Welcome to Defining Wellness! My name’s Tammy, and I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with my husband, Carter, our dog, Kai, and our cat, Roxy.
On vacation in Wilmington, NC, July 2010
If you think she's cute, you should hear her meow
After overcoming a 15-year struggle with disordered eating in 2009, I decided it was time to close the door on obsession and open the door to freedom and adventure.
Join me on my journey as I discover what it means to me to live a life in balance. This blog is my ongoing memoir. As I seek out adventure, I’ll share the exciting details. When adventure finds me, I’ll share those stories, too. I’ll reflect on the moments that bring me joy, the challenges I encounter, and the deep and not-so-deep thoughts that cartwheel around my brain. From the daily doings to the significant life events, it’ll all be here — because this is my unlocked diary. And like anyone who’s ever owned a diary knows, sometimes I have a lot to say and sometimes I don’t . . . it’s all part of the fun.
THE BASICS
I’m 28 years young, my birthday is on June 18th, and my favorite birthday cake is grand marnier pound cake with raspberry filling from the bakery at Hotel du Pont . . . preferably in the form of some fantastic, un-cakelike shape. Harry Potter hat, anyone?
My husband and I met in eighth grade and became friends, then best friends, then the leading characters of our own romantic drama. Of course, I had to make things complicated and play the dating game for awhile, but I finally opened my heart to the possibility of falling in love with my best friend. Carter and I were married on May 24, 2008, and our love is a blessing that I’m thankful for every day.
If you have 11 minutes to spare, you can watch our love story (which was shown at our wedding reception) by clicking on this link: Tammy and Carter’s Love Story
EDUCATION & CAREER
I graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2004 with a B.A. in Psychology. After I graduated, I took graduate classes in education, public health and creative writing. I’ve dreamt of writing a book since before I even knew how to read, and I’m working on my first book-length memoir.
Writing a book doesn’t pay the bills (at least not right away), and I’m lucky to have a wonderful “practical” job as a nursery school teacher. I teach incredibly funny and inquisitive four-year-old children who bring out the best in me. I’m thankful for their sweet little souls and their hilarious antics (which make for some great conversation starters).
HOBBIES & ADVENTURES
I love to have adventures, and some of the best ones are those that I share with my dog. We like to discover trails and parks where we can walk and have deep, telepathic conversations with one another. (Just making sure you’re paying attention.)
I also like to grab my bike and GO! Morning bikerides on the Atlantic City boardwalk are especially magical, and I make it a point to ride there every summer.
When the weather’s warm, kayaking, knee-boarding and horseback riding are top priorities on my adventure to-do list.
I adore animals, and I’m especially fascinated by dolphins. I’ve researched them, swam with them and we regularly have sleepovers. (Still paying attention?)
I always have lots of ideas bouncing around in my head, and creating something from those ideas is what makes me tick. I create through writing, modeling, photography, and cooking.
As a little girl, I always wanted to become a model. Alas, I stopped growing at 5’3″ instead of 5’10″, and societal beliefs led me to believe that modeling was an impossible fantasy.
During my freshman year of college, I had the opportunity to model for a swimsuit calendar, an experience that taught me that true beauty comes in all shapes and sizes . . . and that taught me to appreciate my uniqueness. Though it was a local calendar, I was as proud as if I were on the cover of Sports Illustrated — I proved to myself that all dreams are worth pursuing.
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I continue to do some modeling to help photographers develop their portfolios — it’s incredibly freeing to stand in front of the camera and learn to love who you are, flaws and all. Modeling made me very curious about being on the other side of the camera, so I decided to try out photography for myself.
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I use a Canon Rebel XT, and I carry it with me everywhere. Animals and children are some of my favorite subjects:
I also enjoy devising recipes and cooking. I share some of my favorite recipes on the “Food Fun” page.
“DEFINING WELLNESS” BLOG
So there you have it — a glimpse of what brings balance to my life and what you might find on this blog. Ready for some adventures?
