Whatever: Weekends

This was a nice relaxing weekend at Casa Swann. I worked Thursday night to get the house ready for Steve's guy cookout that he and his buddies take turns hosting every other Friday. They are all gourmet cooks (one owns a local bakery that makes artisan bread) and so they hangout usually grill and create fancy food. And talk about politics and fitness. Lucky for me, it is while I am at work.

Having the house work done, left the weekend for free time. 

Steve and I went out Friday night to hear locals give short talks in a TED talk type format. This local event is called PechaKucha, and is one of the most interesting things I have attended in Chattanooga. After listening to the talks (20 slides,20 seconds each) we went to hear some live music. One of our newest favorites, The Brother's Comatose stopped in Chattanooga on their way to a huge festival in Bristol. Needless to say, we had a late night, which was fine since the girl both stayed over at friends houses.

We had planned to go trail running, but decided to sleep in since it was raining. We headed to get brunch at 10:30 and found our favorite breakfast spot full with a long line. So we headed over to the newest addition to Chattanooga restaurants, Tupelo Honey,which opened Monday.

The rest of the afternoon was spent picking up kids, working out, finishing a few projects and watching the terrible Tennessee/Florida game. Delaney and I were racing to finish the same e-book (I won) and sat on the couch reading for most of the early evening.

The girls and I watched a movie (a rare treat). 
 I will miss them when they are gone and I have all the time in the world to do whatever I will want. But in the meantime, I will enjoy every time we have a free, relaxing weekend.

Whatever: 18 years

18 years?

18 years!

Started dating Steve 18 years ago.

Time flies when you are having fun! 

And fun we have had.

Just two weeks ago, we rode bikes past a ghost tour and made ghost noises as we rode past them.

Yesterday, we were still laughing about it.

That's us.

Making our own fun.

 

 

 

(Our daughter asked us how many dates we went on. I told her 1,000. Seems like a good number.)

Whatever: Happy 2013

Happy New Year!

Whew Doggie...this one is gonna be a great one if my New Year's Eve is any indication!

Not really a new year's eve kinda girl...but we had tickets to see Old Crow Medicine Show at the Ryman this year. The evening was one of those that either was going to make or break us.

We had the following go wrong or at least not according to plan:

#1 We left Chattanooga late

#2 The restaurant we planned on eating that DOES NOT take reservations, took them on New Year's Eve ONLY. (They were full, of course).

#3 I bought the wrong tights.

#4 The restaurant we decided last minute to go to was in East Nashville (East Nasty for those of you who are Nashvillians) and there was NO GETTING a cab to leave.

#5 Ticket Master would not sell us two tickets together. We had seats in different sections 6 rows apart.

#6 It rained. Hard.

#7 There were NO CABS.

Steve, Roy, Minni and me

Gratituesday: 17 years

Today is the 17th anniversary of my first date with my husband.

That sounds like such a long time ago, but it seems like three days ago. At least,most days it does. I look at him every day and I still see the cutest boy in the world who has the very best laugh.

We dated for a long time (three years) and still date as often as we can. 

When we first started going out, I was almost sick, I was so excited to be around him.

I realize now, that is what true love feels like. He would show up to pick me up at my apartment wearing black socks with Birkenstock sandals just to  mess with me. I thought he was adorable. He had the strongest shoulders and the most hilarious sense of humor. I was a goner!

Now, 17 years later, I don't feel sick when I am around him. Instead, I feel calm. He makes me feel like everything is going to be fine. He still makes me laugh, really laugh, from my belly.

 I still think he is adorable, even more so  now that I really and truly know him. He is one of the most generous people I know, and will give anyone the shirt off his back or his bike shoes, tools, last piece of gum, whatever.  He expects the same in return and often has the most generous friends.

 I am one lucky girl to have him in my life.

We are going on a date tomorrow night to celebrate our 14 years of marriage. Three years and one day after our first date, we gathered a few of our nearest and dearest and stood before them and God. We said to each other..."Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." -Ruth 1:16 

I am so grateful that we did.