Fish Fam Expands

Hey y'all,

It has been a crazy weekend so I am sorry for the late post. I thought I would just brag on my sorority fam since this weekend included reveal. I became the great-great-great-grandbig of sweet ePe! I am so excited for her to join the family especially since gBl, her big, was ecstatic when she heard the news that ePe was her little! 

Saturday was filled with hugs, giggles, and gifts at a picnic themed reveal at the arboretum at UNC. It is sometimes hard to explain Big/Little to people outside of greek life but it is true to call it a family. This group of girls has been such a great support system to me and I have loved mentoring and walking alongside them! It is crazy to think it was six years ago when I found out that sCa was my big and I joined the fish fam. sCa is still there as a sister to support me and encourage me even after we both became post-grads. 

This is probably the last reveal I will be attending in the near future since after May I am stepping down as faculty adviser so it was special to be there and help out as the photographer for my family. 

ePe, gBl, cFm and myself! 

We were only missing my little, mGk, and glittle, kBm, for a full family picture.

Who can't smile at that excitement! 

ePe was so happy to learn gBl was her big after a week of clues!

My sweet fam!

Okay, bragging over! 

What were you up to this weekend?

Weekends are for Carolina Wins, Pumpkins and GreatGreatGrandlittles

Hey y'all,

My office has a case of the Mondays but it is ok because I had an amazing weekend that I think the quiet will help.So let's get right to my weekend re-cap.

Friday.

Friday I left the office and ran back to my apartment to grab the letter shirt from All that Jas that had arrived in anticipation of Big/Little reveal Saturday. After chatting with the roommate before she headed off to work I headed to the gym. After watching Family Feud while getting some time on the elliptical I headed over to Target to grab some things for dinner. My apartment's fridge has been having issues so I did not trust the milk I put in there for any meal. Luckily the fridge had a temp fix by Friday and will get the new part this week! It was a relaxing night and I was able to get in some reading and me-time.

Saturday.

CW and I outside of the suite we had lunch in.

After getting up a bit early to get ready I was off to Chapel Hill for a work function that included a tour of the Loudermilk Center for Excellence and the Kenan Football Center as well as lunch before the Boston College/Carolina game. It was a lot of fun hanging out with some of my co-workers at a Carolina game and we had some great seats to watch Carolina win against Boston College!

Our view at lunch.

I work with a lot of other Carolina Alums and a few of them were at the game so we had to snap a picture.

With AC who is so sweet, I love that I get to work closely with her daily.

 So I left the game in the middle of the fourth quarter in order to make it over to the PBX house in time for one of the biggest events of the semester, Big/Little reveal! My family welcomed a new little addition, gBl and I am so excited for the Fish Fam!

My Grandlittle, kBm has a grandlittle now!!

Last photos as just Big and Little

REVEAL!
Welcome Home gBl!

FIRST FAM PHOTO!

I love these girls and I can't wait to get to know my ggglittle better!

 The night ended with watching DCC: Making the Team, doing some dishes and then having some heart to heart talks with the roomie until after 1am.

Sunday.

After my usual morning babysitting I ran home to begin working on my mess of a closet. I keep putting off cleaning my closet which is the messiest part of my room but I was able to clean it up a bit before heading with the roomie to grab a pumpkin for carving! We checked Aldi but their selection was limited and luckily the Target had a great one. After church we headed home to make a yummy dinner of shrimp in a vodka sauce over pasta and corn. It was then time to carve so we threw on the Princess Bride and to the sound of "as you wish" and discussed our love of the film though it had been forever since we had seen it but could still quote the entire thing. 

And being the people we are, our pumpkin had a minion design. I mean, it fits in with our collection...

I hope your weekend was filled with lots of fun!

Sorority Chat Saturday: Big/Little Day Themes

Hey y’all,

So here is to another edition of Sorority Chat Saturday! Since I love Big/Little I figured we could stay on that topic for a while. Most chapters have specific guidelines for each day’s theme but today I thought I would imagine a few theme days if you are left on your own or I you need some inspiration.

Décor.

I know that a lot of little’s gain canvases but think of outfitting your little’s dorm room and future room in the house. Think of painting a tv table for her nightstand, a stool, blankets, a market tote filled with picture frames, family tree, letters, monogram, a vase filled with fake flowers, candle holders, a bow holder, a chalkboard, memoboard, mirrors, a craft box for when she takes a little/crafts for her space in the house. Think of jewelry trays or paint a small plate for her nightstand jewelry or favorite perfumes.

Relaxation Day.

