I’m Back, Plus a Giveaway!

YAY! I’m back from my Disney trip! It was really fun! I will add more details in a later post, but I did want to say this: DUDE!!! ADAM AND I GOT PICKED TO BE IN ONE OF THE PARADES! Yes, we really truly did! Amazing and fun and awesome! Here’s a sneak peak:

Sweet, right? So, I’ll take more about that later this week or this weekend. Right now, I want to get this giveaway going for you guys! It’s a good one!

So, you’ve heard of Shabby Apple, right? They sell really cute women’s dresses. REALLY cute. Like this one:

And guess what? This just happens to be the dress that I’m giving away! How awesome is that? You know you want to get in on this, so just follow all the fun directions in that nifty Rafflecopter thingamabob down there *points below* and I’ll let you know if you’re the winner!

This contest, my very first giveaway, ends February 20, which isn’t much time to get your entries in. And you have the chance to earn 37 entries, plus the opportunity for more over the next few days. What are you waiting for? ENTER RIGHT NOW! And GOOD LUCK! ๐Ÿ˜€

P.S. You need to have a valid US shipping address to be eligible.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disney Bound 2012!

Cinderella Castle

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Ronni’s Disney Trip FAQ. People ask me these questions whenever they find out I’m going to Disney World again.

How many times have you been to Disney World, anyway?
I’ve been six times. This will be my seventh trip. I’ve also been to Disneyland twice.

Why do you love it there so much?
Disney World is a world in itself. It’s a very magical place, one where I can pretty much forget everything happening in the world and just have a good time. They go out of their way to make sure that’s exactly what happens. I also love the detailing. Every little thing is so well thought out. Most people overlook them for the big things like the rides and the parades, but if you have time, it’s fun to check out all the tiny little details. Believe me, they’ve thought of everything.

Plus, those who know me know that I’m a kid at heart. Disney World is the one place I can go where I can be myself and no one looks at me weird for doing so.

Squeee!
Wheeee!!!

Are you taking Aidan?
Not this time. He’s in Columbus with his dad, and also in school. He goes with us every other trip.

Let the Memories Begin!
June 2011

Don’t you ever want to go somewhere else?
Sure. I want to go to Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney… oh wait, that’s not what you meant, is it? But seriously, I have every intention of traveling more places. I got a passport in August and I am desperate to use it.

Doesn’t it get expensive?
It can be, but Adam and I always try to go when there is a free dining promotion going on. We also try to go during Value season, when everything is cheaper. (This isn’t always possible because Aidan’s time off school doesn’t always coincide with a Value season.) We also don’t stay in the most expensive resorts (although I’d LOVE to stay in the Polynesian someday). We’re also aggressive about picking the least expensive flight options. (We tend to go with Southwest because of their free baggage allowances, but if we find a flight that’s cheaper including baggage fees, we’ll go with that.) My dream Disney trip would cost about $15K. We never pay anywhere near that much.


Tomorrow this time, I will be frolicking in the Magic Kingdom! It will be awesome, albiet cold. Seriously, I can’t believe the weather waited until the day we arrive to have a forecasted high of 57F when it’s been in the 70s and 80s all week. That frustrates me. Not that I was planning on wearing shorts and tank tops anyway. I’ve packed hoodies and jeans and socks and I will be wearing my new awesome Keens which I love. But now it looks like I will need reinforcements, at least for tomorrow.

I guess I can’t be too mad. It’s currently 17F here in Chicago. So 57F will feel like a vast improvement anyway.

As always, I plan to take loads of photos, and this time, Adam and I will be using Instagram as well. So feel free to follow me on Instagram to get up-to-the-minute photos! ๐Ÿ™‚

When I get back, I’ll post all about my trip, and I’ll also have my very first giveaway! You’ll definitely want to check back for that.

See ya real soon!

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Our Love Story

So Happy Together

How long have you and your significant other been together?
We’ve been together for nearly six years.

