Siked on Christmas.

There's nothing like December. Baked goods, the smell of pine, Nat King Cole, family, caroling, and, above all else, celebrating that little baby that gave life (and death) new meaning.

Preparations for Christmas with the boy:

Side note:
Because Alex and I are only on round two of Christmas at the Grob's, we are lacking c-time decor. So. I made these fancy cardboard cut-out signs. (Signs that I think are quite fantastic).
.cardboard/gold paint/ribbon.
Joy/to/the/world, friends. Joy, joy, joy.

Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving. 
My family has always been Thanksgiving people. We love cooking, we love eating, and (for the most part) we love people. And we definitely love being around each other.
And it's cheesy, I know. But I am one blessed gal. 
I spent Thanksgiving surrounded by families I love and love to be a part of. 
 

Here are some photos from Thanksgiving at the Lance's:

Alex and I have three families. So when it comes to holidays, sometimes things get a little stressful. But really, we just have more to be thankful for. We love being a part of the Grobs, Lovelaces, and Lances. And as a bonus, after over a year of being married, we still really love each other. And we plan to keep it that way.

Alexander Conquers Twenty-One.

So, it's been a while. A good long while since the last post. 
The most important event of the last month and a half that must be mentioned? 
Alex's Birthday. 
 Yes, it was August 26th, and yes I am aware that it is currently October 14th, but - better late than never to give a shout out to the best guy I've ever known.

dinner + stacks.of.presents + birthday.signs + red.velvet.cake.pops + camping + pizza.on.the.campfire + song.recordings + glockenspiel + dinner.parties + lots.and.lots.of.kisses + birthday.joy.joy.joy

Let's be honest - these pictures don't even do the month-long celebration justice. It was incredibly fun and magical and I just never wanted it to end. (and it wasn't even my birthday!)



Another note - for Alex's birthday he got some recording time in the studio. So, that's happening. To check out his single "Old Man" click here.

your move.

Truly, truly moved. This is beautiful. 
The harmonies, the strings, the humility. Moved.

the first year year year in our new life life life.

For the longest time I declared that I wouldn't marry until I was in my thirties. Places to go, people to see. That sort of thing. Yet here we are.  A year into marriage.  Only 20 years old.

It has been one incredibly fast, high-energy, beautiful year. Let's play a game of catch-up/take a walk down memory lane/(fill in adage here). Here are some of the highlights of our first ever, love-filled, all-American married life:

.honeymoon (and awesome bungee-jumping action) in Mexico

.I started school at Pacific Lutheran University

.Oregon-California coast road trip (ever seen the Majestic? totally stayed in Ferndale, Ca!) 

.weekend in Portlandia

.Alex = new job at a new restaurant 

.hot air ballooning for an amazing birthday in the sky

.summer vaca in the Arizona desert heat

And now it is August 16th. Year two, day one. How did we get here and where did all the time go? No one knows - and I hear this is a common side effect of newly married/super busy couples. Nonetheless, it is really odd to pause everything and look back - to see everything that has passed. 

So this is what happened. We took some time off. A weekend stay-cation. To reflect. Slow down. Spend time wrapped in each others' arms staring into each others' love struck eyes. That sort of thing. And it was really, really something. Drive-in movies and popcorn, Mexican food, bbq, camping, hikes, s'mores, some good ol' fashion chill time, and lots and lots and lots of kisses. Because that's what people in love should do. Kiss. 

fa-fa-fa-fashion.

The Sartorialist is amazing. A blog I frequent.

You should, too.

www.thesartorialist.com

www.thesartorialist.com

on a plane again.

Alex and I took a vacation. We flew to Arizona and spent a week with our grandparents in the sweltering heat. We swam, ate, slept and read. All-in-all a wonderfully spent vaca.

Some photos? I think so.

Grandma and Grandpa Lance.

Barb and Grandpa Young.

Church in the rock. 

And then we played at Slide Rock.

Built-in water slides.  50 foots cliffs. 

It's just something we like to do for fun.

Itinerary Spectaculus.

:birthday in the sky.

I love surprises.
I am not one of those uptight, control freaks who needs to know exactly what is happening in order to maintain a healthy heart rate. i.love.surprises.

It was a wonderful birthday.
One huge surprise that lasted just about the whole month, lots of chocolate, and twice as many kisses.

I was showered with flowers, coffee, chocolate, movies, breakfast, and - a hot air balloon ride. Spectacular.

Apparently hot air ballooning requires the exact weather format, otherwise you may end up getting blown into a cloud-filled oblivion, ending the day in Canada - or something like that. So, the first few times Alex tried to make it happen it didn't work out. He'd wake up at 4:30 a.m., make a secret call and come back to bed apologetically saying, "It's not going to work out for today, but I have some fantastic back-up birthday plans all ready planned." (And they were always pretty darn fantastic).

Then, when the day finally arrived - sun shining and cloudless - Alex took me into the car, handed me a large "scroll" (made out of construction paper and sharpie) that read: Itinerary Spectaculus, and finally gave away my big surprise. I was ecstatic.

And so we went. Up into the air. For my birthday. And everyone looked their part. The captain looked like he could hold no other job other than hot air balloon captain and the others who floated with us were wonderful companions (a 1st year anniversary couple, a 25th year anniversary couple, and 3 ladies who work together at Home Depot).

Here goes:

While suspended at 3,000 feet, I asked the captain where we were going to land, knowing we had no steering capabilities. "Well," he said, "my son - who owns this company - is a farmer, and so he knows other farmers in the area who allow us to land on their property. We also know that there are some places where we are definitely not supposed to land. And sometimes we make new friends."
I am pleased to announce we made a new friend on this particular night, landing in a tree farm on the side of the road. How we managed to not crush multiple trees in the process still beats me.

After our wonderful evening in the sky, we came back to the hot air ballooning office, where we were given a fantastic meal inside the most charming lit-up gazebo you've ever seen.

All in all, a most spectacular birthday surprise.