Love

Latest Obsession: For The Home

| The Bee Life

HERE’S WHAT, I have been absolutely obsessing over especially as the summer months are approaching and the store’s are switching out their inventory to be summery!!!

Lanterns. OBSESSED. I want them everywhere, but especially for outdoor spaces like our front porch. I love them as decor for your entry way and even lightening for your seating area. I also love lanterns for decoration inside, around a fireplace or hearth area, especially the really big lanterns. Not to mention you can find them in almost any finish from silver, to gold, wooden, ceramic, or bronze to fit into your current decor or switch to something new. You can get hanging lanterns or keep them on the ground or table. Plus you can use them season round by mixing up colors and styles with different fillers for the insides… I could go on for dayzzz!  On a lantern kick like me? Check out craft stores, as a lot of them have sever price cuts on summer and outdoor decor (like 60-70%!) you can’t beat it.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/11/15/rehearsal-dinner-inspiration-by-elyse-jennings-weddings/
http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2010/08/back-patio-reveal-and-5-giveaway-winners/
http://www.digsdigs.com/30-adorable-fireplace-candle-displays-for-any-interior/

Greenery. I am loving me some greens, the fake kind. I first saw some moss like letters at Michael’s and really wanted to impulsively buy them, but one didn’t know what to spell or letters to get, and two thought they would look way out of place in my house, but I can’t help but pine over them. I also really love boxwood wreaths, but refuse to spend the money online and will most likely DIY one, one of these days. And as much as I truly don’t like fake plants, because I’d rather just have a few real ones – I really like the fake greenery balls… yes I just described them as such, okay they’re technically “boxwood vase fillers” (according to Target). Anyways, I like the idea of having some greens around the house to add to the real greens, it brings some added life to your living space.

http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2011/05/one-project-at-time-link-party.html
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/boxwoodwreaths.html
http://www.target.com/p/boxwood-vase-filler-smith-hawken/-/A-16205611#prodSlot=_1_7

So those are my two latest obsessions right now, I’ve had my eyes on the lookout for these whenever I hit the stores.  I recently grabbed two silver lanterns for some added decoration up in our master suite, and I love how they compliment the space, we have a mixture of metals, but somehow it’s all working.

What’re your summer favorites?

Weekend Recap – Family Wedding

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was full of family as we celebrated my cousin Tim’s wedding to his long time girlfriend, Morgan! So here is a quick recap of the weekends events.

Friday, we both took a half day in hopes that we could head out mid-afternoon and get down to Columbus early evening… but I had a little too much on my to-do list before that happened. Running around making stops, getting an oil change in, and then forgetting about our call with a wedding planner that I was expecting to have while we were already in the car, pushed back our leave time by about 2-hours, oops! We dropped Moz over to our neighbors, and then finally hit the road and got into Columbus a little after 7pm.

Dinner reservations were at 8:30pm, whenever my family has a weekend of any sort together (especially weddings) it is ALWAYS jammed packed with family dinners, activities, workouts, you name it. So we headed to Bravo! Cucina Italian – my first time there, andddd I know it’s a chain, but I wasn’t impressed at all. Service was slow and the food wasn’t that great. Which only led me to snack on Doritos later in the evening. *smiles* After dinner was over, some people went to the casino and others headed back to the hotel.  We stopped and grabbed some adult beverages to hang out at the hotel with my parents, Nate and Kiera.

Saturday morning we slept in until 9:30!! We haven’t slept in, in so long, it was so amazing! We got up and headed to Starbucks and then came back to workout and hang with the family. The hotel had a basketball court so everyone was hanging out between there and the pool while I sweated through a 45-minute boot camp workout, luckily my cousin Niki joined halfway through! From there we headed to lunch at First Watch, yum! (Avocado toast for days, please and thanks.) By the time we got back after lunch it wasn’t long before we had to start getting ready for the wedding.

