Sunburn

Sitting at my desk enduring serious facial pain. 

Julie and I made a little trip out to the beach yesterday -- my first time this year. 

Being the dumb little girl I am I decided to apply as little sunscreen as possible, and now I am paying for it. 

I got burnt in the most peculiar places -- like the top of my feet and my hips. My face looks like an oompa loompa's. Crossing my fingers and praying real hard that this turns into a fabulous tan before the weekend's festivities. I cannot have a peeling face on Saturday. CANNOT. 

 I have my mother to blame for my hatred of sunscreen and love for the sun. She'll be paying for it if I turn into a leathery old woman before I'm 30. One of these days I will learn my lesson. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Only 4 days until Charleston Affair! And 2 days until friends start arriving in town. I am ecstatic!! 

xo,

Shans

Diet Coke

The calorie-free, caffeine-packed beverage that will always hold a special spot in  my heart. 

I don't think it started until my college years, but somewhere along the way I have developed a severe addiction to Diet Coke, preferably in a can. I gave it up for the past 2 lenten seasons, both were attempts to ween myself off of the not-so-good-for-you beverage. I did fairly well with it both times -- within an occasional Sunday slip-up, I made it the entire 40 days. A few days later, I find myself picking up a 12-can fridge pack at the Bi-Lo. Its like nothing ever changed. 

Since my "healthier-ish" eating kick set in I have been trying to seriously cut back, but boy is it hard. Is one a day still really bad? I think we made need an intervention! 

xo,

Shans

Reunion 2K12

Next Weekend is A Charleston Affair Weekend -- the College of Charleston's Alumni Weekend. 

I am BEYOND excited. It is a weekend full of CofC Alumni Association events with the headliner 'A Charleston Affair' a fabulous cocktail party for all CofC Alumni and the graduating seniors. 

This will be my third year attending (junior year as Coleman's date, senior year as well duh, a senior, and this year as an alum)! If I am not mistaken, this will be the first time since last May that all 5 Zlamstas -- Paige, Marla, Chelsy, Alex, and me -- will be back in Charleston together. It seems pretty unbelievable that we have been out of school for a WHOLE year! The five of us are so all over the place! Paige is finishing up her first year of law school at Carolina, Marla is about to GRADUATE with her Masters in Accounting from UVA, Chelsy is moving to Greenville, Alex is busting ass as a swanky attorney's assistant, and me... I'm getting MARRIED! Where has the time gone??? All four of these ladies are my bridesmaids, and I could not be more happy about finally having them all in one place to celebrate our lives together.  

Pre Charleston Affair last year :)

Our last ever Crown Ball 

Literally, the last time all 5 of us were together...in the Dollar none the less.

 My graduation Party Harbor Cruise

Love, you Zlamstas!

xo, 

Shans

Finally, Phillip

Phillip finally decided my wish was his command. 

Try not to pass out as you listen to him sing 'The Stone' by the one and only Dave Matthews. 

Looooove. 

xo, 

Shans

Only Tuesday?

I am in disbelief that it is only Tuesday. Yesterday was a real, doozy.

Sometimes working for a crisis Chaplain can really have its toll on you -- being here until almost 6pm trying to find someone to comfort a family who has lost a child to suicide -- not the most pleasant way to end my day.

On another note, I'm getting serious about dieting. At least that is what I am telling myself. I've been having carb-free breakfasts and lunches during the work week, but it gets hard at dinner, and well on the weekends in general. I find myself just wanting to indulge in a bagel on a Saturday morning or French Toast brunch at Blind Tiger with Coleman on Sundays. But, I have got to get serious about this. Seeing a candid side-shot photo of myself from a wedding a month ago has really put some perspective on the situation -- I'm fat, and I have GOT to do something about it. ZERO carbs yesterday, and I ran a mile with Buoy dragging me around the neighborhood.  I think that is a pretty decent start. Fingers are crossed that I can keep this up.

Coleman and I are meeting with Father Michael at the Church today, hopefully he still thinks we are suitable for marriage and there are no wrenches thrown in my plans. I hate wrenches.

xo, 

Shans

One Of Those Mornings

Have you ever had one of those mornings where you would feel perfectly content with just punching someone square in the face? and it doesn't even matter who the victim is?

If you have not -- drop down on your knees and praise the Lord. If you have, you can relate with me today.

I have just had this type of morning -- wedding drama, work drama, headache after headache. 

If it weren't for Starbucks and Coleman Hodges now having an iphone (so that I can emoji bomb him with all of my pinned up anger) I'm not sure I would have made it to see the clock strike 1pm. Cheers to you all with my Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte (fingers crossed these are on my bridal diet) in hopes that this afternoon is nothing like this morning was. 

xo, 

Shans

P.S.

If the wedding drama that I have dealt with over the last 5 days is anything like what I will be dealing with over the next 11 months, someone please go ahead and book Coleman and I two tickets to Vegas. 

I Could Not Have Said It Better Myself

"Southern women know the value of a stiff drink, among other things."

A great story in Garden & Gun about the art of being a Southern Woman.

http://gardenandgun.com/article/southern-women

Sorry for all of the videos lately, but I just have to share. 

Phillip Phillips of American Idol has been tugging at my heart strings all season long. 

This week he finally stole it -- singing Usher, U Got It Bad. 

