My Father's Birthday

Happy Birthday Dad!


My Mom, Dad, Sister and I are a very close family. We are able to talk and laugh and have some really fun times!  My dad's birthday is officially on Thursday but we celebrated at a restaurant called Off the Hook this past weekend.  The dinner was great and after we ate we went back to my parents house to have some cake and give him his Birthday gift.  We played cards against humanity until midnight and showed my parents what snap chat is.  The video above it the results of the faceswap fun we had!

We always, always have so much fun together. I wouldn't change anything for the world!  I know that we don't get to pick who we are related to and some people really don't luck out in that area. We got lucky and if you are one of those lucky ones, make sure to let them know that you know how lucky you are... did you follow? I almost confused myself while typing that. ha-ha! A lot of luckies!

Seriously though- life is too short.  HAVE FUN with them! Be open and be yourself if you are able to!

This is my Sis, Mom and Dad at dinner! 

The birthday cake!

Making wishes for millions of dollars to split with his friend Tom!

The yummy cake he picked up for himself.  


Yes, he got it for himself and even had it written on by the bakery for himself! He was running to the store and my Mom wanted to bake a cake for him for his Birthday so she asked that he pick up some cake mix.  My Dad, always wanting to help my Mom, decided to pick up his own cake so she wouldn't have to bake (Though she doesn't hate baking, he just wanted her to have a relaxing day).  He is so thoughtful and loves her so much! Just as much as she loves him! #relationshipgoals.

<3

Wedding Stuff- Our Weekend

     This record is from my childhood.  I had a rainbow brite record player.  (80's cartoon) and I would listen to my mom's records growing up.  She recently gave me the old 45's to use on my new, not rainbow brite record player.  I came across this one over the weekend.  This has always been a song that I have loved and it brought me such a huge smile - I can't even explain... Music is everything to me. Anyways- Onward with my post...

     This weekend was a doosey! We were so busy and got so much done, we skipped our workout today... that never happens.  We need the rest though.  Yesterday we worked on a project for the wedding.  I debated about posting it since it's not done but I am proud of what we did so far so I did put the photos in this post!  This will be part of our arbor for our ceremony! I wont post anymore until after the wedding since I don't want to spoil anything for the big day.  We both didn't want to spend an arm and a leg to accomplish this project so I looked on craigslist for doors.  I got both doors for $30.00 and they are solid wood- the only thing was they were in better condition than I wanted them to be so I had to sand them down and make them look a bit more worn.  The people who had the doors lived in a very rich part of Pittsburgh, about 20 mins from us.  No, we do not live a rich part of Pittsburgh. HA-HA, though I wish!  We got there to look at them and I had only brought $15.00 with me in cash because that's what the ad had said they were.  BUT- the ad didn't say $15.00 EACH! That left me digging through my purse to fine some random cash I had stashed around and then went through the car for the change.  I ended up with 29 dollars and 48 cents... he took it and kind of chuckled at us.  This is the story of my life... BUT WE GOT THEM! We had the sandpaper and the sander and the wreaths were about 4.00 each at Walmart.  My mom gave me the fake flowers and I put them together one night last week.   They turned out just how I wanted them.  We purchased some brackets that are used for shelving and used those at the bottom of the door so they didn't blow over during our ceremony!  It worked out so great and I'm so happy! Between everything we purchased, we spent about $60.00 for our arbor and if it rains and we can't use it, then we know we didn't go too overboard with it.  We also got a 2x4 to go across the top of the doors and we will either write something or put some more flowers across the top.  I will have to paint it white and make it look a bit worn too so I still have some more of this project coming up but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We have had these doors in our garage for a while and it's nice to get them started.  I like the idea of writing something whimsical along the top for everyone to read.  "From this day forward" or "Happily ever after" or something along those lines.   I think we may use them after the wedding too for a cool headboard for our bedroom!  EEEK! I love this kind of crafty stuff!   

