Weekend Update - Fifty

Friday::
I opened Beans Coffee Shop, which meant getting up at 4:45am. I'm so not a morning person. after a long day of work it was home to relax. I planned on just having a quiet night at home and crash out early, but then I got a phone call from Gram. she picked up a router, and a few other items, and was wondering when I could hook it up for her. so instead of a quiet night at home I got, dinner at Bob Evans which was way better than I could've imagined, like it was a great meal for cheap then I hooked up her router so she can get wi-fi for her new Kindle. she was so excited. I gave her a quick tutorial of how to use the Kindle, but it was so late that we called it a night.

Saturday::
I worked 8-230, then it was home to get ready for Mr. Lear's surprise 50th birthday party that's Melissa's dad. the party was in CLE at the House of Blues, we had a private room, it was so much fun. afterwards we wandered to the casino for a bit and a few other bars before finishing the night at Melissa's co-worker's apartment. overall it was a really fun night.

V.I.P.

Dad and a statue

giant vodka bottles with Shannon.

Randy//Melissa in the casino

winner winner!

don't ask....

Sunday::
home, after eating at Cracker Barrel, to watch the Browns lose. oh and we also stopped at Grams again to get her new HD cable boxed hooked up dad did that part.

2013 Goals

1:: use my fitbit regularly, work out, eat healthy-er.

2:: go outside my comfort zone more.. begin my "make your own bucketlist" and "this is not a book" books.

3:: make more progress with my 101 list, and document it.

4:: catch up with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, watch Seinfeld and HIMYM, and read 20 books, and catch up with my movies.

5:: continue to enjoy life... life is good!

here's to a great 2012 and to an even better 2013.. hope everyone has one hell of a NYE!!

life is good

 

blizzard warning.

good ol Chardon, OH had a blizzard warning in effect yesterday afternoon until this morning. but that didn't stop me from seeing Ashley and Erin and scarfing down Melt.
that's right folks, Ashley is back from Hawaii for a whole nine months!! yaayyyaayayya!! that's right folks we went to Melt to celebrate her arrival home. I tried the Cleveland Cheese Steak and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. pilled high with thinly sliced beef, grilled onions and mushrooms, and cheese.. I of course got mine without peppers though.. a little sriracha hot sauce to dip into and it was phenom. I did take a picture, but it's on my old phone.

which brings me to my next item of business. Santa.

Santa was so good to me this year. I got a new phone -Droid Razr Maxx HD. my Blackberry gave me a great two years but it was time to move on to bigger and better things. I haven't even had this phone for 24hrs and I already love it. I couldn't get any fun apps on my Blackberry #blackberryproblems and now I can get them all things like snapchat, words with friends, blogger, etcetc. aside from my phone I also got::

a fit bit -it tracks steps taken, if stairs are involved, calories burned, sleeping habits, etcetc. 

three, yes THREE, bottles of ThreeOlives Dude Vodka  my favorite (courtesy of Brian, Randy/Melissa, and Mo/James)

a few new books thanks Brian!

a Browning shirt, for my year of camo. some Buckeye and Browns slipper socks, and a red solo cup car decal. thanks Randy/Melissa!

claddagh ring.

CLE Indians calendar.

a corkcicle to keep my wine chilled.

$100 to iTunes.

$50 to Amazon.

$25 to JCP, popcorn, chapstick, etc. thanks Gram!

$50 cash thanks Uncle Mike and Aunt Gina!

$13 in lottery winnings. 

homemade Hooch thanks Unlcle Rod and Aunt Rhona!

clothes.

etcetc.

 
and I think everyone loved the gifts I gave, which is awesome.
Gram absolutely loved her tv and was so surprised. we got it all set up for her, she couldn't believe the color and clarity. she also loved the Kindle Fire my parents/aunt&uncle got for her.

Christmas Eve 2012.

what did Santa bring you?!?

life is good

happy birthday to you....

today is Melissa's birthday! she blogs over at Eleven Sixty, so go wish her the happ- happ- happiest birthday.

Melis recently became my sister-in-law, and she is one of the funniest, craziest, and kindest people I know. She is always making me crack-up and we've made so many memories together already.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful day, full of love and food and wine and goodness and shenanigans.

can't wait to celebrate it with you! :)

love you sister, Happy Birthday!!


life is good

Sunday Social

1. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
 I'm a big fan of moose tracks and mint chocolate chip. but I also lovelovelove vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, peanuts, and whip cream. and ice cream cake. I just love ice cream.

