30 for 30 Wrap Up!

As I wrap up this 30 for 30 challenge, I must thank The Seventh District for the idea. I know I haven't been consistent but nonetheless, I finished. I hope you've enjoyed getting to know me a little better. Thanks as always for reading and for the comments during this photo challenge...be blessed!

~Nic

Day 26: A photo of somewhere I've Been
Rhodes, Greece - the best shopping and the bluest water I've ever seen...

Day 27: Pic of myself last year & How I've grown

This picture is actually one of my favs. Last year, I was in a place of uncertainty; I was all over the place. I was unsure of how I was going to put my dreams and goals into action, I was unsure of what I wanted to do as a career, as well as some other things. I've always known I was going to be successful, and I've always known that I was going to be great at whatever I did. I just needed direction. Thankfully and prayerfully, I've found my purpose, found my desired career path, and I am steadily headed in the right direction. I have a clear vision of what I want to do and what I need to do in order to accomplish my goals. I am more driven, more confident, and I've never been as happy as I am now. The best is yet to come, for sure...

Day 28: Fav Movie(s)

Ok, did you really think I was going to pick just one?? LOL. There are SOO many movies I can watch over and over, and I have shared some of them in my posts before. However, these are some I have recently watched. I can go word for word with every movie listed below, LOL!

 {Love Jones, Crooklyn, The Best Man, Sex & the City 2,  My Best Friends Wedding, and Houseguest}

Day 29: Something I Never get tired of Doing

I will never get tired of (1) spending time with my family, (2) my fiance', (3) my friends, and (4) meeting new people. Simply put, those are the things in life that keep me going and those are the things that make me happy. Family is always #1 & they keep me grounded, the love my fiance' and I share is constant, my friends keep me motivated, and meeting new people just warms my heart---good people in this world are hard to come by.

Day 30: Photo of me Today and 3 good things that happen to me in the past 30 Days

*i'm glowing, lol*

1. I got a bonus at work :-)

2. I spent time with friends

3. We're almost finished registering for our wedding gifts :-)

30 for 30; Days 21-25

Sooo, as most of you know I have been participating in the 30 for 30 challenge. It's been a great way to get to know other bloggers, and I hope you all have gotten to know me a little better as well. Thanks to The Seventh District for starting the challenge; it's been so much fun! I am almost done with the days, so enjoy this post and stay tuned for the last 30 for 30 post (Days 26-30). Take care and be blessed!

~Nic

Day 21: Photo of Something that Makes You Happy

-Random "I love you gifts" from my babe 

-My family

-Being at the beach or near the water

Day 22: My Favorite Hideaway

My bedroom; I love being in my room, door closed, music playing...I'm in my zone when I'm there.
{the 2nd photo was my room inspiration photo}

Day 23: Childhood Photo and 15 Facts

{taken in Annapolis on a day trip with my grandad}

1. I'm 25

2. I love my job/career

3. I drive a Nissan Altima

4. I live with my mom, dad, sis and grandma

5. Fav movie is Love Jones & The Jackson: An American Dream

6. I love 2Pac music/poetry

7. I was the Editor-in-Cheif of my H.S. newspaper

8. I love to bake

9. I wore my hair natural for 2 years

10. My room is painted orange

11. My mother is my boss

12. I once had a pet rabbit

13. I've been to Egypt

14. I listen to music everyday as I get dresses--no TV

15. I read a lot

Day 24: Something that Means A lot to Me
This is a letter my mother wrote me the first time I stayed away from home. I won a Journalism Scholarship through University of Maryland, College Park one summer and stayed on campus for a few weeks to learn all things Journalism. While it was one of the greatest experiences, I was so nervous to be away from my family. I was in the 10th grade and my family was so happy and proud of me. Before I left, my mom gave me the letter and told me to open it when my first night. She is the best and always knows exactly what to say to get me through any and every situation.

Day 25: What's in my Purse??
1. Phone
2. Cosmetic Bag
3. Nook
4. Pen
5. Business Card Holder (not shown bc idk where it is, LOL)
6. Water
7. Headphones
8.Flash drive (Work)
9. Reese's Pieces ;-)

*if you asked to see my work bag, whew!...i wouldn't be able to name everything i keep in that thing, LOL*

30 for 30....Continued (16-20)

Day 16 – A photo of a hobby you love

Writing & thrifting are 2 of my favorite hobbies. Ever since I can remember, I have been a writer. I have several short stories, a collection of poems, and a novel in the works. I was a published author in the 4th grade; I just knew I was going to be an author when I grew up ;-) Thrifting is also another hobby. My grandfather ALWAYS thrifted and I never got it until I was older. Now, I love it and I save so much money and find the most unique items. I also thrift with my fiance' and it has become something we look forward to doing together :-)

{ 2nd Avenue Link HERE }

Day 17 – A photo of you and your family

As you all probably know, I am BIG on family. Below is a pic of my parents and my little sis. We took this photo for our church directory, and ended up purchasing this pic to put on our Family Wall at home. And the other (more recent) was the day of my engagement. That is a complete family photo :-)

Day 18 – Something you crave a lot

Since I have changed my snacking/eating habits, I have been trying healthier options. YogiBerry at my local mall is thee best and I have been craving it pretty much everyday!! LOL...I mean yogurt, and your choice of fruit toppings?? C'mon, you can't beat that!

