….and I continue

I feel like I am pretty much almost caught up on catching you all up on my life.  a few weeks back one of my friends from college got married in Birmingham – and when I say this was one of the most fun weddings I have ever been to – I mean it. I don’t know if it was the fact that it was (1) a beautiful wedding + reception (2) a reunion from my time in Tuscaloosa (3) the band (4) the amazing food – hello fried green tomatoes with pulled pork on top and mashed potato bar.  or if it was everything wrapped up in one {which I think is the real answer} …. so much fun.

Lindsay literally was so pretty – and so happy – she was radiating, that is the only way to describe it.  The wedding 100% screamed her personality.  The party was too fun.  And the exit to all of us shaking our super sparkly Alabama shakers was a perfect ending.

I spent a lot of the night catching up with girlfriends from college and a lot of the night dancing with my old roommate Ashley Jo.  And her mom was there and her 2 little sisters which made my night catching up with her mom and wondering how the sisters are now college grads or in college.

We danced to Miley Cyrus “Party in the USA” and “Jesse’s Girl” and “Sweet Home Alabama”.  We laughed and I met boyfriends and husbands.  And seriously had too much fun.  Of course – we all thought we were in college again and talked about going out after the wedding for the “after party” and yeah.  that didn’t happen.  after party at the Hampton Inn, in bed by 10:45 PM.  What what! Party Animals!

Kyle won husband of the year and he just followed us crazy girls around and then drove me back to Atlanta the next morning in one piece. but it was just a really really good time – with most of my best girl friends in Birmingham, I do not get a night with the girls very often.  so it was great to just relive those college days, let loose and have a good time.  it is simply crazy how you get caught up in life and things like weddings bring you back together. 

Congrats to Lindsay and Dom!! Enjoy countless years of happiness and laughter and good times.  I hope you love the food chopper thing and the pink yellow hammer cups. ROLL TIDE! =D

Chapter Three – Tuscaloosa Bound

Another 30 before 30 accomplished!  Kyle and I went to Tuscaloosa for the Homecoming Game Weekend and for once, during football season in Tuscaloosa, post-graduation we went inside Bryant Denny for the game.  Normally: we are in Tuscaloosa and just watch the game at a bar with friends.

The trip to Tuscaloosa took pretty much forever and a day due to construction traffic so when we arrived in town, we were exhausted and just wanted major catch up time with my bestie Heather and her momma. Plus – kickoff was at like 10:00 AM or something crazy like that so Friday night was super low key. 

Saturday we got up – ate breakfast at her condo’s clubhouse and went to the sorority house for more breakfast.  Don’t ask. Heather’s little sister’s boyfriend needed to eat and of course my growing husband chowed down on more fun.  Then after a little stroll through the Quad and the required photos in front of Denny Chimes and the Stadium we found our seats. 

The game was boring – we were those fans that Nick Saban is currently complaining about.  It was hot.  It was a blowout.  We wanted Yellowhammers from Gallettes.  We had eaten the required  Denny Dog {hot dog} … so we left right at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.  Bad Alabama Fans – BAD!

But Saturday was less than crazy too.  After a long day in the sun and being up super early after a late arrival Saturday night we were in Heather’s condo – in front of the TV by like 10:30 PM. 

But we were there really to see Heather, her mom, and just to have a little bit of non-crazy, get Kyle in the stadium fun.  I do remember the stadium being WAY more fun and loud as a student – maybe it was the less than exciting game we attended – maybe it is the lame, spoiled student section that didn’t have to live through the Shula days.  Kyle agreed it was “pretty” but then just called it a “stadium”.

We will be back and if you’re reading this Heather – we require a better football game!!!

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. 

LABOR DAY!

Hello Hello!  Well. Here I am writing from my brand spanking new laptop – one that I wish I did not have to buy, but my wonderful husband dropped my practically new laptop so here we are, with a new confusing Windows 8 loaded laptop. And I think it may take me 5045084 hours to write this since the keyboard is funky and new. Weeeee!

Anyway. moving on. pressing forward.  Kyle and I have been SO busy this weekend but it was fun.  Saturday night we went to the Alabama vs. VA Tech football game and jeeze that was a game.

We sat 13 rows off the field – in the VA Tech section – and since we were not actually killing them this go around, it the VA Tech fans around us liked to poke fun at us. Alabama did not quite play like a 2 time championship, #1 ranked football team so it was frustrating. But… it was still a good time. Well worth the trip downtown and the crazy MARTA overload on the way home. Not a pretty win, but a win. And I will take that.

Sunday I got to mark another thing off my 30 before 30 list. After breaking the news to my friends from work that we have been in Atlanta for 5 years but never attended a Braves game {they were all shocked and couldn’t wrap their heads around that idea} we decided to hit a Braves Tailgate + Game.  and… it POURED.  We spent a lot of the tailgate in the back of my friend’s boyfriend’s truck waiting out the monsoon. Then once the weather cleared, we got to hang out with everyone, grill out, and have fun.

This may be considered blasphemy in Braves Country – but I don’t get the allure of baseball games.  Yes – the tailgate was fun – but the actual game was kind of boring.  Maybe it is because the Braves were getting killed – or that you cannot really hear your friends over the crowd – but it wasn’t really all that fun once we got into the game.  But the tickets were free so you cannot complain about a fun day out with the girls and their boyfriends/husbands when it is all basically free – right?!

