iEllie

We FINALLY made it to Disney World!

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:31:00 +0000

Disney trip real talk.

Did we have fun? Yes!

What was great? Logan had a great time! His favorite park is Epcot, and his favorite rides are Soarin, Smugglers Run, Space Mountain, and Star Tours. He had a magical time, and that’s all that matters. He LOVED Galaxy’s Edge and had a blast making his lightsabers and Droid!

But if you want an honest review of Disney without rose-colored glasses, keep reading.

We all agree that the firework show at Magic Kingdom was ok, but Harmonious at Epcot was extraordinary!

The food overall at Flower & Garden was a 10/10!

The Cast Members (staff) were wonderful! Everyone was accommodating and friendly. It was pretty crazy all week, but everyone we interacted with was kind. We only had one bad interaction with a Cast Member on Smugglers Run in the Chess Room. We did not get a picture at the chess table because of it. I was pretty bummed about that.

You still can't do much interacting with characters, but the little we did get was fun.

Were the rides still fun as an adult? Yep! We had a blast!!

I went to Animal Kingdom for the first time. I did enjoy it, but we skipped Pandora. I don't care about Avatar 🤷‍♀️ The Festival of the Lion King was fantastic! It’s a must-do! We didn’t get to do the Safari because of the weather. I hope to go back and do it the next time I visit.

Was it a madhouse? Yes!

Would I go again anytime soon if I had the choice? Nope!

We originally planned to go to Disney in June of 2020. That did not happen due to the pandemic. When Disney reopened, they promised to honor our tickets at the cost we had originally purchased them for until August of 2021. Unfortunately, Logan was not eligible to receive the vaccine yet, so we had to wait until March of 2022 at the earliest.

While we began replanning our vacation, the rules were constantly changing, and the price continued to go up. The cost of our trip probably doubled if not tripled since our original plans.

When I started replanning our trip, things like ParkPasses and Lightning Lanes were now something to plan for. This was not in my original cost plans. We paid for the park hopper option initially with the plans to hop if the park we started at was too busy. Disney changed the rule on park hopping to only after 2 pm since I had purchased the tickets. We ended up only using it one day, and if I had the option when I rebooked, I would have asked for a refund on the park hopper and put it towards Lightning Lanes.

When we originally planned to go to Disney, it was before the 50th Celebration. I was excited to be there for fun, but we did feel that extra cost. Another thing that was frustrating was the crowds. Disney is still in the process of restaffing, and it was highly noticeable on Monday at Magic Kingdom. The lines for everything were insane. And I do mean everything! The park was completely overloaded, and there was zero crowd control. It was our worst day.

Even with the Lightning Lane days we did purchase; it was tough to plan our days. We did Lightning Lanes Sunday at Hollywood Studio and Monday at Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, because it was so crowded, it didn’t work the way it was intended. There weren’t enough windows, and we could only book Lightning Lanes for the late afternoon, even though I was booking at 7 a.m. We had two at Hollywood Studios on Sunday and three at Magic Kingdom on Monday. It was pretty messy. When we came back to Magic Kingdom on Saturday, the flow was better, and the crowds weren’t as bad, so you could actually wait in a line in between or do a “filler” ride or activity. That was not the case for Sunday or Monday. We didn’t have a prayer with Rise of the Resistance. I wasn’t about to stand in a 3-hour line with an eight-year-old.

PhotoPass was inconsistent. We had an incredible photoshoot in Galaxy’s Edge at the Millennium Falcon on Sunday. For the rest of the trip, the photos were good but not excellent. The photo pass did not work well on rides at all. We are still missing photos from some rides.

We thought we would be able to refill our water bottles and save some money on water. We didn’t see one water refill station. That was another unexpected cost.

The Orlando Airport is a nightmare. Baggage claim and the car rental when we arrived were absolute chaos. Trying to check-in for our flight home was also chaos.

Disney just updated their signage around the property, and the placement and direction are horrible. Don't trust the signs. Use Waze.

Overall we did have a great time. In some ways, it was better than we originally had planned, and in others, not so much.

Side note, my phone screen got cracked on the trip. I’m taking it to the Apple Store tomorrow to get it repaired.

New Year, New Skates!

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 18:35:00 +0000

We are 22 days into 2021, and I feel like we've already lived through an entire year. Hopefully, 2021 can be a year for us all to regroup and get back to things as the vaccine rolls out. I do pray that happens soon.

On a lighter note, I bought some new skates! Back in Mid-December, I decided to order some Moonlight Roller Flashdance skates. I’ve been eyeing these skates for months and I finally broke down and ordered them as a Christmas present to myself. They finally arrived this week.

Why did I choose these skates? Well, they are beautiful! I love the way the fabric shines. It’s flashy and sparkly. If I were a skate, this skate would be me.

Check out my unboxing video below, and let me know what you think!

Last Paddle of 2020

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 19:46:00 +0000

I took some time yesterday afternoon to kayak. I had planned it out ahead of time based on the weather reports. It was supposed to be warm and partly cloudy. It ended up being warmish and rainy.

When I first got out on the water, it was super windy. I did get a great workout paddling around the backwater on the Rez thanks to the wind.

It started raining not too long after I got in the water. It didn’t rain hard and I had a rain coat. It actually was kind of nice in the rain. As soon as the rain stopped, so did the wind. It was so peaceful. The birds were super happy.

I’m glad I got one last paddle in for 2020. I also got to try out some of my new kayak accessories I got for Christmas. I’m still thoroughly enjoying my Crescent Kayak UltraLite.

