1. How long have you and your significant other been together?
We officially started dating 9 years ago on July 12, 2012.
2. How did you meet? (What's your "love" story?)
We met at THE trashiest nightclub ever in downtown MPLS. Wayne hates telling people that, but it's true. We hung out on and off and were friends for about 6 months before we actually started officially dating.
3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}
I knew after about 3 months of dating him, that he was the one I was going to marry. We started dating on 7/12/2003, we moved in together 4/1/2004, we were engaged 10/15/2004 and were married on 11/11/2006, so we just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary.
4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
We got married at my home church (Immanuel Lutheran) in Eden Prairie. Our reception was at the Park Plaza hotel in Bloomington. We had a big wedding. I loved my wedding so much. Truly one of the best days of my life.
5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
We use a lot of different pet names for each other: honey, hun, babe, baby, sweetie, wifey are just some of the most used.
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
Only 3? First off, he is the funniest person I know. He can make me laugh like no one else. Secondly, he truly loves me unconditionally without a doubt. And three, he is the best Daddy to our daughter. What more could a significant other ask for in their man, right?
7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?
Flashback to October 15, 2004. My Husband was working the night shift at his job and got done at midnight. We lived in the Cities and he worked in St. Cloud, so he still had an hour long drive home. He had just gotten a promotion that week at work and so coupled with the huge promotion that he had just gotten in September, he was so excited about it that he decided we should get married. Obviously, right?!. Things were going our way and we were on the upswing, so why not.
Within about a day or so, he talked to his family, to my family and then he went to buy the ring. He bought it on a Thursday and was originally planning on keeping it until the weekend, but knowing him he can't keep a secret, so that night (or Friday morning actually) as he got home at about 1:30 am, he came into our bedroom and turns on the light. So not cool. Now waking up anyone at 1:30 am is probably not going to win you any points, but I love my sleep, so I himmed and hawed at him to shut the light off and that I needed my sleep cause I had to get up the next morning for work. I admit it, I was a bit of a brat. Well, he didn't listen to me and knelt down by our bed and said some really sweet things to me and then pulled out a ring...MY ring...MY engagement ring. I was sleepy and confused and didn't know what to say, so after a minute, he looked at me and said, "Well?" And of course I said "YES!"
We stayed up until about 3am talking about all the different things to come and how excited we were. We finally went to bed and I went into work late that day. I was so excited to show off my engagement ring to all my coworkers and start spreading the news!
8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
He is a flowers/teddy bear kind of a guy. He used to buy me flowers on a regular bases (not just for Valentines Day), but hasn't in awhile. We usually exchange cards and a gift of some sort though.
9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or a pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
Definitely a movie and cuddle kind of a gal. Our usual date night if we do go out will be dinner and a movie. Or sometimes we just skip dinner and buy food at the movie theater and treat that as our dinner. I wouldn't mind a picnic on the beach at sunset though. Maybe one of these years.
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant other one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
I want us to go on some sort of vacation somewhere, just the two of us. I would love to take a REAL honeymoon vacation somewhere...not visiting family and again...just the two of us. Preferably somewhere that looks like this:
11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.
I think we are planning on him picking up food from one of our favorite places...CRAVE and then coming home and hanging out with our daughter and then maybe a movie after she goes to bed.
12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?
Nothing in particular. I have several things on my "need/want list:" 1. New laptop. Ours just died. 2. New camera. My point and shoot that I keep in my purse 24/7 is a POS and long overdue on replacing. 3. Car starter. For my new ride of course and because once again I'm a brat like that. 4. Some new work clothes/workout clothes. 5. New walking/running shoes.
13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
I'd say communicating with that person and listening to the other person wholeheartedly.
14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.
For me it is our daughter, Hailey. She is a product of our past, present and future love. She is our everything.
TGIF!!! I am linking up with something new this week. Go check out Lauren's blog: "From My Grey Desk" for her High Five for Friday link up!
You share five of you favorite things this week. Here are mine.
1. NY Giants winning the Superbowl.
I am a huge fan of both Manning brothers and am hoping Peyton comes to the Vikings next year. Purple 18 jersey? Yes please! Well, enough about Peyton. This is about Eli. He has now won TWO superbowls, both against the Patriots and both against Tom Brady! He had so many people talking crap about him this year when they lost 4 in a row.Just goes to show you, never give up!
2. New England Patriots losing the Superbowl.
I am NOT a Patriots fan or a Tom Brady fan. I think he is a whiny baby.
3. Kelly Clarkson at the Superbowl.
I love her and thought she did such a great job singing the National Anthem and looked stunning doing it
4. I have Ben's 1st Birthday party tomorrow at my friend, Laura's house. Looking forward to seeing her, her 3 boys as well as her family. Go look at THIS picture of him the day he was born.
