VICTORIA'S SECRET: PRETTY DAMN OBVIOUS

So, Nate set our DVR to record the Victoria's Secret fashion show tonight. He said it's because Black Eyed Peas are performing. Whatever.

BABY, YOU ROCK!

Subtitle: Happy Day Rockstar























It's Nate's birthday today. He's 33. This morning I wanted to slow down just a bit and spend some time with him; I will be late for work for anyone who is looking for me.
Last night I made dark chocolate cupcakes and added semi-sweet chocolate chunks for extra rich chocolatey flavor. Topped off with vanilla icing, I think the cakes-on-the-go will be perfect for our hectic lifestyle. After Nate went to bed I hung up the birthday garland that Dayna made for me, wrapped his presents, and tidied up the living room. {sorry, my camera is still broken so you'll have to use your imagination}
This morning Nate opened his presents. BBQ accessories from his family, and a music-themed birthday from me. He got tickets to see Franz Ferdinand tonight at The Great Saltair {one of his favorite live shows}, a double guitar stand to accommodate his acoustic and electric guitars, a custom designed, earth friendly guitar strap {looks like this} from Souldier Straps {check out her Etsy store} for his new Fender Jaguar, music magazines for pleasure reading, and a London Moleskin journal for our trip there in July to see Blur. I also found a nearby guitar shop that gives reasonably priced guitar lessons so it's just a matter of finding an open slot in his busy calendar.
Happy birthday to the music-lovin' birthday dood. Baby, you ROCK!

A CHAT FROM NATE

While I was at work on Friday I wasn't signed into gmail for most of the day. But at home, I was. At some point that afternoon, Nate was trying to get the sound on his laptop to work and using gmail chat as a testing ground. When I came home from work, this is the chat I saw from Nate sitting on my desk top.

AND I LOVE HIM

Nate and I had a great day today. We had a nice morning, gave one another modest Easter basket goodies, spent a few hours in church, took a long nap, and snuggled on the couch. Tonight he spent about 30 minutes practicing Anarchy in the UK {Sex Pistols} on his new Fender and he's now listening to the new Depeche Mode album.
I'm very lucky. He's brilliant to look at, his mind intrigues me, he's one of the silliest people I know and he shares his grand laugh with everyone. With Nate, I know life will challenge and bless me. I'm glad I have someone so perfectly suited to me; finding him has been a perfectly timed discovery. And I love him.

MISTER WOULD LOOK GOOD IN THIS

Is it too much if I get this for N for Easter? I think it would look great rolled up and tucked into his easter basket. And even better on the him.





























I also like these but N wouldn't; he's a t-shirt man. All from UO.

YES, SOMETIMES WE COMMUNICATE THE OLD FASHIONED WAY

And sometimes we just enjoy the silent humming of our laptop batteries and the tapping of each other's fingers on keyboards. I think it shows maturity; only a really magical relationship can get away with this and be stronger as a result. The Mister is saving the world doing unmistakably difficult things on Linux. I am reading blogs and tweeting to prove I'm still partially among the living.
This is just like Mister and me in bed in our blue room.

GLIMPSE

Nate went skiing today. This is the chat we had while he stopped for a break. We are WAY immature.

Nate

baby are you really on?

Me
are you?

Nate
yeah, on some wireless in the cafeteria :)

Me
sweet. I'm just getting ready to get ready to leave.

Nate
...with my ipod

Me
rockin

Nate
fine,you hate me :(

Me
no way.
i loooooove you

Nate
yes way

Me
you hate me

Nate
watcha gonna buy at the downeast?

Me
just browse
i'd love to get a cabinet for the half bath

Nate
no, you hate me

Me
i don't

Nate
forbidden ;)

Me
what is forbidden?

Nate
your picture is so hot n'stuff (to buy cabinet)

Me
what pic is hot?
what one????

Nate
the pic that's on your profile

Me
that's nothin
you should see me in person

Nate
the one that I see in the chat

Me
you should see me in person

Nate
got any moods?

Me
photo doesn't do me justice
moods?

Nate
I mean noods

Me
noods?

Nate
nudes

Me
oh, nudes.
well, I do. but I don't put them online

Nate
I like the oo spelling better

Me
yeah

Nate
so...we'll have to get you actually using you iPod n'shiz

Me
i know. i've been negligent
and busy

Nate
yeah...busy hot :)

Me
what ya eatin?

Nate
freakin hot

Me
freakin hot? not hardly

Nate
skittles and cliff bar

Me
oh, yummyu

Nate
gonna come back for a real lunch in about 1.5hrs

Me
nice. just catching your breath?

Nate
you're totally freakin'got

Me
it looks like a nice day
not freaking hot baby.

Nate
I gore the hyppglycemia

Me
that's never fun to ski with. all dizzy and sweaty

Nate
I gots I mean
yeah... had to get me some sugar

Me
feelin better?

