Three on Thursday| ACM Awards, Makeup & More!

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It’s TGIT and I am super excited to be joining Stephanie at Not Entirely Perfect for Three on Thursday. I have followed her blog for years and super excited to join her today for 3 on Thursday. Today I am going to share my list of three things that I am loving this week!

One| ACM Awards
Carrie killed it. She literally killed it. Immediately after watching her performance of Cry Pretty I jumped on iTunes and bought this new single. She not only sounded amazing but she looked amazing. If you have been living under a rock you wouldn’t know that she was in an accident at her house a few months back and had a ton of stitches. Her new single Cry Pretty has played on my phone, ipad, and macbook at least 10 times a day since the beginning of the week. I seriously can’t get enough. Proof of how good this song is can be found on the iTunes charts. Seriously what a great song! Take a listen for yourself. It’s a total Female Anthem!


Two| Bobbi Brown Capri Nudes Eye Shadow Palette
Recently I went on a little bit of a Bobbi Brown shopping spree. Since I literally use all the products daily. One that quickly landed in my daily makeup section was the Capri Nudes Eye Shadow Palette. This palette is seriously gorgeous. You can achieve the most natural daytime look and then amp it up to a smoky nighttime look. I seriously am obsessed with it!


Three| All Things Planning
Over the past month I have really wanted to get into planning. I think with my current job diving into planning could really help. I did go into this a little in yesterday’s post so you can check that out for more. However, I have spent a ton of money buying B6 size planners, planner stickers and accessories. I am waiting for everything to come in, but I am so excited to get started planning. I have found some amazing items like this planner I shared on my instagram as well as some stickers from shops like My Newest Addiction, Simply Watercolor Co & Scribble Prints Co. Make sure you follow me on instagram as I will be posting pictures of my hauls as they come in.

Make sure you head over and check out Stephanie’s blog! Good news is that we have one more day till the weekend! Happy Thursday, hope you all enjoy TGIT(For all the Greys lovers out there).

Pinteresting Picks Wednesday| The Backwards Way & How to Triple Blog Traffic

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Welcome back to Pinteresting Picks Wednesday! How’s the week going thus far? I seriously attempted to write this post while watching the voice. However, I did get work done on commercial breaks. Well a week like mine has been challenging to say the least, but life is what we make of it right? I admit I am addicted to Pinterest and have been for years, which is what instigated this post series. Want to join me? Leave your post below. I would love to see the Pinteresting Picks you’ve discovered this week. Here are my favorites for the week. I will preface this by saying I have truly discovered a new favorite blogger (Erica from Coming Up Roses the Blog). I recommend checking all of these out!

I admit I was looking for ways to optimize my time to get more done. There’s such a big thrill associate with marking something off the “to-do” list. I’m the kind of person that is consistently overloaded and I always am looking for a way to knock off things on my to-do list quicker. This post is how I discovered the “eat the frog” vs. backwards technique. Erica totally blew my mind with, “My Totally Backwards Way to Get More Done.” I admit I wondered if she was totally crazy or a total genius when I started reading this post. I can’t believe I randomly came across this post from Pinterest. It’s truly eye opening.

 

As someone that is currently drowning in sticky notes, I am looking forward to doing the “Backwards Way” technique. Honestly just reading this post had my wheels slowing down and stress level decreasing. I really like her ideas on prioritizing and booking hours. In my line of business, I really think this will work for me. The overworked, frustrating life that I have been living is totally no bueno! Seriously most days I run around like a chicken with my head cutoff. I literally know the Backwards way is totally going to work for me. 

 

I’ve ordered a planner, planner stickers, accessories and once they come in I am hella determined to conquer my life using the tips and tricks in this post. Are you more of a “eat the frog” or “Backwards Way” kind of girl? 

 

 

The next post that intrigued me was, “How I Tripled my Blog Traffic in Two Weeks.” Seriously mind blown. Plus pinning images 50 times in one day. Considered double mind blown. Nope, seriously just nope. In comes Tailwind. Granted I’ve heard of tailwind before, but never explained to this magnitude. In this post, she listed out clearly what you need to do before you sign up for tailwind, as well as a guide to tailwind, and how it works. I think it’s important to research a program before signing up. 

