying to the Dental Hygiene program at Chattanooga State to (hopefully!) be admitted into the program for the Fall 2012 semester. I'll just say this: I am going to need a lot of prayer. Nothing is more powerful than prayer. Out of 105-115 applicants, 20 will be selected for the program. You read that right...20. Needless to say, I am just a tad bit scared/overwhelmed/worried/anxious about this whole process. I have never wanted anything so badly in my academic career. I finally know the career path I want to take, and this is the one step that will either confirm or not confirm it.

I have heard from many DH professionals and academic advisors that Chatt State is one of the best DH programs in Tennessee. As I visited the facility today, I was so impressed by the warmth of the staff and the state-of-the-art clinics. Amazing. If I am going to spend my 2 years in a DH speciality program somewhere, I sure want it to be there!

Chattanooga is about an hour to an hour and a half drive from my house, so it's not exactly just a "hop skip & a jump" trip. This being said, I will probably end up having to get an apartment for my 2 years there. Commuting would just be too much. Plus a whole lotta gas. But we will see...gotta make sure I get in first! (I think my stomach just sank again...oh this will be a nerve-wracking next few months!)

Now that I'm thinking of it, there is so much coming up in the next little bit! Preparing my application and documents for DH program, clinical observations, making sure I kick some MAJOR butt in A&P 1&2, fulfilling my duties as Miss Country Sunshine, promoting my platform, attending local prelims, making appearances, as well as making time for essential family time, Miss TN headshot photoshoot, a pageant to emcee, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, finals, work...WHEW, this list is way beyond crazy already! Not to mention throwing in studying and workouts and all the usual day-to-day routines!

So as I am ranting and all this lovely mumbo-jumbo, I have to remember to stay focused, stay determined, stay sane. God will get me through it. It's all in His plan. We have to trust that!

I hope this post hasn't stressed anyone out too badly (ha!) Ya'll have a wonderful FALL weekend! :)

OH! Can't leave this out - thought it was extra fun for us belles ;)

I apologize for not being able to make it bigger/clearer. Try clicking on it!

P.S. Did I mention fall break starts for me today? I can't complain, even if it IS only 2 days! (...that will be spent studying, I might add!) :P

xoxo-C

Baking in gym clothes

Today has been a pretty smooth, easy Thursday. Weather has been great, had a killer workout at the gym, and came home to work on some A&P while snuggled up with pup watching David Tutera's My Fair Wedding (love that show!).

It goes without saying that I am a Pinterest addict. I found this interesting recipe on there one day for a VitaMuffin copcat. In case you don't know what a VitaMuffin is, it's a good-for-you 100-110 calorie muffin full of fiber and other nutrients. My favorite is the Deep Chocolate.

You can buy them at places like Whole Foods and Publix, but they aren't very cheap! So when I found this recipe, I definitely wanted to make them! Like I said, it is on Pinterest, but the original source is http://www.dashingdish.com/. These are only 116 calories and they're pretty "clean" too!

So after I came home from the gym, I started making these chocolatelicious babies.

You start off by mixing all the called-for ingredients in a blender, which I was a little skeptical about, but hey - it worked!Then, you add in some chocolate chips, but reserve some for sprinkling on the top. I used dark chocolate chips...yum!Annnnnd - voila! Your end result is an insanely moist VitaMuffin copycat, dubbed the "Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin." Sounds like junk food, right? Nope! Not at all!

Try 'em out for yourself, ya'll!

xoxo-C

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!

...to this girl, at least :) It's 4 days into October and I am l-o-v-e loving fall! My very favorite season is here and that means lots of things: Halloween, cool crisp weather, boots, scarves, fall baking, Thanksgiving, SEC football, hoodies/sweatpants, pumpkins, and everything that comes with the anticipation of the upcoming holiday season! October is love. Love is October. (& in October 2013, love will literally be October; aka mine & Ty's wedding!)

Alright, calm down. Ok, whew.

OH, and I forgot to mention skinny Pumpkin Spice lattes at the 'Bucks...ok, sorry :) I'll stop!

This month is going to be super busy for me! (which is fine by me...busy is good!) I have had 2 A&P exams this week, pageant coaching sessions, my MISS TENNESSEE headshot photoshoot this Saturday, and have an appearance scheduled Saturday evening at the Miss WC Princess/Jr Teen pageant, as well. So exciting! I have a little chance to breathe this evening, so I am Shutterfly-ing a birthday gift and catching up in the blogworld.

October also consists of a few Miss TN prelims that I will be attending to see who will be crowned & in turn, have the opportunity to compete with me next June in Jackson at the MISS TN SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT! So excited. I am hoping to schedule a couple of school appearances for this month as well, to promote my platform, Eating Disorder Education & Awareness. So, if you're a student or teacher, hit me up & I would love to come visit! :)

This past weekend was the annual Autumn Street Fair here in McMinnville and I can't say enough about it! I absolutely love going each year. McMinnville is full of so many talented people.

Mom got this Halloween canvas from Brandie Mansfield over at http://dreamcustomartwork.blogspot.com/. If you have never checked her work out before, you so need to! Her canvases are absolute perfection! She has also done a few canvases for me and also for friends as gifts.

I got this adorable decorated pumpkin from Bethany Crouch-Guthrie and her friends over at the March of Dimes booth! I am in love with the ribbon details! Great purchase, plus the all funds went to March of Dimes!

I hope ya'll have had a great start to October! xoxo-C

Wedding Wedneday - Flowers & Decor

So I'll admit, I'm not gung-ho on flowers. Although I love flowers and think they are beautiful, I just don't get excited about planning floral arrangements. I think my momma will do just a fine job at arranging that! ;) Anyway, for a fall wedding - I am obviously going to keep with my planned palette of warm colors (burnt orange, dark chocolate, ivory, burlap, gold tones). I confess I do not know exact names of the flowers I want, but these are some of the photos I've saved that strike my floral fancy...

Very warm & bright bouquet...I think I would like it better with some darker tones as well.

I LOVE the use of wheat for a table centerpiece. It just looks so festive and simple.

This boutenniere keeps in theme with the first bouquet idea. Love!
Take away the striped fabric replace it with antique Chantilly lace and this bouquet would probably be my favorite. I love the mixture of textures and variety of flowers in it.
However, this one does come in a close second. I don't know, I might even like it more. I love the warmth of it!

So now ya'll get an idea of the scheme I am trying to create. Warm colors combined with a hint of darkness are catching my eye for flowers, and wheat and (of course) pumpkins are of great interest of decor (reception, entryways, etc).

P.S.: SATURDAY IS OCTOBER 1ST!!!!! Fall is here!!!!

xoxo- C

Fall is NEAR

Only a few more days til the BEST time of the year, ya'll! The weather around here in TN has been amazing (aside from the rain). There's not many things, in my opinion, that are better than those first few days that creep into FALL! Now ya'll know I'm about as girly as they come, but one of my absolute favorite things to wear is the shorts + sweatshirt combo. Don't know why, don't question it. Love it.

Crazy to think I'm halfway through my A&P I class, as well. Cramming TWO full courses into ONE semester is nuts, but it will be worth it. So after fall break...it will be time for A&P II. Craziness! P.S. Someone whose name rhymes with smaroline made a 93 on exam #2 today. ;)

Fall also means...fair time! Last week was fair week here, and (unless you are a true McMinnvillian) you can't even fathom how big of a deal our fair is to people around here. It's a huge ordeal! Fairest of the Fair is "the" pageant in WC and has been for years; residents treat it like it's a local Miss America. Gotta love it ;) I must add, my own daddy hated Fairest of the Fair and called it a "cattle show"...until I won in 2009 :) haha! Men...

Here are some photos from the past 3 years at Warren Co. A & L Fair...

2009 - being crowned WC Fairest of the Fair, and attaining the opportunity to compete in the Tennessee Fairest of the Fair pageant in Nashville. So much fun & such a great year!

2010 - taking my final walk & giving up my crown to the beautiful 2010 FOF, Olivia Majors

2011- helping backstage with the contestants. I also got to participate in a mock interview as Miss Country Sunshine! This is me with a dear friend of mine, Erin Duncan, who got 2nd RU! Although I didn't get a picture with her, this year's FOF is gorgeous Ali Beth Young.

I didn't mean for that what-was-supposed-to-be-brief synopsis to turn out to be that long! Ha, sorry guys! That's all I've got for this bleak Tuesday! God bless! xoxo- C

I don't watch much TV, but...

I can't get enough of America's Got Talent this season! It's one television show that I actually sit down & faithfully watch each week. Last night, they condensed it down from the Top 10 to the Top 4, and I was pretty satisfied, except for one act. The Top 4 are:

The Silhouettes. This group is outstanding. It's hard to exactly put into words what they do, but to sum it up, they are phenomenal dancers who dance behind a screen and portray images onto that screen with their bodies. They have done an "America" theme that literally brought tears to my eyes.

Poplyfe. Although this true "pop" band is very talented, I don't think they should be in the Top 4. I believe their spot should have been for either Anna Graceman - 11 yr old singer(LOVE!) or Landon Swank - magician (also LOVE!).Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. Cannot say enough about this guy! His voice is (like the lovely Mrs. Sharon Osborne, who is one of the judges, put it) like "velvet" & it really, truly is. He does covers of classic songs, mostly of Frank Sinatra. A-MAZING. What gets me, though, is why he is doing AGT. He is so deeply rooted in his family values and wants to make a better life for his wife and 2 children. He was drying cars at a local car wash for a living when he first auditioned. Bet he won't be doing that anymore! ;) I also might add he reminds me a tad bit of Kel off "Kenan and Kel" haha!

Team iLuminate. Also a favorite of mine! These guys are so entertaining to watch! They are hip-hop dancers, but backstage their coach is constantly flipping and changing the lights on their costumes through computers to create this amazing act! They did a "video game" style performance one week and it was my favorite so far. I got a good laugh out of Howie Mandel's comment last night that Team iLuminate was "the 2nd most fun he could have in the dark." Ha! In all honesty, I am pretty sure Team iLuminate will win the whole thing. They are definitely a show people would want to watch in Vegas. I know I would! It was also really cool that their coach/choreographer, who has fought & beat cancer recently, usually stays backstage to work the lights, but this week, she joined them onstage to perform. Awesome!

So there are your Top 4; next Tuesday is the final competition show, and Wednesday is the final results night! Cannot wait! Have a great Thursday everyone! xoxo-C

Weekly Gratitude

This is weird. I am home on a Friday night. Weird?! But combining a late night with girlfriends, an early(ish) morning workout, and a full day of work does not exactly produce the most energized Caroline you've encountered in your life.

This week I am grateful for:

1. 32 Degrees frozen yogurt. Holy moly. Cookeville did itself a favor when they let this amazing froyo place into town. I have 3 main theories why I love it so much. 1) It's nonfat, low-cal. 2) TTU discount, HOLLAAAA. 3) Everytime I'm there, it's usually been a good day. Really though. We go there most every girls' nights, some date nights, shopping trips, etc.

2. eBay. It has allowed me to buy my $215 Anatomy book for $79. Winning!

3. Having my cousin, Destiny, and a few other girls I know in my Anatomy class. It's always nice to have someone you know in a class, especially a difficult class. Thank you sweet Jesus!

4. UT Volunteers. It's FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!

5. Being asked to emcee a fundraiser/benefit pageant. On October 22nd, I will be emceeing the Miss Gift of Hope pageant, which will work in conjunction with Children's Miracle Network to help a local girl, who is ill and hospitalized, out in her fight for health. It's a true blessing to be able to help even a tiny bit for something that will hopefully contribute greatly to a struggling family.

5. My birthday! Hellllooooo September 4th is only 2 days away!

Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! xoxo- C

Back to the grind...

It's that time of year again...back to school! The only exciting things about that are: A) New school supplies. (Why are notebooks so exciting?!) B) One step closer to Dental Hygiene school, and (in turn) one step closer to Tyler and I starting our lives together. We have a deal that we are both going to finish school before we tie the knot, which is quite wise, if I do say so myself :)

Anyway, in regard to the photo above, that would be my oh-so-beautiful stack on notes that I've printed out for my A&P class. Did I mention it's only the second day of class? Yeah, it is. And we have a test next week. HELLLOOO excel A&P class! This is going to be a VERY fast-paced semester because this class is basically 2 semesters smooshed into 1. A&P 1 and A&P 2 in uno semester. I can do this. I can do this. I can doooooo this. (with prayer...and caffeine)

I forgot how much I loathe buying textbooks. However, I did get a pretty good deal on mine through eBay. Hopefully (fingers crossed!) it will be here tomorrow or Thursday. I'm about to have a panic attack not having my book yet in this class, but I always like to make sure I'm buying the right one and get the ok from the professor. Now the next step is buying the not-so-cheap CD for our "virtual cadaver dissection." Weeee...

On other note, I have been thinking a lot about beginning my journey into purchasing a few of my Miss TN dresses, so I won't have to buy 4,557 all at once. Kidding...only about 8-9.

Love this simple wrap dress from BCBG Max & Cleo
Lace cut-out back dress from Victoria's Secret. Yum

Hope ya'll have a good Tuesday! xoxo-C

All photos courtesy of Nordstrom and Victoria's Secret.

Weekly Gratitude

The weekend is nearing and that means it's time for Weekly Gratitude! Without further adieu...

This week, I am grateful for:

1. Beautiful Southern views. This was taken at Collins River Golfcourse on Tuesday around dusk. Absolutely gorgeous.

2. Greek yogurt. I look forward to my little mid-morning snack each day :)

3. A healthy family, and healthy friends. Lately, I've been hearing terrible stories of mothers, close friends, etc. finding tumors or going through rough patches in their lives. I don't know what I have done to have been blessed so richly by God, but I am so beyond thankful for that and also for the health and wellbeing of the ones I love. Never take anything for granted. Rejoice in the fact that your body can move and your brain can think. It's the small things.

4. Victoria's Secret "free item" coupons. YES! Yes.

I hope everyone has had a great week! Tomorrow evening, I am off to attend Miss Music City/Capital City to see two lovely women be crowned to earn their way to Miss TN! I can't wait to meet them. Good luck, girls! & I hope everyone has a great weekend!

xoxo-C

Wedding Wednesday - Cakes

Today is going to be a short-ish post, consisting mostly of pictures. Now ya'll know I like to bake, so, naturally, wedding cakes (and confections in general) excite me. Don't tell Ty, but I already have the cake stand for our wedding :) - along with some fabric for table runners, sashes, etc., - plus 2 beverage canisters. Who cares if it's 1 1/2-2 years away? I like to plan! :) Anywho, here are a few of my cake ideas/picks in all of their sugary beautiful glory...

This might be my favorite one! You can't tell much from this picture, but there are mini white dots all over.

This one is so cozy and rustic...definitely a fave, as well.

Very classic and soft. Maybe add an espresso brown letter C to the middle oval?

I love damask; that's all there is to it!

For the groom's cake, Ty has mentioned he would like his precious grandmother to make his. She makes a to-die-for coconut cake, which would be great for a spring or summer affair, but in October...it doesn't seem very seasonal, ha! I personally could totally see him having a cool little "golf-themed" grooms cake, or maybe a UTor P hilidephia Eagles one. Who knows! We'll cross that bridge when we come to it! :)

Happy Hump Day! xoxo-C

Photos courtesy of The Knot and Pinterest

Monday Musings

1. It's 13 days til my birthday, ya'llllll.
2. It's also one week til fall semester starts. Wah wah wah.

3. I love little kids. I made my first "official" school appearance today as Miss Country Sunshine and I had a ball! Upon entering one classroom, I sat down in the storytime chair and was beginning to explain to the class my job as Miss Country Sunshine and why I was there. Mid-sentence, one little boy tells me, "Our teacher already told us this stuff, ya know..." I could have died!

4. I'm considering temporarily ending my relationship with Insanity (workout) to join a local gym, just to change things up. Gotta keep it fresh.

5. I love Reagan the cocker spaniel and Samson the huskie more and more each day. God bless those little furry canines :) I can swear to you they speak through their little eyes!

6. More people need to embrace dirty hair. I don't wash my hair everyday and I'm PROUD of it! I'll take 2-or-3-day old dirty hair over freshly washed hair anyday, thank you. Don't hate, appreciate.

7. Deuteronomy 31:6

All images courtesy of Pinterest.

I love Pinterest.

There's just no other way of putting it. I love Pinterest and I am proud of it. Pinning images is soooo addictive...you find 1 picture you like, and that sparks another idea, so you type it in the search box to find it, then you've created a chain reaction. It's a vicious cycle. So while I'm on that little spill...

Some of my fave pinterest-esque photos...

So very true.

Halloween is coming up (even if it is only August, it IS getting closer, people!) and this makes me excited. I'm such a mom, and I'm not a mom. This kind of stuff excites me.
No words for this one. This kitchen is...out of this world.I want this hanging in my home someday. Love.

