{12 Days of Christmas} Boat Parade 2014

Jellyfish!

This year, I attended the Santa Cruz Harbor's boat parade for the second year in a row. This time I went with a large group of friends (my Santa Cruz family!) and had a lot of fun. It was very chilly down at the harbor. There weren't as many boats this year, and many were the same as last year, so that was kind of disappointing, but going to a boat parade at Christmas has been a tradition for me my whole life. 

I really liked the jelly fish boat (pictured above) and my favorite from last year was back: Rudolph the Red-Nose Rein-boat! See this post for the picture. 

They even lit up the lighthouse! 

Overall, it was a lot of fun to enjoy the boat parade tradition with new and old friends, who have become my family.

Have you seen a boat parade this Christmas? If so, where was it? 

Merry Christmas!

xoxo

{Pumpkin Patch}

I am sitting in a giant pumpkin, 

and I am so freakin' excited about it! 

I was fortunate enough to head back to the same pumpkin patch I fell in love with last year. This year I went with my new housemate, who loves Halloween just as much as I do, and my old housemate, who went along so she could have an Autumnal experience with us. It was such a beautiful day and there were so many types and sizes of pumpkins to choose from!

This pumpkin patch is just so darn cute, I had to come back this year!

I will be continuing to return here because I think it's about time I start establishing some traditions in my new town. (Is it still okay to call my town new after living here for a year and a half?) There's more posts to come: 

We just carved the pumpkins into an anchor and a lighthouse! 

I can't wait to share!

xoxo

{Dog Days} of Summer

Oh, Summer...

The sun beating down, the waves crashing on the sand, barbecues, bonfires, pool parties, water balloon fights... Summer is here, and I don't want to waste what small amount of Summer we have left. 

I've been spending an hour or so every day lounging on the beach, reading, playing in the water, and relaxing. I've been making sure to find a small part of every day to relish in happiness. 

I've found love recently, and I honestly think it's because I've started to take the time to appreciate a small part of every day. When I take the time to appreciate the beauty around me, I'm reminded that I'm beautiful and worthy of love, and so are the many people around me.

If you aren't taking the time to appreciate your life every day, I highly suggest it. It's very much worth it.

xoxo

Quote of the Week: {July 28, 2014)

"Deep Summer is when laziness finds respectability." 

-Sam Keen

It's summertime and it's easy to find things to do, but sometimes, when the weather's so warm, all you want to do is walk on the beach or lay out in the warm sun. I have definitely been indulging in both of those things, and enjoying it profoundly. Being lazy in the middle of Summer is not something to be ashamed of, it's expected. Relax a bit, find somewhere that you like and enjoy just being there. 

What are you doing this Summer?

xoxo

Summer {Bucket List}

1. Bonfire!

2. Make 2 new recipes from Pinterest!

3. Throw the most kick-butt bridal shower

4. Go to a concert!

5. Midnight movie premiere

6. Watch the sunrise

7. California State Fair

8. Lose 20 more pounds (I'm down 20 already!)

9. Have a picnic

10. Meet someone new!

Some of these came from my 101 things in 1,001 days challenge, and others are random, but I hope to be able to accomplish these all by September!

What's on your summer bucket list?

xoxo

Quote of the Week: {Feb. 17, 2014}

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back to whence we came."

-John F. Kennedy

Happy President's Day!

I hope that you are enjoying the day, remembering some presidents of the past and, if you are lucky enough to have the day off, enjoying the ocean! If you don't live close to an ocean, and have the day off, I hope you are finding something fun to do!

I am going to the beach after I finish an essay that I have to write, and I can't wait! It is gorgeous outside in California today, so I am very excited to go soak up some of that sun. 

Have a wonderful president's day, everybody!

xoxo

Quote of the Week 1/13/2014

"It's always summer somewhere."

-Lilly Pulitzer

I'm enjoying what I've nicknamed "June"-uary here in Northern California - it's been 70 degrees and sunny for most of this year! Pictured above is a photo I took on a jog Thursday evening  - such a beautiful sunset, no? So, while the weather or your mindset may not be the best, just remember what the great Lilly Pulitzer once said,
"It's always summer somewhere."

It will be your summer at some point, too!

Enjoy the day, whatever the weather!

xoxo

P.S. Announcements to follow!

{Balboa Island} Christmas Boat Parade

 

Happy Christmas Eve!

Last weekend, my family and I went to Balboa Island in Newport Beach in order to watch the 105th annual boat parade. It was a blast, and I am so glad that we were able to make it.

 

We started our day with a long walk around the island our annual "trip" to Starbucks, and browsing the shops on the main road for fun and funny gifts. We had no such luck in the shopping department, but we all enjoyed our coffee and family time.

 

We also walked by many houses and piers (like the two pictured above) and while some houses were not so Christmas-y, they were still gorgeous. Other homes were completely decked out in lights! It was fun to just walk around and enjoy the lights.

 

This boat looked like a Christmas tree with a little vintage pink car following! 

 

I was in Christmas heaven!

