28 Weeks

We're officially in the third trimester! Since I don't have my professional photographer on hand to snap a quick photo of my belly, you get this lovely self portrait I took in the bathroom on Saturday. So far I feel great, but every time I say that to anyone they say, "just wait......" Yup. I know it's going to get harder to put my shoes on, I know my nights will become less restful and I know that my body will begin to get more and more uncomfortable. There's no need to burst my bubble, people! Let me stride around on my still skinny ankles for as long as I can!

With only 12 weeks left, we have turned the baby preparations into high gear. We're currently taking a birth class, have toured the hospital and have successfully purchased a crib that is structurally sound and chemical free! I still have a checklist a mile long, but I feel like we're getting there. I haven't posted much about our house hunting recently, but that's getting there, too. I'll hold off on the details till everything's final (don't want to jinx it!). But I'm hopefully we'll have a new home for our little baby in no time. 

Connecticut Beach Weekend

A weekend at the Connecticut shore was exactly what the doctor ordered. Our little trip was perfect because we didn't have to travel far (35 minutes tops). It's so exciting to take a mini-vacation in your own backyard. You get to experience so many interesting places you might not have noticed before. We've been to the beach in Westbrook so many times, but we never stopped for the hot buttered lobster rolls at Edd's.

It's a good thing this delicious meal is not too far from home. I think I could eat one every night.

Instead of spending hours packing and traveling, we got to spend that time with family. We watched the sunset, we woke up and went for walks and we ate a ton of seafood. I loved waking up two days in a row with nothing to do but read my book by the ocean.

My shoreline vacation may be over, but the excitement is not. I'm headed to Logan airport tomorrow night where my parents and I will welcome my brother home. We're so excited he's back and we're going to celebrate the best way we know how—with more great food. See you in a couple of pounds, my friends!

XOXO 

Kitchen Renovations Are Afoot

Part of this whole buying a new house project is the shaping up of our current home so we can sell or rent it for big bucks. I may be a novice at this but I do know that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. The current state of our kitchen was not doing us any favors so it was time to tear out the ugly, broken cabinets and install something a bit more updated. We started this two weeks ago. It's been 14 long days of take out, paper plates and restaurants. I do love to eat out, but it is starting to get old. I'm so ready to cooks a real meal in our beautiful new kitchen! Here's a look its current state: 

 

1. On May 2 Keith took out our kitchen sink. I've been living sans sink for almost two full weeks. Since I refuse to wash dishes in my bathtub (gross) I've resorted to plastic plates, cups and utensils. It's not my greenest moment, but at least every day feels like a picnic!

2. Our new cabinets arrived in large cardboard boxes and are piled high in the dining room. Pepper is the only family member who will miss them. If you look close enough you can see she's doing little kitty-cat jazz hands up there.

3. Before we can tear out the old cabinets, we have to empty them. This is the worst.

4. New cabinets go in! And a new counter gets installed right on top. It's finally getting pretty around here.

5. Another view of the new cabinets and counter. Note that there's still no working kitchen sink. I think I deserve an award for "Best Attempt At Roughing It".

Has anyone braved a kitchen renovation like this? What was your experience like? 

A Year In Review: Turning 29!

Saturday was my 29th birthday. I thought I was going to feel sad to be entering the last year of my twenties, but I feel refreshingly good. In fact, I think back to my early twenties and don't wish for a day to go back there. In my early twenties I was always striving for something—the perfect job, the perfect guy, the perfect pair of jeans. While I'm still searching for a right pair of jeans (ones that won't drag on the ground or bunch up around my knees) I feel good about what I have found in my life right now. So the number "29" didn't scare me this year. I feel like so many great things have happened in just this one year and I feel like I've learned and grown from all of it.

