weekend of surprises

I can't remember the last time I had back to back surprise birthday parties for friends, let alone celebrating three birthdays in one weekend. But, apparently December was a popular month for the parents to get busy to have August babies.

Friday kicked off with my late entrance to my friend's husband surprise 30th Indians game. Erin (the best friend a girl could ask for) arranged over 25 friends to come to the game to surprise her husband. People kept walking into the bar - Surprise!

Surprise! Brian is 30!

Erin, the best party planner

Surprise #2 was held at Lopez in Cleveland Heights for my friend Shawn. Her BF said they were meeting there for dinner and she walked in to about 15 people yelling "Surprise!" I missed the picture but the pure shock on her face lasted pretty much the whole night, even when they brought out the cake to end all cakes.

Surprise!

Doesn't it look delicious? Red velvet inside

Sunday started off low key with a brunch with a group of friends. I'm so happy we opted out of going out and held a little impromptu brunch at her house where we were able to hang out with her adorable twins.

The spread - strata, monkey bread, fruit, donuts and mimosas

Now this is a tutu

Me, the baby whisperer, she is out cold

Lastly, this weekend ended with my little brother's (while not that little anymore) 27th birthday dinner at Market Garden Brewery where I didn't snap one damn photo! Oh well, here's to a busy week!

busy with a capital B

So I don't have this crazy and wild weekend of activities to share but I do have one hell of a busy week ahead of me. As usual, I enjoyed the ridiculously hot weather outside and then had dinner at Ballantine with friends and saw Horrible Bosses. Ever since the BF saw previews and the extended trailer, I knew this would be the next movie we saw even though I'm all about Ryan Gosling and his abs in Crazy Stupid Love. Oh my god - I can't wait.

I was mentally preparing myself for what will be a hectic and loonnnnng (but very exciting) week. On Tuesday, I head to Britney Spears to basically listen to her album played through the Q's sound system where she will dance and lipsynch her way through my favorite pop songs.

Complete with screened t-shirts for the Circus tour

Post concert, I'm meeting up with high school friends who I haven't seen in months and some who I haven't seen in a year, but I'll take the lack of sleep anytime to hang out with this group of friends.

On Wednesday, I'll be back at the Q with Michelle and Suzanne to dance our asses off to New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, but I think we all agree we are more pumped to hear Step by Step and Hangin' Tough. (Although, seriously I will sing at the top of my lungs to I Want it That Way any time. You want to karaoke - I'm there.)     

Oh Joey McIntyre circa 2008

Group shot

By Thursday, I'll be sleep deprived and possibly deaf from the loud music but I'll have to rally together to take my brother for dinner after he completed his bar exam. Two days and 12 hours of testing later, I think he deserves a dinner out, don't you?

Good luck, Greg!

And, it will be the weekend before I know it. Here's to a full week!                                                                                

sun hangover part II

Even though it was a bizillion degrees out this weekend, I managed to be out and about Friday through Sunday which may or may have not had to do with a hose and a beach chair during the super hot hours.

For us Clevelanders, we have this amazing little comedy club on East 4th that I always forget about for some reason - Hilarities. The last time I was here was for my 24th surprise birthday to see Rocky Laporte. Um, yes, that was four years ago - it's been too long.

yeah pink boas and surprises circa 2008

A group of 12 or so decided to see Frank Caliendo after a long week. I only remember him as the impression guy and the BF wasn't sure how he would be in person but he was hilarious! (He wore KSU gear too.) He did everything from Bush to Obama to Charles Barkley to Morgan Freeman. (Just thinking about his impression of Charles Barkley makes me laugh now.) Seriously, how the eff does he do some of those voices?! After checking out the lineup for the months to come, I'm going to talk everyone to coming back to see John Caparulo (the guy who wears KSU stuff on Chelsea Lately - Go KSU!) and for this murder mystery show they have through the end of August. I've alllllwwaaays wanted to go to one of things. Remember the Saved the by the Bell episode? Yeah, that's my only reference to a murder mystery other than Clue.

After our Veggie U trip, I traveled down to Tremont with Christina and her adorable sun to brave the humidity in the name of food.

I'm sweaty just looking at the kid with long sleeves and jeans.

We hit up Lolita, Bac and Dim and Den Sum before we called it quits. We only lasted 1.5 hours but it was a great end to a fabulous weekend. Now, what to do this coming weekend? I do believe a pool is in order.

summa summa time

This weekend finally felt like it took the right amount of time because normally I find my weekends flying by between cookouts, parties and pool days. For once, I had to remember what we did on Friday night, which isn't a bad thing at all.

