The Blog is Back, Alright!

In 2012, I wrote 14 blog posts. 

In 2013, I wrote 11 blog posts. 

In 2014, I wrote 6 blog posts. 

And I haven't blogged since July. 

Guys – this makes me sad. It certainly isn't that I haven't had anything to write about. 2014 was an amazing year of engagements, weddings, vacations, friends, family, a big move, and a new job! It was fun – and you'll have to trust me, because 6 blogs hardly did the year justice. 

This year, I am going to try and document all of the things that happen to me in 2015: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (because sometimes selfies are not my best angle). I can feel the excitement from you readers growing as I type this. "OMG she is back!!" Look out blogger community! 

So what will my first blog be about? Such suspense! Well, no need to anticipate the content – you are reading it right now. This is my first blog back. Get with it. 

But soon there will be new, wonderful, witty blogs for you to enjoy. In the meantime, I will leave you with a few pics from 2014…enjoy! 

#dontworry #behappy

Hi friends,

Because it is Friday, and because I have had a few glasses of wine, I am posting about a few things that make me happy. 

This is my #100happydays for the day. 

• A new tube of mascara
• Driving with the windows down
• Bottomless mimosas 
• Booking a flight to see friends or family
• Lettuce when you are hungover
• Learning the real lyrics to a song and realizing you were always singing it wrong
• Napping on a Sunday (see post HERE)
• Looking at old pictures on the Facebook
• Nachos
• The smell of Florida when you first step outside the airport
• Coca-cola in a can
• Watching "Love Actually" in bed on a Saturday morning 
• Binge online shopping 
• Emails from my dad with an oddly professional tone 
• How you feel when a workout is over (not because you worked out, simply because its OVER)
• Pizza Rolls in the microwave 
• #hashtags 
• Getting a big meeting at work with a new client 
• Wine in the afternoon
• Anything Orange and Blue 
• Videos and pictures of my nieces and nephew
• Changing my monthly calendar 
• Unlimited Salad Bars 
• All amazingly embarassing videos of me prior to 2012: the skydive video, my ATL video, SPT internship video, and of course Cancun. 
• A hot toddy when you're sick - sweat it out! 
• All things SYTYCD – obvi. 

Weekends should never be spent in moderation. Go have a good one :) 

Junior High - Yikes.

Aww..He once looked up to me

After my “baby Love” post, NotInMod readers (ok, reader…singular) pointed out that my nephew, Cameron, was not getting adequate press time. Unrelated sidenote: Rachel, thank you for reading. 

Cameron is my 12-year-old nephew who I love very much. I am convinced he loves me too, although his actions make that debatable. Maybe he senses that I know nothing about 12-year-old boys, and if so, he is very right. I didn’t even know about 12-year-old boys when I was a 12-year-old. #singlepreteen



I think this shirt is really funny. Look at him - he's a heartbreaker!

Here are a few things I know about my nephew:

• His birthday is May 30, 2000 and he will be 13 next month.
• He used to play the clarinet, but he recently traded that in for a miniature tuba. BTW – a miniature tuba is not called a tuba. I don’t remember what it’s called, but I do know that it’s heavy.
• He is in wrestling and he is REALLY good. Do not let his size fool you – that kid is a fighter. He obviously takes after his mothers and aunts, who used to practice women’s wrestling on our parents’ king size bed growing up. It wasn’t as weird as it sounds, I swear…
• He is hilarious - also takes after his aunts (sorry, Kim)
• He is very into Black Opps and gaming, two things I know close to nothing about. 
• He is one of those super smart kids that gets bored really easily because they are usually a step ahead of everyone. Especially ahead of his family after we've had a few cocktails.
• He tries to hide it, but that kid is FULL of love. I have a feeling he is secretly a hugger like me.
• He thinks I am incredibly lame.

In an effort to try to be a better aunt to Cameron, I wanted to tap into what it was like when I was his age. My life at Plum Grove Junior High (we called it SCUM Grove – great pun) was really quite pathetic. I was obsessed with Titanic, the Spice Girls and ‘NSync. My weekends consisted of following my sisters around, drinking too much Mountain Dew and making up dances with Carreen. I lived in fear of getting my period at school and often had a sweatshirt tied around my waist. I was caught cheating on the pig dissection exam in 7^th grade, and cried more than most people cry in a lifetime.  



Carrie Keller - age 12
Yikes.



And like all girls in junior high, I wanted SO desperately to be cool. I remember letting a popular girl see my science project, and when she cheated off of me, I took the blame. I got in trouble for hitting kids with seatbelts on bus because that’s what the cool kids in the back of the bus were doing. And worst of all, I remember making fun of a kid for not having any friends, when I actually sort of wanted to be his friend.

I don’t remember if I was nasty to my parents when I was in junior high, but I suspect that I was. I am sure that I being friends with my aunts and uncles sounded like a lame thing to do when I would rather spend time with the few friends I had. So in retrospect, I don’t think I can blame Cameron for not wanting to open up to me. If I thought I had it hard, kids these days have way more to deal with. I read something the other day that said 6 out of 10 girls stop doing what they love because they are too self-conscious. And when I watch the news and hear the horror stories about bullying, I can understand why. It is a tough world out there, and I am sure that most 12-year-old boys don’t want to turn to their aunt (no matter how insightful she may think she is) and open up.  

So I can’t take it too personally when he tells me I am boring. I just need to remember what a great kid he is, and have hope that one day he will turn around and think I am great too.