I Settled Into Life as a Newlywed

After the wedding it seems like everyone is asking how married life is. "Exactly the same, but with more paperwork," I joked to everyone, as I stumbled through the process of changing my name, my bank account and tax information. Being a newlywed was not entirely different from being engaged, but once the planning and excitement of the wedding died down we had time to think about the rest of our lives together. We started talking about buying a house and having kids. After living in New York City, and now New Haven, moving to the suburbs is going to be a chance for me and while we drive around looking at neighborhoods I always think about my tiny walk-up apartment on the Upper East Side and how far I'll have come from that lifestyle. But being a newlywed is more than just a change of venue—it's a whole new way of living. No more selfish decisions. Everything from what I eat for dinner to how I spend my weekends affects another person now and I love planning accordingly.  

I Became a God Mom

My nephew Henry was born in June and when I talked to his mom and dad that day in the hospital via Skype they asked me to be his God Mother. I have the BEST Fairy God Mother, so I was really excited to have the honor of being the same for my Nephew. Since little Henry might not be into Cinderella the same way I was, I'll drop the "Fairy" from my title. But that doesn't mean that I won't give him everything he ever needs or wants. Not only do I get to be the aunt who spoils him, but I also get to be a part of his life in the church. I went to a Catholic school for seven years so I believe I'm well qualified for the job!
 

I Changed Careers

This winter I took a huge risk and left my full time job as a magazine editor for a part time position with an event planning company. The day I told my boss I was leaving was one of the scariest days of my life, and Keith literally had to convince me from wimping out. But I did it. And a few weeks later I started my new role in a brand new field. As an editor, I sat behind a desk all day. I e-mailed and talked on the phone and I spent a lot of time with my head buried in manuscripts reworking and rewriting paragraphs over and over and over. Now, I spend some days in the studio working on invoices and timelines. Other days I'm hunting through Home Goods for decor items for the next event. I have a great mix of creative work that challenges me and new office tasks that also challenge me. I love that every day is different and everyday teaches me something new. Some nights I spent long hours on my feet and get home past midnight with an achy back and neck. But I've found my work to be so fulfilling that none of that even matters.

The most rewarding thing is that I had the courage to make a change in my life when I was unhappy. When I was in my early twenties I clung to the idea that journalism was my dream job and leaving the field would make me a quitter. At 29 I'm happy with what I've accomplished as an editor and I'm proud of myself for recognizing that quitting my job didn't make me a quitter, but rather it made me an even more successful person than I was before.

 I Became a Cat Mom

Cat Mom...Crazy Cat Lady...What ever you want to call me, I have a furry little friend who wakes me up every morning wanting to snuggle be fed. Even though she has a raging ear infection that is racking up a significant bill at the Vet's office, Pepper is the best little kitten in town.

I think my 29th year will be just as action-packed and exciting! And to start it off Chris Harrison is sending a belated gift tonight. Emily's season starts and I'm dying to dig into some horrible reality TV. I had a good year, I think I deserve it!

XOXO

Homeownership is a Marathon

“Homeownership is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Those were the words that were boldly printed on a billboard on route 95. I'm not sure what this ad was for, but I am sure that it was meant, 100 percent, for me. While I don't want to put an offer on the very first house we look at, I do want it yesterday. I bought the very first wedding dress that I tried on and I don't shop online because the shipping process annoys me. This period from deciding we are going to buy a house to actually buying a house is killing me.

We've only looked at four houses so far and none of them have been right. There were things I liked in all of them (like the closet within a walk-in closet). But there are also things just not right about each. See below:

No the house isn't slanted, the black and white tile floors are just making you dizzy. 

I know we can paint the walls and put down a new floor. (Sorry to disappoint, I know you totally thought I was going to go for black and white tile in my dining room!!) After that there may even be some money left over for new cabinets and granite counter tops. We could turn this into a pretty rad kitchen—but it's too small. I was really excited to see this property and was able to look past the reckless interior design decisions the previous owner made. (Umm there was even glitter painted onto the dining room ceiling.) But I just could not picture myself living here. I want an eat-in kitchen and I'd like to be able to invite a lot of people over for a party on the occasional New Year's Eve. I didn't see us fitting here.

