5 Years

Today marks five years since Brian and I went on our first date and four years since we got engaged. 

I found a card that says the things I wanted to say more eloquently than I could say them myself:

I love you.  Not just for everything you do as a husband and a father, but for the way you do it...your humor and patience, your commitment to our home and family show such caring and love...I can't imagine sharing my life and raising a family with anyone else but you.  

Thank you, Hallmark!  Er (actually) Carlton Cards.  Tonight, we get to celebrate with monkey bread dessert and Saturday is date night!  Woot! 

Sam the Political Activist

Sam participated in his first political campaign, on Saturday.  I had to work all weekend, so Brian loaded Sam and the stroller into the car and went to walk a neighborhood in support of Trent Fellers, who is running for Lincoln City Council.

Brian campaigned for Trent, in a different part of the same neighborhood, a few weeks ago while I stayed home with Sam.  He said that his reception was much improved with a kid in tow.  They even stopped by a nursing home that was in the neighborhood and the ladies there were big fans of our Sam-Sam.  

Hopefully, all the walking, knocking and talking will garner Trent some extra votes and get a few more people to the polls on Tuesday. 

In related news, our yard currently looks like this:

Easter Pics

Birthday Time

Aunt Shell, Sam and Daddy

Valentine's Day at Our House

I made some garlands out of pink yarn and red and pink construction paper and hung them in Sam's doorway, '70s style.  He was interested in them, the moment he woke up and it was fun to see how they kept grabbing his attention throughout the day.  I also made a fourth one and hung it across the dining room window to add a bit of Valentine cheer to our meals.


Brian bought me a lovely bouquet of spring flowers, which I much prefer to roses.  And, he was kind enough to pick them up on Wednesday evening, so I was able to enjoy them all day on Valentine's day.  There is something about having a vase of fresh flowers in the house that just makes the rest of the day seem better.  It also motivates me to keep the table cleared off, so I can really enjoy their beauty and not be distracted by all of our day-to-day clutter. 

And there were cards and kindness and texts and plans for fast food tacos with wine and candles.  We're fancy like that.  Sadly, our schmancy dinner plans were canceled, as I was called in to work.  But.  I was only there for a short while and back home before Sammer went to bed.  Yep, it was a good day.    

McDonalds Date

Sam and Brian had a "boys weekend" while I went to Kansas with some girlfriends.  When I got home, we had a McDonalds date and forced Sam to take pictures with us.  He wasn't interested in smiling for the camera, but did enjoy his Cheerios and applesauce at McDonalds and the fact that they had a TV in his line of vision.  :)

Fun With Daddy

Sam's Week

Brian lowered Sam's crib mattress on Sunday.  How can our baby be such a big baby / little boy?  Other new things this week - how to open cupboard doors and a new face where he scrunches up his nose and lips.

Our Little Family

We Heart Books

Behold, our Christmas book loot:

Sam made off with 9 books + a 12 book set of "Bob" books. 
brooke received 6.5 books and Brian received 2.5.  (We are sharing.)
And just last night, the VanBoenings gave Sam one more book that didn't make the picture.
This stack should keep us busy for a while.

A Little Outing

Christmas vacation is nice.  Even though I've had to work way more than I would like, it is wonderful to have Brian at home.  These photos are from last Friday when we took a little trip to the library (and found a second Pete the Cat book!  Yay!) and to Famous Footwear...which is right next to Big Lots, where they had these funny little chairs. 

Merry Christmas!

Decking the Halls

Our house has been Christmas-a-fied in the past few weeks.  Brian did an awesome job putting up the exterior lights and even managed to do most of it on the day before Thanksgiving, when it was still warm outside.  I love the fact that the holiday season provides a reason to rearrange the furniture and change out the decorations around the house.