Halloween with the Shanahan-Vines!

We survived our 1st Halloween in the house – BARELY!  How do people do Halloween with dogs?!  And how Kennesaw did not get shot by a neighbor because of her barking/wailing/someone is killing me cry is beyond me.  We had to lock Mulligan upstairs with Kyle and we tossed Kennesaw out back (and I am pretty sure she had flashbacks of being dumped by her original owner and our bond is forever ruined – I will be sure to hug her tight tonight) to bark and howl at every sound she heard as I handed out candy!

Kyle ate a lot of our candy (go figure) before Halloween hit, so we had to take 2 trips to the store so we had plenty to go around and a good mixture too.  Sadly, we didn’t get a lot of trick or treaters (I blame the big hill leading to our house), but those kids who did trek up our insanely steep hill and driveway (or driven up the hill) were rewarded handsomely with a handful of sugary goodness (and barked at by Mulligan from the top of the stairs)!  Oh, and Kyle was cute and he swept the porch for all the kids. 

But Halloween has changed drastically since I was a kid.

Example 1:  TRICK OR TREAT is no longer said by kids.  I was saying it (and Kyle was making fun of me and telling me that I was not the one who was supposed to say it – really, who cares?).  The kids just shoved their bags and buckets in my face.  Without even a thank you!  When I was a kid, houses made us tell jokes and sing songs.  We had to work for that Hershey bar!

Example 2:  The kids were being driven by their parents.  And what was weird is that we had a lot of cars turn around in our col-de-sac as if our house and pumpkins were not good enough! When I was kid, one parents covered the door and passed out the goods and the other parents took the kids from door to door.  We walked miles and miles for the candy!  We dumped our pillow cases out in our house before hitting the other neighborhoods!  Cars?  How about feet?!

I wanted to dress Kennesaw up like a shark but Kyle wouldn’t let me – called it a “waste of money” – but how cute would that have been. 

Well, we survived the 1st Halloween in our house even if it was kind of a bust with only a handful of trick-or-treaters.  Hopefully next year will be better!

Big Pumpkin 5k :: Race Review

I ran this race 2 years ago in the cold and rain.  Honestly, it was pretty miserable but it taught me a life running lesson: if rain is predicted pack a change of clothes.  But this year I got a tiny bit luckier.  Clear skies make for a great race but holy moly was it cold.  But still great weather once you got moving.

Morning: as usual, I had all my race gear laid out so all I had to do was quickly change, brush my teeth, throw my hair in a pony tail, take out the dogs and feed them and go. (okay, actually, that sounds like a lot.)  BUT  I had shorts and a tee planned so I got to dig for capris and then walked into my closet a few times wondering if I should grab a running jacket and decided no (which may have been a bad idea or may not have, I am still unsure)  ...I was somehow not running late as I got on the road.  Which was good, because I live WAY farther away now than I did a few years back.

Pre-Race: I remembered from 2 years back to get their early because parking can be a pain, which was not the case this year.  I grabbed a parking spot quickly and then headed to get my race number, which a few years back was a cluster but this year was flawless (despite the woman in front of me that wanted turn by turn directions of the course)  Once I got my race number I headed back to my car to stay warm and then 10 minutes before the race started I got out to settle in and people watch.  And oh there were some characters and way too many Auburn fans.

The Race:  Since I am slow and out of shape I of course lined up near the back semi in the middle, which obviously was not needed.  I remembered that the race had some "great" hills (as the website describes them) so I wanted to start off slow and not burn any and all energy that I had. The start was kinda a cluster since we had to run through his arch that was not big enough for crowds to run through  but once my iPod was on I settled into a slower pace that I felt comfortable with.  I started picking people off, one after the other. We approached our first hill and I thought um that is not bad at all and trucked up it with ease.  Still, picking people off.  As we approached the 1st mile water stop I was still going (say what?!) and took water from a guy my age in a LSU jacket and told him "thank you and Roll Tide" (I just had to!)  What was the best about this race was that it was smaller - still some people who have no idea about racing and race etiquette - but it was good.  The hills were not bad and most were followed by a down hill.  What I am kicking myself for is around mile 2.5 I realized that I wasn't going to PR (thinking my PR was like 31 minutes) so I let myself walk a little more to take my gloves off and have some easy breathing.  SO WRONG.  I totally going have PRed had I not taken that breather.  But oh well.  You win some you lose some. 

