Happy Easter!

Hello all!

How is everyone today? I hope you all had great Easter weekends! My weekend was absolutely wonderful. The weather was FANTASTIC the entire weekend, how perfect.

On Friday, Brett and I grilled some tasty shish kabobs including red peppers, sweet onions, shrimp, and sweet potatoes. They were delicious (even if we had to use Popsicle sticks because we couldn't find any skewers at the store...). I was too excited to eat them to take any pictures, sorry! And what made Friday night even more awesome... as I was assembling my work-of-art shish kabobs, my phone goes off with a new tweet message: jeshi "Hehehehehe :-X (@ Anna and Brett's home)." Say what?! I open our door, run downstairs, and find my brother Lee and future sister-in-law Jess (also my maid of honor) peering through the window with beer and a guitar! Let the fun night begin! And fun we had. This is usually what happens when Brett and Lee are together...

...while Jess and I drink and get yelled at for talking too loud causing the boys not to be able to hear themselves play. :)

On Saturday, we headed over to my parents' house for Easter festivities (celebrating a day early). We pretty much played cornhole the whole afternoon before feasting on Easter dinner.

{I'm pretty sure we were discussing bachelor/bachelorette parties at this point}

After dinner, some took naps, some ate desserts, and everyone chatted and enjoyed each other's company. And the Easter bunny came! To be 24 years old and still get an Easter basket... it's wonderful. My darling mother gave me this beautiful flower in my Easter basket:

Though she did say that once we are married, no more Easter baskets... just household goods! No complaining here! So this year marks the last Easter basket I'll receive.

Sunday started with an 18 mile run. Woof! As most of you know, I am currently in the middle of training for a marathon. And yesterday was my 18 miler. I will not lie.. it was tough, but I made it through! And then downed about 5 large bottles of water. Once I was re-hydrated and not a sweatball anymore, it was time to brew "Anna's Birthday Brew"!! My fiance Brett has taken up the hobby of homebrewing and it's pretty awesome. He absolutely loves it and it has become quite a passion of his in our neat little kitchen. And I'm being honest, the beer tastes GOOD! At first... not so much. But he's really gotten the hang of it. I do not really take part in the brewing, it's more of his guy thing. But Brett decided that it would be fun to teach me the ropes and brew a birthday brew together! We decided to brew a Hefeweizen. And it will be ready to drink just in time for my birthday in May! Brewing takes a long time. It took up most of the day... there would be a lot to do really quickly and then wait wait wait for something to boil, cool, etc. But all in all, it was a fun experience and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

So that was my weekend in a nutshell... and now it's Monday already. Time flies too fast.

How did you spend your Easter weekend?!*

Things I Loved This Week

Happy Friday!!*

This morning I left my house in flipflops and no coat... It's going to be a good day! I've decided to start a Friday ritual post called "Things I Loved This Week". I'll post every Friday recounting the things that made me happy throughout that week. It'll be a nice little remind of how "the sweet, simple things in life are the real ones after all." Enjoy! :)

Things I loved this week...

~trying a new dance class~

~blueberry beer at Fat Heads Saloon~

~South Memphis String Band show at Club Cafe~

~taking a Wednesday evening walk with Brett to get coffee at the Coffee Tree~

~photography lessons on the couch with Brett~

~dinner at the Fajita Grill outside on their cute little porch~

~wearing flipflops and no coat this morning~

~Thursday night walk with Brett and good conversation~

~sincere compliment on my dress from a stranger~

~getting off the bus a couple stops early just to walk in the nice weather a little longer~

~panera hazelnut coffee~

~the weather forecast for this weekend: 80's and sunny!~

~hanging with my family on Saturday~

~the way warm weather and sunshine puts people in better moods~

Those are some of the things I loved about this week. And now it's Friday and I have the whole weekend to look forward to of things to love! We are planning on grilling shish kabobs on our grill tonight for dinner, celebrating Easter with my family tomorrow, and brewing my birthday brew on Sunday! It's going to be a great weekend full of fun, family, and sunshine!

What are some things that you loved this week?!*

Dreamers Awake

Hi everyone!

I hope your Tuesday is going well. It was quite chilly at the bus stop this morning. But they say it's going to be in the upper 70s and sunny towards the end of the week. I'll take it! I wanted to stop by and tell you about this really great artist that I have grown to love. Her name is Kelli Murray. She creates such beautiful paintings and illustrations. I am completely in love with these:

Dreamers Awake

Bride to Be

Power to the Peaceful

Let Me Fly

Isn't her artwork amazing? These pieces are definitely on my wish list of things to buy some day, especially the "Dreamers Awake" and "Bride to Be" pieces. Be sure to check out her Etsy shop because she is awesome!