I ended up having to work today, so I’m glad I took a little time for myself yesterday.

I hope everyone has a happy, safe, and healthy New Year!

2020 Was Not The Year I Planned for, but it was the Year I Needed

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:17:00 +0000

2020 was an absolute dumpster fire. My last post talked about COVID-19. Shortly after I posted it, we went into quarantine on March 13, 2020.

We haven’t been in a store or eaten out since March 13, 2020. We cook everything and get items delivered or curbside.

In early April it became apparent that we would be in this for the long haul. We had to find a way to survive this year.

Life From Home

Grant and I had our last day in the office on March 13, 2020. This was three days after the first case was reported in Mississippi. We are a high-risk household, and we are still working from home. This forced us to get smart about spaces in our house. We finally organized our third bedroom to be a home office for me. Grant took over the kitchen table. We recently purchased a new kitchen table that Logan helped Grant assemble.

The schools closed for the rest of the Spring semester and Logan began virtual learning on March 16, 2020. He is still virtual learning, and will continue to do so into 2021. Logan has his desk in the living room. So far he is doing well with virtual learning, but we all long for the day when he can go back to in person.

We haven’t visited normally with family since Logan’s birthday party in February. We visit with family from our side deck that we have named the ”COVID deck.” We started having a weekly Zoom call with my parents, brothers, and Aunt Teresa on Wednesday nights. It's a great way for us all to stay connected with each other.

Backyard Oasis

For Logan, I knew we needed to find something for him to do during the summer months. There would be no Disney World vacation, trips to the playground or the pool. We turned our backyard into an oasis of fun in the sun. I found a fairly priced inflatable water slide and we used it all Summer long. We played corn hole, badminton, and lacrosse. We grilled every weekend and ate on the back porch. A few evenings we even roasted marshmallows in the chiminea. We even went camping on our side deck and spent evenings stargazing.

The Banks Salon

By the end of April my hair was extremely long. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. My Mom found a tool called a CreaClip that lets you cut your own hair. I purchased it and started cutting my own hair. I even gave myself pandemic bangs! I actually love the look and might do it again. I plan on cutting my own hair from now on. I love the way my hair looks and it is so easy and quick.

Long Walks

Work became incredibly stressful for me in early April. There were so many people relying on us and I knew everything we were doing at that time was very important for so many people. It was a very scary time. I realized I needed to get a handle on my anxiety and stress. I knew I needed to find a way to safely get outside and get some fresh air. I started walking a little bit every day to relax.

The short walks turned into long walks. I was feeling good! I'm now walking 3-5 miles a day in the evenings. I signed up for some virtual 5k’s this year and Logan joined me for parts of them. Logan and I even won a gift card for our Turkey Trot outfits at Thanksgiving. It's now become part of my routine and I feel great!

Roller Skating Through the Pandemic

Near the end of April, I was inspired to buy some roller skates. I was a speed skater back in my teens and I loved it! It's something I've wanted to get back into for a while. I ordered myself some Riedell Darts and began by skating in the garage. Recently I have been skating in a church parking lot in our neighborhood. It's been a nice change of scenery.

You can follow my roller skating journey on TikTok and Instagram. I have some new Moonlight Flash Dance skates arriving soon. I can't wait to try them out.

Weight Loss

In late May my best friend Anna shared with me that she had started Weight Watchers (WW). She had lost a ton of weight. I was close to my heaviest weight at the time. I had lost a bit from the walking but wasn't seeing results. In early June I started my journey with WW for the third time. In the past, I never had much success with WW. I would lose five pounds and plateau, then quit. This time I pushed through.

It's been almost seven months since I started WW and I'm down 42 pounds!! I still have another 40 to go to get to my goal weight, but I am well on my way.

Back on the Water

In June, I decided that one of my weight loss rewards would be to buy a kayak once I got under 200 pounds. I love the water and I enjoy paddling. My weight gain limited me to what I could do on the water. All summer I researched kayaks and found Crescent Kayaks. I decided my first kayak would be a Crescent UltraLite. In October I finally made it to Onederland or under 200 pounds. I ordered my kayak and it arrived in November just in time for my birthday. I've only been able to take it out three times. I'm looking forward to warm sunny days.

Tooth Fairy Visits

Logan had his first visit from the Tooth Fairy this year! He has lost several teeth since. He currently has a loose tooth that he is determined to wiggle out before the end of the year.

Mississippi Moving Forward

In November, Mississipi finally voted on a new flag! I'm so proud of my state for moving forward this year. As soon as it became available I purchased the new flag. I'm proud to fly it on my front porch.

2021

Everyone has had their challenges this year. We are no different from so many other families, especially families in high-risk households.

It's been 10 months since we started this ”new normal.” We found a way to live through all of this. It hasn't been easy. There are tears and moments of sadness and frustration. We have our anxieties, but we are finding ways to cope.

We look forward to getting the vaccine soon. We are hoping to be able to begin replanning our Disney World vacation. I can't wait to hug my family and friends again. I'm looking forward to going back to the office once our family is vaccinated. I'm also looking forward to eating something I didn't cook.

I am hopeful that 2021 will be a great year. I don't wish to go back to the way things were. I do wish that we can return to a new and improved normal.

2020 wasn't the year I planned for, but it was the year I needed.

Stay safe, and stay well!