 

What makes this post stand out is that even if you don’t want to use tailwind, the motivating tips you can take from this post would make a difference in your Pinterest game. 

Southern Beauty Guide

 

Well that’s what I have this week for you! I seriously found the best pins this week. You know they are great when you immediately book mark a post. What have you been loving on Pinterest this week? Leave your picks in the comments below! 

Why is it important to organize your makeup collection?

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Why is it important to organize your makeup collection? As a Beauty blogger and Makeup Artist I spend a lot of my time organizing my collection. I consistently am adding to my collection through PR and purchases of my own. After some time your makeup collection will overflow, if you don’t have things organized and some items removed. I have some tips and tricks for you to utilize your collection. You see it’s not just about organization, it’s about making the most out of what you have.

Why it is important to organize your Makeup Collection

Organization|

There are tons of options for organization. From Ikea desks and Alex drawers to acrylic storage and odds and ends from the container store. I am a huge fan of organizing my makeup in a way where I can see it, which normally translates to acrylic. I utilize Muji drawers and the Original Beauty Box for this. I love how I can organize my collection to group all the blushes and actually am able to see what each drawer contains. I also have one of the Ikea desks that I use as my makeup vanity, which contains one large drawer for additional storage. It’s important to have organization so that you know what you have and use it well.

Clean it|

Yes your makeup collection also needs to be added to the cleaning schedule. I love to pull everything out, sanitize it inside and out, and put it back. Typically I do this while I am organizing my collection. I always keep Windex, Lysol wipes and Makeup sanitation spray on hand.

Move it around|

Often we get caught up in makeup trends that we buy things we don’t need or sometimes already have in our collection. The easiest way to fully use all of the makeup in your collection is to move it around. Bring things in the back to the front. I often do this and find products I loved and totally forgot about.

Trash & Donate|

Once every few months I go through my collection and trash expired products. Liquid products, especially Mascara is the first to go. My rule of thumb is if the smell and/or texture of a product changes then it’s time to toss it. On the flip side, products that I don’t use or don’t work for me I help them find a new home. I am telling you 100% you know someone that could use these products and love them. I typically donate makeup to women’s shelters and give some to family and friends. If it’s a product you aren’t using then it’s really of no use to you. This is the philosophy I use to keep my collection under control.

As you can see there are so many reasons all of us should organize our makeup collections. Regardless if it’s to donate or simply to clean there’s always a reason to do this. You never know your next makeup collection organization day may prove to hold a great discovery of one of your favorite makeup products.

PINTERESTING PICKS WEDNESDAY!: ALL ABOUT BLOG TOOLS!

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Happy Wednesday! It’s that day again! We are halfway to the weekend..thank goodness right? It’s Pinteresting Picks Wednesday once again! My epic saga of obsession with pinterest continues. This saga took a short break as I totally needed it as life has kept me hopping. However, I am trying to get back into the swing of things and thought this would be a great way to start. Don’t get me wrong life may be busy, but I always have a car ride where I am clearly not driving daily to browse Pinterest.

This week I scavenged pinterest for more blog help related pins, as I need them as well. I find that I have discovered some amazing tips bog tips and even some of my favorite bloggers just from searching blog related topics in pinterest. Some are older posts and some are newer. I find a great posts really never gets old like the one from Helene In Between. So without further ado let’s get started!

I’ve featured Helene in Between in many of my Pinteresting Picks Wednesday posts, but it’s because she does an amazing job at writing informative posts that are very helpful. I have always looked up to her as a blogger as her blog literally exploded on the market and she has had much success. As I was scrolling through pinterest this post on “5 Things I did that Exploded My Blog” came up. I literally said, “Yes, Please.” It’s a short list of things that you may already have, but can revamp for a newly invigorated blog. pictures. As per usual, Helene always comes up with the most helpful posts.

Kimi of the House of Kinsey came up with this post on, “How to Write Great Pinterest Image Descriptions.” I found this super interesting as Pinterest is a great platform for attracting readers to your blog. I have seen over the years tons of new readers becoming followers based off of a pin on pinterest. She really does a great job at pointing out how to improve your techniques. She really has a very informative step by step process of how to even use Yoast and what it looks like on Pinterest. There is so much detailed information in this post that I really recommend bookmarking it.

