My 101 in 1001 List!

It's finally here! My 101 in 1001 list is complete and I'm both excited and nervous to share it. As the sweet Mackenzie reminded me, it is one thing to put the pen to paper and a completely different thing to share it with others. So without further ado, here goes nothing! 

{4 down, 97 to go!}

1. Come up with 101 things (November 2012). 

2. Move into my first apartment. 

3. Start my own event planning company, Southern Grace Events. 

4. Upgrade to the iPhone (November 2012). 

5. Upgrade to MacBook Pro (December 2012). 

6. Graduate from college.

7. Send 50 handwritten notes to family and friends. 

8. Schedule routine appointments with doctor, dentist, dermatologist, and go at least once a year. 

9. Learn how to braid my hair. 

10. Find a beauty and skincare regimen that works for me. And stick with it! 

11. Eat the recommended serving of veggies every day for one week. 

12. Eat vegetarian for one week. 

13. Go 30 days without sugar and flour.

14. Drink eight glasses of water every day for a week. 

15. Try acupuncture.

16. Take all recommended vitamins and supplements.

17. Find out my blood type.

18. Read 30 new books. 

19. Re-read one of the classics. 

20. Take a cooking lesson. 

21. Try 30 new recipes found online (Pinterest, other blogs, etc.) 

22. Eat and cook homemade meals every night for one week. 

23. Grow herbs on my windowsill.  

24. Take a sewing lesson. 

25. Create a living will. 

26. Buy my first car. 

27. Go on a spontaneous weekend road trip. 

28. Complete 15 5ks (1 of 15).

29. Run a 5k under 25 minutes.

30. Try one out of my comfort zone workout class. 

31. Relaunch my blog with custom design. 

32. Tie up loose ends for blog and business - business cards, Facebook, Twitter, etc. 

33. Organize must-read blogs into a reader. 

34. Create two regular features on my blog.

35. Establish an editorial calendar for blog features. 

36. Guest post on a blog. 

37. Create a professional portfolio. 

38. Establish a media kit for Southern Grace Events. 

39. Connect with a blog friend in person. 

40. Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop. 

41. Attend ALT Summit. 

42. Attend Making Things Happen conference. 

43. Pay it forward to an unsuspecting person.

44. Create a daily devotional routine. 

45. Tithe consistently to Elevation Church.

46. Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. 

