A Quick Update

Hello fellow Bloggers!!!!!!
Sorry I've been MIA the past couple of months. Everything has been so crazy I haven't had time to breathe. As you know, I got engaged to the best man in the world! Then two of my friends and I went to Destin for a week for spring break- and it was AMAZING!!! I also graduated on May 18 from LSU with a Bachelor Degree in Child and Family Studies. The day following graduation we had our engagement party, and Will (fiance) and I also went to California for a week! As soon as I got back from California I had to come straight to Atlanta, where I have been since June 3, because I had breast reduction surgery on June 8!!! Along with all of this my Dad and the family have moved back to Louisiana, so I got in some QT with them before I left, too. It's hard to believe how much has happened in such a short amount of time, but it has all been great!! I'll fill you in on my spring break trip, our California trip, and I plan on writing a weekly (maybe a little more often tho, since I have lots of free time now) update on how recovery from surgery is going. Thanks for all of the well wishes I have received!!!

It feels good to be back!

We're Engaged!!

Isn't it beautiful!? The setting it is in is all fleur de lis!!! It's perfect and I could not be happier!!
Here's how he proposed:
Unfortunately, Will and I only see each other once a week. So, while he was on his way up here Friday night after he got off work, he called me and asked me if I still had the scrapbook I started making for our first anniversary. (Of course I still had it!) Then he mentioned he had something to add to it. When he got here he pulled out the Blockbuster receipt me and my best friend wrote my name and number on when we met. I could not BELIEVE he still had it after 3 and a half years!!!! It was the sweetest thing! Then, we started looking through the scrapbook, and when we got to the poem he wrote me on our first anniversary he read it out loud (You really just can't get sweeter than this). Then, he asked me where I kept the scrapbook, and told him I kept it in a box in my closet with all of our cards and the letters he sent me. He asked me to show him, which I did, and then he said something was missing from the scrapbook. I asked, "what?" and he said, "pictures from the baptism." I asked if we had any pictures together from that, and he said he didn't know. Then he said there was something else missing (what else could be missing? I put everything we have in there! LOL). So, I asked, "what?" again, and he knelt down and said, "moments like this." Then he repeated the last line from the poem he wrote me- "One year isn't enough, let's make it forever." and he told me how much he loved me and asked me to marry him!!!!!! It was so beautiful and, of course, I was in tears before he could even ask!!!

I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world! We probably won't be getting married for 2 years, because I have to finish grad school first, but I know it will fly by!!! I can't wait until May when all of my family is in town and we can celebrate together!!!

This weekend has been the best of my life so far! I finished English (finally), the Hunger Games movie premiered (which was amazing- go see it!), and, of course, getting engaged was the ICING on the cake!!!!!! We want to thank everyone for the well wishes, love, and support, and we are so excited! Here's to the next step in our wonderful journey together!!

ZUMBA!

Okay, I FINALLY tried Zumba. My absolutely wonderful mother got me the Zumba Exhilarate DVD set! I tried it for the first time today and I LOVE it!!!!!

I never look forward to working out- it's always annoying and sometimes painful, and even though I feel better after I hate doing all that "work." THANKFULLY, Zumba is so much fun!!! It's a workout (that's for sure) but the dancing and the music make you forget you're exercising (besides the sweat and the difficulty breathing lol)!

I am not the most coordinated or agile person in the world. And, somehow, I lost the rhythm I used to have in high school (or maybe it was all in my head). But, Zumba is super easy! I don't get ALL the steps quite right, but it doesn't matter if you're having fun with it! It's great cardio and it works EVERYTHING! What I really love is that I can do these DVDs in the privacy of my living room so I don't look like an idiot LOL. I get really self-conscious when I go to workout classes, and this is the first time I've tried Zumba. I usually tire really quickly when I workout, but, surprisingly, this didn't happen with Zumba! In fact, after an hour of learning the moves and 30 minutes of full-out working out I still wanted to keep going! Unfortunately, I can't just stop my life LOL.

