Time for another photo dump!!! Which is basically another way of saying that I am a post writing slacker and I haven't shared any of these photos with you. Photo dump has a much better ring to it, dontchathink?
Nothing much new to report around here, still loving my new job and my dad will be moving down here in 2 days. The annual Keen Thanksgiving numero tres was a huge success, although half of the attending guests had the flu and the other half were being germaphobes and washing their hands every 25 seconds. And yes, the second half was me. Speaking of Christmas (good segway, right?)..Christmas is in like 3 weeks guys!! I am like super duper shit my pants excited! Besides the fact that everything is beautifully decorated and Christmas music is playing on all of the radio stations, everyone is SO much happier! Something about emptying your bank account on presents and sweeping up pine needles every 30 seconds puts everyone in such a good mood!! And even though is was 80 degrees today (80 degrees people) it is really starting to feel like Christmas here in the sunshine state!
Let's talk about TV, shall we?? TWD!!! SOA!!!! OMG I can't even believe this week's episodes!!! If you have no idea what I am talking about then shame on you and you need to turn on Netflix like yesterday and catch up. As I am writing this sentence I am debating whether or not I should be a spoiler and gush about everything that happened this week....ok, whatever, I'll let you find out on your own. But seriouslyyyyyy I can't even stand it! And now I have to wait until FEBRUARY to watch TWD and I only have one more Teller Tuesday forever. This is too much to handle...
Photo dump time!!!!!!
This is my nephew Mason, who is seriously one of the coolest people you will ever meet. And his hair is better than yours...omg look at that face
Thanksgiving dinner!!! And yes I needed two plates...and no I'm not sorry...
Seriously, that french onion soup is magazine worthy
My sexy hubby carving the turkey!
And since there's not enough food in this post....
And for good measure here's one of the hubs and I out to eat...
A little while ago (Ok, it was like two weeks ago and I am JUST writing about it now...hashtagbetterlatethannever?) I went with my sister and momma to "Painting with a Twist." I'm sure that like everyone in blogland has heard of this phenomenon, but just in case you haven't, I'll give you the rundown. Basically, if you have zero artistic ability and want to paint a swoon worthy photo, and get drunk, and laugh your ass off at how completely untalented you are, then Painting with a Twist is for you. There were 2 awesome instructors who literally walked you through the painting, step by step. Seriously guys, I know that some of my past craft projects have made me seem artsy (just go with it...) but I have no artistic ability whatsoever. Like, none. I am however, super creative and love a good chance to hang out with the gals, so it was amazing. And I got to eat cheetos while painting, so it doesn't get much better than that.
The picture of the night was an owl. And not like a boring brown owl with beady eyes and ugly feathers (because, obviously, that's what I picture when I think of an owl). But NO!! Not only was this owl colorful and adorable, but you could literally change anything you wanted about the painting as you went. Didn't like the eyes? Change the color. Not enough feathers? Add some more! Feel like making your owl look like he is wearing an Indian headdress? Sure, why not! Even though the instructors walked you through everything step by step, you were able to make it completely your own. And I was amazed at the little differences in everyone's finished product. 25 people painting the exact same thing, not one of them were identical.
I would definitely recommend signing up to go if you haven't already done so! I think there are locations all around the country, so most likely there is one by you. Or you may have to drive like 100 miles to find one, but whatever, it's worth it.
Here are some pics from the night:
The finished product...I know, fabulous right??
Now that I have managed to write an entire post about
painting an owl, I'm off to binge watch some Netflix. Which, if I am
being completely honest is the main reason that I have been like a ghost
around here. And I'm only a little bit sorry.
Forgive the random 2 week blogging hiatus, things have been a little crazy around here lately! I transferred from one branch to another at work, we have been some yard-sale fools and let's face it, Christmas shopping is the most fun thing ever. Add to that the fact that it is f-r-eeee-zing here in the sunshine state and you have yourself a terrible blogger. Let's catch up, shall we???
Like I mentioned, I moved from one branch to another at work. I was in my old position for almost 3 years and it was time for a change. The best thing about banking is that there are so many different departments and positions to transfer between, so you never get bored! My new branch is fantastic and amazing and a million other adjectives all wrapped into one...annnnnd I love it. It's closer to home, a zillion times less stressful, and I get to have lunch with the hubs every day. Sounds like a winner to me!