On another note, last night I went to check out a dance class! The Dance Cafe was offering a free hip hop cardio class downtown, so I decided to go. I heard about it through a new friend of mine that actually teaches at the studio. I am so glad I went. I was debating whether or not I wanted to make the trek downtown, but I'm really happy I did. I've been a dancer all my life, dancing at studios during my childhood and on the dance team in college. Then once I graduated, I had nowhere to go. Then this class came along and I was just in heaven. It felt sooo good to be dancing again. I hope to pop in to some more dance classes in the near future. Dance will always hold a special place in my heart.

Well, it's time for lunch. Just a side note: if you ever plan on trying Campbell's french onion soup... don't! It's gross! Ok, until next time!*

Explore, Dream, Discover

Over the weekend I did some crafting! I bought a bunch of supplies a while ago and have been meaning to work on some stuff, but just never got around to it. Well yesterday was the perfect little rainy Sunday to lock myself in my craft room and get down to business. I ended up getting really into it and didn't want to stop. But eventually Brett lured me out of the house to walk to Trader Joe's for dinner supplies. Here's just a taste of what I did!





“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain

"Go on Hitch a Ride on the Back of a Butterfly..."

I spent the past Thursday night with Brett and my dad at the Train concert. And let me just say, I was blown away. I was never really a big fan, just kinda knew some of their more popular songs. So when it was announced that they were coming to Pittsburgh, we decided that it would be fun to go. Plus, they were playing at the beautiful Carnegie Music Hall. This was the first time I had ever been to Carnegie Music Hall - it is GORGEOUS. Everything was made out of marble and velvet. I have a deep love for old theaters and this one made me love them even more.



From the moment Train walked out on stage, they had so much energy and charisma. They're singing and playing was dead on throughout the whole show. The lead singer, Pat Monahan (from Erie, PA yeah!) had such great stage presence! I loved how they involved the audience throughout the concert, bringing fans on stage and making them sing. I definitely walked out of that concert with a much better experience than I was expecting. Truly awesome.

What the show did for me more than anything was reassure my love for live music. Being in that beautiful theater, watching a band put on an amazing show with such passion for what they do really made me remember why I love music and live shows so much. When I'm at a concert, I feel like I'm in another world. Everything about the atmosphere, the music, the musicians, the fans, and the whole feel of the night just wows me every time and makes me want to strive to have that kind of passion in my day to day life.

I plan on going to more and more shows this year. Even if I don't know the band well, I love going to shows and discovering new music. Tomorrow, Brett and I are planning on going to see the South Memphis String Band at Club Cafe in the Southside. I'm really excited about that! I'll let you all know how it is!*

(PS - Sorry for the bad quality pictures... they were taken on my iPhone)

New Design

I played around with the new blogger design template and gave all of my blogs new looks! What do you think?!

Live Life

On Tuesday, I headed down to Southside Tattoo to witness my sixteen year old sister Brita and my mom get tattoos. I did not partake in the tattoo getting (I already have 4). My mom had promised Brita that once she turned 16, she could get a tattoo. Well, Brita held her to it and about a week after her 16th birthday, there we were at the tattoo parlour.

They originally made an appointment with tattoo artist, Amy (always go to her) but schedules got mixed up and she wasn't working that day. So artist Joe did the tattoos. Brita looked really nervous and was scared it was really going to hurt. But afterwards, she said it really didn't hurt as much as she was expecting! Here is the end result! (This was literally right after he finished, so it was still red and puffy)

My mom was up next. She already has 3 tattoos, so she knew what to expect and was a lot more calm!

And the end result!

They love them!*

Toubab Krewe

Last Thursday, Brett and I went to see a band called Toubab Krewe at Mr. Smalls venue. We had originally discovered them at the Three Rivers Arts Festival last summer and LOVED them. We sat in the grass in downtown Pittsburgh and watched them bang on their djembes and play all kinds of unique instruments, creating a really original sound that we just loved. Very relaxed, carefree, and unique. When we heard they were coming back to Pittsburgh, we had to go. This show was just as great as the first time we saw them (except it was March and not so warm...). The energy of the band and the carefree attitute of the crowd was the perfect escape from the midweek routine. I hope to see them again sometime soon. Toubab Krewe has definitely made a fan out of me. Check them out! http://www.toubabkrewe.com/

Happiness is a Journey

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to still be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time and remember that time waits for no one.

