Christmas List Tradition: 2014

   Ever since I was little me and my siblings would write out a list with ten things on it that we wanted for Christmas. We would rummage through ads and catalogs looking for toys and clothes that we wanted then copied it down onto paper. When I was little it was Barbies and Baby Dolls, now that I'm twenty its clothes, jewelry, and craft stuff. I still write a ten item list out for mother goose and hope to get everything I write down! This year, due to my pricey taste I gained once entering college I wrote out a very...very... detailed list.

1.       Jewelry

·         Bourbon and bowtie bracelet (look on Etsy for knock offs)

·         Short agate necklace and matching earrings (Kendra scott.  Doesn’t have to be Kendra Scott.. just showing you what it looks like)

·         A watch (Fossil or kate spade?)

·         Coordinates bracelet/cuff

·         Fix my pearl necklace

·         Size my opal ring

·         Charm bracelet w/ charms

·         Lily and Laura Bracelets ($10 [the beaded bracelets I wear])

·         Alex and Ani bracelet

2.       Shoes

·         Tevas (Original Terra Cotta size 9, ORIGINAL SANDAL LEATHER METALLIC, Zirras-Red palm)

·         Hunter rain boots- Wide calf

·         Jack Rogers sandals

·         Grey Vans

·         TOMS

·         TOMS bootie wedges

·         Rainbow (the brand)  flip flops

·         Grey or black NIKES or custom

·         Mayari Birkenstock/tatami birkenstock sandals

3.       Clothes

·         Herringbone vest (Can be expensive- shop around and look at boutiques)

·         Workout clothes

·         Bras!!!!

·         Rain Jacket (thicker than the one I have now/preferably black or gray)

·         Nike clothes

·         Denim shirt (dark or design)

·         Fleece colored vest

·          Victoria Secret  oversized sweatshirt(crewneck)

4.       *Things For back packing

·         Backpack

·         Packing cubes/ ebags

·         Outlet changers

·         Fanny pack/pocket belts/ stomach wallets

·         Jewelry roll up carrier

5.       Craft stuff

6.       Printer ink and paper

7.       Ipad

8.       Advocare

  This year...due to my very detail list.... I only listed eight things. I also wrote down things I could use for my Europe trip this summer. I know I wont get EVERYTHING on this list, but it gives my parents choices. 

 Because I have a hard working, wonderful boyfriend, I got to write out two different Christmas lists this year! 

1.Fuzzy Socks
3.The third book to the Outlander series
4.Gift Cards
5.Monogrammed stuff
6. A scarf
7. Jewelry
8. A puppy that he takes care of and I just get to visit and name (;
9. Sims 4
10.Craft Stuff

All this was easy stuff that could be any price really. 

What are somethings you asked for?

Did you make list like these growing up?

Loveto read about your Christmas List Traditions!(:

xox

2014 Christmas list by bayoushortie featuring red flats

Be The Encourager and Supporter

"Being a girlfriend, fiancé or wife is not just about being beautiful and attractive for your guy. It's not just about letting him chase you, letting him do sweet things every time you're mad at him and not just receiving flowers and gifts during your anniversaries. It's not about doing those girly things just to get his attention and not just about feeling mighty every time he did everything you want. It's also being an emotional partner wherein you support him in every opportunity that he takes, you appreciate everything that he does for you and you thank him for doing it, you remind him on the things he must do and what he must not. Just because you know that you can always keep him on his feet doesn't mean you can manipulate him. You understand him not just as a partner but as an individual too. You help him in every way showing him, that in a relationship, there's no "I" or "you", there's only "we" and "us". You know also that a man has their ego, especially mine, and even when it becomes a little irritating sometimes, you still understand that it's a part of his nature. A girlfriend, finance, or wife is just not terms, it also has responsibilities that every girl must know. You're a friend, a sister, a second mom, a teacher, and a best friend. I think a lot of girls forget that."

This was beautifully written by my friend Jessika.

    I think a lot of times couples forget to be each others supporters and encouragers. You may not like their choices, but as their lover you should support them and encourage them with whatever they do in life. Now, This doesn't mean you should support them if they choose to do heroin, but if they choose to become an art major instead of an engineer then support them and when they realize they wont make any money then encourage them. If you love them, the money they make or the changes they go through will not deteriorate your feelings towards them.  

    We need to not just be lovers, we need to be best friends. As my friend said, "You're a friend, a sister, a second mom, a teacher, and a best friend." You're going to get on their nerves, and you're going to come off naggish sometimes. It happens. Sometimes they are going to need to hear the truth. And it may hurt, but wouldn't you rather hear it from your best friend then someone you hardly know? You need to be that second mom, their teacher, to steer them in the right direction in life. Now, this doesn't mean you should tell them they shouldn't be an art major, but you could weigh the pros and cons out with them. If its still what they truly want, then let them and support them through it. 


    My stud went to school for a year. Didn't do too well and didn't have the focus, so he left and started working. 2 and 1/2 years later he is going back and starting over. I think this is wonderful! He's grown up a bit, saved some money, and now knows what he wants to do. I support and encourage him through it all. I know I come off naggish sometimes to him when I remind him of due dates and things he needs to get together (second moming him..), but if you ask him and he has told me multiple times, he loves that I do. It might get on his nerves at the moment, but when he looks and sees what he has taken care of he knows I only want the best and push him to be his best.

 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:11

I love this verse because That is exactly what we need to do. We need to build each other up. 

How do you guys feel couples should be?

Should the women be the main supporter and encourager?

Should this be a priority at all?

I would love to hear your response! (:

xox

I lost a brother tonight, I do not know how.
I lost a brother tonight, I do not know why.
I lost a brother tonight, Could you tell?

I lost my brother tonight, I'm crumbling inside.


