Category Archives: Fun

Sep16

Fun & Games: AC/DC Monopoly Edition

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Fun & Games: AC/DC Monopoly Edition

Hi! As you saw in a recent post, Johnny and I checked out Sweets & Geeks this past week and had the best time shopping till we dropped. Sweets & Geeks features something for every possible fandom imaginable and had countless forms of collectables including board games, plushies, backpacks, Funkos, and everything in between. Johnny and I are especially partial to a good board game and he began his shopping in that department. In no time at all, he returned with two games in hand: A new expansion of Horrified as well as AC/DC Monopoly! 😀

Johnny is the biggest AC/DC fan ever and it brought me such joy to take him to their show in Cleveland a few years back. A themed Monopoly board of his favorite band was a no brainer to purchase and we had a blast breaking it out with our birthday BFF, Cliff, a few days later. I may have gotten my butt kicked seven ways till Sunday but I’ll get my revenge next time! Check it out:

Monopoly is one of those games that people either love or hate and I have never met anyone who fell right in the middle. Although I agree that it is a tedious game at times, Johnny and I love it and were so happy to add the AC/DC board to our collection. Granted, we only have one other Monopoly a la Legend Of Zelda but it is a collection of two, nonetheless! There is never anything special or new about the themed Monopoly boards and the game play forever remains the same. However, it’s just fun to play on a board centered around one of your favorite things! They also make a great gift – my sister loves her Britney Spears Monopoly board that I got her for Mother’s Day! (I eventually want to get that one too! Long live the queen!) ❤

When Johnny, Cliff, and I dived into our AC/DC Monopoly, we had the band blaring on vinyl and settled in for a heated competition. I am saddened to report that the competition was neither heated nor successful for me and I think I went bankrupt in forty minutes lol. What can I say, I was trying to make some money moves and all of them fell through. Such is the game, though, and regardless of winning or losing, the company couldn’t be beat. I can’t wait to play again soon and avenge my honor to the tune of High Voltage rock!!!!!

If there is an AC/DC super fan in your life, this Monopoly board is a must. Whether it’s a loved or hated game, it sure makes a great collectable!

Do you have any themed Monopoly boards? What is your favorite board game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep8

Summer Highlights

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Summer Highlights

Hi! I know summer isn’t “technically” over yet but it’s September and in my head it’s fall lol. So I thought I’d go through my summer highlights today, fall calendar date be damned! This summer has been jam packed with so many activities right from the jump as mine and Johnny’s birthaversary kick starts the month of June. We started this summer by hosting friends and family for a super fun party and the events and hang outs felt nonstop since. Johnny and I are definitely trying to take it easier on our schedule this fall but this summer was certainly one to remember! Especially my personal favorite occurrences:

Josh Groban Concert:

A few weeks ago Johnny and I had the best experience ever at Blossom Music Center seeing… Josh Groban lol. Yes, we laughed about this too but what started out as attending for a joke turned us into complete super fans. Johnny and I purchased tickets for the Stage, Screen, And Symphony tour because we love Josh Groban’s comedy but the jury was out on his music. After pre gaming, we posted up on the lawn of Blossom for the show and didn’t have the best view but could see the jumbotron well. Josh Groban took the stage promptly at seven to open his set with “Pure Imagination” and after that song something magical happened!

Post Pure Imagination, a Blossom employee came up to us and offered us seats in the pavilion. We assumed we would be in the back or the middle but were moved up to the fourth row in front of the stage. It was SO awesome!! From our upgraded seats we had a perfect view of The Grobes and our initial laughter subsided instantly because we were completely mesmerized. Josh Groban truly has the voice of an angel and it was such a treat to hear him perform beloved classics from the best view in the house. We couldn’t believe our good luck and are now so proud to say that Josh Groban was one of the most excellent performances we have ever seen. What a night!

Bestie’s Engagement:

Johnny and I were totally and absolutely overjoyed to take part in an engagement party for my best friend, Lea, in early August and my heart simply flutters whenever I think about it! After the proposal at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Lea’s fiance organized a party at a brewery with family and close friends to celebrate. It was the most lovely time and it really was an honor to be there for my best girl. I am so excited to help in any way I can for her wedding and beyond thrilled for her happiness. She deserves nothing less. ❤

All The Mini Golf:

I don’t know about all of you, but I love me some mini golf! I enjoyed going to many indoor and outdoor mini golf courses this summer with Johnny and my brother and it is always such a laugh. Whether we are doing good or bad doesn’t matter because it’s just the most fun to hit some balls around lol. But the answer is: Yes, I did come in last place pretty much every time! Although there are some pretty good outdoor courses in my neck of the woods, we have a few indoor ones that totally take the cake. We love visiting Alien Vacation and Glow Sticks which are both fabulous!

