10 Things You Need for a Successful Crawfish Boil

Happy Good Friday, everyone! I hope you're all having a wonderful day. Ours has been jammed packed with preparations for our annual Crawfish Boil. In Louisiana, spring time is crawfish boiling time and while some people might cringe at the thought of eating a mudbug my family loves them. 

But before you try this at home there are 10 things you need for a successful crawfish boil. Take it from a Louisiana girl, some of the things on this list are must-haves. So, if that sounds like something you're interested in just keep on reading >>>>

 

The first thing you need is a place to have it. We threw our crawfish boil at my mom's house. She has a concrete slab that's covered and normally houses her lawnmower and four-wheeler, but today it became the location for the festivities because it was cool and covered. 

Second, you'll definitely need to invest in a lot of napkins or paper towels. Crawfish is seasoned really well and it tends to get all over your hands and fingers when you peel them. Paper towel rolls will become your new best friend. Trust me.

The third thing you'll need are platters.  We got ours at Walmart and they're the best thing for holding your crawfish once it's done. As for the fourth thing - metal buckets - this was the first year we used these and I was sure glad we did. They came in perfect for holding the crawfish husks while we ate and they added a little quirkiness to the table. 

  

The fifth thing you'll need is a good size cooler to hold the crawfish and some large metal pots to cook them in. It also doesn't hurt to invest in other food to put in the crawfish boil. This would the sixth you need - red potatoes, white onions, corn, and smoked sausage. Some people actually throw eggs and even cabbage in with their crawfish but my family sticks to the potatoes, onions, corn, and sausage. But one of the most important things you'll need beside the pot is the burner and a propane tank - that's number seven.

The eighth thing you'll need for a successful crawfish boil is patience. After the crawfish have been washed and seasoned it takes them a little time to boil completely, giving you the perfect opportunity to mix and mingle with your guests - the ninth thing you'll need. 

And that leads me to the last thing you'll need for a successful crawfish boil - making memories with your family and friends. To me, that's the best part of a crawfish boil (besides the eating), it's the spending time with family. 

 So if you have all of these things then you'll have a successful and memorable crawfish boil. 

Until next time, friends . . .

XOXO,

Nellie 

It's Finally Spring!

 

 

Hey everybody and welcome to today's post. It's finally Spring! Hey! Hey! Hey! Spring and Summer are my absolute favorite times of year because the weather starts to warm up and I can finally get out of the house.

 

So in honor Spring my husband visited the Longleaf Vista Trail that's part Kisatchie National Forest. This is the only National Forest in Louisiana and it's home to 604,000 acres of public land filled with longleaf pine trees and colorful azalea bushes that bloom in March and April. My husband, Denis, actually grew up not too far from this park so he knew it was the perfect place for us to explore on a Saturday afternoon.

 

These are a few pictures of the trail I snapped while we were there. Hope you enjoy >>>>

 

XOXO,

 

Nellie 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March Favorites 2018

 

Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog. I hope all of you had a great weekend. With the end of March upon us, I thought I share with you guys some makeup products I've been loving this month and some products I've just been wearing a lot in March.

To be honest I rarely do a monthly favorites posts because I either forget to write down the products I buy each month or I don't really have anything new to share. But March 2018 was different. I actually kept track of the products featured in this post because I was so impressed with how well they worked.

The products range from makeup to skincare - drugstore to high end - and if you see something that catches your eye it'll be linked below >>>>

* This post does include affiliate links. I get a commission from any link that's clicked and if the product's purchased.

 

 

When it comes to makeup I'm a sucker for highlighter. And I've recently fallen in love with an oldie highlighter that's been on the market for a while - The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer Highlighting powder. It comes in a plastic compact perfect for travel and has a really nice mirror that's actually worth having. (Seriously, some compact mirrors look like they should be in a funhouse.) The formula is smooth and leaves a soft finish to the skin that stays in place all day. Unlike other highlighters it's not blinding but leaves a subtle glow to the cheeks that I really like. So far it's the only highlighter I've been wearing since I got it and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a natural glow.

 

Now on to foundation >>>>

 

If there's one thing I can't resist it's drugstore foundation. I mean if I can find a foundation that actually works and costs half the price of a high end foundation, sign me up! I'd been hearing nothing but good reviews about the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation on YouTube, so when I saw it at my local CVS pharmacy I knew I had to try it.