47. Volunteer at a children's hospital. 

48. Organize and plan a charity event for a cause close to my heart. 

49. Take a swimming lesson.

50. Take a calligraphy class. 

51. Ride in a hot air balloon. 

52. Go to a drive-in movie. 

53. De-clutter my closet. 

54. Invest in classic pieces - handbag, wallet, shoes, boots. 

55. Own a red dress. 

56. Wear the right shade of red lipstick. 

57. Own a piece of Lululemon gear.

58. Create an inspiration board. 

59. Create a bar cart. 

60. Have one of my events featured in a magazine. 

61. Plan my best friend's wedding. 

62. Plan a surprise party for a friend. 

63. Plan a New Years Eve party. 

64. Create a list of all states visited. 

65. Renew my passport. 

66. Use my aforementioned passport. 

67. Learn how to ice skate. 

68. Use my skating skills at an outdoor rink. 

69. Take my Mom to see Garth Brooks in concert. 

70. Spend a weekend with just my grandmother. 

71. Visit Savannah, Georgia. 

72. Visit Charleston, South Carolina. 

73. Go to a double-feature. 

74. Go on a stay-cation. 

75. Dance in the rain. 

76. Go apple picking. 

77. Sort through contacts and create address book. 

78. Have all email accounts down to zero. 

79. Organize photos. 

80. Organize iTunes.

81. Get rid of all magazines. 

82. Go to the CMA Fest with Amanda. 

83. Go to a performance at the Grand Ol' Opry. 

84. Buy something at a flea market. 

85. Learn how to shoot a gun. 

86. Go on a winery tour and tasting. 

87. Ride in a horse drawn carriage. 

88. Have family portraits taken. 

89. Invest in a camera. 

90. Take a photograph lesson to use camera. 

91. Send out Christmas cards. 

92. Make a homemade gift.

93. Create scrapbook for my grandmother. 

94. Go ziplining. 

95. Ride in a ferris wheel (November 2012).

96. Learn the Thriller dance. 

97. Buy flowers at the historic Radcliffe Flower Shop in Charlotte.

98. Reconnect with an old friend.

99. Go a 24-hour technology free period - no phone, laptop, etc.

100. Inspire someone to have a list of their own.

101. Put $10 into savings for every task completed. 

Read about making my list here!

Making A List

If you have read any of my previous posts over the last year, you will know that I'm a planner - inside and out. To-do lists make up my day and I usually have more than one on my desk at any given time. And yes, I'm that girl who does a happy dance when an item is crossed off. (Nerd alert!) 

One of my favorite bloggers, Mackenzie, created a 101 in 1001 list that I fell in love with from the moment I read it. For the longest time, I wanted to create one of my own, but fear of failure held me back. Until now. 

Over the past few weeks, I have been contemplating what to include on my list. Fun tasks and serious goals. Places to see and events to attend. The only criteria I gave myself was each item must be something that will ultimately make my heart happy and put a smile on my face.

In the coming days I will post my entire list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I'm both nervous and excited to share it with y'all, but hopefully it inspires someone else to push fear aside and go for whatever your heart desires. There is no better time to start than right now. 

*Image via

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Inspiration Board

One of my ongoing projects has been redecorating and organizing my home office. And thanks to Pinterest, the possibilities are endless. From the moment I saw this picture, I knew I needed an inspiration board above my desk. A place to put ideas, pictures, quotes, and any other odds-and-ends that make me smile and spark creativity. Do you have an inspiration board? What is on it?

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Life Lately

Carolina Panthers game followed by dinner in the city.

 Up in the clouds on my way to Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

 Night at the county fair with good friends. 

My new Saturday morning routine: manicure and magazine reading.

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Fresh Face

image via tumblr

Like most girls, makeup makes me giddy. I could spend hours in Sephora or Ulta looking at new and classic products, comparing and deciding which ones to bring home to my ever-growing collection. But during the 90 degree heat summer, nothing feels better than wearing almost no makeup at all.

Wouldn't it be great to have this fresh look every day?

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Deirdre Heekin's Vermont Cottage

images via House Beautiful

Confession: I'm guilty of spending the majority of my down time pinning, looking at design websites, or reading magazines. Recently while scouring for inspiration, I came across a tour of Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber's cozy Vermont cottage. The husband-wife pair infused their Italian heritage into the home's design style. 

How cute is the bar in the bookcase? And the classic white couch? Just lovely. Where do you find design inspiration?

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Monday Musings

image via falala designs

It is all about your attitude - you get to decide whether Monday is dreadful or delightful. Won't you make today a good start to the week? 

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Winner, Winner

A few weeks ago, I entered a bracelet giveaway over at Waiting on Martha. Since this lovely lady's blog is one of my daily reads (and it should be one of yours too!) I wanted to support her partnership with ML Pearl Designs. However, with numerous giveaways happening all over the blogging community, never in a million years did I expect to win. Much to my surprise, the unexpected happened and yours truly received this gorgeous pearl and chain bracelet.

Ever since it arrived in the mail, this piece has become a staple in my jewelry collection. With a touch of femininity paired with tough chain link design, the bracelet can be worn from day-to-night. Thanks Waiting on Martha and ML Pearl Designs!

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Monday Musings

Fresh gardenias straight from a coworker's bush.

Another week is upon us and while motivation is usually hard to find on the first day back to work after a relaxing weekend, I seem to be kicking today's to-do list out of the park. Pretty proud of this accomplishment if I do say so myself! {It is Monday, after all.}

I honestly make lists for anything and everything because if I don't write it down, I will probably forget it. So, last night before getting some beauty sleep, I created a list of goals for this week. And what better way to hold myself accountable than to share my goals with y'all?