Doesn't get much better than that. 

xo, 

Shans

Oh, Miranda

This song makes me cry every single time it comes on the radio. 

Love you, Miranda, but gosh you're a tear jerker. 

Grab some tissues before you listen. 

xo,

Shans

Never Take Anything for Granted.

The College of Charleston community is somber this week, as the Brothers of the Kappa Alpha Order lost two members over the weekend -- one a senior just a few weeks away from Graduation. His death was nothing more than a tragic accident, and it really makes you stop and think about things. 

I am sure you have all heard this line a million times before:
 never take anything for granted.

Death reminds us of something with an even greater impact. 

Never take ANYONE for granted. 

We are blessed with the friends and family God has put into our lives, but it seems that we do not realize they can be taken away just as quickly as they were put there. That is a big concept to wrap our tiny brains around but is is so undeniably true. 

 Any loss is a tragic one -- I work for a Crisis Chaplaincy program. Everyday I witness the hurt, anger, and bitterness that losing a loved one puts into someone's heart. They are angry at the word. God, themselves, the moment. The negative seems to almost take over entirely. 

 I can only hope that the people who were closest to this young man can will soon at peace with the situation. The anger only makes it worse. They will mourn,as the should,  but then they should also be happy for the friendship they shared with him, and delight in the times they spent together. 

My heart aches for them, and I hope their hearts will heal quickly.

xo, 

Shans

Why Does Everything Have to Be SO Complicated?

I think I finally got this thing to look alright. I have been playing with the templates/colors/fonts for a while now, and I just cannot seem to stay happy with anything I chose. This will have to do. 

Another thing that is complicated: wedding invitations. Thank goodness for  

Mrs. Mary Frances NORTHCUTT (recent Mrs.)! 

She has been a huge help this morning deciphering fonts, styles and paper options. I requested samples from the company that has been suggested to me by a number of Charleston Brides (Reave's Engraving), and the thick package showed up in our mailbox yesterday afternoon. It was jam packed with invitations that sampled just about everything they have to offer. I have to say it was a lot more than I expected, and I really appreciate that. You just don't hear about companies doing that type of thing for their potential customers very often. They came with a sweet note that said to pass them on to another bride in our area when we were finished without our stationary needs. CUTE. 

ANOTHER thing that is complicated. All of my College friends living so far away. Paige in Columbia, Chelsy in Greenwood (Greenville soon!) Marla in Charlottesville, Lucy in NYC, Claire, Courtney and Katie all in DC and  Jessica in Houston. It gets really complicated. Luckily Charleston Affair is just a few weeks away, and we will all be back in the Holy City! 

That's all for now -- more on friends being far away later :(
xo,

Shans

TGIF

Happy Friday, everyone! We made it through another week for two days of bliss. I am looking forward to a great weekend spent with some great people. Babysitting, the three cutest monkeys in town tonight. The kids have in a way been passed around my friends over the last few years. Paige watched them almost full time for a few years, then Courtney got them, and now I have the pleasure of spending at least 1 day a week with them -- Caroline, Cole, and Baby Ben. We will certainly be having a hotdog pizza party tonight 

(their favorite :/ ) 

Tomorrow morning the future MIL, Betsey, and I are walking the beach of Sullivan's Island for the 3rd annual Run4Adela. Adela Cook, was a Bishop England senior when she died from injuries sustained in a golf cart accident while on Spring Break in the Bahamas. She was a former camper at Camp St. Christopher when I was a counselor there years ago. I can still remember the total shock that overcame when I heard the news. She was such a sweet, loyal, caring, and fun girl. I'm upset that I haven't found the time to participate in the run over the last two years, but I am delighted to be a part of something so great tomorrow. That sweet girl will certainly never be forgotten with such loyal friends and family to keep her legacy strong. 

My BFF Chelsy is back in town this weekend to visit family -- so we are having a girls dinner with Alex Saturday night at Leaf, one of my faves! It is so nice to have a little girly time every once in a while! 

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
xo,
Shans

Obsessed with Bubba

He is awesome. 

"How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget" Blogs

These annoy me. I would love for one of these bloggers to come to Charleston and find a) a $250 venue and b) a $600 dream wedding gown. NOT POSSIBLE. These naive girls keep repinning and repinning these dumb blogs thinking they are being money savvy, but I have to break the bad news -- these blogs are totally unrealistic. This is my rant for the morning you can blame this on my office being below zero degrees this morning.

xo,
Shans

I'm Blessed

to be marrying a man that doesn't mind helping with the laundry every now and then.

Hump Day Happenings

The first Wednesday of the month is always a doozy. The CCC has this thing called the Chaplaincy Breakfast on these days -- what does this mean? I report to duty at 7:15am. 45 minutes earlier than normal and boy does it change everything. I'm sorry, but I do not function normally before the sun  comes up and after at 4am wake-up call on Saturday for the Cooper River Bridge Run I was just not having it this morning. HISS.

On a better note, leaving the office 45 minutes early to run some errands before margarita happy hour with Melissa and Mary Frances. Beyond excited! It is funny how different a Margarita at 5pm sounds pre and post grad. I'm not sure anything could sound much better. YUM.

Bridesmaids dresses are officially ready to be order when my lovely ladies are ready -- one more thing to scratch off the list! 

xo, 

Shans