Working for the MAN

Oddly enough, this week's Sunday Social is all about the job and I am traveling to Orlando, Florida to go to a conference for work this week.  Very Ironic.

1. What is your dream job?

My dream job is to manage my own team within a big business.  I work in IT currently as an Operations Analyst and I would like to explore the management options available and find something that would fit my strengths, but would also challenge me and allow me to grow as an individual. 

2. If you had just won the lottery and didn’t need to work for money, what would you do with your time? 

I would want to volunteer and work for a charity.  My childhood friend's mom was able to volunteer for the Wildlife Foundation and she was always helping animals in need.  If I had the heart to do it, I would want to volunteer for an animal rescue organization.

3. What piece of career advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?
Take initiative as much as you can.  Be ambitious and try to look for ways to improve the effciency of the work you're doing.  If you are always looking for improvements, people will notice you.  On the other hand, if you always just do the bare minimum, you won't get promoted as fast as you want to.

4. What would be your ideal “just for fun” job?
I would love to do something creative as a just for fun job.  I'm not very creative in general, instead I'm more logical which is why my job doesn't have too much to do with creativity.  I love being creative which is why I enjoy crafting and blogging on the side. 

5. What was your first “real” job?

When I was fourteen, I worked for my mom's friends at their local Cross-stitched shop.  It was a great experience and I am still really close with all of the women that work in the shop.  After that, I worked for a month on fall break at New York & Company which was my first job as an adult.  I've realized through that job that I never wanted to work retail again.  I did, however, get a lot of cute professional clothes out of it.

Sunday Social

Danny and I are in Denver for the long holiday weekend, so this post is coming to you from CO instead of OH. I know I should have been more prepared and got the questions from Neely ahead of time to write my post, but that would have been way too easy.  Instead I am summoned to type my answers from my tiny iPhone 4S screen.  Well anyways here are the Sunday Social questions for this week!

1. What was your favorite trip/vacation/activity this summer?

I would definitely have to say the one I'm on right now, unless today just is really horrible (just kidding!). So far we went on a brew tour, watched our team crush the home baseball team, saw a live impromptu comedy show (very similar to Whose Line is it Anyway?) and a few other things that I will recap when we get back. We both really love Denver and the young, exciting culture it has in the city!

2. What was your favorite outfit/look of the summer?

My favorite look for the summer is a maxi dress. Although they are hard to find since I'm so tall, the ones I do own are so comfortable and very adorable for almost any occasion. I found myself just throwing on a maxi dress with a cute necklace and heading to a summer barbecue or friend gathering a lot this summer. It's a good way to have an easy and comfortable outfit while looking put together.

3. What is one thing you wish you had gotten to do this summer?

Besides staying at home and relaxing more? We definitely had a busy summer! I wish we would have done more things closer to Cleveland (going to Indians games, spending nights downtown, etc.)

4. What was your favorite song of the summer? 

Can't Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Even though I've heard it enough times of the radio, it's still has a good beat. It's a good go-to workout song for me.

5. What was your favorite movie/tv show of the summer?

My favorite TV show of the summer would have to be Pregnant and Dating. It combined my two favorite things in a good TV show, babies and the struggle to find Mr. Right. It was a good series of episodes and I was sad to see it end.

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! 

Sunday Social: Childhood

Good morning, friends.  Hopefully everyone had a good weekend.  I definitely did and now we are in the final week until we leave for DENVER! I can't believe these last few months have flown by and we're almost to Labor Day weekend.  I can't wait to experience Denver with the hubs.  But for now, its Sunday.  This Sunday Social is all about childhood, enjoy!



Me at 5 years old.

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?
I miss that age when you have no responsibility and no worries in the world.  Its such a freeing feeling.  I wish I would have enjoyed it more while I was younger.
2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it? Just Suzy (my real name is Suzanne), or the classic Suzy-Q.  My Mom and Dad often called me Suzy Bear which might explain why I call my fur babies Teddy Bear, Rosie Bear, and Yogi Bear.
3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess? I loved to play tag or some other sort of highly competitive running game.  Freeze tag was a big one when I was growing up along with TV tag where you had to name a TV show before getting tagged.
4. What did you want to be when you grew up? A Teacher.  I loved school and I wanted to be just like my teachers when I grew up.
5. Did you participate in any school activities? In high school I was in track all four years throwing the shot put and discus.  My best friend and I did it together and it just happened to be something we did Freshman year to pass the time.



My best friend, Ranya and me during track practice our Senior year.

