Life Catch Up–Chapter Two.

{I feel like I don’t even know how to write so much from the past … it is way hard}

About a week after we spent the short weekend in Charleston Kyle and I boarded a plane to Sanibel Island, FL to spend a few days with my mom and dad who were on their long vacation away from the real world.  Needless to say: for me, after a summer of traveling and a crazy workload, the break from the real world for me was much needed.

We had a night flight out of the airport so maximize the sun and pool time.  After an “adventurous” trip to the airport – I forgot my phone at home on the counter, 20 miles later in Atlanta rush hour traffic, I turned the car around to go get it.  Then we had MAJOR traffic until I realized I could drive in the HOV lane. Needless to say – we arrived with plenty of time after I had about 5048059 freak-outs about missing the plane. {FYI – the security line on a Wednesday night in Atlanta is nonexistent}. After learning that Kyle LOVES the moving walkways and turned them into a toy, we had dinner at Café Intermezzo at the airport.  I had never eaten at any of their Atlanta locations and I was not really all that impressed when we went – but it was still “fun” to feel like an adult who flies out at night and has dinner and wine before boarding a plane. Lame. I know.

But – if I had to sum the trip up we pretty much: sat by the pool. read our books. drank wine. and ate food. I read 3 books. 2 of which I recommend (“Summerland” by Elin Hilderbrand & “Fly Away Home” by Jennifer Weiner) and one that I recommend not ever picking up, too slow and boring (“There’s No Place Like Here” by Cecelia Ahern).  I also learned that I have the most uncontrollable obsession with Candy Crush.  I never had enough lives and kept swapping between my iPhone and the iPad.  …. that my friends is when you know your obsession is out of control …..

Meet our view and the huge frog that tormented me.  He was flapping his little legs in the very spot that I would hang out and read my book.

We spent the Friday morning we were there on a boat and in the air parasailing.  We slathered ourselves in sunscreen only to be 100% shielded by some overhanging thing and we got zero sun – which was kinda my mission. Boat = major sun time.  I had been parasailing before and knew what to expect and it was Kyle’s 1st time ever parasailing so we thought it would be cool.  Well – it was cool, but overpriced and kind of meh.  we didn’t see too much from the air – some fish, a stingray, nothing to write home about. Maybe it is one of those things that you just do once and then you do not need to do it again, but hey … we did something with our trip other than lay by the pool and do nothing.  And we got some pretty cool pictures out of it. :)

And of course – we got to take Kyle J to the staple of the Vines Family Vacations – The Lazy Flamingo and as always it was good.  Too much food – but good.   Honestly – we did not do much.  We did was we set out to accomplish – relax, get some fun, and just take a breather from the fast paced world that is our life.  We learned that we are two very very white kids and pretty much used 3 bottles of sunscreen {sorry mom and dad} and a boat load of aloe due to my inability to put sunscreen on my back.  And it was sad to leave the trip.  it only confirmed that we need to vacation more often and get away from the world – if only we had a little more money.  Wah Wah Wah.  But most importantly, we check something off my 30 before 30 list.  Kyle J to Sanibel!!  And he loved it and will be back in 2014 …. if we are invited back.

 

Let Me Write A Novel–Chapter One.

True story. I have not opened this Live Writer program in about um, 2 months.  And I can tell you with 100% honesty that it is not because I have NOTHING to share – in fact, there is A LOT to share.  And Kyle and I have been keeping busy. So. Put on your big kid pants – I am about to give you not one. not two. but three back to back posts to get you up to speed on what has been going on in the world of the Shanahan’s.

Let’s begin.

We went to Charleston to see one of my dearest and longest friends marry her best friend.  Amy May and I go WAYYY back.  And I mean WAYYY back.  I remember playing with my light bright {hello early 90’s} with her, and playing M.A.S.H {you know, mansion, apartment, shack, house} in the back of my parent’s minivan, and our regular shopping trips at Tyson’s Corner. And church camps – where we inevitably got irritated with each other after 5 days together. And then college road trips and New Years Eve parties. Seriously. Longest and dearest friend in the history of my friendships. {If I was in VA I would legit find a picture of us circa 2000 and post it. maybe}

Kyle and I decided to get up and go to Charleston early and explore the town. However, we were straight up lied to and for once I did not fact check. We were told that it takes 4 hours to get to Charleston from Atlanta. The truth: 6 hours.  I probably drove too fast, but I wanted to get there ASAP and explore.  Once we got in town – a beautiful town at that – we only had 1 hour to explore and sightsee. We went down to the water – got some national park stamps for my Mom – attempted to go find the Rainbow Row of houses. Long story short we just did not have enough time in the city and never found those house, but we had to meet one of my friends from my freshman year at college for dinner. 

We met my friend Meghan for dinner at this amazing place called Lana. As cliché as this statement is – good food. great wine. even better company. Her and I laughed and just caught up.  She then surprised me with the mix cd from our road trip to Florida for Spring Break 2003.  We broke out the mix – died laughing – and Kyle J thought we were total nut jobs.  We then headed to this really cool place for drinks after dinner.  Really expensive after dinner drinks + popcorn popped in bacon grease {so.freaking.good}. It was just a good night with good people and sometimes you just need that.

Sunday morning was the wedding and it was simple and pretty.  Very Charleston, SC County.  Cowboy Boots. Wildflowers. Cornhole. Boiled Peanuts. Sweet tea. A rocking chair as a guestbook. And the best brunch buffet.  The wedding honestly was just her. And I love weddings that symbolize the couple and weddings that are not stuffy and done up for show when the couple is not like that.  Amy was gorgeous, her groom was super nice and it was great to see her family {even though I am convinced her Dad still does not like me very much}.  We didn’t stay till the very end – and I hate hate hate doing that – but we had to get back home to Atlanta, our dogs, grocery shopping, and the work week ahead.d

We decided that we will go back to Charleston and do a Pirates tour. Or a ghost tour. Or a historic tour. Or if we are real adventurous, all three!  I have Charleston on my Thirty to do before Thirty list but I don’t think this trip really counts since we didn’t get to do anything on my “to do” list.  And plus, it will give us an excuse to see Mrs. Amy Eddins again and get to know her husband.