2012: Be...a better me

    It's here! It's time, and I am READY! 

    We have the apartment in the exact order I have always hoped it would be in. It feels like a home, and that's more than I could ever ask for. I was determind to get this place organized and perfect before the 1st, and it happened! 
    Okay, fine...the laundry basket is still overflowing. But out of sight out of mind, right? :)

    I reflected on 2011 yesterday...and today, for my sake, I'm documenting my plans for 2012. I can't call them resolutions, it's too much pressure for me...so my plans for 2012, are to just "be". 
    To be in the moment and to be a better me. 
    I don't want to CHANGE things about me. I want to enhance the person that God made me. 
    I have big/great feelings about 2012, and for all of the happiness I think it has to bring...here are my plans...

    I want to be...a better daughter, girlfriend and granddaughter. I want to give a lot, a lot, a lot more love and more patience to these people I get to spend life with. 

    I want to be...happy. happy. happy. happy. 

    I want to be...better about pictures! I'm determined to document 2012. I am always so darned disappointed when I don't have pictures after an event. This year, I'm going to be super annoying about it :) Maybe I even feel a little 365 project coming along? 

    I want to be...in the moment. I tend to rush through things, not think them through and rush through memories just to get to the next one. I want to take every single bit 2012 has to offer in. I want to soak it in, have pictures of it and remember everything about every second of it. 

    I want to be...an awesome blogger. Ha. But seriously, I know in 10 years I am going to look back at this blog and I know it will be the keeper of many of my hearts memories, and I want to be sure those memories are on here. Plus, I l-o-v-e LOVE meeting all of you fabulous people. Who knew a blog would give me so many more people to share life with? SO thankful for this little ol' corner of the world where I get to be 'Eclectically E'! 

    I want to be...a reader. I am embarrassed to even tell y'all how many books I read this year, which is why it will remain my secret ;) I've got a good set of books sitting over there on the bookcase, and I'm starting on them tomorrow! I am also considering joining a blog book club. We will see how committed I am!

    I want to be...better about not wasting time. I want to not sit on the couch when I could be doing something productive or staying up wasting time on nothing when I should really just be sleeping. Yup, no more wasting time in 2012. 

    I want to be...better about my health. TRUTH: I am not happy with my appearance, but TRUTH: I  am more so not happy with my health. This body needs fruits and veggies, and I have been so terrible about giving it that lately. Which is why in 2012, I will be eating healthier. Done. No conversations about it. C and I are young and we must give our healthy bodies, healthy food to run off of! End of story. 

    I want to be...not so tied up in technology. I know it's a part of our lives, hello it's 2012. But it doesn't need to take up as much time as it does. Gotta go. 

    I want to be...a morning workout girl. No discussion about this one. I am starting this and I am going to continue it. I want to work out 2-3 mornings a week before work. There is no reason in the world I cannot get my jiggly (yes, jiggly, yuck. ew. gross) butt out of bed in the morning and go to the gym for 30 minutes. I will be a new person if I do this. 1...2...3...GO! 

    I want to be...organized. I say I am, but really I just make lists. I want to know where things are and I want to be in charge of my life and not lose so many dang things. That's so annoying to me. 

    I want to be...better about keeping in touch. I have some amazing people in my life, and what good are they if I don't talk to them often? I am too blessed with good people to not keep in touch and spend time with them. 

    I want to be...closer to God. I want to take time during the day to sit in the quite and appreciate what he has given me. 

    I want to be...a saver. I want to make sacrifices now, so we can have what we want in the future. I want to make sacrifices now so I can have a gorgeous wedding one day, a house, so I can be a stay at home mom with the sweet kiddos I pray I am blessed with, and so when it's time to retire or if an emergency comes up, I am prepared. Sacrifices now, will mean more to me in the future than I could ever imagine. I have a goal for how much I want to save by the end of 2012...let's just see how it goes. Fingers crossed. 

    I want to be...a giver. A giver of love, smiles, laughs, hugs, happiness, compassion and a giver of help to those in need. 

    Wow. I had no idea this list would be so long. A lot of times I make ridiculous lists that I can't keep up with. This list comes straight from my heart though, this 2012 year means a lot to me. It's my first full year as a real girl :) and to just "be" this year...to just be a better me is all I am after. 

    What are your 2012 plans??

