Tag Archives: surprise

Feb27

Spring Cleaning Surprise

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Spring Cleaning Surprise

Howdy! I got home from work way earlier than normal on Monday and had three or so hours to kill before Johnny’s shift was over. I’m not really sure why, but out of nowhere, I got a strong desire to clean. I’ll be perfectly honest with you, it can be very difficult for me to find the motivation to clean outside of necessary chores. Feeling mentally and physically exhausted just seems to be the norm for me as of late and it sucks. It’s not like I don’t want to clean but the energy to do so is nowhere to be found. So, when this overwhelming urge hit me to clean, I went for it!

I decided to tackle one room before clocking in again to work from home and that was mine and Johnny’s bedroom. I cleared up any trash, did several loads of laundry, and organized the closet. I also was able to put Johnny’s clothes in some semblance of order because he needs a freaking dresser lol. As I was doing that, I found an incredible surprise: One of my FAVORITE tank tops that I thought I left in the Poconos when we went on vacation a few years prior. I looked everywhere in my apartment for it and came up empty so leaving it behind seemed like the most reasonable explanation. I guess I didn’t look everywhere, though.

After finally having found my black Rachel Zoe tank top, I was elated. The motivation to clean was there and I was rewarded for it. In fact, after this find, I found myself looking forward to tackling my office next! I genuinely thought that the cherry on top was being reunited with my beloved tank top. However, the cherry on top came after the bedroom was clean as a whistle. I had open access to an outlet again and I was eager to put a new Bath & Body Works wallflower into my Halloween plugin. The room looked so fresh and good that I decided to accentuate it with a Fiji White Sands wallflower. The spotless room combined with the crisp, beachy scent made me so happy!

I guess the moral of the story is, that if you are lacking motivation for a deep cleaning session – it really is okay. However, my first hand experience is that you will start feeling fantastic as you go through the process. Even if it is one room or one task at a time, you are accomplishing something that needs to be done and that is rewarding. There is no need to beat yourself up if you don’t have the energy to clean. Do what you can, revel in your success, and you are on your way to forming a good habit.

I really am proud of myself for getting an early start on my spring cleaning and giving the apartment the love it deserves doesn’t feel nearly as overwhelming. In fact, it is a welcome change of pace!

What is on your spring cleaning agenda? Have you found anything recently that you thought you lost? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb13

Best Husband Ever!

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Best Husband Ever!

Hello!! My love for Diet Coke knows no bounds. It is the air that I breathe, the water I drink, and the food that nourishes me. Okay, I guess I wouldn’t go that far. Just kidding I totally would – it’s the best! Whenever Johnny goes to the gas station over the weekend, I always ask him to pick me up a bottle of DC. Normally, he is pretty good about it. However, he completely forgot the past THREE times during his errands. It was nothing short of devastating to see him return home empty handed but he is forever at angel status, albeit a forgetful angel!

This past weekend, Johnny went to the store and as per usual, I asked him for my usual. Honestly, I was fully expecting him to forget my Diet Coke again and that would have been fine. At this point, it had become a running joke. So, you could imagine my surprise when Johnny came rolling into the apartment with not just one bottle of DC but a six pack! He told me he was paying back for his indiscretion with interest and it was seriously so sweet. Not only did he remember, but he surprised me with something even better and I was smiling about it all weekend long. It truly does not take much and he is simply the best. ❤

^^^ My precious!!

What is your favorite beverage? Do you drink it every day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb9

Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Gifts

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Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Gifts

Hello! Mine and Johnny’s typical MO for Valentine’s Day is seeing a show at Playhouse Square. However, we are incredibly partial to a low key celebration too! Yes, it’s nice to go on a date for V-Day but it’s also just as nice or even better to spend true quality time together from the comfort of your home or a cozy cafe. Whether you go all out for the occasion or keep things simple is your prerogative. As long as the intent to truly celebrate your relationship is there, it’s going to be a great time! Let’s explore some ways that you can make V-Day special on any budget:

Extra Cleaning:

A deep clean of the home or taking on a chore that your partner is in charge of is completely free and will be completely appreciated. How do I know? I would be ELATED if my V-Day gift from Johnny was that he would take care of the bunnies in the morning for a few weeks! A gift like this is twofold. Your home will be squeaky clean AND completing some extra chores will give your SO time for themselves. Maybe they will use it to get twenty more minutes of shut eye or read a few chapters of a good book. Don’t underplay the gift of taking some weight off of your partner’s shoulders!