Day 19 – Another picture of yourself

This was taken on a Saturday afternoon. My fiance' and I were headed out thrifting I believe.

Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name

When I decided to go ahead and pursue blogging, I had NO idea what to call it. All the names I came up with were corny (I will spare you with the choices, lol). I knew I wanted to use Nic in the name somehow, and I knew I wanted it to be easy to remember. So I asked my family for help and I eventually went with the name my fiance chose which was, Nic's Picks. I wanted to do a blog focused on my lifestyle, and any fashions, outfits, or anything else I 'picked'. Nic was used because my middle name is Nicholsonne, and I just shortened it to 'Nic'. A lot of my friends have always called me Nic as well so, I wanted to keep the name. Also, My late grandfathers name was Nick so, I always feel like using Nic for anything keeps his legacy alive. (pic below is me and my grandfather) So, there you have it...



30 for 30...last few days

Day 11: What's in my Makeup Bag?

(yes, it all fits LOL)

1.NY & Co. and Victoria Secret Lip Gloss

2. Vaseline

3.Hand Sanitizer

4. Tissue

5. Mirror

6. Nail File

7. Eyebrow Brush

8. Lotion

 Day 12: Picture of Where I live...

I live in Howard County, Maryland and the city of Columbia. It's a very quiet, family oriented county and I absolutely love it. It's a great place to raise a family, and was voted as the 2nd among Money Magazine's 2010 survey of "America's Best Places to Live". Howard County's schools also frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates.

Day 13: My Favorite Artist & Why?

It's so tough to pick just one but, I have to go with Badu. I have seen her in concert...about 5 times. She is a true performer and is a wonderful dancer. I relate to so many of her songs, and her performances are real---I feel her every time. I took my mother to see her one Mother's Day and we had 5th row seats; can you say AMAZING!! My fav song by her is above as well. Enjoy ;-)

Day 14: TV Show Your Currently Addicted To...( I Can't Name Just 1, LOL)

1. (anything) Kardashian

2. Switched at Birth (I'm a big kid at heart, lol)

3. Tori & Dean

4. The Game

 

Day 15: Something You Don't Leave the House Without

1. Lip Balm

2. Cell Phone

3. Wallet

4. Business Card Holder

Playing Catch Up...{30 for 30}

Day 6: A Photo of an Animal I’d love to Keep as a Pet

I am honestly NOT an animal person but I do love fish. And why, I don't know, but I have been wanting a little puppy for quiet sometime. I just know I do not have the time to take proper care of a pet. Maybe when Darrius and I get married---we'll see ;-)

Day 7: My Dream Wedding

How ironic?!! Well, seeing as how I am planning my "dream wedding" as we speak, I have always wanted my wedding to be 3 things: fun, classic and simple. Hopefully the wedding board below will express some of my (latest) ideas. Nothing is set in stone, but this board is much more focused and much more accurate than my last wedding post. Enjoy!

Day 8: A Song to Match My Mood

Well, since the Ravens lost today, I am not in the best mood, lol. BUT, I have a busy and eventful week/weekend coming up so I can't help but think of a better song than the one below to play for you other than Goapele's, Closer. There are so many great things happening in my life right now, I can honestly say that I am so much closer to my dreams. I am truly blessed!

Day 9: A Photo of the Item I Last Purchased

I JUST purchased this jacket from 2nd Avenue this past weekend. It's a men's jacket, but I loved the way it fit me and of course, I fell in love with the back ;-)

Day 10: A Photo of My Favorite Place to Eat

Hands down, San Sushi in Towson, MD. Their rolls and chi tea are to die for! And when the mango sticky rice is in season....SIIGGHH!!! OMG it's sooo good!!