6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about? Instead of funny, I can just think of all the times I got in trouble.  According to my parents, I was an ornery child when I was really young. Once when I was four years old, I was playing with the neighbor kid and she invited me to play with her other friends a couple of streets away.  So thinking it sounded like fun, I went with her and didn't tell my Dad.  When my Dad couldn't find me, he got really worried and had the whole neighborhood looking for me.  After a little while I showed up like nothing happened and my Dad was obviously furious with me.  I learned my lesson after that day.  Although I was an ornery child, I turned out to be a good older child/teenager, so my parents always seem to remind me of these times when I wasn't so well behaved.

Sunday Social

I had a crazy day yesterday which is why I didn't have time to blog.  Those days always go by so fast that I actually have to sit and wonder, "did I blog today?"  Well, I'm glad I'm back at it today, making up for lost time with this week's Sunday Social!

What is something you've always wanted to do, but are afraid of?
I've always secretly wanted to get a tattoo, but I would be afraid of the pain that comes with getting one and even more afraid of what my father (when I was younger) and my husband (now) would say.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  I see myself still happily married with a two year old and another on the way.  I see myself still in our house, enjoying every little moment of life.

White picket fence, anyone?

What are you looking forward to before the end of 2013?

So this is a hard one because I feel like I have spent the beginning of 2013 getting everything I want right now (marriage, dog, house).  I would say I am really looking forward to getting more involved in the home owning role and redoing a few parts of our house.  I have so many ideas that I want for our home, but it's a matter of having the resources now.  I can't wait to redecorate, repaint, and redo the house into our own living space.

What are your hopes for your blog?

I hope that I grow as a writer and blogger in general and I hope that people enjoy reading my blog. I also hope that the posts I write will create connections with my readers whether they know me in person or not.  I hope to reach different people around the world, which is what I always thought was awesome about blogging!

Do you always see yourself living in your current town/city?

For right now yes.  I love Cleveland and I have built my life here.  We are conveniently place within 2 and a half hours of both parents, so when we start to have kids, it will be nice to have them both close.  Danny and I have joked that we could move to Colorado since both of our companies have offices in Colorado, but I don't think I would like it out there as much as here.  We have also talked about moving to Florida when we retire, but that's not for another 40 years, so we will have to reevaluate it when we get there.  I've always wanted to be close to family, so if our family is still up in Ohio, it would be hard to leave.

This would be nice to retire to someday...

What is your morning routine?

Alarm goes off at 4:30 am.
Snooze for another 15 minutes (I've been good lately about not letting it go for another 30 minutes)
Shower
Brush teeth
Makeup
Dress
Eat Breakfast!!! (this is a big one, I can't start my day without breakfast)
Head to work

Pretty typical morning start, I feel.

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone enjoys their day.  We're having people over tonight so I have to run some errands and clean the house for that, at least I'm not at work!

Sunday Social

It's Sunday already.  These weeks need to start slowing down! On to Sunday Social.

1. What are 3 items you can’t live without on a daily basis (water, food, shelter, and clothes don’t count)
The three items I can't live without are:

My phone.  Danny can tell you I'm usually on my phone way too much checking out facebook or bloglovin'.  I feel like something is missing from my body if I don't have my phone on me, it's like my third arm.  I also have my digital calendar on my phone which reminds me of my appointments or special weekends I have coming up.

We already have all weekends in August booked.

My wedding rings.  I always have my ring on and even sleep with it on.  I love that it symbolizes my relationship with my husband and I would not want to live without it.  I will never be the type that doesn't wear a wedding ring when I'm older (hoping it fits through all stages of life, especially pregnancy!)

My Family.  I'm not sure if this one counts, but I could not live a day without Danny, Teddy, Rosie, and Yogi.  Danny and I have only been separated twice since we started dating and that was tough enough.  It would be incredibly hard to do a long distance relationship with him if we ever had to, luckily that's not in our future.  Also, I can't live a day without seeing my furry family.  When my parents watch the cats or Yogi, I always miss them so much.  

 

How could I live without these two!?

2. What is your all time favorite book? Why?

I don't read often, but when I do, I read mostly chick lit novels.  One of my favorite chick lit novels is Murphy's Law.  I really like Lori Foster as an author and some of my other favorite chick lit novelists include Jane Green and Jennifer Cruise.

3. What is something you’d like to accomplish before the end of 2013?

One thing I would want to accomplish before the end of the year is to learn how to take professional pictures.  I love taking pictures and I've always wanted to expand my talents with a professional camera too (although I don't know if that is in the cards this year!).  I want to have memories for years to come of my life and my husband's life so we can look back one day and share with our loved ones through the pictures we have.

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be?
The year I would want to relive is definitely 2013! In only the first four months of the year, I married the love of my life, went on a honeymoon to Jamaica, bought our first house, and adopted the cutest puppy, this is by far the best year of my life.  Plus, I constantly nag Danny to let me marry him again so I can have another wedding day.  I know people say this all the time, but it was truly the most amazing day of my entire life and I felt like it went by way too fast! I wish I could relive it over and over again.