Good Morning, Sunshine:

Breakfast in bed? Yes, please! Talk about a fantastic way to make someone feel spoiled. You could whip up a big breakfast or brunch from home. Or you could grab takeout from your favorite restaurant. If your partner is not big on breakfast, that’s okay. You can still work with the idea! Surprise them with their Starbucks order, go to energy drink, or in my case – a McDonald’s Diet Coke and present it with a pretty bouquet. This is a surefire way to start the day off right and keep your main squeeze smiling from such a sweet gesture.

Sentimental:

One of the most beautiful gifts you can give is by using your words. Tell your partner how much they mean to you with a love letter on their pillow. This is so sentimental and will always be treasured. It is also an especially effective gift if you have a hard time expressing yourself. In the same breath, you could go the photo album route too. Compile your favorite shots from date nights, vacations, and just hanging out and create an album. It will be a welcome trip down memory lane as you flip through it together and remember the hilarious, romantic, and adventurous moments that you shared.

Matchmaker:

Having matching items with your SO is a match made in heaven! Johnny and I have countless matching T-shirts and it just makes us happy lol. The possibilities for a gift like this are truly endless. Will it be his and hers bathrobes? Two of a kind coffee mugs? Matching jerseys to cheer on your favorite team? Are you going to custom make it or find something perfect at the store? This is an awesome opportunity to get creative so have fun with it! I know I will be because I’m getting myself and Johnny a matching T-shirt set from one of our comfort shows as a bonus gift. 😀

As you can see, there are countless ways to make this Valentine’s Day one to remember while adhering to your budget. Your partner will LOVE any of these gifts!

What would you like for V-Day? What is your least favorite chore? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan7

Sweet Surprises: New Record Edition

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Sweet Surprises: New Record Edition

Hello! My Johnny is not only an incredible musician but an avid lover of all music. He has an insane record collection, boasting over five hundred vinyls and it is his payday treat to hit up a few of his favorite haunts and pick up a new record or two. Despite his insistence on me purchasing records for myself, it is honestly something that doesn’t interest me. At the end of the day, you can wear a new pair of shoes but you can’t wear a new record lol. Because of this, Johnny makes it a point to surprise me with a new record every so often and he did so this weekend. While I was out with my nieces, Johnny placed one of my all time favorites under my pillow for me to return home to. I couldn’t contain myself when I saw that it was Sing the Sorrow by AFI:

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Johnny and I are elder emos through and through and were blessed to have been around for the surge of emo and alt bands in the early 2000s. While Johnny was a My Chemical Romance kind of guy, I was a total AFI gal. AFI became one of my favorite bands after one listen and Sing the Sorrow was actually the first album I bought with my own money. I am SO lucky to have seen them perform live twice with my sister and have the fondest memories of both shows as well as the top of our lungs sing alongs in her first car. AFI is a band that has been with me for such a long time, through the good and the bad, and will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Whenever I am out shopping, I love to look for “little treats” for Johnny and tend to go the clothing route. Buying records for me is truly his equivalent of this and it really is sweet. Of course, it’s nice to be thought of but his sheer excitement for it is the best. Little by little, he has made an effort to expand my record collection too and it is working! Just like Johnny, I tore my AFI record open and wanted to listen to it immediately. So we did. While we played video games and chatted away, one of my desert island records played too and It. Was. Glorious!