Now let's talk about babies! Babies, you ask? But Brianna, you are a cranky bitter infertile who HATES talking about babies...true story..HOWEVERRRR, sometimes a little baby talk is exciting! In March and May of 2015 we will be adding niece or nephew numbers 9 & 10 to the bunch! My sister-in-law is preggers with # 9 and my big sis will be adding # 10. Holy ridiculous amount of birthdays to remember! It's a good thing I'm the best aunt in the universe...(fyi, I am also the favorite aunt in the universe---candy, gum, soda, lipstick, jewelry? Sure, just come see aunt nanna..I'll give you whatever you want!) FYI, if you are also a cranky bitter infertile you should probably steer clear of this page during those months. There will be baby overload and I'm not even sorry.
Ummm, does anyone else realize that Christmas is in 37 days?! THIRTY SEVEN days people! It's a good thing we decorate our house in like September--one less thing to worry about. Let's discuss where we are with our shopping, shall we? We are finally done shopping for everyone in our family. D.O.N.E. Done! And we somehow managed to save like $3,000 from last year so, awesome. The gift shopping for the hubs is a different story. I literally have like 4 things for him (and if you know me or the hubs, that is completely unacceptable!), so I need to get on the ball!! Since we are bitter cranky infertiles (see above) with no kids, we spoil each other instead, and it is the best. Christmas morning literally consists of a ginormous pile of presents under the tree, on the couch, in front of the TV..pretty much every inch of usable space...and I guarantee we have more fun than you opening our gifts!! Now I just have to get to the store and buy everything....
In other news...my dad is moving down here from Philly in 2 weeks! If you don't already know, my parents have been divorced for like umpteen years..I swear I think they only got married to create three beautiful little girls and then decided "Hey, we hate eachother...let's fight for 10 more years and then eventually be friends." ((Did I forget to mention that my divorced parents and my step-momma are friends?)) Anyway, holidays and birthdays and Saturdays are soooooo much easier when you don't have to split them up between parents..and now both of my parents will be within 5 minutes of me which means I can be even MORE lazy!! Andd that also means that we only have to work on moving my big sis and the hubby's big sis down here and we will be good to go!!
I hope everyone is staying warm in this crazy ass weather..Seriously, it was 72º outside on Sunday, and the low for today is 25º...ummm, how is that even possible??? Anyway, I promise not to leave you again for 2 weeks!! (ok I don't promise, because that would be asking for failure...but I'll try my hardest!!)
All about the birds and the....stripes?? eShakti review (This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links. Although I received compensation in return for this post, all opinions are my own)
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by eShakti to do a product review. I have never done a sponsored post before so I was super excited that I was asked to take part in this one!! I had stumbled across a few other bloggers who wrote about the amazing experience that they had with eShakti, so I was beyond thrilled when my package came in the mail!!
Let me start out by telling you a little bit about the company. "eShakti believes that all women have the right to wear affordable fashion that is made for them and makes them look their absolute best. eShakti began as a small website offering basic cottons and modestly embellished pieces. As we grew, we were tasked with providing design and fit solutions to meet our customers' needs. Today, we are an international fashion design company making custom clothing. Offering both style and fit customization for women size 0 through 36 is the heart of our business."
When I started browsing around their website, I noticed something that really stood out to me-you can customize almost anything about the clothes! I absolutely HATE when I am shopping and I find the perfect dress with the most beautiful print, only to realize that all of my goods are hanging out. Or an amazing maxi skirt that is 8" too long, something that even the highest heels can't fix. With eShakti, you will never have this problem! Not only can you customize the length of a skirt or a dress, but if want to change up the sleeves, add a decal or throw in a pocket, you can! You can literally design the clothing to fit YOUR taste and YOUR curves (or in my case, lack thereof). How awesome is that!
I selected the "Bird Applique Banded Stripe Dress," because lets face it, how much better does it get than stripes and a bird all on one dress? Here's a look at my selection:
Absolutely adorable, right?!
I have such a hard time finding clothes that fit perfectly, so I was a little worried about ordering from a website, especially one that I had not bought from before. I went with the smallest size offered, figuring that this was my safest bet. I kept everything exactly as it was in the picture--I loved the cap sleeves, empire waist and adorable decal-and waiting for my delivery!....
I didn't have to wait long. The dress arrived within a week, perfectly pressed and packaged. From the moment I took the dress out of the packaging I could tell that the dress was made with amazing quality. The material was thick and durable, and the decal was carefully sewn on to the skirt. And you know what else? It fit PERFECT! The side zipper allowed for easy over-the-head access, fitting comfortably on every part of my body. The length was just right--it hit directly above my knee, which was perfect for this particular silhouette. OMG did I tell you that the dress has pockets!?! I literally spun around in front of my mirror for 30 minutes with my hands in the pockets, just because I could! I could not find one thing that I didn't love about the dress, and I couldn't wait to wear it to work!
