That's why I love him

Pete and me at Fogo de Chão last year, where we had also dined on our first date.



Five years ago today, Pete and I met. It has been a wonderful time since, and through all our ups and downs, we've been very happy together.

Tonight we were sitting around the tv as we often do most nights, watching something on the Military Channel (his choice), covered in snoozing cats and dogs, and our bellies full of McDonald's cheeseburgers. Pete suddenly looked at me and said, "Hey! Let's both concentrate on this pencil here and see if we can make it move by telekenisis." He had an eager look on his face, and carefully set the pencil on top of one of his car books, ready to concentrate.

I started laughing, and said, "See? That's why I love you! Because a normal night for us is watching tv, surrounded by animals, and spending our free time trying to make a pencil move. This is our lives together." And I laughed some more.

Pete smiled and seemed startled by this, but very pleased, and we eventually went on to throwing our brain waves at the pencil (it wiggled, but that was all). Good times.

I'm happy to have known you these five good, long years, my love.

Sleeping kitty

They are so cute when they're sleeping and not causing trouble, aren't they? Dollie's favorite room is our dining room/kitchen, which is still under construction and full of fun things to play with like scraps of sandpaper, stray screws, and lots of dust. But she also finds it a great place to catch a good nap.

Thanks to everyone who wished us a happy anniversary (Pete and me, that is, not Dollie). We had a great weekend up in Savanna hanging out at the farm and just relaxing a lot (and eating, of course). I'm moving a bit slow this week, and still getting to reading everyone's recent blog posts (I've been soooooo out of the blogging world lately!), but looking forward to our upcoming trip to the Adirondacks on Saturday. I've been busy locating my cameras and running mental checklists for the journey. Hopefully we can get some much needed R & R up there and come back refreshed and calm.

A happy anniversary weekend

Hard to believe it's been almost a year already....

We'll be celebrating our first wedding anniversary in Savanna this weekend at the farm, so I thought I'd post about it now. This is a picture of our anniversary cake, which we got in exchange for a photo of us cutting the cake, from our cake lady. My friend Katie sent me the pic of us cutting the cake, for which I'm very grateful. Pete looks like he's lurching at the cake, ha ha, but it's a cute picture anyhow.



Our anniversary cake was a mini version of our wedding cake, complete with fresh daisies on top, and a basket weave pattern on the side. We got the Chocolate Amaretto Bailey's flavor for the filling, which is one of the fillings that was used on our actual wedding cake. I never did get a piece of Pete's groom cake, but I know it must have been good because Sam made it and she's an excellent baker. That day (and night) is still a blur, although I remember hanging out around the campfire at my parents' cabin after the reception, hair still filled with spray and ratted beyond belief. It was a fun way to end the festivities.



I have since had a few pieces of this cake already, and it's really good. Happy anniversary, Pete! And I will see you guys all next week. Hope you have a great weekend!

Dinner at The Bavarian Lodge

The Bavarian Lodge (stock photo)


Our almond-crusted breaded duck appetizer


Liver dumpling soup—yum!


My sausage platter


Pete and his schnitzel platter


Me feeling full



Pete and I went to The Bavarian Lodge in Lisle for dinner last night. We went there on our second date, which didn't go very well, and in turn caused me to not want to go out with him for a week or so. Long story, but it wasn't pretty. Anyhow, things obviously turned around and we have been there many times since. It's got excellent German food and a wonderful variety of imported beer. Plus, we never have to wait for a table. We figured we'd do the German thing for dinner last night, since we did meet at an Oktoberfest party, after all.

Through the (4) years

It's been four years since Pete and I met at that fateful Octoberfest party while watching sausages cook on the grill. Seems like it was forever ago. So in honor of our anniversary, I thought I'd share these goofy self-portraits of Pete and me taken over the last four years...

In the Adirondacks at the Ausable River


At Sam's house during Christmas


At the farm in Savanna


In Maui, on our honeymoon, at Twin Falls


In the car (with Adora) on our way home from Oregon, IL


At Niagra Falls


At White Pines State Park (where we ended up getting married)


In Maui, on our honeymoon, at the beach


On the annual family camping trip at Nelson Dewey State Park


And walking away arm in arm, in downtown Lake Placid, New York



Sam added a printed version of these lyrics (below) to my parents' 40th anniversary photo album last year. I know it's cheesy, and it's Kenny Rogers, for crying out loud, but I'm a very sentimental girl, so I included them in this post.

Through the Years

I can't remember when you weren't there
When I didn't care for anyone but you
I swear we've been through everything there is
Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

Through the years, you've never let me down
You turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found
I've found with you ... Through the years
I've never been afraid, I've loved the life we've made
And I'm so glad I've stayed, right here with you
Through the years

I can't remember what I used to do
Who I trusted, who I listened to before
I swear you taught me everything I know
Can't imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more

Through the years, through all the good and bad
I knew how much we had, I've always been so glad
To be with you ... Through the years
It's better every day, you've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you
Through the years


Through the years, when everything went wrong
Together we were strong, I know that I belong
Right here with you ... Through the years
I never had a doubt, we'd always work things out
I've learned what love's about, by loving you
Through the years

Through the years, you've never let me down
You've turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found
I've found with you ... Through the years
It's better every day, you've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you
Through the years

Happy anniversary, Pete!