So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination."

-Alfred D. Souza

This quote is perfection to me. Exactly how I'd like to live my life.*

Life is Short. Stay Awake for It.

I stopped at Caribou Coffee yesterday morning for a tastey latte and I am loving their new cups and napkins!

"Savor every sip. Marshmallows have no nutritional value, and that's ok. Step 1: Rave leaves, Step 2: Jump! You'll only be your current age once. Only look back if it makes you smile. Be the ruler of your own life. Be the first to enter and the last to leave the dance floor. Indulge in chocolate therapy. Plant lots of trees. Learn to say thank you in ten languages. Dare to adventure. Spend time with your kids, tomorrow they're a day older. Give your change to charity. Have a favorite charity. Spin the globe then pack your bags. Pour yourself a cup full of karma. Be the first to apologize. Sing out loud. Don't wait for New Year's to make a resolution. Donate blood, you have plenty. Dance in the rain. Lighten up. Get your hands dirty."

"Life's too short for: grudges, fake anything, putting profit before people, over-roasted coffee, crabby people, waiting for change to happen, wifi you have to pay for."

"Stay awake for: maxing our your passport, ghost stories around the campfire, adopting a four-legged friend, playing an instrument, break dancing, luscious oh-so-delicious chocolate."

"Do more cannonballs. Dream big, act bigger. Surprise your B.F.F. with a cup of coffee. Build communities, not empires. Pick up the check. Read poetry. Send your grandma a card. Give a kid some crayons. Sleep under the stars. Get there on two wheels. Tell someone you love them. Hold hands, not grudges. Take the stairs. Kiss slowly and forgive quickly. Remember where you came from. Do the hokey pokey. Say 5 nice things about the person sitting across from you. Go home early and play with your kids. Run your feet, not your mouth. You are as wonderful as your dog thinks you are. Take a 7 day weekend. Sip it, sip it good. Max out your passport. Technology is good but people are better. Stir emotions. Teach a child to fish. Question authority. Roll down the hill. Marry your sweetheart. Re-read your favorite book."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I hope you all have your green on today. :) Even though today is St. Patrick's Day, Brett and I did a little celebrating in Erie over the weekend. We went to the Oakwood for lunch on Saturday, which is famous for their reubens (Brett had one, I did not = veghead). Then we headed downtown to State Street for the parade, though we ended up not watching much because it was pouring. Instead, we indulged in beers and irish bands inside Molly Brannigans. Everyone had their St. Patty's best on, including our little nephew Bradley:


Isn't he adorable?! His shirt says 'Kiss my, I'm Irish.' He wouldn't sit still to get a good shot of the whole shirt. :) As for today, I'm celebrating St. Patty's Day through my green shirt I'm wearing at work. Maybe a beer at lunch?! Just kidding...

St. Patrick's Day holds a very special place in my heart. I come from an Irish family, with a very Irish Grandfather, who just so happened to pass away on St. Patrick's Day in 2005. Wow, it's already been 5 years, time flies. I miss him every day. Love you G-Pa :) I'm sure he's celebrating St. Patty's Day somewhere just like the rest of us!


I hope everyone has a very lucky 4 leaf clover kind of day!*

Mary Engelbreit

I am a huge fan of the artist Mary Engelbreit (I get this from my mother). She has just the sweetest pieces of art. I admit they are sometimes cheesy but overall, I just love them. I have a ripaway calendar of hers that has her drawings with sweet quotes each day. I love looking at it every morning. It always gives me such a happy feeling to start my day. Here are some of my favorites:











Aren't they just too sweet?!*

Good Morning*

"I can see the orange haze on the horizon as the morning exhales a yawn & seems to be ready to rise."

I.Love.Coffee

Happy Friday everyone!

We have lots to do this weekend, fun things! We hope to go out and register for wedding gifts, go bowling, and Brett has a new brew in mind for Sunday. Oh boy! Fun little weekend. :)

I'm sitting here at my desk, drinking my coffee, but can't help wishing that I was HERE drinking my coffee.... What a picture perfect moment. :)


Sending you all Friday happiness! Have a great weekend! Do something FUN!*

Sweet Summertime Wishes*

Just dreaming of summer and warm weather and sunshine. I miss it so much right now. I need to keep looking at pictures like these to keep myself sane through this seemingly neverending winter... Spring and Summer please hurry!

Until then, I wish you all sweet summertime wishes*