I felt spoiled rotten by my surprise from Johnny and it made our standing weekend date of records and games even better! He is just the best. ❤

What do you like to collect? Do you have any vinyl records? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec21

A Calendar Double Take

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A Calendar Double Take

Hello!! As you might remember, it took me a LONG time to get a smartphone. I was perfectly content with my old school flip phone and would have happily kept using it if it didn’t break. During that time in the stone age, I had a huge desktop calendar that I loved to plan my weeks on. Now, of course, I make great use out of the calendar on my phone and it keeps my days running as they should. From appointments to hang outs with friends and work functions, my calendar has it all. However, something I saw recently on my agenda really had me scratching my head. Check it out:

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The other night, I was penciling in some time for a slumber party with my niece. As I scrolled through my options, I saw that I had “my 600 lb life anniversary” marked down for the day after Christmas. I was honestly half asleep at the time so I screenshotted it and fell asleep with the plans to investigate it later. The following day, I almost thought I dreamed it but there it was in my photo gallery! I was racking my brain trying to think of what this cryptic message meant and then all of a sudden, it hit me…

The day after Christmas last year was the ONLY time in mine and Johnny’s five year plus relationship that he watched My 600 Lb. Life with me. For those of you who don’t know, I am a TLC addict. I LIVE for 90 Day Fiance, Sister Wives, Dr. Pimple Popper, and especially My 600 Lb. Life. Whenever I watch any of them, Johnny refuses to watch with me, but I suppose he was feeling some extra holiday spirit the day after Christmas! And, clearly, to mark the momentous victory of him watching with me, I marked it in my calendar. All I can say is, guess what we’re doing the day after Christmas?! 😀

I never thought my calendar would surprise me, but here we are because I was in a state of WTF when I saw our anniversary lol. I cannot wait for many, many more!

What is your favorite guilty pleasure show? What is your favorite show on TLC? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Best Blanket EVER!!

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Best Blanket EVER!!

Howdy!! Every weekend, I have been diligently wrapping away at my cache of Christmas prezzies. I also got the very last gift I needed on my shopping list this past week at Elysian Nails. GREAT SUCCESS! On Sunday, I decided to finish my gift wrapping in its entirety and it was so nice to get some floor space back in my office once all of the packages had been opened! To my surprise, one of the boxes I opened contained something I didn’t remember ordering for myself at all. I questioned if I did some drunk Amazon shopping, but then I realized it was a Christmas gift from my A1 blogging bestie – Kate from Live In The Nautical. Check it out:

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One thing about Kate and I is that we are massive freeze babies lol. We are both literally always cold and Kate loves to cocoon in her heated blanket. Wrapping up in a warm hug of a blanket is something that is most appealing to me, but it’s something I would never buy for myself. So, Kate took matters into her own hands and I have an inkling that she has known exactly what to spoil me with for Xmas since this October. We had a massive drop in temperatures in Ohio and my apartment complex didn’t turn the heat on so Johnny and I were basically living in an ice box for a week. Kate is the most spectacular gift giver because she is constantly taking mental notes of situations like this and provides a remedy for it. ❤

My heated blanket was actually the last package I opened before it was a wrap on wrapping presents. As soon as I saw it, I ripped the box the blanket came in open and was ready to reward myself with a day of becoming one with my couch after a successful holiday shopping season. And become one with my couch, I did. From the comfort of my new heated blanket, I had a Degrassi marathon and vegged TF out. I live for a good Degrassi binge sesh and it was further enhanced by this Bwarm blanket because it is the freaking BEST. It is SO soft, SO comfortable, and has six different heat settings so you can adjust the temps as needed. I opted for a healthy “four” and it literally felt like I was wrapped up in all the comforters on my bed. It was also so soothing on my arms and back which tend to get a bit achy from never ending work on the computer. 12/10 Highly recommend!

Huge shout out to my main boo for this top tier present!! I have a feeling I am going to be living in this blanket as soon as I get home from work every day!

