As I sit here and try to write about the year 2016 and all that has happened between the months of January to December, I'm overwhelmed. Overwhelmed because I'm in awe of the change that has taken place in my life. Overwhelmed of the fact that so much can happen in such a short period of time.
 I can say with certainty that 2016 was one of the weirdest, unpredictable, eventful, uncomfortable, yet best years of my life. I've grown in ways that I never knew were even possible, and pushed myself far outside of the comfort zone I have been stuck in for so long. I've learned that you reap what you sew, that being alone doesn't always mean being lonely, and that Taco Bell makes every bad day better.
Yes, I had to include Taco Bell because I've probably had it 100 times this year. (New years resolution: stop eating so much Taco Bell).
 So cheers to another year full of blessings and adventure. I can't wait to see what God has in store!

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is the fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." 

-Psalm16:11 

New Traditions: Christmas Pajama Party

At this time last year I wasn't in the best place in my personal life. The Christmas season was painful, and I couldn't focus on anything but myself. But experiencing that pain made me appreciate the Holidays so much more and made me realize how blessed I really am. 

This year my mind is clear and my joy is full. My focus is shifted to the reason for the season, and I'm cherishing these moments with my family. 

I've realized that I am so lucky to have what I have. Some people are going through an unexpected breakup, a tragic death, or maybe Christmas has always been hard for them due to a broken family or loneliness. Whatever the reason, Christmas isn't always cheery for everyone. 

It wasn't exactly cheery for me last year. But here I am, one year later, and I am completely okay. The feelings subsided and my heart matured. I have grown so much and learned not to take anything for granted. 

Sometimes the most heartbreaking pain we feel can seem so useless and hard to bear, when in reality it's teaching us a lesson we otherwise might have never learned. 

And that's something worth celebrating. 

What better way to celebrate than a party? We had so much fun eating tons of food, hanging out in our pajamas, and exchanging stocking stuffers. 

It's the little things that mean the most.

 I will have all of the recipes of the food I made listed below! 

Ham roll sliders

Turkey pinwheels

Sugar cookie M&M bars

Santa crunch christmas popcorn

Grinch green punch

White chocolate gingerbread truffles

(Still obsessing over these cups)

Thanks so much for reading! 

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Luke 2:14

JORD Giveaway

Hey ya'll! Today I wanted to share with you this beautiful watch I have been loving recently. Not only is this watch beautiful, the quality of it is absolutely amazing. It's made from South African Zebrawood that offers an exceptional finish. I love this watch because it matches everything so perfectly and it adds a lot to any outfit.

 Jord Wood Watches  was kind enough to sponsor this post and they're offering you guys a giveaway! With Christmas right around the corner, this watch would be a perfect gift to win. You can enter the giveaway here  and when you enter, you are automatically emailed a $25.00 gift card. It's a win, win! But the gift cards are limited so hurry there, you won't want to miss out!

The gift card will expire on 2/28/17.

I highly recommend Jord Wood Watches to anyone looking for a high quality watch. They offer tons of beautiful styles for both men and women. And with the gift card you receive from entering the giveaway, the price is pretty reasonable! Go check them out!

My Watch

Contest Link

Christmas in the Caribbean

Spent a week in the Bahamas last week with my family for Christmas. The weirdest thing is going from 88 degree weather on the beach to 30 degree weather here in Georgia! 

We had a great time and I can't wait to go back. 

Outfit details: 

Romper: TJ Maxx

Black dress: Belk

Swimsuit: Dillards

Velvet dress: Forever 21 

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

Proverbs 30:5

Christmas Hair, Makeup, & Outfit Idea

Hey ya'll! I'm sure you are all just as excited about the holidays as I am. And with Christmas and New Years right around the corner; I figured I would share with you guys a hair, makeup, and outfit idea! I am actually leaving this weekend for a cruise with my family, and this is what I will be wearing for dinner on the ship. But it would be perfect for any type of holiday party!


 I found this beautiful velvet dress for only $12.90 at Forever 21 (steal), and paired it with some tights and my favorite black booties.

Dress (Forever 21)
Booties (American Eagle)
Tights (Old Navy)

For my hair I clipped in my favorite Bellami extensions in the color ash blonde. I then curled my hair with a 1 1/4" curling wand, focusing on the ends of my hair. Then I brushed through the curls to get a soft look. 

Curling Wand
Extensions 

Red lips are normally out of my comfort zone, but I think they are perfect for the holidays. This is one of the matte lip colors from colourpop in the shade Notion and I absolutely love it! I think it pulls the whole look together. I will link all of the other makeup products I used as well. 

Lips: Colourpop matte lip color
Foundation: Covergirl outlast 3 in 1
Concealer: Maybelline fit me
Powder: Rimmel London stay matte
Eyebrows: Colourpop brow pot
Contour: Kat Von D shade and light pallette
Eyes: Carli Bybel Palette
Lashes: Ardell Wispies
Lashes: Toofaced better than sex mascara

Thanks for reading! 

"Now to him that is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power that work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever."

Ephesians 3:20,21

Affordable Stocking Stuffer Ideas

 Hey ya'll! I'm excited to share with you guys some affordable stocking stuffer options for Christmas. My family is actually going on a cruise for Christmas this year so we decided not to do big presents. We came up with the idea to just exchange stocking stuffers instead! There's an option for both men and women, let me know what you will be giving as stocking stuffers this year. ;)  (Links are at the bottom of this post)

 For her: 

For him:

Womens Jcrew Socks

Starbucks Hot Chocolate

Burt's Bees Lip Balm

Covergirl Foundation

Planner

Joe Coffee

Adidas Cologne

Kenneth Cole Tie

Mens Watch

Thanks for reading! 

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." 

Ephesians 6:11

Affordable Christmas Decor Ideas

 Hey ya'll! I kind of got a late start on Christmas decorating this year but I wanted to share with you guys some really cute & affordable decor ideas!

I found these really cute flowers at the Dollar Tree for only $1.00. The quality of these are amazing and they really add a lot to the tree.

I found both of these gold pieces at Hobby Lobby for around $10.00 each and they look perfect on our coffee tables! They would also look good on a mantle. 

I love these white knit stockings! $9.99 at Hobby Lobby. 

Thanks for reading! 

Store links:

Hobby Lobby

Dollar Tree

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." 

Philippians 2:3