That Day I Could Fly

You're probably all well satisfied with the amount of travel photos, but I have yet a few more to share with you! While driving around the island, we came upon a place to go ziplining. It's something I'd wanted to do for quite awhile, so needless to say, I was super excited. Oh, and it's kind of like flying...another thing I've wanted to do.

 The course went over a rainforest and through a botanical garden, so along with the zip lines, we got to try all of these unusual fruits, see really awesome flowers, trees and a gorgeous view from way up high! If you've not been before, I highly suggest trying it out; I'm hoping to go on a higher and faster course the next time I get to go. Have you been zipping before?




This rope bridge was so fun...and slightly scary, due to the large person walking on it 
behind me which made it sway quite a bit! Yikes!


This thing was called an ice cream bean..it was quite good and had the tiniest hint of vanilla to it's flavor.



We then finished off the afternoon with a drive to a black sand beach overlook..arguably my favorite spot in Hawaii. It's so beautifully breathtaking and serene; definitely my happy place.








Although every day that we were there was nothing short of wonderful, I think this day was my favorite. The scenery, the grandeur, I was truly in paradise...

In continuation of the vacation theme...I'll actually be going on a mini getaway for a few days this week, which I am looking forward to, so today's events include packing, cleaning, reading and relaxing. Hope you're having a simply splendid weekend!

-Candice
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Let's Go For A Drive...Hawaiian Style

Happy Friday! I cannot believe how quickly the week has gone by..Here's a few of the photos from Hawaii as I promised!

One of the days we decided to do some exploring around the island, and took a mountain road that went way up into the up-country areas. There's lots of breathtaking views, ranches, and tiny local shops alongside the twisting roads. We even came across a great place to go ziplining, which I'll share more photos of that with you later!
This is King Kamehameha, one of the most well known Hawaiian kings

The view of the coast from up in the mountains, or volcanos, rather, was simply spectacular! I could have been there all day just soaking in the colors.

I'm in love with the rocky coastlines..when the storms would start to roll in, and the mist lightly covered the beaches, it would seem like something out of a movie!


This is one of my very favorite spots on the Big Island; the Waipio Valley. 
Every time we've been to this island, we make sure to stop here just to admire the beauty of the crashing waves. 


These ranches don't look like they're in Hawaii at all...but were quite
beautiful, nonetheless!


Hope you're having a most wonderful Friday! 

-Candice
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I'm Back Once Again

Hello, hello! It's so nice to finally be back after what is so far an incredible summer! I have missed you all so very much, and spent a good amount of time back on my laptop catching up with everything you've all been up to.

The last days have been full of unpacking, watching sunsets on the beach and getting some exciting news..my best friend Evan from Sweet Stuff got engaged this weekend!! I am so excited for her and her fiancee Chris, who also happens to be a good friend of mine. They make a most darling couple, and I can't wait to be a part of all the wedding festivities.
Congrats, girl! 

Well, it's certainly nice to be back, catch up with friends, and get into the swing of things once again!
I'll get my photos up for you all very soon!

Hope you're having a lovely week! 

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Just A Sneak Peek..

Just a few snippets of what's to come...


It's so much fun, and we've still got a few days of second session left! I cannot wait to share more photos, stories and the rest of my vacation photos with you all very soon!
Miss you guys!

Blessings,

Candice

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Let's Talk Style (Guest Post: Ashley from She Smiles, She Writes)

Hello, hello! Are you guys in for a treat today, or what?! One of my real-life (& blog) friends is here to inspire you today! Ashley has an incredible faith, and I am always inspired by her. If that's not enough, just wait until you see this girl's sense of style...oh my goodness. She is such a fashionista! 
Here's the lovely Ashley...
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So honored to be guest posting for the lovely Candice! She is a dear friend in both my online and offline life.  She has sure made an impact in my life. Thank you Candice for honoring our friendship and being such an inspiration!

Let's talk style, shall we?