Day 5...30 for 30

Day 5: A picture of yourself 2 years ago

This picture is SO funny because I am making my famous "are you serious???" face. I think I took this and posted it on my Facebook page because I was irritated that day. Looking a the date, that seems to be about right. Some days/dates you just never forget, you know? LOL. It was taken January 12, 2010, according to my Facebook records, lol. As you can see, I was rocking the short hair and I loved it! I sometimes want to go back to shorter hair but then I remember the maintenance it takes to keep it up and I come back to reality. I was also in my work out gear which is a subliminal message that I do indeed need to get back on my work out routine. Ironically enough, I have an appointment with my Elliptical Machine tonight ;-)

~Nic

30 for 30....Day 4

Hey everyone! I hope you have had a GREAT weekend. I know I have ;-) I relaxed, spent time with the fam and went to church. I also worked with the kiddies this Sunday at church for the first time and it was so much fun! I worked with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders and boy do they have some energy! I love kids and to work with them in a spiritual setting is even better. They really made my day :-) I also watched the Golden Globes and was really impressed by the fashion. Check out my fav looks HERE.

In keeping up with the 30 for 30 challenge, I am now on Day 4. The picture is of me and my best friend, Danyelle. We have been best friends for 14 years (it will be 15 this year)! We went to middle, high school and college together. She is always there when I need her and is the best person to make you laugh. we are opposites when it comes to a lot of things but, it works for us and we just click. Although we don't see one another as often as we like to anymore, we still pick up right where we left off every time we talk/or meet up. She is going to be my maid of honor in my wedding, of course ;-)

The next photo is my cousinTerrence. He and I have been close since birth and everyone says we look  like siblings. I am 2 years older than him, and our parents are first cousins. It seems like we are brother and sister so that's what we tell everyone, LOL! We have been through A LOT together and we even went to the same high school. As we have both gotten older, our relationship has grown and I truly love and appreciate his friendship. He has now become my best friend/brother/cousin ;-)

Enjoy & I will talk to you soon! Blessings,

~Nic

{Me & Danny - Freshman Year} 

{Me & Terrence - Summer '10}

Day 3...Perfect Date

My idea of a perfect date has always been to just go for a walk around a park or something like that. I am a very simple girl so to me, that is perfect. To walk around the park, talk, and get to know one another is priceless to me. Low and behold, my fiance' & I had our first date in downtown Baltimore. We were actually set up on a blind date by our close friends. After our dinner at Ra Sushi, we headed to Federal Hill (in Baltimore) and walked and talked for HOURS! It was the best date and the best day I'd had in years. That is/was my "Perfect Date".

~Nic

*blurry but i LOVE this pic; our first date back in 2009*

Day 2...30 for 30

Another good day :-) I had my first wedding meeting and things went VERY well. I am just so excited to see my visions and ideas come to life. While I felt a tad overwhelmed, I was reassured (by Mommy) that everything was going to work out just fine. Darrius and I start pre-marital counseling tomorrow too; can't believe we are starting already. Whew! Before you know it, Dec. 30th will be here and I will be Mrs. West ;-)

Anywho, I hope you all had a good day also! In keeping with the 30 for 30 challenge, enjoy the pic and short description. Be blessed and as always, thanks so much for reading.

~Nic

Day 2:  A photo of something you ate today

For dinner, I had a turkey BLT (I picked the bacon off, LOL) from The Cheesecake Factory. Delicious and not too heavy. I usually order pasta or a turkey burger but wanted to try something different :-)

I'm Back!!...30 for 30

HELLO everyone!!! I am back from a mini break of posting and blogging. While I still commented and kept up with my fellow bloggers, I wanted to take a "creative break" as I called it. With SO much on my agenda for this year, I had to take a step back to prioritize and plan. In that (short) time, I was able to spend time with family, do a little shopping, work on my vision board(s), do a little cleaning, and most importantly refocus. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the "world" that we forget we need a moment to ourselves to slow down and regroup. So, that's what I've been doing and I am glad to say that I am so excited for my blog this year. I have great ideas I plan to implement, and I hope you all come along for the experience.

Today, I am going to start the 30 For 30 Challange. It's something I saw on The Seventh District's page, (Ashley over at, A Sassy Woman is participating it too). It's basically a 30 day photo challenge. I did a similar one thru my Tumblr page (see HERE) this past summer and it was a lot of fun. So, I am going to join in and share my 30 for 30 with my blog readers :-)

It's funny because I love getting to know people, especially those bloggers I follow. I think that explains my love for autobiographies and biographies and 'reality tv'. I am so intrigued by people and their lives/stories. Everyone has a story, and I for one believe you can learn so much about a person by listening/seeing or reading about it.

With that being said, enjoy "getting to know me" in 30 days. Talk to you all soon...be blessed!

~Nic

                                                                 

Day 1: A photo of yourself & a description of how your day was

{photo taken in Sicily, Italy}

Although this is not a recent pic, this is how I feel my day was. It was a good day; simply put. Work seemed longer than usual but that's because I was tired, lol. But I was able to come home, rest, laugh with my family and catch up on some good tv shows and good sleep. I also started the 2nd week of my personal/spiritual fast and it went pretty well. The purpose of the fast is quite simple; to display self-control and to use my (free/spare) time doing what will help me continue to live a purpose driven life.