Happy 2nd Anniversary

Happy 2nd Anniversary to the love of my life.  Two years ago on this day we had rain, sunshine, dresses, guests, family, doves, songs, kisses, smiles, rings, eating, fellowship, fireworks, dancing, laughing, and happiness.  It was one of the best days of my life. 


I've learned that marriage is what you make of it.  It's what you're willing to work harder at and be better at.  It's what you find important and what you make a priority.  It's about making time.  Making time to laugh, to love, and to celebrate.  It's about finding time to take in life around you and thank God for all the blessings you have. 


Marriage isn't a given.  It isn't a have-to.  It's actually nothing of the two.  It takes constant work and it's really everything my world revolves around.  From the moment I wake up each morning to the moment I lay down each night, my marriage circumferences it all.  It typically determines how my day goes and what mood I'm in.  Together, my husband and I discuss minute details of our every day and plan for bigger days.  We laugh together, snuggle together, watch TV together, have supper together, support each other, listen to one another, and show care and affection for one another.


The tough days in between the good days, since they don't kill us, only make us stronger.  We end up stronger and with a better understanding after getting through uncomfortable conversations or hurt feelings. 


My marriage is something I always desired, wanted, and dreamed of.  It's something I am proud of and hold with a very high head and heart.  I am so very proud of my husband.


He is so handsome, and funny, and smart.  He is logical and practical, yet fun and spontaneous. 


He's my other half.  He's my go-to.  He's the father of our beautiful children.  And he's my hero.


Happy Anniversary, love.

More Springin'

Some photos from last spring!  If I wait too long, it will be spring again!  I'm ready for the sunshine, flowers, and mushroom hunting!

Family Update Summer 2015

I was going through my drafts and came across this update from early June 2014.  I can see why it didn't get finished, since a week and a half later, Little Miss Farrah arrived and kept me pretty busy! 


So, we traded in our Equinox for a Chevy Traverse and we love it!  We wanted more room (since we're adding a child to our family) and our Equinox was needing a lot of work done to it, so it was the perfect time.  Keane and I found a Traverse on AutoTrader in Germantown, Illinois, and set out to check it out one Saturday morning.  We stopped at one dealership in the Saint Louis area on our way there, but the deal we had found still seemed worth the drive.  And it was.  It was such a great car-buying experience, seriously. 


Keane test drove the vehicle, I signed a lot of papers, we had lunch at a local family-owned diner while trying a locally-brewed soda, Ski, and drove home in our new Traverse. 


My brother graduated from the 8th grade and will be entering into the big world of high school next year.  I am always so proud of him.  He is handsome and kind and smart and funny and the best brother ever.


Two weekends ago, Keane and I went to our friends Keith and Jessie's wedding and last weekend with the kids we attended James and Alycia's wedding.  Also, last Sunday, we took the kids to a Cardinals game.  It was the perfect weather for a game, overcast and in the low 70's.  We had bleacher seats above the opposing team's bull pen, which were excellent seats.  The kids got free tall Cardinals sports socks, Kylie got a popsicle and a hotdog, Kaden got popcorn, and we all enjoyed some delicious stadium nachos.  Plus, the Cardinals beat the Dodgers 3-1 and Peralta hit a homerun in the first inning!  We also recreated an old photo of the kids in the stands.


We have been spending our free time fishing, mowing, cleaning up around the house, plucking the new blooms off the strawberry plants we planted this year, and as of last night, the kids' baseball/softball games have begun. 

Keane's Birthday!!

I love birthdays.  I just do.  Keane took off work on his birthday to bow hunt (and what a perfect day to do so because he shot himself a perfect birthday present) so although he had a great day, I didn't get to see him much to celebrate with him.  At the time Farrah and I were pulling into the driveway, he was leaving to ride around with his friend, Matt.  And by the time they got home, we quickly had supper and hit the hay, only to celebrate the following day when all the kiddos were able to be there with us.  Farrah made Keane an adorable card for his birthday at daycare!  As for his gifts, he got a new pillow, a Chiefs blanket, a new plier holder for his belt, a picture frame for work with the three kids' school photos, a wrist sling for his bow, and of course a pie for dessert!

Anniversary Love

This husband of mine, I love him with my entire heart, my whole being.  This has been my best year yet.  I am so very proud of him and of us and of how far we have come in life and how beautiful our life is.

He does things for me that do not go unnoticed or forgotten, and they really make me so happy inside.  For instance, he doesn't like cards.  He thinks they're a waste of money, and I might agree, but sometimes I still think they're nice, and some of them do a really great job saying what you want to say.  So on my birthday last year, he got me a card because it was a "wife" birthday card and he knew I would love to get a wife birthday card from my husband on the very first birthday I was ever a wife!  I will forever cherish that card. 

And he picks me flowers.  Enough said.

The last song we danced to on the night of our wedding was This Year's Love by David Gray.  It's the song we danced to many times in our kitchen.  It's a song he learned to play for me on the guitar.  To me, this is our song.

