Christmas Dreams & New Year's Wishes

Heeeeyooooo - Have no fear, I'm still here. Just haven't been around HERE. I had a pretty decent Christmas - honestly just thankful it's over. I love the hustle & bustle of the holidays - the shopping, the Christmas lights, the parties, the food but I'm always relived when it's time to get back to normal life. I really love shopping for others and buying them really special, unique gifts but dang it sucks to have to pay my bills after all that shopping too!

 

Christmas with my family was actually pretty smooth. To keep things in line with Thanksgiving, we had no blow ups, no tears and everything was all smiles. I actually talked my dad, brother, stepmom and my aunt & cousin into coming to Christmas Eve services at church with me too. My brother and I are working on fixing things with our relationship, and I couldn't tell you the last time I really argued with my mom. THIS NEVER HAPPENS IN MY FAMILY!! I could get used to it.

Candlelight Christmas Eve Services at my church

Ms Tilly looking all kinds of Christmasy in her new red jacket

 

I'm a redneck and all I wanted for Christmas was to shoot my brother's new rifle  - disregard my chubbiness here

So things are pretty good around these parts! Going into 2014, I'm looking forward to new episodes of Parks & Rec, new adventures, , big Jesus moments, more Luke Bryan, new relationships and working towards getting my hot body back. I'm just a simple girl!

 

Happy New Year!! XOXOXO

5 on a Friday



{ONE}

#Jimberlake round 2 is happening on Saturday night! I AM SO EXCITED!!! Set your DVRs kids, because you know we'll be quoting this one until they team up again.

{TWO}
I'm going to attempt this look this weekend....

{THREE}

Speaking of red & sparkly gold... let's all make this our goal this holiday season! I posted this on my IG yesterday and I needed to hear it. I'm mainly giving a motivational talk to myself because I have to go out and brave the holiday shopping crowds this weekend. Every year I say I won't be a last minute shopper and every year I am.

{FOUR}
I chopped my hair off last night. Holla if you love sassy hair! I used to be such a risk taker with my hair - I'd try crazy colors and cuts, granted now my big girl job limits me to these risks. But my hair is fine y'all. Not like DAAAAYYYMN fine, but baby hair fine. When it's long it gets stringy and ratty. So I chopped it. We mixed up the colors a bit too, just hard to tell in that pic. It's all dark underneath. I love it!

{FIVE}
You know we all love this song!

I won't be posting again until the after Christmas so MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody!! I love you all SO MUCH more than you know and I'm so blessed with your friendships this year. Thank you for reading my crazy stories and loving me anyhow!!

 

 

Boyfriends

I know I JUST did a post about dating, but a funny conversation happened at work today that led me to this post for you. No, I don't have a boyfriend... but I seriously still love this Bieber song. Haters gon' hate!

 

The real point of this post today is to tell you some fun facts about my dating life:

1. I've always wanted to date a guy named Nick. Nick & Nikki, come on! That's adorable. Let's make this happen.

 

2. My last name starts with a B. I'm very weary of marrying a guy that would move my last name to the back of the alphabet. I almost became an S last name by marrying Skye. Oh the anxiety that caused me!

 

3. I've turned into a lazy dater. I don't want to put up an effort if you don't live in the same town as me. I don't want to text you all the time or talk on the phone for hours. If you're younger than me, ain't happening! I'm not sexting you and definitely not sleeping with you. Dating just is not my focus right now and I'm clearly not going out of my way to make things happen.

 

4. I have become a social media stalker. It's true, judge me if you will. I am completely in "love at first sight" (one sidedly) with a guy I'm friends with on Facebook. I'm kiiiiiiind of holding out for him to fall in love with me too. I wish I was kidding with you right now. I want him.

  

Last Random Wednesday for 2013

You like that creative title, don't ya?? My homegirl Shanna is having her last Random Wednesday link up for 2013 so I had to jump in there with her. Plus, I have LOTS to update you on! Can you believe that one week from today is Christmas Eve? Go home 2013, you are DRUNK and have flown by.