Kyle and I actually bowed out of the game early because we wanted to beat traffic and I am grateful we did.  I was ready to get home to the puppies and go to bed.  it was two long days of sporting events.

Today…. Kyle and I have done nothing and it has been amazing.  We have spent pretty much all day catching up on Season 2 of Scandal -  trying to be as low key as possible before the week picks up.

Next weekend is another thing to cross off the 30 before 30 – we are heading to Charleston.  So…. if you have suggestions on places to eat or things to do, I am accepting recommendations!! =D

Catching you up on us.

this is becoming an all too common trend: me apologizing for not writing – explaining that life has been busy – and then breaking down life and blurbing about what K and I have been up to.

Well. Here we go:

1. Work Travel it  officially OVER! For now. So I am home – got to put my suitcase away finally and am enjoying being home and not in the air in a Delta plane that is running  out of fuel. {True Story: happened twice... should have morphed this blog to the adventures in work travels – it would have been a “riot” – and I have stories for days}

2. K and I have been lounging by the pool as much as possible – the weather this summer has been less than ideal, but on the  good days, you can find us by the pool.  We have also been loving our deck furniture and now do Friday night date nights on our porch with wine and shrimp and crackers. We have been loving it because work has kept me busy this summer and with Kyle being SO consistent with working out every night we have been having late dinner and then I crawl in bed.  We just don’t get enough time for each other Monday – Thursday, so we make a point to do something simple and low key on Friday night to just catch up and just hang out together.  We average about 2 bottles of wine and lots of shrimp and cheese each Friday – but it is fun.  And Kyle made some summer fresh black bean, corn, and feta salsa last Friday and it was SO good.  We are gonna be super bummed when it gets too cold to have wine night!! ....but we will be happy when the bugs and flies are gone!!

3. We also live in a real life, legit, must reserve your tennis courts online tennis community so we have decided to pick up tennis and wreck havoc on the tennis pros that are unlucky to have the court next to us. Correction: Kyle causes the havoc – i get to run all over the court after the balls.  I still have some skills from when my dad and I would play on the tennis courts by the pool and when i did 1 summer of tennis camp. Kyle know my back hand is my weakness so he goes after it every.time.he.can. I tell him that he plays dirty. But.... we are having fun – getting a tan – and getting exercise.

4. I went to Justin Bieber last night with my friend Afton.  And we had fun! =D  We had dinner and drinks before the show by Phillips and then headed to our AMAZING seats – seriously, amazing {Thanks Ramy Chawani for buying them and putting them on stubhub} – we were 1 level off the main floor and not too far away from the stage so Justin actually looked like a human. Not an ant. There were a lot of screaming, crying, pre-teens around us who we made fun of and hoped that wasn’t us when we were growing up.  We were kinda disappointed – we thought he would bring out more guests {since he is known to do that in Atlanta} and he claimed he was going out “big” since it was his last show... but he only brought out Ludacris  and there are so many other artists that he has collaborated with that are based in Atlanta. Oh well. Luda was still a fun surprise. But still.  Kyle did not go to the concert – he had a boys poker night at the house and he won!! He walked away $120 richer which was fun and exciting for him.  And I know he had fun having having a boys night, playing poker since he used to do that a lot when we lived in VA.  And thankfully our dogs were not maniacs and after they hopped on everyone they settled down and were good little dogs.   Poker night + Dogs + Strangers = our biggest fear all week long.

5. Not sure if I mentioned this or not – but Kyle and I have been able to participate in the Dine Around program with Buckhead Life this summer so we have had fun date nights at places we normally wouldn’t go to because we can’t exactly afford them. Basically –  the Buckhead Life chain sends out $25 gift cards to 1 restaurant per month and you get to go where your card is for.  We went to Atlanta Fish Market last month and have Pricci this month.  It has been fun to just get dressed up and go on a Sunday night date. We had never been selected till this summer and I hope we get picked next summer too!!!

I think that is about it – we’re getting ready for a LONG fun filled Labor Day weekend – Alabama/VA Tech game.  First ever Braves game + Tailgate. And then our busy September. Hopefully..... we will have some fun filled things to write about!!

Last Day of June

summer is slipping away and i have not spent enough time at the pool! bah hum bug. but – i have a crazy busy july ahead of me with all my work travel. so, if it am MIA for a long period of time ... again ... I now have a documented reason.

3 out of 5 weeks in July I am on the road for work.  I am 100% home this upcoming week and am 100% taking Friday the 5th OFF! ....and i plan on sitting by the pool as much as humanly possible. Right now on the 4th i plan on waking up – hitting zumba & then staying by the pool. But is sounds good in theory – but zumba is at 8:30 AM and we all know how i love to sleep. Then, I head to Augusta {leave Sunday night} ... then Bucks County, PA ... then I have 1 week off ... then off to Oklahoma City.

Best part of all the work travel: meeting a bunch of people who i talk to on the phone a lot but could never point out of a crowd. the hotel and airline points. being able to have the AC on 62* and just snuggle in the covers. finding time to read more than 15 pages of a book in 1 sitting. seeing cities i would probably never ever see.

....but with all that said. i do miss being home with K and the puppies.  And – if anyone has any recommendations of things to do in any of these cities – places to eat – sites to see, i am all ears! =D