My 100th Post!!!

     I started this little bloggity blog about 3 years ago as an outlet to tell my story. And here we are now, 100 posts later!!! Seriously?! 100! I love telling my story whether anyone reads it or not. I've looked back at previous entries and thought "Oh, wow, I completely forgot about that!" It's great to remember what God has taught me and brought me through. It's great to remember all the little moments that make up my life. And although I may not always have something grand to write about, I truly enjoy blogging. When I was a little girl, I always wrote stories and wanted to be an author. Now in some small way I kinda am one. Writing is how I express my thoughts. It's kinda my thing. :)

Here are my top 5 most viewed posts:

Hang Up the Holly!

Today I Made a Dress!

My Last Day As A Twenty-Something

GPS

Flashback Friday: My Most Embarrassing Moment!!!

And here are some of my favorite posts: 

Chronicles of a Non-Dater {The One That Started Them All}

Thankful Thursdays: Lessons From Little Ones

Candace's Psalm

GPS

Truths From Gone With The Wind

This One is For All the Single Ladies!

What God Showed Me While I Was Making Jello

Effie And Her Rabbit

The Single Girl's Car Buying Guide!


     Here's to the next 100! Candace's Chronicles.....To Be Continued. 

The Parenthood Series Finale and Braverman Names

     Last Thursday was the series finale of the NBC series Parenthood. I enjoyed watching the Braverman family week in and week out and will miss the show. 
     As you know, I have a deep interest in all things names :) One of the characters, Amber, has been expecting all season long. So of course, I couldn't wait to find out if she was going to have a little girl or a little boy, and most importantly, what was she going to name him/her! Well, in the next to last episode, she gave birth to a beautiful little boy who she named Zeek---after her great grandfather and one of the main characters on the show. I thought that was very fitting, since he is the patriarch of the family, the one they all look up to and respect and love. He also was facing significant health issues, and it was a nice way for her to honor him. 
     Fast forward a week later to the series finale. The very last episode. One of the couples, Joel and Julia, were offered the opportunity to adopt a little girl-the sister of their adopted son. And they took the opportunity! So of course, I'm like, "Oooh, what are they going to name her?!" But, it is never mentioned. Instead, the ending took a different approach. Zeek the patriarch passed away, and as the Braverman family scattered his ashes on the baseball field and then played a game, we see an overview of several important moments in each of the characters' lives: Max's graduation; Christmas morning with the adopted daughter AND another baby---a boy; Crosby and Jasmine who is obviously expecting another baby working in the studio; family dinner with Amber and her husband and a daughter. Basically, it was showing that everyone's life carried on as you would expect. It was a wonderful ending to a great show. But I can't help but wonder---what would those new Braverman children be named? And so, here is what I would like to think those unnamed characters would be named if the show had continued. (Let my fun begin!)

A Quick Review of the Family:

~Zeek and Camille Braverman
     Adam, Sarah, Crosby, and Julia

~Adam and Kristina Braverman
     Haddie, Max, and Nora

~Sarah Braverman
      Amber and Drew
         -Amber: Zeek and daughter

~Crosby and Jasmine Braverman
       Jabbar, Aida, and brother or sister

~Joel and Julia Graham
        Sydney, Victor, adopted daughter, and baby son


Ok, so Amber is a really cool girl. So, I think she would pick a pretty cool name for her daughter. Something that fits with Zeek. Hazel. Yep. I think Hazel fits perfectly!

Now, on to Crosby and Jasmine's baby. She was pregnant in the overview, so we don't know the gender. But, we do know that their children, Jabbar and Aida, have names of Arabic origin with great meanings. Jabbar means powerful, mighty, and Aida means happy. So, they would likely choose a name of similar origin with a nice meaning. Maybe something like Kahlil for a boy- meaning friend or Nadira for a girl- meaning precious, rare. Ah! The more I think about it, those are such perfect fitting names for their family!

And lastly, Joel and Julia. We know they adopted Victor's half-sister. But, what did they name her? This family is the trickiest. I'm not exactly sure what their name style is, lol. I can see them naming her Abigail. As for their son, I imagine his name being Nolan. Sydney, Vicor, Abigail, and Nolan make a great sibset! 

Whew! That was fun! :) I should be a name consultant for writers hahaha.

Non-Resolutions in 2015

     I know we are nearly 2 weeks into the new year and it's a little late for resolutions. So, it's a good thing I'm not making any right?! I usually love to start the new year fresh with goals and good intentions to improve myself. This year, I just wasn't feeling it. I just want to live, you know? Not make a list of requirements or reach a certain size or read a certain number of books, etc, etc lol. And I was okay with my decision. But there are a couple of ideas that have been circulating in my mind the past couple of days. Driving home today, I thought these could be my Non-Resolutions, so to speak. Things I want to do that I would absolutely LOVE, but if they don't work out, I'm not going to beat myself up for not achieving them. And I decided to write this post so I don't forget these things hahaha! Maybe I will think of some other things to add to my list later!

