Father's Day with Snapfish & A Giveaway!

On the eve of my wedding day, I couldn't be happier to be writing this post about my Dad. Although Father's Day is a few weeks away, I couldn't wait to give my Dad his gifts this year. In my household, family is everything. Us Greeks take family time very seriously and we are all very connected and intertwined in each other's lives. Personalized gifts go a long way, so of course I knew I wanted to make something fun, and personal for my Dad to have as a keepsake. 

I've gone through all kinds of emotions this week. From happiness, to tears in mere minutes and my Dad has seen me through it all. When I think about the type of family I want to create, my own personal family is what sticks out in my mind. I love the idea of bigger families who stay close and do everything together- and that will remain a constant in my life in the future. 

My Dad has always shown us that family is everything. For that, I will be forever grateful. He has worked hard, accomplished so many things, and has never given up his sense of culture. I think that I love most about my Dad is how he has sacrificed everything, to be the best husband and father. Whether that meant working 20 hour days, or taking risks to become successful, he has truly done it all. I can't think of another man who inspires me the way my Dad does. Not only does he inspire me, but he also believes in everything I do. He pushes me to follow my dreams, and not be afraid to fail. He motivates me to work harder, and be a better person.

So on the eve of my wedding, I can simply say this. It will be an honor to have the father/daughter dance, but I truly cannot wait to have my Dad walking me down the aisle towards my future husband, welcoming our new lives together.

So what do you get a man who has everything? You show him how much you love him by making him gifts that are personalized and special. I can't wait to show my Dad his gifts this Father's Day. Snapfish helped me make the best gifts for my Dad, and there are so many options of personalized gifts to choose from.

To win a $50 Snapfish product code enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• Leave a Blog Post Comment: Share one of your favorite dad moments.
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Dates to enter: Monday, May 23 at 9pm PT - Friday, June 10 at 9pm PT
Winners will be randomly selected and notified by Clever Girls and/or Snapfish by Friday, June 17 

Terms & Conditions: The official Terms & Conditions are included in the widget; here is the high-level eligibility criteria: Age 18+ , US resident only, Only one winner per household.

 I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Memorial Day Weekend Essentials with Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores

Hey guys! So excited to be teaming up with Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores today to talk about their delicious new flavors: Chocolate Marshmallow, Toasted Marshmallow, and Toasted Marshmallow with fudge. As most of you know my nephews are very important to me. I spend so much of my free time with them so making sure they're happy and satisfied this Summer is definitely a priority. All three of them LOVE ice cream, and when I showed up with Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores they were ecstatic! 

For the first time ever, our entire family (and friends) will be spending this Memorial Day at our beach house, and I can't wait for all of us to spend some quality time together. The beach and ice cream pretty much go hand in hand, so I am pumped for the weekend ahead. 

What is great about Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores is that anyone, of any age can enjoy them. I truly feel like ice cream brings people together in such a fun way. One of my fondest memories when I was a child was spending the nights eating ice cream with my cousins and neighborhood friends. The NEW Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores bring out all the delicious flavor of S’mores with marshmallow flavored ice cream, and a rich graham cracker, chocolatey coating.

I had so much fun spending time with my nephews (and Oliver of course) and I can't wait for the weekend. We plan on bringing our Nestlé® Drumstick® ice cream with us and eating it right on the beach. I hope New Jersey brings the sun- because we're definitely bringing the delicious ice cream!

Visit local grocery retailers to purchase NEW Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores, or visit Drumstick.com to learn more. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Father's Day For The Win!

Compensation was provided by T.J.Maxx via Mode Media. 

When Father's Day rolls around, I am usually scrambling for a gift last minute, or I simply just don't know what to get a man who has everything. Father's Day represents a time when we should show appreciation to all the great dads out there. When I think of my Dad, I think of a person who has taught me so much about life, and someone who has chased every single dream. Since Father's Day is such an important day, I want to show that appreciation by making sure I have the perfect gift for my dad this year. 

Since T.J. Maxx is always my go-to shopping spot, I knew I had to go there to get my Dad the perfect gift. T.J. Maxx is my one stop shop for everything I need. I knew I would find awesome things for my Dad, and of course I could also get some shopping done for myself at the same time! It's a win-win!

Here's what I picked out for my Dad this year.

Leather Toiletry Bag: Perfect for the man on the go, and nice for any small trip where toiletries may need to come along. Keeps everything organized, and neat, and it looks good too!