Glow Sticks is an indoor eighteen hole course that revolves around music from the 1950s to the 2000s. Each room features a different decade with murals of the most prominent artists of the time and obstacles that match the theme IE: A giant Rolling Stones tongue. My musician main squeeze was living for it as was I! What a unique and cool little spot! Alien Vacation is also ultra cool with wacky murals and an immersive walk through experience. There are animatronics, obstacles that move, and the neatest themes like an under the sea, ancient Egypt, and jungle themed rooms. We have been to Alien Vacation several times and it is always a blast!

The Strokes Concert:

Johnny and I gifted each other with concert tickets for our birthaversary and seeing The Strokes at Blossom Music Center was my prezzie. They have been a bucket list band for me since I was ten years old and I could not let the opportunity to finally see them live pass by! We opted for pavilion seats as they were only slightly more expensive than posting up on the lawn and had a terrific view of the stage from our middle left position. The Strokes crushed and it was just amazing to hear all of my favorite songs IRL. We made friends with all of the people around us and formed a ragtag group of people that shared my sentiments too: That this was not a concert to be missed!

Johnny and I made so many beautiful memories this summer and I can’t wait to see what fall has in store for us!

What is your favorite memory from this summer? What are you looking forward to in the fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

WE SAW IT!!!!!

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WE SAW IT!!!!!

Hi! After celebrating my bestie girl’s engagement, Johnny and I continued the festivities by celebrating another monumental occasion: The Oscar Mayer Weenie Mobile made a stop in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. As the brewery we were at for the engagement partay was just down the street from our downtown hub called the Riverfront, Johnny and I obviously had to make a cameo. My Johnny is a hot dog loving guy. Lol so much so that he even has one tattooed on his arm! Needless to say, seeing the Weenie Mobile IRL was a must and we scored big time. Johnny got a Weenie Whistle as well as a hilarious sticker with the Weenie Mobile on it that simply says “I SAW IT”. We came, we saw, and it was a hoot!

^^^ Pure ecstasy!!

Downtown Cuyahoga Falls rules and it has been spruced up so nicely over the years as a one stop destination for shopping, dining, and community events. There are countless sweet boutiques and antique shops, a delicious ice creamery, and a candy store that we love taking our nieces to for a shopping spree. Their parents can deal with the sugar rush afterwards! 😀 The Riverfront also hosts lots of concerts, festivals, and movie nights as a lovely way for the community to come together and have some fun. There are splash pads in the summer, a skating rink in the winter, and fireworks on special occasions. We are very lucky to have this spot for folks young and old to enjoy throughout the year.

All of the aforementioned is great but, honestly, the Oscar Mayer Weenie Mobile really took the cake lol. I have been to many a Riverfront event with excellent turnouts but the joint was JUMPING on Weenie Mobile day – as it should! There were food trucks galore, music playing, kiddos running around in the splash pads, games, face painting, and basically every Cuyahoga Falls resident within a ten mile radius. We were there for the Oscar Mayer but stayed for the true joy of being out and about with our friends and neighbors. There is nothing better than an entire community coming together and the Riverfront does exactly that. If the Weenie Mobile comes around more often, then I think we have lots of evenings in downtown CFalls to look forward to!

WE SAW IT and our lives are the better for it. Shout out to my hometown for kicking ass and taking names!!

Do you have an event center in your neck of the woods? Does your city host festivals often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul2

Peakychu, I Choose You!

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Peakychu, I Choose You!

Hi! Johnny got me Pokopia for the Switch 2 for my birthday and I have been playing it nonstop. If you are unfamiliar with this specific game, are you familiar with Animal Crossing? Because it is basically that but Pokemon and it is so much fun. You help rebuild different towns, restore habitats for Pokemon, and complete all kinds of requests like creating electricity or building a railway. Every time I play, I am greeted with something new and I am stoked for the upcoming DLC update! In August, you will be able to create an under the sea environment and meet all kinds of brand new to the game Pokemon. 😀

Johnny has a coworker who loves all things Pokemon and was so excited when he told her how much I was loving Pokopia. So much so that she gifted me with something very special and it was just the sweetest thing! Check it out:

Peakychu, I Choose You! And there’s a very interesting story behind this prezzie… Japan launched exclusive Pokopia plushies and Johnny’s coworker ordered the Peakychu for herself. Shortly after, there was a limited release in America but it was invite only. She happened to be invited and ended up getting one more and had no idea what to do with her extra Peakychu. So she decided to give it to me as a late b-day gift. I was SO blown away by this generosity because I have only met her once before at one of Johnny’s work functions! She made a delightful impression on me and I guess it went both ways. We are so looking forward to hosting her and her husband for a game night so I can thank her IRL. Maybe our Peakychus can even have a play date lol. 😀

Now, back to Pokopia and one more little story: During the Covid-19 pandemic, Johnny was furloughed from work for several months and spent that time doing what everyone else was doing… Playing Animal Crossing all day every day. I was insanely jealous and by the time I got to play on our Animal Crossing village, everything noteworthy had already been done. Johnny was putting in work! I’ve gotta say, Pokopia puts Animal Crossing to shame and this gaming experience has definitely made up for my lack of playing everyone’s favorite Covid past time! ❤

If you have a Switch 2 and are looking for a simply charming game that is jam packed with Pokemon, get Pokopia STAT. You will love it!

How did you pass time during the Covid pandemic? Are you a Pokopia or Animal Crossing fan? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

Glow Sticks Mini Golf

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Glow Sticks Mini Golf

Hi! Johnny and I freaking LOVE to play mini golf and we visited an ultra cool new indoor course in Chagrin Falls called Glow Sticks this past weekend with my brother, Andrew. Several months ago I saw on Facebook that Glow Sticks would be opening and it was themed around music from the 1950s to the 1990s. I made a mental note of it because it combines our two great passions, music and mini golf, and I just knew it would be a blast. It sure was!! Glow Sticks was absolutely amazing from start to finish and we cannot wait to go back! Take a look at these many MANY pictures and let’s discuss:

So I might have gone a little picture crazy but, in my defense, how could I not?! There was so much awesome artwork, golf puns, and excitement that I wanted to capture it all! The Glow Sticks course consisted of different rooms set up for different decades where we started in the 50s and took a musical tour into the 1990s. Each room played the music of the times and the walls were adorned with the icons of that era. The murals were totally and completely fabulous and we really appreciated all of the golf humor! We are very partial to Stevie Nicks encouraging us to putt your own way and and KISS letting us know that they want to putt and golf all night. Lolol, we were in stitches!

As if all of the music and art weren’t enough, we were delighted by the unique and challenging play through of the Glow Sticks course. As you can see, one of the holes was a literal loopdiloop which we have never seen before! We learned that you had to whack the ball really hard for it to go all the way around. When it was my turn, I told Andrew and Johnny to stay far away so they don’t get a concussion lol. Other noteworthy parts of the course include hitting the ball through a giant Rolling Stones tongue statue, playing on Freddie Mercury’s stage, a skateboard half pipe, and even a 1970s style camper decked out in peace and love decals.

We were simply blown away by the creativity of the Glow Sticks course and everywhere we looked featured something fresh and exciting. Johnny’s favorite part was the mural of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on the putting green. I was a huge fan of the of the Roy Orbison “pretty putter putting on the green” portrait and Andrew enjoyed the statues of The Beatles. Glow Sticks was the perfect tip of the cap to the music that we all know and love and we were singing along to the rocking tunes the whole way through. What a fun afternoon!

If you are in the greater Northeastern Ohio area or are visiting, a stop in at Glow Sticks is a must. You will have a ball!

What is your favorite era of music? Do you prefer outdoor or indoor mini golf courses? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Bestie Birthday Gifts

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Bestie Birthday Gifts

Hello! June is a very special month because of mine and Johnny’s birthaversary, yes. But there is also another equally important special occasion to celebrate – My best friend/Gemini Twin, Kate’s, birthday! Kate of Live In The Nautical is my other half and our birthdays are a mere six days apart. June is truly our time to shine and to spoil each other like crazy! I am always so excited to shop for her birthday gifts as well as receiving her gifts to me in the mail. Seriously, I am like a child on Christmas day as soon as her packages arrive in the mail and tear them open like a rabid animal. Or just a very amped up best friend! As always, Kate crushed with my gifts and I think you can all agree that they are perfect for me! Check them out:

It is no secret that I am a reading and Lego enthusiast and these gifts spoke to two of my favorite hobbies. How freaking adorable is that Lazy One sleep sweatshirt?! The sage green color, gorgeous graphic, and sunflowers on the inside of the hood set the stage for the best hoodie to snuggle up in and crack open a good book. It is oh so soft and quite heavy and, as my apartment is like a sauna in the summer, I will have to wait until fall to break it out. However, when that first chilly day of autumn arrives you can trust and believe that it will be the first thing I wear. I can’t wait to get comfy cozy and binge read! 😀

Next up is the Gameboy Lego set and there’s actually a fun story behind that. Johnny got my brother the same set for Christmas and they built it together. We were both incredibly jealous of it because it’s just so freaking cool but never bought it for ourselves. The thing is – Kate didn’t know that (Which is surprising considering I tell her everything!)! My bestie does know that Johnny and I are huge gamers and love building Lego and was able to combine two of our hobbies into one perfect set. Johnny and I plan on building it together ASAP and we have my mind reader bestie to thank for that. Our Gemini Twin telepathy is always going strong and this is a true testament to it! ❤

My best girl is the best gift of all but her prezzies to me definitely come in second place. Thank you, darling! I love you so!!

Have you built Lego recently? Which Lego set do you have your eyes on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May13

Spring Hiking Spree Success

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Spring Hiking Spree Success

Hello! The Metro Parks in my neck of the woods hosts a hiking spree every spring and fall and I love completing the challenge with my brother, Andrew. We will have a threepeat for the fall spree this year and just completed our second spring hiking spree this past Friday. Spring in Ohio has been really cold and rainy so we had to carefully coordinate our five hikes to avoid getting caught in a downpour! During our last hike, we actually got back into my car a literal minute before the rain started coming down and it was an epic ending to the spree. The rain was short lived and we got ice cream after it passed to celebrate! We also got to take home our little prize of a new pin to adorn our Metro Parks lanyards with:

Within a thirty mile radius of where we live, there are at least twenty different Metro Parks to visit and we are truly blessed. During the fall and spring hiking sprees, there is a list of ten or so that you can pick from and it is always fun to try out new trails. Andrew and I both love hiking in the woods and, sadly, we didn’t get to do any of those trails this time around. We would have been walking in a quagmire because of all of the rain! We stuck to paved hiking and biking trails to complete the spree and this ended up being a good thing. The three new to us ones that we hiked will be excellent ones to go to again if the weather isn’t behaving.

Because we were limited to the paved trails, we didn’t get to see much in the way of wildlife. That was okay, though, because the best part of hiking is spending time with my brother. Hiking is our favorite form of exercise and it honestly doesn’t even feel like a work out because we’re talking and joking the whole way through. I can’t tell you the amount of times in years past that we started a hiking spree as a family and never finished it. It is exciting to be on a spree streak with my brother and we are both really looking forward to our fall hikes. Fingers crossed that the weather will allow us to hike in the woods this time around!

In fifteen days we went on five different hikes to draw the spring hiking spree to a close. Here’s to many more years of wonderful walks and memories! ❤

What is your favorite way to work out? Do you go on hikes often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

Alien Vacation Mini Golf

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Alien Vacation Mini Golf

Hello! This past weekend my brother, his friend, Johnny, and I went to the awesome Alien Vacation indoor mini golf course in Medina. We are all extremely partial to mini golf and this has got to be one of the best courses in our general vicinity. It was the perfect outing for a rainy spring day! We had a blast exploring all of the cool surprises under the blacklights of the Alien Vacation adventure. From huge animatronics and goofy alien antics to an under the sea and ancient Egypt room, this place had it all! The eighteen holes were just challenging enough and I even got a hole in one! Great success! Check it out:

The Alien Vacation mini golf course was an absolute delight and we all plan on going back there together again. It was incredibly reasonably priced at just twelve dollars to play through and also had a bar and snack shack to wet your whistle in the middle of the course. This was so unlike the typical outdoor courses that we have visited before and was a thousand percent worth the forty minute drive to get there. As soon as we stepped foot into Alien Vacation we were SO in. Then, we put on the 3D glasses and were SO out lol. They gave all of us a headache and we were back in once they were off lol.

The highlights of this course has got to be the ancient Egypt room, under the sea, and the jungle. What took the cake for everyone was, easily, the Legends Of The Hidden Temple vibes room as seen in the last picture. This one was WAY cool! You hit the ball up a ramp and it fell into a different slat depending on how hard you hit it. From there, the ball would travel through the breaks in the artwork to deposit the ball either close to the goal or far from it. It also featured pop up surprises and motion once the golf ball fell into the slats. We were seriously wowed by it and honestly could have kept playing that part again and again!