COVID-19 Just Facts

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 23:19:00 +0000

People considered high risk for the coronavirus:

- older adults
- people with serious chronic medical conditions like: heart disease, lung disease and diabetes

More than 19.2 Million Americans have asthma. 7.7% of adults in the U.S. have asthma. More than 35 million Americans have chronic lung disease.

Nearly half of U.S. adults suffer from heart disease.

9.4% of Americans have diabetes. More than 100 million Americans in the U.S. are living with diabetes or prediabetes.

This is why people are concerned. While you may be young and healthy, the person next to you could be dealing with one of the above conditions or living with/caring for someone that is. If they are exposed, it could be serious.

Sources:

https://www.lung.org/about-us/mission-impact-and-history/our-impact.html

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asthma.htm

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/01/31/cardiovascular-diseases-affect-nearly-half-of-american-adults-statistics-show

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html

Fever Free!

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 22:23:00 +0000

We are finally fever free in the Banks household! That means we will be back to the real world by Monday. It’s been a long week at our house with everyone fighting the flu. I’m so glad we are all starting to feel better. I haven’t had coffee since Tuesday so I’m really looking forward to that tomorrow morning.

While we have been bound to the house due to the flu, I’ve heard the world is in a panic over COVID-19. The thing that makes me most nervous about this virus are all of the unknowns. I’m also concerned about my close family members that this could effect to the point of a hospital stay. We are just going to wash our hands as much as possible. The last thing any of us need is another week home sick. The flu was about all I can take this year.

It is day three of no social media. I have decided to log in on Sundays during lent. This way I can respond to messages and not completely shut myself out from the world. You can always still message me on messenger and I am checking LinkedIn.

Keep It Real
-iEllie-

Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 23:59:00 +0000

It’s been five days since the flu entered our household. Grant and I both have fallen ill and it is day 2 for us. Today is Logan’s birthday and he is still fighting it. His fever keeps trying to come back. I hate that he is sick on his birthday. Our fevers have stayed somewhat low except for the one time Logan’s spiked to 102.7. We are all sleeping a lot. If there are weird sentences or typos in this post, please disregard. I’m still running fever even as I type this.

It is also day 2 of Lent. This year I decided to give up social media for Lent (except for work purposes). That means I won’t be posting to social media during lent. If you want to keep up with what’s going on in my life, you will have to come here.

Why am I doing this? Well, I find myself just mindlessly scrolling. I have to break this terrible habit. I’ll pop on to my accounts throughout Lent to check certain things That are work related or for Logan’s school. I may make a special post or two but the goal is to stay off as much as possible. It’s a detox that I’m desperately overdo for.

Keep It Real

Ellie

Quarantined

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 19:17:00 +0000

No, it's not COVID-19. It's the dreaded FLU! Even with tons of hand-sanitizer, hand washing, and getting the flu shot, the flu has made a visit to our home.

Logan woke me up early Sunday morning complaining he was freezing cold. He seemed a little warm but no more than normal, so I thought. By 8 a.m. he was running a fever of 100.3. We spent the day in bed focused on getting as much rest as possible and taking some medicine. When Logan woke up this morning he had a fever of 102.7. The poor kid was really feeling bad. We got some medicine in him and went straight to the doctor. My heart sank when they told us it was the flu.

Logan and I have quarantined ourselves in the backroom at the house. I've watched Boss Baby, Paw Patrol Charged up and now I'm watching the most annoying nursery rhymes ever! As I'm typing this the guy on the TV is loudly singing "I see something PINK!" Okay, dude.

Having the flu on your birthday is no fun. We had some great festivities planned. I guess we will just have to wait.

Called Out

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:31:00 +0000

I was called out recently for the lack of posts on my blog. It's been a struggle. Since I joined the workforce years and years ago now, I have less and less time for my personal writing and creative outlets. I've found it hard to save some of my creativity for myself the older and older I get. I just get burned out after doing the same types of things at work all day. I was challenged to make this a priority recently from someone close to me. So here I am, doing my best to make this part of my life a priority again.

Family

Logan Banks and his Mickey Mouse Birthday cake.

My son Logan turns six years old this week. I still can't believe he is now a little boy. Kindergarten has been quite an adventure this year. He has learned and grown so much and we have too. Logan can now read and his math skills are better than mine (though that isn't very hard). On the behavior side, we are all still learning. He struggles sometimes with following directions and understanding how to best play with others and express himself. It's all growing pains. Logan is an only child and an only grandchild which doesn't always make things easy.

We moved to a new neighborhood a couple years ago hoping to find some kids his age. We had a wonderful young family living across the street from us but they moved and we have not found any other young families nearby. We had a few houses go up for sale on our little street and to our disappointment, no one with young children moved in. Hopefully, we will find a young family nearby. I always had neighborhood friends wherever we lived when I was a kid. I just think it's important for Logan to have the same type of relationships.

For those being nosy and wondering, Grant and I are hoping to have another child. Hopefully, we will be blessed with another child. We shall see. It's not in our hands.

Faith

Rosary at Saint Joseph Catholic Church
Port Gibson, MS

We started going back to church as a family last year. This was something on my personal list that I really wanted to do. I'm pretty private about my faith. I just believe that every person has to find their own way to what makes them feel whole and at peace. Even with all the different religions and faiths out there, I think we can all agree on one rule "don't be a jerk". For me, I find myself most connected to the Catholic Church. I know, I know, there are definitely some issues, and I totally believe there are some major changes that need to be made. For a long time, I've struggled with my thoughts on the Catholic Church and how many things have been addressed and handled. I came to realize that I need to focus on my faith and relationship with God without allowing the sin of others to affect that. This is my personal faith journey, and no one else's.

Career

Ellie Banks speaking at Leadership Graduation
December 2019

Last year I started a new job. I left Mississippi Public Broadcasting after a lot of thought and soul searching. It was definitely the right decision. I'm now working with an incredible team. I've been given tons of opportunities for growth and some much-needed mentorship and training. I love digital media, but that isn't the only thing I love. It's only one aspect of what I enjoy doing. I love writing, strategy, public speaking, working with people and doing something that makes a difference. I'm getting to do both internal and external communications. I LOVE both. It's exactly where I need to be right now. I'm very grateful to my coworkers and the amazing leadership. This is really a place where people build each other up and not tear each other down.

Life

Grant, Logan and Ellie Banks at the Southern Miss 2019
Homecoming Game

Life has had a lot of ups and downs for our small family recently. We have had some wonderful trips recently. Follow me on Instagram iellietv or friend me on Facebook to see some of our recent adventures. You can also find me on Twitter but I don't post as often there lately (more on that later). We also had some big surprises with the new house. With one issue right after another in the span of a month, we survived. We had foundation issues, a pipe burst, and had new windows put in. We also had some projects done with replacing light fixtures and some cosmetic issues. The Windows and the light fixtures were the only things planned. We made it through though. You just never know what life is going to throw at you.

Fun

Ellie & Grant Banks at Disney World
in October 2010

In June, we are headed to Disney World! This will be Logan's first trip and our first trip in ten years! That's right, Grant and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary in October. I just can't believe how fast the time has gone by. My in-laws will also be joining us for the trip and we can't wait to share this experience with them. Instead of going through a vacation planner, I asked to plan the whole trip. I LIVE FOR THIS!

I'm really excited about the planning process and I'm deep into it at this point. I'll share some of the tools I've used in some future posts. It's been a learning process because SO MUCH has changed since the last time we went to Disney World. Let me know in the comments if you have any specific questions.

Well, that's all I'm going to attempt to squeeze into this post. I'm going to do my best to continue to post to my blog and work on using my creativity for me.

Keep It Real.
-iEllie-

Stream Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 07:08:00 +0000

It’s only December 5th and the holiday movies have been available on streaming services since the beginning of October. Recently, Netflix jumped on the original Christmas movie content by following the Hallmark and Lifetime made for TV movie model. I’m typically not a fan of these types of movies, but I figured I would give Netflix a chance since I’ve enjoyed so much of their other original content.

Last year, I decided to watch ‘A Christmas Prince’. I love Rose Mclver in iZombie so I figured I would enjoy this movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and the acting in this movie. I knew it was going to be cheesy and ridiculous (it was) but it is a fun movie.

This year, Netflix released a sequel called ‘A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding’ which was just as cheesy, but not as good. The story was lacking and the acting fell flat. I still enjoyed the movie for what it is and they definitely left it open for more. A royal baby perhaps?

Recently I’ve had trouble sleeping. This evening I decided to try another movie that popped up as a suggestion from Netflix. I don’t really know if there is a nice thing to say about this movie. Joey Fatone is in it. That’s not even necessarily a nice thing to say, it’s more of a statement and I’m not sure it was a good thing.

I watched ‘Christmas Wedding Planner’. This movie took cheese, bad acting and major plot holes to a new level. The story is bland and as with any of these made for TV movie models you can see the “plot twist” from a mile away. There are some spoilers ahead so if you do plan to watch this movie, I just want to warn you now.

The main character, Kelsey Wilson, is planning her first wedding as a professional wedding planner. The wedding is for her cousin Emily who Kelsey is supposed to be close to. SPOILER Kelsey’s Mom passed away and she moved in with Emily and her family when she was young. Her Aunt and Uncle helped raise her. Kelsey’s Uncle/Emily’s Dad has passed away within recent years.

Early in the movie, Emily’s ex-boyfriend Conner shows up to her engagement party but for some reason Kelsey knows nothing about the relationship (seriously, how is that possible?). The movie starts off with a meet-cute between Kelsey and Conner at a coffee shop. Kelsey knocks into him while in line and let’s him go ahead of her. The whole thing results in this awkward order and a thing with a blueberry scone.

Fast forward, Conner turns out to be a P.I. Investigating the groom. He believes there is something fishy with the engagement and believes the groom could be after the family money. Conner won’t share who hired him though.

SPOILER ALERT (well kind of. I mean if you don’t figure this out early on there may be no hope for you) Kelsey and Conner end up together. Emily’s fiancé did have a secret that ended the wedding right at “Do you take...”.

But the moment that just had me go “Are you serious?” was NOT when Conner and Kelsey finally get together at the end, but when Conner proposes! Yes, this dude proposes to this girl after only knowing her for a short time. Not only do they get engaged, they hijack the wedding and get married that day! What world is this?! I’m all for fiction, but this is ridiculous!

I was starting to think I could watch these types of movies. I actually love the decorations and the outfits but I think I’m done. This movie killed it for me.

SMH

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 18:41:00 +0000

All I can do is SMH at my blog these days. It's been almost a full year since I've posted.

Updates? As a full-time working mom, I'm still struggling to balance everything in my life. I've discovered that you can't have it all and compromise and sacrifice are all part of being a parent. I have to come to terms with the fact that I can't do everything and sometimes my house is just going to look like a war zone.

I guess my blog can be quiet and basic for now.

Keep it Real
-iEllie-

Silence...

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 23:53:00 +0000

Life. What other excuses could there be for the silence?

2017 was a year of change for my family. I received a promotion at work and spent the summer selling our first home and buying our forever home.

Now that the holidays are over and things are starting to settle down, I'm beginning to look at the things in my life that I've neglected. From my knitting to my weight (dang baby weight) to my blog, I realize it's time to make some goals and start focusing on some of the things I enjoy.

This version of my blog is over 10 years old now (ouch). When I started this version of my blog I was a LOST college student. I was in a long distant (failing) relationship and I was just really beginning to explore what would become my career.

I've not been good about blogging recently, one reason is that I have a full-time job and a three-year-old, but if I really think about the reason it's because I don't relate to this version of myself anymore.

iEllie was a personality. She was everything I needed to be at that time in my life. Things have changed though. I'm married, have a child, a career. That iEllie personality doesn't really fit who I am now.

So what's next? Am I going to change my Twitter handle and everything to something new? I don't know if I would go that far, but it is time to look at what I want this blog to really be about.

I think I will just continue this year of change business into 2018. Let's see where this road leads.

As always...

Keep It Real

Pokémon Go Walmart Thief!

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 00:35:00 +0000

I had to go to Walmart after work last week and decided to try and play Pokémon Go before I left. This happened.

***I am fully aware that you cannot actually steal a Pokémon. This video was just for fun. The interaction did actually happen though. Dude did catch the Pokémon and I was left empty handed. :( ***

Wild Rice & Sausage Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 23:58:00 +0000

This is a favorite of Logan's.

Wild Rice Casserole

Servings: 10
Prep time: 0:20
Total time: 0:50
Categories: Dinner, Main Dish

Ingredients

• 2 boxes of uncle bens wild rice cooked ( cook by directions on box)
• 1 can of water chestnuts (drained)
• 1 onion diced
• 1lb sausage

Directions

Cook wild rice as directed on box.

Brown sausage and drain. Put back on medium high heat and add onion and water chestnuts. Sauté until onions are translucent. Water chestnuts should be crunchy still.

Combine sausage and wild rice mixture in oven safe dish. Bake on low for 30 minutes.

Shepherds Pie

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 23:27:00 +0000

Recipe:

Shepherds Pie

Servings: 8

Prep time: 0:30

Total time: 1:00

Categories: Main Course

Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury pie crust (cooked by directions on box)

• 2 bags of green giant frozen mixed veggies (cooked as directed)

• 6 servings instant mashed potatoes (cooked as directed on box)

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 onion diced

• 1 clove garlic diced. (I use the pre diced garlic in a jar. Use 1 tablespoon).

• 2/3 cup beef broth

• Salt & Pepper (i do this to taste)

• Pam/spray butter

Directions

Bake pie crust as directed on box, cool. Cook both bags of vegetables in microwave as directed on container. Make 6 servings of instant mashed potatoes as directed on container.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef, drain. On medium/high heat, add ground beef and onion to pan. Cook stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add garlic, veggies, beef broth, salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes stirring until broth is absorbed.

Fill pie crust with beef and veggie mixture*. Spread a layer of mashed potatoes on top. Spray with a little Pam or spray butter.

Put in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

*you may have leftover mixture and mashed potatoes. You can either make 2 pie crusts and fill or put the mixture in a dish and add the rest of the mashed potatoes on top for a crust less shepherds pie.

Salmon Topped With Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 00:25:00 +0000

It's a new year and time to make some resolutions. One of my resolutions this year is to cook more and eat better.

I decided to check out some recipes on Food Network today. I came across this really easy salmon recipe. We usually don't eat much fish so I thought this would be a good thing to try.

It was very easy to make and it turned out delicious! I'm definitely adding this to my recipe box.

Visit the link below, there is a great video to show you how to make it. Logan kept watching it on repeat.

Salmon Baked In Foil: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/salmon-baked-in-foil-recipe.html

S'mores Dip

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 00:09:00 +0000

If you haven't seen the Buzzfeed.com video on how to make S'mores dip, then you've been living under a rock. I've seen multiple friends attempt this recipe this summer. Some with success, others, well...

I decided I had to try this! I did make this without a cast iron skillet. I used square glass Pyrex dish lined with aluminum foil (easy clean-up). Also, this makes a lot so be prepared to share with a group.

S'mores Dip:

• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips,

• 1 bag Marshmallows,

• 1 box Graham Crackers,

• 1 baking dish lined with aluminum foil.

Directions: Pre-heat PAN in the oven to 450 degrees. Take pan out of oven and pour chocolate evenly on the bottom. Place 1 layer marshmallows on the top. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until marshmallows have turned golden brown. (You need to watch it because it can easily over cook) Take out of oven, serve with graham crackers.

Try it yourself and tell me how it turned out! I heard this was also good with peanut butter cups :)

Meerkat or Periscope?

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 01:32:00 +0000

Live video streaming on the Internet is nothing new. Over the years we have seen tons of services come and go including, Justin.tv, Ustream.TV, Qik... Even YouTube joined the game and introduced a live video service.

So, what makes Meerkat and Periscope so special? They are both mobile focused, simple, interactive and integrate with Twitter. They are perfect options for those folks that may want to do a quick live shot from an event, or maybe a quick Q&A. News outlets have definitely jumped on the bandwagon. They are using the services to share exclusive live footage while gathering news stories. This truly gives a social option when it comes to LIVE breaking news.

