Working on it...

I keep trying to get caught up, but as soon as I start, something seems to come up. Here goes nothing.

Nov. 16 - On Friday, I was thankful for...

My hubby. 

Lately I seem to have been encountering more and more people my age getting divorced (hell, I even know someone who's been divorced twice already). I mean, yeah, I know it makes sense and that as I get older, even more people I know will get divorced. But it's surprising to me that it's happening at such a young age. When I was younger, I didn't even figure I'd be married yet at 28, so the thought of divorce at this age (or there about) hadn't ever crossed my mind.

I'm sure I've been over the story of me and Hubby several times already, so I'll try to summarize for y'all.

Girl meets boy in middle school and has massive crush.
Girl "dates" boy briefly at the end of high school, then forgets about him.
Girl finds boy on Facebook 3-4 years later.
Girl "dates" boy again.
Girl talks to boy's best friend, who makes her realize that things are not working with boy.
Girl breaks things off with boy.
Girl dates, and eventually marries, boy's best friend.

There, now you're caught up.

Until I met Hubby, I had a "type" that I was drawn to. Typically, I liked tall, skinny guys. Usually with bad attitudes. Usually underachievers or troublemakers. It was kind of my thing. (Note that not all of my boyfriends fit all of these, but most fit at least half. Oh, and I had a different "type" when it came to girls, too. Shorter than me, for sure. And no twigs; I didn't want to break anyone. Anyway, I digress.) So when I realized that I liked Hubby - who is the same height as me, super sweet, and not just a skeleton with skin and hair - no one was more surprised than I was. But, as people so often say, it just felt right.

With anyone else, I was constantly trying to gain approval and affection. I was always trying to be what I thought they wanted and would give everything I had to get to that point. With Hubby, it's always just been about being myself. I don't know anyone I can relax with and be silly with better than I can with him. That means more to me than just about anything.

So, yes, I'm thankful for my husband (and all the events that led me to him, even if they weren't always the most pleasant experiences). I'm thankful that he loves me, that he asked me to marry him, that we enjoy being together and that he doesn't give up on me (even when I'm a huge pain in the ass). 

I love you, Roozles. :-*

Nov. 17 - On Saturday, I was thankful for...

Good news.

Good news can make a good day better and a bad day tolerable (or close to). At the very least, at least it isn't another thing to rain on your parade. Huzzah!

On Saturday, my good news was that my Mam-maw (my dad's mom) is coming to Wisconsin for Christmas!! She's going to be at my parents' for 3 whole weeks, because (the second part of the good news) she's moving back to the state!! YAY!!! That was definitely a welcomed break in my day. :)

Trust me. If you knew my Mam-maw, you'd be excited, too. She's definitely not your typical grandma. (For that I had my mom's mom. But I won't get into that right now. Best left for another time.) This is the woman who wanted to visit a brothel (she lived in Nevada at the time, so there were some near her) just to talk with the women who worked there. This is the woman who wants to visit a psychic, who insisted she and I take an old timey photo together in Virginia City, and who isn't afraid to approach anyone at anytime (if you know me, just ask about the time we were at the mall and she got her nails polished; or about when she got her medical marijuana prescription... that one's just great).

So, yeah. Good news. Definitely thankful for it! More to come...

Our House.

Nov. 15 - Yesterday, I was thankful for...

My house.

It's certainly nothing fancy, and paying mortgage sucks, but I am so thankful for our house. When Hubby and I moved in together (early 2008), the apartment we shared never felt much like home. It was the first place I lived aside from my childhood home, school, or camp, so it was kind of a big deal for me. And while the apartment was nice and we were glad to be living together, it just never really clicked.

In 2009, Hubby started talking about wanting a house, and how it was a good time to buy. I wasn't sure I was ready for all of that, and had to do a lot of thinking. While on a trip with my sisters in August of that year, I decided that we should give it a shot. I bought Hubby a sign for the garage our house would have and gave that to him to show I was ready.

We found probably 60 houses online that were contenders. Research got rid of some and others were off the market before we could blink. Of those left, we drove past at least half, which whittled the list down some more. We visited probably 10-15 houses and had it narrowed down to two. The other one we were considering was a lot like the house I grew up in; ranch style, 3-4 bedrooms, hallways, a big yard... It really was a great house, and I hope whoever bought it is just as thankful for it as we are for this house. 

This house won out for a whole lot of reasons (and also fell short for a few reasons, too; 1 tiny bathroom without an exhaust fan... 'nuff said), but there are 3 reasons I know pushed it over the top.

First, the garage. Hubby works on cars, and having a garage was a big reason for buying a house. Our garage is 2.5 cars and has all sorts of room for stuff. There's even this crazy attic thing! We don't use it, but it's kind of cool. 

Next, the kitchen. Like most apartments, ours had a galley kitchen; it was small and narrow and hard to maneuver. Our kitchen in the house is really open, with lots of space to move around and store things (though, I can always use more storage space). There wasn't a dishwasher, but my parents got us a portable one that works just fine. And my dad installed a garbage disposal for us, which is awesome. 

The third reason is two floors (plus a basement). The upstairs is small, since it's just an attic space that got converted into bedrooms, but that's enough. I knew that if I was going to be studying and working at home, I would need to be able to send Hubby somewhere in the house where he wasn't a distraction. So, my workspace is here on the main floor, and his computer room is upstairs where he can game and drool over cars without me having to give him an evil glare. It works out best for us both.

I love a lot of other things about the house, too. I mean, without it, we couldn't have gotten Maxine (our apartment didn't allow dogs). And though it's split into two parts, we have a long backyard with a couple spots for gardens. And I love our big, open living room (which is also my workspace and our dining area). 

We closed on the house on Oct. 2, 2009 and have been living here since mid-October of that year. It's hard to believe we've been here for 3 years, but we always agree that it's also hard to remember a time before this. The apartment feels like a distant memory, and forget about when we both used to live at home! This is where Hubby proposed to me, and where our married life began; it's where we became a family, just us and Maxi. It's our home. And for that, I'm thankful. 

The First Time Ever.

We watched this week's episode of Glee last night (man, I love DVR) during dinner.  I loved it, and all the songs were just great (OK, "Summer Nights" was a little hokey, but, it's Grease; what do you expect?).  But the highlight of the episode for me was when the girls sang "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" for Will.  In fact, I even cried a bit.

You see, I'm a lucky girl.  I got to grow up in a house where not only were my parents still married, but were still very much in love.  My dad traveled a lot, but he would bring home flowers for my mom randomly.  They often went on date nights together and when they were both home, they were usually together, even if they weren't doing anything at all.  I really had the best example of what marriage should be like.

I'm not saying their marriage is perfect.  Of course it's not.  My dad has always had a pretty short fuse and is pretty OCD about certain things, but my mom's the most patient person on the face of the planet (my husband being number 2 on that list), and somehow, it works out.  I remember once as a kid wondering why Mom put up with him, why she didn't divorce him.  It seemed like such a simple solution to me, but I was probably 7 or 8 and really didn't understand divorce anyway.  

As an adult, I understand that she "puts up with" Dad's quirks and temper because the good she sees in him outweighs the bad.  I understand that she's not about to just leave him for an offhand comment he makes while he's upset about something completely beyond her control.  It makes sense.

When they met, my mom was 15 and Dad was 16.  They started dating just before Mom turned 16, I think, and got married about 5 years later (1976).  Last month they celebrated 35 years of marriage, and despite the fact that they met over 40 years ago, and that my dad can't always remember why he just walked into a room or what he had for breakfast that morning, he can still tell you exactly what my mom was wearing the first time he saw her.

So, it should be no surprise, then, that Roberta Flack's version of "The First Time Ever" is my mom and dad's song.  I can't imagine a better song for them, and hearing that song reminds me of how lucky I am to have such amazing people to call my parents.

Here's hoping that Hubby and I can follow their lead and be as happy as they are when we've hit the 35 year mark.  :)

Anniversaries Abound

Five years ago today, Hubby and I decided to make things official and begin dating.  It's amazing to me that it was so long ago, but also that it has only been five years.  Boggles the mind, kids...  

As if that weren't enough, on Sunday, Hubby and I had our first wedding anniversary.  Yay!!  :)  It was a pretty awesome weekend, if I do say so myself.  Allow me to recap:

Friday night - Drove into Madison to my parents' house.  Zach went out to see a friend; I did homework. (OK, so that sounds lame, but it gets better.)

Saturday morning - Headed downtown to the Farmer's Market!  We bought honey straws (they actually had real bees at the tent!), cheese curds, a block of 6-year cheddar (that's Hubby's), a container of raspberries, a small thing of apple cider and some hot and spicy cheese bread rolls.  Everything was delicious!!  The square was PACKED, but it was still a lot of fun.  When we finished, we headed across the street to Tabby & Jack's, since Hubby hadn't been before (and I'd only been to the other location).  We got Maxi a shirt that says, "Wicked Cute" and has a little witch's hat on it.  And we got a cool collapsible bowl to keep in the car in case Maxi needs water while we're out and about. :)

Saturday afternoon - After a quick trip up and down State Street, we decided to head to lunch at my favorite place in Madison, Ella's Deli.  For those who haven't been, Ella's is like ADD Heaven.  There are things moving and spinning and singing and clicking all over the restaurant.  I know some people aren't big fans, but I've been going to Ella's since I can remember.  I love it so much that I had my 16th birthday party there AND had lunch there for my 21st birthday.  The best part about Ella's, though, is the carousel.  And yes, Hubby and I rode it on Saturday.  And yes, it was awesome.  Sure, I don't fit into the stirrups as well as I used to, but whatever.  Once we were done, we headed back to my parents' to check on the puppers and then we headed to the hotel to check in.  We stayed at the same hotel where we spent our wedding night.  Nothing too fancy, but definitely nice enough.  Once checked in, we promptly took a nap.  Yeah.  We're exciting.

Saturday evening - I finished up some homework while Hubby watched TV.  Once I was done, we decided that dinner sounded good.  We wound up going to Olive Garden.  We hadn't been there in awhile, and it was somewhere we actually went fairly frequently when we were first dating, so it seemed like a decent decision.  I had an awesome Moscato (I love my sweet, white wines) and an awesome dinner, so I really can't complain.  After dinner, we headed back downtown and walked around the square at night.  It was MUCH nicer without the crowds, though my shoes were sadly not made for walking, and I got a couple nice blisters.  Full and happy, we headed back to the hotel, turned on the TV and made a few drinks.  It wasn't long before we gave up and went to sleep.

Sunday morning - Had breakfast at the hotel ($9.50 each for what would normally be "free" at other hotels, but whatever) and then packed up our stuff.  Headed back to Mom and Dad's to catch the Packers game.  As I had told my mom, all I wanted for my anniversary was a Packers win.  I got it.  :)  I also got a Brewers win.  Bonus!!  :)

Sunday afternoon/evening - Lounged at the parents' house until it was time for our dinner reservation at Bellini Italian Restaurant.  We love Bellini not only for their food, but also because it's where we had our wedding ceremony and reception, so coming back for our anniversary was a no-brainer.  Dad drove us there limo-style (he said he wished he had the hat for it) and we were seated right away.  Now, at the end of our wedding night, the staff had told us that if we came back for our anniversary, we would get a free meal.  (This, of course, was merely a bonus for us.)  We made sure to tell the waiter that this was our first anniversary and that we had gotten married there a year ago.  He was very nice and congratulated us, but made no mention of the free meal.  We figured it like this: Worst case scenario, we paid for everything.  That's cool.  It's our anniversary.  We planned to spend money.  Best case scenario, we got free entrees and paid for some drinks and appetizers.  Awesome.  So we decided to go all out:

• I started with a Bellini (a champagne drink with peach nectar) and Hubby had some kind of whiskey drink.
• We shared calamari for an appetizer.  YUM!
• For dinner, Hubby had a nice salmon dish and I had a fantastic rib eye with asparagus and broccolini on the side (and we each got a salad and bread to go with).  
• With dinner, I had a melontini (Midori, Malibu, and some other stuff) and Hubby had a Jim Beam and Coke.
• After dinner, we decided to split a (large) piece of tiramisu (the ONLY coffee-flavored thing I enjoy).  I had a chocolate martini and Hubby had an espressotini (it even had 3 coffee beans floating in it for garnish).

When our waiter came at the end of the meal, we assured him that everything had been phenomenal.  He then said, "I just wanted to congratulate you again on your anniversary.  On behalf of Bellini's, we thank you for having your wedding here and for celebrating your anniversary with us, and so we would like you to have this meal on the house.  Have a great evening."  And then he walked away.  Our jaws dropped.  The WHOLE THING was covered.  Holy.  Shit.  We had NOT expected that!!  Thankful to no end, Hubby dropped a REALLY nice tip and we cabbed it back to Mom and Dad's.  It was another early night for us, but we fell asleep completely content with the way the whole weekend had gone.  

We drove back home on Monday early afternoon (we both took the day off), and that was that.  :)

To extend the festivities, though, part of my gift to Hubby was tickets to the last Brewers game of the season, at Miller Park.  Needless to say, we can't WAIT to go!!  :)  YAY!!!    

To Whom It May Concern

I do not want children.  Before I move on, let that soak in.  I do NOT want children.

That being said, I want to point out a few things:

• Not every married couple wants kids.  Strange, I know.  But I didn't get married with the purpose of starting a family.  I got married because I love my husband and want to spend the rest of my life with him.  Period.  
• I don't hate children.  On the contrary - I think most kids are great!  I worked in day care when I was younger and was a camp counselor for a number of summers, so I think it's safe to say that I like kids just fine. 
• Just because you see me playing with/holding/talking to a child, doesn't mean I've changed my mind.  Should I assume that everyone who pets my dog wants one?  Because I don't.  I just assume they're enjoying my dog because they can.  Same thing for me with a child.  I'm just enjoying the time with him or her; doesn't mean I'm going to run home and make one of my own.
• Asking a couple when they're going to have kids is just plain rude in my opinion.  
• There are many couples like us who don't want them, and whenever I have to answer that question, things get awkward for someone.  Every time I hear, "You'll change your mind," or "Just wait until you're older," I want to punch someone in the nose.  How the hell do you know what future Erika is about?  I don't even know for sure what future Erika wants!  And I'm Erika!!  
• Also, how do you know that a couple hasn't been trying for kids?  Just because they don't have them yet doesn't mean they don't want them.  No matter what the situation, someone could come away feeling hurt, confused, angry, sad, etc.  There's no need for that.
• Whether you like it or not, my dog is, effectively, my child.  She is my baby girl and I love her with all my heart.  So what if she hates baths, pees on the carpet, and chews on things she shouldn't?  Kids do the same, and much worse!  (Besides, if my dog ever gets away, I can post fliers to get help finding her.  Try that with a missing kid... I'm sure that'll end well.  "Lost: One small child.  Blond hair, green eyes, answers to 'Martha', Call if found.")

This really isn't directed at anyone in particular, but maybe you can relate somehow.  Nonetheless, I feel better now.  Ta ta!

Spring Break Weekend

I've technically been on spring break for the past week.  It's not nearly as exciting when you're still working full time, but them's the breaks.  

Anywhoozles, we did have ourselves a tropical night on Friday so I could pretend I was somewhere far away and warm.  We had surf and turf kabobs (made on our George Foreman grill), our normal tropical salad with homemade pineapple vinaigrette dressing, and some tropical style drinks.  Our tropical movie selection for the night was Joe Versus the Volcano, which is a fantastic little movie, if not all that tropical (they're only on the island for a bit toward the end of the movie, but oh well).  All in all, a good night was had. 

Our original plans for Saturday were to go exploring around Cedarburg for the afternoon, since it was a recent feature in the paper's "Weekend Getaway" part of the Travel section.  But, we woke up to find that the weather wasn't being so cooperative.  22-28 mph winds, some rain, many clouds...  Boo.  

Instead, we went to IHOP for breakfast and then went to Menards to shop for a bit.  Not exactly a romantic day together, but still fun.  I had the Nutella crepes at IHOP, with the bananas and strawberries and whipped cream... OMG, so good.  I also go a side order of turkey bacon, which I LOVE.  We also had our favorite waiter there (not that we're regulars; we just happened to have him the last time we were there, which was probably January).  This guy is awesome.  Seriously!  He has a positive attitude about everything, and his memory must be phenomenal.  He took our orders (didn't write them down) and then went to chat with the table behind us for a bit, and I kept thinking, shit, something is going to get fucked up.  Either Hubby's eggs will be wrong or I won't get my turkey bacon or something.  But I should've remembered just how awesome he is, because he came out later with our order just as perfect as could be.  At the end of the meal, he handed me the check and said, "You're married; I know who has the money here!  I'm married and have 4 kids - I don't get to see any money!"  We joked about how he doesn't get asked about his day when he gets home, just how much money he made for the day.  The thing is, maybe I'm completely naive, but I really just think he's trying to have fun with his customers, not trying to get sympathy or extra tips.  He really just seems like a good guy who's making the best out of life.  It's inspiring to me, and so that's how I choose to see it.  

Menards was...  Menards.  You have to understand that I hated...  No...  I loathed Menards growing up.  It was the most boring place on Earth.  No contest.  The only things there that kept me from going insane were the doorbell section (I loved the different noises they all made) and the door section (where I would open and close doors, wandering through them like it was some kind of maze for me to get through).  When I got a little older, I would just bring my Walkman in with me and listen to my cassette tapes while we wandering through the store.  My parents (or, more specifically, my father) were always looking at the most boring things, and music kept me entertained.  These days, I actually don't mind Menards, but I still hold some of that resentment.  I mean, I was clearly old enough at some points to have stayed home by myself for an hour or two, but instead my parents dragged me along to Hell.  Maybe they thought the torture was character-building.  Who knows.  

Anywhoozles, we ended up watching most of the Band of Brothers marathon on Spike last night while we cuddled on the couch and ate our dinner.  Hubby got the grill out last night for our steaks.  The first grill of the season was definitely a success.  Man, I love a good rib-eye on the grill!  Droooooooool.  

Today, the hubs is off to help his dad get some things done, so it's just me and the pooch.  I'm sure I'll end up doing fascinating things like laundry or homework or sleeping.  No matter what, I had a great weekend. :-)  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like... Thunderstorms?

I'm sure this is probably true no matter where you go, but we in Wisconsin are known to boast about our strange weather.  Last month there was a tornado in the state.  Yesterday it rained.  Today there are thunderstorms in parts of the state.  I'm sorry, what month is this?  December?  Yikes.

2011 is fast approaching.  Last year around this time I looked back at all the wonderful things that happened in 2009.  Allow me to recap, along with some 2010 highlights.

2009: Rang in the New Year in the Dells with some great friends.

2010: Rang in the New Year with Zach and Maxi; first New Year in the house.

2009: Bought a house with the love of my life.

2010: Still here!

2009: Finally got a dog! And she's such a wonderful pup.

2010: Still a wonderful pooch!

2009: Got photos published in not one, but TWO state-wide calendars.

2010: Got a photo published in the 2011 version of one of the aforementioned calendars.

2009: Took two amazing mini-vacations (in WI) and one fantastic long vacation (in NV/CA).

2010: Had an amazing honeymoon in Disney World!

2009: Turned 25 and had a blast on my birthday in Lake Tahoe.

2010: Turned 26 and went to the zoo for my birthday!

2009: Got accepted to PSU and completed my first semester back to school with a 4.0 GPA.

2010: Finished my Spring semester with an A and an A- and made my first Dean's List (cumulative from both semesters)!  Also got accepted to the Psychology program.  :-)

2009: Got good news health-wise at my last physical and am overall pretty darn healthy AND happy.
2010: Same, only fatter.  Who needs to be skinny when you're happy, right?  ;-)

2009: Got back in touch with some good friends (including cookie nights with Vertigo, a zoo trip with Amy, Isaac's wedding, and other good stuff).

2010: More cookie nights with Vertigo, Sunflower came out to my house for a party, LOTS of fun times with Mandy and Chadder...  So wonderful to have great friends!

2009: Sold my first photo to the owner of a car from the Power Tour.

2010: Got 4th place in the 2010 Wisconsin State Fair with one of my photos (Transportation category).

2009: Got engaged!

2010: Got married!!

I have to say that these have been two stellar years, and I can only hope that 2011 is half as good!  Hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday!  :-)

For Crying Out Loud (FCOL)

Things that are contributing to my FCOL attitude today:

1. I really wish my face would stop breaking out.  You'd think I was hitting puberty all over again.  Blech.
2. Do you know how many forms one has to fill out and sign just to get their name changed?  It's insane!  It's not enough to show my new license or the marriage certificate?  Christ.
3. Work.  No explanation needed.
4. My dog seems to think she is our home alarm system.  Thanks, Maxine, but I really don't think the UPS guy is a threat (considering he was half way back to his truck when she started barking).
5. Laundry, sadly, does not do itself.  Someone needs to fix this.

I Never Said I Do

So, today is the anniversary of my bestie Mandy and her hubby Chad.  Four years ago today, my husband and I were at their wedding.  It seems like so long ago, but at the same time, I can clearly remember the night, so I feel like it couldn't possibly have been 4 years ago!  

A lot has changed in those 4 years, too.  At the time, Zach was living with his dad in Whitewater.  In fact, since then, Zach has lived in an apartment in Racine with a friend, an apartment in Oak Creek with me, and now we have our wonderful home in the Milwaukee area.  (Having never moved before, this is also big for me!!)

And while I knew I loved Zach, and hoped to be with him for a long time, I had no idea that 4 years later we would be married ourselves!  

Anywhoozles, Mandy mentioned something that made me think.  She made a comment about how two little words - I Do - can pretty much change your life forever.  And I realized that I never said I Do.  It just wasn't part of our vows!  

Did I miss out on some magical bond because we didn't exchange those two words?  

Vows are just words unless they truly have meaning to you.  For Mandy and Chad, those two words said everything they needed to say, because there were so many unspoken words behind them.  Since our ceremony was different than many, the I Do's just didn't fit in, but the words that were spoken, the vows we made to each other, are just as strong as any I Do.

We had found vows online that we really liked, and just altered them a bit to meet our needs and expectations of our marriage.  In case you're curious, these are the vows we used:

I, Erika, take you, Zach, to be my husband.  Along with my heart, I give to you these promises...
I promise to give you the best of myself, even when I feel my worst.
I promise to respect you, and also myself.
I promise to realize that your desires and needs are no less important than my own.
I promise to laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow.
I promise to listen to you with understanding, and speak to you with encouragement.
I promise to help you when you need it, and try to step aside when you don't.
Above all, I promise to be faithful to you as my husband, my lover and my friend,
And to love you for the rest of my life.

So, it might've been more than two words, but it still changed my life.  For the better.

Much love to Mandy and Chadder on their special day, and much love to my hubby for being everything I want and need.  I love you, Roozles!