Addicted

hellllo lovers! so yesterday i had to take maxx to get groomed. I really didn't want to because his scruffiness goes perfectly with what he is being for Halloween....which by the way is HILARIOUS but that's another day...so because it still has been warm here & i am still dying of sweat, i could only imagine how hot he must be with all that fur. 

so i had to take him in for a hair cut. i was nervous too because the last time i took him to get groomed they basically skinned him. It was awful. They really went overboard.  So this time I had to make sure they listened to me & did what I said. Have you noticed there seems to be this ongoing problem these days with customer service? no one is listening anymore....it looks like they are but really their head is else where ----> bad customer service is a huge pet peeve of mine. 

ok sorry, getting back on track...Maxx got a haircut & look how adorable he turned out --->

i love this little man

ok so moving on to a more serious note. i use to be a 'tan-a-holic.' no joke. it all started my senior year of high school when i was in the senior fashion show. after the show my mom had suggested that i get a little tan on my pale, white, white skin before prom because i was like a ghost on stage....thanks mom ----> so i had never ever thought about tanning in a booth before, & i really didn't think i was that white but i did it anyway.......fast forward to college when i was on my own, i decided to get a tanning package.... & it was all down hill from there. 

Pre Tanning - 10th grade 

i would tan every.single.day. I was so obsessed with tanning & being dark that I use to wake up early & go tanning before my 8am class! and if you knew me, you would know that is freaking crazy because all i do is sleep. it's a hobby for me. i think being up at 10am is still early......so going to tan before class, i really was addicted. i just thought it made me look prettier, when in reality it didn't. & no, i didn't look like 'tanning mom' if that's what your thinking. just a super dark brown girl. 

Winter 2004 - Sophomore year of college (I'm in the 'ditch him' shirt)

 to be honest i tanned so much i feel like it stained my skin forever. thankfully ,eventually i grew out of that stage & now if I need a quick tan i'll mystic....& thank god i was very lucky (so far- knock on wood) & i didn't develop any type of skin cancer from my tanning addiction. However, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen; because it does all the time & the tanning bed is still a big cause of melanoma.  so with that being said, I have a very special & strong girl who unfortunately had stage 3 melanoma. However, she didn't  throw herself a pity party. She is one inspirational & positive girl. I was so impressed with her positive outlook on life & how strong she was. Really, she is something else. So without further ado

Hi Messy Family! Knowing that Kelly has such awesome readers, I am so excited to sponsor her blog this month. I have a goal and I'm hoping y'all can help me with it. Who am I and why am I asking a bunch of strangers for a favor? Well, I'm Chelsea, 25, a want-to-be Carrie Bradshaw, and a stage III malignant melanoma survivor. Up until the time an oncologist told me that melanoma would not kill me "right now," I used to believe that everyone looked prettier with a tan. Now it is my goal to openly share my story, show my scars, and encourage others to protect their largest organ: Their skin. This is where you all come into play! I challenge each of you to rethink your tanning bed membership, examine your skin for unusual moles, and schedule a yearly appointment with a dermatologist. Like Marc Jacobs says, protect the skin you're in!

 Eat pancakes and bacon in my PJ's, sip coffee on the beach with everyone I love, email the cast of Jersey Shore with the name of my dermatologist, and love, love, love.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. I would love to hear her secret thoughts that she was too classy to share!

As you can imagine, being diagnosed with an incurable cancer at age 23 was terrifying. Instead of completely crumbling, I put on a happy face and faked it. I had a fight ahead of me and crumbling wasn't going to help make me better. Seeing how I was holding back my true emotions, my mom encouraged me to start a blog. Since that very first post I have been unable to stop writing. Blogging about my life with melanoma has introduced me to incredible people including Dr. Drew, and has allowed me to share my experiences with hopes of saving lives. I'm determined to put a face to this cancer. Melanoma is not just skin cancer.

sooo this fabulous lady is giving you messy readers a chance to win a $15 Target Giftcard & her favorite E.L.F. blush ----> They promote sun safety, so of course she is in support of them!


also you do not have to be a blogger to enter, this contest is open to everyone. i suggest being logged into your facebook, emails & twitter accounts. good luck ladies! 

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