I suck...

at being a girl.

Sometimes I think that I do a very poor job at being a girl.

There are things in this life that girls seem to be naturally concerned with. 

Makeup. Hair products. Face wash. Etc. Etc.

Most of these things...I have a hard time getting excited about.
I know plenty of girl who will just ooh and aww after a particular product,
 "OMG the best mascara out there. You have got to try this new moisturizer -- it will do wonders for your skin. Don't you think this new face wash does a great job of evening out my skin tone?"

Let's be honest.  I'm not even sure what an even skin tone looks like. Is mine uneven?

I wear the same makeup every day. My summer makeup routine
is the same as my winter makeup routine
(but with a darker color foundation, of course I know what a tan is).

I probably wear eye shadow once a month -- only on special occasions.
I was my face with makeup removing wipes.
Probably not the best thing I could do for my skin,
 but praise the Lord I don't get very many pimples.

What about hair?
I have worlds most unruly, curly, disastrously frizzy hair.
I don't know a thing to do with it but straighten it or put it up.

If it were not for Stuart Laurence Salon,
I would look like a giant wreck on my wedding day.
Obviously making my appointments there was high priority on my wedding checklist.

I suck at shaving my legs.
Without fail, I always miss a spot -- or ten.

I embarrassingly bite my nails,
 and I tell myself that I am going to stop about every other week.
I do love nail polish, but I have no use for it when I have stubby bitten finger nails.
My toes are always pretty though. At least I have that going for me.

Yup, so pretty much I suck at being a girl. I'm not happy about it, but I just cannot seem to get myself excited about these things. Help me out, ladies!!

xo,
Shans

Checklist.

Stumbled upon a list similar to this one when I was bouncing around the blogosphere. It got me thinking about what I have left to do with our big day being just about 9 months away. 

So... I made my own, and here it is. 

I am SURE that I am leaving some things out, but this will do for now. 

A working checklist of all there is to do. 

Stressful.

Set a date

Book venue

Book photographer

Book band

Ask bridal party to be in wedding

Book caterer & bar

Create wedding website

Register

Book florist

Shop for wedding dress

Book rentals

Finalize rentals

Take engagement pictures

Select bridesmaid dresses

Select groom & groomsmen attire

Find veil

Book cake baker
Decide on day of coordination

Buy cake knife & server

Buy champagne flutes

Order save the dates

Send save the dates

Book officiant

Pre-marital counseling

Order guest book

Finalize guest list

Find a reasonably priced videographer

Engagement announcement in Post & Courier

MOB & MOG dress shopping

Find wedding shoes

Find wedding jewelry

Book makeup artist & hair stylist

Take bridal portraits / hair & make up trial

Dress alterations

Make ceremony programs

Order invitations

Mail invitations

Book rehearsal dinner venue

Book RD caterer

Book RD rentals

Book RD music

Buy RD dress

Buy sparklers for send off

Order matches for sparklers

Get canisters for sparklers

Order koozies

Order cups

Buy bridal party gifts

Get date set for bachelorette party

Buy gifts for parents
Bridal shower

Purchase wedding bands

Create wedding day timeline

Put together picture list for photographer

Get marriage license

Book transportation from reception to hotel

Pick out RD invitations

Order RD invitations

Address and mail RD invitations

Final vendor payments

Music selections to band and ceremony artist

Order thank you notes

Wedding announcement in Post & Courier

Walk down the aisle.
Say "I will."


xo, 
Shans

Last Week

Today is the first day of my last week of work. 

Wednesday afternoon we get the keys to our new house and moving hell begins. 

Next week I have Monday and Tuesday to domestic and decorate our new home. 

Next Wednesday is the 4th of July, and we will be on vacay in Saluda, NC with Coleman's parents. 

We will stay there until next Sunday. 

Next next Monday I start my new job. 

At 9am instead of 8am. 

YAY. 

xo,

Shans

Makin Moves

Earlier this week I told you all about so secretive things I had going on. 

Well, it is no longer a secret. 

I resigned from my job. 

I have been working for a great local nonprofit as an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager for almost a year. I started there August 1, 2011, 3 months after graduating from College. 

At that point, I still had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do with my career, and I was so excited to just have a job. After a year of learning and growing with the organization, I began to feel like I was running out of room to grow. 

God smiled on me. A job plopped in my lab. 

A job with a career path. 

A job I will not outgrow in 11 months. 

A job where I will be LEARNING new and interesting things. 

A project assistant for a public policy and economic development attorney here in Charleston. 