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

 

Merry Christmas eve!

xoxo

Christmas Boat Parade {Northern California}

Christmas Boat Parade

{Northern California}

Last weekend, I was able to make it to a Christmas Boat Parade on the harbor after rehearsal; the preschool I work for was part of a "Friendly Beasts" Christmas performance. It was so much fun! 

It's been an annual tradition for my family and I to go to a boat parade around Christmas time, I cannot wait to go to the one with them in Southern California soon! 

Sharing this tradition with my friends was a really great experience for me, one that I hope to be able to continue next year. 

It is always so much fun to see how each boat comes up with cute concepts for Christmas lights! My personal favorite is this one: 

It looks like Rudolph! So cute!

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

xoxo

{Week of Thanks} My family

A mosaic I love.

My family means the world to me.

I do not know what I would do or who I would be without them in my life. While I live too far away to make the trip for Thanksgiving (I get to see my mom though!), I cannot wait to see them for a whole week in December. With them in my life, I feel very blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo

My Birthday Weekend {Part 2 - Monterey Bay Aquarium}

Otterly adorable!

I am so excited (still!) that I was able to go to the aquarium this past weekend. It was on my list of 101 in 1,001, and the main reason I wanted to go was to see the otters! I would sit and watch them all day if I could - I love otters! They are so cute and playful. 

Isn't this view of a sea star nifty? There are so many interesting creatures to be seen at the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

  To the left, we see the kelp forest (I want to say it was the first of its kind in an aquarium, but don't quote me here!) as well as many silver fish and a leopard shark. If you look closely, on the right, you can find a fish poking out of the shoe!

Can you spot the flatfish? 

There's two!

This trip was particularly enjoyable for me because I took oceanography about 1 year ago and love learning about marine biology! 

xoxo

Halloween 2013: Pumpkin Patch!

Last weekend, I went to the pumpkin patch with my mom and a couple of friends. It was simple and just what I was looking for! I like the funky-looking, unconventional pumpkins, so this patch was just right. (Although, I must admit, a conventional orange pumpkin is perfect for carving, but I don't have the time for that this year). 

I mean, seriously, isn't this pumpkin great?! I don't know how this one did not end up on my porch, but I'm glad I got a photo!

They were certainly ready for Halloween! And my goodness, look at the size of those pumpkins! 

These gourds (or were they squash?) looked super creepy and interesting!

Overall, it was a wonderful day at the pumpkin patch and I am so glad we made it before the weather changed - it is freezing now! Autumn is upon us!

xoxo

Boardwalk Frolic!

Swingin' around

UCSC takes over the Boardwalk!

Last Monday night was UCSC's annual Boardwalk Frolic, where they close down the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and only UCSC students gain entry. It was so much fun and I'm so glad that I was able to go. We rode the Giant Dipper three times; I am pretty sure it got faster after sundown... which makes it even better!

Giant Dipper

The Giant Dipper is actually a National Historic Monument: It was built in 1924 and cost about $50,000 to build the wooden coaster. It has been featured in a few movies, most notably, The Lost Boys, which is set in the fictitious "Santa Carla," but was filmed in many locations throughout Santa Cruz. 

See? Lost Boys! 

It is the 5th oldest roller coaster in the United States, which I thought was a pretty nifty fact. 

We rode a few other rides, like the Haunted Castle, and a personal favorite, the Double Shot. We were given a few coupons for things like bowling and laser tag, which my roommate and I cannot wait to use once we can afford a break from studying!

xoxo

Summer Bucketlist 2013: End of Summer

I know, I know, the last day of Summer isn't technically until Saturday, so I'm a bit early to posting this. However, this weekend will involve figuring out where all of my classes are, buying last-minute school supplies, decorating for Autumn, and looking for part of my Halloween costume...  so it is unlikely that I will complete anything else on this list before the "technical" end of Summer. It has been a great season full of work, play, and walks on the beach!

So here it is, my bucket list with all that I've completed stricken out: 

• 
  
• Get a job
• 
  
• MEXICO!
• 
  
• move in to my new place

Swim with the dolphins

• 
  
• Bonfireeee! 
• 
  
• Swim in the ocean
• 
  
• Watch the sunrise 
• 
  
• And the sunset
• 
  
• Make sweet tea
• 
  
• Get a nice tan
• 
  
• Drive-in movies
• 
  
• Watch fireworks
• 
  
• Try a new recipe
• 
  
• Go camping 
• 
  
• Make butterbeer (added to my Autumn list!)
• 
  
• Disney Movie Marathon
• 
  
• Learn something new
• 
  
• Have a picnic 
• 
  
• Roadtrip!
• 
  
• Get a new tattoo (decided against this one until I have lost at least 30 pounds and have a bit more money!)
• 
  
• Go to the mystery spot
• 
  
• Water balloon fight
• 
  
• Visit Hearst Castle 
• 
  
• Girl’s Night Out
• 
  
• Go hiking
• 
  
• Take a ton of photos
• 
  
• Summer Scrapbook!
• 
  
• Save up money for Europe  (*not nearly enough, but it's a very small start!)
• 
  
• Get a passport
• 
  
• Go to a concert
• 
  
• PARTY! (:

What did you complete this Summer?

xoxo,

Caryn Elizabeth

Summer is Sailing Away

As made clear through many of my prior posts, I am very much looking forward to Autumn. It is my favorite season: I love the crisp, chilly air, especially when it is foggy. I love the sweaters, pumpkins, Halloween, hot cocoa, and so much more.

