A Very Tory Burch Birthday & Bieber Fever!

Yesterday I got one year closer to the grave AKA I had a birthday and turned the big 2-8.  And let me tell you, it was a pretty good birthday.  Of course I had to work, but I had a birthday lunch with my office girls and was surprised by my friend and her baby at the office.  Of course her son is so presh and I cannot believe how small and tiny he is, but he is so cute. But other that it was fairly low key.  I was passed out at 10:00 PM.  I am such a party animal.

But, I am calling this birthday "A Very Tory Burch Birthday" {you know like a very merry Christmas - only this is a birthday and Tory Burch filled ... ok ok i know, i am reaching}, since if you know me in real life you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tory Burch.  Kyle got me the earrings that I have been wanting for months and I absolutely love them.  They're bigger than I thought so I really wonder how people can wear the large ones.  And my friend from work got me a Tory Burch mouse pad/notepad combo and I broke it out of the wrapping real quick.  But... I am probably never going to actually write anything on it because it it Tory and well, I wouldn't want to use it all up.

And then today was filled with name changing activities - I was up at 5:30 AM to get pretty and ready for the DMV to become Barbara Shanahan on my license. Then I had to call USAA to change my name on my car insurance.  We were going to go and merge our bank account together but I had a minor panic attack/freak out about my accounts "not being in order" -- I am not really sure what that means or where it came from.  But I feel like I need to ensure all our bills go through that are linked to my checking account before we do anything crazy.  Kyle was not "thrilled" with my minor panic attack, but I promised him next week.  I am sorry ya'll but merging bank accounts is HUGE and I am being put on an allowance and I feel like him and I have not sat down and budgeted out our lives enough to be at the bank merging and combining.  It is all just a lot to take in. 

:: deep breaths. it will all be okay. deep breaths. what's mine is his and what's his is mine ::

But that was not the excitement of the day.  My work friend Afton and I are Bieber fans.  Yes, we know we are not 14 year old girls - but we still REALLY wanted to go to his concert in January.  So we game planned. Afton was going to stay home and try Ticketmaster from her house and I headed to the office for the super fast Internet.  We plotted our actions and everything.  We said go for 6 and if we cannot get 6 we will get 4.  We then decided that I would try for 4 and she would try for 6.  We even knew that we only wanted section 100 or 200 - sections 300 and 400 would not be worth the money. We figured with both of us trying we were sure to get tickets.  Oh we were so wrong!  Despite being logged into Ticketmaster at 9:45 AM {AT THE OFFICE ON A SATURDAY} with my Ticketmaster account pulled up, the map of Phillips Arena out so we could compare who had better seats {dictating who would buy the tickets}, credit card information updated and ready for quick  easy check out we still ended up ticket-less.  And... when we looked on StubHub a $100 ticket was already marked up to like $200+.  Life just is not fair.  Our plan of seeing the Biebs was dashed!  ...With that said, her and I will continue to watch Ticketmaster and try for tickets up until the concert date.  If Afton and I are anything... we are persistent.

And tonight we're doing my birthday dinner at Brio which I am excited about and then tomorrow I figure I will try and no more name changing activities - like get a new passport picture so I can get a new passport and then work on my tax forms and hope I file correctly. 

Oh my Tire!

:: begin rant, vent, blah ::

If you know anything about me I attract nails to my tires. Nails that eat your soul because they get run over in places that cannot be patched.  And if they do get patched the tire is so mad from being punctured that the patch explodes, thus making you have to replace the tire.

My car does not even have 2500 miles on it and I ran over not one, but two nails.  Just in time for my birthday.  Happy Happy Birthday to me - I get to spend $210.74 on a brand new spanking tire because the nails pretty much sliced my tire.  I spent all my Christmas money doing work on the Pathfinder and now I am going to spend pretty much ALL my Birthday money on a tire. 

I know this sounds dramatic but it is so frustrating and annoying that I just want to cry.  I know I have replaced at least 5 tires since living in Georgia and this is tire 6.  Like. For real. Can I not catch a freaking break when it comes to tires and cars? 

