In-N-Out changed my life

Hey loves! I have Haley here, from the Business of Blonde, who I actually know in real life! We used to work together at In-N-Out, and today she's sharing how it changed her life! Enjoy!

In 2011 I was preparing to graduate from high school in Arizona, and was  desperately looking for a decent job.  One morning, during dance rehearsal, I heard some of the girls talking about applying for in-n-out and how excited they were about the interviews. I wasn’t an in-n-out fanatic and I wasn’t so keen on working fast food, but I needed a job and they were starting at $10 an hour pay so I decided to hop on the bandwagon and apply.

The Application process was pretty simple, and done completely online. Within the week I had an interview with the managers and was offered the job. FUN FACT Brianna and I were hired on the same date! If you’re not familiar with in-n-out they only hire super up-beat friendly people, so you basically become instant friends with all your coworkers.

There was one guy who immediately stuck out to me named Nick. He was two years older than me, he was always joking with people and didn’t mind if he was the butt of the joke. We talked a little at work and realized we had a few friends in common. After working together for about five months he started a Facebook message with me late one July night. Our Convo when a little something like this:

Nick: Why are you awake so late?
Haley: It’s only 1am and It’s summer?

Nick: Oh, haha I forgot I’m in Idaho and It’s later here

Haley: So maybe I should be the one interrogating you about your sleep habits?

This banter went on for two months, no phone numbers were given just a single message that I was obsessed with. I would constantly check my phone for his message. We would stay up messaging till 3 or 4 in the morning. (later we both admitted we just thought the other person was staying up.)  Eventually messaging turned into texting, and phone calls and finally we planned to meet outside of work. 

We met for the first time at Starbucks and I was amazed at how easy it was to talk with each other. A week or so after our first Starbuck date Nick got down on one knee with a plastic ring and asked me to be his girlfriend.  Officially we started dating around the beginning of October, by Thanksgiving we knew we were going to be together forever and had already picked out an engagement ring.

 

December 5^th 2011 Nick proposed in his home with 300 tea light candles. Being 18 and engaged isn’t exactly what my family had planned for me, so there was some serious hesitation on both our families’ sides. We decided even though we were engaged we would wait a while to actually start planning a wedding. Throughout our two-year engagement I spend six months in Florida working for Disney and Nick spend a few months in Indiana for school.

On November 30^th 2013 it all came together, I married Nicholas Kennedy, and I owe it all to In-n-out.

college vs the real world

Hey ladies! I'm on my way to see my man today (!!!!!!), so Allison from Because I Said So is taking over and sharing her experiences of post-grad life with you today! Enjoy :)

It was almost exactly a year ago that I graduated college. Please hold while I sob uncontrollably. 

Ok I'm back. I remember being so excited to jump straight into the working world and be completely independent. Now, I love working and having my own life, but I sure do miss college.

So, I'm here to point out the differences and mostly things I miss about being in college. And since I love lists, it's coming at you in the form of a pros/cons list kind of without the cons-- Yay!

Pros of College:

-Naps on naps on naps. I used to be able to come home from class at 12:15 and take a nap for two hours and then do whatever the heck I wanted to (not schoolwork that's for sure) for the rest of the day. Now, I have to suffer through 8 hours straight of work. Even RedBull's don't help that much.

-Making your own schedule. Not a morning person? Not a problem. You don't have to start the day until 12 if you don't want to and most classes are over at 5. Sheesh. Those were the days.

-Friends everywhere. Literally like 10 of them all five minutes away.Now all of my friends like over 2 hours away and making friends in a huge, new city is freaking hard.

-The freedom to do whatever, whenever. Sure there are consequences of missing class, but those aren't as bad as missing work with no good excuse.

 Pros of Working:

-No homework or tests. I for sure don't miss that. Work is over at 5 everyday and until 9 the next morning I can do anything I want and not have to worry about failing a test or missing an assignment.

-Making money. I can spend way more now than I could in college--I guess this is a good and bad thing? Whatevs. My closet loves me and my wallet hates me.

-Happy Hour is so much more rewarding after a long day at work. But, on the flip side, I don't drink as much as I used to (not that I was an alcoholic, but you know what I mean) and now I can't recover as fast. Getting old sucks.