   Emotions aren't easy for me to show. I don't know how to handle them and I don't know how to react to sad situations. Today I found out I lost one of my brothers. Blood? No. But none the less my brother.

  He was my brother's best friend, brother, and future best man. He has lived with us off and on and just like my brother, he teased the mess out me. I don't understand why and never in a million years would I have thought this would have happened. I am in such a state of shock still. While at work tonight everyone asked if I was alright. I wasn't! I want to be home to grieve with y family. I don't how they are going to take it every time a piece of mail for him lands in our mailbox or when they funeral comes around and we travel to which ever state to hear the gun shots for the proper military funeral.

I lost my brother tonight.

20 Things From My Life

  Today in my LAS class we had to write down 20 things we remember from our past 19 years (or however old you were). They couldn't be personal, but more generic. For Example, You would put Instant Messaging, or Myspace. Something that has happen in your life that was some what new or big. My list looked a lot like this...

1. That So Raven
2. Easy Bake Oven
3. Nintendo 64
4. Game Boy Color
5. Pokemon
6. Dragon Ball Z
7. Hannah Montana
8. Bop It
9. Hurricane Katrina
10. Michael Jackson Died
11. Clinton Scandal
12. 9/11
13. Out-Of-The-Box
14. Operation Iraqi Freedom
15. Junie B. Jones Books
16. Computer games
17. Razor Scooters
18. Heelies
19. Bratz
20. BP Oil Spill

  The fact that #3-#6 are boy stuff makes me laugh. I obviously grew up with an older brother who wished he had a younger brother and not a younger sister...  

This list kinda makes me sad.. Like I look back at this stuff and realize most kids dont have Heelies now or have Brat dolls. This little girl in my gymnastic class the other day didn't even know who Hannah Montana is (maybe a good thing?) or even heard of Camp Rock. How depressing right?

Growing up sure does suck sometimes.

What would Yall's list look like??

xox

-Aut

Lets be honest here...

   I can't keep a gypsy blog when all I do is school...in the same city.... Hopefully one day I will be able to travel the world and see new places! For right now, I'm just going to keep a college average girl blog. Sound good? Maybe a few gypsy life post here and there, but come on... who wants to hear my coffee shops stories over and over and over again? NOT ME! So! Here is to a new beginning and a new writing path! If any of you fellow bloggers have any ideas, let me know!

O H I O yall!

Though I am originally from Slidell, La., Ohio is where my family is. Being a military a military brat has sent me all over, but for some unknown reason they decided to settle in Dayton, Ohio.... for now...

So, early Tuesday morning me and my little cousin got in the car for a nice long 12 hour to the good ol' 937.. Oh and was it stressful! The last time I drove up it was stressful because I wasnt sure how to get home, but the way down was the easiest drive ever! BUT! the whole way up I drove in a constant rainy mist. It wasnt really rain but not yet a drizzle. IT WAS A W F U L !! Every car in America was on the road for the Holidays and though I only got stuck in traffic in Nashville, I went a constant 70 the whole way to Ohio -__-

The most stressful part was the drive from Nashville to Louisville... I seriously contemplated turning around and renting a hotel... it was a little too much.

My favorite part though was stopping in Bowling Green, Ky (Home of Fruit of the Looms and the National Corvette Museum) to my great friend Hanna! I love getting to see her!! Even if it was just a couple of minutes...

What I Love the most is being home. No matter how stressful the drive was...

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!

Throw Back Thursday: Pisa!

Sorry guys, you're going to have to bare with me... being a college student can be rough sometimes and I am trying to do a TBT post every week... even if I end up posting it at 3:00 am Friday morning....

This week, we will be throwing back to the wonderful, small, noting but a leaning tower of a town called Pisa! And yes I will re iterate... S M A L L and NOTHING BUT A LEANING TOWER of a town.....

An Original Picture by yours truly.

Hopefully you didn't blink too fast! What you see in this picture, is what you get!! No lie... 

  The leaning tower of Pisa is in this little Walled in town... like most of italian villages... and there is absolutely nothing there! There are tons of shopping vendors... like most villages and then the tower. I have gone multiple times and yes I would love to go back, but at most it will take you a hour to explore all that it offers! 

 I have done everything from scavenger hunts to just site seeing! No, I did not climb the tower... for 80 euros I did not find it worth it. Plus, it was shut down 3 out of the 4 times I have gone. I would not be surprised if it was still shut down... Italians take FOREVER on construction! 

The church behind this Duomo was very interesting, but once you've seen it and heard it's history... going three more times makes it loose its wow factor... 

 For a quick/brief historical description of Pisa, I stole a paragraph written by freelance writer, Michael Figueiredo's blog, http://struxtravel.com ! Go check it out!!

"The Italian city of Pisa is known the world over for its famous “Leaning Tower.” In fact, it’s probably one of the most recognizable structures anywhere.  What many people don’t realize is that it’s actually only part of a larger complex that includes three other beautiful and interesting sights. Set in the park-like Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), the Torre Pendente is the freestanding bell tower for the city’s cathedral, known as the Duomo. Construction on the spectacular white and gray marble Duomo was begun in 1064, over a century before the tower was even started. Unfortunately, due to poor foundations, the infamous tower began leaning to the side within five years of construction. Engineers tried to compensate for the tilt by building the upper levels with one side taller than the other. Because of this, the tower is actually slightly curved. On the opposite side of the Duomois the Baptistery, the largest in all of Italy, with architectural elements of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Finally, adjacent to these buildings is the Camposanto, a cemetery where the nobility of Pisa were buried centuries ago. Interestingly, the earth used in the Camposanto was brought over from the Holy Land by the shipload during the Crusades. The entire Campo dei Miracoli (also known as Piazza del Duomo) is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its beauty and historical value." - Micheal Figueiredo