Thanksgiving Weekend!

Thanksgiving was different this year for a number of reasons... 1. the weather was 60 degrees! and 2. this was mine and Joe's first year officially celebrating a holiday together.

Joe, Gordie, and I headed up to my parents house Wednesday after I got off of work.  When we left Minnetonka it was around 60 degrees so out of character for a MN Thanksgiving!  I will admit I LOVED it.  There was definitely no complaining on that matter from me. 

Thursday we did the normal turkey dinner with my family and then hung out on the couch in food comas.  Friday we hit up some Black Friday deals and were able to get all our Christmas shopping done!  Joe deserves a little credit for actually going shopping with my mom and I on a day like that.  He's quite the trooper.  In fact, I actually think he scored some better deals than I did!

The time spent at my parents was so relaxing and nice.  It's always nice to go home and get away for a little while.  And what makes it even better is that Joe enjoys his time up there as well.  I think he likes it more than I do even!

First official Thanksgiving together was a success.  Now...on to Christmas coming up.

It's beginning to look a lot like...Christmas!

I was soooo excited to get back home from my parents house from Thanksgiving for one reason...Christmas decorating.  I absolutely love this time of year.  Last year mine and Joe's 5th date was decorating his house for Christmas.  This year, we get to decorate the house together again but this time it's 'our' house.  Kind of makes it more fun.

Anniversary Dinner

For our first 'Anniversary' we decided to recreate our first date. 

I got home from work and walked upstairs to find some flowers and the most thoughtful card sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for me.  GREAT start to the night!  This was actually the first 'occassion' that Joe has done flowers.  Usually they are for no special reason and are fairly random.

We went to Champps, ate dinner, had some beers, and shared some dessert.  The dessert ended up lasting us three days, no lie.  The thing was GIGANTIC!  The should probably put on the menu that it's a dessert for a group of ten, not one or even two people.

One Year!

"I fell in love with the most unexpected person on the most unexpected time."

One year ago today, I went on what hopefully was my last first date.  One year ago today, I met the love of my life.

I still remember how nervous I was to meet Joe.  He told me going into the date that when I see him I was to give him the thumbs up or thumbs down... meaning for me to tell him if the date should even continue or if we should just turn around and leave.  WHO says that?!  Talk about a nerve racking experience.  Although it did make sense, no point in wasting either of our time if we both weren't initially interested.  Being the confident girl that I usually am, I will say I was mortified at the time.  What if he gave me the thumbs down?!  I am pretty sure I spent an extra twenty minutes getting ready just to make sure I looked perfect even though I wasn't even sure if he was my "type" from what I already knew of him.  The guy made me nervous before I even met him! 

I remember leaving the house 15 minutes early just to be sure I got there before him so I could watch HIM walk up, not the other way around.  That plan failed miserably.  As I was pulling in the parking lot of Champps (classy, I know) I got a text message saying he was already there.  Darn it.  (I later found out he had the same plan as I did)

It's now showtime... I walk in and see Joe.  I think the only thing I noticed right away was his smile.  I have never seen a better smile than the one I received that night.  After a quick hug, I figured I might as well get the awkwardness out of the way so I asked, "thumbs up or thumbs down?!"  He gave me a big smile, the thumbs up sign, and told me I was beautiful.  So far, 30 seconds into the date and this was by far the best one I've been on.  Ha!  Who doesn't like to hear something like that?!

The rest of the night we spent talking and learning more about each other.  It wasn't long into the date before Joe asked when he could see me again.  Although it was our first time meeting it felt like I had known him for a long time.  That night was clearly the start of something great.

In this last year, I have learned so much from him and our relationship.  I now know what true love should feel like. 

Our relationship has a special dynamic, one I feel a lot of people may never be lucky enough to experience some day, but hope it for everyone.  We have taught each other the true value and importance of communication and how it really makes a world of a difference in a relationship.  After a year, I still look forward to our date nights.  I still look forward to seeing him each day I get home from work.  And most certainly look forward to his face being the first one I see when I wake up every morning.  This last year has been one of my best yet. Although it has presented some major life challenges, I am so thankful that Joe was by my side through it all.  I am so thankful to have such a great boyfriend who has also become my best friend.

With him, I now also have the second love of my life...Gordie.



I'm definitely looking forward to all the new adventures this coming year has in store for us.

A few of my favorite things...

One thing is for certain, Joe knows me well.

Saturday morning he ran out and came home with some beautiful pearl earrings from Tiffanys, coffee from Caribou, and a bagel from Bruegger's.  Three of my favorite places :)  The earrings are a pre-anniversary gift.  On the 19th, we will have been dating for a year.  While normally I'm not one to celebrate anniversaries or anything of the sort... with him, it's all different.  I am very much looking forward to celebrating the small stuff.