So, which one should you use?

Both services have a chat option. With Meerkat, the chat actually puts your interaction into a tweet to the person you are watching. On Periscope, the chat is seprate from your Twitter feed.

Both services allow you to save your video. Periscope gives you the option to share your video with your followers for 24 hours after you posted it (very snapchat like). Meerkat lets you download the video to your phone so you can share it on other services.

Periscope has become a popular service for celebs and news sources thanks to the Twitter connection. Meerkat has really attracted the average streamer with a few blogs and popular sites. The UI for periscope is very simple, just a list of videos. The UI for Meerkat is image focused and looks more like a social network.

So which one will win? Periscope is owned by Twitter and I suspect updates and further integration with Twitter. Meerkat has the opportunity to really stand on its own. However, I could totally see it getting bought by a bigger social network. The answer, it's too soon to tell.

Which one do you prefer?

New Year, New Algorithm

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 19:27:00 +0000

It's a new year which means changes on Facebook. No, I'm not talking about the privacy policy changes or that post about owning your content (STOP SHARING THAT). I'm talking about the dreaded algorithm.

This year is no different. Facebook has rolled out updates that decide what will show up in your news feed.

What is the algorithm? In simple terms, it is how Facebook picks what content shows up in your News Feed. The algorithm decides the content based on your engagement, who you are friends with, pages you have liked, popularity of posts, and many many other factors.

Facebook adjusts the algorithm slightly throughout the year, but whenever we enter a new calendar year, they tend to make a big change. Sometimes this affects the average user, but typically it is the business that have Pages that suffer from the change.

This year brands and pages have been hit hard. In order to guarantee post views and engagement it's going to take more than just putting great content out there.

Here are a few tips to help with your post reach:

1.) Post Video

Facebook recently decided to push their video service. Its always been there, people just didn't use it. In an effort to push (force) people to use the service, Facebook made adjustments to the algorithm that gives videos uploaded directly to Facebook priority.

2.) Multiple Photos

Photos have always done well as posts on Facebook. This year, it's a little different. Instead of just posting one photo, you will need to post multiple photos to each post to get the best reach. Posts with 3-4 photos seem to do the best.

3.) Avoid Promotional Verbage

Unless you plan to "boost"/advertise the post, avoid using promotional verbage. That includes certain call to action words, such as "watch," "tune in," "check out," etc. Instead, focus on telling your story. Make posts conversational. Ask questions!

4.) News & Trending Topics

Last year, the big push from Facebook was to increase the reach of certain links, like news stories or posts related to trending topics. This year is no different. Before you post certain content, do a little research on the way others may be wording a trending topic. Using similar wording, tags and hashtags will increase your reach.

5.) Avoid "Click, Like, Share Baiting"

Clicks, Likes, Shares, we want them! That's a huge part of our job as social media strategists. But, if you are using wording that encourages people to "click the link to see more" or "Find out what happened..." Facebook is cracking down on your reach. This is part of Facebook's new push to make a better news feed. Your click baits might work, but your audience doesn't really "like" it.

Lastly, remember to always tag other pages if you mention them. This always gives your post an extra boost, plus it's the social thing to do. ;)

Why I Chose To Bottle Feed

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 21:51:00 +0000

I'm in an upcoming episode of Southern Remedy on MPB related to breast feeding. I talked about how much I struggled with breastfeeding and why I chose to formula feed instead. I want to go ahead and explain that now.

I purchased a breast pump on sale last year on Black Friday. I registered for all the things I would need in order to breastfeed and pump. I knew that this was something that was a healthy option for my child.

When Logan was born we immediately tried feeding. We quickly found out, my son is lazy. Yes, the adorable child you all see in your Facebook feed is a lazy butt. He did not want to latch. Even the nurse couldn't believe how lazy he was. She tried and tried to help us but he just wasn't interested. She finally said not to worry and we could try again later with the lactation specialist.

I was moved into my recovery room and they took Logan away. When I arrived in my room I was immediately bombarded with, it seemed like, every person that worked in the hospital. 3 nurses walked in and wanted to talk to me. The pediatrician came by and said a bunch of stuff. Then the lactation specialist came in and introduced herself but didn't really offer to help me and seemed pretty uninterested.

Thank goodness for Logan's nurse. She was in my room constantly trying to help me breast feed. On my last day in the hospital, she brought me this shield that is supposed to help if a baby doesn't latch and told me to try it and to keep at it until Logan's appointment the following Monday.

When I was being released from the hospital the lactation specialist came by and offered her assistance later that day. I told her that I was in the process of leaving. She said "Oh, well I will be till 3". I told her, "No, I don't think you understand. I'm leaving right now and won't be back." She didn't offer to help me then and didn't seem to care.

When we got home Logan screamed all night. What we didn't know was that he hadn't eaten. I wasn't really producing anything. Even though he would somewhat latch he wasn't getting anything out of it.

When we went in for our appointment the following Monday we found out he had lost well over 1 lb. It is normal for breastfed babies to lose weight, but not that much.

It was recommended that we start supplementing until he got his weight back up. They also recommended that I pump.

When I started pumping it would take 40 minutes and I was lucky to get a whole feeding. I was exhausted, trying to stay hydrated and then was starting to stress out about going back to work. If this was what it was going to be like for me to pump, I knew it wasn't going to work. There was no way I was going to be able to stop for 40 minutes 3 times a day to pump.

We came back for another appointment a few days later. Luckily he had begun to gain weight.

