Password Drama

This past week, Jeffrey and I needed to log into old accounts. Sure, it will be easy, whatever, no big deal. Then, the screen popped up a box that said: "WRONG PASSWORD, TRY AGAIN! What, are you kidding? We tried a million and one passwords and nothing. I was screaming at my past self for choosing such a silly password.

After none of my known passwords worked, I decided to try answering the security questions. The screen popped up:

1. What was the first beach you visited?

2. What is your favorite band?

Okay, whoever created these security questions clearly has never had a changing opinion. Where are the questions like what's your mother's maiden name...that never changes! How on earth and I supposed to know what 16 year old me thought the first beach I visited was? I mean come on! I live near three beaches and I named every beach in Florida... nothing! At this point I am hysterically laughing and screaming at my computer screen like a mental patient. I don't know the first beach I visited and I have named every 90's boy band possible.

While we're keeping score: 100 computer, 0 Kelsey! So, the computer won and I had to reset my password. I went through all the steps and answered all the questions. When I went to enter a new password, in bold red words my computer reads, "password cannot be the same one previously used in the last year". Wait, you mean that was it! WHAT!?!?!  Are you kidding me computer. One hour later, I entered my new password that I will never remember and went on my way.

After all of my madness, all I have to say is...

Dear cyber world,
"NO, I do not want to create a new password. Just tell me my old one. I don't want to use one capital and one lowercase letter and I don't want to use a symbol that I will never remember. Lastly, your security questions are ridiculous, my favorite color changes daily!"
Love,
Your irritated user, Kelsey

Friday Five: First Grade Fun

This Friday Five is special to me. I just finished my 6th year teaching first grade and my 1st year in Christian Education. 

This past year has been amazing. I have grown so much in my faith and teaching ability. Here are my favorite clips from this year! I mean look how cute these precious babies are. 

This is from the first day of school!

Meet me at the Pole. The sweetest prayers were said on this day

My girls made me a poster during indoor recess.

Mr. Jeffrey loved visiting my classroom.

My firsties love "fluffy stuffy" day!

I am so excited for Summer, but I will miss worshiping, praying, and learning with these sweet children. It has been a joy to watch them grow in 2nd graders. I am thrilled to see them next year and have a new group of firsties. 

Summer Lovin'

Summer is SO close I can taste it! Tomorrow is our last day of school for this year and I am so excited for two months or rest and relation!

Here is my Summer "Charleston" To Do list:

1. Rent Jet Skis: Jeffrey and I have been wanting to do this for a long time. We finally agreed that this Summer we will rent jet skis and fly across the water for a day... or two!

2. Go out on a boat with friends: We really want to rent a boat for a day and go out on a boat for the day. We would pack lunch and dinner and cruise the seas and enjoy some fun in the sun! Jeffrey and I love the water and boating. One of our lifetime goals is to own our own boat someday!

3. Dinner Cruise: Do you see a theme here? Everything we want to do involves the water somehow! We even want to eat dinner on the water. I mean why not get dressed up and enjoy dinner and drinks while you tour the harbor.

4. Paddle Board: Jeffrey and I went paddle boarding last year and we loved it. We want to try to go again because it is so much fun!

5. Beach games: Jeffrey and I have a few beach games we want to take out this Summer. I love laying out, but I can't sit still for very long.

What are your Summer plans? 

You're Doing WHAT?!?

Call me crazy but I have decided to do my own makeup for my sister-in-law's wedding in June. WHAT?!? I know, I know!!! My mindset was that I would rather spend my money on "high-quality" makeup items that I will have for a while, instead of paying someone else to use them and leave me with nothing. I also want to learn how to apply makeup well so I figured this was the perfect opportunity.

Since the make-up artist was charging $50 for make-up, that was my budget for new pieces. I researched and asked professionals their opinions. I am luck enough to have a best friend who is a makeup artist! WINNING! When I spoke with her she immediately recommended Anastasia Beverly Hills. I went to my local Sephora and decided to add a new eyeliner and brow applicator to my collection.

Everyone I spoke with recommended Anastasia Beverly Hills as the best so I decided to take a chance. Let me tell you, I am in love! These are so easy to use, look amazing, and I can tell a huge difference from my old makeup to this more high-end makeup. My eyes look great. I am still learning, but I am so excited to use these for her wedding in June. These are not "everyday" pieces in my opinion because half the time I am running out the door, but they are great for date nights and special occasions.

I love challenging myself to learn new things and step outside my comfort zone! What new things are you wanting to learn or try?

Friday Five

CURRENTLY

1. These Madewell shore-walk cover-up pants. I went shopping this past weekend and I could not resist these beauties. They are so comfortable and light. They are the perfect Summer staple. 

You can find these pants here.

2. Game of Thrones is again my current obsession. This is my favorite show right now. I find myself getting so excited on Sunday night!!! 

3. Essential oil cleaning solution. I recently made my own cleaning solution and I am obsessed! I absolutely LOVE everything about it. It smells so good and naturally cleans. My condo is sparking like the sun! 

4. Going to the beach! For the past three weeks, my husband and I have gone to the beach at some point. We had made it our goal to have our feet touch the sand at least once a week! That's a pretty awesome goal if I do say so myself! Living near three beaches is AMAZING!

5. Thrive Market! I have been ordering all organic, gluten-free/paleo items from Thrive for a few weeks now. If you like All-natural, organic foods delivered to your door, you MUST check out Thrive. 

What are you currently loving?

Lets Take it back...

I was feeling nostalgic so I went rummaging through all of my old Blog posts. This is by far one of my favorites and was my very first Blog post. I thought I would pull it out of the archives and share this little gem again. 

Chopped- Nelson Style!

We had a Chopped Challenge night in the Nelson household last night! Complete with blood, sweat, and tears! I'm totally kidding there was actually none of that. Jeffrey took the challenge like a champ! He had no idea what was in the bags. I went grocery shopping that day and hide his secret ingredients in these stylish Whole Foods bags! 

Here are the ingredients for the Main Course challenge:

1. chips

2. cauliflower

3. Alaskan salmon

4. unsweetened coconut milk

The judges are very skeptical about how this is going to turn out...

AND... drum roll please!

Here it is, the finished product. The chef informed me that he made a cauliflower vegetable medley in a coconut milk curry sauce with a chip and curry crusted salmon. The verdict? IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!! 

On to the dessert round! 

Dessert:

1. coke

2. gluten-free raisin bread

3. nutella

4. apple-wood smoked bacon

And here you have a raisin bread french toast with a peach compote complete with a coke and nutella sauce and bacon garnish. 

The verdict? It was interesting. Lets just say we did finish it. I was so impressed with the creativity Chef Nelson had! It was so cool to see him at work. Will we do this again? ABSOLUTELY! 

Turn that Frown Upside Down

I had a really bad day last week. Alexander's terrible, horrible, no good very bad day had nothing on me. I got home, walked Roxie and decided I was going to use the Nails so Dept gift card my sweet friend so graciously gifted me.

I was grumbling with my "bad day" self about not wanting to go, but I made myself because I did not need to wallow in my self-pity. I walked into the nail salon and it was a totally average, run of the mill salon. I sit in the message chair with the hot water... blah, blah, blah. You know the drill, we have all been there.

A man walked over and said he was going to be doing my pedicure... great I thought, men are the worst, just perfect! Don't judge a book by its cover people. Boy was I wrong, this man was fabulous! He brought me red wine and made sure my class was full before it ever went empty! That's a win in my book!!! Then he proceeded to tell me all about his trip to New York and all the musicals he has seen. We literally laughed and talked about Broadway and Sex in the City for an hour. Yes, my pedicure lasted over an hour!!!

Not only was he funny, but he took his time. I was in pedicure heaven. He did such an amazing job, I was stunned. THEN... he took me to dry where I got a complimentary neck and shoulder message. Y'all, I was in heaven. It was pure bliss!

My terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day turned into my terrific, humorous, good, very best day. Devin from Nails so Dep, you are my new best friend and I will only get pedicures from you because all other pedicures are obsolete. Also if you ever run across this Blog can we please be best friends because you're seriously the coolest person EVER!

Have you ever had a bad day turn around?

Friday Five: Mom Addition

In honor of Mother's Day this past weekend I thought I would share five of my favorite things about my mom!

Laughter // My mom's laugh is amazing. It is by far the BEST laugh I have ever heard. If you have have ever had the pleasure of meeting my mom you know exactly what I am talking about. I used to perform in musicals twice a year and I could hear my sweet mama's laugh from the stage. In my 20 years as a performer it was so reassuring to hear my mom out in the audience laughing away!

Voice of Reason // My mom is my best friend and I go to her for everything! She is a tough cookie though, don't let her laugh fool you! She would always tell me, "hold your head high". She taught me to be a classy woman who will always hold her head high and move forward. I have become quite a tough cookie myself (I choose to be a chocolate "tough cookie" with nuts... sweet and a little crazy).

Coffee  Addition // I get my need for caffeine from my mama. She should buy stock in Starbucks, honestly! When mom and I are together, our first stop is always coffee. There was one day mom and I had three cups of coffee while shopping. It is a wonderful thing to drink coffee with your equally coffee obsessed mom!

Love for Others // My mom is one of the most selfless people I know. She always puts others above herself. She loves people. She has a contagious personality and people are just drawn to her. She truly lights up a room and just makes you smile. Even in high school, my friends wanted my mom to be around. She was such a "cool mom" and was loved by all of my friends. To this day, my mom is really close with most of my best friends from high school. They sometimes call her before me! I pray for this trait daily!

Can't sit still // I 100% get the "energizer bunny syndrome" from my mom. We both have SO MUCH energy! My mom will work all day, walk thirteen miles (yes, you did ready that right; thirteen miles!), cook dinner, and still have a smile on her face at the end of the day. She goes all day everyday, nonstop! When mom and I get together we are a powerhouse of energy! With our energy and three cups of coffee, watch out!

So you see, my mom is Supper-woman! She is a laughing voice of reason with a fast paced coffee addition and a love for everyone she meets. She is mine. She is who I strive to be and who I want helping me raise my kids someday! I can see it now, three coffee crazed people running around the city spreading love wherever they go!

What do you love about your mom?

Fun in the Sun

Y'all, I am pale, like Victorian, wealth pale (just without the wealth...). I am not pasty, I just don't tan. Over my years, I have learned to embrace my porcelain skin. With skin cancer in my family, I treasure my skin. I don't want to look leathery and gross when I am older... ew!

Who wants to actually look their age? I pride myself in looking at least ten years younger then I actually am. When people ask if I am 21, I laugh and say sure, i'll be 21!!! Shoot... I'll love it when I am 60!!!

Getting ready for the beach is a process. A long, lotion-filled process. I lather on the lotion so thick I almost look whiter then I did before...classy, I know! I make sure I lather myself in my birthday suit so I do not miss a single inch. That sun can be sneaky!

Once I am whiter then white, I put on my bathing suit. Then, I apply yet another coat of water babies to my face just for good measure and some SPF 30 CC cream to add a hint of color. Once that is finished, I throw on the biggest hat I can find, large sunglasses and call it a day!

My skin will thank me one day! I image it saying, "Thank you Kelsey for taking care of me! Here are a few more years onto your life and you will look 30 when your 60! Thanks skin, I love you too!!!

How do you prepare for the beach?