Rip Van Winkle Wannabe

Do any of you have snoring spouses?

I didn't.  I was lucky.  Until Christmas.  Suddenly my silent bed partner turned into a wake me up out of a deep sleep bed partner.  

And he's still here.

At first he blamed it on congestion.  And I bought it seeing as he was actually sick.  But even since the "sickies" left, the snoring remains.  What's up with that?

I've been having to get up in the middle of the night and move to the guest room.  A guest room where I haven't put sheets back on the bed since we last had guests.  They're in the room, mind you.  Just not on the bed.  So I've been sleeping on top of the comforter, using the sheets as blankets, and sleeping with my robe on because it's so cold.  

Poor, lazy me.

But seriously.  What can I do about this?  I am beyond sick of leaving my warm bed in the middle of the night.  And I know Matt feels really bad.  Do those Breathe Right Strips work? 

source

That couple looks really peaceful, huh?  Oh how I want that.

So what's a sleepy mama to do?

June 23, 2003

8 years.

Doesn't that seem like such a large number?

It has been 8 whole years since we went out on our very first date.  Remember?  We went to Maggiano's in Indianapolis and you ate three bites of your spaghetti and meatballs and I finished my entire plate of lasagna?  I know you insist that you ate more than that, but I saw the leftovers.  And then we walked around several parks in the city just talking and getting to know each other?

 

I had no idea you were going to be it for me.  I was clueless.  In fact, I fought it for several months.  When I left to go back to Purdue, I honestly didn't think I would see you again.  But then you called.  And you kept calling.  And you came to visit.  And even when you left to go back to Virginia, you kept our relationship going.  I had no desire to date someone long distance.  But you fought for us.

You still fight for us everyday.  You work so hard to provide for this family.  You have given me the greatest gift of our sweet baby girl and provided me with the opportunity to stay home and raise her.  You are everything to both of us and watching you grow into a father has been one of the most amazing events I have ever witnessed.  I can see how much you love Natalie in your eyes when you talk about her...and that look on your face when you see her is priceless.  But the look on her face is what I love the most. She's a daddy's girl already.

Happy 8 years sweetie.  8 years of knowing you.  8 years of being with the person I was put on this earth to be with.  8 years of pure bliss.

Here's to many, many more!

Yours,

Jenny

A Little Giggle!

Look who's giggling!

Isn't that just the sweetest sound you have ever heard?  I cannot get enough of it.

We had a really nice weekend of relaxing around the house with our sweet little girl.  I think it's just the most endearing thing to see a Daddy with his daughter and I just cannot get enough of it.  Natalie completely adores Matt and I just wish he was able to be home with us more often.  But the time they do spend together is so precious.  It just melts my heart.

Down Will Come Baby...

When Natalie was born, we received so many sweet cards and gifts from family and dear friends.  

In particular, one of Matt's co-workers sent us this gorgeous bench puzzle personalized with Natalie's name.  It was extremely thoughtful and just the cutest little gift.  

To show our appreciation, Matt wanted to take a picture of Natalie sitting up by the stool.  So he headed upstairs, set her down next to the stool, and took this picture.

 

Perhaps I should tell you that at the time this picture was taken, Natalie was about 2 weeks old.  Clearly not able to hold her own head up...let alone sit up straight, my dear husband propped her up only to get this picture of her in the act of tumbling right over.

I was downstairs when this happened and all I heard was Natalie start to cry and Matt say, "Oh..I'm so sorry!  That was Daddy's fault!" 

Ha!  Funniest thing ever.  So glad we have this picture to remember it!

*FYI:  I'm not laughing at the fact that my daughter fell...well, kind of...but mostly at how silly the hubs was to think she could sit there all on her own.  And just so you know, no babies were harmed in the taking of this photo...

Honey, Don't Eat the Children

The other day, Matt and I were preparing to take Natalie out grocery shopping with us.  This is quite the adventure as I need to get presentable myself, pack her diaper bag in case of emergencies, feed her, and then immediately leave as the girl is attached to my boob every two hours on the hour.  It takes a lot of coordination on our parts.