     My office has offically become wedding central and everywhere you turn around the house you can find things that have to do with our wedding.  EVERYTHING is wedding talk right now and we still have 6 months to go!  It's exciting and stressful all at once but I have not become a bridezilla YET so that's a plus! 

     On Saturday, we also accomplished my wedding band!  We are waiting for a response for Brian's - they have to make sure they can get it in his size... but we are hoping and then that will be all done as well.  I'm going to pick mine up after work tomorrow after it's done being sized!  
      I finished up the night making the mason jar lanterns we are going to hang on the Shepard hooks while I re-watched some of season 1 Vampire Dairies.  I still love the show but it was so amazing when it first started!  Anyways.... 

     There is still SO MUCH TO DO for the wedding. It sometimes makes me think of eloping.  My head seriously hurts. 

     Today we registered for our shower and wedding and that took 3.5 hrs at bed bath and beyond... Have you ever spent 3.5 hours at bed bath and beyond!? You start to go mushy in the brain.  We still have to register for one more place (we are debating on Kohl's or Target) and then that will be done, thank goodness.  You would think that scanning things that you would want for your home would be nothing but fun until you get halfway through the store and you realize.... you still have HALF THE STORE TO DO!  haha- I wouldn't have it any other way, we laughed and had a lot of fun!  I did take a nap when I got home.

     Then I had the bright idea to do my taxes today... 

     To me, taxes are like homework.  I have mini tantrums while I do them just like I did when I had homework to do.  My mother always told me, "there are two things in life you can not escape and that's death and taxes!" It always made me laugh! My mom is awesome!

     Other than that, I did get my Ipsy bag yesterday.  My sister got me a subscription for Christmas and I have loved getting the monthly bags in my mailbox but who wouldn't love that in their mailbox monthly!? 

Thanks again sister! 

My to-do list is a mile long and each time I scratch something off, three more things get added on so right now, I'm going to get some rest before I ramble on and on and on like I have been. I'm sure there are plenty of run-on sentences as well and lots of random thoughts.  

Goodnight world! <3 

Glasses

     I got new glasses! I got them off of eyebuydirect.com.  My co-workers once told me about it when I had lost my $400 pair of prescription glasses on the bottom of Conneaut Lake. I jumped right off the boat into the water with them on, totally forgetting about them... until it was too late.  A fish has very good eyesight right now.  

Anyways, I was a bit skeptical of getting glasses from them because the glasses were anywhere from $9 and up.  I thought I'd pass on it for a while and then I talked to another co-worker who orders from there all of the time and told me how amazing they are and their customer service is great!  If you don't like them, send them back (which was a concern of mine because of buying online and not being able to try them on).  So I did. I ordered them.  I LOVED them and I have had them for longer than I should (I need to update my prescription but I'm slacking since I have no eye insurance through my job).  The first pair I got from them was a little large but the second time I ordered, I got all the measurements down pat!  I decided that since I am not going anytime soon to update my prescription... I'd get a new pair and since they are priced so good...well I didn't see a problem with it!  Then I got an email from them, buy one get one!!!!!!!!! WHATTTTTT?! ok- no excuses now! I got both pairs for around $45.00!!!!!!!

Well- they just came in! I really like the brown and cream pair.  Here's the link, they are called HEPBURN!

The other pair is blue and it came with a little more blue than I wanted but that's a-ok. I still like them! They are called: ALMOST FAMOUS.  

My old purple-ish pink-ish are not there anymore but that forced me to try these new ones and now I'm tempted to get Hepburn in Black! 

Well here they are: 

 Hepburn 

          Almost Famous 

My old trusty pair: 

anyways, what do you think, should I get another pair of the Hepburn in black?  Would you guys have ordered off of the website? Believe it or not, I am not sponsored by them... I just felt like writing about a really awesome company that didn't limit my ability to get glasses that matched my personality! <3 I've tried contacts and have contacts but only wear them when I really have to or when I really want to dress up.  I hate them in my eyes all day and no matter what I do they dry them out and give me headaches.  I hope to someday get Lasik but for now, glasses it is!   