What is your favorite item that brings you comfort? Are you always hot or always cold? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep6

A Pleasant Surprise

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A Pleasant Surprise

Hello!! One of my work days is almost exclusively at a client’s job site. Then, I have a few breaks during that time when I can work my other job on my computer. In the store, there is a cafe section that I like to post up at and click clack away until it’s time for my next shift. While I am at the computer, I am in my own little world and will usually put my headphones on and listen to music while I work. Normally, the cafe is almost always empty. This time around, though, I noticed an elderly man sitting at one of the tables while his wife did some shopping.

As I finished packing up my work supplies, the gentleman motioned for me to come over. I have to admit, I was thinking “oh shit” in my head. As a woman with a ton of tattoos, piercings, and vibrant hair, I don’t have a ton of luck when it comes to older people beckoning me. The comments I have received in the very recent past have run the gambit. I’ve been told that people who look like me will probably end up in jail. The classic “You’d look so much better without all of that”/”Why would you do that to yourself?”. As well as being called flat out ugly. So, yeah, I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to see what this guy had to say to me.

After I approached and braced myself to be insulted, my new friend surprised me. He simply said, “I was just wondering how long it takes to get your hair like that”. You could have knocked me over with a feather! With a happy and huge sigh of relief, I began to tell him about my trips to the salon and the hair style that took over seven hours to complete. He told me he didn’t think he could ever sit in a salon for that long and I talked about how much I enjoy it – especially all the girl talk! He made the “chit chat” gesture with his hands and we both had a laugh. After our encounter, we said our well wishes and parted ways with a smile on each of our faces.

As I thought about my talk with this stranger, I realized that I completely misjudged him and I deeply regret that. In that moment, I was no better than the people who made it a point to let me know their mean comments without knowing anything about me. I was one hundred percent prepared to have been talked down to and, instead, we ended up sharing a laugh. The age old saying “never judge a book by its cover” is such a cliche but it really is the truth. I judged without any reason to think otherwise and my original thoughts were dead wrong. This encounter taught me to be better at keeping this cliche at the forefront of my mind and challenged me to do more than make a snap decision at a glance. I am so very glad for this reminder!

After this Pleasant Surprise, my sense of impending doom when an elderly person calls me near has certainly diminished. I have come to expect hurtful comments and everyone will always have something to say – positive or negative. However, now I will be better at approaching these conversations with a smile, come what may.

Has someone made your day recently? What is something that pleasantly surprised you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

Sweet Surprises: Halloween Decor Galore Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Halloween Decor Galore Edition

Hello!! Whenever Johnny and I are running errands, we like to pick up little tokens of affection if we see something that reminds us of each other. It could be a new record, a book, or even a candy bar to share for dessert. Whatever it is, it’s always exciting to return home and say that we have a surprise. This past week, Johnny stopped at Marc’s which is a discount grocery store in our neck of the woods. He had a few odds and ends to pick up as well as this silly little something that was hanging up at my work station once I got home:

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As soon as I saw this wine related sign on my computer chair, I couldn’t stop laughing because I knew exactly why Johnny got it. Yes, I do love wine lol. However, the deeper meaning behind it is a nod to one of our favorite Saturday Night Live skits. Long story short, a family is celebrating a special occasion. The children and husband present the mom with wooden signs that have phrases on them. Think “Live, Laugh, Love”. As she continues to open the presents, the phrases get more and more ridiculous. For example, a sign about wine devolves into “I’m a mess and love drinking alone”. We are constantly quoting these segments and Johnny was so pleased to have found something similar and for only a dollar to boot!

This truly goes to show that it doesn’t matter how much you spend on anything, rather it’s the thought behind it. For one dollar, Johnny found spooky decor that reflected one of our running inside jokes and makes me smile every time I see it. My husband was chomping at the bit for me to get home and placed it in a prime position for maximum effect. He knows my routine of going right to the computer after work and had it waiting just for me. As far as I’m concerned, this Sweet Surprise was worth a million bucks because it made me feel like it. I am the luckiest gal. ❤

I didn’t need wine to focus on writing this post, but I sure appreciate the sentiment anyways. Shout out to Johnny for always being the absolute best!

