wild magnolia

2014-03-31T11:48:00.001-05:00

I ADORE Rachel Zoe. ADORE. So, coming home to her latest book waiting on my doorstep Friday afternoon was the perfect way to begin the weekend. Though my weekend schedule didn't allow time for much reading, I am beyond excited to get to dive into her glamorous world through the pages of Living in Style soon. In the meantime, it's the perfect compliment to my coffee table.

Happy Monday my loves...

And the World Spins Madly On...

2014-03-26T15:07:00.002-05:00

One of my dearest friends from Nashville performed in Baton Rouge. It's such an incredible thing to see people you love succeeding in what they love.Check out Jon Pardi's music if you have the chance.

He's awesome!

One of my college friends got married in New Orleans and I was kind of obsessed with my jumpsuit.

New Orleans afternoon..

A sweet request... which I joyfully accepted of course...

Checking off another item on the bucket-list... Elton John live with the fam...

He is pure MAGIC...

Another New Orleans wedding selfie!

And the girl... just being beautiful...

It's officially spring. It's still pretty chilly most of the time, but flowers are blooming and everything is coming back to life. It's lovely. There's been a lot going on around here lately. It seems like everyone is getting married so more often than not, you'll find the boy and me at weddings. Thankfully, he's such a trooper and makes a fabulous date. Aside from that, after almost 3 years at the company I've been working for, I've decided to make a career change. More on that later... Basically, it will be an entirely new challenge and there will be so much for me to learn. But, I realized that it's the best decision for me and I couldn't stay where I am because it's comfortable and secure. I have to take a leap of faith and step out of my comfort zone for an opportunity that is far more beneficial in the long run. Still, change is scary and this is A LOT of change.

As far as the boy goes, he accepted a job that will keep him in New Orleans longer. Although I'm happy that he's working more consistently now, any hope I had of us being in the same city again just dissipated. It's rough. Long distance is rough and I miss my best friend ALL. THE. TIME. At least I have that big eared ball of muscle who follows me around the house and exudes uninhibited joy every time I walk in the door. She's pretty amazing and life is crazy but it's lovely too...

2014-03-25T11:08:00.001-05:00

Sneaux Day...

2014-01-27T14:16:00.000-06:00

This is South Louisiana...

We don't do snow...

So, when we got a mixture of sleet, ice and snow on Friday; the entire city shut down. The pup and I spent the day snuggling at home watching the weather and movies. Lola was more than a little confused by what was happening outside and stayed glued to the window all day (once she was thoroughly rested of course). I can't say that I hated it...

Now, we are preparing for what may prove to be an even more intense display of winter weather chaos tomorrow and Wednesday. Schools are already closed and most businesses are as well. To my friends up North, I know this sounds bizarre at best to you but you have to remember; this is not the norm around here. We don't have tire chains for trucks with salt to clear the roads. People around here can hardly drive in the rain let alone frozen rain. So, we're going to see what happens and plan accordingly. Wherever you are and whatever weather you are experiencing, I hope you're safe and snuggled warm with your loves.

Happy Monday dolls...

Sidenote: My bestie came home from Ohio just in time for the Louisiana Snowpocolypse 2014.

So we drank a little bit...

The First Seven Days of 2014

2014-01-07T13:31:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!

As 2013 came to an end and we ushered in an entirely new year, I had a very sick boy on my hands. So, our New Year was incredibly uneventful. Then, there was a quiet birthday dinner the night that I celebrated my 29th year of life. Christmas decorations were picked up, the house was cleaned to look normal once again and I've finally been getting back into a normal routine. Oh, and if you haven't heard on the news or via every form of social media... IT'S COLD! So, since I haven't officially written any resolutions for 2014, and I'm not going outdoors anytime soon, here are a few things that I'm going to work towards this year:

Working out more; not for the typical reason of losing weight, but to be a bit healthier because Lord knows, I'm not the picture of healthy living that's for sure
Find a church that I genuinely connect with... I've attended a few but have not found a place I feel connected so I sort of gave up. I need to be more diligent in that effort
Find more meals to cook because I've actually begun to enjoy cooking
Be more social. It's hard to believe that that is a goal of mine because typically, my issue is the opposite. But, with the house and the boy, I've not made much effort to go out much.
Balance my time between my family and friends better
Work at something that I love and am passionate about
Join a new philanthropic organization since the one I worked very closely with was closed
Always remind the people in my life just how much I love them, because this life would be nothing without them and the joy and love they bring to it...

