Where Have I Been? And Our 1 Year Anniversary!

Hello everyone and welcome to my little corner of the internet. For any of you who read my blog on a regular basis you might be wondering why I mysteriously disappeared to for the last month and half. Well, my husband, Denis, was in the hospital from the middle of June all the way to the middle of July. He was sick with a form a pneumonia called an Empyema and let me tell you it was not a fun ride. But by the grace of God he's doing a lot better and he's out of the hospital.

So, now that our lives are kind of returning back to normal I returned to my blog - the one place I can share what's on my mind, what I'm loving, and where I've been.

Well, right before Denis got sick we celebrated our 1 year anniversary of marriage. I found a few pictures of us over the years. Hope you enjoy!



This was a picture of us from shortly after we first met all the way back in 2015.

This was the best day ever. Denis and I couldn't believe how quickly the year passed by.

As for our anniversary - May 27, 2018 - we got all dressed up and headed to Red Lobster for a lovely dinner date. The staff at Red Lobster were so nice they even gave us an anniversary card that had been signed by all the waiters and waitresses.

Oh, in case you were wondering my dress (similar) and shoes came from Torrid and I must say there both very comfortable.

 

 

All in all we had a really good night and I'm very thankful that my husband is doing much better. We both really look forward to what the next year together brings. And that's all for now.

XOXO,

Nellie

Happy Mother's Day, Alice Ree!

 

 

Happy Mother's Day everybody! I just wanted to take the time to give a shout out to my mama, Alice Marie (or as I like to call her, Alice Ree). She's one of my best friends, one of my biggest supporters, and the one of the two people who loves me no matter what. She works hard and she loves even harder and I feel honored and blessed to have her a my mom. 

I hope you all have a great day and now let's go out there and show our moms some love.

Until next time . . . 

XOXO,

Nellie  

Sports Banquets & Sweet Sixteens

Hello everybody and welcome to today's post. Ok, so last weekend was pretty busy for me and my husband, Denis, because we had a sports banquet to go to on Friday and a Sweet Sixteen party on Saturday. Talk about a weekend of cake - which is never a bad thing for me. 

The sports banquet went great. Denis even gave a speech and handed out some trophies. As for the Sweet Sixteen party - my little cousin, Chancy, (who's not so little anymore) made the big 1 6. Her birthday party was bohemian themed and I thought her cake was one of the most coolest ones I've ever seen. 

All in all we had a great weekend with family and friends. And I can't wait to see all the amazing things Chancy's gonna do the older she gets. 

Until next time . . .

XOXO,

Nellie

8 Essentials You Need for Starting a New Job

 

Hello everyone and welcome back to my little corner of the internet. I started a new job recently and while I was getting ready for my first day I picked up some things that I wish someone would've told me I was going to need when I started my first job. Now when you see the things on this list you might think to yourself, "Well, duh, you're going to need that." But trust me, a little reminder never hurt anyone. 

So, with that in mind, here are 8 Essentials You Need for Starting a New Job >>>>>

1. Notebooks: Whenever you start a new job always, always, always have a notebook - in fact, have two or three notebooks. When I started my first job I learned pretty quickly that if I was going to do the work correctly I was going to have to write a lot of notes. I found that the a regular size notebook was perfect for keeping the steps and guidelines of the job, while the smaller notebook came in handy when I needed to take notes on the go. 
Starry Notebook: Target (Similar)
Cactus Notebook: Target (Similar)

2. Multicolored Pens: Pens are a must for the first day on a new job. Of course they are - we all know that. But different colored pens are even better because you can color code your notes if you want to be really organized. I found that by using different colored ink for different notes helped me understand my scribbled notes later.Plus, the different colors give some life to your desk (if you have a job with a desk like I do).
Pens: Target (Similar)

3. White Out: Every job is different so some things on this list you might not need (like white out) but other jobs will not supply you with the basics so get you a white out just in case. 
White Out: Amazon

4. Post-Its: If you work in an office Post-Its will become your best friend. I use them on everything - to keep notes, to mark stuff, to hold my place in books/pamphlets. And while most offices have Post Its it never hurts to buy some of your own. You never know when you have to scratch a quick note. 
Post Its: Amazon

5. Highlighter: Most jobs will have offer an orientation and during that time they'll give you paper after paper of different policies, rules, and guidelines you'll have to follow. A highlighter can really come in handy when you get these papers because you can highlight the really important stuff in a flash. 
Highlighter: Amazon

6. Erasers: As with starting anything new you might make a mistake and need to erase something. Invest in some cute erasers that not only help you clean up your mistakes but encourage you to keep your head up. I got mine from Target and I love them because every time I see them I'm reminded that I can do anything and that I am truly blessed. And that's never a bad thing to be reminded.
Erasers: Target (Similar)

7. Lunch Bag/Box: One of the best things you can invest in on this list is a lunch box. While I do eat out every once in a while most days I bring my lunch. I found this cute little lunch bag on Amazon and I love it. It's compact but large enough to hold my lunch and snacks. 
Lunch Bag: Amazon 

8. Tote Bag: The last thing you'll need when starting a new job is a bag to carry all the other items I mentioned. I got the flowery, pink one from Old Navy but really any tote/purse/shoulder bag will do. 
Bag: Old Navy (Similar) 

So now you know my 8 essential things you need when starting a new job. Now it's your turn to share. What's something you wish someone would have told you to buy when you first started your job? Let me know in the comments. 

And until next time . . .

XOXO,


Nellie

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