I continued pumping and supplementing for another week. We were closing in on our first appointment with the pediatrician, when all of a sudden Logan began to refuse the breast milk. I tried giving him some formula instead and he took it immediately.

At this point, I was a new Mom, I felt like I couldn't provide for my child. I was stressed about returning to work in 5 weeks. I still wasn't producing enough. I had a complete melt down. It was at that moment that my husband Grant, said to me "It's time to stop. This isn't working."

It was at that moment we decided as a family to formula feed.

For a few weeks after I still didn't feel great about it. A few people made comments to me about how breast feeding was the better choice and really important in the developmental stages. It didn't make me feel better about my choice. I kept thinking that I was doing something that would hurt my child in the long run.

My awesome mother in law Linda really helped me with my struggle. She told me how she formula fed Grant and his brother.

I also spoke with my Grandmother, who is 95 years old, and she told me that she was formula fed. She is 95 and very healthy for her age. Clearly, formula can't be bad in the long run.

In the end, it was the right choice for my family. I hope to have another child in the future and I do intend on at least trying to breastfeed again. Breast feeding wasn't the right choice for me.

I wanted to share my story with you. I hope you will understand my struggle and respect others if they do make the choice not to breastfeed.

Tune in Tuesday, November 4th, at 9pm on MPB TV, to watch the episode.

My Return to MPB

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:39:00 +0000

6 years ago, I tweeted about looking for a summer internship. I got a response from Thomas Broadus at Mississippi Public Broadcasting. He was looking for a social media intern!

Thomas invited me to help produce an episode of Writers. I was so excited! I remember showing up to the studio and the excitement of being on set.

I had officially started my internship. It was a fantastic opportunity. They handed over the social media keys and allowed me to create accounts for Mississippi Public Broadcasting on Twitter and MySpace. I worked hard to create fan bases across all of the platforms. I sent out messages and worked on building a community. MPBOnline became a first adopter to the social media space and I was a part of it.

When my internship ended I was disappointed. I was determined to join the MPB team. That fall, an opportunity came up to assist with creating a few promos and working on the Presidential Debate in Oxford. I jumped at the opportunity. Not only did I get to work on those projects I also spear headed the coverage of Hurricane Gustav on Twitter and helped inform Mississippians and others in surrounding areas about shelters, news and important updates related to the storm.

My contract ended and graduation was quickly approaching. Of course, this was also when the economy tanked. Finding a job was almost impossible, even if it was flipping burgers. I was hoping an opportunity would present itself at MPB but then the Governor ordered a freeze on all jobs with the State.

I was heart broken but vowed to someday make my way back to the place that inspired my passion.

Opportunities presented themselves over the years and the timing was always off. Finally, this Spring an opportunity came up. I knew it was a sign to jump. It wast time.

I applied, crossed my fingers and toes and left it up to the powers at be. On June 1st I returned home to MPB. While some things have changed many things are still the same.

Radio is still the place to be. If you want to have fun and enjoy a great conversation, the folks in Radio will cheer you up! They are also the most hard working people I have ever seen!

Education is still filled with amazing characters. The folks in education are passionate about their jobs. They know their focus and they do an amazing job! It's always fun to see what projects they are working on.

Production is a driving force. The folks in production drive the bus. They are all focused and hard working and work from the heart on every project. Their passion is contagious.

Last but not least, the communications department is still innovative and awesome! Some of my favorite people are still there. Of course there are some new faces that are just as fun!

It's nice to be back home. I am excited to see where this new adventure will take me. Of course I'll bring you along for the ride.

Keep it Real!

I wasn't able to find the actual tweets about the internship but I did find this gem:

My dad just came in my room and was like "where the hell did you get all these clothes? My god you could clothe a country!"
— Ellie Banks (@iEllie) January 20, 2008

I get a lot of "Twitters" on my new phone! LMAO!

Join Me In The Fight Against Ocular Melanoma!

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 04:56:00 +0000

Educate yourself and go get checked!

May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness month. A little over a year ago my Mom found out she had Ocular Melanoma a rare cancer of the eye. She woke up one morning and noticed that the room seemed dim and her sight was off. If she had not gone to the eye doctor right away I'm not sure she would be with us right now. Before that day I had no idea what Ocular Melanoma was.

Ocular Melanoma, to put it very plainly, is a cancerous freckle on the eye. It is a rare eye cancer and only 2,000 adults are diagnosed with it every year.

All through the month of May I will have the Black & Blue Ribbon on my profile on my social media profiles in honor of my Mom. Follow me on Twitter (@iEllie), and look for posts with the #OMAware for facts about Ocular Melanoma and how to detect it.

I hope you will take the time to learn more about Ocular Melanoma Foundation and schedule an appointment with an eye doctor. Even if you don't need glasses it doesn't hurt to get checked.

If you would like to add the ribbon to your profile picture you can use the one below.

Becoming a Mom

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 22:50:00 +0000

On February 27, 2014, at 3:08 p.m., Logan Xavier Banks was born, weighing 8lbs 4oz, and 21 inches long. At that moment I became a mom. Sure, I've been a mom for the past 9 months, but it was a different feeling when he actually arrived. I've never felt such joy and fear all at the same time.

The feelings of fear and joy have continued since we got home. It's been a whirl-wind of diaper changes, spit-ups, feedings, naps (there is no such thing as sleep) and cuddle time.

Thank you for all your kind words and support over the past 9 months. We are very excited to finally be home with Logan.

Below: a few pictures from our first two weeks home.

