I wrote this post last week but I couldn’t post it because my mom reads the Camden blog (hi Mom!) and I didn’t want it to ruin her Mother’s Day surprise! My daughter (6) and I had the MOST fun making an adorable fingerprint necklace for Mother’s Day, and I’d venture to say that it went over well. I think this idea is versatile enough that it doesn’t have to be a Mother’s Day present – check it out and let me know what you think!
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Posted in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Dallas, DC Metro, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orange County/Long Beach, Orlando, Phoenix Metro Area, Raleigh/Triangle Area, San Antonio, San Diego, Southeast Florida, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Area | Tagged crafts, DIY necklace, Gift, mothers day | 1 Comment »
Who said Mother’s Day was a day to celebrate ONLY mothers of two-legged creatures called human beings? What about mothers of four-legged creatures?
I happen to be the mother of three very lovable, very excitable, very bed-hoggish (is that a word?), and very needy puppies, who happen to have selective hearing when they’re in trouble. I don’t own them – they own me. And my bed. And my house. And sometimes my shoes… if I absent-mindedly leave them around the house. And no matter how bad of a day I may be having or how stressed out I become, the moment I walk through my door at home and see my three bundles of joy bouncing up and down (and sometimes peeing due to sheer excitement!), I know that everything is right in the world. I imagine it must be the same with children – I still trip over toys that were placed very strategically (at least, in my mind they were) by the front door for me to trip over the moment I walk in, I still have to feed them and bathe them and shove them under the covers at night to calm them down, and I play with them and teach them to NOT pee in the house and to NOT antagonize one another for their bone. For the most part, they get along – other days, they drive me insane. Not every family’s perfect!
On that note, may I introduce my puppies to you!
This is Dobby. We got her January 2011 and she’ll be two years old in November. She’s black as night, except for the white on her toes and chest. She loves to antagonize her younger brother and older sister, loves to eat anything and everything in the household – toilet paper is her favorite… I have no idea why… – and playing with her little duck squeaky toy. She sleeps under the covers every night and doesn’t mind it when you fold her ears back. Her tail never stops wagging, and beware! Her bark is mightier than her bite! Her favorite hiding place is under the bed whenever anyone comes over. She’ll get used to you eventually!
This is George. He’s the newest member of our puppy family and he’ll be a year old in August. We just got him in March! He has a pair of ears that never ends and I don’t think he’ll ever grow into his paws. He loves antagonizing his older sister as much as she does him and his favorite things to eat are dog food, cheese, cowboy boots, $100+ pair of shoes, socks, paper, grass, and sometimes bugs. He can jump across stepping stones without ever touching the grass below him and he can catch a treat or toy mid-air. He has VERY selective hearing and could play for 24 hours straight. He recently developed the habits of sleeping on people’s chests and burrowing his head in between someone’s head and neck, so if you ever wonder why you feel like you’re suffocating, look for George!
And last, but absolutely not least, this is Cheyenne. She is the queen dog of the household and she will not let you forget it for one second. She was born on New Year’s Eve in 2000 and will be 12 this year! She loves going for long walks around the block, chasing cats, and stealing bones from the little dogs of the house. Her best days are spent sleeping in the armchairs of the household with all four paws up and in the air and laying in the sun. She’s always on the lookout for someone to pet her for hours and will shove her nose under your hand or arm should you dare stop petting her. She can make a bed out of just about anything and will completely rearrange a bed to make it comfortable for her. She loves just about everyone – especially if you give her food…
And the best part is, most Camden Apartments accept these little terrors…erm, I mean, well-behaved dogs. Some Camdens even offer covered dog runs and trails – and you know what a happy puppy means… A happy life! And we want happy residents! So happy mother’s day to all of our moms out there! Whether you’re the mom of four human children or three puppies, this day is for you! And I know the greatest gift I’ll receive tonight is lots of sloppy kisses, jumps, (maybe a little piddle!) AND I get the pleasure of feeding them dinner tonight. Boy howdy!
Posted in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Dallas, DC Metro, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orange County/Long Beach, Orlando, Phoenix Metro Area, Raleigh/Triangle Area, San Antonio, San Diego, Southeast Florida, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Area | Tagged Camden Apartments, Covered dog runs, Dog runs, Dog trails, dogs, mothers day, Puppies | 2 Comments »

A priceless moment of affection and appreciation to a woman who never stops giving to everyone else.
