Terrific Thursday's

I am going to start a new Thursday tradition ...TERRIFIC THURSDAY'S! I will post my can't live without items/things for the week. There are so many things that I use on a day-today basis that I could post however, some weeks there are certain items that stick out more than others. One thing that drives me crazy is when I tell someone I like something they have and they won't share the vital information of where they got it. So no worries, I will be spilling the beans! Why would I not want you to try something out that I think it AMAZING??

Here we go for the first ever Terrific Thursday post:

 I have had a cold for the past week. My lips have been severly suffering because of this lovely cold. Without Cherry Chapstick my lips would look like a reptile. Literally can be found anywhere you go...as it should be an easy to get item!

Also due to having a cold I have been in the bed A LOT. Without this handy dandy game of Bingo Blingo on my iPhone I would have been even more bored than I already was. PS. this is also a good time consumer when you have hours of time in an airport (Trust me)!

I have recently become obsessed with Scentsy products. I am very sensetive to smells and have a hard time finding anything that will not give me a headache. It was a process trying to find the right scents don't get me wrong, but they have so many choices it was easy to find some that work for me. It is so nice to have a nice smelling house and me not be sick at the same time! www.scentsy.com I can also give you some reps names if you would like. They will ship it directly to your front door no matter where they live!

Ok Ok...I know I have listed two lip items but if you know anything about me you know that I love having my lips on. This product was introduced to me by a co-worker. Tarte Lip Stain. Don't let the Lip Stain part stop you...trust me you will miss out on some goodness. I as I said like to have my lips on at all times. With the Tarte Lip Stain you can put in on first thing in the morning, let it sit for a few minutes, and then you have georgous color for most of the day. The colors are beautiful and the best news is they have a hint of mint in them to make your breath smell fresh as you are talking! Smart thinking Tarte! My store of choice is www.ulta.com because every purchase you make you earn rewards points. These reward points in turn will earn you an item for free!

As most of my friends know I like my nails to be painted. Most of the time I do them myself because that is money that I can save. My nail polish collection is very large and ranges in brands. However, my favorite brands are OPI, China Glaze, and Essie. Today I am wearing China Glaze, Hey Sailor. It is the perfect shade of red for Christmas ...what am I talking about red is always the perfect shade anytime! I did however, paint them red for Christmas! I also purchased this at www.Ulta.com Once again those rewards points get me. It may not be much that you get for free but at least it is something!


Hope you all venture out and try a new item/thing that you may not have before. Sometimes we just need to hear that it was great for someone else to try it. I am really excited about Christmas and spending time with my family and friends. I have not been home since Thanksgiving and it was so crazy then I did not get to see everyone. I will be finishing up the final items on the list this afternoon and then it will be stress free!

Time to think

As I have mentioned in previous post I took a new job in October with PEAK Campus. To say I LOVE it is an understatement. I have amazing people surrounding me on a daily basis. It is so nice to love going to work, feel encouraged, and know that people are proud that you are on their team! With my job comes a lot of travel. Traveling is fine with me minus the being worn out when you get home. In two and a half months I have already been to 6 different states! I realized on my flight the other day back from Baton Rouge that this is the time that I am always asking for.....TIME TO THINK! I always dread long flights because I feel like there is nothing to do. I watch movies, read books, magazines, anything to make the time go by quicker. As I was sitting looking out the window I realized even more how awesome our CREATOR is.

View from my window when I got all of these amazing reminders!

I know God is awesome and I never doubt HIS love for me and what all he is capable of. However, when looking down at the world below me, I can;t help but me amazed. Only MY GOD could have created this amazing place and all of its wonders. I now know what I need to not waste my time on and that is spending time with HIM on these flights. I am going to make it a point on my flights to spend some time with HIM. I am always saying I need more time for this, that, and everything in between. I got a big slap in the face that said HE needs more time with me. I need to MAKE time for HIM, Praise HIM, shower HIM with love, and most of all continue building my relationship with HIM. Sometimes we need to step back and realize this world is not about us it's about HIM. Thank you Jesus for reminding me that you love me and want more of me!

As I said I was in Baton Rouge for work. You all also know I am a die hard BAMA fan so being in Tiger country is not my idea of fun haha! Just kidding I had a blast and was able to get a lot done!

Love my Chrissy Cooke!! She is my Regional, my Mentor, and an amazing encourager!

Tiger Stadium ....Where BAMA breaks all the hearts!

 Being from the south you have to make good chicken fingers....these were great!

My favorite thing from LA, Pralines !!

Our New property University Edge's Temporary Leasing Office in Baton Rouge

The day that changed my life forever!

Warning ...it is long but why would something this big not be????

