Things I am Loving Thursday

I have seen this on a few blogs lately and one of my favorites The Pink Growl does this Thursday post frequently so I decided to step away from all things baby and share some things I am loving lately with you all! =D

paperbackswap.com
I wouldn’t call myself an avid reader, but I do like to read but I hate used bookstores and I hate how books are pricey and I will only read them once.  I swap books with a coworker, but once I get them back they literally collect dust on my bookshelf at home. Until now.  Kyle somehow came across paperbacswap.com & then passed the word onto me. Basically – you post books you want to get rid of and then people ask for them. You purchase a label and then mail the book and are given 1 credit. 1 credit = 1 book and then you can request books from other members.  You can also put books on a wish list and when the book becomes available you can have it sent to you {if you have a credit}. I am loving it right now because I am able to get books I want and then get rid of books I no longer need! I totally recommend it if you like to read and you don’t hoard books like my husband does! JOIN HERE

erin condren life planners
this obsession is not new – but with the hype around the 2014 – 2015 planner right now I am reminded how much I rely on my planner and would die without it.  I know they tend to be a little bit bulkier than most people like, but I only get a 12 month calendar vs. the 18 month calendar and have found it to be less bulky.  They’re a bit pricey but totally worth it.  I think they are supposed to be released the 2nd week of June so mark your calendar and if you want to flip to the dark side, you can purchase a LP right HERE! {if you’re a new customer and you use that link you get $10.00 off} You can see mine get pretty packed, but it keeps my head on straight!

Lee Brice – “I Don’t Dance”
I don’t know why – but I cannot get enough of this song.  I pretty much have it on repeat in my car and I just really like it.  If I was getting married this year – I would 100% make this my first dance song.

short work weeks
even though I have been fairly busy this week because it was a 4 day work week I really could work 4, 10 hour days and have a 3 day weekend every week. I don’t 100% know what I would do with the extra day – but I would find something to fill my time. How would you spend your time if you had a 3 day weekend, every weekend?!

schools are out for summer
I LOVE SUMMER IN ATLANTA. Mainly because my insanely long 400 south crawl is cut pretty much in half because there ain’t no one of the roads, son! I can leave the house at 7:20 AM and be at work by 8:00 AM and hit pretty much only one area of traffic.  When before, I had to be out the door by 7:00 at the latest to arrive anywhere between 8:00 and 8:30 AM.  Hello Open Roads!

surprise baby gifts
We came home from work this week to a box with a big pink bow on our front porch and it was a baby gift from my parent’s friends who live in Athens, GA. The box was full of cute little monogrammed things like a burp cloth that I feel like is too cute to have a kid spit up on, an adorable stuffed bunny, and also a little baby blanket bunny toy.  it was such a surprise to come home to and it was so thoughtful of my parent’s friends to drop it by.  Too bad they dropped by on a Wednesday when we were both at work – it would have been fun to see them!

I am sure there are other things I am “loving” right now – but my back hurts.  Hello pregnancy and I want to crawl in bed and  read.  Therefore, I am cutting this short!

Happy Friday Ya’ll!

Friday's Letters (a day late)

Dear Friday:  I know you were yesterday and I am a day late - but this was a WEEK!

I still cannot get the picture to actually work so: http://comeoneileen86.blogspot.com/

Dear Tiffy T: I hope you had a really great birthday celebration last night! Even though we rolled out early and didn't hit the clubs with you - it was so great to see you and laugh with you!  And just as a heads up, Afton and I have decided we want to infiltrate your circle of friends sicne they're so fun.

Dear Hot Summer Heat: Wowza.  Go. Away.  Our AC cannot keep up with your 100* plus days. And Kyle, Mulligan, Ken Ken, and I are MELTING!

Dear Hunger Games: You were not supposed to be good. You were not supposed to suck me in. I wanted to stay away but was forced to read you and now I am anxiously waiting for the last 2 to come in the mail.

Dear Pure Barre: I am offended. After praising you and telling all my friends about you and getting them to come to class with me and then praising you some more you block me on twitter. What in the world could I have done to offend you. Did I complain about my core hurting too much? But that is fine. My last pre-paid class will be used tomorrow and if you don't want my business then you don't have to have it, nor do I have to tell people about how good your classes and studios are. Consider me not your advocate anymore. xoxo - scorned lift.tone.burn.-er.

Dear Northern Virginia: Kyle and I have been life planning. I was on Trulia this past weekend looking at house prices and I had a heart attack.  $500K for not so fabulous houses?!  How are Kyle and I ever supposed to move back there, buy a house, and raise a family!? 

Dear Erin Condren: I think you should pay me a commission for promoting and pushing your life planners as much as I do.  In 1 week, I got 4 people to buy one.  And I know I have got like 3 others in the past.  And I still cannot wait to buy my 2103 planner. I just have to wait till November. Le 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)

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!