My last day at work in July 3rd. 

Going on vacay with Cole's family July 4th - 8th. 

Relaxed and rejuvenated, I will start my new job July 9th. 

Praise the Lord, and wish me luck! 

xo, 

Shans

Da Dogs

I have always been a dog girl. 

Growing up we always had a least one furry companion in the house: daschund,
then a chitzu
 (that my sister and I got while our parents were on vacation in the Bahamas),
then a lab,
 then a mut ( that was product of my sister's slutty chihuahua)
 the list goes on. 

When I met Coleman I could not have been more excited about his doggie, Buoy. 

She and I obviously became best friends immediately. 

Back in October we made a spur of the moment decision to add to our little family. 

We made a trip up to Monk's Corner to pick up this little sweetie, Botany Bay. 

These two girls bring such JOY to our lives. It is really hard to explain. 

Each day I get home from work ( I am always the first home) and they are beyond excited to see me. 

It makes me smile. 

Here is a picture of the two sisters snuggling not long after we brought Queen Busy Botany home. 

At first, Buoy was not so sure about her...as you can tell from the photo.

But now they love each other, and Botany keeps Buoy young at heart.

Sisterly Love. 

When we first got Botany, and she was still a little thing, she LOVED to sit on Buoy. 

Here they are at Botany's first vet visit. 

Still lovin on each other as Bot continues to grow. 

Realllly can't believe how big she is now, although, I still feel like she is cute little tiny black puppy when she curls up next to me in the bed. I think I will always feel like that no matter how big she gets -- really makes wish I had know Boo when she was a pup. 

I will leave you with this sweet image. 

Little black pup in a pile of freshly washed white clothes.

xo, 

Shans

Only Wednesday?

Is it really only Wednesday?

I had the hardest time waking up this morning -- I could have sworn that it was at least Thursday. 

 Our lives are so hectic with preparing for the move, wedding planning, and some other secretive changes going on.

The house is a mess and of course I am totally unmotivated to clean because, well, we are moving next week, it is just going to get more messy. 

We need boxes, we need a lawnmower, we need a microwave. 

So many things cluttering my mind. I really could use a time machine right about now.

I would just like to jump forward a couple of weeks.

That sure would be nice. 

Taking a nice big sigh and getting back to work on this Summer Newsletter for work. 

Have a happy humpday!

xo, 

Shans

Bridesmaids

I'm a lucky girl to have SEVEN special ladies to stand beside me when I say "I will".

I thought I would give a little introduction. 

MOH, my big sister, Melissa. Here we are reppin the Vaughn Family at the North Charleston Christmas parade.

Coleman's sweet sister, Sarah, will be joining us all the way from Montana! So lucky to be joining this great family :)

My high school BFF, Lucy, who is now basically a celebrity living in NYC.

ZTA sister, Paige, a second year law student at University of South Carolina School of Law.

ZTA sister and former roomie , Marla, the smartest girl I know studying to be a CPA and living in our nation's capital.

ZTA sister and former roomie, Alexandra, cutest little legal assistant you will ever find in Downtown Charleston.

ZTA sister, Chelsy, the most wonderfully artistic and talented girl I know planning festivals and  living in Greenville, SC.

Those are my fantastic girls, and here is a sneak peak of their ensemble! 

Paige wearing a dress veryyy similar to the dress, and Alex actually wearing the dress.

Love all of you girls!

xo, 

Shans

Monogram Monday

Current monogram love from Pinterest. 

LOVE. LOVE. all of these. 

Hoping for the last one with my new initials on April 6, 2013 from a special someone.

xo,

Shans

Routine.

Isn't it funny how we get so wrapped up in our routines?

Sometimes I feel like we are just living life on repeat. 

C and I live on an island (although not for much longer!), but it has several different grocery stores. 

Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter, Publix, and Bi-Lo. 

Without fail, every time I need something from the grocery, I end up at the Bi-Lo. 

(mostly, for the fuel perks!)

Two nights ago I was in a hurry to get home, and I needed to stop to pick up a few essentials like protein bars for breakfast, milk, and string cheese which by the way is the best work day snack ever. 

In an effort to save time, I opted to stop at the grocery store that was on the way home and on the right side of the road -- it is a serious pain to cross traffic on Folly Road between 5 and 6pm. 

Let me tell you what, zero time was saved. I walked around that Harris Teeter in complete circles. 

I had no clue where to find anything, and I honestly believe I spent double the amount of time (and maybe the money) that I would have spent had I just gone to my trusty Bi-Lo. 