Amazing moment I will forever cherish!

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them?

I wish people knew that I am a smart, successful woman in a professional career where my values are challenged daily. 95% of my team at work is comprised of men and I sometimes get the gender card from time to time.  I have worked my way up in my field and have proven myself opportunity after opportunity and I will say, working in a profession with almost all men is not always the easiest thing.  I have been questioned from day one for my skills and have proven myself accordingly.  Even though it hasn't been easy, I have stuck through it and learned so much.  I would want people to know that I am more than a daughter and a wife, but that I am a professional.  I do more than just cook and clean, I take care of my family financially as well.  Some people are caught up in the concept that women have to stay home and take care of the house and children and they cannot have a professional career, but I like to challenge them and say, "why not do both?"

Sunday Social: What's cookin', Good Lookin'?

This Sunday Social is all about food!  I love to cook (when I have the time) and I especially love to eat! I try to find time to cook not only what I like, but what Danny likes too which is sometimes difficult when our likes are completely different.

1. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be pasta.  Even though I am a vegetarian, I sometimes can be a "carbatarian" and eat a lot of pasta.  Its not always healthy, but that's why I've been incorporating more fruits and vegetables into my pasta meals.

I made this pasta with asparagus and sun dried tomatoes last week.

2. What’s your guilty pleasure/comfort food?

Ramen noodles.  I love soups and broths in general, especially on a cold day or if I'm not feeling well, so Ramen noodles are my go-to comfort food.

3. What’s the weirdest/craziest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Since I'm a vegetarian, I haven't tried many weird animal products or anything like that.  I actually hate trying new foods all together because I have very picky taste buds. Some people might think that Tofu is weird, which a few years ago, I would have agreed. However after I got over the texture, I found it very good!

4. What foods do you avoid at all costs?

I avoid meat at all costs obviously.  I also do not like uncooked broccoli.  I will even go so far as pick it out of my soups and stir-frys if I'm unsure that it has been cooked all the way.

5. What meal reminds you of your childhood?

Spaghetti.  My mom makes the most amazing spaghetti and I remember her making it a lot during my childhood.  My family loves it so much that my mom used to make it for Christmas dinners instead of the typical Ham dinner (which I was okay with it!) She got her recipe from her mom and my mom has passed it down to me so I can make it for me and Danny. 

6. Share one of your favorite recipes and the story behind it.

One of my favorite recipes is for a hearty vegetarian chili.  Since I love soups this is such a great meal in the fall and winter and I even made it last month since I was craving it!  There is only four ingredients and it takes 15 minutes to cook!

Quick Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 tsp of canola oil
1 clove of garlic, fresh, minced
14 1/2 oz Tomatoes, stewed
15 oz of Kidney beans
15 1/4 oz corn, yellow, canned
15 oz tomato sauce, canned
1 Tbsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper flakes
1/4 cup of onions, dehydrated flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp of cheddar cheese, shredded, low fat

Heat oil in a large, nonstick, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add garlic, cook stirring frequently about 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, onion and pepper, stir well.

Increase heat to high and bring chili to a boil, stirring frequently until chili is thick and flavors are concentrated about 5 minutes.  Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with cheese.  Yields about 1 1/4 cups of chili and 1 tbsp of cheese per serving.

Source: Weight Watchers

Sunday Social: TV LAND

This week's Sunday Social is all about TV shows.  I personally love TV shows more than movies because sometimes I have the attention span of a 6 year old and just like something summed up in an hour rather than 2 1/2 hours.

1. What is your favorite TV show as a kid?

My favorite TV show as a kid was Saved By the Bell.  I used to watch it every morning before school or during the day in the summertime.  I wanted to be Kelly Kapowski and date Zack Morris.  It was such a great show and there were so many memorable episodes, I loved it.

2. What is your current favorite TV show?

My favorite TV show will ALWAYS be FRIENDS! I was obsessed when they came on TV. Even though I was still a little too young to watch them when they were on TV, I used to get the seasons when they came out on DVD.  I didn't see the series finale until a few years later only because I didn't want it to end.  It was a great series and I always end up watching FRIENDS when I need a good laugh.  Danny and I are in the middle of a FRIENDS marathon since he has not seen them all the way through! I love reliving it with him.

3. Which reality show would you NEVER do?

I would never do Wipeout.  I am WAY too clumsy in general. I would get severely injured trying to balance on a wet, rotating platform.

4. Which reality show would you LOVE to do?

I would love to be a part of The Amazing Race.  Danny and I love to travel and this would give us the most amazing opportunity.  Even though it would also raise my stress levels immensely, it would be a lot of fun at the same time.

5. What is the TV personality/character that you feel is most like you?

Charlotte York from Sex in the City.  Charlotte was the sweet, caring friend out of the Sex in the City characters. Her personality and overall viewpoints on life was something I identified with most about this character.

