11 Years and Counting

Eleven years ago I married the love of my life. It seems like just yesterday that we said "I do"...but I guess that means that time really DOES fly when you're having fun.

And we've had a lot of fun over the last decade plus one. Granted, we've also had some "not so much fun" times too, but I'm focusing on the positive today.

It's hard to see from the photos..but damn we looked so young. (OK, yes we were young-ish...I was 29 and Kevin was 35). He had more hair and less of it was gray. I actually had a real waist line! And no gray hair!

Seriously happy. I mean honestly, we're like stupid happy in this picture. And yes, I think my face did hurt from smiling so much on that day.

More smiling, happy people. That would be my mom and dad. And it's one of my favorite wedding day pictures.

Check out the train on the dress. I was totally rocking the cathedral train. I figured I'm only doing this once so the dress had to be amazing. I think it took almost forever to bustle too. And, I do remember that I "blew out" my hoop skirt underneath the dress. Too much dancing I suppose.

This is one of my absolute, all-time favorite pictures of us. I just love it for so many reasons. But mostly because it's so "us."

And this one? Well the photographer said "look casual" ... because you know, that's so easy to do in a huge wedding dress and a tuxedo. It almost looks like Kevin is trying out his best "pick up" lines. Which makes me smile.

The cake. Really, what were we thinking? This thing was EIGHT tiers. All different flavors. All heart-shaped. Because everything in the wedding was heart shaped, of course. (Really, it was). And yes, those are real roses on the cake. And staircases to the other tiers. And I loved it.

This is another favorite picture. I had NO idea that my darling husband was going to smash cake in my face. You see that white dot on my nose? That is frosting. It was UP my nose. I got my sweet revenge ... the next photo (which I don't have handy right now) shows me smashing cake in his face. All's fair in love and wedding cake.

So there's our wedding day (abridged) in photos.

Happy anniversary to my loving, patient, handsome, (did I mention patient?), wonderful, amazing husband. Here's to many, many more years of happiness.

10 years of happily ever after

Ten years since we said "I do."

That might seem like a long time to some...but seriously, time really does fly when you're having fun. A lot has happened in the last 10 years - babies, new jobs, losing jobs, moving, losing your dad, sickness, health, family vacations, and some crazy are-you-kidding-me moments.

And yet through it all...we're a team.

We might drive each other crazy at times and go to bed angry. But in the morning we're a team again. Because that's what marriage is all about. It's about compromise and love and knowing that the other person always has your back. Even if I'm being totally crazy and irrational (who, me?)...you're still there to talk me down. Life isn't always a fairy tale and every day isn't always perfect. But it's about the journey we agreed to go on together 10 years ago. There's going to be bumps in the road and dips in the savings account.

But when all is said and done, it's just you and me.
And I'm so happy that we said "I do."
Because ... after 10 years I still do.

Happy Anniversary honey. I love you with all my heart and soul.

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Anniversary!

Wishing my parents a very happy anniversary today!

42 years and still going strong! 

Love you! 

Wordless Wednesday - Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, honey.
I love you.

Happy 40th Anniversary to the Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World!

Wishing Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom a very happy 40th anniversary! You are the 'happy place' for millions of people...thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness to my family over the years!

Seven years ago....

October 5, 2002

Happy anniversary to my hubby!
Love you honey!

Four years and counting....(or happy birthday to my blog!)

Four years ago I started this little blog. I was sitting at home one day, watching the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on CNN and had the urge to write.

So I sat down at my computer and just started writing.

I wasn't sure what the direction was for this blog ... I just knew I wanted to write.

And now, four years and 685 posts later....I'm still here.

Still writing.

(So, happy birthday to my blog!)

When I started this blog, I figured maybe my family would read it. Maybe. And it might get a few visits from the few friends who knew I was blogging. But, I knew that I wasn't going to make a living as a blogger. And that was really OK with me.

Readers or no readers, I was going to write about what was going on in my life. Four years ago we were selling our old house and moving into our current house, I was starting to study for the bar exam and Olivia was almost two years old. And, every now and then a friend or family member would comment...but that's not why I blogged.

I blogged then -- and today -- because writing is my passion.

See, I used to keep journals when I was younger. I would fill these books with random thoughts, rants, dreams, etc. I kept a journal all the way through law school. Then, for whatever reason, I stopped. But this blog...this is my journal.

If everyone stopped reading it today, I'd still write. Because that's what I do. I write.

And for the most part, blogging is wonderful. I've connected with some amazing women (see the list to the left) who write amazing blogs. But, sometimes there's a down side to blogging too. I've had people leave completely rude comments on posts (which is why I now forbid Anonymous comments) and I've had people stop reading my blog because I was too negative.

But you know what? I don't care. Because I'm not always a "happy-go-lucky, ain't life grand, and everything's coming up roses" kind of person. Sometimes life sucks. Sometimes reality kicks you in the gut and then kicks you again when you're down. And I'm going to write about those times, just as quickly as I'm going to write about the joy and triumphs. So, if you want to leave a rude comment, you'll have to leave your name and if you want to stop reading my blog...go right ahead.

I blog because I love to write.

I blog for me.

Now that might sound a little selfish, but it's not. I do blog for my own good. It's my own little bit of therapy.

I blog about things that make me happy.

And things that make me sad.

And things that make me wonder what the hell is wrong with people.

I think the description for my blog says it all "musing on everyday life....as seen from my little fishbowl." And so, after four years, 685 posts and 27,425 visits...I think I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing.

Writing about life as I see it from my fishbowl.

Thanks to all of you for reading - I do appreciate all of my readers and enjoy reading your comments.

- TLC

(And for the record, the Fishbowl wasn't my first blog. Nope...I started writing "Toddler Timeouts" in August 2004. That blog has changed names and is now "The Olivia & Emma Show". I also have another blog that is focused on travel and tips for families -- most of those posts are Disney-related...so I guess that's my Disney blog).