I don't want to set myself up for failure in thinking I'm going to make a bunch of significant changes in my life. If I've learned anything, it's that change happens when you least expect it, simply by living your life. So, here's to a beautiful, joyful 2014 for us all...

Well hello there...

2013-12-18T11:51:00.000-06:00

I probably could have saved this post until the end of the December as a look back at the past few months, but I feel like I've been away too long. Life has been so much...beautiful and chaotic, sad and joyful... It's been so all encompassing that my attention has been focused on my beautiful loves in front of me and taking in the moments of joy I've been blessed with. Unfortunately, I haven't made time for many creative endeavors, especially writing and blogging. So, I'm trying to take a moment now to breathe and remember some of the big moments. I've been home so much lately that I nearly forgot how much traveling I really did over the past few months. That, along with spending time with the boy I ended up loving far more than I ever intended, has made for quite the interesting year. Then, last week, he moved to a different city and my heart is a little broken. Don't get me wrong, we're still very much together and have every intention of doing what we must to get through this time of physical distance but I miss him every day. So, instead of focusing on that, here is what my life has looked like while I've been away...

Fernandina Beach, Florida

Savannah, Georgia

After boyfriend's fashion show...

Louisiana

Little Rock, Arkansas

Lola... as Yoda

Showing B around my city... Nashville, TN

(yes, it will ALWAYS be my city...)

Country Music Awards

Zip-lining in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Chatanooga, TN

Hunger Games inspired photoshoot

My loves...

Wherever you are today, I hope you're surrounded by sunshine and love...

XoXo

Return Me to the Sea

2013-07-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

I am leaving in the morning to return to the place that my heart has always called home. Though I was raised in Louisiana, my summers have always been spent on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. Babies, weddings, and life have kept me from my place for a few years but I am finally returning for a week. My heart is so emotionally strung out right now that this trip could not come at a more perfect time. When I fought vehemently against falling for the man who was so diligent in making me love him- wouldn't let me not love him; I inevitably lost the battle. Now, things are broken and I cannot help but wonder why he ever spent so much effort convincing me to commit to him when, once I did, he has only managed to hurt me over, over and over again... For awhile, I genuinely didn't care. I didn't care if we were together or not. I wouldn't allow myself to get attached. But, once someone becomes a part of your every day life, you can't help but care regardless of what you ever intended. It has become a common case of "when we're good we're great. but when we're bad we're terrible." Still, in the midst of my sadness, I get beautiful messages from old flames who remind me that I am loved and that I am worth fighting for. They have been notes of love reminding me how precious my soul is and that they, themselves, are not giving up on me. Appalled at how I've been treated lately, they are my very unexpected saving graces.

It sounds ridiculous and narcissistic when I say that I almost feel too loved, because that really isn't possible right? You can't ever be too loved. But, it is too much when your heart is partly broken and tremendously exhausted and you feel like you're going to hurt the ones who genuinely, deeply love you. Because one man held my hand and looked me in the eyes and lied, I don't have enough inside of me to even attempt to think about starting over with someone new. So, all I want right now is to be sitting in the sand looking out over the ocean and remembering that all of these strings pulling at my soul are thin; and when God is ready, he'll remove them and set me free again... I don't know how I want all of this to turn out in the end. I just want to be somewhere physically and emotionally far away from here...