Also- My flowers are blooming- isn't it too early yet! I love seeing them tho! Makes me so happy that spring is almost here! 

My flowers!

2015 Highlight Reel

      So I had a lot of footage that I didn't use in any of my videos that had ..."themes".  I was a little bummed that they would be most likely forever lost on a hard drive so I decided to take the extra footage that didn't have a home and make a two song, fun, highlight reel out of 2015.  I've been so busy that I started it in December and JUST finished it....




I often wonder if I should not use music and just have us talking but I think it makes it so much fun to hear the music! 

Update Post.

So! We are booked to go to Iceland for our honeymoon! 

WOOOOHOOOO!

     I have been to Iceland once before and did a lot of touristy things but Brian has never been there.  It’s my favorite place I've ever seen and it truly has a feeling of being on a different planet.  I am so so glad that he will get to experience it! I just hope he loves it as much as I do.  If he doesn't - I will have married a mad man. 

     We are leaving the day after our wedding and will be there for 6 days (I wish we could have done longer. Truth be told, wish we could travel the ring road around Iceland and stay for 9 days…but I have to realize how lucky we are to be able to go and I am very happy that we even get 6 days there!) 

This is a photo of me in Iceland in September of 2011.  I love horses, tho the look on my face says otherwise....

 let's take a closer look....

 I actually grew up around horses and love to horseback ride.  These horses are so unique too. I could talk about them for pages and pages so I will just post a link so you can understand just how amazing they really are.  Read more about them here.     
Also, I'm just gonna stick this here too. LOVED this. LOVED IT! 

 

    I also got to visit the famous Blue Lagoon! It truly was beautiful with the ice blue water and the black volcanic landscape... Dreamy.  I was a bit disappointed when I recently read an article talking about the blue lagoon and how you now have to book in advance and that the prices went up and how it's all really not that great.  I also read in the same article about another lagoon.  The secret lagoon... We may end up doing both when we are there but I would really like to see the secret lagoon.  It's a natural hot spring and not as touristy as the blue lagoon is.  The Secret Lagoon is about an hour and a half from our hotel and we may take a day trip to do it while we have our rental car.  

     I want to do different things than the first time I went and I am trying to write up a great itinerary for it.  I will post it once I'm done and our wedding/honeymoon is over.  Life has been so so so busy. In a good way.  
     While working on our itinerary, I came across a write up about Gljúfrabúi Waterfall.  It's hidden and not on the "beaten path."  This is going to be one of our many stops for us when we travel from Reykjavik to the small town, Vik. 

 

Um- talk about something right out of a fairytale.  I can not wait! 

     Well my mind is on overdrive today and I'm planning on exercising when I get home, eating some dinner and working on wedding/honeymoon related things.


     We are also trying the P90x3 challenge.  30 min daily - ass kicking- workouts.  We are not really doing the whole Shakeology stuff but we are working out. Everyday.  We are on week three (it's a 90 day challenge) and I was not able to do a single push up when I started.  Three weeks later and I am doing 5 push ups!  REAL pushups!  I'm not losing weight yet but that may be from inflammation of my muscles.  I'm also really trying to start changing my diet up.  No pop, a lot of water and I'm going to try to cut out a lot of snacks and such.  I don't really believe in depriving myself of EVERYTHING but I do believe in doing it in a fun, healthy manner.  It's nice to work out together.  We also took before photos and took our measurements.  I want to keep this up for as long as we can.  After a while, we can also throw in biking (yay!!! my new bike!), doggie walking and running since the weather will be getting nicer.  I feel like the next 6 months are going to fly and the wedding is going to be here before we know it.  Thanks for reading guys! I know it was a kind of random update, but hey, it's an update! <3 

Kisses, <3
 Shannon