Most importantly - I finished strong.  I wasn't winded - I didn't overextend myself at any point during the race.
Overall it was a good race - really well organized - super easy course - the finisher shirt is great - still an ultimate favorite. 
But newbie runners please remember these tips:
1. If you're gonna walk, line up at the back not the front.  Weaving around you isn't a lot of fun.
2. If you're gonna run with your dog, make sure they're leash trained and maybe have run with you in the past.  Nothing is worse than having a dog all over the place).  My dogs  = horrible, they will never run a race with me.
3. If you're looking for your run buddy - don't stop in the middle of the course and look around - pull off to the side to continue your hunt.

Finishing time: 34:13
Pace: 11:02
I was 564 of 970

Can't wait to see race pictures.

just a reminder -- i am always interested in hearing about your races and what you loved and hated - so if you want a guest spotlight on my blog -- email me  (barbara.a.vines@gmail.com) a mini race report about any race you have done and i will share it with my readers.  hey and you may get more blog followers.

foto friday–rehearsal & bridesmaid brunch dress

 

LOVE.  It is no secret – we are getting married at an uber cute southern antebellum confederate soldier’s house.  It is quaint and anthro and love.  And it is so cute and love that there are 3 (count them) 3 weddings at the venue my wedding weekend.  One Friday, ME on Saturday, and then one of Sunday.  So, our wedding rehearsal is at 2:00 PM on Friday afternoon.  Meaning it is totally not formal – sundresses, jeans with a cute top is perfectly acceptable attire.  Me.  I wanted a dress.  A white dress that was not too fancy and something that is southern and love.  (BTW: I love the word love lately).  And I found this stellar piece of a dress on The Blue Door Boutique’s website and bought it faster than you can say amazing wedding rehearsal dress.

It is lace and southern and can be paired with my cowboy boots for a casual feel and I am so excited. =D  That way I am not too dressy for our brunch and then not too dressy for the quick wam bam thank you ma’am run through of the ceremony.

But of course for the rehearsal dinner I have a fabulously amazing dress that my amazing bridesmaid Heather found and made me buy and for that, I will be forever grateful.  That dress paired with cute gold heels I will be styling and hopefully not overdressed! cough cough cough.

I think one of my favorite parts of wedding planning is the style and attire and feel and vibe I am going for.

Three Things Thursday :: Wedding & Life

Long story short - I have like a million and one things to share but I guess I will have to condense this down into 3 of the most important. life altering. exciting things that have happened so far this week.

how stinking cute is the brick building
that houses the wonderfulness that is Rosebud.

1.  My bridesmaid brunch is officially 100% booked!  We have the smaller wine room reserved for 11:30 AM on Friday the 23rd.  I went to Rosebud for a client brunch one weekend and died over the amazing food.  When I basically was told by our wedding venue that I lunch was out of the question due to the rehearsal being in the afternoon I decided to do a brunch and knew just the spot.  Rosebud is an amazing little Atlanta spot, just outside of The Highlands - this place is white table cloth but not white table cloth - funky and fun without being formal - with fabulous food and drinks.  And I am super stoked about having our own little room so it will be more private for me and my fabulous girls.  Seriously.  Knocking things off the to do list.  ...And if you're in Atlanta and have not eaten here, you're missing out - but don't forget to make your reservations - this place fills up fast on the weekends.  But yum. Seriously.

2.   I have always been a day planner type person, I like to write things down. Visualize. Highlight. Make to do lists around my week (and cross things off). But this year I decided to embrace the electronic world that is 2011 and keep my life on my Blackberry calendar.  BIG MISTAKE.  I have missed birthdays, anniversaries, if it was important...  yeah, I probably missed it.    So I made the executive decision to go back to the ways of old and carry a planner planner in 2012 - but just not any planner and Erin Condren planner (and I actually got the rest of 2011 free).  These have been all the rave of Mom's and Teachers and since I am pretty much a Mom (of 2 precious furbabies!!) with a crazy life that goes in 5 directions and since I love all things customizable and bright - I broke down and bought one (and customized it Navy and Light Pink ... I almost did Navy & Light Purple *hello wedding*).  And it came in the mail yesterday and it was packaged so beautifully but the actual final product is the gorgeousness and I am in love with a planner.  I even got a few for people as christmas presents I love them so much.  Je Adore. 

3.  We have roommates.  And not the kind that are your friends who move to the city you live in and crash there until they find a place of their own - we have the kind that live in your attic and run around.  Squirrels.  Bushy tailed, gray squirrels in our attic.  And according to the dude who came and did the inspection they have been there long enough to do thousands of dollars of damage and they have 3 holes in which they're entering our warm living space.  RAWR!  So now we're talking with our property management company to find out who pays for this.  We of course say the owners of the house, after all we did not make said holes nor did we invite them into our living space.  If we were nasty and gross and had roaches then sure yes we should pay for this.  But we have a nature conservatory living upstairs and it is not our fault therefore .....   ....but I told Kyle I want to do everything with him (kids. dogs. vacations.) except own a house.  Because imagine if we are responsible for this.  Holy cow we will be broke.  But seriously - since we have lived there we have had oven issues, a water heater break, and now this -- never owning a home.  Remind me of all this when Kyle and I are googley eyed over the idea of our own place.

