#lifegoals

Time flies when you're having fun! I cannot believe it is almost 2016. Whoa, where is time going? Although it is not quite 2016, the year is proving to be a good one for the Nelsons! Here are a few things we have to look forward to:

• Jeffrey has a new job he is SO excited about!

• Our home is going on the market mid-January.

• I love my current work place and will begin a side job as a client manager in January (so excited).

• I am excited to continue Pilates and see my body change even more.

• 2 cabin trips have been booked (can you tell we love a mountain getaway)

• We are planning a trip to Ireland in September!!

• We also have a trip to Texas to visit friends in the works.

• My sister-in-law and best friend are getting married in 2016.

As you can see, we have a lot of new and exciting things planned already for the new year. As a type-A goal setter, I have been thinking a lot about my goals and what I see for Jeffrey and I in the New Year. Since we had LONG car rides from SC to GA, then GA to VA, and then from VA to SC (did I mention we travel a lot?) we talked a lot about the new year and goals. Mainly I talked and Jeffrey listened. Here are a few of the goals we "discussed".

Kelsey:

1. Join a bible study group.

2. Learn about client management and grow in the new opportunities ahead.

3. Read more books.

4. Learn to cook.

5. Stop planning the future and trust in God, His plan is much better then mine anyways.

6. Learn to fully trust and believe #5.

7. SAVE money!!! We are going to do two more Live Well and Spend Zero months!

8. Craft more.

9. Take care of my body: pilates, eating healthy, taking vitamins, and drinking more water

10. Learn to brew Kombucha Tea. 

Jeffrey:

1. Join a mens Friday AM Bible study.

2. Get two software certifications 

(sidebar: y'all, he is already working toward one and has only been on the job 3 weeks... what a hardworking man!). 

3. SAVE money!!! We are going to do two more Live Well and Spend Zero months!

4. Balance work life and home life.

5. Make time for dates.

6. Teach Kelsey how to cook.

7. Did I mention SAVE money?!?!

8. read more.

9. Brew more beer and try new recipes.

10. Travel!

Jeffrey's side of the family does a Nativity each year! Jeffrey and I were Joseph and Mary.

Making goals is such a powerful tool to improving your life. Jeffrey and I are BIG goal setters. When we set goals, we make sure they are obtainable and we never give a timeline. We always make sure they are things we would like to slowly integrate into our already hectic lives. We also make sure our goals will better us as individuals and as a couple. What are your goals for 2016?

-Kelsey 

2015 Ultimate Wish List

Y'all I have been talking with the ladies I work with about Christmas wants and wishes for over a month now. I kid you not, teachers know how to make a mean list or 100! After TONS, I mean TONS of lists, sticky notes, debates, and research (y'all, I told you I was crazy organized/type-A) I present my 2015 Christmas wish list!

If we lived in a perfect world all of these would be under my tree. AAAAAAAA-AND, since we don't, I will be pleased with any one. After all, it is about giving. So if you're in a giving mood, here are a few items I wouldn't mind having.

1. Tory Burch flats

2. Diamond earrings

3. Fit Bit Surge

4. Lululemon yoga pants and tops

5. Anything Pilates related... I am obsessed!

Oh Kitchen-aid, Oh Kitchen-aid

Oh Kitchen-aid, Oh Kitchen-aid how lovely are your mixers! But really, someone should make a song out of that because holy-cow, how amazing are kitchen aid mixers. Jeffrey gave it to me a few days ago as an early Christmas gift. Have I ever mentioned how amazing my husband is? Well, he is SO incredibly amazing!

I made Peppermint Chocolate Chip "heaven" Cookies! If you like peppermint and chocolate these are a must try.

ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 ½ cups gluten free flour (I used cup 4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large candy canes, crushed
• 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and the extract and combine well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well and add to the cookie dough. Combine well.
4. Add the Candy canes and chocolate chips and mix just until the candy has been incorporated.
5. Scoop by the rounded tablespoon onto the pans, leaving lots of room for the cookies to spread (because they will spread quite a bit.)
6. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes and then let them cool for a few moments on the baking pan before transferring them to a cooling rack or counter top.
7. These store really well in the freezer!

What recipes do you love?