But, I will also miss Summer: the heat, daily walks on the beach, swimming, shorts, smoothies. It's all sailing away now. This summer, I was not able to go sailing, although I have had a very strong urge to. I've admired the cute sail boat fence (above), watched sail boat races and went to see the regatta at the harbor:

A grey day, but well worth it!

Since I was not able to go sailing this Summer, I have resolved to go sailing within the next 1,001 days (well, now we're at 997, but you get the picture). It's a part of my 101 in 1,001 to-do-list/challenge, and I am very much looking forward to it!

xoxo

Lighthouse Adventures

The Walton Lighthouse, Seabright Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

This past week, I had an afternoon off of work, and the sun was shining. My roommate and long-time best friend were faced with a dilemma: what do we do with all of this extra time?

She's really been eager to go to a lighthouse, any lighthouse, since we moved in, so we put ourselves in Siri's hands and went for an adventure! Siri did not know how to get to the lighthouse because there is no specific place to park for it. You have to park at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California, and take a long beach-hike to get there. It was quite the workout. But we made it! 

Walton Lighthouse, up close!

There were a bunch of warnings about dangerous waves and such, but the bay looked calm, so we walked up and took a bunch of cheesy tourist pictures, of course.

Posin' all tourist-like

We just had to! We couldn't resist! We also hugged the lighthouse. We looked ridiculous but it was so much fun.

"for the people and mariners of Santa Cruz"

It was a fun adventure, and I cannot wait to explore the other lighthouse in Santa Cruz! 

xoxo

Slightly Tweaking the Name!

Before this day, my blog was called Mason Jars and Southern Charm, to match my tumblr of the same name: here. However, since I live in a coastal town and post much more content relating to the ocean, I thought a name change was in order! 

Sorry if there was any confusion. 

xoxo

Book Review: Twenty Boy Summer

Goodreads

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Anna Reiley is getting out of town with her best friend forever, Frankie Perino, for a twenty-day-long trip to sunny California. Frankie thinks that the trip to Zanzibar Bay will make it the "Absolute Best Summer Ever" (A.B.S.E. for short). According to Frankie, if they meet at least one new guy a day, it is likely that she will find her first summer romance. Even though Anna agrees to the game, there is a secret Anna's been keeping from Frankie: she has already had her summer romance. A year ago, with Frankie's brother, Matt, right before he died last summer.

My review: For starters, let me just say that the cover art is absolutely perfect. It's rare that the cover fits so perfectly with the content of the book. Moving on, the beginning of the book totally grabbed me by the heart, and then broke it (my heart, that is). It really gets you involved, right from the beginning, making you feel like a part of the story. When the pace began to slow, I will still so emotionally invested in what was going to happen to Anna and Frankie that I had to get through the book. Anna's emotions and thoughts/memories about Matt were sad but made it so easy to relate to her. While the story was filled with sadness, there was also rebirth: a new beginning in California, meeting new boys, etc. It was hard to Anna to stomach at first but even after everything, I did not walk away from this book feeling sad. I felt hopeful, and that is something that I rather like in a book.

My rating: 4/5

xoxo

Succulent {Garden}

The final product!

So, in an earlier post, I said that I would update y'all when I began to work on my own garden, and now my garden is complete (for now, at least!). I added moss roses to some of my planter boxes that had plants left by the previous owner of my home:

Although the moss roses added a little something to my garden, the plants I was most excited for were the succulents:

Echeveria Chroma

I wanted a nice mix of the colors, heights, and looks of succulents, so I started with my favorite, (pictured above) called Echeveria Chroma, and (pictured below) Graptosedum, otherwise known as "California Sunset": 

Graptosedum "California Sunset"

After that, I wanted to add some height and interesting-looking succulents...

Elephant Bush

The one pictured below, called Blue Chalk Sticks, is super funky! I love it!

Blue Chalk Sticks

String of Buttons

Last but not least, I bought the String of Buttons, which is super cute and fun, in my opinion! The finished product is shown at the top of the page. I really like how it turned out!

It's really important, with succulents, to have a well-draining soil, so I used Miracle Gro Moisture-Control Potting Mix, which you can buy here if you so please. 

Happy gardening!

xoxo

Quote of the Week: 8/12/13

Evening in Santa Cruz, California

“When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.” 

- John Lennon

This week's quote is really special, I find, because often we do good things because we want to be acknowledged for it, and that is not the point of doing something good is not suppose to be to gain praise. To do something noble and good just for the sake of doing it, out of the goodness of your heart, is something to hold dear, whether there is praise or not. As long as you know you did a beautiful deed, that is all you need. Cherish the feeling and harvest in yourself the ability to do noble and beautiful things just because you can and you want to. That will take you far. 

Also, wake up every so often to enjoy the gorgeous sun on a chilly morning. You will not regret watching the beauty of a sunrise, promise. 

xoxo, 

Caryn Elizabeth