Monday, January 30, 2017

|| the best of awkwardly caroline ('09-'14) ||

for some reason, i decided to go through my blog and look through my posts for the last 8 years. it was crazy seeing how my ability to write has grown along with my creativity. i also thought this would be a good way for all of my readers (new and old) to get to know me as a blogger/writer/author.


so, with that being said, and in no particular order (because i love them all), here is "the best of awkwardly caroline" (or if you were here in the very beginning, a gracious demeanor/ everybody behave naturally).

first, and most important, here is everything i've written that's been awkward. clearly that's why we are all here. it's clearly why i write.



next, we have the exam that was a bunch of poop. here i tell you about the most frustrating test i have ever experienced in my college career.



then, we have a very serious post referring to God's love and how His love is the most important love. for sometime frame- this was written about 6 months to a year before same sex marriage was legalized and everyone was in an uproar over something regarding all of that (this is not to sound insensitive, i just don't remember the reason why all this stuff was going on).

then, we have that split moment in college where i thought about becoming a midwife. oh silly 20 year old Caroline. yes, while being a midwife would still be incredible, you do not need to do that. you would have to go through nursing school, and we all know you would fail it. it's just not a good idea. just stick to what you know- writing.

then, we have one of the longest posts i've ever written. gosh, i just went back and read through this post and i remember so clearly all of it. i'm so thankful that God laid it on my heart to continue in the ministry direction.

next, and this one still kills me (but i could probably make it actually work now that i have more cooking experience), there is that one time that pinterest actually failed me. shocker, i know. i wasn't ready for it either. maybe i should redo this one as a follow up and see if it still breaks.



then, let's remember that time i gave some helpful information to the gentlemen out there on taking their lady out to dinner. i still stand firmly but this, and if my standards for men in my age group are still to high, then maybe those men should get their acts together. there is no reason why this should still be happening, and if it is, fix and eat your food at home. you can have a perfectly good date night at home while not ripping anyone off in the process. #sayitlouderforthepeopleintheback



but i digress.





back to the actual content of this post.

here we present the comical little post about the importance of pens. i remember finding a small blurb about this online, and i took it, gave credit to the source, and ran with it, because sometimes i think i'm hilarious.



and finally, since next week is the super bowl and the end of football season (can i get an amen? no one interesting is playing and i'm sorry, i'm tired of football. i'm ready for baseball) is near. i give you, what i normally do instead of watch the super bowl; college student addition. i'll try to a follow up with a barista or working girl addition for next week and then we cam play compare and contrast.

i don't know about you, but as i said in the beginning, i'm very proud of these posts. i hope you too enjoy them. let me know which one is your favorite!



Monday, January 23, 2017

on bloglovin

hi ya'll! just as a quick heads up, i'm on bloglovin'!

you can find me here.

have a great day!!!






|| what i'm currently listening to. ||


music is one of my favorite things. 
ever. 
seriously. 
ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you that music is my jam. 


get it?
music?
jams? 


*insert finger guns here*

since i love music so much, i want to share with you all what has been on repeat for the last month . this has been my go to playlist of songs to listen to at six am while i am getting to work and setting things up for the day. they are great for getting into the mood of "yes, today will be good. i will do the things, i will serve the coffee. and i'll do it with a spring in my step."

ok, maybe thats too enthusiastic for six am, but whatever.

so....in no particular order:



1. "24k Magic"- Bruno Mars
this ENTIRE album is incredible. i was a tiny bruno fan when "just the way you are" came out because, well let's face it, that song is cute, sweet, and what every girl wants to hear. but then he dropped off my radar for a while (unless one of his hits came on the radio) and theeeeeeeeennnnnnn 24K MAGIC APPEARED as the first single off his newest album. i was intrigued instantly, and then when the album came out, i got it. OHMYLANTA YA'LL. it is such a fun album. it's the 70's groove, with a top 40s twist. straight fire. i kid you not, i listened to that album for a straight month- this was sue to the fact that there is no aux chord in my car and also the album is THAT GOOD.



2. "Yeah Boy"- Kelsea Ballerini
this is a "country" jam. i sue the quotations because, like much of today's country music isn't what it used to be. at least, so i've been told. i didn't really start listening to country music (i actually used to hate it witha fiery passion) till i was a senior in highschool.
don't get me wrong, i love to listen to this country music. this particular jam has a nice beat, nice sound, and pleasing to the ear.



3. "Body Moves", 4. "Toothbrush", 5. "Good Day",  6. "Pay My Rent"- DNCE
so, time for some honesty. the main reason i listen to DNCE is because of Joe Jonas. he was and still is my favorite jonas brother. after having been teased back in 2012 about the return of the jonas brothers, i've been lowkey bitter about no new music from anyone in that family at that moment. then i heard this band was forming, i heard that Joe was in this band, and i heard that the jonas brother's former drummer, jack lawless, i was COMPLETELY on board. granted i don't think dnce's music is as tasteful as the glory days of the jonas brothers, i'll still take it and i'll dance with it til it dies.



7. "Mercy"- Duffy
i'm bringing this one back from the back of the closet. i listened to this song again recently and i can't begin to explain to you why i like it, but i do. i definately cannot relate to the subject matter (at least i hope not) but i really dig duffy's vocal range here. it's a good song to belt out.



8. "Caroline"- Anime'
can you guess why i like this song? i have yet to find a song called "caroline", that i don't like. maybe its a cocky thing, but you have to admit, most of the time, songs that feature you're name make you feel real special.



9."That's My Girl"- Fifth Harmony
i'm not the biggest fan of this group. i can't explain why i've never been a fan, but i'm just not. HOWEVER they have been able to pump out a few banging hits. this one is no different. it's got a jammin beat, and it talks about (however correct me if i'm wrong) supporting and praising the best pals in your life and i really dig that.



10. "Call On Me" -Starley (Ryan Riback Remix) 
(specifically this remix)
Its a tights song about being supportive, and it has a tight beat. therefore, it's tight. and also i came across this from soneone i follow on snapchat.



11. "My Prerogative"- Bobby Brown
really, the only reason i found this song is because it was sung on glee and i'm currently watching it two years two late. but, it's tight.



12. "Like a Virgin."- Madonna
80's music is the best kind of music. always. and also, this too was sung on glee. i'm a sad individual.



13. "Too Good"- Drake ft. Rhianna
for some reason, drake has been a jam lately. he's got good, danceable rhythms (yes, even for the ones wo can't dance, but try ever so hard to do so aka me). add rhianna in there, and it's good to go. just run with it. or dance. i don't know you.



14. "I'm Alive"- Celine Dion
as you can see, a pattern is forming with jams that have good beats. i'm a sucker for a good beat, whether electronically or acoustically. pump out a good beat and my head will bop and next thing you know, out pops the whitest white girl you've ever seen. this song is no exception.



15. "Seein Red"- Dustin Lynch
just ask my roomate (who feels the same), this song gives me feels man. all of the feels and dance moves. all over everything.



16. "Stars in Your Heart"- Bonnie Mckee
this is just a sweet simple song about love. at least that's my interpretation. but it's just good. even when you are losing the ability to properly describe feelings towards something, as i currently am, it's still real good.



17. "Miss You"- Gabrielle Aplin
FAVORITE SONG ALERT.
FAVORITE.
FAVORITE
FAVORITE.
SO GOOD. SO SWEET.
IT'S ABOUT MISSING SOMEONE which i've related to a lot recently and so i think that's why i'm crazy about this song.

and finally last but not least because if you remember these were in no particular order......



