life in general

101 in 1001 // try eyebrow threading

This is what Scott and I did for our date last week

I was thoroughly entertained by the small scream -- "ahh!" -- that came from Scott when the threading began.  Haha.

As for me, I loved it!  The process was not painful, in my opinion.  In fact, in a weird way I rather liked the ripping feeling and sound.  And I loved the results.  I'm pretty sure I'll be doing this again!  They want me to come back in 2 weeks, but maybe I'll try again in a month.  And for 10 bucks . . . not too bad.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Scott was the one who planned this date.  He had looked at my 101 in 1001 list, did some research to find a local threading place, and made it happen.  How awesome is that?

After the eyebrow threading we wandered around the mall, did a little shopping, and then ended up at Coldstone for dessert.  A great date.

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And the winner of my happy mail giveaway is

Claire was also the very first commenter!  Nice guess!  E-mail me your address and I'll send out your happy mail.  shan979 (at) yahoo (dot) com

the sun is shining and we have a date with a lounge chair

Sunday . . . rain

Monday . . . rain

Tuesday . . . rain

Wednesday . . . 

We woke up to this view out our window and, oh man, I was just plain giddy!  

It's a pool day!  Yes!  We ate breakfast, gathered up our things and made our way to the pool where we claimed our spot . . . . (at 8am)

And didn't move for 7 hours.

There were books to read, lava flows to drink, and relaxation to be had.  We ordered lunch from the poolside waitress and just acted like bums all day long.  It was perfect.

Friday was another pool day and we pretty much repeated this same set-up.

Our resort was located up on a cliff so we didn't have direct beach access.  But there was a dirt path off to one side that you could walk down to a small beach.  We decided to check it out one day.

I loved this portion of the beach with the black rocks on the sand.  

I spy a chicken

And that big rock is just screaming for a Little Mermaid pose.  Don't you think? 

The big moment of the day . . . . As we were leaving the beach I found my first ever heart-shaped rock!  I was so excited and Scott didn't quite understand why.  Until I explained to him that I have always wanted to find a heart-shaped rock.  It's just one of those cool, rare treasures that come in moments of serendipity.

The next day we spent the morning at Tunnels Beach and I found another heart-shaped rock!  (And a piece of clear/white sea glass -- now that is a rare find).  I was feeling pretty darn lucky!

Tunnels beach was gorgeous.  Crystal clear water, shallow enough to wade out a long distance . . . and this amazing backdrop of massive lush green mountains.  

It appears that snorkeling is the thing to do there, but we weren't in the snorkeling mood this trip so we just sat on the beach and enjoyed the view.  I loved sitting right at the water's edge and letting the waves lap up over my legs.  Ahhhh, absolute paradise!

Okay, so on our previous 2 trips to Maui we were always being asked the question, "Are you honeymooning?"  Well it was day 4 of our Kauai trip when I realized . . . . no one has asked us if we're honeymooning?!  Does that mean we're looking old?  We're not as cute as we used to be?  Boo-hoo-hoo!  It was a slight moment of crisis.  

As we were leaving Tunnels Beach, on day 5, I told Scott that I really wanted to get a picture of the two of us together.  So we set down our bags, carefully tried to balance the iphone on top of some flip flops, set the TimerCam app, and hoped for the best.  We were in the middle of this odd balancing act when a woman walking by asked if she could take the picture for us.  Yes, thank you!!  

In our exchange of thank you's she asked . . . "Are you two honeymooning?"

YES!!!

Well, no.  But yes!  Someone asked us the magic question!!  Oh, I was so relieved.  Phew.

She happened to be honeymooning.  And a BYU grad.  She commented on Scott's BYU visor.

After lunch we hopped on our resort's little shuttle to go to the St. Regis Resort and enjoy their beach.  The Westin and St. Regis are both in the Starwood family so we get to share stuff.  While we didn't have a beach at our place, it was nice that we could make the 2 mile jaunt down the road and enjoy theirs.

Along with lounge chairs and umbrellas.

looking out at Hanalei Bay 

And beachside drink service, of course.  You know what we ordered.

And that, my friends, is how we vacation at the beach.

remember the time we drank from a coconut in kauai?

