Eleven Years

Well, I wasn't able to finish my armoire doors, so I'm just going to have to share the reveal a little later.  I know--you're on the edge of your seats.  (Humor me, alright?)

And I never got a chance to tell you that my parents and youngest brother, Seth came to visit at the beginning of February.  It was so wonderful!  I hadn't spent time with Seth in like a year and a half, so that was really a treat.  My kids about ran him ragged, but I'm so grateful for his being such a good sport.  What a good kid man he is.  My dad is always really fun company, and I don't have to tell you how much I love my mamacita.  I am so grateful to have had all of them.

Look at THESE beauties!  My kids did our hair like this and then my mom paid me 20 bucks to go grocery shopping like this.  A little uncomfortable, but not too bad :)

Oh, and my boy Skip turned 1!  He is so stinkin' darling.  We all seriously love that boy.   At now 13 months, he has finally started walking and we are all very proud and delighted.

And after about two minutes of trying, Danin started riding a bike without training wheels.  Her little training-wheeled bike had gotten a busted tire, so I picked up another bigger one at Good Will just to give it a whirl.  That is one tough, capable girl, I tell you.  She even learned to get on and get started on her own that very same day and is now riding all over the place everyday.

Aaaannnnd, Brian and I celebrated our 11th anniversary.  Let me tell you about my anniversary.  I had been looking forward to our 10-year wedding anniversary for some time.  I don't really know why...maybe because ten years is a significant milestone, or maybe because 10 years justifies my celebrating by treating myself to some shopping...But whatever the reason, I'd been excited for that 10 year anniversary.  And I know this is super lame, but one of my wishes for my tenth anniversary was to really look good for Brian and to feel like he was still attracted to me and happy with the decision he had made to choose me to be his wife--not that he chose me for my looks; I'm confident he didn't--and not that attraction is what will make a marriage last--we all know it isn't.  But you know what I mean, right?

Well, as fate would have it,  last year was our tenth wedding anniversary and I was not looking my best.  I had just had Skip---enough said;  aaannddd, we were in a fight.  Nice, I know.    So that left this year--our 11th anniversary--to be the year of redemption.    I needed it to be great.

Engagement picture

At some point in January, I was thinking about our upcoming anniversary and decided to get on Allegiant Air to see if there were any screaming deals on flights out of Eugene.  When I saw $29.99 one way tickets to Oakland/San Fransisco, I knew I needed to jump on them.  I'm not a super spontaneous kind of person--so this was a little out of my comfort zone-- but I felt like planning a trip would be a way to show Brian love.   I fear he sometimes laments the fact that he did not choose a funner wife, so this was my way of really doing something crazy and exciting :)  I decided that the only thing that would make an anniversary trip more exciting would be to have Jen and Tim with us, so I called them and asked them if they wanted to go with us.  They are super fun people, so they only had to think for a second before jumping on board.

This was taken right as we were boarding our ship on our Honeymoon

And let me tell you---we...had...so...much....fun.  Oh, my heavens.  It was so wonderful.  We walked around and ate down at Fisherman's Warf; we went to an old penny arcade; we rented bikes and rode all over the presidio and over the Golden Gate Bridge and down into Saucilito; we went to a movie; we went swimming; we took pictures in the same location at which they filmed the opening to Full House; we drove down Lombard Street; we visited a science museum and the Japanese Tea Gardens near Golden Gate Park; we ate at a fantastic taco shop down in the Mission District and at In'n'Out Burger at least  a hundred times (or maybe 3 or 4).....we talked and laughed and just enjoyed every minute together.  Man, it is so fun to have friends--another couple--with whom you can feel so comfortable and so relaxed.   Not counting a little freaking out on my part RIGHT at the end of the trip  (after being so good about not worrying so much about money the whole weekend, I totally lost it when I realized how much our rental-car upgrade cost...sigh....sorry, Jen and Tim), the trip really was perfect.   And you know what one of the best parts of it was for me?  I felt pretty!  I felt pretty...  Man, what a treat.    I got up for 4 mornings straight and showered, and did my hair and make-up, and put some real clothes on--and it felt great.  I looked pretty for Brian--or I felt pretty for Brian, rather.  But I'll take it.  I got my silly wish after all.  It was just a year late. :)

These are from a photo booth at the Penny Arcade.  They did not cost just a penny.

Did you know giraffes are my favorite animal?

February Drawing Winner!

I put all of the February dinner suggestions into a hat and had my Sugar Plum draw one out...  And the winner of the Airwick Scented Oil warmers is......KATIE!!  Katie, email me at lac1107@aol.com with your address and I will send the oil warmers on their way :)

Thank you again to all of you who have contributed to my sanity and my family's wellness.  I really do appreciate it!

I'm going out to the garage to finish painting the bottom cabinet doors of the armoire in my room, so later I'll show you the before and afters of that and also tell you about my wonderful anniversary trip!

