Valentines Day and our wedding video

I know that this is a little late, flying really can screw up my days and when I plan on blogging. I have realized that I can not load photos from my phone straight to my blog and I have this weird new layout I am not sure I like... trying to get this all under control so I can be a little more on top of things!

Anyways, hope everyone had a great Valentines Day. I'm not particularly a fan of this day because I feel like you should never be told to express you love at certain times and instead do it on spontaneous occasions. However, since it was our first Valentines day as wife and hubby I figured I could get very cute about it.

On Valentines Day I was scheduled to fly until 9pm that evening. Geoff got home from his trip late on the night of the 13th. So in Valentines Day fashion, I decorated the apartment for him (I didn't want him to come home to nothing since I was gone!). Opening the door he was surrounded by cut out hearts and blown up pink balloons (which are still be kicked and thrown around our apartment... hehe). The next day we celebrated the day with homemade chocolate fondue. lots of fruit and brownie bits... yum!

I thought I did a real good job surprising the hubs for the holiday but someone else had a surprise for both of us!
Our wedding video was finished and loaded for us to watch.

I can not for the life of me figure out how to get this video onto my blog. If you would like to see our wedding video that Geoff's talented and available (he is in Toronto, CA) cousin compiled for us... you can click- HERE! (it's amazing... if you have friends getting married I can pass along his info!)


Megan and Geoffrey | Pine Knob Carriage House, MI from Ramon Cespedes on Vimeo.

(ok, figured it out... haha, thank you Jess!)
After I stopped crying tears of joy from remembering our lovely wedding, I fixed my makeup and worked my flights counting down the minutes until I was home.

How do you feel about Valentines Day and what did you do?

11 Things

Ok, so it's been a while since I have done some random facts about myself but I was tagged from Brittney's blog and must keep it going. :) I will try and keep them interesting- welcome to my life!

-I have 3 major fears and I have attempted to conquer two of them. 1. Heights (I went skydiving twice)
2. Needles (Got a tatoo) 3. Peeping Tom's. (don't judge and please don't come looking in my window trying to cure me... I think I would have a heart attack- so so scary!)

-I was never one of those girls dreaming about her wedding day (until I got engaged that is) I was always dreaming about my honeymoon... Now we are planning it and I can NOT wait!!!  (However, my wedding day was the BEST day of my life... no joke!!! it was freaking perfect)

-My FAVorite movie is Amelie (subtitles and all) followed by silly movies- Wedding Singer, Waiting for Guffman, A mighty Wind and Best in Show... and also some to make you think- Inception, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and of course The Lion King.

-Speaking of The Lion King, I sleep each night with a stuffed Simba. Yes, I am married and my husband hates it but I told him it's me and simba or nothing at all... :)

-I love !'s. Seriously. I have an addiction! I'm a pretty excited and happy person and I think I just want to make sure and get my excitement through my typing... you understand me right!?!?!

-I am addicted to coffee... no lie. I love the stuff! Two cups in the morning is my normal routine. The first is to get me awake and the second is to enjoy. It can get cold... I'm ok with that but it has to be good quality coffee. (In the age old debate of Starbucks vs. Dunkin- I am admitting I am a Starbucks girl all the way!!! Ahem... I worked there in college and the coffee rocks! If you don't believe me go buy a pound of Guatemala Antigua)

-I hate moving and guess what- since 2000 I have moved at least once a year... That's 11 years of moving. Yuck!!!ive lived in Texas, Cincinnati Ohio, Columbus Ohio, Florence Kentucky, Sydney Australia, Queens New York, Detroit Michigan and now In New Hampshire.

-I was vegetarian for about a year and half in college. It wasn't hard... I decided I wasn't going to eat meat/fish until I craved it. (I was having horrible stomach aches and not eating meat helped them to go away). One day I wanted buffalo wings and that was the end of that. I still like to have meatless days about once a week.

-I talk alot... and sometimes I ramble. Have you picked up on that yet?

- I love to write. That is partly why I started a blog in college... just to get the words floating in my head out there. In elementary school my friends and I started a book. It's a thriller... still working on finishing it though. haha.