Think about it, we are so used to routine that something as simple as going to a different grocery store totally throws off everything you know! It makes me cringe about our upcoming move to West Ashley. 

There is a Publix very close to our new house, and then I will have a whole new grocery store layout to learn! I can only hope that I will learn quickly! 

Wow. I just realized that this blog makes me sound like an old woman. 

Oops. 

xo, 

Shans

Wedding Binder

After my hellacious wedding dreams the other night, I finally decided to get myself organized. 

I ventured out on my lunch break to purchase all of the necessary tools to get my wedding planning act together. A binder, dividers, hole puncher and page protectors. 

The finished product has tabs for everything. 

The Church. 

The Venue.

The Band. 

The Photographer. 

The Caterer. 

The Bakery.

The Florist. 

The Invitations.

The Guest List. 

The Favors. 

Saying a prayer that this helps me to sleep better at night. 

xo, 

Shans

Wedding Nightmares Already?

Last night I woke up from a wedding nightmare. 4 times.

The damn thing kept coming back.

10 months until the wedding, and it is already this bad?

Allow me to give you a taste of what I endured last night.

First, for some reason it was a multiple wedding, and by multiple I mean there were 4 other couples sharing not only our ceremony but also our reception. Yup, 5 brides -- 1 wedding. 

Nothing about that is ok, and nothing was right.

No one liked my dress. 

I had ZERO bridesmaids. 

The food was awful. 

There was no bourbon. 

The flowers were beyond hideous. 

There was a DJ.

All of the couples were announced at the reception as: 

"And for the first time, the brand new Mr's and Mrs's."

No last name just plural Mr, and Mrs. Isn't that special. 

Did I mention that no one liked my dress?

Before I knew it the wedding was over. Just like that it had come and gone, and I was crying to Coleman about how this was nothing like I had planned. 

Then I woke up for the 4th time -- to my alarm clock telling me it was time to get up and make some coffee. 

I think it is about time I invested in some sleep-aid. 

xo,

Shans

friday friday

Happy Friday! 

Last night one of my ZTA sisters and I ventured to my first ever CofC alumni social event. 

It was a happy hour at a fun water-side bar, Salty Mike's.  $2.75 Pinot Grigio didn't sound bad to me so I agreed to go -- and I am glad I did! There were not many 2011 grads there, but that's ok! It is nice to get together and mingle with other people who all love the college even though you were not there at the same time.

Babysitting sweet baby Ben tonight -- although he is not much of a baby any more. I cannot believe he will be TWO next month. Crazy how time flies.

Coleman's sister comes to town from Montana tomorrow for a TEN day visit -- it will be so nice to have her here! 

Our Girls, Buoy and Botany, with their sweet friend Lucy last weekend. 

Enjoying the sunshine by the Edisto River!

Have a great weekend everyone, and enjoy the sunshine! 

xo, 

Shans 

Happy Birthday Seester

Happy birthday to my fabulous big sister!

Recently I have been using the phrase " a real gem" quite frequently, and Coleman has been picking on me about it just as frequently. Despite that, I can't think of a better description for this photo -- it is truly a gem. 

My older sister Melissa and I are a few a lot of years apart -- almost TEN to be exact. It goes without saying that we are all pretty sure I was a complete and total surprise for my parents. No one really believes  they were planning to have children that far apart in age. 

It was apparent pretty early on that we would never have much in common.

 I have always been a little bit of a priss pot, and Melissa was always a little more on the Tom Boy side of life, but I must admit that it has served her very well in her professional life.

 She now owns her own waste disposal company ironically named "Trash Gurl." Her products are slapped with purple paint and the most bubbly font you can find. 

Brilliant marketing if I do say so myself. Every contractor in town was curious about the girl behind Trash Gurl when she first entered the market, and now she is trucking right along! 

I'm proud to call her my big sister, and my MOH in April. 

Happy Birthday, Seester! Love you! 

xo, 

Shans

Stella And Dot!

If you don't already, you should be following Sweet Southern Prep. 

Ashley is the most precious mommy of three and best of all she is a true Southern Prep. Two of the best things you can be. Today she treated her readers with a real treat -- a Stella And Dot Give Away! 

Go visit Ashley for a chance to win! 

xo, 

Shans

Happy Belated

Wishing the happiest belated birthday ever to my sweet friend, Chelsy! 

So sad we couldn't be together to celebrate this weekend. Chelsy just took a new big girl job and couldn't get away for the weekend. Crossing my fingers that she can come down to visit the Holy City soon! 

xo, 

Shans