Well I learned “10 Things to Check before hitting Publish,” this morning which was very intriguing. I am always looking for checklist to go by to make sure everything is perfect. I find I am always rushing to post a blog post, and often I have to go back and fix something. This is pretty annoying habit that I really need to work on. I seriously want to make a task list for every post based on this list. Writing successful blog post is so much more than a post just being good. Blogging has changes over the past few years and now there is even more you have to do to count on a post being a slam dunk. Make sure you check out this post!

Well Jenny from Breakfast at Lilly’s is right about one thing, Pinterest is the place to go for inspiration. Seriously beyond that she has some really great tips for mastering planning blog content. I think planning is a super personal method for every blogger. Not everything will work for everyone. By generalizing ideas Jenny gave tips that will work for everyone. She mentioned some really great ideas like checking upcoming holidays. Every holiday seems to come with tons of blog posts. Ever realized you missed a holiday as you are scrolling bloglovin’? Yea, me too!

These are just a few of the amazing pins blog related that are super helpful! I love reading all of these posts to get ideas for myself. I admit that life gets so busy that blogging often goes to the background. However, when it’s something you love to do it’s important to find a way to keep going. I guess one could say that’s why I always seem to come back.

Southern Beauty Guide

What have you been loving on Pinterest lately? I can’t wait to see what you have all been loving this week. Don’t forget to comment your posts full of your favorite pins!

What to Watch on Netflix?

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Starting 2018 never did I think I would have a new Netflix obsession.  I’ve have a Netflix account for over 5 years now, still I often find new shows I’ve never seen due to how large of a library that is now on Netflix. In 2017 when Netflix enabled downloading and watching offline, I kicked up my Netflix watching to another level. Granted only certain ones are available for download, but I find I can always find something great to watch.  Typically I find this super handy to do using my iPad, so that I have something to watch for trips and car rides.

Having something entertaining to watch while traveling is a must. I seriously get anxiety driving down busy interstates and even on simple long car rides. Mostly I bring my Nintendo Switch, which is simply amazing, and watch my iPad to pass the time.

I feel like Netflix is adding more and more great movies and shows that you can download. A few days ago I asked a few friends what they suggested I start watching. I do love watching Grey’s, but even I need some variety in my life. 2 of my friends demanded I started watching Riverdale. I remember seeing tons of promotions about this show and even saw it while browsing through channel guide for something to watch.

Bringing you back to this past weekend. I like having shows playing while working overtime. I often rely on Netflix to provide this chatter. While one of the recommended shows was Riverdale, I thought why not give it a shot? Have you ever watched Riverdale? Love the original comics that these characters are based on? Then you may just love this show!

Several hours later, I found Riverdale was quite interesting. Seriously within a day and a half I went through the first season. I went back to the friends that suggested it for a good, “I told you so” and to thank them for suggesting it. The only issue with finding interest in this show is that the second season is currently airing so I will have to figure out how to catch up on most of this season.

What are your Netflix obsessions? There’s such an endless library that I need help choosing what to watch! What have you been watching on Netflix lately?

5 Tips to Getting Ready for the Holidays without getting Stressed!

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Getting my mind into perspective for Christmas is a task in itself. As per usual the year as flown by and the holiday season is upon us. To be frank the holidays can be very stressful however, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to minimize your holiday stress. Finding gifts for your loved ones is quite the task, much less decorating and preparing holiday dishes. Though it feels fall-ish here, I know that it’s time to get things to get for Christmas. So here are 5 tips to getting ready for the holidays without stressing out.

Decorating for the Holidays
Decorating for the holidays can be fun, but can quickly turn into a stressful mess. I change up tree decorations almost every year, which can put you in a tailspin if you don’t have a plan. I love all things farmhouse this year, so in November I start planning the design of the tree and look online at Pinterest for ideas. Pinterest is a great platform to find décor ideas for any theme. Once you have your design concept, make a list of what you need and find it. I find a lot of bloggers tag items they use for décor, so this becomes super easy to find décor items. I often search many pins on Pinterest to find different blog posts to create own perfect style. I recommend ordering items for shipping ahead of time, because you want all the items ready for decorating for the very moment you can start decorating.

