Feel Good Friday

Happy Friday!  How's feelin good?!?

This week has definitely flown by for me because I've been so busy (and stressed to the max) working and throwing together everything for Maggie's bridal shower this weekend.  I'm sleep deprived and living on caffeine today but it's finally Friday and I'm ready for a fun-filled (hopefully) weekend.

Today is a short day for me at work.  I'm leaving early to get on the road and head towards home which is about a 3 hour drive.  Tonight I get to see Maggie (the bride to be), my parents, my sister, and my niece and nephew.  I can't wait to see them all!

I'm still nervous for Maggie's bridal shower on Saturday because, as I've said before, the maid of honor kind of dropped the ball on planning it and I'm helping her throw it all together last minute.  I hope that everything goes well.

Also, today (actually right at this very minute) the Chicago Blackhawks are parading through downtown Chicago and are stopping at Grant Park for a rally.  We all got to wear Blackhawks shirts/jerseys to work today and they even told everyone that they can try to make it to the parade.  Unfortunately since I'm leaving work early, I will not be participating in this celebratory parade/rally.  But I'm pretty sure if I stepped outside of my office building, I would hear the roar of the crowds of people who are there celebrating the Stanley Cup champs!

Don't worry, I'm watching it on nbcchicago.com!
 
Hope everyone has a great weekend!  You should follow me on instagram to see how my weekend pans out!

XO. Tarah

P.S. Go Blackhawks!

 

A Trip to the Lake and a Blackhawks Victory!!!

Happy Hump Day!

Life has been super busy for me lately.  I'm helping with last minute planning for my friend Maggie's Bridal Shower and Lingerie Shower this weekend so I've been non-stop running around the past couple of days.  Not to mention I have to work my other job tomorrow night and then I leave for the shower on Friday afternoon.  So basically I have tonight to buy Maggie's gift, finish the decorations, and bake some cookies.  Plus I also really need to do laundry and dishes.  Eeek.  That might have to wait until I get back next week.

This past weekend was relaxing.  I didn't realize how stressed out I would be this week or else I would have enjoyed it even more.  We left Saturday morning to head to the Lake in Davis, about a 2 hour drive.  The weather was less that perfect but we weren't going to let that ruin our time.  We stopped and picked up some snacks and beer and then arrived a little after noon.  We cracked open a couple of summer shandies and then headed out to the dock.  The water was freezing and I actually had to wear a sweater for most of the afternoon.  So we just enjoyed being outside by the water and played with Marley.

Vinnie's Aunt and Uncle arrived around 3ish and we decided to take the boat out for a joyride.  Marley came with us and was a little scared at first but he got used to it and then really loved it.  After a while we came back and started preparing dinner.  Vinnie's aunt made ribs on the grill.  I don't remember that last time I had ribs.  It's just not something I ever eat.  Holy cow.  These ribs were beyond delicious and we were all really hungry so we devoured every last bit.

 
After dinner we all sat down to watch Game 5 of the Stanley Cup championship.  The Blackhawks won and we did shots of tequila!  The amount of beer, gin and tonics, and tequila we consumed started adding up and we all decided to call it a night so that we could get up early and enjoy the next day.

Sunday morning we woke up and had waffles and fruit for breakfast.  Vinnie's aunt is the type to make sure no one goes hungry while she's around.  She's the best.

It was a sunny, beautiful day so we headed straight to the lake. 

One happy dog!

beer, energy drinks, and capri suns = :)

Vinnie's cousin showed up with some of her friends a little later and we all headed out on the boat.  Since the weather was nice, we were all able to go tubing.  It was so much fun but my arms are still sore 3 days later.  After tubing for a while we headed back to get some lunch.  We were planning on going back out on the boat but the temperature dropped, the clouds rolled in, and it started raining.  So we went back inside, showered, and headed on our way home a little later.

It was a super successful weekend at the lake and I hope we can go back soon!

How adorable is baby Vinnie!?

Monday night was game 6 of the Stanley Cup and by now everyone knows THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS WON!  It was one of the best and most exciting endings to a game I've ever seen.  2 goals in 17 seconds.  Just totally nuts!  Seriously, go google it.  I had to work but I wasn't too upset about it because the bar I work at was packed and went completely crazy when they won.  It was so awesome.  Chicago went insane and everyone is still celebrating and will be for the rest of the week.  There's even a parade on Friday and my work is letting us wear Blackhawks attire.  When Vinnie and I got home that night we did a celebratory shot, of course.

Makes me love this city even more!