2. What is your favorite smell?
  I love the smell of peanut butter. that's definitely one of my favorites. but I also love vanilla and peppermint, and basically any guys cologne.

3. What is your favorite tv commercial? (past or present)
 past:: last year around the holidays I loved this commercial...

present:: I love this holiday commercial...

 
4. What is your favorite day of the week?
  Friday and Saturday are both winners in my eyes.

5. What is your favorite way to waste time?
  pinterest. facebook. twitter. textsfromlastnight.

6. What is your favorite article of clothing?
  I have a sweet pair of Ohio State sweatpants, they're so comfortable and warm. or Brian just bought me a sweet camo jacket for my birthday. 


life is good

 

26 Acts of Kindness

oh snow. we got snow, we're getting snow, we will continue to get snow until Saturday-ish. oh nose bleed. I got a nose bleed, I'm experiencing a nose bleed, I will continue to have this nose bleed until Saturday-ish. justkidding, it won't last until Saturday, but I do currently have one, courtesy of the snow.

you may have seen this little joyful trend hopping about. 26 Acts of Kindness in memory of the Sandy Hook victims. and I just wanted to share some of mine.
although most of them so far deal with myself helping customers out at work, they're still acts of kindness.

#1:: paying for a customer when they didn't have enough cash.
#2:: paying for another customer when they didn't have enough cash (they paid me back the next day).
#3:: giving a customer .15 cents to fulfill their payment.
why don't people carry money with them?
#4:: spending extra money on Christmas gifts this year for my family.
#5:: sending my fellow snapchatters a "good bye" end of the world picture. (okay, so I'm not really going to count this. but it was courteous of me to do so.)

and that's as far as I've gotten so far. are you participating in 26Acts? because you should if you're not.

Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives

"oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas this year" gosh, I lovelovelove this song.

definitely my favorite Christmas song.

in memory of my Great Grandma.. Silver Bells, this was her favorite Christmas song.

this one is dedicated to Randy.. did you know they had a Christmas version?!

Home by Blake Shelton, featuring Miranda Lambert.

anyways, I hope this finds everyone well and not zombies, or dead, or dying. here's to surviving the "end of the world"

and I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, and that Santa brings you everything you've ever dreamed of :)


life is good

Griswold Family Christmas Tree

and by Griswold Family Christmas Tree I mean, Lane Family Christmas Tree.

first, some of my favorite ornaments...

Flounder!

Angelica Pickles

Mom's American Mickey

1989.

I was sassy in pre-school.. Mom and I.

not pictured because I'm too lazy....

a buck, doe, and fawn, figurines that we place on the tree.
OHIO, and various Buckeye ornaments.
two of the same ornaments hanging on the tree.
Winnie the Pooh.
Barbie.
St. Augustine, Florida.
Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer characters.
and snowmen, lots of snowmen.

and the 12' tree...

light... (taken with phone)

dark...

life is good

silence.

Chardon, Ohio sends our love and prayers to you Newtown, Connecticut. stay strong, and God Bless.

Weekend Update - Save The World

Friday::
worked, then relaxed the whole night. I watched Michael Buble's entire Christmas special just so I could see Blake Shelton sing. then I watched Toy Story on 25 Days of Christmas. and a little Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. exciting life, huh?

Saturday::
worked, then celebrated. throughout the year my family, my aunt/uncle/cousins, and various friends save all of our beer/pop cans and recycle them. with the money we get from saving the earth my aunt/uncle throw a party. this year they rented out a bar. cheap drinks and free food all night. it was a blast! we all played drinking games the whole night, it was really a fun time.

Sunday::
unfortunately, I got food poisoning at the party or something. because all day I was sick, and not like hungover sick, but real actual sick. it had to have been food poisoning, and even my mom said her stomach was bothering her too. I'm feeling better now though.. so that's good. oh, and I watched the Survivor finale, and I'm happy that Denise won -she deserved it! and my Brownies lost.

12/10-12/16 Goals

1:: send out Christmas cards.

2:: laundry.

3:: finalize Christmas gift ideas.

4:: decorate the Lane Family Christmas Tree.

5:: clean my room.