-Attending swanky work events. This might be because of the industry that I work in, but it's way cooler than meeting people at the local frat bar.

Country Club Fabulous-ness

-Everything and every moment that you have free is 10x more precious. Weekends are like my prized possession. Any spare time I have is treasured and I can't get enough of it.

So, wherever you are in life, enjoy the moment. Don't spend you time pining away for a life you think you want. Sometimes it's not all it's cracked up to be and sometimes it's even better. That's the beauty of it.

rachel takes over!

Hey loves! I'm off in Montana enjoying my last day with my hunk of a boyfriend, so Rachel from Sunshine and Sinatra is taking over today!

Sorry to interrupt normal programming here, but Sunshiney Rach is here to help improve your day. Just an FYI, I'm not as cool as I seem from the picture because face it, I think I look pretty darn cool. Pretty darn cool meaning that I party and am a blast in a glass like my fellow homegirl, Deena from the Jersey Shore. Frankly, say the word tequila to me and I will get instant nausea. A little about myself is that I love capri suns, despise math, and could watch pageants and netflix for the rest of my life (every second of it). Oh, and also? I've been boxing a near and not so dear friend of mine for most of my life: the big A. Anxiety.

After researching (I'm not a premed major...I had to do it for a random class) I read that over 40 million americans suffer from it, and 1/3rd of us don't even treat it. I'm one hundred and fifty-seven percent part of the lazy/dumb/'I'm not helping myself' half. Yes, I do have medication, but do I really want to take it? No. Why? I'm not a person who turns down meds to help me feel better, I just want to help myself find other ways to live a normal life. 

Story time (if you're interested, it's not the good kind): I really hate sharing this with others, but I mean yet I'll share it with randoms from tinder on a first date? (I'm surprised they waited until the 5th/6th/etc date to run for the hills...) I have the weirdest type of anxiety. Sure we all love comparing our panic attacks and the amount of time we cried, but I think therapists put an asterisk next to this bad boy, considering all the googling in the world can't tell me how horrific or how soon I will die from this epidemic (damn you WebMD). So, I get really bad anxiety in the shower. I've tried to find out the association between things in my life and why this would happen but it's really hard to tell since nothing has happened to me. But when I get anxiety, I get a panic attack and have to get out of the shower until I calm myself down. The crappy part is sometimes it will happen twice within a 5 minute period.

..Looks like I'm loosing followers from my blog and now people are placing me in a loony bin. Ultimately, if you suffer from anxiety, I have some tips that could (or could not) help you. 

Take control of your situation. The reason we suffer from anxiety is because fear of the unknown. Most of my anxiety is caused by stress (obvi common) so try to have a good ole happy day (by putting on some Beyoncé). When taking control of the situation, find your happy place. Do/see things that will put you're mind at ease. Also if you're a creative yet type A person like me, lists can make you feel better if you're stressing about stuff you have to do. Even put things you've already accomplished on the list so you can mark it off with your new electric blue gel pen. It's okay, I won't tell.

Mindless activities that make me happy...driving into the city!

Retail Therapy. Say it with me!!!!!!!!!!!! So I don't think monsieur wallet or husband/boyfriend/dad will approve of this one, but it's a-okay in my book. If you were to ever see my closet you wouldn't think oh hey this girl has anxiety (yet I wonder why I complain I have no clothes...), but it's how I cope with anxiety. Also if you are retail therapy-ing here's a tip: CLEAR-ANCE-RACK. Hello 5 dolla shirt at TJ maxx!

Work out. I could probably make a playlist with all songs including rappers saying stuff like they like women who are working out (I'm pointing fingers at you, J.Cole), but he has a valid point. When I'm at the gym, I either watch netflix (shout out to the iPhone app), or listen to super hype electric dance music [EDM] because then I bob my head to the beat and also need to try to prevent myself from shaking my booty because I'm a typical #whitegirl. *hair flip emoji*. Once I achieve back sweat (yuck), I'm ready to head on out. When I leave, I'm a brand new person. Working out is mindless (I also don't do heavy lifting....) but do something mindless when on your elliptical! Read, listen to a radio talk show, netflix...possibilities are endless!