Kyle and I are doing NOTHING this weekend - we have no football since Alabama is prepping for their mini-national championship against LSU (LS-WHO?!) - so we will carve pumpkins and clean the house and watch movies and play with the dogs and read books and be lazy lazy people.  It is going to be great!

Life oh Life.

A few weeks back Big Peach mentioned a free 5k in their little email newsletter and since I have told myself that when I run I am running nothing less than the 5k distance I thought this would be a great little training run.  I was pumped.  I was excited.  I planned my day out perfectly.  I skipped my lunch break so I could get out early and try to beat some of that awful awful Peach Pass traffic that jacks up 285 then life and work happened.

And by the time I hit 285, I knew I had at the minimum 1 hour to just go like 10 miles.... but I had to go further than 10 miles.  I had to get to Decatur.  And I knew it would not happen.  So I ranted to Kyle on the phone about my bad day and fed my brother's cats and then put on my shoes and ran on my own.

bad days make for the best run days.  they're mind clearing.  calming.  let you think.  let you get the frusterations and the annoyances out.  i just lose myself in my pace and my steps and my music.   i would say i need more bad days but i hate bad days.   but i do need more runs.

so it sucks i missed the free 5k, but i do have a real structured 5k on Saturday so I will knock that on out.  And life goes on...

...but i happier non-running related news.  My Erin Condren planner came and I am in love. love love.

worst bride-to-be ever. :)

my most favorite store ever is anthropologie.  I love everything about that place. their clothes. their housewares. their kitchen goodies. so when I discovered myregistry.com and found out I could make a registry of stuff  I wanted from stores that do not have registries I was way past excited.  and of course I stalk my registry to see what has been bought (not a lot but some) and what is no longer in stock or out of season (so I can delete it off) and to see what is on sale.

well – I was on anthropologie’s website earlier and noticed that 3 of the things I want/love and adore are on sale.  Meaning = good prices so they won’t last long.  Meaning = by the time showers start and by the time people start buying wedding gifts they will be gone and we cannot have them.  Therefore, I did want any “logical” bride to be would do.  Polled the audience.  And my Facebook friends (that are married) said it was perfectly acceptable to buy myself things off my registry.

Purchase #1.  This amazingly amazing bowl.  I saw it in the store and had to have it.  And the best part is that it was only $30 and it is normally $58.  So that’s not quite 50% off but it is darn close.  I think our fruit would look so super cute in it. And I am sure I could use it for all sorts of things if we ever entertained or if I was asked to bring something like potato salad to some sort of event.  Who knows.  Obviously, I wanted it and I will find many uses for it. 

 

Purchase #2. The matching drink jug thing.  This one is a little bit of a stretch and Kyle really will wonder what we will do with it and when we will use it but I will find a use for it.  I wanted it to match the bowl for “entertaining” purposes.  Granted.  I know Kyle and I don’t entertain a lot. but seriously, I will find a use for it.  But I can put Kool Aid in it.  Or Iced Coffee.  And you never know.  My friends are starting to have babies and I may have to throw a baby shower.  Seriously, you just never know. 

Purchase #3:  This was the most logical purchase out of the three. Trivets.  We only have 1 and it is more decoration than anything but every time I make cheese dip or spinach dip or anything hot I have to remodel our kitchen to get at it so I was telling Kyle we needed (and I wanted more). And when I saw these at Antho I wanted them. Then. But I put them on the registry and now they’re $15 (originally $29) for a set of two.  And they’re cute. And will totally be used because they will not go out of style. 

But I feel kinda bad for buying things off my registry already, but if there is anything that anyone knows about me it is that when I want something I WANT something and knowing that they’re on sale and will disappear means I have to just jump on it.  Plus the likelihood of people buying me things from Anthropologie is slim to none – so I also put some of my “wants” on my Christmas list that I gave Kyle (items like the butter dish and the measuring cups).  But don’t you worry your pretty little head… if and when her gets me those I will take them off my registry so people don’t buy me duplicates.

Hopefully…. this is the last me buying myself gifts I do prior to the wedding.  I am the worst bride to be ever. 

Music Monday :: Great Cake Cutting Song Debate

If I have one big character flaw it is my LOVE for music. I love all music. Everything. I do not discriminate.  iTunes gift cards are THE BEST PRESENTS EVER since I spend so much money in music. But lucky me I LOVE LOVE LOVE the “undiscovered” artists and their songs are .99. ….but those undiscovered artists have some of the best sappy I love you, you’re the best, I am happy with you songs.

The 1st dance song. Yeah it changed 4097539 times before Kyle told me to stop and settle. I found a song that we both like and no no no I will not share that with you. But it is a simply amazing song and there is a lyric that describes Kyle and my relationship to the letter. :-)

The song we’re introduced to – hard decision too – but we chose one.

Father Daughter Dance song – yeah, that was selected about 4 years ago. That is top secret too. And if it does not bring a tear to your eye you do not have a heart. ;-)

Mother Son Dance – not doing one.

Bouquet Toss song -- hilarious (well to me and a select few). Not sharing that song choice either. But I will say it is from 'My Best Friend's Wedding'  

Garter Toss – selected easily.

And then there is a the cake cutting and I am SO torn.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ron Pope “I’m Yours” …. how can you not love a lyric like “forever I pray those beautiful eyes want to fall upon me. say it’s alright cause I’m yours.” ....seriously, swoon.

BUT! Tyrone Wells and his song “Running Around in my Dreams” is amazing as well. with lyrics like “Why don't you come and go with me Somehow I know, I've waited my whole life to see You standing there with the wind in your hair I'm as sure as a boy, could be. You are the girl that's been running around in my dreams” how can your heart not melt?!

Why are there SO many amazing undiscovered (or just not well known enough) artists with an amazing ability to write songs that I LOVE?!  It just is not fair.  I do have a feeling I know which one of the two I will chose, but still.  I feel like these are such permanent, life long decisions.  How intimidating.

Foto Friday :: Kennesaw’s Demon Face

Who would want to pet and love on Kennesaw when she makes faces and looks like that?  Even Mulligan is like “woahhh woahhh woahhh”

But I promise she is not really a demon, she just has the face perfected when playing with her big brother.

foto friday - hilarious

I saw this on Pinterest awhile back and I have no idea why I am just now posting it but in my world - I find this funny and probably very very true.  I mean have you seen some of my race photos? 

I hope you all have an awesome weekend and if you're racing, best of luck!

Three Things Thursday

1.  I decided against Rock and Roll Savannah this year.  Hotel has been cancelled.  This year has sucked majorly for running and I just decided that if I was going to spend all that money I wanted to enjoy it.  And I knew that I wouldn't enjoy suffering through the race and then I wouldn't enjoy having to drive back from Savannah for the LSU game so I just said scratch that.  I kinda feel like I cannot even call myself a runner this year since I have slacked SO much but it happens.  Le Sigh.  This is me and my little violin.  But with that said, I will run at least 1 5k per month for the rest of the year.  I will work my way back into this running thing and I will hit the half marathons again in 2012.  Quote me.

But - when I announced that I was not going to run it - just mentally and physically unprepared I was told by a wise runner pal on Twitter (@swim_bike_run) "sometimes racing smart means not racing at all. You're not lowering the bar, you're adjusting your goals :)" and that comment is still just amazing.

2.  So I merged the dog blog into my wedding/life blog and now I am trying to figure out how to merge this one into that one.  I don't want to lose all my followers - I don't know if they merge into one - and I would have to broadcast that the blog has moved.  It just seems like a lot.  And also - what if I start to become a running fool again will I want a separate running blog?  Decisions Decisions.

3.  So I am getting married in 5 months and 4 days (or something like that) and I have been very inactive.  Most brides try and shrink for their wedding day and it isn't that I'm not trying to be super ultra fit, I have just been slacking.  (are you tired of hearing about that yet...) but I saw this Holiday Bootie Buster challenge that I am SO going to try an attempt to do well to try and get me back into this running thing.  I am hoping this will give me some sort of motivations right? Thanks Elizabeth for mentioning it in your Three Things Thursday!!  Now I gotta get ready to bust out some work outs starting November 19th.

3 Thing Thursday–Picture Edition.

 

1. I have had this wedding nightmare that when it came time for our sparkler exit that there was like no one left to see us off.  And I want there to be LOTS of sparklers for us to run under and to make our wedding exit photo amazing.  But 2 weeks ago I was at a wedding and people we dropping like flies and leaving early.  I figured our wedding will be ending around 10:30 or 11:00 and that scares me that people will be leaving and there will only be a handful of people left to see us off.  So. if you’re coming to the wedding you better stay and see us off.  Kyle told me to be prepared for a smaller send off since we have a smaller number of invites going out.   But it looks so bad with a small send off, so if you’re coming to the wedding please be prepared to stay till the very very end… I need to there to see us off so the pictures are great. Please and Thank You.  I feel like this is a total rational fear right? 

2. Originally Kyle did not want a grooms cake.  He is a kinda closed off person and because I was joking that I was going to get him a groom’s cake shaped as a dragon with a Redskins jersey (he just may kill me for putting that on here. muhahha) on  he told me he didn’t want a groom’s cake.  Then we were standing in line for cake at Chrissy’s wedding a few weeks back (btw. phenomenal cake. holy cow.) and Kyle asked why he doesn’t get a cake.  When I reminded him that he didn’t want a cake but if he had wanted a cake of his own that I wouldn’t have embarrassed him and now I think he wants a cake of his own – shaped as a redskins jersey.  And he wants yellow cake.  And if we actually give him his own cake it will say Shanahan on the back of it and it will be after him, not the head coach or the Kyle Shanahan football coach.  it is all so ironic.  If I let him have a groom’s cake is still to be determined.  It is 100% going to come down to cost.

3.  I am not going to show a picture on this one, but I chose our wedding cake and emailed it to the venue. Totally not going to share it with you because I do want some surprises.  ;o)  But it is amazing. I love it. Kyle actually likes it too and he called it “classic” and “classy” and when I asked him if he was just saying that he was being serious and I mean actually serious.  So I am glad he likes our cake and I am glad to have that checked off my to-do list too!!

5 months and 5 days to go.

Great Cake Decision { round 2 }

I thought I had decided on a cake and I think I have decided on a cake - but I am REALLY on the fence about it.  The cake I like I am scared it will not turn out well and being the perfectionist that I am ... I want it to turn out well.  So... here I am going back and forth between 3 cakes and I want your opinions.

Cake 1:  It would not have the sparkle bands since my dress does not have sparkle on it.  But I would want the lace applique to match the lace applique on my dress.  That is where I start to get worried. 

Cake 2: I really like this cake.  I just cannot decide what color I would make the flowers.  Light purple? Light blue?  But I like the flowers because that too has a touch of my dress.

Cake 3: I like the simplicity of it.  You cannot tell but it has lines etched into it.  Again, I like the flower part because it has a touch of my dress to it.

What's your opinion?!  I need suggestions & help!  I am pretty sure I have to turn this into the baker soon so I need to make a firm decision.  Comment away please! =D

Tux! Success!

Today was our "preview" for our different tux choices and it was so easy for Kyle.  The store was pretty chaotic with people picking up tuxes for weddings today and getting measured and brides and grooms picking out what they wanted for their previews and wedding so we were pretty much on our own and had to get him in his tux and all set up. 

We decided that we didn't want a black tux (too formal) and we didn't want tan (too informal) so we went with a gray.  Kyle had to try on both a light and a dark gray but it was a clear, easy win when he put on the dark gray.  It just looked sharp and since it is a night wedding it fit with the time of day more.

Oddly enough the hardest decision was the tie and the vest and I swear our consultant probably wanted to murder me.  But we decided on a paisley tie (looks soooo good) and a dotted vest.  But we swear the tux was not made for a vest because you cannot even see it when the jacket is buttoned.   But when you take off the jacket the vest and tie look really good together. 

Of course the event was not complete without me "embarrassing" Kyle by pulling up his pants and telling him the needed to be pulled up.  And after he scolded me, the consultant scolded him because his pants were not high enough (not as his waist) and he didn't have all the buttons on his vest buttoned.  I just may have to have him do a spin for my father to ensure he is put together 100%. 

But I am REALLY happy with the final outcome.  I think that the gray will look really good next to my girl's navy and that the gray will fit with the night wedding and not too formal idea we have.  ....Now to get all the guys measured and tux orders in.

Countdown: 161 days.

100% Registered!

It is official. We are 100% registered. We are kind of registered at 4 places total. As annoyed as I was (still am) with Target’s registry and their awful website I had to keep our casual plated and bowls on there since Target was the only place that had big enough bowls for Kyle’s taste.  I actually deleted the registry and then had to recreate it, but their web site was so jacked up it took me 6 tries to set it up.  Seriously Target, get it together.

I had a short day since I worked a client BBQ earlier this week and since “register at Bed Bath and Beyond” has been on my to do list for WEEKS I decided to just go and knock it out.  I had started the registry online but I needed to go in person to feel the towels and sheets (which ahem we desperately need and want) and look for dishes.  I figured I would be in and out REAL fast but that scanner thing out smarted me.  Then I went at lunch today to “reactivate” our Target registry which took all of 15 minutes.  And with that … we’re registered!

I like where we’re registered (with the exception of horrible awful Target) and I like that all 4 places have 4 different price points. I have been in and invited to many-a-weddings where they are only registered at 1 place and nothing is under $80 and many of those weddings I was a full fledged out of college broke girl.  Therefore, I did not want to do that to anyone who was invited to my wedding.  So you can use your big blue 25% off coupon at Bed Bath & Beyond or you can go to Anthropologie or Crate and Barrel and spend a little more. or you can hit up Target for a cute and cheap casual plates.  And of course, all gifts will be loved and appreciated.

We are registered at:  Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel,  myregistry.com (for Anthropologie!!), and Target.  If you go to the “where we’re registered” tab you can be directed to any of those registries directly!

…..Another thing to check off the knot.com “to do” list.

foto friday - mud babies

As a parent - you want your kids to be happy.  And I want nothing more than to have two happy and healthy dogs (our kids).  But sometimes their happiness makes me stressed.  I have always heard Moms say that when their kids are being super quiet no good is happening, well trust me when I say that statement is 100% true when it comes to dog children too. 

Last night - Kyle and I were trying to watch a movie and the dogs wanted to go outside.  That's fine - let them be dogs. Let them do whatever  dogs do outside.  And the whole time it was just quiet.  They normally bark at the neighbors house asking for the other dogs to go outside or they bark to just bark.  But nothing for like 20 minutes.  So I decided to go outside and do a "roll call" (Kenn's is an escaper so we have to check on her whereabouts) and found these two mud puppies who of course decided they wanted to come inside and then wrestle and fling mud and run upstairs and Mulligan wanted to hop on the couch.

Mulligan is a much more active digger so he got covered WAY more than Kennesaw did.  But still two muddy dogs = no fun for Momma.  Especially when they carry the mud upstairs and pretty much all over the house. 

And of course - Kyle thought it was OH SO CUTE!  However, he was not the one who had to get in the shower with Mulligan and bathe him and then get in the shower with Kennesaw and bathe her.  (By the way: Kennesaw, she got a bath Sunday night)  Kyle did however have to hold the shower door shut so no dogs would escape.  And yes - it is MUCH easier to shower with the dog than put the dog in the bath tub (in Mulligan's case)

Dogs will be dogs right?!  Gotta love them.

three things thursday.

just getting closer and closer to becoming a shanahan. but I can tell you it feels great to be stress-free and carefree. despite the constant wedding nightmares that tend to freak me out.

1.  Kyle and I are finalizing the tuxes this weekend! =D  We know the color we are just deciding on the shade this weekend and then the other little details.  I am actually REALLY excited to see Kyle all dressed up in a tux.  And seeing that none of the guys have gone to get fitted yet and need to be by 11.23.11 the panic is beginning to set in just a little bit.  Seeing that my girls had MONTHS  to get their dresses and I was reminding people after the deadline I think this is gonna be messy.  Oi.

2. I am still wondering about this aisle situation. I do really like something small and simple like this, but I do not like them hanging.  So maybe they can be on the ground?  Like next to each row or every other row.  I do not know.  I wish I could see it before committing.  But I do really really like how simple and romantic it is.  I love white simple flowers and I LOVE hydrangeas.  But, I do not like the green accent.  I wonder if the florist could do something light blue or instead.  I guess that is a conversation for the flower appointment which is only a few weeks off.  Yipee.

3.  So when we talk about aisle it makes me also think about the actual reception and I am thinking (and need to talk to the venue about this) that it would be phenomenal if we could reuse some of the ceremony pieces for the reception.   But I do not want the guest to watch the ceremony site still being set up and I am sure the photographer will want to get shots on the ceremony site untouched.  But … if we did those small little centerpieces, they could go on the tall boy tables and the gift table or the candy buffet table or the guest book table with cute little tea light candles surrounding the arrangement … wherever they would fit.  You know?  But I would not want our guests to see the reception site being set up / flowers being moved there and those flowers would probably be needed for pictures.  But… we won’t be by the ceremony site for all the pictures so the venue people could take them then.  Right?  This is me talking out loud.  ….I will be going to the flower appointment with a zillion and one questions. Sorry.

Three Things Thursday.

Today is so rainy that I wish I had taken a mental health day and could stay snuggled in bed or on the couch with my two pup pups.  But, no such luck.

1.  I am thinking that once I get married... I am going to merge this blog into this blog (I actually already changed the blog name to "The Shanahan Shenanigans" because I want to make sure it is not gone by the time I am actually a Shanahan) and then merge this one  (which I need to rename as well) into that one as well.  It is kinda hard to keep track of 3 blogs and since the wedding one will turn into a life update one and lets be honest, I am not doing a heck of a lot of running or racing I think these can all be merged together.  HOWEVER... I'd like to somehow keep my past race history tab and my PR area and my race bucket list tab.  So I would need to figure out how to work that all in.  Granted I have 163 days to figure it out.  Any suggestions?!

2.  There is a FREE 5k in Decatur on October 26th that I am doing and excited about.  Because 1. I LOVE Decatur and 2. I love Chocolate.  It starts at the Big Peach in Decatur (114 E. Trinity Place, Decatur 30030) and then runs for 3.1 miles and then get Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Fondue.  No fancy schwag bags or anything - but if I understand right ... The Chocolate Tour is scouting Atlanta as a race location.  But as usual, don't quote me on that.

3.  Still debating Savannah.  No set decision made as of right now.  But I am leaning towards no.  And Kyle also is leaning towards no.  I have never been THIS unprepared for a race ... normally I am pretty unprepared but in shape enough to tough it out.... but this would be too many miles of toughing it out.  You know? 

RnR Savannah.

I am really beginning to wonder if I should even attempt Rock and Roll Savannah this year.  Really my running has slacked in 2011 and I feel like I just won't have fun.  I just don't know why I would pay the money to get there and back in gas and then the hotel to suffer through 13.1 miles and then drive back that day (probably right after the race) to watch the LSU game with Kyle and then HURT for days after.  I just am not prepared for like 4 miles let alone 13.1.  Listen to me complain. Blah Blah Blah. I just don't think running is in the cards for me in 2011 since I have focused so much energy on Wedding Planning rather than running.  maybe 2012.

In other news - I signed up for a 5k that I ran 2 years ago and really liked that is on 10.29.11.  I would have run it last year but I was up in DC for the Marine Corps Marathon.  And then there is another 5k in November I want to do.  And I am sure I can find a holiday oriented one in December.  Maybe 2011 will be the year of the 5ks. ;)

non wedding related: the pumpkin patch

Kyle and I are kids at heart.  Or maybe I am and Kyle just comes along for the ride. But Kyle and I had a “date day” this past Sunday and it was just fun to get out of the house and hang out with each other.

Since we were “pumpkin patching” I decided we would dress for fall… which ended up being a bad idea since it was hotter than I thought it would be.  Anyways…. We headed down to McDonough to go to an awesome pumpkin patch that I found online.  We started with lunch at Logan’s Roadhouse – which by the way, is not very good, it was WAY better when we worked there.  And then we headed to the pumpkin patch.  And I had a to-do list.  I kept telling Kyle that it was all about the corn maze, the slide, the hayride and getting pumpkins.

So we got to the pumpkin patch and honestly it was overwhelming.  Seriously if you have kids in Atlanta that is the pumpkin patch to go to.  There was SO much to do.  There were pig races and bouncy things and a cow train and go carts and a corn maze and corn cannons and a hayride and really, I could keep going.  We headed toward the corn maze first.  And got distracted by the slide. =D

The corn maze had 3 mazes (easy.medium.hard) and we did all three.  The hard one was harder and it was funny because you could tell parents just wanted to get out of the maze.  At one point we ran into a dead end and turned around and saw 3 or so families and all the parents go “why are you turning around” …. and I am pretty sure those 3 families then just cut through the corn.  We ended up finding the exit – Kyle decided to tell me that you just have to take all right turns and made the corn maze unfun, but that is Kyle’s favorite thing to do – burst the fun bubble.

From there we went on the fastest and most uneventful hayride in the history of hayrides.  But as we were waiting Kyle told me that he wanted to shoot the corn cannons.  I of course told him that we could and that we would and when the hayride was over – we headed straight there.  No lie, I was a little scared but it ended up being fun.  And do you know what the best part was?  I hit the target and Kyle did not! =D  There is nothing like being a girl, firing an air cannon with a corn on the cob stuck in it and actually aiming it correctly and hitting the target when your husband to be didn’t hit it!!  And I won us a free soda for the car ride home.

We then headed to the pumpkin part to pick out our pumpkins and we got two really good ones that I cannot wait to carve.  One would think that this was an expensive day but out two huge pumpkins were only $21.50 and it cost $24 total to get in … but when you think that we were there for 3 hours and did not do everything that is a pretty good deal.

But the most important part…. we had fun.  Exhausted.  But had fun!  =D

Cake Topper

If Kyle and I were doing a cake topper & if I did not hate cake toppers it would be this:

The great aisle decision.

I feel like planning a wedding is 100% about compromise.  (eeeh, kinda like a relationship and a marriage.)  And the biggest compromise I am having to make *currently* is around the ceremony.  One of the many reasons I chose our ceremony site is because I thought it would be absolutely GORGEOUS with candle light.  So I envisioned a ceremony at dusk – candles lining the aisle and the front where Kyle and I would be.  But… evidently the sun is not setting until like 7 something on our wedding day so we had two options.  Push the wedding back and see each other before the ceremony OR not see each other before the ceremony and keep the ceremony earlier so the photographer has plenty of light.

Well… we went with option #2 and kept the ceremony earlier since I refused to see Kyle before hand.  So with that …. all my aisle ideas are out the window. 

For example – how gorgeous would have this been?!  All those tiered candles.  I die.  The aisle would have had to be pretty wide since I can only assume how deep the different vases would be.  But still gorgeous. But I feel like for that to really work it would have to be a dusk ceremony.  Oh well. I really thought the sun set earlier in March.

Or the this one with the petals and the different height vases with the floating candles.  Obviously, I LOVE the floating candles look.  This one in truth would have FREAKED the control freak in me out because with one gust of wind petals would have been ever where, but it still looks amazingly beautiful.

I think the biggest solution would be to talk to my florist and the wedding coordinator.  They do weddings for a living so they would know for sure how it would or would not look.  The biggest thing is that I want simplicity at the ceremony.  Flowers up front but the actual aisle, I have no idea.

I also REALLY liked/like this look but it goes back to the one big gust of wind and there goes all the petals.  But I love the bunched up candles.  And I cannot tell if it is the flash in the picture that makes it look like it is daytime-ish or if it is really daytime…. but those don’t look bad.

But long story short, I am a huge traditionalist and I do not want to see Kyle before the wedding.  One of my favorite parts of weddings is watching the groom’s face when he sees the bride for the first time, so I want to see his face. 

If anyone has any simple aisle ideas – I know a bride who would love any and all suggestions.  =D

Oh. 168 days.  Where is the time going?!

Neighbor Kids.

One of the best things about our house is that our fence lines up with pretty much all fenced in backyards and our neighborhood is full of dogs and barking dogs.  When we first moved in, Mulligan buddied up with this dog who lived in a house joining the back corner of our yard.  They would sniff each other and play through the fence.  You know, do dog things.

Well it has been awhile since Mulligan has spent any real time in that back corner until this past Friday.  Kyle was trying to call in both Mulligan and Kennesaw and he was having a hard time.  Every time he would call them and they would come running, they would stop, look back at the corner and run back to barking sounds.  But not to dog barking sounds... to children barking at the dogs.

So when Kyle walked over the fetch the dogs (since he needed to be somewhere so he needed the dogs inside) he was greeted by two little kids who told him "the big one likes pine cones and the little one likes sticks".  The neighbor kids were feeding our dogs stick and pine cones and were luring them over by barking at them. 

The cutest part (even though the whole thing is pretty darn cute...) Kyle ended up picking Kennesaw up and said "come on trouble" and the little girl goes "oh no, are they in trouble".  Kyle of course told them no and as they were all going inside the kids started barking at the dogs again.

So cute.

Marathon Coupon Code

Hey Hey!

So... I know everyone loves a good deal.  So, if anyone is interested in running the Rock & Roll Nation's Capital Marathon on March 17, 2012  I have a coupon code for you.

For $10 off of the race entry use coupon code: 11RNRMG and then happy racing.   I would totally do it; however, that is my bachelorette party weekend, but I decide to still share the wealth with you.

Rawr. [again]

Bless.

I think this honeymoon is going to be nothing but stress.  Isn't the wedding supposed to cause the stress and anxiety?  For us... it is the honeymoon.

Kyle got an email today about our flights being changed.  We got to St. Lucia just fine; however, leaving St. Lucia that is the tricky part.  Our new flights have us leaving San Juan Puerto Rico rather than St. Lucia. ...which no means of transportation to get us to Puerto Rico.

Fabulous right?

Well... 1 phone call to Sandals and being on hold for oh 34 minutes we have it fixed.  2:45 leaving St. Lucia. layover in Miami. back to Atlanta at 11:40 PM.  9 hours of travel.  Yeah - this is the TRUE test of our love for each other.

Hey Runners–help me out!

I got this idea from Run Courtney Run and a recent three things Thursday blog post that she did. …but for it to work and be successful I need your help!

So here we go – I want your input on all things racing.  If you’re running a race (of any distance. 5k to marathons) and want to share your surface level opinions with the world – send them to me.

Now.  I am not looking for full long winded race reports, just cliff notes versions.  What did you like?  What did you hate?  How was the water and aid stations?  Was the race a “must run” or a “yeah you can skip that one”?  Was there a big hill at the end, in the middle, or was it all downhill? …. give me the basics, the nitty gritty, what YOU would want to know if you wanted to know about a race, what would you have liked to know going into the race.

At first I thought I would keep it just to Atlanta races only, but then I thought I should share the fun with all my readers since you all are from all over.

Send your cliff notes version of a race recap and any images and of course a link to your blog to – barbara.a.vines@gmail.com and I will get them posted.