Nate
yeah
well, I must bail now

Me
me too.
have fun baby
use sun screen

Nate
this Mountain ain't gonna ski itself

Me
true dat

Nate
yes, sun screen on
later baby

Me
love you

Nate
I wuv you

Me
i know

OH! CANADA!

Nate and I celebrated our third anniversary in Canada; a result of Nate having to be in Calgary on our anniversary. I finished up my work in Chicago and jumped a plane to Calgary and met Nate on a beautiful, sunny, comfortably brisk afternoon. We both managed to work in the hotel room; answering email and joining conference calls from opposite corners of the smallish room.

The next morning I had a few more calls for work, answered email, and then ran to the nearest spa for a quick facial. The worst I've ever had. The woman barely spent any time actually touching my face but rather left me under the steamer and relaxing with a mask on my face for 45 of the 60 minute experience. The times she did touch my face were equally disturbing while she massaged my face much like she was kneading bread dough. I spent the next few days recovering by treating my skin to enough sleep and the fresh clean air of the Rockies in Banff.

Nate and I spent four days in Banff and in those four days I, again, ran through the possibility of selling all my belongings {even the blue cottage} and moving there. I long for a time when I can live a more relaxed life. I don't mind being busy...but it would be nice to have my mind relaxed and at peace the way it was in Banff; wandering Banff Avenue, hiking Lake Louise's Six Glaciers, canoing the lake, walking through the snow after an unanticipated storm, breathing in air thick with pine and earth. Here are a bunch of pics from the trip.

Nate in a cafe in Calgary






















Hanging out along the Bow River in Calgary






















Beautiful Bow River





























Bridge over the Bow River























Lake Louise



























Lake Louise from a canoe























Amazing cerulean blue Lake Louise























Canoing Lake Louise: it ain't cheap but it's worth it




























Best guy in the world




























Fairmont Hotel at Lake Louise























Nate being attacked by a squirrel




























Hiking to Plain of Six Glaciers























View of Lake Louise from the trail




























Teahouse at Plain of Six Glaciers























Getting ready to do the last 1.5 mile to the glaciers























Air is thin; legs are burning























Nate hiking the last few hundred feet




























One of six glaciers




























Another look at Lake Louise from above




























Posies























Storm from the Fairmont balcony in Banff























Nate overlooking Banff from Norquay ski resort























Elk at Norquay























Gondola ride in Banff























View from atop Sulphur Mountain























Filipino family we met at the top























Canadian footwear recommendations

JUST THE TWO OF US

Happy Anniversary Us! We are celebrating #3 in Calgary and Banff. The way I see it, if you can look at your husband after three years {that's 1095 days} and still smile at all his stupid little jokes, you've made it. If I'm going to tire of something it's bound to happen in less than 1095 days!!
I love you Nate. You are the best decision I ever made and very much worth the long wait.

LAST NIGHT: SCARY. LIKE HALLOWEEN SCARY

Nate missed his flight yesterday. Something about the toll roads being really busy at rush hour. Anyway, I talked to him around 7pm and he told me he had scheduled a flight home early this morning and was retiring at the airport Marriott.
I turned in around 11pm, tired and alone. I have this blanket that smells like dryer sheets and as long as I have that to snuggle with while Nate's gone, I'm okay.



















I pictured him asleep in his hotel bed, with the alarm set extra early so he wouldn't miss his flight again.











Fast forward to 2am. I'm in the middle of a dream, probably about the nightmare I've created by committing to wear flat shoes to work, when I feel someone lift the blankets and climb in bed with me.



















The first few seconds of this precise situation felt normal. I'm used to Nate being there, rolling over, making a noise. And then logic and conscious thought take over and I remember that Nate isn't home and NO ONE should be creeping into bed with me.
Expletives shot through my brain. But all I could mutter was, "wait, who, what the?" Then I heard Nate's familiar giggle and knew it was him. I realize there was a critical moment in the Houston airport where he could have called me to tell me he was coming home...but he decided against it. Instead, his plan was to get home, sneak into the room and freak me out. Plan executed!

A FINE ENGAGEMENT

I finally uploaded some of our engagement photos on Flickr. Aubrey took them.

IF WE WERE SIMPSONS

If Nate and I were Simpsons, we'd look like this. Don't be jealous. If you are curious about what you'd look like simpsonized, click here. If you get errors, keep trying. The system is very busy.

WEEKEND +1

We had a great weekend; we enjoyed relaxation time; watched a few good basketball games {go Jazz!}; caught some fish {bluegill, trout, and perch};did a little shopping {we got this and this}, watched a foreign film {bad movie but we couldn't stop watching}; made tomato, basil and white-bean salad for dinner and cupcakes for the new neighbors; and called our mom's on Mother's Day. Oh, and I took my gimp hand for a walk at the lake.

GONE FISHING!

Since Oquirrh Lake is just a block away from our house, Nate and I find fishing a nice way to wind down from the stresses of work. Here are some photos from Tuesday night - before I became a one-handed freak show. I got a few nibbles but nothing stayed on the line; Nate is clearly the more seasoned fisherman.