You got your sundress on for game day, just to drink beer on an old tailgate

Somethin' bout a good ol' country song that makes me want to be a real Southern belle (and not just the one I play in the movie in my head). Luke Bryan's Sorority Girl makes me desperately long for sweet tea on a wrap-around porch and a Southern gentleman to call my very own.

Plus, it's catchy as hell (even if it doesn't mention my affiliation). And I do wear sundresses on game day, just to drink beer at a tailgate. So maybe I'm not so not-Southern after all.

Perhaps it's the fact that in just a while I'll be on a plane to sororityland for the weekend (is it bad that I'm most excited about a tour of my national headquarters?!), but this song is my jam right now.

The violet--the official sorority flower of Sigma Kappa

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation that you ever had.

-anonymous

Tomorrow I'm off to Indianapolis for my sorority's yearly meeting.

Convention looming on the horizon has made me ponder life and friendship.

A lot of people accuse members of the Greek community of "buying their friends"

but in my opinion nothing could be further from the truth.

The friends, nay, best friends I've made in my chapter are the people I was destined to be friends with.

These women will be in my wedding,

know my children (if that happens),

and know my deepest secrets even when we've grown up and apart.

I cherish the memories I've made with them,

and am so grateful that I have another year of memories to create.

My sorority's open motto is one heart one way

and that truly resonates in my mind.

Friends share a heart, a pathway, and a bond so deep that it cannot be broken

no matter what times and circumstances do to rip it apart.

I am so grateful for my friends,

and cannot wait to meet my sisters from all around the country this weekend.

#sosorority

Happy first day of summer!

Happy Summer Solstice everyone!

It's freakin' hot here in CenCal (Central California, get it? I'm so clev)

so I'm spending the day indoors...SHOPPING.

I still need a few things for my trips

so my mom and I are about to embark on a spending spree!

And since it's the longest day of the year,

I plan to embrace the sunshine for as long as it'll let me.

Hope you all are able to survive the heat

and find some ways to enjoy it!

One week until France,

six weeks until I'm 21!

**Before the Tim McGraw concert with my besty!

Five Things Friday

Today is my Daddy's birthday!

Unfortunately I'm away at a conference, so I'm missing out on both birthday and Father's Day celebrations! :(

In honor of my dear ol' dad, today's Five Things Friday are all things Craig.

1. When my grandma was pregnant with my dad, she was so convinced that she was having a girl that she didn't even bother to consider boys' names. "Craig Alan" was purely a spur-of-the-moment hospital decision.

2. My dad has a nickname for everyone. Seriously, boys we're are dating, new customers, teachers, relatives...meet him for 5 minutes and he'll have a nickname for ya. He must have some strange aversion to birth names. Perhaps because of item #1 on this list?

3. When I was a junior in high school, I was convinced that I wanted to go back east for college. So my dad took me on a tour...in February. He planned it that way so that it would be cold and I wouldn't like it. And his plan worked! I wound up only applying to California schools.

4. My dad plays city league basketball (with a bunch of other old guys) and every year he swears it's his last season. Literally. Every year. We'll see when he finally quits.

5. Craig is a big fan of P90X, which includes nuggets of wisdom such as "Do your best, and forget the rest," which dear Craig likes to use as pep talks. Cheesy, but effective. Most of teh time.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I love you!

I won an awesome give away!

You guys, I'm so excited to have won Christine's Project Have Hope give away!

If you know me well, you know that I never win anything. Seriously. At Sober Grad Night after high school graduation (where everyone is guaranteed a prize) I didn't win a single. thing. The entire night. Nothing. So I'm very excited to have won my first blog give away!

What is most special about this give away is that it comes from such an amazing organization. From PHH's website:

"Project Have Hope works with a group of 100 women in the Acholi Quarter of Uganda and helps them transform their lives and the lives of their families. Through the sale of their beautiful, handmade paper bead jewelry, the women can feed their families, send their children to school, and look forward to a richer future."

There's nothing I love more than community-focused empowerment and action, so I feel like I won double with this. I am getting some awesome hand-made paper products AND I found a fantastic organization to support.

I recommend you check out Project Have Hope's website. They also have a fundraising program for people here in the states to support families in Uganda.

Such a great way to start my week. Hope you're all having a happy Monday!

Five Things Friday

Today I'm off on a little road trip adventure to LA with my best friend Morgan!

Even though I'm about to embark on a 6 hour drive, I couldn't resist doing my usual

Five Things Friday! Here it goes!

1. Tomorrow night Morgan and I are seeing Tim McGraw in concert! I cannot wait to rock my cowboy boots (purchased in Nashville, so they're legit) and listen to some of my favorite country songs. The Band Perry and Luke Bryan are co-headlining with Tim, and given that "If I Die Young" and "Sorority Girl" have been my two main jams of summer, I am fricken stoked to see all of them!

2. One of my major life goals is to visit all 50 states. I've been to 20 states + DC so far, and I'll be adding a couple more this summer (Colorado, Indiana, and maybe some surprises!).

3. I could eat Mexican food 3 meals a day every single day if possible. Huevos rancheros for breakfast, taco salad for lunch, and a cheese enchilada for dinner. The perfect day. Perhaps fattening, but I would enjoy it so much that it wouldn't matter a bit.

4. I went shopping on Tuesday and literally bought everything on my France wish list. Maybe a little embarrassing, but it was all stuff I needed, right? Can't wait to share some pictures of it all :)

5. On Wednesday, my friends Diana and Brenna (I went to elementary school with them, and then they went to a different high school) and I had a little adventure at Diana's beach house in Santa Cruz. The house is literally right on the beach, so I woke up to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. We had red wine and a cheese platter--so fancy. At some point I became a grown up, and I think I like it.

No random photo today because blogger hates me :(

Recipe: Cake Pops

Now this is a recipe that calls for a little patience and a whole lotta sweet tooth.

Have you tried cake pops yet? They sell adorable little perfect ones at Sbux. Try one of those before you make your own!

What I love most is that these are super easy to get good at making, and everyone fawns over them because they're so cute. I did a trial run a few weeks ago and they turned out okay, but I made a second batch of 'em for Kendall's graduation party that everybody loved (even me, my harshest critic)!

What you need:

A baked cake (I like funfetti or yellow...or if you're hardcore make one from scratch!)

A mixing bowl

A tub of frosting (vanilla for funfetti or chocolate for yellow)

Candy chips that you can melt (Michael's craft stores have an excellent assortment of colors and they're relatively inexpensive)

Large lollipop sticks

A styrofoam brick

How you make them:

1. Start crumbling the cake into the mixing bowl. Should be about the consistency of breadcrumbs.

2. Once you've mashed up the whole cake, mix in one spoonful of frosting at a time until the mixture is entirely moist. I usually use about half a can of frosting, but add more if you like things extra sweet!

3. Wash your hands and start shaping the cake/frosting mixture into balls, about 2 inches in diameter. Place them on a plate, and once all your mixture is balled up pop them in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

4. Get your candy chips and melt them in a microwave safe bowl (microwave for no more than 30 seconds at a time and stir in between).

5. Take out the cake balls. Place sticks in them, no more than about a centimeter deep.

6. Dip the cake ball into the melted candy. You might have to swirl it around and even use a spoon to make sure it's all covered. Add sprinkles to decorate if you wish!

7. Place the pop into the styrofoam to harden.

8. Enjoy!

The dipping can be tricky the first time you do it, but I promise it gets easier!

Let me know if you try them!