After each showing that's just not right I feel discouraged. I know I need to slow down. Our perfect home is out there and we'll find it because we are diligent house hunters. But I am feeling really impatient.

Any words of advice?
Please leave your comments below! 

The Pre-House Hunting Checklist

Buying a house is not something I know a lot about. Numbers make me nervous, so talking about mortgages cause little beads of sweat to appear on my palms. And I haven’t lived in Connecticut long. I can hardly find my way out of my own driveway, never mind pick out towns with the best school systems.

It goes without saying that I have absolutely no idea where to start.

I wanted to jump right in to the hunting part of this process. Keith has already spoken with a bank and we have been pre-qualified for a loan. And together we’ve done some research on what towns will be good for us. We considered their proximity to our jobs and school systems. We even took a drive last Sunday to scope out some of these towns for ourselves. One we thought we liked ended up having too much of a small-town feel for me, and we ended up discovering another that wasn’t even on our list before.

Pretty house with a wrap around porch, when will you be mine?

So why can’t we just start setting up showings and looking at houses already? 

1. My pinterest board is not done. So far for home inspiration I’ve got colored glassware from West Elm (which I don’t really need because I have a ton of glasses) and these fringe curtains that are not likely to fit in any house we end up purchasing. How can I possibly look for the house of my dreams if I haven’t created the mood board of my dreams?

2. We really should get pre-approved for a loan before we start poking our heads into houses. We went to see a few places, kind of like a test run, but if we want to make a serious offer we need to be able to back it up. We’ve been pre-qualified for a loan, which is just a nice way for the bank to say that unless we are lying about how much we make we will likely get a loan. Now we need to get pre-approved. The bank will run a credit check and do some other more official stuff and if we pass (which they already told us we would) they write a nice letter saying so.

3. We need a realtor. Sure, there’s Google and Zillow and Craigslist and Facebook and a million other places we can find houses we’d like to buy. But when it comes to the actual purchase of a house a realtor will help us through the sale, making sure we get what we want and we pay a fair price. So where do we find the right realtor for us? While I searched Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing, Keith picked up his cell and called the realtor he’d worked with when he bought his condo. One Realtor, check! 

4. I have to wish my brother a Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday, Phil! Sadly, he is still deployed and I doubt he will have much of a birthday celebration. Maybe a picture on the blog will make up for that?

 Phil celebrating his 21st birthday in style.

It’s a close call. Hopefully this and that copy of Catching Fire I send him will help!

Once the pre-home buying checklist has been complete we can start making appointments to view houses. Of course we still have a lot more options to narrow down, like do we want to do a full renovation or do we want a move in ready house? What are our “deal breakers”? And which town do we REALLY want to live in?

Yikes.

But I’m taking it all one step at a time. Tell me, what were some of the first things you did when you bought a house? What steps am I missing?

House Hunting: Let the Games Begin!

Good things come in pairs. Our first wedding anniversary is right around the corner. And it looks like our first home is, too.

It's not what you think. We have yet to make an offer on a property. Or even see a property that we want to make an offer on. But we have begun the house hunt. We looked at two houses Wednesday after work. Both were in need of a little TLC so it was a little hard for me to picture myself living in the spaces. However, a fixer-upper is exactly what we are looking for. Keith likes to get his hands dirty renovating houses and I like things my way. It's a perfect combination. Keith can have as much fun as he likes covered in saw dust and dry wall and I can get the 2.5 bathrooms and a walk-in closet of my dreams. 

We'd also like a house near the water with a porch we can drink wine on while watching the waves crash onto the shore. 

Is that too much to ask for?

This house hunting thing is still new, so I am very excited.

Ask me in a few months and I may be singing a different tune.

Fingers crossed. I'm a very bad singer.

