For the first time ever, my husband was right. *

And he's making me admit that here. I guess he wants it in writing so he can savor it and remind himself for years to come. Until he's right again. ;)

*He made me say that. He's actually right quite often. But don't tell him that-- I don't want him to go getting a big head or anything.

Happy 30th, baby!

My dear, sweet husband turns 30 today. Though it's a milestone, I think he's still a little uncertain about the big 3-0. Tonight we had a small Imos celebration ;) but a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated in style with a surprise birthday party:








We had a great time-- thanks to everyone for celebrating with us and making it a great surprise!!

J, happy 30th! I look forward to celebrating many, many, MANY more with you!
Lots of love,
me

Welcome to the world, baby Cameron!

J has been blessed to have an amazing group of friends that he's known since elementary school, and is still great friends with today. These guys don't all get to see each other as often any more (two live out of town now) but they may as well be brothers.

When Brian told us earlier this year that they were expecting, we were so excited to welcome the first baby into the group! Saturday night, little Cameron entered the world to join a loving mom and dad, and awesome big sister McKenna.

The adorable family.

We were lucky to get the call to come to the hospital to meet little Cameron, and gladly came by to hold that sweet little girl for a little while. I could hold little newborns forever.

She's amazing. Congratulations guys! You have two amazing little girls!

So, it's been a while, huh?

Yikes. I just looked at the old blog and realized that I haven't posted since August! Now that's just wrong. To my credit, I've been pulling one and three quarters duty at work the last three months, so that doesn't leave time for stuff like the blog... but I'm coming back soon, I swear. I really appreciate being able to look back at the stuff we had going on...
So. Here's what's been going on lately, in random order:

• J set exam dates
• we survived a month of major social activities every weekend. and we're looking forward to a Saturday to ourselves :)
• I have three friends with babies due in the next couple of weeks. woah baby boom!
• Dad turned 60! and we partied with him
• G turned 25! and now I feel old...
• I bought my first blow-up lawn ornament. Our neighborhood has finally rubbed off on me. More about this later.
• We're welcoming fall. and I couldn't wait for fall weather to finally show up. I think it's really true that as you spend more time together, you and your spouse become more alike. I used to hate fall, J loves it, now I can't get enough of cool breezes, sweatshirts, and all things pumpkin. And, J is starting to like some country music. Next thing you know we'll be wearing matching sweaters on our Christmas card
• I'm getting a new workspace at work. Which is actually really exciting! (how boring am I!)
• I need to get back to cooking. Lately I've been slacking. The whole job and three quarters thing kind of saps your energy. Speaking of three quarters:

(just throwing that out there)

• Despite the crazy-business, we've gotten to see a lot of friends. We need that more. It's good for the soul
• Entourage on DVD is also good for the soul. Just saying.
  
• Sometimes it takes really crap-ass cable service that cuts out a lot for you to appreciate things like Entourage on DVD. Also just saying.
• My husband got me flowers a week ago. That made my week. It's still making me happy. I used to get flowers all the time (like almost weekly) when we were dating. And somehow the frequency change makes me appreciate them even more. It's all the little nothings that thrill me. Like random outbursts into Jon Bovi

• That was actually a lot for being just bullets... maybe I'm on to something...
  

Seriously? Seriously.

As I trolled through the UK, I was planning blog posts in my head.
One is funny things we saw while in the U.K.
Like this, for example:
Everything's a pound, indeed.

(Get ready peeps, there's more of that coming your way soon!)

Another was the fashion.
But I don't have to do that post, because I just read it right here. Glad I'm not the only crazy one who noticed that stuff... So go read that stuff and just pretend I wrote it, k?

mind the gap (reader's digest version)

So at some point, I'll go back through and do a real post... probably a series of posts about our vacation, but for now, here are some of our favorite pictures. (We took close to 3,000 so consider yourselves lucky that I'm taking it easy today.) ;)


london bridge is falling down...
except this isn't london bridge. this is tower bridge. common mistake.

seeing Big Ben made me feel like I was really in london
except Big Ben is the bell inside, so I didn't really see Big Ben, but whatever.

such good weather!!

outside buckingham palace


that should seriously be a poster


the reason we went in the first place. look how smart he looks!

gorge.

j and tha' minster.

we had lots and lots and lots of these. seriously. sometimes 6 a day...

at the Temple Bar

when in doublin, drink guinness!!

see? i wasn't kidding.

gaelic

what can i say, paris spoiled me forever...


we were kind of obsessed with the guinness storehouse



the biggest beer i ever did see...

from the gravity bar while we drank our free (not really) pints


he's in heaven, people. ancient stuff and armor everywhere.

we couldn't not see oscar. what a stud.

a dublin sky

back in london


oxford

elementary, my dear j


look *really* closely. the swede who took our picture didn't zoom as well as he could have...

footbridge

our tube stop

st. pauls

I want to go back RIGHT.NOW. It wasn't cheap, but it was so worth finally going on our *real* honeymoon. Love you dear, and so glad we did it! :)

I don't know if you'd heard...

... but it's football season again.

I don't know what tipped me off... the late summer heat, the enthusiasm about getting home fast, or the LOUD expletives coming from the living room.

He's also taken to turning the expletives into "good dogs!" because it freaks the heck out of the dogs when he yells. That just doesn't happen much around here...

For a quiet, mild-mannered guy, he sure gets passionate about his football...

:)

p.s. he just read me writing this and said "it's not real yet! it's just the pre-season!"

J, I love you, even if you are an avid football fanatic.