And no. I am not that SUV driver who does erratic things... I try my best to stay in my lane and not on the shoulder or median because I know that is where all the dangerous crap it.

And when all I want to do is save money and put money away BAM I have a car issue - normally having to do with a tire. 

I need like Rollerblades or a Skateboard.  Something that has like $10 wheels not $200 wheel.

:: end rant, vent, blah -- big sigh::

Random Blabbery

I feel like it has been awhile since I blabbed and blabbed and I feel like this is a good way to give people a quick run down on our lives.  And with that... here I go.

• I am now a Shanahan.  No longer a Vines.  2 months after the wedding, I dragged myself to the Social Security office and legally changed my name.  Honestly, it was painless.  I was in and out.  But it was the end or an era and kind of sad.  There is no longer any Vines in my name.  I am officially Barbara Ann Shanahan.
• We have not merged bank accounts yet though.  I am trying to get everything done before we do that.  And I thought of being put on an allowance does not make me a happy happy lady.  I save more than I spend already so why do I need an allowance?!
• I did try to go to the DMV (or whatever they call it here in Georgia) and they were closed thanks to the Memorial  Day holiday.  Blah. I guess I will try and go on a lunch break - or just suck it up and go early early Saturday morning.
• My birthday is this week. Wahoo for 28. 
• I am so excited to be getting my Tory Burch earrings from Kyle.  Weeee cannot wait to wear them all the time.
• Am I allowed to gush over something else that I really really want for my birthday!?!?  Of course I can, this is my little world.  Erin Condren - I love her and her life planner - but now I REALLY want her recipe cards and dividers for my recipe box.  They're just too cute and since I am moving all my recipes from my Dad's binder to this box and then adding all the good Pinterest recipes, I feel like this is much needed.  And the dividers are way more fun than the boring Crate and Barrel ones that came with the box.
• Speaking of Erin Condren :: her life planner is holding me together in 2012.  I cannot wait to see the new ones for 2013 when they're introduced in June.  And then I cannot wait to order one in December.
• Our Memorial Day long weekend was slow and relaxing.  Lunch with one of Kyle's old work friends on Saturday. Nothing but errands and lounging on Sunday. And (like the good wife that I am) I took Kyle to see the Avengers on Monday.  And now it is Wednesday and I am back at this work thing.
• We did have my brother over for Dinner on Monday and I am going to brag a little - I was impressed with my BBQ Chicken making skills and my ability to make corn on the cobb.  But I was most exicted about using wedding presents!!
• We now need a kitchen table!
• But I am not going to lie, I would have killed to be at the beach or a lake.  Kyle and I need to strike rich so we can get a lake house.  And then retire.  But more realistically, get lake house, work work work, and then retire on a lake.  Le Sigh.  That.Is.The.Life.  {Yes I realize we're in our 20s and thinking about retirement already}
• Work. Is going well.  Busy, per the usual.  But good.  And I love 4 days work weeks!!!
• Mullligan and Kennesaw are good.  Mulligan is FINALLY over his killer stomach bug, but he did something to his back paw. He isn't limping but he is for sure licking it which normally means there is an issue.  He may have been free but maintaining his health has been expensive. They did have a little "run in" with the Internet and now it is all jacked up and Kyle cannot play his video games.  But..... hopefully with Comcast coming out on Saturday they can fix that.
• Speaking of Comcast - per the usual they have been awful to deal with.  Horrible customer service and they are talking to Kyle like he is a moron and now they have this rule that if a tech comes out and does not fix the problem we get charged $50.  Yeah.  Great Customer Service.  And a $50 fee for a tech to come out. ....we just may be going elsewhere.  Anyone in Atlanta have Internet suggestions?!
• I have been thinking about running another race with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.  I just don't want to fund raise and beg people for money again.  But the cause is such a good one.
• Oh. And no, there will not be a Shanahan baby this year.  For some reason everyone keeps telling Kyle and me that "we're next".  Kyle also got asked if he would be celebrating Mother's Day next year.  Yes, yes he will be and we have been celebrating Mother's Day for 3 years thanks to our dogs.  There will be a baby at some point.  Give us some time to figure our lives out.
• I am kinda grateful May is over.  May was a busy month in the life of me.  Lots of projects for work - trip home to VA - lots of errands and getting things together - and a work trip.