Friday night we were acting 10 years older than we actually are and had a drinking game night with friends where I kicked some serious a** at mexican dominos. It's all about the domino that you start your train with my friends....

the game that brings grown men to tears

strategizing with a baby and a beer

A few of my friends joined me at Made in the 216 held at the new Dredger's Union on E.4th but not before brunch at Vine & Bean in Shaker as a way to kick start our Saturday with omelettes, biscuits and coffee. Because nothing says breaking your diet like the biscuits with gravy but it is so damn good!

After seeing all the checkins from my fellow bloggers, I was dying to see the new store and check out what the private label looked like. From the tailored shirts and dresses I saw, ranged from $60 to $90 but fit really nice and I was sooooo close to buying a shirt but I stopped myself. It had my name written all over it so I'm hoping they have it available later this month.

Lia checking out the jewelry

My purchase

amazing candles displayed on a piece of furniture we all want

not your grandmother's apron

Sunday funday was lazy which included a car wash and laying out while reading the second book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Editor's note: I can't put those books down. We finished up the night by taking a ride to Chagrin Falls to wait in line for Jeni's Ice cream - it was jamming down there for a Sunday night complete with a kid rock band, lots of bikers and dogs.

Monday - Bring it on.

puppy love

I really need to restart my blogging again. I've only been posting once a week for the past few weeks but staying busy, bopping around all over Cleveland.

This past weekend, we celebrated with our friends as two of them got married over the holiday weekend. The crazy storm that hit Cleveland held off until the reception was well under way.

Yay for Chris and Kelly!

The rest of the weekend was filled with a cookout, fireworks and the most adorable dog that I want to steal from my friend Danielle.

Meet Mira, the cutest bulldog.

While I love both cats and dogs, the BF is extremely allergic to both animals but this little puppy makes me want to give him some shots and pick up a puppy of my own.

Mira is one of the girls - she's the best and agrees with whatever decision you make.

You want ice cream? She's game and won't complain about the extra calories.

she's a fan of vanilla

Feel like laying out? She'll join and jump in the pool with you and then chill out on a towel if you want to sunbathe.

She will even hang out to see fireworks and only mildly shakes as she experiences loud noises for the first time.

Even though Mira bites my ankles and hands on a regular basis and doesn't listen to me, I will gladly take her off my friend's hands if needs me to puppysit or own Mira for life. Don't you want to go get a puppy now?

the bambinas have arrived

This past Friday, I was taking some PTO in the afternoon to lay poolside with a very pregnant friend. In the morning I got a call from Lia, my very pregnant friend, to let me know that the weather looks like we wouldn't be laying out. Damn the weather I said. She then informed me that not only was the weather the problem but that she was being sent to the hospital to possibly deliver the twins.

"They aren't coming," Lia said. I agreed - probably just a false alarm I thought. "True, your kids aren't about to show up early to any party."

After not hearing anything all day, I get a text saying "C section is being done tonight!! Don't put it on FB please." (She knows me too well.)

The girls are officially two days old so I did what I said I wouldn't do and showed up to the hospital with another friend who NEVER goes to the hospital. We both don't want to be those people inviting ourselves up to visit with our friends who haven't slept in a few days and are new parents.

Baby Olivia Marie

Baby Gabriella Rose

celebratory cakes

Everyone is doing fabulous, even though my friends describes herself as "cut in f'ing half," and the girls will be home with their parents in no time. Because they were little, I was nervous to hold them - I feel like the babies need to be a little older until I hold them. Weird, I know, but I'm nervous! They are so damn tiny and fragile! But, I can't wait to visit them all the time, buy them ridiculous outfits, headbands and shoes because that's what pseudo aunts are for!

weekend warrior

Since Friday afternoon, I have driven all over northeast ohio and have the mileage to prove it. 584 miles from Friday morning through Sunday night.

584 miles at $4.08 a gallon.

If you follow me on FourSquare or Twitter, you probably wondered where the hell I was going because I was bouncing from Milan, Ohio, for a work event to Youngstown for the BF's brother's wedding, back to Cleveland to sleep Saturday night then headed allllll the way to Ada for my brother's law school graduation and even made to a Legacy Village shopping event with some blogger friends. (More on that later.)

I can't wait to crawl into my bed tonight and watch Desperate Housewives. (Yes, I'm still one of the few that watches and laughs out loud and Gaby and her crazy antics.)

The bride and groom

Ohio Northern Commencement

My brother not taking his hard-earned hood off

While tons of people took pictures at the wedding and at the graduation, I unfortunately did not but I assure you I was there at both.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go lay in bed and prepare for what will probably be a busy work day tomorrow.

memory lapse

Over the last weekend, I've come up with some hilarious ideas for blog posts with the help of friends and have forgotten all but one. (It involves a future mother-in-law creating a baby room for an unborn baby to an unmarried couple complete with clothes, dolls and painted it pink. No plans of a baby, not engaged but the woman has already started a room. I couldn't make this up if I tried.)
 
Anyway, I really need to start writing this stuff down or start the posts but keep them as drafts so I can remember to finish my thoughts. With my handy dandy iPhone, I have capabilities to keep notes and I keep them for everything else - grocery lists, book lists, spring fashion must haves (seriously, I do) complete with Lucky recommendations of skin care products to try. However, I never manage to jot ideas down but I really need to start doing this - all these brilliant ideas escaping my brain.

Besides forgetting future posts, we dined with friends on Friday night in Cleveland Heights at Dewey's Pizza, got take out from Peppermint on Saturday and spent Sunday Easter dinner with my family at Crop before it moves to Ohio City at the end of the month. We were all over the place with our food choices this weekend but I did manage to get two solid workouts. It's almost bikini season after all and some serious lbs need to shed off this body.

Here's to another exciting week in Cleveland with 60 degree weather and showers everyday. BUT, I'll take the 60 degree weather - beggars can't be choosers after all right?

yard decorations

To end this weekend in our sweet 81 degrees we experienced in Cleveland all Sunday, the BF and I took a walk through the neighborhood. It's been forever since I've had a on tank top and shorts so I was all about being outside as much as possible today.

We live in suburbia. Granted, it's right by a few kick ass shopping malls on the east side and a hop, jump and skip from other Cleveland neighborhoods, it's still suburbia. On our walk, I've never noticed how many people celebrate Easter in their front yards - it's like an easter basket on their freaking lawn.

Growing up, I remember my mom decorating with easter egg clings on the windows and baskets in our house. That's it. Plain and simple. Easter is like the spring Christmas when it comes to decorations now. It's no longer just window clings. There are colored lights, giant easter eggs, rabbit statues and inflatable flipping rabbits.

Inflatable rabbits!

Some rabbits even inside a basket surrounded with eggs. All lit up

It's incredible.

If I would've had my iPhone, I would've had pictures to show of these awesomely hilarious decorations but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Love it or hate it?

it's raining showers and mad men

My weekend has consisted of two things - showers and Mad Men. I couldn't get any more exciting I know.

Saturday afternoon I ventured to Youngstown for the boyfriend's future sister-in-law's wedding shower and then headed to a baby shower on Sunday for a college friend on the east side.

Cherry Blossom bridal shower

presents galore

Quickest gift opening ever!

While my day job is at an advertising agency, I somehow have never seen a complete episode of the show. Everybody talks about it all the time. The BF and I started watching the first season on Saturday night and are now even watching it now as I type this on Sunday night. I can't get enough of it.

Observations:
Could they smoke anymore?
I think the smoke is coming through the TV.
I feel like I'm getting lung cancer just watching this show.
I would've been fired on my first day if I were Peggy for throwing a punch or a middle finger at one of the male AEs.
Thank God I wasn't born until the 80s.

dark ride - a lexus event

"I like my beats fast and my bass down low."

I've been singing this over and over since Dev's performance last night at the Dark Ride event at Playhouse Square. What an amazing time! I headed over to the event with the plum herself, Sean and a bunch of our friends to the event where we quickly found CLEshopalic and Alana before heading to the stage for the performances.

The place was completely transformed with dancers, colored lights with Absolut bars in every corner and looked completely different from the Jump Back Ball last month. The party was ushered onto the stage where DJ Flaco spun while the Cavs dancers rocked out and then Dev took the stage followed by Jay Sean, who has a hot British accent.

love the chandeliers

with my friends (doesn't the middle one look like Kim K.?)

Loved Dev's performance

Jay Sean with DJ Flaco

Erin in the car we both want but can't afford just yet

Thank you to Playhouse Square and Lexus for putting on this party again and extending the invitation to me.


Disclosure: As a blogger, I was given tickets to attend this fabulous event and brought my friends to accompany me. And, they are incredibly thankful as well.

friday night movie night

Let's get to the point of this post right away.

We were the old people at the movie this past weekend.

There, I said it. I'm 28 years old and I was the "old people."