I spent all of last night running around buying craft supplies and then making decorations for the bridal shower but I did come home to a very adorable, clean puppy dog.  He was a little smelly from being at the lake all weekend so Vinnie took him to get groomed.

And now that you're all caught up on my life happenings, have yourselves a lovely little Wednesday!  Mine will be filled with trips to Target, more crafting, and wine.

XO. Tarah



 

Friday 5

Alas!  It's finally Friday!  This makes me so happy I could just scream...but don't worry I won't.

I wore a dress to work today because this whole week it's been so hot out that when I sit outside to read my book for an hour I end up sweating so bad that I just feel gross by the time I go back to sit at my desk.  It's a good think I almost always remember to put on deodorant (almost).  Of course today it decides that it's going to rain so the weather dropped like 20 degrees and I've been freezing my booty off.  The weather literally rained on my parade.  Whatevs.  I won't let that ruin the fact that it's Friday and I actually have plans this weekend for once!

Moving on...here are the top 5 things about my week:

1.  It's officially Summer!

Today marks the first official day of summer.  Yay!  It's officially acceptable to eat mass amounts of watermelon and wear your swimsuit under your clothes everywhere you go (ya know, just in case you hit up the beach man).  Of course mother nature would decide to give us rain on this other wise lovely day.

2.  Upgrades!

In the words of Beyonce 'Lemme upgrade you'.  We've recently upgraded a few things in our apartment and this makes me super happy.  I finally feel like I'm becoming an adult.  We upgraded our TV from a 32" to a 55", we added the sports package and upgraded to HD (which, holy cow, makes a world of difference), we moved into the master bedroom that our roommate moved out of 2 months ago, where we both get a closet in our room (in our old bedroom there was only one closet and, clearly, I got it), and we finally invested in some artwork to put above our couch so that wall doesn't look naked anymore!

3.  Amazon

I just love Amazon.  I could shop for shit stuff I don't really need all day on that website.  I've been looking for a new phone case for my phone but I haven't really found any that I like that don't cost an insane amount.  I finally ventured over to Amazon and found a million phone cases that I want that were all a pretty decent price.  I settled for two.

 
4.  The Arcade Bar I went to last night

One thing I love about Chicago is that there are always fun, new, and exciting things to do!
 

Last night we had a little work outing for our department after we got off of work.  They do these every once in a while and most of the time I don't feel like going but I always end up having fun.  Last night's even was at an arcade bar called Emporium.  So basically it's just a bar that doubles as an arcade.  So you can get hammered while you play old school arcade games.  Sounds pretty legit right?  Well, I'm not really much of a 'gamer'.  I'm not good at video games, or really any other games.  I figured it would be kind of lame because I would suck and then I would want to quit and go home.  But since my work was paying for all the drinks, I figured I would at least stop by for a drink or 4.  I actually ended up having a lot of fun, even though I still definitely suck at games.  I stuck to the pinball machines mostly because you can't really suck at pinball games.  Well I ended up staying there with the people from my department pretty late and I didn't get home until around 10 and then I just chugged 3 glasses of water, took a Tylenol PM, and passed the eff out.  I woke up this morning and, surprisingly, haven't felt too bad all day.  Looks like I just found myself a new hangover cure!  

Emporium Arcade Bar 

1366 N Milwaukee Ave. 

Chicago, IL 60622

5.  Lake House

Last summer at the lake

Last but not least, I actually have plans to do something besides work this weekend!  Vinnie and I are heading to his grandpa's lake house early tomorrow morning and we're spending the rest of the weekend there with some of his family.  I'm really hoping the weather cooperates but I'm excited to just be away from the hustle and bustle of work, relaxing and spending time with my boyfriend for once since we don't get much time together as it is.  Fingers crossed for no rain!  I'm also hoping to actually get a little bit of a tan since it's now officially summer and my skin is just as pale as it was at Christmas time.

Linking up with those wonderful ladies today.

Hope you all have a fabulous, rain free weekend!

XO. Tarah


 

    

Currently...

Hello everyone!  Happy Thursday!  One day closer to the weekend!

It's been a while since I've done one of these 'Currently' posts and I do kind of enjoy doing these things so here it goes:

Currently I am...

Reading: I don't have a lot of time to read so it always takes me forever to finish a book.  Lately, since the weather has been nicer, I've been taking my lunch break to sit outside in the sun and read for an hour.  I am reading a book that I learned about from other blogs that I read daily.  It's a big 'blogger favorite' if you will.  It's called 'The Happiness Project' and it's written by Gretchen Rubin whom is a wonderful author and I already know I definitely want to read more books by her after I finish this one.  In this book, Gretchen basically just writes about how one day, out of the blue, she wondered if she could be happier.  She makes goals in order to be happier and spends one month on each goal for an entire year.  I'm about half way through this book right now and I'm really enjoying reading about her experiences and realizations as she test drives her theories about how to be happier.

The Happiness Project

Listening to: I love 'feel good' music.  The kind of music that makes you wiggle around in your desk chair while at work, or sing along to loudly while you're in your car driving home, or just full on dance to in the mirror while you're getting ready in the bathroom.  That's my favorite.  Lately I can't stop listening to 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke, 'I'm Out' by Ciara ft. Nicki Minaj, and 'Get Lucky' by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams.  There are several others that I'm loving but these are the three that I keep replaying.

Loving: Well since I obviously can't stop talking about it, the weather!  It's been sunny and gorgeous outside all week and I am definitely loving it!

I'm also loving the new iPhone cases I ordered that just came in the mail yesterday! 

I haven't gotten a new phone case since Christmas and was really craving one.  Thankfully Amazon always comes through when you're looking for cute accessories that don't break the bank.

I'm also loving that the Blackhawks won last night and tied the series.  It was a great game that they ended up winning in overtime, which forced me to stay awake late, but it was worth it.

Now they're coming back to Chicago for the next 2 games.

Vinnie was gone dog sitting for his Uncle last night so I missed him but that just means extra cuddles from my sweet doggie.  I'm obviously loving him, as always.

Also, I'm loving Snapple Facts.  

 
Wearing: summer clothes! Finally!  Sandals, shorts, dresses, tank tops...

I'm loving these cheetah print wedges that I just got from Target.  I also just bought 2 dresses from Fiore Boutique thanks to one of my favorite bloggers Caitlin from Southern Curls and Pearls.

Both are adorable and I'm planning on wearing them for a couple of my best friend's wedding festivities that are coming up (bridal shower and rehearsal dinner) so you can be sure to see pictures after I wear them.  

I'm actually currently wearing a polka dot blouse that I got from American Eagle 3 years ago.  I got inspired by polka dots after I put my new polka dot case on my iPhone last night.

Polka Shirt: American Eagle (old), Sweater: Gap, Black Skinnies: Gap, Sandals: Target, Purse: Kenneth Cole

Looking forward to: this weekend, specifically Saturday and Sunday.  Vinnie and I are heading to his Grandpa's lake house early Saturday morning to spend the weekend with some of his family.  I'm praying for sunshine!

At the lake last summer.

Cooking/Baking: Unfortunately I've been pretty busy lately and most of my meals have consisted of a quick salad thrown together, mac and cheese, or take out.  And that stinks because I do love to cook/bake.  Vinnie and I did grill Italian Sausage with onions and green peppers last weekend though.

I have recently pinned a few recipes that look amazing and I'm definitely planning on making these soon.  Go check out my 'Yummy' Pinterest Board!  I think I might try to make these delicious looking Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats to bring to the lake this weekend.  Give me a rice krispie treat any day and make me a happy girl!

Thanking: my lucky stars that I actually have a Saturday off and can spend some time relaxing with my love and my dog this weekend!

I'm also really looking forward to star gazing this weekend.  One thing I really miss about living in the country is the beautiful sky at night.  I spent many summers star gazing in my front yard.  Now that I live in the big ol' city of Chicago, it's not often that I see stars.

Too da loo!

XO. Tarah

L.O.V.E.

I don't really link up too often (I have nothing against link-ups) but I saw a few people do this link-up and thought it was really cute.  Plus, I love talking about my love so whenever I get a chance to do it, I jump on it.

So today I'm linking up with A. Liz Adventures to spill about my love!

New Years. January 2013.

 1.  Describe your dating life prior to finding your husband/boyfriend/fiance.

Yikes, this one's a doozy.  Skip over this one if you don't feel like reading a long, drawn out answer that I apparently feel the need to type out.  I didn't have a lot of boyfriends but I did date a lot, and by a lot I mean A LOT!  I dated the same guy in high school for a couple of years.  He was 2 years older than me and was the star athlete of our school.  We were the 'perfect couple' but after he graduated and went away to college he changed and ended up breaking my heart.  This relationship really affected me because even though I was young, he was my first love and of course I thought we were going to get married and be high school sweethearts (puke in my mouth).  After that fell apart, I guarded my heart.  I did date one guy who I gave the title of boyfriend to in college and he was an amazing guy whom I tried to make it work with for a very long time because I knew he was such a good guy and he would always treat me right.  I just never felt 'it' with him though and after trying off and on for years, we ended it.  