I paired the dress with basic accessories, a sparkly belt and some spiky heels. The volume in the skirt felt so playful while the form fitting top was so girly! I literally wanted to spin in circles all day with my hands in those hidden pockets! After receiving countless compliments and a few questions regarding where the hell I had purchased a dress with birds on it, (my coworkers have become accustomed to my unique sense of fashion), I knew that I had selected the perfect dress! The length, the fit, the design---the dress is perfect!!! I can only imagine that everything else on the website it just as comfortable and adorable, and I can't wait to order another piece!!
Make sure you head on over to eShakti's website and take a look around. From now through 11/23 you can save 10% by using the promo code "keepingupwiththekeens."
Also a special thanks to my photographer "Melanie" for her conference room skills!
I seriously love list posts. One, I don't actually have to think of anything specific to talk about. Two, I get to ready about other people when they copy the list post. And three, they are a damn good time, amiright?! Since I am coming up on my 1 year blogiversary, I figured I could share just a few more interesting details about myself. You know, in case you don't already think I am a pretty awesome chick.
1:Do you always smile for pictures? Most of the time..unless I am making some amazingly awesome face..like this one....
Or this one....
Or this one....
2:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? Yes!! As teenagers we may have stolen onea few and hung them in my friend's room for decoration. And then wrote all over them with sharpies. We were pretty awesome.
3:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? I have been known to do this on occasion. This is why coupon apps like snip-snap are the best thing since sliced turkey (turkey....bread...same difference)
4:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? This question is morbid...But I guess I would have to say bees because they won't follow you in the water...or rip your arm off
5:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed always! Closet door, bathroom door, bedroom door---everything! Who the hell knows what's lurking behind those doors!
6:What is your biggest pet peeve? Wayyyyyy too many to list here...which allows for a wonderfully shameless plug to *this* blog post, which describes some of my biggest peeves!
7:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? Doesn't everyone?
8:Have you ever peed in the woods? More times than I can count...those woods got many a peep show back in the day
9:Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?
On occasion...I also break out in song at any given time---which in turn provides music for my dancing
10:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Noooooo way!! Do you know how many germs are on pens!? Imagine all of the people that use your pen on a daily basis...then imagine where ALL of their hands have been...
11:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Yes! I love when my hubs wear pink---it is super sexy and zero % feminine
12:What is your Song of the week? Brett Eldredge "Mean To Me". Greaaaaaat song!!!
13:Whats your favorite movie?I am such a cheater when it comes to list posts...I can never narrow it down so I pick like 10...Obviously I am going to do the same here: The Notebook, P.S. I Love You, Armageddon, The Twilight Series
14:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? First, I'd dig a hole in the backyard...I'd hide the treasure in a waterproof bag, then pour some dirt on top..then I'd add an empty wooden box, and add some more dirt...Finally I would put an RIP Fluffy headstone on top...think about it, what sicko is going to dig up a dead pet looking for treasure?
15:What do you drink with dinner? Usually milk or water, but if we have Dr. Pepper I am all over it
16:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Ketchup..and if I am at Burger King then BBQ sauce
17:What is your favorite food? Omg I love food so much! I'll just say my hubby's steak, spaghetti, chicken parmesan,salad and greasy pepperoni & bacon pizza
18:Last person you kissed/kissed you? My hubs <3
19:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? I surely was not...I was a big fan of laziness and sleeping as a kid..clearly not much has changed in the last 20 something years
20:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? No-sir-ee-bob
21:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? Ummm, I wrote a birthday card to my dad a few days ago...I wrote a nice little message inside so this counts, obviously
22:Can you change the oil on a car? I actually can...I can also change a tire or a headlight....fancy pants, huh?
23:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? Yesssss but only one! I was driving out to see my best friend and was REALLLY excited to see her, and I still had like 6 hours of driving left!!
24:Ever ran out of gas? No but I freak out about it all the time!! As soon as my light comes on I swear I am going to break down!
25:Favorite kind of sandwich? Wawa Carolina honey smoked turkey, shorty, Provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, topped off with crushed up sour cream and onion lays...omg perfection
26:Best thing to eat for breakfast? Buscuits & gravy with a potato, egg & cheese taquito from Whataburger
27:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? An indian, a jailbird, a baby...the best one ever was a TV!! Literally, my pop made me a TV out of a cardboard box..had the buttons, antennae...it was amazing..
28:What is your Chinese astrological sign? Ox
29:How many languages can you speak? One...although I can curse in a few languages..
30:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Ok, so like 4 years ago I paid for 2 magazine subscriptions...after a year I cancelled them both, and have not been charged since. Apparently, when you cancel 2 subscriptions you automatically get signed up for 7 more, because for the last 3 years I have been getting every subscription known to man, and haven't paid for one of them...definitely not complaining, it's just a bit strange
31:Are you afraid of heights? Yessss, so scared!!
32:Do you sing in the car? I put on my own little show in the car...and by the way, I sound amazing...just ask my hubs :)
33:Do you sing in the shower? No, I've never really been a big shower singer
34:Do you dance in the car? Almost to the point of being dangerous
35:Ever used a gun? No, I have luckily never had to
36:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? Ummmm, a few weeks ago a wedding I was working
37:Is Christmas stressful? Ridiculously stressful and crazy expensive...but that's what it's all about, amiright?
38:Ever eat a pierogi? I love me some pierogis!! Especially fried up with some butter...yummmm
39:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? A model, a nun and a cardiac surgeon...pretty sure I would have been kicked out of the convent...
40:Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, my house is definitely not lacking in the paranormal department.
41:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Hasn't everyone at some point?
42:Wear slippers? Every day, even in the dead of summer..I have oddly cold feet all the time
43:Wear a bath robe? Almost every day...I love to snuggle on the couch in one when its freezing cold..and evidently I love to look like a 78 year old woman while doing so
44:What do you wear to bed? Nada
45:First concert? John Cougar Mellencamp!!!! Back when he was still Cougar....
46:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Depends on what I'm getting...Housewares and clothes from Target...groceries and toiletries from Walmart...movies & games from K Mart because they are always cheapest
47:Nike or Adidas? I despise sneakers...I only own one pair because the hubs insisted that I needed at least one pair..they are bright pink and have no laces..and I still dislike them
48:Cheetos Or Fritos? Cheetos 100%...if we are being honest I am stuffing my face with Cheetos as I type this....
49:Can you curl your tongue? Noooo and I am so jealous of everyone who can!! Apparently it only takes one gene to be able to do this...thanks a lot dad for lacking that gene as well
50:Ever won a spelling bee? No I lost when I spelled "calendar" as "calender" in like 3rd grade...damn 'e'
51:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? When we got married!!!!
52:Who would you like to see in concert? Chris Young & Sugarland
53:What was the last concert you saw? We went to see Darius Rucker a few years ago...he was fabulous!
54:Hot tea or cold tea? Hot...definitely hot
55:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Is that something that is difficult for some people??
56:Ever won a contest? Yes, I am super lucky when it comes to contests!!! Concert tickets, gift certificates, hayride tickets, money, a free air purifier...a little bit of everything!
57:Ever have plastic surgery? No way Jose...I'm good with my B-cups, flat tush and pointy nose thankyouverymuch...besides, does anyone realllllly want to look like this:
58:Which are better black or green olives? How about neither
59:Can you knit or crochet? I can kind of crochet...and by kind of I mean I can single stitch you a 30 foot long rope...pretty skilled
60:Whats your favorite color? Neon green..like the most obnoxious neon green in existence
Phewwww that was a long one!! Hopefully you were able to gather some more useless information about me..and hopefully I helped you pass at least 5 minutes or so.
Before the discovery of Netflix, the hubs and I would alternate between HGTV and Friends, depending on what time it was. Of course we had our once-a-week shows (TWD, SoA) that we would never miss, but we were never huge into following a series. All of that changed when we decided to sign up for Netflix. What started out as a free trial to catch up on Seasons 1 & 2 of TWD has turned into a nightly obsession. Seriously guys, it has become an all out binge fest at our crib. In the past 4 months we have blown through 4 seasons of TWD, 8 seasons of Dexter, 6 seasons of SoA and are halfway through our second season of American Horror Story. (#hashtagaddicted)
This brings me to my dilemma. There are only 2 seasons of American Horror Story on Netflix, which means we are about 3 days from running out of things to watch. Of course we could scroll endlessly through the ridiculous movies that no one has ever heard of (The Beast with a Million Eyes, The Incredible Two Headed Transplant....seriously Netflix?? ), but that has proven to be unsuccessful in the past. Soooo...to all of my fellow binge watchers---What the hell do we do now!?! We are in desperate need of a new show...and quick. People keep talking about OITNB & Game of Thrones, but I am on the fence about them. As evidenced by the last 4 series' that we have watched, there is not much that offends us. Blood, violence, nudity, zombies eating the faces off of unsuspecting humans. You name it we've seen it. Pleaseohpleaseohplease tell me what to watch next, otherwise my hubs will be stuck watching another "Open Water" type movie with me, and we know how much he hates that!
In return for all of your suggestions, I am going to share a quick synopsis of the 4 shows we have watched as of late. I don't want to give away too many spoilers so I will keep it short but ohmygod you have to watch these shows.