Have you ever gone to a movie and been warned that there are "a lot of kids in the theater?" Yeah, me neither.

Let's rewind back to Friday night. The BF, me and another couple grab dinner together and my friend recommended we see "The Roommate." Now, we both love Blair Waldorf so of course we would want to see this psycho thriller.

The line to purchase tickets is way too long when we get to the theater. I hop on my handy dandy Fandango app to buy them, bypassing the first ticket window. As we take our tickets to enter the theater, the ticket taker warns, "Just so you are aware, there a lot of kids in the theater. Your theater is to the left."

Me:  Shrugging her comment off, "Well, it's opening weekend for this movie I think."

As we approached the left side, we hand our tickets to ticket taker #2 and she says, "Just wanted to warn you there's a lot of kids in the theater. If it gets rowdy, come and get us."

Me: Look strangely at the BF and wonder aloud, "Should we switch movies?"

Let's just say us plus one other couple, who we sat next to who also pointed out we picked the wrong movie, were over the age of 17.

Hands down, everyone in that theater was a minor. They were minors ready to party. It was quite possibly the rowdiest movie I've ever sat through. This coming from a girl who has seen Twilight movies at midnight so picture more yelling and clapping then when Jacob takes off shirt in New Moon.(Yes, that much.)

The movie that was supposed to be a psycho thriller became more and more hilarious with every supposed scary scene with Leighton Meester. How can I take the movie seriously when the kid behind me was yelling "Follow me on Twitter at lilheezy73!"

Ahhh, back to the work week.

crossing off my checklist

So February is the shortest month in the year and this one will fly by for me. We have plans every weekend including a bachelorette party, wedding and then the Jump Back Ball to close out out the month.

This weekend the BF and my parents met for the third time when my parents invited them over for a post-holiday dinner at their house. It was relatively low-key with a great dinner and lots of wine flowing throughout Saturday night.

If you’ve been over since we bought the house, you know we haven’t done squat as far as decorating. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. It's been on my list of to do's and has continually been pushed down to the bottom of the list.

I’ve been scanning catalogs, spending time in Crate & Barrel and Restoration Hardware getting ideas for how I want to decorate it. I needed to live in the house a little bit before running out and buying everything for each room. Some people think that’s backward but that’s what we’ve done. The BF said he didn’t care what I picked out so with the help of a friend, we picked out everything from bedding to lamps to curtains.



Sheets are a whole other topic. How the eff are sheets so expensive? And, no surprise here, I somehow pick out the $200 sheets because I see 1000 thread count. (I didn’t buy them because I’m determined to find a better deal for 600 count sheets before Friday when the mattress is delivered.)

We picked out paint and the BF started painted the bedroom. Here’s a half finished look at the baby blue it was and now the calm and serene grey you can see now.

It's grey but looks brown here

bedding and accessories

With this weekend past, we almost knocked out one room and it will be fully completed by Friday evening.

Now we only have four other rooms to paint and three more to decorate and make some changes to like the kitchen.

Ahhhhh, home ownership at its finest.

oh, TRL, how I miss you

To avoid trudging around NYC in snow (and avoiding a majorly delayed flight), my friend and I pushed back our trip a few weeks.

I didn't end up seeing how much snow NYC received but I did know that  I wasn't interested in spending any more time than necessary inside of LGA or any airport for that matter. So, let's hope in a few weeks there aren't any snow storm threats from Cleveland to NYC.

Instead of living it up in NY, I got back on the workout wagon and spent hours inside of at least five T.J. Maxx's and Marshall's looking for artwork and bedding. I found one I loved at Restoration Hardware and then on West Elm but I don't want a duvet - I want a big, comfy hotel-like comforter.

Anyway, the boys had their night out, which wasn't getting canceled the BF informed me on Friday just because we weren't going to NYC. Oh, you better believe boys night happened!

But that's beside the point. Let's get to the important things this Monday. Let's talk about B. Spears new single - Hold It Against me.If you have Palladia, they've been playing the Lady Gaga and Britney Spears takeover the couple of weeks. That's 4-6 hours straight of Gaga and Britney. When I was off over Christmas, I owned the TV singing at the top of my lungs to every song. Oh, how it brought me back to TRL and my sophomore year of high school.

The BF (god bless the kid) stared at me in amazement (and probably utter shock) as I danced around singing, "she's so lucky, she's a star, but she cries cries cries in her lonely heart thinking...."