5.And of course this little face is my favorite-st of the week:
Christmas overall was pretty laid back this year. Since Wayne had to work from 10a-4p on Christmas Eve we didn't travel anywhere. About a week before Christmas Hailey received these from our friends down in Florida. They are Santa booties and a bib. Love them. Thanks Lynn and Mark for the gifts for Hailey!
Hailey and I went to The Horton's house for a noon gathering. It was The Horton Gang (Mark, Dianne, Veronika, Aly, Rachel, Evan, Elliott, Grandma Jo and then Jared stopped by for a bit) and then the Danielson Gang (Me, Hailey, Kim, Paul and Andy came, too). We hung out for the afternoon, talked, ate, opened gifts and then we were on our way home.
Hailey opening up her gift from The Hortons. She didn't know what to think about the bow or the paper. You can see she was wearing the "I <3 Santa" bib. You can't see that she was also wearing the booties, but she was.
I had to take this classic picture. She's the best gift I've ever gotten!
Evan, Elliott and Rachel
The Danielson Gang had plans to meet at church for the 5:30p service. We went to Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley. It was different than my normal church in EP, but it was great. We did the candlelight service and sang Holy night, which is my absolute favorite on Christmas. There was also a lot of singing and we sat right in front by the band. Hailey loved it. It is a huge church, but so beautiful, too. I snapped this picture with my phone of Hailey in her Xmas dress (from our friends John and Jess). She's sitting on Wayne's lap just taking it all in and enjoying the music.
We had planned on spending Christmas Eve with Wayne's side of the family and then Christmas day at his Mom's also and then Christmas day night with my side.
So, after church we went to MIL Kim's house. She had the table all decked out. I love Christmas decorations.
She had wine for me, too. Love her wine glasses.So festive.
Wayne had started his diet that Thursday before (yes, 2 days before Christmas). It was not his choice, believe me. But everyone was so accommodating with his meals. Kim is such a wonderful cook, so while we ate ham and au grautin potatoes (you know all the REALLY good stuff), Wayne ate fish and broccoli.
He ate it and didn't complain one time. I am still working on a post about his new diet and everything that comes along with that. Let's just say he has done such a great job so far, and we have a long road ahead.
We opened some gifts and had lots of laughs. Hailey loved her puppy from Gramma Kimmy!
She also got some clothes and a rocking horse from Green Grandma!
It's going to take a little bit for her to grow into it, but we know she will have a rockin good time when she does.
Sunday, December 25, 2011 - Christmas Day
Wayne and I got up Christmas morning and exchanged gifts. This year we agreed not to tell each other what we were going to get them and have it be a complete surprise. Usually we each pick out our own gift and we go from there. I got him some bu-ray movies. Elf, which neither of us had ever seen, so when it was on sale I couldn't pass it up. I also got him Fast Five and Due Date, which we both have seen, but love. They were nothing spectacular, but that's what he likes, movies and video games.
Wayne is so much better at gift giving than I am. He always has been and he always will be and this year he didn't fail. He surprised me with this:
ADELE - Live At The Royal Albert Hall DVD
I haven't watched it yet, can you believe that? But I have watched the trailer several times and I can't wait. I just need to find a night where I can take some time to REALLY enjoy it while I watch it. He also surprised me with this:
I picked it out while we were Christmas shopping for his Mom's charm bracelet. I told him to wait, cause once again...we were Christmas shopping...for others...not for me. I told him it could wait until Valentines Day. He thought otherwise. It's a pearl with diamonds around it. Hailey was born in June and one of the birthstones is pearl. I LOVE it. Like I said HE IS SO GOOD!
Every year on Christmas Day, my MIL Kim has an open house type thing at her house. She makes a butt load of great food and everyone comes in the afternoon to hang out, catch up and eat some grub. So that is exactly what we did. Minus Wayne pigging out because of his new diet. He didn't waiver one time with all the temptations. I think I ate enough for both of us though.
Later that afternoon we had plans to meet my side at my parents house for our little family Christmas. My Mom had planned on making spaghetti. She did and we all ate that, except for Wayne who stuck hard to his diet and had chicken and veggies. He also hadn't cheated at all at his Mom's house earlier in the day, so I was so proud of him.
After dinner we opened some gifts:
Hailey mostly got some books and some clothes this Christmas. She wasn't playing with too many toys, yet. She did get a johnny jump up, which she still LOVES!
You can't tell by this picture, but trust me she does. Wayne and I got a brand new desktop computer. Thanks parents! It has come in very useful because if you have read my previous posts, our laptop died about 2 weeks ago. Sucky!
We played dominoes as we always do and sat around until the late night and chatted. We then headed home and put Hailey to bed. Both Wayne and I were crushed as Hailey's first Christmas was over. Just like that it was done. But it was great. We did snap this quick family photo that night and you can see that she did wear the booties.
We went to FLASH Portraits at Ridgdale Mall again. The same place we had her NEWBORN pictures taken. She had just turned 5 months old a week before and was still working on keeping her head up. I love her smiles though!
We also took a few of the 3 of us for our Christmas card:
