Do you remember my Fredericksberg girls trip? Maybe you don’t, but it was a blast! I didn’t know how much I needed the blogging community until that weekend getaway. It was a full weekend of photos and talks about instagram engagement, instagram posting, follower growth, sponsored content, and so much more. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs, “finally, people who understand!”
Peewee turned 14 last month. I can’t believe it! A succulent refuses to survive in my home yet I have managed to care for my little fur guy for 14 years. I wanted to write another blog post about Peewee, but then I realized I hadn’t written one about Tito (pictured below). So here I am, writing about Tito.
Actually, I bought the car 40 days ago! The Dallas rain was non-stop and it didn’t allow me to get a car wash for some photos. Finally, the rain is gone and I got in a few photos! I hope you enjoy this girly car review that I wrote starting November as I went through the test driving and elimination process of vehicles š
Football season is upon us! I’ve never been a huge football fan, but I’m down to watch some great horse/Budweiser commercials and the halftime show at a Super Bowl party (even though I missed it last year). #Oops! I do have one memory of an NFL game I attended. The family took a trip to watch the Dallas Cowboys play 10+ years ago at the old stadium. Who was playing? Who won? I couldn’t tell you because it was COLD and I fell asleep. So bad, I know! I’m much better these days and even try to dress according to team or theme. I’ve linked a few football tees for you below so you can feel included in your nearest football posse.
P.s. #WeDemBoyz
XO, Vivian
Shop Football Tees
Hi friends! I appreciate you taking my Instastories poll last week but more importantly, taking an interest in what it is I do from 9-5. After all the fuss with “Job 1” and “Job 2ā I thought it was only fair to provide you with an update of what Job 2 has turned out to be like.
Most of my patients work hard for me but there are a few that sigh and roll their eyes when I knock on their door. On a day like that, Iāve quickly learned that a cup of coffee can fix anyones problems at least momentarily. But like I said, the majority are happy to see me and I, in return, am happy to see them. Sometimes therapists (speech, occupational, physical) are the only ones that visit the residents for days or weeks, so itās important to greet them with a positive attitude. Luckily for all involved, my baseline personality is Ā bright and carefree!
Guess who accepted a job offer?! Yes, I did! Before we get to that part, let’s rewind to last month.
It has been one month since graduation. Where does the time even go?! I could lie and say that I’ve been bored out of my mind, or that I’ve been hunched over on my laptop all day job hunting on indeed, but that is far far from the truth. In all honesty, I have had the best month ever!
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I’ve taken up yoga. It is now a huge part of my life and practicing has jumped up on my list of priorities. I even started a 40 day yoga program yesterday! Updates to come on that later. I’ve also invested more time into the blog (hence the new logo!), which I love so much. It’s been nice getting to take photos, edit, and plan. Part of blogging involves attending events, and I’m lucky to have had extra time in the evening to get ready and join other bloggers at some super fun events! With all this free time, you know I had to book myself a vacation, right? My sister planned out most details of an Alaskan cruise for our family of 9. It was the biggest family trip we have ever had and one that I will remember for the rest of my life. A separate post on the cruise coming soon!
It’s true what they say, all good things must come to an end, and as you can tell, it’s been a fantastic month! But in between all that fun, I did have an interview here and there. I kept you updated through my instastories with some of my job hunt. I filled you in on “Job 1” and “Job 2.” I failed to mention that I had already accepted an offer from a different company before Job 1 or Job 2 came in the picture, which we will call “Job 00.” So here I am, a recent graduate with not one, not two, but THREE jobs to seriously consider. I’ll go ahead and say it in case you’re thinking it. I’m so lucky!!! Thank you mom for putting me through graduate school. These opportunities would not have come without her patience or support!
After accepting Job 00, I heard back from Job 1 and Job 2 and I continued to interview for both while I completed paperwork for Job 00. Job 1 offered me a position that was wonderful! I was so so happy and nearly ready to accept, until I interviewed at Job 2. Job 1 needed to know ASAP if I could or couldn’t accept, so I had to decline the offer. I went through three rounds of interviewing for Job 2, which I really really wanted. Each interview was great! Today I accepted an offer from Job 2 in the setting of my dreams and my heart is so full! Of course, I had to let Job 00 know that I would no longer be able to accept their offer.
If you followed along, I hope you enjoyed the ending to this story. It was definitely a happy one!
XO, Vivian
I renewed my hosting service with Blue Host about a month ago and it hit me… I was about to hit the ONE YEAR mark! There was a decision to be made – continue blogging or quit?
Without a doubt in my mind, I knew I had to keep going. There are at least a dozen reasons for me to stop blogging. Among them that it’s too time consuming or my growth is too slow. You know what though? I’m a patient person! I have so much life to live and I’ll side hustle if I want to.
Thank you ALL for your support over the past year! Your likes, comments, and direct messages have made my first year of blogging incredibly worth while. Here’s to my second year of blogging!
Leave me a comment and let me know what content you’d like to see on A Chance of Charm!
