Four Years!

Yesterday was Michael's and my fourth anniversary! I really intended to write a little anniversary post with a picture from our wedding - but I also really intended to remember my annivesary! Did not happen.

Michael called me at work at about 1 to ask me something. We talked quickly and got off the phone. Then about 15 seconds later he called me again.

Me - Hey.

Michael - Hey.

Me - What's up?

Michael - Happy Annivesary.

Me - What?! What's today?!

Computer confirms date. Dang it! I didn't realize today was the 30th! Although, I don't really know how I didn't realize it. Oh well. We laughed about it. At least we both forgot and neither of us can be mad at the other.

So I don't know how much I really remember from our wedding day and how much I feel like I remember because I've seen the pictures so often. But here are a few shots from the day. Obviously, I did not take these pictures. The very talented David Hill took them for me! (www.davidhillphoto.com)

Some getting ready shots. Only some of my bridesmaids made it to the salon to get ready. *Others* slept in. Oh, Heather!


That middle picture is me singing Beyonce's To The Left. It had just come out and was very catchy.

Actually, look - Heather did make it! She was just late.


Some more getting ready at the church. This is where the flower girls came to meet us. Aren't they cute? I couldn't pick just one. I decided it was my wedding and I was going to have three. They were a lot of fun.




Some of the boys:




Aren't my bridesmaids beautiful?! They totally distracted me from Michael for a second while I was walking down the aisle. Just for a second though.
I had them pick out their own black dress. It turned out beautiful and waaay less stressful! You should totally do this for your wedding. I know some of them got some really great deals and - I'm not making this up - they actually can wear the dresses again.

My fambly:



Michael's fambly:


The actual ceremony took about 12 minutes. We had Jennifer Seale (whose family portraits will be posted soon!) sing Made for You by Watermark and we didn't have any unity candles or scripture readings or anything, so it just went really fast. I remember thinking Brandon did a really good job, although I honestly don't remember what he said. I assume there was an "I pronounce you man and wife" in there somewhere.

I love that picture of Lindsey. Laughing is exactly how I think of her! She's always having a good time! Who knows what she was laughing at.




And now we're married! Our recessional was How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by James Taylor. Good fun. (It's like sugar sometimes...)

And then we ate cake and hugged necks and headed out of town! We went to San Diego for our honeymoon and I have a ton of pictures from it, too. But this post has gotten plenty long so I'll leave you with just a couple more pics




Whew! That was a long one.

Really?

One time Brandi and I were comparing someone's life to a sitcom - don't remember who - but she asked what sitcom are Michael and I. I said I didn't know - which one has a spazzy, goofy wife and a calm, patient husband. She said (a little too enthusiastically?) I LOVE LUCY!!

So I'm Lucy. (which of my friends would this make Ethel? Meagan is my closest neighbor so...?)

I find this comparison fitting waaaay to often for my liking! Like today - totally ran into a door in a customer's office. I dropped all my stuff, fell on my bottom and cried that big loud cry Lucy has. The customer didn't get the bit.

That may not have been how it played out.

But it did rock me back on my heels and make me shake my head and think, "Who does this stuff?!"

Lucy. That's who.

And me. Cuz I'm Lucy. Oh my. Oh my my my!

And now, cuz I hate it when there are no pictures, a few shots of the goings on for the last few days:

Today I just worked at the office. But I do have Friday off this week!

Perhaps I'll go visit Meagan around the corner:
Won't that be fun?

The holidays bring lots of catching up with family. Some are close enough to see, others get a phone call:


Michael got me some really nice gifts for Christmas.
"It's just what I wanted!"

Michael is trying out a new 'do:
And apparently some Grecian Formula. Hm.

I hit some after Christmas sales:
It looks better in person. I'll wear it to church on Sunday. (Now you'll be there!)


Thanks for reading! I'm off to put my hair in rollers, cover them in a scarf and cuddle up across the room from Michael in my separate twin bed.

Another Christmas Greeting!

When Lindsay of lnzart.etsy.com saw that I put up the Harris' portraits, she showed me which card they chose from her store. Hope the Harrises don't mind a little spoiler on their Christmas cards!



She looks like she is sooo excited to tell you Merry Christmas!

So it probably is a little late to send out Christmas cards, but just so you know, Lindsay also has birth announcements and art prints available in her etsy store. Careful with etsy shops! You can get sucked in and spend hours browsing! So make sure you've got a warm drink and snack close by before you start shopping! And your credit card. You're going to want your credit card!

Some Portraits...

...Of some favorite people. I took these a couple of weeks ago. You should recognize Ellie, but we got her parents in on the action this time.



Ellie is walking now, so it was a little difficult to get her interested in taking some pictures with her parents. We only managed a couple of shots of all three before she was off and running!





Check this out:



I love how she totally takes for granted that her daddy is going to catch her. That'll preach! Right?



Can't get away now!



Thanks, Harrisesessese -- I have no idea how to pluralize your name. ;)

Pictures With Santa and Other Weekend Fun

I observed another Christmas tradition this weekend. I made my way up to the booming metropolis of Waxahachie, TX and nosed around some townspeoples' houses with my friends.

That is, we bought tickets for a Christmas home tour that some of the girls have been going to for 8 straight years now. I don't get to go every year, but it's sooo fun! We eat lunch somewhere girly:



Maybe shop a little, and then head to the first of four houses that we'll get to wander all over for the day. Some of the homeowners spend months decking their halls, and all the decorations are different. Some homes are new, some (my favorites) are historic.

One of the homes this year featured nativity scenes. They had nativities from all over the world - some were pretty much what you would expect:



And some were a little less traditional, like this one where Joseph is playing with baby Jesus:



The middle two houses were new homes. One had this beautiful kitchen, which Kate really does a great job of showing off:



The other one was a little odd - it was a custom built home with some details that didn't really go together - BUT, it was on the lake and had...wait for it...a lazy river!! Instead of a swimming pool they installed a lazy freakin' river! Just like at Schlitterbahn. I just thought that was the smartest thing ever.



We saved the historic home for last. It was really pretty, and there were some little boys selling hot chocolate outside. (Their poster said half their profits would go to their church. I thought that was a pretty generous tithe. Or a clever marketing ploy. Either way, I bought some.)



Parts of this house seemed like they could be original to the house. They had one of those miniature Christmas villages. Those are always fun.





I like making miniature things look like they're regular-sized in pictures.

Also, Kate's mom's hairdresser was there taking tickets, and he was fascinated by Vanessa's dreds. (I don't know if that's how you spell that.)



Kate knew someone at every house that we went to, I think. I miss that about small towns.

This house was funny because parts of it had been preserved pretty carefully, but you could tell they updated about half of it in the seventies. Bet you wouldn't have expected these to be inside the house pictured above:



But, really, what else could you put with that wallpaper?

Oh yeah! And we got to see Santa Clause. He was passing out apple cider at the house with the lazy river. The owner happened to be a professional photographer, so we enlisted her to take our picture with skinny St. Nick.



What cute girls I spent my weekend with!

Tradition!! Austin Style

Christmas trees, candy canes, elves and South Congress! That's what Austin Christmases are made of.

Michael and I have only been married for four years, so we don't have many traditions, but we're trying some Christmas traditions out. Our first Christmas, in the apartment in the '44, we had a fake tree and Elf happened to be playing back to back on TBS. I don't know why, but it took two showings of Elf for us to get done decorating. It's the best Christmas movie, so watching Elf while we decorate became our first tradition.

Then the next year, we were in our house and we bought a real tree. We've bought it every year since at the same tree lot around the corner.




Yeah, we're wearing t-shirts. It was, like, almost 80 degrees. That's what you get in Texas.

It's a cute lot and they helped us tie our tree to the top of our car. But we get about half way home, and just about lost our tree! It started sliding and we pulled over and tried to get it a little more secure, but I held the rope the rest of the way to the house just in case. We made it there with no further incident.

Then came South Congress! It was very different than your normal Christmas shopping. We didn't actually find what we were looking for, but we did find Big Top.




We got some really good Italian Sodas. The place was crowded, so we didn't hang out very long, but it's sooo cute! I'd go back.

And then...well we were already sooo close to Allen's, Michael found a spot to sit while I tried on cowgirl boots. I found some that I love, but visiting them will probably become a Christmas tradition, since I'm fairly certain I will not be getting them any time soon. I have expensive taste in boots, apparently.

Michael took this picture:



Then home to decorate the tree! We watched Elf and wrapped lights and hung ornaments.





It's a good tradtion.