Good Times!  I hope everyone is having a good week and loving that it is short just like I am.  :o)

My Crafternoon Project!

Kyle and I only have sentimental ornaments on our Christmas tree.  Every year Kyle and I give each other an ornament as a Christmas gift. Others have been bought and given to us by family, handed down from our family's Christmas tree, or bought on vacations.  A month or so before our wedding I saw a Christmas ornament made out of a wedding invitation and I knew that we needed one on our tree!! 

I had found a woman on Etsy who would make me one and I was ready to do that after our wedding, but then my friend Amanda told me that she had made one with her girlfriends and that they were so easy to make.  After she told me how, I figured that I could totally do that, and I am so excited about how my little Pinterest "crafternoon" project turned out. 

And, Amanda was so right.  It was super easy.  All I needed was the clear glass ornaments from Hobby Lobby (the top pops off and then back on).  Then you take your program or invite or whatever and then cut it up into strips and then roll them around a pencil or pen and then drop them into the ornament.  See.  So, super easy.

Next I am going to make one of our wedding invitation, but I do not think it will look as good.  This ornament took like 2 programs (4 sheets total) and then one more to make it so full.  And our wedding invite was small and square.  Makes me wish so many had not gotten lost in the mail and that I had more to cut up. ....But I only have one.  But I will make it work!!

My Birthday Wish List

With my Birthday around the corner I am making my wish list of birthday present items. Granted, I am at the age where I don’t get gifts -  I just get money (which is greatly appreciated) to buy the things I want/stash away for a rainy day (where I end up at the mall).  But… in my perfect, I have lots of money world these are all the gifts Kyle would buy me to make it one super stellar birthday!

:: Tory Burch Reva Flats ::

Mine need to be retired STAT.  Like they have been sooo loved that the soles are being worn through.  I am pretty sure one foot there is no sole under my big toe.  And they’re really really scuffed up and pretty much need to be retired.  And I know the price tag on them are pretty high {I got mine on sale at Nordstrom's} so I feel like they’re a really good investment.  I wear them pretty much every chance I get.  But, I know I will be buying these for myself with my 10% off Bloomie’s coupon.  But at least I will get a new pair, sooner or later.  But, in case you’re wondering – I am a size 9.5.

:: Tory Burch Small Stud Logo Earrings ::

These pretties are actually not all that expensive.  So, I have asked Kyle for them for my birthday.  I am getting into the who accessorizing your outfit thing. And I feel like I need to add more earrings to my jewelry box.  But I only like the stud, post earrings and I have had my eyes on these babies for awhile now.  I feel like my 27th birthday is the most perfect time to add them to my jewelry collection. Plus, my love and obsession for all things Tory is a little outrageous currently and anything to feed my need and love for shiny fabulous things is a perfect gift in my book.  Note: I am actually getting these and I will sleep in them and love on them. They are so so so gorgeous! <3

:: The Mint ::

I will not rest until The Mint is in my possession.  But, I know Kyle will never buy gthis for me and he will never let me buy it so it is going to have to be a gift from someone.  Kyle feels like it is a total waste and that I can not be lazy and just sweep, but still.  Barbie wants a thing that will sweep for her when she is at work.  Is that too much to ask?!

:: This Bag!! ::

Legit.  I need this. Like I saw it when  picked up the pooches from daycare this past Sunday and I decided I really really needed it.  Kyle did not understand the need until today and then he too thought it was hilariously funny.  Plus, a girl can never have too many tote bags and this one is just funny.  Like tell me that you’re not singing the song in your head right now.  And plus, this bag could not be more true.  I have two big mutts and I love them and adore them.  And I know that I could find many many uses for this bag.  Example: I need a constant gym bag.  Another example: it can carry all our snacks and travel items for when we travel to Virginia.  This will for sure be on my Christmas list since I know Kyle has gotten me my birthday present already.

And with that…. that is my birthday wish list.  So in depth right?!

Super Quick Trip Home

Kyle and I just got back from a super short trip home to VA for his little sister’s college graduation.  We originally were trying to figure out how to get home – fly, drive, just send a really nice gift and say sorry we couldn’t make it since we’re both low on PTO.  But we decided it was something we needed to do,  cashed in our free stay at the Hampton Inn, and trucked home.

The trip started off the normal way – take the dogs to daycare, they act like the crazy dogs that they are and then I head to work and we work a full day.  Per the usual, we drove in rain – heavy heavy rain and by the time we got to the hotel it was late and we were zonked.

As normal – I had the “honor” of reading a book to Kyle and I chose “Bad Dog (A Love Story)” by Martin Khin simply because it was about a dog, had a cute dog on the cover and was likened to “Marley and Me”.   But seriously, if you’re a dog lover this is a quick, must read easy book.  Kyle and I really enjoyed it and we laughed a lot.  We mainly laughed because the dog in this book reminded us a lot of our dogs and we painfully laughed because we then realized that we are legit bad dog owners.  But the book was seriously good and (I know I said this) but I do highly recommend it. And Kyle and I decided we’re going to pull back out our dog training guides and work on making our dogs not so crazy.

So.  On the topic of crazy dogs. Kyle and I were at Katie’s graduation or her graduation dinner and got a call from Doguroo.  We were notified that “Mulligan shredded Kennesaw’s bed”.  So, I of course call back and ask them to define shredded because I am thinking he spotted a hole and went to town.  But no. He shredded the bed. The bed went into the trash.  Kennesaw’s first ever bed, her home and the thing that makes her “safe” was destroyed by Mulligan the menace.  Oi.  And then the next day Kennesaw got sick.  Needless to say, the pretty pretty princess had a hard few days when we were gone.  Kyle and I (of course) stalked our dogs on the Doguroo Web Cams on my iPhone and his iPad every chance we got.  And we made sure to find their daily pictures.  Like the book – I highly recommend Doguroo if you’re looking for a daycare/boarding place in Atlanta.  They really are simply the best and we know our bebes are in the best of hands when we are gone.

It was good to see everyone and celebrate with Kyle’s sister and family.  It is crazy to think that Katie is now a college graduate.  I think she was just graduating high school when Kyle and I first started dating and she was entering college when we were moving to Atlanta.  Of course, I don’t have any pictures because I still do not have a digital camera, but oh well.

We ate lunch at THE Logan’s Roadhouse where Kyle and I met – hoping to see people that we worked with since we knew they would have thought it was unreal that we got married… but no one was working the lunch shift, just the night shift so we learned that we have to do DINNER there which we know will never ever happen with our busy dinner schedule when we go home. We tried to have lunch one day at Kyle’s most favorite place ever “Chicken Out” … but it was gone!  Kyle of course was devastated but I was more shocked at how much that shopping center had changed.  No more Chicken Out, no more Bagel Bakery – all sorts of changes.  AND we have decided that Virginia Department of Transportation fell into some money because all the roads are under major construction.  I looked up at one point when on the Parkway and had to ask where we were.  Major changes to our home area.  Cray.

It was a really quick trip home – a good break from reality, but I am glad to be back home with my pups and comfy bed.  Next trip home: my first thanksgiving with Kyle’s family.

This is Kyle and Me! <3

Yeahhhh for more wedding pictures being shared with us!!  It has been fun to see a lot of moments that were captured from different vantage points!!  These three are from the rehearsal dinner and they sum up the relationship soooo well!!  You know, me reacting to a situation and Kyle just always laughs at the situation/me.