2013-05-17T16:27:00.002-05:00

"I thank God I'm myself and for the life I'm given to live and for friends and lovers and beloveds, and I thank God for knowing that all those people have already paid for me. You've been paid for by people who never even saw your face. Your mother's mother, your father's father. And so it behooves you to prepare yourself so you can pay for someone else yet to come. Whose name you'll never know. You just keep the good thing going..."

- Maya Angelou

O Magazine May 2013

Life Lately...

2013-05-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

A bestie's baby shower...

Concerts...

Home Repairs...

Festival International de Louisiane...

Mama Bear's Birthday...

Mother's Day...

So much happening around here that I've neglected my little blog. Also, I just really haven't had much to say if I'm being totally honest... I'm sure things will get more interesting giving me things you'll actually want to hear about in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, here are a few recent pics of life around here.

Have a great weekend sweethearts!

XoXo

I Believe in Love...

2013-03-28T16:37:00.004-05:00

Because I'll stand by my friends for as long as there are people who continue to treat them as less than the incredible, beautiful, loving, irreplaceable human beings they are. Also, because if I have to suffer through continuous questions from my family about when I'm getting married, so should they...

XoXo

Irish Blessings...

2013-03-18T12:21:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point, St. Patrick's Day became kind of a big deal. I'm certainly not mad about it. I mean, how can you argue the celebration of a holiday that honors both luck and mischief, and requires everyone to wear green? (Side note: This girl's hazel eyes look greener when I wear the color. Win.) So, I celebrated the eve of the Irish holiday with my buds...

And celebrated the actual day like this...

Whether it's divine grace or the luck of being 1/3 Irish, my cup runneth over

and I'm full of joy and gratitude...

Happy (Day After) St. Patrick's Day...

That sounds better than Monday if you ask me...

Follow Me...

2013-03-14T09:54:00.002-05:00

"Murad Osmann and his girlfriend Natalia Zakharova have traveled to destinations most people only dream about: They've seen the rice fields in Bali, swam in the Singapore infinity pool, walked the streets of Barcelona, and even toured Disneyland in Hong Kong. But instead of run-of-the-mill tourist shots, Murad snapped pictures of his girlfriend taking his hand and leading him through some of the world's most iconic and recognizable landmarks. There are more down-to-earth pictures too, like those of Natalia on a park swing, or at a bowling alley."

via Business Insider

The gypsy part of me loves this...
The romantic part of me adores it...

I Don't Have a Choice But I Still Choose You...

2013-03-12T17:57:00.000-05:00

I should tell you about moving from an apartment to a house... my first house. I should tell you about the logistics of what's been happening and of the actual day-to-day things that I've been doing. But, I'm not going to tell you that today, because I just read one of my favorite guys' blogs "ExBoyfriend Material," and he inspired me. I suppose inspiration would be the word because his rawness is exactly that- inspiring. He's braver than I am. He'll say everything; anything. He'll lay his whole world on the line because it makes him real and genius, and brave. So, I'll try to follow Ryan's example and tell you a truth deeper than my usual banter. This is what's been on my mind; not merely what I've been doing...

The boy messaged me on "whatsapp" Saturday. I only have that application because he is on the other side of the world and international communication is ridiculous. It's nearly 1 pm here, nearly 8 pm where he is standing, smiling, living... His life is there and mine is here. Every once in awhile they'll collide but not nearly enough. So much lies between there and here but it doesn't always feel that way. Often, it feels like he's just in another state instead of on the other side of the earth. I suppose that's another truth about gypsy souls, distance seems insignificant because we embrace the journey in between even when it's much more than that.

"I miss you."

That's what the message read that he sent on Saturday. While in the middle of moving chaos, when everything around me was a mess and in disarray, I saw those three words and stopped. For that moment, I smiled because he missed me and when you're this far apart that is everything; knowing someone misses you. Having them say it means quite a bit more. It's validation. Then, I was mildly annoyed because it had been a few days since we'd communicated. If I'm totally honest, it wasn't an incredibly long period of time. But, when the only thing you have are quick text conversations and sporadic Skype dates, a few days seem like forever.

I shouldn't miss him, right?. At least, that's what my brain says. Logic says that I should pay more attention to the boy who is here making an effort to be present in my life; the one who is hanging my mini-blinds and playing with Lola while I unpack. He's cute and sweet and present. Isn't that what I'm supposed to look for? Shouldn't I try to find someone here because that would make sense, right? But, that's not where my thoughts are... where my heart is... There are a lot of things that would be reason enough to let go, but then there is that- my heart is on the other side of the world with a man that somehow changed everything. It doesn't make any sense and I cannot explain it to myself so I certainly can't force it to make sense here. But, I told you that I'd tell you the truth and that is it. And last night, just before I fell asleep, I sent a simple message into the void...

"I miss you. Really miss you."

Because, I do...

Image found at WeHeartIt

A New Chapter of My Story...

2013-03-01T14:42:00.002-06:00

Well, it's official... I am officially a homeowner. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it, but I am beyond thrilled. While we were in the closing yesterday morning, our Realtor commented that God certainly had his hands over this. Although it was a long and often stressful process beginning in November and closing yesterday, everything worked out perfectly. What has made this even more meaningful is having been able to share it with my family, and people who have been around our family since I was a child. There's something very reassuring about knowing that the people who watched you grow up, contributed to one of the biggest milestones of your life. To continue this ongoing declaration of gratitude, I absolutely could not have done any of this without my amazing mother (who clearly wears many hats besides only mom) and my "stepdad." (I quote that because we never refer to him that way but it is the simplest way to describe his role in our family.) From the night the decision was made, they have been beside me the entire way. There are not words enough to thank them and my amazing friends who have loved, supported and reassured me through this journey. If you've been following this blog for awhile, you are well aware of my inability to find contentment in one space. Even if I have no intention of uprooting my life right now, I have to know in my soul that I can if I want to. So, that's when my friends come in with their incredible understanding of my gypsy soul and put my spirit at ease. "If you decide to leave again," they say, "you can. You can always rent the house if you need but you don't need to worry about that now. This is an amazing moment in your life and you should live it fully and enjoy it." In my heart, I know they are right and I smile because I really am happy. I am full to the brim with joy, gratitude and love. Reflecting on everything that I've been blessed with in this life truly takes my breath away, and I wonder how I ever ended up here. However it happened, I am thankful and do not take a moment of it for granted.

So, here's to the beginning of a whole new chapter... I am blessed and indescribably grateful.

This really has been God's work and I'm anxious to see what this new adventure holds...

Moving on My Mind...

2013-02-19T16:03:00.001-06:00

Sooooo... I'll officially be moving into my first house (OMG.OMG.OMG) in a few weeks. As you can imagine, I've been glued to Pinterest and houzz.com for months now. Of course, this is my first home so it will not be remotely this lavish, but these are a few ideas of the paint colors and color schemes I'm pulling from. Basically, it's going to be shabby chic and 100% girl! The way I look at it, this will be the only time in my life where I don't have to take into consideration a man's opinion or children tearing up the furniture. So, it's going to be a doll house and I've finally started making some concrete decisions. Seriously, I could look at the same paint colors and change my mind every day for weeks if no one stopped me. I'll keep you updated as we go along but these are a few of the images I've been swooning over...

Traditional Living Room design by Other Metro Media And Blogs Kasey Buick

Traditional Bedroom design by Houston Architect Maison Market

Last 3 via pinterest

C'mon Take Me to the Mardi Gras Where The People Sing and Play...

2013-02-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

Mardi Gras is tomorrow, though you'd swear it lasts for weeks (which, it sort of does...). This year, I opted not to participate in the festivities with the Mardi Gras Krewe of which I'm a member. Instead, I've bounced around the state celebrating with some of my long lost favorite people. No schedule. No need to be anywhere but where my soul led me. It's been a whirlwind of laughter and debauchery and we wouldn't have it any other way. So far, this has been incredibly tame in comparison to Mardi Gras passed but one thing is certain... things are never dull...

One more night and one more day of the season...

Let's go...

Baby Love x2

2013-02-07T14:00:00.002-06:00

The only thing better than being an aunt...

Is being an aunt twice!

Welcome to the world Isabelle Grace...

You are already loved more than you'll ever know...

2013-02-02T15:28:00.001-06:00

When Dateline Does a Story About Your Town...

2013-01-31T13:21:00.001-06:00

I didn't know her. I don't know her family, but when Mickey Shunick went missing on May 18, 2012; our entire town forgot everything before that day. Everything you heard or saw or read was about finding her, one of our own who was missing. It was constant and heartbreaking. I was born and raised in a small town, and moved here during college, and again when I returned to Louisiana years later. This little city is much larger than where I am from (actually, it was made to seem much smaller in this piece), yet it is still a small town in many aspects. Most of us can go anywhere in town and know someone. I can go out virtually anywhere and know that if I needed them, someone would be watching out for me, making sure that I was safe. Mickey grew up here, born and raised. I imagine she, probably even more so than myself and my friends, felt safe here; because that's how you should feel in your hometown.

For awhile, the entire country heard the story because it was broadcast all over the national news and social media. But, after Mickey's body was recovered, our town mourned her and moved on. It wasn't because we forgot, it never is when you lose someone, but because we had to. I suppose it's just the way life is. Her story, however, still runs through everyone around here. We are more aware, especially the female members of our community. I think that most of us put more thought into routes we take, our surroundings, and the people we surround ourselves with. At least, I hope that's true.

The fact of the mater is, people are sick. They are dark and they are twisted and they don't all have a conscience telling them right from wrong. Not everyone, but some people are just evil. Like the rest of us, they live and breathe and work all around us. They aren't always easy to spot, but they're there among us all the time. Still, there are also the people who make communities like this one so incredibly special. There are those people who will give their time, their energy and their love to help to find a girl that they've never met. They do it because it matters, and because if it was their loved one missing, they would hope someone would do the same for them.

So, as Dateline NBC aired Mickey's story Tuesday night, everyone watched. Across every social media outlet, via text messages and phone calls; people reminded each other to watch. So, we all tuned in and this is what I believe. No one watched for that hour because we needed reminding of the horror that happened here. We can never forget that. But, we watched to be reminded of how our city came together and fought for one of our own. The faith and the drive and the persistence of the Shunick family and Lafayette as a whole was extraordinary. Everyone contributed however they could to help bring Mickey home, because we knew that with a small twist of fate, it just as easily could have been any of us. So, I hope that everyone who watched this Dateline special took to heart more than the tragedy. I hope you remember that she fought back. Like her mother said, "she fought for a life that she wanted." And, I hope that you keep in mind that even in a place that we feel the safest, that isn't always our reality. If you're ever in a situation that feels strange or uncomfortable, ask questions or remove yourself from it. Who cares if you look rude or ridiculous? That's significantly better than the alternative. Around here, we aren't jaded or walking around in fear. We just don't have the luxury of being naive anymore, and we're doing what we can to be able to keep ourselves and our community safe.

We'll never forget Mickey or her family. I hope you won't either...

2013 Krewe of Apollo Ball

2013-01-29T10:27:00.001-06:00

Glam, Glitter, Gays

Fireworks, Friends, Booze and Ballgowns...

All of my favs in one place under constantly falling confetti

The Krewe of Apollo Mardi Gras Ball was certainly the most fabulous yet...

Here's to the start of another incredible Mardi Gras season...

XoXo

(And yes, Natalie and I accidentally wore the same dress. Well, us and about 5 other people in attendance. It certainly made for entertaining ice breakers.)

