My week on Pinterest.

Since our high in Salinas is supposed to be 62 degrees today and we're not supposed to see the sun at all, I thought that my fall pins this week would be appropriate to share.

If the weather's gonna be like this, then I'm more than ready for Fall.

I think this first pin perfectly fits how I'm feeling this morning.

Enjoy!

 via

 via

 via

 via

 via

 via

 via

via

 

 via

If you want to join in the fun link up and say, "Hi" to Mrs. G.I. Joe over at ACUs, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus.

Soon (A song and linking up)

So the word "soon" kills me.

I've heard it used too many times in the context of, "I'll see you soon," and that's almost never the case!

I am not a fan of it,

but I am a fan of Jason Aldean and I like this song a lot.

Join the fun and link up with Goodnight Moon!

Trends and where I fit in

I'm realizing when you don't have very much to do, you think about increasingly random things.  Today, it's what blogs are popular and what it means for me.  

This blog was started in the hopes that when I moved two years ago my friends and family could keep up with what I was doing and served as a diary of sorts for my last couple college years.  Then I started reading blogs that inspired me, rockstar diaries, the wild and wily ways of a brunette bombshell, and boho baby bump (to name a few), and I began to think that my little blog could become something more.  These lovely ladies mentioned above have hundreds to thousands of readers a day, why couldn't I?  

So I tried to revamp the look of the blog (which I still struggle with, any suggestions would be great), the posts that I was writing, and I started trying to "network" by linking up and a few other means.  I still feel like that's not gonna do it. There's not a whole lot of evidence to say that I'm on my way to become a popular blogger and I started to think about why.  It seems to me that the more popular blogs have common themes; motherhood, young married couples, cooking, or living in a fun place like New York City, where there's a lot of things to do and a lot of people dreaming/wishing they lived there too.  Don't get me wrong, I love these types of blogs! I read and enjoy them just as much as the next person, but I'm kinda stuck! (or it feels that way anyways)!

I'm not going to be a mother any time soon (see next sentence).  Since the man I love is off being a hero thousands of miles away, getting married couldn't even happen until he gets back and, even then, I'm supposedly going to have "no idea" it's coming.  I'm eventually going to have to learn to cook more than what I already know how to cook, but that's not what I'm passionate about!  For right now, I live in the salad capital of the work, where gangs run rampant and John Steinbeck is our town's claim to fame.  I could become a military blogger and join the community filled with awesome blogs, such as; ACUs, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus, Life is the messy bits, and Life's Little Indulgences.  But despite my "I don't care what people think about me" philosophy that I try to live by, there's too much drama involved and I'm hesitant to talk about this extremely huge part of my life because of it (Sucks right? I really should just get over it and write whatever I feel like, within reason).

So with the trends that I see in blogging and not being able to plug into any of those categories, 

where do I fit in?

How can I make blogging the writing outlet I've been dreaming about?

Do "followers" and numbers really matter all that much?

These thoughts and more are ones that I'll be thinking about more in the next few days.

*This is not meant to be a pity me post. I'm a writer and when I'm pondering something, I'm gonna write about it!

Dear...

Dear queen bed...today I was forced to replace you with a twin. Don't worry though, you're just going into storage for a little while. We'll be reunited eventually.

Dear midnight phone call...you were much need, much appreciated and very fun.

Dear lover...you are one of my favorite people on the planet...even if I "hate" your job and the 7000-something miles in between your heart and mine.

Dear Candace and your random Disney movie references...you make me laugh.

Dear Becca...thanks for letting me borrow your sweatshirt.

Dear Salinas weather...get warm already! I'm tired of being cold all the time.

Dear current job situation...we need to fix you.

Dear NC...can I come back and play for a little while longer?

Overwhelmed

For the last two days I've sat under the teachings of some of the best Christian and business leaders in the country and around the world.

People such as; Bill Hybels, Cory Booker, Seth Godin, Steven Furtick, Mama Maggie, Michelle Rhee, Patrick Lencioni, Erwin McManus and several others (Booker and Furtick were my favorites).

My head is full of amazing quotes and tidbits of knowledge and I really need to sit down with my notebook and go through and process everything.

Along with my head, my heart is full and I've been inspired beyond belief.

Hopefully in the next few days I'll remember to share some of the quotes that impacted me the most.

Along with the overwhelming amount of information that I've absorbed in a short period of time,

I feel completely overwhelmed with life at the moment.

