Folk festival

On Saturday, the international folk festival was held in downtown Fayetteville. This was the 37th year it was put on by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. We actually went the very first year we were living in Fayetteville. You can see that post here. I saw the info for it on a flier at the bowling alley a couple weeks ago and I knew I wanted to go check it out again. Unfortunately, it was rainy / drizzlely all day which wasn’t the best but it stopped for parts and it wasn’t down pouring so that was nice. I also got to wear layers and bust of my flare jeans which I haven’t worn in like 2 years. Don’t get rid of denim people. Unless they stop fitting but usually denim styles cycle though! And guess what, flares are back.

We met one of our friends down at the festival she is new in town and her boyfriend is now gone on a training exercise so we invited her out so she wasn’t bored at her apartment all weekend. It was nice to hang out with her and get to know her better. We also got some awesome food although it was rather expensive. Clark got a German sausage and then we also got a funnel cake and those two things cost $17 :( awww but it’s okay that’s what weekends are for... to spend lots of money on good food haha.

We also got to listen to a band from Louisiana and they were really good! The lead singer was the drummer which don’t happen very often except with Kevin from The Office haha. Oh, also Clark got REALLY good cherry amaretto ice cream from Smitty’s homemade ice cream and it was so good. Hope everyone’s week is off to a good start!

Jeans: Macys

Cardigan & Boots: Target

Tank: Old Navy

Belt: JCPennys

The “I promise I am wearing shorts” outfit

So yeah, the title says it all or most of it. I am definitely wearing shorts with this tunic haha. But when the tunic is down and not tucked in at all or I don’t have my hangs in my pockets it looks like I have no pants on. Oh boy. I think it will probably go much better with leggings or skinny jeans but it was just too hot for that this day haha. I hope everyone had a great weekend and is having a good start to their Monday!

Tunic: Old Navy

Shorts:  Target

Sunglasses & Bag: TJ Maxx

DOPP: July and August

I am so behind on sharing my scrapbooking project for this year. But I am still plugging along and doing the layouts each week so here I am finally sharing July and August. I actually made July into a video and you can view it below. July was fun. We celebrated 4th of July and our second year anniversary. Clark also had a mission in California so he was gone for most of the month. I also did my first Whole30

In August Clark got back from California! Which was awesome. We celebrated Knox’s birthday. Clark and I went to the Caribbean for the first time. We went to the island of St. Croix and it was awesome. I gave St. Croix it’s own two page spread because I had a TON of photos and of course it deserved it’s own pages haha. And we started another Whole30! Some of our best friends moved away to Colorado which was sad :( 

As you can see some weeks I did better then others. It’s not necessarily that I am not taking photos that week but more so that it was a laid back week and not much to document. July and August were good months. I am sad that summer is over but glad to be out of that humidity fog. I am very excited for fall and all it has to offer. I hope to take full advantage of autumn this year and I hope you guys do to! Also, cheers to the fricken weekend! love, Carlee

Military Ball ‘15

On Saturday, we went to our second military ball. It was the 112th Shadow Ball, the same one we went to last year. Last year it was held in April but this year it was held in September. It was a super fun night. I was way more relaxed this time because I had been to one last year. I also realized that the 112th signal battalion family and soldiers are really awesome. Nice, not judgmental or rude, caring, fun, and no how to party. haha. I am sure you have all heard the military wife stereo type of wives being rude, catty, bitchy etc. But I have never come across that which I am super thankful for. No one really cares about what dress your wearing or if your dancing looks stupid. I can only speak for my own experience but so far the military community we have been in has been really supportive, friendly, and hard working. I know not everyone is as lucky and I tell Clark all the time that we really lucked out and I am very thankful for that.

Snapchat username is - carleejarrell

Anyways, back to the ball. It was great. I think it was more lively then last time. More dancing, more drinking. It’s great to see the higher ups get a little toasted and start break dancing on the dance floor. Something you can watch that and still not lose respect for anyone. That is magic haha. Maybe that’s because everyone is a little tipsy anyways. It was a lot of fun though.

I actually bought my dress back in March from Forever 21 online. I know crazy right even more crazy is that I wore a dress that cost $27 dollars and is from forever 21 to a military ball but I loved it. I loved the color. No one there was wearing an orange dress! Last year I think 3 other people had the same dress on as me and it cost $100 so this year I was winning in the dress department. I bought the sash at David’s Bridal for $19.99 so total my outfit cost $47 still better then last year. I wore sandals I already had and bought a clutch I already had. I am pretty low key when it comes to this stuff haha. Everyone looked really nice and I think it’s fun that it gives the men a chance to wear their ASU’s at least once a year. I hope next year the ball is in the spring (like it was last year) so we can go to it because I would love to go to another 112th signal battalion ball before we move duty stations.
love, Carlee

Dress: Forever 21

Sash: David’s Bridal

Life Lately

So I haven’t officially announced it here on the blog but if you have been around and follow on instagram you know that we are moving to Italy in July. So we have a while but things are progressing in the right direction. Although we did go to a pre-moving brief on Tuesday the 8th (so long ago now haha) and while we got LOTS of good information about Italy and our next station and the moving processes and out processing process etc. But we did get a little disappointing news. There is a weight limit on the dogs that are allowed in housing at our new base. The weight limit is 70 lbs and Knox weighs 78.2 lbs. I was freaking out like crying and not knowing what to do. Like is it really strict, can Knox even afford to lose weight, do they just look at the records once we get to Italy or do they actually weigh the dog, etc. Oh and we have to live on base for at least the first year so living off base isn’t an option. 