The rest of college was filled with a series of terrible decisions.  None of these terrible decisions ever became my boyfriend because I was on to the next one all too quickly, too afraid to let anyone get too close but knowing that none of these boys was even close to being worth giving my heart to.  I was going for the wrong type of guy though.  Not the kind of guy who wants to take you out to dinner and bring you home to meet his mom, but the kind of guy who only wanted one thing, and that one thing was not a girlfriend.  After college I started dating a guy because he treated me pretty decent and I thought it was probably 'the right thing to do'.  He also seemed to have his shit semi together which is way more than I could say for any of the other fools I was hanging around with prior to meeting him.  I ended up quitting my job and leaving my family and friends to move to the Chicago Suburbs with him.  We broke up after one month of living together and it ended badly and cost us both an arm and a leg to get out of our lease that we had just signed.  I always knew that he wasn't right for me in the back of my head and apparently my family did too, they were just waiting for me to realize it on my own.  I didn't want to give up and move back home because I always dreamed of being in Chicago and even though it was hard and I lived off of coffee and redbull working 2 full time jobs, I made it work.  

I met Vinnie shortly after while working at a bar.  He smiled at me and I was in love.  That might sound cheesy but it's hard to describe how I felt when I first met Vinnie.  It sounds super cliche to say 'I just knew' but that's the truth.  I felt completely calm and at peace and he hasn't left my side since the first day I met him.  My path, as rough as it was, led me straight to Vinnie.

Rehearsal Dinner for his cousin's wedding. December 2012.

 2.  Describe your husband/boyfriend/fiance in one word.  How would he describe you in one word?

HOT!  Haha, honestly I could never describe him in one word because he's so much more than that.  He means the world to me and how can you describe the whole world in one word?  If I absolutely had to choose, I would probably choose Charismatic.  He's funny, charming, and one of a kind.  He would probably describe me in one word - crazy.  Seriously though.  Either that or loving.

Vinnie's 23rd birthday. April 2012.

3.  You had a really silly fight.  Embarrassing silly.  What was it about?

Most of our fights are really silly because we don't fight often.  Most of them probably stem from sports.  We are both opinionated anyways but when it comes to sports we both can get pretty heated.  I literally think our last silly fight was over how tall Tony Parker is (also how tall Eva Longoria is, Vinnie lost because I'm a great height guesser).  Also, he is a Chicago Cubs fan and I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan and those 2 don't mesh very well because the Cubs and Cardinals are obviously huge rivals.  We often bicker about our teams.

Our first Cubs/Cardinals Game. May 2012.

4.  In three sentences (and only three), describe where you both hope to be in 5 years.

I hope that we both have stable jobs that we enjoy and that allows us both time to visit our families often.  I hope that we're living in a nicer area (whether it be Chicago or another city) and are able to save money and live comfortably.  I hope that we are married and happy.     

Summer. August 2012.

5.  Tell us something about your husband/boyfriend/fiance that we wouldn't know from reading your blog.

Vinnie and I grew up very differently.  He was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.  His parents divorced when he was 6 years old and it was harder on him than I think he actually even realizes.  They don't communicate quite like my family does.  I was born and raised in mid-western Illinois and I grew up way out in the country.  My parents have been married for 30 years and they love each other more than anything.  We have always communicated with each other about everything and we've always shown love very openly.  I love Vinnie's family.  They're all amazing.  They're just different from mine.

Six Flags Fright Fest. October 2012.

6.  What's one thing that you never thought you'd do in front of your husband/boyfriend/fiance, but you did?

Sing.  I am one of the goofiest chicks you'll ever meet and I love to laugh, dance, and have a good time but one thing I don't do in front of people is sing.  Rap, sure, you could call me Snoop Tarah.  Singing is a different story.  I'm awful, just awful.  I don't know when it happened, and it might be the fact that Vinnie is also a very bad singer, but I sing in front of him now.  Actually, I kind of sing all the time in front of him. 

Las Vegas. April 2013.

OMG that was fun.  I should link up more often.

In other news, Vinnie and I saw 'The Purge' last night at the movie theater.  It wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be and I'm still kind of up in the air as to whether I liked it or not.  I'm not a very harsh critic though so it doesn't take much to please me.

Happy Hump Day folks!

XO. Tarah