Celebrate good times! Come on!

It's still the month of May, so even though it seems like forever (FOREVER!) ago that we celebrated our anniversary and juC's birthday, I'm considering it totally legit that I'm just now posting about it.  I'm going to blame my lateness on cC.  I totally could have posted this last week, but, he has decided to not go down for naps.  The last time he took a nap was last Monday.  So that means we are 8 days in a row with no cC naps, which means no free time during the day for me, which means no time for organizing a post.  And also, very sadly, means that I haven't been able to get my normal naps.  And let me tell you folks, it's not a pretty situation.  Not pretty at all.

So now I'm just neglecting luC and cC so I can do this post.

But back to the point!


On May 5, all of Mexico celebrated the 7th anniversary of the day that juC and I were wedded.  It's always nice to know that we have so many people celebrating with us!

All I wanted to do for our anniversary was have the whole family go to the tulip festival so I could get some fabulous pictures of the kids with the fabulous colors of the flowers.  Unfortunately, cC wasn't having it, and the pictures of the kids were all some form of this:

 The good news was I got some super amazing maternity shots.  And by "super amazing" I mean this:

Oh, and it also started pouring rain while we were there.  So that was awesome, too.  My anniversary adventure was not going as I'd planned.

Then we went to Chili's for dinner.  What else would we eat on our Cinco de Mayoversary?  It was when we were dining on our anniversary with these crazy kids that it dawned on me...

..wedding anniversaries are something completely different when 3 small kids are involved.  

The good news is that a week and a half later, while juC's parents were here, we got to celebrate right.  And by "celebrate right" I mean go on an over nighter that pretty much revolved around what restaurants we'd eat at.  

For dinner we ate at a lovely Italian restaurant.  And for lunch the next day we ate at a place that was a shoot off of a chocolate candy store.  It was on our little anniversary trip that I learned that juC and I don't take pictures together anymore.

In between our family anniversary celebration, and our legit anniversary celebration, we had an awesomely legit birthday celebration for juC.

I decided to help him out and get him a real sized grill, instead of the tiny wittle travel grill he'd been using.  I know, I'm so nice.  We set it up in the backyard, and the kids were so excited to stand there and wait for juC to walk around back coming home from work and surprise him.

 Then it was time for perfectly handmade birthday cards, puuuurfectly store bought cards, and a present.  And by a "present" I mean a cover for the grill.  Because it was the only logical other thing to get him.

 And then, of course, it was cake time!

Though the highlight of juC's birthday, for me, was the following night when we dined at a Tex-Mex eating establishment.  During one of the kid bathroom trips, I made sure to tell our super-trying-to-get-a-good-tip-waiter that it was "Dad's" birthday, as the waiter so affectionately called him.

So the highlight was when the severs were all rounding the corner clapping their hands, preparing to sing "happy birthday" and juC started dancing, having no clue that they were headed to him!  When I started laughing his response was "What?...Wait...they aren't coming to me are they??  You didn't!!"

Oh, how I wish I could have captured a non-blurry picture of the events.

Lest I not write about our month of May celebrations, and not include Mother's Day.  juC knows how to celebrate me right.  I was awoken to little voices our room, and juC standing there with the kids and this fabulous breakfast.  I can't remember what he made me for dinner, but I know that was good, too.   And good food is all that really matters in my book.

I'm thankful for juC and that each May I get to celebrate our anniversary, his birthday, and Mother's Day with him...and our crazy kids.  

Lucky #7

7 happens to be my favorite number.  Ever since I was 7.  When someone asked me what my favorite number was, and I said 7 (because I was 7) but when they called me out on saying it was 7 just because I was 7, I denied it.  So then when I turned 8, I had to prove that 7 hadn't been my favorite number just due to my age, so I continued to say my number was 7.  And thus it has been every year since.

So if the number 7 has been my favorite number for the past 25ish years, I guess I have a pretty good relationship with the number 7.  7 has never let me down.  7 has always been there for me.  7 is good to me.

Which is good news because juC and I have just officially entered our 7th year of marriage.  And if my experiences with the number 7 have been any indication, our 7th year of marriage is going to be a good one!  Maybe the best yet??!!

It's kind of crazy because 7 doesn't really sound like a lot.  To those that have been married for many, many more years, we are just getting started.  But for us, 7 years has brought us a lot.

We've owned 2 homes.  We've had 4 different cars.  juC changed careers.  I've had 3 different jobs.  And we've had 3.5 kids.  We most definitely haven't spent our 7 years in wedded bliss stagnantly!

I also recently realized how sentimental I am when it comes to some of the things that mark the beginning of our marriage.

The morning of our wedding day, there was a little bit of rain.  juC bought a nice big, umbrella that morning for the rain.  For nearly 7 years, that umbrella has been by my side.  Each time I used it, a reminder of the day it was bought, bringing back lovely memories.  And a few months ago, I went to use it and...nothing.  The umbrella would no longer extend out.  Most people would toss a broken umbrella in the trash, but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it.  Every time it rains, I attempt to use it again...in the hopes that it's magically healed itself and works now.  No such luck.

We also got a spatula when we got married.  The sort of spatula you use to scrape the sides of a bowl.  It was a very basic one from Target.  Metal handle, red spatula.  Nothing fancy.  But it was with us since the beginning.  The number of cookies and cakes that that spatula has aided the production of over almost 7 years is innumerable. I couldn't help but think of us first acquiring that spatula at the beginning of our eternity together each time I used it.  And a couple of months ago, while Jud was using it to mix something that was getting too thick, the tip of the spatula broke.  I nearly shed a tear when it got tossed in the trash.  (Maybe I'll blame pregnancy hormones for that.)

Over the past 7 years of marriage we have laughed more times than I could ever count.  No one makes me happier than juC and no one makes me madder than juC.  We've learned how to be married.  We've learned how to be adults.  We've learned how to be parents.  We've learned how to sacrifice and how to work together.  We've accepted (for the most part) each others faults.  And we've done our best to be strong where the other may have weaknesses.

I often think that of all the people in all of the world that I could have married, no one was made more perfectly for me than juC was.  He loves me, imperfections and all.  He is more patient with me than I think any other human being could be.  He puts up with more from me than anyone else is capable of.  And he is just...the perfect person to be at my side.

It's only been 7 years, but if the rest of eternity looks anything like the past 7 years have, we're good to go!

**Photo credit, Thomas Photographers

Anniversary AND birthday

This past Saturday, juC and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. We were lucky enough to be able to go away for a few days (thanks to my dear sister, elB). After little to no to debate, we decided to head to rural Pennsylvania. Why? Umm...not really sure. But it was great. We were in a teeny-tiny town, in this super cute place.

Not sure what the history of this place is, but it was divided up into different rooms and we were in a room up top at the far right. We had a kitchen, a living room, bathroom, bedroom, cable tv, and a mouse. It was wonderful.

As with anything juC and I do, I planned it all...in spite of me trying soooo hard to get him to plan something. While we were talking one night while on our trip, he tried to say he did plan stuff, and I said "Name just one thing you planned for this trip." To which he replied "I planned on not having fun, but you changed my mind." And that folks, is the reason I married this man 5 years ago. He is quick and witty and he lets me do what I want.

A couple of highlights from our trip:

As we were driving around doing nothing on the rural Pennsylvania roads, I spotted this place and said "STOP!" It was much like a place we have in my home town. I wish I had a picture to show you what we got but I haven't yet developed the pictures I took with the disposable camera I got (The one that juC fought tooth and nail to try and not let me get). I got a glorious hot fudge sundae here, and juC got a "medium" ice cream cone...that was about the size of his head. This place was great!

We were close to Shanksville, Pa...the location that Flight 93 went down on September 11, so we went to the memorial site. Amazing! As soon as I stepped out of the car, I couldn't help but feel a since of overwhelming love for each of the people that sacrificed their lives to save so many others. I couldn't help but think how amazing it was that the plane, headed straight for the US Capitol was brought down in the middle of a field...sparing the lives of so many. What an amazing miracle in that tragic day. Those people on that plane are truly heroes and I'm so glad we got to go to the memorial site.

For our anniversary dinner, we had troubles finding the perfect restaurant, and ended up finding the perfect place on accident. Obviously, the perfect place for a Cinco de Mayo anniversary would be at a Mexican restaurant, but we had Mexican the night before. After some frustration on my part in finding a good place, we ended up at a Chinese restaurant, and it was great. It was the "real deal" as juC called it. Again...no picture yet, as it is still on the forbidden disposable camera, but just know that it was a wonderful anniversary dinner.

And now, after all of that excitement, today is juC's birthday. I couldn't help but publicly remind him that this is the last year that he is closer to 20 than he is to 50. I love giving him a hard time about his age. (Especially after we had an intense conversation one time because he was convinced he was a year younger than he actually was.)

I'm doing my best to make sure that when he gets home it will be a wonderful birthday. I will have to post later to let you know if I succeeded.

Happy anniversary and happy birthday, my dear juC. Couldn't be happier that I get to celebrate with you! I think it would be especially awkward at this point if we celebrated either of those things with anyone else.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

When I say that it feels like a lifetime ago that juC and I got married, I mean it in the best possible way. It's hard to believe that it was only 4 years ago today.

I, with out a doubt, married the most perfect person for me. But don't be fooled. Our 4 year marriage isn't with out it's problems.

For instance, he still insists on trying to play footsie with me which I absolutely cannot tolerate.

See? Even we have marital problems.

But the good outweighs the bad. This guy makes dinner when I'm not feeling liking a chef. He does dishes. He takes out the trash. He takes little jC on adventures so that I can have some quiet time with luC. He surprises me with treats. He ends all of our phone calls with "I love you." He takes me on dates. He lets me buy new clothes. He tells me I'm hot (even when I'm not). He works so I don't have to. He fixes things. And I could go on and on. But the best thing is that he loves me...for me. Which is saying a lot, people!

I'm looking forward to all the years we still get to spend together!

Bring on the cheese!

Yesterday I planned to do a nice woah-mantic post for our wedding anniversary. But all of my plans for the day were ruined when I ended up spending most of the day at the ER. Everything is fine now, but I can't not do a post about our anniversary.

Every day my husband reminds me what a great husband he is and what a great choice I made. He doesn't just love me, but his actions show me that he loves me. I can't help but feel unbelievably blessed for the opportunity to spend eternity with such an amazing husband!

I couldn't ask for a better best friend, provider, father of my children, nurse, or handy man. Our wedding day was truely the most woah-mantic day of my life!

this past weekend i had my sister LoW in town with her family. we were busy, busy, busy. but i did manage to have a few solitary moments enjoying the nice weather outside.

there i was. i was sitting on the front steps in front of my house. the weather was perfect in the shade. not too hot and there was a lovely breeze.

i was about ready to go in, but then i noticed a couple of fellas going door to door. it's the time of year when the fellas start selling security systems and pest control. since little jC was inside taking a nap, i didn't want these fellas to ring my doorbell and potentially wake up jC. so i sat patiently waiting for them to get to me so i could tell them no and go inside.

finally it was my turn. they walked up and the guy that had been doing all the talking with everyone else says...

"are the owners of the house home by any chance?"

i should have said no, but pride got in the way, and i just had to inform him that i was, indeed, the owner.

and he couldn't just say "ok" and go on with his spiel. instead he was all "oh really?! you are?!"

i shoulda said "yep. i'm an 18 year old homeowner."

so then i had to listen to him try to convince me to get his free security system and "alls" i had to do (his words, not mine)(do you think he was from utah?) was put their sign in front of our house.

i knew juC would never go for it. and the guy decided that he'd talk to the "18 year old owner of the home" long enough and he moved along.

but we should get it. to protect the early birthday present juC got for me. i'm in love with it!! just like i'm in love with the day late anniversary gift he got me.

when we were down in s.c. i went with some sisters to some antiques stores. imagine my joy when i saw that a painting that i'd seen months before and loved was still there!

it took a little convincing, but juC finally let me get it. and now, after over a year of having a bare wall over our couch, we finally have this beauty.

i love it just as much as i love my home, that i was able to acquire at such a young and unimaginabe age.

my everything

as i mentioned in my cincoversary post, things have been crazy busy for a week now. last wednesday my friend megan and i packed up our babies in her car and headed down to n.c. to visit her grandma. we had a fabulous time shopping for pottery, visiting an old covered bridge, antiquing. and not to mention megan teaching me how to crochet. that's right people, i'm trying to learn how to be crafty. and guess who we ran into while we were down there....

my mom!! so we picked her up and brought her up here to va. and on our way bringing her up to va, we had a happy accident and ran into a sonic. actually, we ran into two, but megan and my mom would only let me stop at the one.

my mom and i have been running around doing all sorts of things! on monday we went to gettysburg.

yesterday, for my cincoversary we went to harpers ferry. nothing says romance like sending your husband off to work then going to a historic site with your mom and baby.

when juC got home from work, it was really awkward because we found out we got eachother the same thing to celebrate.

flowers.

he got me these:

and i got him these:

so awkward. except not. because i got him a flower on this:


isn't that the coolest bonsai ever?! juC has been saying he wants a bonsai tree for a really long time now. so i figured our 2 year anniversary was the perfect time to get him a looooove bonsai!

look at those cute itty bitty flowers. i took a picture of it by my finger to show you just how small they are.

i love our love bonsai...probably more than juC does. cause i'm more girly than he is.

after we exchanged our flowers, and he told me that he hadn't got an anniversary gift for me yet, we posed for a picture...

then we went to the japanese steak house for dinner. ohhhhhhhhh! ahhhhhhhh! and oh so delicious! at dinner, juC informed me of what he'd be getting me for our anniversary. a gps system. how sweet! no really, it is. because in the last several weeks i've had to call him a lot for him to give me directions! i was reminded again of how thoughtful he is. (except....you'll have to wait and see what happens)

after dinner we came home and got little jC ready for bed, then we went out for dessert. it started out well. but it ended like this.but i'm not allowed to tell you why it ended like this, because juC made me promise not to post about it on my blog. seriously, right there in friendly's after we had a conversation about something i'm not allowed to tell you, he then said "and you aren't allowed to blog about this." and i was all "oh, i'm gonna!" and he was all "no, you always post mean things about me." and i was all "nuh uh, i just post the truth. and i haven't signed a contract with you saying i wouldn't post about you." and he was all "well maybe you should right now." and i was all "whatev's!" but, i'll refrain from repeating what he had the nerve to accuse me of! i won't shed any negative light on him. no way, i won't do that!

at any rate, it ended up being a GREAT anniversary. partly because of today. ohhhhh today. ohhhh what a day.

my mom and i headed up to the ribbon outlet i'd been telling her about. while we were there we stopped at an antique shop in a place called funkstown. i kid you not.

and as we were perusing the store, my eyes came across a dresser. a dresser that is just like one my mom owns that i've been begging her for. it was beautiful. they'd refinished it. if only this store wasn't so expensive. so i walked up to it, looked at the price tag, and i couldn't believe my eyes! it was a lot less than i'd expected. i immediately grabbed my cell phone, called juC and told him that i needed a dresser for our anniversary, not a gps system.

isn't it great?!?! i love it! and love my husband for letting me get it! and i love that it cost way less than the $290 that the lady said it started out costing!

the end...of the past week of my life.

wasn't it fabulous?!