This is a memory that I'm sure Scott and I will pull out of the vault from time to time over our marriage.  And the answer to this question will always be, 

"Ya.  That was not so awesome."

Now, the image of drinking from a coconut . . . doesn't that just seem like the picture of paradise?  I have never done it and I like good photo-ops so I told Scott that we needed to stop at one of the coconut stands on the side of the road.  

He happily fulfilled my request.  But, I was unaware that he had tasted fresh coconut milk in his past and had already discovered that it was not-so-awesome.  He kept his comments to himself because he could see how excited I was about this experience.

Such a handsome guy.  

And that lady in the truck -- she knows how to use a machete.

I got my cute picture.  And we sipped . . . 

. . . and ruled that it was not so awesome.  Certainly not good enough to drink more than just a taste.  And the coconut meat -- slimy and chewy.  I think I'll stick with my dried coconut from Costco.

Lesson learned.

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And here's one more of Scott, because today is his birthday!

And it's a pretty awesome day because it is also the day we met, 15 years ago.

Wailua Falls

I'm so glad that we survived the waterfall so that we could spend this day together.

princeville golf course

This, an America's Top 100 Golf Course, sat right next to our resort in Kauai.  Just gorgeous.  

On our 3rd rainy day we decided that it was time to play golf.  Well, Scott played golf.  And I rode along in the cart (for an extra $25 fee) acting as photographer, providing company, and enjoying the beautiful scenery.  (We joked that I was his ParMate - click on the link, it's totally a thing in Vegas.)

view from the clubhouse

warming up at the driving range

We got set up with a golf cart.  Scott was stoked to see that the rental clubs were Titleist.  His brand.  It was also equipped with coolers full of water bottles and ice and the golf cart featured a sweet GPS unit.

And from there we set out for an afternoon of one incredible sight after another.  

It seemed like each hole provided a new visual treasure - ocean views, waterfalls, lush greenery, sweeping landscapes. . . . .

At every turn we found ourselves saying, "Wow, this is so pretty!"  "So gorgeous!"  "Amazing!"

At the end of this post I have a little video that highlights several of the best panoramic views we came across.  As well as some chickens.

It really felt like we were getting two activities for the price of one.  Golf + a jungle/botanical tour.  So much beautiful vegetation. 

It was a great day!  And I'm glad that we spent it together rather than splitting up to do our own activities (like me staying back to read in our villa, or going to a spa).

Here is the video I mentioned.  Watching it back, though, I noticed that I come off maybe a little too excited / awe-struck in the last clip.  It's somewhat reminiscent of the youtube guy and the giant double rainbow. . . . Not that bad, but I was pretty enthralled with nature.  Kauai will do that to you.

zip-line in kauai

Long before this Kauai trip -- in fact, way back on our last Maui trip -- I decided that the next time we came to Hawaii I needed to go zip-lining.  I even added it to my 101 in 1001 list -- #72.

After a rainy Sunday, and more rain in the forecast for Monday we realized that if we wanted to do things, they were just gonna have to happen in the rain.  Zip-lining it is!

And you know what?  I loved it!  I think I had a smile plastered across my face the entire time!  

Even though we were getting poured on.  I think the rain lasted through the first 3 lines and then let up.

We crossed 9 zip-lines, zig-zagging across a cattle ranch and taking in the beautiful Kauai landscape.  Nearly every line ran across or parallel to a stream.  And we got to cross this suspension bridge.  It was pretty wobbly.  So of course, when Scott began walking behind me he had to bounce and shake it up and down.  Of course.

In the left photo I'm yelling, "Scott Brown, stop it right now!" And in the right photo I'm smiling.

He realized that he wasn't capable of walking across without bouncing so he sat down on one of the slats and waited for me to make it to safety.  And got his bum all dirty.

It's a pretty cute bum.

Scott's technique involved a run and jump approach.

The thing that surprised me the most in this zip-lining experience was that you don't get that drop-in-your-stomach feeling.  I thought for sure there would be one when you stepped off the platform.  But it's all very smooth sailing from launch to landing.  You can just sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery!

On this zip-line course the big daddy, the finale is a 1200 foot long dual zip line named King Kong.  You launch from a 26 foot tall tower and the line goes on forever.