-I wake up each day so happy about where my life has gone and so excited about where it is heading in the future... I can't wait to see what other adventures life takes me on. :)

here are her questions!
1.  What's your favorite kind of shampoo?
I guess I would have to say Herbal Essence's because it just smells so darn good...


2.  What activities did you participate in in high school (sports, clubs)?
My main activites in high school were dance and my youth group. My dance team was a competition team and my senior year we won State and got the gold medal. :)  


3.  What's the worst injury you've ever had?
I've only really had two big things in my life. Jaw surgery and skin cancer. Both I knew were going to happen. 

4.  What celebrity do you most resemble?
In college I had short hair with blonde high lights and a LOT of people told me I resembled Drew Barrymore. I worked at the front desk of my dorm and a lot of people either called me Drew or Baby Hands (yes my hands are freakishly small).

5.  If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?
I have been really wishing that we could own a house right now. I'm 30, newly married and finally feeling settled with work. For the first time I am ready to put down some roots and I find myself not wanting to spend too much money on our apartment right now because I am envisioning making improvements on a house. However, I wouldn't want to wish away this time right now because I know it will make us appreciate it all the more when we do finally purchase something. 

6.  Which of your parents are you more like?
BOTH! I am a total mix of the two. A lot of people would say my mom from the outside but I relate to my dad tons. 

7.  Are you close with your siblings?
I have one brother and yes I would call us close. We don't live in the same city(he's in KY and I'm now in NH) but I love to see him whenever we are both home. 

8.  What snack do get when you go to the movies?
I usually don't get snacks at the movie but I bring sour straws with me. It's the only time I eat them and I love them... a movie just isn't the same without them. :) 

9.  What's your current favorite song?
I've been listening to a lot of music from college lately like the Killers and Coldplay. 

10.  What's something you struggle with?
Feeling guilty when I am not doing something productive or exciting. I think it's the modern day world of blogging and facebook... it seems like everyone is doing incredible things ALL the time... I feel like I constantly need to keep up. I struggle with letting myself relax, have "Megan time" And being okay with it. 

11.  Can you play any instruments?
Not really. I played the flute in elementary school but quit because it was hard for me to reach all the keys... again... baby hands over here. 


Ok so now I am supposed to tag 11 ppl to do this... but I am going to be lame and just say that ANYONE reading this blog can consider themselves tagged. If you do go ahead and do this as well (please I love getting to know you... ) just leave me a message in the comments so I can go and read about you. Tell us 11 random facts about and then here are your questions to answer... 


1. What is your favorite hobby right now?
2. Name your top travel destination you would love to visit.
3. What is your biggest fear? 
4. What is your favorite thing to cook or bake?
5. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
6. What is one thing you could not live without? 
7. Favorite family vacation memory
8. What is the silliest thing you have ever done?
9. What is your favorite game to play?
10. Best book you have ever read?
11. What would you like to accomplish most this year?

Instagram and Waffles

Are you all on Instagram? I am... for some reason I love it. Feel free to follow me... Friendlyskys!

We got a Belgium Waffle Maker for Christmas from my mom and dad. It's the fancy kind where you turn it and it beeps at you when it's done... the Waffles are so so good!!! It's hard not to break it out every morning when we are home.

What was your favorite Christmas gift this year?

Project 52

I saw this on another blog (whatkellysaid) and thought it would be really really fun to do. I am a total list maker... ahem, addict. It's something about the way my brain works... I need to have goals to finish or I will spend a whole hour or day doing nothing at all. I tried something like this before but kinda fell out of it after a few months. With Project 52, any task that is not completed my the end of the year you donate $5 to your favorite charity. Awesome! I'm going to say it right now that since my Aunt and one of my best friends Mom's are fighting with Breast Cancer right now... that is where my $ will be going. :) (unless I finish them all which in that case I will donate to celebrate!)

So... here I go!

