We're the proud owners of a new (used) lawn mower

I am quite excited, actually, and rather proud of myself. I knew we would need a lawn mower soon. Our friends on the street behind us offered to let us borrow theirs, but really, I couldn't see us every week walking around the block, bringing theirs back, mowing, returning their mower. We needed our own. I've mowed lawns many times, but I've never paid attention to the brand or quality of the mower. Thanks to Dad for giving me some coaching, and craigslist. I looked into several over the past week or so, and then on Saturday I came home with our new mower! I found one that was fairly new and only lightly used. I went on my own, and the seller was rather impressed my husband let me do the research and purchasing on my own. She was fantastic, and we're definitely going to be friends. My next challenge is learning to garden, and she happens to be very experienced.  So, she and I packed the mower up in the trunk and I brought it home to a proud husband. Hooray!

Surprise!

Maybe this has happened to you, or maybe I am too trusting, or maybe someone really was just confused. I went swimming this morning, and as usual, I hang my towel up by the showers before I go to the pool so I can go their directly when I am done. But this time when I went to shower, my towel was missing! There was another towel next to the hook I had left mine, so I thought perhaps someone accidentally grabbed the wrong one? But alas, there were only a few others there and they did not have my towel. But there was also another woman still in the pool, so I didn't dare take the remaining towel and risk doing the same thing to another that was done to me. Oh well. It certainly isn't ideal to have to get dressed without using a towel first, but so it went. I especially felt bad though, because the towel actually belonged to Nate; one he brought to the marriage. :) Upon my return home, he informed me that it was one he had since the mission. Luckily, he assured me he was glad to be rid of it, and sorry for the person who has it now. Phew! May you all never lose your towel when you go swimming, and I might advise to keep it in sight (or your locker) at all times.

Skiing moguls is a good lesson on life

Nate impressed me today. He has been skiing now a total of 6 times in his entire life, and 5 of those have been with me. Skiing was a requirement to be my husband. And, he is one quick learner! We spent at least half of the day today on moguls, and I'm really not even that great anyway. Nate was stubbornly determined to learn how to ski moguls; I continued to encourage, but also offered an option out, but he was committed to be a champion. By early afternoon, he got it. He was in a groove, and showed that mountain who was boss. Skiing on the greens near the bottom (no offense to anyone who prefers them) suddenly became a bore. While we were on the mountain and I was trying to offer useful coaching, I started paying attention to my own form more, and then I got to thinking that skiing moguls is a lot like life. You have to build/rely on personal strength to face the challenge, and you have to be agile/flexible to adjust to whatever is presented. So here's to moguls. Thank goodness we also get a rest in between runs (and sometimes during).

My husband talks in his sleep

Yes, we've been married 9 months now, but sleeping through the night still proves to be a challenge for us, and especially for Nate. He does not like to share his space! I've been kneed during his soccer dreams, and spent many nights barely hanging on to the edge. Lately he's started talking in his sleep. The first episode he got really excited, or angry perhaps, and made some exclamation in his "Asian" speak. Most recently, I've had a cough, which has really kept him up at night, and one night he finally got frustrated and said something to me in Spanish, and put his hand over my mouth to quiet me. I can't lie, even though he wakes me up fairly regularly, I'm loving the entertainment. :)

Shuffle - providing the variety we need

So, when we hear Christmas music playing in the house in March - or any other month besides December for that matter - we know its my IPOD playing on shuffle. I'm upstairs and I hear the music play through. And then a country song comes on...but just for a second. Yes, as suspected, Nate endures the Christmas music, but not the country - not a chance!

Wanna watch a movie?

Since I've been married to Nate, I've really struggled to stick with my "early to bed, early to rise" behavior. He likes to stay up late and sleep in as long as possible. And I like simply like to be around him as much as possible, so I stay up. And then I'm tired. Lately, I've noticed a pattern. Sometime around 11, when I reach the "too tired to realize I'm tired" stage, something comes over me, and I always feel like watching a movie! So I say to Nate, "Wanna watch a movie?" And of course, his response is always a heart felt "Sure!" Now it's become more of a joke. When I say "Wanna watch a movie", we know that means it's time for me to go to bed.

9 months today

Engaged one year ago, and married 9 months. And life is great! Nate and I are loving every moment together and are really happy. We celebrated this weekend with some of our favorites - a DU hockey game (we've been wanting to go since we arrived here), snowshoeing, and french toast with pear and goat cheese (yum!). We're still working on narrowing photos for our wedding album though - we're so close! Hopefully we'll have that before one year!