How did you meet? {What’s your “love” story?}
We met in 2006. I’d known about him because I’d read his Live Journal, I was friends with his agent at the time, and also some of his agent’s other clients, namely Mandy Hubbard. Mandy was my critique partner and best writer friend at the time. I was in Chicago with the agent and other writers (now authors!) at a Writer’s Conference. Adam was running a ghost tour and had invited all of those people along. Mandy asked if I could join, and Adam said “sure.” The day I arrived in Chicago, Mandy and I had lunch and spent ages speculating on what Adam was going to be like. I said that he’d probably be full of really weird facts and wear penny loafers with the pennies in them. That led to all of us later making predictions on what sort of shoes Adam wore. The night of the tour, I walked onto the bus and thought he was the cutest thing ever. The advantage of having a crush on the tour guide is that no one thinks you’re weird for staring at him while he’s telling stories.

By the way. He IS full of weird facts. But he wears walking shoes or boots.

If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}
We got married on July 27, 2008.

Ronni & Adam Kissing in the Water

If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
We got married at Edgewater Beach in Chicago. It was a small wedding. It was technically an elopement. See, I had been married before, and he had no interest in a fancy ceremony. So we told our friends “Hey, we’re eloping on July 27 at 10:30am at Edgewater Beach. Feel free to come if you want!” And people showed up! It was a short and sweet ceremony, a beautiful day.

Ronni & Adam

Ronni & Adam Exchanging Rings

Everyone! :)

Random Note: A few years ago, some meany-heads on The Knot decided to completely tear my and Adam’s wedding apart. They made terrible fun of us, called us names, threw in racist and ableist remarks, and really had nothing nice to say. (Apparently, these people have nothing better to do but troll wedding pictures of random people and make fun of them.) I didn’t go visit the forum where they were doing it, but a friend of mine told us about it, after she realized they were hotlinking her photos from our wedding. Chris (Aidan’s dad) got the thread shut down and deleted. No, I didn’t have a huge, fancy $10,000 wedding. It wasn’t formal at ALL. I don’t care. The day was perfect for us. Plus, we took all the money we’d have spent on a fancy wedding and spent it on our Disney World honeymoon.

Do you have any nicknames that you call one another? Do share!
I call him “Baby Adam” and he calls me “Little Ronica.”

Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
a. I love that he’s such a smart ass. His brain is always working. OK, you know how you get into a confrontation with someone, but you never think of the right thing to say until way after the fact? He not only thinks of the perfect thing to say, but he actually SAYS it at the right time.
b. He’s intensely loyal. I’ve never had a partner have my back so solidly.
c. He takes care of me. He cooks me dinner, he has no problem doing a lot of the household chores. He’s there for me when he sees that I’m not doing so well. He does everything he can to make me happy.

Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?
I flew in for an impromptu trip to Chicago one weekend in September 2007. See, he’d already mentioned that he was ready to propose. So when he said he was eager for me to come visit, I had a feeling it was going to happen that weekend. I had no idea it was going to happen that NIGHT. He proposed over a chocolate phosphate at Margie’s Candies. The full story is here.

Here’s the ring:

I also use it for my wedding ring because why the hell not? It’s an antique, it’s beautiful, it’s a perfect fit, and I can’t think of a ring I’d love more.

Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
NEITHER! Adam’s not huge on overly romantic/cheesy gestures like that most of the time.

Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
Pop in a movie and relax on the couch. For sure.

Tell us one thing you’d like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
I’d like to enjoy the millions of dollars we’ll surely one day have. We’d get homes in Florida, Chicago, Ohio, and England. We’d travel to Europe. Hit all the Disney parks in the world. Start some scholarship funds. Help people.

I dream big.

Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine’s Day.
We’re going to be at Epcot at Disney World! We’re going to have dinner at Garden Grill, our favorite Disney restaurant, and we’re going to get our pictures taken with Mickey Mouse.

Love

Are you asking for anything this Valentine’s day?
I’ll try not to because HELLO I’ll be at Disney World, but you know, the Japan store is in Epcot with tons of incense, and the England store is there with JAMMIE DODGERS and I’ll need to replenish my stock of those.

Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
Patience and communication. Patience because you will get on each other’s nerves sometimes. There will be habits that aren’t necessarily harmful but can be annoying. Personality quirks that make you go what the hell? You’ll have to learn to deal with it. And communication is so very important. Don’t hold in resentments until they build up an explode. If he says something that hurts you, tell him so. He might not realize it’s hurting you. Also, be sure to communicate appreciation! Don’t just bring up the bad stuff.

Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Us
Look how he’s looking at me.
It’s like he knows I’m crazy, but he loves me anyway.


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Thinky Thoughts

Thinking

This winter’s been a weird one. Up until this point, the weather has been scarily mild (not complaining AT ALL), but I still haven’t had much desire to go outside. And right now, even though I am fully dressed, I’m really cold.

Which is good because I will be GOOD and ready for Disney World and warm Florida temperatures. We leave at (as Seanan would say) Oh God WHY o’clock in the morning for the airport, flight takes off at 6am, and I’m hoping to be in Magic Kingdom no later than noon! This means I’ll be consuming lots of energy shots once we land in Orlando so I can be good and awake.

I am so in need of warm sun on my skin. Warm sun PERIOD. I still have loads of stuff to do before the trip, but that’s cool. It’s stuff to keep me busy until we’re there.

In yoga, we talk a lot about seeing the light in people. And I start to think about the light in people who do really bad things. Like the father who blew himself and his two sons up in his house. Or the teenager who killed her nine year old neighbor. And I wonder about their lights. Do they have a light? Has it dimmed? Am I being judgemental by even wondering about it?

This is why I avoid the news. I know that if something super important goes down, I will find out about it. But I tend to stay away from watching CNN, local news, all that stuff.

I know that’s part of why I love Disney World so much. I go there, and I’m pretty much cut off. I’m in this happy fantasy world, and life is awesome. There’s music and rides and happy people and Mickey Mouse and desserts. Oh yes, desserts. And bright colors and flowers and princesses and sunshine. Did I mention that I’m ready for sunshine?

I had a lot of stuff on my mind, but it’s all escaping me right now. I’ve been dealing with random stomach pains and my appetite’s not been so good. Trying to turn my sleeping schedule into a normal one is a 1/2 step forward, 99 steps back operation. I’m just naturally a night owl, and playing the Sims 3 from 9pm until 4am just encourages it.

I worry all the time. I worry about Aidan. I worry about my mom. I worry about money. I worry that I’m wasting my life/time/talents. I worry about death and dying. I worry that I’ll never succeed at anything (especially in Chicago, where competition is fierce and I’m really starting to question if I am cut out for it).

Am I weird?

Wait, don’t answer that. I know I’m weird.

I love this cat more than any other cat alive.

I Love This Cat

Don’t get me wrong. I love Helena and Crookshanks, but Fi is my favorite. Shhh, don’t tell any of them I said that.

I wish my blog had more readers. I mean, I write stuff, I want people to read it! I have some envy for the blogs that have 1000+ followers. I know, it’s silly. It shouldn’t be a popularity contest. I tell myself I’d rather have a smaller following of quality people who comment and interact with me, but I’d honestly like a large following of quality people who comment and interact with me. Hmm, but then again, a larger following = a bigger chance for trolls. I’ve had that. Don’t want that again.

These are just the thoughts flipping around in my brain these days.

Thinking


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If You Looked…

Hi!

If you looked into my home you would see lots and lots and lots and lots of books.

If you looked into my work office you would see the same thing, because I work from home.

If you looked into my work email you’d see a lot of stuff from Moksha and assignments from Loyola University Chicago.

If you looked into my personal email you’d see lots of emails from Jen and Amy, a lot of shopping deal emails, website and blog stuff, Live Journal comment notifications…

If you looked into my phone you would find a TON of games (especially word games), pictures, pages of apps, text messages, voice mails, etc.

If you looked into my head you’d see my crazy. What, you thought I was letting you see it all on this here blog? HA, please. I’ve been SPARING you the worst of it! *evil laugh* But you’d see my worries, what annoys me, writing ideas, blog ideas, seriously fanciful daydreams, gymnastics moves, and yoga poses.

If you looked into my heart you’d find how much I love my friends and family, and how much more I wish I could do for all of them, see them more often, give them more time, energy, and love. And things. I love to give things.

I snagged this from here. Original source here at The Shine Project.

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