I am the newest of newbies when it comes to anything real estate related. It's true that my husband has spent a lot of time learning the trade these last few years. And while I've helped out at some of the properties and tuned into more episodes of Flip This House than I can count, there is a lot that goes over my head.

Luckily, Keith gets it. He's met with the bank and we have been pre-qualified for a mortgage. He's figured out how much we can afford. And he's researched nearby towns and school systems to help us determine where we want to look. Oh yea, he's also started contacting a few real estate agents in those particular towns to set up showings. I have such a good husband.

What have I done?

I started a Pin board with inspiration for a wallpapered bathroom.

Alright. I hear ya. Bathroom design is very important, but it's time for me to get my head in the game. I want to learn all about buying a house. I want to know what to look for when we walk through houses. And I want to not be confused when the listing agent says something like, "I can sharpen my pencil for you." 

I prefer to write important contracts in pen. But if sharp pencils mean lower prices, I'll take them.

Like it or not, I'm going to take you all along with me on this journey to home ownership. If you're buying your first home than I hope my posts help. If you've already done so than I expect you to at least laugh along. Just as long as you're laughing with me and not at me!

A Career Change for the Wife

I’ve got some exciting news! I recently started a new job. Actually, I recently started a new career. It was a big, bold and kind of scary move but it was time for a change. I took a deep breath, pinched my nose and dove head first into the wonderful world of wedding and event planning.

Now everyday is new and exciting. I’ve met fascinating people (florists, photographers and cake bakers, oh my!) I love working along with such creative people and taking in all their talents.

What I love about this job is how different each day is. I have plenty of time in the studio to work on projects that really get me thinking. But I also get to roll up my sleeves and do some heavy lifting. Literally. Those bistro tables and receptions chairs don’t get set up by themselves.

photo by Cynthia Brown

You can read all about my new gig here.

It is so refreshing to wake up excited to get dressed and get down to business. Seriously, life is so great when your job feels like more fun than it does work. And it’s too short to not do what you love! I am so glad I made the decision to change careers. 

I hope everyone else is enjoying this sunny Friday as much as I am! Tell me, what's new with you?

XOXO
Libby

The Honeymoon is Over: A Fresh Start for Follow the Wife

  If the honeymoon has to end, it might as well end with a cocktail and a creepy totem pole.

Greetings, blog readers. It’s been quiet here for a while, but I hope you’re still there. I can explain: I took a short hiatus to do some reflecting on the meaning of this blog. I started writing Follow the Bride posts over at Creative Odds ‘n Ends to chronicle my wedding planning adventures. It became a place to gather opinions and share the many tips I was learning along the way. I love that I now have each step of the planning process documented and can look back on that exciting time whenever I want. It’s sometimes hard to believe that a year ago today Keith and I had just attended the final walk through at our wedding venue. I blinked and suddenly we are one month away from our first anniversary. How did that happen?!

Since last spring I’ve been writing about my new adventures as a married woman. I’ve shared my favorite pictures from our honeymoon and discussed important family purchases. I created this blog to illustrate my journey through wifedom. My hope is that it picks up where all the wedding blogs leave off to give readers and intimate and honest look at what it’s like to be a newlywed. Recently, though, things were getting a little cluttered and I didn’t think my message was getting through. Well, I’ve polished off the old thinking cap and I’m ready to take a second crack at it. Here we go, folks. As they like to say, "The honeymoon is over!"

One Little Reason My Family Makes My Whole Life Better PLUS How Criticism Can Help

I have run all my life. On summer vacations in Hyannis I would join my dad on his run to the Kennedy Memorial and back. In high school I signed up for track because my friends convinced me the coach was hot. And in college, I'd jog around the track before cheer practice with my roommate. After college I continued to work out regularly. I would pack a bag and hit the gym before work most mornings. It was a pain to wake up early and I hated getting ready in the locker room, but I loved how much more energy I had throughout the day. Running has always been a part of my life. But I'd never (ever) call myself a runner.

So I was not prepared for a sudden burst of motivation.

A few weeks ago I stepped off the treadmill and walked over to where Keith was stretching. "I ran a mile in 12 minutes. Is that good?"

"Ummm. Not really," he replied.

Shocked that my husband wasn't giving me the pat on the back that I thought I deserved, I mumbled that I had done some other stuff on all those other machines earlier and so for that reason 12 minutes was probably an ok time and what does he know anyway.

  Keith: A run motivator and fear or heights supporter.

A day or so later my brother called from his base in Afghanistan while we were eating breakfast. "Phil, I ran a mile in 12 minutes. Is that good?" Somehow, I expected a different response. Instead a cackle of laughter came through on the other end of the phone. He was less kind when he told me that my time was not very good. And to put things in perspective, he added, he can run two miles in that time. 

Thanks for the perspective, Phil.

Now that both my husband and my brother doubted my running abilities, I had to prove I could do better. Their criticism made me realize that I could do better. The next day I went to the gym—not to burn calories or get in shape—to shave time off my mile and get back into the good athletic graces of my loved ones. I cranked up the speed and when I finished under ten minutes, I was happily pleased with myself. 

9:54 won't be breaking any records, but I was happy about it.

But I couldn't stop there. The next day I wanted to run faster. And the day after that I wanted to run  further, too. So I keep lacing up my sneakers and running. I run to top my previous time. I run to build up endurance so I can run farther. And I run because I like the way I feel when I'm done.

I've never been this motivated to run before. I've never even liked to run—it was just something I did because staying fit is important to me. But now I have two of the best cheerleaders on my side. Sure, they're not shouting through megaphones as I zoom (cruise?) past them on the road. (But I know they would if I asked them to!) My husband and my brother have equally motivated me to push myself a little further each day. I bet they didn't even know they were doing that for me when they told me my mile time sucked! 

Thanks Keith and Phil! 

 

Friday Night Date Night!

 You know you have the best husband when he texts you at lunch to let you know he reserved *Breaking Dawn at the Red Box!

What are your plans for this lovely weekend? Before we settle in for the long anticipated (at least by me) viewing of Twilight, Keith and I are going out for Indian food. I really like my outfit today and I want to take it for a spin around town before changing into sweats and snuggling on the couch.

Enjoy the sun.

XOXO

*UPDATE: Yikes! This movie was bad. We did not make it through the honeymoon. 

The Bachelor on Living in Sin

Thanks to Twitter, I know I’m not the only one who watches The Bachelor. I had been a hold out for a long time, but I gave in last season and was hooked. Reality TV is like crack. If you’re watching this season you know that last night Ben the Bachelor made his rounds visiting the remaining four contestant’s hometowns. These visits, like the rest of the show, are very awkward. Everyone sits around the table not eating and saying things like, “I think I’m falling for this guy.”

Even though these visits would have gone much differently if there were no cameras, most of them went well—as well as meeting the parents can go when your older sister throws you under the bus for skinny-dipping in Puerto Rico. But Ben’s trip to Casey B’s hometown (in the Bible Belt) didn’t go so great. Mom made it pre-tty clear that she did not want her daughter living with Ben before they were married. And dear ‘ole Dad backed her up. When Casey said she would move to California once she received the final rose, Dad sternly asked where she intended to live and he was only accepting one answer—not in sin.

While this visit came across as particularly harsh, I thought Casey’s dad was the only person on this show who has his head set right. He’s skeptical his daughter can find real love on this “dating game show” and does not want her to rush into a marriage before she knows the other person. He was clear that if Casey won, he wanted them to continue their courtship to get to know each other better.

I think this brings up an interesting debate: When do you think if the right time to move in with a person? I have to agree with Casey’s dad. You should spend time to really know that person—and really know that they will be in your life for good before you move in. I personally didn’t want to make that move until we were engaged. I knew that I didn’t want to go through a breakup while living together. No thanks.