XO, Vivian
Back at it again with CaseApp because this blog post from January was a hit! When I find a high quality product I love I tend to stick with it for a while. My phone case obsession is no exception (oh hey, that rhymed!).
CaseApp offers custom case designs for iPads, PC laptops, Samsung phones, and basically any device you can think of that you thought CaseApp wouldn’t think of. My phone is with me all the time so I thought I’d get the most bang for my buck by selecting a couple of cases for my iPhone. In my last collaboration with CaseApp I designed a custom phone case for myself. It was beautiful and simple! You can check that out here. I wanted to create another custom case this time around, but I decided to go a different route and selected cases that were premade.
My final selections were this abstract blush case and this confetti dots case in a matte finish. The abstract blush one is perfect for finishing off the summer season but could still be worn in the fall since pink is basically a neutral š My colorful dots case is still bright and girly, but reminds me so much of the fall season with it’s pretty orange and mustard yellows. And just like that, my phone case situation is all taken care of for the rest of the season!
Get 20% off a custom designed case of your own with promo code ACHANCEOF20 on caseapp.com. Don’t forget to show me what you create!
XO, Vivian
Thereās a picture somewhere of 14 year old me carrying my niece for the first time. It was a photo I was supposed to cherish and keep forever, but instead it was the first time I noticed something wrong with my smile. I couldnāt put my finger on it, but I knew I didnāt like it. Many, many photos later (and a trip to the dentist), I learned that I had a crossbite on my left side. For the next 10 years I insisted photos of me be taken on my right side, or what I called my āgood side.ā
Finding a good orthodontist in Dallas was easy, but I didnāt want to settle for good. Luckily for me, I live in a big city and my options were endless. I chose 3 orthodontists to consult with. Let me note that none of their offices were convenient locations for me. But I already knew if I wanted excellence, it probably wouldnāt be around the corner from home or work. That being said, I traveled to McKinney (1), Downtown Dallas (2), and Richardson (3) for these consultations. You can skip reading this part, but each is summed up:
1) This one was a woman. According to her, there were all sorts of things wrong with my teeth. Braces were my only option. Side note, IĀ quickly learned I wasnāt just looking forĀ orthodontic treatment, but I was looking someone I was compatible with. I really wanted to like this woman, but there were pictures of her volunteer work everywhere. Before she came in to see me, I had to watch a 5 minute video about howĀ wonderful she was. I. Couldnāt. Stand. it. Price: $9,000
2 ) This man said I could have braces or Invisalign, but that I would 100% need a surgery to break the roof of my mouth (it has a name, I swear). It sounded so painful just listening to him! Then, Iād need a palatal expander on the roof of my mouth. Totally not down for this. Also didnāt like how he didnāt just tell me what I needed, he was going to let me decide if I wanted braces or Invisalign. Price: $ 5,000 +Ā unknown cost of surgery
3 ) Finally, I saw Dr. Crosby. He told me about himself and his experience working with cases like mine. What I really liked was that he pulled up two before/afters of patients with crossbites that he had treated. Ultimately, I chose him because he seemed the most confident in his ability to straighten my teeth. He seemed excited to get started, and Iām so glad I picked him! However, I will say that he sees so many people that he may not remember you very well. It didnāt matter to me though, because he was so nice and always made a full-hearted effort to connect with me. Price: $5,500
Invisalign providers are assigned to a ālevelā based on their experience. From least to most experience, they are: Preferred Provider, Premier Provider, Elite Provider, and Top 1% Provider. To be a Top 1% Provider means to have treated at least 800 patients with at least 100 new patients every 6 months (Holy cow, that’s a lot!).Ā Dr. Crosby is a Top 1% Provider and knowing how much experience he had put me at ease when I felt uneasy with my treatment. If youāre looking into Invisalign, I suggest doing a little more research in the differences between providerās levels.
My teeth were scanned using the iTero Digital Scanner; a fancy piece of equipment that provided my Orthodontist with a 3D digital image of my teeth. Then, my digital images were sent off to the Invisalign company who actually make the trays. The trays came in 2 weeks later at Dr. Crosbyās office and I saw him again to pick them up. Initially I would meet with Dr. Crosby every 2 weeks. He would check my progress, give me a new set of trays, and send me off. By the end of treatment, I was seeing him less than every 6 weeks. It was easy!
My initial set of Invisalign trays were a set of 24, but this number varies from person to person. I finished all 24 and I Ā could have stopped my treatment there but I didnāt. Dr. Crosby thought my smile looked great, ābroader, more symmetricalā if Iām using his words. I wasnāt completely happy with my teeth yet, so my teeth were scanned again with the iTero scanner. The second set of trays I received, called ārefinements,ā was less than 24 trays and was easier to wear with me switching them out every 5 days instead of every 2 weeks the way I had at the start of treatment. Was the second set of trays worth the wait? Yes! I am so happy with my final results!
Ok, that was a long one! Did I miss any pros or cons? Leave a comment and let me know about your experience with Invisalign or braces!
XO, Vivian