1. Buy a home. Whoa, this is big. HUGE. But I'm seriously considering this. I would love a home of my own and to have a craft room. Like this one I saw on Pinterest!! Seriously, how cute is that??!! I totally want a pretty chandelier in mine too ;)

2. This is very random---Apply to be a contestant on WHEEL OF FORTUNE. I love watching the show and especially solving the final puzzle. The chances of being chosen are very low, but hey, it doesn't hurt to try, right?! I really think it would be fun just to apply, lol. 

3. This is random too. But, I really love names and often read baby name blogs. There are TONS by the way. My friend Meghan tells me a lot that I should have my own baby name blog. I honestly don't have enough ideas to pull that off, but for the first time today I actually seriously considered writing a blog post about names and submitting it to be featured on one of the blogs I follow. I just need a good idea and research it, lol!

4. I enjoy sewing. I am interested in finding a way to combine this hobby/interest with helping people. Fingers crossed!

So, wish me luck!! I have plenty of time to figure these things out, and they are things I genuinely will enjoy doing, so I have high hopes that I will accomplish my Non-Resolutions this year!

Ringing in 2015

     I decided it would be fun to go somewhere for New Year's Eve. But where?? I heard about Lady Antebellum being in Nashville, so I looked it up and sure enough, it was FREE! I asked my friend Lauren, if she wanted to go and she was totally game! I haven't seen her in about a year and a half, so it was SO much fun to be able to catch up. Plus, she has a talent for finding fun things to do and she is a big fan of Nashville and was pretty much my tour guide. We went to a really fun restaurant NYE and I ordered hot chicken. It was sooooo delicious!!! We then hung out downtown with thousands of people waiting for midnight. I really enjoyed watching the fireworks and confetti at midnight! Oh and they have a music note that drops too! The next day we went to the Opryland area and shopped and walked around the Gaylord Inn. It is soooo huge and decorated pretty on the inside. We did a lot of walking which was kinda tough but good overall to help burn off calories lol. I had a ton of fun and I'm so glad I got to make the trip!!!

2014: A Look Back

2014 is now history. But it was quite a remarkable year.......

Bought a car
Turned 30! What?!
Paid off my student loans :)
Color Run!
Went Parasailing, what an adventure!
Went to the Beach
Got to see Michael Buble in concert!!!!!!
Toured Helen Keller's birthplace
Found out I will be an AUNT to a baby GIRL!
Completed my quilt!!!
Made new friends
Celebrated weddings and births with old friends
And last but not least, rang in 2015 in Nashville!!! 

And let's not forget these fun moments:

*** As I was writing this, I realized how glad I am that I have a blog because I forgot about a lot of these things!!!***

Christmas Break

     One of the best perks of working at a school is all the breaks we get! My Christmas Break has been SO fun and relaxing. Very, very much needed this year!! I normally drive immediately to my parents' house but this year, I stayed at my place a couple of days to get some quality "Me" time lol. I got to hang out with my friend Meghan. We had quite an interesting craft night and watched the movie Elf. It was fun to do something different and let our creative energy flow!

     We had a fun Christmas! My brother and his wife came over for breakfast---quiche, banana bread, and fruit salad---yum yum :) Then we exchanged gifts, which is always fun! Over the weekend, my mom and I went post-Christmas shopping. I was on the hunt for some sweet smelling perfume and a new curling iron. I scored both! Then, I went to see the Unbroken with my brother and sister-in-law. It was an amazing story and I want to read the book now. While I was at home I was determined to finish cutting out the pieces to my next quilt-a butterfly quilt. It was a chore! I bet I spent 8 hours total of measuring and cutting. But now I am ready to sew it all together! Oh, and I also got to meet my friend Merrill for lunch and shop a little afterwards. It was so much fun to catch up with her! Overall, it was a very fun, relaxing week! 

Hang Up the Holly!

Haul out the holly!

Put up the tree before my spirit falls again!

Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now!
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute!!

                                Welcome to my Apartment! 

This is my Christmas tree and the little elf that helped me decorate it ;)

I like to decorate it with meaningful ornaments!

Like these!

And this one!

This is on my wall. 

I got this cute frame playing dirty Santa one year!

I display my Christmas cards along the bar.

I like to place my Christmas plates/bowls on the table! In the middle is a vase with ornaments.

My chalkboard cabinet :)

Christmas towels for the kitchen.

Nativity scene on my coffee table.

Adorable mustache Christmas tree pillow I couldn't resist!

Another nativity scene.

Cute decorations. Love my little ceramic tree!

Mesh wreath I made this year!



Thank you for "touring" my apartment this year! I hope you have a very Merry, Blessed Christmas!!!

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14