Do you have any signs with funny phrases at home? What is your favorite Saturday Night Live skit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun17

Bonus Birthday Surprises

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Bonus Birthday Surprises

Howdy!! I turned the dirty thirty on June seventh and had the most wonderful time celebrating. The beauty of birthdays is that you can prolong the festivities and I definitely do. With insanely busy schedules between myself, my family, and friends some of the hangouts have had to wait and I am eagerly awaiting them! Although some get togethers are on the back burner, I have still been treated to lots of birthday love, especially from my work family. It is so nice to be thought of and I adore these sweet surprises:

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During the work week, I run on sheer willpower and lots and lots of caffeine lol. You can almost always catch me with hot or iced coffee or a Diet Coke and my work fam knows this, which inspired my Stanley Cup gift. Yes, the super viral Stanley Cup! I will be honest with all of you, when these tumblers blew up the internet, I had zero interest in buying one. I have plenty of to go mugs and they have always served me well. However, now that I have this lovely sea foam green Stanley, I can’t believe I didn’t get one sooner. It is the bee’s knees! This cup keeps my drinks either piping hot or icy cold and you just can’t beat it. I also couldn’t have gotten it at a better time because it is officially summer weather and it’s so nice to have a tumbler that keeps my water cold all day. Highly recommend!

And, of course, it wouldn’t be a birthday without some sweet treats. I am not a huge candy fan, but one of my favorite families made a guess at what I would like and they were actually spot on. My Johnny freaking LOVES Mike and Ikes and was simply thrilled when I tossed him the candy box upon my return home from work. I am much more of a chocolate girl than chewy or fruity candy so the peanut M&Ms will pull through in the clutch when my sweet tooth acts up on the rare occasion. Normally when this happens, I have nothing in the apartment to staunch my cravings. Not anymore. 😀

Between the birthday greetings and gifts, I have felt so loved and appreciated and this is the best of all. The fact that people took time out of their day to do something just for me really does mean the world. Turning thirty wasn’t so bad after all… I guess! 😉

Do you have a Stanley Cup? What is your favorite candy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun11

Sweet Surprises: Birthday Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Birthday Edition

Hi! This past Friday, I celebrated my thirtieth birthday and had the most wonderful time. I felt so loved and spoiled and that definitely helped cushion the blow of entering into a new decade. On Friday, Johnny stopped at his parents’ house after work to pick up the remainder of his birthday gifts from me – a new record player. He returned home with his prezzie and a sweet little something from my beloved in laws for my big day. As always, the gifts from Johnny’s parents are so thoughtful, lovely, and totally perfect for me. Check it out:

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Johnny’s mom loves to shop at the cool little boutiques that are in the greater Akron area. It makes gift giving occasions really exciting because I don’t shop at those stores so everything is something I haven’t seen before. Like the gorgeous silver earrings, for example. My mother-in-law knows that I am all about pretty things with an edge and my new jewelry is that description to the T. The flower stud that goes into dagger blades is *chef’s kiss* and fits me so well. I have several pairs of dagger earrings, which I am most fond of. These will fit in beautifully with my collection and I can’t wait to wear them!

I was also gifted with a gift card to the Cashmere Cricket and that is just the sweetest. The Cashmere Cricket is the most charming martini bar and is both mine and Johnny’s favorite. It also happens to be where we had our first date and went to celebrate after we got engaged. Needless to say, the Cricket is very special to us both. During the summertime, Johnny and I love to go have a drink or two on the balcony at the Cashmere Cricket. It is decked out in fairy lights and an ideal spot for an evening date. This gift card will definitely come in handy for drinks and dinner too. Not only are the martinis the best I ever had, but their food is literally to die for. I see a date night in my future, for sure. ❤

The best gift of all is feeling like a true daughter to Johnny’s parents. I love them both so much and am really looking forward to our belated birthaversary celebrations together!

Where did you and your partner have your first date? Do you still like to go there together? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah