Family P: Give Thanks

A few Thanksgivings from the Jar:

Today I am thankful forA supportive husband who will wake up with the baby when I have a migraine. Feed her Bananas. Change her poopy diaper and keep her happy until I roll out of bed.

Today I am thankful forthe happiest, most easy-going baby in the world. Who is easily entertained and independent but still loves to snuggle.

Today I am thankful formy sisters – who are truly my best friends – who accept and love me for who I am and will always be there when I need them.

Today I (Daniel) am Thankful for… Family Lunches at Home

Today We are thankful for… Baby Liv Kisses, sloppy and wet, Love Bites included. Because they are the best.

Featured Image Here

Family P: Give Thanks

I saw an idea a while back of a pretty neat way to celebrate the season of Thanksgiving. Create a “Give Thanks” Jar to collect daily thanksgivings. Keep notecards or festive scraps of paper and pens handy to jot down things that you are thankful for – then during Thanksgiving dinner, take turns reading from the jar.

It was already very late in the day that I realized that today was Nov. 1st. I guess somehow I forgot that Nov. 1st is also the day after Halloween… So my scraps of festive paper… are almost cut. My pens… collected. My jar… not yet selected. But my thanksgivings… already overflowing.

Hopefully Day 2 will bring something as cute as this:

Via Young House Love Here

Today I am thankful for: 

My wonderful husband.

Who loves me, understands me, and laughs at my jokes. Who works SO hard to provide for our family.

Who is the man of our house, my rock and my friend.

I‘m so thankful that God gave me such an amazing man to share my life with.

Featured Image Here

Family P: TEN TEN TEN

Two  years ago today, October 10th, 2010 (Yes… 10/10/10), Daniel and I tied the knot in front of our closest family and friends at the Pacific Edge Villa in Laguna Beach, CA.

Today we’re celebrating our second wedding anniversary… well actually he’s in Houston working and I’m home sick with a cranky teething baby… Today IS the day. And we ARE planning on celebrating. (We failed miserably last year.) Later this weekend…we’re dressing up, dinning out, getting a babysitter… the whole nine yards.

Just the other night, Daniel and I were snuggled up in bed watching a chick flick, enjoying some rare alone time (Olivia frequently co-sleeps) pigging out on some late-r night snackies… he looked over at me and just said, “Meg, You’re my best friend.” 

I feel incredibly blessed to be married to such an amazing man. Daniel truly is my better half. He is my best friend. My lover. (A few weeks ago the sermon at church touched on the stigma behind the word… fear of using it… etc. It stuck with me… more on that another time). He makes me laugh like nobody can- Loves me in ALL my nerdiness and crankiness. Oh! and he ALWAYS lets me have the last bite of dessert. Our love grows and changes every day – I can’t wait to see where it will take us in the years to come.

Dan + I fondly remember our wedding as “the best party OF ALL TIME.” Obviously we’re a tiny bit biased…  

Featured Images courtesy of Cameron Ingalls Photogrpahy – In case you’re in need of a wedding photographer… definitely check him out. We were beyond thrilled with his work 🙂

My Mom + Sisters stuffing me into my teeny tiny wedding dress

The Pacific Edge Villa, Laguna Beach, CA

Some fun was had

Dan + his Dudes

“Livin’ on a Prayer”

Air Guitar

Post Wedding Tacos

 

 

Oh! and one more…

Awesomeness

 

A Post about Us

New Year’s Eve 2006

Daniel and I met during my first semester at SMU. When I transferred after one semester (I didn’t realize that SMU required a uniform including Lacoste polos, seersucker dresses and BMWs.) we stayed friends long distance. We’d been on a few dates while I was living in Dallas but didn’t call it official for almost two years later. I decided to give him a long-distance chance – October 2005. We dated long distance through Summer of 2006 while I finished up my general ed at a local (So Cal) community college when I transfered back to SMU. After a lengthy protest concerning transfer credits, I decided to transfer, yet again, to Chapman University. That Summer, Daniel and I packed up and moved to Orange, CA.

New Year’s Eve 2007

I think we’d both agree that this was one of the BEST years of our lives. You know those summer’s  in high school that you would fondly remember as being completely carefree. You did “fun stuff” EVERY day. This was OUR summer. We spent days at the beach, made weekend trips to Big Bear and San Diego… became Disneyland pass holders. We spent most of our time outdoors, walking, hiking and exploring. We enjoyed everything that Southern California had to offer – All of the amazing perks I’d taken for granted growing up.

Spring 2008

After a year – Daniel packed up and headed back to the DFW area to take advantage of job offer he couldn’t turn down. Once again, we we dated long distance for a year- After one of the BEST years… this was one of the LONGEST. I was determined to finish up at Chapman before joining him in Dallas.

Summer 2009

The night before I graduated, May 2009, I picked Daniel up from the airport and played along with his request to go to “Table Rock” Beach to climb on the rocks and reminisce. When I was turned away, Daniel crouched down and peered into a tidepool. He called me over, claiming to have seen a starfish in the water. When I turned around to look he was already down on one knee. A few weeks later, we made the cross-country drive (yet, again!) and started planning our dream wedding.

Fall 2010

October 10, 2010, surrounded by our closest family and friends – Daniel and I said “I do” at the Pacific Edge Villa in Laguna Beach, CA just minutes away from where we got engaged. We both agree… hands down… best party EVER. The atmosphere was comfortable, casual and perfectly “us”.

Fall 2010

After honeymooning in Los Cabos Mexico, we returned home to Dallas and weeks later moved into our first house… A little vintage (actually VERY vintage – originally built in 1913) yellow house in historic area of East Dallas. We haven’t exactly made it around to making many BIG improvements… but couldn’t pass up the charm!

Summer 2011

In June of 2011, we found out that we were expecting a new addition to our little family. We celebrated the news with our families surrounding a family vacation to Hawaii and embarked on another crazy year!  After an exhausting first trimester, I made the decision to step down from my retail management position to commission sales. Daniel and I had talked a lot about parenting styles and both agreed that it would be best for me to stay home if we could afford it.

February 2012 

Our daughter, Olivia Kate, was born Valentine’s Day 02-14-2012, 6lbs 13 oz, 19 inches long. A week early, but perfectly healthy in every way! This little blessing has, without doubt, changed our lives in the most amazing and completely wonderful ways. We both are completely smitten with this little bundle and already cannot remember what life was like without her.

The Durch

In a post about our family, I should also mention our dog “Durch” (AKA “Duchess” – her given name). Our 9 year old, “troubled teenager” black labrador retriever. She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, brightest crayon in the box… etc., despite her flaws (and there are MANY…) We love her and consider her excessive-shedding-self to be part of the family.