1. Put away money each month first before paying bills or having fun!

2. Finish super organizing the apartment.

3. Get rid of all the "stuff" we just dont know what to do with.

4. Find a church here in NH.

5. Be better about praying.

6. Go on a roadtrip to Montreal.

7. Go to Iceland in April (planning- really hope this one works out)

8. Research Bali for our honeymoon in May- book flights and hotels

9. Enjoy our Honeymoon and appreciate our time together.

10. Snag another San Francisco overnight and go to Alcatraz

11. Be better remembering people's birthdays.

12. Help plan a Brown family vacation this year (most likely visiting me!)

13. Cook at least one new recipe a month.

14. Bake at least one new treat a month.

15. Find a dentist and new dermatologist here in NH.

16. Hike in the mountains

17. Take more photos with my camera

18. Pick a race to run in 2012 and do it. :)

19. Try at least 5 different classes at my gym

20. Go to one sporting event here in NH or Boston

21. Head to yoga at Least twice a month.

22. Make a plan of action for buying a house in the future.

23. Head to Ohio for a long weekend with friends and family

24. Explore Portsmouth, NH

25. Go on the Sam Adam's Brewery tour in Boston

26. paint my nails more often.

27. Buy myself fresh flowers more often.

28. Be kinder to myself and not get so disappointed when I'm not perfect.

29. Update my website for my photo business and add more sessions to it.

30. Bake a bomb ass cake for Geoff's birthday in Feb.

31. Plan a ski day in NH

32. Volunteer at least once this year.

33. Hang out with someone new/ make new friends in my new area.

34. Get into good enough shape where I feel great in a bikini

35. Cut down on my sugar intake

36. Do something fun for our first anniversary

37. Be more tolerable of people at work (even when they are rude)

38. Get old junk out of closet in my parents house.

39. Study more photography.

40. Eat more veggies on the road

41. Be better about calling friends more often!!! Don't let life get in the way.

42. Be more social.

43. Read at least 6 books this year, 2 classics.

44. Do not impulse buy as much. (Esp at Target)

45. Remember to take my vitamins

46. Get a massage

47. Make wedding photo books for the Mom's as a Thank you.

48. Overhaul my photo back ups and get everything organized.

49. Finish changing my last name on everything.

50. Getting my wedding dress cleaned and preserved. should have done this already! yikes.

51. Get outside more often!

52. Donate $5 for every item not completed!

Feel free to join in the fun and link up your list along with your comment. :)

Honeymoon Help and New Years Grooving....

  Hi everyone!!! I need some help please...

  G and I were originally going to jet over to Greece for our delayed honeymoon in the spring. I've been day dreaming and researching for it ever since the wedding and move. We even bid for and were awarded vacation time off in May... and then our friend announced that he was engaged and getting married in South Korea in May- Sweet!!! So... our plans have changed a little. We figured that if we were going to head all that way over to Korea, we might as well enjoy the other side of the world for a bit. Our plans are now to head from Korea to BALI for our honeymoon. I am asking for anyone who has been, knows anyone who has been or knows anything at all of what we should do, where to stay, etc. please speak up! I want all and any suggestions!!! :) Please feel free to share this with anyone who might know anything that I should know!!! I only get a Honeymoon once so I really want to have some ideas for this vacation instead of winging it like we always do!

  Besides scrambling to plan our big trip- I have taken some time with the new year to evaluate my life and where I want things to go for the next 10 years. This past year was consumed with new jobs, new cities, surgery and wedding so I kinda put everything else on the back burner. Now that we are getting settled in, I'm trying to get my life groove back on track. Bear with me while I make some adjustments and I'll be back to blogging in no time!

My Birthday and Christmas!!! :)

Since we took that mini vacation at the beginning of December to Aruba... it's been non stop flying, holidays and more flying....So to catch up before my three flights today I thought I would recap my birthday and Christmas this year. :)

I was lucky enough to get one of the last lines this month for work. Originally on my birthday I was supposed to work an Aruba turn but a friend of mine was nice enough to pick it up for me. I ended a trip on the 23rd and came home to these pretty flowers left for me!

Geoff landed from his trip around 1pm so I picked him up and we headed to the North End for an early dinner/late lunch. We went to Neptune Oyster- we heard that the lobster roll (hot) was to die for and it definitely did not disappoint! We got this crazy platter to split full of huge shrimp, oysters, clams and more.