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The ceremony; was so nice and the vows were beyond sweet. Tim and Morgan have been together for nearly 11-years, not to mention living long distance, so this has been a long time coming. My cousin Tim is a bit more reserved than the rest of us, so it was so awesome seeing him pull out his handmade scroll with his vows and reading them with so much love and truth in what he was saying.  After they said their vows, and kissed the rest of the night was about celebrating!

Tim & his adorable Mom
Morgan coming down the aisle
The kiss!
The send off – big smiles.

The reception was at La Scala Restaurant, which had a back room for the reception area and was the perfect size to accommodate everyone. The staff was great catering to everyone and we had our own private bar in the back which worked out perfectly too! Although it took some tweaking for the mixed drinks, since I’d like to say my family is a bunch of alcohol snobs, it would’ve been easier if we could just get behind the bar, ha! The dinner was served family style, which I really liked. It was a mix of lasagna, two types of chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes, with salad and bread as the starter. Yum!

Forever Wedding Date ❤
Our Table!
Kiera & Nate
Their cake!
Most of the Fruit Loops!

Once the dancing finally started, the rest of the night was toast (unless a country song came on, then the dance floor was nearly cleared out, yet the DJ still insisted on playing his set-list).  Everyone tore up the dance floor and definitely got a second workout in. I think B danced the most out of all the weddings we’ve been too together, it was so much fun! Of course, there were a few breaks for shots – although we had to order them in the main restaurant, so it was funny to see the bartender mix up 25-lemon drops and a rowdy crowd come into the main area demanding shots.

B and Tim
The First Dance
Jordan and I cutting a rug
Me and Niki
Hampel Ladies
With the beautiful bride
Final Dance!

It was a great time,  and family drama was at a fair minimum, minus a few situations which I am currently ignoring for the time being. *smiles* You could tell how happy Tim and Morgan were and how excited they were for their big day and commitment to each other. They’re truly just a sweet couple. It’s always a great party when we are welcoming another person into our family, needless to say everyone was hurting the next day.

We had a family brunch Sunday morning so everyone could see each other one last time before we all went our separate ways, a family tradition for wedding weekends. B and I were back home by 12:30 and got our little pune baby back (Moz). She was exhausted from her weekend with her friend Maybel! We were exhausted too, so it was a lazy afternoon.

Cheers to another beautiful wedding and fun weekend!

#CoakleyEverAfter – Part 2

| The Bee Life

Ready for Part 2?!

Katie was one of the most beautiful brides. Her dress was perfection and she was glowing. We made our way to the venue after everyone got ready at the hotel, the rain was starting to pick up on and off as we got to the venue, so came the decision of keeping the ceremony outside or setting up inside just in case. It was touch and go for awhile, and it got set-up inside just in case. About 15-minutes before the start of the ceremony, Katie decided to make it happen outside. The venue was beyond accommodating and made it happen, sprinting to clean off the wet chairs and getting everyone from inside to the outside location.  After all, her vision for the last year+ was having an outdoor wedding, and it was going to happen, rain or shine!

Bathroom Mirror Shot
Almost ready!
Ready to go!
The Ceremony

Katie and Travis wrote their own vows, which were very sweet and touching, in fact that was one of my favorite parts – it was truly personal and unique to them and their relationship. And the rain held off! Woo!!

From the ceremony we went and took pictures while the rest of the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour before the festivities got started around 7.  We were announced and quickly got into the speeches, Katie’s dad spoke, then the best man, and then myself. I was surprisingly so nervous, like shaking nervous! I think it was the setting, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I was told it sounded great! Phew.

After dinner, was the cake cutting, first dances, and then real dancing! It was such a fun night, and like I mentioned before completely surreal to see Katie and Travis married, yet so awesome because they’re completely meant to be. My family was at the wedding too, so it was great to hang out with them, and B once all my official duties were finished (although they never seemed to be, we had to get Katie ready with a new up-do after all the key moments).  There was also a photo-booth, which is always fun to take a few photos with everyone. Enjoy some of my favorite pictures from the night!

