Four Year Anniversary

Nate and I reached our four year anniversary at the end of November. It was the day before my sister's wedding so we didn't have a chance to celebrate with other family things going on. But Nate still brought home the most beautiful flower arrangement for me that day!  He helped design it and it was put together specifically for me!  I felt so special and it really was perfect.  We didn't get a chance to actually go out and celebrate though until this past weekend.  But the date was well worth the wait.. We went to dinner at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab.  We ordered everything from jumbo shrimp cocktail and crab bisque, to lobster tail, filet mignon, and fried chicken.  Then dessert included banana creme pie and chocolate fudge pie and was beyond delicious.  We were so stuffed.  After dinner we headed to see Catching Fire and we loved it!  We then headed back to pick up Quinn, who was a little angel for my mom, which made the night that much better.

I can't believe we've already spent four years married together. It feels like it has flown by, but at the same time I can't even remember my life before Nate.  We are so happy and loving our life together right now.  Nate is such an amazing husband and father and I am so lucky that he chose me to spend his eternity with.  Happy four years, babe!  I love you!

Getting mushy for my baby

Oh, this little munchkin of mine.

It is seriously beyond words how much I adore her little self. I cannot watch her for more than two seconds without smiling. I cannot pick her up without smothering her with kisses and just wanting to squish her! My love for her literally feels as if it is trying to burst out of me just when I think of my sweet Quinn.

And the craziest thing is that as mushy and cliche as all of that sounds, I swear every word of it is 100% true. Still crazier to me though is that she's over a year old, and I still cannot get enough of her. I thought my obsession with her would lesson to a normal level of loving after a little while, but it has only grown. I am so incredibly in love and obsessed with my little girl.

I asked my dad recently when that stops. At some point it will be inappropriate, right? When did he stop wanting to just squish me and kiss me every time he saw me, his daughter, his little girl? Just like my Quinny is to me.

Being a parent is so humbling, no one can understand the love you will have for your child until you actually have one. I most certainly didn't. It's just not something you can put into words, although I am attempting to do just that right now.

I just felt like making an effort to do so because I have been so overwhelmed with my feelings for my baby these days. I love my little angel.

Celebrating Three Years

This year our anniversary fell on the day before Thanksgiving.  This made it a little difficult to celebrate, as we had both some of Nate's and some of my family visiting in town that we didn't want to miss a minute with.  Throw in Nate's new job and it being one of the busiest weeks he had worked yet due to holiday events they had going on AND the fact that we were both feeling a little sick and there really was just no time for us to celebrate.  At the beginning of our marriage, Nate and I promised each other that no matter what was going on in our lives, we would make sure to celebrate and make a big deal out of our anniversary.  And much to my surprise, Nate made sure this year was no different...even if it was a few days later.

I gave Nate a book that I make every year outlining that year of our marriage and all of the important things that happened.  I think he is really loving that I started this tradition because he looks forward to this book each year now.

Then the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend my sister and her husband watched Quinn so that Nate and I could go out to dinner.  To make it a special dinner, we went back to Lucille's for the first time since our honeymoon.  I love that place!

Then when I thought our celebrating was done, Nate had one more surprise in store for me.  My sister texted me Sunday night asking if I would go Christmas shopping with her the next morning and she said my mom was willing to watch our kids so that we could really get stuff done.  Although a little out of the ordinary, I was excited about this idea, so I said of course.  Well when my mom showed up at my house the next morning to pick up Quinn, she said that there had been a change of plans and Nate needed me to go down and meet him at work with an envelope he had left that morning with my name on it.  Obviously I knew something was up, but I was so confused and felt bad I was bailing on my sister and Christmas shopping.  Well, turns out none of the plans were real, they all just needed a way for me to be ready at 9:30 in the morning and for my mom to show up and take Quinn.  So I went down to The Venetian and met Nate, where he told me I could open the envelope and I found that he had scheduled me for a 50 minute facial that the Canyon Ranch Spa Club at The Palazzo!  I was shocked, and scared since I had never been to any kind of spa and I don't like massages.  But that's why Nate made it a surprise, he knew I would never have allowed him to plan this for me.  He took me down and dropped me off to enjoy myself for a few hours while he went back to work.

It was absolutely AMAZING!  I was treated so well and had so much fun going around to and exploring all of the different temperature rooms and pools there.  Then the time came for my facial, which was so great as well.  After I was all finished, Nate was waiting right outside of the spa to take me to lunch at the Canyon Ranch Grill.  It was such a great time with Nate where we again got to enjoy the perks of his job and I felt way too spoiled and undeserving of everything I was receiving.

