I'm pretending it's fall already.

[At least from the waist up.]

Sometimes when Levi and I don't go anywhere all day so I know I'm going to be inside out of the heat, I throw on a long sleeve shirt. [I think it makes me feel rebellious or something.] Anyway, quick one today but hey, I'm still on track! Cheers!

Necklace: Gift from my seester.

Top: Thrifted but it's Threads for Thought.

Yellow Undershirt: F21

White Shorts: Charlotte Russe

Zebra Flats: Target [FOREVER ago again.]

Today I Love

Today I love dentist-clean-teeth! I love that my appointment was at two, and Levi's was at three, so we got to say hi, "refer" each other [For a discount!] and make the secretaries laugh at us in between! I love getting there and getting to say "Hi, I'm Amalie. My boyfriend made an appointment for me?" THEN, I absolutely adore the fact that after Levi finished talking to Doc about his teeth, he asked about mine. "Which of her cavities should we get filled first?" "We're under the same roof, can we fudge it over for the family plan?" [Seriously babe, just ask me to marry you already and get it over with!] I also love running to Wal-Mart while he went back and getting him a thanks-for-going-to-the-dentist-with-me-present to surprise him with when he got out...

I think my conversation with the cashier when I bought it was pretty worth loving too.

Cashier: You gonna be needin' a gift receipt with this hon?
[She shakes her head like she already knows.]
Me: No...
[She blinks at me a couple times.]
Me: It's actually for me and my boyfriend.
[Couple more blank-stare blinks.]
Cashier: You know, I think the day we stop buying toys for ourselves is gonna be a sad one!

Right? Have a good night, peeps. We gots some underwater catch to be playin'!

Appreciating it all.

I almost made today like every other. I woke up, was going to get to work on the kitchen. Probably complain a little about how hot it was. Probably sit here and wish that these dang cabinets were already painted. I almost took advantage of the fact that I get to work on the kitchen today. I almost took advantage of the fact that I'm able to use a little elbow grease. I almost forgot how blessed my life is.

See there are these three tiles in our entryway that have kind of "wiggled" for as long as we've been here. Every time you step on them you kind of hear them hit the mortar underneath them that they must have separated from. Well in the last couple weeks, it's made the grout around them start cracking and coming up in little pieces. Kind of obnoxious and really ugly. Well last night, Levi decided to fix it. And by last night I mean right about the time I threw on my PJ's and was pretty ready to crash out. So I fixated myself on sleep and laid down to you know, make a point or something. A few minutes into the project I hear his little voice. "Babe, where you at?" I look up, a little bit set still on my heavy eyelids, and mumbled a bitter, "What?" He repeats himself, "Where you at? You're usually right here with me on stuff like this." A little bit chagrined [and secretly dreading him asking me to mix him up some mortar or something], I say something about not thinking he needed my help on this particular project. He says, "Of course I need your help!" Then, when I dreading the response asked him what he needed, he came back with this.

"I need someone to say, 'Phew! Looks like a tough spot!' or 'Nice! It's lookin' better already!' then I'm going to need someone to hi-five when I get all done!"

At that point, I paused. I closed my eyes, counted to ten and reminded myself who fully I love my life. I ran over the list of all my favorite moments with Levi. Going to buy a lawn mower and some flowers, sitting outside planting while he cut the grass. Barely surviving under the weight as I held up ceiling fans and he attached the wires. Levi and I have done a lot of really fun things, but doing the little things together? Remembering to appreciate the not-so-obviously "fun" projects that we get to do right next to each other?


That is something I never want to lose. That is one of the main reasons I even started this blog. Those are the moments that make us, us.

Sorry babe, how about I paint some cabinets while you sand some edges today? Thanks for the reminder that life is better together. Love you more than grout floats and lemony baked carrots.

Have a little faith in me.

What I wore number five, comin' your way folks. Are you ready for this?

Saturdays. The end of the week. For me [because I watch a nine month old for work and come home smelling like spit up and / or baby food Wednesday through Friday] Saturdays are one part let's-get-dressed-up-and-feeling-good-again and one part let's-sleep-all-day-and-screw-even-getting-out-of-pajamas so I never really know what's going to happen until halfway through the day when Levi and I decide if it's a get things done Saturday or a going out Saturday. This particular Saturday we had cabinets to finish painting, a pool to clean, and all kinds of dust bunnies begging for our attention so it was thhhhiiiiiissss close to being the latter of the two choices. Then my hair shaped itself well - and if the hair works? Well, you really just gotta roll with it.