I look forward to continuing using this and getting better at the moves! This makes me actually want to work out! I can't wait to try some of the harder stuff! If you hate working out like me I definitely think you should try it. I don't know how you could NOT love it!!

Here's the link to get the DVDs -> http://www.zumba.com/shop/category/dvd_s/

Also, there's Zumba for Wii, which is a less expensive option. I haven't tried it but I bet it's just as fun! ->
http://www.zumba.com/en-US/shop/category/video_game/214/

Somewhat Wordless Wednesday- Joy {linky}

The thing that brings me more joy than anything is spending time with all of my family together. This weekend I got to do that when I visited my brother in Pensacola for my niece's 3rd birthday. Watching my mom and stepdad push her on the swing outside was one of the best parts of this past weekend, and I wouldn't have traded it for the world!

The Best of Me- Nicholas Sparks

I am a huge Nicholas Sparks fan. HUGE. And, unfortunately I don't have very much time to read his books during the semester. However, my mom lives in Atlanta (8 hours away) so I try to squeeze in some leisure books during my drive. Audiobooks are a life saver when it comes to road trips, if you ask me.

So, on my last trip back I decided to get Nicholas Sparks' new book- The Best of Me. I always laugh at myself when I get his books for a drive because I always end up crying my eyes out, and I feel ridiculous when I'm driving and bursting into tears at the same time.

Anyway, this book is an unbelievably sweet and romantic story about long-lost lovers who find each other again. I can't really get into it because (A) I'll cry haha and (B) I might accidentally give away the surprise twist. If you're a hopeless romantic like me, though, you will LOVE this- and I mean love it. A love like the kind in this book only happens to a lucky few of us, and this story is so amazing (as well as a little heartbreaking) that you will not be able to stop until it's finished.

So, next time you're at Barnes and Noble PLEASE pick up this book. It is so good, and I know all you hopeless romantics out there will fall in love with it as much as I have. It's simply wonderful

52 Card Pickup- Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is coming up! As a full time student I don't have a lot of wiggle room in my budget, so I am taking inspiration from my Mom at The Old Back Porch and making a card for Will this Valentine's day. I have always had a love for scrapbooking (although I am not as talented as my mom), so I try to keep a stash of scrapbook supplies around for times like this.

I just used some black-and-cream polka dot cardstock, Martha Stewart glitter, and some heart tacks. The lettering took a little time, but I love the way it came out!
Happy Valentine's Day!!! <3

Some Positive Encouragement!

On Friday I decided to try to take K-Love's 30-Day Challenge where you listen to nothing but Christian music for 30 days. Lately I have been neglecting my personal time with God, and I know I need a bit of a reboot; so, I thought, what better way to start?!? The music is so uplifting, and I've always loved listening to it. I challenge everyone out there to do the same thing and see if it doesn't change you. When I do this it puts me in a better mood, gives me a better perspective, and gives me strength and patience I know I would not have if it weren't for God.

Try it... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)

http://www.klove.com/30day
Positive, Encouraging, K-LOVE! <3

All You Need Is L-O-V-E

YAY! My "faith, hope, and love" compilation of artsy stuff is complete! This, like the others, was really easy to do! I went to Hobby Lobby (my favorite) and got a wooden hanging decoration that said "Love," some small silver-lined beads, and some glue.

I spread the tacky glue across each letter with a cosmetic wedge and stuck the beads on. It got to be a little tedious, because at one point you have to add them individually around the edges to get full coverage. It took about 1-2 hours to finish, but it was worth it!

easy crafty fun!

This week at bible study we decided to have a "pinterest party!" It's mid-terms so we decided to have an easy week and just do crafts we've been wanting to do instead of our usual study. It was so much fun! I made a "hope" thing-a-ma-bob to hang on my wall:

It was so fun and easy and CHEAP! I just bought 4 pages of card stock, 4 canvases, some glue, and some sequins. I love it! It came out great and it is the perfect addition to the "faith" breast cancer fleur de lis I did over the summer.. now all I need is "love" and it will be complete!!!