So this zip-line has a camera that takes a series of photos right after launch.  Some people choose to hold hands for as long as they can.  Others will launch backwards to get their face in the photo, and then you turn around for the rest of the ride.  And others could care less about the camera and are solely focused on the race.  Because there is a winner and a loser.

I convinced Scott to do the backward launch so we could get a photo and then he would be free to speed down the zip-line and cream me.  I'm totally fine with that.  I'm not a competitive person.  When we took a look at the photos at the end of the day, well . . . . you take a look.

Where is Scott's face?!  His excuse . . . he says he didn't know he was supposed to lean his head out to the side.  Anyways, I think it is a hilarious series of photos (there are 9 in total).  Me, gleefully riding down the zip-line with a HUGE grin on my face.  Scott, lost in his world with no time to worry about things like cameras.

We give the zip-line 2 thumbs up.  It was such a fun experience and a great way to spend a rainy day in Kauai.  Here is a cute video that I made from our day at Princeville Ranch Adventures.  You should watch it.  It is so cute!  Just ask me.  If you watch it then you too will know just how cute it is.

On this rainy day we were also able to complete #93 on my 101 in 1001 list -- Kiss in the rain.

7 days in paradise

We are back from Kauai.  Rested.  Relaxed.  Re-connected.  And with tan lines.

It was a wonderful trip.  And I'm excited to tell you all about it.  But it might take me a little while and will probably come in small fragments here and there.  It's a little busy round these parts.  Scott's company is moving into a new building this week and I have a couple fun events I'm in charge of this week.  Not to mention the flurry of activity that comes when the end of the school year approaches (5 more weeks!).

For now, here are a few photo vignettes from our first day on the island.  

Currently craving // Melona ice cream bars. Seriously.  I need to find a mainland distributor pronto.

instafriday // kauai

Much relaxation, reading, adventures, connecting, laughing, eating, enjoying, tanning, and lava flow drinking happening around here. Aloha!

Miss Atomic Bomb

That's me and Miss Atomic Bomb 1957.  Yes, she was a real person.  From a real beauty pageant.  

Don't you just love her mushroom cloud costume?  So classy.  Back in the 50's, Nevadans were pretty proud of their big ol' Nuclear Test Site in the desert.

I came across a Groupon for tickets to the National Atomic Testing Museum and figured, hey! -- it might make a good date.  At the very least it was something new and different.

First, we had lunch at Johnny Rockets.  You know, the whole rocket/bomb/explosion theme.  Food was *ehh*.  Service was sloooow.  But the butterfinger milkshake was delicious.

Onto the museum which was right next to the UNLV campus.

"In association with the Smithsonian Institution" . . . hmm, makes this place sound pretty legit.  We might learn something today!

And we did.  The biggest thing I learned was that underground nuclear testing in Nevada continued clear up until 1992.  I was like, in 8th grade!  (Above ground testing stopped in 1962).

You know what happens when you push the big red button . . . . . 

This (below) was kind of funny.  And sad.

All in all, the museum was . . . interesting and a little eye-opening (for someone who did not live in the nuclear age).  Not a museum for children -- there really are no hands-on exhibits, just a lot of reading -- so kids would get bored, I think.  But there was a cool little theater (mocked up like an underground bunker) where you get to "experience" an atomic blast -- bright flash of light, rumbling seats, and a big screen that plays a short film.

Despite the little green alien who seemed very inviting, we decided we weren't willing to pay extra $$ to go inside the Area 51 exhibit.

Instead, we came home, played with the kids, cooked dinner, and got to enjoy this sunset from our balcony.

friday five {valentine's day}

1.  Food passport (write down local restaurants you want to try and then cross them off your list as you go out on dates).  If I hadn't already put together Scott's Valentine's Day gift I would totally do this.  And I still might.

Source: thespottedfox.com via Shannon on Pinterest

 

 

2.  Kiss Me Countdown -- I made these one night and quietly hung them on the kids' bedroom doors. It was a fun little surprise when they woke up on February 1st.  The idea & tag download came from the girls at eighteen25.

3.  Notes of love -- On Monday we had a family home evening lesson on love.  For the activity we cut hearts from cardstock and wrote what we love about each member of our family.  Then we taped them all over the kitchen cupboards.  The best part of the activity was going around the table and reading our messages out loud.  There were lots of feel-good smiles.  This, I think, has to be my favorite one . . . 

