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

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

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

Wedding Wednesday

I am been waiting & waiting & waiting to do this post! Yay for weddings! Yay for being a bride-to-be! Yay for having a great fiance! Yay wedding planning! ...ok, now that I have THAT out of my system...

Wedding Wednesdays are pretty much gonna work like this: I'm going to showcase a few ideas/thoughts/reflections about my wedding planning -which I still have approximately 2 yrs to plan but stillllll :) it's so exciting! I usually hate (ok I may still hate it a little) to showcase all these ideas and such because I'm a stickler for people being little copycats! Meow! But this is an exception...even though I still am not for little copykitties! Oh well...back to happiness land. :)

I am planning on a fall wedding in October. We started dating on Oct. 2nd so it would be ideal to get married on that day but in 2-ish yrs it falls on a weird non-wedding-like day such as Tuesday or something...but we can work that out later! Keywords for our wedding: classic, warm, welcome, elegant, rustic...yes I am loving it already! Woo hoo :)

Here is my little Ty and I on the night we got engaged! (cue applause)
Part of me wants to be the classic Southern bride that gets married in the church she went to all through her life, but part of me also wants to be different. That being said, I love the look of this venue. I have been living on The Knot and Wedding Wire and RuffledBlog for the past forever and those sites really help in getting a feel of how you want your day to feel. It didn't specify if this was a barn or old southern home or whatever it might be, but I love the look & mood of this venue!I really don't love the idea of black tuxes with my color combo (burnt orange, gold/wheat, and chocolate), so I loooove the look of this tux! It's not too too formal either, which I like. I want our wedding to be elegant, but not stuffy.Also in LOVE with this barn! So rustic & vintage, with a classy look too!
And could you get any more Southern than a BISCUIT BAR?! How stinking cute would this be for a quaint little downhome Southern wedding?! Just load some toppings on your biscuit of choice and you're set!


I'll wait a little while to post some dress ideas...I have waaaay too many ideas floating around in my head for that! Like I said...couple-ish of years=lots of time to plan...BUT it will probably sneak up on me really quickly!