6 Years

Last Saturday was our anniversary. We're getting so practical now that we're old timers. No more hundreds of dollars dropped at a fancy spa. Last year was mini golf and Italian food in town. And this year my great visiting teacher (who LOVES kids and was surprised we weren't staying out long enough for her to have to put the kids to bed!) watched Eli and Esme.  We went up to Solitude for a hike and dinner at a nice restaurant there.  If you hike up the mountain and find where the chairlift ends, then you can ride it down for free.

Not sure how he mustered a smile, must've been after we figured
out how to pull the bar over our laps.

I even learned something new about Brian.  He's scared of heights!  Just like the old man!  I called him Frank the whole way down.  The only other time I've ever seen him scared was in Switzerland driving a one-lane road (where you have to honk before you go around a turn) on the side of a cliff in the heaviest fog I've ever seen.  In this not so equally dangerous situation he sat down, put his hand behind my back and froze. So I had to be the one figuring out his fancy phone for this unflattering picture.

I guess we won't be skiing, since I'm too scared of the steep hills and speed and he's terrified of the chairlift.

5 Years Ago

Thinking about it now, I must've been the most practical bride ever. My mom likes to bring up the other "bride-zillas" in the bride room of the temple that day. I'd actually shown up early for pictures before the 12:45 sealing and, because of space issues, had to get dressed in the cramped changing lockers. I did nothing special with my hair, no jewelry, and probably just the basic mascara, blush, and lip balm.

The night before I sat alone in my future grandmother-in-law's basement and trimmed and arranged 12 dozen red roses (on sale for $6/dozen) and a few yellow crespedia and pink dahlias. Luckily my roommate had shown me how to make a bouquet a couple weeks before with a few spray roses mixed in. Luckier I didn't let that same roommate take the pictures. I don't think she ever talked to me again. And luckiest, my friend Leilani's dad offered to take them for free. He's a saint. Truly. He drove down to Provo to take our engagements, met us downtown for my bridals, and took his whole family up to Logan for our wedding and I don't even know how long editing took. The more I think about it I should mail him a really big check, 5 years late.

Looking through the photos, my smile is much bigger and happier in the after-the-sealing shots. Hmmm... maybe I should go back and analyze Brian's face instead. He did have quite a time deciding to get married.

I don't remember much about the ceremony except looking at everyone's faces and feeling so much love and joy. The one regret I have, a fading memory and nothing written down.

There was no "wedding party" with bride's maids and such. Not even specific colors for people to wear. Looks like Brian's mom made arrangements within their side of the family.

We went on to Brian's grandma's house for the back yard reception. The one thing we splurged on was food. Of course. I should remember better since it's what we ate for the next couple days. Shrimp, cheesecake, chocolate-covered strawberries. When we met with the restaurant owner to pick a menu, we were about to walk out and he asked if we had other arrangements for a cake. I totally forgot!!! I told him chocolate and left the rest up to him. It was a happy surprise when I saw it and he'd even added some flower arrangements from around to make it beautiful for the official cake cutting.

Then we were off to Bear Lake. It's always fun going back, remembering the care-free, exciting days of young love. Like next week. We'll return with 5 years, two kids, and several extra pounds under our belts. It's been a smooth, happy start to eternity. We are best friends grateful for each other every day.

Craving Korean

You'd think I was a crazy pregnant lady. Yesterday I went to lunch with my sister and gazed longingly at the THREE Korean restaurants on the other block. I didn't say anything since I know most people don't need ceramic bowls of tofu and kimchi boiling away in a firey broth. Luckily there was nothing in the fridge today so we just had to meet Bri in town for lunch. He was excited to try the squid, which was great, and Eli looks forward to munching on the seaweed that is served as one of the many side dishes. Those Koreans sure know what they're doing. The food is so healthy and full of variety. Salty, sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy, chewy, smooth.

Bri has happily adapted too. I introduced him to imported stinky cheeses and he loves them. Appenzeller, Gruyere, Brie, Gorgonzola, and more I can't recall at the moment, all pretty standard, but he even liked the stuff my dad subjected him to in Switzerland. All different kinds, the funkier the better. When we were apart this weekend and called to catch up, the main conversations started "Guess what I ate today..." Lebanese... Duck and black mushroom ragu over buckwheat polenta... sea urchin sushi. We must be soul mates.