 

Let's start with my Louisville trip - It was sooo amazing! A 4 day weekend was JUST what this girl needed to recharge myself before the holidays. Manda and I had a little alcohol fueled fun! We hit up the Marker's Mark Distillery tour and got to taste lots of yummy bourbon and of course ended our weekend with Mr. JT. Here's my weekend recap via IG pics {nikkib918}


Found my old Britney's Greatest Hits cd for the 3.5 hour drive up! #it'sbritneybitch

 

Manda took me to her church Sunday and it was so awesome! I loved the service, and they have a coffee bar!

 

Long weekends are the best, but coming home is nice too. I still have plenty of Christmas shopping to do, and lots of volunteer work coming up for our Christmas stuff at church so I'll be a busy little bee the next week.

 

I just want to take a moment and count my blessings. Things are in such a good place in my life right now. So much different from where I was just one year ago. My work is amazing and big changes are coming, but I am so excited for new opportunities. My family is actually good too. We are getting along and my mom is feeling pretty good. My brother and I are talking again and that just makes my soul happy. My church family is seriously the very best. I love the people God has put in my path! My friends are amazing - real life & bloggy. God has filled my heart with so much joy. I can't help but spew about it.

 

And speaking of joy....I got these babies in the mail over the weekend. Sweet Erin's hubby made these for me! I have been lusting over earrings like these on Etsy for over a year but never took the plunge. The best news is: if you like these and want to purchase some YOU CAN for only $10 here.

 

Blogmopolitan Quiz

Since I'm a traveling woman today, driving the short trek to Louisville, I thought I would provide you with some reading material. I'm sure by now you've seen the Blogmopolitan Quiz floating around blogland, hosted by Ms. Erin at Two Thirds Hazel. I can't resist a good Cosmo quiz, so I wanted to join the fun. Fun fact: I love seeing your handwriting. So for any weirdo people like me who are into that too, here's my handwriting. Enjoy and happy weekend loves!

 

If I don't show back up on Tuesday, then just go ahead and assume JT ditched JBiel for me and we ran off into the sunset together...

 

 

I'm Bringing Sexy Back

Just kidding! I'm not...but I'm going to see the man himself this weekend who has single handedly brought sexy back to us. Dear baby Jesus, thank you for the day you created the amazingness that is Justin Timberlake!!

 

I've had the great pleasure of seeing JT in concert before. 2007, Nashville, Bridgestone Area. JT, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, Pink. One of the best concerts I've ever been to in my life. He's the ultimate entertainer. He sings,  he dances, Timbaland rapped, I sang & screamed until I didn't have a voice anymore.

 

2007 Pre-Concert with my BFF Jennifer

My super excited to see JT look

This time around JT has all kinds of new songs for me. I've heard it's a 32 song set!!!! (SQUEEEEAL!!) My and my girl Manda will be rocking out in Louisville this weekend just waiting for Sunday night to roll around. We've been patiently waiting for MONTHS since we bought the tickets. Feels like forever ago and I can't believe it's finally here!

 

Winter Skincare

Praise the Lord my face actually is NOT a hot broken out mess right now. I feel like I am constantly battling my face. As an adult, it's just flat out embarrassing. I am a stress breaker-outer (that's totally not a word, roll with it). My face hates deadlines, drama and PMS. I've always had combination skin, but this winter, my skin has really suffered from dry patches. My regular skincare routine was doing nothing to remedy this problem.

 

My regular skincare routine is:

Cetaphil for a daily face wash

Neurtrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer for Combination Skin

Then I was also having to use my Mark Tinted Moisturizer to fix patchy dry spots

I am a lucky little blogger to get the Meaningful Beauty VoxBox from my friends at Influenster a couple weeks ago! Sometimes I am skeptical of these products, and honestly sometimes I'm just too lazy to actually use them fully. This Crème de Serum is AMAZING!

 

It's by Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty line. And I don't know about you, but I would trust anything that woman promotes for skincare and anti-aging because homegirl looks fabulous! I am in my late 20's and I have no consistent anti-aging routine in place, so I might old Cindy up on her kit after my little serum runs out. So at first I was just using it at night to see how well it worked. Now it's taken the place of my regular daily moisturizer, and my patchy spots are gone. It's basically like a moisturizer and primer in one. I have no idea if it's had any effect on my breakouts or not, surely it's not a miracle worker. The only thing I don't completely love about the product, is the smell. It's not bad, but just different. Definitely worth a try, in my opinion.

 

*This product was received complimentary from Influenster, but all opinions are my own.

 

Did you get the Meaningful Beauty VoxBox?? If so, what did you think of the Crème de Serum?

In Which I am Still Dating...

This post I did in March about dating still makes me laugh when I read back over it. I had only begun my dating adventures at that point. I have learned SO much during this year of singledom. I feel like I could write a book! Let me give you a little update on my dating escapades...

I lost count on the total number of dates I've actually been on. I am a firm two dates maximum kinda girl. Meaning you only get about 2 dates to make some magic happen with me before I ditch you. I know that's probably not an excellent tactic, but I'm not big on wasting anybody's time if there's no chemistry. There's only a handful of boys that I've been out with more than 3 times. (That number is 4, in case you were wondering)

I've found that I am an awful, horrible, very bad, terrible judge of age. Men who are my daddy's age absolutely love me. And I am strangely attracted to guys who I think are my age but then turn out to be babies. There's a guy who plays in the band at my church who is just so cute. I thought FOR SURE he was at least 30 - which is over my age. NOPE! Come to find out he's twenty freaking one. The youngest guy I've gone out with is 25 and the oldest is 45. My ideal range is 29-35.

Sometimes it's okay to blur the lines of friendships to explore what's there. I have some really great back up boyfriends in my life. There can come a time when you spend so much time with someone and you're both single (especially when alcohol is involved), you naturally wonder "what if". I will admit the person who has gotten closer to me than anyone was a friend and we completely blurred the lines of our relationship. I had been attracted to him ever since I first met him. Obviously we didn't end up together, but I would try again with him in a heartbeat. He might be my soul mate, and maybe he just doesn't realize it yet.

I am the female Good Luck Chuck. For some reason, guys I've dated feel the need to update me when they do get girlfriends. I can safely say that 95% of all the guys I've even gone on 1 date with currently have girlfriends now. Maybe I'm a good luck charm? For them at least? I say I'm not picky, but I guess that's not entirely accurate. I expect butterflies. And that seems like a lot to ask, but I'm like Ted Mosby looking for love. (If you don't watch HIMYM then we'll just say I'm a closet romantic)

I've had some questions asking if I'm still seeing the country boy that I first went out with back in September. Let me just tell you this boy a charmer! He asked me to meet his parents for our 2nd date. If I had a type, he would be it! We always have a good time together, but we don't see each other exclusively. Maybe when he's ready to settle down more, he would definitely be boyfriend material.

Now I realize this post makes this sound like I date a lot....but sadly that's not true. I'm okay with dating, I'm finally comfortable with it. But I'm okay with staying at home with my pup in my yoga pants too. I am flattered when people want to set me up, I take it as a compliment. Actually last night my pharmacist at Walgreens asked if I had a boyfriend because she wanted to hook me up with her cousin! Such is my life! You know what I always say, God has perfect timing. So until my man comes along I won't get my panties in a wad about dating. (is it weird that I talk about God's perfect timing & my panties in the same breath?)

Weekend Update

This is gonna be short & to the point...
WHY IS IT MONDAY ALREADY?!?!? I took the most perfect Sunday afternoon nap yesterday for 2 hours and it came back to laugh in my face at 1am this morning when I couldn't fall asleep.

 

My weekend was pretty great. Work Christmas party Friday night, walked in a parade Saturday night then yesterday was a huge celebration with my re-baptism. It was a low-key but filled with friends and family. It's so funny how I have become such a homebody these days. This time last year you couldn't keep me at home on the weekends, I was a wild woman still trying to find my happy. I know I am getting older (and maybe lame) because I actually look forward to going home and cuddling up with Tilly to watch How I Met Your Mother reruns. Maybe it's because it has rained for a week straight. Whatever the reason, I am definitely not mad about it.