If I had to sum the show up in one line: A group of people living in a post-apocalyptic world, surrounded by zombies, struggle to make it from one day to the next. Seriously, I would make the worst movie critic ever. Throw in Darryl (a bow-and-arrow-welding fox of a man) Rick, (a police officer turned group leader) and Michonne (a bad ass broad with a sword) and you have yourself one of the best shows ever. Trust me, I have zero interest in zombies and was hooked by the 1st episode.
Let's see, one line to sum this one up: Can I just say Jax Teller? No, I guess not...How about this? An outlaw motorcycle gang (who also run a garage, by the way) living in a quiet little town attempt to protect their families, all while taking out the trash and keeping the peace with the cops. There is lots of death, even more sex, and did I mention Jax Teller? (which, let's face it, is the real reason why we sit down week after week, isn't it ladies?)
Quiet and mysterious, Dexter is a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. The only difference is that Dexter only kills murderers. Each season on Dexter features a new killer and a new set of problems, (will the PD find out who he really is? Will his sister Deb find out? How about Rita?) and I can promise that it will keep you on the edge of your seat for 8 seasons. And the ending was CRAZZZZYY. See, now you have to watch it to find out what happens!
We are only halfway into the 2nd season on this so I can't really give you too much info. What I can say is that this show is insane and freaky and completely different than anything I have ever watched before. Sure, it has the violence and sex (which apparently is a requirement for all shows that I watch?) but it also has a crazy story line that jumps from the past to the present. Each season is completely different than the last, introducing new characters and a whole new storyline. Not a bad show to pass the time until we find another one.
So there you have it, 4 shows that should keep you busy for the next few months. Now its your turn--what should we watch next?!?!
I literally have no explanation for my extreme procrastination with this post. I pack for vacations a week before we leave, I have checklists for my checklists to make sure I am on top of everything, and we decorated our house last year for Christmas in September...seriously, September. We went on our cruise 6 weeks ago, and the only pictures that you got to see were the few that I took on my cell phone before we lost service for 7 days. Since it is getting chilly outside and I am already dreaming of our next tropical vacay, I figured what better time than now to share the pictures, right? Realistically I am waiting for The Walking Dead to come on and need to pass 30 minutes...either way, you get to enjoy the most beautiful sunset, the bluest water you've ever seen and my sexy hubby...FYI--you are about to enter picture overload....you've been warned....
Here is a shot of our boat, the Carnival Dream...omg it was beautiful!
We cruised out of NOLA and were on the water for 2 and a half days before we got to Honduras...how did we pass the time you ask? Drinking, gambling and taking a billion pictures of course
The wind worked wonders for my hair...obviously
There was a ton of seaweed on the way down
I am obsessed with the towel animals
Seriously, if you have never cruised before, you have no idea how amazing it is to lay in the sun in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico...perfection
What started out as my hubs feeling bad for a little kid who wanted to play ball, turned into 5 kids + the hubs...love it!
We took FULL advantage of the free room service...every day
The most beautiful sunsets you will ever see
Mahogany Bay, Honduras
How beautiful is that view!!!
The Mongolian Wok...hands down the best food on the cruise...not even gonna lie, the cruise is worth the money for this bowl alone
I love how they do the turn down service every night!!
Getting ready to head to Belize...when you dock in Belize the boat parks 5 miles away from the island..Thennnnnn you have to get on the boat ride from-h-e-double hockey stick for 20 minutes...I swear I thought we were going to be taken captive..
Welcome to Belize!!! Ok so I'm going to be completely honest with you (because, why the hell wouldn't I be) and say that I was bored of Belize after like 5 minutes. And there are gates right behind me that say "No Passenger Access"...one of them was open and we could see into the streets behind us....and ohmygod it was scary
Remember the boat ride I mentioned above...this was the boat....
The crazy pilot boat that butts up to the ship to let the pilot jump off and on...all of this while moving 10 knots...
...but first...lemme take a selfie....
love him!!!!
Towel folding contest on the deck...they were amazing!!!
Cozumel was our favorite port again..lots of shopping and the most amazingly blue water in existence.
This store actually sold drugs and deli...prescriptions and sandwiches..had to take a picture, because obviously
And just for good measure I'll show you a picture of the time I thought our boat caught on fire and the other time when the quarterback was macking on the skanky teenage girl below our balcony
And there you have it folks, an entire week summed up in 70 or so pictures. I know that there were wayyyyy too many pictures so if you made it to the end, bravo. And now I'm off to plan my next vacation because it's Sunday and I hate Mondays.
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