 

Since I bought this in the middle of March I've only worn it a few times and to be honest the first time I tried it I wasn't really sure if it was the one for me. But after giving it another go I was surprised to find that it worked well. It blended nicely and left my skin with a demi-matte finish. It stayed in place all day and didn't transfer and best of all it kept my oily skin in check, blocking the shine even after hours of wear. Plus it has a thin, lightweight formula so I don't feel like I'm wearing a heavy mask after it dries down. 

 

 

As for brows, I've found not one but two products that I've been reaching for more and more in March: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade and the Revlon ColorStay Brow Pencil.

Let's start with the Dipbrow Pomade. This stuff has quickly become my go-to brow product. It's a little tricky to use at first (you gotta invest in a brow brush with a spoolie to apply this stuff properly) but once you get the hang of it you think to yourself, "Why did it take me so long to buy this?" It's waterproof and budge-proof. But you have to be careful because once it's on it's on until you remove it waterproof makeup remover. One mistake can lead to some scary-lookin' brows but once you discover the brow shape that's perfect for you this product will totally up your brow game.

 

I've also been using Revlon's ColorStay Brow Pencil a lot, But like the Super Stay foundation I didn't really like it the first time I used it. It took a few more tries but I soon realized that this product applies more smoothly the more you use it. It has a pointed, triangular tip that helps you draw and fill-in your brows for the perfect shape. Plus Revlon offers 5 colors for this pencil - ranging from Blonde to Dark Brown.

 

 

 

 

 

I also purchased the Benefit Cosmetics Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek palette earlier this month and I've been dying for it ever since. For my full review of this product click here. But long story short - this palette is perfect for travel because it houses three great Benefit products - the Hoola Bronzer, the Galifornia blush, and the Watt's Up Cream-to-Powder highlighter - in one compact kit. A must for any beauty travel bag.

 

As for skincare I've been loving the L'Oreal Pure Clay Cleanser and the Soap & Glory The Fab Pore Purifying Foam Cleanser. A few weeks back L'Oreal released their Pure Clay Masks and everyone raved about them. So, I guess after the success of the masks they decided to release the Pure Clay Cleansers. I went for the cleanser because to me a face mask is a luxury that I don't usually have time for during the week. Still, I'm really glad I bought the cleanser because it offers the same good things for my skin as the masks do without the thickness of a face mask.

 

But out of the two cleansers, I must say that the Soap & Glory Fab Pore Purifying Foam Cleanser has quickly become my favorite cleanser of 2018 (so far). This little baby definitely packs a punch I didn't see coming. It comes out of the bottle as a white, bubbly foam but as soon as I applied it to my face it made my skin tingle without breaking me out or irritating my skin. Now that's impressive! Plus, it left my skin feeling baby soft and refreshingly clean. It's has now become a must in my skincare routine. So cheers to Soap & Glory.

 

Now the next product is an oldie of mine but I've been loving it more than usual in March so I had to include it in my favorites - the Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Kisses. This is a liquid lipstick from the drugstore that gives your lips a matte finish without drying them out. I've actually bought a few more shades of these after I first discovered them and I can honestly say that the color Kisses is still my ride or die. And while it does transfer a little, the color is so beautiful and complimentary I can't help but reach for it. It's been living in my purse for the last month and I can assure it'll be there in April too.

 

Last but not least, I also got the Maybelline Volum' Express The Colossal Big Shot Mascara x Shayla. If you've never heard of Shayla Mitchell you should definitely check out her YouTube channel. She's a makeup YouTuber who collaborated with Maybelline on this mascara and a six-shade City Mini eyeshadow palette called Shayla in the City. I've always loved the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara but when it came time to buy a new mascara I decided to give the Colossal Big Shot Mascara a try and found this one. So far, I've really been liking it. It doesn't clump up my lashes or smear under my eye and even better it's really affordable.

 

So there you have it, folks, my favorite products for March 2018. Thanks so much for reading. I hope y'all enjoyed this post. Until next time . . .

XOXO,

Nellie

Benefit Get the Party Started Mini Cheek Palette Review

 

Hey everyone and welcome to today's post. It's finally Friday! Yeah! We survived another week and to kick off the weekend I thought I'd do a little beauty review on the Benefit Cosmetics Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette. So if that's something that tickles your fancy just keep reading >>>>>

*This post includes affiliate links that if they are clicked and a product is purchased I get a small commission of the revenue.

Now that spring has officially sprung that means that summer is not far behind. And if there's one thing I absolutely love about summer it's summer vacation. Every year my family and I try to go somewhere - whether that be far away or hittin' a local tourist attraction - a little time away from the stresses of every day life can be a lifesaver.

But, the only problem I run into at vacation time is packing. More specifically, packing my makeup. I tend to pack the whole house ... or at least try to. My husband, Denis, mentioned that this year he'd really appreciate it if I didn't bring my purple and black lace, Caboodles cosmetics carrier that I normally travel with and try to stick to 1 piece of luggage. So in attempt to oblige him I decided to reduce my travel makeup and invest in a face palette.  Because honestly, if I can find a product that holds my bronzer, blush, and highlight I'm cutting my packing space down by at least half.

 

 

 

So I saw this little beauty while I was scrolling through the Benefit Cosmetics website. The Benefit Hoola Bronzer is my absolute favorite bronzer so I figured I'd give their site a look and I found their Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette at a budget-friendly price of $20. Before I knew it, this palette was in my shopping cart, my PayPal account was up and ready, I clicked confirm, and this little cutie was on it's way to me.

This palette is not only adorable and travel-friendly, it's packed with products that actually work for a great price. It comes with the Hoola Bronzer, the Galifornia blush, and the Watt's Up Highlighter. This was my first time using the Galfornia blush but I found it be blend really well into my skin. To me this blush is perfect for makeup beginners because it's pigmented enough to show up and help warm up your complexion but no so pigmented that you can put too much on in one swipe. 

 

As for the Watt's Up highlighter - I'm still on the fence about it. According to the Benefit site this highlighter has a cream-to-powder finish. I know there are people out there who probably love this highlighter but I found that it didn't show up on my skin very well. I tried blending it onto the tops of my cheeks with my fingers and even a damp beauty sponge but nothing really worked. So far I've been steering clear from it and using some of my other highlighters but all in all this palette is still awesome. 

 

If you're interested in seeing how the bronzer and blush looked on my face just keep scrolling down - there's a few selfies at the bottom of this post.

 

 

 

 

Bottom line: if you're looking for an affordable face palette that won't break the bank I would highly recommend the Benefit Cosmetics Get the Pretty Started Mini Cheek Palette. It's compact enough for travel yet offers a good amount of product for a reasonable price. I've been using it non-stop and I can't wait to use it this summer wherever we end up going. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading. Until next time . . . 

 

XOXO,

Nellie 

I Can Only Imagine: Movie Review

 

 

Hello everybody and welcome back to my little corner of the internet. For today's post I wanted to tell you all about a movie I saw this past weekend that really inspired me. I'm talking about the film I Can Only Imagine. It was released to theaters this past Friday, March 16, 2018, and it's been soaring up the box office ever since.

Denis and I couldn't wait to see it because he's a big MercyMe fan and I love a good movie with a good storyline. And this movie definitely has a good storyline. It's actually a biopic about the lead singer of MercyMe, Bart Millard, and some of the events that led and inspired him to write the song, "I Can Only Imagine."

The film starts off with Bart being about 10 or 11 years old and you get a first-hand look at the verbal and physical abuse he and his mom received from his dad, played brilliantly by Dennis Quaid. As the story progresses we see how Bart's mom's abandonment and his dad's ongoing abuse affected him through his teen years to adulthood. And trust me, there were some parts where my heart was breaking for him.

But things finally turn around a little when Bart's dad realizes that he needs to make things right with his son. But Bart quickly realizes that forgiving his dad might be the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

I found this movie to be a lovely story of forgiveness and redemption. Bart had to do something I feel more of us need to do - let go of the pain of the past and step forward into a future of forgiveness.

 

Not to give too much away but the film also goes into how MercyMe was formed and how they went on to become the awesome praise and worship band they are today. We also got to see how quickly God can make something beautiful out of something painful and use it to inspire the world.

 



This song holds a very special place in my heart because it was one of my grandma's favorites. She's been deceased for four years now but every time I hear it I think of her.

I highly recommend you go and check this movie out. It's got everything: drama, comedy, and even a little romance thrown in for good measure. But more importantly, it's got heart. I feel that's something a lot of today's films are lacking: heart. While watching it, I laughed a little and cried a little but even more I walked away in a good mood. And in my opinion, if a movie can leave me with a smile it was definitely worth watching.

So that's all for now. Until next time . . .

XOXO,


Nellie