But I want to hear what you think: What’s your ‘move in’ policy? And what did you think of Casey B’s hometown visit last night?

Weekend Surprise!

Happy Friday Follow the Wifers. What are your plans this weekend?

 {via}

Keith and I have a fun few days in store. We’re picking up our new kitten tomorrow and are so excited to bring her home. Last weekend we visited a local animal adoption center and were thrilled to meet a beautiful little black kitten with white paws and a little white tip on the end of her tail. When we picked her up she jumped right onto our shoulders like a little parrot. I remember our family’s cat Junior (she’s still alive and well, btw) doing the very same thing when she was a kitten.
We’re happy to give this animal a permanent home—she was rescued from a hoarder who had over twenty other cats in her house and was not taking proper care of them. Keith thinks she’s the perfect cat for us. “From one hoarder to another,” he jokingly said on our way home. (I have a hard time throwing things out, guys! I’m sentimental.)

Please share your weekend plans with me! I can’t wait to hear what you’re doing this long weekend.

XOXO

P.S. 
Pretty please follow me on Facebook and Twitter! 

Hunky Husband Turned Swimsuit Model

Last night, my husband was dismayed to see that I has posted a shirtless photo of another man on my blog. It was Valentine's Day after all.

We spent the afternoon in the kitchen slaving on a romantic meal for two that ended up being enough for four or five. (I am excited for leftovers tonight!) We made mushroom soup, braised short ribs, Yukon gold and sweet potato gratin and finished off with a delicious pots de creme. We washed it all down with a bottle of champagne. It was a great night, but I still feel terrible about betraying my husband on the blog yesterday. If I ever do publish a swimsuit magazine, I believe this shot must make it in.

Take that Ryan!  

How was your Valentine's Day?

Will You Be My Vintage Valentine?

We are quickly approaching our first Valentine's Day as a married couple and I want to do something special for Keith this year. Since I find drug store cards to be very uninspired and impersonal, I thought I would look for something a bit more unique. I found what I was looking for at the English Building Market, a charming antique store in downtown New Haven.

Behold my Vintage Valentines...

I fell in love with the quirky sayings on these post cards and thought that Keith would get a laugh out of them. I love the bored expressions on the faces of the couple in the card that boldly states, "There isn't anyone but you." And I laughed out lout when I saw the card that says, "What makes you think I like you?" There was another that I didn't bring home, but thought was wildly appropriate for some of the conversations we've had here. It said, "Won't you let me change your name?" and had a picture of a man climbing through a giant wedding band holding a bouquet of flowers. How'd you like to be proposed to with that beauty?

What are you giving your sweetie for Valentine's Day? Are you newly wed or engaged couples doing anything special this year?

Weekend Rewind: A Tough Loss and Registry Essentials

Can I get a weekend do-over? I need one more day and I’d like to give the New England Patriots a do-over, too. I’d like to jump in a time machine and help Wes Welker catch that pass. Well maybe I wouldn’t personally be much help in the pass catching department, but let’s just go with this.

On the bright side: I won the pool and my Boston Cream Cupcakes were a hit!

 Boston Cream cupcakes and Sam Adams beer. I was so prepared for this game! 

It was a great game and we filled our table with too much pizza, wings, mini hot dogs and everything else you could imagine being served during the Super Bowl game. And all football loyalties aside, I was really excited to bust out some of our new entertaining equipment. Some of my favorites:

The slate cheese board. 

 I identified the cheese selection with chalk. 

The Mikasa Cheers ice bucket. (Yup. I’m honest to goodness excited about ice buckets!)

And these pretty tall pilsner glasses. They make beer drinking so sophisticated.

Earlier this week, I also bought this beverage tub at Target for serving beer and I love it! I think it’s going to play a major role in our future entertaining adventures. I like it because every time we’ve invited guests over they come with beer, which usually finds its way into our fridge. I really don’t like having company stick their head in my fridge—it’s kind of like letting people open my underwear drawer.