Making a list and checking it Twice
Yes, just like Santa you want to make a list for all things holiday and check it off. From recipe ingredients and gifts to mailing Christmas cards. Making a list creates better organization. Better organization reduces the level of stress you will face from being disorganized. I admit I am a list maker by nature, but time and time again it’s proven to be a safe measure to take during the holidays. I make a list of people I am buying Christmas gifts for along with a few suggestions. Normally, I have my recipe list that includes where I am taking it, along with ingredients and direction for making it. I always try out recipes on a test run before serving them to guests. I try to get all lists complete a week before my deadline. I don’t like running around a few days before Christmas, so checking off the lists the week before greatly reduces stress.

Being Prepared for Holiday Parties
Holiday parties are meant to be relaxing and exciting, but sometimes turn towards being more stressful. Both hosting your own party and attending someone else’s come with stressful decisions. Preparations for hosting your own holiday party can be quiet daunting. I recommend being prepared by incorporating lists, doing all the planning ahead of time, and making sure you do everything you can by the day before the party. Plan well down to what you are going to wear. Planning is key in holiday parties. I recommend doing everything you can ahead of time, because you will need the day of the handle any issues that come up, getting ready for the party, and actually enjoying your own party. Hosting your own party is suppose to be fun so if decorating the night before, and having a bunch of party foods prepped and ready to serve helps you do so then do it! When it comes to attending holiday parties, make sure you plan the outfit for each occasion and know your hostess so that you can find the perfect hostess gift. Basically regardless of what side of the Holiday party you are on planning can drastically reduce stress and enable you to really cherish the holiday season.

Wrapping Gifts Ahead of Time
Wrapping gifts can be quiet the task with a multitude of potential problems that generate stress. Have you ever come up a few inches shy of what you need while wrapping a gift? Yes, me too which is why before you wrap you need to take inventory. You need to assess what you have to wrap, especially for larger gifts. Make a list of supplies you need any them. I typically buy supplies that I need for wrapping such a: wrapping paper, gift tags, tape, boxes, gift bags, tissue paper, ribbon, bows, etc. If you have oddly shaped items to wrap really think about the best way to wrap them. You want wrapped gifts to look well thought out and to go right along with your holiday theme, as they will be under your Christmas tree to admire until they are removed for gifting. I also suggest setting aside time to wrap the gifts. A great idea for the holidays is to host a Wrapping party with your friends and/or family so that you can enjoy great food, company and conversation while wrapping. Regardless of how you do it I recommend being organized and wrapping gifts ahead of time. It’s not uncommon for me to have gifts under the tree by the first weekend of December. Just remember wrapping Christmas presents can be fun, so enjoy it!

Prepping for Christmas Morning
Christmas Morning comes way too quickly and you can land yourself in a stressful mess if you aren’t careful. We each have our own traditions for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Regardless of when you open gifts there is a method to conquering the madness. I have an emergency kit that contains medical supplies for cuts that can come from mishaps that happen with enjoying new gifts or from opening gifts with sharp knives. I like to prepare for anything that can happen, so when it does happen you can bypass the panic stage. Also it’s important to have a quick and tasty breakfast planned for guests as the kids always wake up early and want to open presents super quick. I also recommend keeping all different batteries in the event a gift doesn’t come with batteries. This way you don’t have to worry about seeing a disappointed child on Christmas morning. I also recommend having a plan for trash and recycling so that once present opening is over, the room can be cleared so that everyone has the space to play with all of their new items. Prepping for Christmas morning allows you the opportunity to enjoy Christmas morning like everyone else. Just think smarter, not work harder and you will surely see a wonderful Christmas.

Hopefully these tips and tricks I have in my life will help you during the busy Christmas season. I see that the holidays can be very overwhelming and stressful. No plan is perfect, but these tips truly help me avert issues that arise. As I am always looking for more details so I would love for you to share your tips in the comments down below! Until next time, I’m making a list and checking it twice, getting through the holidays with my head held hight! Happy Holidays to you all!