We were all sitting on the couch waiting for Natalie to get hungry when Matt presented his plan to us...

Matt:  "I'm going to take a shower as soon as you eat her."

Um, what?

He clearly meant "feed" her...and tried to play it off like that's what he said...but he couldn't fool me.

So add that to the list of motherly duties I have.  Making sure my husband doesn't mistakenly eat my child instead of feed her.

A mother's work is never done.

To My Special Someone

Today is a very special day. 

31 years ago on this very day, God created my husband.  My handsome, caring, fan-freaking-tabulous husband.  The man with whom I am diving into this adventure of parenthood. The man who is my entire world and surrounds me with so much love and joy I wonder how I ever got this lucky.

I love you to the moon and back my sweet.  And I will thank God everyday for the rest of my life for bringing you into my world.  Muah!

And on an exciting baby note:  at my 35 week appointment on Friday...the doctor checked me and it turns out that I am already 3 cm!  She was VERY surprised but everything looks good to go.  So perhaps this baby will come a little earlier than expected?  Or maybe not?  Isn't God's timing perfectly unpredictable?   

Seven Years Ago Today...

Dear Matt,

Seven years ago today we had our very first date.  Do you remember?  We went to Maggiano's and had delicious pasta.  I cleaned my plate and you hardly made a dent in your spaghetti.  Not much has changed.

You knew so soon that you wanted us to be together.  I have no idea why you felt that way, but I'm so glad you realized your feelings so quickly.  At the time, I admit, it freaked me out.  I remember the first time you referred to me at your girlfriend and I thought, "Wait a minute, when did we decide this?"  But in reality, it didn't take me long to figure out you were my one and only.  The person I was meant to share my forever with.

And everyday since then has been magical.  Sure, we've had our moments, but they are so few.  We've found a love that is so special, so real, and unlike anything I could've imagined. 

I have met no one in my whole life who loves like you love.  You like to hide how sweet you are and how warm and open you can be when you first meet someone.  But you have never been like that with me.  You tell me it's because I'm special.  Well, thank goodness you think so. 

So on our seven year first date-o-versary, I want you to know that you are the most important person in the world to me.  You are my very best friend, my constant companion, and my rock.  Our baby is the luckiest little one on the planet to have you has a father.  You already love him or her so much and have taken such great care of us.  I cannot wait to see your hold our child in your arms for the first time.  It's a moment I will treasure forever.

I love you.  I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone.  And do you know what's so wonderful?  I know you feel the exact same way.  I don't think you could love me more if you tried.  I see it everyday in your eyes and I hear it in your voice when you talk to me.  I just hope you can see and hear the same love I feel for you in me.

Yours now and forever,

Jenny

Getting Closer...

Happy Monday friends!

We had another busy weekend filled with not so fun things like 3 hours of Junior League training...and really fun things like house hunting! We've officially found three potential houses and are just working out the kinks with our Realtor to figure out which would suit us the best. So exciting!

In other, some would argue equally exciting news, I FIT INTO A SIZE LOWER JEANS this morning! After realizing that my current pair...with a hole on each side of the crotch that just keeps growing and growing...could no longer be worn in public, I searched my drawer to see if I had anything in the next size down. I found a pair, slipped those babies on, and they freaking fit! I could not be more thrilled!

In fact, I may've done a dance. And made up a song. It is entitled, "I Fit Into a Lower Size." Clever, right? And those may be the only words to the song...but I do repeat them over and over. And the dance adds an effect you are missing not being here in person. Trust me.

Who knew working out and eating well would help you lose weight? Shocking discovery I'd say!

Hope everyone has a fabulous week! Matt will be in and out of town the entire week so it's back to leftovers and Lean Pockets for dinner for this girl...which I must admit I love :) But I do miss him terribly when he's gone. Ah my love, how you complete me...

I know. Puke.



And how much do I miss this little face!?! He has been covered in a beard and mustache since Christmas!

Marchio?

*Conversation over the weekend driving home from church*

Matt: "It looks like Mardi Gras Cake Supplies is out of business."

Jenny: "That sign says they're moving. I wonder where."

Matt: "Wherever Marchio is."

Jenny: (hysterically cracking up...tears streaming down face...hardly able to drive) "Honey, that says March 10th."

Perhaps this is one of those moments where you had to be there to get the hilarity of this situation. But just understand that my husband is rarely wrong and boy did I relish in this little nugget.

My Sweetie is Home! and...BLF!

Another week...

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What are the results this week you ask? The week I was left to my own devices whilst my husband was out of town? The week I didn't have to cook for anyone (and therefore ate leftovers three days in a row)? The week I went out for Mexican the day before I weighed in?

Down 2.5 lbs!

I could not be more thrilled! When I'm alone, I usually end up getting pizza and eating it all in one day...going to the store to pick up cookies and Doritos...and eating chocolate chips right out of the bag. But this week, none of that! I actually stuck to my diet the whole time and I am just bursting with excitement this morning!

Total weight loss: 9 lbs. Sweet!


We don't have any real plans this weekend...probably more house hunting activities. But I am just so glad to have my husband home. 3 sleeps is too long to be apart, right? Ha!

But in all seriousness, although I've enjoyed having 100% control over the T.V. and not rushing home to fix dinner...I missed the heck out of him. So I intend to use this weekend to snuggle as long as he'll let me :)

Love!

Our Kind of Fort

Did you ever make a fort when you were little?

My brother, sister, and I used to make them all the time. We would drape blankets over chairs, covering them all the way so they touched the floor. We'd put pillows and blankets underneath and have the best time hiding out, giggling, and peeking out to see if anyone knew where we were.

Yesterday, I built a fort.

But it was a different kind of fort.

I didn't use chairs, just billions of pillows covered with blankets.

And I had candles.

And lotion.

And a surprised husband who walked into our living room upon returning from work who couldn't have been happier.

You see this man of mine. He loves massages. He has back problems to begin with, but pair that with sitting in a desk all day and let me tell you the man suffers.

So you think God would've blessed him with a wife who loved to give him nightly massages to rub his worries away?

He did not.

In fact, I pretty much hate it.

Okay, I don't hate it. I just get bored! I mean, how long are you supposed to rub someone? When can I stop? Plus, it's not like I know any special massage techniques!?! I have no idea what I am doing.

So this, ladies, was special.

And I really didn't have a reason. I just wanted to do something to show my husband that I was thinking about him. But you know what? It was the perfect day to do it. Unbeknownst to me, he had quite the rough day at the office and it was just the thing he needed.

Maybe God did know what he was doing.

The Little Things

Matt and I left our house at the same time for work today. About 97% of the time I leave before him...and on rare occasions when he is crazy busy he leaves before me...but today we left together.

When this happens Matt usually ends up driving behind me because I tend to be a little on the speedy side. I've slowed down tremendously with age...and cruise control is now my friend...but I still end up passing him if he's ahead of me :)

Since it's so dark in the mornings though, I never know which car he is. I think sometimes he is behind me...but then the person passes me and it's not him. There is only one way I can tell where he is. He flashes his brights at me when he reaches his exit.

For some reason today...this melted my heart. He could've easily just gotten off the interstate without doing a thing. But he wanted to tell me goodbye.

Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? It's the little things for me ladies. And after a tremendously horrible morning at work...it is this exact "little" thing that is making me smile.

Simply love him.

Tobogganing!

Last year for Matt's birthday I did a complete day of surprises. From the presents, to the food, to the activities...he didn't know anything. This year, I thought I would ask him what he wanted to do! He said one thing: tobogganing.

Cleveland has some beautiful Metroparks, one of which has a Chalet and two tobogganing chutes. Check it out!


We just got our first snow of the season the night before, and even though it was only about an inch or so, it was just so perfect and beautiful.

Here we are just as we arrived. Please notice the building to the left of Matt...yeah...that's the building we walked to. Do you also notice the almost completely empty parking lot? Yep. My husband always parks the furthest away. And he's one of THOSE people who takes up like two spots because they don't want anyone to hit their car when they open their doors. Annoying! But it was his birthday...



Now let's get this party started!! Oh wait. I have to carry my own toboggan?? Up steps?? Hm.


That sucker was heavy! We definitely got a workout in. But it was totally worth it to see this little face!






We did take a few much needed breaks by the fire.


They even had a concession stand where we enjoyed hot chocolate, popcorn, and a corn dog. In all seriousness...best. corn dog. ever.

After a few hours, we started making the 30 minute drive home. On the way, I spotted this!


It was just like Prancer!!! We drove by this restaurant and I happened to look over and I shouted, "A reindeer!! A reindeer!!" Yes, I am a child. But Matt was the one who suggested we go back for a picture.




30 seconds later...he started to pee. The reindeer, not Matt.


Merry Christmas!! And Happy Birthday!!

Two Cakes and a Birthday!

Last week was insane for me. I had two cakes due over the weekend...and as a girl who works full time and was attempting to plan a spectacular birthday weekend for her husband...this was a bit of a challenge. But, my lucky stars were shining on me and I finished both cakes on time with happy customers!

The first cake was for a little girl's 2nd birthday. She is obsessed with Jack's Big Music Show from Nickelodeon. Have you heard of it? Neither had I. I spent some time on the Internet researching Jack and came up with this:



Her parents LOVED it! And when I was leaving, Kennedy finally noticed her cake on the counter and said, "Jack!?!" It was so cute! She knew who it was!


The next cake I made for a woman at my work. Her granddaughter was turning 2 and they requested a "winter" themed cake with Frosty on top. We decided on this:





It's a two-tiered cake with the winter snowflakes all around the tiers. Frosty is on top with Karen riding him as a sled. I sculpted Karen and Frosty out of Rice Krispie Treats and covered them in fondant. They were the first large figures I have made out of fondant and I think they turned out really well! And as I heard this morning...the ice cream cone trees were a big hit!


After I delivered the final cake on Saturday afternoon, I could fully concentrate on give my honey the most fabulous birthday weekend ever! He had a weekend full of everything and anything he wanted to do. We had lunch at Smokey Bones. Seriously delicious wings, pulled pork, Texas toast...awesome!


We relaxed around the house for the afternoon and then enjoyed a dinner out! We went to a place called Henry's at the Barn. The restaurant is in an actual barn which was fixed up into a pretty fancy restaurant. They served authentic low country Carolina food which I knew my Southern boy would just love.



They did get a strike right off the bat for not having sweet tea (really??), and their fried green tomatoes left something to be desired...but Matt's shrimp and grits with andouille sausage was a winner! I had walleye on top of a sweet potato waffle which was also quite good. Overall restaurant rating=B.

I think I'll save our adventures on Sunday, his actual birthday, for tomorrow. We went tobogganing and had a blast!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!!

A Birthday Wish

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!

I just want you to know that I thank God every day for bringing us together. You're my other half, the person who makes me feel whole. You'll forever be my partner, my very best friend, and my love. You have my whole heart and always will.

There are so many things I love about you, but the thing I think I love the most is the way you love me. It's that special kind of love that only I get to see. And it warms my heart to think of you sharing that kind of love with our future children.

Oh...and you look so gosh darn handsome in a suit.


This weekend we will celebrate all things you! 30 is a very important birthday and I want to treat it as such. I hope you're looking forward to a fun-filled but relaxing time of presents, food, and fun!

Love you to the moon and back!

**Matt's birthday is technically on Sunday...but I usually don't post on the weekends so I thought I'd better give him an early shout out**

Surprise!

Now that the weekend is over, I can finally let all of you in on the little secret I have been keeping!

For several months I have been elaborately planning a surprise 30th birthday party for my dear husband. It involved lies and deception like you have never seen from family, friends, and co-workers...and it was all totally and completely worth it.

My sister and her husband came in from Chicago for a "visit" and then...in a crazy coincidence, Matt's best friend Robert and his wife Laura came up from Indy to stay with us on Friday and Saturday night because Laura's cousin (who is from Cleveland) had a baby and the Christening was on Sunday. Ha! Genius!

Saturday...my sister, Laura, and I headed off to "the gym," which actually meant out to pick up the balloon bouquet and drop it off at a friend's house who was coming to the party. After that, we spent the rest of the day rocking out...ha! Our band was called OMFG. Yeah. I know you're jealous.


All of Matt's friends and co-workers were going to be at Buffalo Wild Wings at 6 p.m...so it took a little effort to get us to leave the house at the exact right time. I also had the dilemma of having to decorate and put out the cake once Matt was out of the house and still beat him to the restaurant. Well, a big huge thanks goes out to Laura...who faked eye troubles all freaking day to get Matt to take her to Walgreen's beforehand for eye drops. That gave my sister, her husband, and I enough time to decorate and get to B-dubs before Matt did! It was perfection!




The best part...he had no idea!







We had everyone over to our house afterward for cake, Oreo Truffles, and games. It was a blast and Matt was so appreciative of his friends for helping him celebrate. I made a cake that looked like his business card...which turned out fantastic! But I don't want to post a picture of his information for all of the world to see. Sorry!


I will, though, let you see the result of all of the baking I have been doing. Here is about 75% of it....getting ready to be assembled last night.


Holy sugar load people! Get this stuff out of my house!

Sugar, Sugar

Recently, my fabulous friends from Happily Ever After and A Journey Through the Waiting Game gave me this award!



How sweet! I don't think I have ever been called a Sugar Doll before. I kinda like it! My husband's mother sometimes calls him a sugar cube...but that's another story.

I'm supposed to list 10 interesting facts about myself. Hm. What don't you know?


I know! I'll tell you about my night last night!


1. Matt and I went to Outback last night because I had a coupon for a FREE Bloomin' Onion that I had to use by the 30th. FREE people! And I love me some Bloomin' Onion.

2. We pretended it was our first date. I got all dressed up and met him there after work. We introduced ourselves and everything. Ha!

3. When we sat down, I proceeded to ask him about his wedding ring and he told me that his "wife" had died in a steel toed shoe accident. Died? Yeah. Apparently the shoe fell on her head. Oh dear.

And if you didn't know, I have to wear steel toed shoes to work on a daily basis.

4. I then told him that I had actually been married before as well. But my dear husband had also died falling off a ladder putting up our Christmas lights. (Matt refuses to hang Christmas lights on our house. Pure laziness I tell you.)

5. We spent the whole dinner talking about our "dead" spouses. Matt's "wife" was a masseuse and used to give him massages almost every night. (Fat chance.) My "husband" traveled the world with me, took me to Paris on our honeymoon, and ordered all sorts of fancy wines for me to try. (Again, fat chance.)

6. I think our waitress thought we were nuts.

7. I realized I am so happy I don't have to date anymore. I was trying to be all proper and first-datey and I did not like it.

What I do like:
eating off Matt's plate without asking
using my fingers to eat my Bloomin' Onion (it kept falling off the fork into the dip!)
eating more Bloomin' Onion than my husband and not caring
even ORDERING a freaking Bloomin' Onion and not just a salad, grilled chicken, or something equally as blah
not caring about my onion breath
talking about how I felt like I was going to explode after dinner

...all things I never, ever would've done on a first date.

8. Matt tried to shake my hand when we parted ways at the end of the night.

9. Our pretend first date was pretty fun while it lasted...

10. But I was happy to get home to my (not dead) husband.

Talk About A Wake Up Call

As some of my long time followers may remember, I am currently making my way through The Bible for the first time. Sure, I've read chapters from probably every book before, but I have never just sat down and read the whole thing from cover to cover. And that is exactly what I'm doing....and have been doing since February (it's a long book people!). I read the chapters in my Student Bible my grandparents gave me when I was a kid (it rocks by the way!) and then I read the summaries of every 3-4 chapters or so in another Bible I was given...just to make sure I have soaked up all of the important information. This Bible is called The Daily Walk Bible.

During yesterday's reading of the summary of Hosea 1-3, I stumbled upon, no...really it hit me right in the face like a sledgehammer, this section about God's love. Here is what it said:

Your Daily Walk:

Love it truly a "many-splendored"--and oft-mistaken--thing.

There's Because Love: "I love you because you're beautiful...because you're talented...because you make me feel special."

There's When Love: "I love you when you're good...when you're faithful...when you're obedient."

There's If Love: "I'll love you if you please me...if you don't hurt me..if you measure up to my expectations."

And then there's God's Love. He doesn't say, "I love you because," or "when," or "if." Rather, God simply says, "I love you, period." No conditions. No "fine print." No timetable.

The Daily Walk Bible, Hosea 1-3.

************

Way back when, I did a post all about why I loved my husband. You can view that post here. The title of that post was "I Love You Because..."

Yeah.

Holy cow. Talk about a wake up call.


It definitely makes me truly appreciate God's love for me and the fact that it is unconditional. He doesn't love me because I do anything. Thank goodness for that. He just love me. And I will spend the rest of my days trying to show that same kind of love to my husband. To love him not because of what he does...but just love him. Period.

Mix & Match

My pantry is filled with opened boxes of cereal. Who is the culprit you ask? Well I'll tell you. It's this man!


Oh yeah. I just went there...posted a picture of you stuffing your face, getting BBQ sauce all over yourself. Sure, he looks all cute and innocent, but don't let that face fool you.


My dear husband is constantly leaving boxes of cereal in the pantry with less than one bowl's worth of cereal left in them. Now, maybe this wouldn't be so much of an issue if it were only one box. But there have been upwards of four boxes at a time like this! Those boxes take up a lot of space people! Why does he leave it in the pantry and not throw it away? No idea. It is a long five steps to the trash so maybe that has something to do with it?? But I'm leaning more towards his inability to get rid of anything.

I should note that we rarely share cereal. Matt likes grown up cereal while I intend on eating Count Chocula and Reese Puffs until I die. I will occasionally indulge in Frosted Mini Wheats, but that is as adult as I get. Proof the boxes are his doing.

So what is my solution?

I eat them. And I mix them with my cereal to make a whole bowl. In fact, I mixed the last of the Fiber One Honey Clusters with Frosted Flakes this morning. And it was pretty darn good. I mix everything. I've even mixed three cereals before. Hubs won't even touch this idea and he thinks it's weird....but I find throwing them out wasteful so mixing it is.

Anyone else do this?

Apple Picking

Good morning!

Weekend update...coming up!

Matt and I had such a lovely weekend!! I had wanted to go apple picking all week, but the weather was seemingly not in our favor. My hopes were low when I woke up on Saturday, but it wasn't raining so we took a shot. Oh my, I am so glad we did! It was a perfect fall day, no coat required, and simply beautiful outside. It was the first day I loved that it was fall.

Right as we got there I wanted to snap pictures of course! So I took this one!

As you can tell, NOT a picture. I was accidentally taking video...but it made me laugh so I thought I would share. Please do not judge my hideous laugh....

Please excuse the hair in my face...obviously I was struggling.

Matty...an action shot!






Peek-a-Boo!

I wanted to act like I was eating the apple right off the tree..but instead it looks like I am eating the branch. Funny photo FAIL.



Take Two...Success!






Matt in the tree getting the perfect apple! We later read a sign that said you weren't supposed to climb the trees. Oops. Sorry tree. Our bad.

We finished the day with a trip to the grocery and enjoyed homemade lasagna for dinner by yours truly! It was yum! Tomato and Basil Prosciutto! Yeah for leftovers!


We got our butts back to church on Sunday which felt incredible and hit up Sonic on the way home. Then I finally put up all of our fall/Halloween decorations! I am so excited to share those with you guys...perhaps tomorrow...

Then the very best thing happened! I went to the gym for about an hour, came home, and walked into a kitchen where ALL OF THE DISHES WERE DONE and I could hear the faint sound of the laundry running. My husband was busy, busy when I was gone. Talk about a love tank overflowing. My tank runneth over. I have to admit, I got a little teary. So sweet!


I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!! I cannot wait to hear about them all!!

XOXO