 "Ooooohhhh, I love this song," I said as I danced around the room.
 "You say that about EVERY song that's come on. They can't all be your favorite."
"I remember when MTV's Making the Video showed behind-the-scenes to Slave 4 U and watched it over and over to learn the dance routine."

And, I give you, the next song to annoy every male on the planet and bring the 17-year-old teenager in all of us.

the worst wrapper

This past weekend, the BF and I did some major Christmas shopping. We kicked ass and took names in Beachwood with my brother in tow. He was home from law school so I invited him over to finish up shopping for my mom.

The mall was pretty hectic but not as bad as it could be seeing as it was the last weekend before the holiday. The three of us completed all our shopping and I even picked up something for myself at the YellowCake Shop's pop up shop in Beachwood.

I dragged two unwilling boys into the store because I read and watched all about Valerie from Project Runway on the most recent season, so I wanted to see what it was all about. I ended up snagging a t-shirt with one of her older illustrations on it.

See, cute shirt, right?

As I'm checking out, both my brother and the BF decide to point out that my mom's name is still on my check.

Sidenote: I have no idea why her name is on the check. She's been on my account since college. The bigger question is - who still writes checks anyway?

Both tweedledee and tweedledum start heckling me with comments like "Does mom know you are writing a check?" or "maybe you should check with mom to see if you can buy it?"

The girl behind the counter says, "You guys are all siblings, right?"

Seriously, the BF doesn't look my brother - see and judge for yourself.

Once we laughed hysterically and finally left, we headed home to wrap all the gifts, which is often difficult for me because I'm the worst wrapper in the whole world.

Many roommates can vouch for how terrible I am and the BF also doesn't understand how bad I am. Until he witnessed me wrap wine.

Great use of existing materials, right?

While I understand they sell cute wine holders, I completely forget to pick the up but had the brown bags and some decorations to make the wrapping that much more festive. Don't you agree?

The BF is ever so precise as he folds corners and adds ribbons to each gift. I can't even show you how absolutely terrible I am at corners. I just can't get it to lay completely flat!!

I should probably stand in line for gift wrapping for future gifts.

winter weekend

Oh yeah, I'm back from not-so-snowy weekend like we had experienced earlier last week.

On Friday with about 6,000 other people, I laughed my ass off with my friend Erin and a bunch of new friends at the Q for the Chelsea Handler show. I had never seen her before and heard mixed reviews from friends the last time she was here. Some loved her and then some thought she was over-the-top raunchy or just drunk.

Having read two of her books and seeing as I watch Chelsea Lately on a regular basis, I was hoping to expect the same humor. She was on stage for about an hour and a half, telling some jokes from her book, mentioning Angelina Jolie and told the story about "the feeling" from Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. She makes fun of Ted a lot and that was probably the most entertaining part when she would imitate him and described the demise of their relationship.

Unfortunately, no pictures were taken from our sweet view it the suite because I was too preoccupied trying to get a package backstage to Chelsea on behalf of a client. Sadly, we came up empty handed but I still enjoyed her show and would definitely not turn down tickets to another show or to her show in LA.

On Saturday, I headed west to decorate cookies with my aunts. They baked everything earlier and I showed up to add my decorations to the cut outs. Seriously, I probably ate one too many but that's part of the fun, right!

i ate too many while i frosted

On Sunday, the BF and I met up with friends to watch the game and we attempted to do some Christmas shopping earlier. It was a mess. Legacy Village was a mess with parking and the stores were packed, so we knew it would be even worse at Beachwood Mall. We said screw it and headed to bar.

Here's too a long week that will end with a holiday work party!

musical furniture

I wish I had a more exciting weekend to share but I actually don't. It was calm with not too much going on, which is the way I like it as we all head into the busy holiday season. The most exciting thing I did  was watch Avatar. P.S. There are at least 7 people on Twitter that I know who have no interest in seeing it. I'm surprised I was able to sit still that long myself.

What we didn't do again this weekend was shopping for the house.

The next big thing our combined list (yes, he's involved) is purchasing bedroom furniture. While we put it on hold this weekend because the BF went to the Browns game, I stopped in a few stores but nothing caught my eye.

Have you ever shopped for this before? Holy expensive. I have expensive taste which really shouldn't surprise me at this point. Put me in a room with no price tags and I guarantee I will find the most expensive thing in the room by default. There must be some hidden radar that all women have when it comes to shopping because I can't be the only one with this issue, right?

Anyway, back to shopping. We decided on mattress we like. That was the easy part. The BF laid on a few and was happy with one. Well, I felt the need to pull a superman by getting a running start to jump on the beds, as if it would help me pick a comfortable mattress. The BF was discussing pricing and bug bed covers while I was holding a very scientific test on two of the mattresses via running and jumping.