I am so grateful for Nate who continues to surprise me and spoil me way past what I need!  It was a great way to celebrate three years!

Three Year Anniversary

I am seriously so in love with this man.  Three years ago today we made the best decision of our lives when we were sealed in the Las Vegas Temple for time and all eternity.  Three amazing years, two college graduations, two careers paths, one move to a new state, buying our first home, and one absolutely amazing beautiful baby girl later...we could not be any happier with our decision.  We could not be any more sure of the choice we made that day and the choices we have made since as we now have our beautiful family, a home that we love, and Nate has started on a career path that we are both so excited about.

This is us today, celebrating three years of marriage on Nate's lunch break.

To my honey,

I love you so much.  Truly more than I ever thought possible.  As I have seen you accomplish so many of your goals and become a father to our little Quinn, I feel that our wedding song could not have been more accurate when it says, "I thought I loved you then.."  With each milestone I realize more and more how perfect you are for me and how much I love having you in my life.  I look forward to being with you every single day and miss you when I'm not by your side.  I am so incredibly proud of you and the hard work you put in to supporting me and Quinn and making sure that I can stay home with her.  I appreciate all you do so much and love you more than words can express, thank you for choosing me to be your wife for all of eternity!

2 Year Anniversary

Nate and I celebrated our two year anniversary on Monday.  Well, the actual date was Monday but we celebrated the weekend before since I had to work Monday and Tuesday.  We decided last minute to head down to the strip and stay at a hotel for a night.  We've been living with my parents for the last few months while in the process of buying a house, and we were supposed to close last Friday but when that got pushed back we decided that we deserved a weekend to ourselves and needed the time alone together.  So we looked for some local deals and found a great staycation package at Vdara, one of the new hotels in City Center.  We called and booked the room and headed down right away.

We walked around the hotel and other places nearby, and then returned to our amazing hotel room to get ready for dinner while enjoying the view.

The Vdara pool (24 week baby bump)

The fountains at Bellagio

Our room

We went out to find a place for dinner and ended up at a Spanish restaurant called Jaleo.  We had no idea what to expect, and it was a little different experience than we were used to...but it was fun to try something new!  We especially enjoyed when Nate's drink came out with a tree in it and our food came out in a shoe.

The next morning we used our in room credit money that came with the staycation package to order a delicious breakfast.  Nate and I like completely different things for breakfast, I like sweet bakery type items while he likes savory foods like breakfast burritos, sausauge, and steak for breakfast.  So it was perfect as we both got to order what we liked, a nice man named Cosmis came and set it all up for us, and all we had to do was sit down and enjoy it together.

Our breakfast spread

Nate's burrito

The tiniest Tabasco sauce ever!

We took the rest of the day to walk around a little more and enjoy each others company just relaxing in our room together.  It was a great way to spend our two year anniversary together and I couldn't love the time I spend with Nate any more.  He is the best part of my day and I love him more and more each day.  I'm sure this next year together will be crazy as we welcome our baby girl into the world and learn how to become parents together, but I know that it will be great with Nate by my side!  Love you honey!

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day this year, Nate and I decided to use our Buy 1, Get 1 birthday coupon at Tucanos.  We didn't have reservations, but we got there early enough that we only had to wait an hour and were seated by 6:30.  The food was so delicious and we couldn't get enough of it.  I gave Nate his present at dinner, which were two tickets to the upcoming Jazz vs. Nuggets game.  He loved them and we can't wait to go!

Then I came home to find flowers and chocolates, along with a Redbox movie waiting for me.  Although I couldn't eat any of the chocolates because I was so stuffed, we enjoyed the movie and cuddling together :)  Happy Valentine's Day!

Birthday Lovin.

I felt so special this year on my birthday!

I woke up to Cinnamon Rolls and a spotless apartment, courtesy of my Sweetheart, before I had to head out to work and school all day.  Nate had gotten up before me to make sure I woke up feeling special before I had to leave.  He even did the dishes and the laundry that day.  I then rushed off to school and after attending all of my classes I headed to work, where Hubby brought me the most beautiful flowers and McDonald's.

After work I went and watched Nate in his intramural basketball game, where he scored 22 points for my 22nd birthday!  Then by the time we got home I was so tired that we just ran out to grab some Cafe Rio and came home to watch a movie together.  I did make Nate sing to me though as I ate my ice cream and cupcakes.  He really made an effort all day to text me and show me that he was thinking about me, and I loved it!  He's so great.

I also really appreciated all of the facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and visits I received throughout the day from family and friends!  My friend Alix even stopped by to bring me a balloon and some SnoCaps, which was so thoughtful and so exciting.  Everyone made me feel so special, which is what birthdays are supposed to be about!  And I even got this video from my favorite little guy.

 

 I am very excited for my 22nd year and I can't wait to see what this year has in store for me!

Love

We're cute. No?

Slightly late, still delicious.

Sadly, Nate and I didn't get any of our cake on our wedding day except for the pieces we smashed in each others' face.  This wonderful cake had been wrapped up since that day.

We were out of town on our one year anniversary, so we obviously couldn't eat it.  When we returned home I completely forgot about it for a week until a girl in my class asked how it had tasted.  So I went home and took it out of the freezer (the directions said to do this 48 hours prior to when we planned to eat it).  Within those 48 hours, I got SO sick.  I hadn't been this sick since some time in high school, with a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, body aches, and throwing up. Ugh.  It was so horrible.  So we obviously couldn't eat our cake then.  Nate was an amazing husband and nursed me back to health, and the first day I felt like I could eat something besides chicken noodle soup...Nate got sick.  So for the next few days he didn't have much of an appetite and we obviously couldn't eat our cake then.  Finally, we were both left with colds but our appetites were back and I seized the chance to pull the cake out of the fridge.  And last night we ate it.

I cooked us some delicious pasta for dinner to try to make our night a little nicer.

Then Nate cut the cake and we tasted our wedding cake for the first time.

We had no idea what to expect inside because each layer of our cake was a different flavor, with a different filling as well.  We ended up with chocolate cake and I think some kind of a cream cheese filling.  So delicious!  Now we just have to finish it.  (If you live near me and want some cake, please stop by!)

And happy one year anniversary to us...again.

Our Christmas Date

To kick off the Christmas season, Nate and I had ourselves a little Christmas date night.  We went out in search for some of Nate's favorite holiday classics.  Turns out, everyone else already had that idea because the first two stores we went to were sold out.  We finally found them at Blockbuster (along with my Snocaps) and walked away with A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation.  Oh ya, and then we bought ourselves Cafe Rio on the way home because it was too late to start cooking something for dinner.

We also bought sugar cookies to make during the movie and Nate took over.  He discovered that it's harder to bake than it looks, and slightly overcooked one batch...but the rest turned out fantastic and he is very proud of his reindeer and Christmas tree cookies!  The "bad" batch is stacked on the left...I don't even think they're bad!

Then we snuggled up next to our Christmas tree and enjoyed the night together.

It was a great start to December and the Christmas season!  Merry Christmas!

One Year Anniversary

Nate and I celebrated our one year anniversary last Sunday in Steamboat Springs, CO.  We stayed at the cutest condo and the weather was absolutely perfect in our mountain setting with snow lightly falling almost the entire time we were there.  We took advantage of our time off of school and work to relax and watch lots of football on our actual anniversary.  But while up there we also went hot tubbing out in the snow, shopping in downtown Steamboat, and we drove up to Strawberry Park Hot Springs.

As you can see, the Hot Springs were absolutely incredible.  There are four different pools in this picture, all of different temperatures (the ice obviously being the coldest one, and they got warmer counterclockwise).  Then there were also two private pools that I didn't get a picture of, all surrounded by the gorgeous natural environment of the mountains and all from natural streams and springs.  It was such a romantic and amazing experience to be in the middle of nowhere with snow falling all around us while sitting in the hot water.  We had so much fun together and really appreciated each other's company.  Nate got me a necklace that I have been wanting foreverrrr.

Nate and I go through our rough times every now and then, as we are both fairly opinionated and stubborn people, but we always come through it wanting nothing more than to be with each other.  We are learning each and every day more about each other and figuring out how to improve ourselves in the process.  I can't wait for our future together and love the times we're going through now to get there!  Here are a few pictures from a year ago:

Love Stories

Tonight, I watched a movie called Paper Hearts.  It was a documentary about love.  A little different and awkward, but I liked it.

Then I went and finished The Host, by Stephenie Meyer, for the second time.  Which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest love stories I've ever read.  I almost cried as I finished it and I may read it again soon.

I'm in a loving mood.

Oh, the memories...

One year ago today, Nate proposed to me.  And I said yes (obv).  I am so glad that we made that huge decision together.  Since then, our love has grown tremendously and we've gone through many experiences together that we will never forget.  I love him so much and wish I could spend every minute with him.  Unfortunately, school and work prevents us from being together 24/7, but at least we know we have eternity.

 Love you schnooks.

Thanks for working up the courage to talk to my dad

and ask me to marry you a year ago.

 (See the full proposal story here)