• Eat breakfast daily. 
• Drink eight glasses of water daily. 
• Mail two handwritten notes. 
• Workout three times. 
• Clean out my email inbox. 
• Try three new recipes. 

Do any of you lovelies set small yet attainable goals at the start of the week?

Cheers! xx

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Dreamin'

via tumblr

Ever since I started Southern Grace, I've dreamed of creating this little blog of mine into something that represented all the things I love - faith, family, fashion, food, and entertaining. A combination of time and wanting everything to be perfect has kept my dream from becoming a reality. Until today.

After much thinking, I realized there will never be a perfect time to start making my dreams come true. I've got to strap in for a wild ride, work hard and enjoy every moment. And this applies to much more than just this blog. It applies to all aspects of life.

Stay tuned for new features to start Monday. Can't wait to share my ideas and personality with y'all. Any ideas and feedback are always welcome.

Cheers to the rest of the weekend!

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Summer Kick-Off

Sweet summertime is finally here in Carolina! Weekends at home filled with sunshine, patio dining, and concerts are the norm and I wouldn't have it any other way. My last three days in pictures...

  {A few of my favorite things: getting a pedicure, reading magazines, and wearing pretty clothes.}

{Girls night out with my best friend, Megan. P.F. Chang's was so delicious!}

{First country concert of the summer! The girls loved Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker.}

{The gang: Cuz, Mel, Kay, Rob, Toe, Lindsay, and yours truly.}

      
              {Sunday lunch after church with the parents. The Q is a must visit in Uptown Charlotte!}

Cheers to a great and productive week!

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Waiting Room

Hellllo Monday! Time to start another week of classes, work, and appointments plus spring cleaning and organizing. Sounds exciting, huh?

Yesterday at church, my pastor, Steven Furtick, preached one of the best sermons I've ever heard him give. While we are currently in the middle of a series titled Waiting Room, Pastor Steven's message was all about the question, 'What are we waiting for?'

So often we wait for the Lord to provide us with something that we have asked Him for. Peace. Understanding. Forgiveness. Happiness. But the stripped down reality is that He has already given us all of these things and we are too busy standing to the side with our arms crossed, unwilling to look around and see them. Everything we need, we already have. But the real question is will we unfold our arms and be open to see the blessings that He has already provided for us? Will we walk in the gifts we already have?

Don't ask the Lord for joy, be joyful. Don't ask the Lord for happiness, be happy. It's not about the Lord providing, it's about walking in what he's already given us. We are waiting for an invitation when the party has already started.

It's time to get moving. Instead of us waiting on the Lord, He is waiting on us to get moving in the direction He has called us to. If you're waiting on the Lord, you're going in the wrong direction.

This message hit me hard. Right in the heart and gut hard. I get caught up in the daily routine of my to-do lists and waiting on the Lord to provide things that when I stop and look around, I already have. So starting today, I have decided to pray that God brings awareness to the blessings in my life and get moving to bring Him glory. Stop waiting and start doing.

If you would like to watch this particular message, you can do so here. I think these 45 minutes could change your life. I know it did for me.

Cheers!  xx

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Happy Weekend

Happy Weekend! After a busy week on the road visiting family, I'm thoroughly excited about a couple days to lounge around in sweats at home. Laundry and cleaning must be done but reading magazines and eating ginger snaps are occupying my Saturday afternoon. There is always tomorrow to get everything done, right?

Here are my favorite links from the week...
This 'weekend coffee run' outfit post. Can Blaire's closet become mine?
These positive instructions for life. Such a wonderful reminder from Kym.
I came across these confetti sprinkled linen napkins. Future project, for sure.

Cheers!  xx

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Blink of an Eye

As of yesterday at 8:30 pm, our hockey season was over. Just like that. All of the hard work and hours at the rink ended with disappointment on the last day of the regular season. Compared to a year ago, when the guys went to the conference finals and the last game came at the end of May, the summer has started a lot earlier. I really don't think it has set in just yet.