Enter shopping for furniture. We went to two places and I was very underwhelmed. Extremely underwhelmed not to mention it still cost $2,000 for underwhelming furniture. Everything was very traditional, oak wood and too large for our bungalow slanted bedroom walls.

While we haven't made a final decision just yet, there is one thing I know for sure:

I want this headboard from West Elm or an upholstered head board like this. Now, if we can just find and agree on the rest of the furniture, we can check that room off our list!

the one where we are the old people bowling

There are very few places I feel too old to enter. Some people might think that shopping at Forever21 at 27 is too old, but I'm still a fan of some of their clothes (what I can fit into) and like the jewelry. How can you go wrong with $7 necklaces?

I don't think I'm too old to wear leg warmers or leggings or even the occasional headband without all the sparkles.

Anyway, friends invited us to go bowling last Friday. I thought it would be an uneventful bowling night where I would terrible as usual and the boys would create some kind of contest to see who could do the best. I was right about the bowling contest and my terrible bowling. I was embarrassingly terrible.

What none of us expected was to walk into cosmic bowling. Filled with 50 teenagers. Only teenagers in the bowling alley. Plus my friends.

I do believe we were the creepy old people. What makes it even better was that I knew a 13-year-old there and she agreed we were the old people.

Cosmic bowling has come a lonnnnnnnggggg way from where I remember. Not only is there a DJ taking requests but there are text screens.

Notice the teens and text screens

You can text whatever you want on there. Well, at least within reason because it edits out certain words like "creepy." I know this because I tried to send texts like "who is the guy in the creepy browns shirt?" when referring to the BF in between seeing "beachwood rocks" or "orange girls are the best."

One girl was there with a group of girls celebrating her 16th birthday and I swear they didn't look a day over 13. They looked so young, I don't remember looking that young, but then again maybe we were.

Ahh, high school days.

almond joy....not

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I didn't celebrate Halloween in a slutty costume with the BF. Our friends who normally host the party didn't this year so we decided to have a relatively low-key weekend with date nights with friends and then handed out candy to all the kids. ( I think I've shared before that we 25 kids on my block.)

After inspecting the candy selection, the BF pointed out that "the kids are going to laugh when they see Almond Joys."

BF: "Allison, you bought Almond Joys."
Me: "I freaking love Almond Joys and we needed more candy because you ate it all week!"
BF: "Noooooooooooo. The kids are going to know we give shitty candy. We can't be known as the shitty candy house.
Me: thinking, "really who gets this worked up over candy. "No way. Candy is candy. They won't know the difference."

candy removed from the candy bowl

As the BF started to hand out candy, I didn't believe this "Almond Joy" theory. I rushed to the door to hand out candy to an 8-year-old army sargent and asked, " I have bet going with my boyfriend. Do you like Almond Joys?" The little army sargent said, "Um....not today. I really don't like Almond Joys." Hmmmmm I thought. "Well, here is a Kit Kat. Happy Halloween!"

Because I wasn't fully satisfied with the little Army brat's answer, I decided to ask a few more kids. A zombie and football player approached and I asked them the same question again and they looked at me with these eyes like, "this lady is crazy and I'm never going to this house again."

Needless to say, Almond Joys are not a popular Halloween candy. So says the neighborhood kids and the BF, who is really just a big kid after all.

beer weekend

I do believe my weekends keep flying by even more and more quickly as each one passes. And, it's almost Halloween! How the hell did that happen!

On Friday, a group of my friends and I celebrated our last bar party in our friends' basement. They are moving a short distance away to a new house, so we had one last throwdown in the bar.

Cleveland Beer Week officially came to a close and the BF and I headed to Brewzilla to close out the week with a bunch of other beer lovers. Last year, the BF and I went to a few events but this year we only attended Brewzilla.

Crowd below

with my friend Katie drinking Bumbleberry from FatHead's

view from below

Something to know about me is that I always carry a few digital products on me at all times. I have my iPhone, a digital camera and Flip camera or sometimes two. However, the only thing I seem to use at all times is my phone. Are you surprised? So. I've been on the quest to start taking more pictures, especially with the BF because we really don't take that many pictures together. I always rely on other friends to send me pictures. So, after being at the event for a few hours, I decided it was time to get a couple shot.

Well, below is what was captured.

Take 1 with the BF

Take 2

One of these days, we will get a frame-worthy photo!