Bios

Kaylee & Family - Fall 2013

Newport Beach, CA - November 2012



Kaylee

I grew up on the East Coast, from D.C. to Naples, Florida and a few places in between. I come from a MODERN family with step brothers and sisters (some I’ve never met), half siblings and six sets of grandparents…still living, some in their nineties! I am the “oldest” of my generation and “only” for some with the complicated and tangled web of marriages and divorces. If we ever meet for 3 hours over a bottle of wine, you may understand 1/3 of my family tree…the other 2/3, I don’t even try to understand myself. Hence, the reason, I have steered far away from Ancestry.com. I can’t keep all of it straight and I was the one who actually loved trigonometry in school! Despite my family’s complexity, most everyone gets along, sends each other Christmas cards and actually likes one other…please let me reiterate, MOST. So, after growing up and starting my own version of a family, I have served as Miss NC 2006 (yes, pre-marriage…no scandals here), Mrs. NC 2009-2010, practiced as a Real Estate Broker and Designer for almost a decade, traveled extensively with my husband (I think I have slippers from 11 different hotels and soaps from over 30), became a mommy (miserable pregnancy and natural childbirth) to the most amazing baby boy (he’s almost two and totally worth it), learned to cook (again, because I thought I knew), built a house (actually, three), started two businesses (one failed), threw some awesome dinners and parties (others agree, just ask them), adopted the principals of a Professional Online Shopper (I swear boxes arrive to my front door daily and I haven’t been to Target, the Mall or grocery store in over a year), I have (slowly) become a self proclaimed, sometimes unsolicited “opinion sharer” of just about everything. I don’t mean to offend or overstep boundaries, I just tend to cling passionately to my beliefs and think I have (some) valuable and authentic information to share…maybe I should define valuable :/ However, above all else, I truly value my career as MOM the most, and my friends and family are what makes my world go round! I know I am blessed and perhaps this little online space offers a way to reflect on all of the crazy, fun, real and sometimes blissful moments in life. So after years of, “maybe you should write a book…” or, “that’s such a great idea,” I have decided to share some of my life with you…perhaps the good, bad and sometimes ugly, but maybe we can learn from each other…at least, that’s my hope! ~Kaylee

Marissa - Study Abroad in London 2013

Marissa

I am the soon to be graduate of The University of Tampa. My first breath into this world took place in Naples, FL- one of my favorite places in the world. I grew up playing in the waves of the beach. I'm a typical beach-bum, but with big dreams. I love being outside and being active. There is nothing more beautiful than the pure essences of nature. I now live in Tampa, where I plan on making my career goals come true. I live by a motto that I made for myself, "Simple girl. Simple life. Simply Happy."  The small things in life make me truly happy. Whether it's a smile, having my hand held, a kiss on a forehead, or a simple note that says "I love you." I love fashion and sports. My passion is to travel and experience every aspect that life has to offer. I'm a spiritual individual, who finds peace in a simple prayer. I tend to be spiteful and difficult, but I always mean well. My family and my friends are my foundation. I am a very passionate person, and always looking for something to challenge my mind. Still trying to figure out who I am as an individual. So join me on my journey of discovering myself in this world.

 

Rachel - 2013

 

Rachel

I am from a beautiful beach town located on the southwest coast of Florida known as Naples. It offers the perfect mixture of beach hippies and the wealthiest of the wealthy (it’s pretty entertaining, no lie).  I am a true Floridian at heart and grew up on the Emerald Sea (also known as the Gulf of Mexico).  To this day, I spend much of my time relaxing and swimming in the ocean when I am not attending school in Tallahassee at FSU (NOLES BABY!) I am the middle child of 5 and have one of the most dysfunctional and yet loving families I have ever known...Literally, SUPER DYSFUNCTIONAL!  But, isn’t that pretty typical in all modern families today? Sometimes you just go with it!  Take life just as it is, with the good and bad and appreciate everything in between. I think being the middle child, survival has been key to maintain sanity.  To this day, I try to instill my “go with it" life style approach in all I do, including rubbing off on my siblings (Sometimes it works! Other times it backfires badly!). I try to be loving and understanding, but I am notorious for being stubborn (completely, heels stuck in the mud, make that concrete, kind of stubborn). I like to work hard and  play hard (er)… it really works I promise. Attending one of the biggest party schools has taught me this more than anything...more to share on that later ;-) My family has crowned me the rebel of the bunch and perhaps craziest of the offspring (Totally accept and love that about myself).  After all, life is  about being daring, taking chances and earning your experiences. Traveling is my deepest desire; to me the world offers breathtakingly beauty and I want to see it...all of it!  I want to make this life an adventurous quest that never ends.  Peace & Much Love ~ Rach