New Fall Decor from Heart & Hand that I’m Loving!

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I admit I have a bit of an obsession when it comes to all things farmhouse. Magnolia takes on Target with Hearth & Hand. Yes those who know my Magnolia obsession must have known this was coming. I can say that I was super excited when I heard the news that Magnolia was teaming up with Target. I currently own few pieces of home décor from Mangnolia’s online store, but found the launching of new products with a variety of prices was well worth looking into. Since the launch of their hit show Fixer Upper, many have launched into the Farmhouse style of mind.

I have been on that bandwagon from episode 1 of Fixer Upper. It seems with the rise of fame, farmhouse style acceptance has skyrocketed. I personally lean French Country meets Farmhouse. Which in my mind is on the elegant, sophisticated side of Farmhouse. Magnolia has a great mix of products that always seems to intrigue me.


After online hints going viral, the time has finally come and Mangolia’s Hearth & hand collection is live on Target’s website. Honestly I just googled Target + Joanna and Hearth & hand popped up.

Hearth & Hand is complete with a variety of products with a wide price range. There is literally something for everyone. A few pieces I was interested in already sold out, but I do think they will most likely restock them. Also some pieces that are breakable are not available for shipping. My stores don’t currently have a few pieces, but hopefully they will trickle down this far south soon. What I truly love is their page on target has items already styled that you can click and add quickly to your cart. I love that they have intergraded their products into images showing you how they will look. Plus this gives you ideas on how to style them in your own home.

There are so many beautiful pieces of home décor that I have on my list to buy. Some of them are available online and some I will have to search a few different Targets to find. Here are a few of my favorites!

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Aren’t these beautiful? With Hearth & Hand it’s Easy to turn your home into an HGTV dream! What do you have on your list to buy? Though we are waiting on the last season of Fixer Upper to premier, I am excited to see what’s next for Magnolia. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow at 9am est for the Let’s Be Friends blog hop!

Sleeping in until 10 am on a Saturday

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Hello Monday. Wake up…Wake up…. WAKE UP! Yes, that’s pretty much what I tell myself on Saturday mornings. Honestly I could care less that I am sleeping in so late, but what I do care about is that it feels oh so nice.

Don’t get me wrong! I don’t always sleep until 10am on Saturday, but every once in a while it’s nice to do so. Granted I tend to wake up a few times before snoozing off and waking up again. What’s so significant about about 10am? I get the best sleep in the mornings, and hate waking up early. Is it too Foodie to say I may wake up at 10 because that’s when the Pioneer Woman airs on Saturday Morning? It’s not like I set an alarm, but my mental clock springs my eyes open at this time. Well that’s not the only reason I love sleeping until 10. Throughout the week Life gets so crazy that I seriously need the extra hours of sleep to recharge the batteries. I take this time to stop and smell the roses.

I quickly gazed over a report last week that stated as we get older it is harder to sleep, which I think is very accurate. Due to this, I plan to take advantage of many more of the 10 am sleeping in mornings in the future. So waking up at 10am is an experience. I mimic the cat like motions of stretching and head to the kitchen to grab a quick coffee, thanks to the Keurig. The smell of freshly brewed coffee quickly feels the room and awakens the senses. Don’t get me wrong, I am not hating on hot tea. I actually drink hot tea throughout the day after I get my coffee fix in the morning. After coffee time, I duck back to the tv to catch the latest dish being whipped up by Ree Drummond.

After that I take up a position near my iMac and work on blog posts while catching up on my newest audible book. I’ve always loved to read, but who know I would be such a fan of having books read to me. Guilty as charged, but then again who wouldn’t like to listen to Sebastian York read anything or listen to anything about The Magnolia Story. I do manage to pay attention to writing posts and editing photos as I listen to the words flowing from my iPhone less than a foot away. Before I know it it’s lunch time and I drag myself out to take on the weekend chores. Oh course Laundry and cleaning are among these glorious tasks.