Thank you all for your sweet comments about my baptism from Friday! It means so much to me to have your support. Y'all are the best! But surely you know that by now, since I cannot stop saying it! :) Some of my closest friends and family came to watch me too. It was such a time of happiness!

Oh yeah and I lost 5 lbs last week!!!! That's a total of 11 lbs down. It feels really good, but I still have a long way to go. Baby steps. I just want to whine sometimes and say that weight loss is tough, but I won't today. I'll just take my 11 lbs and smile!

You can find me on Instagram {nikkib918} to see my pictures from the weekend! I'm off to a meeting. Thankful for a 4 day workweek!!

 

 

 

5 on a Friday!

{ONE}

Let's discuss Courtney Loves Dallas...anybody watch this on Bravo last night? You know I'm a Bravo freak so I'll jump on board with practically anything they air. I really loved Most Eligible Dallas, which is how we all got introduced to Courtney Kerr. I was really rooting for her and Matt Nordgren! She's just a doll. But honestly I was a little let down by the show last night. Hopefully it will pick up as the season goes on. 

 

{TWO}

 

RIP Nelson Mandela - The world truly lost a warrior yesterday. Such an amazing man, with big ideas and truly believed in making this world a better place for the sake of humanity and not selfish reasons.

 

{THREE}

The Band Perry - Don't Let Me Be Lonely
I love this song! Did you see them with Fall Out Boy on CMT Crossroads a couple weeks ago? So good! I love that Crossroads show and how they mix up music styles. Fun Fact of the day: My brother is completely in love with Kimberly Perry. Most of the girls he dates resemble her.

 

 

{FOUR}

For your viewing pleasure....the man I will be getting cozy with in 9 days (just go with it...in my head we will be getting quite cozy) I am thankful for JT for rescuing sexy and bringing it back to us.

 

{FIVE}

I have some exciting life news to share with you guys! I am getting baptized this Sunday (for the 2nd time in my life). The first time I was baptized I was like 11 years old. I was in 6th grade and had only just kissed a boy. I hadn't experienced any real tragedy or heartache, and definitely hadn't made many mistakes. Then I grew up, church began to fall lower on my priority list. I still had faith, but spent about 11 years out of church completely. I wouldn't call it a completely terrible time in my life, but there was always something missing. Enter a heartbreak last November and I tried every single way I could think of to fill this void inside myself. Since Feb this year I've been going to my current church. I absolutely love it. If you've been a reader around here for any length of time then you've seen me struggle and you've heard me talk about getting back my personal relationship with God along the way. I have definitely found my place and through being single and focusing on myself this year, I've been able to further grow my relationship with God. It's been absolutely life changing for me! I will still stumble in my walk of faith, I will still feel sad some days, I will still have a beer, I will still date, but my priorities are different. Someone who has been a true spiritual mentor to me will be baptizing me and I cannot wait to share my story with all my friends & family!

 

Happy Weekend loves!!

 



Random Wednesday

I haven't linked up with my boo Shanna in a while, and since I'm feeling all sorts of random today this works out perfectly. Plus, I love that girl. Seriously, if you don't know her she is the most fashionable, absolutely sweetest, loving, supportive and genuine person. She's definitely one of my dream blates!

 

Random 1: I am totally one of those annoying East Coast people who blabs about TV shows all over my Twitter & Instagram before my West Coast homies get to watch. SORRY! The Voice is probably the main one that I get sucked into tweeting about...and last night I may have expressed how upset I was about Matthew going home. I couldn't help it! Don't hate me, friends!

 

Random 2: Have y'all seen this video of Run Burgundy interviewing Peyton Manning? hilarious!

 

Random 3: If you are a true Hunger Games series fan, then you know you laughed at this.

 

Thanksgiving Weekend Update

 

Few words in the English language are more desirable to my ears than: 4 day weekend. I can't even remember the last time I had 4 days in a row off. It was so glorious! And I survived Thanksgiving with my family!!!! YIPEE! It actually wasn't bad at all. My mom had her moments, but we spent a lot of time at her house going through old pictures - which is one of my favorite things to do. No big blow ups and no tears this year - CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?!? It's a Thanksgiving miracle!