2013-01-25T12:37:00.000-06:00

They all change us don't they? Friends, lovers, strangers we encounter every day... they all shift who we are, even if it's so slight we hardly notice. But, it happens. Every day. What a nice thought...

HAPPY FRIDAY

Whooooo Saaaaaa

2013-01-24T16:17:00.000-06:00

Do you ever have those days where you literally look around and think, "WTF is going on around here?!" People seem to be losing their minds left and right and everything that could set fire to your already fraying nerves, begin to draw sparks. Yeah, it's been one of those weeks...

Tuesday, I woke up to a text message from number I didn't recognize. I recognized the area code but not the number. My brain at 6:45 am wasn't on its A game, but five minutes later, I realized who it was. In that moment, part of me was mad, really mad because he had no right to push his way into my life again. Another part of me smiled just a little knowing that he can't forget either. Come on, tell me you wouldn't get some kind of sick satisfaction out of knowing that you made that kind of mark on someone's life. What masochists we are!

Then, yesterday morning, my office was taken over by that one person you just don't want to deal with at 8:30 am; that person that, no matter how much you try, you just cannot appease. They are out of their minds and want to pull you into their madness and will push and push and push until you are at the edge of your seat trying desperately not to catapult yourself across the room in a fit of rage. Yep... that was my morning yesterday...

But, I'm trying to put things into perspective. I'm looking at everything from different angles; noticing the "silver linings" if you will... The text from Tuesday morning was jarring, but at least I can say that I've loved in my life and that someone has truly loved me. And, after yesterday came to an end, I realized how much progress I've made personally. I have a terrible temper but I kept it at bay when, at any other time in my life, I wouldn't have. So, I'm proud of myself. I'm proud that I can put all of these moments to the back of my mind and move on from them. I can sit here and appreciate the little victories and giggle a bit. I can also be truly grateful that my friends have the same sick senses of humor as I do and will send hilarious photo jokes to make me laugh. Sometimes, all we can do is focus on the little victories. So, here's to that... and the fact that we are two days away from the weekend.

Whoooooo Saaaaaaa...

Let it Go...

2013-01-21T10:10:00.003-06:00

When it takes everything in your power not to just lose your mind out of sheer stress and annoyance, there are only two things to do... Put on a fur vest and go out with your friends.

There is nothing wine and/or beer and dancing cannot fix...

And then just sleep it off...

Happy Monday my sweethearts....

Random Thought Thursday

2013-01-17T14:54:00.000-06:00

It's been quite awhile since I've done a post of what I've been thinking. I always loved my "On My Mind This Monday" series, but I sort of let that fall to the wayside. So I thought I'd do something similar today. Here's what randomly been bouncing through my mind lately...

Sometimes, it's really nice to have a rainy day; one during which you can relax, have an excuse to stay in without guilt or explanation, and just revel in beautiful laziness. Then, there's the weather we've had here recently (for a month or more actually). It's been raining. Every. Single. Day. Fierce rain, misty rain, overcast skies, standing water puddles, extreme flooding, the whole nine yards... And, weather like that wears on you. Staying at home gets old and having nothing to do but read, watch movies and clean gets to the point of driving you crazy. But, then, you wake up one morning and the sun peeks through the windows and you feel lighter. And, it's sunny today...
Waiting on paperwork for anything, but especially when you're buying a house and you're a person who has zero patience; is miserable. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel so I'm trying to focus on that.
Boys who can make me laugh (genuinely make me laugh) and love my dog are awesome; absolutely awesome.
I'll be an aunt for the second time in only a few short weeks... I'm beyond excited...
There are some things in life that you just cannot do alone. In those times, amazing friends and social media are absolute lifesavers!
King Cakes have been on sale in Louisiana for a few weeks and I'm seriously testing my willpower to stay away from them. I don't know how much longer I can hold out... and don't get me started about Girl Scout Cookie season being just around the corner...
I wonder if some people could have their conversations played back for them, if they'd realize how absolutely ridiculous they are.
Your favorite hangouts from your early 20's look a hell of a lot different through the eyes of your late-20 year old self.
Going through old pictures with new people in your life and telling each other about them is really quite entertaining.
Sometimes, it's worth it to drive across town for homemade comfort food for lunch. It just is.
There is a priceless expression on someone's face when you tell them, "You'll probably only ever run into maybe one of my exes. Most of them live in different states."
Did I mention it's sunny...and it's absolutely the most beautiful sight I've seen in some time...
Do you ever stop and look at your life and realize that so much of what you've always wanted has either happened or is happening? The more life I live, the more I believe in the theory that what you focus on and put your energy into, is what you attract into your life.
I'm really happy (the sun is contributing) but I'm happy