4.  For the Family Home Evening lesson we watched these videos and then talked about how we can show Christ-like love.

5.  A Date Card -- Scott already received his Valentine's Day gift.  It was a basket full of coupons to enjoy leading up to the holiday, and peanut M&M's (his favorite).  One coupon is for a date planned by me.  And because we've been watching The Bachelor together, no date is complete without a cheesy date card!

let's go on a date: november link-up

This date is all about sushi.

Back in January I had sushi for the first time and really quite enjoyed it!

Other than picking up a tray of California rolls in the grocery store, I haven't had any since.  So when it was time for our date, we decided that sushi was the way to go!

This place came highly recommended (both by people we talked to and by Yelp).

Scout pours over the menu.  There were over 100 items to choose from

We decided to go with the Love Boat.  Go big or go home!  //  And the Screaming Orgasm - it was highly reccommended on Yelp.  Ya, the menu isn't necessarily G-rated.

The food is actually served in a wooden boat!

It was huge!

As for the taste . . . . delicious.  I'm sure we'll be coming back again.

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As a little note, this is the last month that I am going to host a monthly link-up party for your dates.  Thank you so much to everyone who has participated and shared their date ideas!  I really appreciate it.  I will continue to share our dates from time to time.  And you are more than welcome to share your date ideas or links in the comments section. 

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Okay now it's your turn!

Here's how it goes:

1.  Go on a date with your husband.  Easy, right?  And post a wrap-up on your blog.  This is for anyone . . . whether you put together a Year of Dates gift or not.

2.  On the last day of the month, come here and submit a link to your blog post.  Not your blog

3.  In your blog post include a text link back to me.  You're also welcome to use the image below.

4.  Lastly, have fun and visit each other!

 

 

let's go on a date: christmas is around the corner

This is usually the day I would post about our October date and invite you to join in by adding links to your fabulous, ordinary, at-home, or on the town dates but . . . . we didn't go on a date this month.  :(  That whole moving-into-a-new-house thing kinda threw routines & normalcy out the window.

But, today is November 1st.

Do you know what is special about November 1st?  That is the day I allow myself to start thinking/planning/listing-making for Christmas.  I know some people like to plan months in advance or all year.  But that isn't me - I can't think about or plan for something more than 2 months in advance.

Anyways, if you're trying to come up with a gift idea for your husband . . . . this Year of Dates is a pretty great one!  12 months of pre-planned, (mostly) pre-paid dates

It's what I gave Scott for Christmas in 2010.

So today, in lieu of a recent date post, I thought I'd share a few tips & pointers about assembling your own Year of Dates gift.

Start planning now

When I put together our year of dates I started brainstorming ideas in September.  I opened a Word document on my computer and everytime a thought or idea came to me I would jot it down.  I think you still have time to pull something like this together if you started now.  But you probably need to start now.

Mix it up

The thought of coming up with 12 date ideas all at once can be daunting!  To make it easier for myself I decided to create 3 categories:  1) At home dates  2) Local dates  3) On the town dates.

In each of those categories I came up with 4 dates and divided them evenly throughout the year.  In January we went into the city.  In February we dated at home.  And in March we did something local.  And so on.  Doing something like this will make the brainstorming more manageable.

Think outside (and in) the box

 Now it's time to come up with the dates!  To get your creative juices flowing here are a few thoughts that might help you out. . . . 

Think of his interests - This gift is something that you will get to enjoy together, but I think he will be more willing to go along with the "creative" dates if there are plenty of his interests/hobbies mixed in as well.  Plus, it could give you an opportunity to learn more about the things he loves.  Who knows, you might like it too!  Scott loves to golf.  So I planned a golfing date (just 9 holes) into the mix.  I think we both agreed that it was our favorite date of the year!  Time outside, beautiful scenery, getting cozy in the golf cart while we waited for our turn at the tee . . . . 