Totally me :) I will never be letting go of my love for Diet Coke or Diet DP.

Soooo I know part of ya'll have probably stopped reading this mid-way through because you couldn't contain your excitement and you went to go get a Pinterest account, don't worry, I understand. But if you don't fall under that category...go. get. a. Pinterest. account. now.

Just don't blame me when you find yourself sitting at your computer in the wee hours of the night pinning. :)
xoxo-C

Is this real life?

& I say that in the words of the famous "David After The Dentist." (props to you, David!) So, many of you probably know by now I had been preparing for my very first Miss Tennessee America preliminary on Aug. 13th. Well! Looks like the work paid off, I am now Miss Country Sunshine 2012! This means I am going to Jackson in June 2012 to represent my amazing town/county in the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant! WOW is not a strong enough word!

This is a photo from the night of the pageant. I am so blessed to have this amazing opportunity. It's going to be a whirlwind of a year, but I know, with God, I can have peace! Many people do not understand what time and dedication goes into preparing for a MAO (Miss America Organization) pageant, so I hope to give you all a glimpse into that side of things!

I will be busy throughout the year with appearances in local schools, promoting my platform (which I love) "Eating Disorder Education & Awareness." I am really hoping to get the word out regarding my platform to all age groups and people of my community. Did you know 4 out of 10 people know someone that has been affected by an ED or has been affected themselves?

Have a great Tuesday, everyone! xoxox

Busy Bee Pageant Girl & Her Faith

Saying I have been busy the past couple weeks is a major understatement. Between work, school, time with my honey & family/friends, workouts, & pageant prep...I have barely had time to breathe! Maybe I'll get a break one day...maybe. Any who, it's 13 days til Miss Country Sunshine. Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes. Go figure :)

Anywho, I cannot wait to meet all the ladies! One of my favorite parts of pageantry is meeting new friends. I have many of my pageant girls whom I consider close friends...gotta love it!

I need to try my best to keep calm over these next 2 weeks. I confess, I am bad with anxiety. Very, very bad. So I have been trying to focus on some different scripture each day to help...today I've reminded myself of Romans 8:28 all day long (one of my absolute favorites)

Have a blessed (& peaceful!) week, guys! xoxo - C

Weekly Gratitude

Weekly Gratitude for 7/17-7/23:

This week, I am grateful for...

1. ...my extremely talented & so very kind and caring dance teacher, Krista Kent. Big props to her. Without her, my talent for my upcoming prelim would be nothing!

2. ...the flavors of the tooth polish they use at the dentist. When I'm a dental hygienist, I'm going to suggest they bring in flavors like sprinkled cupcake and jolly rancher. Simple pleasures, people.

3. ... (speaking of simple pleasures), the sheer joy I get out of ripping off the receipt off the machine at work. Something about that sound...

4. ...(speaking of work), the new amazing delicious yummy nomnom scent of PocketBacs we have, Honey Pretzel! Ohhh it is so yum. It's a part of the new "Lunchbox" PocketBac collection we have going on.

5. ...my momma. We spent a whole day together today shopping for pageant & we had such a good time. Never take your mother (or anyone you love!) for granted!

6. ...BCBG, for I now having my opening number dress for prelim time. I could probably write a whole book on how much I love BCBG. Amazing dresses!!!!

7. ...the Girls' Night we had on Monday night. I so so so LOVED getting to see my girls and catch up with them. We had been apart for way too long! A nice little dinner at Olive Garden started us off right, and we ended the night watching Horrible Bosses...HILARIOUS!

Wedding Wednesday - Bridesmaids Edition

It's Wedding Wednesday time in Tennessee and today's WW is about bridesmaids dresses! Couldn't leave out my girls! :) I am going to be quick with this post, because I am waist-deep in online math homework! (oopsies?) Any way, the colors I like that would coordinate with my color palette are: espresso & burnt orange. So hopefully we can plan on keeping with that scheme. Here are a few styles I like...

I am still undecided on whether to go long or short. Long is so flowy, pretty, & elegant, while short still keeps it fun & fresh. I'll get some of my girls input on that! I love the chiffon fabric of all of these dresses, and think they would look good in the colors I mentioned. I have to admit...#1 & #4 are my faves. I like #3 too for a short one. All of my b-maids will look great no matter what, and I also think these styles will look great on any one of their different body types. Gotta love diversity! Night ya'll!