Marriage Advice

I received a lot of advice in the months up to [and after] our wedding. Most of it I have kept in the back of my mind, waiting for the right moment to break it out.

Ryan's paternal Grandma gave me several pieces of amazing advice; one of which was...Laugh often and always be silly together.









...I think we are doing pretty well on that front.

[PS, that's a pumpkin on the TV behind us, in case you wondered. We watch a lot of food network.]

Tour a la Naslund : Part Deux

I finally got some pictures of the rest of our new place. :) We are finally all settled in and really liking it here!


Here we have one side of our bedroom; with our bed and bedside table:


A close up on my favorite thing about our room...the wall art:


And the other side of the bedroom; dresser and filing cabinet. Our walk-in closest is on this wall too. And my air purifier/snore-blocker ;)


Our little "office":


New addition to the kitchen:


And the bathroom!


So, there you have it! You've now seen our entire apartment. Not much to it, but it feels like home. :)

The Little Things

Before Ryan & I walked down the aisle, my Aunt gave me a piece of advice that has stuck with me. It was with great wisdom that she bestowed this upon me, as she has been married something like 40+ years, and as we have entered our second year of marriage, I am seeing its value more and more.

She simply said this: “When you take a step back and look at your marriage, it’s often best to focus on the little things.” I didn’t understand what this meant when she said it, but now, I totally get it. When Ryan & I have an argument [And it happens. We aren’t perfect.], it’s too easy to get wrapped up in that “big thing”. Will that seemingly “big thing” really feel so big in 10 years, or will it be the little things that stand out?

This morning, I felt awful. [There are a couple of us at my office with the same symptoms, so I’ve chalked it up to a bug.] While trying to get ready for work, I kept getting interrupted by…my tummy. So, Ryan made me toast. Then he made me a turkey wrap to bring for lunch, in case I felt up to eating. BAM. It hit me as he kissed me on the cheek and left for work. 10 years from now, I won’t remember what he argued about last week…but I WILL remember the morning I didn’t feel well, and he went out of his way [and ended up leaving a little late for work] to do a simple thing for me.

So - Thanks Ryan...for doing the little things.

Ryan's 25th Birthday

I've been called a Cougar.

I've been told I "robbed the cradle".

Yes, I married a younger man. People are always surprised when I tell them Ryan's age. I'm guessing this is because a) he is [usually] really mature and b) I guess an "older woman" with a "younger man" is still a bizarre match-up. Technically, he is only 1 year and 7 months younger. Not a big deal, if you ask me, but to the general public, it seems to raise eyebrows. From July to February our numeric age is different by two years. This is when people get curious. And call me a Cougar. BUT, that glorious time from February to July, our numeric age is only different by one year, which I guess makes all the difference.

On Sunday, Ryan turned 25! [I'm 26. See. One year, no biggie. Just wait until July when I turn ::GASP:: 27!] On Friday night we had a few close friends over for an impromptu celebration. Ryan & I made a Mexican feast. Homemade guac, salsa, black bean dip, fajitas - the works. It was a fun night. The cherry on top was Ryan's favorite desert. Vanilla Bean Cheesecake. There is not much in this world that we love more than that one specific cheesecake and since Ryan doesn't like normal cake, I got this cheesecake...because I needed something to put the candles in! :)

Here are some pictures:

The Birthday Boy playing Air Drums :)



Me, Kim and Brittany


Frankie


Kim & Jason


Kim & Chloe :)


Brandon, Ryan & Levi [yay for Bromance! ;) ]



The homemade eats!




The cake & blowing out of candles:




Happy Golden Birthday, my love!

Our New Home // Tour a la Naslund

So, we moved into our new apartment a few weeks ago. It's been a work in progress, getting everything unpacked and settled. But, as requested, here are a few pics.

Here is the entry way:


The Living room:




The "Dining Room", which is actually where we have our piano:


I'll post more pictures as we continue getting everything where we want it. :) But so far we are very happy in our little home.

Letter to My Brother

Dear Frankie,

Today, while blog surfing, I came across a blog written by the Mom of two; a girl and a boy. The little girl is 2 years and a few months older than her little brother; they are 5 and 3. Reading this blog brought tears to my eyes. Hearing this Mom talk about how protective and “mothering” the sister is, and how loving and “copycat” the little brother is. I felt like it was written about us. I was reading one particular entry about how much they “need” each other at their current age. How when the brother is napping, the sister is watching the clock until he wakes up and she can play, sing and dance with him. How when the sister goes to play at a friend’s house, the brother cries and cries for his “Sissy”. Sound familiar?

I’m all choked up just writing this, thinking about how much our relationship has changed…and how much it hasn’t. Sure, we are adults now and we don’t see each other nearly as often as I’d like, but I still “need” you in many of the same ways. Sometimes when I call you, I can tell you are busy or don’t really feel like talking, but I don’t care. I just want to hear your voice. [Thank God for YouTube so I can hear you sing “These Days” anytime I want.]

You and I have endured a lot together; From the happiest moments of our lives to some that will no doubt stand out as the saddest. I hope you know, no matter what the circumstance, no matter how many miles might come between us, I will always be there. Always. The day you were born, I instantly had my life-long best friend. I’m not saying our relationship has been perfect, we had a few rough years, but at the end of the day, you are and will forever be one of the best and most loyal friends I’ve ever had. And though we joke about it from time to time when talking about some of our favorite musicians whose lives ended in their prime, don’t you dare leave this earth one minute before me, because I’d never survive it, Kid. I hope I don’t hurt any feelings when I say - I’m not sure I love anyone in the same way that I love you.

You are a light in this world, and I am so, so proud to be your big sister.

-Rach