18. "Make You Mine"- High Valley
SECOND FAVORITE PROBABLY BECAUSE UUUUUGGGGHHHH. my roommate showed me this song a couple days ago and it's SO GOOD. it's not a typical country song. it's got a folky feel and it makes you tap your feet. not to mention the line "soul miner's daughter." in context, UGGGGGHHHH its the best.



and, like all good things, this post must come to an end.
what are you listening to currently? i'd love to know!




Tuesday, January 10, 2017

a year in review: 2016

hi friends! it's been a while! 
i figure that the best way to dive in is too just do a good ole' year in review. 
so here we go!



January: 
celebrating my mom's birthday from afar,
 and a wedding where i was able to see my brother and some close friends.

february:
was a chaperon for a college trip. the youth pastor and myself took a handful of our youth group to chicago to visit moody bible institute for a conference and the chance to visit the school. we also got the joy of seeing some of the youth that had graduated and started attending school there.

march:
attended one of the most jammin concerts i've ever been to
 (not including my favorite band, The Oh Hellos the year prior) 
with some of the loveliest people. this month also started the wedding festivities for one of my dearest and oldest friends (she got engaged the previous fall). also, voted in what i THOUGHT was going to be a hopeful election. also notice the most terrifying face swap of the month.

april: 
this was actually one of the most diffcult months i've ever experienced. 
i had some property stolen and work became very stressful. thankfully that smae weekend, after these things happened/ were happening, i was able to get out of town with some of my dear friends (abby and cara)- we hightailed it to the mountains where we rented a cabin in the woods (no weird movie ref here, i promise), and we just spent some much needed time in the mountains, away from everything. praise the Lord for calm bachelorette parties. thankful for these beautiful woman and our lifelong friendship.

may: 
what a month this was!
 i got to watch someone who has been one of my sisters,
 get married to her best friend. it is such a cool thing to watch.

june:
this month had some hectic and busy times. i had to make a last minute trip up to West Virginia as there was a loss in my family. while this is not the best of circumstances, it was a good time to visit with family that i hadn't seen in ages. then i came home and had to turn around the next day and head off to camp to get set up. my church does a yearly youth camp (as seen here and here) and this year, i was in charge of the worship team. so we headed up a few days early (with the help of my brother coming as well) to get set up and get the sound checked. it was a wonderful week of learning and worship God, and while trials happened, the devil did what he could to discourage us, God prevailed overall. 

july:
this was definitely one of the main highlights out of the year. 
i was able to revisit a country that captured my heart- China. 
made some wonderful friends, saw some amazing sites, 
ate some crazy good food; this was a good month! 

this month really only required me to readjust back on american soil, s
pend time with my furbaby and best friend, 
and get used to a job promotion. very relaxed over all!

this month was lovely because i was able to see another year and celebrate my 24th birthday. a couple of my dear friends were in town and my best friend/ roomate took me to my favorite place in the world- Charleston, SC. also, (not pictured) wrecked my beloved truck near the end of this month.

this month was a whirlwind. at the beginning of the month, a hurricane swept through my sweet, sleepy little town and along the east coast. with that came evacuation. thankfully (especially since i was with out a car at the time) i was able to high tail it out of town with my roommate, Caroline, her family and boyfriend. we headed up to greenville and spent about five days in the mountains and it was a much needed break, yet again.

and so begins the holiday season. 
i voted in the scariest election that i have ever actually paid attention too. 
then a couple weeks later my mom came into town and 
we celebrated thanksgiving with some dear family members.

december brought in the usual christmas cheer. 
i started out the month with a christmas party for the youth group, 
had the wedding of my dear friend a couple weeks later, 
and ended it with heading out to colorado to spend christmas 
with my mom and other family members.



this past year was an odd one, both in the media and in my own life. there was lots of learning, lots of questioning, lots of jim halpert faces. but over all there were many good moments, as you can see through the cluster of pictures. and over all, one is to remember how GOOD God is. 

so here is to 2017.
 a year to once again remember how GOOD God is no matter what happens.