Our next stop was at Mike's Pastry's down the road for some birthday cannoli's!!! Yum! This place is pretty well  known, there is always a line and they have so many flavors.

It was pretty cold outside so we headed to Starbucks to get my free birthday latte and enjoy some desert!

The North End is very pretty to walk around and we hit it right at my favorite time of day... the light outside is so so pretty!

We headed back home stuffed full of food, drinks and desert to open some birthday presents! I got some pretty fun things but the kicker was Geoff got me an IPAD! woo hoo!!! 

Christmas morning we woke up, made coffee and  heated up the fruit strada I made.

My family had sent us all our presents in the mail since they knew we weren't going to make it to Cincinnati this year (which was kinda weird!). We turned on the computer and Skyped with them while we all opened the large gifts from each other. Then we Skpyed with Geoff's family in  Canada.

We hung out in the afternoon and had shrimp cocktail which is something we ALWAYS have on Christmas until I started cooking our first big Christmas dinner as a family. :)

We had ham, my mom's fabulous potatoes and Brussels Spouts (recipe from Daily Garnish) with a Maple Pear Pie to follow. It turned out amazing. :) Since I'm usually with my parents on Christmas... it was my first time to be in charge of dinner and I was so happy with it's success!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are ready for a Happy New Years tonight! I'll be landing in Fort Lauderdale around 11pm so I will be hopefully celebrating with a glass of wine with my crew when we user in 2012. Stay safe! :)

30 things at 30- yes it was my Birthday!!!

Merry Christmas everyone... oh and happy birthday to me! I'm 30 today- yesterday was my birthday... (I can't believe it but I think it is super duper exciting!!!)

So back in the days of college when I had a different blog (yes I have been blogging that long... don't judge) and I turned 25 I made a list of the top 25 experiences of my life and listed them. Looking at that list made me proud and so excited to think of what would be on my list as I got older. (Much better than freaking out at my age... right!?!?)

So as I turn the big 3-0 I decided to do this again! Here is my personal list of my most proud moments and happiest times in my life. :)

1. Marry my best friend and become our own little family!
2. Climbing mount Sinai in Egypt, watching the sun rise and seeing the Burning Bush.
3. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef in Australia with all the fish!
4. Running my first Marathon- the Flying Pig in Cincinnati.
5. Walking along the Great Wall in China with my Bestie Courtney
6. Graduate college at The Ohio State University
7. Get my wings at my first and second airline. :)
8. Having a beer at the Hofbrahaus with my Mom, Dad and brother in Germany.
9. Shoot my first, second and third wedding.
10. Go on a Chrysalis weekend in high school.
11. Cheer on my Buckeyes as the won the National Championship Game in the stadium
12. Go on a Mission trip every year in junior high and high school with my friends to help the less fortunate.
13. Live in New York City for a year (and survive) :)
14. Walking around San Marco in Venice and almost get attacked by the birds
15. Climbing a Glacier in New Zealand
16. Get engaged at The Peak in Hong Kong overlooking the beautiful skyline
17. Skydive twice- first in Sydney, Australia and second in Queenstown, New Zealand
18. Climb the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia
19. Planning and having my final Photography Show of my artwork during my Senior year of college
20. Paris- the cafes, the sparkling Eiffle Tower, Notre Dame, Amelie's cafe, the crepes...
21. Exploring Barcelona, drinking Sangria and eating Tapas.
22. Swim with Sea Turtles in Mexico on a mother/daughter trip.
23. Riding the double decker bus in London.
24. Graduate High School from Walnut Hills in Cincinnati.
25. Watching the sunset in Fiji and sitting on the beach under the stars singing to Bob Marly.
26. Climb the Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia
27. Win State my senior year with my Dance Team, Center Stage
28. Realize over and over what great and supportive friends I have when we get together on vacations and nights or in.
29. Dancing with my Dad at my wedding (my dad does not dance and took dance lessons for me).
30. Starting my 30's healthy, happily married and excited for the future.

I am so lucky to have great friends, a wonderful husband, a job I love and the ability to travel. As I turn a year older- I have nothing but excitement as for what this next year will hold in store for me! :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! May your day be truly wonderful. :)