Life Happenings

Being present

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Quarantine isn’t all bad.

I think most people can agree that quarantine isn’t necessarily fun, and no one wants to be trapped inside for weeks. However, this process of slowing down has highlighted how chaotic our daily lives truly are. We are so use to rushing around all the time that we have become blinded by the constant distraction, and it has showed us how much we habitually go through the motions every single day. Honestly, I have been thinking about the past few years of my own life, and I realized how absent I have been in my family. I guess I never fully understood the impact that my busy schedule had on my life at home, and I started to see how much I have been missing. There were many nights that I wouldn’t be home for dinner, and I certainly didn’t have time to garden, bake, play family games, or take a walk with my sister like I do now. My mind was just so cluttered, and I often let my “seriousness” interfere with my true happiness. The past few weeks have taught me the importance of being present… Although my busy schedule will eventually resume, I am going to be more mindful about how I spend my time and always be sure to set some aside for those who matter most. I love you mom and dad! Thanks for reading, and I hope you are all doing well. What is something quarantine has taught you?

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January Playlist 2020

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It is January, and I am very excited to share my first playlist of 2020! For those of you who are new to the blog, I post a collection of songs every month featuring a wide variety of genres, so I hope you find something that you like. Thanks for listening, and please don’t hesitate to drop your own favorite songs in the comments section. Your thoughts are always welcome, and I would love to hear from you. Enjoy!

  • Scales by Owel
  • 1000 Nights by Frenship
  • It’s Not My Time by 3 Doors Down
  • No Vacancy by Rainbow Kitten Surprise
  • Army of One by Coldplay
  • Woman by Mumford & Sons
  • Birds by Imagine Dragons
  • Argue by Matchbox Twenty
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November Playlist 2019

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Okay, I think I have finally finished this month’s playlist… This is the last one of the year before December’s holiday mix, so I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do! As always, feel free to share any song suggestions that you have for me in the comments section, and thanks for reading.

  • Remind You by Frenship
  • Life After You by Daughtry
  • Looking for Some Light by Colony House
  • Horses by Keith Urban
  • The Road I’m On by 3 Doors Down
  • Rose Of Sharon by Mumford & Sons
  • Not There for You by Zac Crook

Which one was your favorite? Have you heard any of these before? What have you been listening to lately? Have you already started listening to Christmas music? 

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thoughts & music

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crisp. pumpkin. memories.

leaves. comforting. thoughts.

drifting. shadows. settle.

colorful. acoustic. nights.

october.

I just wrote down some “simple thoughts” that come to mind when I think of autumn… It might just look like a jumble of words to some, but I honestly like how it turned out.


Also, it is a new month which means it is time for a new playlist. Most of these songs have pretty chill vibes, but I still kept the genre variety. I hope you enjoy!

  • Salt And The Sea by The Lumineers
  • Circles by Post Malone
  • Right Here by Staind
  • In the Blood by John Mayer
  • Tompkins Square Park by Mumford & Sons
  • In Your Arms by Illenium & X Ambassadors
  • Front Porch by Joy Williams

What is on your playlist this month? Did you find anything that you liked? What comes to mind when you think of autumn? Feel free to share in the comments, and thanks for reading!!

Life Happenings

Exploring Cherokee, NC

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I spent my long weekend in the mountains of North Carolina where I embraced the peaceful solitude and experienced the traditional artwork and culture of the great Cherokee Indians. It was nice to leave all the stress behind so that I could recharge to tackle another crazy month. I will admit that the lack of phone service during the trip was a struggle for me, but the beautiful weather, scenery, and memories definitely made the trip worthwhile. I especially loved exploring the cultural district of Cherokee where I watched some of the native dances and admired all of the amazing artwork. Hand painted bear statues decorated the town, and the detailing of this one in particular caught my eye. It was also fun to peek inside the small shops and see all of the beautifully handcrafted jewelry, baskets, and pottery.

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Hiking up Mingo Falls was another highlight of the trip. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the waterfall to be as big as it was, so I was really surprised when I saw the view. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I am so glad that I was able to see it.


I hope that you all had a Happy Labor Day! I have lots of exciting content that will be released very soon, so I hope that you stick around. Also, Nutcracker casting came out last week, so I will reveal that very shortly as well. Have a wonderful week, and thanks for reading!