Cake Cutting
First Dance
B + Me
Nate, Kiera + Mom
Dad, Me + B
Me, Travis, B + Katie
Katie and I with Lori, her mom
Genesee Light, in cans.
Katie & Her Dad dancing
Best Friends.

The night was just perfect mainly because it was Katie’s wedding. I can’t wait to see her professional photos from the day, not to mention her photographers were awesome. We helped shut the place down and clean up. By the time we got back to my parents it was probably 2AM. It was strange saying bye to Katie with no future plans in hand like we’ve had for the last few months, which I’ve truly enjoyed. But I know we will be seeing each other soon. Hopefully they’ve landed safely for their honeymoon!

Cheers to the bride + groom!

 

 

Five.

| The Bee Life

Today marks 5-years with B.

5-years ago, I was a nervous wreck, yet so excited to go out on this date with this guy who I had hit it off with the weekend before on an advertising competition trip (nerdy, I know). We were meeting up after my night class and were going to grab a drink at a local spot near campus, yet not your typical college bar, it was called Corks (which is sadly no longer).  We met-up in the Communications building and walked down to Corks, we sat down and literally talked the night away, nonstop.  We had so many similarities growing up, it was crazy! We eventually ended up going to a different bar, because we realized we should probably grab some food, so we went to the Viking Tavern and got some chicken tenders, the talking and drinking continued, although still very casual and intently talking about everything. We then wound up at yet another campus bar, Becky’s and ended the night with some PBR’s.  I think we talked well into the wee hours of the morning, until we finally parted ways.  We made plans to go for an 8-mile run the next day since we were both training for a half-marathon. Yes not your typical second date. 247195_10150253120955692_5463259_n
And since that day, 5-years ago, it was pretty much the end to the beginning, we never looked back, we never questioned our relationship, it just was. B said in his proposal love letter to me that he knew that first weekend at the advertising competition that I was the one. I knew he was the one after our first date.

B has forever changed my life, and makes me a better version of myself each and every day – we challenge each other and we love each other and it’s the perfect balance and flow of us.  I’m excited to see what this next year will bring leading up to our wedding and next stage in our lives, he’s the best partner and teammate.12141595_10153635960645692_3058254985265414869_n
So here’s to the next five… fifteen….twenty… forty… forever years ahead of us.

Latest Obsession: Shoes!

| The Bee Life

When it comes to clothes and shoes I don’t usually splurge too much and if I do, there are LONG periods of breaks in between, especially when it comes to my shoes!  Last time I bought soft canvas sneaks or loafers was probably in 2013? (Are you judging me… just a little? It’s ok…) And they’ve finally gotten to the point were they’re a bit too dirty to pull off anymore. The last time I bought a pair of sandals was probably 2014… (still judging?) What can I say? I make my shoes last – it’s not to say I don’t admire and dream over a few pairs, I just don’t like spending a lot of money on them, it’s physically impossible for me to do, even though I don’t buy them that often (it’s okay, you can think I’m totally weird). So, needless to say 2016 is going to be my restock year (and I’ve already started!!) Latest Obsession - Shoes - the bee life
01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

Printed Canvas Sneaks/Loafers: I’m obsessed with these! I think they’re a fun way to show off your personality with neutrals or bright colors, not to mention they’re super comfy and can be casual or dressed-up. Perfect for all the spring and summer picnics, and not to mention the perfect travel shoes!

Flats: You can never go wrong with flats, I especially need a variety of options for the office, since wearing heels day after day is exhausting.  Flats can also be the perfect look for a date night or bridal shower.

Sandals: This is a given, although I think it’s good to have a mix of of different colors and styles from casual to dressy in case there are the occasions where you don’t want to rock heels or wedges the whole time.

Rain boots: You need at least one good pair! And personally, I need a pair of rain boots that’re a little less obnoxious, but still fun and cute. Unfortunately I can’t rock the Hunter boot, because I have muscular calves *smiles* – having these for those random rainy days is clutch, especially if you’re like me and have to walk a block or two to the office!