From start to finish, Alien Vacation was just pure fun and we were so appreciative and impressed by the amount of work that had to be put in to create it. This wasn’t a mini golf course to breeze through but one to take your time with and experience as we didn’t want to miss a thing! What made this outing even better is that we went on Star Wars Day weekend. That is a franchise I can take or leave but Johnny was ecstatic as they were playing the soundtrack throughout the course. It was SO epic to play mini golf to such triumphant themes and I could tell that my main squeeze was channeling his inner Han Solo the entire time! ❤

If you are in my neck of the woods or visiting, 12/10 would highly recommend an afternoon at the Alien Vacation mini golf course. I can’t wait to go back!

Do you have any cool mini golf courses near you? How do you usually fare in mini golf (I came in dead last lol)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar23

Creating A Gaming Setup On A Budget

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Creating A Gaming Setup On A Budget

If you want to create a gaming setup on a budget but you’re not quite sure how to go about doing it, then this is the guide for you. Here you will find out what steps you can take to try and find out what you can do to cut back, without compromising your setup:

Game Online:

The best way for you to save money when trying to create a gaming setup is for you to game online. If you play online games, then you will find that you don’t often need as much hardware to power them, as they tend to be smaller in size. You may also find that by gaming online, you can cut down on the amount of physical copies you need to buy and an even bigger catalogue of games to pick from. After all, some games are not available on hard copy. If you have never played slots before, then this can be a great starting point, as you can claim welcome bonuses, and you can use them to play several games. If you want to play slots and casino games, check out https://jp88.my/slots.

Buy Second-Hand:


If you want to save money, then another thing you can do is buy second-hand options. If you opt for second-hand games and accessories, it’s easier than ever for you to not only get what you would like but do so on a budget. Buy sell trade stores for games and music are an excellent place to start. One thing to take note of is that you shouldn’t really buy second-hand computers online, because if you do, they might end up having issues that cost more to repair in the long run. With that said, you can buy upgrades for your existing PC, as you know where you stand with it, and you can make sure that you’re making solid choices that will benefit you later down the line.

Consider Accessories:

If you want to feel content with your gaming setup, then you may want to give some thought to accessories as well. Buying accessories from time to time can give your gaming experience a boost and allows you to make sure that you’re not blowing your budget. For example, simple accessories like buying a mouse mat for a mouse that’s not working as well as it could is a great way to avoid buying a new mouse. A headset is another good option as it can unlock a whole new style of playing with games that you already have.

Ready, set, game!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Mar17

Puzzle Place Pt. 3

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Puzzle Place Pt. 3

Hello! I got my parents hip to 5 Below as it’s the perfect spot to pick up little treats for the grandkiddos. About a month ago they took a trip there and my dad returned with two puzzles. One of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Sunflowers. Although they were very challenging, it was such fun to complete them with my dad! I had a vague recollection of 5 Below carrying a puzzle of one of my personal favorite paintings, The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, and was so happy when they still had it available. We just finished it this week and it looks fantastic! Check it out:

Between the three puzzles we have just completed, I would rank them in difficulty with Starry Night being the easiest, The Great Wave coming in second, and Sunflowers being the hardest. Sunflowers was a massive pain in the nads because the color palette was so limited. While The Great Wave does feature a minimal palette, it still provided a lot that we could work with like the squiggly lines, speckles, boats, and the gold tips on the waves. We tackled this puzzle in sections with my dad starting on the boats. Then, I tapped in to work from the top down on the tan areas. All that was left was the wave smack dab in the middle which is where we ran into trouble because all of the remaining pieces looked like they could fit anywhere. It took a lot of twisting and turning of the pieces to find their happy home and it felt amazing to put that final piece in!

There truly is nothing like that last piece of the puzzle feeling and it was exciting because the next step is easily the best. My dad glues it, frames it, and hangs up the end result as wall art. Of course, I wanted this puzzle painting simply because I love it but I thought it would look so nice next to Starry Night! As anyone in my family can testify, my dad is a total and complete hoverer when puzzles are involved and I sometimes had to shoo him away lol! However, it has been a blast to have these puzzle projects to tackle as a team. With three under our belt since the end of January, I’d say we make a pretty damn good one. ❤

I’m not sure what puzzle is next on our agenda, maybe some Monet? Whatever we go with, I am already looking forward to it!

What is your favorite hobby? What is the maximum size of puzzles that you can do (Anything over five hundred is a hard no from me!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah