Our Birthday

So, I think it's very cute and awesome that my birthday is March 22nd and his is March 23rd. We have always had fun birthdays. This year was our 3rd birthday together and it was amazing!

Our first birthday together was only 2 months after we met when we were a brand new relationship. We had dinner with some friends. Our second birthday together was 3 months after he asked me to marry him...we had a fancy dinner alone. Our birthday this year comes weeks before an epic trip to Europe.

Our Birthday 2011

Our Birthday 2012

Our Birthday 2013

This year he surprised me with a trip to Fredericksburg, TX, which is only about 90 minutes away from our house. He booked 2 nights at an adorable cottage at a Bed & Breakfast called Two Wee Cottages. It's run by Skip & Kate and it was amazing. THEY were amazing. I couldn't believe how cool this place was.

The Path to our Cottage

Front of the Cottage

OMG! Private hot tub on our private enclosed porch!

OMG! Robes!!!

Cute Little Bed

 We had a nice dinner at a local grill...and got treats for after!

YUMMY Mint Julep

So yum!

Haha...Butts.

Pretty Day, Pretty Fountain

After we walked around a lot we came back to the cottage. I fell asleep quickly...it was so quiet and comfortable. I was tired and relaxed. The next morning we had treats and coffee in the garden.

Beautiful Garden

Fountain

We ate lunch at a German Brewery and got ready to spend the day touring the wineries.

My Beautiful Husband to Be

Sausage!!!

OMG!!!

Brewery

Then we tasted some wine! We went to 4 or 5 different places. The last place just made me way too tipsy!

Isn't he beautiful?

Wine Tasting!

Justin tasting!

We got back...ate some dinner (Justin ate...I just stared at my food in disdain...too drunky)...and then went back to our cottage (where homemade cupcakes were waiting for us!!!) where we watched The Blindside and PS, I Love You, ate popcorn, laughed and snuggled.

Sunset

Handsome Man

Popcorn!!

The next morning we headed to a breakfast joint and then headed home. It was a lovely weekend!!!

Happy Birthday to Us!!!!

Two weeks from now we depart on a trip to Europe. We'll start in Vienna and hang with his sister, her husband and their littles...we'll run a half marathon together and the next day we're renting a car and driving from Vienna to Graz to Slovenia to Venice. We'll spend the night in Venice...and tour around Venice all day the next day and then stay one more night. Then we're heading back to the car to go to Verona...then Innsbruck...then Anger (in Germany)...then Salzburg...and back to Vienna!  We'll hang with Mollz, Andi and the kids for another 3 days before heading back to the states!  What a crazy, amazing adventure this will be!!!

SO EXCITED!!!!

Life is busy and lovely

Justin and I are leaving for Vienna in 3.5 weeks. We are both ridiculously excited about this trip. We pour over travel books every night before we go to sleep...we Google photos of our destinations. We count our Euros. I am excited to see Vienna and Italy (and one night in Amsterdam). I am excited to see Mollie, Andi, Vinnie and meet little Elsie. I am excited to run the Vienna half Marathon with my soul mate by my side. I am excited to eat new foods and drink new drinks.

Justin is literally giddy with excitement. He'll randomly text me during the day to tell me he can't think of anything else except exploring Europe with me. He's been there before...several times. He even brought a girl once (LONG ass time ago). I asked him why he was so excited about this visit and how it was different from previous visits:

He says the sweetest words to me. He really is the best ever.

My birthday is on Friday and his is on Saturday (how cute are we???). He told me to get off work early, pack a bag for 2 nights and don't ask questions. He's taking me away for the weekend! How fun!!  I can't wait to see what he has planned. I know it's going to be the best birthday ever!

Today I ran 11 miles! I never thought I would be running like this...I knew I would do that half marathon but I didn't know I could run that far without stopping or walking. But I can!  Not without pain, let me assure you. I have blisters on my tootsies and chafing on my lower back from where my pants were apparently rubbing as I ran. I didn't notice that until I got in the shower afterwards...YOWCH!  My new shoes are causing major blister issues but they help with my knees...I hope I can find shoes that don't blister me and still keep my knees from aching.  I feel very accomplished today.

Oh, and I got a new car! I settled on a brand new 2013 Honda Civic. I love her so much. I can even put a picture of Justin and I on the dashboard screen which I have already done, of course. His face makes an hour of traffic much better.

I love my life so much! I have a good job, I have two healthy and happy kids. I have my soul mate. I have a sweet, new car. I am going to Europe soon. I have a fun surprise birthday weekend coming up.

I love my life.

Progress!

So, I started training for the Vienna Half Marathon using a training plan made for me by my love. I think I am getting better! I can see my average minutes per mile slowly decreasing. That is very encouraging. My goal is to do the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes or less. Justin is also running the half marathon. I was very surprised when he told me he plans on running with me. He is a better runner than I am...I am slower. I told him he didn't have to do that...I would be okay.  He insisted he's going to. He wants to cross the finish line next to me.  That is damn sweet.

Speaking of love so amazing it makes people want to throw up...he and I have an important day on Monday. That will be the 2 year anniversary of when we met and had our first date at Cafe Pinot in downtown Los Angeles. We both agree it was the best date of our lives and it's just gotten better since then. 2 years of love and laughter with many more ahead of us. I am taking him to a nice place on Monday...it's my treat and it's a surprise. I am very much looking forward to it...and the rest of my life, for that matter.

He has been sick this past week. It might be the flu. So far I feel like I am coming down with something but only a little...I wake up with a sore throat and I sneeze sometimes but I don't feel full on sick and miserable. I am hoping my body fights this thing off, whatever it is. I could be imaging it but I think the running is boosting my immune system...my kids and Justin keep getting sick but I don't feel like I have which is very unusual. I usually spend the cold season miserable...and coughing.  But not this year.

So, I was cleaning out things and getting rid of junk we don't need when I came across this ugly thing:

Holy ugly item, Batman!  This must be some tasteless remnant of an ex-girlfriend...aaaaand in the trash it goes. I'm also getting rid of some hideous pink towels too...and linens.  Ah...feels good to purge this junk!

I also found the card that came with my Coach purse from my birthday last year:

 And inside:

How cute and silly is he? Ah, I love him so.

He is on his way home from LA now...he's still sick. Cannot wait to make him feel better. He recharges at home...he gets home so irritated and frowny and is soon smiling and laughing.  Happiness on that man is beautiful.  Or, as he says to me all the time, beautimus.

He makes up funny words.  :)

I cannot believe it's only been 2 years! I feel like I have known him my whole life. I have...he's the person I knew I was looking for even before I met him. And that night when we went on that date it was such a strong feeling of "There you are...I have been looking for you."

And he feels the same way.

Love is grand, people. It's the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.

Oh, he recently traded his bike for a green, tandem beach cruiser!  He thought it would be fun to ride with me. All I could think when I saw it was ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS!  When the weather gets better I am setting up a photo session...he is the most interesting man. What man does that?  What man trades a bike with which he could make money for a tandem bike so he can ride around with his lady?  My man does that.  Mine.

I feel incredibly lucky.

Only 3 more months until we get to be with Mollie in Vienna! I miss her and the kiddos...can't wait to hang out more. So looking forward to Europe with my Justin. If I mention it he breaks into a big smile. He is excited to. He misses his sister and he wants to show me everything. We're going to pop over to Italy for a few days and have an adventure on our own. The first time either of us have been to Italy! So exciting.

I'm gonna go clean things so that he doesn't have to do anything tomorrow except REST.

My poor love...I love him so much!

Happy 2013

Life has been very busy since I got back from Oregon! It was a short trip but very awesome. It did not snow but it did rain a lot...we love the rain. It's romantic and we don't get enough of it.

We had so much fun with his parents...we ate, we drank, we played games, we watched movies.  Justin surprised me with a new iPhone 5 so I was able to play Draw Something with them. He's so sweet and amazing to me! He spoils me rotten. I love it.

I've had him here since we got home...but he leaves Wednesday. Not for long but I wish he could be with me every day.  Someday...

Gonna go downstairs and snuggle with him...best part of my day...

So much to do!!

So, I leave for Oregon in 2 days.  I get to be reunited with my love and hang out with family.

I have a ton to do in the next few days...I was going to work overtime because I have a ton to do at work as well but I just don't have time. I have too much to do.

I am really looking forward to seeing my love again...I said goodbye Monday morning and I'll see him Friday night. I hate when we're apart!  It's going to be a good Christmas.

I feel so terrible for the families in Connecticut who do not get to be with their loved ones this Christmas. What a horrible nightmare that must be. I'm sick of hearing people blame gun control or autism. I'm sure there are a thousand little things that led up to that kid doing this horrible thing. He was clearly mentally ill which is NOT the same as autism. And my first reaction was "people shouldn't have easy access to guns" too but some pointed out to me that he would have just used something else. He was just sick, clearly, and it's a terrible thing that happened.  I don't want to read anything about guns or autism. I just want to read about the lives that were lost and share in the grief of their loss. And be grateful my beautiful children are safe and well...hug them close and never take them for granted.

Can't wait to hug and smooch my soul mate!! 

My Ocean and Me

This song popped up on Pandora and totally reminded me of Justin and I since he travels so much:

“In My Arms” by Jon Foreman:

Here, my dear
This is where
We'll shake the nightmares free
I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms

I think I figured it out
We need to be together
Like the shore and the sea
We are not one thing
We're drawn here together
My ocean and me

I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Love we sleep apart
For the last time
For the last time

I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms

Here, my dear
This is where
We'll shake the nightmares free

I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms

I think I figured it out
We need to be together
Like the shore and the sea
We are not one thing
We're drawn here together
My ocean and me
I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Love we sleep apart
For the last time
For the last time

I dream to hold you in my arms
I dream to hold you in my arms
To hold you in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms
Wide awake in my arms

Lovely! I sent this to Justin and he replied "I looove you!!"

Can't wait to hold him in my arms again this weekend...and soon after we go to Oregon for holiday fun!!!!! So excited.

Melted Heart

I get him back in only a little over 24 hours!  So happy about that.  Today he sent me this email:

"I don't think you will ever really know or understand how much you mean to me....I feel so dang lucky to have you."

Swoon/melt!

I feel lucky, too, my love. Hurry home!!!