This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
And I've been waiting on my own too long
But when you hold me like you do
It feels so right
I start to forget
How my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feeling like you can't go on

Turning circles when time again
It cuts like a knife oh yeah
If you love me got to know for sure
'Cause it takes something more this time
Than sweet, sweet lies
Before I open up my arms and fall
Losing all control
Every dream inside my soul
And when you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last

So whose to worry
If our hearts get torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Don't you know this life goes on
And won't you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last

This year's love has been nothing short of amazing.  Throughout our years of dating and learning about one another and growing our love, I didn't think I could be happier.  Until I married him.  When I became his wife, and he my husband, that love grew so much deeper, stronger, and more beautiful.  Without a doubt, God sent Keane to me, and me to him.  He completes me in all the ways I was missing something.

Our 1st Anniversary may have been a little downplayed, since our baby girl had been due two days prior, and arrived two weeks prior.  We had all three kids on our anniversary and it was an ordinary day.  I did sip on a beer (my first in how long??) with him, and after the big kids were tucked into bed, and while our newborn fussed in the baby swing in the living room, the two of us were found in our dim romantic kitchen with our cake cutting and serving utensils from our wedding, the top of our wedding cake, and our flute glasses with wine.  We fed each other a bite sweetly like we did 365 days before of very delicious year-old white wedding cake, and interlocked arms to have a sip of red wine.  We may have done this rather quickly, and in our pajamas, and very soon after we hushed baby Farrah and made our way to bed, but it in and of itself, was a perfect 1st anniversary.  I mean, how could it get much sweeter? 

(Although Keane told me much after that day that had I not been pregnant, he was planning on taking me on a cruise for our anniversary since we never had a honeymoon - that would have been pretty damn sweet too -- maybe in a few years?!)

Happy First Anniversary, Love.

Father's Day 2015

This Father's Day was a special one for me.  It was special because, although for the last several years, I have been celebrating Keane on Father's Day on behalf of Kaden and Kylie, this year I contributed to him being a father and that really felt amazing.  Keane got a fish cleaning table that he spotted at Bass Pro and will be used a lot by him.  After I bought that for him, Kaden told me he wanted to get his dad new cowboy boots because Keane's had finally worn out.  Since Keane was going to need them soon anyway, we took our less-than-one-week-old baby to Crane's Country Store in hopes to find boots.  We ended up having to get some a different day, but there I bought him a new pocket knife instead, since he kept using his grandfather's old (and dull) pocket knife and kept misplacing it.  Also, this Father's Day, Keane had a brand new daughter!

And I gave my dad a granddaughter for Father's Day this year!  I picked him up some snacks at Crane's as well, as I otherwise wasn't quite prepared for gift giving.  As amazing as it is to have my own baby, I can only imagine how sweet and astounding it is to have your own child have a child of their own.  I know without a doubt my parents feel pride and happiness and love at an entirely different level and depth, and I believe that may be one of the best gifts of all - the gift of life.

Lately

This "lately" post was written in mid-February, nearly three months ago!  I better post it before any more time goes by!

Lately...we celebrated my dad's birthday (54 years)!  I got him a bucket of snap-off knives that he loves and can always be found wearing in his front shirt pocket.  My mom made him some amazing, delicious, fall-of-the-bones ribs and chocolate birthday cake.  I was able to see him on his birthday and enjoy some warm, fresh chocolate cake, and a couple hours of visiting!  My sister recorded McCoy singing Happy Birthday (his first year singing acapella) for Papa.

Valentine's Day was as sweet as ever.  Kaden intended on making a tractor Valentine's Box, so I tried helping Kylie come up with an idea for hers and suggested a basketball court.  She made hers all on her own!  Kaden changed his mind and decided to make a football field, and Keane and I got to help him on it, which was a ton of fun and it turned out pretty spectacular if you ask any of us!

Keane and I had a nice dinner at CC's City Broiler for Valentine's Day.  It is so much fun getting dressed up with my babe and fine dining.  Although we both agreed it sucks driving an hour to dinner in the same town we drive to work each day during the week.  We were told we would have a 2 1/2 hour wait (it ended up only being 1 1/2 hours) and during that time, we mingled with two other couples and enjoyed the conversations.  Our meal was delicious.  Keane got a bone-in ribeye aged ~34 days (he says it was one of the best steaks he's ever had) and I had a blackened grouper (fish).  It was delish.  I really liked the dinner and no-gift way we celebrated Valentine's Day this year.  My dad sent me a text that said, "Well don't worry about Farrah, she's having fun with Grandpa!  Oops, I was just thinking in the future!"  Haha.  Farrah decided to tag along with Mom and Dad this year, but next year, she has a date with Papa! 

This nephew of mine is growing up and getting cuter by the day (how is that even possible?)!  I love to call my sister and ask for new "McCoy stories."  They're the best.  Kimberly was laying on McCoy's Kristi Blanket and he got upset and said, "You're hurting her, Mom!!!"  About 3 1/2 years ago, I found a big stitch beginner's crochet blanket pattern and made it in my unborn nephew's nursery colors.  Never could I have imagined how bonded he would become to his Kristi Blanket, but I love it so.

Kylie needs to work on her spelling, ha!  Her and I enjoyed baking some chocolate chip cookies two nights in a row (because yes, they were that good, and yes, they went that quickly)!

Kylie's team won 1st place in the 3rd grade girl's basketball tournament, and Kaden's team won 3rd in the 5th grade boy's tournament, but we might as well consider them 2nd place winners (they're truly kicking arse as basketball this year).

I'll leave with you a couple Lenox pictures, since he's such a photogenic subject.