What we gave our moms

One side features the appropriate kid and mom, and the other, Shawn and I.

Now that Christmas is over,  and our mom's have indeed received their packages, I want to share our gift to them: Lockets. My hubby bought me a bracelet for my birthday, and onto it I attached a silver locket with he and I on one side, and Bully on the other. 

This way I can bring my family to work with me without having them sit in the breakroom with coloring books.

I got the DIY charms from Anthropologie, of course, and thought this would be a great little gift for someone we love, but simply can't see all the time. So I shopped lockets, consulted a mother or two on which one she thought our moms would like, and shrunk some pics at Walgreens. I started the project and the Hubbs finished it. I came home to the image of him sitting at the dining room table, wearing my shuffle (with earphones), cutting the tiny pics into little ovals. 

SO CUTE. 

I should have taken a picture.

Secret Santa

For my work secret secret Santa, I made this fruit arrangement. He's mentioned a few times how Edible Arrangements are so cool, and suggests them whenever we're sending someone flowers for any reason. I've never really seen him eat a piece of fruit, but when someone says they like something, I listen. The real present is in the card holder: there's a Domino's Pizza gift card inside.

It was pretty fun to make, and I hope he likes it!

Christmas Tree

This year we wanted a real tree. With real smells and sap. It make is feel like our little family is complete and ready to celebrate Christmas. I grew up with big extended family holidays, so I just wanted to make it feel like home by starting our own traditions.
    Decorating trees is expensive! With the skirt, the stand, ornaments and the lights and the trips for extra lights, it all added up. I think it is worth it. From the fabulous senior tree lot lady at Home Depot to plugging in the tree topper, it's the experience that counts.
This one is from a friend who knew we called each other "penguins":

 This is from 2010 and my love of nesting dolls:

 This is from our friends Alison & Luke, as a wedding present:

 New fish and octopus because we decided on a "sea" theme:

 From my cousin & her family as a wedding present:

My Stacks: A Quest for Rose Gold Rings

My wedding rings are tiny, delicate stacks, each carefully curated. I've pretty much picked each one myself, including the ink. I wanted small with a low setting because I use my hands a lot. I don't like the feeling of bumping something so precious. Ugh. When I got married I was still bartending and I was taking a sculpture class. I also have a love for power and handtools and will eventually take up wood working again.
So I will show you my newest addition to the stack:

It's from Gabriela Artigas, and my Hubbs got it for me for our anniversary.

I plan to get one for each child we have, so I can have my family with me all the time. I've looked at rose gold rings for months before deciding on one that I like with my other rings. I want them to be delicate, yet detailed with an authentic artisan quality. I'm also toying with the idea of black gold, as I love to mix metals!

Here are some others that I considered and still am:
1

 2.

 3.

 4.

From Top
1. Left: From Forkwhisperer on Etsy
    Right: From Zoe Chicco
2. Left:  Eternity Stackable ring from Barrio Neal
    Right:  Rope ring From Adiza on Etsy
3. Left: Knot ring From Barrio-Neal
    Right: Single diamond stackable ring from Barrio-Neal
4. Stackable eternity rings from Edelprecious on Etsy

The 100 Layer cake post about rose gold rings helped me on my search.

Two Years

We went to Orlando this weekend and celebrated our two year wedding anniversary! The rest I will say in pics because I'm tired, hungry, and Bully needs a walk. But I'm still pretty excited about it.

1. Me in front of a ginormous tree at the Millenia Mall in Orlando
2. Shawn & I at Hogsmeade
3. Shawn and I in front of Hogwarts
4. Overlooking downtown Orlando from 27 floors up.

Help him out

 Last year, I wrote about planning ahead for the trifecta of holidays that November/December brings. Since Thanksgiving, my birthday, our wedding anniversary, and Christmas is all within a month, and will be until the end of time, there is some planning ahead to be done. I've just taken it upon myself to write in little reminders on the calendar, conveniently a few weeks ahead of the occasion. I think it helps, but we'll see this week ;).

Let's just hope our kids aren't born this time of year. They'll totally steal our thunder.

Thanksgiving Dinner

"We're gonna be here for a while, "


Says Hubbs at our Thanksgiving Buffet style dinner. His first round was a HEAPING plate of turkey, ham, roast, and potatoes and stuffing. This plate was cleaned. The second was close. I had a little of everything and dessert twice.

Because he and I work customer service, and retail, respectively, we can't travel to visit family during these days. Now there  more miles between out families since we moved to Florida. So until we have that big inviting home and a little Shawlani, it's just the three of us. Except that Bully usually doesn't accompany us to restaurants.

I am so thankful for my family, especially my sweet, kind, Hubbs.

And I'm thankful there was no big kitchen clean up! Well, Cocoa Krispies ended up all over the floor as I crafted another Krispy turkey for a work potluck. Those things fly.

Datin' my Hubbs

At our friends' Georgia wedding.

Love it.

Love datin' my Hubbs.

   Last week we had a really good conversation about what we wanted out of our marriage. The previous week had been stressful, kind of tired of each other, but couldn't be apart from each other all the same. So on the way to the beach, we had this really raw conversation with tears (well, just me) about how we wished  we made each other feel, and vise versa. He told me what he wants from a wife and I listened. And I told him how I had been feeling.
   The point of all this is that we were due for some tune-ups. It's almost two years, now and we wanna make to sixty. I want to be his dream wife, and I want him to be all I ever wanted in a man. So with some communication, we can be those things for each other. We just have to remember to impress each other, like as if we were on a date.

 In fact, we've got a date to the movies tonight...I'm so excited...what should I wear?
  

Wedding ring tattoos, 2

   Now that our ring fingers had a couple days to heal, this is what they look like:

His looks a bit barbaric, and totally manly. He loves it, and I'm a little jealous that I went first.

 I do love mine. I have even gotten used to just having the tattoo on the left hand while I wear my jewelry on the right while it totally heals. When I first picked out my rings, I kept them small and low because I envisioned working with my hands a lot. I did woodworking and art, so I didn't want anything that would get in the way of a bandsaw blade. Silly, isn't it? However, I do know people who don't wear rings at all or wear simple bands. Some work in the medical field, some are artists. We take ours off before we go to the beach, and before lifting weights. I imagine the practicality of tattoos if you have to get your hands dirty and wash them often.

I love that it fits perfectly under my bands.

And most of all, I love my husband.

We got these done at Bulldog Tattoo on  Fort Lauderdale Beach by the ice cream shop. This is the location behind Primanti Bros. Ask for "G, " as we like his work and don't have any other experience with anyone else there. My hubby's tat is in their book!

Bulldog Tattoo 

3132 NE 9th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Ring Tattoos

Last night we went out for a drink or two to McSorleys. Heard about the place but never been. There was a crowd of about 10 people there which made it a good night to try out a new place. We met Kim Bokamper, to whom I said, "I really enjoy your establishment." Lame, maybe, he seemed to like hearing that.

 After a nice stroll around the block we headed back to the car. I mentioned that we still time left on the meter. We spotted Bulldog tattoo across the street, and I asked him,

"Wanna get a tattoo?"
"Sure, let's go!"

I was totally down for it, as I've mentioned wanting a ring tattoo. I asked him twice if he was sure.

So we did it!

Here is his, mine is still a little puffy. I'll post pics later.

Our idea behind the  finger ink is that this ring really is permanent. When we die, we are not bringing jewelry with us. Instead, we'll hand it down to our children. We still want a "ring," on our bodies, to take with us to the afterlife. Shawn said the word "casket" so many times last night the tattoo artist got freaked out a bit. I think it's romantic, wearing a ring under our rings. Also, when we work out or go to the beach, we take them off, but the ink will stay!

It was kind of surreal to get a tat on such a whim, and I was like, did we really do that? When my finger hurt this morning, I remembered and did not regret. It's kind of cool having a matching tattoo with my best friend.

Adventures in Kansas City

   Going to a new city and acting like a tourist with the one you love is so romantic and adventurous. It tops a cruise any day. Maps, busy streets, landmarks; they're all so exciting. Goofy photo shoots are exciting, too! Check out our adventures from "the Paris of the Plains."


There are fountains a plenty in the Plaza:

 Hubbs' iPhone takes superior pics. I became obssessed  and "checked-in" everywhere.

 A prarie squirrel.

 The Plaza is the nation's oldest outdoor shopping and dining center. The architecture is borrowed from Sevilla, Spain. I've been there, and yes, it was quite similar.

Beautiful skyline. Then, I spotted a Topsy's, a candy and popcorn store, and had to go in.

 Historic Brazilian Currascurria, oooh must be circa 1610!

 Home to Hallmark, H&R Block, and AMC theaters.

 A bridge over A river where you can ride a Gondola!

 We ended up behind bars.

Then we got free, so we celebrated with cupcakes.

 The redvelvet and the gold digger from here. We checked them out after dinner, but were stuffed. We took a stroll and came back a hour later only to find the Mamma Mia sold out! But all was well, she gave me one for free! The next day we walked around Crowne Center (as in Hallmark Crowne).

 Lunched outdoors, then checked out a craft market of Hallmark artists, a Hallmarket? A talented bunch!

 Where should we go next?  We are thinking Washington, D.C.

Since I think we'll be here for Thanksgiving and Chrismas, maybe Disneyworld?