too good, but still true.

we have a bunch of stuff in our garage that needs to be put away. saturday was a busy day & it just didn't get done. so, my car has been parked in the driveway all weekend. garrett leaves a few minutes before me. this morning when i went to leave, not only did i find that he had taken the garbage out for me. then, i looked at my car & realized that he'd scraped the frost and ice off of my windows, too. i couldn't help but cry a little. this boy, he's wonderful. so thoughtful and sweet.

a long time ago, i decided i wanted to have a superbowl party as an excuse to have all of this food that sounded good to me. we invited a few friends and i got the menu planned. but yesterday, when it came to push and shove time, i wasn't feeling so hot, so garrett spent most of the day in the kitchen making all of the food. there were times i could see that his shoulders were hurting and that his feet were tired, but he never complained. he got the job done & he did a good job at it, too. the party was fun, the food was delicious and the company was fantastic!

i am a lucky, lucky girl. Garrett, i love you. thanks for this weekend!

suggestions, please

i am supposed to be bringing dessert for bookclub monday night. we're having a themed dinner & everyone else is bringing part of the theme, so i've gotta do a dessert that will stand on its on two feet. i can't bring shame to my family with bringing an unoriginal dessert, like brownies. which, i could eat a whole pan full right now. moving on. away from brownies. warm and glass-a-milky brownies... damn.

anyone have any suggestions on something wonderful? please send links or emails with recipes.

an awful dream

i've been having very vivid dreams lately. i don't like it. mostly if i don't talk about it, i forget pretty quick. the one i had last night was so ridiculous that i had to tell garrett about it. and he kept reminding me, "but we're married already!" and it is true.

in my dream, i was living at my parent's house still, in chicago. i haven't officially lived there since 1997, minus a few college summers. and in my dream, garrett lived across the street which obviously never happened. we were dating, but we'd gotten into our first fight & he thought we needed to break up because of it. so he broke up with me, but still came around everyday and still we dated. except when i alluded to us being back together, he'd push me away. i was so frustrated, cause i knew we were supposed to be together, but he thought that just cause we'd gotten into a fight... we weren't right. and then there was this one part where he got super manipulative for sexual favors, but since our parents could read this blog post, i'll spare everyone the details. [don't worry, mike, marleen, brad & deanne, i refused him.] right before i woke up, i'd just convinced him that we were supposed to be together, but then heather came in from a run & the conversation was dropped and then i woke up. [geez, heather - why do you always have to interrupt my life with your runs?]

and all day, the stupid, needy me keeps saying/texting him, "don't break up with me!" cause i just felt sick about it. i'm supposed to be with him & even in my crazy a$$ pseudo dimensional world, i knew it. i'm a whack job. and i don't like my dreams as of late. and sweet garrett, he's just trying to avoid me being mad at him, because of a dream. poor guy. and as a side note, why do a lot of my dreams lately involve me/us living at my parent's house? maybe it is cause we're going to my childhood home in march, i don't know. it is crazy. i could tell about at least 2 more dreams that were set there recently... but i won't. count yourself lucky tonight.

clemmies

dear clemmies,

i'm just not ready for you to be gone for the season. please tell me that my trip to the store last night wasn't accurate. please tell me my store was just out & that tonight when i go to a different store, i'll find an abundance of you. and for a few more months. you're pretty much the only thing that i enjoy lately. you've replaced oreos, brownies, soda & all manner of junk in my diet. you're the new candy to me. please, please don't abandon me now.

sincerely,
hayley

heaven HELP me

So I'm started reading this book, The Help by Kathryn Stockett last night. I'm on page 24 right now, so I'm not very far into it, but I'm absolutely loving it. Already, I find miss Aibileen totally endearing. Not just her, most of the characters I've met.

I just have to share this little part, cause it made me snort. Aibileen's no good husband ran off with some girl named Cocoa like 20 years ago. Aibileen's best friend Minny is full of piss and vinegar and I think we'd be friends. Aibileen's got this prayer book that she writes in to be smart. Aibileen and Minny were walking after church talking and Minny says, "Week after Clyde left you, I heard that Cocoa wake up to her cootchie spoilt like a rotten oyster. Didn't get better for three months. Bertrina, she good friends with Cocoa. She know your prayer works." [any grammar errors were left, as this is a direct quote from the book. I'm not just writing poorly.] Apparently Bertrina and Aibileen haven't been friends for years, but now Bertrina needs some blessing & is trying to ask to make it on Aibileen's prayer list.

oh my goodness. I love it. don't worry, I didn't spoil any major plot lines for you. the book is 444 pages long & I'm only on page 24. i love a good book like this. I'm so excited to keep reading.

tickets are bought

chicago, here we come.

there are very few things that make me more excited than this trip!

i get to take my favorite person to my favorite place.

punishment

background information:

• garrett hates to have his belly button poked.
• i hate when people bite their finger nails.

story:

i came out of the bathroom tonight to find garrett sitting on the floor [cause he had just gotten off the treadmill] with his finger in his mouth. i yelled, "are you biting your nails?" and he covered his junk in defense. he lowered his head. he knew he was guilty. immediately i was in his face, threatening to punch him in the junk. we negotiated. i settled for being allowed to poke him in the belly button. he counter negotiated by saying that i couldn't do it for as long as i wanted, only til the count of three.

scene:

i made him lay on the floor, shirt up just a tidge. then i made him sweat it out for a minute or so. you'd think that i was plucking toe nails. he begged & pleaded for me to hurry/not do it at all. when i finally did it - he gagged. it was great. i laughed til there were tears.

moral:

be careful when you marry someone who figures out your "finger nails on the chalkboard" weakness especially when it's one of my favorite things to do. and don't bite your finger nails in my presence. sorry garrett.

italian meatball heaven

[photo via pioneer woman herself]

i made this tonight. i saw it on pioneer woman's blog this morning & it just sounded so tasty. it didn't let down in the least, in fact - i'd say it was better than expected. i'm quickly falling in love with that pioneer woman [i realize like 2 years after everyone else, but i've always been a late bloomer.] everything of her's i've tried - i've fallen in love with. delicious. and, even better - this soup is only 4 weight watchers point per serving. momma likey even more!!!

oh & why didn't i know about this: buying a block of parmesan cheese is better than pre shredded. why oh why does it have to smell so yummy? i might've gone a little overboard. might've bumped it up a point or two. shhh. don't tell.

year old cake

me & my wedding cake a year ago.

garrett and i about to enjoy some wedding cake last night

we were impressed with how well it held up. it was still delicious!

this was garrett's pointy hair this morning. i couldn't get enough of it. really, it has nothing to do with anything, other than it's my blog & i can post this picture if i want to. i want to.

one incredible year

i came home friday afternoon to 2 dozen gorgeous roses and a husband waiting for me. i was so excited to get to spend 3 whole days with him. you see, weekends are my favorite now. no work, we just get to be together. and this was a special weekend. our first anniversary. i can't believe one whole year has gone by since i was sealed to him forever. it has been the best year of my life, also the quickest. i'm so lucky i found someone so wonderful. i thank my lucky stars everyday.

Garrett, i know you're sick today & that isn't fun. but i love the guilt-free excuse we now have to snuggle in bed all day together. i hope i'm taking half as good of care of you as you take of me when i'm sicky. thank you for being everything for me. my best friend and husband. i couldn't ask for more. i love you with all of my heart. happy anniversary.