#EmbarrassingSeflie

Granted, I'm no therapist (Heck, this is why I have one. Sort of.) but I think those ways to cope with anxiety are what get me through life and realize wow Mom, I am normal. Sort of.  You can figure that one out for yourself. 

XOXO,

Bloggy girl.

Sunshiney Rach

travel talk with casey!

Hey pretties! Today one of my lovely sponsors is taking over! Casey has an amazing blog and literally every post makes me jealous because I'm stuck in AZ and I cant be somewhere cool like Rome or Paris. Show her some love!

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Hi Endlessly Beloved readers!  I’m Casey from True Colours, a travel blog that features my globe-trotting adventures while my husband takes gorgeous photos and I fill in the blanks with words.  I'm so excited to be guest posting here today!  

I do a lot of traveling, both for work and for pleasure, and in my travels, I've realized over the years that the world has a unique way of teaching us, feeding us lessons with each new place we see.  Over my years of traveling, I've been taught lesson after lesson with each new place I experience, but perhaps some of the most important lessons are those that you realize over time, after you've had months or years to relive a trip in your mind and really realize what you might have taken away from it.  So today, these are some of the best lessons I've learned from my travels over the years and ones that I try to hold with me for each new trip on the horizon!

When you travel, you give up control.  You give up control of the weather, of airplanes being on time, of hotels being what you thought they would be.  Traveling can be brutal sometimes and it's those times that you really do need to be prepared for anything, even if that means you're not prepared at all for what comes and you just have to take it in stride.  Often times, you're left sleeping on airport floors or rerouting a trip that didn't go according to plan, but in those times, you learn very well how to prepare yourself in the future and using that as a lesson in itself.

So many times while traveling, many people are trying to cram so many things into a specific place, trying to hit every museum, every new restaurant, every activity.  It can be so draining to travel that way and you don't really even get to enjoy the place.  For me, I travel the way I live, if I want to go into a museum, I'll go.  But if I don't, I don't worry about it.  For me, wandering through Central Park with my husband or hitting our favorite restaurant (even though there might be 5 million others to try) are more important to me than making sure I see everything.  

Sometimes it's the smaller things you see in a place, the way you feel just wandering around that makes more of an imprint on you than being a typical "tourist."

This is an important lesson to learn early on when traveling.  I'm the type of traveler that likes a nice hotel, that likes to sleep in, and that likes to have an itinerary for each day of where we're headed.  For me, that's what works best.  For others though, the complete opposite might be true.  Before you travel with other people or even listen to others' travel advice before a trip, realize that not everyone travels the same.  What might be important to you, might be worthless to someone else.  Figure out what works best for you and don't worry about what other people will think.

So often when traveling, it's the things you see in the most random places that end up being the most memorable.  Like when you're lost in Marrakech and wander upon a gorgeous spice market or end up using your French in Paris because you can't find your hotel without it.  It's those times when you really embrace the unexpected things that come up along the way that you will remember more than other moments.  Embrace what's around you, take it all in.

A really important lesson I've learned over the years, and perhaps one of the most important, is that you aren't going to love every place you see.  For me, I don't love Italy and while most people do, I often get strange comments or looks when I say that.  But that's just me.  I happen to love Paris, but many people do not.  Traveling is about finding those places you love and being ok with the ones you don't.  But on the same hand, the places you don't end up loving, often they are the ones that follow you and you think about often afterwards.  Each place you see and experience will stay with you, whether it ends up that you love it or not.

I hope you all enjoyed Casey's post! Be sure to check out her blog :)

romantic retreats with a difference [guest post]

Happy Thursday! Three days and I'll be leaving for Montana and I'm beyond excited. I can't wait to spend some quality time with Handsome! I have a special guest post for you here today on romantic retreats that I think you'll really enjoy!!! 

A romantic holiday means something different to each of us. If you’re a big city person, the bustling metropolis of New York could provide an exciting backdrop to your romantic encounters. Or perhaps you dream of escaping civilization altogether, finding peace with your lover in a secluded hut high up in the mountains. No matter what it is that you desire, chances are there’s a romantic trip that’s been tailored just for you. Here are some exciting getaways from around the world to set your imagination on fire.

