The Greatest Place on Earth :)

Every time I find myself back at camp I am convinced it will be my last.

I think that is why I appreciate being there more absolutely than nearly anything else in life. 

Today I had the most perfect day back in my favorite place on earth. Being back there always feels like transporting back into my favorite memory. Like staring at an old photograph and actually being able to be back and live it one more time. 

The people may come and go, new yurts may be built, old dining halls may be renovated but the spirit of camp never changes. Returners show wide-eyed new staff the ropes, accents mingle, bug bites are scratched, campfires burn.

 

Who knows if this summer will truly be my last but once again I am so lucky and thankful to be back at a place where "the real world" doesn't matter, people are welcoming and kind, and everyone is given a chance. And like every summer, I hope to blur the divide with "the real world" and bring the spirit of camp with me through the rest of the year. 

Today's The Day!!

Today's the day! I leave for camp in two hours! I am so nervous and excited! Even though I've been all packed for almost 2 weeks now it still doesn't feel real. I feel so lucky that I get this kind of rare experience to return to a memory. For the past 2 summers I have wished and wished I could go back and now its actually happening and I won't take one minute for granted. 

I won't be able to post very much... seeing as I'll be living in a Yurt in the middle of the woods for the next six weeks but please keep checking back!

The Month in Instagrams: May

On Wednesday I will have officially been home from school for an entire month! I cannot believe how time is flying but I have been so lucky to have filled this past month with so many fun summer activities! Here are some of the May highlights:

1. Spending an afternoon playing with the world's cutest kitten

2. Wandering around Boston on a sunny day with Tycho

3. Multiple days spent lounging in the sun at Silvershell Beach

4. Paying our respects at the Boston Marathon memorial in Copley

5. Getting VERY tan:)

6. My first Shake Shack experience--yum!!!

7. A wonderful trip to Palm Beach with my mom

8. Boogie boarding the entire Florida Vacation

9. Spending plenty of time with family and friends!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I love Memorial Day! It's like a precursor to one of my other favorite holidays-- the 4th of July. I love seeing more America-themed things than usual and I love how everything about summer feels new and exciting during Memorial Day Weekend.

Today my family and I are taking our usual trip down the Cape for what's supposed to be the first beach weekend of the year. Today's not looking so hot unfortunately so we're trying to plan some sort of adventurous activity-- I'll keep ya posted... but it looks like tomorrow has beach potential! Hope you all have a great weekend, maybe I'll see you on the Cape!

P.S. Check out some of my Memorial Day Weekend necessities from last year! I'll definitely have all of these things with me this weekend as well:)

Summer Reading: May 2013

Having time to read for fun is one of my absolute favorite parts of summer. There is nothing I love more than setting up in a sunny spot at the beach with a good book. Every summer I try to read as much as possible, mixing my list with classics like The Great Gatsby and chick lit like anything by Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks. I haven't been at the beach too much since I've been home from school (with the exception of Palm Beach) but I have still managed to get quite a bit of reading done.

 

This book was WILD and I can't wait for the movie that will inevitably follow. I don't want to give too much away, but I can promise that this is one of those books that you cannot put down. Next on my list are Flynn's other two books Sharp Objects and Dark Places.

 

Elin Hilderbrand's books are the absolute perfect summer read. Being from Nantucket, Hilderbrand bases all her novels on my favorite island. The little details she adds about the main characters visiting places like Something Natural and Cisco Brewery make me that much more excited to go on our annual trip! Definitely will need to stock up on a few of these novels come Nantucket.  

 

This is what I am currently reading. Its definitely much better written than The Island but equally scandalous.  

DIY: Seashell Vase

 

This probably doesn't actually count as DIY because I didn't actually make anything but whatever haha. I love the way this turned out! I've collected SO many shells over the years through my trips to Nantucket, Captiva, Aruba and various other islandy type places. They're so beautiful and such special mementos of my trips but I've never had a good way of displaying them. Originally, they were just scattered around my room in random little mini dishes. Now they're all together! I think they're so pretty and I love the way they look sitting on my dresser. 

USA USA USA

My latest bikini purchase! It goes with one of the two trends I am totally in love with: America and neon. I've seen a lot of other America themed bikinis out there and some of them are a little too cliche/borderline trashy, but I love how this one is a little more subtle! The things that look like white polka dots are actually tiny little stars. So excited to wear this at camp this July!

2 More Songs I Can Already Tell Will Be My Summer Anthems

So. ADDICTING.

O

New Music: Ain't 'Nothin 'Bout You - Brooks & Dun

I feel a summer anthem coming....

Lusting Over: Coral Wedges

J. Crew Seville Wedge Espadrilles: $128.00

The other day at the mall, Lo and I saw this girl wearing close-toe coral wedge espadrilles, jeans, and a white shirt. I immediately called my mom to alert her that my own and only birthday gift this year should be close-toe coral wedge espadrilles. 

Surprisingly, finding close-toe wedges was really hard to do. And I wanted them to not be too tall that I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing them casually during the day like this girl was. Unfortunately, when I finally found the PERFECT wedges the price was slightly out of my poor, poor, end of Spring semester college student budget. 

Solution: Target. These guys are totally affordable --not as cute of a color-- but definitely perfect for a red-white-blue America inspired outfit. Or with a white dress. Or with dark jeans and a white shirt. See? And because of the cheaper price, I won't feel guilty wearing (and therefore ruining them) them out in Syracuse when Summer is over! The possibilities are endless! 

Target Women's Merona Marguerite Canvas Espadrille: $29.99

Monogrammed Bikini

I'm dying. 

I've seen other monogrammed bikinis before--Marley Lilly has some, but none pull it off quite as well as this website, Rah Rah Designs, does. These are freaking adorable and I see myself literally spending the entire summer in this on the Cape.

They have a few different styles of monograms but as you know the circle is forever my fav. 

Check it out!

Hayward Summer

I don't think there will ever be a time time when I won't get goose-bumps when looking at pictures or videos like this from camp. Three years later I still think about it everyday and wish so much that I could relive just one day from my JC summer. Especially now that one of my best friends is going to be the assistant director! So happy for all of the positive changes that are coming to camp and I wish I could be there to partake in them!