12.11.11....

So...Today is our first anniversary!

We made it through our first year, which they say is the hardest, so... i guess we're good to go right? :)

precious.

So Norman and I had decided a while ago that we were going to switch off every other year who was in charge of what we are doing for our anniversary. And of course...I made Norman have the first year.

So first off, being that it is Sunday, we went to church and I was a wee bit antsy the whole time. couldn't wait to get home and start our celebration!

So we got home, and had to wait an hour and a half before going to tithing settlement. Then the rest of the day was ours.

First on the list: gift exchange.

I gave Norman a nice Seiko solar powered watch from my place of work ... and then had it engraved on the back to make it extra special :) He loved it.

Then it was Norman's turn...He is probably the most thoughtful guy ever and his gift was so precious to me and always will be. We had previously talked about how we wanted this first years gift to be more of a long lasting gift.

Now before I tell you what it is, I have to tell you that Norman came to me the day before telling me he wanted to make a tradition of on our anniversary sharing ten memories we have from the previous year together. So both he and I had written ours out and would share them after gift giving.

So...after I gave him his watch. He gave me a leather bound journal.
He proceeded to tell me that he wanted us to write our ten things down in this journal and anything else throughout the year that we wanted to. Any day and any time we could go write a little note in it to the other, or write an experience we had with each other..anything we wanted. but every year on our anniversary we were going to write the ten memories down and also some things we want to work on the following year in our marriage.

so sweet.

I then opened it to find a message from him. It was so heartfelt and touching. I loved it.

So we wrote down and shared our ten memories which some were hilarious and some were really tender. It was fun to reflect back on the last year we had spend together. we then continued in our celebrations...

{the journal}

After that, Norman said that also every year he wanted to somehow incorporate a breakfast meal, whether it's the morning of, or the night of, or something, but he said he wanted to do this because our first meal together besides our luncheon was breakfast the following morning at the Red Lion Hotel.

So, we made my favorite.

German Pancakes and Hashbrowns

{the after picture...we were hungry}

We then watched a movie...Dear John...this movie has a special meaning to us. So Norman wanted to start another tradition of watching it on our anniversary.

After that was finished....we had gotten the top of our cake from my mom's freezer. and yes, we ate it....and did some other things...

12.11.10

12.11.11

Norman then decided he wanted to play a little bit...

by the way...the cake still tasted delicious.

{this made me laugh so hard i could barely take the picture}

Then, Norman thought that because of what i did to him last year.....

he had to get me back...

Norman made our first anniversary so special and i love him so much. He is the most thoughtful man and so sweet to me. I am a lucky girl to be married to such a person and I am so excited to be spending the rest of my life and the rest of eternity with him. I love you, Norman.

Now onto Christmas. It is my favorite holiday and I love Christmas lights no matter where they are! Here is our Christmas tree...very cute...last year we didn't really have time to put all the ornaments and stuff on it.

But here's the beaut...

merry christmas.