How did you spend your holiday weekend? Have you ever visited Cherokee, NC? Do you enjoy the mountains? Are there any special post requests?

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August Playlist 2019

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For those of you who missed it, I am going to start releasing an updated playlist every month, so be sure to check back frequently to hear some new music! These posts will highlight my top favorite songs in wide range of genres, so I really hope that you find something that you like. Please don’t hesitate to share your own suggestions in the comments section because I love discovering music as well. I hope that you enjoy this month’s mix!

  • Be Like That by 3 Doors Down
  • Poplar by Michigander
  • One Man Band by Old Dominion
  • Will You Think of Me Later? by Edwin Raphael
  • Alligator by Of Monsters and Men
  • Flares by The Script
  • White Flag by Daughtry
  • Say We’ll Make It by Vacation Manor
  • Fools by ufo ufo

What do you think about this playlist? Did you discover any new songs? Were any of these familiar to you? Do you have any good ones for me? 

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Summer Playlist: July 2019

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Hey, guys! Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few songs that I have been loving so far this month. I know that I posted a 4th of July playlist pretty recently, but I wanted to share some day-to-day tunes as well. Several of you have told me that you really enjoy these types of posts, so I am going to try to release a new playlist every month. Let’s see how long I can keep up with that commitment… I will definitely try my best, but I am making no promises because my life can get pretty chaotic during the year (as many of you already know.) Anyways, I hope that you enjoy listening and discover something new!

  • I Would by Coin
  • Keep You Close by Frenship
  • January by Verzache
  • Free & Lonely by X Ambassadors
  • Beautiful People by Ed Sheeran (feat. Khalid)
  • Careless by Vacation Manor
  • Fallin Down by Goo Goo Dolls
  • What Is Love by Chase Goehring

Which song is your favorite? What have you been listening to this month? Feel free to drop your own playlist in the comments section. 

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–a summer stroll–

strolling

I spent my day…

strolling through the heart of town

exploring new flavors at a local cuisine

 

shopping around gift-shops

taking short breaks from the summer heat

 

keeping coconut refreshments close at hand

letting the blissful sun stroke my skin with every gentle ray

 

I spent my day

strolling through the heart of this beautiful town…

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Playlist 4 July

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The fourth of July is right around the corner, and it is time to add the finishing touches to the 2019 celebratory playlist. This is the biggest annual event that my family hosts, and we are expecting over fifty guests this year. I am typically in charge of constructing the playlists for most of our gatherings, and I try to make them as large as possible to avoid the annoyance of song repetition. I have searched all over the place for independence-themed songs, and I want to give you a small glimpse into this year’s bunch… Not all of these songs have the intensity for the firework show, but they will certainly be played during the party. I hope you enjoy, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

  • It’s America by Rodney Atkins
  • Fire by Barns Courtney
  • All American Mutt by Jamie Kent
  • Fight for You by Shawn McDonald
  • Freedom by Pharrell Williams
  • Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue by Toby Keith
  • American Woman by Lenny Kravitz
  • Smoke Clears by Andy Grammer
  • Alive by Pearl Jam
  • All-American Girl by Carrie Underwood

Have you heard any of these before? Did you like this post? What are your song recommendations for me?

*Also, I accidentally set a backdate on my previous post, “Dryads & Shades,” so it did not show up as a recent post WordPress… That was my mistake, but be sure to go check it out here if you missed it. Thanks for reading!

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Playlist & Talk To Me

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Hello Sunshine!

It has been two full months since I released a playlist, so I thought it was time to share again. Actually, several of you have told me that you really enjoy these types of posts, so I am wondering if I should do this more often… Talk to me, and tell me your thoughts!

  • What I Want by The Band CAMINO
  • Bad by Lennon Stella
  • Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon
  • Over My Head by Judah & the Lion
  • Bottle by JT Roach
  • I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
  • If So by Atlas Genius
  • Older by Sasha Sloan

Do you want to see more playlists? Were any of these songs familiar to you? What have you been listening to?

***Side note: Get ready for some super exciting posts as I share a video of myself dancing (yes, you read that correctly), a favorite summer recipe, recent happenings, a summer shopping haul, and two awards! These will be up very shortly, so don’t go anywhere. 🙂 Thanks for reading, and I hope that you are having an awesome summer!