Now I can throw some ice in this pretty tub and no one has to see which condiments I’ve been hoarding since 2008.

Tell me about your Super Bowl experience. Did you attend a party, throw a party or not watch the game at all? And what are your favorite registry items for entertaining?

Super Bowl Weekend, Plus Picking Up Guys On Trains

Happy Friday morning folks! I’m starting my day with a delicious cup of French press coffee and I know that means it’s going to be a good day-slash-weekend. Let’s see, the Pats are in Indianapolis and I’ve got a major bag of tortilla chips on the counter. Super Bowl Sunday: You are officially on alert! On Saturday I’m meeting up with my friend Erin who moved to North Carolina before Christmas, but not before my mom and I whip up a delicious cooking project for my favorite food blogger Wendy See Wendy Do! (Stay tuned for that fun.)

I also want to tell you about a funny thing that happened to me yesterday. I was on the train home and had just pulled out my book, 11/22/63 by Stephen King. The woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder to ask about it. “Is that a new Stephen King book?” she said. “I love him.” I told her about the book, (it’s about an English teacher who goes back in time to stop JFK’s assassination,) but when I turned back around to continue reading the man in front of me asked about it, too. He had it on hold at the library and was looking forward to starting it, he said. I held up the almost 900 page copy and joked that he should consider buying it for his Kindle and then I turned back to the page I had open on my lap. Then the funny thing happened: He leaned over the seat and handed me his business card. “Use this as a bookmark and call me when you finish,” he said. What? Huh? Did I just get hit on because of this Stephen King novel?

 Stephen King is a dude magnet. Who knew? 

Naturally, I waved the card in my husband’s face as soon as I got home. “Watch out,” I warned. “Dudes can’t get enough of my sexy literary charm.” He paid me no mind, (confidence is so sexy) and we moved on to dinner. I never got hit on much before I was married, but it was kind of flattering to have a stranger take notice yesterday. My husband tells me everyday that he loves me and that he thinks I’m beautiful. “I like your makeup today,” he’ll say as we get ready, or, “That shirt looks pretty on you.” But isn’t it a nice little ego boost when a total stranger notices you?

Married and engaged ladies, have you been hit on by someone who didn’t realize you were taken? Tell me about it.

Overheard on E! TV: Marriage Revelations from Kim Kardashian

“I’m learning so many things about him I didn’t know before,” a teary Kim confides to her mother in the back of a limo.

I was in the other room, but my head shot up when I heard this. I repeated the line to Keith. He laughed and silently wished I would find better shows to watch on a Saturday afternoon.

That line stuck with me. It repeated over and over in my head all afternoon. My first thought was something like, “Well, that’s why people date.” But when I kept thinking about it, I realized that I didn’t know everything about my husband when I married him. I knew a lot. I knew so much about him that I was certain any other little piece of information I could learn would not be a deal breaker. I knew about his political views, his cleaning habits and his feelings on Dave Matthews Band. And he knew all those same things about me. Flash forward nine months and we both know more about each other than we did on our wedding day. I learned that Keith likes his shirts laundered a particular way, which type of floss he prefers and that he gets really upset (like not just pretending) when the 49ers lose a big game.

I think I’ll continue to learn new things about my husband for a while. We don’t have kids yet, and I imagine that when we do we’ll learn a whole lot about everything. And I’m excited about that. Now I don’t want to comment on what Kim did or didn’t learn about her husband. It’s not my business (but she put it on national television, so I guess it kind of is). I’m simply relating her comments about marriage to my own situation.

Raise your hand if you’ve learned something new about your husband since you got married.And have a great weekend, everyone! 

 

On Rooting For Different Teams

We do not have to love the same baseball teams to love each other. 