August golfing date

Want romance?  Plan it! - I think, sometimes, we women sit around and wish/hope/dream that our spouses would be more romantic, planning dates that make our hearts flutter, and involve more hand-holding & talking and less movie-watching.  But that doesn't always happen.  I say make it happen yourself!  For one of our dates I planned an easy hike along with a picnic atop a hill with great views of the city.  This is something that never would have come up in our normal date planning.  But it sounded romantic to me so I added it to the mix.  Additionally, I planned it during my birthday month so I was guaranteed to get what I wanted.

Include traditions - Scott and I have a tradition of going on a date in December to the mall to do the last little bit of Christmas shopping.  We go out for a good dinner and then browse the shops, all decorated for Christmas, while enjoying the magical holiday atmosphere and time with each other.  So I made sure to include this in our date envelope.  To add a little twist & an element of fun, I also threw in two $5 bills and the challenge that we each had to find a stocking stuffer for the other person.  

So if there is a tradition or favorite yearly activity you do with your spouse . . . include it!  There's no reason you have to be completely original every month.

We like to attend the temple as often as possible & get dinner too.  April date, done!

We also have a tradition of seeing the latest Twilight movie together (after I've seen it with my friends).  November date, done!

Include a date for him -- I won't go into details (you can use your own imaginations).  But this date is best accomplished at home.

Be a tourist in your town - I'm sure there are restaurants or parks or theaters or other attractions you have wanted to visit but just never got around to it.  This is the perfect opportunity!  I had always wanted to see an IMAX movie at OMSI, so I included that as part of our January date.

Look online for date ideas - If you're still stumped, go online and there are TONS of creative/fun/simple date ideas out there.  I referenced the blog Love Actually to get a few of my ideas.  Now, I read Friday We're in Love and stand in awe of their ability to come up with new and different dates every single week.  This couple knows how to date.

Give yourself plenty of time to gather envelope contents

 This is the most time-consuming part of the process.  There was a lot of running around town involved!  But I was able to purchase a few of the giftcards online and they were mailed to me.  

For a few envelopes I found a small item to include that went along with the theme of the date -- a carabiner for our rock climbing date, a mini stocking for our Christmas date, etc.

March rock climbing date

Also, in some date envelopes I included brochures and materials from the location we would be visiting -- menus and images printed from the internet, a trail map, etc..  As well as items that would be needed for the date -- a deck of cards, quiz books for our sleepover for two, etc.  Those things add a little touch of fun.

Groupon is your friend

Groupon, Restaurant.com, LivingSocial and many more daily deal websites help to make this project a little more affordable.  And they can help you add some variety -- new restaurants, comedy clubs, art classes, dance classes, spa treatments, city scavenger hunts, sporting events, etc.   Just be sure to pay attention to the expiration dates on the offer.

June local date

Write a personal note

My favorite part of the date envelopes are the handwritten notes that I included.  Just a little note - something cute, fun, light-hearted.  I tried to channel The Bachelor on a few to make them as cheesy as possible.  :)

February spa date

Keep it manly

I made sure to resist every urge to cute-ify this gift and I think Scott appreciated it.  Basic 6x9 mailing envelopes were perfect.  Or file folders in a file box like this example.

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Holy cow, that was a lot of information.  If you made it through the whole post, congrats!  I hope it is helpful for anyone who is thinking about putting this together for Christmas.  And if you miss the Christmas deadline, save it for Valentine's Day, an anniversary, or his birthday!  Lots of good date-giving opportunities are out there.

A quick re-cap:

• Start planning now -- like, now!
• Mix it up -- date local, in the city, and at home
• Think outside (and in) the box -- get creative and try new things!  But it's okay to include the tried and true favorites
• Give yourself plenty of time to gather the envelope contents -- don't wait until Christmas Eve
• Groupon is your friend -- keep an eye out for great online daily deals
• Write a personal note -- xoxo
• Keep it manly -- because it's for your husband, not your best girlfriend

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Some FAQ's . . . 

How do you present this gift on Christmas Day? Is there an envelope that explains the concept?  Or do you verbally explain it?

I placed the basket, filled with envelopes into a box and wrapped it up for Christmas morning.  Inside the basket I also included this note to explain it all.

What do you do with your kids when you have an at-home date? 

Our kids are 11, 9, and 7.  So we just put them to bed and tell them that under no circumstances are they allowed to come downstairs or bother us.  It doesn't matter if you see a spider or if you're bleeding or puking . . . I don't want to hear that door creak open!  Seriously though, they are really good.  We just let them know that mom and dad are having a date at home and they need to stay in bed.  I think the idea of mom and dad dating at home is a fun novelty, so they try to be extra good.

Putting together 12 months of dates can be pricey!  How do you manage it?

Yes, it can be pricey.  We have a Christmas budget set aside so I was able to use that to pre-purchase all of the dates.  If you're already going out on regular dates, this just rolls that 12 month cost into one bundle.  If regular dates aren't happening right now, this gift will provide value to your relationship that is so much greater than the monetary expense of 12 dates.

But if you plan it right not all of the dates have to cost a lot of money.  Dates at home, a picnic in the park, visiting an art gallery, hiking/biking, taking advantage of free community events . . . . these are all things that you can do on the cheap and still have a great (and special) date out.

But here's a little secret you can employ if needed . . . . leave some envelopes empty.  (shhh!!)  You can always go back and fill them as budget allows and no one will ever know.  I actually did this one month.  I knew that a performance was coming to town in a particular month, but I wasn't ready to buy tickets yet.  So I left it empty.  Actually I stuffed the envelope with blank paper, but no one would ever know.  It's all about presentation!

Do you let your husband look inside the envelopes when you gave it to him, or do you make him wait until the correct month?

I made him wait!  We would open the envelope together around the first of the month, read it, and then look at our calendar and choose a date to make it happen.

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For everything related to a Year of Dates visit my info page HERE

 

let's go on a date: september link-up

This month's date consisted of three completely un-related, yet equally satisfying and entertaining parts.  Let's call it the Mash-up Date.

Part 1:  Furniture hunting

Now that we have a reason to buy some new furniture I thought it would be fun to go browse the furniture store.  Also, sofa shopping provides plenty of opportunities to cozy up next to your honey.  Gotta test them all out!

We came across this mammoth of a couch - 

This couch is high on my list for the living room -

Then it was onto the appliances.  This Whirlpool 29cu.ft. stainless french door beauty is in my future.  (I had watched The Price is Right earlier in the day so I could not resist the urge to model the refrigerator's shelving features.)

Part 2: Gourmet Popcorn

Yes, it's a thing. We sampled several flavors and eventually went with Caramel popcorn, White Cheddar, and Marilyn Monroe (white chocolate & coconut with sparkles).  We walked out of there with a 2.5 gallon tin that we have been snacking on every evening for the past week.

Dirty Vegas - it's a combination of all 17 flavors.  Everything from S'mores to Nacho to Cookies & Cream and Salt & Vinegar.  Definitely an adventure.

Part 3:  (This is the part where Scott humors me).  We went to a park across the street from our new home, sat on a bench, and snacked on popcorn while imagining our new life in this new home.  Pretty tasty.

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Okay now it's your turn!

Here's how it goes:

1.  Go on a date with your husband.  Easy, right?  And post a wrap-up on your blog.  This is for anyone . . . whether you put together a Year of Dates gift or not.

2.  On the last day of the month, come here and submit a link to your blog post.  Not your blog

3.  In your blog post include a text link back to me.  You're also welcome to use the image below.

4.  Lastly, have fun and visit each other!

 

let's go on a date: august link-up

This has been a good month for dates.  

First there was the dinner-with-a-view . . . . overlooking the Snake River Canyon in Idaho.

Then the graduation party at Scott's boss's vacation home in Park City, Utah.  (He was also in the EMBA program).  The home was just gorgeous, spacious, and comfortable.  We ate catered BBQ chicken & pork with all the fixin's, selected from a huge dessert table, sat by the fire, listened to live music, and chatted with classmates & spouses and professors.

And finally the random, middle of the week, night out . . . . crepes first, then dinner.

And before I forget, there were a few more opportunities we took advantage of for some couple-time

• Double date mini golf and laser tag
• A stop for snowcones after a church meeting
• An afternoon at the Twin Falls temple

I feel pretty lucky that we have been able to spend so much time together this summer.  Spoiled even!  We each have our individual stresses, so it is nice to get away (if even for an hour), take a deep breath, and just enjoy one another.  That's the whole point, right?