Image here

28 AND FABULOUS

2013-01-03T21:17:00.000-06:00

As I was having my coffee yesterday morning, The View came on television. Whoopi Goldberg began talking about the age that you actually grow up. She began a conversation around the idea that at the age of 28, you "officially" become an adult. You settle down, grow up, focus on having a meaningful relationship, and you stop being so reckless. As I sat there listening to her, I thought, "Hmmmm, this would explain a lot..."

Not long after that, one of my best friends called to wish me a happy birthday. In the midst of our chat, she casually declared that 28 is going to be an amazing year for me because of a dream she had the night before. "I dreamed that you were getting married," she said excitedly.

"Well that's great B, but there's one significant part of that equation missing..."

"I know. I'm not saying that you're getting married this year, but this is going to be a year that everything is going to finally work out and make sense. This is going to be the start of something. The only thing was that in the dream, I was locked in a closet and couldn't get to the wedding. It was horrible!"

With that, I giggled and told her that she should probably google the meaning behind being locked in a closet on your best friend's wedding day. But, she is the eternal optimist and that is why we are friends. She is my balance and if she had a dream and believed it with her whole heart, then who am I to argue.

I cannot say if any of this is an accurate foreshadow of the year to come; if I'm going to slow down, stop being so reckless, or finally focus on making one relationship work. I don't know if I'm going to stop trying to control everything or if I'll finally accept that staying in one place is perfectly okay (normal even). I have no idea if 28 will be the year that I suddenly "grow up," but I'm anxious to see what's in store.

Day one was spent relaxing, shopping, and enjoying the company of some of my favorite people in the world. It ended with a beautiful family dinner which included wine, cake, and presents! I don't know that I've felt more appreciated than I did in so many ways yesterday. But, if that is an example of the direction this year is headed... 28 IS GOING TO BE FABULOUS!!!

This feels like a new beginning; a blank page to begin a new chapter of my story and I am hopeful and excited and tremendously grateful for more time on this earth to learn and love and grow. Stay tuned for what happens...

XoXo,

Randi and Lola

wild magnolia

And the World Spins Madly On...

Sneaux Day...

The First Seven Days of 2014

Happy New Year!

Well hello there...

Return Me to the Sea

Life Lately...

A bestie's baby shower... Concerts... Home Repairs... Festival International de Louisiane... Mama Bear's Birthday... Mother's Day...

XoXo

I Believe in Love...

Irish Blessings...

Follow Me...

The gypsy part of me loves this... The romantic part of me adores it...

I Don't Have a Choice But I Still Choose You...

A New Chapter of My Story...

Moving on My Mind...

C'mon Take Me to the Mardi Gras Where The People Sing and Play...

Baby Love x2

When Dateline Does a Story About Your Town...

2013 Krewe of Apollo Ball

Whooooo Saaaaaa

Let it Go...

Random Thought Thursday

28 AND FABULOUS

A bestie's baby shower...

Concerts...

Home Repairs...

Festival International de Louisiane...

Mama Bear's Birthday...

Mother's Day...

The gypsy part of me loves this...
The romantic part of me adores it...