 

I was pretty lazy most of the weekend. I did clean my house, rearrange my bedroom and living room furniture - by myself, and put up all my Christmas decorations though. But I also totally got sucked into How I Met Your Mother, Parks & Recreations and Harry Potter marathons. Yoga pants were my best friend. I laughed so hard at one episode of Parks & Rec, I spit out my wine. I didn't hate it! Being lazy is my new thing...apparently I need more friends.

 

Saturday was the PERFECT day to be a Vol fan! Alabama lost the Iron Bowl, Florida lost to FSU and we beat Kentucky! The ultimate trifecta. AND HOLY CRAP THE WALKING DEAD!!!! I seriously cannot wait until February now.

 

Here's my weekend in pictures via Instagram {nikkib918}

 

Love these 2 fellas - Left is my brother's "puppy" Bo & right is our old boy Chipper (we're a Braves family, can't you tell?)

TREE TIME!!! I'm a big believer in waiting until AFTER Thanksgiving for Christmas decorations.

Seriously love Christmas lights! I am that weirdo who sits at home, in the dark, with only my Christmas lights on. It's so relaxing.

Galatians 6:9, needed to hear this yesterday!

 

Feeling Heavy on the Thankful

This post is a little heavy...sorry about that! But I want to make you laugh first! Nothing is better than a dancing Peeta!

Seems like every year I go into the holiday season with a negative attitude. Dealing with my family is not an easy task for me. My mom and I butt heads almost every single time I speak to her. So enter the holidays and we are thrown together and there's your definition of ugly. It has become very ugly on many occasions between us at the holidays. It would take me a very long time to fully explain the relationship my mom and I have to you. But I can sum it up by saying that I think she resents me and doesn't ever try to hide those feelings, while acting completely opposite towards my brother. She's also very emotional and dramatic, and while I do have my moments, I am mostly not like that so it's hard for me to relate to her. We are pretty much polar opposites. She has battled drug & alcohol addictions her whole life, and unfortunately put her family last sometimes when it came to her vices. She hates that I'm not like her and that I'm close with my aunt and my dad. She is always taking any opportunity to get in digs at me. {end rant} That being said...my mom is very sick right now. She has stage 4 lung cancer and she's been battling that for 14 months. I try to appease her because I know she is sick, but I am being honest when I say my relationship with her is still very much a challenge.

 

My brother has always been the most important person in my life. I would do absolutely anything for that boy. But since my breakup last November, he has not been supportive of me at all. It's been a roller coaster of a year with our relationship. I have probably cried just as much over him as I did over Skye. It's been a genuine reality check for me. And it's affected other people in our family as well. I don't want to put all the blame on him because I am to blame too. I understand he's immature and maybe didn't quite know how to support me, but I didn't expect much. Just a little loyalty and family solidarity. Even though he has hurt me, he will always be my baby brother. I will one day be able to get past things with him, but I'm not sure I ever have the desire to be close to my mom. I know that sounds awful to say, trust me, but it's the truth.

 

These are very personal family issues that I have been focusing on lately. But honestly I have to turn them over to God because they just weigh me down. I have let these things get in the way of my thankfulness for all the other wonderful things in my life.

 

My point today is: be thankful. Period. Even if you don't feel thankful, take a moment to give yourself some perspective.  We all struggle with things in our personal lives. We all go through bad patches, but we do not have bad lives.

I am going to try so hard this year to enjoy this time with my family instead of just trying to survive it. I am thankful for the people I have in my life who do always support me and never belittle me. I am thankful for my church, which has completely transformed me from a broken person with a black heart. I am thankful for being able to know you through reading all your stories and for you being able to read mine. I am thankful for those who know the darkest depths of my secrets and never judge me. I am thankful for all my little daily blessings that other people pray for.

I'm gonna turn the comments off on this post, but definitely want to wish you ALL a Happy Thanksgiving with the ones you love! XOXO