But I want to remember this season .. the good times along with the bad. The moments where much joy was spread across those who needed it. The friendships made along the way. This seven month journey really went by in a blink of an eye.

Here are two of my favorite moments of the year:

Teddy Bear Toss

Wheels for Forest

So now it is time to enjoy the summer. Spend time with family and friends. Attend weddings, birthday parties, and celebrations. Cross things off my ever growing to-do list. And most importantly, smile and love often.  xx

Happy Weekend

My schedule has been jam-packed lately {hence my absence from the blogging world} but starting this week, I will be back with some new posts. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, full of much relaxation and many smiles!  xx 

It's Friday!

Whew .. this week has seriously flown by. So much was packed into my schedule that I can't believe it is the weekend again. But hey, I'm not complaining and I might have done a little friday dance this morning!

On tap for the next three days: two hockey games, sleeping in, working out, catching up on blogs, finish reading The Hunger Games, cleaning, and family time. {Pretty good weekend if you ask me}

Happy Friday, ladies! What's on your schedule this St. Patrick's Day weekend?

xo, sam

{image from my Pinterest page)

Another Year Older

Well hey, that's a good idea because... today is MY birthday! Since I don't get a lot of time to myself anymore, I took the day off work to enjoy some 'me' time. On tap is getting my hair and nails done, a little retail therapy, and spending the evening with some of my best friends. I couldn't ask for more.  

Here's to making my 22nd year the best so far!

xo, sam

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Hump Day, ladies! I'm linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday.  

I'm loving that it's my birthday week! Today is my last full day in the office before starting the weekend early to celebrate my 22nd!

I'm loving the Hunger Games. After hearing all the hype around this book, I had to pick it up at the bookstore. I just started reading it but so far it's a page-turner. And I must finish it before the movie comes out in theatre.

I'm loving this Blanket-Wrap Cardigan from Old Navy. I've had my eye on it since it arrived in store and just couldn't spend $44 on it. Last week, I found it on sale for $20 and had a 20% coupon. Score!

I'm loving Carrie Underwood's new single 'Good Girl' ... she sings the absolute truth in this song. Definitely can't wait until her new album comes out in May. Carrie just seems like a down-to-earth girl who I could definitely be friends with. And have you seen her legs?!

{all images from my Pinterest page}

xo, sam

Daytona

Life has been absolutely crazy the last month. And it is all because of this place: Daytona. Unlike most sports where the biggest event of the season takes place at the conclusion, the 'superbowl' of our year kicks off our 38-week schedule.

Thankfully after two trips, eight total days, numerous rain storms and soaking up some rays, I was able to return to Carolina and finally stop living out of a suitcase. I'm blessed to have a job that I enjoy waking up to every day which allows me to see many cities across the United States. But no matter the length of my trip, nothing feels better when I land back home in Charlotte.

I've learned over the years that Dorothy was right...there really is no place like home.

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

As I flipped through my calendar this morning, it hit me. 

The first month of 2012 is almost in the books. Where has the time gone? I swear January 1st seems like yesterday and we were all making goals and resolutions for the new year. Let's please not talk about how those are going for this girl. 

However, one of my goals for this year was to document more...journal, blog, take pictures, do anything that will help me remember where I've been and what I've done. The older I get the more I realize that I'm blessed to do a lot of one-of-a-kind experiences and so often I have nothing to show for it. And as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Here are a few shots I've captured over the last week. 

NASCAR Preview at Charlotte Convention Center 1.21.12.

Jilson Baby Shower 1.21.12.

Venti Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Latte at 6am 1.24.12.

Commercial Shoot at shop 1.24.12.

Happy New Year 2012

Hellllllo 2012! Here's to a year full of laughter, love, and happiness. 

My New Years Eve: sushi, mimosas, pjs, Target shopping, watching the ball drop and many laughs with my best friend. Perfect ending to 2011 and beginning to 2012.

How did you ring in the new year? 

xo.