Cajun Black-Eyed Peas

    Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is thought to bring prosperity. The traditional meal also features collard, turnip, or mustard greens and ham. The peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the pork, because pigs root forward when foraging, represents positive motion. Cornbread also often accompanies this meal. Below is the recipe my boyfriend is making right now for tomorrow! Thanks Chef John Folse for the recipe! Happy New Year's Eve! Happy Saturday! xoxo, Julie


    Chef John Folse's Cajun Black-Eyed Peas

    INGREDIENTS:
    • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
    • 1 pound heavy smoked pork sausage
    • 1/2 pound smoked ham, cubed
    • 1/2 cup shortening or bacon drippings
    • 1 cup onions, chopped
    • 1 cup celery, chopped
    • 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
    • 1/4 cup garlic, diced
    • 1 tsp dry basil
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 cup green onions, sliced
    • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
    • salt and cracked black pepper to taste
    METHOD:
    It is always best to presoak any hard-shell bean in cold water overnight before cooking. This will cut the cooking time by 1/3. Drain peas from soaking water and rinse in cold tap water. In a 1-gallon stock pot, melt shortening or bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, basil, ham and smoked sausage. Sauté approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are wilted. Add bay leaf and peas. Add enough cold water to cover peas by 2 inches and bring to a low boil. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking approximately 45 minutes or until tender. Stir from time to time, as peas will settle to the bottom of the pot and tend to stick. Once tender mash about 1/3 of the peas on the side of the pot using a metal cooking spoon. This will give the peas a creamy texture. Season to taste using salt and cracked black pepper. Add green onions and parsley and continue cooking until peas are tender and creamy. Serves 6.

Best of 2011

    I'm not excited to see 2011 end, but I'm certainly not sad to see it go. It was a year of good...and a year of sad. It's a year I will never forget for some great reasons, and a year I will never forget for reasons that I wish I never had to face. 

    So as I wave goodbye to 2011, I beam for the year 2012. I'm not sure what is ahead, but I must say...I've got quite a feeling about this year :) I love the thought of starting off on a fresh foot, which is why I have been constantly organizing every aspect of my life. I love the feeling of starting over, and that's exactly what I have planned for 2012! 


    Let's send 2011 out with a few memories, shall we? ...




    I completed my dancing career (besides a few classes here and there). 
    And took our team to a national competition 
    with my bff, and got ranked in the top 5! 

    I graduated from Clemson! 


    ...and got some really lovely gifts for doing so! :) 

    Went to Disney World with some of my closest friends for a bachelorette party!

    and got to stand by one of my dearest friends as she got married!

    I got a job in Atlanta...

    ...and moved to the big city! 

    and got some sweet flowers from my parents that meant 
    more to me than they will ever know!

    We welcomed sweet Wally, my new cousin, in to our family! 
    I love this sweet boy, and his name gives my 
    heart so much happiness! 



    ...and last but not least, 2011 had a lot of memories with these people. 
    With them a part of my life, any year is going to be more than I could ever ask for!

    Cheers to 2011...now, let's get ourselves on to 2012! 

Christmas in Pictures

    Thank you all for your recommendations for iphone covers and bathroom smellers :) I will let you know what I decide on. I can always depend on you people to let me know what works best! 

    I finally took some time to load some pictures from Christmas on to my computer tonight! I'm determined to get a lot of things organized and cleaned out before 2012 gets here, so that is where my focus has been. 

    After uploading my pictures, I got super bummed over the fact that I didn't take as many as I normally do :( no pictures of my sweet family together and no pictures of me and C. Bummer, yes? Yes, big bummer. 

    Anyways, here is what I do have. I've got memories in my heart and well, that's what matters! After Christmas, it only confirmed that I've got the most amazing people there are in my life. I am forever, and ever thankful. 


















Need your Recommendations! Please :)

    I promise...one day you will hear all about the Christmas festivities, and you'll even see pictures! But that day is not today :( I am slacking big time. I'm trying to get Christmas decorations taken down, the apartment cleaned and all of our Christmas goodies put away before 2012 greets us. Wish me well, please!

    Anywho, today I need your opinion on a couple of products that I'm in the market for! You all know best, so I'm looking forward to seeing what your recommendations are!


    • iPhone Case: I need a new iPhone case! What are your favorite cases? I don't even know what it is I'm looking for but just want to know what y'all use so I know what's out there! 
    • Smell Good Bathroomer: Haha! What do you call those things? You know, that you plug in to a wall to make a room smell good? I'm certain it's not a "smell good bathroomer", but I cannot come up with the name at all. Wall fragrance? That's better, huh? Oops :) Our bathroom doesn't smell bad, but it just has no smell...I want it to smell fresh! What do you use that actually works???
    • Pillows: We have a complete white bed, and it needs some great pillows! Just nice and fun presents! Girl and boy friendly :) Do you have any good shops you find your pillows? I would love to find them on etsy. Any recommendations? 

