An Essay on Me, Steve & Marriage

Being married has its perks.

Most of you know me pretty well. and you know i'm a weirdo. Seriously, a WEIRDO.

And honestly, Steve handles it so well. I love being able to act, sing or dance anyway that I want. I can do whatever my brain thinks is funny in that moment and Steve will smile. A lot of times it's making up songs about the little things I'm doing. Like right now, it would go something like this "I'm writing a blog, yeah. It's gonna be cool, yeah. yeah, yeah, yeah." (obviously with crazy runs during the yeahs to show off my vocal talent). Other times I will burst out into real song (not written by me) and inevitably screw up the words. It's actually one of the longest running jokes Steve and I have. I always forget the words to songs. And instead of pausing and reflecting on which words go where... I just make up words that I think would work well in the song. NOTE: They NEVER go well together.

I'm one of those people who cracks themselves up. I really think I'm hilarious. I don't think everything I say should elicit exclamations of approval from everyone around me. I don't even think other people should find me funny. I have had my share of blank stares and awkward silences (given, I only realized them after I was finished laughing at my own joke). But, for me, I'm pretty good at making myself laugh. Luckily, Steve thinks I'm funny and I think Steve is even funnier than me. And Steve thinks it's funny that I find myself so funny. We make each other laugh constantly and it's something I wouldn't give up for the world.

Steve is so encouraging. He looks at me with this gaze that makes me want to conquer mountains and learn archery and milk my own cow! I'll be doing something stupid to get his attention and he'll just look at me with those blue eyes and I promptly become a puddle. I have made up so many weird dances, songs, phrases, etc to get a glimpse of that gaze.

But don't you worry, all of you faithful readers. Steve knew what he was getting himself into. I decided early on in our courtship that I wasn't hiding nuttin. Seriously, the first time we texted I was so amped on red bull that I thought for sure this guy is NEVER going to talk to me again. Who would want to date the weird girl who was texting you about german spoons and random facts about the ocean? STEVE, THATS WHO. While we were dating, I made Steve watch Big Cat Diary with me.... almost every night. (For those of you who don't know, Big Cat Diary, aka BCD, is an educational nature show that follows lions, leopards and cheetahs in the Masai Mara in Kenya). Steve and I watched like 8 seasons AND WE KNOW TONS OF LION FACTS.  I'm not kidding. So, guys-- he knew, he knew.

Steve definitely has his quirks too. Like he will devour a box of cereal in 3 minutes, he talks in his sleep, and has a wicked Jean Valjean impersonation. He is also the hardest worker I know and my best friend for life.

Marriage is so sweet. Like what a great deal. We're both crazy and we get to do this whole life thing together.

So, happy two years to my bff, steve. you're wise like yoda and coach k

Steve and me during our BYU days

and I love you.

2012

I don't think I'm very good at coming up with blog post names. So please excuse the vague, broad, and bad descriptor "2012." I wanted to make this a post about our Christmas vacation and stuff, but also about other things, too. So, since it is now 2013...(2013 has been cool. I've read two books already on me new kindle! #humblebrag)... this post is entitled 2012.

So, yeah.

A few weeks ago, in the midst of finals and stressy stress time, Steve, in desperation and in need of a carbonated revival, made me a deal. The deal was that if I got him a Cherry Coke he would take me to the Copper Onion, a fancy restaurant I have been dying to go to ever since 2011. (I sometimes think boys get so fixated on things, that they would literally sell their birthright for a bowl of soup.... oh, wait.) Steve has also promised me a house if I would get him a glass of water and said to me, "I will buy you a car if you get up and turn off that light."

Boys.

Anyway, we went to the Copper Onion and we got some Ricotta Dumplings as appetizers and I died. RICOTTA DUMPLINGS! with parmesan cheese, and SHREDDED CANDIED LEMON ZEST on top. Are you kidding me? Yum. I actually had a dream about them last night. So, Steve won the best husband of the year award.

 Steve knows that food and I are bffs. Whenever I'm grumpy he'll look at me for a second and then it will come to him. "Are you hungry?" I'll scowl at him and then realize that yeah... actually I am. I am not joking when I say that a steve making me a tortilla with melted cheese has settled more than one argument.

Anyways, what the heck.. this was supposed to be about Christmas.

Christmas time was wonderful!

While we were in MD it snowed! It was so cool and we were super happy to get a White Christmas!

Christmas was so fun and I loved to be with my family again. I loved hanging out with my siblings and my Mom and Dad, playing board games, getting stuck in the snow, having weird endurance competitions,

stolen from Johanna's instagram

hanging out with this beach bum

 eating scary crabs

 playing with baby jonah

 Visiting my sister in Charlottesville, going to Monticello and eating the best wings ever

and seeing my BFFS

it was a perfect trip. Oh, and Steve got me some bling for christmas... seriously, best husband.

THIS IS A LONG POST AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. I know, I'm sorry... I went on for paragraphs about food. But, I'm guessing no one will complain because... no one reads blogs. They just look at the pictures, duh.