Did anyone watch last night’s exciting football games? We camped out in front of the TV around 3:00 to watch the Patriots (Yay! They won!) and then the 49ers. Sadly, only one of our teams came out on top. I was really rooting for a 49ers/Patriots Super Bowl because I knew my husband wanted to see his team win. Between us, I would have been happy to see the 49ers win the Super Bowl, even if it meant my team losing. Does that mean that I would root against the Patriots? No way. Never. I grew up rooting for the Patriots and I strongly believe in team loyalties. My husband has been a lifelong 49ers fan and I admire that about him.

Now let me tell you about a little pet peeve I have. I get so annoyed when people think that because I’m a girl my sports loyalties are not deeply rooted. After living in New York City for five years, someone actually assumed that I had become a Yankees fan. What?! Are you serious? And several people have suggested that I become a 49ers fan now that I’m married to one. Now I’m all for rooting for the 49ers because if I don’t than I really would not be able to talk to my husband at all on a Sunday. But if you think I would trade in the Pats for the 49ers you are crazy. Crazy! I do no like explaining over and over that I like these teams all the time, not just when they are on a hot streak. All those doubters obviously did not spend any summer nights or snowy Sunday afternoons with my family while we were growing up.

Now I am married to someone who has different sports loyalties than me. After living in New York for so long, I imagined that I would marry a Yankees fan and I was ok with that. It’s only a game, right? That’s pretty much true, but I miss how exciting it was to watch games in a room full of people all rooting for my team. And it makes me a little sad to think that when our kids are babies they will not wear little Tom Brady shirts (yes they will) or worse, someone will stick them in a Yankees outfit if I turn my back for too long! (The horror!)

In the end, I think it makes our lives more exciting. We get to follow two teams. And we’ve learned how to grow thicker skin when our teams are playing each other. While I may never get my kids to root for the Red Sox or the Pats, I think they will grow up with the same sense of team loyalty and I hope they see whichever team they root for win championships and, of course, lose in nail biting playoff games. (It only makes the victories sweeter!) Who knows, maybe our kids will even surprise us and become Mets fans.

Do any other ladies out there have husbands that root for different sports teams? How do you deal? If you are both fans of the same team, I am jealous! Share what that is like, please. 

Happy Friday: Five Fun Firsts

 First Look {via} Photo by Brandon Werth

It’s Friday, let’s do something fun today. Here are five of my favorite firsts:

1. My first job was a lifeguard at the YMCA. I made one save in my entire career—a young boy who turns out was only fooling. (Not funny.) I was also a little disappointed that I was issued a bright red XXL T-shirt that said Guard instead of a bright red Speedo that said Guard. I really wanted a lifeguard bathing suit.

2. I must have pulled off the over-sized T-shirt look because the first boy I kissed was also a lifeguard.

3. The first time I flew on an airplane was on a family vacation to Toronto the summer before I entered sixth grade. I wore a dress and my brother and I thought the turbulence felt like a fun roller coaster ride. Now I clutch the armrest and gasp every time there’s a bump during a flight. I always remember my mother reminding us to, “Calm down! Not everyone thinks this is as fun as you two do!”

4. I wore a black ruffled dress on my first date with Keith. I’ll probably never get rid of it. He took me to dinner at a wine bar on the Upper East Side and out for drinks after. I suggested the bar based off a suggestion from a co-worker—she said it played fun music and had lots of dancing. When we walked it the place was DEAD. Saturday, not Friday, was actually the day when all the dancing happened, she later said.

5. I bought the first wedding dress I tried on. Everyone knew it was the right one, but I tired on a few others just to be sure. I made a lot of quick decisions while wedding planning and did a little bit of second guessing as the day got closer and closer. I never once regretted picking that gown though. I spent a lot of time looking at the photos of it on my computer when no one was around.

Now you go: Share some of your first moments with me. 

One more thing before you lead out for the weekend! Click here to follow the wife on Facebook.