Let Me Tell You A Story

First,   thank you once again for your dinner suggestions.  I apologize for being a little late with this, but this week I have chosen to make the General Tsos Chicken suggested last week.  So, Melissa, you will be entered into the drawing for the oil warmers.

I have realized that I'm really crappy at blog giveaways and that I cannot commit myself to being consistent with my blog in any way.  I've also realized that it's kinda ridiculous of me to expect any of you to think of dinner suggestions FOR ME when it is so hard for me to even do it for myself.  SO---i'm not going to bug you about helping me any more.  I will, of course, still have the February drawing, and the one in December for the shelf, and if you happen to give me any additional dinner suggestions between now and then, I will love you forever, for sure.

Now--I want to tell you a story.

There once was a beautiful girl who had recently married.  She loved her husband dearly and was excited to love and support him.  One of her opportunities to do so came in the form of attending his hockey games.  The girl did not love hockey.  She did not particularly care for the environment and people that accompanied it and most importantly,  she did not love the fighting that inevitably erupted during the games.  Her husband was not a docile, reserved, peace maker-type guy, so she was terrified of her husband being in one of those fights.  So, while trying to be as supportive as possible, she also made clear to her husband that if ever he was involved in one of these fights, she would leave the game and never return for another.  
Well, the time came for the  girl to attend her husband's hockey game.  She sat up in the stands by a friend.  She was nervous, but enjoyed watching her husband enjoy himself.  He was a good player,  but and very aggressive.   This made her more nervous because a certain player on the opposing team did not appreciate this aggression.  At last,  this other player had had enough.  He was very angry with the  girl's husband.  He did not like being challenged.  He started to fight.  He started to punch and beat on the girl's husband.  He was really big and tall and he really scared the girl.  What would her husband do?  Would he ignore her warnings and give in to the fight?  Would he lose his temper?  She watched to find out.  She was afraid, and while she did not want her husband to fight, she also did not want him to be hurt.  She wanted to yell something really mean and intimidating at the offender.  She did her best--"Don't--hurt--my--husband!" (That was all she could come up with?)  Her husband just stood there, still.  He didn't cower.  He didn't turn away.  He did not look afraid.  And he did not look like a five-year-old throwing a temper tantrum.  He just stood there, blocking his face, until the referee pulled the offender away.   What control!  What dignity!

Oh, man!  The girl had never been so proud....until about 11 years later.

The girl's husband was under a great amount of stress.  He was overworked, sleep deprived and struggling to meet life's countless demands.  He was involved in a disagreement/misunderstanding with an associate/customer and was unsure about how to proceed.  His  wife was worried for him and had been praying and thinking about how she might help him.  One evening the phone rang.  Her husband answered it.  The frustrated customer was on the line, struggling to maintain his composure.  "This could get really ugly," the girl thought.  She listened in, worried and apprehensive about how her husband would react.  What would he choose to say?  How would he communicate his feelings?  Would he be able to maintain professionalism and still defend himself?  He remained silent for a long time.   Then he took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and began explaining himself--calmly and confidently.   The girl thought back to the hockey game.... Her heart swelled with pride.  She smiled at her husband and her eyes encouraged him.  She gave him a thumb's up and motioned (and commotioned) silently in whatever way she could to communicate her approval and pride.  He understood.  When he hung up the phone, he sat on the ground with his back against the wall.  He did not look up for a moment.  His wife watched him, waiting.  She knew he would not be able to look at her without smiling.  He knew he had done well by maintaining his control.  He knew his wife was proud.  Oh, man, she was!  She was proud, and impressed, and so, so grateful.

Happy Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown

Do you remember this?


And I'm so sorry to bring it up again, but I just can't get through a Valentine's Day without thinking about Charlie Brown's experience. I mean--it's a holiday special. So anyway, I've come up with an idea, and I'm calling it the Charlie Brown Project. Here's how it works: All of us decide on one person who is likely to have a crappy Valentine's Day and we do something special for them that day. Can you imagine how we could change the world together?! Just one person. Just one special something. Are you in?

I'm a little late with this, but I just wanted to remind anyone interested about the Charley Brown Project I do every year.    Nobody should feel like Charley Brown on Valentine's Day.  So don't forget to spread the love this year.  We can really make a difference.

Thank you, girls, SO much for your dinner ideas.   This week I have chosen the creamy lemon chicken recipe and the chicken quinoa stew recipe, so those who suggested those meals will be entered to win the Airwick Oil warmers this month. THANK YOU!

 I promise to write something interesting soon.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

Dare I ask What's For Dinner?

Thank you so much, Katie, for your dinner suggestion!  You will be entered in the drawing for the Airwick Scented Oil Warmers.



What's For Dinner?

Simple Pleasures

Do you know what one of the simple pleasures of life is?  Kids doing jumping jacks.  It will never get old.