-Kelsey 

Tacky Christmas Sweater

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my job? Well, I love being a first grade teacher and my co-workers at Palmetto Christian Academy. One of my favorite festive traditions is the "ugly" Christmas sweater contest. We had such a contest at PCA last week. The teachers pulled out all the stops and we had a great fashion show during chapel. The kids LOVED IT! Y'all, I even won 2nd place!!!

How to get tacky!

1. Buy an ugly sweater at Kholes after you have visited a million other stores a the last minute,

2. Wear a tree skirt as a skirt. They were made for people not trees obviously. 

3. Put on your obnoxious red pants to seal the deal

4. Get ribbon curls and tie it in your hair

5. Strut your ugly self in holiday glory!!!

The amazing PCA 1st grade dream team!!!

Merry Christmas Blogging world! May your sweaters be tacky and your hot coco be sweet!

-Kelsey 

Friday Favorites

Five Fabulous Friday Favorites (I love a good alliteration!) 

1. Kombucha Tea // This stuff is amazing. It can be purchased at your local Whole Foods or Earth Fare. It is organic and is made from all natural ingredients that truly give you a natural boost of energy. My Pilates instructor brews her own at home and I have been considering doing the same.

2. Okra // I could eat this vegetable for lunch and dinner everyday. Slice it down the middle, toss it in a bowl with olive oil and garlic, then roast it in a pan. Delicious.

3. Pilates // I have started going to Pilates twice a week now, and I can feel such a difference. I don't feel so silly anymore and I can see myself getting stronger! Y'all I opened a really hard jar all on my own! I also held a plank in perfect position for over 2 minutes! This is such a celebration for me.

4. Wrapping // I have wrapped everything in my house. Honestly, I am surprised I haven't tried to wrap Roxie in all my wrapping rage.

5. Online shopping // It is so nice to grab a cup of coffee and sit by the television  in my PJ's while I Christmas shop. I can relax browsing and finding the perfect gift, I don't have to wait in line, and I can use promo codes for money off and free shipping. Thank you to whoever invented online shopping!

What are some of your favorite things right now?


-Kelsey

DIY Gift Ideas

I have been a DIY Mrs. Claus running around covered in glue, paint, and sugar busy making Christmas gifts for friends, family, and co-workers. Here are my DIY gifts that your friends will enjoy and actually find useful!

The hubby and I at the Charleston boat parade this past weekend

1. Homemade Sugar-Cookie Scrub // This is a great gift and so easy to make. I actually made one for myself because it is so awesome. 

Sugar-Cookie Scrub

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut or olive oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

***Mix all in a large bowl and spoon into a clear jar***

2. Ornaments // I have been a little elf making millions of ornaments. All I did was purchase some paint pens and look up fun sayings. You can even fill them with fake snow or glitter. I am really happy with the way they have turned out.

3. Keep Sake Boxes // I would these on Pinterest and had to make them! These are so cute and are really useful for those special jewelry pieces. 

DIY Gemstone Keepsake Box

1. buy small boxes. I found mine at Michaels.

2. Spray paint them using a glossy white color.

3. 3. Once the paint is dry, glue a gem to the top. I got my gems at Michaels as well.

I hope you are enjoying this Holiday season. What DIY gift ideas do you have?

Happy crafting!

-Kelsey 

AWWWW-KWARD!

One of my favorite times of the Christmas season is our very awkward photo with Santa. Each year we have a different Santa, and you can see they just get better and better (I am being sarcastic),

Roxie is our baby, so we make her do all ridiculous holiday things because, well, because we can! I present to you five years of fabulous faux-Santas! Enjoy!

This was our first year with sweet Roxie!

This was behind the scenes from this year's Santa photo!

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do! What awkward traditions do you have?

-Kelsey 

Friday update... 1 week down, a million to go!

It has been one week since Jeffrey started his new job. Thank you to everyone for their texts, calls, Facebook messages, prayers, and well wishes this past week. I feel so loved! How did my first three nights go without my bffl Jeffrey? *drum roll please* It went a lot better then I thought. So that's good right? So how was the first week for Mr. Big-shot? His response, "boring". He is ready to start meeting clients, working with his team, and manipulating software and other Georgia Tech grad smart stuff. He reassured me by saying there is HUGE opportunity for him and our family so we are so thankful! 