I don’t know about you but I have always loved a good sleepover. Think of including in your basket a pillow (monogrammed or with letters), a stuffed animal of your sorority’s animal, pajamas, slippers, sleep mask (dollar store/Michael's), nail polish or a gift certificate for a big/little main/pedi date before the next formal, fun chick flicks (WalMart $5 bins), tickets to a movie for a big/little date (Safe Haven anyone?), candles, lotions, fuzzy socks, popcorn, favorite soda, the options are endless.

School Days.

Your number one priority in college is of course classes so give your little lots of fun items to motivate her and keep that high fam GPA. Fun items include a customized clipboard, a fun corkboard/dry erase board, a stack of notebooks (you can find lots of fun personalized ones on etsy or pick up some Vera Bradley or Lilly Pulitzer ones), a cup full of fun pens/pencils/highlighters or even a monogrammed makeup bag turned pencil holder. You could even include a planner, post-its and the Lilly Greek and Academic Sticker Sets. Also think of things you would pack for a trip to the library…a monogrammed baseball cap, hair ties, a cute sweatshirt, a tumbler, snacks, etc. You could include an Llbean boat tote with letters or your monogram as the transport for this day.

Favorite Things/All About Her.

My sororities Big/Little pairing includes a long survey including fun questions  about favorite things and is a great way to learn about all the new members and potential bigs. However, if your sorority does not include those things Facebook is a great way to learn some of her favorite things. Create a basket that is all about her favorite things: baked goods, board games, flowers, gift cards to her favorite store or restaurant, favorite candy, drinks, tv shows, movies, canvases with her favorite quotes, and of course have everything wrapped in her favorite color and patterns, monogrammed items.

Letters/Family Traditions.

I know that Big/Little is the beginning of gaining lots of things with letters on them! It is such an exciting time as a new member and helps you begin to acclimate to your family and your sisters in a more one on one relationship. Think of nontraditional ways to give your little letters: bows, hats, plaques, pillowcases, and things that she will keep as an alum: memo boards, wooden letters for her apartment, small symbols and picture frames.

A Week of Outfits.

Fill a laundry basket full of t-shirts (letter shirts and family heirlooms), hats, bows, hairties, nike tempos, sweatshirts and pullovers, pajamas, shower shoes you paint-pen her name on, lots of fun colored socks (Target/Forever 21) and some jewels that connect to her (monogram) or your sorority (symbol/lavalier/etc) and a few monogrammed towels. If you know your little’s favorite stores find small items to give her like jewelry for the next formal.

School Spirit.

Think coozies, a cooler, school shirts, bows, canvases, and sports décor. I think most girls love their school and I can tell you I love my Alma Mater, I mean I work there now so anything that connects to Carolina and is Carolina Blue would be a welcome addition to my home. You could easily make some coasters, make a coozie via etsy or HayMarket Designs, buttons that read “Phi Beta Chi loves the Heels,” include pictures from gamedays, and paint cute glasses or tumblers.

Beach Day. Snow Day

If you have a spring Big/Little time think of a basket for her spring break: fun sunglasses, magazines, hats, painted cooler, lots of neon, tanks, flipflops, tumblers, sunscreen, lotion, body spray, beach towel, disposable cameras, re-usable bags like Lilly’s with a vinyl monogram or even a cooler bag,etc. If it is fall think scarves, hot chocolate/tea and a mug, fuzzy slippers, a mug, candles, pumpkin baked goods, hats and gloves, and anything you would need for a nice snowy day.

Small Gestures.

I think sometimes the small gestures matter. Think of painting a small cooler and delivering it filled with food to her one evening, have an a capella group deliver her flowers, send her a rose on Monday and ask if she will be your little, send a candy message, decorate her dorm room or her door, chalk the sidewalk she walks to class. The small things often make a big impact on a Little’s Big/Little Week experience.

I love to look at Pinterest, DollarStore Crafts, Facebook’s Big/Little Connection, and etsy for inspiration. I also think that clues are a fun way to connect to your little/throw her off of you/confuse her is she suspects that you are her Big. I am sure that each of y’all can think of even more ideas!

Remember that you control how much you spend on your little so search fun places like T.J. Maxx and Homegoods for fun décor and cute stationary, the dollar store, Target, search out sales at craft stores and you can begin to collect non-specific things throughout the year leading up to when you take her. Think of focusing on your school and sorority colors and symbols and you can quickly collect lots of small things before you even meet your little.

What was your big/little week like? Any themes I forgot?

ps. Shoutout to my grandlittle kBm who I know is reading this with lKe as well :)