Whiskey Kit: Comes with six liquor stones (so your whiskey doesn't get watered down, and two glass tumblers) This kit was my favorite purchase! I love the set of glasses, and although it's considered a "whiskey kit" I plan on giving it to my dad so he can sip his scotch!

Casual Lace Up Shoes: I love helping my dad with his style, and these shoes are AWESOME. I love the casual camouflage print that can easily be paired with a pair of shorts/slacks and a button up shirt!

For Father's Day we usually have an early brunch with my family, so a cute dress is necessary. I scored some amazing things for my Dad, and also picked up the cutest sundress for myself. 

maxx savings. maxx style. maxx life.

Cyprus in photos part 4

One of my favorite things about vacation was not doing my hair or makeup. I know that sounds funny to some, but for me it was a huge change from the norm. Being able to wake up, crazy hair and sun kissed skin, roll out of bed and right on to the beach was one of my favorite parts of my trip. There's something about the saltwater that just seems to be healing in every single way.

Researchers have discovered that living near a beach can be beneficial to health and well-being. It can also provide stress relief and help you reset. Spiritually & mentally we all need a vacation sometimes, and there's nothing like recharging your batteries.

Cyprus Updates

My trip is amazing so far! I wish I had more time to blog, but honestly it's probably a good thing not to be on the computer everyday. I will probably be posting a few more times while I'm here. These are some of my favorite pictures so far, and in a week I took over 400 pictures, so there are definitely more to come!

I spent the first week catching up with my family, and I spent the weekend in my Grandmother's village. It was a beautiful experience and I can't wait to share more as the weeks go on. Hope everyone is having a beautiful week!

The Beauty In Wanderlust

For as long as I can remember my parents have always instilled traveling in my heart and soul. Being a first generation Greek American is something I have always been extremely proud of. My parents both moved here in their twenties, both not knowing the language, and both extremely ready for a new life. I spent a few of my younger years in Cyprus with my family, so Europe always felt like home to me. I have never been afraid of branching outside of my comfort zone, and one of the best trips I have had to date was my backpacking trip when I finished college in 2009.

This post comes at a perfect time considering I am leaving for the motherland (Cyprus) next week, and I can't wait to do some more exploring on my own.

Traveling is something that can be instilled in you as a young child. I remember my parents telling me about all the places they had seen, and how they grew up and it all enticed me. I wanted to travel the world (and still do). It's something I yearn for. I love learning about cultures, traditions, and new places. I thank my parents for allowing me to explore at a young age. Spending some of my younger years in another country taught me so much more than they will ever know.

 

What makes me appreciate them the most is how they've always let me follow my heart. I have always been impulsive, sometimes irrational in how I plan things or when I decide I want to do things. They've never told me I shouldn't. They've always motivated me to see what I want to see and enjoy any kind of traveling I can now that I'm young. I am so appreciative of having that support from a young age because I don't know if I would love traveling as much if I hadn't.

 

I owe my parents so much, but most importantly I owe them for molding me into a person who is tolerant of others. A person who wants to learn about culture, and different customs in different countries. A person who isn't satisfied with being mediocre. They have brought me up with passion, and adventure in my soul.

 

Is there something you feel you learned because of your parents? Has traveling always been a part of your life, if so how has it changed you?

 

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Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.

Starting Out : My Journey Of Moving Into My Own Place

A year ago I can honestly say I did not envision my life to be the way it is now. You take steps and chances throughout your journey wondering where they'll lead you, not knowing all the while that things will always end up as they should. Last year into this year has been a year full of leaps and changes that have made me feel stronger, and wiser as the years progress.

Change is good.

After graduating college for the second time, I knew I wanted to move into my own place. Moving on your own can be extremely intimidating, even scary at some points. I wondered how I would feel, if I would get lonely or overwhelmed by responsibility, or if I would end up moving back home because  I would change my mind. I knew it was something I wanted, and I knew that ultimately, I could handle anything thrown my way. 

 

 

Responsibility is a funny thing. It seems so overwhelming when you step back and think about every task you need to do, but once you get into a routine, everything seems to come so easy. The most important thing you need to remember is that everything will happen in due time. 

I moved into my place in late November and I remember instantly feeling stressed to complete every single thing that needed to get done. I rushed around trying to find help to do every job, tried to buy all the furniture in one week, and to make matters even more stressful, I bought my dog Oliver about two weeks before I actually moved. There was so much going on during this time, but it all just worked out so perfectly.

I realized that everything will happen over time, and clearly homes aren't decorated in a day. Just like anything in life, every day is one step closer to fixing up my little place, and making it feel more like home.

 

I think the hardest thing I have faced so far is making sure I allot enough time to do things around the house that need to get done. Prioritizing can be tough when taking care of a place by yourself, but it's important to stay organized. I make a list of things that need to get done every week, and seek out help if I need to, the easiest way to accomplish anything is to have the right tools, and the right people to help! I think that's the greatest thing I have learned during this process. Don't be afraid to ask for help!

During these stressful times I can honestly say that my parents have been the biggest supporters of my journey. They helped me get to where I am today by being supportive, helping me feel settled in my new place, and more importantly, just being there for me. It's important to have dreams, and aspirations, but what's more important is having those who believe in you stand by your side while you chase those dreams. I am lucky to have two people who will literally do anything for me, at any time. It's also nice to have someone to run to when you have questions or need help, we all need someone to lean on, right? 

I think having my parents as my mentors has guided me throughout my life thus far and has inspired me to do my best in whatever it is I choose to do. They've been really supportive throughout this whole process, and continue to be extremely positive about anything I decide to do.Without them, I would not be in the state that I am in. Everything is coming together quite nicely, and day by day I feel more relaxed about life.

Like a good neighbor State Farm is there.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. 
The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.

Oliver & The Purina One 28 Day Challenge

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group ®
and Purina One, but all my opinions are my own. #Pmedia #OneDifference. Http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV. 

If you guys are readers of this blog, and follow me on instagram, you'll know that Oliver is a huge part of my life. He's become a member of the family, and he is so incredibly important to me. Ollie is almost a year old (he'll be one next week!) and I adopted him in November, so even though it's been a short time, it's a time that has been personally life changing and I know that Ollie played a huge role in that growth.

I got Ollie at a time in my life where I was making a lot of changes and needed something constant. He's been such a huge part of my happiness, and I honestly don't know what I would do without my little man. It's such a beautiful thing knowing that you have unconditional love from your pet, regardless of how bad your day is, or how stressed you may be. If I have the worst day, all I need is to lay with Oliver, and suddenly my bad day disappears.

Since Oliver is a member of the family, I take his health and nutrition very seriously. I am so excited to share our journey with Purina One and the 28 day challenge. Purina One is inviting dog owners everywhere to try Purina One dry dog food, and share their experiences with it. 

As I said before what Oliver is getting as far as nutrition goes is extremely important to me. Something I really admire about this dog food is that the first ingredient is meat. It's not corn, or any other bi-product. That had me sold right off the bat. I want my dog getting food that's going to make him feel better, and have energy.

Since starting the challenge I have noticed a lot of differences in Oliver's energy levels and overall health. He is using the "bathroom" regularly and not having any issues with loose stool or diarrhea. He looks forward to eating, and finishes all the food in his bowl, which makes me happy and I feel at ease knowing his food is healthy and nutritious. 

If you have a pet and you want to join the 28 day challenge, just sign up here. You also get $3 off your first bag, which is awesome right?!

For more updates and to keep up with Purina, follow them on FB , Twitter, and Instagram.

Grounds For Sculpture

Outfit Details: Jacket // C/o PB&J Shop, 

Jeans/Shirt/Button Up// Urban Outfitters

Booties // C/o Lulus , Scarf // Etsy 

Grounds for Sculpture is an awesome place located in Hamilton NJ and is situated on the former NJ State Fairgrounds along with three original historic buildings. It's 42 acres , and is filled with outdoor sculptures along with six indoor galleries. I have wanted to visit for so long, and finally we had a good reason to. My Mom's friend Eliana lives in Princeton which is extremely close, so we went to pick her up, and we headed on our way. It was a little bit too cold to do anything outside, but it was still beautiful and breathtaking to see all of the artwork. 

I will be posting more photos from this trip later in the week as to not overpack this post since I have so many. Throughout the grounds were peacocks and other birds that were allowed to roam free throughout the acres. Everything about this place was gorgeous. We ended up having lunch at their personal restaurant named "The Rat",  and it was delicious.

I wanted more traditional outfit shots, but these will have to do. I wanted to share the place and the outfit, so here's a little bit of both.

If you're ever in NJ I highly suggest visiting Grounds for Sculpture and seeing what it has to offer. I'm assuming the summer months are better for visiting since a lot of walking needs to be done, but if you find a nice colder day, it can still be fun and enjoyable. Also, great place for any kind of photo shoot!