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for your help and recommendations!!! 


Reminder! {Giveaway}


    Hi! Hi! Hi! 

    Soooo...my favorite part of Christmas is GIVING! Which, with you sweet readers, means I want to give to YOU! 

    I have been sucked in to e.l.f. makeup products (that I buy from Target, but I think are sold other places) and I l-o-v-e LOVE them! I started out with just the makeup brush cleaner, was won over, and then found my way to their other products! 

    So, cue the giveaway! I'm giving you all the chance to become the owner of your own first set of e.l.f. makeup products!! YAY! Are you excited??? I certainly am. 

    Let's get down to the nitty gritty! The WINNER of the giveaway will receive the following three items (which are my top 3 favorite)...
    Cream Eyeliner

     Moisturizing Lip Tint (spf 8)
    Brush Shampoo

    Sooo...how do you enter in to this giveaway? 

    Let's have fun with this...wanna head on back to the cheesy middle school conversations?...
    • Leave a comment on this post saying which celebrity, if you could choose ANY would you want to head out on the town with one night after making yourself over with your new lovely e.l.f. products?? Cheesy, right? But fun, yes? :) 
    For extra entries, because I really want to give you guys a lot of chances to win! (please leave separate comments for each)...
    Ready...Set...Go!!! Best of luck! :) 

    GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, January 4th at midnight!! 

Bonfires on the Levee Christmas Eve Party!

    On Christmas Eve, bonfires are lit for miles up and down the Mississippi River levees in St. James Parish to light the way for Papa Noel. With the addition of gorgeous fireworks, this is an incredible sight, and my family has made it a tradition to go see these fires every December 24th in Lutcher, La. I was able to get a few photos, so hope you like! Happy Tuesday! xoxo, Julie


Number Sparklers!

    Love these for NYE or a birthday! You can purchase on the Gypsy Wagon HERE. Happy Tuesday! xoxo, Julie

Merry (day after) Christmas!!!

    Hope everyone had an unforgettable Christmas :) 

    I spent the entire day with blessings that I'm still not sure how I got lucky enough to have! 

    I want to blog about all of the wonderfulness...but tonight, I'm sitting on the couch with bags full of luggage and wonderful gifts sitting around the apartment. 

    Those aren't getting emptied tonight, and I'm not imaging me getting up from this couch any time soon. I might just crawl to bed. 

    I'm exhausted, but so thankful for the past few days. My heart is bursting with happiness and love for my sweet family. 

    Let's all get some rest tonight. I'm going back to work tomorrow. BLAH. I'll be getting a blog full of Christmas information together though :) 

    Merry day after Christmas to each and every one of you! 

Champagne Jello Shots!

    I love these for your New Years Eve Party! Find the recipe HERE at tablespoon.com! I hope you all had a great Christmas! Happy Monday! xoxo, Julie

    pic via Tablespoon.com

Merry Christmas!

Ashley's Bride Guide: 2011 Year End Round Up

    Just found out we are featured in the #1 spot on Ashley's Bride Guide: 2011 End of Year Roundup - Our Favorite Overall Real Nashville Weddings for Justin and Kate's amazing zoo-inspired wedding!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blog and follow it religiously so it is a huge honor to be mentioned in this post! Check it out if you have a moment, and if you are planning on tying the knot anytime soon you NEED to be reading this blog!

Festivus Party!

    Today is Festivus Eve! Festivus is a holiday featured in "The Strike" episode of Seinfeld. The episode first aired on December 18, 1997. Since then many people have been inspired by this zany, offbeat Seinfeld holiday and they now celebrate Festivus as any other holiday! "A Festivus for the rest of us!" is the official slogan. See Festivus traditions below! Happy Thursday! xoxo, Julie



    Decor

    Alumninum Pole
     The tradition of Festivus begins with an aluminum pole.  It is a pole, no decorations. Frank Costanza believes that tinsel is very distracting so there are no decorations. The pole is tall, silver, hollow, long, skinny, and heavy.
    Aluminum Pole DIY via Fake It Frugal Blog


    Human Fund Donation
    via She Who Seeks

     
    Airing of Grievances Dinner
    "I've got a lot of problems with you people!!"
    Durning this time, we share with family and friends all the ways they had disappointed over the past year.

    Cakes via She Who Seeks


    Feats of Stregnth
    "Stop crying and fight your father!!"
    This is where the head of the household tests his/her strength with another friend or family member. The great honour is given out to a different person each year. This is a battle that ends with one family member being pinned to the floor, signifying that Festivus is officially over.


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