I didn't do too bad this week. got my Christmas cards sent, the tree is up and decorated, gift ideas are solid, I just would have liked to get a little more laundry done. and let's just be honest, this room is not getting clean until after the holidays, I just have way too many gifts and such taking up space right now.

12/17-12/23 Goals 

1:: finish my Christmas shopping.

2:: go to the Ortho.

3:: watch 25 Days of Christmas and season four of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

4:: wrap the Christmas gifts

5:: survive the "end of the world"

life is good

thankful prayers

I've had to work the past three days, and I have to work tomorrow as well.. but I'm not complaining because I'll get a nice fat paycheck and because I'm safe at home right now knowing my family and friends are safe.

you may have heard about a horrible shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. at an elementary school none-the-less. please pardon this next part but... ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! Adam Lanza, fuck you. have fun burning in hell you heartless bastard.


I'm thankful my distant cousins who live the next town over from Newtown, Connecticut are safe.

I'm thankful that all my family and friends are safe.

I'm praying for Newtown, Connecticut.

I'm praying for the victims and their loved ones.

I'm thankful that my hometown of Chardon has stayed strong, 2/27/12 one heartbeat.

I'm praying that Newtown will have the strength and unity to recover.

I'm praying that anyone injured makes a full recovery as quick as possible.

"when the walls fall all around you, when your hope has turned to dust, let the sound of love surround you beat like a heart in each of us"

stay strong Newtown, and God Bless.


also, I'm tired of everyone saying we need better gun control or that guns are dangerous. a gun didn't just walk to the school and shoot people.. a gun didn't misfire with the Chardon shooting or the Colorado shooting.. a gun didn't decide to shoot up VT.. people did that. humans destroyed those lives. just saying.

blog lovin'

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okay, thanks, bye.

cookies, Christmas style

I attempted to bake this past weekend, here's how it went...

started with some Turning Leaf wine, in my redneck solo cup wine glass

first gathering the ingredients...

funny story with that.. I went to buy the mix stuff, and I did, came home showed Mom because I was excited about it, and she pointed out that I had bought Sugar Cookie "snack size" mix and not regular size mix. opps. so it was back to the store to get normal baking things. can you tell I don't cook?

don't forget the cat figurine.

in the oven

starting to frost

starting to get bored.. and creative..

flannel shirt for mr gingerbread man.. I was bored of frosting

some of the finished product

I also made pretzel Hershey Kiss things

lay out square shaped pretzels, and top with a Hersheys Kiss, then bake until chocolate is melty

then top with a m&m, and let cool in the fridge.

some of the cookies got a little too toasted, but most turned out okay. but as I stated I got bored of the frosting process and made a few cookies interesting. such as: cyclopes snowmen, targets on reindeer, super fancy stockings, and the flannel clothed gingerbread man. I think next year I'm just going to bake regular cookies that I don't have to put as much effort in to. the pretzel treats turned out really well though. I'd say overall it was a win.. but I've been stuffing my face since. tis the season.

 life is good

Christmas at the Lanes

Happy Holidays!

here's just a few of our many decorations...

our stockings:: dad- camo;; mom- snowman;; Randy- TMNT;; me- Winnie the Pooh;; Brian- ScoobyDoo.


and of course the Christmas lights....

red, white, and blue.. very Christmas-y, right?

blue, green, and red lights shining on the house for added color.

candy cane lights, tree lights, and the red/white/blue.

and a new addition this year, courtesy of Brian....

a deer. hanging from a tree.

welcome to my life.

then the Lane Family Christmas Tree... step one.. picking it out, and cutting it down.

Dad and Brian with the 2012 Lane Family Christmas Tree

the process of making it ours.

this years tree is just over 12 feet. we average around that height every year. also, while my dad was sawing it down Brian was pulling it towards him and when my dad cut all the way through Brian went flying back and the tree basically fell on top of him, it was so funny. Brian is okay, he just got muddy (thats Mom trying to wipe some of the mud off of him). even another couple saw it happen, which made it even funnier. this year was record timing, we found this tree in no more than 15min. seriously. it was that fast. normally it takes us forever. but not this year. and as always there was a lot of quotes from Christmas Vacation being thrown around. "Dad, that thing wont even fit in our yard!" ... "it's not going in our yard, Russ. it's going in our living room."
I'll be sure to post a picture once we decorate it, too!

 Merry Christmas from my family to yours!!

life is good