I truly love waking up at 10, it’s relaxing, soothing and making myself sustainable for what gets thrown at me during the work week. I try to make a habit of arranging life to sleep in until 10am twice a month. I tend to work on the weekends on my own schedule to play catch up and squeeze in this “me time” as much as I able to. I’m not sure what I enjoy most about this, but I am sure it has something to do with the “Rested” feeling I get afterwards.

Now that I’ve totally spilled my guts on my little Saturday morning secret, tell me about you. What’s your Saturday morning favorite wake up time? Do you also enjoy sleeping in once in a while? What’s your routine? Don’t forget to stop back by tomorrow for the Let’s Be Friends Blog hop! Seriously it’s fall and you don’t want to miss it!

PINTERESTING PICKS WEDNESDAY!: Blog Tips & Tricks, Affiliate Programs & More!

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Happy Wednesday! It’s that day again! Of course I am talking about Pinteresting Picks Wednesday! Yes after a few months off I am starting this again! I seriously am trying to get back into the blogging game. Balancing a job change and adding becoming an Independent Presenter for Younique has developed quite the struggle for balancing everything. I thought today I would share all of my favorite pins So without further ado, check out my favorite pins for the week!

In blogging there are so many ups and downs to the point where sometimes it’s like you’re on a roller coaster. There are so many tips and tricks for blogging success on pinterest. Some times it really is astounding to me since I have blogging for years now. Over the past 2 years the blogging scene has exploded and there are truly some great resources available for anyone. I found some really pinteresting pins on Pinterest this week that relate to blogging. From How to Start a WordPress blog to Post ideas.

There are endless posts here available for you to learn the tricks of the blogging trade.  Regardless if you are new to blogging or have been doing it for years, there are some really beneficial posts I have included in this post today. Make sure you go through them and see what you can learn!  Hope you enjoy these and make sure you share your favorite pins!

Southern Beauty Guide

What have you been loving on Pinterest lately? I can’t wait to see what you have all been loving this week. Don’t forget to link up your posts full of your favorite pins!

The day I prayed from 2am to 7pm

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I normally got to sleep watching the weather which is great when you know you have bad weather coming. I admit I’m a bit of a weather nut, but after seeing what destruction tornadoes can have I don’t really blame myself. Watching the weather I knew this storm system was coming. However I don’t think any of us really thought it would be that bad. However as tornadoes came on both sides way to close for comfort I leaned on my faith and prayed for God to take care of his people and not let the storms hit.

At 2am Saturday night/Sunday Morning I heard the alert go off on the TV. Shortly after I received a weather alert call stating we were under a severe thunderstorm warning. I diligently watching as the system kept vastly encompassing the state. I knew that this situation was etching it’s way closer and that it seemed as they crawled into this state the warm gulf water was adding accelerant to the storms. As I prayed I knew that lives were being lost as the first round hit in the southwestern part of the state.

Around 3am I starting seeing reports of tornadoes decimating areas of the state. Then my 4:30am the Tornado Warning was issued for my area. Time proved that we would be in and out of Tornado Warnings for the next several hours. As I stepped outside at just before daylight I felt the pressure drop and instantly new it was time to get everyone in my family up and alert. After pacing for hours I knew this was coming. Luckily it missed us but unfortunately my feelings were accurate and a few miles away a neighborhood was hit. Homes were destroyed and even one was picked up and tossed into a pond with people in it. I now know that we were far more lucky than I expected. As daylight came and more reports come in all I could do was pray. Most in my area don’t have storm shelters because tornadoes are not common.

Throughout the day I stayed glued to the tv, checking in on everyone that was in the path of the storms that I knew. As the horrific wedge tornado hit Albany I couldn’t believe my eyes. Meteorologists tried to warn people that it was going to be horrific, but we never thought we would see a tornado of this magnitude. I literally saw this tornado track 30 minutes away and then it just stopped. It had been on the ground for many miles and finally after an all night and all day event I saw time tick to a close.

Thanks goodness as I look around we were spared. We lost a few trees but that’s nothing compared to what some lost. Days later they are still looking for lost loved ones. I do pray they find them soon. Tornadoes in Georgia are not that common and definitely not that of what hit Albany. Times like these make me realize how thankful I am for God protecting us and how lucky I truly am. All of my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by these horrendous storms. #AlbanyStrong #AdelStrong

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