 

 I still stuck with a super comfy look. Love slipping into maxi's. They're kind of fabulous because of how chill they are. [Also because when you get back in the car after shooting in 115+ degree weather you can pull them up and let in the AC. Just sayin'.]

A trifecta of unpleasent situations.

So first, I got all ready to head out this morning, hair, make-up, shorts and Toms, the usual. Then I checked back once to make sure Levi was still sound asleep. Convinced by his heavy breathing and the goofy grin stretched across his face, I assumed that he was still frolicking his happy life away in dreamland, and I left. I turned out onto the main road and got about halfway to the stoplight when I hear "Toot toot!". Classy. The "I think I'm so cool because I give the obviously inferior bike rider on the side of the road whiplash in order to gain her attention even though I'm going 50 mph and she's going like, -2" honk. [You know people, we don't even have time to see your face as you drive by and I seriously doubt you have time to see ours. You might as well be honking at the plane flying overhead because the flight attendant might be hot.] Anyway. This time I looked up and it was big, lifted, black Dodge Ram. Same truck Levi drives. Had a cover over the bed and everything. Now let's think about this. Do you wave? Or do you not?

If you do, you could be leading on some innocent flirt and create for yourself a situation you weren't actually trying for. If you don't wave though, you do risk hurting the feelings of your boy with an un-intentional ignore. I mean he could have woken up. Maybe you forgot something. Then again, maybe it WAS your man's truck but NOT your man. Maybe someone stole it after seeing you ride away! In that case wouldn't the finger be appropriate? But if you give the finger, you could also be either crushing some sweet [although privileged] teenager's heart just for trying to be cute, or you could get yourself in serious trouble from the boyfriend who maybe woke up and was just trying to help. Sigh. By the time I decided that not doing anything was probably the best call, the whoever-it-was was already gone anyway. I just can't think fast enough for these drive-by-honkers.

Later I talked to the boy and we decided that in the future, if he ever drives by me on the side of the road he's going to lean out the window and yell "BABBBEEE" at the top of his lungs so there's no confusion next time. Phew. Sure am glad he's so good at solving life's main mysteries.

Number two. I'm at work now. Later in the afternoon, four or so. Baby is in his little walking device ramming into the kitchen pantry over...and over...and over. I'm just finishing reading a quick text from the boy ["Missin' my lady." Awww.] when I look down to the ground about a yard away from baby where my Toms are kicked off under a kitchen chair. Suddenly my shoe...twitches. I look a little closer, take a couple steps, and BAM! Two inch long scorpion takes off across the kitchen floor. Towards baby.

I should probably take a moment right here to explain to you how fully I do NOT do scorpions. As I explained to my sister later, throw me off the Eiffel Tower straight into a burning building filled with free roaming snakes, spiders and the like. If I catch fire throw me in the Nile. It's cool. I'll be fine. Not worried. Stick one scorpion in that mess and FORGET IT. I'll find myself a different horror story to live. One without long stingers that turn your limbs numb. Shudder.

However. There was a baby in the mix. A really cute baby that is MINE to take care of from 8 in the morning to five at night. So, I reacted. First baby. I grab the little guy and cradle him one-armed as close to my chest as I can. Then I look for a hammer. Fail. So I grab the first thing I see and I turn that BAM factor right around on the nasty fellow. Lucky for me he was a slow one and it only took me two smacks to leave him motionless. Problem averted. WAY easier than I imagined.

Then I washed all the scorpion guts off of the bottom of the boss's favorite thermos. Seven times.

Even LATER today. I'm already home from work. I've been home actually. For a good hour or two. I mention dinner and Levi suggests Shoyu Chicken again [we're kind of rut people]. I tell him we need chicken breasts for it and we decide that since Levi is in the middle of laying tile, I'll just go pick it up. I need toothpaste real real bad and have a little list I'd like to get some things on anyway. So we kiss. We hug. We say some nasty "Don't be gone too long..." "I miss you..." mushy gushy stuff and I head to Fry's. [Which is of course an entire two and a half minute drive from our house.] I start with the chicken and as I'm walking over there I catch the eyes of the "meat boys" behind the glass and I lip smile courteously before turning around and picking the pack I want. I decide on one, wrap it up and I'm off to the next. Rice. Soy sauce. Maybe some bread. Peanut butter would be good. Maybe there's a sale on Pop Tarts... I'll go get my toothpaste on the way to the check out... I'm just wandering the isles having myself a good ol' grocery lovin' time when I start hearing these whistles. Like the way people whistle when they want people to notice them being inconspicuous. Then I start paying a little closer attention. I realize that each isle I'm walking down, the same boy from the meat department that caught my eye before is at the end of. Just sauntering. Whistling. Looking. My stomach gets a little sick and I try heading all the way up to the front where the fruit is. Then I come back. Still there. Still lurking. Still staring me down every chance they get and then looking at each other laughing like they're doing something they should be proud of. I force myself out of enjoyable-sale-hunting mode and try to grab the necessities but it's getting ridiculous. I can feel him burning holes in my back and the whistles are getting louder and the laughs are getting fuller. So I grab my bag of rice and turn straight towards the end of the isle where sure enough, he's walking slowly down at the end of. I stare him down the entire time. Dirtiest look I can muster. Then I leave. Frustrated. Then I get home. No toothpaste. FURIOUS. Then I call the manager and tell him to "give the bastards in the meat department a stern talking to". He agrees and apologizes profusely. I feel a little better.

Then I got on and bought new Toms and felt a LOT better.

But what is the point of that, really? What do they think that it's going to accomplish? "Hey, buddy-who-also-smells-like-a-dead-cow, let's make this lady trying to do some simple grocery shopping feel really uncomfortable because we're so cool that we can!" You know what? Whatever makes you feel better dude. I'll just bring my boyfriend-who-is-twice-the-size-of-you with me next time. No big deal.

Old picture today. Cause I'm reminiscing over my old Toms. Will forever love those babies.

Night, y'all.

The shirt of the summer.

 Honestly can't believe I'm still on track with these things - and just for the record this one was much better. Turns out, along with presenting yourself with huge personal challenges to help grow some confidence in yourself, it also helps to do laundry once in a while. [A big thank you to all of you who sent me love, though. You make my life.]

This shirt really was THE shirt of the summer. It's loose. It's light. The open back let's it breathe so beautifully. I am so glad I found it because it was my GO TO for all the hottest days. Usually I pair it with some trouser shorts and glittered sandals but I was feeling a little dressier today. Quite versatile. In love.

On the other hand, I got two pairs of Miss Me's going into winter last year because I liked how thick their denim was...by now they both have holes on the corners of the back pockets and two or three of the rivets have come out. Fail. At least I know what brand not to buy this year.

Now.

Let's play a quick round of...

Who can guess what the Amalie is doing in this picture?

Is she:

A. Trying to make the neighbors feel as uncomfortable as possible with some seriously awkward dance moves?

B. Having trouble handling her heels and about to take a tumble?

C. Telling the boy she has to pee and trying to find a position in which her super tight jeans don't press any harder on her bladder?

D. Trying to fly away from the nervous waves of the un-camera-happy passer-bys?

E. All of the above.

Anyone able to guess the correct answer wins a little gold star mention in the next blog post and my everlasting, personal respect.

Love and hugs y'all.

Today I Love Monday!

Here's something [a little bit unusual] about me. I love Mondays. Love them. They are without a doubt my favorite day of the week. I love the feeling of a fresh start. I love that when I wake up on Monday mornings I have a whole week ahead of me to do whatever I want with! It's like a blank canvas. All ready to paint with bright colors and smiling faces. That, is a good feeling.

Today I love lazy days. I LOVE sleeping in with the boy, and looking through magazines from West Elm and Crate and Barrel, but mostly I love these pages.

After completely scouring said magazines, I love jumping on Pinterest [because yes, I too am addicted] and being so inspired by sights like these.

Then I love jumping into the day filled with inspiration, not putting shoes on, not doing my hair, and not even caring. I love working on the kitchen with Levi and dreaming about how to decorate said kitchen once we're that time comes around. I love spending the day with him, working on things that are ours, and flirting all the while. 

PS: This is what the boy is loving today. How sweet a song is this, really?

Yet another oversized tank day. Served with a side of emotional throw-up.

Cause I mean it's Saturday. All we did today was clean the house and eat spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendys. Who get's dressed up for days like those?

Okay. Here's the truth. I'm already struggling with this. Not that I didn't know this was coming or anything. I guess I just hoped it wouldn't and even though I'm a little nervous about even talking about this so publicly, this blog is as much for me as it is for anyone reading it, so I'm going to have to be completely real about it. Even if it's only for my own sanity's sake. So here is me. A completely transparent me.

I'm not very good with clothes [I'm sure some people have already picked up on some of this!]. I mean, my boyfriend says I am and my sister says I am, and really I'm good at picking out things that look good on other people, but I have always been so insecure about me. About my "style". About the clothes I wear. About "my look". We're talking really really insecure. I remember being embarrassed about what I was wearing as early as fourth grade and it has carried on until well, days like today. I'm not sure why. I mean, on the humorous side, I really get the technicalities of what is "flattering" and not on different body types, on my body type. I get all that. I even think I get style as it changes. I'm pretty good at picking out things that are "in" and things that aren't. For some reason though, as soon as it comes to dressing me, I blank. I see something cute in the store, so I get it, wear it a couple times and realize that it's just "not me anymore". I have a closet full of clothes that I've bought just in the last year or so and yet I feel like none of it is a look I can pull off. Or a look that works on me. Or a look that I like. If it is then I probably don't have anything to go with it. Or maybe it's the only thing I do like so I've worn it every day for the past week.

I know how superficial it sounds, and I'm sure there have been way too many times in my life that I've let it really affect me. I just also feel like it's time to start pushing myself to the other side of this. Because it's frustrating. It's frustrating to look back at pictures of you in high school and only remember how inferior you felt wearing whatever outfit. It's frustrating to [at 21 years old] still have nights ruined by the fact that you're going to meet some of your boyfriends friends who you'd like to show you know, the "grown up" side of you to and you look back at the pictures realizing you were dressed like a 16 year old. It's frustrating to feel lazy every day because you'd rather just throw on an old tank top than try to make anything really work. And it's frustrating to not feel like you have anything to put on to wow your man on a date night.

You want a confession? I've been almost to tears on every outfit post thus far, and I just started. I keep laughing at myself even writing about this because I suppose it sounds pretty stupid to be worrying about you know, clothes. After so many years though, I feel like these are real emotions. Maybe it IS all in my head, but the point is, I'm really tired of it. I want to learn how to stop it. I want to learn to buy clothes that I'll still love a year from today so that I can eventually actually grow a wardrobe I love. I want to learn to put outfits together I can take pictures in, look back on, and still feel good about myself in. I want to learn to buy things that are versatile so I can mix and match. I want to fetching get excited to get dressed in the morning! I'm super done letting it affect me. I'm ready to feel good about me.

I was THIS CLOSE to giving up today. THIS close to accepting that I'll just never feel good about myself in anything I own. This close. You know what though? Half a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and some seriously sweet reassuring from Levi later...I so want to stick this thing out. Here's why. I'm hoping it will teach me something about myself. It is going to be HARD for me at first. It has been hard for me. And I think it will continue to be hard for me. Challenges are what make us grow though, right? I mean, I didn't know anything about photography until years ago I committed myself to taking pictures every day. What better way to get better at something than to force yourself to try it. Over and over and over.

I don't know who I'm talking to. I suppose I'm just recording the journey. I suppose I want to embrace these emotions. Let myself feel them and then work through them, right? Use them to turn it around.

One side of me wants to delete everything I just wrote. It's dumb, isn't it? An entire post about clothes. Thinking so much about something so superficial. It's just a part of my life I need to change. A part of my life I need to work through. It would be nice to go into my 22nd year with a little less stress in my life, yes?

If I learn just a little more about myself than I knew before, I guess it'll be worth it. Don't worry, I'll get back to regular...uppity...posting tomorrow. Sorry for the bummer mood. I am so determined to get better at this!

Just a few from today. Both tops are Forever 21 [as usual, yes?] shorts are cut off BKE's, and the few minutes I was outside I just wore some super old Vans. Hope you're having a beautiful weekend!

[That last one is da boy's choice. He just likes it cause he knows dem kissy lips are for him. Annnnddd PS: SO proud of those bangs! I have an addiction to cutting them and it's been hardddd lately but today? I sure am glad I haven't!]

What is this wet stuff falling out of the sky?

Someone said it was rain, but this is Arizona in the lamest monsoon season of all time...

so I just knows it caint be that!

[PS: Sorry for the low qualityyy picture. Don't have the greatest lens for semi-dark sky shots so you'll have to just trusssttt me when I tell you how GORGEOUS those clouds looked!]

You'll also have to trust me when I tell you I had one of the most intense bike rides home today ever. You know how Arizona tends to have the whole "Haboob" thing going on? [No I did not just make that word up. Google it. I dare you.] Well today was one of them. A minor one, true. But still. One big wall of dust comin' our direction right around five PM when this girl gets off work. I started off on my merry way, excited about the chance of seeing some rain tonight, and then turned out of the neighborhood and looked up straight into the eyes of that ferocious looking brown cloud. [Dramatic much?] Let me tell you. I pedaled fast with a few different things on my mind. Like the fact that I've been looking for a reason to get a new cell phone since mine only works plugged in, and that this was probably a pretty good reason. And like the fact that I'm pretty sure every car that drove by me was feeling pretty sorry for me. Then I started wondering how stupid I would look if I started wearing goggles and coveralls. Then everything else may [or may not] have been muted out by the very long [very loud] stream of four letter words that came next.

Anyway it hit the driveway at the exact same time I did. The neighbor was out and gave me a Do you really think a bike ride in the weather was the best idea? look. So I gave him a very distinct Do you really think that this was just a leisurely ride? kind of a look and he looked away. Then I bolted inside and decided that no matter how fully I love Arizona storms they definitely look better behind a sheet of glass.

The moral of this story is...if you want some extra love from your boyfriend, all you have to do is make him Shoyu Chicken with White Rice and Green Beans on the side. 

Wait.

No.

That's the moral from this story:

Tonight, I made dinner for Levi and me. Recipe he's never had before. First time in a while I've made dinner. You know that saying..."food is the way to a man's heart"? My conclusion? 

It's not a lie, people!

Ever have one of those days?

Ever have those days where you wake up, go to your closet to get dressed for the day, and end up putting every single shirt you own on with every single pair of bottoms only to find something wrong with every single one of them? By the time you come out you're practically in tears because it's just an ugly feeling day? Welp, let's preface this post by saying that this was one of those days. If my desire to really stick to these outfit post goals I've set was any less important to me, this post would NOT be happening. [Will never forget to credit the boy as well. He's amazing in situations like these. He's like a walking confidence boost and I couldn't love him any more for it. Thankssss babe.]

By the way, I wanted give myself an even fuller commitment to actually doing these posts so I decided to become a part of Wardrobe Remix on my Flickr too. There may on occasion be a picture or two different than what I posted here, if you're interested. Thanks for the support, y'all. I'm going to bed.

Vanilla, chocolate, or maple?

[The boy can never decide which one he likes best methinks, because if we get donuts, this ALWAYS happens.]

I go back to work tomorrow for the first time in like a week and a half. [Family I nanny for went out of town.] So, to celebrate our last night of 24/7 togetherness... we had ourselves a little playdate in the pool!

[Sidenote: Check out our pretty wall! Remember what it looked like beforeee? We had them come back and raise it about four inches. In Levi's words, "It just didn't quite have the 'Blah-Blowwww' factor!" LOVE it now.]

We stayed out there for a couple hours, during which time a pretty epic battle of who-can-knock-the-other-off-the-raft-the-most ensued. Turns out Mr. Muscles really IS all he claims to be. Strong AND sneaky. Unfortunately for him, I'm just a tiny bit sneakier. I'm happy to say I made a name for all us girls by using that one thing them boys just can't resist. Us! I just situated myself right on top of that boy and claimed domination of the game beings as how he didn't even try to push me off anymore after I was all cuddled up on him like that. We girls gotta use what we can!

Anyway, we're gonna hit up Pei Wei later [or possibly Pita Jungle...10 points for me if I can talk him into it], kind of as a final harah. It was a really great break overall. My favorite parts?

1. Coming home after the only time we spent apart. He went golfing with his buddy and I went to lunch+shopping with my seester Friday afternoon. It is so much fun to be so equally loved. To come home and have him wanting to hear about your afternoon just as bad as you're wanting to hear about his. It's bliss. It was one afternoon but I'm pretty sure we spent at least two hours "catching up". Necessary? Maybe not for some people. For us? Definitely.

2. Getting to be on the same schedule. Sometimes Levi ends up working late into the night and sleeps through a lot of the day. I LOVE these long breaks where I get to completely adjust myself to the same schedule he's on. So fun.

3. Getting to make such solid progress on our home together! I know I've already mentioned it [and I'm still trying to decide if I want to give you a sneak peek, or just umm, "blah-blowww" you with it when it's done] but we're re-doing our kitchen. Cabinets, walls, it's a pretty big change! It's been such a good feeling to make progress on something that makes our life just a little bit more "us".