Style: The basic idea behind style is personal, every person is entitled to their own style, and no style can ever be the ultimate; Style is the manner in which you present yourself, or anything for that matter.



Style is most commonly expressed through clothing, although it's much more than that. In order to define your style you must define your personality: who you are. In my case, I am a woman of God who loves to be modest. I did modeling as a child, growing up used to clothing as a way of art. I'm also into vintage clothing and colorful patterns. All these are elements of my personality and identity. You just need to be aware who you are and how you carry yourself. If you are presenting an image that isn't you, evaluate yourself and re-invent your image to faithfully reflect you!

When picking out an outfit I consider the following:

  • Occasion: Is it formal? Casual chic? Sporty?
  • Inspiration: Am I inspired by the weather? A photograph? A person?
  • Place: A celebration? A date? Post office run? Picnic at a garden?
  • Color Pattern: What colors compliment the outfit? 
    I keep myself updated on fashion through lookbook.nu but I have to confess that I'm not always on the look out to have the "it" outfit. I wear what I like, what's comfortable, looks elegant and most of all in my price range.Which leads me to my next component: Shopping for your style.





    You will rarely see me shopping at a retail store. I prefer thrift stores and consignment shops over any Forever 21 and H&M. Last time I shopped retail was for Kohl's super sale where I saved $177 (and proud of it) on Candie's items which consisted of cardigans & tops. But if you go into my closet, you will see an array of clothes from thrift shops (and I can tell you which thrift shop in what city it came from too, lol) that are in new condition. I shop at these stores because I have the budget of a college student and there's no need for me to spend $60 on an outfit I can put together for less than $20.



    Here are my tips:

    1. Shop for pieces: If you have more jeans than tops, focus on buying tops. If you don't have cardigans, focus on that. If you need skirts, look for skirts. When you bargain hunt, you need to be focused in order to avoid getting too many things (cause they are cheap) that you don't end up wearing (trust me, you convince yourself that you will but you won't). Shopping for pieces will give you more flexibility in your wardrobe, often just adding a nice cardigan or shoes to change an outfit.
    2. Take your time: I cooked up an outfit for concert I recently went with my guy. I know I wanted to wear a skirt, but I had just given away my skirts. So I took a trip to a consignment shop and I found a new [charlotte russe brand] pencil skirt for $8. Now, I didn't have a top for this beautiful find and I knew I was looking for something in yellow. So I went to a consignment shop right down my street and I found the perfect top for only $6!!!!!!! Later, at the concert, a girl took a picture of me for her style blog
    3. There are dressing rooms for a reason... try it on! If you don't feel 100% sure on an item, don't buy it. It all comes down to this part of the shopping because it determines if you leave with new stuff or not.
    4. Give clothes away: When I buy clothes, I make sure I give clothes. It helps prevent me from having a tight closet and it enables me to be a blessing to others. Not to mention the fact that it makes you less attached to clothes! Your style has to be something that even in your bathing suit people can notice. 










       It's not about what you wear, but how you wear it! If you find who you are, you'll discover your style: that unique and individual manner in which you carry yourself that will inspire and make others do the same.



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      Defining Life, Faith & Tea (Guest Post: Miranda of Becoming Miranda)

      I'm so happy to have another fantastic lady here to talk to you all today! Oh my goodness, Miranda is one of the sweetest bloggers around, and her joie de vivre is just oozing out of each adorable post she has on her blog (you'll want to check it out after reading this post!)! She's got some great things to share with you. Thanks for being here, Miranda! 
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      Hi there!  I am so thrilled to be here with all of you lovely ones today!  Candice has such a joyful, gorgeous space here, and I am honored to be a part of it. :)  When searching for an idea for this post, I was very much inspired by Candice’s statement in the header of Teatime Thoughts… Life. Faith. & Tea.  So here are some of my thoughts on each…

      Life.
      I want my life to be an adventure… don’t you?  I want to be the heroine of my story, following my dreams even when it seems impossible… with my trusty sidekick Darcy at my side, of course.  I wouldn’t mind a knight in shining armor coming along on his lovely white steed… but clearly, I would never need him to actually rescue me. :)

      Sadly, I often forget what it means to be the heroine.  I forget that being the star of your story often means being tested and tried.  After all, what kind of adventure does not have risks or trials?