6. Which TV character would you want to date?

If I had to chose a character to date on TV it would be Jim Halpert from The Office.  Jim makes me laugh and he is always so romantic towards Pam making him the perfect TV boyfriend.  

I'm linking up my Sunday Social with Neely.

Sunday Social: Music's Up

This Sunday Social is all about music...

1.  What is your all-time favorite song?
This is a really hard question, not because there are so many of them, but I don't know if there is an ultimate all time favorite of mine.  I often go through phases with songs.  However, I am always obsessed with my Jack Johnson Pandora station.  Jack Johnson's songs are so soothing and always put me in a good mood.  I often find myself listening to him when I need to get things done or if I'm just hanging out around the house.

2.  Who is your favorite singer/band?
My favorite singer is Ke$ha! I started liking her music because it's up beat and easy to dance to! After going to one of her concerts last year, I found out Ke$ha is very down to earth and completely different than anything else out there right now which makes me like her as a singer even more.

On my way to the Ke$ha concert with my crimped hair and leopard dress.

3.  What song reminds you of your childhood?
I would have to say any Backstreet Boys song since I was a BSB fan rather than N'SYNC.  I was also a Hanson fan when that was cool, I don't know what I was thinking, but it was the boy band phase.

What was I thinking?

4.  What song puts you in a good mood?
Forever by Chris Brown.  Danny and I were introduced at our reception to this song and it was AMAZING! This song always makes me want to dance and I will forever think of that moment when I hear it on the radio.

Anyone remember Forever in that Office episode? AMAZING!

5.  What is the most embarrassing song or album you own?
I used to be a Nickelback fan, so I have some of their songs on my iTunes.  For whatever reason, I haven't taken them off yet, so I always end up skipping those songs when I shuffle my music.  I really need to clean up my iTunes!

I'm linking up my Sunday Social!

Oh, the Places We'll Go!

This Sunday Social is all about trips! Danny and I love to travel, so this was an easy one for me, but I found myself deciding between multiple places for each question! 

1. What is the best trip you’ve ever been on?

The best trip I've ever been on was when Danny and I were dating and we decided to take a trip to see the Cleveland Indians play a team on the road.  We choose Boston and we both fell in love with the city!  We also fell more in love with each other and first started talking about the 'M' word on our trip! ('M' word being MARRIAGE, if it wasn't obvious!).  Boston will always have a special place in our hearts and we can't wait to go back!

Us in Boston

2. What is your best idea for a girls weekend trip?

It would be fun to go to Geneva-on-the-Lake.  It's about an hour from Cleveland and it's known as "Ohio's Wine Country" featuring 11 wineries in this small town.  Danny and I have been up there for the day to go to a few wineries, but it would be fun to visit with my friends just because we are a bunch of winos and we would have a blast!




This is a picture of The Lakehouse Inn and Winery in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio 

3. What is your best idea for a couples trip?

Danny and I actually have our 1 year annoversary already booked even though it is a good amount of time away.  We are spending the week in St. Augustine, Florida! We rented a condo right on the beach and we can't wait to explore St. Augustine's beautiful city.  It is one of the oldest cities in America and has a lot to do.  We are also planning a day to drive to Orlando and visit Universal Studios.  This trip will have a good balance of everything!

St. Augustine, FL

4. What is the best vacation on the cheap?

The best place to go that wouldn't break the bank would be Canada.  For us, its only a 3 hour drive and I've always wanted to go there to see Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls, it looks simply breathtaking!

5. What is the place you most want to visit?

I really want to go to Ireland.  After studying abroad in Europe in college, I have always wanted to go back to Europe and I think Ireland would be amazing!  Plus, I'm part Irish, so I think it would be awesome to learn more about the culture and see the wonderful Irish castles!

I'm linking up my Sunday Social with Neely.

Sunday Social: Movies

So this week, I'm linking up and participating in the Sunday Social!  Each week, there are random questions that allow readers to get to know me, the blogger. This Sunday Social is about Movies!

1. What is your favorite movie of all time?
All time favorite movie is Count of Monte Cristo.  I saw it in middle school and loved it for the drama, action, and romantic plot.  This movie has everything.

2. What is your favorite movie quote?
"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah."

-Christmas Vacation

3. What is the best movie to watch for a girls night in?
You've Got Mail.  One of my all time favorites and there's just something about Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks that I love!

4. What is the best breakup movie?
Bridget Jones's Diary- A good laugh and helps you to realize that it could be worse.

5. Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?
Katherine Heigl.  I love all of her movies.

6. Which movie star’s closet would you want to raid?
Jennifer Lawrence.  I love those maxis and her style has a good balance of comfort and sophistication.