My word of advice for any of these shoes, is if you find a pair you love, don’t be afraid to stock up on a few pairs, because you’ll regret it if you don’t! I know I do, it’s definitely something that I make a point that if I do see my pair on sale or back in stock to buy another pair.

Happy Shoe Shopping!

Weekend Recap – Katie’s Bachelorette!

| The Bee Life

Where do I even begin? This past weekend was Katie’s bachelorette party, after months of planning, it was finally the day to actually celebrate!!

We started the afternoon with a toast to the bride, I selfishly wanted some practice for my MOH speech, although totally winged this one.  We then piled onto the limo bus with our coolers and started the party.  Apparently you can get pretty buzzed in 30-minutes thanks to Jell-O shots, wine and champagne – oh and some fun music.  We were also lucky enough to have some hotties join us for the days festivities, you may know them… Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling and Benjamin McKenzie (famously known from the OC).IMG_1877Our first stop was Monet & Merlot. A wine and painting place, which is all the rave lately.  This was my first time at one, and I ended up liking it way more than I expected! It went off without a hitch, for having 17ish buzzed women, not to mention we actually finished under the estimated time frame!  We did a pretty simple picture, but I thought it was amazing how everyone’s picture came out differently, even though the directions were all the same.

After paint, we made our way to dinner, although the drive again was a good 30+ minutes, so more jell-o shots, dancing, and drinks. By the time we made it to dinner, I’m not sure if many people were hungry but most people were definitely tipsy. But hey, that’s the point of a Bachelorette party, right?

I loved everything about Katie’s bachelorette, especially because we were celebrating this beautiful girl and everyone truly let loose and had a good time.  I seriously want to consider renting a limo more often just to drink and dance without having any cares!  But all-in-all, we danced, drank maybe a little too much, laughed a lot, took way to many selfies, and had an awesome time. Oh, and the guys were a hit.

The party was definitely a success! And I can’t wait for the wedding, I was a little sad when I said good-bye to Katie realizing the next time I would see her would be DAYS before her wedding as opposed to WEEKS. It amazing that after so long, her big day is finally going to be here.

Gift Guide – Mother’s Day

| The Bee Life

Mother’s Day is May 8th!

If you’re like me, I have a few different “moms” in my life, of course no one takes the cake over my actual mom, Sal, but they are near and dear to my heart. So every Mother’s Day I like to try and give them something different and unique each year, but without going completely overboard – because, let’s face it, I usually do that for my mom. Oh and as much as I love these moms, it’s always usually last minute, (oops!), so hopefully we change that this year, I just looked at the calendar and said, oh crap! It’s almost a week away!
A Gift Guide to Mother's Day! - the bee life
Flowers – Don’t get me wrong I am a huge advocate of flowers, however not your traditional bouquet, I prefer to give an actual plant or tulip bulbs that can be planted after the fact and will return year after year.

Framed Photo – This can be an easy and inexpensive, but still meaningful gift. Framing a picture of you with your mom (recent or old) or even an old photo of your grandma, can be very sentimental.  You can find a number of inexpensive frames at various stores, and make a copy or have an image printed in minutes at a number of stores, like Target, for pennies and cents.

Cards – Always. No matter what gift you give, ALWAYS give a card, hand making one can make it that much more personal, but ALWAYS have a card. And go stock-up now, because if you’re last minute like me, they will be picked over when you actually need one.

Treat Yo Mom – I don’t know about your mom(s), but mine rarely treats herself, and if she does it’s not the best or often.  So providing her with a spa day or certificate to use for a mani/pedi, massage, or facial will most likely be a treat for her! Last year we were able to make a trip out of it, which was that much more fun! If you do try and make a trip out of it, be sure you make that clear when scheduling appointments so they can arrange services in line with each other.

Something She Wouldn’t Buy – Similar to the Spa/Nails, I like to try and get my mom something she wouldn’t normally buy herself. A more expensive top, a decorative piece for the house, kitchen appliances, a fancy purse… you get the drift.