      Other times, I forget that I am playing a part in a beautiful God-given adventure.  I don’t embrace the joys in life, but I do embrace the mundane.  I hear the self-doubt whispering stories in my ear, and I listen, discouragement entering my heart.

      And when I find myself in the midst of obstacles such as these, I may forget that overcoming obstacles is a part of the adventurous journey.  The heroine must have obstacles in order to display courage, and the conflict is necessary to make the story exciting and worthwhile… and I so very much want my story to be worthwhile.

        I’m learning that the most beauty and joy and fullness of life are found once I reach the top of the mountain that was in my way.  The journey is no less difficult, but it is somehow more beautiful knowing that I was able to persevere.

      Faith.
      Faith is a HUGE part of my adventure… the biggest part, to be honest.  I think it plays a large role in everyone’s unique story.  Where you place your faith determines how you grow, where you journey, and how you overcome the obstacles. 

      For me, my faith is in Jesus, and He is truly the hero of my story.  He makes me who I am, He sees me over the mountains and through the dark parts of the journey, and He helps me see the joy, even in the most disheartening moments. 

      The adventure wouldn’t be the same without Him at my side and in my heart, but I have to be careful because sometimes I shift my focus from Him.  I start seeing the mountain first and forget to focus on the One who can help me up the mountain.  Or, in the good times at the top of the mountain, I may focus on myself and how awesome I am…. And usually this is when I fall down the most.  When my faith is in my own abilities, I am almost always reminded in some way (typically involving a difficult lesson) that I am not God, but that God has gifted me.

      The perspective shift can be life changing, and the faith focus is pivotal to the outcome of my adventure.

      Tea.
      I love tea.  I mean, I REALLY love tea.  More specifically, I LOOOOOVE sweet tea.  Iced sweet tea, hot sweet tea….  this Mississippi girl loveloveloves tea, as long as it is sweet (which is sometimes an issue now that I live in Chicago…but that’s a story for another day).

      When I think about sweet tea, I can’t help but think about the ones I love… the friendships that have blessed my life immeasurably. Sweet tea usually involves sharing laughter, love, smiles, and fun with the precious people who come alongside me on this adventure. They encourage me and love me, and when I am having a hard time overcoming the mountains, these beautiful people will help me carry the load that’s weighing me down.  They are such gifts from God, and sipping sweet tea alongside them is an added bonus. :)



      Thank YOU for joining my adventure today! 

      Blessings and peace,
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      Not Quite So Wordless Wednesday

      So I really wanted to share the rest of my Hawaii photos with you yesterday, but my Macbook is in the hospital (sometimes referred to as the Apple Store, but shhhh don't tell it that) getting it's screen fixed. On my way home from my latest adventure, I opened my laptop in the Memphis airport, while waiting for my last flight, to discover that there was a gigantic crack that spread across the entire screen, somewhat resembling the Amazon river..I have no idea how it got like that! I've not dropped, kicked or stepped on it once...I'm thinking it was those security people who scan your carry on bags..not cool, people! Anyways, I'll be getting it back later today, and so I shall finally get to do some storytelling and photosharing. Yay! So I guess the point of all this is that I'm explaining why it's a "Wordless Wednesday" and I had to use a paragraph to do it; therefore, defeating the purpose..ok just have some pretty pictures..and Happy Wednesday!





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      It's a Party in the USA



      I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.  I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.  
      ~Abraham Lincoln

      Happy Birthday America! May we not only be blessed by God, but also strive to ourselves bless God. Happy 4th of July. 






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