So first thing I did was schedule an appointment at our vet to see how much Knox weighs and to see if he can afford to lose weight and how to go about doing that in a healthy weigh. Also, Clark has been trying to get through to the housing and vet in Italy but it’s hard with the time difference and he can only call via work because of the long distance calling. But we went to the vet on Thursday and Knox weighs 78.2 lbs and the vet think that Knox can lose about a 1lb a month and since we don’t leave until July that should be good. But we are going to go into the vet and weigh Knox in a month and see if he has lost a pound or not and reevaluate from there. I am really hoping it all works out because I can’t imagine not taking Knox. Although I know either of my parents would take him in or Clark’s mom would to. They all already have dogs and love Knox so I know he would be fine but still so sad. So send good vibes our way that it all works out. We also got ahold of the vet and housing office in Italy and it does sound like there are waivers you can get but still I am not trying to send Knox all the way to Italy to have some weird red tape get in the way. So goal for him is to get down to 70lbs. 

So Clark’s birthday was on Monday and we celebrated early on Sunday with a big dinner with most of our friends in the area! This are some of the best people we have ever known. Great great people. We ate pizza at Mellow Mushroom and got the best cake at The Fresh Market (It’s that big chocolate one in the middle of the photo above!!!!!). It cost $40 but it was totally worth it, although I might have gone with Harris Teeter next time they have a really good bakery and it’s cheaper but really the cake was so rich people didn’t even finish the whole piece and I think we were all like “Where is the milk” by the end haha.

And yesterday Clark and I celebrated at home. He got off work early which was super awesome and we made a yummy dinner, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and watched the new Vacation movie (you know, like Clark Griswold) it was really good actually. I had no exceptions so that always helps haha. I am so lucky that this guy is in my life, seriously he makes me life awesome and I love being able to grow up with him. 

Obviously, there is more going on but these are two bigger events that I wanted to share briefly. Also I need to clean our apartment like made. That is one of my big goals for this week. Get clean and organized. Have a good Tuesday!

love, Carlee

At the county fair

We went to the Cumberland County Fair on Friday and it was so much fun as it always is. We have now been in North Carolina for 3 Septembers and each September we have gone to the fair, I think you might be able to say it is officially a tradition unfortunately this is our last year in NC for now as we are moving to a new duty station in July but I am just sure we will make new traditions and memories everywhere we go:) The first year we went it was just Clark and I but the last two years we have gone with friends and I think it is better withs friends. Especially friends that have kids because they want to go on all the rides and eat all the bad food so basically me but 20 years younger. So I love that haha.

We went on the giant slide twice and it was so fun! Both times with our friends daughter. I wanted to go on the ferris wheel but the line was really long and it was like 5 tickets. I am like a 3 ticket limit per ride. Anything more then that is just crazy haha. But it is a cool ferris wheel like the one in the Notebook, the ones back at the fairs in Washington State are more like this and closed in so it’s cool to have an old school ferris wheel at the fair. I want to go to the NC state fair in Raleigh this year so maybe I can fulfill my goal of the old school ferris wheel ride. 

We got done with our Whole30 on Thursday. This was my second and Clark’s first. (More to come on that later) So I knew I wanted something yummy to eat at the fair but I didn’t want to go to ham like I did last time. So I did good all day but at the fair I had a corndog which was fantastic! Clark had a giant turkey leg. And later I split a red velvet funnel cake with my friend. So yeah super yummy but didn’t upset my stomach which was good:) Also I didn’t get a full photo of my outfit but thats okay. Happy Monday!
love, Carlee

Cardigan: Target

Shirt: American Eagle

Golden summer flowers

It is still summer here. But the weather has gotten so much better. It’s been low 80s and in the mornings 70s and it feels like I can wear a sweatshirt. It’s so great. Definitely the start of fall but not the end of summer. I guess technically here in a few days it will be FALL because equinox and all that. I guess after that I will probably totally dive into fall and get to thinking seriously about Halloween costumes and cooking fall comfort food and watching scary movies. After living in NC for 2 years now I realize that autumn doesn't really come here until early November. And by that I mean the weather doesn’t really feel like fall to me until then and the leaves don’t really start to change until then. So it’s definitely different then how I grew up in Washington State where fall was in full force by the end of September. But instead of being sad by it, this year I am embracing it. Wearing shorts & tanks for longer, eating ice cream & popsicles, dipping my feet in the pool after long walks.

But I am excited for all the things fall has to offer as well. Like everyone else and their grandmother haha. And I spotted pumpkins at the grocery store yesterday so it’s here people it’s here. If we are going according to Starbucks and the PSL fall would have been here in August haha. Truth time: I don’t like coffee so I have never had a PSL before and I am totally okay with that. Maybe someday I’ll like coffee and I am sure it’s not going anywhere.

Another fun thing, my family is doing a fantasy football league this year. Have you watching The League on Netflix (so funny). Anyways I have always like sports and watching sports (I grew up with 6 brothers so it comes with the territory haha) and Clark played football in high school so it’s been fun picking players and watching the games. I will say I have been WAY to into it. But I did win my game on week one. As I’m typing this I am watching the Broncos play. I totally have their defense on my team haha so go Broncos! 

love, Carlee

Tank & Belt: Target

Jacket: TJ Maxx

Shorts: DIY

Sandals: Toms.com

Necklace: Vintage (was my grandmas)