Mom,
I want to take a moment to thank you. Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for always cheering for me no matter what. Thank you for knowing what was best for me when I had no clue. Thank you for teaching me how to love longer than the day is long and more Continue Reading »
Posted in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Dallas, DC Metro, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orange County/Long Beach, Orlando, Phoenix Metro Area, Raleigh/Triangle Area, San Antonio, San Diego, Southeast Florida, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Area | Tagged a mothers love, gift of love, gratitude, love, mom, mother, mothers day, thank you, unconditional love | 2 Comments »
As an Assistant Manager for Camden Apartments in Atlanta I find myself often asking my future residents this question before we even begin touring… What are your MUST HAVES? What are the things that you’d LIKE TO HAVE? And what are the things you DON’T CARE MUCH ABOUT? Many are stumped at these questions. They are used to an agent simply telling them rates and availability. Most apartment prospects are used to asking the questions – not the other way around. If I’ve learned anything in this business it’s that being as specific as possible will lead to a happier resident. Why you ask…
No one knows your likes/dislikes more than you do. No one knows that you hated looking at your white appliances at your last home and are ready to upgrade to black or stainless steel appliances. Or that you had terrible neighbor issues at your old community and are looking for peace and quiet on an upper floor. Whatever your hot buttons are - no matter how big or small – make them be known! Stop taking what people give you and start demanding what you want.
Now I will tell you that unfortunately we can not always get EVERYTHING we are looking for but it’s always a good idea to start with those MUST HAVE’s and work your way down from there. As I am touring future residents we always go over these three questions . This way the tour becomes an open-ended conversation more than me generally explaining our community features and availability.
Here is an example of how I used these 3 questions to help find my current home at Camden Brookwood…
1) I MUST be on the top floor ( Had bad experience with neighbors at a previous community)
2) I WOULD LIKE to have black appliances instead of white ( Not a deal breaker – if I can’t get black appliances I’ll put sun glasses on and pretend they’re black. They ultimately just need to work!!)
3) I DON’T CARE ABOUT location to parking garage or having an elevator. ( Wow this was a tough one. I walk up three flights of stairs. But the bright side is that I can save on an alarm because I don’t imagine a burglar would want to walk up my 3 flights of stairs and then walk down those same heavy stairs ha ha!)
So you see I got my must have ( top floor), managed to get my likes ( black appliances), and I even get daily cardio (walking up the stairs). I can tell you by following this philosophy I have never been happier in an apartment! I’ve been at Camden Brookwood for three years this month and I can’t wait to renew again!
By being an informed consumer about what you want/don’t want or like/dislike you will find that you are happier. Use these questions in other areas of your life ie. job searching, searching for a romantic partner, getting a new pet, selecting furniture, and so on…
So next time an agent or employee asks you specific questions about what you’re interested in don’t be shy! Speak up and express what will make you happy with your decision. It works for me every time!
Posted in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Dallas, DC Metro, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orange County/Long Beach, Orlando, Phoenix Metro Area, Raleigh/Triangle Area, San Antonio, San Diego, Southeast Florida, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Area | Leave a Comment »
I risk sounding like a broken record, but I feel the need to say it again – I LOVE my job! Those that know me best were a bit surprised by career choice considering I can be a painfully shy, conflict avoiding nerd who would rather hide behind my computer than strike up conversations with strangers. It certainly had nothing to do with my Sociology major at Baylor and it is far from what I thought was my dream job – simultaneously writing scripts for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and discovering ways to prevent the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse.
I took a risk when I applied with Camden 13 years ago, but it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. My job is fast-paced, and at times stressful, but I never have the same day twice. I find it immensely Continue Reading »
Posted in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Corpus Christi, Dallas, DC Metro, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orange County/Long Beach, Orlando, Phoenix Metro Area, Raleigh/Triangle Area, San Antonio, San Diego, Southeast Florida, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Area | Tagged Camden, career, company, Happy, job, people, property, satisfaction | Leave a Comment »