Handcrafted – I’ve been big into DIY’s, especially reusing old wood from our house projects (I’m sure I sound like a broken record).  So making some handcrafted, custom signs that can be put up around the house is on my list this year. Of course if you have a particular craft or DIY you’ve been dying to try, do it for this Mother’s Day! I just pinned this adorable hand painted flower pot that would be perfect to pair with some flowers.

I’ve gotten to a point in my life, that I can give gifts and show my love and thanks to these special women in my life like I would like too… in college or even younger when money was a bit tight, I had to be clever and creative to give back, I still like being creative and unique with my gifts, but now I can just think a little more outside of the box!

What’re your favorite go-to gifts for Mother’s Day?

Throwback Thursday

| The Bee Life

Queue the ewwy-gooey-lovey-dovey post:

During this time of the year I tend to get a bit sentimental, as the end of this month and beginning of next highlight a time in my life, years ago that has forever changed me, when I met B. And last week rang some more nostalgia at a work event for B, since it had been the fifth year, and the first work event we were engaged at. Which channeled back to all the work events I’ve gone to with him, especially when we first started dating.  We’ve come a long way since the pictures below, but it’s funny how some of the events and people at the events don’t change much at all. 522093_10150796993775692_1208026736_n
I love looking back at these old photos as they symbolize and depict the foundation of what we have today – which I wouldn’t trade for the world!

Wedding Woes

| The Bee Life

I’m going to be completely honest with all of you.

I’m a bit afraid to start planning our wedding, it’s probably one of the reasons why I’ve resisted planning for a few months… and why whenever someone asks if we’ve started or have a date I give a sigh, try not to roll my eyes and say, “no.”

Wedding Woes - the bee life
Photo cred: Grey Likes Weddings & Rachelle Derouin Photography

I’m sure you’re asking yourself, why? She should be so excited to plan her wedding and everything that comes with it!

Yes, I am. But I am also very afraid of everything that is going to come along with it, and I blame everyone else whose gotten married or is getting married, especially my friends and family – you’ve all scared me poop-less!

To keep it simple, here are all of the reasons why:

  • I don’t want to be a traditional bride; I don’t want a bridal shower, I could care less about a bachelorette party, and I would prefer to forgo the whole wedding reception thing and just elope. But I can’t. (Now you’re probably saying; so do it, it’s you’re wedding! But is it? I know I am going to get pressured into things, because other people want that for me.)
  • I don’t want to end up hating my (future) family. With my non-traditional ways, I am sure I will piss of a few people or unintentionally hurt some feelings – but I really want to live up to the saying; “It’s my/our wedding.” Although, I already know there will be some compromise.
  • It’s just SO much money… for one day. I just want a killer dress.
  • Everyone has an opinion, and wants to share it. I have one too. *smiles*
  • If B and I do get our way for our wedding, we will end up making a lot of people mad – because they won’t understand that it’s about us and not about them.
  • Either way, I don’t think there is a way to avoid hurt feelings or drama.

Not to mention, I’ve been to, two bridal showers so far this year, and each of them have had drama; hurt feelings, tears, and stress (at least behind the scenes).  And in between all of that and the planning more drama, petty family crap, that I frankly don’t want to deal with. I cut out the drama in my life a long time ago and have since kept it to a minimum. At a time in my life that is supposed to be so happy, I don’t want to remember so-and-so didn’t come because they had hurt feelings.

And if I give into the pressures, I know I will still end up loving my wedding and having a great time, only because I’ll have B by my side… but I can’t help but cringe in fear every time someone mentions my bridal shower, or bachelorette party or the rehearsal dinner and just think to myself – umm I don’t want one!

I know, poor me. But seriously guys, I need some help, especially before I get started!! Any advice? Tips? Experiences from when you planned your wedding? How did you overcome some of the stereotype traditions, or not?  Is it worth it?

Many love and thanks in advance!