I will admit, I did go to work with wet hair one day and no makeup the next so it is still a work in progress. The main point is, I made it! I cooked for myself (except Monday and Wednesday; I went out with friends). Okay so you caught me, I only cooked one meal out of the three, but hey, that's something right?!?!

I wrapped gifts, went to Pilates twice in one week, tutored, and cleaned. All and all, I accomplished a lot. Did I miss my husband? H-E-(double hockey sticks) YES! I missed him something fierce, but I was strong and prayed and God got me through those three days just like HE will get me through the next three days until...well, until Jeff decides his next big job... so I am thinking early retirement?!?! Just kidding, or am I?!?

When Jeffrey came home yesterday, we cooked greasy food and sat like bums on the couch talking and snuggling. Perfection I tell you, absolute perfection. He is working from home today and we have a very full, fun weekend planned in Charleston.

These are our "we are so excited to be together again" faces!

I am so excited to see what the future holds. In the mean time, I am so thankful that I am being so loved and taken care of by friends and extended family. God is so good! I would be lost without my faith and trust in our Savior. It is so refreshing to know Jeffrey and I are on the same page. It makes my heart flutter when he says he is praying for me. Y'all, I am truly blessed.

Remember to refresh yourself,
Kelsey 

Secret Santa

We are playing secret Santa at work, and I LOVE IT. Y'all, I have been so spoiled. If you need cute, affordable Secret Santa gift ideas, you came to the right place.

1. Hair ties

2. Starbucks ANYTHING!!!

3. Adult coloring book

4. Fun socks 

5. Instagram Mini Prints

6. Emoji Magnets 

1. Fun hair ties, perfect for those girls on the go.

2. Starbucks coffee, cups, or gift cards are always a Great gift. 

3. I own this book and I LOVE IT! It is perfect to use after a crazy day. 

5. These are so trendy and are a great gift!

4. I mean, how cute are these

6. How fun are these magnets? They have sticker emojis too!

I hope this Holiday season is treating you well. Through all the hustle and bustle, I pray you can find some peace and joy! What are some items you would like to receive? Happy gift giving!

Remember to refresh yourself,

Kelsey

What to Buy the Men in your Life!

I don't know about you, but men are the HARDEST to buy for. My husband in particular would rather receive nothing. Me being a shop-o-holic, I do not find that acceptable. This year I did major research and got him the PERFECT gift. I'll have to post that after Christmas. Through research I found these other fun gifts for men!

1. Fit Bit Serge! This is on my "wish list" as well... hint, hint!!!

2. Patagonia vest. I love how casual and classy these look!

3. Happy Socks! These are so fun and look really nice for work. 

 4. Dollar Shave Club. I got this for Jeffrey last year and he loves it!

 5. Bob Marley earbuds. My brother swears by these. He claims they are even better then beats. I trust my brother too because he is a music snob!

Happy shopping for the men in your life. May they be easier to buy for then the men in my life! 

Remember to refresh yourself,

Kelsey 

Friday Favorites

IT'S DECEMBER!!!!!!!! Where did the time go??? When I was younger I remember rolling my eyes at people saying how fast Christmas came and went. Now, I have turned into one of those people. Where, oh where, does the time go! If you find Father time, tell him to SLOW it down.

Here are all of the MUST DO Christmas-y fun things...

//Wrap presents!
I love giving gifts. I think I like shopping for the person and searching for that "perfect" gift! I also love crafts which makes for some fun and pretty wrapping. I decided to make my own gift tags and bags this year!

//Bake.
I might be gluten free, but I sure do love a good cookie. Since I am in 2 weddings in June, I am trying to be "good". I give you the "healthy", actually not so healthy, but let's pretend it is anyways, Holiday Chex-Mix. Super easy and delicious.

//Listen to Christmas Music.
I love Christmas music. I have been replaying Josh Groban's Oh Holy Night constantly!

//Mistletoe.
I have been obsessed with Christmas foliage. I went to Home Depot and purchased poinsettias, a Christmas cactus, and mistletoe. They make our home so cozy and I sure do love stealing a kiss every time Mr. Nelson walks under the mistletoe!

//Decorate.
I love decorating for Christmas. Here is a picture of a few places in my home.

What Holiday traditions do you have?

Remember to refresh yourself,
Kelsey