Why Your Brand Is Losing Followers

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 01:18:00 +0000

As a social media strategist it is my job to help brands grow their audiences and position them as leaders in their industry through social media. On a regular basis I recommend all sorts of strategic ways to help brands best achieve their social media goals, direct messaging (DMing) new followers on Twitter is not one of them.

Sure, there was a time when getting a DM from a brand or an influencer on Twitter meant something but today it's more like spam. Whenever I get a DM from a brand on Twitter with a message like "Thanks for the follow, "like" our Facebook page," or "check out our website" or just a regular thanks for the follow message, it just makes me want to unfollow them. Many times I do unfollow and I'm not the only one.

If you believe your followers don't realize you are sending a generic message to everyone, you are living in a dream world. Followers are not that dumb, they know you are following them long enough to send your spamy DM and then immediately unfollow them or ignore them forever.

If you want to connect personally with your followers just reply to them publicly and make sure the message is meaningful and not just an empty "thanks."

If you want your brand to succeed through social media you must humanize your brand. You can't do that if you are responding, posting or interacting like a robot. Remember, it is SOCIAL media, you have to be SOCIAL for it to actually work.

What is your take on brands DMing followers? Do you like it? or do you unfollow?

Keep It Real

Ellie

Bun in the Oven

noreply@blogger.com (iEllie) — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 02:34:00 +0000

If you haven't heard the news, we are expecting! My due date is February 27, 2014. We are very excited. I will be 13 weeks pregnant tomorrow.

So far it's been quite a wild ride. I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant at my annual on June 20. I had a feeling I was pregnant when I went in to my appointment. Of course, I told Grant that I was pretty sure I was pregnant and told him I would probably find out at my annual. He said I could not tell him until I got home. My appointment was in the morning. IT WAS THE LONGEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!! I finally got off work and called Grant. I told him that I wouldn't know for 3 days.

On my way home I stopped at Walmart and picked up a few goodies for him.

I picked out a monkey that played a lullaby when you pull it's tail, baby shoes and a onsie that said "My Dad is Super." I bought a card and a bag and put the test in the bag. When I got home I pulled the tail on the Monkey while walking in the door. Grant was very excited!

For the first few weeks I didn't have any morning sickness. As time went on though I started having weird pregnancy symptoms. The worst was my 7th week I got sick with a stomach virus (the doctor determined it was a stomach virus because of my symptoms which I will not go into detail about).

At my 8 week appointment I had my first sonogram. The baby looked more like a peanut than a baby, but the doctor said all was well and healthy.

Around this time I started having this crazy drainage. I had no idea this was a pregnancy symptom! It's a kind of drainage that is very thick and sticky. It makes it hard to eat or drink anything and tends to make you sick to your stomach.

I've had days where I feel great and days where I feel horrible. There is definitely something new every day. I have had some morning sickness but lately it seems to be getting better.

This week we had a pretty bad scare. Early Tuesday morning around 12:30 I woke up very suddenly. I was bleeding. This can be common if it is just a little spotting. Unfortunately, I was not spotting, I was bleeding. I called the doctor and they said if it continued or got worse to go to the ER. By 3 a.m. it had definitely gotten worse. I decided it was time to go to the ER. Grant and I piled into the car and drove to the hospital. They ran blood tests and did a sonogram. The result? Nothing out of the ordinary. They baby's heart beat was great and everything else seemed fine.

Luckily, I had my appointment with my doctor Tuesday morning at 8. We left the ER, grabbed some breakfast and went back for the appointment. The doctors office did another sonogram with their equipment. Again, they didn't find anything out of the ordinary and the baby looked great. Actually, the baby looked like a baby this time! It is amazing how much it grew in just a months time. I had a bit of sugar for breakfast so the tech had a bit of trouble getting a picture. The baby was flipping and swimming around. It was so cool to see that!

They aren't sure what caused the bleeding but did say that it was not something that was normal but could have been a fluke.

I've been told to take it easy for the next few weeks and that is exactly what I am going to do. Hopefully we won't have anymore visits to the ER.

We are so excited about this baby. We can't wait to bring a new life into this world. Thank you, everyone for your kind words!

Keep It Real
iEllie

iEllie

We FINALLY made it to Disney World!

New Year, New Skates!

Links:

Flashdance Skates: https://www.moonlightroller.com/products/flash-dance

NASA Vintage Tee: Nicetage Women's Space Rocket...

Skirt: HDE Women's Shiny Liquid Metallic...

Triple 8 Helmet: Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet Skateboarding BMX Roller Skating

Last Paddle of 2020

2020 Was Not The Year I Planned for, but it was the Year I Needed

Life From Home

Backyard Oasis

The Banks Salon

Long Walks

Roller Skating Through the Pandemic

Weight Loss

Back on the Water

Tooth Fairy Visits

Mississippi Moving Forward

2021

COVID-19 Just Facts

Fever Free!

Day 5

Quarantined

Called Out

Family

Faith

Career

Life

Fun

Stream Christmas

SMH

Silence...

Pokémon Go Walmart Thief!

Wild Rice & Sausage Casserole

Shepherds Pie

Salmon Topped With Salsa

S'mores Dip

Meerkat or Periscope?

New Year, New Algorithm

Why I Chose To Bottle Feed

My Return to MPB

Join Me In The Fight Against Ocular Melanoma!

Educate yourself and go get checked!

Becoming a Mom

Why Your Brand Is Losing Followers

Bun in the Oven