Cookies and Cream Cookies

I volunteered to make some goodies for my Bible study this week and I was so excited because I always see so many recipes on pinterest that I want to try but cannot eat by myself.

The one I chose to make I found on pinterest via the Six Sisters' Blog: Six Sisters' Stuff: Cookies and Cream Cookies

I love everything cookies and cream so I thought this would be perfect, and when I told one of the girls from Bible study about she said "Omgosh you have to make that!" This recipe is really simple and really yummy! Okay, it's more than "really yummy" THEY ARE FLIPPING AMAZING! lol these are officially my new favorite cookies.

So, here's how ya do it:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (4.2 ounce) package Cookies 'n Creme pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups white chocolate chips
15 Oreo cookies, very coarsly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars, add pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda with a whisk then add it to the butter mixture.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips and Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped- or crushed in a bag is fine too). Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Tip: Reynold's non-stick foil works great too!

4.Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven until cookies tops barely have a touch of brown. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

They are soooooo good and the pudding makes them sinfully moist. They are amazing, and if you don't believe me make them for yourself and see!!!

Teva Women's Mush Flip Flop

This semester has been so busy I barely have time to breathe, much less blog. However, I just got these new flip flops and i LOVE them... I just had to share!! :D

I have a pair of Volatile flip flops that are super comfy and just a little high. I thought those were the most comfortable flip-flops ever... until now! These are seriously the most comfortable shoes I own. Usually when it comes to flip-flops I try to not spend too much so I go to Old Navy and get like 3 pairs for $5.00... I don't think I'll ever go back now, though! These were $20 at DSW but it is $20 well spent!!! I wear my flip-flops into the ground and this is a good pair that is sure to last for a while. My old flip-flops were so worn down I could feel the rocks and everything on the ground but I don't think I'll have to worry about that with these. They're thick but not bulky, and unlike Old Navy flip-flops, the top part of the sole (the part you actually step on) is "mush" so you won't slip! I can't tell you how many times I've slipped out of my Old Navy ones. I think these will probably be the only flip-flops I buy from now on.. I LOVE THEM!

e.l.f. cosmetics

So, I am definitely what people would call a girly-girl which means I love makeup and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, however, makeup is expensive (especially my favorite: MAC). But there is hope!!! At the new Target in Esplanade Mall in Kenner my friend showed me this new line of makeup that sells almost everything for ONE DOLLAR (some of it is $3-$6 but that's still cheaper than everywhere else!)! The line is called eyes lips and face- abbreviated e.l.f. The store didn't have everything I was looking for- especially since most of it was sold out- so I checked out the website:

elf Makeup & Cosmetics – Top Rated Premium Cosmetic & Makeup for Less

They have SO much great stuff! And it all seems to be good quality. They're always giving away free stuff or HUGE discounts. I have so much I want to buy from them already (just need the money to do it LOL)! I've read the reviews and it is almost ALL positive! I can't wait to try it!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday! I'm sure a lot of people say this but this time it's really true: I have the best mom in the world! She has done so much for me. She has always been there to support me in whatever I want to do and she has been there to help me through every problem or obstacle that has come my way. I would not be who am today if it were not for her. She is the one who has made it possible for me to do so well in my classes and really focus on getting my degree. She is the most loving, caring, kind person I know and I don't know what I would do without her. We have certainly had rough times but we are closer than ever and it makes me so happy that I am so blessed to have a mom like her. I know that she would (and has) do anything for me that I needed. She would support me as long as I was safe, happy, and healthy. Without her love and support I probably would have gone down a completely different path. I could only wish that more people were like her. We have a lot of our own inside jokes and songs that we've made up and I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope that when I get married and have kids that I can be as amazing as she is. I know with her guidance that I will be able to at least be close to her amazingness. It is no surprise that she is so great, though because- in case you didn't know- I have the greatest grandparents in the world, too. And they are just as amazing and supportive and loving as my mom and I wouldn't trade any of them for anything in the universe.

So happy birthday, mom! I hope it is an amazing one and I wish I could be there to celebrate with you! I love you!