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Okay now it's your turn!

Here's how it goes:

1.  Go on a date with your husband.  Easy, right?  And post a wrap-up on your blog.  This is for anyone . . . whether you put together a Year of Dates gift or not.

2.  On the last day of the month, come here and submit a link to your blog post.  Not your blog

3.  In your blog post include a text link back to me.  You're also welcome to use the image below.

4.  Lastly, have fun and visit each other!

 

embrace the camera // aug 30th

This is us earlier this month.

Sitting in our spot.  The place where we had our first kiss.  The place where we were engaged (14 years ago this month).

While at BYU for graduation we took the kids around to a few of our spots -- our old apartments, around campus, and this spot.

We had just come from dinner at Brick Oven (yum).  It was about 8 in the evening when we sat the kids down and Scott proceeded to tell them our story.  It was a "How I Met Your Mother" moment.  And so cute to watch their smiling faces as we reminisced, I corrected him on a few details, and shared our happily ever after.

Oh what little kids we were back then. 22 and two weeks shy of 19.

This weekend we attended a church meeting for the grown-ups.  One lovely woman spoke on marriage and shared 4 principles to strengthen marriage relationships.

1.  Make a decision that no matter where you are in your relationship, that you are going to improve it.

2.  There is no substitute for spending time together. (Make date night a priority!)

3.  Center your marriage on the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  (Pray for each other, for your love to grow, etc.)

4.  Learn about how men and women are different and how we compliment each other. (Embrace the differences.)

Great points, I think.

. . . . and here's where our camera man (Conner) gets a little shutter happy.

Embrace the Camera with The Anderson Crew

let's go on a date: july date link-up

This month's date was blingy and absolutely delicious.

First the bling.  My mom was in town for the weekend and took me shopping.  I got this cute top/dress which I wore over leggings -- I felt like I was flirting with the edges of "my box" with this color & pattern, and I love it.  Gold necklace, gold earrings, and gold braided belt . . . check

Everything is from Francesca's Collections.  To my Oregon friends, there is one at Bridgeport Village and they are opening up a store on NW 23rd soon.  Go!

In a post earlier this month I mentioned that we have only been to the strip once since moving here.  Well, this date makes twice.  There are always plenty of interesting sights as you drive down the strip.  The guy in tighty-whiteys and angel wings is something I wish I could erase from my memory.  But we endured all that so we could eat dinner at Max Brenner.

Have you heard of it?  I had.  From a blog friend who lived in New York for a while.  Apparently their chocolate is amazing.  One thing that is cool about Vegas is having access to all these famous restaurants originally from New York and other big cities.  Because if it wasn't for Vegas, the next closest option for Max Brenner would have been Philadelphia.  Or the Phillipines.

First course:  Churro fondue

We don't mess around.  

For dipping - chocolate, caramel, and raspberry sauce.

Apparently I eat churros the same way the English drink their tea . . . . pinkies up!

Second course:  Hamburger for him and Steak panini for me

It was all very delicious.

Third course:  Banana Split Waffles

This blurry iphone photo barely does it justice.  Vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate truffle, and carmelized rice krispies, over bananas and crisp sugar waffles.  I thought the melted chocolate served in a beaker was a very nice touch.

Dee-licious.  I think that dessert, dinner, dessert is definitely the way to go.  If there was any question in my mind about how great this restaurant was, this bathroom message sealed the deal.

After dinner we wandered around the Forum Shops -- perused the diamonds at Tiffany & Co., I tried on a watch in Michael Kors.

All day the sky was grey and threatening thunderstorms.  In fact, we had a mini flash flood in our apartment parking lot earlier that day.  When we got back to the parking garage after dinner we stood and enjoyed these views for a while.

Someone, somewhere, was getting dumped on.

We, on the other hand, were dry and happy as could be after a pretty wonderful date.

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Okay now it's your turn!

Here's how it goes:

1.  Go on a date with your husband.  Easy, right?  And post a wrap-up on your blog.  This is for anyone . . . whether you put together a Year of Dates gift or not.

2.  On the first of the month, come here and submit a link to your blog post.  Not your blog

3.  In your blog post include a text link back to me.  You're also welcome to use the image below.

4.  Lastly, have fun and visit each other!