Hotel Kakslauttanen – Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland

Imagine snuggling with your partner in a fluffy sleeping bag as you gaze up through the glass ceiling of your very own igloo and see the northern lights dancing across the sky. This secluded hotel in Finland’s Lapland wilderness has 20 domed igloos constructed from thermal glass, allowing guests to just that. If you’re staying in winter, you can even sleep in a real igloo made from the snow!

Japanese Mountain Retreat – Victoria, Australia

Sometimes you don’t have to go far to get away from it all. Melbourne based romantics need only travel 45 mins to reach a Japanese heated mineral spring. This spa retreat in the Yarra Valley blends the Japanese cultural tradition of the Ryokan with sleek modern architecture. Guests enjoy a traditional Japanese onsen, spa and massage therapies, fine dining and luxury bedrooms.

 Delano – Marrakech, Morocco

This brand new luxury resort is an outpost of the original Delano hotel in Miami, Florida. Seventy-one rooms adjoin a 6,500 square foot spa in the heart of Marrakech. Shop for luxury bargains during the morning, ride a camel in the afternoon and toast to the sunset as you sit on the rooftop bar. The architecture of the hotel is as alluring as the destination itself. Four floors are dressed in a metallic façade with cutout circles and fronted by an elegant water garden lit with colourful lights.

Uma By COMO - Punakha Valley, Bhutan

There are just 11 rooms in this cosy hideaway on the banks of the Mo Chu River in Bhutan, but a staff to guest ratio of two to one. Warm your hands on the fire from your chimenea and admire views of terraced rice fields, snow capped Himalayan peaks and the temple of Khamsum Yuley Namgay. Hike the mountains and explore a seventeenth century fortress before retiring to a soothing hot soak in your bathtub.

Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa – Amalfi Coast, Italy 

Speaking of seventeenth century monasteries, this brand new chic luxury resort in the Mediterranean offers a trip back in time. Retreat to a spiritual sanctuary perched atop a rock promontory that’s out of reach from Amalfi’s day trippers. There’s a spectacular infinity pool to enjoy your cocktail in, as well as gorgeous terraced gardens and jaw dropping clifftop views of the Mediterranean.

Ivy Delfin is a passionate explorer who writes for a tourism marketing company.

cool venues to host your wedding [guest post]

Hi lovelies! I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving! I ate way, way too much. Today I have a special post for you  from Danielle at http://hobba.com.au on choosing a good venue for a wedding! 

OK, first off, I want to say a big thank you to the lovely Brianna for kindly letting me contribute to her blog. I’ve loved reading about her adventures with the gorgeous Dj and I’m proud to be able to share some stories with you guys.

I was lucky enough to go to two weddings in the last few weeks. I thought you might want to hear how special they were to give you some inspiration for the next time you find yourself organizing a big event.

The first was at a rustic old warehouse in the middle of Melbourne, called Hobba. It doesn’t sound like a classy venue does it! But I couldn’t believe how cool everything looked, especially considering that it used to be a tyre workshop! The walls were exposed brick, there were black downlights and candles everywhere, as well as cute little potplants on the walls.

 

The bride and groom opted for a cocktail style wedding, which was so much more fun than sit-down would have been. No one was unlucky enough to be stuck on the dreaded kids or singles table, everyone mingled and got to talk to who-ever they wanted. Oh, and the best part, there was a photo booth! So much better than a roaming photographer who interrupts you mid-conversation for a group snap. A collection of costume accessories were next to the machine so guests could get a little silly. And after a few too many glasses of champagne, they certainly did! In the privacy of the booth, my boyfriend and I took a few cheeky kissing shots, little did we realize, after the event the bride and groom received duplicates of every shot taken! So embarrassing!

My other wedding was a country affair, the couple were friends of mine who grew up together in a small town. They made the trip back home for the big day and the ceremony was held on the banks of a beautiful calm river. The bride arrived in a horse and cart, it was a fairy tale moment and perfectly suited to the country setting. As for the groom, well he was what we’d call a bit of a larrikin, he loved to make jokes and lighten the mood. When the time came for the couple’s first dance, he sprinted onto the dancefloor and slid onto his knees.

 

I’m truly lucky to have such wonderful friends who wanted me to be a part of their special day. 

Do you have any great stories of an unusual wedding you’ve been to?