4. Not getting sick of each other. [This, of course coming from a girl who in every previous relationship has been told something to the affect of "Well we've seen each other the last couple days, I need a few to myself now."] I much prefer a boyfriend who LIKES me right along with loving me so that we don't need more time away from each other than we need together. It's much better for a person's confidence level too, Let. Me. Tell. You.
5. Two words. Afternoon. Naps.

Breaks from work are wayyyy more fun when he's in them.

[Planning on my second official "What I Wore" post tomorrow! Eep! That will mean I'll have actually gotten dressed twice in one week! What to the whhhhhaaattt??]

Today I Love

Today I am LOVING this outtake from yesterday! [Isn't he just the cutest?] I love how willing the boy is to play along with me when it comes to things like photo-shoots and cookie-supply runs and other such girly desires. I love that he's said, "All right, tonight we'll really go to Wal-Mart" at least fifteen times in the past month [because we're out of everything under the sun] and yet somehow we still haven't gone...I love that we're a little lazy. I love when I beat him in pool and he thinks it's sexxxaaayyy and I love when he makes requests that nail me down as his woman. You know. Like asking me to cook him a roast - because what other girl get's to do that for him?  I also love eating the cream out of the OREO before the cookie and as of just recently I love NOT dipping them in milk - who knew that that was even allowed? Speaking of OREO's...I also love how "Shut the front door!" has become a rather common saying in this household...

Hope you were able to find some things YOU loved today - despite the daunting sound of it being "Monday". Have a beautiful one!

Takin' the plunge.

All right here's the thing. I really held out for as long as I could on the whole "What I Wore" posting. And really I'm not even sure I'll do it regularly but I was reading a new blog I found the other day and she mentioned how she did outfit posts because it made her get dressed everyday. It made her want to get ready for her man and think outside the box with the clothes that she had. THAT, sounds worth it to me. In fact, it sounds good for me. Ergo [more for me than for you, loves] I'm jumpin' on the bandwagon. Yeeehaw.

Oversized tank? Levi's favorite of course. Grey skinnies? Levi's favorites of course. You can bet that that boy was lovin' all over me today!

The feel of him.

The other day Levi and I were laying on the floor sort of watching TV, sort of just falling asleep and as I drifted off my face fell forward onto his. Just barely. In a forehead to chin kind of a way. 

Let's be real hear, it's not like I haven't rested my face on his countless times before and it's not like either of us would normally have noticed anything any different than usual, but for some reason, in that moment, I suddenly felt him. Only him. The whole rest of the world went white. Nothing existed around me except him. I was suddenly so conscious of the way his breath was slowly and gently teasing my bangs [which were falling out of place in their usual un-tamed way]. I noticed for the first time the little prickles of his [not-so-perfectly] shaven chin. I felt the perfect nook his cheek bone provided for a little head like mine to rest in. 

I don't know how else to explain it other than to just tell you I felt him. I felt all of him. Right there where my face was touching his, I somehow felt every time he's ever told me he loves me. I felt every one of the double takes I catch him sending my direction when he thinks he's being sneaky. I felt every one of his quirks and talents. The emotional way he cares about the people close to him, the quiet way he does everything in his power to make me feel appreciated, the honesty he constantly exerts. I felt the future. Each and every coming year that I wouldn't want to spend with anyone else. Every single moment that I don't want to be without him. I felt it all. Right there. In that little, accidental touch.

I'm not sure why it was so tangible in that specific moment. Maybe I just needed a reminder of the warmth that he fills my life with. Maybe I needed to specifically think about the "feel" that he gives my world. The feeling of stability. Of completeness. Of happiness. It's a feeling I'm not sure now how I ever lived without. 

It's a feeling I hope I never take for granted. I love the feel of him.

This is all you get of me today.

Just a little piece. Which I know is lame because it's been so long since you got even that, but we're in the middle of renovating our kitchen...and our backyard...and a few other major areas in our house. There's a lot that goes into...well...living. Give a girl a break.

A couple days ago we were hanging out in the pool and I sat on the steps as the boy listed off all the reasons he loves me. He was sweet and sentimental at first, then mentioned how I painted the kitchen three times, and I moved all the rocks in our backyard for us, and I hang out with him while he works. Then when I asked him why he liked me before I did any of that stuff, he paused, thought long and hard for a moment, then smiled. 

"Well, it sure didn't hurt that you were so dang hot!"

Boys will be boys!