While I was on a work trip in Athens, I got a call that Peak Campus wanted to interview me as soon as possible for a position they had open. I was extremely excited because this job is exactly what I had been looking for. I told them that I would be leaving Athens at noon on Thursday and could stop by on my way back to Tuscaloosa. They said that would be great we would start interviewing at 1. After hanging up I got an email with the times I would be interviewing with whom. I had no clue that I would be going through 5 interviews. It then hit me that they were really interested!! I got super nervous, called Ryan flipping out because I did not have any clothes to wear (he disagreed), then I got even more nervous because I saw that I had an interview with the President of the company. Ryan being the wonderful man that he is tried to calm me down by telling me that I just needed to be me.

 Fast forward, Thursday is here. I am dead tired from being at a conference for 3 days, my allergies and contacts were killing me, now I must go interview with 5 people, oh and to top it off my boss called and said I had a meeting a 9pm when I got home about marketing with Alabama Athletics. I get through the interviews and felt great about everything. I called Ryan and said we have got to pray about this because I feel like this is what we need. He agreed and said that everything would work out exactly how it needed to but to get home safely, go to your meeting, and then get some rest. 

If any of you have ever been to Atlanta then you know saying they have a traffic problem is an understatement. I was sitting in 5 O'clock traffic ready to pull my hair out. I then remembered that I had promised my college roommate, Byrd, I would bring her some Varsity dogs. So I pulled over and took a break from traffic, got her dogs, got me a drink and pie, and then hit the road again. Keli my boss texted me and said don't forget our meeting tonight. Now I did not tell her that I had no plans on going to that meeting but I did let Ryan know I would NOT be attending any meeting at 9PM as tired as I was. He told me that work sometimes asks us to do things we don't want to do and that I just needed to do it because Keli would not have asked me to go if it was not important. I made it to Anninston and was dead tired. I called Ryan to try to stay awake but he was at football practice. I then called my mom to talk to her. She instructed me to stop and walk around for a few minutes. About that time I saw a TJMaxx. I love a TJMaxx so I decided that would be the perfect place to walk around. As we women do ...I found a few items that I just had to try on. 

Ryan called me back wanting to see where I was and check on me. I told him where I was and he said Lara Ellen did you forget your work meeting? I told him no I had not forgotten it but I was not going. I left with my purchases and got a Starbucks coffee for the road. Almost home Keli texted again. I thought to myself you have got to be kidding me. She let me know that since I was running late they had changed the meeting from dinner to ice cream but that we had to do it because he would be out of town the rest of the week. She then said I am waiting at your house to pick you up as soon as you get back. There was no getting out of this meeting. So I wheeled in, hopped out of my car into hers, and we went to TCBY. We had not been in the parking lot a minute when one of our employees Shelby called needing a ride. She said she had been drinking, got upset with someone, and started walking down the road. I asked Keli could we go get her and she said well he is not here yet so lets go really quick.  I asked Shelby where she was and she said walking toward the stadium. I told her to stop where she was and i would be there in a minute. Keli and I pull up and sure as the world there sits Shelby beside Bear Bryant’s statue. We walked up to her and she started telling me what happened. Out of nowhere I hear Ryan's voice so I turn around and there he is down on one knee. 

All I remember from this point on is Ryan saying I have prayed for God to bring me a woman like you my entire life.....insert crying and loss of memory here. 

If you know much about me, you know I love The University of Alabama and Alabama Football. I have said for a while now that my dream engagement would happen somewhere on UA's campus. I never dreamed that my dreams would come true.

Lesson learned...DONT BE STUBBORN, it could be your future husband at the meeting!!!

About this Blog thing.....

I know the whole point of a blog is to keep it going everyday. Well let me be honest, my life has been so crazy that I literally have not had time. I know I know, I say that all the time but this time it's for real. Let me explain....

The last post I made was talking about how I was dreaming of getting married to man who was created just for me and most importantly can put up with me. GUESS WHAT????

I'M NOW ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!! On September 27th Ryan Locke drove down to Tuscaloosa and with the help of some of my friends/co-workers he popped the question. He not only asked me to marry him he did it in front of Bryant Denny Stadium at the feet of Bear Bryant's statue. For most women I am sure you are thinking what in the world would a man propose there for?  Well he had listened to my every word one day while I was showing him my classrooms as we walked across The University of Alabama's beautiful campus. As many of you know I am a proud BAMA grad and love anything ALABAMA. I always thought that my dream proposal would be anywhere on campus. Ryan Locke made it happen!!!! I will update you all on the proposal later. Right now I want to catch you up on my life.

                                    First Tailgate as an ENGAGED woman!!

                         He did AMAZING!!! Pictures do not do it justice...ROLL TIDE !

On October 1, 2012 I got a call that I was being offered my dream job. You see on September 27th I had gone to Atlanta to interview for the job of Regional Marketing Specialist of the East Coast for Peak Campus. After the interviews I was in LOVE and really wanted the job. I called Ryan and expressed how excited I was and that I felt really good about the interviews. He said we would pray about it and what was meant to be would happen. Little did I know that in a few short hours I would become and engaged woman. So within 4 days I was engaged and had a new job. Did I mention that with this new job I had to move to Atlanta within 2 weeks???
My amazing friend Paige went to my house for a week and packed while I was at work and after I got off work to help me prepare for this move. Thank goodness for her or it would have not gone nearly as smooth. I have no idea how she got me organized but somehow she did!

        Peak Marketing Department in the Real World Suite at Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas

It gets even crazier.... One week one of my new job I flew to Vegas for the week(for work of course). The very next week I went to Los Angeles to help with a transition for the West Coast. I had a couple of days of working at the office, a weekend of engagement pics, and then jumped on a plane for a week in Richmond, VA. I had my first full week of work the week before Thanksgiving. On Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day I went to Enterprise and picked up my rent-a-car. I was home in Butler through Friday and then it was back to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl (Ryan's first ever game in Bryant Denny)!!!

                                                        ROLL TIDE!!

On Monday I left and headed to Oxford, MS then went to Huntsville, AL. I am now back in Atlanta for the week ...for now anyway!!!

                    Ole Miss-Oxford, MS such a beautiful town with wonderful food!

   Huntsville, AL close to home and allows me to stay with friends who are like family!! Some of my favorites POBOY Factory, Rosies, and my property Huntsville Place !!

Can you see now how this blog thing kind of fell to the wayside??? I am back now ...I hope!! I love being able to write about life even if it is boring to others. I love knowing I can look back at this one day and see my life and all the memories I am making.

My new job is everything I hoped it would be. I am learning a different side of Property Management from the Corporate World. Peak is such a positive company that only continues to become better and better each day. I am so proud to work for Peak. I can't thank them enough for the opportunities they are giving me!

So far I am staying on top of wedding planning while working. We will see how long it last! Visit our wedding site if you get a chance!

http://RyanAndLaraEllen.ourwedding.com

Can't wait to keep you all in the loop about my wedding planning! It's going to be a Southern Barn Wedding and I can't wait!!

Right in the middle of no where....

I think back to how many times I said "I'm not getting married until I'm 27," "There are no good men out there," and then came "What is wrong with me Lord?" It is so funny to see how times change, we change, and the Lord knows what he is doing the entire time.

I have 4 best friends from college. All of us have been single until this past year. We would always watch girls around us at Alabama have more boyfriends than they did friends. They did not have the relationship with Christ that we had, the morals that we had, nor the desire that we had to find the "ONE" the Lord had for us. We would get together and talk about what we were doing wrong better yet try to figure out what was wrong with us. We knew we were living the right way and doing things the way we should but we could not figure out why in the world the good girls seemed to not have any luck!!



I always joked that I jinxed myself by saying "I'm not getting married until I'm 27" because here we are a few months from my 27th birthday. All jokes aside I was really starting to doubt God and his ability to bring me someone who was a man of Christ, treated a lady as she deserved, and most importantly someone who I could see building a life with. I allowed myself to go on dates with guys who were NONE of the things I ever wanted or needed. I would tell myself they were great sometimes I believe because I wanted to know that nothing was wrong with me. After many nights of still feeling empty I pretty much gave up.

What do you know.......

Right in the middle of no where God brought me the man of my dreams.



When women say "man of my dreams" many times I think they are talking about something completely different than I am talking about. My definition of "Man of my dreams" is someone who lives their life for Christ, strives to be the best person they can possibly be, loves me for the person I am not what I look like, someone willing to do whatever it takes to make it work for the rest of our lives because of the commitment we make to one another, someone who thinks I am beautiful sick as a dog with no makeup on, someone who wants to talk to me face to face more than he wants to "text" me, and the man of my dreams would move mountains just to make me smile.



I don't need a magazine cover boy, millionaire, smooth talker, gift giving, don't listen to what I say man. Those things don't matter. Our generation has gotten it ALL WRONG and there is a reason that relationships are not successful in our day and time. So many people do not value a commitment in any area of their life.

I am so thankful that even when I doubt God he is FAITHFUL. He knew from the time I was in my mother's womb that at 26 years old he would shock me and present to me on a silver platter a man. He knew that during a season of my life I would be doubting him.  HE also knew that he would give me a sign to show me once again how strong HIS love for me is. Not only would he present me with a man but a man who serves HIM, one who would love me with his whole heart, and a man that would meet every qualification that I wrote on a note when I was 12 years old in CODE RED youth group. A note that has been updated many times but has remained in my wallet for 14 years now. "Ask and you shall receive" in God's PERFECT timing!

I sit here today knowing that the Lord created a man that I will spend the rest of my life with. I look forward to getting engaged, planning for a wedding with all best friends, and then honoring the Lord with a marriage that only he could have known about from the very beginning! Then I look forward to celebrating all over again with my 3 best friends who will one day meet the very man God created for them!

Thank you God for NEVER giving up on your children even when we doubt you.