Talking to a dear friend today, she asked me what I was doing with my life and I told her that I had no idea yet and instead of just saying, "Oh, you'll figure it out eventually," like most of the people I've talked to, she just simply asked, "Does that stress you out?"

I don't think she saw the prick of tears that question brought to my eyes, but I replied, "YES!"

I'm stressed with life or the lack of not know what's coming next. I'm overwhelmed with worry about my boyfriend overseas. I'm overwhelmed with trying to have to fit myself back into my family's life after being gone for two years.

I'm just overwhelmed period.

The end.

I'm going to post this blog before it becomes a rant, that's not what I wanted it to be.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones!

Linking up!

Thanks to my wonderful roommate, Pinterest has become one of my favorite "time wasters!"

This linking up party is such a fun idea by ACUs, Stileto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus!
Here's a couple pins that I had to snag this week (and a little explanation of why I chose them).
Enjoy!

Being on the water for most of the summer has been wonderful.

I'm going to miss it dearly!

Pin it

Spending time with my southern side of the family is/was always inspiring.

We need more southern charm in California.

Pin it

I'm encouraged by so many of the military girlfriend/wife bloggers out there,

when I saw this, I thought of all of you.

Pin it

I love the idea of using maps in decorating, I wanna learn how to make these!

Pin it

If you're on Pinterest, click on the button, link up, and say "Hi"!

Newcomer to Country

I absolutely love listening to country music and found out I like writing about it too 

(even though it hasn't happened for awhile).

I also love newcomers into the genre, who show an abundance of talent!

Maybe you've heard him, maybe you haven't, but I think 19-year-old, Hunter Hayes, is going to be around for awhile.

The official music video is here, for some reason it won't let me post it on the blog.

Go over and link up and say, "Hi," to Goodnight Moon!

A little more maybe

Maybe I don't really want to have to work again...at least for a little while.

Maybe I'm really worried that moving back home wasn't such a good idea.

Maybe the thought of going back East is sounding better and better every day.

Maybe I've been praying for inspiration for a novel.

Maybe I haven't been able to stand being around couples the last few days.

Maybe I'm really excited for Leadership Summit.

Maybe I really need a Gilmore Girls night with Corinne and maybe this post was inspired by her.

Maybe, since I'm here in Salinas, I'm ready for it to be fall since the weather's like that already.

Maybe I'm freaked out that everyone around me is starting school and I'm not.

Maybe I'm stoked that Christmas is four months away.

Maybe I'm stoked that 2012 is only five months away.

Maybe I should get my act together and do something with my life today...maybe.

via

Keeping it in check

via

Confession time!

Lately I've been having a hard time keeping my "long distance relationship bitchness" under tight control.

Don't worry though, I'm trying to get it back in check.

I'm just ready to see him again.

Bad blogger?

Sorry for not blogging recently!

I've been busy and without a computer, chilling here...

Spent a crazy couple of days out on the lake with the camping crew.

We had a lot of good boarding/skiing/tubing time and some really fun hanging out at camp time.

Pictures soon to follow!

I need a shower right now!

Take a bite out of ridiculousness

My family is kinda obsessed with Shark Week.

We've been watching it a lot...like for hours on end.

It's a little ridiculous.

It's also ridiculous that for the last two days, Salinas really hasn't seen the sun.

It's ridiculous that tonight we packed up again and are going camping this weekend.

It's ridiculous that I'm so excited to be back in the heat and sunshine 

(I swear I felt my tan leaving in revolt the second I stepped off the plane in Cali).

It's ridiculous that I felt completely alone tonight and welled up in tears more than once.

It's ridiculous that wiping my computer makes it super fast (thanks Colin!).

It's ridiculous how tired I am.

Have a good weekend lovelies and remember to smile through all the ridiculousness in your life.

Wishing! (and linking up)

I wish I was back where the only worry I had was if I was getting sunburned or not!

Go over and link up with Goodnight Moon

Hard to write

I'll just be honest with you, I've been avoiding writing my "yellow ribbon" posts lately.

They're hard to write and I feel like they might cause me more harm then good.

But for some reason I really wanted to write one today.

We're almost to the halfway mark of half a year.

Does that make sense?

I don't think I've ever been through something more frustrating than deployment.

It is teaching me patience and to trust in God more, not just with my life, but with my love's as well.

Modern technology/my phone/my computer are three things that are making this bearable. 

I don't know what I would do without them...well except write even more letters than I already am.

Even though it doesn't feel like it, time is passing and it will come to an end eventually

and I'll be waiting anxiously!

New Bern/Job Site: Week 2 (part 3) in Pictures